All things considered...not too shabby of a job on my part

Does she look 10 feet tall in this picture or is it just me?

Some days you hit a foul ball and some days you knock one out of the park. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for this in relation to my children but the other day, I hit one out of the park.

Yesterday, I asked Ella to clean her craft area in the office while Luke was taking his nap. She didn't really want to an expressed her pleasure (read into that she said "Seriously? I don't feel like it."). I reasoned with her that she is the Almighty Crafty One that she made the mess and that she should clean it up cause I didn't do it. She started in and I told her that I would do a little something special for her if she did it without cranking about it. She said ok.

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Now, I had no idea what I was going to do special for her when I said it (I'm a wing it kinda gal in case you haven't picked up on it). So I looked around the house for something to catch my eye that I could reward her with. I saw a lonely little packet of wildflowers sitting on my counter that never got planted. Aha! I could have her plant those outside in a section of the flower bed that never got flowers...she would be happy...I would be happy...we'd all call it a day.

Time rolls on...I forgot about having her plant the seeds...she finished picking up...Luke woke up...I fixed dinner. Ella asked me what we were having for dinner. I told her Baked Oatmeal. She immediately gave me a bear hug and said "Is that my reward for cleaning up? Oh Mommy, thank you!

Ilovebakedoatmealitsmyfavoriteandyouknewthatsoyoufixeditfordinneryou'rethebestmommyever!"

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Huh? What? Whose child is this that gets that excited about baked oatmeal?? Is she really that deprived that she thinks that Baked Oatmeal is a reward?!?! Oh well, I'll just toss those seeds in the drawer for another day!

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Baked Oatmeal

2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)

1/3 c brown sugar

1-2 t cinnamon

salt

1/4 c craisens, dried blueberries, apricots, or whatever dried fruit you have on hand

1 t baking powder

1 1/2 c milk

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 T butter, melted

1 egg

1 t maple extract or vanilla butternut extract or vanilla (whatever floats your boat)

Combine the wet ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry and pour into an 8x8 pan to cook in a 375 degree oven for 20 min or until firm.

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I've also been known to dice up a couple apples to put in place of the dried fruit. As long as your wet to dry ratio remains the same, you're fine to mix it up however you like. The kids like it with maple syrup drizzled on top.