I can't begin to put into words what your comments and emails mean to me, to us. I've been teary and sniffly with gratitude since I put up that post.
Since I can't give each of you a hug of thanks for all of your words of support and love, I thought I'd bring you over some muffins.
Well, sort of. You do have to make them yourselves, but I'm afraid that baking a batch of muffins to be delivered directly to the doors of over three hundred generous friends is just a bit out of my reach right now.
But they are yummy, healthy, and make the perfect snack for toddlers. I'd been searching for a recipe like this for a while - something without sugar and full of whole grains, and something that was easy to make with the "help" of a toddler. I ended up modifying a recipe I found in a back issue of Mary Jane's Farm.
Bran Muffins
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Makes: 12 Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup apple butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped-up dried figs
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly coat muffin pan with oil. (I used paper liners the first time, and I don't recommend it - they stick to the muffins!)
2. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon - don't overmix. Fold in the dried fruit.
4. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes.
Yum.
A few more things have been on my mind in the last few weeks as we re-envision what life will entail in the months following Lachlan's birth. One of the things that stands out to me is the fact that he will be medically fragile for a while. It isn't recommended that we take him out and about in public places where he could catch a cold - a cold which, for the average person, would just be a nuisance, but for Lachlan might mean hospitalization.
A natural homebody, this doesn't freak me out, but I've been thinking about ways we could arrange our living space to be most inviting to be in and most accommodating of our near-constant presence. This means that I'm saying good-bye to my sewing studio, the sunniest room in the house, and transforming it into an art/playroom. My studio will share space with our guest quarters in the partially finished basement. Less sunny, but heck, I do most of my actual sewing at night, anyway.
So yes, an art/playroom. I'm ridiculously excited about this, and the wheels are turning big-time in my head. I look forward to sharing the process with you in the coming weeks. In my own research into such spaces, I spent lots of time hanging out at Playful Learning. Wow. What an incredible resource Mariah has put together. I especially love the section on "Learning Experiences." So many great ideas.
Onward, then. In the words of the Beatles, "I'll get by with a little help from my friends." Thank you.
