Oatmeal Bars

I've been coerced by my good friend, Grimsaburger, into sharing my Oatmeal Bar recipe with "the internets." Actually, to avoid reprimand by my sister, I should say that this is a recipe that she developed and we perfected together. But I'm the one that come up with fruity variations, which you will see below.

As Grims notes, they're not filled with butter, but they have lots of sugar (which you can cut back on, particularly in the fruity variety).

Preheat the oven to 375.

Spray a 9/13 baking dish (glass and metal both work fine) with non-stick spray.

Mix the following in a large bowl with a big spoon:

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk (or a bit less, if you're adding fruit)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Add:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Fold in:

4 cups oats (I prefer the old fashioned variety to the quick oats)

1/2 bag chocolate chips*

Press into baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes; they should be gooey.

You can also add 1/2 to 1 cup peanut butter to the recipe above (yummy).

Or you can experiment with different fruits. I've added some peeled chopped apples (with some cinnamon and nutmeg to taste) and peeled, chopped peaches. Both are excellent. But lots of fruit would work. Just add less milk if you use fresh fruit, or otherwise you'll have to add more flour and they'll be cakey rather than chewy, and they're much better chewy.

Let cool for about 10 minutes, particularly with the fruity ones.  Cut into the size you want and enjoy. 

28 Weeks

This is what 12-weeks-to-go looks like...

As for what it feels like, well, let's just say that I feel larger than I look. My lungs and stomach are getting squished from below, and my bladder is getting squished from above.

But I'm sure glad that this gets to last a little longer. I had a little scare this morning -- The Kid had been really quiet for a day or so, and my heart was racing at 130 b/m for about an hour. I called the doctor and they fit me in to the schedule. Of course, by the time I got there, my heart rate was normal again, and in the waiting room The Kid was doing the jive in my belly. They hooked me up to a fetal heart monitor just in case, and his little heart was beating strong as ever, which was great to hear.

As for the heart racing thing, that's a bit more complicated. I'm going to try having more protein for breakfast (hello, boca sausage) and have a snack an hour or so after I eat. My body is apparently a little too good at getting my blood sugar down after eating breakfast, according to my glucose test. That should do the trick. But if it doesn't, we can either pursue an EKG and think about meds, or chalk it up to a pregnancy symptom (which it very likely is) and let it be.

Either way, we're both okay! Yay for 28 weeks!

Possession

Painting and hardware and tools, oh my!

We got possession of our house last night, and went over straight-away to take a look around. The sellers were great -- leaving us clearly labeled paint cans, little house tips, and even their new phone number, should we have any questions. We're not moving in just yet -- first comes the Big Trip To Lowe's, then the Grand Paint-Off on Sunday -- thanks to Grimsaburger & Spouse, El Ranchero & Sap, and friends J & M for their help! In addition to the paint (non-toxic, low-VOC, and prego-friendly!), we'll be stripping wallpaper, pulling up carpet, tearing off fake-wood panelling, sealing floors,  hanging blinds, getting new countertops, hanging new hardware, installing a bathroom fan and a new stove hood, spot-tarring the roof, caulking the bathtub, replacing the shower head, moving the downspouts around, upgrading the electricity, and, if all goes well, finishing the basement. All by the end of May. No, really -- it'll happen. I think.  

Being a homeowner sure is busy!

(Pics coming soon...)