Life's Lessons

Brittany has an early meeting on Tuesdays and I have been letting her drive to school on that day. (Yes she is a senior and we still make her ride the bus.) My car was almost out of gas so she decided to put gas in it on her lunch break yesterday.

She hit the “pay inside” button, put gas in the car, and then went inside to get something for lunch. She took her food to the counter and told the girl she also needed to pay for the gas on pump six. The girl verified the amount and Brittany handed over her debit card.

Later, when Brittany was at work she pulled the receipt out of her pocket and looked at the total. It only showed $7 instead of $27. At first she thought maybe the gas part didn’t show on this receipt but the more she thought about it the more it bothered her.

After work she returned to the convenience store, showed them her receipt and explained that she didn’t think she had been charged for the gas. The girl working at this time was a little upset that Brittany had waited all day to come back and told Brittany they should have called the police on her. Brittany politely told them they were lucky she was an honest person.

Brittany was a little frustrated with the response she got but I assured her she had done the right thing and that is all that matters.

Granola

There is nothing better than fresh, homemade granola. After searching for and trying different recipes I found one that is so simple and so DELICIOUS.

Here is the recipe:

Granola Cereal

4 cups rolled oats, wheat, or barley (or any combination)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or sesame seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, almonds, or pecans, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or a thick syrup made with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2-3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla and/or other extract
3/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together except for the dried fruit. Set the dried fruit aside.
2. In another bowl mix the sweetener, oil, and extract together.
3. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The liquids will be absorbed and the granola will become darker and shinier.
4. Spread the granola in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for ten minutes. Use a spatula and turn the granola on the baking sheet. Place the granola back in the oven and bake for another ten minutes or until fairly dry and starting to brown. (Granola will become crispier and crunchier as it cools.) Remove the granola from the oven and stir in the fruit. Cool and store in airtight container. Use within two weeks or freeze for longer storage.

I omit the sunflower seeds and add 1/2 cup of coconut instead. Walnuts and dried cranberries are our favorites. Also, I have been making it with honey but I want to try one of the other sweeteners the next time I make it. Let me know if you try this.

Zane helped me measure and stir and then we enjoyed a bowl for lunch.

“I’m sorry mommy.”

I love this little boy dearly even though he makes me crazy. I can never stay mad at him when he looks at me with his big blue eyes and says, “I’m sorry mommy.”

Here’s what I heard today:

I’m sorry I ate the Sponge Bob toothpaste.
I’m sorry I peed on the floor.
I’m sorry I spilled the milk.
I’m sorry I peed in my pants.
I’m sorry I wrote on my hands with markers.
I’m sorry I pooped on the grass.
I’m sorry I rode around the corner on my bike and didn’t come back.
I’m sorry I washed my hair all by myself and got soap in my eyes and mouth.
I’m sorry I didn’t eat my dinner, but now I’m hungry.

(This picture was taken after rescuing him from the bathtub. He put a handful of MY shampoo on his head and then dumped a bucket of water on his head to rinse it. The soap, of course, went in his eyes and mouth. Several minutes after his bath his eyes and lips were still puffy and red. )