What a day!

Yesterday was filled with many reminders of why I could not be a stay at home mom. Don't get me wrong, I love my days home (okay most of them) but also enjoy my adult time at work. I should have known that when the days starts at 5am with a crabby toddler that there is strong potential to go downhill fast.

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I'm not above bribery!

We have been working on potty training for the past few weeks and all had been good until last week when she just wasn't into it anymore, this is when I got the idea of bribery. We were at Target and I saw a bag on animal crackers and now each successful potty results in one cracker. Until yesterday we had gone 3 days without an accident then she just wasn't happy about it, along with anything else. Time to figure out my next step (or bribe)!

I attempted a conference call for my run job which I had to cut short due to toddler tantrums, so we headed to the gym so I could be part of a promotional run video with some Olympic runners. Sounded so much fun. The child center was the site of our next breakdown, first due to needing to leave shoes on then who knows why. Once I realized I was out of time to change and make it upstairs before the filming started I decided to just call it a day and leave. The walk to the car resulted in broken sunglasses and another screaming fit by a toddler who now wanted to go to the gym. I now have a headache an want to throw a tantrum as well, some days I wonder why parents can't do the same in public. Wouldn't we all just feel better?

Helping mommy cook.

Instead we hit Costco and then headed home hoping for a nap. She attempted to sleep in the car as I sang very loudly and threw toys to keep her awake at stoplights, I knew the 10 minutes in the car would be enough to ruin anything further at home but not enough to fix the crabbiness. I finally got a nap and some quit but only after listening to singing over the monitor for nearly 45 minutes. These are the days I am thankful for a treadmill at home. Yes I am that mother who will let her child go while I workout. I know she needs her nap and that it will eventually happen (usually) so I let it go, the way I figure it if she is happy then she can stay happy alone while mommy runs off some stress and frustration on these days.

Prior to our multiple tantrums I decided we needed some more snacks in the house since we finished the pumpkin bread I had made last week. The one mushy banana wasn't enough for bread so the next best thing was granola. I will be the first to admit that I am addicted to any form of cereal or granola and have been attempting to find the perfect, healthy recipe for a couple years. I think this one may be one of the better attempts I've had so I decided to share on wellness weekend

The finished product: Banana/almond granola

Banana Almond Granola
4 cups rolled oats
1 banana
1/2 cup dates (soaked)
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup flax
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup seeds (I used pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup dried fruit

In food processor puree banana and dates until smooth, add apple juice concentrate and mix. In bowl mix oats, flax, almonds, cinnamon, coconut, seeds. Once mixed add in banana mix and stir until combined. Pour into greased baking dish and bake in preheated 300F oven for 45-60 minutes until dry but not too brown, stir frequently. It will continue to dry as it sits. Once cooled stir in dried fruit.