School is 3 weeks away!!

Alright people...are you ready?!?! It is time to go through clothes, buy school supplies, and pretty much go crazy!! So, here are some tips to help this go a little better. Here is what I do...
1) Go through all the drawers- Try on everything! My kids hate this! (let me rephrase this...Brooklyn hates this, Joni thinks it's a fashion show!) But this year, we put on Selena Gomez and it was great!
2) Make a list of everything your child needs- down to socks and undies.  Don't forget shoes!
3) School supplies- the principal has emailed a list of supplies that each grade needs. Don't forget a backpack and lunch box.
4) Start putting your kiddos to bed earlier- now. This makes school mornings much easier on YOU!
5) Start cooking!! I know, you're thinking, "What does this have to do with school?" I will tell you. I don't know about you but there are mornings where B is running out the door with a granola bar and apple in hand! That is not a filling breakfast! Here are some Yummola recipes that we love...make ahead and freeze! So on school mornings, thaw or toast, add milk and fruit- DONE! So easy!

Bran Muffins (Seriously good!)
Ingredients:
   2 cups raw bran (find this and the germ at Smith's)
   1 cup raw wheat germ
   1 cup boiling water
   1/2 cup olive oil
   1/2 cup honey
   1/2 tsp salt
   2 1/2 tsp baking soda
   2 cups buttermilk
   2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Mix bran, wheat germ, and water together until moistened in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until completely blended. Pour in greased muffin tins.
Bake 375 for 15-20 minutes.
Freezes well.
Yum!

Homemade Granola Bars
Ingredients:
   9 cups rice krispies
   5 cups oats
   2 cups chocolate chips (milk choc)
   1 cup peanuts, chopped
   1 3/4 lbs marshmallows
   1/2 cup margarine
   1/2 cup honey
   1/4 cup peanut butter
Directions:
In a large bowl combine the first four ingredients. In a large saucepan stir marshmallows and butter until smooth. Add honey and peanut butter. Mix well. Pour over dry mix. Put into 2 greased 13" * 9" pans. Press!
Yum!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles
Ingredients:
   1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
   3 tsp baking powder
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
   1/8 tsp salt
   2  eggs
   1/4 cup brown sugar
   1 cup pumpkin
   1 2/3  milk
   1/4 cup canola oil (I do half oil/half applesauce)
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients first, then add wet. Cook waffles! (spray waffle iron each time you add batter.) yummy with toasted sugar walnuts!

Oat Pancakes
Ingredients:
   2 cups flour
   1 cup oats
   1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
   1 tsp salt
   2  egg
   2 cups milk
   1/4 cup butter
Directions:
Mix all ingredients but butter. Melt butter on hot griddle, adding butter as needed.
Blueberries are yummy here!

Banana Muffins- ourbestbites.com

Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients:
   1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
   2  eggs
   2 cups all-purpose flour
   1/2 tsp salt
   3/4 cup sugar
   1 cup applesauce
   1 Tbsp baking powder
Directions:
Cream yogurt and sugar. Add beaten eggs, then applesauce. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture, stirring only enough to moisten flour. Grease muffin tins. Add dough, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top.
Bake 375 for 20-25 minutes.
Approx. 150 calories per muffin.

Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups All-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cups Granulated sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable oil (I did applesauce instead of oil)
2 large EGGS
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 cup (8 oz) Sour cream
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen thawed and drained)
Preparation:
Place oven rack in lower-middle position of oven and heat to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour mixture over blueberries and toss to coat; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until mixture is pale yellow. While whisking, slowly pour in oil; add vanilla and sour cream, and mix well. Fold in remaining flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not over mix. (Batter should be mixed just until it comes together. It's OK for some small sprays of flour to be visible in the raw dough.) Gently fold in blueberries.
Spray a twelve-cup muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray or coat lightly with butter (or use paper liners). Distribute muffin dough equally among cups. Sprinkle top with brown sugar. Place in oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

My sister-in-law also makes a freezes lunch too.  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches freeze well. (I wish I would have done this last year. When I didn't have time to make lunch, B would have school lunch...and unless the school was serving pizza or hamburgers, B would just get a pre-packaged PB&J. Really.)
Any ideas? Feel free to comment!