Our First Hike of October & Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is my favorite season. Yesterday I couldn't wait to get outside and go for a hike. It's always fun and interesting to go hiking with four boys (one big one, three little ones)! We decided to hike to Chimney Rock in the Catoctin Mountain State Park, near Thurmont, MD. From where we started it was a 1.1 hike up to the top. The boys did great hiking. The youngest rode in the carrier on our backs. Here are some photos from yesterday's hike.
This is the beautiful view from the top of Chimney Rock.

My little mountain men got hot and decided to take off their shirts...this photo was taken right before they both decided to pull down their pants and pee in the forest...what can I say, they had to go. Fortunately for us there were no other hikers on the trail at them time. We just laughed!

This is my little trail runner.

Can you tell we're all saying "Cheese" for the picture? Even the baby!

My Angels...

I made some pumpkin muffins on Saturday and thought they turned out well. Charlie even liked them and he's a picky eater!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger)

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons flax seed meal
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini-Morsels

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and flax seed meal.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined. Fold in the chocolate mini morsels.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack. (Serves 12 muffins)