Simple Banana Bread

does life get much sweeter than the smell of banana bread filling the house? i made this one today that i found on tasty kitchen. i omitted the nuts.

I’m Having Banana Nut Bread – Sweet
Added by mrswebbfisher on November 8, 2009 in Breads

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)
Moist banana bread. Great with some softened butter on a slice right before eating.
Prep Time 20 Minutes
Cook Time 55 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
•2 cups Flour
•1 teaspoon Baking Soda
•½ teaspoons Salt
•½ cups Butter
•1 cup Sugar
•2 whole Eggs
•1 teaspoon Vanilla
•3 whole Large Bananas
•1 cup Pecans, Chopped

Preparation Instructions
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla; stir until mixed well. Stir in mashed bananas. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Place in a well-greased 9 x5 x 3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

Pioneer Woman Obsession

ok, now thanks to julie i am now so crazy about this woman & her website. i gave her apple dumplings a try...and i decided i can officially eat these for breakfast, lunch & dinner every day. you have to try them.

i am making a list...ok a rather long list...of recipes and things i must try. pioneer woman is just cool. get ready to spend some TIME going through her blogs, tips, stories, recipes.

here's my attempt at the yummy apple-licious-ness.

yes, you are welcome friends. i'm vowing to eat grilled chicken and salads a couple times a week, just to be able to try more PW recipes. i'm tackling her cinnamon rolls tomorrow so we can have them for new year's. (oh, that will be a fun post!)

sit back & enjoy!

A Little Give & A Little Go

my cayley & travis have been gone to SA with grandparents since the day after christmas. it's so strange here. i really thought adam would be upset for a day or two, but nope...he's more than fine being an only child for a week. gosh, he went with tim and i to see new moon, yep again, and was so good! he is the wolf kid ;)

christmas eve was nice & kids were asleep before 9pm.

presents and evidence of santa's visit inspected by 6:45am

egg nog pancakes and bacon by 9am

wrapping paper galore bagged up by 11am

ham, smoked turkey & sides all done and lunch served at 2pm
NAPS!

this week it's just been me & adam hanging out at home, cleaning rooms, running errands, watching ice age: dawn of the dinosaurs over & over. he's one happy dino boy. who by the way is turning 5 tomorrow. funny how us moms can recall so many details of the birth of our babies...adam was so easy, even though he was 3 1/2 weeks early....he's been an early riser ever since. he only likes the frosting off cake, so i'm making him a cookie cake. like the ones ya get at the mall. i even found green icing to decorate his dino cookie cake!

40 Loaves Winner

Kristi-


Congrats! Leave me your email or drop me a note at sarahlee28@yahoo.com and we'll get you your copy soon.
Merry Christmas!!!

Keep checking in for more book giveaways in 2010!

The Percentages Go Way Up!

Yes, the percentages of me missing fun things have waaaay up since becoming a mother of three. Just between me, Tim and the kids having illness & schedule conflicts, me not making it to an event like today's mommy cookie swap with friends of mine just plain makes me sad. But things happen and the chances of things happening again are high. Sadly, I'm not as dependable as I once was....I am depended upon by the four others that I live with and those needs always come first.I am surrounded by people who like me, even though this is my life...thank you!

Tomorrow I will be making a million cake balls for Tim's company Christmas lunch.rush.rush.rush. but it will all be fun while listening to Christmas music! Right now I am trying to be what the kids need and really make the holidays not about the gifts, but the entire experience. Honestly, when you think back to your childhood Christmas, do you really remember lots of specific gifts, or the enjoyment of doing things together? Toys and presents come in and out of style with each passing year, but the traditions we make and the memories we are making....well, they last a whole lot longer.

So, What are You Reading?

Ok, I finally saw "Julie/Julia" -loved the movie & the book as well. I love cooking and could find myself easily falling into a deadline of completing every recipe in a cookbook. Oh what joy that would be! The ideas are racing through my head and who knows what 2010 will bring. What was really sweet was the way the movie showed the relationships between the main 4 characters as husbands & wives .

So supportive and encouraging to each other....especially when things got tough.

The book was slow at first, but good. I now have a need to read Julia Child's biography, "My life in France". Makes me want to go out and buy butter by the pound.

And here's Julie Powell's latest book:

Here's the next big thing at my house: Percy Jackson! Percy Jackson and the Olympians, to be exact. My sweet 8 year old daughter needed another series to read, so here's 5. I'm only 1/2 way through the first and she's on the third. Hey, it's been really crazy busy around here! The movie based on the first book, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lighting Thief" is out in theaters in February-no doubt we'll be there. I adore having this special connection with Cayley- books and stories unites us, even when we don't agree. What we share is extremely important to me...shows her I honestly have an interest in what she's doing and what she likes.

I pray this lasts the rest of my life.

Book Review & Giveaway: 40 loaves

"40 loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day"

Here’s a summary:

“Why don’t I have more faith?”
“Why am I so bored with Jesus?”
“Why are Christians so hard for me to like?”
There are many questions we’re not supposed to ask when playing by the religious rules. It makes people uncomfortable. So why is it that Jesus invited questions and even asked some of them himself? What is it that you’re afraid to ask God? It’s a risky prospect to begin asking–but far riskier to continue simply trying to get by without knowing. Author C. D. Baker asked himself 40 soul-searching questions which started a conversation in his heart and ultimately showed him more about God than He ever expected.
Can we become more honest with who we really are and find who God says He really is at the same time? Come indulge yourself in daily readings with an honest exploration of your secret fears and thoughts, and know that you will always be welcomed in God’s unconditional love.
Search me, O God … and know my anxious thoughts.
–Psalm 139:23 NIV

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

I read this book over Thanksgiving break and it brought up a lot of questions and situations that I could relate to. There were several days that really struck me. Fear of death...yes, I have it. That's one of my confessions, but as it says in the book: confession of fears, replaces them. I can say that I am confident in where I will go when i die, but that still doesn't take away the fear of unknown, fear of ending, fear of what will go on without me. BUT, I know that everything will be according to His will and His perfect plan. Sad that it takes being called back to heaven to see his plan, but I have faith that He knows way more that I do :)

Another day that spoke to me in a way was: Why does God seem silent in my life? Well, I felt some comfort that this author see it the same way I do. He writes about how "God is love. We listen for God by listening for love. When we experience love, we have heard the voice of God." God is speaking to me loud and clear everyday. I am so very loved and I love so many...

So now here's the big giveaway: To get your copy of 40 loaves, all you have to do is leave a comment. You get 2 entries if you share this on your blog as well :)

Contest ends 12/23 at 3pm central.

Just Plain Yum-

Egg Nog pancakes....my heaven! The family went out to Ihop this weekend- this is rare- and my sweet little guy Adam and I shared a huge breakfast. The egg nog pancakes were just too perfect and the thought of not having them for a while made me a tiny bit sad. Being the home cook that I am, I have reinvented the to the best of my ability.

Now, the ingredients:

pancake mix like Bisquick, I used Pioneer because I love everything they make :)

eggs as needed on boxed recipe

now instead of milk...use egg nog!

a tablespoon of veg oil

Now, cook them up!!!

In the mean time, make a yummy egg nog filling to go between layers of pancake goodness.

Just a large box of instant vanilla pudding... I used 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of nog. I wasn't sure if it would have been too think if I had just used the egg nog...so I split it.

So, just butter and layer pancakes with filling and syrup it up. Enjoy!

Dear December,

well, december you are well on your way. you keep us busy and it takes real focus to make sure our priorities are in order. i love our family outings and activities, but sometimes i need the company of "just the girls". do you understand? this weekend will get me my fix, so to speak. hanging out with lindsey and then my ome sisters will do me wonders i think. things just get rolling so fast, that i really do feel stuck in one role of my life....and i have to recognize when that's happening so i can regroup.

tim's birthday is next week, and he doesn't want a cake! what's wrong with him? lol everyone wants a cake, but i do know what he wants for his birthday dinner. little mike's queso chicken- like from our dates at jail house cafe! so it will be a special meal :) i don't even remember what we did last year for his birthday...is that sad that they all kinda run together after so many years?

christmas cards are just about addressed and finished. i have a list of baking to do, new recipes to try, gifts to buy, class parties to attend, ornaments to finish, holiday movies to watch with the kids, songs to sing, cups of hot chocolate to sip, books to read, thanks to give and hugs to share.

hope you are have a wonderful wednesday friend. enjoy it- there are only 3 left till 2010.

Dear December,

today, i'm staying home and cleaning. the boys' rooms look like tornadoes hit and everywhere else could use some help too. what would i rather be doing??? sitting in starbucks with a cheesey twilight magazine sipping an eggnog latte, but that's not on the agenda today. i'll really work it this morning, so i can have the time when adam's in school to work on some ornament orders. they'll be so cool when i'm done. this time last year, i had just finished the twilight series, but no one i knew around here had read them. what a difference a year makes! it's nice to have something to feel silly & excited about. today i'm praying for very special people- that god would make his plan known and give direction. i feel so helpless sometimes to help others-praying for god to give me some insight to what i can do.

Dear December,

you are back again. what a difference 12 months can make. last year, we were preparing for a christmas week away vising family in florida. this year, we are looking forward to a cozy holiday at home. lots of parties, birthdays and gatherings to keep us all busy! december, right now i'm focused on prayer and the hard fact that i can't be everywhere at once. let's just get through day one and see how we go from here.

btw, happy 21st birthday to my little brother aj. love you!!!

sarah

Happy Homemaker Monday

thanks sandra at diary of a sahm for hosting each monday!
join in and link up to her blog for more monday posts.

The weather in my neck of the woods:
cool, cloudy & rainy

One of my simple pleasures:
evening coffee at the kitchen table with my dad

On my bedside table:
back to "the host"

On my tv:
adam's fave show "dinosaur train"!

On the menu for tonight:
i'm roasting our turkey today! lol, now don't think i'm crazy friends. i love thanksgiving foods!

On my To Do List:
the list is so long. there's always so much to do when ya get home from a vacation.

In the craft basket:
more twilight ornaments :)

Looking forward to:
wow- there's so many wonderful happenings in december. i'm super excited about the ome christmas party!

Homemaking Tip for this week:
i'm a blank for this one today!

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
didn't do any blog reading last week-

Favorite photo from last week: this pretty much sums up the time at the deer lease last week. it was such a blessed time with my hubby & kids.


Lesson learned the past few days:
just be thankful. no one is guaranteed anything in this life and when you feel out of control- step back and pray.

On my Prayer List:
my dad's in the hospital with infection and other complications. he's been in since friday morning. please keep him in prayers.

Well, Who Knew...

having cookies after school on fridays is pretty much a given around here :) tim bought me these fun fall cookie cutters, so i thought i'd give them a whirl. i made a ton of sugar cookies and i think i have a couple hidden away just for my coffee break today. they went fast! didn't even have time to decorate them- no one complained!



our leaves & acorns!

then, tim said the weirdest thing saturday evening. " can you make a funnel cake?" i was kinda shocked and cayley was so excited at the possibility of eating carnival food at home. away i went to find a recipe and a quick trip to walmart for powdered sugar. (where i ran into buffy! sorry buffy, i was a mess and had been cleaning all day, lol- isn't that how it goes, when you run into someone ya know at the store, lol)

this was a little messy, but so very worth it!!!

well, who knew i could make this!?

i guess tim never doubted :)

Spotlight Wednesday

this is one of my favorite movies.

the choice between what might have been and making your own reality....

making a conscious choice to really embrace the life you could be living

and what ultimately makes you happy...

i choose us...

yes, i get wrapped up in trying to get everything done- most days only 1/3 of it does-but it's so nice to be reminded of choosing to be who i am. i am a wife, mom, daughter, sister, auntie, friend. it's impossible to have everything, but living this blessed life is more than i could ask for.

no where near perfect, but mine.

i just love how this scene plays out in the movie...

and if you haven't seen "the family man" go get it. you'll love it!

Recovering from October- Excited about November!

wow! october flew by! so here's a recap of happenings through pictures :) cayley received 3 awards at school this month! it was so great to be there and clap as she walked up and got her certificates :) i'm one proud mommy to all three!





dad and linda came up one weekend before halloween to visit. the weather was so perfect!!!






i ran around friday before halloween going to the boys' class parties and the night before was reading night at cayley's school.
it was really fun though- trav's class got cake balls, and so did the family. trav was thing 2 for his school party, then a jedi for trick or treating. adam was venom from spiderman. while cayley was a cutie witch for halloween night. mom and richard came up for halloween along with amanda, stella & raylee! it was nice to have them here for some fun too.

adam pinning the tail on the black cat.

Trav found a "rat tail" in the shaving cream game at his class party.

Making a candy skull necklace

Adam bowling with a little pumpkin.
Cayley's reading night at school- dressed up as "Thing 1"

Drawing by Cayley after watching "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown".

Spotlight Wednesday

today is all about travis! oh, he such a complete mystery to me sometimes and can make me laugh, especially when i don't want to. he has the best sense of humor & give the best hugs!

last night he had his fill of little brother adam drama. trav came up to me and said"we need to take adam back to the baby store and get a new one!" he was so very serious- at that moment anyway. then while we were watching "it's the great pumpkin charlie brown" he sees a toll house cookie commercial and wanted grandma debbie to make cookies for him. i grab the phone and tell him to chat with her about it :) he put in his request for chocolate chip cookies with strawberries and whipped cream. he is so my kid! i'll post pics along with halloween weekend stuff.

today is also the day he is getting his staples removed from his head. i don't think i really posted about this. 10 days ago, trav & adam were playing with the couch cushions in the living room. no harm in that, right? not till you add in a coffee table. yep, trav got wobbly after stacking 2 cushions and adam was around too horse playing. travis fell back and hit his head. there wasn't any blood at first as i held him..then it started. sorry for the details. lindsey came over and rushed us to the er clinic 15 minutes away. they saw him as quickly as i could fill out the paperwork. did i mention that tim was at the deer lease and no cell phone signal???

by the time we see the nurse, trav is joking around and laughing---that is until the dr. come in with the staples! 5 total and his poor head was so very swollen. a couple days later, swelling was down and drama was over. now, today we go back to get the removed and i know this won't be fun. he has been such a brave little guy.

Heaven....

i get chills and teary every time i hear this song. it pulls at a spot in my heart that aches at the thought of losing a child. scc puts it all into words...everything i'd miss about them. gosh, everything will make more sense as soon as we make it to heaven. sounds weird, but every question answered, every fear gone. that's the comfort offered to us.
go hug the ones ya love now and listen to this song.
keep connected.

Tuesday Rambling

Small life
Needed to do important things vs. needing to feel important
Little things bring excitement –
Don’t have much to offer to conversations
Speaking to children vs. speaking to peers
Feeling out of the loop-
So many little things to do, daily
Knowing my “un job” is more important than any career
Needing a break from everything- and missing everything at the same time
Knowing my whole world lives inside these 4 walls
Praying that this is filling
Waiting for more
Getting through the day
Amazed at the peacefulness in each sleeping child’s face
Dealing with being loved and unliked at the same time
Being right vs. peace
Finding myself at 30…

Happy Homemaker Monday

thanks sandra at diary of a sahm for hosting each monday!
join in and link up to her blog for more monday posts.

The weather in my neck of the woods:
so perfect! cool mornings, sunshine :)

One of my simple pleasures:
good friends to call on

On my bedside table:
"eat pray love" & "bringing up boys"

On my tv:
adam's fave show "dinosaur train"!

On the menu for tonight:
slow cooker taco soup. easy meal after a busy weekend.

On my To Do List:
tim's home from the deer lease today- missed him! just straightening up a bit here.

In the craft basket:
ornaments galore! this week, i have to pin down my alice one. just can't get my idea to work...yet.

Looking forward to:
to a day when coffee tables are not an enemy. poor trav hit his head yesterday and needed 5 staples.

Homemaking Tip for this week:
keep a bag of frozen ravioli on hand...really saved the day last night- just added pasta sauce and cheese to it. yesterday i couldn't even think straight- this was a super easy meal.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
didn't do much reading-

Favorite photo from last week:


Lesson learned the past few days:
99.9% of kid accidents happen at home. things can happen so fast...and mom's sometimes aren't fast enough.

On my Prayer List:
for my sweet trav- feel better baby.

safe travels home for tim & troy today.

I Only Hear What I Want To...

Happy Homemaker Monday

thanks sandra at diary of a sahm for hosting each monday!
join in and link up to her blog for more monday posts.

The weather in my neck of the woods:
getting a break from rain. still very gloomy outside- good napping weather!

One of my simple pleasures:
a couple minutes of quiet after the kids go to bed

On my bedside table:
"eat pray love"

On my tv:
only really watching grey's & private practice as appointment tv. thankfully for on demand for my atlanta housewives, lol.

On the menu for tonight:
oooh! heading to lindsey's for troy's surprise bday dinner :)

On my To Do List:
vacuume, dishes, laundry- mail out twilight ornaments!

In the craft basket:
oh the craftiness! check out my twilight mom blog!!!

Looking forward to:

my hubby coming home tonight! getting all my ideas together for halloween.

Homemaking Tip for this week:
can't think of anything

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
the recent post i have on my twilight mom blog! i am so excited that a twilight convention is coming to houston!!!

Favorite photo from last week:

Lesson learned the past few days:
love is something that we do- not just a feeling. make those you love a prioriety. you won't regret it. that's what you'll think about on your last day on earth. not that your laundry wasn't put away, or a job you could have had.

On my Prayer List:
family & friends facing health issues

blessed and safe week for everyone.

Thank You for Being a Friend

ok, cheesey, but what am i if not a little bit cheesey~

i am so very blessed with friends that surround me. whether they are here for a reason, season, or lifetime- each play a role in my life. i have an amazing "honey line"! each friend is so unique and bring special things into our relationship. maybe we talk on the phone once a week, email everyday, FB once in a while, share similiar interests, or are just praying for each other.

all these are special to me and remind me that although being a wife and mother is amazing, i am complex and there's more to me than laundry and dishes.

i love those who i swap recipes with, crazy child stories with, and ones i can call with random questions. we are each other's "go to" for something! we help each other get through the seasons of life- whether it is a time of heartache, joy, confusion, or routine.

blessed is all i can say....

Happy Homemaker Monday

thanks sandra at diary of a sahm for hosting each monday!
join in and link up to her blog for more monday posts.

The weather in my neck of the woods:
very muggy this morning getting the kids on the bus.

One of my simple pleasures:
listening to adam play in the tub. that boy has such an imagination!

On my bedside table:
"new moon" still & again

On my tv:
big tv week! grey's 2 hour season premier is thursday!

On the menu for tonight:
fried chicken, mac & cheese, & salad. this is by far everyone's fave meal here.

On my To Do List:

laundry from tim & cayley's deer lease trip, start on a new 2 week menu and grocery list

In the craft basket:
ooooh! i'm feeling crafty again! big, giant ideas are hitting me lately! i'll keep ya posted.

Looking forward to:
this week is a full week! tiger cubs meeting, open house, crop night, grey's,- all good stuff!

Homemaking Tip for this week:

this bread is awesome!!! it tastes so much like homemade, but isn't. 20 minutes in the oven and it's perfection! there's always coupons in the paper and online for it too :)

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
well, not to be braggy, but my friend julie posted a very sweet blog about her bday present i gave her :) she is a sweetie too!

Favorite photo from last week:

my niece stella bella- who just smiles and claps when her "stella bella" song is sung to her!



Lesson learned the past few days:
i can do all thing through christ who strengthens me! i started partnering with the gourmet cupboard and am excited about the prospects. "when god closes one door, somewhere he opens a window"...i think this is my window.

On my Prayer List:
busy moms trying to do it all,

family & friends,

thanksgiving for all kinds of blessings- even ones we can't even see coming!

The Gourmet Cupboard

in response to my previous post....none of those options worked out right now. my schedule is very unique and i can't honestly expect for businesses to need someone with such confined availability.
i understand completely!

a month ago, i found this company online called the gourmet cupboard. after lots of thought and prayer i have decided to become a distributor of their products. i'm so very excited! this is food that i would eat, prepare for my family & friends, and give as gifts! there's such a wide variety of foods that i think everyone could find their fave quickly. i love how this is so "semi-homemade"! this is gonna save time and money on cooking- and hopefully be an added income :)

right now, i'm taking catalog orders from the website product list- soon i'll have real brochures in hand. the possiblities are endless. i'm making plans for sampler baskets for christmas time with fun recipes.

so, take a minute my bloggy friends and pop on over to the gourmet cupboard website and see if there's something you like to order. i'll probably submit orders twice a month and i'll be posting monthly specials starting in october.

feel free to comment or email, i'd be happy to help!

Job Hunting, Since Blogging Doesn't Pay Well

yep, you read that right. i am looking for a job.

not searching for anything full time, my life is so full already.

this is when living in small town america gets complicated. there aren't a ton of options for evening positions. so the plan is dinner with the family, showers & jammas, and daddy tucks them in while i head out around 7/8pm till 11/12 during the week. it's not a huge amount of hours, but i have been praying for something to be available and a company to need someone these exact hours. today i'll go and return a couple of applications and then wait and see.

for along time, i've looked for a work at home something and haven't found anything that worked for me. an evening job would be ideal for me. i'm up anyway while tim & the kids are sleeping, could be home with adam in the mornings and get everyone off and home from school, best of all i wouldn't miss school functions during the day & family time at night.

so if you would, keep me in prayer as i try and find the right fit......

Happy Homemaker Monday

thanks sandra at diary of a sahm for hosting each monday!
join in and link up to her blog for more monday posts.

The weather in my neck of the woods:
niiiiiice!!! in the mornings anyway- still pretty warm in the afternoons.

One of my simple pleasures:
having dinner cooking in the slow cooker- so nice to not be a rush at dinner time.

On my bedside table:
"new moon" still & again

On my tv:
no school today- lots of cartoons & kid movies. the kids are loving watching toy story 2 on vhs right now! crazy fun stuff!

On the menu for tonight:
probably some grilled chicken & a salad

On my To Do List:
my kitchen has been neglected this weekend- with sick ones in the house.

In the craft basket:
nothing :(

Looking forward to:

a really fun week- lots to do, & big surprises!

Homemaking Tip for this week:
doing the fly lady thing this week- did a little last week and saw a big difference. now, keeping it up is the hard part.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
not much blog reading going on over here- i was cleaning closets last week :)

Favorite photo from last week:

home from school, had a snack, milk mustache


Lesson learned the past few days:

it's so hard for me to speak up when i feel something is wrong...less conflict the better, but when a carpet cleaning dude did me wrong...i had to say something. i was shocked that i stood up to a stranger, but it was well worth it. this will be a blog entry this week.

On my Prayer List:

health!!! for everyone who is feeling under the weather to be up and feeling normal again. there's something going around here.

for safe travels for secret surprise company this week.