The Smells of Autumn

Alternately titled: What to make with all those stinkin' overly ripe bananas!

Around here, when the weather starts changing, there are other changes to look forward to as well. The jeans and sweaters get hauled out of storage. The candles, that have been put away for the summer, get brought out and burned. The house gets a bit of a Fall makeover. And the oven gets quite a work-out.

We love to bake, and some of our favorites are Quick breads.

On this drizzly Saturday morning, I thought I'd share a new Banana-Bread Recipe with y'all in case you're looking for a little warm-me-up comfort food.

This recipe is a little bit of Better Homes & Gardens, with a dash of Betty Crocker, and lots of Your Truly added in to truly make it my own.

Go on, grab your apron and mixing bowls!

{Edited to add the vanilla! How could I forget the vanilla???}

Banana-Bread a la Liz

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups Flour

1 1/2 tsps. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/8 tsp. Nutmeg

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cups Mashed Bananas

1 1/4 cups Sugar

1/2 cup Butter {softened}

1 Tbsp. Vanilla {I personally think every baked good should contain vanilla. Mmmm}

Streusel Ingredients:

{Trust me, this is a must. It's super yummy!}

Oats, about 1/2 cup

{I used a packet of Quaker instant oatmeal in Cinnamon Roll, and can I say YUM, but feel free to use whichever Quick Cooking Oats you have}

1/3 cup Flour

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

2 Tbsps. Butter

Now that you have all the ingredients, let's get started. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom of two loaf pans. We used one loaf pan and two minis because, well, it's just more fun to have a personal-size banana bread!

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another until both are well combined. Add the dry to the wet and combine. Mix up the Streusel Ingredients. Pour batter into pans, sprinkle with streusel, and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. And Voila!

Anyone else have some great recipes up their sleeve for these cooler days/nights ahead? I'd love to hear! Link up your own if you'd like, so we can all share!

Flashback Friday, Pregnancy Journal, Week 17

Another Friday means, another pregnancy journal! If y'all are getting tired of these it's okay, you won't hurt my feelings. I just enjoy reminiscing for myself. Do stay tuned, though, because one of these days {once I wipe the drool from my face and pick my exhausted body up off the floor} I'll post about our fantastic trip to the beach! The main purpose was a field trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for the kiddos, but it was so much more than that. Lots of great memories with our dear friends!

Here we go, on to the pregnancy journal.

{originally submitted October 1, 2008}

Week 17 ~ Nothing New

Well, I must say, this week hasn’t been very eventful. But I suppose I should be thankful for that. I did manage to gather up the energy to attempt the re-upholstering project I was talking about last week. Jeremy watched while I fumbled through the first chair, and thankfully he stepped in to finish the project for me. I was so grateful, and he did such an amazing job! Now my dining room set looks brand new, and I couldn’t be happier. I guess motivation won over exhaustion because Sierra’s duvet cover got finished too. Now if only I could find a new comforter for our bed . . .

We successfully made it through another week of dance classes, and I am happy to announce that Makenna still loves it! It’s so much fun watching both of the girls up on stage. I can’t believe how fast they are growing up. It was a little strange, however, to be listening to Christmas music on a ninety degree day (they are already preparing for the Christmas Recital).

I worked for a few hours at my mother-in-law’s office yesterday. Once a month they have an all staff meeting and need someone to come in to cover phones and such. It’s an opportunity to make a few extra dollars and a good excuse to get “dressed up”. It also reminds me just how blessed I am to be able to stay at home with my little sugarplums.
We are headed to the library this morning. There is a really nice playground there, and I thought we might all enjoy taking advantage of this beautiful day. It looks as though the rain starts tomorrow, and once it starts here in the Pacific Northwest, there’s no stopping it until late next spring!

I am feeling the baby’s movement more and more, and am so thankful for that. I drive myself crazy with all of the “what ifs” the first several months of pregnancy. Especially after such an event-filled pregnancy with Makenna, it’s as if I’m just waiting for something bad to happen this time around. I go in for my ultrasound tomorrow, and debated whether or not to submit a late journal entry as I am anxious to post some sort of news. But I think I’ll leave you hanging one more week. Seeing our precious little pumpkin will be so exciting, I can’t wait! And hopefully my mind will be put at ease once I can see a healthy little baby on the screen.

Until next week, Blessings!

Liz

Wordless Wednesday ~ Tigger Love

{We're away again, can you believe it? This time we're at the beach!

But I couldn't resist a few pics of Kam and her Tigg. Oh how she loves him :)}

Happy Wednesday!

Fore more Wordless Wednesday Fun, visit 5 Minutes for Mom

I ♥ Faces, Week 36 ~ Contemplative

This week's theme, from I ♥ Faces, is Contemplative.

For more contemplative faces, and to join in on the fun, go visit!

I think this is as contemplative as it gets for my two year old nephew :)

A Howlin' Good Time!

We had a fabulous time at The Great Wolf Lodge this week.

Tuesday we got a {late} start, and arrived in Grand Mound, Washington

right before dinner time.

We threw our luggage in our room, put on our suits, and ran to the elevator!

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves . . .

I think you'll see we had a pretty good time!

Even Kam had a great time! Though she wouldn't let you put even one of her toes in the water. No, she preferred people watching. And the 84 degree temps.

Awww, big sis helping little {er, middle} sis. I love it!

We have the greatest time with Grandma!

We even found an extra few minutes, after dragging the girls out of the water, for crafts at the Cub Club. So much fun! They made sand art AND their own lotion. They got to pick their scent, add pretty sparkles, and even name it!

Makenna's Magic Lotion ;)

Putting the label on her new beauty treatment.

Sierra carefully measured each grain of sand.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

We had a fabulous mini-getaway! Thanks Geri/Grandma for another wonderful girls-only trip! We always have so much fun together!!!

Flashback Friday, Pregnancy Journal, Week 16

Is it just me or do Fridays sneak right up on ya?

Around here, Friday means Flashback Pregnancy Journals!

Wanna catch up? Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15

{originally submitted September 24, 2008}

Week 16 ~ Fancy Footwork

Dance classes have officially begun! Can I just mention how adorable it was to see Makenna out there on the stage tapping away? It was fun to watch Sierra too, but this is nothing new for Sierra. She’s an “old pro”. For Makenna it was a milestone. She tends to be pretty shy and a little hesitant to try new things, so to watch her wave goodbye as she trotted up the steps to the stage and take her place among the nine other little girls in their pink tutus . . . oh, it was one of those moments. Never mind that I tear up at the drop of a hat even when I’m not pregnant. It was a happy day all around. Makenna loved her class, Sierra got to reunite with dance friends from last year (and may I mention that her technique has improved tremendously over the summer), and I got to have some visit time with other moms!

I can’t believe how quickly this week has flown by. We started with a trip to the doctor for Makenna. She has had a bit of a cough since our Labor Day trip to the beach. But it was off and on and nothing horrible, so I didn’t think too much about it. I figured it was due to allergies or the change in the weather. Then last week, (just about Friday evening, of course), the cough started getting worse and it was constant, to the point where no one was getting sleep at night. Did I mention that it was just about the time our humidifier quit working? After a couple of nights of very little sleep, and still the cough, I took her in. Looks like it’s just a viral infection, and I do think she’s getting better. Welcome to Fall, huh?

While we were in town for the appointment we stopped by the fabric store, as Sierra has been begging for new bedding for the last month. She picked out some very soft, snuggly fabric for her duvet cover that will be perfect for the chilly months ahead. And I found some fabric to re-upholster our dining room chairs. Why, oh why, anyone would think that ivory fabric was a good choice for dining room chairs is beyond me. I’m hoping to get both projects completed this week. I’ll let you know next week if motivation or exhaustion won out.

Next week is our ultrasound. Sierra is so excited that she’s counting down the days. I have to admit, I’m pretty excited myself. I really haven’t had many appointments yet, and I’m starting to get anxious to hear the heartbeat again. I haven’t been feeling a lot of movement lately, and am a little worried about that. I’m thinking that 16/17 weeks is still a little early to be feeling strong movement every day. Or maybe I’m not paying enough attention . . . we have been on the go a lot lately. Any positive thoughts/prayers for the baby’s health and safety would be greatly appreciated. And by next week, hopefully my mind will be put at ease when we see a healthy baby on the screen, and perhaps we’ll even know whether we are welcoming a son or daughter to our family.

Until next week, blessings!
Liz

It's Good to be Home

But, oh, what FUN we had!

Much too tired to organize my thoughts right now,

so here is a little picture preview . . .

Slipin' and Slidin'

We're on our way to Great Wolf Lodge {again!}

Our {first and} last visit was way back when Kameryn was just 5 weeks old!

We had such fun splashing and playing at the water park.

And we're off again!

This time with my MIL.

Just us girls for 2 days of waterpark fun!

I'm just gonna warn you up front . . .

There'll be a LOT of pictures to follow when we get home!

Have a great week, y'all!

Friend Makin Monday!

Let's hear it for another edition of Friend Makin' Monday!

Thanks so much to Amber for hosting while Kasey is away.

Today's Topic: Our Favorite Things About Fall!

Oh how I love Fall! I am going to go ahead and admit that it is my favorite season {gasp!} Don't get me wrong, I do love Summer, but there is something about Fall that I long for all year long.

I'm lovin' the Frosty mornings . . .

Warm Apple Pie, MMMMMmmmmm

All the beautifully colored trees . . .

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins!

{Can't wait to go to the Pumpkin Patch!}

And the list goes on!

I love sweater-and-jeans-weather, going back to school, looking forward to the holidays.

The only thing I don't like? That Winter is right around the corner.

Happy Fall!

~Liz

Flashback Friday, Pregnancy Journal, Week 15

Whoops! Is it Friday? Really?

Ugh, I'm battling this horrible head-cold/virus type of thing

and I'm just walking around like a zombie.

Remembering to post at 5:30 is better than not remembering at all, right?

Okay, here it is. Then I'm off to bed.

{Or to clean house, take care of children, and have dinner, whatever}.

{Originally submitted September 17, 2008}

Week 15 ~ Surf, Sun, and so much Fun!!!

We have been planning a ‘Girls Only’ trip to the beach with my mother-in-law for several weeks now, and the time finally came. Lucky for us we couldn’t have chosen a better weekend; the weather was absolutely gorgeous. We left after Sunday School and made it to the coast by 3pm, checked in to our hotel, and immediately hit the sand. No jackets or sweaters required, it was so warm. After getting quite sandy and a little chilly after a dip in the ocean, we changed clothes and went to dinner. The plan was to get some scrapbooking done while we were there (Sierra, especially, loves to scrapbook!), but there was so little time, we didn’t get too much accomplished. Needless to say, we had a wonderful time. We will definitely have to make it an annual event.

I think we’re finally getting organized and easing in to the school year. Sierra and I make it a priority to get up and get moving, and get our “responsibilities” accomplished first thing. She is now responsible for making her own bed, getting dressed, and brushing her teeth without being told. So far it’s hard to keep Makenna’s attention on any sort of “work” at the table, but she's only three. She may settle in for a few minutes to color a picture, or join in for a craft, but mostly school time is a quiet play time for her. Luckily she’s a very late riser, and on most days Sierra and I have a good hour of schooling in before Makenna is even out of bed.

Both girls will be starting dance classes next week. Sierra has been taking dance lessons since she was three, but this will be the first year for Makenna. We are all looking forward to seeing our “dance friends” again. I also enjoy the routine. I think that’s one of the reasons I enjoy Fall so much. Don’t get me wrong, I love the spontaneity of Summer, but it’s nice to get back to a routine as well. And honestly, I think I’m ready for a weather change. I love the sunshine, but we’ve been having ninety degree weather here. I’m ready for it to cool off a bit. I am having a hard time fitting into most of my regular clothes, and all of my maternity clothes are for cooler weather.

I’m finally getting some relief from some first trimester pests. Only two weeks ago I was getting up 7 or 8 times every night to use the bathroom, and I’m so happy to say that I’m now down to 2 or 3. And now that Sierra and Makenna are sleeping most nights in their own beds, I’m getting much more sleep at night. Somehow I still manage to be exhausted, but the nausea is under control now, and I couldn’t be happier to officially be in the second trimester.

Well, only two weeks until our ultrasound. The girls are so excited!
Until next week, many blessings,
Liz

Wordless Wednesday ~ Slidin' Sis

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

Another Wednesday is upon us, and you know what that means . . .

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition!

Amber hosts this lovely gathering. So, head on over and join in!

Thank goodness we're focusing on the positive this week, because if I have to yell at myself one more time for not exercising, I may just give up altogether!

This week's question:

What are your successes this week?Instead of focusing on the things I did not do right this week, I want to focus on the positive. So here's to accentuating the positive:

I am drinking more water again.

I found myself drinking a little too much diet coke, juice, and lemonade the last few weeks during birthday celebrations, and family gatherings. Not only did I feel badly for doing it, but physically it was making me sick, triggering headaches, AND I think my skin was/is even suffering from it. Anyway, enough was enough. I am now drinking ONLY water. No lemonade, no juice in the morning {or anytime, for that matter}, NO SODA. Zip. Just water.

I'm not eating just to eat. If I'm not hungry, I'm not putting food in my mouth.

I've naturally been getting more exercise lately because we've been on the go.

All day shopping trips and trips to the amusement park, lend themselves to getting the bum movin'!

There's always room for improvement, but I'm slowly implementing new changes that are definitely for the better.

How about y'all?