Banana Nut Bread

We've been doing quite a bit of baking lately. It's mainly because the kids love this recipe for Banana Nut Bread so much and each morning I am greeted by Gregory saying:
"Bread? Bread?"

It comes in 3 different variations in the recipe - Banana Nut, Pumpkin and Applesauce. They are all soooo good. And I want to try to make a Lemon Poppy Seed (maybe with sugar-free lemon pudding for the 1 cup of flavor). We use non-fat yogurt instead of sour cream and it tastes just as great.

We usually make it after dinner several nights a week, so it's ready first thing in the morning. (Are you kidding...I'm not getting up at 6am to make breakfast when I could also pour cereal out of a box!)

As you can tell from the picture of the kids stuffing their faces, they like it. They'll eat a whole loaf all by themselves.

Photo Shoot

Christine Vance(a friend of mine) is a great photographer.

On Saturday she did a photo shoot for the kids and for my niece in their Easter outfits. She has a sneak peak of some of the pictures up on her blog. They're awesome!!

Click here to see the pictures and make sure to leave some love for the photographer.

Spring

What part of Spring are you Quiz

You are Spring Flowers!

You Are Blooming Flowers

You are an optimistic person by nature. In even the darkest times, you are hopeful about the future. You feel truly blessed in life and can sometimes be overwhelmed with emotions. You have an artist's eye. You are always looking for beauty in the mundane. You have a good sense of aesthetics, especially when it comes to shapes and color.

What Part of Spring Are You?

HT:Margaret in Minnesota

Friday Quick Takes (Vol 10)

**1**

We got some great deals at our local semi-annual consignment sale. Yesterday I went and bought 40 items for $100 which all look nice. Summer items for Clare, Gregory and new baby, and even a few more maternity things.

**2**

Check your receipts! The other day I went to our little local market which I love. I thought the total was a little high when I checked out, but I didn't do anything about it. At home later, I glanced back over the receipt to see how it had added up so quickly. Instead of charging me for 2 grapefruits at 59 cents each, they charged me for 23. It practically doubled my total.

**3**

The other morning I was feeling a bit sleep deprived, and had this "deep" theological thought: On a package of baby wipes was the Spanish phrase "sin aroma" Sin...oh yeah, that means without in Spanish. Sin is a going without something good. Sin= without God, or without truth, or without respect, or without community. Instead of looking at my sins as what harm they do, I should look at what they make me do without.

**4**

Clare made sure we all wore green for St. Patrick's day - if we didn't she was going to "gently" pinch us. Gregory just decided to pinch us because Clare said the word.

**5**

I'm finally uploading pictures to my laptop again, so I have a few to go with my quick takes this week. Here are my kids acting all tough...or something

**6**

Belated picture of the Mardi Gras masks the kids made back before lent started.

**7**

The toy my mom just got Clare. It has a mom with a book, and two little kids in a pool. Oh how I wish this was us and not just the dolls. I could do with some pool weather couldn't you?

Quick Takes (Vol 9)

**1**

I've realized that I didn't post anything all week, and love the fact that all the little stories that I've meant to post fit perfectly into this format

**2**

Clare had Wacky Wednesday this week. We went all out but I didn't get a picture. She was wearing one of my shirts with a pink belt, mismatched socks and mismatched shoes. One pony tail was on top of her head and the other was way down low. I thought it was cute and funny until I started getting really strange looks from other people. They would look at my cute daughter, do a double take and then give me the strangest looks. Talk about humility - I looked like I couldn't dress my daughter and someone should call CPS.

**3**

Gregory loves birds and squirrels. I can't believe how calm he can be. Yesterday we spent a blissful 20 minutes sitting on the front steps of the house watching a couple of robins, squirrels and other birds come and go around our bird feeder. It was a sweet moment and he got so excited when the bird hopped closer and closer to us.

**4**

I finished Twilight earlier this week. I have to admit that I don't understand why the book is considered such a great read. I found it very odd, very much a like high school kids having a crush and not very chaste - even though it is touted as a abstinence book. I decided to reread it, and don't dislike it as much. It still seems awfully fast for Bella and Edward to be pledging themselves to each other after several weeks. I will wait in the long line at the library to read the others in the series before I make up my mind. If you have any thoughts on the series please share.

**5**

It's snowing!!! It was 70 less than 2 days ago. Crazy weather! Blooming trees and mushy snow what a combination.

**6**

I had my 30 week doctor's appointment today and everything looks great, and I feel great. I was a bit worried because I thought the baby had dropped, but he has just changed positions and is now a little sideways. He likes to lean on my left hip and put his rear under the right side of my rib cage, taking away the shelf his bum used to make right in the middle.

**7**

I keep wanting to have some Lenten reflection for this week, but I just can't think of anything. Maybe that's partially because God has been making my Lenten sacrifice being up for several hours a night listening to Gregory cough. No one else wakes up - not even the cougher. Maybe he has allergies and maybe God just really wants me saying rosaries at 1 or 3 every morning when I have no other distractions.

Clare and the Saints

Clare loves her Picture Book of the Saints (thanks Maria and Andrew). She takes it to Mass most Sundays and looks through all the pictures.

Of course our parish is staffed by Dominicans who look like quite a few of the Popes and saints in white robes in the book.

Our pastor also just got a puppy and brought it to Mass one Sunday (just to be clear, he wasn't celebrating that Mass, but standing in the foyer)

On Ash Wednesday Clare saw our pastor and asked:

Mama does the saint have his puppy with him today?

As far as I know Father doesn't realize he's been canonized.

Gregory's Relationship with Throw-Up

Warning: As the title implies this is a post about vomit. Do not read if you don't care for the subject. My husband informs me that very few people care about the subject and that this is quite disgusting.

Gregory's opinion of vomit has certainly changed in the past couple of months.

In January he got his first bad stomach bug. Every time he vomited he would emit this ear splitting screech. Looking back we realized that he really thought something was wrong with him as in he was going to die and this was the imminent sign.

Now I have to make sure I get to him as soon as he vomits. He acts like it's no big deal and just goes on with whatever he's doing. This is a big problem in the middle of the night since he'll throw up, rub his face and hair in it and go back to sleep.

I'm glad that he no longer completely freaks out, but I would like him to be a little less casual about it.

Blessings of Bugs

The weather here is beautiful, unfortunately we haven't even left the house. The kids have been sick.

Gregory is a walking vomit time bomb. He doesn't vomit often, but you never know exactly when he will go. Sometimes it's at 2 am and sometimes it's at 6pm after not vomiting or eating all day. Clare had a fever and no appetite and I kept watching her to see if she would vomit, so far not, but I can't help being suspicious.

But in the midst of it all I have seen some definite blessings.

1) Day light savings doesn't seem to be an issue for us. The kids are so tired and nappy that when they recover they'll fall right into the new schedule. I also went to bed early and didn't really lose an hour.
2) We've been doing lots of reading, just sitting and snuggling. It's nice.
3) I haven't had to make a meal all weekend (or do dishes), no one has an appetite - which makes it easy to snuggle and deal with laundry.
4) Both children have been real sweethearts - they aren't demanding much and are just happy to be. While they don't feel good no one is screaming or even fussy.

For a weekend without John it has been remarkedly laid back. Hopefully the kids will start feeling better soon, as quiet as it is, I miss my bundles of energy running around and doing all sorts of fun activities.

Quick Takes-Mar 6

**1**

We got a car wash today, the van looked like a salt lick from the snow earlier this week. It's embarrassing to be driving such a dirty car. Afterwards it looked so beautiful and shiny. The van really needs to be vacuumed too, it's filled with little bits of food and dirt and trash. It reminded me of the Scripture about the Pharisees being white-washed tombs - all beautiful on the outside and filled with decay on the inside. But I seem only to find time for the external cleaning - what people can see. Makes me wonder about my insides too - what do I and the Lord need to take the time this Lent to clean out?

**2**

It's guy's weekend and John headed down to the lake for this annual event with his friends. I don't begrudge him the time away. I just wish I wasn't left with children with pink eye and colds. I guess since it's Lent I can offer it up so that he has a refreshing and relaxing weekend.

**3**

It's a perfect weekend for a guy's weekend or any event. The weather is going to be in the 70's and sunny here tomorrow. We're planning on doing something outside, maybe a picnic at the park. When it's nice how can you not go outside with kids, it restores sanity.

**4**

Our friend, Fr. Matt, is going on the guy's weekend. He was a good friend in college and our best man. It is interesting having a really good friend who is a priest. I thought about it and realized that I would only want him to hear my confession if I was on my death bed. Why? Because I would be so embarrassed to tell him my sins - they are so petty and stupid and ingrained (and he knows all the people I sin against).

This needs some more reflection from me since he really is no different from any other priest acting in Christ's place. I should feel this shame every time I go to Confession - since I am whispering in Christ's ear who knows me better than any friend. Maybe it could help me root some sin out of my life

**5**

I love having a few fresh cut flowers around the house, but hate paying so much for something that is dead in a few days. Luckily, our local Kroger always has Alstroemeria for $4.00 for a big bunch. Not only are they beautiful but they tend to last several weeks. The last batch we got Feb 13th, and I just threw out the wilted ones yesterday. Trust me, I don't give them plant food or anything and I don't have a green thumb.

**6**

I don't know how CVS stays in business. With their matching coupon deal - I have bought $12.00 worth of prescriptions and received $50 in gift cards, $5.00 in bonus bucks, and another $2.00 in savings via coupons. How exactly does that business model work? Not that I'm complaining, I can use a free $50 or so.

**7**

March 6th is the 65th day of the year and there are exactly 300 days left to 2009.

Have a fun weekend!

Lenten Change

Like last year, I've decided to change the background of the blog for Lent.

The liturgical color of purple reminds me of the season even while blogging.

Evidently it is not a very pleasing set up for my husband. He checked it out and mentioned that I had prepared a penance for my readers as well.

If you hate the purple and green, it will be gone come Easter.

Leaving Lent to God

A little before Ash Wednesday I was thinking about what I should give up this Lent.

Being pregnant food didn't seem like a good option, and working on my emotions also seemed difficult. I finally decided on sweets which I am craving all of the time. By Thursday (about 9am) I had broken it.

But the Lord seems to have his own ideas on what I need to work on - letting go of my control over so many things.

Since Lent has started I've had some swelling in my ankles and hands (it's gone away), family colds, a child who didn't sleep one night and started throwing up at 12:30 am, two children with eye infections, schedules thrown completely off, forgotten coats and snow storms, misplaced items and not enough sleep.

I'm not listing those things to complain, but to show that I feel like God has chosen some things He wants me to work on. He definitely wants me to realize that He is in charge, not me. All of my nicely laid out plans will come to nought if He doesn't set them. I feel a little out of control - but that's the point, I'm not in control. HE IS!

I will trust the Lord to lead us to where we should be this Lent, hopefully focusing more on Him and His plans and less on us and what I want to get done.

Snowy Night

While at Grandma's in Northern Virginia we happened to get a big snow storm. The kids kept trying to slip outside and finally managed it while letting the dog out one night.

I went out doors with every intention to yell at them and pull them back into the warm house. Then I noticed how beautiful they looked dancing in the falling snow, with the dog frolicking at their side.

It's been a while

Yea! My computer is working again!

It was a good couple of months of detox, but I've missed blogging. It will be my goal in the next few days to put up some posts.

We've been busy and just got back from a trip so after a good night's sleep and some laundry and some eye drops and Tylenol for Gregory, (He always seems to get sick when we travel.) we should be up and running.

Thanks for waiting for me and bearing patiently with my computer travails.