It's Okay to say YES

When exactly did we adults become broken?  When we were children we weren't afraid of the world.  A child will happily chat with the stranger in line behind them at the grocery store.  A child can make a best friend in only a matter of moments.  Kids don't hold back, they don't hide who they are, and they don't pretend to be something else just to please you.  Children are raw, pure, and unspoiled.  So... what happens to change all of that once we grow up and take on adulthood?  Who decided that since you are a grown-up now that you can't dress up for Halloween?  When did it become an odd (and terrifying) gesture to speak to a stranger?  What took away our spontaneous nature and replaced it with procedure, discipline, and order? 

 

Hmmm... maybe We are the culprits.  Maybe we are breaking our kids right now.  Maybe we are rooting out their spontaneity by saying "No."  "No, it's too cold outside."  "Not right now."  "Ssshhh!" 

 

Of course there is a need for order, discipline, and procedure. However the presence of those things should not mean the absence of others.  Let's find joy in the little things again.  Let's celebrate small accomplishments in a big way.  Why don't we say YES?  

 

This week here is your challenge:  See how many times you can say YES!

 

 

 

 

Say yes to weekday living room campouts, yes to riding on the sunroof down the driveway, yes to inside-out undies and rubber boots in the mud.  Say yes to "selfies" with your teen, yes to drinking out of the bottle, yes to life, yes to fun!

 

So, perhaps we can't completely rescue our children from the broken mindset of adulthood, but maybe we CAN preserve some of their pure, spontaneous, and happy natures.  I don't know, maybe they will grow up to pass on the power of the word YES to their own little crazies one day!

Love you like crazy

 

Amazeber

Amber's No Fail Banana Bread

It just doesn't feel like the weekend if I don't bake a little something for my crazies.  Today I whipped up some chocolate banana bread muffins.  For years I used the same ol' banana bread recipe.  I got very tired of it being a little too dry, not quite sweet enough, and simply... less than awesome.  So, one day I tried something a little different and LOVED the outcome.  I tweaked it another time or two until I came up with what I now call my "No Fail Banana Bread."  This bread will be sweet, moist, and delicious. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3 or 4 soft bananas mashed
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1.)  Mix the butter and sugar together until it is smooth,  add vanilla and eggs and mix again until smooth.

 

2.)  In a separate bowl blend the flour, baking soda, and salt together.  Blend the dry mixture in with the wet. 

 

3.)  Once the flour mixture is mostly incorporated into the batter add the sour cream and mashed bananas.  Once it is well blended together stir in the chocolate chips.

 

4.)  Bake at 350 degrees in a glass bread pan for about 40 minutes or as muffins for about 20 minutes.

This recipe produces a VERY moist bread but my family prefers the muffins because they seem to go farther and make for a wonderful breakfast treat!  I like to double the recipe.  (with four kids enough is never enough)

The next time you have a few bananas that are past their prime, try out this recipe... you won't regret it, and I'm willing to bet that the crazies in your life will LOVE you for it!

Love you like crazy,

 

Amazeber

Nutella is the new Calgon...

 

Being a mom is a gift and a blessing.  It requires patience, love, a gentle hand, calm mind, and years of selfless service.  Um... yeah.  That's sweet. (and true) But let's be real.  Being a mom is HARD.  It's awesome, but it's hard too!  Everything we do is for our kids, with our kids, because of our kids, in spite of our kids, and for the sake of our kids.  We are NEVER alone.  There is never a quiet moment.  When we crave a special "mommy treat" we hide in the corner of the kitchen and shove that brownie down our throat as quickly as we can before one of our little crazies can come around the corner and claim that they smell chocolate! 

 

 

 

 

So ladies, if that old commercial where the tired woman relaxes in a tub full of bubbles at the end the day makes you wonder what you are doing wrong I am here to tell you that you aren't alone.  There is no "Calgon take me away." But that's okay! So, we may not get long quiet baths,  so what!  We do get moments of relief in little spurts throughout the day.  For me it's a spoonful of Nutella while I try to read a paragraph or two of a book over lunch.  Yes, my kids are there too and ask me an endless stream of questions about the book. I don't mind so much... Grab what moments you can, smile because you can, and love those little crazies in your life because one day all too soon you'll have nothing but quiet baths and clean houses...

 

 

Love you like crazy!

 

 

Amazeber