Today...

Today I feel like a failure.  The baby is out of sorts, the 4 year old is sunburned and cranky, the 6 year old is bossy and not listening.  The 10 year old is mad that everyone gets to do stuff she never gets to do and the 11 year old has been caught lying.  *sigh*

Although I would love to crawl into bed and pull the covers up over my head, I know that will not solve a thing.  Neither would yelling, screaming or (me) throwing a tantrum.  Today I understand why some mothers in the wild eat their young.

I am repeating the mantra "this too shall pass" - and very quickly I know.  Soon I won't have 5 kids under foot.  Soon their dad and I won't be the most important people in their lives.  Soon.

So for now I will take a deep breath, and forget about the laundry that didn't make it upstairs yet or the dishwasher that got loaded but not started.  I will save until later the basket of toys I wanted to sort through and I will gather the kids around me and enjoy the chaos.

Quick and easy Banana Bread

This is my favorite recipe for banana bread.  It is so quick and easy and versatile.  Try it and let me know what you think!

Cake Mix Banana Bread

3-5 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup vegetable oil OR applesauce
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pkg yellow cake mix (18.5 ounce)
Optional:  chopped nuts, chocolate chips, coconut - 1/2 to 1 cup depending on your preference

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease bundt pan.  Mix the mashed bananas, oil (or applesauce), eggs and vanilla.  Add cake mix and stir thoroughly - batter will be thick.  Spoon into pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto cooling rack.  Let cool completely.

This recipe can also be made in 2 8" loaf pans or in 18 muffin tins.  Bake time for loaves is approximately 30 minutes and muffins approximately 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Love is...

Love is watching your 4 year old take the hand of your family's special needs friend and hearing him say "I love you Mr. Rob."

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my husband, Rick. My words are simple - Thank you for loving me and creating this family together. We have been blessed with five wonderful (although at times ornery) kids and millions of memories. Thank you for allowing me to stay home and raise our family. Thank you for the example you are to our kids. I love you!

Happy Father's Day to my dad, Bill. I have ALWAYS been a "Daddy's Girl" and probably always will be. Thanks Dad for putting up with me all these years - I know it hasn't always been easy, but you have been there for me! I love you!

Hot, Hot, Hot!

It was quite a hot one here today in Missouri - heat indexes over 100 degrees! The kids needed to cool off so out came the baby pool, the sprinkler and the ice pops! I love these moments - where there is no bickering or fighting - just loving and sharing.

Beginning

Here it is - my first post on my first blog. Hurray - I finally did it.