Banana Bread, Blankets and Teddy Bears

I’m addicted to the songs from the “Sound of Music”.  Every once in a while I’ll break into my own personal rendition of “I am 16 Going on 17″…. and poor Amanda has endured far too many performances of “Doe a Deer” (If you don’t recognize what I’m talking about, we probably wouldn’t enjoy watching movies together).

I’m not all that crazy about the story line of the movie, but I do love the songs that they sing. Perhaps my favorite scene is when all the children are piled up in Maria’s room; they are scared of the thunderstorm, and to comfort them she begins singing about some of her favorite things. Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm wollen mittens (Okay, when I write them out it does sound a little silly). But I love the idea of having a list of my own favorite things. Things that make me smile and things that make me thankful. So here’s my list. I won’t put them into a song, but if you’re talented that way and want to give it a try, I’ll pay you big bucks!

My Fuzzy Warm Blanket – Each night, after Amanda has gone to bed, after the laundry has been folded and the dishes put away, I grab a snack and head right to the couch to cuddle up under my warm fuzzy throw blanket. Shady thinks I have an obsession with feeling cozy, but I keep telling him that it’s not just me. Every girl loves being cozy (just look at the assortment of warm fuzzy slippers at the mall). When you see him, please tell him you love being cozy too. It will really help build my argument!

My Coffee Mug – Some mugs are uncomfortable. They just don’t sit right. Like an uncomfortable pair of shoes, they just don’t fit and you  can’t enjoy your drink the way it was meant to be enjoyed. But not my mug. It’s the perfect size. The handle was built just for my fingers. When I hold it in my hand…ahhh…my coffee tastes just right. Every morning I look forward to my coffee in my own special, built just for me, mug (You too can experience this, for only $5.99 at Canadian Tire).

My Teddy Bear – I know it’s silly to still value my teddy bear at this age. But if you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll know the deep family history that this bear could share. True, he just sits in a basket pretty much out of sight. But when I’m cleaning around Amanda’s room, and happen to catch a glimpse of him, I won’t lie, I still smile. He doesn’t compare with the teddy bears in the market today. You can’t plug him in with a USB, He won’t learn to say your name, and he won’t play your favorite tunes from the tiny speaker in his ear. He’s made of cotton, not LED lights and microchips, but to me he’s worth so much more!

My Rocking Chair – Tucked into the corner of Amanda’s play room is an old wooden rocking chair. It’s not in the best of conditions. One of the rockers is chipped away at the bottom, and it makes a funny sound when you rock back and forth. But I love this chair because it used to belong to my grandfather. I would see it in the corner of his room each time I would go visit him in his nursing home. He sat on it when he would watch television, and lined up next to him were all the pictures of his grandchildren. When I sit on the chair and watch Amanda play with her toys, I feel as though I am somehow keeping his memory alive with me. It is much more than just a rocking chair. I hope that one day, Amanda will hold her little child as she rocks her back and forth on this very same chair.

My Banana Bread – Not just everyone’s banana bread (though I’m sure it’s delicious too), but my banana bread is my absolute favorite. I wish I could remember where I learned the recipe, but I guess it doesn’t matter since I’ve varied it up a a bit anyways. In my personal opinion it’s as close to perfect as dessert can get. I’ve made it countless times. In fact if you’ve ever come over for dinner chances are you’ve also had a taste. I’m not a good baker, I don’t know how to cook a variety of fine foods, and to be honest I really don’t enjoy working in the kitchen all that much. But my banana bread…well, how about I give you the recipe and you can let me know what you think. Here it is:

Dina’s All Time Favourite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat two eggs, 1/3 cup of oil and 2/3 cups of white sugar for 3 minutes.

2. Mix in 3-4 overly ripe bananas (the riper the better), as well as 1 1/4 cups of white flour.

3. Mix in 2 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of salt.

4. Add as many milk chocolate chips as you can handle (chopped becans are also a good idea, but I don’t like anything competing with the taste of chocolate).

5. Place in a greased loaf pan and bake on 350 F for 55 minutes.

Really hope you enjoy it!!

So what about you, what are some your favorite things? What are some of the things God has provided you with for which you are truly thankful? We can be thankful for the big and the small, the important and the trivial, the material and the immaterial. Share your thoughts!

Psalm 92:1  It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;