Fall, Football and Banana Bread Bars.........

Read on for this yummy recipe:)

Well hey there!  I'm re-posting something from 2012.
Yes, I'm being lazy.......but it still pretty much works and it had a recipe I wanted to share.
I've updated it a bit (see the parts in red) so here goes...
Happy Fall Y'All!

i just love saying that!

kinda like i love saying

"ROLL TIDE"! 

yep......i love BAMA football!

Heck, I love college football.  Isn't it funny how you get favorites?
I couldn't tell you much about pro football.
Once they get there it stops being about the game if you ask me so it's
college all the way in this house:)

i've been accused of being a traitor.

but what can i say?

~one of my girls want to go to an SEC school.
(She did too.......she's at the University of Alabama...........
Yep!  I'm a Bama Mom:)

~we live in the south.

~i love a good football game.

~and agree with me or not, SEC just has some good, entertaining football:)

so, i have been an absentee blogger lately.
(Nothing's changed about that)

uggghhh.....fighting migraines that seem to go on forever!
(unfortunately they are still an issue, just not as much:)

i think we have finally found the one medicine that works.

i hope and pray we have, anyway!

Taylor and I took a quick trip up north to my Mum's house.

and had such a great time.

there's no place like home, right?

we even spruced up her house a bit.

she wanted her front door painted a HAPPY, sunny yellow.

so off to home depot we went,

we picked out a paint called "mellow yellow"

and painted her front door.

it was so pretty, we did the shutters, too.

actually, miss Taylor did most of the shutters....in the rain!

can't wait to go back and do more fixer-upper stuff:)

isn't it so pretty?

truly the prettiest house on the block!
(I left this part in because while I haven't been up there to spruce it up this Fall, I need to!:)

while we were gone,

jordan found a recipe on pinterest for

BANANA BREAD BARS

 with Browned Butter Frosting

can you say YUM?????
(Now here's the real reason for this post.  But this time it's Taylor and I who will make them tomorrow.  Not to eat.....to make the house smell good.
Ya...........RIGHT!) lol

From the girl who ate everything

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts, if desired.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars These are crazy good so if you happen to have some bananas sitting around begging to be used, try this.  You won't regret it.  Well, if you're like me and eat half the pan, you might regret it.  But you'll love them while they last!  Promise!!!   

Now for a few random things I'm adding........

Have you ever heard of the store Rural King?  

I LOOOOVEEE this store.  Really cool:)  We go in and pretend we're buying 

stuff for our ranch.  Actually, we have to pass on the horse troughs and head straight to the dog food:)  BUT.........I saw these the other day and I'm dying to buy one (or four:) Hehe

I just know there must be something cool I could do with it, 

but for the life of me I can't think.  Any ideas?

I've been messing around with some jars and stuff.......what do you think?

Last but not least, one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen.

It's titled "Moose Hunt" and you'll see why!  

That's it for me!  Now go make yourself some Banana Bread Bars. You're welcome! ;)

Barn wood Inspiration...or Mom, This is Your Fault!

So, is this post about barnwood or am I upset with my mom?

Never fear........i'm not fighting with mamabear.

But........my new obsession is a tiny bit her fault.

And my dad's.

Yep.......that wonderful man!

You see, I really like the direction my house/decor is going.

Whites, creams, rustic woods and signs, metallic, burlap, western.

Hahahaha........yes, it's ALL going on in here:)

I think I'm rebelling against living in Florida and the HOT weather we get

9 months out of the year. 

Anyway, I realized what is missing in my house.

A barnwood accent wall!

And that is exactly what my mom has in her family room.

(Her colors are darker and warmer than mine though)

For me, in my very light house, that wall would be awesome!  

The contrast is really popular and very fresh, too.

Now if only I could get wooden beams for the ceiling.

Oh wait.......she has those too.

From old railroad ties!

I mean, just look at some of these rooms.

Accent walls, tables stairs, beams, shelves, beds........

you name it, it's happening right now!

But I have no way to do this, so I use accent pieces.

Better than nothing............

unless my mom lets me do a makeover in her room.

it wouldn't take much..........it could be AWESOME!

Okay, I'll stop.

But before I do,

look at some of these wall hangings made from barnwood.

LOVE them!

United states barnwood cut out source: All things thrifty

"purpose" sign, upper left corner: lissalaneous thoughts

XOXOXO

Suzanne

be HAPPIER in you own HOME..........

be HAPPIER in your HOME

Found this list on apartmenttherapy.com and then saw it reblogged in various places. I was inspired and thought it might inspire you too!  I've tweaked things a bit to my tastes and for my readers but basically it's the same.  Pink Christmas will have to wait another day.

1. Make your bed.

The book The Happiness Project, explains that this three minute task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to positively impact your happiness.  I read this book and while sometimes it was a bit much for me, it has GREAT happiness ideas:)

2. Bring every room back to “ready.”

I learned this trick from Marilyn Paul’s clever book, It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys. It’s a known fact: Clutter causes stress; order creates a haven from it. This mood-boosting routine is simple: Take about three minutes to bring each room back to “ready” before you depart it. (Unless you have a toddler, or a partner who likes to simulate earthquakes, three minutes should be sufficient.)

3. Display sentimental items around your home.

One reason that experiences (and memories of those experiences) make us happier than material things is due to the entire cycle of enjoyment that experiences provide: planning the experience, looking forward to the experience, enjoying the experience, and then remembering the experience. Make your home a gallery of positive memories.

4. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal.

Before bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day. (If you have kids, you can ask them, “What was the best part of today?”)  We did that every night...now why didn't I ask myself that? Reflection is an important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event from each day cultivates gratitude. (An added bonus: Later, when your memory is defunct, you will already have all of your meaningful adventures recorded!) If you have trouble getting started with journaling, consider buying a book to guide you. Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is a great one.

5. If you can’t get out of it, get into it.

This tip comes from The Happiness Project also. I love the message: The dishes are not going to clean themselves, so you will do it, and you will like it! (Unless, of course, you can outsource this job, in which case I say: Nice work!) Otherwise, get into doing the dishes. Feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the tickle of the tiny bubbles. Crank your favorite album at an unusually loud volume, do a couple fist-pumps while shouting “Can I get a hell yeah for the dishes? Hell! Yeah!” and pretend you love it.

6. Before you get up each morning, set an intent for the day.

Every morning when you wake, be grateful you are alive and have a precious life. A number of people have said that. Wow.  I tend to wake up with a strong reaction that says, “Attention human beings: Be afraid of me before coffee. Be very afraid!” Setting a daily intent makes a huge difference. Your daily intent could be something like “be productive” or “enjoy today’s delicious moments” or it could be something more specific like “say thank you to my loved ones today.” But it should not be another “to do” item on your list.

7. Do small favors for your housemates, expecting nothing in return (not even a thank you!).

(That’s right, I said it: nothing!) Mow the lawn for your husband, but don’t expect him to pat you on the back. Make the bed for your wife, but don’t try to get bonus points for it. Take the trash out for your roommate, just because. The ability to cultivate strong, healthy relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No! It’s YOUR turn to clean up the dog poop!) It’s a well-known fact: When you do good, you feel good. Hmmm.....

8. Call at least one friend or family member a day.

You can do this while you clean, while you make the bed, or while you walk the dog. Texts and emails do not count! Make an actual phone call to a loved one, just to chat and catch up. We humans are social beings and studies show that even when we don’t feel like it, even if we are naturally introverted, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel better.

9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home.

Save money for a new grill for parties or cookouts, or a new DVD or game for family movie night — something that will encourage you to be home with those you love and enjoy it! Don’t forget to print out the pictures to remember the good times.)

10. Spend time every day with God.  (This one is kinda my addition:)

 Obviously, spending time in devotion and prayer is very important.  But maybe noticing and appreciating his beautiful works is another way.....take a walk in nature. Write in a journal. Be thankful and present.

Well, that's about it for today:)  I hope some of this helps you as it did me.  Thanks for stopping by!

xoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Football.....Home.....and Banana Bread Bars!

Well hey there!  I'm re-posting something from 2012.
Yes, I'm being lazy.......but it still pretty much works and it had a recipe I wanted to share.
I've updated it a bit (see the parts in red) so here goes...
Happy Fall Y'All!

i just love saying that!

kinda like i love saying

"ROLL TIDE"! 

yep......i love BAMA football!

Heck, I love college football.  Isn't it funny how you get favorites?
I couldn't tell you much about pro football.
Once they get there it stops being about the game if you ask me so it's
college all the way in this house:)

i've been accused of being a traitor.

but what can i say?

~one of my girls want to go to an SEC school.
(She did too.......she's at the University of Alabama...........
Yep!  I'm a Bama Mom:)

~we live in the south.

~i love a good football game.

~and agree with me or not, SEC just has some good, entertaining football:)

so, i have been an absentee blogger lately.
(Nothing's changed about that)

uggghhh.....fighting migraines that seem to go on forever!
(unfortunately they are still an issue, just not as much:)

i think we have finally found the one medicine that works.

i hope and pray we have, anyway!

Taylor and I took a quick trip up north to my Mum's house.

and had such a great time.

there's no place like home, right?

we even spruced up her house a bit.

she wanted her front door painted a HAPPY, sunny yellow.

so off to home depot we went,

we picked out a paint called "mellow yellow"

and painted her front door.

it was so pretty, we did the shutters, too.

actually, miss Taylor did most of the shutters....in the rain!

can't wait to go back and do more fixer-upper stuff:)

isn't it so pretty?

truly the prettiest house on the block!
(I left this part in because while I haven't been up there to spruce it up this Fall, I need to!:)

while we were gone,

jordan found a recipe on pinterest for

BANANA BREAD BARS

 with Browned Butter Frosting

can you say YUM?????
(Now here's the real reason for this post.  But this time it's Taylor and I who will make them tomorrow.  Not to eat.....to make the house smell good.
Ya...........RIGHT!) lol

From the girl who ate everything

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts, if desired.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars These are crazy good so if you happen to have some bananas sitting around begging to be used, try this.  You won't regret it.  Well, if you're like me and eat half the pan, you might regret it.  But you'll love them while they last!  Promise!!!   

Now for a few random things I'm adding........

Have you ever heard of the store Rural King?  

I LOOOOVEEE this store.  Really cool:)  We go in and pretend we're buying 

stuff for our ranch.  Actually, we have to pass on the horse troughs and head straight to the dog food:)  BUT.........I saw these the other day and I'm dying to buy one (or four:) Hehe

I just know there must be something cool I could do with it, 

but for the life of me I can't think.  Any ideas?

I've been messing around with some jars and stuff.......what do you think?

Last but not least, one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen.

It's titled "Moose Hunt" and you'll see why!  

That's it for me!  Now go make yourself some Banana Bread Bars. You're welcome! ;)