and we're back

After a fun-filled few days, we're home....

We enjoyed our time visiting Bronners Christmas Wonderland,

Zehnders for their famous chicken dinner, The Brewery, Birch Run Premium Outlet Mall, The Bavarian Inn, and all the shoppes in-between.

Making this a very busy, but memorable mini-vacation.

Take Care

#mini-vacay

He had a crazy, busy week, last week and there's two more coming!  So we knew we needed a little get away! 

So we're heading out for some much earned holidays.  Chat when we come back.

Take Care

Strawberry Banana Bread

With fresh strawberries in season, it's great to find new recipes to try. This bread is simple and easy and perfect for breakfast or as a snack! We love banana bread but when you add fresh strawberries it takes this bread to a whole new level of deliciousness! You're going to love it!

{photo credit & recipe website}

Strawberry Banana Bread 
Makes: 2 loafs
Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened 
1 cup granulated sugar 
2 large eggs, beaten 
3 ripe bananas, mashed 
2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
½ teaspoon salt 
1½ cups fresh strawberries chopped & tossed in 1 Tablespoon of flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. 
Spray two 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. 
In a large bowl, using an electric or stand mixer with paddle attachment cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 
In a small bowl, beat eggs using a fork. 
Add eggs to sugar mixture and beat until combined. 
Add mashed bananas and mix until combined. 
Sift all dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. 
Slowly add sifted dry ingredients to banana mixture and mix until flour is just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX! 
Fold in floured covered strawberries. 
Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake for 15 minutes. 
Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 minutes until edges are slightly brown or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 
Let cool completely before removing from loaf pans.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Girl's Day

We spent the day together, being girls!  

Shopping, chatting, walking, laughing, eating, chatting, sipping,

 yep trying on hats, did I mentioned we chatted...

It was a super fun way to spend the day. 

Take Care

Friendship

Over the last few years I have been purposeful in pursuing friendship. And for this introvert, that took a lot of pretending to be braver than I am. 

Stepping out in faith or maybe that should read fear.

It scared me. Why did I find it so hard? 

I’m a grown woman after all. 

You see friendship isn’t a natural state for me. Making friends as an adult was much harder than I anticipated. 

When I was young I was always that kid on the outside looking in. I was the weird kid, the one that was never going to fit it. The one always picked last… And, I don’t know about you, but when I struggle with fitting in, it’s way too easy for me to move from thinking sad thoughts about the situation to thinking sad thoughts about myself. 

True friendship can been a real struggle. And here I am, at midlife, still learning the art of friendship.  Too often, friendship can become all about smiling, quick chats about the weather and what the kids are up to before we rush off to our busy lives again. But true friendship is looking at the two or three people God has placed in your life and choosing to live intentionally with them and watch as the beauty of our messy, unedited, imperfect lives overlap one another. 

I need deeper than chitchat and church talk. I need women who are brave enough to speak the truth in love. And walk together in this life-journey to become more like Him. 

There is nothing quite like friendship is there? 

When I spend time with my friends I feel better – a better person, better about myself and better about my life.

Have you been blessed in some special ways by your friends?

Take Care

Ch-ch-ch-chia

Looking for an easy and super delicious dessert?  This Lemon Raspberry Chia Pudding makes a refreshing and healthy snack recipe made with fresh or frozen berries and sweetened with just a touch of honey! 

Lemon Raspberry Chia Pudding 

{photo credit and recipe website}

Ingredients: 
2 cups milk 
4 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds 
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen) 
1 Tbsp honey (or agave or maple syrup if vegan) 

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients in a large, sealable container. 
Make sure all chia seeds are mixed in. 
Let sit overnight or for at least 8 hours. 
Serve cold with additional raspberries and honey
Enjoy!

Take Care

Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day!

While we didn't really do a lot to celebrate this day, we did take in the town's evening fireworks display.

Take Care