Hodge Podge

Banana Bread

2009-04-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

I had a couple of overly ripe bananas, so I decided to make banana bread last night. Found an easy and great recipe, although if you are using the Pampered Chef loaf pan, I would suggest cutting down the cooking time a bit.

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Thanks to www.simplyrecipes.com!

KMart Double Coupon Days!

2009-04-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

If you live in my neck of the woods (Central Florida), Kmart is having a double coupon week according to the newspaper insert. Time to dig out all my coupons and save some bucks, particularly on diapers. Don't forget the 5 dollars off 50 dollar coupon when you go (remember to give this coupon to the cashier first!)

Jon and Kate plus 8

2008-12-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

My husband says I missed my calling as a private detective. I agree, but unfortunately will have to stick to teaching as it pays the bills, well at least the health insurance. Well, not unfortunately, because I do like my job alot, but I still would like to be a private detective, and I would be good at it too! Anyway, along with my propensity for investigating the backgrounds of others (Listen, I have 3 daughters...all boys who come to my house will be investigated..I'm just putting it out there)I am also intensely interested in Reality Television. I have watched Jon and Kate plus 8 since they began airing the specials when the youngest children were babies. I have to admit Kate grates my nerves at times, and all of the screaming and shrieking on the show make me want to grab some Xanax at times, but overall I found the show mildy entertaining. It is on Season Pass on my DVR, and I watch it when I can't find anything else I can stomach. Makes folding clothes go by more quickly. Anyway, I went to google yesterday to find out why I hadn't seen Aunt Jodi on the show any longer. I had no idea the can of worms I had opened up. I have been reading for days now. The first blog I happened upon was http://gosselinswithoutpity.blogspot.com. This site discusses the financial situation of the couple and how it has changed drastically. I got to be totally real here: If they want to pay me 60,000 dollars an episode to film the drama of my blended family, bring it on. That will pay a whole lot of college bills. I do not fault this couple one little bit for capitalizing on their 15 minutes of fame. My issue is this: Her best frend Beth, and her sis in law Jodi have disappeared. Furthermore, you never see grandparents or much of anyone else who isn't paid for that matter. All of this leads me to believe, somebody (Jon or Kate or both) has some serious issues. You do not manage to ostracize both sides of your family AND your best friend unless you are seriously disturbed. I am totally Type A have little to no patience and my parents still speak to me, and so do my in-laws. My best friend has also seen me at my ugliest and most contemptous and she still will be seen with me in public. Seriously, Jon and Kate...you are doing your children no favors by ostracizing everyone in their family. Children need love from many people, and even if you don't always agree with those people, it is a good lesson in learning to accept others even with their faults. If the issue of the fall out was over money, why do Jon and Kate Gosselin have such an issue with their friends and family profiting a bit from the show. My thought would be: "Great, they won't need money from me then"! Aunt Jodi is a saint, I tell you. I thought it many times when I watched the show. She and Michelle Duggar have unususal patience gifted to only like 7 women in the whole world and they all have long, curly hair. I saw the episode when Jodi gave the kids gum and Kate freaked out. I was all kinds of uncomfortable inside by the way she was talking about Jodi after that. I thought, "if someone agrees to watch my kids for free, short of giving them illegal narcotics, feed them what you must". A little reflection on attitudes and family values may be in order for the Gosselin duo. I'm just saying.

Happy I have my Bestie!

2008-12-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

During lunch today, I was feeling mighty stressed. Holidays, parties, children, gift buying, teaching, etc. and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. I called my bestie and we just laughed and laughed. Thank God for her. I just got an account on a social networking site. She asked why I had added a particular person as a friend because she had no idea who it was and he asked her also. I told her I had no idea, and she said, I knew that, you just want to pump up your friends numbers, which is totally true. Then, we just spent the next 10 minutes laughing at people's comments (our particular favorite is when people have to let you know how "blessed" they are"). I am glad we are so cool!

Great Holiday Saving Tips

2008-12-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

I was watching the Duggar Family last night (the ones with like 78 kids) and I was amazed at some of their money saving strategies. Although I cannot see myself ever making my own homeade laundry detergent, God bless them for doing it. I do like to save money however, and one of my favorite sites is www.slickdeals.net.

Here are some of the great money saving hints from the site today:

For the man in your life: Lowes has Black & Decker 109-Piece Drilling & Screwdriving Set for $10. Choose in-store pickup to save on shipping, otherwise it's $8 or free on $25+ orders. Here is the link:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=198995-79992-71-0109&lpage=none

Also, while you at Lowes completing your instore pick up, all Christmas decorations were marked down 50% today! Time to buy a pretty new mat for the front door.

For the teens and tweens in your life:
Amazons 1st deal starts right now (15 days, 15 deals). The promotion is 1 video game deal per day for 15 consecutive days.

1st Deal : Guitar Hero World Tour: Guitar Kit SALE price$59.98 LIST price $99.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref%5F=pe%5F23970%5F10841670% 5Fst%5Fimg%5F1&docId=1000304231

Even so...Election day come quickly.

2008-11-02T11:42:00.000-08:00

I am SOOOOOOOOO very weary of this presidential election cycle. I know it is a historic election, I know our economy is in horrible shape, I know we live in a world of terrorist threats, and I know the need to protect unborn life, but I am just weary. I am tired of political advertisements, forwarded emails, bumper stickers, celebrity endorsements of candidates (as if they are somehow more advanced species because they are in a movie), just weary of it all. So, I just decided to rant to get it all out because I will feel better at the end, and ultimately that is what is important.

1. Can someone please tell me, I beg of you, where all of the spineless pastors in this nation came from. Seriously, please stand up and tell the truth-the lives of unborn children and the sanctity of marriage are at stake here, can you please pull your head of your back pocket and your empty wallet. If you are voting for CHANGE because you think someone or some government owes you some money, please get over yourself and realize that your financial security is based on God and your own good choices. Somehow I have got to believe God would rather you vote to save the life of an unborn child, or to protect the union he created rather than voting based on the hope you may have a couple of extra dollars in your pocket. People please, wake up and think.
2. I know that 18 year old people have the right to vote, but I must tell you I am extremely terrified at the notion of people the age of my oldest daughter choosing the president. These are people who cannot even decide what major they want to pursue, what club to party at on the weekend, and who consider beer pong and keg stands great forms of entertainment. These people are choosing the president, my friends. Jesus, come quickly.
3. If I hear one more person say they are voting for Barack Obama because he is African American and so are they, I am going to lose my mind. To begin with, can someone please recognize this man has a white mother, or do mothers all of the sudden not matter? How about vote for someone because of their accomplishments, service to the country, whatever, but enough about color. And while I am on that note, I don't want to hear anymore about voting for Sarah Palin because she is a woman. Guess what, I don't like some women, so just because we both have ovaries, doesn't mean I am going to vote for her either.
4. George W.-Friends, he is not running this time (thank goodness). Let's move on and stop talking about him..It will be over soon enough.
5. Oh...one more thing that is really annoying me....Obama's claim that he did not know his auntie had been told to leave the country and was here illegally. I have to tell you, I really see this as a non-issue, until he decides to lie about it. Yep...I am calling him out...on this one he is a liar. This is how I know. I have one family member who is fairly influential, and if I was ever in even a bit of a minor jam, he would be the first person I would call. I know he knows people and because this person is my family, he will contact those people and help me out. Fortunately, this has never been necessary, other than helping me get good seats at sports events (ha!), but I have to tell you if I was about to be EXPELLED FROM THE COUNTRY and SENT BACK TO A WAR TORN NATION, (sorry for the screaming), I would call my influential family member for help, and he is not even close to being a Senator. So, Barack Obama wants us to believe his sweet little aunt who meant so much to him he included her in his memoirs, went to immigration court and they told her to leave the country, and she NEVER called her SENATOR NEPHEW for assistance. Please. I would call my senator if this was me, and I don't even know him and he sure does not know me. When you are in that predicament, you pull out all of the stops, and it totally makes no sense she would not have contacted her nephew. And as my idol Judge Judy says, if it doesn't make sense, it is a lie.

2008-01-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

Some of my google adsense ads for my blog are crazy! I don't think the rapture is a lie! EEK!

Hodge Podge (mmhodge429.googlepages.com)

2007-12-31T11:01:00.000-08:00

December 31-Happy Almost New Year! I am eagerly expecting a New Year! 2007 was tough on our family in many ways, and I am praying the New year will bring new opportunties, understandings, and breakthroughs in our life. That being said, Mark and I settled in to watch the "Jesus Camp" documentary last night on A & E. I had been hesitant to watch this documentary in the past, but decided I wanted to know how my faith was being portrayed in mainstream media. "Jesus Camp" was certainly educational although not truly fair and balanced in many ways. Mark and I are Pentecostals and "Evangelicals". We believe Jesus Christ is the only true way to heaven, and we believe strongly in teaching our children the truth. Our children attend christian schools, and we thank God daily that we live in a country that gives us this option. My complaints with "Jesus Camp" is they chose to show one group of Pentecostals and one group of people that perhaps are not entirely reflective of Pentecostals as a whole. For example, my children do not wear their hair in a mullets, Mark and I have regular jobs (I teach in the public school system), and we live very normal lives. We have taught our children that the best way to lead others to Christ is through their examples of love and joy in their lives. We even understand our children will one day most likely question what we have taught them, and we feel our job is to equip our children with the knowledge of the Bible that will always, eventually lead them back to the truth. Free will is the mainstay of our faith. Belief in Christ is a decision our children will all have to individually make one day. Many of the families in "Jesus Camp" seemed to have shut themselves off from the world, and my assertion is that if you only associate with Christians, and you seem so judgemental to everyone else, how will you ever win the lost? In my opinion, we have turned ourselves into fishers of men in a bathtub, rather than in the sea of the world. I have non-believing friends. They talk to me about why they don't believe in God, and I tell them why I do. Then, we eat lunch together as friends. I pray for them, and when the opportunities to share my faith arise, I do in a loving and sincere way. If I went to lunch everyday armed to evangelize to them, I would soon have no one to eat lunch with, and would have lost all opportunity to share my faith with them at a future time. The Holy Spirit is a gentlemen. He only comes when someone is ready and willing. We as Christians should be the same. As far as our place in government, the Bible tells us to hold no allegiance to Caesar. But, yes we live in the world, and we have to right in a democracy to elect leaders who reflect what we hold as good and right. Abortion is the dirty secret of our nation, and as Christians who respect ALL LIFE, we must fight to end this barbaic practice. People will fight for the rights of weasels, dogs, cats, ferrets, but seem complacent about the unborn who are killed on a daily basis. When a nation loses respect for the weakest among us, all life begins to be disregarded.

December 30, 2007-Ninteno Wii Crazy at my house! For Christmas, my parents gifted my children with a Nintendo Wii. There was a crazy search to find the elusive Nintendo Wii, and we were finally able to procure one from Amazon.com. I just finished boxing with my son and husband, and I have to tell you, it is a workout. I was teasing my husband because he was breathing heavily after a round of boxing, so he dared me to try it. I had to eat my words! I have been to aerobic classes less tiring. So, now I am hooked on the Wii. Now, to buy additional nunchucks and remotes so we can all play together. The Nintendo Wii will be my new workout regimen! LOL I wonder if I can take it off my medical flex spending as a weight loss product!

December 28,2007- I was speaking with my best friend last night about the power of intention. I have committed myself to being more aware of people's intentions in the New Year. In the past, when well meaning, loving people in my life offerred advice that did not line up with my current agenda, I would get very angry and take the attitude that it was my life, and how dare they "judge me" or tell me how to live my life. As I age (sometimes not very gracefully), I am beginning to see the immaturity of that attitude. This year, I will commit to resolve when a relative or close friend, someone I know loves me and only wants the best for me, gives me advice or caution, I will take the time to listen to their words, and really reflect on them. Even if I choose not to take the advice, I will do my best to remember the spirit the advice was given in, one of love and concern. The Bible tells us there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. Even God told us we need to be willing to listen to others and learn from other's hard earned experience.

December 26, 2007-Christmas 2007 is a wrap! I am looking forward to the New Year and all of the newness and fresh opportunities of a New Year! Any blended family knows holidays are particularly difficult. Children are shuffled from home to home, bio-parents are left with feelings of emptiness when their bio kids go to have Christmas with the other parent, step-parents are left to comfort their spouses while fighting the feeling of being a second class citizen because you feel you aren't enough for your spouse, and children born from the bio parent and step parents are left to miss their half siblings. In the midst of all of these feelings, children of divorce are made aware once again that their parents are no longer together and for many children it brings back the feelings of loss and rejection all over again. This year was our year for my step-daughters to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in our home. Although we love having them on Christmas morning, it is heartbreaking when they have to leave by noon on Christmas day. Our younger children who live full time in our home (seven year old boy and almost 2 year old daughter) miss them so much. The house is achingly quiet and you are desperate for the noise of all of the children again. It is particularly bittersweet this year as my oldest step-daughter is a senior in high school and is becoming more and more independent. Next year, a court ruling won't decide where she spends Christmas, she will. Was this our last Christmas as a complete family? It is hard to tell. I am working hard at remembering the reason for the season. The birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The one who came to bring us peace and assurance. This is a peace and rest we all need desperately while attempting to navigate painful feelings and re-constructing our pictures of what our family is and will be. I hope you enjoy some pictures of our family celebrating Christmas 2007!