A New Year

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

I sure did :)

I love this time of year because of the feelings it brings.

Everyone tries a little harder, to be a little kinder.

Our focus turns even more so to the Savior.

As I reflected this year about his birth, I was filled with such intense gratitude.

I will be forever grateful for the birth of that precious baby and for his life and love.

I am so excited for the New Year.

It is a time of new beginnings; a time for reinventing.

I have many new goals for the year, and one of those goals includes getting back to blogging!

I love to blog.

I love typing my feelings out.

I love putting my memories down to be looked at later.

I love sharing my ideas with you guys and hearing yours in return.

But lately, I have let the hustle and bustle of my life take over!

I have discovered that I need to learn how to balance my priorities.

I want to make time for The Lord, school, friends, and myself.

I truly believe that we are happier when we have a purpose.

We are happier when we feel that everything that is important to us, is getting enough of our attention.

I want to give the best part of myself to everyone I care about, not just little fragments.

This New Year, I vow to discover how to be the best possible ME, that I can be :)

Quote of the Day:

What are some of your goals for the New Year?

P.S. My parents surprised me with my first DSLR! I am so excited to start learning more about Photography. I am also excited to document my progress on this blog....and to look back and see how my skills have improved (hopefully!)


Wish me luck :)

What's more American than............

Banana Bread...?

Ok, I know you were probably thinking that I was going to say Apple pie, Country music, or Baseball...tricked ya! Anywho, today, to celebrate our great Nation's birthday, I decided to make Banana Bread. I'm weird, I know. Also...am I the only one who thinks of The Black-Eyed Peas oppss..Gwen Stefani when I try to remember how to spell "banana"? "This beat is bananas...b-a-n-a-n-a-s"!. Needless to say, the bread was delish and totally hit the spot! Since I am ohhhhh so nice, I decided to share the recipe with you :)

Banana Bread

1 3/4 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 or 3 bananas)

1/3 cup butter

2 tbsp milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional...but yummy!)

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the mashed banana, butter, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Then on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and remaining flour and beat until blended. Stir in the nuts.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes (I cooked mine for about 63 minutes) or until done.

Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a BBQ, watch some fireworks, and be free :)