Banana Bread for Cheaters {a recipe}

I know, I know--- yesterday a do-it-yourself project, and today a recipe. 

What has the world come to?
Blame it on fall. 

Every fall, I craft and bake like no other time of the year. 

And today, I give you Banana Bread: For Cheaters.

This is what I like to call ‘I want something special and yummy and homemade, but I don’t have time to be in the kitchen all. day. long’. It also happens to be nothing short of delicious.

All you need is four things:

-two to three mashed up bananas (the browner the better)

-one box of yellow cake mix

-two eggs

-one cup of chocolate chips

Simply mix the bananas, dry cake mix, and eggs until they are well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and bake in a well-greased bread pan at 350 for forty-five minutes. It’s all the goodness of cake with the added bonus of bananas.

Also, have you checked out SEVENLY this week? They are partnering with Mercy Ships to provide last-saving surgeries for children in Congo. That could be my Emily. That could be her brother or sister. Please check out this cause and how you can help. 

So this one time, when I was 33, I had chicken pox.....

So, the chicken pox. 

Yeah. 

First, let me publicly confess that before having them, I totally underestimated the pox. 

I thought, 'Hey, if little kids can do it, I can too."

Wrong. 

Let's just say that after eight days of fever, more itching than I can wrap my head around, and a big ole' box of banana popsicles, I am finally starting to slowly rejoin the land of the living.
Chickenpox don't play. Lesson learned.
And no, I have zero pictures of me with the pox, so you won't be seeing one here...ever.

So, since I unexpectedly took a little blogging break, let's play a quick game of catch up, shall we?

Fundraising: 

- We ARE still selling shirts. If you haven't ordered one and would like to, you can place your order here: www.aldridgeadoption.bigcartel.com

-Little Houses for Emily is going strong, and you still have five days to request a little house to fill for our girl! Just send an e-mail to littlehousesforemily@outlook.com, and we'll send your little house right over!



Noonday: 

This truly deserves a post all its own, but today marks my first anniversary with Noonday Collection. I wish I could tell you all the ways I've grown this past year and all the ways Noonday has challenged me to step out of my comfort zone for those in need around this world. We had the most amazing ambassador conference call last night, where we were able to hear from several ambassadors who have recently visited with our different artisan groups. I was in tears listening to all the ways that Noonday is working to making a difference in the lives of those in need around this great world. I can honestly say that this time last year, I had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up to be a Noonday ambassador. I have loved it more than I ever thought possible and have been more blessed through Noonday than I can even put into words.

The new fall line launches tomorrow, and I simply cannot wait to share it with you!

You can check out my webpage here. 

Sevenly: 

This week Sevenly is partnering with Invisible Children to provide counseling for children who have been forced to serve as soldiers. I am so passionate about this cause. No child should ever be forced to do such a thing; I can't even imagine the long-term effects of such horrible acts, the toll that can take on a child. I would love to see this week's fundraiser break a record. You can shop this week's selection here. 

Ok, folks. That's about all the sitting at the computer this chicken pox recover can take for one day. 

I'll be back tomorrow with some sweet news about Emily and some new Noonday goodness! 

It's My Job

My girl is growing up. 

There's simply no stopping it. 

The milestones these days are getting bigger and bigger. 

I swear that just yesterday she was saying her first word (it was 'hey', by the way. So very fitting for those of you who know my little social butterfly.), and now she's riding a bike...alone...down the street....with no training wheels. 

My heart can hardly take it. 

And as she's stating a new year of  school, I worry.

Worrying is my job, you know. 

It's in the Motherhood Handbook. 

I checked. 

Will she make friends? 

Will she understand multiplication? 

Will I ever understand multiplication?

Will she like her teachers?

Will she grow her love for learning this year?

Will she have fun? 

What if this is the year she decides she doesn't like school? 

What if she starts to dread going? 

What if she gets bullied? 

I think this is something that keeps every mother up at night.

The truth is, kids can be mean. 

And with all the cell phones and social communication, bullying has only gotten worse.

And I'm sure that the little we've experienced so far in elementary school is nothing compared to what awaits in middle school and high school. 

And words hurt. 

They stick to you and stay with you. 

I can still remember the mean things kids said to me growing up. 

There is a high possibility that this is one of the reasons that I hate my hair to this very day.

Bullying is real. 

It's also a real problem that affects kids in every school in our country.  

And this week, I'm partnering with Sevenly to do something about it. 

After raising $15,000 last week to help provide clean water to the people of Ethiopia, this week, Sevenly is teaming up with Stand for the Silent to help protect children being bullied in school. 

Through educating students about the real dangers associated with bullying, they hope to help students develop an empathetic awareness through education and understanding. 

And as a mom, I could not more fully support this campaign. 

(I also can not possibly love this shirt any more than I already do.)

Head on over to Sevenly to read more about what they're doing to combat bullying. 

And if you need me, I'll be here....trying to stop time and buying a brick to put on Libby's head. 

No more growing at our house...at least not for a while...my mama heart can't handle it.

Sevenly: Generosity Water

I am so excited about my latest venture. 

Have you heard about all the great things happening at SEVENLY? 

Well, I am officially partnering with them in their mission to do good via one of my all-time favorite things: 

t-shirts. 

Seriously, there are few things I love more than a shirt that gives back, and Sevenly shirts do just that. 

Know what else they are doing?

They are helping to bring Emily home!

That's right, for every shirt purchased via my blog (whether it's from a link within a post or the button on my sidebar),  a portion of the proceeds will go directly towards our adoption. 

And I could not be more honored to partner with them. 

They are doing so much good for others. 

Last week, they raisers over $16,5000 for End 7, which means that they were able to give medicine to over 33,000 people to protect them from those seven life-threatening, yet often neglected, tropical diseases. 

And this week, they are taking it a step further and working with something is very near to my heart. 

If you may recall, in October of last year, I went to Malawi to do clean water work. 

And my heart was forever changed by seeing people value and treasure water in a way I never had. 

So, this week I am so excited to team up with Sevenly to help promote Generosity Water, as they work to build clean water wells in Ethiopia.  Generosity Water is dedicated to ending the clean water crisis in developing countries, one community at a time by embracing creativity, forming strategic partnerships, and providing in depth accountability. In 2011, Ethiopia suffered from the worst drought in over half a century. As a result, an estimated 100,000 people died from the effects of drought and famine. To this day, 56% of their population still lives without access to clean water, making it the #1 killer of people worldwide. 

This week your support helps to build a well that provides clean drinking water to an entire community! We are not just providing a well but providing the tools for healthy upkeep of sanitation and hygiene. We are helping to sustain a whole community and keep many children alive and healthy for years to come! 

  I am so excited to play a teeny tiny part. 

I'm also excited to show you the AWESOME shirts this week: 

Oh, that last one. Be still my heart. I am seriously crushing on this t-shirt. 

The fact that it does something good for another? 

Well, you just can't beat that. 

Head on over to Sevenly, do a little shopping, and help bring Emily home....all at the same time. 

That sounds like a great way to start off your week, yes?