Banana Cream Pie

By Emily

We love this recipe because it came from our cute brother-in-law who used to make this in his college bachelor days. It is delicious, basic, and so simple. Kids can help poke holes in the pie crust before baking, and line the baked pie crust with the sliced bananas. Good in the winter, good in the summer--it is always a family favorite!





Banana Cream Pie
Prep: 25 min. Makes: a pie

2 T butter
2 C milk
1/4 t salt
3/4 C sugar
1/3 C all purpose flour
1 t vanilla extract
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 pie crust, baked
2 bananas
whipped cream topping

1. Bake a pie crust (for ease, I prefer the pre-made rolled pie crust dough, put into my own glass pie dish).
2. Lightly beat egg yolks in a bowl.
3. In a pot on medium high heat, mix: butter, milk, salt, flour, and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir for about 2 minutes.
4. Turning heat down for just a moment, take a little of the mixture out and add to the beaten egg yolks, stirring well.
5. Add egg yolk mixture back into the pot, stirring well, add vanilla. Bring to a boil and stir for 2 more minutes.
6. Cover pie crust with sliced bananas, and fill with pudding mixture to top.
7. Cool and let set in refrigerator. Top with whipped cream topping before serving (I prefer to make a basic whipped cream from scratch).

Staying Up All Night

By Kristen

It's ridiculous I know. I'm too old to stay up so late, but I have had a girl friend in town and she needed a place to stay with her son; her husband couldn't make it and she didn't want to spring for the hotel. My sweet son, Austin, gave up his room for her so she could sleep in his bed (which is the most comfortable bed in the house - truly; sometimes I sneak in and take a nap on his bed). It was a waste however, as we didn't go to bed hardly at all. Thursday night we stayed up till 3:15, Friday night we were up till 3:45, and Saturday...till 5:20. I slept for about 2 hours last night.

It brings back memories of staying up when I had friends sleep over as a teenager. We would "sleep" on the trampoline (which is a heck of a lot less comfortable than I remember), and talk all night. We had a little transistor style radio we'd listen to, and around 1 am we'd walk around the neighborhood, just scoping things out. Sometimes we'd t.p. someone, most times we'd just walk around and talk, hoping to glimpse some hunky guy.

I'm such a hypocrite though, because I won't let my kids do this. I'm so mean, I don't even let them have sleep-overs. The world has changed and I just don't feel safe about that. Instead we do "late-nights" when they can have friends over quite late, or stay at their friends houses pretty late. Because they haven't had the other, they don't really seem to mind at all. Besides, who wants to wake up on the floor of your friend's living room with their little brothers staring at you? "Not I", said the tired lady, who needs a nap.

HELP! Santa Clause is Coming to Town!

By Robin

I know, Christmas is 10 whole weeks away, why get worked up now? Because, (panic in voice) Christmas is only 10 weeks away!

There are a few people I love to death but don't know what to get for them! Help!?

• Sister-in-law who has everything
• Teenage nephew that I don't know very well
• Father-in-law who asks for no presents- but needs something to open!
• Neighbors. I want to give them something besides cookies or fruitcake.

Any ideas?

Robin

BOSSY SAYS:

Sally
SIL: Nice handsoap, gloves, or cool scented candle.

Nephew: Gift certificates to taco bell or McDs?

FIL: gloves, or picture frame, sincere note of thanks.

Neighbors: Candles? Or really good chips and dip! I would love that if my neighbor gave me a bag of chips and homemade dip. It would get eaten so much faster than cookies


Emily
SIL: people like this sometimes should get a very simple gift (since they already having everything they want) like a Sudoku book, or some item you have "discovered" that you love (one year Joe's g-ma gave us each a micro-fiber hand-towel--she said she knew it seemed strange, but she just loved hers).

Teenage cousins: gift certificate all the way! (borders, fast food, etc.)

FIL:

Neighbors: I like Sally's idea. Chips and yummy homemade dip or fresh salsa, or maybe some bread from a fancy bakery.

The Bad Influence Friend

By Sally

I wasn't prepared to deal with the Bad Influence Friend until my kids were in at least 5th grade. But Nathan had a Bad Influence Friend at the tender age of 4. She was baaaaaad. He was drawn to her and I could see why.

She was loud and funny and very enthusiastic, what else can you want in a friend when you're four? Maybe someone who doesn't scornfully say "Nathan, you talk wierd!" and to other kids "I saw Nathan in his underwear, isn't that stupid that he came outside in his underwear? And he wears stupid underwear!" AND "Run away from Nate because he's going to KILL us" (the word 'kill' was not yet part of Nathan's world). She was FOUR. She topped off her great behavior by teaching Nathan how to flip the bird. Wonderful.

She lived across the street from us and she was in our preschool carpool so Nathan saw her 5 days a week. At least 4 times a week she came over to ask if he could play and I always had an excuse for why he couldn't..."because you're evil" --wait, no, I didn't say that. Out loud.

I realized that she had very mean big brothers. I felt bad for her, because it's no 4-year-old's fault that they've learned to be mean, manipulative and insulting as a way to get attention. But I couldn't stand her influence on Nathan. He adored her. In carpool one day she told him to take off his seat belt while we were driving and he did. I pulled over to the side of the road and talked to them both sternly. Three minutes later, she told him to do it again and started yelling at him that he was a baby because he didn't! He wanted to do whatever she said. Yikes.

This was a daily frustration for me, and Nate's self esteem was dropping even while he became more enamored of this friend. Jason and I talked about what we could do. We wanted her influence on him to stop, immediately. Then we found out some good news: they were moving in 2 weeks! HUGE sigh of relief. I'm hoping I don't have to deal with a Bad Influence Friend again for at least 3 more years. And really hoping that my kid is never the Bad Influence Friend!

Bossy!

We know it all.