The Search is Over

Someone once told me, I know a lot of things...Hahahaha...I replied, I only know 4 things--I just share them with everyone I know! ( I hope that made you smile!!)

So with that intro..I wanted to share this recipe with you that I really really like....

Moist Banana Bread

1 1/2 c sugar

1/2 c butter

2 eggs

1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1 1/2 c flour

3 large rip bananas--mashed

1/2 c of walnuts roughly chopped

1 t vanilla

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Preheat oven to 375 F

Beat sugar, butter and eggs

Add dry ingredients

Add mashed banana, chopped nuts and vanilla.

Mix well to combine

Pour into a well greased and lined loaf tin. 

Cook for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. I had to cook it for a further 10 minutes but topped it with baking paper to keep the crust a nice color.

This bread cuts beautifully when fully cooled. If you want to eat it still a little warm slice it very carefully.

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My comments....
****My secret ingredient...Banana Baby food!  The recipe calls for 3 banana's, as luck would have it, I only had 2! So I added a 4 oz jar of baby food to replace 1 of the bananas.  I'm wondering if you could make it with only baby food?  ..or maybe peach bread? or how about tropical delight bread?  Could someone try that and get back with me? I actually think this adds to the moistness (call me crazy!!!)

****Make sure you grease the pans REALLY REALLY well...both times I have made it, it has stuck to the bottom of the pan...=(

****You can make muffins or 2 smaller loaves..if you prefer...duh! Lower the baking time accordingly...duh!

This was my finished loaf....keep in mind, I made a large (to give away) and a smaller (one for us) so this one isn't really tall....also, I obviously didn't cover it with the 'baking paper' the recipe calls for!  I thought about it..does that count for anything?

For those of you that want to print it from a word document....

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/67296291/moist%20Banana%20Bread.doc

Steve made this link, so I have no idea if it works right or not...let me know if you can't get it to work!

Steve Stats

Yesterday Steve went to the Dr (well, he didn't really see the Dr. he saw his "assistant"..apparently the Dr only does surgery.... because when we went to his first follow up appointment...we saw some other lady??)  He is 8 weeks post surgery.  The suture is all healed up and looking great!

As of now, he has been allowed to walk on the boot with 50% weight with crutches to assist. (most of the time..=))  The Dr (will just call him that for simplicity sake!) promoted him to walking on the boot without crutches (which Steve threw in the back seat on the way home!) for the the  next 1 1/2...then transitioning to no boot indoors while wearing the boot when he goes outside for 2 weeks.  Then he should be ready to walk on it unassisted (eeekkkk!!!!) at about week 12!

This is one of those injuries that has a loooong recovery time! I guess you can say he's on the Home Stretch! He says his heel hurts him a lot and it still gets swollen and he has to ice it daily.

I think I can safely say...he (we) hopes to NEVER have to go through this again...but if we do, God will give us the strength to do it!

Keeping it Real

     So as most of you know Steve hurt his let the beginning of the summer.  It's been kind of a crappy summer....from my eyes!  I would be lying if I painted a rosy picture of our summer.  We've had cars that have needed fixing (A LOT & still!!!!!), we've had more medical bills than we expected, we've had tears, we've made memories, we've laughed, we've swore, we've been blessed, we've been loved, we've laughed, we've had joys, we've had disappointments, we've seen therapists, we've seen doctors, we've had broken garage doors, we've had working air conditioning, we've we've we've.....  but threw it all we've still held on to hope that there is a God ...a God that is good and a God that loves us!  We've had to remember who is in control..and it's not us!!!  For as bad as I think my life is, I am still so blessed....when I really sit down and think about it...I have nothing to complain about...nothing at all!  God uses these challenges in our lives to help us see that we can't do it on our own...we need HIM!  It hasn't been easy for Steve to be laid up for the summer..he has taken it in stride but with things breaking faster than he can hobble out to them, has been very frustrating!  Just think the summer of 2013 will look awesome...just by default!

This is a song that gets me EVERY time I hear it on the radio...  Just read through the lyrics and you will know what I mean!!!!.....

I’m running back to your promises one more time, 
Lord that’s all I can hold on to, I gotta say this has taken me by surprise, 
but nothing surprises you. Before a heartache can ever touch my life, 
it has to go through Your hands, and even though I, keep asking why, I keep asking why, 


No matter what, I’m gonna love You, 
no matter what I’m gonna need You, 
I know that You can find a way to keep me from the pain but if not,if not, 
I’ll trust you, no matter what, no matter what. 


When I’m stuck in this nothing-ness by myself, 
I’m just sitting in silence, there’s no way I can make it without Your help, 
I wont even try it. I know You have Your reasons for everything, so I will keep believing, 
whatever I might be feeling, God you are my hope, and you'll be my strength, 


No matter what, I’m gonna love You, 
no matter what I’m gonna need You, 
I know that You can find a way to keep me from the pain but if not, if not, 
I’ll trust you, no matter what, no matter what. 


Anything I don’t have You can give it to me, 
but it’s ok if You don’t, I’m not here for those things, 
the touch of Your love is enough on its own, 
no matter what I still love You and I’m gonna need You


No matter what I’m gonna still love you, 
no matter what I’m gonna need you, 
I know that You can find a way to keep me from the pain but if not, if not, 
I’ll trust You, I know that You can find a way to keep me from the pain, but if not, if not, 
I’ll trust you, no matter what no matter what no matter no matter what


~~Kerrie Roberts..No Matter What~~




or if you would rather listen to it
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3MSqufJP4


How true this song is..no matter what I'm gonna love you!

     I don't write this so you will feel sorry for us or so I can whine about our situation...I document it so in the future, I can look back to see God's faithfulness! God has still been good...he still loves the Buckners!!!

Kickn' the boot!

Today, Steve was able to go see the doctor that repaired his Achilles Tendon....actually he didn't even 'see' the doctor..the nurse did it all! She removed his cast and he got a boot!

A shot of his scar

Trent and him comparing their scars...Trent has him beat! 

he has progressed to a Knee Scooter...Steve pimped his ride! 

Robo-leg 

he was soooo looking forward to sleeping without a big cast on his leg....He was very disappointed when she informed him he needed to sleep with this on for the next 4 weeks!  Tomorrow he starts his rigorous Physical Therapy...3 times a week for 4 weeks....until he goes back to the doctor..then probably at least 4 more weeks of therapy!

The Story!

This is the Truth and nothing but the truth!!!!

Tuesday June 5 about 5:30 Steve asked Trent if he wanted to kick the soccer ball around a bit.  I, the good wife I am, was busy making dinner! About 5 minutes after they walked out the door...Trent came running in "MOM!!!....come out here I think dad broke something!!!"

As I approached Steve rolling on the ground....I knew it didn't look good.  He knew he didn't have any broken bones & that it wasn't something he wasn't going to 'walk-off'  Troy helped him to the van and we headed to he ER.  VERY quickly we realized how much pain he was in....A LOT!!!!  I hustled down to the ER as fast as we could.  Before I could park and get back in there they were putting him in a room. In short order they confirmed Steve's suspicion...he had ruptured his Achilles Tendon.  Really, all he did in the yard was take a step backward...he wasn't running, wasn't kicking, didn't fall in a hole or even twist his ankle....just a fluke!

After an x-ray we knew he was having surgery.  After a considerable amount of pain medicine they were able to 'set' his leg in a temporary cast..and send us on our way to return on Thursday for a surgery. 

A little funny..we went through the McD's drive through to get Steve a 10 pc Chicken Nuggets...he was disturbed to to find out they only gave him 9 nuggets..."they only gave me 9 nuggets!!! 9 nuggets!!!"  I laughed all the way to Alpine.

Back on Thursday for surgery (1/2 hour late after getting hung up in a traffic jam on Alpine)

And this is what he looked like in his purple gown!....

for Brian & Mandi Bair

and his purple matching socks!

I mean really??..who picked out this color for surgery patients...I like purple and all but really think they could have got a more neutral color...hahaha!

The gown has a hose connection...and in every room there is a heater (kind of like the old bonnet hair dryers) on the wall and you can hook the hose to your gown and blow warm air on you!

I got a little board in the OR waiting room and wanted to make sure they worked on the right leg!

So, that's the story..we should have said he did it rock climbing!!

Alisha Graduates!

Alisha (Tyler's girlfriend) graduated from Algoma Christian School this year!

She graduated as Salutatorian of her class...we are so proud of her & her hard work!

Here she stands with her friend, Hannah, in the 13 years together picture (others included, but not pictured!)

giving her speech 

ACS has a tradition of allowing past & current board member to present their child with their diploma...how cool is that??  Here Alisha is getting her diploma from her dad, Paul.  She looks pretty happy!!! 

on her way out.... 

with Grandpa & Grandma Rexford 

with Steve & I 

Tyler & Alisha 

Class of 2012! 

Congratulations Alisha!

Appliance....

Again this blog is my record of our life.....

Trent got his 2nd appliance

1st appliance was a Hubst..after several problems with that one, we changed and went with a removable appliance....the Bionator.  It's a mouthful to say the least!

He does fairly well with it but I'm constantly looking for it, wondering if he is going to leave it somewhere...

He has to wear it for approximantly 10 months....next February!

My goal is to not ever have to dig for it in a garbage can at Wendy's!!!

Michigan Colors!!! 

A mouthful... 

The goal is to grow Trent's lower jaw forward...so as he grows and wears it, the Bionator forces his to grow forward for hopefully a more permanent ortho treatment.