preparing for school.

monday the girls go back to school. this year levi will also join them, starting kindergarten. i don't know how we got to this stage of his life so soon. i feel excited, nervous, happy, sad and then i don't know how i'm feeling. but he is very excited, decorated his lunch box today, checked out all his school list stationary. practised packing his school bag and even wanted to take his new drink bottle to bed. what am i going to do come that first day? boy i am going to miss his little hands.

banana bread

125g butter
180g dark brown sugar
350g ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 tablespoons warm milk

preheat oven to 180C and butter a 30 x 11cm loaf tin.
cream butter and sugar until smooth and then whisk in the mashed bananas. add the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and whisk in well. mix the bi-carb into the milk and stir into the batter.
scrape the mixture into the tin and bake for about 50 minutes, until the bread is crusty on top and a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean. turn onto a rack to cool.
serve warm or cold, plain or toasted with butter, but allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container, where it will keep well for several days.
cuts into 10-12 slices.