Fourth of July with the Cato's!

     I have such contrasting memories of July 4th that at times it can be baffling. Some memories include the anticipation of getting together with a large group of friends and playing games and eating watermelon while waiting to watch the fireworks display out at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. While other memories seem less climatic and include grilling out with just the family and sometimes missing the fireworks altogether. I loved hanging out with my family, but there is something special to gathering with a big group of friends to celebrate and make memories and I hope that Gray and I can make it a tradition when this little one arrives!
     Unfortunately, this year will be one of those less climatic years. Grayson just started a new job at Applebee's, a job we are very thankful for, but as the new low man on the totem pole, he doesn't have much say over his hours. So today he works from 11am to close. But in my disappointment at not being able to "rightly" celebrate the holiday, I can find comfort in the fact that this is just a phase of life and that this is just one 4th in the midst of many. But before I depress you all with too much disappointment, let me say that the two of us did get to pay proper tribute this morning before he left! I'm hoping that these scrumptious strawberry banana pancakes become a part of our tradition because they were so so yummy and festive!
     I had a box of strawberry cake mix just hiding out in my pantry and I figured someone had to have made a pancake recipe using cake mix so I went searching and found this POST on the blog Tastes of Lizzy T. After a quick trip to the store for some eggs (one of my go to meals during this pregnancy has been eggs over hard so eggs don't keep very long in our fridge) and heavy whipping cream, I went to work! I started with THIS whipped cream recipe first and then set it in the fridge to keep cool. After mixing the ingredients for the pancakes I started the long process of cooking them, oh the woes of not owning a griddle! :) I used coconut oil to keep the pancakes from not sticking and it worked great! After creating a decent stack I started the layering process. Pancake then whipped cream then banana slices and repeat as many times as you like. Once I got to the top I used a star cookie cutter to create a little topper. These pancakes were so good! Good enough that you can definitely eat them without syrup if you choose, but being sweet lovers Gray and I decided a side of syrup never hurt anyone and it was just the right addition!
Go ahead try these out, you won't be disappointed!