Our First Anniversary!

Tomorrow is our first anniversary. It was nearly ten years ago when we met. We dated for almost 2 years. During that time Cliff had to move back to Michigan even though he didn't want to (long story envolving a room mate that wasing paying his way). Every once in a while we would email each other as friends. Both thinking that the other had moved on. Both trying unsuccessfully to be happy with other people. Fate brought us back together. After years of not seeing him and telling myself that he didn't mean as much to me as I thought. That first time seeing him again was like magic. It was amazing that those feelings came rushing back after years of being repressed and ignored. I knew in that moment that we were meant to be. I am a firm believer in "everything happens for a reason". God Bless our Broken Road!

A Better Picture

Pay Back!

Saber has woke my up the past 2 mornings 20-30 minutes before my alarm was to go off. She walks all over me, sticks her damp nose in my face, and begs my to love on her. She should know after over a year of being in my life that I am not a morning person. So here is a terrible picture of her. If she could speak I'm know she would tell me that "It would win the award for World's Worst Photograph of a Cat" and I couldn't agree more! She is normally the perfect subject and loves when I break out my camera. She should know not to stretch and yawn in front of me! :)

Uh-Oh or Ah-Ha!?

It all depends on how you look at it! Before I tell you about that I have to tell you this... This is the second night in a row that my in-laws have spent the night at their house and I think we are all happy campers! I can't believe how quite my house is. This week is definitely better than last!

Now about the uh oh! Last time I went to the grocery I was in a hurry, didn't want to be there in the first place (this one is true every trip!), and I had screaming kids and weird people all around me. My last item to pick up was 2 small cans of green peppers, which I forgot about earlier. I went back through the store up the international aisle and grabbed the first cans of green peppers I saw. Didn't even notice my mistake while putting up groceries as I was talking on the phone with my mom about work. I need these for a Mexican Chicken Casserole recipe I got from a friend and she got it off CookingLight.com. I go to make the dish tonight. I open up the can and think "Wow those smell awesome! Oh wait these don't look like green peppers! Ack! They are jalapenos!" To improvise I only had Monterrey jack cheese with jalapenos so I put 2% cheddar instead. For the last 2 times I have not used the corn tortillas. (Corn taste better than flour in this I promise!) This is the only reason I use those tortillas which means why by a pack of 50 when you only use a few a month? Last time it was good. We really didn't even miss them and I know we didn't miss the added calories!

Between the jalapeno peppers and different enchilada sauce it was definitely a nose running experience, but then again we like it hot!

This recipe is dear to my heart as it is one of my first few dishes that didn't come out of a box, have powdered "sauce" with it, and have "helper" written across the front. My husband should have sent a personal thank you note to my friend for introducing me to this recipe and site.



Here is the recipe:
Mexican Chicken Casserole

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided
1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips)

Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; sauté 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 369 (28% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 5g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 35.6g; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 360mg; SODIUM 479mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.3g

A Better Week To Come?

This morning started out awful. It had been raining all night and there was a river about 2-3 inches deep the whole width of the driveway. A few minutes before I stepped out the door it decided to let loose and by the time I made it the few feet to my car I was soaking wet from my waist down. Everybody and their momma must have decided to leave the house at the same time as I did, making me 20 minutes late to work. I was surprised I even made it to work!

On the bright side that was the worst part of my day. I had a few questions answered I had been needing for about a week now. Later a made head way with the person from last week. All in all a decent day aside from still being damp by lunch time. Tomorrow should be good too. Plus I am taking next Tuesday off, giving me a 4 day weekend! Yay! Thank you all for your encouragement.

It's FRIDAY!!!!

Just because I feel the need to state the obvious!

I couldn't need the weekend more than I do today. It has been a really ruff week. I would tell you about it, but that would mean I would have to go in to detail about my work and that I can not do. Just take my word for it. Yesterday was absolutely terrible! The only reason I made it through the day in tact was because of where I spent the day. It is amazing what a few words in an email can do. I shouldn't let it get to me so bad, but it does.

I miss my Beth!

Procrastinating...

Yep. That is what I'm doing. I don't want to finish what I need to do before tomorrow. I want to veg on the couch and pretend I don't have to go to work tomorrow. This is me putting my fingers in my ears, closing my eyes and screaming "La la la la laaaaaaa!"



Guess I need to get busy now. I'm praying I get out of this with out getting too burned out.

Just What I Needed!

Ok... I'm not going to lie and say I didn't work this weekend, becuase I did. Not as much as last weekend though. Saturday I went to see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with a few friends then we had lunch it was great! Sunday my mom and I did a few crafty things then I played with the horses. Family, friends, horses, and crafts are great therapy. Check out the pictures I took Sunday.

When Longs Days Aren't Long Enough

I've done nothing, but work for over a week now. I work before I go to work, I stay late working, come home to work late, and even worked a lot over the weekend. My house is a disaster and we haven't had anything healthy to eat for dinner in days. It feels like the days have been so long, yet not long enough. Have you ever felt that way?

Cliff doesn't understand why I am doing all the things I am. He doesn't understand that I can't not help. I can't look the other way. I can't not check my email. Cliff works on vehicles. So I tried to get him to understand. I told him, "You know that truck that you can't fix? That no matter what you try it doesn't work. You've tried and tried to figure out what is wrong with it and you just can't get it out of the shop? This is that truck and it follows me home" I hope to get this "truck" fixed soon! I need a life back.

It's back to work for now.

I So Don't Know Her!

This is my crazy cat Saber again. She was rolling around between the back of the couch and the window and about fell through (or so she thought). She just isn't right! :)

Her nick names are Bur and Fur-Bur. To me this looks like a Fur-Bur moment. What do you think?

I'm Alive!

And have both my legs!

Yesterday morning I went to visit one of my schools. I had noticed before (only had it for a few weeks) that the area has a lot of stray dogs. This is no big deal because I love dogs! Over half of the school is empty due the small numbers of students than was originally meant for this historic school. It is now one of the state schools for No Child Left Behind. The principal had told me the correct door to use about 2 weeks ago, so this is not fresh on my mind at this point. The parking lot was empty, but the staff park in the back so I wasn't that concerned.

I went up to the door he said to use and noticed there were 4 dogs sitting against the building on down. One that apparently thinks he owns the place since he was barking at me. When he had jumped up to let me know I was trespassing I realized it was a Pit Bull. Ok I'm sure there are many people that can say it isn't the breed that is bad it is the people that raise it. I am beyond this now as my brother was attacked by his pet Boxer who had never shown signs of aggression, until he turned on him over a kitten. Add this to my fear and hatred of Pit Bulls as one tried to attack me and my horse and you have one upset person trying unsuccessfully to get inside a building and my car is way on the other side of the block. But I am doing my best to control this fear. I know that if he knows I am scared of him it will make things worse. No one answers the door I thought he said to use. So I project confidence and walk on down the side walk to what was originally meant to be the main entrance when the place was built about 80 years ago

As I walk past him I don't look him in my eye because that would make things worse. It is already worse because as I do he starts to come towards me. The whole time I'm thinking and my car is on the OTHER side of the block! The moment I pass his pack he immediately starts running in almost a circle to get directly behind me! I quickly turned and he stopped and backed off some. To make matters worse, no one answers the other door and I have to walk back the other way! Thankfully since I had spun around he decided he would bark from closer to his pack. When I get to my car I can't find the school's phone number because I left my purse at home. I had made the appointment to see them a week ago and apparently they forgot because there was no one there. Next time I will email/call the day before and have there number and call them from the car. Not to mention I will definitely let them know that they have some crazy stray dogs calling the school home! I am sorry for the run on sentences it is early and I need to get ready for work.

Thursday over all was a day from you know where. Nothing went right except that the dog didn't physically attack me. Glad today is Friday even if I do end up having to work on the weekend.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.