What's For Dinner?

I love to cook ... correction, I love to bake. Unfortunately, you can't have cupcakes, brownies, the latest and greatest Tollhouse treat for dinner, so it does resort to some cooking. I'm very lucky that Don is a fabulous cook and really goes the extra mile in doing more than his fair share of dinners.

Tonight, I thought I would post one of my favorite recipes. It's so stinkin' easy to make and, remarkably, is very healthy!

I found this recipe on the SparkPeople.com website after the first of the year. We've made it at least a dozen times since then. It's definitely a 30 minute meal :)

FAJITA CHILI
1 pound hamburger meat
2 cans of red kidney beans
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
1 medium onion
Chili powder to taste
Cumin to taste

Brown the hamburger meat, onions, and peppers together. Toss in a pot with the spices, beans and tomatoes. Heat to a low boil and it's done. Last night, we tried topping it with a dollup of sour cream and some cheese. Don liked it better that way. I prefer it as is. (We also had jalapeno cheese bread ... yum!)

This weekend, I'm planning on making Bunco Buns and probably brownies or maybe a strawberry cake ... If they knock our socks off, I'll post a picture and the recipe!

School Supply Mania Begins

Geez o'pete! The school supply list was published today. It's a far cry from when I went to school - show up with a pencil and a spiral bound notebook (of your choosing) and you are set!

Here is the list for Kindergarten:

1 large box facial tissue
18 Pencils (#2)
1 pair blunt scissors
2 boxes of crayons (8 count)
1 box of crayons (24 count)
1 box of Snack Sized Ziploc Bags
1 box of Sandwich Sized Ziploc Bags
1 box of Quart Sized Ziploc Bags
1 box of Gallon Sized Ziploc Bags
1 package of Lined Index Cards – 3x5 – pkg of 100
1 package of Lined Index Cards – 4x6 – pkg of 100
1 Soft Pink Eraser
5 Letter Sized manila folders
3 Pocket folder (regular size) with brads
4 Glue Sticks
3 Medium sized White Liquid Glue
1 Yellow Highlighter
1 Spiral Notebook (no college rule)
1 package of Construction Paper – assorted colors (12”x18”)
2 packages of Construction Paper – white (12”x18”)
2 packages of Manila Paper – 12”x18”
1 box of colored pencils
1 package of white paper plates (Qty 15)
1 plastic school box
1 box of tissues (large)
2 sets of Washable Watercolor markers
2 sets of Washable Watercolor paints

It was against my better judgment, but I purchased a "School Supply Kit" to the tune of $55 from the PTO during kindergarten registration. Basically, this means that on the first day of school, all of the supplies listed above will be on Avery's desk ready for him to start the educational journey of a lifetime.

I can easily see how the above items would add up to over $55. I'm sure that I got a great deal. But, I really did look forward to going to Wal-Mart, fighting the crowd, looking for that perfect pencil box, snatching the last package of Wall-E pencils from the peg ... I was looking forward to it. I think it would have helped emotionally prepare me for my firstborn child leaving the nest.

The teachers are wise to mom's like me. At kindergarten orientation, they drilled into our heads to only buy generic supplies (speaking to those that didn't buy the kits). They end up taking all the pencils, crayons, markers, etc., and putting them into big canisters for the kids to use. They don't actually use "their" supplies. Gone are the days of labeling everything with your name. Now it's all "Community Property".

I'm sure we'll need some supplies for home. We've set up a desk, chair and lamp in Avery's room so that he can do his homework away from the television and noise. He'll appreciate some fancy pencils and markers, I'm sure.

We'll see how I do ... if I miss the shopping, if I feel like the PTO has stripped me of my parental right to be toppled by countless carts at Wal-Mart, if I end up taking an extra four boxes of anti-bacterial Kleenex's just so the flu doesn't go around quite so quickly.

The good news is that Piper will start Kindergarten the next year. She'll go to a private school for kindergarten, so I doubt that they will sell kits. Maybe I can buy all the foo-foo stuff for her.

I wonder how many Hello Kitty and Disney Princess pencils can fit in one of those plastic pencil boxes? ... I'll let you know.

Where Is What I'm Trying To Find????

My purse is a disaster area. I do really well for about 2 weeks. (Same seems to run true with my car.) It is filled with receipts, coupons, children's socks, lipgloss, mints, change, and random junk. It feels so good to clean out my purse. Something about purging the stuff that I don't need anymore and starting fresh with just the things that I need makes me feel better. [Yes, that is a fake Coach wallet. I could never spend that much money on a wallet. I'm far to "cheap" (my husband's words). I'd rather refer to myself as "frugal". I would only buy a Coach wallet if it was (1) on sale above 50% off and (2) I had a coupon. Guilt would overtake me to do anything less than that.]

I guess life is that way too. Every now and then, it feels good to stop and purge the things that are not healthy. I've done that a lot over the past couple of years. It feels great!!!

So, my agenda tonight consists of ... cleaning out my purse. It's time. The car is next. I'm truly embarrassed. It's way out of control.

Oh ... and Little People Big World. Don and I love that show. It's on our "must see" list every week. We don't know when the new season starts, so we just watch the re-runs. And, Jon and Kate Plus 8. Can't miss that either. (Which should be entitled, "How Not To Treat Your Husband". I want Kate to be sweet to Jon. It makes me sad sometimes. I see divorce in their future.)

Our First TX House

(Our first Sunday in the house ... going to church!)

I'm sad today. I found out that our first TX house is now in foreclosure.

I know that a house is merely material, and to be quite frank - we only leased that house. But, the fact is,that it was in that house that our whole lives changed. So many things happened:

• Our marriage improved. When you move to a state where you have no friends and family, you begin to rely on each other.
• Our finances got straightened out. We came to Texas completely drained. We had no savings, no retirement, no nothing - literally. We had completely drained everything we had to survive after having two babies back-to-back.
• We experienced spiritual renewal. It's amazing that when God strips everything material away from you, you begin to realize that it's either get back on track with Him or continue to live in ruin. We chose to get right with Him. Amazingly, after that, we experienced an overwhelming abundance of blessings in all areas of our life.
• We potty trained two kids in that house. This will only seem like a "life memory" to those of you that have every potty trained a child. I think why this is such a house memory to me is that all of our bathrooms had two potty chairs in them - one for each child! And, as luck would have it, we were able to get them both out of diapers at the same time! HALLELUJAH!!!
• I loved everything about that house. It has double ovens ... a huge gameroom ... a large front porch. Things that I have now in our "first mortgage house" (all but the double ovens!), but I think it just the memories.

Now to know that it sits empty ... Knowing that the yard is unwatered, grass is dead, the roses are dying ... it hurts my heart. That house deserves the laughter of children and the love of a family.

I hope someone buys it soon. It was such a great place to live.

Maria Sue Chapman

Last night as we were laying in bed watching the news, a story ran that Stephen Curtis Chapman's five year old daughter, Maria, had been killed in an accident at their home. A pit just came into my stomach that hasn't left since I heard that news.

Stephen is originally from Paducah. So, having lived there for 8 years, you can't help but feel like you know him personally. But, my "relationship" with him officially began about 10 years before I ever thought about moving to Paducah. Stephen was a pace-setter in the Christian music industry when Contemporary music was just being formed in it's earliest state. He, Amy Grant, and Michael W. Smith were the first true pioneers in that genre, and I was a huge fan of all three! His music pulled me through some dark times in high school. I am such a fan of how he has represented his faith and himself. He's top of the list in my book!

More than my respect for him as a person, comes the fact that in just two weeks, I will also have a five year old child. I literally can not put into words how my life would break into pieces if I lost either of my children. I know that God's plan is perfect, and how much more joyous would it be for my children to live in heaven, instead of with me as a mom with all of my faults. But, my selfishness far outweighs what I could hold as "best for my child ... in God's perfect plan". I simply can not imagine the immense grief that their family is feeling on so many levels. They have lost a full-of-life little girl (watch the YouTube video tribute to her on Stephen's website!), and also have five other children to comfort and lead through this tragedy, too. One of those children - that is responsible for the accident - can you imagine the guilt that he must carry? How do you even begin to help him recover?

This is more than my heart and my mind can even begin to wrap itself around. I am praying for this family, and I hope that you will too. I am also praising God for blessing my family with healthy children and for the opportunity to hug and kiss and laugh and cuddle and celebrate with Avery and Piper for another day.

I am ...

i am listening to: Slacker (online radio station - thanks Kaylan!)
i think: i might be smarter and more capable than I give myself credit for.
i know: that Don loves me.
i want: gas prices to go down.
i have: to much stuff to do at home.
i wish: I had more time at night to scrapbook.
i hate: putting away clothes.
i miss: my younger body.
i fear: having to live a long life without my husband or kids.
i feel: excited to see DCI on the big screen tonight.
i hear: Jason laughing at us because he gets to leave tomorrow.
i smell: absolutely nothing right now.
i crave: movie theater popcorn.
i search: ebay for random things. (hairbows, make-up, cell phones, etc)
i wonder: how long I will live?
i regret: not being able to go home more to see family and friends.
i love: my children.
i ache: for parents that cant provide for their children.
i care: about who wins this presidential election (go Hillary).
i always: make fun of myself.
i am not: passive.
i believe: there is hope for all of us.
i dance: to make my kids laugh.
i sing: in the car.
i don’t always: get up when my alarm goes off.
i fight: for my friends.
i write: blogs. checks. lots of to do lists.
i win: contests I make up in my head.
i lose: nothing.
i never: eat sushi.
i confuse: my kids names.
i listen: to podcasts of talk shows.
i can usually be found: making a mess.
i am scared: of dying before I see my children marry and have children of their own.
i need: to be home with my family most nights of the week to feel happy.
i am happy about: our vacation to Disney (Take Two)
You?

HBD Don and A List of Character

Happy Birthday, Don!
First of all, I'll have to say that I can't believe you are 40. If you're 40, then I have to be ... well, let's not even talk about that! ... Happy Birthday to the best husband in the world - my best friend, my soulmate, the person that takes care of me - keeps me safe, makes me laugh, and shares every up and down in my life. You are the best and I love you unconditionally ... Happy Birthday!

I read this list today and thought it spoke to the person that I strive to be everyday. And, moreover, it spoke to the kind of people that I want to surround myself with.

I want to be a person ...

Who cannot be bought;
Whose word is their bond;
Who puts character above wealth;
Who possesses opinions and a will;
Who is larger than my vocation;
Who does not hesitate to take chances;
Who will not lose my individuality in a crowd;
Who will be as honest in small things as in great things;
Who will not make compromise with wrong;
Whose ambition is not confined to my own selfish desires;
Who will not say I do it “because everybody else does it;”
Who is true to my friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as prosperity;
Who does not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;
Who is not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular;
Who can say “no” with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says “yes.”


Till next time!