Well well well...

Christmas is over. :(

That was fast, as it always is. Just as soon as I get used to the rush and excitement it's time to wind it up. I shopped, wrapped, baked cookies, decorated the house, made Christmas dinner, and watched quite a few Christmas movies. I was shocked with how well I stayed organized, lol. But we really did have a nice Christmas Season this year. Though it was hard not having Jeff and Becca here, I knew they were having a blast at their Dad's and found peace in that.

Thomas LOVED opening presents, and even more so enjoyed realizing that those presents were toys. Bobby was happy with the gifts he received, as was I.

Thankfully, I made it through most of the month without my morning sickness escalating too much. I kept praying "Just let me make it through Christmas without getting too sick..." Well, that's how it went! After dinner Christmas Day it hit and it's barely let up for a few moments here and there since then. But that's OK, it's all worth it for us to be able to add on to our family the way we'd like to. I'm starting to feel more and more pregnant and getting more excited. It's so hard to believe that I'm going through all of this again already, but in a way nice since I did this recently it's a little more familiar than that last gap of 5 years.

I told Jeff and Becca over the phone this morning that they were going to have another brother or sister. Becca was excited and shocked. "You aren't supposed to have another baby until Thomas is 3." Where she got this from, I'm not sure. Her and Jeff are 22 months apart and others that she knows have had babies closer together. The only thing I can think of is that I may have said something similar right after I had Thomas (We're talking a week or so...) when she asked if we could have another one right then. She said she was excited as long as I have a girl this time. I told her it's up to God and that maybe he'll answer her prayers for a baby sister. When Jeff heard he thought I was joking, though he also asked for another baby this last Summer. I wonder when he'll realize I'm not lying... and what he'll think about it.

On top of it all... The excitement of the holidays and my pregnancy along with the upcoming New Year, Bobby and I are celebrating our 2ND wedding anniversary. 2 years ago today Bobby and I drove up to Vegas and got married. It was the best decision I've ever made and he's been such a gift to me. I'm so lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life with him and thank God every day for bringing Bobby my way. He gave me a card on Christmas Eve claiming I was the best Christmas Gift he ever received (we met right before Christmas), however I'm pretty sure he stole this line from me and though I LOVED the card, I do believe he was my gift. The one that nothing else will ever compare to.

This blog has really been nothing but a ramble. Think I care? Not really. Hope you all had a great Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Thank you Bobby...

For now this is stuck in my head... just as you wished...

A Blog From Crystal...

Lettuce in the Ketis is the only thing to have. You might think it tastes good if you eat it on tacos. Now if you it eat it by itself, it doesn't have the same effect.

Some people think that giving birth probably isn't that difficult... unless, of course, you're giving birth to a head of lettuce. Without the epidural, the ice burg is the worst. I have heard the best way to soothe lettuce from the Ketis is the rejuvenation (rejuvenation station, that is...) of the hemorrhoidal defactoral fecal position. If this doesn't work you may want to try a phosphorous ioxide to help reduce the stinging sensation. After all of this is accomplished, you can now burn your candles, eat your cookies, and wash it all down with that famous lettuce.

Thank you for your time and energy.

Best Regards,

Lettuce From The Ketis

(Aka: Crystal)

P.S. YAY! My first blog (though not on my own blog) as a NEW WOMAN!

Morning Sickness = 0 Angie = 1

HAHA! Take that!!! I WILL beat you! Taste my chicken nuggets of fury and dwell in my sprite forever! I will crush you with my sea bands and punch you with preggie pops!

Um... sorry... hormones got away from me again...

Mmmm...

All the more reason to eat at Carl's Jr!

Uncle Butch and Aunt Ruth support the Carl's Jr Chili Cheese Burger and Fries... and you know I'm all about supporting Uncle Butch and Aunt Ruth! Guess what I'm having for dinner?

I don't know about you, but that's as good of a reason as any to use Palm Center Cleaners to me! (Not that I didn't use them already, ahem...)

Some say sell out... I say a work of genius!

This made me smile...

Bobby sent this to me in an email... thought I'd share...

STUPID MIXER!!!

I didn't want you anyways! :(

:sob:

At least not in "Licorice". I'd prefer "Empire Red".

(I'm ranting about this. I was picked. It was like a dream come true! I woke up way too early, sat and waited... I hit the button right as soon as it was available... I was so confident! Apparently I wasn't quick enough... I've been wanting this mixer for YEARS! :sigh:)

Someday... someday we'll be together like we were always meant to be. We'll bake breads, grate cheese, make gingerbread, ice cream, and so many other wonderful things.

You're my mixer, my KitchenAid Pro 600 Mixer. I'll wait for you, yes, I'll wait for you...

This is all I have to say about that...

(This is the only decent video of this song I could find, sorry.)




Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes - Fair To Midland

To much patience
No resistance
Within shouting distance you can hear a blind mans bluff
Dragging names through the mud instead of biting his tongue
The devils in the air and I'm spitting out prayers
While the rubber necks all get their fill

Tell me, tell me a story
Tell me not to worry
Or pick up the phone
So I'm turning, turning a deaf ear
So that I don’t hear him throwing stones

To much hog wash not enough hear say
always made the front page
He could use a fine tooth comb
to get a word from the wise
Would be a welcome surprise
Keep an ear to the ground so to drown out the sound
cause the dead air is what made me whole

Tell me, tell me a story
Tell me not to worry
Or pick up the phone
So I'm turning, turning a deaf ear
So that I don’t hear him throwing stones

These walls don’t talk
Even when somebody knocks
These walls don’t stand
For anyone else but themselves
These walls wont fall
Even when gravity's failing us all

Tell me, tell me a story
Tell me not to worry
Or pick up the phone
So I'm turning, turning a deaf ear
So that I don’t hear him throwing stones

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope all of you (meaning my now apparently 2 readers... oh, I should mention... I have a tracker and I know who reads my blogs by IP address, location, whether they were linked by a search engine or via email, etc... ;) That's right... I know who my new reader is. Maybe it's creepy that I track it, but not as creepy as a stalker. Oh well... Enjoy!) had a fantabulous Thanksgiving!

We had a nice day here with Tommy and my parents. It wasn't the same as if Jeff and Becca had been here and we talked about them a lot of the day and how much we missed them, but some things just couldn't be helped in that department. Bobby made the best turkey I have ever tasted! We kept the rest of the meal rather simple, but it came out OH SO GOOD! Tommy loved "big people food" and loved having his grandparents at our house for the day.

Now to continue staying awake so that I can hit the online Black Friday sales I want to take advantage of at midnight. Last night I stayed up for the Toy's R Us sale and got a toy for each of my kids at insane prices! Tonight I'm waiting up for the WalMart online sale. Looks like it's gonna be worth it!

At Least It Wasn't Chicken Poop!

OK, so first of all... we have to go back about 7 1/2 years to the beginning of this story in order for it all to make sense...

At the time a lot of those that attend our current church were attending the Fontana PCofG. I was living in Washington State at the time and was down visiting with my then husband and baby Jeff over Summer break from school. Naturally, having a new camcorder I felt the need to record everything about my trip. If you know Crystal, then you know that she was naturally on quite a bit of the footage. Her and I felt the need to record EVERYTHING! Of course this also meant recording her after she fell walking to the car after morning service... into MUD. She did so gracefully, but then had mud all over her, and her reaction was hilarious while everyone just laughed... especially me. Kathy yelled out a valid point to Crystal, "At least it wasn't chicken poop!". I don't know why, but later that night when we watch the video from that day it cracked us up. This may not be too shocking, but I wet my pants. The combination of Crystal's face and Kathy's phrase was just hilarious. The term quickly became a daily part of conversation.

A few years later, a company released a lip balm. The name? "Chicken Poop". Kathy bought Crystal and I both a tube. Various pictures, emails, endearments have been traded between the 3 of us over these last few years. It's our "thing".

So, now to the present day. A few weeks ago at our mini ladies retreat at church Kathy, my Mom, and I were admiring these little chickens that were up for bidding in a silent auction to buy gifts for orphans. Kathy kept trying to tell me that I should want them because she wanted to buy them for someone. My Mom pointed out they would look cute in my kitchen... Kathy said I needed chickens since I blog about cooking them so much... and within a few minutes I decided "They must be mine!" and put down a bid. The next morning I was sick and unable to attend service. This last Sunday, Tommy was teething so badly that he barely slept (and barely let Bobby and I sleep) for the last 5 days. I had no idea where I stood in the bidding and figured I lost. I wasn't too bummed, but I was kind of sad and hoped to find some others later. Sunday night, my Mom calls on her way home from church to let me know KATHY BOUGHT ME THE CHICKENS! I was so excited. Bobby thought I was nuts.

Tuesday my Mom brought the chickens over and I placed them on the counter. I sent Kathy a picture text of them and she called to let me know "I was glad when they said unto me, let us put the chickens up on the counter". It was great. I was so happy and felt so privileged that Kathy did something so nice for me...

I cannot believe that with all of us involved (Crystal knew of the chicken bidding) NO ONE thought of "At least it wasn't chicken poop".

So, now, let me just say once again... Thank you Kathy for my chickens! At least they don't make chicken poop!

Am I All Talk?

Probably.

Wait, let me clear this up...

I've posted all these dumb blogs about Christmas and holiday planning without actually realizing that THANKSGIVING IS NEXT WEEK!

That makes me an idiot. I thought by mentally evaluating my holidays I was ahead of the times... when in reality I'm behind because I have yet to really begin some of the necessary planning.

To try to catch up, I'm ordering my Christmas Cards today. Hopefully this season won't be so hectic that we forget it's all really about Jesus!

Ode to Kathy

I love Kathy, yes I do.
She is so cool,
and doesn't at all smell like poo...

Random... once again...

Me: Thar she blows! (Referring to the wind while sitting on our front porch.)

Bobby: What? Your butt?

Me: The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind...

TGIF!

Wow, this week flew by! It seems as though I'm still recovering from LAST week, and here this week is over! On Sunday night I made a "To Do" list for the week. Luckily I gave myself the deadline of tomorrow afternoon since I still have about half of it left. This is going to be our first weekend of "nothing" in awhile though, and I look forward to that. Relaxing at home with Bobby and getting things done around the house. I love when he's home and we can just relax and have a conversation, watch a movie, play with Tommy, WORK ON THE HOUSE, lol. I just really hope he doesn't get stuck in insane traffic on his way home tonight, ugh.

And now I have ditched this blog to go answer the phone... It was Crystal and she wants to get together this afternoon. Maybe I'll take some pictures and blog about it later... or not... We'll see if Kathy is lucky enough.

I really don't like jerks...

I think the following letter I sent to AIS just now explains all that needs to be said. "James" is probably worried to leave work tonight with fear that I'll be sitting next to his car with a rifle yelling "You want me to PAY for your mistake? NOOOOOOO!!!! You must PAY!" Maybe I should seek anger management? Hmmm... (I wasn't that bad...) ;)

A few moments ago I called in to the billing department with a question about my bill (this is what seems like the hundredth time I've had to call your company in the last few weeks) and was dealt extremely rudely with by "James" from the moment the call began. He actually felt the need to inform me that I was calling into a call center as though I was stupid. Being that my husband runs a call center of a different type, I couldn't believe that this talk and attitude would be tolerated, especially later in the call when he basically told me that nothing could be changed about the situation even though it was no fault of my own (I was told this a few weeks ago when dealing with the situation that lead to this one...) and that I had the freedom to take my policy elsewhere. I'm very thankful to the supervisor who quickly fixed things with my situation, but am very angry with the way "James" handled things. I don't spend my money with your company to be treated as though I don't matter... I'm about to purchase another vehicle in the next few days and now I'm concerned about how things will go when I need to make changes to my policy to accommodate me. Will there be more confusion and second rate service? If it weren't for the supervisor who took care of things my current policy would already be cancelled and I'd be shopping around with the competitors at this moment. I'm very disappointed and I hope this doesn't happen again. I've complained already to enough people of the problems I had before due to Western United's mix up. I'd hate to let them know that AIS has let me down also.

Thanks,
Angela Schott

Unfortunately I had to shorten it to 1000 characters due to their comment box. Oh well... here's what I condensed it to... a little less angry but it makes the point.

Today I called in to the billing dept for what seems like the 100th time I've had to call your company in the last month with a question about my bill & was dealt rudely with by James. He actually felt the need to inform me that I was calling a call center as though I was stupid. Being that my husband runs a call center, I couldn't believe that this attitude would be tolerated. Later in the call I was told that nothing could be done about the situation, though it was no fault of my own; that I had the freedom to cancel my policy. I'm thankful to the supervisor who quickly fixed the problem. But, I don't utilize your company to be treated as though I don't matter. I'm about to buy a 2nd vehicle. I'm concerned about how things will go when I need to make changes. Will there be more confusion & second-rate service? I'm shocked & I hope this won't happen again. I've told enough people of the problems I had before due to Western United's mix up. I'd hate to say that AIS has let me down also.

I still can't get over how rude he was. I'm not one to make complaints usually, but this time it felt pretty darn good! So good, I had to blog about it so my one reader would see it! (Love you Kathy!)

Blah

I hate being in a funk. Seriously. I don't know what it is that caused this one unless it's just that I've over extended myself during the course of the last few weeks. I'm not depressed or anything, just, "blah". It takes a bit more motivation for me to do anything from answer an email to go to the store. Everything that must be done is done, but I'm just not in the mood for anything else.

I guess that's called "tired", huh?

Maybe I'll go clean the bathrooms, mop, vacuum, and try to get over it... Before I go to the store...

BLAH!

Christmas Came To Our House...

OK, not quite completely yet... but it has begun!

Yesterday after my dentist appointment I stopped by Target to get a few things. I ended up going to the one near Crystal's since it's on the way to my Mom's to pick up Tommy so she met me down there since she needed to get a few things herself.

It should have been obvious to me that this would be the beginning of my Christmas shopping when I walked in and saw the Dollar Aisle filled with Christmas items. I grabbed a few small things for Becca and some small decorations. After we looked at everything from beginning to end there, we went on to the rest of the store. We picked up a few things and made A LOT of notes of what we will buy and what we will not buy. When in the toy aisle I saw that 2 toys Bobby and I were already planning to buy Tommy were about $10 off each! Naturally, I took the bait. I'm excited about already marking things off on his Toys R Us wish list.

So, now it's time to start cracking down on this baking business. I have house work to do today since I was gone all day yesterday and will be gone all day tomorrow, but I'm hoping to at least start making batches. :Fingers Crossed:

For the first time in my adult life, I am really dissappointed in my country

HEY! Michelle Obama! I bet you're really proud, now, right?

Well, guess what... let's go over this again in 4 years. I have a feeling that smug attitude is going to be knocked down just a wee bit (though not likely much...) and you'll realize you were all in over your head when you hand our nation over to someone who knows what their doing because your husband is inexperienced and arrogant. What a mess that's going to be to clean up, ugh.

Lord, help us all... Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Hmm...

This was sent to me in an email this morning... found it very interesting...

OK, back to distracting myself from the election and focusing on Christmas!

Just around the corner...

Jeff and Becca - Christmas 2007

Jeff and Becca - Christmas 2003

Not long now and we'll be getting out the boxes of decorations and ornaments, baking, cooking, singing, etc. etc. etc.

CHRISTMAS! YAY!

I've decided to distract myself from all the political stuff today and think about something exciting!

This year is a special one, as it's Tommy's first. I've already begun a LONG wish list for him, as the poor kid really doesn't have many toys. It's going to be so much FUN!

Jeff and Becca will likely arrive the day after Christmas as this is their year to spend with their Dad. I'm completely up in the air on what to get them this year, but either way I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they open their presents!

I have a few ideas of things to get Bobby, but I'm really uncertain. I've got ideas for stocking stuffers for sure. Hard to say. I'll likely be looking into more ideas today... If Tommy allows me the computer time.

I'm also starting to think about all the baking I'd like to get done. I've decided I'm going to start baking cookies in the next week and freeze them so that there will be less money to spend at once and less work to be done in those few final days before we celebrate the birth of JESUS! There will for sure be pies, maybe a cake, definitely some casseroles, Mmm... I love holiday food... TOO much! Just look at me!

Did I mention the gift list? Naturally, this year's is going to be shorter than usual due to the economy being what it is, but I still have a few key people I'll be buying for. Seriously, this is my favorite part!

And then there are our Christmas cards. I'm debating just doing a "Photo Card" or also including an "update letter". I know some people find these annoying, but that there are also those who might like to know what we're up to. We'll see... Such decisions. :sigh:

It's gonna be wonderful! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Whatever happens today...

God is in control.

God is in control.

God is in control.

God is in control.

God is in control.

God is in control.

God is in control.

God is in control.

Just thought I should remind myself that everything will be OK... Whew... :Deep Breath:

Ok, on with the election!

The Luckiest Girl In The WORLD!

Yes? Did you call my name? Why, naturally, that is me! I AM the luckiest girl in the world!

Why, you ask? Well... here's why...



:sigh:

I swear he's one of the best things God ever gave me. (Can't forget salvation and my children, family, and friends.) I go to bed every night and wake up every morning knowing that he loves me and would do anything to take care of and protect our children and I. We're not "perfect", but in this day and age we really do have a wonderful marriage and relationship. Very few men these days have a modern outlook with old fashioned values, and I find that very important. I don't know what I'd ever do without Bobby. He's not only my husband and lovah boy, but also my best friend. He's always there, regardless, the moment I need him. I don't know what I would do without Bobby, and I can say without a doubt I'll love him for the rest of my life. To think, I knew all this after only 3 days of knowing him. Anyone want to doubt the power of love at first sight now?

Oh, and not to mention... his sexy untouchable hotness... HELLO! ;)

Lucky, lucky, lucky, ME!!!!

Dinner tonight...

Baked lemon chicken...
White rice...
Broccoli with cheese sauce...

With that, I'm calling it a dang day. Dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes.

No, I'm not at all bitter that I didn't get breakfast for dinner. Nope! Not me... really...

UPDATE: I ended up making them into "rice bowls" and they were actually REALLY good. Bobby wins... I did get breakfast for breakfast today, so that was good...

More Chicken! YAY!

As mentioned before, I said I'd be blogging about Cheesy Chicken & Noodles... well here it is!

Last Wednesday Crystal and Kaitlyn came over and spent the afternoon with Tommy and I. They ended up staying for dinner with Bobby, Tommy, and I. As before planned, I served the above mentioned meal. Crystal seemed to really enjoy it and took some home to Kevin who she claims really liked it. Whether they were lying or not, I'm unsure... either way, here is the recipe. (Note that for the veggies I use Broccoli.)

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/cheesy-chicken-and-noodles/

Tonight we may end up with a grilled or baked chicken salad. Use your imagination for that recipe, OK? ;) (I'm a jerk... if you didn't know this by now then hurry up and get over it...)

My son... the democrat?

Whaaaa?

OK, let me give you a little bit of history here...

First of all, we're talking about my 7 1/2 year old, Jeff. He loves all things boy: Transformers, video games, Star Wars, sports, etc. He loves both of his parents dearly. He's a definite Mama's Boy, but aims to make Daddy proud also. His favorite conversation pieces are usually poop, what he wants for Christmas, or movies/video games.

Early this last Summer while he and his sister were here (he lives out of state with his Dad) something had come up about politics. This was while the primaries were still going on and he saw something with a picture of Obama on it and said something about what a great guy he was. Now, having been married to his father for nearly 5 years I wasn't surprised as I knew the man raising my son is a hard core democrat. The way I see it, when it comes to politics I'm not going to force my kids one way or the other, but I will try to make sure they see both sides in EVERY situation. He lives with a democrat, so being 7 years old he's going to be a democrat, for now, also. I mean, what view points can he really have? That's fine. I just showed him some pictures of Fred Thompson... and then a week later of John McCain... lol... and told him these were great guys but they all have their faults and that I'm not at all too crazy about Obama. What do you think he asked me then...

"But what about Hillary Clinton?"

Wow! This kid knows his stuff (He later implied that his step mom was one of her followers.) This conversation carried on for a bit and I think I got across to him that there are both good and bad things about all the candidates, but that we need to pay attention to the important grown up things. I explained that some things he'll understand in a few years, and some now, etc. From my stand point he was very open in his thinking for the rest of the summer, and felt comfortable asking me questions. When I didn't know the answer, I told him honestly that I was unsure and that he should ask his step dad, Grandpa (my dad), or maybe even our pastor. He was liking McCain a little more and more, but still liked Obama. I wasn't reading too much into it, but was very proud of my little man.

So, fast forward to yesterday, Oct. 29th...

Me: So who do you think is going to win the election for president next week?

Jeff: That guy you're voting for tells a lot of lies.

Me: Well, so does the other guy Jeff.

J: Really?

M: Yeah, they are politicians. That's what they do unfortunately.

J: That's not fair.

M: No it's not.

J: Hey! Did you know that Hillary Clinton used to be married to Bill Clinton and he used to be the president until he was killed?

M: Yeah, but she's still married to him.

J: She is? I thought he was dead!

M: Nope, he's still alive.

J: Oh, well, he's not president anymore. George Bush is, and he's not a good president. Bill Clinton was the best president, but that was a really long time ago.

M: Not that long silly, he just stopped being president 2 months before you were born.

J: I know! That was a LONG time ago! Mom? Did you know that when George Washington was president there weren't cars yet? Now that was a long time ago.

M: Yeah, it was.

J: Who was president when cars were invented?

M: I don't know. I can't remember.

J: You should ask Grandpa... or Bobby. They would know, maybe they were there!

I'm pretty certain that my Grandma rolled over in her grave. I blame Crystal for this... she's not doing her job as "godmother". (Kidding, as usual, she wanted to make sure her name was mentioned in my blog...) I asked Tommy if we should ground Jeff and tie him up in his room when he's of voting age and Tommy growled as though he was yelling "Yes!". Though I would never do such a thing to Jeff, I'd like to think that this was confirmation that Tommy will be republican. I'm a nerd, I know.

And another purse string has been cut... :sigh: My baby is growing up too fast!!!

(For the record, I love all of my children equally regardless of their personal viewpoints.)

Serial Killer Material

At one point in time I had this genius idea. Yes, it only happened once. I'm sorry to disappoint.

It started with a simple photo of my first child's newborn foot. It was one of my favorite photos for years, and still is. A few years later, I started taking photos of random feet. Ugly, pretty, big, small, shoes, boots, bare, etc. My thought was that I was going to create a coffee table book titled "Keep Your Feet On The Table" or something geeky like that. I don't remember. I even had friends and acquaintances sending me photos for the compilation. It was great.

Then my laptop crashed... and I lost the majority of my photos!

Naturally, over time, I lost interest.

But now... because of the title of this blog I have been inspired to do the same but with EYES!

Won't you? Won't you please? Let me put my camera up to your eye and flash my brilliant light into your life?

Seriously, everyone, feel free to send me photos of your eyes... or cropped photos only including the eyes. I'm weird, creepy, and might just be a freak. Why should that stop you? Try to make it artistic... If it goes well enough maybe I'll get back to my original idea about feet. You never know!

I Feel Like Chicken Tonight...

Last night we had Monterey Chicken. This is basically Bobby's version of the Chili's favorite... minus the tomatoes. For some reason, he is not fond of that part...

First he makes the bacon, then sautes the onions in the bacon grease. (Naturally, draining some of the grease after each...) After completing both of those tasks he browns/cooks the chicken in the bacon grease. Once done, top with BBQ sauce, bacon, onions, and of course... CHEESE!!!! Mmmm.... So delicious. I made garlic mashed potatoes to accommodate the main course. Usually we also have a green vegetable or artichoke dip and bread/chips, but we weren't THAT hungry last night.

Another recipe Bobby makes often is Parmesan Chicken. It is as follows... (This is the email he sent me when Crystal asked for the recipe last week...)

On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 1:21 PM, Bob Schott wrote:
I don't have any measurements. It's all a process thing.

Thaw chicken
Beat your meat
Dip chicken in egg wash (Beat a couple of eggs with a splash of milk - some salt and pepper)
Coat chicken in bread crumbs (Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs, Parmesan Cheese)
Dip chicken in egg wash again
Coat chicken in bread crumbs again
Brown in pan of olive oil on med-high heat
Bake in oven @ 400 for 20-25 minutes (until chicken is done)
spoon spaghetti sauce on chicken and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese
bake for another 2 to 5 minutes

Tonight, we're on to another use of chicken. Chicken Tacos!!! I actually learned this recipe from one of the many various Disney message boards I used to participate in a few years ago. See! They were good for something other than chaos, geekdom, and unnecessary drama! ;)

Now pay attention... this gets complicated...

1. Get out your crock pot
2. Take frozen chicken out of freezer
3. Place chicken in crock pot
4. Pour about half jar (for about 1 lb of meat) of salsa over chicken
5. Place lid on crock pot
6. Set to low for 6-8 hours... or on high for 2-4.
7. Prepare flour tortillas to your liking, along with vegetables and other garnishments such as CHEESE and sides such as canned re fried beans.
8. Put it all together, call the family to the table, and EAT!

Chicken will break apart easily... and be so tender and flavorful... Mmm.... Seriously, one of the best meals ever and yet one of the simplest. Gotta love it!

Now, to share with you all the song that is stuck in my head...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9M7bsx10I

Next time I'll likely be writing about Cheesy Chicken Noodles... Mmm...

Fall Fun Day!!!

I'm so excited for this Saturday! It's going to be a blast! (I just wish Jeff and Becca were here to attend...) All of you with kids, come on out! It's gonna be great!

Saturday November 1st 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Trinity Full Gospel Church

235 N. Lena Road

San Bernardino, CA

Hope to see you there!!!

Random...

Angie: What was that movie that came out a few years ago about a fart or something? I can't remember. I never saw it... Mighty Wind or something? Know what I'm talking about?

Bobby: An Inconvenient Truth?

Don't Even Think Twice...

"Call my name, say it now

I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive"
Third Day - Call My Name

I love music. I really do. I am obsessed with beats, melodys, lyrics, and everything involved and in between. Unfortunately I was not blessed to have a voice to sing or coordination to play piano any better then "ok" in my adulthood. But that's ok, I still enjoy it all.


I've listened to so many different types of music in my life, all types of genres. I've been to concerts and shows and even late night music sessions. Lyrics are probably my favorite, and I've been partial to a lot of them...


But just for one second read the lyrics I've put up at the top of this post... then really think about them. Read them over and over.


God will NEVER fail us! Isn't that amazing? As much as my husband or friends/family love me, I can ask them for help and may sometimes have to doubt, just because they are human. My husband may simply forget that I'm really hoping he remembers to bring me home Diet Coke tonight (I'm human too, after all...) and then I may have to go out to the store... But when God says he's there... when he says he's going to do something... when all of the world calls me crazy for being a Christian... when I myself even at one time doubted... when there are elections, personal conflicts, wars, illnesses, financial problems, depression, fears, or anything else big or small... HE IS HERE!!!! And the best part: HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE!


Those have to be some of the most beautiful lyrics I've ever heard. Nothing gets more real than that!

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This...

I've been having some strange dreams lately. I don't know how to explain some of them, but I'm pretty sure of most of their origins.

(Before I go any further, I must tell you that Crystal is insisting I blog this. First, she made fun of me about my "Desi's In The Village" blog, then that night I had this dream. Naturally, she felt that I should blog about the dream... mostly just for her benefit to have something else to make fun of me for. What can I say? I'm a good friend. "The Friendometriosis" as she would say... Anyways...)

For example: 2 nights ago I had a dream that the owner of "Desi's In The Village" called me to let me know he was going to be closed for a little while because someone had been murdered in the restaurant. He reassured me that he was not the killer, and that they would reopen. He even said that the reason he called was because he saw my blog and knew that I was going to be driving up the mountain soon and he didn't want us to travel all that way for nothing.

Now, this wasn't just one of those simple dreams. It was one of those where you dream you already woke up and it seems completely realistic. Something awoke me from this dream and I asked Bobby where the phone is. When he said "Huh?" I said I was on the phone with Desi's. He then said "What?" to which I realized I was making a fool out of myself and said never mind. If he realized what I said (Like the time in my sleep I told him that I wasn't a mushroom... or the time I told my cousin Paula to turn me over and put me back in the microwave for 30 seconds (In that dream I was a burrito) I would have never heard the end of it.

I love when I have a weird dream like this, that I can so quickly dissect!

1. Obviously the dream involved the restaurant and blog because Crystal had just teased me for it earlier in the day.
   
2. The phone had rang earlier in the morning and I didn't get up to answer it. (It was Crystal, she'll get over it.)


3. The night before Bobby stupidly rented "The Strangers". Wasn't that nice of him? Renting a movie about home invasions the night before leaving me home alone while he worked late? I had murder on the brain...
   
4. I'm just flat out weird. What can I say?

So, there you have it folks! I know most of this blog was a ramble, but frankly, I don't care. Rambling is what blogging is all about, and it's fun. Be warned though, I like to talk about my dreams a lot... and I can do that here all I want... Mwuhahahaha...

Obviously, I know I'm a dork/nerd/doofus/idiot. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted that picture...

This Is Stupid...

So, Bobby has to work late tonight and I'm home alone until he gets home... which will be about 1 am or so.

I don't know what it is that being home "alone" (Tommy's here... but he can't really defend me unless he were to puke on an intruder... though I'm sure the smell of his puke also wards off evil spirits.) that makes me feel like a little kid again. I eat the food I wouldn't eat if Bobby were home for dinner. I watch the movies he hates. I usually get done all the stuff I wouldn't normally be able to do if he were home, IE: organizing, cleaning, etc. since I would be spending time with him and the baby instead. I basically break all the rules!

I also get scared.

I hate it! I know there is no logical reason for me to be scared, and that God is on the throne and still in control. But I'm still scared! It's just so dumb. Grrr... I hope he hurries home!

One Week Of Seperation

Ok, so yeah, I know... I said I was going to blog about our honeymoon...

Well, here is where our favorite place to eat was. Unfortunately, we only found it the day before we came home so we only ate there once. We have full intentions to return once a month (except when chains are required) to eat the delicious fare.

Where is this place, you ask? Desi's In The Village is the name! I've never had chicken like that, and I swear everyday for the last week my tastebuds are torturing me with the memory of how spectacular they were. Bobby swears that his burger was the best one he's ever had. Do you know how big of a deal it is for Bobby to say something was "the best"? Don't even let me start talking about the fries though, because this blog will never end...

We actually had the pleasure of having the owner for our waiter (who also seems to be some snow board guy... forgive me for not knowing who he is, I don't follow much with sports these days...) who told us all the things he's done with his newly opened restaurant and what he plans to do. When he didn't recognize right away that I needed a drink refill he actually told me to yell at him or throw an ice cube at him the next time, cracked me up. He also stated that the restaurant had been featured on MTV3 as a back drop/set.

Um, did I mention they have deep fried desserts? Oreos, peanut butter cups, ice cream, etc... yeah. I didn't try any, as I didn't have enough room after scarfing down my lunch... but some time I'm going to go up just to try the dessert menu out.

Anyways, that is all I have to say about this little endorsement. Just felt I should write a blog to explain why I keep craving this wonderful food in the future...



Desi's In The Village
40766 Village Dr
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
(909) 866-3374

Critter Country!

ACK!!!

I so wish I had pictures to go with this post, I believe everyone needs to see what all lives on the property here with us. (Note that I didn't say in the house. Luckily the worst we've seen in here are tiny harmless bugs and spiders.)

So, first of all, the first week we lived here and every week following we have seen/heard the following:

• Skunks - Not a surprise given the location of our home... but one seems to have a "home" in the ivy in front of our house and likes to commute to the hills behind our home via our yard. I'm going to look up repellent today... and to be safe I may buy a case of tomato juice next time I'm at Sam's Club.
• Possums - Once again, not a surprise. So far, these seem to be "transients" and not actually living anywhere in our yard... to our knowledge. Our back yard is a HUGE mess that the landlord keeps promising to clean up. (We're about to give up...) Still, they just have to be the nastiest little creatures. Seriously. I've hated possums from a very young age. GROSS!
• Bats - I haven't actually seen one, but we can hear them at night. Luckily it sounds as though they are in the distance.
• Bugs/Spiders - This is Southern California. To take it a step further, the Inland Empire. Black Widows are a given. Having grown up out here I knew that, thankfully they aren't as bad here as they are in Big Bear... and we haven't seen any in our home. Bugs and meaningless spiders don't bother us too much. I surrounded the exterior of the house yesterday with moth balls and that seems to be helping with the night time fliers.
• Tarantulas - I'm not including this with spiders because they are just too big and deserve their own moment in this blog. My parent's live only a few miles away and I don't think I EVER saw one of these roaming wildly through the yard. The first one was a week after we moved in. Bobby was helping me get the baby in the truck on our way to church and I noticed it on the walk way. The second one was just chilling on the wall yesterday when we were trying to get the BBQ going. I'm hoping that as we get into winter we don't see anymore of these. Sure, spiders are a thing of fall, but these are just EWW!!!
• Woodpeckers - They don't bother me too much, but Bobby isn't a fan. I'm sure I'll change my mind when the cold weather kicks in.

I'm proud to say, I haven't seen a snake here yet and I hope it continues this way. The neighbor behind us (on the top of the hill) cleared out most of the hillside this weekend so I'm sure we're going to have refugees seeking shelter in our mess of a terrace in the back yard. I just pray we can get it cleaned up SOON!

All this aside, I still love my home... I think I'm just going to have to come up with an amazing defense plan and put it into action...

Sometimes...

Sometimes it is just so good to know God is in control, isn't it?

No matter what is going on, what is predicted, who is claiming to be in charge, or what is being said... to know that God is the one who has the final say makes everything so much easier. Without God, we'd have to sit around with fret and worry. Could you imagine?

I'm going to thank God now for the victory that is ahead... and for the challenge he's allowed me so that I may learn and have personal growth.

We're HOME!!!

Wow! That was the best honeymoon I could have ever dreamed of. I truly have an amazing husband who goes out of his way to make sure we both have a relaxing and enjoyable time not only every weekend, but when we're on vacation.

There is so much to document about this trip, and I promise to do so soon. I think the coolest thing was hearing an african lion roaring every so often during our trip. Yes, I did say lion. I know we were in Big Bear. I'll explain later... Right now I've gotta get a grocery list put together and a trip to Sam's Club and Stater Bros. or Ralph's under way... I'll be back!

Here I Go...

Well, today has arrived. My big shopping day! It even involves a mall or two, yikes. Did I mention I'll have an almost 7 month old in tow? It's gonna be so much fun! I can't WAIT! I actually mean that, not at all sarcastically. Sure, having Tommy with me will make it a challenge... but any day involving Sephora gets my blood running and my body energized. WOO HOO!

2 more days and we'll be gone. I'm so excited!

Tommy kept us up most of the night. His allergies had him congested and he's still trying to adjust to the new home. OF COURSE he's fine this morning. You'd NEVER know that kid had booger issues last night. Oh well.

60 Years

I just feel I should say something about what today is...

60 years ago today my Grandparents, Paul Carnahan & Dorothy Colson, were married. (If you knew them, can you spot them in the picture?)

Their biggest goal was to be married 50 years, however this dream was cut short when my Grandfather passed away just a few short years of the mark. I've never seen two people as in love with each other as these two were.

In reflection, I have not set a goal of years for my marriage, but that Bobby and I might be as happy and in love as they are... every day, for the rest of our lives.

What A Difference A Day Makes...

Wow. Don't get me wrong, I'm still sick... but my goodness. I feel SO much better!

Now it's on to those last minute things to get done before we head out on Sunday. Naturally, I'm running behind. I've started on my shopping list, but have yet to actually write/type out what we need to pack for both us and for the baby while he's at my Mom's while were gone. I plan to do some of the shopping tomorrow, and begin packing on Saturday. Such excitement!

Looks like tonight we'll be having spaghetti. It just seems silly to run out and do grocery shopping when we're going to be out of town, so I'm just going to have to make something here. I usually really enjoy spaghetti, but tonight one of our neighbors is barbecuing. It smells SO good... I can almost taste it! Maybe when we get back we'll fire ours up.

Tommy has actually taken a few half decent naps today. The one he's taking right now is included in that. It's been a rough week of very little napping for him. I'm not too sure if it's teething, adjusting to the new home, defiance, or all 3. Regardless, I'm glad he's getting some rest. I've been on the search for a new pediatrician. Not only is he due for shots, but his reflux seems to be worse when he's supposed to be outgrowing it. Poor guy...

Guess I should go start dinner...

Of Course!

Here I sit, only 4 days left until Bobby and I leave for our honeymoon, and I'm sick. I'm pretty sure it's just Hay Fever, and I strongly pray that I'm well before then, but I have to admit I'm scared. I don't want to be sick on our honeymoon! That was one of the main reasons we postponed our honeymoon when we got married, BECAUSE I WAS SICK. :( What fun is a cabin in the mountains if you're congested and bothered by the high altitude?

I'm trying so hard to not think of that huge list of "Things To Do Before Sunday". I just have to trust it will all get done one way or another.

By the way... everyone, try Theraflu Warming Relief Cold and Chest Congestion. No joke. My Mom brought some by for me earlier today, and it's been a BIG help. Awesome stuff.

It's here!!!

My Blackberry arrived about an hour or so ago...

I'm so happy! Off to play with my new toy!

The Never Ending List Of Things To Do...

With CHICKEN!

I'm not the biggest fan of poultry... another way in which I've grown up. As a teen I preferred it over red meat any day. Once I matured, however, I realized that the tastes of my childhood were much more intellectual than that of my adolescents.

What draws me to chicken then? Why do I cook/bake with it so often? Well, let's go over this, shall we?

• Price. It's cheaper than eating red meat and when bought frozen/skinless/boneless is REALLY cheap.
• Health. Red meat is good. I mean it's really goooooood. But chicken has a lot of good things about it too.
• VARIETY! There is so much more that you can do with chicken than you can with steak.
• Ease. Bake, boil, broil, grill, fry, brown, I could go on and on and on. Actually, I can't. I really can't thin of much more than that. But still. There isn't a lot of work to making chicken unless you want there to be.

And now, for my series on chicken.... here is my first entry:

Teriyaki Chicken

Last night for dinner I wow'd Bobby. Trust me, this takes A LOT to do. He's rarely that impressed. Not to that degree, at least. I didn't really do anything special, just the following.

I pounded out 2 once frozen but thawed chicken breasts and then did my usual... set them on the baking sheet and opened my spice cabinet. This is the fun part! Well, since we just moved "ground ginger" had made her place up to the front of the cabinet instead of her usual lonely place in the back. After adding kosher salt, pepper, & garlic salt (rarely is something in this home made without garlic, garlic powder, or garlic salt) I thought the ginger would be a nice addition. I placed the chicken in the oven for the usual time, basting with teriyaki sauce 10 minutes before completion, and made the steamed broccoli and rice.

Seriously, it had to be one of the simplest things I've ever made. Yet it made that man fall even more in love with me. Life is grand.

Tonight, I'm making his favorite: Pork Chops!

Any Moment Now

My doorbell is going to ring today. It may in fact happen more than once. I do know for a fact though that it WILL ring.

I love modern technology. Not only can you shop from the convenience of your own home in the middle of the night on a Saturday to order yourself a brand new pink Blackberry Curve, but you can check with FedEx to see just exactly what day it will arrive. What luxury!

The time the doorbell will ring is a mystery... but I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat and next to my window until then... anxiously awaiting the arrival of my crackberry.

I've been meaning to do this for awhile...

For some time I've been wanting to switch back to the blog spot format from the simple Myspace blog. Why haven't I? Most likely sheer laziness. The blog spot I had in the past was something I wrote when I wasn't at all the person I am now. I took a lot of time to set it up and "perfect" it and then I turned my life around. To read what I wrote then would only make me sad and angry... but then again to know the miracle that God has performed in helping me change who I was is such a blessing!

So, here I am, a new place to live with new addresses, new phone numbers, and a wonderful family. Time for a new blog! :)