still waiting

still waiting
still walking
still no sign of a baby boy
just the OUTWARD glow of an expectant mother and her womb palace

Waiting and walking and eating

We are in AZ waiting and waiting for little Carson to make his appearance. Walking and eating and waiting...

(Just see what happens when he DOES appear!!! so much to do and take care of.... its going to be great).

What a life!

Food Fun Friday-Chicken Azteca

In looking for good, quick, make ahead recipes I ran across this site: here Favorite Family Recipes. yum yum

I made this before we went to church and 4-6 hours later...yum yum
This is a KEEPER!!! (although I did NOT use 10 chicken breasts, haha, I only used 4, and I halved the recipe)


Chicken Azteca

(Makes 10-12 servings)

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups frozen corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 cups Pace salsa, divided (we used the black bean and corn salsa)
Tabasco sauce (or any other hot sauce), to taste.. (**optional.. this isn't part of the original recipe but we added it for an added kick)
10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, cubed
cooked rice (I made a Spanish rice of sorts by adding a little tomato sauce, cumin, onion, and garlic powder to the rice while cooking. I didn't spice it up a lot... I didn't want it to overpower the flavor of the chicken)
shredded cheddar cheese

Combine beans, corn, garlic, cumin and 1/2 of the salsa in slow cooker. Arrange chicken breasts over top. Pour remaining salsa (and optional hot sauce) over top of chicken. Cover. Cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 4-6 hours. Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Return to crockpot. Stir in cream cheese. Cook on high until it melts. Spoon chicken and sauce over cooked rice. Top with cheese.

Wednesday Wisdom

People are like stained glass windows. They glow and sparkle when it is sunny and bright; but when the sun goes down their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.
Linda Sullivan

Creating Just for fun

I've mentioned before that we have a new store in town that sells recycled (used) building supplies etc.
I found a beautiful cabinet door, with no hardware, front or back for $3.00
I taped it off and used my can of chalkboard spray.
and VIOLA.... I have a Kitchen menu board.

In other creative events,???
I never had any boys so I never got to experiment with
CUTTING HAIR
I can no longer say that:
Before
After

TALK

Today I had to clear the cob-webs out of my brain, dust off the ole' acting skills and give a talk at church.

My favorite quote: (because as you know I LOVE 'EM) and (I love Em too, hi Em!)

Certainly what we are is more important than what we have or what is said of us.
Marvin J. Ashton

second favorite:
regarding Spiritual Identity Theft..... I am talking about something much more basic and more important than who the world thinks you are. I am talking about who you think you are.
Robert C. Oaks

Food Fun Friday **Help**

So most of you know my daughter in AZ is having a baby (duh, I've only been talking about it every other day for 9 months)
We leave next week and part of my job in AZ is Making FOOD. And preparing dinners to be left in the freezer so they'll have something to eat after we leave. I don't think I've ever done that on a big/future scale before. So far I've only figured out that I'll cook up some chicken breasts and leave some shredded chicken and cubed chicken to be added to ??? quesadillas and such, but HELP ME figure out real recipes that you can freeze and heat up at a later date!

When you make meals for others What Do You Make for them?
Do you buy those throw away gladware black cooking/baking pans?
Can you freeze pasta? Rice is ok, but I don't know pasta usually is slimmy.
Is there an easier way to do this??? easy* easy* easy
(I know Mr. P, we are on vacation , it won't be ALL work... there will be sun!!!!!)

I need my bloggy friends help on this one. Hopefully I can get a recipe from each of you.. and then I'll just go to town cooking and such. Lauren & baby & Will will not have to worry about cooking for a little while, just getting to know each other!
and changing diapers, and washing spit up, and sleeping in 2hour intervals and hahahaha CHANGING YOUR LIVES!

Lisa's Craft Class

I've started up my 'monthly' craft class. We modge-podged boxes. It's always fun to get together and talk and make stuff! The evening goes soooooooooo fast!
Too bad my camera WAS ON THE WRONG SETTING AND ALL MY PICTURES ARE FUZZY! Its hard to have fun, make stuff AND take pictures.

Wednesday Wisdom

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

laughs for today

Some guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying:
"Free to good home. You want it, you take it".

For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too un-trusting of this deal. It looked to good to be true, so he changed the sign to read:

"Fridge for sale $50".

The next day someone stole it.

* * *
I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific time?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific" . . . . . . . .
* * *
I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, "Wouldn't the chain rip out every time she turned her head?" I explained that a person's nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is turned. . . . . . . . . .
* * *
I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet? ".

Food Fun Friday on Saturday-Tuscan Chicken Simmer

This was so surprisingly good I had to share.
I had marinated some (6) chicken breasts and grilled them up to use in all sorts of recipes during the week. I found this recipe (thanks Megan) and yum yum

Tuscan Chicken Simmer
4 boneless boneless chicken breast halves (I used a large hand full of cut up cooked chicken)
4oz cream cheese, cubed
1/4 C water
1/4 C pesto
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 C Italian Cheese (I used Parm cheese)

HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover. Cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.

ADD cream cheese, water, pesto and tomatoes to skillet. Cook, uncovered, on medium heat 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

RETURN chicken to skillet. Cook and stir 1 min. or until chicken is coated and heated through. Sprinkle with shredded cheese

Serve with noodles, spaghetti etc.

Babe Watch

Yep, my baby's having a baby, and she's ready to pop! Two weeks in counting, and that really means any time!!! and I know she's ready! Mid-wife says not yet, he needs to drop more..... but they better hang on.. cuz' we won't be there for two weeks.
and besides a baby we get the ARIZONA heat, yea yea you're saying it's winter.. but to us Pacific North Westerns a mild 65-75 IS heat!!! (and after all the rain this week.... Arizona here we come!!)

of course its all about the baby. I can't wait... its been a long 9 months!!!

Wednesday Wisdom

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.
from the blog Positively Present

wild life in the Pacific North West

Look what I found hanging out at my neighbors...
I think it is a hawk?
Then it was waiting for the mail (sorry, it was Sunday, no mail)
quite beautiful
and then he flew away.

So what is it????? Hawk? red tailed hawk?????
anyone know?

a subject I don't talk about

If you have noticed on facebook this week, it's all about the bra color. Took me a while (and a news article) to understand what was going on.

I haven't had much time for facebook.. so I didn't pay much attention till I read this article:
http://www.blogher.com/name-awareness-fb-color-meme
or please read: here

My sister died at 34 of breast cancer.
At 41 I survived ovarian. (that is the first time I have written "survived" instead of "had"). I had it, I got thru it, I guess you would say I survived it.

After 12 years I still pray every day that neither my girls or I will fall victim to breast (or ovarian) cancer. ever.

Cancer was a spiritual experience. Not one that was fun, or easy or taken lightly. It made me a different person. Hopefully for the better. The little annoyances of life are just not worth worrying about. Family is. Good Health is. Time together is. Relationships are. Eternity is.

The pitty party is OVER and I am excited because.......... if you haven't heard..................
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, I AM GOING TO BECOME A NANA!!!!!

January is here-beware Pitty Party below

I hate January.
I hate the darkness, the dreariness, the dead plants.
and this poor thing got frozen during our 2 weeks of below 20degrees in November.. but in December I just brightened him up with L*I*G*H*T*S... but now in the harsh light of January, the plant is dead.
After yesterday I feel crumpled up too. Work did not give raises this year. They did not give raises last year. I have worked there 3 1/2 years.. and .. well it just stinks. I didn't know how much it stunk until it was actually happening. I couldn't believe that it would happen for 2 years in a row. pee-yew it stinks.

So to add to the stinky weather, darkness, cold, dead plants, I can't even justify a trip (1 hour away) to the mall.

Welcome to my Saturday Pitty Party ( and I'll also add, not a good time to start a diet)

Happy Anniversary Mr. Produce

Today is Our 4th anniversary! I can't believe it - time has really gone by fast!!! and I want more years together!
Never in my life would I have dreamed this would be my life. When you are "older" the idea of finding love is s-t-r-a-n-g-e. I believed in the notion that I would never find anyone who would love me. Boy was I wrong. Mr. Produce LOVES me, and tells me so all the time. In word & deed.
ok our quick love story- Thru work we talked on the phone twice a week where I would take his store's order. I had been talking to him for about 2 1/2 years. We got along well and lots of fun stories were shared. Our kids were the same age and it was their senior year etc etc. His store then started receiving regular deliveries so we no longer on the phone. About 6 months later he called me to tell me that his divorce was final-sad- but wanted to know if I was ever coming to WA. again S-T-R-A-N-G-E the day before I had just booked a cruise for the girls and I and we were to stop over in Seattle for a day and a half. He said that we had to meet. I agreed. And, Oh Yea, "what is your email address so we can communicate and swap pictures"
We were on the phone every day since then. We had our first date July 1st... and the long distance relationship was a go. Everything fell into place
And he got 3 girls in the bargain! well... 4 if you count my mom!!! It has been everything a true love story is meant to be! We cherish the time we have together. It is hard to find the words to describe our marriage without sounding to sappy or cliche. Here's hoping for 24 more wonderful years together making happy memories.
I love you Mr. D..... We are Mint to be

Wednesday Wisdom

Always do more than is required of you.
~George S. Patton

The new year has started...and it's goodbye

January 2010... and after a much too brief visit, our recently GRADUATED Kieri bids us Adieu!
I can't believe she was here for 2 weeks. Although the first week she was in such a "thesis" daze it didn't really count. We had a great time, vegging, and watching movies, and taking nana for shopping dates and vegging some more! We miss you already.
Now she is off to the real world to find a job! and become an active member of tax paying society! Visions of cover letters, interviews and resumes dance in her head. It's not going to be a walk in the park... jobs aren't easy to come by.. but she has always had a lucky streak and I know that there is something out there... it will take time, but that gives her something to do- ha
bye Kieri, come back soon, and maybe if WE are lucky, you'll find a job here in Washington!!!!!!!


In other events ... I got a blackberry curve.... and after a week of tutorials, and study and a phone call to Verizon..... I LOVE IT... it truly is the Internet at my fingertips. So here goes another time waster.... but at least I'll look cool.