YUMMY...

Try this recipe out! Mike and I found it while we were looking for low carb recipes and will use it forever.

Chicken Casserole Verde

INGREDIENTS

4 cups cooked chicken -- shredded or cubed
2 teaspoons Taco Seasoning
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon minced green onions
Can of green enchilada sauce
4 ounce can chopped green chiles
6 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 green onions, chopped (this is just to sprinkle on top)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees while you grease a full size baking pan and put the chicken in it.
2. Add the taco seasoning and mix the chicken around in it to coat.
3. Mix cream cheese with the onions/chives and green sauce in a medium bowl. Stir in the chiles.
4. Pour sauce evenly over chicken and top with the cheese.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions.

Makes 6-8 servings.

NUTRITION

The original recipe poster was kind enough to include this:
Per 1/6 recipe: 432 Calories; 29g Fat; 38g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs
Per 1/8 recipe: 324 Calories; 22g Fat; 28g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

And then....well....

Well, for the past three days I have thought diligently about posting and then ... well... life. I wanted to share a recipe or two and try to take pictures...and then...well...I forgot. We made a cake for my sister's birthday; a wonderful, beautiful, creative cake and then....well...we forgot to take a picture to put it on my blog. Tomorrow when I wake up I am going to work on the cure for my "and then...well..."

Part of that cure involves baby proofing the house. Any ideas anyone for all the things that have collected over the years that kids shouldn't touch and what to do with them? I don't want to keep telling Noah, "No, no...not Noah's!" I mean really the kid is going to start thinking he is in the wrong house.

This is Thanksgiving and I have to talk about things I am thankful for...what kind of person would I be if I didn't post something at all? I am thankful for my husband (even when I'm not), and I am thankful for my son. I am thankful to have family to go and spend time with...family that is disjointed at times but has so much fun together. I love that my family respects each other and cares for one another. I am thankful for my inlaws. I am thankful for mashed potatoes and rolls with gravy. I am thankful for my laptop! I am thankful for friends...I am thankful for a soft bed...and speaking of bed I am going to sleep. GOOD NIGHT ALL and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving Placemats

So today we made Happy Thanksgiving place mats to send off to Mike's parents in Ft. Meade, Maryland and to give to my mom here in Idaho Falls. It was fun...it would have been more fun had the baby not been teething and a little cranky right when we decided to be in the middle of it, but none the less it was fun. It was really neat to see the finished results. I used my CRICUT machine to cut out letters and the leaves. It was the Doodletype cartridge. We then used clear contact paper and construction paper. I can honestly say that I think that Mike's turned out the best! Well, I am now off to bed only to be awaken by the teething monster in probably like an hour. :) I love being a mom!!!

Yesterday's blog....wrote it at work...

I am writing this blog while I am at work, but will have to actually post it later on tonight. I just have to get this out while I am thinking about it. I just returned from voting at the Senior Citizen Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The women in there that were volunteering were elderly and as Mike and I sat there re-registering (we did register at the fair, but think it didn’t get sent in) we were razzing each other about remembering our old addresses. Mike was saying he wasn’t as high maintenance as me and I stuck my tongue out at him. I realized just how special those little moments are when the lady across the table said, “I don’t have anyone to argue with like that, I just argue with myself sometimes and it has been that way for years.” She was laughing as she said it and then the other lady agreed with her. I asked if they had pets and they both said that they didn’t. I am certain at some point they had someone to go home and fight with or stick their tongue out at. Those moments are special! Don’t take them for granted. Don’t waste them away. Fighting, crying, laughing, screaming, whispering, or just talking in brief moments ARE special and will never be replicated again. They may be mimicked, but never quite the same.

The other reason I am writing right now is that I just returned from voting at the Senior Citizen Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho! VOTING! This is a historic race and I was just a part of history. I JUST WAS a PART of HISTORY! No matter who you voted for you are a part of history this time around. I am so excited that I just had to write about it. Who wouldn’t take part and use the gift that we have as Americans to freely cast a vote for the person that we want to see in the office of PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES! It’s a right that people have fought and died for, people have marched for and petitioned for.

In Obama’s speech on February 10, 2007 he stated how I feel right now and I am going to change it a little bit to come from my heart.

We all made this journey to vote today for a reason. It's humbling and exciting, but in our hearts I know we didn’t come here just to vote Obama, we came here because we believe in what this country can be. In the face of war, we believe there can be peace. In the face of despair, we believe there can be hope. In the face of a politics that's shut us out, that's told us to settle, that's divided us for too long, we believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union.

I believe in change. The last time I respected a president was when I was little and probably only because of my dad talking about him. It was President Reagan. Since that time it has seemed that the presidency has been a joke! I want a man in office that I can respect, that drives a passion in me, that makes me believe that I am a part of a bigger event in this country. I don’t want someone that wavers back and forth, I want someone that stands firm for what they believe and fights for the majority of the American people.

What is me today...

This was on Melissa's post so I thought that I should fill it out too...

1. Where is your cell phone? Have no idea where I left it...
2. Where is your significant other? In the basement playing video games
3. Your hair color? Colored brown and blond
4. Your mother? Is a wise owl...always watching, always pulls through
5. Your Father? The man I respect more than anyone
6. Your favorite thing? Watching my son learn everything for the first time.
7. Your dream last night? I don't remember dreaming.
8. Your dream/goal? To travel and learn another language and have a baby girl.
9. The room you're in? Living room
10. Your hobby? Oh, if I had time...painting, refinishing, scrapping, etc...
11. Your fear? Losing my family
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Teaching people about God and farming...
13. Where were you last night? At home watching stupid Indiana Jones
14. What you're not? Hmmm....
15. One of your wish list items? A garden
16. Where you grew up? Idaho and New York
17. The last thing you did? Nursed by baby to bed
18. What are you wearing? Still in work clothes
19. Your T.V? All My Children
20. Your pet? Three (Kobe, Madeline, and Ms. Fynn Grey)
21. Your computer? Laptop Apple
22. Your mood? Tired and pensive
23. Missing someone? My sister
24. Your Car? Messy!!
25. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
26. Favorite Store? Barnes and Noble, Downeast Outfitters, and The Container Store
27. Your Summer? Not long enough...
28. Love someone? My husband and my family
29. Favorite color? Blue and Green
30. Last time you laughed? Today - at Noah.
31. Last time you cried? Last week

Cooking without White Flour...

Mike has been on this diet (mimicking the south beach diet) where you attempt to cut out as many carbs as possible and eat very healthy. I have since been trying to find ways to still make things I used to and not use the things I used to. CONFUSING, right?! So, tonight I attempted to make these muffins with flax seed meal...big mistake they were gross. So, now as I type the second attempt at a muffin is cooling. I made the muffins this time with almond and coconut flour...hopefully they will taste better than the last attempt. I might even make these into a strawberry shortcake if I like the recipe. So far we have tried almond pancakes, flaxseed crackers with parmesan, and biscuits made with egg and coconut flour (those tasted good...sort of like a bisquit scrambled egg!) I will keep you updated on the many attempts of low carb baking. I am sure that I will have many more...it is a lot of fun to experiment!

Ugghhh...second part of this post is that I have to dress up for stupid Halloween tomorrow. Yes, I said tomorrow (which isn't even Halloween) which is when my work does their dress up day. The highlight of the day (well there are truly two) is that my husband will be wearing a mullet and my son will be dressed like a tiger! Too much fun...Wish me luck!

Noah - Almost Walking

Good Morning to all...and I do mean morning because Mr. Noah does not know what a weekend is any different than what a weekday is. I am sure anyone that is a mom reading this knows what I mean when I say I dream of the days of sleeping in. To those that don't have children yet - don't. Okay, so we know I am joking...but just be aware that you will never sleep in again. Even when your husband says that he will get up with the baby...you will still be listening to see if he is doing everything right. Enough about that.

Noah is about to walk. He has taken random little steps by himself when he doesn't realize I let go, but not enough to say he is walking. He moves so quickly along the edges of things and cannot be trusted in the basement because if you turn around for a second he is up the stairs in a flash. He then turns around and tries to come down them face first...sliding.

He is also now trying to feed himself. We will be feeding him the cereal and his little stubby hand reaches out for the spoon...so cute! Until...he won't let go of the spoon and slams his whole fist into the bowl of rice cereal. It's like he is creating a paper mache casing for himself...that is how it dries! :)

I will try to post some pictures on here of his eating exploits especially for G'ma and Gi after we go to the kids maze today at the U-Pick barn.

I see a monkey!

Finding old friends and making new ones...I suppose it is a natural cycle of life, but often just feels awkward. I was talking to my husband's friends girlfriend (yes, a mouthful) last night and we were talking about the friends that you find, rarely, that understand the good and the bad of you. They love you unconditionally and they are willing to share their truths as well without judging you. Then you have the friends with whom you truly enjoy their company and yet you couldn't just sit and talk about the craving you had last night for a margarita and so you had one.

Basically, what I am saying is that everyone is human. We entered this life innocent and somewhere along the way let life take us in. By allowing that to happen we EXPERIENCED...crazy, happy, wicked, sexy, delightful, tantalizing, troubling, aching, pensive, unchartered, loving, tripping...etc. Once experiencing any and all of those things you don't just return to innocence. You may attempt to return and you may ask God for forgiveness, that however does not mean that you no longer ever dream, wish, long for those same things. It wouldn't be human to say that all things of your former life just disappear...believe you me...don't I wish. There is a quote by Malcom de Chazal that says, "Monkeys are superior to men in this: When a monkey looks into a mirror, he sees a monkey."

I say that we work to be true, honest, loving, kind and the best person that we can be with God's help, but realize that we are human. We will make mistakes, we will fall down and we all need the friends that notice that a listening ear and an outheld hand are our binding agents. I choose to see a monkey.

Painting Over Faults to see Amazing Potential...

When you look at something and see all the faults, dings and black marks, what makes some be able to see the potential and others to walk away? We have been painting my sisters new house and by new house I mean new to her and quite old in many other ways. The basement was so destroyed - dirty carpet, walls paneled in the seventies or eighties, and a cement floor with dings and paint splattered on it. We have been painting it bit by bit and as we leave for a minute to catch a breath of fresh air and return it slowly becomes a whole new place. Tonight we made it to painting the floor and it's a beautiful new basement. Not only does it become a cleansed, brand new basement...it becomes her new home, her way. Not scary, dirty, destroyed, but fresh colorful and full of potential. She didn't walk away. She saw the potential and is taking that opportunity in her hands and not letting go. She isn't only taking the opportunity, but doing something about it. She isn't just walking past it and dreaming of what it could be. She is making it what she wants it to be...she is taking the potential she saw and making it the dream. Isn't it amazing what can happen when you look past the faults and see the beauty?

Rain is respite from a long week...

This morning I woke up to the sound of rain falling (and a squirmy little baby boy in my arms.) There isn't anything quite so comforting as rain to me. Rain inspires, rain creates, rain cleanses, rain refreshes, the sounds of rain tickle every sense. With the front door open I hear cars driving through rain saturated streets and their tires gently splash through puddles. With the kitchen window open I hear the rain falling through the leaves of the apple tree and dripping off the corner of the house. I drove to Fred Meyer this morning because the hubby hadn't let me know we were out of coffee ... much needed coffee to a mom. If we are grinding our coffee at home we really only enjoy Peet's coffee and the only place that sells it is Fred Meyer. I get off track here...the point is that I was out early in the rain, I was in the car that splashed through the puddles. I walked in the drizzle that was at the time and felt the cooling touch. When I came out of Fred Meyer it was coming down so lightly, yet thick so there was this fuzzy, foggy, rain look. I walked out feeling like it was the mornings of my honeymoon in Oregon on the coast. It was this time of year and it rained most of our honeymoon. Our condo was right on the beach and the fog would roll in with drizzling rain and Mike and I would take walks along the beach getting soaked from the rain and from the surf below us. I could keep typing but the baby is now getting a little frustrated with his french toast sticks.

Template Hell

Can I just say that learning to set up a blog is both frustrating and exciting all at once. As you can see if you have looked at my blog prior to today...I DID IT! We will see how long this one lasts for before I find another fun design.

To eat or not to eat...

This is my first ever blog post and I am probably too tired to really be typing anything semi-coherent. The thought on my mind is really a question...who's potluck food would you eat? Do you think about the kitchen it was made in, how many animals they have, the stories they have told you in the past and what their personal general daily look is? Or...does it simply depend on what you are about to bite into! Good night, because I believe I have crossed over crazy.