Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

TCBOTB

Kris gave me this recipe in the cookbook she made for me, and I have made it SEVERAL times, we all love it, even Mini D, and she is a picky eater :)

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1cup chopped artichoke hearts

1/2 cut frozen chopped spinach

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1/4-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

Dash of ground pepper

1 baguette crusty Italian bread

DIP PREPARATION

  1. In a small saucepan, boil the spinach and artichoke hearts in 1 cup of water over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain.
  2. Heat cream cheese in a small bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.
  3. Add the spinach and artichokes and stir well.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until blended.
  5. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees until golden and bubbly (30 minutes)
  6. SPRINKLE top of heated dip with parmesan cheese. Serve hot with sliced bread.

photo

My heart is heavy with grief, plead for prayers

Today my heart is heavy with grief. I am in special need of prayers once again. I plead to all of you, who are reading my blog, please stop and say a prayer for Landis. You can read my original post about him here. We just found out this week, the cancer is in his brain, adrenal glands, liver, and lymph system.

Please say a prayer for a miracle that God intervene and heal his body.

And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You. Psalm 39: 7

Monday, June 29, 2009

Memory Monday


Our sweet precious Danielle snuggling with her daddy, she looks about 9 months old here in this picture. Look at her green green eyes, she still has those eyes and that button nose.... Check out that snazzy plastic walker in the background lol!



Tuesday, June 23, 2009

TCBOTB

“Trading Tuesday” on Tuesdays I will post a new recipe, and my blog world friends can do the same, so we will continually have a new recipe or 10 to try from. If your family is anything like mine, they get tired of the same meals all the time. My Trading Tuesday will always include a picture of the meal as well as it will be an easy recipe so perhaps your significant other could follow the directions and cook for you :)
Take the button and post on your blog, leave a comment so I can link to your blog!



Fruit Pizza


1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup fresh or canned peach slices, drained, cut into thinner slices

1 cup halved or quartered fresh strawberries

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries


Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan or spray with cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough; press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.


Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes


In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese


Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Cut into wedges or squares. Store in refrigerator.



This is a GREAT kid dessert, because they can "build" their own pizza with fruit!! When making for larger groups we make it on a cookie sheet. Any fruit of your choice will work!


The above one we used strawberries, blueberries, mango and kiwi!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Memory Monday

 

Here is a blast from the past picture: 29 years ago!!

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See that yellow tech vest? I wore that vest EVERY SINGLE DAY! You see that wild crazy hair? My parents kept my hair like that for years! How about Mindy’s suspenders… They were Mork and Mindy suspenders…As for my father, he hasn’t changed a bit!!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The DJ

  Another chapter in my book.

“The DJ”

 

my age at the time: 17-30

his age at the time: 18-31

where: Chandler, Az / Mesa, AZ

In the  summer of1995 I took my first airplane trip as an adult to Kansas City, Missouri. I was a member of a student organization called VICA. I knew no one on this trip and I was going to compete in a competition called Health Knowledge Bowl. I had competed at  the state championship and had placed first, so I was part of the Arizona delegation who went to the National Competition. I knew no one else going. In the airport I was in line and this guy was in front of me being rude, and I said to him “your such an asshole” and he said your such “a bitch” and from there we went our separate ways. As we got  settled in K.C. MO, I realized that guy was the state president of the organization, and I was going to be stuck spending A LOT of time with him, as I always also there helping to run a campaign for national office for one of the other members.

That summer was the first time I EVER heard Dave Matthews Band. We were sitting in the presidential suite of the Marriott preparing campaign materials, and The DJ and Mr. National President had put on “Ants marching” something about that song I LOVED.

Anyhow, The DJ, and I became fast friends. He had a  girlfriend that lived in Boston, and I was dating/engaged to the Marine (See that post here) . We spent the rest of the summer palling around as best buds. We enrolled in the community college together we took the same classes, he’d go have lunch with my mom on his breaks between class. We really were best friends.

By the time I called it off with the Marine I was 19, we decided that we liked each other, we dated for 2 years, and they were a pretty good 2 years. We felt like we fell back into a friendship, so we broke up.

Well for 11 more years we played that game, of best friends, boy friend/girl friend. The best thing about him was he wasn’t afraid to say no to me, he had a backbone and wouldn’t always let me get my way.

The DJ and I shared an amazing relationship, we watched family members get married, divorced, have babies, move, attended funerals with each other for support, we really had an a close bond.

Once we were “older” we would always end up wanting more when the other when didn’t, it was almost comical the way it’d work out.

The DJ was that 1 person in the world that I could call  up and he would know by the tone of my voice what was going on and what I was  thinking… We were that close.

The past 2 years we grew distant as he started dating someone new, and I was dating the Detroit Drunk {click here}. He moved to California and then back here again, and he moved in with his girlfriend and that definitely was the end of our friendship because she had big insecurities about me.

I don’t blame her at all, I’d be upset if  my boyfriend had that kind of closeness with another woman, after all 13 years of friendship and dating is a long time, and a lot shared between us.

Everyone who knew us always told us we’d end up married because that was the relationship we had, we were very compatible, we traveled the country together, go riding on his motorcycle, we’d take weekend getaways, and we had a long standing tradition of Pizza and Beer on Wed. nights. We could lay on the deck and watch the stars and talk until the sun rose and never ran out of things to say…

Now, we don’t speak at all, it’s a bummer to share that much with someone and have them out of your life.

brittjames

I love this picture of us, this captures the true us, laughing and having a good time. This was us at a sloshball game. I worried about posting a picture of him but since he is in a hat and glasses I figured he isn’t that recognizable lol

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

TCBOTB
Trading Tuesday” on Tuesdays I will post a new recipe, and my blog world friends can do the same, so we will continually have a new recipe or 10 to try from. If your family is anything like mine, they get tired of the same meals all the time. My Trading Tuesday will always include a picture of the meal as well as it will be an easy recipe so perhaps your significant other could follow the directions and cook for you :)




Take the button and post on your blog, leave a comment so I can link to your blog!



Macaroni and Tuna ( no not mixed together)



One of the favorite summer time meals while growing up was homemade macaroni and cheese and tuna.



Ingredients for Macaroni and Cheese:



1 bag large elbow macaroni


4 small cans of tomato sauce


1 (2 cups) bag shredded cheese


Salt and Pepper




1. Boil the entire bag of elbow macaroni until teneder, and drain.


2. Poor cooked noodles into a 9 x13 glass pan


3. Stir intomato sauce so all noodles are covered.


4. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese.


5. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top


6. Cook for 30 minutes on 350.





Prepare Tuna to your likings and serve!


Monday, June 15, 2009

French Fries vs. Tuna Salad

Ever notice when your eating healthy people comment on it?

“what are you eating?”

“Does that fill you up?”

“Why do you eat like that?”

“Ewww, what is that?”

“Is that one of those organic meals?”

green-tuna-salad

How often do you hear people make comments like

“Wow, check out the size of the burger you ordered, do you really need that?”

“Holly heck, do you really need that donut?”

“Wow, French Fries, why are you eating those?”

Does that fill you up for days, it looks like it would”

big-mac-extra-value-meal

Isn’t it odd that people really feel like they can comment whenever they please in regards to what your eating?

Memory Monday

Here is a blast from the past picture: 3 years ago

How much is the doggie in the window?

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We went on a puppy hunt one Saturday morning, I had a list of places to go to see doggies, and we went to the first place and fell in love with this doggie in the window….. Of course she was a pet store doggie, which I am not a fan of, I’d rather rescue, however it was an instant connection! She was meant to be an Elias.

So we purchased “Princess Annabella Elias” However we just call her Bella.

After we got her the 2 consecutive weekends we were traveling, so here are two more pictures.

Bella in Nogales:

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Bella in Flagstaff:

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Kate Gosselin

OMG you have to see this... Add her to the list of people I will NEVER watch again!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

My original post for today

Guess who’s been invited to return to Las Vegas? Yup that’s right it’s me!! Well my mom, Mini D and I have been invited to return the weekend of the July 17-19th!

We will get there on Friday and return on Monday. I am so excited, our rooms have been comped, each one of us gets our own room! As well as we get a gift card, a pretty decent sized gift card at that to be used at Nordstrom's.. So our little gambling trip to see DMB paid off, because now we got this trip lol…

I’m excited because the Orleans has a movie theater, a bowling alley, tons of restaurants and bars and of course my favorite slot machine!!! (As I’ve mentioned before) SO it will be a nice little get a way for us that weekend!

orleans

My Blog

It seems like so many people read this blog and fabricate their own thoughts, I can't tell you how many conversations I have had with my mom this week alone about my blog and the "meaning" behind some posts. I have no hidden meanings, I just want to be able to blog and post. Sometimes I can't say what I want to really say because of things like HIPPA.... .

SO in my previous post when I say:

I sit amongst a group of people who I used to call my friends, people who I spent a lot of time with, who I shared things with, and now I realize that I’m not their friend any longer… When I realized that I wasn’t sad at all, my realization was more so, wow was I like that before? I sure hope not.

That is a direct reference to the day I showed up to work and was told I was pulled out of the count to do RTS stuff, there were 5 (FIVE) nurses that had the patient before me and NO ONE could start the RTS paperwork or mention to the mommy about burial? I don't think that is what bothered me the most, the comments being thrown around about the baby, the rude mean insensitive comments. He was beautiful, he was a baby, he was someones baby, he was and is a child of God, no one deserves to be made fun of. I was honestly devastated as I told my mom the things being said about the baby, those were people I once called my friends, people I know would NEVER do things like that, but I guess I was wrong.

I also said:

Wouldn’t it be easy to just hit a delete button on certain aspects of our lives? I had this pseudo crush on someone who said to me this week he didn’t want to have anymore kids, DELETE, literally that is what I thought in my mind. DELETE, not wasting any time on you anymore. See, there is that mean side that I’m sure your thinking, sheesh she is harsh, but really I’m not. It’s just come down to, not living that life anymore… There are so many takers in this world, I need to surround myself with the people who will help fill me back up when I am empty.

Yeah it would be easy to delete a certain aspect of my life, so I could just erase those feelings I have for this certain guy, and then I wouldn't be the one always giving, i.e. calling, texting etc, trying to hang out... Instead he'd call, text and would iniatate seeing me too.... Then when I was running on empty like the demise day, when I just left work feeling so emotionally drained and heartbroken for that sweet baby, I'd have a guy that filled me back up.. Instead, when I text him, I got no response.....

My father raised us with a certain motto, he told us this: IF YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT...

So now I ask, why do people read my blog and assume I'm talking about them? If you haven't wronged me why would you assume it's about you... I've now had that happen with 2 people in my blogs lifetime... Which this month makes 1 year, so that is a lot in my opinion. Occassionally I can't type what I mean outright because I know those people read my blog.... So I can't say wow, I wish secret crush guy (insert his name here) would get it together and reciprocate a little bit.

Make Sense?

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Indifferent

If you're naturally kind, you attract a lot of people you don't like.
William Feather

Do you wanna know what is funny about me? I have a tough exterior to some people, some people think I’m straight forward and probably would say down right mean.

But I know there is a pretty large group that could argue the opposite, I’d walk to the ends of the earth for them, I’d sacrifice whatever was necessary for them.

You could ask my patients about me and I bet they’d be willing to agree with my kindness, ask the families who 3 years later we’re still exchanging emails and photos of their babies I’ve delivered.

Sometimes I am so busy taking care of everyone else, that I’m not taking care of me…..

This week has been a week of a lot of reflection and a lot of prayer. I’ve been asked if I’m hurting or if I’m angry by many people this week, The more I’ve thought it over, the more I’ve realized, I’m just indifferent.

I sit amongst a group of people who I used to call my friends, people who I spent a lot of time with, who I shared things with, and now I realize that I’m not their friend any longer… When I realized that I wasn’t sad at all, my realization was more so, wow was I like that before? I sure hope not.

I’m happy where I am at now, I’m happy that I’m not tied up in the he said she said, keeping secrets from the other one, trying to play devils advocate for the friend who’s backstabbing the other friend.

On Monday when I came home from northern Arizona, I spent so much time in prayer. It was just what I needed to really make some healthy hearty decisions about my life. I love to take road trips, especially road trips alone because that time is spent on the road with your thoughts.

I’ve spent time in prayer this week deciding if I was going to have some uncomfortable conversations with some of these friends, however I haven’t been led to the decision to do so. Instead I’ve been moved to just walk away. I will not have that conversation, I will just remove them from my life.

Wouldn’t it be easy to just hit a delete button on certain aspects of our lives? I had this pseudo crush on someone who said to me this week he didn’t want to have kids, DELETE, literally that is what I thought in my mind. DELETE, not wasting any time on you anymore. See, there is that mean side that I’m sure your thinking, sheesh she is harsh, but really I’m not. It’s just come down to, not living that life anymore… There are so many takers in this world, I need to surround myself with the people who will help fill me back up when I am empty.

Life changes, situations change, things aren’t always ideal, and sometimes, just sometimes you may be the only one who sees the forest through the trees. Luckily you can dodge some pretty big branches when you see the whole forest.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

There are moments.....


I remember once posting about saying things that need to be said, even if it is risky... Now, I don't know.. I need to rely on my faith, because through my faith I know I am strong and it's ok to tell someone something even if it risks the relationship....

However there are moments where yes, I have my faith, for it is with me always.... But there are those moments inside a Hallmark, where the Fresh Ink cards just aren't as funny, when your standing there alone....

There are moments when you replay a night in your mind, and you so badly wish you would have just told that person that with each moment shared between you, you feel like your falling in love with that person... Even if you both knew it was a good time not a long time.... No matter how badly you wanted a long time with that person....

There are moments when you find a perfect rooster that you would love to buy for that person that doesn't exsist in your life anymore....

There are moments, when you drive through a town, you dread running into your ex, his wife AND his kids....

There are moments when your driving to an old place that you haven't been since the ex, you find yourself catching your breathe as you remember your last moments there together...

There are the moments, where you listen to your friends heartache because you know he loves this girl so very much, and it's so clear to you that it is not going to happen, however he continues to hold faith....

There are moments when you think.... Why have I played by all the rules, to not win the game?

There are moments when you can't shake that feeling of wanting to tell someone that you love the feel of his lips on yours..... That in your dreams he is with you always, not just every once in awhile...

There are moments that you want to say... You know what, I'll go with you, I'll follow your dreams with you because I have my dream, and I can do it ANYWHERE...

There are moments that I wonder, does he ever think of me and remember what it was like? Does he watch Top Gun and think of me, Does he eat sushi and think of me, Does he make french toast and think of me?

There are moments that I actually think... Perhaps the mutliple propsals where my chance, and now there wont be another....

There are moments, that I'd give ANYTHING IN THE WORLD to return to that couch and have an all night giggle fest!

There are moments that I'd love to be laying in that black room, on his twin bed, listen to music until sunrise, just talking about life.. Knowing it was a safe place because I wasn't his type..

There are moments that I wish I didn't have secrets that I have to keep from friends only to save their hurt.

And there are moments that I just have to say, Someone else is in control, Someone else holds the road map to my life... It may not make sense to me now, or perhaps maybe never..

Every day as I enter work, I say a prayer that He give me the patient that needs me that day, and that I need that day... When it comes to my job, I acknowledge whole heartedly that He is running things, and perhaps it is because it is either Life or Death? And He is present for both?

So why is it difficult to acknowledge that day to day, or every second that passes?

And maybe it's ok to have those moments of wonder...... As long as I continue to look to the Lord?


But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Micah 7: 7

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Trading Tuesday

So I decided to start a new thing… “Trading Tuesday” on Tuesdays I will post a new recipe, and my blog world friends can do the same, so we will continually have a new recipe or 10 to try from. If your family is anything like mine, they get tired of the same meals all the time. My Trading Tuesday will always include a picture of the meal as well as it will be an easy recipe so perhaps your significant other could follow the directions and cook for you :)

HPIM1752 (2)

Chicken Broccoli Bow Tie Pasta

Ingredients needed:

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 box of bow tie pasta

1 jar of Alfredo Sauce of your choice

1 crown of broccoli

1 small handful of parsley

Garlic

Salt & Pepper

A dash of olive oil

Cut up the chicken into bite size chunks, and place in a sauté pan on the stove on low heat with a dash of olive oil and the clove of diced garlic. (Stir frequently)

Boil the pasta in another pot while sautéing the chicken.

Once chicken has been cooking for 10 minutes, add the broccoli cut up into small florets. Sauté together for an additional 10 minutes.

Drain the Pasta and set aside.

Drain the water and oil out of cooked chicken and broccoli pan.

Mix the pasta in with the broccoli and chicken. Pour 1 jar of Alfredo Sauce over mixture, stir until pasta well coated.

Sprinkle with parsley and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Side note: Fry’s is having great sales this week.

1 bag frozen chicken breasts $6.99 (7 breasts inside)

The pasta noodles are 10 for $10.00

Broccoli crowns were $1.82

Parsley $0.82

Pasta Sauce was $1.79

I made this entire meal for $7.43 and it gave us 4 servings of the bowl pictured above so definitely enough to feed an entire family, because clearly your not going to serve a kid that big bowl lol.

Enjoy, and please post a recipe for Trading Tuesday!

Scam websites

 

Click here for a site on Little April Rose being Fake

Little April Rose uncovered

Another great site on the scam

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Update on "Prayers please!"

**After 2.5 hours on the phone with my sister thoroughly investigating this situation, I am sad to say this mom and child was a scam. Her website has been removed, her twitter account gone.**


Please pray for April's Mom "B" and her Daddy " D" as she is finally in labor at 42 3/7 weeks, April Rose was diagnosed early in utero with Trisomy 13 and Holoprosencephaly.

She was told to terminate because the baby wouldn't survive the pregnancy. Well at 42 3/7 she has defied the odds and the over anxious mean insensitive doctors.

She is home laboring with her midwife and "D", April Rose is tolerating the labor and we pray that all goes well so that B & D get to splend time with April Rose after she delivers!

I will keep you posted!



And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You. Psalm 39:7

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

These are a few of my favorite things….

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Some of you may know that I am a connoisseur of greeting cards, thanks to a friend I used to have, she got me addicted to buying greeting cards!! Well today my sister called to tell me the Hallmark off of Ray and Power is closing it’s doors so everything in the store was 50% off! Well of course I had to go there and peruse the endless isles of cards. I purchased about 45 new cards as well as a few other items all for just 50.00…


Ahhhh, it was a marvelous time making my selections!!


The second great thing about today was that Dave Matthews Band released a new album, they haven’t produced an album in 4 years! Great new music!


Hooray for a great day, and simple pleasures :)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Caring is Contagious

HPIM1741

If you know me, you know I am a HUGE Mickey Mouse fan (Disney fan) We have a dedicated Disney room in our house actually :)

Well this is what the Cpl. and Lil Miss B brought me from Disneyland for Nurses Day! It’s just the best! What a wonderful gift!!! Thank you both so much!!

HPIM1739

Not me Monday!

NotMeMonday

I didn’t decide it was time to start dating again, and join another dating site at the pushing of my old pal and preceptor Miss L. Nope not me, I’m not doing that online dating thing AGAIN!

I definitely didn’t become addicted to some animation farm game on Facebook and not be able to walk away from it at all.. Nope, not me, I’m not a “gamer”

I didn’t rudely answer someone at the gym this weekend when he asked me “why don’t you have kids” ummm “Because I’m not married” (it quickly shut him up!) The nerve of some people! Nope, I wouldn’t be rude and snap back on that bitter subject, not me!

I didn’t stay up all night long reading a book that I couldn’t put down, on a night when I had to be up by 0600 and work a 14 hour day, only to have the main character die on the last page! Nope not me, that would have been crazy to forfeit my sleep, for a book!

I would have never gotten out of bed at 11 at night on Saturday to make MckMama’s Juice Cous with Cranberries because I had been craving it all weekend, no way would I have done that!

There is NO way that I had my debit card number stolen and my entire checking and savings account drained, only to be told by the banker, “It’s not that big of a deal, it happens all the time” Nope, it definitely didn’t happen to me this week!