Weekend Update

If you read my posts from this weekend then you already know what I did for the most part. Saturday I spent the morning feeling pathetic and whiny. T went grocery shopping and got everything on the list plus some items that he felt I might like. (creme brulee ice cream, flowers, donuts)

little treasures

I believe the kids picked out the flowers. They asked what my favorite color was (green) and I supposed picked these based on that fact. Very sweet and I really appreciated the vibrant colors! The donuts were delicious. There was a cinnamon-sugar one (one of my favorites) a coconut, pecan, butterscotch and of course chocolate and sprinkles.

My father-in-law was also out grocery shopping and sent T some sweets for me, too. A pyramid raspberry mont blanc... fancy schmancy (I don't know what it is but it's sweet!) Unfortunately, I can barely taste anything except salty things so, the ice cream was cold but I could taste hints of sweet sugary goodness, the donuts I could taste (maybe cause they weren't cold?) and the raspberry I could almost taste. So I am saving it until I regain my sense of smell and taste.

The rest of Saturday we ate pizza and watched some football. I started feeling a lot better which was really nice.

Sunday I woke up painfully early because I was coughing. So I was able to spend about thirty minutes just browsing around the Internet world with a cup of coffee. I wasn't feeling ultra good but it was still nice. Then everyone else got up and T took the boys to check on some things around the place and I ended up taking Rose to town to get some feed and eye patches. (yep, still doing eye therapy and it's going good.) I don't know if I'm not supposed to take zyrtec with coffee but I got really woozy both Saturday and Sunday when I did. So, I'm going to avoid doing that again. It was weird.

Sunday was good to me. We went for a walk and although it made feel physically bad because I was right in the middle of a bunch of weeds setting off my allergies I really enjoyed being out with my family. T and I talked about our future house and I'm pinning away ideas. Sunday seemed like a really long day (probably because I woke up so early). I made some soup I'd been craving for supper. We all loved it and I don't have any leftover for lunch today. After we put the kids to bed T and I played dominoes and watched Sunday night football. I won. Then I went to bed. The end.

Only, it's not. Now Rose is sporting a faucet nose and cranky.... it's probably going to be a long day. Thankfully I know how she feels and am being very sympathetic and compassionate.  I might do the minimal as far as housework. Cuddling is a far bigger priority than laundry today.  (and it always should be...)

Mmm... Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup

I had to make it myself. I found a couple of recipes online and studied them for a bit and then came up with a mix/mash up of them. It certainly isn't the healthiest soup, but it's so good that it doesn't matter.

servings: 4 hearty helpings
easy peasy

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked chicken (cubed or shredded) add fajita seasoning for extra flavor
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup fajita veggies (red & green bell peppers & onions)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/3-1 cup salsa (depends on how much heat you want)
• 6-8 oz velveeta (shh. just use it.) cubed
• 1 cup milk
• fritos

How I cooked my chicken: 
I took 2 chicken breasts and boiled them in  chicken broth and water (totaling about 3 cups of liquid) I seasoned the broth with salt (we had low sodium broth), pepper and a little tony chachere's creole seasoning (not taco or fajita seasoning, I know! thinking outside the box). When the chicken was done cooking I removed it from the pot and let it rest while I poured the broth into a measuring cup.

Shred or cube up the chicken. Set it aside and gather your remaining ingredients and measure them out.

Now, take a large pot and over medium heat add the butter and fajita veggies. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add the flour and whisk it in til it's smooth. (this will be thick)

To this add the 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth and stir together until smooth. Let this simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the cheese and salsa and let it melt and become smooth (a-gain) for about 2 minutes more

Now turn your heat down and add the milk and chicken. Let this combine and warm, but not boil.

Serve with fritos on top. (I think sour cream and some fresh green onions or cilantro would be good, too)
 
next time I might add a finely chopped jalapeno for more kick
 

I loved it. It was pretty close to my favorite from a sandwich shop (theirs had more spice, but I had children to think of). T said it was amazing and had seconds and even Rose ate most of hers. I'll definitely be making it again (probably experiment with some other add ins, too). Enjoy!!

I'm the biggest baby ever

Why am I posting on a Saturday? Well, T got up around uh... I don't really know but I'm guessing around 630ish with the kids. I finally managed to fall off the bed a little after 7 and was promptly told to go back to bed. (I must be lookin' real fine today.) We were supposed to go grocery shopping this morning. It's still getting done but I'm not there. T took all three of the children grocery shopping. You guys, I prayed for him after he left because anytime you pack up all three children to do anything by yourself you need someone to pray for you. (I bet all the women at the store are going to find a way to talk to him. It's happened before.) Anyhow, I just love that man. He gave me a hug and said, "you just zone out or blog out or whatever you want." So, I watched some TV (I caught the last 10 minutes of the Pioneer Woman/Bobby Flay throw-down thanksgiving episode for the first time. I'm glad she won. Tradition is everything) and then I opened up my blog reader and decided hey, why not type something ridiculous and random on a Saturday. I am sitting here with my coffee (that was made by T) and my laptop and the TV on, still in my pajamas and loving it. (have I mentioned that I love my husband?)

stay strong, T

(click away now. I'm about to get whiny)

Why am I home? Poor, pitiful me is still strugg-a-ling with the allergy attack of fall 2011. I don't know why but it seems like it gets worse every year. Growing up I never suffered from any allergies (except mosquito bites which I sadly passed on to my offspring) so, as an adult I am suddenly and dramatically brought down by a low count of some terrible pollen. The first day I had a scratchy throat and stuffy nose. Nothing I couldn't handle. The next day (yesterday) it was a very sore throat and runny/stuffy nose and I started coughing. (ooh, isn't this the most fascinating thing ever?) Anyhow, by last night I was hacking up lungs left and right and barely talking with out trying to find a morphine button for the extreme pain in my throat (unfortunately for me there was no button, but I popped some more tylenol was able to swallow without bursting into tears). I was still a good person and made peanut butter cookies for a delicious treat for everyone putting up with my adult onset allergies that turn me into a big baby. I also made pizza for supper. It made my whole day when T walked in and exclaimed "Yes! Pizza!" (because pizza is reserved for laziness on my part)

a rainbow to make up for this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad post

Wow. This is the most boring and self tragic post in the world. And it's taken me forever to write it because I keep misspelling nearly every word and getting distracted with crappy television shows. By the way, my throat is feeling better this morning and my head is feeling okay until I stand up because it feels like it's going to pop off from pressure. My cough is not sounding so evil, however I've come to possess an unnaturally low, smokers voice.

Again, I am sorry for being such a baby about this. And for writing it and posting. As soon as I feel normal I'll regret this forever. I'm sure you've already clicked the red x in the corner. I'm not upset over that at all. This post has been just delightful. Here's to hoping I feel better soon. My family would very much appreciate it, I'm sure.

trying to catch a rainbow. me, too, honey

best and cutest children in the world

For the record, T and the kids have been so very kind to me. Hugs, and "are you feeling better Mommy?" and kisses on my forehead... I love them. I'll have to make them something really special to eat when I feel better, cause that's what mothers do, right? Cook and bake to say thank you.

Random Friday

First off, it's Veterans Day. I have many, many veterans in my life so I just want to say thank you for what you have done or are doing. I'm very appreciative. Also, the spouses and families of the veterans... y'all are so strong and you make lots of sacrifices as well; it doesn't go unnoticed.

I can't figure out which allergy/pollen is making me feel so entirely beautiful but I'm popping some generic zyrtec and sippin' hot tea. (Looks like it's possibly juniper that loves me so much.) That's all I'm going to say about that because, trust me, I could go on for a while about how I'm feeling so special today. (Notice all the sarcasm.)

It's Friday! In preparation for the weekend madness that always happens (even if we don't do anything major) I'm planning on getting a ton (literally) of laundry done, spruce up this joint (it'll make me feel better, right?), plan some kind of outing for this weekend... maybe I can get my hair trimmed???? Or we could go feed the ducks at the park; I've been saving bread heels just for that. Despite my sinus/allergy issues I'm feeling all alert and happy and ready to face the day. (two cups of coffee/cocoa and two hours after I drug myself out of bed...) Hopefully this isn't a false feeling.

Here I present photos of cute children so I can go pour another cup of coffee.

I am currently browsing through hundreds of Christmas card options (because the one I really like is only this pricey $$$$ and I need it to be more like this $). (by the way, scrolling through so many options is making my head feel even better, so I'll most likely keep with it.) It shouldn't take this much time to pick out a card, but I have ridiculous standards, which is why it's taking forever... (I've now looked at 809 different styles and picked one contender.) I know, I have a problem.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Adios (for now) amigos.

(ooh, some chicken tortilla soup sounds really good... can someone deliver that?)

It's a choice

Today I choose to be thankful. Thankful for my life, my husband and my kids. They are my happiness. I have tried really hard to have a good morning and I've experienced a nice range of emotion today and it's only noon. I have tried unsuccessfully to type out a post without whining or ranting this morning. I had an awkward phone conversation that left me feeling agitated. I'm allergic to something that blew in with this cold front so I have the joy of having a scratchy throat, stuffy nose and watery eyes. Whine whine whine.

things that make me happy (in no particular order)

• hot coffee
• peppermint tea with honey
• flannel sheets
• babies that like to cuddle
• homemade chicken and dumplings
• hugs from T
• this news from Dwija
• making pigs-n-a-blanket with a 5 & 3 year old
• laughing
• watching the sun rise
• seeing my rose bush blooming in November
• the scent of apples and cinnamon
• nap time