Musings...

I am enjoying my random blogging journal. I'm not sure if there is anyone out there is the world reading what I say, but I'm amused. I was trying to "bling" out my blog today but couldn't seem to figure out how. It's going to take some practice to really learn this blogging thing well. Meanwhile, I will consider it my writing hobby. Maybe by the time I learn how to make my pages cute SOMEONE will be interested in what I write here! :) You just wait, I'm going to go "PRO"!

Ice Blue Pink

My signature color cira 1987-1989. Cover Girl's Best. Lipstick. Ever. In my tender and impressionable years, this lipstick was one of my main staples. I didn't leave the house without three inch bangs (in height, not length) and Ice Blue Pink lipstick.

So in my fun outing with my sweet and patient husband we went to find some makeup for me. I just wanted a few new colors, you know, fun things to help cheer me up while I'm "convalesing". I'm looking in the Cover Girl section and what do I see? You guessed it! ICE BLUE PINK!!!! I almost wrecked Target's zippy scooter in my excitement. It was a must have.

We are going to forgive me for the fact that maybe Ice Blue Pink is no longer age appropriate. Upon application I felt Great Euphoria. The reflection I saw had a few laugh lines and maybe one or two crows feet, but the color was still fantastic.

Maybe it will become one of my staples again, and will earn a spot next to my respectable Estee Lauder and Lancombe shades. I'll apply as needed for a pick me up.

No worries though family, my bangs will never be three inches tall and full of Aquanet. Some things were not meant to be recycled!

Knit One, Pearl Two

So I am having to really work hard to stay out of a funk these last few weeks. I found out that along with my leg and arm injuries, my knee is broken. No using the leg, I am wheelchair bound.

Yesterday I made a much needed trip to the outdoor mall with my husband. I really had to get out of the house!

Outside of the embarrasing moments when:

1. I had to use the little grandma scooter thing.
2. Obviously I struggle driving any four wheel vehicles and the store scooter is not an exception.
3. When I had to move backwards and the scooter made the loud BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, and everyone looks and wonders at the nerve of the lady on the zippy scooter because my broken knee has no cast and I am not obviously broken to the untrained eye...

It was a fun day out with my husband. I was just out WAYYY too long and today I am suffering.

One of the spoils of my day was a "Learn How to Knit" kit. I learned knitting once, at the tender age of twelve. I made a hangar cover back in the day of wooden hangars. It was a brain teaser to try to get the stitches to look just so. It took practice but I was so proud when I finished that dang hanger and gave it to my dad. I'm hoping to get some sense of accomplishment by re-learning knitting. I need to feel accomplished right now... I'll let you know how it goes.

Cuban Haystacks (MMM... Beans and Rice)

I've become friends with the school nurse. A little while ago, she gave me the guidelines for what are, seriously the best pintos that I have ever eaten. I don't use those words lightly. I consider myself somewhat of a pinto professional. I've made a hobby of learning different ways of cooking and eating these babies. Even if beans and rice aren't your favorite dish, you'll love these!

Soak one pound bag of pintos in water overnight.

The next morning, drain the water off, picking out any yucky bits that may have floated to the top of the pan and covering the beans with 2 quarts of fresh water.

Now here is what you need:
soy sauce
smoked ham hock (needs to be smoked, very important) found in the "meat cast off" section of your grocery store
onion
cilantro

Using your crockpot:
Add soaked beans to crock pot and cover with 2 quarts fresh water.
Dice one onion and add to the pot
Add smoked ham hock
Add approximately 2 tbsp. soy sauce to beans
Cook all day or about 6 hours on high or until the beans are soft and liquid is a little creamy.
Chop about a 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro to beans and stir in.

I like to eat these beans like "Cuban Haystacks"

You can top your beans and rice with tomato, green onion, avacado, and hot sauce. These beans are addicting and can be used as refried beans when you're sick of eating them with rice. (Although I can't imagine that happening!)

Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

I love New Year! Gives me a chance to re-evaluate and set goals for myself. So here, with purest intentions, are my goals for 2010.

Keep in touch with my friends.
Enjoy each of my children every day.
Eat one veggie based meal every day.
Read one good book per month.
Journal on my blog 4 times per week.
Exercise 4 times per week.
Tell my husband how I appreciate and love him at least once a day.
Daily prayer and scripture reading.

There are SO many more things that I may add over the next week. But that seems like a good start.

I need to take a "I'm in charge here" cue from my seven year old. He went to his Sunday School class last week only to discover his teacher wasn't there. I found him in the church library where I heard him having this conversation with the librarian. "Well, I'm teaching class today, teacher didn't show up!" Please give me the lesson book, crayons and paper." That's my boy! (Just want to squish him - in a good way today!)

I'm going to be in charge of my life this year. That's my New Years Resolution!