It is a Grateful Sunday Morning!!

I am Grateful today that I continue to wake up in a nice warm home with coffee in the cupboard, music I can listen to with my ears, and sweet boy that I can see smile at me and tells me he loves me countless times a day! Many things to be thankful for (thank you Jesus)!  however those are at the top of my list this Sunday morning.  I am a lazy blogger so no one is following this yet that I know of lol but I like to put my thoughts down on paper once in awhile so this is where I do it.  
I have been thinking about a friend of mine Railee that is always paying it forward. It reminds me to make gratitude a part of my daily life. She reminds others that doing random acts of kindness are very important and recognizing others for what they have done for you, even the smallest acts of kindness are equally important even when the person is family or a close friend. Thank you Rai!!
I also want to Thank Dwayne for turning me onto the Grateful Dead who are now "Furthur"  due to the death of Jerry Garcia.  I love the music and the man that taught me about the band! We have went to some amazing places to see them play!  The lyrics are magical and the people and the vibes at the shows are like no other.  Like Dwayne says, "you have to go and experience it, no one can truly explain the feeling". Which brings me to one of my favorite lyrics in Scarlet Begonias!

“Once in awhile you get shown the light, in the ‘strangest’ of places if you look at it right.” -Robert Hunter. 

I was born in 1963 so I am a hippie at heart and I was just telling Dwayne yesterday that I noticed my clothes are about 1/4 tye dye now lol...  So as a flower child per say I try to be peaceful, frugal, and full of ideas of how to be kind to others.  I have a few for today so I better get off of the computer and get on with my Sunday!  But before I do a gentle reminder to keep your eyes open, look for and share the light!!

Wishing all a peaceful, lovable, and GROOVY day!! K

Frito Chili Pie

This is a recipe for Frito Chili Pie it is very easy to make and very yummy!!   Ingredients:  1 lb ground beef, 1 small onion, 1 large bag of regular Frito corn chips, one can of kidney beans, two cans of chili, and 1 lb. of Velveeta cheese.    

Brown 1lb lean ground beef

 

 

 Chop up 1 small onion add to hamburger then cook until brown

                                

Turn oven to 350 degrees

Cover the bottom of a  9 x 11 baking dish with Frito Corn Chips

Add One Can of Red Kidney beans and two cans of Chili to the hamburger mixture and continue to cook until heated through so you can layer it onto the corn chips.

Grate a 1lb. box of Velveeta cheese (this cheese is not real easy to grate but it is possible.

 

Layer this meat and bean mixture onto the chips trying to cover them evenly.  Spread the Velveeta cheese on top as well. Then layer another row of corn chips and meat mixture and top with remaining cheese.

Ready to Bake cover and bake for 15-20 minutes on 350

YUMMY

Top with salsa and sour cream and enjoy

A few helpful hints:  I had not made this in a very long time and I am not a canned chili fan.  You could make homemade chili and pour it over the Frito chips as well.  It is very important to make sure that your meat /bean mixture is not too thick.  The corn chips absorb the moisture and it will get dry very quick so make sure that you have your corn chips covered by meat mixture and cover the baking dish prior to baking to keep the pie from being dry.  Topping ideas are Salsa, Sour Cream, and small sliced green onions.  A friend of mine suggested that I add a can of diced tomatoes to the meat mixture to give it more liquid to keep it from being dry. 

I hope that you enjoy the dish!!  This is my very first blog with a recipe and photos so I am in the learning process.  I think there are many varieties of this recipe. This is my own version of the recipe.  It tasted almost like it did when I was a kid... but not quite!! 

Nother Topic

February 1st already... 2-1-12 2112 to be exact and RUSH fans will know what that means too cool I love RUSH!  I have yet to see them live but hey that is a whole nother topic. The spell check on here does not like the word nother lol hmmm well I Do!  Someone somewhere had to have made up words to get the words we have right?  Back to February... special month for me due to my first child was born 2-14-80 wow we were babies at the same time.  Blake and I actually grew up kind of together, one kid raising another!  I was 16 I can still remember when I went in labor I was like UMMM where is my mom at!  Why the F**K does this hurt so much and OMG my poor grandma about got her poor hand squeezed off, she was a trooper though!!  Grandma Hazel always rocked!  A Valentines baby how sweet!  He was born at 1:31 am and still to this day since we are a bit separated due to some of his choices I will see 1:31 on the clock often and think of him, pause and say a prayer and then get on with what ever I am doing.  I think it is Gods way to remind me not to be bitter about other peoples choices when I have done my part!  No being sad here due to the 15th of February is my love anniversary!  4th one too amazing since we try to see who can be the meanest to each other a few too many times during the year.  We are still growing and learning for sure!  I have decided that we are way too much alike (high maintenance).  We work great together most of the time as long as we do not overreact to each other!  I am learning more about myself and how stubborn I can be as well as seeing most everything in black or white but that is a whole nother chapter lol.
     What to do for a 4 year anniversary?  Go to the beach you say!!  I love that idea, however I have to iron out a few details like the child, money, yea you get the picture... I have about a million ideas pinned on Pinterest (what is Pinterest you ask)?  http://pinterest.com/about/ (very fun and creative place)  My house may be dusty for the rest of my life now!  I am an over the top pinner out of control, I want to do it all day long!!  Addictive even... So I need to put some of those ideas into action.  I have had a few bumps in my road the past few weeks... for one PT is kicking butt on my arm and is helping me soooo much!  Second I have some lumps in my breast that were followed by a biopsy this last Monday (results are not back yet).  Third that stupid vertigo that halts my world had been showing up the past few days...There is no cure for that except to not move around much and definitely do not look to the left unless I have a bag nearby ICK!  I want to feel good!!  I strive everyday to think positive and take the best care I can minus the pepsi I drink. Only two cans yesterday though!  So I need to be strong to go to the beach... I was thinking about making this place into a romantic haven and staying home, then I look around and see the pictures that are still not hung on the walls and think hmmm I am way to anal to start decorating without the photos on the wall.  I probably need to use a lifeline and call a friend lol... Several have offered.  At least I have two weeks to get it figured out.
   Onto another reason I love February everything is pink and red and full of hearts!  I just love it!  It makes me want to string red hearts across my living room!!  I am full of ideas just need the energy and health to back it up!  Maybe I need to make some of those spinach energy drinks they talk about on Pinterest!  I want a pink drink not a green one lol green is next month!  I have decided that pink is my favorite color no wonder I am drawn to Valentines day decor!  Target has lots of decor for 1.00 there... I so want to go back and drool not to mention there clearence is exceptional right now.  Oh dear that is a nother topic I am starting to blog like I talk and move from one topic to another without taking a break...losing my audience in the babble oh well I have a lot to say and not much company, I spend to much time alone.  Driving is still limited...vertigo needs to scram I have stuff to create!!  Hope that your life is good on this 2-1-12 <3  Thanks for listening!

Hey where is the snow???

Hey where is the snow!  It is always so exciting to hear that it is going to snow... right!  They talk about it on the news and we start anticipating with hopes of a big blanket of white all around us.  I also think it builds some sort of hope and everyone gets this new excitement of something new and unsure of what will come, you start wondering with a mix of worry slash excitement and start asking the question in your mind...  will we get a dusting or several inches?  Going to bed you think wow when I wake up in the morning my yard will be filled with beauty as snow hangs on the trees and such.  I think about where the gloves are and do the snow boots still fit since the last time we wore them due to I can not remember when that was (laugh).  Oh well so here we are two days later and we saw a few flakes fall just enough to get us even more excited, however it was fun to feel that feeling even though it did not last.  I have decided that we will go find the snow after my boyfriend gets a truck.  Unfortunately his was totaled back in November and we are having issues finding the just right truck with everything we want for the money we have.  Welcome to life!!  But we have faith and it will happen and when it does we will head to the snow where I just may build me a Hello Kitty Snow Girl and throw snowballs at Jacob and Dwayne!  There are two things to look forward to right there, a new truck and fun in the snow!
I have found that in order to keep myself happy I need to have activities via large or small to look forward to.  I need a plan... I drive many people around me crazy due to they just get up and kind of let life happen but I have to have something to look forward to, no clue why but I have discovered that about myself.  I am actually in a better spirited mood when I am planning, or thinking of something to do.  If I am left to idly roam in my mind I find self pity and loathe who I am... wow how sad is that.  So... I am a much happier person since I have discovered this about myself.  I monitor my mood and if I feel out of sorts and about to be irrational I plan something for myself.  This is day 16 of not being mad or lashing out at my boyfriend or having him lash out at me over stupid stuff due to we have let our own mood ruin the day for the other.  Pretty groovy huh!  It is hard work and I am not talking about big plans here I am talking about the small stuff.  Keeping it simple, happy, and low budget for January...Today I am just enjoying my coffee in an almost clean house.  It just feels good to be letting my spirit shine!
    

My Fairytale World

My own mother told me yesterday that I was extravagant (I think that is the word she used).  I shared that I was sad that we did not go to the beach after saving for several months.  I had called her crying due to some confusion over our trip and I let others make me feel bad and had become very distraught and emotional.  I had even called the crisis hotline to vent.  I was not suicidal I was sad and I told the woman that when I called.  I really did not feel like defending myself about wanting to take a small trip to the beach to celebrate New Years.  I listened to my Mother ramble on and on about how she could not understand how anyone in my situation financially could afford to do anything but survive.  She stated that I planned big birthday parties and trips while trying to live in a fairytale world.  She said I was unhappy unless I was on a trip somewhere... REALLY!  after semi defending my actions I thought OMG the world is a judge and I let them tear me down and send me to an emotional prison on way to many occasions.   I had not thought of any real resolutions due to those in the past years came and went like promising myself to start exercising, lose 100 pounds, take a big trip, lalalala... you get the point.  So I decided a journal about keeping sane in 2012 might be in order. 
     I like my fairytale world!  If I did not make plans and go places and live life what would I be doing?  I do not drink, do drugs, or smoke.  I rarely buy 5.00 coffee's, I shop mostly at Goodwill, I rarely eat out unless I have a coupon, I live a pretty frugal life!  So in my defense your honor I need to be let out of this emotional prison on the promise that I will not let others harsh judgements effect me!  I will go to as many fun things as I can in 2012 and I will let my spirit shine!