Game Day Favorite

Here is one of our game day favorite treats... Chili. I have tried many different recipes and this is a culmination of the best of them. I always alter it a bit depending what I have on hand, for example I used banana peppers since I still have fresh from the garden, and mexican style chili beans because that is what was purchased by my husband. Delicious it was!

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion diced
3 banana peppers or bell peppers diced
3 carrots grated
   white wine
   pinch garlic salt
   pinch Cinnamon
   chili seasoning (pre packaged)
2-3 T steak sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans chili beans

1. First brown the beef and set a side.
2. Cook onions, peppers, and carrots in white wine till onions are translucent.
3. Combine beef with onion mixture.
4. Add in all other ingredients.
5. Cook on Med- Low heat till cooked through out.
6. Garnish with whatever you enjoy (I prefer sour cream, cheese, and corn chips)!

Working Through My Addiction...

   So as my darling husband and I have come to realize I have an addiction, and a very pricey one at that. They say that the first step to dealing with your addiction is admitting that you have one. So here we go... I am addicted to educating myself. I can not help it, I have a difficult time finding a subject that I would not like to know more about (with the exception of Math). As you may be guessing, I am either preparing to go back to school or am back in school. Well you would be correct I started school two weeks ago, and I LOVE it. As a true addict would! I am currently only taking two courses on nights and weekends since it is an hour in a half drive to campus, but it is so worth the quality of the education.

   My first course is Microbiology, and I am so excited to be back in the lab! I feel so at home working in the lab. Hands on work is my forte and easily understood for me. Our first lab was so interesting we took agar dishes and inoculated them with whatever we wanted  to and then incubated them for two days. I chose to use my shoe (I knew I had been some nasty places that day) and my ink pen cap. WOW! As you can see the microbes from my shoe grew and took over the rest of the dish, except for the few small circles in comparison from the pen. Definitely going to be needing to bleach the bottoms of my shoes this weekend.
   My professor in that course is awesome (tattooed, pierced, and chucks) not what I was use to in a PhD. Her personality and phenotype reminds me so much of one of my child hood best friends, which currently resides in the great state of Washington where my professor came from.

   My other course in Lifespan Development, which I was not as excited to take. I mean I already have a B.A. in Psychology, and another psychology course. However, this class is actually turning out to be really interesting. There has been a lot on genetics and birth defects so far. Some things that aren't as widely talked about. I am actually looking forward to reading more of the text.
   Funny coincidence in my professor actually works for the same company as me, just in a different office, the one I wanted to transfer to.

Day Fourteen and Fifteen

14

Remember that being a wife is a blessing.

Some days it seems more like a list of chores than a blessing. BUT lately it has been ALL wonderful. Things have been going so smooth and sweet. It has been really wonderful.

15

Think only positive thoughts about your husband today.

EASY. He has been so sweet to me lately, I haven't had any thoughts of beating him with my pillow :) I think this change back to five day work weeks and shorter work days is making for more us time as a family, and we are enjoying it.

Day Thirteen

Do not use sarcasm with your husband today!

I am going to have to really challenge myself to not mess this one up! I can be a very sarcastic person at times in a fun joking manor, not in a mean way. But, I think I can make this work. I have had to had days before with out sarcasm, besides before I learned how to use it. :)

I made it through the day, sarcasm free. I didn't have as much difficulty as I thought I would this morning.

Day Twelve

Pray for wisdom in being a wife.

I am waiting for the guidance and wisdom I asked for, I am not sure when he will have time to get back with me. I am positive he has more pressing matters than me. Unfortunately I don't believe it is going to be a straight forward response, instead some "learning experience" that provides me wisdom in being a wife. Frankly, I am not very good at deciphering those type of messages. Hopefully I don't screw it up :)

Dying Eggs

Last week we were prepping for Easter and colored eggs with Ty for the first time. He loved it! Surprisingly it was not the big mess that I assumed it would turn into. He loved using the little wire spoons which he called "glasses" and tried holding up to his eyes. I have no clue where he came up with it. It was a great lesson on colors, which he has gotten better with. He has gotten Red down, sometimes Green, sometimes Blue, and he knows Orange.

Day Eleven

Tell him, "I am glad I married you!"

Well as he was standing there washing dishes I couldn't help but tell him "I am glad I married you!" and boy did I mean it! He was rained out half-way through the day and came home and was cleaning and picking up. What women would not be glad she was married to that type of helpful loving man!?

Day Ten

Todays focuss: Kindness

This was not difficult for me to accomplish. I love my husband and I always try to be kind to him. We had a date and went to the bow shop and shot with another couple. So much fun! I really enjoyed some time for the two of us in the middle of the week, it didn't make me completely hate having to work the next day.

I can't help but be kind to Griffy, I love him.

Day Nine

Imagine how it feels to be in your husbands shoes.

Well day to day his job could be easy going or the most stress racked place on earth such as today. Some days I would not ever make it in his shoes and others I could probably slip by. Today with my school teacher, softy attitude I would not have made it.

Today, my husband was doing his usual job, except today they were just trying to bore parallel to a high pressure gas pipe. Long story short the gas main was not located correctly and could have led to a very large problem evacuation, coworker injury or death, etc. Well somebody got yelled at. I however would not have the heart to yell at someone, I would assume they would never make the mistake again and just discuss it nicely with them possibly. (Hence school teacher in me)

Like today, I went to pick up my pictures at Walgreens and they were the wrong ones and I had to take them back the lady apologized with out me yelling at her and she fixed my order. I doubt she will purposely make that mistake again. Just her 10th day of work in a row, I would be messing something up to.

End consensus I wouldn't make it.

Day Eight

Put at least one date night on your calendar this month.

This should be simple to put on the calendar it will be more difficult to come up with money savvy date ideas. Ideas are welcomed :) Normally we would just go out to dinner but we have been trying to save money for home improvements and my darling husband just bought me a gift, so we can take up a hobby together.

Day Seven

Leave your husband a sweet note.

Complete!

Left him a note when I left for work. Along with a little post it attached and a Nerf gun. Thank you pinterest. Have to love goofing off after work with your love! Even Ty decided to try and get some shots in. lol

Here is the pin:

Source: Uploaded by user via Michelle on Pinterest

Day Six

Bake, make, or buy his favorite food.

Well his favorite food is homemade stuffed manicotti. Easy enough for me because it is my recipe, difficult because I have to make and stuff each manicotti shell.

Here is the recipe give or take because I don't measure it. :)

1 pkg. manicotti
15 oz. ricotta
asiago
romano
parmesan
diced mozzarella
1 jar. sauce- today I used some Arrabiata Sauce because of the spice
1 pkg. prosciutto

- Preheat oven to 350.
- Boil noodles.
-While noodles are boiling shred or dice cheese. Shred meat. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
-Strain noodles and run under cold water. Stuff with filling. Place on 13x9 casserole dish lined with sauce.
-Cover with more sauce and left over cheese.
-Bake 15-20 minutes.

- Serve with bread and your choice of vegetable.

Delish!

Update...

Well since it has been almost a year since I last blogged semi- regularly I thought I would update.

Lets see:

1. I switched jobs. I am now a Community Support Specialist aka case manager for a mental health facility. Love It!

2. I have chronic health problems. Hate It! Two herniated discs, floating pelvis, loss of curvature, arthritis in the lumbar, chronic migraines. I think that sums it up. :

3. I bought a new car. Got rid of the A/C less old jeep for a '08 Impala. Love It!

4. Ty is 2!!!!! I can not believe it!

Day Five

Tell yourself, "He really loves his family, and he is doing the best for us".

Complete!

I tell myself this all the time, because I know this and appreciate my darling husband for everything he does for us. I could not ask more of my husband, he helps me so much each and every day.

Day Four

Kiss your Husband at the first moment you see him.

This was an easy task to complete. We wake up next to each other every day so it was easy to accomplish. I guess this task is trying to get you to get into a routine of doing this daily. However normally he wakes at 4:20AM not when I am really interested in getting up to kiss!

Day Three

Hug your Husband Three times Today.

This one I should be able to succeed at with no troubles. :)

I have to say I had no trouble with this one. Even though some one worked late. Hugs are awesome so I must say that I enjoyed this task. You realize how often forget the simple things like hugs each day.

Day Two

Go a Whole Day with out Correcting Your Husband.

This one could be difficult, not that my husband is always wrong or that I have to have the last word. I just seem to call things as I see them. :) Well Here We Go!

Well today I did manage to bite my tongue throughout the day and not correct Griffy. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be. lol

I think he is starting to enjoy asking and seeing what the challenges are each day, and working on the tasks with me. :)

Day One

Ask, "What can I help you with today?"

I am starting a 30 day marriage challenge and going to blog my way through. I have not told my husband my intentions and want to see how long it takes him to catch on that I am doing something different. Maybe he won't realize it was a challenge, but he will start matching my spirit and excitement.

Today was easy enough, I asked and he answered, "make me a good dinner". Not difficult spaghetti with sauteed zucchini and garlic bread. He did however, notice that I was up to something and figured it was something to do with Pinterest, The jig was up. lol

30 Days to a Stronger Marriage?!

I found a 30 day marriage challenge on pinterest and wanted to work my way through it and see how it strengthened my marriage. Not that I am having problems, but why not take a simple task each day and see if you can slowly build some thing great even greater?! I am always open to learning new things and especially how to improve myself, I am a firm believe that I am not perfect. If anyone would like to work through this here is a copy:

Source: imom.com via Michelle on Pinterest