It's been a while

Well hello there my pretties(hehehe),

It's been a while. I guess life just gets really busy. Here we are in July, then end of July really. The kids have played a bunch of sports, had a lot of Girl Scout functions, a first time away from home for a week and so much more.

In my last post I wrote about my dog, Cammi, going missing. He was attacked by a coyote about 2 months ago. He's doing great. Still scared to go outside at night though.

Keely went away to YMCA Camp Oakes in Big Bear for a week. She had a great time. She was lucky enough to be in a cabin with 3 of her former friends and her new best friend. They all had such fun. I missed her a lot but I know its good for her to experience this. Jack and Ashlynn got to go to their Nana and Papa's for the same week. Charlie and I went to Disneyland, alone. we had fun.

In two days we will be celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary. 10 years. Wow, that's a long time. But it seems like it's flown by. I'll post more about that later.

Well, I just wanted to do a little blog for now. I'll do more soon.

Cindy

What a weekend!

Wow, well most of you know what happened to us over the weekend. First let me start with Friday.

On Friday all 5 of us joined Jack's preschool mates and their families on a field trip to see Disney on Ice: Toy Story 3. It was cute. Kinda boring, butt hurting from the chairs, cute. At least the kids enjoyed it. When we came home we let our old man dog, Cammi, out to potty. Cammi always scratches at the screen door when he wants back in. After I let him out I started helping the girls make signs for selling Girl Scout cookies. Then, I ordered pizza and about 10 minutes later Keely and I ran out to get it. When I got back from getting the pizza it donned on me that Cammi had never come back in. Charlie got in his car and drove around looking for him. I walked through fields in the dark, armed with a flashlight looking for him.
My sister Sharla and my parents came out to look also. He was NO WHERE. I felt terrible. I forgot about him and sent him to his death. You see, we have a lot of coyotes around here. They've recently killed 12 of my dads 15 ducks and also killed my Aunt's small dog about a year ago. It was really windy on Friday and Saturday and I thought I had heard Cammi scratching at the door twice during the night but it was the wind shaking the screen door.

The next morning I got up at 6, woke Keely up since we had a Girl Scout outing to go to early. While she ate breakfast I went out looking for him again. No luck. Between basketball, t-ball practice and our trip to pick up Girl Scout cookies we looked with still no luck. I had friends and family all out looking for the little guy too. That night I made up MISSING fliers, even though Charlie and I were certain coyotes must have killed him.

On Sunday morning the girls wanted to go sell cookies to our neighbors. Perfect chance to ask if they'd seen him and hand out fliers. I put them in doors of those not home, hung them on stop signs, road signs, etc. No one had seen him. The girls and I deicded to get lunch and bring it to the boys. As I drove up our road I looked at a blue house I had left a flier at and the flier was still in their door. We dropped off lunch, talked to Charlie for a few minutes and then drove back toward that house so I could hang a flier on the stop sign. I looked at the house again and there was an Animal Control truck in their driveway. I passed and then slammed on my breaks. thinking to myself, "ANIMAL CONTROL! Maybe it's Cammi!" I backed up. A man was in the driveway, holding my flier and asked, "are you looking for a dog." I said YES!!! I got out of my car, left the girls and walked up to the Animal Control truck. The Animal control man opened the door to the dog compartment and there shaking so hard was my little white old man dog. I started to cry. I was never so happy to see him.

The owner of the house said Cammi had arrived at their house late Saturday afternoon. So who knows where he had been before that. This house is about 1/4 of a mile from us. Cammi was super thirsty, hungry and his front legs seemed to hurt him. I took him to the vet today and he checked out fine. The vet said she thinks it just may have been stress and a pulled muscle.

This is Cammi, a few hours after being back home with his family.

Thank you to everyone who looked for him and prayed for him to come home. He's my first baby. I've had him since he was 3 months old. He will be 15 years old on August 4th.

My love

I sit here at the dining room table, glancing up at my husband of almost 10 years as he works on his computer. I look at him and think, 'gosh he's a good looking man'. He really is. He still makes my heart melt (when I'm not frustrated with him ;) ). I love to feel his arms around me and I love the way he smells. I love how he likes to be goofy, mostly just when he's with the kids and I. I love how he's a good daddy. He's taking our girls to a daddy/daughter dance next Friday and that makes my heart melt too. Even though we've had some tough times lately, I LOVE this man more than words can say. He's my hunk, my heart and soul, my husband, my best friend. I love you Charlie.

Are things Calming Down? No.

Wow, things are busy around here and about to get even busier. I don't know why I put our irons in so many fires. The kids are involved in a lot. If dance, for both girls, Girl Scouts, for both girls and basketball for Keely wasn't enough things are going to get CRAZY! Cookie booths start in mid February, Jack and Ashlynn will start T-ball in February also and Keely will start soccer in March. I love that they are all making new friends and having a lot of fun. We should really enjoy our Sundays now because soccer will occupy those days soon.

I've been dealing with a lot of personal stress lately on top of our busy schedule. It seems that that is starting to calm down, thank goodness. It's been one of the hardest times in my life but I am getting through it. I'm not saying I've gone through this all cheery like I would have liked, my mask of happiness has cracked and shown my emotional side. A lot, lately. And instead of doing something positive to release my stress like exercising I've been eating. Not good. Even though I feel like I've been a pig I lost weight when I went to my Weight Watchers meeting this week. Whew! I am commited to get myself BACK on the right track. I've been cutting down on late night snacking. I find if I have ice to chew or suck on then I trick my mouth. Does that make sense?

I'm learning that through tough times in our life the world doesn't stop. I can't sit around feeling sorry for myself any more and self medicationg with food. It's time to get my behind in gear and really make the change for a healthier me. Not just for myself but for my children and husband. I need to take the time to smell the roses. I need to stop and admire what's around me. Slow down and take it all in. You get the idea.  On Wednesday I get to go whale watching with my sisters and a couple friends. I hope I can find some peace in the animals which at one time I wanted to dedicate my life to. I wanted to be a marine biologist and Wednesday, I will be, even if  it's just in my head for a few hours.

Life

So as I sit here it's a cold, wet 50 degrees outside. Today's MLK Day so no school for the kiddos. From Jack's bedroom I hear Keely's CD player blaring music. Not Hannah Montana, the cast of Victorious or even Justin Bieber, what I hear coming from Jack's room are all three of my babies singing is music from Dick Van Dyke's quartet's CD( Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastix). Just when I think they are growing up too fast I hear them all singing classic Disney songs and being the age they are. Such a relief to know my babies AREN'T growing up too fast.

So when I started this blog I said I would be sharing recipes because I love to cook. Since it's cold out today and we are supposed to get freezing rain tonight I am going to make my friend Shannon King's crockpot Chicken tortilla soup for dinner. I am also making a small pan of enchiladas. I have known Shannon since she was born. I grew up with Shannon and her older brothers. We lived across the street from each other. We had MANY parking lot dance parties, played KIDS INCORPORATED on my lawn together and during the summers would take our dinners over to each others homes and either eat on our lawn or at the picnic table at their apartment complex. Here is her recipe:


ingredients

32oz Chicken Broth

1.5 lbs Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded or chopped (add more or use less chicken if you like)

14.5 oz Can Corn

14.5 can Diced Tomatoes

8oz can Tomato Sauce

15 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 C Onion, chopped

Chipotle Peppers in adobe sauce( in the same aisle as green chilis, salsa etc)

4 cups water

Cilantro

Chili Powder

Cumin

Pepper

Oregano

directions

1. Pour Chicken Broth, Tomato Sauce, Water, Corn (with juice), Diced Tomatoes, Black Beans, Chicken, Onion into a crock pot.

2. Take one Chipotle pepper out of the can, slice it in half and remove the seeds. Chop up the pepper and add it to the crock pot. ** A note about the Chipotle Peppers.. they have some serious kick to them. The most I have ever used is 2 and it was pretty spicey. One seems to be just enough but add a second at your discretion**

3. Add in the seasonings as you like them. I use approx 1 teaspoon each of Cumin and Chili Powder and just a sprinkle of pepper and oregano. Add cilantro to your taste. It can be a tad on the strong side so I only chop up about 1/8 of a cup.

4. Let it cook in the crock pot on high for 4-5 hours. Top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, avacado and sour cream.

I'll post my enchiladas recipe later. I have to find it. :o)

Have a groovy week.

Shannon's Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Shannon's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1. 32oz Chicken Broth1.5 lbs Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded or chopped (add more or use less chicken if you like)14.5 oz Can Corn14.5 can Diced Tomatoes8oz can Tomato Sauce15 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed1/2 C Onion, choppedChipotle Peppers in adobe sauce( in the same aisle as green chilis, salsa etc)4 cups waterCilantroChili PowderCuminPepperOregano

Directions

1. Pour Chicken Broth, Tomato Sauce, Water, Corn (with juice), Diced Tomatoes, Black Beans, Chicken, Onion into a crock pot.
2. Take one Chipotle pepper out of the can, slice it in half and remove the seeds. Chop up the pepper and add it to the crock pot. ** A note about the Chipotle Peppers.. they have some serious kick to them. The most I have ever used is 2 and it was pretty spicey. One seems to be just enough but add a second at your discretion**
3. Add in the seasonings as you like them. I use approx 1 teaspoon each of Cumin and Chili Powder and just a sprinkle of pepper and oregano. Add cilantro to your taste. It can be a tad on the strong side so I only chop up about 1/8 of a cup.
4. Let it cook in the crock pot on high for 4-5 hours. Top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, avacado and sour cream.

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The little train that could.

I think I can, I think I can.... I feel like the little train that could. Struggling to get up that weight loss hill. I keep trying to make my way up but keep stumbling back. Every morning I pick myself up and try to make it up that hill but by the end of the day I'm stumbling. I need to figure out what is setting me back. Bordom?

I did make a huge leap up yesterday. I went walking with my sister and friend. My friend and I walked 2 miles. We're doing it again on Thursday. I felt great! I actually felt like jogging some. I also got a HUGE confidence boost from a total stranger.

I found a blogsite called "Fat Girl Walkin'". The blogger is a news writer in Phoenix. She's my age and she did the 3 day breast cancer walk last year. I wrote to her about 2 weeks ago asking how she had done it, if she had been an exerciser before hand, etc. She wrote me back yesterday. She told me she WASN'T an exerciser, HADN'T done 5k's like I have. Basically, she was a girl who did nothing. She told me she had a lot of people who scoffed at her but eventually came on board when she was training. In my email to her I told her my current weight and age and in the email back she told me she was a lot heavier than me and the same age when she did it. She boosted my confidence so much. She told me she would get me in contact with 3 day support groups that she had and she even said she would be willing to call me and keep me encouraged.

I also learned that you don't have to walk the 20 miles a day. Raising the money, making friends and of course walking as much of the walk as you can is what's important. I'm thinking about this a little more now. I guess I'd better decide soon so I can start the training program. Hope my feet are ready.