Time

I obviously haven't been posting anything on my blog.

So what have I been doing with my time?

First of all, the sun has begun to shine, and the air has been warm. Ahhhh...heaven. This is the first summer I've had since I was 10 that I wasn't working, pregnant, or nursing and fat. And the best part is, I have 2 kids to share it with, the BEST excuse to be outside, running around, going on little adventures, picking up sticks (and banging things with it), looking at birds and climbing stuff at the park. And no mosquitos yet!

I also just finished a book called Angle of Repose.

I called my Mom when I finished and started bawling in the middle of telling her about it. Brilliant! She said "it looks like the book had the effect the author wanted to have on you." It made me feel a bit silly, but she's right- if the book is good I fall for every manipulative twist the author throws at me. I hate to think I'm just a predictable human, with the same commonplace vulnerabilities as everyone else, but it turns out I am. The writing is brilliant, the questions it poses relevant especially today- about decaying values and proprieties, and marriage, definitely marriage!- and the characters, you really feel something for them. Read it and see if you don't see yourself in Susan and maybe even learn something about life and death. I did...(I love you Brad ha ha)

We (and by we I mean Brad) have been working on the yard a bit.

I'm going to plant a little garden. I've grown herbs in planters before but never a garden. Brad built a little wall around the space we (he) dug out. He also built a gate. Brad can build anything. I LOVE being married to a guy who can fix stuff, and he can fix/build anything. For example this week our faucet broke and was leaking under the sink. He figured out what part he needed, ordered the part, took our downstairs faucet and installed it upstairs until the part came, and when the part came, fixed it. So nice. And free.

I do cook him dinners, though! And recently I've discovered the most wonderful thing: instant brown rice! As much whole grain fiber goodness as regular brown rice, but it cooks in 10 minutes total! I'm always looking for dinner ideas, so here are a few easy, cheap, healthy recipes I've made recently with Uncle Ben's brown rice that my kids loved:

Slow-cooker Salsa Chicken:

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/4 cups salsa

1 package taco seasoning (I also make my own, there's tons of recipes online for that)

1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed)

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Add chicken to slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Pour salsa and soup over chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours (I have a newer slow-cooker and it always takes way less time-annoying). Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Shred chicken with 2 forks. stir in sour cream. Serve over rice. P.S. I served it with a side of steamed broccoli because my kids eat it!

Black Beans and Rice: (this one is good if you have leftover rice too. Paula I think you wanted this recipe!)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced (I always just press it, way easier)

1 teaspoon dried basil (or more)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (important)

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a nonstick skillet that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray or a little chicken broth, saute the onion, green and red peppers, garlic, basil and pepper until tender. Stir in tomato sauce. Add beans, rice and vinegar; heat through. Transfer to a serving dish. The great thing about this dish is that my husband is a picky eater so he rolls it up in tortillas and puts cheese and sour cream on it and then loves it. Me and the kids eat it as is.

Salmon:

I have found this to be the yummiest way to cook salmon and it's so easy it's ridiculous. I just rub the salmon with about 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice and sprinkle it with lots of lemon pepper seasoning. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until you are sure the pan is totally hot. Then cook the salmon steak on both sides until it flakes easily with a fork and voila. I serve it with rice and mmmmm.....steamed asparagus, since it's in season right now. Don't tell your kids this is fish and they will eat it!

Breanna's Cuteness:

"I do!" whenever you ask her if she wants something

"Hello!" to everyone-grouchy old man or not- we walk past when we're out walking

"Oh no! It's gone!" (looking very worried and with shoulders shrugged) when the bird flies out of sight.

"Yeah", shaking head up and down, when she wants to do something, and "No-o" in her sing-song voice if she doesn't.

"Here you go Jesse", handing Jesse a toy he's forgotten about.

Jesse's Cuteness: