just messing around

I still after 2 years+ of this am struggling with color.  I wish I could switch to raw, but I cant get a new puter with more memory now.  SOMEDAY…..

self esteem…Stinky

Okay…I am going to be brave here.  I mean really brave.  I hate how I look and have no self esteem.  I feel like I look like a man.  However, with a lot of help from photoshop I will share 1 picture of me.

lacking creativity this week

I really cant seem to get out of this damn house to take pictures.  It is always way to cold or snowing or blowing or something.  So no pictures today.  I do want to say though that I did something today that I said as a child I would never do to my kids when I grew up.  I used spit to clean my childs face.  LMAO.  We pulled into Mya’s school this am and I went to take her out of the van when I noticed her cheek was dirty.  There is no way she is going into school that way and I had NOTHING to use to clean it off.  So I said I am so sorry honey, but I have to do  this.  I licked my finger and wiped it away as she gagged.  Now I am certain that as she grows up, she will make this very same promise to herself to not ever do that to her kids, but she will…

On another note, 3 weeks ago I tried on a pair of shorts and I could not button.  I tried them back on a few days ago and I did it.  Not only did I get them the whole way up, but I got them to close.  Was it a pretty site?  NO WAY.  I am sure they looked like thongs or something not so pretty.  Would I wear them in public?  NO WAY!  I got them to close though;)  I didnt even have to move any of my fat out of  the way for it to happen.  It was a very proud moment for me.  So proud that I suddenly felt like I was a size 5 again (even though clearly looking at me, I am NO WAY even close to that size)  still I grabbed another pair of shorts only to find I cant even fit one leg in the things.  So my proud moment quickly became a sad one.  I just have to try to keep my chin up and look forward to the next size I become.

My gift….

I recieved my gift today from Terri’s gift giveaway!  I have been so full of joy all day!  I can’t believe 2 years ago when I began typing on message boards that I would be so blessed with so many WONDERFUL friends.  Thanks Terri!  I got a gift card for Target, an awesome Disney cook book so I can make stuff with my girls and a really cool photography book and also some gorgeous Plates to display my food since I didn’t really have nice ones.

Ground Beef and Rice Pie

I made this new recipe today and it was really good!  Laken LOVED it, Bill said he would eat it about once a month, Mya didn’t care for it and since it isn’t diet food, I would eat it every damn day.  lol !  See, I told you that I make a lot of food with hamburger.

1 pound ground beef

1  15 ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 c dried bread crumbs

1/4 c chopped onions

1/4 c green onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp. dried oregano

1/8 tsp pepper

1   6 ounce can tomato paste

2  1/2 c cooked rice

1 cup cheddar cheese

in a bowl combine beef 3/4 c tomato sauce

1/2 c dried bread crumbs

1/4 c chopped onion and 1/4 c chopped green pepper(optional)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp dried Oregano

and then 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.  Mix and then Press evenly into the bottom and the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.

Then combine Tomato paste and the remaining tomato sauce. Add the cooked rice and 3/4 c cheddar cheese and stir.  Pour mix into the crust.

Place  pie plate onto a cookie sheet and cover.  Bake for 25 minutes( I did more like 35-40 minutes)or until the meat is no longer Pink(which Idont know how you can really tell since there is sauce cooking in with it)  Then drain.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese(but since I am on a diet 1/4 cheese was not enough for me.  I added about a 1/2 cup)  cook until the cheese is melted.  Let stand about 5 minutes before cutting.

Beef Noodles

Yep, I am posting another recipe.  I am sorry it has been a while, but I am on a diet and can’t stuff my face full of whatever I want.  I think this was OK.  I added some salt and pepper which the recipe does not call for and I think it could have had some garlic or something, but again Mya said she would eat it s I would make it again.

You will need a 12 ounce bag of  WIDE egg noodles

heavy whipping cream

1 pound ground beef

1 package Au Jus Gravy

milk

start boiling the water for the noodles and once the noodles begin to cook, brown the ground beef

when the hamburger is browned sprinkle the pack of Au Jus gravy over the meat and mix well

then add 1/3 cup of the heavy whipping cream into the meat

stir well and then add the drained noodles

finish off by adding a 1/2 milk and 1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream and heat through.

Yes I realize I cook with hamburger way more then I should and If my husbands doctor came and read my blog he would have the answers as to why his cholesterol is way higher then it needs to be.  As much as I would like to make things that were not involving hamburger we cant afford to.  There for I can probably win some kind of contest for knowing how to cook burger 20 different ways.

then totally changing the subject here, I was still practicing my panning shots the other day and something about this one just freaks me the hell out!  Is the driver old or young?

2/52 what defines me

I just decided to use this for my 2nd week picture theme.  Is this out of the box?  Nope, but this is all I got folks.  What defines me is my family.  The most important part of my life is my family If I could get more members of it near or far in this picture it would have been perfect!

This is something that doesnt happen regularly and I don’t think my husband is fond of the idea of me posting on the net but…. It isn’t about what he wants its all about ME.  LMAO.  Now will I take a picture of myself or allow anyone else to take pictures of me?  UM>>>NO.  WOULD I on the slight chance that someone did get a picture of me allow for it to be posted so everyone can see?  UM… AGAIN NO.

I also wanted to tell you all thanks for the advice on my nearing trip.. Really a huge help.  We will be there the 2nd week of Feb.  Also, Terri in my post yesterday you wanted to know what the backdrop was.  It was a cream colored blanket that had wrinkles in.  I smoothed them out a little bit and then added a vignette   THanks for the compliments

3 more weeks and we are going to Disney!  Woohoo.  So we have started to get the girls some new clothes to go.  We have been told that dressing in layers would be a smart idea.  Mya is such a girl.  LOVES clothes and she was so excited trying on her clothes.  She said that she felt like a MOM. I can’t wait to go on our trip.  I will then have a zillion pictures to share.

just because….

I just edited this one and had to share.

Taken with the 18-55 kit lens

Cold weather causes

Pipes to break.  We took Mya to school this morning and when we got home a huge amount of water was running down the sidewalks in front of my house.  Bill called the water company and so I snuck some shot of them fixing it.  These are through my window it was way to cold to go outside.  I was a little embarassed with my huge lens on the camera.  I felt like they seen me taking the pictures.  Oh well!

Then I tried to do a panning shot through the window.  Its ok, but I am sure I could get a better one outside.

Laken was telling me to take some pictures of her and so I did.  I mean most kids do not make this request and wether her hair is ready or not I will take any shots I can.

She was drawing Grammy and Pappy and then asked me to help her.  When I drew the pictures of them she told me they looked funny.  Sorry Mom and Dad I didnt do you justice.  lol