Thank you so much for the beautiful bike! I’m calling her PJ since she’s got a Panama Jack design. :) It was such a lovely and thoughtful gift.
Honestly, I never would have asked for a bike, as it never occurred to me that I might like one. But from the moment you presented it to me, I was in love. And the moment I sat on the seat and took off pedaling (thank goodness that it’s true, “you never forget how to ride a bike,” as I haven’t ridden one since I was ten!) was one of the happiest moments of my life. It felt like freedom, and I told Dennis, “Everyone needs a bike so when they are feeling crummy and oppressed, they can just take off riding to remind themselves what it feels like to be completely free and happy.”
I’m now addicted to the feeling of freedom I get each time I jump on PJ and take off, and to the sore and healthy feeling I have every time I come home from a long ride. At first I was embarrassed to go out in public in daylight, afraid that I would make a fool of myself by falling off, especially since it has been so long since I regularly rode a bicycle. But since Dennis has a bike now too, thanks to you (your generosity is so appreciated!), he has helped me overcome my phobia, and yesterday we took an hour long bike ride along the river to the library, which included time in front of people and traffic.
I’m happy to report I didn’t fall off or embarrass myself, except for when we were going up a steep hill to the bridge to cross the river and I couldn’t make it and had to walk the bike up the last bit. Unfortunately for me, there was a large crowd on the bridge, as the Riverfest is going on this week, but only a few people were staring at my ineptitude, as most were watching the jet ski racers on the river.
We ride our bikes most every day, and I think we’ve only missed riding them for a couple days out of the last two weeks since you gifted them to us. I wanted you to know how much we appreciate the gifts, and that we did buy helmets right away, so you don’t have to worry about us getting injured. We will treasure them until they bite the dust, which hopefully won’t be for many more years, as they have sentimental value coming from you and I hope I never have to replace them.
Oh give me a home
Where the buffalo roam
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
If you’ve never heard this song, you can hear the tune to it here. It’s the state song of Kansas, one I’ve been singing all my life. And while the skies get plenty cloudy here, and I’ve heard my fair share of discouraging words, I am happy and proud, and thankful that Kansas is my home.
As Dennis and I were driving through Abilene, shopping and sight-seeing, we saw signs like this everywhere:
PFCG?? What does that mean?? Then we started seeing signs that explained a little more…
We finally got the full explanation from a checker at West’s Country Mart. PFCG means “Pray for Carly Gassman.” When news spread in Abilene that this high school senior had a brain tumor, people in Abilene came together to support her and stores throughout the city, both individually owned businesses and chains, posted signs to “pray for Carly.” Abilene business owners and those in surrounding cities pulled together to do a fundraiser for her. The checker also reported that she’d had surgery to remove 90% of the tumor and she was recovering well. This story gives me the feel-good sunshiney shivers! God bless Kansas! What a wonderful community!
Besides this inspiring example of the small communities and how they draw together to help each other out, I’m also thankful for Kansas in a purely superficial way. While I’m often envious of more beautiful areas overseas and even within the United States, it doesn’t really take much searching to discover the unique beauty of the plains God created here. Sometimes you just have to drive a little to get past all the manmade buildings…
Dennis says the mulberry tree should be our state tree because we have so many of them. This one was in Abilene but we have them right in our own backyard, literally. We always have to stop and have a taste.
I had Dennis pull over so I could take a photo of this man driving his tractor. I gave the man a friendly wave as he got closer, and though he was working, he pulled his tractor as far over to the side as he could to see if I needed help or was lost. See what I mean about our folks here? So thoughtful! Though I did feel bad about interrupting his work!
Can you tell what crop this is?
Green (unripe) wheat! You see a lot of wheat fields in Kansas, as it is our main crop. We are known as the “wheat state.”
We’re also known as the sunflower state.
Cutest water tower ever?
Sunsets in the country are so beautiful.
Atop the castle at Coronado Heights near Lindsborg.
When you slow down and take it all in, you notice the little things. It’s times like these, watching a lady bug and ants going about their business, being out in nature, that I really feel close to God. This makes me want to sing, “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.”
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. ~Psalm 19: 1-4
I’ve been in a funk and not my usual happy self. I’m not going to start using you guys as my therapist and boo-hoo about anything, but it is what it is and I’m working through it. I actually have a whole program I’ve worked out for myself to get out of the funk and am doing it, so I hope to let you know soon if it worked and how I did it!
I have gained a lot of weight. Hello, my name is Veronica…and I’m an emotional eater. I feel a cleansing coming on because I pretty much can’t stand myself any more!
Oh yeah, my hubby didn’t get that 911 call taker job! I forgot I never updated you on that. We thought he had it in the bag, but the old adage, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” comes to mind. We are not worried, he got severance pay from his last job and if he can’t get another job right away, he can get up to 6 months unemployment if he needs it. Though we’d really prefer an amazing job right away if you feel like praying for him! :)
My hubby and I are going out of town on a sort of staycation an hour and a half from home, to stay with his ‘rents and check out the sights in good old Abilene, KS. (Don’t scoff, it may only take 5 minutes to drive through Abilene (we timed it), but they pack quite a tourist punch!) So this is likely the last blog from me for a week or so but try not to have too much fun in my absence. ;) I will definitely return with lots of pictures to share.
I’m so glad to have this creative outlet and I’m so glad that you’re here to share in it! I so appreciate your comments and appreciate those who read silently as well–I’m not omniscient but my statistics let me know you’re there. :) I usually convince myself that I only keep this blog for my own benefit, but if there wasn’t anyone reading, I know I wouldn’t have enough motivation to continue, despite my amazing threshhold for selfish endeavors. You guys make it fun, and you are why I do it if I’m completely honest with myself. Thank you for all your recipe reviews, comments, and encouragement. Thanks for reading and putting up with me, and hopefully enjoying some of my craziness.
See you again very soon!
Hugs,
V
P.S. So that you don’t feel recipe-deprived in my absence, how about checking out these oldies but goodies in the mean time:
This vegetable appetizer pizza is SO good, I bring it to at least one party a year. I’m bringing it to one tomorrow, in fact!
I’m also bringing some 7 layer dip because I have some leftover refried beans from the last batch I made. Love this stuff!
I’m bringing two plum pies to a Mother’s Day picnic. This pie is so easy and so good! By the way, the plate in this picture belongs to my Mother-in-Law, whose own Mother-in-Law passed it on to her. So I’m kinda hopin’ she’ll stick to the theme and I’ll inherit it some day. Isn’t is gorgeous?
And of course, I’m making a double batch of dilly cucumber salad because I need enough for both parties. It’s the perfect summer side dish, so light and refreshing!
And while I’m not making this Italian cornmeal-crusted white fish over the weekend, it is a favorite, and elegant enough to serve Mom on Mother’s Day!
God bless you all, especially the mothers out there. What would we do without you? Happy Mother’s Day!
I didn’t know Ed personally, but we worked together. Maybe for years, but I only became aware of his existence last July when we started together as FTF’s (full-time-flexibles) at the REC.
The first time I saw him, he had a bandage around his knee and he raised a question about getting time off for surgery during our orientation, during which it was made very clear that we had to report to work when we were scheduled, no exceptions. An exception was made for him.
Weeks and months passed, and tall, skinny Ed got even thinner. He started walking slower. Then one day, I noticed he was toting around an oxygen tank. And he walked even slower. But he never missed work.
One day we happened to be in the same part of the same break room at the same time, and he wasn’t looking too hot.
“You look like you’re fighting a hard fight,” I said.
“I’m fighting cancer,” he confided.
I found out he was going through chemotherapy, and his legs swelled each time he had a treatment, and those were the days he wore his big green pants and sandals. He was smiling, despite his weakness, and was upbeat and positive. I told him I would pray for him and he thanked me with a grateful smile.
Then came the hard weeks and months. He became so weak that he started using one of our rolling chairs as a walker, propping himself up on the back as he pushed it in front of him, and would pile up his stuff on the seat to cart around because he could no longer carry it. The oxygen, which he used to only wear while sitting down and coming to and from work, now accompanied him on his breaks. I got choked up every time I saw him, saddened by his diminished state, and inspired by his fortitude.
“How much longer will you have to do the chemo treatments?” I asked him in passing one day. I was still hopelessly optimistic for him.
“A long time,” he said, so weak he could barely smile, but he smiled anyway. He always smiled when he saw me. “My body is being stubborn.”
That was my first inkling that he really might not make it. I didn’t know him except to give him a friendly smile in passing, but my heart ached to know that after fighting so hard, he might not win his battle with cancer. I cried that day as I worked, and many days after, praying to God to strengthen Ed and help him through this struggle, whichever way it may go. That if it wasn’t His will to heal Ed, then to keep him from suffering too much.
And then the news came. He didn’t show up one day, and I heard through the grapevine that he had taken a turn for the worse and was in the hospital.
A week later, last Saturday, he passed away. He worked all the way up until a week before he died.
God forbid his fight and his strength and dedication go unnoticed. I didn’t know Ed. But he taught me by example that we are stronger than our circumstances. That we can overcome practically anything to carry on with life until it ends. He inspired me in his last months, and witnessing his strength and commitment to his job made me a better person. I can tell you that there have been days I really felt like I couldn’t work, whether for health or emotional reasons, but I didn’t call in because I knew Ed would have showed up no matter what. And if he could do it, dying, I could do it, my life ahead of me.
Thank you, Ed. Your legacy lives on in my heart, and perhaps in the hearts of many of your co-workers. You were a shining example to us. Every time I feel weak, I know I will remember your strength. When I’m weak, He will make me strong, and I will be thinking of you for the rest of my life, leaning ever harder on my Lord for the strength and courage that you displayed.
With God, I can do anything. I’m stronger than my disease and any circumstance that befalls me. Today, I’m thankful to Ed for teaching me that.
If Dennis had written today’s post, it would have been called “Thankful Thursdays #72: nose hairs.”
Every week I brainstorm with Dennis about what my Thankful Thursday should center around. This week, he said, “One thing you’re probably thankful for, but not aware of, is your nose hairs.”
I lost it. I think I laughed for a whole minute straight, doubled over, even while he continued on to explain his point.
“I mean, think about it. They’re with you twenty-four hours a day and they’re always working for you, doing what they need to do. But pretty much the only time we notice them is when a booger gets stuck in them. They’re basically the unsung heroes of the facial orifices.”
Seriously, I could write another tribute of thankfulness for my husband based on how many times a day he makes me laugh. But he has a point. I mean, without nose hairs, who knows what kind of foreign objects we’d be sucking back into our lungs. Nose hairs (OK, at this point, I’m starting to cringe whenever I say “nose hairs.” Once is funny, but now it feels grody-lol.) trap dirt, viruses, bacteria and toxins until we blow them out, sneeze, or swallow.
Wow, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt like my blog was going this wrong before. I’m really sicking myself out! lol
But I think you get the point. NH’s (there, that sounds much better), just like every part of our bodies, serve a very necessary and important purpose. People with not enough NH are three times more likely to suffer from asthma! (Men, you can use that as an excuse when anyone gets onto you about your excessive NH. It’s saving you from buying an inhaler.) So let’s sing some praises to our nose hairs today, shall we?
And since we are completely crazy (as if you needed any further proof after reading this blog), we made two different songs to pay tribute to our lovely nose hairs. Enjoy!
A tornado moves on the ground north of Solomon, KS on Saturday evening, April 14, 2012. {Photo source}
Several E3 tornadoes passed through southeast Wichita last Saturday, damaging all three of our aircraft plants and causing significant damage to a mobile home park and the Oaklawn neighborhood. I live on the west side of town, and I can tell you I’d have much rather been at home with my husband and scared doggy than at work, which happened to be quite close to the path that the tornadoes took through Wichita.
This map shows my location (A), along with three areas nearby that were hit: (B) Spirit Aerosystems (C) Pinaire Mobile Home Park, and (D) McConnell Air Force Base.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.
Although not officially the USPS motto, it may as well be, and it was going through my head as I continued to key mail even when our lights went out (the computers never went down, I believe they are on a backup power supply) and I feared our revolving doors might be ripped from their hinges. Tornado sirens blared, our lights flickered, went out, came back on, went out, our revolving doors were banging back and forth against the force of 135-165 mph winds, rain & debris pounded our roof, and lightening and thunder cracked and rumbled outside. Our windowless cement single-story building was designed to endure the toughest Kansas weather so that mail delivery will never be delayed due to our plant losing power or being damaged, so although many of us may have preferred to crawl underneath our desks and suck our thumbs, there really was no safer place to go and we carried on.
Aerial view of some of the tornado damage in the Oaklawn neighborhood in Wichita. {Photo source}
It’s the closest I’ve ever felt to a devoted mail carrier that endures frostbite and heat stroke in order to get the mail delivered (thank you, Dad!). Keying the mail through a tornado definitely made me feel a little more like one of those hard core mail carriers like my Dad, but although it was a proud moment in retrospect, I have to admit I was terrified out of my mind and a tear or two might have escaped my hard core eyes.
Damage to homes in the Oaklawn neighborhood of Wichita. {Photo source}
I probably didn’t do my best work that night, but hopefully I didn’t direct any of your mail to China…I hope you’ll forgive me if I did. I was praying without ceasing while I typed and listened to updates on where the tornadoes were headed and the devastation they had left in their wake.
Tornado damage to Pinaire Mobile Home Park in Wichita. {Photo source}
As soon as I left work, eyeing the insulation scattered in our parking lot and wondering what unlucky building it had come from, I texted everyone who I thought might have been affected to make sure they were OK. I’m so thankful God answered my prayers—every single person reported back that they were fine! There was some damage to homes reported, but everyone was alive and well and thank God for that!
I’m also thankful that the tornado missed my workplace. All three nearby aircraft plants were hit and damaged by the tornadoes, the worst being Spirit Aerosystems, which is just 1 ½ miles away. A little too close for comfort! I wouldn’t doubt the insulation in our parking lot came from one of their buildings. These photos shows the damage to one of their plants:
Yowza, this could have been us. You guys can give thanks too that we were unaffected, as your mail delivery will not be affected by the tornadoes! (We key mail all over the US and even to foreign countries-we’re pretty important! :) )
Oaklawn residents join together in the middle of the night to clean up fallen trees after the tornadoes.
One thing that always touches me when tragedy strikes, is how people and communities pull together to help those affected by the devastation. Last week I commented on how animals can make us human by learning from the kindness and love they have for each other, and I think tragedy is another thing that makes us human. It can bring out the best and worst in a person, but ultimately, I think it brings out the best in us because we can’t stew in our own sadness when there are so many that need help. We come together and help each other out! And those unaffected come forward to help those in need. It heals us, and it is such a wonderful thing to behold.
I know it is a cliché expression, but God does work in mysterious ways. Who knows whether he sent these tornadoes for a specific reason, or if they were just a result of the natural occurrences that happen in his creation. I do know that all these natural disasters are a sign of the end times (Matthew 24:7), and while they are tragic, there is something beautiful about the human kindness that is sparked by them. Sometimes I wonder…if we never had tragedy and disaster in our lives…would we be better people or worse? (I’m speaking in the terms of this world, not the one to come, in which we will be perfect and happy!) I’d hate to think we need tragedy and suffering in this world to give us a reason for kindness and empathy, but I wonder if it wouldn’t lessen. Something to think about.
Why I’m thankful post-Midwest tornadoes April 16, 2012:
That we had 24 hours notice and plenty of time to prepare for the serious storms brewing.
For the sirens that warn us to take shelter. And for the people operating them.
For the technology that allowed that very advance notice. And for the people using it and delivering the notice.
None of my family or friends were killed, and in fact, there were NO DEATHS in all of Kansas.
And when it comes down to it, that’s all that matters. Material things are necessary to our lives on Earth, but they can be replaced. Thank God for sparing so many lives that night. He is truly holy and awesome.
If you’d like to help those who have been affected by the Midwest tornadoes, please visit the Huffington Post’s page with links to the different relief efforts helping the different areas. Thank you!
Yes, this happened. Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman herself, came to my little hometown for a book signing!! When Julie told me about it, I about flipped out. Foodie celebrities just do not come to our town for anything. This was the most exciting thing that ever happened in Wichita! Well, at least for me.
Julie and I had planned to go together, but she ended up moving earlier than planned so Dennis was my date for the evening. Dennis, the anti-foodie. The anti-foodie who won’t even read his own wife’s food blog. Perhaps not the best date for the occasion, but he’s a trooper and is usually up for anything. He’s incredibly supportive, despite refusing to read my blog, and I think my excitement made him a little eager himself to meet this superwoman.
We arrived at the Forum Theater (previously a church) an hour early and still there was a massive line. We were even further back than in the photo above, rounded around a corner, but I forgot to take a photo until that moment. Hello, Veronica, a blogger must remember to photograph everything when it comes to such a monumental occasion! I didn’t make that mistake again and documented the remainder of the evening by snapshots…and even short video. Of P-Dub singing!!
I apologize for all the exclamation points. It’s hard to control my excitement and enthusiasm.
It only took us about fifteen minutes to get through the line and into the theater. Everyone with tickets #500 and under could go in right away. There were tickets all the way up into the 1,300s and I think they managed to fit most people in. Apparently there was an “overflow section” but I never saw it, and I guess those who couldn’t find seats waited there for the signing.
Dennis, the sweetheart, went to the front of the theater to take these photos for me. We were seated in the middle, way in the back. That section was flat, not tiered like the front rows, so it’s harder to see all the people back there. I can’t even make out my own head, but I could see the stage just fine.
After an hour of waiting and reading her cookbook (yes, reading, I read cookbooks like novels) while Dennis read Anthony Robbins’ Awaken the Giant Within, Ree was finally introduced and came striding out on stage.
Seriously. P-Dub in the flesh. Is this really happening? Really? But she made it very clear how real she was as she nervously criticized her entrance and the awkward way she walked behind the movie screen instead of in front of it. She apologized for being nervous and sweaty, then asked for a show of hands of everyone that got sweaty when they were nervous. She was so genuine and sweet, even if you didn’t know her from her blog already, you had to love her immediately. Dennis was not immune to her charms and was laughing all through her presentation.
She gave a slideshow presentation of her life, with all the humor she infuses into her blog.
which explains her senior photo…
I stopped snapping shots of her slideshow at that point, but did catch the last half of her “special moment” with her basset hound, Charlie. She started singing “My Endless Love” along to pictures she had taken of him…
Then we waited. Books were signed according to the number on your card, so there were 182 people ahead of me. And there were no limit to the amount of books she would sign. I’m sure Ree is sporting a permanent hand cramp right now, as she had to have signed thousands and thousands of books that night. What a trooper! After waiting foreeeeever (OK, more like two hours), we finally were next in line!!
I was so flustered, I had nothing to say. I could have said, “I made your chunky chicken soup five times this year already!” I could have told her how well she did with her presentation. I could have told her how honored I was to meet her. I could have told her how much I enjoyed her book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, or even asked her if Marlboro Man was taking care of the kiddos by himself while she was away. But I couldn’t say anything!
Since I was so quiet, she finally asked me, “Are you from Wichita?” How humiliating, to have forced a huge celebrity to try to spark a conversation in the face of my epic silence. That she even bothered is a testament to how nice she truly is. “Yes, this is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me!” I blurted. And that’s all I said. Ugh. Dork master!
And then the picture from hell happened. A lady offered to take one with both of us in the picture, so I made sure my ugly heavy-duty bra strap was showing, and Dennis made sure to give the camera what I’ve dubbed his “creeper” look…the one that makes you think there’s something seriously wrong going on inside his head. Here’s another version of his creeper look:
Run awaaaaay! IT’S THE CREEPER BUNNY!
This is my impression of his creeper look, given at a restaurant after we left the signing:
Creeper V!
OK, way too much creepiness happening here. Let me remind you of how handsome and non-creeper-like my husband actually is:
There. I feel much better now.
So that was it, a lovely presentation, a long wait, and an awkward introduction in which I made a fool of myself. And I came out of it with this:
Poor Ree, it’s a wonder I can read this at all. Here’s the translation, as best I can tell: Love to Veronica, ♥ Ree D
The cookbook follows the format of her blog, giving step-by-step photos for each recipe. If you like photos with your cookbooks, this one is for you! As far as I can tell, there are no new recipes–you can get them all online (though at least a few recipes in the book are improved from the website versions, like the Coffee Cake (the first one I’ll be trying!)), but if you love owning cookbooks, love the Pioneer Woman, or need a gift for a new bride/groom to help them learn how to cook, this would be great.
Would you like your own signed copy? Well, it might just be your lucky day, because I got a second copy signed to give away to one of my readers!
If you’d like to enter to win, just tell me what your favorite Pioneer Woman recipe is, or what recipe of hers you’re looking forward to making. You can still leave a comment without entering, just be sure to answer this question for your comment to count in the drawing. Giveaway will close April 19th at 10 PM CST, and I’ll announce the winner on Friday.
If you’d like additional chances to win, you can do any or all of the following (and yes, it counts if you already do/have done them, just leave a comment letting me know). Be sure to leave a separate comment for each, and make sure you answer the question above first, or none of the additional entries will count.
*Subscribe to Veronica’s Cornucopia by RSS or email (email subscribe box is in the upper right column).
*”Like” Veronica’s Cornucopia on Facebook.
*Follow me on Twitter.
*Pin this post on Pinterest.
*Tweet the following message: @vraklis Win a signed copy of Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond, The Pioneer woman! https://veronicascornucopia.com/2012/04/17/an-evening-with-p-dub-plus-a-giveaway/ #giveaways Please RT
*Tell your friends about this giveaway on Facebook, including a link to the post.
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Brandee Lake!
I’ve been doing Thankful Thursdays for almost a year and a half, and I often get comments from people telling me they wished they were more like me, that they could be more thankful and less pessimistic and negative. While I appreciate the sentiment, I have to admit that I’m not thankful all the time. Truth be told, I really am more of a glass-half-empty kind of girl, and sometimes I really struggle with feeling gratitude for any of the good things in my life when there is something that is not going right.
Which is why I started this series–I realized I had a lot to be thankful for and I wanted to put more energy into being positive and noticing all the blessings in my life. And it has made a difference. Although I’m still more of a pessimist than an optimist, I’m much quicker to see the silver lining in any situation, and a spirit of gratitude has definitely been developing and growing within me.
That said, this was one of the weeks that I just didn’t know what I was going to write about today. Yes, there are many things I’m thankful for, but it’s been a sad couple weeks for me (this situation has gotten me down again–it seems to rear its ugly head once every year or two) and I didn’t exactly feel like talking about why I’m so thankful for fill in the blank.
So I was brainstorming with Dennis while we walked Jessie last night and as I watched Jessie in all her innocent bliss, sniffing and romping, treating each blade of grass as an engrossing and transcendental experience, I started thinking out loud.
“I’ve already written an entire Thankful Thursday about Jessie, but really, I think I’m thankful for animals in general. They teach us so much if we take the time to observe them, don’t you think?”
I have seen a playful, patient, and loving spirit in nearly every animal I’ve ever observed for any length of time. While we may take the many conveniences we have for granted, they seem to really appreciate everything about their world, whether it’s their humans (in the case of pets), or the grass, the wind, and other animals. (Especially if they’re hungry and eat other animals-lol.) Sometimes I wonder if the biggest reason God put them here was to teach us how to be human.
I had quite a few animal pictures saved to my “Amusement & Etc.” and “The Cuteness!” boards on Pinterest, and rather than wax poetic about the lessons animals teach us, I thought I’d share the photos and let them teach you without words.
Check it out, man. It’s a picture of a laptop…with a picture of a laptop on it. That’s groooovy, man.
2012 seems to be the year of change for us. With our tax refund, we had our house levelled (as in set level on the foundation, not torn down), got guttering, and I got a laptop because my computer went on the fritz. (These were all things we’ve been needing/wanting to do for years.) It was happy timing for my old computer to die because we got our refund the next week! So now I can blog on the road…if I ever travel. And I do have plans for a girl trip with my sisters this summer, so maybe my computer will get to take a ride. I already traveled with it to Abilene over last Sunday to share pictures on it with Den’s family. That was so cool. Especially the part where I carried it in a paper bag with a handle. Who needs a laptop bag? Not this redneck chick!
Painting trim before the guttering.
We also painted our trim for the first time since we’ve lived here (nine years!) but now the house itself is looking ready for painting again too so that will be on our “to do list” this summer. A friend of ours, the same one that helped us with our broken pipe in the basement (Joe rocks our socks!) is going to help us re-plane our yard with a back hoe because right now, all the water collects in a pool in the middle, which doesn’t help with our basement leakage problem. They’re going to make it so the water drains off instead of pooling and running toward our house. So happy about that! Right now I only have before pictures but will share both before and after when we are done with both projects.
Also in the works is Dennis losing his current job and gaining a new one. This is his last week with Convergys since United Healthcare is pulling out to open their own customer service department, and it is bittersweet because he loved his job there and loved his team (so did I! They always gave me honest feedback on my baked goods.), but he’s also looking forward to something new. He went to the job information session for the 911 emergency call-taker job I mentioned, then they had him come to a 4-hour observation where he could see the call-takers and dispatchers in action. He made a good impression because he asked lots of good questions, and they scheduled an interview for tomorrow morning. He’s getting closer and closer! Just a lot of hoops to jump through before he gets the job. If he passes the interview, there’s still a three hour psychological evaluation. This job is stressful and can cause post-traumatic stress disorder, so they want to make sure you can handle it. But Den’s got this. The man was made for this job.
We had a grand old time with Dennis’ family on Easter, basically just ate and chatted but of course did our Easter basket hunt as well. Here are some photos, and a video of Lance and Carson (our nephews) pulling up after taking a ride around the property in Lance’s work car so they could cover more ground faster in search of their baskets. Gave us all a good laugh! :)
As you can see, they have a large property, so perhaps you can sympathize with our nephews for taking drastic action to cover more ground:
Cracks me up!
Joan, my sister-in-law, found her basket first!
The yard goes on and on!
The Easter bunny had to hop really high to leave Richard’s basket in a tree!
Joan’s husband, my brother-in-law. AKA Richard.
Here’s a short video of my mother-in-law, Phyllis, finding her basket since I didn’t get a picture of it:
The nephews, Lance (sitting) and Carson, going through their baskets.
My luck was not as good. Dennis had to give me “hot and cold” signals to point the way.
I spy with my little eye, something pastel!
Score!
Check out what I found in my basket! Some bunny loves me and knows me too well!
Dog lover’s pasta in the shape of paws and bones! Could I love this any more? I don’t think so! I’m so going to make this into pasta salad for Jessie’s 8th birthday party in June.
Before Lance took off, we admired his new hard-core Harley.
I’m not sure how widespread this tradition is, but apparently the bikers ’round these parts have a custom that someone has to buy you a bell for your motorcycle to “ward off evil road spirits” (it can’t be bought by the biker or it won’t work). Joan picked the praying hands for him because she said that’s what she’s going to be doing a lot of!
And for the grand finale, I give you Lance’s studly exit by motorcycle:
For those of you who are still reeling over how messy my desk is in the first photo (I’m not going to lie, it’s this messy 90% of the time), just remember…
Really, I don’t know what to tell you about these burritos. They are fabulous. And that sums it up. Really, truly, seriously the best burritos I’ve ever made or eaten. I have nothing else to tell you except that Dennis is losing his job.
WHAT?
Yeah, I know. What a way to drop a bomb. I guess I’m not good at breaking things gently. Or very good at segues, apparently. It’s something we’ve known about for several weeks and it’s something I’ve wanted to share, but how do you fit in personal information like that on a blog that usually only features recipes and reasons for thanksgiving? So I figured I’d just fit it in where I could.
Burritos and unemployment. Sure, it fits. :)
They no longer need him in the position he fills at his current job, and rather than move to a different department and take a pay cut and a position that would make him miserable, he accepted the soon-to-come lay-off. He applied for a job with the state as a 911 emergency call-taker, which would be a pay raise for him, and something he would find fulfilling and rewarding. He passed both his tests for the position with flying colors, and is scheduled for a “job information” session next week. We’re not sure what that exactly means, but we think it’s a good sign that they’ve asked him to come back.
When our preacher says a prayer, many times he has thanked God for the doors he opens, and the doors he closes. It is a good reminder to stay thankful not only for the good that God provides, but for things we perceive as bad as well. In this case, the closed door may very well lead to a better future for us.
It is easy to become complacent when you can make ends meet, so it can be good to be forced out of your comfort zone to reach a little higher for something that will allow you to provide better for your family. In addition to some house repairs, I could really use a new car, because I’m not sure Baby will last much longer. (You can witness Baby in all her hooptie glory, and me in my Valley-girl glory, in this video.) So this 911 job would be a step in a better direction for us! We are hopeful, but we know that whatever may come, God will provide.
As for the burritos, really, there’s nothing else for me to say. Best burritos ever. I really hope you try them!
Black Bean & Butternut Squash Burritos
Roasting the squash and cooking the rice makes this a long process for a lunch. I recommend preparing these two things in advance, so that when you’re ready for lunch, you only have to proceed as the recipe directs: heat and eat!
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 (15 oz) can black beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 of a medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted*
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
4 large/extra-large flour tortillas
Toppings of choice: avocado, salsa, sour cream, spinach/lettuce, cilantro, etc
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the salt and seasonings and stir well. Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 minutes on low. Add the roasted butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add the cheese and heat another couple minutes.
Scoop bean filling onto tortillas along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.
*To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425F and line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 30-45 minutes (depending on the size of your cubes), or until tender. I highly recommend using the second half of your butternut squash in Jenna’s Split Pea Soup. It is fantastic!
The Easter bunny had to hop really high to leave Richard’s basket in a tree!
Joan’s husband, my brother-in-law. AKA Richard.
I spy with my little eye, something pastel!
Score!
Dog lover’s pasta in the shape of paws and bones! Could I love this any more? I don’t think so! I’m so going to make this into pasta salad for Jessie’s 8th birthday party in June.
Veronica's Cornucopia 