So far this month we have experienced snow, a new church, new recipes for dinner, new friends, and crib time! December is the greatest month in our little world, no doubt about it.
Boogie and I were playing in the living room when I glanced out of the window and saw the white stuff falling through the trees. I excitedly hopped up and ran to the sliding glass door as if I were the wee one in the household. Boogie looked on as I gaped at the scene below. It was sticking! I grabbed Boogie's blanket and hat and bundled him so that we could step out on the balcony. I think it boggled Boogies mind to see snow fall all around us. I demonstrated how to catch a tiny flake on your tongue and whispered weather facts in his tiny ear. He gaped/smiled right along with me. I held him up so he could get a panoramic view...
The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Anthony and I got the wild idea to go to the LDS church here. It was something that had been on my mind for a while and I had been asking Anthony questions about it over the past year. Boogie needed to be part of a community and if I had anything to do with it, it had to be the best darn community a mom could possibly find. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was sounding better and better with each answer I received. So we called the missionaries and found ourselves sitting in the pews on Sunday morning late November. I was a tad apprehensive but those feelings melted away as we introduced ourselves to a young couple with a baby boy not much older than Boogie in the row ahead of us. They were unassuming and friendly in an altogether balanced sort of way and their boy smiled and cackled freely. They were new to town, too. We exchanged numbers and talked play dates and eventually found one another on Facebook. That was only the beginning as countless individuals and families have now become everything from acquaintances to blossoming buddies. Suddenly, I have acquired a new peace inside my heart as it begins to recognize countless prayers answered....and the numbers rise by the hour.
In an effort to spice things up around here, I have attempted to expand my culinary repertoire. I really hit a home run with the chicken enchiladas I made several nights ago. Here's a little recipe for ya:
*Stuff to get out*
Green Peppers, Onions, can of corn, can of green chiles, can of stewed tomatoes (diced if you like), green onions, cheese, garlic, can of black beans, two cans enchilada sauce, olive oil, tortillas, and herbs and spices. You'll need a baking pan, two skillets, and a plate or two.
¤ In a skillet, season one package of boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins with salt, pepper, basil, and sazon goya and brown. Then shred and transfer to a plate.
¤ Chop some green peppers, onions, two cloves of garlic. Coat another pan with extra light olive oil and heat those veggies. As the veggies become tender, add a can of no-salt added corn, stewed tomatoes, and green chiles.
¤ After things are sufficiently tender, heated, browned and what not you can go ahead and coat your baking pan with enchilada sauce. We like it hot around here but not too hot and I found that combining the mild and hot enchilada sauces make it just right. I microwaved the flour tortillas (4 of'em to be exact) so they would be soft and then filled each one with yumminess. I going to assume you can figure out how to roll it up. Then place in the pan seam side down. I was able to fill the pan with four rolled tortillas because I like to overstuff everything. Then coat the filled tortillas with the rest of the enchilada sauce. I baked them for about 30mins. I also garnished them with scallions and shredded sharp and monterey jack cheeses. Then I dumped ungodly amounts of Texas Pete on my plate and fell into a food coma. I could only manage to eat one with a side of black beans. And I had enough chicken and veggie mixture for a whole new batch the next night. Viola!
And we come to crib time. What magic lies behind that phrase, you might wonder� Well I can tell ya, it means mommy and daddy time, longer showers, adult TV, and completed chores. The really adventurous types might even slip a nap in there somewhere. Anthony says that I do not know how to be lazy, though, so napping is harder for people like me. I have to be severely sleep deprived to sleep during daylight hours. I actually think he may be calling me a busy body. Whatever type of body you have, crib time is the way to go! The first night Anthony was working night shift so I had to stick it out all by my lonesome. I was scared. I armed myself with some good earplugs, my laptop, and the Book of Mormon so I might be discouraged from cussing when I started to lose my patience. He was up and down for two hours then slept for 45mins. and then got up again. Eventually it was time to feed. After he ate and digested, he laid back down. That was about 12:00am. I didn't hear a peep until 6am when it was time for another feeding. He barely woke and was able to settle back to sleep at 7:30am. We slept until 12:15pm! The second night was not exactly the same. Daddy did it and I suppose they both had to get adjusted to one another and the crib but Daddy gave a decent report. He has napped in his crib all day off and on today and this gives us hope. We finished a crossword together, had a tickle fight, tried to watch crappy Christmas movies on cable, and munched on leftover spaghetti. It has been a magical Saturday for sure!
