Skillet Enchiladas

I planned to make skillet enchiladas for dinner, but since the hubs will be at work, I decided to make them for lunch (and make enough so the kids and I will still have plenty for dinner).

This recipe was shared with me years ago, and everyone in our family really likes them, so I thought maybe I should pass it on since it's fairly easy :)

Skillet Enchiladas (I always double the recipe...but I'm feeding 6)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 four oz. can chopped green chilies
1 can crm of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
12 corn tortillas
1 ten oz. can enchilada sauce (red)
2-3 cups of shredded cheese  (I use a 16 oz. block of cheese and shred it when I'm doubling)
I also recommend not being out of paper towels :)

Brown meat in large skillet; add onions, chilies, soup, and can of sauce.
Then add the milk and make sure it's all nicely blended together and let it simmer while you get the tortillas ready.
Heat some oil in a separate skillet and then dip each tortilla just long enough to soften it. (You will need lots of paper towels to stack the tortillas and soak up the oil)
When tortillas are ready, fill with some cheese, and then set them into the sauce (I do this one at a time). I have to use my spatula to move the sauce around and make room for them :)
Top with remainder of cheese and let simmer until thoroughly heated/cheese melted.

P.S. When I double this recipe, I used a large skillet to make the mixture then I get out another skillet and scoop/pour part of the mixture into the other skillets. I have tried just doing the recipes separate from the start, but it seems like more work ;)

P.S.S. It probably wouldn't hurt your family's feeling if you had chips and queso to go along with this :) I always think I'll make spanish rice and beans to go with it, but it never happens.

Enjoy!

(Not) The best housekeeper

     Truth is, I am not the best housekeeper (insert picture of me hanging my head in shame). I am actually very picky, and even when most people think a house is clean, I still don't. You think that would make me a good housekeeper, but not so much.
     Laundry for six is a never ending story and I honestly never even have the goal of having every bit of laundry in the house completed. I am happy if I have only one basket of non-overflowing dirty laundry. Some weeks are better than others, and the dirty pile doesn't get too overwhelming anymore, but the clean pile...Oh! The Clean Pile!! (Insert cringe). I have a bench in the living room (we don't have a laundry room, only a laundry spot) and 6 out of 7 days of the week, it is piled with clean laundry. My mother is always amazed that my family isn't dressed in wrinkly clothing, since we oftentimes grab stuff straight from the "laundry buffet." Confession: about three times in my life, laundry has gotten so bad that I just loaded it all up and took it to the laundry mat. It was shameful, but felt amazing to come home with ALL clean laundry.
Sweeping and mopping...well, we have tile throughout the house, except in the bedrooms. I am thankful because at least when the floor is clean, it's clean. I hate how carpet just holds on to stuff and the padding under the carpet...eek! But, actually cleaning the tile, is such a chore. I'd rather talk about it (or blog about it) rather than do it).
Dusting...what's that? Windows? Rarely. I do like to give the bathroom a good scrub, but we also have four guys in our home. Even my car is usually a mess.
     My point in all this, is to say, I don't like being a bad housekeeper. I hope to always improve, at least just a little at a time, but it's far from being my forte. It makes me feel bad about myself because I'm a stay at home wife and mother, and all of us are supposed to be great at keeping the house in top-notch condition, yes? Well, I'm not great and it just makes me feel bad.
    I wish I had a list I could keep up with. A schedule to follow.  I also wish I was much better at implementing and enforcing REGULAR (regular being the key word here) chores for my children to do. I do have them do certain things, but after they have spent a day at school, the guilt sets in when I ask them to do something besides homework. In all honesty, I believe NOT having them help, is failing them. The goal of being a parent is not to always be there to baby our children. The goal is to teach them to be able to be responsible adults. If we don't teach our children how and when and the importance of doing chores, being helpful, and working together as a family, we are really failing at what I believe is one of our main jobs as parents.
    I do believe that we all have talents and are gifted in different areas. There are areas we all have that we excel in...and areas we fail in.  Knowing that housekeeping is an area I struggle in, though, I don't believe it gives me a free pass to not work on improving in this area. I have also decide that rather than feel bad about myself, it is better to take this concern to God and ask Him to help me work on this area of my life. I find comfort in knowing that I don't have to have a perfect house, but I do have to make an effort. I also find joy in knowing that it's okay to love on and enjoy my kids, rather than stress about everything being perfectly in place.
     I am So blessed to have a family that needs picking up after. I am so blessed to have a home that needs tending to. I am beyond blessed to have a God that accepts me just as I am, imperfect housekeeper and all. :)

Labor Day

     Yesterday was spent at Lake Texoma, celebrating Labor Day and my Uncle Stan's bday! The drive is only a little over an hour, and worth it! Lake Texoma is beautiful, plus spending the day with family is always a great time. My Uncle Stan and Aunt Roma are the sweetest, always kind and welcoming, we love them! Our kids love, love, love all the water activities, and hubs and I enjoy watching them and having some play time of our own :) Besides a couple of screaming fits, arguments, and one cuss word Blake felt the need to say (and it embarrassed me beyond belief), the kids were great. Actually, when said that way, it doesn't sound like they were great. Anyhoo, a great time was had by all, and here are some rinky dink Iphone pictures from the day!...

                                                   Our 16 (almost 17) year old and myself

Joseph helping Blake out to the raft

Blake finally getting in the water after an hour of refusing to do so

My cousin Emily, myself, and cousin Sara...pretending we were 16 again 

The big blue fabulous raft

Hope you all had a safe, happy Labor day weekend! Blessing to each and every one of you!

Transparency...the long version

What is transparency?

I looked up the definition. It said “fine or sheer enough to be seen through,” “free from pretense or deceit,” and also, “readily understood.”

Some synonyms I looked up: clearness, lucency, translucence, translucency, clarity

I believe God calls us to be transparent. But how many of us are truly transparent? How many of us are “sheer enough to see through and without deceit?”

For me, there are things I readily share, things I reluctantly share (but still share when I feel the time really calls for it), and things I haven’t shared at all.

Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”  God is mighty and can work on anyone and through anyone. If we are quiet about what God has done for us, then to me, it’s like trying to keep His holiness a secret. If we keep His holiness and His ability to do great things such a secret, then we are losing out on sharing His greatness with others. If we don’t share how great He is, they may never come to know Him.

Do we have to have diarrhea of the mouth and tell everyone, everything, all the time? Haha! I don’t think so. Not at all.

I think the Holy Spirit encourages us to share when the timing is right and the situation calls for it. Of course, sometimes it’s hard to know when the time is right.

I personally love when people share their trials with me and then tell about what God has done to help them. It’s not because I’m happy that someone else has gone through something painful or tough or heartbreaking, it’s because it gives me hope to hear the details of His amazing healing and forgiveness.

I always feel blessed when someone comes to me with a problem, and it’s something I have gone through and can share my own experiences with them. I also always feel more comfort when I am facing a trial and can talk to someone that has been through that same thing already. When someone has been through what you have, there is just a new level of connection and understanding. When that happens, God is able to show up and show out, right on time. It can make all the difference in someone coming to know what a caring, detail kind of “guy” that God is.

Can God work without us sharing our business? Duh. But how much more are we blessed when we allow Him to use us for His glory?!

The things I have been through, the things you have been through…that is part of our story…the good times and the bad times, the up times and the down times. Our story may be what helps lead someone else to Christ, or if they already know Christ, then help lead them to further healing in Christ. Sometimes we have parts of our stories that just seem so undeserving, so unclean, so filthy, that we just don’t see how God could want us, much less use us. But, He can. When Christ gave Himself up for us, His work wasn’t limited to only cover certain sins or certain people. The gift is there for all to receive, if they accept it.

The more we share our struggles, the more transparent we are, the more opportunities we have to help others, and honestly usually find some healing and help for ourselves in the situation as well. Our sin is like a filthy rag, and yes, it is shameful, and no it’s not easy to tell people about what mistakes we have made, but Christ cleaned our rag and made it brand new, as white as snow…that is JOY, people! We can be proud of who we are BECAUSE of Christ Jesus. That is something to sing about…not something to hide…It’s something to share with someone about!!

Also, when we are afraid of being transparent, afraid of judgment, we can totally take it right to the feet of God. We can ask boldly for Him to give us courage in doing what He asks of us.

There is ZERO condemnation in Christ Jesus, ZERO judgment in sharing the MIGHTY works He has done in us.

So with that being said, I have being praying fervently for Him to show me how, when, where, and with who I should be transparent with. I don’t want to miss an opportunity to share about how amazing He is, simply because I am afraid. He is totally working on me in this area and this topic has been on my heart…so, If you want to pray for me in this area, thank you! If you need prayer from me in this area, feel free to email me J  

Let us be completely and totally in Your will, God!

Ready to get this party started...again!

I am at a place where I just feel the need, want, and desire to blog again. Possibly, because I post way too much on facebook :) Either way, here we go!

I am a writer (meaning I enjoy writing, not that I’m a professional writer J , I am a thinker, I am an analyzer (to a fault), and I am a feelings person. I used to be great at blogging, but life happens and my blog fell by the wayside. Now that I have “time” to start blogging again, I’m going to see if I can’t keep it updated. Welcome back, peeps, or peep, or whoever! 

Refresher...

I got the chance to go to a retreat (ladies only!) this weekend. It is always hard to leave the kids. First, I have rarely EVER left Blake overnight (two other times, and one was a time I was so sick I didn't know where I was, much less that he was gone with his Mimi!). I miss the other kids when we are apart, but I am used to them spending the night with grandparents, friends, etc, from time to time, so it's not the same as it is with Blake. However, I knew that I would be refreshed, and that my husband and children would benefit from me being blessed at the retreat :) Finances are also always an issue, but I just felt like it was worth the splurge. Then the issue that my house would probably be a wreck when I returned, loomed over me. But, I decided that it was worth it...I just got it in my mind that I'd probably have a mess to tend to when I returned...and I did, but not too bad.
There were too many amazing moments to go into detail about all of them. Not only was the spiritual growth/refreshment completely amazing, but just the fellowship with other women was just awesome! Several hours of uninterrupted conversations with friends, new and old. It was so perfect! I came away with a lot, but the two main things were this...I am so thankful for friends that "get me"...the other thing, was the reminder of how awesome our God is. It is such a freeing feeling to know that nothing on this earth will ever satisfy us, only God can satisfy. It's freeing because it gives us the "go ahead" to stop chasing after all the "crap." The bigger house, nicer car, significant other, another baby, handbags, cute shoes, even good food...yeah, some of it is great, some of it God allows us to be blessed with...but none of it truly satisfies us. You will always want something else. Only God satisfies.
I am thankful to my husband, mother, etc...for caring for the kids while I was away. I am thankful for the ladies that worked so hard to put the retreat together. I am thankful for the friends I rode with and roomed with. God let it work out perfectly, down to the last detail, for me. He knew just what I needed.
If any of you get the chance to do something like that, go for it! You will be blessed :) And by you being blessed, you will be able to bless others :)

Brown recluse bite...Warning: graphic images

I cannot believe I am about to post these, but I am! A couple weeks back I was bitten by a brown recluse. Every year about this time, we see a couple of what we know as "house spiders". My husband sprays the house, and we don't see any again until the next year when we "rinse and repeat" :). This year was a little different. I found a brown recluse in the kitchen. My husband argued with me that it wasn't one. I was so thankful for the modern day world wide web...all it took was a few clicks on the computer to show him I was right. This is what a brown recluse looks like: Anyway, my husband sprayed that night. After another day or so I woke up to find a dead one in my bed. I'm not sure why, but I didn't freak out. I knew David had sprayed (and it was STRONG stuff) and I figured everything was dying. Fast-forward to the weekend where we spent time at the lake. I noticed a red bump on my hip and showed my sister. For a split second I wondered if it was a spider bite. But, it didn't hurt or itch and didn't look too bad. I have really sensitive skin, so I figured it could be just about anything. A day or two later I noticed the red area was growing. Then a smallish lump formed in the middle. Another day or so and it was starting to throb with pain, until then it never really hurt or itched. At that point I started thinking it might actually be a spider bite, but because of our lack of insurance since the hubs was laid off, I put it off for another day. The next day it hurt SO bad and was black in the middle, I decided it was worth the $$$ to go to Minor Emergency clinic. There they confirmed (because of the black) that it was a bite from a brown recluse. I got a shot, and a prescription for an antibiotic. I was told not to pick at it or mash it, but to apply a hot compress (a hot rag, possibly even heated in the microwave to get it as hot as I could stand and then lay it across the bite and then cover it with saran wrap to hold the heat in) several times a day. My leg continued to throb with pain. I was absolutely paranoid my whole leg was going to rot off. Granted, even though the sore was looking worse, it was NOTHING like some of the awful pictures I had seen online. A day or two after going to the doctor the pain was so bad, and it was even worse when I stood up...all I did that day was lay around and do the hot compress over and over. My husband begged me to let him pick at it but I said "NO!". I finally agreed to let him use a q-tip, not to mash or squeeze, but to try to pull the skin off the really swollen part. It hurt like ****, but I once he did that, a little later the pain did decrease. I expected a lot of stuff to come pouring out, and stuff did drain, but it was really slowly over the course of a few days. All the skin that was swollen and red began to peel (or rot?) off. It still isn't completely healed. I don't even know how long it has been (3 weeks maybe?)...but it isn't "gooey" anymore, nothing is draining anymore, and it doesn't hurt. It's kind of dry and a bit itchy at times. I took pictures a few days in a row, I don't have any from the very beginning or from the end, but I am totally about to post the few I have. I posted the warning in the title...these are kind of graphic...like I said, not near as bad as other pictures I have seen, but if you have a sensitive stomach, stop reading here :) I'm not sure if these are in exact order, and yes, you do get to see my pasty, freckle-y hip :) Also, these really do not show the variation in the shades of red, purple, and blue that spread out in rings from the bite (in person it really looked yucky) and it's also hard to tell how swollen it was, but here they are....