Another week.....

So, I'm spending a lot of time on the computer, but not a lot of time blogging.  I think the biggest reason for that is that I just don't have a lot to write about.  :)  But I realized that I can write about my experiments with food - and I even have a couple of pictures to share!

Last Friday night I attempted a "spicy white bean turkey stew" (only I used chicken.)  It started out SO well - smelled SO good - and then - it got really, really stinky.  My entire house smelled like B.O. and it continued to smell like that for hours.  According to some friends on facebook, the odor was likely due to my use of cumin in the stew - but holy toledo - it stunk!  The actual stew did not smell like B.O. when actually eating it, and while it did not taste BAD, it's not on our list of things to eat again.  :)

I did not sleep well at all on Friday, so I was very tired on Saturday.  We went to a birthday party for a little girl that is the daughter of two of our close friends.  We had some good conversation, good food, and helped to celebrate this precious little life.  :)  Our friends Brian and Lisa were told they would never be able to have children - but we pleaded and prayed and believed that one day they would.  I remember the exact moment one night when praying for Lisa that it was impressed upon my heart that it would happen.  I just KNEW it.  She found out she was pregnant on Matt and I's wedding day.  :) Their little girl is now a year old and they have another little bundle on the way in a few months!!! We are so excited for them!

When we left the party, we went to the grocery store and then came home and crashed.  I think that was the night I discovered "lostpedia.com" and was engrossed in reading about LOST theories and such for quite a while.  The last season starts next week!  Woo!  I must have watched Wheel of Fortune that night as well, as my facebook status indicated that "I remember Wheel of Fortune before RSTLNE were gimmie letters in the bonus round."  Heh.

Speaking of facebook - I really am a fan.  I love that I have been able to keep up with/reconnect with folks from my past.  And I love looking at the pictures of people's families and lives.  I was recently found by my old clogging teacher from years and years ago and I could not have been more excited!  Her finding me has opened the doors to finding several of my old teammates that I spent years clogging and traveling alongside of.  Memory lane, indeed.  :)

I kept the toddler nursery at church on Sunday - I only had 3 toddlers and one infant that became attached to me.  :)  Fun times.  I really enjoy toddlers - actual babies kind of intimidate me, but toddlers I can get along with quite well.  In fact, come the end of March, Matt and I are going to be teaching the pre-school Sunday School class!  :)  Should be interesting...

I spent the rest of Sunday making earrings while watching the Purina Dog Challenge finals from this summer.  My dog, Neema, hardly ever pays attention to TV.  But she watches the agility, weave pole, and frisbee competitions with much enthusiasm.  She's almost more fun to watch than the dogs on TV!  A little tiny Australian Cattle Dog won the small dog agility competition and it made me sad that Neema loves agility (we've never been formally trained or competed or anything even close) and soon she will not be able to do it.  Her eyesight has been deteriorating for years and is getting worse.  I'm actually super thankful that she can still see at all.  The ophthalmologist predicted she would be completely blind by our wedding which was nearly two years ago!  I wish she could stay visual forever - she does love playing frisbee so. 

Sunday night we missed most of our small group (the time had been moved and we forgot!) and then we attended our church's annual meeting.  I have always attended these meetings - for I so respect how our church handles it's business.   :)

We are now getting back to the food aspect of things.  Monday I actually felt better than I have in months!  I ran a few errands and then enjoyed the sunshine! Woo!  I celebrated by spending a little time in the kitchen.  I was actually on the phone with my best friend while making this dish - indicating it's simplicity and my multi-tasking ability.  :)  I present to you "mexican skillet."

It was actually quite yummy and definitely a dish I'll make again.  :)  And yes, mom, those are tomatoes and yes, I ate them.  :)  I felt so good that night and had such a good day that I treated myself to some decaf coffee and some biscotti.  Yum.  Who needs Starbucks???

I have not felt AS good throughout the rest of the week - but was surprised and really really touched to get a phone call from Dr. Sawyer on Tuesday.  He said he was just thinking about me and wondered how I was doing.  :)  I was SO worried that when I changed doctors that he would be upset with me.  He really is one of the finest physicians I have ever worked with.  He genuinely cares about me.  :)  He was shocked and awed to learn of my Babesia infection - he said that he's never heard of someone having that infection outside of the New England area.  I told him that I had a dog as a patient once that had a Babesia infection (I think I still have the blood smear somewhere to prove it) and that the dog had never been outside of VA.  Ergo - our ticks DO carry it.  Though it's rare.  He said that information really forces him to open up his line of thinking about tick borne disease.  I am to follow up with him after my appointment with Dr. M in February.

I worked on our taxes most of the day on Tuesday - but hit several snags and was unable to finish them.  At the frustration of not being to mark a project off of my 'to do' list, I stayed up till midnight working on a project for work that I've been trying to finish.  I have been working on it every day and though it's still not DONE, I was able to go to bed that night with a least a small sense of accomplishment.  :)

Wednesday was another work stuff day - followed by a trip to Costco.  :)  I got all of our honeymoon pictures printed out so now I can start scrapbooking.  Hurray!

Today was gorgeous outside.  Sunny and warm, and windy!  BUT - I was able to clean the leaves out of the gutters (finally!) and Matt and I moved a couple of large piles of leaves left over from the fall.  We were gone so much during 'leaf' season that we were unable to get rid of them.  And since the beginning of December we have had so much rain and SNOW that it has just had to be undone.  We got some of it done today - with more snow on the way.  It will likely be March before all of those leaves are gone.   I'm ready to move out of the woods!

I guess that it's from me.  Nothing terribly exciting, like I said. But I'm resting and taking my meds and being a good patient.  Though climbing on ladders and being on the roof are probably not part of my doctor's orders.......           :)