Sour Cream Burritos

I haven't posted a recipe in awhile, so I decided to post my good old stand-by, Sour Cream Burritos.  I'm famous in 2 churches for these!  They are even better left-over the next day.   Now, I have made these "skinny", by using fat free products, and my family threatened to stone me if I ever did that again!  I do still use fat free sour cream, though.  I serve these with refried beans, home-made salsa and chips.  Hope you enjoy them!

1 pound ground beef
3 green onions, sliced thin
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. tub of Sour Cream
 1  small can green chilis, drained
  1 package shredded cheddar cheese
    1 package burrito sized flour tortillas

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet.  When the meat is almost done, throw in the green onions and green chilis.  When the beef is done, drain it and return to skillet.  Add the soup, sour cream and about half of the cheese.  Mix well, over low heat, until the cheese is melted.  Spread a flour tortilla with a heaping wooden spoonful of the mixture and loosely roll up.  Place in a large casserole pan.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  There WILL be mixture leftover!  This is spread on top of the filled tortillas and topped with the remaining shredded cheese.  Pop into a 350 degree oven and cook until the cheese on top is bubbly. 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

47 years ago today, my parents got married.  (to each other!)  Wow.  47 years!  Can you believe that?  In an age where marriage seems disposable and divorce rates are climbing, it is so amazing and uplifting to hear of one that has survived so long!  Within a few months of their marriage, they left their familes and moved to Columbia, South Carolina and started their own family.  I made my appearance in 1964 and my little brother showed up n 1966. In 1971 or 72, we moved back to Wagoner and that's where they've been ever since.  I know from stories I've heard all my life, that they had their share of struggles.  As an adult, I've seen them face job losses and serious health problems  at a time in their lives when they are supposed to be retired and puttering in a garden or fishing somewhere.  I know they fought and got on each other's nerves at times.  I don't think you can live with someone for so long and NOT snap at them occasionally.   But I  knew, even as a child, that these "outbursts" would NOT lead to a divorce.  I was always confident that they would rise above it.  And of course they did.  They are still in love and devoted to each other.  I have seen that as they were caring for one another during their health scares.  It was reflected in their eyes, even though they didn't say a word.  It took my breath away.  Here is what I learned from watching them all my life: committment is a strong word and when you take it seriously, divorce is NOT an opition.  You work through your problems together and you "argue" every night about whose turn it is to kiss the other one good-night first. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. 

Love

Darling Daughter

She's Driving!!!

Michaela is driving.  I mean it, she really is!  Driver's Ed started this week and it's been a frenzied week spent driving her to and from Color Guard camp and  Driver's Ed.  And she wants to practice.  A LOT.  "Let me drive!" has become her mantra.  I have to admit, I have a hard time having patience with this because I want to go HOME and stay there after work.  I don't WANT to go drive along some dusty road while she practices.  I know it's important for her to practice, so I try to get over what I want to do and let her have the wheel.  She's nervous when she drives so she chatters non-stop while I sit there and say things like "mmm...scoot over, you are too close to the edge of the road" or "try not to stomp on the gas/brake pedal" or "holy cow slow down!"  Okay, I've never REALLY said holy cow slow down to her because she hasn't gotten the car over 30 miles per hour! Yet.  The first time we let her drive the car was last Sunday around the empty parking lot at our church.  She drove in loops and practiced parking between the lines.  Jake summed up my feelings about the driving thing when Michaela parked the car to get out and switch places with her Dad.  I looked back to see  him sitting stiffly in the backseat, with his arms straight down, clutching the seat.  I said "Jake, are you okay?"  He looked at me and said "Whew.  THAT was weird." 

Yeah...Jake....weird.

Mother's Day Gift

For Mother's Day this year, Jay and I made these keepsake frames for our moms.  Jay even sat down and scrapbooked with me on them.  They turned out really nicely and the moms loved them!  The question is WHO? and the answer is MY MOM.  Memories of things our moms did or said are printed on cardstock in different fonts and trimmed down.  I choose a black and white theme because that would go with either mom's house decor, so I printed the pictures in black and white, also.  We added some "bling" and embellishments along with ribbon to make it pop.

Jay even sat down and made his mom's frame, with just a little help from me.  When he was done, he asked when the next crop was so he could go!  I don't think so Tim!  That's my girl time!

Ch Ch Ch Ch CHANGES!

Wow.  This week was FILLED with changes for my family!  I'm usually FOR changes, but not one right after another.  First, I turned 46.  How did THAT happen?  Aren't I still 20something?  Yeah, in my dreams I am.  I realize that this puts me 4 years from 50.  Hello?  Isn't that MIDDLE AGE?  Don't answer that!

The next couple of big changes involve my baby boy, who really isn't a baby...he's a Tween.  He participated in the Boy Scout Arrow of Light ceremony where he crossed over from a Cub Scout to a Boy Scout.  He joined a new troop, filled with boys I do NOT know.  He'll be going camping with these young men without his dad!  How can I stop this?  Answer: I can't.  It's part of his growing up.  Then, to add insult to injury, he graduated from 5th grade, crossing over to the Middle School.  I knew this was coming.  I was head of the planning committee for the graduation ceremonies.  But it just happened so darned FAST! What happened to my "Binky Boy"?  The one who used to watch Toy Story over and over and over again? The one that used to snuggle in my lap with his binky and his blankie so I could rock him to sleep and sing Desperado to him?  The little boy who loved me to read Where the Wild Things Are to him?  The cute little boy in the Superman pajamas?  There is a book I have called "I'll Love You Forever" and it's a story about a mom and her baby boy and the changes the boy (and mom) goes through.  But through the whole book, the main point is, no matter what stage of life the boy is in, his mom's love never changes.  It always makes me cry.  This summer will be one of many new adventures for my Binky Boy. And in spite of my fear and worry, I am excited to see him take these next steps.  Jacob, I'll Love You Forever!  Mom

Happy 15th Birthday Michaela!

Today is my daughter's 15th birthday and I'm sitting here, wondering, where did the time go?  It seems like only yesterday....There are so many thoughts and feelings spinning around in my head, and I'm a bit emotional.  But I think the perfect way to celebrate her birthday would be to tell you the amazing story of just how much God blessed us in May of 1995.
..............
It took us 4 years and 2 fertility doctors to get pregnant with her.  There was a time when I thought I wasn't destined to even be a mother. I BEGGED God to let me have a baby and  I had all but given up.  Then, on my brother's 28th birthday in June of 1994, he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's lymphoma. Cancer.  I stopped begging for a baby and instead started begging for his life. I told God that I would give up my chances of a child of my own if it meant saving my baby brother's life.  Whatever my brother might need from me, be it blood, bone marrow, an organ, it was his.
On the night of my brother's biopsy, my friend, Traci, called me from work to check on him.  I said "Cancer."  She said "I'm on my way."  As she was leaving, a woman named Willie that worked with Traci said to her, "Wait. God has a message for your friend.  He said to 'tell your friend that if she will profess her faith that God will heal her brother, she will get her miracle'."  This woman knew nothing about me, not even my name.  But Traci, being one of the finest Christian ladies I know, passed that message along to me.  So, I started professing.  To anyone I knew.  Especially to my brother.  Especially to my parents.  And life went on, as much as it can with such a diagnosis hanging over our heads.  Sometime later that summer, Willie told Traci that 3 different people had come to her to tell her that Melinda was pregnant.  Traci didn't tell me that news until later, as even she was a little skeptical.  But I believe with all my heart that those 3 strangers that went to Willie were angels, because I WAS pregnant!  That Christmas, my brother and I were both so sick...he from the chemo, me from the pregnancy.  We both looked terrible that day, but I was never happier!
On May 7, 1995, after 48 hours of labor, Michaela Anne was born via C-section, weighing 11 pounds, 9 ounces with a full head of black hair!  On May 10th, my brother went to his oncologist to get the results of his scans.  He was cancer free!  I got BOTH of my miracles!

So Happy 15th Birthday, Angel Baby Girl and Happy 15 years of being cured to my baby brother!
Thank you God, for both of them!

I can't believe I let my kids do that!

Yesterday evening, my kids experienced another first...I let them walk to the convienence store by our house WITHOUT me!  If you know me, I know you are shocked.  I am overprotective and will not apologize for that.  This is a crazy world and I want my children to be safe.  They aren't allowed to play in the street, put plastic bags over their heads or dry their hair while standing in the shower.  I watch where they are surfing on the internet.  I don't allow them to watch rated R movies and I don't approve of rap music. Yes, I DO allow them out of the house!  Michaela, 15,  babysits and Jacob, 11 in June,  plays golf and baseball.  They both go to different summer camps and activities and neither of their parents are there. I let them go to public school AND ride the school bus.  And occasionally, I let them shop on a different aisle from me in a store.  If it's a SMALL store. A VERY SMALL store.   But I have NEVER let them walk to a store and cross a busy road without me holding onto their hands!
When I suggested they do it, (yes, it was even MY idea!!)  they thought I had lost my mind.  They were freaked out and wondering where their real mother was.  I ran through different scenarios, the "what would you do" things that I've been preaching to them since they were in the womb.  I told them to stay together and to watch the cars and to keep that cell phone in their hands. I hugged them and told them I loved them.  And I let them walk out the door. Without me.  My heart was racing and I couldn't breathe. I thought I was going to throw up or faint. So I prayed for their saftey and did the only thing I could think to do....I called my mommy!!!! 
My kids made it home alive and when they walked in the door, they were beaming.  They admitted to me that yes, they were nervous, but that they had prayed before they left.  I could tell that giving them that tiny bit of freedom and independance was a GOOD thing and they proved to me that they HAVE been listening to my "lectures".  Jake sat down, looked at me and said "Now you can trust us."  Yeah, I think I can. But let's take this independance thing in baby steps please!!!!  Today it's a walk to the store...tomorrow...DRIVERS ED.  Good thing I have free long distance calling to my mommy!

Carpe' diem