Menu...Tuesday

I hope your past weekend was full of family, friends, and relaxation.  That's the perfect weekend at the Torres household.  Given an opportunity to tour the world or spend time with friends and family relaxing, well, we'd choose friends and family relaxing.  And now I'm totally lying out my wa-zoo.  I love to travel.

Traveling or not, I have a menu for this week minus a Monday. Monday doesn't count because I'm fairly certain you already ate your Monday meal.  I know, call my a psychic.  I'm just that smart.

Tuesday-Dijon Crumb Chicken, Fresh Green Beans, Fruit Salad
Wednesday-Tater Beef Bake with Spiced Honey Butterflake Rolls
Thursday-Breakfast for Dinner
Friday-Hot Dogs, Spring Potato Salad, Garden Salad
Saturday-Grilled Baslamic Chicken, Spinach Strawberry Salad, Corn on the Cob
Sunday-Mom?  Can we come over...puh-lease?

Happy Memorial Day

Since I'm 99.9% sure you're grilling out today, I'm going to post our menu tomorrow.  We've had a jam packed weekend full of life altering activities.  You know us.  We're a real serious family.  So while you were busy lounging at the lake, ocean, or pool, we were busy doing this...

{The All American Pie Eating Contest}

And this...

{Little Miss enjoying the rushing stream created by our fire department spray down}

And this...

{A family trip to see Kung Fu Panda 2}

In all seriousness, we've been enjoying our long weekend together with family and friends.  Wishing you the same.  See ya' tomorrow.



I Just Peed

When I was preggo with Little Man, I would sit in his room rocking back and forth in the glider imagining what it would be like the first time we brought him home and showed him his room.  I would sit in there every single day.  Even days away from having him, I still sat and there, rocking and praying for every aspect of his life.  From becoming pregnant with him to the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, it was a struggle.  I'll share more about that next week, because this post is getting too sentimental.  I have a funny story to tell you.

Soooo, no one tells you that you lose all of your muscles that hold your pee in after you have a baby.  Let me rephrase that...No One Told Me.  No one.  This is a very important part to this story. 

As Steven and I walked in our little teeny tiny home holding a barely 7 lb baby, that we were unsure if we would have or not in the beginning, we were both emotional.  Like any first time parents, we had the video camera out.  Steven walking slowly ahead of me capturing every cotton pickin' introduction we made to Little Man. 

Little Man, this is your kitchen.
Little Man, this is your living room.
Little Man, this is your bathroom.
Little Man, this is your doggie.
Little Man, this is your room.

Um yeah.  That's where it happened.  I had spent so many nights sitting in his room that when the actual moment arrived I became so overcome with emotions.  I started to cry.  Bad idea.  Really bad idea.  Crying takes some stomach muscles.  Stomach muscles can also force your pee out when you don't have the muscles to hold your pee in because you just pushed out a 7lb 6oz baby out your wahoo.  I peed right then and there.  Yep, peed my pants so bad that it not only soaked me, but soaked the carpet.  I couldn't stop.

You think this is the worst of it, but it's not.  Since I am unaccustomed to peeing my pants, I was shocked.  Through the tears, I said, "Oh my gosh.  I just peed my pants."  Steven, the videographer, turns the camera to me as I'm trying cross my legs to hold it in. I am screaming for him to turn off the stupid camera and grab that baby so I can figure out what to do next.

You think THAT is the worst part?  It's not.  A few weeks go by and Steven's family comes over.  They want to see the homecoming video.  Call it exhaustion, mommy brain, or sheer insanity, but for some reason I had totally forgotten about my pee-pee escapade.  I pull out the dvd, pop it in, and go in the other room to feed Little Man.  Twenty minutes later, I come back in the living room so I can watch the rest.  Another bad idea.  I see me on tv standing in Little Man's room.  Frantically, I'm scrounging for the remote. Too late.  My whole family saw it.  Me, peeing my pants and yelling for Steven to turn off the camera.  That was it.  My BIL (Steven's twin brother) was on the floor rolling.  Being the sensitive, caring man that he is, he rewinds it at least 100 times and laughs over and over.

I have to admit, it was funny.  Maybe not then, but it's funny now.  Thankfully, I have control over my pee again.  I mean, who wants to have friend who pees every time she cries or laughs?  It has taken me almost 4 years to share this story.  Maybe in another 4 years I'll let you see the video too.  MAYBE.

So let this be a lesson to you.  Don't let your husband video you peeing your pants.  It's not pretty. With that said, I hope you all have a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. A weekend free of pee pee pants.

Just Me

I, Amanda Torres, have a lot of sides to my personality.  So I thought I'd give you a short introduction to my many layers.  You know, so when you read the various topics on this blog you will know that it is just me who writes this stuff, and not fifty different people.  You'd better get your notepads out 'cause this is going to be long, and you will want to take notes.

I Am a Thinker

This is my thinking face.  Steven sees this a lot.  Always, always, always I have a thought floating in my head.  I obsess over decisions.  This drives Steven crazy.  I can't make a single choice without thinking and thinking and thinking about the best possible solution.  I get this from my mother. 

This particularity causes problems when I've finally reached a decision and Steven wants to deviate from my plan.  Since I have put so much thought into my final decision, it's nearly impossible to get me to change my mind.  I have yet to decide if this is a positive or negative quality about me.  That's gonna' take some thought.

I Am a Jokester

I'll be real honest here.  I think I am funny.  I laugh at my own jokes.  I say things at inappropriate times.  I'm sarcastic.  I kid most of the day.  I catch people off gaurd.  I think this is the one part of me that takes people by surprise.  I am not prim and proper.  I've only become aware that some of my acquaintances think this about me.  However, if I can crack a joke or point out the obviously funny moments in life, I will.  What can I say?  I like to laugh. 

I Am a God's Girl

Sound a little contradictory to the Jokester Me?  It's not.  It's just who I am.  God created me this way.  There's a lot of parts of me that need to change, but not the jokester in me.  You don't have to give up all the parts of you to be a Christian, just the stuff that needs to change.  I love God.  I love my church.  I love how the changes God brings me in life make me better.  I'm not sure I'll ever be the straight laced Bible carrying preacher woman, but I will share my story.  I will share what God has done and continues to do for me.  Well, I'll share after I've thought long and hard about the best way to share, and there will be a few jokes thrown in the mix.

I Have Not Always Been a Giver

Shocker, I know.  As much as I encourage others to give, I have not always been a giver myself.  Steven and I have always paid our tithe to our church, but that was it.  During the holiday season we'd donate to the Angel Tree, but my heart wasn't always in the right place.  It was just another thing to check off the list.  Even now I am often reminded that I can always give more.  Give more of my time.  Give more of my resources.  Give more of my finances.  I don't think I'll ever be done learning how to give.  I'm a work in process.

I Am a Huge Muli-Tasker 

More than once I've been asked, "How do you get it all done?"  My only answer is, "It's a curse."  I cannot focus on just one task start to finish.  If there is ever a down moment, I have to fill it.  Even with this blog, when I'm waiting for pictures to upload, or I'm stuck on an idea, I always have something else next to the computer to fill my unused time.  Even if it's for a minute.  Honestly, I function better when I have a long list tasks to complete.  It motivates me to get busy.

There are so many other parts to me, but that's it for today.  I can't go on revealing all of my glorious sides in one post.  That would put my awesomeness over the edge. See, I told you I was sarcastic!

Poppy Seed Chicken Bake

I have no idea what is going on with my blog host, but it's driving me crazy.  I couldn't access my 'dashboard' in order to even write a post and the posts haven't been posting in the mornings when they're scheduled.  I promise I'm not getting lazy over here.  If I were, you know I'd tell you.  Instead I'm pulling out my own hair trying to work around the issues.  By the time I figure it out, I will more than likely have a few bald patches.  That's not going to be pretty.

Despite another issue to add to my long list, I have a recipe for you today.  One of Steven's favorites.

Poppy Seed Chicken Bake
4 cooked chicken breast shredded
2 sleeves of Ritz Vegetable Snack Crackers, crushed
1-1/2 sticks of butter, melted
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz cream cheese (you can use sour cream)
1 cup cheddar cheese

• In a small bowl, combine melted butter, crushed Ritz crackers, and poppy seeds.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked shredded chicken, mushroom soup, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese.
• Line the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan with the 1 cup of the cracker mixture.
• Pour chicken mixture on top.
• Top with remaining cracker mixture.
• Bake @ 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. (30 minutes warms it up, but 45 is even better)

In my picture, I used all the butter, cracker, and poppy seed mixture on the bottom.  It gives it a thicker 'crust'.  Then I topped it with crushed Ritz crackers by itself.

Happy Cooking! 

Couponing For A Cause

I've often talked about how to reach some of your financial goals through couponing, but there's really a bigger purpose for using your hard earned money wisely.  Giving.  We live on such a fixed income, that handing out cash can sometimes be difficult.  Even though we believe that you can't outgive God (Malachi 3:10-11), we still try to get creative in the manners in which we give.

Couponing is one way that my family is able to give immediately.  We have a small stockpile of items (not extreme).  I maintain a stockpile for two reasons.  Reason #1:  It keeps me from paying full price later on when I need an item.  Reason #2:  When circumstances arise, I shop my own unused items and donate.

{Photo from ABC News: AP}

As Steven and I watched the footage of the devastation from a massive tornado in Joplin, MO my heart sank.  Parents with their little children walking in the rain with no where to go, nothing to eat, no shoes, no way to get out of town until the light of day arrives 10 hours later.  I can't even imagine what that would be like.

Right now my stockpile is not large, and I'm wishing I was a hoarder like on Extreme Couponing so I could unleash a HUGE stockpile on these people.  Since I don't, I'm asking for your help.  Joplin, MO is so close to us, there are many organizations that are making 'runs' up to the area.  Please, please, please pull your extra items and give.  You will bless others in a time of need, and in return you will be blessed...

Luke 6:38 Give and it shall be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Seriously, I have lived this.  My life is this verse.  In a time where we make less money than we did when we were first married, we see the benefits and rewards of being a giver.  Not giving actually frightens me.  For the measure you use, it will be measured to you...I don't want people to be stingy with me, so I don't want to be stingy with others.  Strangers or not.  Go ahead.  Try out this giving stuff.  You'll love it.

Menu Monday

This is one of those weeks where your thankful for good friends, family, and neighborhood simply because they provide you dinner.  It's the little things in life that appease me.  I also like large sums of money, so feel free to throw some my way.  Seriously.  When writing out your check, you spell million M-I-L-L-I-O-N...just trying to help you out.  You know me, Mrs. Helpful!

Back to the matter at hand, dinner.  Three nights this week, I will not be cooking dinner.  Nope, not I.  I will be wined and dined by the Casa de Torres, Casa de Jones, and our neighborhood block party.  Feel free to check out other weekly menus under the 'Menu' label in the right hand column for more ideas.  Ya' know, in case you've actually have to prepare all your meals this week.

Monday-Ultimate Club Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries, and Fruit Salad
Tuesday-Dinner @ Rene and Lindsay's (Casa de Torres)
Wednesday-Hamburgers and Chips with Pineapple Salsa
Thursday-Grilled Chicken, Mac-N-Cheese, Spinach Salad with Peppers and Feta Cheese
Friday-Dinner @ the Jones' (Thank you, Jamie)
Saturday-Annual Block Party
Sunday-Bacon Chicken Roll-Ups, Zucchini Cakes, Steamed & Broiled Asparagus

I hope you have a wonderfully blessed week.  I know I will.  When you expect great things (like million $ checks), you get great things.  I'm expecting great things for you too.  So here's to a mailbox full of surprises.  Who knows, you might just get a little surprise just like I received from JLP.  Thank you JLP for blessing me!