The Heart of the Home

Jacob has lived in our house for 5 years, and he never liked the kitchen.  It was a deep purple with a wine border around the top.  Neither of us drink and neither of us liked the color.  It was first on BOTH of our lists to re-do.

It took some time to pick the color but we both really like the blue.  Getting it together with all our new wedding gifts was also so fun!

Now this is a place I can create some love on a plate.

Beans, beans the musical fruit.....

My dad would sing me this song every time we had beans....it goes like this:

Beans, beans the musical fruit.

The more you eat the more you toot.

The more you tool, the better you feel.

Let's have beans for every meal!

 Sorry, I had to post that.  Sing it to your kids--they'll love it.

Anyway.....I love beans and always have.  It probably comes from my mom's side of the family.  When I was little, I would spend the day with my Nanny and Little Papa while my parents were at work.  Every day for lunch we had a pot of beans and cornbread.  I learned to like beans.   

It's not surprising that I made beans for one of the first meals for Jacob once we got back from the honeymoon.  Jacob grew up with "Mexican Fridays".....so I decided to combine our two histories by making black-bean quesadillas for dinner on Friday.

These are super easy to make and great for anyone on a tight budget.  

What you will need:

• Tortillas (I get the large ones)
• 1-2 cans of black beans
• Cheese (I use a 2% Mexican Blend)
• Cumin and Garlic Salt
• Butter (or spray oil)
• Toppings you like....we like tomatoes, green onion, sour cream, guac, salsa, and black olives
• Large non-stick skillet

How to make them:

• Drain and rinse the black beans.  In a small bowl, mash the beans until you get the consistency you like.  We like them where you still see some of the whole beans.  Add some water to the mixture--about 1/4 a cup or so.  Heat the mixture, add garlic salt and cumin to taste.  We like a lot of cumin.
• On one side of the tortilla, lightly spread butter (or spray oil).  (Butter taste better, but follow your own heart.)  Place butter-side down in a medium-high non-stick skillet.  Take the heated black bean mixture and spread on 1/2 of the inside of the tortilla.  Add cheese to your liking.  Fold in half.
• Press with a spatula until one side is golden and then flip to brown the other side.  Once it is browned, it is ready to eat.  I use a pizza cutter to size into wedges.  

These are super filling, yummy, cheap to make!  Let's have bean for every meal!  :)

Goodbye Norman, Hello Kansas

I had this quote in my office.  I thought it was appropriate for new freshmen that sometimes hang on to the past "good thing."  Today it applies to me too.  

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

In the fall of 1995, I arrived at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.  I went pot-luck with roommates and really didn't know a soul there.  My home town had about as many people as I had in my new freshmen class.

Like it was yesterday, I can remember thinking Norman was SO BIG.  I couldn't remember how to get anywhere but to my car to the road to my hometown.

That was 16 years ago.

Today all my earthly possessions are packed into a truck.  Tomorrow my soon-to-be-husband, my mom, Mick (my dog), and I are driving to Kansas to move me into my new home.  My new life.

Norman, I will miss you.  You've been good to me.  You've become home.  But I have a new beginning that is waiting for me.  And I cannot wait to start the journey. 

Shower of Love From my Hometown

I had an amazing weekend and wedding shower in Marlow this weekend.  I am so blessed to have so many people in my life that love me. 

Many of the hostesses have literally known me my whole life....and they were a large part of who I became as a women.  It's times like these that remind me again the importance of relationships.

My call is to touch others lives.  I have been given so much by others, and I want to continue to be the kind of person that gives my life to those that cross my path.

And the envelope please.....

Invitations are ready for the mail!  Woo Hoo!

Mick's first trip to Kansas

We know in a couple months that Mick (my dog) and Rowdy (Jacob's dog) will become doggy-brother-and-sister.  Jacob brought Rowdy to Norman, and it was a very good first meeting.  So this weekend I decided to bring Mick with me to visit his new home.

Overall, the dogs get along great.  Mick can't get the hang of all the stairs just yet, but he will get there.  We think they are soooooo cute together!

New friends:

Stop and Smell the Roses

Three years ago today, I lost my precious Daddy. 

His death came at the end of the hardest year of my life.  The following year was also difficult--trying to find my footing again without him in my world.  There were times that I wondered if things would ever be good for me again.

But they did improve.  Time began to heal. 

God brought Jacob into my life in September of 2010, and we will be married in a couple months.  Man, how I wish my dad could have met Jacob.  He would have loved him.

Today I am with Jacob in Kansas, and he said he had a surprise for me.  We went outside and he had a rosebush that he wanted to plant in memory of my dad.  He wanted me to choose the spot at his house (soon to be OUR house).   The spot I picked had a plant, but Jacob eagerly dug it up and moved it so my rose bush is right in front of the house where we can see it every day.

I love you daddy.  I miss you. 

I love you Jacob.  You are the love of my life.  I'm so thankful for you.