Updates Galore! (and a chance to win Lightroom or Photoshop!)

1. I went and came back from a week long all-girls vacation in Hawaii (Maui).
2. I have been setting up our house for Christmas, despite having two furry helpers (one of which I found sitting in the Christmas tree.
3. I have my Christmas shopping done!
4. I have had three interviews for a job that I would really really like to get. I find out on monday.
5. I am resolving to write on this more frequently. Whether that be recipes, random thoughts, complaints etc.
6. If you want a chance to win a copy of Lightroom 2 go here.
7. If you want a chance to win a copy of Photoshop Elements go here.

8. Watch for a shortbread post coming soon!!!

You Capture

So I decided to try this whole thing out... I found this initially through my friend/fellow blogger, Allison (if you don't read her, you should. She is hilarious. And has an adorable baby).

So... Here is my first You Capture post brought to you by I Should Be Folding Laundry. (Which, incidentally, I should be doing, but instead I am watching my little nanny boy who has been home sick from daycare this week with the swine flu. Pardon. H1N1.) I figure trying this out when I have a free choice is a nice and easy way to ease into this.

These couple pictures are from a little session that my sister-in-law and I did for a friend of hers.

Anyone who has Children...

http://resolved2worship.xanga.com/715041187/about-boys-and-other-things/

go read that. It is AMAZING.

addition to our house!

no, not a pregnancy... we got another cat! Meet Miss Taggart aka Dagny aka Micro Cat aka Peanut aka Meowenator. ;l...................... (that was courtesy of our first cat, Fjord - not too bad for feline typing skills).

She is 2.2 pounds of fearless kitten. She thinks she can take Fjord on. Sometimes she is right (typed as Fjord skitters spastically from her door out to the living room). She loves people and love Fjord. She would play all day if we let her. Fjord groomed her this morning for about three minutes. That was all she could take before batting him in the face and taking off like a bullet.

Tonight is my sister's birthday party. At our house. My house is messy. Thus, I need to go clean it.

hot damn

Brett Favre is good.

Black Bean Feta Tacos and Photoshop...

Delicious, delicious, delicious! Even my meat loving husband thought these were swell. And he hates feta. I found these at Smitten Kitchen and modified to suite my tastes.

2 cans black beans

1 tbsp. cumin

2 tsp. garlic salt

olive oil

juice of 1 lime

red pepper flakes

1/2 cabbage, chopped

1 carrot, shredded

2 green onions, chopped

fresh cilantro, washed and chopped

feta cheese

Franks Lime/Chili hot sauce

flour tortillas

Rinse and drain the black beans. Place beans in bowl. Mix in cumin and garlic salt while slightly mashing the beans.

In a separate bowl, mix lime juice and oil oil until it emulsifies. Stir in a couple shakes of dried red pepper flakes. Add cabbage, carrot, green onions, and cilantro. Mix. Set aside.

Heat a skillet on medium heat with a little oil (I use coconut oil... whole other post on that). Place desired amount of bean mixture in tortilla. Fold. Cook tortilla on both sides until crunchy and beans heated through (approx 1-2 min/side). Remove from skillet. Add the cabbage mixture, feta, and hot sauce. Enjoy!

I promise these are tasty... my husband made fun of me until he ate one. Then he proclaimed (although not too loudly - he thinks vegetarians are a little odd) that they were 'pretty good and filling.' That would be a resounding 'Yes HONEY! These are delicious.' At least the way I read it. Low fat, cheap, and delicious!

Now he is hanging our artwork in our living room as we wait for our friend to arrive. He had to work late. Very late. And talk on the phone for 5 hours.

Here are some of the shots from yesterday's endeavor.

Weekend of Fun

So this weekend was very busy, but full of so much fun. Friday consisted of a coffee/house/banana bread/sandwich party with OBaby and Mrs. O. Then, my sister and I went and looked at paint chips. If you see her, tell her that the house won't look like sesame street if she uses bright colors. She is afraid of it always being a 'Sunny day.' I told her not to worry, but I don't think she is quite sold yet.

but this weekend was tremendously fun because we had GUESTS! My two girlfriends from wheaton came and visited me. I love my little Natalie (the manatee) and Jaime so much! We hit up the state fair - their first ever state fair - complete with cheese curds, malts from the dairy barn, mini donuts, and fresh french fries. Yum! After the fair, I introduced them to the gargantuan that is the Mall of America. Not too bad for a Saturday afternoon. It was a success.

Sunday was time for partying on Lake Minnetonka - courtesy of cousin Quinn turning NINE. Tubing, boating, fishing, swimming, and EATING (mmm zestar apples from the apple house!) lots of delicious things.

Monday the girls took off, and we played dinner hosts to Jon and his girlfriend (whom we had met once before, at our wedding... didn't really remember her all that much). After a terribly difficult round of extreme croquet, we all pitched in to make tacos for dinner. An intense game of NERTS followed. The evening was topped off with Apple Cinnamon doughnuts from a local apple orchard.

All in all, I would say the weekend was a smashing success - complete with dirty dishes and laundry that has accumulated. Now I need to get down to business about losing some weight... this weekend was a food hiatus. :)