SHEPARD'S PIE!!!

Meal #4 turned out great and delicious and something I have wanted to try making for a very long time but was so scared as I thought I could never do it as good as my Mom. We'll I can't say if it was as good as my mom's or not but it was delicious, and pretty easy to make.

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, peeled and
cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

AND THE WINNER........

By a landslide is Marky Mark. We both thought he was going to win, as his picture really did turn out better. Even I would vote for his if I did not have my own pic in there. Thanks for all the votes and helping us feel cool.

COLORING CONTEST!!!!

A
B


So Mark and I for FHE decided to re-live the elementary school days when at Easter time you had Easter Bunny coloring contests. However, since it would not work out for us to judge it ourselves seeing as we would both vote for our own, we need the help of others. So if you want in on our fun, vote for which Easter picture you think was colored the best. You can put an A for the picture of the orange bunny and B for the picture of the grey bunny. We will reveal in one week's time who the winner is. But we both think we already know who it is.

KITTEN NEEDS HOME!!!

The other night Mark and I took the dogs for a walk when this sweet little kitten saw us and started following us home. We realized she was not going to stop so we went and knocked on a couple of homes and nobody claimed her. We thought her owners might not be home so we put her on top of a vehicle and then ran to try and get a head start and hope she would not follow us. When we crossed the tracks we must have been about 200 feet away from her and could hear her crying. We then realized something was up so we went back and she immediately came running for us once she saw us. We petted her and realized she was skin and bones and had been abandoned or lost. So we walked home and decided if she followed us we would give her a home in our garage and some food, until we could find her owners or find someone to take her. She is the sweetest kitty ever and for the mean time we have named her Sierra. We let her roam around outside during the day and then bring her into the garage at night. Since she has not left us yet we assume she was abandoned and our putting up a sign at the post office today to see if anyone will take her.

SEWING!!!!

With the help of an amazing friend, and the careful hands of a first time sewer I was able to make this cute little dress. I still can't believe it myself. I love it, it is so cute, the only down fall is that it really shows off my lower stomach issues, so I will have to wear tights that suck in your tummy when I wear it.

SPINICH IN YOUR SHAKE?

This is what my husband said as I should him my Sister-in-Law's blog post on her spinach shakes. While Amber I gave it a try and you are right, you can't even taste the Spinach. The only thing I need to change up was the Orange Juice I used. Next time I will try this Acai Berry Juice I usually use in my shakes. Thanks for the great idea. Others feel free to try it is delicious and packed full of nutrients.

1 banana
about 7 big strawberries
yogurt
ice
some kind of juice
and the all special ingredient spinach,

127 HOURS!!!

If you have not seen this movie yet, honestly go see it. It is one of the most amazing true stories I have ever heard of in my life. It makes you completely understand the phrase "With God all Things are Possible." It is without a doubt the most inspiring movie I have ever watched in my life. It isn't just about winning a game when you are the underdog, or becoming rich and famous. It is about having the will power to survive one of the most horrific accidents and doing the unthinkable. If you don't rent the movie at least go on you tube and watch Aron Ralson's story, incredible.

A DAY FOR KALINDA!!!

Today I had a weird shift at work. I worked 9-1 and then 4-8. So I decided to treat myself for those 3 hours to things that make me happy. It first started off with a lunch at Kelsey's were I devoured a shrimp sonoma valley salad, delicious by the way. Then it was off to Derma Skin Laser for my weekly Skin Rejuvenation appointment, which I am loving this was my 6th treatment and I can't believe the difference in my skin. Then I headed off to Chatters for a much needed hair cut. A little bit pricey but when your hair has not been cut since December 1st it is worth it. Then to top of my wonderful day to me I got in a good swim after work with my girlfriends. What a wonderful, amazing, perfect day.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS!!!!

I don't quit understand how they can call some of the labels for food nutritional facts. How does a quarter pounder at McDonald's, a bag of sour cherry blasters, or a package of licorice (these items are coming to me because they are things I have eaten in the past couple of weeks) have any type of Nutrition in it whatsoever. It should really be called "The crap we put in this item so you want to eat it over and over again until you feel sick and fat, and then for some strange reason want it eat it again. " I think if I read that title on a bag it would stop me from buying it, but those manufacturer's are so smart they say let's put on a bag of sour cherry blasters that it is fat free and made with real fruit juices, so then the customer says in her head, Hey fat free and real fruit juices it shouldn't be that bad for me then, ugh wrong, sorry it is. Or on the package of a Quarter Pounder box, that it is made with 100% beef, oh plus 530 calories of processed cheese, white bread, and the greasiest 100% beef ever. One day I will learn to not justify what I am buying and other put it back, or say you now what I know this is unhealthy but I am going to eat it anyways.

SHOPPING!!!

I have but one thing to say aaaaagggggggghhhhhhh!!!!! Okay actually I have a whole blog post to rant about shopping lately, that is for clothes. I am so sick of how hard it is to find something to wear that is cute and modest, especially when it comes to church clothes. Everything is to short, or to tight, or to low cut, or because I have no chest to big (like big as in if I were to bend over the whole world could see down my shirt) It makes me want to become a designer and seemstress and make all of my own clothes. Yesterday I went to Ricki's to look for a pair of dress pants for work, and I happen to lay my eyes upon the cutest dress ever, like really ever. I think it is long enough and so I try it on and immediately fall in love with it. Then I do the test you know where you sit down and see how high the skirt comes up. It was not too bad but definitely cutting it close, I think I could get away with it though, but then I bent down and the dress is so big up top that you could have thrown a basketball in it. I was so frustrated I walked out of the store and forgot to buy the pair of dress paints I needed and had to go back later to get them. I guess I am stuck to wearing skirts and blouses the rest of my life.


seriously how cute it this dress and it flattered my figure so nicely. I might try wearing a tight black shirt up top and then go try it on again and see if that looks okay. Here's hoping.