Enchilada Soup

The last few weeks I've been throwing things in the crock pot and hoping for the best. Tonight it was a mish-mash of chicken and mexican stuff. 2 Chicken Breasts, canned olives w/jalapeno, can of rotel tomatoes (hot), can of roasted green chilies whole, and a can of enchilada sauce. Usually I use frozen chicken but I thawed it last night and never cooked it so I had to cook it today, the chicken was done after 4 hours on high, I imagine if it were frozen it would have been at least 2 more hours. I topped it with some strips of pepper jack cheese.

It turned out spicier than I thought it would, but still very good. There is enough for at least 4 people.
I shared mine with some stouffer mac and cheese, (made in the oven, as it should be) and dinner was fantastic!
How I did it:

2 chicken breasts

1 can enchilada sauce

1 small can of olives with jalapeno

1 small can of whole green chilies

1 can of rotel tomatoes Hot

all contents into crock pot on high for 4 hours, after 4 hours I spooned out the chicken and shredded it in a bowl, I also took out the green peppers and cut them down, this would have been easier had I done it prior to cooking. Then I added peppers and chicken back and stirred it up. I served in a bowl with some pepper jack cheese on top.

This would have been very good with a crunchy bread, or even rice.

Also in other news, I saw another praying mantis yesterday. More good luck!

I should be doing dishes....

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

September 2000 I was fresh out of High School, I think I was working for Long Realty, Driving the courier Truck. I was living in an apt on with my (now ex) boyfriend. I think in general I was mostly being a rebellious youth.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

1. gym
2. dishes
3. clean floor of knitting room
4. pick up computer room
5. laundry

3) Snacks I enjoy:

• pickles
• chips and salsa
• popcorn
• cucumbers and taziki sauce

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

• I would finish school and travel around to National Parks educating and working with the Parks. I would also travel abroad every chance I got, Australia, China, India, Japan, Europe, Africa. Lots of travel.

5) Places I have lived:

• Tucson, Az

• Chicopee, Ma

• Okinawa, Japan

6) Jobs I have had:

• food prep
• babysitter
• motorcycle sales & service
• courier
• pizza delivery
• receptionist
• cashier
• retail manager
• retail merchandiser

How many doggies do you count?

one?

or is it two?
there's the sleepy Aiko peeking out from under the blanket!

The Junkyard

I always complain when Paul drags me to a junkyard. But part of me enjoys it, if only for a few minutes (until I get hot).

I think it's cool how they stack the cars up, they look like they will topple over but they dont'.

I know it's morbid, but I look for gore, when people get in car accidents they bleed, and they loose arms and fingers. I think it would be neat to find a finger.

but I never find anything gory. Just dirty junk.

and lots of tires.

and cute junkyard cats.

The View

I've started jogging almost daily. I took my camera with me one day because I love the things I see.

This is what Paul likes to call "jungle nom" the jungle is working on taking back the island in some parts, like here where it has swallowed a chain link fence and is working down the wall.

here you can see partly down the hill, and the jungle continues to nom...
Japanese people have lots of plants, lots and lots of plants.
Here the jungle is nomming the houses.
shisa
one always has an open mouth and one has a closed mouth
Dragon fruit plant
Dragon Fruit
That's some of the neato stuff I get to see every day.

Misc Picture Updates

Before Paul left, we went to the Kokusai St. Eisa festival.

It was really neat. (considering I was really hungover)

Then we walked fifty hundred miles trying to get home because we wanted to leave early before our bus. We couldn't figure out what city bus we were supposed to be on, and we kept missing them, and we couldn't get a cab. So we walked. And walked. And walked. Along the way I found a machine made special for my favorite tea!

I also dyed my hair pink!

And got a pretty dress from my mom.

Renji got neutered in early August.

he was very sad

and he yelled at me for taking his balls

But Aiko still loved me.

Aiko also had her birthday September 11th and she got a pretty purple collar.

And Renji has since forgiven me for the balls thing.

for Aiko's birthday him and her got harnesses and leashes, his is blue, hers is pink.

and he makes kissy faces all the time.

(i really wish the picture wasn't blurry)

Hemlock Ring Blanket

A few weeks ago I finished knitting not only my first lace project, but my first project in over a year. The Hemlock Ring Blanket (ravelry link) Brooklyntweed I think first published it as a blanket, and TheRaineySisters have a corrected version of the pattern and chart in PDF file

The pictures don't do it justice.

Since then I've started a Noro Striped Scarf, but It's still a WIP

Noro Striped Scarf (Rav Link)

Good luck on the horizon

So I'm a little supersticious and some things get to me more than others. Black cats don't mean anything to me, but these guys, Praying Mantis? They are awesome, I'm not sure where it comes from but they are good luck. Good things will happen. Hopefully the luck holds out for a few months, to get us to Montana.

She is so pretty. I've seen quite a few around the house over the last year or so. This one wasn't the biggest but it was really neatly marked on the arms.

PCS News

I may do more than one post today so bear with me.

Paul left for recruiters school a few weeks ago, today we got our assignment,

RSS- Salt Lake City, Ut

RS- Great Falls, Mt

PSC- Helena, Mt

It may change, but as of right now we are going to Helena, Montana!

I'm very excited, but I just found this:

http://www.montanapictures.net/helena_montana_winter_tour_two.htm

That's a picture taken in the middle of winter. SNOW! GAH! I'm a little scared.

Then I saw this:

Go To Link

Breathtaking. Hard to believe that will be my view in 3 months.