First Fish in Trout Season

Trout season started Saturday! The kids camped out at a nearby stream with their friends and the friends' parents. Michael was the first to catch a trout. He brought it home, but accidentally left it in the back of the truck with his fishing pole, so we threw it away this morning (it was kinda gross).

The driving is getting a LITTLE better

Lucas is settling down a little - he's not bouncing off the walls like he was when he first got his permit. But - we've still got issues with stop signs. If he doesn't try to run right through them - he'll slow down to about 5 mph about 30 feet ahead of time. He'll creep closer, slow down a little, then creep even closer, then slow down a little, etc. until he actually gets there.

I don't even say anything, because I know this will go away as he gets more comfortable with driving.

He's also getting pretty good at staying in his own lane. Which is a WONDERFUL thing - especially when mom is in the car freaking out.

I know THIS for sure - DAD can be the one to take him on the interstate - I'll stick to back country roads.

I'm SO Scared - LOL

A statement from today's terrifying drive home.....

I let Lucas drive home from track practice. He almost missed a stop sign today and you want to know what his excuse was?

"Oh Mom - I'm sorry - I was looking at that dog over there!"

My hands are cramped from clenching them, my eye is still twitching and I'm not sure I can handle six more months of this.

The Streets (AND SIDEWALKS) aren't safe anymore

Oh NO! My 16 year son just passed his permit test. He's now allowed to drive. Beware the hormonally-challenged teen is behind the wheel.......

Mexican Style Chicken Dish

We made this recipe last week and it was soooo good! Not only that - but it's high in protein and fiber as well as being low in fat.

Ingredients:
1 small onion - chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
About 1 1/2 to 2 pounds raw chicken - cut into bite sized cubes
1 tsp cumin (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 can black beans - rinsed and drained
1 cup chicken broth
About 8 ounces of salsa - we like the *HOT*
15 corn tortillas - cut into small strips
1 cup shredded cheese - like monterey jack or cheddar
Sour cream and additional salsa to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Sautee onion, garlic and chicken until chicken is cooked through. I added a little olive oil to the pan to prevent sticking.
Add in cumin, salt and pepper
Pour the chicken mixture into a dish, add the beans and set aside
Add broth and salsa to the pan and bring to a boil.
Let simmer for 5 minutes

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
Layer half the tortillas on the bottom of the pan.
Add half the chicken/bean mixture.
Layer the rest of the tortilla strips and then add remaining chicken.
Pour salsa/broth over the top of it all.
Top with cheese
Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Top with sour cream and salsa if desired.

Basketball Foul Shots

Basketball has started. During the game, Michael (number 10) got fouled by the opposite team. He got two free shots. I was able to capture both shots - with the ball in the air. I kind of held my breath during both shots because he sometimes does really well and sometimes misses by a mile! Well - he made both shots! I was so excited and glad I got it caught on film.

Michael made a total of 8 points in the game, but they still didn't win. The other team was very good and just outplayed us.

Winter Storm Pictures

We recently got a pretty decent winter storm. The temperature has been hovering near zero, so the ice and snow are staying. As we drove over the mountain, I noticed the ice and snow were just a little thicker, so we pulled over for a close up of the weeds on the side of the road.

In this picture, the ice is so heavy that the trees are literally bending over in half.