Family

A lot of you know how important my family is but some of you do not "know" my family. So I thougth I would post a few pictures and explanations of why my family is so special. 

First: 

Dik---my husband of 26 years.

  

What can I say about the man who stole my heart. We met at ACU right after I turned 18 years old. I was sweet 18 and never been kissed. Did not date in high school. Had dated one other person at ACU, who ended up being a wonderful friend and more like a big brother. When he saw Dik and I together he said "I think you should marry him".  It was his eyes that I first noticed. Then his smile. This picture still melts me. :) 

We dated for two WEEKS and then did not speak for two YEARS. All because of "other people". But through a lot, alot, A LOT of prayer, God brought us back together, my junior year. I prayed, on my birthday, at the beginning of the semester that all I wanted for my birthday 

was for Dik to talk to me. Well there I was in the student center and he walked right up to me. We ended up living blocks apart and he showed up at my house one day. God gave me the greatest blessing. We were married after my Sr. year in June. What a wonderful day. I would do it all over again, every minute. I have had a wonderful 26 years and pray for another 26 to go with it. 

Our Family Picture in 2001

Dik Baptizing our son. 

Us on a ski trip

Dik and Collin

Us at Central Park

Dik's 50th Birthday last November

Next to come---Brenna--our first born. 

Weight Watcher Dinner

Hey for anyone on Weight Watchers, I made a dinner tonight and it was GREAT!! Even Collin liked it!!! So here are the recipes. I would love for anyone who hsa a great Weight Watcher recipe to let me know!!! Thanks!!

Easy Enchilada CasseroleS

5 Points Per Serving

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups each: tomato sauce and enchilada sauc I used tomato sauce and picante sauce

1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans and juice

12 corn tortillas

3 cups grated fat-free cheddar cheese (10 oz.)

1/4 cup sliced black olives

In a large, heavy skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, brown ground turkey and chopped onion over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Add tomato sauce, enchilada sauce and beans with juice. Heat until simmering. Put a layer of meat sauce in a large casserole sprayed with nonstick spray. Add a single layer of 3 tortillas. Add another layer of meat sauce. Cover with 1/4 of the cheese and olives. Repeat three more layers of 3 tortillas, meat sauce, cheese and olives. Bake in a preheated 325º oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until hot.Serves 10.Per serving: 266 cal. (22% from fat); 24.4 g protein; 6.5 g fat (0.78 g sat.); 26.5 g carbo.; 1,021 mg sodium; 33 mg chol.; 6.7 g fiber.Exchanges: 2 1/2 lean meat, 11/2 bread.

Dessert: APPLE PIE!!!!

Was POINTS® Value: 9Now POINTS® Value: 4Servings: 8Preparation Time: 25 minCooking Time: 50 minLevel of Difficulty: Moderate Part pie, part cobbler, this dish is a must for fall parties and get-togethers.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, chilled and cut up

2 Tbsp water, or more if necessary

4 medium apple(s), McIntosh, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup uncooked old fashioned oats

5 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF.To make the crust, combine 1 cup of flour and 2 teaspoons of sugar in a large bowl or food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of chilled margarine and process (or mix together with your fingers if you do not have a food processor) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and process or mix until a manageable dough forms. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Pinch the edges to form a decorative rim; set aside.To make the filling, combine apples, 1/4 cup of sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl; toss to coat apples. Arrange mixture in prepared piecrust.To make the topping, combine oats, 5 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and melted margarine in a small bowl; sprinkle over apples.Bake until apples are tender and crumb topping is golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

Cancun and some peace of mind!!!

What a great time we had. Six days and five nights of--------nothing but relaxation and peace. Hungry??? Lots of restaurants to choose from-------thirsty????? EVEN COKES (or Pepsi, orange, 7-up) are free!!!!!! It was niiiiice. I read two and a half books, got a little sun, got a little (little) tan. (I wore a lot of sunscreen).

The food?? The first day we went to the "normal dining area". Dik got some eggplant, which he loves and the rest of the time---he was sick!! Oh great. Threw up the first night---and then diarrhea the rest of the time. Uhh we did not go back there!!! We went to the Italian restaurant and BINGO---the spaghetti was out of this world!!! As good as the place we go in NYC!!! We had spaghetti three times while we were there!!! It was that good. We ate breakfast there every day. We went to teh steak house---uhhhh we did not eat it. After all---we live in TEXAS---the steak capital!!! It just did not come close. We ate at the seafood place. Dik had the seafood plate and it looked really good. Shrimp---uh yeah!!! I got the duck and it was so so. The dessert??? Scrumptious!!! Wish I could have had it for an appetizer, meal and dessert!!! The last night we had chinese---YUMMMM. Shrimp again!!! It was really really good!!! It is just nice to look at a menu and not think---hmmm what should we split---or what is the cheapest (for those of you who KNOW us--ha).

We bought a painting there a guy did. It is on a rectangle tile. It is beautiful. Wherever we go we try to buy some type of art. We got t-shirts for everyone of course, what else do you buy??? ha.

All in all--it was a great time. We could have stayed another week, I think. But it was long enough for me to get my sanity back. :)

Tomorrow--we go to the lake for Labor day. Brenna and John will be there and a friend of Bren's with an 18 month old little girl. Yay!! Brenna and John should be getting a baby or child in September. Their home class is the first part of September and then they are free!! YAY!! I can't wait!!!

God bless you all---
Angie

New Post

Ok--I really am tired of seeing my broken tooth, black eye, etc on my blog--so I thought it was time to put up a new post.

I cannot believe that it is August. Time flies by. Not fast enough for Brenna and John. They still do not have any foster kids and we all are really getting anxious. I am ready to be a Nonnie and Dik is ready to be a Poppy to whoever comes into our lives. We have bought Winnie the Pooh everything we can think of. It has been so much fun.

Taco Casa land is closed but we are waiting for the final plans to give the contractor to start building. We are ready for that part of our lives to start.

We had a wondeful vacation to New Hampshire, Maine, Niagara Falls and Vermont in June, and this is horrible---but I am ready for a vacation. We went, went, went here, there, everywhere. We had a fabulous time but I am in need for just some rest and relaxation. So we are going to Cancun in 12 days. I found a great deal on line and the airplane tickets alone would have cost what we are getting 5 nights, all inclusive, plus airfare and transfers from the airport!! So it will really be good for both of us to sit, watch the water and do nothing but read and maybe Dik can work on his book that is 21 years in the making. Our brains have been going nonstop with my mom moving here (I have not lived by my mom for 30 years. They lived in Colorado mostly and we would see them 1-2 times a year, so now it is an adjustment for all of us to have her here and in our every day lives. She has her own house), Taco Casa, transcription, teaching bible classes, Collin being home and transferring to MSU, bible studies and so on and so on. So due to my history of anxiety attacks/panic disorder and Dik's stress reactions of PVCs and stomach problems, we need an escape.

I am going to post some of our best pictures from our first vacation.
Hope all is well with my blog friends.
Much love-----

We bought Maple syrup from this man who makes it.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE..........

So I thought I was going to jog and get healthy

Oh--why could I not just leave well enough alone? So I could not go up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. So---I have a lot of stress and anxiety attacks and getting in shape might help. I never expected trying to get in shape to lead to this.
(this looks good today
MUCH BETTER)
And this:

(this is actually today)
And this:(this was the morning it happened (7:30 a.m.)
This was at 11:00 a.m.-----

THANK YOU DR. CURRAN!!!

So---Do I try jogging again???? Or give up??? Do I get back up on that horse and let it kick me off again??? :) Ok--when you get bucked off--you are supposed to get right back up on the horse. So--as soon as my tooth is healed (cause I still can't bite down on anything) I will try it again.

TO YOUR HEALTH!!!!!
Angie

Oh what i spend my time on.........

ABC’s. You can do it too, just copy, paste, delete my answers and put in your own.

A)Age- 47 for another month
B)Burger of choice- Village Bowl---Whataburger
C)What kind of car you drive- Volkswagon Pissat
D)Dogs name- Cissy and Belle
E)Essential item you use everyday- Computer----wish i could say Bible but unfortunately I do not read it EVERY day.
F)Favorite TV show- Jon and Kate plus 8, American Idol, Big Brother, America's got talent
G)Favorite game to play- Apples to Apples
H)Hometown- Wichita Falls, TX but i grew up in Ft. Collins, CO
I)Instruments you play- Cello, little piano, voice
J)Favorite Juice- cranberry
K)Whose butt you would love to kick- Mine since i fell and broke my tooth--
L)Last restaurant you ate at- TACO CASA
M)Favorite Muppet- Elmo
N)Number of piercings- 2 one in each ear
O)Overnight hospital stays- a few--just having baby related
P) People you were with today- My hubby, Collin when he gets up. Dr. McClellan in my ear.
Q)What you do in your quiet time- trying to do Bible studies now. Read.
R)Biggest regret- I don't have any that I can think of---Oh unless it is that I went jogging yesterday instead of staying in bed!
S)Status- Happily married
T)Time you woke up- 7:00
U)What you consider unique- (about myself?) I sang the National Anthem at the TX Ranger NY Yankees game in front of 40,000 people
V)Vegetables you love- sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, brussel sprouts, squash
W)Worst habit- gritting my teeth at night and chewing the sides of my cheeks.
X)X-rays you have had- dentist, broken wrist, MRI of the back and neck, neck x-rays after a car accident
Y)Yummy food you ate today- scrambled eggs and a banana
Z)Zodiac sign-n I’m really not into the whole astrology thing, but I’m a Virgo


What are 5 things on your to-do list for today?
1. Type Dr. McClellan files
2. Get my hair cut
3. Clean up the house some
4. TCCU Dinner!!!
5. Catch up my Bible homework

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?
1. Coca Cola!!
2. Dark Chocolate
3. Popcorn
4. Pretzels
5. ice cream

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1. Pay for ACU kids college who cannot afford it
2. Vacation in wonderful places
3. Buy a chateau in Italy, a house in Ireland, a cabin in England oh and one in Maine
4. Surprise people with money who need it without them knowing it.
5. Helping my family,

What are 5 of your bad habits?
1. Playing around on the computer instead of doing my computer work
2. Putting off things around the house
3. Laundry!!!!
4. Being impatient
5. Easily distracted during the day

Where are 5 places you have lived?
1. Illinois
2. Longmont, Loveland, Ft. Collins, Colorado
3. Wyoming
4. Abilene, TX
5. Wichita Falls, TX

What are 5 jobs you've had?
1. a waitress at Mr. Steak
2. Working in the Business office at ACU
3. Singing national anthem for the WF Texans for 5 years
4. pre-school Kindermusik music teacher ages 18 months to 4
5. Medical transcriptionist

What 5 people do you want to tag?
1. Brenna http://brennawindham.blogspot.com/
2. April http://aprilcstark79.blogspot.com/
3. Gayla. http://www.gaylamorgan.blogspot.com/
4. Aubrey http://kingcadekitchen.blogspot.com/
5. Allison http://www.allisonmullins.blogspot.com/

Another Day in the Life Of-------

We found out that there were a few companies in line for our Abilene property if ours fell through!! One was Wendy's!!! So we are feeling better and better about where we are and our upcoming adventure. There is a young man here, who has worked at this Taco Casa for three years. He played football with Collin in high school. He is going to the community college in Abilene and will work for us while he is there!!! We are excited and so is he. It will be great to have some hands that know exactly what to do--second nature. So--we now have a manager-John, a probable assistant manager--a friend of John's who was a manager at a chicken place and is still in the restaurant business and a possible shift manager in Quincy. NOW we just need to get this baby built!!!! We are so so ready!!! I am ready to quit transcription and on to making Tacos!! :)

Collin registers for Midwestern tomorrow (Thursday). He is considering walking on the football team at Midwestern. Pray for him and us!!! I told him---if he is thinking about it at all--do it because he does not need to look back and think--why did I not try??? He said it would be during the first game when he saw the receivers and think---WHY did I not get out there??? (They are lacking in receivers). The funny thing is---Midwestern plays ACU and ACU tried to get Collin to play there. We will see what happens. Just thinking about it gives me the knot I had in high school in my stomach. But that is the way I lost weight!! :) I just want him safe and happy.

Bren and John have ONE more Saturday of Foster classes and then it could be ANY TIME!!! Wow---I can't wait. Ok---I now will unveil our names. We are going to be Nonnie (Yay April) and Poppy. Cute, huh?? I was going to be Gigi but sounds too much like a name. I just always wanted to be that because when I sang the national anthem for the Wichita FAlls Texans for five years they did a write up on me in the paper and called me "GIGI" Pittman. I got calls all day people teasing me and calling me Gigi. So that was my reasoning but I like Nonnie better now. And besides John's mom is Gigi and it is less confusing for the kids if there is only one. So Nonnie--it is!! And Poppy---doesn't Dik look like a Poppy??? ha. Ohhhhh the wonderful changes in life.

Thanks for keeping up with....The Days of My Life.