Friday, April 10, 2009

Welcome Easter...

It's late Friday night...the Elders just left and the town has basically been shut down since Thursday.

When my honey said the town shut down for the holiday, I didn't know he meant "shut-down" completely from Wednesday to Sunday. Did you know that it is illegal here to drink from Wednesday to Sunday? Did you know that you can be arrested if you are caught?

Not that I plan on drinking...just thought that was interesting.

So the stores around us are closed but for the Easter Bunny's sake (and the tradition) I hope I can find a few of the bigger ones opened tomorrow.

So if you are like me and have yet to prepare for Sunday morning festivities...you might want to check out my gringo friend Robbie's blog. She had the COOLEST idea for dying eggs.

Can you guess how she did these???

Me neither. So head over to "hotmomsrus.blogspot.com"

It's 3 AM, scratch that, 4 AM...

and one of God's creatures has decided to belt out the most beautiful lyrics somewhere outside of our home. It is absolutely music to my ears, except that I want to sleep!!!!

I've tried to ask the bird to leave, but he insists on presenting his lullaby here at our home at this hour.

So I've conceded and here I am, listening and typing. {Thinking about using the rocks my son collected from the park yesterday as a weapon}

Anyway, I wanted to show you how we get around town {country} here. Most streets do not have names. We use churches {that are connected to parks}, banks and broken down houses as a reference; anything that would stick in someone's mind.

A direction to a school for troubled teens I used to visit went something like this:
Go right about 5 kilometers. Turn left and go all the way around the blue church. Drive for 2 kilometers and turn right again after the train tracks. When you pass the 3rd white house (shack) turn left. "Hummm...is that house considered white or cream? Augh!!!" Turn left at the street with 3 small and 4 large electric lines passing over it.

O.K. maybe those aren't the exact directions but you get the picture. Right?

Here are the directions to my friend's house we visited the other day...
{I put the directions in a different order so no one could surprise my friend and just show up on a day her maid isn't there. Aren't I nice?}

At the bottom of the
hill as you start back up, you will come to a fork with CR Bank in the middle of the fork, stay left and continue up the hill
• Your first possible left turn is just past the Cruz Roja sign – DON'T TURN
HERE
• At your second possible left, turn left – this is the
Country Day School road which you will come to in about 2.5 blocks. No sign,
but CDS is on both sides of the road and looks institutional and school-like
with huge chain link fences.
• Keep going till you have to turn right at a No Hay Paso.
• You will come to a wide yellow speed bump just before a dangerous
intersection, continue on straight thru the stop
• Continue straight up for about a mile. You'll pass a dark
orange condo on the left: Keep going.
• At the top of the hill, the asphalt road you are on takes a 90° curve to
the left. BUT a new gray brick road continues straight ahead of you: take...


Is that funny or what? There are many days I think about Utah and the EASY South, North, East and West directions there. Oh, and street signs. I've spent many moments on the phone trying to explain to someone that the best way to get a hold of me is email.

It really is.

But get this...through all this CRAZINESS, the other day I told my sweetheart..."Honey, I've been thinking I might just want to retire here."

Smack...he hit the floor in a dead faint.




Crossing the street in Costa Rica from Peter Krupa on Vimeo.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

40 years ago, yesterday...



my sweetie entered this world. Can you believe he's 40????

I can't! That means I'm headed there...in 4 short years.

So in honor of my honey's special day, that was yesterday {hey, we were busy} I would like to post my favorite things about him.

1. He has a great since of humor...even when he doesn't know he has a great since of humor. Maybe I just think everything is funny. Hee, hee.

Yeah, I do.

2. He is an honorable man. {this species can be difficult to find nowadays, almost extinct}

3. This one I can't mention...{hee, hee} but I love him for it!!!!!

4. My man is a proud pappa!!!


5. He is very in touch with his "spiritual" side.

Can a woman want for anything more???

Happy birthday Wes! To the next 40 years, together!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Crisp-and-Creamy Baked Chicken


Oh so divine!

{and easy} Which makes it more divine.

I got this from my FREE Kraft magazine. {www.kraftfoods.com)" Did you know that if you go online you can signup for a FREE magazine sent out every 3 months and packed full of easy recipes with beautiful pictures?

Did I mention it's FREE? I think this would be a great {FREE} gift to any new bride or college student just leaving home.

Just my personal opinion. :)

O.K. ready for the recipe?

Crisp-and-Creamy Baked Chicken

Prep: 10 minutes Total time 35 minutes.

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
6 T of Shake N Bake Extra Crispy Seasoned Coating Mix (I just use seasoned bread crumbs)
2 cups of instant rice, uncooked
2/3 cup (1/2 of a 10 oz can) cream of celery soup ( I used 1 cup of low fat sour cream mixed with powdered ranch dressing, YUM)
1/4 cup of milk (if using sour cream use less milk)
1 cup shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese (I use whatever cheese is cheapest here)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat chicken with coating mix as directed on package. (I dipped my chicken in milk and then the seasoned breadcrumbs) Place in greased 13x9 baking dish.

BAKE: 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.

BEAT: soup and milk with wire whisk until well blended. Pour evenly over chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is milted and sauce is bubbly. Serve with the rice.