Anita's Soup

It has been a long time since I've posted a recipe! Here is a really good one. I have a new boss this year named Anita. During her first or second week here, she brought this soup in for everyone in my office. We all wanted the recipe afterwards, because it was so yummy! I've made it a few times at home, and Jason loves it, too. All of the cans you buy for this recipe are just the "regular" size cans. The can of tomatoes is the only one that is bigger. I wrote down the specific can size just in case. So, here is Anita's soup. And, no, she doesn't read this blog, so I am not brown-nosing! :)

Anita's Soup
1 lb. ground beef (lean meat works well in this, too)
11 oz. can of Mexicorn
15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. Rotel with chiles
15 oz. can Texas style beans (I found them at Ingles)
29 oz. crushed tomatoes
Bag of Fritos

Brown ground beef. Drain and transfer to crock pot. Add all other ingredients, making sure to drain and rinse the kidney beans. You can add the entire can of tomatoes or add a little less depending on how soupy or thick you want this to be. Cook on high until bubbling. Place a large handful of Fritos in a bowl and spoon soup on top. Recipe can be doubled.

My New Book

I am so excited about my new book I ordered, The Mommy Journal. I ordered it before Christmas and because it was backordered I just got it this past Saturday. I saw it in a magazine, and it is intended to be a journal to write letters and thoughts to your child. I may do some of that, but Jason and I plan to use it primarily to record all of the funny and cute things Camryn is saying right now (see post below for a perfect example!). We just want to remember all of the sweet things she is saying and thought this would be a great way to remember them all. She says things and Jason always asks me, "Are you writing this down somewhere?" This journal is great because it's full of blank sections where we can write everything down with the date. I already have a list of things I have to enter in. I think this is a perfect gift, too, for new mommies!

Sweet Prayers

I'm sure God must smile - and possibly even try not to laugh like me - when He hears sweet prayers like the one Camryn prayed last night before bed. When I asked her what she wanted to tell Jesus thank you for, this is what she said:

"Thomas and Stephanie and Jeff and Sarah Ellen and the TV and Moose and Zee (characters on Noggin) and Little Bear and my bandaid and the circle and the triangle."

Update and Lack of Creativity

The quick rundown on Camryn is this: double ear infection, stronger antibiotic since Amoxicillian obviously isn't cutting it anymore, 2 days home with daddy, 2 days of way too much Noggin, allergy testing yesterday which was the worst EVER because the nurse couldn't get the needle into her little vein so she had to fish around for it which made Camryn and Mommy cry (but it's amazing what a Dora sticker can cure!), an allergy medication, continued breathing treatments, and 2 nights of quiet sleep! We'll find out about allergy testing results in two weeks.

My creative juices are at a standstill right now. I was trying to think of a good Friday Five topic last night and couldn't come up with anything. I asked Jason what I should blog about, and he said, "How about 5 things I'm going to do for my husband since he was cooped up for 2 days with the kid?" All I could think of was 1) Say thank you and then that topic fizzled. Then we tried to think of 5 cute things Camryn has said this week because she's said A LOT - it's been great to have her home for so many days this week because we hear every cute thing that comes out of her mouth. But, all we could remember was that she called the Count on Sesame Street Count Chocula, and that was it. We're great parents, huh? Well, we also remembered that she called Mr. Noodle from Elmo's world "Mr. Doodle" but we doubted anyone besides us would find that humorous. So, no Friday Five today. Somebody give me some good ideas, and maybe I'll try for next week!

I Forgot What It Was Like

I forgot what it was like to be up at all hours of the night with a baby ... until last night. Camryn slept sometimes 30 mintues, sometimes a couple of hours last night because her cough is back worse than ever, and she has an ear infection - I know because she told me twice her ears hurt last night and every time she cried she was pulling at them. Oh, and a fever on top of that. So, I was up all night alternating cough medicine and Tylenol and bringing her water because I know her throat must have been killing her. Nights like last night are good birth control. Off to the doctor we will go again today. I feel so bad because I can't stay home with her today - I have a slammed day at work that I may blog about later. At least Cammy has a sweet daddy to stay home with her who I know will take care of her and love on her. It's days like this I just wish I were a stay-at-home mommy . . .