Recipe: Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole

This recipe is one of Adam's favorites, so I make it a lot. It was orginally from the blog Emily Bites which I read a lot and totally love- Here's the orginal: Emily Bites Recipe. I have made a few tweaks to our tastes. It's so easy, I'm sure your family will gobble it up and ask for it a lot, too!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef (we never use a whole pound, and it really is filling with only half)

- 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 can reduced fat refrigerator biscuits (I use Grand MultiGrain)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded low fat Mexican Cheese (I use half low fat and half sharp cheddar)

-Handful of cilantro and onion

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.    Brown beef in a large skillet and drain if needed, adding onion during browning.
3.    Add the can of enchilada sauce and can of tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add a little bit of cheese to this mixture. Add cilantro as well.
4.    Cut the refrigerated biscuits into fourths and stir them in the meat mixture.
5.    Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and add the mixture evenly. Top with cheese.  Bake for 25 minutes.

This looks kind of odd in the pan but it will "bubble up" and make it into a casserole. It is SO good and since we only use a 1/2 lb of beef and the multigrain biscuits, it's actually pretty low fat!

2012 Resolutions

It's been awhile since I've posted, but nothing much has been going on. Christmas came and went, we waved goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012. Around Christmastime, I started thinking about my New Years resolutions, even though I've never been one for claiming that the new year brings a "fresh slate". But, here it goes...

Resolution #1: In 2012, I will... be healthier. This may sound cliche, but instead of saying, "This is my year! I'm going to lose 2000 lbs and pose for Playboy!" I am just being general about it. This really started in November, and I've made some progress, but I know that the cardinal rule of weight loss is to not announce it to the world, as it will come back to bite you. Instead of putting numbers on it, I resolve to make an honest effort of working out when I can (recently got back into Zumba and I have fallen in love all over again!), eating healthy with more vegetables than potatoes, and generally not subsisting on soda, pizza and chinese food. 

Resolution #2: In 2012, I will... make more friends! Ever wonder why you're friends with someone? And then you realize, that they just kinda came around 10 years ago when you met them at Fitters during Happy Hour and now you two are buddies, but you have nothing in common and she pretty much grates your nerves? Yeah, I have a few of those. I feel that by surrounding myself with happy, friendly, positive people, I will be happier overall. When you're surrounded with negative energy, it makes you feel sluggish, bitter, bitchy. I don't want to have a bitchy 2012!

Resolution #3: In 2012, I will... keep plans. Say yes to more outings. Be more social! Those who know me would say that I'm the most social person you'd ever meet, but sometimes I get into odd moods where I don't want to do anything but stay home and eat ice cream while watching Teen Mom. But when someone drags me out, I have the best time! So I don't want to be a flake in 2012. I want to commit and keep plans when people invite me out- kind of like the movie, "Yes Man". 

Resolution #4: In 2012, I will... Chill. Out. I get so worked up over little things sometimes. I want to learn to relax. I resolve not to take out a bad day on Adam... to let the laundry pile up for a few days... to not freak out when a coworker makes a big mistake... to not turn into a crazed person when someone cancels plans. Life happens, and I need to learn how to go with the flow!

Resolution #5: In 2012, I will... be self-sufficient. I let others get me down so much, and I need to let things go. If someone cancels plans to work out, I'll go anyway. If someone lets me down, I'll let it go. I feel that, in order to accomplish all of my other resolutions, I need to start with learning how to forgive and forget. I used to be a big grudge-holder and keep everything bottled up inside. All that does is eat away at your heart and make you bitter and cold to the world. I realized that as soon as you start forgiving and forgetting, your life is better, easier, and happier. You can start to give people second chances. Not everyone deserves them, but some do, and you're the bigger person if you can extend that opportunity.

I predict that 2012 will be great for me. Not because I'm lucky- because I'm making it great. I'm taking control of my health, my attitude, my relationships, and my happiness- and I'm the only one who can make it a good year. Bring it on 2012!!

Christmas Photos

Yesterday we had a mini photo sessions for our Christmas card photo...

And I just have to say......

We are seriously, without a doubt.....

The CUTEST couple....

Ever.

Dear Austin

Earlier this week, the world lost a friend of mine named Austin. His death came quickly and I've been a little stunned and speechless about what to say about him, but as I lay in bed tonight, I couldn't stop thinking about him and the memories that we'd had.

I decided that the only way to get to sleep was to write it down, send it out into the space where thoughts and memories and dreams go, and maybe some others will be able to grasp what kind of person Austin was. What follows is a letter I have written to him...

Dear Austin,
I don't even know where to begin. For the first time in my life I'm speechless. It's a strange mixture of sadness, fond memories, even a bit of laughter. I guess I'll start from the beginning. My first vivid memory of you is in a wretched class that we shared. You sat in the front and I was a sophomore. I remember thinking that you were a "know it all". I soon realized that, compared to my limited knowledge, you really did know it all. I started to learn that your depth and breadth of knowledge was far larger than I would ever be able to reach, your humor and biting wit was sophisticated and touched topics that I, as a 20 year old, had not yet begun to understand.

As we had several more classes together I grew quite fond of you, your observations of the school, the teachers and the assignments were a great delight to me, as you always seemed so in control, so much more involved than I ever managed to be.

When I ran into you downtown one chilly winter night, you with your smile and scarf and signature hat, your beautiful wife Rachel by your side, you shook my hand and nodded toward Adam and said, "Two of my favorite people together. It works. I really like what's going on here." I remember thinking that I didnt know why but your opinion really struck a chord with me, I was happy that you approved, knowing both of us for awhile- and I remember thinking, "I'm one of his favorite people! Wow!" I never thought you'd think of me with much substance!

Since then, we kept in touch via Facebook, you helping me locate Gardettos on a salt-crazed craving, sharing our love of all things politics, helping me with Star Wars references that I *still* don't quite get. And when Seth told me that you were in the hospital during the Roast, I thought nothing of it... you'd been in and out of the hospital since I met you, so I assumed this was short term... you'd update us on Facebook now and again, usually with clever little pictures, making light. I never worried. I knew you were a fighter.

So when I read your CaringBridge journal and I realized that the situation was far worse than I could ever imagine, I just froze. I dreaded my email, as news got worse and worse. The last one, I just knew. I sat at my desk and read it with tears in my eyes, knowing that you were finally at peace, you didn't have to fight anymore. But I know that the pain is still there for your family, your sister and mom, Rachel, whom you adored, and Nate, who you always talked about in class. 

I didn't know you the longest, and we weren't the closest. We didn't talk every day, or even every week. But your death has a strong impact on me. Apart from missing your personality and humor that you brought to life, I'll miss your courageous spirit, your fighting attitude, your unwavering hope that things will get better. No matter what life threw your way, you took it and beat it. You fought the good, long, fight.

I'll miss you, buddy.

Laylan


You can read about Austin's life here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinclifford

Chiefs Scarves

Breaking Dawn: Part I (I for Inappropriate)

Note: May contain spoilers. Do not read if you dont like spoilers but haven't yet read the Twilight books (And if you havent but plan to, you probably should cause they're on the fourth movie. Sheesh)

In 2008, the Twilight saga's first movie came out. I, being relatively clueless, had not yet heard of Twilight until about two weeks before the movie's debut. At first I thought "Vampires? No thanks." I snubbed them, as a person of literary snobbery usually does. I recall in high school when everyone was fawning over Harry Potter and I also had no interest. Fantasy smatansy. (I've always had a thing for true crime, mainly from my father's collection of books, and I was asked by my 5th grade teacher if my parents knew I was reading The Burning Bed, when I took it out for free reading time)

However, I went to the movie just to see what all of the buzz was about. Immediately after viewing the (let's face it, B caliber movie) I picked up the first Twilight book. Then the second, third, and fourth. I didn't tell a lot of people that i was reading these books, because they had gained a reputation of being for mostly tweens and teenagers, I felt embarrassed, at 22, picking them up from the "Young Readers" section of Hastings. I did get through the four books, although i felt that the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, was incredibly disturbing. It explained in graphic detail a sex scene between the two main characters, then detailed her drinking blood to feed this demonic fetus that had been spawned inside her, and her subsequent traumatic delivery of said demon. It creeped me out.

Let's just say that these movies will never win anything more than an MTV movie award. (Probably for best kiss). The movies are full of beautiful cinematography, but as for the acting, it leaves something to be desired. So why is everyone gaga over Bella and Edward? I think I have a few ideas:

1.) Edward is the "perfect" man. Other than the fact that he is undead, 17 years old forever, and mostly a freaking drama queen, teens and young adults (and even a 70 year old lady at my office) fawn over him. Why? Because to the teens, he's who they look for in a mate (what it's supposed to be like as teenagers in love). To the young adults, they strive to find that in the beer-guzzling frat boys that they are surrounded with, and to the older crowd, he represents chivalry, and an honest break from the ball-scratching, dirty old man that their once charming groom has grown into.

2.) The setting is realistic. Stephenie Meyer took vampires out from coffins and stakes, away from mansions with cobwebs and fangs. She placed them in our world- and made them closer to humanlike. They possess unbelievable beauty and poise, and money. They are not a threat to your world as they do not kill humans for their feeding. In theory, any man that we meet at a bar or at the supermarket could be an Edward Cullen.

3.) Everyone loves a forbidden love story. Romeo + Juliet. Cleopatra and Marc Antony. Sonny and Cher. All of these relationships were filled with tumultuous times, death threats, thinking that your brother was going to suck her blood... oh wait, that's just Bella and Edward. So we find ourselves rooting for the crazy kids, (or in some cases, Jacob, the werewolf) pining for them to find a way to live happily ever after. See: Every Katherine Heigl movie.

As I sat in Breaking Dawn Part 1, I realized how ridiculous the story line really, truly was. But that's okay, because we have enough real life stories out there. Enough broken hearted stories. Maybe what we all need is a little fantasy, something that, in our minds could just happen....

Seizure Control

Note: I'm not a doctor, so please always call 911 if faced with a situation that requires medical attention. Also, I asked Adam for permission before I shared these stories with my readers. :)

When I met Adam in 2009, I knew he was different, (meaning he was the most charming, most adorable, wittiest person I'd ever laid my eyes on), but soon I found out that he had had some trauma in his childhood and was left with a traumatic brain injury. In addition to his brain injury, he has also had seizures since he was 16 years old. He spoke of it as any other every day thing, such as that he had three siblings and his birthday was the day after Halloween.

This terrified me. I have never been around anyone who had seizures before, and so the only image I had of epilepsy and seizures was what I had seen on tv and movies. And those aren't exactly happy representations of this condition.

At the time that we started dating Adam was having seizures once a week. Before we met they were as often as every day. I was on high alert. I didn't know how I was going to react. I felt, at the time, that this may be a dealbreaker for me. I may not be able to deal with it. How selfish of me!

So there we were, a month into our relationship, when he had a seizure. I cried. It was really hard to watch him in pain. It was over before I knew it and I remember thinking that it wasn't as bad as I had built up in my mind.

It's been two years since we started dating and Adam has had countless seizures since then. Some of them have been in public, and I see the looks on people's faces. It's part curiosity, part rubbernecking, part shock, part confusion. People just don't know what to do. After a late night catching a plane to Austin, Texas, Adam had a seizure on the plane. I put away my magazine and slid my hands over Adam's as he started twitching. I locked into his eyes as they filled with tears and said, "Just breathe. It's gonna be okay." A man across the aisle stared at him, and I could see the wheels spinning in his mind, thinking of what to do, if he should call the attendant for help. I made eye contact and smiled, and he smiled back, a knowing glance. He knew I had it under control.

Another time we were in a busy hotel getting breakfast when I heard a plate crash to the ground. Adam was standing there, biscuits and gravy covering his shoes, and he looked at me in a panic. "I twitched.." he said. Kids, adults alike looked at him. I sat him in the nearest chair and handed him a banana. (We've found that bananas have reduced his seizures significantly)

Instead of the once selfish Laylan that thought, "How will this affect my life?" I now look at these situations as a team effort. I did research. I made some of my own diagnoses. We regulated his sleep schedule, diet and he cut down on his smoking. He ate bananas and took potassium supplements. We used breathing and awareness techniques. Gradually, they slowed. Eventually, they stopped. Adam's been (mostly) seizure free for over a year. A condition that he's had since he was 16 years old has stopped. WOW. Isn't that amazing? I'm incredibly proud of what he has accomplished. Ahem. We. What we have accomplished.

What spurred this blog was that a woman on campus had a seizure today. Adam came out of his class and a group had gathered around her, gawking as she lay on the floor, cradled by a couple of other girls. Seizures are very scary and I understand that curiosity is natural. But understand that there is a person behind the condition.

If you are with someone who has a seizure: -First see if you can communicate with them. There are several types of seizures, and some seizures do not render the person unconscious. If they can communicate with you, ask them what you can do to help them. If they are unconscious, put them on their side. If you are not familiar with this person, he/she could choke. Placing them on their side will keep them safe. Do not- do-not- put a wooden spoon in their mouth. (Old Wive's Tale).

-If the person is not conscious, call Public Safety or 911. The dispatcher can walk you through actions until the paramedics get there. If you are unsure, call 911.

What I've learned from this is that nothing in life is as scary as it seems. Everything can be managed, and, especially in Adam's situation, with a little research and change of lifestyle, improved.