Taco Soup!

I am so glad that you all enjoyed my Taco Soup. Here is the recipe.

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
3 TBSP dehydrated chopped onions
1 15 oz can pinto beans-undrained
1 15 oz can corn-undrained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 4.5 oz can chopped chili's-undrained
1 envelope of your favorite Taco Seasoning
2 cups water

In a large kettle brown the ground beef and the chopped onion until no longer pink. Add the pinto beans, corn, diced tomatoes and chopped chili's (do not drain the water from the cans dump everything in don't be shy!). Add an envelope of taco seasoning and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 min. If the soup looks like it is too thick add more water.

If you would like you can add desired amount of grated cheese, and tortilla chips to your bowl

Just Dance !!

Mindy at her Christmas dance recital.

In The Bleak Mid-Winter

Is is just me, or is she the cutiest kid you have ever seen?

Earlier that day she told a joke at her Kindergarten Christmas program.

(Mindy) Why is it so cold at Christmas?
(Chase) I don't know, why is it so cold at Christmas?
(Mindy) Because it's December!

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

Rumors?

Since my Ambulance adventure the question has been asked and rumors report that I might be Pregnant. I would like to answer this question:

NO!

Brian and I are not ready to have another child we have weighed the pros and cons of the issue and at this time we have decided it is not the right time.

Pros-

1. Children are a blessing.
2. Babies are cute.
3. Tax deductible.

Cons-

1.Internal organs are still recovering from Mindy, Josh and cryptosporidium.
2. Nine months in the womb. (see #1)
3. Gestational diabetes.
4. No cream soda and chocolate covered pretzels because of the diabetes. (see #3)
5. Delivery.
6. Feedings at all hours of the night.
7. X amount of years worth of diapers.
8. Joshua the Destroyer. (I can't take my eye of that boy!!!!!)


Now this does not mean that we are done and don't want anymore kids. This just means that I am not physically or mentally ready for another child.

For any of you that has ever had a child that gets into everything, you will understand that I cannot take care of an infant while making sure that Josh is not sitting on top of the refrigerator, swinging from the chandelier in the kitchen, or spilling a 10 lb bag of sugar on the floor because he wanted to play in the sand (and sugar looks like sand. Right?)

So for now the cons definitely out weigh the pros.

I got to ride in an ambulance!!

Monday December 8, 2008 will go down in Ashton family history as a day that NO ONE will ever let me forget!

I must go back however to Wednesday December 3, 2008. I went to one of my doctors, who prescribed me a new medication. OK, I filled it and took my first dose on Thursday December 4, 2008. (Happy Birthday MOM!). OK, OK, now we have to go back further. Tuesday November 24, 2008 I was at my ballet class (HA, HA, HA, for any of you that need to laugh it off, take this moment to do so.) I injured my leg and it left a very odd and funky bruise. I promise this story is going somewhere?

So we return to December 4, 2008 (Happy Birthday MOM!) I took my newly prescribed medication and set up a different Dr. appt for 1:30 that afternoon because my leg was still bothering me. When I got to the Dr. office my blood pressure was too high and my heart rate was too fast and the bruise on my leg looked suspiciously like a possible blood clot, so my Dr. sent me to the hospital for an ultrasound of my leg and a chest x-ray. The tests were negative for blood clots, but the chest x-ray did show an inflammation of the lungs. The ER Dr. diagnosed me with Pleurisy. (I had never heard of it either but many famous people of the 1800 died of it, like Benjamin Franklin. Who knew?) The ER Dr. told me to go home and rest over the weekend and that I should be fine by Monday. WHATEVER!!! By Monday December 8, 2008 I was in such bad condition that my sweet, kind mother in law came to help me with the kids and stayed until about approximately 3PM.

Here is where it gets interesting, Mindy came home from school and I sat Mindy and Josh at the kitchen table and gave them gingerbread (remember the gingerbread it's one of the best parts)and milk for a snack. Then I remember setting out Mindy's homework and sharpening a pencil. Then it starts to get a little foggy, because after that I only remember bits and pieces. I went, OK I ran, down the stairs to quickly change the laundry, but when I got down there I felt like I couldn't breathe and so I came back upstairs and called my Dr. His nurse said that I needed to go back to the ER, so I started packing up a diaper bag and then I really couldn't breathe. Sooooooooo I panicked and started hyperventilating and my right arm started to go numb so I called my brother in law Noel and told him that I couldn't breathe and he gave the phone to my sister Katy (who is not married to Noel she was just there at the time. Stay with me!) She didn't like the way I was sounding on the phone so she told me to call 911, so I did. I remember telling Mindy to go and get Mike or Brenda my neighbors across the street. She did as she was told.....almost. She first told Aurora, her best friend and Mike and Brenda's daughter, who answered the door. Luckily Mike overheard the conversation between the two little girls and ran over to my house to assist in helping me. The paramedics came and took my vital signs and prepared me for transport. I had NO idea until they took me outside to put me in the ambulance that a fire truck and 2 ambulances came to my rescue. My neighbors said they were relieved when they saw that I was smiling when they put me in. (out of embarrassment). Off to the hospital I went. They did all kinds of blood tests, x-rays and a CAT scan and told me that I am a very health person. However my resting heart rate was 99 and my blood pressure was 140/90 and I still felt like I could not catch my breath. The ER Dr. went ahead with the Pleurisy diagnosis and sent me home. When we got home we found that our cat had eaten the gingerbread and threw up all over our house. (YES! ALL OVER)

On December 9, 2008 my mother watched my kids and my mother-in-law drove me to my Dr. appt. Not believing the Pleurisy diagnosis and me being in very BAD shape, he made me go over every detail of what happened since the symptoms started. And guess what? I was having a reaction to the medication that was given to me on my first Dr. appt on Wednesday December 3, 2008.

I would like to thank Mike and Brenda for all the help that they gave me and taking care of my kids. And would like to thank Katy and Amy for come and getting my kids and comforting them so they would not be scared. And my mom and dad and Ron and Vicki for coming to comfort me while in the hospital. Thank you to My mom and Amy for taking my kids through the night so I could get some rest and my Mom and Vicki for the help they provided for me on Tuesday. Thank you to all of my concerned neighbors and friends and everyone that has brought us a meal or cookies. Thank you all so much!

Emily