Crockpots

As much as I am a big fan of eating out once in a while – or ordering take-in – I am truly a fan of a home cooked meal (especially my mom's). Seeing as though my mom won't move in to be my personal chef, I've had to resort to learn to cooking. Most days I enjoy cooking actually. I like to be creative and healthy. I like to try new recipes and a lot of times those recipes even turn out. Surprising right?

However, I've encountered a problem with my working from home – Thursdays and Fridays my shift starts at 3pm and I take the phones until 9. And starting today Alexys has swimming at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. That's THREE days a week that I need quick, easy meals that don't involve cereal or Deliciouo Pizza (those would be Jordon's picks if he was cooking).

I got a crockpot for Christmas and though I use it once in a while (maybe every other week) I feel that I'm going to become much better acquainted over the summer. I definitely need things I can prepare in the morning and self-serve when it comes to dinner. Easy cleanup is another bonus. I'd love to hear your favourite crockpot meals! Jordon isn't a fan of soup for dinner and you can only eat chili so often – especially in the summer.

Tonight's experiment is crockpot fajitas. It's in my crockpot as we speak – all you have to do is add it to a fajita and add a little salsa/sour cream…and you're set. Easy peasy. I hope.

Crockpot Beef Fajitas

-Beef (I used round steak) in strips.
-Onion (I used green onion – that's the compromise in this house from me (an onion lover) versus Jordon (an onion hater).
-Green pepper x1 in strips.
-Jalepeno peppers (I didn't have any so I skipped it).
-1 T cilantro (I skipped this to. I couldn't find mine or don't own any…I'm not sure which).
-1/4 t garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic (I was too lazy to mush up garlic).
-1 t chili powder.
-1 t cumin.
-1 t coriander (I skipped this. Mine isn't ground and that would be too much effort too).
-1/2 t salt
-Can of diced tomatoes (I used fresh tomatoes and chopped them up).

I also added a bit of oil (I think the canned tomatoes would have allowed me to skip this…it just seemed to dry for the crockpot) and celery.

When it's finished you're supposed to shred the beef into strips, but I'll probably skip that. I'll also grate some cheese and add some lettuce.

Here's hoping it's good.

Oh and I really like the way my house smells. Yum.
kortney elise xoxo

Gone

I did this last week (or maybe the week before?) but I thought I'd share. I have some good post ideas coming. Maybe. If you're on Facebook you already saw.

My hair was getting terribly ratty and awful. You might remember that it grew in straight while I was pregnant. Since then it was growing in curly. Consequently I had "curly, straight, curly" hair. And it was awful. And long and ratty. I almost chopped it off myself.

Instead I got a haircut. A mom cut even. I love it. I didn't realize how much I missed my curls.

kortney elise xoxo

My 18 Month Old

My baby is 18 months old today and what a girl she is. I love more and more everyday. I didn't even know that was possible. And I love it.  My favourite thing lately is that Alexys is learning to talk more and more everyday.  She is picking up words here and there and it's adorable. My frustrating point (for me) is that she doesn't like to repeat words, LOL - she'll say something and then not again...and never says words on commands.

Alexys' vocabulary list now consists of the following words:

• Moo (she said it multiple times this morning while doing a cow puzzle with me). 
• Ple (please...while trying to get past the baby gates at my parents). 
• Nanite - first at my mom's yesterday and then again today for nap time. 
• See ya - this is her favourite. Everything is see ya. When you turn off the TV, stop brushing your teeth, leave the room, open the door...sometimes it's even see ya bye. 
• Meommy (mommy...she sounds Asian when she says it). 
• Daddy (though she must be mad at him, because she doesn't say it much). 
• Auntie (but seemingly on in regards to Jackie and no other aunties). 
• Mor (more...but rarely). 
• Marney (Barney)
• Wigwa (Wiggles)
• Upty (This means both pick me up as well as put your hand up there and get me...whatever it is she wants. She'll point to her DVD or juice or cell phone or whatever and say upty.)
• Happy - Different from upty. Generally it's when she's been whining for a show and we put it on. She's said it multiple times. She looks right at you and says Happy. 
• Wassa (what's that?)...at least I'm pretty sure that's what she's saying.

 I think that about covers it. They say 18 words by 18 months that Mom and Dad can understand, but Alexys definitely communicates and makes herself known so I'm not worried - I'm just a perfectionist and would have liked her talking at 10 months like my little brother. Haha.

Nah. That's Alexys for ya - she's her own little girl with overflowing personality...and she just wouldn't be her if she did things my way ;)

Happy 1/2 Birthday Little Girlie :)
kortney elise xoxo

I Love My Silly Monkey!!!!

Addiction

I thought I'd share my latest mood picker upper.

I'm addicted.

It's true. A real true addiction.

Glee Songs.

There is nothing better. They've got some of the catchiest, most popular songs of all time. And when I find myself in a bad mood, me and Lex turn on the music real loud and dance around the living room. And sometimes, I stay up late just listening to music and dancing in my computer chair.

That website there has them all. Just click and you can play them directly on the website. Brain favourites?

• Dancing with Myself
• I Could Have Danced All Night
• Don't Rain on my Parade
• Bad Romance
• Gives You Hell
• Mr. Cellophane
• Don't Stop Believing
• Single Ladies
• Defying Gravity
• Vogue
• What It Feels Like for a Girl
• Beautiful
• Total Eclipse of the Heart
• Jessie's Girl
• I Dreamed a Dream
• Another One Bites the Dust

And those are just the favourites. How can they not put you in a good mood? :D
kortney elise xoxo

Just Life

It's a funny thing these days - I've found myself speechless more and more often. Like I really don't have anything to say. Unless it involves figure skating which the majority of the world doesn't want to read and/or listen to. So I find myself blogging less. And even talking less. Or something like that. I really just don't have much to say.

The funny thing is that I blog in my head a lot. Like I'll be in the shower and think of a trillion things to blog about. But by the time I sit down to write it all out, it's long gone and I stare at the screen. I do this lying in bed at night too. If I could blog by osmosis (like from my head straight onto blogger) we'd be good to go. But alas you can't so my blog has suffered.

I think this is just a sign of our lives right now. We're settled. There's nothing new, big, or exciting coming up. Life is running its course and we're enjoying the day to day living of it. 

• We live in our house that we bought.  
• We had our baby girl and we're enjoying her day to day living. She isn't saying much yet and so consequently blogging about her funny day-to-day actions become less funny when they're put into written words. Perhaps as she begins to talk more and more I'll start blogging more frequently.
• I finished school with Honors. I got a job. I love my job. I work 7 days a week most weeks. Just after Alexys is sleeping. I can't share more than vague details because I'm not allowed. I'm not smart enough to change the details and keep the stories funny like other medical bloggers. 
• I'm good at my job and recently got a raise and a bonus for receiving 100% on my most recent "blind" review (ie: I don't know which reports they're checking, but they checked 6 and I made no mistakes). I won a contest at work for typing the most reports in 2 hours and got a bonus for that too. 
• We're paying off all our debt and loans slowly but surely. We'll look at new furniture and a new car for me once those are paid off. And then in the far future a bigger house.
• Our summer vacation includes going to Alberta to spend time with Jordon's family and so that Jordon can be in his high school best friend's wedding as the best man in August. 
• I spend time with my family, especially my Mom, during the week. 
• I got my next level promotion in judging (Juvenile in Singles, Dance, and Pairs). I completed my Novice seminar in Singles. I've almost got my Novice promotion in Synchro - I literally just have to send it in and I'm done for that. I enjoy judging at competitions every few months - just local ones. I'll go to my first out of town one for synchro in February. I'm already nervous. 
• I didn't try out for my own synchro team - instead I sat at the boards and did the evaluations. And I mostly wasn't even sad.

And that would be our life.  See why I have trouble blogging? Life is just happening.

And I'm loving every moment of it - it's life that happens in the little things. And that's where we are.
kortney elise xoxo