Prayers for my cousin and her husband

My sister called me tonight with the terrible news that my cousin's husband lost several fingers today in an accident on their farm. They are farmers in a town near Lansing, MI and have 3 young children. We just saw them at my grandmother's 100th birthday party last month. I am praying for his pain and recovery, but also for their future. They own hundreds of acres and not only have crops, but also have a farm full of animals - cows, pigs, horses, etc. I pray that God helps them handle this devastating situation. For those of you who pray, please keep them in your thoughts.

Hmmm what to blog about?

I really don't have much to say lately, so here are some bullets.

• Hubby and I are babysitting our niece and nephew tonight (age 3 and 1 1/2). Kids are a lot of work! I was exhausted by the time they went to bed. I think I really will be okay if we never become parents. I'm used to the life I have now I guess.
• I'm excited that my nephew Reed who is 15 is applying to be an exchange student next year for an entire year. He wants to go to a Spanish speaking country so we shall see. Wherever he goes I'll be visiting him. If he does get into the program and spends his junior year of high school abroad, I'll be so dang excited for all that he will get to experience. It will open his eyes to the world and he'll come home fluent in another language! If it is Spanish then he and I can have secret conversations in front of our other family members!
• We are car shopping. Tarzan has been looking for me and in the next week or two I'll go with him to do some test drives. I need a new car. Our 2001 Cadillac, while totally awesome to drive and so very comfortable, is stalling now and then and I don't feel safe driving it.
• I'm studying for my PMP certification (Project Management Professional), it's a total pain to study but I hope to take and pass the test by February. I should have taken it 6-7 years ago when my company would pay for it, but I was lazy. Now I have to pay for it on my own, but my company is pretty much making me do it. However it will be good to have in case I get laid off again someday.
• Tarzan has had a ton of job interviews lately! Woohoo! After 8 months laid off, his activity is really picking up. He's averaged 1 interview per week the entire 8 months, but this week he had 5 interviews. One of which was a second interview and he is already scheduled for the final interview on Tuesday - that one looks really promising. It's only 2 hours from our house so he could rent an apartment or cottage for awhile and come home on the weekends. He has some more interviews next week in Chicago and Northern Indiana - a bit farther away, but we don't care......just give him an offer!
• I've continued going to yoga 4-5 days per week and am doing the level 2 classes now, but I have yet to lose any weight. It's making me mad. I may have to go on Weight Watchers or something to lose the 8 pounds. I suppose I have to give up the ice cream since my metabolism is crap now that I am in my 40s.

Yeah it's Saturday - Chicken Chili

The weather is crappy today in Michigan; cold and rainy, but hey I'm not working, so it's a great day! Tarzan and my 15 year old nephew Reed are at the U of M versus MSU football game. They route for MSU, but I'm a graduate of UM so our family is split. haha. Anyway it's not looking too promising for my team at the moment.

I did some shopping this morning and I just finished putting the ingredients to White Chicken Chili in the crockpot. It should be done by the time they get home. Reed is staying the night tonight. I love having company over! I'm going to make some pumpkin muffins shortly - we can have those for breakfast tomorrow. Yummy!

White Chicken Chili - Crockpot Version
1 onion chopped
1 celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
28 ounces of chicken broth
3 or 4 15 oz. cans of white cannellini beans or white northern beans
1 4 oz. can of chopped green chiles
2 pounds ground chicken or ground turkey (can use chicken breasts or thighs too)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)
3-4 squirts of tabasco or chili sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown chicken or turkey. Put all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Great on a cold, rainy day!

Pumpkin Latte and Instant Coffee

Disclaimer: for the most part I've given up coffee. I haven't had any in weeks. I stopped buying cream because I'm trying to give up dairy. Well without cream I don't like coffee, hence I haven't made a cup of coffee in probably 2 months. I've been drinking tea - green tea, herbal tea, raspberry tea, whatever tea and not even every day. However I've been dying for a cup of real coffee this week; sucky weather in Michigan, very long week at work, another surprise birth announcement from a friend who I didn't know was pregnant, and those attractive Starbucks advertisements showing the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Therefore, I just ran to the Kroger by my house that has a Starbucks and I got me one!!! Hmmm yummy. While I was there I did the taste testing to compare their regular coffee with their new instant coffee. I got it wrong!! I picked their regular brew for being instant. I actually liked the taste of the instant one better! How funny. Anyway....I got a coupon for a free cup! Woohoo!