Oh The Humanity

Warning Extreme Cuteness...

I found my old point and shoot camera...guess what was on it? Some of the very first pictures of the Hanky. I got my DSLR like a week after I got Hank, so these are pictures of him when he was all of 9 weeks old.

For those that don't know we got Hank from the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania ..Like seriously once we got off the highway we drove for two hours in the mountains, but look at that gorgeous view. If I was ever to leave the great state of Michigan I think I'm going to move to the mountains. It was the longest trip I think I've ever done, 18 hours in a car, we some how pulled off a 20 plus hour trip in a day. I tell people that we got him from Pennsylvania and they think we are crazy for driving so far for a puppy and people I was crazy but I love that little face since the moment I saw it.

Look at those ears! On our long venture home, he seriously slept the whole way home. 

He still thinks that he can fit under the bed, I seriously fish him out from under the bed at least twice a day. 

Oh, how I love this boy. 

Napping after his first swim. 

See that man in this picture, that's my dad, he "hates" pointers. He wanted me to get a lab...yeah it looks like he "hates" that pointer for sure...

He now takes up all of that bed and then some...

Okay, I'm done...just to make you all feel better I had originally planned to tell you all about this amazing chicken recipe I made. There is always tomorrow. 

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen

Pizza Quesadilla

My mom use to make these for my brother and I when we were little. They are quick and easy to make. And when you are a kid, its like pizza which I still to this day can eat almost every day.

Place a tortilla in a greased skillet. (Use medium heat.)

Add favorite pizza toppings and cover. Cook until cheese has melted.

Let cool and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 10" tortillas
• Pizza sauce
• Favorite pizza toppings

Directions:

1. Place tortilla in a grease skillet, over medium heat.
2. Add favorite pizza toppings.
3. Cover and cook until cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen 

Obsession...

I think I have a problem...I have become obsessed with my iPhone and Instagram. It's true, I can't help it. This phone is just really cool and I've never had a smartphone, I never had a cool phone just had the nothing special flip phones or the phone with a keyboard. Both of my old phones couldn't even access the internet. So I am sorry for the lack of posts lately, I blame my iPhone. Now only if there was an app so I can blog on my iPhone...

I promise to blog better this week!

Going to see if I can figure out how to add Instagram to my blog.

Hopefully you will forgive me.

Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Coming Into The 21st Century

This weekend I decided to take the leap and get an iPhone. First new phone in over 6 years, I just kept calling my phone a stupid phone. It could make phone calls, text and take pictures but that's it. I was way over due for a new phone. And I am so happy that I got the new iPhone.

I have been hooked since I got it, I don't think I have put the thing down since Saturday night. One of the guys I work with walked into the lab office saw my playing on it and was said productivity just went down because I got a iPhone. This was the same guy that later "stole" my phone when I left it sitting on my lab bench to get something from a tool box. Want to know the sad part of this? It took me at least 10 minutes to even realize the thing was gone, yep failure at keeping a phone safe. He then told me to but a lock on it because if he had the time he would of really messed with it...Just to let you all know, I majorly messed with his phone a couple of weeks ago and I am due to for pay backs.

I am also now on Instagram, if anyone wants to look me up my username is CoolHandLyndsey.

Okay back to playing with my phone.
Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Is the World Ending?

I'm pretty sure I have the weirdest family ever...

My stepdad's birthday is this weekend, so my mom and stepdad had a get together over at there house. Which basically means lots and lots of food, drinking and well bullshit. Guys I needed waders to get through the evening.

You would think that it was December 20, 2012 and the world was actually going to end the next day with all the "end of the world" discussions that was going on. It was determined that we would all move back to the farm (because it's the biggest homestead.) Kid you not there was talk about taking the 120 acre farm building a concrete fence (my brother in-law family owns a concrete company...) around the farm to build a fortress...

Then they were talking about all the things that we need to stock pile...in the order that we considered important.

1. Beer/Alchol
2. Cigars/Cigarettes
3. Shotguns/Guns of any type
4. Ammo for said guns

There was never really any talk about how what we were going to do for food...maybe I'll get some cows.

But it didn't stop there...we then started discussing over who got what room, what walls needed to be knocked down to put in fireplaces and where to add more bathrooms. It was determined Big-D and I would live in the hunting shack out back. We also discussed if we are going to let people into the fortress and how we would determine if they were worthy of being with us.

It ended with all the females going I'm glad my husband isn't the only one that thinks like this. Yep that's right somehow we became a family of "preppers" (as my mom likes to call us). Still trying to figure out what exactly we are prepping for though.

It was a very weird evening, probably didn't help that their was a lot of drinking involve. 

Maybe my family is just dysfunctional...

Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Fajita Salad

I live with a some what picky eater, he will eat just about any meat I put in front of him but when it comes to vegetables I struggle. I mean he doesn't even like potatoes. When my mom found this out when were first dating, she asked how I could go out with someone that doesn't even like potatoes...I have a confession to make I am addicted to mashed potatoes and gravy, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for a reason! Anyways, I told Big-D that this year we are going to start eating a little bit healthier, I have a lighter class load since I am almost done with school, (when I say lighter I'm taking 15 credits instead of 18...) which means more time for cooking. My goal is to cook four meals a week and pack leftovers for lunch. 

At first I tried the whole, if you don't eat your salad you don't get to play...but that wasn't any fun for me so that went down the drain kind of fast. Then I tried, well I'll just put a vegetable/fruit on the table with every meal, this seems to work sometimes but he is picky and only eats certain vegetables and fruits. I have since asked point blank "What vegetables do you like so I know what to buy?" His answer "Green beans." That's its guys he likes green beans, the only vegetables that I can get the man to eat is green beans, I've tried corn and peas and he won't eat them. My cupboard is now stocked with green beans.

Then one night was I was lying in bed, that's where I do my best thinking it came to me, it came to me that he will eat the majority of the vegetables that I cook in something. I was quite successful in getting Big-D to eat most of a salad the other night.

(Because I am awesome I even made homemade tortilla chips.)

Combine salt, chili powder, cumin and chicken into a Ziploc and shake until evenly coated. Add oil and chicken to a skillet.

Once the chicken starts to brown, add onions.

Next add peppers, I choose green and orange. 

Cut up some lettuce and tomatoes, top with chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 orange pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes

Directions:

1. Combine salt, chili powder, cumin and chicken strips into a Ziploc baggie and shake until evenly coated.
2. In a large skillet, add oil and cook until the chicken starts to brown. Add onions and green peppers. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink the middle and the vegetables are tender. Make sure to stir frequently.
3. Top lettuce with chicken and tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips. 

Enjoy,
Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Getting Back To Normal

Life will be getting back to somewhat normal...I am so thankful that Dennis got his job back. It has been a long 3 months and I am happy (and so is he) that he will be returning to work.

He starts tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM...hopefully Hank will let me sleep in tomorrow morning.

Now if only I can get off third shifts...well at least one of the two things that I have been praying happened.

Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Bucket List

Sometime in my senior year the movie The Bucket List was released. I have never seen the movie, I've heard it's good but I've just never rented it. In one of my classes I don't remember which (my senior year was so long ago...) we had to make up our own bucket lists. At the time coming up with a 100 things to do before I died was really really hard. I recently edited this list because of the things on it were really odd and add a couple of new things/changed a few things.

States:
1) Visit all 50 states
2) Golf in all 50 states
3) Visit all 50 state capitals
4) Have sex in all 50 states
5) Go camping in all 50 states
6) Visit a National Monument/Park in all 50 states
7) Visit a haunted house in all 50 states  
Life:
8) Get married on the beach of Lake Michigan
9) Adopt a child
10) Have children
11) Make a million dollars
12) Buy a house and property
13) Become a Engineer
14) Build a dream house
15) Donate Blood
16) Make a family tree
17) Give to charity
18) Write my will
Sports:
19) Go to the Indy 500
20) Go to the Daytona 500
21) Visit all the NASCAR tracks -- watch races
22) Visit all the Baseball Stadiums -- watch games
23) Run a marathon
24) Go to Olympics
25) Go to the World Cup
26) Learn to surf
27) Visit all the spring training facilities
28) Ride a mechanical bull
29) Go to the Buick Open
30) Coach a little girls soccer team
31) Visit all of the Professional Football Stadium  -- watch games  
Travel:
32) Visit all continents

• Europe
• Australia
• Asia
• North America
• South America
• Antarctica
• Africa

33) Visit Washington DC
34) Visit France
35) Visit Spain
36) Go on a cruise
37) Visit Mexico
38) Visit Puerto Rico
39) Visit England
40) Visit Australia
41) Visit New Zealand
42) Visit Italy
43) Visit Germany
44) Swim in both Pacific & Atlantic Oceans

• Pacific Ocean
• Atlantic Ocean

45)  Visit Virgin Islands
46) Swim in all the Great Lakes

• Michigan
• Ontario
• Erie
• Superior
• Huron

47) Drive across the US from coast to coast
48) Visit the Amazon Rainforest
49) Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans
50) Visit the 7 wonders of the world

• Machu Picchu - Peru
• The Collisseum - Rome
• Petra - Jordan
• Christ Redeemer - Brazil
• The Great Wall of China
• Chichen Itza - Mexico
• The Taj Mahal - India

51) Visit the Rocky Mountains & Appalachia Mountain Ranges

• Rocky Mountains
• Appalachia Mountains

52) Visit a real castle
53) Visit Civil War Battle Fields
54) Visit Pearl Harbor
55) Visit the beaches of Normandy
56) Stay the night in a historical hotel
57) Drive along Route 66
58) Visit the gravesites of famous athletes/people
59) Spend Christmas on the beach
60) Play in a waterfall
61) Stay a half of a day in a concentration camp
62) Swim in the Gulf of Mexico  
Wants:
63) Buy a Corvette
64) Restore a classic car
65) Buy a Mustang
66) Buy a Viper
67) Buy a big screen TV
68) Get a puppy
69) Get a new headboard
70) Buy a boat  
Collections:
71) Shot glasses
72) Sport memorabilia
73) Coins
74) Baseballs
75) Golf balls
76) Wine  
Other:
77) Watch a space shuttle launch
78) Go deep sea fishing
79) Learn to bartend
80) Learn to scrapbook
81) Buy some cows
82) Learn to cook
83) Complete a 365 day challenge
84) Get a tattoo
85) Learn to knit
86) Dance in the rain
87) Keep a book of favorite quotes (including random quotes, poems, and songs)
88) Read 100 books
89) Watch 100 movies
90) Photograph Bucket List
91) Write a letter to every whom I love
92) Build a tree fort
93) Sleep completely under the stars
94) Have sex in all the rooms in the house
95) Leave a dollar in a place where a child will be to find it
96) Leave a note in a library book
97) Plant a tree
98) Ride in a hot air balloon
99) Learn to scuba dive
100) Let someone feed me seedless grapes
101) Continue to add to this list until I die

Anyone else have a bucket list? Anything that you want to do before you die?

Over and out, 
A Engineer in the Kitchen

PS: Maybe if you all are lucky, I will do some post about a few of the things that I've done.

New Years Resolutions

I'm usually really bad at trying to follow through with New Years Resolutions but I've gotten smart over the last couple of years and make New Years Resolutions that I know (100% positive) that I can keep.

2012: Buy a puppy. (Completed in May of 2012).

So here are my New Years Resolutions for 2013: (In no particular order). 

1. Graduate
2. Buy a wedding dress
3. Manage to not pull out all my hair well shopping for said wedding dress
4. Run in the Color Run
5. Complete five things off my bucket list
6. Be a 50% Made in USA house hold (this one might actually be somewhat difficult to do).

Pretty easy stuff I know but, hey I'm a simple person I like to make it so I can feel accomplished and I am almost certain that all of those things will be put of until December. Expect the Color Run that is in May.

What are you New Years Resolutions?

Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen      

PS: There will be future posts about Made in USA house hold, mainly where I stole the idea from and I will post my bucket list.