Category: About us

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What Do You Think?

How do you like the new look?

Yeah. I’m pretty sure I’m the luckiest little blogger on the planet. Every time my cute little daughter gets in a creative mood–something magical happens. Many times it means that I get a new blog design for Gracious Rain. April said she was sure people would start thinking that Gracious Rain was suffering from some kind of multiple personality disorder because it completely changes every few months or so. I just love it, so I can’t worry about what the psychology majors think. It’s incredibly ok with me if Gracious Rain is the blog design guinea pig for Sassyfruit, whenever it happens. Never a dull moment here!

Speaking of Sass–last week we had a giveaway for a free custom blog design. If you’ll recall, in the end Sassyfruit gave away TWO free blog designs instead of one. Well, I just thought you might like to see the finished product for the Gracious Rain winner, Dot. Her site is called “Dots and Clovers,” and her newly madeover site is adorable! I hope you’ll check it out.

Lastly, as you can see, I have room at the top for more tabs, so I’m open for suggestions. What do you think? Is there something you wish you had easier access to? I’m sure we’ll come up with something, but if you have any great epiphanies on the subject–I’d love to hear all about them! Just leave a comment below.

Thanks my friends…

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Jack-in-the-Box-ish Tacos

When I was in high school, I could not get enough JITB Tacos. Any excuse would do and we’d jump in whoever could drive’s car and order a huge bag full.

If you don’t live near a Jack in the Box…and you don’t have any idea what on earth I’m talking about…I’m sorry. I can’t help you.

But if–like me, you know the addictive qualities of  the  aforementioned taco–then you’re gonna love this one. No lie—it’s the recipe! (insert giddy, maniacal laughter here) We made them this afternoon and I had to fight the urge to take the plate and hide in the basement until they were–you know–magically gone.

In fact, I almost called my similarly smitten sister Laurie to come over and help us taste test them.

I said, almost.

I’m not stupid.

Jack-in-the-Box-ish Tacos

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup refried beans

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup mild, non-chunky taco sauce (Ortega is good)

soft corn tortillas (warm them in a pan with a lid before using so they don’t crack when you fold them)

3 cups Crisco cooking oil

6 slices American cheese

1 head finely chopped lettuce

Directions

Brown the beef over low heat, use a spatula to chop and stir the meat. When the beef is brown drain the fat. Add the refried beans and use the wooden spoon to mash the whole beans into the mixture to create a smooth texture. Add the salt, chili powder and 2 Tbs of taco sauce to the mixture. Remove from the heat. In another skillet heat 1/4 inch of oil until hot. Spread aprox. 2 Tbsp of the beef mixture on the center of each corn tortilla. Fold the tortillas over and press so that the beef filling holds the sides together. Drop each taco into the pan of hot oil and fry on both sides until crispy. When cooked remove the tacos from the oil and place them on a rack or some paper towels until they cool. Slightly pry open add 1/2 slice American cheese folded into a triangle and some lettuce. Top with about 1/2 tsp of the remaining taco sauce.

Invite people over and tell them you went all the way to Jack-in-the-Box to bring dinner…or tell the truth. Be careful though, they might beat you up and steal the recipe.
Makes 12 tacos.

 

 

Jack-in-the-Box Tacos
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ cup refried beans
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • ¼ cup mild, non-chunky taco sauce (Ortega is good)
  • soft corn tortillas (warm them in a pan with a lid before using so they don't crack when you fold them)
  • 3 cups Crisco cooking oil
  • 6 slices American cheese
  • 1 head finely chopped lettuce
Instructions
  1. Brown the beef over low heat, use a spatula to chop and stir the meat.
  2. Then the beef is brown drain the fat.
  3. Add the refried beans and use the wooden spoon to mash the whole beans into the mixture to create a smooth texture.
  4. Add the salt, chili powder and 2 Tbs of taco sauce to the mixture.
  5. Remove from the heat. In another skillet heat ¼ inch of oil until hot.
  6. Spread aprox. 2 Tbsp of the beef mixture on the center of each corn tortilla.
  7. Fold the tortillas over and press so that the beef filling holds the sides together.
  8. Drop each taco into the pan of hot oil and fry on both sides until crispy.
  9. When cooked remove the tacos from the oil and place them on a rack or some paper towels until they cool.
  10. Slightly pry open add ½ slice American cheese folded into a triangle and some lettuce.
  11. Top with about ½ tsp of the remaining taco sauce.

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One Phone Call

My boy…my other boy, you know the one with a tiny bit more hair than the bald kid—-the far, far away one?

Well, I got to speak to him today. Christmas and Mother’s Day are the four days in two years that we get to actually talk to our missionary boy on the phone. After 25 minutes of trying to make the calling card work and the crowded, Mother’s Day phone lines work, and the crazy land line work–we finally got through.

It was so wonderful to hear his voice. I spoke to him first, because I’m the mom–then everyone else had a turn. As much as I loved talking to him personally, it was easier to relax and enjoy the call by just putting him on speaker phone and listening to everyone else talk to him. Every time it was passed to me, I had to fight–really fight the urge to yell, “What are you doing on the other side of the world?!!”

The good news is that he is well and safe and happy, and while he is still my boy, he says he wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else in the world right now. We talked to him for about an hour until we realized that with it being 9 hours ahead for him–it was well past his bedtime.

He asked if he could say a prayer in Lithuanian for us. It was incredible to hear him speaking so confidently in a language I have never heard. I tried to be brave when he needed to say, “good-bye,” but it was hard.

I console myself by remembering that in less than one month, he will have been gone a year. He is learning and growing and serving and becoming a very wonderful young man. I am so proud of him…but I miss him so much.

No matter how old my children get, I suppose I will never stop counting them, over and over whenever we go somewhere together. It’s a mama bear instinct to make sure they are all here…safe. “One, two, three, four, five….one, two, three, four, five…one, two, three, four…dang it.”

This is good. This is right.

This is tough stuff for the wuss mom of the year.

I’m working on it–and it is getting better.

Kind comments will be gratefully accepted and may even give you 25 Celestial points…

you never know.

Ain’t he cute?

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Flip Book

Let me explain…

crackers 105

Beckham is surprised at the feeling of cold water in his lap…

crackers 106

Lily thinks, “Hmmmm….looks fun…”

crackers 107

“…I believe I shall try it.”

Twin joy.

 

 

Food Storage Prompt #7  100 pounds of wheat.

Note: Some items may cost a bit more these days than when these prompts were originally written, but hopefully it will still be helpful to have a nudge to gather these items each week.

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Pucker up!

Don’t be afraid—or disappointed–this is not a post about kissing. Well not completely. It might, possibly come up, in passing–but that would purely be a coincidence.

It’s much more about the pre-kiss thing people do…you know…the PUCKER. I sincerely believe that some people are genetically predisposed to a natural pucker–whether or not they have any prospects close at hand. They just scrunch up their lips like they are just waiting for something.

Don’t you find that odd?

I do. Especially since there are a raft of these sorts at my place.

Take Dane for instance. He makes this face when he’s being all serious and stoic.

Then there’s Jillian–she makes this face when she’s being demure and playful.

Lyndi swears that she never makes a pucker face ev-er. She is incorrect. She makes the face when she is really mad. Almost too mad to speak. You know, the spitting nails kind of mad. I can’t show you a picture of that because how would I ever take a picture of someone that angry–and live to blog about it?

I’m not an idiot, for Pete’s sake.

April makes the face as more of a smirk–as if to say, “Why am I constantly surrounded by stupid people?” So her’s is an attitude pucker. Again, I have no picture of that because, well, I have no desire to be spontaneously  incinerated.

I believe it could happen.

And the bald kid? Well he may be the exception in our pucker-face gene pool…for now. I can’t say that I’ve actually seen it, but I believe it’s in there. He just hides all traces with the willpower and stamina of Jason Borne. Someday I’ll capture that kissy face on film, and prove it to the world.

Likely be his wedding day and involve a pretty girl–but I’ll get it.

It’s in the blood, I tell you.