My friend Nadell is evidently an amazing cook (fantasticfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com). I have pathetically attempted to cook for Cali and I for the last couple of years and have tried different recipes and different concoctions, but we have always ended up throwing (or throwing up) the food away. However, there is one meal that we have perfected that has always been there for us through thick and thin. It is taco soup. The amazing thing about this taco soup is that it only costs a few measly dollars (about $6 if planned right) at wal-mart, is extremely low-calorie (I'm meaning fixed calories that diminish for every unit that is consumed), and makes a TON. Here is the recipe:
3 Chicken breasts cut up or 1lb ground beef
32 oz can diced tomatoes (don't drain)
10 oz Rotel tomatoes (don't drain)
4-6 oz can diced green chiles
1 pkt taco seasoning (we have found taco bell brand is the tastiest and cheapest)
1 pkt ranch dressing mix
15 oz can kidney beans (don't drain)
15 oz can pinto beans (don't drain)
15 oz can of corn (don't drain)
small can of tomato paste (don't drain...haha...just kidding)
cook the chicken or beef, drain. Add everything in this recipe to a crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
Thats it! Pretty easy, delicious, and lasts for days.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Temples...
This is a video I made a couple of months ago when I discovered the windows movie maker program.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
High quality decision making...
At the start of the new semester, my head is boggling with all the new material needing to be soaked in in such a short amount of time; however, as I was finishing up some cost accounting today, a question came up in my class on how we can apply cost analysis/decision making in our personal lives. For those of you who know me, you know that I don't take time to think deeply about things. For example, I've never had a discussion for more than five minutes on the subject of religion, politics, prop 8, or any other issue that requires a more articulate answer than the one I'm capable of giving, but on this issue I was very, what the Spaniards like to call, pensativo. I thought long and hard on how unstructured the "high-quality decision making" process is in our lives (speaking of me and the Calinator). I've come up with a few scenarios that demonstrate how we unsuccessfully make decisions:
Scenario 1: "Friday night television fight"
Cali and Geoff have just sat down on a Friday night after a long, hard day at work and school and turned on the TV. Geoff, normally the initiator, has flipped through a few channels, nothing really perking his own interests.
Geoff: So what do you want to watch?
Cali: Oh I don't care.
Geoff: Here...take the remote. I'm up for anything.
Cali: No, i don't want it. Just turn it to something you like.
Geoff: I don't like anything. Just take it and watch what you want. I'll be content with anything right now.
Cali: No, I don't want the stupid remote. Just flip through channels until you see something you like.
Geoff: NO! I don't want to be selfish. I always watch TV. It's time for you to watch what you want.
Cali: But I don't care what we watch. Please just watch what you want.
Geoff: NO! There are hundreds of channels on here. There is going to be something that you want to watch. Here...take it. (throws Cali the remote)
Cali: AAAAAHHHH!! just turn the damn TV to something you want!!!!
Geoff: Hey! This is your remote, your TV, and your last chance to turn it to a show that you want to watch.
Cali: NO!!! Your being so...(Cali says a very sophisticated word that Geoff doesn't know)
Geoff: Fine! Then you've lost your cuddle privileges for 2 days...yeah the cuddle bug has gone on vacation!!!
This usually ends with Geoff sleeping on the couch that night. Loveless, sleepless, and remorseful.
Scenario 2: "No dinner makes Geoff a very dull boy"
Geoff and Cali have both arrived home on a Friday night from their respective liabilities (HuH?), give hugs and kisses, and sit down on the couch to rest their aching bones beside the fire.
Geoff: Are you hungry?
Cali: Yeah I'm pretty hungry. Are you?
Geoff: Yeah. What do you want to eat?
Cali: oh I don't care. What do you want to eat?
Geoff: whatever you want. I'm up for anything
Cali: Well then lets go whereever you want to go.
Geoff: But I don't care where we go. It's up to you.
Cali: Oh jeez...i dunno. What sounds good to you?
Geoff: (getting impatient) Anything sounds good. Lets just get something.
Cali: Well then pick
Geoff: I don't care where we go!! Just pick a place you like and we'll go there. Don't leave this up to me.
Cali: YOU pick a place! I can't make this decision.
Geoff: (overly irritated) FINE!! lets just sit home and eat chicken noodle soup! Maybe that will push you to make a decision. If you don't think of something now...then we are not making whoopie for 2 months!!!
This usually ends with Geoff sleeping on the couch that night. Loveless, sleepless, and remorseful.
I guess I don't have a moral to this post, but you can see how not being high quality decision makers can affect not only your business, but your personal life as well. Also, we need a more comfortable couch...if anyone is selling.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Black Jack, Poker, and a roulette wheel...
This last weekend, Cali and I decided it was time to take one last mini vacation before we started on our homework. We went down to St. George to have some fun over Friday and Saturday nights. We ended up going another 30 miles past St. George into Mesquite, Nevada and stayed at a hotel/casino called the Casablanca. Getting there late at night took quite a toll on Cali and she ended up going to sleep. I took to the casino floor right away and entertained myself with some games, booze (neer), and music.
Cali has always had a thing about gambling...it just doesn't appeal to her. So when I told her, she just shrugged it off. Well that night, we ended up casino band hopping around town and ran into some $.50 roulette tables. She didn't want to play so just hung around talking with the drunks and watching.
Then something started to happen from within her. About a half hour into it, I heard this coming from her..."mmm...throw 10 on black." then, "no, don't do that...put 5 on the 2nd twelve and make sure to split the zeros. You can't go wrong with that. Your best bet. Trust me...you'll thank me later." UNBELIEVABLE. It was like watching the grinch.
It was the coolest thing I've ever seen....my wife becoming a gambler. I could only think to myself...."I'm by far the luckiest guy in the world!!"
Monday, January 5, 2009
The joy's of love...
Here are 10 questions to answer about you and your sweetheart:
1. Where did you first meet your sweetheart?
In her apartment in Provo. I was visiting with a friend who happened to have a crush on her. She walked in with a basket full of laundry and a snotty look, anxiously waiting for me to leave so she could get busy folding her laundry. We didn’t really like each other at first.
2. What do you remember about him/her the most?.
Her laugh. She has this ability to laugh at even the most irrelevant things. No, it’s more like a giggle….a cute little bunny giggle.
3. Who asked who out first? It was a mutual thing. We decided to “hang out” one day at temple square, which turned into a hard-core make out session on the temple grounds.
4. What did you do on your first date?
We visited temple square, the temple grounds, kissed, bought & ate pizza, kissed, read books to each other, and kissed plenty
5. What was your favorite thing to do together when you were dating?
Sometimes we would hunt for stray cats in her dad’s 4x4 Chevy, shoot them and cook them, and take them around to all the geriatric people in the neighborhood and tell them it was a special lasagna that has been passed down from generations. They all had such sweet smiles on their faces and were very excited that we thought of them….HA!...little did they know…
7. When did you first realize you loved him/her?
When we were sitting on the couch and she said, “Geoff…when I’m pregnant, are you going to rub my belly and say, ‘I love your mother so much’ to our unborn baby?” That’s when I knew I loved her.
8 Who said it (I love you) first?
I told her, “I think I’m falling in love with you” to try and break the ice and get her to say it. She refused. In fact, the first time she told me she loved me was on our 2nd wedding anniversary. She said she wanted to wait to see if it would work before she committed to the whole “love” thing.
9. How did s/he propose?
I proposed to her on a hill in provo. I played her some soft music and we danced on roses.
10. What are two things you remember most about your wedding?
1. Wanting to get the ceremonies over so we could go to the hotel room that night and watch tv.
2. Seeing my beautiful bride in her wedding dress and thinking, “I am the luckiest man in the world.”
1. Where did you first meet your sweetheart?
In her apartment in Provo. I was visiting with a friend who happened to have a crush on her. She walked in with a basket full of laundry and a snotty look, anxiously waiting for me to leave so she could get busy folding her laundry. We didn’t really like each other at first.
2. What do you remember about him/her the most?.
Her laugh. She has this ability to laugh at even the most irrelevant things. No, it’s more like a giggle….a cute little bunny giggle.
3. Who asked who out first? It was a mutual thing. We decided to “hang out” one day at temple square, which turned into a hard-core make out session on the temple grounds.
4. What did you do on your first date?
We visited temple square, the temple grounds, kissed, bought & ate pizza, kissed, read books to each other, and kissed plenty
5. What was your favorite thing to do together when you were dating?
Sometimes we would hunt for stray cats in her dad’s 4x4 Chevy, shoot them and cook them, and take them around to all the geriatric people in the neighborhood and tell them it was a special lasagna that has been passed down from generations. They all had such sweet smiles on their faces and were very excited that we thought of them….HA!...little did they know…
7. When did you first realize you loved him/her?
When we were sitting on the couch and she said, “Geoff…when I’m pregnant, are you going to rub my belly and say, ‘I love your mother so much’ to our unborn baby?” That’s when I knew I loved her.
8 Who said it (I love you) first?
I told her, “I think I’m falling in love with you” to try and break the ice and get her to say it. She refused. In fact, the first time she told me she loved me was on our 2nd wedding anniversary. She said she wanted to wait to see if it would work before she committed to the whole “love” thing.
9. How did s/he propose?
I proposed to her on a hill in provo. I played her some soft music and we danced on roses.
10. What are two things you remember most about your wedding?
1. Wanting to get the ceremonies over so we could go to the hotel room that night and watch tv.
2. Seeing my beautiful bride in her wedding dress and thinking, “I am the luckiest man in the world.”
Saturday, January 3, 2009
I want bitty...
Last night I watched a show about mothers who just couldn't let go. It made me think of this great skit that we saw years ago:
Perhaps I'll never understand why some mother's take it to the extreme, but I think I speak for all when I say I'm grateful that my mother knew the appropriate time to wean me off the bitty!
Perhaps I'll never understand why some mother's take it to the extreme, but I think I speak for all when I say I'm grateful that my mother knew the appropriate time to wean me off the bitty!
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