"homemade" fajitas

i love to cook, but i hate what happens to my house and my life when i try to take on a big cooking project. everything seems to get impossibly messy and disorganized and at least two people are screaming before the project is completed. sometimes the 2 screamers are my kids and sometimes it is just me screaming loud enough for two people. i digress.
fajitas have become one of my favorite dishes to prepare, not only are they mostly healthy, they taste fantastic. they do seem to require a lot of planning and thinking. and that can be a luxury around here. while the fam was living in fun-gomery, i discovered this little fajita helper. it's like hamburger helper, but it actually tastes good and isn't completely chocked full of sodium. just some sodium. and you have to have some sodium or you will have an electrolyte imbalance. at least that is my excuse to pour salt all over my food. this product is called john soules foods chicken breast for fajitas. it comes in a big plastic bag in your meat section of wal-mart. some wal-marts don't carry it. they are crazy. our currect wal-mart doesn't carry the beef version, only the chicken version. they are both fantastic. and chicken is lower fat. so you can eat more. i always buy the uncooked version, but they do have a pre-cooked version that only requires you to reheat and serve. i am sure it is good too.

dinner is in the bag(HA)!
the finished product:
i used to buy fresh peppers, but they have gotten so darn expensive i have started buying the frozen pre-chopped version. it still tastes good. my secret is to cook the peppers in their own skillet. once they are mostly cooked through, i strain them in a collander. do not rinse with water while they are in the collander. then i put them back in their skillet for a few more minutes. this reduces excess water in the peppers and keeps them crisp. no one wants a mushy fajita. finally, add the peppers to the fajita meat skillet. delicious!
thomas likes to add avocados. he scrapes the innards out of the skin and spreads the innards on his tortilla. place meat and peppers mixture inside, wrap and enjoy! delicious!

should i know this person?

once in a while i get a weird friend request on facebook. people i don't know but they think they know me. i have a pretty "mormony" maiden name, so i think people get confused. but this one takes the cake. i have no idea who this person is. should i? do any of you that knew me in college remember me having associations with this person? his profile says he is from blackfoot, idaho but he is in the salt lake city network. and these are some of the greasy, narcissistic pictures on his page:

i don't know whether to laugh or to take a bath or to take down my facebook page. what do you think?

craft-tastic

my new calling in the ward is to be on the enrichment comittee. my partner and i are in charge of the monthly craft night. here's my secret: i don't like most crafts. mostly because they are unappealing to me. i would love to make something that interested me, but most of the time they are things i wouldn't display in my house. i have boxes full of unfinished projects that will never see the light of day because they just don't appeal to me. (stuffed pumpkins, painted snowmen, toilet paper holders) i don't think i am the only one that feels this way. last month was birthday card making. the attendance was poor; it was mostly members of the presidency and two other sisters and a laurel. we were supposed to make six cards but i barely made it through two.

i need some ideas for crafts that will appeal to a wider relief society audience. please please please do not suggest word tiles. i think word tiles are a great idea. i have a fantastic one in my house. but we have done them. and then we did them some more. and i don't want to beat a dead horse.

i would like suggestions for people that were not born craft-tastically able. we need simple, inexpensive, projects. ones that will allow for friendships to be formed and conversations to flow. isn't that what these meetings are all about?

that other famous person from blue springs

david cook is from blue springs, mo. my hometown. i few people have asked if i know him. well, i attended blue springs south high school. so did david cook. i was in the forensics program. so was david cook. i sang in the choir. so did david cook(much better than me obviously). i graduated in 1998. he graduated in 2000. with all these close connections, i don't have any recollection of him. a few very fuzzy memories, maybe? i think that if you asked him if he knew that other famous person from blue springs, heidi beck, i am sure that he was give a say of course!

high school reunion blues

my 10 year high school reunion is coming up on may 31. i did not attend my 5 year reunion. i have mixed emotions about this subject. about a year ago i was sort of excited. the thought of getting together with people i used to hang out with was appealing. about a month ago i made the realization that the thought is a bit appalling. i have had very minimal contact the my non-church high school friends. i have reconnected with a few on facebook and i have felt very content with that extent of friendship renewal. chit chatting with (probably drunk) strangers holds limited appeal for me.
pros for attending the reunion-
1. it is at royals stadium. there should be a fireworks display.
2. the weather should be pleasant.
3. i will probably get a new outfit.
4. i will get to see how people turned out. do we have any criminals in the bunch?
5.?

cons-
1. the person that i used to be 10 years ago is the same person that i am now. i really don't think that i have changed much. i think the biggest change is that i am very publicly proud of who i am now whereas before i felt secretly proud of who i was. insecurities put such a damper on the whole high school experience for me. everyone experienced the sheep mentality of high school. don't deny it. i often did my own thing, but still feared public ridicule and scorn from my classmates. ridicule and scorn don't bother me much now. i am confident in who i am. i just don't want to waste my time dealing with the people that revert back to their high school social roles as soon as they are around their former classmates.

what are all y'alls thoughts? are you going to your reunion? would you go if the opportunity presented itself? have you already been? what were your experiences?

now what?

now that governor romney has ended his presidential campaign, what do i do? i am a registered republican and i am proud of that fact. the republican party resounds strongly with my core beliefs. while both john mccain and mike huckabee are registered republicans, i do not trust either of them as far as i can spit. i have read in many other blogs and columns that some republican are considering a vote for barack obama or hilary clinton. i CANNOT do that. it is against who i am. why would i give my vote to 2 people who are immensely liberal to avoid voting for the most liberal of republicans? i think all three will sink the country. at least while bill clinton was president back in the 90s, we had the luxury of a republican controlled congress. bill was so concerned about being popular that he was easily swayed by congress.
so my question is this, fellow republicans, now what? shall we all write in on our ballots thomas sowell or condoleeza rice? we must vote for it is our right and privilege, but who for?

this cartoon sums up a lot of my feelings toward the barack obama campaign. do his constituents know that he was voted by his fellow congressmen the number 1 most liberal member of congress? perhaps that is the appeal for some of his supporters, but i have heard too many say, "barack rocks!", "he has a great personality!", and what a "moving and charismatic speaker". true, his commercials are very passionate and he has an incredibly engaging voice. but, we're electing a president here folks, not hiring a motivational speaker at a teamworking retreat. in the same poll, hilary wasn't far behind with a #16 ranking. are we doomed?

romney 08

what's in a name?

congrats to nicole richie. not only does she have great hair, but she gave her new baby a great name.

while i don't know the origin for the name harlow for nicole richie, for me it is a shout out to screen legend jean harlow, a fellow kansas citian. however, i would spell it harlowe, with an e on the end, as a nod to l.m. montgomery's anne of green gables series.
i have compiled a short list of baby names i love that thomas would never agree to. presenting in no particular order,
a short list of fantastic but unusable baby names for girls:
1. harlowe
2. monroe
3. tatiana
4. gwendolyn
5. illianna
6. iris
7. alabama(just kidding)




and for boys:
1. cruz
2. griffin
3. alastair
4. roman
5. carmichael


finally, i used to think it was so dorky when moms and daughters matched, but wearing fur trim with scarlett is irrisistable to me!

it is unfortunate that my lazy eye had to come out in full force for this picture. paging paris hilton!

resolutionizing my life(updated)

surprisingly, i did pretty well keeping my resolutions for last year. a few even became habits. that is our ultimate goal, right? i am hoping to do even better this year. i will retry a few of last years and start a few new ones for this year.
behold, the list of resolutions and goals for 2008:
1. run in at least three 5k races
2. complete 3 sewing projects
3. paint my sewing nook
4. complain less, judge less, love more, forgive more
5. write in my journal weekly
6. get a haircut every 2 months( i think my total for last year was 2)
7. attend the temple 6 times
8. experiment with a new recipe twice a month
9. go to bed earlier(10pm) so that i can get up earlier
10. stick to my grocery budget
11. complete visiting teaching every month
12. master the potty with reagan(that one could be very embarassing if it doesn't happen this year)
13. reduce the amount of clutter around the house. get rid of what it not needed. organize what is left over
and three additional ones:
14. create and abide by monthly to read book list
15. one missionary experience a month
16. 300 crunches every other day-no exceptions!

caution! hints being dropped!

dear santa, i have heard from a source close to me that i am very difficult to shop for. this holiday season, i would like to remedy that. here are a few hints:

zappos

francesca's collections

francesca's collections

francesca's again

still francesca's

francesca's

skirt sports

skirt sports
skirt sports

merry maids

i hope this helps you out. love, heidi

what i don't want for christmas

a short list of what no one wants for christmas:
i was perusing sam's club this week, looking for creative gifts ideas and i noticed a large display titled "hannah's pickled treats." nothing says i hate your guts like a large jar of pickled waste products. you can choose from pickled pigs feet...

or better yet, pickled pig lips. great for dinner parties. actually the online description said they were great for bars. really, is that what people consume in bars these days? are they so drunk that they are willing to put anything in their mouth that slightly resembles food?

i noticed this gift giving gem advertised in my sunday paper. the headline said, "hilarious christmas gift for the whole family". whose family? my family is pretty interesting and sometimes enjoys low-brow humor, but this is too much, even for us.

finally, this is not for the faint of heart. these are called the peekabooty. at one point they were big in japan. i saw this advertised in a magazine as a fashion don't. i have nothing to add to this other than for the love of cross stitch DON'T!

the hot part is right

you are hotpink #FF69B4

Your dominant hues are red and magenta. You love doing your own thing and going on your own adventures, but there are close friends you know you just can't leave behind. You can influence others on days when you're patient, but most times you just want to go out, have fun, and do your own thing. Your saturation level is medium - You're not the most decisive go-getter, but you can get a job done when it's required of you. You probably don't think the world can change for you and don't want to spend too much effort trying to force it. Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

wedding announcement dos and don'ts

my mom, sister and i are notorious wedding announcement analyzers. we love discussing the merits and mistakes, the nice touches and the horrible blunders many people make on announcements. many of our past family get togethers have been highlighted with a wedding announcement discussion session. to illustrate my point: heather gets home from her mission. after arriving home from the airport, she heads up to her room. as she is ascending the stairs to her room, my mother calls up to her, "heather, there is a basket of wedding announcements from the last 18 months next to your bed." that basket of announcements then made it to my house when my sister visited last week. i am actually a bit surprised that my mother didn't bring the basket with her to the airport.
anywhooo, i really am okay with lots of styles of announcements, i just really really really HATE it when people try and be goofy in their pictures. i think wedding announcements need to have some level of maturity, especially if you are getting married in the temple. save the cutesy stuff for other occasions. and the cleavage should be reserved for never.
i don't know these people. this was sent to me by my sister, who had it sent to her from her friend of a friend or whatever. hopefully you won't know them either so that it doesn't get back to them that their wedding announcement is being lampooned on someone's blog.
thomas claims that he likes it. he just likes to be the devil's advocate. thankfully, i was by myself when i went to pick out our announcements.

heidiluxe's short list of wedding announcement and photo do's and don'ts:

DO- make your print large enough so that all the swirly letters are legible
DO- ask for others assistance to spellcheck, edit, check of errors. if you are LDS, please make note that the Church's name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(lower case d)
DO- pick an announcement that reflects your personal style
DO- wear something simple in your photo. only wear medieval costume if you wear it everyday. and that is all you wear. then you are exempt. but you are also weird.
DO- check and see if your particular announcement needs extra postage

DON'T- wear baseball caps
DON'T- sit on hay bales while wearing matching all denim outfits.
DON'T- wear medieval costumes. even if you have a medieval alter-ego named lady claire-elisabethe. pretty much avoid all costumes.
DON'T- wear a large watch or any trendy jewelry
DON'T- choose a font that is difficult to read or too small. avoid using several fonts.
DON'T- put glitter in the envelope with your announcement. i got one like that once and it was just weird. and messy.
and
NEVER EVER EVER- put a picture of yourself and your beloved wearing swimsuits with your announcements. have some decorum people!

what are all y'alls announcement thoughts?

something fantastic this way comes

back in my glorious college era, i had a deep and loving relationship with express jeans. they were my faves! i knew that i could go in, pick my size and the color i wanted and they would look fantastic. and the price was just right. it was a sure thing for several years. then in recent years i found myself wanting to break off my relationship with express jeans. it just wasn't working out anymore. i didn't want to hurt their feelings; the history that we had together meant so much to me. but we weren't going in the same direction. they were getting all experimental with new cuts and new fits. the pocket placement had changed. the waistband pinched. i didn't feel as glamorous and carefree anymore. it was tough endng things. i just wasn't an express girl anymore.
well, that has all changed! i have been desperately searching for a new pair of jeans. i needed something i could wear with flats. i have a really nice pair of jeans, but i want to keep them long for when i actually go somewhere nice and need to wear a heel. my other jeans were just worn out or too small, i've just had another baby for the love!
i recently read an article in lucky magazine stating that the new express jeans were the next best thing to buying designer jeans. and since we like to eat, pay bills and live indoors, designer jeans are out of the question. but, i was encouraged by the article, so off i went to express this week. i tried on several pairs and i was immediately interested. i felt a spark of the old denim relationship. i had an definite attraction to a very $$$ pair. they tried to woo me. i was almost swayed, but i resisted. i've got a family to think about. plus, i have spent enough time with my own kids to know that i need something that i didn't mind getting a little worn, spilled on, washed often or not washed very often. then i discovered slim W10. i was apprehensive. slim? not in my vernacular right now. i need movement and comfort. as much as i fought it, it was love. there was excitement in the air and music in my ears. W10 held me in all the right ways. the slim cut was more of a curve hugger, not a blubber magnifier. comfortable, but not slouchy. i knew this was going to be a symbiotic relationship.
***sadly, the days of $40 express denim are over. this pair was more, but they definitely were NOT the $108 or $80 pairs i tried on. yikes.
***the blog title refers to the book title something wicked this way comes. i am not doing a yoda impression. i just think that sounds cool. or should i say, i think cool sounds that.

etiquette or eti-short-cut?

i received and evite this week for a baby shower and i am not sure what to think of it. please vote in my poll and let me know your thoughts. if you are brave enough in your opinion, leave a comment!

thanks but no thanks

this topic has been on my mind a lot lately. i saw this today and stole this from another blog. it sums up my thoughts perfectly:
"The Thank you note is a forgotten art of our generation. There are few things as offensive as bringing a gift to a wedding and having a pre-written typed out thank you note given to you at the door, with your little white baggie of Jordan Almonds. People that love and care about the couple took the time to purchase a present, (most often in the range of $40) and the least the couple can do is take the time and express genuine thanks. The same applies to birthday presents, christmas presents and baby gifts. The thank you note not only makes the giver feel good, but those good feelings you generate with in the giver makes them want to give again."

my thoughts on the subject:
1. there is no such thing as sending a thank you card too late.
2. they should be hand-written.
3. they don't need to be long, just mention what you are thanking them for. if it was a gift, try and mention it and how often you use it(if you can remember what the gift was).
4. if they are wedding thank you notes, they can be the same message over and over and over. people don't usually compare with friends the message in a thank you note.
5. forgive your friends if they forget to send thank you notes. we all screw up and i know that i need often need forgiveness.
6. send thank you notes for minor things. i often find those to be most appreciated.

heatherfeather

my beautiful sister is coming home from her mission today!!! i am so excited and proud of her. she is amazing. she is my hero. she inspires me to do more and work harder. but if she ever leaves me again for any extended period of time, i will kill her. the end.

if you've got an opinion, today's your day

a-how do you feel about the pairing of black and brown. honestly, i am usually anti, but recently i noticed a trend in deep brown boots tucked into jeans with black tees, sweaters and/or jackets. and i sort of like it if it is a casual, woman about town outfit. opinions?

b-skinny jeans? are they truly heinous or truly outrageous? in the aforementioned question i mentioned tucking jeans into boots. that pretty much requires a skinny jean. i think it is quite chic. however, how do y'all feel about skinny jeans and flats? or skinny jeans and heels?

c-for the moms out there, how do you guys deal with clogged ducts while breastfeeding? when i was pumping for reagan i had them all the time and that was one of the main reasons i stopped pumping and put reagan on formula at 4 months. with scarlett i have only had a few clogged ducts, but this one is the clogged duct from hell. i am deathly afraid of getting mastitis and being good for nothing and hating life and everyone that crosses my path. ideas? input?

finally, always good for a laugh-

this chick obviously doesn't remember the 80s the first time around. yuck yuck yuck.

the saga continues...

November 6th
mark your calendars fellow gone with the wind aficionados! that is the day Rhett Butler's People is released, the second sequel(or partly prequel) to GWTW. let's hope and pray it is a million times better than Scarlett, the first sequel. though i do consider anything not written by margaret mitchell herself a bit apocryphal, i am excited nonetheless.
www.rhettbutlerspeople.com

VOTE SMART

i frequent a blog of someone i don't know. i check it at least once a week, sometimes more. something that she wrote a few months ago has been on my mind ever since. she wrote that she really wasn't into politics or any particular party, she just voted for whomever she thought was the best person for the job.
ahem, my rant will begin now...
this is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves. i have heard numerous people make this same comment. they want to vote for whomever has the best personality or is the most charismatic in a debate or an interview. those are good things to look for if you are a beauty pageant judge, but not if you are looking for someone to represent you in congress or someone that will become the leader of the free world.
i won't bore you with any of my political views; this isn't a rant to get you to vote a certain way. this is to encourage you to study up on political platforms before you vote. you don't have to agree with every single point of a party, that is nearly impossible, however, you should be able to find a party that best represents you. then, unless you absolutely find that person completely obnoxious, the candidate from that party is usually the one you should vote for. this, based on research and evidence, makes them the best person for the job. not just because they seemed nice in their interview on oprah or you like the TV show they used to have a recurring role on.
for more information, here are the websites of the two largest political parties in the US of A:
www.gop.com
www.democrats.org
good luck and godspeed