The sunflowers have come up in my garden. I love how proud they are.

Yesterday as I was sitting with my son and Gigi playing “Go Fish” I got a text from a friend of mine that said “you got the job”. I burst into tears and Calvin and Gigi showered me with hugs.

Even now, a day later I am still stunned by  what those four words mean to my world. I can pay my bills, pay off debt, schedule a hair appointment, drive to the beach, meet a friend for coffee, meet a friend for lunch, meet a friend! I can save for a rainy day make repairs in my house. GET MY LIFE BACK.

I have learned so many valuable lessons this past year and a HALF.  The value of a dollar and how to stretch it, and how to appreciate the simplest things so much more. Just walking my son to school every day was such a joy to me and seeing his smiling face coming out of the school doors.  Having time to cook and blog and craft has been a joy. And spending time with my Gigi has been such a blessing. There is a time for everything. I am blessed with every step in my journey. And for my parents who supported me financially as well as emotionally never letting me give up, and encouraging me to keep going.

I’m a big pile of love and gratitude today. Ready for new beginnings.

Home made Salsa

You would not believe how easy it was to make this salsa. I googled the recipe for Pappasito’s salsa. If you are’nt from Texas this is a local Tex Mex chain that is part of who I am as a Houstonian. I grew up going there on
“payday” with my Dad.  And then worked there in graduate school waiting tables.

They have the best thin crisp tortilla chips and salsa served warm on the planet. Best ceviche I have ever had, and oh my…..they specialize in fajitas served with a buttery wine montaquilla sauce. It will change your life.

MORE tomatos

Can you ever have too many tomatos? NOOOOOOO. But I am getting creative making sure I give away or use them before they go bad. This is a good “growing” year.

So I decided to make restaurant style salsa. For some reason I thought it would be hard to make. Like gourmet or something. I used to work at Pappasito’s in college and believe me, they guarded that recipe like it was a secret weapon. HA. That  was before the internet! Now bloggers like me can share their secrets to people all over the world. Dear Finland, you have to make this recipe now. You have no idea what you are missing. Same for you New Jersey  and Vancouver and Hong Kong!!  Sidney home cooks, break out the Tex Mex!!! Let Tex Mex reign all over the world!!

chop your tomatos coursely, chunky

What I like about this recipe is the pepper combined with the sweetness of the tomatos. This is such a contrast to my own signature salsa which is not cooked and combines a lot of lime and garlic to flavor the tomatos. I could write a book about salsas at different restaurants in Houston alone.

For this recipe take one pablano pepper and one jalopeno pepper and in a pan chop coarsely,and brown them until there are splotches of brown on the skins. Then add your tomatos to the peppers and brown them as well.

Remove the pan and add the chopped onion.

In a food processor add celery salt, oregano, cilantro, sugar, garlic salt and pepper.

smallest food processor in the known universe

I had to cut the recipe in half to accomodate my midget food processor.

Add your tomato, pepper, onion mixture slowly to your hopefully monsterishly large food processor with a little water and blend to a chunky texture, not totally smooth. Is that right? Not a sauce, but a salsa texture.

perfect!

Return to your pan to serve it up warm with tortilla chips!

And thank yourself in your Jersey Shores accent, or yiddish, British or South Texas accent. Tex mex in a jar. This is home in a jar to me. I love this recipe like I cant even tell you.

Ingrediants:

• 8 tomatos(Whole)
• 1 small yellow onion diced 
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, stem removed and seeded
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/8 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 fresh poblano pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or powder
• 1/2-3/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Love ya’ll!

Melissa

This morning I decided to make my morning prettier with a breakfast feast on the back patio. My grandmother used to do this in Oklahoma when I was a kid and it always made breakfast feel like a treat.

Bounty from the garden

This is the first cutting of zinias this summer. I love that they are so bright and they thrive in the Texas Heat.

On the slate this weekend: Some yardwork, garden work – weeding. Grilling out this evening. And working on baby blanket for my coming niece and learning to knit socks. Also going tto tackle the ruffle shirt tutorial from Craftzine.  Pictures to come tonight on these projects.

M

My new purse

 My mom bought me this cute Fossil purse at Macy’s. I love it. It says color and summer. And it’s nice and big.

Gratitude Tuesday one day late:

I am grateful for:

My home

No mortgage

my church

My mom and Dad

my brother and his beautiful wife

My niece  – I can t wait to meet you!

my son’s FOUR grandparents – how lucky are we

My Gigi and all the lessons I am learning

My safe cozy cul de sac

For all of the traveling I have done and all I have yet to do – the Wanderlust

All of the love I have had in my life and all that is to come

The men at my church who help with my son

My new purse

 My garden

All the good that is coming to me

Thank you Universe

mexicalli dress

I went shopping with my mom at Macy’s this weekend. It was decadent. I bought this super cute mexican dress. It reminds me of a little pink one my mom bought on the border when I was a little girl. Mom found a top that was similar in red. And then I tried on the short mini frilly skirt that I have no business wearing until I lose weight.

So right then and there in the dressing room with the short frilly size small skirt zipped half way up, I decided to make a contest. Mom and I are not allowed to shop until we BOTH lose 15 lbs. And we are BOTH losing 15 lbs as fast as possible because I want that skirt !!!!!!!!!! Mom thinks it might make the 70 percent off rack by then. That would be nice……..Dear skirt, stay at Macy’s and dont sell out. Love me.

Today's breakfast

 And I’m so proud, my mom who is traveling for her job today called to say that at McDonald’s (huh?) she got the “healthier” egg  muffin and made herself a sandwhich before she left for lunch. Eating on the road is challenging so way to go mom! It got us talking about who is serving breakfast now – Subway! They have healthy options and so does Starbucks – they have an eggwhite turkey bacon muffin.

This morning I had eggwhites scrambled with onion and  pickled jalapeno. And a sliced tomato, some fresh spinach and two pieces of turkey bacon.

Rest of day is as follows:

greek yogurt in three hours, home made spring rolls ( that I have been wanting to make and blog about FOREVER)

and apple with a five almonds for second snack.

All in keeping with eating REAL unprocessed foods, lean protein with a complex carb, about every four hours. Lots of water and no sodas.

This is in keeping with the Eat Clean diet designed to detox the body, and increase metabolism. Boost immune and make your temple it’s best self. ENERGY!!!!!!!!

Its a beautiful Houston day today. And by that I mean it is overcast and humid – thankfully not scorching hot! Getting in a 2.5 mile run, while Calvin leads on his bike. Then the gym for legs and abs with weight training.

Excuses begone! Anyone can be their best self at any age!

xoxo

Melissa

Me about 5 years ago

 This is the size I want to be. I was a good weight here. I was in love. Can you tell? And my son was two. Out of paci and diapers. I was on top of the world.

Port Aransas, TX

Well I “got back out there”. I had an interview yesterday. And I met a guy on match.com. It’s a start!!!

I want to sew this  ruffle shirt  this weekend. No other plans really. Will be nice to have some down time.

Oh and I picked a marathon!  November 14, 2010. Woo!!!!

oxox0

these blacked eyed susans came up "volunteer"

Dr Jill Carroll spoke at my church on Sunday and the topic is haunting me. She spoke of the parable in Mark of the master and the talents that he gave to his servants.   The third servant was banished because he dug a hole and was too afraid to share his one talent. The other servants shared their talents in the world and doubled their efforts.

So the question is are you at risk?  She makes the point that we SHOULD be at risk….

It takes risk to go out into the world and share your talents. Whether it is love, an ability to write, sing, do athletics…. Whatever it is. You might not have really “risked” bringing it into the world. Letting spirit flow through you and express through you.

Dr. Carrol made the point that a lot of us, maybe even the majority of us, have been roughed up the last two years. That we’ve maybe pulled in and held back out of survival or protection  – because of money or housing problems, or loss of job or whatever. Where before that, we maybe were out there in the world living more largely.

And she just asks the question, “Are you at risk”, “Am I at risk”?

I am still meditationg on this. It’s pretty deep. I’m not sure I totally understand it.

But I know that I need to take more risks again. Get back out there – the job market and my money have taken a beating the past year and a half. But there is no one who can harm my soul. I need to get back out there for me.

This was only a temporay place of learning. I have learned much. I am grateful.

Eggwhites and oatmeal for breakfast. Meals ready for week. Exercise program written out – today is Core P90 X video, 2.5 mile run and legs and abs at gym. Also looking for a marathon to run for my birthday in September.

Age:36

Start weight: 135

Height: 5′ 2″

Bust: 37 inches

Chest (under bust): 32 nches

Hips: 37 inches

Waist: 34 inches uh…..what waist

Butt: 39 inches

Arms: 11 1/2 inches

Thighs:  24 inches

Goal weight: 108 – 110 range

Size:2

I have to explain – Some girls say “I will never be a size two: – I have been a size two my whole adult life until the last two to three years. I am a very small frame.

plenty of grilled protein and Veggies

I’m ready to bring it! And fit into cute clothes again. This is the beginning of the rest of my life. Good bye cheese, good bye pasta, I’ll miss you my dear friend Chardonnay! See you Saturday (cheat day). Tell the chips and salsa to be good.

Sincerely,

Melissa

Because I am obsessed with seeds, an addict really, I bought MORE seeds to grow into plants. Even though I have 23 tomato plants in the raised bed, garden number two only has like one pumpkin vine. What does one pumkin vine need with a whole bed.

So say hello to your new competition. I mean friends. Black and orange pumpkins. AND… the infamous, Does-it really exist or not…. GIANT pumpkin. I am obsessed with growing pumpkins because I CANT GROW PUMPKINS. My only foray into this genre of gardening was last year and it was a complete failure. I had high hopes of impressing my friends and family with said GIANT pumpkin. My unreal fantasy goes something like Charlottes web with country fair and “some pumpkin” written in spidar web or something,…..like that.

I mean, I want to believe in the GIANT PUMPKIN. I want to believe I can grow fruit bigger than my child, or my dog. And I am crazy and insane. 

This is for my boy, because he’s like “I dont eat tomatoes mom. Or peppers. Or cilantro. Or basil.Or zucchini.” You get the drift.

And in keeping with my apparant innate need to grow GIANT fruit this summer, I transferred the Beefsteak tomatos to bigger containers. 

What am I compensating for with all this giant fruit? What does it all mean?

Moving along, I think the Texas heat would wipe out the seedlings if I put them in the ground this young. Which is different for ”you guys” up North. Your always blogging about a freeze and trying to keep your seedlings warm. Not a problem here in Houston. We like it hot and humid.

transplanted beefsteak

I know, they are little. GROW!!! Growing tomato plants from seed is excruciating. I need to start earlier next year.

I am attached to the GIANT beefsteak. They must make it. The brandywine,  phht. They can die if they want. I read that the Brandywine is “leggy”. And that sounds all whimpy and high maintenance.

Ok good bye.

xoxo melissa

The first tomato this year

This week did me in as far as working out goals go. In integrity I have to say it, but every day is a brand new baby day. I’ve had some prosperity come my way in the form of a small part time job. And still hoping to hear about the nonprofit I interviewed with last week.

Next week I am going in with guns blazing  and a BUNCH more organized. You wont see me quit.

Off today to bring my Gigi potato soup, check on my elderly neighbor and then baseball tournament with my booger.

Better and better every day. New start no excuses Monday.

love ya,

melissa