I Heart Peanut Butter

1 sprays cooking spray
3/4 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
1 medium onion(s), chopped
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free skim milk
4 oz canned jalapeno peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 large burrito-size wheat flour tortilla(s)
3 cup tomato(es), chopped
10 Tbsp low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. Place turkey, onion and chili powder in skillet and cook until turkey is browned, stirring occasionally to crumble meat, about 8 minutes. Remove turkey mixture from skillet and set aside.

2. Place skillet over medium-high heat and add flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from heat; stir in turkey mixture, jalapenos and cumin.

4. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on HIGH until softened, about 15 seconds. Place 1 tortilla in bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Spread 1/3 of turkey mixture over tortilla. Spoon 1 cup of tomato on top and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of cheese. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients ending up with 2 tablespoons of cheese.

5. Cover pie plate with aluminum foil and cook until cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.

I just lost somehow a very very long blog and it makes me sad…
recap of the weekend was very very long….And very very interesting……..
Now I am going to do the Cliffnotes edition

That brings us to today……..
*

PhotoFriday- Home
This is what home is to me…My moms homemade bread in the winter, the way my moms house smells reminds me of the past….
That is home because no matter how much I move is where my folks are..

Well doesn’t look like I will be going to New Orleans, only because the cost of the ticket since yesturday morning has went up another hundred dollars and with Summer leave I am not sure I should be spending the money.
Kinda makes me sad and me being in this “I need to do something for others” mood I think I will spend a good amount of my summer doing volunteer work. Looked on Idealist.org last night at a few opportunities in Massachusetts.
So if there is anyone in the area that knows of places I can give some of my time to this summer or know how to get 300 dollars into the “Crystal want to help out in the Gulf states” Fund…Please let me know
As for everyday life, things are good and I am happy overall.
Have been getting my resume out there a bit and looking at jobs where I know they also have an office in the Phoenix area that way in a year I could transfer and have a job lined up….
Was listening to Morning Edition this morning and they were talking bout “American Idol” since when does a group of educated….Socially conscious people care about “American Idol”. I am proud to say I Have never seen more then about 1 minute of American Idol and never plan on it.
Not much into the pop culture of this country and it’s total lack of actual culture.
But anywho they were talking about the fact that the same amount of votes where cast in last weeks American Idol as the presidential election in “2000″ .
Can I ask , how fucking sad is that. I am glad I voted in the 2000 election and never voted for a grey haired 29 year old wanna be R&B artist…. The only reason I know that much is because they mentioned it on Morning edition this morning..
Sometimes I feel out of the norm because I could truly care less about anything on TV.. I love Big Love and the Sopranos….But other then that I could live without it for the rest of my life.
I was sickened by Local news stations when TV was re-introduced to me. Are these programs made for the idiots that walk around every day, that have no idea what is going on in the world or do they really care about “man gets run over by shopping cart, and losses both legs”
Ahhhhhhhh
No more…No more of this
Back to listening to Tom Ashbrook…..

More Americorps Alumni Chatter….

So today I kinda decided to do the last wing of the Month of Service in New Orleans. See this is the only one I could do because it is while I am off work this summer.It is working with the “Hands on New Orleans ” organization.

10 days of mold cleanup and interior work with 15 other Colorado Americorps Alumni, which very much excites me that I may do this. Still contemplating the cost of the plane ticket and if I want to get up and leave Neil for 9 days…He is all for me going because he knows my love for Americorps, Volunteering and helping. But I feel bad that he will be in the house all alone… It is pretty lonely in the Clinton Abode when there is no one to chat with believe me I lived there 1 /2 years alone…Well I will say a year before I had someone there the whole time.

So this project would mean the world to me, since last August I have only wished that I could also be down there to help with clean up and rebuilding and now here is my chance. I will do some thinking tonight and talking it over with Neil, to get his feedback, which I already think I have. But I need to think if I can drop my “life” for 10 days and do this, it is harder the older you get.

But then again for every one person from the NCCC that shows there face as still being a volunteer and still wanting to make a difference even after there 1 or 2 years of service is one step closer to saving an amazing program.

Last nights dinner was yummy….
It is Crystal’s version of shepherd’s Pie

First I prepared everything…time consuming food.

Baby red Potatoes – washed , cut, boiled then mashed with Light Sour Cream, Low Fat margarine, skim milk, sea salt and pepper…

Chicken strips, Boneless/ skinless chicken breast sliced into strips, marinated in Caesar salad dressing and baked .

Seasoned Mushrooms- mushrooms cleaned and seasoned with Olive oil, pepper, cayenne pepper and sea salt, baked for 25 minutes.

2 cans of Lasuer peas

Once everything was prepared as private entities
I layered Peas, then mushrooms, smashed potaoes, chicken strips , smashed potatoes and covered with plain bread crumbs, lowfat cheese and some Italian seasoning…

It was DAMN Good……

Photo Friday- The Road
Upton State Forest , Upton Mass

It is Friday and I am sitting at work, dreading working the warehouse sale. It is only 4 hours tomorrow but it is 4 hours in the middle of the day and for a gal that gets up early waiting around until the 1 o’clock hour is pretty rough.
Well this was my second week back after vacation getting into a new routine and making myself get back to the gym 4-5 times a week. Last night Neil and I played Raquetball for over an hour and my legs and right arm are killing me.
Tonight is the gym night again but onto some cardio…Why can’t we play raquetball everyday..
It is raining again today ,yesterday it was around 80 degrees and was the 1st full day of sunshine in almost 2 weeks, I felt alive amazing how the sun makes me want to live.

well back to work………
Toodles for now……………………….

• 
  Crystal’s Ever growing TO-DO List for the next 12 months.

  1.Hopefully moving to Phoenix
  2.Starting my own business, some how some way I will make it happen.
  3.Go back to school, looking at AutoCAD
  4. Get a new smaller, more fuel economy car ( I am sick of high car payments)
  5. Become an anti consumer. Going to try this out at some point this year
  6. To save money for business, house or just to have an actual savings
  7. To find a new job, until I start the new business I need to make as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time.
  8. to loss the last 30 pounds I really need to.
  9. To stop eating things like chocolate, and sour cream in my rice and Beans
  10. To start being crafty once more…I have lacked for some time. I finally was able to find a manual to my sewing machine..now will I sell it and buy something new
  11. make some new crafty friends
  12. Stop driving so damn fast ….I can’t afford another speeding ticket
  13. To stay off the interwebs at work

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Maybe it is the weather, maybe it is that I don’t get enough sleep anymore.
But I have not written in about 5 days.
It is Monday the 15th and it has been raining for a week. Cold for a week and I am ready to say fuck it to this place we call New England.
So I am at sitting here tired and BLAH….
Weather has this funny way of fucking with you, can tell everyone has been moody and annoyed for the last few days. Neil and I snapped at each other on Saturday while we were both tired and sick of no sun shine peeking thru the clouds and we never snap at each other.
I have to say we have a pretty easy going relationship and if the weather does that to us….You know it sucks.
So half of Eastern Mass is flooded right now, one of my co workers lives in Lowell which seems to have a large amount of water calling it home. She said she had to take a different route to work today.
Wow this blog really blows, maybe I feel guilty for not being on top of things…But I have been far to BLAHHHHHHHHH to care…

Toodles til later

How do you improve your self image?
Good question hum by not looking in the mirrors. Seems that does me in each time!!!
Look at that ASS, Look at those thighs and non tight stomach.
I sometimes question if I will ever get where I want to be. What was I thinking I am still some 30 pounds from where I want to be.

So as I get back to eating like I should and get out and about more…I should start feeling better about myself. Or maybe it is in my head, maybe I need to figure a way to trick my brain into thinking I am just grand the way I am…
But then again I was a 14 year old who use to live on a cup of rice a day because I felt I was to fat…
Yeah 120 pounds at 5’8 that was very fat…..lol

So tonight Neil and I went and saw “United 93″ Directed by Paul Greengrass. This film was amazing, factual and shows the portions of that day none of us think about. The fact that people knew what was going on and no one did much to stop it. It was hard to watch it being only just short of 5 years since 9/11 and all. But very well directed and produced.
Amazed at the complete silence that overcame the theater as the movie wrapped up leading to the portion where it states facts on the black screen about that flight and about the day. As if anyone in the theater will ever forget the exact place there where when the attacks occurred. It was numbing and sad to relive what happened that day and the people who lost there lives.
I am glad we ventured out to see it and it was something I would recommend to others to watch. 4 years and a few months after it occurred…………….

So one thing I forgot well maybe just didn’t have enough time to talk about was our short time in Phoenix. See I have mentioned in the past that Neil and I are looking at moving to the great American West.
Looks like it is going to be Phoenix….
The housing- we looked in the Avondale and Goodyear area of the city, about 20 miles west of Phoenix on I-10. I loved it, he loved it and the amount of house we could buy for the money was amazing.
For people who have no idea the housing cost in Massachusetts are ridiculous….
Here is what $250,00 will buy you here
SOUTHIE – this is the old poor turning expensive section of Boston…Irish catholic heritage

Condo
Area: South Boston
Year Built: 1920
2 total bedroom(s)
1 total bath(s)
1 total full bath(s)
Approximately 667 sq. ft.
Type: Condo
Master bedroom
Living room
Kitchen
Basement

So we explored neighborhoods, sub divisions and even caught a Diamondbacks game, yes I sat through a baseball game, went pretty fat no crazy long game and with the help of Fat Tire beer I was in my glory.. I miss the American west more then I thought, I miss the people, the land, the food and the lifestyle…
Soon enough I will be writing about a night were it was cold…..65 degrees or I will be writing about a new breed of Barrel cactus we just planted in the back yard…
I just want a better life for us…A life were we feel like we are living the American dream…Minus the children of course…..

Joshua Tree National Park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where do I start…………………………….

A picture will never justify the magnitude and beauty of the park. I myself have been, camped, hiked, and worked in quiet a few parks and this one of my favorite. Maybe because we meet up with New Friends Grace and Stephen or maybe because it was with my boy and I love my time with him.

We decided to camp in a campground in the park instead of backcountry, if only because we kept our days busy and liked playing on the rocks until the sun went down.

Monday morning we arrived at the entrance to JT stopping at the visitor Center to get a map, maybe a book and see the weather conditions for the next couple days. The quiet of the desert was a relief from craziness of Coachella. Much needed time for me and the boy.

We followed Miss Grace’s advice and found a great camp spot in Jumbo rocks camp ground. She suggested spots 26 or 119 but we found #31 to be amazing, up on a hill and off the road we felt at night we were all alone. We ran into 29 Palms and bought some ice, a new memory card for Neil and drinks. Returning to the park Grace and Stephen were both already at the park, Grace had found a mini cave and Stephen was taking a nap in the car.

We all set up our tents and camp and relaxed and visited for a bit.

I was in need for some fun bouldering once I saw the Jumbo rocks area. Massive Boulder clusters that where calling my name, seems I get more brave as the week went on. Started with mini 25 foot boulders and ended with 150 foot boulders. We ventured the boulders, seeing jackrabbits and lizards. Played, took pics and then returned to camp.

Grace was feeling bad about the heat and high priced beverages at Coachella, so she brought killer food for us, we cooked Steaks and baked Potatoes on the fire and finished with homemade Key Lime Pie…..Washed everything down with some brew and talked about books and life.

Waking up with the sun poking up from the granite mountains of the Sonoran and Mojave desert we got dressed, ate another great breakfast made by Miss Grace and headed in separate directions. We loved sharing our vacation with such an amazing couple, but we had plans for the last couple days of the trip…..

Neil and I had seen in this great book which I would suggest to anyone “Joshua Tree-The Complete Guide” by James Kaiser. It separates the park into each mini ecosystem. Because the parks complete make up can change in just as little as a few yards you need to know where you find what you are looking for.

I wanted to see huge Joshua Trees and there are most abundant in the Mojave desert ( Northern Joshua Tree) You see forests of them between Jumbo rocks and Ryan Mountain.

Then you have the Cholla Cactus which need the dry heat of the southern portion of Joshua Tree in Sonoran desert ( this desert is called the Colorado desert in Southern Cali because of the Colorado River that separates it from Arizona)

I saw almost everything I wanted to see but a Kangaroo Rat and a Coyote( did hear then on the second night of camping)

So on Tuesday we spent the morning and early afternoon in Cap Rock area and then ventured to the southern tip of the Wonderland of Rocks ( this is my favorite place attached to Hidden Valley it is amazing) In the book they explained it as if God vomited on the ground.

I think I became truelly brave during this time, climbing to heights I would never climb before and using my very analytical thinking to good use. I for once was the leader and it felt great and the fact that my dear Neil trust me so much makes me happy. We are a truly great team, we both did very well and grew as people on this trip.

we took a mid day break from the sun and the heat and ate lunch, and took a nap to return to playing on rocks after the 99 degree day dropped a tad. This time we did the tourist thing and went on the Skull Rock trail and then ventured across the way to more huge boulder piles until the sun started to set.

Tuesday night was our first night alone, truly alone the whole trip, it was nice, cool and semi romantic, even though I am not the romantic type. We ate some yummy backpacker food, drank a few beers and went to sleep in the star filled, coyote howling night.

Wednesday morning we woke up at 5:15am in time to watch the sun come up, it was cold outside still, I love the desert for all it is.

We took pics and got packed up to head out of the park on the way out stopping to see the Cholla Gardens and such.

Headed south to the bottom of the park to Lost Palms Oasis. This was one of my favorite, with Redwood tree sized California Fan palms and water and birds, it was cooler air and almost like were were no longer in the desert. This was our final trip in the park and in my opinion one of the best.

I have to say I love Joshua Tree and will return when we move to the four corners region of the country…..On that note….Stay tuned for my Phoenix Blog coming to you tonight……….

I MISS THE DESERT as I sit in my dark office in Massachusetts

Well I am finally getting a chance to update the blog.
Coachella was not all it should have been, I think with the lineup this year I was slighty disapointed.
so for 165 dollars per person I am not sure I would continue the route with a festival that would put Madonna in the lineup. See this is the thing, I love Madonna and all her simply fabulousness that makes her who she is, but she is a person you will see at the Boston garden not at coachella.
Overall I give the Coachella Weekend a 6 out of Ten. I enjoyed the envirnment, the heat and the camping. Wish we would have got to know more people but Coachella is just that CALIFORNIA and every girl, boy and thing was seeping of California Attitude and Glam.
OK one rant in my opinion was there is no such thing as being an individual, as MissGrace states they will be different TOGETHER. Every girl had skinny capris on with Black and white Old Skool Vans slipons and had the same pair of Gucci sunglasses. They all looked like Lindsey Lohan on a bad day. You know those pics you see in the Star that show the Olsen Twins or Ms Lohan…The ones where they are wearing hats with mumu looking dresses and big glasses, yeah those ones…That is waht all these ordinary kids from the Valley or The OC all look like.
I am a people watcher by nature, not much gets by me. I see and take in almost everything that comes in my path…
GIRLS get some STYLE
Then there is the guys, guys are much more simple. They all go shirtless or still pop there collar and CAMO Shorts. We saw groups of men all wearing the shorts TOGETHER.
Maybe I am getting old, maybe I was always ahead of what the fashions were. Maybe I just think anyone younger then me is an idiot…..
But overall I enjoyed……Hybrid….Gnarls Barkely……MURS…..( the 10 minutes of ) Massive Attack…….Infusion…….
Coachella gets 3 1/2 stars…

Go cheaper with the water, so people don’t die on 99 degree days and hire some massage therapist that would have helped my back from standing in the same spots all day…..