My Very Own Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich

We LOVE Jack in the Box. After a night out, we often stopped by Jack in the Box on our way home. We both did this before we ever met. They have such a wide variety of foods. It's great! Well, since moving to the middle of nowhere, Texas, we aren't so close to a Jack in the Box. It's a twenty minute drive. And the worst part is, their new commercials make us want them even more.

Anthony especially found the mini sirloin burger song to be extra catchy. When we drive home and pass a Jack in the Box, I hear "Way out west, where the west was won...Yippee Ya Ay Mini Sirloin Burgers Yee Haw! I always laugh so hard. We always stop at some point on our trip and have both acquired a love for their Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwiches. Too bad we have to drive 20 minutes to enjoy them. So, I came up with my own Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwiches.

1. I cut the chicken breasts up into smaller portions to fit on my mini buns I found at Wal-Mart. Then, I dipped them in a combination of flour and seasonings and then into a bowl with milk and eggs and then back into the flour bowl. I then threw them (very carefully) into a skillet with heated oil. (sorry there were no pictures of the coating, it got a bit messy).

2. When the chicken was done, I sat it on papertowels to drain the grease for a couple minutes and then dipped them in buffalo sauce. It was just a sauce that we had picked up at the store for wings. I put them back on the paper towel for a few minutes to absorb some of the sauce.
3. I toasted the mini buns with some butter for about five minutes before making the sandwich.
4.Place the chicken on one side of the bun and then put the ranch on the other side. Place them together. I ended up adding more ranch because this just wasn't enough!
And...the finished product! I took them up to the station and Anthony was truly impressed. So, I succeeded!
They were really pretty simple to make. I'm not a big fan of frying chicken, but other than that I had no problems! They were great! And cute!

Nothing New

Frankie sits like this when I leave to go to the pool. Now Sam's trying to be like Frankie.

I don't really have anything fun to post. But it's been almost a week, so I felt I needed to blog. So, get ready for some randomness.

1. I am sick for the first time since moving to the middle of nowhere. I think 1 sinus infection in almost 5 months is pretty good, especially for me. But I am not enjoying this! The doctor gave me Singulair to help with the allergies and I didn't sleep last night. When I'm sick, I want and NEED to sleep. So, today I am not real pleasant.
2. Still no job, but I am looking at the positives. For the first time in years, I am not stressed out about lesson plans, decorating and organizing a classroom, or students that just can't behave. I get to sit and home, read blogs, go to the pool, and relax. Also, I get to spend full days with Anthony when he's off. If I had a job, I couldn't enjoy all these things.
3. I am so ready for football to start. I love professional football. I played fantasy football last year and won. I'm really trying to get a league started, but I think the guys are scared I will beat them again.
4. Our one year wedding anniversary is just 1 month away!

Maybe something exciting will happen soon and I'll have something to blog about.

The Bestest Best Friend in the World

You might think you have the most wonderful best friend in the world, but you are wrong. I do! I went to the mail today to check and see if I had a new Netflix movie and when I opened the mail box, there was a key to the big box. I opened it up, and inside was a package. It was from Kimmie!

Inside was this wonderful card with a very sweet note on the inside that definitely brought tears to my eyes.Inside the box, she included lots of goodies for WHEN, not IF I get my own classroom. I'm especially excited about the Sharpie pens, I had been wanting to try them out since they don't bleed through. Now I can!It was a perfect little pick me up. Kimmie's so wonderful! I'm so very lucky to have such a wonderful best friend, I'd be even luckier if they decided to move us to Edwards AFB so I wasn't so far away from here...but I don't think that's happening soon.Kimmie and I before my wedding. I was practicing walking in my shoes on the grass.

Now I'm going to play with my Sharpie Pens and To Do list. There are quite a few things I need to put on there! Thanks Kimmie! I love you!!!

Changing Jobs

I've debated writing this particular post for a while now. I guess I didn't really want to have a post that was a pity party. But then, I thought about it, and decided that since this blog is about the changes I go through as I transition into the military life, that changing jobs, and the troubles I'm having with it, belong in my blog.

Before moving, I had taught at the same school for 3 years and did my student teaching there. I LOVE kids and I LOVE teaching them. I think being a teacher is the best job in the world. I thought I'd come here and sub until school was out and then have no problem finding a job as a teacher and all would resume. I thought my biggest struggles would be that I was at a new school in a new district and maybe teaching in a new grade level. Well, I was wrong.

School here starts on Monday, and I am still unemployed. This is very hard. I find myself struggling with it daily. I have started searching and applying for other types of jobs. But none of them sound like something I would LOVE or even like. There's no question to it, I have to work. And I will suck it up and deal with it.

I guess that as a military wife, this may be something that I face normally and have to adjust to. But that doesn't make it any easier.

Yay Me!

I received my first award today from Jamie at Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. If you haven't checked out her blog, you should. She has such an amazing outlook on life and the cutest son!

I'm not going to lie, I was pretty excited to get my first award today. And it came at the perfect time as I've been pretty down about lacking a job.

Anywho...along with the award comes questions about ME!

1. Who is the hottest Movie Star? So, although I watch movies quite frequent (Anthony is a movie fanatic) I couldn't tell you one star from another. So, I don't really have a favorite. Although that guy from The Proposal was pretty cute.

2. Apart from your house and car, what is the most expensive item you have ever bought: Either my living room furniture or my laptop I bought to take to college. Although, I am still paying on the TV my husband bought before we got married, so maybe it should be that.

3. What is you most treasured memory? I would have to say my wedding day. It was such an amazing day.

4. What was the best gift you ever received as a child: I had a Gund stuffed polar bear named "Bear Bear." My dad bought him for me before I was born. I carried him with me everywhere. One time, when we went on vacation, the maid took him with the sheets. I remember being so upset that he was gone forever; however, he was found and I still have him.

5. What is the biggest mistake you have ever made? Although I know I've messed up in life, I've learned from everything and wouldn't be the person I was without those mistakes, so, I can't really say they were mistakes.

6. 4 words to describe yourself: passionate, loving, energetic, loved

7. What was your highlight or low light of 2008? highlight...being proposed to and my wedding day, September 27, 2008

8. Favorite Film? Serendipity

9. Tell me one thing I don’t know about you. I want a really good camera and to learn how to take really good pictures before I have kids. I love looking at blogs with amazing pictures of their children.

10. If you were a comic book/strip or cartoon character, who would you be? Dori in Finding Nemo. I'm always forgetting what I'm doing. Last night, I called mom to ask how to make broccoli, and by the time I got off the phone with her, I forgot what she said.

Now it's my turn to pass this award on to some of the awesome blogs I follow.

Nuge and CJ at Our Married Life

Young Mom/Wife at I Took the One Less Traveled

Jessica Lynn at Jesstagirl and Her Officer

Jessica at Learning as We Go

Now, copy the questions filling in your own answers, and pass along to 4 others!

Random Eating Habits

With Anthony's current job, I am left to fend for myself 3 days out of the week, leaving me to figure out what to eat on my own. This was never a problem before I got married, not sure why it's such a problem now. If he's at work, I find myself eating the most random things.

Today:
Breakfast...powered sugar donuts and milk
Lunch...chips and a glass of tea followed by an oatmeal cream pie
Dinner...leftover stir fry

Not so crazy, but very little nutritional value. Some days I'll skip lunch all together. Sometimes I'll have fish sticks, bagel bites, or corn dogs. Some days dinner is chips and salsa. Graham crackers with peanut butter make a great dinner. My dinner of mushrooms with cream cheese was fillling. Sometimes I like to eat lunch meat, cheese, and chips. I love lunchables too. We have plenty of food in the house, it's just that I don't like cooking just for me. And I usually send leftovers to work with Anthony.

Am I the only one that eats all crazy when my husband isn't around. So, what do you do if your husband's gone? Do you continue your normal routine or do your eating habits totally change?

Trip Home

While Anthony was gone, Frankie and I would go home to see my family about twice a month. It was just about a 90 minute drive. I love being around my family and in a safe and familiar place where I have no responsibilities. I find it pretty relaxing. Since moving, I've gone home a couple times, but Anthony hasn't been able to go. He only has three days off in a row once every 2 weeks. Other than that, he works 24 on and then 24 off.

Well, we finally found a time that we could go. So, when Anthony got off work on Monday we loaded up the car with our stuff and the dogs stuff and started the 4 hour drive. Sam did great, however, Frankie refused to be in the backseat with him. Here are a couple of pictures from the drive. Sam only rode in the front for a couple minutes. He wasn't impressed, and was much happier laying across the backseat.


We did very little while we were there. Just lots of being lazy. This was Sam's first trip to my parents'. Their dogs (2 miniature schnauzers) were not at all impressed with him. They spent most of the time hiding from him. Here's a picture of our little family while we were at home.


I'm very excited. Tomorrow we are heading back to Arlington to go see a Rangers game. I lived there 6 years and never went to a game, but now that I don't live there, we decide to go.

I hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Gotta Love Them

After posting my last post, I started thinking, I hope my readers don't get the wrong idea. I wasn't complaining or pointing out the negatives. I was just getting a laugh out of his quirks and wanted to share. I decided that maybe I should share some (of the many) things I love about my husband.

1. He cooks. And I'm not talking every now and then. If he's home, he almost always takes care of cooking the meat. And it tastes great!
2. He gives the most wonderful backrubs.
3. He includes me in his hobbies, but doesn't force me to join in.
4. He enjoys sitting at home with me and enjoying a movie, while his friends all hang out.
5. He joined the Air Force not for himself, but for me and our future family.

And don't worry, I realize that I'm not perfect...but like to think I'm pretty close. I know I have my quirks that drive him crazy.

1. I tend to wash random things that aren't meant to be washed in the washing machines because I never check his pockets, or belt loops.
2. I leave the toothpaste tube messy or squeeze from the middle. (this drives him crazy!)
3. I plan everything to the T. I plan out 2 weeks worth of meals before going shopping. If we are taking a trip, I plan everything weeks before. I know sometimes that he wishes I would just let things happen.

There...I exposed myself! Now it's your turn. What do you do that drives your husband/boyfriend crazy?

Men

So, as I adapting to living with a man, I'm learning more and more about him.

1. When he's hurt, say a pulled hamstring, you with think he's on his deathbed. He got into bed after playing softball and didn't move. He asked for food. He asked for a drink. He needed heat. He needed his thigh rubbed. I love him, and I love taking care of him, but I don't get this kind of treatment.
2. His clothes go wherever he takes them off. This morning there was one blouse, a t-shirt, a golf shirt, and a pair shorts on the couch. All belonging to him. And none of these came off in the heat of the moment. Yet, I love him, so I carry them up and put them in the hamper.
3. They always say, you will marry a man like your father. Well I did. I LOVE vegetables, especially asparagus which cheese. I haven't had this since spring (maybe) and decided to make it last night with steak. I thought it was great. Anthony ate one bite and said I poisoned him. He said it was like eating bamboo. So, I guess I won't be making that again. My father is the same way though. Mom can only cook a number of vegetables because he won't eat them.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him. I'm just getting adjusted to all of his little quirks, most of which I still find kind of cute.

What are quirky things your husbands do? Do these things bother you or just make you laugh?

Sam's Growing

Sam turned 4 months yesterday. He's grown so much. Since I know you're sooo interested in my dog (just pretend), I'm going to share some pictures of Sam. And of course Frankie will have to be in there too because he's my first born furbaby.

Sam's first day with us. He was so small then.
Sam's favorite sleeping place
Sam tried real hard to fit into Frankie's bed.
Me and Sam cuddling on the couchI'm their favorite!

As difficult as it gets, I sure love my furbabies. They are the closest thing to kids we will have for a while. We really feel like a family now that there are 2 of them.

The Things We Do For Love

Anthony loves golf. And I love Anthony. I do not, however, love golf. But I am trying, just because I know Anthony loves it. I have picked out the pink clubs I want, the pink bag I want and the pink golf shoes I want; however, I have to learn to play golf before I get all the fun stuff.

Two weeks ago, he took me with him to the driving range. It didn't go very well, I must say. Anthony thought it was funny, but that was about it. I might have pulled something in my shoulder too. We had fun though. Here are a few pictures from that trip.


This past weekend, we went back to the golf course. This time, I just drove the cart while he played. I think that was a better place for me. Maybe I'll try it again, I mean those shoes were really cute. And it'd be great to be able to play together.

What hobbies have you taken/tried taking up for you spouse/fiance/boyfriend?