halfway

We're midway through Spring Break week.  We opted for a staycation, full of local daytrips and adventures and surprises.   I had big ideas, big plans.  We'd sleep in, go wherever the wind blew us, see friends, play games, and just be in the moment.

I was high.

The truth is, life with kids...especially young kids....especially two young boys, I've come to believe; is totally unpredictable, full of close calls, near disasters, and moments that can make you think you're losing your mind.  Moments that make you wonder how much more you can take before you just open the bottle of vodka and pour it straight down your throat. 

Case in point.   Yesterday, rain was predicted.  (Did it rain?  No. It was sunny with blue skies, but don't even get me started.)  So we planned to meet my Mom for lunch, and then take the boys bowling.  Upon arrival at the restaurant, Logan's mood went from "super duper" to "I'm going to make your life a living hell" in about 3 seconds.   I had to physically remove him from the restaurant three times to try and diffuse the meltdown.  I don't even remember now what kicked it off, but I'm sure the people sitting at the tables around us won't forget us anytime soon.   We finally got him settled down, and proceeded to have a fun time bowling.  But upon arrival at home, he had another meltdown and by the time he went to bed last night, I collapsed into bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Today, we had plans to go to the National Zoo in DC with one of our neighbors.  We woke up early to get into the city.   Early bird gets the parking right?  Its the first nice weather day of spring break, and as we pulled into the zoo, about a BAZILLION people were pulling in at the same time.  We finally got a spot and started to navigate the (very hilly, very, very crowded) zoo.  Many of the exhibits are under construction and the animals who are there weren't all that into being watched and were hiding.  We did catch the orangutan's walking the ropes above the walking paths, and saw some cool tigers, and crocodiles once we forced our way through the masses. We managed to hike all the way up to the top of the park, and suddenly Logan had a very unpredictable, projectile vomit explosion all over the place.  Our zoo day came to an abrupt halt.  Back to the car, navigating through Cherry Blossom traffic for well over an hour to get back to VA.    With fingers crossed he didn't puke all over the car (he didn't).

We managed to save the day later by going for ice cream and getting some bike riding in, as soon as I figured out the vomiting seemed to be a single rogue session.

I guess the point is...parenting is hard.   Its unpredictable.  And you sweat and yell a lot.  You try to be flexible and you can try to predict and plan and expect how things are going to be, and then you can sit back and watch the chaos unroll.   No matter what you think is going to happen, you are always surprised.  Sometimes its a good surprise, surpassing your wildest dreams.   Other times, its gut-wrenching and leaves you with a feeling of defeat so strong its almost unbearable.

But you get up the next day, and you do it all over again.  Because the love you feel for your kids surpasses any other feeling on the planet.  You do it because when everything goes well, its better than winning the lottery.  And honestly, even when things start to fly out of control and you can't seem to make anyone happy, its a chance to learn something, a chance to try to do something better, something different.   Its a chance to show your kids that life isn't always easy, but you can't ever give up.   And its a chance for your kids to show you that it really doesn't matter what we do, as long as we do it together.

We're braving the odds and taking them to the circus tomorrow night.  Fingers crossed for lots of parking, no meltdowns and no puking.

Florida Sunshine Cake

This cake is sometimes called "Pig Pickin’ Cake" and I found the recipe years ago. I think its a southern recipe and the cake was commonly made at pig roasts, thus the pig name. But that just sounds really unappetizing to me, and doesn't do the cake any justice at all, so I googled a bit and found this much more appealing alternative name. Its light and delicious... a great alternative to using sugary frosting. It’s perfect for spring and summer occasions, and its super moist. I made this for our birthday celebration at my Mom's this past weekend, and you can see it in the post below (with Logan front and center sizing it up).

Florida Sunshine Cake

• 1 package of yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 can mandarin oranges, juices reserved (you can use the 11 oz or 15 oz can, I've used both and it comes out either way)
• 1/4 cup canola oil

 Preheat oven to 350.  Spray two (or three if you'd like three thin layers) 9" round cake pans with nonstick spray.   Mix together the above ingredients and pour into cake pans. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until toothpick in middle comes out clean.

Topping:

• 1 container of Cool Whip topping
• 1 can (15 oz) crushed pineapple (drained)
• 1 package (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding

Mix together whipped topping, drained pineapple, and instant pudding mix. Fill and frost the cooled cake. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

And honestly, in a pinch... forget the cake. Just make the topping and eat it right out of the bowl.  Delish!  It would make a fantastic fruit dip by itself.

2 birthdays

We had a little celebration yesterday at my Mom's for her and my bro's birthdays.  A little guac, a little grilling action, and a yummy cake (will share recipe soon).  Its so fun watching our four kids play together, as they grow and their imaginations run wild.  

This is what my husband has a few beers and there are some random action figures within his reach.

Happy Birthday Wishes, Grandma Lynn and Uncle Chris!   We love you!

i tut the titty's hair

When I was 3 1/2 or 4, we lived in an apartment complex in Delaware.  I don't have a ton of memories from that age, so parts of this story might be slightly incorrect (Mom, feel free to set me straight if I'm off course).  My Mom and Dad had friends, I believe their names were Karen and Dave.  I don't remember a ton about them, other than them being hippies who drove a groovy VW bus, that we all used to cruise down to Rehobeth Beach in.

I also remember that one time, Karen and Dave were going out of town and asked us to watch their cat.  I don't remember the cat's name, but he was an enourmous buff-colored tabby cat.   He wasn't quite this big, but you get the picture. The extent of my personal pet experience up until that point was a lizard we had in our aquarium.  And the only thing I really remember is that one day, somehow, that lizard escaped.  Weeks went by and we never saw him, and then one night, when my Mom woke in the middle of the night to go potty, she flicked on the bathroom light and watched our pet lizard swiftly scamper under the toilet bowl, never to be seen again.

I was still an only child at this point, my brother hadn't entered the scene quite yet.  And I wanted someone to play with me.  That fat cat was going to be my friend if it killed me (or him).  One day during our petsitting week, fatty was laying in my mom's needlepoint basket by the couch amid the yarns, needles, crochet hooks, sewing scissors and other such crafty stuff.   I tried everything I could think of to get him out of there to play.  I imagine he must have been too heavy as I'm sure I must have tried lifting him out by his arms.  He wouldn't budge.  So I did what any curious and bored child would do to an unwilling playmate.

When my parents walked in and saw fat cat's haircut, I can't even imagine what they said to me.  I think I've blocked it out for self preservation all of these years.  (Now that I'm a parent, I'd imagine I'd be laughing my butt off on the inside.)  I do know they didn't punish me.   Didn't take away my bike or my dolls.  Oh no. That would have been cake.  Instead, they issued a punishment much worse than taking away my few earthy possessions.

They told me, simply, when Dave and Karen returned to pick Fatty up at the end of the week, I'd have to tell them myself what I had done to their beloved feline.   I didn't hurt him, I had just given him a nice patchy kitty fohawk on his belly fur and I was going to have to 'fess up.

I remember dreading their return, for at least five minutes and then my kid brain turned to other important issues like picking my nose and where my next candy bar was coming from.

But days later, when Karen and Dave showed up to claim their cat, I stood bravely, lip trembling, and declared, "I sorry, I tut your titty's hair."  I don't remember them being mad (they were hippies, afterall, and this was 1974).    I'm sure they took him home, and his hair grew back just fine.  But to this day, I remember that cat and that particular punishment, and I'll tell you something... I have never played beauty parlor with another animal again.

Enter my 3 year old.  Logan has been practicing his scissor cutting skills at preschool.   And we have several pairs of safety scissors at home for him to make arts and crafts.  He'll sit and cut paper shapes or a while, or cut pictures out of a magazine for a few while I'm folding laundry or making dinner.   Then the next thing I know, he's wandering the house, scissors in hand, looking for something to cut.  So far nothing crucial has been lost.  But today he cut an anchor line off one of his toy boats, and I caught him trying to give the carpeted steps a little trim.

Dylan never cut anything he wasn't supposed to and now of course he's old enough to understand the rules of the scissors.   However, with Logan, I think we could very possibly have a scissor disaster on our hands one of these days.  There's basically nothing ''safety' about any pair of scissors you give a 3 year old.

sassy sauce

Yesterday my beloved Wegman’s, I stumbled across a product that will definitely become a permanent fixture in our refrigerator. If you like tropical/Caribbean type flavors (coconut/mango specifically) read on and then run to your grocer to find a bottle (or five)..


I found this in the sauce area, near all the grilling sauces and decided to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did! I was making homemade chicken tenders for dinner last night, and I wanted a fun dipping sauce. Its sweet, tangy with just a slight hint of heat. Not to mention, low in calories and sugar! And at Wegman's, I think I paid $3.99 a bottle which is lower than the price on their website. Although on their website, you can order it by the case and I'm very tempted...  If you don't have a Wegman's and you're local store doesn't sell this, I bet you could email the company and find out where you can get your hands on some (email address on their website).

It would be delicious on shrimp, fish, or even over cream cheese to schmear on crackers. And by the way, on their site they have a ton of other sauce products that sound delicious, so if mango/coconut isn't your thing I'd still check out their other stuff. I believe they're all made in Costa Rica. I think the Trinidad Mustard Sauce sounds really good, as does the Tico, the Jamaican Jerk......   I want to try them all!

a joyful day

I've written many times about our wonderful friends, John and Paige, and their journey to adopt a baby boy from Korea.   Its been a whirlwind, but their travel call finally came this past Friday.   Paige pulled some strings and less than 24 hours later, they were on a flight to Seoul, following the path their hearts carved out a long time ago.

They met Carter, their son, yesterday for the first time briefly yesterday.  Today (well, its tomorrow there) at 10 pm our time, 11 a.m. Thursday Seoul time, they'll take custody of him and Carter (8 months) will be with his forever family.

The photos of their first meeting are here on their blog, which documents their long journey.  As I told them, one part of their journey is ending but now the very best part is ahead.  They come come with Carter this Friday.

I just love great news!  John and Paige, congratulations to you and your family on this unforgettable day!

creative juices a-flowin

Artwork and learning is abound all over this joint.  

Yesterday was Dylan's last day of after-school KidzArt, and he created a sun and moon celestial sort of thingamajig.   I love the vibrant colors, and the curly-q's alongside the sun.   I think this class has really given him more confidence in his creativity, and its taught him different techniques and tools ("Mom, we used oil pastels today!").   Andrew and I both enjoy creativity and appreciate art, and I hope we can keep Dylan's interest piqued as he grows.

Logan made this adorable Easter bunny at preschool today.   I just love the projects he brings home.  They've been practicing their cutting and gluing at school.  At any given time lately, I can find him sitting at the kitchen table, safety scissors out, construction paper in hand and tiny little pieces showering the floor. 

They just completed a Number Book at school showcasing their cutting and gluing, and he brought that home today as well.  He proudly showed me every page and recognized and pronounced each shape correctly, even octagon.

He's been counting absolutely everything lately.  Number of steps he takes, forwards and backwards.   Number of raisins in his bowl.   Number of orange slices on his plate.  How many dead worms are in our driveway.  Number of Leapster games he has.  How many Easter eggs he found at the egg hunt.    The pile of Matchbox cars on the floor.  He also wants me to read everything to him,constantly.   And I mean everything.  The warning sticker on the dryer, every road sign, every menu item, food labels, and books, books, books. 

I'm glad he has such an interest and he's such a little sponge right now, soaking it all up and storing it up for life.

my peeps

As the weather warms up and Easter approaches, it can only mean one thing.  The Washington Post Peep Diorama Contest is underway, and I can't wait to see what people have come up with this year!  Andrew and I have thought about coming up with our own diorama and one of these years we might just actually do it.  We sat and brainstormed ideas for themes taken from the headlines of the past year...

• Snowpocolypse 2010
• Tiger Woods Sex Scandal
• Michael Jackson Drug Overdose
• Mark Sanford's Argentine Mistress
• Michaele and Tareq Salahi White House Crashers
• Representative Joe Wilson's outburst during the joint session of Congress
• David Letterman's Affair and Blackmail Drama
• Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift

So many scandals to choose from, so little time....

Here is a slideshow of some of the past winners, and there are more here.  My favorites include..

Say Anything scene with John Cusack and his boom box and No More Wire Hangers from Mommie Dearest ....  Brilliant!

And the best ever  "Peep Set Me Up!" infamous hotel room bust of Marion Barry!


Maybe next year we'll have our own diorama to submit.  Perhaps I should go out and stock up on Peeps after Easter so they're nice and stale by then...

an absolutely eggcellent day

Yesterday, our friends The Tate's organized an afternoon of family fun at their local nature center for some of their friends.   It was a fantastic weather day (hard to believe we had all that snow just over a month ago), and the kids frolicked and ran amok accordingly.   We had a fabulous potluck buffet lunch, and some great organized games the kids all loved.

There was a Peep on a Rope game (mouths only, no hands allowed!)...

You can see how well Logan followed the 'no hands' rule..

An egg spoon race...

An egg hunt...

And even an early visit from the Easter Bunny..

But best of all, we all got to spend the day with some of our favorite friends, enjoying good food,fun music and gorgeous spring weather.  One of the very best parts of parenting is re-living the sweet anticipation of each holiday, each season and each special event thru your childs' eyes.    And raiding their Easter baskets, too.

two of his favorite things

Grandma Lynn and Red Robin

A double whammy!

more signs of spring

Sidewalk chalk on the back deck (Logan wrote this all by himself!)...

And Dylan doing his homework on the screen porch.  Hooray for spring!

its all how you market it

This morning.....

Me:  "C'mon Logan, its time to go to my doctor's appointment."

L: "No, I want to just stay home."

Me:  "Nope, I have an appointment, we have to go, we're going to be late...."

L:  "I don't like it there.  Let's just stay home."

Me:  "No, we really have to go, Logan, they're expecting us.  I have an appointment.  C'mom we have to get in the car!"

L: "No!!! I don't want to go!!!!!   I want to stay home!!!!!!!"

Me:  pause.........   "Do you want to go see mommy's arm get stuck with a needle that's going to suck my blood out?"

L:   "YEA!!!  Let's GO!"

two signs of spring

I do believe spring has sprung.  How do I know?   I found these items in my backyard this afternoon:

Trampoline hair:

And lots of jumping!  Jumping with no jackets, even!

....and these cute little perky flowers which weren't there a couple of days ago.

Spring, thank goodness you're here.  We were all about to lose our minds.

mean mommy

I am a mean, mean mommy. Last night, I made brussel sprouts for dinner, and I asked the kids to try them. They don't eat nearly enough vegetables and I just wanted them to try something new. I don't believe in frozen brussel sprouts... they're horrendous and disgusting. I wouldn't eat one if it were the last vegetable on Earth. Nope, these were fresh delicious little tiny cabbages and I told the kids leprechauns eat them, to get them into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. I also told them if they didn't eat them, there would be no dessert and I meant it. I gave them eat a tiny little bit next to their chicken piccata and corn casserole.

Did they eat it? Dylan may have taken a small lick and declared them inedible. Logan didn't so much as even look at them. I did allow them have some fresh pineapple for 'dessert' but I stuck to my guns with the no sweets for dessert. Mean mommy!

Me? I had two servings and I'm eating the rest for lunch today. Delicious, I say! You have to buy fresh, and either pan sauté or roast them in the oven. No frozen box brussels, and I also don't think they're very good boiled.

Here is how I usually like to prepare them:

1 lb fresh brussel sprouts
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
pancetta or bacon, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• rinse and chop of the bottoms, peel off any loose or yellow leaves, then cut each one about four times so it resembles shredded cabbage
• heat olive oil in deep frying pan over medium heat
• add pancetta and garlic, sauté until slightly browned
• add brussel sprouts, stir until all leaves are lightly coated with oil
• sauté approximately 10 minutes, until sprouts are a nice bright green, add a dash of sea salt
• add balsamic vinegar, sauté an additional 5 minutes, vinegar will start to caramelize the leaves
• turn burner down to low, sprinkle sprouts with parmesan cheese until melted
• Serve and enjoy! They have a nutty, sweet and sour taste thanks to the vinegar along with a great chewy texture.
• If you're vegetarian, omitting the bacon or pancetta wouldn't take away from the flavor.  Perhaps adding some walnuts would add another layer of flavor and chewiness.  I may try that next time.

Now, what are the odds I can get the boys to eat carrots and cabbage I'm making tomorrow for St. Patrick’s Day?   Hmmmmm...  Probably as likely as my seeing a leprechaun run through our backyard. 

trash talking

Add a new phrase to Logan's Wii Trash Talk repertoire.

Overheard today, while he was playing Mario Kart..........

"You wanna piece of me?"

Then he proceeded to answer his own question...

"No...Two pieces!"

you're going down!

Logan has been infatuated with the Wii for a while now.  At first, he would only play the sports-related games and mastered bowling and then moved onto speed slicing and swordfighting.  He's unlocked most of the games on Wii Fit Plus.  I don't think I've talked much about his athletic skills but the boy is ULTRA competitive and HIGHLY coordinated.   Not just at the Wii but playing baseball in the backyard, or soccer at the field.  He can hit, throw, kick, run and has fantastic eye coordination.   While Dylan plays sports mostly for the social aspect and is very laid back about winning and losing and not exactly always focused on the goals, Logan is IN IT TO WIN IT.  Once he starts playing orgazined sports, its going to be very interesting because a.) he's very competitive and b.) he HAS to win or else there's going to be HELL to pay.  He even gets pissed at the Wii characters when he's beaten and threatens them....

"Take THAT! How’s THAT feel?! I am doing good huh guys??! Take THAT again! You like that? I am the BEST!  You going down... you going down to Chinatown!  I'm coming up guys, you better watch out!!”

I don't think we have to worry about his confidence level anytime soon.  Sportsmanship, perhaps...

big boy limbo

I don't think I'm totally used to the amount of alone time I have with Logan.  I mean that in the nicest possible way.  Don't think less of me as a mother.  But since Dylan started first grade in fall, I've been adjusting to doing things with Logan alone.  I think I feel a little guilty sometimes when we're off having adventures while Dylan is sitting in class.  It had Dylan alone for 3 1/4 years before Logan arrived.   And then we had two years to spend our days together, the three of us.  This school year, I've gotten to spend 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, with Logan (minus his 6 hours of preschool a week -AKA- my sanity saver!) . This is our alone time together. And he's a big boy now, my little buddy. My little helper.  He helps me with cleaning toilets and putting laundry in the dryer.  I'm trying to teach him how to pay bills, he's pretty good at the computer.  Naps are long since over, and we can enjoy the day embarking on whatever inspires us.
Its interesting how different my time is with Logan during the day before Dylan gets home. When Dylan gets off the bus, I suddenly fade into the background. Dylan takes center stage in Logan's world and the two of them are off, sometimes laughing, sometimes fighting, but always engaged with each other.  Logan will watch Dylan do his homework, completely intrigued.  He'll follow Dylan to the bathroom to tell him about what happened on Curious George today.

Logan loves that he's a big boy now, totally capable of climbing all the structures and mastering the big boy swing.  He and I had a conversation at the park today about the solar system, and he reminded me that Neptune is one of the planets.  I didn't even know he knew about Neptune.  He's growing up so fast, and can spot any number from a mile away, with the number 100 being of particular interest for some reason.  He'll get mad and retort "Never, EVER, in all my LIFE, mom!".  I have my mean face on, but inside I'm laughing.  His whole three years, how dare I!  He'll put his hands of his hips, put on his sassy pants and declare "It's not MY fault!".  He is 3 going on the terrible tweens.  He's yelling at me one minute and wants to sit in my lap the next.  He's in a state of Big Boy Limbo.

It takes a lot of ingredients to get through a day with him:  kisses for hurt knees, cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk, bandaids, deep breaths, giant hugs, flexibility, a solid sense of humor, and the ability to answer 'why' questions at the speed of sound.  

Mostly though, it just takes a whole, whole lot of patience. 

"there is a light that never goes out..." *

Some people have lifelong friends they've known since kindergarten.  We moved around a lot when I was young.  My Dad was in the military and we moved almost every year, or every other year, until I was in middle school and we finally settled in Maryland.  I'm not complaining.  I think moving a lot probably taught me how to make friends easily.  But until we got to Maryland, I guess I was kind of a serial friend...coming in and out of my other little friends lives' before we could really connect.

I met Sara and Ronda when we were 7th graders in middle school.  They knew each other even before then and were kind enough to let me into the friendship.  I'm pretty sure we all had braces at the same time, and I know we spent those tender years of angst exploring music together, boyfriends, and maybe a little peach brandy.   There were adventures in a semi-stolen VW Karmann Ghia, and a small car fire in a VW Bug in front of the entire high school.  There were school dances, parties and a lot of black clothing.  There was supporting each other through break ups and crushes.   There was a lot of hairspray.

These are my (almost) lifelong friends.  Next to my family, they've known me the longest.   We've known each other since before husbands, kids, college and careers.  We knew each other when we were vulnerable insecure teenagers, trying to figure out how we fit in and what we were supposed to think.

We met here last night for dinner.  Sara was in town for work, and Ronda lives in Maryland.   Almost four hours we sat and talked and laughed and reminisced.  We don't get to do that often enough, but when we do its seamless.  The 26 years have landed us each in lots of different places and pursuits. But through the years, we've remained in touch, and still share a love of writing, being outdoors, travel, food, books, family and adventure. 

We're approaching the big 4-0 in 2011.   I think we're all truly content in our lives.  We're lucky, all of us, to have found what makes us happy. And we're lucky to still have each other to share that with. 

Good friends are like stars... you may not always see them, but you always know they are there.

*The Smiths

goodbye winter!

Today has been the first nice day we've had in months.  The last of the snow is gone from the yard, and we could finally get out there and start cleaning up the mess this crazy winter has created.   I scooped a half ton of dog crap out of the yard so the boys could finally get out there and PLAY and RUN and be BOYS.  Its been months, truly.  And ahhhhhhhhhhhh, what a feeling to have the sun shine on my face, music blasting and finally feeling that maybe, just maybe, spring will be here soon.   Because honestly, if it snows again I think I'll just cry.  Goodbye winter, be gone!

Andrew got the garden beds all prepped and ready and has a bazillion seeds starting to sprout in the basement, just ready to go outside once its warm enough.  This will be Year Two of the garden and I'm excited for eating good, healthy, fresh things right from our yard.  All sorts of peppers, tomatoes, spinach, beets, lettuce, sweet potatoes, herbs, broccoli, and who knows what else.

We didn't quite finish raking leaves last fall before the harsh cold set in, so Andrew tackled that today, too.  But not before Logan took residence in them, rolling around like a wet dog.

Hey Daddy-O

Friday night was the annual Sock Hop dance at Dylan's school.  So off we went, adorned in argyle, denim, and greased back hair...

The boys got some tattoos when we arrived...

The kids had an Elvis sighting..

And boogied the night away.

This move is part of Dylan's 'Robot Dance' .  Ouch!

Doug

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”
- Eskimo proverb

Rest in peace Doug.  May your family take comfort knowing your suffering is over.  And may we all learn something from your courage.  You will live on forever in the hearts of those who knew you.

Firecracker Casserole

We love us some Mexican food at our casa... its one food we all agree on.  My very picky boys love to eat anything having to do with tortillas, beans, sour cream and cheese.   We have a rule in our house - eat what I make for dinner or else get no dessert.   I really try to avoid having to make the boys separate meals from what Andrew and I are eating as often as possible.  Yet Andrew and I aren't going to eat chicken nuggets or grilled cheese sandwiches seven nights a week either.  So when my Aunt Kathy shared this recipe with me it became a huge hit all around.  

I don't know why the 'Firecracker', it isn't really that spicy (she didn't name it).  And if you want to eliminate all spiciness, just use a can of regular diced tomatoes instead of the Rotel ones with chilies. I usually just tell the boys I'm making my Mexican Casserole and they know its this.  We always eat all the leftovers, and its really good with a nice crisp cold green salad. 

Mexican 'Firecracker' Casserole

• 2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 to 2 tbsp chili powder (to taste)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 4 flour tortillas (8" size)
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes w/green chilies undrained
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream (optional)

I always like to have all my ingredients out before I start cooking so I don't have to search for anything and risk burning something.  Not that I've done that or anything.

In a skillet, cook the beef and onion until cooked thru, drain.

Add beans, chili powder and cumin. Transfer to a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish.

Arrange tortillas over the top.  I usually put two whole round tortillas on first:

Then I cut the other two tortillas in half and fit them over top of the whole thing:

Next, combine the soup and tomatoes.    It looks really unappetizing so just don't look too long.  Its good, trust me.

 Pour over tortillas. Sprinkle w/cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 for approx 30 minutes, or until heated thru and bubbly.

 
Cut it like a piece of lasagna (it will be messy, use a spoon to get all the good stuff onto your plate).  Top with sour cream and serve with a green salad.
 
 

 
 Ole!