Memorial Day Memories

Two years ago, Anna and I set out for Taos, New Mexico over the Memorial Day weekend. The trip was part of my college graduation gift to my sister and it included white water rafting down the Rio Grande. We drove through snow in Flagstaff as we merged from Interstate 17 to the I-40 which was crazy considering it was almost June. The trip was awesome and since then have pledged to make an annual sister's trip somewhere...which leads me to this year's trip: a road trip to Texas for a wedding with plenty of visiting with family and friends on the way there and back. We leave tomorrow for Grants, New Mexico where we will stay with our great aunt and uncle, Flora and Frank. Saturday we are headed to Clarendon, Texas for our friend, Alix's, wedding. Sunday will take us to Lubbock to have lunch with Ty and Whitney and dinner with Jennifer in Roswell. Monday will be all driving! I know life will continue to change and get busier, but I am so thankful that my sister and I have agreed to make time for each other a priority each year. I'll be sure to post some fun pictures once we return.

Also, since it is Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to say thank you to all United States veterans and current military personnel. I appreciate your commitment and service to our country, knowing the sacrifice that is required. I pray you are safe in your service and that your family has peace as you are away.

How Mexico treats illegal aliens (OneNewsNow.com)

A hypocrite is defined as someone who pretends to have a certain set of beliefs, virtues or morals but does not actually possess them. By this definition Felipe Calderon, Mexico's president, is a hypocrite. Mexico's own immigration laws are stricter than our own, yet he criticizes Arizona for trying to enforce laws similar to their own. Shame on him. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

How Mexico treats illegal aliens (OneNewsNow.com)

Who pays for welfare?

Have you ever asked someone on welfare where their money actually comes from? I haven't taken the liberty to do so, and don't plan on doing so anytime soon, but I sure hope that the woman in this interview is not indicative of the rest of American's on welfare.

Chipotle Pot Roast

Before I post a delicious beef recipe, I have to share a quote from Jan Brewer, Arizona's governor: "I find it really interesting that we have people out there that are attempting to boycott in favor of illegal actions in Arizona. That to me is just unbelievable."

Well said Governor Brewer, well said. That quote pretty much sums up my perspective on how ridiculous the opponents of 1070 really are. How can you actually support illegal action in the United States? If I find time today, I may send that quote to the United Nations and ask them to reconsider their recent ponderings of pursuing legal action against Arizona for exactly these reasons. The state bill upholds federal law. Pure. and. simple.

And without further adieu, the recipe for Chipotle Pot Roast

3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 boneless beef chuck shoulder pot roast (3- 3.5 pounds)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup ready-to-serve beef broth
1/2 cup dark beer (I used Coors Light because that's what I had. It worked just fine!)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot. Place beef pot roast in stockpot; brown evenly. Remove pot roast; pour off drippings and set aside. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper.

2. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to stockpot. Cook and stir onion and garlic 1 to 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Add broth, beer, tomato paste, and chipotle peppers; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until browned bits attached to bottom of stockpot are dissolved. Return pot roast to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 2 to 3 hours or until pot roast is fork tender.

Recipe courtesy of: "The Healthy Beef Cookbook."

Hints and Tricks (learned the hard way by yours truly)
-I had a 2 pound pot roast, which was perfect since I live by myself. However, if you half all other ingredients you definitely should not double the amount of chipotle peppers you add. I did this on accident thinking that 1 tablespoon looked "awfully scant." So I doubled it...and I could definitely tell.

-Make sure you brown the pot roast really well - this lends a deeper flavor to the sauce that you are simmering the pot roast in. Give the roast ample time to really brown.

-I recommend serving this delightly spicy pot roast with cheddar mashed potatoes or a simple risotto. Both work very well with the spiciness of the pot roast.

The Cost of Illegal Immigration

1070. This used to be any 'ol number; now it's known for demonizing many in Arizona for wanting to enforce federal laws in regard to illegal immigration. I've been meaning to blog for weeks about this whole topic but I keep getting side tracked. If I'm not sidetracked, I tend to get a little overwhelmed with the enormity of the whole thing. But I need to eat this elephant one bite at a time, so here goes nothing. I am a proud American agriculturalist and I have heard enough. I plan on sharing my opinion and heart on topics ranging from securing the border to illegal immigration in the coming weeks. You may not agree with me on everything, but I pray you'll consider the opposing argument. I will do my best to verify my arguements and supplement them with facts.

To start with, let's talk about the cost of illegal immigration. The facts below speak for themselves:

1. $11 - $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments. Verify at: http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8

2. $2.2 billion a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML

3. $2.5 billion a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML

4. $12 billion a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML

This link did not work for me. I did find information on Factcheck.org that pooh-poohed th entire report on cost to taxpayers to support illegals. The following link places the actual yearly education cost for illegals at more than $28 billion per year. Verify at: http://www.mnforsustain.org/immg_costs_of_educating_legal_illegals_fair.htm

5. During 2005 there were 4-10 million illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border with as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from terrorist countries. Millions of pounds of narcotics crossed into the United States through the Southern Border. Verify at: Homeland Security report.

6. The National Policy Institute estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion. This is an average of $41-$46 billion annually over a five year period. Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/PDF/deportation.PDF

I couldn't find the link...but you should check out the website anyway. They have some good stuff.

Happy Birthday J!

Happy birthday JM, you've entered the double digit stage of your life! I love your sweet nature, especially the way you're willing to hold my hand when we take a walk, even if it is just to the barn. You make me laugh at the silliest things, and I am so thankful for your uncomplicated approach to life.

You are already so intelligent and have such zeal for learning. You've amazed me at your ability to absorb information at such a young age. I can't wait to see the things you will learn the older you get and the places you will "go" by the books you read.

I love you, and am thankful you're my nephew. Have a great day buddy!