Using My R&I

Steven Covey, a famous motivational speaker and creator of organizational material -- not to mention LDS, was on a program about family values. He coined this phrase that I immediately employed in my household -- using your R&I.

Whenever my kids have a problem that they come to me for help with, I tell them to use their R&I -- resources and ingenuity. This phrase works especially great when I know that the child can do what they need to do if they just stop and think about it for a second.

Last night, I used my R&I for dinner. I wanted burritos, but alas, no refried beans. I had already made rice and this great picante chicken, but no beans. I don't think you can eat mexican food without the beans. Well, what I had was old icky chili that nobody wanted, but I couldn't jusifiably throw away because it was food. I thought to myself, "Hmmmm. Chili has beans in it."

I opened all the cans of chili, washed off the icky sauce everyone hated, strained out the meat bits and put them in a big pot. I used a potato masher to mush them up and added chicken broth and salt and pepper. I cooked them down a little and, voila!, refried beans. Ahhh, I amaze myself. :) lol.

Oh, by the way, they all said it was the best food ever -- little did they know, they were eating the icky chili!