Contemplating Life...

...on a VERY COLD Saturday. Do you feel alive? I was thinking this morning about a text message I received from my sister Kelly on New Year's Eve of this year. It happened to also be the 16th anniversary of my mom's death. Kelly was asking if I was ok, and she was lamenting the horrible death of our mother. I quickly texted her back saying that I preferred to remember all of the good times we had and how vibrant and alive our mom always was. Even in her last days SHE never asked "Why me?" If she never asked that question what gives me the right to? Why not me? Why not her? Why not anyone? We are all placed on this earth for a specific purpose. That purpose isn't always apparent to us, and sometimes we IGNORE it. I have been so thoroughly blessed in my life it never ceases to amaze me. I have tried to take the negative aspects of my life and turn them into something positive. Can I always do this? No. I am hopelessly imperfect, but whenever I am feeling badly about something or feeling sorry for myself LIFE smacks me in the face reminding ME that there are those that are much worse off than I am. No matter how bad we have it, there is always someone that has it much worse. How we deal with adversity makes all of the difference. Take time today to think about ways to make the negatives in your life work FOR you not AGAINST you. I look out into the cold morning and I am reminded that even though it is bitter cold outside I am truly blessed to have a nice warm roof over my head filled to the brim with people(yes this includes my cats) that love me and who allow me to love them.

Happy New Year! I love my life. Do you love yours?

I haven't made a post here since last year...LOL, I know that is a lame joke, and most of you have heard it a thousand times, but I couldn't resist. All jokes aside, I wanted to start the new year with a positive post. 2009 flew by at record speed, and I expect 2010 to do the same. It is off to a smashing start for me, and I am expecting BIG things this year. I suppose that "BIG" is a relative term. Big to me means paying down some debt, spending loads of time with my kids, and spending as much time with my husband as I can. He is expecting to be deployed to Iraq in November. I am holding on to the hope that his orders get canceled, but I am trying to make every minute count. We never know what kind of curves life is going to throw us, so my one and only resolution is to make every minute count. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family, great friends, and a job that I don't detest going to daily. LOL, I would say "A job that I love," but I'm trying to keep it real.

With all of that being said, I can only hope that all of my readers are looking forward to this new year with the same kind of hope and positivity that I am. Love you all and God Bless!!!

One more thing before I go...I must share a Zachery "funny" from today. I was at the stove making Sloppy Joes for supper. Zac walked up and asked me what I was cooking, and I told him that I was making Sloppy Joes, and I asked him if he wanted one. He said, "I HATE Sloppy Joes, but I will take some of that meat and sauce you are stirring there and put it on a bun. I bet that will be REALLY good." LOL, I have the best kids in the world!!!

Cream of Vegetable Soup! Comfort Food at it's BEST!!

Ingredients:


1 qt. chicken broth

1/2 C. frozen peas

1/2 C. whole kernel sweet corn

1/2 C. canned green beans

1/2 C. carrots pealed & grated

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream



Directions:
Fully cook all vegetables, drain them, and then grind into small pieces.(I do this with a potato masher or the back of a fork) Bring broth, seasonings and vegetables to a boil and then add the whipping cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

He bought me socks.

Not the most romantic thing that has ever happened to me...or is it? I had been griping under my breath morning after morning, because it seems like no matter how many pairs of socks I buy for myself I can never find a pair when I need them. All of the laundry will be done, and my socks are gone...poof...which makes my already hectic mornings that much more hectic! Being that work is the ONLY place that I wear socks, I really don't think about them until I am getting ready for work which is why I was surprised when my husband came home looking VERY proud of himself one evening. He handed me a bag and said, "I bought you a present." He rarely just buys me stuff on a whim, so I was a bit surprised and a whole lot excited. I hugged him, kissed him, and opened the bag with great anticipation. "It's socks," he says and so it was. A bag with about 7 pair of socks in it was my present. I thanked him without much fervor secretly wishing it had been something a bit more exciting or romantic, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks! What could BE more romantic? He knew that I had a need, and without me asking he had fulfilled it. Shame washed over me for my ungratefulness, and I immediately hugged him with all of my strength. So many of us get hung up on what we WANT and not on what we NEED. We need someone to listen to us, anticipate our needs, and respond even to the unspoken ones. We need someone to buy us socks.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I haven't posted here in a while. I suppose I've been a bit down in the dumps lately. I'm really not sure why. I try to post only positive things, but not every aspect of my life is a positive one. Big surprise there huh? I think too much. I KNOW this, yet I cannot stop the flow of thoughts that drift through my head. Drift may be a bit of a soft term for what goes on in my head. Maybe torrential is a more appropriate adjective to use. Whatever...I digress. So many thoughts fly through my head at an alarming rate I find it dizzying at times. I long for the days when decisions were made FOR me not BY me. Sometimes it would be wonderful to just DO and not have to THINK. My brain needs a vacation from ME. I am my own worst enemy, so what am I doing to those around me? I apologize like always. I am perpetually sorry. I don't like what I see.

Baked Spaghetti....MY WAY

1-lb of lean ground meat. I use Angus beef, but you can use whatevah.

1-Jar of spaghetti sauce or home made sauce. I cheat and use the jar.

8-ounces of UNCOOKED spaghetti noodles. I use whole wheat noodles.

1-cup of HOT water.

Shredded cheese of your choice. I use Sharp Cheddar.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground meat and drain. Make your sauce as you normally do and bring to a simmer. Break the spaghetti noodles into 3rds and place in an oven safe dish. Pour the HOT water into your sauce and pour the entire mixture over the uncooked noodles. Mix the ingredients well and make sure there are no noodle pieces sticking up out of the mixture. Bake in the pre heated oven for 40 minutes. After the 40 minutes sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and ENJOY!! You family will LOVE you for it!

7-Layer Salad...MY WAY!

Ok, I got the original recipe from a friend, and I have tweaked it a bit to my preference. Feel free to do so as well! The ingredients are in the order of the layer starting, of course, with the bottom layer, and I put mine in a HUGE Pyrex bowl left to me by my granny. ENJOY!!

1-head of shredded lettuce. (You can cheat and use a bag of shredded lettuce. I do!)

1-Medium Onion chopped finely and layered on top of the lettuce.

1-Bell Pepper finely chopped and layered on top of the onion.( I use green, but any will do)

1-Small package of frozen sweet peas. Thawed but NOT COOKED. Layer on top of pepper.

1-Small bottle of Ranch dressing. Today I got Bacon Ranch, but I guess any dressing will do. Pour this in an even layer OVER the peas.

Shredded Cheese. I use cheddar in a thick layer on top of the dressing.

Crumble bacon on top of the cheese. (I use a lot. Hahaha)

Assemble the ingredients in the above order. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Over night is best allowing all of the flavors to mingle. Some people will actually toss all of the ingredients before serving, but I just dip it out as I go. It makes a TON!!!

I hope you like it!!