Just a Quick Update

Looking back at past posts, it just sounds like I've been incredibly negative in my ears - don't know if it comes back on that to anyone reading. So, here's the long and the short of it. Life has felt incredibly chaotic. It's been incredibly chaotic. Part of it is the caliber of cases coming in at work. Part of it is getting ready to go on vacation. Part of it is working two jobs and dealing with such immaturity at, well both jobs in some instances. And part of it is just plain old life, which does happen to everyone.

I am really good at giving myself the guilt trips, that most of us are really good at doing. When I am not feeling great or not feeling particularly optimistic about things, it is so very easy to start focusing on things that I need to be doing that I'm not (exercise, getting the right amount of sleep, going to the temple - the list goes on and on and on). Instead, I really do want to look at the things that are going well in life. I am so truly, truly blessed in my life. I am able to pay my bills and have leftover money to do a little bit of play. I am able to just come home and be relaxed and enjoy my home. I have the most incredible and amazing family who support me in whatever I want to do. I have so many wonderful things going on in my life in general, but for whatever reason, it can be so easy to lose focus on those things. So here's my goal for me - I want to see the positive things in life. Some days it may not be big things, and, yes, some days, it just might be that the day is over. I don't know that I'll share my own little gratitude journal on here or not, but it's something I really feel like I need to do for my own little bit of sanity. The truth of it is: Life is good and I need to look at it that way!

This is what I am going to do. I am looking for suggestions: What things work for you when you feel like life is just getting you way too down for way too long? Any idea is open and welcome!

A Few Recipes

So I really do cook, although it feels like I've been doing a lot less of it lately. Here are a few that have been yummy and easy. Enjoy!

Zingy Little Smokies Recipe

20 min | 5 min prep

SERVES 8

• 1 lb johnsonville Little Smokies sausage
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup grape jelly

1. In a sauce pan place all the ingredients.
2. Warm it on low simmer until the grape jelly and mustard combine to form a yummy sauce. (Approximately 20 minutes).
3. People will not believe that the sauce is only grape jelly and mustard. You can make up something that sounds more expensive if you wish.
4. Works nicely in a crock pot as well.

Chicken Cheese Soup

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

4 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts (I used canned chicken)
3 1/2 cups water
2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced potatoes, drained
1 pkg. (16 oz.) process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

In a Dutch oven, combine the first five ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cheese just until melted (do not boil).

Yield: 7 servings.

Championship Bean Dip

1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package (3 ounces) Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Tortilla chips and salsa

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; transfer to a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through, stirring once or twice. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa. Yield: 4 1/2 cups.

Trying Something New

I'd never been here before. For my first time, we saw:

It was so funny. I am the first to admit I am a Twilight fan, but I am not the kind who doesn't appreciate a good joke. The whole play poked fun of the people who take the obsession a little too far, but it was a lot of fun. Some of the girls I went with didn't realize how far this little obsession goes for some people, which was also fun. We sang along, laughed, clapped, and just generally had a good time. This really is a fun little place to go - I'm going to have to go again and again.

Super Bowl Whatever Number It Was

Just in case you weren't aware, I'm not the biggest sports fan in the world, so I wasn't exactly up on the fact that it was Super Bowl Weekend. Fortunately, I have family who is willing to keep me in the loop. Russ and Shauntell went out of their way this year. They created stadium seating for their guests. Their friend Gina won the trophy this year - and she knew less about what was going on than I did. Eating while viewing. It was all sorts of fun. There was no shortage of food, for sure.

View from the top of the seats.

Maya has been very friendly with me lately. Apparently she had been grounded from their camera so she was quite happy to take pictures with my camera (sorry, Russ and Shauntell, I didn't know). Most of the pictures were taken by her. I had many very up close and personal pictures of her as well.

Our poor, sick, sweet baby. Ryder wasn't feeling well, but he was so nice to cuddle with.

Briley in the Snow White garb. She and Maya were the princesses for the evening.

Logan was trying to hard to get Brooklyn to turn her head to me. He had to hold her because the movie was scary. Not sure what they were watching at this point in time.

So, this is as close we got to her looking at the camera.

The little ones were extremely into the game, can't you tell? They used the upstairs television for their entertainment.

Just so you can see the set up. Three tiers and they were pretty stable.

The kids' favorite thing was the white board.