food – Swimming With The Rain

Back to School

August 25, 2023August 25, 2023

School started last week in my little corner of the world. And although it has been years since I have sent a child of mine back to school, the momma in me can still relate to these parents as they are going through the first of the lasts and first of the firsts.

On Friday, my boyfriend’s son had his firsts of the lasts with football, as it is now his Senior year of high school. It was so exciting to watch him come out on to the field as a starting Senior, but also sad to realize that there are only so many Home games and this will be over soon.

The pride I felt for this child is similar to how I felt for my own, but I get to enjoy this one more. Maybe because I have “been there, done that” and have figured out what is important and what isn’t. Kids at this age do not realize the shear power of a moment and how quick it will go by. For him, he may realize it when the season is over and ask for five more minutes.

“At eighteen, turned my helmet in and walked to the fifty-yard line
Just the coach and me after we lost eighteen to nine
And I cried, “Man, next time to get in here, I’ll have to buy a ticket
Can’t you give me five more minutes?” ~Five More Minutes, sung by Scotty McCreery

That evening, I also watched Freshmen enjoying the firsts of the firsts. These 14 year-old’s were at THEIR high school football game, and this is a big deal for them. For some, it may be one of the first activities that they do not have direct parental supervision and feel like they can do whatever they want. That being said, they still need to work on their respect and how to behave, but they’ll learn.

They were like puppies… Very eager but haven’t learned how to control themselves yet.

black short coated dog biting plastic container on green grass

Moving forward to Saturday evening and I was craving Indian food. We headed to the best Indian food place which is near the University campus when it dawned on us… It’s move in weekend! Vehicles were in front of dorms and apartments, doors and trunks open loaded down with suitcases and bedding. Where we usually see students crossing the streets without a care in the world, we saw parents following behind their kids, as they figured out where to go.

We have always walked in to this restaurant and had choices on where to sit. We even used to wonder WHY they had a back dining room, as we had never seen anyone in it, so we assumed it was for private groups. No. It was FULL. Both areas! This is what that room was for.

It didn’t matter that we had to wait for our food. I had a glass of wine and did what I do best – people watching. Parents with their new college students… Excitement beaming from these students as their lives were about ready to change. Parents soaking up the last bit of time with their kids before they were to leave them in adulthood. Dads giving meaningful words of wisdom. Moms watching their 18 year-old children but visioning them as two. This momma wanted to walk up and hug each one of those momma’s and tell them it will be okay.

So, to all of you students, get out there and enjoy this moment and experience life! To all of you parents going through Senior Year with your child or even sending them off to college… I see you. I am hugging you in my mind.

Life

Therapy Day 3 – I just wanted to feel…

May 12, 2023

Here’s what I am realizing about therapy, when random questions are asked, they are not random. It’s like magic when they ask a question and all of a sudden, the filing cabinets in your brain start to open and all of these memories come flooding out.

The magic question – “What were your birthday’s like for you?”

We talked about my constant fear of being judged, even by those that love me. One thing I will discuss here is my ex-husband. After a wedding reception, my husband (at the time) told me that I move my hips too much. This was coming from a Latin man whose culture is constant hip motion when dancing. So, I quit dancing with him. My own husband could not accept me.

I have lived my life being judged. My weight (even when it was low, I was teased), my nose, my grades, my driving, my choices in who I dated, the raising of my children. But, when you have felt this way for over 40 years, it is a hard habit to break.

Some women, myself included, do not like being celebrated on their birthdays. It has nothing to do with the fear of growing older, it has to do with being made to feel like it is a hassle to celebrate on the big day.

“I don’t like this restaurant, I’m not sure why you picked here.”

“Oh, now we have to buy you a gift.”

“I couldn’t think of what to get you, so here.”

“Why are we doing this after work, I’m exhausted at the end of the day.”

“I don’t like that flavor of ice cream.”

I broke down crying and said, “All I wanted was ONE day to feel special. Like I mattered.”

Well, here we are. Getting all of this off my chest felt like a weight lifted and now that I have been able to vocalize my fear of being judged, but yet wanting to feel special (but judged for wanting to feel special), I feel more confident. Now that I am beginning to understand the basis of my problems, I can work on moving away from them.

While I understand that my problems may seem trivial to what is out there with others. I have not shared publicly what my issues stem from, nor have I shared what those issues are.

However, I can assure you that girls that do not grow up confident that they are loved, will make a lot of stupid decisions in life when they are looking for it.

woman in gray jacket and white skirt standing on stairs

So, let her dance the night away, let her blow out her candles by herself, let her be excited that she is getting her choice of cake, be excited that you get to have dinner with her that evening, don’t make fun of her when she is embarrassed that people are singing to her, put thought in to the gift so that she knows you are excited to have picked it out for her… At least on that one day a year, focus on HER. Be excited that you are part of her life and that she wants to celebrate with YOU.

Food

Shrimp, Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup Recipe

July 25, 2020

I’ve been on a soup kick lately because it is such a great way to add veggies in to my food. Not that I don’t normally eat veggies, but I just don’t get creative with how they are prepared so I tend to get bored.

Yesterday and today, I searched Pinterest looking for some kind of Shrimp soup recipe but I just wasn’t feeling it. Plus, as I have said before, I do not like buying ingredients that I will probably only use once. So, knowing that I had to stock up on certain food anyways, I decided to come up with my own little concoction, while still being healthy.

The great thing about this is that you can make it Keto by leaving out the potatoes and adding additional meat. OR, you can add more seafood to make it more of a seafood chowder. OR, you could leave out the sausage and seafood, add more veggies, and have it that way. The great thing is, this is a pretty versatile base.

Since I prefer when trying new things to have step by step instructions, that’s what you will find here. But, if you prefer to just skip to the ingredients and do it your way, just scroll on down to the bottom.

Green pepper, red pepper, onion, celery, and garlic. Here’s the thing, while I love the flavoring of the green & red peppers, and onion, I HATE biting in to them. Something about the texture… I don’t know. So, I diced them up even finer than this. You do it how you like.

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, “I love Pampered Chef!” Their manual food processor makes it super easy to get the veggies just the right size. You can use a regular food processor, also, but I don’t have easy to get to outlets so this one comes in super handy. No, I am not being paid for that statement nor do I receive any kickbacks from it.

***Use a nice sized pot with your temperature at Medium Low. After each step, cover. It will help to keep the temp in and slowly meld all of the flavors together.

While your veggies are slowly sauteing, dice your potatoes in to bite size pieces. Remember, they will get mushy when cooked so you don’t want them TOO small.

Break up your Italian Sausage and throw it in. I used Butterball Sweet Italian Turkey sausage to keep it healthy. Now comes the part with kale… Some people like it, some people don’t. I really don’t notice the taste of it when mixed with other things. So, if you don’t want kale, use spinach. The point is to make the most out of getting as many veggies in as possible.

Kale has a tendency to shrink when cooked. So, the recipe calls for two cups, that means FIRMLY PACKED. Get as much kale as you can in to that measuring cup. Now, put all of that kale back on to your chopping board and chop away! Mix it in to what you already have and this is what it should look like, everything sauteing and steaming nicely.

My kitchen was smelling quite nice by this point! One of the benefits to making this soup is that it is easy enough to make, but you feel like you are actually doing something and creating your own personal dish. I had a podcast going and was just chopping away, feeling awfully relaxed.

Let’s talk seasoning. This is when you make it your own and add whatever you have in your house. I added in a teaspoon each of these, plus sea salt and black pepper. Oh! And four rosemary leaves.

Now, the liquid… I used the low sodium chicken broth and vanilla flavored almond milk. Why use low sodium broth when you are adding in sea salt? Great question! Because I can add salt, but I can’t take it away. Make sense? Regarding milk, if you want to use normal milk, go for it! I can’t use regular milk (lactose intolerant issues, good times!) and I really like the flavor that the vanilla almond milk adds to things.

My personal opinion, let this simmer for awhile. Remember, you want to make sure that your potatoes and sausage are cooked through. Plus, the seasonings need time to meld together. (I sound like an expert here, huh? haha)

Shrimp. I could eat it every day. LOVE IT! Now, I bought two bags of the frozen large shrimp (raw, tail off, deveined), and let them thaw. Not to when warm, just that they weren’t frozen like a rock. Then I rinsed them. Why? Because I didn’t want to add too much of the seafood “juice” to the flavor and take away from the other spices. I then cut them up in to bite size pieces. Yes,I could have bought small or medium shrimp and may not have had to do that, but they were out at the store.

Pour the shrimp in, stir, cover, and go do something else. Let it slowly simmer for however long you want to, just make sure the shrimp is cooked when you pour yourself a bowl. Shrimp is cooked when it pinkens.

Based on the ingredients I used and the calorie counter, all of this comes in at 2,541 calories. Since you’re not eating all of this in one seating (but it is good enough that you will want to), and it measures approximately 10 cups, it is only 254 calories. But, if you’re like me, you poured 2 cups and called it a good meal!

This soup is hearty enough for a cold winter day, but doesn’t feel so heavy as to make you feel blah on a hot day, thanks to the shrimp.

For a list of ingredients and quick instructions, HERE.

Enjoy!

Entertainment

Blueberry Cream Cheese Won Ton

July 25, 2020

Oh my goodness, I think I just created the greatest thing ever!

I am not big on using 15 million ingredients when it comes to making things. Or at least ingredients that I will not have on hand or be willing to use again. While at the grocery store this morning, I saw this HUGE basket of fresh blueberries for under five dollars and was super excited because I’ll just eat those by the handful. Moving on to the section with the pre-made guacamole, I saw won ton wrappers, which I have never used. But, ideas started to pop in to my head and at only 50 calories for three of them, I could make something bite sized, right? Wait! I have blueberries in my cart and some whipped strawberry cream cheese at home… This could be interesting.

You do not have to even be good at cooking to figure this out, trust me. And with these photos, it makes it even easier! First, turn the oven to 350. By the time it is done preheating, you’ll be ready to put these amazing things in.

Mix 4 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese with 2 ounces of blueberries. I used strawberry cream cheese because that is what I had.

Put a “dollop” of mixture in to the center of the won ton and bring the corners up, however you want to.

There is just enough mixture for 6 of these heavenly tasting things.

The hard part… Wait 14 minutes. I timed it and just before the 14 minute mark is when they started bubbling up, getting ready to spill over.

You will then have the easiest masterpiece you have ever created! I was on the phone with a friend when I took my first bite and I believe the words I used were, “Oh, my dear God, these are amazing!”

The best thing is, 253 calories for all six, because, yes, I ate all of them!

Enjoy!

Food

11 Different Types Of Pasta

July 15, 2020

Lately, I have been on a whole wheat pasta kick. Surprisingly, it is much better than you would think! I have found that the trick is that just before it’s completely done, drain the majority of the water (I just use the lid to drain instead of breaking out the strainer) and mix it in with the sauce. By letting it finish cooking this way, the noodles soak up the flavor of the sauce, and I can’t even tell if I am missing out on anything!

For some reason this morning, pasta crossed my mind and I thought, “Why are there so many types of pasta and are they used for different things?” So, off to Google Land I went. But, here’s the thing… The first two things that came up, were almost EXACTLY the same exact wording. Now, I know from writing blogs for work that there is a percentage you can get away with, but I prefer to write my own words. So, because I am nosy and want to know WHY, I kept researching for even more in depth information.

Would you put spaghetti noodles in Mac & Cheese? No way! But, WHY??? Because, we want the shell that holds all that ooey gooey goodness, so it makes perfectly good sense that different types of pasta, due to the thickness, texture, and shape, will be beneficial to different types of sauces. But, how was this all discovered of what noodle goes best with what sauce? One theory explains it as this ~ Italians appreciate and love artistry in all aspects of their lives. Doesn’t that make you have this wistful feeling? Then there is this theory that will make you think of your own Grandma and her cooking or quilting ~ Old Italian women didn’t spend time making every family member a new quilt, they perfected their slow cooked meals and passed that down.

Are you ready for your pasta lesson? FYI – from the website (SwimmingWithTheRain.com), you can print this out for reference.

Angel Hair (Capelli d’angelo) has the clue in its common name… It is more delicate and cannot hold the chunky sauces. Great for soups, oil based sauces, or my personal favorite – Shrimp Scampi!

Cavatappi has tight spirals that pull in flavor, which is why it is generally referred to as “Corkscrew”. Suggested to use in thicker sauces, with chunks of meat and vegetables, which can get “caught” in the spirals. A great idea for pasta salads, too!

Elbow Macaroni isn’t just for your kid’s art projects! This pasta is used with sauce, baked dishes, soups, macaroni salad… Probably one of the most versatile and popular.

Farafelle or better known as Bowtie Pasta, is one of my favorites. Why? It looks fun! It is a thicker noodle that can hold its own with a variety of sauces, but is perfect to mix with vegetables of the same size. The next time you are making a creamy type of sauce, use this and see if you can notice how the sauce sneaks in to the center.

Fettuccine ~ Long cut and flat, generally used with heavy cream sauce. For instance, Fettuccine Alfredo with it’s heavy cream, thick chicken cuts and vegetables.

How do you say “little tongues” in Italian? Linguine! It’s not as wide as fettuccine or as round as spaghetti or as thick as fettuccini, so it is perfect for the lighter sauces such as pesto, or white wine and Shrimp (my favorite).

Orzo seems to be gaining popularity these days. Larger than rice, it would be lost in a normal sauce, so it is best used in soup when needing to add in some “bulk”, or by itself with some butter and parmesan cheese.

I have to admit that the first time I had Penne Pasta in my mid-20’s, I felt like I was in the “high class” life. I had never heard of such a thing and fell in love with the way the Alfredo flowed inside the pasta and stuck to the ridges. This is why the edges are cut diagonal (main difference between Ziti and Penne). Try not to use as chunky of a sauce so that the mixture can move through the tubes.

Rigatoni is similar to Penne but is slightly larger, and instead of an angled opening, it is simply round. With the space being even more hollow, you can use the chunkier version of sauces.

Conchiglie or let’s just call it what it is ~ Shells! These can be used for Mac & Cheese, soups, cold pasta salads or one of my favorites if you buy the large variety ~ Stuffed Shells.

Spaghetti… Does it really need an explanation? Typically served with tomato sauce, but it is really the most versatile of all pastas. Thick enough it doesn’t get overpowered by a traditional meat sauce, but thin enough to mix with some olive oil, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. So, go ahead and swirl that fork around and around!

Now that your taste buds are heightened, remember that the concept is to have the perfect balance of pasta and sauce. While some pasta lends an aesthetic look to the meal, they each serve a purpose to compliment the sauce and the type of meal you are preparing. Just remember, thinner sauces go with thinner noodles, and heartier noodles go with chunkier sauces.

Or better yet, you do you! Just enjoy your meal and be proud of the creation you have made!

All me

Life Lessons

June 26, 2020

I have a tendency to learn stupid life lessons the hard way. Luckily, I have been keeping track of them for years so that I could one day share with the world. So, here you go. You’re welcome.

#114 ~ When moving a box full of yarn, make sure it is not dangling outside of the box so that it can attach to things.

#118 ~ Don’t wear long sleeves to the gym. It’s hot.

#119 ~ Driving in a small town on Sunday around noon when church gets out, is worse than rush hour traffic.

#202 ~ When the heater doesn’t work and it’s supposed to get to freezing temps, flip the breaker… Ahhh!!! Warmth!

#203 ~ Do not overfill your waffle maker… There will be a mess.

#205 ~ When falling down the stairs first thing in the morning, if you will lean towards one side, it will keep the pressure off your tailbone.

#206 ~ Pay attention when hitting the volume button on your phone a few times because if it is actually the power button, that whole SOS thing will start squawking through the blue tooth. It takes and act of congress to stop it BUT, you will remember who you listed as your emergency contacts in your phone and find out who the first one is to call.

#208 ~ If you are wearing your hat sideways, do not wonder why people are not taking you seriously. (unless it is part of a costume)

#212 ~ If a potential client is using foul words with you, stop. Their business isn’t worth it.

#228 ~ You know you are a parent when the most tearful moment in watching Undercover Boss is when the boss gives money for college.

#311 ~ When you can’t figure out why our new blue ray player won’t connect via wifi and you’re getting ready to call customer support to yell at someone, google the model number first. It’s not wifi capable… It needs land line.

#313 ~ Never throw the dog’s ball off the bed, they will then think it’s play time Especially if it’s a glow in the dark ball…

#320 ~ When not feeling well, make sure that you do not take the crack version of Sudafed before bed.

#322 ~ Always be nice to your clients. You may see them at your son’s baseball game… As the umpire.

#401 ~ If you feel the need to nap on the couch after work, you shouldn’t do it. Because it will be after 11pm, and you will be up doing dishes because you are restless.

#527 ~ Do not eat cupcakes with blue icing…

#604 ~ Getting in to a pool float is not a graceful act.

#615 ~ A flat iron will not warm up if you forget to turn it on.

#625 ~ When your children start staying in bed until the afternoon, you should apologize to your own parents for sleeping in until noon when a teenager on weekends and “wasting away a perfectly good day”. However, I think they should thank me for the quiet time I gave them.

#643 ~ Never take a water pill and then drink a bunch of water when getting ready to make an hour long drive.

#705 ~ Check the weather before heading to the grocery store if it even looks cloudy. Just a couple of sprinkles turned in to a dark sky with a lot of wind driven rain and lightning.

#804 ~ If it is a beautiful day on Saturday, you should go to the beach or get some time in the sun instead of thinking you’ll wait until Sunday. Because Sunday will end up being gloomy.

#807 ~ When babysitting an 8-month old, if they see you drinking out of a water bottle when they wake you up at 2am, they will think it’s their bottle and get upset.

#902 ~ When the ‘check engine’ light comes on, they have a cool thing at Auto Zone to plug in to your car and tell you why.

#917 ~ If driving on a back road that you are not familiar with, always have a full tank of gas.

#919 ~ Do not think that someone is trying to bribe you when they show up with your favorite wine and cookies. Maybe they are just saying congratulations!

#1003 ~ Do not wear high heels to an open house when you have to stand for an hour long teacher variety show.

#1115 ~ A dollar bill (or any bill) is 6 inches!

#1119 ~ Do not force the cork to come out from a wine bottle by pulling too hard. It can hit your face.

#1222 ~ Never leave food dye around teenage boys, they will add it to orange juice and it looks gross!

Health & Spiritual

The Beginning of My Weight Loss Journey

June 19, 2020June 25, 2020

Why am I going to tell you about all of these things that happened in 2019? Because making the decision to lose weight can be a battle. It usually doesn’t happen over night, at least with me. I have to rationalize things in my head until it finally HITS me and I have my reason WHY.

January 2019 ~ My blood results came back and the doctor was not happy. Not only had I put on weight, but my blood sugar was at 190, which is in between borderline and high. Dr. C, the fitness fanatic, is not one to just say, “Here, take this!” which honestly, can sometimes drive me crazy! His instructions that day – “Go keto and go keto NOW! Drop some weight and your sugar level or I will HAVE to put you on meds.” Two months later, I did my follow up and I had lost 10 pounds along with my level going down down 40 points. Yay! “Keep at it, drop some more weight and I am confident that you will be fine.” Did I listen? Well, no.

April 2019 ~ I saw a photo of myself in a bathing suit, from the backside. I was mortified. How was this me? How did all this weight come on so quick within the past couple of years? Oh… Menopause. While I am so thankful to God for putting me in to it in my early / mid 40’s, I hadn’t stopped to realize what it was doing to my hormones. I was no longer the person that could just starve for a few days and lose those few pounds. Suddenly, those photos where I thought I looked fat, I wanted to be that size again!

May 2019 ~ I started back to the gym and told myself, “Yes, I can eat lunch out today because I went to the gym this morning.” (FYI ~ that’s a lie!) Then, the craziest thing happened… I was on a boat, lost my balance a bit, and my phone went flying in to the water. Not thinking in my head that the water was only two feet deep, I jumped. That’s when I heard a nice little pop in the right knee as I landed near my phone. I did good for a few weeks, keeping it up, icing it, trying to stay off my leg. But, while watching tv with my son, I got up off the couch, turned my body without turning my knee… Pop!

***This has become my life ~ knee up with an ice pack.***

July 2019 ~ My knee is still visibly swollen so I finally make an appointment with the doctor. After an X-ray confirms that it is not broken, he schedules me for an MRI with the instructions, “You can do anything you want to, but do not let your feet leave the ground.” Well, that leaves most things out. Why go to the gym? I hate upper body workouts so what’s the point, right? Stupid decision. My next stupid decision was not getting the MRI done because it was $200.

September 2019 ~ I had resigned myself to the fact that I was just going to let myself be fat and happy, thinking I was ok with that. I mean, I was finally enjoying all that delicious food that everyone talks about. But, when I came back from seeing my family on vacation, I saw the number on the scale and was in shock. I had never weighed this, not even with either of my pregnancies. Whatever, it didn’t matter. I had friends and if a man wanted to be a part of my life, he would have to love me for how I looked.

October 2019 ~ My knee brace was no longer a constant and I was starting to feel better as long as I didn’t stand too long, have it in one position too long, and wore the brace if I was doing anything that involved movement, so why not get a puppy? Since I wasn’t picking her up until around noon, a friend and I went to see the sunflower fields. We walked and the sharp pain wasn’t there for the first time, my knee felt great! The two year old going down the slide looked like he was having a good and made it look so easy, so why not? Bad decision! I really need to learn that when I say, “Why not?”, my answer needs to be, “DON’T!” Two year old legs are short, so when they come off the slide, their feet hit the ground. When you are 46, that doesn’t happen. Your feet go forward and your tush has to hit the ground. (My kids explained this whole gravity thing to me, but I blew them off when listening) Luckily, with the young child near, the words stayed inside my head instead of causing him life long mental damage and possible therapy. Yes, I broke my tail bone and there is nothing that can be done about it. So, my charming new puppy was welcomed in to my home by being put on the couch behind my knees while I laid on my side in the fetal position for two days. There went my plan to get back to being active! Honestly, being active or sitting or sleeping or breathing hurt. (Eight months later, I still have pain. My doctor confirmed that I jacked it up and probably should have had it looked at sooner, but that there really isn’t anything that can be done except time.)

***No part of your body should ever be bruised that color, especially your butt.***

November 2019 ~ By now, it was just easier to eat out instead of cooking and I generally rotated between Firehouse Subs or Panda Express since I could order online and they were near my house. If I had to run in to the store, those Totino pizzas are cheap and soooooo good! I live alone most of the time so why put all that effort in to cooking when it just wasn’t thrilling… But, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, about 30 minutes after having a Firehouse sub, it was not sitting well with me at work. Our unspoken rule at work is that “that” DOES NOT happen there. (Graphic, yes. Honest, yes.) Luckily, I live less than a mile away so I told them that I thought I was going to be sick and ran out the door like a crazy woman. Once I got home, I was pretty sure that I was going to die, convinced that it was food poisoning. But, the longer that I laid on the couch, the more I started thinking about the fact that I was eating fast food too often and that I needed to quit. I was feeling awful… Not just physically but mentally… Why was I telling myself that I was ok like this when I clearly wasn’t? I didn’t feel energy to do much of anything, my motivation was shot, I felt ugly inside and out… Now that everything in me was pretty much cleaned out, wouldn’t now be a good time to start? But, I needed help knowing that I could not do this on my own. I knew that I couldn’t do keto because I LOVE pasta and I didn’t want to give up fruit, plus I refuse to do any diet that tells me that I can’t have wine. That’s just sacrilegious right there! Wait! What about those Noom ads I had seen? I liked the thought of a coach and psychology… Let’s do this! So, I signed up for the free two week trial while I was laying on the couch depleted of any food I had consumed in probably the last 24 hours. I did what it suggested and ate like I normally did the next day, which happened to be Thanksgiving, and I logged every bite. I was in shock at the the amount of calories, but I also knew that this accountability thing was going to work. It wasn’t just me looking at my food intake, it was a ‘goal specialist’ and I was allowing her to see my weight. If you have ever truly struggled with your weight, you know that that is the hardest thing to do – let someone know your dirty little secret.

Oh! If you’re wondering if it was food poisoning, it wasn’t. About 30 minutes after eating, my oldest son was pretty convinced that he was going to die (reminded me how he is SOOOO like his dad when sick) and the majority of my office seemed to be out for a day on a rotating schedule for the next week or so.

Want to get started on Noom? Here’s what you need to begin YOUR journey ~ https://swimmingwiththerain.com/starting-noom-what-you-will-need/

Health & Spiritual

It’s time to pick your own lane…

June 3, 2020June 3, 2020

Have you ever been driving behind a car for awhile and all of a sudden, you realize that your movements mimic theirs? They move a little to the left, so do you. They veer slightly to the right, you lean to the right. They speed up, your right foot presses the gas a bit. Over and over we do this, often times without realizing.

This was apparent to me while driving to the grocery store after work. I was stuck behind a vehicle that had very exaggerated movements. Turning from Main Street at the traffic light to a side road… He swung wide, I swung wide. Same thing at the roundabout… He went wide, I went wide. With another wide turn in to the parking lot, I giggled when I realized how I was mimicking his driving. Then it’s as if a light bulb flickered inside my brain and I thought, “Is this what we do in life… Mimic those around us?”

My brother’s words from my early driving days came back to me… “You’re like that song, ‘Give me 40 acres and I’ll turn this rig around…’ but you don’t drive a big rig, you drive a small Honda.” In my defense, I had grown up around people that drove pickup trucks so that’s how I honestly thought you turned around… Big wide turns!

Isn’t this what life is sometimes like? Is it perhaps ingrained in to our minds that we are supposed to act a certain way because it fits the status quo? For instance, we should peel a banana fully before eating, only use a certain brand of detergent, always tuck the bottom part of the flat sheet in… When do we stand up and say, “No! I like to only peel the part that I am taking a bite out of, I prefer All over Tide detergent, and I like my sheets untucked!”?

How many of you heard the phrase from your parents regarding your up to no good friends, “If they jumped off a bridge, would you?” Sure, it’s a question, but they weren’t really expecting an answer. Because if we did answer, we would dutifully hang our head and say the obligatory, “No”. (By the way, you get extra points if you said m’am or sir after telling them your answer.) But, in our heads, as the inexperienced children we were, our brain was yelling, “Yes! Because these are my best friends and they will do anything for me!” (You get extra points here if you have ever said this to your own children because now you know better. Ha!)

Now that we are adults, who are we still following behind in traffic? Is it your significant other that tries to makes you realize it’s just easier to go along with their opinion? What about the friend that makes you feel guilty if you don’t feel like painting the town red on a Friday night? Let’s add in the co-worker that always seems to act a bit superior towards your differing work loads. And then there’s the school parents that belittle you for not wanting to take part in the newest fundraiser.

It is time that we learn to drive our own way. Choose a lane and stay in it! As women, we have a lot of life experience. We know how to make choices, we know what type of wine we prefer (Pinot Noir girl here!), we know how to prioritize work, and we know how we like our coffee. So, why would we let someone else dictate our lane? It’s time we speak up and take responsibility for our own lives. Is the person in front of you driving too fast… Then slow down. Weaving in and out of traffic… STAY IN YOUR LANE! Drive at the speed you need to and enjoy the scenery IN FRONT OF YOU.

Ironically enough, while in the store thinking about these things and pushing my cart down an aisle, I was busy looking over to the side and a nice looking distraction caught my eye… Bam! There went my cart right in to the corner of a cookie display. The light bulb in my mind didn’t just flicker… It was as if a brand new stop light had just been installed.

Although those cookies really did look good, I’m trying to be healthy, so I fixed the display and moved along. I made a choice. I left the cookies and went to find the bug spray (trying to get some yard work done and the mosquito’s are just crazy right now). Don’t start looking around while driving, wondering what is out there. Pull over to the side and decide what path you want to take.

We all have choices to make in life. Sometimes we do need guidance, especially when visiting a new place. But, this is our life and it is time we took it back. We can give our opinion and speak up on the way that we expect to be treated. We can choose to stay home on a Friday night and binge chick flicks. We can choose to better ourselves and live a life that WE are proud of!

I am giving you permission to stop, decide if you want to take the scenic route. You don’t have to go in the direction you have always been heading, following someone else, the one they say is the best. Look around, which direction do YOU want to try? Because girl, I am telling you… YOU ARE WORTH IT! Now, buckle your seat belt, put your sunglasses on, and turn your blinker to the direction you want to go!

Food

Pampered Chef Bell Pepper Herb Rub

May 27, 2020July 25, 2020

No matter how often I have tried, I just can’t eat a bell pepper. Something about the texture. It’s not about the heartburn, although I have heard that a lot of people do have issues with that. Strange thing is, I love the flavoring of it, though.

Anyways, there I was doing an order through a Pampered Chef party and I needed to spend just a few dollars more to get the freebie. I am a firm believer in the Pampered Chef products, so I figured they would do halfway decent with their seasonings. If it was bad, I was only out $6.

This stuff is amazing! I add just a bit of it to almost everything I make, just to give it an extra pizzazz! Scrambled eggs, canned spaghetti sauce, soup… You name it.

So, there you go. Give it a try. You won’t regret it. And while you’re ordering it, if you don’t have a Pampered Chef stone, invest in the pizza one or a flat bar… You’ll understand the loyalty of them.

Entertainment

How to cut a pineapple

May 22, 2020June 14, 2020

Years ago, I had this boyfriend and we loved to have people over and entertain. Whether it was for a football game, pool time, Saturday night… You name it! He supplied the house, I supplied the kitchen duties. Sometimes it’s easier for me to keep busy instead of having to make polite chit chat.

Well, one day I get there and here is how this conversation went…

Boyfriend, “I bought you a pineapple!”

Me, “Okay. Why?”

Boyfriend, “To cut up to go with the other food.”

Me, “How?”

Boyfriend, “I don’t know. I was hoping you knew.”

So, I figured it out for him. Because that is what good girlfriends do, right? Please remind me why I’m still single…

Well, in case you needed a bit of help because it really can be quite intimidating (speaking from personal experience), I’m here to give you a step by step guide with pictures! And once you know how, you’ll never go back to the canned stuff!