It's a NEW day, It's NEW life.....for ME!

It's simply lovely that every day you get to start all over. You get a brand new chance to do things the way you want to do them. Yesterday's gone and there's no sense crying over it. Smile and appreciate this NEW day!! Grades can be brought up, new friends can be made, parenting can be easier, focus can be maintained. No more dark clouds....see that sunshine and appreciate!! It's all about ...."Everything changes. Everything is connected. Pay attention."

Never Own Someone Else's Anger

You must always remember that you are looking for solutions. You are not looking to win or be right. When someone else yells at you or blames you for being annoying in their life, what they are really saying is “Why don’t you be more like me? Then I wouldn’t be so annoyed.” That kind of thinking needs to be eliminated. You must say to yourself about this person “You are who you are and you are behaving in the only way you know how - I accept you.”

In the summer, I'm a nudist

In the winter, I'm a Buddhist....

hahahahah

Our porch and front door can be this inviting also. We just need paint and inspiration. Rich and I are capable of creating this!

Yep, I'm still one!!

I'm proud of my kid.....he made it through the first cuts for high school soccer! Tonight we'll know for sure.....There's still a chance that I get to keep my status as "soccer mom"! :)

Babies are off to school, no new job yet, no nursing school yet.....I'm in a bit of a holding pattern. That's okay....just breathe. And use this time to get some things done. This is all part of what is supposed to happen.

16: Moments

Rich touched on moments this morning when he wrote about vision quests. It reminded me of this video that Kathy had posted. An awesome video of life's little moments that may not seem like much at the time but, in a lifetime, mean a lot. It makes me think about all those little things. When I think back on my life, I don't remember it chronologically. I remember it in little moments. The giddyness of somersaults with Mike in an old refrigerator box, the act of throwing my pompons in the back seat of my Vega wagon, the feel of raindrops on my face as I received an unexpected kiss under a sprawling oak tree in college, the feel of the sun on my shoulders and the awesomeness of hearing "White Wedding" on the morning of MY wedding, the feel of those chubby little hands clutching mine as we walked into the grocery store, the feeling of dread and disbelief as I jetted over Iraq on my way to Kuwait, the deliciousness of walking out of MLM knowing no one knew I was leaving......Life is full of lovely little moments and we should all savor them.

Eight t-shirts, one polo shirt, one hoodie, two pairs of shorts, and a lab coat. Cost= $27.00.

I LOVE letting other people pay retail and then I get it for practically pennies. Treasure hunting at it's finest!

I got the letter today from Research. My hands, shockingly, were shaking when I opened it. I scanned it quickly for those words "pleased to inform you"....but I couldn't find them. Instead, I learned that I am NUMBER NINE on the waiting list. I knew it was a long shot, especially since I didn't meet the criteria for interviewing but I am pleased, knowing that I wasn't exactly turned down. Instead, I've been thrown somewhat of a monkey wrench. Do I continue on the same path, paying for prerequisites that only Research requires, and gamble on having nine candidates drop out? Or do I find a different program? What to do? What to do?

I do think there's some numerology significance to the fact that I'm #9. Beatles No. 9 is one of the most annoying songs ever recorded. Maybe because I have griped about it, I have attracted that #9 vibe. I was born on the 9th. My brother was born on the 9th. Hmmmm.....something to think about. If nine people drop out, I would be IN the program. That is still something to be proud of.

HCA Midwest Hospitals are offering a tuition forgiveness program if Research graduates sign on with them for 2 years after graduation. I thought that sounded like a terrific plan until I read this article: http://www.pitch.com/2001-07-26/news/impractical-nursing/1/ Made me re-think working for them. Maybe the #9 is the greatest gift Research could have given me.

My Darling Husband

Rich called me and asked if I would go with him to Twin City to have a beer. We made a little impromptu date out of it by having burgers with our beers. I was so thrilled to have uninterrupted time with my darling husband and then....get this....he thanked me for joining him!!! How sweet is that?!

Every time you praise something, every time you appreciate something, every time you feel good about something, you are telling the Universe, "More of this, please. More of this, please." You need never again make another verbal statement of this intent, and if you were allowing your cork to float -- all good things would flow to you.

--- Abraham

I am now certified in CPR and BLS (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and Basic Life Support) for Healthcare Providers. I was a little stressed before the class because I figured everyone in there would have more knowledge than me.

Come to find out....all those years of being trained by the FAA kicked in and I was the second person done with my test, completely ace-ing it! This is why I shouldn't discount myself. As I get further and further along in this nursing gig, my confidence is growing.

I AM INVINCIBLE!

Laughing with my kids hysterically while we made up menus for the month is one of the biggest perks of not being employed. We literally laughed until we cried! We tried to think of 30 menus so that I wouldn't constantly be coming up with new ones. Max suggested some pretty funny stuff.....he wanted fried chicken and watermelon...said we would have N***a Night at the Blanchard house, which is hysterical since we are the least racist of any family you'll ever meet.  He wanted mashed potatoes for every single side dish. He kept suggesting clam chowder...even though I don't know how to make it.

We laughed because this morning, I had road rage when this old lady pulled out in front of me and then drove 2 miles an hour....so then every time I got frustrated by something, I have that kind of rage. Like for instance, water bottles keep showing up next to the sink and I'm tired of all of them so now I have "water bottle rage". Tucker and Max were cracking up.

I made some AWESOME chocolate chip cookies and, even though my family didn't say so, I know they loved them because they're almost gone! I'm so Betty Crocker. :)

Friend Request

When I first saw the notification on Facebook that she and my husband were friends, I immediately reached for those "my feelings are hurt" thoughts. It was a familiar cloak that I wrapped around my shoulders - an immediate response. She did this (smoked pot with my children present), she did that (arranged a drinking foray with one of my husband's old girlfriends without inviting me along), she is this (a mixer).....I have a long list of what SHE did to ME. It's interesting how immediate my response to the notification was....all the feelings came flooding back. How threatened I felt. How I let her create my reality.

Then I thought more about it, especially after my husband opened my eyes to a new perspective. SHE can't do anything to ME, without my permission. SHE doesn't have that kind of power. I have been "giving" her that power but I don't have to do that anymore. She can't create my reality.

I am looking at her in a new light....I now feel sorry for her. She doesn't know any other way and that's unfortunate for her. She married a man who comes on to other women. That's just sad for her. That probably undermines her femininity, her sexuality, her inability to keep her man from looking elsewhere. And that, in turn, makes her miserable, I'm sure. So she smokes pot to escape her reality, she gets involved in other people's lives because she can't control her own. Sad.

AND, here's what I've surmised and it's eye-opening for me. Instead of wondering what I did or what I'm lacking when people choose not to be friends with me, I realize they are actually doing me a huge favor. It shows me who they really are right up front. They are willing to miss out on what I offer. And, as a friend, I offer a lot. People say flippantly, when they've been hurt, "it's their loss!" But really think about those words....it IS their loss.

She has never taken the time to get to know me and, without trying to sound like an egomaniac, I'm awesome. She won't get to add to her life what I would bring. I'm funny, irreverent, loving, and loyal. She is going to miss out on that.

And, it's exactly like Maya Angelou says "When people show you who they are, believe them the first time." She didn't do things TO me in the past.....she just showed me who she is. And I need to thank her for that.

Going to my happy place tonight!

August 6,2010

The day I've been looking forward to!

No more Metro Lutheran Ministry!!

No more Denny Hixson!!

No more Jim Glynn!!

No more Hell Hole!!

I love my husband, I love my boys, I love my house, I love my friends, I love Woodside, I love my nursing classes, I love having some free time....

I LOVE MY LIFE!!!

Lennon/McCartney

There's nothing you can do that can't be done
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy

There's nothing you can make that can't be made
No one you can save that can't be saved
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy

All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need

Here's a rule of thumb that will help you: If you believe that something is good, and you do it, it benefits you. If you believe that something is bad, and you do it, it is a very detrimental experience.

--- Abraham

Annie's Shrimp Enchiladas make me H*A*P*P*Y!

The last few weeks have been pretty busy and hectic for me so I haven’t spent nearly as much time in the kitchen as I would like. Finally though, things have slowed down and should stay fairly calm. I finally got to try these shrimp enchiladas for dinner last night, and I must say they were AMAZING! The combination of ingredients in the filling come together to make a really delicious flavor. I made several changes to the original recipe (including making only a half batch) and my version is below. The main change I made was to put all of the cheese mixture inside the tortillas rather than use half on top. As I was cooking I just didn’t feel like the insides would be cheesy enough if I reserved half for the top, so I didn’t. If you would like some sauce on top, I would recommend doubling the amount of cheese sauce so you have plenty to do so. Definitely give these a try, you will not be disappointed!

Shrimp Enchiladas

Ingredients:

½ cup minced onion

3 tbsp. butter, divided

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

¼ cup and 2 tbsp. heavy cream

1 ½ tsp. all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

¼ cup sour cream

¾ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 flour tortillas

Directions:

Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add ¼ cup of onion to the skillet and sauté until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, cayenne powder, black pepper, cream and flour; blend well. Lower heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened. Add ¾ cup shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and stir to blend. Set aside.

In a skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add shrimp and remaining ¼ cup onion to the skillet and sauté shrimp until pink. Remove shrimp from pan with a slotted spoon and chop; return to the skillet. Add all of the cheese sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8×8” baking dish. Spoon some of the shrimp mixture onto a tortilla. Sprinkle with some of the remaining shredded cheese. Roll up tightly and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Sprinkle cheese over the enchiladas. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Source: adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Shrimp Enchiladas

Ingredient3 tbsp. butter, divided

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

¼ cup and 2 tbsp. heavy cream

1 ½ tsp. all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

¼ cup sour cream

¾ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

bsp. of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add ¼ cup of onion to the skillet and sauté until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, cayenne powder, black pepper, cream and flour; blend well. Lower heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened. Add ¾ cup shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and stir to blend. Set aside.

In a skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add shrimp and remaining ¼ cup onion to the skillet and sauté shrimp until pink. Remove shrimp from pan with a slotted spoon and chop; return to the skillet. Add all of the cheese sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8×8” baking dish. Spoon some of the shrimp mixture onto a tortilla. Sprinkle with some of the remaining shredded cheese. Roll up tightly and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Add more cheese to the top of the enchiladas. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Source: adapted from My Kitchen Cafe