Anything is possible if you’ve got enough nerve. J. K. Rowling
Commit. Whether walking into the street, or starting something new…commit. Do it. Nerve.
Yep.
bea*u*ti*ful
I have a sign with a definition of beautiful on it. I love it. It helps me with self affirmations.
bea*u*ti*ful
[b-yoo-tuh-fuhl]
adjective
- having beauty: delighting the senses or mind
- excellent of its kind: wonderful: remarkable
Affirmations are important. At least I think so. Too many times I give myself negative affirmations. My thighs are too big. I’m not smart enough to go back to school. Too many times I self doubt. We have enough of the outside world telling us how to look, dress, act, and be. Most of the time they imply negative thoughts so you question what you are wearing, or doing. I question myself in everyday tasks enough without outside influences.
Recently, I have gotten more confident. Being around supportive, encouraging people really help. The people I work with and for are encouraging as well. It is important, I think, to have yourself surrounded with people that genuinely care about you. It is also important to give positive affirmations to those around you. Be an encourager.
Tell someone that they are beautiful today.
Goodreads
Do y’all use Goodreads? I first discovered it a couple of years ago. I was reviewing a friend’s book, and thought it would be a good place to discover new reads. I really didn’t use it for anything. It just went away.
Now I have rediscovered it. I am using it to keep track of the books I want to read. Or have read. In January they have a goal to set with a preset of 12 books to read. Not sure that I can do that. I am wanting to read more. But with my math class…(another post!)
Do you use Goodreads?
Cry Out To Jesus
Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day
This song was on KLOVE as I drove to work one morning. Grief has hit me hard this season. Not just the Christmas season, but the season in my life right now.
My childhood friend Tracey lost her husband in an accident on December 3, 2016. I wasn’t able to attend the funeral due to work, but knew that I had time off over the holidays. What I wasn’t sure about was, did I really need to travel to Arkansas? Did I need to do this for her, or for me? Well, the answers turned out to be yes, and yes.
The more I prayed about it, it just became clear that I was supposed to see her. I couldn’t imagine not seeing her especially since she lost someone after 25 years of marriage.
God doesn’t tell us why. It would be too easy if He did, right? So many questions, never enough answers. What was clear after the visit, was this friendship remained true and strong. Life got in the way a bit, but we didn’t miss a beat when we were back together.
Hug you friends and loved ones tight. Life is too short for little things to get in the way.
Grief
Processes of grief. So many of us are going through grief in some manner. Losing a loved one is always difficult whether you expect it or not.
I like this graph. I refer to it often to remind myself life is a process. Grief is normal, and the feelings I experience are normal as well. It has been ten years since my Mom has passed this February. Waves of emotion with sadness, anger, loneliness, and guilt resurfaced when we were in Arkansas after Christmas. But they didn’t last long. The waves weren’t as high, or as fierce as they are when the grief is fresh. Just being there in my old hometown caused ways of emotions. So many of them were happy, but with the trees without their leaves everything seemed sad.
Grief isn’t just about death. The grief process is associated with loss of anything significant. Moving to a new area. Loss of a job. Separation or Divorce. Different stages hit each person differently.
Like I said, too many people going through grief right now. Hugs to you.
Tea Collections
I have an obsession with tea cups. Well, tea cups, tea cups and saucers, tea pots, and loose tea. Really anything to do with tea. Saucers, infusers, tea warmers, coffee cups, espresso cups, anything to do with tea.
My mother had a Sammeltassen. This is a German term for a collection of tea cups with saucers and a dessert plate. She had two complete tea sets with the tea or coffee pots, sugar and creamer, and a set of tea cups. These were served during a Kaffeeklatsch (an informal social gathering for coffee and conversation) that was often a show of your talents for baking of German sweets. I inherited these, and have added many more to the collection. Although, I don’t have Kaffeeklatsch’s, I do like to showcase my collection, and use the sets on special occasions.
I tend to seek out tea shops when we travel, and purchase a tea cup (if I found a one that speaks to me) as a souvenir. On our most recent trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas (to visit a sweet friend that lost her husband), we visited the Savoy Tea Co on the square. The shop is the perfect tea store. Lots of teas to smell, samples to taste, order one or two drinks, and sit in, sip and chat.
I ended up purchasing several sample teas, and this great teacup and pot set. I love the pattern. Sweet. Feminine. Floral.
The tea (this one was Sippin’ on Gin & Jupe) is yummy, and tastes even better in my new floral tea cup. If you get a chance stop by their shop. (Strictly my opinion, not a sponsor.)
Blessings.
Giadzy
Oh my goodness. I am in love with Giada De Laurentiis’ new website Giadzy.
You have to register, but I really don’t mind that at all especially with all of her new content. She has a lot of different topics. I love the crispiness of the site. Clean. Simple.
The recipes are great too. I can’t wait to purchase the cheese for this:
http://giadzy.com/posts/food/how-to/436868/10-minute-cheese-platter
from Giada’s site:
I’m a big believer that cheese platters don’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, it can be the easiest part of your party prep! Just follow this simple recipe: one hard cheese (like parmesan) + one semi-hard cheese (like cheddar) + one soft cheese (like goat or brie), then dress it up with some simple crackers and a few dried fruits or nuts from the bulk bin. The magic is in the presentation, so feel free to crumble some of the cheeses, cut them into spears or even roll the soft cheese in black pepper for extra wow-factor. It’ll be the easiest thing you do all day!Giada makes something so simple seem so elegant, and yummy.
I can’t wait to try it.
Blessings.
Ho Ho Hustle – 5k
On December 10, 2016, David and I participated in our first 5k. Fort Walton Beach sponsored a Ho Ho Hustle 5k/10k for both runners and walkers for a Toys for Tots fundraiser.
I have had a 5k on my bucket list for a long while. I originally thought one day I would run it, but after my last doctor appointment that won’t happen for a while. My knees and hips are bone on bone, so walking is not a problem but running is not the option for a long while.
Ugh. I have been walking Dexter, and averaging two miles in about 40 minutes. So I thought that I was prepared for 3.2 miles. I was and wasn’t. The morning of the 5k it was a brisk 38 degrees. Brrrr. I so wanted to stay in our very warm bed. But, David was the encouraging one, and we got up and out the door.
It was cold. I was nervous. Anxious. Not sure about what was to happen, how things work, where to go, what to do, etc. I do this about most things that are new to me. And this was one of those days.
So, it was cold. We lined up. All of the runners get ahead of us. Walkers in the back. Okay. Sounds good to me. We are in the middle of the “back” of the walkers. And we are off. Started out at a not slow but not fast pace. Mid way through I felt as though we were still hanging in there. David was super supportive staying at my pace when he could have gone way ahead. So sweet.
I finished at 59:02. Under 60 minutes. Okay. Not great, but not last either. I did actually run for 10 seconds (just because), and it wasn’t really running. But above all, I finished. I started, maintained, and finished. David says now we have a time to beat. I just want to start, compete, and finish again. Maybe do this three or four times a year. Goals for this year anyway. But that is another post.
Blessings!
Bourbon Punch
So back in September, I traveled with two of my girlfriends to New Orleans, LA, for a concert to celebrate my 50th birthday. We had a ball, just really exploring the city and enjoying the new found energy that I have since surgery.
We discovered the Bourbon House located on Bourbon Street. Their signature drink was this Frozen Bourbon Milk Punch. We ordered a couple, and really enjoyed them. I think all of us were surprised about how yummy they were.
Frozen Bourbon Milk Punch
Serves 10
Frozen Bourbon Milk Punch – click here for the original post from Louisiana Cooking.
Serves 10
Frozen Bourbon Milk Punch – click here for the original post from Louisiana Cooking.
Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
1 cup bourbon
1/4 cup vanilla extract
1/4 cup Simple Syrup, recipe below
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Garnish: grated nutmeg
Directions
In the container of a blender, combine milk, bourbon, vanilla, Simple Syrup, and ice cream; blend 8 seconds. Pour into glasses, and garnish with grated nutmeg, if desired. By Barry Himel, Bourbon House, New Orleans, Louisiana
Simple Syrup
Serves 10
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Directions
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let cool to room temperature before using. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 month.
Cranberry Honey Butter Spread
I had been seeing on Facebook a post from Taste of Home with this interesting butter that had cranberries, orange, and honey in it. It looked simple, delicious and something a little different for Thanksgiving.
I doubled the recipe, and added a full squeeze of 1/2 of the orange. I also used an entire package of dried cranberries. I liked it. So did the family.
Cranberry Honey Butter Spread
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 1/2 cup freshley squeezed orange juice
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
mommajerryanns.com 