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College is kickin my rump this week! Then again, it is partially my own fault. I am a procrastinator at heart. Here is a great illustration of something I know all too well: 

So for all you kids who are in the same boat with me, overwhelmed and stressing over school, this is for you:

Wish I had more time and energy to write something of more substance; but, if I don’t study for my Marketing exam Momma is not gonna be happy. And we all know… to keep Momma happy.

So my lovelies, have a wonderful wednesday. Be good to each other.

#procrastinate #staycalm #stress

As in any relationship, communication is key to making this thing work. The only difference between a long distance relationship and getting to hold hands whenever you want is the fact that ALL you have is COMMUNICATION. And you have plenty of time to get it right. And getting it right is key to staying in this long distance relationship.

Pros:

You learn a lot about each other….fast.

You don’t ever have to worry about whether or not they really like your personality.

You learn a lot about yourself.

You learn how to fight fair.

1. You can’t kiss and make up here people so you need to be fair.

You learn how to say sorry. And you learn how to mean it.

You know his tone…..you know it so well that you know when something is wrong before he even calls. (weird, I know)

You can’t leave.

You can’t slam the door.

You have tons to talk about at the end of the day because you get to recap your whole day.

Cons:

You can’t kiss and make up.

You can’t see their face and they can’t see yours.

You feel distant when things become frustrated because you ARE distant.

If your love language is physical touch, you sometimes feel like you aren’t communicating at all.

You can’t hold hands when saying something that is hard to hear….so it’s just hard to hear.

You can’t hug it out.

You can’t leave.

You can’t slam the door.

You have to recap your WHOLE day.

It’s never as funny because “you just had to be there.” (Ouch)

Don’t waste another second complaining about how crappy your life is. Life is too short for all that jazz. Instead, take control of your happiness and fall in love with your life right now.

1. Win over your inner voice. You know, that little voice always criticizing every aspect of your life. “You’re not good enough for him, those pants are too tight on you, you’re never going to be as fun as her, you aren’t smart enough to do that.” Yeah that voice…get rid of it. It’s overwhelming and self-sabotage. The less you listen to your inner voice, the less doubts and fears will creep into your life.

2. Take care of YOU first. Before you can love anyone, you have to love yourself first. This may seem absurd to some of you, especially those people-pleasers. But remember you cannot please everyone! Learn to take care of yourself so that you feel loved and in return you it will be easier to love others. Putting yourself first does mean being rude. You do not have to be inconsiderate, that is totally optional. You can still please yourself and remain considerate and thoughtful to others needs.

3. Take joy in things you love. What do you like to do? Do that! Who do you feel your best around? Spend more time with them! Who do you want to be? Be that. Whatever brings you real joy, share that. I am a firm believer in surrounding yourself with all your joys. Pictures of Paris, reading poetry, spending time with Stacey and our families, and being outside are all things that bring me real joy. Every little thing can influence our mood, even the clothes we put on. We feel differently when we wear sweat pants than we do when we wear a skirt. So wear the clothes that make you feel your best!

It would be wonderful if we could wake up in utter happiness every morning, would it not? What would the world be like if everyone was completely in love with their life? How about today we make the choice to be happy! And if we are happy there is no doubt that our happiness will carry through to people we come in contact with. Remember, a smile goes a long way. So let’s do our part to make the world a happier place, pass on happiness. Take simple steps to fall in love with your life and maybe others will follow suit.

“Your task is not to seek love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” ~Rumi

May you let loose this weekend!

#befree #letloose #tgif

Let me just start out saying my roommate, Hope “Hoprah” Watts, is a blessing.

We get along famously, and besides my constant bewilderment for her knack for knowing when I need my space and when I need some quality hang out time, she is pretty cool. She basically decorated our WHOLE apartment (which I do NOT have an eye for, I’ve gathered), and she constantly encourages me with my artwork (which is experiencing quite a nasty dry spell lately).

But there is something you need to know about Hope. She loves two things:

1) my homemade peanut butter

2) The Oprah Show

She doesn’t even like Oprah Winfrey, she says defensively. Isn’t it funny how the things we like commonly follow this logic? “What logic?” you ask. Simple. The Guilty Pleasure Logic. The “Oh-I-Don’t-Even-Really-Like-This” Logic. But you do. There lies the guilt. Self-denial commences. It’s this push-pull internal struggle that is delightful, yet dangerous. I never thought the words delightful, dangerous, and Oprah would be in the same paragraph..moreover, one that I wrote.

The peanut butter fetish has been a big deal the past couple of weeks.

Personally, I think Hope needs an intervention. I have made roughly 8 lbs of this peanut butter since December. I haven’t eaten too much of it. Maybe a half pound, collectively.  Hope cannot get enough. I’m worried. That’s a lot of peanut butter I know I didn’t eat. In her defense, this isn’t just any peanut butter. Ohhhh no. This peanut butter is unique because it contains pretzels and white chocolate. Yum? Yum.

But revisiting the logic of guilty pleasures: What is it about something forbidden that makes it so enticing? It’s not “cool” to like Oprah, and I agree. I can’t stand Oprah.

I’ve been in a long distance relationship since October. And when I say long distance, I mean long distance…..15 hours of distance in fact. I’m not talking, “I only get to see my boyfriend on the weekends” I’m talking “I only see my boyfriend for three days every 6 weeks.” As with any relationship there are ups and downs. There are good days and really bad days. The only thing that may be different from a relationship that is just across the street is the physical aspect.

You don’t hold hands, you hold your cell phone.

You don’t kiss goodnight, you fall asleep on your phone or wave bye on skype.

You can’t leave surprises at their house or their office…only in their mailbox.

You pay unrealistic amounts of money to see each other for just two days.

You surround yourself with pictures of them just to feel close.

And you settle.

You settle for a smiley face on a text message when what you really need is a hug.

You settle for a phone up against your ear when what you really want to do is cuddle.

Long distance is….well….inconvenient.

Love on the other hand…..love is worth it.

#longdistance #love #relationships

What a great excuse to over indulge!

Ladies, today is the day to rock your fat pants! I know you all have a pair. . . and if yours are too tight, well…resort to sweat pants. Because today is fat tuesday! Celebrate with me!

Ok for those of you who have never heard of Fat Tuesday (probably my sister, i swear she lives under a rock) here is the a short and sweet explanation:

What is Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent (40 day season of prayer and fasting). So simply put, it is the last hoo-rah before you give up chocolate and diet coke. . .

After Fat Tuesday

May I suggest making a date with the treadmill.

I hope you all have a scrumptious day!

Every once in awhile, a girl has to indulge herself.~Sarah Jessica Parker

#cats #fattuesday #indulge #video

The Hope Box

The distance between what is and what could be is Hope.

Take colorful construction paper and

Cut it into strips of paper you can write on then

Spend time praying. “Prayer is the central avenue God uses which to transform us” -Foster

Put into a few words the distance between what is and what could be (aka your hopes)

Fold paper

Put the paper in the box

DO NOT WORRY ANYMORE. The God of the Universe holds your request and He wants the best for you and will answer in His time.

(Some of the examples of the ones in my hope box currently are: a friend’s heart, my future husband, kids at Austin Homes, process of graduating, removing dust in my life, etc)

#hope

May you find much time to relax this weekend.

Food for your relationships

Sometimes in relationships we can become complacent and comfortable that we forget to give compliments! This goes for all relationships. Your brother needs compliments just as much as your boyfriend and so does your mother and father and best friend and coworker. Don’t ever assume they don’t need your compliments any more.

For example, I feel like I have said “you look pretty today” to my sister a billion times. She always looks pretty so I think sheesh she knows by now that I think she is pretty. But that’s not the point! Just because I have been giving her compliments for 20 years does not mean I should stop now. She needs my kind words now more than ever!

Often in relationships, you find yourself praising your partner for every little thing. “You are so cute. Oh hunny, you sing so well. You are such a hard worker. I am so proud of you. You are great at doing the dishes. I love the way you open my door.” And the list goes on… But as the relationship goes on, the kind words slow down to a trickle. We get stuck in a kind-word-rut. So if you find yourself in a relationship that is shy of the lovey dovey feeling, then speak a kind word or two. If that seems like too much for you shy folks like myself, then write some kind words! Surprise your loved one with a hidden note…maybe in his shoe??

Perfect the art of compliment

Ok so now that I have reminded you of a simple joy, go and take delight! Speak kind words today. Let love grow.

Be Sincere.

Be specific.

Smile at strangers.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”- Mother Teresa

#giving #smile #kindwords #compliments #relationships

Don't be afraid to goof off.

I may only be 22 but I have lived long enough to know that age is just a number! [And I hope I never forget that.] So, maybe my imagination is not like it used to be… I can’t transform a tree into a time machine or my bicycle into a horse named Ichabod. But I’m still a kid at heart. I still watch cartoons,  play with chalk, and color outside the lines. I still get excited about Easter egg hunts, and I still eat dessert with every meal. I still feel like a kid, that’s what counts, right?

What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

I think a kid at heart is someone who can still dream. Someone who can still imagine. Someone who can still play carefree. A kid at heart does not mean being immature. As you grow you become wiser, use that wisdom! For example, as a kid I might have ignored my mother’s advice, thinking “she has no idea what 8th grade is like nowadays.” Now, I know better because she is ALWAYS right. Never fails. A kid at heart is being able to be mature and still have a young spirit. Here are some ways to channel your inner kid:

Never loose your sense of wonder.

Did you ever go exploring as a kid? Oh boy, I did! I think me, my sister, and the neighborhood crew went everyday. We usually explored the same places; however, to us it was always a new experience. I can remember being so curious and intrigued by this field behind our house. Exploring was like an itch we just had to scratch. We were determined to discover something- an old bone, a pond, animals, anything we could pretend with. We would spend hours together just wandering around, thinking and planning new adventures. And that my friends, is what being a kid is all about! Exploring the world together. Believing in endless possibilities.

Pay attention to detail.

When is the last time you stopped and took in every second of a moment? I mean really took the the time to inhale life- the people, the smell, the colors, the sky, the noise, the feel, every detail going on around you. Kids are like sponges soaking up every single little thing they see and hear. (remember to always set a good example) Never stop learning. Treat everyone that comes into your life as a teacher. If you get caught up in the hustle and bustle in life, you may miss some valuable guidance! Slow down & pay attention to detail, kiddos.

Think like a Kid.

Adults see things complicated, where as, kids see things in an innocent light. Kids believe inpossibility, when adults grow to believe things as impossible. Adults are fast to assume the worst. Yeah sure, adults have more worries. Heck, kids have relatively zero worries, but most of our worries are not even worth worrying about. Not every thing is easy, but before you go and complicate things, think like a kid would. Think simple.

Oh please note: This does not mean to abandon all responsibility & sit on the couch in your pj’s. Thinking like an adult is not a bad thing, yet sometimes it is good to channel our inner child for guidance.

Live life to the fullest. Everyday. Go! Start a band with pots and pans. Jump in puddles. Get messy. Dream big. Run. Play. Play with your dog. Play with your brother. Play with your food. Use your imagination. Everyday.

While this post involves a recipe involving food, it is a recipe for the soul.

When you are annoyed that apartment refrigerator will only spit out ice chips instead of the cubes it is obviously supposed to provide or our bank account is lower than the temperature outside and rent is due within a few short days, take a trip to Redeemer’s Church in the Yard in Knoxville. It will cure what ails you.

Church in the Yard takes place every Sunday. The congregants are the homeless. During inclement

About 200 people showed up for Church in the Yard. Some of them may find solace in the service. Many are obviously there because it is cold outside and they are hungry. That’s OK. If you’re a

The chili was good. I would be happy to serve it at any potluck supper. But here’s the thing. What you are doing, which is a privilege, really hits home when you walk back through the door of your house. Which is warm and cozy. There is a refrigerator with food in it. You don’t really mind about the ice maker any more. And, if it’s close enough to five o’clock you will not feel guilty having some boxed white wine, which I am doing as I write. Yes, the chili warmed the soul. Mine.

and my favorite chili recipe for my favorite people…

White Bean Chicken Chili

6 cups chicken broth

3 15 oz. cans white beans, drained

4 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp. of oil

2 -4 oz. cans of chilis, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 cups grated monterey jack cheese

1 16 oz. jar of salsa

2 cups of sour cream

salt and pepper

-Saute onion and garlic in oil

-Put in crock pot

-Cook the chicken in the pot and use the juice for part of your 6 cups broth

-Mix broth, beans, shredded chicken and garlic and onions, chilies, cayenne

cheese, salsa and sour cream

-Simmer for an 1 hour.  Serve topped with sour cream and tortilla strips.

#church #food #recipe #whitechickenchili