I Hope You Have Experienced This...

Do you have those friends that you can just talk too?
The kind of talk that you will remember for years to come?
You feel so comfortable, you can share almost anything.
They still think you are a rockstar, even when you are not on your best behavior or haven't always been a very nice friend.
You know with out a doubt that you will always care about each other and interested in each others lives, no matter how often you see each other or keep in touch.
They have listened while you have complained...and do not hold it against you.
You have memories that were made together that still make you laugh, and inside jokes that make you chuckle.
There is honesty in the friendship.
They know about that one time, when you did that one thing, and it wasn't very nice.
Conversations you have, could be awkward with some people, but for some odd reason, aren't with them, and even if they are...it still isn't.
They have seen your full range of emotions, and have seen you cry?
Going to lunch or dinner to "catch up" leaves you in the best mood.
Most importantly, these friends give you strength and help to renew your faith.
You trust them, and their opinions.
Have you experienced this? This lasting friendship? Sometimes it is made with those that you never thought likely. The friendship isn't always smooth sailing, sometimes it takes effort, but always, the effort of the friendship is rewarding.

This is a "shout out" to all those who I count in the above category. I hope you know who you are. You have enriched my life, I am a better person for you knowing you. You are important characters in the novel of my life. THANK YOU!

p.s. remember that one time when I was in China...and I did that one thing, and you were either there or heard about it later...and it turned out to be a really funny/embarrassing story...yeah...let's just keep that between us...
p.p.s. The above picture is my friend Collette, I got to spend some time with her tonight, and enjoyed every minute. We had an awesome chat tonight, one I will remember for years to come. ( She is a rockstar!)

Potato and Apple Latkes

1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled
1 medium apple, such as Pink Lady, peeled, cored, quartered
4 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 sprays cooking spray
1/2 cup fat free sour cream

Shred potato and apple into a medium size bowl using the fine holes of a box grater or shredder; stir in onion. Press out as much liquid as you can by hand; drain liquid. Set aside mixture for 1 minute and press out liquid again; drain again. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and cinnamon.

Coat a very large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium high heat. Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into skillet and flatten each with the back of a spoon to make twenty 2-inch latkes. (leave at least 1 inch between latkes)

Cook latkes until golden on first side, about 3 minutes; gently flip with a spatula. Cook until other side is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Carefully remove latkes to a serving place; cover to keep warm and repeat with remaining ingredients. Top latkes with sour cream before serving. Yields 2 latkes and 2 tsp of sour cream per serving.

I tried these on Sunday....yum! If you know me, then you know potato's are my favorite food. This is a weight watchers recipe I got from their site. It has a weight watcher point value of 1.

1 husband, 3 kids, and a side of a great career...Order up!

I went to a movie tonight and one of the previews had a quote that really struck me. "Sometimes life isn't made to order." Wow.

When I make plans for my life, I sometimes feel like I am "ordering" from a menu. "I will start with an education, with a side of fun and traveling, and top the life off with a husband, and 2 children (2 boys, hold the girls please), wait....make it 2 boys and a girl, so 3 children altogether." "Oh, and if you could please serve this life to me in...a different city then where I am currently living. Thanks!"

In reality, I only receive what I have ordered some of the time. They cook is out of this or that, an education takes longer to make than expected, traveling is available but only to Nebraska or Idaho, I come up short and can't yet pay for my order and have to work a little bit more, or sometimes (most of the time) what I have ordered isn't currently in season and I will have to wait a little longer to have it. So, back to the ordering line I go.

Funny thing. When I am placing my new order I can get very frustrated that I can't have what I want right now. But, if I will stop constantly focusing on the future, and enjoy what I have had, and what I currently have before me, I realize, that all the work that went it to getting this was worth it and, I am perfectly happy with what I received.

Yum Yum, Yum

Do you ever get in a cooking rut? Well I do, and I am sick of it! My solution will be to try and cook using a new recipe every week or so, and I have decided to share them with you! I am so friendly sometimes. This first recipe isn't a new one, but I just made it for a family party and it was a hit! My nephew even called a couple of days later to get the recipe...so you know it is good.

Black Bean Salsa

2 cans Rotell brand tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 can white corn, drained
1 avocado, chopped (I like to add 1 & 1/2 avocado's)
Freshly chopped cilantro to taste
2 limes, squeezed over entire mixture (I use the lime juice in a bottle)

Mix together, and serve with chips.

I found this recipe in the "Fox Pointe Neighborhood Cookbook 2006" (thanks mom!)

Obsession

Some people love Christmas because of all the presents, some like Valentines so they can show their loved one(s) how much they love them, and on and on. My favorite holidays are my birthday and any holiday where you get to set off or watch fireworks. I know, I know, I am a little premature in writing this blog, but with the weather getting warmer I am getting excited to see fireworks!

I don't know if it is because they are dangerous, or because they are loud, or if it is the bright colors...but they make me happy and I like them. Quick story...I was living on the 4th floor of a building and all the surrounding buildings were concrete. I loved, and I mean REALLY loved, lighting off firecrackers and throwing them off the veranda. The best time to do this would be Sunday afternoons while other people were sleeping or while kids were playing (in class) below. They were so loud and would echo off the buildings, good times. Okay, so kind of mean that I would light them while others were trying to rest, but not true...it was pure selfishness. I wanted them to stay awake so we could play and laugh and junk.

The perfect holiday would be my birthday with a firework show, I can see it now...

Random Thoughts/Lessons I Have Learned Recently

I have had a lot to think about the last month or so, it seems like my mind will not rest and the result has been that my stomach is in a knot constantly. I decided to get some of my thoughts and some of the lessons I have learned recently out there and maybe my stomach will just CALM down.

1. SILENCE: Have you ever craved SILENCE? I do in certain times in my life, usually when I am nervous or have a lot on my mind (sometimes those two coincide). SILENCE is powerful. I find that when I am surrounded by SILENCE I am better able to commune with myself and the Spirit. I connect with the Earth, I can hear God speaking. I am calm.
2. WORDS: I was reminded even more powerfully this last weekend that words are important. WORDS can lift others and also destroy lives. WORDS used unwisely make my life seem like a mess, but WORDS can also mend bridges and hearts. I need to choose my WORDS carefully.
3. RED high heels make me happy and feel sexy.
4. LOVE: I LOVE deeply. When people have entered my life and gotten to the point when I truly care about them, and LOVE them...I LOVE them deeply. It doesn't matter if they are friends or family, if I LOVE someone it it deeply...and sometimes is scares me.
5. "C": There are people in this world whose name starts with "C" and I really love those people...they are great! (And thanks for dinner!)
6. LAUGHTER: I remember one time I was with a group of friends, actually it was the last time we were all together, and I started LAUGHING really hard. I real deep down to your toes, almost crying, if I were drinking a beverage it would have come out my nose, LAUGH. My friend told me she had never heard me LAUGH so hard. LAUGHTER heals. I like it when people LAUGH and I like it when I LAUGH. Life is too short and too crazy not to LAUGH daily.
7. FORGIVE: This is something that is a hard for me. I can FORGIVE small things or the first couple of offenses rather easily, however I have a hard time FORGIVING all of the time. I sometimes do not even realize I haven't FORGIVEN someone. I was reminded recently that I need to work on FORGIVENESS. I need to ask for FORGIVENESS and I need to give FORGIVENESS. If not it will make me bitter.
8. SHANIQUA: Ferns named SHANIQUA do not like living in my room on my entertainment center. But plants named TEO and FERN like living anywhere.
9. ART: ART can be random. Who really knows what the ARTist was trying to portray, what emotions they were feeling. Maybe some pieces of ART don't have a meaning, they are just mistakes, but even mistakes have meaning.

So Fresh and So Clean

My favorite time of the day is the morning...preferably the early morning. There is nothing more refreshing than waking up, the sun low in the sky or barely breaking over the mountains, you walk outside and it smells fresh. Birds may be chirping, but the world is quiet, restful, renewed, and almost pondering. It renews me, strengthens me, shows me that everyday is new and clean and full of possibilities.

Yum Yum

Tonight I went to this really fun and scrumptious restaurant, maybe you have heard of it "The Melting Pot." I highly recommend it, but be prepared to spend several hours there and to have it make a slight dent in your change purse. One thing that is crucial...go there with some one fun. I went with my friend Josh, and it was perfect. He decided the cheese and main dish...I got to decide the dessert dish (because it was my birthday celebration). Yum!

Side note: there is nothing like talking to a friend you have had for awhile, and discovering that you like them more than you thought you did. Amazing, and even better talking to that friend while eating great food! (Dark Chocolate...I think I am in love with you!)

Things That Must Go...really, really far away

I bet everyone who reads this will agree. The top thing that must go is LYING. This really really annoys me. Lately, it seems that every time I turn around someone is lying. Okay that may be exaggerating a wee bit or a lot. But even when you discover one person is lying to you...it seems HUGE! I also do not like lying, because sometimes it makes me want to cry...and I don't want a liar to make me cry!

Disclaimer before I go on: No one is perfect and everyone has told some sort of lie in their life...we are human.

This is what really gets me. People who lie to you about things that are:
a. Really dumb and insignificant
b. Make you more upset or make things a bigger deal than if they just told the truth
c. Things that you can easily find out if they were telling the truth about

2nd Disclaimer: I am sure I have done all of the above in my 29 years

So here are my requests. Regardless of what you think my reaction will be, do not lie to me and if you have lied and I find out...don't try to continue the lie, just fess up and lets move on.

The Great **m**88

***This post has been moved to the Secret Life of D'Nell...to protect the Guilty***