Mar 4, 2015 |
I love WinCo. But that’s not news, right? I love that they love me, too.
WinCo Wins – Cooking More for Less
Ask me any day of the week, and I’ll tell you, I’m in love with their Bulk Bins. You can buy as much, or as little, as you need. Are you shopping for one basic recipe, or hosting a large dinner party? They’ve got you covered.
From pastas and starches to snacks and candies, buying in bulk is crazy economical.
My favorite is their long white rice. It’s a staple in my house. At just pennies per pound, I can pick up five pounds of rice for less than half the price of any pre-packaged bag.
Last week began my Empty Nest. I thought cooking for one would be lonely, but instead I find it to be fun and inventive. Each meal preparation offers more leftovers, and I love planning foods that are freezer-friendly. With less groceries to buy, I’ll also be able to experiment more and create new recipes. I’m looking forward to sharing this new adventure with WinCo.
I love being in my kitchen, cooking and baking. But sometimes, I love staying with something familiar and easy. For my first week of eating alone, I cooked once. Once. And ate five times. Not bad for saving a few dollars while eating healthy.
Using my personal Aroma Housewares Rice Cooker, I steamed two salmon filets over white rice and diced green chilies in chicken broth.
Green Chili Chicken and Rice
The first night I ate both salmon, but typically I’d save one for the next night. Once the salmon was gone, I added a can of chicken meat to the rice mix. With each serving, I enjoyed a flour tortilla and a glass of milk. That’s an average of just $1.50 per meal.
Talk about filling and feeling good!
The extra benefit of using my rice cooker, is that once it cools down, I can store the pot in the fridge.
As usual, my relationship with WinCo is a Win-Win situation, and I can’t wait to create new #CookingForOne recipes, and more.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
WinCo Wins
My Real Italian Kitchen: Polenta and Sauce
Stocking up the Pantry
Mar 1, 2015 |
For several months, I’ve not been writing. At least not to the extent I was last summer.
It wasn’t writer’s block, exactly. I had a lot to say. I just got in my own way of saying it.
The thought had come upon me that what I had to say was far less valuable than what others had to say. That my words were less worthwhile than life.
I stumbled over the thought that perhaps
I am insignificant.
I’ve been going through the motions, attending critique groups, writers club, and special events. I’ve been editing and socializing and marketing and networking and doing all the things a successful writer does . . . except writing.
There are some moments that belong to others, stories I shouldn’t share. Seasons that are too personal to blog about. And life that moves too quickly to put it on paper.
February brought adventure into my world that I didn’t know it needed. Not only did Dot get engaged, they are already married and next week, heading to Seattle for a great opportunity for both of them. I’m utterly sad to see them leave, but it’s with open arms that I can let them go, and embrace the new part of my life.
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
~ A. A. Milne, “Winnie the Pooh”
I was suffocated with a momentary fear that I don’t know how to be my own person. I’ve lived my live so consistently for other people . . . what will it be like to live alone?
And I saw the doors open on a new horizon.
I’m already chatting with WinCo Foods to create new #CookingForOne recipes.
My friends want me to share my journey of being pushed into an Empty Nest so quickly.
I’ve discovered that girlfriends, writers, and God are more important now than before.
There’s no lack of writing material for this new life.
I’m going to turn the extra room into a media/workout room.
I can write late into the evenings without interruption.
I’m able to stay out later, go out more often, and do more things because there’s not a second person’s schedule or dinner plans to coordinate with.
I’m no longer a single mom. I’m just single. And I’m okay with that.
Of course, I still have five cats and writing and home improvement projects. Those haven’t changed. But I’m seeing life differently.
I’m seeing it boldly and in living color.
I’m seeing HOPE.
HOPE is the thing with feathers . . .
Later this month, I’m having an Empty Nest party to celebrate my new adventures.
And I’ve decided that celebrating every day is an adventure in itself.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
2015: HOPE
But I’m not good enough to attend a Christian writers conference . . .
Winco Wins
I am Defined. And I am a Mystery.
Feb 18, 2015 |
Isaiah 65:24 (NIV) reads
“Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.”
I’ve always believed, because God is outside of space and time, that He has already heard the prayers the future me will pray.
For quite a few months last year, I struggled with morning anxiety. Waking up was painful as I was faced with so many unknowns: the deteriorating health of loved ones, incomplete projects, financial instability, family schedules . . . the list goes on and on.
I was unable to really write or even blog. I struggled with what to share and who to share it with.
I continued to pray in moans that only the Holy Spirit could interpret for me, knowing that God had a plan and even though I may not see it, it is good.
My Life Verse ~ Jeremiah 29:11
In retrospect, I can see how everything happens for a reason. In retrospect, I understand that I was getting in my own way.
I found this reminder note in my desk drawer at work and posted it to my private Facebook page, but I want to share it here, too, because, well, quite frankly, it needs to be shared.
December 8, 2014
On the morning of December 8th, 2014…
When I was waking every morning with anxiety
When I had writers block
Before Rick finally went to his heavenly home
Before Alex asked for my blessing to marry Hannah
Before I was blessed with finances for TWO important writers conferences
Before I started grocery shopping for one
Before I had health insurance
Before I picked up a paying client for media/marketing
Before our lives were shaken, stirred, pressed but not crushed, running over …
Before all these great and glorious moments, on the morning of December 8, 2014, I had a Heavenly dream. God put His calming hand on my shoulder and spoke to my soul and said, “It’s going to be all right. I hear you, and I’m already working on it.”
I am reminded every moment that God is a personal God, that He cares about every part of my being, that He is making me whole.
He cares about you, too. He’s already heard your prayers. And He’s already working on it.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
But I’m not good enough to attend a Christian writers conference . . .
2015: HOPE
It’s Complicated, Part Two: Christianity
More or Less: 29 Words
“As Long As You Love Me”
Feb 14, 2015 |
I don’t care about the book. I don’t care about the movie.
I do care about the conversations going around Facebook and other social media sites.
I don’t care if your Christian or not. I don’t care if you like the book or the movie, or not.
Here’s what it boils down to for me:
The crux of the controversy is whether or not Christian people should go see this movie. I’ve read interesting arguments for both sides, and the main consensus is, it’s ultimately harmless, and what happens in a bedroom between two consenting adults is their business.
Wait. Did you read that? It’s their business. Not mine, not yours. And certainly not a theater full of 200 or more strangers.
If your belief is, what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom, then
LET IT STAY IN THE BEDROOM!
Don’t promote YOUR sex life (fantasy, real, or something in between) on MY television screen, MY social media page, or IN PUBLIC.
You can’t have it both ways. You can’t say “it’s just between a man and woman” and air it in a movie theater. You can’t say pornography is a private issue, then blast commercials promoting it on a big screen.
I will not read this book. I will not see this movie. And it’s not because of my Christian beliefs. It’s because I believe sex is between a man and a woman and them only! It’s an act of intimacy, trust, vulnerability. It’s not coffee with friends, or shopping at the mall.
Don’t think for one minute I’m a prude. I just don’t agree with getting hot and bothered by watching something in a room full of strangers.
When do we draw the line between hypocrisy and human dignity? When do we say there are just some things that don’t need to be mainstream?
Especially on Valentine’s Day weekend. What a horrid message to send! Love is so much more than someone telling you what to do, or taking away your individuality.
Do what you want to do. But please keep your private life private. And if you agree with this, please don’t go see the movie.
Just some things I’ve been thinking about.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
Feb 5, 2015 |
It’s 6:37 am. I’ve been awake for just a few minutes, and need to get ready for the day job. There’s so much I have to tell y’all, so many updates for #DoingTheWriteThing and for life.
We’ve been stretched to breaking, put back together, and redirected. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you might have an idea. It’s quick to post a short status or a wordless photo that seems to capture a moment.
It’s been hard to get the words out. No. That’s not true. I’ve been posting quite a lot on my private Facebook page. But here . . . what do I write/not write?
I don’t have time today to give you all the details, so here’s the headlines:
- In December, a dear friend, my male mentor, my “Church father” passed away after a long struggle with cancer.
- Throughout January, God has been throwing me into writing and opening up networking possibilities. He is definitely answering prayers in bold and specific ways.
But the best and biggest item on our knock-the-socks-off list is this:
Engaged!
My daughter’s boyfriend came over a week ago Tuesday “to ask a question”.
And that’s all the time I have this morning. This weekend I’ll get you caught up. In the meantime, we’re planning a wedding.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
