How time flies...

Well crap, 2 months have passed and I have not blogged... fail. So now to figure out where to start so I can catch you up.

For those of you that have read my blog before might remember my entry about the "one word challenge". My one word was Experience. This word has become the filter that I run about every situation through. The goal, to make this year different then any other year.
This brought me to a place where it was time for me to step out of my comfort zone. I have been a licensed Realtor for 6 years and really had not been involved to the point I have wanted to be.
A opportunity came up for me to apply to a leadership program for Texas Realtors. It is a really neat program, that gives the student the tools to become a better leader and person. I was so scared to apply, afraid that I would be not be picked. There were only a few spots available through our local association. I had no idea how many other people were apply or who I was up against, but I was proud of myself for stepping out and applying for it. I received so much support and encouragement from other realtors and my broker. The day came and I received a phone call from the executive of the association and he told me... I did not make it in the program this year. :o( He said they had a lot more applicants than they even expected this year and with only 10 spots available it was a really hard decision. As a consolation prize they did offer me to join the association on a trip to Austin for the Realtors Hill Visit day, with my expenses paid. So this coming Tuesday i will be in Austin for the day and will tour the capital and sit in on the current session... I am so excited for this opportunity. They have encouraged me to apply next year as well. So may have not been the experience I was hoping for, but another experience has come from it.

On March 9th, My little Aggi girl got engaged! Aggi has become the tall little sister that I did not have growing up. lol. She is just so special to me, I am so thankful that God has brought her in my life, she blesses me everyday! So the wedding is going to be September 9th... eek! (one day after our 10 year anniversary), so i have been busy helping her plan her wedding. Let me just tell you how amazing it has been to see how God's hand is moving in this union. Aggi comes from a large family and is the second oldest, with younger ones still at home, so she is paying for the wedding herself. So in the beginning we were looking out what were the more important things to her that the money should be spent on and where could we save. Well let me just tell you with God she is not going to have to settle for anything. To start with, the perfect venue went down on the price and is bending over backwards to make things happen... Thanks Melissa!!!! A good friend paid for her dream dress. A family friend is doing the catering. The photographer that took her senior pictures in high school is doing the wedding for a new flash for her camera. It's just been one blessing after another and it has been awesome to witness it.




Well the other thing in my life right now is an experiment I am doing. Most people that know me, know that I have had stomach issues even before my gallbladder issues. I am starting to feel it is more food oriented more than anything else. Now is just to figure out what it is. After a bad flair up, I felt maybe I might have narrowed it down. I had eaten bread and only bread and was completely miserable. So after that I started researching gluten allergies. A lot of the symptoms I have do line up for a gluten allergy/intolerance, not so much celiac disease ( which is good). For a about 4 days I really struggled with stomach problems. On Thursday morning i was laying in bed trying to convenience myself that I needed to get up and also praying. I started feeling that I was suppose to eliminate gluten from my diet for 40 days. So no I am not doing this for Lent, I do not participate in Lent. This is just something I feel I have to do out of obedience. As much as I love my gluten food, if this is the issue I am at peace with that and it is something I can live with. So far I am 22 days into and really had hoped to see more of a difference but so far I have not. The first week was a challenge figuring out what I could and could not have, so really those first few days should not count because I know gluten was involved. I feel if this does not bring the relief I am looking for then I will look to eliminating something else until I figure it out. So any advice would be appreciated!

Now onto my own episode of Hoarding Buried Alive... Ok not that bad but closer than I wanted to be, but we all know I come by it Naturally. It first started with cleaning out the cabinets in the kitchen, then it lead to getting the home office back to a home office and not just a pile room, then it spread to my work office, then closets and the guest room... HOLY MOLY WHERE DID ALL THIS STUFF COME FROM AND WHY DO I FEEL THE NEED TO HOLD ON TO!?!? So needless to say it has been an emotional journey and bless my husband pea picking heart for still loving me through it all. Let's just say I will be happy to have this garage sale when the weather cooperates.

Now you are up to date on a few things going on in my life, if I updated you on everything that would take to long and you would not read all of it.

"Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
Aldous Huxley

Mexican Chicken and Enchilada soup Recipe

I have come up with two recipes that I love and I am going to share it with those I love. Both of these are for the crockpot so great for a busy day!

Mexican Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken breast ( this last time I made it I had 4 Chicken breast and 4 boneless porkchops)
1 jar pace picante sauce (mild)
1 can rotel original or mild
1 large can of crushed tomato
1 can small to medium tomato sauce
1 tablespoon season salt ( I use Julio's)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 scoop of Mama G's salsa in snap seasoning http://www.mamagcreations.com/ I love this stuff! it makes great salsa and love it for seasoning not only this recipe but it adds a kick to any bland casserole . If you do not have this here is what the back of the canister says it has in it. Dehydrated onion, chili pepper flakes, garlic, salt, cilantro, chili powder and assorted spices. So about a sprinkle of each of these would work :-)

I cut the meat either in halves or thirds. Put everything into the crockpot. Make sure the meat is cover with liquid, if not completely covered add water or chicken broth until covered. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. To test if it is ready get two forks and try and shred one piece. If it shreds easily than it is ready. BEFORE you shred the rest you will want to drain some of the excess liquid. Put the liquid into a measuring cup, you should get between 2-3 cups. Leave enough liquid to cover the bottom of the crock pot, this will keep the meat moist. Now shred the rest.


Spanish Rice

With the liquid in the measuring cup you are going to make Spanish rice the quick way. I use minute rice in the red box.
Now the liquid is going to have some solids from the meat and the salsa and rotel... these are yummy bits! Because of the yummy bits you will need to had some water to the rice.
Typically it is 1 cup of rice to 1 cup of liquid. You are going to add 2 tablespoons to each cup you make. So if you have two cups of liquid you are going to add 4 tablespoons of water. Cook according to the directions on the box. I do it in the microwave.

So this would be the first night meal. We usually eat it as soft tacos.

So the second or even third night you can make the enchilada soup. This last time I froze the left overs until today to make the soup. You are going to want 3-4 cups of meat and about 2 cups of rice.

Enchilada Soup

Your 3-4 cups of meat and about 2 cups of rice that are left over. Mine were still a little frozen when I put them in.
1 large (28 oz) & 1 small 10 oz can of Old El Paso Mild enchilada sauce.
2 cans of reduce fat cream of chicken soup
1 can regular cream of chicken
16 oz of chicken broth... I use the box of chicken broth so this is about half of it. If you want or have a can which is 14.5 that is fine just might add a little water.
1 can black beans drained, rinsed and toweled off.
1 table spoon season salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 scoop of Mama G's ( see above recipe)
1 zucchini cut in half or quarter slices
1 yellow squash cut in half or quarter slices
half a bag a frozen corn
3 roasted green chili's diced or can diced green chili's would work... I would go with the mild.
cook on low for 6-8 hours

I also use the crockpot liners... It has made my life so much easier!!!! Hope you enjoy!

My One Word...

This year our life group at church is doing the one word challenge. It started with one church and has grown each year. Probably you or someone you know has/is participating in it. You can go to myoneword.org to learn more about it... Below is from their home page.

Every New Year we hope this will finally be the year that things will change. We make promises about the new person we're going to become, pledging to get a grip on our finances, get in shape, become a better parent, spouse, even a nicer human being! But there’s one problem: our resolutions seldom work. The busy pace of life gets the better of us, and suddenly, the year is over with little to no personal growth having occurred in our lives.

“My One Word” is an experiment designed to move you beyond the past and look ahead. The challenge is simple: lose the long list of changes you want to make this year and instead pick ONE WORD. This process provides clarity by taking all of your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single thing. One word focuses on your character and creates a vision for your future. So, we invite you to join us and pick one word in 2011 (click here to learn how

Now was the hard part picking the one word that could change your life... or so I thought it would be. Even as we were watching the videos on the website the word was being whispered on my heart and the definition that it would take on.

My one word... Experience. Now what does that mean... it means a whole lot. The dictionary describes it as:

a : direct observation of or participation in events as a basis of knowledge

b : the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation

2 a : practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events or in a particular activity

b : the length of such participation experience in the job

3a : the conscious events that make up an individual life

b : the events that make up the conscious past of a community or nation or humankind generally

4 : something personally encountered, undergone, or lived through

Part two is to find a verse that embodies your definition. The week we started doing this my cousin aka Girl Seeks Truth blogged about her "one word", which you should read hers and she is listed as one of the blogs I follow. So I texted her and told her I was struggling with a verse, we texted for a bit and she told me she would get back to me about a verse. A few days later she sent me a message... Joshua 1:9. As familar as I am with this verse it has now taken on a new meaning.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

As a little girl and now as a woman( I guess 30 classifies me as woman) fear has had a grip on my life and in every situation. I use to fall asleep quoting 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Because of this fear I have lost out on a lot of my life experiences. My fears have been feeling disappointment, being uncomfortable, looking stupid, losing someone or something and the list goes on.

In the last couple of weeks I have examined as situation and opportunities come up, with the eyes of is this something that God wants me to experience? Sometimes I don't even have a choice, but I roll with it, because my Lord my God is with me wherever I go.

Even in the last few weeks I have been blessed with God's faithfulness. A couple of days before this project started on January 6th as we were leaving our family vacation in Vegas, Philip received a call that the contractor he has been working for had no work lined up. It's been slow before but nothing like this. I will admit that it is seems a little scary, but God is good and Philip has had some small individual jobs come up. Just praying that those will continue until Philip knows what direction he wants to go in... Any one need some custom cabinets, furniture, shadow boxes, wood repairs, remodel or anything along those lines let us know. :o)

So we will see what all God has for me to experience. I am excited to see how He will work in my life this year and years to come.

" Adventure is worthwhile in itself" Amelia Earhart

http://myoneword.org/

Vegas Baby

The Second Annual Grisw---er I mean family vacation with Philip's side. So how it works is that Philip and I in Texas board a plane for our destination, and in Kansas Philip's Mom and Step dad John, (sis) Lisa and Pete are joined by sis Heather and Craig who live in Iowa and they take off by plane for the destination. Now we are all in Vegas and have descended on our home for the next four nights... Harrahs.

I really liked the location of Harrahs but in comparison with other hotels we have stayed at in Vegas, it does not compare. This was also the longest we have ever stayed in Vegas.

Sunday

So the first day we met for lunch in the hotel at KGB Burgers. After that we decided to go for a walk and look at some of the others hotels and shops. First was Caesars and the Forum shops, not sure if it was the mono or just getting so overwhelmed in H&M I had to take a little sit down and collect myself for a bit... Luckily one of the statue shows was going on so made me feel a little less like I was holding the group up. We finished the Forum shops and headed to the Venitian. We sat for a bit talked about what we would like to do and what shows we would like to see. We decided on Monday that we would do a tour that would take us to the Hoover Dam and to a Chocolate factory and arboretum. Sunday night Philip and I had already gotten tickets for a comedy show. Now if you have known my family for years you would have to have been introduced to our "cardinal saint" of comedy... SINBAD!!!! The show was at The Orleans which is off the strip and we took a taxi to it. I was absolutely giddy!! The show was one of the best comedy shows I have ever seen. He preformed a full 2 hours, interacting with the audience, he is truly talented... and hilarious! As we left the hotel we saw something you would never expect to see in Vegas... SNOW! Our taxi driver was ecstatic.

Ok so we get back to the hotel and start getting ready for bed. I am looking in my suitcase and can not find my bag with my toothbrush and shower stuff... I have forgotten it. Well to go back in the day too. Philip and I leave the house and we are leaving with more than plenty of time and he mentions he didn't get his "players" card to get points for all the MGM casinos so we decided to turn around and get it. Well thank God we did because I walk into our bathroom and sitting on the counter is my makeup bag which not only has my makeup but has ALL my medicine. Needless to say my packing on this trip was a bit of a cluster.

So the next morning we headed out for a dam tour... really, a tour of the Hoover Dam. We had driven over it in the past actually on all three past trips we had went over the Hoover dam but we had never stopped to tour it. I'll say i like the history part of it but the mechanical part of it I'd rather not think about, it's just not the way I am wired. I am amazed though that all if it was done with out a computer designing or figuring it. The tour came with a lunch at a casino out side of Boulder City. We then headed to the "chocolate factory" and cactus arboretum... well you got two free pieces of chocolate and they had coke products YAY! (not pepsi boo!) After a little rest time in the hotel room, we decided to check out the old strip and Fremont Street. We had fun checking out the casinos and stores down there, not to mention that things are cheaper!

Tuesday we all decided to sleep in and take it easy. Once we started going we headed out to see about show tickets. We stopped in some of the casinos along the way to Bally's. At Bally's we purchased our tickets for Jubilee. We headed back to our hotel ate some lunch and headed to a comedy magic show that we had tickets for. The show was the Mac King show, it was pretty entertaining,... more funny than magic. After the show we headed out to check out some sights and to get some things at Walgreens... Like diet coke. Ok let me say I only drink 1-2 diet cokes a day now ( i use to drink 4-5) so when I drink one I want it to count, no diet pepsi does not count. So while in walgreens I come to realize that by wallet with my id., debit card and credit card is MIA. I start to panic mostly because if I have lost it I have got to get someone to go to my house and get my passport and over night it so that I can have an ID to fly home with. So I am walking just short of running to the hotel. Get to room check my other purse then remember I had to empty my purse into my coat pocket at the Hoover dam (my purse was to big to take in). Eureka! It is there and apparently no cards in Vegas because I had not had it on my person for almost 24 hours. After that I feel like I need some retail therapy, so Philip and I head out to the outlets... YAY! That evening we went to Jubilee, a vegas style show. Then went to get a bite and some drinks after.

Wednesday

We decided it would be fun to get a tram pass and go to some of the other hotels. The first hotel we stayed at 9 years ago on our first trip to Vegas was the MGM. We had not been back there since. So we went there first. Then we walked to the Tropicana, then Excalibur and then back to the MGM to see the Lion exhibit. I didn't get to see it the last time we stayed there, so I really wanted to see it this time. We then went to Planet Holleywood and the Mile high shops. Ate lunch at Cabo Wabo then headed back to the Harrahs. From Harrahs I went back to the outlets with Lisa, to "help" her... seriously you need a team when you go to those places. You could lose an arm. Once back at Harrahs, Lisa and I played penny slots and bought tickets for Legends an impersonation show. Once the boys got back from downtown we went to dinner at Toby Keith's I love this Bar. The food was alright, expensive for what it was. We went to the show, some of the acts were really good and some of them not so much.

Thursday

The day we came home. The rest of the group headed out before us, we said out goodbyes and Philip and I headed out to do some final shopping. We got to one store and Philip's mom sent us a text saying that the taxi line was long and was taking forever. So we decided we better head back and check out. We get down to the taxi line and she was not exaggerating. The other day there had maybe been one person waiting not more than that. Today there were atleast 12 groups in front of us and no taxi's. After 25 mintues 3 taxi's come and go. Navigator pulls up, the talks to him and he announces to the crowd, he can take 5-6 people $10 a head first come first serve. Philip and I jump out of line and three other guys. So we get to the airport with plenty of time and sit with the rest of the family until their flight boards and we head to our gate.

It was a very interesting and fun trip...