I've been thinking a lot lately about how people can be so mean.  I especially don't understand how people who profess to be Christians can have such and ugly spirit and live in a way that is against everything they claim to believe.  This year we encountered a person who could possibly be the nastiest, meanest person I've ever met.  How does someone get so off-track with their thinking?  Is it insecurity that makes a person try to manipulate everyone?  Tell lies about other people?  I've tried wrapping my brain around it and I'm just stumped.  I'm not sure what makes a person think they can control anything at all much less EVERYTHING.  
I do know one thing.  People can see through a person and see their true character.  It may not happen right away but eventually it will happen.  Do you live your life in such a manner that people know you're a good person?  Do you have to tell people what a good person you are? Do you tell people what good acts you do?  Or do you just let your actions speak for you?  
  


1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV / Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I am not going to be able to change this person that has been so mean.  All I can do is choose how I want to live my life and work towards my own goals.  So today I'm reminding myself of the things that I value and my personal ambitions. 
 
I am going to work on seeing the positive in every situation. Even when things don't go my way there is a lesson to be learned.

I'm going to see the good in people and try to understand that sometimes when people act ugly it's because they are hurting, insecure, or having their own personal struggles. I am going to practice compassion and patience, and I will not let others influence me who do not practice compassion or patience. 

I am going to forgive others for their wrongdoing.  This is tricky.  I can't just say I forgive and then continue to dwell on their past actions.  I am going to genuinely try to forget the past and look at the present. Holding grudges will only hurt me.  I do not need or want that negativity in my life.

I'm going to surround myself with like-minded happy, positive, loving people. 

I'm going to count my blessings!  I'm going to be content with my life.

I am going to work on my physical and spiritual well-being.  

I'm going to make an effort to connect with family that I've gotten out of touch with. 

I'm going to remember my goals and not let my time be manipulated by outside forces.  This means turning off, and tuning out the outside world sometimes.  

I'm not expecting perfection but these are my goals!  I'm ready for this weight to be lifted off of my shoulders and move on from the situation of the past.  
<3 

Sometimes pictures just don't do justice... This is one of those cases.  This picture was taken Saturday as we were walking up to the stadium to go watch the football game.  This is looking to the south and east.  The clouds were magnificent!  It never occurred to me that this was just the beginning....   Our little 40% chance of rain got us and then some.    Even though this picture isn't the best I wanted to share it with you.  Rain or no rain, big win or disappointing loss, I got to spend time with my kids and you know that was all I really could've asked for!  Life is good!!!

I guess I'm grumpy this morning.   I didn't think I was until I looked out and saw an abandoned fishing jug in my cove.  I sat here the other day watching a man in a little fishing boat put them out and then drive in circles for at least 8 hours checking them to see if he'd caught fish.  I never did notice if he caught any, but man, he was sure determined.  My husband came home for lunch and we stared out the windows watching this man go in circles. Hey! To each his own! Right?  Well, I guess... all I know is he left his BIG GIANT CARBON FOOTPRINT out there by littering my cove with his abandoned jug.  Not to mention the gas he used for hours and hours out there.  grrrr...  I'm sure he's gone back home to wherever it is he lives.  He probably lives in a city where they have nice grocery stores, restaurants, and stores like Pottery Barn.  grrrrrrr.....
grrrrr.....  
Who needs more coffee??  uh me. 

My mood could have something to do with the fact that my team stunk it up this weekend.  It was ugly.  As my daughter said, it was like watching a helpless baby animal die a slow death. Not a pretty analogy, but that pretty much sums up watching the Sooners play.  It could have had something to do with our 3 rain delays.  I could not believe they actually cleared the football stands.  I don't know that they've ever done that before!  That stadium holds 80,000 people!  I would have never imagined our 40% chance of rain would turn into that storm that kept growing and building.  

Ok, so how do you cheer me up?  I'm hoping that cooking will work!  And cooking Tex-Mex will surely help!  So off I go to buy ingredients!  I think I'm going to start off with some Borrachos Frijoles and some Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Enchiladas.  (I've already stopped frowning)  and I'm thinking I'm going to try making some cake cookies.  I'm not a baker but this recipe I've found sounds easy enough and I think I might just be able to do it!  And since there is no way we can eat all this food I'll get to use my Foodsaver!   :D   (big smile)  

I'm no Barefoot Contessa but I try to be.  I swear I could listen to her talk all day, she has a soothing voice that makes everything sound so simple.  For instance, the way she says to fold the chicken legs under and just does it without effort.  Trust me.  I wrestled my chicken for 20 minutes trying to fold those legs under.  It's why I don't do video blogs.  

  
Here is my chicken after I pulled it out of the oven.  It wasn't half bad!  Actually, it was delicious!  So aromatic! It was tender and had an amazing flavor.  And there was just enough chicken left to use as sandwich "fixins" later. If I were REALLY nice, I'd seal it up in my food saver and freeze it for my boy... but I don't think that's gonna happen.  :D

Are you ready for this cool weather?  

 
Coco bean is ready!  She's already put her summer wardrobe away and gotten her coats and sweaters out!


It's time to get out your fall decorations! Light up those pumpkin spice candles...







 Put your pumpkins out on your porch.

Get ready to build a fire and snuggle up with someone you love!

Make some comfort food that will warm you up. 

Take in some football games.

Plant your fall flowers and cabbages.

Whatever your fall tradition is I hope you are enjoying every moment!

Food Saver

I am still learning how to cook food for two people.  It's really hard folks!  I end up with way more food that we can eat so I got one of these handy little gadgets.  I figure it will be better for freezing leftovers and hopefully my son will benefit from some home cooked food.  
Meanwhile, I'm vacuum sealing everything in my house!  Today after I polished my silver I decided to seal it up!  It's so fun!  :D   

I decided to make fried chicken this weekend.  I've made fried chicken hundreds of times, and I've never had trouble.  But for some reason I was in fried chicken disaster mode!  I wanted to try the Thomas Keller recipe and so I gathered all of my ingredients, prepared the brine. I soaked my chicken all day.  I meticulously followed the instructions for dredging, and I even used my candy thermometer to ensure the proper cooking temperature.  I followed the directions to a T.  
And.... my chicken was an artifact.  It was beyond burned.   Half way through I scrapped my Le Creuset pan and went back to my trusty cast iron skillet and moved my thermometer over to watch the temperature.  Again.  It was browning way to fast.  At ten minutes it looked like it was well done but was pink and raw on the inside.   I was having a panic attack watching it as it continued to cook.  Knowing the end result would be bad.
I was so glad I had extra chicken because I tossed several pieces out as soon as they were "done" according to the directions.  If you were able to stomach going beyond the burned crust the chicken actually tasted fine underneath.  But I was disgusted and confused.  

So two days later I decided I had to try again.  I was not going to let the chicken win. 
I started over.

Here's the magical witches brew of herbs and spices  to brine the chicken. It smelled so good!  

I also opted against the double dredging method Mr. Keller's recipe calls for.  I think that once is enough. 
See the sad little herbs in the back of the pan?  That's because I used fresh herbs to infuse the oil as it was heating.  

I also decided that I wasn't going to mess with pans or the stupid candy thermometer!   I'm such a rebel.
But the one thing I couldn't do without due to my ocd was the cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.  Unsafe food is not an option. 

Flipped the chicken at 10 minutes... and it still looks a little bit too brown but it was fine.  Put the lid back on and cooked it for 10 more minutes.  The end result was perfectly cooked tender chicken.   

This morning on the Today Show I heard Paula Deen say that she cooked her chicken for about 14 minutes.  I'm trying to figure out how that got the meat cooked all the way through.  I'm happy we ended up having a batch that was better after the second time around.  I didn't feel defeated.  I've also decided just to go back to my instincts and quit following directions to a T. 

I'm going to share with you the link for the recipe: 


http://www.inuyaki.com/archives/84


Note the "Sous vide" method they mention.  Sounds like a pain in the rear but might be my next experiment.  

The kids came in last night and so I made a yummy dinner!  

What a treat for people who are carb counting!  This was over the top!  :D   And it was soooooo worth it!  I had the sauce cooking all day and used imported Italian cheeses and tomatoes.  This was definitely splurge worthy!

Getting geared up this morning for the construction workers that are about to start banging away under our house.  I've suspected since the first year that we've had a major construction issue with our home and yesterday it was confirmed.  The reason there are cracks in the walls all over my house is because it needs another weight bearing beam.  Pretty much right in the middle of the house there is too much weight on the structure and the existing beam is bowing.  So this morning we are having another weight bearing beam retrofitted.  It's a little scary!  Hope all of this goes well...