You Were Mine

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. I thought it was just me by Brene Brown - it has given me so much food for thought and insight to myself. And helped me open up and be vulnerable.
2. my understanding therapist
3. Michael always being so supportive of me
4. steak and baked potatoes here at home - that were oh so good and such a great price!
5. confirmation to an online class - The Art of Action - I am extremely grateful to those putting this course together as they gave me a truly generous gift. Thank you!


* art by me - from a little book I made Michael for Valentine's several years ago

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

1 lb. bacon, diced
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken stock
3 tbs. butter
3 tbs. flour
2 cups milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Sour cream for garnish, optional

1. In a large stock pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain and set aside. Drain all but 2 tbs. of bacon grease from the pot. Cook the onions and carrots in the remaining bacon grease for about 5 minutes, until tender.

2. Add potatoes and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. With a slotted spoon, remove a few scoops of potatoes. Mash potatoes with a fork and set aside.

3. In a small sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Slowly stir in to stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer and then stir mashed potatoes back into pot.

4. Add 1/2 c. shredded cheese, three-fourths of the bacon and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and top with some shredded cheese, bacon and optional sour cream.

Rolling in the Deep

Tattered Photograph

It is an anniversary for me - 25 years today. A memory that is like a tattered photograph taken out looked at and never seems to fade. Often I wonder if I will hang on to it my whole life but at the same time I never want to let it go as it hold special place in my heart - always.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Michael making up songs and singing
2. being with someone who makes me laugh
3. beautiful bright moon on Wednesday
4. hot showers
5. homemade banana bread

OkGo - Last Leaf

I love OkGo's videos. I wanted to find a Muse video after hearing they did so good on the Grammys last night, but they are allowed to be shared from youtube. So went for another favorite - OkGo.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. a wonderful date night - we went to dinner and then saw North by Northwest on the big screen. It is one of our favorite movies so that was very cool to see on the big screen.
2. homemade loaded baked potato soup
3. Brene Brown podcasts
4. a little stone owl that sits on my desk from my sister's that I love and see everyday
5. night out with friends

Cream Cheese Cookies

I made these cookies at Christmas because they are so easy. I like that you can change the flavor on them easily too. This one I used lemon extract. And they turned out really good. But I still want to try other flavors. These cookie really good cookies to make for high altitude - they keep their shape really well because it is cooked in a log before cutting.



1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. (lemon) extract --- use whatever flavor you like
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese, butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and extract to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Gradually add combined flour and baking powder, beating until well blended after each addition.

DIVIDE dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into 12x1-inch log; place, 2 inches apart, on large ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 25 to 27 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks; cool slightly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut each log into 12 diagonal slices.

Reading Along

I caught the end of a Q&A teleseminar with Brene Brown today and I told Michael after that I wish I could hear her speak more. My wonderful love Michael said google her name plus mp3. I hadn't even dawned me to do that. Nothing much comes up but the first link is a quality link because it is her site. I have read a lot of things on her site but not everything and well this part I hadn't read or noticed. It is a workbook/podcast to do a read along with the book I am reading right now. I am so excited to have found it. I did notice that the book cover of my book is a little bit different - different subtitle but after listening to her first podcast - it sounds like it is the same book.

I am just so excited to listen to the podcasts and read the blog posts that go with them. The book has just given me so much insight to my life and I have had many light bulb moments.

Linkin Park on SNL

I am a Linkin Park fan and really liked their performance on SNL last night...

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Krista - the person who drew blood from me today to check for med interferences - it didn't hurt at all, only 1 stick and NO BRUISE! 90% of the time it takes 2 sticks or more on me. And I always bruise. This was the first time I have never had a bruise after a blood draw.
2. nightly ritual of snuggling on the couch and watching an episode of something. We don't have satellite tv anymore. So we just watch dvd's. Right now we are going through our Battlestar Gallactica seasons. During the winter it is nice to snuggle up, watch and enjoy it together.
3. roasted vegetables
4. plastic storage bins
5. celebrating 8 years with Michael! I feel blessed to have shared these past 8 years with him. And look forward to our future.

Amazing Life

A friend wrote me saying I have been quiet again so she was worried something was wrong. And in fact it is completely the opposite. I am doing really good. I am feeling a peace that I have felt in a long time. I really feel like I am doing good and on the path I need to be/want to be. I have been side tracked by some things I needed to help Michael with but I am just glad I can help him as he has so much on his plate right now. And I know that I will make time for the things I need too.

Michael and I took our change jar in and cashed it in - we had $100. We decided to use that money for us - for a few date nights. Here in Grand Junction on Tuesday's the Avalon theater has what is called Dinner and a Movie. If you have dinner in one of the downtown restaurants and bring the receipt to the movie theater, they will give you 2 free admissions. A few weeks ago Michael and I went to the Rockslide and then went to the movie after. The movie was Serenity. We are Serenity fans. Seeing the movie with other Serenity fans was so fun! I loved it! The whole evening was SO MUCH FUN! We have been talking about it since. North by Northwest is going to be playing February 8th and it is one of my favorite movies. And so we are going to go see that too.

On top of date nights, we had a chance to go to Durango this past weekend. Leaving Friday and coming home on Sunday. So a quick trip but really nice. Michael has been working really hard and this weekend he didn't do work or check work things at all. It was really nice just to have a weekend for us. We just relaxed, talking, walking around and enjoying each other's company which was perfect for the weekend before we celebrate 8 years together. Today Michael and I celebrate 8 years of being together. Wow! We both are very blessed to have been on this journey together. He is an amazing man that I have no words to capture how much I love him and how much he means to me. But each day I feel joy in my heart of being with him. And happy to celebrate 8 years with him.

Amazing life and amazing journey!