Fill in the Blank Friday

1.   Giving is    the best thing ever. It makes me happy and I wish I had millions of dollars to do more of it.    .

2.  Receiving is   pretty rad as well. However, I care less about that than the giving. But I do like getting presents. I like getting things especially when it's from a fellow "I love to give soooo much" type of person. THE  thought, excitement and the happiness you see behind the gift is what is really awesome. A nice pot holder from Anthropology isn't bad either.  .

3.  The best gift I ever received was       I sure did love my Casio key board and my chalk board I got in the 80's. I still remember being the most excited about those. I am sure I have gotten more substantial things but I remember feeling like I was going to be the greatest artist ever once I unwrapped that chalk board/ paint easle.  .

4.  The best gift I ever gave was   sentimental things like shadow boxes and family pictures put into awesome albums   .

5.  Something intangible that I wish I could receive is     cello playing skills.

6.  Something intangible that I wish I could give is     contentment    .

7.  The one gift I always wanted as a child, but never got was       an Easy Bake oven...and the game Mall Madness       .

Play along here

Happy Weekend!!

Fill 'er up

{source:big.city.little.shoes @weheartit)

1.   I wish       that I could learn lessons in life without having to hurt or experience sadness    .

2.  Yesterday I   got a new do and got puked on by a baby  .

3.  Today I will       finish a tiny sewing project and go to a far far away Christmas party .

4.  Tomorrow I will  help the youth group at church with handing out supplies to homeless people in St. Louis and come home and be oh-so-grateful that I have a home and heat and the essentials  .

5.  Maybe     I will have a baby before I am 30 .

6.  Someday       I will be one of those wives/moms that is crazy about traditions and celebrating the smaller things by having a party (i.e.: party just because it's Tuesday and going for ice cream after doctors visits.)   .

7.  I love       consistency and non-awkwardness, kittens, cats , food, pina coladas and getting caught in the rain     .

Happy Weekend. Stay Warm!

Link up HERE

Trying new things

With more time at home lately, I've been trying to get more creative and really enjoy cooking dinner.
So I am trying  new things. John is game for anything and is really honest if something really sucks. So that's nice.
Last night, we had a success!

After watching Anthony Bourdain in Sicily eating Paella, I decided to try to make it. In soup form.

This is the recipe and it's WONDERFUL!
You should try it!
Super easy.
Super fast.
Super healthy.
Super delicious.


Paella Soup
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup chopped red sweet pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oil
1 14.5 ounce reduced sodium, no MSG added, organic chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon tumeric
8 ounces cooked pork, cut into small pieces
8 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup frozen peas
2 teaspoon fresh oregano

In a large saucepan cook green onions sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, rice, bay leaf, salt, red pepper, and tuermic.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the cooked pork, shrimp, and peas. Simmer, covered, for 3-5 minutes more or until shrimp turn pink.

I kept mine on the heat (very low) for 2 hours to get all the meat very tender, and to get the spices soaked in really well.

Tumeric is really fragrant and makes the color of the soup really pretty. ( I learned tumeric used to be used in perfumes. Interesting. I don't think I'll be splashing some on anytime soon.)

Remove the bay leaf and stir in the oregano.

Enjoy!

Tree Time!

I finally decorated my Christmas tree that has been up and undecorated for almost 2 weeks.

I didn't have lots of money to spend on a theme so I had to work with what I had. I did by a couple spools of ribbon but that's it. I could have easily gone overboard since I love decorating the tree

This year's theme is Mint Chocolate Chip.

I don't even really care for mint chocolate chip ice cream.

I guess I could have called it:

"after dinner Olive Garden mints"

or

"green and brown".

But like I said, I had to go with what I had.

And it made for a cute combo, don't you think?

Dante' doesn't seem to mind the theme so much.

Bonus: the cats sparkle after lying under the tree because of the glittery skirt. 

So Christmas gives me glitter cats. That's always fun :)