Experience

I got this fortune the day we closed on our house and it is the second best fortune I have ever received. (The best one said "Jenny, will you marry me?")

Ever since this day, so many things have started to make sense and fall into place. I am going to be 29 in just a few weeks and I finally feel like my life is moving in the right direction. I have felt stuck on a very hard/trial ridden path for a very long time.

However, I do feel that I have gained incredible amounts of experience along this path. And experience is something I don't think I would trade for anything in this world.

So cheers to experience and cheers to finally being a grown up!!

Music

I have come to the realization that the older I get, the more emotional I'm becoming, especially when it comes to music. 

As many of you know, I have always had a special place in my heart for music. I am so grateful everyday that I was given the gift of music in my life. It can always turn my day around, no matter what!

But lately, I have started getting more and more emotional whenever I hear certain songs, or sing certain songs. I used to pride myself on the fact that I could hold my composure whenever I had to sing in public. But lately, that is not the case. And ever since I saw the new Les Miserables movie, I cannot listen to any song from that movie/musical without getting overly emotional and crying. 

So if you see me driving down the road with tears streaming down my face, don't worry. It's probably just me listening to a song.

He is Risen

Photo found here:

http://www.reflectionsofchrist.org

I often find it it difficult to express my feelings for My Savior and for the sacrifice he made for me.

The older I get, the more emotional I get when trying to express these feelings. As I learn and grow and live each day I find need for the Atonement more and more in my life.

As a child, I always thought, and assumed, the Atonement was meant for sinners. But as most of you know it is not. The Atonement is SO MUCH MORE.

I have a testimony.

I know that the Gospel is True.

I know that My Savior, My Redeemer, died for me. Personally. So that I could return home again some day.

Every day I feel the love of my Savior and every day I am grateful for it.

I am far from living this Gospel perfectly, but I also know that is the reason for the picture above.

This Easter, in my ward's sacrament meeting, I was overcome with the spirit and overcome with the love from my Savior. I felt truly blessed to be there to hear and feel the words and music that were presented.

I KNOW it, I {try to} LIVE it, I LOVE it.

I AM A MORMON.

And I am blessed.

Fried Rice

Ashley, this one is for you!!!

Fried Rice

3-4 cups cooked Rice

1-2 cups frozen peas and carrots

1 bunch chopped green onions

1 garlic clove (or 1 tsp. minced garlic)

3 eggs

3 Tbsp Sesame Oil

1/2 cup low sodium Soy Sauce

In a large skillet on medium heat add Sesame Oil

then stir-fry onions, garlic and peas and carrots until tender

Add eggs and scramble with veggies until cooked

Add rice and Soy Sauce and let it marinate 4-5 minutes to let the flavors set

Then Serve!!

Enjoy!!

Cloudy Skies

Once again, I have to say that grey skies make me smile.

It places an incredible calm over my body and mind like nothing else in this world.

So naturally I usually try to take advantage and snap a few pictures for me to look back on when it's 117 degrees outside.

And while I was snapping some pictures I noticed that 3 of the 5 trees in my front yard have these cute little bird nests.

I never noticed until all of the leaves fell off, but i thought they looked pretty cool.

And on Monday, I was running a few errands after work and physical therapy when I got stopped at a red light. As I turned my head to the left, I saw this.

If you look closely you can see the light streaming from behind the clouds.

I hurried and snapped a pic with my phone.

The more I pondered over this picture the more in awe I felt.

Our Father in Heaven created such an amazingly beautiful place for us to live and I never acknowledge what an incredible creation it is. It is so easy to forget when you feel like you are busy running this way and that. It was such a good reminder for me, especially now that I have a visual.

Adventures in Cooking

Ok, so this was my first attempt at trying out my skills on making my own recipe.

I was looking on Pinterest for chicken recipes and was not finding anything that sounded like what I was picturing in my brain.

Jeff got to be my guinea pig and was a really good sport. 

The chicken turned out pretty great but my side dishes need some tweaking

So if you want to try it, here is the recipe:

Frozen Chicken Breast

1 Tablespoon Butter

2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

1 packet Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix

Parmesan Cheese

Mix together the soup, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese and sour cream

Pour over chicken

toss in a cube of butter

Cook in the crockpot on low for 6 hours

I served it with mashed potatoes and it was far too heavy.

I think next time I will try some brown rice or maybe some kind of pasta.

If you do try this, PLEASE let me know what you think or if you make any changes that you really love!

Have you Been yet?

OH MY GOODNESS!!!

I have been fighting the urge to go into this store for a REALLY long time.

However, today that fight ended.

And boy is my wallet in TROUBLE!!!

Have you been yet??

Weekly Update

Wasn't last weekend the BEST??

I LOVE THE RAIN!!!

Sometimes I think I live in the WRONG state, because I seriously love the rain.

And so does Chowder. He thought I was the MEANEST person on earth for not letting him go outside and splashing in the puddles. But at least I was nice enough to let him sit by the open door.

While we enjoyed the rain and the cooler temperatures I decided it was a good time to become Domestic.

I made homemade Cheeseburger Soup.

When I first heard of this soup I wasn't too thrilled to try it, but it completely exceeded my expectations and has become a Johnson Family Favorite.

Here is a link to the recipe I used. It makes quite a bit, but the leftovers are just as good.

I had a SUPER long work week, shocker right??

I found myself picking out the M&M's from my trail mix and throwing them away. Crazy right?? I couldn't really believe it either. I was WAY more excited with the Nuts and Raisins.

I guess this means my tastes are changing.

 

 And Chowder did a great job at taking naps for me. I didn't have the time, so he made sure to take extra ones!!

I got some additional shots in my back, yes  I am still doing shots. I am still really hopeful that I will someday be able to put this funny back business behind me.