Rain, Rain, go away

💕It's raining, again. Weird because where I live, there is usually a drought. So for the last 7 months or so, it has been gloomy, rainy, very cool, and just not fun weather. We like to live outdoors and have most of our activities, work, play, parties, meetings, meals, and even sleep in our great outdoors is normal, but for some reason our Sunny Days have not found their way here, yet. 📝

💬We moved our family to this city because of the weather. Sunny, mild, low humidity, dependable outdoor activities. Not lately though. I love warm weather, sunshine, and the ability to plan outdoor things with little worry of precipitation ruining the event. There are joggers, walkers, dog walkers, dreamers, readers, students who study outside, vacationers, strollers, runners, bikers, motorcyclists, open convertible top cars, and sun-setters (those who watch the sunset). I really love the climate here and enjoy the outdoors so much. We can eat our meals outside, have coffee outside, and relax outside. But when it rains, the whole thing changes. Don't get me wrong, I love the rain, but too much of a good thing is no longer good, my opinion. And on so many days, it is not normal here. I believe it is normal in Hawaii for it to rain almost every morning, and the there's Oregon. Lots of rain there. Just not here. So instead, I am mopping, ducking in and out of my car when I go places, and I constantly am wearing a jacket or coat/sweatshirt to make myself not shiver in the chilly weather. It's now a habit. I miss my summer dresses, shorts, and cute tops, not to mention my array of summer sandals. Do you like the weather where you are? Tell us why or why not!

🍒Meal tip: CHILI time! So for cool weather, clouds and rain included, let's do a meal that is something we can heat up for the next day or two. I have this great chili recipe for those of you (and me) who do like the spice but NOT the heat. It is my mom's recipe. She had made this for decades and never wrote it down until I asked her to do it so then I could make it. I'm not a chef, only a cook that can follow a recipe.
1Lb ground beef, lean like 7% fat, put it in a pan and break it up by adding water and stirring it to make tiny pieces. Immediately add 2T chili powder, 1T onion powder, 1 whole green pepper, cut up small or pureed, 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp cumin, 1T salt, 1 tsp black pepper, stir well and cook on medium heat until meat is browned. Add 1 cup broth, vegetable or chicken, boil for about 10 minutes. Add 1 large can of chili beans. Stir well, taste. If it needs salt, add some. Same goes for any other ingredient. If you like the heat, add a jalapeno pepper chopped up small. It is better the next day, so make it a day early.



 My mom's Chili recipe, enjoy!








🏠Household tip: Find a messy drawer, Dump it out, Wipe it out. Put back only what you want, use, and need. Throw away the rest, or donate it if you think it's something from which someone could benefit.

🌼Parenting Tip: If you have something you need to talk to your teenager about, please do it with maturity. If they notice you are treating them with respect and trust their judgement, they are more likely to converse with you regarding the something you need to address. Hear them out, ask important questions, and try to come to the table with an objective point of view. Don't have a hurt mom or dad mentality because they made a decision you don't think your little boy or girl should've made. Mentor them, don't whine and plead or make it an issue about you. Listen, encourage, list what you see they did right.

Believe the Best

💕I start my blog with this symbol, two hearts, every time for a reason. Life is better when we share and do it together. It helps when we are feeling down, even when we are feeling up. We can share in our down times when life throws garbage our way and we can help others, too, while we ourselves are having an up moment. 📝

💬If you haven't heard the saying, Life is Better when we do it Together, you have missed out. This is an idea people have played with for centuries but it has never been put into words until lately. Having community, another cliche we use today, keeps one happy, grounded, and accountable. When we are connected to something or part of something, studies have shown  that we are more likely to be honest, giving, and supportive of others. I specifically remember a speaker I heard last year who focused on Believe the Best: of others, yourself, and even strangers. To live in fear or hate, or even indifference, to those who are in our community is not a good thing. For example, when you see someone whisper and then stop when they notice you noticed, do you think the worst? Or perhaps you have "proof" of someone's wrong doing and then you think, hmm, I wonder what they're up to? Maybe they are planning a secret party, maybe they are just speaking to another person about a problem in their own life and want it kept confidential-having nothing to do with you. But when you notice these little things, why do we often think the worst and not the best? I think it is because people lose faith and trust in their community. But if we don't have faith and trust in those who are supposed to support us, then we have no one. Can we change and trust, Believe the Best? I decide to, how about you?

🍒Meal tip: For healing the soul, try some comfort food. Mine? Well, it's chicken noodle soup. Here's the recipe I used the other day. Pretty yummy! "Grandma's Chicken Soup with homemade noodles" (or you can find these noodles in the freezer section of your favorite grocer)

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231666/grandmas-chicken-soup-with-homemade-noodles/?lnkid=usspnt

🏠Household tip: This is a more backyard patio tip...move all the furniture and rugs, hose off with a power washing setting on your garden hose. Also hose off the patio. Let it all dry over night and then put it all back, maybe rearrange it? Now it'll be all ready for any summer get-to-together ⛱.

🌼Parenting tip: Boundaries, create them and then stand up for them. Have certain consequences for different offenses. Also, think about intent, what you thought when you were that age, and then offer grace, understanding, and compassion. Don't rule out the consequence but do it with maturity and not emotionally. Be calm, be the adult, be kind.

Fear?

💕Some Questions...Ever have a fear of something you can't shake? Do you fear a situation? Maybe fear making a mistake or fear rejection, loss, and heartache? Have others in your life, or in your past, done something  to make you fear them or a situation you had with them? It's not a matter of forgiveness, but just a memory tough to re-live or face. Perhaps you fear fear? 📝
 
💬 I believe fear can be called many different things, apprehension, frustration, mistrust, loneliness, walls up mentality, and even sadness. I have felt all of those things at one point in my life. Many times it was after something bad happened but sometimes it was just a misunderstanding on my part. Either way, fear crept in without my permission! I think my biggest trigger to fear is when someone I trust doesn't come through, doesn't have my back when there's a conflict, and mostly when the unknown takes me by surprise, you know, those good ole expectations.

🍒Meal Tip: I have been eating chicken grilled or baked with steamed broccoli and brown rice. How many ways to make those three things is a challenge. I've done barbecue sauce on the chicken and butter on the rice, teriyaki sauce on the chicken and added steamed cabbage and carrots to the broccoli, even done the rice bowl with gravy. All are fabulous. Anyone have any other ideas, please post your recipe!

https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/recipes/quick-easy-chicken-broccoli-brown-rice/

🏠Household Tip: I moved the pictures around on my walls in the house. It was fun rearranging the pictures, the memories and people to places where I'd see them in a fresh new way. Be daring, explore new possibilities, make new focus points in your rooms. You'll be happy you did!

🌼Parenting Tip: Kids tend to fear many things, or some kids fear nothing. It is our job, as parents to address both attitudes. My mom-in-law warned me that her son (my husband) was so fearless, he almost drown in a pool, chased a ball into the street, and jumped off high places. I had 5 kids and none of them were like that, until my last one. He walked off a pool deck and sunk to the bottom of a 5 foot deep swimming pool. My oldest child was afraid of the rain because when it did rain, we ducked down and made a dash for it. Eventually, we got our kids some umbrellas and we went out in to the rain and sang, strolled, and sometimes splashed. It eventually helped our oldest child get over her fear. Boundaries, bring them in when needed and roll them out when needed.