Positive Focus

I actually started this post on on 11/22. To be honest, I haven't felt much like writing the past couple of weeks. I thought about it several times, but after the terrorist attacks on Friday evening, November 13th in Paris, I have been having a hard time with my thoughts and a bit of anxiety. With that being said, and as hard as it is sometimes, we can't give in to fear and terror. 

I found myself on quite a few occasions this past two weeks having to take a step or two back and refocusing on what's right in front of me at any given moment. I found myself taking those moments to meditate and trying to be at peace. I needed to just refocus and channel positive thoughts and some positive energy. 

A few months ago, I started experimenting with meditation and was surprised at how it made me feel more calm and relaxed. I stumbled onto an app called "OMG, I can meditate" through the App Store. I found the woman's voice very calm and soothing. When you start the app, they give you a free week trial on ALL of the different meditations. Of course, once the week ends, then they want you to pay for it, and honestly, I found it a bit pricey. I just use it for the basic meditation practice. I am going to start looking for something else in the app department for meditation, and I am usually looking for articles online to help me as well. 

I feel it is so important to do what you can to help yourself get back into that positive state of mind and embracing the positivity. Otherwise, you just downward spiral and you're struggling to survive on a mental level. Just something as simple as being mindful of the present moment, taking the time to breathe and focus can be very helpful. 

I found my positivity again with Thanskgiving. We had a wonderful holiday with a nice dinner out, and a post Thanksgiving weekend get together at my home with my cousins! It was awesome to have the house filled with love and laughter. Since losing my second oldest cousin in August, I have felt a strong urge to make sure the rest of us all stay close. We definitely got that this weekend. 

Life is too short to live it in fear; to worry about things that might not ever happen. Overall, you to learn to control the things that only we can control. Keep yourself focused on the moments right in front of you, cherish them and always embrace the positivity. 

Fall Cooking

Hey There!! Fall is upon us! I actually broke down and turned on the furnace tonight. There was a little bit of a chill in the house when I came home. It's cold outside and they're actually calling for a little bit of the white stuff this weekend! Fantastic. (insert sarcasm here)

Anyway, I celebrated a birthday a week ago and from my Mom and Dad, I received an awesome dutch oven, along with a brand new set of some really nice knives. The dutch oven is cast iron and enamel coated. It's a beautiful teal color. 

For me, when fall comes, and it comes to great meals, I love anything that is hearty, and makes you feel warm and satiated. I love doing soups and chili's a lot!! As seen on my other blog, Crazy Cat Mommy's Corner, I shared with my readers how I make my own CHILI!! So feel free to take a peek over there, if you haven't already!

This week though, we were looking for something a bit different. My daughter found this recipe for White Chicken Chili from Taste Of Home. So head on over there and check it out. A little side note on the recipe--- It calls for Cayenne Pepper. I opted to go with crushed red pepper flakes. The Cayenne pepper was $5.99 at my local grocery store for a little bottle. Red pepper flakes were a little cheaper. Other than that, I found this to be a great recipe. We all agreed it was a keeper. If you try it, you'll find that it is a little more soupier than a regular chili. But it works. It's the mashed great northern white beans that give it its creamy consistency. But definitely worth a try. We all enjoyed it. 

Below we have posted pictures from my Twitter feed. I was sharing the process as I went along. My camera didn't quite capture the true pretty color of my new dutch oven though, but its still beautiful just the same!! I am looking so forward to getting a lot of use out of it for many years to come. 

To me, I find awesome positivity in being able to cook meals for my kids and have us come together for a new recipe I have found. I enjoy being able to bring all of us together for meal times and have that time together. With them being older now, we all tend to have different schedules. However, we always manage to find the time to have meals together when we can. I make sure that I cherish those times together. Family is so important. 

So, let me know if you try the recipe and how you liked it. Thank you for reading and remember, take the time to cherish the moments, and embrace the positivity! 

My new enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven!! #lovingthecolor pic.twitter.com/CTMlpUhew2

— Pamela Eberle (@crazycatmomma8) October 16, 2015

The beginnings of white chicken chili!! #fallcooking pic.twitter.com/3vL1GsMK7b

— Pamela Eberle (@crazycatmomma8) October 16, 2015

Almost ready!! pic.twitter.com/9nDdW5ujRr

— Pamela Eberle (@crazycatmomma8) October 16, 2015

Mmmmmmm!! White Chicken Chili!! pic.twitter.com/ulZSprLuZn

— Pamela Eberle (@crazycatmomma8) October 16, 2015

Celebrating Life

It was such a beautiful day yesterday. We spent it in Rushford, NY celebrating what would have been my cousin's 37th birthday. Most of us (some had to work or had prior commitments) all got together, found a spot overlooking Rushford lake, and we released balloons in honor of her birthday. We laughed, we cried and we celebrated. The weather was amazing! We couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate her! She was such a beautiful soul with an amazing spirit, always living every moment of life to the fullest.

 The last time we saw each other was for another cousin's wedding. The time before that, Christmas. We really seemed to connect at that time, as she sat at our table for dinner. I enjoyed her company and her presence. She made us feel like kids again. We talked and laughed. We promised each other we would get together for lunch when she comes to town. We won't get to do that now. But I am forever grateful for the time we did get to spend together at Christmas and at the wedding. I can't sit here and dwell on the moments we won't have together, but rather cherish the moments we did have. 

Life is never a guarantee. We don't know when our time here is up. So we must always live life to the fullest and remember to always embrace the positivity.