Failure

Failure is a hard thing to really define because it has many different meanings to many different people. You could have failed a test, a class, or feel like you’re failing life and each one of those things is measured by different terms. So what is failure? If you ask the dictionary, the overall broad answer is, Failure is the lack of success. haha… okay so what does that mean?

Do I really have a definition, no? I don’t. I wish I did. Most days I feel like a failure. A Failure as a mother, wife, daughter, etc. It’s so easy to be our own worst critics. It’s so easy to plug in everything we did wrong and dwell on that fact. When you do that you have a tendency to make yourself feel even worse about a situation.

The state of the world is difficult and hard. It even has a tendency to wear on a person. I used to be the biggest optimist about everything. Almost to the point of being an annoying optimist. These days I fall more on the pessimistic side of life. I try not to and my New Year’s Resolution was to be happier. That’s something I work on everyday.

No, I’m not depressed. I just feel like I’m having a midlife crisis and hopefully, I’m not at midlife. I’m not sure where I fall in, I’m not sure what comes next. It’s weird to look back and see how things unfolded. It’s sometimes hard to let go of the past. It’s sometimes hard to not wish you’d have done things differently. The thing is… if you did them differently you may not be where you are today. That could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing.

I guess the point of this post is…. Don’t let a failure define you. Learn from it. Overcome it. Do better. Move on. Leave the past in the past. Let Success be your definition. Now excuse me while I go look in the mirror and tell myself that!

National Tortilla Chip Day {February 24}

Today is National Tortilla Chip day. How much fun is that? Tortilla chips are made from corn (or flour but predominately corn) tortillas, cut into triangles or circles or any other shape you want, then deep fried (or baked) and wallah… you have a snack. Typically they are either eaten plain or served with dips, but they are also great for making nachos or a taco salad.

Typically corn tortillas are made from corn, vegetable oil, salt, and water, but obviously each recipe maker has their own unique recipe that makes them taste just like they want. Variations include yellow corn, white corn, blue corn, and even red corn. Each of those corns give the tortilla chips their own unique flavor.

Usually Tortilla chips are associated with Mexican food, but the mass production of them is credited back to the 1940s and Los Angeles California.

These snacks have become so popular that they are usually a complimentary appetizer at Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants.

So with that said, and the knowledge that it is National Tortilla Chip Day… Go out and grab a tortilla chip! Top it with topping of your choice and you’ll be set!

 

*Pulled from my old blog Paved Dirt Roads

Black Rifle Coffee Company

Up until a few years ago, I wasn’t a coffee drinker. In fact, it didn’t happen until like 2011 or something when Mark and I went on the Showboat Branson Belle and it was complimentary with dinner so I decided to try it. Mark looked at me like I grew a horn out of my head and after I said, hey that’s not bad, he tried it. We both converted to the “dark” side. Pun intended :). haha

So now jump forward to 2016. Are we avid coffee drinkers? No, but we do like the occasional cup of Jo.. wonder where that term came from anyway. Maybe some research on my part is required. Anyway, somehow Mark came across this company that is a veteran owned called Black Rifle Coffee Company that is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. He never told me how he came across it, but that doesn’t really matter. What matters is, he found it. And I mentioned it is Veteran Owned… well note on the package that 5% of the profits go toward veteran organizations. Bam!

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National Lasagna Day

Did you know that July 29th is National Lasagna day? Well if you didn’t, I’m glad you came to see me today!

So originally Lasagna was so named because of the dish that this baked casserole was baked in, however it has evolved into the dish we so commonly know as Lasagna.

Lasagna noodles tend to be large flat noodles that you boil before you place in the baked dish. Now days though there are even noodles that are “no boil” lasagna noodles.

So I guess what I’m trying to tell you is, Eat Lasagna Today!!!

 

 

 

 

*Pulled from my old blog Paved Dirt Roads

Random Tuesday’s

I swear, if weird things didn’t happen to me, my life would be pretty boring! Wait, what am I talking about… sometimes my life is boring, but anyway let me paint you the picture…

The other night I was trying to plug my phone in to charge. Hubby and the baby had just gotten to sleep and I was having difficulties. I hit the home button which called up Siri and then I couldn’t get her to go away.

I swear, I did not say “Oh shit” In fact, I didn’t say anything. But she said I said that and responded with… Well just look at the picture.

Interesting…. Very Interesting. I cracked up laughing. And I swear, I didn’t say a word to her….

10 Things to Smile About February

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve remembered to link up with EmmyMom’s 10 Things to Smile about mem… but guess what… I did it today! I tried hard to remember! And truthfully I could have linked up last Tuesday, but… there was still a week left of the month and I just had to hold off.

So in no particular order………… (drum roll please)……………..

9. National FFA week! FFA was a huge part of my growing up so it’s only awesome that there is a whole week devoted to FFA! I mean come on, it shapes a lot of young minds!

5. Because of National FFA week, I got a new pair of boots. Wait, what do those two have in common? Well, they were FFA boots and a special and I think the special was because of FFA week and yeah…

2. The iPhone got my dad. It was great. My dad is a real joker, so it’s always fun to pull one over on him from time to time and we didn’t actually have any part in it, which makes it even better!

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2015 // A Year In Review

Wow, here we are, the last day of 2015. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’m in turmoil if it was a good year or if it was a bad year. I’m going with good. There were some bad things I’d like to just brush over, but those are the things that work together to make you who you are, right?

So what did this year bring?
January
This year we started off January with a New Year’s Day Dive. I chickened out, but hubby dove in! Then it was time to celebrate Tbug’s birthday on the second day of the year, I guess that’s what you get when your birthday is the second day of January… We honored Veteran’s by presenting an opportunity for them to try Scuba diving. Baby girl turned 7 months old. I ended the month attending my Sister in law’s baby shower, our local dive shop went Platinum SCUBAPro dealer and forgetting to put sugar in a pan of brownies….

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10 Things to Smile about November

Last Tuesday of the month, first Tuesday of the month, at this point same difference right? Wow, where did November go? Seriously… time is spiraling fast out of control. At least we made it through Thanksgiving so we don’t have to hear people say… Don’t forget about the Turkey before Santa! oy!

There were a lot of good times in November to be thankful about and smile about so let’s get to it…

1. Hubby’s birthday. It’s November 1st. That’s definitely a good reason to smile right off the bat in November, right?

2. Both my girls love to ride horses. They also both rode Blonde Barbie (my mare) for the first time on hubby’s birthday. (This is Aloha in the picture, not Blonde Barbie :))

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10 Things to Smile About October

Hi. So I’m a little late to this game, but that’s okay. The month of October was an extremely STRESSFUL month for me. If you remember I wouldn’t shut up about Comps. Now I’m waiting for the results. Let’s get started with 10 Things to Smile About October

10. The day of Comps (Oct 29) I had a break down. I started crying in the library. The stress got to me. So i turned on Christmas music and listened to it all day because, who can be unhappy or stressed out when Christmas music is playing? Yes, that was my thinking and it worked. I only had that one break down. We could also listen to music while we were taking comps. I had my Christmas music on reserve.

9. Month 2 of my Project 365 take 2 down! I’m pretty proud of myself too. Please don’t think I’m vein.

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