Homemade Salsa

Last week while I was grocery shopping I was in the produce section when I smelled the most wonderful smell.

Fresh cilantro!

And it gave me a hankering for homemade salsa.

Jarred salsa, refrigerated salsa just can't compare to the the taste of fresh made salsa. And it's so easy to make! I'm going to share this quick basic recipe that I used.

Homemade Salsa Recipe

3 cans diced tomatoes

1 large yellow onion chopped 

1/2 red onion chopped

1 bunch of fresh cilantro chopped

2 jalapenos seeded and chopped (add seeds or more for heat)

Pour tomatoes in their juices into a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients salt to taste, mix. Cover and put in the fridge to let the flavors all come together for a couple of hours. Enjoy!

If you prefer your salsa less chunky, you can throw everything into a blender or food processor to blend it together.

It makes a lot. So I canned some in mason jars as well. 

Teamed up with veggies or tortilla chips made this a simple snack or a side to a meal.

Book Review: A Lifelong Love

I heard of A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas through blog that I follow, To Love, Honor and Vacuum. They are doing a challenge for the year to read 12 books, one book a month, that is about marriage. Even if you have the best marriage, it can always get better.

A Lifelong Love: What if Marriage is About More Than Just Staying Together?

That's the goal, right? Staying together.

I believe that there is more to marriage than just the longevity of it. And that where this book comes in.

It was an easy but thought provoking read. Each chapter ended with questions that really got you to think and apply the new information to you marriage.

It talks about God not being just you Heavenly Father but he is also your spouses Heavenly Father and essentially you Father-in-Law.

To bring perspective: How would you feel if your child's spouse was not not treating them with the love that they should? That they weren't appreciative or affectionate?

How would this make you feel? Pretty unhappy with the one they married.

Think about how God feel when we do not take care of our spouses in that way, God is sad because his child is not being treated well.

Kind of punches you right in the face. We need to make God happy by taking care of really loving on his children.

Another chapter talked about how we are not rewarded in heaven by how we were loved in our marriage but instead how much we loved.

This point is brought up again and again. It's not about what we get but instead what we give. Do I love my husband enough? My goal is now to make sure that he know that he knows how much I love him. And that's a forever job.

I recommend this book for everyone who is married or planning on getting married, It really helps to get you in the right direction.

I'll leave with this quote: "Biblical love isn't a feeling to be felt; it's a commitment to be kept."

What's for Dinner?- Sausage and Potatoes

Some days we just need a quick and easy meal for dinner. Sometimes we just don't plan out our meals or what we had planned will take more energy than we're willing to dole out.

On Monday, we were busy. I was getting ready to leave in less than an hour, the kids were doing homework and Michael was tired from being a parent volunteer for both Sidda and MJ's classes. It makes for a busy long day.

We really didn't have a dinner planned but we needed something fast. So I opened the 'fridge and saw some smoked sausage, and DING I had an idea.

I started by washing up a chopping 4 potatoes and one onion.

Next, I heated up a little olive oil in a large skillet. After it had warmed up a couple of minutes I added the potatoes and onions. Be sure to add salt to your potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are soft to your preferred texture. If you let them cook a little longer at little higher heat they can get crispy.

 While the potatoes are cooking, chop your sausage into bite size pieces.

Add it to the pan and cook until heated through.

We served it up with a side of scrambled eggs for the kids and fried eggs for the adults. 

Including chopping, this meal took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. It's would also make a delicious breakfast.

So, tell me, what is your favorite go to meal when you are short on time or energy?

Book Review: The Blood of Olympus

And it's over. The Blood of Olympus is the final installment of The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan.

I'm a little sad that it is over. I've been reading through since I discovered Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I love the adventures of the books and after I read each one I listen to the audiobook with my kids.

They love listening to books when we are in the car or cleaning the  house. Especially Sidda.

The Blood of Olympus does not disappoint.

The seven demigods of the prophecy are heading to Athens. They are on their way to stop the ritual that will bring Gaea back to life.

But not without a few hiccups along the way. They must face psyco gods and battles that will make them face their own fears and even their own mortality.

Across the Altantic, Nico, Reyna and Coach Hedge are making their way back to Camp Half-Blood with the Athena Parthenos. They are hoping to make it back before the Roman demigods start attacking the Greek demigods. Their only hope is to make it in time and unite the two camps against the rising earth mother.

I loved reading every minute of this book. And I look forward to letting the kids enjoy this final installment.

Book Review: Shopaholic to the Stars

Where do I even begin?  I love, love, love the Shopaholic series.  I love reading about Becky Brandon (Bloomwood) and all of her antics.

But maybe it's time for Sophie Kinsella to put it to bed.  I feel in Shopahlic to the Stars Becky just gets in to one mess after another and none of the problems are really solved. It just kind of ends. It is left with a huge cliff hanger that means there is going to be a follow up novel.  And in truth I will read it because I have to know what happens.

Now even though it wasn't one of my favorite shopaholic novel doesn't mean it didn't have great moments or funny moments or that it was over all bad.  Just not the same. But now, let's get to what happened in the book.

Becky and Luke have moved to Hollywood. And Becky is beyond excited. She wants to rub shoulders with celebrities and walk the red carpet. But more than any of that she wants to become a celebrity stylist. It's really the perfect fit. She would get to dress the Hollywood elite and get to shop to make it happen.  It's really a dream come true. If only she could get her foot in the door.

Luke is working PR for Sage Seymour a very popular actress. Becky is trying to make contact with her but Luke is keeping Sage away from Becky. (Smart guy.) But then Becky catches Sage's rival, Lois Kellerton, shoplifting and it's her way in to get in with Sage.

But Hollywood life is not all that it's cracked to be. Becky's daughter, Minnie, is in a prestige preschool but the head of the PTA is none other than Alicia Billington, Becky's own rival from her years as a financial journalist. Alicia has convinced everyone that she has changed but Becky is not so sure.

Overall I would rate this about a 3 1/2 out of 5.

2015 Goals

As I looked over my goals I set for myself last year I realized how much I really didn't accomplish.  I was able to complete 13 of the 32 items on that list.  I am super excited for the things that I did accomplish.  I really failed in the areas of losing weight and creativity.

I started the year off with good intentions. I ran every day for 100 days.  I was good with drinking my water. I tracked my steps. But with all of that I wasn't staying on top of my diet and so no weight was lost.  I did not gain but none was lost at all.  What a downer. A lot of my exercise stopped completely after Michael's grandfather passed away. Life just changed and it was hard to get a routine back together.

So it really seems that for the last half of 2014 I really didn't accomplish anything.

But that's not completely true. It just wasn't the goals that I had even considered.

A couple of months ago I started crocheting for the first time in at least 10 years. I never really liked it when I was younger. But as I've been starting to get into it again I really feel I have a knack for it.  I love when I get to be creative and this is a way I can do it.  I was ecstatic! I love that I can make things for my friends and family.

Also, funnily enough, my husband and our kids church helped me accomplish a back of my mind goal and I have finally memorized all the books of the Bible in order.  Sidda, MJ and I all learned them together.  I can now get through those minor prophets with ease!  Woo-hoo!

So now for this year. It's time to accomplish some new goals.  Renew some old goals and change my way of thinking on how to accomplish them.

1. Write at least one blog post a week in 2015
2. Read 12 books.
3. Read 24 books.
4. Crochet a blanket
5. Sell one crocheted item.
6. Drink 100 oz of water in one day.
7. Drink 100 oz of water a day for 7 days
8. Drink 100 oz of water a day for 30 days
9. Run 1 mile without stopping.
10. Lose 10 lbs.
11. Lose 24 lbs.
12. Lose 36 lbs.
13. Go down on dress size.
14. Potty train Anya
15. Go on 6 out of the house, kid free dates with Michael.
16. Have weekly in home dates with Michael
17. Try a new food
18. Try a new recipe
19. Start a vegetable garden.
20. Play an RPG video game.

There we have it.  I have less goals this year than last year, I want this year to be a success.  I'm ready to start.  I'll start small at expand on my goals as needed. It's time for new. It's time for change in some areas and more focus in others. I'm looking forward to 2015 being a great year! 

Book Review: Champion

And we have an ending to our trilogy. It always makes me a little sad when I finish a series.  I feel like there is so  much of the world that I missed out on and want to explore some more.

Champion by Marie Lu did not disappoint as a follow up to Legend and Prodigy.

June is now second in command of the entire Republic.  She is helping lead the country by the side of Anden the Elector Primo.  She has gotten mixed in the politics of governing the nation and has remained in the capital in Denver.

Day on the other hand has left Denver and returned to California with his brother, Eden, who he just found again.  But there is one more thing.  Day is dying.  He's been sick for awhile but it has now reached the breaking point.  Best case scenario, Day lives a few more months.

June and Day's lives are brought back together when the Colonies wage war on the Republic.  The plague that had affected Eden has now spread into the Colonies and they will attack until a cure can be found.  June must ask Day for his help and the help of Eden if they ever hope to find a cure.

June knows nothing about the secret that Day carries around.  How long can he keep it from her?  Will they survive the war?  Will they find the cure that they desperately seek?

Champion delivers action and emotion.  Lu is an excellent story teller with an awesome story to tell.  If you enjoy dystopian novels this should be on your read list.