Someone mentioned cola chicken the other day when I posted my menu and had put sloppy joes for one evening.  I went looking for what “cola chicken” was… and voila! Found it! on a weight watchers slow cooker website.  Now, I haven’t tried this yet… but I love coke and chicken so I can’t see how it would be BAD?

Cola-chicken (6 PTS)

1 cup Cola — regular

1 cup Catsup

1 whole Onion — sliced

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

Wash and pat dry chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Put chicken in crockpot and onions on top. Add cola and catsup and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours.  ****Sounds horrible — but trust me on this —- the taste is WONDERFUL!!!!

 ** words in blue are from the unknown author of this recipe, not me… (fyi)

 For more slow cooker recipes, see Sandra’s cute blog!

Today my goal is to get the den furniture rearranged to accomodate this treadmill that is sticking out like a sore thumb!  Funny, it’s snowing and I can’t seem to put the laptop down (and my blankie) and get busy!  I still need to get on the treadmill and bath izzy for school (and feed, dress…. her).  I’m hoping to run to the store while she is in school.  Oh I tried the jeans on and this pair did fit, but I’m not sure if I like how they look on me so I may just take them back for good!  and one more thing!!! A NOTE TO ALL MY VERY CREATIVE BLOGGIE BUDDIES… Do you have any ideas for a theme basket for Izzy’s school’s carnival.  Her teacher asked my opinion and I can’t think of anything other than sport (OU) theme, spa theme, baby shower theme, outdoor theme, movie theme, or books/reading theme.  I think th0se (and more) have all been done … so if you can think of something really original?

Is it just me or is time going really super fast?  Not just time as in weeks, but even years!  Bailey turns 14 in a week!  14!  He’s still my sweet little guy.  I don’t know if it is the fast pace of life, or if it is true what “they” say about as you get older time goes by quicker… I wonder sometimes if I don’t impose a fast paced busy lifestyle on myself?  I keep moving, keep something going constantly.  I am one of those people who can seriously do many things at one time.  Like last night for example, I was walking on the treadmill (3.5 mph), reading the new Jan Karon book, listening to my ipod, running the remote for Izzy’s program (fast forwarding etc.) and answering the occasional phone call.  Should I just walk and nothing else?  Why does it seem like we (translated I) need so many distractions and how can I expect to hear God speak in my life at this pace?  Okay, that’s about enough introspective discussion… my head is beginning to hurt.  I guess my point is I need to stop and smell the proverbial roses.

I didn’t get a chance to blog today, I peeked at a few blogs on bloglines in between things… Izzy went to school.  I drove into ‘town’ to run some errands.  I went to kohls to exchange some jeans I bought.  They were too small.  Yep, too small!  Even with 9 pounds lost they wouldn’t button.  Then I had the decision, keep them and be excited when they fit as a dieting incentive, or return them and wear them.  I chose the latter.  Mainly because even when I lose a lot of weight I can still pretty much keep the same wardrobe.  Pretty much.  I’m so tall that it takes a lot of weight (up or down) to make a size difference.  My jeans are now beginning to fit a little looser.  I haven’t tried the new jeans on again yet, but I am hoping they fit…  They had a great sale on shoes, I picked up a cute pair for Emelia.  I also got some houseshoes for myself and got home with them and realized I had a small and a large.  They were attached with the tag!  So frustrating.  If they were just too little I could give them to Emelia, but one of each size? I will have to return them.  I ran into Target (love Target!) and got some containers to reorganize Izzy’s toys and books because I am rearranging the den to accommodate the treadmill.   I wet through the drive-thru of the new Panda express and got some broccoli and chicken.  It was GOOD!  I will be back, but one word of advice!  Don’t try eating chinese food while driving.  I had to head back home to pick up Isabelle so I couldn’t stop and it wasn’t an easy task to eat and drive!

The gift I ordered for Matt’s Valentine came today.  The complete Lonesome Dove set of movies.  This was our romantic exchange,

“Hey Matt, do you want your valentine now?”

He replied, “What am I getting you?”

I said,  “I have a few things in mind.”

to which he replied, “so we’re all good?”

I said, “Yep!”

And I handed him the movies.  He loved them… Aren’t we romantic?

Speaking of romance, I’ve just been told it’s bedtime… so, goodnight!

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For this week’s time travel we will be traveling back really really far! Travel back to the oldEN days… how did your parents meet? I’ve heard some pretty interesting and almost unbelievable stories! Link up (if I can figure out how to put mr. linky on here) and share your parent’s love story.

My parents met when my mother was a little girl. My maternal grandfather always owned a car lot and salvage yard. My dad worked for him from time to time. My father was 6 years older than my mother. She was 9 (Emelia’s AGE!) and he was 15 when they first came face to face. Probably not very earth shattering at that point. I’m not sure, not being born and all… but, at some point in time… probably when mom was a hot pretty teenage girl, dad noticed her. I’ve heard tales about joy riding trips with cousins and siblings and from that love blossomed. At a mere sixteen years old my mother said, “I do.” to my father. Another mere 11 months later my oldest brother was born. And that my friends is love. They will celebrate 50 years in another year or so. Their love for each other and devotion and dedication to family has been a huge inspiration to me.

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Karen from WriteFromKaren has started a new meme, appropriately titled the ‘Monday Morning Meme’. It’s a lot of fun – won’t you join in? (saw this at jodi’s and decided to give it a go!)

1. What famous person would you most like to have dinner with (living or dead) and what would you ask him/her? I would forgo the famous person and have lunch with a bunch of bloggy friends!  Famous/schmamous!

2. What do you enjoy blogging about the most? learning about other people’s lives, being inspired by their words, and making friends with people I would never have had the chance to know.  

3. What is your favorite kind of candy? wild strawberry bubble yum which is discontinued.  Yes, it is! If you ever see any, let me know would you! (not the sugar free either )

4. Which sibling or relative are you closest to? What makes you close? Similiar interests? Or are you completely opposite? Probably my brother Mike.  We talk on the phone at least daily and exchange emails throughout the day too. I’m also close to my parents in relationship and in proximity! I live only one block away from them!

Julie at Joyful days tagged Sheryl who tagged me for this meme that she updated (Julie made strike-throughs for her changes) which made it even more fun. To keep things interesting, Sheryl’s changes have been made in red: I’m not sure how to change my text color on this new blog so I will just add mine!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life
Four jobs I wish I had been able to have:

modeling (I did some modeling as a teenager, but never went anywhere with it)

teacher (I majored in communication education… that never went anywhere either) … I’m seeing a pattern here

missionary in another country

fashion buyer or personal shopper…

Four movies that you would watch over and over
Four movies I want to watch soon that I’ve not seen:
Beaches

Fried Green Tomatoes

Steel Magnolias

Walk to Remember

Four TV shows that you love to watch (or used to watch)—Used to watch before children (and computers):

ANTM

Survivor

Amazing Race

Extreme Home Makeover

Four places you’ve lived
Four places (from books) I wish I lived:

Ft. Smith, AR (first 7 days of life)

Midwest City, OK

Choctaw, OK

Nicoma Park, OK

Four places you’ve been on vacation
Four vacations I want to take:
Greece

South Africa

New Zealand

Back to Florida!

Four Three websites you visit daily:
igoogle.com

Bloglines—where I see if you’ve posted something new for me, me, just for ME! (loved this answer by
Julie, so I left it…it fits!) (me too! ap)

aol news and mail

7day forecast

Four of your favorite foods:
Chicken Fajitas with all the extras like guacolmole!

Garlic Broccoli with plain rice …

Weiner schnitzel with mushroom gravy sauce and german potato salad

Italian combo with broccoli cheese soup from panera

Four places you would rather be right now:
Heaven

Disneyworld

On a clear clean beach somewhere

asleep

(again, kept Julie’s answers…loved ‘em)

Four Three people I’m tagging:

Julie

Judi

Jodi

All J’s!!!!

The menu went great last week… my bean progression worked well like always!   I haven’t shopped for groceries for this week yet!  We had leftover chinese food for lunch today… and subway for dinner.  Yep, I’m a really susie homemaker sometimes.  I love that the 6 inch sub is only 6 points.  I had a few baked chips too.  It was pretty tasty.  Here’s what I’m planning for this week…

Monday:   Chicken Spaghetti      ww garlic bread    salad

Tuesday:     chicken enchiladas   ff refried beans   spanish rice   salad

Wednesday:     Little ceasers…

Thursday:     Steak     baked potatoes    salad    ww rolls

Friday:         sloppy joes    baked chips

Look at this cute Blue Marilyn Motorcycle Tee! What do you think? I think it is really cute and would look adorable with some jeans and boots. I like the look of a scoopneck on myself… or a turtleneck either one. I don’t look great in a crew neck shirt though. Here’s the 411 on this cute shirt!

DESCRIPTION:

Motorcycle Tee
Price: $28
Color: Vintage Black
Available Sizes: Small-Large

One part sweet, two parts sassy. This shirt features a wide scoopneck, a row of flirty henley snaps, three quarter length cuffed sleeves and two accent pockets to give it extra edge.

Regular fit
100% cotton
No shrinkage. Machine wash.
Imported

 I think a thankful heart is key to a happy life.  I do try to count my blessings daily.  I know that I am blessed and that God is watching over me everyday.  I have seen the grains of gratitude posts around blogville and can’t remember if I have ever done this before, but I think it is a good thing to start.

1.  I’m grateful for a warm comfortable home to live in with my family. After the  week without electricity in December, it is so wonderful to have lights that turn on and a refrigerator that is cold… not to mention water that runs!  All blessings that I know I tend to take for granted.  Thank you God.

2.  I’m grateful for my four children.  They are all blessings.  Thank you God.

3.  I’m grateful for my husband.  He has always worked very hard enabling me to be a SAHM and student at times.  He is a blessing and he loves me very much.  Thank you God.

4.  I’m grateful for a church family that I look forward to attending.  The sermons from the pulpit are encouraging and convicting, the people are faith filled and very loving.  Thank you God.

5.  I’m grateful for parents who love me so much.  They are a blessing.  Thank you God.

6.  I’m grateful for wonderful friends, both seen and unseen who encourage, strengthen, show love and support.  They are all a blessing.  Thank you God.

7.  I’m grateful for you.  Thank you God