Top Five Truths I Learned in 2014

1.  Kindness matters.
I will forever contend that being kind will bring more happiness and peace to both the giver and the receiver than indifference and pettiness.  Kindness welcomes.  Indifference alienates.  I have had the opportunity to experience both ends of the spectrum over the past few years and can testify that when I am kind, I feel better.  When others are kind to me, I in turn pass kindness along.  Being mean is just....well....MEAN.  It leaves a feeling of emptiness that nothing can fill except a return to kindness. This world NEEDS more kindness, more compassion, and more mercy.  I want to be one to promote that.

2.  Putting God first is always right.
I am finding this to be true the older I get.  My life gets harried and crazy and when I forget Him, forget my True Purpose here on earth...I seem to fall apart.  It's only when I take time to put Him first, to feed my soul, to pay attention to those I will be with forever that clarity, peace and calm seep back in to make the crazy go away.

3.  True friendship lasts.
Life has thrown a few curves at me in the not-so-distant past and as a result, I became a little bitter and turned away from people that I cared about.  I made assumptions which lead to judgement and I broke ties without any explanation as to why I was doing so.  It was only a few months ago, when I was the recipient of the same kind of estrangement that I realized that I was wrong for my petty actions of a couple of years ago.  I didn't understand why someone I had grown close to and cared about very much would just suddenly ignore me and not tell me what I had done to offend them.  When I realized I had done the VERY SAME THING, it was though a ton of bricks had fallen on me.  I knew I needed to ask forgiveness for my stupidity and rash behavior.  The beautiful thing is that when I apologized, the person didn't treat me poorly (as I had done to them), and welcomed me back with no questions asked.  This is true friendship and I'm so grateful for the power of forgiveness and the opportunity of second chances.  This is one friend I intend to keep forever.

4.  My tribe has not changed.
I have finally come to the conclusion that I know who my tribe is.  It's taken a few years and it was only recently that I was able to put it into words.  My tribe consists of hard-working people who love God and are focused on serving Him and not on the fluffy things in life.  My tribe is more about eternal content and less on what this world offers.  My tribe focuses on inclusion of every person, and not who fits in.  These are my people.

5.  The best things in life come from hard work.
There is no way around this one.  Hard work is what got me my bachelors degree and nursing license.  Being married to my husband for 22 years has taken hard work.  Raising children takes hard work.  Being a nurse is hard work.  But all of these things are worth every struggle, every tear shed, every sleepless night, every gray hair because they shape who I am and how I can be God's hands here on earth.  If all of these things were easy, everyone could (and would!) do them.  But it's not.  I have learned to hunker down at times and just push through and rely on God to make up where I lack (see #2 above).  Every success I have every had I will always attribute to God's merciful help and hard work.

Top Five Girly Picks of 2014

These products have been a big hit with me this year and I recommend them.  They aren't cheap, but quality products that stay in place for long periods of time are important to me, so they are worth the extra dollars.  I say give them a go!

1.  Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Because I work 12-hour night shifts, there are days where I have my makeup on for close to 24 hours.   This foundation freakin' goes the distance and stands up from beginning of shift to end of shift.  It doesn't dry out my skin and keeps oil at bay.  Win-win-win.

2.  Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner

I have started to play with the whole 'cat-eye' look and while I'm not quite pulling it off yet, this liquid eyeliner is fairly user-friendly.  It has a very fine tip for thin lines, but you can drag it on it's side for a more bold look.  This eyeliner also will last for an entire shift.  The only downside is that the finish is shiny, so I tend to go over the line with my gel liner to give a more matte finish.

3.  Bobbi Brown Brightening Finishing Powder

My skin is losing some of it's youthful glow and this powder is great at brightening without an overpowering shimmer.  I use a big kabuki brush to sweep it down the center of my nose and chin, and then around my upper cheek bones and over my eyebrows.  A little goes a long way and I expect to have this compact for quite some time before needing to repurchase.

4.  Benefit Hoola bronzer

This is one product I strayed away from, figuring a free bronzer from Smashbox would do just fine.  Wrong-o!  I use bronzer more as a contour, going just under my cheekbones, up into my hairline above my temples and then slightly under my jaw (think a 'B' shape).  Smashbox is just too orange.  Hoola is a more natural shade and I will never use another bronzer again.  I swear!

5.  Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I have had the Naked 2 palette in the past, and was not overly impressed with it.  It was too big to fit into my makeup drawer, and some of the shades were too sparkly. Other shades just didn't work on me.  I picked this up at Sephora a couple of months ago and LOVE that they are matte shadows (with the exception with the shade on the far left...but that's a great highlighter) and they are a fabulous everyday palette.  The size of the palette is perfect and I'm seriously considering buying the Naked Basics 2 palette.  They have shimmer shadows, but combining them with this palette might make for a big WIN.

Top Five Family Dinner Recipes of 2014

For years I have planned out weekly menus for dinner and have about four weeks worth of meals that are rotated around so we are not eating the same thing week in and week out.  Some of the following recipes are fairly new, and others we have had for years and my family has yet to tire of it.  If you want a couple of good resources for great meals that are easy and family pleasers, go to Pioneer Woman or Our Best Bites.  I find these websites to be very reliable and I highly recommend them!  Some of the following recipes I have written out because they are either from friends, or my own creation.  Others have links to click on to lead right to it.
Bon a petite!

1.  Sloppy Joes (I usually double this)
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 c. ketchup
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dijon mustard (regular works fine, too)
1 tsp. paprika

Directions:  Brown meat and combine all other ingredients.  Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Serve on your favorite hamburger buns.

Note:  I bake up sweet potato fries and plop my sloppy joe meat on a pile of fries.
The best.  Thing.  Ever.

2.  Southwest Chopped Salad

3.  Mom Mac -n- Cheese
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 box elbow macaroni
1 jar cheddar cheese sauce (we use Ragu)
Your choice of: 1-8 oz bag frozen peas; or 1-8 oz bag frozen broccoli
Your choice of: chopped or diced ham; or sliced hot dogs
*We find the peas go well with the ham or hot dogs, while the broccoli is best suited for the ham

Directions:
Boil macaroni (and peas if using) for 10 minutes in salted water (add olive oil to water as well).  If using broccoli, cook separately from pasta.  Drain well.  Heat hot dogs or ham.  Mix all ingredients together in casserole dish and serve.

4.  Hash
Serve 4-6
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen diced potatoes
Your choice of fresh vegetables (add as many or few as you like):
     -yellow squash
     -zucchini
     -peppers (red, yellow, green....it's all good)
     -mushrooms
     -onions
Your choice of meat (can omit for a vegetarian meal):
     -chopped or diced ham
     -sausage (pre-cook if using raw)
     -bacon
Cheese (for topping)

Directions:
In one skillet, cook potatoes in olive oil, garlic, onion powder, black pepper and salt.  In separate skillet, sauté veggies in olive oil until tender.  Add meat to veggie skillet.  In 10x13 dish, gently combine potatoes, veggies and meat.  Top with cheese and serve.

5.  Cowboy Quesadillas

Top Five Peterson Family Pictures of 2014

 1.  Scott and the eyebrow debacle.
This past spring, Brianna and I were in Utah for our final Girls Weekend before she graduated from high school and headed to college.  Scott was charged with getting he and the boys over to Great Clips to get their hair cut.  Scott forgot to ask the stylist to trim his eyebrows, so he decided to get out our hair clipper at home and do the job himself.  This is the result, eyebrow nearly gone.  He has since resolved to either let me trim his brows or let the hair stylist do it.

2.  First day to last day of school.

This is Brianna on her very last day of high school, holding a picture of her cute little self on her first day of kindergarten.  I got this idea from Pinterest a couple of years ago and held onto it for this purpose.  I'm so glad that I took her picture 13 years ago and was able to use it for this shot.  You can bet I'll be doing this again in 2016 and 2019 when Zacharry and Noodle graduate from high school.

 3.  First date/double date
Zacharry turned 16 in the spring and finally went on his first date late in the summer.  We don't let our kiddos single date until they leave home, but since Brianna is 18, it was convenient for Zac to go on a date and double with his sister.  A built-in chaperone!  It was also shortly before Brianna left for college, so it was a good opportunity for them to bond one last time.

4.  Milo

I've had a lukewarm relationship with this cat nearly from the day we got him as a kitten.  He seemed to barely tolerate us humans.  He shed on anything he sat on, he puked in the worst places that I would inevitably step in in the wee hours of the morning as I would get ready to go out for my morning run, and he was very particular in how he wanted to be petted.  I snapped this picture in early September, not realizing that a month later, he would pass away from a kidney infection.  This picture is perfectly him....sitting in the window, looking at the camera with a "What's it to ya?!?" look on his face.  I would be lying if I said I missed him, but after being a cat owner for 12 years, it is strange to not have a cat under foot anymore.

5.  Graduation photo bomb
I was trying to snag a quick selfie after I had walked across the stage at my commencement ceremony a few weeks ago.  I did it so quickly that I didn't see the lovely lady behind me grinning from ear to ear, sharing my moment of glory.  So here's to you, young grad.....may your future be bright and prosperous, and may you not show up in any more of my selfies.

Sharing The Gift

The Gift.

The First gift.

As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), we have been asked to tell others how we will #SharetheGift this Christmas season.

I need to first define what that means to me.

Our Heavenly Father gave us the first gift....that of his Son, Jesus.  But that gift means something different to everyone.

To me, His gift is deeply personal.

There are things in my life that I struggle mightily with, and within the past six months, I am beginning to see very clearly how broken I am in places.

These issues have dogged me my whole life, and while I have no idea what the root cause is, I know that I need to be healed.

I can’t do that on my own.

I’ve tried.  Heaven knows how much I have tried to fix me on my own, but I just can’t do it.

It has only been recently that I have realized that I will never be able to mend what is damaged.  I NEED His gift in order to be whole again someday.

The gift of His Son.

The Savior’s life….and ultimate death and resurrection….make healing possible because of the enabling power of the Atonement.  This power helps me know that I can be more than the mess that I feel I am inside.  It provides me hope that I can do this.

With His help.  With His love.

I CAN be whole.

But how do I translate this into something I can share?

Because He first loved me by being willing to come to earth, suffer all things, and eventually triumph over all things, I can show kindness and mercy to those who feel there is no kindness or mercy.  I can be a listening ear to the wounded heart.  I can let Him shine through me.  I can be His hands.  I can encourage.  I can love.

He did all that FOR ME.

And I can one day kneel before Him.

Whole.

So I will #SharetheGIft by loving as He loved.

Purely.  Completely.  Without restriction.

And now I ask you…..how will you #SharetheGift?