What's Cooking?

Once upon a time I used to love to cook. Every aspect of it. From the shopping to cleaning up, everything thrilled me. I loved to throw ingredients together and see what the outcome was. I loved having people over to taste my cooking. Culinary school was well worth it to me. It taught me valuable experience, however I quickly learned that restaurant cooking wasn't for me. I didn't like the hours, and I didn't like not being able to dictate what I cooked. I was given orders and made to cook what the guests demanded. Restaurant and Assisted Living Facility cooking quickly killed my high for cooking.

 My passion and flair is still there, I can feel it, but I don't have the drive anymore. I want so much to come home from work and cook my husband the most delicious of foods, but 9 times out of 10 we eat the same meals routinely. I have a plethora of cookbooks and knowledge, but after I work all day (whether at work or around the house) the last thing I want to do is stand in the kitchen for 2+ hours cooking. Cooking deserves time. Sure, there are crock pot recipes, which are Heaven sent; and then there are recipes that take 30 minutes or less to cook, and those are wonderful, too.

I just want to cook something that when you walk in the door your mouth begins watering and your stomach growling, and by the time you take your first bite your thinking, "There's no way this will taste as good as it smells," but then your mouth is undergoing an explosion of flavor and you close your eyes in ecstasy. In that moment you know this is what food should always taste like. My mouth is watering now envisioning the most savory of dishes washing over my palate.

I don't know the point of writing all of this, maybe trying to get myself back in the mood of cooking something extravagant. Whatever it is I am going to go find something to cook with what I have in the house. If it turns out good there may be pictures. In the words of the famous Julia Child Bon Appétit!

XoXo,
Tia

Things are Changing

Good afternoon readers! Today in Carrollton, GA I believe we have record breaking cold weather, it's the coldest it's been on this day. Before today, the record was held in 2000. That's just a random fact for you.

Last Wednesday was an emotional day, and it hasn't gotten much easier since then, but I am coming to terms with the inevitable. There comes a time where you will lose people close to you, and while it will never be easy, you have to learn to accept that they will be in a better place, no longer sick or in pain. That's where I'm keeping my mind right now. Soon, their suffering will end. That in itself is an answered prayer. I pray that the Lord's will will be done and that peace will settle on the minds of those I care about. 

So, now that I've put into words how my heart is feeling, I think I will tell y'all about mine and Chris's way of life.

Let's start in February. Every February we begin cleaning and getting together all of our fishing gear and we begin fishing in February. The fish we catch we clean and eat or freeze, or sometimes we throw them back. We continue fishing until about September. We fish from the bank and a boat. Though, personally, I've never had much luck from a boat.

In March, we plow the garden and plant our seeds. We have corn, okra, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, peas, cantaloupe, and watermelons  that we plant every year. We also have perennials like strawberries and blue berries and grapes. We work the field from March-October. We eat some, but we mostly can and freeze it all. 

In October, after those crops are finished we plant our winter vegetables, collard greens, cabbage, lettuce, mustard greens, turnip greens, and peas. We once again, eat some around Christmas time, but we fresh freeze them, to have at a later time. These come up around the end of December to the beginning or middle of January. It just depends on when we get them in the ground. 

Now, in October/November we hunt for one deer because it will feed us until the next year. For example, we have around 50 pounds of deer alone in the freezer right now. 

We don't hunt to just kill and we don't garden to let it go to waste. All year long we work to provide for our house. If you sit in the woods long enough, you will see that it could supply you with everything you need, if you know where to look. You may not have everything you want, but you'd have everything you need. The Lord is good like that, he will supply you with what you need, all you have to do is let your needs be known. It's important to not confuse your wants as needs. 

For everything that we have, we give thanks to the Heavenly Father. When we have food and heat. When we wake up next to each other every morning. When we have all of our needs met, we give thanks. When we are struggling, we turn to Him, when we need help, we turn to Him. We lift our voices up to the Lord when we need him and when we just want to talk with Him. He is the most perfect listener. I guess, that's the point of this blog. It took me a while to get to it, but there it is. When in doubt, pray it out. It's not a "one step, quicker picker upper," you may need to continuously pray, but the Lord's greatest gifts sometimes are unanswered prayers.

XoXo,
Tia

Family Memories

First off, I want to say a HUGE thank you to all of our past, present, and future military. Without you, we  wouldn't live in the greatest country on our planet! You make it easier for all of us to lay our heads down at night. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart! Happy Veteran's Day!

Last week, my husband's aunt, Kathy, brought over some pictures she took at the wedding. The pictures are brilliant, but that wasn't the best part of her visit. She also brought me a huge 3-ring binder of their family recipes. As I flip through the pages and read these recipes, I can't help but feel the love and strength of these women who made these recipes. I feel them in every page, especially the pages at the end that have Chris's grandmother's hand written recipes. One of her recipes had a date of 6/22/44, so that makes that recipe 2 years older than my own grandmother. Each and every recipe means so much to me, I feel like a true member of the family with these recipes. I love having the recipes that my husband grew up eating, I love that every time I make one of these meals or side dishes he'll combine his old memories with the ones he and I are creating evey day. It may be my favorite gift I've ever received. Thank you, Aunt Kathy for such a meaningful gift!

Speaking of making memories, last weekend I went hunting for the first time ever. I went with Chris and his cousin Carl, who is 14. That day we didn't see a deer at all. The next morning Chris and I got up and went to try our luck again. As soon as we parked the truck on the land, we saw them! Two does and a buck further back from us. The girls were huge! So we quietly climbed out of the truck and waited. We arrived at 7:35 and at 7:55 pow! Chris shot and down she fell. He shot her from 60 yards, and when he walked up she wasn't completely gone, so he fired off one more shot to take her out of her misery. She was a beautiful deer that will feed us all winter. Her death wasn't for fun or sport, it was to feed us. We're going out this weekend to hopefully take one down for my parents, but that'll be the only ones we kill this year. We don't take more than we need, and we thank the Lord for what we do get; we don't like taking the life of something so innocent and beautiful, so we let the Lord know we don't intend to waste what he gives. It was hard for me to see her die, but chris and my dad explained to me about them being over populated, and breeding with their siblings now. With them being over populated, they're starving because there's more of them then there is food. We're doing them a justice as they are doing one for us. Also, every one of us is alive because our ancestors had to hunt to survive. Every person's ancestors did what we're doing, so we're just carrying on tradition. (and you can bet we'll teach our child how to hunt.) Plus, deer is a wonderfully tasty, healthy meat. (Genesis 27:3 "Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison.") (Genesis 1:29-30, Genesis 9:3, Acts 10:13, Proverbs 12:27, Leviticus 17:13)    

Until next time!

XoXo,

Tia 

We're Married!

Well, the most magical day of my life has came and gone, and now I am officially married to my best friend! I am officially Tia Parson!!!! 💗I am trying to figure out how to describe how our lives/life have changed in 45 days since we've been married.

First off, I have to admit that I didn't think anything would change because we've lived together 4 years. I know him inside out, as he does me. However, since the blissful day of September 20th I feel more connected, a deeper sense of love and belonging, a better camaraderie. I know without a doubt I have found my soul mate. Call me cheesy or cliche, but I know without a doubt in my mind that this is a FOREVER kind of love. I look at Chris and I see the man I am going to grow old with, the man I will eventually have a child with, the man who knows all my secrets and flaws and yet still falls more and more in love with me daily. He is who I didn't know I was praying for. God knew my needs before I did. 

Everyday I wake up and feel more whole, more loved. I never knew I could love someone the way I love him. I find myself throughout the day counting down until I get to see him. I've never felt like I belonged anywhere before Chris came into my life, and now I know this is where I have always belonged; wherever he is is where I belong. 

Chris is such a funny, charismatic, understanding man. He is the Ricky to my Lucy, though I'm far from that ditzy! 😜 I constantly find myself daydreaming or staring at him. He's so handsome, even when he's sleeping or working. I love the little line that develops between his eyebrows when he's thinking. I love that even after being together 5 years he's still opening my eyes to new experiences. For example, last weekend he took me hunting for the first time in my life.  Every night when we lie down to go to bed, I put my head on his shoulder and I say this is the best part of my day. The connection I have with him is unbreakable and I know he's my one and only. 

But now it is bed time for The Parson's.

XoXo,

Tia💋

38 Days

Chris and I are getting MARRIED in 38 days! What? Holy Crap! This is real! We've already had our wedding showers and our bachelor/bachelorette parties are this weekend! Oh my goodness! How did I get so lucky to be marrying my best friend? 10 years worth of friendship, 5 years of dating, 10 months of being engaged and we're finally almost there! I can see everything coming together, I can see our marriage being official. I know I still have a good deal on my to do list, but I know it will all be accomplished. The wedding is not as important as the marriage, so even if stuff doesn't get finished, the wedding will still go on. Our marriage will last longer than our wedding.

Stuff off of our list:

• Vows written
• Met with Father David
• Brides maids dresses back in town
• Wedding Shoes
• Wedding Dress
• Invitations Sent
• Thank You Cards sent
• Honeymoon Booked
• Bridal Showers
• Gifts for Flower Girls/Ring Bearers
• Signs for wedding
• Florist Booked
• Deejay Booked
• Venue Booked
• Catering Booked
• Wedding Cakes ordered
• Wedding bands bought
• Wedding Ceremony Order Typed 
• Music During Wedding Picked out
• First Dace
• Father Daughter Dance
• Mother Son Dance
• Trial Hair Date Set

This is all off of the top of my head. I've gotten a lot accomplished, but my to do list is just about as long.

• Gifts for bridesmaids/groomsmen
• Pick up bridesmaids dresses
• Get groomsmen sized
• Get mother of the bride and mother of the groom gifts
• Pay remaining balance of florist
• Confirm price of cake and determine if the cakes will be delivered or if they need to be picked up
• Print Signing Picture
• Print family wedding pictures for down the aisle
• Buy mints for restrooms
• Buy pen to sign signing picture
• Confirm RSVP's
• Finish Wedding Slide Show
• Get pictures of my grandparents to Elaine
• Decide on rehearsal dinner outfit
• Decide on going away outfit
• Get gift for my groom
• Find animal sitter
• Clean out refrigerator
• Paint house
• Clean house (deep clean)
• Stock up on animal food
• Get rings cleaned
• Make Wedding favors
• Buy hugs and kisses for wedding favors
• Type thank you note for wedding favors
• Get dress hemmed and new string for corset

Once again, this is just off the top of my head. I have a lot to do, but luckily the things I have left to do are not big, there's just a lot to do. I will finish everything, and I will do it with a smile on my face. I am aware that this is not a very informative blog, but it helped me to see my lists written down and so I can see what will take more time than others.

Goodnight.

XoXo, 
Tia

Pre Wedding Nerves

So as our wedding gets closer (102 days from today) I find myself asking Chris, "Are you excited?" His answer is always the same, "No." Nothing more, nothing less. I found myself beginning to worry, is he getting cold feet, did he change his mind, is he making himself nervous? What's going on here? Everytime I would ask "Why?" His answer was usually something like "I'm not sure." 

One day I had finally had enough and I all but begged him to open up to me. I told him we were soulmate and partners, and if he couldn't talk to me about his nerves now then he never would be able to after the wedding. I guess that finally sunk in because he was able to confide in me why he wasn't excited. I'm going to try to write this where it will make sense, but honestly he describes his feelings incredibly better than I do. Chris said that when we get married he takes on a whole new responsibility as provider of our family. I told him I'm still going to work, we'll be co-providers, and he said, but if we hit a rough patch financially, it's his fault. If we move into a house that our families don't see as appropriate, then it's his fault. He said as man of the house he will take on more responsibility and he doesn't want to disappoint anyone or have anyone see him as someone who is unable to take care of us. He wants us to be financially stable and these past couple of months have been trying. We're almost back to our regular money situation, but until I get a full-time position it's still going to be rough. Basically, his nerves pinpoint down to us being a financially stable couple as we begin our new life together as man and wife.

When you think of it that way it makes complete sense. His nervousness was making me so anxious I couldn't even sleep. I feel better about his nerves, but now I share in his nerves. I need to pull down a full time position or find another part time one that won't interfere with my job at the bank. Regardless, I need to bring home a little more than I am now. We know that money isn't everything in life and that we have more than many, but we do not want to be factioned in to the high population of marriages that divorce or have major fights due to income. We never fight as it is, and when times are tough we always make it work, but it wears you out double checking you've remembered all the bills and hoping you still have enough to buy groceries. I know we'll be back in our safety net before too long, but until then pinching pennies it is. We always come out stronger after the storm, though this isn't a storm, it is just covering all of our bases. We just want to be prepared in all aspects.

Well, I think that covers this topic for the day.

XoXo,

Tia

Hot Male Nurse Calendar

January- ER nurse

February- cardiac (gotta watch that heart!)

March- med surge

April- pediatric

May- icu nurse

June- OR nurse

July- executive nurse/ DON

August- OB

September- field nurse

October- psych nurse

November- clinical

December- all together and flight nurse

January- ER Nurse- ambu bag, scope, hallway

February- cardiac nurse- red scope, red scrub bottoms, red head wrap, white shoes, dyno map behind

March- med surge nurse- seal blue scrubs, tan, feet propped on desk

April- pediatric nurse- red bottoms, white jacket with kid band aids and teddy bear, no top

May- icu nurse- vent tube wrapped around neck resting on shoulders, surg green scrubs

June- OR nurse- scrub blue, mask, open shirt

July- DON- cherry desk, scope, slacks, tie, nothing else

August- OB- lady with legs up, guy between her smiling

September- field nurse- hot car, any color scrubs, leaned back, stomach showing, bag on car

October- Psych nurse- asylum white, 4 points hanging off one hand

November- clinical nurse- white coat, open, black scrub pants, clip board

December- all and flight nurse- all others in red and green flight in jump suit half way open with helmet with chopper in background 

My Other Half

Strong and steady presence

Knowing nothing of fear

Easy going attitude

And flawless personality

No, I'm not talking about me

He's my other half,

My better half.

Just by being around

He makes me better

He calms all my fears

And knows all my secrets.

He's my other half,

My better half.

He doesn't know what he does to me,

That when I'm quiet,

I'm happy and peaceful.

He makes me at ease.

He's my other half,

My better half.

He understands my quirks,

And listens when I can't talk.

He holds me up

When I want to fall.

He's my other half,

My better half.

He loves me through and through

Even on my worse days

He doesn't mind when my cold feet

Find his warm legs late at night. 

He's my other half,

My better half.

And when I just need to cry,

He's there too,

Telling me everything will be okay,

Somehow, someway.

He's my other half, 

My better half.

He never questions my beliefs,

But challenges my opinion.

He's changed me for the better,

Never giving up on me.

He's always been my other half,

He'll always be my better half.

XoXo,

Tia

Wedding, job, and money. What do they have in common? STRESS

Dorm roll please...........the wedding date is September 20, 2014 at Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton, GA at 5:00 pm! Our colors are white, black, deep red, and silver. Our flower girls are my nieces Anna Grace and Allie and our honorary groomsmen are my nephews Caden and Maddox. The only way I convinced my nephew, Maddox, (he's 5) was by telling him that we have these magical sunglasses that if he puts them on he'll be invisible and no one will see him walk down the aisle. He's pretty shy in large crowds. Caden and Maddox are going to walk down the aisle wearing sunglasses with signs that say,"Uncle Chris" "here comes your girl." They're going to be ADORABLE! My dress is gorgeous and my hair dresser and I are already talking about hair ideas. Everything is going well, except, everything is so dang expensive. With me only working part time and with Chris no longer traveling for work he took a LARGE pay cut, so it's quite a stressful time. The bills are hard enough, then you add on the price of a wedding. Woah. It makes my blood pressure go up just thinking about it today. Chris got hired for a second job today, and I am looking for a second job. With me finding a second job however, I have to let my current job know so there isn't a "conflict of interest." If I found another full time job, I wouldn't be opposed to taking it because I need the hours, the stability of 40 hours, and the benefits. If I could find any way to make some extra money, I would be down for it. I just don't know what to do. I'm glad I have an outlet of writing to express my stress. I just wish I knew what to do. I've prayed and have had others pray, but I still feel unresolved. I'm excited to be marrying my best friend, but it is giving me extreme anxiety planning and paying for everything. I have to have some sort of change, so we can begin saving money. Chris's second job is PRN, which means, "as needed." I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I have to do something. I always feel like I have an elephant sitting on my chest and butterflies in my belly. The more I think about it, the worse I feel. If I had a full time job i would feel so much better. I think this is what I have to do. It will make everything so much easier, where to look? I'm sorry to bellyache about this, when I know so many people have it worse, but this is my current situation, it is the only thing on my mind. I can't even have normal conversations without the anxiety creeping into my mind. 

Alright, that's it for now, but before I sign off, I'm just going to ask you to pray for me, or send me good thoughts and vibes. I need all that I can get.

Goodnight.

XoXo,

Tia 

New Year New Me

I have never made a New Year's Resolution, and I don't consider this one, but I am creating a food/weight log. I am going to track my weight everyday and slowly change my exercise and diet regiment. I figure this will aid in keeping weight off of me. If I try to lose a lot all at once, I'll just gain it back, and then some. I'm going to blog about my journey of getting fit, so I can come back and see my transformation. I will never post my exact weight, but instead I'll tell how much I lose. I'll tell what I've seen is working best for me, what isn't working, what exercises I perform and how my body does with them. I'm going to write about my endurance level and how it increases. I am going to change everything, and I think keeping this blog will help me.
 My friend, Lauren, has introduced me to the Paleo diet, and it's where you don't eat dairy or bread. I believe I could do that. So that is what I am going to start with. I am going to post a link to it at the bottom. The Paleo diet is basically taking your diet back to hunter and gatherer days. More proteins, fruits, vegetables, and Omega-3s and less starch, sugar, legumes, etc...

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

XoXo,
Tia