Don't Blink, Life Goes Faster Than You Think.

This recipe was adapted by the one in Rachael Ray's cookbook. Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 6 carrots 6 celery stocks 3 cans of chicken broth 1 small onion 2-3 cloves of garlic 2-3 Tbs flour Jiffy mix 2 teaspoons of olive oil (separated in half) Directions: Scrape carrots & then slice. Cut tops off of celery & slice. Combine carrots & celery & set aside in a bowel. Chop onions. Heat a large frying pain on low to medium heat & sauté onions until translucent. Peel garlic clove & chop. Add garlic to onion & cook for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn garlic. Clean chicken breast & pat dry. Cut chicken into cubes & place in a plastic bag. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to bag. Add a few dashes of salt & pepper to the bag. Shake chicken in bag, making sure that each chicken cube in coated with flour. Add chicken to the onion & garlic in the pan & brown. Once chicken is brown, remove the chicken from heat...

Yes, it is groundhog day at my house once again. If you follow my blog, you know about the ordeal that I went through last summer with my mom. Well last Friday at about 2:45 am my mom took a dive down our stairs causing her to break her wrist & arm. She is having surgery today & will go to rehab for some time. After that, I am not sure what will happen. I'm not sure I can put myself through the chances of her falling again. I have been in contact with some folks about assisted living. The madness just never ends!

How does that old Barry Manilow song go? "I've been up, down, trying to get that feeling again." I've been trying to get that feeling of my childhood back. Those were the days of no stress or worries. Or, when I first got married & we went on our honeymoon. I had a feeling of eternal happiness. Well, I have been trying so hard to get those feelings back. There have been days when I have caught glimpses of it but it runs away so fast. My question is, how do I keep that feeling?

For years I have tried different ways to make homemade pizza sauce. I think I finally found what I was looking for. Homemade Pizza Sauce Ingredients: Three cans of tomato paste (6 oz can) One can of tomato sauce (15 oz can) Half cup of chopped onion Three cloves of garlic (chopped) 2 teaspoons of olive oil 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar Dry oregano- a few generous shakes (alternative to use is pizza seasoning). In a sauce pan add 3 cans of tomato paste & tomato sauce, cook on low heat. Add onions, garlic, olive oil, sugar & oregano. Continue to cook for about 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. ENJOY!

How do you know when you are making the right decisions? I am looking for any input from those who have been through the process of caring for an elderly parent. I am a 40 something woman caring for my 84 year old mother, in addition to my two beautiful children ages 11 & 9. This confirms I am the sandwiched generation. Over the past year, my husband & I have been faced with many decisions regarding my mother's care. Last fall, I made the decision to place her in assisted living. It was not an easy decision, however it was the decision that I made. During her stay, all mom did was cry & say she couldn't stay there. We came to a compromise that we would build a bigger house & she would live with us. That is when the search for a lot began & through the grace of God, we found the perfect place to meet our wants & needs. In the interim, we moved my mother from assisted living to save on expenses. The living arrangements have been very tight in a tiny...