Easy BBQ Chicken Salad

I went to a friend's for dinner and she served me this yummy salad. So easy. Honestly, by the time you cook the chicken the salad will be done. 

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

BBQ sauce

1 bag of salad - your choice. 

1-2 chopped tomatoes 

1/4 or 1/2 cup chopped up purple onion

1 can of corn

Some tortilla strips

BBQ Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

3/4 cup ranch salad dressing

5 Ways To Be Married for 35 Years

I feel like I am ancient when I say I have been married for 35 years!  I feel like I am only 35!  This is a great stage in life........we are empty nesters!  Basically, except for my brother who lives with us.  How did we do it?  It wasn't luck, that's for sure.

1.  Keep your sense of humor!  That's the key!  Tough times will come to every marriage.  Marriage will become dull and boring.  Having humor will brighten the rough days.  Guaranteed.  This is a recent text I received from my husband.  It's a very big deal that he is texting.  He's not savvy like that. 

I am glad he knows that I like to have the last word!

      One of the funniest gifts I ever from my husband was at Valentine's Day.  I am not saying the sexiest, I mean the funniest!  He gave me a cute little bear from the Hallmark store.  It was wearing some sort of sweater.  As I was admiring the little stuffed bear, I kept wondering what kind of sweater was that bear wearing.  It had some orange and black markings on it.  During the evening I kept looking at the sweater and then it hit me.  That was a bat on the sweater.  This was a Halloween bear.  He bought of it off the clearance section at the Hallmark store!!!!  I don't think I ever laughed so hard.

2.  Do spiritual things together.  I think this is right up there at the top of the list.  As we add God into our lives, we add light.  It's that simple.  Negativity is washed away as we pray together.

He is really happy.  He's just trying to figure out how to take a selfie!

3.  Date each other.  A friend and her husband reserve every Friday night for dates!  It works for them.  Whether they go out to dinner, take a walk or watch the game on TV, they spend the time together.  Without any outsiders!  Plan what works for you on a calendar and stick to it!

4.  Money, money, money.  This is one of the biggest causes of contention in the home. My days of hiding bills are over!  Yup, I was one of those people.  Now I am the bill payer.  I have improved my skills over the years!  Get on the ball and get on the same page about money issues.  Have Dave Ramsey help you.  It works wonders. 

 

5.  Communication.  Sometimes it seems like husbands and wives speak entirely different languages.  Or no language at all.  Say what you mean.  Do you want to stop for a drink?  Say it, just don't assume he can read your mind when your traveling.  Be a content communicator.  Be precise.  Look at each other when you speak.  Some times I have to have my husband repeat what I said back to me so I know he was paying attention.  Learn good communication skills and don't just pretend you have them.  Also, criticism is not a communication style.  It destroys relationships.  Do your best to say things in a positive way. 

Marriages aren't going to be perfect.  There will be days or weeks or months that can be challenging.  Following these simple 5 steps can help you get over those hurdles!!  

Back to College at Any Age

            I have wanted a college education since I started having children.  Don’t get me wrong.  My lifelong dream has been to be a mother.  I was a mother to my own children.  I was a mother to foster babies.  I was a mother to children I worked with at school who didn’t have a mother of their own.  I am currently a “mother” to my disabled older brother.  I love the role of nurturing and teaching.  I love watching others grow. 

Eight gorgeous grandchildren

            I am at that stage in my life where my children have children of their own.  I have eight beautiful grandchildren.  Two baby girls were born just last year.  When my youngest daughter became a single mother, I had the blessing of having her and her gorgeous daughter moved back into our home for a few years.  Last year my daughter was encouraged by her older sister to come and live with them in Utah and attend college.  It’s been a year now since both my daughter and granddaughter have been gone.  I think my daughter described it best when she left by saying, “It feels like the band is breaking up.”  I have come to learn that, although, all my children and grandchildren live in Utah, the mothering doesn’t end.  As I was listening to the song, “Landslide” I was struck by the lyrics, “Well, I've been afraid of changing, 'cause I've built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting older too.”

            I have always been afraid of change.  I wanted to freeze each stage of my children’s life and not see it pass by. I wanted loved ones to live on earth forever. We haven’t moved out of our house in 28.5 years!  But change is not always a bad thing.  Changes bring new opportunities for growth and development. 

        

    I started my dream of a college education 
through the Pathways program.  It was a blessing to my life.  It brought confidence and excitement.  I started BYU-I as a Business major because that would support my career as an Administrative Assistant.  Then I realized two things.  One, is that I would probably be retired before I graduated; and two, I really don’t like Business.  So, I decided to study what I love. – Marriage and Family.  I love family.  I love being married. 

            My goal is to continue on this path and take as many classes as I can to reach my goal of graduation before I am old enough to retire!  One day I will be able to cross that goal off my bucket list.  Currently, I plan to volunteer in my community at the children’s home and at a shelter for birth mothers.  When my children were small we took in babies prior to adoption and birth mothers through LDS Family Services.  Each story was complex and compelling.  Any work that I could do as a career working in the capacity as a support for single mothers would be a dream job for me.  I have a strong desire to help, encourage and support mothers and children in whatever way that I can.  

          So go on. Sign up for some classes. The world is waiting for you!