Good people :)

So, I'm really cold today.  And its a good thing because I got to wear my peacoat for the first time (outside of showing my friend Katie) and I just love it.

Aside from that, I just read an article about how women can't get pregnant from a "legitimate rape".  Whatever that means.....I'm all for prolife and everything, but I think that statement was ludicrous.  Seriously.  This is the article I read.  I love that Tina Fey said, "Now I can't even finish this sentence without getting dumber; it's making me dumber when I say it--but it's something about the body not being able to get pregnant when it's under physical stress. Mr. Akin, I think you are confusing the phrase 'legitimate rape' with the phrase 'competitive gymnastics.'"  She is one of the funniest women around.  But really?  I agree with her about how stupid his statement was.

Another thing...I am really lucky to have people that are awesome as my friends.  I got treats and a cd from a great friend last night and it made my morning routine way good today.  Another friend went to Taco Bell with me and watched Modern Family.  And then another friend brought me a Coke and helped me feel better.  And then I ate my very own homemade snickers with another friend and life seemed pretty awesome.  Another friend laughed at my inappropriate joke in class.  The teacher said, "There is One that nobody can hide their actions from, no matter how hard they try."  I whispered to myself, and my friend heard me, "Santa!!!"  HAHA.  Silly, silly.  Not to mention inappropriate.  But it was funny.  Another friend texted me out of the blue.  I'm pretty lucky with the friends that I have.  Thanks for being who you are.

Good people sometimes seem hard to find, but they are there.  I can feel it in my bones.

Anyway, I guess I better go turn the heater up :)

Bye.

ugh.

So...I'm not much in to politics.  I don't like when people argue or lie.  I have been watching debates and all the news that follows.  Its irritating to say the least.  I have come to the following conclusion:

If Nicki Minaj and Honey Boo Boo are for something, I am against it.


So.  I have sent in my absentee ballot (so convenient) and I feel good about it.

I almost didn't vote, but remembered something one of my professors taught me:

"Women fought so hard to vote.  If you don't vote, you are not respecting the women who fought for you to have equal rights."

So, I am thankful for those women who gave me the chance to vote.  And for all the freedoms we have.  Mostly, I am thankful that I have never seen an episode of Honey Boo Boo and I will not ever be a Nicki Minaj fan.

Weird post, but I am hoping to still be friends with people who view things differently than I do :)


Anyway, vote if you can.  Or don't.  My friend always says, "If you don't vote, you lost the right to complain."  Please don't just vote so you can be a whiner...

Okay?

Okay.

And lets get down to serious business:  

I ordered my first real grown up coat!!!!  I got a mustard colored PEAcoat and can't wait for it to get here.  I've been rocking a $10 coat for the past four years.  It is red and a little bit thicker than a windbreaker.  I am so, so excited!!!!  I have always, forever wanted to have a peacoat and be like Ming, and now I am moving one step closer to being super cool like her.  YAY!

Happy Trails :)

Janalee 

Wasting Time

So...I made a huge mistake.

Huge.

I set up the converter box and antenna for my television so I could have something to watch besides DVDs.  That happened last night.  Thanks Ginger and Katie for the help :)  And random dude at Big Lots.

Once upon a time, I had the ability to prioritize things.  I would do crafts and clean while listening to music.  Now, I feel like I may never, ever, ever get another thing done.

I have 21 channels and I have learned the following in less that 15 hours:

• NPR has a tv station!!!
• There is a country music that plays only music videos!  Its like CMT in the 90s.  LOVE it.
• You no longer have to avoid putting up Halloween decor!  There are new ads for wall savers so none of your decorations "ruin your home".  "Want to have Halloween decorations, but don't want to ruin your walls?"  My question still remains, what kind of decorations are these people using??!??
•  CBS is not on my list...this saddened me at first, but then really encouraged me.  This way, I will not cheat and watch Survivor or The Amazing Race without my friend.  Well played.
• This election is super annoying.  Seriously.
• Watching other people cook is surprisingly interesting.
• Commercials are stupid.
• I cannot watch Dateline.  Or Revolution.  Or 48 hours.  Or Law and Order.  Or anything that could make me think someone is going to murder me tonight...
• Watching news in the morning and eating breakfast makes me feel like a real grownup. 
• I still hate Dancing With the Stars.
• The Voice...wow.  Christina Aguilera...You need to look at what you are wearing and think, "Does this leave ANYTHING to the imagination?  Gross.  Keep them in your shirt.

 So thus we see, Janalee's life has now been infiltrated and will be spent wasting time.  Wish me luck.
Oh!  Modern Family is already my favorite.  But if you think of other great shows, please let me know :)

Janalee

Common Sense and Compassion

Alright.

I hate the way some people talk.

The other night, someone said, "If you suffer from depression or anxiety..." and the dummy behind me said, "GET OVER IT."

It basically took all I had not to turn around and say, "Okay, Tom Cruise.  You are an idiot."  Or something meaner...okay...a LOT meaner.

Depression and anxiety are both real feelings and not really something to just get over.  I don't think its that easy.  Or that that is even a REAL option for some...

Sure, there are things we have to "get over" but someone who truly suffers from those things could have a medical condition, chemical imbalance, an abusive relationship, etc.

Maybe instead of being completely ignorant, you could be compassionate.  After all, isn't that what life is about.  Yeah, we all have crap to deal with.  But making it together is a lot easier than doing it alone.  Or so they say...

So, I guess what I mean is BE NICE.  Don't be a douche.  Nobody likes it when you act like that.

Goals For September...

August is over.  Well after today.

And I did really good with my goals except for that one really awful week I had where Coca-Cola was the only thing holding me together...

Anyway, there are more days with stars on my chart than without, so that is a positive thing.  I have noticed that I am super happy when I get to put stars on there, but really disappointed in myself when I can't.  Silly, I know.  So I probably should stop caring so much about that...

Now, on to September.  My goals for September will be in addition to my August goals.  Ugh.  If I can do them.  HAHA.  I'm going to be able to, I'm just tired so I am unsure.  September is going to be my Spirituality:  Contemplate the Heavens month.  And the goals are:

• Pray more.  Prayer is proven (did you read that study too?) to relieve stress and sadness and clear your mind.  Prayer will help me feel closer to God and hopefully help me be nicer than I am currently.  I do pray already...and I feel like it is important to be real with God, so I will continue focusing on that.
• Read scriptures more.  Reading about the life of Christ helps me be more believing.
• Keep a gratitude journal.  Henry B. Eyring said, “You could ask yourself, 'How did God Bless me today?' If you do that long enough and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes you will have gifts brought to your mind which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know were a touch of God's hand in your life.” I'm hoping that by focusing on the positive things God has given me, it will help me be more thankful and hopeful.

So anyways...Happiness to all and to all a good night.

Janalee

Happiness

So my Happiness Project kinda hit the dust this week.  I'm starting back up tomorrow, but I had some stuff going on that required my attention much more than my quest for happiness.  And I actually can see a difference in myself when I am working toward happiness versus when I am in survival mode.

Basically, soda is my downfall.  I do good at the rest of them, but when I am stressed, soda is my go to friend.  I know that sounds ridiculous, but truly, it has helped me through the past 5 days.

And I'm hoping on Thursday, I can have enough energy to face the day on my own.

So anyways, the other things are going good still...just not soda.

So wish me luck with the next ten days.

Janalee

Necessarily Deliciousness

So...

I was just thinking about something that I am going to make for a friend of mine that helped me out this weekend.  She requested Chocolate Caramel Bars and I have been debating if I should share this recipe, or be a selfish hoarder and keep it to myself.  I decided it was really weird to be so protective and creepy to be so obsessed with a treat.  But really...I have problems letting my baby out into the world.  Here goes nothing.

But first, a little background for you.  I got this recipe when I was 19.  It was in...get this...The Essential Mormon Cookbook.  Cheesy as all get-out right?  I thought I would make them in the morning and then take them to class.  Then, because this was before everyone texted (makes me sound so old), my friend Kristi CALLED me.  People actually used to talk to each other on the phone!  Anyways...She was crying and said, "I'm not going anywhere today!"  I didn't go to class without her unless it was a life and death matter or if she promised we would go to Wendy's.  I'm a sucker.  I told her that I would come over and we could talk things over.

I got her a little plate of my newest found creation ready, and headed over.  I got there and she was just having lots of things go wrong.  Then I asked her, "What started all of this?  Why are you so sad?"  While I was asking her this, she took her first bite of a CCB.  She said, "Shut up.  Don't ask me anything.  Answer this:  Where did you buy these?"

I said, "Oh...I just made them this morning.  Why?  Are they gross?"

Side story:  I have this weird habit.  If I've never made it before I want people I love to try it first.  Not to torture them or anything.  Just a tradition, I suppose.

She said, "What are these?"

"They are called Chocolate Caramel Bars...for the Bishop.  Are they okay?"

"And YOU made these?"

"Yes.  Anyways, why are you having such a bad day today??"

Then it happened.  Honest to goodness.  She looked at me and smiled and said, "I can't even remember why I was having a bad day.  These are delicious!"

I said, "Holy crap...I gotta try one!"

"UH...NO!  This in MY plate.  Get your own!"

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

I took some later to my friend Dusty's house for his birthday.  His wife called me an hour later and said, "I ate most of those treats.  Can you give me the recipe so he doesn't know?"  HAHA

After that, I went home immediately and tried one.  The results are horrifyingly good.  Okay...maybe I"m over selling them.  But not really.  You know that quote "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"?  Well...I haven't made these in six months and I might die of happiness today just thinking of making them.

Weird.

Abnormal.

Obsessed.

So I took more over for his birthday and we ate and drank so much milk with them I thought I was going to be sick.  But it turns out, I was just sick about how much I love them.

I'm a freak.

So, here is a piece of my heart and soul.

Chocolate Caramel Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the crap out of a 9x13 pan.  
Brace yourself.

Mix in a medium bowl:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Smush (that's right) half of this sticky mixture into the 9x13 pan.  Throw or gently place in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Now for the caramel mix:

Melt together on LOW heat stirring constantly:  (Don't you dare let it sit, or it will burn and be gross and hard to clean.)
14 oz bag caramels, unwrapped (this part is super annoying, unwrap all of the caramels found in a 14 oz bag.  Don't eat them.  Just unwrap them.  Don't leave them wrapped.  If you do that I just don't know what to tell you.)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream  (if you are poor like I have been, milk is fine too.  It will be thinner, but its not a big deal.)

Once that is done melting, your sticky mix in the oven should be about ready to come out.  Take it out and pour caramel mix on top.  Then, sprinkle (that's right) a 12 oz bag of MILK chocolate chips over the caramel.  Finally, carefully place the rest of the sticky mix on top.  Throw it back in the oven, bake for another 10-15 minutes and relax.  You will need to let it cool for about 20 minutes unless you want to burn your tongue to the point of inhuman pain.

The final requirement is milk.  Delicious with the bars and makes you feel like at least you are getting your calcium in...

Or something like that.

I could eat the entire pan.  But instead, I like to think of who has been best to me recently and shower them with baked goods.

And like I said, I just might die of happiness thinking of them.

Happy trails to you.

Janalee