I'm A Negative Beech

I am a complainer.  I know this about myself.  I'm especially horrible when I am tired...which is a lot. The temperature, kids, cooking, cleaning, traffic, what evs, I complain about it all.  Well, I have decided that I want to change, that I want to be better and more positive.  This week I am challenging myself to be positive and to not complain.  I'm sure that it will be difficult at first, but I'm hoping that by the end of the week, I'll be awesome...er than I already am ;)  I thought it would be fun if we all did the challenge together!! Super fun, right?!

Personality Challenge: Be Positive

• No complaining
• One week
• That's it

I'll post updates on the blog's FB page and I will also report back after the week is up.  Feel free to do the same.  :)

Recipe: Tropical Quinoa Chicken Salad

This is an easy meal that uses ingredients I commonly have around the house. I invented it one day when my fridge was empty and so was my belly. Hope you like it!!

When I was working full time, I rarely used the crockpot but have been using it more frequently now that I am home. I like using the crockpot for this recipe because I can start the chicken at lunch time and then work on it during nap time. I also like to shred the chicken vs cube it because I think it works better with the quinoa. You, however, can cook and prepare your chicken however you darn well please.

I cook my quinoa in the rice cooker and use only 1.25 cups of liquid per the 1.5 cups of dry quinoa because soggy quinoa is no bueno. To sweeten the quinoa and to give it more of a tropical taste, you can substitute coconut milk for some of the water. When I have it on hand, I use about .5 cup coconut milk and .75 cup water.

When draining the pineapple and oranges, I leave the tiniest bit of juice in the can to mix in with the salad. Make sure you fold the oranges in gently after everything else is mixed in or else you will end up with mangled oranges...like mine. When I am feeling ambitious, I toast coconut flakes in the oven to sprinkle over the top (didn't happen last night).  

Yum!

Tropical Quinoa Chicken Salad

2 Cups cooked chicken, shredded

1 1/2 Cups dry quinoa, cooked

1/2 Cup coconut milk (optional)

2 Cups grapes, halved

2 Cans pineapple, drained

1/2 Cup poppyseed dressing

2 Cans mandarin oranges, drained

Possible delicious add ins:

Toasted coconut flakes

Red bell pepper, chopped

Chives, chopped

Sliced almonds

Let me know what you think, especially if you try a variation. I'll also keep you posted with any variations that I try. 

Update on 10/19/2013

I added a red bell pepper and it was AWESOME! Highly recommended. 

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Book Review: Earth Unaware

Hello, blog followers!! I have a book review for you. :)

Earth Unaware (The First Formic War, #1)

By: Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston

***** 5/5 stars! I really like the Ender books and have read most of them. This series takes us back and sets the scene for the original Ender's Game book(s). We knew that there was a First Formic War and the preparation for the Second Formic War is the setting to Ender's Game, but we really didn't know much about that first war. This book allows a look into some of the technology of the time, where humans were with space travel, as well as a limited view of the mind set of the time.

I really like the characters. I like the amount of characters and how we see them through to the end. I think the characters are very three dimensional and relatable. One of my favorite scenes is between Rena and Segundo. The thoughts, love, and tenderness shared really touched me and brought to mind the relationship I have with my wonderful husband. 

I like this book and the smaller stories put together that make it up, but note that this whole book is really only a set up to the actual war. I will be reading the next installment, Earth Afire, soon and will let you know what I think.

Decisions, Decisions

The moment you realize that both pairs of yoga pants are in the laundry and you have to decide between putting real pants on or keeping the blinds closed. Yesterday my blinds were open, today, closed. Let's just hope I do some laundry before tomorrow. 

I have decided to really get my blog going. I wrote a few posts a few years ago, but plan on writing more frequently now.

Please ignore my horrible grammar. I'm pretty sure it gets worse each day. Also, you may want to check out my Preface and Prolog post.  

House Business

Yes, I realize it has been months since I have posted anything on my blog and to my hand full of followers, too bad. Turns out I don't have a lot of time to compute.

We have been looking at houses for a while and have put in offers on a few short sales with nothing coming through. It is very stressful and while it started out fun and exciting, is now just frustrating. I think we have finally found the house we are going to buy. It is in Foxboro in NSL. We are in the middle of the offer/counteroffer stage but I think it will all work out. This house happens to be located in my sister's old ward.

This next Saturday we are moving in to Mark's parent's basement until we have a house to move in to. The drive to work is going to be horrible. I hope we get a house soon.

Today's Bath

Mark was giving the baby a bath today in between conference sessions. Right at the beginning he called in to me and asked if I could watch the baby because as he was bringing the baby to the bath, the baby peed and Mark needed to clean it up. While I was keeping an eye on the baby, he was making serious business face. I told Mark that the baby was going to poop and said that the baby knew better than to poop in his tub. I came back to checking FB when Mark calls out that the baby pooped in his tub and that he needed help. Mark pulled the baby out of the tub and held him over the other side of the sink while I dumped the poopy water down the main sink. Our kitchen sink was full of poop water. So gross. I had to clean the baby tub, the sink, and Mark had to rebath the baby. We ended up missing the first 30 minutes of the last session of General Conference because of this fiasco. It was funny but horribly gross.
This was one of his first baths at home and in the same sink tub.