gardening • On A Personal Note • yard • June 7, 2020

LESSONS LEARNED IN THE GARDEN

by Shelly Mathie

I have learned many lessons in my garden over the years. Let me share a few.

Pruning is necessary for growth. I will never forget the first time I had someone come and prune our apricot tree when we lived in California. He came while I was at work and when I got home, I rushed out to the yard to check it out. I was devastated by what little remained of my beautiful tree-it felt like there was only the trunk left. My husband assured me that the pruner knew what he was doing and to be patient. Fast forward a few months and we were harvesting apricots the size of peaches! It was the best fruit we had ever gotten. We too must sometimes endure “pruning”. Initially it may feel like we have been crushed and will not recover. Almost without exception however, we rise more beautiful, stronger, and more determined than ever!

We need to find our “right place”. I planted a small Japanese Maple tree shortly after we moved into our current house 18 years ago. It was battered by strong winds and over time I nearly lost it. I trimmed the dead wood out and thought it was just in shock and would make a comeback. I was about to throw it out when the thought came to me to plant it in a more sheltered location. It struggled for a few more years, and I pruned it again and again. This year it is vibrant and beautiful! I just had to find the “right place” so it could really grow! We too need to find our “right place” where we can flourish. I would love to be able to sing beautifully, but this is not for me! I excel in the kitchen and the garden and love to create an inviting home – this seems to be my “right place”. I have learned to try new things, but not to focus on those things that do not come naturally to me.

Consistency brings beautiful results. I “walk the yard” every morning to cool down after my time in the sauna. I look for weeds, dead-head flowers, and remove anything that doesn’t look right. This allows me to spend 30-45 minutes each day beautifying my yard. It looks good throughout the growing season. I also use this time to reflect on the day ahead. What do I want to accomplish? Who do I need to call? What is the top priority? Having this time in the morning sets the mode for a consistently productive day.

Don’t allow the undesirable to take root. Occasionally, in spite of my daily walks in the yard, I miss a weed. By the time I notice it, it has taken root and requires a small shovel if I have any hope of getting the root. When I get them early, a small tug removes the weed root and all. This is like our own lives. If we are not constantly evaluating how we spend our time, what our priorities are, if activities are helping us to become better – we may allow things that are not serving us well to take “root”. Once we develop a bad habit, it is much harder to remove it from our lives.

Plan ahead. Before I planted anything in my yard, I had to remove most of what was already there. Then I had a landscaper draw up my plans, and only then, did I begin to plant beautiful things to my heart’s content. I learned in my yard in California that when you don’t have a plan for the whole yard, you end up digging things out as your vision expands. Doing it that way wastes a lot of time and money! Ask yourself where you want to be a year from now and formulate a plan to get there! Planning ahead is my key to success in every area of my life.

Patience is worth developing. Just as I was patient with my Japanese Maple and finally have a great result, gardening takes lots of patience. I always cut things back and wait to see what happens before I tear something completely out. Planting a seed requires patience as we wait for the first signs of life. This is a particularly hard lesson for me. Ask me when I want something and the answer is always, “Yesterday”. Learning to be patient with myself is definitely one of my greatest challenges, but my garden is a constant reminder of patience paying off and such a great life lesson.

Re-evaluate! I often sit in different locations in my yard and just take it all in. I evaluate what I like, what doesn’t quite look right, what needs to be added or removed to make things look better. Our lives are much the same. We head off in a direction, pursuing something new, and sometimes it just doesn’t feel right. Often it is necessary to adjust our pursuits for something better. Don’t hesitate to rip something out of your life if it is overtaking every other good thing in your life. Always choose the best and most rewarding things to pursue!

I hope you will use your time to “find your place”. Choose the best things that bring you joy! Be consistent and don’t sweat the “pruning” that is sure to come. It always brings out the best in you! I am so grateful for each one of you and the way you bring joy and happiness to my life! Thank you for being a part of my life!

chicken • main dish • pasta • recipes • soup • April 13, 2020

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup

by Shelly Mathie

INGREDIENTS:

8 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ cups medium yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
4 teaspoons minced garlic
6-8 mushrooms, diced
9 tablespoons flour
3 cup cold whole milk or half and half (I usually just use milk)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons salt-free seasoning blend (Mrs. Dash)
2 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1 ½ cups frozen corn
2 large or 3 medium diced potatoes
2 cups shredded white cheddar
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked to package directions

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute them for 5-7 minutes or until they begin to brown slightly. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat everything; let cook about 1 minute.

2. Add the cold milk and 5-6 cups of chicken broth while you whisk. This will help prevent any lumps. Allow the soup to reach a gentle simmer and start to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Add the seasoning blend, shredded chicken, peas, cooked potatoes, and corn and season with salt and pepper.

3. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer – do not allow it to boil. Cover, and reduce the heat to just above low and let simmer gently for 12-15 minutes.

4. Remove the lid, stir in the cheese one handful at a time and allow each handful to melt in before adding the next. May add additional salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked egg noodles into the soup. Thin the soup with additional broth to desired consistency. You may need additional broth when reheating leftovers.

Notes: I have modified this recipe from this link on my Pinterest board: https://littlespicejar.com/chicken-pot-pie-soup/

My husband thinks chicken pot pie must contain potatoes and I found it was much too thick for our liking, so I adjusted the recipe to suit our addition of potatoes. If soup is too thick, add the additional cup of chicken broth. It is SO good and very filling! Great leftovers too!

family • On A Personal Note • March 26, 2020

Fear is a Liar!

by Shelly Mathie

Likely my longest post ever. I rarely do religious posts, but in a time of such uncertaintly, feel it might be appropriate. If religion is not your thing, feel free to move on. My faith is such a part of who I am there is no avoiding it…..

In November my ex-daughter-in-law was charged with felony child abandonment. See that story here:

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3914943809124306231#editor/target=post;postID=4139826643076868737

We have been navigating the child protective services for over 8 years. It has not been pretty! The state of Utah worries more about parental right than what is best for a child. In light of our previous experience and the past 12-18 months of worsening conditions while at mom’s house, we were gravely concerned about the outcome.

Just before Christmas, we were scheduled to return to court on the 23rd of December, to see if we could obtain an extension on our Child Protective Order. The guardian ad litem had met with my son and his daughters early in December and Jonathon had been told we would likely NOT receive an extension. This was a terrifying outcome to consider.

On Tuesday, prior to the Monday of our court appearance, I became completely paralyzed with fear. Fear that we would not be able to continue to keep the girls safe. I spent the entire day crying off and on. I prayed for peace, for the ability to have the faith that God was in control and that He would bless us in our efforts to protect the girls. I even reminded myself of all of the miracles we have experienced in the lives of Izze and Madde. It was not enough. I felt like I was drowning. I literally felt I could not even breathe.

Wednesday morning, I did something I had never done before. My husband had been gone for nearly 2 weeks for work, and so I called my older brother. I asked him if he could give me a priesthood blessing. (For those not of my faith, the priesthood is given to worthy males, and is the power to act for God in providing blessings, both for healing and peace of mind). I knew from my previous experience with an ocassional blessing, that there is great comfort and peace that comes from these blessings.

We met at my dad’s home. Both my brother and my dad participated in the blessing. The minute their hands were placed on my head, I felt the literal power of God. My brother was slow to pronounce the blessing, listening for the things God would have him say. I immediately began to feel the peace and love from my Heavenly Father. I didn’t understand the how, but I knew without a doubt, that everything would be okay. That was critical for me. The peace continued to settle my heart and I slept well that night for the first time in weeks. This experience also allowed me to provide comfort for my son when he had a similar “fear” experience the night before court.

As you may know, from this post:

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3914943809124306231#editor/target=post;postID=7959870266506445692

We did get our miracle and Jonathon was awarded full- custody of the girls.

Sorry not everyone has a cute little man to put a smile on their face

I share this today, because I think there are many who are drowning in fear at this unprecedented time in our history. The virus threatens everything we hold dear. There are many lessons I am learning during this time that build on my previous experience with fear.

First, I believe that fear is one of Satan’s greatest tools, When he can create an atmosphere of fear, we become vulnerable to our very core. We might begin to doubt all that we believe to be true. I know that we are all chidren of God, and as such have faith that He has this. One of the things that I do that creates fear for myself, is I try to figure out HOW God will “fix” situations beyond my control. The trouble with that is that we can’t begin to think like Him and understand that His ways are not our ways. He is God and is capable of the very miracles we need.

Second, I believe that sometimes He allows things to happen with the hope that we will turn to Him. That we will understand that we are not in control, that we are dependent on Him for the very breath that we breathe.

Third, life has taught me that when we constantly strive to come from a place of gratitude, we will see more fully how Heavenly Father is blessing us, even in times that the specific answer we are seeking is not yet coming. Coming from a place of gratitude allows us to feel at peace in turbulent times. For over a year, I used a gratitude journal that I kept by my bed and wrote three things I was grateful for before going to bed each night. It was wonderfully therapeutic and now I automatically think of my day with gratitude each night.

Fourth, I have found that in times of crisis, we often re-evaluate what is most important to us. I am using this time of isloation to reflect on many things, including what is most important, how can I improve my family relationships, how can I be even better prepared in the future, and making lots of phone calls to check on how my amazing clients are holding up.

Built a fort – great stress reliever!

Fifth, I am having to think outside the box. I am a believer in hugs and the ability of a hug to heal our hearts in times of trouble. Obviously with social distancing in place we cannot do that. I have been baking and leaving little bags of cookies on my neighbor’s steps, heart attacking doors with messages of hope (if you are not familiar with this, it is simply taping hearts on someone’s door expressing your love for them), texting, phone calling, and sending hand-written cards. There are many things we can do to lift those around us. The best part of this “service” to our neighbors is that it lifts us too!

Sixth, always look for the silver lining. In the midst of any trial, there is always a blessing. Something we learn that helps us to handle life’s experiences in the future and sometimes we are blessed to see the silver lining in the very moment we are hit with turbulence. The faster we can get our mind to look for the good, the sooner we will be able to manage our mood and our response to our troubles.

Seventh, I personally find it helpful to stay with my daily routines as much as possible. I still get up every morning at 6 and sauna (I have one in my garage, so I am still social distancing), I shower and do my hair and make-up because it makes me feel better, I make my bed every day, and make sure the house is picked up: I find it impossible to work in chaos. I listen to uplifting music to help offset the possiblity of a negative mind set each day. I promise, it works wonderfully!

Eighth, I schedule something productive every single day! Accomplishing something is always a mood lifter for me. I have been organizing/cleaning out drawers and closets. Sometimes I work on something for my clients, collectively or individually. Sometimes, it is spending quality time with my grandkids. Sometimes it is experimenting with a new recipe.

Ninth, I pray. I can’t think of anything better to do in a time of crisis than pour my heart out to my Heavenly Father, who knows me better than I know myself, and who has all power to save us. I have been doing fairly well throughout isolation, but was totally alone yesterday with my husband working out of town and my grandkids spending the day with the nanny, and have to confess that I was a bit fearful when going to bed. Being able to express my feelings to God allowed me to sleep well and wake up feeling refreshed and in a much better head space. It’s not a hard thing to do, and let’s face it, He already knows how you are feeling anyone. Pray for yourself, for our leaders, for our medical staff, for your neighbors, for those suffering from the effects of the virus, for those who continue to work, putting themselves at risk for you, for the elderly, for our country…..the list is endless.

Tenth, I am reminded that we are all equal. The virus is affecting everyone regardless of social status, acquired wealth, sexuality – the list goes on and on. We are all at risk. We are all in this together. The way I use my agency to respond affects those around me. I am reminded that my actions have consequences. We must think of the greater good above our own needs and desires at this critical time. I want to do my part.

“Faith does not mean trusting God to stop the storm, but trusting Him to strengthen us as we walk through the storm.”

I had a sign made for my office that says, “Fear is a liar” to remind me that there is always hope. Satan strips us of hope so he can have us doubt God’s plan for us. The absence of hope is paralyzing. It is darkness. It is a time of deep despair. When we can exercise our faith in a higher power, God, we can overcome that darkness. God is light. He is hope. He is peace. He is perfect. He understands where we are and what we can become. He will teach us things through our trials we would not be able to learn any other way. Trials make many of us humble. Being humble makes us teachable. God is the maker and giver of miracles. He knows all things. He will conquer all in His time. We must have faith to survive the coming days. Do NOT let despair last when it comes – and it likely will touch all of us in some way. It is okay to acknowledge that this is frightening, but don’t drown in it, don’t dwell in the fear. Look to Him and the promise that all will be well.

We don’t always get to control what is happening around us, but we ALWAYS get to control how we respond to our situation. Think on that! Figure out how to keep your light on. How to keep a cheerful disposition. How to lift those around you. We are in this together and together we will get though this!

May love and kindness abound everywhere! And may God bless us all!

My favorite picture of Christ with arms outstretched.

breakfast • eggs • recipes • March 25, 2020

Mountain Man Breakfast Burrito

by Shelly Mathie

My husband was asked to make this for our church Christmas Party and it was a hit! Thought some of you might like a change for breakfast with everyone being at home right now due to the COVID 19 virus!

12 eggs
1 cup milk
8 oz diced ham
4 oz real bacon bits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese
24 oz bag frozen hash browns

Instructions:

1. Brown hash browns in a large skillet

2. Mix eggs and milk

3. Pour egg/milk mixture into skillet

4. Add diced ham and bacon bits

5. Stir continuously until eggs are cooked

6. Add cheese on top until melted

7. Heat the tortillas, fill with egg mixture, and eat up!

Really delicious and very filling!

adopted • family • On A Personal Note • March 18, 2020

SO Grateful – We Have Our Miracle!

by Shelly Mathie

I am sitting here with tears running down my face! I am SO grateful today! Jonathon has received full custody of his girls today! If you have ever been involved in the “system” you will understand that this is a complete miracle.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to the many of you that have been joining us in prayer! We know the power of united prayer and know that God has had in his hand in these girls’ lives.

With all that has been going on these past few weeks, Corona Virus, today earthquakes, and me getting hit by another car after checking on my parent’s home this morning, the range of emotions today has been from one extreme to another! Overall, everything pales in comparison to this miracle. Nine years of fighting the sytem and all is well now.

Seriously grateful for God’s blessings, for the blessing of good family and friends. We love you and hope that you can feel how immensly thankful we are for each of you reading this! Peace be still and may God bless us all!

family • On A Personal Note • March 14, 2020

THE ENTIRE LIST OF EDUCATION COMPANIES OFFERING FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSINGS

by Shelly Mathie

I have never shared someone else’s blogpost on my blog before, but with schools closing around the states, I hoped it would be a helpful resource to all those moms needing to home-school for a bit.

I am sincerely hoping that we will use this time to refocus on family and those things that are most important. Let us live with a spirit of helping one another and avoid the fear mentality that tends to surround crisis. We will all get through this, some allowing fear to shut them down, while others will thrive as they look for the silver lining of opportunity that awaits us. Read, play games, work puzzles, get outside, nurture your children every way you can think of! SO many online resources at our disposal. May God bless us with a spirit of gratitude and love at this difficult time.

http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=7371536367&blog=4022794&frame_type=none

recipes • soup • veggies • March 7, 2020

The Best Potato Soup

by Shelly Mathie

5 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons (reserved) bacon grease or butter
1 cup diced white or yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 cups milk, warmed
1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream

Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Transfer the bacon to a separate plate using a slotted spoon, reserving about 3 T in your stockpot (or you may substitute butter for the bacon grease).

Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Stir in the garlic and stir for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir the flour into the mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the stock until combined using a wire whisk. Then add the milk and potatoes.

Continue cooking until the mixture just reaches a simmer, before it begins to boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, being sure to stir the soup every few minutes so that the bottom does not burn. (The smaller you dice your potatoes, the faster your soup will cook.)

Once the potatoes are nice and soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper and cooked bacon bits. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve warm, garnished with desired toppings. Or, transfer to a sealed contrainer and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

NOTES: Don’t skip the green onion, bacon and cheese garnish – it is delicious! I usually double this so we have plenty of leftovers.

real estate • March 3, 2020

Reverse Mortgage

by Shelly Mathie

Are you worried about your retirement?

I recently attended a class about Reverse Mortgages and it was eye-opening to say the least! In the past, Reverse Mortgages were not the best option long term. A couple of years ago the regulations were changed and it is now a very good option for those over age 62. I will not attempt to explain HOW they work, but the flier below should be helpful in allowing you to get the gist of it.

I actually had a client of mine call me about doing a Reverse Mortgage last year and immediately refered them to my lender. My client had already spoken to someone and found the fees charged to obtain the RM were very steep. Keith and Melanie Swenson with Security Home Mortgage assisted my client with their RM instead and saved them thousands of dollars, In that particular situation, my client was in his 70’s and had a pretty steep mortgage payment, with a HELOC (second mortgage) on their home as well. Their home now essentially acts as their bank and provides “income” (no house payment) saving them thousands every month. Because of the way the loans are now structured, families no longer have to worry about being under water after parents with a RM have passed away. If you or a family member is worried about your retirement being sufficient to sustain you, please reach out to my lender and see if a Reverse Mortgage would be a good fit for you!

chicken • main dish • recipes • January 27, 2020

Smothered Cheesy Sour Cream Chicken

by Shelly Mathie

4 chicken breasts
4 slices mozzarella
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated, divided
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
Parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat rectangular baking dish with a little olive oil.

Mix sour cream with a half cup of Parmesan, salt and pepper, oregano and basil, garlic powder and cornstarch together.

Lay your chicken breasts in baking dish, top each with a slice of mozzarella and smother the chicken with the sour cream mixture. Top with 1/4 cup remaining Parmesan.

Cook for 1 hour.

Serve chicken over rice. Top with chopped parsley for garnish.

Tried this last night from my Pinterest Board. It can be found here:

https://www.adishofdailylife.com/2018/06/smothered-cheesy-sour-cream-chicken/

NOTES: I doubled the sauce – the chicken breasts were large and I would definitely cut them in half before baking if I did it again. We served with thick egg noodles and a fresh green salad.

family • On A Personal Note • January 1, 2020

Prayers Greatly Appreciated

by Shelly Mathie

Since this has hit the newspapers I guess it is okay to share a small part of our story with you. I have been afraid to say anything at all.

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2019/12/10/21005176/orem-mom-was-too-drunk-to-care-for-kids-police-say

This story is not entirely correct, but gives enough detail for you to realize the hell we have been going through this past year. This is not the kind of thing you mention in casual conversation. If you have not been through the child protection services, you have NO idea of what we are facing. Parental right laws in Utah favor BOTH parents to have access to their children and proving that a parent is detrimental to her children is nearly impossible.

I honestly don’t know how Izze had the courage to take her sister and go to a neighbor’s house for help, but we are SO thankful she did. We currently have a Protective Order in place, but face a future court date for a Change in Custody order. This would make the situation permanent unless some pretty huge hurdles are overcome by “mom”. Termination of her parental rights is what we are really seeking.

I cannot even begin to tell you about the sleepless nights when they have to go to “mom’s” house, the overwhelming, paralyzing fear that you are powerless to keep your grandkids safe, the fear of returning to that home that the girls express….. (and yet the law requires that we send them anyway). It is heartbreaking! Try looking your own child in the eyes and tell them you cannot keep them safe. I can’t think of anything bigger to put a permanent hole in your heart.

One of the big lessons I have learned this year is that I don’t have to shoulder everything by myself. I am not very good at asking for help EVER! But this situation is SO critical to the safety of my grandkids, that I am asking for those that are willing to pray that we will be able to keep the girls safe forever…. I could write about this situation for hours, but my intent is not to make “mom” look bad, but to ensure the safety of the girls.

I am sure many will “judge” us, but trust me when I say you have NO clue as to the hurdles we have faced while trying to protect them. You don’t have to understand everything to know that their safety is our only concern. PLEASE pray for Izze and Madde and their parents. Our very souls are exhausted and we need your faith and strength to get us through this.

Thank you in advance. Also, hugs appreciated if you see me….

LESSONS LEARNED IN THE GARDEN

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Fear is a Liar!

Mountain Man Breakfast Burrito

SO Grateful – We Have Our Miracle!

THE ENTIRE LIST OF EDUCATION COMPANIES OFFERING FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSINGS

The Best Potato Soup

Reverse Mortgage

Smothered Cheesy Sour Cream Chicken

Instructions

Prayers Greatly Appreciated

Home

Properties

About Me

Blog

Neighborhood News