River City Challenge 2012

We just got back from a nice weekend in Jacksonville, FL where my husband participated in a kayak race. We had a great time.  Here is the link to view the pics.  Enjoy!

https://picasaweb.google.com/maighunter/20120505122929?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKb0yNrz07qZ2AE&feat=directlink

Song of the moment "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz

Ahhhhh music.  I love music and how it makes me feel.  It's all about feeling.  Do you ever notice how a song can transport you in time and flood you with memories of a time, event or place in your past?  

Today I am sharing one of my new favorites by Jason Mraz.  Jason is known for his songwriting and this song moves me.  It's about not giving up on a relationship that means so much and if the relationship has to end then at least you tried. And in the process you learned more about yourself.  I have posted a link to his video from YouTube below.  I also posted a young and upcoming singer named Christina Grimmie singing his song too.  Wow, she blew my socks off!  

Enjoy

Lyrics

When I look into your eyes

It’s like watching the night sky

Or a beautiful sunrise

There’s so much they hold

Just like them old stars

I see that you’ve come so far

To be right where you are

How old is your soul?

I won’t give up on us

Even if the skies get rough

I’m giving you all my love

I’m still looking up

And when you’re needing space

To do some navigating

I’ll be here patiently waiting

To see what you find

‘Causeeven the stars they burn

Some evenfall to the earth

We got alot to learn

God knowswe’re worth it

No Iwon’t give up, no

I don’twant to be someone who walks away so easily

I’m hereto stay and make the difference that I can make

Ourdifferences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got,yeah, we got a lot at stake

And inthe end you’re still my friend

At leastwe did intend for us to work

We didn’tbreak

We didn’tburn

We had tolearn how to bend without the world caving in

I had tolearn what I got

And whatI’m not

And who Iam

I won’t give up on us

Even if the skies get rough

I’m giving you all my love

God knows we're worth it

Jason Mraz Video "I Won't Give Up"

Christina Grimmie Cover of Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up"

Recipe for Avocado-Feta-Shrimp Salsa

If you don't already know, you will quickly learn that I LOVE to cook!  All kinds of cuisines from all over the world.  I was taught how to cook Vietnamese food at a young age.  My mother, Mai Thi, is a fabulous cook and I give credit to her for teaching me at a young age.  From there, my interest grew and now I cook Korean, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, Panamanian, Cuban, Italian, Greek, Irish, Jewish and more!  I believe people are connected through culture and food is a huge part of culture.  The act of gathering around in the kitchen, chatting while marinating meat and washing and chopping up vegetables actually connects us.  It's bonding time and I'm all about that!  I will post recipes on my blog often.  If you try one of my recipes out, let me know how it turned out!


This is a recipe for my favorite salsa.  It's a modification from the original which came a friend of mine.  I added cook shrimp to "kick it up a notch" as Emeril would say! 

Shrimp-Avocado-Feta Salsa

1/2 lb of boiled shrimp, cut into pieces

6 plum tomatoes

2 avocado's, chopped

3 TBSP red onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (4oz) pkg. crumbled feta

1 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro

4 TBSP EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

Juice of 2 fresh lime

1 TBSP red wine vinegar

Stir together all ingredients and fold in avocado last just before serving.  Serve with chips of your choice.  Do not refrigerate before serving.

  

The Chapters of Life

In my short 40 years of life, one of the things I have learned is that life is made up of many, many chapters. There are times in our lives when you have to close one chapter in life and open a new one and in doing so, it's ok.  It's really ok.  It's supposed to be that way.  Chapters can be important events in the timeline of your life like graduations, marriage, having kids and celebrating anniversaries.  It could even be things like going through a divorce, sending off a child to college or mourning a death.  It can also be things like the beginning of a friendship or ending one, leaving a job and/or starting a new one, even moving to a new city or country.  Maybe even starting a new hobby or following your dreams?  It all comes down to change.  I have learned that not only is change ok, it can be great!  It can be an exciting, new experience IF AND ONLY IF we are willing to change our perspective and attitude.  When dealing with a death of a loved one (I have lost my Dad, Uncle, Niece, grandparents and very dear friends along the way) and in this case, we have to choose to honor their memories and focus on the life they had while they were with us instead of the final moment that had here on earth.  Celebrate their life by remembering how they were when they were alive and well! 

Recently I have had to close a lot of chapters in my life only to reopen new ones and I must say, I am excited about it.  Does that mean that the last chapter or two or three didn't mean anything to me?  NO!  It means that I gained something from them and learned a lot about people and myself from it and I am who I am today because of it.  We grow and mature and change with each chapter we live.  God moves people in and out of these chapters and if we resist and fight it, we may never know the blessing that is contained in the very next chapter. 

I believe that true friends are people we meet and know over our lifetime that goes beyond time, distance and experiences.  True friends love and respect you no matter what is going on in your life and will stand the test of time.  I cherish all of my friendships I have made and have been blessed richly from them. 

Change can be scary but I choose to embrace it and go with it because I know my future is in God's hands.  He wants what is best for me and it is ALL GOOD!  Jeremiah 29:11