My modifications: I use ground turkey(a little over a lb) instead of beef, up the veggie content and use refrigerated pie crust.

Beef, Cheedar, and Potato Pie
No sides needed for this dish. It’s hearty and filling on it’s own.

1.Trust your gut! When your gut tells you to get off the bench, GO! You never know what you could be missing out on.

2.Keep your expectations in check.

3.Loving your child doesn’t mean catering to their every want. They NEED discipline!!! You aren’t being mean, you’re being the parent. I’ve heard my fair share of “I don’t like you Momma” this year. I learned that I’m ok with that. Landon doesn’t always have to like me. I’m his mom not his friend.

4.Apparently I snore. Who knew?!? Rob says I sound like a moose. Breathe Right’s Snore Spray seems to help.

5.I like lamb chops. I’ll take two next time;)

6.Good food costs more but it really is worth it. I don’t stop at gas stations that sell crappy fuel so why not make an effort to put quality fuel in your body?

7.A couple means two. ALWAYS!

8.Men are simple. This isn’t meant as an insult (seriously). You can’t read too much into anything a man does or doesn’t do, or anything they say or don’t say. If you do your feelings will be hurt A LOT.

9.If you are cooking good food at home, restaurants start losing their appeal.

10.Growing your own herbs is awesome! It saves you a ton of money and makes your food so yummy!

11.There is a proper way (“the granddaddy way”) to roll up a hose.

12.I do like root beer. In fact, I love it! If you haven’t tried Virgil’s you are missing out!

13.You can’t predict what a kid will like.

14.You can cut your finger (and have to get stitches) from a butter knife.

15.Recycling is easy and everyone should do it!!!

16.Life is precious. Try to live and love each day like it is your last.

February 28th: I will never forget this day. This is the day I met the love of my life. I went with my brother to watch Rob’s first MMA fight. After the fight (yes he won!) he was talking to my brother so I walked down and introduced myself. His response,”Oh! I know who you are”. In that moment I felt something I had never felt before in my life….an extraordinary sense of peace and calm. It sounds kind of silly since I had just met him but in my gut I knew. I knew that the man I had been waiting for my entire life was standing in front of me.
June 22nd: Rob and I moved into our first home together. Wow! What an adjustment! This was when the politeness ended and things got REAL. Poor Rob! I don’t think he had any idea what he was in for. Not only did he have to adjust to occupying space with me but he was now a co-parent to my son. Welcome to hell BABY! Thank goodness we have a big garage which is “Rob’s room”. His little sanctuary where he can escape the madness. I know some people thought we were crazy for moving in together so soon. Maybe we were but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing.
July 3rd: Of course, I included this day. If you know me then you know how much I LOVE my birthday:)
September 8th: Landon’s first day of school. Wow! What an emotional day! I can’t believe how much Landon has grown from baby to little boy this year (much thanks to Rob for that). I am so proud of him!

Favorite Date Place:

The Terminal. This is where Rob and I had our first date and many date nights since.

Favorite Quote:

 ”Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”
-St. Augustine

Favorite songs:

“Then” by Brad Paisley, “Beautiful” by Akon, “Mad” by Ne-Yo, “ I Just Call You Mine” by Martina McBride, “Sex on Fire” by King of Leon, “I’ll Be the One” by Warren Haynes, “History in the Making” by Darius Rucker

Favorite movies:

The Blind Side and The Time Traveler’s Wife

Favorite New Hobbies:

 Cooking and Gardening

2009 was an incredible year! I learned so much about love, myself and how precious life is. I am so blessed in my life. I get to wake up every morning with the man that I love lying next to me and my amazing little man across the hall. They mean the world to me!!!