Chicken Tortilla Soup

So...I've totally been off my blogging game the past few months. My life has been absolutely crazy! I have been traveling every weekend for the past month. Tomorrow is the start of my last weekend excursion - St. Simons Island to visit my bestie! Hopefully after this weekend I'll get back on track. I like to think that a ton of people read my blog, but that's only in my wildest dreams. ;)

Even though the weather still likes to think it's summer - it's finally fall y'all!!! Don't get me wrong...I absolutely LOVE warm weather, but after the heat that July and August bring I'm always ready for some cooler weather. There's nothing that I love more than coming home to soup that's ready in the crockpot after a long day at work. Soup is my go-to meal in the fall and winter. It's so easy to clean up and makes GREAT leftovers. One of my staple recipes is Chicken Tortilla Soup. With this recipe, all you do is dump everything in your crock pot. A few hours later, you have comfort in a bowl!

1.5 pounds of shredded chicken 

1 (15 ounce) can of whole peeled tomatoes

1 (10 ounce) can of enchilada sauce

1 (4 ounce) can of chopped green chiles

1 medium onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans - drain before you add to crock pot!!!

1 (14.5 ounce) bag of frozen corn

Chopped Cilantro (you decide the amount!)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon of chili powder 

1 teaspoon of cumin

Salt & Pepper (don't know how much - around a teaspoon each)

2 cups of chicken broth

2 cups of water

Place all of your ingredients in the crockpot. Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. You can shred your chicken right in the crockpot once it's ready! Top with cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, lime, sour cream, or whatever you like. 

It's super yummy!! Enjoy! :) 

Hometown Glory

July 16, 2015

Chattanooga will never be the same. 

{Pause} 

Let's go back to September 11, 2001....

I vividly remember sitting in Mrs. Johnson's reading class. Her facial expression and words are forever engraved in my memory. 

"Our country is in great danger. Two planes just hit the World Trade Center." 

To this day, I still have NO idea why she said this to a classroom of eight year olds. Anyone that knows me well can tell you I worry about everything. I worry about everything to the point I actually have anxiety issues that I've struggled with my entire life. Case in point, I was a nervous wreck that entire day. Whenever I got home from school, my mom and I immediately turned on the news. Within ten minutes the constant replay of the planes hitting the twin towers, people jumping from buildings,  the crash sight of Flight 93, and footage of the Pentagon became too much. Taylor Raye had a melt down.  For about a month after the tragic events of 9/11 my parents couldn't turn on the news around me. One time they didn't realize I was walking into the living room. Sure enough, Osama Bin Laden's face was on NBC Nightly News. I started shaking and couldn't move. I literally thought Osama Bin Laden was coming to 150 Hillvale Lane in Loudon, Tennessee to hurt my family. My parents had to constantly remind me that we were safe. This could never happen in our town.

Now let's go back to July 16, 2015....

Fourteen years later, I'm sitting at my desk logging shipment files (I've come a long way since Mrs. Johnson's reading class ;) ). I noticed a message from Holden in our GroupMe about a shooting in Chattanooga. Messages from our other friends followed soon afterward. At this point, I knew I needed to stop what I was doing to see what's going on in my hometown. I started to receive messages from my parents. They kept me updated until I took lunch and could watch the news in the break room. Before I could get to the news I thought this was some little shooting that would maybe reach state news. Wrong. It's national news and a terrorist attack.

But this is Chattanooga? Where nothing bad is supposed to happen? This is a nightmare. 

About an hour after lunch, I went into the break room to grab some water. I looked at the television...

Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez

That moment is still a blur. I could not believe what I was actually seeing. Mohammad Abdulazeez went to my high school. I remember him as nothing but a friendly person. People that went to Red Bank weren't supposed to be terrorist. His little sister was one of my best friends in school. She always spoke so highly of her brother and how she looked up to him. How was this even possible? 
Real talk, I had to leave work 30 minutes early. My mind was so many other places that didn't involve import operations. 

About an hour later, the girl I remembered as nothing but sweet and always knew how to make me laugh was in handcuffs on CNN News. 

This HAS to be a nightmare. Why is this happening?!

My heart was broken. It broke for the families and friends of the fallen marines and sailor. It broke for the Abdulazeez family.

It broke for the Chattanooga and Red Bank community. 

July 16, 2015 taught me that no place in our country is safe. A terrorist attack can happen anywhere. It doesn't have to be New York or Boston. I know our armed forces will do everything in their power to protect the homeland. It has been said that the fallen marines fought to their death. They gave their all for their country. For their service, America is a stronger nation. I owe you my deepest gratitude.

As for Chattanooga, I am so proud to say that this is my home. All the pictures and videos posted on social media in the past two weeks has proved we are an amazing community. It's beautiful how tragic events can bring people together. What Mohammad and any others involved did was morally wrong and they will pay the price. His name might have raised terrorist threats, but he's made us #chattanoogastrong.

#postgrad

For some it may be hard to believe (if we're being serious sometimes it's hard for me to believe), but as of May 7, 2015 I'm a college grad! At this time I would like to give a special shout out to Einstein's bagels, Starbucks, Snazzy Hazzy, John Hodges, my business frenemies, wine night, and my parents for making this dream possible! I mainly remember graduation day as sentimental and anxious. It really was the perfect day...

The mysterious hole of "Post Grad" life held over my head as soon as I woke up the next morning. My life as I knew it was about to change forever. I knew at this point I was in complete control of my life and could make it anything I went. 

The first month following graduation consisted of accepting a job offer, buying a car, turning 22, signing my first apartment lease, and getting ready to move to a big city! If we're being honest, I probably had at least two breakdowns a week. I was still am so scared of the transition of "college girl" to "big girl." 

On July 5th, I moved to the big city of Nashville, Tennessee. I remember leaving my parents' house thinking how could I ever be this lucky? My entire senior year I had expressed how I wanted to move to a big city with a job. It was actually happening and I couldn't believe it.  My mom stayed for two days to help me get settled. Once she left it was an immediate "oh sh*t?!" feeling. Like this was really it. This wasn't her helping me move into my college apartment where Scarlett would join me in a few days. Mentally, physically, and financially...I was on my own. 

Now don't get me wrong...I absolutely LOVE my job at V. Alexander. It really is the best feeling in the world to see those four years paid off and I landed a job in my desired field. We've all been the intern who's asking everyone in the office if there's anything we can do to help. Imagine being on the other side. That's a REALLY weird feeling. It's also REALLY nice to be paid what you regularly made in more than two weeks at your internship in six days. I'm financially independent from my parents. Although the thought of that is terrifying, it's the best feeling to know I can be a strong woman with a career who doesn't need a man's salary to support my lifestyle. Even with all the positives, I have daily lingering thoughts of "what the hell am I even doing here?" Will I ever live out my life-long dreams? 

The best piece of advice I've been given since graduation is you should be concerned if you aren't freaking out about your future. In college our biggest concern was time. We were limited to four (or five if you're lucky) years to fulfill our college dreams. As post grads, we have no limit on time. There's no rules. My years are no longer defined by first/second semester, finals weeks, and holiday vacations. To me that's exciting.  I have time to do things I never had time for because I was busy studying or working. These things include getting back into running, reading, BLOGGING!!!, trying new recipes, taking a vacation in October, and Netflix binges. What's even more exciting is to know we have our entire lives to figure out what's beneath the surface. 

I already miss Knoxville and my friends from college. Without a doubt, leaving my life as I knew it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm not ashamed to say that the first week of living in my new apartment I sat in the middle of my living room floor and listened to Taylor Swift's song "Never Grow Up" and bawled my eyes out. Basically every morning when I'm driving to work I listen to "Fight Song" because I need that extra motivation to prove I'm doing just fine.  

Being scared is normal and adjusting to this new stage in my life won't happen overnight. It's time to explore and listen to my heart. It's time to go where I'd never go and make a new world now.

The Best Lessons Senior Year Taught Me

I'm in my very last week of classes at The University of Tennessee. In two weeks I will be a college graduate. Where has time gone?! Everything in my life has lead up to this moment. Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of attending this university. I don't think I've ever wanted something more.

College was very eye-opening for me. Not that I was sheltered by my parents, but I was the self-proclaimed "good girl" of my high school. College has taught me how a little recklessness, being spontaneous, working hard, and never being afraid to show who you are will give you the best four years of your life. 

Senior year is a special one. It's one of goodbyes and new beginnings. Here are the most valuable lessons I've learned in my final year... 

There are people out there who will love you matter what.
You will change so much in college. Who you are at the beginning of each year is completely different than who you are at the end. As you are constantly changing, so do your friendships. There are a few people you will find in four years that will change with you. They will show you tough love. This may be your best friends telling you to end it with a guy because they know it's only spiraling downward. You will be SO mad at them in the moment. Looking back you will be so thankful for them because they cared enough to tell you what you couldn't even see for yourself. They will also show you unconditional love. No matter the circumstances they will love and accept you. To "my people," thank you for showing me it's okay to completely vulnerable and feel comfortable in my own skin. Most importantly, thank you for always being there for me no matter what. 

 

 

You will fail, and fail miserably.
....but failure is the key to success! Whenever you fail it might feel like the end of the world. I'm my own worst critic, but I've learned that if I fail an exam or forget an assignment that it doesn't determine who I am as a person. Even when things don't go right, never lose confidence in yourself. You have the strength to do anything you set your mind to.

Relationships will happen at the right time.
I just automatically assumed going into college I would be engaged by graduation. I spent my first two years in a serious relationship and my last two the majority single and swiping right. Although it may feel like everyone around me is getting engaged and I'm just off in my own little world, I am content with solitude. I would rather be completely single than rush a relationship  just because I "need" to be with someone. Pursue the BIG relationships your senior year. Whether that's with a boyfriend or your girlfriends, enjoy every second with them. One day that special person will walk into my life at the perfect time. 

Be true to yourself.
Be confident, be honest, be silly, be kind. Never be afraid to show who you are. Do what you want! Be selfish to an extent, but care for those around you. Don't be afraid to say no. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Always, always, ALWAYS trust your intuition. Make all your decisions with your happiness and well-being in mind. 

Sometimes the most valuable lessons you learn aren't in the classroom.
Even by senior year you don't have your life completely together. You're still going to make mistakes. Now is the time to make them before you enter the "real world." Be unprepared and spontaneous. Be open to new experiences and enjoy your freedom. What you learn from a failed relationship with a guy, living with three girls, learning how to balance school and work, and all the experiences in between will teach you more about yourself than supply chain management or accounting ever could. 

I'm not afraid of moving on and letting go of the college lifestyle, it's just so hard to say goodbye to what I've known for the past four years. I think back to all the things I've done and how I wish I could tell my freshman self what I know now, but there's nothing I would change. My college experience was absolutely perfect. I am beyond grateful I was able to attend The University of Tennessee. Walking across that stage will mean I accomplished my lifelong dream. So here's to you Old Tennessee. Every moment of pure happiness, heartbreak, and triumph, I will hold forever.