Have You Ever Had Shave Ice? #TropicalSnoKC

Back in 2015 my kids' fabulous grandmother took us to a little building in a parking lot. It was called Tropical Sno.

My mom fell in love with shave ice in Hawaii when she would go with my dad every year. I got to go with them to Hawaii one year when I was "in between situations" (memoir to come, haha) and remember it tasting like summer. You can pick up to 3 flavors in your shave ice and it is YUM! You can also make it meatier by putting some ice cream in the bottom of it for your shave ice and flavorings to run into.

$15 for 5 of us to have 5 small shave ices … so about $3 for a small. 

If you are in Kansas City, check out this local business this summer! Do you have a shave ice establishment in your town?

10 Ways to Break Through the Career Brick Wall

Wake up, coffee, and work. When you can sum up your days to a sequence of emotionless actions that are repeated day after day, it’s a clear sign that the everyday routine is not working for you anymore. When every Sunday is the worst day of the week because it comes just before Monday, it’s time to sit down and consider your career. Have you hit a professional brick wall, or, in other words, do you feel like your career is going nowhere? Unfortunately, more and more people feel like banging their head against the wall when it comes to the obstacles in their career. Here’s a tip for you: Firstly, it doesn’t work a bit. Secondly, it hurts. So, you’d better be looking at other ways to break free from the imaginary cell that is stopping your progress. We’ve compiled 10 ideas to help you move things forward. Don’t let anything hold you back again.

Successful career

#1. Not moving or not wanting to?

You’d be surprised to discover that your worst enemy when it comes to your career, is yourself. Indeed, people find a million of good reasons why they shouldn’t follow their dreams, from lack of money to fear of failure. The truth is that people will always lack money, courage and even time to move their career. But this is because planning is not always the best solution. When you think of your plan A and consider further alternatives for the cases where plan A would fail, then you are essentially planning for failure. In other words, if you choose to stick to your current position until you’ve secured enough money or enough time to change career safely, it’s likely that you’ll never change. Indeed, it’s refusing to take any risk that keeps you where you are.

#2. Train to impress

When you want to move your career forward, you need to impress the manager with your skills. You need to make yourself invaluable. What this means is that companies rely on their staff to grow. Consequently, if you are looking for a promotion or a change of career, it’s essential to have learned the relevant skills and collected official qualifications. Besides the skills you require for the job – and these vary with the roles – you should add any of the following to put all the chances on your side: A CPR certification or an online CPR renewal if you already have passed the test; a presentation qualification using PowerPoint or Keynote; a Google Analytics certification if you are aiming for a role in sales or design; a proofreading or editing certification for marketers; and a time management qualification for managerial roles. Always going the extra mile with your training is the best way to present a profile that will be valuable for the company.

#3. Are you shooting yourself in the foot?

You might be ready on paper, but your interview skills are stopping you from landing the dream job. Don’t laugh: Some candidates can say pretty weird things under pressure. The President of Darby Darnit Public Relation remembers a candidate explaining that his hobbies related to dating young women, for example. You can be sure that if you say something awkward, the recruiter will remember it… and choose against giving you the job! If face-to-face interviews aren’t your forte, it’s best to practice in advance and think about answers to the most common interview questions.

Old-fashioned interviews

#4. Social connections are precious

Believe it or not, but networking is a precious tool when it comes to finding your dream job. Why so? Because knowing someone in the company means that you can find a direct connection with the manager or recruiter for the position that interest you. Besides, it means that you can get a positive reference inside the company. In other words, pump up your LinkedIn profile and don’t miss important business conferences. It’s easier to get a job when you’ve got a friend inside the company.

Networking

#5. Become an influential expert

Interestingly enough you can create your brand in the digital world. Starting your own blog is one of the safest ways to share your expertise online. It might take some time, but it can be helpful to discuss cases and present ideas to establish yourself as an influential figure who knows his or her stuff. Unfortunately, with new websites appearing every day, you need to be rather smart to make it work and get noticed. Start by securing a domain on WordPress as it will help you to maximize your search result in the long run. Additionally, you need to develop a helpful content: After all, people read your blog articles because they are interesting, not because they know you – but that’s how they will get to know you, so think of your blog as a self-promotion tool. Avoid guest blogging, especially when large companies approach you for permission to republish your articles. Guest blogging, when done in that way, doesn’t work: It just means that people read your content on another blog and then move on.  

#6. Ask yourself: Do I like my job?

There’s one important thing that you should find out about your career block, namely, whether you love your job. Dharmesh Shah is HubSpot founder, and he gives a list of signs that are a clear indication that you’re in the right career path. First of all, Dharmesh considers the multiple layers of his job with pleasure: He hopes he gets to work on new things, instead of hoping to avoid it. He enjoys his time at work and doesn’t get any Sunday evening’s anxiety at the thought of going to the office the next day. He would recommend working at his company to his best friend, that’s how much he loves the place. Besides, employees who enjoy their job perceive their managers as a partner to work with, and not as the person they have to work for – this makes all the difference!

#7. What’s your passion?

Embracing your passion is the one thing you have to do to fall in love with your job. But this means two things: Firstly you need to find your passion. Secondly, you need to change career if your job is not fulfilling your passion. Finding your passion can be a little tricky at first, but you need to consider all the things you enjoy doing. Focus especially on the one you do without noticing that time is passing. That’s the thing you want to keep in your career! Embracing your passion, and turning it into a career demands a lot of courage and time, as nothing happens overnight. You need to invest in your craft as you build a portfolio list and a career.

Photo passion

#8. Don’t let the management style block the way

Not every manager has got their team under control. Some teams are just draining your energy and turning every work day into a nightmare. For the sake of your career, you should remain aware of obstacles that the management style is leaving in your way. For a start, if you’ve worked hard to hone your skills, you’d expect the rest of the team to work equally hard on their skills. It can be extremely demotivating to find that you’re the only one with high professional standards. Additionally, working in a team means that you can expect a fair exchange of skills and experience. The absence of it can lead to a devaluation of your skills.

#9. Work with a personal coach

More often than not, the best way to move your career forward is to work closely with a coach who can advise on your professional steps. It’s not only about what to say to whom, but it’s about getting an honest review of your professional abilities and improving them for the best. A coach can help you to address areas of improvement and make your profile more valuable to your manager or a recruiter.

#10. Learn from the mistakes of the past

Everyone makes mistakes, and that includes you. Naturally, you could cry over the faux-pas of your past or the many reasons why you haven’t succeeded in landing the perfect job. But, your time would be better utilized if you focused on understanding what went wrong and making sure that you don’t repeat your mistakes. A common mistake is failing to show confidence in your skills. Recruiters easily pick on a lack of self-esteem and prefer to avoid such employees as they feel they can’t be trusted with challenging projects. Knowing what to say and how to behave to express self-confidence and show that you know your stuff is helpful. Or maybe you’ve complained to a colleague in the past, and things have backfired? Knowing your friends and your enemies is another good tip here.  

There are plenty of ways to gain back control over your career and move it forward. Remember that doing nothing is never going to improve it. Take things in hand and build your professional success now!

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas Recipe: One to Eat, One to Share

You will need:
4 lb. chicken thighs
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans mild Rotel tomatoes
6-inch corn tortillas (at least 30)
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Cook chicken in slow cooker 6-8 hours on low. Reserve broth. Remove skin and bones and chop.

all rolled up

In large bowl, add chicken then stir in corn, beans and tomatoes.

the filling

Roll filling in tortillas and put in baking dishes.

Top with cheese.

To make sauce, mix soup, Rotel (with juice) and 1 c. broth and pour over the whole shebang.

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for about 30 minutes. Freezes like a dream and this recipe makes two pans so I like to give one to a friend!

the sauce

Originally published September 21, 2012 but I felt like this post needed a second life!!!!

Check this out!

Give Flowers to Show Love, Respect and Caring

Flowers are usually a part of many special and meaningful events and occasions. They are often included in celebrations and ceremonies for death, birth, and the joining of two people. Depending on the type of flower and the color, their meanings can vary greatly. However, flowers are clearly a timeless and meaningful way to show love, respect, and caring.

The Wedding 
The flowers chosen to be for a wedding ceremony have many different meanings. Lily of the valley is a wedding flower that represents purity. Weddings flowers are symbolic of the sanctity of the joining union of two people. They are used to express this sentiment and play a prevalent part in the wedding ceremony. The bride carries these flowers down the aisle and after the ceremony, releases them into an audience of unmarried women, as if to wish them the same sacred union.

The Funeral 
Flowers at a funeral have a totally different meaning. They express the celebration of a life that has already passed. They also add grace and beauty to a sad occasion. Once again, the lily is a flower that is also used for funerals. It represents the restoration of purity to the deceased individual. The lily represents both majesty and purity, however, the stargazer lily represents sympathy. Depending on the type of ceremony or celebration, the meaning of many of the very same flowers changes to fit the occasion or situation. Florists are well aware of the different meaning that a particular flower may have for an occasion. This is why it's always a good idea to contact a Florist with Flowers that can be used in a wide variety of celebrations and ceremonies.

Sickness 
The flowers given in sickness are given for the express purpose of encouraging a speedy recovery. They are bright and cheerful, yet not highly fragranced. The lack of obtrusive fragrances acts as a way of showing both respect and encouragement toward the sick person. Highly fragranced flowers may be an irritation for someone who is struggling to recover from an illness. This is why get well flowers are often brightly covered to reflect a cheerful sentiment but usually have little or no scent. 

Flowers can convey a myriad of different meanings depending on the occasion, type, and color of the flower. Before you select a flower for a particular celebration or occasion, take a little time to ensure that the flower is appropriate for the ceremony or occasion. The flowers used in a wedding commonly convey love and purity, more often than not. The same flowers can be used in a funeral, but have a different meaning and purpose. Flowers at a funeral add beauty and grace to sensitive and sad moments and also act as a way of celebrating the life of the deceased. Just as get well flowers given to a sick person are given with the express intent to encourage a speedy recovery in a bright and cheerful manner. Flowers can represent many different feelings and intentions and should be given a certain amount of conscious thought as a result.

7 Tips That Will Help You Quit Smoking in 2017 and Boost Your Health

Quitting smoking is never an easy task. Whether we’re talking about cigarettes, tobacco or smoke itself, these are all agents that can easily disturb your health.

Now, most people will try going cold turkey without any previous education. Some of them find a local support group that would provide a necessary comfort. Any way you turn it, smokers are trying various things in order to battle this addiction.

Contrary popular belief, in order to quit smoking you need a structured plan; a good way of dealing with your issue. Of course some of us are able to simply quit through sheer power of will but they are minority.

If you wish to truly deal with this problem once and for all, make sure to check these new free tips and tricks.

1.       It all starts in your head
Like any change, you first need to be prepared for it; to completely embrace it. Majority of people I know do not like smoking and would like to quit. However, that doesn’t mean they will. In most cases this is due to lack of resolution. There is an idea about quitting but these individuals never follow it through.

2.       Visualize life without smokes
Nicotine is really disastrous for our body and we all know that. But most people disregard this because they like the feeling that cigarettes give them. This is only one side of the story. In order to properly approach the issue you should envision a life without smokes, how much healthier and happier you would be, how much money you can save. If you have a positive affirmation it is much easier to quit.

3.       Consider your stress levels
One of the most common reasons why people light a cigarette is stress. Whenever something bad happens in our daily life, we are ready to light it knowing that it will affect our brain and help us go through motions. If cigarettes are a way for you to escape reality and deal with stress, first you need to find something else that can serve as a substitution. Another good solution is to start the quitting process when you’re satisfied with yourself. If everything is going well and you are doing fine, it is much easier to quit as you have more strength to deal with this problem.

4.       Reduce activities that make you smoke
This is somewhat similar to stress. There are a lot of things that go well together with cigarettes such as coffee and beer. In fact, most people find it hard to imagine a life without morning coffee and cigarettes or beer and smokes. Over time, this becomes a part of our behavior without us ever realizing. In order to deal with it make sure to remove all the things that make you smoke from your daily routine.

5.       Try filling your life with some other activities
Oftentimes we smoke due to boredom. We are also more likely to light a cigar if we remember we have a pack of cigarettes in our pocket. In order to prevent such a behavior make sure to remove anything that reminds you of tobacco and smoking. Also, make sure to find some activities that will make your life more fulfilling and will take more of your daily time.

6.       Being physically active
This is important! Smokes and sports should not go together. During and after sport activity your lungs are struggling to catch some fresh air. It becomes increasingly hard to breathe and it is only a matter of time until you need to choose between the two. If you manage to focus on sports and other physical activities, you will slowly stop smoking as it will present a burden to your body.

7.       Try e-cigarettes

There are a lot of substitutions on the market that can help you get over smoking. One of the best ones are electronic cigarettes. They work based on e-juices or vape juices that is like a replacement for smokes. This substance is FDA approved and it is a much better than nicotine. So, even though this is not a perfect solution it still beats smoking. Unlike traditional cigarettes, which are combustible, e-cigarettes are battery-operated. Aside from being rechargeable, you can even choose the wattage depending on your usage requirement. If you are looking for box mods and you are in the German region, some fine recommendations can be found at https://www.ezigarettever gleich.de/akkutraeger-box-mod- test/.