Kathiey's World

Welcome to a new Recipe Review.   Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup  adapted from Southern Living Magazine. What is nicer on a cold winter day than a bowl of homemade soup? Soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. I decided to try a creamy chicken noodle soup I found on Pinterest. The original recipe came from Southern Living. I gathered my ingredients to make this classic soup. When I am making a chicken-based recipe, I typically get a rotisserie chicken which makes life so much easier when making this hearty soup. I will need ingredients such as shredded chicken, fresh garlic, dried noodles, celery stalks, and the list goes on. Here is the printable recipe... I would suggest serving this classic soup with a glass of chardonnay and a round of crusty bread. I would give this recipe a 9/10 on my cooking scale. Happy Cooking! KathieyV

  I am always looking for fun things to do in the area.  I thought I would take it a bit further and see what events are occurring in North Carolina in a specific month.  Let's take a look a just a few things happening in February 2024 in NC that you may enjoy. I live in the Raleigh/Durham area, so I looked for exciting events to attend in February that are easily within driving distance.  I would love to attend them all! The Links to Each Event... (Be sure and verify event times and locations before attending.   You may need a ticket depending on the event) Things to do in February 2024  in the Triangle Area 20th Annual Krispy Kreme Challange Feb 3rd in Raleigh, NC Prohibition Can Be Murder and Interactive Murder Mystery Jan 27th, Feb 3rd, and Feb 25th in Cary NC Astronomy Days Feb 3rd and 4th in Raleigh, NC Cocktails and Cuisine: Bourbon For The Cold Feb 10th or February 24th in Raleigh NC 2nd Annual Apex Restaurant Week February 26-March 3rd in Apex NC A Few Things to do In N

   Journal Prompt for a Snowy Day If you are going through a divorce or have been through a divorce, I have found that journaling is a helpful tool for healing.  There is so much to write about in our lives, but today, I thought we could go down memory lane and keep it light.  Let's share a snow day. Are you hoping for snow this Christmas Season?  I am, but here in NC, we have been in the 70s, even in December. I can dream of snowy days to come and reflect on snowy days from my past.  With that in mind, let's "Describe Our Best Snow Day Ever." As a child growing up in Pennsylvania, I remember that we loved our snow days. My parents would prepare for snow by putting up snow fences to place the snow drifts where they wanted them. I think this made them feel some control over the impending blizzards. My dad would also put snow chains on the car tires during the snowy season. As kids, we prepped our sleds and kept our snow attire handy so we would be ready at any moment t

It was a nice cold day just before Christmas.  Rocky and I were on our way to Asheville, NC, and needed a halfway stop for lunch.  A friend said that Hickory was a nice town so we decided to make that our stop along the way.   Before our stroll, we had a delicious lunch at Olde Hickory Station.  There, we enjoyed a delicious Goat Cheese and Pepper Jelly Burger.  It was amazing. Below are a few photos from our stroll... Downtown Hickory It is a lovely stroll with shops and restaurants. We found a lovely mural... They had seasonal decorations for the holiday season... Cannon on Union Square 210mm German Howitzer / Surrendered to U.S. 1918 / Placed here in memory the men from this community who participated in the world war. We really wanted to stop and play checkers, but this was just a pit stop, and we had miles to go on our journey.  We may have to make a trip just to explore Hickory.   It seems to be a very nice city. So if you find yourself traveling in or near Hickory, I suggest yo

I believe that taking the time to take care of ourselves can help us relax and reduce our stress.  I found this thought backed up online, and according to Amherst College "taking care of yourself will help maintain your physical, emotional, and mental reserves to prevent and manage stress. So to take care of myself this week, I decided to get a pedicure. The pool in my community just opened, and sandal weather is here, so I thought this would be a good idea on many levels. Some studies say that stress relief can keep you healthy and boost your mindset and energy levels. One way to achieve a level of stress relief is through self-care.  One way for us to care for ourselves is by getting a pedicure. The environment itself in a spa should be calm and relaxing. Typically there is calming music, and the visual surroundings should be warm and peaceful. Along with the spa setting, there are typically options for scented treatments.  This enhances our experience through aromatherapy. The

 It is time to think about Valentine's Day and what I will wear to a Valentine's event. The event is at my favorite winery, where there will be a band and dancing.  It is a casual affair, so dark pants, a red top, and a unique clutch would be fun.  Let's head over to Amazon to see what we can find. (I am an Amazon Affiliate.  If you buy anything using my link, I get a tiny percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.  Thanks!:-) 1- Mihawk clutch purses for women, evening bags and clutches for women 2- BABEYOND Vintage Flapper Peacock Clutch 3- Fawziya Evening Clutch Rhinestone Satin Pleated Purses For Women Formal 4- YOJOY Rhinestone Clutch Purse 5- Gentlewarm Women's 2023 Fall Long Puff Sleeve Tops Dressy Casual 6- Zeagoo Women's Blouses Dressy Casual 7- Dokotoo Women's Casual V Neck Alicia Floral Print Happy Shopping and Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone! KathieyV

  Tell Your Story Through Journaling Journaling, I have found to be an invaluable tool.  Journaling is not only a way to relieve stress and help us process things it is also a way to tell our story. My career goal as a child was pure, idealistic, and full of hope. I recall so clearly my desire to be a Catholic Sister. I would daydream about following God and serving others through the sisterhood. The problem was that I was not Catholic. Where did this desire to be a Catholic Sister develop? Thinking back, I believe it came from several different places. My brother Bruce had Down's Syndrome. Bruce was a Student at the Benedictine School in Maryland, and that is where I first encountered the Sisters. They seemed to be so lovely and caring, and I admired that.  There was a movie that made an impact on my thinking in my younger years. The movie title was The Song Of Bernadette. In this movie, a young girl saw the Virgin Mary when no one else could see her, and the young girl followed M

 Today I selected a quote by Ava DuVernay. This quote is accurate on many levels.  In order to succeed in this life and be happy, we can't continue to make the same mistakes or knock on the same door.  We can't continue to knock on the door, so someone who damaged us and expect the situation to be different.  We can't continue to knock on the door of what we know we should not be doing and expect different results.  We have to choose a new positive path.   This takes commitment, courage, and determination, but we can do it.  God Bless You on Your Journey! KathieyV

 Journal Prompt Do You Believe In Karma? First off, what is karma? I found this definition of karma in an online dictionary. Karma is "destiny or fate, following as effect from cause. " Another meaning in the  Cambridge Dictionary is "a situation in which things happen to someone as a result of their previous actions, or the force that makes this happen." Here is another quote ...Hindus believe in karma, meaning they will answer for their actions - if not in this life, then in the next. Here is how I feel about karma... As a child, I may have believed in some form of karma. I knew that there were consequences to all actions, and thus, there must be consequences for wrongdoing. I thought negative karma should be the outcome for all wrongdoers and that all "good" people should have a life with only positive karma. After living for over 60 years, I have found that unrealistic and untrue as much as I wished the opposite. I think, in some ways, people receive p

 We were going on a mini weekend vacation.  The drive was from Cary to Ashville.  The trip would take about 4 hours.  We decided to try to find a stopping point for lunch about halfway.  A friend suggested we stop in Hickory, NC.   I did some research on Hickory and found the cutest little restaurant with a specialty market attached. The name of the restaurant is Olde Hickory Station.  It is an old historic train station that has been restored.  You will find it in the heart of downtown Hickory. The station is operated by Ole Hickory Brewery.  Here are a few facts you will find on their website *It is open 7 days a week.  They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  On Saturday and Sunday, they serve brunch.  *They have an in-house bakery and market. *There is a full-service bar. *Handcrafted Cocktails. *They have wine by the bottle and the glass. *There is a market in the building also. You can find their menu online for all meals as well as a drink menu.  There was a lot to choose from

 I do enjoy a good glass of wine.  I believe everyone has a different version of what they think is good wine.  One flavor in wine that I do not like is a strong citrus flavor.  I found a site called Cards of Wine .  Cards of Wine break down the flavors, which may aid me in avoiding the higher citrus wines.   There have been many occasions where I bought a wine that sounded very good.  In some of these cases, I later sampled the wine and found it too strong in citrus for me, and I could not even drink it, so, sadly, down the drain it went. Here is a quote on  Wine Acidity ... Acidity is a wine’s “pucker” or tartness; it’s what makes a wine refreshing and your tongue salivate and want another sip. I can take a little citrus flavor, but I simply can't drink it when it gets too intense. On the wine cards, they say lemon, lime, and grapefruit contain a lot of acids.  Here are the wines they list in that category Chablis, Dry Riesling, Vermentino, Verdejo, Albarino, and Txakoli. They ta

The last 2 sermons I have listened to have touched on the fact that many of us feel disconnected.  Just what is the definition of disconnected? Disconnected: Having a connection broken.  To feel separated, separated, divorced, cut off.   I am sure there are many life events that leave us feeling cut off or disconnected.  For me, it was the end of a very long marriage.  For you, it may be something else.  Whatever the circumstance it is a comfort to know that we are not disconnected from God.  Please remember His promise "I will never leave you or forsake you" Thank you, God!   That makes me smile:-) Happy Monday! KathieyV:-)