We {heart} chicken soup

Mmmm, it's Fall and do you know what that means? Yup! Comfort foods. I'm happy to report that my cooking bug is still going strong, so when I woke up yesterday feeling like I MIGHT be getting a cold---I thought, Hey, what better time to try and make my own chicken noodle soup?! haha.  

It turned out SO great!! And when I told Brody that this was waiting for him after a long days work, he was pretty excited (and surprised!). I have really loved my cooking and baking adventures this season so far. I can't wait to keep trying out other new things. 

PS: The heart carrots I saw on Pinterest and just had to do them!

 Aren't they so cute? Made with love! : ) 

If you couldn't tell, i'm pretty proud of my cooking lately...and I feel it needs to be documented. haha. 

Happipeace

Happiness is an interesting thing, and has involuntarily been on my mind for quite some time now. I have unexpectedly been very aware of it over the past year in my own life....I tell you, it has completely taken me by surprise in such a wonderful way. And sometimes in those moments, I just stop and cry some grateful tears, because I didn't know I could feel 100% pure happiness and contentment in my heart...and to be honest, I wasn't aware I was missing it.

I'll explain a bit...

Having gone though some deep personal trials over the past several years (that I have mentioned here before {HERE} ), ones that dealt directly with my mental heath, and straight-to-the-heart deep personal demons, that have been hiding out in the corners of my mind. Panic and Anxiety. For a time in this trial, peace in my own mind was a daily struggle that I woke up to every morning (and sometimes, in the middle of the night like a bolt of lighting).  Before and even during this trial, I thought I was happy and totally fine, I could always enjoy daily activities, trips, date nights and special events well enough. Even when I started with my doctor I was so sure I was a perfectly happy person---I mean, I had no reason to be otherwise, right? Great family, beyond amazing husband and overall, a pretty darn fun-filled life. I have always felt incredibly blessed. But looking back from where I stand now, I can see so clearly that while it's true, I always was happy but at the same time, there was ALWAYS a kind of doom & gloom cloud hovering over me almost at all times, ever since I was little. But for me it was normal and I didn't know there was another way you could live. I also didn't think there was anything wrong with it, until the panic started. Even when I went to my doctor I was just focused on stopping the panic attacks, I didn't even think that the day to day anxiety could be calmed. What an incredible blessing and surprise. 

Anxiety can rob us a little bit, of even our most happy moments, it's always at work with the "what if's", and if you deal with anxiety, you know these little devils all too well. If you are having a wonderful outing with family and friends, taking photos, smiling and laughing, enjoying each others company. Unknown to others, there is a plot twist running in the background of your mind, of the bad things that could happen almost at any moment---just an underlying cloud of gloom. Luckily for those of us who deal with such a thing (whether it be this, depression, OCD or the like), it is simply a chemical imbalance and there is great help and resources out there. Elder Holland gave such an amazing talk on this matter in the last conference in his talk 'Like a Broken Vessel'. One of my favorite quotes was, "Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind." I know for a fact that this is so, so true. I am a product of the healing he spoke of, even when I thought I couldn't be, here I am. I know that it is because of my faith, blessings I have been giving (and my faith in them), fervent and frequent prayers, scripture study, temple visits...we are so fortunate that in the church we have endless ways of calling peace to our hearts. There were countless nights that my panicked mind would keep me up into all hours of the night and early mornings. The only thing (besides keeping Brody up, talking and watching something funny) that brought true peace into my otherwise un-peaceful state, was to plug in my earphones and listen to General Conference on my phone laying there in bed. Only then was I able to relax enough to fall back asleep. It still makes me emotional to think of those times that the words of our Prophet and leaders of the church could be there for me at anytime helping to bring the spirit into my heart and calm the raging storm. 

I know that no matter what, these storms will come in life, and everyone's storm is different, they are designed to help us and make us stronger, happier children of God---If done right. And even through the storms might be different, generally the way we come back to peace is the same, with the same Gospel tools. And I find myself so grateful for these experiences to grow. When you deal with something like anxiety where you are fighting in your own mind for peace and well being, most of the time beyond our control. Holding onto faith can be tough, but when exercised, it is always possible. Anxiety is mostly fear of the unknown, and faith is the exact opposite.  They are like oil and water. They don't mix well and butt heads constantly. But in my determination to get beyond this, I dug my heels in a while ago and prayed harder when needed, and worked harder to each day put a little bit more behind me (sometimes I would have set backs, and that's ok too). But when it gets tougher, you have to fight harder. And in my case this couldn't be fully done without the wonderful medical help I have been able to get, the support from my wonderful husband and family and simply just being patient in giving it and myself the time it needed. It might be a mix of getting older, the help I have gotten with balancing my levels and just everything I have been though proving I am stronger than before, but for the first time in a LONG time, I feel 100% present in my own life. Things look clearer, sharper, more confident and the future looks MUCH more optimistic in my own head. I still have some panicked times (it's not 100% gone or perfect by any means. The panic hasn't fully changed, but I have.), but now I have control over them. I see it all differently than I used to, and I know I personally couldn't be where I am now, if not for where I have been and for the help and healing of my Father in Heaven. 

So during this time of the year of Thanksgiving, I am so thankful for not only getting the panic under control, but for the unexpected gift of having my day to day anxieties calmed (and I don't mean I am now void of normal stresses. I am talking about daily unrealistic fears)---so that I can fully enjoy all my wonderfully happy days without my little friend the gloom cloud! I just love being in those happy moments as times before, but now searching my heart and not finding any evidence of anxieties! It's truly amazing! and I honestly feel like I have a new life and fresh start lately! It just keeps getting better, I thought I was in a good place with it all a year ago, but to my surprise it just keeps getting better and improving in ways I never expected...Life is so good! : )

Like I said in my other post, I could go on and on in more detail on these things (and others) and the experiences I've had, but I will leave it at this for now. : ) I don't share these stories because I feel I am unique in these trials and experiences, I share them because I know I'm not. And I hope that the more I share, the more it might be able to reach others who are going through something similar. All these thoughts float around in my head, so I'm writing it all out on the side as it comes to me, as well as sharing it here at times...

And as always...no matter what you are going through, or someday when you find a little gloom cloud in your path...there is ALWAYS hope and there is ALWAYS peace and happiness ahead, and when they come together, I call that "Happipeace" : )

Club 33

We had the opportunity to visit Club33 back in August. Something any true Disneyland fan has on their ultimate wish list. It was an awesome day!!

Several weeks before I got this email confirmation for our reservation....then a couple days before I got a phone call from the club confirming as well. I listened to that message a handful of times, haha. Both SO fun to get!! 

Turned out to be a busy Summer day at the parks and parking traffic was HEAVY! When we finally got to the booth we explained we had a reservation and she let us park out right next to the tram area so we could miss all the parking traffic and get to the club a little earlier. That made it a little more special too. : ) 

It's just such a beautiful area, and the doorway is no different. : ) It was so fun to walk up and be able to ring the bell and know our last name would let us in! 

Video of ringing the bell and going in : ) 

When you come in there is a little lobby with a stair case, receptionist desk and the coolest little old lift (elevator of sorts). We got to take the lift up to the dinning area. : ) 

We were seated right by the window overlooking the rivers of America. 

Our lunches. They were amazing! So, so yummy! : ) 

I was most excited about this. We love hot chocolate, so naturally we needed to test the Club33 hot chocolate. It was hands down the best we have ever had!! And so beautiful done, don't you think? : ) 

The dessert bar was sweets heaven! And we took home a box of treats too, haha.
How cute is the hot chocolate picture of Brody? : ) 

The Trophy room. This will gone after the big remodel. One of the rooms Walt had his hand in most. 

The beautiful harpsichord, in the main hallway leading to the main dining room....that ether belonged to Walt's wife Lillian, or is an exact replica of the one she had. But ether way, the likes of Elton John have also played it! : )  

Some details around the Club. 

I love the bottom right. Felt so lucky to have this view of the famous green door, rather than always looking at it from down below. : ) 

The balcony was my favorite part and the thing I was most excited about. It is just SO beautifully done, with a beautiful view! 

: ) 

Looking out to the park! 

These two ended up being my favorites 

<3 p="">

Some more details 

Heading back down the stairs and out the door after a wonderful meal!! We were there from about 11:45 to about 3:50! So awesome!! 

Love this one too! 

We were able to get and have embroidered Club33 ears! The nice CM at the castle took all these of us on our camera, and I took the ones of our ears themselves. : ) 

Our suvenoiurs from the day. 2 mugs, 2 ears, candies, napkins (haha) and lots of treats! 

It was SUCH a fun day!! And we were able to everything we had wanted to in our Club33 visit! : )