A few more answers...

Q: How do you really feel about living in the same town you grew up and teaching at our old high school?! Do you run into people you know everywhere you go? From Amanda (WHERE are you moving in Virginia? How exciting!)

A: I could write a whole post about this, but... the simple answer: I really love Roanoke. I am so thankful that I was able to spend my college years in South Carolina and a short little stint in London during college. I think, because of that, I've never felt confined or trapped here. Teaching at ole CS is fun, honestly. SO much has changed since we were there, that it usually feels like a totally different place. BUT, I do appreciate the traditions more and my students LOVE to search out my maiden name in the yearbook and tease me about being editor of the newspaper.

As far as running into people all the time - yes and no. I see lots of familiar faces, but I like it that way. Two years ago, Jeff and I hardly knew ANYONE our age that we DIDN'T go to high school with. Now, that group has grown, AND we have an incredible community of new friends from ALL OVER that we've met at church, jobs, Junior League, etc. I hate when people say there are no young people here - we TOTALLY disagree! :) We have a lot of fun and feel really blessed that we get to share our lives with our families, old friends, and new friends.

Q: What is the recipe for that chicken quesadilla dish you make? And what is the "most difficult" meal you have ever prepared?

A: I'm not big on "difficult" meals.  The other night I made homemade Shepherd's Pie - which was a little hard b/c I had to do the mashed potatoes myself.  Does that count?My chicken enchilada recipe, on the other hand, is SUPER EASY and really really delicious.  If you've ever eaten at my house or had me deliver a meal to you - it was probably this.  It is my "go to."  Eat your heart out... literally. :)

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded/cut-up)

2 8oz packages of cream cheese (softened in the microwave, not melted)

1 can black beans

1 can Mexican corn

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can green chilies (depending on how much spice you like!)

2 cans green enchilada sauce

8 - 10 burrito tortillas

Shredded Mexican cheese

- Mix first 6 ingredients together (Drain all canned items)

- Spread mixture generously in tortillas and roll them.

- Place them in a casserole dish

- Top with cheese

- Cover with Green Enchilada Sauce

- Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes

(This recipe makes A LOT of food... I usually place them in two casserole dishes and freeze one.)

(I promise... they TASTE a lot better than they LOOK.)

Q: How did you start blogging? What made you wanna do it?

A: I've always been a "writer."  When I was little, I read and wrote my own stories ALL the time - like, while other kids were playing sports... see, this explains a lot about me.  In high school (and a tiny bit in college) I was on the newspaper staff and always enjoyed "Featurey" stories about people's lives etc.  Then, enter GPAs/jobs/real world, and my "writing life" plummetted.  I became an expert at the 5-paragraph essay and the analytical paper; but, I mostly stopped writing for me.  

Ok, then this story gets corny...  I'd said I wanted to write a book for YEARS, but the story just never really came.  Then, I saw the movie "Julie and Julia" this past summer and realized - I could do that!  (Well, not the cooking part... but you know... I'm especially good at the laying on the floor having break downs part.)  I started blogging in June 2009 and have been going ever since. I've always said that I wished TV and movies would leave out all the "drama" and just tell about regular people... Well, that's what my blog lets me do.  For the first time in years, I get to write with no agenda; and, I hope, give some sense of community, contentment, and laughter to whoever winds up on my page. I'm still VERY much a beginner at this... I just spend a lot - too much - time looking at other blogs to be inspired and learn.  It is an awesome world out there in wide web.