I love America.

It is a country of endless possibilities and dreams. I'm so excited to celebrate our independence with my family tomorrow, and hope everyone has a happy, safe, and patriotic 4th of July!

Growing up, we'd travel to my grandparents house at least once a year. The drive was a grueling 12 hours, and as a kid it felt like eternity. But there were a few stops along the way that made the trip much better.

One of those stops was called Anderson's Split Pea Soup. It was a giant windmill restaurant, and came complete with a gift shop and pond full of swans. Oh, and their amazing soup.

We'd get the "traveler's special," which consisted of a chocolate milkshake, a bowl of split pea soup, and delicious hot rolls. I'd try to eat all my soup because there were funny cartoon characters on the bottom of the bowls (parents take note), and my sister and I would do a little running around outside to get the wiggles out. It was a stop we always looked forward to.

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm going off on some random childhood memory. Well let me tell you why: I found the most delicious crockpot split pea soup recipe!

It's seriously so good. Josh mentioned having it again a few days after I made it. I agreed and am planning on making it again soon. And you know something's good when you're imagining a soup on your dinner table. So here's the recipe--enjoy!



Split Pea Soup 

Ingredients 

1 pound dried green split peas, rinsed
2 medium carrots, peeled and medium dice
1 tablespoon celery powder
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pork tenderloin (can be already seasoned)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1 quart)
Additional water to fill crockpot to the top
Salt and pepper

Directions 

Arrange the split peas in the crockpot in an even layer.

Place the carrots, celery powder, and minced onion and garlic over the peas in one even layer. Set the pork tenderloin on top of the vegetables.

Pour the chicken broth and water into the crockpot and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook until the peas are very soft and the meat easily shreds, on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove the pork to a cutting board when cooked. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat, and then stir the shredded pork back into the soup to combine. Taste and season additionally as needed.

(Before I begin this post, I want to note that it wasn't Josh, and that we are very happy.)

• Get it out. Let yourself feel hurt and upset. Don’t, under any circumstances, bury it—you’ll regret it later. Verbalize or write the way you feel until you’re exhausted. Repeat if necessarily. If you can express it to the person who made you feel that way, do it gently. If not, vent to a stand-in friend or even a pillow or plant or anything else you feel will do the job. If you do this, it can’t bottle up inside you. You will have to face it and then sort things out—and that’s really the first step in forgiving.
• Become ok with the “why.” People do stupid things—sometimes on purpose, and sometimes not—and that often leads to hurt feelings. Our brains are programed to try and make sense of things, but that can often be hard with emotions. So, take some time, and a few deep breaths, and really try to figure out why that person may have done or said something that hurt. Even if the answer is just because they are a big fat meany pants, you have a reason! A reason your brain can then sort, process, and move on from.
• Think positive thoughts about yourself. In society today, it's really taboo to praise yourself, but being a little narcissistic, privately, after a bad experience can really help. You need to realize you are bigger and better than your anger. You are too important to be tied up in pain. You are unique—so don’t let that hurt change you into someone you’re not!
• Smile and laugh. I don’t mean you have to burst out into fits of grins and giggles, but laughter really is one of the best medicines. It can take the most serious situations and make them seem insignificant. It relieves pain. It helps you realize that joy is what’s important in life, and that it’s not worth stressing over things from the past and future you can’t control. Take your focus and set it dead center on happiness in the moment, and, when you do, you’ll find that it's all around you!
• Let go. Now for the hardest part: making the choice to not hold a grudge. Really detaching yourself from it. Letting all that emotion melt away. Take some deep breaths, and know that you have so many wonderful things to do and experience in your life, and you don’t want to be emotionally hauling around those people who've hurt you. They'll get really heavy really fast. Promise yourself to focus on kindness—and then do so! That’s when love just breaks all the negative energy, and leaves you centered on what’s important.

So in the last month, we went to two amazing places—both brought to you by the letter C! And even though it’s taken me forever, I figured it would be better late than never to talk about our trips!


California was so fun! Every time Josh and I go out there, we both wonder why we don’t live there. The weather is so warm, and there is so much to do! (We’re not moving, don’t worry!) We stayed at my grandparents’ house, which is such a relaxing and fun place. While we were there we went to the Chino air show and loved watching all the WWII planes fly! It’s amazing how beautiful those planes are—and how cool they sound! I'm not sure which ones were there specifically, ask Josh if you want to know because he loves that stuff. The only problem was that my hat kept blowing off my head! One older gentleman even said to me, “Careful holding on to your hat, you just might blow away with it!” Haha! I guess I was quite the sight. But I didn’t get burned, and that is what’s important!

We also went to Disneyland—the happiest place on earth! Josh and I always have so much fun there, and love to ride all the fun rides and eat all the delicious food.


A few weeks later we went even further south, way way further south. Cancun to be exact! I was amazed at how beautiful it was down there, and we seriously had the best time. Josh was already talking about going back next year…and we hadn’t even left! There were so many cool people to meet and fun places to go.

And let me take a moment to talk about the chocolate-covered strawberries. You know how sometimes you eat a chocolate-covered strawberry and the chocolate is kind of waxy? Not in Cancun. The chocolate at the RIU was nice and crisp and was a fantastic compliment to these perfect strawberries. I probably ate 50 of them. And I have no shame.

Oh, and the pools. Let’s talk about those too. The pools were those infinity-type pools that just sit at the edge of this turquoise and aquamarine ocean. Sigh. It was heaven. Plus, I got to be with my love for seven days straight, and that’s always the best.

Anyway, there’s a quick catch up to our travels lately. Highly recommend the RIU Palace Peninsula if you’re looking for a place to stay in Cancun, and, of course, always recommend California.

 Wednesday we celebrated the life of Grandpa Butler, my husband’s grandpa. It’s strange to know he’s not here with us anymore, but it is peaceful to know that he is not forever separated from us. It caused me so much pain to watch Wilma bury her spouse of almost 64 years, his children say goodbye to the father they adore, his grandchildren lose their friend and mentor, and it made me think a lot about life and death—and send me into a slight panic over the people I love and how to better show the deep love I have for them. I have been lucky enough to fill my life with beautiful people, and I know my love for them will not stop at death. If you look at any culture, any religion, any time in history, you’ll see a strong belief in an afterlife and personal spiritual experiences. That fact to me means that death is not the end, and that no matter what you believe, there is something on the other side. And it brings me a lot of peace knowing that my time with everyone is not temporary. 


There were so many wonderful things said about Grandpa Butler at his funeral, and it was perfect. It also encouraged everyone to live a life, like his, full of things worth remembering. Things that make a difference. Those things don’t have to be big or grand, though lots of his were, but I think the most important work we can do is show love to others in simple, everyday ways. To be loyal to family and friends, and to always be kind. Kindness leaves a strong legacy, and the funeral really reminded me of that—and inspired me. Thank you for living a wonderful life Grandpa Butler, I’m lucky to have known you.