{Easy Peasy Chicken}

Do you ever have one of those days where you are just positive you CANNOT put forth any more effort?  You know, the days where you would rather come home, sit on the couch and be a complete slob not move until it is time for bed.  That day for me was Tuesday.  I was exhausted.  I had nothing left to give.  However, my work day doesn't stop at 5PM.  I start my second shift job...being a Mama of course!  Actually, it's more of an around the clock, never get a day off, but wouldn't trade a single second for anything job.  

Since I had other chores that had to be done, I decided I would throw this little recipe together and in the oven it went.  Simple.  Quick.  And I don't have to tend to it over a hot stove.  Winner, winner chicken dinner...literally!!  Recipe via Pinterest

Source

Ingredients:

4-6 raw chicken breasts {I cut my chicken into bite size pieces}

4-5 new potatoes {washed & cut}

Green beans (fresh or canned)  {I used broccoli because I am not a huge green bean fan}

1 cup low sodium/low fax chicken broth

1 packet Italian dressing

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Arrange in a 9 x 13 casserole dish as shown above.  Sprinkle with packet of Italian dressing mix and pour chicken broth around meat and veggies.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Enjoy!!

{Hello Spring!}

Well, maybe not really...but today's 70 degree weather is sooo much nicer than the 20-something degrees AND ice we encountered only 4 short days ago.  I'll take 70 and sunshine any day =)  I am not cut out for cold weather.  I never have been.  Nor do I plan to move anywhere north of  North Carolina.  I'll stay right here where the weather is bipolar and you can eat a picnic on your lunch break in January and see the beautiful Carolina blue sky.

Lunch break scenery

Hoping this sunshine and nice weather continues.  Everything seems much easier when it's gorgeous outside...well, except for working indoors.  Boo!  

Happy Tuesday kiddos!!

{Guess who's back....Back again?!?!?!}

Not Shady, ME!!  (Eminem, anyone??  No?  Ok!)  Yep...those 2 little words up there pretty much sum up the past couple...oh I don't know...4 months of my life.  Planning the holidays happened.  Shopping for the holidays happened.  Cooking for the holidays happened.  Cleaning up the holidays happened (Side note---I HATE cleaning up all the gifts, boxes, clothes, decorations etc.  Guess I am a post Christmas Scrooge.)  Work is out of control.  And to top it off I found out I have a thyroid problem and possible PCOS.  Life is GRAND!!

So I'll discuss a little bit about my thyroid problem.  Toward the end of summer I started to notice some definite signs of a thyroid problem.  I had this crazy rash on my inner thighs and down my legs.  I COULD NOT get relief.  I scratched my legs to the point of bruising.  This went on for months.  I also noticed my hair was falling out.  And not a normal amount...like globs.  And to top it off, no matter how hard I tried to control my diet and exercise, IT DIDN'T HELP!!!  The weight continued to pile on.  Effff!!!!  So I had some testing done at my office and guess what?!?!...NOTHING.  NADA.  NEGATIVE.  I mean, a few things were abnormal, but nothing significant enough for medication.  I was livid and confused.  There was no way all the signs were there but nothing to prove from blood work.  So, I came to the conclusion I was going to have to try harder.

About 2 months later I ran into another problem.  I was no longer having a cycle.  I About D.I.E.D!!  There was only one other time this happened...and I have a cute little princess to show for it.  I'm pretty sure I took close to 30 pregnancy tests and had blood drawn yet again.  Results = NOT PREGNANT.  Whew!!  So I took a trip to my GYN and explained what was going on.  I was switched to a higher dose estrogen birth control. I also requested a referral to an endocrinologist.  I was determined to find out what was wrong with me.

Fast forward one month.  I explain my problems to an endocrinologist.  She immediately wants to drawn a million vials of blood and proceeds to tell me she believes I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).  Finally!  Someone is giving me some answers.  Once the blood work came back I was also told I have hypothyroidism.  I KNEW IT!!  (Just call me Lauren Nix, MD)  I was started on medication (which I am not sure is working) and sent along my merry way.

I am now a month a half into my medicine, going to the gym several times a week and guess what?...The weight ain't going nowhere.  And my hair is still falling out...

No...that is not a small animal :)

I am trying my best to cope with the awesomeness that is Hypothyroidism.  Getting older is such a task.  Can I just be 8 again??

Until next time...