Chicken Soup For My Soul

This post is about how chicken noodle soup really is good for the body and the soul....

I got home from work and just felt heavy and tired. Do you ever feel heavy and tired?
I hope that you have ways that make everything better.
I'm tired because I didn't spend enough time in my classroom this summer and now I am paying big time!
There is so much that goes into getting a classroom ready that people may not know about.
Luckily, I have kind family members who help make it go faster and funner (Thanks Katie and Dad!)
I'm feeling heavy because I have what I call the pre-fall blues. I think they it's a real, diagnosable thing!
What happens is Summer is over! Some of you may understand how sad this is!
My Bestie, Kae sent me a meme that pretty much summed it up... "I'm a teacher because I'm solar powered and I get my energy from the sun" so true! I really do get so much energy from being in nature with the sun shining on me. Does anyone else feel this way? I love taking my kids on adventures and summer time is the very best time for adventures!
Don't get me wrong, I love Fall! Fall is also a great time for adventuring....its just that the adventures are shorter and fewer. I love leaves changing, the weather cooling, hot cocoa, fun holidays. The problem is in the back of my mind there is this nagging feeling that Winter is right around the corner and the struggle is so very real for me in the Winter. I have lots of coping strategies that get me through (sun lamp, sledding, hot coco, girls nights, valentines day) but Winter is just hard for me.

Enough rambling, lets get to the point.
I was feeling tired and heavy and my dad called and asked me to make some chicken noodle soup because he was sick and it always makes him feel better.
So, I went to work making chicken noodle soup and boy was it good for my soul!
As I was cooking, I tested here and there and with each sip, my heart got a bit lighter.
I got thinking how lucky I am to be able to make soup for my dad who gives so much to his children.
Dan got home and started playing with the kids, their laughter and happiness filled up our whole house.
I am so lucky to have a husband and two children to laugh with!
I went up stairs to switch laundry over and caught a glimpse of my cute new decor pillow and pillow cases on my bed! So lovely and cute! Actually, I'm pretty lucky to live in a home that I love!
I went in the pantry and realized I had plastic bowls and since I already had a sink full of dishes, I was happy to be able to use plastic...less dishes, yay!
By the time I was done making the soup, my heart was feeling much less heavy and much more happy!
I hope that I can remember this evening during the long, cold days of Winter:)
What do  you do when your heart is feeling tired and heavy?

love,
Em

PS: I know that many of my friends are really suffering with heavy problems, I do not want to make light of their sadness. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with my friends who are suffering and tired and heavy with problems:)

 

Chicken Noodle Soup:

• start boiling some chicken stock this can be any mixture of salt and pepper, chicken broth, chicken boullion cubes and water. I just keep adding stuff till it tastes good. Bring to a boil on medium high to high heat
• while you are waiting for the broth to boil, chop up some carrots, when your water is boiling add the carrots
• now, start the celery..clean it and chop it up. When the carrots are softened (not all the way but kind of soft) add the celery to the broth and carrots.At this point, turn the burner down to mediumish
• make the noodles! mix up one egg with two tablespoons of milk or cream and half a tsp of salt. 
• add one cup flour and mix it till it forms a ball
• roll out pretty thin with lots of flour
• cut into strips. As you cut them add a bit of flour and fluff it together.
• when you get them all cut, add to them to soup
• lastly, chop up some cooked chicken and throw it into the soup
• we love to serve to soup over mashed potatoes, and don't forget to garnish with lots of cheese and crackers!