On the first day of Christmas...

Yes. That is entirely irrelevant.

Moving on.

Last night I made the most delicious dinner of the planet. Except for not, but considering the fact that our stomachs were shriveled up in hungry agony, it tasted pretty dang good. It was sort of just mac and cheese on steroids. Which just means I'm a successful college student, right? Creative leeway with the cheap noodle stuff? Yeah. I win. :p



Skillet Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
2 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped zucchini
½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14½ ounce) Italian stewed tomatoes
½ cup mild cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
2. Add the macaroni, broth, zucchini, onion and oregano to the chicken in the skillet.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in tomatoes and cheddar cheese.
5. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.


I love cooking! I absolutely love it.

Usually.

But it's my favorite to feel like I'm little mama Shannon, bustling around in our little kitchen making food for everyone. :) It's so fun!

Also, I've decided I need to be stressed out and on edge more often. Yesterday I went on a wild spree. I cleaned EVERYTHING. I scrubbed every inch of my bathroom, I swept the tile and shook out the rugs and scrubbed the shower and the mirror, and I did all my laundry and washed bedding, I cleaned the inside and outside of the sliding glass door... I was like a crazy wild banshee!

So the moral of the story is: If Shannon's stressed- invite her over to your messy apartment and she'll probably lose it and clean stuff. :p

Also, I'm so grateful for good friends and roommates, because they're always so good to make me feel better. I love how my apartment is getting to be so close, and how we talk about everything. (We started a tradition called the "If you kiss a new boy you have to buy everyone ice cream so we can sit around and giggle and talk about it" rule. I basically adore it for two reasons. We get ice cream, and we get to talk about whats going on in our lives and 'bond'. :p And yes, it goes in that order. ;) Hehe) Caitlan McConnell is another one of my blessings here at college. (I'm finding that there are lots of those.) She's in the Relief Society presidency, and she's so incredible! She's one of the strongest, most compassionate women I know here. I love her to death! Last night after she told me exactly what I needed (but didn't want) to hear, she just listened to me rant and rave and vent about some pretty ridiculous stuff. And then when I said I felt like just breaking something she stood up, walked to her closet, brought a box out and dumped a badrillion popsicle sticks onto the floor and let me snap half of them. (Yes. I'm aware that I'm really mature. Don't worry. I'll grow up someday.)She also dumped some chocolate on the floor in front of me. I love that girl!

My mom, the twins, and Brianne are coming through E town today, and I'M SO BLASTED EXCITED!!! I miss my family. There. I admitted it. ;) I love them so so much, but I didn't think I'd miss them this much! Especially those pesky little sisters. ;) (Hehe, love you guys.) We're gonna go "feast" at the Malt Shop, and then Bri gets to spend the day with me while mom and the twins go to the ortho.

Seriously. So excited.

Anywho, I'm gonna go do something productive now. :)

(Thank goodness it's Friday!)

P.S I'm excited to get to stay here and watch conference with Caitlan :) :) Conference is going to be marvelous, don't you think? :)


(P.P.S... I think I have smileyfaceitis. Just sayin.)