Cravin me some SALSA!!

Ok....anyone that knows me or knows my family knows that a bag of chips, a fresh batch of salsa and a ice cold coke is by far our favorite thing to eat!!  Growing up,  you could not be a guest at our house without being offered this SPECTACULAR combo!   To this day it is still my favorite food so I am always trying to improve the salsa recipe over and over.  The other day I came up with what I call "Pure Salsa Satisfaction"!  Mmmmmmmmmmmm is all I can say because there is a chip in my mouth as we speak! haha.  So I thought I would be kind to all you readers and salsa lovers and give you this little golden nugget to put in your recipe box!  ENJOY!!

Melissa's Salsa:


3 fresh roma tomatoes

1 fresh pablano pepper (seeded and roasted in a oven on broil untill the skin starts to turn almost black)

cilantro (As much as you wish for your taste.  I just rip off a chunk!)

1/2 yellow onion

2 large chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

 (A must!) Make sure you cut them in half and scrape all the seeds out first or you will have some dang HOT salsa on your hands.  Wear plastic gloves or the oils from the peppers will soak in your skin.  Just a tip! :)

1 can western family tomatoes with cilantro and lime with juice (picture below)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt (I do it to taste cuz I'm a salt freak!)

1 tsp chili powder


I have listed the pictures of the ingredients because the brand is very important.  Right down to the kind of chips!  Now don't CHEAT or it wont be the same experience!  I feel very strong about this now!!

Chipotle peppers

Tomatoes

Pablano or also called Pasilla

The best chips I've found without making your own!

And walla!!!!  You have some amazing tasting salsa!  This salsa is more mild but still has a little kick!

 

My favorite things!!

Anybody that knows me well knows that I a very curious creature.  Today I decided to share some of my very favorite things that I've found over the years from being well...CURIOUS!!!

First, since we're still in the middle of this hot  summer, I thought my first review would be on my very favorite tanning lotion.  Self tanner that is.  At my age, any little drop of sun gives me ugly age spots and a blotchy face.  And I'm not sure about how you all feel, but as I grow older, I dont wanna end up looking like a piece of jerky because of tanning beds and sun!  That being said, I have a beautiful aunt that I have always looked up too.  She looks amazing and always has this beautiful tan on her legs yet I knew she didn't tan.  One day while I was doing her hair I asked her how she always managed to have a great tan.  She told me her secret!!!  It's called "SUN ultra dark self tanning lotion".  

So of coarse I went out and bought it and tried it out.  AMAZING!!!!  The best part about it is that it looks like a real tan!  Not that orange disgusting looking stuff that smells like crap.  This stuff smells great and looks beautiful!  And the bonus....No age spots, extra wrinkles, or jerky looking skin!! Trust me...this stuff is fantastic.  We are not cursed to be bright white after all!  YEAH!!!!!Here is the link! www.sunlabsonline.com 

Signs..Signs..Everywhere A Sign

So this week I have been working on something new and fun for my boutique.  The Muffincup Boutique.  I love those old distressed looking signs in a home.  But....I like them to be a little different than the typical ones you see around.  I found some old cabinet doors at the DI and thought to myself...hmmmm I could make something  cool outta that!  Any old piece of wood or metal would work.  
All you need is:
        *Scrap piece of wood
        *Spray paint
        *sand paper
        *distressing tools (I use a smooth edge little knife.  Works great!)
        *Acrylic paints
        *spray shellac for primer
        *antiquing glaze
        *Polyurathane or wax to seal the finished product

This one I did for a kitchen or a dining room.

Get creative.....the less perfect it is the better!

What would we do without them???

What would we do without them?  Family and friends is what i'm talking about.  This post is going to be hard to type because of the tears that get stirred up every time I think about how lucky I am to have all of them.   As I was preparing this video I got thinking about how fast time goes by, and how important that it is that we let the people that are dear to us know how much we love them every day.  In my life, as have many of you, I have lost loved ones close to me.  My little brother Josh was one of them.  At 17 years old he was killed at our family business.  The youngest, sweetest and most innocent of us all.  I've always said that god takes the best ones so that we have really strong angels up there to help the rest of us make it through!!  I have the best family and friends in the whole wide world.  I love them more than anything.  And everyday since my brother passed away I feel like I have truly learned to appreciate them.  Listen....I know life gets crazy busy, and that there are so many distractions out there that take your focus away from what is important.  But when it's all over, all we have is each other.  Our memories and our relationships.  Everything else means nothing  when you are looking at the big picture.  So today.....take a little extra time with the ones you love.  Write that letter, make that call cuz ya never know when our time is up!!!  Hope you enjoy the movie.  This is my family!   And Ohhhhhhhhhhh how much I love them!!!!

This video is dedicated to my family and to my brother Josh and my little nephew jonny walter.  I miss you both so much.  Can't wait to see you again!

Reflecting back this 4th of July

  With the 4th of July right around the corner, I found myself thinking how grateful I am to live in this amazing country.  A few years back in the thick of my music career,  I had the great opportunity to go on a thirty day tour around the country visiting military bases, ships and hospitals.  At that time my brother Jake was also serving in Iraq so the tour had a very special place in my heart.
One day really stands out in my mind every time I reflect back on that amazing opportunity, and that was the day that I went to the Walter Reed Hospital and went from room to room singing and talking to soldiers who had just come from war and were badly injured.  One soldier that really stands out in my mind was a twenty year old kid who before he was deployed was a bronc rider in the rodeos.  As I sat at the foot of his bed, he spoke of the terrible day that left him with no legs, one arm and a broken back.  With his one good arm he reached up to grasp the hoist that was hanging from the ceiling and sat up so he could see me better.  He said "Will you sing me another song?"  With a lump in my throat, I began to sing another song for him.  I sat there singing song after song for him as he requested while his sweet mother sat in the rocking chair by his bed.  I remember thinking to myself how lucky.. and alot of times un-greatful we are for what all the men and women serving our country have done for us.  There he was with life changing injuries from serving our country and all he wanted from me was a song.  That day forever changed my life.  I am so amazed by the sacrifices that the military community makes for us, and I am so humbled by them.  As I went from room to room, there was one thing that all of those men and women had in commen and that was that they all said they would do it again in a heartbeat.
We owe them so much.   Let us all remember to show our gratitude and appreciation this 4th of July for their service and for giving us the gift of freedom.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!

"Red White and Blue Night In Georgia"

This is a video of a song that I recorded in Nashville while my brother was serving in Iraq.  It ended up being the title track of the album we released.  This song is dedicated to all the men and women who have served our country.  And to my brother Jake Taylor who received two purple hearts while serving in Iraq.   I hope you enjoy it.  It is also available on itunes. 

My brother Jake and I before being deployed

Jake in Iraq

Run for the warriors 

Camp Lejeune run for the warriors

Fort Hood Texas

Sky diving with the golden knights!

Ready for a change

  So today I wanna talk about something iv'e been putting off for a very long time!  Loosing some dang weight!!!  I have 6 awesome kids ages 16,15,13, twins that are 12 and..........drumroll please........My  little baby Wyatt who just turned one.  My little sweet caboose!  I am so surprised how much harder it is to get the weight off at 38 years old than it was at 26. although...I will be honest and say that I have not really put in the effort.  There is a 12 year gap between my 5 older kids and my little Wyatt so I am starting all over again with the baby thing and the weight is NOT MOVING!!!
   My weight has always been up and down, but back a few years ago I stayed in really good shape for quite some time.  Running 5 plus miles a day, swiming, lifting, and most of all, feeling great!  I miss that healthy feeling so much.  I miss what it did for my mind and my energy.  My quality of life was much better,  my marriage was better, my career was better, my self esteem was much better and my emotions were much more stable.  Our health effects so much more of our lives than we sometimes realize.  Having experienced both sides, I'm telling you....being healthy is worth the work!   So....today is the day that I have no more excuses.  I want to always be honest in my blog so   I am saying it out loud now......I am loosing 100 pounds by april 1st 2013!!!!!!!!!  I am going to be brave and tell you that right now I weigh 219 lbs.  It's the very heaviest I have ever been.  I have been struggling with depression, anxiety, health issues etc. because of it.  I've decided its time!  I want my life back!
    During the coarse of this blog we will be making and reaching many goals in many areas if you stick with me.  Remember...the whole point of starting this blog was to help each other have the kind of life we truly want, deserve and need in order to be happy.  I'm being honest in it because I want you to know that I understand how hard it it because I have BEEN THERE!!   I know from experience that being fit feels amazing and it greatly enhances your life inside and out.  It can also be a huge spiritual experience if you let it be.  You learn alot about yourself when you challenge yourself.
  So each week I'm going to set two goals that have to do with helping me achieve my weight loss.  Write me and tell me what yours are so we can inspire each other!  We can do it!  On April 1st I will post my before and after, and I would love if some of you would do the same when you reach yours!  Make sure you reward yourself at the end of every week for reaching your goals!!!!!

                                          Here is a picture of me when I was fit and healthy

This is the only picture I could find of me now.  Just picture me minus the baby belly.

Anyway....lets all kick it in gear and be the weight that we know is right for us!  For me, it was the picture above.  Now that was 4 years ago, but I know I can do it again and so can you!  Cant wait to see everyones progress.  Here's to being sweaty, ornery, tired, sore,  AND PROUD!!!

Goals for this week! June 25th-July 2nd

1. Do 30 minuets of cardio everyday

2. Drink 60 ounces of water each day

What are yours??

Welcome to “Livin’ Life with Lula”!  Before we get going, I’d like to tell you just a little bit about myself.  My name is Melissa Jones.  All my life my daddy has called me Lula.  I have know idea why but he still does to this day and well...I kinda like it!  I am a wife, a mother of 6 (3 girls and 3 boys), a singer/songwriter, cosmetoglogist, boutique owner, piano teacher, and pretty much a woman who is obsessed with music, anything creative, and most of all, Im a woman who has a huge passion for life!  When I say that... I mean what is life about?  What is it for?  How do we be happy?  How do we keep a good balance? How do we get along? How do we keep the bills paid?  How do we reach our goals? How do we stay organized? How to become who we were meant to become here on earth?  Whew....i’m already tired now.  I’m sure so many of us feel this way on a daily basis including myself.  So I wanted to design a blog where people could come to learn, laugh, cry, motivate, teach, inspire and be inspired!!

I have experienced ALOT of things in my life.  Some experiences that were so amazing that they still take my breath away for a moment when I think about them, and others that taught me HUGE life lessons that have helped me to have faith, courage, and a realization that god is always there!  My purpose with this blog is to reach out and share with you, not only the things I’ve learned about life, but hopefully I can help you to have faith, courage, compassion, friendships, better life skills, humillity and hope for the future.  I hope this blog will help you and inspire you to have a better life!  I know alot of people who read this will think...”Who is this lady and how could she possibly help me?”  But I promise  if you stick with me,  you will have the opportunity to experience a different level of living.  So hold on tight and get ready to start “Livin’ Life with Lula”!!!!