A Sunday well spent brings a week of content--we have all heard that right?!

But seriously, Sundays and I, we didn’t always love each other. In fact, we hated each other. I honestly used to dread Sundays because it meant the end of the weekend, so I would try to fit in as many activities as possible, but I ended up burning out really fast. The awful realization that it was the end of the weekend, and contemplation of the probably manic week ahead, used to make for a terrible case of Sunday Blues. But in the last few years I’ve started to invest in the day, realizing that when it comes to Sunday, you only get out what you put in. Now I allow myself rest on Sundays and I've seen such a positive improvement in my week ahead. Having a Sunday routine makes me smile and I have found that a few simple steps can create not only a lovely day filled with all the joy and happiness (as opposed to a slight depression), but lays the foundation for a successful, anxiety free week. And who wouldn't want that?

So here is how I have my perfect Sunday....

Allow yourself a leisurely morning

I typically stay in my pj's all morning snuggled up with my pups sipping coffee and watch Face The Nation to catch up on the week's political news. I have agreed to not be so involved in this everyday for sanity's sake but I do think it is important to be in the loop of what is happening in the world. I also am a CBS Sunday Morning lover ever since I was a kid. It's actually one of my favorites and I look forward to it greatly every week. I also have dedicated Sunday as my slow-cooker dinner day so I can literally throw something in my crock pot all before the coffee leisure happens--and it's amazing how relaxed I feel. I can actually be calm and collected and know that dinner will be ready and fabulous. I cannot tell you how much I love my slow cooker recipes--like I want to marry that darn thing.

I also just recently discovered Simply Potatoes® . I love a good comforting creamy potato soup on a brisk fall night. And I love hash browns. Pinterest is going nuts right now with some hash brown soup recipes and I have been dying to try one myself. And hello--honoring my valuable time on Sundays--and not having to wash, peel, and shred potatoes, what a dream come true. Simply Potatoes® are real, fresh potatoes. They only use fresh, never frozen, potatoes and real ingredients like milk and butter. So their potatoes taste just like homemade, but go from fridge to fork in a fraction of the time. In fact..you will find them in the dairy section at your local grocery market even though you will be tempted to search for them in the freezer section just out of old habit.

You are going to love this easy recipe that I am sharing with you all at the end of this post. I pinky promise. So scroll down to grab it if you just came here for the potatoes! Hey--I don't blame you one bit. But if you want some more tips on how to create your perfect Sunday, keep reading.

Get Sweating

Nothing feels better than a little sweat session on a Sunday early afternoon. Whether you feel like death from too many glasses of wine from the night before or even if you just settled in with Netflix and early bed---any kind of movement is amazing for the body and mind. I like to head to Chandler Park or Turkey Mountain for a nice hike. Tulsa is having such a pretty fall so there will be many photo opportunities out there for you too. Something out of the ordinary always feels so fun and new. I also love the 10:30 indoor cycling class at PBM but just wish it was 10:45 so I did not have to miss my CBS Sunday Morning! Ha.

Be Social--Or Not

So this could go both ways. If you are a total introvert and your friends are missing you, you might want to plug in a nice Sunday coffee catch up session or some girly time shopping. It's important to make time cultivating those relationships that are important to you. But of you tend to have a pretty active social calendar all week long, I recommend a digital detox no obligation Sunday. Clearing your schedule and putting your phone down for a the whole 24 hours or even a few hours if that is breaking you out in hives just thinking about it. I am personally addicted to being on-line and find that these sorts of short breaks are perfect for restoring my creativity and giving me amazing new ideas. The breaks also make me feel better about myself too as I cannot compare to all the bloggers I follow waking up in Paris with the perfect Sunday Funday coffee shots. Just give yourself what you need here---the social time or the unplug time--and hey, it changes from weekend to weekend especially as we enter the holiday season.

Create Something

On the subject of creativity, if you have the time take an hour or so to get creative. Whether it be practicing learning how to play an instrument or learning a new language, making some overnight oats for the week, or just reading. Your brain will thank you for it for the rest of the week, I promise. I have been making time to read more as it was something I use to do so much of. I fell out of the habit of allowing myself the time to get lost in a good book. Currently reading Rupi Kaur's new book, The Sun And Her Flowers. It's amazingly beautiful.

Even play a card game to get that brain thinking..

Get Organized

I love to take a few hours on a Sunday afternoon to get organized, whether it be writing my to-do list or lining up a couple of blog posts. It might seem unfair to jump into the working week so early, but I find that investing a small amount of time on a Sunday allows me to sleep well that night and not have a total freak out on Monday morning. I also like to pay bills and do the adult stuff that has to get done. I also spend a little time on my home--and clean sheets feel amazing going into the new week! This tends to change every Sunday so yesterday I spent some time in my pantry organizing my china and spices.

No need for the Sunday Blues anymore my dears.

And Ohhh Emmmm Geeeee----now for that delish recipe using Simply Potatoes hash browns. It was so crazy good.

Juts picture a fully loaded baked potato…in soup form.

The key to this recipe is the Simply Potato Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes. These gems come ready-shredded in a bag, so all you have to do is toss them in the crock…along with your veggies, broth, and spices. The pre-shredded potatoes will cook up tender in three hours on the high setting, or six hours on low. Then all you have to do is thicken the soup, melt some cheese on top, and serve it up with all your favorite potato toppings. It will become a family favorite.

Loaded Crockpot Hash Brown Potato Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1 (20-ounce) bag Simply Potato Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes
32 oz chicken broth
7 slices of bacon, cooked and diced (reserve 2 sliced for toppings)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup onion diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoon flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Into a 4-5qt crockpot, add in potatoes, bacon, broth, water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook on HIGH 3 hours. or LOW for 6 hours.

2. Once cooking time is done, whisk flour and cream together until smooth. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 30 minutes. Next add cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

3. Serve hot with cheese, sour cream, bacon and green onions.

I dare you to only have one bowl!

Simply Potatoes has some other amazing products too for your recipes so check it out here.