Cool Fall and Winter Nights...

Although around here we are preparing for Christmas and the sale of our new house...in order to move and buy another new one...in another city. I am enjoying fixing heart warming foods...so, I decided to share some of my faves over the next few weeks! This is a favorite I made this week, and we love it. My kids are big bean fans and pick them out...which is not hard to do with this hearty soup. It is a quick meal made of things I have in my pantry at all times!

Taco Soup

In a soup pot add:
2 lb hamburger or ground turkey (cooked and drained)
2 c. frozen corn or 2 cans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can light red kidney beans
(i use what I have--i also substitute in black beans too!)
make sure you drain and rinse beans
add 1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch dressing (dry)
2-3 cans of water depending on how soupy you want it I usually use three...bring to a boil...reduce heat to simmer (30-40 min)...or put in crock pot on low all day.

I serve with cheese, sour cream, and taco chips on the side...enjoy!


This picture is a recent one of our family celebrating Aaron's 31st birthday at the end of October. We were on our way to a fall party event at our church

My Get Fit Challenge

So, our YMCA is doing a get fit challenge, and I am going to be a part. After bedrest, a twin delivery that went horribly wrong, 6 "repair" surgeries, and a new baby...I need to get in shape in a major way. I have a tendency to be a competitive person, so I thought I would do well if I wanted to win. So...hopefully in the weeks ahead I'll be able to post that I am doing well and staying motivated!

A wonderful fall weekend!

I have quite a few blogs that I read often...mostly to I feel like they help me be a better mommy. Some are organizational, some inspiring, but most of them are recipes and meal planning blogs. I ran across a new one and I just love it! It is called Delicious Dishings. This weekend I made her Hearty, Herby Minestrone. It was very good! I love soup and Aaron isn't a big fan of veggie soups--but I make them a lot, he said this was his favorite I have made! You should try it if you get a chance. I didn't add the greenbeans like she did, but added 2X the zucchini and I ran out of plain tomatoes, so I added a can of tomatoes with chilies...it made it a bit spicy, but good. I also made her Apple Cider Doughnuts on Sunday morning, because we had guests this weekend and I thought it would make a ton...and it did. They were awesome! The recipe is a lot of work, so it is not a throw together meal, but I think I'll probably make it a few times a year. I made the dough the night before and we cooked them (aaron helped) Sunday morning before church. He fried them up and I made the glaze. They were fantastic! We ate them again today (monday) and they were still good. It is a good recipe..not your typical yucky home doughnut recipe.


Overall it was a busy weekend for us! We we went swimming at the YMCA on Friday night. Then, on Saturday, Aaron and the boys went to a friends house for a Combine ride...they are still harvesting corn and they rode in the cab just about all day. They were so excited! SO much fun! They also got to see the cows up close and personal and loved them... Silas is now affectionately calling the cows behind our house "his" cows..."my cows" are out today mommy! We had dinner with Kevin and Ranee Saturday night at the Canyon Inn at McCormick's Creek...it was soo yummy! Sunday after church and naps, we went to Bloomington to a pumpkin patch to get the boys pumpkins, had ice cream at Sonic, and went to Michael's to get some ribbon. I love weekends together and I am totally in love with my amazing family! Hope your fall has been as fantastic as ours!

A relaxing Sunday afternoon!

So, recently I have found some amazing blogs that inspire and encourage me. I plan on checking out the curriculum swap at Heavenly Homemakers tomorrow and am hopefully am very successful. I also have found some great recipes there via Meal Planning Mommies, another favorite blog. Another recent find is Two Peas and Their Pod...so many great recipes are there. And finally...August Fields...encourages me too!

Thankfully my mom is here, which frees me up do have some me time...which is cooking and blogging. So, today I will be making Zucchini Bread...here is the recipe! When zucchini bread was in its prime this summer, before the dry spell and our new baby, i shredded, bagged, and froze zucchini for baking at a later date...today is the day. I will also be making banana bread...my mom's recipe...it is a favorite around here! For dinner, I am making pizza pockets...a recipe from Heavenly Homemakers...posted here on meal planning mommies blog. Looks good...we'll see how it goes! I am also planning on making double and freezing some. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday with your family and had a blessed day!

Our Schedule

Our new addition is such a blessing and has been such a welcome addition to our family. Thanks to my favorite book, On Becoming Baby Wise, she has a wonderful schedule that allows me to have a break every afternoon during naptime. I have been taking a nap myself, but today it allowed me to catch up on my coupons and blogging. She is sleeping through the night...9pm to 5-6 am every night and I am not as tired.

The boys had their 2 1/2 yr wellness visits today. They are growing like wees and are my sweet little boys. I can't believe that they are that old. It seems like yesterday that they were delivered and the night mare that was their first 2 years ensued. Thankfully, we are done with surgeries and now we have a new blessing.

our new addition

So it might have been awefully lofty to assume I would blog with three young children...

Here are some pictures of our new one Lydia...taken at her birth and leaving the hospital...she is wonderful!

Sleep

Sleep is something I have come to cherish since the birth of my children. They started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks and 9 weeks and it has been a beautiful thing ever since. However...the transition to twin beds has not been an easy road. I really liked it when my children were "caged" in the cribs and not able to get out. Since they can now get out of the beds...our nights and naptime are pure torture! let's take last night for instance--finally...after sitting at their door to make sure they don't join one another in bed, conspire to get toys out, or jump on the beds...they went to sleep after an hour of laying down. At approximately, 2:00 I hear Levi crying--now mind you I put a gate at their door so they can't get out--so I have to respond to him because he can't just come see me. So...I sent Aaron! Levi had pooped and Aaron took care of it--thankfully! However, Levi doesn't just go back to sleep--he'll just lay there and you'll think he's asleep and then he'll sit up to talk to you when you go to leave. Then...Silas woke up--he had to peepee Aaron was still in there sleeping so he brought him out to me! As I was changing his diaper and taking care of his business--in walks Levi with the cheesiest smile ever--as he was so glad to be able to come into mommy and daddy's room. Aaron took Silas to his bed and I kept Levi with me. Somewhere around 5:00 the boys were both still awake and Aaron and I hadn't slept since 2:00..Finally they went to sleep and we did too--the alarm went off at 5:45. All I could keep thinking is--I am going to have a newborn soon---and I actually thought she might be easier than this...right!?

I'm Back!

Ok...so after a long break in blogging, a job, and a move to a new state....I am ready to start blogging again...I think! As of right now, I am 37 weeks pregnant with our third child, and staying at home again, and think I can get into blogging again! We have been trying to visit a new park each week...this picture is at our most recent find! So much fun! It had lots of big slides and fun swings! I was 36 weeks pregnant in this picture!

The boys have grown up so much! These are recent pictures of them at the park near our home! Nightly, the boys go there after their bike ride with daddy. These are during a recent visit when Aaron's parents were here.