White Chicken Chili

I have a picture I'll upload later but for now I didn't want to forget the recipe I concocted tonight.

White Chili
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 yellow onion, chopped
chicken stock
salt, pepper
cayenne pepper
montreal chicken seasoning
white pepper
dried parsley
1 can canelini beans

1 can pinto beans

light sour cream
Lime

Cook turkey & onions.  Add stock until turkey is swimming.  Add appropriate mix of spices, salt and pepper well, add small amounts of montreal chicken seasoning and white pepper, a dash of cayenne. Add a small palmful of parsley. Drain and rinse beans and add.  Simmer until beginning to reduce.  Add 2 heaping spoonfuls of sour cream, mix, and return to a simmer until thickened. Add lime.  Serve over cornmeal waffles.

Mer's Christmas PJ pants

We had the tradition in my house growing up of getting to open 1 gift on Christmas Eve.  It was always pajamas.  I don't remember how far back this goes but the first year I really remember doing it was 1998.  It was the first Christmas my family was in Arizona and my sister and I flew back to Chicago to spend the break (10 days) with my dad.  I wore my Christmas Eve pajamas (which we opened before Christmas) on the plane.  I still have a picture taken at my dad's after we had landed and arrived, in front of the Christmas tree, wearing the pants.

Last year my parents got my girls Christmas pajamas including robes - SO cute.  This year I made the spur of the moment decision, as I stood in front of the flannel at WalMart, to make them Christmas pajama pants to open up Christmas Eve. I let my girls pick out their own flannel.

I used this method, more or less. I just used folded flannel and hemmed them myself.  After all, if I can do it, it's NOT hard at all.  I only had to rip one seam, which, sadly, is good for me.

Gwenna's PJ pants will be next. Here is the flannel she picked out:

Holiday Table Cloth

Wow, I hate when this happens.  Sometimes Blogger has issues and no matter how I alter my picures of save them, they turn out sideways.  Oh well.

Today during nap time I made a table cloth.  I picture fabric that I thought was kind of Christmasy but wouldn't look terrible if I don't replace it January 1.  I think I found one that fits the bill.  However, since I have kids and this is our eating/crafting/baking-together area, no table cloth would make it a day- nay! - an hour without getting pretty messy and stained.  So I also purchased clear vinyl, 2 yards, to go over the top.

I did a close up of the fabric and this is the accused - the wacky sideways picture that frustrates me.

Just a simple hem around the edge of the fabric.  I got 2 yards of fabric but since I pulled it in an inch each way it's smaller than the vinyl.  Perfect!

Charting Progress

I'm not sure I believe in rewards for doing things that kids should do anyway. I guess it's incentive. I'm not sure. I believe the incentive should be internal, that they know they are supposed to obey and do what is asked as well as do what needs to be done.

That being said, I have no idea if I'll use this. I may use it but remove the reward part? I'm torn.


Here are blank charts you can you if you'd like. First, a girly chart and then a more boy-ish version.





I got this idea directly from here. Elements for these charts were taken from Summer Driggs. I also made a boy chart with a sweet robot, only to look at the terms of use which prohibited me from sharing it with you. Bummer, right??

We live here!

I saw this phrase on Pinterest and I liked it. I made these two printables showcasing this true saying. The first is 8x10, the second is 6x18. Yes, you can print 6x18. I thought it would be fun over the top of a door perhaps.