The simple things

that make your day


and a CHRISTMAS water cup!! (perfect timing since my other broke)

 Pretty yarn

 and a beautiful and extremely happy girl-who doesn't care what other people think! LOL

Hope your Thursday is a great one!

Pumpkin Chili-details

Yesterday I saw that the weather today was going to be cold and rainy.  I LOVE IT!  So I decided a nice warm comforting meal was in order for the menu tonight.
Yes, it is autumn...so what could be better than pumpkin chili?!!!

Adapted from this recipe

I added 1lb extra hamburger, a 64 oz container of v-8, extra spices and beans and did a whole can of pumpkin instead of half.

So kind of funny,  I went to the store to get bell pepper and onion because somehow I was actually out! *gasp*

While there I realized no cans of beans - well they wanted $1.50 for 1 can of beans!  yes, so at 1am I was starting a pot of beans last night.

Then today, I realized, no pumpkin pie spice! LOL  so I made some up from this recipe here

the only thing not from scratch was canned tomatoes and the canned pumpkin...maybe next time I should remedy that!

Looks great and smells divine!  I can't wait to taste it.

Brown 3 lbs hamburger

Add 2 Tbsp of Pumpkin Pie spice...I made my own

Place hamburger and 1lb cooked beans in your pot/crockpot depending on your method of cooking

Add 2 cans diced tomatoes, or more if desired. and 1 1/2-2 Tbsp Chili powder

1 29oz can of pumpkin puree and 1/2 cup sugar

Sautee 2 green bell peppers and 2 onions

Add to mixture

64oz of V-8 or other vegetable juice

Cook/simmer on stove top for 1 hour

or 8 hours on low in the crockpo

cool days makes me long

for a sweater!  I wonder how many years it will take me to actually knit myself a sweater.  or a cardigan.  or something wooly just for me!  I always knit for everyone else, but I tell you, the thought of a sweater for myself is daunting.

The days are turning cool-wonderful days for curling up on the couch with my down comforter and book.  cool days that bring big pots of chicken noodle soup for the family (yes, with joyous cries of excitement!!)  this is truly my favorite time of year, and I hate how quickly each day passes.  why can't it be October for 2 months or more? lol

things are crazy it seems.  7 kids means everything is insane.  Kaitlyn started highschool this year and it is weird having 2 of them there! Next year Noah will start.  And the fees for highschool are insane! Holy cow!  Even just to be in men's choir cost Conner $75 on top of supplies.

Speaking of Conner, he gave his first speech as a DeMolay state officer a few weeks ago.  He did a great job!  I was so proud of him. 

Homecoming 2011- Conner and Tiffany!

Homecoming 2011-Kaitlyn and Will

Kaitlyn and Conner

Speaking of Conner, I forgot to mention-he broke his arm in July.  And not just a break, he broke it good!  Was going down hill on a little razor scooter, got going too fast (paramedics estimate about 30 mph) lost control and fell forward.  His arm snapped on impact, then his head hit and he was knocked unconscious.  They said it was good his arm hit first or he might not have made it with the impact to his head-  He had a compound break of both arms in his bone and had to have surgery.  2 plates were put in his arm and he was in the hospital for several days.  Here are his incision and the area where the bone broke through the skin.

pretty gnarly scars he has now!