Creamy Potato and Corn Chowder

I loved the "oh mom, yum" and the "I love eating my vegetables like this, mom" that came from my kids mouths tonight at the dinner table. I am doing the "Eat From Your Pantry" Challenge, so I was very excited that I had all the ingredients on hand to make this Creamy Potato and Corn Chowder recipe. I had homemade chicken stock, in mason jars, in the freezer, (read about the amazing nutrition homemade chicken bone stock has, here) and 1/2 a carton of heavy cream, leftover from a Christmas quiche that I made. I used a bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of the corn for added nutrients.
It really, really was good. I can't stress enough the amazing flavor homemade chicken stock adds to soups! It just makes for a deeper, richer flavor. Try it!

For the soup recipe, click here.

New Years Kid Crafts/New Year's Eve Traditions

We made these goofy glasses today. Head over to Make and Takes for directions. While you are there, at the end of the post is a link for homemade New Year's Eve Noise Makers made out of toilet paper rolls. They make the sound of a kazoo while blowing into them. I get a little jeebed out thinking about putting my mouth on something that spent so much time in a bathroom, so I will let my girls do the noise making.

We also made these Noisemaker Shakers out of ribbon spools. (go to Family Fun.com for directions) The girls decorated them with their brand new glitter glues the got from Santa. They turned out pretty cute, no picture for ya, though.

I plan on making these cute pancakes for breakfast, using this recipe, on New Year's Day. (Picture and idea from FamilyFun.com) I will sprinkle dried cranberries as the confetti since it is what we have on hand. (gotta stick to the challenge!)

I bought some poppers that have little toy surprises in them when you pull the string, and some silly New Year's Day hats. We have a countdown in our kitchen using our kitchen timer, well before midnight, so we can put the kids to bed and enjoy the new year alone as a couple. We usually do the kids countdown around 10:00 so they still feel like they get to stay up "late."

One of these years I may feel motivated to have a party and invite lots of friends over. Usually, we are just getting over all the family Christmas celebrations, so we are partied out by New Year's Eve.

The kids really get into the kitchen countdown tradition, we have done it the last 3 years. After we put them to bed, I love snugglin' up to my husband to watch a movie, and pushing pause around midnight to watch the ball drop. After our New Year's smooch, we push "Play" and finish up the movie. We are old...and boring(except that smooch)...and... I LOVE IT!

Frosted Grapes/New Year's Eve Tradition

I found a box of jello looking very lonely in the very back of my pantry while I was organizing yesterday. It made me happy because it is an ingredient we use for one of our New Year's Eve traditions. We sit at the table with a bowl of frosted grapes, and pass it around. Each person has to take a grape, name a favorite memory that happened during the year, eat it, and pass the bowl to the next person. We do this 12 times. It is just fun and silly, the girls love it.
I have grapes on hand, leftover from Chicken Salad that I made a few days ago,
so we are set for our tradition!
Click here for the recipe!!

**I recommend NOT using red jello on green grapes, unless it is close to Halloween and you want to feel like you are eating some type of alien food. Not very pretty. Stick with white/light colored jello or use red grapes.

Pantry Organization #2

Like I said in this post, holidays have a way of wrecking havoc in my kitchen. All the extra baking and leftovers from get-togethers seem to just take over and my organized refrigerator and pantry end up CRAZY! Now my refrigerator no longer looks like a Christmas bomb went off in it, and last night I worked on the pantry.
Here is before

Here is after

Big difference, huh? See my new little mason jars? I took advantage of the after- Christmas sales and went shopping yesterday with birthday money from my in-laws. I bought the 2 smaller size jars at Target. They make me very happy. I will share some of the other super great deals I found to spend my birthday money on, in another post.

Oh, here is something I bought that I can share now. My sister-in-law (the one I talk about here who always buys great gifts, and did it again) bought me a great big glass canister with a brushed silver lid for Christmas. I knew the minute I opened it what I would use it for. I have been baking ALOT more than I ever have,and have been frustrated with flour storage. I have been experimenting with whole wheat flours, (pastry flour, coarsely ground flour, etc) and really wanted a simple, big, stylin' jar with a mouth big enough to fit my one cup measure into, and one big enough to hold a five pounds of flour. I didn't communicate this to Wendy, but somehow she knows what I would love and use. It's weird.
I loved the jar so much I used some of my birthday money to buy another one the same size, and one smaller. I put my coffee maker away (trying to cut out daily coffee as a New Year's goal) and put these beauties out instead. I like how accessible they are, it makes me want to bake just looking at them! (wish I had a better picture, this one does not do them justice, but I'm too lazy to go try for a better one)

Now I am very ready to participate in the "Eat From The Pantry Challenge" (read about it here.)

Today was my first day, it went well-- I made Potato and Corn Chowder Soup. Tomorrow is more of a challenge because it is New Years Eve, and we like to celebrate with good snacks and food. It will just be our little family this year, so I am trying to get creative...I have ingredients for homemade pizza and some cookie dough that my sister made in the freezer for sweets. My family is used to a tradition of chocolate fondue with lots of dippers, but Christmas cooking/baking shot our grocery budget for the month so we will skip that this year. We will make popcorn, our trusty fudgy buttons, frosted grapes (post to come); cookies, and homemade pizza decorated with pepper strips to look like a clock, in honor of time passing and the New Year!

You're Not Alone

My cousin and dear friend, Keeli, gave me a really great Christmas gift. A book, (which I am sure I will end up writing about because it is GOOD) and a C.D by Meredith Andrews called "The Invitation." I have listened and listened to it-- every song is so good! She told me to listen to number 3, which is a song called "You're Not Alone."

It is a powerful song full of words that I know to be true-- No matter where we have been, what we have done, Jesus is there and He loves us. He longs to take our fears; He longs to take our pain and replace it with peace; He wipes away our tears and gives hope when it seems like there is none. He NEVER leaves, He is faithful and true...forever.

"I will never leave you or forsake you." -Jesus

As a Christian, you are never ever totally alone (Romans 8:35-39). God is with you. This is the joy of Christmas, Emanuel -- God with us (Matthew 1:23). He is with you. His Holy Spirit is with you (Ephesians 1:13-14). And not only with you but He lives IN you!

Do you know Him as your Lord and Saviour? Then take heart, for in Him you are safe (Jude 1); in Him you are secure (Romans 5:1-10); in Him you are saved (Ephesians 1:4-14); in Him you are forgiven (Hebrews 10:10-12); and in Him, even when you are weak you are strong - for His grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:10).

The following is written by Steve Camp:

Though the world around us pridefully says, "God helps those who help themselves," the reality is just the opposite. God helps those who can't help themselves. Those that find themselves utterly destitute of confidence in their own abilities to deliver themselves from their calamity, pain, helplessness or hopelessness, and are ship-wrecked on His grace, cast-a-ways on His mercy; find a place of refuge with the Lord (Romans 5:8-10). He comes to the rescue to those who are void of their own strength and are completely bankrupt of their own competence to find their rest and assurance only in Him.

Here is the song and video of "You're Not Alone" (scroll down for lyrics)

You're Not Alone

I search for love
When the night came and it closed in
I was alone
but you found me where I was hiding
and now I'll never ever be the same
It was the sweetest voice that called my name
saying

You're not alone
for I am here
let me wipe away your every fear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest night
and I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All of your life

You cry yourself to sleep
cause the hurt is real
and the pain cuts deep
All hope seems lost
With heartache your closest friend
and everyone else long gone

You've had to face the music on your own
but there is a sweeter song that calls you home
saying

You're not alone
for I am here
let me wipe away your every tear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest nights
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All your life

Faithful and true... Forever
For my love will carry you....

You're not alone
for I... I am here
let me wipe away every fear... Oh yeah
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through your darkest night
Your darkest night
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All of your life

Pantry Organization

There is nothing like a well organized pantry! I personally think that having a well organized pantry (and refrigerator and freezer) is KEY to saving money on groceries. You can clip coupons all you want, but if the food you buy ends up getting stale and expired while hiding out in a messy pantry, those coupons are meaningless and your money is wasted.

The jars in the above picture are so great! I believe you can get them at target. I use mason jars, they are half the price of these jars, and now come with silver lids. They are so helpful in keeping food air-tight and on display. My food peers at me through the glass, giving me all kinds of ideas and inspiration to create with their contents. They can't hide as easily when in a mason jar!

A project that I am planning on asking my now retired Dad to help me with, is hanging shelves on a very blank wall in my kitchen. I want them to hold rows of beautiful jars filled with seeds, pastas, beans, lentils, corn meal, etc. Can't you just see them lined up so pretty with all their beautiful shades of color, creating art and storage at the same time? Ahhhhh.

Here is a photo that inspires me. The black shelves are exactly what I want, but instead of jars of cupcake sprinkles, mine would be...well, what I said above.:)

Here is the blank wall in my kitchen that I am talking about. Won't that look nice? Won't it? (psst...Dad... when can we start?)

Maybe, just maybe--someday--my pantry will look like this. Isn't that just pantry heaven?

I don't know if I will ever get into canning, but the old-fashioned part of me sure would love to! I would like join a community garden this coming summer- there is one just a block from us, which is great because our back yard is tiny and all shade. Depending on how successful our harvest will be, I just might get to experience canning! If not, maybe I'll find a good deal on peaches and at least can those.:)

Eat From Your Pantry Challenge

Our last Christmas family celebration was here at our home yesterday.  Boy, did we have fun!  We had a "come wearing a silly hat theme," a pancake bar, games, an insane amount of gifts from Grandpa John and Grandma Pam, a Christmas craft with Grandma Sheri, a Christmas movie, and constant food consumption from 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. --  We made such great memories!   Everyone came nicely dressed in normal clothes, and within a few hours most of us were in our new pajamas that we had just unwrapped.  Time with family was extra sweet, because a blizzard kept us from seeing each other on Christmas day.

My Silly Christmas Hat And A Platter Of Pancakes!

Although we constantly consumed food throughout the day, there were lots and lots of leftovers.  A great thing about being the host house is getting stuck with all the leftovers!  I'm very stuffed as I sit here typing!

I spent some time in my kitchen today, clearing out the Christmas decorations (I am REALLY excited to get the house back to its simple self!) and organizing my refrigerator and freezer.  I could not tell what- was- what when I opened the refrig this morning, and I knew if I didn't get in there and figure it out, that all those great leftovers would go to waste.  I now have leftovers that won't get eaten today or tomorrow, packaged and into the freezer (shredded cheese leftover from nachos, bacon leftover from making quiche, pancakes leftover from our pancake feast, cookie dough that didn't get baked, etc).
I know what I have, and feel confident that we won't waste all that good food!  Tomorrow I will tackle the pantry, it is so disorganized right now that it is hazardous to open the door! Holidays have a way of reeking havoc on my kitchen in more ways than one!  I am so very eager to get back to simple and healthful eating, to get as much processed sugar and foods out of my house as I can, and fill my pantry up with ingredients from my little neighborhood health food market.

Today I stumbled upon this post and it really excited me.  "Eat From Your Pantry" is a concept that I love and have tried before.  We did it for 2 weeks in the month of October.  It was so rewarding to see how much money we could save by just paying attention to food we already have.  I loved seeing my cupboards become bare, and I loved filling them back with only healthful, necessary foods.  I only spent $40.00 the first week, and $48.00 the next week.  We usually spend about $120.00-$130.00 a week, so that was a substantial amount saved!

I am a bit apprehensive to commit to a whole month, but it seems like they are a bit flexible with the challenge.  I think the goal is just to be extremely thoughtful about what groceries you do buy, all the while using up what you already have.  This came at a perfect time for me, here is why:

* I have lots of leftovers hanging out in my freezer

*I am VERY MOTIVATED to get our kitchen back in order

*I miss shopping at my health food grocer

*My husband is back on track with healthful eating (as of today) & I want to support him in that

*It is soon-to-be a NEW YEAR, which gives me motivation to start anew with food.

I will occasionally post about our progress and experience.  Let me know if you think this is a good idea and if you want to do it, too!

How To Wear A Scarf

We survived the great Blizzard Of 2009, but now we are in for a very cold week, so get those scarves out!  During one of our Christmas celebration dinners, the subject of "scarf wearing" came up.  Scarves are GREAT for keeping warm, but are also GREAT for giving a boring outfit a punch of color and interest.  Lately I have been wearing scarves in place of a necklace, they have really helped update some of my winter outfits.
Back to our Christmas dinner...  I gave a quick tutorial right there at the table, using the scarf I was wearing.  I showed a couple of basic ways to wear a scarf, but I knew there was much more scarf fun to be had!  I did a little searching on youtube,( I knew I would find some die hard scarf lovers there), and my search did not disappoint!

This one covers 4 different ways to wear a scarf, explained in detail by a stylist.

This one shows 5 ways to tie a scarf, and tips on scarf length and scarf storage.

This one uses a thinner scarf, one that would be used more as an accessory than 

for warmth.

The scarf in the photo below is called a muffler scarf. Click here for a video tutorial on how to wear one.

The Ultimate Gift

Stocking contents have been discovered and dumped.  It's Christmas! 

We are about to start unwrapping the beautiful gifts, all the while remembering the MOST beautiful gift!

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:10-11

Merry Christmas my dear readers, may God bless you and yours!

Are You Sleeping?

I don't want to become complacent. I want to be purposeful in my thinking 

this Christmas season. I don't want to miss the amazing-ness of what it is

all about...God becoming a man, to live among us, so that we

might see His awesomeness!

Want to know more? Check out this video.

Still want to know more? Email me!!

Our Family Christmas Traditions

The number of traditions our family does seems to be growing.  I guess I'm a sucker for traditions! 

Christmas Lights In P. J.'s

We have to be sneaky for this one.  We change the clocks and make sure we get our girls into bed by "8:00" (really 7:00).  After prayers and kisses, we wait a few minutes, then kidnap them from their beds, slip on their robes and slippers, wrap them in a blanket and carry them to the heated car.  They just love it, we fool them every time!!:)  They know there will be bags of treats and merry Christmas music waiting for them in the car.  We hit our favorite, "most lit" neighborhoods.  After an hour and a half of Christmas light bliss, we head home.   It never fails, on the ride home they are full of sugar, tired, grumpy, and have had enough of each other and of Christmas lights!

New Christmas Music
Every year we get a new CD.  This year I downloaded the Surfjan Steven's Christmas album from itunes.  I love me a banjo!

Christmas Story Book
It's fun to see our collection growing, we get a new one every year.  "The Nativity" is by far the most unique, but their favorite is "If This Were A Fairy Tale"

Popcorn Tin & Sparkling Grape Juice
We eat popcorn from the tin and drink the juice in fancy glasses while we put up the Christmas tree.  My girls fight for the cheese popcorn, Todd and I are usually stuck with the butter and caramel popcorn.  I love using the tins to store Christmas lights and decorations, we have about 10 of them and they stack nicely.

Andes Mint Cookies

My cousin, Keeli, has a cookie exchange every year.  At least 8 yrs ago, she had us bring over 15 dozen cookies!  That was the first time I made Andes Mint Cookies, and have been making them every year, ever since!  Click here for the recipe.

New Ornaments

This tradition is one Todd started when we were dating.  He suggested we buy an ornament every year to remind us of that particular year.  At the time, he lived in Chicago and I lived in Nebraska, so when we found an ornament with a little mouse sitting on a compass with the words "Across The Miles," we knew it was the one.  It was so much fun shopping together, we found a tiny little tree for my apartment and it had one little ornament on it.  Looking at our memory tree today, it is amazing how many ornaments we now have!  The girls love choosing their own ornament and I love being reminded of what each girl was "into" that year.  *Hint..if you go 2 days after Christmas, they are all 50% off!

Santa Pic

We eat at the mall food court and then go visit Santa for a picture.  My girls have never believed in Santa, but they (at least the younger two) like pretending that he exists.  I love comparing the pictures from year to year.  This year, Santa was in some CRAZY pajama's.  I'm not sure where his suit was, maybe he couldn't afford it due to the economy..

Stockings and Santa gifts
My girls wake up on Christmas morning to 3 piles of presents with a full stocking in front of each pile.  They find their pile, plop down by it, and pretty much don't move until we are done opening all the presents. (well, maybe to get a cinnamon roll and juice.)  The presents all say "from Santa," but as they get older they make sure to let me know I'm not fooling them.  My parents always did it this way with us so I guess that is why I do it, too!

Sugar Cookies
We make them every year-- it used to be gingerbread houses, but I like simple, so now we are sticking to sugar cookies.  This year it was so easy!  They rolled, cut, frosted, and sprinkled all by themselves.  I just organized it all and had oven duty.  They are getting so big!

The Nativity Movie
This is a new tradition.  We started it last year.  My girls REALLY got into it this year and loved every minute of it.  It was so great!  We had to keep pausing the movie to talk about what was going on, answer their questions, and explain details to them. (there are some intense scenes that were important to talk through)  I really feel like they learned a lot of details that can get missed in our story books.  When it ended, my middle girl said "Mom, I just loved that.  It is my favorite movie."

We have a bunch of extended family traditions, but I thought I'd stick to what my own little family does together.  Christmas is such a wonderful time to spend time together and teach our girls what all this celebrating is REALLY about...the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Memory Tree

We have a tradition where each family member gets to choose a new ornament every year.  Todd started the tradition when we were dating, and we have done it every year.  It is my favorite family tradition, it is so much fun to take them out of their boxes, reminiscing about years past.  

We make sure we get the Hallmark brand ornaments.  They come with the date on each ornament, they are well made to last throughout the years, and the boxes they come in are great for keeping them protected when being stored.  We shop for them a day or two after Christmas, when they are half off.

Come with me on a tour of our memory tree!

This was the first ornament we purchased together.  Todd lived in Chicago and I lived in Nebraska, so "Across The Miles" was very appropriate.

We were newly weds when we got this one.

My Aunt Linda gave this one to us.  I love it.

Baby's 1st Christmas--another one from my Aunt Linda

That is our now 10 yr old!  Where did all that

chub-a-lub go?

This one is from my dad.  He thinks I'm the world's greatest hair stylist.:)  Not sure if he is right, he is judging me based on the few hairs he has left to cut.  (Ha Ha.  Love ya, dad!)

This is another favorite of mine.

My 10 yr. old picked it out when she was 7.  That was back in the day when she loved dance and tutus.  Now she rolls her eyes when taking it out of the box and says "ugh, I hate tutus!"

This one makes me smile.  I bought it the year my youngest was 2.  She had green "feetie" pajamas just like this, short blond curls, and was into everything!

This one is priceless.  My mom made these when we were young.  We sold them at craft fairs and even door to door.  My parents used the money to buy a piano so that we could start piano lessons.

Poor guy lost an eye!

I love, love this one.  I picked it out when my girls were 5, 4 and 2.  My youngest really loved her pacifier, we let her keep it way to long!  These stack into each other and closes into one snowman.

This one is from Todd's childhood.

My mom gave me this one.  It is beautiful with the light shining through it.

This is from my Great Grandma Jewel.  It is VERY special to me.

She is now in Heaven, she was one of the most amazing people I have ever met.

Give you one guess who picked this one out...

...and this one.  The sports center tv above has a button to push to hear the

sports center theme song.  Todd enjoys pushing it over and over, just to annoy me.

My youngest chose this one last year.  Much of her day is spent coloring.

Once upon a time, there were Dora fans in this house.  No more. (sniff)

My choice for last year.  I really, REALLY enjoy lattes and my cell phone.

The decorating begins!

I can't believe my baby can reach that high! (is it me or does

that tree look tipsy?)

Hanging out with dad after a long night of tree decorating.

Hello.

Kids tucked in bed, tree finished, another memory made.

It's a good life.