Wednesday, November 2, 2016

A Groove-y Halloween {Handmade Costumes}

We had a pretty fantastic Halloween, complete with handmade costumes. My girls went as Love-a-lot (pink Care Bear), and a gray wolf. I purchased pink and gray sweats for their outfits, and added the belly badge, the wolf tail, and a little pink tail for the Care Bear. I also made a pretty awesome felt mask, and the pink ears were made of felt, hot glued to alligator clips. For the tail, I braided a length of white yarn, then looped in lengths of gray yarn, untwisted the ends, and brushed them with a hair brush to make it more "furry."  I went as Emperor Kuzco and my husband went as Pacha, both from Emperor's New Groove. I found the perfect colors of sheets at Goodwill to make my outfit, as well as his poncho and "skirt." I used the same material for his hat. I also made myself a crown out of yellow foam, and earrings out of turquoise foam. We had a blast, & I was happy with how many kids actually knew who we were, as opposed to last year's Waldo & Wenda costumes that hardly any kids recognized.

Pacha & Kuzco Halloween costumes

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Simple Pleasures {Vacation Photos}

Sometimes, I look back through the folders of photos on my computer, reliving the special moments, admiring the beautiful vistas, and realize that I am extremely blessed. Beauty is everywhere, and I love to discover it with my family around me. Here are a few of my favorite photos from our vacation to Bear Lake, Idaho over the summer.




Monday, May 30, 2016

Chili Soup

This is my favorite recipe for Chili Beans. It comes from the Amish-Country Cookbook Volume III.

1.5 cups onions
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic
2 tsp salt
1 lb. browned hamburger
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 cups kidney beans

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook all day on low heat. (Or, I like to pressure cook my kidney beans for about 30 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook until warmed through)