A Great Chili Recipe

 I really enjoy using the crock pot! To make it easier to clean I use slow cooker liners! Do you use them? If not, you need to try them! In one of my boxes of liners there was a few recipes, one of those recipes was "Game Day Chili". My crew and I could eat soup atleast once a week... so I thought I would give this recipe a try.

 I am so glad I did... but now we have it a lot! It is very simple and delicious! I wanted to share because now that the weather is getting cooler you may want to try this recipe. The weather don't have to be cooler for me because I could eat this any time of the year! LOL!!

"Game Day Chili"
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 TBSP of chili powder (or more if you like)
2 cans of light red kidney beans (undrained)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 small onion chopped
1 medium bell pepper finely chopped
cheese and sour cream
1 slow cooker liner

Place liner in slow cooker. Brown beef, onion, and bell pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until beef is no longer pink. Drain well and add chili powder, mix well. Place the beef mixture in lined slow cooker. Add beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes and chiles in the slow cooker. Stir gently with wooden spoon to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3- 3 1/2 hours until heated through. Serve and top with sour cream and/or cheese. We like to add crackers to our chili. Yummy! Enjoy!

Future Baker

We all know that one day Sarah will own her own bakery! Until then she is getting some practice in. We will be attending a church block party tomorrow and Sarah made these yummy cupcakes to take.

 These are dark chocolate salted caramel cupcakes! She has made these before and they were delicious! She will add a pretzel on top before we leave. If you add the pretzel too soon the pretzel will be soggy.

These are funfetti cupcakes! Haven't tried these yet but I am sure they are yummy! She enjoys baking and trying new recipes. It's fall now and I am sure she will try something with some "fall" flavor soon.

Fall Soccer Season

This weekend we finished up our fall soccer season with games on Saturday. Grandparents were able to come up and spend some time with us.

 My parents came up on Wednesday evening and were able to be here for soccer games on Thursday night. Elijah, Timothy, and Joanna had games on Thursday night while Isaac and Sarah refereed a game.

 Bryan's parents arrived on Friday afternoon and Gigi (Bryan's mother) brought supper for all of us. She is an amazing cook. She made chicken and dumplings and red beans and rice. Elijah, Timothy, and Joanna helped make the banana pudding, and they enjoyed licking the spoons and bowls.

 Soccer games started early on Saturday. Isaac and Sarah had the first game at 9 and then the other children played games after that with the last game at 1:30. It was a hot and exhausting day. Sarah and Isaac had two games and in between their two games they refereed three games (they were busy and tired).

 Do you recognize these two soccer players? This was one of our first soccer seasons when they were younger... much younger. They began playing Upward soccer when they were 5 and 7 years old.

Here they are all grown up! (Makes my heart melt!) In the fall of 2014 they began playing soccer at the local recreational league. It was a whole different game than Upwards. We had to get use to the rules and plays of soccer at this level. They have had some great times playing soccer. Our family is very blessed to have the physical ability to play a sport and we often remind the children that we never should take that for granted. Thank you Lord!!

Creation Museum and The Ark

We were blessed to be able to travel up and see the Creation Museum and The Ark. Back in January we made the trip and had a great time! Bryan's parents had went last fall and talked about how great it was and they thought we would really enjoy it too. Usually when we go somewhere as a family we have to have two hotel rooms and that can get very expensive, this time we rented a house in Petersburg, KY. We have never rented a house before but we all agree that we enjoyed it and would do it again! 

Here we are walking up to the Ark. It was very cold that day but once we got inside it was nice and warm.

Here is the crew all bundled up as we entered the Ark. We all enjoy going on adventures together!

Bryan and I stop for a picture together. Love this man! Joanna, Bryan, and I have birthdays in the same week and this trip was around our birthdays.

Here is little brother standing tall!

Middle Brother makes a funny face!

Little sister is one crazy girl!

Big sister smiles for the camera while little sister is the photo bomber. LOL!

All the brothers lend a hand in holding up the Ark. LOL!

Here we are just coming out of the Ark. It was great! When reading through Genesis now it puts a whole new perspective on it.

Waiting for the bus to pick us up and take us back to our vehicles. Did I mention that it was cold???

We are outside the creation museum. Lots to see and do in there!

YES... it was cold!! 5 degrees!! We decided to spend one day at the Perfect North in Indiana, right across the river from where we were staying.

Because they weren't busy they let our passes be good for all day! We got there that morning and did a few laps on the tubes then for lunch we rode back to our rental house and had taco soup (put it on in the crock pot before we left). After lunch and warming up we headed back to snow tubing.

Riding back up to the top to snow tube again! As fast as we could get back up the hill we could go again! It was lots of fun and very thankful that God provided this opportunity for our family.

Cooking With...

Because of rain here our soccer games got canceled today. It has been a great day to get a few things done and spend some time together. I decided to recruit this young man to help with supper. He is great at making some meals and one of his favorite meals is Sloppy Joes. 

 Cooking with Isaac is always fun! He likes to add a "secret ingredient". This time he added spicy ranch dressing which is his favorite salad dressing.

While he was preparing the sloppy joes and getting some tater tots ready to go in the oven I was chopping vegetables to roast in the oven. There is something about cooking together that makes life sweet! I enjoy cooking for my family but when I include the children in helping me it is lots of fun! I know when the day comes for Isaac to leave our nest he won't go hungry. LOL!

Last night the younger three children helped me prepare something for breakfast. We put it all together then set the delay start on the oven, when we got up breakfast was ready! I will be sure and have the camera ready next time another child is helping so I can share. Loving my life as mommy and wife!!

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers

One of Sarah's involvements this summer was a play. The local community theatre put on the play Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and Sarah was so excited to audition for a part. She was one of the town girls! 

Here she is during one of her scenes. Sarah really enjoys theatre and had lots of fun being a part of this play.

Here is Sarah again during another one of her parts. She did a great job! She has been involved in several other plays at the theatre but she said she thinks this play was her favorite!

Here are the six town girls. This play really was a great performance. All the young men and ladies did a great job and were a very talented cast!

We are blessed with a talented young lady as a daughter! Sarah is always ready for an adventure! The last performance for this play was on her 15th birthday and she left the next day headed to 4-H Round Up (post about that coming). Love this girl very much!

Don't Blink... They Grow Up Way Too Fast!

The child that first made me a mommy is now 17! He has turned into a young man and his time in our home is getting shorter. One day it will be time to launch him into the world and out of our nest. I thought I would include some pictures and I wanted to start with an older picture. I am not sure how old he is in this picture, I am guessing 9 or 10. This picture is very special but this young man is even more special. 

Below are two recent pictures. We celebrated his 17th birthday with grandparents in AL and these are a couple of pictures from that night.

He is a young man that knows what he wants (actually needs). He asked for some new shorts and a top from my parents and he asked Bryan's parents for a nice button up shirt to wear to church. They were great about getting him those things and actually Bryan's parents got him 4 nice shirts. He was very blessed!

Isaac has started his Junior year of High School! He is enrolled in two dual enrollment classes at the local community college. He is on the high school soccer team and playing recreational soccer right now. Isaac is a very talented young man, he is learning the guitar and can play the piano! God has a special plan for him and we are praying that God would go before Isaac preparing the way! We love him more than he will ever know!

A Food Demonstration

Sarah had the opportunity to do a Food Demonstration at a local Farmers Market. Here she is cooking up some squash, zucchini, and onion on a griddle. It was very tasty and Sarah had a great time.

15 Years Old

We celebrated Sarah's birthday this past weekend with grandparents! On Friday Bryan's parents (Pop and Gigi) came up and Gigi brought us some delicious lasagna and butterfinger cake! YUMMY! Then Pop, Gigi, Bryan, Elijah, Timothy, and Joanna went to watch Sarah in the play she was in (more about that later). Then on Saturday my parents came up and we all celebrated Sarah's birthday at lunch. I fixed some of her favorite foods. She and I made a cheesecake for us to enjoy. On Saturday night my parents stayed and was able to attend the play that night. 

 Pop and Gigi got Sarah a set of luggage for her birthday. She had asked for this because she is always ready to go somewhere. She was able to pack the biggest suitcase and take it to 4-H Round Up...perfect timing!

 My parents got her clothes, which she asked for and needed. She took these to 4-H Round Up.

 Sarah was playing the piano while Bryan and Gigi sang along. It was very special!

 Here is the cheesecake we made for Sarah's birthday! It was a caramel pecan cheesecake and very delicious!

Here is Sarah with Pop and Gigi. We are very blessed to have the grandparents come up for birthdays and celebrate with us!

Sarah is one special young lady! I know God has something special for her and He is going to use her to do great things for His Glory! She loves an adventure and a good book. Sarah is such a blessing to me and a great help around the house. She is learning to care for others and one day care for her own family. I love this girl and very thankful that God made me her mother.

Donations for 4-H Round Up

Sarah has gotten really involved in 4-H and enjoys the opportunities 4-H has given her. In the spring she had the opportunity to attend 4-H Congress. Then she wanted to attend 4-H Round Up, but she had a couple of things to accomplish first. One of the things she had to do was be inducted into the 4-H All Stars AND she had to raise the money to go to Round Up. She decided that to raise money she would bake cakes and take donations for the cakes. Sarah began taking orders for either strawberry cake or Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake, then she did lots of baking and in the end she had raised enough money for the Round Up fee and for items she needed for the trip. I was so proud of her for all her hard work and accomplishments. On July 14, she attended Round Up Readiness Day and was inducted into the 4-H All Stars...she was now ready to attend Round Up! Here are the cakes she made...

 Sarah's Aunt got her these cake plates and made these cute decals.

 Here is the strawberry cake

 Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

Sarah made these cupcakes for two of the youth girls at church that ordered cupcakes. The cupcakes are chocolate cake with a cream cheese frosting.

Which one would you choose?

Where Has the Past 15 Years Gone?

On June 19-21, Sarah led a Culinary Camp at the 4-H Extension Office. She planned the camp and led it with the help of a dear friend. There were twelve 4-6 graders that attended. They had lots of fun and Sarah enjoyed it just as much as they did. They learned new skills and each day they prepared food and that was their lunch. Sarah had such a great time and a great response that she will be leading a 4-H Culinary Club this next school year.

Today is Sarah's 15th birthday!! Where has the past 15 years gone? I will post more in the days to come about this precious blessing! Lots going on in her life lately and can't wait to share! Love you so much Sarah!

Camp Family 2018

While at Kids Camp the children worked on a musical performance and presented it at church on the Wednesday night following our return from camp. They did a great job! Here is our family in our kids camp shirts on the night of performance. I love my family and very thankful for the times we have together. We are truly blessed!

Kids Camp 2018

June 22-25 was our kids camp days! We left on Friday morning and headed to Linden Valley Conference Center. We arrived around lunch and had a picnic under the pavilion. God is good, we were all able to attend Kids Camp (just like we were all able to attend Youth Camp). Bryan was the Kids Camp pastor. Isaac, Sarah, and I were some of the leaders. 

 Isaac and Sarah were the only youth that went as leaders and these two did an amazing job!! Not just saying that because they are mine but that is what the other adults that were there said too. Very proud of them! Isaac was the sound man and a leader in his cabin of boys. Sarah was one of the leaders in her cabin and she helped with the musical that the kids were working on.

 Here is Timothy with a couple of his buddies. He had a great time!

 Here is Elijah with his friend. He enjoyed being at camp and being one of the older children there.

 During one of our breaks Joanna went to the store at the camp and got an ice cream treat.

 Had to get a picture with my girl! She was in my cabin and was one of the younger children. She did really well. One day she did get tired and I had to pull her out and take her to the cabin for a 30 minute nap...she was good to go after that.

 Timothy bought these sunglasses at the camp store and we had to have a picture of us in our shades!

Here we are...love this man more than he will ever know! Very thankful for such a godly man to lead me and our children closer to the Lord! His teachings during kids camp were great! He does a great job at getting on their level and teaching in a way to help them understand God's Word.