How'd We Do In 2015

Good morning friends and Happy New Year! 

I've never been one to write down goals in the past, but here on the blog I have. And, honestly, it's interesting to go back and look at where I was a year ago and where I am now.

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Sometimes I Feel Like A Skipping Record

Oh my, as I typed that title I realized that there are those of you younger than me that may not even know what that means. Bless your heart. So, back in the day, when you played music on a record player, sometimes the needle would get stuck on a speck of dust, or a scratch, or something and just stay in that spot playing that same second or two of music over and over again until someone fixed it by moving the needle. The dark ages of music, I know.

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O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

I hope you enjoyed the tour of our Christmas-ified home! Today we are here to talk trees.  :)

Our Christmas tree is a labor of love.  A family labor of love.  You may not find it on the pages of a magazine, but it is perfectly loved by this family, and perfectly beautiful to me.  

So much a tradition that our college freshman son INSISTED on decorating the tree while he was home for Thanksgiving - a three and a half day break - one of those days being Thanksgiving.  And, of course we did!!

We have a 9 1/2 ft slim tree that is packed full of ornaments.  Every single ornament has some sort of memory or meaning to them.  Some are ornaments given to me or my hubby when we were teachers.  Others have been gifts from friends and family.  Some are ornaments we have purchased to remember and event or trip. Many or ornaments the kids have made at school or church.  The only 'fluff' ornaments on there are ones my hubby and I collected at after-Christmas sales early on in our marriage.  And, even those aren't really fluff because they remind me of our beginnings.  

The ornament on the bottom right is a new addition this year.  Given to me by one of my dearest friends and prayer partners (there are four of us, and we each got one) as a reminder of the bond that only God could have created.  We have prayed each other through SO many things.

So, there you have it.  A collection of love and memories that I love unpacking every year. {click here to see the easy and inexpensive way we store our ornaments each year} 

These memories are the reason I can't wait to get the tree up (the day after Thanksgiving of course), and why it stays up at least until New Years, and sometimes past.  Well, that and the lights.  I love twinkle lights.  Ahhh.

Since my kiddos were small they have had their own trees in their rooms which they help choose how to decorate.  It's fun to see their little personalities come out every year.  This year was hard for mama because I pretty much had to make them decorate them.  But, by golly the trees were going in.  

Even in my daughter's packed tight room we got in a little tree with twinkle lights.  

Trying my best to keep the wonder of the season in the hearts of these too-cool teenagers, and pre-teen!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Linking up with Thrifty Decor Chick's Christmas Tree Party / Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop / Inspiration Monday Party / That {Holiday} DIY Party / Link Party Palooza

Quick and Easy Taco Soup

Hey there friends!!  Is the month of December as crazy and hectic for you as it is for us?? Between Christmas shopping, kids sports, Christmas programs, and Christmas parties I find it hard to find time to cook! But, after a while eating out gets old, and expensive.  

This week I whipped up one of our family favorites that is really so quick and simple - Taco Soup. 

Maybe you have your own version of this, but I get asked about it all the time (cuz it's so easy), so I thought I would share.  

Several years back I was looking for a tortilla soup recipe, but everyone I found had ingredients I didn't have and I was not going to the store.  In my search, I also stumbled across a couple of taco soup recipes.  So, I took a little bit from each one, based on what I had on hand, and came up with this.

Taco Soup

1 - 1 1/2 lb. ground beef OR 3 chicken breasts

1 can of corn

1 can of diced tomatoes OR rotel

1 can of black beans 

1 can of kidney beans

Taco seasoning

First step - cook the meat.  If you are using chicken I have the best tip for some of you!  Own a kitchenaid mixer?  

Put the cooked chicken in with the paddle attachment, turn on low and watch that chicken shred!!  So much easier!

Second step - dump everything in.  

this time I did not have rotel but I did have a can of green chilies, so I added that

Third step - stir and heat.  Everything in that pot is cooked, it just needs to heat.  :)

The longer it cooks the better it tastes, because it gives time for the flavors to mix together.  But if you only have 30 minutes for it to simmer, no problem, still yummy.  I have also cooked this in the crockpot.  Works great.  I use this homemade taco seasoning (tweaked a bit - I don't care for cumin) 

Don't you love my fancy container :)

which I love because I can put in as much or as little as I want

 - plus I know exactly what's in it.

This recipe really is fool proof!!  

We like ours with a little shredded cheddar cheese on top and tortilla chips!  YUM!!

Have a great weekend friends and enjoy!!

Linking up with Tutorials & Tips Link Party / Inspire Me Monday / Take-A-Look Tuesday / One Project at a Time / Hit Me With Your Best Shot / Wow Us Wednesdays

Figuring Out The Root of The Problem

So, here we are.  We have pulled the sign in the yard, and I have decided that I am no longer going to feel "stuck" in the house, but I was going to make this house our home. Sadly we had lived here for 10 years before I made this decision...  :(

I wasn't quite sure where to start.  But, I knew that there were places in our home that just weren't working for our family.  Reasons I was feeling stuck.

So, hubby and I began to discuss that.  We began to look around and take note of the problem areas - you know the ones - the ones that drive you crazy!!  Ya, like this

Or this

There were many more, these were just a couple of examples.  Some of them we realized were function problems.  The space simply didn't function like we needed it to.  For instance, with the entryway.  There really wasn't a landing place that was big enough for six people to drop bags, and shoes, and coats.  

Other spaces were more form (aesthetic) problems.  Like the laundry room.  I didn't have a problem getting the laundry done in the space really, but I hated being in there because it was a lifeless space.

Are you feeling stuck??  Are you not enjoying the blessing before you that is your home??  If so, walk through this process with me this month, day by day.

Step 1:  Evaluate your problem spaces - the ones that drive you crazy.  Decide what's not working and why.  Is it a function issue or a form issue.

That's it for today - not too hard right??  

See you back here tomorrow :).

To see other posts in this series click on the link below

31 Days Series Launch