Yummy Chili Recipe!

I made this chili on Sunday and it was super yummy! It made a lot. Enough for us to eat two days in a row and plenty to take into a family in the ward. It would be easy enough to cut in half. The flavor is really different and we all really liked it. It has lots of flavor without too much burn. I started with this recipe I found on Pinterest HERE. Of course I hadn't planned ahead so I didn't have any ground turkey or zucchini and I wanted to add beans so I made quite a few modifications and it ended up lovely!

Tasty Chili
-Brown 2 lbs very lean hamburger and drain any grease
-Add 2 packets of taco seasoning, 1 1/2 tsp coriander, 1 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 small can tomato paste and mix well. Continue to cook on medium until the meat is well coated.
-Add 2 cups beef broth, 1 small can diced green chilies, 1 cup salsa, 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, 2 cans drained kidney beans, 2 cans drained black beans and 2 cans drained pinto beans.
-In a separate pan cook a large onion diced small in a tablespoon of olive oil until it is softened. Then add it to the chili.
-You could simmer it on medium low for a couple hours or I threw mine in the crock pot on low while we went to church.
-Top with sour cream, grated cheese, crushed tortilla chips or anything you want.

Super yummy and makes a bunch.

Below is a picture of how Little Hema likes his. He'll eat 2 big bowls in a sitting. Hope you like it too! 

Hema's Cookies

Lately we've been talking to our kids a lot about what they need to learn to prepare for life. You know, encouraging them to take ownership of their rooms, toys etc. Hopefully as they start to see why they need to learn certain tasks and how they can do them independently, they will enjoy them more and do them more often on their own, which in turn will hopefully lead to a lot less nagging on our part! 

It has been interesting to see their little minds processing what they will have to be able to do one day. Hema will say stuff like, "I better make my bed because when I go on a mission you won't be there to make it." or "You don't need to help me with this mom, one day I'll have to do it myself anyway." 

Several days ago I asked the kids to think of some of the things they would like to learn to do by themselves and we also would be thinking of things we think they are ready to learn to do and we would discuss them at Family Home Evening tonight. Every day I reminded them to be thinking of ideas. Tonight the discussion was priceless. 

Vela wanted us to teach her how to go to Trafalga by herself and Chuck E Cheese by herself. The girl really likes to have fun and apparently we don't take her to those places often enough. 

I did put going to Trafalga on our to do list for this week! 

Hema had quite a list. My favorites were: Learn to cook recipes without moms help - you know by reading the recipe and doing it himself. He also wanted to learn to wash his own clothes - in the washer and dryer - and also in a river in case he didn't have a washer and dryer! Wow! Where does he come up with this stuff? We are going to have a laundry lesson this week. Utilizing our washer and dryer of course (the only river nearby here right now is muddy and dirty and frozen, but maybe one day we will wash clothes in the river). 

We got started on the cooking tonight. The first thing he wanted to learn to make was Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Smart choice, I think he'll be everyones favorite mission companion, roommate and future spouse one day with this recipe! After family home evening we started on the cookies. He wanted to do everything himself. He turned on and set the oven temperature, read each ingredient, found it, measured it and added it, turned the mixer on and off himself, scooped out the cookies and put them right in the oven.

I insisted on taking them out when they were done - he is only 6 and they were very hot after all.

He did such a great job and we only had one little issue when he cracked an egg right on his brand new basketball shoes. But we cleaned it up in a jiffy and the other eggs were no problem! 

Egg that landed on the shoe rather than in the bowl. 

The cookies turned out amazing and he was so proud. 

Hema and his 2 little helpers!

He wants to take some to his teacher tomorrow.

Hema's yummy cookies!

Hema is growing up so fast and is such a good boy. It is interesting how much effort and focus he will put into learning something new when it is his idea. I hope to have lots more fun cooking experiences with these kids over the next few years and look forward to learning together with them. 

Simple Microwave Popcorn

Have you all tried this? I had heard about it ages ago and finally gave it a try a few weeks ago. I sent both my air popper and whirly pop to DI when I was decluttering awhile ago and can't stand the taste of microwave popcorn. So when I decided to make several batches of caramel popcorn for my primary leaders I looked this up and tried it out. It is brilliant I tell you! Try it and you will never go back to eating that fake tasting nasty microwave popcorn again! 

Step one: Measure out 1/2 cup of popcorn.

 Step 2: Pour it into a brown paper bag. I used one from the grocery store. I've also seen lunch bags used.
Do not add anything else - just the kernels!

Step 3:  Fold the bag down 2 or 3 turns. Do not staple it or anything. It doesn't have to be sealed.

 Step 4: Put it in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes. Just like with any microwave popcorn listen and when it's a few seconds without popping it is done.

 Step 6: Open the bag quickly, the air will be hot so be careful. It will burn if you do not pen the bag!

Pour it out and be sure and dump the "old maids." You can add butter and salt or spray with a little spritz of pam then a little salt. Or you can make this amazing caramel corn Favorite Caramel Popcorn Recipe. That is my favorite recipe and with 1,300 plus 5 star reviews, you know it's not just me that likes it! 

I hope you throw out your bulky air poppers and never buy nasty store bought microwave popcorn again! 

Hanging out at the Farm

Hema is out of town camping with the Young Men in our ward, so the kids and I decided to go stay at my parents last night. We had so much fun! Here are just a few of the highlights: 

Grandpa made a fire with the kid's help.

We made tinfoil dinners and cooked them in the fire pit. Yummo! 

Hema played the piano for Grandma & Grandma played the piano for Hema.

My dad has a new horse named Tease.

Vela riding Tease.

Hema riding Tease.

Grandma, Tease and Grandpa. 

The kids fed the other horses Smokey and Chance. 

Vela chased grandma's cats around.

All three kids played on the rope swing for hours. Literally they would still be there swinging if I let them! 

My dad told the kids lots of bedtime stories about snakes and wild boar hogs. They could listen to his stories for days and never get bored! 

 We got to go feed apple slices to the baby kangaroo! It was soooo cute!

Vela looking a little nervous. It was so tame. 

It has been bottle fed so it will walk right up to you. ADORABLE!

We had so much fun! We are so blessed to have family so close and can't wait for our next sleep over at the farm! Thanks Mom and Dad for having us over! 

Thanksgiving

Seems like it's been forever since I posted last. For some reason I couldn't get my pictures to download for a while there. Here is a little recap of what we have been up to during the 

Thanksgiving week.

Last Sunday we had the Katoa Thanksgiving dinner - and I totally forgot to take pictures. It was a great time with lots of yummy food and fun family! 

Hema's school class made Indian costumes on Monday. He has worn his nearly everyday since. His Indian name is "Tatonka" (Given to him my his dad).

Then they made Pilgrim hats for the Thanksgiving Feast they had.

On Tuesday night we made hot chocolate and decided to set up our Christmas tree as we awaited "Blizzard 2010" the greatly over hyped "worst storm of the decade". Turns out we only got an inch or 2 of snow - it was really a let down! But the kids had a great time decorating the tree!

Our Christmas tree is a palm tree. Here is Hema hanging an ornament.

And Vela who picked out her own mismatched Pj's and then put the on backwards!

Cora just jumped and cheered us on!

This isn't the best shot of the tree - but you get the idea.

On Wednesday we went and slept at my parents house.

Here are grandpa and Hema shooting some BBs.

Making targets to shoot out of oatmeal cans. This one had a bear and a snake on it.

The kids listening to stories of Grandpa hunting wild boar hogs as a kid and other adventures of growing up on a ranch in Florida. 

On Thursday we didn't eat until 4:00 so we had plenty of time to relax and hang out with my parents. 

Some of my moms many cute turkeys. I have always loved how she decorates for every holiday! 

Her mantle and fireplace made with brick off the old farm house.

Sweet Cora happy she's about to eat some breakfast. 

Hema hoping a bird would fly overhead - confident he could take it down with a BB. He shot up that pumpkin and target too! 

We had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner - Just me, Hema, Jason, Brandi, Dad and Mom. The food was amazing and it was really nice to just visit with family, but boy did we miss my 6 siblings and their families that weren't with us! 

Hunter, Vela, Halle and Hema...Cora was napping. 

Cute kids!

The darling quilt my momma made for Cora. 

A little closer detail. Thanks mom you're the best!!

I am so very thankful this year for the many blessings in my life:

-A wonderful husband

-The 3 cutest, sweetest kids ever (in my humble unbiased opinion!)

-Amazing family on the Hawkins and Katoa sides

-Wonderful birth parents and their families who we love SO SO much

-A steady job for my honey - and being home full time for me

-The gospel of Jesus Christ

I could go on and on....my heart is full of gratitude for all I've been blessed with!

I have so much more to update, I'll try to get it finished up tomorrow! Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! 

What we've been up to...

 It seems like I am always doing "catch up" posts. Oh well....kinda like my life! lol

Here is Vela having her hearing and speech evaluated at the local elementary school. I've been a little worried about her speech for the past year. We haven't gotten the results back yet, so I really don't know how she is doing. She had so much fun going to Hema's school for the morning for the testing. 

Last week the kindergarten classes had a field trip to the pumpkin patch. I was so excited to go with Hema, but when he realized his dad was staying home to tend the girls, he quickly decided that we should switch places. So Hema went on the field trip and I stayed home....kinds sad for me - what can I say - he is a daddy's boy through and through! 

 Here he is in the corn maze with 2 girls from his class (the one on the right is Kyah our neighbor.) 

 Posing as pumpkins...

 Posing with pumpkins...

 Posing with a punk - oops I mean dad on the bus. I guess it's not his fault Hema prefers him over me! They had a great time. 

 On Friday Hema was the king for the day in his class. He got to wear this crown and go first at everything. He was pretty happy about it. 

Hema helping me make cinnamon rolls. Yummy!!

And now drum roll please........

It's official our little princess in potty trained! Hooray!!!

She is so good about going in and going potty all by herself - she isn't quite as good at always putting her pants back on. I was making dinner the other night and looked out the window and saw this and had to get a picture. 

What is it with my kids and undies and boots?? 

Remember this???

But really let's face it when you are potty training - who cares what they wear as long as they figure it out right!?!