everyday Ann

living the ordinary seeing the extraordinary

Soups On

(source)

The cold of winter has me drinking coffee in the afternoon and making soup weekly for dinner. There is something about a hot bowl of soup to take away the chill and provide a warmth to the frozen days. Besides the warmth it is an easy one pot dinner, simply add a homemade loaf of bread, cornbread or cheese and crackers.

I thought I would share with you some of our favorites that we rotate through, complete with my Dad’s chili recipe. Bon Appetit!

White Chicken Chili
Sausage and Veggie Soup
Flu-Fighting Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Wild Rice
Taco Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup – Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines
Butternut Squash Soup – Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines
Beef Stew – Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines

Dad’s Chili
1 lb. ground beef (he uses Elk meat)
2 cans (15 oz) Bush’s chili beans
1 cup of onion
2 cans of green chilis
1 can (14.5) diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar

  1. In a large pan cook beef and onion until browned.
  2. Add in remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.

I didn’t realize chili was served with noodles until I became a Wisconsinite, it seems to be the norm here. Even restaurants will serve a side of noodles with your chili. To compromise, I prefer to use small elbows when I make it.

Christmastide!

The Christmas music has stopped playing in the stores and trees are out on the curb, so posting this may look like I have missed the deadline. It may seem like we are late to the party, but we are still celebrating Christmas in this crazy house until the Epiphany.

The wise men have been journeying through our house and the children love to wake up to find which room they made their way to. Always a little conversation before bed over whose room they will show up in next.

At the beginning of the Christmas season we had a wonderful time staying with my family and seeing extended family, some which I haven’t seen in years. Lots of laughter, memories and time together. Of course late nights and a sick kiddo were part of it too. All which required a couple days of some down time when we returned home, so we could re-energize to keep the celebration alive.

In addition to the birth of Christ, we also find ourselves celebrating Kolbe and Ethan’s adoption day, my birthday and Grace’s birthday all within a weeks time.

An image is worth a thousand words, so I thought I would share our Christmas week through pictures.

Despite not feeling well she insisted on “trying out” Christmas Eve Mass. She fell asleep in my arms the moment we walked in.
Packer fan win or lose, I may have jumped off the wagon after this season.
And now he is asking for a hockey rink in our backyard.

We have been sledding down this hill every Christmas since we were little. Some things never change even though there wasn’t really snow and we are now a little older, well the impact at the bottom seemed to hurt a bit more than I remember. Cousins!
A quick picture before bedtime after celebrating four years together with my boys, the greatest birthday gift I have ever received having them finally in my arms!

The Things They Say

G: We don’t eat poop?
Me: Oh no!! We don’t ever want to eat poop we would get really, really sick!
(A couple hours later at the doctor with Caden who isn’t feeling well.)
G: I do not need to go to the doctor because I am not sick because I do not eat poop.

Grace was helping me put some towels in the wash machine I walk away forgetting to start it. Grace walks out behind me.
G: I started it mom. You don’t need to, it’s already started.

Walking by the bathroom and seeing Kolbe put soap on his toothbrush.
Me: What are you doing?
K: Just washing my toothbrush. I do it every couple of days to keep it clean and help get rid of the germs. I tried to encourage Ethan to do it as well.

After Kolbe was done switching songs on the CD player.
E: This is the best song, it’s called peace and quiet.

Opening up my prayer book.
G: Once upon a time…Jesus went to Church.

Saying her night prayers.
G: Thank you Jesus for this day, the sunshine and the Eucharist.

K: I am kind of acting like a new student this year.
Me: Oh, how is that?
K: You know, I am not acting all goofy and silly, but much more mature like a third grader should act.

Grace meeting Caden in the hallway, turning around and proceeding to run after him.
G: Caden, stop!
Me: What is he doing? He is not doing anything to you.
G: Yes he is! He’s lyin’!!

In a bit of panic mode realizing that Grace is quiet.
Me: Grace, where are you?
G: I am at confession! In the laundry room going to confession, mom.

Asking the children to share at dinner what brings them joy. After everyone responds with a temporal good it is Grace’s turn.
G: Baby Jesus!

Advent: Learning to Wait Well

We have officially begun the season of Advent. I am not good at waiting, at all and this season is no different. Our family is filled with excitement as we look forward to traditions, visits with family and most importantly the celebration of the birth of our Savior. I always want to bottle up this time of year as it is a season that brings our family closer together.

Sharing my thoughts at Catholic Mom today reflecting on waiting, Advent and ways to live out the Advent season with your children and in your family.

Adoption: The Nitty Gritty

(January 2015)

A couple weeks back we had our first snowfall that actually amounted to enough snow to be shoveled, played in and packed into a snowball. At exactly 6:34am I hear a little whisper outside the bathroom door, “Mom, hey mom, can we go play in the snow and shovel the driveway?” My thoughts…wait, what we have snow?! Is it even light out yet, why are you up so early. “We just really want to go play in the snow mom.”

You would never guess my older boys came from a climate where 75 degrees was considered freezing cold. After I gave them the green light to go outside I had to laugh to myself. A big smile came on my face as it brought back the memory of them seeing snow for the first time almost four years ago.

It was our first night home as a family of four and nobody slept. Everything was so new for the boys, excitement, nerves and not to mention their clocks being completely messed up with the time change, so we were all up for the day at 3:00am. Two little boys peering out our patio window mesmerized by the sight of snow and begging to go out in it. Dressed in their snow pants at the first sign of daylight shining through.

The past almost four years have been such a whirlwind we literally became an instant-family, I haven’t seen the movie yet but pretty sure it could have been our story. Our travels to Ghana seem like forever ago yet still the time has been so short and I often forget and take it for granted.

With Adoption Awareness month practically at a close I ask myself what am I doing to bring awareness, how is our family living out adoption the beauty, the heartache, the joy and the trials. I have been reading a lot of stories of adult adoptees over the past few weeks and it made me realize that somewhere in their hearts is a loss that I am not the answer to, but one God willing that I can walk along side and only help them heal from.

Every adoption comes from a loss, a loss of not being with their biological family. For International adoptees even more so it is a loss of country, heritage and language. A loss that is met with confusion and often times more questions than answers. A longing to know more, to go back to what is familiar.

Is adoption hard, yes. Is adoption beautiful, absolutely. Are there moments where I wish attachment were easy, second nature and something I didn’t have to work so hard at. The moments can be trying and heart wrenching, but not in an instant does that change my advocacy for adoption. Not for a split second do I ever question the goodness that adoption can bring to a broken life, the security it can provide, the healing that can take place and the love given.

I would be remiss to act like everything is sunshine and lollipops, but to not advocate for adoption of those in need, abandoned, abused, orphaned would be just as wrong. As a believer I hold in my heart that I am my brother’s keeper, as Christians we are called to care for the orphans because every child deserves a family.