Oh Happy Day

Happy Saturday! This post is happening much later than I planned, but I guess better late than never right? I love the weekends, they are our lazy days. Saturdays especially because my awesome husband lets me sleep in (don't worry he gets his turn on Sunday). Today I was planning on doing cookies with the kids but decided to wait until tomorrow, plus we had to run to the store for last minute pre-Christmas groceries. After getting all of our supplies, and hopefully enough milk to avoid another store trip before Christmas (only 5 more days!), we came home to relax. The day was spent watching the Polar Express and making Christmas train Build and Grow kits that my sister Brandy sent the girls for Christmas. The fact that the Polar Express was on just happened to be an awesome coincidence.
Last Saturday we went to BLORA (Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area), to see the Nature in Lights display. Its about 5 miles of lights all throughout the park. Unfortunately the line of cars getting into the park was about a mile long and our youngest fell asleep. So we went back again this weekend (earlier this time) so that she could see all of the lights too. It was well worth it. Not only did both of the girls love the lights (even though Riley had seen them the previous Saturday), but we stopped in to Santa's Village to say hi to Santa and rode the train into Candy Land; a special section of lights that can only be seen from the small train. It was amazing, and so much fun.

My pictures really don't do it justice, but it's hard to capture lights at night from a moving vehicle (at least for this amateur). My favorite part of the night was the train. For $5 per adult and $3 per child (11 and under), you get to snuggle up on the open air train under a thick blanket and see a section of lights that are not visible from the road. It really has an intimate and magical feel to it, and that's what I love about this time of year. Everything feels like magic. It is nearly impossible to be unhappy or feel ungrateful this time of year. Every morning I get up and put my Christmas music on or put a Christmas movie on TV. I put out my indoor decorations before Thanksgiving this year, even the tree. Yep, I'm that person, the Holiday skipper. I'm mean, Thanksgiving is just a practice run for Christmas dinner anyway, right? But seriously, I can't help it. This magical feeling is only around this one time of year. You can't blame me for wanting it to last as long as possible. The Christmas season is one of my favorite parts of This Crazy Beautiful Life.

Baby it's Cold Outside... For Texas

Today has been a cold gloomy kind of day. Not as cold as New York gets in December, but we've been back in Texas since March, so I feel comfortable saying that it's cold without loosing too much of my inner New Yorker. To keep warm and toasty we've decided it's a perfect day for some chili.
I love chili. It's the perfect dish for a cold day, especially since you can throw just about anything in the pot and have it turn out pretty darn good. For the chili I made today, I didn't follow a recipe, and I didn't measure anything out (which is pretty rare for me). I just picked out my cans from the pantry and my spices from the rack and got my 'Master Chef' on. After finishing his second bowl I would say my husband approves of the end result.

Just look at all that cheesy goodness. We might be in Texas, but I prefer a sweet chili with a little kick at the end. Baked beans, smoked paprika, cumin, and a little mustard and Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce help me achieve my desired flavor. If you like a spicy chilly that's fine too, to each his own. You'll just have to go for ingredients that will give you your desired amount of spice. If my husband had it his way there would have been some jalapenos in the batch I made today. Since I didn't use a recipe for this dish I'm going to post my absolute favorite chili recipe, my Dad's venison chili. If you don't like or don't have any venison on hand (my issue unfortunately), then you can easily omit his ingredient as it calls for ground beef as well. This recipe is always a big hit when my dad makes it, and the recipe makes a good amount which is great for get-togethers or for freezing the left-overs.

Dad's Chili
* 1lb. Stew meat (venison chunks)
* 1lb. Ground beef
* 1 cup onion, diced
* 2 green peppers, diced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced (garlic salt or powder can be substituted)
* 1/4 cup chili powder
* 1 Tbsp. Cumin
* 16oz. canned diced tomatoes
* 1 6oz. can tomato paste
* 1 1/4 cup ketchup
* 2/3 cup brown sugar
* 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
* 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
* 4-5 cans of beans:
        Pinto, white, black, kidney, baked, etc.
* 1 tsp. salt

Brown meats in a pot with onion and peppers. Add remaining ingredients to pot, stirring to mix. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to low to simmer, let cook for at least one hour. This recipe can also be done in the slow cooker for added convenience.

 

I know it looks like a long list of ingredients, but this chili is definitely worth it. This year we will be spending Christmas in Texas and cooking a big pot of delicious chili makes me feel like I'm back in my parent's kitchen, watching my Dad cook his signature chili. I hope this recipe helps keep you warm and happy through the coming winter days. Grab a big steaming bowl and sit down in a comfortable spot, to relax and enjoy This Crazy Beautiful Life.

Chocolate Therapy

Okay, so today was one of those 'get off my butt and power clean the house' kind of days. I hauled out two closets, the spare room, and the storage ottoman in the living room. Completely sorted all the little toys and game pieces and rocks (yes, rocks) and put everything in its rightful place. Plus two loads of laundry, cleaning the living room, doing dishes and experimenting with cleaning techniques to remove burnt on residue from my cookie sheets (I know, it's the glamorous life). After all that it was time to pick up Riley from school, of course Spencer wanted to walk. And by walk I mean make it halfway to the school stopping to pick up every rock (told you there were rocks), and then asking to be carried the rest of the way. The walk home consisted of carrying/dragging her back home, which is why I usually opt for the stroller on this journey. To add to that lovely little adventure I discovered that when packets of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes go through the washer and dryer they make everything smell like puke. Yep, good times.
On days like this, (you know, the ones that end in Y) when I'm starting to feel worn down and stressed out I reach for my instant cure all...chocolate. I don't know why, but just one little piece of chocolate, that Hershey's kiss you hid in the freezer or the stolen pudding cup out of the fridge (eaten in the privacy of the kitchen pantry where the kids can't see of course), just melts away the stress. Ah, how I love the cheap and speedy efficiency of chocolate therapy.
So, in honor of all the good that chocolate has done in my life, I am posting an amazing recipe for Hot Cocoa. Its finally starting to get colder here in Texas so I like to keep this on hand right on the kitchen counter. The original recipe comes from WonkyWonderful, but I tweaked it a bit to get it just right for my tastes.

Chocolate Therapy Hot Cocoa Mix:
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup powdered coffee creamer (I use french vanilla)
* 1/2 cup chocolate malt Ovaltine
Here is where I tweaked. The recipe was good but it didn't have enough chocolate for me (I'm usually a double packet of Swiss Miss kind of girl). So, I added one box of chocolate instant pudding mix. Ahhh, heaven in a cup. Mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container for up to three months. But don't worry, it will be gone way before then. Add 3-4 tablespoons to hot milk and enjoy.
And, if you want to kick it up a notch, maybe make this chocolaty drink feel a bit more "grown-up," then add in some instant french vanilla cappuccino mix. Or whatever flavor you prefer. My perfect mix is one cup of milk, heated in the microwave, with two tablespoons of cocoa mix and one tablespoon of cappuccino. Then I top it will mini marshmallows and put it back in the microwave for another minute. Perfection. In fact, it's so good my husband stole my cup this morning and finished it off after trying it for the first time.
Whether you're trying to warm up during the cooler months or de-stress after a long day (or morning) with the kiddos, this cocoa is sure to do the trick. Sit back, relax, and enjoy five minutes of chocolate perfection. Then get up and go enjoy This Crazy Beautiful Life.

Taking the Plunge

Confession... I am my own worst critic. Honestly, I spend more time arguing with myself than anyone or anything else in my life. This blog is an experiment, a way to get my thoughts out of my head and out into the world. Even if no one reads them, at least they are out there. Then I can say 'I did it.' 
I haven't figured out the "About Me" part of this blog yet (can you tell how new I am to this?). So, for now, I'll share a bit about myself here.
My name is Brittany (obviously), I am a 27 year old wife and mother of two beautiful girls. My girls are a big part of the 'crazy beautiful' going on in my life. Riley is 7 and Spencer is 3, and they could not be more opposite. Riley is my smarty pants, literally, the kid is scary smart and she has no problem letting you know it. She is also on the Autism Spectrum, diagnosed with Aspergers about a year ago. We are learning about ASD as we go, some days are better than others; but like I said, we are learning. Spencer is my wild child. My climb on the kitchen counters, sneaking cookies all day, toddler tornado. Her super power is the ability to destroy a room in seconds. It's safe to say she keeps me on my toes. My husband Ryan is in the Army, yep I'm an Army wife. But, I'm an Army wife who knows basically nothing about the Army. While my man in uniform heads out the door each day for morning PT and then back out the door for work, I'm at home cooking and cleaning and taking care of the kiddos. It wasn't always like this, until about 2 1/2 years ago we both worked full time jobs, barely ever seeing each other. The Army was a dream of his and I encouraged him to pursue it, and honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. I love being a stay at home mom, I know that might sound old-fashioned but seriously, it's great. I get to spend time with my kids, I actually like cooking and cleaning (for the most part), and I get to focus on things that actually interest me.
So, the first part of the "About Me" has been about my family, let me introduce you to ME. I love Pinterest, like stalker in the night, addicted to it kind of love. I have learned how to make my own cleaning products, gotten Pinsperation for home decorating ideas, crafts, homemade presents and body products. Don't even get me started on all the food recipes, I swear I gain a pound with each recipe pin (straight to the butt). An addiction in my life I don't love so much, Facebook. I love to hate it because being away from family (from rural New York, stationed in Texas) it's become a lifeline. I post pictures and videos to keep everyone updated on the kids and use it to stay updated on everything that's going on back home. But, it's a MAJOR distraction, something I need to cut back on. I also LOVE to read. Books are the air I breathe, and like this blog, a place where I can go. A quiet place to get away from all the crazy beautiful things going on in my life. Though I love being a wife and mother, sometimes it's nice to have a place of my own to escape to; if only for a while. Books provide that.
Remember how I said earlier that I'm my own worst critic? I'm also an aspiring writer. I thought maybe having a blog would help me feel more brave. Maybe I could work up the courage to put my other work out there into the world. I have a book started, almost 14,000 unedited words plus a sequel in mind. My problem, actually putting the words on paper (or computer as it may be). I'm hoping this venture will add to my self-confidence in that area. So, in this blog I'll be posting recipes that I love, along with some book reviews, personal works of literature, pieces of inspiration and really anything else that inspires me on my journey through This Crazy Beautiful Life.