Daddy’s chili on a rainy day…perfection! And the mystery of priorities.

Today definitely feels like Fall. It is colder and rainy outside, I have been snuggled into my flannel shirt. Soup has been on my mind!

My sister posted this meme on Facebook and ever since all I can think about is my Dad’s award winning ( he actually did win a chili cook off) chili!

Today seemed like the perfect day! Usually I skip the ham hock step and just cook the dried beans in my instant pot. I just happen to have a ham hock or two right now (thanks Pennie) so I decided to do it just the way Daddy has written it.

Before the beans were added

It was a huge ham hock so it made sense to me to make a double batch of chili. Especially since I already have the pressure canner out to process turkey stock.

Before tomatoes were added and it has simmered.

It turned out amazing! Made me feel all warm inside! I was able to have 2 quarts left after dinner to process, till Rocket begged me to leave one in the fridge for leftovers!

Daddy’s Chili recipe

I actually wrote this a couple weeks ago, but my picture of the recipe disappeared. Life got a little crazy and I am just now getting it done.

The part that is sad about that is I have done and made several other things that I wanted to post about but felt like I needed to finish this one first. I totally could have left this one in drafts and completed others until I could get back to retaking the picture of the recipe. But I felt stuck, like I couldn’t progress till this one was completed.

Do you do that in your life too? Get programmed into a certain order when in reality it doesn’t have to be that way? I am realizing I do that in small ways all the time! I can organize a shelf because I need to do this, this or this first. When in reality, I could work around the other stuff and just organize the shelf. In the end it would probably make me feel better.

Off to think about what else am I not doing because something moveable is holding me back!

Amy

Very Hungry Caterpillar Paint Stick

I found this cute idea from School Time Snippets of using a paint stick to create another retelling tool for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I will definitely be making more of these paint sticks from her site. It was so easy and turned out really cute!

All I had to do was print the page off of her website (see above,) laminate and cut out the pieces. I hot glued the small circles on clothes pins.

The most difficult part was painting the stick green and not making a mess. Which really wan’t that hard at all.

Lion really like the idea of playing with it, but doesn’t quite have the finger strength to do the clips on his own yet. So for now he hands me the one that comes next, or he wants to come next. Although I let him play with the clips to encourage him with his fine motor skills and finger strength.

We had fun using the paint stick story, counting and talking about the lifecycle of a butterfly.

This is how I survived this morning!

Amy

Finally Fall Napkins!

Ever have those times when all the things you have to do get in the way of what you want to do? That was the last few days! I have slowly been working on the post for 3 days, not to mention a couple others I am midway through working on. It just seems like every time I start to work on it, I have to stop. However, I persisted, and have finished my Fall, ok let’s be real, Halloween napkins.

Some people around here (Princess, Monkey and Britney, not to mention names) might be a tad obsessed with Halloween. So in reality, these napkins will be out all year.

Aslan trying to help, again!

Aslan tried so hard to be helpful while I was sewing. No, the machine was not running with him batting at it. Yes, we had a long discussion about sewing machine safety. I am pretty sure he was sassing me through most of it.

Helping again

Aslan also supervised my measuring and cutting. He kept batting at my scissors so I am amazed any of my cuts were straight.

If you are curious how I made them, it is really simple. I picked up several seasonal fat quarters and 2 yards of black cotton.

Cut 18” squares, 1 seasonal and 1 black for each napkin.

Placed right of fabric together and sewed around all 4 sides leaving a gap to turn it right side out. Clipped the corners to make it square better.

Turned it right side out, using a chopstick to push out the corners.

Then top stitch all the way around, closing the gap in the process.

Finishing with the top stitch

I love having a basket of fabric napkins handy. They have been great to throw in Princess’s school lunch, or wrap it in if she is taking bento lunch. She uses it as a placemat while eating, then has a napkin to clean up with at the end. I did make 2 larger napkins (24” square) to wrap her bento box with. She chose a Harry Potter fabric and a unicorn print for those.

Unicorn napkin tying up her bento style lunch

This was how I persisted and thrived today!

Amy

Happy Birthday Lion!

Today we celebrate the day Lion came in to the world! He has been a joy (mostly) since that day 3 years ago!

Love that smile!

Lion is always up for adventure but also likes to be home. He loves building and destroying lol. Outside is his favorite place ran or shine, he loves to play in the dirt and his sandbox.

When we are out and about anytime we see a police car, fire truck, ambulance or construction worker there is sure to be a yelled “Man!!!” Coming from Lion. I have tried and tried to get him to say person at least, but no it is man for now.

He is a free spirit, leader, storyteller and has a heart of Gold. He even shared his most beloved blueberries with me tonight!

I can’t wait to see what this little guy gets up to this next year! I love you with all my heart!

Nona (aka Amy)

Tattoos and Peek a Boo Hair Coloring

Today was a day for creative self expression!

To start the day I went to Clever Rebel Tattoo and Social Club along with two of my favorite people in the entire world to get matching tattoos! Joe is a master artist and a really fun guy! Matt is an amazing piercer as well, I will never go to anyone else if I have a choice, he was the one who did mine and Rebel’s diatha piercings)

Joe the Master working on Erin’s leg

We chose sweet pea flowers to represent the first letters of our first names: Pennie Erin Amy. Sweet pea flowers seemed like a much better choice than a pea pod.

Pennie the tattoo champ

I am so in love with how it turned out and how vibrant the colors are! Can’t wait for my next appointment with Joe!

Mine all completed!

Next up was the race to the local Beauty School for the back to school special on Peek a Boo hair colors that Princess has been wanting for awhile! She was so excited!

She looks so cute!!

Then it was home and to the Gym! I love when most of the family joins me going to the gym!

Off to keep enjoying the day, more plans up my sleeve for tomorrow!

Amy

Very Hungry Caterpillar Flannel Board set and play Hamburgers

Today Lion was a little tired he had a rough night sleeping and getting used to our new morning routine. I wish I had the sensory tub set up, however I am still working on collecting items for it. I think today would have been I good day for that. I did have him do some do-a-dot pages on the Bible story, Jesus feeds 5000. Even though we haven’t read the story yet, but I know he likes to paint with the dabbers. The do-a-dot printables were from a huge Jesus Feeds 5000 Printable Pack created by Simple Living Creative Learning.

He loves dot markers!

I also made him a printable Flannel board set of the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Once again from DLKT- Kids, they have so much fun stuff on that site. I tend to use them a lot while getting ideas for new units. So far he just plays with the pieces and has the caterpillar eat them randomly, hopefully as we read the story more he will start to put them in order and use the flannel board set to retell the story. As time continues he will get the idea, these are his first few experiences with flannel board sets based on stories. Before I have just given him sets that he can play with be creative.

Printed and colored, before laminating. I love the way crayons look after you laminate.

Last night as I was prepping the flannel board set of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the boys wanted to pretend to eat the fruit. Which I love their imagination, but I also know little kids and how when they are being silly items can get crumpled or come up missing. Therefore I didn’t really want them to use my brand new set for regular pretend play. On the search we went for a food based set that they could use to just have fun. We found this cute (and educational) Build a Hamburger Set from The Mama Workshop! It was exactly what they wanted and Lion was very excited to play with it this morning, and Monkey is waiting to play with it when he gets home from school.

Making burgers and talking about shapes and colors!

That was how Lion and I had a great time thriving today!

Amy

Lion’s turn at Preschool with Nona!

Since all the big kids started school today, Lion and I decided no better time to start his preschool too! However, I wasn’t as prepared as usual so today’s activities were the kind you can do with what you have on hand and can put together really fast!

First, of course, we read the book, counted all the different foods and talked about caterpillars. Then, mostly because I needed a few minutes to throw some materials together, I played him the animation on youtube.

The Very Hungry Caterpiller Video

Lion watching video

By the time it was done I had gathered all the supplies to make this cute Caterpillar to Butterfly craft from DLTk – Kids.

Painting

His Caterpillar

Creative drying since I didn’t want to get the big drying rack out for 1 paper.

Finished!

Afterwards he was off to play in his sandbox while I made lunch! And now while he naps I will be prepping for tomorrow! As I anxiously await Princess to see how her first day of middle school went!!

They grow up to fast!

And that is how I thrived today!

Amy