Tom-zilla, A new low and Daddy's Chili {recipe}

Hey folks!  We've got a lot to catch up on, so hold onto your hats!!!

What have we been up to you ask?  Well, we took all of our Christmas decorations down last weekend.  We packed them up, put them away in storage, but somehow, more decorations keep coming out of the woodwork.  Does that ever happen to you?  They're crawling out from under the couch, the sheets in the kids' beds, kitchen cabinets, sock drawers, you name it.  I even had a straggler box out the entire week last week and finally put it away, but wouldn't you know those stragglers keep on rolling out of nowhere???

Maybe I've been watching too much Toy Story, but I've started seeing life through the eyes of my children's toys, namely T's Thomas trains.  I feel sorry for those poor little innocent trains, I think I can see the fear in their eyes when they see Tommy waddling over to the train bin, like Godzilla, only in our case he's Tom-zilla...


Then mommy fixes, and it's all better:


James the engine is hauling away from evil Tom-zilla...


Only to meet him again at the Maron bridge.


Will Tom-zilla save James from a tragic train crash?




Tom tries for the instant replay.


The trains aren't the only toys I've been feeling pity for, one night last week I hit a new low and gave into Rapunzel's pleas...

She let down her golden hair and the girls turned it into a rat's nest.

So I spent an episode of Cougartown combing out all the tangles and gave her a new 'do. I think she was thankful for that, and I was thankful that it only took a half hour.


The weather has been great, so we've been trying to get outside to enjoy the sunshine.


Khera even cleaned my windows with some water and a paint brush ;-)


The weather cooled off to a frigid 48 degrees (it's amazing what 6 years of FL will do to a northerner), so Daddy and the girls whipped up a batch of chili.

If you were going to make chili, what would you wear? Here's what Elle pulled together, of course you'd wear heels, right?


And fairy ribbon bracelets!






Khera putting some elbow grease into her stirring:


I love this one, Elle giving the chili the final stir (please ignore the dirty laundry pile in the background):


We got the toppings ready:


Et voila!

Meals I don't have to cook taste SO GOOOOOOD! 

Daddy's Spicy Chili {recipe}
1  pound  ground round
1  (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1  (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1  (10-ounce) can condensed beef broth
2  garlic cloves, pressed
3  tablespoons  tomato paste
1  tablespoon  chili powder
1  teaspoon  ground cumin
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
1/2  teaspoon  ground red pepper
1  (15-ounce) can light kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1  (15-ounce) can dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Toppings: chipotle hot sauce, shredded Cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream

Cook beef in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally into large chunks, 10 minutes or until no longer pink. (Do not stir beef into crumbles.) Drain and return beef to Dutch oven.
Stir both cans of diced tomatoes and next 7 ingredients into browned beef; reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Stir in beans, and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Notes:  We usually double the recipe and freeze half.  Sometimes when doubling we mix turkey and beef, and others we go all turkey.  We are garlic LOVERS, so we always double the garlic.  I try to shred the cheese myself, because it tastes better freshly shredded and is more economical; but in this instance all I wanted to do was the dishes so I opted for pre-shredded.

Enjoy!  Until next time!