Texas Chili



I didn't take a picture last time we made it, but I thought this picture was appropriate!
Don't you want some chili now?

So, one day Sean and I decided to make some chili. Both of us have had lots of chili in our lives, primarily as a result of being in Texas. Chili cook-offs are a big deal in Texas. So, we figured we could make it ourselves with the right ingredients, and let me tell you, we succeeded! After our first batch we were both shocked by the fact that we had just made the best chili either of us had ever had!

This is what we used:

1lb browned ground beef (I've also cooked it with 1/2 an onion, which is yummy, but optional)
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can sweet corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 packet of HOT chili seasoning
2-3 jalepenoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
garlic salt
pepper

First, brown the ground beef with some salt and pepper. Then, get ready to put everything into a big pot. We cut of the jalepenos and removed the seeds. We pureed them along with both cans of tomatoes in a blender to make a very juicy tomatoe sauce. Pour the sauce, beans, corn, sugar, and seasoning all in a big pot. I'd cook it on Med-High for about 15 minues and then let it simmer for a while on a lower temperature. Then add your garlic salt and pepper to taste. It will be spicy! but the brown sugar is supposed to help tame that a bit. :)

Pour up a bowl with some cheese and sour cream. Sean prefers to eat it with cornbread smashed all up in it, making it all one mushy mixture. To each his own, right?

Homemade Laundry Detergent

So, I caved into Pinterest's persuasive ways and decided that I couldn't resist to try out making my own laundry soap. It was super easy, minus the fact that I overflowed the pot when I let it boil (next time I will half the batch and make it twice!). And, I think it's awesome! I've always been a cheapy when it comes to detergent. I usually buy the SUN brand that's like 7 bucks or something for a big jug. But now I will never go back! Because #1: Making this laundry soap is even exponentially cheaper and #2: it's waaaay better. Borox is one of the main ingredients you use to make it and I'm pretty sure that stuff is the cleaner of all cleaners. If you look on the back of the box it tells you all the things you can use it for. And the list is LONG! It cleans amazingly well. I just feel like our clothes have a lighter fresher feeling to them they didn't have before. I used THIS blog's recipe to make it. See for yourself . . . It's awesome!! And if you're more fancy than me you could use a more appealing bar of soap in the recipe to add extra scent or color. I just used Dial. :)

P.S. I also tried my own dishwasher detergent. Not a fan. It's not cheaper and it doesn't smell as good as my orange flavor kind anyways. The reason why it's not less expensive is because in order for your dishes to be residue free you have to use a rinse agent. So far I've seen the options are either a produce called Lemi-Shine (which works really well) or you can also use vinegar. BUT, for the amount of either one of those you have to use it would cost more that just buying the generic brand of regular dishwasher soap. Therefore, I have decided it's not for me! :)

Happy 6 months to Lincoln!

This was right after he rolled over!

Lincoln is officially 6 months old! For some reason 6 months seems like such a big milestone! Half a year!! It's gone by soo fast! He's learned quite a few new things in the last few weeks. Back on March 10th, he rolled over for the first time. That was also the last time he rolled over! haha. He hasn't done it since, and I'm not sure why. When he's on his tummy he hardly even tries to go from side to side. He more often does this swimming thing with his hands and feet and tries to push himself up. He seems to want to figure out how to move forward instead. Whatever, the kid obviously has a mind of his own. He can sit up now though, which is cute. He loves to play with his toys sitting up. I keep the bobby pillow behind him though to protect him when he loses his balance. Our floor is hardwood with a rug on it, so it's pretty hard. The bobby softens his fall, unless he falls forward... then he's on his own. He has also gotten super grabby over the past week. Anything that's in our hands needs to be in his. I took him to work with me for a few hours this past week. I was trying to mark some papers with a highlighter and he was reaching for it like crazy. One of the little girls in the office thought it was pretty funny. He also loves remote controls and if he's sitting in your lap at the computer he will not stop until you let him bang his hands on the keyboard for a little bit. Also, he learned how to blow spit bubbles in the last day or so. That provides several minutes of entertainment. He loves his Wonderbug exersauser. He loves a few different rattle toys we have. He loves anything made of fabric: shirts, blankets, bibs, burpclothes. He instantly grabs it when he sees in and starts chewing on it or covers his face with it. And he also seems to love hanging upsidedown.

He has been eating rice cereal for a little over a month now, and he loves it. About two weeks ago I started mixing a little bit of baby food fruit with it to give him some new flavor. And now the last week he's been eating the fruits or veggies by themselves and maybe had some rice cereal afterwards. So far he likes apples, peaches and banannas best. Not a fan of peas though. I think we'll try some green beans soon. Last night we tried a bit of chicken and chicken gravy. He gagged and then proceeded to spit it out. I don't blame him. I heated it up a little and the stuff smelled like cat food. It was bad. Sooo, I think I might try to make meaty baby food for him. We'll see what I come up with . . . or who knows? maybe his tastebuds will mature over the next few weeks and he'll be okay with the flavor and texture. Overall, since starting solids I feel like he is constantly eating. He still nurses the same amount as he did before solids.

He is quite a little ball of fun. Most of the time all he wants is some good ol' fashioned attention. He is pretty ticklish and quick to smile and laugh.  I'm looking foward to the next few months to be able to watch him become even more mobile. He is going to love it!

March Photos

Sean is 24

Our little family at breakfast time.

Today was Sean's birthday. To date, it was the best birthday he has ever had. His words, not mine. And let me tell you, it really was amazingly perfect. I'm not proud, but even the green bug of jealously got me for a few minutes. It started with Sean waking up and me making breakfast for him. He came downstairs to some balloons and a little banner--an extra touch that I thought would be fun. I made sprinkle cake pancakes from a recipe that I found on none other than Pinterest itself. :) They were super good btw. Afterwards Lincoln was a little cranky and tired so we all got in our bed and took a nap for about an hour and a half. We woke up at 1:30 and decided to go to the mall. Yesterday I discovered that we qualified for an upgrade on one of our cell phones. We found out that if we resigned our contract, Sean could get an iPhone 3G for ninety-nine cents. He was very excited because he has been using a dinky flip phone that cost 10 bucks at Walmart since last August when his old phone got wet. After we got back from the mall Sean's mom was waiting at our house to pick up Lincoln and babysit him while Sean and I had a little date for the evening. We were planning to go see this movie called "In Time" at the dollar theatre. Unexpectedly when we got there we found out that they no longer were showing that movie as of yesterday. Oops...I blew that one. So, needless to say we were very disappointed as we sat in the car with about 3 hours to kill and not a clue what to do. We couldn't afford anything too fancy, cuz our money was already going towards presents and a nice dinner. My dad happened to call while we were sitting there and he noticed that I sounded kind of disappointed about something. I told him what was up and then we hung up. We went to the mall to walk around when my dad called back and said that he would give us $100 bucks to go do whatever we wanted for the rest of the day. That's when this day went from good to spectacular!
We decided to go to the Cinemark and see what was playing. Sean was interested in seeing the new movie "John Carter". We got to the theatre 3 minutes after the movie time was scheduled. So we went for it. Sean loved the movie. It even made him cry in one part. At this point in our story I want to make a little sidenote about why I love Sean so much and it's all explained in why he cried. Since we have been married Sean has cried 3 times. And they were all basically for the same reason. He cried today during a scene where John Carter returns home from war to find his house burned down and his wife and child lying dead inside. He buries them himself. The other time he cried during Benajmin Button when he lost his opportunity to raise his daughter. And finally he also cried during Meet the Robinsons for a similar reason (i'm not exactly sure, I fell asleep at the end of the movie). Sometimes Sean likes to seem a little rough and tough around the edges. He's not fond of talking about his emotions. But when I see him cry in moments like this I realize how much he loves me and the family we have, as well as how much he cherishs being a daddy. A day doesn't go by without Sean telling me he loves me and appreciates me, but I can't help but be touched when I see him become emotional over something so simple. There is a difference between hearing it said and holding onto him as it's felt.  Anyways, being able to go out to a movie totally changed our day (Thanks Dad!). 
Afterwards we went back home to get primped up to go out to PFChangs. Sean was given a gift card to eat there from one of the managers at work, so we had been planning to go there on his birthday for a few weeks. We went there one other time on my birthday last year and really enjoyed it. It was super delicious. Have you had their chocolate cake? To. Die. For. I couldn't help but eat a little bit of gluten just to have some. OMG it was soo good. We left there on a high note with Sean's fortune cookie telling him "Keep up the good work. You will be rewarded in the coming month." Promotion? I hope so...but Sean's not supersticious like that... haha. I'm not sure I am either, but I liked this fortune a lot! :)

Wearing his riding jacket.

After dinner we drove up to Alpine to pick up Lincoln from Sean's parent's house. He was happy as a clam and bouncing around like crazy. We chatted with them and got Link ready for bed before we left. Sean also got a great card from them as well as another $100 to spend. How could the day get any better? Oh, it did! We got home and had a box waiting on our doorstep that contained scooter stuff Sean had ordered with a $200 rebate giftcard he recieved from the scooter shop. He ordered a super cool riding jacket, sunglasses, and some oil that smells like strawberries. He had been waiting for it to come all week, so this was perfect timing for it to show up. He's wearing his jacket in the pictures. That was the end to a fabulous birthday. He totally deserved it.

Me and the birthday boy!

Sean and Lincoln during breakfast.