So what better way to make a girl feel better than to make her Christmas list. This might sound cliche, but I can honestly say that I don't need a thing for Christmas this year. I received the best gift I could ever hope for on May 11 and that is a healthy baby boy. BUT, since the holidays are upon us and I need something to take my mind off of my current situation, why not do a little lusting....

New Everyday Dishes

Source: crateandbarrel.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Dryer Balls

Source: amazon.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Cupcake Corer

Source: hostessblog.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Medium Sized White Gold Hoops

Source: tiffany.com via Marissa on Pinterest

L.L. Bean Tote

Source: llbean.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Leakproof Travel Mug

Source: starbucksstore.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Tall Brown Boots - I heart these, but they cost more than most of my shoes combined!

Source: elefantitasalegres.blogspot.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Black Wedge Heels

Source: piperlime.gap.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Black Flats

Source: piperlime.gap.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Black Kitten Heels

Source: piperlime.gap.com via Marissa on Pinterest

Genuinely Sad

For the past week, I have started writing this post and deleted. It just wasn't right and I was crying so hard the screen was all burry. There just aren't words to describe what's going on right now - I'm going back to work. Tomorrow.

To say that I am sad would be an understatement. To say that I am scared and nervous and anxious and I have a heavy pit in my stomach that makes me feel like I am going to vomit at any given moment - that might explain it a little better.

For 6 months, I got to be a stay at home mom. I got to do all the things that stay at home moms do. Change diapers, feed a baby, bathe a baby, play with a baby, clean up spit up, clean the house, do laundry, cook, mow the lawn, rake leaves, grocery shop, run errands, chase the dogs, and the list goes on and on. I treated every day like it was my job. It was my job to be a wife and a mom.

Before having Owen, I couldn't imagine what a stay at home mom did all day and now I don't know where the time goes. It is the most rewarding feeling at the end of the day to look at my happy baby, husband and puppies and know that I contributed directly to their well being.

Tomorrow starts a new chapter of balance. I know I have to figure out a way to balance all of the things I love doing for my family, while still working away from our home 9 hours a day. Owen will be well cared for. He will be spending his days with a  neighbor of our who has two children of her own, one of which is a little boy 1 week older than Owen. What a world that will open up for him!

I try to look at the positive side of our situation, and there are many positives. For now, I am just sad. I know it will pass and there will come a day when all of this will just be second nature. I'll be super mom accomplishing everything in half the time with thinking twice. And it will make me a better, stronger person. I hope.

Souper Sunday Week 9 - Team Clancy Chili

Several years ago, Brett and I put our heads, and several recipes from different places together, and created our very own chili recipe. While we've never won a chili cook off competition, although we've never entered one, we think it's pretty good. We even wrote down the recipe so we can remember what goes in it.

Team Clancy Chili
1 can beer (this is by far the most important ingredient; we recommend Old Style but understand that may not be available to everyone)
1 can beef broth
2 cans bean (whatever you like; we use a combo of kidney and great northern)
1 lg. can crushed tomatoes
1 lg. can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground meat, brown and drain
1 1/2 lb. "chunk" meat, tossed in flour and brown (by "chunk" I just mean any kind of meat you can cut up - steak, etc. )
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped + the leafy hearts
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder to taste

Here's the best part, other than chopping up the veggies and browning the meat the only directions to make this chili is to dump everything in a crock pot and let cook all day. Simple as that!

Serve this with some cornbread "But you ain't ever had my cornbread, A little bit of heaven and a little bit of..." and enjoy yourself a nice relaxing Sunday on the couch watching football.

Souper Sunday Week 8 - Cheeseburger Soup

Well the month of October got a little crazy around here and we haven't been home to make soup and watch football in quite awhile. Yesterday, we finally got the chance and it was wonderful! By wonderful, I am referring to both the soup and the Steelers win over the Patriots!!!

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:

2 lb ground beef

Hamburger seasoning of your choosing

1 large onion, diced

1 Tb butter

32 oz. Chicken broth

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

1 pint Half and Half

2 Tb flour

2 Tb cold water

15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

Directions:

Brown ground meat. Drain grease and season with whatever you would season your burger with. I used a Beef Rub spice mix that I happened to have on hand. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, melt 1 T. butter. Saute onions until translucent. Add the chicken broth, Velveeta cheese and the half & half.  Stir until cheese is melted.  

In a small bowl, mix the flour and water until smooth. You may have too add more or less of each to get the right consistency. Whisk into soup.  Add ground meat and tomatoes. Bring soup to a boil, stirring occasionally. 

The recipe I based this off of, called for a half of a head of lettuce, shredded. All the reviews said it was good, but I was being lazy. So at this point, you can add shredded lettuce to the soup or be lazy. 

Remove from heat. Serve in bread bowls, topped with a thick slice of bread, croutons, or plain. 

Enjoy! It's like a grilled summer burger in soup form.