Charisa Darling

Here's to the dress. What do you see? White and gold or blue and black? 

(I'm the only one in the house that sees white and gold. It's been fun though! Here's the story and the source of the picture)

Cheers! What are you celebrating tonight?

Let's say you plan on making two corn casserole's for Thanksgiving but end up only making one and are tired of seeing the cans of corn that you never usually buy in the pantry. Then you realize you don't have a side dish for Veggie chili night and there's no time (or desire) to run to the store. Poof! You get creative and Green Chili and Corn casserole is born. The picture looks less than appetizing, I know, but it tasted really good.

Green Chili and Corn Casserole

Inspired from Paula Deen's corn casserole

1 can corn, drained

1 can creamed corn

1 box corn bread mix 

1 cup of sour cream

1 can of green chilies 

1/2 stick of melted butter 

1 1/2 cups of pepper jack cheese, shredded

Mix ingredients, except cheese, and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes - 55 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven, top with cheese, and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy!

We finally got snow last week. The kids played, school was cancelled, and now I'm officially ready for winter to be over. Mother Nature is killing me because the Feels Like Temp is -6 degrees right now. The state of my skin and cuticles are in dire condition due to the cold, but the show must go on. Errands still need running and kids still need chauffeuring to nightly activities despite all urges to hibernate through these cold months wearing sweats and watching Netflix. 

The only way to survive when it's this cold is to dress for it, at all costs. I laughed at myself when I realized I was out in public on Wednesday (it was ridiculously cold and windy) with no makeup, hair up in a claw clip, a giant puffy winter coat, lined studio pants (warm, but slide down my nonexistent hips, so I have to constantly pull them back up or else I will walk right out of them. Normally I don't wear them out of the house) and tennis shoes. By the way, the unlined studio pants are not this way and are so comfy that if I were going to be buried, I'd want to be wearing these.

I feel there's a certain camaraderie amongst strangers when it's this cold since we're all deep in the "whatever it takes" mentality. At least I hope so. Or I guess I really just stop caring what others think when the temp is at extremes.  

What I want is to wear flip flops again and to buckle my seat belt without pushing layers of down filled coats out of the way. 18 days until Spring Break and it can't come soon enough. 

Here's to 5 simple happenings from the week worth celebrating AND a bonus! quick Valentine's cake topper!

Here's to Vaughn's new shoes and to her first indoor soccer game. 

(Are these shoes her or what?!)

 

Cheers and Happy Valentine's Day!

What are you celebrating this weekend???

Here's to 5 simple happenings from the week worth celebrating.

Here's to starting out the week with Vance making breakfast for us all by himself.

Here's to learning not to put my foot in my mouth. 

(And here's to kids who never give up hope.)

Months and months ago, Vance wanted to enter a contest that was advertised in his Sports Illustrated Kids magazine. I helped him enter online and every day for weeks after that, Vance would come home from school asking if I'd heard from the contest people yet. I told him that thousands and thousands of kids probably entered and we'd most likely never hear who won because that's how these contests work. Fast forward to last month when I received an email that Vance had won. A little paperwork after that (contracts, signatures, copy of my drivers license - it takes a lot to win a free prize) and yesterday a Nerf Demolisher showed up at our door making Vance the happiest boy ever. "Mom, I won! I can't believe I won!" 

What are you raising a glass to? 

Cheers!

I know love is blind because Justin hasn't asked me about the 100 chopsticks that have been on my desk for the past week. You guys, I found a keeper. 

Since love is in the air, here's a few things to help you score some points on Valentine's Day.

This card says it all.

Little stuffed hearts to surprise your loves. (I hide them in pockets or where I know they'll be found.)

Speaking of tiny hearts, giving this necklace will score you big points.

Or any one of these. I personally would have a hard time deciding between the "I been drankin" or the "Now we sip champagne when we thirsty". Erica Weiner, I like your style.

I'd like a dozen of these, please.

In case you need more ideas.

Follow Charisa's board Valentine's Day! on Pinterest. 

Thursday's yours. Go get it.

 I actually spend active time thinking and hoping the kids never get lice because I'm germophobic and if it comes between carefully bagging all the plush items that can't be washed in a black trash bag and keeping them in the dark for two weeks and then at the end of those two weeks being able to use my couch pillows again with confidence that something magical happened in those trash bags and they're all good now or just tossing them out and getting new ones? Honey, I'm going shopping. 

Every once in awhile the kids bring home the dreaded Lice Letter home from school. You know the one,  the "Dear Parents, there has been a confirmed case of head lice...", and then goes on to say if was a child in the same grade or, worse, the same class as your child. I mildly freak out and comb through the kids hair with a toothpick and a flash light, which is doubly hard because have you seen the hair on my kids? There's a lot of it. 

KNOCKING ON A GIANT PIECE OF WOOD, WHILE CROSSING MY FINGERS, my kids have never had lice, which I'm thankful because I'm terrified of them. They're basically invisible and can set up shop in any plush surface. Any plush surface! I've heard horror stories about what people have had to go through to get rid of them and don't want any part of that action so I've been taking my own preventative "just in case" action for quite some time now. Call me crazy, I don't care. 

One of those parents who has a nightmare lice story mentioned this Ladibugs Mint Spray and how she also uses it as a preventative for her kids now. That was all I needed to order a bottle. It smells like lavender and mint and the kids don't mind it at all. Actually, I've never told them it's a "lice preventative" spray. They just think it's something to make hair smell good.  And don't go thinking our mornings are calm. Most of the times I'm chasing them out the door spraying it at them like Gus from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

*By the way, this is not a paid advertisement piece. I bought this on my own and wanted to share this product (and my crazy side) with you.

...............

Some days are just meant for chili and since it's winter and cold outside, those days come more often than not. 

I saw this recipe on a friend's Facebook page and had to give it a try. The veggies make it hearty, the smokiness of the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce give it depth and then heat. There's also a twist in the recipe that I've never seen before that involves garlic, green chilies, cilantro stems and a blender. (It's magic and my deep thoughts are telling me that it would be perfect as a chicken marinade...)

My picture does not do this chili any justice, so please click HERE to see what this chili really looks like and to get the recipe. It's from Leite's Cullinaria blog. There's lots of other good stuff there, so stay and look around.

{Recipe notes: Chop your veggies smaller than what I did. Mine were too big. I also added too many of the the chipotle peppers. Easy does it, Tiger! And watch the suggested salt amount. I ended up adding too much and had to remedy it. We tend to prefer chili over macaroni noodles, a little chili-mac action, and this was no exception. Even with a few mistakes on my part, this chili was gooood and worth making it again.}

I served this with an awesome corn and green chili casserole, which I'll post about later on!

Happy Monday everyone!