Taco Waffles

I enjoy cooking but there are many times I get into a rut and find myself cooking the same things over and over. Not to mention trying new recipes can often become rather spendy! Since both kiddos generally in the afternoon I turn on my girl Rachel Ray and do a little housework.

Every now and then a recipe will peak my interest and I decide to try to my hand it. Taco waffles were so good and so easy I just had to share!! This was my version and you can the original version (with a lot more ingredients) on her website.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (you can substitute with ground turkey)

1 package corn muffin mix (about 1.5 cups)

I packet of taco seasoning

1 egg

1/3 cup of milk

2 tbs melted butter

1 cup cheese (I used cheddar but the possibilities are endless) 

Directions:

-brown the beef, drain, and add taco seasoning to taste. Let cool

-heat your waffle iron

-mix together corn muffin mix, egg, milk and butter

-add cooled meat and cheese to corn muffin mixture

-evenly pour over waffle iron, close and cook for 5 minutes 

-add taco toppings (we used ketchup and sour cream. My husband used salsa and sour cream)

 

 

And because the waffle iron is the new crockpot (just kidding nothing could replace my crockpot) but none the less because the waffle iron is super quick and easy, stayed tuned in for tomorrow when I show you how to make waffle cookies!!!

 

 

Great great grandma Rose's Chili

A few years and two babies ago, my husband worked part time early the mornings and I worked 8 to 5. Because of our schedules often times my husband cooked us dinner. There was nothing better on a cold evening after a long day of work than coming home to the aroma of my husbands homemade chili.  It was so good I would have him make when we had friends over, (bragging of his families secret recipe), during the summer, (chili dogs anyone?) , and of course in fall and winter.

Years passed, schedules changed and more often than not I started preparing dinner. During one of my weekly grocery shopping trips I decided to try my hand at my husbands infamous chili. I called him while in the store to get the ingredients and here's how that conversation went...

Me "hey I was going to make chili tonight what do I need to get?"

Husband "I don't know look at the back of the chili packet."

Jaw drop

Me "what do you mean look at the chili packet? I want to make your great great grandmothers chili recipe"

Husband "I'm not sure what you are talking about. I just follow the recipe on the back on the chili packet"

And there you have it folks. The secret to amazilny delicious chili... Read the directions on the back off the chili packet.

I will have however let you in one little secret that is not of the back of the chili packet... Add brown sugar. Maybe not the secret recipe I envisioned handed down generation to generation but it definitely makes the chili oh so good! 

How do you prepare your chili?  Do you keep it simple or jazz it up? And what's your easy go to recipe on a weeknight?

 

 

Here's The Scoop... Bell turned 2!

I promised this year would be smaller. I promised I wouldn't go crazy, or get stressed out. I promised to keep it simple. 30 guests and a homemade ice cream stand later, I had failed to keep my promises but oh friends it was so worth it! Bellamie's second birthday, ice cream party was just perfect! Great company, ice cream sundaes and gorgeous weather! So without further ado, here are the pictures from miss Bellamie Rose's ice cream party.

Whats an ice cream party without an ice cream stand...

 And of course toppings!

 This was one happy girl

 Who needs a bowl when you can eat straight out of the tub...

 Enjoying some time with cousins

 And getting way too spoiled with gifts

Such a fun day and next year I promise to have a small, simple, stress free ;)

It's just a bad day not a bad life

Some days are hard. Like wake up to dog puke on the carpet, baby screaming as soon as I get shampoo in my hair, toddler has spilled the same bowl of popcorn three times and haven't eaten yet today, hard! And being a perfectionist only makes those hard days harder.

Yes I happen to be a perfectionist. It's the reason I don't sell my crafts on etsy, the reason I started writing a book and never finished, the reason I straighten my hair every single day and its the reason that if we have a rough day I blame myself. 

So today I had to remind myself that the laundry truly is never ending and I'm not falling as a mother because I haven't folded it yet, that the dishes are a sign that my family is well fed not that I'm lazy, that my children most likely aren't up at night conspiring against me on who will nap when so I don't get even two minutes to myself, and that admitting all this doesn't make weak, actually maybe a little bit stronger. 

Today's been one of those days. But instead of panicking because I have laundry that needs to be folded and clean dishes in the dishwasher, I am going to sit on the couch with my (finally) sleeping baby because its just a bad day and not a bad life and everything else will just have to wait until later. 

Surviving with 2 under 2

Newborn stage isn't my favorite... There I said it! I just don't function well on no sleep and the crying, no matter how little or how much rattles my nerves. Terrible twos are no match compared to a newborn in my humble opinion.  That said, Beckett is a fairly easy newborn especially in comparison to Bellamie who was off the charts hard! Like crying 6 straight hours a night hard! For 6 mths! However, Bellamie is a fairly easy toddler. Sure she has her meltdowns and can destroy a room faster than a tornado, but all in all she's a good kid with a great personality! But combine these two fairly easy kiddos and its total chaos in the Harroun household! Most days it choosing between folding laundry or taking a shower and laundry usually wins!! And when Rob had to go back to work I was nervous. Like batten down the hatches we are in for a storm nervous. But after two and a half weeks on my own I've learned a few tricks. So here are my survival tips for staying at home with a toddler and a newborn.

First off, find new and fun activities for the toddler. I have always loved Pinterest and found several ideas for toddlers. We have definitely had some successes and some failures. I found the ones that work out the best are simple, sometimes messy and need to be super easy for a toddler to do. For example, playing with shaving cream great! Finger painting awesome!! Stringing cereal and pretzels on a string failure! Either she wanted "mommy do it" or she just ate the food and ran off. Short attention span people, very short attention span!  Also have lots and lots and lots of snacks.

Secondly, set small goals... Like really small! I'm talking teeny tiny goals here folks! Yesterday mine was to vacuum. Yep that's it! Just vacuum. Then if not one other thing got accomplished the whole day at least I could say, "well I vacuumed."

Third, keep the house picked up. Nothing stresses me out more than clutter!! No explanation here, no tips, just keep the house fairly organized, which probably means following a toddler around all day long but trust me worth it on the stress-less-ometer.  

Fourth, accomplish your housework early. That way if the afternoon goes to hell in hand basket, you at least got your one goal accomplished before daddy gets home.  

Fifth (yes this list is getting a little lengthy but stay with me here) go for a run, or a walk or a walk/run in my case. Ether way get of the house and use that stroller! The fresh air feels great, exercise refreshes you and newborns love the stroller! (For the most part, Bell hated it, but Bell hated everything, reference back to Bell was a hard baby)

Sixth never ever sit down! Like ever. Im kidding, kind of...If the babies sleeping spend a little quality time with the toddler, if the toddler is sleeping, clean up the disaster she created while awake. Because when they are both awake you won't get much done and you also won't get much done if one or both are crying, hungry or just need to be held.

:Last but not least, and also the most important!!!! Enjoy the little moments. Yes it's hard to enjoy your newborn when your toddler is on the flooring having meltdown and vice versa but these days will go by way too fast and you're going to miss them! No matter how chaotic they are! Happy parenting 

Little Misters Nursery

His due date is still two days away but little mister decided to make an early appearance. Can't say I was too upset, at 7 lbs 6 oz another three weeks in my belly, and we would have had one big newborn! 

It will still be a few months until he is in his own room but oh how happy I was that the nursery was already finished when he arrived. With my birthday, Fourth of July, Bellamies birthday and camping trips on the horizon, not to mention two under two, I figure I won't be finding much extra time for crafting on my hands. 

So without further ado here is the completed nursery. 

Silhouette: Super easy DIY

From the first ultra sound I fell in love with Bell's profile and yesterday as we were snuggled on my bed watching cartoons, I couldn't stop looking at her.  Those big eyes with super long lashes, chubby little cheeks and pouty lips.  They grow up so fast and I knew I wanted to capture that adorable little face forever.  So I snapped a quick pic, and decided on making a silhouette...oh friends how I love the way it turned out.
To make your own of your littles follow these easy peasy steps.

First off distract your little with their favorite movie ;)  ok but seriously try to snap a profile pic of one year old without them moving it takes some sort of MAJOR distraction.

 Step Two: Use a thick marker to outline their cute little face.  (can you see where Bellamie "helped") and cut it out

Last trace your picture onto thick cardstock and cut it out.  Glue to some pretty scrapbook paper and tada instant adorableness!!! xoxox