Warm Comfort Food

It's cold and rainy here, sleeting some here and there and a little snow. The kids and I are on break until January 5th so we had a lazy day today. I did do the laundry and got most of my Christmas decorations down. We also made a quick trip to the fabric shoppe to get some material for a project I am working on. I am fighting a cold, so I wanted something nice and warm for supper. Last week at work, we had a chili cook-off for our contract physicist's last day. He is from Oregon by way of Florida, so he wanted a "real" Texas chili cook-off for his going away party. My friend Sherri made this awesome Cheesy Chicken Chili! I thought I would pass along the recipe. It is the ultimate comfort food! (it's very easy too!)

Sherri's Cheesy Chicken Chili

4 cooked chicken breasts (shredded) I only used 3
1 can chopped green chilis
3 cans great northern beans, undrained
1 medium jar of Pace Picante sauce
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Mix all together and simmer until hot.

Serve with tortilla chips! Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas! We did. I have seriously fallen behind on my blogging, but with the hustle and bustle of the holidays almost over, I will do better - promise! Thought I would share a picture of my two kiddos in front of our tree! They are almost too old, so they think, to have their picture made each year.

Favorite Christmas Treat - Millionaires

I am participating in the Show-us-your-life post today at Kelly's Korner. Christmas in our house DOES NOT begin until my Mom makes her Millionaire candy. We patiently wait while the pecans are chopped and the googy goodness melts in the pan. It is a two day process with making them one day and dipping the next. I would like to say, I have swiped some out of the fridge before they are dipped, but at 30-something (ha!) I still understand the consequences that would involve! Our family loves these, the recipients of these in a gift expect them year after year and even the mail-woman salivates when she finds her package in the mail box each year! I hope you all enjoy these - I may very well lose my place in the family for putting this recipe on the web!!

Mom's Millionaires (My mother is from Texas, she calls them Texas Millionaires, but me, as an Okie, can't seem to use the Texas part, so I refer to them as Mom's)

1 C. light brown sugar
1 C. white sugar
1 C. dark Karo syrup
2 C. Carnation milk
2 sticks margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients except 1 cup of milk in a pan. Let it come to a good boil. Add another cup of milk SLOWLY as not to stop the boiling. Cook to soft ball stage. Add 4 cups of pecans, brocken into large pieces. Pour into a large buttered pan. (Use a cookie sheet with sides). Place in the refrigerator overnight. Cut into 1" squares and dip in chocolate. (My mom spoons hers onto the cookie sheet in 50 cent piece sizes.) Chocolate: Melt 2 LARGE (1 lb size) Hershey candy bars and 1/3 lb paraffin.

My mother is proud of these each year! The pecans come from our own orchard and they make this candy so yummy! Hope you all enjoy these, and let me know if you try them!!

3 Days and counting....

Tickets? Check!
Map? Check!
Clothes? Check!
Pillow? Check!
2 best girls? Check!
WICKED t-shirt? Check!

It is only 3 days until our road trip up to Kansas City to see Wicked! I am so excited. We are trying very hard to concentrate on our work this week, but it is very hard.
I have several orders ready to go out, if you are waiting on something from me, it is on the way! yeah! I want to see pictures of all the cuties in their holiday best from The Polkadot Factory! Hop on over to my other blog and look at the stinking cute background I put on it!! www.thepolkadotfactory.blogspot.com

Cute ideas

I had to share this little baby skirt with you. I have a friend that has a "preemie." Elyse was born 6 weeks early and is a cute, little peanut. She is up to 7 pounds+ right now. I made her the cutest "turkey" onesie to wear on Thanksgiving and her "Momo" wanted to know if I could make her a skirt to go with it, and a hairbow. I haven't made a skirt or any other garment in a LONG time. I do a lot of clothing embellishments but never have made the actually piece of clothing itself. I had an idea in my head, I am forever designing in my head. I talked it over with my Mom, who can make anything. Since I didn't have a pattern, I needer her advice. She said, oh, it's easy....figure your width then make a hem and a casing for the elastic.....ya ya ya. I sketched and cut and threw away and then finally had an epiphany...get the Cabbage Patch!!! The doll is about the same size as Ellie. So, away I went and this is what I came up with! Please excuse the naked doll, I didn't have a top for her. I made the bow to match the outfit.

This set was made for a friend to give as a baby gift. I love the pink and brown and this little one is a "cowgirl." I decorated the denim overalls and made a set of burp cloths to match. Then I made her a "keepsake" chenille bib. I love it!

I have been quite busy lately with Christmas orders and baby orders. My newest thing is a "diaper cupcake". I will post some on here later.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday week. I am looking forward to a few days off.

New Moon

Call me crazy, but I was one of the millions that saw New Moon first!! It was an awesome experience and I got to share it with several of my greatest friends! We began our "Twilight Evening" at Jill's house. We ate and laughed and talked and planned...and look who dropped by....OMG! It's Edward Cullen!!!!!!

Before we left for the theater, we watched Twilight. This is Bethany, Abby, and me just relaxing on the sofa. We were so excited!! We didn't get to finish it because we HAD to be at the theater by 9p.m. I mean, the movie started at midnight and we NEEDED good seats!!

Here we are!!! YEAH!


We had great places in the line. There were about 50 people in line in front of us. But within a few minutes, the entire theater was full of crazed Twilight fans. We sat in line for about 1.5 hours before they let us go into the theater. Again, there was lots of laughing and talking, getting to know other "Team Twilight" groupies, and pictures, of course!

Listen up girls!! When they open the doors get to the first empty row and run, all the way to the end, we need the WHOLE row! Got it? Ok, on three, ready? 1,2,3 break!!



We got awesome seats!! Whoo hoo, only 1.5 more hours of waiting! They let us in the theater at 10:30p.m. We had a blast, taking pictures, updating FaceBook, sending texts to friends who only WISHED they were there!! Hahaha We shared lots of popcorn and by the time the movie started we were set to soak up some Edward!!!



We had an awesome night, Bet and I stayed the night with Sherri and Abby and I am so glad we did. We got home around 2:45 a.m. After we ran around like teenagers swooning over the Cullens and the wolfpack, we settled down to a VERY SHORT night!! Unfortunately, the alarm sounded after only 3.5 hours! We had a plan about how the day was going to go ---- MOUNTAIN DEW!! Bet hooked us up with some caffeine!!

Overall, it was a great night with friends and a great movie!! Thanks girlies!!!

My Holiday plans

This year I want to put a "slow down" button on my holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite time of the year. I love to be around my family and friends. I love seeing the sparkle in the kids eyes as they write thier lists to Santa! I just want to be able to savor every moment this year. My extended family has taken a hit this year as far as deaths and sickness in the family and I just am blessed that my family is healthy this holiday season - what else can I ask for!! I have been so inspired by Teresa over at A Baby Changes Everything. She is a professional Christmas tree decorator. I can't wait for the Friday after Thanksgiving - instead of hitting the sales, I'm hitting the storage building and dragging out ALL the Christmas decorations!!! I can't wait to decorate my tree. I can't wait to smell my favortie Aromatique candle burning, and mostly can't wait to wrap all the gifts in pretty packages and seeing them under my tree. By the way, most of those gifts have already been bought - that's the best part!
I am going to strive to reduce the stress this year, I am going to do things ahead so I can enjoy the moment and the excitement of the season. Last year, I spent so much time trying to catch up, I usually missed the whole thing! I am getting to do some exciting things this year and I want to be able to soak it all in. First of all, I have been asked to make two outfits for a new friend. She is taking her daughter to see 101 Dalmations (the play) in Dallas so she wants an outfit for her to wear. My pencil has been busy getting a plan on paper. It is going to be darling, I will definately post a picture. But the best one, she is taking her that same weekend to the Neiman Marcus Christmas parade and wants a Christmas outfit for that!! Doesn't that sound exciting! I have alredy bought the fabrics and only have one word - Fabulous. Pictures will be posted for that too!!!
My Mom and I always spend one Saturday, going to the local Christmas bazaar/show and then we hit our favorite shops that have thier Open houses the same day. We go to our favorite resturant and just enjoy the day. I look forward to it every year.
Overall, I want my holiday to be a memory making time for me and my family. I also wish the same for each of you!!