Snow Days and Taco Soup!!!!

Sunday night it snowed and we got about 6 to 7 inches of snow. It snowed and iced all day Monday, and today it hasn't melted hardly any. School was called off Monday and Tuesday and it looks like I will be staying home tomorrow as well. I have been cleaning and catching up on laundry. I am a little worried about how many days we will miss with this winter weather. We have already been told that we will probably be coming to school on spring break and our upcoming winter break. Especially if we don't go in on Thursday or Friday. I am enjoying the relaxation right now, but come April I will be ready for spring break!!! Oh well... I guess time will tell. Last night I made this wonderful taco soup. It was perfect for a snow day dinner. Here is the recipe.

Taco soup

2 lbs. ground beef

2 cups chopped onions

two 15 1/2 ounce cans pink kidney beans

two 15 1/2 ounce cans pinto beans

one 15 1/2 ounce can niblet corn, drained

one 14 1/2 ounce can Del Monte Mexican tomatoes

one 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes

one 14 1/2 once can Del Monte tomatoes with chilies

two 4 1/2 ounce cans diced green chilies

1 small can black olives, drained and sliced (optional)

1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional)

One 1 1/4 ounce package taco seasoning mix

One 1 ounce package Hidden Valley Original Ranch salad dressing mix

Corn Chips

Sour Cream

Grated Cheese

Chopped onions

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large crockpot or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, chilies, olives, and seasonings, and cook on low setting all day (6 to 8 hours) if using a crockpot, or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a stockpot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese and onions.

Yummy...I also make corn bread muffins to serve with it.

As you can see the snow is still covering just about everything.

It was so deep that you couldn't even see my boots.

Mable loves the snow. Monday when it was powder she was running around like a puppy.

Today the snow had a thick sheet of ice on top of it. Mable wasn't heavy enough to break it, so she would just slide around on top of it. See how her little feet are still on top of the snow.

Graduation

I have been meaning to post this for a while!!!

December 10, 2010, Kale and I graduated from Piedmont College. Piedmont is a small, private school that is close by to our house. We are very blessed to have a good college so close by. Kale graduated with his Bachelors degree in history and I graduated with my specialist degree in early childhood education. This is the third degree that I have completed and I couldn't be happier!!! Finally, I am finished!!!!!! Yeah!!!

Getting my specialist was a good experience. I have learned a lot and made great friends in the process. All the classes I took are in something called a cohort, which means that I took the same classes with the same group of people through the entire specialist degree program. So, we were together for a year and a half. The cohort program was great because it allowed me to get to know and learn with a group of educators that are in the same position and walk of life that I am. We all had alot in common and it was great sharing ideas and becoming friends along the way. I am going to miss seeing them, but I am not going to miss the projects and papers I had to write!!!

Here are a few pictures from the big day.

Kale drinking his morning coffee on the way.

The last three pictures are my favorite. Kales mom does photography on the side and capture the true essence of us in these pictures!!!

Our Christmas- 2010

My sister and mom came over Christmas eve and spent the night with us.

Christmas morning started out with Kale and Lindsay making a wonderful breakfast. It has always been our tradition that Lindsay make chocolate chip pancakes, but this year she made french toast and it was delish.

Kale whipping up the potatoes with onions and peppers.

After breakfast we opened presents and got ready to head down to my grandparents house for lunch and more presents!!

As you can see it was starting to snow while we were at my grandparents. Since we live about 30 minutes north of them we left early and headed home. Here are a few shots with the grandparents right before we left. Sadly, I didn't get any cousin, aunt and uncle shots.

When we got home Kale and I ventured out on the roads and went to his dad's side of the family to celebrate, eat, and open gifts. The roads weren't bad at all and it was still just sleeting/freezing raining that night with only a little snow on the grass and houses.

But, this is what we woke up to the next morning!!!

It was sooo beautiful!!! Thank you Lord for such a wonderful Christmas surprise!!!

Overall, Christmas was fabulous. We spent it with our family and loved every minute of it.

Merry Christmas 2010

Kale and I finally graduated this year and I thought what better way to sum up our year than a graduation picture!!! So, that's exactly what I did. I love it because it wasn't posed. Kale's mom was just shooting pictures and this was one of them. I think it is so cute!!!

October was...

Baking cupcakes for a halloween party...so fun

Hanging out with my dear friends.

Going to a wedding where my husband discovered he liked to dress up only if his outfit includes a bowtie. :0)

Being blessed beyond what I deserve. My sweet volunteers at church gave me a surprise appreciation lunch!!!!

And lastly hanging out with a man who can make me madder than anyone else, but who can also make me laugh harder and love harder than anyone else.

GAME DAY!!!

I know it's Wednesday, but I wanted to remember this weekend so here it is.

On Saturday Kale and I went to the Georgia Tech game. We had so much fun!!! And won so that made it that much better. :0) We got to Atlanta about 1:00 and tailgated until the game at 3:30. After the game we met up with some people for dinner.

I don't know what my sunglasses are doing in this picture.

(these pics were taken with my phone, still no camera)

The field after we made a touch down.

We had such a good time at the game and as an added bonus we didn't even have to pay for the tickets. The friend who bought them for us wouldn't let us pay for them. It was such a nice surprise!!!

Monday's Meals

I love sharing recipes!!! So I decided to link up to "A love worth waiting for..." again and share another favorite!!! Hope you enjoy.

Enchiladas

1 pound ground beef

1 package of Taco seasoning

1 can red enchilada red sauce

1 can refried beans

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

10 flour tortillas

Barely coat the bottom of baking dish with enchilada sauce. Place the rest of the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Cook ground beef and add seasoning and cook according to package directions.

Spread a little refried beans on tortillas. Top beans with cooked taco meat. Top meat with cheese. Fold in sides and role. Dip enchilada in sauce red sauce bowl. Place in baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are gone. Pour remainder of sauce on enchiladas and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake for 25-35 minutes at 375. until cheese is melted and sauce bubbly.

I usually serve with Uncle Ben's mexican rice and chips and salsa. Yum!!!