May your Halloween be gruesome!

Fall cooking adds charm to a home too! A quick recipe!

 

Afternoons get hectic around my house.  I wake in the morning with the best intentions of a clean home and a dinner piping hot as Jared walks in.  The day rarely turns out as I plan or visualize.  I knew I needed to put something together.  I quickly looked around the kitchen and decided I would put an AWESOME Hormel White Chicken Chili into my latest favorite tortillas.  

My store bought Chili of choice is always Hormel. Here is the reason.  I know that there are many great cooks who spend hours making their signature chili.  I admire it!  Hours making chili is not in my attention span.  I have tried spending hours making things, only to have the end result turn out to be a FLOP!  I usually am left with a gigantic mess and a wounded heart.  I have moved on to easier, less time consuming cooking adventures.  Hormel chili won my Mom the grand prize in a chili cook off!  Ha!  My cute Mom volunteered to bring a crock pot of chili to the ward that they go to when they are at their vacation house in Arizona. Since they were busy vacationing and golfing, when it came time to prepare the chili, my Mom poured cans of Hormel chili into her crock pot.  She didn't realize that she was entering a Chili Cook Off.  My parents had other dinner plans that came up.  So, when they returned to the church to retrieve their crock pot (my Moms best friend) they were told that they won the Cook Off!  The poor people who spent all their time preparing their chili! Pretty funny!

Jared LOVED the burritos that I whipped up last night!  Hormel to the rescue again! (I'm not even getting paid for this!) I recommend this dinner for a cool Autumn night... or anytime really.

To make six large burritos use two cans of Hormel Chili Master White Chicken Chili.

Six large tortillas of choice

Eight ounces of Colby jack cheese

One large can of mild green enchilada sauce.

Spread chili all over tortilla sprinkle with cheese and roll up.

After all the burritos are rolled, pour green enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in 375 oven for about 20-30 min!

Viola!

Jared says to make sure to add a dollop of sour cream

Pure home charm I tell ya!  More on that subject soon.

WHAT GIVES A HOME CHARM?

hauteindoorcouture.blogspot.com

www.shannonberry.com

The topic of "Charm" mainly home charm, has been on my mind for the past week or so.  Perhaps since I was a little girl, I remember always being drawn to the details of different homes.  Details you ask...what do you mean details?  For instance, about two years ago my sister Stacy and I were sitting in my car.  I was super excited about a painted door that I saw to the right of us. The door was old, painted a fun color and had awesome hardware.  She giggled and pointed out that she would NEVER have noticed that door or looked twice at it.  We are drawn to different things.  Mine..details.  When I asked her the other day what she felt brought "charm to a home"  this was her response.  "That's tricky for me to pinpoint...know the feeling but not the words.  I like soft color, light, and pictures that represent the people who live there."

ohthelovelythings.blogspot.com

                    If I know Stacy, this would be her DREAM room.  She is the best Mom on the planet.

I love how Stacy said that she "knows the feeling".  One description in the dictionary for Charm states: To cast or seem to cast a spell on; bewitch .  I love it.  I have been to a lot of homes that have made me "feel" that way.  My friend Michelle's homes have ALWAYS  "charmed" me. I have known her through five different homes throughout our friendship. Each home has had different things that have different charming aspects.  For example, in her first home her denim couch in her family room (twelve years ago)  was inviting and comfy. The tall poster bed that you had to get a running jump to get up onto was beautiful!  Her second home was her In law's. They lived in it while her In laws were LDS Misson  Presidents.  Most of the stuff in this home, was her In Law's.  What I remember being smitten with the most in this home, were the large windows that looked into the large back yard.  I remember those windows the most because she and I spent a lot of time with our toddlers playing IN the family room on a little tike's swing set!  I loved it because she had a family room big enough to accommodate one, and she used it. It catered to the people who lived there.  It was not just immaculate and made to feel like a stuffy decorator's show room.  In her third home...a spell was cast!  I will never forget the first time I walked through the door!  The home was average sized.  The contents were TREASURES!  She has three children, two of them are twins. The main wall of the front room had the most well done pictures of these three beautiful children.  It was during the time when "pictures" were becoming a hot item.  When there were few photographers that were truly good.  Her children's pictures have always been captured by quality photographers.  The lighting on the pictures was perfect.  The paint colors on the walls were warm and inviting.  Each bedroom that you went into had such a different feel.  They each en captured you.  Her homes have continued to become larger and the kitchens are unreal.. really.  I have literally cried as I have entered her last two kitchens.  They are well thought out and done to the hilt.  I also realize the time and energy that she spent deciding and creating a place where she cooks and entertains her family and friends.  She has had to endure extensive remodels to get to the awe of the finish line. Thanks for all the charming memories Michelle!

suzannekasler.com

 As a young girl about six,  I remember going to one of  my Mom's friend's home which to me smelled AWFUL!  I was always taken back by the smell that enveloped us as we entered.  Urine? Not Clean? Dirty sheets? To this day I am ever aware of smells that can ruin a home's charm! I am positive that my home has at times taken on a funky smell.  Dirty Diapers! Rotting Garbage!  I am always trying to keep my home from smelling bad. I am currently working on getting rid of a underlying smokey smell from the previous owners.  It has NOT been easy.  I am very insecure about it.  I love a clean smelling house!  My Mom cleans her toilets EVERY DAY.  She pours Clorox down all her drains and all over her counters.  She is clean!  I have a hard time keeping up with her.

This is a clock I saw and loved a couple of years ago!

This is my version!  I bought it at Goodwill and painted it.  It even chimes.

deardaisycottage.typepad.com

I found this beloved website about four years ago as I learned of the fun world of blogging. She no longer keeps up her blog. Her home to me is what I consider CHARMING.  She writes "Let your home be your heart."  Her home is full of everything that she loves.  She is not at all worried about what the rules are.  She does what makes her feel at home.  After all, it is where we live!  Feeling at home and comfortable is what we are trying to achieve right?  Sometimes, I think our pride takes over and dictates how something should look and feel.  Leaving a feeling of coldness and like it is too pristine.

livecreatingyourself.com   All four pictures found above from this site

I love these above pictures.  So many fun details.  Do you notice one thing extra charming above?  What draws you?

 Krystal@ krystallitt.blogspot.com my favorite partner in crime(decorating that is) responded to my question of what makes a home charming  "I always love homes with lots of books everywhere.  I think that brings charm.  Especially if they're books the people read because it also shows a little of their personality."  She is an English Major!  Her husband describes her as "enchanting."  Enchanting describes her perfectly.  Her house...the same!

I have spent much longer than I expected, and still have so many more thoughts on this subject.  I will make this a to be continued post.  I have a few more fun opinions from other people on this matter.  What are your thoughts?

A Romantic Story...kinda

Jared has been doing night shifts. Just as I was driving by his hospital and missing him the other night, he called and told me to meet him in the back.  I know...pretty exciting huh?  Thoughts raced through my mind wondering what he had in store for me?!  He sounded excited on the phone.  As I watched for him through a glass door, he suddenly appeared with a "TO GO" box in his hand, and a gigantic smile on his face.  I jumped out of my car to hug him.  The wind was  blowing through our hair, when he said " Lis, they had fried pickles in the cafeteria,  I knew how excited you would be!"  Fried Pickles!  How lucky am I?  I felt so happy to have such a great guy. Even when he is exhausted and busy he takes care of me!

Seriously, The BEST Fried Pickles!  Who would have guessed?  They even have really good Ranch dressing!

Quick Salt Lake trip, Jared included!!

Typical family picture! We went to Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon. So so beautiful.

My four year old climbing with all the older boys. Yikes!

Cowboy Grub with my Mom and Sister

Jordan, Jared's brother...super fun guy. Never a dull moment when he is around

Brenda, Jordan's wife, one of my favorite friends too!

Jared's Parents back yard.  One of the best places on earth

Silver Lake!

Barks came with us to Salt Lake and was so homesick.  He sat in the car for an hour before we actually left to go back to Kingman.  Poor guy would not get out of the car.  Then, on the way home, the boys begged for Hubba Bubba at a gas station.  It was the worlds biggest mess.  Barks had it all over his fur.  He even tried to blow a bubble.

I always wish we could have done more and seen more people.  It seemed like a whirl wind.  I like the longer trips for sure.  A lot of fun.  Fun to be with my husband for a minute too!