this will be good (updated)

hello friendlies--on this blustery, overcast day, i think some chili is in order. but, since this evening my dad and i will be making quick work of moving me over to the new place, i won't have time to make any,

but you should.

i'll put up my favorite recipe for chili, which cannot be served without cornbread (preferably jiffy, baked in a cast iron skillet:). and if you don't feel like making it, or don't think you can do it successfully or something, i will make it for you when i get settled. for real, i will.

here's the recipe:

cozy chili

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 (12 ounce) can lager beer (optional, can use broth as a replacement)
• 2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

Really good served with: Jiffy cornbread, sour cream, radishes, scallions, avocados, jalapenos, cilantro, cheddar, and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot, over medium-high heat.

2. Add onions, red pepper, garlic and cook for 6-8 minutes, until soft, stirring occasionally.

3. Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Cook for a few minutes.

4. Add beer (or broth), beans, tomatoes (including their juices), salt and pepper.

5. Let simmer until nice and thick, about 25 minutes.

happy fall, everyone.

***aaaaand update! here's a little fall +playlist+to accompany your chili cookoff***

getting over the hump

here's what is getting me through these last few days of isolation:


thinking about pretty get togethers during fall months.


this picture just makes me feel good.


hot tea is helping, since i still can't stomach coffee. yep, bad huh?


my sweet girl. has laid here with me for almost two weeks. won't get out of bed unless i do. little baby.


speaking of baby, i'm ready to see the twins:( i miss them so.

headed to the doctor tomorrow to see if i can be set free.

iced over

i woke up this morning to frost.  a nice surprise.  so after a quick walk, and a trip down to the neighbors to feed their dog (while they're out of town), i am back, making coffee and my face is flushed and stinging a little.  it's cold, and i love it.

around this time last year i decided what my christmas gift would be to my family.  during my many hours of web surfing at work, i found a cabin in the north carolina mountains, in a place i'd never heard of called andrews.  so, my plan was to wait until thanksgiving and tell them my surprise.  i did not last that long.  

long story short, we had the best time.  josh couldn't make it back east last year, and that sucked.  but this year, i think he is going to be able to make the trip!  so, we're headed back to the same cabin, loading up jake, and some christmas decorations and going to our awesome little secluded home.  

here's a side view of the house.  the bottom left window is my room:)  

this is the loft where the boys will sleep.

this is the view from our front porch.  

ain't goin nowhere

a song

hello all. sitting in my favorite 'day off' spot. i like that the guys here at forza know my order now. 16 ounce americano in a mug with a carrot cake muffin. usually i come here and watch a sermon from mark or steven or anyone else who might challenge me.

our house is filling up again, the leaves are on fire, and fall is here to stay. as is the rain.

but no rain today. i can see pioneer park out the window of forza, and there are bright school buses passing, and strollers rolling down the sidewalk.

today i am thankful for:

• little skinny computers that help me keep in contact with sweet friends and family.
• for brothers who send said skinny computers across the country to their sister.
• coffee mugs that take two hands to hold
• books/journals/pens
• the connollys, i could write entries on each of them, and why i'm thankful for them, but i just love them, and am grateful for them.
• baking things involving whole wheat, pumpkins, bananas, and everything else autumnal.
• the fact that it is 12:34pm right now.
• my parents--their marriage, their unselfish love for each other, and for all three of us.
• for sweet beu, who sleeps with her little head on my feet every night.
• the hope of learning more about who God is, and the hope that maybe today i'll make a couple of right choices to become a little less like me, and little bit closer to who He sees me to be.
• being able to do silly things like buy a new scarf, or a season of 30 rock.
• our three girls.
• our fireplace getting turned on for the first time this fall.
• having cable at our house, and the season finale of project runway.

love you, sorry for not writing more these days.

here's what i was thinking about last year:

october '07

october '06

october '05

wherever you are is warmth and light

iron and wine--peng

i either have way too much to say, or nothing at all. i can't be sure.

i have lots of square pegs, and way too many round holes.

this past week has really been the first time that i've struggled with homesickness since i've been here. it's a good thing that my parents are coming out in a few weeks. i'm really really looking forward to being a little taken care of for a few days. being hugged on by my Dad, and laying my head in my mom's lap and having her play with my hair.

it's amazing that no matter how far you travel, or where you move, you're still you. and growing is still work. basic life stuff isn't fun, but making it to the other side means you get to go another round. there is always the knowledge that the next one will be different, not necessarily better or worse, but different, which gives me to motivation to ready myself for whatever comes next.

steady.
steady.

on another note, it's just about Fall. yesterday i wore jeans, a turtleneck sweater, and a peacoat. on september 1st. this is a dream realized. when i was younger, i always wished that the beginning of school would herald the beginning of cooler weather, but alas, that was never the plight of south carolinians in september. or october.

to continue on with my Fall lovin', i will now list my favorite things about Fall (or specific things from Falls past)

1. The colors--bold, rich, and comfy. this is one of the reasons i've always wanted to be married in the fall.

2. growing up, the churches we went to, and our family for that matter didn't celebrate halloween, we always had 'harvest parties' or something of the like. two of my favorite memories from throughout the years of these parties:

• when i was really young, my mom cooked a huge HUGE pot of chili to take to the party. my dad had pulled the family van around behind the church gym, and unbeknownst to me, my mom had placed the enormous vat of chili right by the sliding door. it was almost pitch black behind the church, and here i come, barreling towards the car in the dark, and fell butt first into the chili pit, overalls, pigtails, and all. that ride home was sticky. and smelly.
• winning first place in the pie contest. it's every 12 year old girls dream to beat out the old church ladies for the blue ribbon!
  

3. warm soup on a rainy night.

4. the smell of burning wood outside, and the smell from the heater the first night it's cold enough to use it.

5. school supplies.

6. season premieres of my favorite tv shows.

7. pumpkins (pie, frappuccinos, chai tea latte with pumpkin pie spice on top, carving them)

8. being outside with a warm drink in my hands.

9. thinking of fun new things to make for thanksgiving, and going wayy overboard.

10. i really don't like football. at all. but the thought of my brothers and my dad watching football all day on saturdays- that totally equals fall in my mind.

happy fall.