Mother's Day, Catchup & Crockpot Taco Chili
One of the nice things about being busy is it makes you focus on what's important to you and how to use your time.
Lorne Michaels
Busy. I watched a video today that pretty much sums up life right now, Maycember. It doesn’t have the lights and decorations but is a culmination of 10 months of activities, school, and preparation for summer. It is in no uncertain terms, complete and utter chaos!
Throw work, a blog, a podcast, building a house, dance competition and a trip to New York into the mix and we’ve got a complete shit show 😂.
Don’t forget Mother’s Day! LOL
Let’s start there, I had a fantastic Mother’s Day! I haven’t had such a relaxing Mother’s Day since 2011. It’s true, I can pinpoint the last time I enjoyed Mother’s Day. That was the Mother’s Day before we knew my Mom had cancer. The last easy Mother’s Day. The last Mother’s Day with my Mom not worried about never seeing her again.
Mother’s Day is always so bittersweet. My kids are so excited to show me what they made at school, shower me in kisses, and show their appreciation for their Mommy. I however, wake up with the emptiness of knowing that my Mom isn’t here for me to shower with kisses and to show my absolute appreciation for her sacrifices, humour and amazing mothering skills.
This year felt different. Maybe because Dad is dating and the deep lines of grief are slowly leaving his face and the fact that I didn’t have to worry about him this year allowed me to feel less sadness and I had the ability to live in the moment. With my Girls. Not as a Mom without a Mom but just as a Mom.
I have the best husband ever and knowing me as well as he does, he didn’t make a big deal about Mother’s Day. There were no big gifts just homemade ones from the kids! Really, that’s the way it should be! We didn’t go out for a big fancy brunch, instead we got Subway and Ninja packed a picnic and we went for the most beautiful hike up Bear Creek. We had a picnic in the sun, laughed, and felt amazing when we reach the top!
On our way down a giant yellow butterfly flew right up to my face and hovered there. I felt such happiness and I knew she was happy that I was happy. The butterfly flew around our heads and went up to each one of us, it was the best Mother’s Day gift I could have ever received 💛.
Ninja made me my fav. Chicken Parm for dinner and we ate outside on the deck with zero clean up and zero mess! It was a great day!
To be honest there have been many great days so far in 2019. Even though we are crazy busy, this year has been amazing so far! There is so much to be grateful for and so much to be excited for, I am very lucky 💛.
You can hear about the past 2 weeks of craziness on our latest episodes of How Was Your Week, Honey?!
Check out Ep 117: A Song Called Deth on How Was Your Week, Honey? This week we chat dance moms, Starbucks, field trips, Syd’s songs, middle school orientation, spin class, building the house & mom joke HERE!
Check out Ep 118: A Little to the Left on How Was Your Week, Honey? This week we chat broken vaginas, shoes, date day, BC Politics, the pipeline, oil, carbon pricing, jazz & Canada HERE
2 weeks ago it was Cinco de Mayo! May 5 was also my father-in-law’s 74th birthday and would have been my parents 35th wedding anniversary. My in-laws were away on an amazing Caribbean cruise and Dad spent the day remembering his marriage with love while creating new memories as well! So, we had Mexican! We were out for the day so I decided to make a taco chilli in the crockpot to enjoy after our adventures! You can never go wrong with a flavourful Mexican chilli especially when the crockpot does all the work!
2 weeks ago it was Cinco de Mayo! May 5 was also my father-in-law’s 74th birthday and would have been my parents 35th wedding anniversary. My in-laws were away on an amazing Caribbean cruise and Dad spent the day remembering his marriage with love while creating new memories as well! So, we had Mexican! We were out for the day so I decided to make a taco chilli in the crockpot to enjoy after our adventures! You can never go wrong with a flavourful Mexican chilli especially when the crockpot does all the work!
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
2 teaspoons oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
4 tablespoons taco seasoning (see below)
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small jalapeño, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
Taco Seasoning
Adapted from Food Renegade
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
Mix together and store in a air tight container.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground meat. Cook for 4 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Allow it to cook about 4-5 more minutes.
Transfer the cooked meat to slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients-- including the remaining taco seasoning and except for the quinoa. Stir everything together until combined. Cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Stir in the quinoa. Cook for 1 more hour on low or 30 more minutes on high.
Serve chili warm topped with chopped green onion, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
Mix together and store in a air tight container.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground meat. Cook for 4 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Allow it to cook about 4-5 more minutes.
Transfer the cooked meat to slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients-- including the remaining taco seasoning and except for the quinoa. Stir everything together until combined. Cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Serve chili warm topped with chopped green onion, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
I missed a post last week so I have 2 weeks worth of pictures to share! Not just any 2 weeks but a ridiculously eventful and crazy busy 2 weeks!
SBean had a field trip to the channel to release her salmon fry with 10,000 other students around the Valley!
The Girls had a Pro D day where I took them to Tickleberry’s and for a bike ride along the channel.
We had 11 costume changes and hair changes for dance picture day! We ended the day at Craft Corner and enjoying family time by the fire.
We took Nana up flowers on her anniversary and SBean started tennis lessons.
The Girls blew my mind at this year's talent show where they performed Blue Moon together! They did it the exact same way my Sis and I did it for our talent show at their exact same ages many years ago 💛!
I got a manicure and a pedicure! Ninja and I enjoyed a beautiful day in Kelowna sipping on wine, nibbling on delicious food and shoe shopping! While we enjoyed our day together, Dad and J took the Girls to the beach!
We enjoyed the 30° weather hiking up Bears Creek for Mother’s Day and HBear enjoyed her last day of Gifted!
We are now preparing for what is to come… Dance competition this weekend followed by… New York City! I can’t wait to share all of our adventures from my bucket list trip of a lifetime!
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