mmmmm: crockpot white chicken chili

it is cold outside. i mean a high of 37 degrees yesterday cold. i know, those of you in other states are looking at a high of 5 degrees and are wondering what i'm complaining about. here in the south, we don't typically do cold. i pretty much want to stay in pajama pants and drink warm beverages all day long. this crockpot recipe is all things comforting. it's also about as easy as they come. grab the ingredients and throw it together this week. this recipe is enough for two large families. make the extra and give dinner away this week. people will love it!

crockpot white chicken chili

4 tablespoons of butter

2-3 cups chopped white onions (about 1 1/2 bags of frozen-chopped onions)

4 tablespoons minced garlic

6 chicken breasts 

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups sour cream

3 cans cannellini beans (or navy beans or great northern beans)

3 cans diced green chilis

1 box (4 cups) chicken stock

4 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cups monterey jack cheese

put all of the chicken breasts in a large pot. cover with water and boil for about 15-20 minutes. (note: i usually add garlic and a little chicken base to the water to flavor the chicken). remove from the water, cool and chop into bite sized pieces.

put cannellini beans (or other white bean) in the crockpot. add the chicken, green chilis, onions, butter, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. cover the ingredients with the chicken stock.

cook on low for about 4-6 hours. (you can cook it longer...won't hurt a thing). about an hour before serving, mix in the sour cream and cheese. allow to cook for one more hour. serve with tortilla chips and top with some extra cheese and sour cream.

heaven! enjoy!

the charlotte symphony: the magic of christmas

photo credit: john graham

last night was a girl's night out. that alone is cause for celebration. there were nine of us who, after a delicious meal at enso in downtown charlotte, we headed to the beautiful belk theater for the charlotte symphony production "SPX magic of christmas."

as bloggers, we have been given some great products in the past. some things we love. some items or productions we like. some items we won't even write about because we don't want to give companies a review that is unflattering. regardless, we are honest. 

so, let me honestly tell you, this production by the charlotte symphony is one of the greatest things i have ever experienced. truthfully. it so far surpassed my expectations that i can honestly say, i never want to miss it again. it was phenomenal.

it is difficult to put into words what was so amazing about it all and i know i will not be able to do it justice. 

as i think over the evening, here are the moments that stand out most vividly in my memory. 

photo credit: john graham

• first, the conductor, albert-george schram is an absolute gem. he reminded me of a mix between santa claus, einstein, and mickey mouse in the sorcerer's apprentice. every move he made was full of joy. he half danced, half conducted his way through the performance, smiling, sharing bits of information with the audience and blowing kisses to and cheering for the performers. i absolutely adored watching him. his smile was infectious and his love for music and people were evident. his facial expressions during a tremendous tuba focused "wassail, wassail all over the tuba" reminded me of the late victor borge in some of his musical comedy routines. he, alone would have made my night. i wanted to hug him when the night was over. (i didn't, but i wanted to.) he was every holiday term rolled into one: jolly, merry, joyful, bright. what a treasure.

• second, the music was spellbinding. i went to the symphony expecting beautiful music....i would expect nothing less from the charlotte symphony. this particular production was, however, something more. there were moments of traditional symphonic songs, complete with the full adult choir and a children's choir. then there were special moments punctuating each portion of the production. from bagpipes playing "highland cathedral" (if you don't know the song, look it up and imagine hearing it live) to a complete reading of t'was the night before christmas with an orchestral instrumentation of the story, there were surprises around every corner and the result was magical.

• third, it was beautiful. two songs were spectacular to watch. there was an aerialist and a trapeze artist, both who performed during different songs. they were ridiculously amazing. i'm not going to lie, i was holding my breath during most of their performances and wishing there was a net underneath them so i could breath a little easier. during the first woman's performance, a sweet little boy in the back of the theater couldn't help himself and the whole theater heard a full voiced, "wow." the smallest rumble of chuckles passed through the theater because someone let slip what we were all thinking. impressive is an understatement. it was stunning.

photo credit: john graham

• fourth, it was emotional. christmas music draws up emotions naturally. they are full of nostalgia and memories of christmases past. they make us smile and laugh. they bring us to tears. my sweet friend next to me spent most of the concert wiping tears from her eyes. i did the same. it was absolutely and emotionally breathtaking. even the fun numbers such as the complex and brilliant arrangement of "rudolf the red-nosed reindeer," that switched seamlessly and flawlessly from a traditional arrangement to a swinging big-band feel, brought such joy and mirth that i was swept away in the production as a whole. what can i say? i laughed, i cried, i loved it all.

• fifth, i got to sing along. there were two instances when the entire building was led in a sing along. i always dreamt of having an entire symphony and choir playing and singing while i sang. i got my wish. the sing along portions of the production, with the conductor grinning from ear to ear as he led us all, were so happy. there is just something about hundreds of people singing "joy to the world." i couldn't help but feel swept away by it all. add everyone rising to their feet for the singing of "the hallelujah chorus" and i was in heaven. 

there are so many reasons why i loved last night. i loved the friends. i loved the music. i loved the experience of it all. it was a magical night and i am so grateful for the opportunity. more than that, i am so thankful to have found something that i want to include in my holiday traditions for years to come. it is definitely going on my family list of christmas traditions to include in each year's activities. i cannot wait to have my sweet ones all around me to see again and again. i'm already looking forward to next year.

there is still time. go get tickets. now. you will not be sorry. there are still more showings this weekend. there is one show tonight, one on saturday night and two matinees. for tickets, go to www.charlottesymphony.org. is perfect for the whole family and children from first grade on. only by experiencing it yourselves will you be able to truly grasp why it was so special. go and make this part of your holidays for years to come. if charlotte isn't home, find your local symphony and start a tradition of your own. it really is magical.

disclosure: i was a guest of the charlotte symphony, i was given tickets to the show in order to share my honest thoughts and opinions. 

check out other posts about the symphony here:

http://goodncrazy.com/index.php/2013/12/christmas-in-charlotte-unexpected-uptown-magic-the-charlotte-symphony/

hand, foot and mouth, tylenol and smiling faces

i have received information and products from mcneil consumer healthcare division of mcneil ppc, inc., the makers of TYLENOL. the opinions stated are my own. this is a sponsored post for shespeaks.

my fifth born is one of the happiest kids around. don't get me wrong, he can create a disaster faster than i can return a text but he is usually pretty darn happy in the process. 

a couple of weeks ago i could not figure him out. he was fussy at breakfast, refused to eat (very atypical for him) and was generally out of sorts. while playing with some blocks after breakfast, he dropped a block on one of his fingers and came walking to me so i could give his hand a kiss. here's what his little hand looked like.

the next day his feet were covered too. when i looked inside his little mouth, there were blisters everywhere. no wonder the poor guy didn't want to eat.

this wasn't my first rodeo. as the youngest of five, my fifth born got the jaded, "shake it off" mom. still, i had never had experience with hand, foot and mouth disease. i had seen pictures of heather's kids covered in blisters so i knew what to expect. still, i called the pediatrician for some specifics. her information was simple. it's just a virus. it will heal on it's own. just keep the tylenol flowing. 

with a lot of cuddles, some very messy popsicles and a steady flow of medicine, as per the excellent pediatricians predictions, my happy baby was back. his precious smile was all the more sweet because i had missed it while it was gone. let's be honest, his smile also meant that the work of a sick baby was over for me. it was a huge relief. yes, in a few short days, my fifth born  was back to this.

...and this...

...and, yep, even this...

yes, wellness is a double edged sword. still, i am grateful for healthy, happy kiddos. 

the greatest thing about taking care of my sick children is knowing that they are learning how to care for others when i care for them. i didn't realize how much they had learned until i had a migraine headache one afternoon. my sweet boys jumped into action (my daughter was at gymnastics, lest she read this one day and think i have left her out.) my oldest told me to go and lie down. my third born six year old took over watching the little boys and cleaning the family room. the sweet boy even vacuumed the floor. while he was busy working, my oldest made me a tray and brought it into me in the adjoining room. it held a cup of tea, a bowl of grapes, a get well/instruction note, and a cup full of TYLENOL. 

i was so happy. they got it. there is joy in making someone else feel better. it was one of those rare moments in parenting when you see the smallest glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, when you think, "maybe, just maybe they'll leave my house one day as loving, responsible human beings." for one brief moment they understood that there is joy in caring for someone well. there is joy when someone can smile after an illness. what a precious thing for me to see in my sons. i don't think i've ever been more proud.

the makers of TYLENOL recently launched the "SMILING IT FORWARD" campaign. bringing a smile to someone else enables them to bring smiles to others. as a part of this campaign, they are donating $1.00 to CHILDREN'S HEALTH FUND up to $100,000 for every picture uploaded to:

 https://www.smilingitforward.com

the donation will help pay for children in need to see a physician when they are sick. take a minute of your day and help tylenol spread some smiles to children in need by putting up a picture of one of your happy, healthy little ones today.

I have received information and products from McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks. 

diy: chevron christmas wreath

this christmas, i decided to come up with an easy, modern and inexpensive holiday wreath for my front door. i am obsessed with the chevron print and decided to figure out how to incorporate it into a wreath.... i hope you like what i came up with using minimal supplies and money and you love it as much as my family does!

supply list:

•wreath form-- i used a green, 18" styrofoam, but you can use another size or type.

•green chevron fabric (i purchased a yard, but didn't end up using it all).

•red chevron fabric (i purchased a 1/2 yard)

•tacky glue

•scissors

directions:

cut the green fabric into strips 2" wide (you can use less or more depending on the size of your wreath).

tightly wrap the green strips around the wreath form, overlapping to hold in place (see photo below for close-up detail) and to be sure the base material is covered. (i used tacky glue on both ends of each strip to ensure they are held in place once dry). 

once the entire wreath is wrapped in green chevron fabric, cut two wide (5" or more) strips of the red chevron fabric. use one to loop around the top of the wreath (to use for hanging) and use the other strip to tie into a bow and attach to the top of the wreath (like shown).

overall, this was a very simple craft to make and is a fun, festive holiday greeting to hang on the front door to your home. i hope you enjoy! 

holiday gift guide: must-have games and puzzles

so many classic games are becoming new again. time spent connecting with family is so important. a good way to ensure more time together is to develop a game night. our kids love spending time all together as a family and playing games or puzzles makes it fun for all. check out our favorites to consider to add to your gift list for hours and hours of family fun.. 


games and puzzles:

quelf jr and magic feather:

nellie and myself are *huge* fans of the makers behind these games. every one we have played is so much fun for all ages and has our families interacting in fun and silliness while playing a super creative, easy to follow game. magic feather is their newest creation of awesomeness and the classic quelf game, brought to a jr level is our all-time fave to date. pick one or both up and plan to enjoy hours of happy times as a family. 


boom boom balloon:

although probably the single most anxiety producing game this scared-of-balloon-popping mama has ever played, this game is a *huge* hit with the entire family....including yours truly. the boys think it is hilarious how worried i get about being the one to possibly pop the balloon and the entire family usually ends up rolling around on the floor laughing and unable to breathe from the hilarity of it all. that, is a memory to cherish. 


mike the knight puzzles:

mike the knight is a huge favorite in our home. my 3-year old is obsessed and loves this set of mike the knight puzzles. mommy loves that they are made well, out of wood and not flimsy, bendable cardboard. 


discovery kids magnetic tile set:

if you have not tried out magnetic tiles yet, this is for sure a must-have for the little boys or girls in your life. magnetic tiles entertain my kiddos for hours and hours on end and you can simply purchase more sets to build your collection the larger and more grand their creations become.



classics:
game nights are so much fun for the entire family. i personally love all of the classic games from my childhood that are still being produced. having the opportunity to re-live happy parts of my childhood with my own children fills me with joy. the best part is that they are offering some fun new updated versions of the old classics that we can all enjoy together. here are a few of our favorites that you should consider adding to your christmas shopping list this year:



jenga tetris:

cars 2  or doc mcstuffins operation:

connect four:

battleship:

perfection:

uno card game:

go fish:

monopoly jr.:

what are your favorite games to play with the whole family? let us all know what we should add to our shopping lists! 

holiday gift guide: top gifts for little boys

last week we posted our first post on our holiday gift giving guide. if you missed our favorite arts and crafts for this christmas, you can find them here. today we are continuing our gift giving guide with our favorite gifts for little boys. we have a lot of little boys...six between the two of us. we have managed to collect a lot of toys for young boys over the last ten years. this year, our little men are dreaming big. here are some of their favorites and ours.

gifts for little boys:

micro chargers - stunt track

photo credit: amazon.com

my boys have always loved to play with cars. this toy allows them to charge little cars and then race them against each other. it isn't without some disappointment but they learn to both win and lose...and have fun along the way. the speed of the cars is a thrill and my boys were in heaven with the micro chargers.

mike the knight: glendragon castle

photo credit: amazon.com

my three year old is possibly the biggest mike the knight fan you will ever meet. he is over-the-moon about the tv show so....when mommy brought out the glendragon castle there were shrieks and screams of excitement. his favorite thing to do is play with the castle while simultaneously watching the show so he can reenact the scenes he is seeing. too cute!

vtech switch & go dinos - jagger the t-rex dinosaur

photo credit: amazon.com

switch and go dinos have monopolized the christmas lists of both of my boys this year. jagger the t-rex is the biggest of all the dinos, standing at 16" tall. my boys love transforming him from a dino to a construction crane easily. their favorite feature is being able to command "jagger" by using one of 20 voice commands he is programed to respond to. mommy loves the dino facts that "jagger" is teaching them while they are playing. jagger the t-rex is a family favorite and sure to make the little dinos in your life happy. 

playskool rescue bots -- "blades" the copter-bot

photo credit: amazon.com

rescue boys are the transformers made for preschool aged kids. both my three and 5 year olds are completely obsessed with the robots that transform into rescue vehicles in order to help those in need. each rescue bot transforms easily without any help from a grown-up. our family in particular loves that they are small enough and compact that they can be transported easily to and from the car, tag along while running errands or make the perfect travel companion on a trip, whether by car, train or plane. 

fisher-price mike the knight: mike's magical transforming sword

photo credit: amazon.com

the little boy in your life will love playing with mike's magical transforming sword. this adorable toy is the perfect child-sized treat. my toy testers loved the fun sounds and phrases and had fun creating their own adventures. the secret transforming surprise: turn the handle and pull the sword from its scabbard and it magically transforms into a glowing torch light. Replace the torch, turn and pull from the handle … and it turns back into a sword! this is sure to be a hit for the little knight in your life!

nerf walkie talkies

photo credit: amazon.com

walkie talkies are great for boys of all ages. period. my boys cannot get enough of playing with these things. to be honest.... i love them too. i have an extra one that i keep in the house. as my boys have gotten a little bit bigger and have ventured out to ride bikes in the neighborhood or go to a friend's house down the street, i have them take one of the walkie talkies with them and leave one for me. when it is time to come home, i just give them a beep and home they come. it is a perfect toy for them and for me.

fisher-price octonauts octopod playset

photo credit: amazon.com

my littlest ones are lovers of all things playhouse disney. the octonauts are one of their favorites. this fun play set allows them to use their imaginations while reenacting all of their octonaut adventures. i love toys that encourage make believe and the use of their imaginations. this one is perfect.

knex value tub 400 pieces

photo credit: amazon.com

boys love to create. they love to build. they are generally pretty great at it. we've come to love k'nex. the boys can be occupied for hours creating new buildings, vehicles or other creations. the best part? you can break up their creations and let them start again. endless fun!

melissa & doug water wow coloring book - vehicles

photo credit: amazon.com

this little coloring book is one of the greatest things ever to take in the car or out and about with you. have an antsy child in a restaurant? fill up the pen with a little bit of water and let the child color away. the pages are colorless when dry but when colored with the water pen, the pictures come to life. when the pages dry again, they go back to white. reusable, no mess, and portable. it is a must have!

what else is on your boys' wish lists this year? please let us know what we should add. happy shopping!

holiday gift guide: gifts for young girls

we are having a great time sharing our great holiday picks for this season. if you haven't seen our gift list for arts and crafts, you can see it here. these toys are not only fun for us to explore but fun for our kiddos as well. these are our favorite gift ideas for little girls. they also bring out the little girl in all of us. 

gifts for girls:

my little pony equestria girls twilight sparkle doll and pony set

photo credit: amazon.com

my little pony has been a favorite of girls everywhere. with the new introduction of the movie "the equestria girls," hasbro expanded the my little pony collection into something even greater. the equestria girls dolls add a whole new dimension to imaginative play with my little ponies. watch the movie with your little ones today and watch how excited they get about these new dolls.

my little pony camelio earbuds

photo credit: amazon.com

so cute, right? my daughter loves music. she requests an ipod every time i ask her to clean her room or do any sort of chore. music makes her day brighter. so do these head phones. if you are going to listen to music, it might as well be adorable.

rainbow loom

photo credit: amazon.com

this really could go for boys, girls, young, pre-teen, any age. the new rubber brand bracelet craze had hit and these looms are hot items, along with the rubber bands that go with them. while i don't love the rubber bands i find all over my house, i do love how occupied the kids are when they are working on their creations. plus, it is great to see how excited the kids are to make something for someone else. 

disney doc mcstuffins doctor's bag

photo credit: amazon.com

this is listed under gifts for girls but both boys and girls love the toy fixing of doc mcstuffins. she makes all toys for both girls and boys better and happier. both boys and girls will love this doctor's kit to work on toys of their own...or to pretend they are doctors taking care of each other. 

sofia the first talking magical amulet

photo credit: amazon.com

i love the introduction of sophia the first into the disney junior line up. little girls everywhere have fallen in love with her. this amulet lets girls everywhere dress up like the princess they adore. 

my little pony walkie talkie

photo credit: amazon.com

who says boys are the only ones who get walkie talkies? these adorable walkie talkies are so fun for little girls. i love watching my little ones hiding around the yard and searching for one another on walkie talkies. who knows that is going on in their minds but listening to their back and forth chatter, they are smiling and laughing through it all.