Finding joy in the everyday
Under the title, Art in the Ordinary, is where we will post pictures that capture moments where we found art in the ordinary moments of our lives. Our first snapshot was found outside the drive-up window of my local Starbucks. When I came upon this sight I found beauty in it’s composition. Take time throughout your day to discover, art in the ordinary.
I don’t know about you, but I love to curl up with a piping hot bowl of soup on a blustery mid-west winter day. One of our new family favorites is white chicken chili. I get asked for recipes all the time, and I really have to think, because I am a “little of this” and a “smidgen of the that” kind of girl. I go by the senses. If it looks good, smells good, and tastes good then it’s the perfect combo for that day. The bad thing about this is sometimes you can make something really amazing and not be able to repeat it exactly. C’est la vie.
My white chicken chili is very simple to make, and I think it tastes amazing! So here we go!
Ingredients
2 12.5. oz cans of chicken
1 15.25 oz can of corn
2 15.25 oz cans of northern beans, drained
3 Cups of chicken broth or stock
2 4.5 oz can of chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 Cup of half and half or heavy whipping cream
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1.5 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
In medium size stock pot saute’ chopped onions in cooking oil until translucent. Add 2 cans of chicken (un-drained). Break up chicken chunks. Add remainder of ingredients, except the half and half and cream cheese. Allow the soup to simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Add the softened cream cheese and half and half. Stir until cream cheese has melted into the soup. Simmer for another 30 minutes.
Kick it up a notch by topping your bowl of soup with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped avocado, fresh cilantro, or broken up tortilla chips!
This is also a great recipe to dump in the crock-pot and cook on low all day. You come home to dinner ready!
When I was a little girl, I expressed my love by stretching out my arms as w-i-d-e as possible and saying, “I love you THIS much!” And when you have monkey arms – you know, the ones that are significantly longer than your actual height – stretching your arms wide means you love someone pretty much to infinity.
So, I’m sharing my all-time FAVORITE kids Valentine’s Day craft. I loved making these with my kids when they were young, and I recently made them with my great niece and nephew for them to give to their mom and dad for Valentine’s.
As I kid I did not reserve this phrase for one day a year, which means this isn’t just a Valentine’s Day project. Sometimes people need to know they’re loved the other 364 days {wink, wink}, so feel free to use this project to express love any day of the year.
Make Paper Hands
Trace each hand on construction paper, and include 2 inches of the wrist instead of just tracing the bottom of the palm. Cut out both hands. When working with a toddler, it is helpful to gently hold down each finger while tracing.
Measure Adding Machine Paper
Have your child stretch his or her arms out wide and measure the length from wrist to wrist. This is easiest when using a yard stick or measuring tape. Then use the measurement to cut the correct length of adding machine paper. If you’re feeling brave, you can skip the measuring tape and just hold the paper from wrist to wrist.
The Writing Project
Here’s the fun part – write the phrase “I Love You This Much” along the white adding machine paper. With really little ones, I’ve written the entire phrase on the paper for them. Depending on the age, and level of writing ability, there are many ways to encourage letter writing and engagement. Here are just a few:
The key here is you just want it to be FUN! Seriously. You want your child to associate FUN with writing letters and words on a paper, so please don’t stress about perfection! Also, sometimes markers are like the forbidden fruit for kids, so I generally encourage markers for projects like this … and that ups the “fun factor”.
Attach the Hands to the Arm-length Paper
Turn the “I Love You This Much” paper so the phrase is upside-down. Glue the 2” section of the “wrist” so the adding machine paper aligns with the bottom of the palm. Glue the left hand to the left end of the adding machine paper with the palm up and the thumb pointing in the same direction as the top of the letters. Glue the right hand to the right end of the paper. You are gluing the hands so it looks like the child’s arms are stretched wide.
When finished, you will have true-to-size keepsake to remember for years to come!
Supplies:
pencil
scissors
red, pink, or purple construction paper
2 ¼” adding machine/calculator paper roll
glue stick or rubber cement
markers
letter stencils (optional)
mailing tube (optional)
MAILING TIP: I mailed these across the country to Grandma in a cylinder mailing tube so that I didn’t have to fold them.