Mexican Chicken Chili

I LOVE an easy recipe!

I LOVE a recipe more when I can throw frozen chicken in the crock pot and not have to really "touch" the raw chicken.... that grosses me out so bad! 

We made this for dinner yesterday and it was phenomenal!  I brought leftovers for lunch and can't wait to eat them! 

Mexican Chicken Chili

3 or 4 Frozen Chicken Breasts
2 - 15 oz Cans of Cannellini (White Kidney Beans)
1 - 15 oz Can of Corn
1 Onion Chopped
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 Package Taco Seasoning
1 - 7 oz Can of Chopped Green Chillies
1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 - 14 oz Can of Chicken Broth

• Put in a Crock Pot Liner (I swear by these bad boys!)
• Put your frozen chicken in the bottom of your crock pot.
• In a bowl mix up your Garlic, Taco Seasoning, Chillies, Soup and Broth with a whisk.
• Once that is all mixed up add your Beans, Corn and Onion.
• Pour that on top of the chicken.
• Cook on Low for 8 - 10 hours.
• Before serving pull out the chicken and shred it with a fork.  Put it back in and mix it all back up.
• I served ours with shredded taco cheese and sour cream. 

So So Good!!!   :)    Lyla ate two bowls!

5 Things Friday - Favorite Books

5 Things Friday - 5 Favorite Books (that I have read in the last year)

For my 29th Birthday Gary got me a Kindle.  This has been the best gift that I ever received!  We have more than got our money's worth! 

I have been reading A LOT!  Mostly in the evenings when Lyla wants to watch cartoons, I just curl up with her on the couch and read while she watches tv.  So here is my list of 5 book recommendations.  I wouldn't say they are my all time favorite, but they are my favorite of the ton I have read recently!

1.  Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
Download from Amazon - Divergent

I really enjoy reading trilogies.  I make a rule not to read a trilogy until all the books are out.  I really screwed up on this one!  lol  I thought all the books were out, I blazed through the first two books in February to then learn to my horror that the third book doesn't come out until OCTOBER..... ahhhhh.... SOOOO  I pre-ordered it right away and have been stewing about it ever since!  Last night I started reading the first book again so that I can read them all back to back when the third one comes out next month! 

I also learned they are making a movie... which I will probably hate because I hate every movie after I have already read the book.  But I will still watch it nonetheless.

2.  The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Download from Amazon - The Host

This is the same author who wrote Twilight (which I love), but its a lot different, so if you aren't a Twilight fan, don't let that turn you off.  Its one of the most intense, mind-blowing love triangles you will ever encounter.

I did watch the movie after I read the book.  It wasn't horrible, but of course the book is better!

3.  Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Download from Amazon - The Hunger Games Trilogy

I downloaded these with the whole trilogy as one file on my kindle over Christmas.  These books are great and really keep you wanting more.  I read them crazy fast!

Let's not even talk about how much I hated the first movie.... I get that you can't kill kids on tv.... but maybe just don't even make a movie then if you are going to leave out SO much of the book.  Or call it something different... I don't know.  A lot of people love the movie... I hated it.  I'm sure I will watch the second one though... and hate it too!  lol

4.  Modern Arrangements Trilogy - by Sadie Grubor
Download from Amazon - Modern Arrangements Trilogy

I downloaded this because it was the complete trilogy for $5.50.  I figured what the hell, if they are awful it wasn't much money.  I loved these books SO MUCH!  Its a little bit like Fifty Shades of Gray... but not so crazy and actually really sweet.  I just loved them, I have a hard time believing that they didn't get really popular.  Go read them... $5.50.... for real.

5.  Table for Seven by Whitney Gaskell
Download from Amazon - Table for Seven

I love Whitney Gaskell!  I have read all of her books.  They are just wonderful chic lit books that you don't have to really put any thought in to.  You just sit and enjoy a sweet story usually about friends with some kind of love story tossed in.  Table for Seven is no different.  Loved it!

Swoon

I'm seriously so in love.....   :)

The Steelers aren't going to make it this year so I need some reason to watch!

5 Things Friday - Summer is OVER & that SUCKS!

Ok.. time to be honest.... this is how my 5 Things Friday post began:

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Every year I try to convince myself that Fall isn't so horrible.  I try to point out the positives of Fall.  I try to fool myself in to believing that pumpkin spice in my coffee is somehow better than a glass of wine on the porch.  Or that putting on a hoodie and watching a football game is really better than putting on a swimsuit and heading to the pool.

Every year I try... and every year I still end up depressed when the weather changes and in a pissy mood until I just accept that its dark all the time and cold and just miserable... 

SO this year... this year I'm just going to tell it like it is!  No more sugarcoating it!  Here are the 5 things that suck the most about Summer coming to an end:

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Then I sat back and thought.... wow.... that was so negative!!!  So lets regroup a minute....

Ok, 5 Things Friday - It still sucks that Summer is over, but instead of hating on Fall, lets remember my 5 FAVORITE moments from this past summer!!   :)   We had a full schedule this summer, so there is a lot to pick from!

1.  Watching Lyla watch fireworks for the first time.  It was so sweet, she got so excited about them and just in complete awe.  I was too busy watching her to even watch the fireworks myself!

2.  Going to the beach.  I LOVE the beach!  It was so great to get to go this year.  I hadn't been to the beach in five years, so I was way overdue to go!

3.  Bruno Mars.  What an amazing concert!  I am so glad that I got to go.  He is a fantastic performer and so talented, I can't wait to go see him again some day!

4.  Play dates with Amanda and Becca.  I am so thankful to have these two in our lives.  Lyla and Becca are the cutest little BFFs you have ever seen and I just adore Amanda!  We spent so much time with these two over the summer and I loved every second of it!

5.  Spending time with my friends.  If I named all the things we did with our friends this summer, I would have a lot more than 5 things!  I have great friends, the best if you ask me!  And any time that I get to spend with them makes me a happy girl!  Kicking off summer with everyone at our house for Memorial Day to seeing old friends at Erin & Andy's wedding to making new friends by being in Ashley's wedding.  My friends are just so important to me!   
 

Ashley's Bachelorette Party!

This past weekend I celebrated Ashley's Bachelorette Party.  It was such a fun girly weekend!

We went to Geneva on the Lake and did a wine tour.  Ashley is a great girl and such a good friend to me.  And her girlfriends that came with us are just as sweet!  It was just a really great time with a great group of girls!

I'm Old - Part Two

Sometimes I get slapped in the face and reminded that I'm not as young as I think I am!  I got another little reminder over the weekend.

I was riding in the car with my mom and she was listening to 3WS, which if you aren't aware 3WS is the OLDIES station... and my mom can listen to it all she wants because she is "old" hahaha and a Grandma and all of that.  I'm still YOUNG and COOL... until....

Beastie Boys came on! 

I thought maybe she changed the station or something.  Nope... I'm just officially old enough now that my favorite songs from high school are now on the oldies station....

A Peacock Shower for Ashley

I had to make sure to be back from the beach in time for Ashley's shower.  Ashley is another one of my very best friends, she is getting married to Jeremy on October 5th.  Lyla and I are both lucky enough to be in her wedding as well! 

Ashley's shower was at Narcisi Winery and we did it with a peacock theme.  The weather was great and it was a lovely afternoon!