Mary Had a Little...Cold

Well, it's that time of year again...cold and flu season.  In this house, it is a season with more dread to us than to most others.  Due to my son's asthma and premature birth, his lungs are very susceptible to illness and infection.  For over six weeks now, he has already been fighting off various colds and allergies.  

For the first three years, a "simple" cold would be enough to land him in the hospital.  Thankfully, it takes a little more than that now.  Because of this, we tend to take extra precautions and clean hands a little more frequently than most.

Below is a great poem from my son's school handbook that sums up well this season of germ sharing. 

Mary Had a Little Cold

Mary had a little cold, but would not stay at home.

Everywhere that Mary went, the cold was sure to roam.

It wandered into Mollie's eyes and filled them full of tears.

It jumped from there to Bobby's nose and then to Jimmy's ears.

It painted Anna's throat bright red and swelled poor Daniel's head.

Sally had a fever and a cough put Jack to bed.

The moral of this little tale is very quickly said...

Mary could have saved a lot of pain by just one day in bed!

Taco Soup

This soup is perfect for Fall.  Plus, you can make it two different ways-- either in your slow-cooker or on the stove top.  The slow-cooker brings out the flavors more while the stove top is great for a quick meal.  Just add your favorite toppings!

Taco Soup

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef (or 1.5 pounds, if you prefer more meat)

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 can red kidney beans

1 can sweet golden corn

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 can Rotele tomatoes (I prefer the Mexican with Lime and Cilantro)

Suggested toppings: Sour cream, mozzarella cheese or a Mexican cheese blend, chives, nacho chips, jalapenos, etc. 

For Slow Cooker:

Brown the beef in a skillet on the stove top.  Drain the meat and put in the slow-cooker.  Add taco seasoning and all non-drained canned ingredients to the slow-cooker.  Stir together and cook on low for 4-6 hours until heated through.  Serve with your favorite toppings.

For Stove Top:

Brown the beef in a large skillet on the stove top.  Drain the meat and return to the skillet.  Add taco seasoning and all non-drained canned ingredients to the meat.  Stir together and bring to a simmer.  Cook until heated through.  Serve with your favorite toppings.

A Beautiful Day for Apples

{Sweet brother pulling his sister}

I had mentioned earlier that we went to the apple orchard.  That was a few weeks ago, but due to constant colds, respiratory problems, and ear infections, I haven't had a chance to post some pictures from our trip.  

The weather was absolutely perfect.  The morning started out a little chilly and warmed up as the day progressed--it actually felt like a Fall day.  We decided to try out a new orchard, Grandad's Apples in Hendersonville.  

We have a lot here in Charlotte, but there are two things we don't have that I wish we did: a zoo and an apple orchard, both of which you must drive a couple of hours.  Thankfully, the drive to the orchard is through the mountains for half of it, so it felt even more like Fall.

I loved that they were able to see from where an apple actually comes.  Owen loved being our big helper, picking every apple he could reach, so we had to start giving him some guidance.

Owen has a thing about smells. Thankfully, the apples smelled "delicious."

These kiddos love to dance...anywhere, any time.

They had a cute cow ride pulled by a tractor.  It went through a corn field and down by the peach trees.  They both loved it, but I think Owen was slightly more thrilled.  

We wore her out.  She was asleep in five minutes after getting in the car.