Chicken Tortilla Soup

What do you do on cold nights?? Make soup, of course! 

1 can chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 tbsp taco seasoning (o.k. we like things seasoned, not spicy, just well seasoned, I used an entire packet, and to be honest, I will use 2 packets next time, needed a lil more seasoning for our taste.)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can diced green chiles

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

We also use monterey jack & colby cheese for topping when it’s ready to be served and we eat it with round tortilla chips.

Combine chicken broth, cream of chicken, & taco seasoning in a pot on medium heat {stovetop} & whisk together until blended.

Add chicken to the  broth/soup/seasoning mixture & stir.

Add tomatoes, beans, corn, & chiles. 

Mix well & keep on on medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring often.    When it’s all ready to eat, top with cheese & serve with tortilla chips. And, of course a dollop of sour cream!

This was a very yummy soup! And, all in one pot, which is always a winner in the Bolden kitchen!!

And then, you end with this scrumptious turtle cake! Just a devil's food cake with caramel syrup, but oh so yummy. I sprinkle with chopped pecans also, but I just do it on the plate, because my Riley Boo doesn't like pecans?? I really don't understand those words.....but I sure love her :)

Christmas Morning

We almost always host holidays at our house. This Christmas we had several time factors to work around, we have a church service at 10, my mother having to work until 2:00, my brother in law needing to be on the road early traveling back to Austin, and my nephew coming in from Shreveport. So, we did a Christmas Eve breakfast at Mom's and I really wanted Thing 1&2 to open their presents as soon as they woke up. They are growing up entirely too fast, right in front of my eyes! I got a few pics, but wanted to focus more on videoing. I'm so glad I did, because I've watched it about 20 times in the past couple days, and find a new favorite part every time I do. My sweet, sweet babies. 

Pocahontas VHS. $1.50. Best. Present. Ever. She is so easy to please. I am so blessed with this sweet girl. 

My sweet boy is also so easy to please. They appreciate every gift and we do not want to go over the top with presents. We like it better that way. Helps us appreciate all the things we are blessed with on a daily basis. 

Sebastian's List:

New shoes (he's had his eye on this pair for a while!)

Back Breakers for his PS3 (awesome deal on Amazon)

Play-Doh sets and the best, bags of Play Doh!!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid(which he actually had this one, whoops Mom! he needed Cabin Fever, shame on me)

Spinbrush

Snickers in the stocking! 

Riley's List:

Password journal (which she's already locked herself out of and I had to Google how to reset!)

Play-Doh!!

Pocahontas 1&2

New boots (just the ones she wanted, she said! Score Mom!)

First 6 in Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events

Spinbrush

And, of course, batteries! 

What a great holiday we had! Pure joy!

Christmas Stay-cation, Part 1

We stayed in this Christmas vacation. The weather has been rough. Christmas day a tornado came through our city. Thank the Lord, we didn't have any damage and didn't even loose electricity. So, it's just been lots of rain the past couple of days. We have had a glorious stay in vacation. It sure helps having lots of Christmas goodies to play with!! I already blogged our Lego experience!

Lots of coloring. And hot chocolate.

Lots and lots of Play Doh. And hot chocolate.

Wildberry pie.

This face when he catches me taking pictures.

And this....

Breaking in the spaghetti factory set :)

M for Mom. My sweet boy.

Lots of movie watching. My kids love movies! You'll see the gift that brought Riley the greatest joy was a thrifted VHS copy of Pocahontas! But, there are some older movies we don't have, and today the rescuers down under came on! We all sat down and watched it, I forgot how much I loved it as a kid! Something tells me I'll be looking for a copy, because they loved it too!

Lots of jewelry making.

Lots of forts. 

More on the rest of our adventure later! We're super busy up to the new year!

Lego-Rama

 

I knew it was coming.

 

Sebastian has joined the Lego world. All 650 pieces of this first set. He is so excited. I'm so glad it's Christmas break and he can really break them in!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

His alligator in the city :)

 

 

 

Now onto storage ideas :)

Luscious Lemon Cake

When life hands you lemons.........

Esp. the biggest, juiciest, prettiest lemons...

You simply MUST bake desserts!!!

 

These suckers were HUGE! Like the size of my hand!

 

So, I took a try at candied lemon slices.

 

 

 

 

Notice the new pot??!

 

 

 

Then you make this luscious, gorgeous cake! Isn't she a bute??

 

 

The candied slices were supposed to go on top. I never could get the bitter taste out, so I tossed them. This was dessert for our family Christmas dinner. It lasted 2 minutes. Literally.

 

Cake:

1 package lemon cake mix (I used Duncan Hines, Lemon Supreme)
1 package instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup water (I did 1/2 water and 1/4 lemon juice, we like the tang!)
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs

Mix well. Beat four minutes.
Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in 350 degrees F oven.
Pour powdered sugar glaze over top while warm.

 

Lemon glaze:

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more if needed

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners' sugar to desired consistency.

 

Waiting on Santa

Waiting on Santa.

 



All is calm. All is bright. Merry Christmas.

Polka Dots & Paula Deen

 

OMG! OMG! O.M.G.!!!

 

Paula Deen, polka dots, Rubbermaid...does it get any better??? These were my FABULOUS gifts from my mom and brothers.

 

They either really love me, or really love my cooking! I'll take either option! I'm so stinkin excited! So ready to break these bad boys in!

 

But, my 2 most special gifts are, and always will be....

 

 

 

My babies. My hearts. My Thing 1&2. The best things I ever did.

 

And then there's my nephew, Isaac.

 

 

Yes, that's an orange in his hand. Yes, we just opened Christmas presents. And, yes, that's all he wanted to play with! He called it a ball and threw it in the yard for ever!

 

 

Sweet cousins with beloved pillow pets. The innocence. I wish I could just freeze time.

 

 

What a wonderful day it was.

 

Random goodness of the day: walking into Super 1 to grab gumbo supplies (you know you're from Louisiana when...Christmas dinner is gumbo!) and never realizing Sebastian and I have on LSU shirts and Riley and Chris have on Colts gear. The lady ringing the Salvation Army bell laughed and said, "My ya'll are a divided household!" I thought that was to cute.

 

Some things I realized I love. The fact that my mama lives so close and I call to borrow dishwasher soap and she brings me a water bottle full. Awesome!

 

 

 

Christmas Eve Eve & some Disney!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we are doing breakfast at my mom's. She has to work on Christmas Day, sad face. So, I made these bad boys for my brothers.

And we had beef and noodles for supper.

Since I am so excited about starting my blog I thought I would post some pics from our Disney vacation from summer. It was our 2nd time to bring the kids, and we felt oh, so much more experienced! We NEEDED this vaca. I had just finished a grueling Block 2 in my education blocks and we were just ready to get away! We dueced out on the last 2 half days of school and hit the road!Disney is such a magical place and we can't wait to take the kids back! Although, the next time we go it WILL be at Christmastime!! I want to experience all the lights and other holiday festivities. BUT, this year on vacation, I am in the works of getting the Hub on a cruise! I will be graduating after all!!!! He does not care for the water.....ya'll wish me luck.... on to the pics of our most wonderful vaca to date!

My sweet boy filling up the car to hit the road! 12 hours isn't to bad :)

 

 

Fun times at the resort! I really think this is one of their most favorite parts!

 

 

Stop #1 (after the resort, which I think they count in itself!) Typhoon Lagoon!! AKA the most AWESOMEST place ever! Eva eva! The kids seriously ask everyday to just stay here, it is by far our FAV place at Disney! Chris' too :)

 

And we met some awesome characters along the way......

 

 

 

 

Just snorkling with Nemo and Dory. Sebastian loved this when he finally let go from clinging for dear life and just floated. My other two....stepped off the cliff, statrted panicking, scared all the fish away, and the lifeguard had to come take them out of the side.... it will be a memory I keep forever!

We always get the park hopper tickets so that we can end each day with Magic Kingdom. Moments like this make my heart smile...they truely are 3 peas in a pod...and I love them to pieces. He is the most wonderful father.

The view from the ferry is breathtaking.

Wonderful, fabulous, awesome, great first day!

Boldens~

 

 

Here are my most favorite people. They are the reason my world turns. I am blessed with so much more than I deserve. And look at me, I'm blogging!! There may be hope just yet!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

O.k. so I am determined to be dedicated to posting in this blog! Determined.... I am on the computer so much anyway, with school, that surely I can start blogging so that I can have an online scrapbook! That is, until my paper scrapbook ferry comes back and helps me get back on that mission! Any whooo, tomorrow is Christmas Eve!!! We.are.so.excited!!!! :)