Fall Is In the Air

Fall is seriously my most favorite time of year. I love the cool, crisp air. I love the changing color of the leaves. I love all my favorite TV shows starting back up. I love watching college football. I love seeing all the pumpkin patches and can't wait to take my little pumpkin to one next year to take pictures. I love indulging in chili, soups and sweets that are only appropriate for this time of year. I love making sinfully, rich hot chocolate with homemade whip cream-the only way to go.

The fall right before Travis and I got married, my roommate introduced me to taco soup. I was in love. For the first two years of our marriage, whenever fall would roll around, I would start making taco soup. The only problem was, it was the only soup I had in my repertoire. I would make it at least once a week or every other week. With leftovers there were only a few days in between that I would make something else. Needless to say, Travis was glad when the weather started warming up and I would stop making taco soup.

Luckily, I have found a handful of soup and chili recipes that I just love and enjoy making! Taco Soup doesn't show up as often now. Travis is very thankful that I have ventured out and have added more soups and chilies to my repertoire. I've fallen in love with Baked Potato Soup, Tomato Basil Soup, Homemade Chili, White & Black Bean Chili, and Chicken Queso Soup.

The weather dropped in temperature yesterday and will stay cool for the next couple of days. I thought it would be the perfect time to sneak in a chili before it warms up a little. Once you've had a homemade chili, the canned stuff just doesn't compare. The recipe I have is probably the easiest of my fall recipes to make (besides taco soup) and I always have everything on hand, except for an onion. I love a sweet and spicy chili. Sweet when you take a bite and then it hits you with a spicy aftertaste.

Kate's Homemade Chili

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes, undrained, chopped (I'm sure you can use a can of diced tomatoes if you already have that)
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
2 cups of water
2 cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
brown sugar (I start with a 1/4 cup then taste and add more. Or leave it out if I just want it spicy)
2 TBSP chili powder
2 1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2-1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
a dash or two of hot sauce

Combine ground beef, onion and garlic in pan over medium heat until meat is brown and onions are tender. Drain.

Add everything else and mix well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!

Dr. Oz

I've been watching The Dr. Oz Show and it has turned me into a different person. I always loved it when Oprah had him on her show. I thought he had interesting things to say and shared important facts that we all should know.

Unfortunately, his daily television show has turned me into an anxious, germaphobe!!!!

I can't stop thinking about the germs, EVERYWHERE! I seriously need help.

Last week he did a segment about the bacteria in our bathroom. He had objects from audience members' actual bathrooms and did tests on them. On a reusable shower cap, which I use a couple times a week, he found fecal matter. EWW! He suggested soaking it in a bleach solution or using a new one every time. And he found E. Coli on a toothbrush holder!!

The thing that traumatized me the most was the toilet. He showed footage of what happens when we flush. When we don't close the lid to the toilet when we flush there is a spray filled with bacteria and viruses that can travel up to 20 ft (uh, most bathrooms aren't that big so does that mean the mist travels into our bedrooms?!) and can hang in the air for up to a few hours!!! In other words, bacteria from your toilet goes everywhere and gets on everything in your bathroom. Your towels, anything on your sink, your toothbrush, the floor! Most of us are barefoot when we are at home which I'm assuming means you get bacteria on your feet and then from there, on the couch, in your bed...the list goes on! I keep picturing fecal matter everywhere!!

That got me thinking that public restroom toilets don't even have a lid and they are constantly being flushed!! So when I walk into a public restroom I'm basically walking into a bacteria filled mist that goes into my mouth, eyes, and on my clothes. I don't know if I can walk into a public restroom again. Alright, I will still use public restrooms, but I will have anxiety while doing so.

I just finished watching an episode where they tested audience members' purses, makeup and cell phones. On the purse there was bacteria that causes asthma. On a makeup sponge (which looked like it was 10 years old so it didn't surprise me) there was bacteria that causes vomiting and diarrhea. On the cell phone there was bacteria that causes urinary tract infections. Dr Oz said to never set your purse on the floor (especially in a bathroom) and you should never take it further than your front door in your house.

I don't know how any of us are as healthy as we are with all the bacteria flying around us.

I just can't seem to stop watching Dr. Oz even though I freak out after each episode. But I need to know what is out there and what to do about it even if I become more of a germaphobe because of it.

I hope I at least scared some of you so I'm not the only one who puts the toilet seat down when I flush.

6 Months

Yay, I've made it 6 months! I've gotten a lot bigger and I can't imagine getting even bigger! I'm just one month away from my third trimester. I can't believe it! I like being big enough though, where people actually notice I'm pregnant. Unfortunately, I'm already having trouble sleeping, getting out of bed and walking. My poor, flat feet can't take much more weight. And I want to say thank you to everyone who commented about diaper bags. There was a lot of good advice!

Travis' Trip to Dallas

Travis has remained very close with some of his roommates from BYU. A year ago they cooked up a plan to have a ruinion every year. Their planned destination-Dallas, Texas to watch the BYU vs. Oklahoma game. Little did they know that it would be one of the best games that they would see in person! I would have loved to have been there too, but my Mom drove up and we went pregger/baby/craft shopping instead and watched the game on TV.

His friend, Dave, was in charge of renting the hotel rooms. Apparently he won't be given that job for future reunions because the motel was pretty sketchy.

The rooms were supposed to have queen beds, but as you can see they were only doubles. These boys are still pretty frugal so they had to share beds that they thought were going to be queens. Travis didn't sleep very well because he didn't like the idea of sharing a bed with another man.

Eric, Bradley's bro. in law, was in charge of renting the car. I haven't heard any complaints so I think he was successful.

Travis, I guess, was in charge of finding places to eat. Everyone got in late so it wasn't until midnight when they could all finally eat dinner. The place he had picked turned into a night club after midnight so they had to go with plan B. Wendy's.
Saturday morning they headed out for breakfast. Apparently the Knights Inn motel didn't provide a good enough breakfast for these boys.

The rest of Saturday was filled with some sightseeing and belt buckle buying before the game. Actually, only Justin found a good deal on a belt buckle. Most of the group wanted one too, but couldn't find one they liked for a good price.

For the sightseeing part they went to where JFK was shot. The 'X' marks the spot.

Here is Bradley pretending he is Frogger and dodging cars to try and get a picture by the spot.

The middle set of windows is where the assassin was when he made the shot.

Travis intently listening to a tour guide.

Here are the boys on their way to a good steak house for their pre-game grub.

Mmmm, steak.

The sea of red on the way to the nicest stadium they've ever been to.

Bradley's job was the tickets. As you can see they were $50 nosebleeds, but the 60 yard wide, crystal HD screen made it worth it.

After BYU pulled off the win, Travis broke out in an impromptu Haka tribal war dance. Too bad they didn't get that on video. I would've liked to have seen that!

This is a picture of 'Deepta'. She is the motel's manager's wife who picked up the boys from the stadium in their family mini van. Apparently this was the free shuttle they offered to and from the stadium.

They had the time of their lives and I think they are already planning for next year. Travis, since being home, has already rewatched the game once. He says he is keeping it on our DVR until we have to get rid of it.

I'm really glad Travis has such great friends that he can have such a good time with!

Button Problem

My husband has a problem. He can't seem to keep his buttons from falling off his pants/shorts. Does anyone else have this problem? This has been happening since I met him. I have never had to resew a button back on my shorts. It makes me wonder if he doesn't know how to properly get dressed. I mean, what could he possibly be doing to his poor buttons that make them all fall off? Although, buttons aren't falling off his dress shirts, just his bottoms. Every pair of pants/shorts that have a button closure, I have had to resew!! That doesn't seem normal to me. Should I just automatically reinforce any new pair of bottoms right when he gets them? Anyway, here is a Subway commercial that makes us both laugh out loud. Maybe this is how his buttons are falling off!