If You Give Me Cold Weather...

There are a set of books for children I absolutely love: "If you give a mouse a cookie, If you give a pig a pancake, If you give a moose a muffin" and maybe a few more. Anyways, this week the Lord has given us cold weather and I don't mean cool! I mean COLD from Canada air and it isn't the end of October yet.

Please don't get me wrong! I love cool, crisp weather and especially this time of year when the leaves are just starting to turn colors and football season is really getting good. But this week as the cool turned cold I began to do the things I do if you give me cold weather.

If you give me cold weather, I'm definitely going to be digging out thick sweaters! If you give me cold weather I'm going to be pulling on a sweatshirt and some sweatpants and be thrilled! If you give me cold weather, I'm cooking warm foods. And if you give me cold weather, in the morning I am looking for a heater and blanket to go with my cup of coffee and devotion.

This morning, Brian really went all out and I'll forever be grateful because he knew what I needed if you give me cold weather...

...yep a FIRE!!!

{I know at this very moment my dad is dying laughing and that my parents won't turn on the heat until I come home for Thanksgiving}.

Brian turned on our fireplace when he got up early to let the dogs out so it was all toasty and warm when I made it into my sitting place with my coffee and Bible at 5:45 this morning! And I have thanked the Lord a hundred times this week for cooler, colder weather and fall because I do just love it- all snuggled up and warm!

I have also cooked crock pot meals this week. Please be impressed because it was as fabulous as it sounds! I have been looking on Pintrest for a good potato soup recipe and finally combined two to kind of make my own. The whole family loved it, which if you know my family that is nothing short of a miracle. So, here is my recipe:

In your crock pot -
1 bag (32 oz) frozen Southern Style Hash Browns
1 can of less sodium chicken broth (you can use 2 if you want it soupy)
1 pint of half and half
lots of salt and pepper
onion powder (because we don't like onion chunks)
a spoon full of bacon grease

Cook on low for 6 hours then add 1 brick of cream cheese but not the reduced fat kind because it won't melt good. Let that melt (about an hour) then your soup is ready to eat! Top the soup with bacon, shredded cheese and a bit of sour cream. Taste even better the next day.

I also cooked a roast that we enjoy making into a sandwich:

In the crockpot-
1 roast
1 can of beef broth
1/2 cup Coke or Dr. Pepper
a few dashes of soy sauce
2 packages of dry Italian/Zesty Italian dressing on top of roast
Pepperoncini Peppers (however many you would like to add)
Sometimes I put some fresh garlic too

Cook on low all day. Shred the meat after it is cooked. Serve on toasted wheat hoagie buns with melted pepper jack cheese. Use the juice for a gravy! This is a great hot sandwich for a cold night.

So anyways, that is what I have been with the cold weather here. It is supposed to be 42 at kick off of our game tomorrow night so I am wearing lots of layers!! Koby's team is playing for the district championship and home field advantage in the playoffs so it will be a big night {and I will be a nervous mother}.

I'll hopefully be blogging with good news later this weekend!