March is finally here (my birthday month!), and I’m excited to share what we’ve been up to lately. This time of year tends to be a little quieter as freezing temperatures, snow days, and cold/flu season force us to be home more often, which is actually good for my introverted soul. We have had a couple snowstorms bring through several inches of snow – perfect for sledding, making snowmen, throwing, and eating, if you ask Ethan. But I also had the chance to escape winter and spend a few days in Florida at the photography conference Click Away. Not to worry though, the cold and rain were there to meet me when I got home, which is why I pulled out one of our family’s all time favorite meals. Get the recipe below and see what I’m Loving Lately:

1. Valentines

I love Valentine’s Day. I think it’s because January and February tend to be grey and dull after the festive holidays, but Valentine’s Day helps to add a bit of color and fun to the winter months. And who can argue with a holiday that gives you permission to eat chocolate! 🙂 It was Abby’s first time getting to making a Valentine box, put together Valentines for her classmates, and have a Valentine party at school, and she loved every second of it.

2. Artsy Couture Print Wrap

One of my resolutions this year is to keep up with printing and displaying more of our family’s pictures, and I love my new Print Wrap from Artsy Couture with our updated family picture! I mostly work from home, and with all the busyness and craziness that comes with that, I can look up to see my loved ones’ faces and remember why I take family pictures in the first place. I am so impressed with the quality of these Print Wraps with the attention to correct color and the sturdy frame, and I love the design of how the image wraps around the sides – so fun!

3. Click Away

This was my second time attending the Click Away photography conference, and it was just as amazing. This year it was located on the beautiful Amelia Island near Jacksonville, Florida, and Phil was even able to come along, work remotely, and hang with me by the pool or beach in between sessions. I’m working on putting together a blog post with more details, but a few of the highlights were 1) Meeting and hanging out with some of the most talented photographers that not only didn’t judge me for lying down in the sand to get “the shot” but joined me, 2) Doing a family photo session on the beach at sunset, 3) Learning some Underwater Photography techniques, and 4) Not having to cook, clean, or cut up little people’s food.

4. Snow Days

As much as I love the beach, winter in Ohio wouldn’t be complete without a few good snow storms. A few weeks ago, we woke up to about 6 inches of snow and cancelled school, so the kids and I bundled up and headed to our local park. It was fun seeing the quiet woods with a fresh blanket of snow and being the first people to blaze a trail through the undisturbed paths. And no matter where we are, Ethan always manages to find a stick or two to wield as a sword or light saber.

5. Chicken Taco Soup

This might sound dramatic, but I don’t know what we’d do without this soup recipe. A friend first introduced it to us after we brought Ethan home from the hospital. She brought over a big bowl of this goodness, and we have been making it ever since. It makes a routine appearance on our menu, and it gets 5 stars for several reasons: Everyone happily eats it. You put cheese and corn chips on top. It can be made ahead in the crock pot. You put cheese and corn chips on top. It requires minimal prep and clean up. You put cheese and corn chips on top. It has some good nutritional value (ignore the cheese and corn chips for a moment). It is great for potlucks or guests, especially as it can be gluten and dairy free. You put cheese and corn chips on top. If you’d like to try it for yourself, here is the recipe:

Chicken Taco Soup
2 cans great northern beans (rinsed)
1 can red kidney beans (rinsed)
1 can black beans (rinsed)
2-3 cups frozen, or canned, corn
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2-3 T homemade taco seasoning or 2 pkgs taco seasoning
2-3 T homemade ranch dressing mix or 1 pkg ranch dressing mix
2 cartons (about 64 oz.) chicken broth
2 cups water
8 oz. plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese and corn chips

Add everything except the yogurt, cheese, and chips to a large crock pot. Heat on low for 8 hours or high for 3 hours. Stir in the Greek yogurt or sour cream before serving. Top with shredded cheese and corn chips!

 

I’d love to hear what you’ve been Loving Lately and your favorite go-to recipes! To see what I was Loving Last Time, read here, and to see more of our Schanely family fun head over to Instagram and follow along:
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