I feel it deep in my bones

It's time to hibernate. By that I mean, hole up in the house for 2 or 3 days and just rest, cuddle, catch up on my favorite shows, and just be.

We've been fighting a virus all week. But until Friday at 3:15 we haven't had the luxury of acting sick. We've been too busy to be sick. Too much to do, too many things going. Friday was my PTA day. I can't really get out of it. I'm kinda' in charge of this particular PTA thing, so even though Mary TuTu was running a fever, we got ready and headed to school. (I'm using the term "got ready" very loosely. More like made sure all the important body parts were covered modestly and our breath didn't stink too bad.)

While we were there doing our PTA thing, one of my sweet neighbors called and offered to keep the girls for the morning. Even after full disclosure of our virus, fever, and contagiousness, she didn't take no for an answer, so the girls spent the morning watching movies with her little ones.

I confided in her my plan to go to the grocery store, pick up a few things to get us through the weekend, and starting at approximately 3:16, the minute Bubba was in the van after school, we were hibernating for the weekend. She offered to keep the girls a little longer while I made my trip to the store. (Love. Her.) So I was able to drive, shop, pay, unload, and put away in record time.

While I was at the store, I bought a new crock-pot. It's one that a girl like me just can't be without. It is the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go crock pot.

It has 3 different settings and a lid that clamps down and seals in case you are traveling to a pot-luck. Because we have all dealt with the spillage that occurs in the floorboard of your car when you take that turn a little too sharply because you are late to your pot-luck. It also came with a dipper and a place on the handle of the lid to cradle the dipper when you travel. And also, on the front, where the Hamilton Beach label is? You can insert your own label with the name of your dish in the event that you are entertaining, or, you know, attending a pot luck.

So in honor of my new crock-pot, I have deemed it the beginning of crock pot season. The time of year when warm, savory dishes like stew, taco soup, and Texas chili (not to be confused with chili from New Mexico) are a great compliment to the falling temperatures outside. The time of year when it's tons of fun to drink hot chocolate and eat popcorn in your PJs while watching a movie. When you wish every night that you will wake up in the morning to the season's first snow.

Here is a new recipe I found while blog-hopping. It is very similar to the one I found over at Lisa's, but I changed a couple of things to make it suit our family.

Chicken Taco Soup

2 frozen chicken breasts

1 can mexican corn

1 can pinto beans

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 can green chili (or, you know, 4 oz. of the kind we use)

2 cans chicken broth

Empty all cans over chicken. Cook for 8 - 10 hours in crock pot. Shred chicken after cooking. Serve over corn chips with grated cheese on top.

Oh yes girls, crock-pot season is here!