Thomas the Train & Chicken and Rice Soup

Yesterday we were out as a family in Fillmore attending our traditional visit with Thomas the Train.  If you have boys or kids for that matter, you HAVE to go- such a fun day that becomes etched memories for your kids year after year!  The Thomas website has a list of dates and locations that they travel to- nation wide. You take a train ride for about 25 minutes, watch a reptile show, miniature golf, get train tattoos, jump in bounce houses, walk through vintage trains and pack a picnic lunch.  We had a great time as always and we are even more blessed to have my parents join us every year.  The memories they make and the time they invest in our boys is priceless and beyond wonderful for us and them!

Our tickets!

Bounce House

Watching Thomas pull into the station

Boarding the train

Here we go!

Cole with his ever so loved Papa and Grammie

THOMAS!!

Cole flashing a goofy face

Braydon checking in to see if we are going to follow him in one of his adventures

Wrestling together

So blessed

Cole ringing the train bell

Braydon's turn to ring!

Family

Papa teaching Cole to golf

Cole was picked at the nature show to share the turtle, it made his day!

My love bug ALWAYS so sweet to pick me a flower, love him!

Waiting to load the car and head home!

Later that evening we had friends over for dinner.  It is always nice to share in conversation while we get to also watch our kids play together.  Although they are all boys, they had such fun dressing up as Superman, an astronaut and a fireman!

I suppose serving soup to guests may be a little unconventional, but I did it anyways!   It was a cool day and chicken and rice soup seemed to hit the spot.  A wonderful end to a wonderful day!

Chicken and Rice Soup

Heat a medium pot over medium heat and swirl in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter.  Saute 1/2 c onions, 1 large carrot and 1/2 c chopped celery in with the butter and oil.  Let the vegetables caramelize.  While simmering, add 1 tbsp minced garlic, a dash of cayenne pepper and a few dashes of 21 Seasoning Salute.       After about 10 minutes of cooking on medium heat, add 1/2 c chopped fresh parsley as well and mix together.  

While the vegetables are simmering, in another pan cook 2 chicken breasts on the stove.  I like to cube the chicken before I begin to cook it so it cooks faster.  Half way through cooking, I also seasoned the chicken with 21 Seasoning Salute and 1/2 c of red wine for a richer flavor.  

Add 6 c of chicken stock to your pot of vegetables and once the chicken is thoroughly cooked as well, add to the stock.  

I lowered the heat to low/medium and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes while I made our favorite cheese biscuits to accompany our soup.  

About 10 minutes before serving, add 1 c of cooked rice to the soup and continue cooking.  If you add the rice too early, the rice with absorb the broth and your soup will quickly become stew!

Serve and enjoy!