10 Reasons Why I Love My Chacos

Chaco Sandals are hands down my favorite shoes ever, especially in the summertime. I wear them practically everyday because they are so versatile. Here are ten of the reasons why these are a part of my summer (and sometimes spring and fall) "uniform". 

1. The Cost Per Wear is phenomenal. Prior to meeting my husband I had never spent more than $20-30 for a pair of shoes. When he took me to REI a few weeks after we got married and bought me my first pair of Chacos for around $100, I about choked when I saw the price. But as I wore them day after day and realized how comfortable they were, and when my first pair lasted me for 5 years before the vibrum sole and foot bed cracked in half, I realized that I was more than getting my moneys worth. 
2. Easily repairable. If I had taken them to a cobbler to be resoled sooner, my first pair could have been rescued quite easily.
3. Easily cleaned. Any shoe that is worn frequently has the tendency to acquire a smell. Chacos are extremely easy to clean. Sometimes all they need is a good rinse with the hose, on other occasions I scrub them with a little baking soda and water. 
4. Truly an all-purpose shoe. I've worn my Chacos hiking (not always a good idea but they are comfortable), swimming, on long-walks, running around with my kids, etc. I would even wear them to church if I could (after all they are one of my most expensive pairs of shoes), but I have to draw the line there.
5. Dress Up and Dress Down. Chacos can be worn with jeans, shorts, and casual skirts and look alright. They come in multiple colors and styles which makes them a little more fun, although they are a very utilitarian type of shoe. 
6. They are so comfortable. I have never enjoyed wearing shoes that hurt my feet (I rarely wear heels) and Chacos are hands down the most comfortable shoes that I have ever worn. They were especially comfortable when I was pregnant with both of my girls. 
7. They are adjustable. The straps can be adjusted to fit your feet perfectly. 
8. They give the wearer an outdoorsy vibe. 
9. The give the one set of tan lines that I don't mind getting. 
10. They remind me of summer. 

The most anticipated event in my yard...the PEONIES are here!!!

The most anticipated time in my garden has arrived, the first of the peonies are in bloom! I have four beautiful peony bushes, and the bold pink ones are always the first because they grow in direct sunlight. The other three bushes are shaded for a good portion of the day and so they bloom a week or so later which is perfect because it means peony season in my yard lasts just a bit longer. I didn't know it until we moved in, but peonies really are my favorite flower.

A kitchen argument that I didn't win. And a Corn Bread recipe.

      A few years ago my husband purchased a Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet and a silicone handle holder. The skillet only cost $15 and he was really excited to start using it. His instructions to me were to never clean it with soap, just use a stiff brush and a little bit of water.  Then dry it and coat it with a little bit of oil. Immediately, I scoffed at the idea of using a pan that sounded so "fussy," to clean. No soap? No way! Why on earth would I want to cook with that something that couldn't be thrown into the dishwasher like my Teflon? (I probably shouldn't put that in the dishwasher either...) 

     But then I started to cook with it, and I really liked it. Food wasn't getting caked on and burned, cleaning it took less time than washing it with soap, and the food just tasted better. Immediately I started using the cast-iron skillet exclusively, and I had to admit to my husband that he was right. Now I only use my teflon pans if I have to because I am cooking multiple things at once. Really I would like to throw them away and only keep two pans in my kitchen, the cast iron skillet and an Enamel Coated cast-iron dutch oven pot. They are pricey though so it is currently on my wish list. Also owning one in a large size, and one in a smaller size wouldn't be worst thing in the world. Green, Blue, or Aqua would be my preference. 

     I should note that since we picked up the original skillet, we added a mini-sized skillet to our collection that we picked up at a second-hand shop in Carson City, NV. Cast-iron has been used for cooking for 1,000s of years so obviously I was late to the bandwagon, but some of my favorite parts about using our cast-iron skillet are: that I don't have to use as much oil because food generally doesn't stick, the iron content in my food is increased from cooking with cast-iron, I don't accidentally swallow chemicals that start to chip off of the Teflon, it is very durable, and I can use it on the stove and in the oven which is awesome! Especially when I am cooking a Dutch Baby, or something else that has to stay warm. Actually funny story about cooking a Dutch Baby in the wrong kind of pan. I originally tried a 9x13 glass dish but it ended up too dense. Then I thought it might be a good idea to use a cheapo wok from Ikea. The only problem was that the wok had a wooden handle. When the oven started to smoke, I knew there was a problem. Cast-iron to the rescue! 
     And  since I pretty much use my cast-iron skillet for everything, here is one of my favorite recipes that tastes 100 times better when cooked in a cast-iron skillet--my favorite Corn Bread recipe. I usually just use my Better Homes and Garden cookbook, I have the 12th edition but the link that I included will take you to the online version of the recipe. It is delicious and so easy to make! I always have the ingredients on hand which makes it easy to whip some up as a last minute side dish. The best part about it is that the recipe takes less than five minutes to mix, and fifteen minutes to bake, so it can really be last minute!