Emily Shares

DIY (Budget-Friendly) Countertops

2012-02-16T19:24:00.000-06:00

This is one of our kitchen countertops. I'm very happy with it! It could be "temporary" (maybe someday we'll get granite???), but in the meantime, I like the look and I love how we were able to do a little customization. Plus it was perfect for our shoe-string budget.

In a nutshell, we bought the highest quality plywood we could find and chose pieces that had a nice grain to them. Then they were cut to size, given a hardwood border, stained, and sealed.

The stain we used was Minwax's "Jacobean." We sealed them with a polyurethane...leave me a comment if you want to know the exact kind and I'll ask my husband. I've already forgotten what kind we used.

Now for anyone who is concerned about food on a polyurethane topcoat, please don't worry, we don't plan to prep our food directly on our countertops. In fact, most people don't, right? So there won't be a lot of food-to-countertop contact. So, no, 'not worried about it as long as the topcoat doesn't show any chipping.

Soooo, now for the fun part! I did a little stenciling, and it's a bit of an oops-gone-great experiment, because it didn't turn out like I expected and I liked the unexpected results even better!

How about an explanation in photos??

Here's the plywood cut to size and that border I was talking about. It's actually thicker than the plywood to make the countertops appear thicker, and the corners are sanded smooth so no one gets hurt.

Then I printed out some wording to the exact size that I wanted the letters to be on my countertop, and with contact paper and spray adhesive, I glued the printed paper (face-up) to the non-sticky side of the contact paper.

And while watching a movie one night, I meticulously cut out each letter with an exacto knife. Not hard, just time-consuming.

Then I taped the edge of my countertop with "Frog Tape" as a guideline so that my phrase wouldn't look like letters diving off the side of a hill...

Carefully arranged my letters...

(I measured each side to make sure it was centered)

And then I peeled the backing off of the contact paper so I could start sticking my letters to the countertop.

(this is a side note just to say: don't waste your tape - recycle!)

Then I took a used up gift card and pressed all the edges down on each letter.

And I was ready for the stain!

I'm no expert, so I won't pretend like I know any great tips about staining. I just followed the instructions on the can.

But I may have fooled you with this picture! Professional Stainer at work...

Then the oops happened. I peeled off my letters and whaddaya know, porous surfaces allow stain to seep under the contact paper.

But I went ahead and peeled them all off and decided that I really didn't mind the bleeding...

In fact, I liked it! It wound up giving it a nice rustic/aged look.

So this is our "bar" countertop that sits happily in the kitchen, which I will show you as soon as we get it cleaned up this weekend ;) We are making huge progress at the Queen this month. We will soon move back in again (after leaving a while for lead dust abatement), and I can't wait to show you all of the new fun changes that have been made!

Spinach, Blue Cheese, & Toasted Pecan Stuffed Chicken w/ Balsamic Sour Cherry Reduction

2012-01-18T10:00:00.001-06:00

Wow, that's a mouthful...and in more ways than one! This recipe has a little bit of a gourmet "wow" factor without a crazy amount of work or skill involved.

My regret, once again, is that I rushed with pictures and the lighting was horrible, so unfortunately the pictures aren't so appealing, but this. is. so. yummy!

Next time I make these, I'd like to cut them up into smaller pinwheels and add toothpicks for a savory party appetizer. Then I'll use the balsamic sour cherry reduction as a dip. Fun!

Spinach, Blue Cheese, & Toasted Pecan Stuffed Chicken

w/ a Balsamic Sour-Cherry Reduction
Serves 4
(my measurements are approximate, so adjust as you see fit)

1. Mix together in a small bowl:

2 cups Fresh Spinach
1/2 cup Blue Cheese
1 1/2 cups Toasted Chopped Pecans
1/2 cup Bacon Pieces (optional)

2. "Butterfly" 5 large chicken breasts, only go ahead and cut them all the way through to create 2 halves, and pound them flat between pieces of parchment paper.

3. Spread the filling over the flattened chicken breasts and roll 'em up. Toothpicks help hold them together on the pan.

4. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes covered. Of course, check one to make sure it's cooked through and that the juices are running clear.

5. While the chicken is baking, you can make your delicious sour-cherry reduction! This sweet and sour glaze balances the pungent blue cheese flavor perfectly. Start with a tablespoon of finely minced onion and caramelize it in a tablespoon of butter.

6. When the onions are golden brown, pour in about 3/4 cup of balsamic vinegar. Then add a teaspoon of sugar, a handful of dried sour cherries, and a generous douse of wine (about a cup). I used a sweet moscato wine, but you probably can't go wrong with whatever wine you choose :)

7. Let your ingredients come slowly to a boil and remove from the heat when the sauce has thickened. (The bubbles will pop more slowly when it has thickened). If you want more sauce, just add some more wine and/or vinegar and let it boil down again.

8. When the chicken is done, pull it from the oven, let cool slightly, and drizzle your balsamic reduction all over it! Then, enjoy!

Why I Don't Post As Often As I Would Like...

2012-01-17T18:28:00.001-06:00

Well, I do love blogging. It's a hobby for me to write, share, document, journal, express, etc...but then, because it's a hobby, it is often pushed to the bottom of my priority list. I'm sure you understand.

But every now and then I like to offer an update of some sort for those of you who may wonder where I've run off to. So...

There was the exciting rush of December and all its merry Christmas gatherings. I did make an effort to mentally pause and really reflect on the actual source of Christmas, though I admit, it was tough.

"Christmas" can be so terribly distracting from what we're actually celebrating. But I think it hit me when I walked through the big double doors at the church on Christmas Eve, just around midnight. It was like a magical little thrill brushing over me. I was ready to sing! I was ready to close my eyes and feel the intense wonder of a humble Messiah, being born as a limited human, though being fully the limitless God. Sometimes I think the subject is simple and getting a little old, talking about it year after year. Other times I realize that it will take a lifetime of Christmases for me to even scratch the surface of it's awe-some meaning.

Then there's the subject of our house and our efforts to make it a home. Right now I'd say it's leaning more on the house side of things, due to its inhospitable amounts of lead dust hanging around after all the renovations. We own some rental properties on the side and keep them updated and rented out as a source of income, and after an unusual onslaught of "issues" (electric work, tile jobs, leaky roofs, etc) which required precedence over our own house project....(catching my breath from my long run-on sentence)...we are finally getting to a place where we can finish removing the dust and moving back in.

Bottom line: I should have some more things to show you with the Queen during the Spring.

Then, there's the subject of our work. If you don't know about what we do, you can visit our "missions" blog. We have some neat options for the year ahead, but with many choices come many decisions. So we hope to take a little weekend sometime soon to put on our thinking caps, pray, and plan out our upcoming year. It's an exciting time in life with so much to think over!

And that's all for now, but I hope to be blogging more often this Spring! See ya!

Reese's Knockoff - Dark Chocolate PB Squares w/ Sea Salt

2011-12-31T19:46:00.000-06:00

O, Reese's, how I grow weak for thee.

Truth is, I can do without the traditional cups, but now the holiday editions like the trees, hearts, and egg shapes, they yield a much higher ratio of peanut butter to chocolate, and with a bowl full of those guys...no self control.

So I wanted to make something that would give me a Reeses fix one afternoon and this is what I came up with after experimenting a bit. They were so good I decided to make them again as little Christmas gifts.

Thin layers of chocolate sandwiching a generous layer of salty sweet peanut butter, then sprinkled with sea salt and chilled...without further ado, I give you my Reese's Knockoff.

You'll need:

1 bags of dark/milk chocolate chips (I prefer dark)

1/2 jar of natural chunky peanut butter (much much better results if you use natural PB)

1/4 c powdered sugar

Course sea salt

Parchment Paper

1. Double-broil the chocolate chips to melting

2. Dump half of the chocolate out onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. (I put a little cooking spray under the paper to help it stay in place as I moved the chocolate around).

3. Spread it evenly all over the parchment paper and let it chill in the fridge for a few minutes while you prep the peanut butter "filling."

4. Stir up the peanut butter (to mix the oil and butter) and then mix half the jar (give or take a little) with the powdered sugar. Note: I highly recommend using the natural peanut butter for best results.

5. When you get your chocolate out of the fridge, it should look like this...

6. Carefully spread out your peanut butter mixture on the chocolate.

yum! yum!

7. Chill it a few minutes and then do your final layer of chocolate

8. Cover it all over with an even layer of sea salt. Then slice it up into squares with a pizza cutter while it's still room temp. I learned "by experiment" that letting it chill before cutting will cause the chocolate to break all over. So score/cut and then chill.

Then share with all your loved ones - or not :) I think you'll love it!

Traveling with Baby Overseas - Part 2 (Five Cool Things)

2011-11-30T08:00:00.003-06:00

Here's some stuff we really liked having with us when traveling around with Ian overseas...

1. A baby carrier. We've tried a few different types/brands with Ian, and I'm now of the opinion that each baby has his/her own preference when it comes to carriers. Our baby likes the Snugli - a Snugli that my mother-in-law used with her boys, in fact, and it's worked wonderfully. Ian stays completely content in it.

Carriers come in handy at the airport (skip the stroller all together if you dare), when carrying luggage on and off buses, and when you're riding horses. What, you don't ride horses when you travel?

2. Hand Sanitizer. This foamy stuff doesn't have alcohol in it and it claims to kill 99.9% of germs, just like the stinky stuff we adults use. I like this BabyGanics brand because it smells nice and the absence of alcohol makes me feel better, knowing there aren't any harsh chemicals going into Ian's mouth later.

We used this after the baby played on the floor, after being handled by lots of people (especially by all those hand-grabbers), and just basically on the hour we were using this stuff. We also used this and other antibacterial wipes to wipe down bus seats and arm-rests that Ian would keep grabbing during long trips.

3. Pacifier Clip. It doesn't take long to figure out that you'll need to find a way to strap your baby's toys and pacifiers onto his/her person if you don't want to be meticulously wiping down every object that falls onto a bus/airplane/dirt floor...over a babillion times. So, with safety in mind, these cool pacifier clips do the trick. I'm also interested in these guys for larger toys...

4. Phil & Ted's Travel Cot. This thing is way cool. We definitely got our money's worth with our 7 lb travel crib. We stayed in a few homes that had dirt floors and Ian was dying to get down and play, so we always had somewhere we could set him down with this around. It's the perfect place for a nap and safe playtime.

My review? Short and simple: It's lightweight. It doesn't fit well into our suitcase, but it fits great in our hiking backpack (which we use on a regular basis when traveling); it takes up about a 1/3 to 1/2 of the space in our pack. It takes two hands and about 5 minutes to set it up (think tent). It's not super easy to put back into it's bag, but it is doable once you get the hang of it. It's sturdy. Beware of cats.

5. Baby Neck Pillow. Seems kind of like a silly thing, but this was great for a little prop when nursing, as a pillow when Ian was napping on the plane or bus in our laps, and in the car seat it was a good head support (in front - not quite ready for the traditional behind-the-neck). Oh, and it's a toy, too, when you need it to be!

So these were our top 5 baby doodads that we thought were awesome to have along on our crazy overseas adventure! Tried any of these? What do you think? Any other must-have travel accessories that you recommend?

Traveling with Baby Overseas - Part 1 (The Confession)

2011-11-23T01:00:00.001-06:00

Hey there! Did you know I just got back from Nicaragua and Guatemala? Hubby, baby, and I just spent 3 weeks out of country and it was quite an adventure.

12 hours on planes

37 hours on buses (some of which were miserable, to be totally honest)

5 days in a Nicaraguan village

4 days in the hills of Guatemala

9 different homes

As you can see, Ian had a pretty good time...

Remember Velloso & Annabelle? They sure remembered Tedd!

I learned that a little white baby in small-town Nicaragua and Guatemala draws an uncomfortable, but heart-warming, amount of attention. I can't tell you how many strangers have pictures of Ian on their cell phones.

On a more personal level, I "wrestled" a bit with God, so to speak, in the middle of a cold night in Guatemala. My prayer from the beginning was that Ian wouldn't get sick. I wanted my request to be "granted" so badly for the sake of strengthening my faith (when it comes to traveling with our children overseas), and for the sake of having a testimony that God is supernaturally protecting our son.

But then Ian got sick. It started off as a little cough, no biggie...almost ignorable, but then one night, after Ian had awaken with tears of pain, and with a horrible cough, my denial wore off and I had to face the fact that Ian was sick. It was the first time Ian had ever been sick and I felt scared and, most of all, very hurt and betrayed that God would "let me down."

Then came those dreaded waves of doubt and insecurity. What if all this sacrifice and risk is some lame effort to "serve" a God who doesn't exist? Why are we here? Is this worth it? God are you there? If you are, why can't You just show Yourself?

Have you been in this place with God? If you haven't, maybe you're not a real person. I've been there with God...numerous times. And I don't feel bad for saying so. Sometimes I've really screwed up and lashed out in anger, but other times, with reverence, I've genuinely cried out to God with a hurting, humbled, human plea for Truth and understanding.

So maybe some of you are reading this and thinking "yes! you're so close to reason, why don't you just forget all this religious stuff and embrace your heart's suspicions that God does not exist?!"

But the Bible says the heart is deceitful, that those whose hearts turn from the Lord are cursed, and that fools say in their hearts that "there is no God." (Jeremiah 17 and Psalm 14).

But that night, just like other nights that I've sought God, I experienced supernatural comfort and reason. I was reminded, despite my intense emotions, that God has sacrificed far more, that He sacrificed His Son and I owe him more, and even then it still wouldn't be enough. I was reminded that God is so holy and beyond me that He doesn't owe me any favors or need to show Himself to me. I was reminded of how beautifully merciful and kind God is because all we had were colds. No parasites, no malaria, no kidnappings, no assaults...just colds. Hey, even if we had gotten those things, we still have no Hell, all praise to Jesus Christ! And that's enough mercy and goodness to praise God for all eternity, no cherries on top needed. See what I'm saying?

Just a few days before my sleepless hour of prayer, we were on an old school bus, unaware that our driver was passing another car on a large blind curve...unaware that he was in the wrong lane when a semi was turning the curve coming in the opposite direction. The bus started screeching and skidding, the lights flickered, and the smell of burning rubber filled the bus. Our innocent baby slept peacefully unaware in my arms as I held him tight.

How could I doubt God? How can I say it's all chance and evolution when I gaze upon the complexities and intricacies of this marvelous world? How can I fail to give all my praise and thanks to God who has been beyond good and merciful to me...more than I'm even aware of? How could I dare say that He has "let me down?" All praise to God...even when all seems dark...He is God. He is more merciful than we can fathom.

Even with baby in tow, I want to embrace that mindset that I will be honored to give my life to and for Christ, to the glory of God. Ironically, through "trial," my faith was strengthened, rather than through answered prayer. I feel more in tune with God's heart and will for me as a mother now than I did before we traveled and made ourselves vulnerable. And I'm sure there's much more to learn!

Thanks for taking the time to read. Later this week I'm going to write a much more light-hearted post - part II - about traveling overseas with baby "The Commodities." We discovered some really nice doodads to have along when you're traveling overseas with a baby (particularly when going to a developing country) and we want to tell you what we love about them!

My Husband's Famous Chai Tea

2011-10-17T12:24:00.001-05:00

Chai makes me think of so many things. It reminds me of my first experience in India and Pakistan, drinking chai in every home we visited. It reminds me of college and friends, of cold weather, of cozying up next to my husband on the couch with a big warm mug in our first home. It's a taste of comfort and good times. With Fall weather rolling in, I'm craving it's creamy spiced flavor.

Tedd is a learner. He's one of those types that willingly accepts advice, seeks out learning opportunities, and asks questions of the pros.

The pros in this case? Blushing housewives in a traditional Indian kitchen.

When Tedd humbly asked the women to show him how they make their typical chai tea, a staple in any Indian home, (especially when having guests in for a visit), the women giggled with embarrassment that a man had any interest in the goings-on of the kitchen.

This man certainly has interest in the goings-on of any kitchen. High on his list of passions are food and culture, so this was, well, literally, his cup of tea.

Now, after years of making his famous chai tea on our college campus, in friends' homes, and for large events, he's still giving all the credit to the sweet and humble Indian ladies for the legit...legit...chai tea recipe. (Yes, even more legit than Starbucks, which is a lame excuse for chai - gasp!)

Creamy Chai Tea

Boil 1 ½ cups of water with the following spices:

½ inch of cinnamon bark (this is optional…some folks like it without)
15-20 cardamom pods (seeds and shells both) (can be found in Indian/Asian grocery stores)
½ inch of fresh ginger root (also optional)
Pinch of black pepper
1 clove

After that boils for a few minutes add 1 Tbs. of loose blacktea (Lipton yellow label is good as well as Assam or Darjeeling Tea). Let thetea boil for about 2 minutes.

Then add 3 cups of whole milk and continuously stir thebottom of the pot to prevent sticking. Heat until the milk begins to boil (note: as soon as the milk showssigns of boiling TURN DOWN THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY OR REMOVE THE POT FROM THEBURNER. If you don’t, the milk will quickly boil up and over the topof the pot).

Lastly, add 4-8 Tbs. of sugar (I usually use about 6 or 7but some people like it less or more sweet).

Pour the tea out through a strainer (so you don't accidentally swallow cinnamon bark or cardamom pods ;) and enjoy! This recipe makes about 4 cups.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

These Are My Normal Friends (and My Normal Thoughts)

2011-10-13T01:15:00.000-05:00

I just couldn't help but post this picture. I'm not sure what pose we decided on, but we weren't all on the same page apparently, and something funny must have happened. I like these people.

I love Fall get-togethers. I just stinkin' love Fall. So to have pals and campfires and Fall all in the same place?! It's almost more happiness than I can handle.

And this video of Ian & my dad makes me really happy, too. Just try not to smile, I dare you.

Then there's this new guy. He's got a HEPA filter and some serious suction. I love it! It's giving me peace of mind, too, with all the INSANE amount of FILTH we're trying to remove, inch by inch, from the inside of our home.

I gotta tell ya, we've moved in, but it's still a giant mess with tons of work to be done. Not complaining. But I think I had some folks thinking we're all moved in and done with the renovation. Nope. We're still in the thick of it! Like, we're still wearing our paint clothes and eating hot dogs for every meal kind of thick-of-it. BUT, it's starting to look great. I just never knew it would take so many hours to scrub 3 years of renovation dirt off of antique ornate baseboards, that's all.

One day (soon I hope), I will have more coherent blog posts and will have some cooler things to talk about. But for now, I have scrambled eggs for brains, and I appreciate that you're still coming around :)

Settee Love

2011-10-06T14:42:00.000-05:00

I found the sofa for our foyer. It's so quirky and elegant at the same time. I love it!

This settee is begging for some funky pillows!

This is My Brain on Stress...

2011-09-30T01:39:00.000-05:00

scrambled eggs

Do you ever feel like you have scrambled eggs for brains?

I thought so.

I want to make a confession, because I like all of you creepers who read my blog, and I like being real transparent (well, okay, with boundaries)...

Here comes another one of those stream-of-conscious posts b/c I'm tired and don't feel like editing...

or making sense...

In my walk with Christ - most of my life - I've never been so challenged by anxiety and stress and worry. Never. I mean, definitely, I've experienced these things (deeeefinitely), but they haven't really gotten a hold of me with such intensity as they have this past month.

Our house is still a crazy wreck. I'd show you the "keepin' it real" pics of our house like all the cool bloggers out there do, but then there'll be someone out there, with my best interests in mind, thinking I'm a total idiot for showing all the thieves (who read blogs in their spare time) pictures of the stuff in our house that they could come steal. It's a valid concern?

Aaaanyway...but yeah, anxiety, yuck! I have been so paranoid and anxious about lead dust in our house. Freaked out, people. I've been so worried about Brown Recluse Spiders. I've been experiencing a level of fear and anxiety that I rarely experience over our upcoming trip overseas. I'm stressed about money, stressed about a messy house, stressed about my to-do list...anxious, up-tight, paranoid, worried, stressed...

and that's where I get the scrambled egg brains.

(PS. I think being a mom has something to do with my new levels of anxiety. I was warned by the veteran moms).

And I know this sounds like a bunch of bologna (what a funny way to spell "buh-loh-nee") to some of you, but seriously, when I really pray...something like "God, I need help. I'm seriously overwhelmed here and my anxiety is getting the best of me. Please help me not to let my stress make me do things that aren't godly" yeah, stuff like that...I seriously get myself much more together. I get way better.

Because it's not a sin to be stressed...to be anxious, probably yes, but to be under stress, not so much...it's more how about how we react. And that's the part where I mess up. Stress makes me want to break plates and scream like a crazy woman (is that normal?). High levels of worry and fear just mean that I've stopped trusting God. And moments where I want to scream (literally) or when I feel like I can't trust God to take care of things that are out of my control...whew...that's when I have to pray stuff like "God, I'm so sorry I'm out of control here. Please help me!"

So I'm not writing this stuff so that you'll feel sorry for me. I'm not really even sure why I'm writing this. I just like to write stuff. But if it's encouraging to you, I would like to announce that God truly helps me during these times when I've bitten off more than I can chew, or when I'm afraid out of my mind for my son over things I can't control. (And I would like to take a moment to thank God publicly as well for my husband who is calm and even-keeled and nice to me when I'm stressed. Thank You, God!)

So...I'm makin' it. Blogging hasn't been very high on my to-do list lately, but I do actually have some cool stuff to show you soon. Like a DIY countertop, an upcycled chandelier, some more Fort Smith posts, and a review about cloth diapers.

And here's a random picture of an old French door we "Craigslisted" that's being installed as our Laundry Room door.

Love y'all! You make blogging so much fun! (and thanks for reading my rants, too!)

The Nicaraguan ABCs: T is for...

2011-09-15T09:18:00.001-05:00

Tedd

I'm not always so great at finishing things I start :( but now that y'all are reading my blog (THANKS!), it really keeps me accountable. I've just gotta finish these ABCs :) I'm almost there! Had you forgotten all about them? Well, here's "T"

I was going to say that T is for Teaching, but then I realized that I've probably talked about teaching plenty enough in previous Nica posts. So I decided that I would dedicate this T to my favorite "T" in the whole world - my beloved Tedd.

Simply put, while we were in Nicaragua, this guy was amazing. (Still is, but you see, I'm talking about Nicaragua here :) I knew I was marrying a missionary, a fella that had a passion for the illiterate, the poor, and foreign lands, but wow! I got to see this guy in his element while we were living in Nicaragua.

His Spanish skills rock, his ability to make friends is almost magical; his hard work ethic and faithfulness to the work kept me inspired to be a better worker myself.

While I was pregnant and too tired for the trek, he would still faithfully drive out an hour to class, all by himself, and then hike into the hills a mile under the hot sun to teach the literacy students...twice a week.

His spiritual discipline keeps me motivated and accountable. His genuine love and uninhibited acceptance of others is a reflection of Christ to me. He's kind, tender, wise, goofy, adventurous, passionate...he really came to life in Nicaragua, like he was really in his element, doing something he was born to do.

I'm honored to be his wife and I look forward to being a part of many more adventures with T at my side.

Fort Smith Gems: The Farmer's Market

2011-09-13T11:09:00.000-05:00

Now tell me who doesn't love a local farmers' market? It's quaint, fresh, nostalgic, affordable, delicious, cultural.

this photo taken from Farmer's Market FB page

I love that Fort Smith has a farmer's market. I love even more that it's close to where we live now. We can just take Ian in the stroller down to the market...doesn't that sound just perfect? We took a little walk there this weekend, in fact, and I became a tourist on our street along the way. Some of these houses I hadn't had a good look at before...

walking to the Farmer's Market

There's the historic Clayton House:

The old Art Center:

And this beauty, a restored old home turned hair salon - "Vogue":

This stunning historic home/office is for sale:

Then there are the cool old Schoolhouse Apartments:

After that little tour, we ventured out to the Market and drooled over the baked goods, talked to the ladies about the curious asian vegetables & herbs, and smelled the homemade goat-milk soaps. (We may or may not have bought a peanut butter pie, banana bread, and a loaf of whole wheat bread to eat all for ourselves).

stroller loaded with veggies

After browsing through the market, you can walk right across the lot to The Park at West End and then eat a delicious burger at the Boomerang Diner, located inside of an old train car. All right by the Arkansas River! Too cool!

this photo taken from Farmer's Market FB page

The Farmer's Market is held every Tuesday & Saturday 7-noon during the peak season (May-Sept.), then on Saturdays-only during the off-season. Go like the Facebook Fan Page & check out their photo album of all the delightful produce and homemade goods you can find!

A Peek @ the New Kitchen

2011-09-12T10:30:00.000-05:00

Here's what our kitchen looked like before:

And it's not quite finished, but here's the almost after:

Look a bit like this??

Vacation Extended!

2011-09-10T16:34:00.000-05:00

Hey!! I'm back. Mostly.

Ian helping his Daddy hang the microwave.

Whew! I've been inside of a home renovation whirlwind. It's been overwhelming, to say the least, but a lot of fun. In case you missed the last post, we're in the Queen! For a little while, we didn't have hot water, washer/dryer, or worst of all, internet (j/k). But now we've got all those great things hooked up and I'm showering, doing laundry, and back on the blog.

But you'll have to forgive me, I've gotta extend my "blog vacation" a bit longer b/c I've got so much on my plate right now. I'll try to drop in a couple times this month, however, to share some random thoughts.

Now, catching up a bit more: In August, we went to visit Tedd's family (a 22 hr road trip with a baby!) and had a blast! (Except for the road trip part). Here are some pics of our fun:

Ian goes to see his Great Grandmom

We stopped in WV on the way home to see our friends.

As soon as we got back, I turned 25, we packed up our house in a week, and moved into the Queen. Here's a little video of one of our first nights in the Queen...

That's all for now! I'll be back! The kitchen's really coming along nicely and I can't wait to show you what we're up to.

I wasn't lying about the blog makeover, by the way. I've just got to finish up a few things before it goes live. Maybe by the beginning of October :)

We're Like the Beverly Hillbillies! (Queen Post)

2011-09-02T12:21:00.000-05:00

Well this ain't the first time we've had a truck and trailer loaded to the brim (and beyond) with all our stuff, but Lord-willing, it will be the last time. Folks, we've moved to the Queen.

Can't believe I'm saying it! We've moved to the Queen!

Now, before you get too too excited, it should be known that there is still a lot of work to be done. BUT, she is habitable and it's taken a lot of work to get to this point. So we are grateful, giddy, and gung-ho about getting moved in and getting on with work. Now the time pressure is off and we'll be able to chill a little bit more.

So, I'm gonna make this quick (hello, September! How'd you get here so fast?) because I'm at the public library getting some internet and I'm in a hurry. BUT, I told you I'd be back in September, and I've got a few quick shots of the habitable homestead.

Here goes:

bedroom

hallway

"servant stairs"

guest bath

Grant helped!

kitchen

living room

Floors Are Sanded!!

2011-08-08T10:21:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Just a reminder to please check out the poll over there on the right side of the blog (regarding Queen t-shirts), and I would LOVE to get some input/comments on this post w/ your ideas. Thank you!

I know I said I wouldn't be posting this month, but I wanted to throw out one more post...because I'm thrilled to say that floors at the Queen are sanded!! That means, in no time, we'll be moving in!

I can't tell you how many times I walked into that house and felt completely overwhelmed and discouraged. There was just so much work to be done. Everyone who walked into our house would say in that sing-songy way "Y'all've got a looooootta work to do." (I know, very Arkansan, but that's how we say "you all have" - "y'all've," and I just don't think there's a more perfect way to say it :)

And now we are sooo close. We had a to-do list as long as Santa's naughty list (ha! that was really dumb, but oh well, I'll go with it), and the very last thing on the list of big stuff was the floors. And now the floors are just steps away from being move-in ready. YES!

I've dreamed about those wood floors. Barefoot, Fall day, windows open, baby in my arms, bread in the oven, and wood floors...it would be perfect.

Parquet Red Oak Flooring

(Upstairs...well, we have no idea what kind of wood that is)

Okay, so that's all I have to say. Now I really am going to be gone for August! Really. See ya!

A Few Announcements & A New Poll

2011-08-05T20:47:00.004-05:00

Hi there :) Just want to throw out a few little blog announcements. Please read the last part of this post 'cause I'd love to pick your brain a bit.

1. I'm going to take a "blog vacation."

I'll be out of the blog world for the month of August, maybe with the exception of writing a post on/near my birthday (the 27th), and I'll start writing again in September.

This is going to be a bit difficult for me, actually, 'cause I really enjoy blogging, but I think it'll be a good break for a number of reasons:

I want to re-prioritize and step away for awhile (so blogging doesn't become too much of a big deal in my life). It's just good to do that with most things in life, I feel -- step back and evaluate.
I want to think about where I'm taking this blog (like should I continue to keep it casual fun, or should I pursue the next level of bloggy business?).
I want to use my free time for some back-burner projects.
And my other reason is my second announcement...

2. No, I'm not pregnant.
I know, I know - the word "announcements" sounds like I've actually got something important to say, but, nah, not so much. BUT, I'm still pretty excited about this one. I'm reconstructing my blog. I want to add more doodles, give it a new look, and reorganize the "map" and layout a bit.

So if you decide to come back here while I'm "away," you may see a big mess from all my experimenting and re-organizing. Can't say I didn't warn you.

Any suggestions for the new look & layout?? Is there something you wish I'd post about more often? Something you wish I would stop posting about?? Is there a feature that you see on other blogs that would be cool here? I've got some ideas, but I'd enjoy hearing your input.

3. We're Moving Into the Queen!

Not this month, but we've finally got a real deadline for moving in! We should be in by October. Sweeeet! Tedd's sanding the parquet floors as I type. Once those floors are finished, we are on the fast-track to moving in! Yippeee!

4. Okay, last announcement. This may sound really goofy...okay, really, I know it is, but I just gotta throw it out there. There's a poll over there on the top-right side of this blog asking about Queen Tees. We're in the final stretch of our home renovation, and most of you know how renovation tends to drop-kick your budget to the next planet. So I thought it'd be fun to sell some t-shirts to help us with all those little final expenses. I'm trying to be creative here.

So, I just want your honest opinions, so I don't have boxes full of t-shirts sitting in our house...is this something you would actually purchase??? Yes way or no way. It's anonymous, so I'll never know if my best friend or my Grammy clicks "no way." I just want to get an idea of whether or not this is a completely terrible idea. Below is the design I was thinkin' about. Should it say something else? Like something about supporting your historic district or keeping historic homes alive?

Help me out, peeps; I need ideas. Or tell me not to do the t-shirt thing at all. That's fine too.

Thanks!

Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Bread (+ Free Printables)

2011-08-03T09:02:00.001-05:00

This is a great way to use up the zucchini in your garden. Goes perfectly with soup or Italian dishes.

And here are some labels you can use if you'd like to make these into a little gift :)

Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Bread
Adapted from Joy of Cooking recipe for "Zucchini Cheddar Bread"

Preheat oven to 350 & prep a loaf pan (I used a mini-loaf pan)

Whisk together your dry ingredients:
- 3 c all purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Then add:
- 1 c shredded zucchini
- 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 c of finely chopped green onion
- 1 Tbs fresh dill (or 2 tsp dry dill)

Toss and coat the above ingredients with the flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the following:
- 2 lg eggs
- 1 c buttermilk
- 4 Tbs (1/2 stick) of melted butter (salted)

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, and gently mix until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy. Pour it in your loaf pan and put it in the oven. If baking in a regular-sized loaf pan, cook for about 50 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test.

Baby Faces

2011-08-02T10:50:00.004-05:00

I'm working on getting a passport for our little Ian. I felt sure I could do the passport photo myself. It's harder than you'd think...

Light At The End of The Long Scary Queen Tunnel

2011-08-01T09:57:00.014-05:00

I am so stinkin' proud of my husband. He's worked so hard, and I'm so grateful for his incredible diligence, his optimism, and the sacrifices he's made in order to make this house our home. We're hoping to move in by the end of September. And it just might be possible!

Wanna see some of the exciting stuff that's been happening at the Queen lately?

Here's the upstairs bath as of this week. The current project in here is getting the floor scraped up so we can sand the wood floors.

And just to give you an idea, there on the right side is a picture of the upstairs bath back in January.

Okay, now for the basement. Tedd is waterproofing it. He's done tons of research and it's a bit over my head, but it basically comes down to painting a waterproof sealer all over the floors and walls (huge project).

Then there's all the repairing and scraping of the hardwood flooring, that way the refinishing can take place soon!

And the kitchen...

currently (above)

and a sort-of-before pic (below)

The kitchen's looking reeeally good; I just don't have pictures right now that do it justice. It has tiled floors and lots of beadboard cabinets ready to go up.

And remember the mudbench??

voila!

(or as I see many people write: "wa la!" It's French, guys, c'mon.)

Now for the sunroom...

What do you think of this light fixture? It's supposed to be a temporary, but I'm kind cool with it.

These floors are getting painted. Have you googled "painted wood floors"? I must do it!!

And this is hard to picture, but there was a ton of work done on the balcony. It had tin and tar all over it and was popping up and down when you walked on it AND leaking. So they removed all that junk (w/ the permission of the historic society, of course - thanks, guys!), and replaced it with plywood and more of that liquid waterproofing rubber stuff.

You can see the balcony out the window in the right picture there. On the left is the balcony railing

that's been repaired.

We've also got a gravel driveway, light fixtures, french drains, new gas lines, and a fireplace mantel :)

My parents watched Ian one day this week (my longest time away from the baby), so I came out to help Tedd prep the floors for sanding. It was exciting being out there again. I actually miss working on it -- my turn will come once we move in!!

Our neighbor and friend, Marica, came by for a visit. She's so cool; she's a local ballet instructor and also renovating her historic home. That's a respirator on top of my head, in case you're wondering. ;)

Go, Tedd, go!

Next up - floors.

So what do you think? Stain the floors a nice dark finish, or keep them natural/light?