tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7066458775050890702024-02-18T18:55:22.403-08:00Mom Writes LifeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-89882553591206598962012-09-07T08:47:00.002-07:002012-09-07T08:47:52.285-07:00Settling InRob's back to school (although he hasn't had a full five day week yet) and we are settling into our new routine of me being at home with Caleb.<br />
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When I was working full-time, I felt like I couldn't stay on top of running our home effectively at all. The sink was constantly full of dirty dishes, the laundry pile just seemed to never end... let alone things like dusting our bedroom! I am starting to feel like I have gotten the house back to manageable, and in an effort of making things flow smoothly in the cleaning department, I am self-imposing a weekly schedule. We'll see how it goes!<br />
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If you'd like to join me, here's a free printable for you.<br />
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Happy Friday!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-86237260711664118642012-09-06T08:02:00.001-07:002012-09-06T08:02:23.200-07:00August Pinterest ClubMy new sister-in-law Andrea (she married Rob's brother Mike in the beginning of July) started a Pinterest Club and we had our first meeting a few Sunday afternoons ago. 5 girls, all addicted to Pinterest, got together to complete some projects we had pinned. We're going to meet the last Sunday of every month, and if you follow me on Pinterest, you'll see my "Pinterest Club" board for projects to be considered by the rest of the group. It was lots of fun, some tasty treats and really good fellowship!<div>
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This time, we attempted two projects - a doily-pressed dish and herb garden spoon markers. The spoons were challenging! We hammered the spoons down, then hammered the letters in... we got our workout that day, too, doing this project - who would have thought!?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yjgEPXyebang2HDW3GnY2rRG4T-w67XTtrAMp9jDONZvTfpWAfVO2brhM8saS6EWxZktGPaf5oqAJzwmZz-WcAfG0LrXd1y5AoBZGfHo2bUqVd9Lk_ifBe6Rpk8er6Ut8laub0Xxscw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yjgEPXyebang2HDW3GnY2rRG4T-w67XTtrAMp9jDONZvTfpWAfVO2brhM8saS6EWxZktGPaf5oqAJzwmZz-WcAfG0LrXd1y5AoBZGfHo2bUqVd9Lk_ifBe6Rpk8er6Ut8laub0Xxscw/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJLnkdwdWSuDHkUCkrltbYPXUtNvHyRYAF_szfnBu239G9uVqn3nL8FbPx73U7MbJUIqIGoJEFDNywaSeQWg0D7VktQ4Em6gYmpJVJSqNlhyphenhyphenw07g7hEPoNDWcs0mivAVGGPqLtDnMvLE/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJLnkdwdWSuDHkUCkrltbYPXUtNvHyRYAF_szfnBu239G9uVqn3nL8FbPx73U7MbJUIqIGoJEFDNywaSeQWg0D7VktQ4Em6gYmpJVJSqNlhyphenhyphenw07g7hEPoNDWcs0mivAVGGPqLtDnMvLE/s320/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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It took about an hour to hammer the letters onto these three spoons! We all contributed spoons that we found at yard sales, Goodwill, and the dollar store, and someone purchased the letter stamps from Harbor Freight Tools for just $5. Now, I've just got to bring them out to the garden...</div>
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The second project was really fun and SO easy! We used Sculpey clay, pressed in a doily and rolled over it with a heavy marble rolling pin, and then shaped our dish around an oven-safe object and baked for 15 minutes. Then, we painted the clay! Mine was about 7 inches in diameter, because I wanted it to fit on my windowsill, but you could make these any size really.</div>
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I've been using mine on my window sill about my sink to hold my rings and watch when I am doing dishes. So pretty and useful, too.</div>
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Really looking forward to our next meeting! </div>
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You can find instructions <a href="https://bluedoorbeads.wordpress.com/tag/hammered-spoon/">here</a> and <a href="http://abitofbeesknees.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-lace-bowl.html">here</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/ktcaruso/">Follow me on Pinterest!</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-83145050597849348332012-08-29T09:10:00.004-07:002012-08-29T09:10:35.425-07:00snip, snip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The time had come. Too many strangers were mistaking my sweet little boy for a cute little girl. I know, it's the bright blue, big eyes. That, and the hair down over his ears, I suppose. And I don't really care what strangers think, but food was also getting stuck in his hair. And so the day before his first birthday, I attempted Caleb's first haircut - from the safety of my kitchen, and with the help of a dear friend!</div>
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Here's the before shot.</div>
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After gathering up the supplies - a comb, scissors, high chair, spray bottle with water, m&ms and sunglasses, I got started... for I knew I had a short window of time in which to complete the trim!<br />
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First cut down.... and maybe a little too far up... oh well!<br />
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He had just woken from a nap, and so was pretty happy - and the m&ms helped (his first taste of them, might I add). Here's the after, from behind... not TERrible.<br />
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And the sad, sad remnants...<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-18254369703629762762012-08-21T06:23:00.002-07:002012-08-21T06:23:07.941-07:00Beach Bums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: start;">After a few weeks of working at camp, we "ended" our summer with another trip - family vacation with Rob's parents and siblings to Ocean City, Maryland. Both of us grew up going to OC as kids, so it was fun to go for Caleb's first time! We did lots of sun-soaking, swimming, eating, biking, reading and playing games. </span></div>
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On the last full day there, it was a little bit overcast and so there weren't as many people on the beach, and we got some pictures of Caleb, just a few days before his first birthday (Is my baby really turning one?!?)...</div>
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He's become quite the little ham recently. One night out to dinner, all of the wait staff were swooning over him. One waitress came up and said "I've just GOT to see these big blue eyes everyone is talking about!".<br />
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This week, we're in back-to-school (for Rob) mode and party prep mode (for Caleb and me).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-80114193728921124352012-07-04T05:55:00.000-07:002012-07-04T05:55:00.505-07:00Summer Holiday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We just returned from a fantastic 10 days spent in Northern Ireland and Ireland. The purpose for going was because I was a bridesmaid in our friend Kathryn's wedding, but we made the most of our trip and spent some time taking in the sights. Ireland is so lush and green - and very picturesque!</div>
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Caleb did so well! I was worried about how the flights and adjusting to the time change would go, and I am so glad everything went so smoothly.<br />
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Above is Royal Portrush Golf Course, home of this year's Irish Open and past host of the British Open. Stunning greens right next to the ocean. Below is the new Titanic museum in Belfast (where the Titanic and her sister ships were built). Excellent!<br />
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We had a lovely time spent with Kathryn and her family and getting to know her husband Robbie. The wedding day was great, and Kathryn and Robbie are such a wonderful couple! We are already looking forward to their visit next summer.<br />
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We're in the middle of unpacking and attacking the mountains of laundry, and preparing for Rob's brother's wedding this weekend!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-35248296867455417932012-01-11T08:58:00.000-08:002012-01-11T09:00:03.845-08:00Cold TherapyIt's here. The dreaded first cold (and hopefully only) of winter. And it's going around - praying I don't pass it along to Caleb or Rob, or anyone else for that matter.<br />
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So I spent much of the past weekend sneaking naps here and there, gargling with warm salt water, and spitting out mucus, and taking some tylenol for that nasal pressure headache that accompanies my colds. Gross, I know, but that's real life. I am also trying my best to stay hydrated. Lots of orange juice (empty starbucks cup is the evidence) and drinking green tea (antioxidants!). Haven't had a sip of coffee this week, and I miss it, but when I'm sick, drinking coffee just doesn't appeal to me very much. Kind of like all my morning sickness last winter, I suppose.<br />
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My goal for the weekend was to get down all my Christmas decorations and get the house in order, but none of that really happened. Oh well. There's always this coming weekend. And a 3-day weekend to boot! Yay!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-33673320964009325242012-01-03T09:40:00.000-08:002012-01-03T09:44:40.426-08:00New BeginningsA new year brings reminders of new beginnings. A time to start doing things right, learn something new, kick old habits, change things around a bit. Change is something that has never bothered me, and in fact, I have to admit that for the most part, I like change. So the changes brought by the new beginnings of a new year are always welcomed with open arms. 2011 was a year of major changes in both my immediate and extended family. We began 2011 with the anticipation of our first child who was due to be born in August (we found out we were expecting the day before Christmas Eve so hadn't lived with the idea long in 2010). Then, just a few days later, my grandfather on my mom's side of the family passed away. The hope of a new baby helped to ease our pain and that of our family members. In July, my grandfather on my dad's side of the family also passed away, more suddenly. My dad is an only child, so my sister and I are the only grandchildren on that side, which made that side of the family very tight-knit. In six short months, I went from having four living grandparents to two. My dad lost his job in March, and in this economy, was blessed to find another one just a few weeks later. Two weeks ago, he was laid off again. In August, Caleb was born and after such grieving and adjusting earlier in the year, there was so much joy and more adjusting. So needless to say, 2011 was a pretty big year for us. I am looking forward to many firsts for Caleb in 2012, but hopefully fewer BIG changes. And maybe it will mean that I can blog more. <br />
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On to the obligatory resolutions. Change that. GOALS.<br />
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I've never been very good at sticking with any of my "new year's resolutions" but maybe by thinking of them as goals instead of resolutions, they'll stick. <br />
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Learn how to play my guitar. Last year, Rob taught himself how to play my guitar and consequentially, he was gifted a new acoustic for Christmas (from his parents, but it was my idea!). I got my guitar for Christmas when I was a teenager and was never able to teach myself how to play. Rob's parents and siblings can all play, so he had some good and free lessons. So, now two guitars reside at our house, and it is much easier to learn by playing while watching someone else also play, so one of my goals this year is to learn from Rob! So far, I am pretty good at E Minor. I've got a ways to go...</div>
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Blog more. I do enjoy writing and keeping an account of what is going on in our life, projects we have and complete (or don't complete), places we visit and just thoughts of mine in general. I just really need to make more of a point to actually get my thoughts into a post. <br />
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Organize the basement and garage. We have so much JUNK. :) Clutter accumulates easily at our house. It's pretty embarrassing. People give us things they think we might need and we say, sure, we could use it. But never do. Time to weed through and donate what we don't use. After all, one person's trash is another's treasure. Why not share the love?<br />
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I have other things that I also want to accomplish this year, but I want to be able to actually meet some of my goals. Maybe a monthly "projects" list would help. So maybe another goal is making those to ensure that some things get done - things that I need to do, but also things that I want to do... like going to market and sewing and making/freezing a bunch of baby food for when Caleb's ready to eat his veggies & fruits and reading the Anne of Green Gables series (1912 pages on my Kindle - so far I'm 2% of the way through). </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-11284918225421847422011-12-21T08:43:00.000-08:002011-12-21T08:43:56.072-08:00Return to Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week was my first week back to work. I have never felt so many mixed emotions in my life! I had pre-separation anxiety, worrying that Caleb would know that I was gone, not take the bottles of milk that I had pumped, cry the whole entire day and not survive. Because, for goodness sake, he's survived only because he has been cared for constantly by his mom and if she were not there, the thriving would cease! Now I know this sounds ridiculous, and as I am typing this all out, I realize even more just how crazy it sounds, but these were the thoughts that I had. Not to mention the concern about whether or not I would be able to pump enough while away from him to sustain him for the next day, what work would be like once I returned, how I would get ready in the morning, pack my lunch, feed Caleb once, get him ready for the day, get to work on time, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully, my sister had off this week from her job as a Christian school teacher in Maryland, and she offered to come stay with him. Caleb was able to remain in his normal environment and this allowed me to be able to get into more of a morning routine before adding in morning/evening transportation to and from the babysitter's house. I was welcomed back with open arms to work (thanks to my wonderful, supportive co-workers) and everything went pretty seamlessly with the transition. I am so thankful! I cried a few times leaving in the morning, and on my way to work, but after that was able to keep it together. I got some texts throughout the day of a happy and healthy little boy. Isn't he so cute!? Tummy time, sitting on the big bed, and even holding his own bottle. </span></div>
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Clearly, I had a MUCH harder day than Caleb. I am glad to be back at work, and have realized through talking with a friend that by working, I am providing for him in different ways. Of course I still miss him all the time, and would rather be at home cuddling and giggling together, but for now, that's just not going to work for our family. We'll see how it goes! And thankfully, Christmas vacation is just around the corner...</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-22027442012404533482011-12-13T21:03:00.000-08:002011-12-14T16:47:10.262-08:00Back to Blogging!<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well, it's been about a year since I have blogged. And a lot has happened in the past year. I have missed chronicling important events in my life and the life of my family, and so I am back to the blogosphere, now writing as a MOM. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am hoping for this blog to become a space where I can record both the milestones and the mundane occurrences in the life of our family. I hope for it to be a place where you can laugh, perhaps gain inspiration, or just catch up with us!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks for reading!</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-43763280235610075452011-05-03T12:19:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:31:46.098-07:00Gettin' Dirty With ItWe gave our flowerbeds a full 365 days (plus more, since that year started at the end of November, there really wasn't much we could do outside other than shovel anyhow) to show us their stuff before deciding to work on getting rid of shrubs, trees and plants that weren't really our taste. It was a good idea to do this, so we could see what bloomed when, what color the blooms were, and what we just couldn't stand. The previous homeowner really liked her plants, and because she was older, probably grew to not be able to care for them like they needed. Many of the plants have been reproducing like crazy (iris, day lilies, daffodils) and others are just overgrown and need to be reeled in BIG TIME! I am all for the "natural" approach to gardening, you know - like English cottage style, if it is done well, but right now, I just want to clean things up and transplant some of what we already have back into the garden and go from there. Start from scratch, so to speak. And actually be able to see what is planted and mulch around them...<br />
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Our first nice spring day was last Saturday, and the re-landscaping mayhem began! There was a bed in the back that needed to be regraded away from the house (so that water flowed away from the foundation instead of toward it) - so this was the first project we tackled. We took all the plants out of the bed and dug up grass so that we could till, add soil and peat moss, and make it level before mulching. We decided that we would do this, and then replant.<br />
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Part of this planning involved a trip to our local garden center, <a href="http://www.achinbackgardencenter.com/">Achin' Back</a> (love the clever name!) for the first time. I like local nurseries, and have always wanted to stop by this one. AB is family-owned small business, and their staff have been so helpful so far in our past two visits. If you're in the Chester County area, check them out!<br />
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One of the services they offer, in addition to great advice for problem areas, is landscape design. For free. We met Matt, our new friend at AB (hopefully he doesn't get tired of us and our silly questions), on our first visit and he explained that if we took pictures of our house and brought them in, he could help us to design our vision, help us select plants that would work in certain locations around our house, etc. After getting the basic idea for what we have and where we'd like to be at the end of our project (with a new patio outback and moving the front walk and front flower bed, widening and reshaping beds, etc.), Matt walked us around and showed us different plants and trees and figured out what looked best and fit with our tastes.<br />
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Here's the preliminary sketch Matt made:<br />
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And my updated color version that includes other trees, etc. that we already have and are planning to keep and use:<br />
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And so you can get an idea of what some of the plants are (and to help us remember what we ended up choosing - for now at least), I have included some pictures of the new plants/trees we're planning to plant!<br />
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What are your thoughts on our picks so far? What's your preference between the Weeping Redbud and the Snow Fountain Cherry?<br />
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Be back soon with our "in-progress" pictures.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-86544077439090183922010-12-09T08:13:00.000-08:002012-08-21T06:34:51.242-07:00Have you read what I've read? (to the tune of Do You Hear What I Hear)Have you seen the application going around on Facebook, asking you to identify whether or not you have read more than 6 of the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml">100 books listed below by BBC</a>? I don't really do Facebook apps, but was interested in looking at the list to see which books I have read, to see if I read more than the average person. The books I have read in my lifetime are marked in bold below.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7b9G7WQ7SHz9Fdavn9XoF52BKe5mZ0MC53olBfkkWrNUTyoxVZ4Ca5dBt0yAxHSYRV4hW61DTjeiNcKj4O_rJoXmDHVKMNJ51dK8UkVcPTtSLir7zT8hm72S8JSB8A2C1NskrrMCQKk/s1600/penguinclassics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7b9G7WQ7SHz9Fdavn9XoF52BKe5mZ0MC53olBfkkWrNUTyoxVZ4Ca5dBt0yAxHSYRV4hW61DTjeiNcKj4O_rJoXmDHVKMNJ51dK8UkVcPTtSLir7zT8hm72S8JSB8A2C1NskrrMCQKk/s1600/penguinclassics.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/classics/hardcoverclassics/index.html">image from penguinbooks.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table>1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien<br /><b>2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen</b><br />3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman<br />4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams<br />5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling<br /><b>6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee</b><br /><b>7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne</b><br /><b>8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell</b><br /><b>9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis</b><br /><b>10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë</b><br />11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller<br />12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë<br />13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks<br />14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier<br /><b>15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger</b><br />16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame<br /><b>17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens</b><br /><b>18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott</b><br />19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres<br />20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy<br />21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell<br />22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling<br />23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling<br />24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling<br />25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien<br />26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy<br />27. Middlemarch, George Eliot<br />28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving<br />29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck<br />30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll<br />31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson<br />32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez<br />33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett<br />34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens<br /><b>35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl</b><br />36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson<br />37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute<br />38. Persuasion, Jane Austen<br />39. Dune, Frank Herbert<br />40. Emma, Jane Austen<br /><b>41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery</b><br />42. Watership Down, Richard Adams<b><br />43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald</b><br />44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas<br />45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh<br /><b>46. Animal Farm, George Orwell</b><br /><b>47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens</b><br />48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy<br />49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian<br />50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher<br /><b>51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett</b><br /><b>52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck</b><br />53. The Stand, Stephen King<br />54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy<br />55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth<br /><b>56. The BFG, Roald Dahl</b><br />57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome<br />58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell<br />59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer<br />60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky<br />61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman<br />62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden<br />63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens<br />64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough<br />65. Mort, Terry Pratchett<br />66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton<br />67. The Magus, John Fowles<br />68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman<br />69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett<br /><b>70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding</b><br />71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind<br />72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell<br />73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett<br /><b>74. Matilda, Roald Dahl</b><br />75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding<br />76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt<br />77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins<br />78. Ulysses, James Joyce<br />79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens<br />80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson<br />81. The Twits, Roald Dahl<br />82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith<br />83. Holes, Louis Sachar<br />84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake<br />85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy<br />86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson<br /><b>87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley</b><br />88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons<br />89. Magician, Raymond E Feist<br />90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac<br />91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo<br />92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel<br />93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett<br /><b>94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho</b><br />95. Katherine, Anya Seton<br />96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer<br />97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez<br />98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson<br />99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot<br />100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie<br /><br />21 out of 100. Not too shabby I suppose, although I am sure there are many of you who have read way more than that. There are some that I did not bold because I have read parts of these books but not the whole thing. Others I have seen in the film form, but that does not count, because we all know that the book is always better than the movie. And I actually own others of these books that I have not yet read. A few years ago, my goal in the New Year (some would call this a resolution) was to read 50 books. With this list and the unread books on my bookshelf as inspiration (a la <a href="http://pancakesandfrenchfries.com/unread-library/">Jules' unread library</a>), I am thinking that I just might have to come up with some sort of reading program for myself for 2011.<br /><br />Are there any books on this 100 best-loved novels list that you've read and would recommend to me? Or have read and would advise me to not waste my time on?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-26781561699977464712010-12-06T07:16:00.000-08:002012-08-21T06:34:51.201-07:00The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!I think Christmas really is the most wonderful time of year. As I write this post, I am listening to Christmas music, my house smells like a fresh balsam tree (thanks to Bath & Body Works and their <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3515870&cp=2484529.10935777&cm_re=Holiday3+HP-_-Sub+Feature-_-Mix+%26amp%3Bamp%3B+Match+WF">wallflower</a>, you'd never know we have an artificial tree), and the lights on the tree and mantle are a-sparkling.<br /><br />Most of my present-purchasing is finished. I've started sending Christmas cards to loved ones. And in the midst of the chaos that comes along with the kitchen renovation, our home is mostly decorated - this year inside and out (with a 36" lit wreath on the bay window and some lights on our bushes out front).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qi0eR-OpKVa5yUV03VMDQ3lN1EPSkOnBb5pzNAkOQRW0fkhB4_9G5HMJT7CFeEAv2-8wf82_9V0xfCnO9T85VSYON2xYPfryM6LTJN7jqxgHHjUm1jgrXLTgm0TfFXp3DZlNcUph-zY/s1600/Christmas+Three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qi0eR-OpKVa5yUV03VMDQ3lN1EPSkOnBb5pzNAkOQRW0fkhB4_9G5HMJT7CFeEAv2-8wf82_9V0xfCnO9T85VSYON2xYPfryM6LTJN7jqxgHHjUm1jgrXLTgm0TfFXp3DZlNcUph-zY/s640/Christmas+Three.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08rjrQS9xXgb8Dd502c0-26SQUmJhmtQkUAn0tQ0AnwZOWY-bpyYCdz7RSnP8OyQefK8TUxOSc6ji4Kc8cg9R2_Sk6821K53LlANXPnHn3c3nV0FxnscZBveRZ3v-WfQdplsefdehxNo/s1600/Christmas+Five.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08rjrQS9xXgb8Dd502c0-26SQUmJhmtQkUAn0tQ0AnwZOWY-bpyYCdz7RSnP8OyQefK8TUxOSc6ji4Kc8cg9R2_Sk6821K53LlANXPnHn3c3nV0FxnscZBveRZ3v-WfQdplsefdehxNo/s640/Christmas+Five.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMqjYzdh7hhHQiHql3eOxkcKXj_y59S0godo7lHKKOw9hIGGk9Ne1D_FBNjFyrZbYIkNAQ5GjcMr_y8oJEULmUowJr7RQN2_mLvFZRD0u2aE-yy6xA5w7gSUiqO_bAG1SzPqYS7yNQ7k/s1600/Christmas+Six.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMqjYzdh7hhHQiHql3eOxkcKXj_y59S0godo7lHKKOw9hIGGk9Ne1D_FBNjFyrZbYIkNAQ5GjcMr_y8oJEULmUowJr7RQN2_mLvFZRD0u2aE-yy6xA5w7gSUiqO_bAG1SzPqYS7yNQ7k/s640/Christmas+Six.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOganmB6i7vRv2V4ibIw0saVxP4oqy8LRC77R9me5dXu63L7vvZKJUdAQi6u8uLDFoNKWmx_w0KAL8RBGOiVARvM7CtmUJA9zBQVw6XSOMj9gJEWftbsJ4rHrVhr0Zm4_AC9XB7q9EleI/s1600/Christmas+Four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOganmB6i7vRv2V4ibIw0saVxP4oqy8LRC77R9me5dXu63L7vvZKJUdAQi6u8uLDFoNKWmx_w0KAL8RBGOiVARvM7CtmUJA9zBQVw6XSOMj9gJEWftbsJ4rHrVhr0Zm4_AC9XB7q9EleI/s640/Christmas+Four.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2QjXIBPCJzs7kxZXMtyaZ0IbF-HZB_jN1ya1ZYw3_8qlyXu_bLZysdVM9Mc1MS5FYgQSU1AsZ-oSWtdzMrY10_zqnLE0QkmVJLm9ezYLO0V7-K79GjdVb2tJ_lgVYrEaaoqAC9y0xGg/s1600/Christmas+Seven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2QjXIBPCJzs7kxZXMtyaZ0IbF-HZB_jN1ya1ZYw3_8qlyXu_bLZysdVM9Mc1MS5FYgQSU1AsZ-oSWtdzMrY10_zqnLE0QkmVJLm9ezYLO0V7-K79GjdVb2tJ_lgVYrEaaoqAC9y0xGg/s640/Christmas+Seven.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEKAnXVMChhf8Nu1EKbDTeOQQ83QWrl0qo3hNELP6LW1abSiMAdABDzo1-gbSXuDLRqbCD-D5fHZreS-d2ciKtc4VmHQFzt2mGhm_SegJbpw8RtRBB6XJMTrc0Ao9dJef8y3mOFV0D8E/s1600/Christmas+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEKAnXVMChhf8Nu1EKbDTeOQQ83QWrl0qo3hNELP6LW1abSiMAdABDzo1-gbSXuDLRqbCD-D5fHZreS-d2ciKtc4VmHQFzt2mGhm_SegJbpw8RtRBB6XJMTrc0Ao9dJef8y3mOFV0D8E/s640/Christmas+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtEZRXZwpi2hWnhR1SsWKkNRIDGN9USwZxFo60F1aNMCehZkD0jheHGKxM6M1-LTX4sXLAJA1iJu3My56TME3JI7XS8e-S85HfHN2qNSHns1uk4F0rYtKsKu6QlG0gbxYd7w3TsQgOA4/s1600/Christmas+Two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtEZRXZwpi2hWnhR1SsWKkNRIDGN9USwZxFo60F1aNMCehZkD0jheHGKxM6M1-LTX4sXLAJA1iJu3My56TME3JI7XS8e-S85HfHN2qNSHns1uk4F0rYtKsKu6QlG0gbxYd7w3TsQgOA4/s640/Christmas+Two.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br />Of course, I still have a few final touches on the decorating, and one or two gifts to buy and most of them to wrap. But I feel like the planning and energy to get ahead this year has really paid off. I always enjoy Christmas. I love Christmas. But some years, I feel like I get so caught up in the commercialism and busyness that I forget to treasure and ponder the (as cheesy as it might sound) real reason we celebrate this holiday. This year, I find myself cherishing the celebration of Advent and praising God that he made Himself flesh and dwelt among us, the light of the world coming into the darkness (John 1) so that He could live a perfect life and one day go to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, so that we may have fellowship with Him and eternal life. The mystery of Christmas.<br /><br />Christmas this year has been a time of real reflection for me personally, through the Advent readings of Scripture and Christmas music/lyrics. I hope that it will be for you as well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-61370060287924899512010-12-01T19:07:00.000-08:002012-08-21T06:34:51.230-07:00"Wordless" Wednesday - Christmas Edition<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFm6t6BRbHtfmPc50hGEUgpcmWA3SEcVRdkE-lGcwm6z9CedYN8P7gJCcfAOBlgeNDts2r7_5aqeSZhk1tckgFvNOXu1lvLY39JuouGw-Fq852qBBRLAqwANJVicViNLlhc_yKvzWIG6w/s1600/DSC_0115.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFm6t6BRbHtfmPc50hGEUgpcmWA3SEcVRdkE-lGcwm6z9CedYN8P7gJCcfAOBlgeNDts2r7_5aqeSZhk1tckgFvNOXu1lvLY39JuouGw-Fq852qBBRLAqwANJVicViNLlhc_yKvzWIG6w/s640/DSC_0115.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-6035424864206228552010-12-01T11:52:00.000-08:002012-08-21T06:34:51.224-07:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuKzuCBU8_Bx-RnyNCQooeL_EDETcamqSNJrZMhIbcwkhSgxrCPjvoBI2FLojtkTrONyGvVGsI3i33KG3WVb2xJEQTC7O722fF9wRoO2e2qEBCZ4gLmITmclB8ntS79aGpDk156cbWXg/s1600/DSC_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuKzuCBU8_Bx-RnyNCQooeL_EDETcamqSNJrZMhIbcwkhSgxrCPjvoBI2FLojtkTrONyGvVGsI3i33KG3WVb2xJEQTC7O722fF9wRoO2e2qEBCZ4gLmITmclB8ntS79aGpDk156cbWXg/s640/DSC_0060.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-56046157957268529802010-11-18T10:14:00.000-08:002012-08-21T06:34:51.222-07:00sneak peekThe kitchen has waved farewell to its demolition phase and reconstruction is underway. Here's a sneak peek. Enjoy!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuw_ATee__IUH7tX8aYdkHT6K782pG8LLT7xaOBoHF1h5EowHvCYdpcsr5W3I2t3pVSfwSkHJ8JC5GWaAw0NyFrxpJWAaYcKO82g_rZMKGy9KdFVEKZGJbMGiFuOEj8Xzwht3O3CsfrQ/s1600/DSC_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuw_ATee__IUH7tX8aYdkHT6K782pG8LLT7xaOBoHF1h5EowHvCYdpcsr5W3I2t3pVSfwSkHJ8JC5GWaAw0NyFrxpJWAaYcKO82g_rZMKGy9KdFVEKZGJbMGiFuOEj8Xzwht3O3CsfrQ/s640/DSC_1112.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuQB938vgJx8JFm3Fb68s2erV9Kg45WgPRYasA5pfMFMTjhzddp5O7mMH9S_X8bxy9q4sxdSpNJ90fPq6wrWXGZLBSjy_6cJtjqB0cHmJoRuPXIcgeTvOR0romz70EEsTNKQfaqEMtwI/s1600/DSC_1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuQB938vgJx8JFm3Fb68s2erV9Kg45WgPRYasA5pfMFMTjhzddp5O7mMH9S_X8bxy9q4sxdSpNJ90fPq6wrWXGZLBSjy_6cJtjqB0cHmJoRuPXIcgeTvOR0romz70EEsTNKQfaqEMtwI/s640/DSC_1116.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU6pjl05E7QA-3OVsj5hbpd0Aj7-Rt-LMcVT-bwGQ2QBlflenzCkjt6y7V9ou-hLqDCwdNm8ZSN5ZFUaw60E7_w_56xzKtmrD5soBafC-yYn_8224S3VoT-TZD2Ui3R44jatA43T2LJk/s1600/DSC_1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibU6pjl05E7QA-3OVsj5hbpd0Aj7-Rt-LMcVT-bwGQ2QBlflenzCkjt6y7V9ou-hLqDCwdNm8ZSN5ZFUaw60E7_w_56xzKtmrD5soBafC-yYn_8224S3VoT-TZD2Ui3R44jatA43T2LJk/s640/DSC_1130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-43518564855352037652010-11-04T12:42:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.210-07:00Help!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJyck0-LZIxGJCS-CHTWiCIQxRTPecxPORtOzSeqIrGEygoaD7bdaO51zkDbxDtLl42bNcVFvBnYVpGT6m7M5Per4hF-7HjdlvxK4MsYdEaZhIEpFldjq0asRPv7RoZTIUWhSS8eYKuI/s1600/stove+moved.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJyck0-LZIxGJCS-CHTWiCIQxRTPecxPORtOzSeqIrGEygoaD7bdaO51zkDbxDtLl42bNcVFvBnYVpGT6m7M5Per4hF-7HjdlvxK4MsYdEaZhIEpFldjq0asRPv7RoZTIUWhSS8eYKuI/s640/stove+moved.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Before I begin, sorry for the poor quality of this photo... iPhone. :)<br /><br />OK. So I need your opinion. Based on all of the "potential move" of kitchen appliances I shared with you in my previous post, a few nights ago <strike>we were inspired </strike>I was inspired (so Rob was pretty much forced to help) to start demo-ing our kitchen. I like to call it test-demo. We took the countertop off of the small cabinet next to the stove in the photo above. Easy as pie. It was only held on with L-brackets and screws. I also peeled off the plastic toe-kick on the bottom of that cabinet, because that will eventually go before we repaint the cabinets. See the teal? That's what color the cabinets ORIGINALLY were before the cream color they are currently. Then we tried moving the stove over to the corner because the upper cabinet is higher and more equally proportioned to the dimensions of modern day stoves/ovens. We plan to purchase a new one. You can see why. (PS - don't look to closely at the dirt that was where the stove used to me or your gag reflex might kick in if you are anything like me). You can also see what the wall looks like underneath the laminate backsplash. Dark brown glue goop that is impossible to remove.<br /><br />Oh, did I mention we're having house guests next weekend?<br /><br />I guess we'll be eating out. I hope they don't mind.<br /><br />So... we can't decide about the stove. Corner or back in the original location? HELP!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-44316769801593550662010-11-02T07:56:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.218-07:00A Fresh StartThis weekend, we were able to find the time to FINALLY start a bunch of projects that we have been <i>meaning</i> to start for months. I am so glad that they are underway, and can't wait to share the progress with you as they go. First up is our kitchen. It looks like we've either just moved in, or are getting ready to move out. The displaced kitchen items have found homes in the living room (where we're currently testing out a conjoined dining room/living room to see how we feel about it), basement, and even office/guest room. I'm an "a place for everything and everything in its place" kind of gal, and so we'll see how long it takes before the chaos gets to me. But so far it's been 2.5 days, and I am holding up okay. Check back on me in a week. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBjxJcAcQagN0QA5nN-ZukWIZKXnOZ4Hn5o2X_gpYBmsca32pwcyPT100tENtAHJEIz3PK7xfKvIL_rqk7a0tddaOQUCUKVEoroR6tlNmqs36Gm-NORv4PtQsHfbQhALnQyQJnu9cps8/s1600/DSC_1079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBjxJcAcQagN0QA5nN-ZukWIZKXnOZ4Hn5o2X_gpYBmsca32pwcyPT100tENtAHJEIz3PK7xfKvIL_rqk7a0tddaOQUCUKVEoroR6tlNmqs36Gm-NORv4PtQsHfbQhALnQyQJnu9cps8/s640/DSC_1079.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBcjGoqYQJMfcRhKHdDLtKvA6fJ23osBNXS7eI8msqXqTsisSMWl0wnr3OQ6Vgce-MBMH0-Va5PhJEKy5K8m0CFn6mfHqK9oTLwaK6YXiTxO28QbgVcjBI225meoB3C4Ym7Oed_wtNek/s1600/DSC_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBcjGoqYQJMfcRhKHdDLtKvA6fJ23osBNXS7eI8msqXqTsisSMWl0wnr3OQ6Vgce-MBMH0-Va5PhJEKy5K8m0CFn6mfHqK9oTLwaK6YXiTxO28QbgVcjBI225meoB3C4Ym7Oed_wtNek/s640/DSC_1080.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Above are a few shots of the displacement, and below, the dining room/living room conjoinment... What do you think?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSLhHKHf3EYQfahSVIM6BY6zdbGb8cS4S2eHS0MLCLKSJkZeZJX-nGm2tEVMVgT5Rv-539bLTijRJv9P1iK1rOEZu_lmaWqWXmGAadoQzSo0uDzwUjo3Sax4QpurcpsOIUBZ_flIYUZ4/s1600/DSC_1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSLhHKHf3EYQfahSVIM6BY6zdbGb8cS4S2eHS0MLCLKSJkZeZJX-nGm2tEVMVgT5Rv-539bLTijRJv9P1iK1rOEZu_lmaWqWXmGAadoQzSo0uDzwUjo3Sax4QpurcpsOIUBZ_flIYUZ4/s640/DSC_1082.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Anyway, we knew that in order to get actually started on the project and not just thinking about starting, we would have to empty out the room so that we could again see what we were working with. We'd have to do this to start, and although we're still trying to figure a few things out first, we feel like we've started and clearly can't go on living like this forever. <br /><br />Our plans for the kitchen "renovations" have changed about 17 times, and we are still undecided about just how we want to work the layout. We have solid wood cabinets, which we've talked about replacing, but the truth is that right now, we think we'd regret tearing them all out (both sentimentally and budget-wise). Our plans are to sand them down, patch up the holes, and paint them a coat of crisp, clean white. We're deciding whether or not to move the stove from the middle to the corner of one wall, to remedy the "original stove was larger than current 30" stove and vent" problem with the cabinet above, as you can see in the following shots.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqZ4_xk56uIrGARaHk2WytOLINjl0o4NJRsKgQOL37bPG_cEBtCO1YJzzK6m3c9gd1qOYg3H8qPVoJZqoAtWuCH0KzmxzjEurWdaYjFgeqaqhzLONT50XMF31GS-J4Mz-yYRqwPZn3Jk/s1600/DSC_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqZ4_xk56uIrGARaHk2WytOLINjl0o4NJRsKgQOL37bPG_cEBtCO1YJzzK6m3c9gd1qOYg3H8qPVoJZqoAtWuCH0KzmxzjEurWdaYjFgeqaqhzLONT50XMF31GS-J4Mz-yYRqwPZn3Jk/s640/DSC_1075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyXvr8drT7yMAsmbGxc-Ljb27RIWonVS7hPZqZ6ILmV5QkYhdrl72HmJpxxWgSeaEWcApXLdX2Tj6GZcVJeTwnwvQCwOzrlJwxRECc9s5qM140yFxoJh2CrDcgL3a7K9sSqMvPTpVWTc/s1600/DSC_1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyXvr8drT7yMAsmbGxc-Ljb27RIWonVS7hPZqZ6ILmV5QkYhdrl72HmJpxxWgSeaEWcApXLdX2Tj6GZcVJeTwnwvQCwOzrlJwxRECc9s5qM140yFxoJh2CrDcgL3a7K9sSqMvPTpVWTc/s640/DSC_1076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsPLrVg7TrqOJD9l-rPK80g0oUWp8RRaaSlVjBXz_h4thzZPGiya_qhPR8CKjOYWxOlSedn8YHcpHTX7YLP_pOn8MiHRyIZeyDKSH1i04Ol7SND9f2rytEmoQR_pPBquA66cCVLKEEfU/s1600/DSC_1077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsPLrVg7TrqOJD9l-rPK80g0oUWp8RRaaSlVjBXz_h4thzZPGiya_qhPR8CKjOYWxOlSedn8YHcpHTX7YLP_pOn8MiHRyIZeyDKSH1i04Ol7SND9f2rytEmoQR_pPBquA66cCVLKEEfU/s640/DSC_1077.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We've also got to figure out how to remove the laminate backsplash that is currently the same as the laminate countertops without damaging the countertops in case we don't redo the counters and sink right away. We know we want to tile the backsplash with subway tile close together and gray grout... it's just a matter of doing things in the right order, which currently we're thinking is: 1) remove old backsplash; 2) paint cabinets; 3) tile.<br /><br />Our second big project is working on the outside. We have beds the whole way around our rancher, and a few large trees, so lately we've been tree pruning like crazy and this weekend, we cut down all of the flowers in the back beds in preparation for some major work this spring with the rototiller. We have some regrading to do (still working on our inspection checklist) and plan on installing new walkways to the front and back leading to a new stone or brick patio outside of our screened-in porch. We also have a decent amount of leaves, and filled up 9 compost bags full of leaves and the clippings from our back beds. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M_wt4kMLKhHqw8fulxCCARqlnFGHNZ0WX9UtqldKcXkXH_bN0mi6kiwsWwMWDVuS0lk_xqShFOL25XSs31meO4omNjKHCDGHU73Xy7LExWBeDx-t9GJ4lrPGVVQEiaSa0vmvmZO7jFM/s1600/DSC_1055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M_wt4kMLKhHqw8fulxCCARqlnFGHNZ0WX9UtqldKcXkXH_bN0mi6kiwsWwMWDVuS0lk_xqShFOL25XSs31meO4omNjKHCDGHU73Xy7LExWBeDx-t9GJ4lrPGVVQEiaSa0vmvmZO7jFM/s640/DSC_1055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Last weekend, Rob (with the help of our uncle who was visiting from Boston for the weekend) built this ramp into the shed so that we can easily store our tractor and lawnmower in there. It looks great and is SO functional!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKodPqvBHqU9ZUzTNBgQxUb8Ef4VMdYKec8Tw8H0DW2jryrLMAZZJ9aIL9dmJYzoqo60X1Rq_lWz0FRxCB_qigVGGCQq5C0zR_bDDCmVLWtSze8V5xeLeGEtPXeMmGpeJxuc-O6nn5Gqo/s1600/DSC_1071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKodPqvBHqU9ZUzTNBgQxUb8Ef4VMdYKec8Tw8H0DW2jryrLMAZZJ9aIL9dmJYzoqo60X1Rq_lWz0FRxCB_qigVGGCQq5C0zR_bDDCmVLWtSze8V5xeLeGEtPXeMmGpeJxuc-O6nn5Gqo/s640/DSC_1071.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>With the leftover board from the ramp project last weekend, this weekend we installed a swing from the huge oak tree in our front yard. It adds a little charm, and is fun too!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziQl0hV2Ims2aWMRnYd_Y7z3KGfa2U58UCZkyQ31fxVgpfUieN4sJxB7VOxXMA7TwF0GJHmiTz2s98r_sduNdVkCuh1ZvxR0AiMKvNJ7sar9aXy8VNtJo6cARQUPVkAIBTCbKk6p1MtY/s1600/DSC_1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziQl0hV2Ims2aWMRnYd_Y7z3KGfa2U58UCZkyQ31fxVgpfUieN4sJxB7VOxXMA7TwF0GJHmiTz2s98r_sduNdVkCuh1ZvxR0AiMKvNJ7sar9aXy8VNtJo6cARQUPVkAIBTCbKk6p1MtY/s640/DSC_1067.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhke0O4v31sYhmGNb_FA_645mwx92khlLHMS4ubiB0b35eF0saiILb4CH919DOJ3jy_mNo0_cCCfcrGbMB6J7ihz7rvcNr4nS64uIqtSgMtaCiEEZjq1Vk_uBSp7et_SjDal-eNElHoZIU/s1600/DSC_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhke0O4v31sYhmGNb_FA_645mwx92khlLHMS4ubiB0b35eF0saiILb4CH919DOJ3jy_mNo0_cCCfcrGbMB6J7ihz7rvcNr4nS64uIqtSgMtaCiEEZjq1Vk_uBSp7et_SjDal-eNElHoZIU/s640/DSC_1070.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />So, that was our weekend. Have you started any projects lately?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-11537854873167094482010-11-01T07:57:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.192-07:00seasons series | fall | giving thanks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLfgVUdS_FvT7EUanMuQfXBC667kAtjPsnd_w-gZbczKIddsYh8cAW7O2dhLNqvGSTgR7HwKfcYQbJYVL7Wi-fDACS7Vj5N1cSiW0MKBWiZ2H3DdpE7YreJoNeG-V0Q1j6QBLzn2vFoo/s1600/DSC_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLfgVUdS_FvT7EUanMuQfXBC667kAtjPsnd_w-gZbczKIddsYh8cAW7O2dhLNqvGSTgR7HwKfcYQbJYVL7Wi-fDACS7Vj5N1cSiW0MKBWiZ2H3DdpE7YreJoNeG-V0Q1j6QBLzn2vFoo/s640/DSC_1052.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Happy November! I love that the holidays are right around the corner... my favorite time of year because of the occasions to celebrate with family and friends. There is a time of slowing down and focusing on those things that are really important in life. Not that we can't do this at other times of the year, of course. But Thanksgiving, in particular, is a time when I am reminded of all that I am blessed with in life, and that even in the midst of difficult times, God is good. <br /><br />And as cliche as it might sound, I am really going to try to make a list, one day at a time, of things that I am thankful for this month. I am not much of a journaler... more of a list-maker, so that's what I will do. And just before Thanksgiving, I will share them with you. I think this exercise will put things back in perspective for me. It's so easy to lose perspective, isn't it?<br /><br />What are you thankful for? Will you join me in this little challenge this month? Make it a family activity. If you have children, teach them to be thankful at a young age. Display the list somewhere in your house so everyone is reminded throughout the month of the things they mentioned.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-41774098538763469362010-10-26T12:59:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.208-07:00Out of the Dark AgesWell, we've finally gotten around to doing this... a <strike>sorta big</strike> announcement...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOzBCvYwmBOxLzC9svfWuEzJlcvGoCLxWQdKs1whjYHFNjUm3khz8yymGj1HGig6oKHtM-ZHUKESAzAem2F1Lv3NXtdcJtYJbd8b_FVQbS00pYhh2dGnAqgeZe0I1QwAW89ItxshBa8I/s1600/normallyoddcouple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOzBCvYwmBOxLzC9svfWuEzJlcvGoCLxWQdKs1whjYHFNjUm3khz8yymGj1HGig6oKHtM-ZHUKESAzAem2F1Lv3NXtdcJtYJbd8b_FVQbS00pYhh2dGnAqgeZe0I1QwAW89ItxshBa8I/s640/normallyoddcouple.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />We're now accessible at <a href="http://www.normallyoddcouple.com/">www.normallyoddcouple.com</a> (we love blogspot, don't get us wrong, but wanted to shorten our address). So, tell everyone you know! Kidding. Update your bookmarks, and any links you may have on your page to ours. If you're still trying to visit us at our old address, don't worry. You should automatically be redirected.<br /><br />Nothing else has changed YET... but stay tuned for a new house tour page... coming soon!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-20574447959138152342010-10-12T11:54:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.197-07:00Office BlingFor the past few years, I've been trying to bring a little of home into the office. Not only does it create a comfortable environment in which to work, but it makes the office more welcoming in general. It's all in the little things - curtains, plants, candles, etc. My latest purchase ($1.49 at Ross) will not only be helpful in providing a little more organization but a little sophistication as well. I introduce you to....<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdravhjb8Bso3wG8e4TOJMz6DZGt2qyCsTEYj5p75bKIR7cabiTHF3trY8MFm4RpHQEiTQVNFo8a1h152iQ19mzgfw4G_8S0kRAcb9MVyQp1Hs72skmHGSxtFMPBEpdL7f1_m-DMY0BI/s1600/paper+clips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdravhjb8Bso3wG8e4TOJMz6DZGt2qyCsTEYj5p75bKIR7cabiTHF3trY8MFm4RpHQEiTQVNFo8a1h152iQ19mzgfw4G_8S0kRAcb9MVyQp1Hs72skmHGSxtFMPBEpdL7f1_m-DMY0BI/s640/paper+clips.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>... my new paper clip container - which I found on clearance in the "bathroom accessories" section. No longer will the clips be mingled in with the staple remover and white out. They'll have a new little home all to themselves.<br /><br />Now the paper clip holder is making my pencil cup look a little sad...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-71290319469540744842010-10-07T13:17:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.234-07:00seasons series | apple butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLfgVUdS_FvT7EUanMuQfXBC667kAtjPsnd_w-gZbczKIddsYh8cAW7O2dhLNqvGSTgR7HwKfcYQbJYVL7Wi-fDACS7Vj5N1cSiW0MKBWiZ2H3DdpE7YreJoNeG-V0Q1j6QBLzn2vFoo/s1600/DSC_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicLfgVUdS_FvT7EUanMuQfXBC667kAtjPsnd_w-gZbczKIddsYh8cAW7O2dhLNqvGSTgR7HwKfcYQbJYVL7Wi-fDACS7Vj5N1cSiW0MKBWiZ2H3DdpE7YreJoNeG-V0Q1j6QBLzn2vFoo/s640/DSC_1052.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I am introducing a new "category" to the blog in which I can share seasonal decorating ideas, recipes, photographs, craft projects and the like. A few posts each season will be dedicated to this category, and I hope you find it enjoyable and maybe even helpful. I live in Pennsylvania, and am blessed to be able to watch the seasons change in very distinct ways - colors of the trees, weather/changes in temperature, and other patterns in nature. It's hard to say I have a favorite season, because I really do enjoy special things about each one.<br /><br />One of my favorite things about fall is the abundance of flavors that hint at the need for warmth as the temperature gradually grows cooler and the air is marked by crispness. Apple and pumpkin added to just about anything you can think of. My mother-in-law stopped by a local orchard recently, and bought an abundance of apples for baking - Gold Delicious and Cortland. She gave me about 40 of them, and with a few, I made this <a href="http://bspokeblog.com/?p=452">apple cake</a> shared by Bethany over at b*spoke, which was so yummy! Instead of mixing the nuts in, though, I sprinkled about a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts over half the cake after I spread it into the baking dish, and then sprinkled the whole thing lightly with some cinnamon. You can't go wrong with a little cinnamon!<br /><br />So this past weekend, Rob and I visited my cousin in Virginia Beach, and I brought some apples with me, in case we decided to make a treat. She shared that she had been wanting to try this apple butter for the crock pot recipe for a while now, so we got everything together that we needed... made a double recipe... and let me tell you, it is GOOD. Here's the recipe we followed, with a few changes that we made along the way.<br /><br />INGREDIENTS<br />Approx. 3 lb. apples, 2 c. sugar (we cut this down from 3 cups), 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. cloves, dash of salt, 3/4 c. water<br /><br />DIRECTIONS<br />Fill crock pot 3/4 full of peeled, cored sliced apples. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Cover and cook on low overnight, for 8-10 hours (took more like 12 for the doubled batch). If butter has too much liquid, remove lid and cook on high until desired consistency results, checking and stirring every 20 minutes. The finished consistency will not be as smooth as its store-bought counterpart <br /><br />I am excited to make this again, (for Thanksgiving dinner maybe?) and would welcome your feedback if you decide to give it a go!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-89824537968753696022010-09-30T12:32:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.244-07:00Chocolate......need I say more? <br /><br />Sometimes, it is the only thing that will get me through the day.<br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/09/30/1492.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/09/30/s_1492.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-53070732280233916232010-09-28T08:20:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.220-07:00Saturday's ProjectIt's been WAY too long since my last post. Things have been busy, and we've been enjoying the last of summer and settling back into our "school year" routine. We've been working on a lot lately, but unfortunately my follow-through hasn't been good enough to get things up here... my apologies.<br /><br />This weekend, we tackled the headboard project for our bed. Just before we got married, we purchased a new queen-size bed so that we'd have something to rest our heads on. Two twins pushed together just wouldn't cut it. :) If you've been reading for a while, you know that Rob's grandmother passed away just days after the wedding, and we spent much of the following year helping sort through things to get her house ready to sell. Then once it sold, we helped move everything out, and inherited some of the furniture, including the bedroom set (large dresser and chest of drawers with two matching nightstands and a king-size bed with a brass headboard). The bed was almost brand new, and actually fits in our bedroom with plenty of room to spare, so we moved our queen into the <a href="http://normallyoddcouple.blogspot.com/2010/08/be-our-guest.html">guest room</a> and have been sleeping on a headboardless king bed for the past few months.<br /><br />With the help of a 40% off your total order at JoAnn's, a little inspiration, and a few hours of work, we crafted a lovely (if I do say so myself) tufted headboard. We purchased plywood cut to our desired dimensions (75" x 30") by the kind folks at Lowe's, drilled 10 holes into the wood for the buttons, then spray glued the 2" foam, covered it with batting and then the linen fabric, made the buttons, attached them to the headboard, attached 4 hooks onto the back of the board across the top to ensure a secure "hang", and then mounted it onto the wall. <br /><br />Here's a little photo collage of the process (iPhone pics), plus a few shots of the finished look:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuEL0EP7__ftB5mxLhmNRmd-iilqPGDy-LGPiNSC0eSyyz6iG_tazkhb7PRGOn2Rs0LGa1TUuV_uEFVeWvStMwBho_TpUQSipamoFVP09TM1Hqcg9HJXUXvxt-LMQpu3Sf6cMoCbl8mg/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuEL0EP7__ftB5mxLhmNRmd-iilqPGDy-LGPiNSC0eSyyz6iG_tazkhb7PRGOn2Rs0LGa1TUuV_uEFVeWvStMwBho_TpUQSipamoFVP09TM1Hqcg9HJXUXvxt-LMQpu3Sf6cMoCbl8mg/s640/collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Pz0JCyPKQ8h9kHQncGyeEutgZdK4yaRWz70y4VHvlbQgbsvTTwN42fDsjy38DzMLJYHZpMKRDHaNNeHu174tpAzAUVx2D27Z_x7uPGNccRZ78APJ7dL-f75dpzUHA9IvcjQGcLGWLc/s1600/DSC_0994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3Pz0JCyPKQ8h9kHQncGyeEutgZdK4yaRWz70y4VHvlbQgbsvTTwN42fDsjy38DzMLJYHZpMKRDHaNNeHu174tpAzAUVx2D27Z_x7uPGNccRZ78APJ7dL-f75dpzUHA9IvcjQGcLGWLc/s640/DSC_0994.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3d-epbA2tBQNlLLFsZOjn29WAbhxC_h8-VG6eolTnfgx0Z7uqFmdrbd5-SjeJrexCVFdguSomxaKq9kqyvc4cDwGbH8PlhHuPaUGclyKGVXBe6Ij3E4B_A16th5nwU3PnzkeH6d8FBk8/s1600/DSC_0996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3d-epbA2tBQNlLLFsZOjn29WAbhxC_h8-VG6eolTnfgx0Z7uqFmdrbd5-SjeJrexCVFdguSomxaKq9kqyvc4cDwGbH8PlhHuPaUGclyKGVXBe6Ij3E4B_A16th5nwU3PnzkeH6d8FBk8/s640/DSC_0996.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrIo2Cg_MC0Xo4cynNzU3xPno1nX_nC5oSQDzaLievcUUjALJJvXkd2ENAJE_G6Xx5ZArTvWVobg_XS3bXtSN23xwURtF_3K2dTIZZ2F82J40YDqBGe4gq5nhbVBKdEXGA_SWcDo0vkM/s1600/DSC_0995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrIo2Cg_MC0Xo4cynNzU3xPno1nX_nC5oSQDzaLievcUUjALJJvXkd2ENAJE_G6Xx5ZArTvWVobg_XS3bXtSN23xwURtF_3K2dTIZZ2F82J40YDqBGe4gq5nhbVBKdEXGA_SWcDo0vkM/s640/DSC_0995.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> <br />So far, we've slept in our bed without worries of the headboard crashing down on us in the middle of the night, so I'd call it a success!<br /><br />What do you think? What have you been DIYing lately?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-65578224614608993252010-09-02T07:39:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.232-07:002010 Project UpdateWith the recent heat wave, and very hot summer, January 2010 seems like decades ago! But as we settle back into our "school year routine", we're taking a look at the projects we'd like to complete this fall, before the snow returns...<br /><br />Here were our goals for the year:<br /><br />1. Finish replacing outlets, light switches and cable boxes. Rob has gotten a lesson on replacing all these things from a good friend of ours who has a background in all things electric, so he got busy starting this project - but every time we think a room is finished, we find another old outlet. <b>We got off to a good start on this, but unfortunately still have some naked outlets... The good news is that all of the VISIBLE ones have been replaced.</b><br />2. <strike>Refinish dresser for master bedroom.</strike> The dresser we currently have is from Rob's childhood, and his mom painted it teal many years ago to compliment the jungle theme in his bedroom. A fresh coat of black paint and some new hardware will make this look like it was meant to go with the bed we purchased a few months ago.<br />3. <strike>Remove wallpaper and paint. </strike>We're still working out all of the different design elements for the kitchen, as we eventually plan to put in new flooring and countertops, so stay tuned!<br />4. Sand and paint kitchen cabinets, followed by installing the new hardware we recently purchased at Lowe's over Christmas break on our huge shopping trip. <b>We are still in the planning phases for our kitchen renovation, but have purchased items like a sink and countertops... not we actually just need to get started.</b><br />5. <strike>Update the look of our front door with paint</strike> (red or black? still trying to decide) and new locks and handles... and maybe a new storm door to create a better seal and save us some major mulah on the heating/cooling bill. <b>We chose red, and are very happy with the result. We installed a new deadbolt, but realized after we removed the old hardware for the actual knob that they don't make that size anymore, so we've been front-door-doorknob-less since, oh, April. :)</b><br />6. <strike>Linen wall board(s) project</strike>, <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/large-linen-pinboard/?pkey=cwall-organization">like this one from PB</a>, to help get our organization booties in gear. <br />7. Refinish daybed - paint and purchase some new, more fitted bedding and tons of throw pillows.<br />8. Organize basement. This will include sorting stuff that we've been receiving from our parents' storage, deciding what will go toward a yard sale that we hope to have sometime this spring, and figuring out an aesthetically pleasing way to store what we do want to keep - most likely with the help of an Ikea storage system (like this <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/secondary_storage/10898/">GORM system</a>) that suits our needs. <b>We have partially accomplished this goal. In May, we had a <a href="http://normallyoddcouple.blogspot.com/2010/05/yard-sale-postlogue.html">yard sale</a> but our basement could still use a little help...</b> <br />9. Build workbench to maximize storage in garage, and provide an area for organizing our ever-growing collection of tools and project parts, like this great <a href="http://www.milwaukeetool.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=2601-22&CategoryName=SC%3aDriver%2fDrills">new cordless drill</a> we got for Christmas. <b>This is on our to-do list for the fall, along with building our compost bin.</b><br />10. Landscape, landscape, landscape. This is Rob's main goal for the year. I think he could probably care less about some of the other projects on our list. There is one section of our yard that needs to be graded away from our foundation on more of a slope, and we're hoping that will solve the one area of our basement that leaks the least bit. But we want to get this taken care of so that we can plan how to refinish the basement in future years. There are also some trees that need to be cut down, branches trimmed, beds redefined, and the list goes on. So we will be looking forward to spring in a major way this year! <b>Another partially completed goal... we were able to get rid of some trees and do some basic landscaping, but have a long way to go!</b><br /><br />As new homeowners (this fall we will celebrate our first year in our home!) we definitely had a lot we wanted to accomplish and were a bit overly-optimistic about all that we thought we could accomplish. We've definitely been learning that all projects take WAY more time (and sometimes more money, resulting in more time) to complete than they look at the outset. <br /><br />Stay tuned as we continue to chip away at our list for the year...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706645877505089070.post-83811260309776811342010-08-23T17:17:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:34:51.239-07:00Photography: Walls Family, July 2010Rob and I went to college with Jen & Tyler, and I was thrilled (and surprised, of course!) when Jen asked me to shoot a few photos of their happy family when they were visiting family and friends here in Pennsylvania this summer. It was so good to see them to catch up for a little, and it helped that their little guy, Ethan, loved the camera...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciGYQ0JQi7AVWjc57z1gQ48IyWlslKJ_vKTlW6Kv4acwY516nVKa86h-7L4YONyS6Dn3c5TuqgxdOydgvcBi-RAO_aNZZAPAEr5zhZEZTv4rg5YAreuQfkPFn-Pv_DS32EUKLc5fW9SM/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciGYQ0JQi7AVWjc57z1gQ48IyWlslKJ_vKTlW6Kv4acwY516nVKa86h-7L4YONyS6Dn3c5TuqgxdOydgvcBi-RAO_aNZZAPAEr5zhZEZTv4rg5YAreuQfkPFn-Pv_DS32EUKLc5fW9SM/s640/DSC_0024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8lth7VmncQovZOqmqvCdnrfIz3dwRjVr3aXLF-Dm1-JLTS5b1Z9VaWkYX6Szk2QPQVZQIG6eRzQ3kjRykibmT2njuBDF0I9yNzge3HN9tx0nL2rC5Wlmtx3Nal5U-rIYUYCOO2av-Zs/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8lth7VmncQovZOqmqvCdnrfIz3dwRjVr3aXLF-Dm1-JLTS5b1Z9VaWkYX6Szk2QPQVZQIG6eRzQ3kjRykibmT2njuBDF0I9yNzge3HN9tx0nL2rC5Wlmtx3Nal5U-rIYUYCOO2av-Zs/s640/DSC_0012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip56COoKWeRP2goLmKYYzzVLJC8Yp81_jJxPOyMfSbIMAzi41Y7vigBdoTfbhrWg6xhwm04J8aNlvFHH9-U-fMk2THO4v0Nd9KG6rYbieJmPqRIb2EuS48OT-eXORjlHZiyQDuVnUfutg/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip56COoKWeRP2goLmKYYzzVLJC8Yp81_jJxPOyMfSbIMAzi41Y7vigBdoTfbhrWg6xhwm04J8aNlvFHH9-U-fMk2THO4v0Nd9KG6rYbieJmPqRIb2EuS48OT-eXORjlHZiyQDuVnUfutg/s640/DSC_0053.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNS6YTZCexFnVzhE2a0bqsIuagE6YiCjEUmiOb5sJMWUsqYjh-sfW4eaHi0_dSiSPMAT78OYWcfK-HfQfF1zdiCgKwDIPlL6ejZ0Zw8UTvs9ToDVe7_UtqKTIsq7CAb9zDZCT1ljWsvbg/s1600/DSC_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNS6YTZCexFnVzhE2a0bqsIuagE6YiCjEUmiOb5sJMWUsqYjh-sfW4eaHi0_dSiSPMAT78OYWcfK-HfQfF1zdiCgKwDIPlL6ejZ0Zw8UTvs9ToDVe7_UtqKTIsq7CAb9zDZCT1ljWsvbg/s640/DSC_0072.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdev212sqXXNHPm5ptwNlFNUH3wB-oUaW3hzhEg5fXoYnXylSVaawbYfnTZ7rcmG6c-K_4gS4VQbw7UaTUt0XPhr0f9IJXHN8FL0ZmNKtaIksXjkpoNq3tt9wQA55bJfq1NE6qPlOm0cs/s1600/DSC_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdev212sqXXNHPm5ptwNlFNUH3wB-oUaW3hzhEg5fXoYnXylSVaawbYfnTZ7rcmG6c-K_4gS4VQbw7UaTUt0XPhr0f9IJXHN8FL0ZmNKtaIksXjkpoNq3tt9wQA55bJfq1NE6qPlOm0cs/s640/DSC_0082.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For my first family "photo shoot", and the 95+ degree weather on one of the most humid days in July, I was pretty pleased with the results (although I still have a ton to learn photo-wise)... and I hope Jen, Tyler and little Ethan are too! </div></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04745731890404274977noreply@blogger.com4