Sunday, April 26, 2015

I love lamp

Only one day off this weekend sandwiched between work days. So we were pretty busy today. Doug wanted to take me to this antiques store near our house to show me the place. It was pretty much just expensive garage sale junk, but I realized, my lamps are so boring compared to these gems!?!:
my personal creepy favorite:
Doug worked most of the afternoon on our fence, I filled another yard waste bin with sticks, I think one more bin-full next week and all the trimmings from my parent's help last weekend will be gone! I also spent some time laying on the couch reading the other recommendation from Joel, Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Cute, I like it. Then I made mac and cheese
I am not a mac and cheese person. I loved the $0.33 box my mom bought when we were growing up. Bright orange, 1/2 stick of butter, powdered cheese. And then I didn't like any kind anymore. But I saw this recipe and had to try it. There's just something irresistible in the words "molten cheddar."
100% milk, cheese, and white flour, how could it not be good!? It smelled amazing, and tasted pretty good. Doug enjoyed it, as evidenced by this practically empty "4-6" servings size almost gone
I think I'll end up making it again as a treat sometime. My one problem was it asks for 0.5lbs noodles, and I had a 2lb box, I thought I put in 1/4 the box, but it seemed a little dry. So maybe next time, less noodles!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

pillow talk, handy husband, and day off

One of my favorite times with Doug is as we're laying in bed about to go to sleep. Last night we were talking about who knows what and I can't remember what he said, but it ended in "... you will be". Which of course there is only one way to say "you will be" and that is in a Yoda voice. So I'm talking in a Yoda voice and then started talking about the new Star Wars movie and then we're both trying to do a Chewbacca voice which sounded like we were strangling a goat. It was hilarious. I just was thinking if September was wondering what was going on.
Ahhh... good times....
So. My handy hubby solved the problem of losing our laundry and September shelves to the pantry
take an unused space above the dryer
add a couple shelves
pile your stuff on there and decide it looks too messy
ta-da! after a couple of JoAnn's baskets half-off, it looks pretty good!
Other things going on lately was meeting my prego friend Liz at this cupcake place on my day off. I didn't even like cupcakes until Jill introduced me (I curse/love you Jill!!) On Tuesdays the minis are on sale for a dollar and the big ones for 2. So we got quite the smorgasbord and shared and talked. It was nice. The German chocolate is still my fave. I'm praying her baby comes on a day off so I can be there!
Then I finished reading our book club book The Rosie Project (recommended by Joel, thanks!) while snuggling with little furry
And lastly I'm very proud of my progress on my new crochet project. Two crochet classes under my belt, and taking a tip from Doug, I youtube'd videos to learn how to do stitches I didn't know what the heck they were talking about. I think it's working!
Although it's not really much quicker than knitting as I had hoped, it is kinda fun, and different.

Monday, April 20, 2015

weekend update

Oh my gosh, finally I had a Saturday off! Seriously it's been almost every weekend having to work. And yeah I appreciate a day off during the week, but then getting home late, and having 2 hours with your husband and then repeating that 3 days in a row stinks. Especially since he has weekends off. Ok, enough complaining. I saw this and it made me laugh, so true. Nurses work every day of the year.
So Saturday started off right with Doug bringing me breakfast in bed. So nice! Then he went off and did a couple gutter cleaning side jobs, and then came home and did ours.
While he was gone I exercised, did laundry, and did more work raking in the garden. It was a beautiful sunny day.
When Doug came home I made my favorite veggie burgers and then we went for a walk in this nature area halfway up to my parent's city. We also stopped in to visit my friend Liz and sat chatting on her sunny deck. Then went to Doug's friend's birthday dinner.
Sunday was church, and then my parents came over to help cut down some errant tree branches and to brainstorm ideas with us for our bathroom remodel. The problem is our house only has 1 bathroom, so things have to be done very strategically so we don't have to sponge bath for too long or poop outside!
I made this meal of greek salad and pita
I didn't do the olives or quite as much shallots, and did the base of kale and spring mix. But I did do the homemade pita. (tasty, but worth the extra work? I'm not sure).
Combined with a side of roasted sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, and hummus it was super tasty and very filling.
And joyous, finally FB official, news:
This beautiful little girl is going to be a big sister!
I wish this new baby was coming next month in time for my visit, but alas, it takes time to grow babies. So who knows when I'll meet the little new niece/nephew. Only one scheduled CO trip this year. Wah. But very exciting indeed!

Monday, April 13, 2015

life lately

I can't wait till I can make my own schedule. This weekend I worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 2 of them were sunny and nice... and now I have 2 days off but the people I want to spend time with are at work! Boo. Anyway. Doug was a busy boy. One side of our fence was looking super rickety and bad. So he started stealing pieces of it to fix gaps in the other side of the fence, until there was barely anything left:
His brother came over yesterday after joining Doug at church and helped him install the new one
Nice! I just came inside after an hour of raking up leaves out of the flower beds and digging up things. So much work! So much more to do all the time! Sometimes I think maybe condo/apt owners really are the smarter ones!
And finally my tomatoes are starting to grow! Still waiting on the sweet peppers and lavender
And drank this recipe Jill sent using kale
Pretty good, my pineapple could have been a little sweeter maybe.
And lastly I got the results of my latest thyroid labs back, (stop reading if you don't want to hear about 'married people stuff'). I was at work when the letter came so Doug texted me should he open it, I told him yeah and send me a picture. So I'm at work reading this:
Lol. He actually had me going for a second since I had told my doctor we wanted a family in the future, haha.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

handy hubby - the pantry edition

My husband has done it again, more home 'renovations'!
I was hoping for pantry shelves so we could take our shelves of food away from the eating area.
We had a little open closet area in the laundry room right outside the kitchen. It used to hold laundry stuff, September's stuff, tools, catch-all, etc (BEFORE)
And ta-da, he installed these nice new pantry shelves!
It's not the perfect place, because you have to open a door the wrong way to get to the pantry, but it is nice so all our food isn't just out on display.
Filled it up!
Lots of stuff
Although we now have no shelf for September's stuff or laundry stuff, so will need 2 new shelves over by the dryer. That should be do-able before too long.
And now the eating area is much more open.
This is a little open closet area in the laundry room right outside the kitchen. It used to hold laundry stuff, September's stuff, tools, catch-all, etc (BEFORE)
Good job Doug!

Monday, April 6, 2015

94

Today is my grandpa's 94th birthday. Wow. I called him today and asked if he ever dreamed as a boy he'd make it to 94, he said no. So I guess he exceeded his dreams!
I think this is a time they were in FL, (my Grandma isn't wheelchair bound but had a hip replacement, so needed help on the terrain)
She does have dementia though which has been pretty sad to see. To watch such a vibrant, and sassy, but also so thoughtful, loving, and wise woman become frightened and anxious and unsure. It has also been beautiful in a way to see my grandpa, the one she took care of for 72+ years of marriage, now taking care of her.
In RI at my cousin's wedding a couple years ago.
Happy birthday Grandpa! I hope your longevity passes on!

Thursday, April 2, 2015

things I made

I joined a crochet class!
I've been wanting to learn to crochet forever. I always am laboriously knitting away forever while the crochet-ers breeze through their projects. This was after 2 hours of 'learning'
Although I pretty much got stuck as soon as I went home and printed a pattern. The lingo is so confusing! But next class I take my supplies and pattern and I think she'll help me get started and check in on me.
I also paid $90 to get my sewing machine fixed, ouch! Turns out I was using 'the wrong bobbins'... who knew. I guess that's what that sewing machine guy makes the big bucks to figure that stuff out! So anyway, my machine is useable again and that's all that matters.
I made a grocery holding bag for my friend Kelly.
I like the fancy handle detail
why thank you fancy repaired sewing machine!
Last thing I made
Garlic kale and cashew fried rice. Doug said if it didn't have onions he'd eat it by the pound. What a compliment! And babe, I think 3 bowls probably is a pound, even when you throw the onions back on my plate! I liked it, but recommend an additional shake of soy sauce.
Other things going on around here, I ordered my same exact purse but in black. (Why do I sense Jill making fun of me right now?) But yeah so, yeah so!?! I like the shape, and the leather holds up so well. Not sure about the black, maybe a navy next year!?!
And lastly, a watched flat of seedlings never grows?? What the heck is going on here, it's been over a week seeds!!
Although I'm not ready for them at all, still have to build my 'floating garden', I still would like to see some little sprouts!