An apple a day....

I've been spending my time (as a housewife!) cleaning and organizing, with more emphasis on organizing rather than cleaning, not intentionally, I've just come to realize that a little dirt here and there, and the occasional spots on the floor, and basset hair, never really hurt anyone. I've become pretty relaxed about it. The house is coming together and is looking so cute these days...we've been really blessed. I always try to remember to take pictures of it (when it's sparkling clean) so that I can show those of you who haven't been over yet, but I forget, or it just gets messy again, or we start another project....or/and/or/and :) I think I'll just have to post some pictures as is.
I especially love my kitchen! It's avocado green and cream cabinets and red and yellow accents make me smile every time I walk in there, except for the other day, when I was trying to wash out a moldy two month old tupperware, compliments of Thomas, and some left over stir fry and rice. I wasn't smiling at all, and in hindsight I probably should have just thrown it away...after all I get them at Big Lots.

an interesting document...

I've been wanting to write a new post, one for the "new" year for a few days now (6 to be exact), but I haven't been sure of what to say...if anything at all.



This past year has been one of our hardest years yet, but also one of the greatest. 
In just 8 more days, we will be celebrating year three of our marriage. That's exciting because A) we never have to go back and re-do those first three years (!), and B) hopefully we'll be given many more together to perfect the skills we've learned so far (and learn more of course).
About 9 months of 09' was spent at my in-laws and for a total of 11 months of rent free in-law bliss! Free food, really good home cooked meals and cupcakes, a few shelves in the pantry cleared out just for us, two rooms and a bathroom, endless use of the dining room table for all sewing endeavors, minimal complaints about messy rooms and incense, no curfew, and communal car washing and movie watching (just to name a few!)! It wasn't always so peachy though, in fact the first three months involved a lot of complaining (okay, maybe more than "a lot", maybe incessant), the shameless packing of bags in the wee hours and a few trips to my parents, and the not so shameful "I'm going to the monastery!" trips, sandwich-crumbs left on the counter and floor-squabbles, major stove-top cleaning altercations, "that time of the month" issues x 2, basset hound eviction threats, one too many "I'm your primary source for cooking information now, don't ask your mother how to cook something that you know darn well I know how to cook, in front of me. If I truly don't know how to do it, I'll ask her myself and then get back to you" fights, dog-poop-picking-up wars, and some occasional appliance usage issues, namely the washer and dryer, coffee grinder, and disposer.
As challenging as it was for us to live privacy free for 11 months, I know that it was even harder for them! They also had no privacy, less closet space, twice as much dog poop in their back yard, more noise disturbance, a greater monthly food budget, and the overall inconvenience of housing us, feeding us, and storing some of our junk, all while putting up with Emma's shenanigans and ours to boot. I think they need a gold medal, and someday I hope that we can repay them.
As great of an ordeal as it may sound, I wouldn't change the the last 8 months for anything, yes you read correctly, meaning that I would rather clean out a cesspool with Mike Rowe, or eat an table of bugs, or beans, or even hummus on fear factor, than re-live those first three months. Enough said. 
I am however grateful that God saw it fit for us to experience that (He has such a sense of humor doesn't He? or maybe it's just His infinite wisdom?), because we grew and accomplished so much and I gained something that I am so ecstatic/happy/thrilled about...A super great relationship with my in-laws. It's so true! I really got to know them-they know what I look like when I wake up in the morning (and they don't laugh or get scared), they've seen me all frumpy, grungy, and grumpy and they still think I'm cool (I think). I truly LOVE them, they are amazing, and I am so thankful to have TWO sets of awesome, "would do anything for you" parents. It's so cool. I talk to my mother-in-law almost everyday (about as often as I talk to my mom) and I think that's pretty neat! I feel like we're really great friends, plus she's a super awesome sushi date!

I had a lot of great experiences this past year, like a special trip with Hannah to St. Barbaras, a trip with Victoria to Arizona, and a trip to St. Anthonys in Arizona with my grandparents. Getting to know the Watson's (!!!!!), being given another Godchild, being able to attend her birth and to hear her first cry, getting another kid to like me (who calls me yah-yah), and gaining a really, really great friend, was super amazing, and it doesn't hurt that she knows how to feed my sweet tooth either! 


And not to mention buying our first house!!!! And it's on a cul-de-sac!!!!! And it has 3 bedrooms and an office!!!! And we have real furniture!! And all of the help that we had from our family and Jeremy with his "manly" skills!!!! It was so great to work together and I'm so thankful for their time, because this place was super disgusting and needed it so very badly! It is such a pretty house and we just love it! It has been so great to make it a home and (try to) keep it organized and clean! It is such fun and I hope to spend the rest of my life in my 20' x 8' pink laundry and sewing room and as a master house-cleaning-and organizing-wife-lady with my Martha Stewart home keeping handbook and Home Comforts tucked under my arms! I am so thankful that God gave us such a beautiful house, one that is so cozy and has enough room for family and friends! Not to mention an awesomely huge backyard!

I also managed to make it into one of the nursing programs at RCC (the LVN program to be exact). Though it's not anything close to what I dreamed/planned for myself (after all, I was going to finish PA school at the age of 23 and have a baby while walking off of the stage) (ha), it's close enough. It's a part-time program, which translates to another year (than neccessary) of my life being spent at RCC, but I can work in a year and a semester, get on with life, and then go back someday and finish up the RN program when the thought of back-to-school shopping makes me feel all warm and fuzzy again. 


So, here's to hoping that 2010 brings problems with easier solutions, some plant life for the yard, maybe a paint job for the house or a patio cover, an organized garage, a brew/man lounge out back, better health for everyone, including Grandpa, happy bassets, maybe (if Thomas agrees) a long haired dachshund with the temperament and class of a certain Roberta, at least the minimal scholastic achievement needed to pass two more semesters, a Christmas miracle, and maybe some chickens and a garden too. 

Little hams

I picked up these cute little hams during one of my almost weekly routines...watch baby M, play with baby M, feed baby M, etc., say goodbye, go thrifting. Chino has a lot of thrifty places (like 3 Way), and even if I don't end up finding anything, it's something entertaining to do that I find relaxing, you don't have to talk to anyone, just you and your quiet self slowly walking through aisles of other peoples abandoned goods looking for little treasures or useful things. I even like to look in other peoples' carts and hands to see what little treasures they found, I think it's so neat to see what everyone came in there for, or thinks is worth snatching up. I like to laugh at funny knickknacks, and get really excited when I find books that are on my amazon wish list for under $1...it's pretty fun, just like going to antique stores, minus the junk part, sometimes.
I guess it's kind of like shop therapy, without the huge price tag. Last week I picked up a sweet herringbone skirt, a really ugly Christmas sweater (vest...I hope it still counts), and these salt and pepper shakers. All for under $5 dollars.

The only problem is I don't know which is which! Nutritionally speaking, it would be more logical to have the salt in the shaker with one hole, and the pepper in the one with more holes, but then again, who wants that much pepper? Or do they? I turned to the internet for some "salt-and-pepper-shaker-etiquette" advice, because I know Brad &/or Jeremy would pitch a fit if I got it wrong, but there doesn't seem to be any set rules or standards, just much debate.

I don't really think it matters....who wants to eat flavorless pre-ground pepper anyway! Maybe I'll fill them both with salt and call it a day! I'm pretty partial to hams and they were just too cute to pass up for 39 cents.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Christmas is here and it is so good to be in our own home! It's been so fun decorating!

I have a few more projects to work on and then we'll be all set. I wanted to make some sort of banner or count down chain (out of fabric) to drape across the mantle, and we need a little something for the top of our tree too. Maybe another wreath (the cinnamon stick one was so fun to make and smells wonderful!!!), and some new stockings (note cute fabric above)....and of course gifts!

on the backburner

I've been slightly uninspired to blog lately...or maybe slightly is the wrong word. Aversion? I don't know.

 

Hiatus. Just maybe.

Home...

Life has been so busy, swirling and bubbling into a more agreeable... something, every day.
Yesterday was our first day here, our first night in a bed we haven't laid on for 11 (and a 1/2!) months. This morning I made coffee in my unmentionables and made Thomas' lunch to the quiet sound of Norah Jones and the morning birds. 
Thank you God for our beautiful home.

Dead as a doornail

So she had a good run. I figure she must have been at least three (I've had her for about two years), which is very good for a teddy bear hamster. I think it's because I fed her really well, gave her lots of fancy treats and pringles, always gave her lots of fun things to convert into houses (like that fancy tree house below), changed up her cage so she didn't get bored, and gave her lots of exercise too. Yeah I was a pretty good hamster lady/mom.
Here she is in her younger days.
This was taken yesterday. Maddie had been exiled to behind the trash can downstairs for a few months now. Her body just stunk and no matter how much I cleaned her cage it still bothered everyone. She had developed a few tumors, her skin was all wrinkly and flaky, and she had also started to bald. It was time.
I had cleaned her cage yesterday, freshened everything up, played with her a little and given her lots of cotton to sleep on (she made the most elaborate nests), and we brought her back upstairs so she didn't have to die behind a trash can.
Here's her little burial box. Thomas and I are going to leave a little early tonight for church and stop by the house so we can bury her.
Probably somewhere where Emma won't dig her back up though.

On a lighter note, Thomas took me out for a special day yesterday. I have a new hair color and cut. It's pretty fun and I'm so glad he did. I needed some special wife time. Pictures to come.