The Guest Room Challange

We recently had our roomie move out. Okay, so not very recently, she has moved out and is already MARRIED! (Which I am beyond excited about - I love Mat and Lora!). But with our little one leaving the nest we have our spare room spare again. Now, it's even painted a wonderful purple hued gray.My quest is to make a lounge/guest space with no budget. Not that I am going to go out and buy the whole room from Room and Board, but rather, I need to decorate this space for free. With the recent money put into the office and fixing our flooring downstairs (Flooded. More on that later), I don't really have additional funds for a guest room. Plus, prayers answered, we will have a little one filling this space within the next year or so. There really isn't any reason to go out and spend a bunch of money on a room that will hopefully be in transition soon enough.

In the meantime however, having it sitting there empty is totally bumming me out. Not only do I not have a much beloved roomie, but there is no bun in the oven to imagine filling up the space. The empty space creeps me out. So, with no budget I need to fix it. I might have to buy nails and glue or something, but really this will be a work with I've got project. I wonder what I will come up with? How fun!

A Camping We Will Go- (hi ho, hi ho)

We went for a mini camping trip in Zion this last March, just a quick weekend trip. It was all too lovely and perfect. Jeff and I went up early to set up everybody's site on Friday because the army had half day (Arrested Development reference). We really just did it because no one wanted to set up a tent at night. That is the worst part of camping, tent pole meet my eye. No thanks.

Friday Jeff and I hit up Springdale for dinner after setting up camp. After dinner at the Pioneer Wagon (?) we strolled main street and went in all the gift shops. We are trying to send ourselves postcards from all our vacations with a few notes of what we did on the vacation. Postcards are much cheaper and easier to store then other chachkies. Once it got dark we headed back to camp and bleed our car battery dry watching old Buffy episodes. Having a mini date with the hubby on our mini camping trip was a nice surprise. Nobody else ended up showing up until wee hours of the night, which in camping terms is at like 10 at night.

The next morning we just chilled and eventually found our way to the Emerald Pools hike. (We originally planed to also do the Oak Creek trail as well but traded that hike for a nap instead.) Emerald Pools was such a great choice. The weather could not have been better and at the top of the three pools was a giant snow drift still melting away from winter. I've done this hike a number of times before, but this time was by far my favorite. Who would have known - go hiking in mid-March.

The hiking, lounging, and napping was wonderful, but the main event for me was the cooking. This was the first time in a long time that I had gone camping without any "real" adults. I usually let the "real" adults cook me up a bunch of good grub, or just go with a can of soup or something when I camp solo. Jeff's parents have been great at gifting us a bunch of camping gear every Christmas since we got married though, so we finally busted all of it out, the stoves, the tables, and the DUTCH OVEN!

I have to say that my first round of real camping cooking went swimmingly thanks to the Bame's. Jeffs dad provided me with a couple tried and true Dutch Oven recipies. Because I am so nice I'll share them here too!

We had a really great time. This mini camping trip was test run for hopefully more extensive camping trip to come. So much more relaxing then running all the weekend errands and cleaning the house. I will take this kind of weekend anytime!

Breakfast:

Eggs (1.5 for each person)

2 cups of milk

1 package of bacon

1 package of sausage

2 medium bags of hashbrowns

cheese or salsa

Place liner in the dutch oven. Layer the bottom with bacon, then layer 1/2 the hashbrowns, sausages, and the rest of the bacon. Repeat layer (minus bacon). Poor eggs and milk mixture over the top. (Eggs, milk and salt and paper should be consistancy of srambled eggs.) Bake at 350 for an hour. Once done top with cheese or salsa or just each plain because it is so yummy!

Dinner:

1 Chicken breast a person

Sliced thin potatoes (as many as you want, never enough potatoes)

1pack of Stoffer Stuffing

2-3 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

Onions

Oil

Line Dutch oven. Put a little oil on the bottom. Layer thinly sliced potatoes and chicken. Pour in 1/2 of the soup and sliced onions, repeat layers. 15 min before it's completed pour in Stoffer Stuffing mixture on the top. Bake at 350 for an hour. (Can use cheese soup or mushroom soup too).

Dessert:

2 Jars (3 Cans) of Pie Filling.

White Cake Mix

1 can soda (sprite)

seasoning mixture (cinnomin, nutmeg, sugar- to taste)

Put fruit mixture on the bottom of lined dutch oven. Sprinkle seasonings over fruit. In a bag, mix the cake with a can of soda. Pour the cake mixture over the fruit and bake- you guessed it- an hour at 350. YUM!

The Office- For Reals This Time

I did it for reals. We started to re-do the office and we pretty much have the basics down. This is what the office looked like last time I dared to snap a photo:

It was a little more messy than normal because this was during my first painting attempt. It actually got worse (if that is possible) when the roommates stuff moved in, so the office was filled with some of hers and some of ours. This room was just not working in anyway. The old school desk I bought for $2 from an old school about to be torn down in UT, my old dressers from Target that were falling apart, and a broken futon, does not the best office make. It was embarrassing.

After some paint and elbow grease, now our office looks like this!

Or at least this what it looked like the night I came home to see Jeff made the desk, but- MUCH better! We bought these cabinets from Ikea last July and just have not had the space to put them up, since the roomies and our stuff was so packed in that room. I bought them in a moment of insanity when I thought we were rolling in the dough, they are $120 each. That might not seem like much to other folks but that is just how cheap I am. If I were more creative I could have bought some broken shelves from Craigslist and painted them, but I thought these babies were worth the cost . . and I was insane.

I picked these beauties out specifically because of how deep they are, a little over 17 inches. I knew that would be the perfect depth to store our vinyl records. Most standard shelves are just too shallow. Plus with two, we have one for him and one for me. This way I wont go nuts if his shelves get too messy, I'll never even have to see them. (Don't his V-day comic book holders look so cute in there!)

Jeff made our desk from a hollow core door we bought at the Habitat for Humanity Restore for just $10 bucks. I was actually dreaming about how we could make a desk one night and told him how I thought it would work that next morning. That night I came home and he had it ALL done. What a wonderful husband I have!

Look at how cute he is, acting like he didn't just rock my world by making me a little desk. (Pay no attention to our messy garage, a project for another day.)

See how the inside of the door is hollow. All we had to do was make a long 'L' bracket from two 1x2 planks. The one inch side (with a little shaving and sanding, maybe even some cutting) can fit inside the hollow part of the door and secured with glue and nails (underneath, so they wont show). The other part of the 'L' bracket is then used to secure the desk to the wall.

Making the desk ourselves let us customize the width and length, and wouldn't you know it, we chose the same width as the Ikea Shelves and the perfect length to fit in between them. This makes our whole desk and storage area take up just over a foot of wall space along one side of the room. Nice! We have some of the hollow core door left over so we are thinking of making a couple floating display shelves for the office as well. There are a lot of different tutorials on how to make desks, shelves and whatnot online. You can get a ton of DIY tips and hints by just Googling it. Try it, it's fun. Or you can dream about how to do it, either or.

Of course I can't forget the paint. This is the bugger that held up the process for months and months. Thanks to a couple of my favorite bloggers, I found the perfect paint color- BM's Moonshine. This is a true gray, it didn't pull green, or blue, or purple. I love it! I had it color matched to Valspar's no VOC paint so it didn't even smell. Jeff was smart enough to think to color match the Ikea shelves too, so that our desk would match perfectly and look more like a built in shelving system. That really was the look we were going for.

Of course the office isn't DONE, but I think it is finally well on it's way. We still have the broken futon (we probably will until we win the lottery or something), and I still need to hang art and accessorize, but the base is done and NOW the fun part can begin!

Love is for February

I love Valentines Day. It is definitely one of my favorite holidays. It didn't use to be, until I turned it into a day not about how hot my Valentines date was, but instead, as a day to ensure the people in my life know how much I love them. I usually made it mostly about my sisters, and now my lovin' hubby is in the mix too.

This year I went pretty simple compared to past years. I made Jeff these silly little magazine holders that are designed to hold his most prized possession, his comic books and graphic novels. Yes, I am married to a dork. Not only are these meant to finally give Jeff a place to store his comic books, but also a promise to finally re-do the office. For reals this time.



I painted the magazine holders with chalk board paint on the outside and an nice burnt orange on the inside, to match the colors in our office. On the chalk board side I drew different scenes from comic books and had re-stickable super heroes I made out of comic book trading cards. This way Jeff can make up his own stories, or draw to his hearts content and wipe is away when he's done. This would be a great project for a youngin', or a husband with a young heart.


I also got him this marvelous book by Rob Ryan. It is a love story made out of his paper cutting art. I just fell in love with the art and the story.


I woke up, gave him a message and made him breakfast, which is pretty standard for this holiday. This year Jeff helped with breakfast though. I think it was because we got to use the Star Wars pancake molds I got him for Christmas. I didn't get any pictures but they were super fun. I am still a fan of the pancakes I made him last year though, little pink hearts!

This year I went simple with the sisters too. Didn't take any pics again. For my older sister I got her heart shaped sugar cookie cut outs and a red trivet for the kitchen. For my younger sisters I got them PINK hot chocolate.


Image from here.

Last year's gift to my sisters was probably my favorite and I had no idea how to top it this year. Last year I hit up ebay and got each of my sisters vintage Avon fashion jewelry. I got Heather and Sage rings, but there was no way I could find a ring small enough for Jade, so I got her clip on earrings (she doesn't have her ears pierced). I made some templates on the computer and printed them out on card stock in place of traditional cards. I thought they were so cute.


As another side note from last year, I also gave our Nursery kids at church a little valentines. I wasn't teaching my CTR kids for the holiday this year, but I think something like this would have worked for them too. Anyone who has ever been in Nursery knows how much little kids LOVE bubbles.


Of course I got a gift or two myself. Jeff really hit it out of the park this year.

1. Chocolates: Check- girl scout cookies
2. Flowers: Check- a beautiful rose
3. Perfume: Check- Reed diffuser- perfume for the house
4. Jewelry: Check- A wonderful lovely heart bracelet.



Valentines always makes me so happy. I hope everyone else had as wonderful of a day as I did.

30 X 30: Road Trip

I finally took one off my list, the Road Trip!

1) Have my hair professionally dyed a dark auburn.

2) Go on a 'real' date with Jeff once a month, no family members invited.

3) Blog once a month.

4) Update my wardrobe with at least 5 fun and totally non-essential items.

5) Lose 20 lbs, feel more fit.

6) Take a road trip.

7) Organize the garage and all our tools.

8) Re-vamp the office. It needs an overhaul.

9) "Grow up" our decorating style a little.

10) Paint the hallway and stairwell.

11) Frame the dried flowers from our wedding.

12) Print the disposable camera pictures from our wedding.

13) Make a window treatment for the kitchen window.

14) Complete 5 crafts from the Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Crafts.

15) Find at least 5 go-to recipes from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cook Book."

16) Take better pictures with my Nikon.

17) Write, record, memorialize my grandparents history.

18) Sew something.

19) Decide if I'm going back to school and for what.

20) Stop drinking caffeinated soda.

21) Tithes.

22) Pray more.

23) Go to the temple once a quarter (4 times a year)

24) Read the Book of Mormon again.

25) Get preggo.

26) If preggo, decorate the cutest nursery ever!

27) Read 6 books.

28) Reduce our monthly expenses by 10%

29) Learn how to play my favorite piano song from the Sense and Sensibility movie.

30) Take a trip with just Jeff and I for our 30th birthdays.

A couple weeks ago 'the girls' (meaning Heather, Lora, Sage & Jade, as always) and I went on a little day long road trip to Rhyolite, NV.

Like the dork that I am, I did a little research so that I could be the 'tour guide' for the day. The research simply went on notecards in my back pocket. (Don't worry, I wont bore you with the history lessons here on the blog). Rhyolite is just a couple hours outside of Vegas and makes for a great day trip.

We started the fun at the candy shop in Beatty, NV while eating Subway for lunch. After the candy shop we took the 11 mile trek out of town and walked around Rhyolite. On the road we shared our mounds of yummy candy goodness.

It was interesting to see a town that was all but washed away. Even though it may be the most popular "ghost town" in Nevada, it wasn't scary at all, mostly just sadly interesting. I couldn't help of think of Las Vegas and our own recent boom and bust cycle, our own empty and abandoned buildings.

We ended the day by stoping in Pharump on the way home and having dinner with the grandparents. It was by all accounts a very lovely day. Their were no boys, no complaining, no work, no nonsense. We girls just had a wonderful day together and I loved it!

2010 EOY MIX

Every year Jeff makes an end of the year music mix with all of his favorite new music from the year. He burns a bunch of disks and gives them out with Christmas presents for friends and family. Here is his list this year written by Jeff for facebook:

1. Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap. Not a secret to many people. It was the song of the weekend when I visited my sister up in California. We saw a "white boy reggae" singer groovin' and singing along. I too love to sing and groove along. You may remember the song from 500 Days of Summer. Good movie.

2. My Own Sinking Ship by Good Old War. Trying to get all of my California trips out as soon as possible I guess. These guys were so fun in concert if you don't believe me just ask the two guys standing in front of us at the show.

3. Violent Dreams by Jump, Little Children. The California trip is done but Becky's hand is quite evident. I ran into the house to grab a CD to play in the new stereo the wife got me last Christmas and it was a 90's playlist made by my sister. This is the third or fourth track and it was my favorite reintroduction on the disc. It was my favorite song of the year that was not made this year. I have to turn it up and sing along. I am finding it hard to type right now as the song is playing. The title track for the CD (kind of) I love the lyric "She's hanging by a needle and a thread" "All my waking hours just to see you live through this sleepless night" Beautiful song. Hits home as it seems I am never sleeping.

4. Excuses by Morning Benders. If you download one song from my mix that was made this year, this should be that song. It has the feel of the song you think you've heard before. Amber asked me if it was an old song or if someone was covering an old song when she heard it. "I put no one else above us, we'll still be best friends when it all turns to dust" Good song. Classic melody.

5. After the Storm by Mumford & Sons. Beautiful heartfelt lyrics that made me cry the first time I heard this song. Persevere! One of my favorite albums of the year. Good band.

6. Breakneck Speed by Tokyo Police Club. I have been a fan of Tokyo Police club since I first heard their first EP. Perfect example of a band evolving and still very much rocking. Head bobbing fun and dancing is what inevitably comes from this song. Good to be back indeed.

7. Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National. Not sure how this song slipped past the Twilight people. The Baritone voice doesn't hurt. The song is the best from their new album which is all pretty good. And the first of two songs back to back about a dude taking his shirt off. Take from that what you will.

8. Lewis Takes His Shirt Off by Owen Pallett. As if it could be any other song about a dude taking off his shirt and preparing to defeat the being oppressing his people. You thought Colin Meloy could write a good story in a record, check out Heartland.

9. Generator (First Floor) by Freelance Whales. I love the way this song builds into something you never want to end. Kinda like a musical version of your proudest piece of Lego artwork.

10. I Can Change by LCD Soundsystem. I like the beat of this song and his dramatic singing. I went to the concert that Vegas couldn't give away tickets for. "Love is a curse shoved in a hearse," Cool song.

11. Citizen by Broken Bells. James Mercer has one of those voices and everything Danger Mouse touches turns to gold. Including this album and song.

12. What Part of Forever (Remix) by Cee Lo Green. Speaking of Danger Mouse collaborators. Cee Lo had a couple great songs this year including the one called "That song Gweneth Paltrow sang on Glee".

13. It Will All End In Tears by The Drums. Very Joy Division meets The Cure. I like the chorus for this song."Your eyes are always saying goodbye". Nice.

14. Nothing Like You by Frightened Rabbit. After having the title track on 2008 and coming just short of making 2009's playlist Frightened Rabbit is back. His voice is intoxicating. They were good live even though Amber and I were both tired (thanks beauty bar) We both had a good time and enjoyed the set despite it's many technical difficulties.

15. Bullet by Steel Train. Careful! This song will hit your brain like a bullet and you won't be able to get it out. "As long as you're here, together we can die alone" With all of its ooos and ahhhs it is catchy as an h, an e and a couple hockey sticks.

16. Goodnight Moon by Go Radio. If you are going to name a song after one of the most iconic children’s books it better be a good frackin' song. It is a good frackin' song. Perhaps the most emo of all of my entries, but it is soooo cute.

17. Barles + James by Band of Horses. Alright, I know that isn't the real name of the song, but that is what I call it and this is my mix. "The door stood as if it was standing guard, of a dozen 'chickmunks' in the backyard" Great imagery. Fantastic song from the soul.

18. Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. You have heard this song if you still watch commercials. I liked it best when they sang it live. Very friendly and cool all the way to their Bob Marley campfire sing-along (minus the campfire). Again, severely under attended by my fellow Las Vegans.

CHECK THEM OUT!!!!!!!!!!

Wait UP!

So it's only the middle of January and I feel like I'm already behind. I think of all the things I need to do and I get so overwhelmed that I don't know how to start. Somehow,I must already be behind.

I've been trying to think of the things that I HAVE to do, the things that I SHOULD do, and all those many things I WANT to do, to organize myself and not get overwhelmed. Again, I don't know how working moms do it? So here is my basic list:

HAVE TO: Work, work overtime, clean, wash, make healthy meals, pay the bills, run errands, church callings (including talking this last Sunday at church- I could make 5 other posts that describe how much I truly HATE speaking in church, but that can be another day). This list doesn't seam all that long, but in reality this stuff takes up 90% of my time, makes me exhausted enough that I don't know if I can get up the strength to go on to other items below.

SHOULD DO: Work out for an hour a day, read more, research fertility treatments, research adoption, volunteer, visit with family, date my husband, help Jeff with his "new" job, get a hair cut, wake up earlier so I look presentable everyday, have a pedicure, have family home evening every Monday, make weekly meal plans, clean the grout in the kitchen, etc.

WANT TO: Basically everything on my 30x30 list and I think I've added like 5 more things to that list since I created it in November (fix the plaster on the stairs, paint strips in the downstairs bathroom, make a new ottoman/coffeetable, granite for the kitchen, new 'grown up' dishes). I also want to just sit on my couch and watch TV or a movie. I want to update my Ipod, I want to update and fix our whole house, I want a dog, I want, I want, I want. Basically this list never ends.

And when I sit and think of all this stuff I have to do, I should be doing, and that I want, I am still overwhelmed. I guess this is part of being an adult. I guess the worry and sleepless nights and feeling inadequate are just part of life. But you know what? I'm done. I am DONE with it! Fini! Geschehen!

Every year I make a mantra for the year, kind of my own small way of doing a resolution. Last year I consistently tried to console myself with the mantra of "Lighten' Up" because I am always so worried and serious. It did help, sometimes. When I was being taken over by "stuff" to let myself know it wasn't the end and I should just get over it. I even lightened my hair as a physical reminder to be more care free. This year I was thinking that I may need to make a mantra like "Make it Simple," or something else consoling, but in the end I decided to just . . .

FIND JOY!

I NEED TO do what makes me happy and stop worrying about all this "stuff". I don't need to worry if I am always on target, always my best self, I should just be myself. I think if I just follow my passions and desire that I will be a more interesting and better person.

So many times my natural man, or the man of the world, takes over my body and mind. But if I can just be true to me and, for instance, read a geology book if I want and not worry that it's the most important of books, or the best use of my time, but just because I think it is interesting and enjoy doing it. If I take a cooking class because I think it sounds like fun and not because I am ashamed that I am not as a good of a cook as so and so. This is my goal. Find what brings me joy.