Annoyingly Domestic

It's a Beautiful Day to Be Thirty

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:36:00 +0000

I turned 30 yesterday. Where is the time going?

It seems like just a moment ago, I was 20 and had no direction. Whatsoever.

I shouldn't be, but I am...amazed by the change 10 years can bring.

My direction is solid and I'm more than content. I'm peaceful on my path and it just feels right.

Strangely, though, the me in my minds eye is still a little girl of about eight years old. A little girl with the mind and heart of a 30 year old woman. I know I am and I go through the motions, but I'm not sure if I will ever feel like a grown, responsible woman.

So, what do I want for this next decade? In no particular order...

Gain financial independence.
Learn Latin.
Learn German.
Learn Latvian well enough to calm the panic in my heart over losing my heritage.
Feel good about myself (get my thyroid medication optimized, get healthy, and get skinny).
Buy land, build a house, a barn, and buy horses (Friesians), chickens, and bees.
Build on our family ties - bring us closer and closer.
Bring the boys all the way through high school, successfully home schooling.

I think that's it. I know that whether I meet these goals, I sure will have a good time trying.

Antique Store Finds...

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:29:00 +0000

My parents arrived last week...and Mom and I have been having fun. I don't have time for a full length update, so I'll leave you with some pictures. ;)

Gorgeous, footed, silver overlay bowl

Ironstone teapot, sugar and creamer

Roseville creamware pot

Purple Pyrex mixing bowls (not vintage, I'm sure, but they go well with my Emile Henry Figue cookware)

A beautiful glass necklace we think may be Czech (if anyone thinks otherwise, please contact me).

Aaaannndd.....though it's a bit premature, because it's a Christmas present and I don't have it in hand, I have to share a picture of it... It's 13 inches tall! Ironstone pitcher...

Happy holidays!!!

Word Vomit from Grumpy Gus

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:24:00 +0000

That's me today. Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. But productive...which is an odd combo. Grumpy because my body's doing weird things because I was irresponsible yesterday by eating something I knew would lead to me feeling this way. Productive because...well, I don't know why, but I'm goin' with it. Now, if only the rest of the family would get on board, too. (see? grumpy.)

After scrubbing the kitchen counters and floors, making smoothies for breakfast, and running around as delivery personnel for my husband as he dismembers a deer (yay)...

I have a huge pot of Bolognese sauce simmering away on the stove, getting ready for the freezer.

I have one chicken already cooked, picked of meat, and stock boiling down for bouillon. The second chicken is almost done in the pressure cooker and the stock will be boiled down, as well.

I have just finished picking pumpkins seeds from three huge pumpkins (since the boys were being prissy, grossed out, little girls about it - yes, I just said that) and we'll have salted, roasted seeds in just a bit (which I'm not sharing with the boys, thankyouverymuch. Not today, anyway LOL).

By the end of the day, I will have also cut up and frozen one bunch of bananas (for smoothies for the boys) and sliced the other bunch to dehydrate for banana chips (yeah, like we really need the sugar).

After the bananas are done (tomorrow?), I will also dry roast a huge tub of garlic cloves and dehydrate that, as well, for roasted garlic chips and powder. I also have jalapenos and tomatoes to dehydrate...

Have I ever mentioned how I really am not a huge fan of cooking or being in the kitchen? Especially when I'm the one cleaning it? Hm...

Laundry mountain needs to be folded before the weekend starts...no, wait...three laundry mountains. And clothes need to be gone through for a Salvation Army/Women's shelter drop off.

I will also be taking a match to The Man's beautifully handmade bar, as it is covered with clutter and crap that I've asked him a million times to put away (his stuff - gun stuff, RV stuff, tools, manly stuff). I've been asking him to do that for...months. Yes, months. And in my grumpiness, I'm deciding that a big ol' bonfire out on the lawn would help me feel better. Yes, immensely. :) (most of you probably think I'm joking, but with my thyroid issues, I tend to run a bit cool and a bonfire would warm me up quite nicely).

Oh, yeah...and we still have a full school day ahead of us before the kids are supposed to go to their beloved "Kids Night Out." Oooh, thought... I am making Friday's "Art Days" since we do every subject all of the other days of the week and are ahead of schedule on everything else. At least for today.

But once that's done, I'm hoppin' in the shower, putting on my new shirt and (clean!!!) jeans, I'm cozying down with some candles, the fireplace, a cup of decaf coffee with cinnamon (thank you Lord for Emeril's Jazzed Up decaf K-cups - it's the little things in life), and a good book. And maybe some of this...

Dear God...

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:34:00 +0000

Thank you for boys who give me (key) rings.

Thank you for nature in abundance (even in the middle of riding lessons).

Thank you for unconditional love (even when it's pretending it wasn't doing anything wrong).

And thank you for the vast array of men and women (each with their own, special personalities) who fight to keep this country safe.

Go love on a soldier today. Especially if you don't get to everyday.

Then, go hug your family and give thanks.

Art for Stress Reduction? Maybe?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:06:00 +0000

Sometime over the last couple of days I got it into my head that I didn't have enough to do. I have convinced myself that I need to learn how to watercolor. It will help me reduce stress (says the anal-retentive, type-A-screaming-to-get-out, micro-managing woman). Watercolor isn't exactly...precise...so what am I trying to do? Put myself into an early grave by using flowing colors that I just relinquish my control to?

So, since I don't have any watercolors (and am anally researching the best quality supplies - should take a year to finish my comparisons LOL), I thought it would be wise to bone up on my drawing skills. I used to draw quite a bit in school, but it's been many, many years since I dabbled in shapes and shading. Today, while the boys were practicing their writing, I was searching for drawing exercises and came upon this beauty. For whatever reason, this seemed easier to me than the jalapeno I'd initially planned on drawing (we have a box of 'em on the counter). My crazy brain seems to think that typically difficult things are easy and typically easy things...insurmountable (like, freezing fear - it's totally irrational). I don't know why I'm like that, but going with it, I took it step by step and came out with...

My mom would say I'm being too hard on myself, but if you don't push yourself, how are you going to get better (and I'm certainly not freaking out over this being not quite realistic enough for me)? Obviously, I need to work on my brows and lashes. Hair completely escapes me and it has always driven me nuts. The eyebrow is a bit too close to the eye, too, and my shading is off. If anyone has any constructive criticism, I'd sincerely appreciate it. And to do with the title of this blog entry...I do feel incredibly relaxed now that that's done. ;)

I think that as soon as I can learn to draw some simple sketches, I'll invest in some good water colors. My watercolor passion is flowers (like everyone else LOL). Peonies, roses, and iris', to be specific. I've been watching YouTube videos on how to paint these gorgeous flowers and I'll admit...I do have hope for myself (fleeting though that may be). We'll see, though... I pray that the end result of all of this IS relaxation and not an aneurysm. Haha! Famous last words, right?

On a completely unrelated note, is it normal to do a happy dance when the UPS man delivers my rechargeable triple A's? I can imagine some things needing batteries are worth doing a happy dance for *ahem*...but I needed them for my LED candles. I think this is one of those "annoyingly domestic" moments in which I annoy myself after realizing what I'm doing.

Home Schooling Check In

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 00:52:00 +0000

This is a home schooling update for anyone who may be interested. I've had a few requests for an update on the boys, so here goes...

We've started the new year off with a bang. If there were any doubts whatsoever about homeschooling being the right choice, all doubt has been put to rest. The boys are doing so well and are enjoying the year immensely. I never thought I'd say this, but I am, as well. I look forward to beginning our work most days and it's a good feeling.

A little bit of back story for any newcomers... Jake was born almost exactly six months before 'Nic who are brothers through marriage. 'Nic was "held back" by the school system here because of his age (missed the cutoff by two weeks), which is a major factor in why we're home schooling. He had been in an academic setting since he was a baby and was, quite frankly, more ready for school than Jake was. We "dealt" with it his preschool and kindergarten year and tried to just go with the flow, but 'Nic, being the precocious kid he is, started um...occupying his time in ways that got him sent home on a sometimes daily basis. Typical story...the kid was bored and understandably so! He was the oldest in his class, he was beyond what they were teaching, and the teacher was teaching at the youngest child's level. So, a few months before the end of the school year, we just bit the bullet and pulled him out. He was falling behind in every aspect of his development. It was heart breaking. Anyway, at that point, he all but refused to read. He hated it, felt embarrassed by it, and swore that when he had children, his wife would be the ones to read their bedtime stories (no joke). Within two weeks, he was reading Harry Potter (5th grade level)...and telling us all about the story with a beaming smile. Over the next couple of months and part of the summer, we caught him up to where we thought his true level should be (it was nearly effortless, so we're confident in this) and this year...he's learning the same 2nd grade level work as his brother. The crappy behavior he was learning at school has been nipped in the bud and he's one happy go lucky little boy again.

Jake had a great first grade teacher, but after home schooling 'Nic independently for a couple of months, I realized that Jake could be learning so much more if he was getting more one on one education. Not only that, but we were teaching 'Nic things that I know Jake wasn't learning and I felt he was missing out and I just couldn't bring myself to school him at home after he'd already been in school all day. He began asking if I could be his teacher, too, so, out he came, too, and he's been growing by leaps and bounds mentally, as well. His reading has also catapulted to around the 5th grade level). No question that it was the right choice for him. :)

For anyone interested, our curriculum is based on the book, The Well-Trained Mind, though we do quite a bit more than recommended because the boys are so eager for it and I'm really enjoying it, as well.

We study:

*The Bible

*Reading (currently, Jake's reading the Percy Jackson series and Nic's reading the My Side of the Mountain Trilogy)

*Spelling (Spelling Power)

*Writing & Penmanship (Writing with Ease)

*Grammar & Memorization (First Language Lessons)

*History, Geography & Mapping Skills (Story of the World)

*Math (Math-U-See)

Science (Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding in addition to learning about their new pet, a Texas Spiny Lizard named Grace that they caught in the backyard)

*Latin (Getting Started with Latin)

Art (Artistic Pursuits)

*Classical Music (listening to and/or stories about composers - I will begin teaching them Suzuki Piano shortly)

Swimming 2x week

Western and English Horse Riding 2x week

* = done daily

The boys are moving though their math books at a rapid fire pace, as they both LOVE Mr. Steve's videos that come with the Math-U-See program. Their writing and narration abilities are improving noticeably each day. They LOVE ancient history (they cheer when I grab the book every day LOL) and are fascinated by the things they're learning about geography and map reading, too. They're still very much into science and take in MythBusters episodes like they're water (usually on the weekends when we have some "down time"). In the past eight weeks in swimming, 'Nic has gone from being TERRIFIED around water (like, climbing up us like a cat and screaming bloody murder) to literally jumping in and "hangin' out" under water to explore the bottom of the pool - AND they've both just started swimming on their own. They love their horse riding lessons and while they get frustrated at times, trying to control such a big animal, 'Nic is clearly becoming more self-assured (as I'd hoped) and Jake is learning to temper his explosive energy a bit (also as I'd hoped).

And that's it in a (rather large) nutshell! Good stuff!

For the Love of Fabric

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:52:00 +0000

I love fabric. Fabric in general, yes, with all of its possibilities. One fabric, in particular, really pulls at my heart strings, though. Robert Allen's Patna Paisley in Fawn. Isn't it gorgeous? The print is far larger than it appears in the image and there are beautiful blues and creams in the pattern. Can one "OD" on one fabric pattern? I guess we'll find out, as I just bought a whole bolt of it. Thank you God for 50% off sales. (now I can finish my bedroom curtains!)

Excalibur Food Dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:05:00 +0000

My love got me something I've been drooling over for AGES for our anniversary...

Yep, the big boy, Excalibur 9-tray food dehydrator. I.am.in.love. Seriously. I have a whole long list of foods I want to dehydrate (it should be no surprise to anyone who knows me that I had to make a list before jumping in). I'm one happy woman.

I'm watching all of Dehydrate2Store's videos for, like, the third time now (in about 6 months). Great video's for anyone who's interested, by the way...

Three Years Ago Today

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 01:16:00 +0000

A cool, snowy wedding on Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.
November 3rd, 2007

On this day, three years ago, I was doing something I never thought I'd do. I was getting married. Merging two families together and knowing, without a doubt, that we were a great team. It's been a long, hard three years trying to blend our families (let's just say the boys did NOT like each other one bit), but this year was the year we found our light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, it now feels like we are through the tunnel and out into the sunshine now. The boys are closer than any siblings I've ever seen, my husband and I are stronger than ever, and all of us, together as a family, are as if we were never apart.

I love you honey. I love you 'Nic. I love my family and I wouldn't do this any other way than with you guys. Life is good.

New Furniture!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:00:00 +0000

We've been busy! Thus, the blog has been sorely ignored. But, as usual this time of year, my interest in blogging is renewed and hopefully, this is it. So...

I did it! I placed my order! For the past year, I've been drooling over the Paula Deen Home Paula's Rectangular Dining Table in Tobacco, and after searching for something antique, something less expensive, something local, something else...I had to admit defeat and accept that, well...I am simply in love with the Paula Deen Home line and nothing else was cutting it. I was really sad about the price, because...well, I just don't like to spend that kind of money. We have two GIANT, really nice sectional sofas in our house and this table and chair set cost us about the same as both of those sectionals combined (we love a good sale). So, my husband was poking around on the website and noticed that they have a price match system. I sent the Google hounds hunting for me and came up with *gasp* lower prices elsewhere! I called up CSN and spoke to a great guy (named Guy) who helped me lower my total for one table, two leaves, and ten chairs...ALMOST ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. I'm not kidding. At all. I 'bout choked on my pumpkin spice coffee.

Anyway, the table is a hefty size at 44" wide by 76" long, seating six. With both leaves in it, it extends out to 117" long, seating 10 comfortably. This means, no more seating the kids at the bar, separate from the parents when we have family over or are entertaining friends (all of whom have children). It also means we can have more than one couple over for dinner, too. ;) Only problem...now I have to find strategically appealing places for four of the chairs when the leaves aren't in use, which will be most of the time, since we're a family of four.

Next on my wish list? Check these out...

Paula Deen Sweet Tea Console in Tobacco (a lot bigger than it looks!)

Paula Deen The Bag Lady's Writing Desk in Linen (also a lot bigger than it looks!)

Paula Deen Sweet Tea Filing Cabinet in Linen (shown in tobacco)

Paula Deen Put Your Feet Up Coffee Table in Tobacco (or Linen...not sure yet)

I'm one happy woman right now. Oh, hey! I just remembered, I didn't write about the bed we ordered last year from CSN!

Klaussner Ashton Panel Bed (it's dressed up a bit
in our bedroom, and not as contemporary looking)

I'll be writing up a review on the bed in a bit...but let me just say, we are thrilled with this piece and especially for the price we paid (a steal, I swear!).

This is IT! Back to PaNu!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:44:00 +0000

No more wallowing in my sugar coma. I feel like crap and my West Texas allergies have started creeping back in (and people wonder why I welcome humidity so much). I'm fat and bloated and insecure and bitchy and lethargic and achy and...well, all those things that sugar does to you. It's amazing how different life is without sugar. It's also amazing how we human beings keep doing stupid things that make us sick when we know it's making us miserable.

I've been following this eating plan for almost a year (Dr. Kurt Harris' PaNu blog, for you non link clickers). Why did I fall off the low-carb, no sugar truck? Well, that's what happens when you lose your grip and have an addiction and I'd venture to guess that all of us have that addiction here in the good ol' U. S. of A. Think I'm joking or exaggerating with the word addiction? Try giving it up for a week and you'll see what happens (yeah, first you'll make excuses as to why you don't want to and why you'd rather keep sugar in your life, then you'll ignore that uncomfortable feeling by eating a big ol' candy bar - when you love sugar, or ANYthing for that matter, too much to consider giving it up even for the sake of health, that should be your red flag). Withdrawal from sugar isn't just limited to your mouth in that, "Gee, a piece of pie sure would taste lovely right now!" sort of way. In my experience, it can be far worse than giving up caffeine, dragging a whole slew of nastiness along with it. But, truly...once it's over...I swear, it's like a miracle. That song, "I can see clearly now, the rain is gone..." comes to mind. I'm going to get laughed at here, but I would venture to say that it's almost a spiritual experience. One of my first remarks of wonderment when starting this way of eating was, "I'm finally the mom I always wanted to be." Meaning that I was stable, level-headed, patient, not angry mommy, didn't have food obsessions anymore (seriously!!!), energetic and didn't need a nap at 3 in the afternoon. Nevermind the weight loss (20 pounds in two months...effortlessly). Oh, and yes, I did have a complete blood workup done and my cholesterol is fabulous with large, fluffy particles, thank you very much (did you know that cholesterol isn't the bad guy you thought he was?).

If you've read this far, I'll leave you with one additional thought. Did you know that in the absence of carbs, your body cannot store fat? Go ahead and read that last statement again. It's the insulin response caused by carbohydrates that tells your body to store fat. Don't believe me? Look it up and make sure to double check your references. An excellent book...with a really bad title...Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. If you think this is just another "fluff" diet book, it's not. It's a history lesson and half of the darn book is his references to be checked out at your leisure. He's done some interviews on YouTube that are great, too. Definitely an eye-opening read. Next on my book list is The Maker's Diet. Very curious...

So, anyway, wish me luck. The evenings are the hardest and I may resort to early bedtimes and lots of naps until it's over and I'm back in ketosis (not to be confused with ketoacidosis, which is something totally different).

A New Food Escapade

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:46:00 +0000

Anyone wanna make some tea?

Photo courtesy of "whizzy"

In my nearly obsessive desire to build up food stores for our family of four plus two dastardly felines, I have searched and searched and searched and searched for something that "felt right." We're not motivated to do this for religious reasons, but we do value home efficiency and are of the mindset that if the "SHTF," we need to be able to take care of ourselves and others should they need it, as well. I've done the couponing stock up thing (which was mostly chemical crap that we don't eat anyway). I've dabbled in canning (which was fun, but I'm still not sure if it's for me). I've considered buying cases of MRE's (quick and easy, but spendy and not as yummy as I'd like). I've even dabbled a bit in food dehydration, but that was strictly for making venison jerky. It wasn't until just recently that I rediscovered food dehydration and more importantly...how to use dehydrated food to create dishes of quality that we would actually eat. We're big foodies in our home and feel that under normal circumstances, if it doesn't taste good, there's no point in eating it (and under dire circumstances, if we're in survival mode, some familiar and tasty food adds to some level of stability for all of us, reminding us that things WILL get better). We avoid a lot of waste with this philosophy (leftovers are always good!) and we have a lot of fun together with food. Our boys are quite adept critics and can pick out flavors (almost) better than I can. So, yes, it's important that our food from storage is up to par with our daily cooking. I am excited to give the food dehydration a real go and try to make this work for our day to day lives. How nice would it be to not have to run out to buy lemons for lemon zest or tea? How wonderful would it be to have potatoes around for the rare occasion that we do make a potato dish (remember, we're mostly low carb). Another rare occasion ingredient is apples for applesauce. We use tomatoes pretty regularly and having a store of dehydrated tomatoes that don't need to be used in a hurry for fear of rotting would be lovely. Onions? We use them daily. Garlic? Daily. Hm...I wonder how dehydrated, dry roasted garlic reconstitutes? I want to make my own soup mixes. When we have company, one of my "go to" menus is classic potato leek soup and a traditional caesar salad. If I didn't have to worry about prepping the potatoes and leeks, that would drastically cut my work down in the kitchen. Dehydrated fruit would ensure that I would have something tasty for desert, too (apple or peach or blueberry pie or even toppings for ice cream). Oh, and I would LOVE to learn how to dehydrate meat to add to things like split pea and ham soup mix. Making my own herbal tea is high on my to do list, as well. We have a ginormous honeysuckle bush right next to our house (okay, okay, it's ON my neighbor's fence) and each time it blooms, I eye it, knowing that I could use the honeysuckle buds for many things...

So, the thing that started all of this was my stumbling upon a particular YouTube channel. Tammy at Dehydrate2Store.com is quite adept with all of this food dehydrating stuff and seems to be a natural teacher. I love watching her videos, as she has clearly been doing this for some time and is confident and self-assured in the kitchen. I've watched every.single.one. of her videos and have thoroughly enjoyed myself. This seems like it's the right fit for our family's needs, too, and I'm so thankful that there are people out there who have, not only more experience with this than myself, but seem to enjoy teaching it to others, as well. Even my husband is 110% on board with this and is currently looking at how to build our own food dehydrator (we have a round one, I'm craving an Excalibur, and he's feeling crafty LOL). We're interested in seeing if we can take this food dehydration thing to a "gourmet" level. If anyone has any input (if anyone's still reading this poor blog LOL), I'm all "ears." Otherwise, I'll be updating every so often and hopefully with some tasty recipes using these dehydrated foods.

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Yes, after almost a year of blissful, energetic, illness-free, clear-headed, allergy-free, no more food compulsions living, I've fallen off the low carb, paleo truck. Hit a bump and fell right off into a pile of devil's food and the glossiest homemade buttercream you've ever seen.

I am crawling in my sugar coma dreams after that truck that left me behind.

I'm Just a Figment of Your Imagination...

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:50:00 +0000

What?! You mean this blog isn't dead?! Nope! What happened? My motivation with blogging ebbs and flows depending on how much I have going on at home, if we're traveling, how I'm feeling health-wise, and...well, you know how it goes. Mostly though, when I start feeling obligated to blog, I take a break. I'm not blogging for money, or trying to be the super-mommiest of super moms online, so...it's really unnecessary pressure on myself. This is a nice release for me, though, when I don't feel obligated. It's also worth stating that people interacting with me on this blog do not lead to me feeling obligated. The feeling of obligation comes purely from myself and my issues with doing everything perfectly and routinely. Sometimes with all of the other things that need to be done perfectly and routinely, blogging has to take the back burner.

Anyway...I'm feeling like a good mommy today. An appreciated mommy. Best feeling in the world. I have to share.

The boys have been sleeping on crappy Ikea foam mattresses since we moved here three years ago. They have the Kura loft beds with blue tents on top (they love 'em, but the traditionalist in me hates 'em LOL). Nic has always complained about his back, but I always thought it was because he slept in the most bizarre contortions. Regardless of what I chose to focus on, there was always a part of me that felt bad because I know that my back would ACHE like nothing else if I had to sleep on those things. Seriously, they're like extra thick egg crate foam. Part of my guilt comes from the fact that I sleep BLISSFULLY every night on a memory foam mattress. So blissfully, we purchased another one for the RV and have had a memory foam topper on our guest bed since we first moved here (purchased while staying in military lodging while looking for a house to buy because we couldn't hack it on the regular mattress - this was just prior to Jesse's back surgery, though). So, I finally broke down and purchased memory foam mattresses for them (Sam's Club online has them for almost nothing! Overstock has them, too!). And "big boy," high quality flannel sheets, shams, and duvet covers. Duvet covers? Oh, yeah...for their new down comforters. Yes, we live in West Texas. Hush. I bought them things that I, personally, love. Yet, I let them pick out their colors and have some control in their own beds (I'm still doing lamaze from that release of control!). It felt so good to finally do this for them and I wasn't expecting any excitement from something that I imagine is rather mundane for 7 year old boys.

But I have to say, the most rewarding sounds came from their room after I finished getting their new mattresses dressed up. Laying there "testing them," they were full of giggles and wiggles and wide eyes and "oohs" and "ahhs." They LOVE their new sheets. They LOVE their new "cooshy" mattresses. And it means so much to me that they let me know exactly how much they love them by running out with hugs and smiles and kisses. Seriously. What more could a mother ask for?

Oh, and they're stoked about their new comfy reading nooks. Their old mattresses have been put on the floor beneath their beds and they're looking forward to putting a bunch of pillows and stuffed animals under there to make reading nice and comfy.

Happy, happy, happy. :)

Stay tuned for our guest bedroom makeover. ;) Coming soon.

Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:29:00 +0000

We're doing it! It's a bit surreal, but we're doing it and doing it well. The back of our RV says, "Roughin' it smoothly" and yes, it is truly a smooth ride. Some of life's little luxuries are really, really great to have around while camping...coming from Alaska, where we really did "rough it" while camping, I'm still getting used to thinking of this as camping. ;)

One of our espresso machines was the.very.first.thing we put in the cabin.

With two seven year old gremlins running around, an orchid reminds me to take a deep breath and smile. The orchid is right next to my recliner.

Design Style

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Out of curiosity, I took Sproost.com's Design Style Quiz. No surprise here.

57% Classic

What's old is new again! The beauty of Classic Style is how well it takes all of the beautiful forms, colors and textures of the past and reinvents them in a way that feels both fresh and inspired. The style itself is a mix of European influences and French, English and Italian antiques and replicas are often used together. Furniture is well proportioned and comfortable and the rooms give off an air of sophistication and grace. Oil paintings depicting a still life or nature scenes and emphasizing symmetry of pairs helps maintain the Classic nature of the room. Windows are often covered with opulent fabric shades and/or drapery. Classic rooms give off an air of history that seems to say: "I was here long before you, and will remain long after you've gone." And yet, even with this level of sophistication, the rooms are soft and inviting.

Materials

Classic rooms are filled with texture and deep color. Walls are often saturated in color and many times have an old-world faux finish to hint of days gone by. Dark stained wood is very common and is often distressed. Additionally, gold, bronze and silvers have a natural-looking patina to them that softens their shine. Maps and animal prints are common, and fringe and tassels are often used to trim pillows, drapery and cushions. Genuine antiques are mixed with replicas and found objects become sculptural elements in the room. Wallpaper is a very popular way to bring additional color and texture to the room, and the patterns are usually reminiscent of traditional European styling.

Colors

Common colors are creams, and rich versions of traditional colors such as burgundy, dark green and navy blue. Golds and yellows are also popular as many Classic rooms have a very warm tone to them. That being said, greens and blues can also be tailored to take on the Classic feel. The color, whatever it may be, almost always has a regal air to it and many times you will see faux finishing to highlight the aged feel of the color.

29% French Eclectic

Parlez-vous français? Even if the answer is no, you can confidently say your home does! French Country, like its name, somehow manages to both be formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time. You like your spaces to feel inviting from the moment you (or your guest) opens the front door and this feeling should continue even after you've entered your most formal room. Even though there are French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, "come in, relax and stay a while." Your love of antiques leads you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting.

Materials

The materials and pieces you are drawn to play on the mix of formal and casual. Many of the pieces look like they were passed down from your great-great-aunt (even if they are brand new!) and you managed to upholster them in a way that made that piece both then and now. Much of the furniture is wood-framed and the wood is either left natural (hey there rustic!), painted white (hey there country!) or even gold (hello refinement!). And many times there is a strong mixture of all of these. If you find yourself leaning much more towards the "country" side of things and away from the Parisian side, drop the gold details and replace them with wrought iron.

Colors

When it comes to color, you are drawn to bright and airy options. Thoughts of the French countryside are key - warm colors such as yellows, reds and oranges hinting at fields of gold. But the nice thing about French Eclectic is you can just as easily go in the opposite direction: pale blues and greens hinting at acres of lavender fields and expansive blue skies.

Space Planning

When you think about laying out your French Eclectic room the key is to invite people in and encourage them to stay. So furniture should be grouped nicely to encourage intimate conversation and the main pieces should be comfortable in both look and feel. There should be plenty of places to set drinks, prop feet and lean back. And yet the functionality of these pieces doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't beautiful antiques or replicas.

14% Mountain Lodge Style
(that's the Alaskan in me)

You love nature! And really, how could you not? The more exposed wood (be it in log form or paneling) the better. And having natural stone in your home is a must! Especially at the fireplace, but stone top tables work too. If you could clad all the furniture in wood and stone you would, but splinters aren't fun and stone is cold! So when you need a place to sit (or recline in!), it should be comfortable and warm. Bigger is better when it comes to your favorite chair for watching TV or reading the newspaper. Leather is great (go natural!), but soft fabrics in warm tones also suit you well.

Materials

You prefer the simple things in life and you want natural materials over man-made whenever possible. The key feeling your space should invoke is warm and cozy. Whenever possible you let the furniture reflect the item it was built from - so come on, bring on the logs! But hey, where the full log isn't possible, at least expose the wood... the key here is to let it remain rustic when it should because nature isn't about being perfect, it's about being real! You enjoy patterns that highlight our natural surroundings such as plants, trees and animals. Because really - if you can't be outside, bring the outside in! Pieces should be large and sturdy, and encourage the whole family and all the friends to join in the fun.

Colors

When it comes to color you follow the same rules that apply to all other elements in the home: stay true to what is found in nature. You love earth tones, warm browns and reds that mimic trees and wooded forests, greens that reflect the leaves and grasses and dark blues that mirror the dark of sky and the deep blue of lakes and ponds. Colors that are dark and saturated are very appealing to you as they mimic the feelings of being in a heavily wooded area.

Space Planning

When it comes to arranging rooms, it's all about cozy! Combine a comfortable sofa with chairs that rock and/or recline and accessories that highlight the activities you love (fishing, hunting, hiking... you name it). You do not like ornate or frilly, and you avoid cluttering up spaces with items that are not necessary or do not remind you of the nature you love.

Sneak Peak of the Floors!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 22:40:00 +0000

I'm getting ready to go out, but thought I'd leave y'all with a quickie sneak peak of the floors.

Antique Brown stain over 1928 oak. Does not have the semi-gloss layer of poly over it yet. Excuse the graininess (no pun intended - honestly), this picture was taken with my phone.

I Just Bought My Husband an RV

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:12:00 +0000

Yes, folks, you read that right. A 37 foot, class A, Tiffen Allegro motorhome. With a huge slide that expands the living space by...quite a bit.

See what happens when we shake up the routine (displacement due to home reno)? We lose.our.frickin'.minds.

I have mixed feelings about this. Why? Well, because I have always held this preconceived notion that only retired folks got RV's, and I'm not even 30 yet (and Jesse's even younger than me!). I'm an SUV girl and won't even consider driving a minivan, but I'll buy an RV?! If it's not one extreme, it's another, apparently. I'm a financial tightwad (my SUV is paid off, thankyouverymuch, so don't lecture me on the price of gas), so this is a wee bit mind-blowing to me. I also have a fear of commitment, so another loan (in addition to our mortgage) kinda drives me batty. I'm also a bit nervous about maneuvering that beast to other places as...that IS the general idea, after all. Right?

Oh, and while it's in really good shape, it does need some minor work on the inside (very minor), mostly just replacing someone's horrible fabric choices, so blogland, with all of the home renovation projects out there...I'll be adding my RV renovation project to the mix. LOL Why is that so funny to me?!

But, I have to say that...this is a fantastic opportunity for us, especially now that the boys are homeschooled, Jesse's about to be medically separated from the Air Force, we'll be moving and this will ease the transition from Texas to Tennessee in the home buying area. Jesse's also recently become an Appleseed Project instructor which means he'll be traveling regionally and our cost analysis spreadsheet shows that even with the cost of the RV and fuel and whatnot, it will cost us less over the long run. We'll also be able to go with him easier and since The Appleseed Project is free for women and children, that's a big plus, too. There's a lot of peace of mind that comes with knowing that even when I'm not around to take care of him, Jesse will be sleeping nice and warm and comfortably at night (I know, that's the totally impractical, sappy side of me - hush).

So yes. I am super excited. But it's tempered ever so slightly with a touch of anxiety towards new responsibility. LOL Anyone else an RV owner? Any tips?

I'm filing this under retail therapy. It's gotta be therapy, right? Even if it hurts a bit. LOL

Displaced

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:10:00 +0000

We love our home and we love to be in our home. Right now, however, we are at a hotel and will remain here for a week while our floors are being done. Fortunately, we're in a suite, so we're not all right on top of each other.

It's a gorgeous spring day today. Nice and warm with a cool breeze. I'm sitting here on the bed, looking out the window with the breeze blowing across me. It's incredibly comforting. All of the furniture moving, cleaning, and displacement within my home has finally caught up to me and I dearly need a nap (or at least an early bedtime tonight!). I'm happy to be (mostly) moved into the hotel, though. No more listening to saws and drills and hammering (aaahhhh). Hopefully, this week will go by quickly and we'll be back home before we know it, enjoying the floors we've been dreaming of since we moved into the place.

The boys are playing with their Lego's in the living room, building restaurants and houses and "sushi kabobs." We've had a hectic day today and school will officially start for them again tomorrow. I was amazed that all of their supplies fit into one, big, plastic tote (heavy, but still!). They have another large tote of toys and books. I'm planning to take them to the nearby park and, with any luck, the pool will be opening soon.

Nothing of any excitement to add (fortunately...I think). We're doing an easy dinner of ribeyes and green beans tonight. I'm planning on taking a hot bath and crawling into bed as soon as the gremlins are tucked in.

Refinishing Old Oak Floors: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:07:00 +0000

Last week, we got a call from our floor guy indicating it was time for us to pack up and clear the floors that were to be refinished. So we did. We crammed two full size sectional sofas and a bar into a teensy, weensy little "breakfast room." Technically, it's a dining room, but it's far too small to hold a full-size table and chairs. How did we get four sectional pieces into that tiny space when a table and chairs won't fit in it? Look and see if you can make sense out of the madness...

You'll have to excuse the mess. Those are all blocking our cabinetry for dishes, silverware, and cookware. Were you able to make sense of that photo? Yes...those are sofa sectional pieces standing up on end in that tiny little space. Plus a bar that my husband built (sans top in this picture). They almost didn't fit. Crazy. We're gonna have fun getting all that out of there next week.

So, what's the story with the floors? Well, we used to have carpet. About six months ago, I was really sick. For some reason unbeknownst to me, when I get sick, I get this crazy intense urge to clean and organize. Well, I'd done well squelching that urge until suddenly, I started smelling...animal. Cat pee, to be specific. (Yes, horror of horrors. Ew). I sniffed around and realized that for whatever reason, our cats had begun using our dining room (the big one, not the dinky little room I was just talking about) as a litter box. I ripped that carpet out so fast...let me tell you. I had no idea what was underneath them, but I didn't give one rats behind. Turns out, it was the original 1928 oak floors. Plaster and paint covered, yes, but original floors, nonetheless. Happy birthday!

So...as you can see, in the first picture, this is our great room that I cleaned up about six months ago. There seems to be some staining and issues that we're not sure if we'll be able to fix, but we'll be damned if we're just going to give up 'cause of a little bit of spilled stain (it's not water or pet damage - there's a ring from a stain can in there LOL). See that line at the front of the room?

That line is where the carpet ended. The folks who were attempting to remodel this house left a tiny little strip (crooked, mind you) of pretty floors, but covered up their botch job (sander and stain mishaps) with carpet after they had the walls retextured without a drop cloth (plaster, plaster everywhere!). You see the plaster on the floor in this next picture? That's where the bar was until just a few days ago, so I couldn't clean under it (drove me nuts). That has been vacuumed - there is no loose dust. It's all plaster and paint stuck to these floors.

By the way, if anyone's interested...the best thing I found to clean the floors is Nature's Miracle Pet Stain Remover. It's the new Oxiclean, I swear. Between the Nature's Miracle and Oxiclean, I don't think there's a thing I can't get clean. :p

The next photo is of our rather long and narrow hallway. Again, I have vacuumed and lightly scraped the floors, so all that you see on them is stuck there. Boys room is first to the left, kitchen is first to the right. Guest room is the end of the hallway with the master to the left and the utility and linen closet to the right.

This last picture is of the living room that's right next to the great room. I adore the darker of the colors you can see in this photo. Espresso. Love. And all of the colors together remind me of an old, much loved hair color. Silly, I know.

So, after all is said and done with the floors, we'll be replacing all of the baseboards with something a bit taller. We'll also be tearing down the ceilings since they were done so poorly and after we have smooth (and white!) ceilings, the crown moulding and new fixtures will go in. I never thought I would be so happy to see white ceilings, but after living in this cave where the walls, ceiling, and carpets were all the same color...baby, bring it on!

Stay tuned for Refinished Old Oak Floors: Part 2! The (Hopefully!) Great Reveal!

Books, Books, & More Books

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 21:00:00 +0000

I've been on a book ordering spree. It's rather ridiculous, actually, but the boys will have a very well-rounded library of good, QUALITY, reading material. I've been reading Tending the Heart of Virtue: How Classic Stories Awaken a Child's Moral Imagination by Vigen Guroian. As I get more into this book, not only do I become more concerned with the utter mindless CRAP that is pushed on them to read in school, but how much I've bought into it, as well (that's a painful admission). I know better because I was raised better than that and yet I think what I wanted was essentially a quick fix for happiness for them (happy pictures, funny words). There are a couple of big areas that I have encountered the urge to 'compensate' for certain 'lacks' and this is no excuse, but simply some insight. So, I went into their room and in less than five minutes, I was able to visually scan it all and walk out with a short stack of quality books. But...they have a TON of books in their room and the quality books were far and few between. Quality, get your imagination going, no or few pictures kind of books. Virtuous, un-Disneyfied books. I love some good illustrations...but that's eye candy, not mind candy. So...grandparents or anyone else reading this who cares...I've set up a pretty substantial wish list for us all.

Some books that we've just added to our home library include:

So... :) Between those and the homeschooling books (not listed here) that we've picked up, we've got quite a bit of reading and learning material.

Virtual Antiquing

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Royal Daulton Art Nouveau Pitcher and Basin

It's a bit past due, but I have to write a blog entry on my dear mother. See...she's into antiques. Not just your run of the mill old stuff. I mean REAL antiques. Beautiful, luxurious, expensive antiques. She's been collecting most of her life and back in 1998 she opened a storefront to share her knowledge, experience, and little luxuries with others. Because of her expertise (and tenacity), she has done exceedingly well. And she absolutely loves what she does. Most recently, she's gotten into photography (all self-taught) as a result of needing quality photos of her wares. The photography has led to her opening up a virtual storefront and THAT has led to an offer for her to blog on one of the most well-known antique websites around (I do hope she takes them up on the offer!). Oh, and while this gorgeous sampling is typically for women, she carries some amazing mens items, as well. Watches and watch fobs, cigar cases and cutters, flasks...

Art Nouveau Sterling Silver Jewelry Box

Guerlain Shalimar Extract Perfume 1.0 oz - Baccarat Bottle Sealed in Vintage Box

DeVilbiss 5-pc Dresser Set

Please visit her website and have a look. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Spring Cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:22:00 +0000

I know this sounds dramatic, but seriously...when your thyroid tanks, so does your life. Since I started on my hormone replacement, I've been all but leaping tall buildings. When I was sick, I didn't clean my house at all. For, like four months. A husband, two long haired furballs, and two six year old boys... It was everything I could do to make sure everyone had clean clothes and the cats were fed. Hell, it was everything I could do to get out of bed and try to sit upright on the couch willing myself to not be lazy, to not be such a horrible wife, horrible mother, etc. To get up and take care of things. I thought I was dying. I'm not kidding, nor am I exaggerating. On a good day, I would get a shower before completely crashing.

That said (drama over), I have swept, mopped, and vacuumed every square inch of my house today. I've taken a shower and I am sitting here with energy to spare. I never thought I would say this, but I LOVE cleaning my house. Instead of pretending not to see clutter and mess and dust bunnies (with building guilt), I'm happy to do things as I see them and am eager to do more. I am so thankful.

Now, if I could just learn to love folding laundry...I haven't quite made it that far yet. LOL

And hey! Apparently this energy is infectious, 'cause the boys got into deep cleaning their room today, too!

Happy, happy girl. It may just be cleaning to most people, but this is very symbolic for me.

Bacteria

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:29:00 +0000

A couple of days ago, I heard a little one come out of the bathroom without washing his hands. I called him to me and asked why. He didn't feel like it/couldn't be bothered/was too busy doing other things...you know, the usual. This has happened so many times in the past that I'm just absolutely DONE explaining it to them. I sat both boys down on the couch around me with my laptop and found a YouTube video on bacteria. I gave them a bit of a talk before I played it and when I played it, "someone else" confirmed that Mom's not completely dumb... *insert big, fat, rolling eyes*

And I'll admit it...I feigned fear on some of the bacteria in the video...yes, I played it up. But I also explained about good bacteria afterwards, so chill.

Since then, the boys have been washing their hands (OMG!) and boy wonder, who couldn't be bothered that day has been washing up every single time. He's also now been pestering me for more information on bacteria and more videos (he's currently playing with the microscope...yes, as I type this).

On another note...we just watched this video and while I was thoroughly disgusted, the boys found it incredibly interesting.

Edited to add: And now they're playing bacteria, attacking each other. I swear to God, before I had kids, I never thought I would be doing or witnessing this.

Math Success!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:33:00 +0000

So, today kicked off my "trial" period of homeschooling. The geek in me needs to put us through a few days of this so I can get my schedule timed right. Yes, I'm that anal retentive. But...while I only had 30 minutes scheduled for math, the boys had so much fun with the Math-U-See program that we ended up doing an hour and a half. OMG, it was so much fun and the only reason we stopped was because it's waaaay past breakfast (got a late start).

Nic did the first 8 lessons last night in his workbook in just under an hour. That's almost a hundred pages. He knew all of the stuff already, but it was a great lesson in reading the directions (which prior to a mistake last night, he was blissfully unaware of "directions" - how IS that?!) and it was a wonderful self-esteem boost. He got hung up on the place values lesson and was DIS.TRAUGHT. by my suggestion that he put the math lesson aside, get some rest, and hit it again in the morning. OMG, the boy melted into tears because he wanted to do more but was way too tired to even think anymore. Anyway, as I set up the DVD this morning, he was visibly upset and asked if we could skip that lesson. He has a tendency to not like stressing his brain. He's always been way above his peers with vocabulary/speech, and comprehension, and I think he's used to everything coming a little too easily for him. He really fights against any ideas that don't come instantly, which is sad, because he won't get that wonderful feeling of mental relief that comes with the complete comprehension of a problem. Anyway, so, he gets upset and I have a little pep talk with him, telling him that if he doesn't think he'll be able to do it, sure enough, he won't be able to. But, if he lets himself believe that he CAN do it, he WILL figure it out. He figured it out without any issue and had this big ol' grin of satisfaction on his face. We did a few more lessons easily and he's asked to do some more after lunch. We just might... Jake knows all of this stuff, too, but he's having a good time watching Mr. Steve teach. At this rate, they'll be done with the Primer before the Alpha set makes it here (good thing I ordered it last night!!!).

Happiness!!!