Tick Marks

I hear you. Will I ever move on to something other than this D.I.Y. project?

Some days it feels like we'll never wrap things up in the two front rooms. Will we ever finish it 100%? Yes we will. In a matter of time. In the meantime, we are enjoying our new kitchen and the open dining room. We are settling into our normal routine. All appliances are working fine. No inconveniences.

Yet we have a list of little jobs to take care of. The details.
The crown molding.
The baseboard.
Painting.
Shelving.
Lights.
Bar stools. [I have ordered two stools to see if we like the style – waiting for delivery].

Good news! We are ticking off items on the list one at a time.

Paint the stairwell - √
Install handrail in the stairwell - √
Paint the pantry - √ - kind of – because we decided I should paint it again!
Install the drawer under the cooktop - √ this had to be cut to fit under the cooktop. It will not be usable but I am fine with that.

Slow but sure we are ticking these jobs off our list. And as we tick, I think of others to add. I don’t like how that works. Perhaps I should forget making lists?

Since we are talking about ticks… Our daughter found one on her belly last Friday. Something small; something black. On her small belly. It was a tick. She was very upset and worried. She cried and cried. I removed it, swabbed the area with rubbing alcohol and placed a call to our pediatrician. Dr. T said not to keep the tick as they no longer send them in. Just keep the area clean and watch it. If a rash-like circle doesn’t appear in 4-6 days, she will not have to be brought in for antibiotics. We can check that off as the spot has almost disappeared, thankfully. I have heard stories about ticks being numerous over the past two years and since we had a personal confrontation with one, we are now more aware of procedures. We check each other when we come in from wandering outdoors. I mean, we live in the country, we enjoy being outside, so we’ll take a few minutes to look each other over.

In the meantime, I am hoping the rain clouds dry up and we can get outside to mow; otherwise, we’ll be baling!

And how can we plant seeds in a plot of mud?

Sweet news – the lilacs out front are starting to open. L-O-V-E the smell of lilacs.

Have a great weekend.

Check to that!!!!

Sprung

Spring has sprung!

Honestly, the month of April was miserable. Then again, so was March. April was consistent. Rain day after day. That was a good thing for us as we had our DIY project to work on. The rain kept us inside. Our installation deadlines also kept us inside, focused and on track.

Then the weather changed. We had nice weather.

It got warmer.

The last few days, the sun has been shining. [And as I write this, it is gray and raining outside.] We had been spending time outside.

The kids had fun playing kickball, wrestling, throwing baseballs and footballs around and just being outside.


We have been biking.



We've been playing in the dirt. I weeded and turned the soil in the three small flower beds out front. We also planted some flower bulbs in the one bed. The Big Guy tilled the garden.

We planted our onions yesterday - in the rain. We have other plants to plant; however, we'll wait for the Memorial holiday weekend to get them in.

The kids constructed their bird feeder kits and painted them. Both have been filled and hung out front.


It did not take the birds long to find the free food AND it did not take Monkey, our hunter-cat, long to notice the feeders and all the activity around them. The other morning I watched her lay in wait and then run and jump and grab the blue feeder. Good and bad news. The bird flew away but the bird food was thrown to the ground. Bad cat!

The hummingbird feeder was cleaned, filled and hung last weekend. We patiently waited for the “hummers” to return. They found it two days after it went up. We enjoy their flying skills and dive-bombing “fights”.

The water level in both ponds has gone down some. Their waters are full of life. The salamanders and fish have warmed up and can be found swimming along the perimeters of the lower pond.
The upper pond:

...is home to some fast "slip-in-the-water-before-they-see-us" painted turtles. At the ponds' edge, the water bubbles as the tadpoles scurry from the shore. We, however, come armed with a net. We scoop them up and admire their size, their cute little faces with their pouty mouths and their ever so small developing legs.


Every year we are awed by these life-cycle miracles.

Our rhubarb plant is growing well this year.

I believe I’ll have enough for a pie and muffins this year. We purchased 5 more rhubarb plants this weekend and have planted them over in the field. Hopefully in a few years, we'll have a well-established rhubarb bed. Each year, we cut rhubarb from a local garden and enjoy it. Yesterday, I made a pie for my Big Guy as he planted the last row of onions in the rain.
In the making:

Time to cool:

Our daughter crimped the edges and did a wonderful job! I have to plan a trip to cut more rhubarb as I have jam to make. I'll be able to store it in our new pantry.

The hillsides have lost their red glow as their leaves burst forth in vibrant shades of green. It looks so green and lush outside. Just beautiful!

My Little Big Guy loves our bleeding heart plant and I can see why.


It’s a wonderful time of year. Life is renewed. The breeze carries the smell of fresh cut grass and the scent of freshly turned soil.

Each evening the peepers sing loud and strong to us from the nearby ponds and wetlands. They are among the first frogs to call in the spring.

Lots of activity around our home and yard. I’m waiting for warmer evenings to sit outside and relax.

To enjoy the life around us.

The many gifts from God.

Up and Running

Our DIY kitchen renovation is winding down. Everything is not done. I have a list of to-do items. It is not a long list but we are not staying up late to check the items off it. All essential connections have been made. All five major players are connected and we tested them to make sure they are working properly.

Meet the players:


I love the depth of this sink. I can wash my large cookie sheets in it without getting water all over the counter. It also has small, deep buckets in the drain that collect food particles that should not go down your drain. They are cute and work well. [To do: Stain the windows and trim then finish windows.]


I have to get use to loading this new dishwasher. We have used it once and I typically tend to wash dishes by hand but I am working on using this sleek beauty since we have it. It just takes a few meals to fill.


It is so neat to see all the little red dots light up as this stove top heats up quickly. It also has a red warning light to tell people nearby that the top is still hot/warm. Use caution around this appliance. [Notice the back splash is not in place. It should get installed this Thursday as they have to come back to fix something - I'll show you soon - and complete the breakfast bar counter.]

One cool looking refrigerator for all those fresh fruits and vegetables. And cold drinks. Bottles of vino! Beer. Gatorade. Water. Quenching everyone's thirst. We, meaning the adults of the house, are getting use to having the freezer on the bottom. The kids love it! Ice cream anyone?


And then when I want to bake the afternoon away but dinner is in the oven, well, hello Double Double! I love this new appliance. I have used it. I love, love, love it! What do you think?


Yes, the kitchen has always been my favorite place in the house. Now, I'm thinking that new little pantry, the one next to the refrigerator, could it house a drop-down bed? Ha, just joking!

Now that you have met the new team members, can I tell you our granite counter top is gorgeous! Autumn Harmony. It looks so nice and ties it all together. Problem is, it is not completely installed. Last Friday, when they were installing it, they failed to refer to the plans. They failed to ask the homeowner where the cooktop was going. They assumed they knew.

Not feeling to well right now, are you? Major headache?

Look at these pictures of a perfectly-centered but misplaced cut.
IN OUR GRANITE COUNTER TOP!!




Why would we have a large island and not have it house a sink or stove top? I will be so glad when they come to replace that cut piece, properly install the breakfast bar as well as the back splash pieces. It's going to look great.

Here are a few kitchen photos. What do you think?


The light in this picture is much better:

Our knobs and pulls were ordered last Saturday when I went for paint. I picked them out. We'll see if my Big Guy likes them. Either way, he'll have to live with them. I still have to wash the walls (waiting for the countertop installation to be done) then I will paint the dining room and hallway. Lots of little jobs to be done, and lots of yard/garden work waiting for our attention also.

Another Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. Our two children came in and snuggled with me for a few moments. Then they wanted to know if I wanted the traditional Mother’s Day breakfast in bed. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I said no. I asked for toast with peanut butter on it. A small glass of milk. They took off in a run to the kitchen. I could hear them talking to each other as they prepared my breakfast. My Little Big Guy came in to ask if I wanted any fruit – an apple or grapes with my toast. In a few minutes, I was served breakfast. They sat with me for a few minutes but then asked if they could go eat. I said yes, gathered my tray and glass, and joined them.

Precious traditions. Precious children. Precious memories.

They are so thoughtful and so giving. They are gifts for us to love, teach and enjoy. They are true blessings.

Parenthood. How does one describe parenthood?
Unbelievable.
Difficult.
Rewarding.

I remember the day my doctor confirmed that I was expecting our first child. I had waited years to hear that wonderful news! That was over ten years ago. I enjoyed two wonderful pregnancies. Very similar to each other in many ways. Yet different. Just like today! I had one food craving. One craving, just once. I wanted twinkies. I never eat or buy twinkies so why I craved this item (I can’t call it a food), bewildered me. It took a few days to track down a twinkie (I wasn’t looking very hard) and once I did, after eating one, I had my fill. In fact, the first month of my first pregnancy, I had food aversions not cravings. I couldn’t think of eating or drinking some of my favorites – peanut butter and hot tea. At times, it was hard to be in the kitchen as the aromas would make me sick. Occasionally, I had to leave the table because watching people eat made me uncomfortable. I was glad when that phase passed. The next eight months went smoothly. Labor was long. My body was tired. I was hungry and wanted to sleep. I wanted for the nurse to bring my little pink bundle to me. She was my focus once in my arms. My second delivery was considerably shorter and easier. Labor is an event that most mothers’ have to endure. The labor pains, discomfort and difficulties you experience are all erased from your mind once that newborn baby is placed in your arms. My world exploded. We have a baby. Motherhood. Responsibility. Time to focus on your child. And focus I did.

I enjoyed the time I had at home with each child before having to return to work. Returning to work was a struggle. An emotional struggle and one that I still confront every Monday. The best part of my days, even now, is returning to my children and home. Being together again. There is nothing better than all of us being together. Family.

I remember the first fever our daughter had and the panic I felt. I stress when our children are sick. It gets easier as they get older because they can tell you where it hurts. I asked my mother once why no one ever mentioned fevers in the middle of the night, vomiting spells that can last days, trips to the doctors, dealing with medications, hospitalizations, separation...and she responded with a question of her own. Would that have stopped you from having a child? No. I still would have had my babies. Because in the end, every last diaper change, late night/early morning with a sick child, whatever at the moment you think you’ll never survive, well, you do and it is all worth it.

A child telling you s/he loves you.
Hugs from them, just because.
Sticky kisses. Wet kisses. Snotty kisses.
Boo-boos and blood.
Mismatched outfits that a two-year old picks out. (Yes, I let them wear every one of them.)
Playing dolls, trucks and cars.
Playdough and fingerpaints.
Watching the SAME movie for the one-thousandth time.
Having toys laying all over from one end of the house to another. (and you JUST cleaned)
Always having someone calling for you, especially when you find that one moment to sit down.
What is private bathroom time?
Hearing them laugh.
Having to answer questions you only get from a child.
Seeing life through innocent eyes.

I cannot imagine life without children. I am thankful for serving a God that blessed me with two beautiful, smart and healthy children. Caring for them, loving them and watching them grow is so remarkable. So rewarding.

I love you both! Hugs and kisses.

ABC’s & Baking

This post is a little late but I had a busy weekend. We finally had beautiful weather so I was outside. I accomplished a lot of yard work and managed to get things done inside as well. It felt so good to open up the windows and let the cool breeze blow through the house. I wish it would blow all the dust right outside but it seems to work one way – blowing the dust and dirt inside.

Today with various social media formats, every individual has an outlet for their creativity. People are on FB. They Twitter. Some blog. I'm a blogger. When time permits, I blog to update family and friends on what we as a family, or I, might be up too.

This next project, a large one and timely one, will put our new kitchen to the test. Two of us will be doing the work and blogging, four of us will enjoy the products.

Kitchen. Baking. Eating.

Those that know me know I love to bake. I have been called Martha and Suzy Homemaker. Thank you for those knick names. I take them as a compliment!

ABC’s. We have 26 letters in our alphabet.

I love to bake. Since I can remember, I have clipped recipes from magazines, newspapers and any other place an interesting recipe was printed. I spent hours writing recipes on recipe cards that I thought sounded good. Most of those recipes would be cataloged under cookies, pies, desserts. Rarely did I clip or write down a meal. I skipped right to the tasty part of a dinner – dessert! I still tend to do that but I do collect main meal recipes now too. Honestly, the ratio would probably be 10:1 when it should be 1:10 but hey, I bake. My preference is to bake. I do cook. I enjoy cooking but baking, I’ll attempt any recipe.

In the past 4 years, I have sat alone at night, going through my collection of clippings. HUGE collection. I have organized most of them into one small box. I have really DOWNSIZED my collection. I threw away (gasp) hundreds (I kid you not) of recipes. After all, once I found that perfect apple pie recipe, was it really necessary to have 27 more in my box? Absolutely not,so out they went.

So why collect recipes only to have them sit in a box? Good question! And I have asked myself that time after time.

And why should I continue to collect wonderful recipes if I don’t make them within a specified time? Good question! [Once I told myself, if you don’t make this recipe within a month, you need to throw it out. I never got around to marking the calendar and those recipes still sit where I placed them.]

Last year, I read a book about a lady that cooked her way through a cookbook. Plain crazy! Weird recipes. Daunting techniques. I could not relate to taking on that “journey”.

Then I ran across a blog where a lady bought thrift items and created new pieces of clothing from them. They were fabulous. I was amazed at some of the pieces she created. However, I am not a talented seamstress.

But I can bake. I have recipes. So I plan to bake my way through the alphabet. A all the way to Z. That way, I’ll try 26 new recipes. My family will get to try 26 new baked goods. I will not however, bake these 26 new recipes in 26 days. I am not crazy. I will bake on the weekends.

I have also, unintentionally, made this a competition. When I told my daughter about this, wouldn’t you know it, she sat right down with penceil and paper in hand, and then she went to grab some cookbooks. She started writing out her ABC list.

What have I done? What am I creating? Competition in the kitchen perhaps?

A little girl time in my favorite room! I’m sure we’ll learn a few things along the way. We’ll have lots of laughter and dishes to wash. At the end of this baking experiment, I’m sure we’ll be adding a few recipes to our “tried and tested” binder and some will, unfortunately, find their way into the garbage bin. Not all recipes can be a “keeper”.

This will be fun! I hope you check back in to see what’s bakin’.

Words

You have to be careful what you say. Think before you speak. Words burn and cannot be taken back once they leave your mouth.

Never say never.

Not that I said never in reference to this:


…and a bathroom.

Living in the house you are renovating, especially when the room being renovated is the kitchen, can be trying at times. Dust, fine dust every where. Appliances, brand new, sitting to be installed. A kitchen packed up and stored here, there and almost every where. You get creative. You make do. Dinners are not what you normally make.

The hardest part for me has been the sink. Rather, not having a sink and yet, still having dishes. I want to take back some spoken words.

I said I would not wash our dishes in the bathroom tub. Well, technically, I am not washing them IN the tub. Confession time…I am using the tub. This is where I “installed” the utility sink. I fill it with hot water from the tub. Wash the dishes. Pull the plug and the waste water fills a bucket under the sink. Bucket gets emptied outside. Dishes done.


I try not to complain and soon, if the timing is right, on Mother’s Day, I’ll be able to use my new sink in my new kitchen!

What? No mom’s in the kitchen this Sunday.

Not in our house. If I have my way, I’ll be baking, washing dishes and hanging out in my new, beautiful kitchen. Which reminds me, I still need to share something with you. My ABC project. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.

In the meantime, I have to clean, paint, clean, and make a shopping list and move all the scattered kitchen items back into their new area. I just have to wait for the countertop to be installed first!