Getting ready for Xmas

Getting ready for Xmas, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

I am slowly getting the house ready for the holidays. Our stockings are my favorite thing to put up so they always go up first.

Hopefully this evening we will finish and I can take more pictures.

M.

(if you click on any picture you can see it larger)

Cranberry cream pie recipe

Here is the recipe for the pie we made last night. It didn't firm up as much as it should have so it was more like a pudding than a pie but maybe if someone else makes it they can figure out where I went wrong. It seemed like the gelatin didn't dissolve well so maybe that is why it didn't harden as much as it should have. It was delicious anyway. We had a pie of it today but had to but it in a bowl instead of using a plate, haha!

I plan to try it again since I still have all the ingredients. This time I may add more gelatin. Oh, and we bought the crust to save on time and it was a good thing since we plan to try it again tomorrow.

This is taken from the Real Simple site:

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup sugar
5 ounces shortbread cookies
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) roasted almonds
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 8-ounce package frozen cranberries, thawed
1 1/4-ounce packet unflavored gelatin
2 cups heavy cream

Special Equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Warm the orange juice and sugar in a small pot over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate until just cool, about 30 minutes.

Pulse the cookies and almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse to combine. Press the cookie mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Clean the food processor, then add the cranberries and 1/4 cup of the cooled juice and puree.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining juice and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until the gelatin dissolves. Add the pureed cranberries and stir to combine.

Beat the cream in a medium bowl using a whisk or electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture until well combined. Pour the cranberry cream into the crust. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

Tip: The Cranberry Cream Pie can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until serving.

Real Simple recipe

Real Simple recipe, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

This is the first pie I have ever attempted to make. It is the cranberry cream pie recipe from the November issue of Real Simple. If it turns out good we will take it to my husbands family for Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow we are going to make a pumpkin pie. I've never been a person that liked to cook or bake but now that i will have more time at home I really want to start.

I'll let you know how it tastes tomorrow.

M.

Twins hands

IMG_0597, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

This was taken on our last camping trip. I feel very fortunate that my twin sister and I can enjoy time outdoors with one another. We used to go camping with our mom when we were young and still love doing it.

If you click on the picture you can see it enlarged.

New project - Clean garage!

So we started cleaning out the garage today. We took everything off the shelves and put it in the center of the garage. The shelves had been up I think since the house was built in 1984! They were particle board and just crumbling away. We will buy some metal shelves and hopefully keep the garage organized from now on.

Hopefully this project will be done in a week or so.

PS. Thank everyone for all their kind replies to my previous post. It really made me feel good about my home.

M.

Camping trip

We took a small break away from the home and went camping this past weekend. It was really nice to get away and enjoy this cooler weather.

Camping trip photos here

Nobody loves my house but me

I posted before and after pictures of my house in another community and was really shocked that nobody had anything nice to say. They all seemed to love the ugly old fake wood siding and ugly 80's baby blue trim. To me it looked out dated and "country". It looked like the kind of house that had duck pictures hanging in the kitchen and rosters everywhere. Now, I'm not saying anything bad about that stuff but it's just not me. I know I shouldn't worry about what other people think but it did hurt my feels. We have spent a lot of time and money on the house and I guess I expected others to see the new change as a good thing. Lots of people hated my blue door and said we should go with red but ALL my neighbors have red doors and I wanted to be different. Oh, and this is not the door we plan to keep. We want to buy a new one with new locks and knobs. We just thought it needed to be painted since the old one was peeling and totally didn't go.

Maybe I just don't know whats "in" these days and people prefer bad siding that's cracking and ugly wood shingles where siding should be,

Anyway, rant over...

The house is done

The house is done, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

It's done. Many pictures on my flickr page. (you can find my link on the right column)

They painted the doors green and we originally wanted them white

They painted the doors green and we originally wanted them white, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

So we have until tomorrow morning to decide what to do. We had said we wanted the french doors the color of the trim of the house but my husband kinda likes them green.

Gah, decisions....

This is what they were before.



I can't wait until that ugly baby blue trim color is gone! Tomorrow they should finish.

Oh, we have a blue door now. We need to replace the ugly lock and handle but for now this is a HUGE improvement.



EDIT: We are going to have them paint the french doors the cream color again.

They started painting!!

Ugly house before





They will do the trim after lunch but this is the color of the siding...

Possible color for house

This is the sage in the full sun and the bottom pic is in the shade more. I can't decide if I think it's too green or not. This is hard.

IMG_0311, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We like the one of the far left and the navy would be the door color.

Ugly brown shingles are gone

ugly brown shingles are gone, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Look above the big window! Those ugly brown "cottage" shingles are gone. I am so excited to see them removed.

They should be done with all the siding today and then they will start on the rest. Tonight we need to make a decision on the paints. All of this makes me really happy. My house needed this for so long.

BTW, to see the before picture with the ugly brown shingles you can scroll down my blog.

Yard work weekend

Before I trimmed the bushes



After



And I have a question that hopefully someone knows the answer to. We have this monster vine on the side of the house that we want to get rid of. Anyone know the easiest way to do this. The thing is a monster and we hate it. It's always out of control and gets tangled in the crepe myrtles.

More pics of siding on my flickr account

They worked all day and have the back of the house almost done. I am guessing they will finish the front this weekend and then work on replacing all the old trim. Hopefully we can decide on paint colors before Monday because I don't have a lot of time to look during the week. I feel like I am getting a whole new house!

I have more pictures of the work being done on the house on my flickr page which can be found on the right column if you are interested.

Happy Friday.

M.

New siding started today

IMG_0095, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

YAH! They started yesterday and I couldn't be happier. So far, so good....

Sunday

We had a beautiful day. The weather is still very hot here so toes in the water are a must...



Thank you for the comments on my son's eczema. We are going to try out the suggestions and hopefully will see an improvement. Thankfully he was able to be outside and not scratch all day.

Help with eczema?

I love seeing my son outside playing sports but the poor little guys eczema is so bad. He scratches to the point that he breaks the skin. The entire game he stands on the field and just rips apart his legs.

I am going to set up a doctor appointment for him first thing Monday morning to see if there is anything else we can do about it. Right now he has two meds but they just don't help.

Anyone know of anything?? Maybe in a pill form?


During the game



\
After the game

We returned the lawnmower

So we ended up returning the lawnmower back to Lowe's after trying to work with the "warranty people" for over a month. I can't believe what an ordeal it was trying to get that thing fixed when we only had it for a month. What horrible customer service.

I tore up that credit card!

We went to Home Depot and bought a Toro instead. So far, so good.

My son's bed

This is the bed that was in the attic for 9 years.

Stainless steel, brushed nickle, or almond color

What color are your appliances? We currently have an almond color fridge and dishwasher and an old beat up black stove. Now we have to decide what color oven to get. It's the built in wall kind and is broken. The fridge is about 10 yrs old and the dishwasher around 5.

I got one call back so far and it was a good reference. Now I just need two more and we will get started on the siding.

A new job, a new book, and soon...some new siding

I started Kite Runner this week. I haven't really gotten into it yet but I think it's because I also started a new job this week. I was at my last job for five years so starting something new has been really scary. Hopefully in a few months I will look back at this training time and laugh!

We have decided on getting the new siding done as soon as we get reference back on the company we chose. I am really excited to get this project started. Our house is so dated and looks very 80's right now. We have limestone and a really ugly baby blue trim. We will be getting hardi boards and want them painted a sage green but don't know about the color of trim. Ideas? I also want to get a new door at that time.

I have been in my house for ten years now and know that this change will be huge. So this is the plan right now...

1. Siding and trim
2. Door
3. Roof (trim trees)
4. Hardwood floors (when we get more money)
5. Remodel kitchen (when we get more money)

Lawnmower woes

After many many years with a crappy lawnmower we finally went out and bought what we thought was going to be a really good lawnmower. We spent a good $350 bucks on it and I believe the brand is Toro from Lowes. I'm not at home right now or I would look at the model so I'll have to get back to you on that. Anyway, we bought this lawnmowet and when we got it home it never started. So we lug in back into the back of my SUV (yes, this was really heavy) and return it for another one that was still in the box. My husband was able to use it around three times before it stopped working. It just stopped. So the lawn was halfway mowed and we called someone to come look at it.

Well, the man said it was defective and they had recalled this model. Great. This was about three weeks ago now and our lawn is just getting longer and longer. My husband has been on the phone many times back and forth with Lowes trying to get a refund. I just hate all the paperwork you have to go through with something like this. It should not be this difficult. After we finally get our money back I think we are going to Sears or Home Depot next time...

A new job

I put my notice in at my current job and start my new one in August. I am beyond excited about this change. My new job will give me so much more time at home and allow be to spend more time with family. Starting something new is always scary at first but I know after a few months everything will seem normal again. With my new job we will have to make some adjustments with the way we spend but I know it will all work out. It's just a matter of spending less on things that aren't important anyway.

Next summer I will have off and that is worth it!

Update

I have been away from this journal for a little while because we haven't been working on any home repairs for now. Still saving up to get the siding done and I've been busy looking for a new job. I really want a job that allows me more time at home.

I'm crossing my fingers that everything works out.

More new lighting

We finally changed out the light above the kitchen table. We also bought a new dome light to replace this hideous florescent box but that hasn't been put up yet.

This is the light above the table before





And this is our new one






This shows the ugly box that we need to still take down. I really don't know why anyone would want florescent lighting in their kitchen. It's so harsh and ugly. It reminds me of the movie Joe Versus the Volcano when Tom Hanks is stuck at that really bad job.

I'm so ready to take this one down...



Our next small project will be to replace the blinds in the house. One of the first ones we need to replace is the kitchen. As you can see from these pictures we have a really old mini blind hanging and I'm thinking about a roller shade instead. I also need some ideas on how to use the wasted space on the windowsill. It's so big and right now it's not being used. Ideas? I thought about putting some baskets there but it may look too junky. Another idea would be to have it covered and padded.

Siding - what options are out there

So now I'm curious what the best way to go is with siding. We received one quote already for vinyl siding that was almost $9000 but we really don't know what other options are out there. I want something that will last and won't rot as easily. I also wonder what most people have. I did add Blue Vinyl to my list of movies to watch in Netflix and I'm sure it will have many bad things to say about vinyl siding just as Super Size Me made me never want to eat fast food again. *sigh*

Decisions, decisions. Of course we won't have the money for this until October so I have plenty of time to think about this.

EDIT: I think I like the hardiplanks so we'll try and have them requote

Vinyl siding - how much should it cost?

The third place is at the house now taking measurments for a vinyl siding estimate. Two others came out last week and we are still waiting to hear back on the quote. I have no earthly clue what to expect as far as the cost goes and I'm very anxious to hear the estimates.

Has anyone done this before? Any suggestions of tips? If you don't mind saying, how much did it cost you if you did this. We have a one story home and want a really light sage colored put on. I've heard good and bad things about vinyl but mostly good.

I'll cross my fingers that the amount will be something we can afford.

We also need a new roof and need estimates on that. Hmm, another thing to worry about the cost.

3 suggestions - Watch, Read, Listen

Watch - Planet Earth on the Discovery channel

Read - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Listen - Dustin Kensrue

The BBQ was a hit!

pasta bowls, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We had a wonderful weekend and it made me feel really proud of our home. There are tons of pictures of the house on my flickr account if anyone is interested. You can view them on the first few pages.

I also bought these beautiful pasta bowls and serving bowl with the rest of my birthday money. I can't wait to use them! My sisters will be coming over this Saturday to have an early Easter lunch. I really look forward to it.

We decided that our next home project will be the siding and trim on the house. I need to start looking at pictures of vinly siding and investigate the pros and cons. I also have no idea how much something like that will cost. I have three different companies coming over to give us an estimate. Wish us luck!

His New Grill

new grill, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We went to Lowes last night and bought his new grill. This picture was taken before it was completely put together but it has a tray on one side and a burner on the other. Of course it took around four hour to put together but now it's done. I look forward to many family BBQ's and lots of fun.

We also bought a new bench for the front patio to sit outside and read or watch the Stinker play outside. We don't like him to be outside alone and I never had anywhere to sit when he rode his skateboard or scooter. This is perfect.

(Took this last night)

We have dinner guests arriving!

First off I had a wonderful birthday. We went to dinner with the family at the County Line as we do ever year. We've been going there for the past 18 years! TRADITION! After dinner we headed over to my mom's for cake and then went home to rest up before hitting the town. We stayed at the Hilton downtown and stopped off at a few bars before calling it a night. It was really fun and I also got some really great presents this year. Here is the list of things I received:

Vintage looking pearl and sterling earring
A watch (because I am always asking for the time)
Two magazine subscriptions
A book
Some pj's
Salt and pepper shakers
MONEY!
Barnes and Noble gift card
Some makeup

Wow, lots of good stuff!

This coming weekend we will have my family over for dinner. Our one year anniversary is coming up so I decided on getting him a grill early so we can use it for hamburgers and sausage. I like having people over but we rarely do so hopefully we can do this more often. It's sometimes hard planning on guests when you are in the middle of home renovations or when you don't have your house just like you want it but I guess if you waited for that day nobody would ever be over! Ha!

The reason we chose to grill is because remember...we still don't have an oven! Saving up for the one we really want because I don't believe in buying one that we won't be happy with only to buy another one in a few tears. Best to wait until we can get what we want.

Any ideas on what else to server with our burgers and sausage? Maybe some corn on the cob and a good salad.

Maybe not wiser but definately older

My birthday is Sunday. It's hard to believe because it honestly feels like I just had one. Time seems to go by faster and faster as you age. I'm feel a little down about my birthday this year. I know we will have a lot of fun and have many things planned but I just don't feel 32 and I sure as hell hope I don't look it! Ha! I am proud of the things I have accomplished in my life so far but I guess a lot of people start feeling this way around their big day. Blowing out those candles just don't bring you the same joy as it did when you were sixteen. Hey, at least I get to share my day with someone else and so the celebrating is twice as fun!

I'm sure I'll have much to report on Monday and many photos to share. Until then...

Missy

Kitchen is painted!

Paint, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

It's drying! I'm still not used it it but hopefully it grows on me. Of course it's better then the old wallpaper. Now we need to get new lighting, paint cabinets, change harware. countertops, sinks. and appliances, ha!

The remodeling never ever ever ends....

PS. The rest of the kitchen photos are on my flickr account.

The hideous country style wallpaper is gone!

We have texture and all the wallpaper is gone. It was an ordeal keeping Johhnie Cat our of the kitchen last night and before the texture tried he got his paw prints on the all near the window. We fixed it as best we could and once he paints with primer today and then our light yellow I don't think you will be able to see the kitty prints. These are the time I wish we had outside cats!

A few shots for now and tonight I'll show one painted.

Before with wallpaper



With texture

Some kitchen pictures from this afternoon

Of course we would love to remodel the kitchen all at one time but the funds won't allow it so we plan to do one thing at a time. First we will take off the wallpaper and paint and next we will buy the new stove, fridge, and dishwasher. After those things are completed we can work on the cabinets, counter tops, and floors. I know most people would do the cabinets first but we will probably keep these for a little while and maybe paint them before we purchase new ones. I figure with paint and new hardware they will be greatly improved.

I created a set in my flickr account for the kitchen. You can view it here:

Kitchen pictures

And the ugly wallpaper is gone!

I am happy to report that Martin called us back and started on removing the ugly fruit wallpaper today. After he got started he found some even uglier and older wallpaper underneath. Why do people do that?? Don't they realize how much work it will take once you decide to remove it? GAH! Anyway, he is trying to get most of it off but he said he will have to just put primer over some area and then texture over that. I'll post some before pictures later tonight. He won't be able to come back until Monday to paint but just seeing some progress being made makes me happy. He hope to have the wallpaper removed today and have the walls textured.

We will paint the kitchen a pale yellow. Something that isn't overbearing since the kitchen is busy enough!

I can't stand the kitchen

Today is March which means this is the month that we will finally paint the kitchen. I'm so excited to see that ugly wallpaper gone and have a nice soothing color instead. Our kitchen currently looks so "busy" and cluttered because of the patterns on the wallpaper and top border. It has fruit all over it and they are not small. Why would anyone ever want something so busy looking in the kitchen? The kitchen is already busy enough!

I've been working really hard on trying to pay off some of our bills and man is it stressful! I'm currently working on getting my husband's student loan paid off. With the way he has it set up now we'd be almost 50 before it was paid off! YIKES! And most of that would be interest. That is just ridiculous. I've been online all week seeing what can be done about it. Hopefully we get it resolved soon. I love marking another thing off of my to do list. I also set up almost all of our bills online to be automatically deducted from our account when they are due which saves me a lot of time and money. I wish every company allowed you to do it that way.

I locked myself out of the house

Our weekend was pretty low key which is usually the way I like it. The Stinker won his first soccer game on Saturday so we went out for ice cream after. The weather was so nice outside that I'm a little worried about how hot this summer will be. If it's already eighty we will see those triple digits much sooner then I'm happy with.

On Saturday night we went out to dinner and had a few drinks and then came home to watch a movie. If you haven't seen The Black Dahlia, don't waste your time. It was very slow and boring.

Sunday we lounged around the house and I almost finished my book. It's a really easy read so I'm happy that I have her followup book that I can start right away. When it got dark outside the Stinker and I decided to go outside and look at the stars through the telescope. When we decided to come back in the door was locked. Somehow we locked it and didn't have a key outside or proper clothing! We had gone out in pajams and flip flops and it was starting to get cold.

Lesson learned! Next time we go outside...bring a cellphone and keys. *sigh*

My thoughts on having a twin sister

On my way into work this morning I listened to the radio as they were discussed what it must be like to have a twin. They had several callers give their opinions on what it's like having someone look like you. For me, I've always really loved it because we are special. I consider my sister my best friend and even though we had to endure many stupid questions over the years it's still really cool to share a birthday with someone.

A sample of dumb questions

If I hit your sister will you feel it?
Why don't you have glasses since your sisters does (I do now)
Do you have the same birthday (DUH!)
Are you the same age?
Do you play tricks on people all the time

I'll never know what it's like not to share a birthday and we have celebrated all of them together. The big 32 is next month and I know we will spend it together having fun and toasting our day.

Weekend recap and ideas on fixing up the kitchen

I think I've made a decision on what to do in the kitchen for now. Of course I would love to get all new cabinets and counter tops but we can't afford that right now so for now we will have the wallpaper removed, paint the walls a very light yellow, and then maybe paint the cabinets. I've read about painting cabinets a lot online but I am a little nervous about it. Of course the paint and new hardware would make a huge improvement on what's there now. Our kitchen looks so 80ish and drab. I still love the 80's music but not the styles that were in back then. How did our mom ever let us walk out of the house in parachute pants? EEK!

Anyway, that's my plan. I'm hoping we can have it painted before my birthday so we can have a party again this year.

Conan's pizza and Amy's ice cream = heaven

Conans pizza, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Last night we spent our evening having one of the best slices of pizza and then ice cream for dessert. If you have never been to Conan's pizza you are totally missing out. Oh, and Amy's ice cream is the best ice cream ever. I always stick with the coffee with walnuts.

Valentines was spent with my two favorite guys and I wouldn't want it any other way!

Weekend highs and lows

Highs

Having dinner at the Roaring Fork on Saturday night. The tuna was to die for. I can't wait to go again.

Seeing my son play his first soccer game. He said, "I think I did GREAT for my first time playing." He really did and I am so proud.

Finally buying a toaster oven. We tried it out last night and it seems to work well for what we need it for.

Starting a new book. (See left side bar)

Lows

Seeing my bank account statment on Monday morning.

Burning the hell outta the roof of my mouth on a slice of cheese pizza. It still hurts!

Dinner

This was our dinner last Friday night. Of course now that the oven is broken our dinner this Friday will not be as scrumptious. We will have to be creative with the stovetop meals and microwave dishes. I'm trying to decide if purchasing a toaster oven is worth it. Do you use one for pizzas, tater tots and other kid friendly dishes in your home? Logan wanted a hot dog last night with tater tots but he had to settle for mac and cheese with the hot dogs since we can make that on the stove. I'm guessing that we should be able to buy a new oven in a week or so but I wonder how long it will take to arrive and install. Hopefully not too long because I want more Salmon on paper plates...

Lots of things planned for this weekend so I'm sure I will have many pictures to share on Sunday. Tonight we are going out with my sister and brother in law to see some bands play and then probably get some dinner. Tomorrow night we plan to celebrate Valentine's Day early. We don't exchange gifts but we do like to have a special dinner and spend time alone.

PS. My sister says that salmon looks gross but I ♥ it and my husband is great at cooking it just like I like! I don't eat red meat, seafood, or chicken but I will have salmon, boars head turkey deli meat (only boars head), and tuna. I guess you could say I'm picky.

Encyclopedia Brown books

Encyclopedia Brown books, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

These books were my husband's when he was little and he loved them! Logan recently started reading them and he can't get enough. He is always so thrilled when Encyclopedia Brown solves the case. I'm so happy that he enjoys reading because in our home we have books everywhere!

Do they even make this series anymore? I have no idea. I always see Captain Underpants but no detective books for boys his age. I guess I'll have to pay closer attention when we go to the bookstore next time.

It's gettin' hot in here aka the oven caught fire

I went home for lunch today and while I was watching Oprah on the DVR and eating my sandwich my husband calls me into the kitchen. The oven was on fire. We knew it was going out but damn! Actually I'm shocked that oven lasted as many years as it did. It's a Roper and I believe it was the orginal one put in when the house was built in 1983.

I guess we need to take a trip to Lowe's or Home Depot this weekend and uh..charge it!

So many little boxes

I have always loved pretty little boxes. These are on the window set (which is really set to high to actually sit on) in my bathroom. I keep charms in one, rings in another, and so on. I probably need one large jewelry box but haven't seen one that I like as much as all these boxes. I love how they are all unique and they add some color to the room.

The Stinkers Bathroom aka my son's

Click on pictures to see full view


The master bathroom and my sons are the same (faucet, cabinet, paint) expect for the shower curtain and accessories. His bathroom has a jungle theme which he loves because his bedroom is an ocean theme so he gets both worlds!



I think the elephant without a brain is kinda weird but also cute. I'll try and take pictures of the trashcan (giraffe on it) and the shower curtain (monkeys) sometime this weekend. We rarely have guests over so there wasn't a need to make the bathroom an adult room. Logan uses it the most so I think having him decorate it with things he loves is really important.

Office supplies

Office supplies, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

I believe the items on your desk should be things that make you smile and reflect some of your personality. I love my Eeyore cup and on the side it says Popular Pessimist. My office is always cold so I drink hot tea or hot chocolate in it. My mouse pad is from The Nightmare Before Christmas which is one of my favorite movies. The little pig is something an ex coworker passed on to me when she left our company and I think he's really cute. And of course...my red stapler. Nobody better take my red Swingline stapler! Ha, Ha! (Haven't you seen Office Space?)

Oliver napping

Someone else really loves our new duvet cover.

Taking a small break from home repairs

We started the bathroom remodeling process in October and Friday was the last day that our contractor was there fixing something. It was a long road but well worth it. Every time I'm in my bathroom I feel a sense of accomplishment. I think our relationship also grew stronger through the process. Sounds strange, but true. Working on something as huge as that and having to cram the three of us into one bathroom for 3.5 months really takes a lot of patience and understanding. Our next project for the house will be the outside. We need to have the trim repaired and then painted, we need a new front door, and we need to fix some of the shingles on the roof. I think we will take one month off from working on something like that before we call up the contractor to come out and give us a bid. Then we can know how much to save and begin again.

Our home is older but it isn't a cookie cutter house which is what I love about it. Our home is unique because we take the time (and money) doing things that suit our style and works for us. Plus, after we complete all the renovations it will practically be a new home! Ha ha!

In personal news my son had his first soccer practice last night. I am now a soccer mom. It was freezing out there but it was so wonderful to see him run around and be a part of a team. He loved it and said he can't wait for his first game. Go Scropions!

Going from a baby room to a big boy room

My son is now eight which is hard to believe but now is the time to get rid of the baby border and baby lamp. I bought this ocean critters bedding and bought the valance to match but purchased the wrong size. Darnit! That's what I get for guessing instead of measuring. Of course they now longer sell that set so I have to decide if I want the matching one (on Ebay)or just stick with a solid color. Things I want to do with the room:

1. paint the room a really light shade of blue

2. remove the border

3. buy a bed skirt

4. get the full size frame out of the attic

5. buy new lamp

6. get rid of ugly mini blinds and replace with a shade

Here are a few pictures that will be my before shots







He loves to read

Corner of my bedroom

Corner of my bedroom, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

I really wish I could be back at home under my covers. I feel out of sorts this morning. My son forgot his lunchbox this morning when he walked out to the bus stop so I hurried up and ran out the door to take it to him before I had to be at work. I start my job at 7:30 am and school also starts at 7:30 so I really had to hustle to make it on time. I got there as soon as he was walking off the bus and he seemed so surprised that I was there. He said, "I didn't think you'd bring it to me this early!" Whew! So now I'm sitting here without my coffee and without makeup but it was worth it.

My pink eye in my blue home

I woke up with pink eye today. Well, since I've never had it before I wasn't sure what it was but after showing up to work I was sent home and made an appointment and she confirmed that it was, in fact, pink eye. So I spent 35 bucks today (25 for appt. and 10 for eyedrops) and have been watching the Oprah episodes that I recently starting recording on DVR. I'm not necessarily a fan of Oprah's but I am a fan of the topics she has so I started recording them this week. The one I watched today really got me thinking. The title was The Debt Diet and bascially showed you ways that you could help yourself get out of debt and also help save money for retirement. Of course our bills have really piled up recently with all the charges on the credit cards due to unexpected expensives such as new knobs for the doors, or nicer medicine cabinets but I figure after the bathrooms are completed we will not be charging for quit some time. I tend to be a worry wart anyway and having tons owed on the credit cards doesn't help any. I need to make a plan and need to put away for when I retire. Thankfully the house will be paid off in 13 yrs and I will still be young enough to enjoy it. (45 yrs old)


After the house is paid off I will really be able to save money and know that we will be okay. Anyway, I think I want to buy a book on this topic so maybe I will head over to Oprah's website to see which ones she suggests. I think the title was something like No more excuses or something with the word excuses in it. I know I have tons of excuses for needing a new jacket (it's on sale) or new shoes (but I don't have any brown ones like this). Hope everyone is having a great day!

I love lists

I really love writing lists but rarely complete them. Maybe if I blog my list someone will send me a little online nudge to see how well I'm moving along.

1. Dust the house. Having a fire in the evenings can be quit nice but it sure does leave a lot of dust!

2. Buy a good mop. What I really want is one of those industrial buckets that most fast food places use. I remember using one at my first job at the Great American Cookie Company and it did a great job. All the ones I see at the store just fall apart too easily. I've seen the industrial ones at Home Depot and they are a bit pricey but probably worth it.

3. Get rid of old Cd's that we will never listen to again. Why hang on to old Bjork Cd's if they are all scratched up anyway and skip on almost all of the songs.

4. Take more stuff to Children's resale shop

Probably enough for one week. Let's see how much actually gets done.

Medicine cabinet contents

Kids cabinet, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Because I'm sure you all want to know what's in our medicine cabinets.

(Top one is my son's)

Mine