House on the Corner

Spring

2010-04-13T12:06:00.002-05:00

I've never had a flower garden and never worked on the yard. This year we decided to plant some things. So far we have basil, peppers, and lots of flowers. Here are some of the before pictures. I hope to take more tonight. I love watching everything grow!

(Click on this link below)

Gardening

Mannington Heritage Cherry Laminate floors

2010-03-07T11:36:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of my son's room. I will post some before and after pictures when I have more time.

Laminate wood floors

Laminate versus Wood

2010-01-18T10:06:00.003-06:00

We finally have some money to have the floors done in the house. We had one estimate done from Lowe's to have pergo and it was $9600 for the entire house minus the bathroom and kitchen. A guy came out from another place to give us an estimate with Armstrong Grand Illusions put it. He said it was one of the most expensive laminates so I'm getting worried about how much it will be. He said it would cost $7.28 a square foot and that includes installation. I guess we will see. He also said the laminate we picked out was almost as expensive as wood would be. I like wood but worry about water damage and pet damage. If we didn't have pets I would probably go with wood. But if wood is almost the same price I feel like it's best to get it. I'm confused. Has anyone else done their whole house? How much was it? Our house is 1700 square feet but we aren't doing the bathrooms, kitchen, or closets.

2010

2010-01-07T08:00:00.002-06:00

I've been away from my blog for some time and thought I would start the new year by updating. We are still slowly working on the house and still need to get the floors done. I'm waiting on my refiance on the house to go through and then we can pay for it. I spent last night looking on flickr for some pictures of other peoples pergo floors. I don't like the look of oak and lean towards cherry or maple. Hopefully I will be posting some pictures of the sample floors soon.

Shopping for living room furniture

2009-07-20T07:59:00.003-05:00

We've had our sofa for a really long time so this past weekend we went to a few places around town. The second store we visited was Rooms To Go and we found a sectional called the Bridgeport that we really like. We decided to sleep on it but after hearing some bad reviews from others about the store I am weary about buying it. I really like it and it is a great price but I don't want it to fall apart after just a couple of years. In my opinion a couch should last a long time. I'm really bummed because I was really excited about getting a new one but now I'm on the fence. My husband and I decided to wait a few days and then make our final decision.

A picture of the sectional

Decals for Logan's room

2009-07-17T11:08:00.001-05:00

Decals for Logan's room , originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Haven't posted in this blog in a long time but wanted to share the decals I added to my son's room. I feel that they go well with his quilt that you can see in the picture. I still want to add something to the other wall but haven't decided on that yet. I also need to get him a new valance to match his room. I'm thinking navy or orange but orange may be hard to find.

Veggie beef soup

2009-02-23T08:33:00.001-06:00

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 cans beef broth
1/4 cup dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 can green beans
1 can corn
onion (as much as you like)
1 cup cut baby carrots
2 large potatoes cut into squares

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium high heat, saute the ground beef for about 5 minutes, or until browned. Drain off excess fat.
Add vegetables and potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.

Laminate wood floors

2009-02-23T08:27:00.003-06:00

My son has pretty severe allergies and after testing him they suggested we get rid of the carpet in the house. We had Lowe's come out and give us quote to do the house (minus the kitchen and baths) and it was around $9000. I have no idea if this is a good price or not but it's a lot of money! I think we may try and get more money from our home equity account. I really wish it wasn't so expensive but the carpet really has to go. We looked at the Pergo laminate wood flooring but haven't decided on any color yet. I wish I could see pictures from people that have done it or hear some customer reviews. We have two cats and a dog so we need something that will last. I feel like there is always some work to be done around the house. After the floors I'd like to have the yard redone. It's bascially weeds right now and I'd like someone to come out and landscape it. *sigh*

I need to make some more money!

Comfort food!

2009-01-12T11:22:00.001-06:00

Potato cheese soup (with bacon bits), originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Potato cheese soup (with bacon bits)
Recipe:

Ingredients
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 3/4 lbs.)
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
42 ounces organic low sodium chicken broth (5 1/4 cups)
1 whole garlic clove, smashed with the back of your knife
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
1 cup fat-free half-and-half (can substitute whipping cream)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz.)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (can substitute finely chopped scallions or green onions)
1 cup light sour cream (optional)
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
additional shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a 5-quart slow-cooker.
2. Cover and cook on high for six hours, or low for 8-10 hours--or, cook until potato is tender.
3. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened.
4. Stir in half-n-half, cheese, and chives.
5. In each individual bowl, top with a dallop of sour cream, if desired, and sprinkle with bacon and cheddar cheese before eating.

Tree is up!

2008-12-08T20:51:00.002-06:00

"Decorating the tree 2008", originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We decided to put the tree in the bedroom this year because of the cats and Oscar. I didn't want to yell at them the entire month of December.

This is with the flash off

Winter sheets

2008-12-07T11:43:00.001-06:00

Winter sheets, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Oh how I love flannel sheets.

I finally started painting!

2008-07-16T20:45:00.001-05:00

painting Logan's room, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

After taking the wallpaper down I took a long break. I was just so tired of being in this room. Today I started painting and hopefully tomorrow I will finish. My niece volunteered to help me tomorrow so I know it will go much faster. I am so happy to finally have some help. I was almost in tears today because I felt so overwhelmed with it all. I've never painted a room before and really wanted someone with me. Thank goodness for family.

M.

Happy 4th

2008-07-05T00:25:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy day!

July

2008-07-04T00:10:00.002-05:00

Summer is in full swing at the house. We are staying up late and sleeping in. I don't know how anyone could get bored being home all day. There is so much to be done!

A picture a day!

No more wallpaper!

2008-07-02T15:42:00.001-05:00

IMG_2949, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

I finished taking down the border today. I didn't work on it for a few days because I was feeling so overwhelmed. Today I woke up ready to tackle it and I did! Now I have to patch up the holes which I've never done. It seems pretty straight forward though. I think I will be ready to paint by the weekend. I am so relieved to have the wallpaper off and so proud that I did it alone.

M.

A now the garbage disposal goes out

2008-06-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

I saved money by working on this stupid wallpaper myself and now the garbage disposal goes out. How much does something like that cost? Ours was really old and the seal is broken. It leaked under the cabinet and some really nasty stuff came out.

*sigh*

Removing wallpaper border - wall 3

2008-06-27T14:13:00.001-05:00

removing wallpaper border - wall 3, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Still working on this project. I am feeling very overwhelmed today and wish I had a little help. In some spots it took take the texture off but for now all I am worried about it getting this border down. I am on wall three and after I finish the fourth wall I will have to make another pass to get it clean. I did leave some of the white sticky stuff in some spots because I felt it was best to get the main part down first. That way I would feel like I've made progress. Can someone say muscle relaxer? That is what my body needs right about now!

M.

Office area

2008-06-26T00:22:00.001-05:00

Office area, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

(Click to see full size)

We decided to move the desk into the spare room tonight. It was midnight and we were moving furniture and rearranging. This is why I love having summers off!

More pictures on my flickr account. I do want to paint but not this week.

M.

Still trying to remove this wallpaper border :/

2008-06-25T12:50:00.002-05:00

I worked on this for about an hr today and maybe an hr the other day. It's slowly coming off. It makes me feel good to take pictures to see that I have actually DONE something.

I'm using water and Downy.

A picture a day

2008-06-24T23:19:00.000-05:00

Still going strong!

A way to get off the couch this summer?

2008-06-24T10:51:00.001-05:00

Texas is so hot that we end up staying indoors most of the summer. I thought about getting a Wii fit but haven't heard many people talking about it. If you have one do you like it? Can you feel some improvement? Since I'm not spending my money on paying that guy to remove the wallpaper I thought I'd treat myself to the Wii fit.

Did I mention how sore my arms are from yesterday? Ouch!

Removing wallpaper border

2008-06-23T17:26:00.002-05:00

IMG_2705, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

There are two borders on here so it make take me all summer to finish this job. More pictures as I make progress. My fingers are all sticky right now and the room is a mess so I'm taking a break. I feel like I've been lifting weights!

M.

That guy was insane

2008-06-23T16:25:00.003-05:00

The estimate to take down the wallpaper border for the smallest bedroom in the house was $700 bucks! I think the guy must have had a screw loose. There is no way it should cost that much. We told him no thanks. I have decided to try and do it myself. I think I can get the border down but I am more worried about all the holes in the walls. I've never patched up a hole before and don't want it to look like a crappy job. We had heavy shelves up in his room which caused all the holes and also a large bulletin board. I guess that is another thing I will need to look up online. I know people patch up holes all the time but it's not something I've ever done. Maybe I will take pictures later to show the size of the holes.

How much should it cost

2008-06-22T16:24:00.005-05:00

We are hiring this guy to take down the baby border down from my son's room and then paint. It has two borders on it now (old one when we bought the house and then the one we added) and the wall is full of holes that need to be patched up. The room is small but I have no clue what to expect he will charge us. I don't want to be suckered but also know it will be a lot of work taking down the border. Any idea on what this should cost? Pictures is below....

Room we are going to redo

Anyway, he will be here later and then we will decide if we want to go with him or not.

Summer time!

2008-06-13T11:17:00.003-05:00

I work at a school so I have summer off. Today is my first day to sleep in and enjoy my cup of coffee at home in my pajamas. It feels so wonderful.

I have many projects planned for the house during my time off so more to come later.

Day 1

2008-06-02T12:38:00.003-05:00

Day 1, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Oscar in mid yawn. My goal is to take a picture a day for 365 days. That means I will take a picture a Let's hope I can stick to it!

M.

And I've been reading like crazy. In the last two weeks of May I read:

Time Traveler's Wife
The Road
Handmaid's Tale

Today I started The Mermaid Chair

Memorial Weekend

2008-05-25T21:34:00.002-05:00

I finished my book early this morning. I loved it and didn't want it to end. Thankfully I have books on my shelf that have been waiting for me to read them. I started Cormac McCarthy's The Road. I think it will be a quick read.

What I'm listening to - Bright Eyes
Reading - The Road
Thinking - I should be reading
Wanting - new shorts for summer

I dusted the house on Friday. The guy from dish network came out and I was so embarrassed because when he went to check the box there were dust bunnies everywhere. So I dusted the living room and then the bedroom. I swear out house gets so dusty in just one day.

We don't have any other plans for the weekend. Just lounging around and relaxing. Only 7 more days of school! Yippee!

Wasp Catcher

2008-05-18T19:22:00.002-05:00

Now that we have Oscar (puppy) we hangout in the backyard more. Every time I'm out there trying to enjoy my sweet tea the bees and wasps try and get my drink! We bought this wasp catcher at Target today. I think it's really pretty even if it doesn't work. We will put sugar water in it tonight and see how well it works. I also want to get some patio furniture so we can sit and relax out there. Right now all we have is four plastic chairs. Maybe we can find some at a garage sale or something next weekend.

This weekend was very relaxing. We went to my twin sister's house for an early going away party for my brother in law and played Pictionary. The girls won! Woo-hoo!

I also read a lot this weekend. I started The Time Traveler's Wife and love it. I don't want to put it down.

Update on me

2008-05-13T09:47:00.003-05:00

Currently listening to : A Fine Frenzy

Reading : History of Love

Watching : Nothing

I really don't have time to watch television during the week. Between dinner, cleaning up, playing with the puppy, and downloading all my songs to my ipod I just don't have time!

Saving money

2008-05-04T21:28:00.000-05:00

Now that I may half of what I used to we really need to cut costs. One of the things we decided we needed to cut back on was eating out and junk from the grocery store. We used to spend $250 - $280 every two weeks on groceries and that was just too much. Our goal was to spend $150 when we went yesterday and we did pretty good because we spent $172! Instead of throwing anything into the cart we wrote down meal plans and stuck with it. I think our problem before was that we always bought too many snack foods and not enough meals for the week. I feel really proud of us. We also took all our canvas bags to the store and didn't need to waste more plastic bags. Go us!

Playing outside

2008-05-01T18:31:00.001-05:00

IMG_2129, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We are still trying to potty train Oscar but he is doing great so far! He loves being in the tall grass and is such a great joy to have.

The house projects are on hold right now but hopefully the floors will be next.

Oscar again

2008-04-21T06:51:00.001-05:00

IMG_1981, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

I just love his little tongue. We took him to the park yesterday and had a great time.

New family member

2008-04-20T11:41:00.001-05:00

New dog, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Meet Oscar!

Good Friday

2008-03-21T23:58:00.002-05:00

This is the first Good Friday I think I've ever had off. It felt wonderful to be home. Oliver napped on my bed and the Stinker lost a tooth.

Tomorrow morning we have pancakes with family.

New free tree

2008-02-17T15:34:00.001-06:00

New free tree , originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

The city gave out trees to help shade the neighborhood. We got a tiny bur oak. Hopefully it will make it. It reminds me of Charlie Brown's Christmas tree right now.

Moving filing system

2008-01-12T21:37:00.001-06:00

Moving filing system, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We went to the Container Store (one of my favorites places on earth) tonight and bought this rolling filing cart. I love it because I can put it away in the closet whenever I want. I have three colored hanging folders so we each have a set. It came with with two baskets on the bottom. In the top one I put thank you cards, stationary, and bday cards. In the bottom one I have bags and other gift stuff. Now when I need to send a card or write a letter I know where to find all my stuff!

I have a few more pictures on my flickr account.

M.

Vacation is over

2008-01-06T20:22:00.001-06:00

On the ride to Denver leaving Breckenridge, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

Well the holidays are over. After Christmas we flew to Colorado until after New Years. It was a beautiful place but I am really happy to be back home with warmer weather. My first day back at work is tomorrow so I'm sure it will be a long day. Today we finally bought some cabinets to finish cleaning the garage. After work tomorrow I hope to clean more and take pictures.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. My new project will be do redo my son's room during spring break. I want to paint and clean out his old clothes and toys. Now that will be a huge task!

Getting ready for Xmas

2007-12-09T13:38:00.001-06:00

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

2007-11-18T21:21:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-17T20:24:00.001-06:00

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

2007-11-11T20:22:00.001-06:00

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!

2007-11-11T20:16:00.002-06:00

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

2007-11-04T18:57:00.001-06:00

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

2007-10-04T12:02:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-02T19:27:00.001-05:00

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

2007-10-01T17:03:00.001-05:00

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!!

2007-10-01T12:06:00.000-05:00

Ugly house before

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

Possible color for house

2007-09-26T12:11:00.001-05:00

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

2007-09-25T12:20:00.001-05:00

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

2007-09-23T14:42:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-22T00:42:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-21T17:49:00.001-05:00

IMG_0095, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

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

Sunday

2007-09-16T21:22:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-09-15T20:14:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-09T22:03:00.001-05:00

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

2007-09-09T21:49:00.001-05:00

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

Stainless steel, brushed nickle, or almond color

2007-08-21T07:05:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-10T21:20:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-30T15:12:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-18T08:22:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-30T07:04:00.001-05:00

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

2007-04-30T08:29:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-11T10:38:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-04-09T14:46:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

Watch - Planet Earth on the Discovery channel

Read - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Listen - Dustin Kensrue

The BBQ was a hit!

2007-04-02T08:53:00.001-05:00

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

2007-03-30T09:41:00.001-05:00

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!

2007-03-27T14:30:00.000-05:00

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

2007-03-23T08:11:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-03-20T16:19:00.001-05:00

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!

2007-03-20T09:23:00.000-05:00

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

2007-03-14T17:30:00.001-05:00

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!

2007-03-14T13:31:00.000-05:00

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

2007-03-01T10:44:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-27T11:41:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-20T16:28:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-19T09:38:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-15T15:16:00.001-06:00

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

2007-02-13T11:38:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-09T08:25:00.002-06:00

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

2007-02-07T20:16:00.001-06:00

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

2007-02-06T13:58:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-05T07:44:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

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

2007-02-01T13:44:00.001-06:00

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

2007-01-30T11:17:00.001-06:00

Someone else really loves our new duvet cover.

Taking a small break from home repairs

2007-01-30T08:22:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-27T17:16:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-25T07:55:00.001-06:00

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

2007-01-23T15:26:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-21T11:51:00.001-06:00

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

Spending time with fam

2007-01-21T10:21:00.001-06:00

Seven Layer Dip, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

We went over to my sisters house last night for dinner and drinks. I brought the seven layer dip. Yum. I wish we could have stayed longer but I am still getting over this cough so I was pretty wore out. I feel asleep in the car on the way home. Zzzzzzzzz

3 things I suggest - watch, listen, read

2007-01-19T23:29:00.000-06:00

1. Watch Weeds on Showtime or Netflix. It's a great show.

2. Listen to Gary Jules - Falling Awake

3. Read Stiff. It's really interesting to find out what they do with your body when you donate it to science.

Master bathroom again

2007-01-18T19:11:00.001-06:00

It's almost complete! You can see the cabinet that we will use for our toiletries and you can also see the toothbrush holder that is a cup. I found a shower curtain that I want and hopefully I can buy it this weekend.

We almost have the master bathroom back!

2007-01-17T18:03:00.001-06:00

He installed the cabinets today and also the toilet. Here are a few more pictures and the some ugly before shots so you can see just how far we have come!

And eeek...before

They just have to put the sinks in and do some touch up work on some tiles and then it's all ours! Whew!

Pictures of house from outside

2007-01-16T16:50:00.000-06:00

Our home (You can see Johnnie Cat in the guest room window)

You can kinda see the snowflakes coming down in this one.

Texas Snow

2007-01-16T10:57:00.000-06:00

Texas Snow on my doormat! It snowed more but I haven't uploaded those pictures yet. We have been outside playing and maybe tonight I will share more.

Wide Eyes

2007-01-12T09:21:00.001-06:00

Wide Eyes, originally uploaded by House on the Corner.

I think I must have been a cat in a former life. I can nap and nap and still need a nap.

It's rainy and foggy in Texas today. The weatherman said today would be near 74 but he is often wrong. They also say that there could be ice on the road on Monday morning because Sunday night there is a cold front moving in. I wish it would last. I haven't worn my new scarf enough.

On the house front the bathroom is not finished yet. Maybe by Tuesday because he is almost done with the flooring and putting in the sinks and toilets is easy.

Some bathroom progress

2007-01-10T20:07:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures that I took today of our bathroom.

Shower and tub area

Bathroom window

Where the toliet will go

Side by side recessed medicine cabinets

I am so happy that he is almost done with the shower and has started the floor. The floor is what took the longest in the guest bath.

I still need to find a nice shower curtain that will add a little color to the bathroom and make it saucy!