home ownership

We bought a house.  It took almost a month of painting and working to get it ready to move in.  We painted literally every room upstairs.  Now the basement is waiting to be painted.  We are slowly getting everything unpacked. 

The silverware was missing for almost a week -- tucked away in an obscure tub in the basement.  I misplaced a red plaid ballet flat -- found it in the backseat of my car.  Found a pair of shoes I didn't know was missing -- they were still packed in my suitcase from our honeymoon.  Realized just exactly how many pairs of shoes I have -- my boots alone fill up the closet in the spare bedroom.  Oops.  I think it might be time for a garage sale this summer. 

I love it though.  There is still work to be done.  Lots of it.  New counter tops are waiting to be installed.  Kitchen back splashes to be replaced, I just don't love the pink formica.  I love having a bigger kitchen.  I love love love my laundry room, it's so amazing to have a place to actually sort clothes and not have them piled in the way.  I love my pretty grey and green bathroom, even the green tub.  I still do not love paneling though.  Even after painting paneling in the living room, hallway, kitchen and laundry room.  I may dislike it even more, but at least it looks prettier now.

christmas is here

I made it.  It's officially Winter Break.  The papers are written.  The house is clean.  Presents are almost all wrapped.  Just a couple more presents left to buy.  I have never in my life been this late buying Christmas presents.  Arg!  Should be done tomorrow.  And I'm going to start the Christmas baking tomorrow!  Can't wait.
Divinity
Penoche
Cranberry bread
Lemon Pie
Chess Pie
Black Forest Cupcakes
Chocolate Pie
Can't wait!  It's my favorite baking of the year.  I've been watching Christmas movies all day.  Well, I actually started yesterday with A Muppet Christmas Carol while I did laundry.  And then today White Christmas and Love Actually.  I've also been recording stuff on.... some movie channel.  I have Prancer waiting to be watched.  So excited!  I'm still trying to get in the Christmas mood.  It's been hard with school and work but I'm doing Christmas music non-stop and Christmas movies.  Yay :)  

grad school and domesticity are not friends

I am a grad student.  I work full time and am doing my internship.  This means pretty much two full time jobs plus homework and class.  So not a lot of time for cooking, baking, decorating or vacuuming.  Sigh.  I love the first three and don't even terribly mind the last.  So now that I've written my paper for the weekend, I'm making a list of foods I desperately want to make.  Christmas break cannot come soon enough.

Pumpkin cake.  If I can find my recipe I will be making this for Thanksgiving.  Yum.  Hopefully in cupcake form.
Chocolate cream pie.  Absolutely must make this for Thanksgiving.  Can't wait to use my new pot to make it in.  No more hoping there are no chunks of non-stick coating in my pudding.
Doughnuts.  I really want to try homemade doughnuts.  We are buying a deep fryer, this might be the first thing I fry in it.  I even have a recipe for glaze.  Thank you Betty Crocker.  I love you.
Turkey.  We are buying a turkey and I am going to make my first ever attempt at making one.  A little nervous.  I'd rather do it now than when a thousand people are coming to my house for Thanksgiving.
Divinity.  I made it a couple of years ago and it was the most terrifying thing I have ever made.  Boiling sugar for 30 minutes without stirring.  Arg!  But now I have a Kitchen Aid mixer (that I am in love with) so I think the mixing part should be easier. 
Beef stew.  I saw them make one with chocolate in it the other day on Food Network.  I think without the chocolate it would be good.

Come on Christmas break.  Can't wait for a month of no school.  And getting to cook.  And read for fun.  And now it's time to watch football and vacuum. 

shoes

Um, I love shoes.  I mean really love shoes.  It's all Shoe Carnival's fault for giving me that lovely discount for all those years.  Let me tell you, I still have shoes in my closet I bought when I worked there that I have never worn.  Wasteful, I know.

But working there made me super cheap about buying shoes.  I refuse to pay full price for shoes.  And I hate to pay much for them in general.  Last spring (well about this time last year-ish) I found some shoes at DSW that I loved.  They were expensive for me $60 or so.  Originally $100, so a bargain but still way too much.  And they didn't have my size.  So it wasn't meant to be.

Fast forward one year later.  I happen across a shoe website with major discounts.  Hello new best friend.  There are the exact shoes I was looking at for only $25!!!!!!!!!!  Perfect for summer.  Mesh with straps across the top.  And work approved.  Fabulous since I hate wearing sneakers in the summer.  And last summer I alternated between some white mesh Pumas that got dirty super fast (which I hated, they were cute!) and a pair of grey Nike skimmers that I turned pink with a cheaply made free beach towel from work.  So I am pretty excited about these shoes.  It will make winter that much less sucky.  What was that, you want to see what they look like?

 

I really could not be more excited.  I can't wait to get them in the mail.  New shoes are way more exciting than text books.  Just saying.

spring...

I can't help it.  I said I would quit whining about winter.  But well, that was a lie.  A big fat snow covered lie.  I know, I have friends who live much farther north and have much more wintery weather to contend with than I do.  But I hate winter weather.  I really do.  Snow isn't really so pretty when it's keeping you from doing things like celebrating Christmas or the Super Bowl. 

I'm tired of my snow boots.  Oh so tired of them.  I am ready for flip flops and capri pants and ridiculously large sunglasses (even though I wear those all year round). 

 

Oh yes, I want them in every color they come in.  They would be perfect for the lake.  And for work this summer (Yes, my job is that casual).  And for life in general.  I want bright pretty colors.  And flip flops.  Oh, flip flops.  Why must you be so fabulous and so tempting.  My toes need to be out in the sun, getting that tell tale lake tan from fishing and laying around at the lake.

 

If you know me well at all you know that these are the same basic flip flops I have been wearing since about my sophomore year of college.  Time for a new style, well maybe.  But these are the best kind of flip flops in the world.  And I can't wait to pull one of the.... five pairs I own out of my closet.  Four of the five pairs are ancient and ratty but I can't get rid of them.  Don't judge me.

 

Long story short, I cannot wait for spring.  I know, come July I will be whining about how hot it is.  But remind me of the snow and I will be very appreciative of the sunshine. 

cooking adventures

I'm trying a new food for the Super Bowl party tomorrow.  A while back we went to 810 Zone for lunch.  We checked out the menu before going and had decided we had to try an appetizer they had -- crab rangoon with shrimp.  Holy cow, it was delicious!  I of course, declared that I could make them at home.  Have I ever made crab rangoon?  Well, no.  But I can google.  So I have 2 recipes I am putting together to make them how I want.  Just plain crab rangoon this time.  Didn't want to waste money on shrimp if they were going to be gross.  So, here's hoping.

stripes

So I have recently discovered I like stripes.  I don't think I realized that I kept buying things that were striped.  My kitchen stuff is striped.  My beach bag that I can see hanging on my bedroom door taunting me is striped.  My new shoer curtain is striped.  Hm, who knew.

It's snowing.  Again.  I wish I could say I love snow.  I really do.  I love it in the abstract.  If I could stay at home curled up on the couch with hot chocolate and a movie I would like it much better.  But when I have to drive to work in a snow downpour, I like it much much less.  I can't wait until I get to have snow days again!  When I buy a new car, it will definitely have all wheel drive.  I can't get up hills in my little car in the snow.  It's so sad.  I am considering one of these....  In a few years.

 

A grey Pontiac Vibe.  Yeah, I love Pontiac.  Even though they don't still make them.  That's just mean.

I found some cookie cutters that I am pretty sure I need.  Unfortunately they are sold out on the Williams Sonoma website.  So I am watching some on eBay for a pretty reasonable price.  I mean they are fabulous.  Yes, I'm excited about cookie cutters.  I can't help it.

 

 

And now it's time for some Friday night homework.  Fabulous.  Oh thank you grad school for taking over my life.  I hate you. Thanks.