frozen

More snow!

......and still this is as close as I have gotten to it! The snow last week didn't stick around long, but we've been iced in and today the temps dropped again and now, more snow! I've been so preoccupied with all the mess here at our house, that I haven't paid much attention to how bad things have really been. I need to get out tomorrow and take a walk and get some pictures of my own. For now, I've {copied} a few pictures from Nathan and Facebook just to remember the freeze of 2014.

source: Nathan

source: Facebook pme

source: Facebook cpm

before & after: painted armoire

Things are just about complete in our bedroom. The carpenter should wrap things up today and then I can move in and put things back together. Over the weekend, Peter and I did all the painting we could, touching up the moulding, and painting some of the furniture. I gave the side tables a fresh coat of black paint, and we painted the armoire a pretty shade of grey. I love it!!!!!
Here's a before & after:

Paint: Behr Satin Enamel
Color: Cathedral Gray
I want to switch the wooden knobs to brushed nickel knobs (as soon as I can get back to Lowe's).

I'll post more before & after pictures of the bedroom soon! I love how things have turned out, even though I've tweaked things along the way. Work will begin in our living room next.....can't wait to get started!

Super Bowl Snack: Pizza Dip

Nathan tried a new recipe yesterday that was so easy and so good......Pizza Dip.

Layer the following: Mix 1tsp. Italian Seasoning with 8 oz. Cream Cheese.Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or 8x8 dish. Sprinkle 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, then 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese. Next, add 8 oz. Pizza Sauce, followed by 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve with bread sticks or Scoops chips.

Great Super Bowl Party snack!

5 on friday

{one} cooking
This time last year, I was cooking up a storm....planning menus and trying lots if new recipes. Things have changed drastically in the cooking department here at our house since the holidays. I haven't been cooking as much, especially when Nathan is away at work. I've been doing simpler meals. Peter and I like the same things, and we can pull a meal together in no time. Also, with the house being in such a mess, I've been pulling out those freezer meals I made earlier (still can't say enough about freezer cooking). I love to cook, but sometimes there isn't time or I am busy with other things. This cold weather was calling for some comfort food though, so yesterday I did a Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole.It was a so good!

Here's the recipe:
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
2-1/2 cups milk (I used 1-1/2 cups milk + 1 cup heavy cream)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed ham
2 T. minced onion
6 cups sliced (boiled) potatoes

Make a cream sauce w/butter, flour, milk, and seasonings.
Add cheese, stir until melted. Stir in ham and onion. Alternate layers of potatoes and cheese sauce in 13x9 baking dish. Top with bread crumbs (2 T. melted butter + 1/2 cup bread crumbs). Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

{two} tv watching
I {love} Doc Martin!!!!! I'm already on Season 4! If you are looking for a good series to watch this winter, add Doc Martin to your must see list!

{three} decorating
Work in our bedroom is almost complete. Just two pieces of moulding left to be put up, then I can start putting that room back together. It looks so good! I am very happy with the way it has turned out and can't wait to set it off. I've ordered new curtains, new comforter, and a new headboard. I'll be using the pillows that I had made last year (yellow & grey). In the living room, I'm planning on switching out the yellow/grey and will be adding teal/turquoise with the brown/tan/white

I still haven't chosen a paint color for the dresser and armoire cabinet (but leaning towards a shade of grey). I'm going to keep the two bedside tables black (I think). I'm so anxious to start getting things back to normal.

{four} organizing
Since I'm not on much of a schedule these days, I need to spend more time on organizing. Time to pull out my 30 spaces/30 days list and get busy. I'll start with Organizing Photos. I want to gather all of my photos and albums in one place. I used to keep them in several locations all over the house, one spot being the bottom of the armoire in our bedroom.


All of my photos will now be kept in the bottom cabinet part of the built ins. Time to get busy organizing!

{five} trip planning

Trip planning is coming along. I started our travel folder with reservation numbers (dinner/room/etc), park hours, itinerary, and other trip related stuff. We usually keep our itinerary very loose, but do decide on major things beforehand. Plans are very flexible though and we sometimes change things as our trip progresses. The first few days at Disney are planned, we know which park and where and when we will dine, but the last two days I've pretty much open. This is our second "just us" trip and  I'm very excited to do some old and new things....alone! And on no particular schedule.
I made our "mousekeeping" envelopes for the room tip each day. I will fill these before we leave. I also fixed our envelopes for travel money. We have an envelope for each day of travel with cash $$$ in them that we use for each days expenses. The only thing we'll charge will be gas and hotels we'll need driving down and back. I love going on vacation and having everything paid for. Since we do a room, park tickets, and meal package so the only $$$ we need is spending money for extras like shopping, tips.

2 weeks from today we'll be on the highway headed south!!!!!!

So excited!!!!!

#tbt disney

Lunch at Sci-Fi Drive-In @Disney's Hollywood Studios {2011}

52 week photo challenge {silhouette}

Week #3 already!

I could have chosen a couple of topics this week, but decided on silhouette after taking this picture of a yard full of birds in the snow {through my kitchen window}.

Here are a few more pictures.........
There were at least twice this many.

I caught this shot of them being scared off. Our goose kept shoo-ing them away! :O)


week #1- details
week #2- transportation
week #3- silhouette

baby it's cold outside.....

A snow day!

It started snowing around 4 p.m. yesterday, as did the wind. We really didn't get a lot of snow, but it was so windy, our yard ended up with some pretty big drifts. It was even piled up on the window sills.

I haven't left the house, so I only have pictures through the window so far!

Peter ventured out long enough to gather some snow.....

because, what's a snow day without a big bowl of SNOW CREAM!!!?

Nathan is headed home and should get here around 5 p.m. Logan on the other hand, is waiting to go into port in LA. He has a flight tonight, with a layover. He may not make it home until tomorrow evening. Hope everyone stays safe........and warm!

like....want....need

 

{like}
I really like white bedding {with pops of yellow, grey, and black.}



{want}
I really want a comfy chaise!

 

{need}
I need to find a paint color for the dresser and armoire cabinet in our bedroom. I really like some of these grey choices........

{source: all images from pinterest}

weekend catch-up

Week one down of the re-do project.......Not much that I can do except, of course, PAINT! This week, I painted the ceiling and the moulding for the bedroom.

It's painted and ready to go up. He should get some of the moulding up tomorrow. He has put up almost all of the v-groove and only has a small section left to do. It looks awesome! I'm taking pictures along the way to do a before/after post once this project is complete.
Our house is a wreck! Pretty much every room has stuff in it that doesn't belong there. It worked out great though that we can sleep in Nathan's room while our room is in such a mess. He gets home on Wednesday, which is our target date to hopefully be finished with our bedroom. At this point, I'm thinking of just putting back the comforter/curtains etc. that I took down, and concentrate on redecorating later??? Hmmmm....we'll see.
I'm trying to take one day at a time, but my calendar is so full of upcoming events and I don't want the house to be in such a mess all winter while all of this is going on. Right now, I know it will overlap with several things, including probably our trip, which is now only 19 days away!!!!!!

upcoming events:
January
the rest of this month is pretty much taken up with the re-do project and planning/ordering for the shower.
February
2/02/14- Super Bowl {hopefully, the Seahawks will be playing!}
2/06/14- packed & ready to go.....
{we'll stay with Lindsey that night and start driving early the next morning.}
2/07/14- vacation begins!!
2/13/14- check-out.....start driving home that evening. Not sure what day we'll get home.
2/14/14- Valentine's Day <3

March
3/01/14- Lindsey's Bridal Shower
3/20/14- my birthday! :O)
3/21-3/22/14-basketball marathon

52 week photo challenge {transportation}

Both of our boys work in transportation......transporting fuel that is. Along the way, they get some pretty awesome photos.

Nathan took this sunrise picture this morning while on anchorage in VA.


Logan took this really cool dolphin picture off the coast of FL. (this was actually a video that I can't seem to be able to copy!}


week #1- details
week #2- transportation

#tbt disney firsts

2008

#nathan's first trip to florida
#our first wdw family vacation
#our first stay on disney property (coronado springs resort)

Wordless Wednesday: Inspirational

Seahawk's Derrick Coleman......what an inspiration.

rainy day=lazy day

A rainy day is a great day for lots of tv watching. Dad gave Mom Doc Martin {seasons 1-5} for Christmas and they have already gone through all of them. They have both raved about it and urged Peter and I to watch. Since I can't seem to get Peter on board, I decided that today was the perfect time to start watching.

OK.....I'm hooked!!!!!! I hadn't even heard of this show, but I'm loving it! Can't wait to watch more. Check it out if you get the chance.

Rainy days=Lazy Days

A rainy day is a great day to have breakfast for dinner and I've been waiting for just the right time to use this Christmas gift...

It's was D-E-L-I-S-H!!! :O)


Top Ten & Pin It Tuesday
Well, the re-do project began yesterday, and today we had rain, so no carpenter! :0(
I am so anxious to get this project going and (done), and have lots of ideas swirling around in my head. I am horrible at deciding on details and change my mind daily. It's a good thing we aren't building a new house or we would never move in! It's funny how a project can evolve and grow into something bigger than you had planned. I seem to add something new to my list everyday or make changes to my original idea.
We started in our bedroom. All of the old moulding has been taken down and 2 sheets of the v-groove has been put up. I painted the ceiling last night, since we won't be replacing that one. It shouldn't take long in that room, since it's pretty straight going....walls and trim only.
I had really wanted to do a board and batten wall behind the bed like this:


Since we went with the plank paneling for that room, I've decided that may look a bit busy.

I really, really love this look:

We could do the plank paneling on 3 full walls, then 3/4 of the way up on the 4th wall and paint the other 1/4 with a pretty color.

I really LOVE the full length shelf over the bed, so right now, I'm thinking of doing something like this:



Peter would love a headboard of some sort, I prefer the bed without one. I am considering using one of the old headboards I have in storage. One is an old metal bed, but I think it's for a full size bed and may not work. I pinned a few vintage wrought iron beds on Pinterest that I really like.

Then, of course, I now want to take down the ceiling fan/light {it's white....with BRASS trim!}. I've recently became infatuated with chandeliers {thanks niece Addison for the inspiration!}. I actually almost ordered one, then rethought the idea and decided to think about it for a bit. Here's a few I really, really LOVE:




I'm thinking of changing the color scheme in the bedroom. While I like the teal/mocha, I've used it for several seasons now and I'm ready for an update. I'll continue with the gray....and maybe yellow?



and maybe keep a little of the teal?

disney dining {part 5}

I was undecided on where to book our last dinner reservation for our upcoming trip. I really wanted to try someplace new, but finally decided we'll go back to Rainforest Cafe. We haven't eaten there since our trip in 2008. On that trip, which was our first family trip to WDW, I was very unprepared. I hadn't booked any dinner reservations and we didn't have the dining plan. We only ended up eating two sit down meals on that trip, dinner at 50's Primetime @ Hollywood Studios, and a dinner at Rainforest Cafe.
We left Animal Kingdom after the park closed and just walked into RC. The wait time was supposed to have been really long, but we lucked out and were soon paged. The meal there was very good, but it was very pricey! I'm excited about going back again, the menu looks great and the choices are endless. We are booked at the Downtown Disney location this time, so we'll get to do a little shopping while we are out that way too!
Here are a few pictures from our 2008 trip......dinner at Rainforest Cafe.

Rainforest Cafe @ Downtown Disney = booked