Updated House Pictures

In case you're interested. And remember... decorating doesn't come naturally to me. I read lots of decorating blogs and BH&G and I still struggle with it. So if you have better taste them, laugh when I'm not around. ~_^

Sooooo.... Kurt likes to make fun of my pear. I happen to love it. And I think I did a decent job on this table, decorating and what not. I think the mirror is pretty cool. This table is actually REALLY old. It was Kurt's great grandmother's.

The table in all it's glory. And, yikes, my legs. And painting basketball shorts (they've served me well over the last 5 or 6 years...)

We've bought a love seat! And got a side table that you can't see (thank you Ikea $12 Lack tables). Eventually we want to build bookshelves on that far wall, and then the love seat will move.

This is the same, but I discovered that I have a backlight function on our new camera. So it looks good!

This room just needs curtains and it'll be pretty much done for the time being. Except I want to get a rug. Someday...

And same as the last pictures, nothing changed in this one, it's just way better quality than the last pictures of it. We should've hung the chandelier lower, but it's too late now I supposed. Oh man, I love those curtains and that pineapple chandelier.

So, BIG change in the bedroom. Moved everything around. And got some pictures and hooks up. I LOVE IT!! Those pictures above the bed are my pseudo-headboard and they look so stinkin' good! And it was about a $60 project, you can't beat that. Way better than a $400 headboard. You can't tell in this picture, but they're black and whites of cherry blossoms. Which, many of you know, I love since I love all things Japanese.

Oh, also, I'm thinking about putting vinyl lettering that says, "Sogni di oro, dorme bene." Every night since we were dating, I tell Kurt, "Sweet dreams, sleep well" and he says the Italian back to me. But I'm wondering if that would be too much going on on the walls? Let me know what you think. Or maybe just "Sogni di oro." (It's equivalent to sweet dreams, but actually means "dreams of gold.")

Oh yeah, and I want to make 3 decorative pillows. Well, the covers at least, not the actual pillows. I just need a sewing machine, dang it. Unless anyone knows where I can get square black pillow covers.

Ok, so the hooks. I'm not sure I love them there now that they're up. But it took a lot to hang them and Kurt was so good about it, I can't ask him to move them. Maybe in a year. I mean, they're really cute (and I got all 3 for $1.65!), and I need the hooks to hang my purses up. But they might be crowding the wall. What do you think?

I think this hook is in a great spot.

UGH! WE NEED CLOSET DOORS! That's our next project. Closet doors and new closet floors. Right now they're this gross, ratty carpet. We're going to rip it up and put down cedar planks. They'll look nice, smell good and keep away moths. It's a win-win-win situation.

Lastly, waaaay back in October, Camille was a rock star and painted our cabinets for us. During the biggest blizzard I've ever been in. So what does your house look like when you have to paint everything indoors and you have no garage.

BUT LOOK HOW GOOD THEY LOOK! I knew the kitchen would look so much better with white cabinets and I was right! Oh my, I just LOVE LOVE LOVE my kitchen now. There's nothing like white cabinets, in my opinion.

Some recent baking favorites

I discovered the wonderful website of Bakerella. Oh my goodness, this girl is awesome. She's my baking hero. I tried 3 recipes of hers and they were all awesome and very big hits (both at work and with friends and Kurt). I also went on a red velvet kick. Mmm, reminds me of the South.

The first were red velvet balls (and I have pictures of these... I was LOVING the vibrant red of the batter. It was beautissimous.):

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

So, mine aren't very pretty. I don't have a double boiler so my dipping method is imperfect. But they taste the exact same.

I dipped in both white chocolate and regular chocolate. Some people preferred the regular and some preferred the white. Honestly, they're both absolutely delicious.

Next, I made red velvet cookie sandwiches. Mmmmm:

1 Box red velvet cake mix*
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 Eggs

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix ingredients until combined.
• Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter onto baking sheet about two inches apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Cool.

Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 1lb. Box of confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

• In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
• Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.

Makes about 24 cookies or 12 cookie sandwiches

I had extra filling left over, so I made the cookies using a carrot cake mix and the same amount of eggs and butter. They were an equal hit at work.

And lastly, oreo truffles:

1 package oreo cookies (divided… use cookie including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark

1. Finely crush 7 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Reserve for later.
2. Crush remaining cookies and stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.
3. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. You can sprinkle the tops with the 7 crushed cookies for decoration. (I usually eat mine before they make it to this stage.)
5. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy!

Makes about 36 truffles.

Notes: I used a small cookie cutter to push the mixture through for the heart shaped truffles. Also, it helps to freeze the uncoated balls for a few minutes to keep the mixture from starting to fall apart in the melted chocolate. If this becomes a problem, dip them in the chocolate, let dry and then dip again. They are also good dipped in regular milk chocolate bark. And for an extra twist, use the mint oreo sandwich cookies.

I dipped in regular chocolate. I was out of white and was too lazy to go to the grocery store. These are so good James requested an entire batch for his and Camille's wedding anniversary. Which is this week, so they'll have to be late. I also want to try these using MINT oreos. Oh man, so much goodness.

March Goals

Huzzah, look at me! Getting my goals down on the first of the month! I feel so on top of things. And actually, I'm quite on top of things in general. It might have something to do with hypomanic, which drives me to complete all these little tasks I haven't gotten around to. And what's great is that my meds are finally coming together, so I'm getting the benefits of hypomania without the negative consequences. Like, lots more energy and motivation, but very little anxiety and racing thoughts. Or being ridiculously happy 99% of the time but not getting irritated easily. It's great!
So my goals this month are a lot like my goals last month:
-Work on my book. I want to get 2 chapters done this month. Did you know I'm about half way done? It's a good feeling.
-Stay on top of school. So far I am.
-Stay on top of household chores. Doing pretty good on this one.
-Save for a sewing machine. I know, I was supposed to get one for Christmas, then in February. Well, now it's going to be summer. And that's ok. Which reminds me, I have updated house pictures to show y'all!
-Daily scripture study. Like my post requesting your favorite scriptures, I will probably be reading and pondering on one or two scriptures a week. I think it counts if I'm really thinking about what the passage or verse mean. And maybe on Sundays I'll go through the footnotes, to gain a greater understanding.
I'm giving up on FHE during tax season. I barely see Kurt during the week, let alone get an hour to just talk. But we've had it pretty good this year, with his crazy hours not starting till last week, so I really can't complain.
Ok that's all. Yay for green!

I just need to rant

Can I be honest?

I love color. I LOVE COLOR.

In case you haven't noticed.

I love to read decorating blogs and I get so sick of all the whites and neutrals.

BO-RING.

They say a similarly shaded house flows better.
WELL I DON'T CARE.

My kitchen is apple green.


My office is aqua.


My living room is turquoise.


My guest room has a bright blue wall.


My bedroom is yellow.


And my bathroom room is sea green.


AND I LOVE IT.

That's all I wanted to say.

Swift the Fox

Everyone, meet Swift.

Swift is our new shiba puppy. I still miss my Zumi incredibly, but Swift is filling that void in our home. He's playful and energetic. He loves attention. He can play fetch for hours on end without tiring of it. He's eight months old, so he can hold his bladder through the night, which is really nice. We're not leaving him in the backyard while I'm at work until we get a full privacy fence up. Learned that lesson once already. We look forward to the next several years with our new little guy!
The next pictures aren't great. I realize now I should've put up the flash. Dur.

Calling All Scriptures

I'm hypomanic right now.

Which means I'm super giddy, I'm super talkative, my mind is racing at a hundred miles an hour, and I'm pushing myself to the limits of my energy.

I also have a lot on my plate with working full time, school full time, and keeping the house clean almost by myself (oh tax season, how I loathe thee).

My therapist has instructed me not to multi task too much. So when I'm playing with our new puppy or walking him or on the cardio machines at the gym, I'm not allowed to read. I need to use that time to focus on my breathing and keep myself calm.

As a multi-tasker, I say bleh to that. But I will do it because I pay her a lot of money to know what she's talking about.

She also suggested picking one scripture a week and reading it every day while I brush my teeth or something like that.

So what are your favorite scriptures?

Some of mine are Romans 8:18, Romans 8:35-39, and Ether 12:4.

I love Kurt

If you haven't noticed, I'm absolutely crazy about my husband.

Do you know what I love about him?
Well, several things.
But I'm just going to talk about one.

Kurt doesn't coddle me. He doesn't worry about me driving in the snow, or being home alone by myself. He knows I'm a grown woman and that I can take of myself.
I used to hate that. I didn't realize it's exactly what I need until recently. Now I love it.

But you know what Kurt does do?
Kurt knows I love to mountain bike. I decided to get my own bike and decided on a road bike because it's more practical because it's easier to take it out for rides and I can commute easily on it.
But I love mountain biking.
Kurt loves mountain biking. He has his own bike and goes out often, even in the winter time. And we love doing things together.
So the past few weeks, he's been looking for a mountain bike. For me. So I can go with him.

I love my husband.

(red)

I like to take quizzes. I think they're fun. So when Melancholy Smile posted a color one, I immediately jumped on it. It's from True Value Paint. And I have to say, my results were surprising. Not what it says so much, but the color. I would've thought I'm green (without knowing what it means according to this test).


(sorry it's so fuzzy. It says: You boast incredible willpower and are capable of overcoming obstacles that would normally leave others shaking in their boots. You have a penchant for colorful environments and often impress others with your energetic bursts of energy. Your interests in many areas of life often leave you scattered, but when you focus you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.)

So take it real fast. It takes all of 5 seconds, I promise. What do you get? Are you surprised by it? Are you surprised by mine? (Yes, I'm egotistical.)

Edit:

So I decided it'd be fun to have my sisters take it as they perceive me and see their results as compared to how I perceive myself!

Caroline:

Got red for me. Cool!

Stephanie:

(not yet taken)

You Are My Candy Girl

I am giving up sweets for Lent.

But, you say, mormons don't do Lent!

Well, you're right.

But I figure it's as good an excuse as any.

Wish me luck.

I sure as heck need it. :)

(On a side note, I considered giving up caffeine instead.

I promptly laughed at that idea.

It's preposterous.)

Come live with me, and be my love,

And we will some new pleasures prove

Of golden sands, and crystal brooks,

With silken lines, and silver hooks.

-John Donne

Valentine's Day ... Weekend!

So we had a great weekend, with no pictures. Yeah, I'm already blowing that goal, huh? Friday night was nothing special. I got a nap after work, then Kurt came home and we watched our TV shows online (The Office, Community, and 30 Rock) and munched on various snacks.

Saturday, Kurt had to work and I stayed home and cleaned all day. AND DIDN'T DO HOMEWORK. I must be crazy. But the house was super clean. When Kurt came home, I reminded him about our plans for that night and also that we had no dinner stuffs for Val's Day dinner. So he ran to the grocery store and when he got back, he had a gorgeous bouquet of flowers as well as a fancy chocolate bar. :) We are getting each other presents, but we didn't have time before Val's Day. And they're not exciting. Kurt and I are kinda practical and boring. I asked for gym gloves because I lost my last pair (which is like the 5th pair I've had since started to lift weights in as many years) and Kurt wants business socks. :D

So that night we went to our friends' Laryn and Sheilla's house for a sushi night! It was very fun. They made all the sushi as well as some Filipino dishes (Sheilla's from the Philippines). It was delish and very fun to see all of our old friends from our old ward in Littleton. And then we jammed in up with some Geetar Hero.

Sunday we went to church and I wore red AND pink (thanks to a red and pink scarf I have). Then, we were supposed to eat that night (dark, candle light, romantic--let's face it, Kurt and I aren't too romantically inclined.. at least, not when we're hungry :) but we were both hungry (and church is over at 3:20 anyways) so I got started cooking dinner. Which took all of 30 minutes. We had herb encrusted salmon, asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes, and craisin, apple, and feta salad. It was delish. We ate too much. And loved it. Then we watched Couples Retreat while eating popcorn and our fancy chocolate bar. While watching the movie, I made rolls, which we gorged on after the movie. Kurt seriously loves my rolls.

And then today we went snowboarding! We had such a great time and it was a miracle Kurt was able to get off of work. We went up to the top and did a bowl--ungroomed powder. It was a black/blue! And then I tried the halfpipe twice! We had a blast. When we got home we went to the gym for some hot tubbing. And now I'm home and blogging. I'm going to read my school book in bed and go to sleep early. :) I hope y'all had a great Valentine's Day as well!

Under Pressure

This is seriously the coolest thing I've seen in a while. It's awesome!!

February Goals

Ahhh, how is it February already? On the bright side, that means I've got one assignment packet turned in. Yes! Just three more to go! And I've got a really great idea for my second short story, so yay. (Thanks Mom!) And I've gotten quite a bit of work done on my book. Yay again. Lots of yay's.
My goals for Feb are:
-read scriptures every day, even if it's just a verse! Gotta start small, right?
-have FHE weekly
-stay on top of school work
-work on my book every day, even if it's just a little. You can tell I believe in starting small, huh?
-be awesome. got that one in the bag. ;)

I love Kurt.

Me: I was really skinny when we got married.
Kurt: Yeah, and your hair was long.
Me: Is that you trying to hint that you want me to grow my hair out?
Kurt: Yes.
Me: Ask nicely.
Kurt: Will you please grow your hair out?
Me: Ok.

Tucson!

This last weekend we ran down to Tucson to see Kurt's dad for a bit. We drove down on Friday night and came back on Monday (yay for MLK day!). We saw Avatar, ate at El Charro and Nico's (Kurt's fave from high school), went to the Sonoran Desert Museum, and I ruled on the DJ Hero at Best Buy. All in all, a great trip.

The batteries in the camera were dead for most of the trip, so here are some real jewels.

Kurt. Dur.

Kurt's dad. Dur again.

We found a great little burger joint in Hatch, NM, that has killer green chile cheeseburgers. Mmm.

Kurt. Dur again.

Thanks Hatch!