Tiny Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Part of getting into the spirit for me is spiffin' up my digs. I like it when my home feels how I feel. And this year, I feel pretty darn great, and Christmastime makes me giddy.

So I googled how to make a lazypants no-sew fabric bow, found an old glue gun covered with gunk and cat hair somewhere in my garage, searched for a tiny twig of a tree ( we got laughed at- really), picked up a basic wreath and small ornaments, bought some soap that smells like pure tree joy (that's a real thing) and dug around my house for fabric and ribbon scraps. 

And then...I play this 

over, and over, and over- again and again. 

I have this image of me playing the guitar and Brett playing something else and having six kids (not sure if they'll all be mine) and four dogs (all mine) and singing this round a fire with cocoa (cocoa afterwards?) as part of a tradition. Doesn't that sound good? It does.

I LOVE THAT SONG. 

And then, I must send a card out to top it all off to help spread the cheer. I can't show  you this year's card because...well...it might reduce the cheer that hasn't yet reached our family and friends. But this is our 2010 card.

...so...what do you do?

Quit Throwin' My Wheels Off!

i'm really in love with my brett, even if he leaves wet towels on the bed. or if he brings one of the white crate and barrel mugs (instead of a travel mug) to work, because i'm convinced that one day as he struggles to carry everything inside, one will fall and break. which it did. even when we're in the car and he starts drumming really hard on my steering wheel- which in my mind is the definite cause for throwing my alignment off. (it is, probably. right?) 

maybe.

and i'm sure he'd say that he loves me, even though when i wash the dishes, i leave the huge knives pointing up rather than down.  

i like to know where my knives are, you know? 

(if i put on my logic cap, he's probably right)

i'll flip the knife around today. 

if i remember.

i'm glad he loves my irrational finicky self. if he bangs on my steering wheel today while we get our tree, i'll keep my mouth shut. maybe.

What Wife Wore: The Great North

oh hey, it's me. i could explain where i've been and what i've been doing, but that takes time and i'd rather just jump back in. no promises, just a jump. because it's my blog and i guess i'm allowed to jump whenever i want to.

and here we go.

so one of my BEST friends moved back to the states from portugal. and today we chatted on the phone as though she never left my side, and it was good. and we talked about how strange selfies were. you know, the mirror shot. strange for US, really. 

because- there's absolutely no way i could spin a mirror picture of myself into looking cool, because i'm not.

i don't look cool, i wear baggy soft clothes to work (the ability to wear scrubs DID factor into my career choice), and when i'm at home, i wear simple things. and today, when i thought about this- i looked down at what i was wearing, and i thought-

...

it's time for my first selfie.

...

there she is, in all her glory. my first selfie outfit post. that's what i wear. in all fairness, it's cold up in NH- hence the doubled up socks. and i did have boots on when i was out running errands/bringing hubs his sweatshirt. 

my photoshoot went like this:

testing...testing: precariously teetering on my toilet to reach mirror height

foot up? 

nah, we'll stick with the irish jig

so hello again! thanks for sticking around, folks. if you're here.;) 

i'm going to make some Christmas bread i found on pinterest. i'll bring my camera along and show y'guys later! who knows!?

xo

One Hundred Posts: Where oh where have I been?

 I graduated. I'm a PRACTICAL Nurse. Hopefully, if all ''studying'' (that review book looks so shiny. I don't want to ruin it.) goes well, I'll be LICENSED by the end of July. 

Here, here's the difference between a LPN and a RN

Yes, I'll go on with my education. But I'm more like the tortoise in the race with the hare. I go slow. Also, I run slow. Very befitting of me. 

Neat cap, huh? Yea. 

My sister made this bad ash cake. I mean, really. Look!

Brett did some mulch spreadin' after I saw a tarantula hustling toward me. (This was before graduation. Irrelevant.)

Our mudroom is much further along than this...but here's a progress photo. 

Anywho, just wanted to say a quick hello. Is anyone still around? Or am I hollering in an empty blogger room? I feel like blogging has become crazy crazy popular within the past few months...I'm going to need to try and figure out how to make my corner a bit more interesting than before. If you are reading, and there's anything you'd like to read/see/look at- let me know!

-the almost nurse

3 Morah Months

three.

more.

months.

a recent roo shot. she's missing the blog, too.

Our class has dwindled in size. This stuff ain't easy. To say this is a time commitment is a major understatement. LPN school is not the easy way, fersure. It's pretty crazy. I don't think there is an easy way to become a nurse- whatever the credentials may be.

Anyway-

Brett asked me today if I'd be back to blogging once I'm done with school. Yep.

I miss it. I'll give it a spiffy makeover to make it all fresh and clean, though.

What's going on right now?

I'm finishing up a short spring break...then back to the grind for three.more.months.

I'm so excited to be done, but I'm also nervous and while confident that I'll do well- I'm not taking graduation for granted- even with this little left, there's no guarantees. So we'll see.

Exciting things happening in our house and in our yard...in fact we're about two inches away from finishing up the dig for our patio...very exciting.

I 'spose this is just a bit of an update, and while you're here (if you're here)-  I wanted to share some recent blog finds that I think you might really enjoy:

www.beardandpigtails.com

www.livehealthysimply.com

Toasty Chickpeas

I was toasting my chickpeas and was thinking I should run a series of posts dedicated to chickpeas. Then I realized that I don't have many ideas for chickpeas stored away in my head- at least not enough for a series. 

Emma, come back to earth. Rewind.

So I came back from our capping ceremony today...(only five-ish more months to go!) and I was absolutely starving. I started grazing....

Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joe's are the kind of cookie that really bring out my mindless eating habits. So I started my lunch with two of those...but then I remembered that I should probably throw in some greens. I got a salad ready to go and remembered a quick trick that I saw on an on demand episode of Rachael Ray...and I'm bringin' it here:

Toasty Chickpeas

• chickpeas
• salt
• paprika

Instructions:
Drain/Rinse/Pat dry the chickpeas...canned is fine, but 'fresh' taste so much better...

Heat up a heavy bottomed pan, and throw the chickpeas in. Dash in (?) some salt and paprika, and cook for 10 minutes on medium-high heat. Toss 'em around, and make sure they're good and crispy and browned up a bit. They're delicious on a salad , as a snack, etc. Yum. 

Wanna eat like me?

My salad:

-1.5 C spring mix

-1/4 C shredded carrots

-a bit of diced onion

-a quick shred of asiago cheese

-1/3 C of toasty chickpeas

-a tbsp of balsamic dressing

-1 slice of rustic no knead bread

-1 tbsp edamame pesto

Enjoy...and if you leave a comment, leave me a reason as to why I should go to the gym tonight. I need good ones.

Come On In, We're Cheap

I like front doors:




But I'm cheap. And I had no idea that little numbers were so expensive.
Restoration Hardware has some pretty numbers. But maybe I just like them because I like the name 'Restoration Hardware'. 


I never knew little things like door numbers could get so pricey. I know we only need two, but I was determined to spend under ten dollars total.


Brett was really excited when I told him we needed to make a trip to Michael's. Maybe he might like these 'manly' crafts.


I found these on sale for .50 each:

I'm addicted to YHL, so naturally I knew where to head next:

(about $6)


Three weeks later, I got around to doing this:

And then finally, this:

Well, Brett got around to it. I'm not the best with measuring and making sure things are centered. He used some wood glue and we taped them to make sure they wouldn't fall while they dried. I'd say 6.50 is not too shabby for some unique door numbers, wouldn't you?

I love spray paint. 

Three exams down, one to go! Have a great Monday!

Frosting By The Spoonful: A Reality Check.

This week? Final exams for the semester. I cannot wait for it all to be over. I am beyond...BEYOND...exhausted. 

Oh. And stressed. Yes- those ARE mini cake doughnuts, frosting, and goldfish. Yes- I ate them.

I'm not completely unhealthy. I'm on a recent beet kick:

And, I've been keeping up with running.  So I'm really excited about that.

BUT...

I miss blogging. I'm actually finding myself daydreaming over the day when I'll get to spend time blogging again. I miss.miss.miss it. I thought I'd be able to keep up, but I was so very wrong. I guess one thing I've learned from this whole nursing school thing is that I'm much more realistic about what I can and cannot do. Right now, I can cook good food...but I cannot take pictures and write recipe posts. The con? My blog is in an extended rut. The pro? I have a lot of new recipes for future posts. I can do cool DIY home projects, but posting? Not yet.

Roo can rock an old high school hockey sweathshirt, though.

I have two weeks off starting this Wednesday, and you can bet you'll see some sort of action on this here blog. 

Anyway, I know it sounds strange, but I really think about the blogging world more often than you know. It's just a great place to be. Especially when you're supposed to be studying for finals. 

Also, subaru helps me make music choices.  This song just reeeee laxes me. It's always playing in this wee house:

Happy Day, everyone. <3

Eating Well v2: Thankfully.

I could easily spend an entire paycheck at the store each week. Sometimes I make excuses to go to Whole Foods when I really don't need to. Luckily, Brett is quite good at knowing when we really do need to, and when I'm just having WF hallucinations. (That alone probably saves us close to $1000 each year).But now that new school bills are looming in the very near future But now that we're living on one income-and we're living in our first HOME, it's time to get serious. And since I couldn't find many $60 meal plans that were healthy, delicious and vegetarian, I decided that I would create my own. Armed with three $20 bills, we will eat. And we will eat well.

I'm thankful for the bright red cranberries in my fridge. I'm thankful for the dark green kale cooking on the stove. I'm thankful for those vanilla cupcake goldfish that have lasted over two weeks sitting atop my fridge. I'm thankful that I have GOOD food to eat. I'm even more thankful that my husband quit his second part time job so I have someone to share these foods with. But not the goldfish. Not those.

This week, for 59.66...we're eating:

Breakfasts:

-PB toast on homemade wheat bread, fruit

-smoothies

There is nothing like homemade bread. Nothing. He didn't know I snuck up on him with my camera. Whatta sport.

Lunches:

-leftovers with veggies, yogurts, and fruits

Suppers:

Sunday: quinoa with kale/mushrooms/butternut squash

Monday: chili with sour cream and rosemary olive oil bread

Tuesday: tomato/edamame grilled cheese on rosemary olive oil bread

Wednesday: vegetarian caesar salad with blackened tofu

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday: homemade pizza

     Saturday: Thanksgiving leftovers


Treats!
chocolate cake mini donuts with icing and sprinkles!

Pinterest. Finally.

I finally made my way onto pinterest. I know that I'm late to this party, but really- that's probably a good thing. It's seriously addicting.

Source: bellemaison23.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: nurserynotations.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Emma on Pinterest

Source: theworldofaclassylady.tumblr.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: bakersroyale.com via Emma on Pinterest

Are you on pinterest? Let me know!

Spaghetti Squash With Peanut Sauce

This is so super easy, and it makes you feel like you're eating something fancy. It's perfect for a lazy night.

You need:

-1 spaghetti squash (poke holes into it with fork)

-2 tbsp peanut butter

-2 tbsp soy sauce

-4 tbsp rice vinegar

-red pepper flakes to your liking

-1 c snowpeas

-2 tbsp cilantro, ripped into bits (chopped? diced? eh?...I'm not a chef, you can pick which phrasing you like best)

Directions:

1) Roast squash in pan with one inch of water for one hour at 375 degrees

2) Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes in small bowl and set aside

3) When the spaghetti squash is about 10 minutes from being done, steam up the snow peas

4) Halve the squash and scoop out seeds before scooping out the 'spaghetti'

5) Combine squash, peanut sauce, and snow peas in bowl and serve w/ cilantro garnish

Makes 4 servings...awesome as leftovers! Enjoy!!

Honestly Beautiful

Over the course of my blog reading career, I've come across countless beautiful pictures of gorgeous homes. I've found myself in envy.

I've also come across blog entries (2, to be exact) where the blogger balances out that widespread perfection with the beauty of reality. I always appreciated those two entries, and I feel like now that we have our own home, it's my turn to toss in a few real pictures.

Since we've updated our house, I've only posted pretty pictures. I've had such encouraging, positive comments; ''OMGOSH EMMA, GORGEOUS!'' or ''I am going to move in with you''. Sure, they make my day, but there are also comments that remind me of what I'm NOT trying to do...which is to create envy in anyone. 

If anything, I want to INSPIRE or ENCOURAGE others to learn skills so that they can create cozy, beautiful homes on a budget themselves. Our DIY/how-to posts haven't really started yet, but they will. Don't you worry. (Tile work is coming!)

The three rooms that we have put the most effort into are beautiful (to me!) , but they were a lot of work. Because I'm blessed to have my carpentry savvy husband, we didn't need to shell out ridiculous sums  of money to pay people to do the work for us. With that being said, the work is still not done, and I think I speak for many DIY-ers when I say that it seems like an endless project. But I like it that way, because it's exciting. 

So here's my home, folks:

We don't have everything picked out or painted- except for the walls. This is our living room! Have a seat!

Gotta fix this nonsense.

 Need trim around shower tiling. Not sure what we're going to use yet.

drywall without mud, tape, or paint

oh gosh, a WHOLE room needing a good tear out and makeover

the porch that needs to be gutted, insulated, and worked with

where our entryway will eventually be

perfect

Our master closet that we built by taking a chunk out of the front porch. Some day I'll get a floor plan up here.

trim is silly. Just kidding, we'll get around to it

Baseboards are also silly.

The beautiful entryway off the kitchen.

I just wanted to share. I'm sure people who expressed envy might be changing their minds at this point. It's A LOT of work, but it's so worth it. To be able to say that we did this:

...is pretty satisfying. 

If you're looking into buying a fixer upper, or would like to share some REAL pictures...or before/afters....I would (as always) love, love, love to see them. 

Have a beautiful day!

xo

Kitchen Entryway: Help!

This is the entryway off of our kitchen that goes into our garage. It's got some fantastic paneling and some really helpful railings. 

I really love it. 

No, I don't.

We actually have two entryways, the front door area that will eventually be a beautiful mudroom with slate floors and built in cubbies, but for now- we only have the means to work with this entryway. 

Pros: 

-It leads directly into our large, one car garage

-It's right off of our kitchen

-It has an ugly cabinet (can y'see it?) that looks much better without the doors on it that is great for storage

Cons:

-It has paneling

-It's not heated or insulated, so you can't really put too much stuff out here

-It's kinda small ( 7 x 3.5 feet)

-It has paneling

So we've decided to take baby steps with the house, and complete projects as time and money allow for them. Also, my favorite home blog points out that waiting a while before you tackle big projects is a smart idea. Living in a space for a bit allows you to really think out which changes you want to make and which ones are most important. This one is important for now so that we can have a place to put our shoes. Our bigger, fancier entryway can wait until we nail down the specifics (and the money!). 

But I digress.

Inspiration for the little garage entryway? I love this clean look, and I think it's pretty appropriate and fitting for our little space:

Ooooh, very fitting for our little wee lake house, dontcha think? (re: butterfly net, fishing pole, etc.)

So we've started by painting:

We haven't finished painting, but you get the idea. 

One coat of primer and a coat of soft white (leftover color from our kitchen cabinets) already makes it look a whole lot better. We're going to paint the exposed wood on the ceiling, so don't worry. 

But I'm kind of stuck.

I have this rug to add some color, but that's about it. 

Any ideas? Any pictures of your small entryways? I would really appreciate pictures. I would love, love, love to see what else is out there. I'm serious- PLEASE send me pictures! shegotmarried@live.com