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