Cheap.Healthy.Eats.

Keeping My Resolutions... One Dollar at a Time

2012-01-30T09:03:00.000-08:00

We just saved $2.29 yesterday on groceries! Our budget this month is $100 a week, so if we can stick to that then we'll save a lot more (and update at the end of the month).

I proactively saved us $2 a month on our internet. When I called last week, they mentioned that signing up for a two years' price protection by January 31st would save us from a *secret* February price hike.

Amazon also has these great subscription programs. We already get our Mrs. Meyer's unscented laundry detergent delivered every six months (which is perfect for laundering diapers!), but I signed up for Swiffer cleaner fluid ($4.08 saved), Magic Eraser ($15.62 saved), and Method hand soap refill ($20.67 saved). Over six months, that's an average of $13.46!

Our adorable mini-trashcan (a.k.a. 48 gal. "Right-Sized" can) was delivered this morning. It looks like we ordered a tiny one just so Amanda could take the garbage out. (She'll have to learn to walk first - darn!)

Grand total saved for the month of February: $20.50*

(*not counting internet savings, since that is maintaining the current cost)

Ticker Happy

2012-01-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

Yep, I know it. Deal with it.

January is *almost* dead. Long live February!

Keeping My Resolutions - Week 2 1/2

2012-01-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

(Click the button in the sidebar or see this link for Blogging Resolutions.)

January is almost over, and I'm starting to think about what February's Resolutions should look like.

Let's see what I did for January:

C is for Cheap! No going out to eat this month. Um. Well, we had a slight Subway incident last week. And, there was that time at Dunkin' Donuts... However, we still saved about $260 this month by not going out as much. Our grocery costs increased, but didn't eat up (haha) the savings. I'll have the numbers crunched soon... *ETA: I looked over our Jan '12 spending, and although we decreased our eating out, our over all grocery costs actually decreased! (As compared to Nov '11 and Dec '11, which are admittedly big holiday meal months.)

H is for Healthy! One walk every day for at least 20 minutes. This has been super easy! We've been going out with the stroller for a daily walk, and even tried out the city bus for the first time last week (on the way to Baby Yoga, ha!). I did a weigh in on Tuesday, but let's just say nothing much has changed in two weeks... Darn.

E is for Eats! Try to eat one portion (at least at a time). I haven't been particularly good at eating one portion, but I have been looking for portion sizes. This is especially helpful with snack food, since I will just mindlessly chomp. I pour the serving size into a bowl, and graze away...

This month has given me time to evaluate what the purpose of all this is. The point of my resolutions is to push past January and go back to the roots of my Cheap.Healthy.Eats. blog.

So, in the spirit of CHE, here's a cheap update: I saved $4.75 today! Yes, me, all by my lonesome with the help of a few phone calls. First of all, I called the City of Tucson to "Right Size" our garbage can from 95gal to 48gal. That's a monthly savings of $1.75. Then, I called our local internet provider, Cox, to ask what our options were for reducing our internet costs. I was able to get a $3 off of our basic phone plan (by dropping long-distance), since we don't even use the phone for anything other than getting online.

I also did a quick spread sheet of our last few grocery receipts, so I could categorize our food buying.

(BTW, I think I spelled "refrigerated" wrong. Sorry, grammar police!)
The take-away message from this is that it's okay to spend money on sweets, seafood, and frozen food. Awesome. These are the categories that I feel the most guilty about, but they take up tiny proportions of the overall pie.

The biggest categories by far are the refrigerated and pantry purchases. This is where my cheese addiction becomes apparent. I will be brainstorming ways to reduce my overall weekly grocery costs, while still keeping the larder full enough to keep us from eating out.

Oh, and we're doing great on vegetables and fruit! I really pumped up the freshness this month by putting greens into almost every meal. I learned that it's super easy if they are pre-chopped and washed.

Expect to see next month more cheap tips, more healthy photos and more fresh eats. We're just getting started, and some little person is about to start her first greens!

Weekend Pix

2012-01-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I learned a new trick for how to thread a needle...

I cut out some fabric for Amanda's summer pinafores...

And I spent time with this hunk of a man.

Perfect.

Feeling Like Spring

2012-01-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning to find the tulips wide open and gorgeous.

"Parents": Horror, Suspense and Decorating

2012-01-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

"We've had leftovers every day since we moved here. I'd like to know what they were before they were leftovers."

Part horror/suspense flick, and part mid-century eye candy, the move "Parents" (1989) is just waiting to be made into a cult favorite. It's freaky good. And the styling is uh-may-zing.

The story begins with a family that moves to a new town in the 1950's. The father works for the "Division of Human Testing" at a chemical company (Toxico) and the mother cooks innumerable meals at home. The son almost immediately makes friends with the other new student, a girl who says that she's from the moon.

The boy starts having nightmares and the school social worker is called in to work with him. Besides having seemingly normal parents who like to get it on in the living room (I like to think of it as the rumpus room), everything seems pretty boring and his weird visions are unexplained.

Love that social worker who lights up during a counseling session at school. Very Mad Men.

Their home is a gorge split-level atomic ranch. Can I call this movie whimsically frightening? Is that a genre? Sort of like the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka if he secretly made candy from dead people. Oops, I just gave it away - SPOILER!

Is that a spray-painted Manzanita branch in the entryway? Look at how that that Danish teak is styled.

Here's another view of the front of the house with those beautifully dressed windows. And plants everywhere! It's like the '70's, only less ugly. (Love the legs on that t.v. as well.)

More shades of aqua and teal. Aren't those geometric pillows just swell?

Another view of the fun brickwork along with a peek into the kitchen (left) and the dining room (right).

My absolute fave room is the kitchen. Notice the cool blue walls paired with the red pops of color in the front door, appliances, and those pretty, pretty counter tops.

That pendant lighting in the kitchen is da bomb.

How classic is this white cabinetry (and appliances)? The backsplash is accented with dots of tiny, red tiles, and the *almost* open shelving is so in tune with modern style.

This wall paper in the dining room totally rocks. Isn't it hilarious how the curtains exactly coordinate? Makes me want to break out the Sharpie.

Tulip table, red chairs of some sort (sorry, don't know) and a brass light fixture. And, oh, more plants to fill in the corners.

Here's the son's room: fake wood-grain wall paneling and brass wall sconce.

Here's another view of that retro lighting, with a splash of red on the headboard. Is that the Titanic above his bed? How very odd.

The best view that I could pull of his entire room. The bedspread has cowboys. Notice the barkcloth curtains peeking out from the blue hallway.

One last view featuring an enormous Melmac dinner set collection. In conclusion, I would totally love to live on this set. If only I didn't have to eat the leftovers ; )

Carrot Walnut Apple Cinnamon Roll

2012-01-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

I dreamed up these cinnamon rolls one night, got up to set out the butter to soften, and then woke up with the recipe all worked out in my head.

They make use of sweet winter produce, like carrots and apples, and pantry staples like raisins and walnuts. My tangerines had hardened, and their dry rind made a perfect zest.

You can make a bread dough for the rolls (my mom has the most amazing refrigerator rolls recipe) but I just made do with some Trader Joe's pizza dough (whole wheat).

The butter and sugar filling has a little vanilla to round it out (I just mixed to taste, and may have been a little overgenerous with 4oz of butter).

The fruit and veggie filling is cooked with about 1 T apple juice, along with the zest, until the carrots are tender and the raisins plump.

Let everything come to room temperature before you attempt to put together. Then chill the roll before you attempt to slice it. Bake and enjoy at your leisure - will stay firm and fresh in the refrigerator.

Let pizza dough rest until room temperature.

Roll out flat, cover, and let rest again.

Spray aluminum foil and transfer dough.

Spread butter and sugar mixture (I like to use my hands!).

Leave one edge bare for rolling.

Let carrot-apple mixture cool.

Spread carrot-apple mixture over sugar and butter. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Start rolling towards bare end.

Turn roll on the diagonal and wrap in foil.

Roll resembles a burrito!

Chill roll in freezer for an hour.

Slice roll.


Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Keeping My Resolutions - Week 1

2012-01-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

(Click the button in the sidebar or see this link for Blogging Resolutions.)

I am taking this Monday to bring you a few of the many Eats that we enjoyed this past week. Expect a weigh-in just as soon as I can bring myself to the Y. Maybe that should be next month's Healthy resolution...

Yogurt and Granola with Carrot and Apple

Veggie Crock-Pot Lasagne

Goat Cheese Omelet with Greens

Whole Wheat White Pizza with Greens and Fresh Tomato

Chili Cheese Tamale on Fried Potatoes and Greens

Salmon Patty on Rice with Broccoli


Carrot Walnut Raisin Cinnamon Rolls

Keeping My Resolutions

2012-01-12T20:12:00.000-08:00

(Click the button in the sidebar or see this link for Blogging Resolutions.)

Cheap - yep, still haven't eaten out. As a couple. However, I sneaked in a grilled cheese panini today after Baby Yoga with my pocket money. What? Yoga makes me hungry.

Healthy - walking everyday. See above for yoga reference.

Eats - some are very, very big. Some are very, very small. I feel a bit like Alice.

Oh, and my mom looked at my ticker and asked me, how did you lose so much weight (16lbs)? I was like, I had a baby. That's my pre-baby weight minus my pre-pregnancy weight. The first half came off easy-peasy. The second half? That's scary.

I've given away my old pants. I don't want to know if my tight jeans will ever fit again.

My Radisson Points

2012-01-09T11:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a screen shot (my new fave tool) of my statement for last month's stay:
Total points: 56,916

Hiking to the Stone House

2012-01-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

We met up with friends today and took a hike out to the Stone House, just west of town in the Tucson mountains.

It was an easy walk for two mamas, a daddy and two (carried) babies. Pete got to try out his new Ergo Sport for the first time.

We took along oranges, apples, cashews, dark chocolate, string cheese and lots of water. It was a lovely way to enjoy the winter's day.

One Serving Breakfast: Granola + Yogurt

2012-01-08T07:43:00.001-08:00

Pictured above is one serving Maple Nut Granola, European Style Yogurt, and a small handful sliced apples. One tablespoon maple syrup is drizzled on top.

We also spent the last few days of Winter Break walking around the Botanic Gardens, walking to the YMCA, walking around the neighborhood, and just enjoying the beautiful sunny weather in Tucson. Last night the Hubs and I also got to soak in a hot tub (with jets!) for many delightful minutes (before we went back to check on our daughter).

Blogging Resolutions

2012-01-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

This month's blogging resolutions.

C is for Cheap! No going out to eat this month.

H is for Healthy! One walk every day for at least 20 minutes.

E is for Eats! Try to eat one portion (at least at a time).

Pictured above is today's lunch of tuna fish salad sandwich. There is one serving canned tuna, one and a half of mayo, two of multigrain bread (who knew each slice was a serving? weird), and a small handful each of lettuce, carrots and snow peas.

CHE - Back in the Kitchen Again

2012-01-06T16:40:00.001-08:00

Remember this picture? It's from our old railroad house kitchen in Gallup, NM. Right where it all started with CHE. Gah! Look at that wallpaper.

Healthy Weight Ticker

2012-01-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

I made a ticker to show my online progress towards healthy weight loss.

Recreating "A Happy Keyboard"

2012-01-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Minifanfan is an Etsy seller with an adorbs decorated keyboard that is making the blogging rounds. I first read about it on Nicole's blog, Making it Lovely.

The keys appear to be covered with strips of washi tape (Japanese patterned paper tape). I searched on Etsy, and found almost all of the designs featured at PrettyTape. Here's the breakdown:

Is it wrong to spend $57 on keyboard pieces of flair? So cute. I wonder if you can poly it...

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

(16 weeks old)
(14 weeks old)
Just a year ago, directly above, we were standing just outside Silver City, NM, celebrating the New Year. Since I was officially PG from the beginning of 2011, that means that our little one was and is a New Year's baby. So happy that we got so much more than we had hoped. Here's to an amazing 2012.

Sarah, Pete and Amanda

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like... Chrismukah

2011-12-24T11:03:00.001-08:00

Represent! Our baby girl gets to celebrate two holidays together every winter.

I dressed her up in a pretty Christmas romper for Pete's office party.

And we took her to the early Hannukah party at the JCC.

We took our first home holiday menorah pic.

Our gifts are wrapped in kraft paper and red, pink and blue tissue paper.

Our Christmas tree is decorated with shells from our San Diego visit last year...

The rest of the dining room is set up for baking and crafting and gift wrapping.

Our Amaryllis blooms finally have opened up.

Our gingerbread ornaments are drying on the dining room table.

I made some lovely scented Gingerbread Playdough this morning. Then I wrapped it in fabric for our little hostess at a Hannukah party tomorrow, just to be extra fancy.

And this afternoon we received a beautiful surprise via FedEx...

Chocolate dipped strawberries!

Life is sweet.

Thrifty Gifting: Gingerbread Ornaments

2011-12-24T10:55:00.001-08:00

Come see what's cooking over at Lil Sharpie.

Thrifty Gifting: Santa Baby

2011-12-22T08:00:00.001-08:00

I surprised Pete with secret baby photos on a Walgreens photo mug. Thrifty with a 30% coupon (long gone, so don't ask, but Walgreens runs specials pretty often).

$9.79 mug with discount (plus s&h)
$13.99 regular price
Total savings: $4.20 or 30%

Thrifty Gifting

2011-12-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

Thrift isn't just about saving money; it's also about putting the cash to use where it's needed the most.

Last night's first thrifty gift to my husband: a 60 minute massage at our local salon.

His gift to me: an organic sweatshirt from Whole Foods and the promise to babysit while I got back into hot yoga (Priceless).

S'more Cupcakes and Birthday Fun!

2011-12-17T08:48:00.001-08:00

(Birthday blooms!)

Today's my birthday party. Mom and I made s'more cupcakes yesterday. They could very well be made with blonde brownies too, but we cheated and used box mix.

S'more Cupcakes

1 Box yellow cake mix (+eggs, oil and water according to directions)
1 Pkg foil cupcake wrappers
2 Bars Ghiradelli 60% chocolate
1 Bag campfire marshmallows (or the biggest you can find)
1 Bottle spray veg oil
Cupcake pan, mixing bowl, spatula, scissors

Step 1: Preheat oven. Line cupcake pan with wrappers. Spray top with veg oil.

Step 2: Mix cake batter according to directions. Fill cupcake wrappers 1/3 full. Bake until golden and done.

Step 3: Cut marshmallows in half width-wise. Place on top of hot cupcakes. Break chocolate bars into squares. Top each cupcake with one square. Immediately place cupcake pan in fridge.

Step 4: Serve after cooling (marshmallow and chocolate will have stopped melting, in about 10 minutes) or wrap up and eat later (very difficult to exert this kind of self-control).

Our Little Family Holiday Card 2011

2011-12-09T16:12:00.000-08:00

Textured Text:Scarlet Holiday Postcards
Check out our collection of Christmas cards and holiday cards.

Perfect Bouquet

2011-11-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

I think I finally found the perfect bouquet for our Navajo wedding vase. As inspired by Emily Henderson's (Secret from a Stylist) post on flowers. Thank you, Trader Joe's.

Armchair Shopping: Kitchen Rug

2011-11-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

I had a spare 20 minutes this weekend (when does that ever happen?!) and I went on to FLOR's Web site to mosey around. Well, what do you know? They have this amazing "Brick" colored floor tile on sale in several textures.

I bought 5 tiles to cover the approximately 2'x8' space hugging the cabinetry under the sink and stove. Since it's a high-use area and spills are a real possibility (part of the reason that we want a rug to protect our precious new flooring!), I went with the Fedora style which is currently on sale for $5.49 a square.

So, that's about $27 for our area rug in the kitchen, and I also grabbed a $4 discount from typing in "FLOR promo code" from RetailMeNot. I love that site.

If I end up super loving the brick color, I might put some down in another texture in the living room. I'm hoping that it will warm up the space and provide some serious stain coverage. Can they be thrown in the washing machine? Guess I should have bought an extra tile just to experiment with...

Our Biggest Project Yet, finished!

2011-11-03T11:26:00.001-07:00

Our 1952 bungalow has come a long way since we first moved here in Summer 2009. The nursery has probably been the most recent room to be tackled, for obvious reasons.

(Uneven floors in nursery)

(Below, nursery during original house tour in April 2009)

The guest room is the next to be repainted and decorated, but looks 100% more welcoming with the new flooring.

Now moving into the hallway (2 closets! 5 doors! 6 doorways!), this was actually the first area to be completed with the new flooring. Some floor moulding was also added to finished it off.

(First glance during original home tour. The bathroom looks almost exactly the same...)

The master bedroom hasn't changed much since moving in. The walls are still a pale green, but the new floors really warm it up.

(Isn't it funny how the bed looks almost exactly the same as the one in the original house tour?)

The living room is perhaps the most dramatically different. Probably because it is the first room that you enter from the front door. It's such a relief to finally have that ancient carpet pulled up! Additionally, the pale blue walls are a big contrast to the previous dark beige.

(Looking in from the front door to the kitchen)

(Looking back from the kitchen towards the front door)

(Previous owners chair collection)

The kitchen and the dining room were the second areas to be completed. The tile was particularly broken and chipped here, so there was additional patching and leveling. The dining room has a lot of wood going on now, so that will need to be addressed at some point. For now, it's looking way better than nasty, old tile.

(Me looking happy during our original house tour)

The bathroom and the laundry room are the only two spaces left as is. The bathroom because it's perfectly gorgeous as is with it's black and white hex tile, and the laundry room because it is wet and hosts the water heater as well. I will probably coat the laundry room floors with a light layer of porch paint and leave the original tile in place.

Hope you enjoyed the new tour! It was a lot of work to get our new flooring in (even though we paid for someone else to do all of the installation) but completely worth it.

Tomato and Cheese Picnic Sandwich

2011-10-18T16:45:00.001-07:00

Step 1: Prep

Slice the tomatoes and the cheese.
Chop off the "elbows", halve the loaf of bread, and scoop out the soft center (save crumbs for munching on later).

Step 2: Layering

Spread mayonnaise, then tomatoes, then cheese onto bottom half of loaf. Continue until sandwich is filled.
Add mayonnaise to the other side of loaf, and then combine.

Step 3: Packaging

Cut sandwich into two pieces on a diagonal, and then wrap up in a pretty napkin. Enjoy your picnic!

We took Amanda to the Tucson Botanical Gardens last Sunday for a little picnic (in the edible garden, by pure accident!).

I packed a lunch of sourdough tomato and cheese sandwiches, boxes of fruit punch, and corn chips. It was delicious.

Our Biggest Project Yet, cont.

2011-10-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Hubs making a quick run to Lowe's this morning, I have some photos for you of the Pergo Tidewater Oak flooring sample in our home. Sammy, the model cat, of course is showing off how well it complements his fur.

(Against the kitchen cabinets)
(Below the stove)
(In the living room)
(Upon entering the front door)
(As seen in the hallway)

(In the nursery)

When I called in the sample request to Lowe's this morning, I made it clear that the previous flooring was out of our budget. Waaaaay out. So I asked about the Tidewater Oak, since the reviews were so positive online and it is within our price range (and on sale!). This is when I began to get a hint that my second choice might be the better one. He responded very enthusiastically (unlike the response to my first choice) and said that it was a beautiful floor.

After viewing the Tidewater Oak against all the cools blues and greens and warm wood tones in our home, I don't hate it. This is so much better than I had hoped! And the pattern is really nice - lots of dark and light shades with subtle variation in design.

Fingers crossed that this is it and we can start scheduling the installation soon.

Our Biggest Project Yet, cont.

2011-10-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

I've already given you links to the three laminate styles we're considering for our new flooring in the first post on this project.

Next I was going to go ahead and show you how each of the styles look in our home. We have cool-toned walls, a lot of warm woods (think Mahogany and rustic Pine), and short ceilings with lots of dark corners. The three samples I brought home from Lowe's this morning are all very light in tone in order to bounce around as much light as possible.

HOWEVER, we had the house measured this morning and received the total estimate. Including quarter round, installation, and taxes we are over budget about $1700. Ouch.

So, the choice was to either put off installing new floors for another year (and hope the sale came around again) for when I return back to work, or to reduce the total somehow.

I crunched the numbers again and the greatest cost was the price per square foot of the laminate. The logical decision then was to reduce the price per square foot.

If we go with something a little more classic and a little less trendy, like Pergo Tidewater Oak, then the price goes down by almost $1.50 *ETA: per square foot. Wow.

That puts us back on budget again.

It's a hard choice, but we've always valued living within our means. Especially now that we're budgeting with one income while I stay home with Amanda, paying with cash in hand is so much more secure than going into debt.

I'm going to go back to Lowe's, purchase a box for about $43, and lay out some boards in our living room. If I don't hate it, then we'll take the plunge.

Stay tuned for pix.

Our Biggest Project Yet

2011-10-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

We purchased our 1952 bungalow with the original flooring, including asbestos tile and carpet. Yum. Nothing like 60-year-old beige pile and cracked tiles underfoot.

Lowe's is having their annual flooring event, and installation is just a little under $400. For the entire house. That's a savings (for us) of about $1600. To give you an idea of just how good that is, the flooring itself would have to be on sale for about 50% off to give us the same deal. Sweet.

So, even though I had thoughts of putting separate floor surfaces in the kitchen-dining nook-laundry half and the bedrooms-den-hallway-living room half, I'm now convinced that our house will look just fine with one type of surface (excluding the hex tile in the bathroom, of course).

This project is just starting, and I'll be updating you as we go along. Fingers crossed, we'll have it done before Thanksgiving (or by the time Lil Amanda learns to crawl).

Here's a look at the flooring we're considering:

Pergo Whitewashed Pine

Pergo Driftwood Pine

Pergo Boathouse Pine

Remix of Fish Tacos

2011-10-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

(Pictured above from top, going clockwise: guacamole kit, tortillas (or pita), shredded cabbage, 3 frozen Tilapia filets, crumbled feta cheese, and Cilantro dressing.)

Remember those fish tacos I made from our Cooking with Trader Joe's cookbook?

They were super yummy but too expensive to make on a regular basis. It's been so much more cost effective to just order up a couple from our favorite Mexican restaurants and share the plate.

Until we ended up with a few Tilapia filets in the freezer, a huge stack of corn tortillas and my mom over for company.

I had some kind of cooking revelation, and the filets were defrosted (takes about 30 min. or so submerged still packaged in a bowl of warm water) and then grilled up with sliced scallions, garlic, jalapenos and a tablespoon or so of olive oil. I quartered two Roma tomatoes and squeezed the juice into the pan after the fish was done cooking, along with a quartered and squeezed lime.

To balance out the heat of the grilled fish, I put together a cool topping of shredded cabbage, cilantro dressing, crumbled feta cheese, and two cubed avocados.

The corn tortillas were wrapped in aluminum foil four at a time, to be popped into the oven to warm.

Everything was brought together in a DIY taco, with one fish filet and tortilla packet per person, and a shared bowl of the cabbage salad.

The best part? It was so good that I made it again the next week.

Grandma and Amanda

2011-09-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

Guess who's in town?

Baby Amanda is Here!

2011-09-19T15:28:00.001-07:00

Amanda Leigh was born on Tuesday, September 13th, 2011. See more photos and updates at my other blog, Lil Sharpie.

Cheap Afternoon Project: Getting the Bathroom Sink Repaired

2011-09-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

Not sure if I can claim this, since I technically did nothing other than call and schedule the repair with our Warranty Company...

But our bathroom sink is officially fixed!

According to the receipt, it suffered from an "awful noise."

That, and both faucets wouldn't ever quite turn off. It got so I was afraid that they would just keep turning and never turn off again.

Best $60 ever spent on our bathroom.

Oh, and the funniest part? I put the Hubs on the Warranty policy so that he could call in repairs as co-homeowner. Well, they had him listed on the receipts as the owner, and since I was the original name on the policy they just kind of sandwiched his first name with my last name.

Yeah. So he's written as Pete (My Maiden Name).

I don't know whether to laugh at their faux pas or be mad that I got replaced so easily by my husband as the official homeowner.

I'll go with laughing. After all, now I don't have to to brush my teeth in the kitchen sink any more. And the Hubs doesn't have to shave with a cup of water. Win-win.

Padding the Nest

2011-09-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

So, if being ginormously pregnant has decreased my amount of blogging (August?), at least my amount of actually getting stuff done in real life has increased. (Did that sound defensive? Sorry.)

We went to Target rather randomly this weekend, not to buy school supplies (for once), but just to wander around. Missoni is releasing their line on the 13th (dangerous...) but I figured that they would be clearing out their back-to-school dorm stuff. And they actually do have really great 30% off bedding sales and clearance right now.

I picked up a comforter/dust ruffle/sham set in white that reminded me of the rosette set from Anthro. The real thing is super soft jersey and amazingly wrinkle-resistant. However, it runs over $300 once shams are figured in. The 100% cotton set I found at Target were marked down half off from $99 to $49, plus two adorable apple towels at $2.99 each, minus a $23 gift certificate balance, came to about $38. So, 1/10th of the cost for a whole bed set and kitchen linen. Yay for mathiness!

Two major problems presented themselves once I got the comforter set home:

Blinding whiteness. We're talking over-bleached teeth. It makes the rest of our bedding just look like it has the cruds.
Enormous fluffiness. As in, this comforter won't even fit in the washing machine. Not promising for something that is guaranteed to show every spot and stain.

A hint for how I'm going to deal with the whiteness here from Young House Love. But, the comforter is more of a challenge. The buttons that gather the fabric in rosettes are actually only attached to the top layer of fabric, and the top and the bottom pieces are not sewn together. So my two thoughts were to make it into a duvet cover or to insert thinner batting and quilt the whole thing down.

Additionally, I played around with a red and white gingham tablecloth and the new red apple towels to see how these gorgeous sheets from Garnet Hill would look with the new white bedding. I love the idea of adding more pops of red in our house to warm up the cool blue and green walls.

New Fave: La Cocina at Old Town Artisan's Gallery

2011-07-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

We spent a surprisingly cool afternoon having brunch at La Cocina yesterday. Several members of the local Tucson music scene were there to see a performance by the lovely Maya, including drummer Chilly Willie!

I adore the simple menu, and enjoyed my GLBT sandwich (made with tofu) and potato salad. Pete had the Tilapia salad. Both were grilled perfectly and made fresh. The owner also kept bringing us cold glasses of lemonade, ice tea and water. Since La Cocina is primarily outdoors, misters and lots of plant life temper the intense Monsoon season heat.

Next time I would love to revisit earlier in the day, with a small group. It's perfect for bringing a book to read and hang out under the shade as well. *ETA: the owner of La Cocina also is the owner of Bentley's coffee house. They recognized Pete from his many, many visits last summer and playing at the open mics.

Napoleone's Pizza

2011-07-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

Also known as, "that place that Tom Waits used to work at." From the red and white checkered linoleum floors to the reprints of oil paintings on white walls and an open kitchen, Napoleone's has the classic pizzeria style.

One guess why we went there... however the pizza actually was awesome. We ordered a 10" veggie with a side of garlic bread off of their simple menu. The garlic bread came hot and fresh, although without those soft nuggets of butter that I enjoy. The pizza, while looking superficially mediocre, proved to be a lot more tasty. The crust was crisp and golden (not charred) on bottom, the mushrooms protected and moist under a layer of cheese, and the onions and green pepper sliced thinly enough to actually cook. My only addition would have been some good and salty or fresh cheese.

All in all, we're happy we made the detour from our usual sea-side fare. And now, of course, the Hubs gets to say that he's been on its hallowed grounds.

Sunning in San Diego

2011-07-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

I know that there must be sun somewhere... because I got all pink and burned!

Now Onto the Bathroom: Cleaning and Farewell Mr. Laundry Chair

2011-07-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

A major feature of our bathroom these last few years has been... Mr. Laundry Chair. Unfortunately, it's either him or the diaper changing/bathing station. That little corner by the pedestal sink is prime real estate.

(Before: Mr. Laundry Chair also handles towels nicely)
I stopped by Bed Bath & Beyond this morning in order to organize our cleaning system (the word "system" makes it all sound much more innovative, don't you think?).

For the diaper changing/bathing station:

Arm and Hammer Fridge Fresh $2.99 (which I can't find on the Web site)
Real Simple Wash Bags (2) $7.99
Bad Air Sponge $9.99

For the laundry:

Real Simple Triple Sort Fold-Away Hamper $34.99*

(After: Dirty towels moved to their own bin nearest the tub, with mesh pocket for wet washcloths
*ETA: This hamper is not working... stay tuned for a better solution.)
For general cleaning:

Method Gel Foaming Handwash $2.99 (can't find)
Method Gel Refill $5.99 (ditto)
Earthworm Drain Cleaner $4.99 (B3 have the suckiest search feature on the planet)

(Before: Yucky, drippy gold hand soap)

(After: Inoffensive, foaming hand soap)It's really the tiny victories that keep us going.

And, yes, that is a wash cloth tied around the cold spigot. It's in need of repair (doh!) and that reminds us not to use it. So we brush our teeth with hot (germ-killing!) water.

Lazy Day Breakfast: Cast Iron Omelet

2011-07-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

Cooking with cast iron is not only incredibly easy, but super healthy, since the cast iron actually puts bits of iron into your diet. Unlike, say, cooking with lead, this is a good thing.

I like to make an omelet over the weekend with all the leftovers in our fridge. This weekend, it was a yellow squash/baby broccoli/red onion/tomato/bread/4 cheese mix omelet. Yum. The chickens donate their eggs in exchange for all the peels and odds and ends, so everyone's happy.

The first step is to just throw your veggies into the hot pan, with a little veggie oil. I like to soften the onions, squash or hard veggies like potatoes by cooking them first. If you're using up old bread, just crumble it up and watch for it to go brown and dry like a vegetable. The tomatoes can go last, when you're ready for the next step.

Next, your pour the eggs into that same pan - pre-mixed or not, your call. If it's looking a bit dry, you can spray it down with olive oil just before, but the pan should be good and oiled up at this point. Turn off the heat and find a tight-fitting lid. Quickly, now!

Last, sprinkle the top with cheese. This adds flavor, and richness so don't be skimpy! If you don't have some good, salty cheese like Parmesan then make sure and sprinkle on some salt as well. Pop the lid on and let the whole omelet cook with the remaining heat for about 5 minutes. Serve hot and goo-y with toast, if you like.

Now Onto the Bathroom: Making Room for Baby

2011-07-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

We swung by Target this morning and I got a 16-Pocket Door Organizer for $7.99.

(Before: Over the toilet baskets for holding stuff.)
(After: Baskets emptied out and removed.)
(Before: Bathroom door with two extra towel bars.)
(After: Bathroom door with door organizer slipped over towel rod.)The goal was to clear out the space above the toilet, where two narrow baskets formerly balanced (only falling down about once a month or so!), and to move the heavy toiletries to the back of the closet door.

(After: The organizer hides behind the door when it's open.)
I chose to hang it from the towel rod rather than the top of door, because it just wouldn't close the way that it was intended to hang. We might hang it higher later, but for now it's at a good height to grab the hair gel and go. I just squeezed the hooks more tightly closed with a pair of pliers so that the organizer stops falling off the door.
I also shortened the bottom row by cutting off the big net pocket with pinking shears.Last, I cut a narrow slit into the organizer in order for the knob to pull through and still turn.Not bad for about 15-30 minutes of work! Next, I've got to get up the gumption to put up the shelves, right where those precarious baskets used to sit above the toilet.

The Little Red Button

2011-06-29T10:03:00.001-07:00

We're going retro today with ancient pix from when we first visited our house - way, way back to Spring 2009.

Our sturdy workhorse of a wall oven was giving us problems. Specifically, we couldn't figure out how to re-light the pilot light after the HVAC people turned the gas supply off and back on. I found this great online how to guide, but even after finally locating the pilot light, blasting the gas up to broil, and standing there patiently with a long-handled lighter, nothing was happening. We contacted our awesome and knowledgeable-about-old-house-stuff real estate agent, Mary Diaz, and she talked us through another try. Still no dice.

So, we took the last resource, and I renewed the home appliance warranty. Ouch - it cost about $500 upfront, with $60 for each home repair visit. On the bright side, we never have to worry about buying an extended warranty again (something I've only done for our uber-fancy Haier washer/dryer unit), and there's exactly one number to call in case of something going wrong with any of the other appliances. Hilariously, we were allowed on the cheapest plan to put 10 appliances on the warranty, and we ran out of options around number six. Here's what finally ended up on the big 10:

Central AC
Central Heat
Plumbing
Electrical
Oven
Stove Top
Ceiling Fans
Doorbell
Fridge
Washer

So, if any doorbell emergencies come up, we're good to go.

The repair guys came today and re-lit our pilot light. They did everything that we did (I narrated our efforts so they could see that we're not complete idiots!) but with one difference... they found the red button! No longer red, and covered in grease and dust, it was hiding well behind the broiler pull-out. The head repair guy (who had to have been about 20 years old) shone his Mag light on the red button, said that he had pushed it a couple of times, then applied a flame to the pilot, and "presto" our oven worked again.

Now if it would only stop being so hot (it was 113 F the day we drove back from Gallup!) so that I'll actually want to bake something again...

Best Baby Shower Ever

2011-06-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Check out more Best Baby Shower Ever pix over at Lil Sharpie.

Road Trip! Back to Route 66

2011-06-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

We took a trip this past weekend back to our home town of Gallup, NM. I (Sarah) hadn't been back since we moved down to Tucson, so I got quite a kick out of all the distinctly "Gallupian" landscapes.

Even with a chain of accidents on the way back slowing down down our return, each way was still about 9-11 hours (including a stop-over at IKEA!). So, not a quick trip by any means, but totally doable for our '99 Buick and our 26-week-old fetus. Yay for truck stops and Haagan Daz ice cream bars! (Sarah) Yay for coffee! (Pete)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pancakes

2011-06-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

s

I saw these gorgeous red sticks of rhubarb at Whole Foods yesterday. So, even though it's not Father's Day anymore, I cooked up some in memory of my grandfather who always kept a patch of rhubarb growing on his land.

Slight mishap aside of one plate landing squarely in the sink (I admit, I threw a small pity party and a fork may have also been thrown) these were delicious with a generous squirt of whipped cream on top.

I then finished off the rest of the pot of strawberry-rhubarb filling with a spoon. I consider it getting my vegetable and fruit servings all in one go.

Oh, and if you are interested in making your own filling, it's approximately one stick of rhubarb cut into chunks, steamed for about a minute, then 1 pint of sliced strawberries (uncooked) with 1 T of syrup and set in the fridge overnight. Couldn't be easier; just don't burn the rhubarb!

Field Trip: Agua Caliente Park

2011-06-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

We visited Agua Caliente Park, about 30 minutes from our home, this a.m. for a bird-watching meet-up.

All of these photos are shot with our brand new toy, an iPod Touch.

Now Onto the Bathroom: Planning

2011-06-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

(This is the official "before" pic, enlarged for extra graininess. There is no "after" yet. Patience!)

You probably noticed from when I posted about painting the hallway that the bathroom (THE ONLY BATHROOM...) is looking a wee bit messy. You might even think to yourself, how can they fit in all the baby crap with that mess? If you peered around the corner and saw the chair with piles upon piles of clothes on it, you might grow even more alarmed.

I know that I am.

Given that we are going to be cloth diapering for the next 2+ years, I figured it needed to serve two functions (besides the obvious):

Diaper changing station
Bathroom/laundry storage

I put together a wish list to start planning it all out, and have actually edited it a few more times since (the original Moen Refresh 3-Way Shower Head that I thought I wanted was too ginormous, and the grey Amy Butler towels actually go with the green hued walls better than the turquoise ones and match the DKNY ones that I got on clearance!). Sadly, our local Anthro did not have the canvas baskets (or any plans to receive them any time soon) so I didn't get to see them in person in all their herringbone-ness.

Little by little I am beginning to see how our current bathroom sitch and be tweaked and made much better before our girl arrives in October.

Let me lead you through the details on the Diaper Changing Station:

The IKEA Sniglar, in all its tiny-ness, is the ONLY changing table (or table, period) that fits between our lovely pedestal sink and the wall (currently the home of the aforementioned chair/clothes pile). So this is the basis for the entire system. The Little Elephant Stitchery posted her solution to finding a changing pad to fit the Sniglar (hint: involves some sawing) in baby Georgia's yellow and grey nursery since most are just too long. I've had idle thoughts of just trimming the IKEA Toftbo bath mat to size, since it has a nice non-skid backing and can easily be thrown in the wash...
Above that will be the IKEA Grundtal in 21"(see - tiny space!), which will hold some baby product supplies in those Grundtal cup holders/hooks. If I'm feeling really ambitious, I might screw in a Bygel rod into the side of the Sniglar in order to hang more stuff off the edge.
Below will be the mini diaper pail (I have heard that metal is far, far superior than plastic) in the IKEA Knodd, with a PUL liner and some mesh bags, and those adorable Anthropologie Mountain Peaks baskets for dirty clothes/doodads. If there's room, the IKEA Komplement also seems awesome for storing diapers and extra supplies.
Attached to the toilet, the BumGenius diaper sprayer seems the best solution for keeping the stink down and taking care of those explosions right away.

And now, for the bathroom/laundry storage run-down:

Above the toilet is currently a sad, little black towel rod/shelf (see pic below).

Am replacing sad shelf with more IKEA Grundal (this time in the 31") in the form of another towel rod and two shelves stacked above it. The shelves will hold stuff that's currently in baskets and/or on the floor, like extra towels, toilet paper, and the like.
Oh, and the new sprayer is just a switch-out for the current shower head. I've heard that new mamas like to have a detachable nozzle for washing their ouchie bits (although I could tell you the story about that scar on my upper lip that resulted from an encounter with a detachable shower head when I was a mere PeeWee).

Bathroom Update by sarsha2003 on Polyvore.com

Mountain Peaks Bath Basket, Tall
$88 - anthropologie.com

Bed Bath & Beyond - Amy Butler Bath Towels, 100% Cotton
$17 - bedbathandbeyond.com

TOFTBO
$9.99 - ikea.com

ikea KOMPLEMENT
$20 - ikea.com

Etched Stripe Bath Towel - Bed Bath & Beyond
$5.99 - bedbathandbeyond.com

Rainspa® Combo Showerhead - Bed Bath & Beyond
$30 - bedbathandbeyond.com

ikea KNODD
$15 - ikea.com

ikea GRUNDTAL
$5.99 - ikea.com

ikea GRUNDTAL
$15 - ikea.com

ikea GRUNDTAL
$11 - ikea.com

ikea BYGEL
$1.99 - ikea.com

Amazon.com: bumGenius Diaper Sprayer: Baby
$60 - amazon.com

ikea SNIGLAR
$40 - ikea.com

Mountain Peaks Bath Basket, Short
$88 - anthropologie.com

Mountain Peaks Bath Basket, Mini
$48 - anthropologie.com

Succulent Care

2011-06-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

This probably falls under the category of things that only I worry about. Remember those gorgeous planters that I bought last summer after months and months of obsessing? Well, they weathered the winter quite well (and benevolent neglect), aside from needing to come into the kitchen during the two hard freezes we experienced, hanging from the porch.

However, the dark purple hens and chicks from each planter bit the big one. I was looking at Harlow Gardens Nursery for replacements, and found these itty-bitty 3" gray-green guys. I like that they'll add some vertical volume and that they were only $1.99 each. The cactus juice was a bit more at $8.99 a bottle, but at 1 t of solution every two weeks it's going to last a while.

I feel slightly guilty for ignoring them, but succulents seem to be natural loners. They're not cuddly, although spineless, and tend to break off leaves if handled (much like a amphibian looses its tail in self-defense). So, other than the cactus juice every other week and twice weekly waterings (it's hot) I think I'll go back to what works best: doing nothing.

Field Trip: Harlow Gardens Nursery

2011-06-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

(My fave - these gnome-sized ceramic mushrooms)
(The Hubs welcoming us all)

(Under the cool, greenhouse canopy)(A sweet kumkwat tree)
(Little succulent gems)

(Reusing painted pallets to stack plants for drainage and easy display - brilliant!)(Pete's fave - showing off some of the custom tile that Tucson is home to)

I've been wanting to visit the Harlow Gardens Nursery ever since I saw its brightly painted gates and overflowing leafy pots. There are many high quality, independent nurseries in Tucson that sell desert adapted species, but most are less colorful than Harlow.

I promised myself that I wouldn't try putting in any new plants at the heat of the summer (and just before we leave for vacay, as well), but I did purchase two tiny succulents for the hanging planters and some tasty (probably, if you're a plant) succulent food.

Thanks for Coming Out!

2011-06-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Auld Dubliner the other night, off of University Ave. Pete played a two-hour set (!) and I managed to keep my almost six month preggo self alert for the full evening.

My Type A Personality at Work for You

2011-06-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

I spent about 2 hours this a.m. reorganizing and simplifying Cheap.Healthy.Eats.

Originally, this blog was the home for my food column (published in Gallup Journey) and random ramblings.

Then we bought a home in 2009 and moved to Tucson.

Since then it's become at catch all (read: mess) for our house, our travels, our wedding, and whatever else struck my fancy at the time.

As our family is now expanding, and it's getting easier to get pulled off track, I'm bringing this blog back to it's roots: Cheap (as in afternoon and weekend projects, usually in the home), Healthy (traveling and exploring our town), Eats (restaurants, recipes and food-stuff).

I hope you enjoy the new look and our new direction!

Oh Happy Day

2011-06-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

(Assemble your paint chips and lay out in a pretty color pattern.)
(Paint one letter per color, using leftover paint and a 1/4" craft brush.)
(Add a line of glue across the top of a ribbon, press down on the paint chip, make sure you didn't glue it to the table, then add another one a finger's width apart.)
(Hang up on wall - with painter's tape, of course!)

What a happy accident. Too many paint chips + about a spare hour of time (incl. dry time) = pretty birthday banner for the Hubs. Love you!

(All paint chips by the Martha Stewart paint line - and I swear, I didn't plan on hoarding this many in advance!)

Cheap Afternoon Project: Painting the Hallway

2011-05-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

(Before: Looking into the bathroom)
(After)
(Before: Hallway closet)
(After)

Repainted the hallway with that quart of Martha Stewart in Feldspar... would love to add some wall hooks and replace the ceiling light.

Nursery: Paint Budget

2011-05-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

(Before: Gold walls with unfinished moulding)
(During: Choosing Martha Stewart low VOC paint colors)
(During: Mending small cracks with spackling and big cracks with expanding foam)
(During: Priming the walls)
(After: Painted with MS Spring Melt)

The painting actually went in two parts: first the initial planning stage, where I painstakingly gathered paint chips and then tried out the small sample jars on the walls, and then the execution stage, where I just went ahead and used the same color that I had in the living room (Martha Stewart Spring Melt). It's a super fresh and light almost non-color that instantly brightens up the room. I also like how my (thrifted) yellow Ethan Allen furniture plays off it without looking two competitive.

The planning stage ended up costing a modest $12.83 for 4 sample jars of paint: MS Spring Melt, Rainwater, Milk Pail and Feldspar. (I re-used these sample jars in my painted cloud decals later.)

The actual painting stage was still fairly inexpensive at $83.34. Here's how it broke down (not including the cost of moulding to be added later):

$0.00 Roller (already owned)
$3.93 Blue Tape (" but had to buy more!)
$0.00 Water Bucket (")
$0.00 Tray (")
$0.00 Purdy 4.5" Brush (")
$0.00 Kilz Indoor Primer (")
$5.97 2 Pack Mini-rollers (Awesome for Trim)
$3.98 Spackling
$1.38 Painter's Caulk
$2.97 Wood Glue (Broken Spindle on Cradle)
$8.57 Purdy 1" Brush (Cradle)
$11.97 Martha Stewart Feldspar Eggshell Interior, 1 Qt (Atrium/Hallway)
$12.97 MS Duck's Egg Semi-gloss Interior, 1 Qt (Cradle)
$25.47 MS Spring Melt Eggshell Interior, 1 Gal (Nursery)

Time-wise, this labor of love ended up being about a month's worth of weekends. Now that it's done, the final result seems so inevitable and obvious, and it's difficult to believe that I once obsessed over shades of almost identical blue-green-greys. That's just crazy love, I guess.

Nursery: Can't Stop the Magic

2011-05-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Come see what I'm up to today on my baby blogette.

Nursery: Got to Admit It's Getting Better

2011-05-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

(Before)
(After)

Getting better... all the time.

Martha Stewart's Spring Melt it is. One more coat to seal that bright new hue in - and I'm loving how the warm ceiling plays off all those cool tones.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-05-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

... to buy an appliance.

We are replacing our 50+ years old Philco iron beast (said with affection) with something more plastic-y.

All together we got this new Frigidaire for less than $400 (including taxes). It's not fancy, but it fits our tiny kitchen, is affordable, and gets the job done. Plus, with any luck it won't just decide to randomly defrost, which happens to our poor, leaky behemoth from time to time (which is why we ended up eating our frozen wedding cake a few months early).

The fridge is dead - long live the fridge.

Nursery: Guess What?

2011-05-27T18:14:00.001-07:00

I'm finally painting the nursery. Woohoo!

Nursery: Spy vs. Spy

2011-05-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Paint Two:Paint Two:
Paint One:
Paint One:

Or, paint vs. paint, really.

Paint One is Martha Stewart Spring Melt. It's a proven classic (as evidenced by my living room) - a bluish, non-color that is very fresh and brightening. On camera, it comes off a tad grey.

Paint Two is MS Rainwater. It's bluer and darker. Beige and white seem to really pop off of it well. On camera, it tends to look more like a powder blue.

I'm feeling very indecisive... But I should have one firm choice by this weekend, when it'll be time to get serious about the color.

Rocking Chair Arrives!

2011-05-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

The gorgeous spindle-backed rocking chair that I purchased on Ebay over two weeks ago finally arrived! To see it in it's final location (currently photographed in the living room), keep checking in with my baby blogette, Lil Sharpie.

Nursery: Prime Time

2011-05-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

(See how the gigantic wall cracks almost disappear? No? Well they will when there's paint.)
(Next to go is that purple doorway. )
(I can actually close the closet doors now! Progress.)
(Another corner pic just so you can see that the gold paint is well and truly gone.)

I think five months pregnant is just about the limit for repainting the nursery. Up the chair - down the chair. Roll out the primer - trim the corners. Stretch up - bend down. It's a full body work out.

Let's just pretend I don't have to still trim the bottoms and around the windows. And for now the plan is to leave the insides of the windows yellow, until I can figure out if I'm keeping the blinds in. Done.

Nursery: Crack is Whack

2011-05-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

(This wall may have separation anxiety.)
(Close-up of crazy wall gap from other corner.)
(Why is the paint peeling off above this window? Mystery. Added foam to moulding and spackling to scraped off peeling bits. Will investigate from outside.)
(Insulation meets the wall. Not pretty. More moulding please!)
(Removal of anchor holes for curtain. Curtain rod to be re-located on opposite side of door.)

Oh, did you think I'd be painting the walls this weekend? Well, first check out the extensive wall damage. Seriously. I think I found a bird's nest in one of the corner cracks, and I swear I could see sky from the right angle.

My tools were some expanding foam that I had leftover from the external wall repairs and paint job, and a whole lot of light spackling. I pumped foam into the corners and even under the moulding in some cases where there was a significant gap, and then along where the insulation meets the ceiling. I spackled everywhere that there was a crack, no matter how hairline, for a smooth final finish. This light spackling is great because it takes hardly any sanding to remove any excess, and a little really goes far.

Today I'm going back in with my trim knife (just a serated blade) and some sand paper, then a layer of primer. These walls are going to be as smooth as a baby's bum in no time...

Chair Tease

2011-05-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Breaking news: We have a rocker.

Here's a link to DaddyTypes.com so that you can see the original in all it's beauty. (Mine has fugly cushions but didn't cost the same as a used car. So there you go - win!)

Nursery: Watching Paint Dry

2011-05-08T09:21:00.001-07:00

(Two legs and two sides drying - look at all that color!)
I've started prepping the walls of the bedroom (this is a few weekend's worth of cheap projects, after all) and painting the cradle Martha Stewart's Duck's Egg. Those teeny-tiny spindles are so much work! Luckily I have Netflix to keep me company.

Nursery: Before (But Clean!)

2011-05-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

(Now you can actually see that striped floor again!)
(The linen closet. I obviously need to go through my stash of fabrics. The door was unfinished when we moved in, so I stained it a natural shade to go with the ceiling.)
(The wooden ceiling is rustic and warm feeling. The previous owner didn't finish the white trim, though, Doh!)
(Optional paint colors, all by Martha Stewart from left to right: original paint color, Milk Pail, Rainwater, Spring Melt.)

I didn't really how very yellow this room was until I started editing my photographs! The new paint color will feel so much cooler and calmer.

Nursery: Before

2011-05-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

When we first saw our home, back in May 2009 (directly above with previous owner's furniture), I loved the bright gold of this tiny "Master" bedroom. Since moving in, other than hiding out there with a mattress and the AC cranked up during the really hot summer nights, it's been pretty much a storage closet for all the boxes yet unpacked. The attached guest room, or den, is likewise a dumping ground for stuff we don't know what to do with.

If I want to park PeeWee's cradle in the bedroom, then I've first got to clean and empty it out...

Due in October

2011-04-11T18:24:00.001-07:00

So not to make this all baby-fied (I have another blog for that) but just thought you might want to know. And that's an 11 weeks*edit* preggo belly right there - but I'm actually 15 weeks. Just to clear that up. Alright, carry on.

A/C in the Hoooooooouse!

2011-03-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

(Remember the before? No? Well this is it. Note fleshy-beige walls and wall heater.)
(The hole in the wall where the heater was ripped out - up close for all the gory details.)
(More hole footage - for perspective.)
(And this morning, having been patched and waiting to painted to match the rest of the wall. Someday.)

Along with air conditioning, apparently comes heating too. But you'll understand if I'm more excited about the cooling half.

When the installation crew put in the brand new 3.5 ton gas pack they also ripped out the old heating system, i.e. the single wall unit that spewed out hot air in a 2 foot radius. This was what was formerly responsible for heating all 1100 square feet of our house. Now you know why we kept half the rooms closed during the winter. Brrrrrr.

Not only did we get a much needed heating and cooling upgrade, but that huge eyesore of a heater is gone now too. I hadn't understood the full impact of this perk until I realized: now I can plan for the living room without having to plan around the gray, metal box on one wall. Yipee!

A View with a Room

2011-03-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Living Room Blue and Casual by sarsha2003 on Polyvore.com

EKTORP
$579 - ikea.com

Stellar Bench with 2 Baskets | Living Room Furniture| Furniture |...
$230 - worldmarket.com

Salvage Side Table
$99 - urbanoutfitters.com

IKEA 365+ BRASA
$70 - ikea.com

Amazon.com: Wooden Rocking Chair (Antique Black) (44.5"H x 28"W x...
$177 - amazon.com

DwellStudio | SILHOUETTE COCOA DUVET SET - New Arrivals - Home
$150 - dwellstudio.com

French Stripe Rug | Shop Boys' Rugs | Restoration Hardware Baby &...
$54 - rhbabyandchild.com

Wood Gallery Single Opening Frames | Pottery Barn
$16 - potterybarn.com

Hot! Hot! Hot!

2011-03-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Summers here in AZ, as you can no doubt infer, are super hot. We've spent the last two summers with our swampie on full blast, ceiling fans a-spinnin', and one window AC unit in the bedroom for sleeping.

This Friday we're getting estimates on AC installation costs for summer 2011. Woohoo! Here's hoping that 1) It's affordable and 2) They can do it before June.

Here is some helpful info to consider from Apartment Therapy:

A. The goal is to buy an efficient unit that will cool the room using the least amount of electricity.

B. Know what you need. Figure out how many btu's your room requires.

Simplest way to do so is length x width x 35=btu's. Or sq ft x 35.

If you have high ceilings, are on a high floor of a bldg, have a kitchen attached to the room you are cooling, or get a lot of sunlight you want to multiply by 45.

Since we are using pre-existing vents, I'm hoping that installation will be pretty straightforward. The questions that I want to ask are:

How big of a unit do you estimate that we'll need? (BTU's)
What are the price ranges of Energy Star products that are in that size?
How much do you estimate installation will cost? How long will it take?
When is the earliest that schedule our installation?
What kind of follow-up/maintenance do you offer?

Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-03-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

Our two 2nd hand wicker porch chairs received an upgrade yesterday from Home Goods - seat cushions for about $30 a pair. This makes sitting outside much more tempting...

Yummy, Honey

2011-03-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

Our friends from St. Louis, Dan, Michelle and Ella, sent me a care package with some wonderful goodies, including blackberry flavored honey.

Since the Hubs offered to slice the 1/4 or so loaf of rock-hard bread remaining, if I would make French Toast (with the girls' eggs, of course), the honey got mixed about 1 T to 4 T marscapone cheese. Add some in season strawberries and blueberries we had lying around, and Saturday morning breakfast Nirvana is achieved.

Adventures in CSA

2011-03-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

We subscribed to our first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) pick-up this week. Today I decided to turn the mustard greens into something appealing to us, and not just to our chickens.

This recipe is adapted from Cooking With Trader Joe's.

Greens 'n Ravioli

Step 1: De-grit the Greens

Wash greens and set in colander to dry
Chop into long strips horizontally (against the stem)
Set aside

Step 2: Boil and Heat

Pour about 1 and 1/2 C of vegetable broth into pan and turn up to boil
Cut open package of fresh ravioli (we had Arugula & Parmigiano Reggiano Ravioli) and separate pieces, then gently add to boiling broth
Stir occasionally, uncovered for about 3-4 minutes or until puffy
Open can of black beans, drain, set aside half and keep other half for another meal
Turn down heat, toss beans into pan, place greens on top and cook with lid on for about 5 more minutes
Serve hot, in bowls with thick slices of fresh bread and hard cheese

What I really enjoy about eating the ravioli this way is that it is so easy to taste the cheesy stuffing. Normally the salty and nutty combo gets lost in a thicker sauce. I can imagine thin carrot slices and tender green beans or peas replacing the greens and black beans as well.

Chicken Butt

2011-02-28T15:52:00.001-08:00

Guess Why? Chicken Thigh.

Okay, well obviously uploading pix of our splendiferous (yes, I'm claiming that as a word) new living space didn't happen as planned. We still had even more painting to do on Sunday, and I spent some of today working on the new curtains as well.

But I just wanted to take a moment to remember that a year ago the Hubs and I said, I do. Here's to a great first year. And he went ahead and gave me a very appropriate paper gift of a certificate to my fave used bookstore, Bookman's. I'm buying dinner - see, because that takes money, which is made of paper. Even though mine will be via plastic. Geesh.

Guess What?

2011-02-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

We're painting the living room.
Martha Stewart's Spring Melt. It's low VOC, and a barely there, almost seafoam to replace our fleshy beige.
So far, we have the primer... tomorrow's post will show the paint.