tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77609022959379019142024-03-12T21:59:49.204-07:00my attempts......at figuring a few things out.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-90980516424693871042012-11-08T19:59:00.003-08:002012-11-08T19:59:48.796-08:00latest projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyScDcVPMlg_qmHuM2KTpmE2GLS8cRxO2Sv0lUBHsrCf4ljmKFvtK23fllW5TSxNHGxXZhYoF82-doW9I5q0Nc5_59BXWSK2pvuR1oYMH6dPSj1zgUH1ucAWDeMYjr-ZPZuayFreYgshyphenhyphen/s1600/LukeOnly2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyScDcVPMlg_qmHuM2KTpmE2GLS8cRxO2Sv0lUBHsrCf4ljmKFvtK23fllW5TSxNHGxXZhYoF82-doW9I5q0Nc5_59BXWSK2pvuR1oYMH6dPSj1zgUH1ucAWDeMYjr-ZPZuayFreYgshyphenhyphen/s400/LukeOnly2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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that's right...this little man is going to be a big brother. may 14th to be exact. and thus, i have completed no new projects. well, besides this shirt that i made...and of course the human i'm growing. i think those count though!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-44313366783426020922012-07-30T12:51:00.003-07:002012-07-30T12:51:47.375-07:00landscaping & garden UPDATEwell...time flies...and plants grow, so here's a visual update and a few notes for myself for future reference.<br />
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first the garden... <br />
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notes:<br />
-no pumpkins next year; they don't seem produce much fruit on the trellis and take up WAY too much space<br />
-only plant one thick row of peas, and plan next to something that will need lots of room; it ended up as wasted space this year. i did plant some marigolds there on the fourth of july, but they prob won't bloom til late fall if they bloom at all<br />
-water strawberries early and often, be careful with fertilizer<br />
-plant basil plants...not seeds <br />
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and now for the front landscaping... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJDhyphenhyphenHqD6AlFtFtEsXhcKZUjcjMbLoxH5uAT3kDE2eg6PPH8R9BjZT4v2uXy7QZP7Nt8kOiZdnJj_7tJuqX8bP4At-SMASp51WOtUSlOgvVolQppSVaUN_fzSMAZz5Y68XKBBwWcgSlZZ/s1600/DSCN4153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJDhyphenhyphenHqD6AlFtFtEsXhcKZUjcjMbLoxH5uAT3kDE2eg6PPH8R9BjZT4v2uXy7QZP7Nt8kOiZdnJj_7tJuqX8bP4At-SMASp51WOtUSlOgvVolQppSVaUN_fzSMAZz5Y68XKBBwWcgSlZZ/s400/DSCN4153.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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for next year:<br />
-use red, white, yellow and purple color scheme next year. move the pinks next to the mail box. no marigolds in the front. use cosmos sparingly...and remember they are TALL.<br />
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and just in case you're curious...here's the front door. i'm loving the color.<br />
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<br />Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-6272328262344015412012-05-14T19:45:00.000-07:002012-05-14T19:48:33.397-07:00landscapingsince we ripped out all of our overgrown front landscaping, i took a landscaping class at Thanksgiving Point this spring. i was hoping to learn the basics of design so we wouldn't waste our time, efforts, and cash putting new plants in.<br />
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the class wasn't exactly what i expected, but i did learn quite a bit. i came away with a basic idea of what i wanted and a huge list of future projects!<br />
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just to recap, here's where we started...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUOcH0KXx6cC6VdFOApP6nn4WMUA2N1vTbeqn4KumBIoRGcdItz1Aws_iu5QxDB5fneA7ycnmVfyx3-9Me2_sI_YzG-VLyNbPdtrUsbO4W7P8NdljMER6f29sPqJX5_6faz1QR-AAr3kf/s1600/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUOcH0KXx6cC6VdFOApP6nn4WMUA2N1vTbeqn4KumBIoRGcdItz1Aws_iu5QxDB5fneA7ycnmVfyx3-9Me2_sI_YzG-VLyNbPdtrUsbO4W7P8NdljMER6f29sPqJX5_6faz1QR-AAr3kf/s400/front.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from house listing</td></tr>
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then we ripped everything out...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">march 2012</td></tr>
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and then we started over...<br />
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and now we wait...</div>
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for the curious, here's a plant list:</div>
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autumn joy seedum (7)*</div>
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daisy (4?)*</div>
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spicata (1)*</div>
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boxwood (4)</div>
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variegated redtwig dogwood (1)</div>
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forsythia (1)</div>
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daylilly (3)</div>
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mum (2)</div>
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wave petunias (9)</div>
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alyssum (18)</div>
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*my generous green-thumbed mother sent me home with these starts at the beginning of april. </div>
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i have thoroughly enjoyed planning and planting. it's been such a fun process!</div>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-39302304637022451642012-02-02T11:19:00.000-08:002012-02-02T11:19:33.048-08:00paintin general, i like to finish a project before starting another one. however, january has been all about the unfinished! during the course of the month, i had two books that were started and unfinished (luckily i did finish one by the skin of my teeth just before book club, a pillow that is about halfway finished, blocks cut and partly sewn for a stocking, and a few mending projects. you'd think i'd finish some of these things before i took on another project, but no...i decided i was going to bite the bullet and paint our office!<br />
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well it started out this lovely (insert sarcasm) blue. i'm sure it totally worked for the previous owners, but it was mostly making my head hurt. also...the room was a complete disaster. isn't that the ideal time to paint?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GJieICqXw_nx1TPeXMLuFZffabd2TEgB43BlkZnUXTAdduPPkUf0GZuiud3A_LQqKivQve_s96GOUa0A8-5tAz14QeglhSU9Mhl7wUgrCYAA-HxFiwZQ2Bo46stk7E5rQ4nTP51db-ng/s1600/officebefore.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GJieICqXw_nx1TPeXMLuFZffabd2TEgB43BlkZnUXTAdduPPkUf0GZuiud3A_LQqKivQve_s96GOUa0A8-5tAz14QeglhSU9Mhl7wUgrCYAA-HxFiwZQ2Bo46stk7E5rQ4nTP51db-ng/s400/officebefore.png" width="400" /></a> </div>
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anyways...we had leftover paint from our bathrooms, and we happen to totally love the color. it's coconut husk from behr in case you're curious. i've also been drooling over striped walls on pinterest lately...thus the stripe wall. and i LOVE it.<br />
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it's not perfectly styled or organized (you'd laugh if you saw the opposite wall with the piles of clutter), but i like to savor the happy parts in the midst of the mess.<br />
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so...now i can get back to finishing my other projects, right? (actually, i'll be painting the bedroom next...so those will just keep waiting.)Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-60836003661038884632012-01-02T15:08:00.000-08:002012-01-02T15:08:39.362-08:00and the stockings were hung...this is the first year in many that i haven't been in the middle of thesis research, coursework, or getting ready for a Christmas baby...so i decided i'd load on the projects! <br />
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two of my most Christmas themed projects were a Christmas table runner for my mother-in-law. {i love how it turned out.}<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3UHtM04e-7I/TwI4uQbj2DI/AAAAAAAABAU/zxGHZCCPH9s/s1600/tablerunner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3UHtM04e-7I/TwI4uQbj2DI/AAAAAAAABAU/zxGHZCCPH9s/s400/tablerunner.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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and stockings. i didn't really know what i was getting myself into...they were a lot of work, but i enjoyed the process {for the most part} and LOVE how they turned out. i've got enough fabric to make a few more for any future kiddos...so these will last our family for quite some time {hopefully forever}.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLqvszc2yIQ/TwI40qO0uZI/AAAAAAAABAc/A7wCVXiPahc/s1600/stockings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLqvszc2yIQ/TwI40qO0uZI/AAAAAAAABAc/A7wCVXiPahc/s400/stockings.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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anyways...it was a crafty Christmas...and i think that made it even more fun than usual!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-58768343607511054372011-09-01T20:56:00.000-07:002011-09-01T21:02:48.356-07:00pears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFYHy3FetrtpY6jklSbhHh6tX3QyskFAzvMLPdpHD-gKiOoa69ffAftU17CLL5h6o3rYYfM1Lc7XJnC9dJ2uHOO4giBdBgWlohNySc4UEkJpK_VBMYka6T4UpP57DD8KkECBijkEkzcPM/s1600/pears.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFYHy3FetrtpY6jklSbhHh6tX3QyskFAzvMLPdpHD-gKiOoa69ffAftU17CLL5h6o3rYYfM1Lc7XJnC9dJ2uHOO4giBdBgWlohNySc4UEkJpK_VBMYka6T4UpP57DD8KkECBijkEkzcPM/s400/pears.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
lest you think i am an overachiever, let me start by saying this venture was slightly accidental. not accidental as in i accidentally bought 10 quarts of pears, but accidental in the fact that i had not planned to set out on this venture alone.<br />
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you see, i have this goal...to become involved in my ward. so seeing an opportunity, i signed up for 'canning groups'. 'great', i thought, 'this is a great way to be doing something and meet people'. little did i know that the term 'group' was being used very loosely.<br />
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a week or so after signing up i got a call from a friend in the ward. she found a great deal on pears and wondered if she could pick some up for me. i thought that sounded like a great idea...that is until she said they weren't really going to be able to do the groups...since it was the weekend before school started. but by then...it was too late. i was stuck...with 10 quarts of pears.<br />
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so i peeled. and i peeled. and i peeled. then i got excited and started filling jars...but i only filled 3 1/2 jars...so i peeled some more. and i peeled. well, you get the idea, there was a lot of peeling involved. <br />
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it really wasn't as technical a process as i had imagined it would be. hot water. sugar. lids. steam canner. and lots and lots of time. and peeling...don't forget the peeling.<br />
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luckily for me, all of my jars sealed and i can call this venture a success. but i must give credit where credit is due. first to my mother-in-law who gave me the steam canner a few Christmases ago...thank you, thank you, thank you! and to my own mother...who answered several distressed questions and gave great over-the-phone instructions. thank you, thank you, thank you!<br />
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my jars are currently sitting on a shelf in my cold storage room...much too pretty to be eaten.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-89702330901414538102011-08-20T20:07:00.000-07:002011-08-20T20:07:48.878-07:00picklesin an effort to make use of the massive quantities of cucumbers coming from my garden...i ventured into the land of pickling. luckily, i saw a segment on studio 5 (a utah morning show) on pickling. <br />
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<div id="kslvid16876164"></div><script src="http://pandora.bonnint.net/video/embed-1.php?id=16876164" type="text/javascript">
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i opted not to process them, so we'll be eating 5 pints of pickles in the next 2 weeks. let's hope they're good!<br />
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next up...dilly beans.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-74673610359175514792011-07-30T10:49:00.000-07:002011-07-30T10:49:41.024-07:00kale chips<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vliJ9aJrGj-pKpKHWzSQMV3TJuLA1DQSPowIt7CYWMjNZxYUhFSz21DK97T9_1sqhhfznHadnhaBXXX9fI_JRwUJBv4Q0LcFSgLrpgYputX2xPR4oNEiFSewRLK_dTsy9Z8LASSUNliy/s1600/KaleBefore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>in a random turn of events i came home with a bunch of kale from a visiting teaching appointment last week. with the kale came specific instructions on how to make kale chips. i've been hearing lots of great things in the nutrition world about kale chips for quite some time now, but just haven't gotten around to making them.<br />
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so...here we go.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vliJ9aJrGj-pKpKHWzSQMV3TJuLA1DQSPowIt7CYWMjNZxYUhFSz21DK97T9_1sqhhfznHadnhaBXXX9fI_JRwUJBv4Q0LcFSgLrpgYputX2xPR4oNEiFSewRLK_dTsy9Z8LASSUNliy/s1600/KaleBefore.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vliJ9aJrGj-pKpKHWzSQMV3TJuLA1DQSPowIt7CYWMjNZxYUhFSz21DK97T9_1sqhhfznHadnhaBXXX9fI_JRwUJBv4Q0LcFSgLrpgYputX2xPR4oNEiFSewRLK_dTsy9Z8LASSUNliy/s400/KaleBefore.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div><br />
tear your kale into 'chip' size pieces leaving out the main stalk (i hear it's bitter)<br />
brush with olive oil and place on cookie sheet<br />
sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt<br />
bake for approx. 6-8 min in a 400degree oven<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQsWpc1A629v4NiqcEFTUgieIqwIwgqZ1I21RXF-5epmUIJ3a6MOShR6EPJNsNcj4k_pGHEVlTuLUPFVKWExSBIF0CUHJ4qGMgOw7ygk0e0wEdWGGD_Rpn_ULQAyfPUT8y0NvF5GolvRE/s1600/KaleAfter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQsWpc1A629v4NiqcEFTUgieIqwIwgqZ1I21RXF-5epmUIJ3a6MOShR6EPJNsNcj4k_pGHEVlTuLUPFVKWExSBIF0CUHJ4qGMgOw7ygk0e0wEdWGGD_Rpn_ULQAyfPUT8y0NvF5GolvRE/s400/KaleAfter.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div><br />
as for the result...i would call them...interesting. <br />
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they had a slightly veggie taste, but mostly tasted like the seasoned salt (which i sprinkled generously...next time i would go easier on that). the texture was the interesting part...it was almost like eating dry leaves...but more tasty. they were fun to eat in a way, just because of the way they crunched in your mouth. <br />
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i would say that if you have a burning desire to eat kale (which is chalk full of nutrients) this would be the way to go. for me, being extremely picky about texture, they were a bit strange. <br />
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anyways...an interesting venture into the world of kale.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-35491568035976150232011-06-22T14:41:00.000-07:002011-06-22T14:41:14.796-07:00congo barsso you know when you eat something and it totally hits the spot...and then when it's gone you're still thinking about it weeks later. (well, maybe that's just me and my relationship with chocolate.) well that's what happened with the <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/04/congo-bars.html">congo bars</a>. <br />
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my mom made these when i was visiting in early may...and here it is almost the end of june and i still can't get them out of my head. so i broke down and made them. i say 'broke down' because a) they are slightly complicated [a two step process is just beyond my 'easy' qualification]...and b) i'm pretty sure i can eat the whole pan by my self [my bike and i will be spending much more quality time together this next week to compensate].<br />
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so now the pan of deliciousness is cooling, the anticipation is killing me, and my house smells incredible. i think it's time to crack open a cold diet coke to celebrate. Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-69673072913135115272011-06-08T18:59:00.000-07:002011-06-08T19:01:06.596-07:00garden 2011three summers of marriage. and three different garden plots.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaReZvRCFDrUAJUisEfwcGCu8izTRb-YqprrmqimDt84qyhSTanQUm9RdAYS8_LhRUxksp3Q1pY-X9adAhl3uaeuDmIKXErqni7qqSVXzOkayF-sIRTEDioTf0GTBTYjTOWRhvJO_J55cD/s1600/GardenPlanting2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaReZvRCFDrUAJUisEfwcGCu8izTRb-YqprrmqimDt84qyhSTanQUm9RdAYS8_LhRUxksp3Q1pY-X9adAhl3uaeuDmIKXErqni7qqSVXzOkayF-sIRTEDioTf0GTBTYjTOWRhvJO_J55cD/s400/GardenPlanting2011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
of all three, this one is the largest...which also means it took the most work to get ready. but after a lot of sweat, i finally got it planted this morning. we're taking a low-key approach this year and hoping for the best. i mostly used the seeds i had left over from last year, along with a few extra plants. i got the strawberries from a friend (thanks keri!) back in april. in addition to the strawberries, we've got basil, cilantro, dill, a green pepper, two varieties of carrots, radishes (just to space out the carrots...who actually eats radishes?!), three varieties of cucumbers, marigolds, beans, and a pumpkin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlRT8fbsg0xJfFGL64c_DNgY5tFUh7pWhi55JioIJLF5v2XLJ0dMUZq2J7_Y5pdRE61Nck0gUkjxrFugDB-CAio6XQx1ZImN6jsHccIgoT4foaHO_Gn2-dHuC8zOnBPzOt4MnSFBK-FmI/s1600/GardenIrrigation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlRT8fbsg0xJfFGL64c_DNgY5tFUh7pWhi55JioIJLF5v2XLJ0dMUZq2J7_Y5pdRE61Nck0gUkjxrFugDB-CAio6XQx1ZImN6jsHccIgoT4foaHO_Gn2-dHuC8zOnBPzOt4MnSFBK-FmI/s400/GardenIrrigation.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
the previous owners of our home put in this nifty little irrigation system...we'll see how it works for us.<br />
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i love gardening. for some reason, turning over the dirt, adding a little water and some seeds is very therapeutic for me. i'm sure it won't be perfectly weeded. and who knows how much of it will actually produce, but for now...i'm just enjoying it.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-26880001653306060632011-05-26T13:34:00.000-07:002011-05-26T13:34:16.332-07:00water...since we've been in our new home...a total of 6 weeks mind you, we've have 3 different water issues in the basement and one leaking fridge. water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink. okay, so we do have water to drink, but still, we have had water in plenty of places we don't need it.<br />
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anyways, we're all dried out now and our fridge is fixed. so...onto decorating...finally. hopefully i can get a few things up on the walls (at least the ones that are painted) and decide on a few more paint colors. i'm really looking forward to buying some rugs (if i can ever decide on what i want) and getting things settled.<br />
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so...nothing really exciting going on here...just thought i'd post a little update.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-8470922098786239922011-03-27T20:24:00.000-07:002011-03-27T20:24:34.590-07:00our house...is a very, very, very fine house...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAqQB5x4TuQksBTkE45gSyGg6zpQZ5a5XFIqTvUuWojSNCM5bYlWR8uqHpmt5U6PiG7wxYnpDQ2QV0kbqkUMOAHnizPIoQVyiM9KhkBeNS0qC4cmDsjAUPmmU7HhoetmA5zmee0Pjc8g4/s1600/DSCN2947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>well, we've done it. we've officially made a big step towards actually becoming adults. we're buying a home. so here are a few photos to show you all what we've got to work with. in the next few months there will be lots (and lots) of painting, decorating, organizing, and just plain getting things figured out in our new place. so let's start with the 'before'.<br />
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this is the front of the house (i actually didn't take this one, it's from the listing, but you can see the gorgeous trees in the backyard when they are in full foliage. love them!). it could use a little landscaping love, but we'll get to that this summer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpngoR-9Hkt5-XoF8rLzszf3BOpl8b4-ep4GcpvKJdMD5Ch7KOqalRr_d38HIj1_o9Hn_-KjgDzt_36nNMoR6bu9n6V1A9APx0HXS9vuoxx5zsft7N1fWNy2ZH925UuCake7yVYOEgm2t/s1600/front.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588121827343121538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpngoR-9Hkt5-XoF8rLzszf3BOpl8b4-ep4GcpvKJdMD5Ch7KOqalRr_d38HIj1_o9Hn_-KjgDzt_36nNMoR6bu9n6V1A9APx0HXS9vuoxx5zsft7N1fWNy2ZH925UuCake7yVYOEgm2t/s400/front.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
next we have the view from the front door. this just might be my favorite part of the house. i love all of the light that the windows and doors let in. you can't tell from this photo, but the paint color in this room is a tomato red/orange color. not my favorite for this room, so we'll be working on that first.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7o2Bg_DT48s9w5QAtnJX7ySlzprN6nrnRlq44r5HM-VjY02LXOZG2uG2VrU9UMOgwkpj5ROvkn0DXF9qVALlcxGpMpCBi6-tkzQX1tjZf2m1SQzFduKHihpyEXt1jjMLuWwFQGHnsV1oP/s1600/from+front+door.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588121759572434882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7o2Bg_DT48s9w5QAtnJX7ySlzprN6nrnRlq44r5HM-VjY02LXOZG2uG2VrU9UMOgwkpj5ROvkn0DXF9qVALlcxGpMpCBi6-tkzQX1tjZf2m1SQzFduKHihpyEXt1jjMLuWwFQGHnsV1oP/s400/from+front+door.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
this is the view from the far right corner of the living room. you can see the kitchen. that strange wall is where the fridge sits and the mud room/garage door entrance is on the left. (we're up to three paint colors now...keep counting!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCmYXCMUF7IpKxQVxFItYzj3qMEJxYy11BiNoI5fRFv-o-nGueSK_44z4DOdmgFl5ZAbZjyweJNfklOPHxQlJnltkbVWWmy-DGtNtdLioID0_IJHWeHROZWeKwkRHhR3stMvv2Tcn1dsB/s1600/DSCN2946.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588114439334873634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCmYXCMUF7IpKxQVxFItYzj3qMEJxYy11BiNoI5fRFv-o-nGueSK_44z4DOdmgFl5ZAbZjyweJNfklOPHxQlJnltkbVWWmy-DGtNtdLioID0_IJHWeHROZWeKwkRHhR3stMvv2Tcn1dsB/s400/DSCN2946.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
here's another view of the kitchen. the kitchen sink window looks out over the garden area. and yes, we'll be painting the yellow walls too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYM0aNJZxuRGB6p8wbj14JQQrf4F8vzlsqVY3hgI1r3eLfMjKJk09kRSGesolpwzV3JVPOPtMi3eeC7tn9YuuUJN3Q_lWtNz5ViGy4B8BxB1fa5_kIvzSfWWdBw59RnQh8CZp5TEs9Tdu/s1600/DSCN2943.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588114508679877074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYM0aNJZxuRGB6p8wbj14JQQrf4F8vzlsqVY3hgI1r3eLfMjKJk09kRSGesolpwzV3JVPOPtMi3eeC7tn9YuuUJN3Q_lWtNz5ViGy4B8BxB1fa5_kIvzSfWWdBw59RnQh8CZp5TEs9Tdu/s400/DSCN2943.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
here's the mud room. it's got some great shelving and hooks...and yes, our fourth paint color.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnmBdSNem9awgCZ2N0I2E3Hgt5B9QQ14veEjqLm9SsVeCsm7ITbAppSWLHfNWbzLqrV61lyBhrPAz6GUlXnU56RQ3XrebVFVs_NfP8XFy3gaCgV7liJaZNAtskghaIpF0IHv3tI2ZfsHi/s1600/DSCN2945.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588114611603938546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnmBdSNem9awgCZ2N0I2E3Hgt5B9QQ14veEjqLm9SsVeCsm7ITbAppSWLHfNWbzLqrV61lyBhrPAz6GUlXnU56RQ3XrebVFVs_NfP8XFy3gaCgV7liJaZNAtskghaIpF0IHv3tI2ZfsHi/s400/DSCN2945.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
next is the upstairs bathroom...and the fifth paint color so far.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8B1sA_04fnqzaQXbuAjVIxsqm8GiGGHmtgJGpoepCkGBKm29GQKA-QWi5U9oS99wHdentlhcyGF5hD5NRhmRBrzWylHkDA6qB6ORfQ93msHcPJMEzh1zw5fAOPDNMcXlzqFZyn4yqXgw/s1600/DSCN2939.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588114693302592130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8B1sA_04fnqzaQXbuAjVIxsqm8GiGGHmtgJGpoepCkGBKm29GQKA-QWi5U9oS99wHdentlhcyGF5hD5NRhmRBrzWylHkDA6qB6ORfQ93msHcPJMEzh1zw5fAOPDNMcXlzqFZyn4yqXgw/s400/DSCN2939.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
and now onto the master bedroom (paint color #6). the bay window looks out over the backyard.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANnSAFc5iqaQQZrD03L9aDFcEEomJuSvmvlHxf64tUNLLkMn2q2epSvsPo1GCZ2Umud0YjglJFAgPRxzTSYoNCLkz_zf8299n3ujHqKzcCJm1qtDkmPUv_n0yFihFiUf-P1eyFq6lvqy-/s1600/DSCN2937.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588114848751749570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANnSAFc5iqaQQZrD03L9aDFcEEomJuSvmvlHxf64tUNLLkMn2q2epSvsPo1GCZ2Umud0YjglJFAgPRxzTSYoNCLkz_zf8299n3ujHqKzcCJm1qtDkmPUv_n0yFihFiUf-P1eyFq6lvqy-/s400/DSCN2937.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
and now the master bath...paint color #7. if you haven't caught on by now, the previous owners loved to paint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTG6mS9RVmmOjx2ys7gIMtR7TCgLRjQsyRN42-nF0G1JTwYNqpYg4UYBgkJpB1CuX3PkGWbz4faYHoE5rqkRZhxDE4HgwfqGwzK67sG1qsZAXomA2hhIkKfehyvTN17diLzl-DNMCoEqO/s1600/DSCN2954.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588114959345411906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTG6mS9RVmmOjx2ys7gIMtR7TCgLRjQsyRN42-nF0G1JTwYNqpYg4UYBgkJpB1CuX3PkGWbz4faYHoE5rqkRZhxDE4HgwfqGwzK67sG1qsZAXomA2hhIkKfehyvTN17diLzl-DNMCoEqO/s400/DSCN2954.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
there are two more smaller bedrooms on the main floor...with, you guessed it...two additional paint colors...that takes our total to #9.<br />
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okay, now to the downstairs. we LOVE this room as well. it's very spacious and we love the fireplace. the downstairs was finished about 5 years ago, so it feels slightly newer than the upstairs. (and yes, this is a new paint color...#10)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvuWGhcuv6HDkM0EcziuaaeKtqH_KKW7r24NdwbBfU1SmN6LwtvqGrrU6p4t01lKC-GChUd3v1yupy6ZhOyvON2Ki6zQ5C4vPWjyAlPrk0PcwVxKvTWFJlhbTkQY_e_SdOa2iWCcsIyhV/s1600/DSCN2933.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588115043170090146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvuWGhcuv6HDkM0EcziuaaeKtqH_KKW7r24NdwbBfU1SmN6LwtvqGrrU6p4t01lKC-GChUd3v1yupy6ZhOyvON2Ki6zQ5C4vPWjyAlPrk0PcwVxKvTWFJlhbTkQY_e_SdOa2iWCcsIyhV/s400/DSCN2933.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
here's the downstairs bath...with two sinks and a jetted tub! technically it's the guest bath, so come on over! and yes, another paint color (#11).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mIX9_0rX0MFyZuBDJ5CeU59i_Ihz8_RQ0o4KCs0V6zQguiVkNUupoGJ16_kv4tDTyB-xyYHQr7sG-oJQamRcn1gQMBWg6EYicVtwnQuF8vaAgikBVJg9VpQPwCWvO3fUBGeCq4GycRDK/s1600/DSCN2934.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588115176733517890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mIX9_0rX0MFyZuBDJ5CeU59i_Ihz8_RQ0o4KCs0V6zQguiVkNUupoGJ16_kv4tDTyB-xyYHQr7sG-oJQamRcn1gQMBWg6EYicVtwnQuF8vaAgikBVJg9VpQPwCWvO3fUBGeCq4GycRDK/s400/DSCN2934.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a>also in the basement are three additional bedrooms, the laundry room, and storage room. another charming feature is the play nook under the stairs. it's super cute. and just in case you were wondering, all three of the bedrooms and laundry have their own paint colors...that takes us to a grand total of...drum roll please...#15! for now we probably won't paint the basement. the colors are fairly nice, so we're not going to create too much more work for ourselves.<br />
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here's a quick look at the backyard. this is a view looking off the deck to the right.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAqQB5x4TuQksBTkE45gSyGg6zpQZ5a5XFIqTvUuWojSNCM5bYlWR8uqHpmt5U6PiG7wxYnpDQ2QV0kbqkUMOAHnizPIoQVyiM9KhkBeNS0qC4cmDsjAUPmmU7HhoetmA5zmee0Pjc8g4/s1600/DSCN2947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAqQB5x4TuQksBTkE45gSyGg6zpQZ5a5XFIqTvUuWojSNCM5bYlWR8uqHpmt5U6PiG7wxYnpDQ2QV0kbqkUMOAHnizPIoQVyiM9KhkBeNS0qC4cmDsjAUPmmU7HhoetmA5zmee0Pjc8g4/s400/DSCN2947.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">this view is looking towards the back of the house. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEB5phBj9yu9ElHYb2fWzhQxWeYkcMTeUV8unTK9FGZhwi-Zq-7ISQ5NUszn2NZAIqs59djjHehZkxigwvp5ut3qycEMK0Wzqwa_mtlKJbDklVkxtNqzFT8bybeOHYzU6fXXyvc1yHfiLK/s1600/DSCN2950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEB5phBj9yu9ElHYb2fWzhQxWeYkcMTeUV8unTK9FGZhwi-Zq-7ISQ5NUszn2NZAIqs59djjHehZkxigwvp5ut3qycEMK0Wzqwa_mtlKJbDklVkxtNqzFT8bybeOHYzU6fXXyvc1yHfiLK/s400/DSCN2950.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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and this view is to the right of the previous picture. there's a garden spot and a small sand box and nice little shed.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFnsVwMuucJqZifmfTuRvHlFxeNnRBkLZ-QvdUrQBVirr7yQoiD53TkZcqIUILzZ6VYEpyQE7B2xHGVxSfJ2zbT6wGaVa908spLpJBObzoP1rhM4ayIr0ELTvVKhbVT7oC8MF8pMdCqYW/s1600/DSCN2949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFnsVwMuucJqZifmfTuRvHlFxeNnRBkLZ-QvdUrQBVirr7yQoiD53TkZcqIUILzZ6VYEpyQE7B2xHGVxSfJ2zbT6wGaVa908spLpJBObzoP1rhM4ayIr0ELTvVKhbVT7oC8MF8pMdCqYW/s400/DSCN2949.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div><br />
i hope you enjoyed the tour! and we look forward to having you all as visitors! (just be sure to bring your paint brush!)Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-80312010452709037512011-03-10T10:37:00.000-08:002011-03-10T10:49:24.008-08:00mighty, mighty vinegarso two cleaning problems at my house.<br /><br />#1--nasty, nasty buildup from the dishwasher on my glass drinking glasses. so here in utah they pulled sulfates out of the dishwasher soap...and my glasses have been cloudy and gross ever since. they were getting so bad, our finger prints were showing up in the buildup. GROSS. seriously.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUFsCxli2XhltG8e72aiHQ4neieCS7o64OazG_zVA_FXSjqLYLC_0MmJK3GQRgttC3V0pHT73ZkmB72ayYIdzJGaEWlLlJYGWuSWjPlY6dJE-gz3W5AH3M6DoKeTgwPZUdmKSNo7aPGCm/s1600/vinegar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUFsCxli2XhltG8e72aiHQ4neieCS7o64OazG_zVA_FXSjqLYLC_0MmJK3GQRgttC3V0pHT73ZkmB72ayYIdzJGaEWlLlJYGWuSWjPlY6dJE-gz3W5AH3M6DoKeTgwPZUdmKSNo7aPGCm/s200/vinegar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582524427399259186" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />long story short, i did some online research and found that vinegar was the answer. so i filled my sink (just enough to cover my glasses laying down) with hot water and some vinegar, soaked them over night...and wa-lah! sparkly clean!<br /><br />there are a few small spots that could have easily been removed if i had been ambitious enough to scrub them, but i think i'll just soak them again when they start to cloud up again. (they also do say that a cap-full of vinegar in your dishwasher (after it's started to fill) will help prevent the buildup.)<br /><br /><br /><br />#2--terrible hard-water stains on my glass shower doors. again...vinegar to the rescue, plus a few other ingredients. the online research results recommended lemon juice (applied with a sponge) for the most of it, and then a paste of vinegar and baking soda for the tough spots (but my whole door qualified as a tough spot if you ask me). then you spray with a mix of water and vinegar. then squeegee or finish with window cleaner.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>this wasn't quite as dramatic as a result, but it still worked. i'm planning on doing a second round and hopefully it will all come off.<br /><br />ah the power of vinegar...Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-31902937533779583802011-01-13T08:32:00.000-08:002011-01-13T08:34:05.839-08:00cna anyone?just passing this along.<br /><br />if you or anyone you know is interested in getting their CNA, check this out...and pass it along.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.advantagecna.com/home.html" target="_blank">http://www.advantagecna.com/home.html</a><br /><br />thanks!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-40711914523587245532010-12-30T15:37:00.000-08:002010-12-30T15:40:55.107-08:00latest projectjust thought i should share my latest project...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOODepXHGKnYLs891PB_dPvO_V2uMAcYln2ZIBIRAeI6p9y05fzj6VT8JrMosXHIwcDlaqCup2VoD4ZJbDLA4wkQTvvZ9C1_0gVA-5qD9mW2_ae2w_i6hXCHW-gS-TFK9kDhHygFNvdqhb/s1600/eatplaysleeprepeatluke2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOODepXHGKnYLs891PB_dPvO_V2uMAcYln2ZIBIRAeI6p9y05fzj6VT8JrMosXHIwcDlaqCup2VoD4ZJbDLA4wkQTvvZ9C1_0gVA-5qD9mW2_ae2w_i6hXCHW-gS-TFK9kDhHygFNvdqhb/s400/eatplaysleeprepeatluke2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556624148631038706" border="0" /></a><br />oh and i made the quilt too. i think they both turned out pretty great!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-55888162650859199332010-11-15T18:44:00.000-08:002010-11-15T18:50:18.185-08:00burnt sugar almondsi think i may become my father's favorite daughter...after i make him a batch of these that is!<br /><br /><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/2010/11/a-tasty-recipe-burnt-sugar-almonds/">burnt sugar almonds</a><br /><br />eric and i whipped up a batch of these tonight, and not only do they taste fabulous...my house smells a-maz-ing. seriously. <br /><br />i can safely say that this is not the last batch of these we'll be making this holiday season.<br /><br />just thought you should know.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-60173584153697634562010-10-08T17:31:00.000-07:002010-10-08T17:54:33.537-07:00still meal planningthe planner in me is loving the meal plans. it makes cooking so so so much more enjoyable.<br /><br />here are the plans from the past few weeks:<br /><br />sun - flank steak, garden potatoes, green beans<br />mon - steak sandwiches<br />tues - quesadillas<br />wed - steak sandwiches<br />thurs - sloppy joes<br />fri - chicken enchiladas, homemade salsa<br />sat - out<br /><br />sun - bruschetta chicken, corn on the cob<br />mon - breakfast casserole, fruit<br />tues - hamburgers, corn on the cob<br />wed - pulled pork sandwiches, corn on the cob<br />thurs - grilled pizza<br />fri - out (girl's weekend)<br />sat - out (girl's weekend)<br /><br />sun - pulled pork sandwiches<br />mon- french toast<br />tues - black bean quesadillas, chips and salsa<br />wed - pizza strombolli<br />thurs - (i honestly can't remember)<br />fri - at kristyn's<br />sat - grilled pizza<br /><br />sun - cereal (just home from st. g)<br />mon - breakfast burritos<br />tues - pasta and garlic knots<br />wed - out<br />thurs - pulled pork sandwiches<br />fri - indoor picnic date (turkey sandwiches)<br />sat - pulled pork sandwiches<br /><br />sun - lemon oregano chicken, corn on the cob<br />mon - waffles, fruit<br />tues - <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/08/savory-spiral-stuffed-rolls.html">broc/ham pinwheels</a>, corn on the cob<br />wed - <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cashew-chicken">cashew chicken</a>, brown rice, broccoli<br />thurs - cashew chicken, brown rice, broccoli<br />fri - <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/soups/ham-and-potato-soup/">ham and potato soup</a>, <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/11/my-favorite-bread-bowls.html">bread bowls</a><br />sat - out<br /><br />phew...i didn't realize i was so behind.<br /><br />now here's my plan: keep things recorded, note what works/doesn't work, and then reuse my plans...hopefully improving functionality, variety, and nutritional value. this past week (last listed) was prob the most successful in the variety/functionality category (note common ingredients broc, green onions, ham), but not so much in the nutritional value area (note the syrup, cream cheese, and half&half). so...it's a work in progress...and prob always will be.<br /><br />i'm also working on a loose 'day of the week' theme: mondays = breakfast, tues = crockpot/sandwich, wed = beans/rice, thurs = pasta, fri = soup/sandwich. we'll see how that goes.<br /><br />anyways...it's going well, and making my cooking life much more enjoyable.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-44908762569113540372010-09-24T11:08:00.000-07:002010-09-24T11:15:06.410-07:00pillow obsession...the outcomei finally started working on my pillows...<br /><br />check it out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QKFuTptq5734i0p9HiXTbKXbdomKnvN1P668goWH-sf9wuOvssHXtQmG_n3LUHETbK4NSWUrdZRgjr4s6Dj9wsflB2YSo2xa5YM2GgLsI-3mceHjPUmTv6A2a3xxYt_LLbZCeGhwTT-w/s1600/DSCN2595.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QKFuTptq5734i0p9HiXTbKXbdomKnvN1P668goWH-sf9wuOvssHXtQmG_n3LUHETbK4NSWUrdZRgjr4s6Dj9wsflB2YSo2xa5YM2GgLsI-3mceHjPUmTv6A2a3xxYt_LLbZCeGhwTT-w/s400/DSCN2595.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520544888777838802" border="0" /></a><br />also, these little babies will be hung on the wall. i quite like how they turned out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUN8broEcCFo8ovwshAfEYK9CHEvDh2y1ufU8Zrd5VZyzFdQDoAo1oakXKwW-l-eEBZtEmoEDsB8KhN2IyGVNM2GHcwM6xEuVmIi6aQc3LoZxcWsSSnLM5zjHkpSUrru-f5rpAjg725wr/s1600/DSCN2596.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUN8broEcCFo8ovwshAfEYK9CHEvDh2y1ufU8Zrd5VZyzFdQDoAo1oakXKwW-l-eEBZtEmoEDsB8KhN2IyGVNM2GHcwM6xEuVmIi6aQc3LoZxcWsSSnLM5zjHkpSUrru-f5rpAjg725wr/s400/DSCN2596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520544995276402354" border="0" /></a><br />that's all.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-69511355689007713752010-09-05T15:44:00.001-07:002010-09-05T15:58:41.704-07:00basil, oh how i love thee...in case you haven't heard, i have a thing for basil. i love it.<br /><br />so when it came time to plant our garden this spring, i planted quite a bit. 5 square feet or about 16-20 plants. and just as i had hoped, it flourished.<br /><br />we've been enjoying it all summer long, and now as the summer comes to a close, it's about time i started preserving it for the winter (since that was the whole reason for the ridiculous amount of basil i planted).<br /><br />so after a brainstorming session with my mom and a bit of internet researching, i came up with 3 possible preservation methods. now there are quite a few more than that, but 3 that seem to fit my purposes.<br /><br />1. chop and freeze in water<br />2. chop and freeze in boiling water (to blanch while freezing)<br />3. chop and freeze in olive oil<br /><br />so, i plan to try all three methods this year, and then in the future, i can use the one that works best for me.<br /><br />and just in case you were curious about the process, let me share...<br /><br />wash...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcRcM-bWLjjRywsyyRW48t6XnbjBVhVmu7yzVDsdmmyU7zlQATGZjT9u-wq2qMfW7YL4DSc9fBTYzRQqZ_5MoJO7jzPcxPy5ovMjxKdtvqn6aDG_aXsZSYHnHYpr9t_7Aw4XzVgxnen3r/s1600/Basil1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcRcM-bWLjjRywsyyRW48t6XnbjBVhVmu7yzVDsdmmyU7zlQATGZjT9u-wq2qMfW7YL4DSc9fBTYzRQqZ_5MoJO7jzPcxPy5ovMjxKdtvqn6aDG_aXsZSYHnHYpr9t_7Aw4XzVgxnen3r/s400/Basil1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513566103447404962" border="0" /></a><br />stack...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDLJ0LXnNplZ3tkzaQQTkBegw4LRc8GmHBXQgFYAZ_X8j5FpRWBW_cWYZkHQDLjKB0FoQLX2SUBwtavCORRk0jqHX-k1BI6B6gpxrfaK4jKwx5KN5s0ErmBisiiAz6U7xUgBnFEShhv7G/s1600/Basil2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDLJ0LXnNplZ3tkzaQQTkBegw4LRc8GmHBXQgFYAZ_X8j5FpRWBW_cWYZkHQDLjKB0FoQLX2SUBwtavCORRk0jqHX-k1BI6B6gpxrfaK4jKwx5KN5s0ErmBisiiAz6U7xUgBnFEShhv7G/s400/Basil2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513566163134028338" border="0" /></a><br />roll and slice...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQhR6s1pD6r29gSue6sC58kaeitn4HbpPsrvjECH3ictr13hceq7LmxLwbhz2McyjvkQM2pPAe5v_84MCGuWGqWF_ucG5IxGyL1QQluYydf8Zt9sq4majO8TIKxSbIb_jLBc_vf2anSG3/s1600/Basil4.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQhR6s1pD6r29gSue6sC58kaeitn4HbpPsrvjECH3ictr13hceq7LmxLwbhz2McyjvkQM2pPAe5v_84MCGuWGqWF_ucG5IxGyL1QQluYydf8Zt9sq4majO8TIKxSbIb_jLBc_vf2anSG3/s400/Basil4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513566236989809714" border="0" /></a><br />enjoy the yummy basil smell...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhcNjib7GK64F-hkSrWu7qn9ij3Ry77CpdCsdpdSXAD4fdwZ-dGNx7SvFPDJ8y59QxYxYeQGFBvhxKyGqRddhTBXm8JTQRjXqjyNKwSBPpzEL-ac2yb4q2YTemNLDDPPmWtWG9KZjRfPf/s1600/Basil+5.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhcNjib7GK64F-hkSrWu7qn9ij3Ry77CpdCsdpdSXAD4fdwZ-dGNx7SvFPDJ8y59QxYxYeQGFBvhxKyGqRddhTBXm8JTQRjXqjyNKwSBPpzEL-ac2yb4q2YTemNLDDPPmWtWG9KZjRfPf/s400/Basil+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513566293214872818" border="0" /></a><br />pack into ice cube trays and fill with water (or oil)...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIn0m8jKLp3E860R-L6ZHE_V83HAHv22nXExj7Mikif8YCm1GlEAP-KIfDMRW0GTCMh3ktSM9N9029tLTDICYwTt-LsNweCx9PHqJO5nleKl_Ltv9HjCQJXMxqT7o4Glq5wNd8GBp_RpB/s1600/Basil6.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIn0m8jKLp3E860R-L6ZHE_V83HAHv22nXExj7Mikif8YCm1GlEAP-KIfDMRW0GTCMh3ktSM9N9029tLTDICYwTt-LsNweCx9PHqJO5nleKl_Ltv9HjCQJXMxqT7o4Glq5wNd8GBp_RpB/s400/Basil6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513566348272465698" border="0" /></a><br />and freeze...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj271ZSE4z319sm7azDgYFZj98B4O4XH_v5JuqO0VW2uaZufTXWbEsC2USnNdML5cqEeVCoM7zUycINBRajQJDgNvnn0-VM-8y_ee6VVsJFodA3NExke0UyqmMvyeX_gsb_-4mC85_rJpl7/s1600/Basil+7.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj271ZSE4z319sm7azDgYFZj98B4O4XH_v5JuqO0VW2uaZufTXWbEsC2USnNdML5cqEeVCoM7zUycINBRajQJDgNvnn0-VM-8y_ee6VVsJFodA3NExke0UyqmMvyeX_gsb_-4mC85_rJpl7/s400/Basil+7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513566403892576226" border="0" /> </a><br />let's hope my hard work will pay off mid-winter when i'm craving fresh basil!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-91467183572983852152010-09-02T17:50:00.000-07:002010-09-02T17:58:45.219-07:00this meal brought to you by...my sister turned me onto a fabulous site...www.melskitchencafe.com. the majority of her recipes are things we'd actually eat, with normal ingredients, and decent nutrition. [side note: i also really like 'the best recipe' section.] <br /><br />and since our meal this evening was primarily from this website, i thought i'd share. so without further adieu...this meal is brought to you by Mels' Kitchen Cafe.<br /><a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/03/the-best-barbecue-sauce.html"><br />The Best BBQ Sauce</a><br /><a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/08/bbq-pulled-pork-sandwiches-slow-cooker.html"><br />BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches</a><!--EndFragment--><br /><a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/07/perfect-corn-on-the-cob.html"><br />Perfect Corn on the Cob</a><br /><br />i made the buns on tuesday (for sloppy joes, more on that later) and the bbq sauce yesterday. so today was relatively easy, especially since the pork has been in the crockpot since this morning.<br /><br />tasty.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-8585312651335883272010-08-29T16:17:00.000-07:002010-08-29T16:32:46.404-07:00more meal planningso last week didn't quite pan out in the meal planning department. it wasn't a complete failure, but it wasn't entirely successful either. mostly just frustrating with things not quite turning out as planned. and i guess when you're pregnant, things like that can drive you to tears...at least that's what i hear.<br /><br />anyways, here's a quick update on this coming week's plan. (just a side note, this isn't turning into a meal planning blog, but i need the practice an accountability that posting about it creates.)<br /><br />sun - rosemary chicken and potatoes (side note: this was not good. note to self: i don't really care for rosemary)<br />mon - french toast and fruit<br />tues - sloppy joes w/homemade rolls<br />wed - hot dogs at the baseball game (make bbq sauce for next day)<br />thurs - bbq pork sandwiches/rolls/corn on the cob<br />fri - fajitas/homemade salsa<br />sat - hamburgers<br />sun - flank steak/onion red potatoes/grilled zucchini<br /><br />i do realize that i went from sunday to sunday just now, but that's because i need the planning. for some reason, all the sudden, late yesterday (saturday) afternoon i realized i hadn't planned anything for sunday. thus the quick (and not so tasty), experimental meal this afternoon.<br /><br />here's to another shot at meal planning; hopefully with less frustration.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-50124417311551684462010-08-24T15:12:00.001-07:002010-08-24T15:21:04.141-07:00pillow obsessionyou'd think that i'd be focused on baby planning. however, i've recently become zoned in on decorating my living room. not sure where that came from, but i'll go with it.<br /><br />my current decor is focused around green. green pillows. green chair. green storage containers. you get the idea. i think a bit of additional color is needed to spice things up.<br /><br />so after some internet browsing and inspiration seeking, i found some pillows and fell in love...in love with the pillows, not the price. and since i have some mediocre sewing skills, and pillows are basically straight lines, i decided to make my own.<br /><br />i was going for some specific colors with some geometric patterns. here's what i found. (the lighting is kinda stinky, but the blue on the far right and left are actually the same blue. also...notice the green chair and pillow.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-T5yzMUPOj9sdvcS3-Fs9M_-bWAB-NYPIZORrQGtfRARNSRl-kdaFrlm0bujvYhGni2PShgfeHEJphElCT8aZA0XoYCb7veRX36NgpLykm5ihcNxH9J5cIf1NWDy36jlFhgIpJF2SLKHq/s1600/fabric.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-T5yzMUPOj9sdvcS3-Fs9M_-bWAB-NYPIZORrQGtfRARNSRl-kdaFrlm0bujvYhGni2PShgfeHEJphElCT8aZA0XoYCb7veRX36NgpLykm5ihcNxH9J5cIf1NWDy36jlFhgIpJF2SLKHq/s400/fabric.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509104607730084050" border="0" /></a><br />and i love them. next, onto deciding shapes and sizes.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-5394988246437744482010-08-24T14:01:00.000-07:002010-08-24T14:53:08.724-07:00meal planningfor someone who loves to plan, i loathe meal planning.<br /><br />maybe it stems from all of those dietetics assignments that required us to plan meals for elderly dialysis patients with wound healing concerns. maybe its a pregnancy thing. i'm so sick of eating and though i'm starving all of the time, nothing sounds good. maybe it's just a wife thing. who likes meal planning anyways?!<br /><br />the alternative...the non-planning approach is NOT working. it's frustrating. it's unhealthy. it's mentally exhausting. so, it must be done.<br /><br />as i've been working on my plans this afternoon, i've remembered why i have failed at planning meals in the past. a) something comes up and the plan flies out the window, b) it doesn't sound good when it comes time to make the meal, and c) i end up planning too many meals and we drown in leftovers.<br /><br />so this time i'm approaching it in a new way.<br />1) i plan to be flexible (planning 2-3 weeks ahead, but only printing out one week at a time, after i've reevaluated),<br />2) i'm strategically using some meals that will make good leftovers and others that we'll only eat once...and then planning lunches accordingly, and<br />3) i added an events section (this way i can correspond actual life with meals). hopefully by taking some of our evening plans into the meal plan i can make things fit a bit better together.<br /><br />alrighty then.<br /><br />here's a quick look at this week:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3JLTyddVUysVisHt_6jj_Q3_pZgRyltQJVnrOX8a9UituVVG1llYvYA81WAiV7UZOoKlMoEr27Jt-a_pWR_0JQ3Jowgm-hWT8oHpeyl7yUmF7xqdD7eeKex-h3a54qB0FGcAON0fC1PA/s1600/Meal+Plan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3JLTyddVUysVisHt_6jj_Q3_pZgRyltQJVnrOX8a9UituVVG1llYvYA81WAiV7UZOoKlMoEr27Jt-a_pWR_0JQ3Jowgm-hWT8oHpeyl7yUmF7xqdD7eeKex-h3a54qB0FGcAON0fC1PA/s400/Meal+Plan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509097507427090882" border="0" /></a><br />so that's that.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-65267424346959307442010-07-08T18:08:00.000-07:002010-07-08T18:19:52.517-07:00my current attemptso...for those of you who haven't heard the news...my current attempt is surviving pregnancy. now that i've completed the first trimester, life can begin again somewhat. not to say that i wanted to die during the first trimester, but there were days that i started to consider it. feeling constant nausea is just no fun, but definitely worth it.<br /><br />it was also an interesting experience from the food/dietitian point of view. because of my nutrition background, i know (almost too much) how incredibly important nutrition is to development, especially early development. <br /><br />however, sometimes, reality gets in the way. at first, i couldn't get enough protein...cottage cheese, protein bars, and string cheese were foods i couldn't get enough of. then, suddenly and unexpectedly, those foods were completely disgusting. seriously, gagging. <br /><br />and then it was all about the carbs...gatorade, crackers, toast...but no sweets. yes, the girl who LOVES cookies...now has absolutely desire for them. (most of you are thinking that would be great, yet it's really so sad for me.) though carbs were most appealing, food in general was just plain annoying. the phrase, "i am SO sick of eating" was heard often, very often.<br /><br />and now that i'm moving into the second trimester, the appetite is slowly coming back (though some foods are still very off-limits, mostly texture related...string cheese, shredded chicken, etc). hopefully, food will once again be a friend and the fruits and veggies and home-cooked meals can again start flowing in the z household.<br /><br />so that's the current attempt...surviving the next few months of pregnancy...and then onto another adventure...motherhood! i can't wait!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7760902295937901914.post-16255950596406477622010-05-11T21:26:00.000-07:002010-05-11T21:34:58.032-07:00much better {bread}i tried again. i'm bound and determined to make good, homemade bread. the kind my kids will remember and try to replicate. [note i haven't had the courage to replicate my mom's recipe...i just couldn't bear to ruin that recipe, so i will wait until i have developed my bread making skills just a bit more.]<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw98mLDQ1QdDANHdu0VwQ0N-zEbWU9aPK3Qo-woYHzbi6uPUH1AsuMiwW71elBqc3rkWQ95up9tUQNDe32Fd1H9fk2m9FfpiBNOoWOHmkDc2ZXk3yAbZW1If4YKrdP2dwg04ADc3yA3wyq/s1600/wheat+bread.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw98mLDQ1QdDANHdu0VwQ0N-zEbWU9aPK3Qo-woYHzbi6uPUH1AsuMiwW71elBqc3rkWQ95up9tUQNDe32Fd1H9fk2m9FfpiBNOoWOHmkDc2ZXk3yAbZW1If4YKrdP2dwg04ADc3yA3wyq/s400/wheat+bread.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470237270442890786" border="0" /></a><br />so today i tried this recipe: <a href="http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/recipe-for-honey-whole-wheat-bread/">honey whole wheat bread</a>. and wah-la. i think it actually turned out. now the true test is the days following. even my last attempt was okay on it's baking day. however, the next few days...dry, course...bleh. so here's to hoping that this recipe will weather just a bit better. i'll keep you posted.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04763523712327064285noreply@blogger.com5