It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas!

So everyone knows what the day after Thanksgiving is for! No.....not shopping. At least not for me, I'm not that crazy.
It's for decorating for Christmas! We were so excited to decorate for our first Christmas in our home. I remember when we were first buying it how excited Caleb was, he was already thinking about how we could put up lights and where the Christmas tree would go.
Dad & Grandpa came over to help out, but first they put lights on dad's house. They did a great job! Our tree is up and decorated too but I forgot to take a picture of it finished! I'll put it up soon.
And can I just say, I'm so happy it's finally COLD outside! It's about time!


Here's dad helping....

Grandpa too!

And here's Caleb =) Working hard!

Here it is! See our tree through the window? Love it! Next year we will try to figure out how to run the electrical so that we can wrap our palm trees and fence in lights!

And here's a glimpse of the inside. We have more stuff but I didn't get pics of it yet either. I was slacking off. More will come soon! :)

I love my husband - he makes me laugh :)

Slippery floors are the best!! Sorry about it being sideways...

A yummy start to another year

For my birthday, Caleb took me to Ulliveto (a great locally owned Italian restaurant in Old Orcutt). It was a great night out together.....here's a couple pics from it.

You can't quite see us because of the "candle-light" setting I put my camera on....but you can see, the atmosphere was so nice =)

Yum, Pinot Grigio.

A great way to toast in my 25th year.

Birthday Part 1

I work with a great group of people.... =)

Stay Tuned...

For the big reveal......we are so close to being done with our main "phase 1" remodeling projects. The kitchen is DONE (with the exception of minor things like needing new blinds or curtains), and we pained our dining room, (Thanks Jen for your help!!!) and all we have left to do is for Caleb to install the bead-board aka waynes coating on the lower half of the dining room wall.

I don't want to post pictures of it yet since we are so close to a final outcome. So check back next week for (hopefully) finished photos!

On another note.....T-minus 2 days until I am officially a quarter of a century old. Kind of weird, considering I still feel like I'm a dorky high school kid. But, instead, I find that I am an (almost) 25 year old woman who has been married over 4 years, bought and remodeled a house, has a professional job, is tired by 9 and goes to bed by 10 (even on weekends, gasp!), and whos favorite channels include HGTV and Food Network, and who has an overall adult life. Go figure! ;-)

Is it Halloween? Or Valetines Day?

This year my office decided to have everyone (who wanted to participate) dress up for Halloween as a different holiday of the year. Can you guess what I drew? =) Here are some shots of some of my costume.

Pumpkins

Last night we had my parents over for dinner and a little pumpkin carving fun. Here are some of the highlights.


Mom, Dad & Caleb getting started


Mom with her, um, special pumpkin


Caleb, having fun.... =) And making a funny face...


Dad enjoying getting to stick a knife in something to releive his stress of the day...


The end result!!! Though we realized it's a week before Halloween so hopefully the pumpkins don't rot before we can put them back out next Saturday.

=)

We've never handed out candy to kids before as a married couple, no one really trick or treated in the condos we lived in before. We're looking forward to hanging out at home and seeing all the cute kids in our neighborhood!

Flooring & Other Decorations/Updates

So, I'll finally post some pics of the flooring! Keep in mind it's still a work in progress. We are putting up some of our baseboards this weekend, and still have to attach the carpet into the floor. We also have paint to put up in the dining room and our backsplash is coming in 2 weeks for our kitchen. But all that aside, it's so nice to see these things coming together!

Post Carpet/Tile - Pre Flooring

Hallway, part way done

Dining Room/Kitchen, getting there....

Dining Room as of tonight, 10/6. Found a rug to put under out table, but we're saving for it. "Bead Board" painted white is going to go on the bottom half of the walls in this room and the top half will be painted a blue/grey (lighter than the patch on the wall). The built-in hutch will be painted to match our cabinets in the kitchen, white. Can you see the vision? :)

The kitchen as of tonight, 10/6. Still a bit cluttered, and missing the backsplash. We now have the money for it so next week we're going to buy it and then the week after that, install it. Once the backsplash is in, we can put our stainless over the range microwave in and get rid of the old on cluttering up the counter. Can't wait for that!

Over our mantel in our living room. This is still a work in progress, too much stuff up there for me still. (see my mini pumpkins for fall) :-) Any-who, the flowers are a new addition. They're fake. I was trying to introduce a new color to the room. Today I bought a pack of 6, 12x12 mirrored tiles to hang on the wall and I am going to put them with a couple inches apart almost like a grid, on this wall. I think it'll create a good look and a different element to the room. When those go up, I'll edit my accessories a bit to simplify it.

See I take my decorating very seriously! =) It's a stress reliever. I am in control of it so it makes me feel better. There's probably some phycological reason for that, LoL.


This is in my home office. Recently painted and this is my first decorative piece I added. It's my inspiration piece, I love it!

Hallway, more floooring....minus baseboards, etc. You get the idea =)

A good look at our granite/cabinet/flooring combination. It's all coming out exactly as Caleb & I wanted it to, I'm so glad that we both have the same decorating taste!

Stay tuned for more updates =)

Missing Them

Can I just say, I miss them SO MUCH. They have been overseas now for over a year and I can't beleive how big they are getting. =(

xoxo to Sam & Abigail!

More Kitchen Updates

Well, another step is just about completed! We have white cabinets now.....we just have to finish painting the doors which Caleb should be able to get all attached next weekend when he doesn't work. We love it.....
After we get the doors on, we'll put in our flooring!

Granite

So thanks to the help of many friends & family, we have our granite in! Here's a picture. Though keep in mind, we still need to install backsplash, and re-finish/paint the cabinets white. THEN our wood floor!

Step by step, we're getting there =)

Don't mind the light reflecting from the ceiling!

I can't wait for the cabinets to be white, it'll look so much better!

Mango Salsa

This is from my recipe book Delicious Dips by Diane Morgan. It's such a great resource for all kinds of dips, great for a party. I have made this recipe quite a few times and it seems to be a hit!

Hint: If mangoes aren't in season, peaches & nectarines work well. OR I only used fresh mangoes once, and realized that you can buy the frozed cubed mangoes and they work just as well. Make sure you thaw them out the night before and cut them up a bit smaller.

Ingredients

• 2 mangoes, diced


• 1/2 of small red onion, diced


• 4 green onions, diced


• 2 tomatoes (seeded), diced


• 1 jalapeno chile (seeded), diced (I use anaheim chiles because they are more mild)


• 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro


• Juice of 1 large lemon


• Juice of 1 lime


• 2 tbl olive oil


• 1 tsp kosher salt

In a bowl, mix all veggie ingredients together. In separate small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, lime juice, olive oil and salt until salt disolves. Pour liquid over mango mixture. Stir gently, cover, and set aside for at least 1 hour (even overnight works) before serving.

I have made this so many times that I've adjusted it to my taste. For instance, I am not huge on raw red onion or anything spicy. So, I use just a little bit of the red onion and make sure it's diced very small. Also like I mentioned I use an Anaheim Chile instead of a jalapeno because of the more mild flavor, and again, I dice this very small and sometimes only use 1/2 of the chile depending on how big it is.

This is the kind of recipe that is better the longer it sits, and can last about a week in the fridge. I dont just use it to dip chips in either. I have put it on top of grilled fish or chicken, or just eaten it plain. It's so good!

Also - I sometimes will dice up the ingredients and keep them in the fridge until I'm ready to make it, that way a lot of the prep work is already done and you just combine it and whisk up the dressing.

Creamy Couscous Breakfast Pudding

I made this for the first time this morning for breakfast, I thought I'd try something new. =) Caleb & I both enjoyed it so I figured I'd post the recipe.
Time Saver Hint: I made the couscous the night before, and the next morning I just put it back into the saucepan to finish the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup whole-wheat couscous
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cups fat free milk
• 2 tbl brown sugar (**Caleb & I like things a little more sweet so I put an extra tbl in and then sprinkled some on top when served**)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup fat free egg substitute
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ(**don't let this ingredient scare you off. It's actually pretty common. You can find it at most grocery stores, it's about $5 for a big container and should last a very long time**)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

1. Cook couscous according to package directions. (basically you boil water & salt, then pour the couscous in and immediately cover it and turn off the heat. 5 minutes later, you take the lid off and poof! It soaked up all the water and you just fluff it with a fork and it's done)

At this point I put the couscous in the fridge 'till the next morning, or you can continue.

2. Whisk the milk, brown sugar and orange zest into the couscous. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently to break up any lumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently until mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat.

3. Whisk together 1/2 cup of the couscous mixture and the egg substitute in a small bowl. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until pudding is thick and creamy. (about 5 more minutes)

4. Stir in wheat germ & vanilla. Serve topped with almonds if you like (sliced thinly) and fresh fruit even if you want to add more flavor.

I am going to add the nutritional value to this because it's good for you, very filling, and a good alternative to just same ol' oatmeal.

Generous 3/4 cup serving (without almonds or additional brown sugar) = 152 cal, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 2 mg chol, 123 mg sod, 28 g carb, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein.

Wish List

I want one!!!

Julie & Julia

I just have to say I give this movie 2 thumbs up! LOVED it. =)

Grilled Watermelon (Yes, you really grill it!) Salad

Okay so on a whim I tried this recipe last night and it was so good! Caleb and I both loved this, you might not like watermelon (neither of us do) and you might think this sounds weird, but we were pleasantly surprised so I had to share.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/grilled-watermelon-salad-recipe/index.html

Minor Setbacks

I know everyone always says that home improvement projects always take longer than expected. But for some reason I thought we were immune from this curse. Turns out everyone is right and I'm wrong. =) I think deep inside I knew they were right but didn't want to admit it.

Last Wednesday night, as you saw from an earlier post, Caleb and my grandpa started the demo process on our kitchen. Our "plan" was to get the granite in on Saturday & Sunday (yes, of last week). So, today is Friday, over a week later, and my kitchen is still torn apart. They have made progress though, by getting everything on the countertop prepped and ready to go. All they have to do is to actually lay the tile. All of the cuts are already made, which is nice. Another great thing that they got done this week? My new sink is installed, as well as my new faucet, which I just have to say.......I love both of them so much! This sink is awesome, it's so deep and huge which is opposite from my other sink. And the faucet is just really cool looking. I'll post pictures this weekend if my camera cooperates.

The biggest set back of the week was Caleb throwing out his back. I wish he could say it was from something cool, but it wasn't. He was putting a sheet away at work. Yes, as in a bed sheet. And couldn't move after that. Moving just the slightest wrong way can do damage. So, since this happened at work, of course workers comp and doctors are now involved. So, Wednesday morning was when he hurt himself. He called me at 9:30 while I was of course at work and needed me to come pick him up. So I picked up my crippled husband who was sitting patiently in a wheelchair (which his nurse coworkers teasing him for), got his perscriptions filled, and took him home. The hospital at first said for him not go come back to work 'till Monday. But then he had to go to a doctor dealing with workers comp stuff and that doctor said don't go to work Monday, you're too bad, instead you need to come back and see me next Tuesday. So......now I have a partially completed kitchen and a crippled husband. Poor guy. =(

I'm so thankful for our AWESOME friends & family who have completely stepped up to the plate lately to help and support us with our home improvements! Ryan, Jeremy, Phil, Grandpa, Dad, Jim, and various others. We are so thankful for all of it! Today Caleb has a friend coming over to start laying some of the granite tiles, and more family/friends tomorrow and I think if that goes as planned (knock on wood) then the granite should be finished this weekend.

We're hoping to get the flooring installed next weekend, or at least started. I know I can't have too high of hopes now.....but Caleb starts school the end of August and once he starts school, there will be no time for projects like this. That's why we are pushing to get the big stuff done!

So that's kind of been our week......check back for more updates.....and hopefully you'll see a finished kitchen!

(of course, we still have to re-finish/paint our cabinets but that will have to wait....)

Guest Bathroom & Kitchen Lighting

Caleb has been working so hard! He put the finishing touches on the kitchen ceiling, a HUGE improvement!

And I've been working hard on putting the finishing touches on our guest bathroom. I bought accessories and finished up the painting. If you remember the before pics, this should be a big change from before. I love it! Now I just have to decorate the rest of the house!

I think the only thing left is to get a switch plate cover and we want to paint the medicine cabinet white....

Kitchen

Okay so this weekend our granite is going in! Yay! However, this is what comes first.....

I can't wait for my cabinets to be re-finished and the granite to be fully installed!

Flooring

It's here! I can't wait for it to be installed :-)

French Chicken Burger

This is another super fast, healthy, yummy recipe that has become a "repeat" recipe in my house. Caleb approves - which is the most important thing - and it's a great alternative to a beef or turkey burger. I don't think a lot of people think of using ground chicken for a burger. I honestly didn't even know ground chicken existed until a few years ago when I tried this recipe. The only thing with it is since it's so lean you really have to flavor it up just right or else it'll be bland. So here's a good way to use it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground skinless chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons dried plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (BECKY'S NOTE: I've never used this in all the times I've made this recipe so you'll be fine if you don't want to buy it)
• 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence (BECKY'S NOTE: Until a month ago I didn't use this because I didn't want to spend the money on it. I just threw in dried rosemary or whatever else sounded good. I finally bought it and it does make them yummy but it's not necessary. Just make sure you substitute with other herb flavorings if you leave it out)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine chicken, bread crumbs, mustard, shallot, any dried herbs you are using, and salt/pepper. Mix well. (BECKY'S NOTE: Yes the ground chicken mixture will seem slimey and not what you're used to with beef or turkey. It's okay, don't worry) Form into 4 patties (I've stretched it into 5 before). TIP: Wet your fingers before forming patties. It'll help them not to stick.

Now, the recipe calls for you to put it on the broiler rack but I've done it in a skillet as well. Both turn out just fine. Either way, make sure to use non stick spray because the chicken doesn't have much fat in it and it will stick to the pan. They cook quick, about 3-5 minutes per side. A little less on the 2nd side I've found.

As far as buns - you can use any kind you like. The recipe calls for a drizzle of olive oil on the bread and to rub a little garlic on it and then put it under the broiler for a minute. I've used garlic powder and it's just as good. Whatever you like. :-)

For toppings , this isn't traditional with ketchup and mustard. I have found that we love to use sour cream (balances well with the chicken), tomatoes, lettuce, and even a little basil and chives adds a great fresh herb flavor. Just play with it and find what is good for you!

I took a picture of the finished product but my camera is not cooperating and didn't load it. So you'll have to make it and see for yourself! :-)

Walnut & Dried Cherry Bars

So Caleb loves granola bars and each week when I go grocery shopping he asks for some - but man are they expensive! And most of them have a lot of unhealthy crap in them that kind of defeats the purpose of eating a "healthy snack". I am venturing into the world of baking and found this awesome recipe by Ellie Krieger on the Food Network. I made it today and they are so yummy! They are a great snack, or something easy to grab in the morning that is good for you and quick. Some of the ingredients you might not have on hand, but you don't use a lot of what actually comes in the package you buy, so you get a lot for your money because you can re-use the ingredients! Especially the whole wheat flour, or the oats.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 egg, beaten to mix
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• Cooking Spray
• 1/4 cup "Fruit Only" Apricot preserves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, egg and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add the dried cherries & walnuts.

Coat an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Spread mixture into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. In the meantime, put the preserves in a saucepan and bring to a boil. (BECKY'S NOTE: I didn't even notice that step about boiling the preserves until just now. I didn't boil it and it turned out just fine) As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the preserves.

Cool completely and cut into 12 bars.

Overall these are quick, easy, healthy and if you add it up, cheaper than buying store granola bars. Caleb gave them his stamp of approval, we each sampled one and love them. So, here's a picture right when I was putting them away.