Curtains & Christmas Lights

I thought I would post some photos of our living room once we got our new lovely curtains hung, at last (on Nov. 30th). Kevin took down the old (awful) curtain rod and we patched up the wall in a few spots. Someone had put the middle 'brace' for the rod completely off center over the window so we patched that spot and had to touch up the paint a tiny bit. Then we (Kevin) drilled fresh holes and mounted the new curtain rod - and actually *centered* it correctly over the windows. The little bit of OCD in me is rejoicing. ;) 

I got this curtain rod at Garden Ridge for $19.99 ... here, Kevin is making some adjustments to it on the wall. We're waiting on the curtains to steam in the washing machine.

And here are the lovely curtains, hung at last. The furniture is still in flux at this point but I had to snap a photo. I'm SO pleased with the height of the curtains; they are absolutely just right. I wanted them nearly brushing the floor, but not. It looks a little weird in the photo - I think the cats had already messed them sitting in the window or something.

I thought, while the couch was in the middle of the living room, it might be nice to just rearrange the room. I had been thinking about 'flipping' everything and putting the couch where the chairs were. I think it looks better this way, at least for now; I will probably get sick of it in another 6 months and come up with an entirely different way of arranging the furniture. But for now it's great. I think the chairs (especially the orange swivel one) look great against the light blue curtains.

Here's a photo of the couch in it's new spot. I think it looks nice. =)

Also, our Christmas lights are up! Kevin and his brother put them up one afternoon (Dec. 2nd) and I came home from work not quite recognizing my house! It looks great but completely different. Somehow all those small bulbs, en masse, light up the house like daytime and make it look sort of (dare I say) magical and just a little bit charming.

Here is a close up at our front door. I love being able to see the tree through the door. (Perhaps it's time to move the pumpkins??)

The Weekend Update

This weekend has been so lazy. I have slept entirely TOO much, but enjoyed it in the moment. This evening I have a headache though; interesting how wonderful, luxurious sleep backfires when you indulge a bit too much. The last 2 days have gone quickly, too; I guess that's another side effect of sleeping 1/2 the day. ;)

Saturday I slept in and woke up to a late breakfast and coffee. Kevin and I spent some time in the yard in the afternoon then went on a couple errands including a stop at Garden Ridge where we found a curtain rod for the new curtains I got at Target last week. We still have the white curtains up that the previous owner used but I thought something colorful would be nice. The grommet top will be easy to push them open and closed. Now I just need to get some hold backs; I'm thinking something with beads - maybe something I can make myself. =) Saturday night, I pulled out the Christmas decorations and put the tree up. I usually don't decorate til after Thanksgiving but I think I was too excited about seeing the tree in our new house for the first time. I love it! As if our living room wasn't cozy already, it's now extra cozy. Plus I acquired a few new ornaments this year and I love admiring them on the glowing branches. Of course the soft and unbreakable ornaments are on the bottom branches so my curious cats can play with the tree without breaking any of my favorites.

Kevin informed me I am no good at fluffing branches, so he decided to help me out. ;)

One of my new owl collectibles - a sparkling gold owl ornament for my tree. Isn't he handsome?? I knew he would look wonderful glowing against the lights on the tree.

Sunday I slept even later. Not surprising since we stayed up til the wee hours playing games on Saturday night. I had some Cheerios with a banana and we spent the afternoon watching 'Avengers', napping (!), and playing games together. This evening I made a big pot of sausage and vegetable soup with homemade cornbread that was the perfect dinner on a cool(ish) evening. Kevin hasn't been feeling too well and he asked for soup: the perfect feel better food! I just threw the soup together with items I had in my kitchen; here is the recipe in case anyone is interested in replicating it.

Sausage and Vegetable Soup

12 c water on high heat

Add and bring to a boil:

1/2 white onion, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

3 medium/large red potatoes, diced small

4-5 sausages - I used bratwursts, prepackaged and cut in half (I cut them into bite-sized rings before serving)

Cook this for a while until the vegetables start to soften and add:

1/2 c corn (I used frozen)

1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes with liquid

5 cloves garlic, minced

Simmer everything til the vegetables are completely soft. Remove the sausages and cut into bite-sized pieces; return to the soup and turn off the heat. Leave the pot on the warm burner and add about 1/4 head of cabbage (green or red) and cover to let the cabbage wilt. I seasoned with generous pinches of Kosher salt; then added dried parsley, oregano and paprika.

Cornbread

Whisk together:

1 c cornmeal

1 c all-purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

Then add:

1 egg

1 c milk

1/3 c vegetable oil

Mix until smooth and pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake in preheated oven (400 degrees) for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Another week has passed ...

The weeks fly by faster this time of year. Not sure if it's the fact we are pulled in three times as many directions with the holidays and familial requirements; obscene amounts of gifting and baking and traveling; getting sick; going to parties; and generally trying to stay sane. Whatever combination of elements, the Fall and Winter months feel harried and short and they pass by with so much 'ado' over what turns out to be nothing and so quickly forgotten.

That new DVD player for $3 at Wal-Mart (starting at 5am, limited quantities of course; and mind you don't trample someone to death on the way to aisle 12!) quickly loses its shine and those new toys find a place in the pile of rarely touched items that accrue and accrue in playrooms and bedrooms, pushed aside for the newer model.

Just reminds me how important it is to not get caught up in the hubbub and the madness. Enjoy the wonderful foods and the good times with the people you care about; the bright Christmas tree and 'It's a Wonderful Life' and hot cocoa, a cat curled up in a frosty window. Enjoy them just as you would the first warm day of Spring and the first nip in the air that tells you Fall is on the way; just as you would any small but hugely significant thing that passes by quickly but with potentially great effect. Enjoy them, but don't get caught up in the insignificant parts.

Life is the small things. People say 'don't sweat the small stuff' but life is just that: a sequence of small things that make up who we are as individuals. So ... sweat the small stuff. Make the most of it. Savor the small things and the short moments and the turns of countenance; a kiss or a smile, a laugh with a friend, finding common ground, a piece of chocolate, or spending the evening with your favorite person.

I realize more the older I get that there are too many lovely things that pass us by if we are fixated on the negative things or the toxic people or the 'what if's'. Cross the bridge when you come to it and make the best of it. Try to remember what you did right and change what you think you can to make it better the next time around.

I see, too, that research and knowledge and observation are some of the more fulfilling practices in life. Read and learn - there is always something new to discover. I can feel myself changing and improving with all the articles I read and words I learn and new things I discover that I didn't even know existed before. How could anyone ever be bored?

Just a few of the small things from my week ... 

My curious cat, Smiley. I love the look in his apple green eyes.

A mystery herb that decided to sprout again after weeks of ... nothing. I brought it inside to the dining room window since it's getting a little too cold outside for herbs now.

Old-fashioned Scrabble in a pretty wooden box. Kevin and I sometimes play games together in the evenings.

Inspired by my friend, I have a 'thing' for collecting pretty napkins. They are so inexpensive but make a simple lunch or tea and cookies that much more pleasant ...

Breaking off a little piece of hazelnut milk chocolate.

A pot of rice pilaf simmering on the stove.

My warm, cozy house on a cool Fall night, my three favorite people (Kevin and the cats ;), a nice dinner and Friday night...

Happy weekend. =)

Today's Good Things

It's been a pretty stellar Thursday overall. I'm staying positive, getting hoards of work done, and being nice to people; this is always a good start. On top of that, I have been complimented for my style, appreciated for my work, and consulted for my advise. A trifecta of confidence boosters all in the same afternoon! *smile*

It got me thinking about some of the good things ... Here is today's list:

1. FREE Dallas Stars tickets, and sharing them with friends. I got 4 free tickets (amazing seats!) to tonight's Stars hockey game and 2 free parking passes. We were able to share them with another couple who we haven't seen in forever; we can catch up with them and put the tickets to good use all at once. Not to mention the killer AAC Supreme Nachos, a tall Miller Light and a bag of shell-your-own peanuts to make it the perfect hockey game experience. I can't wait! Photos to come! =)

2. This beauty of a dutch oven which, at $200, will have to stay right where it is: online!

I love admiring pretty things (you don't have to buy to appreciate) and getting ideas for when I try to find them for way cheaper. It's always exciting finding something beautiful for a fraction of the price at Goodwill or a yard sale. I found a great Shabby Chic brand lamp for $5 (a steal!) at Goodwill and got a $14 lampshade at Home Goods; the lamp with no shade retails for $25. Yay for savings!



Not too 'Shabby' for $5. =)

3. Discovering another person's perspective. I enjoy talking with people who I'm still in the process of getting to know (a new friend or co-worker, or an old friend) and realizing their perspective is usually more multi-faceted than might be assumed. And learning, too, that there are many commonalities between myself and that person.

4. Starbucks House Blend. 'Nuf said.

5. Christmastime! I am so excited about it this year because I get to set up my tree and decor for the first time in our new house.



I'm pretty sure I will be whipping up a batch of THESE come December!



Just one of those weekends.

This has been a really great weekend. Some things are really stressful right now and there's nothing I can do about it. I guess that's the thing that makes stuff stressful: not being able to change it or make it better? Sucks. Why are people horrible? And why do some people just seem to be OK with that? I'm sorry; I'm no good at putting up with people's BS. Don't pull that s*** on me. I mean that as nicely as possible. But seriously, that is enough to make me want the hermit's life.

Anyway ...

I think a great start for my weekend mornings has been getting up early. During the week I have to be up even earlier so I guess waking up at 8am is technically 'sleeping in' but for me it's a great way to start the weekend - instead of lolling about in bed til 11 which makes me feel like I've wasted part of me weekend. However nice it feels to be in bed and surrounded by fluffy pillows, it feels even better to get up and be productive and not miss out on the morning sunlight and a cup of coffee to start the day.

Saturday I woke up and got ready for my 11am appointment: getting my hair cut. I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts, where I seem to be getting all my coffee for free lately, and then cruised over to a local place called Vince's and got an unexpected bob. My mind was set on something even shorter (I am officially over hair; I think it's completely overrated and am ready to be done with it!) - something low maintenance and non-traditional. But the stylist assured me it wouldn't work for my hair which - apparently in the last 10 years has gone from curly to not curly without my even noticing it - wouldn't suit the picture of the really short cut I showed her (Ms. Mulligan pulls it off so well though!). I went with her expertise. I actually enjoy the way it is now. It works with my bangs, but I think I might let them grow out.

I still want this haircut! ... next time.

 For now, here is my bob ... it's even shorter in the back.

After my haircut, I went to Aldi (have I mentioned how I enjoy shopping there?) for a few basics, then back home to clean for our dinner guests.

Got the big pumpkin at Aldi for $3 ... he looks so cute on my porch!

Our friends Pam and Jim (I think of 'The Office' every time) were coming for pizza and we had dusting and vacuuming to do. Then we cleaned ourselves up and enjoyed an evening of pizza and salads and wine, then some games with brownies and coffee til midnight.

Today I was up at 8am and out of bed by 8:20. I woke up to this ...

She decided my stomach was the best place for a morning cat nap. ;)

Once I got out of bed, I cleaned out the dishwasher out from last night with 'Radio Lab' in the background. I got yet another free coffee from Dunkin' and this time picked up a few donuts for a totally unhealthy but easy Sunday breakfast. Kevin and I are working on 'Dexter' season 4, so we watched a couple episodes in our pajamas so we can send this disc back tomorrow (Netflix!). One episode left in the season and I'm addicted! Can hardly wait to see what happens!

This afternoon we went to Home Depot and spent more than anticipated on home maintenance projects. Isn't that the way it goes? Weather stripping, caulk, air filters, steel wool, programmable thermostat (on sale, at least!) ... and of course 8 more things we need but didn't get ... there's always next time. Stopped in at Goodwill and found what looks like the toaster I grew up with, complete with faux wood 'panels' on the sides. Fun flashback that made me smile.

Made me remember the fire I started with the oven mitt when I was a kid. Oops!

When we got home Kevin got started right away working on stuff around the house. And I got started in the kitchen getting dinner prepped. Kevin grilled the steaks and I made the mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed greens and sauteed mushrooms (heaven). A Hornsby's Crisp Apple cider for Kevin and a glass for Chardonnay for me finished off the meal perfectly.

It's a lovely evening to be outside ... the windows are open, too. I think they've been open for a few weeks now. I'm looking forward to our electric bill this month! We have hardly used the A/C and all our other electrical needs are relatively small in comparison. Thank you, Mother Nature, for helping us save some cash! =)

All that to say ... this has been a really nice weekend. And it's not even done yet ... still the rest of my evening to enjoy with Kevin and maybe a brownie and definitely the season finale of 'Dexter'. Happy weekend to all!

Contendedness ... and Morning Glories again.

This morning (well, actually it was noon) I sat in my backyard eating an atrociously late breakfast and enjoying the mild air and the birds and bright green of everything. Sometimes I think I might enjoy sleeping outside and waking up to that - there's something primordially therapeutic about Nature.

Last night I fell asleep on the couch and was awakened by a hug; Kevin had seen me asleep and came over to wake me so I could go to bed. Instead of saying "Natalie, it's time to go to bed" or shaking me or something, he instead sat by me on the couch and hugged me. I woke up with a flood or warmth all through my body. That's what Nature is like.

It got me thinking about being comfortable. And thinking about my house. I realized Kevin and I have lived in our house less than 5 months. We are by no means 'moved in' or 'settled', but that first unfamiliar rush and feeling of being in a new place and new walls and colors and the light coming in at different angles through all the windows...It's already slipping away. It doesn't take long, I thought, to lose that first love, that buzz of excitement over something new and ... exciting. It doesn't mean it is not exciting anymore: when I think about it, I'm still very excited and very very pleased to be in this home with my husband. But it doesn't feel quite so exhilarating anymore. 

Got me wondering, too, how people can hop from relationship to relationship probably just looking for that feeling of newness again - something different - just to know it will be gone soon and they'll be off to the next better thing. Is it really better to feel that heady buzz or to simply be happy where you are and with whom you are? What's better? Truly, we can never be fully happy or constantly happy.

I'm not so sure that buzz is as good or as exciting and thrilling as I thought when I was younger. As a kid, you let movies and other people and your unstoppable imagination tell you what life is all about and it's thrilling - only for the fact you haven't actually experienced it yet. So ... maybe it's not that these new experiences are exciting, it's simply that they have been previously un-experienced and are therefore new and maybe just a little overwhelming.

I am happy in my house. It's not glamorous or even as nice as my friend's houses or that person's house across town. But it's my house that I share it with my family and I love it. It's beautiful to me. And even after 5 months - though it's not quite so exciting waking up and thinking every morning 'Wow, this is my house!' - it still is and I still love being here.

I've been married for nearly 6 years and I wouldn't think of dropping my relationship just because that first rush and blush and flurry are long gone. I adore my spouse and there is nothing and no one who can replace him - not even that intoxication of new attraction. I don't comprehend people who don't allow themselves to be content with the things they have (yes, allow; I believe it's within ourselves, not the circumstances around us, to be content). Of course, I want new and different things, too but ... isn't there a line to be drawn? Can't you want new things, like a throw pillow or Christmas ornament or bed sheets, without also feeling like you have to completely rework your life? Don't question those good and wonderful things - those big things that really matter.

All that to say, I'm thinking about contentedness and constancy and realizing how rare they both are. I'm realizing how vital it is to appreciate the small things - something I have observed for many many years in a select few people and I appreciate them so much for that example - and not sweat so much over your house or your husband or wife who isn't perfect. Love them. Love life. Be content. Everything will eventually let you down, at least a little, but that doesn't mean you can throw it away.

Just thinkin' about my kitchen

Lately it seems the ‘designer’ kitchen has come into vogue. This is the kitchen outfitted with granite slab counter tops, top-of-the-line ranges, fancy (read: expensive) appliances. And of course nothing less than stainless steel covering everything and glimmering in the classy way only stainless steel can. These are beautiful kitchens and certainly a pleasure in which to work. Does this mean, however, that a simple, maybe even out of date kitchen is less efficient or can’t produce meals that are just as tasty and enjoyed by all? I don’t think so.

my kitchen. best to ignore the textbook, mail, cell phone...

 Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a kitchen like that. A kitchen is a kitchen I guess so it doesn’t matter that mine wouldn’t be at home on the pages of a magazine. But still – I like pretty things. No matter how basic or even out dated my little kitchen is though, I still love it. I take care of and keep it clean and maintained and I cook in it almost every night of the week and almost every weekend morning, I am brewing coffee or making oatmeal. It is my kitchen. My own little space.

One of the things I love about my kitchen is the long bank of windows over the sink that provides a panoramic view of my sunny backyard (or rainy or cloudy as the weather dictates). I love my backyard. I always knew that, whenever I had my own home, I wanted a kitchen window looking out onto my backyard and the birds and squirrels that passed through it every day, and a big tree, green grass, and a shady patio. I have all of that and it makes washing pots or rinsing vegetables a little more pleasant.

view from my kitchen windows

In my kitchen window sits a little wooden Dala horse. I have had him for years and can’t even remember where I found him. But he is friendly and cheerful and sometimes makes me think of my Scandinavian friends.

I have lots of cabinet space, too. I think for a while I felt that perhaps I didn’t have enough cabinet space in the house. Now I realize instead I might just have too many things. When we moved in May, I rearranged most everything in the kitchen about 2 or 3 times to make sure they were properly placed. I’m still getting used to this new kitchen but I think everything is where it should be.

my Dala horse

I love, too, that the footprint of my kitchen must be twice that of the kitchen Kevin and I had for 4 years before we bought this house. We lived in a condo in Dallas near the college that had one bedroom, one living space and a very small kitchen. I liked that condo and had grown accustomed to it and its layout. But I always felt cramped in the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, as they say; but no more than 2 people could really comfortably gather there and I didn’t like that (or the lack of counter space!). Here the kitchen gets its due. I like that it’s large enough for me to cook and several friends to gather and talk and take in the energy and smells of this V.I.R. (that is: Very Important Room). Although we have yet to invite a large group of friends to our home, I have already imagined the number of people who can spend time with me in the kitchen, and it will be so nice when that time comes.

My kitchen has blue counter tops. This is certainly one of the very least stylish things about it (along with the linoleum floor that has a patch missing in front of the dishwasher and thus has been covered by a big blue rug). I sometimes think I might just ‘go with it’ (the blue counter tops, that is) and add a sunny orange glass tile back splash, icy blue paint above the tiles, and sheer-ish curtains to my windows. I want to take up the linoleum and stain the concrete below in a rich mottled brown. I think these update might be sufficient.

We’ll see.

my clean stove which is also very old; note the distinct lack of stainles

No matter how basic a kitchen, I think one very important trait is cleanliness; a clean, tidy kitchen is a welcoming kitchen. I try to keep my kitchen clean. When I clean up after dinner - actually this has somehow become Kevin’s sole duty, no matter who makes dinner - I think the one thing that really completes the task even after the leftovers in in the fridge and the dishwasher is humming, is a perfectly clean counter top and range. Otherwise the kitchen is not clean and you’ve done a partial job. Clean counter tops and a clean stove welcome the next cutting board and the next Dutch oven.

No matter the colors or lack of granite in my kitchen, it is just that: MY kitchen. And I love it all the same.