Tidbit Tuesday: It's a Ruff Life

I can't take credit for this idea. It was all Kimi's idea. Yeah, she's pretty smart and a hoot. I know only 90 year old women say "hoot", but she is funny.

Tidbit - I am terrified of dogs. And cats. And bunnies. Basically, any animals is on my "Most Feared" list. I realize that you may be shocked by this acknowledgment, but it is true. I am a big wimp when it comes to pets. I understand that they are part of your family, but I do not feel comfortable greeting them, petting them or being in their general vicinity. They scare the living daylights out of me! I have been known to pull my legs up on the couch, grasp the nearest person and cower in fear when a dog enters the room. I will admit that I may have asked a host/hostess if they own a dog prior to my visit. I have also locked myself in my car in people's driveway when their dog comes out to greet me. It is not fun and often embarrassing.

However, it isn't that I am a crazy person, I just "had a bad experience". Growing up, our neighbors had 2 adult Dalmatians. And these dogs would terrorize my sisters and me. They would bolt into our backyard, jump on me and chase us home from school. I remember getting off the bus at the end of our street and watching in horror as these wild beasts dogs came bounding out of their yard toward me at full speed. I panicked. I was still 3 houses away from safety. The drills that we practiced in our backyard left me vulnerable and unprepared for this attack. As tears filled my eyes, sweat drenched my shirt, and their outstretched paws were inches from my face, our neighbor stepped onto the yard to call them home. Thankfully they were obedient dogs because when they heard her call, they stopped dead in their tracks and hightailed back home. Okay, it may not have happened exactly like that, but in my elementary school mind it did. Needless to say, I have been scarred for life.

Although I have made strides to overcome this fear by slowly interacting with friends' pets, it still makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it is due to their unpredictable nature. Maybe it is due to their razor sharp nails. Or maybe I am just a wimp. Whatever it may be, please have patience with me when I visit your home. I will be scared poop-less, but I will try to not let it ruin our visit...C'mon cut me some slack, I said that I would try!

Mondays with Maddie

I am giving you fair warning, this is about to be a gratuitous love-fest in honor of our sweet pea reaching the halfway point of her first year. It also helps to be able to update family and friends on her milestones and personality. But let me be honest, I can't get enough of this beautiful face...

Isn't she precious? I know that I am biased, but can you blame me? We are truly blessed. Last week, we went to her 6 month check up. Now for Ben and I, you would think that after 6 months we would have gotten the hang of it. We definitely forgot our individual diaper bags reserved for our vehicles that were left at the house. My momentary panic subsided when Mamasita came prepared with diaper and bottle in hand to drop Maddie off at the appointment. She was so happy and alert. Everything was going as planned...until the diaper came off. Yes, it.was.full. of you-know-what. Seriously? We have one diaper and NO WIPES! I know, shame on us, but the damage was done...until she "showered" the old diaper mid-change. Really? Of course, it is Murphy's Law. And don't you know, she was smiling at me the whole time this went down as if to say "Ha-Ha! I got ya!"

Thankfully, the rest of the appointment was uneventful. Aside from a few shot-induced tears, she was a trooper and the doctor was impressed. She is growing and thriving! She weighed in at a whopping 16 lbs and 13 oz, and 26 inches tall.   

Every month, I have tried to have a mini photo session at home to capture Maddie's growth. It is my time to flex my photography skills as I pretend to be as awesome as these amazing mommas: Rachie and Bethany). I still have a ways to go, but I am having fun practicing everyday with Maddie and Ben.

It seems like her love for her daddy grows deeper every day. It is clear that even at 6 months old, she has her daddy wrapped tightly around her pinkie. The funniest part is that he knows it and unabashedly shows his love for his little girl in every smile, kiss and hug. He is the first one to answer her cries, to pick her up and snuggle after a long day. She is definitely daddy's girl. I am hoping to leverage this fact around birthday and holidays. Hey, a momma can try, right?

Maddie is learning new things everyday. She sits unsupported and can entertain herself, but often prefers interacting with others. She is always watching the world around her, which usually leads to fighting the sleepies at nap time. We are forever grateful for Mamasita, Titi Susan and Uncle Fer's involvement in her daily development and growth. They pray with her, read books, sing songs and work on motor skills. Right now they are working on her standing skills, hand movements, and crawling. In addition, she and Cousin Colty are loved like no other little kiddies. Thank you so much for what you do!

Every month, our photo session ends with a picture series in our large blanket basket. I dream of having a book capturing these pictures at the end of her first year. It is interesting to see her interaction with the basket and watch her size change.

It is clear that she is now aware of her personal photographer...

Some additional stats:

• She eats like a champ. She has tried each of the first fruits and veggies. She is known to make faces and gag during her feedings, but after taking a whiff of some of those foods, I think that I would too!
• She has a strong grip. Many times, we are tricked by a loving gentle hand on our face, which usually issues a response of "Awe, how sweet" and is quickly followed by "OUCH!" as she grasps a large chunk of hair (or the tiny hairs at the base of our neck). The whole time, she has the sweetest little smile on her face making it hard to be upset at her.
• Sleeping...Hmm, some nights are better than others which is why we have fallen into the habit of bringing her into our bed. Ok, keep those judging sighs, looks and eye rolls to yourself. Momma needs her sleep! It is MUCH easier to roll over and pop the pacy into her mouth than to trek down the hall to her room. Granted, she tends to move alot in her sleep and that leaves me trying to execute yoga moves to keep from falling off the edge of the bed. So much for a good night's sleep, but one look at that precious face laying next to us in the morning and it is all worth it.

With friends and family all over the world right now, I am going to try to do this every week. She is a special kiddo. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for her...and for our family...

Safety First

Yeah...uhm...well, remember that whole safety slip tip that I mentioned here. I think that I have recovered enough from the event to share it. Plus my sister, Kimi, said it wasn't fair to dangle it out there.

Deep breaths...okay, so these days the only way that I can work on projects is 1) Ben graciously watches Maddie, 2) I furiously work on things while she is napping or 3) I figure out a way to have her entertained nearby. This time, I attempted option #3. Not my wisest decision...

So I put the table in the entryway of our family room to work on while Maddie bounced away nearby. In the midst of drilling the holes, the drill bit came loose. To make matters worse, the bit was stuck in the leg of the table. No problem! I thought that I could simply slip it back into the drill, tighten it up, hit reverse and we'd be back in business. Well, it wasn't that simple...

As sweet little Maddicus jumped away in the corner, I put my plan into action and hit reverse. And. It. Happened. The bit snapped in half! My arm pits immediately broke into a sweat. Dear God, NO! Where did it go? Is Maddie ok? Stupid, STUPID! After checking on Mads, who continued to jump unfazed, I searched the floor for the broken bit. I found one half on the floor and the other portion was lodged in the table leg.

Taking a brief intermission in my project, I decided this method of "watching" Maddie wasn't the safest option and it was time to relocate her...into Daddy's arms. So that was my "near-miss" of the week.  Thank God that she didn't get hurt. It was DEFINITELY a learning experience. Never again.

It wasn't my finest moment. But these things happen to every parent, right? Did anyone else have a near-miss?

Hot Wheels

Our most recent home renovation has been on the basement. It has been on my radar since we moved in 3 years ago, but I couldn't seem to get Ben on board with my plans. That is until I uttered the magic words "Man Cave". Yes, I will admit that I have relinquished one area of Mi Casita to Ben. But after the blood, sweat, and tears that he put into it, I believe that he deserves it. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have an area that can be a mess and I can just close the door and ignore it...for a few days. I have to say that this "Man Cave" does come with one caviat (okay, there are more than one, but I don't want to get carried away). He has to share it with Maddie (and future kiddos). In my mind, this works perfectly. Picture this: Ben (and his man friends) playing PS3...for hours...while watching Maddie and the kiddies playing in the corner. Jackpot! I just scored myself some free time!  

So in an effort to make myself some free time, I knew that the kiddie area had to appeal to my uber-crazy need to organize otherwise I would be spending my free time cleaning up. That is where the console table comes in. I purchased this table on a whim. I admit it wasn't my finest choice, but at the time I couldn't pass it up. Although, I cannot remember how much it was, I remember the pulse-racing, palm-sweating, adrenaline-surgin' feeling that I got when I laid eyes on that clearance tag. It was like the heavens opened up in the middle of Kmart, the angels started singing and a light shone on that table. Okay, it may not have happened exactly that way, but you get the idea. And so, I made the table mine. It was easy to convince Ben that this table was Per-fect for his Man Cave. See these are MAGIC WORDS, but use them wisely, they can only get you so far...

Wow, how did I get onto this tangent? Anywhoo, my plans involved making this table into a mobile bench complete with colorful bins for storage. I started by measuring the legs of the table. They were about 1-5/8" x 1-5/8". After searching some online sites, I realized my newest favorite store, Lowes, would be sure to have the wheels I needed. Thankfully my trip was successful and I left with these Hot Wheels for a mere $3.29.

I said a prayer as I tested the wheels out for size. Gloria a Dios! They fit! Well, the base was slightly larger than the leg, but I figured that I could live this it.

I decided to predrill the holes for the wheels because I knew that this would make the installation easier. Using the base as a template, I marked the screw locations by tracing the holes.

I interrupt this post for an important safety tip. Be sure to wear your safety glasses (no matter how silly you feel) and don't do projects like this in front of your infant. Yeah there is another heart racing story behind that but I will save that for another day...maybe...

See that bin of screws? It contains all of our random "extras" from projects over the years. I cannot remember purchasing screws, but they seem to keep accumulating, which works out well for projects like this one.

As simple as this project seems, it took me a few tries to get it right. I guess that is what happens when you go into a project thinking "I will just wing it". Uhm yeah, that isn't always the best way of thinking, hence a split in the first leg and only 3 screws in the base. After my trial and error first plan, I decided that the shorter screw would prevent the splitting and still do the trick.

Since I didn't intend for anyone to really sit on this, I figured that I was safe without the 4th screw holding it in place. The "shake test" is a good method, right? Let's hope so!

Fifteen minutes later..WHA-LAH! I was scootin' this bad boy all over the kitchen and doing my happy dance. I love the feeling of completing a project ALMOST as much as I love a great sale.

Now I need your help. I am debating on what I should do with the table top.  

Should I leave it, paint it or make it into a chalkboard? What is realistic? Remember little kids will be playing and coloring on this table. Do you have any other ideas for this toy storage bench?



Pan Duro aka "Hard Bread" (Biscotti)

I will be the first to admit that my skills in baking and cooking leave much to be desired. So over the years, I have worked my tushie off to "master" a few recipes that I can whip up on any occasion. This one happens to be a family favorite. Thankfully, it is easy!

Here are the ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

½ cup oil (Olive oil works well or vegetable oil)

1 tsp baking soda

1 – 2 tsp flavor extract (vanilla, raspberry, lemon, orange, or anise – whatever flavoring you desire) – I usually use 2 tsp of raspberry extract to get a stronger flavor

¾ tsp salt

2 ½ cups Flour

Beat the eggs. (Cue Michael Jackson's "Beat It") I use a hand mixer, but a Kitchen Aid Mixer or a good ol' fashion spoon will work well too.

Add sugar, oil, baking soda, extract, and salt.

Gradually mix in flour until the dough is firm, almost pasty, but not stiff. I usually add the flour a cup at a time. Now if you chose the "good ol' fashioned spoon" method of stirring, your arms is probably burning from the force is takes to stir this bad boy. Or maybe I am just weak... 

At this point, you can add any "extras" to the dough. I add white chocolate chips because my family loves them so much, but you can add craisins, nuts, or whatever tickles your fancy. Eyeball the proportion to ensure there is enough dough to hold your "extras".

Pour dough onto two cookie sheets in three oval strips the length of the pan (2 strips on one pan, 1 on the other). And "pour" is a very loose term. I have to use 2 utensils in order to get these strips onto the pan. The dough is sticky and takes some wrangling to get into position.

NOTE: Do not grease the pans. If the bottom of the cookies burn, the oven temperature is too high or the pan is too close to the heat.

  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes until the loaves puff up and are golden brown.

I would like to interrupt this recipe to share with you the wreckage that is my kitchen. Thankfully, I was able to get it under control while the Pan Duro baked.

To ensure even baking, I rotate the cookie sheets halfway through the baking time. At the end of 20-ish minutes, a toothpick should come out dry.

Remove the sheets from the oven and cut biscotti about ¾ “ wide. Turn each biscotti on its side and return to oven until sides are golden brown (approx. 5 minutes).

Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for approx. 5-10 minutes before transferring cookies into storage container.

• If you want your Pan Duro to harden up, place in a brown paper bag to complete cooling and storage.
• If you want cookie-like results (this is what I do), put them in Tupperware for storage.

You can make about 20 - 30 Pan Duro for each batch, which is the perfect amount to share!

 It is "Simply Deliciouso"! Enjoy! 

The Reveal

So for my faithful readers, I apologize for the cliffhanger, but I did not have the energy to finish the big reveal last night. But since you asked so nicely, I will not make you wait any longer ... TA-DAH!

I. AM. IN. LOVE. I am so happy with how the chairs turned out. Initially, my heart was set on a more traditional style like these from Overstock.

But at $142 for TWO chairs, they better be able to pull themselves out, sit me down and push themselves back in. Since that wasn't going to happen, I knew that there would be no way I could convince my husband that this would be a "good" purchase.

I am glad that I took things into my own hands ("punny", right?). I figured that I didn't have much to lose. First of all, I wasn't crazy about the chairs to begin with and was in the process of looking for replacement chairs at garage sales, thrift stores and Craigslist. So if I totally butchered the chairs, I would look for something else. So why not give it a shot?

Well that is exactly what I did! I invested in the Rust-oleum Comfort Grip spray attachment, Rust-oleum Ultra Cover Primer and Paint.

 

Okay, I know I have raved about Rust-oleum's Ultra Cover Primer and Paint here, but the products are really THAT good. No, I am not being compensated (although I would love a few hundred dollars cans of paint for my positive review). But I want to share my experience with these products and I am sure that there are pieces around your home just waiting for a makeover!

These tools have changed my painting experience so much that I will never do a project without them again. The Comfort Grip has a 2 finger trigger than reduces fatigue. Unlike the typical spray painting method, where I end up with a claw for a hand after 10 minutes, this trigger enabled me to get through the primer and paint on all 4 chairs without batting an eye. I would literally run out of paint before I realized that I needed to stop to change the can. It also provided better control of the trigger so that my coverage was even on the entire chair. And to make things even better, I didn't have to sand the chairs in order for the primer to stick to the chairs! You know how much I despise sanding. Is it really even necessary? Probably, but I try to avoid it at all costs.

Do you have anything around your home that you are eyeing-up for a facelift? When will you "pull the trigger" on the project? I am already dreaming of my next project! (mua-ah-ah)

Take a seat

Our dinette has looked like this since we moved the farmhouse table into the house and the mismatched chairs have been driving me crazy ever since. They were an eye-sore taking away from the beauty of the table. They were like Cinderella's evil step sisters. And in the same token, they had to go or had to change.

So I searched for white chairs to match the table. Guess what I found - a lot of chairs that were clearly out of my price range. So I scoured Craigslist. And can you imagine how many people don't just sell chairs? Not many at all. Armed with this information, I was bound to make these chairs work. I busted out my favorite tools - Senor Spray Paint and Senorita Primer and sandpaper. 

 The chairs are pretty glossy, so I started the first chair by sanding down the surfaces with a 150 grit paper. It did the trick, but was too long for me. Quick results, remember?!

Knowing that this project was much larger than the lamp project, I invested in a comfort grip attachment for my spray cans. It was WELL worth the $6 investment. After 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of semi-gloss (it was almost 1 can per chair), I was done. It was just in time for a quick walk with Maddicus. Doesn't she look happy?

Yeah, that was BEFORE we left the garage. Little one freaked out on me once I was a significant distance from home. Sadly, I was out of breath, as I carried her part of the way home. The little stinker!

When we returned, these beauties awaited us. It was like new life was breathed into these chairs. They weren't in my original plan, but I love the crisp clean feel that they bring to our table. Now I am looking for 2 more to match or similar chairs to flank the ends of the table. Will you keep your eyes peeled for me?

I know, you are asking yourself, "OK, where is the AFTER photo"...well, I haven't taken one with the mess that has overcome our kitchen table and tonight I am pooped! As much as I hate cliffhangers, I will have to leave you with this...

TO BE CONTINUED...