Bye Bye Dog Food, Hello Decor!

I'm a minimalist when it comes to Christmas decorations. I had a tree up and a collection of Santa statues on my mantel, but that was about it. While the 40-year-old, Christmas sweater wearing ladies scoured the shelves during the after Christmas sale extravaganzas, I took the opportunity to get a lot of "Christmas" decorations that could be used year round. After a great Christmas with the family, I headed back to Des Moines and got started right away on decorating. My accomplishments: decor for the top of the piano and mantel, the old dining room, and a finished guest room. So, I present to you sneak peek into our house #1:


BEFORE - A cramped stairway off the kitchen housed the large bags of dog and cat food. Chris wanted to move these bags downstairs, but he's not the one who feeds them and doesn't realize what a pain this would be! I've been searching high and low for a piece of furniture that could decoratively hide the food.




AFTER - I was lucky enough to stumble upon this piece at Pier One's clearance sale this weekend. It was all I needed and more! I love the detail on the front and the scale is perfect for the wall. It holds a handy amount of dog and cat food, plus their brushes, treats and other pet necessities!

Would You Tell Me if I Had a Bugger?

Pay close attention to the eyeliner in all the wrong spots.

Now, this is all fine and dandy for a fashion show, but how about a day at work? While no one in their right mind would purposefully create this look for a day at work, some otherwise smart people could do this by accident, right?? Right??? Well, if you haven't guessed it by now, I did. And just when you thought that I had learned my lesson about checking in the mirror after my sunglasses and sweater experiences that I have shared with you, I prove you wrong!

So here's how it went down: I did my makeup in the morning (natch), and go wait for the bus in the 5 below freezer that is the outdoors. Now, I don't remember it snowing, or getting any other kind of moisture on my face to smudge my fresh makeup. Anyway, so I get to work and carry on with the day. I have multiple one-on-ones with a couple of people in my department (including my boss and a friend). Around 1:00 I head to the bathroom after one too many bottles of water. I don't bother looking in the mirror because when you're this beautiful, you just know you're looking good! ;) Upon exiting, I go to wash my hands and see my beautiful face. Take another close look at that picture. There are drawn in eyelash lines above and below. Now, you're not going to believe this (or maybe you will after my sunglasses story), but I kid you not. My right eye had the eyelash lines below and my left eye had the eyelash lines above. ALL DAY!

Seriously people, what is it going to take for you to let me know that I look like a total moron? Clearly not an inside-out sweater, nor a missing lense in my glasses, and apparently not a makeup fiasco! I'd like to think that I would discretely let my friend know so she can correct the problem before others catch a glimpse. So, quick poll: would you tell me if I had a bugger??

Maxed Out

I was able to sneak in a movie last Tuesday which was already jam packed with working, volunteering, and studying. It was definitely worth mentioning, so I thought that I'd better do it now before I forgot! We watched "Maxed Out," a documentary about credit card debt, due to SSMast's intreguing movie review.


It was interesting both due to topic, and to the fact that both Chris and I have experience in the credit card industry. During our time at Cabela's/Cable's/Chabello's (or whatever else the hick men who called in could come up with!), we came across many happenings that offered us even more insight than the normal viewer. The documentary highlighted the lives of a handful of people who were negatively affected by their use of credit cards. Many had tens of thousands of dollars of debt, filed bankruptcy, and even took their own lives because of their ordeals. It's crazy how credit cards affect so many people in our nation, and it was sad to learn about how some credit card companies attack and target people which makes the problem even worse. One of the most interesting things I learned during the movie was that some companies target people who have recently filed for bankruptcy. Why in the world would you want someone who didn't pay their bills the last time around? Simple. They can't file bankruptcy for 8 more years so they have to pay their bills, and they are already known to be irresponsible spenders. For those who file and aren't abusing the system, this makes it even harder to start fresh with all the temptations from the evil credit card companies. Chris and I didn't experience anything like this during our time at Cabela's, so hopefully they're still among the companies with integrity.

Given the uncertain future of our economy and my dislike for paying bills, Chris and I were already planning to pay off all of our debts/loans by April. I also set in place a fairly strict budget to adhere to. We've been following it for two months so far, and it's been going great. Even if you're paying credit card bills off each month, they are still likely (or at least for us) causing you to spend more than normally. After carefully reviewing our statements, I saw just how easy it is to swipe the card without regard for price. Although they do offer great rewards, we're still losing out on money due to spending more than we would have if only carrying cash. And despite Chris' friends poking fun at his allowances, it is a foolproof way to ensure that you're spending only what you should be. It also makes it so much clearer how much is foolishly wasted on eating out, and all the little purchases when you watch your pile of cash quickly dwindling away.

Today's Noteables

#1 - I wore my sweater inside out to work and found out five hours into the day. I didn't notice until I went to put my hands in the front pocket and found that my front pocket had disappeared. Sure enough, the buttons were also missing and the tags were sticking out. It's kind of like the time I wore my sunglasses on the bike ride home from class in college.
I'll set it up for you: I'm thinking to myself how cool and fit I'm looking on my bike, and how cool and fit everyone else must think I am since they were all looking as I rode by. I get home and check myself out in the mirror. Alas, I wasn't cool looking, but rather strange. Somehow I neglected to notice that one of the lenses of the sunglasses had popped out while sitting in my backpack during class. Now, it was a bright, sunny day. A perfect day to implement sunglasses. How I never noticed that the sun was shining super brightly in one eye, but not the other, is beyond me.
Please tell me that this has happened to you before so I don't feel like such a nincompoop.

#2 - I rarely buy shoes. I am very picky and don't often find a pair I like enough to throw down $60+ for. However, upon beginning my post-college career, I deemed it necessary to spend some money on a quality pair of dressy black flats. If you're thinking these would last me a long time, then, like me, you'd be incorrect. During the rainy season this fall, I noticed a little slosh while I walked. Sure enough, I had worn down the sole so much that a hole had formed in each foot. Unwilling to buy another pair of shoes as these had become my favs, I cover up the shredded leather with some black shoe polish and call it a day. Just as I thought I had gotten the best of my shoes, they one-upped me. How could a shoe with holes in it become any worse?
Well, I give you my sad, sad shoes:

Yes, that is the heel sitting on the outside of the shoe. If you ever wanted to know how a shoe was constructed, now you have it.


#3 - I think I'm a chef now. I'm not talking Emeril Lagasse, who comes up with his own recipes and wows people at his restaurant. I'm more along the lines of Semi-Homemade Sandra Lee. If you think I'm referring to her ability to make food from a box look like gourmet, then you'd be sadly mistaken. The use of "semi" in the name is as in semi edible - a reference to the inedible quality some of my cooking has.
As an example, I once tried to replicate a delicious chicken and rice soup that my roommate Lisa always made. Making your mouth water yet? I know mine was. So how did mine turn out: I give you Hot Chicken Water. Hmmm...how about that for a tasty meal?? It was no more than uncooked chicken floating along with uncooked rice in warm, chicken-flavored water.
At this point, you're practically begging me to stay out of the kitchen if I'm to be cooking for you. So, you'll be unhappy to note that if you're attending any of the Christmas parties or Christmas day celebrations with me, then I shall be serving up my 12 Days of Cookies. That's right, 12 different cookie recipes, all for your enjoyment.
So far I've gotten seven completed, so only five left to go! My first recipe doubled as a Christmas gift for my dog-loving friends. They were the cutest little dog biscuits. And dogs are the perfect customer, as they'll eat anything!


Watch in the days to come to see how the rest of my cookies turn out! Hopefully, they'll be delectable and not trash.

#4 - Last, but definitely NOT least. Des Moines (well, Ankeny - a suburb) is making national news for their use of garlic salt to melt the ice on the roads. You read right: GARLIC SALT. Read here for more info, but it's just as cooky as it sounds.
I'll drive if somebody brings the french bread!

It's Lovely, I'll take it!

As a recent house hunter, I stumbled across my fair share of house oddities during Chris and my short two-week house hunt. As such, I found this blog to be particularly hilarious (hint for ye of little computer knowledge: click on the word "this"!). It's called "It's Lovely! I'll take it!," and it is a collection of funny/strange photos from actual real estate listings. This got me reminiscing about the memorable homes that we came across. We tried our best to look at the bones of the house and look past the cosmetics which we could later change, but some of these were just too much.

House #1 - It was made of cinder blocks which gave it the appearance of a rectangular igloo. So much for curb appeal. Don't you worry, they were ready to wow us with the inside: A Pepto Bismal pink colored room. It had brown horses stamped all over the room and ceiling, along with stamps of the word horse (just in case you weren't sure what the brown paint blobs were). Other notables: Stairs too narrow for even my size 7 feet and a backyard fence made of stolen pieces of fencing from 10 or so of their neighbors. Words of wisdom for the owners: at least steal fencing that is all the same type. Five feet of a 3 foot white picket fence next to a five feet section of a 6 foot tall chain link fence just don't blend well.


House #2 - It gave us fleas. Enough said.


House #3 - Built in the 1960's and remained in the 1960's. We could have been the lucky owners of a built-in blender in the kitchen counter, fancy red shag carpeting, and a random toilet in the unfinished basement.


House #4 - This beauty was complete with gargoyles. Sure, it looked like a witches house from the outside, but looks can be deceiving...right? A built in flower bed in the stairwell and the world's very first microwave (seriously, this thing was ancient) was just the beginning. The icing on the cake was a sanctuary in the back - a steepled room complete with stained glass. I would have guessed that it was last inhabited by a nun from the looks of the interior, but the fact that it was haunted threw me off. I mean really, do nuns spend their time haunting or go strait to partying with Jesus after death? I vote for the latter. The ominous ceiling fan which was left on, the cavernous basement, and a spooky chill upon walking into the bedroom were all it took to get us out of there, and fast!

So, this leaves you thinking to yourself: What can possibly top these houses? I give you the following beauties:




Last, but not least, I give you the open-fronted sink. I'm thinking they washed both their dishes and their hair in this sink, but please, install a shower before you try to sell!




For more laughs, go to the site and check out the $2 million dollar house with a picture of a hoagie for it's listing, the bathroom with an enema bag, and the home with a stolen cop car in it's driveway.

Christmas Registry

I was just thinking to myself how great it would be if everyone had a gift registry. Forget the wedding and baby registries, we need them all the time. Yes, I know there are Wish Lists, but those just aren't the same. I want to know what you want for Christmas, and I want to know now...by looking online, not asking you. Hey, at least this way it's a "surprise." As in: Surprise! You'll never guess whats inside, except that you picked it out yourself! This Christmas, as more and more of my friends are soon to be joining me on checking the "Married" box on their tax forms, I've found myself searching their wedding registries for Christmas gift ideas. So you might find it hard to believe, but I dispise gift registries.

We, as a country, are lazy enough that we have reverted to walking into Target and printing out a piece of paper in order to choose a gift. Gone are the days of giving something from the heart, something to show how much you know and care about people on one of the most important days in their lives. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of going on a shopping spree in which the only thing I pay for is a Target Slurpee and I come home to the store's inventory scattered around my home. However, where is the thought that goes into purchasing something off the list? It's nothing but a search for your price range and choosing something from the closest aisle. If only I had the time and talent of SSMast to make everyone homemade gifts. Ones that aren't the kind that get thrown away, but the kinds that are thoughtful and well made - keepers.

But alas, I've neither the time nor the talent and I'm quite sleepy after a long day of work and studying. I saw a giant pile of ShamWow's in Bed Bath and Beyond the other day. I'm just going to stock up and hand them out to anyone I know. Merry Christmas.

(The ShamWow Guy is hilarious, but do yourself a favor, buy me anything Billy Mays and I'll be indebted to you for years to come.)

Cookie Obsessed

I love to bake. I also love to eat, which doesn't quite go hand-in-hand with my love for sitting on the couch. To battle temptations, I set aside around a dozen cookies for us to eat and then freeze all of the rest. It works out really well because then they're out of sight and out of mind.
The big plus: I now have a collection of cookies to take to Christmas without having to work hard just before the holidays.

The cookies I made on Monday did not quite make it to the freezer. They were just that good. Chris exclaimed that they were some of the best cookies he's had, as well as a friend of mine. That should be enough assurance for you to all put this recipe at the top of your "To Bake" list.

CHOCO-CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/3 cup cocoa
2 Tbsp milk
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cream the butter, sugars and vanilla extract. Add the egg, mix well. Add the cocoa and incorporate thoroughly. Mix in the milk. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture, little by little, to the dough. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Place rounded spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a cookie. Let set for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Lazy Sunday

Pete just left back home for Omaha after staying with us for the weekend, and now I'm left with nothing to do nor the will to do anything. With the new luxury of my own washing machine, I have taken some initiative and done some laundry so I don't fall behind. I must say that it's very nice being able to do laundry whenever I want and not having to wait until I can hunt down some quarters. So, as I'm sitting in front of the fire with my crossword puzzle in between loads, I figured that I'd post a few pictures from the major overhaul of our bathtub when we moved in.

After a hot shower by my mother, she noticed that our white bathtub was bubbling. Further investigation made us aware of a painted porcelain tub -- a baby blue tub, no less!




The vast majority of the work was done by my loving mother, and I just happened to jump in at the end to help. It took about 8 hours for us to scrape all of the white paint, but the after -- bathing in a clean tub -- was a sweet repayment for the hard work. We've still got the side of the tub to do, but that can definitely wait. In a few years, we'd love to remodel the whole bathroom, but I will definitely be keeping the baby blue tub and working it into the design!

Thanksgiving and Divorce

Chris and I were lucky enough (lucky = not driving back to Lincoln) to have my family up for Thanksgiving. I enjoyed making the meal, save for the turkey which my mom made. I touched the bag that it went inside and that was enough for me - dead animals are not my thing. I even made a beautiful pecan pie that my dad claimed was "okay," which means "pretty good" in his language I think...I'll take it!
Here it is in all of its glory, held by Kelsey in her Martha Stewart pose:


Thankfully my lovely husband only got a small bite out of the pie before serving time. While I'm on the topic of husbands, I ran across an interesting article today about divorce risk. As an actuary, the word risk catches my eye, so of course I took a gander. The article even has a link to a Divorce Calculator which is concerning that there is even a need/desire for such a thing. Nonetheless, I tested it out and am proud to say that our chances of divorce are a mere 8% in the next five years. It's not very scientific, but it brings up interesting points about demographics.

Happy Birthday Lola!

Lola is celebrating her first birthday today! She appreciates dog bones, peanut butter, and gift certificates to Gap (hey, shouldn't I get a little something for taking care of her for a year?!).