Lepperchaun

Transitioning...

2011-03-15T21:42:00.000-07:00

This blog will be for something else soon... but in the meantime, come visit my NEW blog: Lepper Colony

Day Care

2011-01-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

Today is Drew's first day at his new day care. I go back to work next Wednesday so I am taking him a few hours each day this week to get him integrated in it. It's been roughly 2 hours and I am just now feeling the pangs of weirdness that he's not here with me. Maybe it's because I am at home and he is not here. If I was out and about I probably wouldn't be as cognizant. Does that mean I should go out and go shopping? Or maybe get my nails done or a massage? It's all coping therapy, right? :)

Anyway - I took this picture of him this morning in his cute Oshkosh B'gosh overalls - we dubbed it his first day of school.. even though it's not technically school. Still, a monumental day nonetheless.

And I didn't even cry when we left him. My husband kept saying "you're doing good" and I was like.. should I be more upset than this? Nah... Drew is in a good place where he can play with other kids instead of hanging out at home with mom in our pjs. (We can do that on the weekends!) He looked happy when we left & I will be back to get him in just 2 more hours. I can't wait to hear all about his first day!

Cool Baby

2011-01-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, there is nothing more hip than a baby in an Adidas track suit. I was lucky enough to find a few on eBay and Drew is finally big enough to start sporting them. Love.

Good and Bad Things

2010-12-28T14:25:00.001-08:00

Today is one of those days... good things.. then not-so-good things.. Hopefully to be followed by more good things.

I am back on Weight Watchers trying to shed the unwanted baby weight - and today when I weighed in I was down 3.8 lbs! Christmas you are no match for ME! It was a great motivator for me to stay on track. I am down a total of 5.4 lbs since I started about a month ago and that makes me feel hopeful that someday soon I might actually fit back into my jeans & my wedding band.
That was the good..

...the bad is that Drew got his first round of vaccines today. I think I actually felt my heart rip a little when he started waling from the 3 needles being stabbed in his thighs. The nurse, God bless her, was very quick but nothing could quite prepare me for the total anguish that my 10-week old son was going through - both physically and I assume a touch of mentally & emotionally as well. He's been sleeping for roughly 2 hours now and seems to want to block this day out by continuing on a marathon nap. I know all kids go through this & he will not remember it even as early as later today but still, going through that for the first time is a bit overwhelming. When they put the bandaids on the baby they should also hand the mom and nice glass of wine to calm her. Needless to say, I will probably partake in that glass of wine later today.

In some whimsical way I think that today's little medical adventure is a good preparation for parents; there will be times when our kids have to go through sucky things and all we can do is stroke their heads, tell them it's ok & promise that you will stay with them until it's all better... and then head straight for the booze.

Just kidding... sort of.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit late but I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas & is looking forward to the New Year. Our little guy had a great first Christmas - Made out like a bandit! We enjoyed both Christmas Eve & Christmas Day with my husband's family; the weekend before with my family.

Christmas Morning... New bib thanks to Auntie Robin

Christmas Family Photo

Happy Holidays to all!

Christmas Photos

2010-12-13T14:35:00.001-08:00

Last weekend we were going to try to take pictures of Drew & his cousins, Jordan & Caleb, for Christmas. We ended up having to cancel our appointment due to a scheduling conflict but we thought maybe we'd try to take some pictures of Drew since he was already in his sassy outfit... All I can say is that maybe it was a good thing that we had to cancel our appointment since our subject was being rather non-cooperative.

Attempt One, on mom's lap:
(now we're just getting cheeky!)

Attempt Two, on the couch:

After this we thought.. maybe Christmas photos were overrated.
Our last attempt....

Hmm, maybe not.

Holding my own...

2010-12-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

This cracked me up - Drew decided I wasn't doing a good enough job of feeding him so he decided to take over. I tried to explain to him that it was too early for him to be feeding himself but he wouldn't hear it.

I can't figure out where he gets his stubborn streak from. :)

Smiling!

2010-12-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

Drew is 6-weeks this week & that is when all the books say he'll start smiling & giggling. And sure enough... this is the cutey-pie face I got yesterday!

Love!

Facial Expressions

2010-11-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

Drew definitely takes after me & has the best facial expressions. I think he is looking at me like I am a crazy person in this one... but it is still pretty cute!

This one just says he's tired of me taking pictures of him.

Sleep...

2010-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

I love this picture... There is a similar one of me & my dad when I was a newborn. Drew is currently sleeping with us... he sleeps about 2x as long when he's in with us rather than in the bassinet so for right now, we all share one bed. I admit it gets a little squishy from time to time but the pay off is 3-4 hours of uninterrupted sleep between the hours of 11pm & 3am. After that it varies.. but that first block of sleep is the best gift ever!

Welcome, Baby Drew!

2010-11-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

This is VERY overdue but I just wanted to introduce our son, Andrew William - we call him Drew. He was born via C-section on October 20th at 4:28pm. He weighed 7 lbs, 13oz & was 20" long.

We are thoroughly in love & are so excited to have him in our lives.
Welcome home, baby!

Modern Technology

2010-07-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Technology is amazing. Mark and I got to see our wee one in 3D the other night. Of course, Flash was being a pill and had his hand over his face... and then his hand AND his foot... but the pictures still turned out pretty good. What an experience! He's been a little hyper bean this week so it was fun to get to see him again and actually feel like we saw the real him. He's pretty cute for not being fully developed yet. And we think he has my nose. Lucky for us all the noses in our family are pretty cute so we didn't have to worry too much about that.

So on this lovely summer Friday I leave you with the latest paparazzi shots of our little man.
Happy Weekend!

Nesting, Phase 1

2010-07-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

I think it's officially time I started nesting. Or so I'm told. I don't really want to spend my weekends cleaning and painting, etc but I suppose the poor guy deserves his own room and deserves it at least somewhat put together. So, I've started planning.

First we have to get rid of the furniture that is currently occupying Flash's room. Good-bye Craft Room... it was nice to have you for the last year. See you in the garage. Next, we need to paint. When we bought our house last year all the bedrooms were painted in this lovely ace bandage-colored hue. We managed to paint our bedroom but have left the other 3 alone for the time-being. So, Flash's room will get a nice coat of white paint.

White? you say? But that's so boring! Let me explain to you... I've been reading about this & baby's can really only see black, white & red for a while so I'm just being sensitive to that. Plus, I figure he'll have an opinion in a couple years and we can paint his room to his liking then. Until that time, Mama wants a nice clean, white room. There is a lot of natural light in there & white will make it lovely.

As far as "theme" there really isn't one. No zoo animals or baseballs or other weird boy things. Our baby is far beyond that :) Afterall, coming from artsy parents, he'll have much higher design goals than an oversized soccer ball on the wall. Bleh! So, I've been looking for some design inspiration from 2 of my fav blogs: Decor8 and Style Files. Love. And they've been oh-so-gracious with said inspiration. In addition to white walls I am also adding accents of a couple blue tones (one jewel and one a bit more subtle) and greys.

I've found Kat at Hearts and Crafts to make me some custom paper garlands for the walls - I love these. So simple but yet so fun! It's like a party all the time!

And I am eyeballing this paper crane mobile as well as this poster. Cranes are a symbol of loyalty & peace and I think those are perfect themes for our baby's room.

Next on the agenda is finding a dresser and building (or I suppose buying) some bookshelves. I found a picture of some that I like and am trying to commission my husband and father-in-law to build them for me but not sure I'll get them. *sigh* One can always hope.

Happy Friday everyone! Here's to spending a very hot weekend converting a craftroom into Flash's room!

25 weeks

2010-07-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I am 25 weeks into my pregnancy. I realize it's been a while since I uploaded any new pics so here we are.

Also including a picture of the cute onesies I made for Flash & gave to Mark on Father's Day. No, we're not naming the baby Flash.. that is just his nickname for now while we decide on his real name. He will be the most stylish BMX baby ever!

Isn't it a bit early for Karate?

2010-06-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I felt our little guy, who has been dubbed "Flash," move for the first time. And right now, I feel him in there kicking away. At first I wasn't sure that was what it was but I am pretty certain that what I am feeling is Flash taking a Tae Bo class. He is definitely an active guy!

As weird as the feeling was initially, I like feeling him move around in there - not only is it reassurance that he is actually in there but it makes me feel like he is comfortable enough to spread out & make himself comfortable. Silly, yes... but true.

Next up... buying headphones for Flash. What is karate if you can't listen to music while you're doing it?!

Introductions

2010-05-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

I had a post all ready to go about this crazy braided lemon bread I made last week but instead, I'd rather share these....

And introduce you to our son....

Dizzy

2010-05-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today I am feeling a bit dizzy... and a little nauseous... and a tad light headed. This picture really does sum it all up.

Maybe I'll go back to sleep.

17 Weeks

2010-05-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

Today I am 17 weeks - our bebe is the size of a turnip. For those of you, like both myself & my husband, who have no idea what size a turnip is... allow me to share:

That's pretty big! I think it's hilarious that the photos that are emailed to me every week with my "updates" show this super skinny woman with a baby snug inside... and very little bump. I'm sorry... I have a TURNIP in my uterus... I'd be shocked and appalled if I didn't have much of a bump. So, without further blathering, here is me at 17 weeks.

It does sort of resemble a turnip..

One more week until we find out what flavor baby we're having and we can hardly wait!

Dear Baby,
Please be spread eagle next Tuesday so we can see if you're a girl or boy turnip.
Love, Mom & Dad

Granola

2010-05-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today I am making home-made Granola. It is a recipe my mom has been making for years - and still makes for my step-dad. After many weeks of craving Cinnamon Toast Crunch I've decided to try to eat a bit healthier & cheaper and just make my own cereal. Plus, this tends to stick with me better and longer than a silly bowl of CTC. It's so yummy -like a bowl of cookie!

So, in the spirit of giving and sharing, I will be so nice to share with you below the greatest granola recipe! Enjoy!

Granola

1 C Honey
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
Stir together in a saucepan until melted. Remove from heat.
Add:
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Almond extract
Set aside

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients:
9 C Oats
2 C Wheat or Oat Germ
2 C Sunflower seeds (shelled, obviously!)
1/2C Brown Sugar
7 oz Shredded Coconut (I prefer unsweetened, but to each their own)
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg

Drizzle honey mix over dried ingredients & mix. Divide mix up onto 2 cookie sheets (sprayed with Pam or something similar) with 1-2" sides. Spread evenly & put in 350 degree oven for 8min. Rotate sheets top to bottom & back to front, bake another 8 minutes until edges are browning, like an oatmeal cookie. Remove from oven & stir while cooling. This is important - if you don't stir while cooling the oatmeal will form one big sheet and will be a mess! Once it is thoroughly cooled store in an air-tight container. Granola should be good for about 2 weeks in the container. You can always freeze it if you need to.

Yum!!!!!

New Landscaping!

2010-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Mark and have been working on our yard for ever... or at least it feels that way. I think I posted a bit earlier this year about the dramatic down-turn our back yard took. Ugh. Well, things are on the upswing! Yesterday, Mark and I completed the first re-planting done since we moved in almost a year ago. And we have conquered the driveway strip! Yes, it is true!

Mere weeks ago it was dirt & sprinklers... now it is beautiful with 28 society garlic plants and lots of friendly mulch. Oh... it's just so beautiful.

Now we're pumped to keep it going... this weekend while Mark is continuing work on the sprinklers, I will be plotting and planning for the Front Garden!

It's almost too much!

Without Further Ado...

2010-05-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

.. I bring you, my belly.

Here's the first official picture of me and my growing belly - 15 1/2 weeks. I am pretty sure that, since I am showing this much this early, that I am going to be very large towards the end of my pregnancy. Good thing it'll be the hottest part of the year... oh wait..

I promise more pics to come.. and fingers are crossed - next week we might find out if we're having a mini me or a mini Mark! hmm... Mini Mark... scary. Cute, but scary.

Mother of all Slackers!

2010-05-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to get into it because we all know I am slacking big time. I bet you didn't know that I am already almost 4 months along & going strong into my 2nd trimester. Yep, I am! How the time flies.

So, mini recap from First Trimester...

- Nausea was kicking my butt - felt hungover all the time (without the fun drunken escapade from the night before)

- only ate like a teenage boy for about 2 weeks - then got to start eating a bit more normal

- not too many food aversions or cravings. I definitely am wary of ranch dressing and some chicken things... but mostly good to go for most food

- got our first pictures of bebe and got to hear its heartbeat - precious

Now we're into the 2nd Trimester - I'm still waiting for that burst of energy that I hear is supposed to happen. No dice yet. I do feel better - no nausea! Yay! We have our 3rd Dr appointment next week and there is a chance that we might be able to find out the gender of our wee one. That would just be SO great!

I will do my best to keep updates going. I've also promised pictures which I'll get up this week. Why people want to see pics of my ever-expanding waistline is beyond me!

Until then...

First Photos

2010-03-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today we had our first doctor's appointment and got to check out our little bebe bun. Measuring in at 1.7 cm, our little blueberry is going strong. We even got to see the little flicker of the heart. I teared up of course... I think Mark was trying to figure out what we were looking at. In his defense, it did look like a little blob on a monitor. We could have been looking at a butterfly pupa for all we knew! But, we weren't... we were looking at our future.

There are days when I stop to think about what having a baby means and I get a little overwhelmed. But then I realize that people do this everyday so it must be even better than I can imagine and we will definitely survive. I think I felt this way when we got married, when we got our 2 cats and when we bought our house too... and so far all 3 of those have been great decisions. We will do awesome.

I can hardly wait to meet our little bun... but not yet.. you keep cooking in there & we'll prepare the world for you out here.

Teenage Boy vs Preglet

2010-03-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

Who knows what this is:

1 Cup of Nonfat Milk

1 Plain Bagel w/Light Cream Cheese

1 Bottle of Water

1 Fruit Smoothie (Berries, Pineapple, Banana, Orange Juice)

2 Hard Boiled Eggs

3 Graham Crackers

6 oz Vanilla Non Fat Yogurt

1 Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwich on Wheat Bread

10 Apple Slices

4 Marshmallow Bunnies

1 Bottle of Water

4 Slices of Cheddar Cheese

8 Saltine Crackers

1 Bottle of Water

1 Apple Sauce Pack

25 Peanut Butter Pretzels

1 Serving Orange Chicken

1 Serving Brown Rice

1 Cup Nonfat Milk

2 Joe Joe Cookies

To most people they would guess it is the food consumed by an entire family over the course of 1 day... but no, sadly that is what I am consuming on a daily basis. Variances occur... for instance yesterday I ate oatmeal instead of 2 hard boiled eggs but the pure mass quantity of food is comparable. Yes, it is true... I am pregnant with the worlds hungriest blueberry-sized fetus in the world. I have actually gotten to the point where eating is not fun anymore. You know the trick where if you make someone smoke 20 cigarettes in a row they won't ever want to touch them again because it makes them so sick? That is how I feel about many things. I am trying to push through because I know 2 things: 1) it is good for my little blueberry's development and 2) eating makes me feel better.

I am one of the lucky few that does not really have traditional morning sickness. I have not thrown up. But I do experience constant nausea unless I am eating. Thus, I eat constantly. I could put most teenage boys to shame! When your husband looks at you and says "an entire package of top ramen is not a snack" you've crossed over to the other side. You are at a whole new level. I am at that level.

Next post... why tights are no longer a part of my wardrobe.

Progress?...

2010-02-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

When we bought our house last May the landscaping had just been redone & looked very nice. Wait, back up... when we first looked at hour house last April the landscaping had just been redone & looked very nice. Then we entered escrow & the owners of the house stopped caring about the yard & by the time we moved in we had dying grass & a ton of weeds. Then it got hot and even more grass died and more weeds popped up. Sadly enough, after that we decided just let things die out & we'd just attack in the spring. Well, it's spring!

First, a few side-by-side comparison shots... just to paint a picture.

The pictures on the left are from my first visit to this house. The grass is green, the trees are happy, there are accent plants all over. The pictures to the right were taken this morning. Dirt and weeds... and no trees.

One of the first "improvements" we made was to rip out all of our trees. Most of them were fruit trees and they really just were a pain. They attracted bees and dropped fruit all over the ground constantly. I realize that fruit trees do need some maintenance but this seemed excessive... especially for fruits that neither of us really ate all that much of to begin with. If it was a cookie tree or a beer tree, by all means... but lemons? Not so much. So out they went. The guys from Dana Pacific Landscaping did a great job!

This is an on-going project but we're both confident that it will look awesome once we're done. Maybe then we can finally have our housewarming party... a year later!

We did it!

2010-02-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

It is true... Mark and I are expecting a baby! My due date is mid-October and we couldn't be more thrilled! We decided that this was news we wanted to share right away instead of waiting until the end of my first trimester to divulge.

So far my only symptoms are fatigue and a cold. Ok, well the cold may not be due to the bun in the oven, but I am still suffering and due to that bun, I can't just pop a couple Dayquils & press on. But it's worth it. I'm on cloud 9! (and my head is a bit cloudy too!)

Let the wild rumpus begin!

It's the little things..

2010-02-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

We had a productive day yesterday... A while ago we made a "master list" of all of the household things we needed to do - some small, some pretty decent projects. Yesterday we actually got to cross a few off the list!

First was our shower door - bye -bye! I don't know about you but we weren't fans of our glass shower doors. The seemed to be dirty all the time & noisy and just a pain. So, Mark ripped them off yesterday & replaced them with a nice white shower curtain. Already the bathroom feels bigger & is definitely much brighter!

Next he installed a door guard for our sliding glass door. Since the construction of some of the doors in this house leave us questioning their reliability we're doing what we can to make them a bit stronger. So, in comes the door guard. A simple metal bar that rests between the far side of the door and the back of the actual sliding door. Keeps unwanted people or big animals out!

And last but definitely not least, Mark ripped off the cabinet doors and moved them over so they actually shut now. Before you pretty much had to throw your entire body into the doors to get them to close & stay closed but now it is so simple. I love it.

So... now you're asking "what did YOU do?" It is true... Mark spearheaded all of the above improvements even though I was the one who navigated Home Depot to find silicone caulking and razor blades. But while he was being Handy Manny I was making Creme Brulee and Tomato Soup from scratch... so THERE! Both turned out amazing, by the way.

Another productive day at the Lepperchaun farm!

Jillian Michaels is trying to kill me...

2010-02-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

It's true.

Little did I know that Monday night, while perusing through Target, I would sign myself up for my imminent death. While browsing through the exercise DVDs I came across the Jillian Michaels' "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism" DVD and I thought, "Hey, this is only $10... let's give it a go!"

I am a fanatic Biggest Loser follower and really like Jillian.. until now...

I was actually excited to try my new workout DVD - I came home from a quick trip to the grocery store, threw my exercise clothes on and flipped on the DVD. I was ready! We started with a warm up.. but this was like no warm up I've ever done... I was gasping for breath at only the midway point! What ensued for the next 40 minutes (well, 40 minutes according to the DVD player... probably more like 25ish in real time) was a series of circuit combinations that are meant to give these little "bursts" of calorie burning moves. Each circuit is done 2 times. I think I made through about half of each circuit. The moves are a combination of kick-boxing kicks and punches, jumping drills and a bit of floor work.

I admit fully that I am a bit out of shape - it has been about 3 months since I donned my running shoes for a quick sprint around the neighborhood... but this was a whole different beast. As I watched the DVD, doubled over, gasping for breath, hoping to not pass out on my new yoga mat, I was continuously impressed at how flawlessly the girls in the DVD completed each circuit. You could definitely tell they were working though - not just glossing through each move & then off camera taking a ten-minute breather.

I like this DVD and I think that if I can ever get to a place where I am doing even 75% of the workout I will consider myself triumphant.

Mark asked me if she yells at you the whole time you're working out (sort of like on Biggest Loser) and I said no, she's actually quite pleasant... however, like on the Biggest Loser, she does make you want to throw up on your self! Here's to good health!

New Shoes Baby!

2010-01-29T07:54:00.001-08:00

I am so excited today that I just had to share... I got a new pair of shoes. Well, I haven't gotten them yet but I ordered them. It is love. A friend enlightened me to the joy that is Jeffrey Campbell shoes and when I saw these I knew I must have them. Not one second thought plowed through my budget-happy mind when this purchase went through.

I just can't wait until February 28th when they ship!!

Lingerie Party Invitations

2010-01-18T14:58:00.000-08:00

Our friends Kelly & John are getting married in about 2 months & I have the proud honor of hosting the "personal shower" next month. I have named it the Tail Feather Lingerie Party. I thought personal shower sounded sort of lame so I came up with my own name for it!

I had today off from work so I decided to put the rainy day to good use and get the invitations put together. I chose to use navy blue invitations & envelopes with a green & pink envelope liner and a peacock feather motif. Check them out...

All supplies are from my favorite store on earth: Paper Source

I can't wait for the party!

Eating Healthy

2010-01-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

To keep in line with my new year's resolution of being healthy, I have started buying alot of organic, kosher, free-range, hormone & antibiotic free.. everything.

Last night Mark and I decided to make hamburgers for dinner with a nice side salad - using organic lettuce & tomatoes and hormone/antibiotic free, vegetarian fed, free range ground beef... thank you Trader Joes!

This is my burger. Simple with just a touch of mustard.

And this... is Mark's burger. Complete with 2x as much meat as mine... and don't forget the bbq sauce, sauteed onions & cheddar cheese to complete it.

I'm not sure we're on the same wave length!

Resolutions...

2010-01-03T21:51:00.001-08:00

Holy Cats! It's been an entire month since I posted last - Such a slacker! I have to admit that December was a busy month - the holidays sort of snuck up on us & have now passed and left us scratching our heads a bit!

So, where better to start than with New Year's Resolutions...
In no particular order:

- Be as healthy as possible. This seems really broad but I didn't want to say "lose weight" or anything like that. Mark and I are planning to start our family this year and it seems to me that healthy mama = healthy baby. So, bye-bye sugar substitutes & caffeine... Hello organic fruits & veggies!

- Read as much as possible. As I mentioned above, we're planning to start our family this year & the crazy person that I am, I am loving reading everything I can get my hands on about pregnancy and parenting. I am a self-admitted nerd when it comes to this stuff - I love to learn as much as I can. I've already read a handful of books & a ton of magazines - got 2 more books for Christmas & ordering another from Amazon.com tomorrow! I will be a virtual encyclopedia about having a baby!

- Take more pictures. I say this every year but I really mean it this time. Reviewing the past year in pictures from my camera was depressing. It went from Christmas 08 to July, then October and then New Years 2010. Lame! This year, more pictures. This will also benefit my blog because I'll have more festive things to show you! Yay!

It is a short list but the way I see it - more chances of success! I have high hopes for you, 2010!
Happy New Year!

Decorating part deux

2009-12-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

I got a bug in me last night to finish up alot of my decorating - or at least placement of the decorations I have. Now that I'm sort of done with that I realize I need ALOT more stuff! This house has much more potential for holiday decor than my past apartments.

I cleaned off the entry table & added a few festive ornaments ... the tupperware bins do not qualify & will be removed later tonight.

I added a few more trinkets to the mantle & set up the nativity scene on the table between the beautiful and festive orange chairs. I just noticed how festive my pillows look - they are in the holiday spirit in their red stripes!

And finally, the tree. You can't really tell how glorious it is from this picture. Maybe I should take pictures in the dark so you can see the happy glow of the lights. I have caught the cats under the tree a handful of times already... and one ornament pulled off and placed on the kitchen floor for me to find. I am hoping the kitties will lose interest quickly. Good luck, right?!

I love this decorating thing! It is great and just cheers you up no matter what kind of day you've had! I just like to sit on the couch with all my candles lit & the Christmas lights on and just hum Oh Holy Night to myself. Love.

Decorating... Part 1

2009-12-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

As promised, I started my decorating efforts last night. Not a major effort, but some.

First, I hung poinsettia garlands over the mirror in our entry way. (don't pay attention to the crap all over the table.. it's a work in progress!)

Then, I cleared off the mantel & added berry & sparkly garlands. I hung a wreath on the wall but not convinced it's staying there.. or in that position. We'll see.

Then I felt the need to resurrect one of my favorite holiday photos - Mark & Freddie in her holiday finery. She loves it!

More decorating to come!

Christmas Begins..

2009-12-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

I was a bit irked this year to see how many people (retailers included) found it ok to skip Thanksgiving & decorate for Christmas mid-November. Thanksgiving is such a great holiday and I felt like it should have its own decorations. A thumbs up to Nordstrom who actually posted a sign at their front doors explaining that they would not be decorating for Christmas until November 27th. Way to go Nordstrom!

Ok.. enough of that - I actually love Christmas. I like how cheery things look all the time. This is our first Christmas in our new house & I am fear that I may turn into a crazy person over decorating. My house growing up never lacked in full holiday regalia dripping from every outpost possible - but I have always found myself a bit more conservative in my decorating quests. A tasteful tree, a nice wreath, a nativity scene.. but far from over the top.

This year I am already feeling different about my approach to decorating - there will definitely be more of it! I have already made my maiden voyage to Michaels to buy garlands that were 50% off. And who knows what will loom in the future.

Christmas is a time of celebration and what better way to celebrate than to decorate like you're having a party! Pictures to come...

Birthday Treats... the adventure story

2009-11-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of channels like the Food Network or Bravo, Travel Channel - anything that showcases food or cooking. Recently while watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives I learned about Bacon Donuts (you have to imagine the heavenly choir singing on your own when I say "Bacon Donuts"..). So, I shared this new-found-treasure with my bacon-adoring husband - immediately his eyes sort of went watery at the mere thought of bacon as a topping on a donut. It's like Homer Simpson's dream coming into reality.

**Side Note... I should have learned long ago to watch what I repeat to my husband. After watching an episode of Paula Deen where she described how she puts little pea-sized pieces of butter in with her hamburger meat to keep it "juicy" he has made this hamburger regiment number one. So much for paying extra for super lean meat! Continuing on...

So, today is my husband's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!) and I asked him if he'd like to take a treat to work to share for his special day and he immediately answered "bacon donuts." I should have guessed. Onto the google-machine I went and spliced together my very own recipe for bacon donut holes. For those of you ready to jump on the exciting adventure... please continue reading.

Bacon Donuts, adapted

Ingredients:

2 tubes of Grands Biscuits

1 tbsp cinnamon

3-5 cups of vegetable oil

Cut each biscuit in quarters, sprinkle with cinnamon & roll into balls. Heat oil to 375 degrees ("deep frying" temp) - use candy thermometer for accuracy. If the oil gets too hot the holes burn.. we learned that first-hand. Drop 6-8 holes into the oil & let them cook for about 3 minute total. They will start to turn over by themselves but it's a good idea to make sure they're evenly fried on each side. Remove & place on paper towels to remove excess grease.

Glaze:

1 1/4 c Powdered Sugar

1/4 c Maple Syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together - if it comes out too thick, add a bit more syrup or a bit of milk (tsp at a time) until it is a glaze consistency. Dip each donut hole into the glaze -we chose to only dip half but that is up to you. Set on a piece of parchment/wax paper (glaze-side up) and sprinkle with chopped bacon. We used almost an entire package of bacon for this batch but that is at your discretion.

Let the holes set for about 30 minutes or so & either enjoy right away or place in an air-tight container for sharing later with friends! Makes 64 donut holes (wow! that sounds like alot!)

Enjoy!!!

(ps: sorry for the lack of pictures... I couldn't get it out of my husbands cell phone!)

Getting Healthy

2009-11-13T16:35:00.001-08:00

It occurs to me that the holidays are looming somewhere close and that always sends my metabolism into hiding for a few months. I always find it amazing that in two fell swoops (namely Thanksgiving & Christmas) that I can go from a fairly normal, healthy girl to Hilda the Bohemoth Woman who's jeans are way too tight and has the energy of a slug baby. NOT THIS YEAR!

As soon as the sun decided to get it's lazy butt out of bed an hour earlier... so did I... and I started running in the mornings again. I always feel so much better when I run in the mornings - I am ready for bed at 8:15pm, but definitely feel better. Plus, I love our neighborhood early in the morning - when people are just starting to get up and move about. Houses are quiet, streets are still, sprinklers are doing their thing - it's very peaceful. Well, until I come running through with a quasi-asthmatic wheeze desperately trying not to keel over while singing the lyrics to one or another Miley Cyrus song. But enough about that..

I am also very excited about the prospect of the new workout DVD that is to be finding its way to me sometime "after the 17th" - the Jillian Michaels 30-day Shred. Compliments of my bestie, Kaija, I am guaranteed results from this bad boy. My Question is, does she yell insults at you from the DVD? I secretly hope so!

And last but definitely not least - I am going back to Weight Watchers. I joined WW a bit over 2 1/2 years ago and was very successful at it... and then decided I didn't need it anymore and I figured that I could do everything on my own. It is humbling how wrong I was. So - I am back and with a vengeance!

Watch out holidays! I'm on to you and your wiley ways!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween is pretty big around my workplace - all the departments dress up in different themes. It gets pretty competitive. We had some pretty good groups this year but none can compare to my departments Lucha Libres! Yes, that is correct - there were 10 luchadoras, a referee and a ring girl.

We ruled the place! But.... we still came in 2nd to a duo that dressed up like Dog the Bounty Hunter & his wife, Beth.

They really can't be beat!

Happy Halloween everyone!

AKA... Houses for People

2009-10-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

It appears I'm on a good-deed kick these days.

On top of my Baking Gals efforts, I am also volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. I've wanted to do this for over 5 years now but never could seem to get myself signed up. So, 2 weeks ago, I finally went to the Orientation Meeting and discovered that there are many different opportunities to volunteer for within Habitat for Humanity. I feel so silly thinking all I could do was build a house! I immediately signed up for a bunch of different teams.

First, I am working with the Hospitality team. They are the group of bright & smiling faces you see when you first get to a building site. I am one of those crazy people that wakes up in a great mood and can actually hold a conversation without ingesting a pot of coffee. I love mornings. My husband would not be good at this. After many expletives & throwing something at someone, he would be escorted off the premises and banned. So... I will be doing this solo.

Next is the Family Selection. Feeling overwhelmingly blessed that Mark & I were able to buy our house this year I feel like this is a great place for me to donate some time. The idea of meeting families & working with them on their paperwork and discussing home ownership and all of that makes me super excited. I will, however, warn them about yards. They are a never-ending source of chores & items on the to-do list. Our yard is a mess. And due to the recent rain, it is now a mess with lots of growing weeds. They are pretty & green though... so if you squint it looks like grass!

Hopefully my recent stint of generosity will inspire someone to get up and devote some time on someone or something else. I feel like I have been blessed with a very charmed life and it is good for me to remember that not everyone has been so fortunate. We're all in this together - let's help eachother out.

And now we'll sing Kumbaya. :)

Baking for good

2009-10-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

I just had to tell everyone about the new thing I am doing - it's call Baking Gals. I saw it on another blog and thought it was PERFECT for me. I love to bake & what an awesome way to do something good with it. Not that bringing cookies to work isn't a good deed but this is a great opportunity. Oh... you want to know what it is? How silly of me!

Baking Gals was started by a clever young lady who wanted to send baked goodies to soldiers serving our country. Each month new groups are formed & you can sign up for one or a few & they designate you a soldier to send your goodies to. You can do it every month or just when you are able to fit it in. It is a great cause & I am so excited to be a part of it.

If you'd like to check it out - see: Operation Baking Gals

Or - if you have a soldier to nominate, let me know. Surprisingly enough, I really don't know any soldiers that are overseas right now. That is a blessing for me, but I know that there are many men & women all over the world serving our country - let's send them cookies!

Have a great week!

Dearest Sophie...

2009-10-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months I have admittedly become obsessed with this cute little giraffe named Sophie. I actually have Jessica & Jackson to thank for the introduction as I first saw her cute little self on their blog. My first thoughts were simple “What a cute little giraffe!” but then it turned into “I want one of those giraffes.” I felt a bit weird about it because I do not have any kids and I am not pregnant but I desperately wanted a giraffe teether. She is French & Organic! What is wrong with me?!

Then I saw her featured in Cookie Magazine.

Then I saw her again featured in the LA Times.

So I bought one.

I am afraid after 2 big features that everyone will want one & in a year or so when I am pregnant or whatever, I won’t be able to find one because everyone in the world will have snatched them all up. And I would be left out… with no cute giraffe squeaky/teething toy.

So I bought one.

And her little organic self, with her vegetable dye dots, will sit in her box until there is a bebe Lepper to enjoy her. But at least I can rest easy knowing that my child will have a Sophie to love. That is, if I can share.

Crazy Pills

2009-10-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

I officially started taking prenatal vitamins this past weekend & I feel like they’re giving me crazy dreams. I checked with some preggies I know & they all said that pregnancy gave them weird dreams but they don’t remember prenatals giving them weird dreams. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe by body is just so excited to have vitamins in it that it is celebrating by making me have very weird but colorful dreams. Just maybe…

Baby Book Worm

2009-10-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

My adventures in future parenting continue...

First, one of my very bestest friends called today to tell me that she is expecting & I couldn't be happier. Congratulations to you!

Ok... so back to me.

I am now reading three books simultaneously.
1. Skinny Bitch with a Bump
2. What to Expect before you're Expecting
3. Healing & Preventing Autism (Jenny McCarthy)

The information is crazy-fascinating and I just can't seem to get enough. I need there to be more hours in the day for me to read!

My last post was the brain child of Skinny Bitch - I have successfully given up soda, anything with aspartame (and trying really hard to give up anything with sugar substitutes but they're EVERYWHERE!), milk on my cereal & yogurt. It may not sound like much but it's alot for me. Soda has been tough but I find myself drinking gallons of water everyday. I also find myself peeing gallons everyday too... I guess that's good practice for when I actually get pregnant! However, with all of the positive changes I am trying to make in my eating habits, I am not seeing myself really becoming a vegan. I am sure that my husband will refuse to live in a world without bacon. *sigh*

I've only read the first 6 pages in What to Expect but it has already prompted me to schedule a dentist appointment & physical with my GP... and to start harassing my husband to do the same. I have to say I was a bit surprised when I emailed my doctor and he said it "wasn't necessary" for me to come in for a physical before trying to conceive. I sort of figured my doctors would always think it was a good idea to get a physical - especially if I am about to attempt to grow another human inside my body. Silly, Dr Chen! I also went and bought some major vitamins today. They'll probably make me nauseated... Boo... but good for my bod so.. Yay!

And finally Jenny McCarthy's book about autism & vaccinations. My manager is pregnant and we've been talking alot about vaccinations lately - we both find it surprising that so many parents are perfectly fine immunizing their kids from things like Hep B... I looked up Hepatitis B on WebMD and this is how they say you contract it:

You may get hepatitis B if you:

Have sex with an infected person without using a condom.
Share needles (used for injecting drugs) with an infected person.
Get a tattoo or piercing with tools that were not cleaned well.
Share personal items like razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.

Hmm... How many babies do you see out their having illicit affairs while shooting up & getting tattoos and then borrowing some random guy's tooth brush? Not many. But yet, we're vaccinating our babies for it.

Now, don't get me wrong... I am not discounting the importance of vaccinations & immunizations - I think they are very necessary for some things. But I think it is important as parents & future parents to ask questions & research. These are YOUR children.

Anyway - wee tangent there.. sorry... I just think it is really important to read up on everything I can now so I can make real educated decisions for my children. Thus my 3-books-at-a-time club.

I do feel a bit sorry for my husband... as he has to listen to me wax poetic about my new-found knowledge on everything... and now he has to go to the doctor and the dentist. It's all for our future kids, right? Yes.. so it's the most important thing ever.

Have a great weekend!

Misadventures in Eating... trying to be Half a Skinny Bitch

2009-09-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are about to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary & like all couples we are starting to think towards the future & our potential family-to-be. So, in my greatest efforts to be a proactive future-mother I have started to read all about how to be healthy when trying to conceive, etc.

I started reading Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven & I have to be honest that it is a bit intimidating. It takes the normal "don't drink caffeine, don't eat raw fish" dos & don'ts of pregnancy and straight kicks it in the soft stuff! I am only on chapter 6 but I am already asking myself, "How am I alive?! I've been eating dairy & meat and eating sugar substitutes for years! How do I not have 6 arms coming out of my forehead?!" The Skinny Bitches, if you will, fill their chapters with a barrage of information about not only certain health risks for many of the daily-consumed foods on my menu (and probably 90% of America!) but it also blows the whistle on the FDA & food industry giants for certain less-than-legit test results and statistics. It reminds me alot of the second part of Fast Food Nation - the part that goes in-depth on the meat industry. Eek!

With all of this newly discovered knowledge I have already decided to make a few changes with my eating habits. First and foremost (and probably hardest) was giving up soda & most sugar substitutes. SB goes into detail on some of our most favorite sugar substitutes - worst of all the faves being Aspartame. I think I've known for sometime that aspartame was bad but it wasn't until my dad told me that he had given it up & that action was helping with his arthritis that it really started to make me think that maybe this stuff really was poison! Then, when SB put up a big stink about it & elaborated on the questionable way that it was approved by the FDA I decided that I could probably live without it. So... Buh-Bye Soda.

Next was dairy. I won't go into detail because it is rather high on the "eeeww" factor, but I have decided to try something new on my granola during the morning commute. Today I tried Almond Milk.. and I have to say I was happily surprised. It just sort of tastes like a light-almond flavored liquid (umm.. yeah.. that's because that is what it is!). I enjoyed it very much. So, I'm 1 for 1. Feeling braver & braver, I decide to try Soy Yogurt with my lunch. I cannot say that it leaves me as happy as almond milk, but it is also not the worst thing I've eaten in recent history. It's a bit grainier than dairy yogurt and has sort of a heavier flavor, but all-in-all ok. It will probably not make a headlining appearance in my lunch, but is a good alternate option.

I have to admit that looking so closely at food & health has stressed me out a bit. I realize that so much of the food we consume on a day-to-day basis is just really not good for you. And I am a relatively healthy eater too - not alot of processed foods here. My wise friend, Tina (also a reader of the SB), advised me to find my groove with food. So, that is what I will do. Some of it is just about me asking the question: Why do I eat this? and some of it is making consciously better decisions about my health and my future child's health.

I know this is a completely new avenue for my posts - away from paint & baked goods. But I figured that lots of women go through this when they're trying to make good choices - so, I'm sharing my misadventures. Next... soy butter!

Office Space

2009-09-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

We have finally cleaned up our office space and it is looking more and more like a usable work area instead of the cesspool of boxes & stuff that it once was. I am so happy!

On Labor Day (ironically), Mark and I set out to make a big dent in the back two rooms of our house.. cleaning, organizing, moving, etc. I spent much of Sunday buying a new desk and accouterments for our new office and our new work room (aka Amy's craft heaven) and we were successful in turning disasters into nice happy places. I wish I had a before picture so you could really see the progress we made, but you will just have to use your imaginations.

Ok, so there are still some boxes but it is miles from where it was!

And! It comes with a sleepy kitty!

Happy Weekend!

Happy Labor Day!

2009-09-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day everyone!!

Stay cool - it is HOT outside!!

Applesauce

2009-08-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

Last week after I made my apple turnovers I had some left over apple mixture & started taking it in my lunch in about 1/2 cup portions. Delicious! So, this week, I decided to do it again. Last night I chopped up about 4 Gala apple (roughly 1lb) and put them in a sauce pan with about 1/4c water & let them simmer for a good 10 minutes. Added some cinnamon & then mashed them up. Nothing beats homemade applesauce - and it is so easy!

All this talk about apples...

2009-08-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

All this crazy talk about apples got me hunting around for something appley... and when nothing presented itself... I decided to make some apple turnovers! I had read this cute vignette in Bon Appetit about a lady visiting Paris & how all she wanted was a chocolate croissant... but the bakery in her neighborhood had sold out so she ended up getting an apple turnover (which had a much cooler french name in the story) and how she fell in love. So, I made these apple turnovers.

So delicious yet not too hard either. Worth the extra work to boil & mash up the fresh Granny Smith & Gala apples.

A Tasty Treat that kicks the pants off the Apple Pie at McDonalds!

Can Can...

2009-08-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

My Mom got me a canning kit for Christmas last year - I know what you're thinking but I actually asked for it. I was going through some weird phase and that was what I wanted. 8 months later, it has emerged from the box & I have completed my first few jars of fresh tomato sauce. The funny thing is that the recipe was supposed to make 6 jars.. mine only made 3 1/2 jars. Go figure. Still, it looks like everything worked out & the jars sealed up ok. Not bad for my first try! I am very excited.

We're going up to Paso Robles & San Luis Obispo next weekend for my cousin, Nate's wedding & we are going to stop in Avila Beach at See Canyon to get apples to bring back. There are so many great things you can make with apples: apple pie, apple cake, apple turnovers, apple butter, apple preserves, apple sauce... see, the list is endless! So, we'll go to See Cyn to pick up a peck or two of apples so I can can more delicious treats! Maybe this time I'll feel like sharing!

Oye Vey!

2009-08-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

Now that we are pretty much moved in to our house.. and the parts that aren't moved in are just going to stay that way for a while.. I am back to baking.

First, I will start with the BAGELS!
Maybe it's the Jewish in us.. even though neither of us are Jewish... but Mark and I made bagels last week & I am just now getting around to posting - slow poke, I know! Anyway, here are some pictures of our process.

These are our bebes after resting & about to go under the broiler for 2 minutes.

Here are the bebes post broil, now boiling for 7 minutes. This is what makes them chewy on the inside!

Here's everyone out of the oven and resting.

We just couldn't believe how perfect these came out! They were so delicious too! Mark and I split one right out of the oven & it was delightful. I took the rest to work the next day with some home-mixed flavored cream cheese & they were gobbled up!

Next time we'll try some festive flavors but these were an excellent start!
Mazel Tov!

Absent...

2009-08-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

I see now that it has been something like 2 weeks since I posted last - my apologies for my absence! It has been a busy couple of weeks!

Both sets of my parents visited back-to-back and that created a black hole for me and my internet use. A nice visit was had by all but we are now back to "normal."

I will try to be more frequent with my posts - no one likes an empty blog!

Happy Monday!

The OC Fair!

2009-07-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Mark and I finally had the opportunity to go to the OC fair last night - so fun! I thought I would share a picture of the best caramel apple ever. I wish I had taken a picture of it when I first got it - it was glorious - but I was too anxious to start eating it. It was covered in caramel, then chocolate, then Oreos on one side & peanuts on the other. Quite the ordeal, but quite delicious.
Yum!

See all that caramel?!

New Toys!

2009-07-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

You've probably noticed I've been non-blogging for about a week or so - my bad... but my parents both came to visit back-to-back and the computer seems miles away when visitors are around.

My dad was our first official house guest - and rightly so. Then 3 days later my mom & step-dad became our second set of house guests. Everyone has now gone back to their respective homes & my cats are becoming a bit less neurotic but before they left, my mom & step-dad left us a little present. A New Washer & Dryer!!! They are so perfect and for the first time in... well, ever... I am excited to laundry! Heck - even my husband has joined in the excitement!

Sorting....

Loading...

Trying to figure out which of our many options to go with first...

Neurotic cat...

Much more to post this week.. I am truly behind... but I will leave you now with happy thoughts of clean, happy smelling clothes. You will be happy to sit next to me tomorrow!

Fortune Cookie House Decorating

2009-07-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

So, my husband has pretty much relinquished all interior decorating to me & I've decided this could be fun. I told him that I would no longer tell him about my projects - that he will just come home one day and something will be a different color or have new pillows, etc. It's like a fortune cookie! You never know what you'll get until you open it (it being the door or whatever..)

This week's fortune cookie... the hallway. Earlier this week I was convinced I was going to paint it teal but now.. I am feeling something different. I discovered the Living Etc website the other day & have been browsing through their galleries and came across my new favorite option - Off-Black. Their picture has a sassy green door, I will not have that, but I think the off-black will look rad with all the white doors & linen closet. Then add a saucy new light fixture or some new knobs on the linen closet - RAD! So excited!

So, I'm not telling Mark what I'm doing... and I may still change my mind for the 30th time. I guess we'll just see what the fortune cookie says!

Progress...

2009-07-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

I've been busy! My parents are coming next week & in efforts for our house to look a bit more put together, last night Ikicked it into high gear & was able to check a bunch of things off my to-do list.

1. I finally got our house numbers up. Mark did help a bit with this - My super hero strength was failing me & he had to help me drill a few holes. Team Work - Whoo hoo!

2. I put up art in the dining room. Tina & I took a field trip to Paper Source at lunch & she helped me pick out my new wall art - tres chic!

3. I embellished our front porch - yay flowers! So pretty and friendly - it's like saying "welcome to our home" in plant-speak!

There are still a bunch of things on my list.. and many more that were crossed off but didn't warrant pictures (who wants to see my mirror hanging abilities?!).. but at the end of each day I feel pretty accomplished for the things I did get done.

It's all coming together... now to tackle (dun dun dun..) the Office!

How Dark is too dark?

2009-07-10T08:07:00.001-07:00

I want to paint out hallway this teal color but I am having issues deciding - how dark is too dark? I like some of the darker colors but I am worried that we'll be entering the Cavern of Doom everytime we walk towards the back part of the house. Granted, it'll be spruced up with a new chandelier and some art to break it up... plus the doors & linen closet are white, so it won't be all dark and scary... but I still can't decide. What do you think?

Better than TV

2009-07-08T20:08:00.000-07:00

I had to post this because it made me laugh out-loud. Freddie & Foxy seem to be enamored with our back yard. And what is not to love?! Crab grass & dirt galore! We're working on it.... then it'll really be quite the spectacle and I expect the cats will take up full-time residence in front of the screen door (lovingly installed by my handy hubby, yay!).

4th of July weekend

2009-07-08T12:36:00.001-07:00

I went up to Sacramento for the 4th of July holiday - I decided to go up to visit a few friends while my darling husband had to work. On Sunday, I went up to the mountains with some friends & my family to help them all set up for a week of camping. The day was great - the sun was out but it was not hot - not a bug in sight.... then they came with a VENGEANCE! I am posting a picture of my leg today... not to be sexy... but to show you the massive amounts of mosquito bites I am enduring. The bulk of them are on my legs but I have a couple on my neck & even 2 on my face. Nasty bugs! They have no shame!

I made it most of yesterday without scratching but by the time I got home I thought I was going to cry if I didn't give my legs some scratchy relief. Aahhhhh..... Today I wore a skirt for easier access. I am also hoping that they start to dissipate. Nothing is worse than legs full of mosquito bites.

Camp, I love you - Bugs, I do NOT love you.

I Couldn't Wait!

2009-07-01T11:26:00.001-07:00

My Flamingos came in today & I just couldn't wait to take them out of their box. So for a few hours, their temporary home is my Submit box on my desk. They make my whole desk brighter & more festive. Admittedly we're getting a few raised eyebrows but what the heck! They are great!

Welcome to the family, Herb & Jan!

9 months...

2009-06-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

No - it's not what you're thinking... no babies here yet...

Today is my 9-month anniversary with my very cute husband. So, I am just taking this blog entry to say Happy 9 Months!

I love you!

New Goodies

2009-06-24T13:42:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday I went out to the Long Beach Antique Flea Market to track down some funiture for our front entry way and I did a good job! In less than 1 hour I managed to score a new table & mirror for the hallway. They are perfect.

The table is kind of low but a great height to compliment the mirror which is a bit extra-long. I am hoping to get the mirror mounted this weekend & find some cool stuff to put on the table. My cats seem to think it belongs to them but I say No Dice!
(Don't mind all the picture frames underneath - that is my temporary storing spot while I figure out where to hang everything.)

Pay Pal Happy....

2009-06-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

Today after lunch I decided to do a little bit of internet shopping... so I thought about all of the important things that I needed to buy and what topped the list? FLAMINGOS!

And then I decided I needed a bit of decor for our bathroom...

Seemed appropriate, no? :)

Yay for Pay Pal!

oh yeah...

2009-06-18T14:59:00.001-07:00

I forgot to mention that our cats already like the new chairs. Foxy has taken to sitting on them... and don't miss Freaky Freddie with the glowing eyes in the background!

Decorating

2009-06-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've decided that decorating a whole house can be a bit of a challenge. Especially when you have a tendency to draw towards bold colors... like grass green & navy blue. It makes choosing accent pieces a bit confusing sometimes. But that's ok - the challenge has been exciting.

This last weekend, my friend Tina & I went to the Rose Bowl flea market/swap meet to check out the furniture selection. I was lucky enough to find 2 chairs & a table right of the bat & they are now patiently waiting in the guest room until we can dig out the living room enough to put them in their real home.

The chairs definitely need to be recovered.. peach is not in my palette. But they are a great shape & I love their aesthetic. The table is pretty sassy too.

So, thanks to my friend Jaimee (http://ww w.crabtastic.blogspot.com/) I found some killer Poppy Fabric at Harts Fabrics(http://www.hartsfabrics.com/). Mark even approves of it... but alas, they are out of stock. Boo! So, dear Harts... please restock this fabric soon so I can recover my chairs & have a beautiful living room with one navy blue wall & 2 poppy covered chairs.

Isn't it perfect? ...sigh....

Cuppy Cakes

2009-06-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

We had a baby shower today for the one and only male developer on our team. His wife is due next month so we invited them both for a celebratory luncheon held on our back patio... we had to kick the motocross riders off the track before lunch started.

I decided to make cupcakes for our event. I LOVE to bake & with my new kitchen I figure I'll be doing it quite often. I have to admit the cupcakes themselves left something to be desired (Boo, Martha Stewart!) but the chocolate ganache frosting & my attempt at decorating were pretty decent.

Here's my efforts at flexing my cake decorating muscles.

More baking shenanigans to come!

Happy Friday!

Foxy & Freddie

2009-06-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

Foxy & Freddie are our cats. They are not adjusting well to our move. As you can see, they are not sure what to make of all of the boxes all over our house. I can tell that they recognize certain things (they should... it's all the same stuff) but they can't really seem to grasp their new surroundings. I am hoping they learn to embrace their new home... or they may go live in the garage. Maybe...

Freddie is our "special" cat & she has a thing for hiding in the refrigerator. She started doing this last year & I thought I broke her of it but it looks like she has reverted back. I think it is a coping mechanism. I am apparently not allowed to lure her out with treats as it rewards negative behavior. Is it really necessary to use child psychology on my cats? Anyway, before you call the pet authorities on me, she does not stay in the fridge.. I usually have to pull all of that stuff out underneath her and grab her. Lately she's been holding on for dear life which makes it more challenging. I can practically hear her little cat voice snickering as I say lots of bad words trying to get her untangled from the bottom shelf with out knocking over our beer selection... don't tell me you didn't notice... it is quite impressive, we know.

So, here's to hoping that our cats regain some sense of normalcy as the boxes become fewer and fewer.

Monday, Monday...

2009-06-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well, we moved this last weekend and what a chore that was! We packed up our 24' truck on Friday & moved the whopping 16 miles from Costa Mesa to Orange. We are very excited to be in our new house & creating our own home. It has been fun however tiring.

Mark's dad & step mom came down on Saturday & helped us out with a little yard work - Mark & his dad tackled some sprinkler heads & I planted an herb garden with my step-mother-in-law (wow, that's alot of hyphens!).

Left: Mark & Dale digging out a sprinkler head

Me & my baby herb garden.

Things are progressing well. Can't wait to share more of our journey with you!

Our First....

2009-06-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

..Lawn Mower! And Weed Whacker too... but I don't have a picture of that. When we closed escrow our lawn was about 8" tall.... and now that we've had a pretty rainy week, we have about 12" of grass. So, we went off to Sears yesterday & made our first major purchase as home-owners. Would I have preferred it to be a washer & dryer? Yes. But I am very happy to have a nice mowed lawn now.
Yay for Sears!

Mark & our new lawn mower!

Remodeling.... or just painting

2009-06-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

So our house came painted nicely but in all sorts of colors that we can't stand so Mark and I decided to repaint almost the entire house. This sounded much easier than it has turned out to be... especially because we picked crazy bright colors & nothing easy. You can see the progression below. We think it's going to look rad!

Ha Ha - I'm a Lepperchaun!

2009-06-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my Blog!

I've been toying with the idea of starting one for so long & lately have been inspired by many friends that have them. So, here we are!

Maybe you're wondering about the name of my blog... Lepperchaun. This year, for St. Patrick's Day, my husband & I decided to make shirts that said "Lepper-chaun" on them - the joke is that our last name is Lepper... Lepper-chaun... Leprechaun... anyone? Well, I think it's clever.

My husband, Mark, and I just bought a house (closed last week) so we are getting it ready for moving in - the big moving day is in 3 days! We are not ready. I'll be sure to post plenty of pictures for everyone to see. Should be quite the event!

More to come - Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday!