Banana Bread

SORRY for the food posts lately.

I don't know what my deal is but this whole bake and cook thing is a new development in my household.

We are usually Subway (the restaurant) kind of people.

I added a half bag (3/4ths more likely) of the Chocolate/ peanut butter swirl chips to my banana bread today. Mostly just because they were in the pantry and I love them.

Turned out pretty tasty.

Sydney even took 2 bites before spitting it out.

I call that a success.

On the Bright Side

This was in the mail today. I love CB2. That makes me a little less glum....but I can't really buy anything.

curve candleholder 79.95

Dane Table Lamp 99.95

Piazza sofa $1299

Okay so I'm back to being sad again.

It's a Blah Kinda Day

I'm in a funk today. It's rainy and cold. I have things I should do but nothing I want to do. The dog is barking at everything and puked in the dining room..... again. Sydney needs a nap and I need a Prozac (or a night out). Tomorrow will be better. I hope.

Taco Night

I cooked some sort of cow (roast...maybe) in the slow cooker today. 2lbs worth I think. Anyway, I threw it in there with two packets of taco seasoning and let it cook all day. It was pretty fantastic. My carnivore husband thinks I rock.

Hey Vegetarians......sorry for the up close and personal view of cooked meat.

I really am sorry.



It was good and we are full. oh... and of course my little picky eater would have none of it!!

Interesting Bathroom

We've got our house on the market as you may already know and I spend a lot of evenings looking for our next "dream home" on-line. Well we've started to think maybe we could handle another fixer upper (not as bad as or current house started out). Anyway I found a great 60's era ranch and was look thru the pics of it on-line and came across this gem. Mirrored wallpaper???? I love it! and by love it I mean, I can't believe my eyes!

WELL HELLO BETTY.

I made cake mix cookies with heath pieces. Pretty good.

Preheat oven to 350

Mix:

1 Cake Mix

2 Eggs

1/3 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I started with 1/3 then had to add a dash more)

1 bag Heath Crumbs

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Check out the crazy face in the door window in the background.

By the Way: Heath crumb cake cookies were not really her thing....

A View from my Front Door.

Come to my house on most days and this is what you'll find. Honestly the rest of the house is usually clean but not the room that gives the first impression. How frustrating....

Crying Fit in the Midst of Cookie Baking

She really needs a nap and also really wont take one. She was so mad that I wouldn't/couldn't come lay down. When I say lay down... I mean I lay down and she runs around the room screaming "Mommy Sleep!....MOMMY SLEEP!"

Not Ready for Christmas Decor

Got rid of the Halloween decor and put my mantel back together....apparently I'm not ready for Christmas yet..... or Fall for that matter.

I got the prints in the frames from Ikea.

Sydney is Sick

Love this Color Combo.

I got called at work to pick up my sick child from daycare today. Temp 102. I'm currently wondering if I'm a sucky mom or if this illness just had a short onset time. She was a happy little lady when I dropped her off this A.M. I'm a pharmacist and my pharmacy was busy today too..... thank goodness there were two pharmacists on duty...now one. I wish him good luck and my poor technicians too.

Anyway that picture has nothing to do with this topic except that I love the black and white bedding with the yellow and felt like posting it
Sydney is laying on her crib mattress on the floor of the rec room watching Little Bear and I don't find that show very intellectually (did I spell that right) stimulating so here I am.

Guess I'll go take down the Halloween Decor.

The Coat kinda Took Away From it a Little

My little BEE. Too bad it was FREEZING and she had to wear her coat.

She had a blast though and that is all that matters

Happy Halloween!

Getting ready to make these:

Baking Bites Halloween Oreo Cheesecakes

My Grocery store didn't have the Halloween colored oreos.....shoot.

I bought the all chocolate ones and just got the little Halloween Toothpick Flags to stick in them so they have a Halloween look. No where near as cute but you do what you gotta do, right?

Syd's Room

I don't think we have any before pics of this but it was varnished pine paneling. We added new windows, doors and carpet. We also did some serious painting in here.

What we Bought on Our Ikea Trip.... Woot Woot!!!

And so...with our child safely with her Grandma and Grandpa we headed across state to IKEA in Canton, MI. OUR GOAL: Storage for Sydney's Crap....I mean toys.

So we looked and looked and looked. I was beginning to think this Ikea trip would turn out like so many others where I showed up with big ideas and high hopes and left with $4.00 worth of tea lights and a $1.99 throw rug.

Then I found the EXPEDIT.

Now don't get me wrong I've seen this there a zillion times before but on this trip it spoke to me. So Mark and I loaded it up and home it came. We also bought these cool door insert things that hide some of the crap... I mean toys. You'll see those below.

Here is Mark looking mildly psychotic.... his usual look it seems. He's got his tools and he is ready to assemble!

Mark breaking into the box here. Josie (dog) always finds her way into the photos. Nevermind the swept up pile of dog hair in the corner.

Here she is all finished and loaded up. See the doors I was talking about.

Bucket (also Ikea) for blocks and random small toys.

I usually don't get so excited about Ikea stuff but this really worked out great. I'm pretty geeked.

Sydney Goes For The Off The Shoulder Look

Trying out a new look.

Quickie Art for the Spare bedroom.

click on the collage to get the full up close experience.

I had a 18x24" canvas in my basement that I painted blue with some paint left over from my daughter's bedroom ceiling. Then I cut strips of scrap book paper and Mod Podged the thing all over. Little birdie print was one of those scrap booking rub-ons and I added a little strip of the same scrapbook paper from the canvas.

The burlap strip of paper really bubbled on the canvas but other than that turned out OK... all in all.

By the way I know that dresser is U-G-L-Y!

Got it Framed

Hanging in the hall!!

Upstairs Bedroom Pitifulness...

We stripped wall paper painted trim and put in new door and windows. Then I painted it very dark and heinous shades of blue and green (2 walls blue/ 2 walls green). Then I painted it an equally heinous shade of yellow as it still remains. Modern looking furniture from the old (more contemporary house) need to make its way to craigs list!! Maybe I'll try a frugal fix up this week....

Anybody have a cheap recommendation that doesn't involve painting?

You Want Some Free Paint??????

REGISTER TODAY AT GLIDDEN AND GET A FREE QUART OF PAINT:
Link:

GLIDDEN

You have to register TODAY though (10-11-09). Also once you register you will have to print out a form to send in with a label off an old paint can of another brand. Not really a big deal I promise... took me 5 minutes total.

By the way I picked Deeepest Aqua........

I Likey my Coffee

I like Coffee. I also like my coffee cup from Cafe Press.

My Sydney

Halloween Mantel Finished.....I think????

BEFORE: Sparse Summer Mantel

DURING: I knew this was kind of sad looking but was having trouble figuring out what to do about it.

AFTER: Finally looking pretty good!!

This mantel is super long and super narrow, uneven and off kilter. Makes it hard to decorate......