Exterior Shot of the New Abode

So this is the house we intend to purchase in Tennessee.

Mark is down there at the home inspection right now.

Hopefully it goes well.

We decided to down size a little. 

This baby meets all our needs but is 700 square feet smaller and 90,000 dollars cheaper than our current MI house. That's more money to spend on Vacations and Purses.

Our MI house is 3600 Finished square feet which, for us, is way too big. We never step foot into 1000 sq ft of it. Why own it and pay for it if you don't use it, right?

Speaking of the Michigan house, we got any offer on it approximately 12 hours after listing it.

I'm so pleased and shocked that I have nothing else to say about that.

I'm Patting Myself on the Back Today.

This weekend I decided I would dust off the ol' sewing machine.

I haven't sewed anything in 4 years.

It was time.

I went through all my fabric...there is not a lot to go through.

And found this Zinnia Fabric: 

and I also found this Pillow case from an old queen sheet set: 

 Then I went searching for a pillow in need of a makeover.

I found a 26" x 16" pillow.

I had a pillow cover for it once but I can't find that cover anymore and I didn't like it anymore anyway.

So my plan was to use the Zinnia fabric on the front and use the polka dot fabric on the back.

If you are wondering why my headboard has a doorknob see here.

 So because I can't sew well (yet) I decided to use the finished end of the pillow slip as a sleeve like thing so the pillow can be slid in and out.

Maybe you can see it here in this picture...I hope:

 So I cut the two fabrics into 28" x 18" rectangles.

I had one hell of a time figuring out how to cut my fabric straight. It kept going up a hill. so I got online and found some you tube videos that helped a lot.

Pinned and Sewed around the edges.

I was incredibly happy to get this done and have it be a success.

My back hurt when I was done...is that normal?
Also I'm sure my husband is so happy to have one more pillow on the bed!

At Least There is a Bed...and it's Made

When I started the Spare Bedroom back in April I had grandiose ideas of how beautiful it could be!

Then I found out we were mostly likely going to move.....  

Any effort I had toward making a pretty room went away.

First: Why waste the time when I'm just going to leave it?

Second: How do I even attempt it when my brain cells are in freak out mode over leaving Michigan and moving to the "Mid-south"?
Third: Do I really want to buy more stuff that I will just have to move?

This is the best I could Muster : 

yep, it's a bed and a nightstand. 

My Shutters Propped in the corner...

It actually looks pretty good to me.

24 hours ago all the bedding was in a big pile on the bed and suit cases and random crap was all over the floor.

MOVING TO MEMPHIS!!! Unemployed & Better House-wifery

My last day of work was July 15th.

YIKES.

I had put in 1 and 1/2 months notice at my Pharmacist GIG

because we are relocating to Memphis. My husband dropped in an application for a position and got offered a job there (he will still be working for the good ole government.) We've wanted to move South for a while but never had the guts to do it. So we said "hell yeah, let's do this!" or something along those lines.

It's taking longer than we thought....

I thought we'd be moving this week.

Still going to happen but make take 1- 1 1/2 monthes longer than anticipated.

Anyway that is why I haven't been posting for a while.

The stress was kicking my butt!

Now I've fully embraced this house wife thing (until we move and I'm forced to join the Pharmacy work force again.)

Anyway I'm trying to be a better stay at home mom (I type this as I have my 3 year old positioned in front of the TV.... )

It is like 100 degrees outside after all.

see she does play outside sometimes

I have never been organized enough to make my family a good dinner more than two days in a row.

We are the most eating out people I know!!

Well that is all going to change!!

oh and I'm infatuated with the grill now too. 

I want to grill everything! It's like I'm a man or something.

I have also noticed other bloggers and friends set up a weekly Dinner menu and I think I'm going to try that too.

Also since I'm unemployed it would probably be a good idea to eat out less so this menu plan might help reduce the urge to go out...

Plan for today and tomorrow:

TODAY: Chicken (cooked in the crock pot all day) shredded and in soft tacos with Black Beans and Avocado, Salsa and Cilantro.

TOMORROW: Turkey Burgers and Strawberry Orange Pasta Salad

My Meal Plan for this up coming week:

MONDAY: Grilled Hot dogs, Salad, Macaroni & Cheese

TUESDAY: Taco Squares, Corn on the Cob, Salad

WEDNESDAY: Grilled Pizza

THURSDAY: Marinated Steak Kabobs and Grilled Squash

FRIDAY: Grilled Veggie Burgers, Baked French Fries, Grilled Peaches

Is that fancy or what?

Remember I'm trying to keep the three year old happy too...

Thursday will require a separate 3 year old menu...

Notice all the grilling?

On a Completely Random Note:

Blueberries rock.

Okay well that whole post was rather random really...

Holy Cow....I need a new diet

Hello my name is Kelly and I'm a foodaholic.
Seriously...
It's maddening really.


 I wish my scale said this when I stepped on it.
oh to be 150 lbs.

I'm pissed at myself and it is time to start a new healthy lifestyle.

Screw you food!

I've put 40 lbs on since last June and it ain't pretty. Ain't pretty at all.
So tomorrow I'll weigh-in (for my eyes only) and start this thing. I can do it!!!
Now you can note that my last post was about food...

Making My Sister's Salsa

My sister has serious salsa skills.

But when I ask for the recipe she is always like "I don't know I just threw stuff in it"

Dang it Angela.

Anyway, I went on a search online for salsa recipes that contained some of my sister's fabulous ingredients.

One of which is Chickpeas.

I FOUND ONE! YAY!

Mark, Sydney and I went to the farmers market this AM and got:

 4-5 Tomatoes

1/2 Onion

Cilantro Plant (used 3 tbsp minced)

Then off to Meijer for:

1 can black beans

2 cans chickpeas 

(recipe called for 1 can of chickpeas and one can of Kidney Beans but sissy doesn't put Kidney Beans in hers)

1 Big Can Corn

3 Jalapenos 

3 limes (just use the juice)

Ingredients from Home:

1 tablespoon Ground Cumin

2 teaspoonsful salt

1/4 -1/2 teaspoonful pepper

Drain and Rinse the beans and drain the corn.

Chop tomato,onion and jalapenos...of course.

Mix all ingredients together and fridge it up for 1 hour.

I love cilantro. A LOT.

As a matter of fact I love it so much that when one of my regular blog reads mentioned that she hated cilantro I pondered whether I could continue reading her blog or not.

I decided not to be a hater.  :)

Our Home Exterior

Our House: Last June (2010)

Our House: One Hour Ago.

YAY FOR GRASS!!

Tray Hook-up

I got this tray from Target a while ago.

I works great as a little condiment/napkin holder for the middle of the table. 

When dinner is done just move back to the kitchen counter. That way all the straws don't end up in my child's mouth...and then back in the jar.

Got the idea from here.

My Favorite Pasta Salad

Strawberry Orange Pasta Salad.

It's the best!

Original Recipe Here.

 2 cups Sliced Strawberries

 2/3 Cup Kraft Poppyseed Dressing

mixed with

1/2 cup Mayo

 20 ounce jar of mandarin oranges (drained)

 1/2 cup-ish sliced green onions

oh and 4 cups cooked Bow Tie Pasta (not pictured :)

Mix is all up and put it to chill in the fridge whilst you chill on the couch.

yum.

New Headboard! Finally!

I've been pondering a headboard for a while now and this weekend we finally made a decision.

An Old Door.

BEFORE:

Saturday Mark and I went downtown Kalamazoo to the Architectural Salvage Store (Heritage Architectural Salvage)and found a nice old door. 

 Brought it home and sanded off the top layer of paint.

I wiped it down with T.S.P. and then put a light coat of light aqua-y blue on it.

Took A+D Ointment (didn't have Vaseline) and rubbed it on several spots on the door. Saw this technique here. Made it easy to rub off some of the white paint after it dried.

I painted the whole door with 2 coat of Glidden Parchment White in Semi Gloss.

Young House Love found this to be the closest match to their Ikea White Bed. So I thought it would match my Ikea White dressers. I love Blogland...

 Mark worked his magic and attached two 1 x 4 legs that attached to the bed frame and then to the door on top. This way we didn't have to attach the thing to the wall.

AFTER:

We still have those little baby lights from Ikea on our nightstands.

Too cheap to find something more substantial right now!

Whole Project cost us $110 dollars.

Would have been a good 25 dollars cheaper if I didn't have to have the door knob and faceplate. We bought them separate to keep some of the door-ish-ness.

I think it turned out great!
I need some cute little pillows!