Baby Shower

We've made it to North Carolina! What an experience it was! (blog post to follow).

John and I drove across the country from Ft. Lewis, WA allllllllll the way to Ft. Bragg, NC. While our Army career has been short (we're going on four years), we have made some really wonderful friends. Before we left Washington, our friends helped us do last minute projects on the house and I even through a shower for my dear friend, Jamie! Here are some of the highlights!

Jamie isn't into "baby" things so when coming up with a theme for her shower, my friends and I decided, rustic/camping would be the best idea.

 food.

We wanted to keep things simple in order
to have the day focus on Jamie so we did
a very simple menu that allowed for everything
to be made ahead of time -- I mean, who doesn't LOVE that?

BLTA's with garlic aioli on sourdough
pasta salad
fruit & veggie tray

dessert.

Whenever I think of camping, immediately

I think of marshmallows... and chocolate...

and graham crackers.

s'mores in the house!

decor.

book ends.

The hubs cut these logs in half from our cedar tree. Ashley found the inspiration on pinterest, but we made it our own. The S for Greg & Jamie's last name & then a picture of the two of them. We started little Schlotski's library.

We have trees E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E in our yard. Tall ones, small ones, fat ones. You name it, we have it. John cut down this lovely ceder tree when our friend Scotty came to visit. We made these candle holders (which later turned into s'more roasters). 

No real explanation is needed. Mason jars are the latest craze and they just scream
R-U-S-T-I-C.

 Onesie wall.

we created this onesie wall equipped with pictures of Jamie and Greg growing up. This took a little pre-planning just because I needed to contact their family for the pictures. Boy were they surprised!

guestbook.

at my own baby shower, my sister had people bring books instead of a card and then had people sign a book as the guestbook. This idea is probably the single most greatest idea anyone can ever do for two reasons.

1 you have a library for your child
2. you get to look back and read the well-wishes of those who love you and your baby.

presents.

because every little girl needs a hairbow (or two), I made this bow holder and then this hairbow (and others). But this one is particularly special because it came from one of Jamie's dresses.

Every baby needs a nickname,  & Baby Girl Swears has been dubbed "Schlotski"

sidenote: these are the gals I keep talking about. They're the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. That cute dog there, is sweet Buttons.

#2. Scrape popcorn ceilings

When I started the ceiling project, all I could think was, You didn't give me the wonderful hardwood floors under the shag I was hoping for so the ceilings must be perfect under all that popcorn.
                                                                 

the little specks that look like dirt are actually flecks of glitter

I decided one of the cheapest ways to bring our 70's loveshack into the 21st century would be to scrape the ceilings. Not only were our ceilings popcorn-ed but we were also blessed with gold glitter.







I was under the impression that this was going to be the easiest project. I mean, how hard is it to spray the ceiling with a squirt bottle and then scrape it with a putty knife!? My ceilings, though, were not as smooth and fantastic underneath as other bloggers had said their's were. My ceilings required a series of putty-ing and sanding before the priming & painting could begin.

Have I ever mentioned how great my friends are? Here is a picture of me and a friend who rocked at putty-ing and sanding ceilings. She was like a machine and kept my 1st trimester pregnant self going.

side note: this whole process is messy. It's smart to section off the room from the rest of the house so that the dust is mostly limited to the room you're working with.

Check out the awesome 

metallic wallpaper! 

Thanks, Murphys!

The Process:

If your house was built before 1979, then you should get your popcorn tested for asbestos. It's not required by law, but the EPA highly recommends it.

Gather all of your materials:
goggles (the popcorn falls into your eyes... who wants that?)
mask (I was strict about this because I was pregnant)
putty knife (bigger the better)
ladder (I'm short, and couldn't always reach the ceiling)
spray bottle (good ol' Dollar Tree helped me out here)
drop cloths (to keep the floor clean/ easy clean up)
water

Later on you will need:
putty
putty knife
sand paper (high & low grit)

The process is pretty self explanatory. I just sprayed the ceiling with my spray bottle filled with water from the Dollar Tree in sections and then scraped it as I went. It was time consuming, but with a friend (thank you, Ginger), it went by pretty fast fast enough because there was someone to talk to.

Afterwards, putty is used to fill in the imperfections/nail divets etc. Sand smooth & repeat.

Eventually, you will end up with a beautifully smooth ceiling. Once this happens, you can begin priming & eventually painting!

In total, we scraped six ceilings and two hallways. My ceilings are by no means perfect, but I can live with them. They have definitely updated the house quite a bit. It's a relatively cheap project, but again, quite time consuming.

Airplane + Baby

Hola Friends!

It's been quite a while since I last blogged. Tristan and I have been busy traveling... We did five flights (two layovers) in less than two weeks. Tristan has officially turned 9 months and the kid has already been on ten different flights can we say world traveler!? 

A lot of friends have asked for advice for traveling with an infant.. I think I now qualify as an expert since good ol' TAB-ular and I have been on so many flights.

Pre-flight 

Since Tristan is only 9 months old, I have always brought my snap and go stroller to the airport. This allows me to have my car seat with me just in case there are extra seats on the plane. If there are, the ticketing agent will allow you to bring the car seat on. can you say hands free!? If not, you can just check the stroller and the car seat at the gate. No harm done. 

disclaimer: rearfacing car seats must be in the window seat. That way you don't have to climb over it in case of an emergency.

The only downfall to bringing the snap & go and the car seat is going through security. You have to take the baby out and fold up the stroller & the car seat and push it on the belt. Sometimes though, you get lucky and find a good samaritan who will pretend to be a part of your party so he doesn't have to go through the invasive body scanner. However, if the creeper isn't there to help you out, sometimes a TSA agent will help.

Feedings

Tristan is a formula fed baby. Instead of searching for water at the airport, I just pack warm water in a thermos. You have to take it out at security and they do a litmus test on it, but it's worth it. You even save a few dollars -- I just bought a Vitamin water at Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport for $4.00! I've found feeding him beforehand makes things a whole lot easier for me. At take off, I just give him a pacifier.

If your baby doesn't use a pacifier, then I would hold off and let them eat during take off/ landing, but again, to me, it is just added stress. Every time I go to feed him, it reminds me of a chemistry experiment. 

Imagine:   Thermos + Bottle + tupperware of formula all on the tray in front of you + baby on your lap so, as you can imagine, I try to avoid this at all cost.

If your baby does use a pacifier, I suggest getting a pacifier clip. This eliminates the five second rule and the need to ask your neighbor to help find the pacifier.

Keepin' Busy
I frequently switch out Tristan's toys so that he doesn't get bored with his toys. When we get ready to go on our trips, I always pull out the least noisy toys as possible. Some of Tristan's favorites are:
1. soft book - this is good because I can read it to him & he can chew on it.
2. Eric Carle's butterfly - it lights up too :)
3. "the baby ipod" - this comes with two volumes. Low & Loud.
4. the rubber duck

Diaper Bag
1. Extra clothes. They are a must.
I've learned this the hard way. On our third flight (at 3.5 months), Tristan had a massive blow out. I was lucky enough to have John with us for this one. I knew how tight the space was in the bathroom, so I took Tristan's pants off as we boarded the flight. WHOOPS. John had quite a few pity looks coming his way.
2. Tupperware of formula (if you formula feed your baby).
You never know if your flight will be delayed. Flight #10 was. We hung out in Chicago for the night.
at our hotel in Chicago. I'm blessed with one happy boy!
3. More than one pacifier.
I left the pacifier clip in NY. Pacifier #1 fell on the bus floor. I normally abide by the five, okay ten second rule, except when something falls on the bus floor. Pacifier #2 fell somewhere mid-flight and my neighbor and I couldn't find it. Bring on Pacifier #3 & an overnight in Chicago.
4. Diapers, Diapers Diapers! (and wipes!, and a travel-sized powder too!)
I change Tristan at every feeding (every three hours) unless he poops. Plan accordingly.
5. Snacks for baby (He's currently eating Puffs)
6. My kindle just in case he gets his own seat & sleeps

* When he was younger I would always bring an extra shirt for me. However, now that he's older, we've reached an understanding... no bodily fluids on the mama.

The most important thing is to remain calm. The flight attendants are super helpful. Fellow passengers typically are understanding too, especially if you are actively trying to soothe your baby. Enjoy the trip!

ahh, a sleeping baby is always a good baby.

Home Renovation #1: Get rid of all carpet & put in new flooring

When John and I did our initial walk through of the house, I said, "You know, this carpet really isn't that bad. We can keep it around a little while if we get them cleaned." I however, didn't realize I was pregnant at the time and when we finally bought the house and started cleaning it up for the big move-in day, my pregnant brain went into overdrive and I demanded the carpet be taken out. My sweet husband (along with some wonderful friends of ours) obliged and took out all of the carpet. Here is what we were originally working with:

that red carpet in the distance in fact leads to the kitchen! 

Carpet in the kitchen!? Carpet in the bathroom!? Carpet everywhere! ... even on the covered patio.

             

Perhaps the most upsetting part of all of our home renovations is the fact I didn't take NEARLY

enough pictures of the "before" & hardly any of the "during." -- SHAME on me.

Again, not terrible at first glance. I kept rationalizing keeping the carpet because there wasn't one stain on this carpet, which, I figured for the 30+ years that the Murphy's lived here, they must NEVER have stepped foot/ate in the dinning room or living room area. However, upon further inspection, I realized that shag doesn't show the stain because it is hidden deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep within. I found a random assortment of things including TONS of bobby pins -- immediately I felt sorry for leaving mine around all of the time, SORRY JOHN! Anyway, sweet, practical Diana who originally viewed this property decided that in no way would her baby (in 8 short months) be crawling around the sea of shag looking for daily surprises so out went the carpet! 

*disclaimer: we lived with just the sub-flooring throughout most of our house for quite a few months before some of it was put in.

I was so relieved that it was leaving, that I didn't even have a plan for what would replace it. I just knew I wanted it out as soon as it could be and John was leaving for a quick month down to Fort Irwin, so it had to be before he left. I grew up with all hardwood flooring, so naturally, I wanted that throughout my house -- easy clean up. John, on the other hand, grew up with carpets in the bedrooms and wood flooring throughout the rest of the house. We compromised, because after all isn't that what marriage is all about? We have bamboo flooring that we bought from Lumber Liquidators that is in the kitchen, dinning room, hallway, and formal living room. Carpet was put in in all three bedrooms and the down stairs living area.

this is the carpet we went with...

 a neutral tone that our future renters 

will love.

Partial view of the wood floor we chose.

We didn't want to go too dark because

of the dark cabinetry throughout the house.

Flooring process: 

Carpet first (thank you Home Depot) -- this took care of all of the bedrooms & the down stairs living room

Tile in both bathrooms (these too had carpet. All I could think was C'mon Murphys!)

New stair treads (stained by yours truly)

Bamboo flooring in formal living room

Bamboo flooring in dinning room

Bamboo flooring in kitchen 

Making Apple Pie

AH! Once again, I have not followed through on a goal that I have set for myself. It seems that my life gets so busy that I forget to come to blog. I haven't stopped doing things on my list, but I just forget to put them up -- SORRY.

On Easter, I attempted to make my very first apple pie. I guess there was some divine inspiration when I was making this list, because back in July, I would have never known that my friend, Courtney's husband would want an homemade apple pie -- I suppose this too falls under list item # 26 "cook something I've never made before." I must say, though, this pie turned out a lot better than the queso dip did back in August.

In my family, my Aunt Sue is known for her superb cooking skills. It seems that whenever I go back to Michigan to see my family, she is able to whip up something delicious from random things she finds in her cabinets. She is one of those women who takes the time to make homemade bread (not in a bread maker), cinnamon rolls, and every other delectable thing that we just go out and buy these days. After years of following her around in the kitchen, I'm finally getting some of her recipes. It's funny how much we're alike when we cook. I ask her for a recipe and she, after years of making it, doesn't remember the exact amount of ingredients. She has been doing it so long that she just eyeballs it until it looks right, or until it tastes right. Although this makes for recipes to be a little tricky to replicate (just ask John. He always says my tomato sauce's taste changes every time I make it), I wouldn't have it any other way. It's "old school" and I like it -- I guess I was born in the wrong generation.

Anyway, for a delicious & easy apple pie recipe -- It's now coming from memory because I have long since lost the piece of paper that I wrote down the recipe on.

3 lbs of apples, peeled & sliced (I used granny smith)
1 tbs flour
1-2 tbs lemon juice (so the apples don't turn brown)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
cinnamon to taste -- be careful not to get too excited like me and add too much.

Mix together in a big bowl & pour into pie pan

For the crust, I cheated and just bought one of the roll out ones you'd find in the refrigerated section in the grocery store.

Bake the pie on 350 for about an hour or until the apples get soft.

I then topped it off with homemade whipped cream. It's only 2 ingredients & tastes WAY better than what you'd find in any store-- here's another "eyeballed" recipe for you.

Desired amount of heavy whipping cream
spoon in powered sugar while whipping cream with a hand mixer.

 making the whipped cream

Mix until thickened and is nice and fluffy.

You'll know if you have enough sugar because the cream will no longer taste like cream, it'll taste like a sweetened taste of heaven.


Overall, Bobby liked the pie (or claimed to... perhaps he was being nice? there was a lot of cinnamon in it). I will know next time not to get too excited when putting in the cinnamon. I think after a few more tries, my pie will be just as delicious as my Aunt Sue's. --- Thanks for the recipe, Aunt Susie.

see how much cinnamon was in that pie!!? 

it's super dark!

72 Hold Richard & Emily's wedding present ransom until I speak with Emily

I am finally able to post pictures of the wedding present I made for Richard and Emily! I was VERY excited to make this present for them. I wanted to make sure that I gave them a gift that was very meaningful because I was unable to attend their wedding. I was so bummed that I wasn't able to go. Looking at pictures, I can see that I missed a very wonderful time. --- Sorry again, Paules'! I hope ya'll like your present, though! :)