I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
Of course, we have not spent all of our time working on the yard and the house (though somtimes it feels like it!). We have spent a lot of time enjoying everything summer has to offer. Some highlights:
*Weezer and Barenaked Ladies concerts in Omaha.
*Shelby and Nathan participated in the Lancaster County Fair agility competition and got third place in the beginner's division.
*Shelby also got to go swimming at the local water park and loved it.
*Time with good friends.
*Lots of eating outside--love the dog-friendly patios.
*Getting caught up on our Netflix Instant Watch list.
*New iPhone (in case you couldn't tell, I no longer use a camera. Too easy just to pull out the phone and take pictures!)
*Lots of reading and wine drinking.
I am so glad we had a good summer, even though it was so hot! but I have to admit I am looking forward to fall, which feels even closer now than before, thanks to Labor Day Monday. Hope you all enjoy your last summer weekend and day off!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Summer Loving: Indoor Improvements
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
While the outside of the house has been the main focus for us, we have also done a few improvements to the inside of the house. Some of these include:
*New nightstands for our bedroom.
*A new chair fabric for my writing desk.
*A freshly-painted laundry room/guest bathroom.
I have lots of before and after photos and possibly-helpful tutorials for these projects, so I'll separate them out into more detailed posts next month. Who knows, there might be more indoor projects to add to that list, too.
While the outside of the house has been the main focus for us, we have also done a few improvements to the inside of the house. Some of these include:
*New nightstands for our bedroom.
*A new chair fabric for my writing desk.
*A freshly-painted laundry room/guest bathroom.
I have lots of before and after photos and possibly-helpful tutorials for these projects, so I'll separate them out into more detailed posts next month. Who knows, there might be more indoor projects to add to that list, too.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Summer Loving: Outdoor Improvements
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
Nathan especially has been spending a lot of time outside this summer working on the yard, and I've been known on occassion to help him out. One of the biggest projects he has taken on are the raised beds, which you've seen before here.
Now, the beds have not only filled in, but the path has been laid down.
The bases were still really awesome though, because they swiveled, so Nathan removed all of the broken webbing and ordered vinyl strap material off the internet as a replacement.
He first drilled holes on each side of the chair and cut the straps to the right length. Once the straps were cut, he drilled holes on either end and made a triangle shape on the ends so they would fit underneath the chair frame. The straps then must be stretched acrros the frame, and plastic pins fit in the holes in the frame. Here's a work in progress:
I had planned on making chair covers for them, but then we found these at Target on clearance for $8, which is cheaper than it would be if I made them.
Nathan especially has been spending a lot of time outside this summer working on the yard, and I've been known on occassion to help him out. One of the biggest projects he has taken on are the raised beds, which you've seen before here.
Now, the beds have not only filled in, but the path has been laid down.
I love the way this turned out, and Nathan put a lot of work into it. It's especially nice to sit on the back patio with a drink when it's cool and see how nice the beds and the path look. Speaking of sittting...
We also added a new seating area on the newly expanded back patio. We had some chairs that went with our patio table originally that started falling apart, because they used the vinyl webbing and it eventually started tearing.
The bases were still really awesome though, because they swiveled, so Nathan removed all of the broken webbing and ordered vinyl strap material off the internet as a replacement.
He first drilled holes on each side of the chair and cut the straps to the right length. Once the straps were cut, he drilled holes on either end and made a triangle shape on the ends so they would fit underneath the chair frame. The straps then must be stretched acrros the frame, and plastic pins fit in the holes in the frame. Here's a work in progress:
I had planned on making chair covers for them, but then we found these at Target on clearance for $8, which is cheaper than it would be if I made them.
So that's how we were able to repurpose chairs we already had to create a fun seating area. I also added a coffee table I found at Target, as well.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Summer Loving: Antiques Road Show & Other Travels
I know that many of you have noticed I haven't been around all that much this summer, so this week, I thought I would share some of what we have been doing before the summer is over.
Back in July, I was able to take 10 days off and spend some time with my mom in Colorado. But we started our 10 days visiting my grandparents and also going to Antiques Roadshow in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Back in July, I was able to take 10 days off and spend some time with my mom in Colorado. But we started our 10 days visiting my grandparents and also going to Antiques Roadshow in Rapid City, South Dakota.
We all brought treasures with us--I had my minature books and a bracelet, my mom had a Santa figurine and her collection of glass cocktail toothpicks, my grandma and aunt both brought jewelry, and my grandma also brought a ship in a bottle she got when she worked at the POW camp in Scottsbluff in exchange for a suitcase. We didn't make it on TV (even though I thought we had the coolest stuff) but we had a lot of fun.
The rest of the week, I was able to see some friends and spend time with family and do a lot of summer Colorado things I've missed, like swimming in the lake. We also worked on a couples shower we were having for my best friend from high school. It was a "Colorado Living" shower, so we used blue, red, and yellow for the colors. Mom made table squares and napkins, and we used mason jars with candles. Joe did the catering, BBQ pork and beef + all the best sides that go with it, and we had lemonade and tea with vodka. We were having so much fun that I didn't take any pictures to share with you, of either the process or the finished product. Nathan was able to come out for the weekend, too, so we had a fun mini-vacation together, too.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Birthday Cake
My mom always made the best birthday cakes. They would be round two-layer cakes with buttercream frosting (that we would get to have on graham crackers, too, if there was extra), with our names iced on the top and, of course, candles for every year, served on a cake plate.
When we registered for the wedding, I made sure I included it so I also had a cake plate, almost exclusively for birthday cakes. Sadly, the poor guy has hardly been used at all, and never for a birthday cake. So this year for Nathan's birthday, I decided to put it to use.
Thanks to pinterest, I found a recipe for lemon-blueberry marble cake, on a blog called Lick The Bowl Good. I was a little worried as I started making it because it was a little more detailed than I thought I could handle (I mean, there was actual cake flour involved!) but they looked OK when they went in the oven and when they came out. I actually did the recipe a little differently, because I didn't have three round cake pans. I halved it, and split it between two pans, and the cakes came out just a little smaller, which was fine because it wasn't serving very many people. I also totally used the jar of jam vs. making them.
The frosting recipe, however, was something I knew was above my skill-set (and timeframe. and patience level.) So instead I used a basic white icing glaze, from Martha Stewart, which was preferable for Nathan anyway because he doesn't like frosting all that much. It didn't look as pretty though.
So there you have it, my first birthday cake baking experience. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.
When we registered for the wedding, I made sure I included it so I also had a cake plate, almost exclusively for birthday cakes. Sadly, the poor guy has hardly been used at all, and never for a birthday cake. So this year for Nathan's birthday, I decided to put it to use.
Thanks to pinterest, I found a recipe for lemon-blueberry marble cake, on a blog called Lick The Bowl Good. I was a little worried as I started making it because it was a little more detailed than I thought I could handle (I mean, there was actual cake flour involved!) but they looked OK when they went in the oven and when they came out. I actually did the recipe a little differently, because I didn't have three round cake pans. I halved it, and split it between two pans, and the cakes came out just a little smaller, which was fine because it wasn't serving very many people. I also totally used the jar of jam vs. making them.
The frosting recipe, however, was something I knew was above my skill-set (and timeframe. and patience level.) So instead I used a basic white icing glaze, from Martha Stewart, which was preferable for Nathan anyway because he doesn't like frosting all that much. It didn't look as pretty though.
So there you have it, my first birthday cake baking experience. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Top Summer Reads: 5 to 1
Today we have the top 5 of my summer reads. They are new releases by authors I love, so it's no surprise I enjoyed them as much as I did.
1. The song remains the same, Allison Winn Scotch
My favorite part about this book was the look at music and how important it is in our lives. I also thought the characters were so well-written, as was their journey from beginning to end.
2. The next best thing, Jennifer WeinerI loved the look behind the scenes of producing a TV show. I liked how the main characters weren't perfect, too.
3. Another piece of my heart, Jane Green
This seemed like a very real situation, and one that is applicable to many people who have divorced and remarried. I thought looking at these relationships on that level was very moving.
4. Jeneration X , Jen Lancaster
Another hilarious memoir. I love her chapter on flying, because that is how I feel sometimes. I like how real Jen Lancaster is, and how easily I can relate to what she is writing about.
5. Spring fever, Mary Kay Andrews
I didn't start out loving Mary Kay Andrews' books, but this was one of the best. I loved the twist ending.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Top 20 Summer Reads: 10 to 6
In the mix today, we have almost all new releases--except for one memoir that came at the end of my "JFK era" phase, though it was also released recently.
6. I’ve Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would--I thought the premise sounded kind of impossible, but it wasn't. I again loved the way technology is starting to become incorporated into novels.
7. Where We Belong, Emily Giffin
A look at motherhood, adoption, and figuring out who we really are. I liked this book a great deal, but it did not move to the top of my list of my favorite Emily Giffin books.
8. Sea Change, Karen White
This book felt a little darker than Karen White's other works, but still incorporated the history of the south and the spiritual elements that I love about her other books.
9. The shoemaker's wife, Adriana Trigiani
I liked Adriana Trigiani's take on historical fiction, because I love her other books. The love story spanned decades and continents.
10. Fairy Tale interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio
A look at the friendship between JFK and his assistant, very moving.
6. I’ve Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would--I thought the premise sounded kind of impossible, but it wasn't. I again loved the way technology is starting to become incorporated into novels.
7. Where We Belong, Emily Giffin
A look at motherhood, adoption, and figuring out who we really are. I liked this book a great deal, but it did not move to the top of my list of my favorite Emily Giffin books.
8. Sea Change, Karen White
This book felt a little darker than Karen White's other works, but still incorporated the history of the south and the spiritual elements that I love about her other books.
9. The shoemaker's wife, Adriana Trigiani
I liked Adriana Trigiani's take on historical fiction, because I love her other books. The love story spanned decades and continents.
10. Fairy Tale interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio
A look at the friendship between JFK and his assistant, very moving.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Top 20 Summer Reads: 15 to 11
Today, we're back with books 15 to 11. Some of these are new summer releases, but others have been around and I'm just now finding them.
11. Promises to keep, Jane Green.
Anyone who isn't bawling their eyes out at the end of this book is crazy. One of Jane Green's first books set in Amercia (as far as I could tell).
12. Wife 22, Melanie Gideon.
This was a unique premise, about a woman who is completing an online marriage survey. It was a bit predictable, but I liked the way she incorprated technology (Facebook, texts, Google searches) into the book.
13. Eighteen acres, Nicolle Wallace A political thriller--I liked the way we had the perspective of three women and how the plot connected all of them.
14. Where she went, Gayle Forman A Young Adult book that is a sequel to If I Stay. I liked that the book was told by Adam's point of view this time, and how the events of If I Stay impacted him.
15. The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty
A new release--Since I am loving the early 1900s, with my recent obsession with "Downton Abbey," this was fun. It was an interesting take on a woman's life during this time and very unpredictable.
11. Promises to keep, Jane Green.
Anyone who isn't bawling their eyes out at the end of this book is crazy. One of Jane Green's first books set in Amercia (as far as I could tell).
12. Wife 22, Melanie Gideon.
This was a unique premise, about a woman who is completing an online marriage survey. It was a bit predictable, but I liked the way she incorprated technology (Facebook, texts, Google searches) into the book.
13. Eighteen acres, Nicolle Wallace A political thriller--I liked the way we had the perspective of three women and how the plot connected all of them.
14. Where she went, Gayle Forman A Young Adult book that is a sequel to If I Stay. I liked that the book was told by Adam's point of view this time, and how the events of If I Stay impacted him.
15. The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty
A new release--Since I am loving the early 1900s, with my recent obsession with "Downton Abbey," this was fun. It was an interesting take on a woman's life during this time and very unpredictable.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Top 20 Summer Reads: 20 to 16
My poor library account says "you currently have no books checked out." That is almost unbelievable, because I have always had books on hand this summer. So, to catch us up, I'm going to post five of the top 20 books I've read this summer each day this week. Here are my first five:
16: Between you and me, Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
The authors of The Nanny Diaries, oneof my favorites, are back with a book about family. And fame. And what happens when these two interact.
17: Wallflower in bloom, Claire Cook
Another book about families and fame. This was a fun read--I felt like I was watching "Dancing With The Stars."
18: Alphabet weekends, Elizabeth Noble
An interesting look at the start of a romantic relationship between two friends.
19: Savannah blues, Mary Kay Andrews
One of Mary Kay Andrews' older works, but it was fun to see the other side of the story (I had read the sequel before the original book).
20: Southern charm, Tinsley Mortimer
A look at life in New York City from the eyes of a socialite.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Summer's End
It may not be true, but it feels like summer is basically over. Today is August 1, and on top of that, I saw kids around the schools this morning while Shelby and I were out taking a walk. Soon, we will have all sorts of traffic, Shelby will spend every afternoon barking at kids, and, oh ya, the relaxed mentality I've been loving since summer started will turn into productivity. (I hope.) Hopefully the weather will at least cool down a little if we have to let go of summer.
Even though I'm not in school, I still think of summer as break (in case you couldn't tell by the lack of my posting). I've been working, of course, because you can't really get a break from work for the summer unless you're a teacher or have another really cool job. But I've also been reading, watching the TV shows that are so ridiculous they have to be shown in the summer (or just the really good cable ones that I'm behind on thanks to not having cable), starting random projects, trying to help out with the garden, and traveling.
I'll be sure to catch you up on all of the happenings soon, especially on the books I've been reading and the projects I haven't necessarily been completing.
Even though I'm not in school, I still think of summer as break (in case you couldn't tell by the lack of my posting). I've been working, of course, because you can't really get a break from work for the summer unless you're a teacher or have another really cool job. But I've also been reading, watching the TV shows that are so ridiculous they have to be shown in the summer (or just the really good cable ones that I'm behind on thanks to not having cable), starting random projects, trying to help out with the garden, and traveling.
I'll be sure to catch you up on all of the happenings soon, especially on the books I've been reading and the projects I haven't necessarily been completing.
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