Our home was a foreclosure which means 2 things: 1. The previous owners basically just packed their stuff and left. No cleaning whatsoever. So we've been busy making this place sparkle and shine. 2. We're assuming they weren't exactly full of warm fuzzies when they left thus leading them to pilfer a few things from the house. One of the rather unfortunate items they took was the oven racks. What they will do with oven racks sans an oven is beyond me.
For a while we debated whether to buy new racks (which are extremely overpriced) or just get a new oven (the oven is just 2 years younger than me, so it's basically ancient.) But I kept hearing my dad say, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." Turns out it's Bryan's favorite saying as well. Darn. So, new oven racks are on their way.
Meanwhile, we've been without an oven for 3 weeks now. We grill a lot and use our crock pot and the stove. Eventually our need for cookies became desperate. So, we pulled out the toaster oven that we got for our wedding but have hardly used. Turns out it's a pretty good replacement oven. We've made cookies, biscuits, roasted veggies, and caramel apples in it. And, it's completing all of our childhood dreams - we have our very own easy bake oven.
10.20.2011
On ovens
Posted by Rachel at 9:13 PM 1 comments
Labels: Home
10.18.2011
10.17.2011
Pumpkin Patch
Posted by Rachel at 6:58 AM 0 comments
Labels: Halloween
10.14.2011
Stripes!
One of the very best things about owning our own place is being able to paint. Bryan and his dad painted our whole downstairs a couple weekends ago and consequently are now my heroes. But we had a big blank wall in our eating area that was begging for some excitement. And so I added stripes.
I had never painted before so I pretty much had no clue what I was doing. I tried to tape straight lines and they turned out not straight at all. But, Bryan saved me and taped the most beautiful lines I've ever seen. I then used the technique for painting perfect stripes in this blog post. Bless the internet. My stripes turned out perfectly and I am giddy about them.
She thinks they're pretty great too
Posted by Rachel at 3:35 PM 4 comments
Labels: Home Decor
10.13.2011
11 months
Eleven months is dangerously close to one year. Oh, what am I to do?!?!
At 11 months Jillian
- can say mama, dada, and baby
- gives lots of hugs and big slobbery kisses
- prefers crawling, but can walk- her record is 8 steps in a row
- has learned how to arch her back when she doesn't want to do something like get in her car seat or be held when she wants to crawl.
- looooooves her kitty cat book. We don't go anywhere without it.
- gets into everything- a house full of boxes is her greatest dream come true
- has 2 little (but sharp!) teeth on the bottom
- waves bye bye
Posted by Rachel at 1:29 PM 1 comments
10.11.2011
Did you know
Posted by Rachel at 9:57 PM 4 comments
10.04.2011
Chaos
We are officially moved in and thus officially living in chaos. Every time I reach into the top drawer for a spoon, I come up empty handed and then remember that silverware is now in the second drawer. I'm quite positive that I have a black and white polka dot skirt but it has yet to show up in all my unpacking. Our bed is constantly covered with nicknacks that need to find a home. Each night we throw everything on the floor and hope that it will magically be gone by morning (it never is.) Jilly loves the stairs in our new house, she could go up and down them all day long. But, she is somehow under the impression that we don't sleep in this house. It's been quite a struggle.
Last year when we moved I blogged about my moving survival mechanisms. Yet again, magic erasers saved the day. I seriously love those things. Also, this post from my friend Kara came right at the perfect time. I just filled an old spray bottle with water then added about a quarter cup of vinegar. I love this because A. it's cheap, B. it works on almost everything, C. it makes my house smell like salt and vinegar chips. Lastly, I didn't have Kate, Jack, and Sawyer to keep me company this year but I did have Dr. McDreamy and he fills the void very well.
This weekend we were able to enjoy peace amidst the chaos in General Conference. On Saturday we listened while we painted our house then on Sunday we watched while eating delicious smoothies and cinnamon rolls. I loved this sweet talk by Sister Elaine Dalton and of course this one by President Uchtdorf from the Relief Society meeting.
Posted by Rachel at 4:16 PM 1 comments
Labels: General Conference, moving








