REMODELING SERIES: THE LAUNDRY ROOM

EW!

Nasty little room, but it's nothing a couple coats of paint and some new flooring can't fix!

Nick was so gracious to tile the place a neutral tan. Why neutral, you may ask. Wellllllllll, I have an excellent answer!

PURPLE WALLS!

Magnificent, aren't they? Purple has been my favorite color since I can remember (although I am a huge fan of almost any color done right!)

With some shelving....

and some additional decorating...

See my DIY laundry room update from this link!

 
The laundry room is transformed! Thank goodness too, because that dirty mint green just wasn't doing it for me...

GINGER PORK LETTUCE WRAPS (like P.F. Changs!)

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm.................. These are savory indeed!

My mom introduced this recipe to me when she came out to Kansas to take care of us after Rylan was born. I hesitated to make such a "gourmet" restaurant knockoff because it seems so complicated!

BUT
             IT
                         IS
                                    EASY
                                                    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gather:
1 head lettuce
1 pound ground pork (chicken works as well, but I would not recommend beef because I feel like that's for tacos)
1/4 cup Thai peanut sauce
3 T (or less) sweet chili sauce
2 T olive oil (other oils may substitute)
1 T minced ginger
1/2 t crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 clove garlic

OK, are you ready for this easiness?
1. Wash lettuce. Peel apart the head so that the leaves function as a tortilla would in a burrito.

2. Olive oil in skillet.
3. Pork in skillet.
4. Rest of ingredients in skillet. Mix thoroughly. Heat medium-high, until pork is cooked through.
5. Simmer on low for a few minutes to get the pork a little crispy and the oil and flavors will sort of seep into the meat.

So basically this is like a glorified stir-fry. And I love it! This batch makes about six lettuce wraps, which may be enough for two people for dinner. We just served with a fruit salad-- what an easy night! (Plus only one skillet to wash!)

Cute Rylan Videos

This little guy is getting to be so much fun :) Had to share!

Our NEW House!

FINALLY,
we found a house we want.
They accepted our offer, and we couldn't be more excited!
Now about selling our house.....
That's the stressful part! But all in God's timing.

Check out our new home here: Sunnybrook Lane

Right now, it's not all that great to look at. In fact, it's sort of the eyesore of the neighborhood. But it's amazing how we can see the potential! Nick and I are just chomping at the bit to get started! I've been spending the last few days absorbed in magazines and internet sites like Better Homes and Gardens and HGTV, scrambling for the best ideas! Oh, so much fun!

Here's a photo of the floor plan I drew from memory. Hopefully it's legible.

 Before house searching, Nick and I decided to make a list of the requirements that we'd like our home to have. We put a star by the ones that we simply cannot compromise on, and a dash by the ones that we might be able to get away without.

THE LIST
*3 bed, 2 bath minimun
*1-2 car garage
*basement with usable space
-privacy fenced yard
-dimensional exterior
*good, safe neighborhood
-low annual taxes
-open layout
-within 15 minutes' drive of Nick's work next year
*currently livable, but updateable, possible to sell for profit
-potential to build/ already possesses front of back porch or deck
* the feeling like we got a good deal

The amazing part about this list is that this home has it ALL, star or dash! And for the right price :) Praise God!

We close July 18, so expect a new series of posts, HOME REMODELING SERIES II. 

REMODELING SERIES: THE DINING ROOM

Soooooo these pictures below show the bland dining room that rested in the center of our home when we moved in; one wall leads to the outside via sliding glass door, while the opposite wall used to be an awkward closet. We are still not sure of the purpose of the location of this closet.

First, we made this closet into the entrance to the room behind it, which is our bedroom. Like I said before, I am not sure why it was a closet in the first place. Then, we tore up that nasty church-basement carpet. Unfortunately, this was the last room finished even though it probably required the least amount of hands-on work.


One day I got motivated and painted the walls a complementary blue and tan pallet, and then it just took one more weekend to refinish the original hardwood flooring. We used a dark stain and I love it!  Though we had to hand-sand everything becuase the wood was so old we were afraid it would fall apart if we used anything more intense, we think it turned out great! See below:

Fuzzy picture, but I hope you can see the difference!

 Nick also wanted me to point out the chandelier-- excellent deal from Menard's!

 

Just One Year

June 12.
I can't believe it's already been a year, and yet I can't believe it's ONLY been a year. So much has happened, and yet it has gone so quickly! It seems like when you are in a dating relationship making it to a year is such an accomplishment, and yet, making it through a year of marriage is just the beginning. Fine with me!
June 12.
The day I promised to love you, in sickness and health. Those words have never been so valuable to me as they have this year. Being young and generally of good health, I never thought I would experience some of the problems I have this year. And yet, God is faithful, and so is my husband, according to the vows he made a year ago.
I must admit, being married is nothing like what I perceived it to be. I mean, I think being married is so idealized and fantasized, especially at small Christian colleges where there is something really "wrong" with you if you leave college without your perfect match. I love being married, but it is difficult, which is why it is so truly beautiful.
Two people sticking with it through the hard stuff, like having unplanned babies or for that matter not being able to have babies at all or being really sick or really poor.

That is what the vow is all about.

June 12.
My favorite day of the year.

THREE MONTH PICS

Rylan's three month photos are up!

Check them out here:

Life's Little Moments Photography

Inspiring mommy quote:  

"If you have a mom, 

there is nowhere you are likely to go 

 where a prayer has not already been."

Thanks to the mothers who have gone before me, for God knows I can't do this on my own! I know that my mom set this example for me, and that her mother set the example for her, so I can only pray that I will pray everywhere my children go.