Weekly Money Checkup

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on a red table runner for Christmas and some groceries but it was under $30 total. My husband spent $27 on his shopping trip for the mantel project though. I'd say we had a good week.
 
2. Today I am thankful we live inside. If it wasn't flu season I think I would go down to the shelter and volunteer. It is COLD! I am just praying those that don't have homes are staying warm today.
 
3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was watch a dog of some friends. They are originally from TX and had a spur of the moment trip for a funeral. He by far is the best house guest we have ever had. I pick them up from the airport today and I think the poor guy is missing them, he is 12 and recently just lost his doggy brother. 

4. I will consider this week a success if I continue working on my list of crucial items to finish before the end of the year. Last week I didn't get enough done. My aspirations are low this week, if I get 2 done I will be happy. One will probably take at least 2 days though.

5. My favorite Christmas gift as a child was ?. Sadly I can't think of any gift that stands out. I think the gift I enjoyed the most was gift cards to the book store. The used book store banned my sisters and I from trading books of one genre in for others. We used to take giant bags in from my Mamo so we could get the books we wanted of other genres. That poor book store owner got a lot of murder books before he changed his policy.


I finally am sharing some photos. My husband cleaned up a lot of his mess so this looks pretty good. Here is the TV/Mantel wall missing the mantel. The stereo components cabinet is only half way in it's new home and that snazzy board with electronics outlets will go in the ceiling of the hole where the cabinet is sitting. We also have baseboard missing where he is permanently wiring our surround sound so there wont be any cords on the floor. I hate cords but since he has been cutting so many holes we are also increasing insulation and the contractor that built this house did not insulate around the fireplace so hopefully our family room will stay warmer when we are done. My husband is out of town most of the week so it shall sit like this until Sunday when he has time again. I can't wait until then!

I had to throw in a picture of our Christmas tree for cheer.

Kindle or a Nook

I have wanted an e-reader for quite awhile. I read a lot, usually books that are given to me. Because of this I read a lot of different genre. I put an e-reader on my Christmas list because its a wish list. There are so many things I need and the e-reader doesn't even make that list but we all have dreams right? So anyways my husband asked me which one I liked better...maybe he is considering it. He prefers to get me things I want and don't always need. You never know what he is planning because he is pretty sly about these things.

Here are my thoughts on them.

Nook: If I have a problem I can walk into the store and get help. My Mamo has one and we can share books. The price is higher. Library friendly. Barnes & Noble membership discount doesn't look like it works on electronic books.

Kindle: Lots of brick and mortar stores sell them, can I go into them if there is a problem? I have quite a few friends with Kindles that I can share books with. Better price. Library friendly. Can use my Swagbucks $$ to buy books.

I would be happy with just a standard model (preferably a touch screen) but if my husband is buying one knowing him he will get the colored screen (higher model of either brand). I see benefits of the higher models but the black and white versions can be used outside with no glare. I don't read outside much but its a consideration.

So my question is which would you choose? Or would you choose another brand?

Weekly Money Checkup

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on food/alcohol for my sisters wedding. Technically it wasn't my money as I had my mom's checkbook but I sure spent a lot!

Leftover wedding centerpiece, between my camera phone and getting messed up in the car it doesn't look as good :(

2. Today I am thankful I was able to sleep in my own bed last night. I was at my parents for almost a week before the wedding and I REALLY missed our bed and my own home.


3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was have the opportunity to help with my sisters wedding and participate since we finally live closer to where my husband and I grew up.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to take my husband shopping for work clothes. He needs several new pairs of pants for work, unfortunately he hates to shop. Because he is also super picky, really hates spending money and can't tell if things match it is not the most enjoyable trip. I can't put it off any longer as one of us threw something oily in the washer last week and ruined one his semi decent pants.

5. If I could have coffee with one (two) bloggers, I would choose Namine from The Clutter Box and my sister Cheryl from A Symbol-Using Animal . I know I could have great conversations with either or just relax and enjoy a good book. Besides I know they both LOVE coffee/Starbucks!


I FINALLY can share some pictures of our updates/upgrades in our house.

Free counter space where the old microwave used to live, I LOVE it! All my baking items are in the cabinet above so I have a baking area :) Jars are from World Market and storage hanging bar is from IKEA, all the utensils hanging were in a drawer that has more room now. 

Shiny new GAS stove and microwave! My AWESOME husband installed it while I was helping with the wedding. It will look even better when I put everything on the counter away! :) I cant wait to use it for dinner tonight!

Dining Room Rug (I can't remember if I shared it or not) It only took over 6 months to get here but it is really helping the room not sound hollow and it is staying cleaner. Now when I walk downstairs this rug is on the left side and the shiny stove is on the right side. It feels SO nice to get the things that you have been saving for. I feel so blessed!

Have a wonderful Week!

Do you love your kitchen appliances?

Do you?

Well I do not! I have personally lived in 12 different places in the last 10 years. I have gotten to use a LOT of different appliances and different kitchen layouts. Several haven't had dishwashers, one had a stove that was level on the outside but if you baked in it your cakes were lopsided. Some have been very small and some so big they were worse than the small ones. All these moves taught me several things I wanted when we got our own house.

#1-Pantry (I am short and storing food in cabinets means getting my step stool out), and its a place to store dog food which I wouldn't keep in a kitchen cabinet.

#2-Decent layout as in not having to walk 15 feet from the stove to the fridge...

#3-Gas Stove

#4-Microwave above the stove, leaves LOTS more counter space.

#5-Dishwasher

#6-Someday have a fridge with an ice maker

Well we have our own house but you cant have everything you want right away. I started out with #1, #2, and #5. Those were the really important things the house needed anyways. Well yesterday I purchased #3 and #4! I have been price shopping for months and the Labor Day sale at Sears won. I ended up getting 35% off of my stove and 25% of the microwave, I had a $50 gift card as well so I spent under $700 for both! The stove had to be ordered so we can pick it up August 12th :) And the microwave came home with me and my husband is installing it tomorrow! We still have to have a gas line ran to the kitchen for my stove but my dad is doing that.

I cant wait to have a fully functioning oven with 4 burners that work and lots more counter space from the microwave not being there. As soon as my stove comes I definitely will be sharing photos! :)

This week I feel like its Christmas! Have a WONDERFUL Labor Day Weekend!

Weekly Money Checkup

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was $39 on a new sink. Our extra bathrooms have metal coated porcelain sinks with metal trim. You cant get the trim clean and the inside of the sinks are scratched so they always look dirty. Yea to clean sinks....next month other bathroom. :)

2. Today I am thankful we had a REALLY productive weekend working together to get things done around the house.


3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was rip the dog kennel off the side of our house and sell it on craigslist. Check one piece of junk off my list!


4. I will consider this week a success if I get the main floor mopped. My husband is working on installing a whole house fan in our attic and keeps getting installation everywhere!


5. My favorite cuisine to prepare is grill food. I love summer and grilling. I am not sure if I like being outside more or the actual food.


Have a wonderful week!

Happy Easter with a few hiccups

We started out Easter morning with some home cooked breakfast. Courtesy of my husband....he cooked it all! :) Then our hiccups started.....

Our washer broke again. Thankfully we got it working within an hour! That is now at the top of my expensive list of items that need replaced most likely in the next year. Washer (& dryer because the dryer isn't great either), vacuum (cracked and isn't working right because the seal latches are also broken), stove (only two burners work), lawn mower (my husband has rebuilt the 3 year old POS twice already and informed me he wants a new one).

So because I want to cry at all the silly appliances that are barely hanging on I want to share the good things at our house.

Shed as of 4/23/11, we got the flashing (metal trim that goes under the shingles), everything caulked (to prevent leaks), and the windows installed. I also have painted the first coat of paint on the trim. 

8 Jalapeno plants and 2 Big Boy Tomato plants that were 50 cents each. Yeah for watching the sale ads! This was an AWESOME deal!

Side of shed and 2 of my garden boxes minus the soil. It still looks messy but we are getting there!

Next week we are planning on shingling the roof (I have to order the shingles tomorrow) and building the door together. My lone self is going to get the trim all painted and the siding painted as well as dirt in my planters.

Touch Screen Panel

But the best part of our weekend is we got a security system installed. The number of break ins have increased due to the economy but because it is getting warmer they also are increasing. All the homes I have been emailed about from the neighborhood watch have been houses that were obviously cased out. We travel a lot and I know I feel better about having a system but my husband also did as he made the final decision. We can even arm it or disarm it from our phones and it has a touch screen. Because we had a few extras added we spent $200 after the $1600 of equipment they gave us and it will lower our homeowners insurance. I now don't have to be nervous every time we are gone for the weekend with the dogs. Now I am just nervous about figuring the system out.

Back from the Dead

I have had horrible allergies the last few days. :( As excited as I am for spring it is not being kind to me.

 Oregon Sugar Pea Sprouts

 Some other sprouts such as squash, onions, lots of lettuce, and some marigolds.

 Our shed part way finished....my husband has been away on business all week so we haven't got the roof on yet. THANKS to my husbands parents this much happened! THANK YOU!!! If you look to the left I replanted my butterfly bushes, they have roots as big as my arms! Hopefully we didn't kill them digging them up.

And here is the toilet I thought I fixed that still has the same issues after replacing the parts. Right now the water is turned off until my husband gets a chance to look at it.

Not super exciting. Due to my husband being gone all week we are staying home for Easter so he can catch up on paperwork. :( I better check out my recipe box so we have a decent Easter meal. Have a Happy Easter!

Garden Ideas

I thought I would share one of my ideas for my yard. I have wanted a real garden for years! I have had container gardens almost everywhere we have lived but they have never been quite right with the different climates we have lived in. Word of advice don't bother trying to grow peppers in Phoenix, inside or outside.

Last summer I helped my uncle plant his but I would still like my own. So here is my inspiration. Mine will be a plank taller to prevent my plant eating puppy from enjoying. I also am going to use our old gravel that looks bad to provide drainage. Win win, less rock and a garden. Now I just need to build them and move the sprinkler out of the way.

Thanks to my husbands shed placement for creating the perfect place to build three of these.

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House Updating Photos

I thought I would share some photos like I promised several weeks ago. :( Here is our master bedroom with the furniture all moved. The bruise on my leg from the old arrangement is finally gone!

 The other corner with the chair I still haven't recovered....maybe someday I will find a fabric I like.

 The pantry door in the kitchen. It looked funny not updated with the cabinets. What I am not giving you a close up on is the flooring in this closet. The past owners didn't remove the baseboard before putting the floor down....someday we can fix the almost 1/2" crack.

 My new door. :) We talked about painting the damaged old doors and updating the hardware but decided we wanted paneled doors. We both like this much better, its worth the few extra dollars.

 The new door knob, we both like the old handles but the nice little dog in the photos above knows how to open them so no handles.

Here is a photo of the old hardware and door color. I like the wood but this door is in better shape than a lot of the others. It doesn't have scratches across the front or nail holes. Hence painting all the trim white, paint covers up mistakes that we can't fix without replacing almost everything to make it match. I wish I wasn't so OCD about the contractor and past homeowners choices.

We looked at several houses I wouldn't need to do any of this (they already had) but we liked this house for the floor plan and the lot. At least this way it will slowly become what we want. Everyone thinks we will be moving (bigger house) in at least 5 years, after moving constantly for the last 5 years as long as Colin's work lets us stay I do NOT want to move.  We bought a large enough first house I don't think we need to, besides it is going to take me way longer to get things the way I would like them. Currently this house is too big for us, a small part of me misses our cracker box house we lived in before (1000sq ft) and then I remember I have my own room to make things and Colin has a huge garage. :)

I am off to finish the bay window in the kitchen. After finishing today my list for the kitchen/dining room updates gets much smaller. :)

Photo Break from Chaos

I thought I would share some exceptionally bad photos since I need a break from working in my craft room. Usually I make ornaments at night while watching TV, this week I have been painting on commercial breaks. Just window frames as I decided I have to start somewhere with painting my woodwork. So here is one window in the kitchen now painted to match my cabinets, no more water stains from the previous owners never sealing the wood. :) And then here is one in the dining room.

 And I have just primed the edges of the kitchen bay window, the rest will have to wait until next week.

 Chaos is our house! Here is a very small chunk of items going to Windsor, CO for a jewelry party tomorrow. The rest is laying all over the floor so I can organize it for display.

Part of the mess on the floor in my workroom. I am really glad I trained the dogs not to pick things up that aren't theirs. Every once in awhile the puppy still does in the rest of the house but not in this room, he finally knows better. :) Colin says he is going to build me a ledge for my tables so things can stay on it instead of the floor, obviously I have been keeping him too busy to get it done.

Wish us luck that we have a really good show tomorrow so I can pay myself this month and have the new computer paid off. November left my finally full business bank account very poor, not good before Christmas.