getting to first base was never this easy.

I am (oddly) fascinated by the way people choose to organize their cabinets.  I took a lot of time when we first moved in to find the best location for every item.  I thought about how I would unload the dishwasher, where I would do the most food preparation, where The Husband could easily grab the plates and bowls when setting the table that wouldn't interfere with food preparation.  I probably spent FAR too much time mapping it out.

However, it's perfect.

So I thought.

My sister visited for the first time a few weeks ago.  She was in the kitchen and I heard her yell "I can't find anything in your kitchen!  You put stuff in the strangest places!"

hrumph.

So I took pictures.  And now I'm showing you what's underneath my cabinet doors.

This is the cabinet to the high right of the sink.  It's also directly to the left of the fridge.  (Yes, my kitchen is a mess.  Welcome to my real life)

 It holds glasses, cups, etc.  I think it's easy with the fridge being right there to fill 'er up.  

The glassware I don't use much is on the top shelf because I'm so short.  To reach those I must hike one leg onto the counter top and climb my way up.

Directly below that is the low cabinets that holds bake ware.  It's messy... but real.  this is where I store cookie sheets, casserole dishes, etc.  Also, cutting boards because I use those very often.  

And just for the sake of keepin' it real... under the sink.  A disaster.  

On the opposite side of the kitchen...

The left cabinet is pretty small and holds useless things that I don't want to find another place for:

a fake pumpkin, lunch boxes, a knife box, and a food scale.

Next to it is all my dishes.  I looooove my Crate and Barrel dishes.  Crisp and white.

Top shelf is a few 'display' plates and the white box is blades for my food processor.

From left to right (middle shelf):  Medium sized plates, small bread plates, cereal bowls.
From left to right (bottom shelf):  dinner plates, bistro bowls, more cereal bowls.

Directly below the cabinets above are these lower cabinets.  This area is open through all three doors which makes storage much easier.  From left to right:  On the shelf a hand held mixer that I have never used, and below are some awesome serving plates, gravy bowls, etc that all match and I bought on clearance at Pier One after the Holidays.  With a gift card.  Score.

To the right is a total mess of pots, pans ad lids.  I haven't figured out a better way to store these... but I'm sure there is a way.  The pipe sticking out of the wall is the gas control.  So if there was a leak and I would need to climb over the pots and pans to turn it off at the wall.  

Back up high (to the right of the plates, and over the microwave) is a practically unusable cabinet.  The vent outside takes up a lot of square footage and makes it awkward to put anything up there.  For right now my great grandmother's antique cookie jar lives there (Crrrrrrrreeeeppy) and crystal champagne flutes we received from our wedding, and used once over our honeymoon.  

To the right once again...

The counter space under these cabinets I use the most for preparation.  It's also directly to the right of the stove top/oven so it's pretty convenient for all things cooking related.  From left to right, top to bottom:

waffle maker, excess of water bottles, orange bowl of candy that I keep too high for me to reach

handheld stick mixer (never used), nesting class bowls (about 8 of them), food prep/processor (that little gadget gets a work out in my kitchen for things like garlic chopping... love it), and you can barely see the stand to my blender.  In the cabinet over that is a disaster of Tupperware.

Bottom shelf is three mixing bowls times two, and then vitamins on the right to remind me to take them.  

As I said, this is a pretty busy area for me and this is the photo of what is below.

The spot with nothing in it usually holds a toaster oven - but it was being used.  To the right is a mini grill/sand which press (rarely used) and stacks of muffin pans and cooling racks on top of it.
Below is a cheese grader, crock pot, toaster, potato ricer (awesome at making delicious mashed potatoes), and a strainer with The Husbands water jug inside of it.  You can't see to much further, but there is also a turkey pan/rack in there somewhere...

So there you have it.  My kitchen took you to first base,  and showed off her goodies.  

And while you're still here... do any of you know of a better way to store those pots/pans that would take up less cabinet space?

3 years. 1 day.

Yesterday The Husband and I celebrated our three year wedding anniversary.  Much to my pleasure, it fell on a Tuesday so there wasn't much fanfare.  As we cuddled on the couch we talked about how different things are, compared to January of 2009.  When we first married The Husband was still in graduate school and I was barely able to make ends meet, myself.  Since then, The Husband finished school and (7 months later) found a great job, I was promoted, we've gone on a few vacations, built a home, and really established ourselves in a lot of different ways.  Compared to three years ago, our lives seem easier now... but I look back and can really appreciate the simplicity when we first married.  We were so happy, so broke, and so very in love.  

all photos by Melissa Glynn - 2009

Happy three years to us.

I'm so in love with The Husband, and I am looking forward to see what the next three years (and counting!) have in store.

eager eyes.

I'm going to save you from yet another 2011 month-by-month recap in your google reader.

You're welcome.

However, I will say that unlike 85% of the American population, 2011 was pretty good to us.  We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary, kept our jobs and both received raises, celebrated our 27th and 29th birthdays, built our first home, spent a small fortune on decorating said home and some other pretty great stuff.  There was some incredibly difficult moments too... but I've moved on from those, and with eager eyes I cannot wait to see what 2012 has in store for my family.  

I have plans.

The Husband has plans.

...and then there will be what actually happens while we are busy planning.

My only resolution goal for 2012 is to try my best to not miss those things.  I don't want to miss those little moments that are happening right in front of me, that I missed in the past, only because I was too busy making plans.  

It's been so long.

Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year my blogging has taken a big hit.  I just haven't been able to sit down and dedicate time to this little hobby of mine.  Several things have changed around our casa before we rang in 2012.  I planned on multiple small posts, but I just need to regurgitate all that has happened and start fresh in this new year.

A quick run-down of the changes:

• 8 of our window 'shams' had to be replaced (thank yooooou home warranty!).  When we would open our windows, they were pretty loose in the frame (at the top) so we had each of them custom measured and re-fit into the window frame.  They are much tighter and overall, we are very happy with the warranty work from our builder.  Don't forget, we also had the bathroom tub and tile re-done last month.  

• Hung art work in our extended entry way:

 Believe it or not, there is something at Anthropologie that sells for less than $100.  It is this colorful striped paper that I purchased (for $12!).   A girl can never have enough pretty paper, and I took that opportunity to prove to the Husband that I COULD go into that store and not come out in debt.

 Eventually, Aaron's Brothers had a big sale where I purchased three frames and mats, then got to hanging.  Note that is is all one (large) piece of paper.  I just turned the paper upside down on the far right, and turned it vertical in the center.  It's not a Monet - but it fills the space nicely.  

 Eventually, I hope to get a piece of furniture to place under this to hold shoes.  Right now, shoes just live on the floor - but I have my eye on this beauty:

It's tall, dark and oh so functional.  I foresee this to be a great landing place for my purse, keys, etc (oh, and shoes).  The Husband and I both hate shoes on in the house - and I hate clutter... so this is a great way to disguise my stinky Toms and the Husbands sweaty sneakers.  Also, the ceilings are 14 feet high in this entry way, so getting tall (and shallow) piece of furniture will work well.

• Hung all of our University of Texas "art" in the playroom:

These pictures are from official UT programs from the 1940s and 1950s.  They were all in a calendar we received as a gift (back in 2010).  The pictures were perforated and perfect for an 11"x14" frame.  Again, the Aaron's Brothers "buy one, get one for a penny" deal to the rescue!  We purchased the Texas star at a local grocery store, and the license plate art was a gift as well.  I'm still missing one frame on the left, as there was a screw issue.  It will be up soon.  I hope to eventually place a couch/furniture on this wall, so I purposely hung them high.  The playroom is still 100% empty - but we have big plans for it in 2012.

• Hung more shit in the extended entry way

Our entry long.  Very long.  See here:

See all that empty space between the front door and the arch?  I haven't even gotten there yet.  I'm still trying to fill up the space post-arch.  

I purchased these door hangers at Aaron's Brothers when I bought the frame.  

I adore that they are keys.  And it really goes perfectly with the Pottery Barn keys I hung in the entrance from the garage into this extended entry way (lots of entries happening there, huh?)

Ah.  Cohesiveness.  It's rare in this big, empty house.  But moments like this make me feel like it's possible.  

Please note the new paper art and the coat hangers on the right.  The wedding photo gallery that I hung almost immediately upon move in is on the left.  Oh, and all the shoes on the floor.  

The random picture on the floor is the UT poster that I still have yet to hang. 

Sadly, we are 6 months into living in this home... and I still think it feels very "new construction" and not home-y.  I know we will get there eventually but it is going to require more time, and a lot more furniture.   Hanging things on the walls certainly helps while we save up the cash for real pieces of furniture.  

Anyone have an idea for the wall at the end of our bowling ally entry way?  (in the photo above it's the wall with the thermostat).  It's the first wall you clearly see when you walk in and it needs SOMETHING.

The Holiday Spirit

...it's coming around.

The lights are up on the house, and they look... um, okay.  If you ask me in front of my husband I will tell you that they are the most amazing, perfectly hung, (ummm... that's.what.she.said) lights EVER.  A little ego brushing never hurt a marriage, mkay?  I'm just trying to ensure he'll do it again in another 360ish days.

Our Christmas cards are done.  We're not too religious in this house, but I'm never going to pass up an opportunity to whore my beagle out to family and friends.  They can judge up, down, and sideways, but I love it.  They will be mailed later this week.

Now, I will shamelessly whore out my beagle to complete strangers on the internet.  (These are the photos used on our cards):

(the caption for this one reads "Be Merry") bahahaha. 

Here are a few other photos I've taken over the last few days around the house and for Cooper's photo shoot:

Who knew hanging lights sucked this hard?

Growing up, my dad took care of the exterior of the home.  This included mowing, weeding, seeding, pool maintenance, and Christmas light hanging.  He made it look so easy.  Little clips onto your shingles  that hold the light and BAM, your house is lit up like a skyscraper in about an hour.  Easy.  

We started the process of hanging our lights last night.  Being the first year we're in a house, The Husband took measurements and we had everything all mapped out before we even went to the store.  We ran around town yesterday morning to get all of the finishing touches.  I was so excited to help The Husband with one of our first holiday traditions in our home.  Two hours, and a lot of cursing later... this is what we ended up with.

It's (maybe) halfway done.  I just couldn't stand it any more.  This was a solid 2.5 hours of work.

Our house is really freakin' tall and The Husband is incredibly scared of heights.  Getting each one of the lights up was like pulling teeth.  The clips didn't hold correctly, our singles are too thick, male vs. female ends, the ladder being extended, then shortened, then A-framed, then higher A-frame.... uuuuuuugh.  It sucked.  Hard.

We're going to make attempt number two tonight.  Hopefully we can just get this done.

The Husband has already mentioned hiring someone to take care of this next year.  We're just not cut out for this....

 You can see here that we didn't add correctly, and the lights don't go all the way to the edge of the angle.  

 I'm hoping this part will be easier as it's straight... and there are gutters.  

Oh, and just for fun... here's a symbolic photo of our night.  Two fallen lights.  That we just left because climbing the ladder one.more.time. to fix them might have send either one of us over the edge.  

Yay holidays. 

Stuffed.

The turkey and I have something in common.  We're stuffed.

As I write this blog post, The Husband and my Mother-in-law are doing the dishes and cleaning up the aftermath.  Life is good.

The food was a HUGE success.  I am certainly no Martha... but I put on a pretty dang good act today {if I do say so myself}.  Here is photographic evidence of the deliciousness.

The Turkey in all it's glory.  What a pretty birdie.  

The ingenious contraption The Husband made on "the fly" to keep the turkey nice and warm while it rested.  Yes, those are chip clips.  We improvised.  

Gravy.  (This was a last minute addition to the menu.  I used this recipe, but you need to make this turkey to make it happen)

This is the carrots, celery and onions that were in the bottom of the roasting pan for the turkey.  They were pretty ugly, but had a really nice flavor from all the basting.  

My oven was quite full all morning.  This photo was taken in the last 10 minutes of cooking.  I had slowly added meals in - and was so lucky that they all required the same temperature.  

Sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, walnuts and honey.  This was SO good!

Make Ahead Mashed potatoes.  Had a bit too much salt (for me), but that was my own fault.  The Husband loved them. 

Broccoli Cheese Casserole.  A tradition in my family and just as good every year.  

Yeast Rolls.  Light, flaky, and yummy. 

My plate, moments before I dug in.  

And for desert... Pumpkin Pie.

The aftermath in my kitchen.  I'm so "thankful" for people that volunteer to do the dishes after a big meal.  I'm so tired!

If you are curious about any of the recipe's I used today... see my last post for links.

All photos posted above are from my camera.

The Husband is now asking for me to get up and assist his attempt to climb on the roof to measure the length of lights we will need for decorations.  So much for a nap...