tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53556264058770061362024-03-13T15:14:36.996-07:00Midwest MonologuesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-12138729513549619492017-06-09T16:49:00.000-07:002017-06-09T16:49:24.438-07:00We're Back for a Road Trip!In honor of our 10th anniversary I'm dusting off the ol' blog to document our fabulous road trip!<br />
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At least we hope it's fabulous... it's two weeks without the kids on a specifically unplanned trip through the Northeast: so how bad can it be?<br />
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Plans have us hitting a few parts of Canada, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York. And we're doing all of it in Brian's new baby: a 2017 Ford Mustang.<br />
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Expect lots of new food reviews, some awesome shopping finds, and a TON of pictures (I even rented some landscape photography equipment for the occasion).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-66111943858017097312011-10-07T10:47:00.000-07:002011-10-07T10:47:57.227-07:00How to Add a Little Haunt to Your HouseIn the spirit of Halloween (and my first house!) I kicked up my decorating a notch this year to include a few outdoor decorations. Finding easy, DIY outdoor projects was a little tough though, so I came up with one of my own.<br />
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Some cute little ghosties to liven up your trees without blowing into the neighbors yard or getting tangled up in branches.<br />
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<b>Materials:</b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g4gszKNL62c/To2jSllFBXI/AAAAAAAAPbQ/VT00bqTziAE/s1600/IMG_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g4gszKNL62c/To2jSllFBXI/AAAAAAAAPbQ/VT00bqTziAE/s200/IMG_0245.JPG" width="133" /></a>Styrofoam balls for the heads (size depends on how big you want your ghosts to be)<br />
A big nail at least 1/4 inch longer than the diameter of the Styrofoam balls<br />
Fishing line (I used white thread, but it proved to be not quite tough enough)<br />
Nuts, washers or other heavy, string-able material, for weight.<br />
Black Sharpie<br />
Scissors<br />
Needle<br />
Ghost fabric. I used both a water-proof nylon and white garbage bags.<br />
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Before you begin: use the balls and fabric to estimate how you want you ghosts to look. Then cut squares to your desired size.<br />
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1. Start by using the nail to punch a hole through the center of each Styrofoam ball. Set aside.<br />
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2. Cut lengths of fishing line about 2 yards long and string your weights to the center of each length of string.<br />
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3. Bring the ends of the string together and thread through the head of a needle. Use the needle to pull the string through the Styrofoam ball. Do not un-thread the needle.<br />
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4. Stick the needle into the center of your fabric or garbage bag square and pull through. Tie a double knot at the Styrofoam ball to secure the line in place.<br />
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5. Admire your handywork so far.</div>
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6. Use another short length of thread to knot around the bottom of the Styrofoam ball, making the ghost's head. If desired, add a scary face.<br />
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Ta-da! Ghosts. The weights will keep them swinging from your tree in a ghost-like manner, rather than wildly whipping around branches when the wind blows. I used thread for hanging mine, but I had two of them snap in a storm, so I would recommend using fishing line instead. Also, I found the garbage-bag ghosts to be cheaper and ghostlier than the fabric ones, which turned out too stiff.</div>
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Have fun!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-52790246245168945442011-09-26T11:52:00.000-07:002011-09-26T11:52:27.710-07:00Here's to UsWe've been holding off on celebrating for so long. It seems like there was just so much going on in our lives. So here's to the big move, the new house and our beautiful baby girl.<br />
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We splurged on a fantastic bottle of 21 year old scotch, actually from Scotland. It's delicious.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-74047150416026418762011-09-07T08:07:00.000-07:002011-09-07T08:07:21.319-07:00Reading Right NowA while back I <a href="http://midwestmonologues.blogspot.com/2011/06/glass-is-half-full-my-year-off.html">posted about my goals for my year off</a>. As part of those goals, I aspired to read one nonfiction book per month. Well, I started one. And then another. And then a third. And then my brother-in-law introduced me to George R. R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" and 3600 pages later I remembered I was supposed to be reading NONfiction.<br />
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But the books I'm trying to consume really are interesting. <b>What's on my virtual shelf right now?</b><br />
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I'm almost finished with this one. It chronicles Mark Schatzer's journey to find the perfect steak. As an avid meat-eater I've found it fascinating. It covers the raising, fattening, grading and cooking of beef in several countries.<br />
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This is one Brian has already finished, so I've been told the best part is still coming up. But my impressions so far? Great for learning about all things steak. Kind of makes me want to raise a cow. However, it's hard to trudge through some parts, as I find Mark to be way too picky.<br />
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Give me steak, any steak. Medium rare. I'm happy.<br />
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I'm only a chapter into "NutureShock" and already in love. This is not a book for parents, unless they are highly logical parents, or huge statistics/science nerds. It covers the misconceptions of child-rearing as it applies to recent changes in thinking.<br />
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Particularly interesting so far are the studies regarding telling your children how smart they are (and how you shouldn't do it), and parents reactions to these studies.<br />
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I'm loving it & Brian's loving my summaries. Here's hoping I can still see the truth of it through my new mommy goggles.<br />
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This has been on my wish list for a while, and thanks to a "mommy" gift from a friend of mine, I was able to pick it up at B&N.<br />
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As the name implies, it's a book about de-cluttering your life. Written by a motivator, it sets up the goal of throwing out fifty things in your home and life. Then uses that as a stepping stone to keeping things clutter-free.<br />
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What's interesting is the idea that not just the things you don't use need to be trashed; but also those things that have negative feelings attached. Example? Clothes I'll never fit into again. Craft projects I never finished, etc.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-26003540173368830212011-08-09T13:09:00.000-07:002011-08-09T13:09:14.817-07:00Our Gardening FailuresThere's been a hitch in my goal to become a home canning master. Despite my best efforts, I have nothing to can except three lonely jalapenos.<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHHkV4ovnf8/TkBHPFF_xkI/AAAAAAAAPIk/N1LvvIHggbc/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHHkV4ovnf8/TkBHPFF_xkI/AAAAAAAAPIk/N1LvvIHggbc/s320/IMG_0308.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>One of the very first things I did when Brian and I moved into our new house was plot out my vegetable garden. I've wanted homegrown veggies for 4 years and I finally had the space. </div><div><br />
</div><div>We hauled in new dirt, borrowed a rototiller, and proceeded to plant three varieties of tomato, green, yellow & jalapeno peppers, green beans, zucchini, sweet corn, radishes, and cucumbers. A canner's garden in truth. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Only a few days after the seeds began to sprout we lost the corn to a doe and two fawns. Later they ate the beans and radishes, gnawed the new growth off the zucchini and snapped the cucumbers off at dirt level.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But the tomatoes & peppers seemed safe; untouched. Until the day I looked out my bathroom window and watched a groundhog sit up on his hind legs and pluck only the lower leaves off my peppers. He apparently thought they would look better as topiaries.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>Later that same week a trip down the hill revealed the new growth of all the tomato plants had also fallen prey to hungry white-tailed deer. Not to be discouraged, we used a deer-repellent spray to try and salvage the tomato crop (which we planted from nursery plants, not seed, and had been pretty costly). Brian was skeptical, as the spray is just infused with essential oils of plants deer seem to dislike, like peppermint. But it worked! As long as we keep it sprayed every week, the deer leave them alone.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But we won't be bothering to spray it again. Why? Our tomato & pepper crop has succumbed to rot, worms & birds. The first vine-ripened tomato I plucked and cut into had a curious black moldy-looking growth inside. The rest are eaten or rot before they even turn red. </div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EnwGRIDQqfY/TkBHA1pYzHI/AAAAAAAAPHw/CzA0IfQqwPI/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EnwGRIDQqfY/TkBHA1pYzHI/AAAAAAAAPHw/CzA0IfQqwPI/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>So the grand total of our harvest this year is three jalapenos. </div><div><br />
</div><div>We're making plans for a smaller, better maintained garden next year. Among our solutions are raised beds, deer fencing, cover crops, fertilizer and manual worm-plucking. Anyone whose every dealt with these issues is welcome to chime in with what worked for you. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-38679029259237449482011-07-09T11:14:00.000-07:002011-07-09T11:14:25.636-07:00The Labor Guessing GameWhile I promise this won't turn into a big 'ol pregnancy/parenthood blog, I did have to share a little frustrating story. Maybe other veteran moms can tell me if they've dealt with <b>the expectation that a first time mom should know how to recognize labor.</b><br />
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Here's the backstory:<br />
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I'm at 38 1/2 weeks with a scheduled c-section for next Thursday because Baby Turnbull is breech. So my OB would really prefer if I not go into active labor before surgery. I've been having regular Braxton-Hicks contractions for weeks that are uncomfortable, but not too inconvenient. So here's me, first pregnancy, no idea what a contraction is going to be like, but assuming I'll know one if I have one.<br />
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An assumption that lasts until the groggy middle-of-the-night cramps start. At 3am your mind is much less clear than it is during the waking hours.<br />
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"Was that a contraction?"<br />
"It hurts a lot, but I figured it would hurt more."<br />
"Should I call my OB now or see what happens?"<br />
"Should I start timing them?"<br />
"Let's see what the Internet says."<br />
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Though, after a full night (less the 5am-6am nap I got) of regular, time-able, and very uncomfortable lower-abdominal and back cramps, a call to my OB seemed pertinent.<br />
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After a detailed explanation of my situation, I got this response: "You should stay home and wait it out, <b>but call if it turns into real labor</b>." Now, don't get me wrong; I was thrilled not to have to traipse into the hospital just to be sent home after an hour of monitoring, but what does "real labor" mean? What's happening to me now?<br />
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Since I asked what I should look out for and got nothing good in response, does that mean these aren't contractions at all? Or that they are just too far apart? My biggest fear is being "that mom" who shows up at the hospital with heartburn and thinks she's having a baby, but I'm a naturally anxious person.<br />
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<b>So tell me moms, did you deal with false labor?</b> Or cryptic OBs? And how many times (be honest) did you sit up at night trying to use Google to make a decision?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-18924704421831993402011-06-07T07:33:00.000-07:002011-06-07T07:33:19.858-07:00The glass is half full: my year offA <a href="http://ashleybatz.tumblr.com/post/4398363444/a-year-to-myself">great post on Ashley Batz's blog</a> last month got me thinking about goals. She posed the question "what would you do if you had a year to yourself?" At first I got all excited thinking, wouldn't that be cool, a year off to do whatever I wanted. And then I realized I do have a year off! And I'm already halfway through it.<br />
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Obviously I won't be flying off to Italy or going to yoga everyday what with being 8 months pregnant and all. But I haven't really been looking at my time off in the right light, either. I've mostly been wallowing in a sort of self-pity for being a useless, jobless waif who can't go back to work until after the baby comes. What I should be focusing in is what I'm going to do this year to make my life a little more awesome (besides becoming a mom).<br />
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After some thought, I've made 8 goals for myself to accomplish before December 6, 2011.<br />
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<b>Learn to grill</b><br />
<br />
We just bought a natural gas grill, much easier to use than charcoal. I can already manage hot dogs start to finish. Next, I'm gonna start learning vegetables.<br />
<br />
<b>Read one nonfiction book every month</b><br />
<br />
My preferences are for the work and talent-related books I got totally hooked on while working at ZURB. Things like "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/M-Factor-Millennial-Generation-Rocking-Workplace/dp/B004NSVEH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307457115&sr=8-1">The M Factor</a>." I'm also hoping to finish two autobiographies: Betty White & Tina Fey.<br />
<br />
<b>Become a food canning pro</b><br />
<br />
Our canning garden is going strong with tomatoes, peppers, radishes, green beans, corn, cucumbers and zucchini. We're planning on several types of salsa, spaghetti sauce and various pickled things. I've got two canning books and the varied experiences of my families to get me started.<br />
<br />
<b>Find one job every month that I would love to apply for</b><br />
<br />
I won't be back in the job market until next year, but finding places I'd love to work will help me realize what I want to do and where I need to build my skills before getting back out there.<br />
<br />
<b>Make 2 new friends (couples count as one)</b><br />
<br />
Yep, this one sounds pretty sad. But without people to hang out with, Brian and I would stay inside all the time. We already haven't gone to the movies since November. Having friends expands your horizons.<br />
<br />
<b>Get 100 volunteering hours</b><br />
<br />
This is a two-fold goal. First, I love volunteering and truly believe it helps in building useful skills. Secondly, I have a 15-year-old brother who seems to think having to get 40 volunteer hours before May 2013 (high school graduation) is a crippling and impossible requirement. I'm going to prove he's a huge whiner.<br />
<br />
<b>Write 2 blog posts per month </b><br />
<br />
Doesn't matter what they're about or how long they are, this is merely a test of my willpower.<br />
<br />
<b>Take a class</b><br />
<br />
Any kind of class. I've got a recommendation from my brother-in-law to take Developmental Psychology, but I'm also going to count community education classes. Anything where I learn something new.<br />
<br />
My year off started December 6, 2010 and for the sake of continuity I'm going to try to accomplish all these things before December 6, 2011.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-88981052828791211442011-06-01T09:52:00.000-07:002011-06-01T09:52:40.375-07:00Home Improvement Lessons Learned... So FarWe're up to two rooms pretty much done in the new house, with about 7 more to go, we're starting to learn a few valuable lessons.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH5KsAkq19fRmukjWO1xK3hTWTgXkJqqJxDaSX_TDP0fD_o6sc7x3DBXaLijLVDtZRtIksfMZgxbjsjarp07hUEtXJX4gYkR4L5mGYzOqswYNGYA3cnZNcJYlfF44ojUu_HQLkRgU74Q/s1600/IMG_9409-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH5KsAkq19fRmukjWO1xK3hTWTgXkJqqJxDaSX_TDP0fD_o6sc7x3DBXaLijLVDtZRtIksfMZgxbjsjarp07hUEtXJX4gYkR4L5mGYzOqswYNGYA3cnZNcJYlfF44ojUu_HQLkRgU74Q/s320/IMG_9409-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b>Move In</b><br />
<br />
Driving 40 minutes home every night at 11pm was killing us. As was trying to maintain basic living supplies in 2 places. Many nights our dinner plans were ruined because the milk was at the house or the ketchup was at the apartment.<br />
<br />
Once we moved in, life became so much easier and more relaxed. You feel less rushed to get there in the morning and it's comforting to know when you've worked yourself into a catatonic state that all you have to do is fall into bed.<br />
<br />
<b>Little Things Add Up</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><br />
</b></div>Being the diligent budgeters we are, we formulated a plan before embarking on the remodeling process. We budgeted for paint, appliances, tools, pool equipment, all kinds of things. What we didn't budget for was hundreds of dollars in pipe connectors, outlet covers, screws, rags, shut-off valves and sandpaper. <b>To date the unexpected costs have come in at around an additional 20% in expenses. </b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3LYpmTtOhcVnAuKjUx1Oh_bnS7dmkNOKY32QL1yZVJRiCGz5CEsvB1y1aGGkczmVtvOKD7qlxbWG0JyzUREBG9x29tStvBZ7Blcl-szUp82FICAE4cC_epLn2gADXErqZmJ6St-ZjN0/s1600/IMG_9455-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3LYpmTtOhcVnAuKjUx1Oh_bnS7dmkNOKY32QL1yZVJRiCGz5CEsvB1y1aGGkczmVtvOKD7qlxbWG0JyzUREBG9x29tStvBZ7Blcl-szUp82FICAE4cC_epLn2gADXErqZmJ6St-ZjN0/s320/IMG_9455-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>One Room at a Time</b></div><br />
Whenever it's feasible, <b>try to work on one room at a time</b>, rather than one "project" at a time. For example: I wanted to get the trim done. That involved popping the trim off in every room, sanding, patching, and painting each board. Not only did we have to come up with a system for identifying which boards went in which rooms, but we found it difficult to find space for all the boards when painting and drying them.<br />
<br />
Now that the living room and bedroom are done, we've adjusted our system. We're not ripping out the carpet in the downstairs bedrooms or patching holes until we're ready to finish them. Which is good, since they're both currently filled with boxes...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1kAd6E1GEkcbvLgztMAihQa45MV-ozErUSNEGcHP5gnBZEr3G-EsBZdRvIEXjbY08bIV2KKTKmFuWWUX1FtdOXpKYz4bnyXk2cxNxy71Z7cBFkvJT6TdttM2ccNlk5dn9EpKaIfJKfY/s1600/IMG_9423-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1kAd6E1GEkcbvLgztMAihQa45MV-ozErUSNEGcHP5gnBZEr3G-EsBZdRvIEXjbY08bIV2KKTKmFuWWUX1FtdOXpKYz4bnyXk2cxNxy71Z7cBFkvJT6TdttM2ccNlk5dn9EpKaIfJKfY/s1600/IMG_9423-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1kAd6E1GEkcbvLgztMAihQa45MV-ozErUSNEGcHP5gnBZEr3G-EsBZdRvIEXjbY08bIV2KKTKmFuWWUX1FtdOXpKYz4bnyXk2cxNxy71Z7cBFkvJT6TdttM2ccNlk5dn9EpKaIfJKfY/s320/IMG_9423-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b>Wait To Start Major Projects</b><br />
<br />
Our largest planned project is our kitchen. Because we have the baby deadline (July 20!), we decided to hold off on the kitchen until next spring, since the plan was to rip out a load-bearing wall and replace all the flooring on the main level. It's a good thing we waited.<br />
<br />
Last night <b>Brian and I both came to the conclusion that we may not actually want to rip the wall out.</b> The living room isn't as cramped as we'd feared, the kitchen is already huge, and while we love an open floor plan, the addition/dining room is a great entertaining space and provides for easy conversation in the kitchen an access to the pool and deck.<br />
<br />
Sometimes living in a place is the best way to figure out what you really want from your space.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-43168496552414191422011-05-23T19:48:00.000-07:002011-05-23T19:48:21.794-07:00Renovation PlanningAfter officially closing on our first house last Friday, the planning for making it a home has begun in earnest. I think the key work in this whole process is going to be: Stages.<br />
<br />
Stage 1: Move-In Ready<br />
<br />
Sometimes I think looking at vacant houses is easier than occupied ones. You don't realize how dirty something is until you move all the furniture that's never bee cleaned behind. So Friday's time at the house revealed that the previous owners weren't detail-oriented and also not big on spring cleaning (usually a time to wash windows & cupboards, toss junk, air out rooms, etc.).<br />
<br />
Hence, stage one of our renovation is to get the place in a condition suitable for living in.<br />
<br />
Little projects:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Scrubbing (or hiring someone to clean) bathrooms, kitchen cupboards, floors and trim work.</li>
<li>Get new carpet for the upstairs bedrooms and stairs</li>
</ul><div>Big projects:</div><div><ul><li>Prep & paint. We've got tons of trim to take down, walls to patch and sand, and the living room and master bedroom have to be primed and painted before we move in.</li>
<li>Expose hardwood floors. We've confirmed the presence of wood under the carpet in the living room, office and guest bedroom. Brian's ripping up the carpet and pad, while I will be pulling nails and staples.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lAPGvMlJB1ak727tPjxpkJLT5PdFc7_vE4bwD9tjMDDlxTqIUHYAux-jJfTLUZsRuu2OcrF_CB7F-s0hXwEsX6XmG51tW-LFrAICmcYCpLBwJDaVkNTpm21Zl6hyU_4gS9Ap8jeFSCw/s1600/IMG_8980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lAPGvMlJB1ak727tPjxpkJLT5PdFc7_vE4bwD9tjMDDlxTqIUHYAux-jJfTLUZsRuu2OcrF_CB7F-s0hXwEsX6XmG51tW-LFrAICmcYCpLBwJDaVkNTpm21Zl6hyU_4gS9Ap8jeFSCw/s320/IMG_8980.JPG" width="210" /></a></div><div>Our excitement got the best of us Friday when we drove straight from closing to Home Depot to buy a pry bar and a shop vac. In less than an hour we had unearthed the floors you see here. </div></div><div><br />
</div><div>We found all the expected scratches and dents, staples and nails, and in addition evidence of a past dog who was poorly potty trained. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Since the floors are on the list for demolition next summer, our plan is to clean what we've found here and put down a lovely area rug. Anything is better than the gross carpet we pulled up.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Also worth noting: The fireplace is starting to grow on me. Originally I loathed it and had insisted to Brian the only way I could do anything with this room was to whitewash the brick. Now I'm starting to have visions of warm terra cotta walls reflecting great evening light from our West-facing bow window.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-58231211777582762492011-05-03T07:08:00.000-07:002011-05-03T07:08:36.132-07:00Burlington Coat Factory WarningThis shall be a mini-rant against an asinine return policy at a company I used to be really excited about.<br />
<br />
I registered for our baby shower at Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot after being impressed with both their selection and their prices. I found my stroller/car seat system there as well and was particularly impressed because it was one of the only places where you could purchase them separately, rather than as a "system."<br />
<br />
Their first screw up came a month ago when I realized that my stroller was still listed as not purchased, even though my grandmother had already bought it. To confirm, I called my mom who said, yes, they even took my registry to checkout when they picked it up.<br />
<br />
As one might imagine, this mishap led to the purchase of two strollers. I hate to even think of offending someone by having to return a generous gift.<b> I rely on registries to give everyone an accurate list of what's already been purchased.</b> That alone, however would not have been enough for me to stray from Burlington permanently.<br />
<br />
What happened yesterday was. Having had two wonderful showers with many generous gifts I received only one duplicate: my stroller. My plan was to take it back to Burlington, return it, and purchase one of the other items from my registry there.<br />
<br />
When I arrived in store (which my mom and I had to drive 45 minutes to get to) with my boxed up (never opened) stroller, I was greeted with a shocking answer: <b>no receipt, no return.</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Now, obviously that policy is totally understandable under normal circumstances. But isn't that the point of a registry? I tried to explain my case, pointing out that it was the exact stroller I had registered for, my registry clearly indicated I had received two of them, and best of all: I wanted to use the return to buy more things from the Baby Depot.<br />
<br />
No. Without a receipt all they could do was allow me to exchange it for another model of the same brand and price. <br />
<br />
So thank you, Burlington. We will return soon with a receipt for said stroller, and we will return it and receive back every penny paid for it, which we will not be spending in your store. I will also be warning my expectant friends of your idiotic policy and useless registry.<br />
<br />
Also, just for comparison purposes for those of you who've never dealt with registries: Babies R Us allows returns with a receipt OR a registry, and generally gives no grief about returning items for store credit when you have neither.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-85376438751026001142011-04-17T09:46:00.000-07:002011-04-17T09:46:26.607-07:00Testing My Crafting LimitsI like to craft. I spread out from paper-crafting recently and started testing my hand at sewing. There's a backstory:<br />
<br />
My mom bought me a sewing machine when I got married and moved out back in 2007. I used it once. I spent about a month making a Christmas table runner as a gift for my mom. That's when I learned the following:<br />
<ol><li>I cannot cut a straight line.</li>
<li>I don't know how to use a straight pin properly.</li>
<li>I don't understand how my sewing machine works. </li>
</ol>Since I'm about to become a Mom and part-time homemaker I feel like I should improve my "around-the-house" skills. To be honest, it's a little embarrassing that my husband does most of the cooking, cleaning, bookkeeping and all of the mending. So I've taken my sewing machine out of retirement.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wbo63Ct-5mA/TZNq1qr0nBI/AAAAAAAAOiM/M9VM4Flb8vQ/s1600/IMG_8805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wbo63Ct-5mA/TZNq1qr0nBI/AAAAAAAAOiM/M9VM4Flb8vQ/s320/IMG_8805.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>It's a test of persistence, not perfection.</b><br />
<br />
My 1st project was a decorative bunting for the nursery. The triangles are not all exactly the same size. There are numerous extra tack jobs where I didn't get a whole triangle attached to the trim. And I had to un-tangle my machine about two dozen times during the project.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_f7hP_U8zU/TZNq3PCe-HI/AAAAAAAAOiM/7WI76_9B7GE/s1600/IMG_8821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_f7hP_U8zU/TZNq3PCe-HI/AAAAAAAAOiM/7WI76_9B7GE/s320/IMG_8821.JPG" width="320" /></a>It was a great first project though, because all it has to do is hang on the wall. So no worries about seams coming loose or falling out. More importantly, it gave me enough confidence to try out a more functional project: a diaper hanger.<br />
<br />
We'll see how it goes. I've had the fabric cut for a week and haven't had the guts to start sewing yet...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-23089561638148780482011-04-06T10:18:00.000-07:002011-04-06T10:18:55.621-07:00Getting on the Volunteer Wagon in PittsburghI've found the perfect volunteer opportunity for people with OCD. Yesterday, during my first volunteer shift with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, I sorted bolts for 4 hours. Not screws, not nails, no tacks or pins, just bolts. Yesterday was bolt day. It was awesome.<br />
<br />
Since sitting at home has finally gotten to me, I spent some time scouring Craigslist and VolunteerMatch.com for opportunities that suited me and my current condition. My previous experience with Habitat and the opening of a brand new ReStore 5 miles from Brian's office made for the perfect combination.<br />
<br />
For those of you who don't know, ReStores are Habitat's version of a thrift store. Stocking mostly construction materials and home goods, they take donated materials from individuals and companies and sell it to the community for cheap (usually 30-50% below retail for new items). Profits go to supporting the local Habitat building efforts.<br />
<br />
This is one of those low-level opportunities that you should look for whenever you're coming to a new area. It's highly unskilled labor (for the most part), conducive to chatting and meeting new people, and it's a stepping stone into the community as well as the organization. <br />
<br />
Many of the people I worked with yesterday are regular building volunteers who are lending a hand to get the store ready for business. So once the baby is born and I'm back to being able to paint and lift and such, I've already met a bunch of the people I could be working with on a Habitat build. <b>In fact, it made me much more likely to volunteer for a build, since I've already met some core members</b> (and I like them).<br />
<br />
On another interesting note, while I was there yesterday I got to meet another bored soul looking to fill some spare time. He's currently on unemployment. I was so elated I almost hugged him. There's no reason to sit around on your kiester while you're unemployed. Job hunting doesn't take all day, and sites like VolunteerMatch.com can help you find great opportunities to keep your skills sharp, and maybe even learn something new.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-46887298823525459762011-03-01T06:15:00.000-08:002011-03-01T06:15:46.850-08:00Getting Settled In... Sort OfSo we're here. In Pittsburgh. Without any of our belongings.<br />
<br />
When we originally planned this I thought it would be no big deal. After 4 days of sitting in camp chairs or on the floor, I'm beginning to change my tune. Pregnant ladies were not meant to sleep on the floor. Luckily, we just found out the Allied driver will be here Thursday morning with all my worldly possessions (and my couch!).<br />
<br />
For now I'm staying busy by diving headfirst into the house-hunting scene. We're working with 2 agents from the Pittsburgh surrounding areas and have already seen one house we'd love to live in.<br />
<br />
I've also decided to officially keep Blogger as my primary blog engine and let the Tumblr blog fall into shambles. Why? Simply put: usability.<br />
<br />
Blogger is uglier in every way than Tumblr, but you can't beat their post interface. I spent hours trying to get Tumblr to put an appropriately-sized picture into my post; with Blogger it can suck them straight from my already published Picasa albums.<br />
<br />
So stay tuned to this channel for all that's new and noteworthy with the soon-to-be Turnbull family.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-1070124254439346342011-02-24T17:51:00.000-08:002011-02-24T17:51:03.815-08:00We're Almost There!<b>Tuesday</b><br />
<br />
A nice little half-day jaunt across Kansas meant we got almost a whole day of relaxing when we hit Brian's uncle's house. A much-needed break, we got to taste some great homemade beer and eat some real food. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l9Hb5YF_5t4/TWcIqENrzJI/AAAAAAAAOcg/-BvR3PhPTyU/s1600/IMG_8493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l9Hb5YF_5t4/TWcIqENrzJI/AAAAAAAAOcg/-BvR3PhPTyU/s320/IMG_8493.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday</b><br />
<br />
The longest day yet, we took on Lawrenece, KS to Nashville, TN all in one chunk. 621 miles and about 10 hours took us through Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky on our way into Tennessee. <br />
<br />
We finally found Kasey the cat's breaking point and she slept almost all the way there. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4T516TSNwE/TWcIut0BqII/AAAAAAAAOc8/t69bsfplV8g/s1600/IMG_8548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4T516TSNwE/TWcIut0BqII/AAAAAAAAOc8/t69bsfplV8g/s320/IMG_8548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
However, it is officially the end of our scenic driving. What we have to look at now are highways, traffic and billboards... so expect a marked decrease in the number of pictures accompanying these posts.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAci3zaFpeU/TWcIrr7JftI/AAAAAAAAOcs/wHVVwB8UpHI/s1600/IMG_8517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAci3zaFpeU/TWcIrr7JftI/AAAAAAAAOcs/wHVVwB8UpHI/s320/IMG_8517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>Thursday</b><br />
<br />
Due to crappy weather in Nashville that ruined all our plans, we made an uncharacteristically spontaneous change of plans and drove to Louisville, KY. We made it and shortened tomorrows drive to 380 miles (about 6 hours), but at the expense of what Brian is sure is the worst rain he's ever driven through. Ever. Luckily the forecast looks a little better for tomorrow.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-83710888730003086682011-02-24T13:38:00.000-08:002011-02-24T13:44:51.327-08:00Laziness and Technical DifficultiesNot everything can work perfectly. Half a day driving through Kansas seemed wholly un-blogworthy and once we got to Nashville last night I was beat. So I said I'd publish in the morning. Except by the time morning came out hosts had left for work and the only person left to ask how to get on their wireless network was a three-year-old.<br /><br />Now we're on an impromptu early departure from TN and headed as far to Ohio as we can get tonight, hoping to cut enough time off tomorrow's drive that we can pick up the keys to our apartment.<br /><br />Blogging will return this evening... hopefully.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08161424518060373460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-23459036578924610182011-02-21T18:19:00.000-08:002011-02-21T18:21:50.844-08:00I Can See Forever...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5flu9ksmmhs/TWMZzNv28LI/AAAAAAAAObg/fcOspf5H-CI/s1600/IMG_8427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5flu9ksmmhs/TWMZzNv28LI/AAAAAAAAObg/fcOspf5H-CI/s320/IMG_8427.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A much more productive day today, despite being 517 miles of the flattest expanse of land I've ever seen or imagined in my life. Beautiful sunshine kept our spirits high, even after 3 hours of near-constant yowling from Kasey the cat started grating on our nerves. For an animal whose biggest fear is open spaces, she had an understandably hard time with today's travels. She spent the next 5-ish hours in the kennel covered with towels...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--zPjS8c6ZrA/TWMZ1jANx-I/AAAAAAAAOb4/7YVz635RHfg/s1600/IMG_8467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--zPjS8c6ZrA/TWMZ1jANx-I/AAAAAAAAOb4/7YVz635RHfg/s320/IMG_8467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
But on the huge accomplishment side: we drove over one hundred miles in each of three different states today; New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Though they did all kind of look the same. And we're still over an hour ahead of schedule with only a paltry 206 miles to go tomorrow before we settle in for a mini-visit with family in Kansas.<br />
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On a distinctly sadder note, I saw my first "feed lot" today. A massive swath of land cordoned off into squares of tightly packed cattle eating grain from troughs. After two days of excited pointing out all the grazing cattle, I was disheartened to see so many in such a small space. I guess happy cows really do come from California.<br />
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Oh, and on a side note: all the pics from the trip can be found on my Picasa: <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/turnbull.amanda/RoadTrip#">https://picasaweb.google.com/turnbull.amanda/RoadTrip#</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-62288505304217882752011-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:002011-02-20T18:47:02.242-08:00Theme of the Day is: SNOWSo much snow, dude. <br />
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When I think of Arizona, I think of desert, cacti, and sun. I forget that there are vast expanses of mountains and all the inclement weather one would expect from such terrain. <br />
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We spent the majority of our day testing out the four wheel drive and heated mirrors on the Subaru while we followed dozens of semis up and down the mountain roads. Luckily there was only one major delay, so we're still about an hour ahead of schedule.<br />
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Tomorrow we're headed through a little bit of Oklahoma and Kansas. I'm looking forward to more ridiculous roadside signs and trading posts (after my hysterical outburst over the "Knife City Outlet" signs, Brian found out I have never been on a road trip before).<br />
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Keep your fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow. Kasey the cat really hated the snow a lot and kept trying to sneak into the front seats.<br />
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Also, If you play Words with Friends, look Brian and I up! We're playing a bunch on the road under the screennames vuapache and atbullpa. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-39758777807272311552011-02-19T20:01:00.000-08:002011-02-19T20:01:52.798-08:00Making Good Time on Day One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjnO3PQ-rv8/TWCM-rG6YjI/AAAAAAAAOas/Fdp9zifxxbU/s1600/IMG_8357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjnO3PQ-rv8/TWCM-rG6YjI/AAAAAAAAOas/Fdp9zifxxbU/s320/IMG_8357.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We're well on our way and thanks to some pretty nice weather and light traffic, we made it all the way to Kingman, AZ (about an hour past our scheduled stop at Bullhead City).<br />
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I think we covered most of the main land types today, passing through green hills, snowy mountains and lots of scrubby desert. This trip also reaffirmed the fact that, despite the chill, winter is the best time to travel in California. No other time of the year offers the distinct green that the hills and grasses get after a particularly heavy winter rainstorm.<br />
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The couple curiosities we passed today:<br /><br />
- Extensive orchards south of Gilroy. Are they apricots, nectarines, plums? Not sure but they're just starting to bloom.<br /><br />
- Really long trains carrying dozens of refrigerated trailers (like trucks normally haul). Why? Is it cheaper than driving them? Are they broken?<br /><br />
- Windmill farms near Bakersfield. Lots and lots of windmills.<br /><br />
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And we're also pleased to announce that Kasey the cat did excellently on the road. After a bit of readjusting so she had a nice comfy bed by the window we dealt with very minimal meowing. She's all settled into the hotel now, and very, very tired. As are we.<br />
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Tomorrow we're hoping to keep up our travel lead and finish Arizona and maybe 2/3 of New Mexico.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5355626405877006136.post-88398120073704225132011-02-16T11:59:00.000-08:002011-02-16T11:59:48.357-08:00Aw Yeah, It's a Travel BlogSo here's the plan: 7 days, 2,792 miles and 11 states.<br />
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<b>Saturday</b> | Campbell, CA to Bullhead City, AZ<br />
<b>Sunday</b> | Bullhead City, AZ to Albuquerque, NM<br />
<b>Monday</b> | Albuquerque, NM to Dodge City, KS<br />
<b>Tuesday</b> | Dodge City, KS to Lawrence, KS<br />
<b>Wednesday</b> | Lawrence, KS to Nashville, TN<br />
<b>Thursday</b> | Nashville, TN<br />
<b>Friday</b> | Nashville, TN to Pittsburgh, PA<br />
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I'm shooting for one post per day and thanks to Brian's phone, you'll be able to use the widget on the page to see EXACTLY where we are at any given time, via GPS.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670095263573154229noreply@blogger.com0