Too many projects, not enough time!

 

I was finally getting the desk organized… and after weeks of research we decided on a stove and had a friend from the coast come over to get the tile laid and the pad in. 

 

Kinda self explanatory huh? 

So away we go.  The weather is fair and I have that spring calling to get seeds in trays and in the hot house soon.  So we are trying to get the inside of the house in order as fast as we can! 

Will post more updates as soon as I put the new memory card in my camera.  Note to self:  do not leave memory card out where toddler can insert into her mouth and chew on it.  The camera does not like slobbery memory cards. 

Follow up on Girlz room

 

Raspberry Glitter

 

I am still feeling the after effects of paint fumes, so I sit here in bed pondering WHY I would do such a thing as use spray paint.  I KNOW better! 

 

In my own defense I used it a week prior to finish the little girls recycled shelf for their room.  I took the old white shelf from the old mobile home and its been in the shop, getting damp and dusty.  And I didnt get quite this sick.  Then again I didnt use quite as much paint and have to be around it so long! 

 

Lola and I cleaned it up and painted it raspberry.  OK I painted and Lola played in the mud.  I didn't take any pictures of the during process.  Sorry... there I go not documenting again! 

 

When we were done with the raspberry paint I took a can of cherry bomb glitter paint and went over the shelf and brackets again. 

 

Here is the final product. 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes its up high but it will be good for things like the basket up there that has Miranda's 'special tea set' and other sentimental things I am sure we still have packed in boxes that I have yet to unpack.  I don't have a knack for picture taking, so I was hoping the glitter would show up better... but it didn't!  LOL 

 

 

I really do need to find their artwork and get some pictures up on the walls... 

 

 

Lola's corner.... its not the sturdiest of shelves or baskets for that matter, but it will serve its purpose for the time being.. in keeping Lego's separated from stuffed animals from little pet shop critters. 

 

Part of the day yesterday was spent with Miranda doing homework.  She had to read a book and do a report and include a project that went with it.  So.. she read a cookbook from the 'old days' ... you know like 1980!  And she wrote out her report and her project was making snicker doodles.  Russ is really enjoying being able to DO things with the kids instead of hear about them, so he took the first half of making cookies and she and I finished them off. 

 

 

Sugar ... check ....

 

 

Butter... ummm... coconut oil instead... check...

 

 

And there is Lola trying to help...

 

 

She LOVES all the step stools...  I am going to have to buy one for me AGAIN and hide it so I know where it is when I need it... lol  And just for the record, I do put clothes on her... she takes them back off.. along with her socks and shoes.  I DO try to keep her civilized... really!! 

 

 

I am going to need a bigger shotgun for this one.  She is such a beautiful person inside and out... and elegant as she makes cookie balls sitting on the counter...lol 

 

Finished product....

 

 

She is growing up too fast for me.  I think she earned an A+!!!  Enough cookies for all the students in her class to go along with her book report, and quality time with Dad. 

 

Until next time... happy homesteading! 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Kitchen organization

Kitchen Organization Project #1

 

 

I have many 'goals' for 2013.  My main three are doing more in my ministry, even if its only an hour a week more, becoming as chemical free as possible in a chemical laden world, and getting organized, including keeping this blog updated more than once every 6 months.  Living in 'temporary housing' for the last five years allowed me to have an excuse, but I am a person that NEEDS organization.  I have never been truly diagnosed with OCD, but I think maybe my tendencies are really coming out now that we have been so very blessed with this new home.  I want it in order and functional!!!!  :) 

 

I had been asked to relate what I had been up to... packing as much into my little kitchen as possible.  We have a couple more things on order, but one of the biggest projects is done and I think I am going to love it.  As soon as the paint fumes wear off and my head quits hurting!!! 

 

I found the plans on another blog called classyclutter.  I don't go there often, but it came up while searching DIY projects online.  Call it what you like, we call it a rolling pantry.   I envy people that think these things up... I am just grateful for the internet and the ability to find what I am looking for!

 

The gap between the refrigerator and counter is 7 inches wide leaving room for an upgrade later if we want ( and we will I suppose when this one finally dies in... who knows how long).  So until then I have a huge area of wasted space.  Broom and dustpan maybe?  Or the rolling pantry...  I opted for shelving!!! 

 

So here is how we spent the afternoon after being out in field service...

 

 

It was hard enough finding that little microwave to fit in that corner.  But we didn't want to give up any other counter space, so there it is... and there is the gap that is needing to be filled. 

 

 

 

Shelves on their sides.  one of our bestest friends works at the local lumber mill and had some lumber laying around in his garage that needed somewhere to go, and he brought it here, and although I was expecting to put it all together, this is what he brought me... WHAT A GUY!!! 

 

 

I would have nailed it together, but he has a knack for making furniture, so I am forever grateful when he helps us over here with things...

 

 

I set all the dowels in place and nailed them into place.  I should have put them out a little farther, but I am happy with the results... not bad for a girl... lol 

 

 

All the kids showed up today, except our beloved Aggie.  He was stuck working.  So Heather helped me paint.  So we both now have migraines and are sick right???  I opted for spray paint ( which I normally don't do) in hopes that the dry time would be faster.  It was, but my head is killing me from the fumes... Oh man!!!

 

 

The back... I put contact paper on the side that will be showing, but ran out, so I need to fix the bottom shelf eventually... 

 

 

kinda blurry, sorry.. by this point I have smelled enough paint to kill a small animal.  Next time I decide to opt for spray paint.. someone just say... NO! 

 

Wheels are on and we are letting it dry...

 

 

Now there's about a 2 inch gap.. the wood was 1 by 5's... 

 

 

Now this little hidden pantry will hold all our spices that we bought spice containers for at the dollar store.  We buy all of them in bulk so I was tired of mismatched containers and baggies filled with spices and herbs... and when we harvest from the garden... well you get the picture.  the first top rows will fit nothing but spices. With the containers we bought we can fit about 100.  We only bought 50, so we will have to think something up right???   That was sarcasm... I dont think we have 50 spices to fill the jars, I am eager to see what all we really have.  Teas, I am slowly getting rid of boxed teas, and have bought more little air tight jars at the dollar store to store bulk leaf tea in... So the next rows will be for teas, and other jarred bulk items.  Russ bought a label deal so we can reuse and relabel as we go.  The last three will be for other things, oils, oil spritzers that we use in lieu of Pam, ACV... etc.. 

 

 

So you really cant see it walking into the kitchen.  I also am utilizing precious wall space.  My roosters used to hold Rebels leashes and fly swatters in the old singlewide.  Now it hold trivets and utensils and one my more frequently used smaller colanders.  I will update other wall pot racks and knife magnets we are using to free up cupboards and drawers.  We only have 4 'small' drawers... so small we cant even fit in a silverware organizer.  I opted for a silverware caddy that I leave on the table or the edge of the bar that has napkins and our 'daily use' silverware.  I have never owned a full set of anything... so it helps that its not a true set.  LOL  I am really having to get creative in organization in this kitchen.  Its beautiful and it will be my forever kitchen...  so I just want it to be functional. 

 

 

Spice jars that are ready to be filled.  And the jars for teas and other bulk things.  We actually found them months ago at the dollar store and Russ bought a case a month of each so that when this project came to fruit we can sit down and get them all in order.  Guess what we will be doing tomorrow???  Another thing I should point out is I am have been getting rid of all plastic in the house, ( no rubbermaid for me) so getting rid of plastic spice containers was important to me.  It was one of the last things I really wanted to ditch in the kitchen.  The little glass jars were perfect, the tops are plastic still, but they have a side to scoop and side to shake the spice.  So its dual purpose and I like the ability to multitask an item.  :) 

 

What storage tips/ideas do you utilize in your small kitchen to make it more functional/green?  I am open to all ideas!  :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



GIRL TIME and random thoughts...

Rag curls...

So in the age of going green and being frugal is 'in'... the girls and I decided to jump in and play a little...  Russ caught us or I would NEVER have taken pictures.. especially of myself... as I am about as photogenic as... mud!  I retract that... I have good pictures of mud...  so... garbage?

 

Our other Monday night fun time... is clipping coupons for shopping on Tuesday... we live 40 minutes from the nearest Safeway or Albertsons... or Fredmeyer... so we shop all the ads for what we need and clip away at our costs.. Lola gets the front page or the comics... and scissors...  she loves it...

 



 

 

They are growing so fast...

 

 

And I hope you weren't expecting an after picture.  Lola tore hers out within  hours.  Miranda right before bed decided she wasn't going to sleep with them in and have curly hair for school...we would have to do another trial run on a Friday night when no one will see her on Saturday.  And come morning... Russ and I ran into Grants Pass and I never thought to take a picture of my ringlets.. maybe next time... lol 

 

 

goofballs...

 

 

naptime... 

 

 

our burn piles... lol

 

 

she loves napping in the play room.  The couch wasn't even in yet, and she crawls up into the chair and sleeps.  She sleeps like that in the car too, with her hand propping her face up. 

 

 

This says it all.... we are still trailer trash... a cardboard pathway through the mud to the shop where all our worldly possessions are getting damp, wet from leeks in the roof, forgotten because we have lived so long without them, do we need them anyway?  Rebel is guarding... the ducks?  His food dish in the corner there?  Or maybe he is chuckling at the little one that is almost at the top of the stairs... in any account... that about wraps it up for me tonight... WhooHoo... tomorrow is Friday so we will have a couple of days with the kids being home... :):)  and if I remember right... one LAST football game to deal with...  FINALLY! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David and Goliath...

David and Goliath... the skit...

 

So I promised to put up the little skit that the kids did for us for our anniversary.  It was quite short, so there are only a few pictures... but it was very very sweet.  My best friend and neighbor ( how I got so lucky I am not sure )... had the kids over the day of and they put this little thing together...

 

Our son Russell was Goliath... He came in saying in a deep teenage voice chewing back a grin like he has ever since I can remember ( he was three )  ,"  Fee Fi Fo Fum... I'm Goliath and I'm not afraid of ANYone..." 

Cheryl narrated and you can see Athena in the back as one of the soldiers... Miranda was David...

 

My little Grandson wanted to play until Goliath barked... and he ended up in my lap! 

 

 



There is Miranda getting her sling shot ready... Lola doesn't seem to be much of a help as a soldier, but she sure looks cute in Pull Ups and an orange uniform... lol 

 

 

We missed him falling to the ground.. but it was hilarious.. All in all a good time...  and a good story... may we all continue to sling rocks at the Goliath problems that come our way... 

 

 

Looking like a HOME!!!

 

So I'm a loser.  I haven't posted in weeks and weeks.  I came down with a cold that turned into a horrid sinus infection for weeks when we first moved in.  That finally subsided but I am having a terrible winter with the Fibromyalgia rearing its head and letting me know it hasn't gone anywhere permantly and its still around to make me feel completely useless!  But here is where the house is so far.  Still tons of boxes and more projects than I have time to post about tonight, but soon. 

 

 

This is the front living room.  Its open and is inclusive with the dining room and Kitchen. 

 

 

Which were broke in by our friends and neighbors for an impromptu Anniversary party for Russ and I.  We hit 12 years on the 14th of January.  It was a wonderful day and I will have to get the pictures of the kids skit they performed for us.  It was about David and Goliath.  The Goliath like problems that have been hurled at Russ and I.  And yet we as a couple each time have slung rocks at Goliaths head and conquered the evil ( overcome these enormous problems) with Jehovah's help just like David ( aka Miranda).  I'll post it in its own post...

 

 

 

My Mer and Heather... sitting at the bar...

 

 

The kitchen is definitely smaller than we had hoped... but I have some really neat things I am doing to it to free up space in cupboards.  The few that we have...lol  That's another post for another day though...

 

 

The hallway off the dining room.  to the left are bedrooms for the kids.  Two of them.  They are small, but serve their purpose.  We are still digging out of boxes so things are far from decorated.  Lol...  But its nice to hear the pitter patter of running toddlers down the hall...  On the right is the bathroom for the kids and the pantry...  It opens into the play room or the family room.  The main living area.  :) 

 

We left the rest of the sectional out in the shop until we can find a sleeper sofa that we like... on craigslist, like everything else we own....lol  but this is half of the playroom...

 

 

And this is the other half... lol  Still hunting for more bookshelves, there is very little 'storage'...so we are looking at many options... all requiring recycling, or 'used' to be fixed up... 

 

Tomorrow I am taking an old shelf from the old mobile I am glad I kept.  The little girls and I are going to sand it down, and repaint it 'raspberry glitter'... should be fun.  And will add some color to their room and match the 'poodle curtains' we put in there.  I'll take an after picture in a couple of days to show the progress. 

 

 

We're kinda into owls right now... lol  as you can see by their bathroom as well as their bedding. 

 

 

Fun... although Miranda is counting down the days until 'she' thinks Bub will move out and she can have her 'own' room.  LOL... She told me tonight it will be decorated in a forest theme so she can have deer and wolves and squirrels and trees... Ahhh to be 8 again with no worries in the world but what kind of neat stickers you can find for your walls on Ebay. 

 

Bub's room is all bed... but it works for him, he's a big boy and a twin bed was no longer really cutting it.  I think he has finally decided to go with Black again, so I am on the hunt for new bedding...

 

 

Our room is still a catch all, some things will just never change...lol 

 

 

and our bathroom...

 

 

 

So its taken two hours to upload these few pictures...I thought about getting the rest from Russ computer, but that too will have to wait.  I am wiped and its a school night which means I have a few hours of sleep to try and get.  I WILL do better Mom in getting pictures on here.  I have been taking them... when I'm not sick or out of town or... in the garden, or pruning the fruit trees, or couponing... hehehe... Good night...