Progress???.... meh

So I write one blog and fall off the face of the earth... not a very good start to this new blog.  Well I have a few updates.  My last blog talked about my plans for my daughter's room.  Well, this update is going to be quite anticlimactic.  The room is painted.  I think it's a lovely mauvey, pinkey, purple color from Behr called Premonition.  I bought a no VOC paint with primer because the room had previously looked like this!

 I mean that's a quite bright aqua so the primer in the pain really made the job a one coat plus touch ups.  The list of things to do in her room is still quite long, but we're not even living in the house yet so bear with me.
To do list:Paintmake fabric covered shadeshang curtains—purchase just need to be hung.have furniture delivered--off the boat from Germany.construct bed-- Let me talk bed construction.  I had intended on having a handyman who was doing some work for my mom make the bed canopy thing.  Well, his attention to detail and ability to complete work on time and budget is in serious doubt, so I think I'm going to tackle the job myself.  I found a cool new little "cutter"  it is supposed to cut things up to a quarter of an inch.  So I am going to try it out with this bed.  I'll buy the 1x1's and have them cut at home depot, I'll also buy a little saw for any smaller cuts that need to be made.  For the facade I'm going to be using a thin wall board panel supported by the 1x1's and screwed into the original bed frame. I’m hoping to be able to just put the façade and secure it, I will add the additional frame around the bed if necessary but again we’re going to wait and see on that one.  I just think it could make changing the sheets more difficult than it will already be.  Onto a subject other than home improvement.  Home cooking, meal preparation and packing lunches.  I have to admit that I’ve been slacking.  I’ve been eating out too much, eating too much processed crap, feeding crappy processed for to my kid, not scrutinizing labels, and giving in to the glutton who lives in my stomach, but apparently doesn’t have a good relationship to his neighbor my gallbladder.  So, I’ve started cooking more.  Nothing too difficult and still having some processed items, but really trying to be much healthier in my choices and more frugal. 

Tonight for dinner is a 3 can dinner.  You could also make any of this from scratch if you so choose but this is a little dish from my childhood that has just sounded so darned tasty.  It’s an open faced cream of tuna sandwich.  I know this doesn’t sound FANTASTIC to most people but seriously give it a chance it really is a tasty treat on a night when you want something quick and easy.  I find that this recipe also cures a hankering for tuna noodle casserole.

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can tuna in water-drained

Up to 1 can of tiny sweet peas.

1 soup can of milk

Toast or bread, alternatively you could have over egg noodles.

This is one simple dish.  Place all ingredients except bread/noodles in a sauce pan and heat until warm.   Pour over your toast (I like mine with a smidge of butter) or noodles and enjoy.  I think you’ll be surprised at how tasty this is.

What could be done to make this less processed?

Fresh steamed peas--- I grew up on canned in this and that’s what tastes right to me.  Find what tastes right to you.

Homemade cream of mushroom soup—I’ve seen pins of this but never tried it myself.  I think if you have the time and energy please do and let me know how it tastes.

I’m hoping to be able to start cooking some Venison recipes.  Deer season is near here in Central New York and I now know someone who hunts.  I’m looking forward to the addition of inexpensive and healthy protein to our diet.  Can’t wait to fill the freezer.

 Until next time.  I hope that it won’t be nearly as long.

Homeownership!?!  It's a big deal.  This is not my first time entering into the home buying process.  A few years ago, Early 2007 it seemed so much easier.  We were able to finance 100%, the seller paid closing costs, etc. This time the scrutiny for a mortgage was intense, even with putting 20% down.  We (my mom and I) found a house that has 2 apartments.  The first floor had recently been updated because of flooding and was very modern and updated.  The second floor apartment had more "charm" which my mom likes.  We got a great deal on the house too, we're saving about 40k from their original list price.  We rushed to close early in the month, and then things stalled.  Apparently, the sellers didn't want to move until they had closed on their new house.  I understand it, or I would be more understanding if they would have made our closing conditional on their other closing.  Then we would have known upfront that we would likely have to wait for a few extra weeks.  Since they didn't tell us and basically just didn't communicate until after our anticipated closing date it left a really bad taste in my mouth.  I like people who operate in good faith and this just didn't seem like that to me.  Aside from the drama, I'm really excited about the house that will be mine tomorrow.  I've been moving and living our of suitcases and makeshift whatnot for long enough that I'm glad that I will be settling down and establishing roots. 

 

The first order of business for moving in is my daughter's room.  S has never had a really decorated room.  She's had cute things and bed etc but never one of those blog worthy places to lay her head that get pinned and and shared etc.  I'm taking this opportunity to change that.  I'm planning on working with many of the furniture pieces we already have in shipping.  I'll be mixing together:

-Two beds, one a loft (Ikea Kura) and one a daybed(Ikea Minnen) for under the low loft.  

-A treehouse/playhouse

http://www.ikeahackers.net/2014/01/diy-wood-house-with-kura-beds.html#VxoLYwa4VMBqlSrY.32

-Two of my favorite expedit shelves, one for toy storage (5x1) and one for a doll house (2x2). 

http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/diy-dollhouse-with-ikea-expedit/

-Collage art

-Garden themed Vanity

-Kids sized bistro set

-Fabric covered roller shades

http://thediymommy.com/make-a-no-sew-fabric-covered-roller-shade/

-Drop cloth curtains

-Collage frame/art/letter wall

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/diy-button-letter/

-clothes storage of some sort possibly silver leafed.

 

As you can see I've clearly been pinging around the Internet for some ideas and I've some creative vision of my own. 

 

There are a few other projects that I'll need to tackle in the new house.  The kitchen floors will need new grout-- I'm hiring that out because I just want it done before I move in.  I'll be painting almost every room.  I love the color of the bathroom so that will stay, all of the other rooms will change.  This won't be immediate because my biggest concern now is just getting in my new place and settled and downsizing.  Oy... downsizing is going to be a whole thing all in itself.  I shipped 8000 lbs of stuff from our 4+ bdrm house in Germany.  My new place is a 2 bdrm apartment (unit).  I'm definitely going to have to make some changes, look critically about what I want and need and make some hard choices to let some things go. 

 

Here goes.  The fun of change and the pains of moving forward and doing it all with my mom (my new neighbor) and my four yr old daughter.