tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47953305799708391512024-03-21T09:20:25.733-07:00Flights Of FancyMelissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-44950428019624258282024-02-27T14:38:00.000-07:002024-02-27T14:38:13.895-07:00Recipe- Macaroni Mess<p>In the rush of life, having an arsenal of easy to make, substantial meals is key. This is one of those meals and a family favorite. This recipe came from my grandmother and is loved throughout our family. In fact, at my grandmother's funeral years ago, we were all gathered at my cousins house post-funeral, and she had had a caterer provide a beautiful spread. Rather than eating that food though, we all found ourselves gathered around her fridge eating leftover cold macaroni mess and it never tasted better. It is the epitome of comfort food.</p><p>I start by chopping up my onions, garlic and peppers and cook those in with the ground beef.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDbGF7taO9WfZoKBYGkgzG_YhQ0OKDJwt5CG5qk7ishYp6Pgwm42apjDZ586Fqdy66GFubVjZm2s2rOW3euVEECd0b5jSmrAay1lOZyUDkY7dxggIHT83D40-5QBLbJJU3fkOGgm0q8EPcFh0YBMwaUomvIm6FyTQ4HA031AZO_rNkLY9xZaW9AM7g4Zc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDbGF7taO9WfZoKBYGkgzG_YhQ0OKDJwt5CG5qk7ishYp6Pgwm42apjDZ586Fqdy66GFubVjZm2s2rOW3euVEECd0b5jSmrAay1lOZyUDkY7dxggIHT83D40-5QBLbJJU3fkOGgm0q8EPcFh0YBMwaUomvIm6FyTQ4HA031AZO_rNkLY9xZaW9AM7g4Zc=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I simultaneously start a large pot of salted water heating up. <p></p><p>Once cooked, I add in the spices, tomatoes, sugar and mushrooms. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZ-N6FdDiTmju5B9b8yMa7V2Q9miCrezkbYF905uiRN7oN4qd_YNo9sypvQ2MEO4V-bAg2YxXQ2DJDG4TKRsWpdnihkHtPLjx8sXUc2vS3eFceLBmFYfPy3Ruy47KKwAVVO3U5JsJxUgCHoOcilidohacBJpjhTUSe_6nHHraReSRqYqVDxhPc_CeW8OA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZ-N6FdDiTmju5B9b8yMa7V2Q9miCrezkbYF905uiRN7oN4qd_YNo9sypvQ2MEO4V-bAg2YxXQ2DJDG4TKRsWpdnihkHtPLjx8sXUc2vS3eFceLBmFYfPy3Ruy47KKwAVVO3U5JsJxUgCHoOcilidohacBJpjhTUSe_6nHHraReSRqYqVDxhPc_CeW8OA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>As for the chili powder, it takes tons. I nearly used half of this spice container. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidjx6yOV3wT2Paw7UrCUfuUXv5WzL8XBa4KPW-fSIdjbA96NRNnpFMfTaoyMheXv9vdp-HRw96_Mmqwd80lTOigjzcTmuHzNEnydwx0iN8wDIv3bCnIQ6gCPTNm4tuuNMYjRmN01BkxrOM0JOdu9v8Id5tUkWiEJT4zNfJchbyYgBt1l4WMbNcyEtKIvA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidjx6yOV3wT2Paw7UrCUfuUXv5WzL8XBa4KPW-fSIdjbA96NRNnpFMfTaoyMheXv9vdp-HRw96_Mmqwd80lTOigjzcTmuHzNEnydwx0iN8wDIv3bCnIQ6gCPTNm4tuuNMYjRmN01BkxrOM0JOdu9v8Id5tUkWiEJT4zNfJchbyYgBt1l4WMbNcyEtKIvA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />At this point, do a taste test for whether or not you need more salt and pepper, keeping in mind that you will be putting a lot of cheese on top and it is salty.<p></p><p>For the pasta, I usually use elbow macaroni, but one of my daughters is having tummy issues that we are trying to get to the bottom of. In this instance, I used gluten free pasta and it was wonderful too.</p><p>Once the pasta is cooked, drain it in the sink (and rinse if using gluten free pasta), and then add it to the meat mixture.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUnPsTrQam9a15vFUOWX1fyok4jy7X9aQIaiK1i0tVwQEfiXRNJYGh6uO8HJXgYk-G0vZ_jXaeV65KRAaN7M2zr8Po3zC2zmItvgiIr55peqIv8GyMqPzmDqgdb07dors2rrVLYjs68kH1SaQSBeTyWvxcNok2IpmBxjwFJVXqW1FIG6nzNp2_8YL9Sv8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUnPsTrQam9a15vFUOWX1fyok4jy7X9aQIaiK1i0tVwQEfiXRNJYGh6uO8HJXgYk-G0vZ_jXaeV65KRAaN7M2zr8Po3zC2zmItvgiIr55peqIv8GyMqPzmDqgdb07dors2rrVLYjs68kH1SaQSBeTyWvxcNok2IpmBxjwFJVXqW1FIG6nzNp2_8YL9Sv8" width="360" /></a></div>I dump this all into a 13x9" pan and bake uncovered for nearly an hour. <p></p><p>Once done (and a bit browned on top), pour over nearly a full bag of shredded cheese. You can either throw it back into the oven for a few minutes to let the cheese melt, or just give it a few minutes on the counter and it will melt over the hot pasta.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9AexER-Up_H9enjkGIyGrS3FZ9YfymEmyNrOIbboIReeviapQ1XZETb0_CRd2HlYDC6vqeyNpotHOQkaVFC4tAoQNmLkU7kjdnufVecb_xaLrwFCKpWe81i4j-I8xHyqh9D2qTNhCGcFd_xHFHfYklmfe-p8FFFPNpif4MRTDcC-CALUww4K49EB6Csw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2662" data-original-width="3548" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9AexER-Up_H9enjkGIyGrS3FZ9YfymEmyNrOIbboIReeviapQ1XZETb0_CRd2HlYDC6vqeyNpotHOQkaVFC4tAoQNmLkU7kjdnufVecb_xaLrwFCKpWe81i4j-I8xHyqh9D2qTNhCGcFd_xHFHfYklmfe-p8FFFPNpif4MRTDcC-CALUww4K49EB6Csw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />This meal feeds our full household for more than two nights. It is tons of food. I usually serve it with a nice salad and some sliced fruit, and my kids love it!<p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Macaroni Mess</b></p><p>2 lbs ground beef</p><p>1/2 medium onion chopped</p><p>1/2 green bell pepper chopped</p><p>lots of minced garlic (I use 4-5 cloves)</p><p>tons of chili powder (to taste, but many tablespoons)</p><p>1 tsp sugar</p><p>1 can stewed tomatoes</p><p>1 small can of sliced mushrooms</p><p>1 lb elbow macaroni</p><p>sharp cheddar cheese</p><p>salt and pepper to taste</p><p><br /></p><p>Cook pasta according to box instructions.</p><p>Brown beef with onions, garlic and peppers. Drain off fat if using meat with a higher fat content. Add sugar, mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and chili powder. Combine cooked pasta with meat mixture and pour into large baking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.</p><p>Enjoy!<br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-45371805684003280142024-02-20T16:23:00.000-07:002024-02-20T16:23:18.153-07:00Laundry Room Remodel- Check !<p> This weekend we finally finished the laundry room! If you remember, we planned to wallpaper the wall behind the washer and dryer and needed to wait a full four weeks after painting to let everything cure before the wallpaper could be applied. In the meantime, we got everything else done and functional, so the wait wasn't too terrible.</p><p>The wallpaper is this <a href="https://riflepaperco.com/cool-cats-white-multi-peel-and-stick-wallpaper">peel and stick from Rifle Paper company</a>. I spend so much time in the laundry room and just wanted something fun.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTgjVFqnBen5x8rY6lI4ecwr-7AvbdA7ZbkTSzTnQqxoiJAXz5h_FRgzyYKa77eOOV5mDrWfbc3X4UnJlle_LVO7uHIcgrAYvQqNyJ4oiKCl5XTAiDWgPonEWErzyxMjCf__bcp22mduEthci7fzZxxX9B-2NQMPPZ5bKCTr5NafYmykjnTeHjj8dnC0s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTgjVFqnBen5x8rY6lI4ecwr-7AvbdA7ZbkTSzTnQqxoiJAXz5h_FRgzyYKa77eOOV5mDrWfbc3X4UnJlle_LVO7uHIcgrAYvQqNyJ4oiKCl5XTAiDWgPonEWErzyxMjCf__bcp22mduEthci7fzZxxX9B-2NQMPPZ5bKCTr5NafYmykjnTeHjj8dnC0s=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Here it is up close:<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE6PsdkZpEzVaCPIuVuGYpwmCQeyR__9dnCdWJZasAOGRg7drRHJlh4j9VJ9zaH_jWeXwBdFnVOLJBX7GOugJGGt0j_y2NqHqLoAhpzgbMfuKZ8V-nZ4lPxzK03rEDjzzoWy54dSzg1u85d1NwGj9tVdJxhnhZ7j2i-mlZEVFEnveWXTe8CuYU3yOLIA0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE6PsdkZpEzVaCPIuVuGYpwmCQeyR__9dnCdWJZasAOGRg7drRHJlh4j9VJ9zaH_jWeXwBdFnVOLJBX7GOugJGGt0j_y2NqHqLoAhpzgbMfuKZ8V-nZ4lPxzK03rEDjzzoWy54dSzg1u85d1NwGj9tVdJxhnhZ7j2i-mlZEVFEnveWXTe8CuYU3yOLIA0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>I realize this paper design isn't for everyone, but I am thrilled with how it turned out. I will say though that it was REALLY hard to apply. You are basically just adhering one huge sticker and when you have outlets to deal with, it isn't the easiest. We found that the paper tended to wrinkle and once that happened, there was no fixing it. I actually had one section that bothered me so much that I had to cut it out and painstakingly lay in a new piece. It worked in the end, but I cannot imagine papering a space any larger than this small area.<p></p><p>We also finished up the laundry sink space. After living with the sink for a couple of weeks, we decided that we needed a backsplash there. We clean out cat litter boxes in this sink and we were finding that we were splashing a fair bit of water onto the walls. I wanted something easy and initially ordered and tested peel and stick vinyl tiles. Unfortunately, these didn't work very well in our space because you could see just how thin they are (they would work well in a kitchen where you go from counter top to right up under cabinets). I ended up finding <a href="https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/sunwings-3d-11-x-12-natural-stone-peel-stick-mosaic-tile-snwi1031.html?piid=85803355&csnid=56356B6F-6A87-44E0-A8A8-514E3B29DF1B&sltid=6&_emr=62ee48bd-82fa-465f-96dd-b1de51f39a38&wfcs=cs9&_eml=7bed9857-110c-483c-8def-d68f5af2503c&refid=EML_92001&source=graymatter&treatmentGuid=f225306a-ef79-4559-8e4e-df4003cae569&mdlid=11d7a2f0-bad8-4d52-8893-57142dfea606">peel and stick sheets with real stone</a> and we ended up going with those. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8EQAeruzo2ymWq2XS0xF708A8cEujjSlrlQOo0z0zg6cq24Kty6j4Sez93RsJPEiKKntUtKR2HWNM_EtHXJRDOkvZMPS0ct1wQvuMJFPq6_mALU4Ql0jh9W6wjPbxx-zxRDVUhdn9QWd9POkVBXEQljMuXbp1Hn0dafDoGQShzH0v1E5YEjSs0BhqmrE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1426" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8EQAeruzo2ymWq2XS0xF708A8cEujjSlrlQOo0z0zg6cq24Kty6j4Sez93RsJPEiKKntUtKR2HWNM_EtHXJRDOkvZMPS0ct1wQvuMJFPq6_mALU4Ql0jh9W6wjPbxx-zxRDVUhdn9QWd9POkVBXEQljMuXbp1Hn0dafDoGQShzH0v1E5YEjSs0BhqmrE=w400-h244" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>They did require using a tile saw to cut, but we have one that we borrowed from a friend.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijG9dOcB4KALjMPqYb-nztqvwM1A4nm6FJZSqjy9dME2zbkYyPSJn-OFBwoThOMqiI3c_YEpjRfmJSCysYXG7ebzeylfJeuH6Jbq38lPBsiAkeG93R3hjujLzgm5iuAHYCJAGp9gXyLeLSx2xLt9fgqMF5aqDpZtaB1zSMUckqcV7ZCMqqgsngB91IGnc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijG9dOcB4KALjMPqYb-nztqvwM1A4nm6FJZSqjy9dME2zbkYyPSJn-OFBwoThOMqiI3c_YEpjRfmJSCysYXG7ebzeylfJeuH6Jbq38lPBsiAkeG93R3hjujLzgm5iuAHYCJAGp9gXyLeLSx2xLt9fgqMF5aqDpZtaB1zSMUckqcV7ZCMqqgsngB91IGnc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>We trimmed out the edges with some marble that I picked up at Home Depot. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmvh47RX6sy2xCWXrJ7QvPJJFbWoM6gghC6k4gbIbom4sRXHguMFcDRSwnKbv9s-sw9EbGUjWrc5jJLJ8qMKPReA8RSJKR86d1SOgAzdFkXuqlXle5a2M5cY6B6v62pL9SHhoNFv3MBOJSd8D-KKxZeGZCNfuxDTdUixljsPjlyJuGMiKJd26Al_QL-G4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmvh47RX6sy2xCWXrJ7QvPJJFbWoM6gghC6k4gbIbom4sRXHguMFcDRSwnKbv9s-sw9EbGUjWrc5jJLJ8qMKPReA8RSJKR86d1SOgAzdFkXuqlXle5a2M5cY6B6v62pL9SHhoNFv3MBOJSd8D-KKxZeGZCNfuxDTdUixljsPjlyJuGMiKJd26Al_QL-G4=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, the laundry room makeover is complete and quite a success!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCe-IzoUW8pzMrU4mRNWEyWWNWzs7bUoxgRmBaLdEuwDJrj8eZWelxZ2Ah0DYUaCQjqipu4jaXAmhN6T_S8VQTQ1hnsSxd4EzWve92k1M5B15_HtTJge558GH7ZjtwL2RG5qY6o-rewjg6urkfZG3xQDaoh5kf9pbSg09zllcFTCy848_tTaxbsqJDh90" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCe-IzoUW8pzMrU4mRNWEyWWNWzs7bUoxgRmBaLdEuwDJrj8eZWelxZ2Ah0DYUaCQjqipu4jaXAmhN6T_S8VQTQ1hnsSxd4EzWve92k1M5B15_HtTJge558GH7ZjtwL2RG5qY6o-rewjg6urkfZG3xQDaoh5kf9pbSg09zllcFTCy848_tTaxbsqJDh90=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>I have so much more space in this room now, with the added bonus of a laundry sink! And what was such a dull room before, now is a fun space to walk into! If you need a reminder of what it looked like before, <a href="https://baltzflightsoffancy.blogspot.com/2024/01/laundry-room-remodel.html">click here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-61459476926163158432024-01-30T11:50:00.001-07:002024-01-30T11:50:27.168-07:00Laundry Room Remodel- texture and paint<p> We did it! It took two tries, but we successfully matched our spray texture in the laundry room. Thank goodness. We rarely have to spray texture so we had forgotten that we typically use the biggest nozzle to match our texture, which caused our issue last weekend. Eric got to work on Saturday morning spraying, while I waited in the wings to knock down the texture. This is so hard for me because I just want to get it done, but with such heavy texture I generally have to wait 15-30 minutes before I can touch it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsu1ZAa6ZGtwlwLhl_SUzuwmsqNVsuv6f8vxn0pAFna-sTDF8yvSvraix7kvDISYZ8QRky5Iu_9xl3kg2HplTnqDIrlqHiSAOGYMQp8g3EshchN_hnbiZRr8k0vixipdSx4RMeq7Mm1g9xOa0cR_chEco5LZefs4pvRFEk30d5huFN5P0GHjxEqGebP_o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsu1ZAa6ZGtwlwLhl_SUzuwmsqNVsuv6f8vxn0pAFna-sTDF8yvSvraix7kvDISYZ8QRky5Iu_9xl3kg2HplTnqDIrlqHiSAOGYMQp8g3EshchN_hnbiZRr8k0vixipdSx4RMeq7Mm1g9xOa0cR_chEco5LZefs4pvRFEk30d5huFN5P0GHjxEqGebP_o=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>I cannot find the exact texture hopper that we have (ours is 8+ years old), but this one if very similar from <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wal-Board-Tools-Texture-Pro-200-Hopper-Gun-Sprayer-with-3-Spray-Tips-052-020-HD/100660219">Home Depot</a>. We have an extremely long hose for our air compressor. We just leave it in the garage and pull the hose anywhere in the house that we need to use it. You cannot even begin to compare using a texture gun like this to the disposable cans that are sold in big box stores. This is what it looks like when the texture is initially sprayed on.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZMUrqjJGHIQWJlXPktHM6j92tmSegRJ3ltD6k0q6sBiONSh5RzmgTu65RicofNODM0GK1dyuWAjouN-qbEyCiUlnLmA1Qkt8ZG4WKEaI0MdgPZhtv5RTJiz6UqWUXC6pvMrGmRh7lSH1T1olYQfpTm-_boLQIOBXJ3z70dLtgwNs-diNPyK2_6fntJYo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZMUrqjJGHIQWJlXPktHM6j92tmSegRJ3ltD6k0q6sBiONSh5RzmgTu65RicofNODM0GK1dyuWAjouN-qbEyCiUlnLmA1Qkt8ZG4WKEaI0MdgPZhtv5RTJiz6UqWUXC6pvMrGmRh7lSH1T1olYQfpTm-_boLQIOBXJ3z70dLtgwNs-diNPyK2_6fntJYo=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>And this is a side by side comparison of our old texture verses the new after it has been knocked down, primed and painted.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRlOo7AFD6cj9M8G_VFdpoxj2-Wi02_AVHTU-FkHSF8m2MDhfXS36FXzozR_bJ5gRVVyLLW7luaTgzlSBBLZUtiEdYZ9EbxqDJIS952EEkYYQTPy897wz3RGjq_sbQl-HMdQQeqp2Id09oO5igW0hDKNO_RPJsBSE0w0NaWYeylGTrPzywV_BBmoFWL2Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="1636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRlOo7AFD6cj9M8G_VFdpoxj2-Wi02_AVHTU-FkHSF8m2MDhfXS36FXzozR_bJ5gRVVyLLW7luaTgzlSBBLZUtiEdYZ9EbxqDJIS952EEkYYQTPy897wz3RGjq_sbQl-HMdQQeqp2Id09oO5igW0hDKNO_RPJsBSE0w0NaWYeylGTrPzywV_BBmoFWL2Y=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The existing texture is on the left and the new is on the right.You would never know that there is a big drywall seam there!<p></p><p>Once the texture was fully dried, we primed and then did a couple of coats of paint. By Sunday evening, we were able to get baseboards back in place.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUnQo434667Sn3M1LZI2nb1I0inYsRhW8oWiB7i8l_L3stL6gXeUAX4Auy1MLH9DlT00SPm6kactyWPERfsPNbS2uNZY3tWAMfjvIsyGIA_hD5hq4O1YU98Hw9jA1NtTAymSI7szDauvbBbP2s6STd_vXDMbfINvEo8zlxtcK3JMFU6K_AaeEgaDy-xSY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUnQo434667Sn3M1LZI2nb1I0inYsRhW8oWiB7i8l_L3stL6gXeUAX4Auy1MLH9DlT00SPm6kactyWPERfsPNbS2uNZY3tWAMfjvIsyGIA_hD5hq4O1YU98Hw9jA1NtTAymSI7szDauvbBbP2s6STd_vXDMbfINvEo8zlxtcK3JMFU6K_AaeEgaDy-xSY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>We did our quick clean up and pushed the washer and dryer back into the room for use this week.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6e34D89eWjQfxKfHTWGQKEO5YKGBP08ApXu7OYB6MNUOZl_Z2SuwXIFkZZHDQKkSsgM34YBduYjTwXu7YsjfTvzh-EtlTHPN4DchVDJdnVrqiGZjQTjOfbiGs41hCHeFFiwiSGXmezEeZjkKNCC1Zr19L4se77VAX_hITOrcq-J6tLDdAFXJXbV3Q9QA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6e34D89eWjQfxKfHTWGQKEO5YKGBP08ApXu7OYB6MNUOZl_Z2SuwXIFkZZHDQKkSsgM34YBduYjTwXu7YsjfTvzh-EtlTHPN4DchVDJdnVrqiGZjQTjOfbiGs41hCHeFFiwiSGXmezEeZjkKNCC1Zr19L4se77VAX_hITOrcq-J6tLDdAFXJXbV3Q9QA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Next weekend, we will get the new laundry sink fully installed, which I cannot wait for. The final step will be the wallpaper on that wall behind the washer and dryer. We still have to wait a couple of weeks until the paint has fully cured, allowing for maximum adhesion. <p></p><p>In the meantime, I have been looking into a couple of small decor items for the room. Even though it is "just a laundry room", I still want it to be cute and fun!<br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-21379227765726528682024-01-25T08:53:00.002-07:002024-01-25T08:53:40.837-07:00DIY Wine Cellar<p>Well, you win some, and you loose some and last weekend we definitely lost. We had the best intentions of nearly wrapping up the laundry room remodel with texturing, painting and baseboards. Unfortunately, we got the texturing, priming and painting done only to discover that we need to re-do the texturing. We have really heavy knockdown on our walls and it is hard to see if you have done a great job until after you get it painted. So, we spent the entire weekend working our tails off only to discover that we have to repeat it all again this weekend. Ugh...</p><p>Rather than continuing to wallow in our misery, I though I would instead flash back to a project that we did on a bit of a whim during COVID. We were bored and stuck in our home at that point, and we thought, why not make some fun use of space that we had under our basement stairs?</p><p>Our basement is unfinished, which works great for us currently. The girls play year-round down there and I can just close the door on the mess and pretend like it isn't there. It also allows for scooter riding and roller skating indoors during the winter, which the girls love. While we do have plans to finish half of the basement at some point, we are not in a rush. So, we thought we would tackle just a little project that will eventually help us out in the future basement remodel. We already have tons of storage space down there, so when it came thinking up what we could do with the space under the stairs, the wine cellar idea was born. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpawAwv0sg05hTYrXs1KajnoLRDqwglalfbgrXvNlNsUGau0B4g3Vp2VcRhLYEN6s0WgSnbHQ-xpUUk1ZZ6pzmxXkhuiMRUessE5XeoUAgwF8yXJcaRBVYa9Uz71d1E4tVOJHdWMUi7cE6608J3PwGwtcuDrd63UvVW_m_yEw7rOtwfxPq_c65WLem_Co" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpawAwv0sg05hTYrXs1KajnoLRDqwglalfbgrXvNlNsUGau0B4g3Vp2VcRhLYEN6s0WgSnbHQ-xpUUk1ZZ6pzmxXkhuiMRUessE5XeoUAgwF8yXJcaRBVYa9Uz71d1E4tVOJHdWMUi7cE6608J3PwGwtcuDrd63UvVW_m_yEw7rOtwfxPq_c65WLem_Co=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Basements are always a bit lacking in lighting, so we wanted a glass door and a window to keep the space open and bright (when we do finish the basement, much more lighting will be added).<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3NkESkHB2G8bxckrDYkGyc5grciCzhiq3pJj4QK-h6PwGNi26uURJWH3c06IbaQtlTc-C6PWtH3yHDqiPg18wUian0-600b1sxbztKVsqVnLpLMuw4Y529xzsqyINbSR6la7VSM-Gwl2Fq-nEfcofwLSIj8v0aDuST0dhYxC9aox-mXB1pCAGGe4xP90" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3NkESkHB2G8bxckrDYkGyc5grciCzhiq3pJj4QK-h6PwGNi26uURJWH3c06IbaQtlTc-C6PWtH3yHDqiPg18wUian0-600b1sxbztKVsqVnLpLMuw4Y529xzsqyINbSR6la7VSM-Gwl2Fq-nEfcofwLSIj8v0aDuST0dhYxC9aox-mXB1pCAGGe4xP90=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />When we did this project, we had to think ahead a bit about what would be happening on that future wall. So, we brought down a dedicated electrical panel to the basement, and pulled electric and coax to this wall. We do not want to have to repeat work here in the future. Electric was the most expensive aspect of this project, but it is something that we would have needed to do in the future anyway.<p></p><p>Inside, we put in a little wine fridge and a nice big rack that I found on Wayfair. Eric made the shelves around the fridge and we bought the butcher block top pre-stained.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkg-N9Y5I4o2jH5Md-xaLukfcV1--kJbdZxT4mLD_6AYZAhL0v0kfaZFtnQ8TWBllmJmBiiQEjEE0ZdvK3k5lBaVsaE-ZGdb3L7D09OZI9K56AHyI3adcfFnpIngH9EJwAk07FJIiIiEmprmRNpbopYrYk-Y5XztJ2Jsn3Dj_flVvdpv7dZbPyatqcH-U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkg-N9Y5I4o2jH5Md-xaLukfcV1--kJbdZxT4mLD_6AYZAhL0v0kfaZFtnQ8TWBllmJmBiiQEjEE0ZdvK3k5lBaVsaE-ZGdb3L7D09OZI9K56AHyI3adcfFnpIngH9EJwAk07FJIiIiEmprmRNpbopYrYk-Y5XztJ2Jsn3Dj_flVvdpv7dZbPyatqcH-U=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>Unfortunately, this wine rack hasn't ever been available again on Wayfair. I keep checking because at some point, I would like to get a second one.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaxlZRi0hrYE9gbVyM4bsCwSHZQFuEAj9gQuvDrTrw-DgbR9n6o1vKv6VgzkQUOjLSQTaOid-kWahuTlu_J6r3LVeMraVyHgsDye9aPoVljrrMSfDIXAdEb-mCFXxGJeJ5DJj0Gn0ypv-7SVjlkx3PfaBiYbh2Zr1MbeHSn76Z38pll1C0dI6cSU6mMmM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaxlZRi0hrYE9gbVyM4bsCwSHZQFuEAj9gQuvDrTrw-DgbR9n6o1vKv6VgzkQUOjLSQTaOid-kWahuTlu_J6r3LVeMraVyHgsDye9aPoVljrrMSfDIXAdEb-mCFXxGJeJ5DJj0Gn0ypv-7SVjlkx3PfaBiYbh2Zr1MbeHSn76Z38pll1C0dI6cSU6mMmM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />For the flooring, we laid Pergo. Basement floors are rough because you have to consider flooding more-so than in most spaces (there is a water heater right behind this wall). You definitely do not want to be putting expensive wood flooring throughout your basement. When we finish the rest of the space, most of it will be carpeted, with the exception of the bath that will have tile. <p></p><p>The rest of the basement continues to be "play area".</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS5JtOFKDFR_dHD7TcotNaorv4Y-e9sTEAjl8WnGEh1hLRRVbRFmxxwx0sSgkIhLHOBDaf-9Umt7a38hdyzFnYppJCQ89IgSaxFXRe4u41OGuB3spv6mFdmyqd0vViKkCPq6ZJuwW91nXn5bLlN96DismGd7XWDTbmITS5jBB-m55xnHIvTYqS32flh14" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS5JtOFKDFR_dHD7TcotNaorv4Y-e9sTEAjl8WnGEh1hLRRVbRFmxxwx0sSgkIhLHOBDaf-9Umt7a38hdyzFnYppJCQ89IgSaxFXRe4u41OGuB3spv6mFdmyqd0vViKkCPq6ZJuwW91nXn5bLlN96DismGd7XWDTbmITS5jBB-m55xnHIvTYqS32flh14=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />Gym equipment in one corner, the girls play area in another.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOHjQ19wYNojMYPceifPAHtIEGLU2HtMOrgJixHsEKMvt6KijwVMcX8kpdQa31RgZPC-q7yX_Sou2Y4oFx8mcGFVYYzOK-blm871Z6Fp3nrcJMdvGknwd_ces9yjOP8kDsvQA0uNAdlO9N3LMn-ATPGCdXcD4zyWtg9hXnJ7idYyM0IzH0t7aFAbd3UhY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOHjQ19wYNojMYPceifPAHtIEGLU2HtMOrgJixHsEKMvt6KijwVMcX8kpdQa31RgZPC-q7yX_Sou2Y4oFx8mcGFVYYzOK-blm871Z6Fp3nrcJMdvGknwd_ces9yjOP8kDsvQA0uNAdlO9N3LMn-ATPGCdXcD4zyWtg9hXnJ7idYyM0IzH0t7aFAbd3UhY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Eric built the girls this stage and playhouse when we moved in and it gets used almost daily.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ80ExTA6jbwyweCeO65P8y6t94RgiwgKmCBUa5fCa4tykkv_CuQ1pkn2p0J0ym0f9N4TcsSvDzOg9QrVNhOSks8HM_sjSAgh5oM9z-IIwgAL5xRMH8nl-T0rb08rdRlXrFo382u9GrLfRlGuNW3o0at0eRfXn7k4DN7iekBcQ_tQ1IWpzzVeEmDd9KzA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ80ExTA6jbwyweCeO65P8y6t94RgiwgKmCBUa5fCa4tykkv_CuQ1pkn2p0J0ym0f9N4TcsSvDzOg9QrVNhOSks8HM_sjSAgh5oM9z-IIwgAL5xRMH8nl-T0rb08rdRlXrFo382u9GrLfRlGuNW3o0at0eRfXn7k4DN7iekBcQ_tQ1IWpzzVeEmDd9KzA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />The other half of the basement is all seasonal storage. When we finish the basement, this area will stay as is. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb9uCbbp_n653wXVPQwKPPj-dLJoQoU2DrmvLsZYw9f4EZAIYU6rkzwurZK4IwAmr6KaJIK9KNpJbMDS8swfm3LpVVieGaGTmmEhpBvI33dZHlGz1sHBztAaRytGk_7AqUAZW05FUo-k5IAev-F9jx0FiclXJKSQkv99CHTXStlZHvoHtVNRg5SbTc4o0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb9uCbbp_n653wXVPQwKPPj-dLJoQoU2DrmvLsZYw9f4EZAIYU6rkzwurZK4IwAmr6KaJIK9KNpJbMDS8swfm3LpVVieGaGTmmEhpBvI33dZHlGz1sHBztAaRytGk_7AqUAZW05FUo-k5IAev-F9jx0FiclXJKSQkv99CHTXStlZHvoHtVNRg5SbTc4o0=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />So, there you have it. A relatively easy DIY project that I believe adds value to our home. Even though we are not at all fancy wine people (the most expensive bottle of wine in there is probably $35), it is still a fun space to have!<br /><br /><p></p><br /><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-62967173696612286182024-01-16T14:36:00.002-07:002024-01-16T14:36:46.638-07:00Laundry Room Progress<p>This weekend we once again threw ourselves into the laundry remodel, with the idea to hopefully get the drywall and mudding/taping done by Sunday night. We are limited in our work time on this project because every Saturday morning, we have to unhook and move out the washer and dryer. On Sunday evening we need to put it all back together again. I cannot be without a washer and dryer for more than about three days.</p><p>Before we started the drywall though, we needed to make some changes to our dryer ventilation. We really want to be able to push our washer and dryer close to the back wall for some added space. To do this, we are avoiding having dryer ducting loop around behind the dryer unit. To accomplish this, we needed to get an in wall duct that allows us to perfectly line up the venting with our dryer hose hookup. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEu4WVZD2Cu1Ohw3A66cvr1Asmrga05qFYHz0KyPcSxbGkSaJ3e5OZoOrKgK6TJDapdbsd3JPQTj3_ivhDSIknQ7QCuo9RjgNfDuNLRopwALW4CcLBQnopsKDSqKYcnmcNTpj_YiDlWvDZXcJBGH82_3CnvgCDE4pOzUVPh4ytlc0BAjisTNygrlhPzHs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEu4WVZD2Cu1Ohw3A66cvr1Asmrga05qFYHz0KyPcSxbGkSaJ3e5OZoOrKgK6TJDapdbsd3JPQTj3_ivhDSIknQ7QCuo9RjgNfDuNLRopwALW4CcLBQnopsKDSqKYcnmcNTpj_YiDlWvDZXcJBGH82_3CnvgCDE4pOzUVPh4ytlc0BAjisTNygrlhPzHs=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>So, we pulled everything back out and reassessed. This honestly took way longer than we were expecting it to, but after about four hours of work (and lots of choice words from Eric), we had the new set up in place.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQd2MnFq-PK3B2Tq8XFYial6l-5IZDCylpzuSZYwnOZ43zuMpBAL1RcYA-_ynS3WrsTXFzYqCYZ4m6Ll9Xei-MI1Rgkm0O5CKIb-2dXwW2FsCwQpH17QgO0oKjq8_3WftmE-WKVBYPaH9NPlCAPoLwnGeL-XP4Pahq5LY23RAokJszjxJert3opo_YQtg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQd2MnFq-PK3B2Tq8XFYial6l-5IZDCylpzuSZYwnOZ43zuMpBAL1RcYA-_ynS3WrsTXFzYqCYZ4m6Ll9Xei-MI1Rgkm0O5CKIb-2dXwW2FsCwQpH17QgO0oKjq8_3WftmE-WKVBYPaH9NPlCAPoLwnGeL-XP4Pahq5LY23RAokJszjxJert3opo_YQtg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />This is the periscoping duct that we used. We used metal scissors to cut it to size.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNPy8zvq44Dsjiqv4PU5aFrcOZuzpUow5Z8bwYYapEokTCxhXPIH8rMc_edUx6us4XBAi3a7jGgJem41kLWpDAjOZWSIwUiPAWvJH00Z5elhcgBawHD9MRv1f4okmh77DEbRbU8CsRv-XRurqpghFfGc36TG6jvMr0dItJh4JyXpFydWhU36yaVdtbeNw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNPy8zvq44Dsjiqv4PU5aFrcOZuzpUow5Z8bwYYapEokTCxhXPIH8rMc_edUx6us4XBAi3a7jGgJem41kLWpDAjOZWSIwUiPAWvJH00Z5elhcgBawHD9MRv1f4okmh77DEbRbU8CsRv-XRurqpghFfGc36TG6jvMr0dItJh4JyXpFydWhU36yaVdtbeNw=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></div><br />While Eric worked on this, I decided to repaint our laundry room cabinets to match our new laundry sink. I started by wiping down our cabinets. Then I used this liquid sander to etch the existing paint. I have used this product many times over the years and it works well. If you are trying to avoid dust, I think it is the way to go.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil1XUD90Yo7ByKqRgUiYS4bkUy07YyhtkRbacLrzK_xjQmzxHXfvVVwv_V4pAXoqjV2qBURRSwRi3ZhjF9ISxCR1RxB14lb1OUY4ROJLEC92Kaznso-Cj0oDqCjo210YjOD_Wo6ujpp4sZICcHGg2evIZ44MwKFn7iCo3F_zhXghG77IXprj10DhdLYM0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil1XUD90Yo7ByKqRgUiYS4bkUy07YyhtkRbacLrzK_xjQmzxHXfvVVwv_V4pAXoqjV2qBURRSwRi3ZhjF9ISxCR1RxB14lb1OUY4ROJLEC92Kaznso-Cj0oDqCjo210YjOD_Wo6ujpp4sZICcHGg2evIZ44MwKFn7iCo3F_zhXghG77IXprj10DhdLYM0" width="180" /></a></div><br />Typically when painting cabinets, we use our paint sprayer, but it seem silly to pull that all out for such a small project. I just set up a painting station in our unfinished basement and got to work.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEBTN7_cuNCi69sJMVEXTn7UPkaiGAcN6UogD81X7jk3aVrYj9PC3hBw-4RfHXCOsP48Oe3gepfHzV7mZsplwzD270LfpWx3E2k5HyUjgpDTigg8wK7Q8veAKqcIdChmsBD9HmvUxSRiECFFbqdlh6Q-0aT0zaehUiFm6bPMn921n8zieaf0geKkBDCEU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEBTN7_cuNCi69sJMVEXTn7UPkaiGAcN6UogD81X7jk3aVrYj9PC3hBw-4RfHXCOsP48Oe3gepfHzV7mZsplwzD270LfpWx3E2k5HyUjgpDTigg8wK7Q8veAKqcIdChmsBD9HmvUxSRiECFFbqdlh6Q-0aT0zaehUiFm6bPMn921n8zieaf0geKkBDCEU=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>I always start in the crevices with a brush and then roll on the rest of the paint.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_Sm9fbxTl31Yui2Z-ytU4PCi5cbGxC1MktM5C2BpYPdHYWaj9m9qkuWrx-o1cZI40nVSfSN2eO_laNU6l59iX17paj9ppyUznGGi_e7JHT6szeL8v18MIj2kzMVnfdlBRy8mEoRT_uOrLZ4StehAK1K99NJhn3JQ3Wc935gtCSFNsIXFuq-fhnwT7xi8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_Sm9fbxTl31Yui2Z-ytU4PCi5cbGxC1MktM5C2BpYPdHYWaj9m9qkuWrx-o1cZI40nVSfSN2eO_laNU6l59iX17paj9ppyUznGGi_e7JHT6szeL8v18MIj2kzMVnfdlBRy8mEoRT_uOrLZ4StehAK1K99NJhn3JQ3Wc935gtCSFNsIXFuq-fhnwT7xi8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Eric meanwhile starting cutting drywall, which was intricate considering all the strange cuts that we had made.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihdr5LBM6h-1sYIn2VPbDHA28jprYWHVP85eqhHCB9iZrHZy8JKkfn2zL4rNjGc00Gw4hFAq7zOk42iKabqHFnF7xGbKrmFGhOKEGQTuyEjDu6UBIZOxqcT0OgKLhUhQCy7J4LE4Dewds06gaEG4fkp62B2Pocbsy_qTf_gjH8S-pxi7Eo_JxbtbuiMAI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihdr5LBM6h-1sYIn2VPbDHA28jprYWHVP85eqhHCB9iZrHZy8JKkfn2zL4rNjGc00Gw4hFAq7zOk42iKabqHFnF7xGbKrmFGhOKEGQTuyEjDu6UBIZOxqcT0OgKLhUhQCy7J4LE4Dewds06gaEG4fkp62B2Pocbsy_qTf_gjH8S-pxi7Eo_JxbtbuiMAI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />When he finished placing and screwing in the new pieces, I came through and did the taping and mudding. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLw0AF7sP7Pb_AEeza40SKgMD2dSslC448T-zvEdCeNhVSP_5-3je3kGuOzOMDqyCKbprxCx5usc2pxw-uhs13VaGnzXUHnZN1RV0Jp6uWrJm8qTel4tZj18D_oumw0ELiVVr1tJPbW93u6YhQkS4PC7OsCWvPNFrDtskkifYm7DatV8Rpzj4qQWUMFoQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLw0AF7sP7Pb_AEeza40SKgMD2dSslC448T-zvEdCeNhVSP_5-3je3kGuOzOMDqyCKbprxCx5usc2pxw-uhs13VaGnzXUHnZN1RV0Jp6uWrJm8qTel4tZj18D_oumw0ELiVVr1tJPbW93u6YhQkS4PC7OsCWvPNFrDtskkifYm7DatV8Rpzj4qQWUMFoQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />By Sunday late afternoon, we were able to do the final coat (third coat) of mud, which is basically just a small touch up step.<p></p><p>I had also completed doing a couple of coats of paint on the cabinet boxes.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUWFxUP_4xau983m4Jg0mPtFuGkKEBZJPen_TO-RmgEAj_MK27QvlqwJJ8MxzlV28Y11hcTulVNq1pZqkGlRkdRxSHKsHYA2q0l_2ufKDY6C9MG44oBKKo3Vcmh41xE2N589gmvMhHjQlThBJQmbIYbW2eGOuNyeOLEXMbPauj86bjteQY8qW2M3KN6lc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUWFxUP_4xau983m4Jg0mPtFuGkKEBZJPen_TO-RmgEAj_MK27QvlqwJJ8MxzlV28Y11hcTulVNq1pZqkGlRkdRxSHKsHYA2q0l_2ufKDY6C9MG44oBKKo3Vcmh41xE2N589gmvMhHjQlThBJQmbIYbW2eGOuNyeOLEXMbPauj86bjteQY8qW2M3KN6lc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />At that point, it was time to put the laundry room together again. <p></p><p>Next weekend, we will get the newly painted cabinet doors hung, texture the drywall and prime, and probably get baseboards back in. I cannot wait to wallpaper, but it is looking like I will have to wait four weeks after painting to do it.</p><p><br /><br /><br /></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-42328795391146182552024-01-08T13:26:00.004-07:002024-01-09T09:56:33.235-07:00Laundry Room Remodel<p> For whatever reason, Eric and I always find ourselves with a bit of extra time at the tail end of the holidays and we get antsy. We are not people that like lounging around (I mean, in theory we like it, but when we try to, we are bored). When our dryer starting taking forever to dry clothes in December, we knew it was time for both a new dryer and a bit of a remodel, and there was no better time to dive in then at the beginning of the New Year when we had a few extra days off of work. </p><p>We have had our current dryer (a Whirlpool duet) for 12+ years and unfortunately, in that timeframe dryers have become deeper in dimension. That is a problem we were able to navigate around when we had to replace our washer a few years ago. We switched from a front loader to a top loader to save inches, but this wasn't an option for the dryer. Depth is such an issue in our case because we have a long narrow laundry room. Here is the layout:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXorbjCY3rT3FMkR5pbcW0KSH43Y6XibpJDG7RigurICPEY-S2yOPsz0pa7UVEn43bGN6J89a93D3GE_G_FoAfBUcEL0VO5F6fEyElmitguwOlVp-2lkGzTzvZ0eGeQo5bAJBwVgzgdW0MsQZvyrBUjEaiqB6yXbXUAUyqEccZ3FeUFz_JXFGlDn4dhm8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="251" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXorbjCY3rT3FMkR5pbcW0KSH43Y6XibpJDG7RigurICPEY-S2yOPsz0pa7UVEn43bGN6J89a93D3GE_G_FoAfBUcEL0VO5F6fEyElmitguwOlVp-2lkGzTzvZ0eGeQo5bAJBwVgzgdW0MsQZvyrBUjEaiqB6yXbXUAUyqEccZ3FeUFz_JXFGlDn4dhm8=w640-h306" width="640" /></a></div><br />I have absolutely no idea why they designed our washer and dryer to go on the side wall rather than on the back wall, but it is what it is. Also, we never got that laundry sink- the builders must have pivoted at some point (reminder that our home was a spec home). Years ago, we ripped out the quart counter top on the back wall so that we could place a cat litter box back there. We didn't want to be ducking under a counter top every time that we had to clean it out. So, it just was a very awkward space. With the advent of deeper washers and dryers, this laundry room was going to become so tight that is was just downright annoying. Hence the recent decision to rip it all out and turn it into a much more functional laundry room. <p></p><p>This is the closest picture that I have to a before photo. Friday night, we ripped out the cabinets that were over the washer and dryer and emptied out the room. Our plan was to get all the new plumbing completed this weekend, as well as the new dryer ducting.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQongxheY0ox_z4tNYswHE1fMyMSy689P-_FjXCj6ChCfBbi1H0NjQFY-M80oFRfiZ87-ujiyNMVFKdYhlrWWgtv82GN2XpBxRUI8IeNL_46BKjRLmCXpt3BeYkyzoWB70SyB6wNNfqTFoT4VLFF0HLRNJz0pjvIijDKJipCt1DLJ6WTixLyR5Nm4mQFs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQongxheY0ox_z4tNYswHE1fMyMSy689P-_FjXCj6ChCfBbi1H0NjQFY-M80oFRfiZ87-ujiyNMVFKdYhlrWWgtv82GN2XpBxRUI8IeNL_46BKjRLmCXpt3BeYkyzoWB70SyB6wNNfqTFoT4VLFF0HLRNJz0pjvIijDKJipCt1DLJ6WTixLyR5Nm4mQFs=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Demo was quick and we have done everything we can to make the drywall work easier when we get to that point. Generally speaking, Eric HATES plumbing.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrCA-yLvqkNI_znS507TMNZkpgv6jjiZoNGqDGRellFrNLhfpNThC3ZvgshNyFmw0yhCSfTV578iZJuBSoy3LEOPtbDbtYnQOPF9oa-VzI-9b9IG4r-ThrQcn9Pvg0FnyCyHl8cBAtbnDeu1vLI9c-vVK-VAMn0-koFSHccROOLGz1KFHWPvhkVYZXvAM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrCA-yLvqkNI_znS507TMNZkpgv6jjiZoNGqDGRellFrNLhfpNThC3ZvgshNyFmw0yhCSfTV578iZJuBSoy3LEOPtbDbtYnQOPF9oa-VzI-9b9IG4r-ThrQcn9Pvg0FnyCyHl8cBAtbnDeu1vLI9c-vVK-VAMn0-koFSHccROOLGz1KFHWPvhkVYZXvAM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>There was definitely some interesting language coming out of that room... In any case, the plumbing was relatively easy (for people with moderate plumbing knowledge). We redid what was meant to be hook ups for a laundry sink and pulled the plumbing and drain up the wall for the washer and dryer. All plumbing avoids that back wall because that is an exterior wall and plumbing freezes on exterior walls in Colorado.<div>**Note- not to get too into the weeds, but you will notice that our standpipe drain does have a 45 degree bend in it which isn't super common to see. From what we have read in IPC code, pipe installed 45 from vertical is still considered vertical.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsVkhX9Yx2CMai8B4AlegUwaWfdIGV-pkZBmisQQodTV4dlzqLHgqDY8SQM2LsQqnv9XXwss8mH1AVBtrJBmsq_q5FYeWQ7hvbGHAi4waSUWbdJ_j37xO5Xg5EeWNNUc1LedtzhI_ydf3UERzYUwasFSMMvxR8yxxhiOo4lPvnq_5Ihta0JYFOlOdEWb4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsVkhX9Yx2CMai8B4AlegUwaWfdIGV-pkZBmisQQodTV4dlzqLHgqDY8SQM2LsQqnv9XXwss8mH1AVBtrJBmsq_q5FYeWQ7hvbGHAi4waSUWbdJ_j37xO5Xg5EeWNNUc1LedtzhI_ydf3UERzYUwasFSMMvxR8yxxhiOo4lPvnq_5Ihta0JYFOlOdEWb4=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Where our washer and dryer once was, we were able to re-route the water and drain pipe to create plumbing for what will finally be an actual laundry sink.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7KgCmeFw2AXCvAaSGiKibr51JwmFjiijxpRBl04d3yk7HsAb5YLMEDe6Wfym5kjM2_27fbm4mFffluWLIL6EVD2dR2iNAmJK63PruTkuPsukD4ufX4wJlvVCt-wnXR-LsYy71Q104YPgpbSnMom4HdUdJClapBGMNd9aEZupc2ahAq1khF9elCABaO8E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7KgCmeFw2AXCvAaSGiKibr51JwmFjiijxpRBl04d3yk7HsAb5YLMEDe6Wfym5kjM2_27fbm4mFffluWLIL6EVD2dR2iNAmJK63PruTkuPsukD4ufX4wJlvVCt-wnXR-LsYy71Q104YPgpbSnMom4HdUdJClapBGMNd9aEZupc2ahAq1khF9elCABaO8E=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Considering that we did not have to use any copper piping, this wasn't terrible- PEX is a life saver!<p></p><p>The only other thing to figure out was the dryer ducting. In the picture above, you can see the dryer duct that we have cut off and bent so that cold air cannot get in through it. This duct runs all the way up the wall, through the attic and up onto the roof. To date, I have had to pay someone once a year to come out and get on our roof to clean out this duct. In the new scenario, we were able to put the dryer venting in that exterior wall which coincidentally is just off our master balcony. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpyVBP_ktljmtsFDCTVilojcxZaM9RbkCqz1BJtqit5zW_sCnoaD-YlIveIWzjDPYrQ_mEeGLiZbgRHGhh--5X0coWHzbnUHPba6Q3sFjtAxQBgvH21tpBT9_n3cmde7PKcEJndWovWxpwAahE_fbGVG8kvTzP-ddyIme6yBcBGB25pm4cVSMwxMwtKFI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpyVBP_ktljmtsFDCTVilojcxZaM9RbkCqz1BJtqit5zW_sCnoaD-YlIveIWzjDPYrQ_mEeGLiZbgRHGhh--5X0coWHzbnUHPba6Q3sFjtAxQBgvH21tpBT9_n3cmde7PKcEJndWovWxpwAahE_fbGVG8kvTzP-ddyIme6yBcBGB25pm4cVSMwxMwtKFI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>I still need to go out and paint around the vent when it is warmer, but this is so much more convenient and less of a fire hazard. Now I can just periodically go out on the balcony, open that flap and pull out lent myself. <p></p><p>The final step was to relocate the cabinets that had been over the washer and dryer on that side wall. We were very lucky in that they fit perfectly across the back wall.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0rBNgeUn8AVFr6VPpL7zVbORq49FVh0hUO0qFtJZE-Te918HsrMwybn948qacINFwWUBUlBobNZ13wglq2kXEO-4cumMM_nrrHbaInABJDqY-Ssij3ArSuSam_kQjjhiSjaqL3Xy3Jw5GzDbcdrIdhmQxlJvjimPPJJTtJEuR9HOruFPeUeEC4SQk8vQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0rBNgeUn8AVFr6VPpL7zVbORq49FVh0hUO0qFtJZE-Te918HsrMwybn948qacINFwWUBUlBobNZ13wglq2kXEO-4cumMM_nrrHbaInABJDqY-Ssij3ArSuSam_kQjjhiSjaqL3Xy3Jw5GzDbcdrIdhmQxlJvjimPPJJTtJEuR9HOruFPeUeEC4SQk8vQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Today the electricians are coming to relocate outlets. When they are done, we will push the washer and dryer back in so that I can do laundry all week. Then next weekend, drywall work begins. Drywall is always our least favorite part, but at least this isn't too much to do. I also need to figure out if that spacer board only being on the right side of the cabinets bothers me enough to change it. We could rip the spacer in half and put one half on each side to make the cabinets look a bit more centered. It seems like a lot of work, but right now my eyes cannot stop noticing it.<p></p><p>In more exciting news, I ordered some fun wallpaper to go on the back wall. You will only see a bit of it over the top of the washer and dryer and under the cabinets, so I wanted it to be something different.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBlK74e-EtOoZtevsuwiS5-GdmW0lQb0NnkQC3EnTDrvj3u1zLZ2-02k0f_nnlmhSb0S-3mhWRjLjQFHFR7baEEJSnfiMc3CH4Z9V56h8lfWxh7mLNZXvyTi33cOz9YLa5GPW9rYrUMAf45HEHZY8axyTZss5FmJtkyCMR-hicwrFw8xkRwFQG0EKn2u4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="586" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBlK74e-EtOoZtevsuwiS5-GdmW0lQb0NnkQC3EnTDrvj3u1zLZ2-02k0f_nnlmhSb0S-3mhWRjLjQFHFR7baEEJSnfiMc3CH4Z9V56h8lfWxh7mLNZXvyTi33cOz9YLa5GPW9rYrUMAf45HEHZY8axyTZss5FmJtkyCMR-hicwrFw8xkRwFQG0EKn2u4=w400-h347" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>The paper is from <a href="https://riflepaperco.com/cool-cats-grey-and-gold-peel-and-stick-wallpaper">Rifle Paper Company</a> if anyone else out there is also completely cat crazy. It is just peel and stick so if we ever get tired of it, it is very easy to change. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also ordered our laundry sink through <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RY44X6F?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1">Amazon</a>. I haven't seen it in person yet so fingers crossed that it is good. I needed a small scale sink and this one fit the bill</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWUpEX3o5X4CcVODMflzajnsaofzZ2RYnVpCEy524une1E5DBCg2MI1x6elgeiWMLFPfsWpC2bMG1OzfrWtV9g0SKDYRdj0XxWuayZ8IjavvK2laOIpopSjMzjkQyfb6aaLhuMVglEDqfVUJaJUr9Vz0IF5qoyh7X4wnCqZSjPhFScXWVNIstJFJ3zLr8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="484" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWUpEX3o5X4CcVODMflzajnsaofzZ2RYnVpCEy524une1E5DBCg2MI1x6elgeiWMLFPfsWpC2bMG1OzfrWtV9g0SKDYRdj0XxWuayZ8IjavvK2laOIpopSjMzjkQyfb6aaLhuMVglEDqfVUJaJUr9Vz0IF5qoyh7X4wnCqZSjPhFScXWVNIstJFJ3zLr8" width="241" /></a></div>So, our new year is starting off with a bang. I cannot wait to have a more functional laundry room though! With the amount of time that I spend in there, it should be one of the nicest rooms in the house!<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-19203293708782827622024-01-03T12:30:00.001-07:002024-01-03T12:30:52.534-07:00Travel during the Holidays- Fayetteville, AR and Big Cedar Lodge<p> Hello! We are back after a very busy holiday season. This year, we broke our no traveling at Christmas rule to head out to Eric's parents home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. After 40+ years in the same home, they are packing up and moving to Omaha to be closer to family so it was our last chance for a big family Christmas at the old house. </p><p>We couldn't all fit at the house, so we rented a <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/808911006739186686?source_impression_id=p3_1704307778_YrZYIENcYocSZqVt">cute little historic home</a> in downtown Fayetteville. We did what we could to make it feel festive and bought a tiny live tree to decorate. The girls really loved it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVhNERKjrxZTTFOk37uOk_35nF3xE6TOHG5d6TTVXgslbaOqsEgVnWXNHRyqAP1hp3seeN3Hal0cli5OMoVlwCfR1yzMvBP0-C2jFKO_fxsm089zglhLf5N19Zi2dlkYKNQzhu9eONH9XXRvwJMouN9sFGF_CTt5YqBE0Gbjjexct0-ZLp054FOpnvdWc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="1636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVhNERKjrxZTTFOk37uOk_35nF3xE6TOHG5d6TTVXgslbaOqsEgVnWXNHRyqAP1hp3seeN3Hal0cli5OMoVlwCfR1yzMvBP0-C2jFKO_fxsm089zglhLf5N19Zi2dlkYKNQzhu9eONH9XXRvwJMouN9sFGF_CTt5YqBE0Gbjjexct0-ZLp054FOpnvdWc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time was spent surrounded by family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIqxhGjGUsA0IUXMZUYgJqTuLvMVQ16eyFXC2ornTBDJwRDl3-x3ns1oGhjqAfV7gWlTjByXmz8o1w2jwAjgnTGy4z42vP2D-Um5WvktUPgtTMcVYsQCPuFXWwpQMgqf8HAFztQ4GeeXyYS7aKXDYQHT2h-mqvrSeImOcy4x5O_qjQLncJPYkJVXwwAoQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3927" data-original-width="2945" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIqxhGjGUsA0IUXMZUYgJqTuLvMVQ16eyFXC2ornTBDJwRDl3-x3ns1oGhjqAfV7gWlTjByXmz8o1w2jwAjgnTGy4z42vP2D-Um5WvktUPgtTMcVYsQCPuFXWwpQMgqf8HAFztQ4GeeXyYS7aKXDYQHT2h-mqvrSeImOcy4x5O_qjQLncJPYkJVXwwAoQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqzwNwlNzH0lv_GB4p3FnzTmH7CpqXEB5HYCHAiCl7r7t9eh5871obXN4s2Ee2GKXEajlqrf-IosgXhn5HZcungxjWJTuYLpIpSL9xNZr1DxOOlH8gvVVpJQjmIe9jqHA1vYEgY2lXebUcG_A6OsIHTp5nHpyuFRLeLjlg5oNCLRBCNMRQDTdguOWe40A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2919" data-original-width="2189" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqzwNwlNzH0lv_GB4p3FnzTmH7CpqXEB5HYCHAiCl7r7t9eh5871obXN4s2Ee2GKXEajlqrf-IosgXhn5HZcungxjWJTuYLpIpSL9xNZr1DxOOlH8gvVVpJQjmIe9jqHA1vYEgY2lXebUcG_A6OsIHTp5nHpyuFRLeLjlg5oNCLRBCNMRQDTdguOWe40A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And we got to make friends with the neighbors!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtkZ_YebvAclE0KJcCYoBvpr8KHCZUo_pl9_Ka3uxDhq1Gw5ArkKEkm7fzQqTCxY0xYChiicVnepibOJfLInobh4D4RV3p4-wf1qnCCKbFjPIMFxUaV9aLFs31v4-ZaJS7KRQwCcT8NqVt7-pEwmuAK_w4kTYmVdcOl5wgbtoekexl6zvtZ_qROU4gpCo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtkZ_YebvAclE0KJcCYoBvpr8KHCZUo_pl9_Ka3uxDhq1Gw5ArkKEkm7fzQqTCxY0xYChiicVnepibOJfLInobh4D4RV3p4-wf1qnCCKbFjPIMFxUaV9aLFs31v4-ZaJS7KRQwCcT8NqVt7-pEwmuAK_w4kTYmVdcOl5wgbtoekexl6zvtZ_qROU4gpCo" width="360" /></a></div><br />After five nights in Fayetteville, we headed off to <a href="https://bigcedar.com/accommodations/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqNSsBhAvEiwAn_tmxYJ5Jmw3MMLDWCsq85CjwCQqGtqsbwVEzMcaAHAXVC0iyzKTznNRNBoCiSUQAvD_BwE">Big Cedar Lodge f</a>or our first ever visit! We had tried going once before during the summer, but had to cancel due to Eric's treatment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2b-p1wblHDKET3yuBw-0-LnAcD13xjQfKIbmiw30JKw4Rl8t7qgRL5dou5OBLavPBOV-LAqu5p89_00BBriFHhT2Ra8R1PE_oAwPnsgqjIie7uJk3lod9HbjyB868S6vfyicxGLXY051KWxHdr10ovIYtxFaTjXv87kHEc-2rTrPyUmbaqOeQTSQW41U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2b-p1wblHDKET3yuBw-0-LnAcD13xjQfKIbmiw30JKw4Rl8t7qgRL5dou5OBLavPBOV-LAqu5p89_00BBriFHhT2Ra8R1PE_oAwPnsgqjIie7uJk3lod9HbjyB868S6vfyicxGLXY051KWxHdr10ovIYtxFaTjXv87kHEc-2rTrPyUmbaqOeQTSQW41U=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Big Cedar Lodge decorates for Christmas like nothing I have ever seen before! It is a Christmas wonderland. The girls loved spending a few hours at fun mountain, but then we had to clean up and head off to dinner at <a href="https://bigcedar.com/dining/osage-restaurant/">The Osage Restaurant</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGScD9vKACd3yfisr9hhVdV1Xjek-7LtZv2PMPL5KQQmWsin5gMXHmItnfidmt1ZGsIvt9T8Ru8XiKiu_XJPhTuPpTm0OXslDwoRzpqqxFsLf-eCicQEk4SZMkBWJ4A-qtf7P95uuRscK1SlFxz0Q0BWC3-XRBVJo8K9JQG6z_G_xa0vjKBJuHwl4GQIQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGScD9vKACd3yfisr9hhVdV1Xjek-7LtZv2PMPL5KQQmWsin5gMXHmItnfidmt1ZGsIvt9T8Ru8XiKiu_XJPhTuPpTm0OXslDwoRzpqqxFsLf-eCicQEk4SZMkBWJ4A-qtf7P95uuRscK1SlFxz0Q0BWC3-XRBVJo8K9JQG6z_G_xa0vjKBJuHwl4GQIQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />It is a pretty amazing place. We arrived after dark so we missed out on a lot of the views, but seeing the Christmas lights from up there was incredible. The food was wonderful too! It is expensive, but we were only there for one night and wanted to "go big". </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoQ_DxFKTOj2VpA5pDJY0PhEa6TJi92RV84Vea749NfN2YOpamvJ-ncyTLy_Olz_xcp54jRqIq_T4QITBK9uZx7k2ESgG-RedgkmLKJCR82LzNsFZxWKxLRuYBYci5OHJ9jLCtNl8gFWLhcEW7RbX04HhZf2Shm0oSz1LKUL7-NhrSX3WowXHNP7wkUcM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoQ_DxFKTOj2VpA5pDJY0PhEa6TJi92RV84Vea749NfN2YOpamvJ-ncyTLy_Olz_xcp54jRqIq_T4QITBK9uZx7k2ESgG-RedgkmLKJCR82LzNsFZxWKxLRuYBYci5OHJ9jLCtNl8gFWLhcEW7RbX04HhZf2Shm0oSz1LKUL7-NhrSX3WowXHNP7wkUcM=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />After dinner, we took the girls ice skating, which was comical. It isn't consistently cold enough for real ice, so they use some type of place ice substitute. The girls couldn't really skate on it, but they had a lot of fun walking around and dancing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbsg-d_iS7U5nwvmhfQwxKgiYX-4SlkNHOzw9eu3so3LzK9m7YyWuyrEr7XHaM3Dwycdpw8vIdcxAlthuSPeA08l2q9VKhsA-w-6OjwX1CjFKJUSaPMuKeaG7cmB7X3tfZ8STxEa_o1GugFYVpRrJ7V8zXeVkUrBbjHmGiWhdCB06ma1OWCVfSDm8sP5s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbsg-d_iS7U5nwvmhfQwxKgiYX-4SlkNHOzw9eu3so3LzK9m7YyWuyrEr7XHaM3Dwycdpw8vIdcxAlthuSPeA08l2q9VKhsA-w-6OjwX1CjFKJUSaPMuKeaG7cmB7X3tfZ8STxEa_o1GugFYVpRrJ7V8zXeVkUrBbjHmGiWhdCB06ma1OWCVfSDm8sP5s=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />The next two days were spent driving back home. We were very anxious to see our pets at this point. We got back, did mountains of laundry and cleaning, and got all Christmas decor put away. By New Years, we were all pretty wiped. I had told the girls that they could stay up until 10PM to watch the ball drop in New York. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO-qpPtxyPWmz7_At7zARDznSBULKNrurFrfBRFIOpNtkRRF-7URfXkXUZSsxqjcZYIhVqGJwrEzceU2ZfWFJDDVszkKEJ_K6_rW1dJWIKHYyqI7sJI2cl6ekY-gbV9MiOATzorwdnDfri9zj3cukPATb12s39ISgewoQAAaNFIUlT4IT-ve3ApMzvytE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhO-qpPtxyPWmz7_At7zARDznSBULKNrurFrfBRFIOpNtkRRF-7URfXkXUZSsxqjcZYIhVqGJwrEzceU2ZfWFJDDVszkKEJ_K6_rW1dJWIKHYyqI7sJI2cl6ekY-gbV9MiOATzorwdnDfri9zj3cukPATb12s39ISgewoQAAaNFIUlT4IT-ve3ApMzvytE=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />At 9:15, they were both like, never mind, let's go to bed. Eric and I were thrilled!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTsQF6hN0PKmpCN6MlLt4QrYjAn0t00vEksLoMspmNGQms2mV9CrqasIAzU-bQ_8o5PPj6nueqwiw4D2iW-MDns32rloRvBGt_ciRYBre1xasHoIVyik-jJYmaqa68Vvvrz-xJO1Z4Dwo7JlBWMNx-X-NU29WQQr9drHbjbNR1Ra9Qh8Ajkz13L2gYCK0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTsQF6hN0PKmpCN6MlLt4QrYjAn0t00vEksLoMspmNGQms2mV9CrqasIAzU-bQ_8o5PPj6nueqwiw4D2iW-MDns32rloRvBGt_ciRYBre1xasHoIVyik-jJYmaqa68Vvvrz-xJO1Z4Dwo7JlBWMNx-X-NU29WQQr9drHbjbNR1Ra9Qh8Ajkz13L2gYCK0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />So that is two weeks in a nutshell. We have all agreed that next Christmas, we just want to stay home and relax a bit more.</div><div style="text-align: left;">As we dive into the new year though, we have lots of projects planned. We start this weekend with laundry room remodeling, so stay tuned for more. </div></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-78530470159812141052023-12-18T13:35:00.002-07:002024-01-03T11:35:06.384-07:00Recipe- The Best Holiday Sugar Cookies<p> For as long as I can remember, we have always made cut sugar cookies for Christmas. While they are a bit of a pain in the @** to make, they are completely worth it. They are so good, that my mom would only make them like two days before Christmas because any earlier, and we would have eaten them all before Christmas day even arrives. Also, my some of my nieces are gluten free since their mom doesn't eat gluten. Every year, an exception is made for them because they cannot go without these glutenous Christmas cookies.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe3V3C-1R1lerYo575r2qmOPl0QY8FpsdR3vHnlOxZ8iaUazlySERRkyeM0hEKPv-PcVmHymzifDM5i97S-EMhT73WhVW66TGqouxwF1Z37XJkC56SHmFwrhn1c8jVSkkfveDJeqyb10WWBk8f6CzydXhhkNgivVVM2L3eBs01KCumj1FFxooVNDGV7mU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="2229" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe3V3C-1R1lerYo575r2qmOPl0QY8FpsdR3vHnlOxZ8iaUazlySERRkyeM0hEKPv-PcVmHymzifDM5i97S-EMhT73WhVW66TGqouxwF1Z37XJkC56SHmFwrhn1c8jVSkkfveDJeqyb10WWBk8f6CzydXhhkNgivVVM2L3eBs01KCumj1FFxooVNDGV7mU" width="360" /></a></div><p></p><p>These days, I have my little helpers to assist me in making them, which makes it a pretty magical experience. They key is to plan ahead. Many times, I make the dough the night before and refrigerate it over night to break up the work. Also, the icing portion is pretty easy. It is just the cutting of the cookies and baking that takes some time. </p><p>So, without further ado, here is our much loved Christmas cookie recipe for you to enjoy! </p><p>Beat butter and shortening on medium speed for thirty seconds. Add sugar, egg, vanilla, lemon peal, baking powder, sour cream and baking soda. Beat until this is combined. Slowly add in the flour. Divide the dough in half, cover and chill for two hours.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2jxCpI6OgaBJhUgTrYggqX7rzTs0ZY_0vsYpleO9ar9wOXhoe0VeyeZ7uH2MuLyl8HwnRP6tierIMa0uuOkDhxubSKlIal4d9nEfJ_uQxCK2FpK2cdVzB5wRmSElRmdcwcwjsoZjJJuZddGCYpdmA_7s2ZcUbJG1yTAXJnG3Oo7ntJyg4gcXZYEYC3HY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2jxCpI6OgaBJhUgTrYggqX7rzTs0ZY_0vsYpleO9ar9wOXhoe0VeyeZ7uH2MuLyl8HwnRP6tierIMa0uuOkDhxubSKlIal4d9nEfJ_uQxCK2FpK2cdVzB5wRmSElRmdcwcwjsoZjJJuZddGCYpdmA_7s2ZcUbJG1yTAXJnG3Oo7ntJyg4gcXZYEYC3HY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Roll out fairly thinly (you will get more cookies this way), using as little flour as possible. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlBqfyF91rC98cGGfpadIRY7tCw2EJx843PeebtADxMLbEgCHtDhWie-28di8U_6LdrG4cMqx-yKdAnEppClLziDM65WBTjgUaccjdr-fU8iaATeoZhWS43mo6ObGfWOfmYm2vElcgXpLaF_sEts_a2I8e-aoTa4XVWnTOWvL6N8pZM1NMrHQL3J0hTgc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlBqfyF91rC98cGGfpadIRY7tCw2EJx843PeebtADxMLbEgCHtDhWie-28di8U_6LdrG4cMqx-yKdAnEppClLziDM65WBTjgUaccjdr-fU8iaATeoZhWS43mo6ObGfWOfmYm2vElcgXpLaF_sEts_a2I8e-aoTa4XVWnTOWvL6N8pZM1NMrHQL3J0hTgc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Because I use so little flour and roll so thinly, I rely on a spatula to transfer the cookies from the counter to the pan.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvoWZ2xrLGRK5C3zm9G3IleKHO_-ivHTKNqizXcOwjFxC8mVbTOEWFzxGBSpx3rvynqwfEcdI4lL0bF2JJQGYHN_RN_Uz5bxCyrXQ4SoC6GT44YVqEDfLRVuSHOOmYRTGtYPtEn2ac7_zsJ1BUS8o1ZIxSKPmNhk_YRjrMUz4WuMeSmw7hatgFZL3s8H4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjM1CEwdr3YC3oHp-azq1Lt_SvITIC8Mcw6Yx9ktadYNmCz_3fidsvZgyKMQ-VLrYYbxOXG_YvHNn8uV9Xnto2fLT5q82tTlBIT6o_5hj6mXmQJ0HLgd9v7WxlDQR_bHBcMyxH2KVQe8nU6VArhyW6a38tg2xUhSIzd-ird7LrTJV8VZZImSfG_EIygz1k=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes (you want them to stay pretty blonde- just slight browning on the tips).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up is the icing, which is a simple powdered sugar icing, plus one extra special ingredient. Combine 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar with 3T milk and 1/4 tsp almond extract. You really want to be able to smell the almond so sometimes I add just a bit more extract. You want the icing to be a bit runny. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLFlxgtf1N36wqousQLUppweGVe7MLwZnC9iCaKbRaqjOGUA9uGJZUBvLj-73MDLPP4wp1ls4j02nrC9R56Uq6R4ncRG389wKIEtRWaB7EHdOZfrDT68LwZxLhXIHNYZjiKkcQCiYKckHEqfB5Cj0SHLX-dIAIq1TmOSJB8-mp5mo2ppBGGefmu03528k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLFlxgtf1N36wqousQLUppweGVe7MLwZnC9iCaKbRaqjOGUA9uGJZUBvLj-73MDLPP4wp1ls4j02nrC9R56Uq6R4ncRG389wKIEtRWaB7EHdOZfrDT68LwZxLhXIHNYZjiKkcQCiYKckHEqfB5Cj0SHLX-dIAIq1TmOSJB8-mp5mo2ppBGGefmu03528k=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />With this white icing, you want to do a nice thin coat over all of the cookies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP05za0oDCpXCjIvTlTfi2CBNZj1GBAnbOnjkdf4nW1y44LYAkkf70gvM4Ry59CUVHDCXxHx67ualAteEnnUIrgZ6ydLq0ESyNXXr93em61j8jdSzTMCJx-abiRmekvJ2Qv_XuCF4XoaE8O2Iki_FxKQ-6lChV3GNf2x6_p0cawTygOEoc4V3pC_F4nF8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP05za0oDCpXCjIvTlTfi2CBNZj1GBAnbOnjkdf4nW1y44LYAkkf70gvM4Ry59CUVHDCXxHx67ualAteEnnUIrgZ6ydLq0ESyNXXr93em61j8jdSzTMCJx-abiRmekvJ2Qv_XuCF4XoaE8O2Iki_FxKQ-6lChV3GNf2x6_p0cawTygOEoc4V3pC_F4nF8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Let this dry for about an hour, and then use your leftover icing (or make a new half batch) to split into two bowls to make your red and green icing. I do not measure out the food coloring. Just add a bit and mix until you get the colors that you want. Then you lightly drizzle across the cookies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-iBiMLkO0jsT2a9rbgX1SS0J5Pkgd_22JM6xMnhN4NVeYrzKADou9hWGEeKMJWlc4VZk0YJTqGW35Ies-617esvYu_mVdSwQVbf3ezcYmic7wsMGSU9nkoWxdQtdMERpzeVisq31ucjsght5eJPVLc4_BbCzdymlYdCOZZEqSv7L3gk4zJne3GqxXQBQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-iBiMLkO0jsT2a9rbgX1SS0J5Pkgd_22JM6xMnhN4NVeYrzKADou9hWGEeKMJWlc4VZk0YJTqGW35Ies-617esvYu_mVdSwQVbf3ezcYmic7wsMGSU9nkoWxdQtdMERpzeVisq31ucjsght5eJPVLc4_BbCzdymlYdCOZZEqSv7L3gk4zJne3GqxXQBQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>I use a knife to do this, but my mom prefers a fork. Whatever is easiest for you works! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cookies take a few hours to dry so I leave them out on wax paper. By the end of the day, I pack them up between sheets of wax paper and they are ready to go! They do freeze well too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope that you love them as much as we do!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Christmas Sugar Cookies</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2c. butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/3c. shortening</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 c. sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 egg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp finely shredded lemon peal</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 tsp baking soda</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/3c. sour cream</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tsp vanilla</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 tsp baking powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 3/4c flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Icing</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 c. sifted powdered sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 tsp almond extract</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3T. milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Beat butter and shortening on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, egg, vanilla, lemon peal, baking powder, sour cream and baking soda. Beat well until combined.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Slowly add flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Divide dough in half and cover. Chill for two hours</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick using minimal flour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Ice after cooled</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8f4FDCWghbfPD0xRKC6PVHvlgXMEa1LJVIiuGgtBtE37xbnBttiXfeWqZga2q63j6ITTaTY0KgogYGk10AxmuTHIxVUVKnPT151gPk1Je8MRgmRUWfqKlb7JPLY04ITRWjjJnNUJVDW-3NN2ifkZGs-9jbXZVLRg52G_dW3y2E5wgdk2mO1nG9JFK-MI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2663" data-original-width="1997" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8f4FDCWghbfPD0xRKC6PVHvlgXMEa1LJVIiuGgtBtE37xbnBttiXfeWqZga2q63j6ITTaTY0KgogYGk10AxmuTHIxVUVKnPT151gPk1Je8MRgmRUWfqKlb7JPLY04ITRWjjJnNUJVDW-3NN2ifkZGs-9jbXZVLRg52G_dW3y2E5wgdk2mO1nG9JFK-MI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></div></div></div><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-3315061754349365972023-12-14T09:17:00.001-07:002023-12-14T09:17:23.892-07:00Our Christmas Miracle- Cancer Free!!!!<p> As I mentioned in a previous post, Eric had his repeat PET scan on Tuesday. In late spring when Eric was first diagnosed, his doctor initially thought that they would do a PET scan at the three month treatment point just to see how things were going. However, once he started treatment they could "see that he was responding well" (I assume from his bloodwork?) and decided to push off the three month PET scan until the six month point. Their thought was that at three months, he definitely wouldn't be in remission so why subject his body to more radiation unnecessarily? While I completely understand and agree with their thinking, it also left us just hoping and worrying for the past six months about whether or not the cancer was going away.</p><p>Also, in late October, Eric was sparring with our daughter Noelle when she kicked him in the butt (and it wasn't that hard of a kick). This one kick caused Eric a week of pain at the tailbone site where his cancer had metastasized. Given that, we thought that there was no way this six month PET scan was going to show he was completely in the clear. So, we had mentally prepared ourselves for the results that the cancer was resolved everywhere else but his tailbone and that it would just take more treatment time and possibly another couple of doses of radiation. </p><p>Tuesday came and the scan was easy. We had hoped to get same day results but didn't, which caused sleeping issues that night. On Wednesday morning though, Eric sauntered into the bathroom while I was doing Noelle's hair and said, "did you see that my test results came in?". I hadn't and so I immediately started grilling for results. He was not giving away much, so I ran downstairs and pulled up the results myself- CANCER FREE, NO SIGNS OF DISEASE PRESENT!</p><p>It is interesting, when you get news like that, your mind kind of starts to play tricks on you like, am I really reading this correctly? That is why Eric wasn't saying much to me- he couldn't believe what he had read. To get my confirmation, I called and woke up my dad (a retired doctor) and had him read it, as well as my brother. They both confirmed what we read. </p><p>At that point, we knew that it was time to celebrate and we contacted the whole family!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzs0OrW0SS60IhAg1ifNIpVoqspTNbE27K8L2z-2kNVgroQlAudipKc3G-78YR6if-8NUtOHKCOOAXONFqdIpJzxBuriFm6uxxi9vot2v2xXCYbcDLzJIG2i8eDxiIQeFykAzEyqyyP6ucLsrBFfy2UvKbw40ju4WQfu2mTrNrEC4QotDj5vZ3iLkZnRg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="1636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzs0OrW0SS60IhAg1ifNIpVoqspTNbE27K8L2z-2kNVgroQlAudipKc3G-78YR6if-8NUtOHKCOOAXONFqdIpJzxBuriFm6uxxi9vot2v2xXCYbcDLzJIG2i8eDxiIQeFykAzEyqyyP6ucLsrBFfy2UvKbw40ju4WQfu2mTrNrEC4QotDj5vZ3iLkZnRg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Last night we did a Facetime call with Eric's side of the family and all lifted a glass. Eric celebrated with some very fancy Irish Whiskey!</p><p>Tomorrow he meets with his doctor to talk about next steps. I believe that this will kick off a year of maintenance treatment just to ensure that they get every single cancer cell. This will mean continuing his couple of pills that he takes at home and having an infusion every other month. So, a continuation of his immunotherapy, but at lower doses. </p><p>We are just so thrilled. What a Christmas gift!!!</p><p>Although we know Eric's cancer is chronic, the average person goes seven years before there is a reoccurrence. I realize that this doesn't seem like a very long time, but you never know what can happen in seven years. Just in the last five years, cancer treatment has been completely revolutionized. We hope that at some point they will come up with a cure. In the meantime though, it is so reassuring to know that Eric tolerates immunotherapy really well (he didn't have any side effects) and that it works for him!</p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-44432561474004473952023-12-11T10:32:00.000-07:002023-12-11T10:32:01.020-07:00Our Weekend of Christmas fun<p> This weekend was jam packed with holiday fun! Every year, I put on a "Nutcracker Tea Party" just for our family. I pick up baked goodies from our local bakery and make fun tea sandwiches.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVxxqFFe5fJ_KGWBMGPu_th3ZZEl417MjgFL58upjlAkYLHT7sua5-FK08TCLybjWRjoZwuQbZKZcT2U5M7zmEzLeSBeUU3T2BoRt6XbdPB--EjjcNpZhe53OvXz98yTqkGWDo3cNkn45u44ZjhfwDZgJVqmpE-XCYw6BV19etYHy93sTXXx_Aj9sAOM8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVxxqFFe5fJ_KGWBMGPu_th3ZZEl417MjgFL58upjlAkYLHT7sua5-FK08TCLybjWRjoZwuQbZKZcT2U5M7zmEzLeSBeUU3T2BoRt6XbdPB--EjjcNpZhe53OvXz98yTqkGWDo3cNkn45u44ZjhfwDZgJVqmpE-XCYw6BV19etYHy93sTXXx_Aj9sAOM8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>This year, my sister in law sent some macarons (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kellysconf3ctions/">Kelly's Confections</a>) that were amazing so we added those to our dessert platter too. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaFc54Rvl3O918OiX2v6YZyRvjzZbKYSXZr2KLh9A4kPMFcg0LHsqNNqa_10C9xJfl7EFHo3CxKyMBwL2ZpPwauzrYyRmoeVLA6lxVThmGyhFRTLIajeOqYEnZ15Zkbr-SP9rzMaNmP2f4Bl5227JE85wRLjVrDOGi5E1ge0M7UDl48WtKHbmDrFMdYLw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaFc54Rvl3O918OiX2v6YZyRvjzZbKYSXZr2KLh9A4kPMFcg0LHsqNNqa_10C9xJfl7EFHo3CxKyMBwL2ZpPwauzrYyRmoeVLA6lxVThmGyhFRTLIajeOqYEnZ15Zkbr-SP9rzMaNmP2f4Bl5227JE85wRLjVrDOGi5E1ge0M7UDl48WtKHbmDrFMdYLw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />I have some fancy cups and saucers that I have collected from Spode just for this occasion. <p></p><p>I turn on Nutcracker music and we just sit, sip and nibble. It is such a nice time together as a family and only takes me about 15 minutes to throw together.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio9KD9lUN6MKv03shwSEN9e_9gHXmCkAxVRlfSTgHO9bHrJl09Bptbhmo5GTMejEr3Ea6euBY8r8bbiBkLs4NRmaKUw1A6rE_InY_PN0Bs8z-Aq9pQRCYOYJBbgs89r8BC7yh4YaGeYxLJ_UJq2jWd_7JfZZE4Aya5cMavNPw44m3F4rlhgs54XwrqLXE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio9KD9lUN6MKv03shwSEN9e_9gHXmCkAxVRlfSTgHO9bHrJl09Bptbhmo5GTMejEr3Ea6euBY8r8bbiBkLs4NRmaKUw1A6rE_InY_PN0Bs8z-Aq9pQRCYOYJBbgs89r8BC7yh4YaGeYxLJ_UJq2jWd_7JfZZE4Aya5cMavNPw44m3F4rlhgs54XwrqLXE=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>We also split up and each took a kid shopping. Each year, we let the girls buy one gift for each other for Christmas with a $30 price maximum. They love doing this, as it helps them to think of one another at a time when children are really pretty focused on what gifts they themselves hope to get. </p><p>On Sunday after church, we zipped down to Denver for the German Christmas Market. It was our first time going and it was so cute!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW7ASy4nfZ_2O2yrVsIpjMYLVcy6W9RKjq_ld9pIhpDNL5BVbkDQdGlX2ZoltEd-lUfrPaEZF0-LSxIJaPbKnXsnAeiJQ3TWcX48jEzD47s9IMBIguqYHwGTccuHvziDb_pzl9xaxD5A32_XqOv3Wit-2Ywj-7q5SDM5wiqzeKVT2rVu_6wnWQB9olPwg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW7ASy4nfZ_2O2yrVsIpjMYLVcy6W9RKjq_ld9pIhpDNL5BVbkDQdGlX2ZoltEd-lUfrPaEZF0-LSxIJaPbKnXsnAeiJQ3TWcX48jEzD47s9IMBIguqYHwGTccuHvziDb_pzl9xaxD5A32_XqOv3Wit-2Ywj-7q5SDM5wiqzeKVT2rVu_6wnWQB9olPwg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The little mugs for the kids hot chocolate were adorable!<p></p><p>We met my sister there and wandered around snacking as we went. The highlight was a massive soft pretzel with cheddar cheese dipping sauce!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCD96JOzFSpA5oGHOMZTW143GpSHzYM2Rshb9BvH5pi66Ybcpa1zL3MW4nc83IGrfqsWFeLTpikJtV_co-ycCMlz0TrGemVYbjukChZxMYdR0cH-tfi2zaAam6_3ANj5UhtXlGkBepe8vydnMPByU3wKvnXwi80PsIQ30U-eqCX6PBr4jRg8H6JYVcvrQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCD96JOzFSpA5oGHOMZTW143GpSHzYM2Rshb9BvH5pi66Ybcpa1zL3MW4nc83IGrfqsWFeLTpikJtV_co-ycCMlz0TrGemVYbjukChZxMYdR0cH-tfi2zaAam6_3ANj5UhtXlGkBepe8vydnMPByU3wKvnXwi80PsIQ30U-eqCX6PBr4jRg8H6JYVcvrQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />It was packed though... We had to really fight our way through the stalls to even see what was being sold. I think it would make for a fun date night activity (no kids in tow). I could tell that everything was covered in Christmas lights and it is probably beautiful at night. <p></p><p>A final highlight of the weekend was that our Scout Elf, Phoebie brought magic gloves to the girls. With these gloves on, the were able to pick her up and carry her around. You have never seen two happier children. At 6:30 in the morning they were at the foot of my bed with their gloves on and holding our tiny elf with all four of their hand together wanting to show me. So adorable!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkjjTw_RlFPTDvNg7xdyKncnOCaV8UXuoyk02WOB7aizmd2uB9uiEsB3v_7n-_zpmGDvDBhcRdZk099fsL73VBXrNPPsdsTPvLjLHnBsK2Fit9Wu5_ofIZeZKTBjqaD3zZd49It9uWyYXkJoMeHcRcPm1Qq3hr3ylT-QoCfKH0HnRcEZTqPYKUea15fTs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkjjTw_RlFPTDvNg7xdyKncnOCaV8UXuoyk02WOB7aizmd2uB9uiEsB3v_7n-_zpmGDvDBhcRdZk099fsL73VBXrNPPsdsTPvLjLHnBsK2Fit9Wu5_ofIZeZKTBjqaD3zZd49It9uWyYXkJoMeHcRcPm1Qq3hr3ylT-QoCfKH0HnRcEZTqPYKUea15fTs=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>It was a great weekend, but we all are exhausted today. I think we might take it a little bit easier next weekend and just focus on cookie baking.<p></p><p>I hope you all are enjoying your holiday season!<br /></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-10170190392898706932023-12-07T11:22:00.003-07:002023-12-07T14:17:58.793-07:00Life Lately<p> The Christmas season is definitely upon us and with that comes the question I ask every year, why is Christmas the "most wonderful time of the year"? I get that it is for my kids, but man, mom life gets seriously stressful during this time. I do not know if I have mentioned it before, but both Eric and I work full time. So, I do not have the luxury of days at home to myself to prepare while kids are at school. Like many, I am running from sun up to sun down this time of year to get the to-do lists completed. The reward at the end of this though is that we will be traveling to Eric's parents home for the holidays in Arkansas. It will be the last family Christmas at the farm before they sell and move to Omaha. Christmas' there are always so relaxing. I cannot wait. </p><p>So far, our holiday season has been fueled by lots of hot chocolate (Avery is the messiest human being ever).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgktYboIb91zJ96OS9NV9WkM444tBoigLc7E-P5mIXAyQzsZHV1tlkKxqwtwcxK9an3Aa4_mIcAI_cLhUtL4r4W__pvobykke9vlt2n775Anyl3p5Wg0Acw7ti9bzCOsXkY0cLp68vFmidc7kt_Aux2959F0-_qSGy2Ws-tiNEH3tOn5QTRBcvpmst-bCE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2590" data-original-width="3453" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgktYboIb91zJ96OS9NV9WkM444tBoigLc7E-P5mIXAyQzsZHV1tlkKxqwtwcxK9an3Aa4_mIcAI_cLhUtL4r4W__pvobykke9vlt2n775Anyl3p5Wg0Acw7ti9bzCOsXkY0cLp68vFmidc7kt_Aux2959F0-_qSGy2Ws-tiNEH3tOn5QTRBcvpmst-bCE=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I volunteered to be in charge of class bulletin boards and a holiday door for the girls school.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHIc4DOOYJCRY1EhmmWp7UBn7dpXPS8I9dob07NrgyQyOcHzRy8yuutZ0o602NpXSPgAIJjE5wEnC0gSd3leVbaM__rCpKomB2SCNurY0rqevGfmktvr3mwyKMhz3aimHqVqh7DnHhv17NCsLn7O0EheSPPar_LuGFHV5ds11bdHhFMHOjMsUMiy0aoPw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHIc4DOOYJCRY1EhmmWp7UBn7dpXPS8I9dob07NrgyQyOcHzRy8yuutZ0o602NpXSPgAIJjE5wEnC0gSd3leVbaM__rCpKomB2SCNurY0rqevGfmktvr3mwyKMhz3aimHqVqh7DnHhv17NCsLn7O0EheSPPar_LuGFHV5ds11bdHhFMHOjMsUMiy0aoPw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOHd-OnSazLRewOgGZyTZ2cJb3MxhEl9911REBaiXeQ3Tx6J7swSDyPThtMpJAG9QCj439vF_caaeK6Dgi7uf6Q7VVaduOlFTC3lECfPFFzPGNhVaIyv9t7zXatI-j_GWstOjWfy8FyQUrwBQs6CG5L9T0Ktq6LbFNhw_OaIWSIfEHCnMWXrD4wpbH03o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOHd-OnSazLRewOgGZyTZ2cJb3MxhEl9911REBaiXeQ3Tx6J7swSDyPThtMpJAG9QCj439vF_caaeK6Dgi7uf6Q7VVaduOlFTC3lECfPFFzPGNhVaIyv9t7zXatI-j_GWstOjWfy8FyQUrwBQs6CG5L9T0Ktq6LbFNhw_OaIWSIfEHCnMWXrD4wpbH03o=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left;">Eric actually drew this picture and it was much more detailed than I had anticipated... But, we got it done and everyone was thrilled.</span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmeBYaXlg4aH4x96LxrVOZAd1eTB6rdvPsqpQG1PbHEyjjzXAYtG1N5zIL6a-Gpk_bw0fla1-dXGO2QWGDzXL5xf3KsXVSGcoDx6Y_iqCu2WYYzUa2fA7q1ORMULqB4qnmyEnoF5Q6v89G1uO0EMe1Oj5-K92mGweWN2FFYzKkL8xxooIqE8qj92sIoiQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3105" data-original-width="2329" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmeBYaXlg4aH4x96LxrVOZAd1eTB6rdvPsqpQG1PbHEyjjzXAYtG1N5zIL6a-Gpk_bw0fla1-dXGO2QWGDzXL5xf3KsXVSGcoDx6Y_iqCu2WYYzUa2fA7q1ORMULqB4qnmyEnoF5Q6v89G1uO0EMe1Oj5-K92mGweWN2FFYzKkL8xxooIqE8qj92sIoiQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div>Santa visited Erie last week and Avery was thrilled to tell him that she would like an elephant for Christmas... I was very thankful to Santa for explaining that an elephant would be too big to fit on his sleigh, but that a stuffed one would fit just fine (side note- now she doesn't want an elephant because only a real one would do).</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf5RrgzQEbbFoM5FVKwumIln4iEuQZ9IQSfWDcrGfs_GtuGPocKNpFRUO_gcxBDbIjLrudSj7oTQq-rxdDPg8lQhMMEGqcVlmjmmziiz0sOlTNEiG-FEL6D397gqY75v12RzXoTvRFKT_HMIYt34pEKJq2lgL29QmYM6VQIxjI-DcunpReNXOGXU33KxA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3570" data-original-width="2678" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf5RrgzQEbbFoM5FVKwumIln4iEuQZ9IQSfWDcrGfs_GtuGPocKNpFRUO_gcxBDbIjLrudSj7oTQq-rxdDPg8lQhMMEGqcVlmjmmziiz0sOlTNEiG-FEL6D397gqY75v12RzXoTvRFKT_HMIYt34pEKJq2lgL29QmYM6VQIxjI-DcunpReNXOGXU33KxA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div>And the cats got a new toy in the hopes that it will keep them occupied and they will stop destroying all my holiday decor. I actually had to pack up and put away my big Dicken's Village because our youngest cat was literally wreaking havoc every single night. When she started breaking pieces, I knew it was time to put it away and hope for a better outcome next year. I am also researching shock collars (JK) (kind of).<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOTUIP6-us2846RP4QlyYMcZiaFzVIpZonb_fsljVuCfVpim_qEa8X8qqsKpOvLYhdNec7sJM8uxhAXCEe9GTmtXAlkxW72FlTxm2PtbPfq7cUMQiqmVaIsIDyDDGne9Ht5NXGMi0a81QkTxmPTg0SaWKuN6vMKWuYKTV5-9_Tt7gbwdUgloCLZa48C5I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOTUIP6-us2846RP4QlyYMcZiaFzVIpZonb_fsljVuCfVpim_qEa8X8qqsKpOvLYhdNec7sJM8uxhAXCEe9GTmtXAlkxW72FlTxm2PtbPfq7cUMQiqmVaIsIDyDDGne9Ht5NXGMi0a81QkTxmPTg0SaWKuN6vMKWuYKTV5-9_Tt7gbwdUgloCLZa48C5I=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Next week is both highly anticipated and equally anxiety inducing. Eric has his six month PET scan. When we spoke with the doctors in May, they mentioned that he could be in remission by the six month point and then could move into his year of maintenance treatment. We are so hopeful. Wouldn't that be the best Christmas gift?<p></p><p>He has had a little bit of returned tailbone pain the last month, so I am having a bit of trouble staying too positive. I keep telling myself (and my dad a retired doctor keeps reminding me) that even if he isn't in remission now, it will probably only take three more months. They will get this and he is responding so well to treatment. I keep praying for patience and healing. I also have to keep reminding myself that his cancer is chronic so I need to learn to live with this a little better. It isn't doing much good though, because I am having nightly nightmares. </p><p>In any case, we appreciate your prayers and/or positive thoughts.</p><p>And for those of you that are new here, <a href="https://baltzflightsoffancy.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-uninvited-house-guest-cancer.html">this is a link to the post where I talked about Eric's cancer diagnosis.</a></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-53181142810681213002023-12-04T09:38:00.001-07:002023-12-04T09:38:20.830-07:00Recipe- Chocolate Fudge<div class="separator">Making fudge every Christmas is a tradition in our household. My mom made it every year when I was little, and now I always make it for my family. My kids (and now all the neighbor kids) are obsessed with it. It is wonderful in that it tastes so different homemade in comparison to any store bought fudge; it is so much creamier. Also, it is fairly easy to make. I whipped up a batch today in around 45 minutes. </div><div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3i5oOXsCAmUE8kjTDrTKjL9GAWGkTOyi7M0lu0V749t7BrNVmflzJ7XXYP6MIGlQpUm60D0eoq8z0dlXUWBmyfP8Z2K3sn0arNBOzx2tweva7zsH8xDm-T93SB1U1iqcEsd74ya-CLIumEpXpcKK4cZbsVRmBBzaj7i_epIOj82mrwXGcMIILaaRARGQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3604" data-original-width="2703" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3i5oOXsCAmUE8kjTDrTKjL9GAWGkTOyi7M0lu0V749t7BrNVmflzJ7XXYP6MIGlQpUm60D0eoq8z0dlXUWBmyfP8Z2K3sn0arNBOzx2tweva7zsH8xDm-T93SB1U1iqcEsd74ya-CLIumEpXpcKK4cZbsVRmBBzaj7i_epIOj82mrwXGcMIILaaRARGQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>My disclaimer- This recipe was made at high altitude and works wonderfully. I have tried using the recipe on the back of the marshmallow fluff jar before and it is always a complete disaster. So, fudge can be temperamental in that altitude and probably humidity levels have an impact. </div><p>I start by using a heavy bottomed pan on a burner that isn't too hot (do not try to rush this process and use a power burner to boil quickly). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWQK18vBJLSaPoZnCK93CJxVWkxpxrDSXqRwUPKQm3jvN-m4Q5-Ro6jnnTbFHtgV_QxHxaGzGkmnbN2wteh0e0DIc8TUxKvc5wBL4UYOqn24L9N6CrntIO0rQyheBaSszXk_76Af7_1OnzkcvDEeqTO0Tbk2XA_U06TKIzTy9T384P9MyAVWfJfhxVPaU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3261" data-original-width="2446" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWQK18vBJLSaPoZnCK93CJxVWkxpxrDSXqRwUPKQm3jvN-m4Q5-Ro6jnnTbFHtgV_QxHxaGzGkmnbN2wteh0e0DIc8TUxKvc5wBL4UYOqn24L9N6CrntIO0rQyheBaSszXk_76Af7_1OnzkcvDEeqTO0Tbk2XA_U06TKIzTy9T384P9MyAVWfJfhxVPaU=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Add the butter, sugar, marshmallow creme and evaporated milk to the pan and stir. Once everything is melted together, go ahead and put in your candy thermometer. Pro tip- candy thermometers are very hard to read, so I have put a piece of electrical tape on mine right at 215 degrees, which is the temp that I need this mixture to get to.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_VWU8OjdhxMPQJpNawND8u02gmHlagqtqByp7rB0vr3U0BBmNkRH_TrpLuwtr7rSdWvGqUrq9PxP3amLPgwxwsV1DGwmahl40Ck-ScSYc8qYoeOwahvYtVG22R4Qkil-eakuEUhIXRCSC-7tIpu067v-_wCA8xBNF0MIGwTCb5I5NpwKkq4oRJjM3Rf8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_VWU8OjdhxMPQJpNawND8u02gmHlagqtqByp7rB0vr3U0BBmNkRH_TrpLuwtr7rSdWvGqUrq9PxP3amLPgwxwsV1DGwmahl40Ck-ScSYc8qYoeOwahvYtVG22R4Qkil-eakuEUhIXRCSC-7tIpu067v-_wCA8xBNF0MIGwTCb5I5NpwKkq4oRJjM3Rf8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Keep the burner on low-medium heat. If you bring up the temp too fast, the fudge will not turn out. I find that it takes a good 10 minutes to get the temp to 215 degrees and you have to stir constantly during this time.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWILtMmvL2ugTeQmgs03XDYhzm79MJdo6Aab0FPrDp6n_S_F8rEA5fVLT4NGTmBxOIcTDRpaz-e2daZ083hvL3uTjRuhdZ-iAG4M2ivKQv9V5i7hMnnnD7UBgh5wOJhrPNe67joed3lKRvIeBjXoG_55pMGHHk3J1ir1e8aHi77gO5gY2ZUXTLmuMg9nY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWILtMmvL2ugTeQmgs03XDYhzm79MJdo6Aab0FPrDp6n_S_F8rEA5fVLT4NGTmBxOIcTDRpaz-e2daZ083hvL3uTjRuhdZ-iAG4M2ivKQv9V5i7hMnnnD7UBgh5wOJhrPNe67joed3lKRvIeBjXoG_55pMGHHk3J1ir1e8aHi77gO5gY2ZUXTLmuMg9nY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Once the fudge reaches temp, you remove from the heat and add in the chopped pecans, vanilla and semi-sweet chocolate. Mix well with a wooden spoon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6ULJJJr3h9nw5SLg49iXOfdOR0JHpUaKOMP-ojjvtLJAUzdkHqPgrUHUE_lNarhD9MP5efsc3sNdht9fGTku5IR4WH5AJpFBpL8oIsB2EZBwYkLO8w-VFP4UV3ix_ymW0WzIfMRmBaSJKpHmYpo8Jt3an5CvnsKuFkgutIYO5VU0SEVJv6mWGYw_uFO8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6ULJJJr3h9nw5SLg49iXOfdOR0JHpUaKOMP-ojjvtLJAUzdkHqPgrUHUE_lNarhD9MP5efsc3sNdht9fGTku5IR4WH5AJpFBpL8oIsB2EZBwYkLO8w-VFP4UV3ix_ymW0WzIfMRmBaSJKpHmYpo8Jt3an5CvnsKuFkgutIYO5VU0SEVJv6mWGYw_uFO8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Meanwhile, I have an 9x13" pan prepared with some tinfoil. I then spread butter all over the inside of the tinfoil. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwISTB5gcHtIduFstUqLKqEa_MJHHOIsdHvykhg209Nv0R_uMDtMyzZJNa4tSsWNTt-jjat7joRMxHQnoLHnxvXYwshZ3nGmx45sXjbYev3NH_7EsoeBbaUa25kXlKsMFFvSPsaHHd6OkPEKQkXBjPa5di_s9T3eQPJa0OI1SQ5T59NFmetj4H4HVNE_Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwISTB5gcHtIduFstUqLKqEa_MJHHOIsdHvykhg209Nv0R_uMDtMyzZJNa4tSsWNTt-jjat7joRMxHQnoLHnxvXYwshZ3nGmx45sXjbYev3NH_7EsoeBbaUa25kXlKsMFFvSPsaHHd6OkPEKQkXBjPa5di_s9T3eQPJa0OI1SQ5T59NFmetj4H4HVNE_Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>This makes it so much easier to get the fudge out of the pan and onto a cutting board so you can cut it up into small cubes. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW962W0qvZChv7XJbVnHqTwr16ZFUASCeD-xpVH6bySYtwSsGoAb7OejxHsigddvpMei0vt_vlOQGj9-N_yWtzyU74-4vZHKDdm0eI8E1itDf5vHnK2Qqtfv4k6f636HNgE7b8_R5CuK-xcbX1_SNb1cUZokSVRJ48EzstAMQtU2quQZ2Ko3tuDgEPEeY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3296" data-original-width="2472" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW962W0qvZChv7XJbVnHqTwr16ZFUASCeD-xpVH6bySYtwSsGoAb7OejxHsigddvpMei0vt_vlOQGj9-N_yWtzyU74-4vZHKDdm0eI8E1itDf5vHnK2Qqtfv4k6f636HNgE7b8_R5CuK-xcbX1_SNb1cUZokSVRJ48EzstAMQtU2quQZ2Ko3tuDgEPEeY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The recipe makes a lot so it is great for cutting up, putting in a cute tin and giving to neighbors. Trust me, they will love you if you give them this.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I picked my kids up from school today I said, "I need you guys to be my official taste testers when we get home because I made fudge today". Avery's response was, "This is the best day of my life!".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEktIfaSbBMROsO6XhGJjPhtQicxTWk2_x9fXnU0ZCUxJi-Dd-HIH9sCvDAItGDWm00JmlKNJyKh3Hmjpwwrt2X5VQp-7pTAKA4w4f0utiSxIARbSb1okh2i3EnxHrRZkZy8gGEahxpSWBvsElx1ZPoiuI3JcFqnvhHjUWlDqjJnIT0iYqc2-h0UQ1TKY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEktIfaSbBMROsO6XhGJjPhtQicxTWk2_x9fXnU0ZCUxJi-Dd-HIH9sCvDAItGDWm00JmlKNJyKh3Hmjpwwrt2X5VQp-7pTAKA4w4f0utiSxIARbSb1okh2i3EnxHrRZkZy8gGEahxpSWBvsElx1ZPoiuI3JcFqnvhHjUWlDqjJnIT0iYqc2-h0UQ1TKY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The taste test definitely went over well!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Chocolate fudge</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 c. butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2.5 cups sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 (7oz jar) of marshmallow creme</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3/4 c. evaporated milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 cup chopped pecans</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 T vanilla extract</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Prepare a 9x13" pan by lining with a sheet of tinfoil. Butter the tinfoil to avoid sticking.</div><div><br /></div>Combine butter, sugar, marshmallow creme and evaporated milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Warm over low-medium heat and stir constantly. When mixture has reached 215 degrees, remove from the heat and add in the chopped nuts, vanilla and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.<br /><br />Pour mixture into prepared pan and let cool on the counter top for a few hours. After it is cooled, it can be cut into squares/cubes. </div><div><br /></div><div>This fudge does freeze well too if you want to make ahead and save.<br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-6979385983668067742023-11-27T13:58:00.002-07:002023-11-30T13:27:48.662-07:00Holiday Decor<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Well, we survived Thanksgiving and our turkey even cooked in the time we had calculated it would (a Thanksgiving miracle)! Colorado was wonderful this Thanksgiving; we had two and a half days of falling snow. It could not have been more perfect for days spent at home cooking and decorating.</span></div><p></p><p>In my family, we always spend the day after Thanksgiving decorating. With my parents in town, we were able to get both the inside and outside of the house all ready for Christmas over the course of two days! Here is a little peak at some of our decor.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJyRaHFczogXS_jpMxXWXYYH1fv04jzMwRJsaElU_u9P0Xq2-qnUpDAfT-A1f-Jz0hgRVmecqkiuIcCTKsEoOdr--1qHDLpdoIgYlmpo1g9UH_k4KMSklLjXd--mKEO6cJdlKtznNMH17EgXlMIWxT7-biM6mrDipqqFs93yIUJyyz3q9WAGIjGNyWGrQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJyRaHFczogXS_jpMxXWXYYH1fv04jzMwRJsaElU_u9P0Xq2-qnUpDAfT-A1f-Jz0hgRVmecqkiuIcCTKsEoOdr--1qHDLpdoIgYlmpo1g9UH_k4KMSklLjXd--mKEO6cJdlKtznNMH17EgXlMIWxT7-biM6mrDipqqFs93yIUJyyz3q9WAGIjGNyWGrQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are in our third year with this tree and I do not want to jinx anything, but it still looks wonderful and we haven't had any lighting issues. It is only <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005TVQBXU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1">$209 right now on Amazon </a> (this price has jumped back up now that black friday is over) and it is nine feet tall and absolutely beautiful. If you order it, make sure to inspect it just after arrival. When I originally ordered this tree, they sent me the wrong one (it was much thinner and more sparse). They were great about returning it and replacing, but it was a bit of a hassle. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYaPDPef2pLNBYwi1c8YQmIKHhXSggVL4phoon4fXQ8Q_Rqx-XTuOqg-SUAYRxtlMiOyhopuUPPb0ZaDaRwiHkD7oc_LgDvr1D8deJys5rodzQ48dZKSt3E7uxsFNsKuhDounLxuHa3MPjl6st08bujoNjXe-jm3W9O_pdH8KuKMFMCYmkXkJH-rdXBVU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYaPDPef2pLNBYwi1c8YQmIKHhXSggVL4phoon4fXQ8Q_Rqx-XTuOqg-SUAYRxtlMiOyhopuUPPb0ZaDaRwiHkD7oc_LgDvr1D8deJys5rodzQ48dZKSt3E7uxsFNsKuhDounLxuHa3MPjl6st08bujoNjXe-jm3W9O_pdH8KuKMFMCYmkXkJH-rdXBVU=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3_wuj5j_Gaehm251sVIS3xF_TScarqS2hd0RWo0u5hyvSxev8096z2QTj0ZjXpKWl8l6I9hWT0dAet-1ZselswtMBK3UESYldKi4mA33c80ms3Nksk9m2vizsFAih09Os4-tFQvYKJZ-dqiMggfFibMJwhN_niJuGOpv4orVPyIZv4V0YxtGZA91DBlo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3_wuj5j_Gaehm251sVIS3xF_TScarqS2hd0RWo0u5hyvSxev8096z2QTj0ZjXpKWl8l6I9hWT0dAet-1ZselswtMBK3UESYldKi4mA33c80ms3Nksk9m2vizsFAih09Os4-tFQvYKJZ-dqiMggfFibMJwhN_niJuGOpv4orVPyIZv4V0YxtGZA91DBlo=w480-h640" width="480" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh37NB37XwDo8U0zPbjdpeOpCaRIyC0ZsyCVNEYcbzspbV2rFW5NHrf76rn8Eae2G02taUmcDsTCtjSKs-ZsE_O_n-5gipAQP9KcmahUlWLWE3OixGEJSfKds5uaXmnYrwxU4a3I9hpuORjOQQcZPpQ2wvwWHsNuso1GoLXY0B-jfd8MM31ylbf636o-Dg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh37NB37XwDo8U0zPbjdpeOpCaRIyC0ZsyCVNEYcbzspbV2rFW5NHrf76rn8Eae2G02taUmcDsTCtjSKs-ZsE_O_n-5gipAQP9KcmahUlWLWE3OixGEJSfKds5uaXmnYrwxU4a3I9hpuORjOQQcZPpQ2wvwWHsNuso1GoLXY0B-jfd8MM31ylbf636o-Dg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU0VjVh4x0C6MCrHugBRnRuslgkYor-sVJN6f2MkpYY6n3Hd16ql3I6sHYRZ4jw_YtAXSqyrE6Y7EPtdG6PsNuiTzr2kKJnReOeLQTJcXL0jp0OiYiO2RktodJVfy0t4bP_CMspl5-ItyGDagobCe84d2PP3gEEc0oLKh7mJPwbwInErKEy2fAe5K-ZiM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU0VjVh4x0C6MCrHugBRnRuslgkYor-sVJN6f2MkpYY6n3Hd16ql3I6sHYRZ4jw_YtAXSqyrE6Y7EPtdG6PsNuiTzr2kKJnReOeLQTJcXL0jp0OiYiO2RktodJVfy0t4bP_CMspl5-ItyGDagobCe84d2PP3gEEc0oLKh7mJPwbwInErKEy2fAe5K-ZiM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8G5239-Q2UD5RZAn93vBya051H5rgEQNH0QU9FVqhONiOHUNrl0kgGaWM0AES-4ZXezIGY-EA82Nbeh5yv6YDoH8TJJxFw8uCDr1dashi9hbemalJ8DISwgB7quPkSrUU5Pw6vcM6K3G7l0HqOGiuDWrnqiAlhHn5xpjhbO3LR6fB4qifPoq92DRxdEM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8G5239-Q2UD5RZAn93vBya051H5rgEQNH0QU9FVqhONiOHUNrl0kgGaWM0AES-4ZXezIGY-EA82Nbeh5yv6YDoH8TJJxFw8uCDr1dashi9hbemalJ8DISwgB7quPkSrUU5Pw6vcM6K3G7l0HqOGiuDWrnqiAlhHn5xpjhbO3LR6fB4qifPoq92DRxdEM=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div></u></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj35CY7vVzQJ6aXuBekdxTp5QuYF2HUPu7icvnGpXEr76ctZsRs9M9qOI7T9i66oD7Jy_qkI6Fj0sZ5cTJYXRZE9JCIbn7uveqepeyIzqu_H2XVjBuFV0b6NsVwEEWlItBY1Jle3JPTLxkxqwHMhaTP1tf7VpJjnoCKKW9avKrCHedJ7Hc1quiB1-DyH6g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj35CY7vVzQJ6aXuBekdxTp5QuYF2HUPu7icvnGpXEr76ctZsRs9M9qOI7T9i66oD7Jy_qkI6Fj0sZ5cTJYXRZE9JCIbn7uveqepeyIzqu_H2XVjBuFV0b6NsVwEEWlItBY1Jle3JPTLxkxqwHMhaTP1tf7VpJjnoCKKW9avKrCHedJ7Hc1quiB1-DyH6g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGinovJEDZ5mkKdrqbB14eNSKaWoanUW4s2rILYKH8YHqNKxAmRKV8Y0DDZ9f98XhI4mkDHIC6kfayRdxOh-TG--lhqSe66TnWzkRa1XahQvNrpjm0wBzQBYqhuWIHhHNkozvnzymyH8PNK8ab6lzeMyWB1n872xzMl0EX_CJb9lbCKNrgbYdv-QaaSNA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGinovJEDZ5mkKdrqbB14eNSKaWoanUW4s2rILYKH8YHqNKxAmRKV8Y0DDZ9f98XhI4mkDHIC6kfayRdxOh-TG--lhqSe66TnWzkRa1XahQvNrpjm0wBzQBYqhuWIHhHNkozvnzymyH8PNK8ab6lzeMyWB1n872xzMl0EX_CJb9lbCKNrgbYdv-QaaSNA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had to take down my big Christmas village this year as one of our cats was destroying it nightly, but my smaller village that I put upstairs is so far going unnoticed by pets. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3apHvTABQ99czkFT_os9C7bt4v3WVdKHlBjr6W-NqMww89PaFqLBIjLn0IoAf93L2RHKI-o8TJJJzSNum8j2XwQWY46zEQsE9NAG-Md3KuVyiwgDmDtFSwwijNiELkTucxVwVRzMVlDt4gUqtu0dGY1vE2inoPKRmtibCLswmFqBVp0d5oDnI4_8zZyo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3apHvTABQ99czkFT_os9C7bt4v3WVdKHlBjr6W-NqMww89PaFqLBIjLn0IoAf93L2RHKI-o8TJJJzSNum8j2XwQWY46zEQsE9NAG-Md3KuVyiwgDmDtFSwwijNiELkTucxVwVRzMVlDt4gUqtu0dGY1vE2inoPKRmtibCLswmFqBVp0d5oDnI4_8zZyo=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>I have told everyone that comes into our house that they cannot look at or acknowledge the village if our cat Holly is around. If she sees someone else noticing it, she will be up there immediately knocking pieces off.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope that you all had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving break!</div></div></div><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-56132119898109388622023-11-20T10:05:00.000-07:002023-11-20T10:05:04.541-07:00Introducing Our Menagerie<p>There is something you should know about us... We LOVE animals! Growing up, I always had cats, dogs, assorted rodents, hermit crabs, etc. You get the picture. I do not remember a time in life when I did not have a cat who slept at the foot of my bed and it always made me feel safe. I also think it taught responsibility because at a young age, my siblings and I had to clean litter boxes and clean out hamster cages. I have always wanted the same for my kids.</p><p>The only sticking point was initially Eric. Eric grew up in an environment where pets have a job. Cats were outdoors in the barn keeping down the rodent population. Dogs were also outside and could sound an alert to protect goats, chickens, etc. While he really loved all these pets, he didn't understand having them indoors at all times and he certainly wasn't going to snuggle up with a pet on the couch or bed. This very quickly changed when he met me and my pampered pets. </p><p>As of today, we have four pets roaming our household. I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce them all. </p><p>First off is <b>Ripley</b>, our 3 year old Goldendoodle (aka, Rippy Doo, the Don Doodler, Ripley Doodle-bug Baltz). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh763aAfA0uIHyf0ZTLPytmo8GxU7QbmpH9zAPhcfD0y643kHxgFm3eDml4lFvdtoaRnaSMW-JpZkcIZJmdv15FuOB_ji2xIL26yEFEDHPUo1aYQoDhu9Z6995lV4gqKrZrpQl61KbhujjzHvpY9MeOu-tq4kWabeVpLtqBSX6BpNX0CQVvfcD2loriPD4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1194" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh763aAfA0uIHyf0ZTLPytmo8GxU7QbmpH9zAPhcfD0y643kHxgFm3eDml4lFvdtoaRnaSMW-JpZkcIZJmdv15FuOB_ji2xIL26yEFEDHPUo1aYQoDhu9Z6995lV4gqKrZrpQl61KbhujjzHvpY9MeOu-tq4kWabeVpLtqBSX6BpNX0CQVvfcD2loriPD4=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Ripley is exactly what you would expect from a Goldendoodle- a huge goofball. My past dog was a rescue with a relatively unknown past. She came with a lot of baggage, which took close to a year to work through (and nearly got me evicted from my then apartment). Although things turned out wonderfully, I didn't have the time or energy to go through that again (think 4 year old twins), so I wanted a puppy. <p></p><p>As the breed describes, Ripley is wonderful with other people and other pets. He loves everyone. He also fully believes that he is human and is the little brother in our family. He always has to be in the center of the action and loves it when the girls include him in their games.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0wa5osSFphEAhWrKzKrBPR5zvGAIAsyAlPf-8EDRT8Qzo83M9Lcz3ChWSFB_0kaVD5eNF4uT5WCCI07LWExH4mbsC8Ek6p3eIcZcKBjhHqVjK-L094UpC7i_WAnpZQ0Hh-Qecu98Ik985HbGqu_QZqXeh-Ru3XRV6OVsjyIO8ejoBfA7sPHfVJF_fdYM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1331" data-original-width="998" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0wa5osSFphEAhWrKzKrBPR5zvGAIAsyAlPf-8EDRT8Qzo83M9Lcz3ChWSFB_0kaVD5eNF4uT5WCCI07LWExH4mbsC8Ek6p3eIcZcKBjhHqVjK-L094UpC7i_WAnpZQ0Hh-Qecu98Ik985HbGqu_QZqXeh-Ru3XRV6OVsjyIO8ejoBfA7sPHfVJF_fdYM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLvo7Y4E6As23fHuzYxXmig94JMS0v9XMvTb7fmWrUnLNtXx0SjNRi5WjJsyNvJdBdRwjbBCs4qlSQEvbk3eVRUPW3jQboym8doMB2ttkvsXHaSnF572nzR4wUC3P0ja5-V7cgaCHrO4O_1VlP37vWstd7gQkZiB8INGl3KDfESmYBuPCS4t_3eP9T170" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLvo7Y4E6As23fHuzYxXmig94JMS0v9XMvTb7fmWrUnLNtXx0SjNRi5WjJsyNvJdBdRwjbBCs4qlSQEvbk3eVRUPW3jQboym8doMB2ttkvsXHaSnF572nzR4wUC3P0ja5-V7cgaCHrO4O_1VlP37vWstd7gQkZiB8INGl3KDfESmYBuPCS4t_3eP9T170=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left;">Next up is our 5 year old cat </span><b style="text-align: left;">Emberley.</b></div><p></p><p>Emberely is a rescue that we got as a kitten from Boulder Humane Society. Actually, all of our cats have come from Boulder Humane. She is shy with strangers, but is a wonderful pet. She is super floppy and when you pick her up she melts in your arms. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu7VSmzWuVLl-rlWJxlsXqJF3U3OFbegOz8uJgc-9O4PKbaTSQ6Xmp1F3QgYul_Yj__llfbBmWPI1TsiskZ9jVvu3jGz07XW3MpZeGSSR0pTn2BbN8HvBoNoBOqE9-gJKHYG2O1uekTdWmS-ZH_TcvCQ7xoejLDushk3mkves7fkqMtn4LKLatVg8EdmI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu7VSmzWuVLl-rlWJxlsXqJF3U3OFbegOz8uJgc-9O4PKbaTSQ6Xmp1F3QgYul_Yj__llfbBmWPI1TsiskZ9jVvu3jGz07XW3MpZeGSSR0pTn2BbN8HvBoNoBOqE9-gJKHYG2O1uekTdWmS-ZH_TcvCQ7xoejLDushk3mkves7fkqMtn4LKLatVg8EdmI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />She is probably my easiest animal and she loves our girls as much as she loves Eric and I, which is so awesome to see. <p></p><p><b>Aslan</b> is our next cat and we call him Mr. Fats.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUMo_bnBVoD6-FfrkX9cIVXLQlrX8jBkH1eLZkEihcta_Hy78aMUWf6SXhl9637kUr5hwCdwFp4B_FlNkreI9LAbGsj-9zL81V9Qztb1ZhSfKA-zQkJuXJLcKkEvdWxQTk-wJ3X306fIxJ--bIvPDyM2P9nmLM3AsR0VY8Z7tv-sY0NMJoaiWJKm91EEY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUMo_bnBVoD6-FfrkX9cIVXLQlrX8jBkH1eLZkEihcta_Hy78aMUWf6SXhl9637kUr5hwCdwFp4B_FlNkreI9LAbGsj-9zL81V9Qztb1ZhSfKA-zQkJuXJLcKkEvdWxQTk-wJ3X306fIxJ--bIvPDyM2P9nmLM3AsR0VY8Z7tv-sY0NMJoaiWJKm91EEY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He is our most social pet and he and Ripley are my near constant sidekicks. He is one of our pets trying to do us in though because he likes to pee on area rugs. It is a very good thing he is so loving...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, there is <b>Holly</b> who we adopted this week last year. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3cyPzCUi2feMs0MjvARYHVA7zQxrmvV7I4gP667ojGGJXSu2HukSGcHX7oJ_12pz4dypFFNBjhmxA8kQfgKV6hK3Orp1xFe8cCk79wx0V5FTe6veeg_hK3S0e7QstSvVB9i-EO5mT-_NmkvMkRNqY7JS_JG-LwZwjgxsBAlWzAkmMp5WpsNhGhJP3k0k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2654" data-original-width="1990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3cyPzCUi2feMs0MjvARYHVA7zQxrmvV7I4gP667ojGGJXSu2HukSGcHX7oJ_12pz4dypFFNBjhmxA8kQfgKV6hK3Orp1xFe8cCk79wx0V5FTe6veeg_hK3S0e7QstSvVB9i-EO5mT-_NmkvMkRNqY7JS_JG-LwZwjgxsBAlWzAkmMp5WpsNhGhJP3k0k=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Holly is adorable, but also a holy terror. She spends her waking hours looking for things to get into. Her current favorite hobby is to destroy my Christmas Village every night while we are sleeping. We love her, but she is a handful. I have never had a cat that is as crazy as she is.<p></p><p>Luckily, the animals all get along well with one another. I think that throwing them all together when they are relatively young helps. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfQfJcbRWvuLuFooeO5bsF0uAnHX3GDIKsD1vWJ7M3Ew3jVHGHdqHHVzXtouyFov-QeOkjg4SvW0TrM3ykD4vwVDH-eUaZ8-FXg-XBlOl-sEkrdmmjUuKQdNY3z9VnA3DE9pNYVq87iRyOj8sITkOUle_TE4DVrBPR88hIHVqhE0ESzdSns7SqV17PLMs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3549" data-original-width="2662" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfQfJcbRWvuLuFooeO5bsF0uAnHX3GDIKsD1vWJ7M3Ew3jVHGHdqHHVzXtouyFov-QeOkjg4SvW0TrM3ykD4vwVDH-eUaZ8-FXg-XBlOl-sEkrdmmjUuKQdNY3z9VnA3DE9pNYVq87iRyOj8sITkOUle_TE4DVrBPR88hIHVqhE0ESzdSns7SqV17PLMs=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />In a time when we are giving thanks for things, these crazy pets are always at the top of my list. They bring us so much joy!<br /><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-38437930979563739262023-11-16T12:39:00.002-07:002023-11-16T13:29:53.606-07:00Thanksgiving Meal Planning<p>Well, the holidays are upon us. If you are anything like me, stress levels are on the rise, and near constant mental lists are being made, packed with things that need to be accomplished in the lead up to both Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, my parents are visiting for Thanksgiving so while we do not have a big crowd, I still want it to be nice. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg-9dKdtEVnjTYSLsIKhXpBfnl6X6-QKeXjgJiH73NHbusbZ5iOfGfufyDd_XOsqS6PXWYPQ54TVXxLlKfuzdWHu4qW1xjM_iprMWkkIC3nzBGpgSi0vPCCrNGWPfXrn5EJVcnbfvQQFlxGNysPgSmqUVSkie1jdXIu2oVQ3-J4IJJfbkBhyQJQL1iyRw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2879" data-original-width="3839" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg-9dKdtEVnjTYSLsIKhXpBfnl6X6-QKeXjgJiH73NHbusbZ5iOfGfufyDd_XOsqS6PXWYPQ54TVXxLlKfuzdWHu4qW1xjM_iprMWkkIC3nzBGpgSi0vPCCrNGWPfXrn5EJVcnbfvQQFlxGNysPgSmqUVSkie1jdXIu2oVQ3-J4IJJfbkBhyQJQL1iyRw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I think I have now settled on a menu. With only six people, I am paring things down a bit and talked to family members about their side dish priorities. Everyone loves mashed potatoes, we need stuffing (it is a must for me), but we are going to branch out and try something new this year, and surprisingly, Eric and the girls demanded green bean casserole. So, this is where we are at.<p></p><p><b>Appetizers:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Brie en croute with fig jam and walnuts on top</li><li>Soft pretzel bites with assorted dipping sauces (I let my kids pick one app)</li></ul><p></p><p>I am going very simple for appetizers. I usually do a huge cheese platter, veggie platter, bacon wrapped dates, etc. Then everyone fills up on the appetizers and the dinner itself becomes an afterthought. </p><p><b>Main Course:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Turkey/gravy</li><li>Mashed potatoes</li><li><a href="https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/butternut-squash-and-wild-mushroom-stuffing/">Butternut Squash and Wild Mushroom Stuffing</a></li><li>Cranberry Sauce</li><li><a href="https://www.spendwithpennies.com/classic-green-bean-casserole/">Green Bean Caserole</a></li><li>Rolls (Sister Schubert rolls in the frozen food section are amazing)</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Dessert:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pumpkin Pie</li><li>Pecan Tassies (mini pecan pies)</li><li>Fresh whipped cream</li></ul><p></p><p>Last year we made a fabulous turkey (the one time when we didn't have any guests for Thanksgiving). Our oven is not self cleaning as it is a gas oven and I do not like using harsh oven cleaners so, I am forever trying to keep it clean. That lead me to buying these parchment paper bags last year.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix1L-VwJDqbokw3lZV5-1dQ_JcLdYZGIrpQE-G30beZigw0T6XcfkaATQVqDtYICi6IM3OkU9G_F4FPv1f4y4EGixg4MxPxqNe6l6ZwprHko4wEDI8x1RVZrRpIqmK8qZ7ok-8FvaTYXea6KyA7YAp_GWxy83oiAxiswXwEgZpWEnKrdcDb4aIwu9OirU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="310" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix1L-VwJDqbokw3lZV5-1dQ_JcLdYZGIrpQE-G30beZigw0T6XcfkaATQVqDtYICi6IM3OkU9G_F4FPv1f4y4EGixg4MxPxqNe6l6ZwprHko4wEDI8x1RVZrRpIqmK8qZ7ok-8FvaTYXea6KyA7YAp_GWxy83oiAxiswXwEgZpWEnKrdcDb4aIwu9OirU" width="185" /></a></div><br />We followed the recipe on the box exactly and we literally had the juiciest turkey that I have ever had. The only draw back would be not having crispy skin, but we do not eat that anyway. You can buy these on Amazon for about $5, or pick them up at Whole Foods. I will never make a turkey any other way again.<p></p><p>I am trying out <a href="https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/">Half Baked Harvest's</a> recipe for stuffing, which I haven't ever tried before, but her recipes have never steered me wrong to date. The green bean casserole is also a new recipe. I wanted to get fancier with the green beans, but Eric really loves those crispy onions and cream of mushroom soup from the can. This dish is never one of my favorites so I am making the traditional recipe just for him. </p><p>My priorities are firmly set on dessert. I always make my pies from scratch and pumpkin is my favorite pie by far. I use the recipe from the back of the Libby's pumpkin can and they turn out wonderful every time. One year, I bought a can of organic pumpkin pack and my family all complained. Lesson learned- Libby's is where it is at!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB8KWQY8QDLVHi9S2kFLUu2-MmyJfrqRjK43g6CnyZ9V-aZO9awAvpvg2Z5O7y4LZzlAitoJaBXZihiSrjwOuOLmZU7zLCNNCmzAl90lFmkt4V3xC9KckVzzcnc5jQSp0yOiknqBFk2TNkeXz3HrHak72APMPu-rwfHuMIa8szFBJIBNPv7Mq5pluu_dc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3293" data-original-width="2385" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB8KWQY8QDLVHi9S2kFLUu2-MmyJfrqRjK43g6CnyZ9V-aZO9awAvpvg2Z5O7y4LZzlAitoJaBXZihiSrjwOuOLmZU7zLCNNCmzAl90lFmkt4V3xC9KckVzzcnc5jQSp0yOiknqBFk2TNkeXz3HrHak72APMPu-rwfHuMIa8szFBJIBNPv7Mq5pluu_dc=w464-h640" width="464" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and that everyone's turkey cooks in exactly the amount of time you have calculated it to (which would be a complete Thanksgiving miracle in our household).</div><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-78221140585358095292023-11-13T08:29:00.000-07:002023-11-13T08:29:07.726-07:00Travel- Florida Trip (Part 3) Disney World and Universal Studios<p> The last three days of our Florida trip were spent at Walt Disney World. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguvAR8RxU3hlscw3S1E4MM_yv2--YuVgGUUMDQyAkGygeHwRiSWIcGacnJ48J_FjO0rwUuMRpsW4Of9QbPSJEfiYU8kyo5w6gWD_ZbSnQ0K2WtCP6gxrvo2vtMGgC1zY9h42rA_Og-gxw9Fii7r20sJbW5Bu1lPhFWQDOaUX3PMu5VlR9LHsjrFXwAhR0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguvAR8RxU3hlscw3S1E4MM_yv2--YuVgGUUMDQyAkGygeHwRiSWIcGacnJ48J_FjO0rwUuMRpsW4Of9QbPSJEfiYU8kyo5w6gWD_ZbSnQ0K2WtCP6gxrvo2vtMGgC1zY9h42rA_Og-gxw9Fii7r20sJbW5Bu1lPhFWQDOaUX3PMu5VlR9LHsjrFXwAhR0=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p>I did not use a travel agent for any of our Disney trip booking and found it to be pretty comprehensive to figure out, but I appreciated that I knew the ins and outs of everything when we were there on site. Given that we were only doing three nights, I really wanted to go for the full immersive Disney experience and stay on resort. I spent a lot of time researching resorts and landed on <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/wilderness-lodge-resort/">The Disney Wilderness Lodge</a> as our chosen place to stay. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqA8ucAu2xHzyhvWQozAeAs7YJaYIWrgaOVoVjy7YLWs_ku00g3XMpC76Do1ccvMZNdiG_VoQdi1NkTbTSlHD3aIhEiWVnQHcX3ojcd6ALHbspqme4C-7C9LMk_i3fHtxUD1YwsCGpc1p8hzQmAVr6CYYXNaOFDH0abHSYuflh65LCZuYoy8fogemVSmI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqA8ucAu2xHzyhvWQozAeAs7YJaYIWrgaOVoVjy7YLWs_ku00g3XMpC76Do1ccvMZNdiG_VoQdi1NkTbTSlHD3aIhEiWVnQHcX3ojcd6ALHbspqme4C-7C9LMk_i3fHtxUD1YwsCGpc1p8hzQmAVr6CYYXNaOFDH0abHSYuflh65LCZuYoy8fogemVSmI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>My criteria for our resort stay was that it had to have a great pool, I wanted it to include a streamlined method of transportation to the parks (they have a boat that takes you to and from Magic Kingdom), and I did want it to feel somewhat luxurious. The Wilderness Lodge definitely met all these expectations and actually really blew me away. Being at any Disney park is such a magical experience and I wanted this to extend to every aspect of our lives during the three days that we were at the parks. We wanted to be immersed. Examples of this are simple things like all hotel staff calling the girls princess, or having mickey mouse waffles at breakfast, or having dedicated staff at the pool to play games with the kids. They just really had it all figured out.<p></p><p>Disney streamlines the booking process by allowing you to do everything together at once. You can book your hotel (through the app or <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/">website</a>), park tickets, magic bands, etc all in one go. They will even split the cost up in payments for you over the course of the months leading up to your trip. It is kind of amazing. There are some extras though. Dining is separate and at the time we went, dining bookings opened up 90 days in advance of your trip. Also, even though you purchase park tickets, you have to remember to then take the extra step of reserving your park days (I found this to be very confusing). For example, I paid for two days at the parks when I booked our hotel. They automatically book those two days within the timeframe of our hotel dates of stay. You are responsible for going back into the app or website and specifying what actual days you are going to use those passes and at what parks. So, we had one day that I reserved at Magic Kingdom and then one day at Hollywood studios. Disclaimer- I say you "can" use the app or website above, but at some point, you have to become best friends with the Disney World app. When you are on site at the parks, the app is your key to avoiding food lines, looking at wait times on rides, etc. Your magic bands (which I also think are an essential purchase) synch to the app.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPr3gWAAf0lLbfltD-6XeiA0s0LgDTGvNF7LpfsMqJotKpoDmwNJKMxc5Wa6pxKVTapJlgSEhkAPnvFgwSGpCMLwsHzMzdA7XdltrHlZs__uLFdWNT_c9Vi-f5hVS9wU0PcjjedofqIQSIjw-ZP08qAK56UMpkrVNj0d3gaj54sMta0TQ5ZDlcygdWdw8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPr3gWAAf0lLbfltD-6XeiA0s0LgDTGvNF7LpfsMqJotKpoDmwNJKMxc5Wa6pxKVTapJlgSEhkAPnvFgwSGpCMLwsHzMzdA7XdltrHlZs__uLFdWNT_c9Vi-f5hVS9wU0PcjjedofqIQSIjw-ZP08qAK56UMpkrVNj0d3gaj54sMta0TQ5ZDlcygdWdw8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our first day at The Wilderness Lodge had us checking in around 5PM. We had spent the day at Cape Canaveral and when we got to the hotel the girls wanted to hit the pool. We spent a little over an hour there and then had dinner at the <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/wilderness-lodge-resort/whispering-canyon-cafe/">Whispering Canyon Cafe.</a> The food was good, it was expensive, but everything at Disney is expensive. I think that a good thing to know going to Disney is that everything costs a fortune. You need to go into this trip just understanding that. Otherwise, you are going to be stressed about it the entire time. This is definitely a trip that you plan for and save for. We got to bed early that night because the next day was going to be huge. </p><p>That next morning, we were up early because by staying at on on property resort, we got early access to the park. In addition, I had purchased Genie + passes for the day so I got up and got what would be our third ride scheduled immediately. We rode the boat over to the park, which was amazing as we were almost the only people on it and walked right into Magic Kingdom. The girls really wanted to ride the Peter Pan ride so we beelined it there because it may very well be the most popular ride in the park. With our early entry, we walked right on to Peter Pan's Flight, followed by The Little Mermaid ride. I think we got 2-3 rides in before the park opened up to everyone. For the rest of the day, I use Genie + to schedule all of our rides and we never once waited in line. I did purchase Lightening Lane for the Snow White mine train ride, which was one of our favorite rides.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPFf9Hw9jwaIG0s8qADwhUbTDt7JSAJ4XQv_jzKRf4DUg7vXTfx_p9-jeXxqWhGOB_degM-NMWCPAQlibjNbmBTd4lIa8irUQbIPbui8wi-Cg-HLygd2zIw8Gib8ugq9_elD3OxqGX4KQL_NFdGdA5qFVNnlQ6rSyEocA1LpVrvBf_L7V_B633bdqgPZM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPFf9Hw9jwaIG0s8qADwhUbTDt7JSAJ4XQv_jzKRf4DUg7vXTfx_p9-jeXxqWhGOB_degM-NMWCPAQlibjNbmBTd4lIa8irUQbIPbui8wi-Cg-HLygd2zIw8Gib8ugq9_elD3OxqGX4KQL_NFdGdA5qFVNnlQ6rSyEocA1LpVrvBf_L7V_B633bdqgPZM=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>We snacked here and there, but had had a big breakfast at the hotel before getting to the park, so we never sat down for an actual lunch. We basically just rode a million rides. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjax5KDpQSGKvrhIsZfkB60hJ93IRM6kX0uoIoVj2TE-QiNmvxU_T_PcogYDTCFxA46Y8PfWVfu41LxTFL8ugG2x6oEHG8hH_i7rXiHV6a-iBdFJHiMGFEii955j_3ARQG4Ykx68Urg5dVcdFoTiAhU5D68M1WQMtXOBS5I0o7Zokx6BkaBYCxjZqzzgBk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjax5KDpQSGKvrhIsZfkB60hJ93IRM6kX0uoIoVj2TE-QiNmvxU_T_PcogYDTCFxA46Y8PfWVfu41LxTFL8ugG2x6oEHG8hH_i7rXiHV6a-iBdFJHiMGFEii955j_3ARQG4Ykx68Urg5dVcdFoTiAhU5D68M1WQMtXOBS5I0o7Zokx6BkaBYCxjZqzzgBk=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Around 3, kids feet started to hurt (note, everyone should be wearing their best athletic shoes at the parks) and energy was waining, but I had an Ace in my back pocket. I had managed to book us dinner reservations inside Cinderella's Castle at Cinderella's Royal Table. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvUw3UIR-9Rh3URydfJQFAe7dtTM3YJvOQDUZhEk5dVatPaDMOtQeYnUa7dsa4x75XCvonE__QsVTP-5YjoFQ30-xpYDibeANE6d7MYl3gueMV61jUPkUJoxe-I68V8HF13NUvkoj0_ha1k5OxvmrCGTvdX8Nv3_FHboMUAigM7Y9EMrcNH8Q475FTH_Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2881" data-original-width="2161" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvUw3UIR-9Rh3URydfJQFAe7dtTM3YJvOQDUZhEk5dVatPaDMOtQeYnUa7dsa4x75XCvonE__QsVTP-5YjoFQ30-xpYDibeANE6d7MYl3gueMV61jUPkUJoxe-I68V8HF13NUvkoj0_ha1k5OxvmrCGTvdX8Nv3_FHboMUAigM7Y9EMrcNH8Q475FTH_Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>I have been asked by many people how the heck I was able to get a reservation for this, so here it is. As I said, dinner reservations opened up 90 days prior to our trip. So, I did the math and figured out when our day at Magic Kingdom was going to be available. Reservations opened at 8AM Florida time, so I got up at 6 the morning of (we live in Colorado), and got on the Disney app. I focused solely on that one reservation to begin with and was able to get a 4:30PM reservation. This seemed a little early at the time, but really worked out perfectly for us. It gave everyone a chance to sit for a while and we recharged (mama and dada needed a glass of wine by this point). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQDG2IHrJpC54VArQeqWKBISeWaIceD8fcUKu44tApIdWH61H1m8W-AYpdplnipAsA0V1Vd3-w2i0zE5-lwU8CfkBxJzhIf7IUElPH5GuBQygCwur9jPJCvK6c_kRkaPAxlySjpHve5zvfCVWY8EuIhYs-bcRWk4NItClAE3iXkBcZuCvV3vWPivvwPkg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQDG2IHrJpC54VArQeqWKBISeWaIceD8fcUKu44tApIdWH61H1m8W-AYpdplnipAsA0V1Vd3-w2i0zE5-lwU8CfkBxJzhIf7IUElPH5GuBQygCwur9jPJCvK6c_kRkaPAxlySjpHve5zvfCVWY8EuIhYs-bcRWk4NItClAE3iXkBcZuCvV3vWPivvwPkg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our girls were memorized! Honestly, it was something our whole family will never forget. Every princess visited our table and interacted with the girls. They were amazing.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiH-rTjqd1cUzmEVxDQ8XrQWVg2w-YGeJRWWjeqH3UvgA0DEofHmhuEZ8bUYwhMiB6CctY7UM-D0MTSJpa9FknJl9y3qQM-JjKjx5uYvp8R4_PtVIkG2rakbvYwDjedXLjxuQVtptGWcI4Jww7GVzQ-a5psei4nTMgtFAu9bHNhtnGJdLJfhq2rShQCu0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiH-rTjqd1cUzmEVxDQ8XrQWVg2w-YGeJRWWjeqH3UvgA0DEofHmhuEZ8bUYwhMiB6CctY7UM-D0MTSJpa9FknJl9y3qQM-JjKjx5uYvp8R4_PtVIkG2rakbvYwDjedXLjxuQVtptGWcI4Jww7GVzQ-a5psei4nTMgtFAu9bHNhtnGJdLJfhq2rShQCu0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />From there, it was back out for more rides and by around 8PM, we headed back on the boat to the hotel and watched the fireworks from the dock at the Wilderness Lodge. <p></p><p>The next day we drove off resort and went to Universal Studios. We have some Harry Potter fans in our family (Eric and I included) and were all really excited to go. We bought the Park to Park tickets (which is even more expensive than Disney tickets- ugh) so we could see both Harry Potter attractions and ride the train between them. Honestly, it is amazing, but was so overcrowded. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ73mZzVHXB9x0srmYvVUTnVJsBXI-iNjSfszaZ8bxPVk3NX4YS_8vS-9JGLXocsvnbusiRe0Uki0Yc75MHS11Yiwblr0EzRDuO3tJCAdKYSNgNr5qHtXbdgl-znQgzGYuaWxm2UZZ2TA5rKdz-supgq7aHb_T5Q4a5zF0a95CBOLFIAWnilY0cznbFuI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ73mZzVHXB9x0srmYvVUTnVJsBXI-iNjSfszaZ8bxPVk3NX4YS_8vS-9JGLXocsvnbusiRe0Uki0Yc75MHS11Yiwblr0EzRDuO3tJCAdKYSNgNr5qHtXbdgl-znQgzGYuaWxm2UZZ2TA5rKdz-supgq7aHb_T5Q4a5zF0a95CBOLFIAWnilY0cznbFuI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I think Disney does a really good job of moving the crowds around and at Universal, we were literally in a mob. The lines for the rides were all in the two hour range and we couldn't even get inside many of the stores because they were too packed. We bought wands and butter beer for the girls, rode the train, but the rest was a bit of a bust. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAzm6WZBqQce7xedMgWqJ-IrzpqgNzX9q6gbT9V8_2nUDK2rgc25t5JJrB3g1EVldEMq652p4k4GcMO8HsmaU0no9j2yN82VCvoOof_HbLIf2ZNQhZ5RccZH2FAgVoOkIJ01LaKJhQSMwAZFMkThMOUjph73_f1jPW2chv1a8DC1MpyCOD0cRPeDsKwwM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAzm6WZBqQce7xedMgWqJ-IrzpqgNzX9q6gbT9V8_2nUDK2rgc25t5JJrB3g1EVldEMq652p4k4GcMO8HsmaU0no9j2yN82VCvoOof_HbLIf2ZNQhZ5RccZH2FAgVoOkIJ01LaKJhQSMwAZFMkThMOUjph73_f1jPW2chv1a8DC1MpyCOD0cRPeDsKwwM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></div><p> The girls were so tired from the day before that after about two hours of being there, they were near tears. We ended up having to carry them out of the park and take them back to the hotel. We spent the rest of the day at the pool relaxing. So, my biggest piece of advise for taking kids under 10 to Disney- take a rest day between each park day. It is just too much for little feet and I think all the stimulus becomes overwhelming.</p><p>Our final day was at Hollywood Studios. Eric and Noelle are both huge Star Wars fans. We drove our rental car over to this park and got free parking since we were staying at an on property resort. Again here, I paid for Genie + and pre-scheduled all three of the rides, a reservation at the Cantina and droid building. We walked right onto every ride and were honestly so blown away. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKhk9nhxh9JKSar8GzMrX0LRNXVgmDmjmXaKDuChhI8l8Fbghi5ynfb9HE260zhjAtwB1MilcibV6oS63HjJl6O7sKZyDO5ePSRfOUR8LAaEWOLg-K5chtgd-y0f5-FxUEHwD4-CUoOy-me_Rdi1cxptrN_r7_rQald_DKiKXwhYYUbNSU45PAS2N9k3Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3059" data-original-width="2294" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKhk9nhxh9JKSar8GzMrX0LRNXVgmDmjmXaKDuChhI8l8Fbghi5ynfb9HE260zhjAtwB1MilcibV6oS63HjJl6O7sKZyDO5ePSRfOUR8LAaEWOLg-K5chtgd-y0f5-FxUEHwD4-CUoOy-me_Rdi1cxptrN_r7_rQald_DKiKXwhYYUbNSU45PAS2N9k3Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />It is such an immersive experience. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbyN08wfPDJBRmgpO0wJ7ohePV3Yk--77HkQypSsNziamO0u44F8L9hSrXuLGWUaIsaQAI_O4xMBYzkOttxtdN_as5Lsj2DQzhPgfUdTSve7IbDuIJWS9sbxPk0iyA_lIqI0YQ38tABXe-udbhQhIHTUat5eEn0YFA9dftZ_tyvPQxaL02AsX3EtKrAdA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbyN08wfPDJBRmgpO0wJ7ohePV3Yk--77HkQypSsNziamO0u44F8L9hSrXuLGWUaIsaQAI_O4xMBYzkOttxtdN_as5Lsj2DQzhPgfUdTSve7IbDuIJWS9sbxPk0iyA_lIqI0YQ38tABXe-udbhQhIHTUat5eEn0YFA9dftZ_tyvPQxaL02AsX3EtKrAdA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Noelle and Eric were in heaven and the fact that Noelle dressed up ask Rey brought her so much extra attention from the characters. I have never seen her smile so much in my life. It was so heartwarming. In the picture below, Chewy spotted Noelle and waved her up to get a picture with he and Rey.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMC3y_nTffop34fKqLIo2tAEPCbCP9n-AC4rXxlWIsVip8jQxm6jVyUKivNXr3nCHadLTeWAdF_cJDoL2OdcPXvMaZhOR26z_AoirFbgGdSbYUqBR0SHex8B_Q1wx2ixQKhmWdopHkvrppqDry1lg-TV6WEe7HH3qkv0I56QFPQV4qAlQHsejOboJF_Ec" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMC3y_nTffop34fKqLIo2tAEPCbCP9n-AC4rXxlWIsVip8jQxm6jVyUKivNXr3nCHadLTeWAdF_cJDoL2OdcPXvMaZhOR26z_AoirFbgGdSbYUqBR0SHex8B_Q1wx2ixQKhmWdopHkvrppqDry1lg-TV6WEe7HH3qkv0I56QFPQV4qAlQHsejOboJF_Ec=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQOnOAOfZ309ray9M2FP-kE16j68t53eqj62OTyiVxyWmPCf9brxa6oEzzp5Kq89X37xIN3eEjx_3LKK7EGmrDtqyZBPjZ-lOdCMpqnA490iF0vpr-qn-tWoRKlCfzn9u3HNN2mjwqq6gPqGCscS_YsT_gW_UGVP-n_QiDUKNBoVaRtNvkOG1kGp8HApo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQOnOAOfZ309ray9M2FP-kE16j68t53eqj62OTyiVxyWmPCf9brxa6oEzzp5Kq89X37xIN3eEjx_3LKK7EGmrDtqyZBPjZ-lOdCMpqnA490iF0vpr-qn-tWoRKlCfzn9u3HNN2mjwqq6gPqGCscS_YsT_gW_UGVP-n_QiDUKNBoVaRtNvkOG1kGp8HApo=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>We spent a half day in the Star Wars area and then took Avery to see/meet some of her favorite characters like Fancy Nancy and Doc McStuffins. We also went to a 30 minute Disney dance party and the girls absolutely loved it. At around 3, it was time for us to head to the airport and fly back home. I felt like that half day at Hollywood Studios was sufficient given our interest in just focusing on Star Wars. </p><p>Overall, it was a wonderful trip. Eric had never been to a Disney park before and while I had been, I am definitely not a "Disney person" outside of liking their movies. I ended up loving the trip though. At age 8, our girls were the absolute perfect ago to go to Disney. They still believe in all of the magic, but are old enough to walk the park and not be scared of the rides. We will definitely go back at some point knowing what I do now. We certainly made memories that will last a lifetime!</p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-12271287177279594992023-11-08T08:49:00.000-07:002023-11-08T08:49:49.434-07:00Travel- Florida Trip (Part 2): Kennedy Space Center<p>When organizing our trip to Florida, we did not initially make plans to visit Cape Canaveral. Truth be told, Sarasota and Disney in one week seemed like more than enough. Once we got to Florida though, we realized that the drive wasn't horrible (assuming we were driving at a time when traffic could be avoided), and we have some serious space fans in our family. It seemed a shame to miss it knowing that we were so close so, we decided to book tickets last minute and make the trek.</p><p>Our final morning in Sarasota included a crack of dawn wakeup and a 3.5 hour drive across Florida to visit <a href="https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtJKqBhCaARIsAN_yS_n8RmSkoNJgGGewc4wa3-ycF1_wNEZWzuG8qvFfyq_B0giFozqh4AcaAiGlEALw_wcB">Kennedy Space Center</a>. We arrived not long after they opened and holy cow, it was amazing. I am not as into space as Eric and Noelle are (it kind of freaks me out), but I could easily see spending a couple of days here. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7FWk_DnnAkg-fSqFp_bcbPFgkIGNHhUqaZNROQV5qJm3Qt2YT_lGF_vs3MEND1qJamQgg7P-XDpLwe1jB4bMdO0sk5LcP-XNYmTQ0Pi4jZuCeD80q6TD71CUuO6kwzr-kylrK3SZCYlG8ooHcVI3MM-AQ-iwJQpdJE83C0g-x6D3l28FPt77yNdFSy2o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1763" data-original-width="2351" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7FWk_DnnAkg-fSqFp_bcbPFgkIGNHhUqaZNROQV5qJm3Qt2YT_lGF_vs3MEND1qJamQgg7P-XDpLwe1jB4bMdO0sk5LcP-XNYmTQ0Pi4jZuCeD80q6TD71CUuO6kwzr-kylrK3SZCYlG8ooHcVI3MM-AQ-iwJQpdJE83C0g-x6D3l28FPt77yNdFSy2o=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Kennedy Space Center is comprised of a bunch of separate museums/exhibits. We definitely did not make it to them all, which is why I feel like you could spend two days here easily. <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghtKQWEwLJ9gSf80vYTUIQ4ZOIcq6nKiiVbp-w-K5FpCX-VroSHpdb94KRcqMAX0PbXzV8x3dgajzVNNLzmvPYzdcpQ3zq_5A7FRRY93hLjf-gxAK_TQDrA1bpp_gdmsPTKdtCyt3vEAJ9NP9H3KQRoV2ZBZsAXOFMuRAEzfNSu5t_lKBthwjiff_n-0w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghtKQWEwLJ9gSf80vYTUIQ4ZOIcq6nKiiVbp-w-K5FpCX-VroSHpdb94KRcqMAX0PbXzV8x3dgajzVNNLzmvPYzdcpQ3zq_5A7FRRY93hLjf-gxAK_TQDrA1bpp_gdmsPTKdtCyt3vEAJ9NP9H3KQRoV2ZBZsAXOFMuRAEzfNSu5t_lKBthwjiff_n-0w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>The highlight for us was the space shuttle museum. We hadn't done any research going into this so we had no idea what to expect. The exhibit began by escorting us into an IMAX style theater. We watched a short film about the creation of the first space shuttle and even the girls found this interesting. Then we were ushered into another large room where we watched the launch. This room has screens above you and surrounding you so it is pretty incredible. When this ended, we were already pretty amazed, but suddenly, the screen in front of us became see-through and we realized that we were standing nose to nose with the real space shuttle Atlantis. As this point, I looked over at Eric and he had started to cry happy tears. It was so moving and it was a dream come true for him. The screen lifted and we walked forward right to the shuttle.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiepyzdMXppWCEozgQPfNioW980YpiRZfoMGLejXEwOfw37xA5IWGCLpDNXAx8i0odrFgCYfbM-QkTdogCfnqGFfvDWwcsIWLigfXOqmRNmNUUONHRJlT4Xh6LnKoaPOZbVA8Qbofs08l-7FqbYeaJ9tSL3oKEcZl2B5_c9J6pCS1K3wGsjSDVMNtxNdXk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiepyzdMXppWCEozgQPfNioW980YpiRZfoMGLejXEwOfw37xA5IWGCLpDNXAx8i0odrFgCYfbM-QkTdogCfnqGFfvDWwcsIWLigfXOqmRNmNUUONHRJlT4Xh6LnKoaPOZbVA8Qbofs08l-7FqbYeaJ9tSL3oKEcZl2B5_c9J6pCS1K3wGsjSDVMNtxNdXk=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>We were at the top of the building and the shuttle was suspended so we could walk along the entire length of it. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsboUpdcunZocPQT4BnyXU3AMwGwsrHRvLHU7hjhyXuHVLe7LUVjxFRPjQKbFnBVq1SOTmL8Qmt0xYp4_wGBxgIehA_Bi9QSB2HNeAlW8GTHrgfiMqguxvVfYvoBCJ2uZbGzzwwtOUA4VYKan4BeTRLIs5DoVJkQz9TTeZNYwj8wlWMyGuTLQ8aHEvsbg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsboUpdcunZocPQT4BnyXU3AMwGwsrHRvLHU7hjhyXuHVLe7LUVjxFRPjQKbFnBVq1SOTmL8Qmt0xYp4_wGBxgIehA_Bi9QSB2HNeAlW8GTHrgfiMqguxvVfYvoBCJ2uZbGzzwwtOUA4VYKan4BeTRLIs5DoVJkQz9TTeZNYwj8wlWMyGuTLQ8aHEvsbg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />In this same exhibit space, they had a suspended international space station that the kids could crawl through. They also had a huge slide that taught about g-force, and interactive games where people can pilot plains. It was wonderful for kids and adults. <div><br /></div><div>Another great spot was the simulators. We did a flight to Mars simulator and it felt so real. It was so much better than the simulators at Disney. I do not want to give too much away, but it is definitely worth the wait in line. </div><div><br /></div><div>There is the opportunity to watch rocket launches, meet astronauts, do astronaut training, etc, but we didn't have time for all of that. We spent so much time visiting just a couple of the exhibits and the girls had been begging us to play in the kids play area (which is a multi-story space themed play area that is absolutely amazing). We were happy to take them there because they had brilliantly put a bar in the center of the play area so parents can sit and relax on comfy chairs while their kids run amuck. Whoever designed this space is a genius!</div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short, Kennedy Space Center is not to be missed. We would absolutely go back!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnsm4ZCE0qxNVHG3sE4a76rejyCFRCr_WNmy10tFbum5Su06f13RftzLPrRMbo-fUUBrXzlVkkqQ7jh6IB9KqwJMUub4AdvPeCQ7vRSlFizAxM0YCk0F4d43hqAw-OTQIQ2uLaRbBFYdf3eVO_8mNICazjigadpt2uQ3xZuhif_gPmtJXO1lG0JFuFEdo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2804" data-original-width="3739" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnsm4ZCE0qxNVHG3sE4a76rejyCFRCr_WNmy10tFbum5Su06f13RftzLPrRMbo-fUUBrXzlVkkqQ7jh6IB9KqwJMUub4AdvPeCQ7vRSlFizAxM0YCk0F4d43hqAw-OTQIQ2uLaRbBFYdf3eVO_8mNICazjigadpt2uQ3xZuhif_gPmtJXO1lG0JFuFEdo=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><p></p></div>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-19588461194838325092023-11-06T10:41:00.003-07:002023-11-06T10:44:25.471-07:00Recipe- Green Chile Cheese Grits<p>I posted this recipe MANY years ago, but I am bringing it back because it is just that good. Green Chile Cheese Grits are a favorite side dish in our house. They are in fact so good that last night, Eric turned down any and all dessert options because he, "wanted to keep the taste of cheese grits in his mouth". I love this recipe because you can make it in advance and then throw it in the oven an hour before dinner is served, making it the perfect side dish for when you are entertaining.</p><p>You start this dish by simply making quick grits. I bring water to a boil, then add salt and minced garlic and slowly stir in the grits. It is important that you turn the heat way down when adding the grits and not bring them to a boil. Boiling grits will pop everywhere and they really burn (lesson learned the hard way). When the mixture has thickened, I remove the grits from the heat and add the butter. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJnlwiHdgsHnyKMXPKeLe3O1-BnxpAhqinJJ65ZLVOS9ncTlTFswz2ja9w36d-Ho6X-vHK_pnKdYMyjS3u0B-9cQ3E5erPulqqS-JSW1NdnHetQr5ykx5FXbDz3fAEcnK8kmhT7oCIvpjd06_Qk52ddPObR31-tcMBEM9atJNFeapsDipgHfr359WSpLM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJnlwiHdgsHnyKMXPKeLe3O1-BnxpAhqinJJ65ZLVOS9ncTlTFswz2ja9w36d-Ho6X-vHK_pnKdYMyjS3u0B-9cQ3E5erPulqqS-JSW1NdnHetQr5ykx5FXbDz3fAEcnK8kmhT7oCIvpjd06_Qk52ddPObR31-tcMBEM9atJNFeapsDipgHfr359WSpLM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Once the butter is melted, I mix together the eggs and milk and add the two simultaneously while stirring vigorously. You do not want those eggs to turn into scrambled eggs.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6Pliqyk59lFye2S94uGrwrYXWnvtbpfOWdJIB0V4kShjkIcdQ_sHTtdKnDuq0SOfPFoVGLsesvRZx0P0X3j3Sv4WAziP_zzCiz92MFg2vI5hwvAmSu9Dw1oSycEWC28LouU_vxoNIGHYzS74v4y3Pr7bqpoROA6Ro-4PYzDYe_PdsEjp5TDVEPsr7M7s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6Pliqyk59lFye2S94uGrwrYXWnvtbpfOWdJIB0V4kShjkIcdQ_sHTtdKnDuq0SOfPFoVGLsesvRZx0P0X3j3Sv4WAziP_zzCiz92MFg2vI5hwvAmSu9Dw1oSycEWC28LouU_vxoNIGHYzS74v4y3Pr7bqpoROA6Ro-4PYzDYe_PdsEjp5TDVEPsr7M7s=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Next it is time to add all of the chopped green chile. We grow green chile in our garden each summer and I roast it on our gas stovetop and freeze it. You could easily used canned green chile here though. Because I have little kids, our chiles are mild, but it is wonderful with a medium spicy level. <p></p><p>Finally, I stir in one cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. At this point, you want to pour the mixture into a greased 9x9 baking dish (I use spray avocado oil). You could pause the recipe here if you needed/wanted to. Yesterday when I made this, I got to this point and then let it sit on the counter for a few hours before I was ready to bake it for dinner. I have also made this in the morning and refrigerated it all day until I was ready to bake it.</p><p>When ready, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (or until set in the center). Remove from the oven and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar. You are going to want to let this cool for at least 15 minutes before serving so it sets up a bit.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf3cMBi_GRaswoA6S2VD_8fQX3Z3Q2sX1vqSxafT6A-r1rdqjmXeiTOvZ0TNFLiL72DqjqGen50QUklqwf-0dOJA5UvyaXzyh4RTH07pdfnlQFSbb29D4mJGYbuqspwiQibmMwwDWhenE0RX342fekBDFlpDJJBUAYmEg_Q1NAEbHZPRX0-v9Yph7w5ds" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf3cMBi_GRaswoA6S2VD_8fQX3Z3Q2sX1vqSxafT6A-r1rdqjmXeiTOvZ0TNFLiL72DqjqGen50QUklqwf-0dOJA5UvyaXzyh4RTH07pdfnlQFSbb29D4mJGYbuqspwiQibmMwwDWhenE0RX342fekBDFlpDJJBUAYmEg_Q1NAEbHZPRX0-v9Yph7w5ds=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />We had this last night with a grilled flank steak (which I marinated all day in soy sauce), and steamed green beans. It was wonderful!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcNYmm1PghFes19l0tu9r4FUyaSNjaTh1HLSDn7P2kgaW0OR_rt_BPLFvYNQtWXu7z4VbBc1hgqDVjKoBXZ6Jb4oY6mNXbm0wJTfDQaA9xOEy6NxhBo8JhrY4pCZ6pAErVxEmryHqmxSrZoW0V1GwfT_dQ0FSAJyi66rMFc5p9vXO9VkUfUeav22NDl4U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcNYmm1PghFes19l0tu9r4FUyaSNjaTh1HLSDn7P2kgaW0OR_rt_BPLFvYNQtWXu7z4VbBc1hgqDVjKoBXZ6Jb4oY6mNXbm0wJTfDQaA9xOEy6NxhBo8JhrY4pCZ6pAErVxEmryHqmxSrZoW0V1GwfT_dQ0FSAJyi66rMFc5p9vXO9VkUfUeav22NDl4U=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><b>Green Chile Cheese Grits </b>(serves 6 generously)<p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>3 c. water</li><li>1 tsp salt</li><li>1 clove of garlic, minced</li><li>1 cup of quick cooking grits</li><li>1/2 c. butter</li><li>1/2 cup milk</li><li>2 eggs, beaten</li><li>3 T green chile (you pick your spice level)</li><li>1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese</li></ul><p></p><p>Bring water to a boil. Add in the salt and garlic. Slowly stir in the grits being careful not to allow the mixture to boil. Stir and cook to thicken for about three minutes.</p><p>Remove from heat and add the butter. Stir until melted. In a bowl combine the milk and eggs (beaten). Add this to the grits mixture and mix well. Stir in the green chile and 1 cup of cheese. Pour into a greased 9x9 pan.</p><p>Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The mixture will brown a bit on top and set up. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top. Let cook for 15 minutes before serving. </p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-52906831191628211102023-11-02T09:21:00.002-07:002023-11-02T09:21:59.234-07:00Travel- Florida trip (Part 1) Sarasota<p>In March 2023, we decided to take a long promised trip to Florida, culminating in a few days at Walt Disney World. Our girls had been begging us for years and we had actually promised to take them for their fifth birthday, but COVID nixed that plan. My Aunt has a house in Sarasota that she lives in for part of the year and she had invited us to visit many times too. So, we decided to make a week long trip out and we jam packed it with fun. </p><p>I am splitting this trip into three posts because there is just so much to write about. Disney alone could be three posts. In an case, we decided to pull the girls out of school for a week in March, making an effort to avoid spring break travelers, which really worked in our favor at Disney. We flew into Orlando, but immediately rented a car and drove to Sarasota. I am fairly certain that our girls would have been perfectly happy just to spend all day, every day at my Aunt's pool, but we did end up doing a lot in Sarasota. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6MskUo6MMBrvp9misBipQbzVDRCrJ90wcOV_AykCxtuQ4qONDCzlA_Zg_X5KzdsEKROojWk_kkMfmZnCxIARRq1owRJ9QNYbKD88a1uj_zQI8Nt0tX-nX7XSBWAS9WT_Hiw5M3oNS4SM3nXkMcMh5i3_-8k5XF0WVBxd7g47liJ9sAjZ3TEnjT2rvB6g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3282" data-original-width="2462" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6MskUo6MMBrvp9misBipQbzVDRCrJ90wcOV_AykCxtuQ4qONDCzlA_Zg_X5KzdsEKROojWk_kkMfmZnCxIARRq1owRJ9QNYbKD88a1uj_zQI8Nt0tX-nX7XSBWAS9WT_Hiw5M3oNS4SM3nXkMcMh5i3_-8k5XF0WVBxd7g47liJ9sAjZ3TEnjT2rvB6g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Our first full day in Sarasota was spent exploring the mangroves and going to the aquarium. I booked a kayaking trip for the whole family and we were really hoping to spot some dolphins and manatees. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizFI_9EHg-M7aAgStOryatcdcHFh4YJ7w4vIaQk-QsmW_cCZePU6OQl6_552AXZjaV2AO_cIL2nw6zd0dGYmrF7VTB42byKHcC7n0HwmDHo7syhVX4HwgmtDl00caxwNqarmcQ9JPQy6X5loUAlipNSKoCQ-yP9fj_CdvnC91JsVDEyD60ZKGUkyWKzHU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizFI_9EHg-M7aAgStOryatcdcHFh4YJ7w4vIaQk-QsmW_cCZePU6OQl6_552AXZjaV2AO_cIL2nw6zd0dGYmrF7VTB42byKHcC7n0HwmDHo7syhVX4HwgmtDl00caxwNqarmcQ9JPQy6X5loUAlipNSKoCQ-yP9fj_CdvnC91JsVDEyD60ZKGUkyWKzHU=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />The kayaking trip was great. We spent a few hours paddling through tunnels and exploring the coast line. I was pretty certain that we were surrounded by snakes (which I am terrified of), so I just kept looking straight ahead and prayed that nothing fell on my head.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4rVuw4nfMGrzERr0ygkbfiW3Oo5iEQBNbYdvXFLoc5JwwDHvp57XILdPbShO8K7LgE2FmZWeYfaa_rNavtwJOFXTR7L2HZfIMQSLbrKzNR8yLvKqX3tain-HFeuDxNJSq3j6sf7lG4uv9WGNn9B5VgOOEZqswZeOP_zzxCvJ87XZuWxVB2hLat92mEjU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4rVuw4nfMGrzERr0ygkbfiW3Oo5iEQBNbYdvXFLoc5JwwDHvp57XILdPbShO8K7LgE2FmZWeYfaa_rNavtwJOFXTR7L2HZfIMQSLbrKzNR8yLvKqX3tain-HFeuDxNJSq3j6sf7lG4uv9WGNn9B5VgOOEZqswZeOP_zzxCvJ87XZuWxVB2hLat92mEjU=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Although we didn't see any manatees or dolphins, we did get to hold jellyfish and sea stars, which made the girls day. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyl3-bZEF8qjkWk30p1aorUOdTq-DKBHjsRzfwDb_rqNumNMJP4zMqs2cWTiM2aD_TqBBCSCdbtLB43P3cKtlrx0kfjJYqV3OWg4BvmvUWkwZMUE4QJ3iTPOQL-yR_vUhZCqw6Xa3WZmHgSVrJ9zGs7jLQIErIqUHpUirXZbyrX-7KD5aRcJipCRaK9QI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyl3-bZEF8qjkWk30p1aorUOdTq-DKBHjsRzfwDb_rqNumNMJP4zMqs2cWTiM2aD_TqBBCSCdbtLB43P3cKtlrx0kfjJYqV3OWg4BvmvUWkwZMUE4QJ3iTPOQL-yR_vUhZCqw6Xa3WZmHgSVrJ9zGs7jLQIErIqUHpUirXZbyrX-7KD5aRcJipCRaK9QI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>It was a really great time! We all loved it. I am happy to report that there was only one snake encounter and it was just after Noelle and I had stepped out of our kayak and were back on land. It swam right in front of Eric and Avery's kayak.</p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZlfzF7dllWcgyx77aKgb5X9WuI33-xld5BClsqJizd8ipcG90nSTNcyL698zZzKYVa56IIAFolvtqIe_fED2CiIxA1JhcsdEcUT9UVGQ4UaYrmWFnI0nnHDwmuCH9pQ16a9UnGB_nDV3dChHHlOrCwybGQUo9WtDHv4ARUtZ4DQvfYJEjMl-6U8qxh2A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZlfzF7dllWcgyx77aKgb5X9WuI33-xld5BClsqJizd8ipcG90nSTNcyL698zZzKYVa56IIAFolvtqIe_fED2CiIxA1JhcsdEcUT9UVGQ4UaYrmWFnI0nnHDwmuCH9pQ16a9UnGB_nDV3dChHHlOrCwybGQUo9WtDHv4ARUtZ4DQvfYJEjMl-6U8qxh2A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />We spent the second half of the day at the <a href="https://mote.org/aquarium">Mote Aquarium</a>, which was a lot of fun. We got to see and learn about manatees and they have a wonderful kids play area.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSwU9qkL305b21MixUks5EuCnA3003m6S2c9DlKezFjgrQrF3JLQMJQwxXKChfERnwEC1GeLTTfUT3AsDVFvHdK3z5kPZeXPZmcAfxNnvDdJbzogDWwSF4fjnCOkV23bFCqqEtdK1VHMdjV0ZCswCneV2GCPmwHWaOrHF0MDA04BTkBIw4UJrlxQk-8OQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="3061" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSwU9qkL305b21MixUks5EuCnA3003m6S2c9DlKezFjgrQrF3JLQMJQwxXKChfERnwEC1GeLTTfUT3AsDVFvHdK3z5kPZeXPZmcAfxNnvDdJbzogDWwSF4fjnCOkV23bFCqqEtdK1VHMdjV0ZCswCneV2GCPmwHWaOrHF0MDA04BTkBIw4UJrlxQk-8OQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />We all agreed that this manatee reminded us of our fat cat Aslan. <p></p><p>On our way home, we lucked out an spotted dolphins. We quickly pulled over the car and got to watch three dolphins playing catch with a fish. It was pretty amazing!</p><p>The next day was spent at Siesta Key Beach. The beach is made up of quartz and the sand is white so it is a really pretty spot. Unfortunately, they had red tide going on, which really irritates your lungs. Everyone on the beach was coughing, which was bizarre. There were also a lot of dead fish, so that was sad.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEIP127plXW0PY41Ch5ceLVFuaJ6FZrmWXCyC_1ykzLnYtNfybLDZeuvm6pDrbwqvFJ1V1avuV0h1qRi0zA4XcwMRC6ggHD9MeV5NW1-Y8FLDd3Y2ehwQKmKPMytV4mYwOvDEe7-V6cGuPZj4_5nJl2TaJrM7qCNQsNdnS-19d7Ut7DD1XgbDG6pOot5o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1794" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEIP127plXW0PY41Ch5ceLVFuaJ6FZrmWXCyC_1ykzLnYtNfybLDZeuvm6pDrbwqvFJ1V1avuV0h1qRi0zA4XcwMRC6ggHD9MeV5NW1-Y8FLDd3Y2ehwQKmKPMytV4mYwOvDEe7-V6cGuPZj4_5nJl2TaJrM7qCNQsNdnS-19d7Ut7DD1XgbDG6pOot5o=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />We played on the beach for a little while, but ended up leaving after about 45 minutes. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant and then decided that an afternoon spent at the pool seemed like a better option.<p></p><p>On our final day, we went to the <a href="https://www.ringling.org/visit/">Ringling Museum</a>, which is one of my Aunt's favorite spots. This is more of a complex of museums and we definitely didn't see all of it. We started at the circus museum. Now, I was a bit skeptical of this because I am not a circus fan. This however, was pretty amazing. They have the Howard Brothers Circus Model that spans 3200 square feet. It was created by one man and it is a tiny replica of the circus coming to town. It is actually pretty mind blowing. In addition, they have an interactive gallery that we had to drag our girls out of.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW3y9UB52PWKXApV7_8GCjaQrMm1myFLXra-QrmmHXWxnMTZDjEOOfcCIfnbm4q2C6UGaYsThHRN_am4VxOTTkKbt9MBL20YHceenJ4gxJyfpzWjAfVYo6AO4_cU3UXUQxvo_4_Mzz8oX_yw-YEarVpWZV70TAxdyVDQ8WoY5XjHQ-0yFbFni_Nyh13W8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiW3y9UB52PWKXApV7_8GCjaQrMm1myFLXra-QrmmHXWxnMTZDjEOOfcCIfnbm4q2C6UGaYsThHRN_am4VxOTTkKbt9MBL20YHceenJ4gxJyfpzWjAfVYo6AO4_cU3UXUQxvo_4_Mzz8oX_yw-YEarVpWZV70TAxdyVDQ8WoY5XjHQ-0yFbFni_Nyh13W8=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />They each tried this tight rope 25+ times. I didn't think we were every going to get out of there. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj21jWHGrbNvkaJsyj9p1iIgP_fAK8PxiacEzwrNS198tXxACQfLsra1uRJyckFS3cp2Rma2CaEuOxLNk7xRrmj1h6NZ_A_79j_QnFE-v3XVvyejnaGN7iSIqPHN-e5Zo3KkChIY6GtlwvtRCU0_ZLysgckC0mGewz_Vu11MvpvBLZ2x9tnj0K8tBcBfAg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj21jWHGrbNvkaJsyj9p1iIgP_fAK8PxiacEzwrNS198tXxACQfLsra1uRJyckFS3cp2Rma2CaEuOxLNk7xRrmj1h6NZ_A_79j_QnFE-v3XVvyejnaGN7iSIqPHN-e5Zo3KkChIY6GtlwvtRCU0_ZLysgckC0mGewz_Vu11MvpvBLZ2x9tnj0K8tBcBfAg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />After this, we walked over to the Ringling Mansion <a href="https://www.ringling.org/explore/architecture/#ca">Ca' d' Zan</a>. The house is really incredible and the views off the back are crazy. I love looking inside historic homes so this was right up my alley.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhArkdSvVxcncR-mu7lAdInMXDAQarr-tsTnMvul2YZm57EWcgI5_JNAawVCVV_itNyduYuLa87mq0-u_CIYbPzfvuPjMTCM4x0UKSBZWy8HJWlFZEj9yPyCafJqH9nmQ2edid3S2CoEM8c1HL3TnH575Fk80xJ2i5zvj4ISkKbdlIecqD2SAlwdcNLhKY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2170" data-original-width="2894" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhArkdSvVxcncR-mu7lAdInMXDAQarr-tsTnMvul2YZm57EWcgI5_JNAawVCVV_itNyduYuLa87mq0-u_CIYbPzfvuPjMTCM4x0UKSBZWy8HJWlFZEj9yPyCafJqH9nmQ2edid3S2CoEM8c1HL3TnH575Fk80xJ2i5zvj4ISkKbdlIecqD2SAlwdcNLhKY=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We finished our tour by walking the grounds, which are beautiful. They even have some outdoor play areas for kids. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiSnwuZDidrDqg2MWAX98vukjTUjumcAwQwawcNAIbednRYdiC91PNbONgdO_GfGQ5QaQ9i2rScYORYebDxcpTJs9utXQwuFwgKcIcVCbhb68LpUgqWodBlLGjqiQ6mC_bJkubmcbiWFcfOSgM7qV0aYaas0YhMOPWRxcFRAAv_EqkpHoSn2eSIPMyS-Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiSnwuZDidrDqg2MWAX98vukjTUjumcAwQwawcNAIbednRYdiC91PNbONgdO_GfGQ5QaQ9i2rScYORYebDxcpTJs9utXQwuFwgKcIcVCbhb68LpUgqWodBlLGjqiQ6mC_bJkubmcbiWFcfOSgM7qV0aYaas0YhMOPWRxcFRAAv_EqkpHoSn2eSIPMyS-Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>That night we went out to a fancy dinner <a href="https://www.marinajacks.com/water-front-dining/the-marina-jack-dining-room.html">Marina Jack</a>. The waterfront views were so pretty and the food was great. It was a wonderful way to spend our final night in Sarasota. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The next morning, we woke up at the crack of dawn and drove all the way to the east coast of Florida to visit Cape Canaveral. I will detail that in the next post which will go out on Thursday of next week. </div></div><br /><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-78996119642910231192023-10-30T08:48:00.001-07:002023-10-30T08:48:07.640-07:00Potato Soup<p>In Colorado, we typically get our first snow in October, right around Halloween. This year was no different, but it is always still a bit of a shock to the system. On Saturday afternoon, the girls were playing in leaf piles.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBwjzY2BBZ302VXRNbo-9yBHDQ_FsuFA5bAP0bw5OBSu-PHhqswuvb67BMPLryu2m-7bm5fP0ZOzZtKaRjdOtDPw3Z2qHn39zzcQOPevlz3w_CjAz3hWuOvpeHFeBjxwCKulnmsbnTtft4PWKVCSjIvPyU5cO7j6kBLG-HyuxVB0mPbVqnWU6vSBjMmGY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2788" data-original-width="2091" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBwjzY2BBZ302VXRNbo-9yBHDQ_FsuFA5bAP0bw5OBSu-PHhqswuvb67BMPLryu2m-7bm5fP0ZOzZtKaRjdOtDPw3Z2qHn39zzcQOPevlz3w_CjAz3hWuOvpeHFeBjxwCKulnmsbnTtft4PWKVCSjIvPyU5cO7j6kBLG-HyuxVB0mPbVqnWU6vSBjMmGY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>And by Sunday morning, it was absolutely freezing and we had snow!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjed3AWuc-FW_v1LTs9nUT7MFIJk67tzpM0vhHyk6ae4g1aCraPITHfgzlAD6Q2btAH3dwXVxG-BchhNV8kjqy0gQNNX1JcVNdU4dHmEpVhQvXnWYYHxYYDtgJVwCPYIhTkidwbhoCSO94QT6dNOW4aXhNQO6J4fYdKq-ueuyomEpIPF4JF3Yxa5b6TDw0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjed3AWuc-FW_v1LTs9nUT7MFIJk67tzpM0vhHyk6ae4g1aCraPITHfgzlAD6Q2btAH3dwXVxG-BchhNV8kjqy0gQNNX1JcVNdU4dHmEpVhQvXnWYYHxYYDtgJVwCPYIhTkidwbhoCSO94QT6dNOW4aXhNQO6J4fYdKq-ueuyomEpIPF4JF3Yxa5b6TDw0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />I resisted the urge to immediately start putting out Christmas decor, and instead decided upon making a family favorite for dinner- Potato Soup.<p></p><p>This soup is very simple, especially if you have kids you can have help with all the chopping.</p><p>I start by chopping up all my veggies.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf4KU6xYWFPb5nKy13WKV9QDWbAGDkhks43r7iOLNHFc_5YSN34huNYhwiowcZlAO2jKZHuM3gZ0fkTDMJ5mQ2wqzfnPzGcG5JWSLZypS9KtcU1kZ1_3FNnoB6JYsyoaoa07SjBNfMEac4wgXQKaLL2yYBFN_GGZOxNul8lot1NG1dJS8E8x0yKFYXtzM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf4KU6xYWFPb5nKy13WKV9QDWbAGDkhks43r7iOLNHFc_5YSN34huNYhwiowcZlAO2jKZHuM3gZ0fkTDMJ5mQ2wqzfnPzGcG5JWSLZypS9KtcU1kZ1_3FNnoB6JYsyoaoa07SjBNfMEac4wgXQKaLL2yYBFN_GGZOxNul8lot1NG1dJS8E8x0yKFYXtzM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Then, I begin frying up bacon in my soup pot. The recipe calls for four slices, but I typically do more like six because my family is bacon obsessed and they like to crumble up a lot of bacon on top of their soup. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyiYSDnM-ATm3H_uhl9cK431yKtKXspx70uZPHwwP4-rDbNhD58WyKvneNlyYIdgEfoJ4wLI5OWB56rBC0yYnhntadripWy5Ba7g17IfchNorPWP20YZLwNHLY4sms-3_W0Z0hWonxsQ8jzZa3U7bWinEU6ydwzVi-ZGZHfTPQkyoTCtdqampOC3dQ5dA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyiYSDnM-ATm3H_uhl9cK431yKtKXspx70uZPHwwP4-rDbNhD58WyKvneNlyYIdgEfoJ4wLI5OWB56rBC0yYnhntadripWy5Ba7g17IfchNorPWP20YZLwNHLY4sms-3_W0Z0hWonxsQ8jzZa3U7bWinEU6ydwzVi-ZGZHfTPQkyoTCtdqampOC3dQ5dA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Once the bacon is fried, I remove it from the pan and add all the veggies to the bacon grease to cook for a few minutes. Then, I add enough water to the pot to cover all of the veggies. I bring this to a boil and let it cook until the potatoes have softened fully.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDi3N4ffHAwGL3fhg5IYv7f9Z5pssCdZwnRjQ4QKkb2EcE6c16P4KRYpac2AkmoGeURo4aCyj5eoKk7CWbJ-dSvQgPkYwf_rL4Oiw3UPNIrxu1CXF5Qh9b3IjetH8OuLG9IzqGTLH8QYNRN19AbpEeuUbVisDQ_0OXTH9xSw8LopwDDI3Tr739jB69P40" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDi3N4ffHAwGL3fhg5IYv7f9Z5pssCdZwnRjQ4QKkb2EcE6c16P4KRYpac2AkmoGeURo4aCyj5eoKk7CWbJ-dSvQgPkYwf_rL4Oiw3UPNIrxu1CXF5Qh9b3IjetH8OuLG9IzqGTLH8QYNRN19AbpEeuUbVisDQ_0OXTH9xSw8LopwDDI3Tr739jB69P40=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the meantime, I start melting my butter in another pot. Once it is fully melted, I add the flour and mix that in well. Let this cook for a couple of minutes and then add the milk. You want this mixture to come up to a simmer and thicken a little bit. Keep a close eye on this pot and stir regularly.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcXoY5_sn85k0bqno26R751-aHcwnPN5Y1UTiB2jmxuMsqJkgFLFsAbCvt4_UDNlv8JpK1JsRmrqW6nKE38eRRqRmamIAMUcz-3xXC0vnSkXvHkgNiHAYf4uzUBAtdgWl93l3qPw1cQugbzDUFp2rOdCqgK3KTCYlykhTbI4P8TVKDHfSgemG5ODxeFk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcXoY5_sn85k0bqno26R751-aHcwnPN5Y1UTiB2jmxuMsqJkgFLFsAbCvt4_UDNlv8JpK1JsRmrqW6nKE38eRRqRmamIAMUcz-3xXC0vnSkXvHkgNiHAYf4uzUBAtdgWl93l3qPw1cQugbzDUFp2rOdCqgK3KTCYlykhTbI4P8TVKDHfSgemG5ODxeFk=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />Once the veggies are softened, I use a pot lid to strain the water out into the sink. You are left with just the veggies and you want to pour over the milk/butter mixture. Add chicken bouillon granules to flavor (I have had trouble finding bouillon granules lately, so I used cubes instead this time). Let this mixture gently simmer until thickened.<p></p><p>I serve with cornbread (I use the recipe from the back of the corn meal container) and salad. Top the soup with the chopped up fried bacon and some cheese and it is to die for.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV277g4S7Z7K592fsXVbhCadCvBhgSA_sqrcMq8oW7SJ6cO8YIpqw7ohDAM-cjhYe5A5fl0XgBQAHEZHOlUTqPNdsr-3478sz_ECVWStuwm_l_-VNyiJ59KVQz843hsWk10uAK-m0Cn5w4i-eckJIZHJKgulJeT3GPRPF5urBxBkxT8tr4YEtaZM_Cf28" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3422" data-original-width="2566" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV277g4S7Z7K592fsXVbhCadCvBhgSA_sqrcMq8oW7SJ6cO8YIpqw7ohDAM-cjhYe5A5fl0XgBQAHEZHOlUTqPNdsr-3478sz_ECVWStuwm_l_-VNyiJ59KVQz843hsWk10uAK-m0Cn5w4i-eckJIZHJKgulJeT3GPRPF5urBxBkxT8tr4YEtaZM_Cf28=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />It is the perfect meal to warm the family up after a day out playing in the snow!<p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Potato Soup (serves 6)</b></p><p>4-6 slices of bacon</p><p>4 large potatoes, peeled and diced</p><p>1 onion, chopped</p><p>2 carrots diced (small)</p><p>1/2 c. butter</p><p>2 T. Flour</p><p>4 c. milk (I use 2%)</p><p>chicken bouillon (I used 5 cubes)</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fry bacon until crisp and then remove from pan. To the bacon grease, add potatoes, onion and carrots. Add enough water in the pot to cover the veggies. Boil until the potatoes are tender.</li><li>Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate pot. Add flour and stir until smooth. Add milk and blend/cook for a bit.</li><li>Drain veggies. Add the milk mix to the veggies and let simmer until thick.</li><li>Use quite a bit of bouillon granules to salt and flavor.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-69959992944172480952023-10-26T07:58:00.001-07:002023-10-26T11:10:14.243-07:00Travel- A Vacation in our Own Back Yard Leadville, CO<p> During the pandemic when travel became hard, there were still times when we just had to get away. Luckily, Colorado is full of cool places to visit so we did many little trips to mountain towns or cabins during this timeframe. One spot that we thought was really fun was Leadville, Colorado.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9w-6HUCvTSBGQ1ULm2ZXS86I1bc1ne9Uo1VtU3wGNsVvWChx0YpMjftJKqIBXwELHNTDhtP3Ls0LdYvRwyslxowb-5sbL7sh9bj0_BsiRdoSzRFwCuXESSDRaQkDSP9D6ad1SzNJkcp1X56G9Dbign7CcbhoV3tsZtmuvPQ_0afVBNQUsBWj4iDfORyQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9w-6HUCvTSBGQ1ULm2ZXS86I1bc1ne9Uo1VtU3wGNsVvWChx0YpMjftJKqIBXwELHNTDhtP3Ls0LdYvRwyslxowb-5sbL7sh9bj0_BsiRdoSzRFwCuXESSDRaQkDSP9D6ad1SzNJkcp1X56G9Dbign7CcbhoV3tsZtmuvPQ_0afVBNQUsBWj4iDfORyQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Leadville is a quintessential Victorian Era mining town. You can still visit and tour the silver mines, which are just five minutes from main street Leadville. The town itself is very cute and you can visit the opera house and authentic western bars. There is some great dining too.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoqw0wK0KgvJu44i9DN903WVGFwyns6CgY4Eb2-trI2Lnyz4RpuHK0UAseWe7qfR6Wt4gLZ8Kg3ue3tbAxv-B8ZaVDP031bI6tB9mpyueM9hCBix06Q2XipneDypJCShUNsPQ_5PKpJKruUSyLp8ZRMvRLxC10L5jI0VTWf2OSdKbVh7rZawgYI5ogd6Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoqw0wK0KgvJu44i9DN903WVGFwyns6CgY4Eb2-trI2Lnyz4RpuHK0UAseWe7qfR6Wt4gLZ8Kg3ue3tbAxv-B8ZaVDP031bI6tB9mpyueM9hCBix06Q2XipneDypJCShUNsPQ_5PKpJKruUSyLp8ZRMvRLxC10L5jI0VTWf2OSdKbVh7rZawgYI5ogd6Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>In terms of staying there, we stayed in an Airbnb that I am not going to link because while it was very pretty, we definitely felt like it was haunted. We didn't sleep well or feel very comfortable the entire time that we were there (we should have known as it was a condo within an old hospital building that had been completely redone). If we had to do it again, we would have rented a house instead because there are tons of really cute ones. </p><p>On day one of our trip, we spent the day wandering main street and touring the mines. We had a great dinner at <a href="https://treelinekitchen.com/">Treeline Kitchen</a>. Day two was spent at Twin Lakes, which was definitely the highlight of our trip.</p><p>Twin Lakes are a pair of glacier carved alpine lakes. Most notably, they reflect the gorgeous 14er Mt. Elbert. For around $65, we were able to rent a canoe big enough to hold the entire family and set off on an adventure. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxYAJrzfjYMbYE4mr9z077JC4APtX9WhKcfmHxWi2EkS3YJAWSIzFLwOLGObgZvT2Z565AEvv4eOLufIEIdotfquMwYHfqzZzBIfiDDuEaozhkjePOhAHMZYn9jvmKlKJhk5qJsS8C_2xnUmC7cv5SDVKhDNvFLmBllsAl0t4OLv1AAu5O1AcxV55HLDI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2309" data-original-width="3079" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxYAJrzfjYMbYE4mr9z077JC4APtX9WhKcfmHxWi2EkS3YJAWSIzFLwOLGObgZvT2Z565AEvv4eOLufIEIdotfquMwYHfqzZzBIfiDDuEaozhkjePOhAHMZYn9jvmKlKJhk5qJsS8C_2xnUmC7cv5SDVKhDNvFLmBllsAl0t4OLv1AAu5O1AcxV55HLDI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>There was a little island in the lake scattered with bald eagle feathers and with amazing driftwood structures. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgUYdwHzZaglWL79mw5SitCd0cEv7wJWrCIzyEx4RshGrPmAoj5n7QW1yt5Sdihok_H3dj6NTAbHkup-4OngnmD6zeGtpkRx6BiN6LFiMtNanrIjuM5x9cw4k4xo5PKRoiLPRmU5LWgFgCiFuhmSM7Dcui8OI_JOXec6AquUmk1lErqwVd7hNqXh4dfFg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgUYdwHzZaglWL79mw5SitCd0cEv7wJWrCIzyEx4RshGrPmAoj5n7QW1yt5Sdihok_H3dj6NTAbHkup-4OngnmD6zeGtpkRx6BiN6LFiMtNanrIjuM5x9cw4k4xo5PKRoiLPRmU5LWgFgCiFuhmSM7Dcui8OI_JOXec6AquUmk1lErqwVd7hNqXh4dfFg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our girls were in heaven exploring here. We had a little picnic and then got back in the canoe to explore more. We ended up spending hours on the water and our kids never complained (the fact that we bought them each a pack of M&M's helped too). Eric and I had quite the paddle back as the wind started to pick up later in the day, but it was honestly such a spectacular experience. After that trip, we started researching purchasing a canoe.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv0vtIhspEOKMOBrCHn9duhdk8A3ktk4_EGm9iaq_sg7LbMR4ChwUJNKHHhTm8k6FigbRmE2tIrK9qdllE8_XXamkrPJARjCgUVNu4Od4cyJjzbIIxs3Ji-vmYFJ-BNFVAwIrBsWm2CfsgWqYESd6PHNV3j7A8WAnqx4tGiHW1c8RtafbQuzB4QE4k9sU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="3377" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv0vtIhspEOKMOBrCHn9duhdk8A3ktk4_EGm9iaq_sg7LbMR4ChwUJNKHHhTm8k6FigbRmE2tIrK9qdllE8_XXamkrPJARjCgUVNu4Od4cyJjzbIIxs3Ji-vmYFJ-BNFVAwIrBsWm2CfsgWqYESd6PHNV3j7A8WAnqx4tGiHW1c8RtafbQuzB4QE4k9sU=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>When we got back into town, we were all beat and ordered pizza from <a href="https://www.hmpies.com/">High Mountain Pies</a> (order well in advance as their wait gets to be hours). Sleep was a bit better on night two as were were exhausted by this point.</p><p>The next morning we packed up and made the 2.5 hour drive home feeling completely refreshed. Sometimes I get in the habit of only considering things a real vacation if we are in a foreign country and completely out of our comfort zone. But, I am reminded on these little trips that amazing vacations can be had just a mere couple of hours from our home with the right mixture of good friends/family, great food and a little adventure!</p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-78527168213540103362023-10-24T09:44:00.003-07:002023-10-24T09:44:32.200-07:00Personalizing Kids Rooms on a Budget<p>When we moved into our new home in 2019, we chose to separate our twin girls and give them each their own room. One reason being was that it was extremely hard to get them down for a nap or to bed at night when they shared a room (they would play more than sleep). Also, they are nearly polar opposites in everything and we wanted to start to celebrate their individuality more. Having said that, we also didn't want to spend a fortune on these rooms and we planned to re-use their existing furniture. We only added desks and chairs, which we knew would come in handy down the road.</p><p>When I asked the girls what they wanted their rooms to be like, Avery responded that she wanted a beautiful princess room, and Noelle wanted nothing to do with princesses, but did like rainbows. I wanted to use low cost, but high impact solutions to give the girls the rooms they would love.</p><p>For Avery's room, we were dealing with a pretty large room for a child (15'x 11'), with very high pitched ceilings. Wallpaper and/or painting seemed like a lot of work in a space this size. Instead, I found these great (and very inexpensive) flowers at Hobby Lobby that I arranged on the wall over her bed. I supplemented these with some <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/800112079/navy-set-of-paper-flowers-with-leaves?ref=yr_purchases">paper flowers and leaves that I bought off of Etsy</a>, and they make a big impact on a very long wall in her room. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgn1YWIPLQLhbtpXzao1mwr8kmE-4uUkGmCicJ7LoEhnmaGaMAPaQm-De4JObHnd6YMddy-pi5Ii48uTCtHwGniZnpWpV7shMxu9XSIA68OYG-6hPNnf0kRonPzWgTodbwnG7YjN6wYKdZg714PrOaEGzgsPhsYdrRzYUEQmFqsrNoL-55horOneIissMs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgn1YWIPLQLhbtpXzao1mwr8kmE-4uUkGmCicJ7LoEhnmaGaMAPaQm-De4JObHnd6YMddy-pi5Ii48uTCtHwGniZnpWpV7shMxu9XSIA68OYG-6hPNnf0kRonPzWgTodbwnG7YjN6wYKdZg714PrOaEGzgsPhsYdrRzYUEQmFqsrNoL-55horOneIissMs=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>On the opposing wall, I purchased <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/TweetHeartWallArt?ref=yr_purchases">vinyl stickers (also from Etsy)</a> to add some excitement, without being too in your face. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq4TIVIN6DBTgitTZgH3NEZTa7UuDEe6Qfy_T1ZmFUzjptrbfJBwWYfsKjo3HxEy6dJz8cauCmQzPS7J5d1dNzR_70L7ZCqpP3PILJebzx9bBiNTMf1dnCrE9khnJopF41WkvbTE2Vx92P5iTFsX2fOPD_tQHJ4OabXEN2oUA6kr_hEbR1aiDR2GS6ddM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhq4TIVIN6DBTgitTZgH3NEZTa7UuDEe6Qfy_T1ZmFUzjptrbfJBwWYfsKjo3HxEy6dJz8cauCmQzPS7J5d1dNzR_70L7ZCqpP3PILJebzx9bBiNTMf1dnCrE9khnJopF41WkvbTE2Vx92P5iTFsX2fOPD_tQHJ4OabXEN2oUA6kr_hEbR1aiDR2GS6ddM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />I fully envision the girls wanting to redecorate their rooms at some point and things like vinyl stickers and a little paint are so easy to remove and replace. While I wanted the girls rooms to look nice and feel homey, I also am very aware of the fact that these rooms will evolve over the years.<p></p><p>In Avery's bath, I did some painting that literally only took me a few hours and she loves it!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL4L-qm3IkHfWJVS04OiV4o9J19dVtzBObFTjAoj_zcRkAejNjq1-cnal0_CdYrv5iha_5_QAmhrKxsjUrzwPWqk6BVGdhu8pEGLegko39ju8yO3tmkYKJqpOB1aB13ld3DrMFaWX2z6xlVlDqJL5p3PfiVrS7ovF1K-pEtWXZvh33eZzjmqeWTJWhOpM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL4L-qm3IkHfWJVS04OiV4o9J19dVtzBObFTjAoj_zcRkAejNjq1-cnal0_CdYrv5iha_5_QAmhrKxsjUrzwPWqk6BVGdhu8pEGLegko39ju8yO3tmkYKJqpOB1aB13ld3DrMFaWX2z6xlVlDqJL5p3PfiVrS7ovF1K-pEtWXZvh33eZzjmqeWTJWhOpM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>***This paint idea came from </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/haileydevine/" style="text-align: left;">Hailey Devine's Instagram page</a><span style="text-align: left;">. She has a full tutorial under her home DIY highlights. </span></div><p>All the furniture in both the girls rooms is from <a href="https://www.crateandbarrel.com/jenny-lind-white-wood-twin-bed/s425961">Crate and Kids</a> and is still in stock. It has held up beautifully. The bedding is from Pottery Barn Kids and no longer available.</p><p>Noelle's room needed to include rainbows because that was the one thing she mentioned wanting. I considered vinyl stickers, but wanted something a bit larger scale. Her ceilings are 12.5' high and I wanted to highlight that from the moment you walked into her room. We settled on half a rainbow using colors pulled from an area rug that we already owned.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzYpgkyl-j7aBWFH8v5PGPiQQTijbvfjSuyNVpxoprLdumXquWDnFbPGrWWgEF_RMXO2vt-hgMlQm2oDmI3crcphXIHpqQPlw5DsT4VmibTP93RjLCzsl0uPPJi29HOklWjXWSz5KIJYt3C80wpnI_pwTlk_dvB2MKyDvELx3hElnl5hEXv38M8mYmLXo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3512" data-original-width="2634" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzYpgkyl-j7aBWFH8v5PGPiQQTijbvfjSuyNVpxoprLdumXquWDnFbPGrWWgEF_RMXO2vt-hgMlQm2oDmI3crcphXIHpqQPlw5DsT4VmibTP93RjLCzsl0uPPJi29HOklWjXWSz5KIJYt3C80wpnI_pwTlk_dvB2MKyDvELx3hElnl5hEXv38M8mYmLXo=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Eric helped me with this, but we used a very long level to make straight lines up the wall. The curves were made using a homemade compass. We hammered in a nail at the wall edge, tied on some twine and then attached a pencil to the other end. We just rolled out the string long enough to touch each vertical line and then created a circle from there. I then went in and hand painted between those lines. <div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2EqxT3lrdLmvNFZLaNU9FYKzQ51_LYHcXJbnOtQyGR6SdDxWEvt2YQiZxAI6oObV7uKqII4aMKagKZR0BUwDb4upNUCwWwLd4ROxcWZLpvx4zUFPegdvx67toPOz_pILXeG8WXJAgz5C5chWcS4B-jkmEIo2HH0Dnd7znVCBN5CgLqFi9d36VLAmOx6w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2EqxT3lrdLmvNFZLaNU9FYKzQ51_LYHcXJbnOtQyGR6SdDxWEvt2YQiZxAI6oObV7uKqII4aMKagKZR0BUwDb4upNUCwWwLd4ROxcWZLpvx4zUFPegdvx67toPOz_pILXeG8WXJAgz5C5chWcS4B-jkmEIo2HH0Dnd7znVCBN5CgLqFi9d36VLAmOx6w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />In the far corner, Noelle has a great little spot to sit and do her homework while watching the world go by. Sometimes I feel like her room is a little like a light house. To add some interest in that corner, I ordered a few hot air balloons off Etsy (the exact ones are no longer available). I am happy to say that two of those windows are south facing and even with all of that sun streaming in, the balloons haven't faded at all over the last four years. </div><div><br /></div><div>For her bathroom, I asked Noelle to pick one color from the rainbow for me to paint in her bathroom. I did the same paint treatment that I had done in Avery's room and love the effect.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOvMOMGb6H965zj24bUCar3KikcXR4QPMRn27_e7iQe9et62Heu59TXH88SvvSY7VsUdxNv8QCz5B9xbkH-8nVsP6KzMBr5eKZ_tV9k20miS2WB7DCCiYOSyl2SVtL46o3W1vEymCr2fYaOUmEboqjsmKuaHoOYTwa0PpIHcOnGL0PuBNTHNpbN-s5eKY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOvMOMGb6H965zj24bUCar3KikcXR4QPMRn27_e7iQe9et62Heu59TXH88SvvSY7VsUdxNv8QCz5B9xbkH-8nVsP6KzMBr5eKZ_tV9k20miS2WB7DCCiYOSyl2SVtL46o3W1vEymCr2fYaOUmEboqjsmKuaHoOYTwa0PpIHcOnGL0PuBNTHNpbN-s5eKY=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />When I look at kids rooms online, there are definitely drop dead gorgeous rooms to be found. But, as I look at them I cannot help but think that they are more catered toward the style of the parent than the child. I wanted my girls rooms to be playful, easily open to evolution and just fun. I think that we were able to accomplish that with very simple and inexpensive solutions!</div></div>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-31229046847732467822023-10-19T08:24:00.000-07:002023-10-19T08:24:39.199-07:00Recipe- English Muffin Bread<p> One of my favorite things to bake is English Muffin Bread. It is easy to make and is a blank template for delicious toppings. My family goes nuts for it. Just the other morning, my kids blamed being late and not having time to make their beds on desperately needing to each have a second piece of English Muffin Bread at breakfast.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMSp8ApS4-2N9O3SD9WAJLwaIYUBYv478pnkwd-QstlIy5CEz_a3KCC3qig3FouIUqDbaOEwbDJxMS0brBNQdB7M0KiGUyb_OsCpJQqNvdwoOasfDDYakRl3HfXkVSpjCj9PWyfT_eieP1qJVwLovN6ZdDfGBBnYROo5dfq07gvXA374Dt1uzSLOnwCy8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMSp8ApS4-2N9O3SD9WAJLwaIYUBYv478pnkwd-QstlIy5CEz_a3KCC3qig3FouIUqDbaOEwbDJxMS0brBNQdB7M0KiGUyb_OsCpJQqNvdwoOasfDDYakRl3HfXkVSpjCj9PWyfT_eieP1qJVwLovN6ZdDfGBBnYROo5dfq07gvXA374Dt1uzSLOnwCy8=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I think the deliciousness is due to the little pockets in the bread. They are perfect for trapping butter and jelly. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-bHaTuMVuPVIAWP68eqXzMgjZT_eWr_Y77lK-5bTv_v6HeKYaPqLhooZ7u4ZqkbkCFXEkJLLKJKQjW1TDnYn6VDNOWyHlNdHnTNHhVyBgE5ezodlMVtdFKXWvZfJz_gA59F1jSDI0At9EtVx0_JigkbPQelZWbzt1Lxgho_SzuxTaYa3DBM1GCggTmxI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-bHaTuMVuPVIAWP68eqXzMgjZT_eWr_Y77lK-5bTv_v6HeKYaPqLhooZ7u4ZqkbkCFXEkJLLKJKQjW1TDnYn6VDNOWyHlNdHnTNHhVyBgE5ezodlMVtdFKXWvZfJz_gA59F1jSDI0At9EtVx0_JigkbPQelZWbzt1Lxgho_SzuxTaYa3DBM1GCggTmxI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I am not sure where this recipe originated from. My mom would make it regularly when I was little. It makes two loaves and freezes beautifully, making it a great recipe to whip up when you have time and then pull our whenever you are craving a homemade baked good. <p></p><p>Here's the recipe. Enjoy!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>English Muffin Bread</b></p><p>(makes 2 loaves)</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 packages active dry yeast</li><li>6 cups flour</li><li>1 T. sugar</li><li>2 tsp. salt</li><li>1/4 tsp. baking soda</li><li>1/2 c. water</li><li>2.5 cups milk</li><li>Cornmeal</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda.</div><div>Heat water and milk together until warm (I use a thermometer and heat per yeast package instructions of between 100 and 110 degrees).</div><div>Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. </div><div>Stir in the rest of the flour to make a stiffer batter (Note that this batter is pretty gloppy. It is not a dry batter or bread dough that you would mix with your hands).</div><div>Spoon into two loaf pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.</div><div>Sprinkle the top of the loaves with cornmeal</div><div>Cover and let rise in a warm place for 38 minutes (I typically heat up my oven on its lowest heat setting, then turn off the oven and let the covered loaves rise inside).</div><div>Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.</div><div>Remove immediately from the pan when done baking and cool on racks.</div><div>Once fully cooled, slice, toast and top with butter and/or your favorite jelly.</div><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-41052789355495354872023-10-16T09:59:00.000-07:002023-10-16T09:59:10.342-07:00Faux Ceiling Beams<p>One of our main criteria when looking for a new home was an open floor plan. Our last house was very closed off. I could not see anything happening in the living room while I was working in the kitchen (which is scary when you have little ones). When we found our current house, it definitely checked the open floor plan box but, we quickly noticed what an open expanse of boring white ceiling this open plan created. The living room and dining room combined are thirty-five feet long. You can see what I mean here:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoeNhWlGQhpHbs8yLnGl8fQr3kzJKV96T4_ksJHhIfhtitaLYjVJFd11q7hXSaB-ykY9AqUE56pT3bIDzutQsIgsRxf_qQu-FhRpIJFR8dTM8nWH6LXJthGAwxTFwNNDQmMOtsvbzAqsy468XMRig_aorwZuTjfIwHh7h6fam_SLTzkDF8DaOQPAahe9U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoeNhWlGQhpHbs8yLnGl8fQr3kzJKV96T4_ksJHhIfhtitaLYjVJFd11q7hXSaB-ykY9AqUE56pT3bIDzutQsIgsRxf_qQu-FhRpIJFR8dTM8nWH6LXJthGAwxTFwNNDQmMOtsvbzAqsy468XMRig_aorwZuTjfIwHh7h6fam_SLTzkDF8DaOQPAahe9U=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had already discussed the idea of installing beams in our master bedroom because it has this great pitched ceiling that we wanted to highlight. It wasn't until one of our neighbors mentioned doing beams in our living/dining space as a way to learn how to do it before moving on to the harder DIY pitched ceiling project that a light bulb went off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we started this project, I didn't see anyone making their own beams. I think that has evolved more recently with beam trends so at the time, we just immediately started researching pre-fab beams. After some research, I found <a href="https://www.azfauxbeams.com/">AZ Faux Beams</a> and was impressed with their selection and turn-around time (even during COVID). We quickly ordered some samples and found exactly what we were looking for in their Hewn beams. We needed them to be pretty chunky given the size of the room so we went with 8" x 8" beams and in a color that corresponded nicely with our kitchen cabinetry. I ordered two 19 foot beams and two 14 foot beams and the shipping wasn't as bad as you would expect. The total cost was around $3,200 and they packed them beautifully in individual wooden boxes and delivered via semi truck. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Install was surprisingly simple and we had these up in one weekend. You simply screw sections of 2x4 into your ceiling, push the beam up around them and screw the beams in at the top. They supplied us with a touch up kit so that you can cover your screw holes, and you honestly cannot see them at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHaTKwWA6KterMQKoyCoRDUqfnKRErjyUPRAe5wEPMZSiku7opo14fxOI1RIrkmXbY1N2lqLGjAX5HTFFkBX4y443bibVQktshrRODI8a1H6ZFqY6pCnz1G2zDqvffayH50_4mFhNob41GXTmANSHwsYOAjK0TWI7OgP4x2d3rsKYnbH2XahZnYJmDhZ0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHaTKwWA6KterMQKoyCoRDUqfnKRErjyUPRAe5wEPMZSiku7opo14fxOI1RIrkmXbY1N2lqLGjAX5HTFFkBX4y443bibVQktshrRODI8a1H6ZFqY6pCnz1G2zDqvffayH50_4mFhNob41GXTmANSHwsYOAjK0TWI7OgP4x2d3rsKYnbH2XahZnYJmDhZ0=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Because the beams are faux beams, they weigh almost nothing. I would guess that the 19' beam weighed close to 30 pounds. Eric and I did this on ladders ourselves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In terms of how we installed, I have better photos of that from when we decided to add beams in our master bedroom. Our master was definitely more challenging as we had a fan to uninstall and reinstall, higher ceilings (they are 12.5') and the angles, given the pitch of the ceiling, were complicated. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Again, we ordered the hewn beams and we went with a 16' long, by 8" x 8" for the center beam (the center beam has to be larger for the angles to work correctly on a pitched ceiling). We started by removing our existing fan and drawing in the lines where the beam would rest. We attached 2x4 sections to the ceiling with wood screws that we were able to hit joists with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimX2N35qfLBYS2GpiTGG1MToboIkM8XrCKT-u_lS-Ti3Bqz_-9va5iQ5JL2HKVnorB3VosC37b6zXdFk94tsPujz5y9JX1nFcrFddKoKFEaeIw-o7hzZDIRs_mOpci9NeSZ8m_P-qYisRG_SNX_oY1oA-Dd5iJxFbkoiiwjNC0od89nX4QrBrurUnqTsg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimX2N35qfLBYS2GpiTGG1MToboIkM8XrCKT-u_lS-Ti3Bqz_-9va5iQ5JL2HKVnorB3VosC37b6zXdFk94tsPujz5y9JX1nFcrFddKoKFEaeIw-o7hzZDIRs_mOpci9NeSZ8m_P-qYisRG_SNX_oY1oA-Dd5iJxFbkoiiwjNC0od89nX4QrBrurUnqTsg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />In this case, wrestling the beam up nearly killed us, but we got the main beam done in one weekend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggu4twIMyuwBI1iZv3lyAr3OT5UwPzIez9neQh51iMFPtmLgKT9KesAND5bKddNX1zUVawgF0NpB0hED2dWMOjUsP5eNq_TLudpbb4DG18Ue4shdeeB-7Ua6CyTPOF1MaB8mmnvPihHN5fMDpNJY3PKgja4GfN_w9YkI1Vq89WodKlqZ4bVrOjLkn1ur4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggu4twIMyuwBI1iZv3lyAr3OT5UwPzIez9neQh51iMFPtmLgKT9KesAND5bKddNX1zUVawgF0NpB0hED2dWMOjUsP5eNq_TLudpbb4DG18Ue4shdeeB-7Ua6CyTPOF1MaB8mmnvPihHN5fMDpNJY3PKgja4GfN_w9YkI1Vq89WodKlqZ4bVrOjLkn1ur4=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />One of the main difficulties was building out a framework for the fan to attach to. The beams are hollow in the center so we had to mount something strong enough to support the fan that would fit within the beam, and re-wire the fan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The following weekend, we started on the side beams. You can see here where we attached the 2x4's to the ceiling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV61XXb7xD35WIMoAwfsBetRmKAEIwa1kPyr_0rAtY-MbQpOsEljlQOB05k43ndbZmVhW6-crFRie7ZO3I2errOHXscqIrV6CWPTbHclEfojKWxGrNA6vQyvdGWjEWQ7DBwUqZmVIl2vlhZAp1kMgf-ag2bl5cGoUgDdtVtrhEBmOWQAMYjFg_MfYqLF8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV61XXb7xD35WIMoAwfsBetRmKAEIwa1kPyr_0rAtY-MbQpOsEljlQOB05k43ndbZmVhW6-crFRie7ZO3I2errOHXscqIrV6CWPTbHclEfojKWxGrNA6vQyvdGWjEWQ7DBwUqZmVIl2vlhZAp1kMgf-ag2bl5cGoUgDdtVtrhEBmOWQAMYjFg_MfYqLF8=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In this case, we were not hitting joists. Again, these beams are not very heavy, so it is not essential. We did use toggle bolts for drywall to ensure that we had good support. The look like this and can be found at Home Depot or Lowes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhe0Mtdz4dwbdD0Cn_h9-ySCRM75eCDepEdAsrh12mfZscjeBhRSNXeNRwFNidol6w3TFxr27Kf_5SMWrrZmPLXRnXdpyj9WCZ2trATDOglfNWuLNu3cWCjqCwWy4tC4qCBdHHkH1BCq6rZL--WlatZIIBcH1UJ21Fx4o7Pos2IokjipBiakZwXV0A-qg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="348" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhe0Mtdz4dwbdD0Cn_h9-ySCRM75eCDepEdAsrh12mfZscjeBhRSNXeNRwFNidol6w3TFxr27Kf_5SMWrrZmPLXRnXdpyj9WCZ2trATDOglfNWuLNu3cWCjqCwWy4tC4qCBdHHkH1BCq6rZL--WlatZIIBcH1UJ21Fx4o7Pos2IokjipBiakZwXV0A-qg" width="219" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The side beams were 6"x6" and they were fairly complicated to cut. The top angle is different then the bottom angle. To ensure that we didn't cut a beam incorrectly, we made a template with 2x4's that we could adjust and we used that for every spot where we intended to install a beam. Thankfully, no mistakes were made. It was stressful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyYZRC8Rou8zLJQlOWhGQ7-ALpsTmCSgqlh_KO9jb3-FZp_6H_uSYcTg_rsBU4isElkAjEV-M3jQaSIl5kBd_Hf4BEGAxQvPA2E597YGzqAJ4XQMQ1kZcSqgW4_ahJ8Lo3qgOggYbCEwuc3Wpp5wgFDFK0VF9IANIoqfXpV5OKlDO_wJRDjZa-glYFj5k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyYZRC8Rou8zLJQlOWhGQ7-ALpsTmCSgqlh_KO9jb3-FZp_6H_uSYcTg_rsBU4isElkAjEV-M3jQaSIl5kBd_Hf4BEGAxQvPA2E597YGzqAJ4XQMQ1kZcSqgW4_ahJ8Lo3qgOggYbCEwuc3Wpp5wgFDFK0VF9IANIoqfXpV5OKlDO_wJRDjZa-glYFj5k=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>We finished up the side beams in another weekend, so all in all, it was a four day project to add beams to our bedroom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKU4VxU5K24ISU-FHH-dfU8pun2gUtjN6kATlzWI1GQGrtpxmrODSLMvS0ACWYGuoC0mLbHuU7tW8xgICom-N6KNXt5M949I1_MmudnH2litb-nnOqYTvUfj2aP-qv09PXSKjjHwYImdZff6i3mZHEgalpoGCEEMdLz2_894S6bAGwy4ehPjYX-2sFcfU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKU4VxU5K24ISU-FHH-dfU8pun2gUtjN6kATlzWI1GQGrtpxmrODSLMvS0ACWYGuoC0mLbHuU7tW8xgICom-N6KNXt5M949I1_MmudnH2litb-nnOqYTvUfj2aP-qv09PXSKjjHwYImdZff6i3mZHEgalpoGCEEMdLz2_894S6bAGwy4ehPjYX-2sFcfU=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It makes such an impact, and our bedroom is so much cozier with them in place. The bedroom beams ended up costing $2,300 including shipping. They aren't cheap, but I think they add so much value to our home. They are the first thing that people notice and comment about when they come into our house.</div></div><p></p>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4795330579970839151.post-48399543822120976452023-10-12T08:37:00.001-07:002023-10-12T08:40:42.580-07:00Travel- Maui<p> In 2019, my side of the family decided to take a week long trip to Maui. At the time, my kids had just turned four, so I worried that the travel and time change would be a bit of a stretch for them, but they really surprised me with how well they did. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ2znMbFM63iZVZThxsi3Y9m1sPGziKh_6I9sgSJmBNYAivR69Y81I2humLNA16e7bU3Ar9I-3Ug8bLL-xsanKptMSoZV4jPu6uIywTVwu-2I02PVB1cfINACcGPB5_jhfasWltntWVAgSfBM8C6ec2vRq8BY1dY87cX0gdNIt2ZK7t33GcHiJR7D0TY/s2049/IMG_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2049" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ2znMbFM63iZVZThxsi3Y9m1sPGziKh_6I9sgSJmBNYAivR69Y81I2humLNA16e7bU3Ar9I-3Ug8bLL-xsanKptMSoZV4jPu6uIywTVwu-2I02PVB1cfINACcGPB5_jhfasWltntWVAgSfBM8C6ec2vRq8BY1dY87cX0gdNIt2ZK7t33GcHiJR7D0TY/w640-h480/IMG_0062.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>We knew that we wanted to stay in a home within close proximity of beach and the town of Paia. We rented two separate houses, but the one that my immediate family stayed in, along with my parents and sister, was wonderful and I have <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1093218?euid=af9f699b-0156-ce4b-2108-271a5bd04eeb&source_impression_id=p3_1697045485_u1KUzwKZKdFFvYFG">linked it here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJr05cC-7HRNs5pdQMGqFdjFGst7eyuO6TXUGqDdNiCKG99Qjn_4bv9Az8ZbvYgWYz2Yz0KEWh5pO5h3N1EBYeUYu8o0O3kEeEEX8kvGd-cquvwHUvwdXQc1eMKSn1r6GXNN-PA4xUKChy-pV5-kTo_MZ_EJfcQIIT876_nCK9KkFUxe6O41rY2uDHiEA/s2048/IMG_0198.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJr05cC-7HRNs5pdQMGqFdjFGst7eyuO6TXUGqDdNiCKG99Qjn_4bv9Az8ZbvYgWYz2Yz0KEWh5pO5h3N1EBYeUYu8o0O3kEeEEX8kvGd-cquvwHUvwdXQc1eMKSn1r6GXNN-PA4xUKChy-pV5-kTo_MZ_EJfcQIIT876_nCK9KkFUxe6O41rY2uDHiEA/w480-h640/IMG_0198.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>We definitely wanted to have a pool because with little kids, there is only so much beach time you can do. We also wanted to be able to walk to some beautiful beaches without it being too crazy touristy (no high rise buildings and boat traffic). The rental house checked all of the boxes- we were thrilled with the location and would take morning beach walks and were the only people there. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoaBsaaL6QpfRBUczBFH2zZCJGgA9tsJju62VV4B-kXvnxnPk_F8FGX7GMPTY04IDVE4_QXmSpih6ZrFVSgtLwAkxB3UdA-YQp8xb234VfTbLII9A3QhoK4lTuB_1l3HrHaj9pMt-PbfSw0sorT7HaLUzsbXG9f9k3zCtulqk6Uekh2ONmS3LXc-OSos/s2048/IMG_0029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoaBsaaL6QpfRBUczBFH2zZCJGgA9tsJju62VV4B-kXvnxnPk_F8FGX7GMPTY04IDVE4_QXmSpih6ZrFVSgtLwAkxB3UdA-YQp8xb234VfTbLII9A3QhoK4lTuB_1l3HrHaj9pMt-PbfSw0sorT7HaLUzsbXG9f9k3zCtulqk6Uekh2ONmS3LXc-OSos/w480-h640/IMG_0029.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>The rental home also had this amazing swing in the back yard that the kids could not get enough of. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ4Vms7y20DkUjz_3aK69lVn4xK0il6MGciUhb_VifaSj8pmtBQbig-V_btzL6_igwi4DWbsWNVrITKvsb5fDu5OAq_1KA1Q8mE2P-89EoaOtj54LzdQ-eM9SVgS6DmTH3fON1pum0GlJRlAoS0nF3dIknabCV3NKhHQkXSoAtA5Bs35r2-fYCNJzjxs/s2049/IMG_0056%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2049" data-original-width="1537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ4Vms7y20DkUjz_3aK69lVn4xK0il6MGciUhb_VifaSj8pmtBQbig-V_btzL6_igwi4DWbsWNVrITKvsb5fDu5OAq_1KA1Q8mE2P-89EoaOtj54LzdQ-eM9SVgS6DmTH3fON1pum0GlJRlAoS0nF3dIknabCV3NKhHQkXSoAtA5Bs35r2-fYCNJzjxs/w480-h640/IMG_0056%202.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Every day, we walked to either Baldwin Beach or Baby Beach and they were wonderful. Baby beach is shallow and protected by a reef so the kids can walk way out into the water. Both beaches had a lot of sea turtles too!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwdZO7BFgLcutmXMxBH67dR_slYp0ezVSAhB3SYNaXcD1II9znfIYDpviJivjfpl-Swl7pDnzc2OwU052LBp4d9d-9bofd2E8viNu-u4gudl0uYhZizULOtc3YM05Y20SB1n_s7qs_xiedP7WmGZt3q_CXraweIH9VIeBtRyfmOfgiFWlrFRZ1Q84SVQ/s1620/IMG_0129%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwdZO7BFgLcutmXMxBH67dR_slYp0ezVSAhB3SYNaXcD1II9znfIYDpviJivjfpl-Swl7pDnzc2OwU052LBp4d9d-9bofd2E8viNu-u4gudl0uYhZizULOtc3YM05Y20SB1n_s7qs_xiedP7WmGZt3q_CXraweIH9VIeBtRyfmOfgiFWlrFRZ1Q84SVQ/w640-h426/IMG_0129%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was our girls first time at the ocean and they loved it. Avery officially became a "beach girl" on this trip.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqX5pXLaT0qJEepq2bnrN6Sw8bC6rAOMxUkcMKVMLuwUJm-7qsRmouPd9AT-VCob5610hffMbGCy-ImWLjFEHZZCdKzGWhXOV2JSQBNSkTsO3AVRiUUvdOQo7ax32pVG-Y57-KqgrodjfLW59MLRNc1qBrDyXNvCAP5c1SySZYe69aB6ozu_XPPHUxu0/s2312/IMG_0264.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2312" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqX5pXLaT0qJEepq2bnrN6Sw8bC6rAOMxUkcMKVMLuwUJm-7qsRmouPd9AT-VCob5610hffMbGCy-ImWLjFEHZZCdKzGWhXOV2JSQBNSkTsO3AVRiUUvdOQo7ax32pVG-Y57-KqgrodjfLW59MLRNc1qBrDyXNvCAP5c1SySZYe69aB6ozu_XPPHUxu0/w640-h426/IMG_0264.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Eric and I were slightly limited in terms of daily excursions because of our girls being so young and we had nap times to keep. One day, my parents and cousins family went parasailing, which they all raved about (and saw dolphins during). Another day, there was some deep sea fishing. To be honest, we really enjoyed the simplicity of our daily beach walks and play, but there was one occasion where we ventured out and drove the Hana Highway.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQmywi5WVm0QzlpDTuSxKLE0-RC2KtCdfyDaM1d8zoUEmnjL-TByDtp4zoIcDghPH4xk_eyDJPMSvISze2jjXn5blK7a7FRkrVy1zSbOsruJEA2TGu3rQfSsPtAfIkYkO7SERmEJsxhj0_HWj_jFjQzMJVI1rVxwOPFoefi-q0EswmarrwRsqbZh5u10/s2048/IMG_0032%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQmywi5WVm0QzlpDTuSxKLE0-RC2KtCdfyDaM1d8zoUEmnjL-TByDtp4zoIcDghPH4xk_eyDJPMSvISze2jjXn5blK7a7FRkrVy1zSbOsruJEA2TGu3rQfSsPtAfIkYkO7SERmEJsxhj0_HWj_jFjQzMJVI1rVxwOPFoefi-q0EswmarrwRsqbZh5u10/w640-h480/IMG_0032%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>The drive is beautiful, but it is long. The kids were pretty over the driving by about the mid-point. We stopped a lot (and bribed with a lot of snacks), but it is just still a long day on a very curvy road.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJWUaxXxfL1uh0gykG8jb_niTht9g701lqHMWwfUt8kVOpZ-Gb6xPd0EqeW-836PBfZ94KIFAyjyIMe3g-qC-Y7bHGx8NgYYRPAAlCqExh2mOVnn9DqEAB1TkWXHRlAKC4Cv1gMJXqpk6UpMSKV6XDwB-wdh7JKXMOtb5r9Eo7NUoa7_LHS_lI5A2rQA/s2312/IMG_0190%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2312" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJWUaxXxfL1uh0gykG8jb_niTht9g701lqHMWwfUt8kVOpZ-Gb6xPd0EqeW-836PBfZ94KIFAyjyIMe3g-qC-Y7bHGx8NgYYRPAAlCqExh2mOVnn9DqEAB1TkWXHRlAKC4Cv1gMJXqpk6UpMSKV6XDwB-wdh7JKXMOtb5r9Eo7NUoa7_LHS_lI5A2rQA/w640-h426/IMG_0190%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Avery was over it by the time we got to this black sand beach...</div><div><br /></div><div>Another day, we all went on a catamaran snorkeling trip through <a href="https://www.aliinuimaui.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwj5mpBhDJARIsAOVjBdpu0EZ3REV1DJ-e9lmuroXrAMYbKWDUi9CmWrIKpaakEWAxWtnDHbwaAjOTEALw_wcB">Alli Nui</a>. This charter company was recommended by the owner of our AirBnb and it did not disappoint. They took us out to a great snorkeling spot and served wonderful food and drink. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXf-pD7MQFVP3oneBVlW5y-RD09uaTrUQ_4NCyGiHxvO2-tSBTMZdWyXZCk5tVxVjbHCEg-XP05bXFWRodnfOQHjIMC9LsEfLL-NIC-gA9v92Uli-NeVxPvFfhCNGc2lCiWfckoS4W1j-bGleiSiBLxMbTmHjvDeGvzQ08u5SN8022PcTwboargro2Os/s2048/IMG_0221%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXf-pD7MQFVP3oneBVlW5y-RD09uaTrUQ_4NCyGiHxvO2-tSBTMZdWyXZCk5tVxVjbHCEg-XP05bXFWRodnfOQHjIMC9LsEfLL-NIC-gA9v92Uli-NeVxPvFfhCNGc2lCiWfckoS4W1j-bGleiSiBLxMbTmHjvDeGvzQ08u5SN8022PcTwboargro2Os/w640-h480/IMG_0221%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On many of the nights, we made dinner at home, but we did go to the Drums of the Pacific Luau at the Hyatt Regency in Kaanapali one evening (I hear that this resort did not burn down in the recent fire). It was a fun night, not something that I really ever need to see again, but I do think something that you should go to once in your life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNGxE2I0WjhJ7QPhODcASm6II_kr7BWldTvOvn8VYEpruMOhwbrS8RY2iXaKqMy0eeskUJ9r65zaLMkzGXbLQSE9Dt2WEzkL4AhkA0Xs7SIB47sqJCuH_De_-nLI53-92te3QH4a0aKJlTvqGx4ALhBXt7yMfDoj40biQEnCNMnqQ9xUU1LKEBWg4otA/s2048/IMG_0140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNGxE2I0WjhJ7QPhODcASm6II_kr7BWldTvOvn8VYEpruMOhwbrS8RY2iXaKqMy0eeskUJ9r65zaLMkzGXbLQSE9Dt2WEzkL4AhkA0Xs7SIB47sqJCuH_De_-nLI53-92te3QH4a0aKJlTvqGx4ALhBXt7yMfDoj40biQEnCNMnqQ9xUU1LKEBWg4otA/w640-h480/IMG_0140.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />The kids really enjoyed the dancing and they even had an opportunity to go up on stage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On one of the final nights of the trip, we had dinner at <a href="https://mamasfishhouse.com/">Mama's Fish House</a>, which was incredible. This is a must do in Maui for sure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpein3buscdtInH2TvS_8xKVXGU_Wg0lcL0zGBmE_L1lSd8ZeINTN5zeIzyseMXcxly_P78wgCgZf1sN0PTyVvOt8s6GSaXotc-8s0H9AvOYWp8i-Dnh98YQWD9-QWpCJIDdotKJ6a8_Lzhqf6F2o0e0Qne_UrIHWVO_P6LerCrh96318ly0OxIt8kxBs/s4032/IMG_3626.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpein3buscdtInH2TvS_8xKVXGU_Wg0lcL0zGBmE_L1lSd8ZeINTN5zeIzyseMXcxly_P78wgCgZf1sN0PTyVvOt8s6GSaXotc-8s0H9AvOYWp8i-Dnh98YQWD9-QWpCJIDdotKJ6a8_Lzhqf6F2o0e0Qne_UrIHWVO_P6LerCrh96318ly0OxIt8kxBs/w480-h640/IMG_3626.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Eric and I snuck away for a date night and just looking at these pictures makes me want to go back and eat the meal that I had there all over again.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLsIdekwKDSZ8pnXy0MEsTziQLmv8PtoTnJ6WiTAW1X2ViBH63LJ1mDsjElkngoKq3upcBfqBmSv9TijlGSV9Ya_abtlzAZFw4ryTFT7WckxaAldrrpv64Z7kHr9zYLimGCdmqy5qojEPygWXWZQEJlgGriaXR9GnKLGbE6MImTpVn0H7BW44ehk7w14/s2312/IMG_0069%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2312" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLsIdekwKDSZ8pnXy0MEsTziQLmv8PtoTnJ6WiTAW1X2ViBH63LJ1mDsjElkngoKq3upcBfqBmSv9TijlGSV9Ya_abtlzAZFw4ryTFT7WckxaAldrrpv64Z7kHr9zYLimGCdmqy5qojEPygWXWZQEJlgGriaXR9GnKLGbE6MImTpVn0H7BW44ehk7w14/w426-h640/IMG_0069%202.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>The view from the restaurant is amazing too so if you go, arrive early so you can get some pictures in.</p><p>From Denver (where we live), Maui isn't too bad of a trip. We had one quick layover in Phoenix and then a six hour flight on to Maui. Now, there are direct flights but honestly, our trip was not that bad (and we saved $300/person by making that one stop). The girls loved the opportunity to watch movies (something they do not get to do a lot of at home). We went in June and had amazing weather the entire time that we were there and I can not recommend it enough for a family vacation spot.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>***Any photos that looks beautiful and professional above were not taken by me. My sister (<a href="https://www.jenna-noelle-weddings.com/">Jenna Noelle Photography</a>) is a professional photographer and was on this trip so any nice picture was taken by here. <br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Melissa and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07973448119091726491noreply@blogger.com1