One Fun Pin Win

Cost: $28: 4 hooks @ $5/hook, 3 feet of wood trim @ $1ish/foot, $4 for spray paint. I already had the frames and photos. I still don't have a good photo of the bubbaloo and me to put in the last frame.

Two coats of spray paint on the already cut wood trim and I had a nice even color. I eye-balled where I wanted the hooks and pre-drilled the holes. We already had black cabinet screws from the Disaster* and used those to hang the coat rack. We had to put the wood trim up first and then the hooks because the screws went all the way through the board. I figured out where I wanted the photos and Andy and I used the level to hang the nail holes at the same level.

Final result:

Declutter 2013

I haven't made a New Year's resolution since I was in middle school, and back then, it was probably something super unachievable (become a movie star, learn karate, meet Hanson, etc.)

This year, however, I stumbled upon minimalism. It just so happened that I came across this lifestyle while Andy was out for some New Year's Eve partying and I was at home nursing our little Nugget. Since Hayden ate A LOT and often, I spent a fair amount of time on my iPhone surfing the internetz or pinteresting. Long story short, I decided to have a goal for the year - let go of all of the clutter we've accumulated over the years. If you want to call that a resolution go for it. I want to spend less time taking care of my things and more time taking care of my kid (soon to be kidS, whenever Andy and I decide to go for #2)

This is the longest any of my resolutions has ever lasted.

I cleaned out my closet in January. Andy and I also cleaned out the kitchen and have 2 big boxes to give to my family.

February was kind of a wash for me.

I'm picking back up, though with the new 2013 in 2013 challenge.

Here are some shots of my closet purge.

What I let go (2 large moving boxes overflowing)

Cleaner closet:

My Someone New...

...is cute, cuddly, and doesn't have fur! Tomorrow is his six-month-day. I could go on and on about how they grow up so fast and every moment is precious, yada yada. All of it's true. He's my new favorite photography subject so here are some of my favorites:

For the three of Hayden and his daddy, it is with a little bit of shame that I admit that I used one of the cheating iPhone apps to make them "Warm B&W"

Sheet Pan Dinner

My favorite kinds of dinners are the ones that involve the least amount of effort and create the fewest dishes. When I saw "Sheet Pan Dinner" recipes in a cooking magazine, I was hooked. Chop up a bunch of stuff, sprinkle it with other stuff, bake it in the oven and you're done? I'm in.

Each of the recipes either had something my husband didn't like (acorn squash) or I was allergic to (spicy Italian sausage), so my husband concocted a sheet pan dinner of his own. There aren't any amounts next to the ingredients because my husband doesn't believe in measuring when he cooks. Total dishes: cutting board, knife, bowl for spices, and the cookie sheet. I've already started thinking about other things we can put on here...like sweet potatoes, steaks, or anything else you can roast. Have a suggestion? Leave a comment :)

Ingredients:
Potatoes (we used Yukon gold)
Sausages (spicy Italian or Kielbasa or whatever you prefer)
Bell peppers
Red onion
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb
Parmesan cheese
White pepper
Cayenne pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Pop stabbed potatoes in the microwave for a couple of minutes (or if you don't mind a few extra dishes, saute them in olive oil for a bit) Slice the potatoes, peppers and the onion(s) according to your preferences. Spread them out on a large cookie sheet - the kind that has an edge so the stuff doesn't fall off - along with sausages. Mix the seasonings together in a bowl and sprinkle over the top. Bake 18 minutes, remove from oven and flip the sausages. Broil on the top rack for no more than 5 minutes.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Why Rufus Is Not Allowed In The House At The Moment

It all started out innocent enough. Rufus and I were outside having a grand old time playing The Best Game Ever.



When out of the corner of his eye, he spotted IT.



Ooooh, I may look sweet and innocent...



He tried SO HARD to resist the temptation.

Must....not....give...in



But, alas, Rufus has the self-control of an eight-year-old child, and the poo was CALLING HIS NAME.



Poo is to Rufus what catnip is to kitties. See the possessed-Rufus-eye?



Ahhhh



I think it's safe to say he was very pleased with his new cologne.



Where was Stella during all of this, you might ask?

Off somewhere being stoic.

Why, It's A Major Award!

Two, as a matter of fact. And both of them are from our good friends at DOUBLE WOOF!

The first is from about a week ago (oops, my bad about the delay!), and it's...



The rules are:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to up to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I pass it along to:
*Pooches For Peace
*Life With Dogs
*Two Dachshunds and a Puppy
*Dughallmor Beagles

Now for Number Two:


Here are the rules attached to this award:

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Copy the image above, the rules and the questionnaire in this post.
3. Post this in one or all of your blogs.
4. Answer the four questions following these Rules.
5. Recruit at least seven (7) friends on your Blog Roll by sharing this with them.
6. Come back to BLoGGiSTa iNFo CoRNeR (PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THIS LINK) at http://bloggistame.blogspot.com and leave the URL of your Post in order for you/your Blog to be added to the Master List.
7. Have Fun!

Questions & Your Answers:

The person who tagged you: Rufus & Indie
His/her site’s title and url:DOUBLE WOOF! http://doublewoof.blogspot.com/
Date when you were tagged: May 12, 2009
Persons you tagged (see below)

...and my little dog, too!
Laney
Crazy Coulee & Little Lacey

An Apple A Day...

Keeps the doctor away...too bad doggies can't have apples. It would have been a double bonus for Stella, too, because apples keep dentists away, too. I'm a clean-teeth-freak. Yeah, the rumors are true--they exist.

Stella's getting a bit, er, less young, so I took her to the vet on Friday to get her first dental done. I signed all the necessary paperwork, and as I was leaving...

Stella gave me the most desperate "Don't leave me!" look I have ever seen, and then she was scrambling on the linoleum floor trying to follow me out. I felt like the most terrible doggy-mommy on the face of the planet.

You know what they say about payback, though.

When I went to go pick Stella up, the vet tech brought her out from the back room. Stella hustled up to a complete stranger who was paying at the reception desk, and she was wagging her butt so hard and acting like she was going home with this lady.

The vet tech was like, "Uh, no, Stella...Your mommy's over here."

I couldn't believe how much of my dog they shaved just to clean her teeth. I can just imagine all the tubes and things poked and prodded into my dog just so she can have nice pearly whites. I'm glad the same process isn't used on humans. Her teeth are nice and sparkly white, now, and I was relieved to find out everything is in good shape. I don't know about you guys, but I have one of those dogs where it seems like every time I drop her off at the vet's office, they call me halfway through the day to say that she has some other thing wrong with her. Le sigh.

Stella with her patches: