kitchen remodel

I wanted to show you our new sink. It’s been in for a while, but filled with dishes since then. :) I finally got the kitchen cleaned and stuff is starting to get put away. I love it!

There will be a back-splash behind it. But check out the super deep sink! and the left side fits a casserole dish flat so it can soak with soap in it…incase one burns anything on the sides of said casserole dish…

And that faucet?? Do you love it? I do! Reminds me of professional kitchens I’ve worked in.

We’ve definitely added touches of industrial kitchens with the stainless and the black and white.

And did I show you our cooktop? I love it!!

Almost done…

look what else I got…

My MIL loves me! She said she would have got me the cookie jar from Anthropologie, but she didn’t know which it was {obviously someone isn’t reading my blog}.

Great gift idea

I come from a family of six (three sisters, myself, and our parents).  As we’ve grown up, all gotten married, and they’ve started having kids…our family is getting big! In efforts to keep everyone’s wallets relatively full, we decided to start drawing names among the adults and only buying for them.  This year, we decided to buy as couples.  My sister Jeannie and her husband got David and I, and we drew their names.

I think buying for boys is much harder than buying for girls (especially sisters), but decided, as lame as it is, to get them a gift card to spend together.  I found an inn in Prescott, AZ (they like to go there) and got them a gift card. 

My ultra-creative sister made us these:

I love them! These little buttons necklaces are some of our great-grandma’s vintage buttons.

Don’t you love them?

Check out her super cute blog: My Balancing Act !!

Our Christmas

First, let me wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  I hope your Christmas was amazing and that your New Year will be everything you are hoping it to be. 

Our Christmas was great!  We had Christmas Eve dinner at our house with my parents and grandma, and D’s parents and brother.  We had a beef tenderloin {no one told me how expensive those are} with a wine reduction sauce, roasted potatoes, green beans, and yummy warm rolls.  It was a good meal with awesome company. So awesome that I was distracted and didn’t take a single picture…

Christmas day, we (David and I) opened our presents from each other than packed up and headed out to D’s parent’s house.  I love get-togethers at their house, all the family comes and we all sit around and watch whatever football game is on! Then over half the people fall asleep from eating too much…it’s like a family tradition.

Dinner was to be served at four. All the food was ready, everyone was saying how hungry we were getting….then…right as my father-in-law was slicing the last piece of turkey…the lights went out! {Let me remind you that the sun is setting around 3:30pm right now…}

Apparently, the power lines were so loaded down with snow/frost that it knocked the power out.  The food was cooked…we were all very hungry…what else would we do? We lit the candles and the whole family ate a candle lit dinner!  Let me tell you…it was fun! That was definitely a Christmas that won’t be forgotten any time soon!

Here we are all enjoying our Christmas desserts…

kitchen remodel

We’ve grouted the granite tiles (boy, is black granite fun to try to get out from under your nails).

My dad came over and helped David get the sink and the cook-top in (and working). Now they (David and his dad) are putting in the new floors…which to me, really make the kitchen!

Check out the worn, white vinyl on the right…thats the before…and the beautiful dark bamboo is the after! That gap up there on the right is the dishwasher spot so please disregard the mess on the counter for now. :) It will be clean for the official big reveal!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I get to host dinner at my house.  I have my parents and grandma coming, along with David’s parents and brother. The kitchen isn’t completely finished, but I am looking forward to having everyone together. 

This time of year reminds me that  I have so much to be thankful for and my family is definitely on that list!  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Amanda

Easy Mint-Chocolate Bark

This could make very nice guest favors or just a snack to add to your dessert table. 

There is so much opportunity to be creative here. Here is what I used:

1 bag of mint chips

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

what was left of a bag of chopped pecans

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. While this is preheating, spread the chips out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

I then toasted my chopped pecans in a frying pan on the stove. This is just a quick easy way of toasting the pecans to release those yummy oils.

Then let those cool a bit while the chips go into the preheated oven till they are shiny.

When the chips are shiny and spreadable, take them out of the oven and spread with a knife or spatula.

Sprinkle the toasted pecans evenly on top, pressing them into the melted chocolate.

Let cool or (if you are really impatient like me) put the pan in the freezer to harden.  If you’re here in Alaska (where is it currently below zero), cover the pan with plastic wrap and put outside to harden…

Break the bark into pieces and enjoy! Or pack some up in cute cellophane bags and give to your guests!

Enjoy!!

don’t forget yourself this week…

Here are five inexpensive (or free!) things you should do for yourself this week to keep yourself going:

1. Work out!  Seriously…you get those endorphins going and your energy is just going to jump.  For me, the evenings that I work out are much more productive with house work and chores than the evenings I do not! 

2. Give yourself a pedicure (or if you are able, go get it done). There is nothing like a relaxing pedicure, plus your toes will be ready for any holiday parties you have coming up!

3. Finish (or start) that book (or magazine) you’ve been meaning to finish! Take 30 minutes to yourself and escape from the hectic holiday season.

4. Take a bubble bath…a nice long bubble bath will take the stress out of the day for me…

5. Go to bed early! I think sleep is an overlooked factor with people’s cranky-ness during this time of the year. Don’t underestimate the power of a full night’s rest!

I hope everyone has a fantastic week and the merriest Christmas!!

my wish-list

These are five things I put on my wish list this year.  None of them are practical but doesn’t mean a girl can’t wish, right? I think they are mostly cooking related because I have not been able to cook in my kitchen for about four weeks. I am dying to get back in the kitchen and cooking again. Darn it, now I am getting hungry thinking about it…

1. Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I have been asking my family for this cookbook for a few Christmases now and no one is listening to me. I think they assume I have enough cookbooks, but I argue you cannot!

2. The owl cookie jar from Anthropologie. I really wanted the white and green one they had a while ago, but recently came across the orange one! Would one little pop of orange on my counter-tops be amazing!!?

3. These Ugg boots. I just love them.

4. The Pioneer Woman’s cookbook. I bought it in August for my sister Jeannie’s birthday.  Jeannie is very pleased with it, so of course I want it too! :)

5. A Le Creuset pot. I’d like one large enough to cook gumbo in, but still small enough for me to lug around my kitchen. I used to work at a housewares store, so I know these are the best of the best. I don’t think I could decide on a color though…I love them all!

Merry Christmas Banner

I used my Silhouette SD to create a pendant banner.  I had the idea of putting it in my kitchen window, but with the construction still under way, I decided to put it in my living room window.

As you can see out the window it definitely looks like Christmas here in Alaska! I think it is supposed to be a high of -10 degrees this evening!

Another ornament post…

I had to share my new Nordstrom bag ornament that my mother in law got me this year.  I think this makes three bags. Much like Starbucks they change their bag and make an ornament out of it every year. I just love this year’s design.