An early celebration

For Sassy's soon-to-be-11th birthday.

You see we go to settlement on our house Thursday, March 11th. Sassy's 11th birthday. She's getting an awesome present if you ask me. A house! So the night of settlement Sassy and I will have a special night in the new house with air mattress and movies and gnocchi and meat sauce. Friday the 12th we clean the new house and move lamps, plants, my tv, things like that. Saturday the 13th we move! I was planning on having a little birthday thing for her on Sunday the 14th. But that is just too much. It is too stressful. So we had an early get-to-gether with just the family. A very small party. We went roller skating then back to Grandmom's for some pizza, cake, and presents. She was so sweet. :0)

I had some of the best laughs ever! We had a great time.

More snow pics..

The dog I want...

So I have been waiting and wanting a dog for like 12 years now. I wouldn't get one before because I was a renter and I didn't want to risk having to get rid of a dog and the such...

Pretty soon (like between 6-9 days) I will be a HOMEOWNER!!!!!!

I will then be in search of my dog. I have done extensive research and it is almost impossible to find a reputable breeder whose puppies haven't somehow originated from a puppy mill. The puppy mill industry is so big that almost all pet shops get them from puppy mills. They don't think they are but they are. What happens is people are "hired" to house the puppies in a staging situation where the breeders look like reputable breeders but really get their puppies from puppy mills.

If you don't know much about puppy mills, here's a great website:

Avoiding Puppy Mills

Anywhoo I am in a great search for the right breeder. One I can visit the premises, preferably someone a friend knows. I want to be able to visit the mother while she is pregnant, and of course visit the puppies after birth all the way up until the time I take my baby boy home.

I am in search of a Boxer. I have wanted a boxer since I was little. It didn't help that when I house-sat for my friend her boxer and I had a little love affair. ;-) Everytime he sees me he goes crazy and cuddles me.

So anyway, keep posted for my baby-boy dog updates.

Please keep me in prayer this week. Buying a house is soooo stressful!! I've got just one week and I'm praying everything goes well.

Thanks!!

How ya'll doin?

So my laptop cord is mad-whack and I gotta check my 1000 emails by way of the library. don't mind the weird teen boys sitting next to me jumping in their seats because they did something awesome in WOW or dungeons and dragons. 0_o. **siggggghhh*

Not only that but instead of doing something constructive online with the hour the library allows you, I look at cute cuddly puppy pics on google images. :| Like I need to see those faces. They'll make me scream for joy and delight!!!

Who I am

Nicknames

So I love nicknames. To the point that I don't like calling people their names. Everyone has a purpose! Err I mean a nickname. So sometimes I get a little wild and talk in other personalities and voices. And last week I came up with some serious nicknames for our cats.

Cow-Cat:

This cat looks like a cow and so I always tell her to stop moo'in around and grazing in the pastures. So cow-cat's new nickname is:

the cow is grazing in the pastures and dragging her utters!

Babyface:

Has a baby-face. But since he's grown up his face is so big his new nickname is this:

Face with the baby attached!!!

Tt:

Tt's getting big. And she's part siamese so she has really skinny legs and a big body. She is solid muscle and she weighs a lot so I always call her african elephant or rhino. When she sleeps on my legs she is soooo heavy so her new nickname is:

Rhino leg-warmer!!!!

That is all!!!

You may go on with your day now.

;-)

Home Plans

I have years and years of home plans and renovations planned out and chosen. I need to be able to remember them so I'll write them here. :)

Here is a list of those plans: :O a list! Numbered list!!

1. Complete remodel of kitchen including new appliances, floors, counters & cabinets.
2. Tile removal in 1/2 bath, paint corner attached bookshelf.
3. Refinish hardwood floors.
4. Install coffered ceilings to living room and dining room *swoon*
5. Lattice separator for front deck.
6. Rip up carpet in attic, install white washed wood floors.
7. Remove wall tile from full bath.
8. Rip up and install new floors in full bath.
9. Tub resurface in full bath.
10. New vanity, mirror and light fixture in full bath.
11. New mud room lighting.
12. New blinds for all windows (which will take a long time, there are so many)
13. Gated fencing for side of house.
14. Take out chain link fencing and replace with vinyl in backyard.
15. Get a shed.
16. New front door.
17. Railing for back steps.
18. ADT security.
19. Fire extinguishers.
20. Replace smoke alarms.
21. Replace side-walking along the side of the house with pavers.
22. Powerwash house.
23. Install kayack and bike racks in basement.
24. Install lock on attic passageway door.
25. Replace basement door and install doggie door.

That should keep me outta trouble for a couple of years. ;-)

What I did this weekend...

DIGGGGGGGGGGGGGG MY CAR OUT. :| NOT HAVING A MAN SUCKS SOMETIMES. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A COLD AND YOUR TRYING TO GET OUR CAR OUT OF 2 FEET OF SNOW.


FACE WITH THE BABY ATTACHED IS TRYING TO GET LOOSE!!!! HE DOESN'T LIKE SNOW APPARENTLY.


POOR OL' BOY.


HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND???

The house...

I know, it's not the white one. I know. But I like this one more. I'll explain later. :)

This is it. This is the house I am buying.

I am approved at a 5% loan and I put an offer on the house. The seller accepted it and pending a clean inspection I go to closing on March 5th. :D My mortgage guy and my real estate agent (a good friend) have covered me so well you wouldn't believe the deal!!! Holy.Moly. I can't believe I am approved for a house all by myself and that I'm buying it.

God has brought me from a place of sheer poverty as a single mom. Bartending, Deep in dirty debt, scrounging to pay my bills, almost being evicted every month. To flourishing, debt free, good credit, I own my own car, and soon I will be owning a home. The testimony in and of itself financially is a miracle. I will never understand why He is so good to me in this way but I won't argue with it and I take it in thankfulness everyday.

So I had the white house and this house as my #1 favorites but this house had no online photos of the inside of the property. So I assumed the white house was the one. I was wrong. The main thing that attracted me to the house was it's character and big yard. I did wonder how I was gonna take care of all that property. As if I ain't busy enough. Anyway I was driving by this ^ house and the painters were there and some other people. I got to take a tour. Holy moly.

I.LOVED.IT. LOVE.IT.

It is HUGE, has a lot of character, original hardwood floors, tons of windows and rooms, and SOOOOOOOOOOO much potential.

But the real kicker is this: it is cheaper than said white house. And it is in my town. Right in the heart of it. I can see the Chesapeake bay from my front porch. I can walk to the historic little town with all the shops and restaurants. It is also on a great street in town where lots of rehabbed Victorian homes are. :D

This home will be good for me. You see the other house was out in the boonies where I would easily be isolated. Not good for me. This is in the heart of it all. And we can bike ride everywhere and go kayacking whenever we feel like it.

Ahhhh.

Another thing is that God has literally paved the way. I haven't had any opposition or problems through the whole process. Which is pretty amazing. I am trusting this is what He wants for me for whatever reason and I look forward to a lot of memories being made and LOTS OF RENOVATIONS AND HOUSE PROJECTS!! :D I can't wait for that. First project: Completely demolish and replace the kitchen.

Oh and another thing: pretty soon we'll be getting one of these:

Thank you for your prayers friends. I am so blessed to have them!

My Interior Decorating Style

I never knew what my style was. I always thought it was a weird hodge-podge. But I found this:

A Quiz that finds your interior decorating style out for you!!

Click it.

What I found out is that I am:

Which makes a lot of sense. It truly is my style. If given ultimate funds I would have styles very similar to the pictures you see here:

^Notice the cats.

^My favorite. :)

Let me know what your style is.

Part 3

"3am comes around and I hear HELOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Can somebody help me?????

I come downstairs to find Monkey on the floor out of the bed underneath the pot. OHHHH EMMMM GEEE." (from part 2)

So I see Monkey on the floor under the pot and I'm lost for words or what to do. Remember I don't have any medical history. So I call my boss. At 3am. And she tells me to call the fire department. Now what I do know is that you cannot by any means pick up a person who is dead weight. You will break ze back. And I was young, I needed my back.

So I cover monkey up and chat with her and sit with her near the pot. She's a mixture of annoyed and relieved. And when the firemen get there her eyes light up with excitement. Big burly men get to lift her back into bed. bahahhaa. She was a trixter!!! She was flirting with those men like you wouldn't believe.

So I get her settled and she falls asleep as do I.

The next night I worked I get her all settled and I decided to hang out downstairs in the kitchen so I could spy on her to make sure she wasn't doing crazy things. So I chat on the phone with my bff for about 3-4 hours. You know, the kind of talk that you did in high school. Or even middle school. Chitter chatter over life and everything in it. It's now midnight. I spy. She's snoozing. So I go upstairs and I get ready for bed. Remember, I have the portable baby monitor. I can hear her snoozing. So I get into bed and go to sleep.

4am. HELOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Is somebody out there????

She's on the floor.....AGAIN..... So I dial 911...... AGAIN!

More later. ;-)

For back-stories of Haut Monde click HERE.

Home-made Biscotti

Have you ever made your own biscotti? It is really easy actually. Don't mind the pic. It was dark.

Biscotti

2 3/4 cups flour

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

6 tablespoons melted butter

1.5 teaspoons orange zest

1.5 cups of ________________**

**You can really add whatever you want here. I added chopped up pieces of milk chocolate and some macadamia nuts. You could add almonds and dried cranberries, You could do cashew and chocolate, hazelnut and white chocolate, pistachio, whatever you like. :D

1. Oven @ 325
2. In a bowl combine all dry ingredients and make a well.
3. Place eggs and egg yolks in well. Start to stir.
4. Add butter, stirring.
5. Add orange zest, stirring.
6. Add ____________ ingredient, stirring.
7. 
   
8. Dough will form a ball and will be sticky.
9. On floured surface, turn-0ut dough and need to get the dough soft.
10. Divide dough into two portions.
11. Shape each portion into 12-14 inch long loaf.
12. Grease baking pan.
13. Set each loaf onto baking pan. Slightly flatten loaves with your hand.
14. Bake 25-30 minutes until brown and somewhat firm. You'll need to cut these.
15. Cool for about 15 minutes.
16. On a cutting board, use a serrated knife to cut loaf into 1/2 inch slices.
17. Place slices on cookie sheets.
18. Bake for 10 minutes each side. (turn)

Cool. **Note-each baking pan will yield different baking times. For example I used my pampered chef cookie sheet and it needed more time than what was given here. Just eye-ball-it.