Day 14

The equipment has gotten bigger...

and so has the hole.

from the inside looking out-

and from the outside looking in.

wish us luck!

Day One

This is what I woke up to yesterday morning. So I guess it's official: we're digging out a basement. Yes, I'm a little nervous and unsure about the whole thing. But I'm also excited and looking forward to the addition. And let's face it, it was only a matter of time before Dave started another house project! More updates to come...

projects

Right now I feel like I have about one hundred long-term projects going on. So I decided I needed a project I could start and finish in one day, giving me a sense of accomplishment and confidence that I can tackle the bigger projects. I followed this tutorial and I love how it turned out! It has the colors of early spring and the warm yarn for the late winter, a great addition to my door for the month of March.

peas please

peas: one of the first of the summer vegetables. bright green, crisp, delicious. but what to do with pounds and pounds of them? suggestions would be appreciated...

signs of spring:

signs of spring fever:

pumpkin boogie

Our Annual Pumpkin Carving Party was a huge success- thank you to Chelsea and Mark for hosting the event this year. Lizzie introduced me to the trick of using a jar lid to scrape out the guts- brilliant! Dave's pumpkin took on a cartoon-ish complexion, and I'm not sure if mine is shreiking or yawning. Either way, these are the faces greeting our trick-or-treaters this Halloween.

Our friend Siqi carved this all too pretty jack-o-lantern... not too shabby for a first-timer, eh? I love the smiling eyes.

WHOO can resist pumpkin carving? not I!

the apple of my eye

There are only two apples on our apple tree this fall, which is okay since it's just a baby tree. But whenever I look at it, I feel like Eve in the Garden of Eden. Not because my yard is a perfect oasis, but because I feel tempted by these apples- there's one for each of us, just hanging there at arm's length, perfectly ripe and delicious looking. I'm afraid to see what would happen if I partook of the fruit; I think Dave's waiting for me to do it first. Little does he know, if I'm eating so is he!!

producing produce

One of the best things about working 3 12-hour shifts in a row is waking up the next morning only to find that Mother Nature has been hard at work herself. This is just a sampling of what I found one morning last week. Don't even get me started on the 50+ tomatoes I picked yesterday. I guess I better stock up on tortilla chips because I can smell some salsa coming any day now...

i've been stalking you...

Our garden has been surprising us already this year, much to our benefit. We planted aspargus 3 years ago, not knowing a thing about growing it. We later found out that it takes 3 years after planting before you can actually eat the vegetable! Well guess what? It's the third year. So we have been savoring every delicious bite of our fresh aspargus, preferably roasted with a little olive oil and parmesan. yummmmmm.....

I also planted parsley a few years ago, and it came back last summer even larger than before. So this summer when I found a big sprouting green plant, I assumed it was the herb coming back yet again. But it didn't have a good, strong parsley scent so I decided to dig it up and replant. As I tried to yank it out of the garden, I realized it wasn't parsley at all, but a pile of carrots! Neither Dave nor I can recall ever planting carrots, but they somehow sprouted up right next to the parsley. All this before June 1? Can't wait to see what else our garden has in store for us this year....

vacuuuuuum

My trusty old Bissell has given up on me, after four years of cleanliness. So the hunt began last week for a replacement. After 2 very disappointing and frustrating trips to walmart, I decided to wise up by visiting my dependable, lovable Target. And yes, they came through for me once again. The Eureka Altima is the coolest- it has a "pet paw" that picks up jo-jo hair better than anything I've ever tried. Plus it has this cool electromagnetic duster that sucks all the dust right off the furniture. Better yet, it was on sale for $70, proving that you don't need to spend $300-400 for a good vacuum (just like you don't need to spend over $100 for a good pair of jeans.) I got the kind of satisfaction today that only a good cleaning product can provide- I haven't been this impressed since I discovered the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Dave even got excited about it and let's face it- that's a deal breaker ladies!

Comforts of Home, part two

Home Sweet Home. I have unloaded my deep feelings of love for my parents' home, but I must say it is my second favorite. Here in my little blue house lies my all-time favorite place. There are so many things about it I love, mostly the feeling I have when I'm inside its walls. From morning to night, I appreciate:

• waking up to this

• the tennis ball hanging in our garage making sure my car squeezes in just right
• seeing Joey look at me through the kitty door as I reverse down the driveway
• finding Dave's socks at the bottom of the bed, knowing he kicked them off while asleep
• doing laundry in our high-tech washer and dryer that I won from Dan's grocery store
• cuddling on the couch after dinner to watch LOST, 30 Rock, or a Jazz game
• how Dave can be in the family room while I'm on the computer and we can still be having a normal conversation
• the painting on our wall that reminds me of getting engaged and melts my heart every time I see it
• crawling into bed with the one I love, feeling safe as I fall asleep knowing he'll be next to me now and always

The Last of the Harvest

With warm weather extending well into October this year, we've been able to enjoy our garden for longer than expected. My favorite vegetable we grew would have to be tomatoes (not to mention it's one of the only ones that really thrived.) Sacks full of tomatoes have been taking up most of the refrigerator space, motivating me to make multiple batches of salsa and bruschetta. I love the combined flavors of the yellow and red tomatoes, and I've basically been putting them in everything. This past week, we savored some of the last fruits as we topped some ravioli with the colorful concoction. It actually turned out be be a few ravioli alongside our tomatoes rather than the other way around. But if you ask me, that's how I prefer it. It makes me sad to think I'll be forced to buy tomatoes at the store in just a few short weeks. Until then, bon appetit!

Another addition to the tool belt

I recently got the chance to use my new offset spatula for the first time, and I couldn't help but smile as I did so. If you like to frost anything, this is the tool for you! My chocolate zucchini cake turned into a deep brown ice rink as my spatula evened out any ridges or bumps and let the true essence of the buttercream shine through. A big Thank You goes out to the girl who knows me best and would understand just how much joy this tool continues to bring me. Next on the list? A rotating cake stand; every layer cake I make begs for one.

Our Dream House

One of the homes featured in this year's Parade of Homes has become Dave and I's dream house. Everything about it is perfect: the location, the layout, the decorating, and every little detail inside. You must check it out here.
Some of my favorite parts include the kitchen with it's backsplash and tall countertops, the craft room downstairs, the warm paint colors, and the built-in bookshelves. If anyone has an extra 2.5 million dollars laying around, feel free to donate to the Watkins' Dream Home Fund.

And the winner is....

YEAH!!! Over a month ago, I entered a drawing at my local Dan's grocery store to win a new washer and dryer. If you have seen our old set, you know they were on their last leg. The washer leaked about once a week and they were both quite loud. Although I really wanted my name to be chosen out of the box, I didn't really think it would happen (who ever wins those things??) Then last week I got a very exciting phone call, telling me I won!! I was jumping up and down, screaming in delight. The people at Dan's even took our picture with the washer and dryer to display in the store! I've never been so excited in my life to do laundry. I woke up at 6am Sunday morning and before turning over catch some more zzz's before church, I just had to go start a load of laundry and hear the very soft hum of these machines. Dan's has made a VERY loyal customer out of me, that's for sure.

do NOT try this at home

Several months ago I decided to be proactive about my tooth and gum health by purchasing Crest Pro Health mouthwash. Both Dave and I have been using it regularly to help ward away gingivitis and bad breath. Unfortunately, I was doing more harm than good. I went to the dentist last week and was told I had bad staining on the backs of my teeth. They asked what kind of mouthwash I used, and when I reported Crest Pro Health, they told me to promptly throw it away and never use it again. The hygienest then proceded to scrape my teeth for 25 minutes in order to get all the staining (and enamel while she was at it) off. So if you have this product at home, get rid of it NOW! so much for my hollywood smile....

Mix-Master

Throughout all my years of baking, I've never owned anything but a hand-held mixer. I love these things and I'm very loyal to them, but sometimes I can't but help dream of a KitchenAid mixer. I've just never forked over the "dough" to get one. Lucky for me, Peg, out of the goodness of her heart, gave me hers. Thanks to Peg (and my new red friend) I can now bake cookies faster, easier, and have a free hand to crack eggs, answer the phone, or grab a fresh cookie hot out of the oven.

Finishing Touches

Last week while I was away, Dave was working on a "project." Little did I know that I would be coming home to a new front porch!! I'm so impressed with Dave's hard work, effort, and attention to detail that he put in. The porch helps our house to look more like a home, and it adds alot of sentimental value when I know my husband built it with his own two hands. Thanks Dave! You're the BEST!

First sign of spring...

After a cold, gray winter, any sign of color is celebrated.
These crocuses gave me hope that my now brown yard can be bright and colorful sometime soon.
Happy Spring!

Got Pop?

You should've seen me pushing the cart...