Lauren falling backward

This is Lauren's newest weirdo quirk. She'll just randomly start doing this and do it for like 5 minutes. I have no idea where it started. Maybe while she's playing around on our bed watching cartoons?

Make sure you hear the sound effects also :)

Words at 18 months

Here are some of the words Lauren can say at almost 18 months old!

We forgot the main one she says the most which is tickle. She also says tickle for pickle. Last night she was standing on the couch saying tickle over and over and I couldn't figure out why. Then I looked over and noticed the pickle jar sitting there. Following in her family's footsteps, she's a pickle-a-holic.

She's also always saying that. She points at what she wants and says that. It's very cute and she usually stresses end t so it usually sounds like "daT".

Productive weekend

This weekend we were able to finish up all the painting in the house, the laminate flooring, entry way tile, and got things cleaned up. We also got a little farther on cabinet install and got the master bath vanity stained.

We bought unfinished kitchen cabinets and are using those in the master. This allows us to have a taller vanity and to customize it more. There will be more drawers on either side of the sink than any vanity available. It was also about $400 cheaper!

Best little helper!


Secondary bathroom


Vanity staining in progress


Master bathroom


Lauren's purple room!




Laundry room and pantry


Entry tile


After I took the pictures we also got the fridge and range moved into the house, vanity set into place, kitchen table and hutch moved over (we wanted them out of our garage), and one of the door stained.

They are coming to measure for carpet on Friday and it should be installed early next week!

Laminate flooring

We are getting some flooring laid out at the house. So far we have the bathrooms and the laundry/pantry done. We used a high quality stick tile.

For the kitchen and dining room we chose to go with a laminate wood. After looking at a few places we decided to go with Pergo flooring from Lowes. It seems like very good quality and it doesn't have the high gloss finish that many laminates have. It also has the pad attached to the back which does two things: it's easier to install and it is supposed to sound more like real hardwood flooring when you walk on it. The color we decided to go with is the Pergo Heritage Handscraped Hickory. I also love that it's wider planks.

Splashin'

Yesterday was so nice out it was time for some fun in the sun! Well, more like fun in the puddles.

Lauren was splish splashin' for at least 1/2 hour. She had fun in our alley and then wandered up the street and found another fun puddle to play in.



We'll be spending some more time outside today! So happy to have a few nice days!

Progress and Paint!

Lots of things have been going on at the house this past week.

The drywall was finished.


The ceiling textured.


My cabinets, washer, dryer and range were delivered. The cabinets are Thomasville from Home Depot. The stain is Tawny and they are oak. I was a little worried that they might be a little too dark but I love them!


Then, we primed the ceiling (yes we had to do the ceiling) and every wall.


We also finished painting the kitchen/hall/laundry areas (all the same color) so that we can start to install cabinets!

This color is Martha Stewart Toasted Marshmallow.
It's hard to get a good picture of the color but here is a closer shot so you can maybe see. Next time I'll take my good camera out to get a better picture. This picture was taken on my phone.


I have a darker color that is really homey that I am doing in the living room and wanted to do everywhere but got outvoted so this color is a few shades lighter.

The electrician has also been hard at work and we now have light in most rooms at the flick of a switch!

Mickey mouse

Lauren's favorite spot these days is tucked into our bed watching Mickey Mouse. Do not try to disturb her. Especially do not try to climb in and cuddle. Do not even try to touch. You will most likely get shoved away. Other favorites are Monsters Inc and Toy Story 3.

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Heat!

All the drywall has been hung and the heat has been turned on. It's a totally different house over there.


Living room area.



Kitchen area.




Master.



This is all they are finishing off of the basement because the electrical isn't finished down there.

Going shopping

Don't mind me guys just doing a little grocery shopping.

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Watching the world pass by.

Lauren watching Grandpa and daddy clean up all the snow this weekend.

Drywall

The drywall is going in and it makes the house feel so much more like a house! They are working on the garage and the house at the same time so they first completed both ceilings. The insulation guys were able to come back today and fill in the attic. It's time for some warmth in that house! They are probably 1/2 way done with the insulation inside the house and have started working in the garage.

Getting rid of the bad stuff.

My goals for last year were simple. Get rid of the bad stuff.

Well, that is NOT a simple goal. There are many aspects to getting rid of the bad stuff, many ways to go about it, so much research to be done, and many different levels you can take it to. So I accomplished a few things and the goal of getting rid of the bad stuff has carried over to this year.

The things I accomplished last year were:

1. Clean up the cleaning products. I'm talking simple homemade solutions(vinegar, baking soda, peroxide,  etc). Those things that I don't make at home are free and clear and from eco-friendly companies. It's taken me a while to figure out what I like and what works and I'm sure that I'll still end up changing a few things here and there.
2. Make a conscious effort to create less waste(grab Tupperware instead of Ziplocks, Silpat mats instead of parchment paper, of course cloth diaper, wipe Laurens nose with cloth wipes, rags instead of paper towels, etc.) and to be creative in using what I have to do what I want(I want to organize? Use the cardboard boxes I'm always getting in the mail and cut off the flaps instead of buying new matching tubs. Etc, etc, etc.)

My goals for this year are to clean up our food. This I believe is going to be quite the journey. My first goal is: If I can make it, make it I shall. Get rid of processed food. This is a way to get rid of all those nasty ingredients on the sides of prepackaged foods that none of us can pronounce. I think this is first and foremost. 

Then, 

1. I may switch out a few things for organic.
2. I may buy raw sugar instead of bleached/processed sugar. That sort of thing.
3. Use unsweetened applesauce when recipes call for oil. Hiding veggies in food. That sort of thing.
4. Slowly, I hope to start making things as healthy as possible. Switching out sugar for other natural sweetners. Soaking whole wheat so your body can process it better. Maybe. Maybe I'll decide that as long as we get rid of all those crappy ingredients we can't pronounce that is all we need. 

All those things among others I'm sure.

A lot of these things make sense to me. When you make stuff, all you need are a few basic ingredients and you really can make MANY items. I also like knowing how self-sufficient we can be. Getting back to the basics. Things seem to fall into place. If you make yogurt, it's super easy to then make cream cheese. Guess what? You can also make mozzarella cheese pretty easily. Cool huh? This also means I will be stepping up my gardening/canning/freezing game. 

So, I'll be taking you along with  me on this journey and showing you what I've cooked. So far this month I've made the following from scratch:

1. Tortillas (1/2 whole wheat)
2. Biscuits
3. Make your own yogurt! Essentially follow this. While looking around I learned a few other things and I used less yogurt starter. 2 T per quart of milk. Also heat milk to 180 degrees to begin and cool milk and keep at 130 degrees while culturing. 
4. Healthy snack. Fruit leather in the dehydrator. Unsweetened applesauce with blended strawberries picked from Adams parents patch.
   
   
   
   Use saran wrap, NOT waxed paper. If you use waxed paper it'll stick. In the interest of switching out for something re-usable, I ordered the fruit trays from the dehydrator manufacturer since I hope to make this often.
   
5. Pop-Tarts (but eaten for dessert). I put strawberry preserves that I made last summer in as a filler.
   
   

That's what I'm up to. Hopefully you'll be seeing more food tutorials this year once again. I haven't done one in a while.

Eatin snow

Only lucky little girls get their very own bowl of snow to eat!

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Insulation is finished.

Garage


Hole where the netting was pierced to pump the insulation in.


Up close of what the "netting" looks like.


What the blown in fiberglass insulation looks like


Insulation around the rafters.


All holes were filled with foam



Floor trusses were insulated.


Exterior basement wall insulated.


Drywall starts on Monday!

Insulation!

Blown in fiberglass insulation. They staple a sort of netting all over the house around each stud and then the hose has a pokey end they just stick through the netting and pump the insulation in. It fills up each hole pretty quickly!







And for fun - Lauren trying to eat with her own spoon.