live simply

I saw this on pinterest and wish I could buy this somewhere to hang in my house. Such a good reminder, plus it looks a little Scandi...

coconut oil

I tease that coconut oil is the new "windex" if you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  It fixes everything! I've only dabbled in the uses for coconut oil and haven't done a ton of research on other uses. But the various uses I've used it for I'm hooked.

1st use: Popcorn/Kettle Corn it adds a great flavor
2nd use: my face in the dead of winter when moisturizer just didn't cut it. My skin suprisingly soaked it up with very little "greasy feeling". It has good amounts of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is very protective.
3rd use: My feet. Towards the end of winter you start seeing those cracks (unless you get pedicures) coconut oil does the trick.
4th use: I have started giving Isaac a spoonful every day. He seems to like it and coconut oil has anti-viral qualities. I found this, "The antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of coconut oil are directly attributed to the medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in the oil." We are constantly fighting the new cold around here. Isaac is at the prime age of colds between ages 1-2 is the worst. So anything that will help works for me.
5th use: Peter and I sauteed peppers, onions, garlic and spinach in coconut oil instead of olive oil. It was to die for, it added such a different flavor it made the vegetable exciting again.

Coconut oil has gotten a bad rap in the past for being a saturated fat and has been seen as a bad oil, hence that it's solid at room temperature. The reason this doesn't apply to coconut oil, say supporters, is that about half the saturated fat in the oil is medium-chain fatty acids, which are easier to digest than the more prevalent long-chain fatty acids in most other oils, including butter. Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood sugar control. People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar since coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Of course everything in moderation if you are ingesting it. I wouldn't use it for all of your cooking but the research shows a little can go a long with way with a lot of benefit. 

The best news of course is although it is pricey they sell it at Costco! 

snow in the springtime

A few days ago was the official start to spring and we got 3 inches of snow! Peter tried to make Isaac a snowman but it rapidly melted before completion. Isaac thoroughly enjoyed sampling the snow around the yard before his hands were bright red and frozen!

so many decions

Peter and I feel like we have been working on this project forever and yet we are making no progress. You take a couple steps forward and then you feel like you take two steps back. The constant dilemma is making our dream a reality with the confines our our current kitchen. Deciding what to splurge on and what to save on. Originally we thought let's go cheap on the cabinets by getting Ikea cabinets and splurge on all new nice appliances. Although it makes sense to get Ikea cabinets since we are doing "white" we decided against it and would rather have real wood drawers and then Peter won't have to put them together himself. We designed our cabinets with BMC in Issaquah which is a company Peter's dad has worked with for a long time. We were very excited about our design until the quote came back way higher than expected so we had to change a few details to make it work. We decided to keep our existing fridge since it is already stainless and build a large space to replace it a year or two down the road. Since we are small family our fridge will work fine for awhile. When picking out counter tops I dreamed of a black dull (not shiny) look. We picked out one online with a company Peter has worked with on his current project as they will give us a great deal. The lady says of every single sample you saw online with no prices you have picked out the most expensive one we carry. Of course we did! So we have to compromise and go with a dark grey quartz with a dull finish. Every other black option was super shiny and I really want a dull hue to it. The re-cycled butcher block we were hoping to get through my aunt's friend who had just torn it out of the kitchen didn't work out. The dimensions wouldn't work with our island size. So we will most likely buy that from Ikea. We still have to find an apron sink that is one large bowl instead of two for a good price, pick out light fixtures, and find a retractable hood for the island. We also deliberated forever on whether we should take out the popcorn ceiling to match the kitchen ceiling but have decided against it. It would take tons of time and we would rather pick and choose our battles that not being one of them. So we will have to trim it out or put in a decorative beam to divide the two looks. We are on track to start putting in cabinets the last week of April with hopes of it all being mostly done the middle of May. 

Below is current layout we have drawn up. The weird shelf you see in the island will just be an exposed shelf for cookbooks etc. 

Here is the sample of counter top we picked out on top of our current counter top

spring is here

I'm not even sure if spring is officially started yet but Isaac and I have deemed it here. The weather is warming up, we have breaks from the rain. Isaac has been waiting all winter long by pointing out the window and grunting on a daily basis to go outside. We try to every chance we can get and this day we got to try out a new trike I had picked up at a consignment sale. Even though he looks very serious and sad in these pictures don't be fooled he is having a good time! 

first trip to dentist

Isaac had his first dentist appointment. We loved her. She is a Pediatric Dentist here in Woodinville so everything is kid friendly and she has a son two months older than Isaac so she "gets it." She was so good with Isaac and gave us her personal cell to call anytime if we had an emergency. Isaac did awesome letting her examine and brush his teeth. This was good for Peter and I to see as it had been an ongoing battle with Isaac letting us brush his teeth but for her he just laid back and let her do whatever without protest. Times have changed since I was a kid because they sent us home with a whole tube of Toms of Maine toothpaste. I was a happy camper because not only is it flouride free it is Xylitol free which I recently learned can upset their little tummies and is in most "natural" toothpastes. Something clicked in his little head since his appointment because now he wants to brush himself like a big boy. We have a little ritual morning and night where he stands by himself on the stool and brushes is own teeth (after mom brushes first of course) and then he brushes his own hair. He is getting so big and wants to be so independent and do it himself to by like mommy and daddy. This is probably the last "naked" picture we could get away with, I couldn't resist, Isaac I apologize for you in advance when you are 16. 

kitchen re-model part #1

It's begun. Last weekend Peter and his friends Karl and Randy helped him take out the wall that divided our kitchen and dining room. Isaac and I spent the night at my friend Jenni's as the project ended at about 1am Friday night and started again at 5am Saturday morning. This wouldn't be conducive in our tiny house to Isaac getting any sleep. The outlined tape on the floor is close to the placement of the island that we will eventually put in. Next up in about 1 month, new white cabinets, countertops, floor, sink, and lighting, and backsplash. Basically everything will be new except the oven and fridge. My favorite part is how much more light we get in the house just from this one small improvement. We get the morning sun through the kitchen that now carries through to the dining room and the evening sun that came into the dining room shines through to the kitchen. Not to mention the perk of being at the stove and watching Isaac at the table. Keep posted for more to come, we are pretty excited around here!

toddler activity board

This project was inspired by Pinterest, well aren't most projects. I guess probably not but in my world they are. Emily and I had fun picking out the pieces at Home Depot with the babies, the husbands had fun making the boards, and the babies had fun playing together during all of it! I'm sure this board will evolve over time as there are more things we need to add. But it's a cheap project and baby approved!

I'm 30

I can honestly say this was the best birthday I have ever had! The surprises kept coming and everyone was wonderful. 

This was the night of my birthday. I was at Garden Club with my friend and came home to a sweaty husband that had put Isaac to bed and then ran around cleaning the house. He deep cleaned our bathroom, hands down best birthday gift!

Then it was Valentine's Day. A cute canvas from Isaac and a movie to watch. 

Friday morning Peter is running late from work and my parents walk in the door. "Surprise! You are going away for the weekend and we are watching Isaac." Peter had a weekend planned in Leavenworth and he had woken up early and had the car packed with food, snow gear, and skis. I had to mentally prepare myself for leaving Isaac overnight for two days but once we were on the road I was very excited knowing my parents would take great care of him. One more surprise our best friends Chris and Meghan were already at the cabin (which was free because Peter's co-worker owns it!) 

Can you tell I'm having a good time?

It doesn't end there. The following Saturday my friend Emily takes me to Banya 5 a day spa where you pay to enter and can spend the whole day in their sauna, steam rooms, hot tub, salt pools, and freezing cold pools. It was amazing! After we went to Cactus in South Lake Union and I came home to a surprise party! All of my friends, along with flowers, and all of my favorite food. I didn't have a chance to take pictures of anybody but couldn't believe how much thought Peter, Jenni, and Emily had put into the party. Here are some pics of what was leftover the day after! 

garden progress

This project isn't yet complete but I had to post and gardening is on my mind. Isaac and I spend an about an hour a day, if not pouring rain, outside putting around the yard. I like to prune, pull a weed, rake the flower beds, sweep the driveway, and he likes to run into the street, eat dirt, suck on rocks, pick up twigs, and fall in the our ditch. This seems a little exaggerated but literally this is really what he does. Usually once a neighbor walks by with a dog, Isaac runs out to the street enjoys getting to pet the dog and if he is lucky the dog gives him a big lick. Check out the progression of my garden beds below. Still to come, the dirt will be filled, the actual planter beds will be cut down slightly and trimmed out on top, and eventually a garden will be planted! So hopefully Isaac will actually eat something actually edible from our yard! You may be wondering why our beds are right by the street, it's because that is southern facing and the sunniest spot in our yard. Keep posted for pictures of my tulips that are now coming up under the fence, coming soon!