A few weekend DIY projects...

Floating kitchen shelves: 

During the kitchen wall renovation in early 2013, we had to get creative with the space. There ended up being a lot of pipes in the wall we removed so we re-routed as best we were allowed. This however left wall space we hadn't planned on. This extra space by the new transaction bar top we put in, ended up becoming our coffee nook. The problem was, we no longer had cabinets to store coffee mugs(and we have a lot!). 

I had found several ideas for this area, but this one stuck out. (Shanty 2 chic is quickly becoming my favorite planner of diy projects!)

http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/DIY-Floating-Shelves-Free-Plans.pdf

You start by making the brackets which are drilled into the walls. We had to go ahead and stain one side of them because the final location wouldn't allow us the space to do so. 

Normally, you would find the studs and screw them to the wall. Yeah, we didn't really think this one thru. Remember all the pipes we had to reroute during the kitchen reno? Guess where they were?Behind this wall. So we had to think outside the box and set in dry wall screws(very carefully). 

Once on the wall, we used wood glue for the bottom piece and then used brad nails for the remaining side, top and front.  We secured them with braces while hammering on them just to be cautious. 

Then we used wood filler on any of the gaps and holes. After a gentle sanding, we stained them using the Kona stain from our farmhouse table. 

They turned out beautifully! We still have to figure out what to do with our coffee cup collection, but this holds enough for us and the occasional visitors. 

I also bought some extra wood to make a silverware caddy I saw on Pinterest. I did all the cuts myself and I still have all my appendages! 

Here's the tutorial: http://thefreckledhouse.blogspot.com/2012/09/napkin-holder-and-silverware-caddy.html?m=1

I plan to use this tutorial to create some long rectangular centerpieces for an upcoming baby shower at the house. Inspiration pic: 

Stay tuned for some additional crafty posts!

Kids, schmids. My thoughts on procreation.

**disclaimer: I think having children is one of the greatest gifts that God gives us. I love kids, I think I'll do ok at being a parent. But I also think that if you don't have kids, then there are many other amazing things that God will show you in life. **

I'm what I would consider 'fashionably late' to the baby phase in life. Really this is only by the standards of comparison, but it's hard not to compare when so many people around you have kids. Let me say this to those people in my life who have children, I ADMIRE you. You are unselfish, strong, loving people. I don't know how you do it. It is probably this admiration that fuels many of my fears as I don't think I could measure up. Hats off to parents everywhere! For those of us who haven't gone down the parenthood road yet, are toying with the idea of that journey, are having troubles in the fertility area, or have decided against kids, I admire you as well. 

I have always known that my opinion/view on family and children is different from the majority. I'm down with that. I often have opinions and or behaviors that strike others as odd or unusual. I don't expect people to understand my opinion, just like I don't understand other people sometimes. And as my faith has increased, I've come to terms with these beliefs. I no longer feel like what I believe is wrong. So if those of you who are thinking about having kids but have concerns or doubts, you aren't alone! I'm right there with ya! 

Have you ever shook your head while thinking about the world we live in? I do it at least once a day. I have a hard enough time trying to navigate the world as an adult, so I can't quite fathom trying to raise kids amidst the chaos. And that's what has contributed(over time) to the following list of beliefs and opinions.....

1. I've truthfully never had the strong desire to have biological children. It is my very core belief as an adoptee that there are many ways to 'have' children. (I could elaborate, but that is a different topic for another day) 

2. Pregnancy scares the BAJEEZUS out of me. Seriously. I'm scurred. I do not envision myself with a pregnant glow, I see a sumo shaped sweaty mess. 

3. I know that M wants biological kids. I knew this when I married him and I love him more than enough to try the biological route just like he loves me enough to be open to the adoption route. 

4. Children are not the end all be all for me to feel complete.  

5. I love my freedom. I can pick up and go when I want, I can splurge on myself financially, I can just sit at home in silence and unwind if I desire. 

I realize that these are all selfish beliefs, perhaps brought on by fear of the unknown. But that's just it. I'm ok with admitting to my selfishness. I have a selfish nature because I'm human and I accept that and am happy to just try to be a little less selfish everyday. 

Maybe that's what this journey is about. Learning to be less selfish and more courageous when it comes to other human beings. Who knows? Ultimately it's a part of a plan that was already decided. And that's what makes it so amazing. No matter what happens, it is what it is. 

To sum it up? I'm thankful that I have these beliefs because it allows me less stress and worry during this difficult time. I wish this peace for everyone but especially those who are going thru fertility/pregnancy difficulties. 

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." 

Romans 5:3-5 

Leaving it all out there

'Being a good steward of your pain...It involves being alive to your life. It involves taking the risk of being open, of reaching out, of keeping in touch with the pain as well as the joy of what happens because at no time more than at a painful time do we live out of the depths of who we are instead of out of the shallows.' Frederick Buechner from The Clown in the Belfry

Heavy.....:) When we first decided we were ready to have children(I use ready loosely, as there is no way to prepare for this life altering event), I often thought about how and when we would tell people we were expecting. I had been pretty open about the fact that we were going to wait a year (since tying the knot), however, I wasn't sure how open I wanted to be about the process. I figured we'd get pregnant by the end of 2013 and we'd share right after we exited the first trimester. 

However, my plans hit a snag when we didn't get pregnant right away. This honestly took me by surprise. And because we had already shared our timeline, people were inquiring about how it was going...At this point, I had a choice. I could internalize(which was my instinct) OR I could share my story. So even though it doesn't feel natural to me, I am choosing to share my experience with family and friends and now by leaving an actual 'paper trail' via this post. 

Here is the condensed version of what we've been thru so far without getting too graphic. **any of my dad's reading this blog should probably skip this part.

Aug - Oct

- came off Nuvaring bc in August. Had 3 regular 'mensies'

-using ovulation predictor kits(opk's), 3 diff brands(Target brand, First Response and Clearblue) with positive ovulation indications

Nov

- 1 week after my yearly women's exam in Nov, began experiencing an irregular period

- blood test indicates no ovulation (progesterone level was around 5) which is why my doc thinks the 'never ending' period began

Dec

- got on lo loestrin to combat the flo

- took Premarin (in addition to the lo loestrin) in hopes of stopping the irregular bleeding 

- started taking double the dose of Premarin (per docs orders) this was short lived bc I did NOT like the way the Premarin made me feel so I stopped on my own accord 

Jan

- advised to stop taking lo loestrin and begin Ovulation stimulation meds

- 1st round of Clomid(50 mg). Main symptom is blurry vision and irritability

- still having irregular bleeding

- 3 opk sticks(various brands) indicate ovulation

- very faint positive pregnancy test

- blood test indicates no ovulation

- 2 additional tests show negative pregnancy results

Feb

- day 30 mensie

- round 2 of Clomid(50 mg)

- blood test indicates no ovulation

- no opk's or pregnancy tests used

Mar

-  wait for period to arrive(hopefully in a timely and short manner, day 28 is this Fri) 

- begin a round of Femara. (One of my besties who happens to be an ob/gyn recommended trying the switch before going up to 100mg of Clomid. The higher dose can cause your uterine lining to thin out, making implantation more difficult. Don't want to trade one issue for another, so I'm making the switch.)

So the point of this blog and to bring a looooong story short is to say this, we have hit a small road block in the fertility department and this is where we are currently at. It's scary to have all our business out on display but it certainly helps to have the support I've had from sharing my story to others and I'm so grateful to all the friends and family that have expressed their well wishes and lifted us up in prayer. I send out similar prayers to those I know who have been fighting this battle longer than we have, my heart is with you. 

All in God's time....

Liz

Pink for Valentines day!!

The McDaniel household weekly date night is spaghetti and cheap red wine Friday. So with Valentine's day falling on a Friday, we found no need to brave the crowds, but wanted to do something a little different. So the hubby said he had it 'handled' when I asked about dinner. And did he ever! 

Fresh Market was selling pre-packaged meals. This included a dozen pink roses(that are just now in full gorgeous bloom), Caeser salad, asparagus, 2 chateaubriand cuts of steak, and chocolate covered strawberries! 

We roasted the asparagus and I seared up the meat with salt and pepper. 

Even used our 'fancy china' and had a set table(albeit in front of the tv). And our other valentines(our fur babes), also got some steak.

That Saturday, we attended a lovely Vday party with friends where I made red beans and rice(will NOT make again) as I found it tasted like Mexican refried beans and also some red velvet whoopie pies. I mixed a few recipes but the mix was boxed and there was marshmallow fluff in the filing. 

My valentines nails...

Pink pink and more pink...

I have discovered this quick dry top coat.

 Tho my nails chip quickly(thinking or trying a no chip coat before this), it's worth it to have instantly dry nails. 

What did you do on valentines day? What nail combos have you been rocking? 

A Pinterestastic weekend!!!!!

Pinterest is my friend(most of the time), this weekend was a Pinterest success as far as recipes, even though mine weren't as pretty. That's probably why I have no original pics. Read on! 

This past week was apparently taco week. We had tacos on Monday night, I had taco salad for lunch one day, not to mention 2 nights out for Mexican food. So keeping in theme we had R over for Tacos Friday night except this time I switched it up and made Korean tacos. I have used this recipe twice and it's a favorite of everyone's. 

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2011/11/slow-cooker-shredded-korean-beef-tacos.html?m=1

I made rice and the hubs picked up some banchan(side dishes) up for us all to share. After all, what is a Korean dinner without some spicy cabbage Kimchi? 

Sidebar** watched Last Vegas. It was pretty funny! 

Part of the reason the BIL came over was to discuss the upcoming BBQ fest. We had decided last minute(Fri morn) to have people over for ribs on Sat. In my opinion, one of the best things about BBQ fest is the time leading up to it. The 'practices' where we gather and talk about all the good times ahead. Almost better than the competition itself. 

So, as the years have passed, I've really worked at becoming a more efficient hostess since many of these parties are at our place. Mainly this involves placing limitations on the things I make(cook, make or mix). I narrowed it down to 2 items, a dessert and an appetizer. After watching Diners Drive-ins and Dives Fri eve, I got the idea of Mac and cheese muffins(see clip below)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/ringside-mac-n-cheese-muffins-0208289.html 

So I got on Pinterest looking for one of the many m&c recipes I knew I stored. I found the below buffalo mac and cheese and was sold. I thought I could modify it to make 'muffin bites' but it ended up being too time consuming and only 80% successful the first batch(meaning some fell apart). I don't think there was enough glue when I baked them to stay together, so plan B became a casserole that was gone within 15 minutes. A definite make again! 

http://lentzedlife.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/freezer-for-matt-buffalo-chicken-pasta-bake/

For dessert, I went with a classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate. And they ended up tasting exactly like my FAVE treat-Buckeyes(you Ohioans know what I'm talking about). I lined the pan with foil and cut them into slices and it was seriously one of the easiest desserts I've made. And those of you who have gone thru the process of making Buckeye candy, will know how difficult that can be.  Another make again!

http://www.heatovento350.com/2011/01/reeses-peanut-butter-cups-only-better.html?m=1

I don't count this as an item I made, but wanted to mention it bc apparently Snickerdoodles are M's favorite? Or at least he couldn't stop eating them. I keep a pkg in my fridge if I know kids are coming over so we have something to do if they get restless. I promised little Ms.B we'd 'bake' the next time she was over so I got these-and will definitely be purchasing again.

My baking buddy! 

Sunday night was our first hosting of a HS Bible study. I didn't have any girls show up, but we had a few guys who raved about this buffalo garbage bread I made. I figured it was the perfect thing to make since it was easy, inexpensive, but mostly bc I had many of the ingredients already from the buffalo mac. 

http://emmalinaviolet.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/buffalo-chicken-garbage-bread/

This recipe provides so many options! Pizza bread and other flavors will definitely be in the future. A crowd pleaser and perfect for hungry High schoolers. 

In other news, I'm slowly working on my closet re-org. This involves getting new(matching) non-slip hangers, doesn't it look so nice already? 

Just need to either get rid of some(and by some I mean a LOT) clothes and/or get more hangers....more hangers it is! :)

Super Bowl(s full of cookies) weekend

Aren't these cookies pretty cute? I googled super bowl cookies and football cookies and came up with these 2 ideas. Football field sugar cookies & gluten free chocolate cookie sandwiches. 

Disclaimer* I used store bought sugar cookie dough since I was baking another kind of cookie from scratch. I would probably do scratch made dough next time but look for a recipe that doesn't expand quite so much. Needless to say, after baking, I had to recut these into the right shape since they spread in the oven. 

Royal icing recipe used. I used orange extract and green food coloring was added for the field. 

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/230296/glossy-royal-icing

Using Wilton decorating bags, I piped lines where the 'crowd' would meet the field.

I tried two methods, dipping the cookies in thinned out frosting and dipping into sprinkles AND spooning the icing onto the edges and shaking the sprinkles onto the cookie. I recommend the second. 

I made a fresh batch of frosting bc I had sprinkles everywhere, and dyed this batch 'grass' green. I piped a rectangle for the field, squeezed out some extra, and spread it out(using the back of a spoon) to create the field. 

After allowing the field to completely dry, I piped on white field lines and yard numbers. 

This icing set really well, so after it dried there wasn't a lot of breakage which is great. I'll definitely use that royal icing recipe again. Good if you need to transport cookies to a different location. 

Nobody at the party was gluten free but this recipe looked so simple, I thought I'd give it a try.

http://www.healthhomehappy.com/2010/10/sandwich-cookies-gluten-grain-and-sugar-free.html

 A few notes, almond flour is expensive. Like I could only find one kind at FM and it was 13 bucks a bag. 

I have been told that gluten free cookie flour works pretty a well, so if I do something else gluten free, I may go that route. 

The dough came together so easy. It was working with it that was a nightmare. This dough gets soft really fast, like in a minute or two kind of fast. So rolling it out, using a cookie cutter and trying to get them onto trays without a misshapen football didn't work. I did find that cutting it and placing it back in the freezer before trying to place the shapes on the cookie sheet was the trick. Once I did this, it was smooth sailing. 

I used leftover royal frosting to pipe on the football lines. (Every other one since they were sandwiches)

Then I made the filling which was very sweet. 

http://www.healthhomehappy.com/2010/10/simple-meringue-frosting-refined-sugar-free.html

(Recipe link for filling is included in post)

Using a Wilton decorating bag, I piped the meringue onto the underside of the cookies and put them together.

Easy Peezy once I figured out how to work with the dough. These actually tasted pretty good as well. The cookie has a very salty/sweet flavor so it paired well with the very sweet filling. 

Both cookies seemed to be a hit. And a good time was had by all at the party. Except the Denver fans, what a bummer game for them. 

We got chairs for our desk, been looking for lamps now. Can't decide if we should get one or two. 

Hope everyone had a great time this weekend. Counting down the days until football season begins again!!!

Farmhouse Desk DIY

Finally got the hubby to help me build the farmhouse desk I pinned on Pinterest awhile back. (http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/08/diy-desk-for-bedroom-farmhouse-style.html)

Total cost was around $100 give or take. This included wood, a pre-made pine surface for the top, sand paper, a (still unused) Kreg jig, new saw rings, stain, poly urethane, and a new paint brush. So you could probably get away with spending around $60 if you only had to by lumber. 

Here's the inspiration...

Here are a few progress pics(we didn't do a great job of getting many pics).

We are planning to get aluminum chairs from Restoration Hardware and I'm looking at architect swing lamps. The desk will hold my laptop and a few pictures. Can't wait to get it completely done. Here's what it looks like in the house! We ended up completely re-arranging the furniture but are pretty happy with the look as of right now. 

What diy projects are you working on?