Thanks for 2010, on to 2011

As 2010 is coming to an end, I was thinking of the things that made this year better.  Of course there's the obvious three people, my family, and friends, but it's the little things that make the day-to-day living good. 

Sophie & Sienna, what I'm most thankful.



Like my JBRAND SKINNY JEANS.  Without these, I'd be walking around in lounge wear all day.

Thank goodness for my LA friends who insisted that I buy these.

RED WINE I'm thankful that this a healthful choice, at least for now.

CAFFEINE I love you coffee, espresso, Diet Coke, tea (basically all drinks that will give my teeth a lovely yellow tinge).



Francis! Francis! Adds a nice kick to my morning coffee.



A GOOD LAWYER  Although it would be nice not to need one, if you do (as I do) it helps if he's also the dad of a dear friend.

A REGULAR BABYSITTER  Date night became a reality this year, and it's a bonus that she's family.

I'm also looking forward to some self- improvement in 2011.  I'm planning to:

1. Talk on the phone less.

2. Allow less TV watching by my children.

3. Get straight hair.  I'm in a quandary over Brazilian hair straightening or Japanese. Decisions, decisions.....

4. Be healthier (i.e. go to the gym more often, consume fewer carbs, lose a few pounds).

5. Have more private time with my husband (wink, wink).

Even if I accomplish some of my list, I'll be happy and grateful for the things I do have, hoping for world peace and equality for all in 2011.



Easy Brunch Recipe: Baked eggs with artichokes & parmesan

I found the easiest breakfast recipe in my (I mean Larry's) new Bon Appetit cookbook.  It takes just minutes to prepare, and can be prepared the night before and popped in the oven and served to two as easily as twenty.  I made them amidst the pleasant chaos of Christmas morning, and thought it would be perfect for a New Year's Day brunch with Bon Appetit's recommended toasted sliced ciabatta, grilled Italian sweet sausages, and Bellinis. 

2 Servings

Ingredients

1 Tb unsalted butter

2 tsp chopped fresh chives

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

8 frozen artichoke quarters, thawed

2 large eggs

2 Tb (packed0 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

RUB butter over bottom and sides of two 6-oz souffle dished or custard cups, dividing equally.  Sprinkle with herbs, dividing equally.  Place 4 artichoke pieces in each dish.  Crack 1 egg into each dish, being careful not to break yolk.  Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper, and cheese.  (Can be prepared one day ahead.  Cover and chill.)

PREHEAT oven to 400.  Bake until eggs are softly set and cheese is golden, about 9 mins.  Serve immediately.

I usually attempt recipes based on their simplicity and the ability to substitute ingredients, since I'm almost always out of something.  This recipe wasn't an exception.  I had Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan, so I ended up baking it for more like 15 mins since the cheese wasn't browning.  Also, I prepared the twins their own, but chopped the artichokes further and allowed the dish to cool before I gave it to them.  They each may have had one bite, and then requested grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast, and of course I complied.

Holiday Cocktail: The Poinsettia

I love a cocktail, especially one with a theme.  Let's face it, besides meaning abundant, plentiful, and pleasing to the senses, the adjective "lush" also has a slang meaning of something else entirely.  I made a drink called the Poinsettia for tree trimming with the family.  The tree trimming was a bit of a flop because I was missing half of my Xmas lights and decorations, but the company, food, and drink were very successful.

The Poinsettia
1/4oz Grand Marnier
3oz Cranberry Juice
Champagne

Add Grand Marnier and chilled Cranberry juice to a champagne flute.  Top with Champagne. 

Grand Marnier can be substituted for Cointreu OR Triple Sec, and Champagne can be substituted for any sparkling wine (I used Prosecco).

Happiness is......

Nothing could make me happier than watching my husband brush our daughter's hair,

except maybe following up the hair brushing with feeding our other daughter spoonfuls of Nutella, to her delight.  The Nutella eating will also appear in a future post titled something like "Things I Swore We'd Never Do As Parents."

And yes, Sophie is almost always wearing a hand-me-down Christmas dress, and Sienna is often wearing a seasonally inappropriate summer dress with pearls.

Gifts, Gifts, and More Gifts

So Thanksgiving is under our belts both literally and figuratively.  It was a great day for our entire little family.  The girls had big kids to play with, we had lots of good food and conversation, thanks to an incredibly well organized dinner by our hosts.  The girls were even in bed at a normal time thanks to all the excitement and lack of nap.

A sure sign they're feeling better: costumes, Icecream sandwiches & Popsicles

The remainder of the weekend was surprisingly low key due to little cold our entire family picked up, but it kept us close to home on what could have been a jam-packed weekend so in the end, I'm grateful that we got some good family time.

IRC Jump Start Trampoline $79 Target.com

Not one to stand in line for door busters, I'd never planned on venturing out for Black Friday shopping, but I was motivated by all the "big girl" toys the girls played with on Thanksgiving.  First thing in the morning, I placed some big gift orders which include a gigantic dollhouse and a small indoor trampoline for the house.  I've already picked up some books, magnetic paper dolls, and sparkly Keds, so I think all Santa needs to bring is some fantastic stocking stuffers, and that should make for a perfect 2-year old Christmas.   I mean, a mom could really get carried away so I'm going to practice restraint.

Now that the major Santa appreciators (I think this will be the year they start to "get" Santa, but I could be wrong) are taken care of, it's time to think of everyone else.  I think I'll start with myself, and a pre-holiday gift of a gym membership, so I can get my own jump start.  





My Thanksgiving Babble

This will only be the third Thanksgiving in my short personal history that I haven't spent with my entire family.  This year we'll celebrate with friends which will no doubt be lovely, fun for the kids, and local, but I can't help feeling a little sad about missing my family, especially as my grandparents are getting on in years.  So much of Thanksgiving's about food, but to me, it's about tradition and gathering with loved ones, and that always happens in my grandparents house. 

As a side note: My maternal grandfather co-authored books about America's early history including the Quest for Columbus, Riding with Coronado, and the seasonally timely Pilgrim Courage adapted from a firsthand account by William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony.  This somehow feels that the roots of this uniquely American holiday aren't that far from us.

My father, always says grace in Spanish.  I think that most years he's thanking my Aunt Susie for preparing the meal, maybe apologizing to Native Americans for stealing their land, thanking our President for trying to fix the world, and asking for peace in the world. 

I'm grateful for too many things to list.  I think it's important to be grateful for even the mundane, and things I take for granted, so this year I'm going to list them all in my head (I'm kind of superstitious, and don't like to even say certain things aloud), but know that I will be thinking of them all day as I stuff my face with deviled eggs and wine.

Here are other's words I enjoyed about being "thankful":

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.-- Oprah Winfrey

 

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.-- Buddha

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

No matter what your tradition, toast, or grace consists of, please have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

P.S. Here's the previously mentioned Deviled Egg recipe:


Ingredients
6 eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoked Spanish paprika, for garnish

Directions
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water that there's 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes, then rinse under cold water continuously for 1 minute.

Crack egg shells and carefully peel under cool running water. Gently dry with paper towels. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and placing the whites on a serving platter. Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Enjoy.

Portraits in Silhouette

Sophie (left) & Sienna (right) in silhouette

A twin-mom-friend had been searching high and low for an artist who does those old-fashioned silhouettes.  She eventually got a few different names and organized a little party where the artist came, met with the child or children (and the mom), and cut their little picture right there!

The girls were so good and sat very well, although Jean, the artist, didn't seem to really care if they were still.  It seems like hair is her forte.  The silhouette of a little boy with a shaggy hair cut came out particularly cute, and ponytails look adorable via her cutting method.

This was in a party setting so I'm not sure if the pricing is standard, but one child's portrait was $28, the cost of the frame was $29, and each additional portrait was only $10.  I think Jean offers a bit of a discount to the organizer.  She also can do it via mail through a photo (although I think she may prefer in person), offers pet silhouettes, and can be available for fundraisers.

I decided on two separate frames instead of one larger frame with both images.  I plan to give them to each girl for their own home when they're all grown up.  In the meantime, I have to find a space on the wall since they can't stay on the dining room table forever.

Artist info: Jean Comerford 413.477.6179, www.portraitsinsilhouette.com

Have a great weekend!

Granite State here we come!

It's only Friday morning and our weekend's packed with plans.  Today's dedicated to more house hunting, while tonight's date night!  We'll probably just head to the local pub, and that might not sound to romantic, but my husband and I will be out together WITHOUT our kids!

The Druid - Inman Square, Somerville

Tomorrow I'll take the girls with my parents to visit our relatives in the granite state.  We'll have a pre-Thanksgiving lesson in "living free" (or dying).  You gotta love NH!  It's been a while since we've seen our extended family, and it should be fun.

Saturday night we may join one of the "Maya" families (a Maya family is one with a 3-year-old-girl named Maya who the twins worship - there are multiples) for a German Lantern Festival in Brighton, and Sunday will bring more house hunting.

No matter what your weekend brings, try and enjoy every minute of it.

Too early for Holiday decorating?

I just got off of the phone with a friend who'd just been pre-shopping Christmas decorations.  She has a new home in Chicago that's a craftsman, quintessentially American, and an ideal house to decorate.  She figured that she'd decorate the day after Thanksgiving, while another friend decorates before Thanksgiving so her house will be ultra-festive for her turkey-day guests which seems like a wonderful idea.  So I say, unless you're a major retailer it may be a little too early on November 8th to decorate, but certainly not too early to start thinking about it. 

I love the green pears, green balls, and the wreath hung with a non-traditional fabric.  I also love bulbs at Christmas, it seems so refreshing.

This is a cute tree for a family with little kids or a folky style, from Wisteria 2009



Modern and I love it!




I do a lot of blue on my tree, but without the seashells and faux snow.



This doesn't scream Xmas, it's just nice and subtle.

This table setting from Pottery Barn would be really easy to re-create.  I always display sparkly pine cones which I spray myself with glitter paint from Loews, tthey're nice in groupings, and free!  Also, Amaryllis is a nice alternative to traditional Xmas plants.

Pottery Barn calls this the "Nostalgia" tree and it has apples, stars, and stick ornaments.

This is from Pottery Barn, but the elements are simple: paperwhites, candles, pine cones, and a few decorations.

houzz.com is awesome.

I'm completely obsessed with the site www.houzz.com . It's so easy to lose track of minutes and hours while touring other people's homes and ideabooks for their future homes. Better still, I've recently learned that the site's members are also an invaluable resource. I posted a question to one of my favorite members and within minutes had a response!

Eclectic kitchen idea

Chandelier takes center stage in this room.

Note to self: A cobalt blue door looks so pretty in the snow and dressed for the holiday.

Have a Great Weekend

Let the Halloween festivities begin!  The girls are going to go door-to-door for their first "real" trick or treating experience.  It's yet to be seen if they'll actually wear their fairy (Sienna) and ladybug (Sophie) costumes for more than 5 minutes, but if they do, I'll be sure to post pictures.  Mind you they first modelled and then cried for said costumes until I bought them in TJ Maxx, but a toddler's emotions are hardly rational.

If I were more organized I might have planned a fabulous Halloween Party like socialite Alison Sarofim whose annual bashes included themes like 80s, Surrealism, and Japanese Anime.  But 1) I don't have someone to produce a party like that, and 2) I think hiring shirtless male servers might be a little out of my budget.

Sarofim's "Surrelism" costume



Marjorie Guggelman's vision of "Japanese Anime"

I would also have loved to host the Dia de los Muertos party I mentioned in a previous post.  I'd set up a really cool Altar with neat skulls, lots of flowers, candles, and pictures of people who have passed, and make many toasts to their lives (and after-lives).  Maybe next year......

Dia de los Muertos skull dolls

Enjoy your weekend, and no matter what you have planned make it festive and maybe a little scary!

Love This: Poison Bottle Labels

Having two 2-year-olds limits me to merely planning future grown-up Halloween Parties.  However when I free up to host a real party again, I'll be ordering these Martha Stewart vintage-feel bottle labels from Grandin Road:

http://www.grandinroad.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=21755

Set of 12 Stickers $9

Day of the Dead

Maybe it's my sliver of Aztec ancestestry, but I think Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is fascinating. This blogger http://whippedtheblog.com/2010/10/25/host-a-last-minute-day-of-the-dead-party/

suggested having a Day of the Dead themed Party. The idea is you set up a festive altar and everyone comes with pictures of friends, families, maybe even celebritites that they want to honor, you create one big altar, play festive Latin music, dance, and eat Latin food like guacamole and tamales. I'm definitely doing this someday!

When the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, it was an indigenous ritual, and typical to most conquerors they tried unsuccessfully to stop it.  Unlike the Spaniards, who viewed death as the end of life, the natives viewed it as the continuation of life. Instead of fearing death, the Aztecs embraced it. To them, life was a dream and only in death did they become truly awake. Hmmmmmmmmmmm, wouldn't that be interesting?

To make the ritual more Christian, the Spaniards moved it to coincide with All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (Nov. 1 and 2).

Different Dia de los Muertos traditions include visiting the cemetery where their loved ones are buried, decorating gravesites, bringing toys for dead children and liquor to adults. They sit on picnic blankets next to gravesites and eat the favorite food of their loved ones.  Families also build altars in their homes, dedicating them to the dead by surrounding the altars with flowers, food, pictures of the deceased, and

lit candles.

The store Nomad which is just blocks away from my home sells everything you'd need for your Day of the Dead decor.  From $2.80 Candy Skulls to $500 Haitian Voodoo Skulls.  http://www.nomadcambridge.com/dod.htm

Deceptively Delicious

Do Chocolate Chip Cookies with hidden chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) sound a bit odd to you?  They did to me too, but when I saw the scrumptious photo in Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook Deceptively Delicious, I thought it was worth a try.  A friend gave me the book a little over a month ago, and I've pulled it out for ideas to get my little non-eaters to eat.  Seinfeld's strategy is to secretly add purees of vegetables to kid's favorite dishes: think meatballs with butternut squash hidden inside, or scrambled eggs with cauliflower puree. 

Truth be told, I'm a very inconsistent cook, so for these cookies to be a hit (my husband said they may be the best he's ever tried), the recipe must be foolproof.  Did I mention that my twins helped bake them?  This added a whole other opportunity for error.

The cookies are light and fluffy, which isn't what I typically like (I prefer sugary and crispy), but I do think they're very good, more filling than a trypical cookie, and actually have some nutritional value.  Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
nonstick cooking spray
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 c trans fat-free soft tub margarine
2 large egg whites
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cup ap flour
1/2 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon or on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, then the chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.

3. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Press gently with a fork to flatten. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and just set, 11 - 13 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Happy & Healthy Eating!

2-years-old, Now What?

Birthday Fun

 My twins celebrated their second birthday over a month ago and I'm only writing about it now. Nice mom, huh? They celebrated with a birthday luau which really consisted of Hawaiian themed paper goods, a borrowed Bounce House, and their closest little friends, my friends, and a handful of relatives. They had an amazing time, and we had a beautiful day and last hurrah in our old, gigantic yard. My preparation was a lot less extensive than birthday #1's birthday festivities that included gorgeous mailed invites, rented tables linens, teddy bear centerpieces, 2 hams, a turkey, pizza, pasta, etc. You get the idea. If it weren't for a friend's good sense, and great photography skills, we wouldn't even have a single photo to remember this year's event.

No more binky for you.

 Last week marked the completion of their immunization schedule, and a nice visit with their kind pediatrician who informed us at the girls were in the 95% for height and 5% for weight, but that "they look wonderful"(the greatest words to hear from a doctor). He also said that I need to get rid of their pacifiers except for nighttime sleeping. This will be challenging since my girls love their "b" (short for "bebe" their word for binky).

He also said it was normal that they're completely obsessed with one friend (Maya) who they wake up crying for, ask for incessantly, and call all other girls regardless of the child's actual name.

He said Sophie's separation anxiety is normal since we just had a big move, and that their hair-pulling and biting, and all other bad behavior of others should be dealt with by removing them from the situation, not by words. Done.

He said I could think about school, if I need a break (which I do, but that's another post), but that they don't really need it this year. Okay, that'll save us anywhere from $3k to $18k per kid. Sounds good to me.

The kind doctor also informed us that more than 2 hours of TV watching a day is no good. No kidding, but would he (or anyone) like to entertain my children for the 12 hours a day they're awake? I know full well they watch too much television, even though I'm a pretty active and involved mom. We go to the park one or more times a day, the library 1-2 times a week, and today we went to the Museum of Science. We visit friends, read, color, paint, play with Play Doh, drum, sing, and play with dolls. We change our clothes about five times a day and that doesn't even include actually playing "dress up. However, that takes up about half the day. Does anyone have any better ideas because I could use some. 

No more binkies or TV, what's a 2-year-old (or her mother) to do?  No wonder they call it the terrible 2's, I think we have some tough days ahead of us.

"Mommy Time" is good for everyone

(l-r) Sienna, Grandma Bruna, and Sophie

Last Saturday my wonderful husband gave me the day off.  He took our twins to visit their grandma in Cape Cod, which left me with 6.5 hours to do whatever I wanted.  What I did with my time is somewhat mundane (yoga class, shopping downtown, dry cleaning, lunch, shower, and housecleaning), but it felt like he'd taken them away for a week.  It wasn't until he sent me this photo of the girls, pants rolled up, walking on the beach with his mother that I realized that this day-cation was a great thing for all of us, not just me.

I'm not trying to make y'all jealous, but the day trip was followed by hugs and kisses from girls, and then a date night with my husband and some great friends.  Did I hit the lottery?

Live What You Love

I saw this on an interior designer's blog fairly recently, and decided that I should get it.  The desinger was having a "yellow" moment, but I like the message.  What do you think? 

The site MadebyGirl.com has some other cool prints, cards, and silkscreens at very reasonable prices. http://www.madebygirl.com/http://www.madebygirl.com/

Panzanella Salad, yummmmmm

If you've read my blog then you're fully aware of my unwavering admiration for Barefoot Contessa recipes.  In all honestly, I only cook the easy ones, and here's one of my all time faves: Panzanella Salad.  What's not to like about a salad that doesn't have a single leaf of lettuce, but instead uses baguette? As of last Saturday, many of these ingredientswere available at our farmer's market, so stock up on the ingredients tomorrow, and have yourself a rustic yet fabulous dinner tomorrow night.  It scarcely matters if you don't have all the ingredients, which works for me since I always forget something.  I also have served it with a herb-marinated pork loin (also Ina's recipe), and I'll include that recipe as well.  Bon appetit!

PANZANELLA

Ingredients:

Good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
Kosher salt
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted
For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil


Directions
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.


Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.
For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

HERB-MARINATED PORK LOINS
Ingredients:
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.
Clearly if you're on a diet, you may want to save these recipes (esp. the Panzanella) for another time.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/greek-panzanella-recipe/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herb-marinated-pork-tenderloins-recipe/index.html

Hello & Goodbye

So I just said "goodbye" to that lovely house we'd finally finished renovating, which is why it's been over a month since I've written on this little blog.  It's given me virtually no time to do things like contemplate many of life's big questions like why "Maria" on Sesame Street doesn't go by here real name (Sonya), whether or not she's really married to Luis (probably not) or whether Gabby's her real daughter.  I haven't had much time to be doing anything too lush (or even to be a lush).  Moving is serious business, but even more serious with little kids. 

Amazingly we had an offer on our house within days of putting it on the market, which forced us quickly out of reveling in our real estate afterglow and into moving mode.  Temporarily,we're living in my husband's old bachelor pad in the city.  It's a 3rd floor walk-up, so I'm getting lots of exercise (I could use it), my girls have stopped asking when they're going home (so sad) and now are loving the four parks within walking distance, and my husband's getting a 5 minute walk as a commute.

I'm enjoying our closeness.  Did I forget to mention it's a one-bedroom loft?  I'm not sure exactly how long we'll be here, so we're all embracing our digs, at least for the time being.

My House Before & After

I just found some pictures that my husband took, when we were contemplating buying our house. Just a little over two years we flew back home to Metrowest from Chapel Hill, NC to buy a house in a weekend. I know people who relocate for jobs do that type of thing all the time, but we never had done anything quite so fast. The twins arrival was quickly approaching, and I was getting bigger by the minute, so we had to act fast: we needed to come home to our family.

There didn't seem like there was too much inventory, but that didn't stop us. We found a house with only one previous owner. A house with a good vibe, albeit not the best aesthetic, but we believed it had "good bones." Somehow we were able to see through all the pink ceramic tile and laminate to what would become our home.

Hall Before

Hall After

Kitchen Before: The giant TV came with the house, but so did the columns, all the shelving, and blue counter top.

After

After

After

In the kitchen we removed all the shelving, visual equipment, track lighting, etc.  Next my husband (with the help of some awesome friends) removed all the ceramic tile and a flooring company matched the oak in the living and dining rooms, sanded and stained it in Jacobean.  We replaced the laminate cabinets and island with painted custom cabinets and carrera marble counter tops, moved the refrigerator, and replaced the appliances.

Master Bedroom Before

 

After

One of the strangest things to contend with was the vanity and sink in the middle of the master bedroom.  I think most home buyers would have probably just walked out upon seeing it.  Luckily my husband had a quick solution: take it all out, and drywall.  We replaced carpet, patched, painted, and added a new ceiling fan.

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Peak into Nursery Bathroom Before

Peak into Nursery Bathroom After

For the months while I was on bed rest with twins (exactly this time two years ago) my husband spent every day at work and every night working on getting this house ready for us.  He lived in the basement while I stayed with my parents (one mile away) so that they could feed me my 3 meals, 2 snacks, 1 dessert, numerous decaf Arnold Palmer's every day, and make sure I wasn't walking around.  I'm quite pleased with the outcome of Phase I of our little renovation.