My Tiny House Kitchen

So the tiny little house in the most awesome neighborhood in town, is freaking awesome. But it's tiny so keep that in mind when you laugh at my little kitchen.....

I'm introducing the first room of our tiny little stone house. It's so far my favorite room. The cabinets are brand new, the sink is new but the rest is ancient.... do you see the radiator heater tucked under the ledge back there?

Yeah, this is me putting the final touches on a King Ranch Casserole (Gluten-Free Duh). Let me give you a tour....

 Notice below please: there are two types of wallpaper in this kitchen. Amazingly, this is old as hell wallpaper... the house was occupied by an older gentleman whose idea of using the kitchen was opening a can to heat on the stove.... he moved to Florida, I got a steal! Also, what you see below, that is the ENTIRE kitchen.... and frankly, it's handy as hell... everything is within reach and fits just fine. It's just not cute.

 Notice how awesome my rug matches, that was completely by accident as I have had this rug for years.

 Now the wall was emtpy except for the stove until I got creative.... there's my card table, my little "drink" fridge (tea, soda, water, etc), my microwave, and my little portable pantry! Now this kitchen is pimped out with the goods that momma needs to get stuff done. Notice all my spices lining the big ole window!

Best part, the kitchen is on the second floor and the house is surrounded by trees and tall bushes so there is total privacy without the need for curtains! I likey.

So much so that I just pulled GF homemade cinnamon rolls out of the oven.... for a quick breakfast before church.

More to come... we do have a few extra rooms after the kitchen.

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Tiny house - the kitchen

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Band Names Cont....

1. Dried Tuna Shavings - Dave

2. Cheesy Fishy Hot Balls - Lynn

Always interesting over here, lol....

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This is what 12 lbs extra looks like...

Almost done with this effffing move, to.....

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I'm Alive!

I swear I'm here, just trying to finish this move. But boy oh boy are you in for a treat...... my new series "Tiny Western House" will be on this site starting tomorrow........ tune in!

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Follow the Journey, Laugh with Me (Or at me)

Soooooooo.... last you heard we were considering some land. Expensive land with some geographic challenges but still land in an oil boom area. However, it wasn't sitting right on us. So we did some praying and we did some hairy eyeballing at each other, dancing around without coming out and saying we were having serious doubts. Then we spilled and compared notes.

We passed on the land.

And considering that we pay an extraordinary amount of rent for this house here, things were really looking sad.

Until the very next morning  I was driving the kids to tennis camp when I saw it.... alittle "for rent" sign in a window.... in a little stone house, in the awesome neighborhood where I take the kids everyday to play anyway.

So I casually mention it to Dave, then when he's interested I drive him by....... and we call. Then we go see.

Then we had a reality check.

It's a 2 bedroom, it's a house over 100 years old, it's a tiny little stone house about the size of our first apartment. IT'S A FOURTH OF THE PRICE we currently pay for rent a month.

HOLY SMOKES, God is good. If we are willing to take a step down and get there.........

See while we were joking about the "tiny house" and admiring the "tiny rent payment" when it kinda hit home......

(be prepared for some real truth here peeps, my life is getting real)

We are three bills away from being debt free.

Let me say that again.... we are three bills away from being debt free.

One being a house that we plan to sell this coming year or next, one vehicle and one card.

It was three years ago that Dave and I began our Dave Ramsey push towards getting rid of SO MUCH FREAKING DEBT.

I'll discuss the journey at a later date, it's a fun, bumpy ride.....

But here we are thinking of seriously adding 200k worth of debt to our portfolio and we realized how freaking close we truly are to being debt free.

There are very few people who can honestly say they are debt free.

I plan on being one.

So join us.....

We are putting alot of stuff in storage, moving into the tiny little rental house and hitting the following goals:

1. fill the emergency fund (thanks Dave Ramsey for the idea)
2. Pay off card
3. Pay off truck
4. Pay down home mortgage to sell  (note, we don't live there, it's in another state with a tenant)
5. fill up savings to bursting

Oh and have fun on the way. I'll honestly document every dramatic issue and fun, horror-filled moment along the way....

Join us........

Griswalding our own way!

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Mini-vacay

Be back Monday

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I heart inappropriate

If you need a good laugh, or a really inappropriate card to send without a return address go check out www.someecards.com cause oh my hell that was hysterical! I just seriously wasted a ton of my time trolling that site (and maybe ordering some to send out to people that make my list, lol)

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Holy Shit.....

So today was "get my hair trimmed" day. And boy oh boy did it evolve from there. See, the black hair thing I've been rocking for two years? It started out as a joke between me and Dave. Dave once said "why not black, it's the only hair color you haven't had" and the next day I went to black hair. :) Cause I'm crazy and smart assy like that. Well and I liked it but when I got bored with it, I realized that to go not-black I would have to a. cut if all off and start regrowth or b. bleach it. I'm NOT a bleach it kinda of girl.  So I just kept dying the roots as my grey attempted to take over my head. But this is no longer a problem cause the black hair is gone with the wind.......

 

See the little chickie who is our hairdresser here (who by the way is not my Lance, boohooooooo) tells me about this great new product she did a class on the week before. A product that strips color out of hair without bleaching. A product that opens the hair folicle and allows the color to fall out literally so you go back close to natural. I was the guinia pig lol and it worked. Except I didn't realize what my hair thinks its natural color is........ slightly fire engine red.

 

But that black haired thing?

 

Yeah, I'm over it.

 

Now will have to keep my nail polish black to keep my goth edge.

 

Pics will come, later....... cause frankly I'm too damn tired tonight. I been busy chasing kids and cooking and chasing kids and running my mile. Whew, it's tough work but I got to pull this damn weight off STAT.

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Reason #47 That I'm A Bad Mom

So today was the beginning of camps for the girls.... so in addition to doing some homeschooling during the summer, they now have swim and tennis camps. This morning, I drug them out of bed with the lure of freshly made french toast. Then watched them stagger into my truck bound for early morning exercise. It was awesome!!!!

Princess had her camp first. 45 minutes of her looking like a cute little orangutan in red shorts swinging that racket around like it was a softball bat. The kid is not a natural, although after a while she started to get the hang of the serve. :) If nothing else, this will keep her busy and she can play tennis with me and Dave.

But Duchess, oh my hell I'm a horrible parent...... Duchess was freaking hysterical. I seriously sat there with Princess in the truck watching the car crash that was my baby swinging a deadly racket around in the beginner class. Tears in my eyes and Princess swearing this could only be better with popcorn, we cheered when Duch actually hit ONE ball and then again when she nailed the little boy next to her.

OMG.... I get to see this every morning for the next four weeks. I'm taking a lawn chair and some damn cheetos! Score!

Tomorrow I'll tell you all about Duchess' swim lesson last night, lol.... it was great too... watching her almost drown the lifeguard damn near made me pee myself. In fact, thank you lord I can hover everywhere and anywhere cause that swimming pool bathroom was NOT clean, ewwwww.....

After a while, I managed to leave her in the pool (mainly cause she was too busy blowing me kisses and waving, did I mention that at 9 years old she is a huge momma's girl?) and Princess/I headed out to the track next door to do our 1 mile walk.

So I gots me some yummy cake and it was deserved after my busy parenting day.

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But its Fried Chicken

It's been kinda a crazy weekend.... we headed to the lake, got bad directions and ended up house shopping instead... then we all got food poisoning. Fun stuff.

However, even though it's been a craptacularly boring day around here (although we did manage to drag our selves 59 miles away to church)... I picked up this box of GF flour blend I've never seen and while in big town yesterday I grabbed one of those professional fryers.

Now don't get me wrong, we don't eat alot of fried foods but occassionally I like to make home fries and I HATE doing it in a regular pot. Yuck.

But I decided to try a quick batch of fried chicken to see if it worked, flour and/or fryer. The family made sides after we tasted the first batch and we had some big eats for dinner. (Yeah and I'm fixing to go run a mile now too, cause my fat ass didn't need that meal!)

So here you go....

Fried chicken marinade:   (I don't measure anything sorry but I put alot of seasonings in my food)
garlic salt
course ground pepper
my momma cajun seasonings (u can use something else)

put chicken in and cover meat completely with buttermilk. Slap a lid on the bowl and toss in the freezer for 30 minutes.

toss quickly and lightly with the flour and drop into the fryer.....

HEAVEN

OMG it was CRISPY which cracks me up since you don't usually get that in GF.

So, I'm smelling like fried chicken and I'm wondering how many dogs will be following me through the neighborhood on our run.

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I B Blinging

So my husband is stubborn. This is not news.... however it is a very rare moment when I lose a battle. I lost a battle. It's rare. Even though that we are currently spending every, single freaking night in the same damn house together for the first time in over a year and a half..... he was being a guy. For YEARS I've only worn my wedding band... reasons are valid. Over the years, I've lost weight (shut up, I know I've gained 12 lbs with the not smoking) so my diamond doesn't fit.... it's too big and frankly I shut it every door in the house on a daily basis. It's really embarrassing cause it often ends up being doors out of the house too. The looks you get.... sigh....

Anywho, out of the blue he decided that I needed to wear both, everyday and suggested this sweetly. I old handily told him the 4-1-1 on the issue and moved on. Next thing I know he's dragging me and my diamond into a jewelry shop locally to have it sized....

And he tells the lady, weld them together.... while he took my band.

Crap, he welded them together.

So EVERYDAY I'm wearing my band and my diamond..... and those damn things got cleaned and shined up.

I'm blinging like there is NO tomorrow. I don't know what they used to clean it but I've had it in meat, dirt, and even the guts of a vaccum cleaner but you rinse your hands and BAM, back to uber super shiney!

Yep, no worries honey...... that thing can be seen from three blocks away. (Even though with 12 lbs gained in the last 45 days, who needs the bat signal)

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well well well

just when you are ready to lock yourself in the closet with a jug of booze, something really amazing pops out of the blue.... or truthfully God tips his hand a little and gives me a glimpse of a different choice.

last night I was chilling on the bed... literally spawled out so that my entire body was taking up as much of the direct fan air as possible. Cause it's hot up in this turd, good lord I will never take central air for granted ever again! Anyway, just in case Dave finished up reading the bible with the kids and decided to try and get some of my cool fan air.... I was ready.

so I'm crawling through websites on the internet and somehow came across a website of land for sale in the northern sites. Holy snikerscoly..... there was a few acres listed in the same county where Dave works. Cause we live a ways away from where he works and he commutes.... I call him in and show him. I tell him to please please please call about it in the morning. Then I sprawled back out and went to sleep... again hogging the cool fan stream.

it was about 1030 this morning when Dave called. I should have known something was up when all he said was "I hate it when you're right" .... well that got my attention. He'd been to work, already met with the realtor and toured the place....... it was time for momma to see it in person....... (now that is a good husband, dayumit!)

it's totally not perfect. It is lined by a railroad track and a power transformer on bordering easements. It has no electric, sewer, or water.

but it's kinda perfect. It's out of town. It's on a county road that gets plowed due to the the transformer. It's farmland. It's got a few trees and bushes. Utilities will be reasonable due to the closeness of the electricity!

now to see if it is meant to be ours....

we are thinking.....

I'll get back to you.....

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Rawr

Still alive, just doing my usual.... sleeping alot. I like to think of it as a diet aid... If my ass is sleeping, my ass ain't eatting!

Rawr

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Band Names

Living in San Diego for a long time, Dave and I became huge fans of the morning talkshow Dave, Shelly and Chainsaw. One of their catchphrases was "that's the name of my new band" anytime there was a funny weird phrase. Dave and I have at least one of these moments a month when one of us will say it.

I've decided to keep a running list.... so on boring nights we can run through them and laugh at the memories of those conversations. Frankly, also because Dave and I share a sense of humor that most don't.... but we don't judge y'all.

So without further ado:
1. Pop and Fresh Poodle Fat

(short version: little Murphy has a crush on this black poodle that gets walked by our house each night. She's an extremely fat little poodle that is STUFFED into her little walking harness by her folks.... girlfriend has junk in the trunk! lol)

*** Side note: reminding myself each night to start each day with a thank to you the Lord for my time with my entire family together. Will figure out how to make this place home! Although in conversation today, referred to Texas as home, that went over like a fart in church.

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Staying busy, not smoking

Fighting the blahs

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Derailed, Damn

So I didn't get my comfort food. What I did get was a laughing waitress as soon as I walked into the only place in town to eat, the Mexican food place. Seems I am there ALOT, lol. Anyway, the sink decided to die. The plumber came just in time for dinner. Damnit. Sooooo I have a new facet set up and those sweet steaks will continue to marinade until dinner tomorrow. Yummy! Those are gonna be some tender shicken fried steaks.

However, I think I will attempt some homemade by hand bread tomorrow too. Stick around, I should gain at least 14 more lbs this week. (okay, smartass aside, I'm down 2 lbs. Woohoo!)

Now, I have to go have a glass of wine while working on lesson plans for the rest of the week.

Laters, Baby

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Comfort Food

Ignore the fact that I've gained weight......... I am cooking. Cause it makes me happy. I also have music blaring.... cause it makes me happy.

And chicken fried steak... obviously makes everyone happy.

I'm playing around so I threw some milk, egg, worchesester (sp duh) sauce, garlic, cracked pepper and a dash of mommas secret cajun seasoning into a big ole bowl.... whipped it into a frenzy. Then dropped some pounded within an inch of their life cubed steaks. Stuck in fridge.

Plan is to simply dreg them through some GF flour and fry swiftly for dinner.

There will be gravy. I have three different GF recipes to try, I'm trying all three tonight.

I need comfort food to drag my fat ass from my blahs.

Which is why I'm heading out now to go bike riding with my kids. Gonna burn them calories now, in preparation for dinner. :)

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Challenge

I think I'm not so much in love with this town. Cause 'dear diary', I will be honest and say that for whatever reason.... (cough-could be the quit smoking part honestly-cough) . Okay I'm miserable. The kids are happy cause we see daddy every night. I'm happy about that too, just the rest....... BLAH. And without my ciggies, well I kinda wanta say kiss my ass and hide out in my bed all day.

But I'm not.

I'm gonna take my babies out and keep myself busy chasing after them. We hit the pool tonight, I sat by and watched them play together while studying. This week we start karate and next week is tennis camp. Hopefully they will make some friends and settle in for the time being.

Me?

I'm gonna keep texting my friends and try not to go "radio silent" .... I usually do that when I'm miserable. So heads up...... I'm honest.

Oh and I'm still not losing the weight I've gained from quitting smoking.

That sucks ass.

I'm all suzy sunshine tonight huh?

I need a glass of cheap as shit fruity wine.

Laters baby. (yeah, I totally read that book)

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Supporting the Dave

Now that he's the boss, he has chances to do more community involvement. So we were recently in the local parade, riding the pilot trucks on either side of a huuuuuge crane. It was fun watching Dave in his business hat! Smexy, too.

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Watch This....

So what do you have once you have unpacked your house......all the boxes are put into the scary ass grisley body-hiding basement (really, what is it with these people and their creepy ass basements) and the schedule we are currently on is getting a little boring. You can only sleep till noon so often before you get bored.

So between journalling, homeschooling some math, and watching HGTV, the kids and I need some activities. So I set out to see what I can get my girls involved in... since there is literally no work options here for me except house wife, mother and occasional love slave (I bet my mother just spewed food all over her screen on that one, lmao, sorry mom..... I couldn't resist, been reading 50 shades). And there is the fact that I'm really spoiled and Dave likes me not working.......so there you have it.

So tonight Dave took Prin to check out the Taekwondo place in town. The master is a chick and she is badass, so heck yeah Princess wasted NO time signing up for a twice week class for the summer.

Now Duchess is pissed cause she was the one orginally wanting to take... but she'll have to wait for a new class to form in Septemeber. :( Until then, I'm looking for something I can get her into....

And apparently I need to join the little city club cause I'm signing this kid up for gymnastics including a seperate tumbling class. Both kids will work through tennis camps in July. AND there is a beautiful pool where I can work out in their gym and watch the kids in the pool through the windows. Score........

Now, if all this activity doesn't help me drop this efffing 10 lbs I've packed on by not smoking, then I'm buying a pack. I have till the end of summer to be back down to normal size. Or I'm kicking my own ass.

Now I'm leaving to go for a walk, with my husband. Cause we can't have talks about kids stuff like this without kid input unless we leave the house. Damn super kid hearing. Ease droppers.

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Chillin in Montana

Somebody send me some yarn, I'm gonna take up knittin

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My Ass is on Notice!

This is my keeping this life of mine real post: I have gained 12 lbs in the month since I quit smoking. Yeah, you read that right. 12 murtha effing lbs........

Since smoking ain't a weight-maintenance option: here we go.

I'm back in the saddle baby.

I just did my mile on the treadmill. It took effffffffing FOREVER to do too. My knees are stiff, my new running shoes rubbed a little on the backs of my ankles cause my socks are too short. And I have serious gas from dinner so it was a little uncomfortable, but I did it.

My new goal: 1 mile in the morning and 1 mile in the evenings for the next two weeks. 5 days a week.

Then we'll start on the real running goals.

Followed up with my arm weights: time to get my arms back in hawt order.

After two weeks, I'll start back on the crunches and really sucky parts of this crap.

Time to take back control and stop being a whiny bitch cause I made the choice to give up my crutch.

Damn I miss that crutch.

Yuummmmy yummy crutch.

Balls!

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Fathers Day....

I smell gunpowder, that's just hawt

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Interesting Day

So I know I am behind on here, but amusing note from my day. It was a rainy day, so the girls and I did our errands in the morning and then took a big ole nap. We woke up and started moving boxes into the basement when I heard the roar of the familiar truck. Dave was home like 3 hours early. He was a Friday work bandit. So in the pouring rain, the two of us escaped the kids to run up to the store to order the girlies their dressers and bookshelves. Then it was off to pick up his Father's Day gift.

Can you guess what it is?

A gun you say?

How did you know? Yeah, so we went to the little gun shop in town where he got the gun he's been drooling over for some time for almost 100 bucks less than we can find it anywhere else.

It might have been me. :) Cheesy grin!

See, I was giving him the usual amount of poop and sass while he was trying to talk me into a new gun too. I like my guns thank you. So, NO. And finally when we rang out, I noticed a huge discount on the gun and ammo. The old guy running the place tells us to please come back. We apparently amused the hell out of him.

So if we managed that while I was in greasy hair, had three zits on my chin, no makeup and sorta in pjs, I can't wait till our next visit. I might make some kind of effort.

Might.

But my man is happy.

And clutching a new handgun. Bless his heart.

(And as I type this, he is moving all those boxes into the basement HAPPILY. I'm gonna milk this new gun for a weekend worth of work baby, yeah!)

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