10 things worth noting | life happenings

Why yes, I did just post a “10 things” post on Monday.  It’s now Wednesday and I’m posting another.  Why?  Because life has been all sorts of lifey [technical term to describe the chaos of life] lately, and I wanted to give you a peek into what’s been going on behind the scenes.  This will also explain why my recipe production has been as slow as molasses.

Brace yourselves for an earful…err…eyeful.

one.

Our living room continues to look like a storage closet, stacked with bins, boxes, and luggage to barricade the dogs from the rest of the house while the contractor and his crew work. 

The dogs and I have been confined to 2 rooms during the day since August 3rd.  We are all going a little stir crazy at this point.

two.

This is the view of the barricade from the dining room.  Do we look like we belong on an episode of Hoarders?  Pretty much.  Don’t be scared, this is just the entire contents of our kitchen which had to be cleared out when the floors were being refinished.

three.

This is my current desk set up and microwave breakfast station.  It’s both good and bad to be working at home during house renovations.  It’s good because frequent questions pop up that need immediate answers, which I can give.  It’s bad because I have turned into the contractor babysitter + secretary. 

We thought it was going to be one million times easier to hire a contractor to renovate, but it has turned out to be just as stressful—in a different way—than doing the work ourselves.  It will all be a distant memory when the house is finally “finished,” but when you’re in the thick of it, it’s hard to see the end!

four.

We had a massive scare last week when layers of old vinyl + sheet tile were prematurely pulled up and thought to be asbestos.  We immediately panicked called to have the tile tested in a lab, and after a day and a half of not being able to breathe we found out we were in the clear.  No asbestos.  My blood pressure has never been so high!

We are thrilled with the outcome of the floors and couldn’t believe the beautiful hardwoods that were underneath the tile.  They flow seamlessly into the rest of the main floor of the house.  We even lucked out having wood steps and landings going from the kitchen to the back door and basement. 

Having the kitchen floors redone is why I haven’t had kitchen access for the past 9 days!

five.

We expanded the kitchen slightly by removing a bedroom closet that protruded into the kitchen where the new cabinets are currently sitting [and where you can see all of the white patchwork on the walls].  We didn’t need the bedroom closet because there is an entire wall of built-in closets, so we figured why not add more space in the kitchen!

We had a few cabinets made to match our existing cabinets and couldn’t be happier with how they turned out.  However, we have to wait another 2 weeks before they can be installed for reasons I won’t bore you with.  I can’t wait for the fridge to finally be in the kitchen instead of the basement!

The new cupboards will give us a lot more storage + counter space.  The breakfast nook area [where the random cabinet is sitting] is where I’ll be doing the majority of my photography now.

six.

The stove is finally moved back into the kitchen.  It’s about to get all pumpkiny up in here.  Hope you’re ready.

seven.

This is the current state of the basement, which we are refinishing to be our TV/family room and master bedroom/bathroom [door to the right].

Carpet is being installed in a few days and we cannot wait.  There is a lot more painting to do but I’ve already gotten a good start. 

Horizontal stripes for the win.  Obsessed.

Bathroom so far.

I couldn’t be happier with the tile…minus the part that has to be fixed for a 3rd time…

nine.

Below are a few staples that have gotten me through my mornings without a kitchen.  Love Grown Foods to the rescue!!  I love the Hot Oats cups, especially for airport travel.  It makes such an easy breakfast to-go with a packet of nut butter and a banana alongside.  All you need is hot water and 3 minutes to let it “cook.”

And their latest product, Super Oats, are perfect when you’re in a time crunch.  They come in 2 varieties [a “simply pure” and “nuts & seeds”] and can be quickly made on the stovetop or in the microwave.  The base consists of gluten-free oats, quinoa, amaranth, and chia seeds with 5g fiber, 7g protein, and 160 calories in a 1/2 cup serving.  Impressive!  Also, I have to say the texture is much heartier/chewier than the typical instant oatmeal you may be used to.

[No sponsorship for this, I just love LGF!!]

Have you guys seen this?  Of all places I found this at the Minneapolis airport on my way back to Colorado for just $3.50.  I am quite impressed with both the flavor and consistency.  It pours just like honey, not thin like agave, and has a flavor similar to apple butter.  What a great vegan replacement for honey!  Even thought I use honey frequently I’m excited to have this on hand in the pantry. 

ten.

I wanted to point out a few updates you may have noticed on the blog.  First, there is a new BOOK page that you’ll find on the top navigation bar.  This will be updated frequently with any and all information dealing with my cookbook!

On the right side bar I’ve added an icon to follow me on Google+, which I am finally getting the hang of.  There is also a “cookbook” section on the right side bar with direct links to where you can buy my book online.

eleven.

Oops.  One more thing!

If you live in Ft. Collins or surrounding area I would love to see you this Saturday for my first book signing + demo at The Cupboard, in downtown Ft. Collins.  The signing is from 12pm-2pm and will include a doughnut demo, doughnut samples, Q&A, and book signing.  Feel free to stop by anytime during those hours.  The Cupboard will have copies of the book for you to buy, or if you’ve already pre-ordered a copy I will have book stickers to sign and hand out to place in your book.  Hope to see you there!!!

Okay!  I’m done.  Phew.

Ashley