NaBloPoMo

Oh, Hello. It's been awhile, no? I have to admit, I'm haven't been the best at keeping up with this the past few months. That's difficult to type -- months. Let's catch you up, shall we??

- I've been super busy with rehearsals, and performances more than ever
- My family has been down to visit a lot this semester
- My brother recently got engaged to his WONDERFUL girlfriend, I'm so happy!!
- Oh and I'm still taking 17 hours worth of class

To add to this, my roommates and I decided this semester we would no longer be sharing food, as it becomes difficult to distiguish who ate what when and how to charge appropriately, so the money situation has been tight as well.

No worries though -- to bolster your food blogging experience here, I've decided over the month of December I'm going to participate in what's called NaBloPoMo, or National Blog Posting Month. Pretty much, all that's required is a post a day everyday for that month. There's a whole site dedicated to this movement where you can see other blog(ger)s -- foodie or otherwise -- and get support for when you just can't find it in you to describe that fateful bite, or breathtaking view any longer::NaBloPoMo.com. I've been testing recipes this past month so I can bring the best to you all during that month, and hopefully you can use some for your holiday gatherings!!

I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you are too. I didn't forget about this site, or any of your readers, I swear!!

See you soon, and happy Monday! (Ugh.)

Empty Nesters, meet Free Time

Again, the slacking has set in. I finished my summer classes last Saturday and came home to help my parents around the house. Once Dad left for Minnesota, my Mom and I started tearing down wallpaper and redoing the downstairs bathroom. It got me thinking about how the kitchen (at least from my perspective) went from 1988 to 2009 in one fell swoop, and I figured I’d share what they did with you all.

The old yellow linoleum floor, off-white everything (table, counters, appliances), and broken shelves/drawers are all a thing of the past now, and their kitchen is now a haven for everything good in the cooking world. The walls are covered in cherry wood cabinetry, with all the quiet-close gadgets (which I absolutely LOVE) so nothing slams; along with the dark quartz countertops and shimmering stainless steel appliances, this kitchen is a dream. Mom’s favorite part of the kitchen is a neck-in-neck race between the oven-which has dimmer lights in it-and the dinkiest fan you will ever see-it’s 24” total, with 8” blades, and it can muster up a windstorm. Dad is a fan of the dishwasher drawers that give them flexibility when it’s just the two of them, or the family of 12.

The best part of the remodel, was when the contractor repaired all of the squeaks in the floor, so it doesn’t sound like a mouse massacre when you go for a glass of milk.

All in all, my parents made smart choices that make this kitchen wonderful to work in, and a welcome comfort to come home to (especially when you have a 9 foot by 3 foot kitchen most of the year.