Ch ch ch changes!

We (with the approval of our landlords) have begun a few household renovations.
I'm beyond excited to rid ourselves of the light pink bathroom tiles!








TERRIBLE!!!! Everything about this bathroom is the stuff my nightmares are made of. We are updating everything in here.

Next: our living room had this akward add-on open closet that we demolished yesterday.


Before



During



After
We will be fixing and painting the ceiling, repairing the walls, baseboards and molding.
Our living room will be so much bigger without this closet!!
Bryan found several layers of vinyl tile and wallpaper! Yikes!









Next: we removed the sliding barn door closet door. We never use it. It doesn't work well. We can't close it when people are over because it would close off the bathroom.



We had a strange piece of plywood tacked to our front door that Bryan pried off. I'm half way done removing the 14 layers of paint so we can refinish it.



And the final thing will be repairing our kitchen ceiling. It's cracked and gross and the light fixture needs to be updated.



Whew! That was our Sunday afternoon. We pretty much decided what we wanted to change over brunch, got approval, and did everything else in the afternoon!

We hope to be done in two weeks! I'll keep you updated!

The Mouse and Me

Today after I put Lily down for a nap, I grabbed a glass of water and headed into the living room. A short time later I saw, out of the corner of my eye, a small shadow run quickly across the floor.
I said "Eeee" just like in a cartoon and pulled my feet up onto the sofa. Luckily the mouse chose to run into the bathroom! I immediately grabbed a towel and using a wooden spoon wedged it into the crack beneath the door.
Danielle and Amiel said I didn't have to deal with it, but there was no way I could leave it in the bathroom until they got home. (if I couldn't leave dog vom on the floor at Derek & Tiffanie's then I certainly couldn't leave a mouse in the bathroom--- at least the mouse didn't make me gag repeatedly!!)
Anyway--- Amiel mentioned that there were mouse traps in the basement if I wanted to set one. I ran downstairs, set off a trap in the corner with my shoe, and proceeded to slather it in peanut butter while I tried to figure out the best way to catch the little guy.
After a few trials and errors I did it! I made a paper bag tunnel that led to the trap and I got him! It only took two hours!!





Sorry little guy! I just couldn't think about you in the same space as Lily!

It's the Little Things

Today we smelled the flowers.





I love moving at the pace of a one year old during the day. I love bending down to her level to see things from her perspective, and I love being reminded that everything is new to her. Like when we watched birds flying in a circle in the sky for ten minutes the other day. They were beautiful to watch. And she was amazed the entire time!

Happy Monday!

Autumn, My Autumn

My favorite time of year! We are celebrating this evening with cocktails and seasonal delights at our house!


(source for 'autumn' sign above: Pinterest)





(Lily helped me gather pinecones this morning-- I love how my garland turned out)


There are a variety of nuts, cookies, pumpkin muffins, apple butter, and roasted pumpkin seeds from the pumpkins I carved last night!

Bryan is mixing up some delicious cocktails like the Sherwood Avenue, Bacon Infused Old Fashioned- Old Fashioned, Bohemian, De La Louisiane, French 75, and my current favorite: The Never Setter. And yes, he infused that bacon-bourbon himself!








Leaf & squirrel sugar cookies


(thanks for the acorn cookie idea, Pinterest)

I hope you are having a wonderful autumn evening as well!

Hee Hee

It's us!!

Follow the Honey

Bryan and I stopped into a new store called Follow the Honey on Saturday. They sell all sorts of honey and bees wax things.



We loved the Tupelo Honey and the Orange blossom. We didn't love pure clover honey. I like the wildflower honey too.

They even have honey on tap if you want to bring or buy an empty jar!

"The only reason for being a bee that I know of is to make honey.... And the only reason for making honey, is so as I can eat it." - WInnie the Pooh

I Heart Food Trucks!

All of my favorite lunch places in Boston are food trucks. Thanks, Roxy's for the grilled cheese and rosemary fries!

Popsicles After Wiffle Ball

Yep, it was hot enough for that.











Seriously, October, get it together.

Farm Fresh

I love that there are farmers markets around town almost every day of the week in Boston! I love getting to meet the actual people who grow the food I'm eating. Only a few more weeks until cold overcomes so we will take advantage of the markets while we can! I'd say we had a successful trip!





Some of what I got went straight into a wonderful dinner!


Bread with goat cheese


Parsnip purée


And mussels with leeks and fingerling potatoes in a white-wine-lemon-butter-cream-sauce!!

Animal week

We spent time this week at the aquarium and the zoo!












On our way to the farmers market now for some fall produce!! It's chilly today but should warm up this weekend... Maybe enough for a beach trip???

Teething's the Worst

Cold carrot sticks can help!!