C'mon Spring!!!

Hey y'all, I don't know about you but if I hear, "Do you want to build a snowman?" one more time I may pack up and move south! I am so done with snow and cold and I want my house back! I don't know if anyone else feels like their house is overfull in the winter but I do! All the heavy coats, snow gear, tripping over snow boots, mittens and hats and wet clumps of snow sprinkled all thru the house like confetti! I am OVER it! I want to dig out, feel the sun and clean house of all this clutter!
Snowed in for what feels like months!

I have enough stuff for two yard sales! It has got to go! I feel like I am drowning under mountains of stuff! I could never be a hoarder because I seriously get claustrophobic when the house is a mess.

 I want to throw open all the windows and fill my house with the smell of citrus cleaner and pine sol! I want to rip up this yucky carpet and put down nice clean floors! But most of all I want stuff out of the way! Pack away the bulky coats and snow pants and clean out the salt debris that feels like it is everywhere. Refill a clean closet with flip flops and sunscreen! Scrub down walls and touch up paint and do a few projects to freshen up the house!

I want to get outside and clean out the winter debris and feel warm moist earth in my hands! The joy of seeing a little green head poke out of the dirt and raise up towards the sun. Knowing when I see the petals unfurl that I helped it grow! I want my house full of sunlight instead of these endlessly grey days!
I want to go outside! I want to go for long walks with my husband, take my kids to the park, pick strawberries from my garden! Hear the sound of a wooden screen door slapping!
So in the interest of getting a head start I am trying to get some interior projects done. Cleaning out closets, kitchen cabinets, the pantry which is overflowing with half eaten bags of chips, crackers and cereal.

I was so tired of the boring brown and green in the family room.

 I want to lighten it up! So I ordered new slip covers and 2 new arm chairs! So exciting!! We don't make big purchases like that very often so I was thrilled! The chairs came and they look great and seem like they will work out.

 The slipcovers from SureFit-a total bust. They are cheap, thin and junky. I hate them. I have to send the m back.

 So disappointing but lesson learned- I will try shopping local. I bought online because all I cold find here was more beige and brown!! If all else fails I suppose I can just buy the fabric and make them myself but the time consuming nature of that project is daunting.
 I have big dreams for redecorating our little family room. Some fresh paint, getting rid of an old accent wall, new curtains and throw pillows!!!! We are continuing our high end  laminate floors into the family room for a better flow thru the main floor so that means a new rug too!!!

 And the chance to pick a new color scheme! I am usually right on the ball with new colors but I have been waffling on this one. I love the cool serenity of neutrals and lots of texture variations but there is a little part of me that screams COLOR!!!!! So I keep wresting with myself and Pinterest over it.


And now back to the drawing board of figuring out this new color scheme! I need to find something that really inspires me. An object, a picture, a fabric, something! And to do that I have to get out of this house!!!

Menus!

Hello my friends,
 I am menu planning and trying to indulge in a few winter dishes before spring comes! But spring break is coming so I can't forget bikini season approaches!!

 As usual I will write these in no particular order. I try to have the basics to make all of them and then shop once a week for the perishables. As always I substitute meat and cheese for vegan/vegetarian options. So cheese is a soy cheese and meats are all meat alternative choices.

1. Sloppy Jo (half morningstar meat crumble and half black beans) sweet potatoe fries, sauteed zuccini, onions, peppers. Roasted Garlic Mushrooms. Rice crispie treat with WOW butter.

2.Butternut Squash Soap, Banana Bread, Apple salad with raisins in vegan mayo sauce

3.Lasagna, Big salad, bread, red wine, cooked chocolate pudding over marshmellow

4. tofu, broccoli stirfry with brown rice in a Wow butter sauce. Fortune cookie and dried apricot

5.Rueben Sandwiches (tofurkey, saurkraut and vegan provolone on dark rye)pickles and baked french fries, black bean brownies

6.Spinach cakes with sauce, pureed garlic and cheese cauliflower, Balsamic glazed carrots and grren beans, melon for dessert

7.Pineapple glazed chicken, cheesy jalapeno grits, roasted brocoli and red peppers

8.Bean Soup, grilled tofurkey sausage strips and cornbread. Cooked apples with cinnamon

9.Tofu fried rice and egg roll

10. Morningstar crumble meatloaf sub with american cheese and spicy ketchup. Green salad heavy with veggies(radish, cabbage, carrot, pepper, cucumber,green onion, mushroom)

11.Sauteed onion, mushroom, peper white corn soft tacos with seasoned black beans, mexican salad with pico de gallo, Santa Fe rice with carrots, peppers and peas and Sangria

12.tomato soup and grilled cheese with Tofurkey lunch meat, pickles and tomato. pepperocinis. sugar cookies

13.mini meatball, zucchini, garlic, mushroom stuffed green peppers, lemon orzo salad. Pumpkin pie cream cheese dip and graham crackers

14.Spinach/ artichoke sip in crispy wonton cups. Crispy glazed tofu, sundried tomato, spinach, cheese stuffed mushrooms. Pineapple for dessert

15. Pumpkin Ravioli in sage butter sauce, green salad with lots of romaine and red onion. White wine. frozen bananas with Wow butter and mini non dairy choc chips

16.Pimento cheese and Bacon Biscuit Sandwiches with pickled jalapeno. Carrots and grape tomatoes. Chickpea salad with cumin and cilantro. Fresh strawberries for dessert

17. Fettucine with zucchini, sundried tomatoes, tofurkey sausage, garlic and cheese with olive oil and bread crumbs. Banana Pudding with vanilla wafers

18.Tofu frittata loaded with veggies and spinach. Home fried potatoes

19.layered pizza dip with baguette slices, veggie trey with ranch dip. Strawberry smoothies

20.chickpea tuna substitute lettuce wraps. Beet and parsnip chips. Oatmeal raisin cookies and banana, pineapple and strawberry mini kabobs

21.Broccoli cheese soup. Beer bread. Chicken cutlet with grape tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and onion saute and a green salad. Pumpkin choc chip cookies

22.Crispy baked zucchini strips. green bean stir fry with sausage and mushrooms in balsamic glaze. Fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips

Friday Family Movie Nights- pizzas, salad and appetizers.  Corndog muffins, grilled marinated mushroom kabobs, jalapeno popper dip, veggie dippers, peanut butter/raisin apple sandwiches. Desserts: healthy(ier) oreo blizzards, home made peppermint patties, snickerdoodle cookies

So I have a plan, sometimes things go right according to plan, sometimes the plan gets 86'd and we eat Taco Bell. That is life. This coming week especially is very busy, multiple activities every night and appointments during the day. I tried to plan some easy dinners and some fast ones but in all honesty I know there may very well be a Taco Bell or a pb&j dinner this week. Oh well, that is life!