Jon and I were originally looking at new construction homes, but we decided our first home doesn't have to be our dream home with everything on my list, oops I meant our list. So tonight as we went from house to house we were looking instead for potential, character, and how many different fun projects we could make.
Sure we could afford the big beautiful, 2 story, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath new home... but could we afford to eat after? Okay so that may be a little extreme, but we have enjoyed being able to spoil one another. Maybe it's being newlyweds or the fact that we have dogs, not kids. I don't know for sure, but I do know that tonight we found another way to spoil ourselves... A wonderful little home. It's livable as it is now with no need for change, but it has so much potential & character. When I say it has character, it's the 1938 old wood floors, the high ceilings with crown molding, the closets with little windows in them, and so much more. The potential is the painting, bathroom remodeling, and some exterior work. Nothing two determined people can't handle! So here's a sneak peek:
Jon and I have been married over a year and we have been renting a small 3 bdrm/1 bath home from his Grandparents. We've made it our home and have done a lot to it, but since adding another dog to the scene and me now selling Sensaria, we've out grown it.
You might ask yourself how can two adults and two dogs out grow a three bedroom home? To which I will reply "Come on over and check it out!" Our home is small, we have our bedroom, an office, and a workout/sewing room (interesting combo huh?), and we don't have any storage other than bedroom closets IE no linen closets.
So now we are house hunting, we've been approved, and we're setting our requirements. It's a fun, exciting, and a little nerve racking. I was pleasantly surprised to learn we qualified for way more then I thought we would, but I wouldn't want those monthly payments. This is the first time either of us will be buying a house. I know the basics; Jon wants a garage, I want a kitchen with lots of cabinets, we want at least 1.5 bathrooms and three bedrooms... But is there something we should add to our list that we may not have considered? Any advice for us 1st time home buyers?
Seated near the Chehalis River is the most perfect little cabin. No clock, cell service, Internet, or TV, just an ipod stereo, books, and a view.
We'd sit outside sipping our coffee in the morning, reading books, and enjoying the view. It's peaceful listening to the river and watching for wildlife.
This is where Jon and I spent our Honeymoon in 2009 and our first anniversary together last month. It's a perfect getaway from the busy crazy lives we live.
Two nights and three days of relaxation and nothingness was the best way to spend our first anniversary (especially when he gave me a Coach purse!)
I've recently been asked to share my secret recipe... I don't typically share, but what the heck! It's actually about 3 different recipes that I stole bits and pieces of, to create a wonderful, delicious, perfect tortilla soup. I also don't measure anything when I cook, so this took some effort. The measurements are estimates, so change it according to your taste buds... I won't be offended. So here it goes:
Toppings:
1 bunch of green onion
1-2 avocados
12 ounces Mexican blend cheese
1 bag tortilla chips (I like to fry strips of corn tortillas in vegetable oil and make my own, but that can be time consuming)
Ingredients:
2-3 cloves of garlic
4 chicken breasts
½ cup red onion
½ cup yellow onion
1 cup frozen corn
1 can Rotel tomatoes & chilies diced
1 can black beans rinse and strained
1 cup salsa
2 cans chicken broth low sodium
1 cup milk
8 ounces softened/room temp cream cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp pepper
In crock pot or large pot:
Add 2 cans chicken broth, salsa, black beans, Rotel tomatoes & chilies, cumin, and chili powder.
Cook chicken:
I fry mine in a pan with granulated garlic, Johnny’s Seasoning Salt, and pepper… but you can boil it, cook a whole chicken and shred it, whatever you like.
In skillet:
Melt 1-2 tablespoons of margin or butter then, add red & yellow onion, 2 cloves crushed garlic, pepper, corn. Cook until onions soften and darken, then add it all to the pot or crock pot.
*Cook as long as you want, the longer the better. ½ hour prior to serving add milk, and cream cheese, stir until smooth and melted (sometimes that’s easier said than done, I don’t always add the cream cheese as it can be lumpy).
To serve:
Crumble chips in the bottom of a bowl, top with soup, then top with cheese, green onion, and fresh avocado. (I love cheese, so the more the merrier!)
OK, so I keep say that I'm going to become a better blogger... but what is a blog without pictures? I follow a few different blogs of friends or friends of friends and reading their blog is so much fun. I can't decide if it's the writing (which I think is a big part) or how fun it is to see the pictures relevant to their story. What's that saying? A picture is worth a thousand words.
With that being said, I want to share one of the happiest days of my life... The day I married Jon. May sound lame, but it's true. We are approaching our one year anniversary in a few short weeks. With that in mind, we have been talking about our favorite moments of that wonderful sunny March day. I'll share mine later, but Jon's favorite moment was actually caught on camera:
As you can see I've just put my seat belt on, meanwhile Jon's got that funny little grin and is waving "peace" before closing his car door. Why is this Jon's favorite moment???
Because "You're mine and the day was over!" Men are so simple.
The month of February was my first month as an independent representative with Sensaria Natural Bodycare. With the help of my friends and family I made all my personal goals for the month! I'm so excited to continue as a representative and turn more and more ladies on to the wonderful all natural product.
March is a happening month for me, with more shows booked than last month! This Saturday is our National Conference, in Bremerton. I look forward to learning from woman loving Sensaria and seeing other success with in the business. I'll be keeping you update along the way and sharing my new adventure!
I am a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and I strive to be a great woman of God. My family and friends mean the world to me and I try to live each day supporting and loving them.
