Gardening 101: Green thumb or bust

We've been in our house just over two years now, and we've had a list of ideas and to-dos since before we got the keys. No, we don't have a plush, furnished office with an executive desk and scotch selections on a nearby side table à la Mad Men. Yet. Yes, we've only accomplished painting one room something other than the boring beige condition that we had no say over. And, no, we haven't done the flowers-bushes-mulch, repeat, around the front of the house like everyone else on our street. But I will say, our lone little maple looks pretty darn amazing this year.

Spring cleaning

Last Monday I took a day off work. I was so excited for a three-day weekend and at the possibility of accomplishing so many things around the house. I had plans (the most important one was to not go to work).

Clean the kitchen. Take out the trash. Get a colorful rug for our entryway. Pick up, vacuum and rearrange the living room. Do laundry AND put it all away (lofty goal). Work in a run. Replace the Winter Wonderland mantle décor with something springy and colorful. Enjoy a beer on the deck at some point during the supposed 50-degree day. Write a blog. Yes, all in one day. It would be equally restful and productive. I threw in a load of laundry, folded some towels and did some time on the treadmill. After cleaning up, I was ready to cross something bigger off the list. And, wow, it was already 10 a.m.

Giving a little love

I really don't get into holidays much. I don't have boxes of decorations for all seasons that I unload out at the most precise times of year. Maybe now that I'm a homeowner, I'll eventually start collecting and decorating...if my husband will let me.

We had some holiday spirit at work for Valentine's Day. I'm part of the company's art department. We're creative types, so for the second year, we decided to exchange DIY Valentines.

Last year, I used porcelain pens and made personalized XOXO heart mugs for all the girls. The best part is they all use them still, some daily for their coffee or tea. So my challenge this year was to come up with a gift that was equally original and still useful. I struggled for a few days until I remembered a pin I had come across during wedding planning.

Fuel me up

It's no secret that I'm a fan of coffee. I probably started out earlier than I should have. Grandma and Grandpa brewed a pot every morning for breakfast and every afternoon for 3:00 lunch. My dad and Grandpa would dip their cookies and sandwiches in it, drink it down and then head back out for more chores. When I got curious enough, maybe around age 12, I would wait to see what was left over, pour a cup, heat it up and dip Rice Krispie bars in it. Something about the marshmallow and coffee really worked, and I that's how I began to love coffee. Seriously.

Carpe diem

It's January. In Nebraska. And guess what? This past weekend it was 65 degrees. Hey-O! So, we did what any sane couple would do: fire up the grill.

Sipping on the sidelines

One day I had a craving (says every woman).

I had wanted tacos for a meal for probably a good week and a half. Fish tacos, specifically. But with the new house and summer activities, Devin and I just didn't have time for a detailed dinner. Finally we had an available evening, and Devin whipped up some yumminess. You just wait and see.

Sold

It started with an innocent look. Devin saw "model homes" signs on his way back from work one day. We decided to take a look, just for fun. They were small, split level houses that were nice but not suitable for us. The agent in the office suggested that we visit another model location close by to check out a few models that had more to offer.

While Devin grabbed a brochure outside, I walked right in the first house. I immediately fell in love with the space, motioning excitedly for Devin to catch up to me. He turned the corner, saw the kitchen and open layout, and immediately talk went from "This is nice" to "This is what we could do for this room."