Chickens and Houses

I am kind of sorry to report that we didn't get the house. We rejected the seller's counter offer and, after much deliberation and conversation, we've decided to cool our jets on the whole house-buying quest. Nothing that's available right now has either one of us clamoring and there's no reason to rush into something that doesn't have us at least mostly thrilled. 

I can't stop mentally decorating our imaginary house, though. I have a file folder filled with pages from magazines that I am entirely too anxious to bring to life. At the same time, I haven't done a whole lot other than take care of Beatrice since she was born, so the thought of physical labor of any sort is somewhat intimidating. I feel kind of weak. Like I should be eating bon-bons, maybe playing croquet. Perhaps on the lawn of an English castle (or a French or Irish castle--I'm not picky). Then again, I think I'd do just fine in a manor of some sort. A manor would be more manageable and we could have chickens. 

ah, yes...chickens...

Dwell Kitchen Blog

We made an offer on a house today and I'm so excited. I believe I am truly blinded by the potential of this little 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1246 square foot house that's in a fabulous neighborhood. So, I've been looking for new ideas in the world of kitchen countertops--specifically countertop laminate made of recycled plastics--and dwell.com seemed like a reasonable place to look for something of that nature. Turns out they have a pretty awesome kitchen blog: click. 

Work it

Being a parent is one of the most physical jobs out there. I won't say it's the most physical, but it does have the longest hours. Regardless of where you are in your pregnancy, it's time to start doing squats. First, they'll help you get ready to push. After that, they'll make your transition into parenthood much less back breaking. Do the half squats like you're sitting in a chair during commercials. I don't recommend doing them while you're on the phone. You're welcome to try, though. I found it difficult to concentrate on the conversation while I was humming "Eye of the Tiger".

Another great move is one I refer to as Fraidy Cat/Lazy Ass. I know it's got a fancy yoga name, but I can never remember what it's called. You get on all fours and then pull your bellybutton toward your spine while pulling your chin to your chest and rounding your back. Then you relax your back, pull your chin up and let your belly sag toward the ground while your back arches. I hope that makes sense. If it does and you know that move, you should begin doing it immediately. You'll be glad you did. 

Let's live there!

We're looking for a house to buy and that has become an all-consuming task. I mentally move us into every house I see for sale and then try to figure out if it's something we can afford. There are huge chunks of town I am, for various reasons, not even willing to entertain and that puts some limits on where we'll end up.

What we need is at least 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 1300+ square feet. Beyond that, we need a garage (not a carport), a walk-in closet in the master, a study of some sort (maybe a fourth bedroom...just somewhere out of the way for computing and homeworking and researching), and a kitchen that has enough cupboard space to store our ever-growing collection of kitchen delights. We also need a yard that has enough room to play and it's extremely important that the house is near bike trails that lead to campus. Bike lanes on major streets just won't do. 

What we want is all of the above in an open, one-story layout. Two-story houses can be considered, but the story of my life with stairs is not a happy tale. Air-conditioning would be awesome, but the lack of it wouldn't be a deal breaker. A laundry room would be nice, but we can live with the washer and dryer in the garage, if need be.

...and we'd like to find a way to get all of that for under $245,000. It's going to be tough, but not impossible. To make things easier, we're meeting with an agent tomorrow (a broker, technically). If we're going to spend nearly a quarter of a million dollars on something, I'd like to make sure we do it right, so I have no problem at all calling in a professional. Not only does she come recommended by her peers, but she's also the listing agent for the places that have captured our hearts and our wallets. 

If I could just find a way to justify a personal assistant, I'd be set.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

An adapted version of the Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. So delicious.

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine in a small bowl:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Beat until:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanila

One at a time, add 2 eggs, beating well after each.

Gradually beat in flour mixture. 

Stir in:

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or just eat them while the next batch bakes.

Scraping any little remnants off the baking sheet between batches keeps the cookie sheet clean and makes clean-up much easier.