Best Waffles Ever

So yesterday I told y'all about my not feeling comfortable in my new town. Well, one of the things that I do when I am a little down is to bake. Waffles are not really baking but they are a great way to brighten a breakfast. So I woke up made waffles and homemade syrup, and I feel generous today so I am going share my secret to making awesome waffles and syrup!

 

Follow after the jump for the Recipes.

A New Home... Sort of

As you can tell, I have not posted in a while. Part of that is because I have been in search of a job...with no luck as of yet (it sucks). and part because I am having a hard time settling in. Currently, I am not a big fan of where we have moved. The apartment is fine. Living closer to John's family is fine. But other than his family and the one work friend that John has made and a couple that John has know forever, there is no one that I know here. And it has...well sucked. I have tried to make the best out of it. I sure as hell workout more. I have had plenty of time to cuddle and play with the dogs. And the apartment stays really clean.

I miss my mom and my old job. I am trying to be as happy as I can, Trying to look on the bright side and all that crap. John is finally using his two degrees and is enjoying his work for the most part. We are able to go to soccer games for his nieces and see his sister that just got engaged. We hung out with our couple friends that are about to have a baby. And all that is great. Part of me wants to go running back to Lubbock though. But I am going to keep going. Keep my head up. Keep telling myself that it will get better.

29

That is how old my wonderful husband John is today. This birthday for him marks a big change in our lives. For the two of us it means a big move closer to his family and a chance for him to finally start his career as a teacher after almost a year and a half of searching for a teaching job. I am so very proud of him. He is by far the hardest working man that I know and is so very passionate about what he wants out of life. I am a better person for knowing and loving him.

The photo above is from our Wedding/Honeymoon in Ireland. It is one of my favorite photos of John, I call it his GQ shot. We had spent the morning walking around Dublin and had stop to just sit and people watch (one of our favorite activities) in St Stephen's Green.  

If I could this weekend i would be making his favorite cheese cake (the really reason I think he married me) and a few of these.... 

Cup of Jo

The Best Margarita You'll Ever Have By Kate found over at Cup of Jo. I love the new series that Joanna has for some "best you'll ever have" recipes. This margarita is going to be the first one that I will try in our new home. I will need it after moving all of our stuff up a flight of stairs in Texas heat and humdity.



Pinterest...it eats my life sometimes

I am sure that most of you are aware of the wildly popular Pinterest. I currently am with my growing collection on 6000+ pins. I have loved Pinterest since my first pin over a year and a half ago.  If John finds that I have snuck off to the other room, I am most likely on Pinterest and yes, I have been known to sit and pin for a few hours. It is bad. I figure thought if I am going to spend that much time with this life eating site I might as well share my latest finds. And if you like you can follow me.


This image spoke to me. It epitomes how I feel in this state of our move. I have kind of hit a point where I am very tired of this moving process and I want to see my husband and just be finished.

jjjjound

On a brighter note, I LOVE this little dress from boden. One of John and I close friends is having their first child and it is a little girl...so this may be bought very soon for their little girl.

boden

I love interesting florals and succulents, so when I this, I almost wanted to get married again. The florist is Flora Grubb, not only do they do beautiful floral work with a very natural and organic feel, they have a little online shop where you can purchase succulents and air plants that could be lovely in anyone's home.

flora grubb 

A casual look with leopard print, yes please. I love it if I could wear this look everyday I would. It is over at shopbop.com.

shopbop

I also found this yummy sexy bedroom that was created by Erin at Design Crisis. Grey wall, vintage brass, coral bedding AND faux fur. I died a little when I saw this lovely room.

design crisis

And this. I would love to have a little space like this right now. Really, I could use a bit of peace amid the horror that is the mountain of boxes and displace furniture.

tumblr 

But for now, chaos will remain and I am going to coffee to say goodbye to a good friend and escape the mess for a bit.

Moving...How to Make it Suck Less

I hate...HATE moving. Of course I don't know a single person that enjoys the process of packing every damn thing that they own in to boxes and then carting in a moving truck and then having to unload and unpack at the new place. It purely sucks. But there is hope to make it suck less.

# 1. Music

To me, music is the best thing for motivation to start and finish the packing. So create a play list and get started. I find that 90s early pop is the best.

# 2. Boxes

No moving is complete with out having boxes. I have been luck enough to have worked in a office that receives regular shipments and order a lot of paper. Paper boxes are my favorite to pack with, they are just the right size to pack most items and do not make the box be too heavy to lift. If you do not have a great supply of boxes from your office, ask your local Liquor stores and Grocery stores for boxes. These boxes are sturdy and are a good size.

#3. Clean as you Pack

Currently John and I live in West Texas, and that means tons of dust and dirt. If you are not familiar with the area look up Haboob. Even though I am pretty good at keeping things clean there is still a layer of yuck that gets in to everything. It is nice to clean things as you are putting them in to boxes so that when you unpack you don't have to spend all of your time in your new place cleaning out the dirt from your old place.

#4. Sort and Purge

I find that moving is a great time to get rid of items that no long have uses. Right now I have a massive pile that is going to be donated. When going through your stuff make sure that you only take what you love and use. It sucks to get to your new home and find that you have 3 or 4 boxes of just crap that you will never need and that you have lugged it around. 

# 5. Pack a Open First Box

This is a box with items that you will need first thing when you arrive at your new home. Here is a list of  items that I put in my Open First Box:

• Cleaning wipes
• Set of Sheets
• 2 towels
• Shower curtain and rod
• Toilet Paper
• Paper Towels
• Paper plates
• Dish soap
• Coffee and Coffee maker
• Mugs

These items will help you not freak out about having to find and open the boxes with these items (not fun when your get to your new home and really have to pee!)

# 6. Load Mattresses and Beds Last

Sometimes you are lucky and do not have to move very far. Other times you move across the country. All I know this that getting in to your new place and having your Mattresses and Beds loaded in the very back of the moving truck can move a very tired person to hysterical tears (yes, it has happened). So for the sake of yourself and everyone moving with you, pack those lasts.

I hope that this helps with your move, it will make mine a bit more sane...I hope. 

 

Dream Items

There are a few items that we current have that I would love to replace, but due to expenses right now we are stuck with them.

# 1. Dining Room Chairs

Currently we have some awful 1980s dining room chairs that I would not even bother sending to Goodwill if I had my choice. I would love to have some contrast to my pedestal Dining table like something wicker or leather

highstreetmarket

pinterest

I think that we may end up getting some from Ikea though. I like these with the slipcovers. I would dye the slipcovers though, anything white does not last long with the two dogs.

ikea



# 2. Sofa

The sofa that we have is a hand me down thrice over. It has held up very well and I will probably make a slipcover for it so that it could last another year or so. I dream of having is a wonderful leather sectional. This one from Restoration Hardware to be exact.

restoration hardware

# 3. Headboard

This would not really be a replacement as an addition. In John and I's bedroom we do not have a headboard... it is just the mattress on a bed frame. The choice of a headboard i have mulled over for ages and i can not pick one out that I think I could live with for a long time. I do know that when it comes time to pick one West Elm is where i will go.

I love the nail head in Licorice or....

West Elm

The Kenmare print

West Elm

But the Scroll headboard I think is going to be the real winner. The curves are what i thing our bedroom needs with this black quilt and charcoal duvet. 

West Elm

Now i have to go back to reality and finish packing the Kitchen, Boo.

Apartment Planning

With our up coming moving, I looked a new place for our little family to live. I searched high and low for a house that would suit our need that we could rent for a year or two, but this task did not bear any fruit. So, I started looking apartment...online...we signed a lease... and I still have not actually seen the place that we are moving in to. To John this is no big deal. If he had his way we would just take the computer, the TV, the bed, me and the dogs and he would be happy. I, on the other hand like to have a space that is comfortable and creative with Kilim throw pillows and the like.  To me the idea of moving in to a space that i have never step foot in is, to say the least, freaking me out a little.

I have hope and craftiness on my side though and a craving for us to have a home that looks like grow ups live there. Before I moved in with John he just had a horrible couch and a mattress on the floor (with sheets on it that we shall not even speak of). We still have many things that are old hand me downs and a few things that i love (My grandparents' Oak bed and a Tendo Mokko rocking chair).  So here are some images that give me hope for this new apartment.

cococozy

pinterest

apartment therapy

designsponge