Home is...

...where the delicious (but slightly nutrient weak and sugar high) breakfast of my high school years reappears in my life.

...where there is always a hot pot of nice expensive coffee...and a chilled version in the fridge as well.

...where the snow (still) is.  Only this time it has little doggie tracks in it.

...where there are Christmas lights hanging in my window.

...where my room has been transformed into a (second) gym.  I'm really happy about it. (We already have a weightlifting gym in the garage, yes I definitely know where I get my love of working out from)

...where I can watch Glee and drink coffee and not feel guilty about missing class/neglecting homework.

...where my babies are...and where I have to go through too much barking and sass just to get one picture of them together.  (After saying "NO BARK" too many times)

...where it snows even more, but this time I have a cutie to model the snow for me.

...where the ingredients (er...funds and transportation) are in order for me to make this bread that has been on my mind forever.

...where nobody cares that this is how I made my kitchen look before I baked the bread.

...where there is always my favorite ice cream in the fridge to keep me occupied while I wait for my bread to bake.  Home is also where nobody cares that I eat ice cream out of the carton because we're all family anyways.  And nobody ever asks me why I'm eating ice cream with a fork because they know I'm weird like that and think it tastes better with a fork!

...home is where there is always good enough light somewhere in the house to take decent pictures of the amazing bread I made.

But most importantly...

Home is where the heart is...

Home is where I can bake a perfect bread and not feel any guilt about scarfing half the loaf, because my best friend for all twenty years of my life is right there next to me doing the same thing.  Thanks Mom!  Who really notices how much bread is being eaten while we're planning our Thanksgiving recipe list just a little late anyways?

And finally home is where my favorite afgan in the entire world is. 

I am currently snuggled up in it watching Sex and the City 2 (it finally came to Redbox- I refuse to pay more than $1 to watch a movie that I know is going to be awful.  But I still just HAD to see it) with my two doggies and the fireplace.

I love coming home.

You Can Go Home Again

You know you have arrived at the best place on earth when your kitchen goes from this:


To this!


And when you have a Scooter running around your feet...


And begging to eat your mega salad (or your moms)


Or just all up in your face because they have missed you so much! (Sonic was so excited to see me he wouldn't sit still, thus the use of flash to snap a photo of him without major blur, and he HAD to be this close to me at all times)


Oh and there will probably be a diva called Molly lounging around somewhere.


Yes she is in a cage, yes it is by choice, yes this is a long story...ok I will explain it right now.

Molly is the oldest pet of the household. When we got Scooter she hid in the basement (where no dogs are allowed) for about 6 months. Then she ventured back upstairs and become best friends with Scoot. (They would chase each other around the house and have staring contests) Then Sonic joined the family. In their first encounter she slapped him in the face and ran to the basement. Only this time she didn't venture back upstairs after 6 months...or a year...or a year and a half. (Actually that's a lie, she did venture up the stairs only to be chased back downstairs, by a very naughty Sonic, into a corner where he couldn't fit. Where she would then shiver in terror for the next couple of hours)

Finally my mom said enough. She bought a cage, put Molly in it, brought it upstairs and forced Sonic to get used to her. (This required lots of physical power over Sonic to calm him and constantly repeating "no bark Sonic! NO BARK! BAD SONIC!") He finally got used to her and she was free to roam upstairs without being attacked. But by then Molly had come very attached to the cage. It's kind of her sanctuary in the living room, especially if Sonic and Scooter start getting a little too rambunctious. So now we have a large metal cage next to our living room chairs, most days it serves double duty as a cage and a makeshift table that holds junk that should be put away.

Anywho to make up for the icky flash photos here are some cute pictures of the doggies I took over the summer:



And as promised to myself, A MEGA SALAD for dinner!


Also look at the cute bottle my mom stores her homemade viniagrette in! I have no doubt in my mind that we are related, and I am slowly turning into her.


My mom is amazing and always had a premade salad in the fridge. SO easy to throw together a quick lunch/dinner!

Mom's pre-made salads (always) consist of:
-Romaine Lettuce
-Broccoli
-Cauliflower
-Red Peppers

I added to the mix:
-Plain Quinoa
-Leftovers of Mom's Amazing Chili (it had some meat...I really could not resist)
-1 tbsp sour cream (I always thought this was awful for you...it only added 30 calories...umm I can handle that every now and again for a delectable treat!)
-Jalapeno Peppers (canned by mom!)
-Cheddar Cheese


I loved this mexican flavored mega salad! It was super satisying after spending the afternoon at the mall. Mom and I picked out the cutest shirt for my Aunts birthday...we're still debating if one of us wants to keep it...or if we're going to do the unselfish right thing and send it off to her...

But anyways back to my dinner. Delish. Sorry for the poor photos, again we spent too much time at the mall! I had planned to take beautiful pictures in my backyard...get excited for my breakfast photos tomorrow!


If you look at the cupboard behind the salad bowl you can see a ball glass jar filled with sunflower seeds and other ball glass jars filled with lots of healthy nuts :) Yes yes I LOVE my home.

I'm off to raid the peanut jar again...well and maybe snipe a couple more of those seasoned french fires...from a package...OK at least I made a mega salad for my main dish!

P.S. Sorry about all the !!'s in this post...I just get excited about my lovely home, could you tell?