Curtains

We have been working on little projects around the house. Today we hung curtains in our bedroom. We still need to find some artwork we both like and I would really like some reading chairs to go under the big window. For now we have decided to stick with our queen-size bed.

before

after

random stuff.

I ran 3 miles today followed by an hour of kickboxing. 

My body handled it well, but I think I am dehydrated :(

We went to the dentist and found out that both Daniel and I are cavity-free.

This means I have a 30-year record of ZERO cavities :)
 

We left Sophie home alone for 7 hours. 
She is now bouncing off the walls.
 

Our snow accumulation was 2 inches last night. 
It is pretty much gone now.

My best friend called me this afternoon to tell me a hilarious story of how she was PUNK'D on facebook – the moral of her story is NEVER leave a computer logged into facebook.

Hoping {wishing} for some warm weather this weekend... 

would love to get in some hiking or mountain biking.

I looked into the laundry room and saw this...

A couple of weeks ago Daniel decided to order a trainer so that he could ride his bike indoors. The goal was to be able to get a workout in front of the TV. We received the package earlier this week, but tonight was the first he was able to get on it. 

{Image via}

His trainer is a Nashbar Reduced Radius Roller {as seen above}. Since it requires some serious core strength and balance to ride on it, Daniel decided to start out with it in the pantry so that he would have a door frame to lean on in case he lost his balance. He only slipped off the rollers once. Sophie was a little disturbed by the noise the trainer makes, but it looks like it will be a great exercise alternative for Daniel. Maybe I will even give it a try...

Cleaning My Oven...

Do you ever have that problem where you clean your oven with a toxic chemical cleaner and afterward it smells awful AND it seems to take forever for the smell to dissipate? Is that just me?

Our internet was down for 21 hours, so I went into cleaning mode {including cleaning the oven which had chocolate melted/burned onto the bottom from a fiasco with baking Christmas cookies back in December}.

After cleaning the oven, I turned it on to see how bad the smell would be {I was also concerned about cooking dinner tonight}. It smelled pretty bad... as in I opened all of the windows and fans in the house and googled how to get rid of the smell.

Thankfully I came across this advice:

• Open windows and doors to help air out your kitchen.
• Fill a shallow roasting pan with a mixture of one part vinegar to six parts water. 
• Place the roasting pan in your oven and turn the oven on high. The vinegar will help neutralize the odor of the oven cleaner and will help lift off any remaining food residue. 
• Leave the oven on for 30 minutes, and allow it to cool down. 
• Remove the pan from the oven and wipe down the inside of the oven with a damp rag. This will remove any excess oven cleaner and baked-on food.

This worked like a charm. My nostrils are no longer burning and I am not afraid about using my oven tonight. I would love to hear if you have any tips for cleaning your oven and/or getting rid of the smell afterward.

A Little Inspiration for Valentines...

This recipe for Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast would be great for breakfast in bed.

In fact, I may just plan on making it this weekend.

Image and Recipe via Annie's Eats.

Cute idea for kids or your sweetie: Valentine's Crush via AshleyAnne Photography. 

Tutorial at Design Aglow.

Love these homemade Color Theory 101 cards via MerMag.

And finally, I am totally digging these adorable stickers from Twig&Thistle.

How to Unload a 500-lb Mower...

All you really need to unload your 500+lb mower off of your utility trailer is an engine hoist.

 

Everyone has those in their garage, right? 

Daniel hooked straps to the mower, then had me push a button to lift the mower. 

Then we lowered it onto jack stands.

 

Removed the straps and engine hoist and then Daniel lowered it to the floor.

EasyPeasy.

Menu Recap

Last week's meals were as follows:

Monday Night: Homemade Pizza with marinara, ground beef, low-fat mozarella cheese, mushrooms, red onions and green peppers

Tuesday Night: Chili with Cornbread, great for a cold evening. Secret ingredients include: cinnamon, dark chocolate and beer.

Wednesday Night: Cheat Night, I wasn't feeling so great, so Daniel brought home Zaxby's after he played racquetball with the guys.

Thursday Night: Angus Burger with Swiss Cheese and Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms and a side of Baked Sweet Potato Steak Fries

Friday Night: Five Guys in Chattanooga, I had a little cheeseburger, Daniel had a little hamburger and we split our fries

Saturday Lunch: Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

Saturday Night: Italian Sausage and Sundried Tomato Sauce with Whole Wheat Spaghetti and a Side Salad {the sauce was made from this Good Life Eats recipe}

Sunday Lunch: Red Robin in Huntsville, we split an order of Cheese Sticks and the Bleu Ribbon Burger

Super Bowl Party: I made a Brownie-Nutella-Mousse Pie for the Super Bowl Party {recipe via Sing For Your Supper}