St. Patty's Day

Honestly we didn't even dress in green today, if you can believe it!  We did yesterday though and I don't even think I have a pic!!!!  Was sort of a crazy weekend.....both my husband and I had to work at the cafe yesterday and my mom watched Jack.  Friends came over to visit last night, which was nice because we don't get to see them enough so it was nice to catch up.  Well, I don't get to see them enough, Johnny works with Steve so they see each other all of the time.  Then today was really a day to catch up on all things that I don't get around to during the week, like CLEANING!  Also got the majority of the quilt finished that I've been working on for my nephew's birthday which was Friday....yep missed that deadline!!  With Jack teething and literally up all night every night for the past six weeks I don't get much alone time and when I do sewing has been the last thing on my mind.  That little tooth finally cut through the skin the other day and he did sleep two nights in a row through the night but was up again last night.  He fell asleep at 7:30 tonight so fingers crossed he stays down!!!
Hubby finished spraying the chairs to my dining set so now I have all black chairs and a brown table...table is next but the weather needs to be warmer otherwise it will take forever and never dry properly due to the cold.  Speaking of weather can I just say how really pissed off I am at the fact that it is still snowing and we are supposed to get another snow storm this week!!!!  I'm just angry and bitter and just so completely FED UP with mother nature right now!  Easter is just a couple weeks away and we will probably have 30 degree weather with snow on the ground.....ridiculous. 

Spring Fever!

The past couple days' nice weather has really gotten me thinking SPRING!  I'm soooooo ready for warm weather, sun on my face, backyard bbq, beach and bikini kinda days.....the thought makes me smile every time :)  In the mean time there is lots to be done at the Kong household to get ready for warmer days.  "Money bought this house but I am going to make it a home" - I read this quote earlier today on another blog and I couldn't agree more!
My husband is working on the dining room table and chairs right now (slowly but surely), lookin good so far!  Then I think its time to just break down and do the hardwood floors in the rest of the downstairs.  I just can't take this carpet any longer....especially with the dogs I think it will much easier to keep clean.  With this comes painting all of the trim since I have that 1980s/90s brown wood trim everywhere you look.....not our style and I CAN'T wait to see white trim line my dark hardwoods....mmmmm this also makes me smile.  The other BIG project is going to be the kitchen cabinets which I know I've mentioned before but seriously once painted they will make such a major difference.

This kitchen has me thinking of doing two colors for cabinets (upper vs. lower) 



 Dramatic difference right??!!  This is a very similar style to my kitchen, same color cabinets and ginormous ceiling light....its GOT to go!





My parents have a big barn on their property that is currently housing a bunch of furniture and items that have been collected over the years but havn't found places in the house.  As soon as it warms up a bit more I fully  plan on raiding that barn and seeing what I can use.  I know of a couple pieces that are calling my name and just begging to be repurposed ;)

Besides house stuff I'm totally thinking of all the cute baby stuff that comes along with warm weather.  Here are some adorable must haves for this spring:

litte dress made from a mans shirt...too cute!

little dress made from a pillow case...I NEED to have a girl one day to make these for!

peter rabbit collection at baby Gap

peter rabbit collection - seriously the entire collection is to-die-for adorable!

Swim Class

Just found out this past week that both HomeGoods (one of my favorite stores EVER!) and H&M are moving closer to my house!!!  HomeGoods will now be like 5 minutes away, this could get me into some serious trouble :)
Swim class started this week for Jack and I, oh my  goodness he is too stinking cute in his little swim trunks and swim shirt....makes me giggle every time I think about it.  We are going twice a week, the first day he wasn't too sure about this whole pool thing at all....the water was cold and there was so much going on I think it was just really overwhelming for him.  But by the end of the 30 minutes he was much more comfortable and chewing on a little swim toy (toys always help!).  At first I just bought him a pair of trunks and didn't even think about the fact that he could be teeth chattering cold!!!  I learned my lesson and went straight to Target afterwards and bought him one of those little long sleeved swim shirts and I could DEF tell it made a difference at today's class.  Today he played with one of those noodles and kicked his legs and splashed around......definitely a more enjoyable experience.  Not to mention there were only three of us in the class so we just played around rather than singing all of the kiddy songs like we did in the larger group earlier in the week.  Speaking of which.......I realize now how long its been since I've heard/sung any of these songs because I DON'T remember any of the words ha ha ha!!  Wheel's on the Bus......I forgot how many verses there are!!  All in all I'm really glad we are doing this not only for Jack but for Momma as well.  It was really nice to be able to chat with other moms and share stories, makes you realize what you're missing by just talking to a baby all day!  Apparently they do play dates and continue to get together when swim is not in session which I'm looking forward to, should be a lot of fun :)

Weather Rant - Good ole Buffalo weather strikes again, its so inconsistent its ridiculous.  I thought it was going to warm up a bit and at least be in the 40s and I come downstairs this morning to GIANT size snowflakes falling and actually sticking to the ground, now its all melted and apparently going to be 50 on Sunday!!!  Craziness I tell ya.

Oh yeah, Easter is right around the corner and I can't wait to put an Easter basket together for Jack this year.  I know he won't even know what it is or ever remember but I don't care, I'm too excited not to!  I keep looking at the seriously adorable baskets with monogrammed liners on Pottery Barn Kids and really want one but I'm having trouble pulling the trigger with that price tag!!  I'm hoping they go on sale maybe right before or after the holiday.  I'm thinking the smaller one would be decent size enough, the large looks really big, if anyone has any input please let me know, are they good quality, size, worth it????

another bib I whipped up yesterday with an old t-shirt, I know its really big but I wanted to fit the entire "mr. happy" on it, plus i figure he'll grow into it.

look at the adorable smiling face <3

Rolling around while I sort and pack away his clothes that don't fit anymore, YES I'm getting organized :)

Just Rambling

Big news in our house, Jack is going to swim class!  I'm so excited, I CAN'T wait to get him in the water.  He LOVES bath time and splashes so hard I have to back up so I don't get all wet.  I think he's going to really like it.  He's all set but I on the other hand am in need of a "Mom" appropriate bathing suit.  Do Mommies wear bikinis to swim class?  I haven't worn a one piece since I was a kid but am thinking I might try a few on since there are so many really cute ones out right now.  Tankini is another option, but of course I made this decision yesterday and class starts Tuesday!  Not leaving myself much time.  Did some running around this morning but of course nobody had anything I liked in my size......this crap always happens to me.  On the brighter side........I was able to do all of my running around without a baby in tow.  That right there is big news in my book :)  I can't even tell you how fast I got things done.  I'm so used to lugging that stupid infant car seat everywhere I go and then buckling and unbuckling, such a major pain in the ass!  I went to three stores in under an hour and a half - and this included trying things on!!  Being the paranoid mother that I've become I keep texting my husband to make sure he's not screaming his lungs out and of course my husband tells me hes not being very good (later I find out this was only in attempt to make me hurry - EVIL).  So I'm racing around, trying to hurry up only to get home and find out my little angel has been just that!

In other news, its snowing AGAIN, and I'm trying out a couple new cookie recipes for the restaurant.  More importantly I found a royal icing recipe that is different than any I've ever tried before, so I really just want to see how that turns out.  I'm thinking shamrock cookie pops to get people in the mood for St. Patty's Day. 

DIY dining room - china cabinet part II

China cabinet is DONE!!!!  Boy what a relief, are we crazy to be considering starting the table this weekend, like tomorrow????  hahaha maybe we are but I just love how everything is coming together.

Of course a screw broke while attaching the final clam shell.....grrr... gotta love making a late night Lowes trip!

So my thoughts on this rust-oleum paint kit for cabinets.......its not bad, LOTS of work but easy enough and the finished result is pretty great.  The only thing I might complain about is the fact that it is hand painted with a brush and not spray painted....which would be SOOOO much quicker.  Its just tedious work to paint such a large piece with a brush, OR a million kitchen cabinets.  My husband really likes the deglosser part which you do rather than sanding, and I really liked the final coat of clear protectant gloss.  As far as the table and chairs go, we are totally going to degloss, spray paint, and then gloss.  I'm sure there is some sort of gloss/protectant coat that can be sprayed on.........that is my research for this weekend.  All in all I absolutely LOVE the results and think it really transformed the room.

From here on out its going to be DIY central in our house....we have a goal of certain things that we definitely want done before Jack's first birthday party in July.  Definitely finish putting in hardwoods in the downstairs (when we first moved in we immediately did the family room and baby's room but that was it).  The kitchen cabinets WILL get painted, and maybe even add a back splash.  Then decorating, need to find some fun, unique pieces that I can decorate with.  I need a big piece that could possibly house a TV for the living room (technically the "formal living room" that will be anything but formal in my house).  Its a bigger room that definitely needs something large and chunky to fill up the space.  Antique, second hand stores, and craigslist here I come!!!  I think the best part about re-purposing furniture is the feeling of gratification you get when its all done.  AND knowing you now have an amazing piece that would cost you an arm and a leg at Pottery Barn for a fraction of the price :)  Don't get me wrong, I love me some Pottery Barn, I just like to see if I can recreate their look whenever possible for less.

I'm sure I will move things around a million times but this is what it looks like right now

You can see a bit of the table and the ugly chair that goes along with it, they are getting done next for sure!

Getting around

This past couple of weeks Jack has really started to get interested in what's around him more and more, this includes trying to gravitate towards objects.  Mostly baskets, laundry baskets especially.  He loves them.  The diaper basket that I keep in the family room has really caught his attention lately.  Yesterday I caught him rolling over to it and pulling everything out onto the floor.  A fun new game I guess seeing as he continued to do it throughout the night!
 

 
I've been meaning to post the pics of the bibs I made, I'm sure I've ranted about this in the past but most of what you can buy in the store are just not big enough.  Although he's gotten a lot better, food still ends up EVERYWHERE, hence me deciding to make my own!!  Plus these are WAY cuter for little boys!!   I found the idea on Pinterest to use old t-shirts of Johnny's and I sort of made my  own pattern.  I found a bunch but still NOT big enough to cover the most surface area.  Here are a couple pics, I've only made two so far but after raiding my husbands dresser FULL of nothing but t-shirts I've got a TON more :)

Yes he's on the counter and NO I never left his side, I know its not safe but I would never walk away while he's in the bumbo on a counter!  

With Grandpa at Scripts

Denim jumpsuit from Baby Gap....LOVE it!!!  Visiting the Scripts crew with Momma

I bought this cupcake at wegmans and am determined to re-create it!!!  What a cute idea especially with Spring right around the corner

DIY dining room -China Cabinet PART 1

We decided to paint the dining set and start with the china cabinet!!!!!  I'm SUPER excited but am slowly realizing that this is going to take forever.  I'm the kind of person that likes things to happen instantaneously :)
So as I briefly explained in my last post, we received an entire dining room set (table, chairs, buffet, china cabinet) from a good friend's parents who were getting rid of it.  So we gladly took it since it was FREE and we had nothing!  NOT my style at all but I had high hopes that we could turn it into something great.  Here is a picture of what it originally looked like......

sideways but you get the idea.....an older style, not really what I was going for

I decided to remove the doors and the wooden post in the center that allowed the doors to close and just have it be open shelving.  I like this look and didn't like how the doors limited what I could put on the shelves.  For instance I couldn't put any of my cake stands or larger dishes on the shelves because they stick out too far and the doors wouldn't close.  So problem solved....no doors!  Once its all painted I'll change the hardware to something more my taste and we will be all set.
In the mean time, we still have a lot of painting to do.

Where to start you may be thinking??  Well so were we, neither my husband nor I have ever re-purposed furniture (so that it looks professional) before.  Besides painting smaller pieces like end tables and bookshelves, things like that.  Oh he did paint a pretty large rocking chair for the baby's room which turned out awesome!!  So maybe we aren't going in so blindly after all :)  Anyway, friends of ours painted their kitchen cabinets and since I've been DREAMING of white cabinets in my kitchen for years now, I think we will probably do the same thing.  But anyway, they used a rust-oleum paint kit for cabinets sold at Home Depot.  It comes with everything you need included a deglosser which you do instead of sanding.  it strips a layer off so that the paint will stick., and a decorative glaze (optional) that gives a more antique look if you choose.  The glaze tints the paint color, the more you wipe off the lighter the effect will be, more dramatic/darker if you leave more on.   All you need to purchase besides this kit is a paintbrush, so we thought we'd give it a try.  The kit was I think around $70 and comes with 2 paint cans that you pick the color (options given on box) and the nice people at Home Depot will tint it for you.  I chose pure white and then thought if it turned out too white (which I was afraid of) then we could just use the glaze and tint to my liking.  The kit also comes with a handy DVD which gives a much better idea of what glazing will do to your project, they do a nifty little demonstration for you.   

front of box / name of kit

Doors are GONE!  Had to remove all hardware/screws/hinges, etc... and then fill the holes in with wood filler.  Then sand to a smooth finish before starting to paint.

VOILA!!!  Hutch part finished and ready for the decorative glaze and final coat which is a protective coat and also adds some shine.  I want to finish painting the bottom half and see the entire thing white before we proceed to glazing.  I am going to test a small corner first to see if I even like it.

some color options on the box, our friends did their cabinets black which isn't shown, you can see the difference between no glaze (on left) and glazed (on right) with each color. 

7 Months Old!!

To think about the fact that my baby is 7 months old already makes me want to cry.  I'm already thinking about his first birthday and all of the planning to do!  I was just telling my husband that in 5 months he'll be 1 year old already!!!  The first 7 months have flown by so I can't even think how fast the next 5 are going to go.  I'm thinking a lot will happen this month, scooting or maybe even crawling....we shall see!

As I was driving down to Scripts to close last night I noticed that it was still really light outside at 5:30pm!!!  This gave me a huge sense of excitement to think that warm weather might be just around the corner.  Even better.....SUMMER!!!  I can NOT wait for summer to come.  I see so many cute things in the stores now for spring/summer but I'm refusing to buy just yet, as it will just sit in a closet for at least 3 more months!  That's what usually  happens, I buy things, stash them away, and keep buying things.  Then when its time to dig everything out I realize I have a ridiculous amount of stuff.

Soooo on Valentines Day, as I was getting Jack's dinner ready for him I heard him say "BA BA BA" - his first consonant sound!!!!  I looked over at him and he was (very carefully) making his lips in the shape that would allow him to make this sound, and was very softly saying it to himself.  It was SO stinking CUTE!  Then as dinner progressed he got more confident and got louder and louder.....hahaha I love the little face he makes when trying to talk.  I LOVE when he smiles with his lips together and doesn't show any teeth, its hilarious to me.

Another first....we all have colds in our house.  Jack has his first cold, I don't think its all that bad though, runny nose, I can hear slight congestion at times when he breaths, but other than that we've been extremely lucky when it comes to getting sick.  In fact I think he's who I caught my cold from since I kiss him a million times a day.   In addition to not feeling well his top front teeth are coming in!!!!  This makes for no sleep for momma and a cranky baby.  I feel so bad for him, his gums are VERY swollen, his drool has increased to a ridiculous amount (for Jack), and I can tell they are really bothering him.  I catch him rubbing them with his thumb.....poor baby :(  Just hoping they pop through soon so we can be done with this for a while.

I'm thinking I want to paint my china cabinet in my dining room, its not my style and I don't like the color.  It was given to us for free so I'm thinking why not??  It has doors on it and I think I'm going to have Johnny remove them, this would look better in my opinion plus make for easier painting.  Only problem is that its a big project and I'm not sure I'm in the state of mind to tackle something like this right now. I'll save that decision for another day :)

Here is a pic of my little monster on V-Day.....

Valentine for Jack!!

V-Day lunch at Five Guys with Daddy

Homemade Baby Food

I've been attempting to make my own baby food, well some of it.  I don't really know how one makes 100% of their baby's food homemade  and never have to buy a single pouch/jar!!  It doesn't take a ton of time and is actually really easy..... but still a process!!   My kid seems to go through baby food like there's no tomorrow so you'd really  have to be on the ball - which I'm totally NOT!  I feel like I'm constantly needing to stop by a store to pick up something.....which is one reason I thought I'd give making it myself a shot.  Today I made sweet potatoes and butternut squash.  The other day I made mangoes, and this weekend I plan on making bananas.  All organic of course, and YES it really is cheaper.  Those little packets run from $1.25 to almost $2.00 EACH!!!!  I started with them just so I can get an idea of what he likes and doesn't like, allergies and things like that.  And I do still buy them but really try to stock up when on sale.  But now he can eat like 5 or 6 pouches/jars in a day!!  Plus the oat cereal on top of that!  Can you say $$$$ ????
   
I use the Baby Bullet to make baby food, I got it as a shower gift, didn't register for it, NEVER thought I'd be interested in such a thing, BUT I can honestly say that I really like it and think its a great product.  I like the little serving containers & lids that come with it, they're great because the lids have dates on them and you can twist it to whichever date it is that you're making the food.  This way you know how long its been sitting in your freezer or fridge.  Super easy to use, easy to clean, a must have if you have any interest what so ever in making your own baby food one day!

The little rubber freezer tray is great because it really does make for the perfect serving portion.  I freeze the tray and then pop them out and put in labeled freezer bags.  When I want to serve I just take a serving out of the bag and I use those little tupperware containers (you know the ones probably made for salad dressing) which is the perfect size for one serving....then just let thaw in fridge. 

one squash made so much I had to resort to ice cube trays

I ran out of ice cube trays so I just froze the remaining amount in a breast milk storage bag....hey if  it works for milk why not squash??!!!

As you can tell Jack loves his orange veggies.  I can usually sneak a couple spoonfuls in of something green before he notices and then I have to start mixing with something else.
There are lots of recipes for home made baby food but the thought of trying them all is a little overwhelming...SO I just stick to the basics and try to always have them on hand to pull out and mix with or have in addition to a more complex blend that I'm perfectly happy buying from the store.  Like country chicken and veggie dinner or chicken/turkey, corn, and squash.....get the idea?
The pediatrician told us at our last visit that I could start blending things we are having (not everything!!), just things like chicken noodle soup....but take some out prior to seasoning it and blend it up.  I never think to do this though when I'm making dinners, I'm too quick to season and do it without thinking usually. 

**My advice to any mommas getting ready to try this, just from what little I've done so far I've learned that if you can roast something rather than boil it to get it soft then do it.  Reason being is that you won't lose nutrients from roasting something like you will boiling - nutrients will go right into the water.  My other piece of advice is to add water as you go, a recipe may call for 1 cup of water but this might be too much for your liking and make the food really soupy.  So start with about half of what it calls for (usually its one cup per 1 veggie like a sweet potato) and then add as you blend it and can see the consistency.  **

Middle of the Week

Its Wednesday and all I can say is this week is flying by so far!! Isn't that crazy how some (most) weeks drag and then some just fly by??!!  Actually I can't really say that, for me the weeks are soaring right by me, I blink and my baby is already almost 7 months old!!!
We had an amazing full page article (more like a review) written about us in the Buffalo News, and we didn't know it was happening either.  A woman came in with some friends and ordered lunch....soup/sandwich/dessert.....and then wrote about us and our menu in great detail......THANKFULLY it was ALL GOOD :)
Just proves that you've always got to be on-point at all times because you just never know what could happen.  Thanks to the article we've been getting a TON of brand new customers....people who never knew we existed until they read about us in the paper!!!  Super exciting......THANK YOU free advertising!!
Today I decided to make chocolate cupcakes with cream filling and frosted with chocolate ganache.....can you tell I was craving chocolate????
In other Scripts Cafe news, we are gearing up for the Chinese New Year.....year of the black snake!  I'm thinking we'll have egg drop soup this Friday and Saturday in honor of the Holiday.  It is the only actual holiday that my husband's family really celebrates and keeps as tradition.
Then there is the all too hallmark holiday...Valentine's Day!  Is it just a day for retailers to capitalize  on??  I totally think it is but I'm also a hopeless romantic and a sucker for a day to celebrate LOVE  hahahaha.  Now I have my Jack to celebrate and write valentines with!
I received an order for 30 cookie pops today for an event the theater (next door to us) is doing this weekend.  I think I'm going to make some heart shaped ones for Valentines Day as well.  I might as well take advantage of the opportunity to capitalize on this ridiculous day also!

In Jack news.....kid cracks me up!!!  He's so funny these days, he's now rolling across the carpet (although he's still pretty lazy and happy staying in one place most of the time), sitting up all on his own, discovered a new sound today, and I'm pretty sure will be pushing himself up on his knees pretty soon.  He's been so lovey and clingy lately.  Sometimes we just have days where he just wants to be held all time.  He is getting more excited about reading books, likes to help turn the pages and then tries to eat them.  EVERYTHING goes in the mouth, and tries to grab anything and everything within reach.
Just last week he sat up in the bathtub for the first time and splashed and played with his toys.  SO much fun watching him enjoying this...he absolutely loves bath time :)  I gave him avocado today to taste and was NOT a fan, I will keep trying though.  Oh and sleeping through the night......I probably totally just jinxed myself and will most likely be up all night tonight now but he's been doing really well, like 8pm to 7:30-8am well!!!!!!!!!  I don't sleep well though, I'm constantly checking the monitor to see if he's moved positions or flipped over or is crying and I was sleeping through it.  I don't know, I'm not sure the worrying will ever go away.

At Scrips with Momma

first time sitting up and playing in bathtub

Superbowl, all we have is Bills gear!

Love <3 how peaceful he looks when sleeping