What's For Breakfast?

I love that every morning, before Brian leaves for work, he says, "what should I eat for breakfast"?  It's become something I just expect from him, along with my goodbye kiss - of course.  :)  I mean, he pretty much knows that an egg, bacon, and pancake buffet is never going to happen before 8:00am.  So, what does he expect?   


He gets so overjoyed when I tell him that along with his Greek Yogurt, (which he seriously takes to work EVERYDAY) I got him Pop-Tarts, Toaster Strudels or Cereal Bars. 


SIDE NOTE: My mother-in-law is probably cringing, or crying at this right now.  . .saying,  "Awww, bless her little heart for trying, but she will never give him the breakfasts that I gave him". His mom makes bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice every morning for us when we go to visit.  Don't worry Linda, I am giving him excellent lunches and dinners to make up for it!  :)      


Anyway, I got sick of buying "crap" for breakfast.  I know it's not good for either of us.  Of course, my mind went right to Pinterest for healthy breakfast ideas.  I found a recipe by Smashed Peas and Carrots, called No-Bake Energy Bites.  I figured, since Brian is always coming home at lunchtime, saying, "I AM SO TIRED" he needed the energy.  AND, I love that it is no-bake.  Anything that says "no-bake" is my best friend.


I took the recipe from Smashed Peas and Carrots, and I modified it a tad bit.

No-Bake Energy Bars

Recipe: Slightly adapted from Smashed Peas and Carrots

3 packets of Low-Sugar Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal

1/2 cup of all-natural peanut butter (we make our own at a local grocery store)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, and an extra handful to sprinkle on top

1 tsp vanilla

 

Mix everything together in a medium bowl, until incorporated.  Put a layer of parchment paper in an 8x8 dish.  Empty mixture into the dish.  Press firmly, and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top (use a spoon to press them into the mixture).  Let the bars chill in the refrigerator for up to an hour. 

Then, cut into small squares, and serve!  They stay good for up to a week, in an airtight container.  (I am too lazy to roll them into balls, as the original recipe calls for...but I am sure they taste just as good cut up into a square!)   

 

Brian is so thrilled about this new breakfast I have for him.  He "pre-tasted" a bar yesterday, and thought it was amazing.  I am thinking how wonderful this is going to be.  All I have to do is mix these ingredients together on Sunday night, and package them in little baggies.  Then, he is good to go for the whole week, with yogurt in tow, of course!

Give these a try!  It is such a healthy way to start the morning.  And, BONUS, these are chocked full of natural energy - none of that Monster/RedBull junk.  Feel free to add other ingredients, and get creative with the recipe!  Nuts, raisins, dried fruit...that all sounds like a pretty delicious way to start your day!

Home Sweet Home - In The Bathroom, That Is

Don't you always feel better in your own bathroom?  I know for me, even if we stay at a really nice hotel, I am still like, "ewww...other people (with planters warts and toe fungus) have stepped foot in this shower"!  AND YOU KNOW those maids aren't scrubbing with 409 Antibacterial Foam.  Oh no they're not!  It's some concoction, with a Water to Mr. Clean ratio of 99-1.  Or, I think about all the people that sneeze (or worse) and touch the knobs on the sink...and like before, the maids aren't using Lysol Wipes to clean up after them.  They are using the same rag that they used in rooms 209-229 to clean off those knobs.  GROSS!  I'm sorry if you have never thought of this before, but now you will.  I have completely ruined your future hotel stays.

This is an actual hotel bathroom in Budapest.  OMG!  RUN!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ReviewPhotos-g274887-d285439-r68621846-Alfa_Hotel_Fiesta-Budapest.html#25988933 

  Well, even my bathroom downstairs was starting to feel like a hotel (not like the one above, though).  I knew it was clean, because I clean it...but it just wasn't MY bathroom upstairs.  But, now I am home at last.  Home Sweet Bathroom Home!

Basement bathroom- so hard to say goodbye to you...wink wink

I know, you are probably wondering why I don't use the basement bathroom all the time.  It is really nice, clean, and updated.  There is more room, and there is a bigger area to get ready in.  Well, let me tell you why.  It's cold in the wintertime...why even bother to shave, because when you get out, hair 

is back within seconds.  And, in the summertime, it is too humid/damp, why even bother washing your hair, it's already wet from sweating (Oh So Nasty).

 

For the past 3 months, I have had to shower, brush my teeth, and wash my face in the basement bathroom.  While it's a good leg workout, (going up and down the stairs) and I know I have stair stepped at least 200 calories off my bod... I'm tired.  I just want to walk around the corner from my bedroom, and do my business.  That's just general bathroom talk - no pun intended.  

SO...it happened.  It actually happened.  My amazing, talented, and handy husband finished - well, almost finished, the bathroom.  We still have a few loose ends that we need to tie up, but they are so minor, you won't even find them in the pictures below.

Remember, this is what it looked like before? 

AND NOW...Check out the pics of the finished bathroom, below.  

 Still not sure which one I am going to use as the accent towel.  Looking for a big, dark grey, plush towel for underneath one of these lucky guys who will be proudly displayed in the Licht's bathroom!  :)  TOWELS -www.westelm.com TOWEL BAR - www.target.com

My first medicine cabinet, and I AM LOVING IT!  It holds so much that I used to clutter my sink top with.  MIRROR: www.kohler.com YIKES, I need to take an iron to my curtain, don't I?

Let's take a look inside of you.  Oh, you are so spacious!  Trust me, I've since filled her up!   We didn't add this cabinet to just hold toothbrushes and hairspray!

Isn't this light fixture luxurious?  LAMP/LAMPSHADE: www.lowes.com

Just another view, isn't she a beauty?

Updated light switch plate.  Hey, it beat the plastic beast we had before.  PLATE: www.target.com

My hotel shower, minus the warts and toe fungus!

Couldn't do anything about the window, so we figured we'd keep on giving the neighbors a show!  :)

Love the look of marble, it feels so clean.  Our tub was re-glazed for just under $400. - saved us about $1000, vs. putting in a new tub.  MARBLE: www.lowes.com (approx. 400 pieces) PAINT COLOR: BEHR - Gentle Rain (www.homedepot.com)  SHOWER CURTAIN: www.westelm.com

Updated knobs to match our original door knobs.  1920's glass door knobs.  KNOBS: www.target.com

TRASH CAN: www.target.com TOILET PAPER HOLDER: www.target.com

VANITY: www.restorationhardware.com

I wanted matching brushed nickel faucets...easier to cover up water stains!   Hey, whatever works, right? I'm a busy mom!  :)  SINK/SHOWER FAUCETS: www.lowes.com (MOEN)

AND, THIS IS IT

RUG: www.westelm.com  FLOOR TILE: Hampshire Slate 16x16-cut to 8x16 www.homedepot.com

WHITE CABINET: www.target.com
TOILET: www.kohler.com ---comfort height...oooh lala!

See this empty space?  I have ordered something on Etsy.com to finish off the decor.  Pictures to come!  And, we still need two towel hooks for behind the door.  Just haven't found any that scream, "HANG A TOWEL ON ME".

Are you inspired to renovate a room in your house?  Now that we've done our bathroom (minus having to touch up/buy a few things yet) I am already wondering what room to do next?  Basement laundry room?  I have a vision for that...who knows what will pop up next!  I am sure my hubby can't wait to hear my next request!  Happy Friday to you guys!

Bathroom Remodel - DIY

Since the Packers have been off TV for a few months, my dreams about Clay Matthews have stopped. 

Yes, this is him...sigh

Look at those highlights...ugh, enough to make a girl jealous!

How I picture him on our wedding day

Our cake topper

Perfect for little Matthews



Yes, this is the dream I gave up, to dream about a bathroom remodel...(once again, sigh...)

I have now started dreaming about more realistic things, like, my husband finishing the "honey do" list.  The list is quite long, but, let's face it...I'm worth it. :)  I know my hubby would agree with that.  I just know it!

The first thing on the list was to redo the bathroom, aka, the closet with a loo (spoken with a British accent).  While we couldn't do anything about the size of the bathroom, we decided to just make it look nice so that people would feel.... ummmm....comfortable in there?  :)  The bathroom is original to the 1920's bungalow home that we live in.  It is small, cramped, but has so much character. Can a bathroom even have character?  I don't know?

SO, let the tear down begin...

The way it was before

Ewwww, you should have seen the mold he encountered



Mold, mold and more mold.




All cleaned up, and cement board was screwed in



And the marble goes up.  We had to buy about 400 pieces of tile to complete the shower.

Brian spaced the tiles 1/16 of an inch apart, which was tedious work.

Doesn't it look better already?

The vanity came out, and our bathroom looked HUGE

Naturally, underneath two layers of tile and linoleum, was the original marble tile (basket weave-which is so hard to do, and very uncommon nowadays) with a green accent color.  Too bad it didn't work with my design scheme.

Kind of would have looked cool, had my new accent color been green. 

So hard to say goodbye to my old crapper

The guy came to re-glaze our tub today.  I came home and saw this set up in our bathroom.  I instantly thought that I was living out a Dexter episode

Thank God for ventilation.  I was already concerned that Jacob had become high from the fumes, due to his 3 hour nap. 

You know, it's amazing...Brian told me that he could knock this project out in a month...AND I BELIEVED HIM!  2 months later...

Every night that Brian came home from work, he'd do a little bit more, and a little bit more...and I actually started to realize that I missed him.  I missed just laying around on the couch, watching our trashy shows together, eating late night ice cream, and getting my feet rubbed (yes, he actually rubs my feet every night...well, did until the bathroom reno came along)  Brian has been in the bathroom for two straight months, and it's gotten so bad that Jacob actually walks to the bathroom during the day saying, "daddy?".  I have to explain that daddy is at work, at his other job.  So, all in all, I think we will all be happy when this is over!

Brian is still working on the bathroom, but we can't wait to share the final results!  Should be done soon!  We had a man come to our house today to re-glaze our bathtub.  Then, next week, we have a painter coming to paint our walls.  That should pretty much wrap it up!  I can't wait to have my husband bathroom  foot rubs back!  

Growing Up Too Fast

I can't believe my little boy is almost 15 months.  Where has the time gone?  Here are just a few photos of my little love, from the past couple months.    

There's nothing like a sleeping baby.

Saturday morning fun!

Saturday morning fun also entails eating Kleenex.

My Little Farmer

Always has a smile on his face

Hmmm...can you guess what he is looking at?  Hint: TV!

Doesn't he look like daddy in this picture?

Teaching him early the proper form of mowing the lawn

Sweet Boy

He's not Irish, but I'd still kiss him!  (btw, I was just on a walk in the WIND...which would explain my look - don't judge)

Look at those thighs!  I want to eat them!