102. Make something old new

Okay, so there's not a 102 on the 101 Things list, but if there was, this project would have been it.

Last Saturday, Ross and I went to the largest thrift store on the East Coast, Unique Thrift. This little gem was pretty close to our first apartment, but we had never ventured there. We got there pretty early in the morning and were surprised to see the store packed with people and tons of stuff.

We walked around the general home section for alittle bit and headed back to the large furniture section where I spotted this gem. A beautiful wood table, with a leaf, and four chairs, marked $50. After examining the table and sitting in all the chairs to determine that they were sturdy, Ross and I conjured up a quick plan of what we would do with the set. In minutes, I had managed to convince Ross that refinishing the set and painting it a chic glossy black would look super cute and be easy for us to do.

(FYI, I am newly obsessed with the Young House Love blog and all the great work that John and Sherry do over there. They make me long for a house and motivate me to find joys in the little things, like fixing up furniture)

Ross was in agreement and we headed to the checkout stand where we found it was 50% off on furniture day, so we ended up scoring the set for 25 bucks! After carefully getting the chairs and table into the Corolla, we were off to Home Depot to buy supplies (not without a call to Mom S for her recommendations on primer first!). The past week, we've worked hard on getting the set done. Some may ask "why the rush?" and our only answer is we live in 800 sq/ft and don't have a garage. You gotta move fast to not live in a complete disaster.

We primed, painted, and reupholstered. We learned alittle history (our set was made in 1929) and that we could do a home improvement project without killing each other. Now, we can have more than 4 people sit at our table and eat with us.

Hosting a dinner party is on the 101 Things list, who wants to come???

Wordless Wednesday #3 Revealed

Yesterday's photo wasn't much of a mystery. The picture was taken just a few short weeks ago at our friends' wedding (Congrats Dan and Rachele!). It was an absolutely lovely affair and a great opportunity to hang out with my wonderful college roommates and their significant others. Awesome food, good music, and wonderful weather.

Weddings also give me a chance to reflect on my own marriage and remember back to our wedding day and how I felt.

Unbelievable happy and so very lucky.

I've been having a rough week job-wise and the hubs tries his very best to be supportive and make my days just alittle bit better, even when I come home and am a grouch. Those vows did say "for better or worse," right?

So tell me, how do weddings make you feel? Do you think back to being a blushing bride (or groom?) and feel nostalgic? Do you secretly wear your "Future Mrs" tank top under your party dress just for kicks?

Wordless Wednesday #3

5 Ingredient Sticky Chicken

I'm trying to expand my culinary skills and thanks to my mother-in-law, who bought be a subscription to Everyday with Rachel Ray, I think I'm doing pretty well (confession: I love that magazine. Maybe it's because I don't get a lot of fun mail, but I actually said OUT LOUD when I opened my mailbox "YES, MY NEW RACHEL RAY!" I am officially a nerd.)

Anyways, somehow I've now also started receiving "Working Mother." A) I am not a mother nor do I plan on being one for SEVERAL years B)I've never subscribed to this magazine nor am I being billed for it C)If I was subscribing to another magazine, it would probably be to Glamour or Self or something like that. But I decided that since I got it, I'm not one to waste and I would read through it. Besides articles on raising the perfect toddler and how to use Twitter to reclaim a spot in the corporate world, there was a 5 ingredient recipe for Sticky Chicken Drumsticks. Since, like I said before, I'm trying to expand my cooking repertoire, I gave this recipe a shot. And you know what? It wasn't terrible. Here's some pictures and the recipe.

Mix 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1/4 cup o honey, 12 chicken drumsticks, and 1/4 cup of Chinese barbecue sauce (I used regular BBQ sauce) in a Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Put chicken on foil lined baking sheet and cook under broiler. Watch chicken closely and turn occasionally. Cook for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and marinade has glazed.

12 drumsticks for 2 people is crazy, but they made a good lunch.

67. Transfer all CDs from my middle school years to iTunes

When I was at my parents' house this past weekend, I made sure to gather a pile of my CDs that date back to when I was in middle and early-high school. My tastes in music wasn't amazing- 98 degrees, the Backstreet Boys, and N*Sync all made their way into my CD player. This was the music that I'd listen to when I slept over at my best-friends houses' or when I was writing in our "notebook" (a series of notes to each other that was written completely in code using secret names that we'd made up). This is the music I would listen on DC's "Hot 5 at 9" before I went to bed and music that my 8th grade homeroom (Mrs. Elk's class) would hum as we caught up on homework and now music that is a part of my iTunes collection. I spent Friday night (yes, I am an ANIMAL!) ripping the CDs and dancing around my den to my boy band tunes.

I got to looking at the music I had in my library and took a musical trip down memory lane. Late in high school, I went through an acoustic guitar phase that seems to have lasted straight into my twenties. Memories of washing the dishes with my mom during my senior year of high school (when I wasn't singing a song from "Into the Woods") are accompanied by "No Such Thing" and "Neon." Freshman year of college included Outkast and Little John hits, Jason Mraz's "Live from Java Joe's", and hits from Maroon 5's "Songs about Jane". My sophomore year began my deep obsession with Marc Broussard and the song "Damn It Feels Good to be a Gansta" from the movie "Office Space" on repeat. My junior year began my iTunes purchasing phase where I'd hear a song and immediately need to have it- alot of one hit wonders ended up in my library and bring me back to dancing around my living room with my roommates and hanging out with the boys that lived across the street from us. My senior year was filled with tunes from a mixed CD I created to put in my car on my trips to DC to visit Ross and my family, "Walk it Out," and the Kenny Chesney album I listened to while laying on the beach in Panama City on Spring Break.

I love music and the memories that certain songs conjure up. When I hear the Manhattan's "Shining Star," I think of my Mom and Dad. When I hear "Yeah!," I think of dancing at parties freshmen year with my best friends. When I hear any song from the "Wicked" soundtrack, I think of my little sister.

Do you have special memories of a particular song? Is that song in your iTunes collection? Do you have a secret boy band obsession? Feel free to share, we won't judge.

Wordless Wednesday #2 Revealed!

Yesterday's photo was a picture I took while we were on vacation a few weeks ago in Montana. We got the chance to spend our last day there 4-wheeling through the Monarch Mountains and through some of the most beautiful country ever. I sent several hours looking at the back of my husband's helmet, but got to drive for about 33 miles. I thought this was pretty artsy looking and like that you can see the tall trees (and me taking the picture!) reflected in his helmet!

Wordless Wednesday #2

AT1 Happy Hour

On Thursday, Ross and I attended the DC JDRF's Adults with Type 1 Happy Hour. I've been to the happy hour before, but this time, Ross was in tow and I was alittle more at ease knowing I knew atleast one person. We got there around 6pm and we immediately welcomed by a group of people who are on the AT1 board. Everyone introduced themselves and we got drinks and got to talking about what we did, how long we'd had diabetes, and how we were diagnosed.

There were several people who were diagnosed as children and a group of us that were diagnosed as teenagers. There was a brother and sister pair snd a dad with type 1 whose daughter had been diagnosed in February. We talked about pumping, Omni-podding, and wearing a CGMS. We talked about insurance coverage and health reform. We talked about taking shots and exercising. Ross was a champ; chatting up various people about the benefits of CGMS and giving a bit of his perspective on diabetes technology.

I'm so thankful the DC JDRF started this group. It's always nice to meet and talk with people who know exactly what you're going through.

Ross' observation: "I may have been one of the only people in that room with a working pancreas".

FYI: For those of you in the DC-area, check out http://www.jdrfcapitol.org/adults-with-type-1/ for more information about the AT1 group!

The Big Move

This weekend, my parents and I ventured to Richmond, VA to move my little sister into her freshmen dorm at Virginia Commonwealth University. As I've mentioned, I still see her as being 6 years old (and in a cast with no front teeth after an unfortunate fall down the stairs in our house), which is completely silly since she's 18, gorgeous, and taller than me.

We managed the unloading and setting up of the room in record time. Kudos to VCU for making move in, especially into a HUGE building, pretty seamless. The streets were blocked off so we pulled right up to the curb and then got to check out one of those big laundry carts like the cleaning staff uses in a hotel. We had all of Beck's stuff into her room in 2 trips and totally tag teamed the room set up, with my mom making the bed, me filling her drawers with clothes, and my dad setting up her computer. We trekked around campus to check out the theater and hit the bookstore. After an extremely emotional "see ya later," we hit the road and left Beck to her next big adventure.

She has decided to document her first year at school, as a theater major, and you can check out her blog at This Little Light of Mine. Tell her her big sister sent you!

What's you fondest memory of your freshmen year of college or your first year away from home?

Wordless Wednesday: Revealed

Yesterday photo was a recent snapshot of Tucker, our Yorkchon. We have a futon in our den and Tucker decided to push several of his toys under there. Being the timid little guy that he is, once he got under the futon and couldn't reach his toy, her got scared and wouldn't move. Ross actually had to pick the futon up so Tuck would come out, but not without taking a snapshot of him first!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Hump Day! Today begins a new feature here on Low Snacks and Lip Gloss, Wordless Wednesday (except today there are words!). Every Wednesday, I'll be posting a picture of people that are important to me, things that make me laugh, Tucker, or who knows! I invite you to leave me a G-rated caption in the comments section for the photo and on Thursday, I'll let you know what the picture is actually about.

My Nana Hazel's Curry

I was fortunate enough to eat a lot of great food while we were on vacation in Montana. Between my favorite greasy tacos, chicken from my favorite bar, bbq fixings, and my Nana’s home cooking, we were definitely well fed.

On Monday, Nana Hazel made a delicious curry for dinner, after Ross and my Papa Woody got home from a long day of fishing (fyi, they didn’t catch a thing except for grasshoppers.). The house smelled absolutely wonderful the entire day and I badgered Ross with text messages to see when they would be home so we could eat:

“Am hungry. The house smells great. Hope you haven’t been eaten by a snake. Please come home soon.Kthxbye”

Nana grew up in Southend-on-Sea, England after World War II. She cooks traditional British food like a champ. Her Sunday roast makes tears come to my eyes it’s so good. Her Yorkshire pudding is something that both my mom and I try and replicate and ultimately fail at, every single time. . She makes Toad-in-the-Hole (sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding) and amazing chips (French fries) and a trifle that my mom talks about in complete envy. She doesn’t use a lot of spices, but the food still is rich in flavor and always memorable.

The curry that she makes is ever so easy and something that she learned to make from her brother, my great uncle, Brian. He was known for making this around Christmastime and having friends and family over to share with him.

It reminds me of family.

First, gather a package of stew beef and chop the pieces in smaller pieces (roughly ¾ inch pieces). Slice an onion and two large carrots. On medium high heat and in a large pot, sauté onions in extra virgin olive oil until they are translucent. Add the stew beef, a few (yes, few-she doesn’t measure) tablespoons of curry powder, and some flour. Allow the meat to brown until most of the pink in the meat is gone. Add three to four cups of water and the carrots. Allow the stew to simmer for several hours (the longer it simmers, the more tender the meat will be). Then add a packet of Golden Curry sauce mix (Nana uses medium hot). Stir to desired consistency. Add more sauce mix as necessary and make sure everything is well combined and heated through.

Serve on top of rice and enjoy in the company of those you love.

34. Learn a new G-rated joke every month for a year (3/12)

Q. Why DIDN'T the skeleton cross the road?
A. Because he didn't have any guts!!!

14. Visit my grandparents in Montana with Ross

This past week, we crossed off another item on my 101 Things list. Ross and I had been planning our Montana trip since March and I feel like it sort of snuck up on us. I hail from Great Falls, Montana, thanks to the fact my dad is retired Air Force and met my mom (a Montana transplant via England) while he was stationed here. And while my Nana Hazel explained that “the city is going to shit,” I still love it.

Why? Because the sky is different there. Because everything seems alittle brighter. Because there’s no humidity and my hair didn't frizz. Because some of my favorite people in the entire world live there. Because my favorite restaurant is there. Because people are just alittle bit more relaxed.

They wear boots and cowboy hats. They go to rodeos. They 4-wheel through the mountains and camp. They go to the river and swim in the creek. They fish and they hunt.

Me? I don’t do any of that. But I appreciate the lives that they live and I’m imagining that it would be pretty great to have a house with some land, to be able to look out in the morning and see that big, beautiful sky.

Also, I think I would look pretty sweet in a pair of boots, and an awesome cowboy hat.