Merry Christmas!

I had a good Christmas week. It was quiet, simple, and almost perfect. My sisters weren't able to come down, and I wasn't able to go up. In a way, this worked out for the best. Both my Mom and I worked Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so we carpooled and enjoyed coffee. Hopefully my parents and I will be able to go to Washington in January!

My family rarely goes all out on gifts. We prefer to focus on celebrating Christ's birth and enjoy the special moments that happen when family comes together. I did get a little spoiled this year though... I got a pashmina, a beaded purse, a vintage cuff, lots of toys for the cats, and candy from my immediate family.

My Grandparents sent me money (saved towards a treadmill), and my Aunt and Uncle sent me a Walmart gift card which got me some new slipper socks, a planner for 2013, and chocolate!

Today my parents and I had a small dinner of pulled pork, salad, homemade au-gratin potatoes, candied jalapeños, and a delicious gluten free chocolate hazelnut bread for dessert. After dinner I asked Bill (my Step-dad) if I could borrow their juicer for a few weeks, and he just gave it to me!

A friend gave it to them, and since they never use it, they gave it to me. I put it to use as soon as I got home and plan to use it a lot more!!

I pulled a few more things out of the attic, and made sure a few things I will want soon were still there. All in all it was a great holiday. Really looking forward to 2013!!

18 Days

I've spent 18 days in the new house. 18 days of hot showers. 18 days of not having to boil water to do dishes. 18 days of not having to use a bucket to flush a toilet. 18 days of being able to use the oven and more than one burner. 18 days of rearranging, cleaning, and savoring.

Last Christmas I hung a few favorite ornaments from cabinet knobs and called it good. The first thing I did after moving in my first load was set up my Christmas tree. It really makes this place feel like home.

The cats love it here. There is a ton of room to play, and all sorts of places to curl up for a nap. I moved the litter box out of the bathroom - they hate that they can't go to the bathroom with me now. I love it! They have more limits here, but it's really just helped balance their attitudes out.

I love having so much light. A warm bed. Truthfully, there is so much to be thankful for this holiday season, my new home is only a small bit of it.

Saturday I cooked myself a little Christmas dinner of my favorite holiday foods, and am actually looking forward to working Christmas Eve and Christmas itself. There is something sweet about working the holidays when you're in health care. Maybe I'm just nutty ;)

Time to head to bed so I can catch a few hours of sleep before work.

Merry Christmas!!

All moved

Mid November I started to think about moving. On November 15th I posted on my Facebook that I was looking for a place. Offers flowed in, I looked at a few houses, spent a lot of time in prayer, and a lot of time talking to my family. I was determined to move ONLY if finances and the situation were right.

The Sunday before Thanksgiving I met a couple at church who were going to be looking for a new tenant soon. We chatted on the phone a few times, but I KNEW this was my place. God answered my prayers in a mighty way. The price was right, the situation was perfect, and I just had a feeling.

On December 2nd I saw the place for the first time, on December 5th I moved in my first load... Two days later I spent the night for the first time. It's amazing. After an initial adjustment period the cats both love it, and we are really settling in.

Last night we had a significant windstorm, for a little bit I was scared... But the cottage weathered the wind, and somehow the candlelit night made it seem even more like home.

The cottage is small. Tiny, by most American standards. There is a small sunroom, and then boom!, the rest (save the restroom) is all one room. Open floor plan lovers, this place is for you.

The openness is a bonus, since I was used to living/dining/sleeping being combined after a year in the RV. Unlike the RV, the cottage is spacious, has hot water, a flushing toilet, and a functioning kitchen!!

The entire process was a bit whirlwind, but I am just SO happy.

Moving on up

A few days after expressing my desire to get out of the RV and in to a house, the deal of a lifetime dropped in to my lap.

For the past two weeks I've been building the new home up in my head. Tomorrow I get to go see it for the first time. All I can hope is that it lives up to at least part of my dreams.

Holiday Woes

It's that time of year... Stores are putting out holiday decorations and people are indulging in 'spiced' goodies. At my favorite coffee shop the barista pushed a pumpkin pie latte in me, it was nausea at first sip. Walking through the new Big Lots that opened in our area last night, I had to detour around the Christmas displays.

Unfortunately I am overly sensitive to cinnamon and cloves. The scent alone makes my stomach twist, and if I try to eat it... It's messy. One time I spilled a little clove oil at a friends house and whole cleaning it up got some on my skin. Instant redness, swelling, and itching.

It sucks. For years my Mom thought I was allergic to cranberries because I'd get an angry red rash on the back if my neck after eating her homemade sauce at Thanksgiving. Now I enjoy multiple times a year with nutmeg!

I have to admit though, it makes avoiding the typical commercial trappings of the holidays easy. My presents are bought months in advance, no crowds for me. :)

Food!

It's been a great week for food. I spent $175 of my own money, an additional $50 from a friend who had borrowed money from me, and a bag of gluten free and organic goodies from my parents.

I've had a green smoothie every day, and enjoyed opening the fridge, only to have things fall out because it's so full.

Right now I have a roast in the crockpot, beans in the Dutch oven, and rice in the pressure cooker. Lunches are going to be great this week!! There is homemade hummus, chayote squash, bell peppers, salad, and apples ready to pack into my lunch bag.

For dinner I had a piece of gf bread with almond butter, a smoothie, and ginger tea. It's a far cry from what I was eating when I moved in to the RV last November. I feasted on canned spinach, hot dogs, and broth packets... There were days I had to eat at work before coming home because I knew there was nothing here.

Slowly my cupboards have filled up with staples, my freezer has extra in it, and I am taking an entire days worth of meals to work with me. Switching to nights has forced me to start thinking about what I put in my body. 12 hour shifts means I eat the majority of my days calories at work. Some days I might have a small snack at home before and after my shift, but typically not.

So now I'm gluten free again, why I ever stopped eating that way boogles me. I was diagnosed with celiac disease years ago, and did very well for a long time... And then stopped

I feel much better after just a month!

Simple things...

Cranberry beans are soaking for tomorrows dinner.

The bed is stripped so I can wash sheets, and put on an electric mattress pad.

A few new songs are playing on my phone.

The RV smells like my version of fall... Eucalyptus and mint wax replaced my guava berry wax in the melter.

A basketful of squash is nestled behind my coffee pot.

Tomorrow I'm picking more apples, and buying organic fresh roasted coffee and local dried cranberries.

The kitties are both on antibiotics, so my cabinet is overflowing with soft food.

The first season of Fringe is on my shelf.

The air has turned crisp and fog covers the road most of the morning.

Just a few more dishes to go and they are all clean.

The fridge is full, so is the freezer and my cabinets.

Gummy probiotics are actually yummy... Maybe I'll switch my other vitamins to gummies too.

Bed calls, Sunday School starts a 9:30.