Extreme Home-Makeover: Coy Edition

I have big plans for my house... if only I had the funds to support them!

The husband and I moved into our home 3 years ago in February. I was actually hesitant to even look at it in the beginning. I said that I wanted an older brick home and this was neither. But then I went inside and instantly fell in love.

Three years later, I still love my home just the way it is. I simply have a few ideas of ways to make it even better!

We have a large bonus room upstairs that is as unfinished as they come. Besides the studs that mark where the walls would/should be, it is pretty much just a spacious attic with a nice staircase leading up to it. Finishing the bonus room is definitely at the top of my home renovations list, but I have something a little more exciting in mind.

Instead of just finishing the space as laid out, I'd like to rip off the back half of our roof and extend the upstairs space all the way back to be flush with the downstairs. The front half of the roof can stay, although I would like to cut in two gabled dormer windows. No biggie, right? I envision an additional bedroom, a hangout/play room and an extra bathroom in the expanded space. Of course I don't actually expect for this extreme transformation to take place, but I do hope to at least put up some walls and add some flooring sometime soon!

Our backyard could use some work as well. We currently have a little brick patio off the backdoor, but nothing exciting that entices me to venture outside that often. I'd like to add a deck or possibly a screened in porch. A fire pit would be a fantastic addition, and Kevin has requested a hot tub. We also need a fence for a dog and future children, other fences are not all the riveting. 

Happy Record Store Day!

Record Store Day 2012 is this Saturday, April 21. To some, this means nothing, but to my husband, this is the equivalent to a national holiday!

For those who may not be familiar with Record Store Day (RSD), it is a day that recording artists come together to support and celebrate independent record stores. On this day, artists release limited editions of special recordings and compilations on CDs and vinyl (yes, vinyl...) that are only sold in indie record stores. No big box stores, no online downloads, if you want these special releases, you have to buy local! The concept is actually kind of cool when you think about it. This year, everyone from Matt Nathanson to Katy Perry and Metallica will have RSD releases.

The husband can't be in Greenville without making a stop at Earshot. He loves that place and can always find some obscure album no one else has ever heard of that he "needs". Needless to say, WE will be venturing to Earshot bright and early tomorrow morning to celebrate RSD. In fact, Kevin has put together a detailed list of the limited RSD releases he is looking for, complete with a picture of the covers for a quick visual reference.

Last year, RSD coincided with the wedding of a mutual college friend of ours. Luckily, the wedding was in Rock Hill, so Kevin was able to squeeze a quick trip in to an indie record store in Charlotte... with the groom in tow. I think this year's plan is for us to split up at Earshot so that we can cover more ground. I'm picturing a Black Friday type situation with hair pulling and elbowing to snatch the RSD must haves... wish me luck! 

UPDATE
Record Store Day was a success... Kevin's list was conquered. We actually made not one, but two record store stops in Greenville. We were waiting in line at Earshot when the doors opened at 7:30 (seriously). Finished there in time to be at Horizon when they opened at 8 where I was super wife and snatched up the one and only copy of The Civil Wars Billie Jean vinyl.

Record Store Day 2012

I did get a new Matt Nathanson CD, so that is exciting! Turns out the Phish Album is now selling on eBay for about 3x more than what we paid for it... hmmmm. 

Give It A Try!

Back in the day when MySpace was cool (it was cool at one point, right?), I would write blogs featuring my favorite item of the month. Turns out, more people read those than I thought and said that they actually enjoyed them.

So I have decided to revive the product review blogging and start featuring new items that I love or find especially useful in a feature I'll call 'Give it a Try'. I get excited when I find new products that work really well, make my life easier in some way or just exceed my expectations. Now I can share that excitement with you and hopefully introduce you to something new. Enjoy!

Kraft Fresh Take - Cheese and Breadcrumb Mix
Kevin and I eat a lot of chicken at home, mainly because I don't like other meats all that well, but also because it is easy. We buy chicken breasts in bulk from Costco and are always looking for new ways to spice-up our meals. Kevin discovered the Kraft Fresh Take kits at Publix and they are truly awesome!

The kits are very easy to use and consist of cheeses and breadcrumbs that you mix to form a breading for your meat. Think shake and bake with a lot more flavor. The unique packaging keeps the cheese and breadcrumbs separate until you are ready to cook. Simply pull apart the center of the bag to create one big bag. Seal the bag and shake everything up to combine the cheese and breadcrumbs. Add your chicken, shake some more and then bake.

Not only are the kits super easy to use, but they taste really great. We have tried two flavors so far - Southwest Three Cheese and Italian Parmesan. Both flavors are really good and the mix makes a nice breading with a little crunch. We added pasta sauce (and noodles on the side) to the Italian Parmesan mix last night, making a quick and easy chicken parmesan.

There are 6 different mix flavors available with options for Chicken, Fish and Pork. Check out all the Fresh Take flavors here: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/kraftcheese/freshtake.aspx and give a Fresh Take mix a try the next time you are looking to spice-up your dinner!

365 Days Until 30

Today Kevin is celebrating his 29th birthday in Charleston... on a two-night field trip with a bus full of 8th graders.

I was definitely a little sad when I realized the field trip corresponded with Kevin's birthday. I have a hard time remembering the last birthday I didn't spend with Kevin since we met in college. Well, I didn't technically spend his 21st Birthday with him... but that's a different story.

Kevin Celebrating his 24th Birthday in 2007

As we get older, birthdays seem to lose their luster... less presents, less fanfare and a little gray hair. But birthdays should still be special no matter how old you are, not necessarily as a celebration of the day you were birthed, but more as a celebration of your life and how awesome of a person you are. Everyone likes to feel special, and I have to believe a day in the spotlight once a year is good for the soul.

I packed a card in Kevin's suitcase with a note to not open until today. I wanted him to at least have something to open on his birthday, even if it was just a card. Happy Birthday, Dear! 

Name that Commercial

Kevin has always had an eclectic taste in music. He listens to everything from Dave Matthews to Beastie Boys, Bob Dylan to Phish, Ben Folds to the Carolina Chocolate Drops and everything in between. Hardly a week goes by that Kevin hasn't discovered some new artist/band that most people have never even heard of. When he gets new music, he likes to listen to it a lot... and loudly... so I can't help but hear his new tunes, even if I am not actively listening.

Sometimes, I have these moments where a particular song from one of Kevin's "listens of the week" catches my attention and I realize I have heard the song before. Not as a song on the radio or Pandora, but rather as a snip-it in the background of a commercial, TV show or movie. I then go through the filing system that is my mind and begin to place the song to where I have heard it from before. I can normally narrow it down to a type of commercial, or identify it as being from a TV show rather than a movie. It is like I have all these useless video clips in my brain and hearing a song that corresponds to a clip sends off some sort of signal that proceeds to drive me crazy until I make the connection.

For example, yesterday Kevin picked up the new Alabama Shakes album. I had never heard of them before, but as we were driving back from Best Buy, I had a moment in the middle of a conversation. Hold everything - I think I've heard this song before! Kevin just says okay and moves on, but the song sticks with me. I head the song, You Ain't Alone, again when we got home (as I said before, he listens to his new music a lot) and I was able to narrow it down... definitely a jewelry commercial. A quick Google search later and I found it!

Zales Holiday 2011 Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05D2y_tEOJ8&feature=relmfu

I had a similar experience with The Black Keys. Kevin bought their first album, which actually came out in 2010, after listening to their new album. I was not really listening to the music, it was just background sound as I was doing something random around the house. And then I had a moment... that song, I know that song! The song was 'Howlin' for You' from the very awesome movie Limitless.

I am not sure if this would be classified as a talent. And I am even less sure that it will ever be of any real use. But if you ever need help putting a song with a commercial, I am your girl!

I am Not a Crazy Cat Lady...

I admit, I talk about my cats a lot - in person, on Facebook, and now, on this blog. But they are really awesome and are such a big part of my life that I just can't help but share them with everyone!

Kevin and I adopted both Gracie (white) and Gidget (black) from the Humane Society back in 2009 when we moved into our new house. We knew we wanted pets, and since our backyard was not fenced in we thought that cats would be a good option. Gracie won Kevin over with her super-friendly personality and came to live with us first. Of course we needed a solid black cat to complement our white one, so a few weeks later I found Gidget. Gidget is the more reserved, quiet cat of the two. Initially, Kevin described her as a "dud" but has since apologized.

Gracie & Gidget Sharing a Snack - Tails Crossed

My cats truly warm my heart. They are so sweet and let me know each day just how much they love me. I am a firm believer that pets help people live longer lives by reducing stress because it is hard to have a bad day around these two. Gracie likes to give kisses and headbutts and will gently touch your face as if she is patting you. Gidget will just hop up in your lap, start purring and settle in for a nap. She has an adorable face that you just can't help but smile at.

Gidget Taking a Nap on My Legs

What's even better than the kitties loving us is that they also love each other. Although we brought them home at different time they got along well with each other from the beginning. Gidget hasn't got along with any other cats she has come in contact with, so I guess we lucked out! It's not uncommon for them to share the top of the cat perch together. They also like to give each other baths - well more like Gracie likes to lick Gidget, but Gidget appreciates the free grooming.

Gracie Perched on My Shoulder/Back

Of course they do have their moments. Gidget becomes a squeaking pest when she is having a "food crisis" in the kitchen. She seems to get nervous when the food bowls get low, as if we may leave and never come back to give her more. Gracie doesn't seem to understand that people sleep at night and they don't want to play with her at 3am. She's like a boomerang - you can throw her in the floor over and over again and she always comes back.

What I love most about the kitties is how much Kevin enjoys them. He was definitely not a cat person before the girls found their way into our lives but he has a soft spot in his heart for them now! I'd go into details, but I'd hate to tarnish his manly image. Cats are great and everyone should have one... or two, in their lives!