gingerbread dreams

Win a New Kitchen Faucet: a really nice one

Since we first stepped foot into our current house while on our house hunting trip back in April I have been itching to switch out our kitchen faucet. It's pretty builder basic and not great quality. Our town has super high water pressure and I really don't want to be pulling some at home plumbing with a flooded kitchen when hubby is working nights.

I have been searching and drooling over the faucets out now with technology that allows you to turn it on with just a touch. So great for dirty hands. Now you I someone could win one!

You want one? Me too. Natural Mommie is hosting a giveaway for us Canadians of a fancy shmancy Brizo faucet.

Top Ten Tuesday: Preparing for Autumn

The temperatures have dropped drastically around here over the last week and there are a few things around our household that need to be adjusted to prepare for the arrival of autumn.

1. Swap my flip flops for ballet flats.
They sit at the back door so I can quickly scoot out with the dogs when they do their business and jamming my socked toes into flip flops is getting old.

2. Get some new socks
How have my socks worn thinner by sitting in the drawer?

3. Put away the gazebo canvas
Yes we need to get the gazebo frame naked.

4. Hem the curtains
We have basboard heaters in this house, under every window and my floor length living room curtains won't look so cute with scorch marks on them when the heat comes on... Still unsure of a solution without looking like dorky short curtains...

5. Dig out sweaters and jackets
Gone are the days of wearing a solitary t-shirt all day

6. Unpack autumn decor
More unpacking...

7. Get a hair cut
My hair has been growing for many months and I am not a blow dryer type gal so having really long wet locks is getting chilly. Need an easier to blow-dry style. ( This photo was before my last chop in March, it is even longer now)

8. Switch moisturizers
The lightweight summer stuff is not cutting it on the cooler weather.

9.  Dig out the slow cooker
Craving warm soups, stews and chilis

10. Dump the summer planter
My petunias have gone to a better place and their carcasses are just not that pretty.

For more top ten fun go see Amanda

Meal Plan Monday

Sickness smacked our house this weekend, well smacked my husband the rest of us have escaped unscathed so far. Today is housework catch-up day and menu plan day. Since we're moving in less than 3 weeks it's deep-freeze pantry clean out menu time.

Monday: Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday: Spaghetti

Wednesday: pizza

Thursday: Perogies, frozen veggies and bbq chicken

Friday: Turkey Soup

Saturday & Sunday: leftovers since hubs is away

For more meal plan ideas visit Laura

Linky Love: Cake and Shower Curtains

How beautiful and dainty is this mother's day cake from I am baker. So so sweet.

photo from I am baker

Love this shower curtain from Urban Outfitters and found this DIY tutorial. I'm thinking for the main bath which will be used by Isabel.

from Urban Outfitters

For more links from the week visit Staci

Top Ten Tuesday: House Wishlist Revisited

After I wrote my house wishlist we went house hunting.  It only took us one day and nine scheduled showings plus one unscheduled (by us)  God showing and we had found ourself a house!

We were up bright and early after a late night flight and a four hour time difference, coffees and breakfast in hand we met with our realtor and hit the road. When we walked into our new house it was oh so apparent that is was the One. No others on the market even compared and our disappointment soon turned to anticipation as we drove back to the office to make an offer. They accepted and in a couple of months we move in!

Now that evening I went back to my wishlist and was so thrilled to see how well our new house did.

1. Bedrooms on a second storey.
Our current home is one-level, it is great and our daughter is a fantastic sleeper but it would be nice to have the bedrooms away from the living area.
Check! Our new home has three bedrooms upstairs and one in the finished basement.

2. A yard.
I will not specify size as we currently have a very dinky backyard so anything larger would be wonderful.

Check! We half a half acre lot with a green space as our backyard neighbour.

3. A mudroom.
I would love to have space for jacket and boots besides our one main closet or the garage.
Check. There is a separate door into the heated garage that leads to a mudroom area as you enter our kitchen.

4. Three or Four bedrooms.
Three is a must four would be nice so that we could always have a spare room.
Check. Three up, one down.

5. A garage.
In the area we'll be living most are older homes so garages are not common but it would be nice.
Check. A two-car attached garage as well as a separate garage.

6. A rec room area.
I would love to have a basement or loft area that could be a tv/toy room away from the living room.
Check. Finished basement rec. room.

7. Space for crafting.
The rec room area or fourth bedroom would cover this. I would like just enough to have a desk for my sewing machine and scrap-booking supplies organized and accessible.

Check. The fourth bedroom will be the guest room and it will also have a special crafting area.

8. A window over the kitchen sink.
Standing at our current sink I look at the wall straight ahead or into the living room to my left, I have always found staring out a window makes doing dishes more enjoyable.

Check. There is my window looking out into our backyard and my mum checking out the under-cabinet lighting.

9. A deep tub.
I love a good bath and though I did turn our overflow drain around so I can fill the tub a little fuller there are still bits of me that are never fully submerged in the bath.

Check. Master bath has a big tub.

10. Little or no carpet.
Our two dogs produce a lot of fur and it is so much easier to keep hard flooring clean.

Check. Hardwood, ceramic tile and laminate.

For more top ten fun go visit Amanda.

HOUSE UPDATE: WE FOUND IT!

I posted my top ten house wish list a few weeks ago and just wanted to give a quick update. We found our dream house!

We were house hunting and stopped for a bite to eat while we waited 45 minutes to see the last house on our schedule. We met a guy in the coffee shop also eating his lunch and as my husband was chatting with him he invited us to go look at his house. His wife and he had discussed relocating just the other night.

We saw it, loved it, and bought it, without it even being on the market.
God is good! Giving us those 45 minutes to kill so we would be in the right place at the right time.

Top Ten Tuesday: House Wishlist

We sold our house!! Hurray! The sold sign went up today and now we pack and prep to leave Sunday for our house hunting trip. We're moving 3000 miles across the country back to our family. I'm so thrilled that this next step in our journey is finally here and so anxious at the same time.
We've been aware of this move since October so virtual house hunting began then but I thought I should perfect our wishlist.

Top ten things I would love in our new house

1. Bedrooms on a second storey.
Our current home is one-level, it is great and our daughter is a fantastic sleeper but it would be nice to have the bedrooms away from the living area.

2. A yard.
I will not specify size as we currently have a very dinky backyard so anything larger would be wonderful.

3. A mudroom.
I would love to have space for jacket and boots besides our one main closet or the garage.

4. Three or Four bedrooms.
Three is a must four would be nice so that we could always have a spare room.

5. A garage.
In the area we'll be living most are older homes so garages are not common but it would be nice.

6. A rec room area.
I would love to have a basement or loft area that could be a tv/toy room away from the living room.

7. Space for crafting.
The rec room area or fourth bedroom would cover this. I would like just enough to have a desk for my sewing machine and scrap-booking supplies organized and accessible.

8. A window over the kitchen sink.
Standing at our current sink I look at the wall straight ahead or into the living room to my left, I have always found staring out a window makes doing dishes more enjoyable.

9. A deep tub.
I love a good bath and though I did turn our overflow drain around so I can fill the tub a little fuller there are still bits of me that are never fully submerged in the bath.

10. Little or no carpet.
Our two dogs produce a lot of fur and it is so much easier to keep hard flooring clean.

Stay tuned for an update as to how many wishlist items we are able to find in our new home.

Go see Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday fun.

Ultimate Blog Party 2011

Hello hello! The party has started! Last year was my first UBP and it was so neat to meet folks from all over blogland partying together. 

I'm Naomi, I'm a mom and wife. I love Jesus, cupcakes and making crafty things. 

I started this blog when my husband's job moved us to the other side of the country away from all of our family and friends. Three years later we're gearing up to move back across the country so my time lately has been consumed by phone calls, signatures, faxing, and virtual house hunting... I am welcoming this week of blog-partying.

I'm so glad you've stopped by to party and I'm looking forward to 'meeting' you all, please leave me a comment so I can come visit your little piece of blogland.

Linky Love: Curry, Bracelets and a Camera Strap Cover

Hubs surprised me with a new camera last night, so of course my first priority is clearly to make this.

image from The Cottage Home

This chickpea potato curry is so delicious, one of my favourite recipes ever. Hubs the self professed carnivore even gave it rave reviews.

image from Simply Recipes

Remember how I said I need fabric? Well I found some.

image from Three Dolls Fabric

I saw this bracelet   on Love but I think my new camera may have eaten up my gift quota for a while.

image from Ponder and Stitch

For more links go visit Staci

Feeling the wrong kind of crafty: Top Ten Tuesday

I've been feeling super crafty lately, like fabric crafty but I need more fabric...I wish I was feeling scrapbook paper crafty because I have a ton of scrapbook paper (thanks mom!) and then there would be more pages in my 14 month old's scrapbook than just the one of her baby shower from the summer of 2009.

Here are the top ten crafts that I have bookmarked to do. At some point. When I have more fabric. 

1. Rolled Flowers from Snazzie drawers (the tutorial link is in her right sidebar)

2. Fitted cloth diapers, haven't decided on a pattern as of yet but have been looking at several.

3. Dragon slippers, how cute are these!

4. Love letter? Toadstool? Jam Jar Topper?  So many options

5. Ruffle pillows for the living room, our bedroom, Isabel's room...

6. Wool soakers to cover the fitted diaper I make.

7. Yo-yo's would look great with some rolled flowers.

8. So what if it's a Valentine craft? A cute wreath is still a cute wreath right?

9. Leggings for Isabel with some flare.

10. A diaper sewing job I really actually NEED to do more then want.

Join the top ten fun with Amanda

Valentine's Linky Love

What your husband REALLY Wants... seriously read this! thank you Quatro Mama

The Other Proverbs Wife, are you her? Thanks to Diaper Diaries

Best valentine's cards: Give:LOVE from Sorta Crunchy. Found these via Oh Amanda, love her.

Bake a heart inside a cupcake. How cute are these!

image from Bake It in a Cake

 For more links go see Staci

Winter ONEderland Birthday Party: Top Ten Tuesday

So this is coming 6 weeks late but here's a recap of the 1st birthday party for our little girl.

1. Cupcakes! 

I made vanilla cupcakes from Hello Cupcake and frosted them with simple white frosting with a hint of mint flavour. I found red and white patterned cupcake wrappers on sale at Michaels. 

*see #2 for cupcake toppers.

2. Paper Decor

Etsy seller totfulmemories made the beautiful printable party package. Many thanks to mom for helping me assemble cupcake toppers, banners, cup labels and hanging signs.

3. Cake Pops

My mom gave me an early Christmas gift of the Cake Pops book by Bakerella so I thought I would give them a shot for the party.

4. Hot cocoa station

I made a vat of hot cocoa and kept it warm in my slow cooker. It was quite yummy on a cold December afternoon especially when paired with a cupcake or two.

5. Martha's Balls err tissue paper balls that is

I have been looking for an excuse to make these ever since I first saw them when I was wedding planning almost 5 years ago. I found my excuse.

6. Double Duty Decor

The snowballs are now hanging in the nursery as is this banner, I just couldn't bear to pack them away.

7. First Cupcake

She looks less thrilled than she was for most of her party.

8. The outfit

Who doesn't want to wear a tutu on your birthday... 

9. Friends

What's a party without guests. We had many great friends come celebrate with us and showered the birthday girl with many wonderful gifts. I didn't manage to get a picture but we made foamie snowflake ornaments from a kit I found on sale at Michaels too...

10. Happy 1st birthday sweet girl!

For more Top Ten Tuesday Fun go visit Amanda