Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Santa, Baby....this won’t fit down my chimney!

Christmas came early at my house this year, in more ways than one. For starters, my parents made a long-awaited trip out from the east coast to visit and catch up with Ty. Naturally, since it is so close to Christmas, we opened a few presents and I just have to say....this is Ty’s year. This year, he really gets it. This year, he is very excited about anta coming (which means we also get to use the “Santa is watching” method of child discipline). This year, he was really able to tear those packages open with a gusto that only another four year old can rival. I can’t wait for Christmas morning.
Its been awhile since I’ve had a “Dad visit” post, but if you have been reading a while, you may remember that my dad can’t come visit without having a ‘to-do’ list to accomplish while he’s here. And that, as you may also know, is just fine with me. This trip, we had a fairly lengthy list, but mainly small items that involve items like repairing a leaky sink, moving some curtain rods, burying the line to our well pump, etc. SO, unlike previous posts, I don’t actually have a lot to show you from the visit, project-wise. There are a couple of things, of course, of which I am particularly enamored.

Number one....bathroom cabinet.
My upstairs bathroom is smaller than my closet. And, being in such a hurry to pick out fixtures when we were remodeling the entire house in one fell swoop, I picked out a lovely, but impractical pedestal sink. Which, of course, left me with ZERO storage in that room. Since his last visit, Dad made me a wonderful cabinet to mount above my toilet to hold all the essentials. It is just perfect. See?
Number two: STOCKINGS!
About three years ago (or more) I bought fabric to make Christmas stockings for me and my boys. Naturally, with Christmas being out-of-sight-out-of-mind most of the year, it just never got done. A big part of the reason was that I never really had anywhere appropriate to hang them. The first year, we hung them from the ledge over the stairs...then we got a new sofa that blocks the ledge. The next year, we hung them off the entertainment center, which was very inconvenient. Last year, I don’t think I even bothered. So, my plan to get this in motion was to commission a new shelf from Daddy Dearest with three perfect little wrought iron hooks on it to hold out stockins during the season, and anything else I choose during the rest of the year. As usual, Dad outdid himself in the details. The shelf is just exactly what the space needed, and now when Matt finally picks out his big screen tv, we’ll have somewhere to put the picture frames that currently reside on the entertainment center. It also pushed me to get the stockings to the local shop to have our names embroidered on the flaps, and then Mom helped me finish them off so I could get them hung as soon as the shelf was mounted. I just love it.And, finally, NUMBER THREE!
In a spontaneous moment, the hubs suggested on Monday that we take our change jar to the bank and see if there was enough in it to buy the new stove I so desperately need. You’ve probably never noticed, but when I post pics of food cooking on the stove, you only see the pan. I never move out far enough that you can see my actual stove....because it was AWFUL. A hand-me-down ten years ago, it was well overdue for replacement. So, yesterday in a fit of practicality, the hubs went to Lowe’s and picked up the model I selected, paid for by our spare change. And, in addition, a new upright freezer to replace the one in our laundry room that has electrical tape holding it shut because the door is slightly bent (due to a fit of irritability by my hubs). The new one is so large, I couldn’t get back far enough from it to get a picture. But hey, a freezer is a freezer. Not only did the hubs bring the new appliances home, he installed them, put all the frozen items in the new freezer (even ORGANIZED, mind you!), AND sent the old ones away to be hauled off for scrap. Fabulous, fabulous day. Merry Christmas to ME!
On to the new light of my life, the main event.....Gigi.
Yep, I named my new stove. Don’t ask me why, I’m just a freak like that. Ain’t she just GORGEOUS? I kinda just wanna lick her...you know? Maybe that’s just me....

Gotta love it...Whirlpool gas range.....5 cubic foot oven....self cleaning.....waist high broiler (hell, ANY broiler would be nice! I've never had one that worked!)....5 burners with continuous friggin' grates!!! What more could a foodie like me ask for?

Anyway, I just had to share...I am officially in appliance heaven, and I can’t wait to go home and cook tonight. Its going to be a Chicken Parm night at my house tonight!

3 comments:

NV said...

That's awesome! Merry Christmas, indeed!

Kim said...

I name my car, why not name the stove ??? Congrats on the new stove, it looks like it will be so much fun to cook with!

Julie said...

Beautiful new stove! I'd love to chunk my flat top piece of crap out the door, but I don't have enough in my change jar yet ;) Congrats and enjoy!