A Real House

March 30, 2016 - Windows & Doors!

So much progress has been made on our house since I last posted about it! It even looks like a real house now! They're even giving us a finish date of June...a month earlier than the original date we were given. That's both exciting and terrifying! I can't wait to get moved in, but then I have this whole house to keep in order, haha! We're excited to be able to move in and able to actually enjoy the summer (grilling out, pool time) here! And actually, a grill will probably be the first thing we purchase for the house.  

March 18, 2016 - Second Floor Going Up

March 21, 2016

March 25, 2016 - Roofers are there working on the shingles! (Side note: I love that tree they were able to keep on the side of the house!) 

March 27, 2016 - The roof is complete!

A few weeks ago we did our electrical walk through with the builder and decided where we wanted all of the electrical outlets and switches. We also decided to hard wire the house for internet so that all of that stuff will be hidden and out of sight! Our TV will be above our fireplace so we also had them wire that so that none of the cable boxes or ugly wires will have to go on the mantle! Everything will be able to be tucked away on a side table and we'll still be able to control the TV with the remote. I won't claim to actually know how all of that works, I just know our mantle won't be cluttered and that's all that matters!

March 30, 2016 - Standing in what will be the kitchen, looking into the living room.

April 3, 2016 - I've never been a bath girl, but with this giant tub and window in our master, I just might become one! 

My dad came along with us when we did our walk through and while we were in one of the upstairs bedrooms he asked about this area of what looked like wasted space. So after talking to the builder (and getting an estimate on what it would cost), we decided to have them come back and frame it out to create this little nook. I'm so glad we did! I mean, look at that space that would've just been lost behind a wall! I love this little nook and have big plans for it. I also wish every room had a little nook like this now, haha! 

April 6, 2016

We also went over a few of the details with the builders and decided we weren't very excited about the original granite we had selected. When you're putting so much money into a house, you need to LOVE everything you're putting into it. I keep saying, "We just need to do it right the first time!" So we made a trip to see the granite people they use and saw a slab of what we had picked out and we HATED it. It was so dark and wouldn't have gone with our kitchen at all. We're still waiting to hear exactly how much more it will be, but as of now, there will be marble in our kitchen! We've had many discussions about how careful we'll have to be with it (no more mixing RED fruit punch Crystal Light on the counters!!), but I think it will be worth it to achieve the look we're wanting. 

And just when we thought our decision making was coming to an end, we decided to go furniture shopping. If you've ever shopped for a sofa, you probably know what I'm talking about. There is just so much to consider. Also, sofas are EXPENSIVE!! I think for now we're going to put that off...if all else fails, we'll set the man cave bonus room up and just hang out in there until we have living room furniture. 

The last time we went over to the house, the wiring and insulation appeared to be done and the fireplace insert had been installed. They'd also cleaned up (it's crazy how messy builders are!) and we're assuming they were waiting on inspections to continue onto the next step...which I think will be the drywall and the siding! 

I know I sound like a broken record, but we absolutely cannot wait to be in OUR house! I can't wait to cook the first meal in our kitchen (well, probably on our grill), for Saturday morning coffee, and, more than anything, to have a place to invite our family and friends to. It has been such a rewarding experience and we can't wait to share it with the people we love the most. 

xoxo

Lemon Birthday Cake Crumb Bars

I made these last year for Easter and am just realizing I never shared the recipe! Shame on me. But since Zach requested these for Easter dessert again this year, I figured they were worth a post!

You should know the drill by now; anything with lemon is my absolute favorite. And I've never met a lemon bar I didn't love so when I came across this recipe that adds Momofuku's Birthday Cake Crumb to a traditional lemon bar, I knew, without a doubt, these had to be made. I also quickly discovered I'd have to add the crumb to the bars quickly...else it would all be devoured by a certain husband of mine and we'd be left with just an ordinary lemon bar. This year I doubled the crumb recipe just to be safe. I also made the bars while he was at work which probably negated the need for a double batch. But, I bagged up the extra, threw it in my purse, and surprised him with it as we loaded up and headed to the lake for the night.

These bars are the perfect amount of tart, sweet, and salty. If you don't like as much tart, you can absolutely leave out some of the lemon juice or zest. But I say the more tart the better!

Lemon Birthday Cake Crumb Bars
(recipe from The Blonde Buckeye)

Ingredients

• BIRTHDAY CAKE CRUMB:
• ½ cup Granulated Sugar
• 1½ Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar, packed
• ¾ cup Cake Flour
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Rainbow Sprinkles
• ¼ cup Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Clear Vanilla Extract
• 
  
• CRUST:
• 1¾ cups All-purpose Flour
• ⅔ cup Powdered sugar
• ¼ cup Cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut in ½" cubes
• 
  
• LEMON FILLING:
• 4 Eggs
• 1⅓ cups Granulated Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest (about 1 lemon)
• ⅔ cup Lemon Juice (about 4 lemons)
• ⅓ cup Whole Milk
• Pinch of Kosher Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Also spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray and set both dishes aside.
2. CRUMBLE:
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt and sprinkles on low speed for a few minutes until throughly mixed.
4. Add the oil and the vanilla , continue beating on low speed for a few minutes to form small clusters.
5. Spread crumble out onto the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, breaking the crumble up about every 5 minutes. Allow them to cool to room temperature as you make the bars.
6. CRUST:
7. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
8. In medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then set it aside. Add the butter cubes and cut into flour mixture using a pastry cutter. Try to keep the butter from melting by not over working it. Once you have pea-sized crumbs, it's ready to go.
9. Transfer the mixture into the prepared 9"x13" dish, pressing into the bottom of the dish to form the crust.
10. Bake for 20 minutes. *Prepare lemon filling while crust is baking so that you can add it as soon as you remove the crust from the oven. The lemon filling needs to be added to a hot crust.
11. LEMON FILLING:
12. Whisk together the eggs, sugar and flour in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, milk and pinch of salt. Mix until all combined.
13. Once crust is done baking, immediately add lemon filling and place it back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
14. As soon as you remove dish from the oven once more, sprinkle the Birthday Cake Crumbles evenly over the top. Press the crumble down slightly into the lemon filling to secure them.
15. Transfer entire dish to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once room temperature, you can store them in the refrigerator if you prefer to eat them cold.

If you're like me and are a lover of lemon bars, make these! And if you still have any birthday crumb leftover, sprinkle some on top of a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Just trust me and do it!