Jekyll Crane

So, we completed this project MONTHS ago but I never got around to posting. We painted over the yellow faux paint with Valspar's Jekyll Crane (for those who don't speak 'paint colors' that is green). We also finally removed the ugly plaid and button valance with a simpler green abstract floral fabric. It was actually a shower curtain that my fabulous Mother helped me sew into curtains. Ok... so maybe I 'assisted her' more than she 'helped me' because she rocks at sewing stuff.

BEFORE:
(please excuse the mess.... this was literally days after we moved in)

AFTER:

The blue tile back-splash and off-white, chipped, stained countertops are still on the dream list! We opted for the carpet before the countertops.

Have I mentioned I don't like brass?

This was one of my favorite 'brass to black' projects. This is because it only cost about $5.00! Black high-heat spray paint is my new favorite fix.

BEFORE:

AFTER:


We also painted the brown walls because it needed touch up and we didn't have the exact color. It is virtually impossible to tell from the above two photos but below you can see the difference. We went with the color on the left. We wanted just a slightly richer/darker color.

Busy... Busy

Who knew that unemployment could be more time consuming than working full-time? NOT being tied to a cube for about 40 hours a week has actually made me much more productive. It is true. I got laid off about 2 months ago from a multi-disciplinary engineering firm that I worked at for about 5 years. It was rather anticipated and I have some exciting long-term plans up my sleeve!

We made some fun updates to the house this spring that I really should blog about... maybe after the fantastic vacation we are about embark upon!

To help you make it through any anticipation-anxiety for the future posts, I shall share a few photos. (HA! like anyone really reads this nonsense)

Joe and I went to the Sugarland concert mid June. Joe wasn't exactly thrilled about this event but sacrifices are what marriage is about... right? He admitted that she puts on a pretty good show, and I fully agree! This is a pic of us waiting for the show to start...


This is a 2nd year picture of my nephew "B." I love this kid to death but yet he only acknowledges me as the owner of Rocky & Duke. I won't hold it against him... for now.

More than the Mudd's can handle

In February, Joe was the groomsman in the wonderful Jones wedding! New Orleans proved to be a bit more than I (Stacy) could handle. I pretty much felt like I was drinking or sleeping for the 36 hours I spent in NOLA (except for the actually ceremony, of course). Here are a few pictures from the trip but, like I said, I was only there for about 36 hours so there aren't many!

The Bride & Groom enjoying speeches... Isn't that dress amazing?!?!?!

After the reception everyone went down to Bourbon Street. We weren't exactly sober...

Stingray City

We finally got the old school film camera developed. Here are a few pictures of us swimming with the stingrays on a sandbar off the coast of Grand Cayman Island! (FYI.. underwater cameras still suck.)

A picture of Joe with a stingray in his arms. Our guide is to the right of him and in the background you can see the catamaran we sailed there on. It was a great day!

Cioppino!

I am in no way a foodie or a food blogger but I do love to cook and figure I should share a few success stories. When we were in Monterrey, CA we ate some delicious food. One of our favorite was Cioppino. It is a seafood stew. I decided to step out of the box and the grocery store and buy crazy things like mussels and crab. We were not disappointed in the results!

Cioppino (adapted from epicurious.com)

4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (less if you don't like much spice)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 (28- to 32-ounces) can whole plum tomatoes, drained, reserving juice, and chopped
1 cup seafood stock

1 cup chicken stock
1 (1-pound) king crab leg, thawed if frozen
18 small (2-inch) mussels (1 1/2 pound)

1 pound large shrimp (16 to 20), shelled and deveined
3/4 pound sea scallops, tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Garnish: shredded fresh basil leaves and small whole leaves
Accompaniment: focaccia or sourdough bread

Cook garlic, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and red pepper flakes with salt and pepper in oil in an 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until reduced by about half, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and stock and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
While stew is simmering, hack crab leg through shell into 2- to 3-inch pieces with a large heavy knife. Add crab pieces and mussels to stew and simmer, covered, until mussels just open, 5 to 10 minutes, checking every minute after 5 minutes and transferring opened clams to a bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon. (Discard any unopened mussels after 10 minutes.) Lightly season shrimp and scallops with salt and add to stew, then simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf, then return clams to pot and gently stir in parsley and basil.

Serve cioppino immediately in large soup bowls

A winter escape...

This has been an unusually brutal year here in K.C. Lots of snow and cold. Joe wanted to surprise me with a trip. He only told me the temperature range for where we were going. I had vague idea of the region but was thrilled when it turned out to be the CAYMAN ISLANDS!!!

We visited a turtle farm where they breed, grow, and release turtles back into the wild...

We took this catamaran out to a sandbar (stingray city) and swam with the sting rays. It was amazing (and terrifying). Those suckers are HUGE! The females are anywhere from 50-70 lbs and the males were a bit smaller. Hopefully I will get the disposable camera developed soon..... should be some good pictures on there...

Of course we stayed at a Marriott. All of our vacations tend to revolve around that lovely hotel chain that is Joe's second home :)

This was our view of the courtyard from our hotel room ...

This is where we sat every evening and had a drink and watched the sunset. The pool is at the far end on the picture and directly to our right was the beach. There was great snorkeling right there!

The sunset!

We found a restaurant/bar just a few resorts down on the beach. They had live music every night and great drinks!