Pantry Organize

The clutter had taken over the pantry and it was getting out of control.  It was time.

Notice all the cereal on the top shelf.  And the chips up waaaay too high so that I could never reach them.  (To self: Must try this on things I overeat.)  The second shelf down was originally supposed to be the canned good shelf.  It's now home to instant mashed potatoes, jam, funny shaped Coke bottles...I started putting stuff up there because it had the most space, which went downhill very quickly.  (Sidenote: Can anything really go downhill slowly?)

Here's a close-up of the shelves I most wanted to tackle.  I started off meaning the "baking shelf" (3rd down), but it ended up being all three. 

This is the reason I wanted to do the baking shelf.  I had all this room in a cabinet that the baking stuff would fit perfectly in.  I have my vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, cloves, ginger...you get the idea.  The inspiration came from when I was having to find a place for my new Dutch oven (<3!).

Here is the after of the pantry.  I'm praying people can notice a difference.  First off, the cereal is not as high.  I rediscovered my cereal bin (amazing what you can find when you clean up!) and put the two boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (shout out to Victoria) in it.  Then I moved the chips down to normal people level so in case I do get a hankerin' for chips, I don't have to get the chair.  Or Giraffe.  Next shelf turned out very well.  I put the cans so you actually see what each thing is and grouped them accordingly.  I still have a few non-can items on the shelf, but at least they're in a neat little row out of the way.  The baking shelf doesn't look that much better in the picture, but it does in person.  I can see everything, which was not the case earlier.  I also did the last shelf, which didn't need that much rearranging, but it used a wee bit of tidying nevertheless.

The best part: it only took five minutes! That's including screwing up the pictures because I'm too short to get a good shot.  So there was lots of holding the camera above my head.  Good thing I moved the chips.

Exciting news: Astro and I are going to Europe!  We leave in 2 days and are hitting up London and Malta for 10 days.  Europe will never be the same.  I can't wait! 

My 25th Birthday Party

Every year for my birthday, I spend it with my mom and dad at home. Mom asks what I'd like for my birthday meal, then all day at random times I ask what was happening X amount of years ago, and then I get the story of how I was brought into this world. It involves Dad going over 100 mph, Mom going down a drug-induced "rainbow-colored slide," and Dad being half-naked in the waiting room. The story never gets old because it's so funny.

Also, there's a theme every year that used to be left up to me. I've come up with Rescue Rangers, Snoopy, 1950s, Catwoman, etc. For the past few years, Mom has done all the planning and surprises me with a well-thought-out theme. Two years ago it was Pirates of the Caribbean complete with treasure chest cake. Last year it was the 24th Annual Bessie Awards that was basically Hollywood-esque with my name in lights and a cake that was like my star on Hollywood Boulevard, including me getting to put my handprints in the cake. This year, it was my favorite Disney movie, Robin Hood.

Wanted posters were all over the house.

On the morning of my party, Mom came into my room reading a proclamation on parchment announcing that the "fair maiden Bess" was to celebrate her 25th birthday. This proclamation was also featured on the front door attached to the wall with an arrow. Next to that was another "tree" with Prince John looking sneaky.

"Prince John" with his crown as well as money bag party favors.

Mom bought a little cat purse to go with the table centerpiece that could have gone for Prince John, but the real reason was because it looks like my cat, Butters, which happens to be her favorite. Can't wait to see if she shows favoritism to real children one day.

Robin Hood in the trees in Sherwood Forest and Sir Hiss in his balloon at the archery tournament.

Edited to add: It's been requested that I tell why my dad was half-naked in the waiting room. I was born several weeks premature so when my mom went into labor, she thought it was just false labor "because the book said so." So Mom and Dad weren't in go mode. Hence the 100+ mph car ride. Anyway, they rush into the hospital and whisk Mom away so she could go do her thing. Dad had to change and went behind a screen that was nearby. Well, in the middle of changing, his screen starts moving. As in being carried away by a couple of guys. Finally, he gets to Mom and gets to hear her scream away, which she doesn't remember. Only the rainbow slide. After I was born, I had to be transferred to another hospital because I was so frail. Dad was a trucker, so he had to make a run that evening right after I was born. He drove from Louisiana to Tennessee without stops and had guys basically throwing stuff to go quicker so he could get back to check on me. Turns out when a 6'7" guy tells you to hurry up so he can get back to his baby girl, you listen.

Take Me Home, Country Roads

Last weekend I went back to where it all started. Well, sort of. I was born in Louisiana and moved when I was five. Anyway, I went home for the weekend for a much needed visit and relaxing weekend with my parents. Dad was out of town, so I didn't get to see him this trip. Since I knew I was going home, I decided to take my torn pants to fix with her gorgeous sewing machine and other fun tools. Mom was, after all, offered a job with Coats and Clark in Manhattan, but that was before my time. Good thing she didn't take it otherwise she wouldn't have met Dad and then had me. Perish the thought!


Now, you may ask, "How did your pants get torn?" It was a situation that I thought would never happen to me. I bought the pants at Macy's because I was (and still am, sadly) in desperate need of work clothes. I'm really bad about buying clothes for myself even when I really need them because I know the money could be spent elsewhere on more important things. Like food, which causes my pant size to fluctuate. But I digress. I find these wonderful, classic black and white checkered print like old man pants. Not like Dorothy from Oz kind of checkered. Anyway, they're comfortable, the perfect length, so I buy them. I had already envisioned the outfit I was going to wear to work next day, so I was ready for the morning.


Morning comes, and I shower before changing. I get everything but my boots on and when I bend down to get them...riiiiip. I stand up quickly in mild shock and confusion. "Did that really just happen? No, surely not. I have no backside to speak of!" Lo and behold though, when I looked in the mirror, there it was. A hold as big as a quarter. My first thought was, "Maybe no one will notice." Right. I think they'll notice the pink contrast in the middle of black and white fabric. So I sigh, change pants, and don't feel as put together as I originally did. I was excited about those pants.


Thankfully, the rip was just where some thread in the seam was weak, so fixing it would be no problem. So I go home and get to fixing the pants. I machine-stitched them to death so they wouldn't come undone, oh no buddy. These pants weren't going to play peekaboo with no man! Or woman. Or dog. Whatever. No one was going to see my underwear.


Mom's sewing machine is very unique in the way that it operates. It was originally a treadle machine, where you pump the foot pedal which powered the machine, going only as fast you went. Her dad, an incredible handyman, built her a motor to go with the machine that would be powered when you pushed the treadle. So her machine has the early 1900s look with the modern feel. The best of both worlds, I say! It still runs beautifully and will one day be mine. I can only hope to do it justice, and find someone to repair it if I screw up. *cringe*


Now this handy gadget is one of my favorites that I have yet to see anywhere else but firmly attached to the end of Mom's sewing stand. It's an antique pinker which is SO much easier than using pinking shears. You just feed your fabric under the cutting wheel on the left and turn the crank on the right. There's even a guide so you don't cut your fabric crooked. I wonder if Mom would notice it missing? Since I have no nifty sewing stand like she does, I'd have to mount it to something like the kitchen counter. Wouldn't that be a lovely conversation piece? Perhaps Victoria and Bo would come over, see it, and say:

V/B: "I didn't notice this last time! What handy kitchen gadget is this?"
Me: "It's a pinker."
V/B: "Oh, what does it make pink?"
Me: "It cuts fabric."
V/B: ...

Then they would probably never come back again thinking I'm crazy for having a fabric cutter right next to my toaster and mixer. Nah, I think Victoria would be pretty fascinated by it and would still come back. She likes things like that. And understands my crazy.