Pizza nights

We started doing pizzas here almost a year ago.  When we first arrived, it was really impossible to make plans because I would often end up back at my store for one reason or another.  So, by the time my birthday was coming up, I decided enough was enough and they would have to learn to live without me sooner or later.  So, I planned a pizza night.  I invited a few families from our ward who had caught my attention.  I really didn't know anyone very well because I never had time to do anything.  Two families and the missionaries came and it was a hit!  We talked and ate until far too late and made plans to do it again soon.  We made an effort to hold pizza night once a month until the beginning of this year.  At last I feel like I can step away from my store more often.  We plan to have pizza every other week without fail.  So far, so good.  Tomorrow is the second pizza this month and the anniversary of the first pizza in our new home.  We are so excited to have made so many great friends this way.  Thanks, Mom, for all the years you set the example for me.  Pizza night will always be an important part of our family.
UPDATE:  For the first time ever, all the families and guests that I invited to pizza showed up!  5 families from our ward, Joann and Skylee, and Ryan-my dog trainer/friend-and his roomate! I tried to count in my head and there were at least 30 people in our tiny house:) People were spilling out into the backyard and filling every room.  I had to make 3 batches of dough- roughly 16 pizzas- and we only had 2 left over!  It was the craziest and best Okie pizza night ever:)  The last people shuffled out at 10pm.  I was exhausted and elated at the same time.  I am so  blessed to have such great friends.  One of them made me an awesome cake and everyone sang Happy Birthday.  It was beautiful- most of the families also make up our ward choir.  I am so blessed.  Did I say that already? Well it's true.

Old is New!

  

Since we had such a great result with the floor, we were inspired to keep going!  We tackled the much simpler task of recovering our kitchen chairs.  This is a little job that I had been talking about for years, but never got around to doing.  It was as simple as they made it look on HGTV:) an unexpected perk!  We actually used cheap tablecloths from Target.  You know, the kind that are plastic on the front with felt on the back.  I covered that with $5 worth of clear vinyl from Hobby Lobby and we were done!  "New" chairs and matching tablecloth, ta da!  Combined with the table from Joey's mom that we refinished last year it all looks fresh!  We are so pleased with our new and improved dining space. 

Have you heard about the floor?

I love the border we picked to transition
from the kitchen to the dining room:)



Joey measures and prefits the tiles before he starts cutting



  Although it isn't always the best plan to begin renovations on a whim, this did work out pretty well:) Sure hope our landlord likes it... too late now!



All laid out and ready to grout.



Have I mentioned that when you are trapped indoors for an extended period of time, you tend to act irrationally?  I am sure I knew that before, but it became a very real concept when Joey and I looked at our carpeted dining room floor all day long for weeks.  We suddenly had this brilliant idea to rip out said carpet and replace it with tile!  So off we went to Lowe's to make our dream a reality... from tile saw malfunctions to the less than knowledgeable staff at Home Depot, we were on the verge of being homicidal when it was finally finished 3 weeks later!  Joey did all the measuring and prefitting and calculating to ensure it would go together like peas and carrots.  Which is precisely why it ended up looking as perfect as it does despite all the setbacks.  I couldn't be more happy with the result.  Just wish we didn't have to do everything the hard way:)



This slab we put by the back door caused Joey
many sleepless nights, but he finally got it to work.



Cookies!

My new stove!

Trevor and Gavin hard at work!

Trevor's creation

Since we were stranded indoors for several days because of the snow, we took the opportunity to do some of the things we rarely have time to do as a family.  One of them was making and decorating sugar cookies together.  It was February so we made Valetine themed cookies.  It was so much fun and very yummy!  I didn't have a heart cookie cutter, so we had to be creative in our designs to make them seem Valentine-y. We made flowers out of stars and decorated "Valentine men".  We had a great time.

Some of Gavin's cookies.