The DeBoer Family Christmas Tree

On Saturday, December 1st, Shawn and I National Lampooned ourselves the first-ever DeBoer Family Christmas Tree! During the first blizzard of the winter season, we headed south to Hampton, MN to the Hampton Hills Tree Farm. Right around Noon, Shawn took the saw to the pine and before I could grab the end to brace the fall, it was down! We hauled it to the SUV, Shawn lifted it on top of the beast, we tied it down as best as we could and then we headed home.

Below is the beauty on top of the beast just after we pulled in to the driveway.


Next is the naked tree propped up in our new stand in the corner of the living room.

And finally, here it is, all decorated, lit and full of life!

To add to the ambiance of the area, we've also hung our stockings on the fireplace. Ironically there are just enough shelves for each member of Team DeBoer. Mine is at the top, hung from the "J", Shawn's hangs in the middle from the "O" and Norman brings up the rear with the "Y". You can't tell by the picture, but his stocking says Naughty, because he is.

Merry Christmas!

A-I-N-S-L-E-Y

Last week, over half of Team Cornstuble visited Chez DeBoer. It was during this visit that I determined (again), I have the cutest niece. Ever. Okay, I'm bias, I don't care. Anyway, while they were here, we had lots of family come and visit. While I'm sure I have pictures of them as well, Ainsley just took the cake (and the camera). Check out some of my favorites.

She's apparently running off with my billfold here. It's okay, I don't have any money.

Here she is, striking a pose in her new clothes. Note, Mandi was there too. See her? She (and baby Cletus) are in the background, sitting on the sofa.

I call this one, "Bed Head", a la Ainsley. Notice the nice color on the wall and how it compliments the lovely fireplace? I think I forgot to mention it, but we ended up painting the living room all the same color as the accent wall - Saucy (pronounced saw-say) Gold. That's a whole other story, and blog! And I'm too bitter yet to talk about it.

Here she is with the first member of Team DeBoer, Norman. After a hyper start, these two hit it off and were great friends by the time she left. Norman misses her. Norman needs a buddy.

Yes, I put a picture of me on here. I know. Just divert your attention to the cute kid in the front. Hey, her chin looks familiar?!

And for the big finale, here she is with her Uncle DeBoer. Aaawww, I know. On a funny note, check out Shawn showing off his left bulging bicep. Niiiice!

Fire, Fire, Fire

It's official, we lit our first fire last Sunday! In contrast to our previous house endeavours, this process happened effortlessly. No smoke-outs, nobody got burned and the fire department did not have to be called. To us, that is a success! The only obstacle we encountered was not having enough firewood. Well, that and we did set the smoke alarm off... but only once. Actually, Dad set it off, ironically enough. He was playing with the chimney flue to determine how far he could open it to allow the smoke to draft upwards but still leave most of the heat in the house. Overall, the experience was (picture) perfect and we are hooked. We will be frequenting the fire experience quite often this winter. After all, it gets mighty cold here up nort. Check out the photos of our creation. (Disclaimer: Every time I used "we" and "our", insert Shawn because he really did everything. I just took pictures.)



Above is a picture of the blaze with the flash on. Below is a more "dramatic" picture with the flash off. You probably can't tell, but Norman is at the very bottom of this picture, laying like a frog, chewing on a rawhide. He liked the fire too.

Saucy (pronounced saw-say) Gold

In keeping with the color palette of our 50s, almost faux-like, dentist-office-style brick fireplace, we, yes we, chose Saucy Gold to cover the accent wall (which used to be beige) and Ambitious Amber to cover the rest of the walls in the living room. Ambitious Amber has yet to be opened but we're anticipating it to be a wonderfully warm, somewhat pale and subtle (gasp... Team DeBoer subtle, come on people) compliment to our accent wall. Pictures of this color are to come.

Now, I have to say, I don't know if it's because of lighting or because Thanksgiving is getting inevitably closer, but this wall is starting to remind me more and more of one of the greatest contributions to Thanksgiving dinner, ever - pumpkin pie. In person, the color is only very slightly orange-ish and actually has a lot of brown in it but the flash didn't help this cause. You have to use your imagination (and pretend pocketbook), but someday soon there will be a console table spanning this wall as well.

The remaining three pictures are close-ups of the shelves we hung and the frames that occupy them. These frames were the main motivation for getting this wall painted because they have been sitting on our entertainment center since we moved in (6 1/2 months ago). Also, please note - our pictures of Ainsley and Payton are very out-of-date. If you see or here from their keepers (otherwise known as Mandi or Andy Cornstuble), bug them to get us some new pictures would ya? Also, if you happen to run in to Brad or Charity DeBoer, tell them to get going on a nephew or niece, Norman needs a buddy.

Additions

As previously mentioned, we've been rather slackers lately but that's not to say we haven't done anything...

Here's a picture of the new dishwasher. Funny story - our old dishwasher didn't die. In fact, it turned out to be fixable... by the person we hired to install the new dishwasher. Let's just say that it involved a hole in an electrical wire cap (not sure if that's the correct terminology) that neither Shawn nor I would've known to look for and the fact that we didn't even check the fuse box after the old dishwasher had it's "episode" implies that yes, we did add another entry into our "Journal of Things Learned." After some discussion, we decided since we had to pay the gentleman that was there to install the new one anyway, we might as well keep it... especially since it's much prettier then our old one. So, now we have a dishwasher for sale if anyone's interested.

This is our fabulous organizational work in the computer, slash Norman's room... a la Ikea! So easy to install and in my opinion, looks great!

Last but not least, this is the latest addition to the bathroom. I purchased this artwork prior to deciding what the bathroom color would be and it just so happened to match perfectly. So, a couple weeks ago I took my $3.99 print, which Shawn nicely removed from the cheap square it was attached to, and had it framed at Michaels during their half-off framing sale. Pretty darn schnazzy for a Wal-Mart buy ay?

R. I. P.

Although we've been complete do-it-yourself-and-blog-about-it slackers, one interesting event did happen this past week. Our dishwasher died. Not only did it die, it went out with a bang - literally! Our lights were dimming, there were popping noises and all of a sudden, Shawn saw sparks coming from the bottom right of the front panel. Pretty sure the engine or wiring or whatever electrical power that makes it run... died.

We pulled it out immediately and unplugged it. A couple of hours later we tried to plug it back in to drain the water that was in the bottom but ...nothing. No light, no sound, no power... nothing. So, after we had dirtied every dish in our house, Shawn and I hand-washed (the thought!) everything. Everything! The next day, we went window shopping for a new dishwasher. We found a great deal on a stainless steal model so although we have yet to make the purchase, I'm sure it will happen this week or weekend for sure.

The stainless steal conversion will inevitably follow when additional funds are available but in the meantime, we'll post pictures of the addition when it is up and running. Also - please read this as a warning that you may not want to run your dishwasher when you are not home. I understand this may add a wrinkle to an OCD persons face, but believe me, I was sure glad we were home when the show started... I don't want to think about what would have happened if we weren't...

Phillipsburg Blue

Since Shawn is back in school and did homework (I'm not kidding you) ALL weekend... I painted. Not-so-surprisingly, we painted our guest bedroom a calm, yet bold, Phillipsburg blue. The photos on the wall are just some of my favorites. The photo at the far left is Ainsley and Payton sittin' on a bench, the middle photo is Shawn and Ty fishing, and the far right photo is Norman giving Ainsley a kiss... I mean Norman stealing Ainsley's food. Doesn't the room look inviting? Makes you want to come visit, doesn't it? Just head north. Enjoy the photo below and yes, that is Norman's tail and ass at the bottom. The dog just follows me everywhere. If I don't have one male around me at all times, I have the other.

Start Seeing Red... er, Merlot

Yes, the kitchen is painted! No, it's not Gecko Green, but it's an equally compelling color, Merlot Red. You'll notice below, the color on the walls isn't the only things that's changed. Dad, Tammy, Allie, and Ty hauled themselves up nort this past weekend to chip away at some more of our kitchen-to-do list. Dad attached all the skins and crown molding and hung the other set of cabinets on the south wall. He also attached the toe kicks and the half the hardware. Finally, he mounted the microwave to the cabinets over the stove. Whew. Shawn played "Vanna White" for the weekend and helped where he could and when he was asked. I'm running out of ways to emphasize how nice things look and how wonderful of a job Dad has done so everyone get out your thesaurus, look up the word great and insert your word here _____.

Enjoy the pictures below but note - on the first picture, the odd shapes and images on the wall are merely reflections of whatever my flash picked up when I took the picture (ie the knobs on the stove or the inside of the sink). Also, just ignore the dishes in the sink. I'm sure you didn't even notice them. I was getting "harrassed" to get new pictures up on the blog and didn't have time to tidy up first so let's just say it's staged to look used. Enjoy!

Details, Details

Below are some pictures of the "creme de la creme" of the kitchen - the accessories. Well, first is a picture of our dining room, just to show you we painted both rooms the same (fabulous) color. Ignore the messy table, we don't eat at it, but we do use it. Also ignore the gaudy ceiling fan. My husband may think it's staying, but as soon as I can find it's replacement, it's going. Back to the kitchen.

First is the b-e-a-utiful crown molding. This just makes the cabinets look sharp and complete. Second is the picture of the hardware. Dad attached the pulls to the drawers and Team DeBoer attached the knobs to the doors. We felt fairly confident in our ability to do this task on our own, but quickly found ourselves making an entry into our "Journal of Things Learned" - When drilling into your brand new cabinets, make sure your marks are even and make sure your drill is in forward (not reverse). Otherwise, your cabinets will be sssmmmoookin'! Last but not least, there is the picture of the microwave, which is mounted under the cabinet. Not using it on top of the fridge or on the living room floor will take some getting used to, but I think we'll get the hang of it.

I just noticed, I don't have any cynical stories to report on anything Dad did, just stuff we attempted on our own. Hhhmmm.

Chillin' Like a Villain

Home improvement is so exhausting.

Holy Brazilian Brown Batman!

Christmas came early for Team DeBoer... we finally got our countertops! The Brazilian Brown Silestone was installed this past Friday afternoon. After the six week wait, it only took the two men an hour to make our kitchen use able. The plumbing on the other hand, that took a "little" longer and had the usual DeBoer finesse. Here are some of the highlights: several visits to the hardware store, a paper towel testing system, a banjo sink, a minor flood in the kitchen, a dishwasher on the deck, a parade of ants, and a guiding neighbor. Below are pictures of everything including Shawn's handy work under the sink... award-winning photo journalism at it's best. Prepare to be impressed.

Hallelujah, We Have Gas!

The appliances are back in! We (Shawn) moved them back in a couple of weeks ago. We even hooked up the gas stove by ourselves (with the help of printed out instructions from Dad of course). So far, no explosions, and no smell of rotten eggs. Yes Michelle, if we had a leak, we would be able to smell it. "You know the smell gas has, they put that in." -Ross Geller, Friends.

We're very happy to be cooking again. Nothing quite like some chicken patties and french fries! If only our counter tops would arrive. Doing dishes in the bathroom sink is getting really old. Plus this living arrangement is really taking it's tole on Norman. He's so confused. Yesterday he thought the patio door was open when in fact the glass door was open but the screen was closed. He tried to Rambo through it and being the behemoth that he is, he knocked the screen door flat on it's back. No good. He and the door are recovering slowly. As usual, new pictures are below.

Aren't They Pretty... Oh So Pretty?

Friends and family, please meet the latest addition to our humble abode, the Kenmore HE2, front loading, washer and dryer. These beautiful pieces were delivered Monday, April 16th and I finally got the laundry caught up last Saturday, April 21st. Needless to say, we were ridin' dirty for quite some time. Thanks to our shiny new Sears card, it's fun to clean our clothes.

Sundew and Sprout

These rooms are by no means finished, but they are liveable so I thought I would show what other, more subdued colors we chose so far. The sprout green room is our bedroom (don't mind the dust on the dresser, the previous owner must have forgot to clean it prior to the sale... mom) and the sundew yellow room is Norman's room / our office.

Gecko Green

There's been a common consensus when people have visited our house so far. Not many are fond of the bathroom color. While some remain positive and tell us it looks nice, I'm almost certain in their heads they're thinking, "Holy crap!". I thought I would post some before and afters of the bathroom and disclose to everyone that yes, I picked this color and think it's fantastic, so don't be surprised when you visit. It's a piece of cake to wake up at the DeBoers. Just walk into the bathroom, open an eyelid, and bark, "Holy crap! Morning!". Happy viewing.

People With OCD Should NOT Grout

Shawn and I attempted our first task on the kitchen, without anyone's help ...well, other then a few frantic phone calls. Saturday, we grouted. Or should I say, I grouted, nearly had an anxiety attack, then Shawn cleaned the grout and made everything look nice. For future do-it-yourselfers (and fellow OCDers), here's a little tip: grouting is a messy, messy, messy job. Grout does not have the same texture as mud. It is gritty and sandy and will make an utter mess of your floor... until you get out the miracle sponge! Then an amazing thing happens. Your grouted floor starts to look like you thought it would, like it does on TV! Needless to say, it was a touch-and-go process, but as reflected in the pictures, it was a success. Last night, Tuesday, we sealed the grout and tonight we can start moving appliances back in. Hallelujah! Check out the pictures of Team DeBoer's efforts and be thankful you weren't there to witness the event live. Did I mention I love my husband? He's a patient man.

Please Note - There is an actual picture of me posted below, with a very red face I might add. Shawn made me include it. I apologize.

Men at Work

Shawn and Norman, the men in my life, at work on our new house... jealous aren't ya?

Over the Overgrown Hedge

Tammy and I took some shears to the bushes and took off some feet of green! The overgrown hedges were an eye sore to us... and to our neighbors, as we later found out when some of them approached us to thank us for taking the trim. Per usual, see some before and after pictures below and be amazed! My stomach, arms, and hands still hurt!

And for some added fun to you gamers, there are two basset hounds in the after picture, see if you can find them.