Eighty Eight Fender Rhodes *SOLD*

We are selling our Fender Rhodes Electric Piano. It is the suitcase model with the speaker cab.  Everything (every key, the pedal, the sound) is in great condition and works perfectly. We are selling it to make room for a big, old wooden upright piano, a family heirloom. Otherwise, we'd keep this thing forever!  It's been in our basement (which is kept dehumidified and slightly heated). We are asking $1500 OBO. Please leave a blog comment, with your email address, if you are interested. We live in the Tacoma-Seattle area. Just for fun, I compiled a list of songs featuring a Fender Rhodes. Enjoy!

UPDATE: 5/31/13 - SOLD

A Girl Can Dream

I am pleased to announce that were are THISCLOSE to crossing off #10 from my 30 Before 30 list.  We are almost to double digits for a down payment on a house!  Oh, how I wish I was a homeowner right now but  I am enjoying looking at houses and designs lately.  These are some of my favorite designs that I've come across recently.  I would LOVE to have a big, beautiful house to renovate and redecorate but we're a few months years away from doing that.  But, a girl can dream!  Right now I'm loving black and white and natural wood.  (I think I'm inspired by our friend Ruthy's new mid-century modern house.)  There are a few themes you'll notice in the photos:  subway tile and antlers.  I'm obsessed with both.  I've always loved antlers - ok, not always but ever since I got my jackalope tattoo.  And I am about 75% vegan so it's kind-of a funny obsession but consider me obsessed, ok?  

This is my favorite of all the photos.  The black, white and wood are perfect.  [via here]

I love the dramatic lights and subway tile!  [via IKEA Sweden]

I dont know where this photo is from.  It's a French kitchen.  The table reminds me of ours. I love the windows, too! 

Photo wallpaper by Fotograf Kallen.  We plan on doing LOTS of photo wallpaper in our next home.

Love the floors, rug, white walls, antlers, outdoor living space!  Divine!  [Via Elle Decor]

I like the REAL wood panneling in this 1950s Danish home. [via My Scandanavian Home]

I love the white washed floor boards and walls in this little boy's room. [Via My Scandanavian Home]

I love this muted grey and white master bedroom!

I love the old, framed photos on the wall!  And the clawfoot tub!  [via here]

I love the tile and the accent color in this bathroom.  [via Apartment Therapy]

Photgraphy studio with a reclaimed wood wall [via here]

Goodbye, House

We sold our house yesterday (the one we don't live in).  Long story short, we are renting now because we rented out our house because we were trying to buy a second house with a friend and when that fell through we couldn't cancel on our lease.  It has helped us tremendously as Dan "tried out" this full-time musician gig.  We sold the house because being property managers was not our thing.  (Especially when the basement floods and your husband is out of town and your renters are furious.)

We really loved this house but we knew when we bought it that it would be better suited as a rental for college students than a home to raise a family.  So, we've washed our hands clean of it and we're on the hunt for our next move.  I will always appreciate this house.  The blood, sweat and tears we poured into it will never be forgotten.  

I really love decorating and remodeling.  I thrive on it.  I love having a project to work on.  I feel like I've done all I can do in our current home so I'm getting the moving-bug.  I am so excited for our next house and I plan on being much more particular with this one than I was the first two times.  

I'm already dreaming of our next home and "pinning" - on Pinterest, if that's not clear - ideas for interior design.  Tomorrow I'm going to show you some of my dream homes!  XOXO, Lindsy

Please Hold My Hand Forever

It has been quite an adventure learning to parent a toddler.  It's only been three weeks since he started walking and I've already learned so much.  He's an independent little spit-fire, that's for sure.  I try to give him ample independence throughout the day.  We've been bundling up and going outside once a day so that he can explore freely.  Just a little bit of independence every day.  We all need it, don't we?  I'm so glad Dan is back so that I can have those quick moments of freedom myself.  

While he loves his freedom, BB has also been giving big hugs and holding our hands.  He is so affectionate.  I never want it to end.  Okay, he can stop holding my hand when he's a grown up but not a day sooner! 

Resolve, Review, Repeat

I have barely picked up my camera in the past few weeks.  With Dan on the road, I don't have a lot of time to do anything.  My mornings are spent calling Dan, feeding myself and BB, getting us dressed, playing a little, taking him to daycare, WORK WORK WORK, picking him up from daycare, sometimes running a quick errand, home for playtime, making dinner, eating dinner, getting BB ready for bed, getting some things done around the house, visiting with a friend or watching TV and, finally, crashing in my comfy bed around 11.  And, repeat.  So, you see....There's not a lot of no time for creativity.

So, I set up a tripod and decided to document a weeks worth of outfits for my style resolution.  In short, my style resolution is less about style and more about just getting dressed everyday.  I was in a rut of throwing on a T-Shirt and jeans, or worse, wearing pajamas all day.  So, this week I had fun pairing plaids with fur, old sweaters with new loafers, boots and bangles.  It was fun!  I'm really into that new yellow blazer and the old sweater with elbow patches.

You might also notice in these photos that I went through a bit of a hair transformation.  I made the mistake of  using a box dye on my roots (ahem, twice) and sought professional help on Friday.  I love the way it turned out.  It looks a lot like it did a year ago!

Meet Courtnie

It is my pleasure to introduce to you... my friend, Courtnie!  Courtnie is a Jesus-lovin', thriftin', tattooed lady who lives in Joplin, Missouri.  She has met my husband a bazillion times while he tours through there.  Somehow we found each other on social media (I believe it started with Instagram, then Twitter, then Facebook, now email and probably soon texting and calling).  She started reading my blog and told Dan that she thinks we could be best friends.  Rad!

She just launched a new blog and I designed it!  For real!  (I am pretty proud of myself).  Courtnie has a vintage shop called Dry Bones and a super cute dog named Duke.  Check out Simply Courtnie :  HERE!

Tickle Fest

I just love the way he tries to say "tickle tickle".  We have fun!

Phases

So, just between you and me... I'm not really a baby person.  Holding an infant beckons memories of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles screeching, "support the head!" or "be careful!"  So much anxiety holding an infant!  And then, I got BB.  I am sure it was awkward for quite a while but now he just fits - in every sense of the word.  

Since I'm not a baby person I have really enjoyed watching BB grow up.  I dont miss the baby days like some moms (except for our summer of sitting on a blanket in the yard which may never happen again now that he's on the move).  Each new developmental phase was deemed my "favorite" and then another month would roll by and I'd find myself falling even more in love with this boy.

We miss Dan and I can't do and be all the things that I want to while he's touring.  But, I am enjoying this one-on-one time with BB.  We are having a blast.  I love reading to him, playing with him, laughing with him and watching Mister Rogers with him.

Almost-17-month-old-Baby-Bread, you're [currently] my favorite!

Bittersweet

We were so lucky to have Dan home for 6 weeks (for Thanksgiving and into the new year).  In that time BB's development has taken off!  He has started talking and walking, calling us "mama" and "dadda" and starting to mimic sounds.  (For some unknown reason I said "goochi-goochi-coo" when I was tickling him and he tries to mimic it but it just sounds like a lot of gargling.  It's hilarious so I will keep doing it.)  He is also showing signs of separation anxiety, missing Dan or I when we're gone.  About two weeks ago I left for yoga and he wailed for a while and then Dan left for the store once and BB was sort-of looking for him. It hasn't been too traumatic so we weren't too worried for this upcoming tour, with Dan leaving after being home with us all-day-every-day for those six weeks.  Now that BB knows our names ("mama" and "dadda", respectively) he has something to say when he recognizes us.  Yesterday, I put Dan's call on speakerphone and he said "Dadda!" and ran up to me and took the phone right out of hands.  I wore a band T-shirt with Dan's face on it and he tried to rip it right off me.  He waves to the portrait of us, hanging in our bedroom. What a sweet, loving boy he is!  It's bittersweet, for both of us, to see how much he misses Dan. 

We miss Dan for his silliness, for his help around the house, for his wild playtimes, and for his serenades.

Bargain Meals: Veggie Burger & Homemade Fries

This is a pretty simple budget-friendly meal that's super fun because who doesn't love a burger and fries.  While we were eating it, Dan said, "How much did this meal cost? Could this be a bargain meal?" To which I replied, "Yeah!  Well, it's cheaper than eating out!".  So, I grabbed my camera and took a couple shots.  The key to turning a burger and fries into a budget-friendly (and healthy) family dinner is to A) buy things on sale and B) to eat veggie patties.  I buy Veggie/Boca/Garden burgers when they are on sale for $3 for 4.  This works great for us because Dan will eat 2 patties while BB and I will eat 1.  They're super fast to make (8 minutes in a pan or 2 minutes in the microwave).  Hamburger buns are super cheap but I opted for ciabatta "take and bake" rolls that we found at Target, 6 for about $2.  Then, a couple of russet potatoes, a couple slices of cheese, lettuce and tomatoes and a dollop of ranch dressing and we fed ourselves for under $6!  It was tasty!

Some tips for homemade fries:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Wash the potatoes and then cut them in strips lengthwise. (Note:  You can peel the potatoes first but you dont have to. We left the peels on.) 
3. Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with olive oil.
4. Toss your potatoes in and then sprinkle them with oil, a dash of sea salt and season to taste. We use Johnny's Seasoning Salt because it's GOOD and it's from Tacoma! But, you can use garlic salt, onion powder, whatever you like.
5. Pop them in the oven, turning them over every 10 minutes until they're done. Ours took about 30 minutes.
6. Optional:  salt them again (I like salt)
7. Enjoy with ketchup or ranch dressing!

Narnia Tattoo Story

My tattoo was finished this week and I am finally ready to tell its tale.  Most tattooed people do not talk about their tattoos. While I understand that tattoos [usually] have deep, personal meaning, I don't understand how some people will put something on display and then get offended or irritable when asked about it. When asked, I will probably just explain that this tattoo is based off the Chronicles of Narnia book series and let that be the end of it. But, this tattoo means so much more to me. 

I shared a bit in this post about The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the fifth edition of The Chronicles of Narnia. There is a boy named Eustace Scrubb and he is the worst. He is selfish and mean and snotty.  His bad attitude turns him into a dragon and he can't change back to himself. Sometimes I feel like Eustace. (Okay, if I'm being honest, I feel like Eustace a lot.) Eustace doesn't want to be an ugly dragon so Aslan appears and rips the dragon skin right off of him. This isn't easy; it hurts. Eustace says, when relaying what happened to his cousin, Peter, "The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off...."  Intense pain, but sweet relief. I love this story of transformation. C.S. Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia as an allegory about his faith. The lion, Aslan, represents Jesus and Eustace is the ugly little jerk in all of us; the selfish brat who turns into a dragon. But, we don't have to be dragons. We can feel sweet relief, we can dance with Aslan, we can be forgiven and given a new chance at life. That is what Jesus has done for me and that's what my tattoo is all about.

I am so happy that it's done, paid for, and done. This has been quite the process. Until now, I'd never been under the needle for more than a half hour. This Narnia piece took about 9 hours total. I do not like to sit for that long but I had a good time chatting with the artist, Scott, and I highly recommend him. He's the shop owner at Flaming Dragon in Tacoma, WA.  

I am continuing my tattoo link up!  Feel free to share your tattoo stories - with photos, of course! If you dont have tattoos or want one but would never get one, share those stories, too. Just click the link below and be sure to add my widget to your page, too!

To read about and see the process, see: Tattoo Round II | Narnia

 

Dewey + Ashleigh = ♥

We took some pictures for some friends the other day. Dewey and I have been friends since high school. We're in a band together and he's been dating Ashleigh for almost a year now. Ashleigh lives outside Sacramento which has been one of our favorite areas to play over the last 3 years because we've gained so many friends that hail from that area. Ashleigh is one of them. They really make a great couple and we're very happy for both of them. Let us know if you need any pictures taken soon!

My Style Resolution

Dan and I made some goals for 2013 but I only have one resolution:  to dress better. I work from home and I don't get out as much as I used to but that doesn't make it okay to wear yoga pants and hoodies all day, comfy as they may be. Last year, I downloaded Hayley Morgan's digital book The No Brainer Wardrobe for $7.99 and it has been a great help. Morgan suggests using Pinterest to create a board of what types of clothing and styles you like.  So, I started pinning and then I looked through photos of myself.  It was really hard to NOT be critical. I mean, I went through tons of photos and I was like, "Did I really wear that ... and then get my picture taken?!"   Yep, I wore it.  And, I noticed a few things about my personal style:

• [If I'm wearing color] I like solid, bold colors like green and red and gold.
• I wear a lot of black, gray and denim.
• I like skinny jeans.
• I like flowy, chiffon dresses and skirts.
• I am scared of prints - except for plaid shirts and leopard print accessories.  
• I don't accessorize nearly enough.

Do you ever buy an article of clothing and think that this is the type of thing you want to wear but secretly you know you never will? I do it too often. My closet is full despite my many trips to the thrift store donation bins. The No Brainer Wardrobe suggests that 50 - 60 items of clothing is plenty. That seems impossible but I really, truly would like to simplify my life by simplifying my closet; thus, making getting ready for my day a much easier (possibly enjoyable?) task. Less options might make getting dressed each day less daunting. I think that my style is vintage, grunge-chic.  So, here are some ideas for my style resolution:

• Accessorize! Take advantage of my antler necklace display and piles of bracelets, belts, and earrings to add a little spice to any outfit.
• Plaid/ collared shirts under sweaters.
• Skirts with tights or skinny jeans.
• Try prints in scarves and shoes, not clothes.
• Tucked in T-shirts with belts.

If you read this post, you will know that I don't like getting ready but I do like looking good (who doesn't?).  So, I am hoping that this simplified plan will help me figure out what to wear everyday.   Have any of you had a style makeover or revelations you'd care to share?

My Style Board on Pinterest.  Follow me: LMRphotos!

Happy New Year!
XOXO, Lindsy

Bargain Meals: Pesto Tofu Pasta

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a fun New Years Eve.  We stayed in, recorded a song and talked about 2013.  It was so nice. As promised, I'm sharing with you my first ever bargain meal.  In 2012, our family started saving all of Dan's income and living off of just what I make.  It has not been easy.  I shared some of our budgeting tips in a post back in October that got a lot of responses from our readers and friends on Facebook.  Eating at home is an important part of this budgeting process.  Dan always tells me that I am good at whipping together meals and I thought I'd try and share some of my super affordable, yummy family meals with all of you!  Because even if you dont have to be a on a budget, sometimes it's nice to know you're saving money.  Right?

1. I started with Trader Joe's Garlic Basil Linguine.  It's $1.99 for two but I only used one packet and even that is a bit more expensive than most other pastas.  You can use whole wheat penne, spaghetti, whatever you've got!  Get the water boiling and cook according to the directions on the package.  
2. Cut up some green, leafy veggies.  I used rainbow chard but you could use spinach or collard greens.  You can get a bushel for about $1. With the amount of garlic and olive oil in this meal I think you could get even the pickiest eaters to eat their green veggies.  
3. Cut up half a brick of extra firm tofu.  Tofu is about $2/package.  
4. Sautee the veggies and tofu in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
5. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and toss with the veggies and tofu.  
6. Blend in a few tablespoons of pesto.  The cheapest (and yummiest) pesto we've found is from Costco.  It was about $7 for this HUGE jar so we used about 50 cents worth of pesto in this meal.  I left the pesto off of BB's bowl (mostly because I didn't feel like cleaning up the mess) but I think he would have liked the taste!
7. Optional: Sprinkle with a little Romano or Parmesan cheese.  I got a container of this cheese from Grocery Outlet for $2.  I think at most grocers it's about $5.  I only used a sprinkle; about 25 cents worth.

There you have it!  Lindsy's Pesto Tofu Pasta.  Total cost to feed all three of us was about $4 and it was sooooo good!  We all loved it. Bon appétit!