Mud Room Makeover Part 1: The Washer and Dryer

 

The Mr. and I are sprucing up our mud room.  We started our project in June, moving the washer and dryer units from where they were inconveniently housed in the kitchen...{yes in the kitchen}, to the "mudroom".  This room in fact, once was part of the back porch.  It was closed off years ago, long before we bought the home.  The previous home owners had put carpet in the space and were using it as an exercise room.  But for us, it felt like a great space to house our laundry and so, an adventure began.   

the new mudroom space in the middle of the move.

old plumbing in the kitchen

New plumbing in the mudroom

we removed a heating vent to provide 

more room for proper plumbing.  

all patched up and a dryer vent to boot.  

  

  What is also fun, are the surprises we find along the way.  
It makes me happy!  This brick wall that was once outside
 as part of the porch, now sits opposite our washer and 
dryer, providing a gorgeous back drop to our mudroom.

Three layers thick.  This is the wall that our washer 

and dryer sit against.  As we opened the wall

 up to plumb and wire, we found layers of wall paper

 and paint from other remodeling adventures. 

 First layer:  black and white wall paper.  

Second layer:  blue floral and tangerine wall paper.  

Third layer:  paint.  When I see this, I wonder about the hands 

working hard to make their home beautiful.  I love it!  

Well, this is it!  Now on to painting, tiling, 

creating storage, window coverings and adding accessories! 

Do you enjoy doing house projects?  What are your dreams and ideas for your home?  

Happy Wednesday!

Good morning everyone!  The sun is shining and it is a gorgeous day!  I want to be outside.  I am looking forward to a day off, where we have on our agenda to go to lunch, run a few errands and maybe catch a movie.  Just, genuinely enjoy our day.

The Sundance Film Festival is in full swing in Park City.  Thinking about popping up there to eat some good food and see the sights.  Sounds fun.  

Lately I've been heading over to this fabulous site, green-acres.com, which is a site that advertises homes for sale all over the world.  I'm particularly fond of the beautiful, picturesque cottages for sale in France.  Green grass for miles, rolling hills, dirt roads and stone or wood cottages I can picture vacationing to.  

Well that's what is happening in my neck of the woods.  How about you?  

seeing:  the snow melt as the warm sun shines on it. 

loving:  chocolate almond milk.  Delish.

enjoying:  blue sky and taking drives to small towns I don't often visit   

    

Apples A Plenty

 Apples seem to be a plenty around this time of year and I find myself wanting to eat them more as a dessert than as a raw snack.  Cooked or baked just right and you have yourself a delicious feast of goodness.  Yes, I just said that.

So, I thought eh, why not share a scrumptious little dessert post.  By the way, the topping is so yummy!  I like more topping with my apple crisp, so that is what my recipe yields.  I could eat it right out of the mixing bowl and well, I've snuck a few spoonfuls now and again and it's delicious really.  But alas, I will refrain and put it over top the apples.

So...here she is.  

Apple Crisp A'La Mode

{yes, that is my fingerprint in the ice cream.

I had to get it off of the spoon somehow...}

Filling

(recipe courtesy of me)

5-6 large crisp apples, peeled and sliced.

{I like to use honey crisp}

 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or fresh orange juice

Crumb Topping

(courtesy of Ina Garten)

  1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.  Top with your favorite vanilla ice cream and you have yourself a sit on the couch with a good book or whatever suits your fancy.  

Have a fabulous day friends!    

Tell me, do you enjoy baking?  What is your favorite dish to bake?  I love reading your comments.  Let me know!  

New Year. New You?

I want to create long-term habits that I desire to continue because it feels good and my body feels better and performs better.  One way I find I can keep my body healthy is by drinking fresh juice or smoothies.  I have a blender and a juicing machine.  They both have wonderful benefits and I enjoy both for different reasons.  Juicing is great for the consistency.  Sometimes I like to drink my beverage quickly and I find that juicing rather than blending allows for this.  While sipping smoothies through a straw is fabulous as well and you are greatly benefiting from using the whole fruit or vegetable.   

Here are some fun ideas I think can help create feelings of renewal and a path towards just feeling good in general.  

Drinking a lot of water.

add lemon to it if you want.

Getting a good amount of sleep.

Finding an exercise that I like.

Yoga.  I love yoga.

Meditation or quiet time for myself.  

I find this to be very good for balance.

Eating whole foods. {nothing processed or "GMO"}

I could share an entire post on this topic...

fruits/vegetables/seeds/nuts, etc.

Focusing time on a hobby/activity that I enjoy.  

Spending time outside.  

{I love to find a trail in the canyon or 

visit a new town nearby that I haven't been to.} 

Spend more time doing what you Love.

What are some things you love to do to help create a good sense of self or a happy you?

Have a wonderful day!  

another place to find me:  

twitter:  @maraebella

   

Wedding Feature!

{photography by Todd Ellis Photography}

Our destination wedding was featured on an award winning DIY wedding blog!  

We had the wonderful opportunity to coordinate with Hannah from www.bridedeforce.blogspot.com  She along with her sister Fleur run this blog along with a Youtube Channel:  youtube.com/bridedeforce  

Go check out the feature as well as their youtube channel for wonderful advice and tips on planning a beautiful wedding.  It's sure to please!  

A Day Trip to Sundance

We traveled up to Sundance recently, to see what the Winter snow had brought.  

What a beautiful place it is.  We looked admiringly at the skiers on the mountain and listened as their skis and snowboards carved in the snow.  We walked around the general store and noticed the beautiful  handmade stone and metal jewelry and also stopped off at the Art Shack to admire the glass blower artists making one of a kind pieces.  I always love taking a peek inside the pottery room as well, where students are honing their artistic talents and creating works of art.  

What a peaceful and creative place to wonder for a few hours.  I love going to Sundance in both the Winter or Summer months.    Although I have been there many times, it is always a very fun and relaxing place to go.

Here are some fun things to experience at Sundance all year round:

spa ammenities

yoga

fine dining

casual dining

the owl bar

live music

mountain cabins

weddings

general store

handmade gifts

rustic artwork

handmade jewelry

art shack

glass blowing artists (9 mos. of the year)
mountain biking (summer)

artist workshops (summer)

day time lift rides (summer)

numerous trails for hiking (summer)

stewart falls waterfall hike (summer)

moonlit night lift rides (summer)

movies/outdoor amphitheater (summer)

snow shoeing (winter)

cross country skiing (winter)

the sundance film festival (winter)

skiing (winter)

snowboarding (winter)
...and much, much more!    

What is one of your favorite day trip destinations?

{this post is not sponsored in any way by Sundance Resort or its affiliates.  All opinions and words expressed are my opinion and none other.}

        

New Years Resolutions

Hello Everyone!  What a wonderful day.  It's 2014!

wanting:  to get outside and go on a hike!  

hearing:  The Mr. listening to his sports cast.

loving:  life.  

I am driving right now with The Mr.  We are on our way to do some quick work stuff, and I am noticing the beautiful morning outside the car window.  There is a gorgeous blue hue this morning welcoming the New Year.  The sun is just starting to show itself over the top of the mountains.  We live in such a beautiful space.  The Mr. is telling me a story about his morning drive to work and how he notices the sun peeking out from the mountains.  I love listening to him.  

  

Today is also a day for New Year Resolutions.  Have you set any new goals for 2014?  I was thinking I would make some resolutions and challenge you guys to do the same.  BUT, as I pondered the idea of resolutions I remembered how important it is to set attainable goals.  For example:  Say, I dream of planting a garden yet, know nothing about gardening.  A great goal could be to plant one kind of herb or one type of flower this Spring and see how I did.  I want to be proud of my goals and the process of reaching them.  So here goes.  

One of my new goals will be to get outside more.  I just love being outside, exploring nature and what my surroundings have to offer me.

I hope you have a wonderful start to a brand new year and...
Do more of what makes you happy!  

Are you setting New Year Resolutions?  Tell me in the comments!