Office Facelift: Part 2

Remember this post? It's been a while since we have been able to do anything to the office. We did paint the front, but nothing else has been done. We are waiting to finish that. But more recently, we face lifted the front hallway.

Here is a picture of the back hallway so you can get an idea of how it looked before.

The wallpaper was probably more of a mauve or rose when it was new. It has since faded to a pink color and these oak cabinets and shelves are everywhere.

We took away the, old faded pictures with think gold frames and oak cabinets (you can see one to the left of the picture). Then we added these metal and glass cabinets. We added a little decor with the more modern plant and the metal art work above the cabinets.

We also removed the wall paper, textured the wall and painted.

In this picture below, you can see the older type of plant that tops all of the cabinets in the office.

It's starting to look fresh and new! We are very happy with the way this hallway turned out. Now we need to finish the front waiting area. After all, that is the very first thing you see when walking in the office. Once we finish that, we will move on to the rest of the halls.

Re-Finised Oak Table

We have a very small dinning area in our house. There is only one dinning area and it is right infant of the slider to the back yard and we have a big rectangle table in the space. It has always felt cramped, so I have been pinning round tables on pintrest for quite a while now. I finally got inspired enough to buy one on Craig's List and refinish it myself.  

I choose a more simple table because I tend to get impatient with little details. I also needed one with a leaf so when guests do come over, we have enough space for everyone to eat. After months of looking at tables but not feeling motivated enough to actually buy one and after it sat in my garage for about 1-2 weeks, I started sanding away.

I thought it would be so easy with the puppy, she loves to be out front so, I thought I could just tie her up to the the long leash and she would enjoy smelling and watching everything. Unfortunately, I forgot how much she loves to be right where I am ever second of the day.

Luckily, the sanding was pretty easy and the kids wanted to take Roxy on a nice little walk. I love when they can be helpful. Too bad it's not more often. 

I choose Kona stain for the top and the same white (white dove from Benjamin Moore) for the bottom that my kitchen cabinets are done in.

Here is my table without a center piece. It fits perfectly in the spot!

The table was actually very easy to re-finish! However I still have some finishing touches on it. I want to lightly sand the white, add one more coat of pain then put some polyurethane on it. I ended up choosing an egg shell to have more of a matted look, but everybody that see's it seems to think the satan would look better.

The problem is, now that it is in my house, I don't want to take it out again to do that little bit. Maybe I'll get motivated next week when it is not either over 90 out or raining.

It also works well as a sewing table!

Gluten-Free Bagels

We love bagels in this house! When my dad was alive, we would meet at the bagel shop every Sunday morning from before I was pregnant with little C till after L was born. It was at least a good 4 years that we held this tradition. Even today, the workers still know us and love to see the kids growing. However, now that we know little C can not have any wheat or gluten, we can not go to our wonderful Bruggers.

I have found a bagel at Trader Joe's (of course my favorite store), but it doesn't have the texture of a "real" bagel, but, at least the kids like them and they can still have their cream cheese, unlike me.

Tonight, I tried my own recipe using the wonderful Pamela's Bread Flour. Apparently, they were "Good enough to eat," according to little C. I guess that's not bad. My dinners often are not good enough to eat and need to get choked down (according to these two).

I used a recipe I found on line for regular ol' New York Bagels. I forgot how sticky dough from this flour is and how difficult it is to work with. I ended up adding extra flour and although the shape wasn't perfect, they were pretty good and had that bagel texture. After boiling the bagels, I sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on the tops, then baked them.

Unfortunately, I didn't re-oil the pan after I cooked the first trial bagel. That was a bummer.

I think I will try them again using the bread recipe on the back of the Pamela's bag. Maybe the dough won't be so sticky.

Here is the bread mix I love!

Wheat and Cow's Milk Free Chicken Parmesan

Since little C and I were tested for food sensitivities, we have had to say good bye to some of our favorite foods. It has taken some time, but I have found ways to recreate a few of them. I had a craving for some good Italian food and I have really been missing the cheese. So, I set out to make some good ol' Chicken Parmesan.

I started with this Hunt's tomato sauce that I bought quite a while ago and added some Wild Tree seasonings to make a spaghetti sauce. I love that this sauce is in a box and not a can.

I pounded the chicken flat.

Dipped it in egg...

Then I dipped it in the Ian's Panko Gluten Free Bread Crumbs mixed with some sheep cheese and seasonings. By clicking on here you can see them on Amazon.

After that I pan browned both sides.

Then I put the chicken in a pan with the sauce and Sheep Romano another cheese I can't find the name of. It is a lighter flavor like mozzarella.

These are my absolute favorite noodles. If I get any other quinoa noodles, they have corn flour and we can not have corn in my house. These Brown Rice, Quinoa noodles also have the best texture to them, just like drum wheat noodles.

Sadly, I don't have a finished product picture. The dinner was so good we all ate it all up. I was very happy to have a yummy pasta and cheesy dinner without all the stomach ache.