Kitchen Updates #2

As the months have quickly passed in 2021, more progress has been made in the kitchen.

Previous post: Kitchen Update #1

More Kitchen Updates

Refrigerator moved to where the cupboards and cabinets use to be. My other half installed the new microwave/stove vent (paid $250 in a bidding site – in store going for over $600!), installed the old cabinet to the right, and 2 new cabinets to the left. 😀 The cabinet to the right I want to be of a bookshelf than cabinets.

I purchased this cabinet from Wayfair… it was the only cabinet that almost fit the space, in the style I liked. My other half didn’t like how the inside was set up – not pot and pan friendly and I wasn’t fully content with the open space between the cabinet and the wall.

So my mom and I are building a cabinet that will fit perfectly in the space, in the style I like, which is pot and pan friendly 🙂 As you can see, it’s work in progress. If you were wondering about the 2nd microwave, it’s for my youngest daughter who doesn’t feel fully comfortable using the one above the stove yet. 🙂 Also a decorative piece was added under the old cabinet to add character. The kitchen walls were painted a light grey.

To the left of the stove, I purchased a red trash can cabinet that was the same height as the stove. So it has dual purpose. 🙂 Also purchased a old shelf off FB marketplace for $5 and my mom upcycled it to be a shelf over the stove for salt & pepper. 😀

Slowly painting ALL the ugly purply-brown trim and doors white. 😀

You can see where I’ve painted the trim and where I need to yet. It’s like night and day to me.

My other half has been wonderful in putting up all this trim for me to designate this space as the dining area. As you can see, I have a few more pieces to paint and then this area will be completed! YAY!

I’m leaving the chipped countertops for now since this kitchen project is just an update and not a full $20,000 remodel. My dad has been generous and changing the cabinet faces to oak (and rebuilding the drawers when needed). I plan on painting cabinet frame white to make his hard work stand out. 🙂

The back hallway to the basement was painted the same light grey as the kitchen. 🙂

A look at the landing up towards the kitchen.

Kitchen Update #1

The one room in the house that gets me the most irritated is the kitchen. There are so many areas I don’t like but haven’t put much money into the room because it functions (for the most part) and can get extremely costly which I don’t want to do. This girl is on a budget. ;o)

What I don’t like about the current kitchen:

1. The stove right next to the refrigerator. Talk about making one appliance making the other work harder. Silly right?
2. No exhaust fan above my stove so the ceiling about the stove looks like s**t all the time. UGH!
3. One light in the center of the room – so you are working in a shadow 80% of the time. UGH!
4. The countertops were refinished almost ten years ago (with the Rust-Oleum Countertop transformations charcoal semi-gloss countertop resurfacing kit) and now are chipping.

What I like about the current kitchen:

1. My kitchen is a a good size kitchen – no small gallery kitchen here.
2. I like the vinyl floor that was put in about 10 years ago.
3. My kitchen island. 🙂

Before Pictures

ABOVE: Stove next to refrigerator, and a tv tray as a counter next to stove. The wall color is a dirty looking tan with a ugly brown-purple trim color. Also note the ONLY light fixture in the kitchen is above and hangs low.

Stairway off the kitchen that leads outside and down stairs. Same ugly tan and purple-brown color.

A look at the landing…. ugly!

Kitchen cabinets: original to house – painted an dirty off white and has the cheapest pulls on them. The countertops has the black refinish over them.

The work has begun!

New LIGHTS!!! (A better picture of the countertops here.

Top cabinets GONE and my other half is working on removing part of the countertop and cabinets to be able to move the refrigerator in this spot.

More progress!!!! 😀

The puppies approve of daddy’s work 😀

What 2020 has taught me

Ah, 2020. What a LONG A$$ year you have been.

I was supposed to be married on May 9, 2020 like many brides; but you, 2020, had other plans.

I had vacations planned and those got cancelled.

My kids were forced to do online schooling which is a huge headache, let me tell you.

The year 2020 each month shown below.

2020, the good

1. Vegas baby! (pre-COVID!)
2. I got married, a small ceremony, quickly arranged within a week’s time
3. During spring lock down, I only was able to work part time, but received full pay
4. I was employed throughout the year and received a raise – YAY!
5. Bell Pepper joined our family
6. Dropped $12,000 on my mortgage! Hell yeah!
7. My net worth, savings, and retirement accounts increased by leaps and bounds!
8. Focused more on myself and making myself happy
9. COVID vaccines

2020, the bad

1. The quarantine 15lb 😦
2. Not being able to go to church for a period of time
3. Online school
4. Rescheduled the wedding reception festivities twice! Fingers crossed, this is the last time!
5. Cancelled holidays and birthdays
6. Kids not being able to hang out with friends as often as they would like
7. Trying to get my last name changed when everything was closed – only took 9 months!

2020, the ugly

1. The daily news about COVID-19 and deaths
2. The election and everything associated with that
3. People attacking others over different view points

What I learned

Despite the downs 2020 has given everyone in general, I have learned to slow down and take time out for me (self care).

I have learned that I am blessed where I work.

I am blessed I’m debt free during a year when employment isn’t guaranteed and raising costs of living are running ramp-it.

I’m blessed I have an emergency fund so I don’t have to rely on someone else (aka: the federal government) to bail me out.

I am blessed my immediate family has remained healthy and safe.

Looking forward

As for 2021, I am hoping to achieve:

1. Freshen up my kitchen (budget $1,000) – Move the refrigerator, install microwave / vent, install additional outlet(s), install more cabinets, new light fixture, new paint, new curtains, new hardware, etc.
2. Pay $10,000 principle on my mortgage
3. Senior pictures for my oldest daughter
4. Help my oldest daughter start applying for scholarships and colleges
5. Read 15 books
6. Take 3 vacations

The race to pay off the mortgage

I am always reading, learning, eager to grow my knowledge and skill set.

Some of my current topics of learning is of FIRE (financial independence, retire early). So wish I know about this 15 years ago! Despite the late discovery, it will be something I will want to implement when I’m at Dave Ramsey’s baby step #7.

If you know me or have followed me you are aware that I’m a Dave Ramsey follower and a money nerd. 🙂 I am currently on baby steps 4 -6. Those steps if you aren’t familiar are: 4) 15% of income into retirement account 5) Percentage of money going into the children’s college fund 6) Pay off mortgage early.

Back in September 2019, I refinanced my mortgage to get my ex off. I refinanced at a 15-year fixed rate (per Dave) since my previous mortgage was a 30-year (pre-Dave). I also have decided that I wanted to pay the mortgage within 6 years (2025 – before my youngest graduates from high school – EEKK!) instead of 15 based on paying at least an extra $250+/month. I feel my goal obtainable and will keep my inspired.

Since I refinanced my mortgage I had paid off $2,769.80 in principle in those 3 short months in 2019. As for 2020, right now as of the date of this post, I have paid over $11,700, with a principle balance of just over $55,000!

My future goals are as follows:

2021 pay mortgage down to $45,000

2022 pay mortgage down to $35,000

2023 pay mortgage down to $25,000

2024 pay mortgage down to $15,000

2025 pay mortgage down to ZERO!

See! An obtainable goal! Will there be hiccups along, the way, sure. Will there be tough years, sure! Will there will be great years, heck yeah!

I have a little chart on my refrigerator tracking my progress which is VERY exciting! Each month when I make my payment, I get excited if I can color in another square, moving one – maybe 2 step(s) closer to my goal of being 100% debt free! 😀

On my way to Debt Free Land! Woohooo!

What nerd doesn’t get geeked when there are new squares to color?!

In the picture above you may notice numbers along the colorful path. I have used my shorthand to “document” where I’m at on the path. For example: 3.20 = March 2020. Very highly sophisticated, I know. ;D

I got this wonderful Debt Free Land layout from debtfreecharts.com for anyone who would like their own Debt Free Land game board on their refrigerator.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I have been making homemade chicken noodle soup for my family for over a year and I seem to never make it the same. Recently my husband stated he would help me by making the soup for me but didn’t have my recipe – I never wrote it down. I was told I need to. LOL

So after making the soup yesterday on my afternoon off of work, I decided I would write it down and share my recipe. 😀 Yup, I know; I’m nice like that.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-3lbs of skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or chicken beast for you picky folks)
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic
• 1 medium size Spanish (or white) onion
• 48oz chicken broth
• 16oz (1lb) baby of baby carrots
• 1 celery bunch
• 6 cups Water
• Chicken base or bouillon cube or stock cube or broth cube
• 12oz of egg noodles

Time

TOTAL Time: approximately 5 hours

Cooking Time: chicken 3 hours, soup approximately 2 hours

Directions

Fully cooked chicken!

1. Put unfrozen chicken into crock pot, laying flat to ensure even cooking. Season chicken with Italian seasoning and pepper. Carefully pour some chick broth into crock pot so the bottom is just covered – try not to pour over the chicken and loose seasoning. Cook on low for 3 hr.
2. After the chicken has been cooked, turn it off but leave it covered.
3. Get a big soup pot, cover the bottom with extra virgin olive oil (or any oil of your preference).
4. Mince 2-3 fresh garlic cloves into the pot.
5. Chop up 1 medium onion. For people who don’t like onion maybe do a small onion or some onion powder.

Mmmmm! Onions!

6. I have a gas stove so you may have to alter your stove settings for electric. I turned the stove on to medium heat to brown the garlic and onions. Be careful not to burn it! Stir occasionally until onion and garlic are golden brown. (Approximately 5 minutes.)

7. Add rest of the chicken stock into the pot. Also add 2 cups of water.

8. In a separate multi-cup measuring bowl, pour in 4 cups of water and I mix in a tablespoon of a local restaurant’s chicken soup base. You can substitute a bouillon cube or stock cube or broth cube here. Once mixed, pour into the soup pot. Cover and turn down to medium-low heat.

We are getting fancy here!

Seasoning – stage 1

9. Add seasoning – generous amount of Italian seasoning and pepper, and a dash of salt. Don’t skim! When in doubt, at a bit more. ;D

10. Simmer on medium-low heat for at least 45 minutes covered. Check every so often and stir.

10. Cut up the baby carrots while the pot simmers. I cut them up into bite size pieces. Once all cut up, add to the soup pot! Save the bowl they chopped carrots were in. You will use it for the chicken soon!

11. Wash and chop up the bunch of celery into bite size pieces. Sit a side.

12. Take the chicken out of the crock pot (it should be cool enough to not burn your fingers. “Fork” the chicken into bit size pieces. Put pieces into used carrot bowl.

13. Check to see if the carrots are mostly cooked. Add celery, chicken pieces, and the “juice” from the crock pot into the soup pot. It should be looking and smelling good!

14. Re-season soup! Add a generous amount of Italian seasoning and pepper, and a dash of salt. Don’t skim! When in doubt, at a bit more. ;D Stir, cover and simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Ekkk! Almost there!!!!

15. While soup is simmering, in a separate pot, cook the egg noodles per the package directions. I use my chicken base mixture instead of water to give my noodles more flavor.

16. After the soup has simmered, add noodles to the soup (and I add the base mixture the noodles cooked in too!) Stir.

So drooling here!

YUM!!

I was pretty proud of myself as I actually waited 15 minutes for the soup to cool before I started eating it. I normally try to eat it right away so excited, I burn my whole mouth. 😦

I hope you enjoyed my recipe and let me know what you think of it. I love it so that I make it twice a month and probably eat half of it myself. LOL