Just doing our part

Have you received your "economic stimulus check" yet? Otherwise known to me as "Christmas in May." As soon as we heard about it, we knew what it would be used for. A new stove. Our old stove was the ugliest stove in the world. You think I exaggerate. Ask any of the people who frequent my house. They'll tell you.

On the right side of the cooktop the edge had been sheared off. Sheared, I tell you. Just jagged metal right there waiting to slice my hand to smithereens. The sad part is that we kept the broken edge on the cooktop, just sitting there, like its being there would help it not look so very...pitiful. When the front edge started doing the same thing I was afraid to clean the thing really well for fear of slicing my hand. So not only did it look terrible because it was falling apart, it looked terrible because its owner didn't clean it really well, poor thing.

Enter the stimulus check. I just have two words. Woo and hoo. My sweet husband and a friend of his went to Lowe's and picked up my new stove and vented microwave. Van didn't know what he was getting into when he agreed to go with my husband. He ended up helping install it and we couldn't have done it without his help. What should have been a couple hour project ended up being an all afternoon-into-the-evening ordeal. But it was worth it. Oh, it was worth it. Here's a picture of it...(Special note here: please do not discriminate against me because I still have early 90's wallpaper in my kitchen. This is the next project we will be working on. If and when we ever work on another project.) By the way, that's my Pampered Chef spoon rest on top. I lurve my spoon rest.

Here's another picture of it, in case you just couldn't stand not to see more of this beautiful thing:

Now, it's not all fancy shmancy. It's just a little above a base model. But it is new and it is beautiful white and it is mine. It's also self cleaning. Another woo. Another hoo.

Now, having installed it last Sunday, you'd think I baked yummy things and cooked lots of delicious casseroles this week, wouldn't you? Actually, we've been so busy that last night was the first night it was christened. So, what did we cook? A delicious, gourmet meal? A homeade apple pie or delicate pastry?

Well, not exactly....

As Pioneer Woman says, just keepin' it real.

Editing note, 4:40 p.m. - Husband informs author that taco ring was actually first dish prepared in oven...author claims she is 37 and has had a child, as well as a diet coke, so is not responsible for frail memory.