Kitchen Refresh!

After the bathroom facelift & elevator upgrade, I finally tackled the kitchen.  Eventually -- in our 5 year plan -- we want to do a complete kitchen remodel {can we say inset cabinets}, but until then we wanted to do something about the Honey Oak cabinets.  They were the only thing that didn't fit with the tone of the house. Plus, what else were we going to do during quarantine?! 

{I wrote that paragraph in May 2020 after painting the cabinets -- and then we waited for my dad to move 12 electrical boxes up over the summer and then decide what we wanted to do about backsplash and have our friend come install it.  And now, about a year later, I'm still waiting on new appliances, but I decided I have to post an update of where we are now because it could be another year before we see new appliances and an island.}

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When we moved in, we removed a row of cabinetry {everything left of the refrigerator}

& replaced the sink hardware {only 'after' pic I could find}

First we {my MIL and I} primed, painted, and sealed the cabinets.

Then, we added hardware to the cabinets and new doorknobs to the pantry {and entire main floor}

After that we primed, painted, and lacquered the countertops.

Next, my dad moved our kitchen outlets.

Finally we added a peel and stick backsplash.

 

We also added a shelf and this little breakfast nook, which the kids can't get enough of!

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I bought a magnetic knife strip, but it still needs hung.  Next, new appliances since we need a bigger fridge/freezer and our microwave is cracked and I want an island.

Elevator Upgrade

So the cat is out of the bag, our house has an elevator.  It's not something we really talk about, although it's really not a big deal.  My best friend as a little girl had an elevator in her house, so maybe I'm just used to it.  However, I have realized since living here just how many people are fearful of elevators!

At any rate, ours was showing some wear from the traffic and I wasn't in love with the goldish color, so my mother in law and painted and wall papered it.  I used the same wallpaper as I did in the bathroom.  The trim and ceiling are also the same colors at the bathroom {walls are Sherwin Williams Realist Beige and ceiling is Sherwin Williams Indigo}  I also removed the handrail as we don't really have a need for it {we really only used it as a shelf for junk!} and added a little stool because sometimes it's nice for the kids to have a place to sit {it's a sloooooow ride! ;}

*And yes, I realize I'm privileged to be a white girl writing about her home with an elevator in a time where the world is determined to be mad about everything.  I have many thoughts on this, but for today I'm just too tired to think about how someone else thinks I should be reacting.  Good athletes who happen to be black don't feel bad for being a good athlete, so this white girl who works her tail off isn't going to feel bad for working for a nice home.  Choose love, show love, give grace & be thankful.

Bathroom Facelift

Earlier this year, I got the urge to add removable wallpaper to something and figured the bathroom was a safe, small place to start.  We had the bathroom painted {walls are Sherwin Williams Realist Beige and ceiling is Sherwin Williams Indigo} when we moved in, so we just added the wallpaper to the East wall.  Other than the wallpaper, we just swapped out the mirror and hung this wash your hands sign.  Eventually I want to replace the sink and vanity, but this is holding me over for the time being. :)

Sundays

Sundays a beginning and an end: the end of the weekend, & the start of a new week. After running around doing all of the school and extra-curriculars all week, I love to make Sundays a day to rest and recharge as a family.

My ideal Sunday includes:

+ Waking up before the rest of the family with time to read the bible and a few chapters of a fiction book.
+ Church, as a family.  If I'm really dreaming, we're less than 5 minutes late to service! :)
+ Cleaning/organizing as a family.  I love ending Sundays with a completely clean house -- floors cleaned & surfaces cleared --  and all the laundry cleaned, folded, and put away. I love to start the week with everything cleared.
+ Prep for the week.  Have all homework done, backpacks loaded, and extras {snacks, sports clothes, etc.} ready.
+ Make eggs for Monday morning, a pound of bacon baked for the week, and a dinner plan for the week.
+ An afternoon nap for Adam and I.  The kids refuse these days, so at least an hour of quite time.
+ Spending some time looking at my calendar for the week ahead and planning extra coverage/carpools as needed.
+ Doing my full evening skin care routine -- toner, exfoliator, face mask, moisturizer, & full body whip.  Plus teeth whitening & using my WaterPik.  Bonus if I can remember to apply my self-tanner.
+ Family movie in the afternoon
+ Reading before going to bed.
+ Sleeping by 10p

Of course not everything on my list happens every Sunday, but I like thinking about what Sunday rituals leave me feeling rejuvenated and prepared for the week.

What does your ideal Sunday look like?

Let's Look | The Coziest Spot in our House

JANUARY: The Coziest Spot in our House

Adam's favorite space...

the theater room.  He spends a lot of time in this room! ;)

The kids' favorite space...

Our guest bedroom that's filled with their 'box fort'.  This is only half of it.  I had to take the other half down when my parents came to town last weekend -- you can imagine how they felt about that!  Of alllll the toys they have, cardboard boxes are the most used.  Sigh

My favorite... 

I thought it was going to be this corner when we moved it, but I never found the rocking leather chair I was dreaming of in my mind and therefore don't spend as much time in this corner as I'd imagined. :( 

My true favorite spot...inside this room

Current status {I'm working from home today}

Just so you know where we came from, before we moved Adam and I shared a bathroom the size of this Jacuzzi tub, so we're all very thankful for the new bathroom.  The four of us all get ready together in this bathroom most days.  #Grateful

*All iPhone photos because I'll be lucky to get this posted before midnight as it is.  Someday our lives will slow down and I will be able to post thoughtful, beautiful posts again! ;)

Inside Our House | The Third Floor

I intended to show you from the ground up, but this is the only floor with photos so far, so this is where I'll start. :)

The 3rd level of our home is our kitchen, dining, and living room plus the theater room, a bathroom, a 3 seasons porch, and a deck.  Here a few photos to show you the space.  We don't really plan to change anything except the kitchen.  In the next few years we would like to remodel this kitchen and take some of the current cabinets downstairs to the garage for a little kitchen/bar area.  Other than that, in my 10 year dreams I would like to get a new vanity for the bathroom, but that's about it.  Maybe add a dining set to the porch if we find the right one. 

The natural light is one of the main reasons we bought this house.  The views of the lake in the winter are breathtaking and I can't wait to watch fall through these windows! :)  

Also wanting to change out this chair.  I have looked and looked but apparently what I want isn't being made -- haha!  

We have big curtains that still need hung on each side of the screen to make it feel more 'movie theaterish'.  We also need a stand to put our popcorn machine on.