A month of review

I don't know how it is possible, but I seem to not be able to find the time to sit and write.  Perhaps it is that I haven't been making the time to sit and write, which is a bummer, because I like to write.....

It isn't that I haven't had ideas to write about.  I have many drafts started.  I just haven't finished them for a variety of reasons:  I didn't have my pictures watermarked and ran out of time, I couldn't find the words to finish a post the way I wanted, the kids came home from school and I had to step away from the computer, and the list goes on and on.... Hopefully, I will get them finished.....soon.  They feel like unfinished projects.

Let me get you caught up on the happenings from the last month over here at my house:

Volleyball is still in full swing for Sassy.

Someone is excited about playing softball and found a bat that she thought would be perfect.

I was able to sneak a picture of Action reading to Smiley. 

I love that he grabbed some books and asked her if he could read to her.  So sweet!

Action had the opportunity to meet someone he really looks up to:  

The Catholic Guy himself, Lino Rulli and we have a blurry, bad light, cell phone picture to prove it!

A certain little 6 year old was asked, by her dad, to attend a Daddy Daughter dance.  

She planned for weeks regarding what she was going to wear for this special event.  

Sassy found my old hot rollers and styled her hair for her.  

It was fun to watch their sisterly bond even though there is an 8 year difference in age.

Breaking news....SOMEONE LOST THEIR FIRST TOOTH!

She was super excited, and couldn't get over her new look.

Hubby's parents were visiting so we decided to celebrate a couple of birthdays a few weeks early.

I made their favorite, yellow cake (from a box) and chocolate frosting 

(FYI only one of them is 14, but you'll just have to figure that one out for yourself).

After cake, we stepped outside for a quick family picture.

 Finally, our TV took a turn for the worst.  I guess if you like to watch television shows in double and in strange colors, it works, I however, do not. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with this wall.  What ever builder thought it was a good idea to cut a hole in the wall to fit a tv obviously wasn't thinking about the future and the problems that might pose.  So, if you have any ideas for me, my ears are open.  Leave a comment or shoot me an email.  I'll take any ideas you have (note the whole area behind the tv is hollow)!

Whoo Hoo.... finally, our Kitchen Reveal!

Hubby and I had been discussing a kitchen remodel for some time now.  And after saving some $$ we were finally able to stop dreaming and make it a reality!  I will admit, we didn't do any of the physical work ourselves, but instead worked at picking out the new design and then worked at not having a kitchen for 6 weeks.

I admit, I had a vision for what I envisioned our kitchen to become and pinned them on my kitchen board via Pinterest (follow my boards by clicking here).  Here are a few of my pinned kitchens:

This was one of the first kitchens I ever pinned.  I LOVE everything about this kitchen.  I pinned this before we decided to go ahead and remodel.  I love the silver, the white, the glass and the pops of fresh greenery. 

my pinterest via Massucco Warner Miller

In this picture, my eyes were drawn to the crisp white, clear glass and lighted cabinets.  

my pinterest

And this kitchen, another one of my early kitchen pins.  Once again I absolutely love everything about it.  It just felt timeless, classic, bright and clean.  I love the black countertops, subway tile and glass cabinets.

my pinterest via House & Home

Alrighty, so now that you know what I like, here is our kitchen before:

and here my friends, is our after:

I knew I wanted an aqua color on the wall ~ the designer had me go with a lighter shade than I had planned and I am glad she convinced me of that.

I also knew I wanted a couple of glass cabinet doors.  Only a couple though, because we are a "real" family and this is definitely a kitchen that gets used and seriously, who wants to "see" tupperware?

I knew I wanted a farmhouse sink, subway tile, white cabinets, and silver hardware.  I also knew I wanted black countertops.  The kitchen designer mentioned doing the island top in white, a concept which had never crossed my mind.  She thought doing the black top on the island would create a sort of   "black hole" that I wouldn't like.  I wasn't convinced.  Then she pulled out my inspiration pictures (a couple of the above pics)  and pointed out that most of them had white islands and I must subconsciously like that look :)  I let my hubby make the final decision on that one and he chose white. I am certainly glad he did.  I love it.

Everything turned out amazing, meal time is no longer a foot fight under our little table and there is so much more work area for the kids to help me out.  

And yes, I am in LOVE with it!  

Details:

paint color ~ walls: White Rain by Benjamin Moore, accent color in window: Polished Slate by Benjamin Moore

sink ~ Barclay Fire Clay Farmhouse Sink

hardware ~ Bordeaux Shaker Cup Pull and Bordeaux Football Knob

faucet ~ Danze

countertops ~ Silestone in Tebas Black and Lagoon (island)

counter stools ~ Italmodern Eurostyle Camy Matte Aluminum Counter Stool

Messy

Everything seems a bit messy right now.

* My schedule ~ planning and organizing a fundraising breakfast, silent auction and kid raffle for 500 people.  I've been making decorations ~ promise I'll show you them soon, soliciting, entering and organizing information, getting volunteers and so much more.  Besides that, softball (Hubby is head coach for Sassy's fast pitch team ~ enter meetings and tryout that he has had to attend) and baseball have started up.  There go our evenings!

* Hubby has been gone off and on for the last two weeks for work, THANKFULLY he doesn't have any trips planned for the near future.

* We took the kids to a indoor water park and amusement center with 5 other couples last week for a long weekend.  It was a blast.  Nice to get away and not worry about house and fundraiser stuff.  Although, I lie, I did convince some  friends to volunteer to help the morning of :)

* Easter ~ I've been trying to be prayerfully aware during this season of lent and now Holy Week.  And while I've done ok, I feel like I haven't done this to the best of my ability this year.  I've been feeling pulled in too many directions.  And besides the religious significance of Easter, now my kids are beginning to wonder where their Easter baskets actually are....hmmmm me too!  The electrician rearranged my storage area to get better access and it is still in disarray (I think he is still coming back to finish some things up, so I haven't put it back together yet).  Maybe today I will find them...

* My house ~ a complete mess.  Well, it feels like it anyway!  I am having a hard time finding my home to be a calming sanctuary lately.

I mean,

Cardboard and plastic on the floor (yes, those ARE still Christmas trees in my entryway ~ ugh!) :

No kitchen:

A fridge still in my living room:

Plastic sectioning off my kitchen (pay no attention to the freshly folded laundry all over the couch!):

A kitchen island taking up 1/3 of my garage:

Appliances and "stuff" taking up the other 1/3:

Cabinet drawers in my basement:

My kitchen being stored in my guest room/office:

Sassy purged her room and piled up what she doesn't want anymore outside of her room:

Oh, and don't let me forget, we ran into some flooring issues (old floor doesn't match the new floor, even though it is the exact same stuff ~ darn sun fade!).  Which have been resolved, the best way I believe it could have been without having to replace the flooring on basically our entire main level.  Unfortunately this means the wood floor we planned on needing has doubled and of course it's on back order until the end of April.  Really no kitchen until May?!  I have a combined 12 family members from  my side and Hubby's side staying with us the last weekend of April for Action's 1st communion celebration.  This could be interesting!

So there you have it.  My life as a mess.  Hopefully things "clean up" soon, very soon!

Until then, sorry I've been so sporadic!  Thanks for hanging with me!

A little kitchen progress

Yes, I said a little.....

We started with this:

Turned into this:

New plumbing, electrical and sheetrock:

Paint:

Cabinet delivery:

We'll see what happens today!