happy weekend.

i feel like this is a good thought to send us off into the weekend....it's easy to get caught up in wanting all the "stuff" and living "the life"...
i need to remind myself that i am ultimately a mom so wiping my children's nose for 100th time is my duty, as well as cleaning spit up off the new rug, hanging out in the doctor's office sick room for 2 hrs, and wearing mix match pj's is just a fact of my life.  even if, in my head, i have a totally different picture!  maybe that is why this blog is such a good outlet :)
*on a side note: since i have been housebound for the last week w/ sick kiddos, i thought i would do something for myself...i got out the real simple i received in the mail yesterday and tried these faces while applying my makeup.  it is suppose to make your makeup look better.  for me, it provided a much needed laugh!  happy weekend.

frozen pizza...

since moving a little over a month ago, our family's nutrition hasn't been the best.  when you are surrounded by boxes and you can't find your silverware, you tend to eat not so good for you things.  i think one of our major food groups was frozen pizza.  i'm over convenient food and craving getting back into the kitchen and cooking.  not necessarily fancy meals, but good for you meals.  i think that is why last night, i was practically drooling on my computer when i randomly found the blog- with style and grace.  it has the best looking pictures of food and healthy ways to eat.  i LOVE it and am dying to try some of the recipes out!!  and to make a vow not to eat anymore frozen pizza!!

*images courtesy of pinecone camp and with style and grace

dream home

today i am over at la dolce vita sharing my idea of a "dream house"....hope to see you over there! thanks so much paloma for letting me dream...it's kind of nice considering currently i am surrounded by runny noses, laundry, and dirty dishes :)

my new "grab bag"

i have something new going on at the Designer's Attic on Fridays now....it's my version of an instant room!  i had a lot of fun making the first one...i hope y'all will enjoy it too!  thanks jenny for the twitter shout out, i'm honored you like it ;)

these past couple of sunny days can do wonders for a girl.  grey days totally mess with my mood!!  i am longing for spring...i hope these pretty days are here to stay...

*images courtesy of suzie beezie, emily henderson, design darling, my home ideas, emily henderson

questions answered...

i had several questions and emails about painting my kitchen so i thought i would do one last post and then you don't have to hear about it anymore :)

painting: while i would love to say that i was cool enough to tackle this project myself, i'm not.  i left it to the professionals but i did buy all of the supplies so i can guide you a little on what they used.  our cabinets were a light stained wood so to get the paint to adhere they first started w/ sanding all of them.  next, they used zinsser cover stain.  this stuff is heavy duty and so we moved out of our house for 4 days while they painted.  it's an oil based primer that covers really well over wood, knots, etc. here is a pic of the can if you need a visual:

my paint colors were Benjamin Moore from the Classic Color collection.  the cabinets were oil base, which is not my favorite thing to use but the durability is a lot better.

cabinets: Vapor Trails 1556 (this is actually one shade lighter then Sally Wheat's kitchen)

and the walls: Northern Cliffs 1536

a lot of people also asked about my chair fabric....its one of my spare DR chairs and the stripe is lulu dk's catwalk light blue w/ brown.  

thanks a million for all of your sweet comments!  it was fun sharing the process and even more fun to get the "after" product!  

and i can't end w/out saying happy valentine's day!!  seriously, can this cake make its way into my kitchen so i can eat it?!! xoxox

Phew!!

it's taken me long enough but i think my kitchen is finally okay to show y'all. when we moved in the previous owners had a lot of green accents throughout the house so the kitchen color made sense with their design scheme (real estate listing pic).

when our stuff moved in, the color stuck out a little (and a bomb went off obviously)...

i debated and debated on what direction I wanted to go with the paint colors. i posted lots of pictures.  ultimately, i decided to go w/ my gut, even though it scared me, and go greige on the cabinets and a darker greige on the walls.  here is the picture that inspired my kitchen:

and now, here is my kitchen....and i can officially say i love her!

thanks so much for all of your help- for convincing me to take a leap and not stick w/ white.  i am one happy camper.  next on my list is to find a good, faded oushak rug to plop in front of the sink :)

i can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it makes me truly happy...
my kitchen is 99% done...i need to clean it up, hang some pictures, and squirt some mrs. meyers and it will be ready to go.  can't thank my dad and hubby enough for doing the backsplash and lighting this weekend!  hope y'all are having a wonderful monday...i can finally say i am :)

yea, yea

i know, i said i would show y'all this week but it's taking a lot longer then anticipated to get my kitchen back in order.  painting is done and my kitchen is no long bright green, and i think, i kind of like her :)  hope your week is going peachy!