Kitchen Update: Current Look...

Here is what the kitchen looks like now. If you missed it, this is the first couple phases of our kitchen makeover: Part 1 & Part 2.  After the other small additions of the tile backsplash, new faucet and dishwasher, we had the cabinets painted back, added new handles, a new light fixture, painted the window trim (actually I need to add one more coat - that is why there is still green tape), and a coat of gray paint up on the wall. Someday I will finish painting the sliding glass door trim and add more details to finish making the kitchen more my style. Eventually we would like to change out the countertops for granite, and switch out the appliances for stainless steel... but that is a far-down-the-road dream. The changes we've done so far have made a huge difference! 

Here is the before again: 

And After: 

Baby Bump - Weeks 13 - 16

I am back again with more bump photos.... 

(Just realized I spelled Avocado wrong... oops! :) ) 

How I'm feeling: Good, although tired... I think I better get used to the fact that I will be tired the next 10 years :) I think I've been feeling baby lately. Every now and then, I can feel something, especially in the morning laying in bed. It is hard to describe.. it isn't kicking...but I know I can just feel something. Last pregnancy, it took til 24 some weeks to feel the baby so this is kinda exciting...

In the past week, I have almost cried watching Cars (yes the one with Lightning McQueen) and Wife Swap - yup, both are super emotional programs. 

Craving: Lately, hasn't been much, but today has been bad! I have been craving chocolate, anything from a drive-thru window, donuts, chicken kiev, and tuna cassarole. Such random things :) 

Our First Home - Photo Tour: Part 3

If you missed it, this week I am posting the before and after photos of our first house:  Part 1 & Part 2.

Today is the last part of the tour with the downstairs of the house which included a laundry room, guest room, bathroom, and family room. 

Before: Family Room - Aren't you jealous of that fabulous carpet? And yes, a couch, TV, and organ were left as well... 

 

After: Family Room: New paint, new lights, new carpet, one new window, lots of new decor! 

 

Before: Downstairs Bathroom: Just SUPER ugly.

After: Downstairs Bathroom:  New tile, new lights, new shower, new paint, new countertop, sink and faucet, new mirror, new toilet and new towel hooks. My dad, brothers and Todd knocked out the old shower and cupboard and we had a new shower put in. My dad did a great helping to renovate this bathroom and make it look fabulous! 

 Before: Guest Room: Besides the red carpet, this room didn't look that bad compared to other rooms. 

After: Guest Room: New Paint, new light, new carpet and decor. I never got around to decorating this room as much as I wanted, but it at least looks better than the before picture.

The laundry room... not too exciting. The shelves were there already and I just spruced it up a bit with some paint and a wood blind. 

Our First Home - Photo Tour, Part 2

If you missed the first part of the tour of our first house the other day, you can find it here. I am back with shots of the yard. I don't have a good before picture of the front or back...so....here is my explanation of it :) 

In the front: We got rid of the privacy hedges in front of the front door and seeded the area with grass... ahhh...much better! Luckily the house was pretty good on the exterior so we didn't need to focus on it too much! I also got a new light and new house numbers. 

In the back: Got a newer fence, built a retaining wall for the garden on the righthand side of the backyard, and painted the deck a grayish-blue instead of the pinkish-red deck that it previously was. We had other landscaping work done, as well as Todd and his friend putting in the awesome patio. One of the very last projects done so

it didn't get enjoyed enough! :(

Back inside... 

Another one of my FAVORITE rooms was Brecken's room. It turned out just how I visualized it and I LOVED it! It was so cozy and had so many memories of late-night feedings, nap times, and diaper changes. 

Before: Brecken's Room - Dingy white walls, gross carpet and extremely outdated window coverings

After: New fan, new paint, new carpet, new door and lots and lots of fun decor! 

 '

Before: Master Bedroom

Salmon colored wall, ugly carpet, and a gross comforter leftover from the auction.

After: New paint (yes, we had a pink wall in our bedroom... Todd had a great attitude about it.. and I promised I wouldn't do it in this next house! :) ), Ceiling fan, new carpet, new doors and black curtains instead of the closet doors. 

 Before: Upstairs Bathroom

Ohhhh... the bathroom. What's not to love? The floor, the brass medicine cabinet, or maybe the light fixture? 

 After: New paint, new bathtub and it was tiled to make a shower, exhaust fan, new lights, new flooring, new sink and faucet, new countertop, new mirror and a new toilet.