Before and After

I have been so overwhelmed with all that life has thrown into my lap. I finally....yes finally finished the kitchen cabinets. I must say, it really has a refreshed and clean and new look and feeling to it. I can't help but take a step back and pause when I walk into the kitchen in the morning for my cup of coffee.



My mind is quickly set on all the next things I have to do. It really is unending. The next step of the kitchen process will be to take down the wallpaper, paint the walls, trim and door. Putting in new flooring hopefully next month and then of course the little things like making curtains and painting the bar stools to keep with the the decor. Of course then I am on a mission to find all the little decor items. I am on the hunt for cool looking plates to display on the wall. I have gone to a few different antique/ flea markets, just have not been able to find the ones that really get my attention. I have great plans in my head for these plates, just a matter of starting and going for it. I am realizing that I have a really difficult time making final decisions. I really do break out in a sweat and then heaven forbid if I actually do buy something, then I spend the rest of the night with buyers remorse. Lord I need help with the little things in life. I have so much to do with this house. I see that it is not a matter of I have to get it done because the house is selling soon to I have to because the house isn't livable, it is a matter of me trying my hardest to make this house MY home. I am still struggling some days to make sure that my decisions for paint colors and things, are the the decisions and thoughts of my parents. What would my Dad say???? What is Mom going to think of it???? Now, I have to say what do I want and what do I like and be satisfied with that.
I have taken some time to see family that have come in from out of town. In the middle of all the craziness that is my everyday life, there has been some laughter as well.

My life has always and most likely will always be like a roller coaster. Up and Down and All around!

I must stop and breathe

take a moment

I must take it all in


I must slow down

I must close my eyes and feel everything around me

It (life) all goes by so fast, too fast

If I could just lie back for a moment

I'd watch the clouds take shape

and then re-shape

If I could just not move and listen to myself breathe

in and out

in and out

Listen to the sound of the trees

Listen the world around me

Only

if I could just slow down!

ALL IN WHITE

It has been such a crazy couple of weeks here. It seems as though I don't actually get to sit down till after the kids are in bed, but that is only to fold laundry. We have had a lot of rain and cloudy weather so at least the pollen is getting all washed away. My work schedule seems to have increased overnight, not to mention baseball practice, soccer practice, soccer and baseball games, homework, end of school year activities,birthday parties, and that is only to name a few. So, that being said I am finally able to sit for a moment and collect my thoughts.



We decided to get started on the kitchen. I guess I didn't realize (or avoided) the fact that this was going to be and is a very intense and overwhelming project. To say BIG does not even cut it. Here we are over a week later and all, yes all my kitchen things are still sitting on the counters, floors and table. We started the process by removing everything, sanding it all down and then priming. The sanding was such a disgusting part of this. We had sawdust covering everyone and everything. I have learned several things during the early stages of this project.....#1 Always open a window or wear a mask when you are in a small space and using oil-based primer!!!!! I swear I saw pink elephants a few times dance around the house. #2 Make sure you Always wear another mask when sanding or you WILL breathe in every bit of dust that flies around. And #3 Make sure you wear gloves and keep your hair up in a ponytail when using primer. IT DOES NOT WASH OFF!!!!!


These are very important lessons to have learned! I must say that there is something very invigorating about that first brush stroke. It's like having to mark on the first page of a new notebook... just because. We have worked late into the night to finally be finished with the priming and ready to start with the painting. I do hope it turns out nice. We get to go tomorrow to purchase the new handles and hinges. More than anything, I hope my mom really loves the changes we are making in the home. Every time I begin to paint I can hear my dad behind me saying, "Why in the world would you want to paint over Oak?" Well dad, hope you like the changes too. :)










All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France

Gardening Day

A Prayer in Spring

Robert Frost (1915)


Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fullfil.

Sunny Days part two

Sunny Days

I have taken a little break from the house and from work and taken some long needed time to myself. Though I have enjoyed not having a time schedule to meet every minute, and my babies little voices around me, I am so very glad to be back in my life and the house I now call home. Now that warmer weather is here, we have begun the hated suburbs wars of who can keep their lawns trim and greener and nicer. We have a long way to go, but have many plans in store. Will be starting my gardening this week. I am planning on having a beautiful vegetable garden. I love to make homemade salsa, so I am excited to make new salsa recipes and having family and friends over to try my creations. Our local farmers market opened this weekend, so I will be doing some shopping next weekend for some plants as well as other homemade items.

My plans are to plant tomatoes, garlic, onions, lettuce, spinach, purple cabbage, bell and other peppers as well as all the needed herbs in my veggie garden. I also have great plans to plant some strawberries, blackberries and grapes. We will also begin.....or should I say my husband will begin the tedious process of power washing and re-staining and sealing our large deck and the kids playground equipment to match. I have hopes of creating these great spaces in each corner of the yard. One for the kids with lots of area to run and the other in a separate corner for a beautiful tree and a fire pit and maybe some log seating for, of course....s'mores nights. The Cherry Blossom tree and the phlox bloomed yesterday. Smells AMAZING!!! The kids enjoyed chalking and climbing the tree in the front. We have had beautiful weather this weekend. Each warm day makes me so excited to fire up the grill, invite people over, taking long walks after dinner and staying up late on the deck , drinking margaritas, with the just the moon to be our light. Oh how I love summer nights



With all my mind can see and all that I can dream up on a daily basis, one thing is for sure, the love that is in the home, the love that has been in this home and the love that will continue is stronger than ever before. As I have said before, each wall of this house has a story, but now I am finding out that with each change of this house, will come new stories. I am excited to see all the changes and hope to make this house even more beautiful from the inside out.

Easter

Today the kids and I decided to dye Easter eggs. We will be having some family over to celebrate Easter and the real meaning as well as spend time together and show off the new /old house. The kids are excited about getting to have an Easter egg hunt in the new backyard. Unfortunately, not everyone will be here, but I guess in spirit. Holidays are not as wonderful and magical as I once thought they were. My father enjoyed every holiday.....or I guess I should say,he loved the food taht came with every holiday! LOL
You would find yourself getting excited right along with him and as dinner was being placed on the table, you didn't have to ask him twice to come and sit. We would all sit and gorge on the food until we couldn't breathe. I know that my childhood was not all magic and laughter and joy, but I DO have wonderful memories and to me, in my thoughts, those were happy times for me.
I would give anything to sit at the table with both my parents and both my siblings again and just talk and laugh and listen to each other as we share a meal together.
Anyway, back to the eggs....
It is always exciting to see the vibrant colors that are created and trying to think up beautiful ideas for each individual egg. Of course, you want yours to stand out! They really did turn out so beautiful. I wish I could bottle up the look on theri faces when they pull out the first egg from the bright green or blue or red. So, we now have dyed fingertips and lots of memories that we created today.

“Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.”

Richard L Evans Quotes