kitchen reveal - more detail

when i posted our big kitchen reveal, i promised i would come back with details.  the space has evolved some since these first pictures were taken, but mostly just with random things like an inexpensive clock from target or another set of curtains for the back door.

just in case you forgot, here she is again in all her glory...

the details are mostly on the pictures, but i'll expand on a few things here and there, and give links on where some things can be found.

the IKEA barstools can be found here.  we went with with linneryd natural color with a birch frame.  26x19" high.  i was little worried getting such a light color with C, but the covers can be easily removed and are machine washable.  i wanted something with a back and something that was really comfortable.  these work perfect.

and yes - we went with laminate countertops that are made to look like quartz stone.  we priced actual stone and realized they would take 1/2 our budget alone because of all the countertop space.  we aren't millionaires and know that this is something we can upgrade down the road.  plus, they look amazing.  we upgraded to a beveled edge and are very pleased.

 

schoolhouse pendant light can be found here. we originally ordered 3.  one for above the sink, like shown above, and two for over the peninsula.  once we had the cabinets installed, we realized there wasn't enough clearance for opening some cabinets, and if we tried to move the location of the lights it would all look too crowded.  i was pretty bummed, but i'm very pleased with this one light.

 

faucet was ordered from overstock.com and can be found here.  we opted not to use the sprayer because we don't really ever use them and i kind of hate them.  the top of each handle has a white ceramic insert that says "HOT" or "COLD".  i think that's my favorite part.

the curtains are navy blue and white.  i also made a set for the back door (which isn't pictured but is in the kitchen, next to the fridge).  ring clips and curtain rod (shown below) are from target.

the vintage fiesta-ware was found at my granmother's house about a month ago.  she gave me a whole set of dinner plates and saucers in a variety of wonderful colors.  also this gravy boat and a big yellow platter.  unfortunately i don't have a place to display them.  and i've been told that vintage fiesta-ware is not safe to eat off of because of the lead used in the paint.  my grandmother got them right after she and my grandfather married in 1944.  i love them and have 2 on a plate stand on the countertop.

 

 

it's probably strange, but i LOVE the trashcan drawer.  in every house i've ever lived in (even growing up) we've always had a trashcan on display.  and i HATE it.  even more so when we really got serious about recycling and had two trashcans on display.  this drawer now hides both of our trashcans.  awesome.

 

 chalkboard DIY found in an old post here.  i just sprayed painted it with white i already had.

i've since added another blue table under the blue table holding the plant.  makes more sense on why it's called a "nesting table".

and board and batten technique can be found here.  we used the height from the chair rail (typical is 36") that used to be there.  the new "rail" or board is actually just cedar planks painted white.  and the batten (i guess) are painted lattice strips.  very inexpensive treatment, just a little time consuming.  but makes a great impact if you ask me!

and then our family photo wall.  i actually had this hanging in the dining room before we demoed.  it's one of my favorite things in the house and always a fun conversation piece.  i hung it in the exact same way i had it up before.  i even took pictures to make sure everything went back in place. 

a - a childhood picture of my uncle.  b - a picture of shaun and his dad when he's about 4.  c - me when i'm about 4.  d - a picture of C at 1 week.  e - my grandmother on her wedding day.  f - another picture of C at about 2 months.  g - our 1st easter as a little family, in front of our first house.  h - our wedding day.  i - my dad (a musician) playing guitar in a bar at about age 25.  j - a photo of my great-great-great grandfather at a masque ball in baton rouge, la.  he was crowned the king.  k - picture of C and i when she was about 2 months old.  l - an old picture of my brother, myself and my grandfather bottle feeding a calf on our farm in indiana.  i'm about 10.  m - a picture of my mom and her brother riding a horse.  my mom is probably 4 and my uncle 7.  n - shaun's grandmother and grandfather with their first 2 children.  o - shaun's mom's senior picture.  p - another picture of C at 1 1/2.  the two big multi-picture frames are full of wonderful friends and k-bear kona.

i know that was a long explanation, but i love this wall and everyone on it.  i can't wait to make it bigger as the years go on.

and a little tip if you are making a wall like this yourself.  once you have everything in place, use a level to make sure your frames are straight and then use some kind of double-sided tape on the backs to keep things from constantly moving.  this is a high traffic area in our home and it would drive me mad.

and a little detail on the installation of things.  we did have someone come in and install the cabinets and countertops.  we wanted it done right and new a professional would be the best way to go.  plus, it only took them 1 day!  but pretty much everything else was done by the hubs.  demo, electrical, plumbing, tile, board & batten, paint.  i of course helped here and there, but shaun asked a lot of questions, learned a lot and did the majority of the work on his own and with the help of a few good friends.  big round of applause for mr. cook!  ;)

so - there you have it.  a more detailed reveal of our new kitchen.  we are still in awe of how wonderful she is!

miscellany monday

i don't usually blog on mondays, so i miss out on this.  but today i'm linking up with carissa at lowercase letters and doing a miscellany monday blog.

 

~1~

last week we celebrated our 5 year anniversary.  shaun surprised me by going through his old journal entries from when we first started dating and pulling out significant entries.  once i realized he had done this, i went and found an old journal too.  i can't tell you how fun it was to remember what we were thinking our first few months of dating.  it was crazy to remember how nervous we both were and how quickly we fell in love.  god did some amazing things fall 2005 and spring 2006.  i am so thankful and feel so blessed to have shaun by my side.  and i'm so thankful that awkwardness has passed and we don't have to make calculated moves for holding hands and kissing...;)

~2~

saturday morning we discovered and new local place that we loved and will definitely visit again soon.  it was so nice to have a little family breakfast and enjoy a low key morning.  we slept in, we had breakfast, we said hello to some horsey's and a donkey across the street from the restaurant and we just relaxed.  it was good for us.  we have had a wonderful summer of business.  and although summer isn't technically over yet (hello?  it's like 100 degrees here!), the hubs had to go back to school and soon students will be arriving.  in a way, our summer is coming to an end.  so a low-key weekend was needed.

~3~

speaking of summer - i love this picture.  i love it when you get to leave your shoes on the back porch and run around barefoot.  and i love those little polka dot sandals.  seems crazy to think that next summer they will be replaced with something bigger.  wait forget next summer - try now.  her little toes already hang off the front...

~4~

remember the post here about hanging with my besties?  all 14 of us packed into one house for the weekend.  well, how's this for a good looking bunch?

and would you believe that this was the first and only attempt at this picture.  ALL THE KIDS ARE LOOKING!!  and so are the parents - good job adults ;).  there is not another picture like this in existence and i really cherish it.  i've even showed my co-workers this picture.  this is my 2nd family.  my family that knows me better than my biological family.  these are the people that i have gone through peaks and valleys with and i love every. single. one.  and special thanks for mandy.  the one that always has a camera and makes us capture these picture perfect moments.

well, that's it.  have a great monday!

5 years ago

the day i would marry my best friend and partner for life.  the day it would no longer be just me.  the day i became a wife and shaun became my husband.

i can't believe it's been 5 years.  we have been through so much, and the life we have today is more wonderful than i could have ever planned back in 2006.

we have had those usual big milestones - get a dog, buy a house, have a baby, buy a car, move again.

but when i think about our lives together, i love to think about the little things too - our first apartment that always smelled like crazy curry food.  the acronyms that only we use and know.  pancake breakfasts.  hugging when i'm in the middle of something.  listening to our sweet daughters voice and making up phrases when we're not exactly sure what she's saying.  sitting on our back porch swing when it's raining.  hearing our daughter call us "babe".

these are the moments i cherish.  these are the memories i keep.

5 years ago today, i walked down the isle knowing i was in for the best years of my life.

and i truly mean it when i say that these past 5 years have been amazing.

you have given me the most amazing gifts.  and yes - C is the first thing that probably comes to mind, but before her, you gave me so much.  you have given me stability and security.  confidence in myself and confidence in marriage.  and above all, you've given me your unconditional love.  i know that beyond a shadow of a doubt.  i've had my moments, and you're still here.  with your servants hearts and steadfast love.  you were my partner, even before children. 

 

 i told you this morning that "if i could choose again, i'd still choose you."

believe it.  there is no one else in this world i would rather do this life with.  you are my best friend and i am proud to be your wife.

and i look forward to the day when we can put a 0 behind that 5...;)

love you babe!  with all my heart.

an instagram weekend

last weekend i was introduced to instagram.

and i LOVE it.  thanks cam.

so, here's our weekend so far, instagram style

new pillows i made for our bed during C's nap

a low key weekend around here.  just what we needed.

it's friday?

i thought i was on a roll.  i was doing such a great job at blogging and taking pictures.  and at one point, i almost considered calling myself a "blogger".  then 10 days went by and i didn't blog once.  i've been taking pictures (because we have been busy!), but no time or energy to sit down and blog.

and honestly today, i'm tired.  like tired voice and tired eyes tired.  we have been on-the-go non-stop for over a week now.  all fun and wonderful things, but going to bed around midnight (or later) and then waking up around 6:30 for about 7 days straight starts to catch up with you.

so - i'm going to update with a lot of pictures.  i hope that's ok...

we had a great weekend visiting friends in western kentucky.  i didn't do a great job of taking pictures, but mostly because we were having so much fun.  8 adults and 6 kids packed into one house for the weekend!  it was awesome, because these are the kind of friends that you want to be packed in a house with.  the kind of people that even though you've have a long day at work and then 4 hours in a car, making your kids cranky or stir crazy, you look forward to sitting wherever there is room and laughing until the early hours of the morning talking about nothing.  you wake up the next morning, help feed someone else's kids, and then make plans to make plans whenever you get around to it.  it was a good weekend.  one where you realize you're not exactly sure where your daughter is in the house but then find her sitting on your best friends lap talking.  perfect.

C loved being with all the bestikids.  it's so nice to not have to take toys when you travel.  you just know that everything will be new to her and there will always be someone to play with.

pretty much the minute we rolled back into town on sunday, shaun's dad pulled up.  C calls him "Pop" and pop has a bike.

we were pretty low key with pop.  he and and the hubs did some manly stuff around the house, and one night we ventured out to feed the ducks.

these ducks love us.  they know exactly why we are there and get really excited and quacky when they see us coming.  

and C is fearless.  the big whites are up to her waist.  can you imagine a giant bird approaching you that was up to your waist?  she loves it.  she walks around feeding them saying "come on ducks" and "ducks hungy". 

pop rolled out tuesday morning, and aunt jorhdan arrived that night.  C hasn't seen aunt J since she was about 4 months old.  too long...  but she warmed up quickly.

i took 1/2 days at work on wed and thurs in order to visit with aunt J.  wed we introduced her to our FAVORITE new obsession,orange leaf, and then headed to the pool.

yesterday was a little more exciting though.  shaun and i made a summer fun list (got the idea from a favorite blog here), and taking C to the zoo was at the top of the list.  she is at such a fun age right now where animals and seeing new things is so much fun.

so, we packed up yesterday and headed to the closest zoo

she loved it!  she really did.  the fish and snakes and zebra's and elephants and monkeys.  everything was new and fun to see.  and watching her was the pretty fun too. 

i think we all loved the elephants the most.  

well, i don't know.  shaun seemed to have had a moment with this lady

we had such a great time.  i'm so glad we got to go and introduce C to all these cool animals.

then she zonked out on the way home, and i was jealous

so, now it's somehow friday and i can't believe how fast the week has gone.  it's been a great one.

plans for the weekend?  no.  we are resting and relaxing and that is about it. 

maybe i'll even get to sleep in tomorrow???  my fingers are definitely crossed.  =)

the cooks are cooking - FINAL KITCHEN REVEAL

i know, i know.  you were beginning to think i had forgotten about you, right?  i'm pretty sure shaun did too.

technically, we've been cooking for about a week now.  and everyday, the hubs asks when i'm going to blog and reveal the kitchen.  let's be honest - he's got a lot of hard work to show off.

but there were details.  so many little details that i wanted to have finished and finalized before i showed the world our newest pride and joy.

so, i haven't forgotten you blog stalkers.  i've just been "primping."

are you ready?  ok...

25 days ago, when i walked into the kitchen, this is what i saw...

 

and today - FINALLY - i walk in and see THIS

did you hear that?

oh yeah - it was the "aaahhhaahahaaahaahhhaaahhh" sound from the angels.  

this is my new kitchen.  heavenly, i know!  =)

here are a few before and after shots:

before...

AFTER!!!

 before...

AFTER!!!

totally crazy huh?  i mean, is this really the same space?  we have asked ourselves that same question so many times over the last week.  it's a pretty amazing transformation!

remember that 1 drawer i had before?

check out my drawers now!!!

pots and pans drawer

 

even enough drawer space for C to have her own and at just the right height so she can access it herself.

and check out that cabinet space!  now that the unnecessary soffit is gone, we have 42 inch upper cabinets!!  HELLO!?!?!

 

remember those beautiful floors we had before?  no?  let me refresh your memory...

ah yes - the gorgeous faux brick.  a popular choice in the...60's?

well, check it out now! 

 

yep!  amazing.  the hubs did such a great job.  this tile looks awesome!  

and, it was on clearance!  makes us love it even more.

and i can't forget - since we knocked down the wall separating the kitchen and the dining room, the dining room got an upgrade by default.

before, when i stood in the kitchen, i saw this...

and now we see THIS

i can't tell you how much bigger everything seems now that the wall is gone.  even though we didn't add any square footage to our house, this open concept for the kitchen and dining room is AMAZING!

so, there you have it!  the cook's are back in the kitchen!  

and now my view from the kitchen sink is a whole lot sweeter than before...

details to come soon.  i thought 19 pictures were enough for tonight....

thanks for hanging in there with us!  wanna come over for dinner?