BEFORE AND AFTER :: GREAT ROOM AND KITCHEN

 To say that we did a little work in this house would be an understatement. We have continually been working on this house for the past year and a half and I am just in love with how it came out.  Now that we are putting it up for sale I just know the right family will find it and fall in love with it.  :)
The kitchen was gross and dark and darkness scares me.  First we tore down the wallpaper and Then took the cabinet doors off for painting.  These cabinets were old but they were well built and I loved the lines.  I knew a coat of paint would make a huge difference.  I picked out the perfect creamy white (natural choice by sherwin williams) for the cabinets and a light/medium grey for the walls (can't find the color).    Added white subway tile, got a new countertop that I am obsessed with and a undermount stainless sink with new faucets.  Pretty much EVERYTHING...  I just love this kitchen!

This peninsula countertop was dumb!  It was table height and too long.  We lifted it to normal countertop height and I painted it my favorite dark grey (peppercorn by sherwin williams).  We will be doing a feather finish cement countertop over the current fake butcher block that should really add to the look of the kitchen.  Hey, its wedding season!  

Great room- HOLY RED WALL!  I have a serious aversion to red, ask anyone! So the red and peach and oak combo that was going on had to go!  I hate oak too.  Sue me!  I decided to go with a bluish grey (silvermist by sherwin williams) and the change in paint was dramatic!  Totally different house!  We also painted the extra woodwork  the same color as the kitchen cabinets and what a difference that made too.  Last month we replaced all the main level flooring.  You see how this carpet does a little swoop here?  Well, I have had several people come over and ask if we moved a wall or something because it feels bigger.  NOPE! Changed the carpet getting rid of that extra patch made it feel like an entire extra room, in which we put a cute little table I refinished from Goodwill.

I had hopes of painting these windows yellow!  Probably wont happen if we move... What's that extra door there you say? Well its the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.  It's a storage space! Yup about 10 feet up we have a mini door that we cannot access unless we have a ladder.  Needless to say we do not use this.  I always imagined building a little railing and walkway across there so kids could use it as a play space but we all know that's not going to happen.

Like my pretty cage lights?  They used to be regular recessed lighting which bores me! Plus I don't need a light pointing at something to accentuate it! I just want a nice warm light to light up a room! These worked perfectly!  

Here is my goodwill table. I sanded it down, re-stained the top and painted the legs a tangerine orange!  I am so in LOVE with it.  This is such an open space... the kids run from one side of the house to the other.

A portrait of each of my children every month: AUGUST

Stella Noelle:  You started 3rd grade this month! I cannot believe that happened!  You also did surprisingly well with no melt downs that first week! I cannot say as much for that second week as you are back to a good cry once or twice a day.  This month as I told you NO about something you exclaimed, "You don't know my life!"  so yes, apparently I am not up on 8 year old life!  Need to check on that.  I am excited to see what this school year holds for you my beautiful daughter!  

Dash Abram:  You are napping less and less but still needing the nap!  Such a hard battle.  Once daddy went back to school we put a smack down on the whining for everything but you still continue to want to eat every 15 minutes and you are still a habitual cereal waster!  Can't stand it!  You want to help out more and more and it is so cute to see how proud you are when you do.  You have matured this month.  It makes me sad and proud at the same time.  But then you act like a 3-year old and its back to normal feelings of a mom again.

Marlo Grey:  You are growing up and I cannot stop it!  You are now standing up on your own.  Getting up from just the ground and you have perfected it.  Now you hold stuff while you stand and I can tell you are super proud of yourself.  You have taken 1-2 steps, I have only seen 1 but Grandma Laura, Stella and Craig claim otherwise.  You love to eat.  We have skipped most pureed foods for the most part and have tried out just eating regular "human" foods.  You have even tried all the allergenic foods and you loved them!

A portrait of each of my children every month: JULY

July was a busy month! So much that I cannot even wrap my head around what went on.  All I know is I tried to spend every free moment with family while daddy was home for the summer.  That is a win for me.  Thank goodness for iphones again and me taking notes about each month.

Marlo Grey:  Horrible sleeper!  I still soak it all up. Eating more and more regular food and loving every bit of it.  Had first pickle, per daddy!  Still a little peanut wearing 3-6 month clothes but crawling like crazy.. Even pulling yourself up on furniture.

Dash Abram:  You still need daddy to put you to sleep every night which means he's going to fall asleep with you and not come down until 11.  You are quite the little whiner and need to get a toy every time you go to a store (I put a stop to that one) and every time you get a hair cut.  (you only let daddy cut your hair which I guess is a win since we're not paying to get it done.) You love to spend most of your time outside playing with whoever is around.  

Stella Noelle:  You are starting to feel the need for independence and hesitantly we are giving it to you.  It would be easier if the world was like it was when we were kids.  You spent a lot of time with your buddy Annabelle and you two love getting crafty together.  You still love to spend the mornings with your baby sister and I love seeing you two together.  

A portrait of each of my children every month: JUNE

Marlo: This month you turned 7 months but before that you reached many milestones.  You figured out how to get yourself back into sitting position if you fall down.  This is nice because we don't have to pick you up every time you tip over.  You also learned how to pull yourself up onto furniture.  This is adorable but that first week you hit your head about every 5 minutes.  You got your second tooth which definitely wasn't as easy as your first.

Dash:  You love being outside which is great!  You are definitely 3 and it is not easy as a parent.  But that face!  It just gets me...  You still come up to me and want to cuddle, telling me you need me.  I'll take you needing me for as long as you'll let me  :)  <3 (heart melting)

Stella: If you could be outside all day you would.  Many times you will even choose that over eating.  I guess summer does that!  You had basketball camp this month and also had your first year of non-tball softball.  I loved watching you play and seeing your face light up.  You definitely have my legs and speed.  One particularly proud moment was when you got all three outs in the inning by tagging each player.  It wasn't so much about you getting them out but when you came back in to the dugout, the smile on your face made me cry.  To see you so happy makes a momma proud.

A portrait of each of my children every month: May

Dash:  This month you literally kept me on my feet, which is hard to do as a nursing momma.  First, you got into a can of spray paint (that I mistakenly left in sight) and painted the cabinet that I was luckily stripping as well as your hands and arms and brand new clothes.  Second while you were "napping" got into your sisters nail polish (which she mistakenly left out) and painted her walls with hand prints, her window with hand prints, the carpet and her desk chair as well as your hands and clothes...  another reason daddy keeps insisting on second- hand clothing.  Then finally while I sat in the living room feeding Marlo listening to you sing and talk on the front porch suddenly it all went quiet which is never good.  So I got up with sleeping baby and went to investigate.  Figuring you were on the stairs or getting stuff out of the garage.  I look down the street and see you on your bike heading to "get Stella."  Oh my goodness as I yell running barefoot down the street baby in arm praying you won't cross the street...  YUP! I must always watch...

Stella: You had your first performance of ARF this year and it was so fun to see how well behaved you were and how enthusiastic you were every time you sang.  You also finished Second Grade.  Every report card was outstanding and the only thing you ever needed to work on was your talking :) (she gets that from her mama!) I am amazed daily at how smart you are.  You were accepted into the TAG program for next year which was no surprise to me as you excel in your studies so naturally.  I love how determined you are.  Like when you wanted to figure out subtraction better, you just tried and cried and tried until you got really good at it. 

Marlo:  You perfected sitting up this month and roll all over the living room.  It is so fun to watch your progressions.  You got your first tooth too! This was a huge surprise as I exclaimed for joy when I felt it at the pool.. You showed no signs of fussiness that time.  I won't count on that for each tooth.  You are such a joy to be around.  In the mornings the minute you wake you have a huge smile and then you bury your face into my chest.  It continues to be my favorite thing and you cannot wake up in a bad mood to that sweet face.

Marlo Grey Nearly 6 Months Old

I am getting ahead of myself with these month by month mini shoots that I have with Marlo. Then her month birthday rolls around and I forget to have a mini.
 This one was special because I didn't take any individual shots of Marlo in her baptismal gown.  My baptismal gown.  It is so special to me because my late Grandma Anita made it for me.  Then my Grandma Shirley made me the doll to match.  We call her baby Chelsi.  Stella has played with her since she was little and she has survived.

I may have gotten carried away taking photos but the light was glorious, the white petals strewn on the grass was perfect and Marlo was as happy as can be in the light breeze.
Prepare yourself for some major cuteness!

 

 

A portrait of each of my children every month: April

I failed miserably about posting this and taking specific photos of each child but I am at the stage in my life where I am just happy to get it done :)  Thank goodness for iPhone photos! #winning

Stella: you continue to be the leader in fun stuff with your brother and sister.  You are always arranging some fun scare for anyone walking into the house or planning a "fake sleep," you make forts and scream at your brother for wrecking them but then make up 2 seconds later.  I am amazed at how well you play and interact with other children younger and older than yourself.  You have always been a child that has impressed me in more ways than I can list.  This month you were so helpful with Marlo and Dash, keeping them busy so I can get stuff done with two hands.  We may clash most of the time but at the end of the day I love to sneak into your room and kiss you goodnight.  <3

Dash: this month you got your hair cut - SHORT.  I was ridden with anxiety the day it happened because it was out of my control (I have self-admitted control issues).  Daddy did such a good job and even though it makes you look older I cannot imagine it any other way.   You continue to make us laugh daily.   You STILL love your baby sister.  You love holding her and have begun carrying her around just like the cat..  Watch out!  Luckily she is becoming sturdier by the day.  One of my favorite things you do is when you see something cute.  You exclaim... OHHHHHH Mommy look that squirrel it is so cute... in that sweet little voice of yours.  Makes my heart smile.  

You are also working at testing my limits and I have to constantly watch you or I regret it.

Marlo: this month was a big one for you.  You started sitting up all by yourself by 4 1/2 months.  This is WAY sooner than any of the other kids!  You must feel the need to do things faster so you can fit in... DON"T! I need you to stay little.  

You also we're baptized this month and turned 5 months.  I cannot figure out how this time has gone by so quickly and I really do try and soak up every smile, giggle, baby talk and kiss your face more than you probably want.  You got to meet one of my favorite people in the whole world this month, your great grandma Shirley, and I will never forget the look on her face when she squeezed you in joy.  We enjoyed every bit of nice weather that we had in April and I even managed to get in some photos.