Brighter Days Ahead...

...for our kitchen! Don't worry. I wasn't going to do a melancholy post. Instead, I'm joining some good friends (and college roommates), Natalie and Maury, in sharing home projects.

Originally I was going to call this one "It is Finished" because our kitchen project has been 3+ years in the making. After we moved in, I wanted to paint the cabinets to brighten and open up the space. So my wonderful husband began working on them. Since it wasn't the most fun project and we had a few others to do, he decided to put the top cabinets on pause. In the meantime, he:

created a backsplash
put shelves in the sunroom
built & stained a deck
tiled our floors in the kitchen, bathrooms and sunroom
re-did the backyard 
assembled furniture and painted nursery
shaped a surfboard (not home-related, but I think it's cool)

So my man has been busy making some awesome improvements.

Fast forward three years later. I decided to stop bugging him and I'd push play on the top cabinets. It took a little longer than I planned, but I'm happy with the completion. Plus, I got to use power tools for the first time. Here's the progression.

Before's

Kitchen when we moved in

 
 

 

My husband starting the backsplash. Notice the two color cabinets we were rocking.

After's

While I'm at it, here are a few others I've done over the last few months. Looks like I like white.

Dresser in bedroom

Kitchen butcher block converted to our computer desk

Headboard for guest room

 


Finally, I can't leave without putting our best creation ever.
And in the spirit of before's and after's...

Muscle man/farmer's tan man

Beach boy

Making granddaddy happy with the basketball

Romans 8:28

God knows when something glorious in the future necessitates something difficult in the present. Because He knows the glory will be worth it, God will risk being misunderstood. - Beth Moore

What a gracious Father we have. He allows us to question, wrestle and struggle through our present situations, knowing that when we get to the other side of them we will see that all things truly do work for the good of those who love Him.

Two Things I Like

A quiet house.

And a noisy house.

Our Recent Favorite

The pool! Finn absolutely loves being in the water. He splashes, tries to put his head underwater and watches all the kids. We have so much fun! Plus, it tires him out and he takes good naps afterwards.

Here are a couple of the first time he got in the pool at our friends' house. It was love at first swim.

 

Swimming with two of his favorites, daddy and Addie. And their names rhyme. Even better.

Mr. Rhett taking them back home, wagon-style.

 After a night swim.

Ready to go in.

Watching the kids in the pool.

When did...

...our 8 month old turn into an 18-year old?

Sisters' Getaway to San Fran!

Finn was waiting for his getaway to Greenville with his silly grandparents while...

My sister and I enjoyed our own getaway to San Francisco!

We had a blast. This was the third time I've been and I love it more each time. With its rolling hills, beautiful architecture, eccentric people, cultural districts and pacific coast, it truly is a city unlike any other I've seen. 

This trip we stayed on the peninsula and visited several areas within it. Some of the highlights were:

Cable cars. I know this is a touristy thing to do, but it was probably my most favorite. We took one from the Fisherman's Wharf back to Union Square. I've done other routes, but this one was so pretty and enjoyable. Rachel and I got to hang off the side of it, which made it even more fun.

Buildings. I love their colorful and Victorian styles.

Steep hills. I didn't actually love the hills themselves when we had to walk them, especially because I live in an incredibly flat town, but it creates such a beautiful place. Some of the views we got from these hills were breathtaking.

Haight-Ashbury. This was the hippie capital in the late 60's. People like Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead lived here and jumpstarted its subculture. It still maintains that bohemian atmosphere, and, let me tell you, I've never seen a place like this. I can't even count on my hands how many people came up to me saying "bud" or "weed." I'm not sure if they were asking or selling. I only took one picture here because I didn't want to stick out anymore than I'm sure I already was.

 

Westfield San Francisco Centre food court. Yes, I know a food court, but this one was awesome! We ate here a couple times because it was so good and affordable. The mall was great too, not so much affordable though.

Ferry Building. This was a really cool marketplace of local food. Again, only got one picture of it, and it was of a milk bar. My husband and neighbor, Jodi, would have loved it!

 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. I went there a few years ago and have been looking forward to revisiting one day again. What a great reunion it was.

Anthropologie. Ok, so this isn't really a SF-specific place, but I love it! Too bad there isn't one close to Charleston. 

















Last but not least...
Nob Hill Theatre. We were disappointed that we weren't there for Rookies Night. I'm sure it was a good show. JUST KIDDING!

Being away from Jeremy and Finn was difficult, but I had such a great time with my sister. I am very thankful to have a great relationship with her and have the opportunities to build memories like these.

When I went to pick up Finn, this is what I found him doing...

But soon enough, he was like this...