Wednesday

Inspired Room

Have you checked out the inspired room? Well I absolutely adore Melissa there and I friended her page on FB.  I have been wanting to do a gallery wall up my stairwell much like the one in my entry way but the angle scares me. I am afraid it won't look right going up the massive wall. So I logged onto Inspired Room and google searched gallery walls and found this post..http://www.sawdustandpaperscraps.com/2010/04/entry-wainscoting.html
I absolutely adore those frames and the way she put up the frames along the wall just so right. AHH! So I logged onto Melissa's FB page to tell her thanks for the inspiration and featuring this wall and asked her to do a linky party on gallery walls. Well she is doing one now- just for me (and her other readers of course)!! Wohoo!
 Check out Melissa's most recent post found here-http://theinspiredroom.net/2011/03/30/gallery-walls-inspiration-pictures-a-linky-party/

She even mentions me! Here is the part of the post where I am mentioned (not bragging.. just feel special here)
"Want to create your own gallery wall?



Need more inspiration? Or do you have a gallery wall ready to show off? Well one week from today we are going to show off our gallery walls in a Gallery Wall Linky Party! Woot!





Thanks to Tricia from The Inspired Room Facebook page for the idea! You rock!






Everyone can play, no matter what style of Gallery Wall you have. And if you don’t have one, maybe this party will inspire one at your house! You can whip one up just for the occasion if you’d like!






Get ready, cause here it comes! Get your posts ready to link up next Wednesday April 6th. You can create a new post featuring your wall, or it is fine to link up an old post!"




 I feel famous that I was mentioned on Inspired Room. Completely and underly made my day! Melissa really is great all around, great advice, replys to readers and down to earth. Wish I could meet her one day!



Tuesday

Do it for me.. if not for me the other mothers out there..

I am sure you are tired of reading about my sadness over my loss of my baby. So I won't make you  read about it again..
Instead I ask that you read the words presented by Beth Fletcher on Life Rearranged and the woman she has guest write. Each week she presents a new woman's view on her own miscarriage or infant mortality. This website has provided me with hope and I know it continues to help other woman with the similar experiences. So please go and read Life Rearranged and help the foundation 'Lay me down to sleep'. I am not asking you to donate a ton of money.. if each of us donates a dollar than we are helping more than we know! So if you won't do it for me, do it for yourself or other mothers you know who have lost their child. I greatly appreciate it.

http://liferearranged.com/2011/03/presence-beth-fletcher-infant-lossmiscarriage/

Her words really are lovely:
The words that these women have shared are so beautiful.
And I love how there is always hope. There is always beauty. In the ugly.

Because God designs it that way.

It doesn’t always make sense. It doesn’t always seem fair.

But being changed for the better is so often the result, no?



We see the world through a different, more beautifully breathtaking lens.




In conjunction with this infant loss/miscarriage series, we are running a fundraiser benefitting the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation.




Sometimes it is hard to find the beauty in the ugly.. but I can say that I hope one day I may say that I have been changed for the better.

DIY Makeover-Weekend Project 15

Let me vent first and than on to DIY..
Here is a recent pic of my lovely nails and beautiful wedding rings. I love love my engagement ring because it is modeled after my great grandmothers. It has a modern yet traditional setting. My band I also love because it's added bling. The diamonds go around 75% of the band leaving some band just platinum for underside of the ring. Everyday when I take a shower I put my jewelry in a dish by the sink, last night after my shower I put my band and ring back on and one diamond was jiggling. GASP! I have had my engagement ring for two years but my wedding band has been worn a whole 9 months and it is already loose!! Where we bought the ring was Robbins Brothers which was bought out by another company. That company has no stores in Houston. They do have a store in Dallas and I could mail my wedding band to Dallas- but I don't trust UPS or mail service. Are they really goin to replace my band-maybe but  they can't replace the meaning behind it. So now I am stuck with having to find a jeweler here. Nate went to Zales to purchase my diamond tennis bracelet for my birthday and my white gold Two Hearts as One  necklace that he gave me after the miscarriage. I think I will take it there since they have a jeweler on site who does repairs. But I am sad I am a one ring wearer and not two.. not that I don't love my engagement ring I just love both!

Anyways I have been behind on updating you on my DIY projects so here it is. I have a swingy bench that is like 40 years old with a matching chair. I am sure lots of you have a similar set. My set was originally black and than later painted hunter green which we keep since it matched the trim on the house. But recently it is chipping and starting to rust in certain places.. it needed a little TLC.
above is the original pic of the bench and chair

Here is the pics of in progress of bench and chair. And Yes I sprayed right next to the pool deck and on the grass. I have that good of skills. No not really. I just didn't have enough cardboard to place under the swing and grass will be cut next week and you won't even know I sprayed there once it is cut. I know some people would be offended.. I pay the morgage so get over it. LOL
I sprayed the chairs in Rustoleom White Rust free primer first. I let dry between the two coats of primer and than I added a shiny top gloss of Rustoleom. For about $12 buck for both I think it is stellar results.




The finished products! I love the bright white. I feel it is much fresher and definately giving off the summer pool/beach feel I am looking for. I added new pillows also from Walmart (cheap) and I love the fresh colors and stripes of course. The throw pillows have coordinating colors with flowers (all pillows are Better Homes and Gardens.) I think it looks lovely with bright pink flowers and white on the chairs. Love.. I orifinally was going to do Colbalt Blue to match the tile on the pool, but I like the classic white better. I think Nate likes the traditional side of the white versus the blue. He said glad they aren't blue! LOL.

I also planted a few more flowers this weekend. Take a look:

 This planter stand was built for us by Arnold, Nate's Stepdad. I keep it in the garage during the winter since nothing would survive the cold. I added new bright pool colored pots and added mounding flowers. It is right infront of the electrical boxes so it hides them well and adds a pop of color thru the kitchen eating area window. Bella enjoys sitting on the sunny window looking out.

My potted hibiscus didn't make it in this pot so I bought and new one and it is already blooming! Beautiful. I added trailing flowers in the front too. Sorry this pic is a back view but you might see the lil pop of pink in front.

Scout helped me work this weekend too and decided he needed a little break..first swim of the season!

I spoke about my little subway art I had made previously in a livingroom post. I love that it has beach words and our wedding date. I orginally planned to put it on the mantel, than decided I could put it in the gallery wall on the stairs.. than I decided I just wanted photos or art up there. So I have found a new home for it. I will share as soon as it is up. I am sure once summer is here I will move it maybe into the entryway area and change it out for the chalkboard. But until than...I plan on putting it in the water closet in our master bath. Our master bath is a bright sky blue and I feel the beachy vibes of this will look stellar in there.

Also I am assembling a new gallery wall in the stairs as soon as it is completed I will share. Plus I  have beautiful mirrors to hang above the mantel(pics soon). I really have lusted after PB and Billard's mirrors.. but can't afford the price tag. I found knock offs and debated buying two or three. I bought two and I plan on puttin our new sailboat model infront of it soon. 
 Til than enjoy the weather.

Saturday

Easter & Spring Decor has vomitted itself on our house- Project 14






Look my hibiscus tree is blooming! Yeah!

Well this week was hard to say the least. I am struggling with my emotions still over the baby, it was report card week (stress because I procrastinated on grading major projects), dealt with drama at school with students, and I had huge assignments due in my Master's classes.. on top of that I have a sinus infection/upper respiratory infection so I feel like crud. Nate has been in a tennis tournament for 2 days now and he has bronchitis too. When he went to the Dr. the Dr. found a mass in his right ear so he is seeing a specialist for that. Praying that is nothing. Also my mom was seen this week and they found cancerous and precancerous cells on her face for skin cancer. Cancer and my mother seem to be way too friendly these days.  She is going back to get treated again April 7th. I am taking her to that appt. and my boss gave me holy hell for asking off to take my mother to the dr. I think is ridiculous because by law it is none of her buisness why I am taking off and two she took of more than 6 weeks to be with her father who had cancer (she should understand). She was upset because I was taking off two days prior to the Science Festival-give me a break I am going to be there for the festival.. any how.

Last week I decorated for spring and I meant to share pics but I was soooo busy. So I am gonna share the pics and than go get my oil changed and off to a GF's house for her daughter's spa sleepover bday (I am a relaxation specialist for her bday).
 





If You notice there is a huge stack of papers are on the pool table behind the fireplace.. umm yea that is grading at its worst. Just focus on the spring mantel instead!! Lol







The first pics are with our Eastery E for Embley on the door and our new double door mat by PB.I think I said in a previous post I ordered a blue/green striped rug for our Kitchen eating area and the door mat. I recieved the door mat but my original rug for the kitchen got lost in an UPS warehouse. PB though is replacing it for free and it should be here this week- hence no pics yet. But I love love the PB double door mat. It looks so much better with our double doors- Nate calls it the HUGE rug! Love it! 

In the kitchen I added a springy runner on the table (I bought two of these short runners at Target for summer parties in the gazebo too) I than added some natural bees wax candles in my shabby chic candle holders and a pedestal with eggs and moss. I think it looks awesome.. but bella keeps eating the moss..ugh.
 I didn't change much on the mantel. The mantel scape I added bunny garland, moss bunnies next to the hydrangea vases, and Spring Blocks in front of the Hawaii Map. I feel that it is very springy in a festive way and definately not understated. I wanted some accesories that when I have kids I can place in their rooms, their bath and around the common areas that they would love (think bright colors) just like my mom did when I was little. So I made sure everything was kid friendly.

In the entry way I updated  the chalkboard decorated with feather/egg wreath and egg tree with more word blocks that state "jelly beans, colored eggs, easter bunny" on them. Also by the front door is my yarn wreath with Fancy Chicks on it.

Lastly in the bar area of the dining room, I added a bright green lantern (found at Lowes of all places). I think it looks great for spring and can transition into summer too! I love how all the bright colors transition well. I also added some eggs to my pedastal on the coffee table with my candles.
Hope you enjoy and your house is feeling very springy.

Check out theinspiredroom.net for her springy mantel. I am working on a gallery wall for my stairwell currently that will incorporate our wedding momentos and be able to grow when we have a baby. Young House Love turned me on to shadow box type of frames that can display artwork (until we have a baby it will display 8*10 photos). But I asked for more inspiration and Inspired Room will be doing a gallery linky April 6th. Can't wait. Be sure to look for it!!



Wednesday

You are My Sunshine

When I was a little girl my mom always woke us up singing "You are my Sunshine" or "Rise and Shine & Give God the Glory". It was tradition in our house. As I got older (teen) my mom still did it and I would tell her to shh mom. I mean as a teen you can't pretend to think your mom waking you up the same way as she did when you are little was cool. Sometimes though because I secretly liked it my mom would wake me up first and than we would go and sing to my sisters.  But as much as I pretended to hate it, it was comforting to have my mom wake me with lovely words each day.

I sometimes miss hearing someone sing to me each morning. So in the mornings I listen to Pandora Radio - Jack Johnson's Radio Station while I get ready. It plays alot of Children Songs and slow hawaiian based music (very relaxing). This morning I woke up to You are my sunshine playing on Pandora. I know it was just coincendence that it came on this morning. But it was like God was telling me "here is your comfort..I am here". Even as a grown woman I need comforting still. I cry and my mom still crys with me. She lives about 40 mins away and is a Director at a Hospital.. so she is busy.. so she doesn't come and hold me like she would when I was little. But sometimes when you are hurting you wish your mom would hold you.

This morning when You are my Sunshine came on, it first reminded me that God has a plan. He has a plan and he is with me. It than reminded me of my mom; all those days she sang those familiar words to me. Than I started listening to the lyrics and it reminded me that this song was almost wrote just for me. It sings about how please don't take my sunshine away and how I lay dreaming of holding you but I awoke to relize you aren't there and hung my head and cried.

See after the miscarriage my sunshine was taken away and there have been many nights and days I sit dreaming about what my baby would have looked like- Me or Nate or a great combination of us. What my baby would feel like to hold. What my child would have become if I would have been able to have him/her and raise him/her.  I have hung my head and cried.. so I feel like this song as beautiful as it is held bigger meaning now than it ever has.

Last night I talked with Nate about my feelings currently. I am going thru so many emotions about the miscarriage still. But on top of all that I am late. I am not really late yet so I don't want to get my hopes up again.. so I told him. He is like well lets go take a test. As much as I want a child, those pregnancy test scare me more now than before. Because what if I am and than I loss  another pregnancy.. and if I am not it is the disheartening feelings that I had a little glimmer of being pregnant again.

Nate is so sure we will get pregnant again, he is so sure that we will have a baby and have a family. I love that he is so positive and sure of it. But sometimes I question how can you be so certain. I am going thru all these rollercoaster emotions and he's so positive it will be ok. It's funny because when we go thru crisis it always flip flops on who is the one that is certain in their faith and sure that things will be ok. Many times it has been me telling him I am sure it will be ok. But in this instance I have questioned everything and Nate has always been sure. Thank God I have him. He assured me last night that God wasn't punishing me and he knew I would be a mom. It's funny because he says one of the reason he chose me as a wife is because he always knew I would be a great mom. I think that is funny.. because I never considered his potential till I was pregnant. I know he will be aweseome but it never occured to me. He told me about how he used to watch me with his neices and nephews or when I was working as a nanny. He said he knew than that I would be awesome. It touched my heart to hear him say it.

Below I posted the words to You are my Sunshine. I know almost everyone knows the words but really read them. The words resounded in me this morning and I hope my sunshine is in Heaven with my Grandma & Grandpa being loved right now by them and all the beautiful angels with them. I pray that I will meet my sunshine someday. But until then I will accept these dark moments as the dark spots of the painting of my life just like Julie said and wait for the beautiful light colorful moments to take over all those dark spots.

You Are My Sunshine



My only sunshine.


You make me happy


When skies are grey.


You'll never know, dear,


How much I love you.


Please don't take my sunshine away






The other nite, dear,


As I lay sleeping


I dreamed I held you in my arms.


When I awoke, dear,


I was mistaken


And I hung my head and cried.






You are my sunshine,


My only sunshine.


You make me happy


When skies are grey.


You'll never know, dear,


How much I love you.


Please don't take my sunshine away.






I'll always love you


And make you happy


If you will only stay the same


But if you leave me


To love another


You'll regret it all some day;






You are my sunshine,


My only sunshine.


You make me happy


When skies are grey.


You'll never know, dear,


How much I love you.


Please don't take my sunshine away.






You told me once, dear


You really loved me


And no one else could come between


But now you've left me


And love another


You have shattered all my dreams;






You are my sunshine,


My only sunshine.


You make me happy


When skies are grey.


You'll never know, dear,


How much I love you.


Please don't take my sunshine away.








Tuesday

Would you prefer the truth or a white lie?

I say would you prefer the truth or a white lie, because when someone asks "How are you doing"  you often say fine or great.. even if in reality your heart is breaking inside and you are holding back the tears. See my reality is that I often appear fine and I try to convience myself that I am fine. Yet, inside I am still hurting. I busy myself with projects around the house, studying for my masters program and teaching before I let myself admit my feelings. I had months that went by that I wanted to cave up in bed and just cry. After those months I refused to let myself feel sorry and just stayed busy. I guess what I am saying is because I say I am ok doesn't really mean I am ok. It is a white lie to you and a white lie to me also.. because if I say it enough maybe I will convience myself of it.

I thought I was over the hurdle of being hurt, anger and upset about my loss of my child. I thought that the tears would stop and I could just mourn that I lost my child. That was until last night. We are blessed by the Lord with friends that are so spectacular that they are like family. They take care of us when we are hurting, they laugh with us when we are happy and they cheer us on when it comes to achieving our dreams. What better friends could you ask for right? Well those great friends are so incredibly generous that they have passed down major items you would need for the first year of a baby's life. Recently they gifted us with a bouncer, swing, boopy pillow and a couple other items. I thought it was awesome and I was so appreciative of their generousity.

Than last night Nate came home with more baby items in the car from our wonderful friends. I lost it. I don't know what triggered these emotions really but I started crying and couldn't stop. I started thinking about the misscarriage how my emotions have changed so much over the past months but it doesn't hurt any less. I than realized that if I hadn't had my misscarriage I would be holding a baby soon. I would be giving birth any day now and I would have a baby.  I would be holding and loving on my child.. but God had other plans. I have so many people tell me just know God had plans for your family and that the Baby needed to be with God. I understand that it makes you feel better to tell me my baby needed to be with God. But I think that is a load of crap for you to say to me unless you have lost your child.  Unless you have been where I have been and went thru the pain physically and mentally don't give me this God has your child bs.

Please understand that I trust God and I know he has a plan. And I truely believe my child is in heaven and one day I will meet him or her and hold them.  But for someone to tell me these things when they haven't been there is hurtful and doesn't lessen the pain for me. It angers me. It angers me when someone says this to me and they have a family or a beautiful baby and have never lost a child. How can you tell me this when you haven't even been there and you have exactly what I wish for so bad.

So please understand that deep down I am hurting. I am hurting and I don't need to hear from you to trust my faith and that God has a plan. Because in my lifetime God has made me fear him, hate him and love him and I know that there is a God. I know that he has a plan but it isn't for you to tell me so you feel better about my loss.

I write all this and it may feel like these are harsh words. But it seems that women that have never felt loss like to use these nice words to me and it truely is a stab at my heart. Yet at the same time I have meet wonderful women in real life and in blog land that have had infant mortality and miscarriage. It is comforting for me to hear other womans stories that have survived and have seen the darkness I have been to but now are in the light. This is comforting because they aren't speaking words just to make me feel better. They are speaking words because they know the pain and they know how it feels.

Last night I found the beautiful blog called Life Rearranged. She is doing a whole section of posts on infant mortality and miscarriage. It is true sadness but she is doing it to make people aware and raise money and in a sense help woman like me who are still in a bad place.

I read her post from : A Different Kind of Mother – Julie Carson {infant loss/miscarriage}. Which I have copied and pasted below because I feel these words resounded in me and helped me.




It was a happy normal day.







I had been contracting all weekend.






The ladies at bible study were giving me tips on how to jumpstart labor.






Funny tips.






I had my last OB appointment that afternoon.






The clothes were washed.






The room was painted.






The crib was built.






The suitcase was packed.






The carseat was safely buckled in the back of our car.






We were ready.






But in fact, we were far from ready.






Not ready in any sense of the word.






Not ready to hear the words “there is no heartbeat.”






Not ready for the dark and scary road that suddenly was in front of us.






The road we were forced to suddenly walk.






A road where babies die.






Where arms are empty.






Where planning a memorial and choosing a casket are part of the journey.






Two days later I gave birth to our 6lb. 8oz. daughter






Joy Emma.






Our daughter that we would never see take her first steps.






Graduate from high school.






Get married.






Have children of her own.














Everything we planned, everything we knew, changed that day.






We were parents without a child.






Grieving for a future that we would not see.






Dreams that would not come true.






Our hearts broke that day.






We became different people.






What we did not realize is that we became better people.














Stronger people.






People who have more strength than we ever imagined.






Love more fully.






Care deeply.






Live passionately.






Serve thankfully.






Give generously.






Long for heaven like nothing else.






That day I never would have imagined the legacy that Joy’s short life would leave.






The people who have been changed and encouraged.






The mother that I am now is an entirely different one than I would have been without Joy.






Every day is a gift.






Every moment is precious.






I am abundantly blessed.






With my three sweet girls here on earth and with my sweet girl in heaven.






My daughter that I will see again.






Hold again.














I realize now that the months of mourning and grieving are just the dark brushstrokes on the beautiful, wonderful painting that is my life.






The painting that is still so much a mystery, but a wonderful masterpiece that will all make perfect sense when it is completed.






I simply cannot wait for that day.






* * * *






This series is not just a litany of stories.






My goal is that it helps heal. Encourage. Glorify.






In conjunction with this series, we are also supporting one another in love by fundraising for the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation.


If you would like to read more on this please visit : http://liferearranged.com/category/infant-lossmiscarriage/

I cried myself to sleep last night and I woke up to more tears. I drove to work crying. But I keep telling myself that God wouldn't show me this pain if the human body, mind and soul weren't so resilent. I know that the human mind, soul and body are because I have made it thru so much already in my short time here on earth. So I trust that GOD is leading me to woman that will help guide me thru this pain, he is guiding me to him for comfort and providing me with friends that will be generous even if just causes me pain. Because pain is part of the grieving game and one day I won't feel it as bad. Yet I will never totally heal from this. There will always be a scar on my heart.

I'm sorry for the lenghty post.. but I needed to get the words out. I needed to say how I felt. So if you read to this part I thank you for reading and supporting me in my healing. May I complete this marathon in life with God, family, friends and faith by my side.







Monday

Spring Break is over - Project 13

Before Pics of Antique Dresser & Antique Rocker

So Spring Break has come to a close.. and I started/finished many projects that I will show you over the next week or so. I can't wait. But do you remember the dresser and rocker I had done by Simple Matters? I decided I didn't want to spend my break inhaling fumes painting a dresser- so I left it up to Jannet. I love her! Check her out on Facebook under Simple Matters Page. She is awesome!

Well I picked up both the rocker and dresser over the break. We were going to install the kitty door to the garage and clean out the third bedroom. But we only cleaned out the garage- we had a lot of busy busy during the break. We went to Louisana for two days with friends, visited my cousin in ICU at th hospital, cleaned the house, I took a final and wrote a paper, gardened and painted other furniture.. Lowes is my best friend this break. We also spent a ton of time with friends which is always great!

So this weekend we will install the kitty door and move the cats out of the third bedroom. Till than the dresser is in my formal living room blocking one side of the double fireplace and the rocker has found a temporary home in our guest room (where pics were taken).

Without further adue.. here are the new and improved dresser and rocker..






Aside from the fact that both are not in there furniture homes (third bedroom) yet.. but still  aren't they magnificent?? Hello that rocker makes me drool.. from a pink wood with 60's funky material to a much more sophisticated paisley with white to make it sweet and ready for a baby. I added the love pillow.. because hello I love it! I can't wait to chill out in it with a lil one. Or just sit in waiting for a lil one. It looks just like my grandpas and I love that it reminds me of great family. My mom loved the results so much she is having her rocker reupholstered by Jannet too. Ha.. she should listen to me more when it comes to decorating! (Side Note my Mom discovered Angry Birds on her Ipad this weekend- our relationship will never be the same. If you have ever played angry birds than you know it is addicting and relationships are sacrificed for other's need for angry birds.).

I decided to keep the original hardware on the dresser to pay tribute to it's hertitage. I love that Jannet scuffed them up a bit and put a tad of pewter on them. It gives em a little bling but not too much. I really think it turned out superb! I am completely obsessed with my projects. I will dream about them once I start them and I was nervous that the handles would ruin the dresser. But I think they are awesome.

Once we get the third bedroom cleaned of kitty stuff & Nate's bookshelves with tons of book..plus painted with a fresh coat of paint. I will move the furniture in there and show you all pics. I can't wait to see the results. Till than you can be jealous of my made over furniture! 


And you can wait in anxiousness of what I did over the break ;) 

Friday

Kitchen & Dining Room Updates- Continuation on Project 12

    

First let me say Happy Spring Break! Wohoo!! I made it. After a long 1/2 day at work (I am blessed to get 1/2 day Fridays) I went to Target and found the most awesome hurricane lantern by Smith & Hawkens. I love that line at Target.   The Hurricane is  Awesome with seagrass. I got the meduim sized one and thought it would look stellar on the dining room table I am thinking now I need to go back and buy the extra large one two! But I had to show you.. oh look at my beautiful chairs too! Aww.. seagrass. My dining room just feels like we are sitting in Hawaii still on the beach eating fish tacos. DONE! I finally achieved what I wanted.

Now on to the kitchen progress! My new light fixtures for the hallway and above the sink have come in today. I picked them up and they are awaiting to be hung by Nate.  I really want to update the lil fan above the table but it is going to have to wait till we take down the light above the island so the light above island and above the table all match. Plus it cranks out some air for those summer months.  I went for a bronze finish to match the switch plates and cabinet hardware. I know we have alot of stainless steel also in our kitchen but I am really drawn to how it looks against our pine cabinets and our backsplash. I also didn't want to have to buy all new hardware :).  I was considering painting the kitchen and decided against it. Instead I took InspiredRoom's advice and lightened it up by adding touches of cream and white. Here is the before
 
Before with reds all over.. Made the kitchen seem dark when it gets tons of light and is actually a very large kitchen.  To NOW: Light & Airy
I gave you the hint yesterday! The hint was the new cream valances that have a subtle hint of pattern on them. I put them up last night and had not put the slip covers on them and Nate wasn't sure yet. I think he was afraid they were too bland and had nothing else to match. But with my new slipcovers they all blend so well.  I love that it breaks up all the pine in the kitchen and they are linen! I adore linen. Sorry I didn't exactly press them before pictures ;). I love that you can still see the carved legs and it looks like my chairs are wearing a skirt! This was such an inexpensive makeover. I originally wanted to paint the chairs white, but Nate really likes wood tones. So to find a happy medium I felt these slipcovers were appropriate. I have seen similar ones online that just cover the tall parts of the chair but not the actual seat. Our seats are padded and covered and the upholstered part didn't match my new light and airy kitchen. So continue to skirt the seat was perfect.

I still want to add a white fruit bowl to the table and replace our red utensil crock on the island with a simple white one. Other than that I have just removed the reds.. I also purchased $5.99 rugs at target to replace the area rugs at the french doors out to the pool and by the kitchen sink.  The french door in the kitchen even has stain glass in it.. don't think I have ever shown that. I love the stain glass it reminds me of my mom and Grandma. They both love stain glass. I went for cheap and plain simple rugs so that if they get ruined from chlorine pool water and dogs I won't get upset. 

Since our kitchen is so large I wanted to break up the tile a little more. I was going to put our sisal rug from the living room in the kitchen because I just ordered another from PB on sale (8X10 rug on sale for less than 100 bucks) and with my gift cards. But I decided I wanted the plain sisal rug to go to our master bedroom and the new sisal rug to go in the living room. All our floors in the house are wood or tile. I like area rugs in the larger rooms to keep the toes warm.  The current living room rug is just sisal.. the new one actually has a border of brown on the edge. I will show pics as soon as they come. Since I decided not to move the LR rug I was back on a hunt.. our kitchen and living room see the most traffic especially during warm months when the pool is in use.  We all hang in the kitchen to chat, eat, get out of the sun- it is the hang out spot. I started to consider an indoor outdoor rug than since the durability. That is when I came along this:

It is a gorgeous indoor/outdoor rug from PB. I ordered it and it will be in the kitchen soon! Can't wait- best part is you can take it outside to spray with a hose to wash and hang dry. Plus both sides have the stripes so if one side sees more wear- flip it over. Great features for a house that I hope will eventually have lil ones in. But for right now we do have three fur balls living here and plenty of kids that visit (esp in summer for the pool). 

I love love stripes if you can't tell. The last rug I ordered was stripes for the dining room (see in first pic my last PB rug purchase). I feel stripes are safe and never go out of style.. yet they are still fresh and fun! So that is the updates so far in the kitchen.. oh I almost forgot. I got a soap dispenser that reminded me of sea glass and some new washrags in my inspiration colors.
Sorry mid day sun was streaming thru. There is the new washrag, soap dispenser and our honeymoon Hawaiian Bamboo Surf Cutting Board. We love it. Aren't they just fun and casual. Beach Vibe? Summer Vibe? Coastal Vibe? Hope I achieved one of them..

 
Ill post pics of the PB rug as soon as it is delivered. I ordered online because our local store didn't have my Garden Rug. Talk soon and enjoy Spring Break.
PS.. I pick up the nursery dresser tomorrow from Simple Matters. I am sooo excited.