Kitchen Before and After

Many moons ago I posted about some changes we were making to our kitchen and I still have not posted photos! It is mostly done (at least for now, there is still a lot I would like to do eventually) so here are some before and after pictures.
Here is what we did:
Painted cabinets and added hardware
Painted walls
Put up beadboard
Replaced stove
Painted peg shelf above table (it was navy blue, now it is black)
The photos aren't great but you get the idea. We love our "new" kitchen.













I should have cleaned off the fridge and taken the dishtowel off of the stove...oh well I guess it has to look realistic!
Oh and I don't know if you can tell but see the drawer right under the sink? Remember the handle vs. no handle debate? The jury is still out on that one, but I still want to put a handle there!

Mother of the year

I have threatened my kids for years that if they can't keep their rooms clean then I will come in with a garbage bag and clean it myself. Or if they complain about having to clean their rooms I tell them that I will do it for them and then I head for the garbage bags. Quick disclaimer here...I don't expect perfection at all, not even close. But put dirty clothes where they go, put clean clothes and shoes in the closet, if your floor is covered with legos that you were playing with four days ago then clean them up! Stuff like that. Well Jared and Gabe have been out for "summer" vacation these past three weeks and start school again on monday. Their room has gotten out of control. I have been trying to get them to clean it up and they have done a little bit here and there. This morning I said it had to be done today. That if they didn't get it clean I would come in with a garbage bag. Two hours later they were just playing in there so I went in and filled two garbage bags with stuff (while they frantically tried to clean things up before I got to them.)

But now I'm wondering, "now what?" I never really thought about what I would do at this point. I mean I really don't want to throw everything away, there was some really good stuff in there. (The bags have stuffed animals, nerf guns, lots of legos, books, knex pieces, game boy games, other games and such.) But do I lose all credibility if I don't? I guess I never really told them what I would do once I "cleaned up" for them. Hmmm...What would you do?

After this happened they have since (without any prompting from me) cleaned up the playroom downstairs, vacuumed a few rooms, dusted some things, and cleaned around all of the light switches and doorknobs in the house. And then asked if they could have their stuff back. I told them no, but we would wait a week and see how clean they could keep their room and then we would talk about it. What do you think??

(Oh I have to add that I would never actually throw perfectly good things away, I would donate them if that is what it came down too.)

Read any good books lately?

I have a sister in law who makes DARLING cards, is a great seamstress (makes VERY cute little girl clothes) and recommends great books. Last weekend when we were visiting Trevor's parents I read a book that she had given their dad for Father's Day. It was excellent. It was written by a woman who survived the genocide in Rwanda. It was so well written and thought provoking. I felt shocked that something like this happened not so very long ago, strengthened by her words about forgiveness, and humbled by her faith. If you are like me and keep a running list of books you want to read then add this one to it!

A little bit of everything...

I have been needing to update our blog for awhile and the more time passed the more overwhelmed I felt about it by all of the posts I wanted to do. So I'm doing another random update post. (There are so many things overwhelming about life, blogging should not be one of them.)

*My summer class is half way over. It has been a good class. It moves really fast and covers a lot, but luckily I have a really good teacher. And a computer geek husband who can help me! Going to school in the summer stinks though. I'm hoping to avoid it next year.

*Miquelle is gone to girls camp. I hate having my kids gone overnight. It really makes me nervous. And I totally miss being able to see her sleeping safely in her bed before I go to bed. I wonder if when my kids are married their spouses would mind if I just ran over to their houses for a quick peek before I go to bed. GASP...what if they live too far away?! SOB...

*Jared and Gabe are finally out of school for the summer. I'm so so so SO glad. We only have three weeks but I'm going to enjoy it!! No making school lunches or helping with homework! YIPPIE!! We are even taking a break from piano and violin lessons for a couple weeks.

*We had a family reunion a couple of weeks ago with my family. It was a really fun day. We reserved the swimming pool in Farmington and had a great time swimming, jumping, sliding and splashing. After such a rainy June we wondered how the weather would be, but it was great!! It kind of felt like summer had finally started! We learned a few things at this family reunion.
1. Baby Benjamin is a CUTIE! This was the first time that we saw him. Made my uterus twitch for just a second.
2. Cagney is INSANE in the water. She has absolutely no fear. She jumped off of the diving board and went down the slides over and over (sans floaties even) and loved it. She reminds me of me when I was her age.
3. Coco is more hesitant but he warmed up to it and loved the slides. No diving board for him though, maybe next year.
4. It is possible for a swimming suit to get so worn out that it looks see-through once wet (when it looked perfectly fine while it was dry!) sorry honey. I will pack your other suit next time.
5. It is possible after tons and tons and tons of looking to find a swimming suit that is acceptable to Miquelle.
6. Jared loved the high dive. It was his first time and he went over and over and over.
7. It is ok to use floatation devices if you are 7 and don't just LOVE the water.
8. Grandma and Grandpa put on a great party!!
9. Sometimes you have to really encourage your siblings to want to be in a family picture, but it is totally worth it!!


*We hit this milestone on our little 1992 Honda Civic (Gordon). And he is still going!!


*Cagney loves her summer dance class. It is so cute. Every week they do a craft and then learn a dance that goes along with it. She has had so much fun (and looks adorable doing it!)

*I'm craving S'mores big time. We need to make a trip up to the hills and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows! I just love summer.

*We visited the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. It was awesome, just beautiful! And have I mentioned that it is only about a mile from our house! I did? Oh. Trevor and I have both been able to do a volunteer shift also and that has been really cool. Now we need to just get our little tushes over there more often once it is open!


*The kids start swimming lessons in a couple of weeks. I couldn't get them all in at the same time so I have some kids on MWF and some kids on TTH which means that for three weeks we will be at the pool everyday! Maybe I can work on my tan. HA! Who am I kidding...I have three skin tones...white, red and peeling.

*I just turned on the TV and the final Gilmore Girls episode was on, and I watched it and I cried. Yup, pretty much. Two years later and it still makes me cry.

July 4th 2009

I LOVE this holiday. I love the decorations, I love how hot it is outside, I love spending time with family, I love the food, I love that there isn't a lot of preparation that has to happen for it to be great!, and I love that we do the same thing every year!
Trevor was off work on friday so we tried to get up to his parents house as early as we could. We wanted to set our chairs up for the parade but there was a lady who was being the chair nazi sitting right by where we wanted to put them so we had to wait until later. People there take their parades very seriously!!

This is what we did on the 4th of July weekend...
We stopped at Pace's for a treat. The peach rainbow is my favorite! So yum.
We spent the evening swimming and eating yummy food.








We watched fireworks. I think they get better every year!


We got up early to run! Trevor and I ran the 5K (Our first official race. It was SO fun! Our goal was to finish in 30 minutes and we did it in 27.20) Miquelle and Jared ran the mile and Gabe ran the 1/2 mile.)

We had breakfast at the park.
We watched the parade.



We played at the park.





We took turns holding our cute new cousin.



We had fun with our cousins.





We had two baby blessings to go to on Sunday.

Kalianna (Hope you don't mind me using the picture Stacy, if you do just say the word and I will take it off.)

Claire
It was a great way to end the weekend. More food, more family, more time with cousins. We were TIRED by the time we got home!!