Before & Afters

So most of the work so far has been in the kitchen...

TaaDaa! :)

With some grey and blue paint, new cabinet hardware and a pretty tin backsplash, we updated a more country kitchen to a bit more modern-chic look. We still need need some pretty curtains, a table and chairs, and an update to the lighting but we love it so far!! This next picture was the design inspiration... a Candice Olsen kitchen of course! :) It's a bit more country than we wanted but I loved the color scheme and I knew it would work well with our existing counters.

Maybe some day, with a larger budget, :) it will look more this.

Next essential area to spruce up was the laundry nook. It happens to be in the garage which means it's pretty warm and it was a bit dirty...so, it needed a little pick-me-up.

I decided to go with a Mary Englebreit type paint scheme because her stuff always makes me smile! I know it's very taste-specific so it may not do much for re-sale, but I just love it!

...And when you're doing laundry... :) every happy thot helps!

Bout to go on a date with my hubby!! We're celebrating the beginning of residency that starts tomorrow!! :) Lots of love,

busy bee-ness

so, we just moved into our first home. yay! but now i'm currently in that state of trying to balance the nesting-set-up-our-house-&-home and the start-a-fabulous-practice sides of my life. very fun most of the time, but things can also get a little stressful. especially when i start "shoulding" myself. :) i SHOULD be doing this or that, or i SHOULD put more time and energy here or there... it's exhausting really... and it's totally self induced... what a silly way to live my life. :)

ok, so here's what i've been up to! the jurisprudence exam is scheduled, i'm trying to set up a meeting time with Dr. Moore (the doc who's offered to share his practice space), hopefully i'll be meeting with Gold Star people this weekend (thanks momma), and i've been painting my brains out! ...eventually i'd like to do a before and after post of all the rooms and decorating-ness... but one thing at a time. :) the kitchen is nearing completion... just a little more paint, some fun curtains, new cabinet hardware, and a little table and chairs should do the trick! i started on the laundry area yesterday. it is in the garage and it's very hot, very dark and very dirty so i'm working on something fabulous that will make me wanna go out there and do laundry! :) so far just a fresh coat of white paint has brightened up and made it look so fresh and so clean, clean. i've also hung a small plug-in chandelier (thanks IKEA) to add some glamorousness. next essential item will be a fan! :) and some fun colored paint!... i'm aiming for a Mary Engelbreit look. we'll see how close i get. :) oh, we got my ship out of gma and gpa's shed...it's much larger than i remembered it. i've been sitting here trying to decide if a nice coat of paint would make it worthy of my mantle. haha. ok, i'm starting to feel guilty for sitting here for so long... more of that "shoulding" business. doh! :)

Have a wonderful day!

California Dreamin'

So, we DID just buy our first home and move in... but I wanted to get in a quick post about our recent vaca to California! We initially planned to trip to go to Stephanie Reed & John Falatko's wedding in the Sonoma Valley, but decided to make a week of it and visit a few friends at the same time. I took off for San Diego to spend time with Sheena and Chris headed to San Fran to hang out with Grant. We had such a wonderful time enjoying the perfect weather, great food and wine, and amazing friends!

me and sheen at the outdoor market in Oceanside.

we bought fresh cherries, plums and organic chai lattes!

chris and grant: of course we had to get some sourdough!!

so tasty!!

an actual non-foggy pic of the Golden Gate Bridge

love this pic with the Painted Ladies (Full House anyone) in

front of the San Francisco skyline

on Saturday, the wedding goers (aprox 50 people) went on a wine tasting tour

this is a pic of the first vineyard we visited and the castle on its premises.

it was absolutely GORGEOUS every where we went that day!

tasting our wine.

Steph and John were married in another vineyard at Vinter's Inn on Sunday evening.

We had such a great time celebrating with them!!!

our travels on the way home took FOREVER and we were a bit sleepy :)

but we made it at long last.