Beautiful Morning View

So, usually I wouldn't be one to share what is behind those cabinet doors, especially all over the internet. But we haven't had cabinets in the kitchen since we moved in 11 months ago! It is a long story, but I will say that upon moving in those cabinets were too bad, unhealthy, ugly to live with any longer. So, we ripped them out and began a verrrrry long process of picking out new ones and finally....this past weekend, I got my new upper cabinets! So, you see this is a very exciting view every morning as I open my cabinet door to reach for my coffee mug and cereal bowl!!! Needless to say, I was very thankful for my family over the Thanksgiving weekend as they made the voyage to my house to help with projects throughout the weekend. Thanks Dad, Amy, Jordan, Brian, Hubby, and Granny (for loaning me everyone!) We definitely couldn't have gotten all this done without you!

• We also managed to get the travertine install started on the back porch!

• In the master bath we got all new electrical outlets and switches installed, the ceiling painted, the exhaust fan installed, and I, yes... I, installed can lights above the vanity (with a little help from Dad and hubby) but I think they were both a little surprised that I could do electrical!

• We sanded the plaster in kitchen, then primed and painted it my new favorite color, olive.

• We also painted the ceiling in the kitchen, dining room, and hallways!

• Oh yeah, Dad and hubby managed to figure out this key-er thing that our door guy loaned us, so that we could get all the different deadbolts and handle sets keyed to the same key (instead of 7!!! different keys for the 7 different locks!) So, I finally have only one housekey! ;o)

Hopefully I will get the house cleaned up and take some more pics of the other projects, but i just had to share that bit!

Ummmm S'mores!!!

Okay, so this is kind of sad...but, of all the things we accomplished this weekend, this is my favorite! Our logs and log rack! When we first moved into this house we had a number of trees taken out and the ones that were safe to keep for firewood hubby sawed down into logs. We (well, not me!) got all the logs split into nice fireplace sized chunks. I am sure there is a better name, but I like to call them chunks ;o) So, as hubby was taking the axe to the logs, I would heave the chunks up onto the log rack that hubby made this weekend! And, voila all the chunks of firewood are nicely chopped and stacked and ready for a fire! So, who am I to deprive the NEW FIREPLACE of a nice little fire?! and of course, along with our first fire we made our first fireplace s'mores ;o) And yes, I did say New Fireplace...hubby and friend got the old fireplace removed and the new fireplace put in last weekend. Hubby spent much of the weekend getting the trim and siding put back up, but is very reassuring knowing that it is all new and clean, everything including the box, chimney, pipes, cap, it all got replaced! So, now all I have to do is pick out the stone that will go inside on the wall! I am off tomorrow to talk the stone guys into letting me borrow ALL the samples in the store so that I can make a very informed decision as to which stone color I want! So far, everything I have brought home looked much different in my living room than it did in theirs!

We also go the new shingles (Slate), siding (Mountain Sage), and stacked stone(Mojave) for the exterior picked out and now I have to decide whether to go with white aluminum or white vinyl windows?! Anyone have any advice?