Kitchen Mini-Makeover Reveal

I'm finally finished with my mini-kitchen makeover!  I have really disliked the dull, yellowy/tan color my kitchen has been since we moved in about a year and a half ago, you can see more pics of it here.  I have big dreams for white cabinets, granite counters and new appliances.  But the hubby says the cabinets are NOT getting painted, he says you DON'T paint custom made maple cabinets.  Whatever...I wanted a bright, happy kitchen!  The cost for this kitchen mini-makeover was $515. I think I spent about $345 on the island, $145 on new accessories and $25 on the wall paint and supplies.    I am so happy with what a little (ok it was alot) paint can do to a room and some new accessories.  Check out the before and after, then I'll get to the details. 

Look at how just changing the paint color of the walls, also seemed to change the color of the cabinets!  I actually like the cabinets now.  We also revamped our island to make it stand out and look custom made.  I will share details on how we did this on a later post.   

                   

The table runner I found at Pier 1 Imports and it became my color palette inspiration.  It ties in nicely with the colors in my adjoining living room.  The flowers are from Restoration Hardware and the platters were wedding gifts, many years ago.
                  

 When it came time to decorate, I scoured my favorite stores and found most items in the clearance section.  I found the red lantern at Pier 1, the vase I had and just added some pretty ribbon.  The candle is my favorite scent, Sweet Grass, from Target.  The Snack Station is new and is working out really nicely for the kids. I found both the tray and tiered wire stand from Hobby Lobby.  The fish I found at Target last year.   The owl folding the straws is from Hobby Lobby I have it filled with dried fruit, nuts, fresh fruit and granola bars.  I don't mind if the kids snack from here throughout the day.  I store the dried fruit in glass jars.

The fish is from Target and is holding a fun art project from one of my boys.  The balloon print I won via Instagram from KatyGirl Designs, I found and old frame and gave it a quick change of color.  The faith art work I made and the Family Rules sign I had, but added a painted red frame to set it off.  The cookie jar was made by my sons classroom. 

The frame pic above the branches is from Hobby Lobby and I have had the vase and branches forever.  The birdhouse painting was on clearance at Pier 1 and the aqua flower is from Hobby Lobby.  I moved all my papers directly to my office and it is so nice to have a tidy spot for the phone.  I also moved my coffee station and pulled out my single cup maker.  I have found TJ Maxx to be an awesome spot for finding yummy flavoring for my cup of joe. 

I added color to many of my little friends that reside about my cabinets. I have had all these items for many years.   I lightly brushed the pineconey statue and the metal pitcher with aqua paint, I gave a little bow-tie and some yellow paint to Mr. Chicken and added a simple ribbon on the white pitcher. All these items now really pop, against the white walls. 

I also got this rug from IKEA, but you can't see it very well in the pics, I  love it!

The room is so cheerful and bright now.  I'm kicking myself I didn't take action sooner!  If you have a space that seems drab, simply changing the wall color can make a huge impact.  Then checkout the clearance racks and don't forget that spray paint is your friend!

Can Laughing Make Your Marriage Better And The Key To My Heart

This past weekend, my husband and I joined some church friends for a weekend marriage conference called Laugh Your Way To A Better Marriage.  Mark Gungor, speaker and brain child behind this, also happens to be the pastor of our church.  We had never heard of him until a year ago.  When we started attending his church and it was a life changing experience for us.  He is hilarious and speaks a common sense message about Christianity, while also empowering couples everywhere, on his thoughts about marriage and parenting.  If you ever have an opportunity to attend one of his seminars I highly recommend it.  Even my hubby loved it and he is typically not into this kinda thing.  You can also watch video clips here, on his YouTube channel.  He really has a gift for breaking down the differences between men and women and provides you with solid advice on how to strengthen your relationship.  He had us both laughing hysterical, with his dramatic impressions and his "no holds barred" attitude. 

If you don't have the opportunity to attend a seminar, then you should at least check out his website about The Flagpage solution.  It's a simple survey you and your spouse can do, to find out what motivates you and will reveal how you can love each other best.  They also have a game to play with your kids, that I can't wait to try with my two oldest.  The idea is if you truly know what makes the other person motivated in life, you will offer them more grace and understanding about why we act the way we do.

Both my hubby and I took the short 5 min questionnaire and were absolutely stunned by the results.  It was like looking into our hearts and seeing what made us tic.  We found out, in some ways we were treating each other more like ourselves want to be loved and  in turn, bringing out each others worst characteristics.  Now, armed with the knowledge on how to empower each other and make us feel our best, we can bring out the wonderful qualities in each other.  How cool is that? After the quick 5-10 min survey, you will see the following pages, plus Mark pops up on the screen to describe what the results mean.  There is also a book, you can purchase to further explain the results. 

So if you want to know what makes my heart happy, read on....

 This really was a very accurate portrayal of what I am motivated by, really the only aspect I did not agree with, is where it says I am always a fast moving train and never slow down, I do feel like I slow down alot and need to stop and catch my breath, but overall it was very precise.  The cost of this, is very reasonable too, we purchased ours at the event at the price of $25 for two flag codes and a book, online it looks like its $15 a flag.  If you do anything, to improve your marriage, or other relationships, I highly recommend this, it was very eye opening and I believe will be very useful in keeping our marriage strong. 

Have you been to a Laugh Your Way conference or have a Flagpage?

**Just so you know, I was not asked to write this review, these are all my own thoughts based on attending  the conference and purchasing the Flagpage at our discretion.  Go do it, you will not be disappointed!

I'm linking up at The Better Mom and Lisa Leonard

How I Grocery Shop on a "Real Food" Diet

One of my goals this year was to spend money more thoughtfully on the food we eat.  About a year ago, we started eating only Real Food, here is more info about it.  It basically means no processed or added chemicals, preservatives, colors or flavors. We also, eliminated as much refined white sugar and flour as we could.   This took away most processed foods and added a major increase in our monthly shopping budget, We follow this diet about 90% of the time.  

Eating healthier has made a dramatic improvement in my kids behavior and attention at school and any of us rarely get sick.   If they do have an occasional treat, like a slushy from the gas station...I see and almost immediate change in their personality....it is actually very concerning to me it is legal to sell food products with these dangerous additives in them.  Most foreign countries, do not even allow them in their food supplies, yet the US still does!!  If you are interested in reading more info, click on this link.  We rarely eat fast food and ice cream and cupcakes are saved for school and special occasions.  They still eat cookies and other treats, but I make them with whole wheat flour and natural unrefined sweeteners. 

I have done a lot of research and have finally found a way to shop for my family, that is easier on the budget and I sleep better at night, knowing I am feeding my kids a healthy diet. 

First, I found a local provider for our meat.  Just about 20 miles from my house is an organic beef, lamb, chicken and pork farm.  They have a little store and I drive over once a month and pick out from a wide assortment of products.  All of their bacon and ham are nitrite free, if you want to educate yourself about nitrites click here.  Their prices are cheaper then the organic offerings at the grocery store and they let us visit and feed the baby animals when we go.  The kids love it and I feel wonderful knowing exactly where my meat is coming from.  You can find a farm in your area at Eat Wild.

Down the road a few miles from the farm is a Bulk Goods store run by a Mennonite family.  The sell fresh eggs, bread, nuts, spices and baking supplies, as well as essential oils and natural cleaners. Many of their products are organic and the prices can't be beat.  I travel here once a month too.

Then, weekly I visit the grocery store.  I purchase most organic fruits and veggie's and stick with whatever is on sale.  This week, they had a great sale on frozen organic fruits and veggies, so I stocked up.  I usually by some sweet treat, for dessert, this week it was meringue cookies.  I also buy a healthier version of a frozen pizza and have chicken nuggets or burritos on hand for quick dinners.  We drink coconut milk, but I am interested in trying Raw milk, have you tried it? We also plan on joining a CSA this summer and we will receive an assortment of organic produce weekly. 

We do also eat yogurt and cheese, which I get at my husbands company at there employee store at a discounted price, I purchase this monthly too.  

For snacks my kids eat fruit, nuts, cheese, tortilla chips, popcorn and the fruit filled bars from the bulk store (very similar to fig newtons.)  For breakfast we eat granola, yogurt, oatmeal and toast with cheese or peanut butter.  I also make waffles and pancakes with sausage and bacon.  Lunches are meat/cheese or pbj sandwich,  fruit and veggie, and water.(1-2 times a week they eat hot lunch.)  Dinner is easy, meat, fruit, veggie and usually pasta or rice. 

While this way of shopping is more time consuming on the days I go to the meat and bulk store, my time at the main grocery store has cut way down.  I used to scour the isles reading ingredient boxes, now I only buy very basic ingredients or stick to the same products.  This way of cooking and meal planning is really very basic and easy.  I have not done as much meal planning through cookbooks, as I used to and I find I am not spending as much money on one time ingredients.  I am able to keep my monthly grocery bill under $700 which, is about $500 less then when I first started this way of cooking.   How do you grocery shop? Do you find it a challenge to purchase healthy food for your family on a budget? 

Parenting Away From Extended Family

I've been a little MIA lately.  I've had projects going at home, I'm doing a little kitchen redo, nothing crazy or expensive, just some fresh painted walls and an island makeover.  So far, I love the changes that are coming about and I can't wait to show you all.

I am also having a hard time balancing my time.  Between the kitchen makeover and daily living, it has been hard to justify spending time in front of a screen vs.being mom.    I've never been a mother before and some days I don't have the slightest idea what I'm doing. I feel the most confident parenting my youngest, because I have two older children.  But, I have had a hard time with my oldest.  Poor guy, he is like a guinea pig for my parenting skills.  I have wonderful intentions, but sometimes I look back and think I made some mistakes.  Then, my middle child, he has thrown me for a loop in all aspects of parenting.  I want to be able to look back and feel like I did the best I could.  But sometimes I feel like I am constantly failing.

Some days, I feel like I'm not playing enough OR I'm playing TOO MUCH.  I feel like I'm babying them OR I'm being to STRICT.  The fact is I don't know what is the right or wrong way to parent.  I make mistakes, I lose my cool, I say and do the wrong things sometimes, but it is not because I don't love my little dears, in fact it's the opposite.  I love them so much, that I can't bear to watch them fail or hurt, I can't bear to see them not to live up to their full potential.  I know I do a lot of things right too, but I am my own worst critic. 

 I only have 18 years with them under my roof to mold and shape their precious hearts, but sometimes it's so hard.  I have the best intentions, but it can get overwhelming.  It doesn't help that we have no extended family around.  Unless we pay for a sitter, our kids are with us.    Even when they are at school, I feel like I need to volunteer in their classrooms or meet them for lunch. I very rarely get any time away from being "Mom" and my kids don't get the break from being around mom and dad.

I think that is my biggest problem.  Many families have extended family support, while we have the support via phone calls, it is 750 miles away. This has been our choice, to live away from family, my husbands career path has led us away and it is all we know.    No dropping off kids at Grandma's so I can get a haircut, or go to the store.  No kid free weekends. No Sunday family dinners, or get together's with cousins.  If I'm sick I have no mom to call and ask for help.   I can probably count on my hands the number of times I have had my kids sleep over at someone else's house.  The fact is, my hubby and I are doing this parenting gig, pretty much on our own and it is very difficult.  Some days, I feel like I'm doing things right, some days I feel overwhelmed.

Moving around has been hard too, having to establish new relationships and compete with friendships that have been solid since preschool can be exhausting.   It is even harder since the boys are in school all day and I rarely have the opportunity to meet the parents. 

Growing up, both my husband and I lived in the same small town our whole life.  Everyone knew everyone, my mother-in-law was even my 4th grade teacher.  My husband's and I's perception of what normal is, is greatly askewed from what our reality is. (by the way goggle the word and askew and see what happened to your computer screen)

When I was little, I was blessed to have all my cousins (minus 1) live in the same town.  Family get togethers were frequent and my grandparents lived in walking distance.  Extended family was very much a part of my upbringing.  My parents frequently went out of town and I happily stayed at my aunt and uncles. I looked forward to that fun time with my cousins and the break from the daily grind at my house.

My hubby and I are trying to fill the roles of aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins.  While we see these fabulous relatives several times a year, that is considerably less then how we both grew up, and it can take its toll on you.  

So i'm looking for answers from my lovely readers today.  Do you live away from family?   What do you do for support?