It feels like home to me....

I feels like home to me, It feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back to where I belong..
Okay now that I have that song in my head. :-)
I promised Nate a long time ago when I started the blog that I wouldn't put music on the site so that when you type in the website name and the website loads... loud blaring music comes through the speakers. I don't blame him, I often look (or snoop) at other people's blogs and when that music, which is unexpected, starts playing I instantly leap for the knob to turn the music off. I couldn't imagine being at work and some music I would pick, such as Ingrid Michaelson or The Fray or better yet a rockin Bon Jovi song blares through the computer. I snicker at the thought. maybe I should add some music. Just Kidding honey! But that can't stop me from singing music in my head or blasting music while I write. :-)
The last couple of days this has really felt like home. I don't feel like we are doing tons of projects and waking up in the morning it doesn't feel like I am somewhere else. The dust is accumulating, the toys have spilled out into every room, I find kid's socks everywhere (not kidding, yesterday I found one tucked in between couch cushions) Yep it's our house. We have definitely taken ownership. There is enough "Lynn touches" to make it feel like home. {daddy working in the kitchen}

The kitchen has had the most transformation and it is far from finished. The two things we compromised when buying this house was the kitchen (got smaller) and the garage (didn't get bigger!). So right away we started brainstorming what we could do to make the kitchen fit all my stuff! It was suggested by my sister Kathy, to get rid of a few things (yes ironic, I think so! LOL) but I truly use everything I own. The things I don't use (like the bread maker -- against Nate's wishes) I get rid of, but the things I use such as pancake griddle, crockpot, baking dishes, etc. I need near me. Not down in the basement. We discussed knocking down walls, tearing out cabinets, re-working the entire kitchen, and we finally settled on tearing out one set of cabinets and putting in a pantry. This seemed like the least expensive and least amount of construction. I don't know how I would endure a couple months of construction! You would have to commit me.
Here is the kitchen now without the new countertops that are coming a week from today! YEAH!!! Take a good look because this might be the last time the island isn't piled high with mail, homework, snack wrappers, shoes, and of course socks (they are everywhere!).
{eat in -- before}
The kitchen was not ME when we bought the house. It really needed updated. As cute and modern as the rest of the house was, the kitchen just didn't flow right. And on the wall with the refrigerator was a desk and top cabinets, but I needed more cabinets. Hence, the pantry.

I changed the curtains dramatically. The rest of the kitchen is pretty neutral so i decided to go all out with the curtains with a pattern. I was looking for a print with the aqua and red in it that I have accented in the kitchen. I couldn't find a cool geometric print so I went with this floral -- hopefully not country like Nate thinks. I love it.
This bowl I fell in love with at TJ Maxx. It so went with the rest of my colors and I fell head over heals. A great find!!!

{ The ugly red painted had to go..... after much elbow grease they went away!} .

Do you see how many holes were in our walls? This was just the kitchen, but there were holes in every wall of the house!

{half bath}

The half bath is located right beside the kitchen. I originally had a cool chilled wine color picked out (a deep purple) It was intense but Nate said "No" very strictly. I was totally shot down. So I quickly picked a different color as Nate was headed out the door... and here is the end result. Now I have to admit as it was going on the wall, I hated it. It looked like I had butchered something in there. But after putting the fixtures back up and put my touches back up, I like it. Not love, but going to live with. ;-) I don't want to paint anymore.

I made these frames from some Ikea picture frames, scrapbook paper, and letters from Hobby Lobby. I like that it is just something different and isn't a whole bunch more pics of the family like I have posted everywhere in the house. LOL

{basketball hoop -- an after school favorite}

I don't know what I would do if we didn't have this basketball hoop. The kids are so entertained by shooting hoops and playing pig after school. It gives me a few minutes to get supper on the table. All in all the house is ours. Not just beacause we pay the mortage, but because it is "US". All my little things that I have created ..... the things nate rolls his eyes at.... that makes it "OURS".

{I took a folding chair from our stash and painted it hot pink for Rosie's room. It turned out great and the look on her face was priceless. I painted it while she was at school and she walked in the garage and said "oh my gosh mom! how did you know I wanted a pink chair?" A mother always knows! 'wink wink'
I finally added some personality to the girls room and put up these shelves all by myself!! Giving myself a pat on the back for this. Between putting up shelves and using the drill all by myself this week... I am superwoman. LOL

This wall in the foyer was bothering me. It had a few holes of course, and we weren't going to paint ... remember previous comment... I am done painting. So I had to create something to fill the spot.

Here is a creation I am working on.... final pictures up on the wall to come later! All of these things get the creative bug out of me and make the house a home. I love it and feel comfortable and settled, sorry to bore you with more pictures of the house, but it is alot of work and we are proud of what we have done!!