What I've been up to...

I have been a busy bee lately.  It all started with my birthday.  Rob decided to do something awesome (and much needed).  He added extra storage.  Well one thing led to another and we ended up with a mini kitchen makeover. 



Here is what our kitchen looked like just before we moved in 1 1/2 years ago. New. Clean. 

Did I say clean?  Oh yes...this is before we moved in.

And then came my birthday, a wonderful day!  Rob put this in for me.  I had been telling him I

needed to find a way to store more canning jars (because I fell in love with my home canned tomatoes).  Next summer I want to can double the amount.  They have been an amazing replacement to store bought tomatoes.  And did I mention apple butter...oh yes, apple butter!  So he gave me a

10 foot counter top with cabinets.  I am one happy woman!!  And he's one handy man!

Of course we couldn't just stop there, that would be way to easy.  We don't work like that.  We decided it would be fun to add a tile back splash in the kitchen and a border along the new counter top.  Easy, right...wrong!  But we live and learn.  We chose a tile and then away we went working to finish our project.  Once the tiles were up, Rob ran out of steam, now it's officially my project.  Did I mention we also decided to add some color to the walls?  Yes, like I said we don't know the meaning of the word simple.  It simply is not part of our thinking. So, this is what we chose for a back splash.



After hours of grouting and scrubbing, I was done!  I thought I could get the grouting done in an evening, ha, ha, ha.  Go ahead laugh with me here!  It took me 3 days!  In between cooking meals, tending to sick kids, crazy dogs and amusing a bored husband, I managed to get it done!  This will be my last tile project for a LONG time!!!! But it's done and I'm happy!

In the midst of tiling, I also painted the kitchen. We desperately needed color! What do you think?

And my beautiful new counter...all the extra storage space makes me drool!  

I feel like I have a brand new kitchen!

Now we just have to find some fun, happy art work to put up on the big blue wall.

So that's what I've been up to...