Sneak Preview of Our New Kitchen

Each week over at Hooked on Houses there is a meme to share something that you are hooked on. The is also one over at Kelli's called Show and Tell where I am submitting this post as well. Right now I am hooked on getting our new kitchen decorated and I want to show and tell you a little about it.

Actually it is not even finished yet but here are a few sneak preview photos to give you an idea of what we have been working on lately. I am so excited to have this new Italian look (my version) in this room. I am even more excited about being a team with my husband and doing it all together. I love the colors we have chosen and am feeling pretty happy with the whole project.

I Am Laughing With Tears In His Eyes~Terrible!

Laura sent me this photo and I have to say I must be a terrible grandmother because I think it is soooo funny. This is Ross' mad cry...directly related to something Spencer's did that has him frustrated. I have seen it a hundred times and he is so melodramatic about it. He has paused here on the stairs waiting for Mom to come and hear his story. Look at his hands...this is MAD!

I love this little guy with all my heart...but this is hilarious!

Alternate Title: Will I ever be able to have a Wordless Wednesday? I try but I always have to put in my 2 cents worth. Sorry!

Forever Friends

I am will be the one in the green dress, and you?

I know we are all much more glamorous than this but I thought this picture was so cute. I love you all and embrace Womanhood and Girl Power with all my heart! And for you male readers...I am sharing the love with you today too! Thank you for stopping by to see what is up over here. I always appreciate your visits! Stay healthy everyone...in about 40 years we are gonna look like these old babes! But not yet though...not yet by a long shot!

The way we are really under our much more modest clothing!

Something's Gotta Give

If you loved this movie like I did, you may enjoy this eye candy treat. Julia has done an amazing job on this post, over at Hooked on Houses.

Keanu Reeves was adorable, Jack Nicholson was kinda creepy and hilarious, but The House was what put my heart rate over the top! This house blows my mind over and over again. Love to watch it at least once a year. If I had a lot of money, a house like this would be my number one indulgence. How about you?

A Simple Woman's Daybook~May 4, 2009

To join in focusing on the simple things and pleasures of your daily life or to read other people's entries, click here.

So, For Today...Monday, May 4, 2009

Outside my window...it is 5:15 am and feels way too early to be up today. It is supposed to rain today and tomorrow again and I think it will. If it is not too cold it usually means rain. We need the rain but I do love the thoughts of a lovely spring day we would be having otherwise.

I am thinking...that I wish our daughter Laura and her family did not live in Italy. With the 9 hour time difference it is always so hard to get in touch with them. She is the busy mom of two boys and that keeps her running around. Right now she is the musical director of High School Musical and that makes it nearly impossible to ever catch her. I really miss her! I wonder if moms ever really get use to having their children grown and gone?

From the learning rooms...I am pondering the changing nature of life. Things never stay the same and that is a good thing. Even when change is difficult it is good for us and makes us stronger and better people. New situations give us an opportunity to grow and learn and stretch.

I am thankful for...my health, my husband and children, good friends, extended family, discretionary time, modern conveniences and motivation to keep trying to improve my life.

From the kitchen...our counter tops have come in one week early! Early is not a word heard often in the remodeling world. I love what I finally selected and our new sink and faucet that was installed yesterday. We have running water again and the dishwasher and stove are now working. The kitchen is starting to look beautiful and I am so thrilled about that. I am looking forward with great anticipation to the day, in the not to distant future, when things will become normal again in there, just more esthetically pleasing and more fresh and clean. We have a final coat of paint to go on everything and some detailing and then we can start to live in there again and clean up the rest of the house that is holding everything that belongs in the kitchen. It seems like something has been torn up since October...I am ready to settle into a routine again!

I am wondering...when our little granddaughter, Hazie, will be having her next surgery? We will be going to help out when the time comes.

I am wearing...snoopy PJ bottoms and a white tee.

I am reading...my Google Reader, your blogs and Ciao America still. At two pages a day it is taking awhile. I have just been too tired for any leisurely reading. If I sit down I fall asleep!

I am hoping...that our friend that is having a "procedure" today will be just fine. He didn't look too thrilled about it yesterday.

I am Praying for...strength to over come my weaknesses and feel I am making some progress in my weight loss journey. I am trying to enjoy exercising more. I am thankful for the support of others that are going through it too.

I am creating...visions of the bathroom remodel coming next, getting bids for the exterior painting, more new windows, and driveway repairs. Working on our plans for Christmas in Italy and my design plans for two houses coming up soon for staging.

I am hearing...the humming of the refrigerator sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor and other than that...nothing.

I am going..to call my friend, Deanna today and see how she is doing. I have been worrying about her as she got attacked by some fire ants and for 10 days has not been on her blog. She lives in Texas. I am glad we do not have any fire ants in CA. They attacked our grandson, Ross, in Mississippi when he was about 3 and it was not a good experience. Very painful and itchy eventually and a long time healing. His little hand just peeled and peeled and peeled before it was over.

My spiritual thoughts include...appreciation for the gift of faith, trust in our church leaders and being able to go back to our home ward and friends we have been missing for 5 and a half years. I am grateful for inspired church leaders and a new bishop that will be fantastic in the Single Adult Ward.

Around the house...we started the drought water rationing this week and so am being mindful of conserving so we don't get charged 4 times the current rate if we go over our allotment. I am hoping and praying our property can be sustained and kept alive on 45% less water.

I have been procrastinating.....the same old thing...budgeting updates for the remodeling project and our household budgeting... ugh! It is partly because it is done on the computer and I'd rather be reading your interesting posts!

One of my favorite things...is photography. I love to take photos and then fool around with the finished product in iPhoto.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a pedicure, home consultation for staging next week, getting a new refrigerator delivered, buying Enchanted April on DVD tomorrow, finding a way to talk to all of the kids this week, painting, and hopefully a Friday night date with Jim.

Here is a picture and a thought I am sharing with you...

The original photo

iPhoto's Special Touch!
Silver or gold bling?

This is a picture we took in November looking south from Sausalito across San Francisco Bay to The City. The water was so sparkly and gorgeous. This truly is one of the prettiest places in the world. It was just before dusk and so beautiful and peaceful. Note the little kayak to the left of the sail boat. We love it here and are so thankful to have this so near when millions travel from all over the world to enjoy it. What a blessing to be so close to so much beauty.

Turmoil All Around

It is funny how sometimes our lives are just more filled with chaos than others. This is one of those times for us. There seems to be nothing that is the same right now. Not only is our house the biggest mess it has ever been with the current remodeling going on but we are being released from our calling at church that we have had for five and a half years today. We have had the opportunity to serve in the Young Single Adult Ward with people ranging in age from 18 to 31. It truly has been like a mission in every sense of the word.

It has been a great calling and we have met some many wonderful young people and have worked with some fantastic adults our age as well. This is the only ward we have ever been in other than our home ward where we spent 25 years going to church and church activities and serving in various capacities. We have missed our old ward and all of our life time friends so much and now we are returning. We have loved our new ward too and now we are leaving. Just like a full time missionary it is time to resume our lives as we once knew them. We are coming and going with mixed emotions. Loving people is like that isn't it? On the one hand we are so excited to be going home, on the other we are sad to leave what we have been fully engaged in for 5 and a half years behind.

Essentially life is all about changing and adapting. We don't really have any say in many of the changes and we have to learn to roll with the punches. Hopefully we get better at this as we do get older and have more experiences with it. But it is never easy if you love what you do. We will go and do what the Lord has in mind for us with a happy and cheerful heart, looking forward to new opportunities along the way. The scripture..."This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it" comes to mind.

Another thing I think about regarding things that can be difficult is an old saying of my mother-in-law's..."This too shall pass!" If we start to miss the young single adults we will at the same time be increasing our love back in our home ward. This transition seems right and good and we are ready. And the YSA ward is not that far away...we can see them anytime we want to so it is all good.

As for the house and the fact that I can barely find the things I need to get ready for church today...this too shall pass and soon all the fruits of our labors will be evident and things will return to a much better normal. That is something I look forward to with great anticipation. But just for the record...remodeling the kitchen is the hardest of all our big projects so far. It really is the heart of the home and right now it is having an attack. Wish we could get out those paddles, turn up the switch to 300 and give it a couple of big zaps.

As for the hearts inside of us...they will be just fine. Knowing God is in charge is all that matters. Serving anywhere in the church is a tremendous privilege and one we will do for as long as we are able. We would never want our lives to be any different in that department. By comparison all the rest of the couple missions we serve in the future will seem very short.


Photos by Laurascoop

Creativity~Divinely Inspired

My friend, Marie, has this on her blog and I really love it. I wanted to share it with all of you too!



I bet this will resonate with all of you. I am amazed daily by the incredible talents of all of you, my dear friends and family. You are all fulfilling your divine destiny to bring something new, and beautiful and totally YOU to the universe. I love that, don't you? When I go long periods without creating something I feel unfulfilled. Even not blogging for a few days makes me feel less than whole. I need to write, create, design something~it is just a part of me that I cannot deny. When I didn't have the time and energy to devote to creativity I was not as happy as I am now. I love this time in my life~it is wonderful. Even if you don't feel creative~you are. Think back...what did you create today? Maybe you painted a lovely picture like Marie does almost every day or you created a wonderful, warm moment for another human being. But I am sure you did create something uniquely YOU today.

Flowers grown and photographed by my friend, Laura.