Our Kitchen Update

Our kitchen update is finally complete! We had our kitchen cabinets painted white a few months ago, but to finish the look, we really wanted new counter tops. We found a good deal on quartz counters and ordered them in. You know you're old when you feel like a kid on Christmas Eve the night before you get your counter tops installed! That was me!

Then of course, once we got our counter tops, we had to put in a back splash too. One thing always leads to another when doing home projects. It never ends! We also framed all of the windows in the living areas. My awesome Mom helped me install the mosaic glass backsplash, and I love how it turned out. Between the fireplace and the counter tops, the whole room looks so different. I am so thankful to have an amazing husband that goes along with my crazy ideas and has been by my side learning how to do it all. My parents have also taught us so much and are always helping. I'm very blessed.

Our New Fireplace

I saw a really cool fireplace when I went to the Parade of Homes with my mom-in-law and sis-in-law, so of course I took pictures and was so excited to show Ryan the idea. He liked it too, so we decided to take off the tile around our fireplace and put up wood paneling. Sounds pretty simple, right?! WRONG! We thought it would just take us a couple hours. WRONG AGAIN! Our few hour project turned into ripping out drywall, re-wiring, putting up new drywall, tiling, putting up paneling, building a mantle, etc. It took us over a week, and a lot lot lot of patience. My awesome parents were there to help us every step of the way since Ryan and I are still newbies at this whole handy business. It was a lot bigger project than anticipated, but I am so happy with the way it turned out. The fireplace is now the focal point of the room, and of course I am excited to have a mantle to decorate for the holidays.

Here are some pictures of the renovation process...

My Baby Sis All Grown Up

I can still remember when my little sister Charlee was just a little tom boy running around and showing up all of the neighbor boys on a skateboard and throwing a football. Now Poof...she's a beautiful young lady all grown up and headed to college. I am so excited that she decided to go to Snow. Ryan teases me that I am vicariously living through Charlee and getting way too excited for her to go to Snow than I should be. I have some awesome memories of Snow College and I hope has a great experience there too. Last Friday, my mom and I helped her pack up the car and drove her down to my favorite little town of Ephraim to send her off to the next chapter of her life. My awesome Grandma snuck into her apartment at Snow Gardens and left flowers on the table and a cute package to welcome her to college before we got there. She is so so lucky to have our Grandparents and other family so close! Friday night we all stayed up until 1am helping her unpack and get her room decorated. We met some of the Ambassadors (who thought I was the one starting college...I'm flattered) and it brought back some fun memories of my Snow College years. We had a fun weekend helping her get settled in and spending time with the family, but leaving was so much harder than I expected. It was so weird to leave my baby sister at her college apartment knowing that she's on her own now. It will be so weird to not have her so close to home. I will definitely miss her, but I know she is going to have so much fun! I am so proud of her and am so excited for her to experience college. Now that I'm a member of the Snow College Alumni Board, I'll have another good excuse to go down and check up on her. Love you Char and miss you already! 

Char decorating her room

The bathroom she's sharing with her friends Kenzi and Kelsey

Her pretty flowers from Granny

I don't miss small college closets

Char in her cute new room

My favorite ladies

Andrea, Mal and Kenz

Our college girl and her new room

P.S. I remember when I left for college, I drove away in my Jeep so excited to start my new adventure as my mom and cousin Amy stood in my driveway crying. I didn't get it then, but now I do. This time it was Char driving away while my Mom and I stood there and cried.