Kitchen Inspiration

Well, I wasted the morning on Pinterest, but I’m glad that I did.  I am starting to get excited for my kitchen remodel that should be happening this spring.  So I typed “kitchen” into the search box on Pinterest and these are some of my favorites among the MANY pins that came up.

 

Source: brabournefarm.blogspot.com via Joanna on Pinterest

I love the rustic look, but I am leery about how easy this would be to clean.  My kids are little and the unfinished wood would collect crumbs and stickiness.

 

 

Source: mybluecanoe.tumblr.com via Nicky on Pinterest

What I love about this one is the very basic cupboard, the ease of use – everything is in an arms reach, the open shelving.

 

 

Source: google.com via Cody on Pinterest

Our whole home is very eclectic.  Nothing really matches.  I love how this kitchen is put together with handmade pieces that all serve a purpose.  And again, the open shelving.

 

 

Source: Uploaded by user via Nicole on Pinterest

This one is very open and bright.  Everything matches which would take time for me to do.  I think this kitchen would be very easy to clean.  And I like the drawers on the bottom.  I won’t have room for an island, I don’t think but I am hoping a peninsula.  The shelving by the chairs, will be perfect for each child to have a cubby, a place to put their stuff that gets scattered around the house.

 

Source: free-home-decorating-ideas.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I love the wood counter!  I think DH has a concrete counter in mind, and I’m okay with that too.  I love the colors, but have always wanted a yellow kitchen.  I know we plan to use tongue and groove type of wood for the cupboards, but I’m not sure if we plan to pain them, or to paint the walls.  I love the idea of having the mugs hanging.  This kitchen has too much stuff on the counter for my taste.  I prefer to have everything in a home and to have my counter space available as work space.

 

 

Source: designsponge.com via Rosie on Pinterest

I love the white and the under the stairs!  So very simple.  I don’t know what the rest of the kitchen looks like and I know this wouldn’t work in my house, but when we retire, I would love to have just the very very very basics…

 

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Joanna on Pinterest

http://www.redbrickbarn.com.au/ – more pictures here!

My kitchen sink is going to be under a window.  I love that!  I love the way the plates are stored, so close to the sink, for ease of putting away after washing.  I’m not thrilled with this sink though.  And the little shelf  under the winter is awesome!  I’m trying to decide if I want a concrete backsplash and counter, or just one or the other.

 

Source: re-nest.com via Brandon on Pinterest

Again – the open shelving.  So easy to put stuff away, and to grab it when needed.  No doors to clean!  And incentive to keep the clutter at bay!

 

 

Source: homemadeinheaven.blogspot.com via Sarah O on Pinterest

Simple.  White.  Drawers. Shelving. Large pantry (appears to be anyway).  Seats for kids near by.  I even like the steel blue coloring.

 

Source: funkybeardecor.com via Leslie on Pinterest

Again, with the rustic wood and concrete counter!  I love this combination.  The open shelving and the stacks of bowls.  I don’t like the pallet on the wall though.

 

Source: rosesandrustblogger.blogspot.com via Lynn on Pinterest

I love this sink! And the drying rack.  I think my dishes would just live there.  I love the concrete, too.  And what a great use of the wall space at the end of the sink and counter.  Normally that space is wasted.  I love it!  I already have my sink chosen, though I think I’ll be repainting it.  It’s currently pink.

 

Source: catchingfireflies.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

And I love this artwork.  I’m thinking of something a little more subway art.

 

In talking with my DH a couple of things I haven’t taken into account is the fact that I have 2 fridges.  But I am thinking I don’t want them BOTH in the kitchen.  And the amount of upper shelving I want may not be enough.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

I miss it

I have not been blogging and I miss it so much!  So briefly here’s what’s been going on around here.

 

One day I looked after a little boy, same age as Matty.  They played the piano together; it was so cute!

 

Matty learned to climb the stairs!  He’s fast!

 

I created a new 3 day/week homeschool schedule.  I’m kinda excited about it.  We will start on Monday.  I’ll try to write more about it soon.

		ACSI Math Gr. 2	Building A Life Gr. 3	Human Body Gr. 2-3	God’s Wonderful Works Gr. 2	Books Read
Week 1		Do 6 pages.	Do 4 pages.		Do 4 pages.
Week 2		Do 6 pages.	Do 4 pages.	Do 4 pages.
Week 3		Do 6 pages.		Do 4 pages.	Do 4 pages.
Week 4		Do 6 pages.	Do 4 pages		Do 4 pages.
Week 5		Do 6 pages.	Do 4 pages.	Do 4 pages.
Week 6		Do 6 pages.		Do 4 pages.	Do 4 pages.

 

I have talked in the past about purchasing and teaching through the Tapestry of Grace program of study.  I have decided that it is not a fit for us.  Too involved.  So instead what I am doing is taking their book lists as a jumping off point.  I order as many of the books from the library from the list as I can find.  I’ll order 10 or 20 at a time.  As they come in we spend some time looking at them together at the table.  I even ordered from the lists for the high school students.  Right now we are reading about ancient Egypt.  The kids are having fun with the information!

 

Jason got a raise!  I’m so proud of him for working so hard and sticking with this company, even when things were really tough this winter.  The guys (and gals) that he works with are decent people and they get along pretty good.  He likes the work.  He’s working in the shop at the oil field safety company that he was doing fire watch for the last year and a half. 

 

Oh and because of the raise, we’ve also decided to keep the bus!  I didn’t realize how attached I was to my bus until we re-discussed the sale.  I love my bus!  It is perfect for what I want and need.

 

The garden is mostly in.  Just onions and cucumbers left to put in the dirt.  We were planting bean plants (Jason started them in the house.) the other day.  We had to hurry at the end because a storm was blowing in fast!  We were cleaning up the trays and pots just as it started coming down hard.  I can’t wait to see what this year’s garden produces!!

 

I took this picture of my favorite beverage:

 

Just a couple other quick things:

• the 2 big girls went to the store by themselves!  They did so great!
• shingles are on sale this week and pay day is this week!!!!

 

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

The Kitchen

My kitchen is often a topic I write about on this blog.  I don’t like my kitchen and I don’t make any bones about it.  I’ve done a few things to make the best of it until we can reno the main floor for the kitchen.

 

I was thinking about all the houses we’ve lived in, where the kitchens were, the state of my life when we lived there, and the state I kept our house in when living in those homes.

 

When we were first married we lived in a basement suite.  I was in school and pregnant with our first baby.  I did not keep up on things very well there.  I was very sick with Kristyn’s pregnancy.  I was learning to be a wife.

 

The next house we lived in was also small; it was unfinished and constantly in renovations (much like our current home).  Our first two babies lived there with us.  I never did dishes and I never did laundry.  I rarely cooked meals.  From there we moved to a farm where Jason worked.  We lived in a trailer there.  The kitchen was bright and in the middle of the home.  I kept up on things there pretty well, in the  kitchen; other rooms were not so great.  Our third baby, came and went in that trailer.  I cleaned to keep my sanity there I think.

 

I had great routines in place when we moved to Ontario; I kept them up as best I could while we lived with Jason’s parents (a few weeks).  From there we moved to a place a little bigger than our first basement suite.  It was a one room place.  I didn’t have a choice but to keep things tidy.  There was no room for anything; we had no furniture and most of  our stuff was in storage.  From there we moved to a duplex; I kept the main floor of that house in pretty good shape.  The kitchen was the middle of the home.  Marrissa was born while we lived there.

 

We moved from there back to Alberta and moved into a trailer.  We arrived with what would fit in the back of a pick up truck.  We didn’t collect a lot of things.  I had a system and I kept that system.  The kitchen was in the middle of the home and I got things going there very well.

 

Then we moved here.  It’s a shell basically.  The kitchen is in the basement.  The kitchen is almost always a mess.  The laundry is never caught up.  Every time I think I got something figured out, we do another reno and I have to find a new home for stuff.

 

To make the kitchen bearable for me, we installed my under the counter cd player.  The kids wrecked it.  We fixed the floor.  I still like that.  The curtains need to be washed.  I need to organize things better in there.  It’s so overwhelming.  I’m not using space to it’s best advantage and I HATE being in there.  I hate cooking there.

 

I assigned dish duty to Kristyn.  I think she hates being in there as much as I do.  The dishes are still never done, but we are doing better than we have in the past.  I spent an hour in there this morning and made a big dent in it again.  But there is so much still to do.

 

And my time spent in my kitchen is limited too.  Let me explain.  I’m downstairs while the children are UPstairs!  I try to get as much done while the baby is napping.  Most moms do I think.  Well, while I’m downstairs, those who are upstairs end up fighting, or playing loudly.  I can’t be running up and down the stairs to deal with issue after issue after issue.  I can’t keep them all busy in the kitchen with me!  I’m constantly tripping on them then.  I spent most of baby’s nap being the police.  And so the next time I choose to stay with the kids so that baby can sleep.  But then forget to go to the kitchen after he wakes up happy.

 

Even when I cook a meal do I rarely stay down there.  I try to do freezer cooking for supper.  And lunch is cold foods, so we just do that at the table and the counter we have upstairs.

 

I know I’m going to be in this kitchen for a while yet. 

 

Watch, just when I get it where I want it, we’ll do the reno upstairs.

 

It’s just a bad situation and I don’t know how to make it better.

 

So frustrated.

 

Ok, I think I’m done.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Some pictures–Please enjoy!

 

Doc loves to be outside with the children; I think on this day they were sledding down the hill, until they broke disc they were sliding on.

 

The three oldest girls participated in a Clay for Kids activity; I didn’t get a picture of Marrissa’s, not sure why.  The girls had so much fun with all the other homeschoolers that participated that day.  The first day we made the creations, then about 4 weeks later we met again to paint them and have lunch together.  I had such a great time visiting with some of the other moms.

 

 

These are my men.  Aren’t they adorable?!?!  I had fun taking the pictures.  It’s not very often that the three of them sit together like this.  Matty wasn’t into sitting still for the picture as you can see.  The other two just wanted to make faces at me.  I can’t wait to get the three of them in their fire dept. shirts and get picture; it will be so sweet.

 

 

On the weekend of April 9th and 10th, Jason and I worked together and created this space for me and the kids in the room across from the dining room.  The “brown shelf” is now my homeschool shelf (prior to this is held my coffee, toaster, etc.).  The lighter shelf next to it is a combination of things.  It is here that I have my control journal, the Green Works to spray the table. Behind the glass doors is the snack cupboard.  The door is the cereal cupboard.  The bottom two shelves will hold things that are too big to put anywhere else – things like cases of pop, juice, paper towel, disposable plates and cups. 

Now the other shelf (second picture) is made of two corner cabinets, like what would be in a kitchen; Jason put them together and put a nice piece of plywood on top.  I love it because it’s fresh and new and clean and more kitchen like; I can pretend my kitchen is coming sooner.  lol.  The coffeepot and toaster are perfect on top, better than on that other shelf.  This will be easier to clean and easier to operate.

 

 

On April 11th, Grandma Irene came for a visit.  She always gets our butts in gear.  On this day, she directed traffic and folded laundry.  We got the main living room and dining room in great shape and swept up the floor.  I just need to get the children to put away their clothes.

After a short visit, she asked if the oldest three could come for a visit at her house.  She brought them home in time for choir class.  Irene is getting older and often has pain in her legs.  I want to make the most of each day that she is able to spend with us and our community.  I am making a point of saying yes, when she phones for a visit (whether at my home or hers); I am making  a point of letting the children visit with her.  And I took an opportunity today to snag a picture or two; my children will love these pictures.  The third one, Irene wanted to get.

I don’t think I’m old enough to be mom to that large group of children, but here I am, mom to 6!

 

I hope you enjoyed my little “slideshow”; I know a number of my readers have been asking for pictures and day to day happenings.

 

I aim to please.

 

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Day Six

 

My house is in chaos again.  The renovations are constantly ongoing.  But at least there is progress again.  The chaos won’t last forever. . . . I hope.

 

 

 

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Renovating the Stage Area

Jason always seems to start a renovation project after the children are in bed.  He started this project on a Saturday night around 10PM.  He mostly just cleared the TV centre and such off the step and got the prep-work done.  Sunday during the day he worked at the job.

 

Tearing off the step boards.  We used (we, meaning Jason) a sawzall to cut the nails rather than try to pull them up without wrecking the boards.  The only mishap was the cords to a receptacle that got cut. 

 

As Jason cut the nails, I picked up the boards and stacked them here.

 

Rayna in her “bang bang” shoes. If the children want to help with construction, they need to have footwear on.  And Jason is taking a round out of Doc Holiday who was very curious about things going on!

 

 

 

And here is where we left it for the week (or so).  Jason will hopefully get back to it before the weekend, but he’ll get to it soon!

 

Finishing up for the week. VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

More pictures to come when it’s finished.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

Metal Roofing is a viable option.

The following are some facts about metal roofing that might affect your decision for or against this option:

• Metal roofs are 100% recyclable and have recycled content ranging from 25% to 95%.
• Metal roofing is listed as ‘green’ and recycled content products.
• Metal roofing is one of the lightest roofing materials available which places fewer demands on a building’s structural support system, especially important in earthquake-prone areas.
• Metal roofing typically surpasses most other roofing materials when tested to withstand wind, hail and fire.
• Metal roofing is comparable to high quality cedar shakes in cost.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

A New Deck

My house is an old church.  The addition on the front was added in the late 1950s.  The deck was added then too.  Here’s a before (well, kinda before) picture.  The steps were so bed that they were hazardous.  Grandma Irene hated to climb the stairs to our front doors.  She is getting on in years and stairs are getting tough for her.

 

Old deck with stairs removed

 

My parents came to visit for a week after baby Matthias was born.  Dad needed a project.  So we decided that the deck really did need to be done this summer.  Being that summer is almost over, we got right on it.  What they thought would take no more than  couple days ended up taking all week.  But the final product is incredible, in my opinion.

New deck and stairs with railings!

My dad wrote on his facebook status the following that I thought was really interesting and thought provoking:

Had fun tearing the old deck off yesterday. The 12x12 timbers were very interesting, they were kind of like some people, looking pretty good on the outside but rotten to the core on the inside. As we proceeded the timbers were also like us, put under a bit of pressure they fell apart, and only God could of put them back together again.

I am waiting for a nice sunny fall day to spend on the deck and soak up what’s left of the sunshine before winter hits for real.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,