like....want.....need

{LIKE}

I really like painted kitchen cabinets......

I am so ready to give my dated (23 years to be exact!) cabinets a fresh look! This is on the top of our to-do list!!!!

maybe some new granite countertops too?

I love the white cabinets with a contrasting paint color on the island. (love the gray!)

my first countertop choice would be soapstone!

I am definitely doing this whenever we paint....love the crown moulding!!

{WANT}

I really want......

DIY Reclaimed Wood Shelves

Check out the link for the how-to. I am so going to do this project!!! I want to move my microwave from the black cabinet to over the stove. The shelves will look perfect over the cabinet.

 

{NEED}

I need to re-do my kitchen table. I want to get rid of the trestle part of the table and replace it with the pretty {old} legs I got from the b & b last year. I need to re-do the top {maybe give it a reclaimed wood look too!}. I need new chairs too.....I have mix-matched Windsor style chairs that I've had forever. Definitely time for a new look. Here are some of my likes....

 This is the finished look I have in mind......

*all pictures are from Pinterest (except for the one of my kitchen)

clear, tinted, or mercury glass?

I'm looking for a pretty table lamp for the living room and I've had my eye on a few glass choices. I love this one with the burlap shade from Pottery Barn.....

but I am so cheap, I refuse to pay $170 for one lamp.

I also love this one from Shades of Light....

but this one is even further over my budget @$289!

I love the tinted glass, but also really like the clear glass base......and I love this DIY version.

link

Ballard Designs has this one for $119......

cheap cheap IKEA clear glass base 16" @ $17.00

(Sadly, I don't have a store nearby, and I'm sure the shipping is ridiculous!).

Then, there is mercury glass...<3 <3

DIY link

Looking Glass Spray Paint....but could I do a neat job?

Grandin Road - $99

DIY mercury glass lamps

Pottery Barn - $179

So, now to decide.....decisions......decisions......

The Simple Woman's Day Book: April

April 2014

Outside my window: sunny, breezy, chilly, spring day
-The sunsets this week have been amazing....the colors of the sky have been brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red....

from my kitchen window

I am thinking: about all things wedding!!! Countdown: 23 days!!

I am thankful for: my job!! As much as I love to be able to stay home all winter, I am anxious to get back to work. This is my 12th season and I am just as excited this.year as I was the first.  Today was day 4 of the "spring cleaning" part. First guests scheduled for next Friday, May 2 {{{PROM}}}.

In the kitchen: clam chowder for dinner tonight.
-I had to make a sweet bread for the Sunrise Breakfast on Easter Sunday, so I went back to a Pinterest recipe I tried awhile back.....

3-Ingredient banana bread 
{w/ chocolate chips and walnuts}

Just mix together 1 box yellow cake mix (dry), 3 or4 ripe bananas, & 2 eggs. Fold.in chocolate chips (I used mini) and chopped walnuts. Delish!

Makes 1 regular loaf, 1 small loaf, and 6 muffins.

I am wearing: my jammies......

I am creating: lists.....wedding lists, cleaning lists, b&b lists, to-do lists for home/work, grocery lists,....

I am looking forward to: MAY.....the b&b opening on 5/01, Prom on 5/02,  going to MD for the shower 5/03-04, Mother's Day 5/11, WEDDING 5/17, Memorial Weekend 5/24-26.

Around the house:
I love my "new" coffee table!

A favorite quote of the day:

so not a morning person!

One of my favorite things:

Football!!!

The 2014 NFL Schedule was released yesterday......guess who's going to Charlotte in October????

Bears vs. Panthers - Sunday, October 5th @ Bank of America Stadium!!! Can't wait to go back!

#tbt Bears/ Panthers game 2010 

.....so anxious for football to start again!

Countdown to October 5 (football game // b&b season ends) = 164 days!

book club: week #1

Book Club Day
week #1.....
Chapters 1-4

I love this book and read way more than the 4 chapter assignment this week. Melanie is so funny and had me laughing out loud!

Questions

1. In Chapter 1, Melanie mentions that she always envisioned a Christmas wedding but ended up getting married in August. How did your own wedding differ from what you thought it might be?
-We had a small wedding, which is pretty much the kind of wedding I always thought I'd have. The part I regret, is not being married in the church I grew up in (and still go to). I never envisioned getting married anywhere but my hometown. (there was no way to keep our wedding small in our hometown where we know everybody..)
I never really envied big weddings, but I have loved all the planning Lindsey and Logan have done for theirs, and I'm so excited for their big day!

2. Have you seen ways in your own life that marriage tends to amplify what insecurities you may have? Have you looked for your husband or job or anything to complete you in some way?
-I grew up with a Dad who was "always there" and who did lots of fun things with my sister and I, like taking us out in the boat and to the beach on Sundays after church (when he really didn't love going to the beach), or making us homemade kites and flying them with us. I had a good childhood and my parents were a great example of how a marriage was supposed to be and what a husband and Dad should be. After I got married, I tended to compare Peter to my Dad, but soon realized that wasn't being fair to Peter. We were not my parents, and we needed to build our relationship based on who we were, perfect or not.

- The other thing that came to mind was how Mom always told me to make sure to take time for myself and find friends and outlets just for me. A husband, family, and job are very important in our lives, but it is also important to take care of ourselves too. This has been hard for me (as it always was for her). Our nature is to always do for others, but we can actually do an even better job, when we take care of ourselves too.

3. Do you remember the first time you met your spouse?  What stands out in your mind?
- We grew up in the same small town, but we didn't discover each other until we were in high school. We went steady for four years, got engaged my senior year, got married a week after graduation.....and here we are...31 years later!

beautiful blooms

I am so excited about finally having spring flowers again.....sorry for the picture overload, but they are soooooo pretty!!! :0)