Kitchens!

I love kitchens! I spend a lot of time in my kitchen cooking for my little family. It is definitely the heart of our home.

 

I am always looking for new ideas of how to decorate my kitchen. Our home is a year old and all builder's grade at the moment. It needs some character for sure.

 

I was browsing the kitchen gallery at www.HGTV.com for a little inspiration. Here are some of my favorites.

 

 

I love the light cabinets, rustic pendant lights and those chairs are beautiful!

 

The mix of light and dark cabinets in this kitchen really caught my eye and those chairs look really comfy.

 

I LOVE everything about this room! There are so many textures. The wood on the ceiling is beautiful. The whole room is so bright and open but it still feels so cozy.

 

The pop of color that the read island adds is really pretty.

 

That brick wall is to die for! I also love the pendants.

 

Oh the things I could cook up in this kitchen! I'm not usually a big fan of all stainless steel but I think I could live with this ;)

 

I think the thing that makes a room feel really cozy is a mixture of textures. I love the look and feeling of rooms that combine wood and stone with softer fabric finishes and light colors. It's my happy place.

 

Ok now I am motivated to get some stuff done around my own house.

 

Happy decorating!!

 

Nicole



Happy New Years!

It was a quiet New Year's Eve for my family. The boys and I got back from visiting my mommy for a few days around 6 last night. I unloaded everything got everybody situated and we were in bed around 9:30. We're exciting like that.

 

I've never really been one for resolutions. I feel like it is just setting yourself up to fail. Too much pressure. I like to set goals and have a certain frame of mind.

 

This year my goal is to stop excepting less than I deserve from others and from myself.

 

I think the from myself part is going to be the hardest.

 

I have high hopes for 2014. I am going to make some big changes in my personal and professional life. Hopefully I'll get myself back on track.

 

Look out 2014 I'm coming in swinging!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Nicole

 



Christmas Eve

Most days my boys are awake before me. I usually wake up to my 2 year old yelling at me from behind his baby gate. I usually groan a bit, then get up and let him out. My boys have always been early risers. By early I mean there was a time when I was lucky if they slept until 6. As they are getting older they are starting to sleep later but my internal alarm clock is still set for 6.

 

This morning I started tossing and turning around 5 a.m. I have always been more of a morning person. I like the quiet. I like watching the sky come to life as the sun rises. I love the warm feeling that travels thru my body with my first sip of coffee. Mornings make me happy.

 

Today is a special morning. It's Christmas Eve!! I am ready for the big day. The hubs and I will probably be up super late putting toys together. My mommy will be here late tonight with the last piece to Cooper's big present and to surprise the boys. The especially love their grandma.

 

I might be just as excited as the boys for Christmas. It is going to be magical. I can't wait to see their little faces light up when they see the indoor trampoline that Santa is bringing them!

 

Nixon just woke up so I will end my rambling by saying Merry Christmas! It really is the most magical day of the year!

 

Nicole

Thankful

Today I am thankful for microfiber couches, my steam cleaner's upholstery attachment, hot running, my washer and dryer, modern medicine and being a stay-at-home mom.

 

For any of you mom's who are reading this you have probably figured out that I have a child with a stomach bug. Its an ugly one too. The kind that has stuff coming out both ends. Poor kid.

 

I can't imagine having to leave my poor sick kid with anyone while I go to work. It would rip my heart out. I am so grateful that I can stay home with my babies. 

 

Also on the agenda today is finishing 100 cake pops and 100 sugar cookies for a friend. I also have a kitchen that needs to be put together for a certain 2 year old. It will be a busy day.

 

Well I am now sufficiently caffeinated (for now) I better get started.

 

Two days until Christmas! Yay!!!

 

Nicole 

 



My Baby

I was looking thru some pictures on my computer and came across some of my baby boy from the summer before last. We had given him an ice cream cone, set him on the patio and let him have at it. He was so squishy and cute. I forgot he was such a little chunk! I love these pictures. They almost make me want another baby... Almost.

 

 

 

That cute little Mohawk.

 

MMMMMMMM!

 

 

It takes a lot of concentration to eat an ice cream come.

 



 

Oh how I miss my squishy little baby!

 

This is my little stud muffin a couple days ago. He is a little less squishy now but loves life (and ice cream cones) just as much!

 

Nicole

This Time Of Year

I love Christmas time. I love the smells, I love how generous people are. I love it even more now that I have two little boys. I am so excited to see their happy little faces on Christmas morning! It has taken every ounce of self control I have not to give them their presents already! 

 

I had grand plans of doing Christmas crafts with my boys everyday of December. I am just not that mom.

 

As we are approaching another New Year I think about what I want to accomplish in the coming year. I have never been a crafty person but I love decorating. We bought a brand new house in December of 2012. In the last year I haven't had much of a chance to start decorating my new home. I look around every day and think about how I want to decorate each room. I have, of course, changed my mind over and over again.

 

In the coming year I am going to get my decorate on! I am so excited! In the next couple weeks I am going to begin posting pictures of each room along with my plans for that room. I'm sure that my ideas will change along the way but that is part of the fun!

 

I would love to eventually help other's decorate their own homes. My own home will be my practice!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

 

Nicole

The Monday After

Happy Monday!!

 

The day after a holiday always feels anticlimactic to me. It is the day we all get back to normal life. Chores, work, appointments, LAUNDRY.... It is just a lot of catching up.

 

Mother's Day for me was pretty quiet. The hubby had to work and I am far away from my family so it was pretty much a normal day. I did take some time to lay on the couch and do nothing. That was nice. My amazingly sweet neighbors brought me over a gift bag with body scrub and lotion (I always forget how much I love anything almond scented), some chocolates, my favorite chap stick and a new lather builder (did you know your supposed to replace those things every 30 days?). It was such a sweet thing to do and really made my day.

 

My 4 year old Cooper has rediscovered his love for his dirt bike. Over the past week he has ridden it at least twice a day. He has gotten a little more comfortable and brave with every ride. Last night right after hubby got home we were standing in the driveway watching him and a girl from across the street ride when Cooper clipped her quad with the training wheel of his bike. He and the bike both went flying. The bike landed on top of him. I don't think I have ever run that fast in my life!

 

When we reached him he was screaming of course. I pulled the bike off. We made him lay still and slowly went over his body making sure there weren't any major injuries. We took off his helmet after about 5 minutes (hubby has crashed his dirt bike I cant tell you how many times so this was not our first rodeo). He turned out to be fine and walked away from it. Thank you God!

 

I am so incredibly thankful for a few things in this situation;

 

1. Since Cooper started riding his dirt bike and even before that we have ALWAYS made him wear the correct gear. He has riding boots, a good helmet, riding pants and gloves. He wears all of this every time he rides. No exceptions. If he hadn't been wearing all of this gear things could have ended quite differently.

 

2. I am so glad Hubby was here when it happened. Cooper rides a lot when he isn't here. I am just so glad he was here when Cooper crashed. The first thing I wanted to do was pull Cooper's helmet off. Hubby knew not to move his neck just in case. Now I know.

 

3. Our neighbors were there almost as fast as we were. We recently moved onto a nice little cul-de-sac. We are learning a little more everyday that we have awesome neighbors. We really hit the Jack Pot!

 

Cooper woke up today feeling fine other than his right wrist being a little sore. This year my favorite Mother's Day present was not taking my 4 year old to the ER.

 

Hope you have a fantastic Monday After!!

 

Simply Sweet