Easter At Our House....

I hope you all had a BLESSED Easter. Don't forget the reason that we celebrate!

I thought that I would share our Easter tables from yesterday. 

It was such a lovely time! 

Here's the Menu

3 Herb Skillet Chicken (with wine sauce)

  Roasted Asparagus  (with Hollandaise sauce)

Au Gratin Potatoes  (provided by MIL, thank you very much)

Fresh Berries  (provided by daughter, thank you very much)

Rolls  (also provided by daughter, thank you very much)

Home made Cherry Pie and Pecan Pie (provided my my Mom, thank you very much)

with 

your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Not your typical "Easter Feast" but spring-ee none the less. 

I broke down and bought this gold colored flatware.  I really 

did hem and haw about it, but now I'm glad I did the dirty deed. 

It was an unexpected change in how I usually do my tables. 

And even though it is more modern than I prefer, the gold added a warmth to the table.

I'm glad I gave in to my (dare I say it?)  impulse!  (gulp)

If you see any thing you would like to pick up I will list the 

description and sources here for you. 

Blue water goblets : Walmart  (a million years ago)

Wicker Chargers: World Market years ago, but surprisingly, they still carry them.

Wood Chargers: in a resale shop years ago (World Market has some that are similar now)

Linen Napkins and Tablecloths: Home Goods (years ago) 

Gold Flatware: Target (currently in stock)

We had eight for dinner. This causes a problem for me because 

I don't have a table that seats more than six. 

BOO! 

So rather than putting 6 at one table and 2 at the other, I did 4 and 4. 

I tell myself that this is a more intimate setting and that the conversation 

can go deeper.  (...whatever)  :P

I kept the tables similar so that everyone would feel like they were

at the same party. No jarring differences. 

It worked. I was eaves dropping and I heard some pretty intense conversations 

going on at the table behind me. 

Anyway! The point is that we make do with what we have. 

And it was lovely! 

I have a wonderful family that appreciates the 

effort that a big holiday dinner takes. And I'm so grateful!

Here is the front room... 

I just realized that I rarely photograph the family room (the one behind this one) 

I think that it's because I can never take  decent photograph of it. (bleh) 

.... anyway!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter! 

As my Mother-in-Law always says.. " Remember, Number One!" 

Kitchen Update!

So glad you decided to stop by and check in on me! 

I thought I would provide a little update on the kitchen renovation. 

It is coming along nicely!

For the most part the remodel is done. 

We are (for the most part) moved back in. 

 And (for the most part) everything works just as it should. 

We are technically a little bit ahead of schedule. The 

counters came in quickly so that set us on an abbreviated 

path. Which is OK by me. 

The one thing that is not done is the lighting in the glass 

cabinets. Te originals didn't work and so special ones had to be ordered. 

But they are on their way and it won't be long before that part is finished

and I can move all of my blue and white dishes in. 

I'm still puttering around with the counter tops and taking more and more off. 

Keep what really makes an impact. 

That is starting to be my motto!

More Updates Soon!

Have a good week!

Update and the Ugly Truth!

 

Well! We are so far into this little project that I can no longer

post about anything else!

I just have to give you the update and the ugly truth. 

SO! Here we go!

For years, actually since shortly after moving into our home in

2003, I have wanted to make some major changes to our kitchen. 

We always had plans, but something always came up. This year

is it. It needs to be done and there is just no more putting it off. 

I really do like the floor plan and appliance set up. And the appliances we have 

kept updated as needed. However, the cabinets and counters left a lot to be 

desired. And further, have only gotten worse, no matter how much I "add" 

to the decor. 

I have drooled and dreamed over the same style of kitchen for years!

I you look at my Pinterest pages you will see a lot of this:

(pinterest)

And this...

(pinterest)

Or this...

(pinterest)

And even this...

(pinterest)

So now I'm sure you know the update. 

But here's the ugly truth:

This is what the kitchen looked like after "moving out".

Then at the beginning of this week, less the cabinets.

And currently with the base cabinets in. 

Real purty! huh?

Stay tuned for more!

Full on Nesting....

January seems like a good time to nest

and make your home better.  Do the updates that help it hold it's value.

I mean, the house is clean.

Things are picked up and there are no other big parties

on the horizon....

Well, we are in full nesting mode here.

Yay!  It's so exciting to get things done.

Big things that we have wanted to do for years.

Some needed more than wanted, actually.

Hubby is in charge of the roof. (boooooorinnnnng)

Just kidding! It's one of those big items that has been 

on "the list" for awhile and I'm SO VERY glad we

are going to be able to check that off the list.

The other project... I'm in charge of.  

It's big!

I'm excited!

And I'll be sharing with you... of course!

Stay tuned!

Good Reading?

I sure hope so! 

I thought I would share this year's selection of books for the Girlfriends Lit-n-Latte

book club. 

I'm pretty excited to read some of these selections.  I've heard a lot about The Harbenger,

The Goldfinch... Oh! Who am I kidding? I can't wait to read all of these. 

                                                     2016 Lit-n-Latte Book List

                                            Jan   Mrs. Kennedy and Me   -Clint Hill

                                            Feb  The Princess Bride   -William Goldman

                                            Mar   Miracles from Heaven  -Christy Wilson Beam

                                             Apr    Brooklyn  -Colm Toibin

                                             May  The Whistling Season  -Ivan Doig

                                             Jun    Summer Break

                                             July   The Goldfinch  -Donna Tartt

                                             Aug   The Harbinger  -Jonathan Cahn

                                             Sep   Wuthering Heights   -Emily Bronte

                                             Oct    Sister Eve, Private Eye  -Lynne Hinton

                                             Nov   The Lowland   -Jhumpa Lahiri

                                             Dec   The Hundred Gifts   -Jennifer Scott

Have you read any of them?

What did you think?

I'm currently reading Mrs. Kennedy and Me... Can't put it down! 

LOVE it!

        

Love and Light in A Dark Place

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manager, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

                        Luke 2:1-7 English Standard Version

I was reflecting this morning on the Christmas Story (appropriate, right?)  and I was thinking what a wicked, dark time it must have been in the world the night Jesus was born.  No different than now, maybe even more loveless. Is it possible?  Don't forget only a few short years later King Herod would order all first born baby boys two years old and under to be slaughtered. 

Mary and Joseph, not yet married, probably ostracized from friends and family, fully trusting God and His promise:  Not fully knowing their part, but fully knowing that their God was going to do something big in their life and for humanity. 

What if they hadn't trusted? What if they would have chosen to do the socially acceptable thing? 

The "Politically Correct" thing of that time?

Would Mary have had an abortion? Would Joseph have abandoned her? Would Mary's family have   her stoned to death? 

The answer is simple and obvious:  God still would have fulfilled his promise to us.

He still would have sent His Love and Light to the world on that night. 

Angels and shepherds still would have glorified Him and Magi would still seek him.

Take heart my friends. He is real. 

And then it was Christmas...

My goodness! 

How time is fleeting.

I can not believe that the last time I posted was the middle of 

October. Did I miss Thanksgiving? 

Sigh!

Again, we have had great loss in our family this year. 

As well as loss of friends.

More than ever the traditions are important.

They remind us of our memories.

The things that are worth remembering.

This year decorating was a daunting job for me.

I seriously questioned if it was going to be worth it.

Now that it is all out and in place, I'm glad!

I'm glad that we did it. 

Yes, lots of it is the same year to year.

I change this or that, but for the most part,

its the same.

Toys from my daughter's Christmas's past.

Dishes collected over the years.

Given from beloved Aunts.

When I was young, I never could imagine that Christmas 

could be a sad time. Now I understand. 

But happy traditions help. 

They help us move on to new times and new

memories.

If your Christmas is hard this year, I hope you 

remember an old tradition and find a way to start a new tradition.