D.I.Y.

I've been doing a lot of cupboard painting these days.  At least, it feels like a lot.  In reality we've got so much more to do!  Giving your cupboards a fresh look with a coat of paint sounded like so much fun in the beginning, but it is actually a lot more work than I realized ;)  I guess it's still fun.  It's just taking some time.

When we bought our house a few months ago, the only things that stuck out as something we wanted to change right away were somewhat ugly counter tops in the kitchen, and dated looking cupboards.  Seeing as we don't have $10,000 laying around to splurge on new cupboards, we decided to paint them all ourselves.  And again, it really is a fun thing to do, because it feels good putting so much work in to something that in the end you feel proud of and can enjoy every day.  That being said, it's lots of sanding, priming, painting, repeat to where I feel like it's all I do on my days off.  And, since I'm the one who is home during the day time (I work weekends and odd hours), I'm the one doing most all the work.  Things are looking good though!  One step at a time, and we'll have it looking exactly as we want it. 

The first project was turning our linen cabinet from brown to white:

All the cabinets in our house were that brown wood in the first photo, and we are slowly changing that!  The linen cabinet was kind of like our trial and error project, since it was the first one and we had never done anything like this before.  Next is the hallway bathroom, which I am currently smack dab in the middle of:

 Before:

So, in the end, the main bathroom and kitchen will have white cupboards, while we are painting our master bath's black to match our bedroom furniture.  We also plan to install new kitchen counter tops (Dark gray or black), and add a tile back-splash to the wall.  So obviously there will be more pictures later :)

Yep, this is what has been keeping me busy during the days when I am home and Drew is at work.  Oh, and the pink walls in that bedroom you see there?  Drew thinks I should paint those next, but I am actually quite partial to the pink.  I mean, come on, what if we end up having a girl...then half the work is done for us.  If not, Cozy loves it too :)

welcome 2013!

Well, I must say, 2012 went out with a bang.  I spent a lovely birthday turning TWENTY-SIX with the love of my life in Seattle.  Sometime I can't believe how old we are all getting.  Wasn't I just 16?  Was that really ten years ago?  And the sad part is, our parents say time will only go faster every year that goes by.  Oh well, I have a feeling 2013 is going to be a wonderful year.  Living each day like it's a gift and soaking up time spent with those you love.  Gotta remember to do that!  Especially as a nurse in an ER, I am reminded of that a lot....anyway enough of the sad stuff.

Birthday was a ton of fun getting to go have adventures with Drew, who was kind enough to take my birthday off from work to spoil me :)  Here's a birthday photo:

And then of course, I did get sick, because what would the holidays be without Marta getting hit with some respiratory illness.  My mom wonders how many Christmases and Thanksgivings we both missed out on, sitting at home fighting a cold.  I was feeling better by Christmas though, and made it out to Anderson Island to see the fam.  I love that place.  I think of it with such warm, fond memories, growing up in the woods surrounded by loads of family, and that small tight knit community feel.  Then, I go back to visit and am so glad I'm just visiting :)  I know I'll never live there again, it's not that it's too secluded or boring (although I felt that way in high school), it's just that I've moved on.  Good 'ol AI will always have a piece of my heart, we are just going separate ways.  Sounds like a break up, I know!  It's SO fun bringing the dogs out though, and letting them romp around without leashes.  They think there's nothing better in the world!

Christmas Day brought work for me, which is alright, you're bound to work holidays if you work in a hospital.  Afterwards, however, the hubby and myself had about a week off together which was fantastic.  Working for a university, he gets amazing vacation time, and, being a nurse, I get long stretches off too :)  We are actually at the end of that stretch off, Drew had his first day back at work today, and I have to go back tomorrow.  It's always so sad, I'm never ready to go back to work after having several days off.  Mostly because I get used to seeing Drew every day!  I don't see him when I work because our schedules are opposite, I work nights.  It can be rough sometimes, but we've made it so far! 
Ugly sweater party at Garret and Steph's place:  (3rd annual!)

 We spent time up at a friend's cabin in the snow, and then had a New Years party at our place.  The party was a success, it was our first real party at our new house not counting our house warming party.  The hot tub was a lot of fun, I'm so glad our house came with a hot tub!  I dunno if I'll ever have a bath again...whenever I feel like a relaxing soak now, why not just get in the hot tub? 

 Taking down all the Christmas lights/decorations was pretty bittersweet.  Bitter because I'll miss those twinkly fellas on our gutters, sweet oh so sweet because that darn tree was starting to shed more than the dogs.  Pine needles EVERYWHERE.  Good riddance you dry brittle thing.  And welcome, 2013.  I'm excited for you...