show us your life...kitchens

so today on kelly's corner she is continuing the show us your life tour with...kitchens.

here's mine:

when we looked at this house for the first time, i just loved the kitchen. we had been through so many houses that didn't have a pretty kitchen. so when i walked into this one, i was happy!

i used to have a white kitchen and was ready for some darker wood when we moved. but now, i'm a little tired of the wood and would like it white! alas, since nothing in our home is white--that won't be happening.

 our breakfast table.

i will be replacing that rug soon--still trying to find exactly what i want.

this is the view from the laundry room

even though it would look nicer without the blender and toaster oven, we use them both almost every day, so i leave them out!

what's currently on my breakfast table

even though i would like to say that my little area always looks like the picture on the left, the truth is-- more often than not, it looks like the one on the right!

 another view from the other side

this little area is where my husband puts his stuff when he comes home

(and yes--it almost always looks this neat!)

the view of my kitchen sink

i always see such pretty little birds in that tree.

view from the stove

i love my kitchen. i think it feels cozy and homey. of course, there are definitely things i want to change--like getting stainless steel appliances to match the refrigerator. but that won't be happening anytime soon!

thanks for stopping by to see my kitchen!

show us your life...living rooms

linking up over at kelly's corner today as she kicks off her summer home tour with living rooms.

i LOVE looking at houses and especially how people decorate, so i can't wait to browse through everyone's posts.

here's the view of ours when you walk in the front door

entry table

things on here usually vary with the season

view from bedroom hallway

my rug is from target, pillows from pottery barn

another angle

a little table i got from pier 1 maybe? it's old.

i change everything here too depending on the season.

i love these pictures of a beach vacation we took when mckinlee was 4 or 5.

cosmo--who was resting while i took pictures.

the view from the kitchen

on the left is one of my favorite pottery barn purchases--that caged lamp with burlap shade

our fireplace--it's no secret that i want to live at the ocean. so i try to decorate with as many treasures from past vacations as i can!

(i'm thinking our family picture needs to be hung higher, what do you think?)

i love all the built-ins in our house.

those bottom cabinets are FILLED with another obsession of mine--books!

i spray painted that mirror to give my mainly brown room a little color

thanks for stopping by to see my living room!

what i wore wednesday

 good morning! i'm linking up with lindsey at the pleated poppy. just a few casual outfits today.

shorts/shirt: old navy

flips: target

bracelets: downeast basics

jeans: nordstrom

blouse: boutique

sandals: target

bracelet: sam moon

earrings: michele busch

shorts/shirt: old navy

flips: jcrew

jeans: old navy

shirt/necklace: jcp

shoes: target

ring: sam moon

in other news...i (along with my sister) am doing another 1 month no spending challenge. i will not be buying anything clothing, shoe or accessory related. i have a bad habit of going to target to "buy groceries" and coming out with the cutest outfits--doing that every time you stop to buy groceries turns out not to be the best use of time or money. i have got more than i possibly need and do not need anything else (for a month anyway, right?) 

i will keep you posted on my success!

what i wore wednesday

linking up with lindsey at the pleated poppy.

just a few things i've been wearing the last few weeks.

me & chris at our assembly

blouse: old navy

skirt: target

wedges: target

shirt: gap via thrift store

shorts: old navy

shoes: kohls

necklace: inspired by faith 

my favorite thing to wear...exercise clothes.

it's comfy and people think you've been working out, even when you haven't!

whole outfit: kohl's (love their fila workout stuff)

shoes: ascics from jcp

blouse: jcp

jeans: nordstrom

shoes: target

blouse: 201 collective boutique

cardi: old navy

same nordi jeans

shoes: dillards

skirt: jcrew

blouse: kohls

necklaces: spice

shoes: macy's

here's one of mckinlee

shirt: kohls

scarf: shop in baltimore

jeans: justice

shoes: target

jeans: lucky brand via thrift store

blouse: anthropologie

shoes: dsw

skirt: nordstrom

blouse: target

shoes: target

jeans, tee, shoes: target

cardi: jcrew

necklace: michele busch

skirt & cardi: old navy

tank: jcrew

shoes: target

thanks for stopping by!

insta-friday

just a few pictures i've taken recently. linking up for insta-friday.

a book i just finished about maximizing your time.

no, the irony of me wasting time posting about it on my blog is not lost on me!

me & mck

(bad of me--cute of her!)

cute chairs i'm thinking of getting at target--love the turquoise ones!

still working on getting my phone back in order after i lost everything.

drinking coffee out of my favorite cup helps.

some sweet friends gave us a bag full of cute stuff for bento boxes.

(thanks april & monica!)

have a great weekend!

anniversary party

we have been so busy, we just haven't been able to find a free weekend, but we finally got together with both our families to celebrate our anniversary last weekend.

one good thing about dragging out an anniversary is that it feels like we've been celebrating it for months!

we started the weekend off with a delicious mexican dinner at my mom & les'.

sometimes it's hard to get a good picture of all three of us--i loved this one!

just me and the mr. (and his coffee!)

our families not only spoil us rotten, but do the same thing for mckinlee too!
one of her many gifts included this beautiful vera bradley beach towel.

and the perfume she's been wanting.

she got so many other things that she was thrilled with too!

we got some beautiful things too--like the first piece of my milk glass collection.

isn't that lace bowl pretty?

we also got several gift cards that we can't wait to use!

mckinlee made us a sweet card and a "love" sign out of buttons. it's so cute--i can't wait to frame it.

this little cutie was so glad to see her uncle bruno--she kept hugging him and patting his face. it was SO sweet--and he just melted!

we finished with the best cupcakes from a local bakery. the brighter pink one is champagne and it was beyond yummy. my other favorite is the white cake and white icing--love.

the three musketeers

four generations

the guys in some serious discussion!

the next morning before we left for the meeting, sadie had to try on mckinlee's yellow wedges

the girls all dressed up--sadie belle would not let go of that football!

after our meeting we continued the festivities over at chris' mom and dad's.

mckinlee got a kohl's gift card & some pretty earrings.

 

along with some money they had already given us, chris got a coffee mug for work and a starbucks gift card.

dee knows my love of birds and got me 2 darling birds--that big one is a candle and now my kitchen smells like a cinnamon hazelnut latte!

after our lunch we had some tiramisu cake--yum.

i didn't get a bite of this but doesn't it look good too?

we had such a wonderful weekend and are so thankful and grateful for the love and support of our family!

in other news...my blogging and photography have been very sparse. it seems like we have something to do or take care of all the time and have just gotten busier with the opportunity to be in the drama at our district convention in august. we are so excited, but physically tired already! we have our circuit assembly tomorrow and sunday--so i better post this and get busy preparing for that.
have a great weekend!