It's Spring because I said so....

At supper tonight Andy informs me that we are about to get a big storm...upto 20cm of snow and high winds. I just felt resentful, wanting spring to burst forth because all of us are so sick of winter. We have a serious case of the winter blues!

So, what do I do to cope with this news....I take it upon myself to go clean my two huge picture windows from the outside. I drag my kitchen chair outside, grab my bounty and windex, balance my chair on my frozen flower beds and climb up and get to work!

I realized how silly I looked, but I wanted to wash away the grime from the winter, the dirty snow balls that the kids throw at my two windows...depending on which room I'm in...they never tire of scaring me!

So, I have to say that I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that in spite of ole mother winter...this mamma was moving forward ignoring completely the impending storm!

Easter Musings...

Well, today is Good Friday and it really has been! Last night, Shane & Alli text messaged me that they had booked their tickets to Canada and would arrive in Halifax on April 16th! I'm still smiling as I write this because I'm still a bit in shock and feel like the air is filled with so much promise.

They still have so many more decisions ahead of them...but I admire the guts it takes to make big life changing decisions with no safety nets below them other than their deep faith that guides their path. I have good vibes that New Brunswick will be kind to them and pivotol in shaping their future goals.

Oh, and I noticed from my kitchen window today that my garlic is sprouting...I am so excited! I imagine myself braiding my garlic in the fall and cooking with my own fresh garlic...yumm! So many promises...



I also started prepping our front window today so that I can paint it and get one more thing ticked off my to do list. I felt I had to wait for the cold snap to break because it has been so bitterly cold. I worried that the paint along the glass wouldn't cure properly.

I am working on my easter eggs for the kids. I will fill them with candy and hide them outside in the garden...no matter what the weather! If it snows...which it might...the kids can have fun searching in the snow...or enjoy easter eggs for the next week or so as they reappear amidst the melting snow.

Andy will be at work on Easter which is new for me. It feels strange not having him here...even though he never actually does any of the easter kid stuff, except to steal some of their chocolate, it will feel odd not having him here. Plus, he is the one who would normally cook our big breakfast and help me with the dinner...

I also don't feel up to hosting a big huge family dinner so I am going to make a very small turkey breast and some mashed potatoes for me and the kids. Andy got us the new Charlotte's Web movie and we will watch that after dinner.

Oh, and as I sit here I realized the other job I hope to tackle soon is my glass cupboard in the diningroom. It needs painted and all the bits and pieces of old china, pottery, glasses, etc., needs organized and displayed properly. This will be fun because I am painting it a pretty colour to make it pop.


As you can see, I haven't touched it since we moved in just over a year ago. It is organized chaos and that's about it! I have lots of old vintage china and glassware, a pretty good sized pottery collection that for the most part comes from yard sales over the last 20 years! Why pay retail if you don't have too!

Beautiful Kitchens....

One area that I look forward to renovating is my kitchen. As it stands, I am actually very happy with my kitchen as the cupboards are really nice and well made. However, as much as I am enjoying my time with natural wood cupboards, I will be ready to go back to cupboards that are painted a nice light, airy colour.

We plan to replace our old tile backsplash with something new and fun. I love the new glass tiles on the market and I would love to use them....but in reality, I will probably try to choose a tile that will stand the test of time and trends, but the other side of me wants to do something wild and fun in my kitchen because I don't plan to move anytime soon!

When I want inspiration, I tend to look at old houses and see what looks good today as much as it did back then. Then try to update it with a fresh approach, with my own take on it.
I don't know what colour we will paint our cabinets or what tile we will pick but we will have fun planning it as it will be a big job...probably the biggest one in this house before we move outside to tackle the exterior.

The pictures here are of my sister's kitchen which is amazingly beautiful and really showcases her talent! Her husband Paul made all the cabinets himself. He has built Linda many pieces of beautiful furniture that I can only dream of...though I have to mention that he has built me some beautiful pieces too... He also built her kitchen island which she had in her last two houses. She loves it so much that it is never included in her house sales....smart girl! The island is reminiscent of ones found in old shops with the lovely aged wooden top.

I can't recall if Linda painted the cupboards herself or if she hired this job out. Another time, I will show the cupboards that my dad built and they painted theirs as well. There isn't a paint stroke to be found as they are both beautifully done.

Her tile is a subway tile with a glass tile border to break it up and add some sparkle! She has open shelving and her lighting is the old fashioned school lights which look so vintage and fun!

These pictures do not do justice to the feeling you get sitting in her kitchen. Even on the dullest day, you would feel like it is a nice sunny, happy day!