Cupcakes....finally!

I finally made some more cupcakes. Nothing fancy, just sportin the blue for the team! I am not a fan of football, but we are heading to a Superbowl Party! Can't wait to chat with the girls and eat some awesome party food!
These are Madagascar Vanilla Cupcakes (Colts style!)

Snow!

We have snow again! I love when we get a good amount of snow. Don't get me wrong, I am ready for Spring, but I do love a good snow. We probably got around 7 inches yesterday! And, since the wind blew it around, we have several spots over 2 feet! Very cool. I shoveled the driveway yesterday and today. I am hoping to get the kids out one more time to play!

Decisions Decisions

Well, the cabinet is about done, but we need to buy invisible hinges. I don't think I like them showing! I thought I would like the look of the bronze hinges. Oh well. Here is the cabinet now! I hid the hinges! LOL Totally didn't even mean too. Just noticed it when I put the picture up! That is too funny!

Now, I need to get Jeff to finish the side!

I have so many decisions to make. Here are just a few that have been sitting around our house.

I just got this phone for the kitchen. I think it holds up my paint samples quite nicely! I am thinking of painting the kitchen yellow! I think Jeff thinks I have gone crazy!

Jaden had a little fun today with his Combos and kept making Combo Castles!

Right now, we are doing school and Jaden is studying his spelling words. Here are some things we are working on right now:

Math: adding double digits, time, and drills

Spelling: Consonant Blends with short vowel sounds

Phonics: dipthongs

History: God's promise to Abraham

We are still working on our "r's". I hope he gets this soon. He is working very hard on it.

Tonight we have a birthday party to go to at Chuck e Cheese. I will be slathering the kids with sanitizer!

New Cabinets, well, sort of.....

I started painting our bathroom vanity. We are thinking of painting the kitchen cabinets, and I wanted to test on the bathroom cabinets first. They are just the plain builder cabinets.

I decided I should do the cabinets BEFORE we do the countertop. So, it is beginning.

Here is a before picture of the bathroom vanity (the only one I could find, see the corner! LOL):

Here are the doors during painting:

I was very nervous at this point!

I will try to get the finished cabinet up this week! I finished glazing them today and will get the new hardware on tonight. I can't wait to see the finished project. I still have to get the beadboard to put up on the side. Jeff will help me with that!

Dining Room and Healthy Pancakes!

After painting the front room, I knew I needed to paint the dining room the same color, since they flow together. So, it is now finished. Well, the painting that is. I have so many more plans for this room. I will have to post about all of those!

Some of my favorite things in the room that will not be moving!

And my most favorite! LOL

I hope to paint the table and hutch black or white. I have not figured out which color yet! Any ideas? I seriously think this room will turn into an office in the future. The dining room will then move into the front room (the room from the last post). I will also be painting a harlequin design on one wall in here. I just wish I could have someone come and do it all for me. But, then I wouldn't have the feeling of accomplishment that comes afterward!

Jeff is working tonight, so I have chili simmering on the stove. Jeff doesn't like chili, but I am hoping the kids will! With Cassidy having a cold, I though it might be good for her! I am also going to add a few extra peppers!

I feel like this is going to be a good year for us. I learned so much last year that I am getting to apply to this year. We are healthier than ever! I hope to get even healthier. We are trying to eat more whole foods and staying away from most junk. Of course, having kids and a husband keeps the word "most" in there. Ok, and I will admit, I love me some junk food now and then! I hope to put up some of my favorite recipes up here over the next few days! Everyone loves healthy recipes this time of year!

Here is one to get you started!

I use this recipe every time I make pancakes!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 egg
1 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. melted shortening or vegetable oil ( I use applesauce)
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat egg until fluffy; beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth (for thinner pancakes add 1/4 cup more milk). Grease heated griddle.
Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter from spoon or pitcher on griddle or pan. Cook until pancakes are puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook on other side until golden brown. Makes about 9 4-inch thick pancakes.

I know, wrong room

So, all of this talk about the kitchen, and I started on a different room. Our entry way has been so blah since we moved in. I have wanted to paint it green since we moved in, but wasn't sure how the colors would flow! Well, I finally did it! I went to Lowe's and picked out a color!!!!! I started painting it on Saturday. I finished last night. I am going to do the dining room today! It looks amazing. I can't wait until we get our new flooring in now! Also, we are going to work on the stairway railing. But, so far, it looks great. I couldn't be happier!

Before:

(I can't believe I waited so long!)

After:

Ktichen Before!

I really don't know why I am feeling so tired. It might be my diet. I haven't been eating very well the last few days. And, by saying that, I mean no veggies at all! I really need to go to the store tomorrow and pick up some whole, fresh foods! I have been running though! Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles and didn't feel very tired afterward! That is such a good sign. I hope to be running 4 miles next week!

The kids have been busy playing the Wii. But, yesterday, Jaden got a little to rough with it and it was taken away. So, he will have to find other things to do today! We will have school time and a craft time today! That should keep him busy for awhile. Yesterday, I painted the trim on our half wall white. I will have to post pics soon of all of the changes that are happening. I guess I can post some before pictures!

Here is a picture of the kitchen the way it is now:

Here is the plan:

New countertop

New sink and faucet

Paint and trim cabinets

New hardware

New flooring

New appliances

New lighting

The appliances will be the last thing to happen! I can't wait for the transformation!