Where I've Been

I'd say I have no idea where the time has gone since the last post a whole month (and then some) ago, but that would be a fib. I know where the time's gone -- thinking about and living around the constant fact that we were re-doing the kitchen. The kitchen, the kitchen, the kitchen.

I love the kitchen, am in awe of the kitchen and, when I stop to think about it, can't quite believe that I get to co-exist with the gorgeous Ikea kitchen that we (read: awesome hubby) pulled off. Still. I want to stop talking about the kitchen for a while. I'm sure my patient friends & family are ready to stop listening to kitchen-update speak, too. For the long version and some before & after shots of how it all went down, I'll direct you again to my blog over at the very helpful IkeaFans site...."New Kitchen In the 'Burbs." (Update: sorry, that link no longer works, and my page over there is now defunct.)

Up above is a close-up shot of the open stainless shelving in the kitchen. Featuring, on the bottom shelf: Frankoma salt & pepper shakers, a Fiesta plate, an old bottle from a dairy in my hometown of Whittier, CA., and my cooking bible, The Joy of Cooking, and cute drinking glasses from..where else? Second shelf has a Bauer-like vintage pottery bowl in front of a Thomas Paul melamine tray, and a cute vintage bowl that looks very Catherine Holms-esque, but is really just plastic. Oh, and also a shot of "The Taste of Home" cookbook, that everyone here in town seems to own. I joked to someone a while ago that when you buy a house here, the realtor is required to give you your own copy. I know I'll be changing and fiddling with that display on a monthly basis for the rest of my time in this house. Even now, I get little shivers anticipating the fun I'll have with it at Christmas. It's a sickness, I know.

So anyway --- yes, mad nesting has been going on over here for the past month and change.

In the meantime, these 2 have been enjoying the summer, now that Lily is out of school and they're both over the nasty fevers of 2 weeks ago. During that first depressing week of vacation,I wasn't sure if it was June or January -- we were locked indoors, in pj's for most of the day, with near-constant TV and regularly scheduled doses of antibiotics, ibuprofen, and juice. Thank goodness that's over, and we can eliminate the doses of meds and now just focus on hanging out in our pj's and watching TV all day while feeling totally fine.

Kidding.
I look forward to hanging out here a little more often. I've re-feathered the blog nest too, didja notice? I've got a new banner photo & color scheme. Once again, all thanks to Awesome Hubby, aka the "Tek Nynja." (I said he was awesome -- which is so NOT a synonym for "cool" around these parts.)