Checking in...

hello, are you still here?

or have you left me for greener pastures....bloggers who 

post regularly, showing great home projects, remodels, and

special recipes.....?  I don't blame you,

I have been short on posts during this move.

{bear with me, I promise some good stuff is coming}

Well, we are here, in Portland - yippee!

It has been quite a journey to get to this place and I honestly

believe the hardest, most difficult parts are behind us.

Today, my girls spent their first day at their new school.  I am SO

proud of them for their positive attitudes and smiles when I picked them up 

this afternoon ~ even my crabby tween.  Their new school is a BIG

change - a private school, where they wear uniforms, no less.

I celebrated a birthday yesterday and received a new laptop - a MacBook!  

I love my new toy and am proud to say I am posting on it right now!

Our family is currently living in temporary housing - a furnished corporate 

apartment while some remodeling work is being done in our

new cottage. 

What am I up to, you ask?

I am most excited about having the kitchen cabinets and 

great room built-ins painted white!  The picture above

was taken yesterday after painters removed all

the cabinet doors. {sorry for the iPhone photo}

We are also staining the hardwood floors a warm chocolate brown.

In addition, we are tweaking the stairs and railings you see in the picture

above.  The handrails and steps will be stained to match the 

hardwood floors and the spindles will be painted white.

We will also be changing the wall colors throughout the entire house!

I usually feel pretty confident when picking paint colors

but I have struggled with just the right white! Yes, I said 'white'.

I think I finalized the main paint color today.....and I can't wait 

to show you!  It's the perfect white, with a hint of gray and I 

love it!  

In addition, carpet will be replaced, light fixtures will be changed........

all until the budget runs out!  Just kidding....

By most people's standards this home was "move-in ready" when

we purchased it.  However, we are fortunate to be able

to make it perfect for our family - with lots of paint and other

simple cosmetic changes.  

We expect to be moved into our cottage the week after Mother's Day.  I am

actually enjoying apartment living - because after months of organizing, purging, cleaning and packing, 

living in a place that is not mine, with minimal possessions, feels great.  Now don't

get me wrong.....after three more weeks of this I KNOW I will 

be eager to fluff and organize our new nest.

I also can't wait to show all you the before and after photos!

So what have you been up to?