home goals in twenty twelve.

I have a lot...
I sat down to make a list and didn't think it would be THAT long.. and it is THAT LONG. But I'm excited to see how much of it we can accomplish this year! Especially after looking back and seeing everything we were able to accomplish in 2011!


I've been dreaming of changing up the whole look of my cozy little home for quite a few years now... and back in the Fall of 2010 it started with paint. It only took me four tries to find the right color of paint I was looking for. You can read more about that here and here.

Our biggest project of 2011!!! The one I'd been waiting patiently to do for a really long time. Our kitchen remodel. It's pretty much finished, other than a few things here and there and I'm so in love with how it turned out! You can read more about the whole transformation with before and after pics here, here and here!!!

Second biggest project we conquered in 2011 was Sydnee's bedroom makeover! She wanted to move her room downstairs to one of the larger bedrooms so we repainted the walls in Martha Stewarts - Cement Gray (lightened by %50), we had the old trim removed and new wider trim installed all along the floor and around the door, window and closet. She didn't want to have closet doors so I had a scalloped edge awning built to hang over her closet where we hung some white ruffle curtains from instead of closet doors! We had my cherry wood bedroom set from when I was her age refinished. The night stand and armoire in white and the bed in yellow! She got all new bedding in white, grey and yellow for her birthday and we had a cute black desk with a hutch that we moved in there too! I'd had my eye on a really cute chandelier from Home Depot for the longest time and new I wanted it for her bedroom makeover but I didn't want to spend almost $100.00 for it. Luckily, I was at Home Depot helping my mom look for some things for her bathroom makeover when I went to check on the light like I had been for months and I saw that it was on clearance! All they had left was the floor model, they called around and found ONE left at a store up town and I drove all the way to get it that night!

After all that writing about her bedroom makeover, I realized that I only have one picture of the paint samples we were trying to decide between and I never took any pictures of it finished. We were kind of going through this project at the same time as the kitchen and I guess I just never got around to taking any photos of her room. I'll have to take some and do a post entirely devoted to her room makeover later! :) I really like how it turned out too.


And the third biggest project or home goal that we accomplished in 2011 was replacing our family room furniture with 3 Ikea chaises in white and the yellow floral and bird print chair from Target online that I've had my eye on for a good year already! 

***Here's My 2012 Home Goals***

• lighting for the kitchen & family room area
• have our wall built down and barn door hung as our new pantry door
• finish painting above kitchen cabinets & where we pulled out desk
• window coverings for kitchen
• paint mantle
• incorporate more family photos/snapshots through my decor 
• change up the design elements on the two big walls in my family room
• replace front door
• area rug for family room
• home office/craft room makeover
• paint master bedroom and have mom and dad's chandelier refurbished to replace the existing light with
• laundry room makeover
• repaint pantry and make it all sorts of gritty!
• transform the basement into a more useful space
• repaint the boys room
• figure out where and how I want to use the other two barn doors 
• finish painting the awning in Syd's room 
• work on master bath??
• make a garden space in the yard and successfully grow some yummy food and a pumpkin or two!!

I'm loving and enjoying everything we've been able to do so far and looking forward to doing even more this year! I love The Nesters advice, "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!" I believe in that %100! She's hosting her annual Home Goals Linky Party and I'm joining in on the fun!! You should too!

It's a Vintage Christmas @ the Gathering Place!

{all photos taken and edited with some fun effects on my phone}

Happy Holidays from our house to yours!!!




I'm also sharing at 
the inspired room


THE NESTER'S
2011
CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES!

Inspiration Friday @ THE PICKET FENCE

Feathered Nest Friday @ FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE

Vintage Inspiration Friday @ COMMON GROUND

Open House Party @ NO MINIMALIST HERE

Home Sweet Home @ THE CHARM OF HOME

Wow!!! One thing I learned last week... never underestimate the power of a link-up party!!! Holy Moly! I shared an update of my kitchen in two link-up parties and talk about massive response.. I couldn't even believe it! So thanks to everyone who stopped by to take a look and especially those who left such nice comments! It was amazing and I'm so excited to meet new blogging friends! :)


Speaking of the kitchen.. I got to pick up my newly painted old barn door for my pantry over the weekend!!! It looks so good. I can't wait to hang it and start slidin' away, but I'm gonna have to wait until the first week of December to have the wall altered first. So for now, it's hangin' out in the hallway!

Marcus was sad this morning.. his lips have been really chapped with the change of weather and he woke up with his first cold sore ever. He's tired of going to school with his lips slathered in carmex and looking shiny! I felt bad for him.. hopefully it will go away soon.


We had some family come into town over the weekend for Thanksgiving and the kids have had lots of fun hangin' out with the cousins they don't get to see very often.

We're having family pictures taken with everybody on Friday and I'm kind of not looking forward to it! LOL Don't get me wrong.. I'd love to have a really nice photo of our family, but trying to put together an outfit for seven people, most of which are all getting really picky about what they like to wear and then.. hoping that McKynlee whose mood can be highly unpredictable, is having a good day... it's all just a little bit stressful. Wish us luck! I guess if any of them turn out I'll share them and if not.. then I guess I'll still go ahead and share them just for giggles!


Last night I finally got my chalkboard down so I could change the Halloween greetings into something more Thanksgiving-ish! I realized that I never took a picture of what I'd drawn for Halloween so here's the before:

And here's what I came up with for Thanksgiving!!!

Now I just need to finish pulling out the rest of my Thanksgiving decor and call it good, cause I need to start picking up the yummies for Thanksgiving dinner and continue worrying about the family photos on Friday!