"It is the sweet, simple things of life
which are the real ones after all".
which are the real ones after all".
- Laura Ingalls Wilder
Slowly, but surely,
I am starting to get my life put back together after months of home improvement projects and daily balancing acts of trying to keep everything organized and running smoothly in my home.
I thought I would pause for a moment and reflect on the
"Simple things"
that have meant so much to me these past two weeks.
Here's my week in Pictures...
Here's my week in Pictures...
This photo is kind of blurry because
there is hot steam coming up from the HOT water that is flowing out of my kitchen faucet.
Right before New Year's we came home from town and our kitchen faucet was leaking. Tracy took off the handle and noticed that the special nut that holds the valve in, had split. SO, we went to Home Depot thinking we would either get a replacement part, OR, buy a new faucet. We asked the employee in the plumbing department if they had a part we could buy for our faucet. He said "No", they didn't, but that all American Standard faucets had a lifetime warranty and we could call their toll free number and they would send us a FREE part. As I looked at the $64.00 price tag of buying a new faucet, versus waiting 7-10 business working days for a free replacement part,
I decided I would happily wait.
SO, needless to say, my kitchen had no HOT water for over 2 weeks and so it meant all of my dishes had to be carried on cookie sheets into my laundry room and washed by hand and dried in there. When you cook over 95% of your meals from scratch, that is A LOT of dishes to be washed and so everyday after work was spent, cooking, washing dishes and keeping up with shoveling the driveway as we have had MANY snowstorms these past few weeks.
Right before New Year's we came home from town and our kitchen faucet was leaking. Tracy took off the handle and noticed that the special nut that holds the valve in, had split. SO, we went to Home Depot thinking we would either get a replacement part, OR, buy a new faucet. We asked the employee in the plumbing department if they had a part we could buy for our faucet. He said "No", they didn't, but that all American Standard faucets had a lifetime warranty and we could call their toll free number and they would send us a FREE part. As I looked at the $64.00 price tag of buying a new faucet, versus waiting 7-10 business working days for a free replacement part,
I decided I would happily wait.
SO, needless to say, my kitchen had no HOT water for over 2 weeks and so it meant all of my dishes had to be carried on cookie sheets into my laundry room and washed by hand and dried in there. When you cook over 95% of your meals from scratch, that is A LOT of dishes to be washed and so everyday after work was spent, cooking, washing dishes and keeping up with shoveling the driveway as we have had MANY snowstorms these past few weeks.
Saturday, January 15th,
Kimmie
finally had running hot water in her kitchen sink.
and especially running HOT water
is something that I will never take for granted again.
Kimmie
finally had running hot water in her kitchen sink.
What a blessing...
running waterand especially running HOT water
is something that I will never take for granted again.
This sweet note from Mr. Smith
just brightened up my Friday when I walked in the door after work!
just brightened up my Friday when I walked in the door after work!
The top tread for my library stool
that Tracy fixed up and painted for me for Christmas arrived in the mail and I have been wheeling that all over our house reaching and cleaning my shelves.
I LOVE my stool!!
that Tracy fixed up and painted for me for Christmas arrived in the mail and I have been wheeling that all over our house reaching and cleaning my shelves.
I LOVE my stool!!
I am blessed with the
most wonderful hubby in the world!
Feeling so grateful that even though life is busy and time is precious, he took time and spent the Saturday spending one on one time with Ethan building a Pinewood Derby car!!
most wonderful hubby in the world!
Feeling so grateful that even though life is busy and time is precious, he took time and spent the Saturday spending one on one time with Ethan building a Pinewood Derby car!!
They had SO much fun!
Ethan got 3rd place overall and he got the "Turbo" car award!
SO sad that we only have 2 more years of Pinewood Derbys...going to be
savoring each and every moment I get with this sweet little guy!
Out of the blue,
receiving sweet notes from kids and close friends
receiving sweet notes from kids and close friends
Even though Tracy's Saturday was busy building a Pinewood Derby car and tiling floor, installing our dishwasher and building in shelving in our bathroom I had mentioned that it might be fun to paint some of our frames "red", he surprised me by painting them.
How very, VERY LUCKY I am!
One of our yearly Traditions
is that of making "Gumdrop Bread" (aka Fruit Cake),
although I didn't get this made until January. Tracy commented how this bread tops his list of FAVORITE treats. I have to agree!
This is the yummiest!
is that of making "Gumdrop Bread" (aka Fruit Cake),
although I didn't get this made until January. Tracy commented how this bread tops his list of FAVORITE treats. I have to agree!
This is the yummiest!
As I was going through my many piles of papers,
I came across last years Mother's Day card that Josie (Tracy's mom) made me. She cut photos out of the newspaper ads and crafted clever sayings.
I LOVE this card!!
I came across last years Mother's Day card that Josie (Tracy's mom) made me. She cut photos out of the newspaper ads and crafted clever sayings.
I LOVE this card!!
LOVE having order and my favorite of all, is having a completely cleared and cleaned table so we can light our candles each night and have FAMILY dinner together!!
LOVE my apothecary jars
full of Red Hot Cinnamon Lips
that we can all enjoy over the next month!
I bought bags and bags to fill them and so we are very much enjoying them
(and people who grace our home are enjoying them as well)
(AND some of the bags of Cinnamon Lips will be used to put on top of my
"Pink Cookies with Sprinkles"
that we will be making for Valentine's Day).
full of Red Hot Cinnamon Lips
that we can all enjoy over the next month!
I bought bags and bags to fill them and so we are very much enjoying them
(and people who grace our home are enjoying them as well)
(AND some of the bags of Cinnamon Lips will be used to put on top of my
"Pink Cookies with Sprinkles"
that we will be making for Valentine's Day).
I have not had a dishwasher since September
and so Saturday January 15th
was also a monumental moment of FINALLY being able to load the dishwasher and actually have TIME to do other things besides wash dishes.
ALSO, as I look at this photo of our "Brassy" oak cabinets I love looking at the paint swatch of "Beach Sand Green" and other FUN things we purchased to finish our kitchen and knowing that some time this year we will get my kitchen cabinets painted, new knobs on the doors and finally get a back splash.
Yay for exciting things to come!
and so Saturday January 15th
was also a monumental moment of FINALLY being able to load the dishwasher and actually have TIME to do other things besides wash dishes.
ALSO, as I look at this photo of our "Brassy" oak cabinets I love looking at the paint swatch of "Beach Sand Green" and other FUN things we purchased to finish our kitchen and knowing that some time this year we will get my kitchen cabinets painted, new knobs on the doors and finally get a back splash.
Yay for exciting things to come!
The lady that cuts my hair had some family issues and didn't know if she would be cutting hair anymore. I last got my haircut in November and usually get it cut every 4-5 weeks.
I was SO excited on Monday January 17th when she called me and told me I could come and get my haircut on Thursday. YAY!
Feels so good to have a haircut!
I was SO excited on Monday January 17th when she called me and told me I could come and get my haircut on Thursday. YAY!
Feels so good to have a haircut!
Every time I walk by this old record jacket sitting on a shelf in our TV room it makes me smile!
Tracy and I found this at our local second hand store a few months ago for 50 cents. This was apparently a popular album from the sixties and when Tracy saw it, he remembered it right off (I wonder why, LOL?).
He exclaimed, "My parents had that album! For that matter I think most people my parents age had that album".
For nostalgia sake, we had to get it!
We then purchased the music from the album from the iTunes store (we have no record player) and we have been enjoying letting our kids listen to some of the songs that we enjoyed when we were kids.
Tracy and I found this at our local second hand store a few months ago for 50 cents. This was apparently a popular album from the sixties and when Tracy saw it, he remembered it right off (I wonder why, LOL?).
He exclaimed, "My parents had that album! For that matter I think most people my parents age had that album".
For nostalgia sake, we had to get it!
We then purchased the music from the album from the iTunes store (we have no record player) and we have been enjoying letting our kids listen to some of the songs that we enjoyed when we were kids.
The holidays were a hectic time and so it is SO much fun to be back in a routine and SO much fun to be cooking again. These are some of the YUMMY things we made up these past few weeks for dinner/treats!
Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-fry, Hamburger Gravy over Cauliflower, Split Pea Soup, Home-made Buttermilk Biscuits, Applesauce Muffins, Chow-Mein, Multi-Grain Rolls, Orange Rolls, Home-made OREOS, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, baked Salmon and steamed veggies, Salted Nut Rolls and the list goes on!
What a cherished thing my notebook is.
Many days each week, I come home to my notebook opened on the counter with a love note from "Mr. Smith"!
I feel SO lucky that each week I get a date night with him and feel SO blessed that each and every day I know and can feel how loved and cherished I am!!
I feel SO lucky that each week I get a date night with him and feel SO blessed that each and every day I know and can feel how loved and cherished I am!!
Running, clean HOT water, clean drinking water, nourishing food to eat, family and friends that love me, weekly DATE Nights, making progress towards my goals each week, having a HOME where we have LOTS of fun, joy and laughter each day...
these "Simple things"
make me the happiest, luckiest girl in the world!!
8 comments:
My parents had that record too! It sure was popular. :)
I have a bunch of your recipes bookmarked to try...yum!
Can't wait to see how the kitchen turns out! And I love your Simplify post...I'm going to keep that in mind this year as I'll be working organizing and streamlining my home and life too!
So much in this post! First I am glad you have hot water and a dishwasher - You are much more patient than I would have been had I not had these things! Although my oven was broken all through the holidays until last week and I made it work - I guess you do what you have to do :-D
Yayyyy for Ethan and his cool Pinewood Derby car! It definately looks like a winner!
I love the new things you are picking for your kitchen. I am hoping to re-do my kitchen this summer but with the wedding and a new baby that may get pushed back till next year. I can't wait to see how yours comes out - I know it will insprire me!!
That album cover is hilarious - very risque'!! My parents did not listen to this when I was a kid - Oh well. I love old music though.
Hey funny story. A girl I know from here is doing her student teaching there in Rexburg. She emailed me and told me that lastt week she was introducing herself to the class and was telling them where she was from.
One boy's hand shot up and he said, "Do you know the Bakow's?. She was a little surprised but said that "Yes, she did". He went on to tell her that Sister Bakow was one of his mom's blog friends, etc...
I loved that she shared this with me - It was Jade!!! How awesome is that!!! "Hi Jade!!!!"
Keep on cleaning and organizing and enjoying your love notes - ahhhhhh I love...LOVE!!!
Cherie :-D
I always love your posts :-D!
I've told many people that when I grow up I want to be Kimmie - LOL - even though I don't know you in real life - you ALWAYS inspire me.
I loved the letters from your hubby, Ethan and your dear friend. Heart warming!
I just bought that album on CD almost a year ago - LOL! Yup, my parents had it and we played it often. When I saw the CD for a couple of dollars, I had to purchase it - ha ha ha! Sweet childhood memories.
I love your mouth watering recipes as always. I made oreo's this week and Brady turned up his nose and wouldn't try it until yesterday. FINALLY, he admits they are yummy. It's a good thing because I've stopped purchasing the real stuff. I'm a Kimmie homemade woman now - LOL!
You are a inspiration to me!
Ah Kimmie! You have been soooo busy.
I just have to say that your kitchen and throw carpet and love seat look SOOOOO inviting! My goodness I love the color of your wood floor. Tracy is truely a master!
I think my favorite is the Notebook....wasn't that a movie or something???? Tracy is so amazing.
I loved the apothcary jar of lips! Too cute.
Love the haircut. I'm getting more and more into the short hair. It's sorta awesome.
You are darling.
Your meals look so delicious! You totally amaze me. I guess I'm sorta taking a kitchen break because Howie has been gone for two weeks and has two more weeks to go! Grrrrrr. He'll be home this weekend though and I can't wait.
Yay for Jades awesome car. I think it is something that some car company should copy. Great design!
Hugs and loves!
OK I had to laugh, my verification word is strool.
It made me think of your awesome red stool.
Great Valentine decorations too!
They may be simple things but they are so important and cherished! OK, I must admit, that we had/have that album! It's been a while since I've been through the record box (is that something I should get rid of?) but I'm sure it's in there.
Love your kitchen and family room. It looks so streamlined and beautiful!
Good food, wonderful husband, great kids, a hair cut...Kimmie, you really do have it all!
Have a wonderful week. It's good to read your post!
I love this post and your simplify post I read them both this morning but I'm just going to comment here if that's ok. :)
Every time I read your blog I get so happy and excited to be happy about my life and cooking and making things pretty!
I love your simplify post, I need to do more of that and everything looks so good. and your room looks AMAZING. Whenever I move out of an apartment we clean it very well. There is no dirt or marks anywhere, we always try and leave it better than we found it. Every year I think to myself, why the heck didn't I clean it like this before so I could've lived in a clean apartment too?! I drive myself crazy sometimes.
Your valentines decorations are awesome. I love V-day.
PS I'm so glad that you found a husband that loves you as much as he does. You deserve it!
Good things come to those who wait! You rock to wait that long to have hot water. I am so funny, I would have done the same thing to save money.
I love your new hair cut! I just got mine done too!
I can't believe all the food you make! You are amazing!
I love the Derby car! I am a wolf leader and if I live where you lived I would be your son's leader. Cub Scouts is so fun!
I love that you love the simple things! You are so sweet Kimmie!
I love all the love notes! Too sweet!
we had that album while i was growing up too! what a kick! :)
loving the new options for the kitchen. they're quite swanky.
::hugs::
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