DREAMING OF: KITCHEN REMODEL

Dear Olive,

I have been dreaming of remodeling our kitchen for years.  We are on the precipice of making this happen.  I loved Lauren from Lovely Lark's take on a budget-friendly version.

Really,  I'd love some resolution to my drop down ceiling embarrassment.  Perhaps, such as this:

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I actually have this sink in our basement.  Also, opening up the wall above the sink for windows will be key.  Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy.

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Here is the full on inspiration:

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Beamed ceilings, white open cabinets.

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And how could I deny black and white tile.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Dear Olive,

This is our first year with everyone in school!  To ease the transition to a school schedule, we invited our neighborhood friends for a dry run on Saturday.

We sent out an invite using Red Stamp.

Got the beverages ready,

Baked some muffins, 

Set out some cereal and yogurt,

And accessorized with some school-themed Fisher Price

When everyone arrived, we grilled pancakes and sausage and decorated lunch bags and eraser boxes.

It was an amazing playdate.  Afterwards, I asked the moms: a psychologist, a pediatrician, and a preschool teacher, what black had magic caused all of the nine preschool and kindergarten aged children to play together so perfectly without a single transgression.  Typically; when we have a family over to dinner,we can't make it through five minutes without conflict.  "Morning", they replied.  All kids are all better behaved in the morning.  They have more stamina for problem solving.  Aha!  Lightbulb!

We were completely ready for the real thing on Monday.

We celebrated the launch on Monday with french toast.

And read our back to school book "The Kissing Hand" before our walk to school.

Wish us luck!

YOUNG HOUSE LOVE BOOK FEATURE

Dear Olive,

I have been shallow breathing since the invite from Sherry and John of Young House Love to be featured in their 2nd book: Lovable Livable Home.  Imagine my excitement now that the published book is finally in the mail!

The Petersiks are regular contributors at Better Homes and Gardens, New York Times Bestselling authors, and have lines at Target, Shades of Light, and Home Depot, besides being pretty cool people in general.  I definitely have heart eyes for them.

Breathe.

SUMMER BREEZE

Dear Olive, 

When I was little, I would play beneath my grandmother's wash line.  I still remember the smell of the grass baking in the sun mingled with bleach and cotton.  Seeking that nostalgia, we rigged one up this week.  

Gabriel took care of the labor.

While I inhaled deeply.

THINGS THAT I DEFINITELY THOUGHT OF FIRST

Dear Olive,

I am presently despairing in my many trend-redundant projects.  I pride myself in designing my home with creative endeavors that are above the fray.  Although commercial trends may be the way that many like to tread, I like to curate with things that are original or cutting edge.  So, when something catches fire and I start seeing it everywhere, I sometimes feel a bit cheated.  I feel annoyed that my space feels about as abberant as a Twilight novel.  Thus, for the record, here is a list of things that; although now ubiquitous, I definitely thought of first... without Pinterest.

Black and white rugs

I totally take credit for this.  I scoured the internet for a black and white rug over a decade ago.  I even got so desperate that I tried to paint my own.  Now I see them incessantly.  

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Kid teepees

Ok, so Land of Nod made the commercial ones cool, but I made my own before all of these other Pinterest repeats.

diy teepee

Chevron

I'm not saying that I invented the zig zag, but this thing has exploded since I got on board, right?

Painting everything yellow

No one has more yellow or mustard than me.  But I'm pretty sure that Target and Crate and Barrel are trying to give me a run for my money.  

DIY dog kennels

This is a thing now.  I even saw them at a home show lately!  Sigh.

Wallpapered small spaces

I actually painted this when we moved in because wallpaper was so faux pax and I couldn't find any without country roosters on it.  Now it is everywhere!

I am additionally grieved to discover yet another creative redundancy in the form of BatDad.  Two years ago, I video taped my husband going about his daily tasks as Batman (which unfortunately was a regular occurrence and was unprompted by me).  Below is the bloodshed.

BatDad may be funnier and more comprehensive, but we definitely thought of it here first!

HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL

Dear Olive,

Every year since Gabriel was a toddler, we have tried to attend the local hot air balloon festival.  And every year, we have been rained out.  Well, this year, we totally won at hot air balloon spectatorship:

We were all completely mesmerized when they finally started to inflate.  

Absolutely worth the wait!

SEEKING A SAGE

Dear Olive,

In pursuit of this thing called work-life balance, I often hunt for older women who seem to have done it well.  Rare is the experience of stumbling upon someone in the profession with the rare gift of decisive problem-solving and constant social interaction without insecurity.

Women; in particular, are metacognitive.  We constantly self analyze, which can frequently become a veil between us and the big picture.  Sometimes, one will come across an individual with that spark of passion, governed by wisdom, fueled by charisma, and capable of dreaming big.  On occasion, I imagine that I am putting out a homing device to seek that sage colleague, who is poised to bestow her lessons onto me.

A few years ago, I curated a friendship with an amazing nurse prior to her retirement.  She was confident, knowledgable, engaging, and lovely.  She spoke of her 30 year romance as though it were a new bright flame and sought lessons and travel as though she were just getting to know the world.  She stood up for those who needed advocation, but required much of those who sought her.  I loved hearing about her new enthusiasms.  I relished that she was successful at everything she approached because of the stamina she applied to each task.

When she moved away at the end of the summer to a new adventure, I understood the rarity of her perspective: hopeful realism.  I often miss the constant exposure of the model she set for me, but this reminded me of her.

"...a young woman should enter a workplace and, upon looking around, see lots and lots and lots of established, successful females from which to collate a vision of herself: the loner, the sycophant, the ass-kicker, the honest broker, the backstabber, the flirt, the wheedler, the warm hug, the cold fish, the brainiac, the yeller, the whisperer, the diplomat, the hoop-jumper, the straight-A student, the zealot, the do-gooder. Role models don’t have to be superheroes, in other words, or even necessarily exemplary; there just have enough of them, and they have to have made it work."