Changes...

 An official photo of the finished updated lights. I still don't like the actual light fixtures, but its fine for now since we have 6 to replace. Just changing out the glass was a cheap $6 dollar fix for now and at some point, I might take down the light fixture and spray paint or completely replace it. 

I had to replace all 14 lights with the light bulbs. I was trying for bright white, but its more yellow lighting. I suppose its easier on the eyes and I'll keep it for now. I'm always trying to update for the day we do sell, but I suppose by that time the styles will have changed again. I don't think our lights would be a deal breaker! 

My refreshed planter out front. Just waiting for the weather to be more predictable before I invest in buying herbs and flowers. We might get a bit of frost next week and I don't want to have to cover them up or risk losing all to frost. I'm sure there is a before photo around some where? 

My after of our new front chairs, spray painted table and foot rests. Now to find a fire pit for out front! I'm all about using what we have and finding cheaper options that I still like. With the chairs just costing $85 each and the seat cushions $20 each it wasn't a big purchase to update, most chairs etc are well over $100 if not in the $200 range. 

Here is the before picture of our plastic chairs and aqua table with the white foot rests. A big improvement. Now to replace some batteries in the front tree lights. I wrapped them in copper mini lights but this winter used out door lights that plug in. The batteries lasted the summer but need to be replaced and the Christmas lights taken off. I just like the lighted up trees to make it feel fun out front. Since we are spending a lot of time at home might as well do it up!  

We are at a don't know what to do point in this update project. I found similar tiles to our wall tile but small subway size that will go behind the stove. They are a little different but close enough. 

We will use them to make a built in shelf

More checked off!

 New front chairs! The old chairs out front were plastic and one had a broken arm from flying off into the wind. We replaced them with these heavier dark brown chairs. 

I spray painted all this stuff our in our yard. Our old between the chair table was aqua blue, the foot rests were white and my pots all various colors. I used charcoal mat spray paint and they look almost black. I do like the all the same color and everything is now cleaned up, looking brand new once again. Just need to wait till it warms up before planting my herbs and flowers in the pots. We might have one night of frost next week. 

I also respray painted the office file that was white, the charcoal gray. Looks better with the white cabinets, since the spray paint white  was too bright white!

I finished replacing all 14 light cover and bulbs to clear on our 4 season porch (sunroom). I had to get Steve to help reach the lights that were over the couch. He propped up a ladder on the couch, kind of dangerous but it worked and I held the bottom of the ladder just incase it moved. Not sure if I'd be able to help at all if that did happen, but everything worked out fine. 

Out with the old.. 

In with the new, and out with the old frosted LED, changed to clear bulbs. (no photo yet)

This is our next project. We want to do something similar to the above photo. New hood, take out the microwave and do a decorative built into the wall shelf. 

This is what we have now. It's complicated. I really want the stove area to look like this

With the hood covered. 

Or like this with the hood boxed in and painted white to match the cabinets. I have yet to convince Steve to do this look. He wants a hood.

Steve likes the hood above. Stainless, which is fine. Just not what I really want, but the kids like the stainless hood Or We saw this idea..

A condensed half the size microwave oven. Of course it would be up too high and we'd still have a microwave oven, which would not be what we are going for. We will move a new smaller microwave into the pantry shelf. 

While at Lowe's and Home Depot looking for options on a non vented outside hood, we were distracted by the new stoves. We really don't need a new one, but liked looking and realized quickly that our stove is set for our countertop. which I'd love to change out too! It's not going to happen, because I'd never be able to convince Steve to take all the tile off. He just doesn't want to do it yet!

Something new!

The wind took out another of our plastic chairs out front. Since we keep losing chairs, it was time to replace with a heavier pair. I was originally looking for similar chairs to what we already have in white and wood. Well, they are around $200+ each! Far more than I wanted to spend. Target had these chairs at $85 each and $20 for a seat cushion. I took the cushions in before the rain. Also spray painted the small table and will finish spray painting the foot rests when I get more charcoal chalk paint. Worked perfect for the updates on the furniture outdoors! I didn't take the tags off the chairs because I was still deciding if I liked them. I think they are keepers! 

Sort of the before set up but not with the light aqua table. A before spray painted photo never happened! 

After the rain/storm of hail, we woke to our deck covered in seeds dropping from the maple tree. 

Seems all year long we get dropping on our deck. It will be something else next. I love the trees just not all the mess from them! I'm also still scraping the deck paint off. It's getting there! We will only put a clear coat of paint on from now on! No more paint peeling! 

I'd also love to change out the rails, but with them costing any where from $2 to $3 each, it might not happen! 

Easter

 We celebrated, hopefully our last holiday Easter socially distance with covid now on the 4th wave. We all mostly have been vaccinated at least once. We did stop over to See Evan and Madelyn outside and gave them Easter baskets.  

The kids and Steve colored some hard boiled eggs in whipped up egg whites with food coloring. 

We usually color the eggs ahead of Easter but I kind of liked doing it the morning of Easter for our now new tradition!

I've been putting out jelly beans, and chocolates for over a month, so no Easter Baskets for the kids this year. I just gave them money in an egg. They did miss searching for eggs, so maybe next year I'll go back to hiding them. 

It was 78*F yesterday afternoon/evening so we had ham, potatoes, and roasted veggies outside on the deck. 

Celina made a lemon, dairy free cake for dessert. 

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Easter breakfast, we didn't have a brunch or even all eat together, but I still made a ham and cheese quiche and some baked at night cinnamon sticky buns. 

It was nice enough to use the charcoal chalk spray paint on the office files etc.. they turned out better then I imagined. Not sure what I'll fill them with? I might just spray paint the white files charcoal too since the white is brighter than the cabinets. 

Monday (today's) weather looks better than yesterday! 81+F for April 5th! Steve and I have the day off, we ran with Zoey and Celina this morning at the local park. Now we are off to pick up mulch to freshen up the yard and a afternoon bike ride. I also need to put away our new tent because tonight we are going to get some storms and rain in the next few days. We have enough tents now that I could leave a tent up all summer to have a mini get away area for sitting outside bug free? Might just have to do this at some point? I might have to get out the hammocks too! 

I'm still deciding on a couch for our deck. Right now I'm settling on a cot to move around if I want to be in the shade or sun. 

We also fired up the table propane fire and played some cribbage over the weekend. 

Let the fun begin!

Steve and I were at Sam's yesterday and were deciding if we should get this tube for the summer. We already have one that is flat. We also had one tube with a back when the kids were little and that we threw away due to it having a hole some where. With the price being at $189 we decided to think on it. It's not like we need another tube, but this one did look like something I might go for a ride on? A leisure ride that is! 

It's going to be 68*F today! I can not wait to enjoy the sun shine and warm spring like weather. We have a full three days of beautiful 60 - 77*F temps! The tent is going up! 

Here's the new tent! An area for the bags in the back and the front has a rain protection over the front door, no more drips! 

Can't wait to try this out! 

Trail Cam and home projects

 We are getting ready for the camping season! Purchased our first trail cam! We were interested to see what animals go by us at night while camping. 

I did the indoor test photos yesterday and they turned out really clear! Didn't get any front outside once I turned it outside in the window. Not sure if it was on or I turned it off? That's the biggest question about this camera. It's not super user friendly. 

I also was able to use an old camera to view the photos. So we'll bring that along on trip. I'll have to do more of an outdoor test at night to see how it works. Might have to set up on the deck to see if any animals   are in the yard or on the deck at night. 

After, clear light covers, still need new clear light bulbs. Still not the lights I want, but a cheap for now fix! 

I've been busy switching out our porch light covers. 5 more lights to change out. I have to check out other stores to see if I can find 5 more covers. Seems most stores only have 4 or 5 in stock at a time. I've cleaned out two stores so I might have to wait a week or two before going back. 

This is before, a need of an update! 

I'm looking for a replacement glass for this light too! Clear instead of frosted, will give it an update if I can find a replacement glass? Time to start searching! 

All 1x or more vaccinated!

 I drove with Celina 2 hours up to the lake to get her the 1st Moderna COVID vaccination. Glad to have everyone get at least one shot. Logan gets the 2nd Pfizer vaccination shot today! Steve's parents had their 2nd shot last week or was it the week before? We will be 95% protected from covid by the end of April!! I'm already planning a mini BBQ road trip south for a long 3 or 4 day camping weekend, weather pending of course! 

Before driving home, we stopped at the lake to see if the ice was out. Saw a neighbor that said it went out yesterday! It was interesting to see ice on the shore on either side of us, but not on our shoreline. 

The beach sure did look inviting for summer lake fun! Just need the temperatures to warm up because it was sooo cold and windy yesterday! 

We are always dreaming of putting a cabin up there so we can actually go to the lake when it's cold or raining. Right now, we are still tenting it. Our hope is that once the house is paid off 5 years. We can build a cabin and use cash! I would like to start the process now, doing a little bit every year. This year is fix the other side of the beach and maybe clear out tress for a cabin area to add crushed rocks and build a platform for the cabin. We plan to put it on a deck like structure without a basement. Keeping it simple and basic! 

I've been a bit confused on what gas my new SUV takes. So I had to text Steve a photo of the pump to ask what do I use? At home it is above 88 unleaded gas. Do I use 87, 89? I settled on 87! We left home at 11 and returned at 5:20pm a full day of driving!  100% worth the drive up there! MN is getting a 4th wave of covid and we are in the "Red" with positivity rates going up to 5% again. This will roll back opening up and delay kids getting back to school. I say forget it this year since kids younger than 16 can't get vaccinated yet. Might as well wait till fall to start next year in school.