Before & After: Family Room & Kitchen

Ok y'all, here it is. 

Family Room Before: 

Family Room After:

P.S. My new pillows and blanket.  The room feels more fun and springy now.  Not so serious.

Kitchen Before:

Kitchen After:

I'm not going to even begin to try to explain all of the things we did.   It's been five years in the making, on a starter home budget.  I wish I blogged back then.  Instead, I just lurked.  I will happily answer any questions if y'all have any. 

I do want to talk about something else before & after related.  It drives me absolutely bananas when magazines do before and afters and post the befores in black and white.  I get that for the overall visual page layout, it is more appealing.  It's just, why bother?  Changing paint color and color scheme is a huge part of a before and after that I desperately want to see. Are y'all with me?  Drives me crazy.  Ok, that's it for my rant.  

Finally, I have to say a little prayer of thanks today for sparing not only my family and friends during yesterday's tornadoes in and around Dallas, but also my Dad's business that he works so hard at everyday and he's built from the ground up.  You see, all of those super scary videos of tractor-trailers flying through the air, well, my Dad was watching it live just feet from his office, debris falling on him and his co-workers as they ran inside for cover.  The tornado hit everyone around him, but spared his property and his life.  It doesn't even make sense.  I feel so sorry for the business around him that have to pick up the pieces, but I am soo grateful he doesn't have to deal with that and beyond grateful that no one was hurt.  So I'm going to spend the rest of the day counting my blessings.  Do it with me, it makes your day infinitely better!