This kitchen from Neal Beckstedt stopped me in my tracks this week. The warm peachy cabinets mixed with two different countertops (!!!) and the black and brass touches all made me weak in my knees. And then I started looking at the cabinet hardware–so striking!

You know what it’s not, but kind of looks like? These:

Which shocked me because the truth is I have never liked these hardware pulls that are basically a rod coming out (sometimes 2 depending on the length) and a perpendicular rod extending over the edge. They always felt very basic to me in a spot where you could show more character. But after looking at the photo above, installed horizontally could change my entire feelings about them! There’s got to be a life lesson in there.

Other fun things this week:

• Yesterday, our oldest daughter, Greta, turned 10! She was due on Valentine’s day and my water broke (in a Chili’s restaurant!) on February 12th and she was born early on the 13th. Life with her has been so fun. I learn so much from her and she really pulls me out of my shell every day. She has always had so much to say and so many opinions. She is a social butterfly and, unlike me, LOVES going out. She likes to do things. She loves horses and animals. She cries every time we’re watching a documentary or commercial or cartoon and an animal is hurt.

(Greta with some cousins after her birthday party)

It’s wild to think we have a 10 year old, but it’s more wild to think Greta is only 10. At the beginning of this blog, it was mostly about her and our simple life in a basement apartment. She’s been here since the start and even though I’m her mom, I feel like I’ve grown up right along with her. (We got her this Instax camera that comes with some film and she’s so excited about it!)

• A February calendar.

• Gwen got a red house phone this week. A landline. And at first I was like, huh? But now I can’t stop thinking about my phone number growing up (655-9628, the 412 area code didn’t come until I was a teen!) and how I already wish so badly that my girls had a phone (that wasn’t my personal cell) to use to call their friends and cousins and grandparents.  I kind of love the idea…and the nostalgia. I want a home phone. A landline. And I never thought I would say that.

• I got these Freshwater Pearl Chain stud earrings and I feel so classic and edgy wearing them.

• Studio McGee wrote a wonderful post this week about what we love about our homes. It may sound funny, but sometimes a relationship with a home can be like a relationship with a partner or friend. It takes time to build, grow, and create, it’s everchanging, ebbing, and flowing, and most importantly, it’s not perfect! The thing I love about my home? Even amidst our huge renovation and dust, I love that there’s no other place I’d rather be.

• This Terrazzo lidded storage container looks 3x more expensive and would be so pretty in a bathroom, imo.

• I’ve been looking for an easy to wear black sweatsuit that doesn’t look like the one I wore in 4th grade (ie. bulky and stiff). To lounge in, yes, but also to travel in. We have some business trips coming up and I think the easiest travel outfit is a cozy sweat suit with a nice, long coat (really amps up the look) and tennis shoes. Put on sunglasses and you’ll feel like a celebrity. I just ordered this one (for $42 total!) and I think it’s the one!

• All the window film came off of our windows yesterday–been waiting for this day for months! And I can’t believe the difference. It’s so bright and clear and I immediately ordered these E-cloth microfiber window cleaning cloths. (has almost 2000 5 star reviews!)