Mountains and Chollas and Sun, Oh My!

It's been a while since last I've posted.  I've been busy 'moving', entertaining (or surviving) in laws (for 2 months) and blogging in my 'other' blog.  In any case, I'm due for updating my space blog.  Is it sweet?  Yes! Truly.  But I'm posting before and after pics just to fill you in.  The first pic is the kitchen before we 'refinished' the orange oak cabinets.  We bought a dark stain with a sealer built in and it totally changed the look.  We also got rid of the white micro wave (which is now in the casita.) and put a stainless micro instead.  It does wonders the little things.

It

The pic below is of our 'living room' before...obviously before. 

Below in this next pic is our dining room....before, obviously.

The pic below is of the 'casita' before any improvements.

Below, living and dining room, before.

Master bath below, before we stained the cabinets a dark cherry.

Master bedroom below.

Below in the next two pics is the casita walk in closet and the casita's main room.

Back yard below pic.

Kitchen cabinets in progress of staining dark cherry.

Below, dining room painted red.

My fave of all time...the pic that you can only read from a mirror.

Below is a pic of thte outside of our home taken on Easter.

\

Below is the 'after' pic of our living room.  I painted this wall earlier.  It was a light taupe.  It was way too dreary for me.  I tried to like it, really I did, but it was just to dark.  I decided to paint it this blue and I absolutely love it.  It's cheery and light.  A cool color in the desert.

Below, back yard pics.

Below kitchen cabinets finished and all together. I love the new look don't you?

Our front yard is a park with a small little lake and a fountain.  I LOVE this..this is the main reason we bought this house....We had an easter egg hunt in the park and even though I didn't buy the plastic eggs..(I used aluminum foil instead...I know..say no more.)the kids didn't care as long as there were treasures inside.

Being in the desert has so many plusses..not to mention I'm so much closer to my  heart...my (our) son. 

There is still so much more I would love to do to make this my home.  So many ideas swirling through my mind...it's difficult to slow them down.  I'll keep you posted though...In the meantime...I'm not afraid of scorpians.