Tuesday night bonus post-- all about kitchen dreams

 Who doesn't love to dream about things like a kitchen remodel every once in a while? I know I do, which is why I am writing a bonus post tonight as I watch old episodes of Army Wives. My house is quiet, it's just me and the pets here tonight...Jonah and Noah are out with friends, Todd and Graham are working maintenance night at the sheriff's department base. 

Here is a picture of my kitchen from last December.

This post is inspired by some question prompts, so I'll jump right in.

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home...so tell us about yours. What is your favorite part about your kitchen? When it's straightened up and clean, I love all of our kitchen. I'd also love to have a remodel, but I'm content with it the way it is at this moment. The counters are worn, the cabinets are showing wear and tear, but this is the home we raised our sons in. My favorite part about the kitchen is when they're all here to sit around the table with us over a homecooked meal.

Our home is very average in size—around 2300 (or so) square feet, normal height ceilings, an older home. The rooms are all their own rooms, so while each room connects into the next, the kitchen is a regular, old fashioned kitchen. I'm still happy with the decision we made years ago to have the cabinets painted white...it's a smaller sized kitchen with a peninsula, so by having them light and bright, it seemed to open up the space.

If money were no object, what would be your dream kitchen? Oh, this is fun! New soft close cabinets, countertops, stove and vent hood. There is a soffit above our kitchen cabinets that I'd love to knock out and make the cabinets the taller ones that reach the ceiling. I'm not sure I'd want white cabinets...I might want a color instead. For countertops, I've always dreamed of having butcherblock countertops. I'd go neutral with the paint color and I'd have a simple (classic) tile backsplash.

I'd love something along these lines...

...maybe minus those open shelves, since we have dogs in our home. That would be a nightmare.

Tell about a favorite memory from your kitchen, or from the kitchen of your mom and grandma. Most of you know we raised our four sons in this home. They're adults now, but I miss days when I'd come around the corner and see something like this.

I even miss our old table, etched in memories with scratches and dents...like from the time my sister Trish and I took the boys to Home Depot to build something with them. We brought the kits back home and attempted to put together whatever thing it was and we both hammered through the thin wood and made nail marks and hammer marks all over the area where we sat. That's one of my favorite memories. 

Another great memory is how we used this area to do all the things—we dyed the Easter eggs there, cleaned out the pumpkins, baked all the Christmas goodies, did the school work...all while sitting around this old table. That being said, I'm also grateful for the one we bought last year.

Other favorite family memories include cooking with my mom when I was young. I've always loved to be in the kitchen, to my recollection. 

If you could invite anyone in the world, past or present, into your kitchen, who would it be and why? This one's a hard one. One favorite memory was when a young man from our church who was a mentor to my older sons came back into town...we invited him over for taco soup and sat and talked with him for a couple of hours afterward. I think I'd like to repeat something similar...maybe to someone hurting, or lonely...but if I'm honest, our dogs stop me from doing this kind of thing sometimes. They're a lot and I know not everyone likes dogs. I shouldn't let that get to me, but I do let it from time to time. Maybe I'll make that a resolve to try and do better. 

One time after meeting and reading a book by Bob Goff, I texted him and invited him over for dinner, but he never responded. I can't imagine why! In one of his books, he talks about how when they have people into their home, before they eat they make their guests lay down under the table and sign the underside of it with a Sharpie marker. Isn't that a great idea? I'd love for him to come sign mine.

That was a fun post! Thanks for reading. I linked up with Anne over at Tuesday 4. Love to all! ❤