Kitchen Progress and Christmas Cheer

Well folks, we are t-minus one day away from this little one's due date, and with the exception of this head cold I've been battling (and which seems to only be getting worse :(, I am feeling pretty good. I'm not sure if this means baby plans on staying put for a while (I really couldn't blame him or her--life is crazy in our household these days!), but the good news is we've been chipping away at the to-do list for the house.

Our appliances arrived bit by bit, we eventually got a kitchen sink, and Philip worked tirelessly on putting together our kitchen cabinets.  I am so relieved they are finally all in place.

We lived for a couple weeks with a long cardboard box and plywood for countertops.  While not ideal, do you know that it is actually more irritating to try and open cabinets without any pulls or knobs?  It's the little things, I tell you.  Thankfully, Philip is completing the installation of the pulls and knobs as I type this post!

And while mama and daddy have been busy with kitchen projects, these two little people have gotten quite creative at entertaining themselves.  Who needs actual toys when you have cupcake liners, cute napkins and styrofoam with which to concoct your own baking party?

There was much rejoicing a couple of days ago when our countertops arrived!

While the kitchen is certainly not finished, now that the countertops are in, things certainly feel a lot more functional (Please enjoy this photo of my countertops in a state they will likely never be in again--completely clean and clear).

Our counters are black quartz and our cabinets are Ikea.  I'll do a more detailed post on sources once we  finish everything.  We plan to do open shelving in lieu of upper cabinets, but like many things around here, it's just going to take time.  

It was very satisfying to see Wade and Holland making use of our new kitchen counters in their new Christmas jammies earlier this week :)  Their little feet are my favorite part.

And speaking of Christmas, our decorations are very sparse this year (you know, with all the unpacked boxes surrounding us...), but we've still managed to find some special ways to celebrate the season with our kids.  At 3 and nearly 5 years old, it is so sweet to witness their joy over it all.

Philip's parents ventured into our chaos visited and came along on our tree-hunting adventure.  Wade and Holland loved the little trees.

And their enthusiasm for getting our tree decorated was unmatched.

Nor was the preciousness when they played the part of an angel (her halo fell off mid-performance :) and a lamb in our church's Christmas pageant.

While Grammy was in town (and providing much assistance in Operation Unpack the Worthingtons Before Baby Arrives), she and the kids made Christmas tree rice krispy treats.

And speaking of Grammy, I died over the cuteness of the special Christmas quilts she brought for the kids' beds!  She found them at Steinmart for a steal!

We went to a Christmas Winnie the Pooh performance...can someone please tell me why my daughter looks like a pre-teen here?!

And Philip and I took an evening away from unpacking and kitchen-building for our annual viewing of Four Christmases.  Can I just tell you how much I appreciate Vince Vaughn's ability to make me laugh and forget my troubles?

While our little place still feels rather chaotic, I did finally get some pictures hung in the living room and took the time to create a little space that felt welcoming and cozy to me.

As we anticipate and prepare for Christmas, I hope wherever you are, you feel cozy and welcomed as well :)