I think your husband needs to stop telling his sister things that get back to your MIL. Your business is private and nothing you say or do should be told to your MIL because she obviously takes that information and figures out ways to use it against you. Also, it would be very enlightening for your husband to hear both sides of a story in a way that he cannot refute. Have him listen in on a conversation with his mother but don't let her know he's listening. Then when she calls him to complain about "how you mistreated her again", he'll see that she is exaggerating everything. Men are fixers. I'm not the least bit surprised that your DH wants you and his mom to get along and that he thinks 2 weeks is enough. Men don't typically hold grudges or over-think things like women tend to do and I think he thinks it's been long enough. (I had a problem like this for years with my late MIL and the day DH figured it all out was an amazing day for all of us. lol She went off on him and opened his eyes forever. BUT, in 2 weeks, he was over it and things went back to almost normal. She was his mom and he wasn't going to cut her out of his life forever, even though she deserved it. She also never apologized or admitted fault, but he knew.) So my feeble advise- never talk to MIL again without a witness in the room, or if it's a phone call, have someone else on the other line, listening. Have a little voice recorder in your pocket if your words are constantly twisted around by her, until your husband sees the light. And avoid her as much as possible if the 2 of you are unable to come to an agreement. Let DH take the kids to visit her, but be careful because she may try to use your kids against you and she will bad-mouth you to them in ways that are subtle but effective. Good luck. I don't envy you at all. My MIL is gone now and my life is a lot less stressful. When she was alive, I was so thankful that I didn't have children for her to corrupt, like she did her other grandkids. Because we had no kids, I was able to remove myself from her drama and lies.

For starters, I like the white cabinets, that does a lot to lighten up a kitchen. An inexpensive and simple way I've found to do under-cabinet lights: Go to one of the big box stores and get light strips that are about $25 each. They contain a strip of tiny lights (like white Christmas tree lights) that are housed in an extremely low profile long strip/box. You screw this to the underside of your upper cabinets. Do it at the very front, otherwise you can see the lights and it looks like a movie marquis. Then you can have it hardwired into the existing outlets on the wall, or if you are really looking to go inexpensive, just plug it into them. Believe it or not this adds a lot of light to the kitchen. An alternative (and what I'm doing right now while I'm deciding how much to spend in my kitchen) is to put a couple small good-looking lamps on the countertops, which cheers things up a lot. I would then just put a lot of can lights in the ceiling. If this is too expensive, and again if you want to go really inexpensive, I'd break the "it's no longer in style" rule and install some strip spotlights. Is there a place for a chandelier? An island? Or is there enough vertical space over the sink? If so, I'd hang a chandelier and put some white chandelier shades on it. That provides a very nice soft but bright glow. If some of your upper cabinet tops were exposed you could put rope lights on top of them, sort of snake them around so they cast a nice ambient lighting upwards. But it looks like you don't have that. Alternatively, if you wanted to spend the money to put crown mouldings at the top of the cabinets, you could hide rope lights in them (not snaked of course, just straight), which would be a lot less expensive than LEDs but still give some upward glow. Rope lights also are inexpensive and can be purchased at big box. Wall sconces would be good too (with chandelier shades) but I don't see any opportunity for that in the photo. Some nicer lighting and snazzy countertops and that kitchen will be looking great.

Mikey your hilarious no sloppy Joe's for me anymore when I know I have to take public transit. Yippee you finally got rain you must have been excited I bet you were outside playing and jumping around in all the puddles just like we did when we were young . Mikey very hot and dry no rain here since the last big storm's about 3 weeks ago and Temps have been in the 90's the grass is yellow now . Mikey very excited about the GH do you know anyone that will put it up lol . Have you been getting this intense heat I know you just love it Sugar hates it instead of a half hour walk it's 5 minute walk until it cools off . Hope that your mom and dad and Bo are all doing fine . Have you had your vacation yet ? We are keeping a couple of weeks in September for the move . Take care my friend. Hoby that's crazy , we had a hail storm like that a couple of years ago but thank goodness it was in early October and all my ttrees were already inside the GH . I sure hope your weather improves wait a minute we Canadians know that both east and western Canada can't have nice weather at the same time I take that back lol. The pool is now a hot tub not very refreshing but it does help just a little bit if there's a nice breeze . Hobby it's not your fault we grow the tree's for the fruit and Meyers produce like crazy it will come back fast . I love Meyers they always have fruit at different stages of ripeness and flowers at the same time always something to watch with this tree. Pic of my Meyer yesterday evening. Brian

I am here, too! I remember the glass "flowers" being a hot item when I checked in more often. There were many, many discussion on the best adhesive to use. I still have plates, cups, pieces of rebar,etc., "ready" to be made into a flower or two. This is hopefully this Spring will see the final stage of turning an early 1950s concrete birdbath into a colorful Fairy Garden. I got it sandblasted this winter but am waiting for warmer weather to take it outside for painting. I have all the basic furnishings - including a pair of tiny Napcoware rabbits, a teeny-tiny ceramic frog, a ceramic bird house that resembles an English cottage, a twig fence, a terracotta flower fairy, a pair of ceramic butterflies to attach to the painted base, and a "found" piece of old rusty barbed wire that resembles a seahorse - or dragon! I am going to be so excited to send "it's completed" photos to my young niece that requested this project be done."