Do you guys remember a couple of weeks ago when Jay and I bought ourselves a new front door? Well, I realized this morning that I still haven’t shown you guys the finished product.
So here’s the before:
It was an old, wooden door, that had since expanded due to weather and was actually quite a challenge to open and shut (we usually use our garage door as our main entrance anyways – probably because that’s how we did it when my grandparents lived here).
So last week, I left one morning with Jay and his dad here, having it look like this…
And then I came home to find it looking like THIS!
I seriously still walk into the living room every morning and cannot believe the difference it makes in the room. It’s so much brighter now, thanks to the morning sun that we get in the front of our house.
Before & After:
It’s definitely one of my favorite home improvement projects to date; well, except of course, for that whole big kitchen renovation. Would you believe that a year ago at this time, I had a kitchen that looked like this:
Good lord that was not fun. But hey, totally worth it in the end. 
*****
Workout
Today started off with a light, mish-mashed workout from Exercise TV, focusing on a little bit of everything:
- Rock Hard Arms (20 minutes)
- Leg Slimmer and Toner (10 mins)
- Cardio Yoga (20 mins)
This particular yoga video was new to me, and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. The instructor was much different from the usual, calm, lightly-spoken instructors that I’m used to; he seemed to have a little more fun with it and kept the moves moving constantly the entire time. My final verdict by the end was that I liked it, but not for all the time.
Breakfast
I had to switch it up today. I needed a day off from the eggs, and since I knew this last night, I went ahead and prepped a batch of Voluminous Pumpkin Oats. And then, since I had an almost-empty peanut butter jar just waiting to be used up, I turned it into some pumpkin oats in a jar.
I really think that today may have been one of the best, creamiest batches I’ve made to date. I’m thinking that the extra splash of Silk Pumpkin Spice may have done the trick. Oooo my oh my!
Today’s batch got topped with some raisins, a little Love Grown Foods granola, and paired with my typical mug of coffee.
A delicious and filling morning meal indeed!
Alrighty folks, it’s about time to go do the work thang. I’ll catch ya’ll a little later…I’ve got to share some of my fun Thanksgiving crafts that I did yesterday. 
**Reminder: Don’t forget to get your entries in for my Perfect Holiday Gift Giveaway! I’ll be announcing the winner tomorrow.**
Questions for the Morning:
Oats: In a jar, or out of a jar?
What do you think would be harder on convenience: remodeling a kitchen OR remodeling a bathroom?
Have you ever remodeled anything in your own home?
Looks GREAT! I love how simple changes like that can make such a big difference. We just did some painting and have a new couch on the way. It’s goign to feel like a new house. LOL
I can’t wait till I have a home I can remodel. I like the convenience of my apartment but I get crafty urges every so often that I just never really get to act on (and, in the case of my idea to paint my bedroom purple, that might be a good thing…)
Love the new door!!! And sorry, I had to laugh at what’s on your TV in the one picture…a huge smile? I have to ask what you were watching! :-D
Haha, I know, right?!? I laughed at that, too. I have NO idea what was on?!? :)
My husband bought and gutted our entire house (before we met) and he’s now almost finished with the bathroom and our bedroom. We’re going to move in then, even though the living room and kitchen won’t be finished – we’re just excited to have our own space (finally!). My parents remodeled their kitchen a few years back, and I definitely got tired of having take out for dinner – but I think showering is a much greater necessity! Your door is so cute!
I love the new door! It looks great. It really does brighten up the entire room :)
I love the new door! It looks like it lets in so much more light.
I would think that the bathroom would be the most inconvenient, if you did not have a second bathroom in the home. The kitchen I could probably deal with.
We redid our basement when we moved into our house 2 years ago. It was not a major project, but we put down floors, a slate walkway, painted the walls, and did trim work. It is a great family room now.
oats in a jar definitely!
The new door looks awesome!
Since, on the few occasions that I do eat oats, I tend to want to lick the bowl (and I’m not a member of KISS), oats OUT of a jar (for tongue dexterity purposes).
That door looks phenom. Since I’m a renter lady, I’ve never renovated anything BUT I bet that I’d prefer renovating the kitchen. More reasons to go out and, when it comes to going out, I’d rather be “going out” to dinner than “going out”… to use the bathroom.
I have never tried oats in a jar! I need to though :)
Kitchen for sure would be more inconvenient. Nope, we have only had to do yard projects!
I love the néw door! I have never tackled any home improvement projects. Luckily the previous owner did a lot of big projects like remodeling the kitchen and putting on a new roof before I moved in. I actually prefer oats out of a jar. It’s too hard to get your spoon down in the bottom!
Your new door looks great! New home improvement projects are so fun, especially when they’re all done and you can see the finished product!
I’d rather have oats in a jar! The surprise bites of peanut butter make it fun.
Remodeling a bathroom would be harder on convenience if you only had one bathroom. If you had two, it’d be no big deal, in my opinion. A kitchen seems like it’d be a pain too, but at least you can get take out or go out to eat.
I remember when my parents gutted our house when I was in like 5th grade for a total remodel and we basically lived in the garage, it was crazy haha
I love the dark chocolate version of that peanut butter! I love oats in a jar when I’m down to the last bits because it always turns out so creamy and extra yummy. While some friends let me crash over the summer at their place after college, I helped them paint their entire house and also added hardware to their kitchen cabinets and drawers. I guess I’m a bit handy when I need to be ;)
The new door looks fantastic!! The boys did well! lol
Oats are ten times better in a jar. I get a surge if excitement when we are about to finish another Pb jar!
We are currently remodeling our home and it ain’t pretty! Random but I thought of you and Jay today during my workout when “I’m Sexy & I Know It” came on my ipod…love it!
The door looks awesome! More light is always nice.
I think a kitchen remodel would be far worse than a bathroom (assuming there are other bathrooms to use in the house) I honestly can’t imagine not having a kitchen sink for an extended period of time!
oh it looks great!!! Jon and I are buying a house in the spring and cannot wait to do projects!
Great improvement! I would imagine it would be more of an inconvenience to redo a bathroom – there’s always takeout! We don’t own yet, so no remodeling for me, but I’m kind of looking forward to it someday.
Love the new door! I think remodeling a kitchen would definitely be more difficult than a bathroom! I guess it depends on if your house has more than one bathroom though!
I have 2 bathrooms but only 1 kitchen. Yep-the kitchen would blow.
I honestly prefer oats hot, so out of the jar is fine with me. That said, I don’t really have time in the AM to make them.
I definitely think a kitchen renovation can be “easier.” If you have to remove a ton of tile and a whole tub, that’s going to be a big pain in the ass. We’re actually going to look at houses this weekend and the one we think has what we’re looking for doesn’t have bathroom pics on the site. I’m kind of nervous. The kitchen was already done, though! WOO!
The door is amazing–isn’t it crazy how a little change can make such a HUGE difference?? I just moved into a condo. I’m renting, but I’ve done a lot of little things to spiff the place up, like painting and switching out light fixtures. It makes it so much nicer.
Oats–in a jar. Purely because I don’t get to have them all the time, so OIAJ makes them feel special. :)
I would say the bathroom would be a bigger inconvenience. Gotta bathe and all that, but I could definitely make the kitchen work.
Love the new door! I would never imagine a door would change the look of a room so much!
Please tell me that that sign says “Keep Calm and Gobble on” Love the new door and you now have me wishing I had an almost empty jar of pb to make oats in a jar. hhmmm guess I could always grab a spoon and get to work… ;)
Haha, I love that you noticed that! You’ll find out this afternoon ;)
Oh my bathroom and kitchen are both in dire need of remodeling! At this point, I don’t even care about the inconveniences associated with doing so, I just want to get going on one or the other! Tax refunds can’t come soon enough :)
Major upgrade with the door. That’s great and i’m sure updates your room so much! There is something rewarding about DIY yourself home projects – except painting…I can always do without painting ;)
In a jar is best! However, I like that it’s a special treat.
Aaaand, I am so glad we renovated ourh ome before we moved into it. That would have just been too much!
My family and I moved into our current house over ten years ago and we are STILL renovating it!! We had re-done literally every room in the house. The kitchen was definitely tough!
we remodeled our entire apartment before we moved in…it was a nightmare!
i think for us, remodeling a bathroom would be more inconvinient, just because we dont’ really cook…so we probably wouldn’t miss the kitchen much! lol.
I absolutely love your new door! I think we have the same locks- doorknobs, top lock!
I don’t eat oats but…I think it looks weird out of a jar now that I have seen your Voluminous Pumpkin Oats for a while.
I’d think it would be so inconvenient to remodel your bathroom- I don’t know what I’d do if I had to go! You could always order take out if you remodeled your kitchen.
At my house, we got the kitchen redone when I was really little with new cabinets, and repainted walls with granite countertops. It’s pretty.