The Place Where the Puerto Rican Bakes and the White Boy Cooks Puerto Rican Food

I missed last week's "Show us your life" because we were in New York, so I think it was worth it and I think you guys will forgive me for missing.  Last weeks was "Show us your dining room" and quite honestly, I think that was the best week for me to miss because our dining room happens to be my least favorite room in the house.  It also happens to be Evan's least favorite room in the house too.  I think we despise this room for two reasons: it has carpet still (yuck I know) AND it has been used for studying on multiple occasions.  Whenever we have finals coming up, the dining room table got COVERED in books and we would sit there until god knows what time in the morning.  The thought of that just doesn't leave fuzzy and warm thoughts in your mind.

That being said, I won't leave you guys empty handed.  Today is a DOUBLE Show us your life edition and I'm making up for lost time...

Here is our dining room.  

And since I like to keep with tradition, here are before and after pictures too.

 As you can see, the people that lived here before us gave us a blank slate in pretty much every single room.  I did LOVE the windows in the dining room and how it looks out to the street.

 The dining room today!

We got the table and chairs for FREE from my cousin and his wife who were upgrading.

I then realized that our walls were bare, but I didn't have money to buy artwork...so...

 Before I knew it, our dining room was the "seasonal" dining room.

From left to right, these little paintings that I did represent fall, winter, and spring.

p.s. Yes, I'm not a painter.  I know that.

p.p.s. Each canvas was $4.  I can't buy a print for that cheap.

p.p.p.s. When we finally stop taking out graduate school loans, I'll finally buy artwork.

 The other seasonal artwork in the dining room.

OOOOK, now for the PROPER room of the day...our kitchen!  Our kitchen, like many other people I'm sure, is what sold me on this house.  It was laid out exactly how I wanted AND it had an island.  I believe islands should be REQUIRED in kitchens.  Also, I don't believe in putting a bunch of decoration junk on them.  They are meant to cook on.  And that's what we do.  As you noticed from the title of this blog post, I love baking.  I do cook, and quite often, but my favorite thing to do in this kitchen is bake.  I do it whenever I can, or rather, whenever we think we deserve a little treat.

Before Kitchen Shots

 Remember the blank slate thing from above?  Yep, still reigned true here.

I liked the open concept of this house.  It all flows.

The curtains in the background is the living room and the dining room is to the right of this picture. 

After Kitchen:

 I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I like how I decorated our kitchen.

This green color is the same color I have on one of the walls in our living room.

That table is where Evan and I eat dinner 90% of the time.  Bought it at World Market by the way.

 I took a picture of this because I love this area.  I just think the colors look pretty together.

My Mom painted that plate (yeah, I realize she's amazing).

 On the left of this picture if our Puerto Rican corner.  

And I also took this picture so you could see some of our Halloween decorations!

On the top shelf, you can see some beautifully painted glasses...

 These glasses were painted by my next door neighbor as a wedding gift.  They were the favors at our wedding and she did 250 of them!  Aren't they simply gorgeous?

 Here's the view of where the cooking happens!

Notice my island? YAY!  And, notice how I don't keep a bunch of crap on it!  Just things I BAKED!  (Smores chocolate chip cookies...they are AWESOME)

Our travel wall.

When Evan and I travel we buy a little piece of artwork and display it somewhere in the kitchen.

This wall of the kitchen represents Puerto Rico (top), Paris (middle painting) &Belgium (bottom).

There ya have it!  Our kitchen and dining room.  Whew, that was LONG and exhausting to write.  Hope you liked it!

p.s. Remember to scroll down and enter to win my first giveaway!  The chances of winning are still SUPER high and for $65, you might as well try right?