Three years ago today, we left South Dakota, arriving in Wisconsin the next day. Happy anniversary to us!
I’ve been methodically going through my blog for about two years now, fixing broken links (there are a lot since I’ve changed URLs multiple times), deleting media to free up space, correcting the occasional error, and even responding to comments I overlooked originally. Which confused a couple of you, who suddenly had eight-year-old replies pop up in your inbox. What can I say? I’m a completist!
Anyway. It’s also been a great trip down Memory Lane, and I am currently up to late 2019, which marked the end of our first year in South Dakota. It’s a weird read, because man, we were so enthralled with our life there. Looking at those posts now, I’m shocked we ever left, because I made Rapid City seem like Nirvana. Oh well, whatever, nevermind.
I’ll admit, reading those posts has made me all sorts of nostalgic. We had so much fun that first year! Every day was a new and exciting adventure, and for all its faults, there is no denying the Black Hills are spectacular. We loved our house. I landed my dream job. Twice. Why would we give all that up after four short years?!
Well, we had our reasons. And to be clear, neither of us has a single regret. As good as our life was there, it’s exponentially better here. Wisconsin is 1,000% more our vibe. Life is good.
Actually, I take that back. We have one regret: buying all new stainless steel kitchen appliances eight months before we left. Sure, they added a little value to the house when we sold it, but hindsight being what it is, I’d have kept the extra few thousand dollars and used that toward the move. And new appliances here, which are sorely needed.
And actually happening!
Today, we bought a brand new refrigerator, stove, and microwave oven. Sleek, shiny, and once again, stainless steel. Thanks to the extreme generosity of my parents, who surprised us with money to use toward the purchase. Those two really are the best.
The kitchen has been the one area in our home we haven’t updated. It’s sorely needed, guys:
It’s the only room we didn’t paint. The wallpaper is obnoxious. The lighting fixtures are outdated. The fridge is too small, the heating elements on the stove have dead spots, and the microwave went on the fritz months ago (hence our countertop backup). Oh, and there’s no dishwasher. A full kitchen remodel won’t happen for awhile, but the new appliances will go a long way toward modernizing the space. Bonus: we’ll haul the old refrigerator out to the garage and use it as a beer fridge (which further legitimizes our Wisconsin-ness).
So, we’re taking this opportunity to get rid of the wallpaper and finally paint the kitchen. Most of it will be a cream color that matches the living room, but we want an accent color where the wallpaper is. Something bold. This is where you guys, my faithful blog readers, come in. We are torn between two very different colors and need your help deciding which one to go with: brick dust or blue bayberry? Tara’s leaning in one direction and I have a slight preference for the other, but really, we like them both.
So, it’s the stretch of wall beneath the cabinets, and the tall wall with the knife rack. Would you mind casting a vote below? Keep in mind the color of the cabinets and the stainless steel appliances when choosing.
I’m not saying the fate of our kitchen rests entirely in your hands, but if there’s a strong consensus for one color over the other, that’ll certainly be a factor.
Thanks for your vote, and feel free to weigh in with any additional insights you may have!
Mark My Words 
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