Almost There

Although our household is still a bit in upheaval, I've had some requests for more kitchen pictures.  We've almost reached the remodeling finish line, but fortunately, the photos we took make it look we've already arrived.  The sink is still not hooked up, and the gas cooktop needs to have the gas line attached (once we locate a line that's just a wee bit longer).  However, we are thankfully closing in on kitchen nirvana.  The floors still have some issues, but that's a story for another day.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm happy to have our computer back.  We melted the power source somehow (perhaps due to some rewiring for the kitchen?), but our trusty machine was discharged from the computer hospital after a mere two-week stay.  It's good to be operational again.  (Is anyone else as amazed as I am at how quickly technology evolves and then how frustrating it is to have to go back in time even four or five years?  "I can't use this laptop.  It's TOO slow."  Man, am I spoiled!)

So, here are a few pictures to peruse.  Overall, I'm pleased with how the kitchen turned out.  Once I get a little psychic and emotional distance from the whole experience, I'm sure I'll be ecstatic about the finished product.

Here's a shot with kind of a weird perspective, but you get the idea.

No, this is isn't exactly the same picture.  This gives a better
view of the island, which is one of the main reasons we remodeled.

We took out the desk and put more drawers where it used
to be.  We seem to have tons of storage now.

This picture's for my mom who loves details.  The smaller tiles are
glass, and I think they add a nice contrast and visual interest.

Another detail I like is our granite windowsill.  It wasn't my idea, but I approve.

I've learned that you have to be able to "go with the flow" during a remodel.  It always takes longer than expected, and it usually costs a bit more than planned.  Fortunately, we stayed close to budget, and the hiccups along the way were fairly minimal.  Speaking of flow, I love how the kitchen traffic moves now.  The room just seems bigger and more open than it used to.  Since we don't need six seats at the bar any more, I think it's going to work really well for us. . . once we get that sink and cooktop operational.

Gettin' Ready for Trek

We've also spent some time recently getting ready for our pioneer trek in a little less than two weeks.  Mike and I (a.k.a. Ma and Pa Young) met our ten kids last night and also got the name of our eleventh baby, heretofore known as "the rice baby" that our family will carry along the trail.  Evidently, we're never allowed to set him down, and the siblings are supposed to do the bulk of the carrying.  Wow!

Meet Peter Kirkman, born July 9, 1856.  Our other kids have
already nicknamed him Petey.  I had fun assembling him.

We worked on our flag last night at our activity.  I did a bit
more painting on it today and will sew a border on it soon.

I'm more excited than ever about the trek.  Our loaned children seem nice, a couple of quirky ones among the bunch, but I think we'll have a great experience.  Matt and Adam seem to be happy with their makeshift families as well.  Now we just have to take care of about two hundred other details.  Bring it on!

Kitchen Update

As if our lives were not chaotic enough, our computer decided to burn out, and when I say "burn out," I mean the actual smell of melting plastic.  Seriously, we don't know what's wrong with the blasted thing, except that when we had it on the other day, it smelled horrible in the office.  We turned it off for a while, but when we booted it up again, the same thing happened.  Awesome!  So, Mike hooked up a very old laptop, and I'm going to see how it does tonight.  It is quite s . . . l . . . o . . . w . . .

I've had a couple of requests for kitchen updates, so that's what I'll focus on tonight.  After lots of activity early last week, we've hit a bit of a lull.  However, activity picks up again this week when we'll get the countertops, the backsplash, the rest of the appliances, and, if we get lucky, get the floor stained and sealed again.  I suspect the latter may have to wait until next week.  Oh, and the cabinet guy has to come back tomorrow and move the island 4 1/2 inches to the west because it was wrongly placed last week.  Kind of stinks to be him.  He also has to trim out the cabinets and add the hardware.

Now, let me see if I can get a few pictures loaded. . .

Our microwave is going to inhabit the hole on the left.

We've changed the layout and now have an island
rather than a peninsula with a return.  It should improve traffic flow.

The island is designed to look like a furniture piece.
Here's one end of it.  Should be pretty.

The desk has been replaced with more storage.  The big
hole to the left in the picture now has double ovens.

The kitchen update wouldn't be complete without a couple pix of our present "kitchen," the one we're actually using.  It's also known as the third bay of the garage.

Who needs double ovens and a new cooktop when you have a microwave and a camp stove?

The old fridge looks great in the garage.

So, the remodel continues.  We are happy and healthy and looking forward to life being a little less cluttered in a week or two.  Maybe I should go take a picture of the laundry room sink, a.k.a. the new kitchen sink.

P.S.  More pix of graduation and Matt's senior recital when the computer is once again functional.  This post took almost FOREVER!



Chaos

Life has been, well, interesting lately.  We've somehow survived the madness that is May--the month that is second only to December in terms of "busyness," schedule constraints, and time demands-- and have emerged into June to discover that life will be fairly messy for a couple more weeks.  Just a few quick pictures will suffice to sum up the chaos we've been living in. 

Matt graduated from high school on May 31st.  We came home from the ceremony a little after 9:00 p.m. and promptly began tearing out the kitchen for our planned remodel.  I only stayed up until about 12:30, but Mike labored until after 2:00 a.m.  One of Mike's super efficient, hardworking friends arrived about 7:30 the next morning to assist in the tearout, and by 11:30 a.m., my kitchen had been torn out clear to the drywall.  Truthfully, I was a little stunned.

Hooray for Matt the high school graduate!





Now let's tear out the kitchen.  See what time the clock reads in the back?
That's p.m., folks!  Why sleep when there's so much demolition to do?



"Tear down this wall!"  I did most of the wall demolition, and
I found it marvelously therapeutic.



About 14.5 hours after graduation ended.  Who knew Matt would miss
so much by going to his all-night graduation party?

So, now we're about a week into the process, and we are making progress, not quite as quickly as we did with the tearout, but it's going reasonably well with only a few snags thus far.  We've assembled a makeshift kitchen in the garage, but we are REALLY looking forward to cooking in an actual kitchen again and to life being a little less chaotic.  Cabinets went in yesterday and today, and appliances come tomorrow.  Updates to follow in a few days.  Now I think I'll go to the garage and rustle up a snack. . .