Fixin' the Kitchen

First--and Foremost...Happy Birthday David! How does 40 feel?!? We're all behind you buddy! Way, way 6 months behind you...lol. Wow!...I bet people who partied with us in Germany would have never thought we would have made it to 40! But, not only have we made it...but...we are pretty, too! Thanks for blazing the birthday path for us each year Dave! We love you!

Second--Christmas was great and I am afraid Christmas Excitement has already been promptly replaced with Renovation Excitement. Poppy and Nana left 2 days after Christmas leaving us free till Jan 7th. How often do you find this kind of time to make this large a mess! In fact, I really wanted to get a family picture in front of the tree and it appears that I simply can't bring myself to get everyone cleaned up enough for a decent picture in front of it, so, I may just have to box that puppy up and get on with my life. By decently cleaned up, I really mean Bruce and I. The kids are cute with little to no effort whatsoever. The aged Papa and Mum, not so cute--even with hours of effort. We pretty much shoot for looking "rested". Rested would be very complimentary.

Bruce is ripping out the kitchen and has done the following as of this blog:

--Ripped out old ceiling
--rerouted electrical that was just hanging below ceiling joists into proper boxes (code)
--rerouted water for fridge (hereto known as Frigo) so we can have ice in new Frigo location
--put up half of ceiling drywall and replaced insulation along the way (I had the misfortune of helping with this or more to the point Bruce had the misfortune of my help-lol)
--tore out old pantry
--put new door way from front room through to kitchen/den
--took down existing A/C duct work from ceiling to shift it into new ceiling above Frigo & Pantry

--Yes, Folks--I said PANTRY!!! This is a happy, happy thing for the Shenanigan!

--working on building pantry walls (I'm trying to work Pantry into as many as I can)

--worked, reworked, and re-reworked kitchen layout till, finally I think we are really satisfied
--picked out door for pantry
--picked out units for kitchen. (Thankfully IKEA puts this job even in ballpark for us!!!)



The kids are enjoying the changes but bored with us being so busy with it. I don't really blame them. But we are making very good progress and Bruce assures me it shouldn't take more than...2 weeks. lol well see :) Meanwhile, I am playing lots of board games with kids, watching lots of kids movies and reading books to Jules. Zoe has been entertaining us by playing PS3 games while Jules and I look on (yawn...) I'm still reading through David Sedaris books, so the laughs are keeping me smiling for real and not the plastered on high eyebrowed kind meant to calm frightened children and animals.


Third--I have a few pics of the progress. I have actually downloaded my camera in preparation of this blog and can send some cute Halloween and Christmas pics. I hear Jules in the living room yelling, "huh oh, somebody needs a hero!" We are never without a hero in the Hoodswain house!