When we bought our house it had the typical builder quality kitchen, which essentially means CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP.
After 10 years I was tired of the ugly now yellowing formica countertops, scratched and stained sink and pealing laminate that represents what they call wood. It didn't help that we had a major pipe break a couple years back which caused damage to the base of the sink cabinet and the one next to it.
My dream kitchen which would have meant moving walls and replacing everything floor to ceiling would have cost between 40 and 50k... yep this was not in the budget. This lead to research and compromise. I found a highly recommended contractor that modifies and reinforces the existing cabinets, but builds new doors and can convert cabinets that had doors and covert them into drawers. We did remove one wall of cabinets and contracted him to build new from scratch pantry cabinets floor to ceiling.
Of course you can't just do the cabinets, this also means new countertops and backsplash and if we were going to do all that then we definitely needed to get rid of the ugly overhead fluorescent light over the island.
We are now in the second week of this project - week one was all about the electrical updates which included adding 6 can lights on a dimmer, removal and installation of a new island light and adding two pendant lights over the breakfast bar.
Yesterday our contractor began the demo, but we somehow never thought about the fact we wouldn't have a sink, dishwasher, microwave or stove for then next two to three weeks. See until the new cabinets are built we can't have the granite company come in to measure - current estimate that will be Friday. It will take 2 weeks from the order date to get the granite, once the granite is in then it will be another couple days before we can get a plumber out to install the new sink and to hook up the garbage disposal and dishwasher. After that we have to have the tile guy come out and then we will be able to put the stove and microwave back... basically as all projects usually go, the snowball gets bigger and bigger as it rolls down the hill before it finally crashes against something and stops!
These are the pictures to date:
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Easter 2012 - one might say good, others might say epic fail
I have to come back and blog about William's birthday, however, Easter was just two days ago and after the last couple of days, that data is easier to get to from within my memory bank.
It all started Saturday night, we had gone to an Allen American's Hockey game and when we returned everyone headed to bed leaving me to deal with the bunnyigans.
My mother had purchased these giant eggs and mini eggs for Easter and kept telling me that I had to plan something. Great, pressure!
After reading in a magazines that good parents make their kids hunt for their goodies, something that I obviously failed at the last 28 years, the plan was now to at least do better from my grandkids.
My plan, put a video game into the biggest egg with a clue where to find the next egg. This big egg would be right outside William and Landen's bedroom door.
It was 11:30 at night and either I was not mentally all there or I actually found my creative side from pure exhaustion...
In their BIG EGG the notes started - Hip Hop its time for the Easter Hunt, read below for your first clue to finding your Bunny Treasure.
Clues led them downstairs in the family room, outside in the front yard, outside in the back yard and finally upstairs. Landen's last clue read "Rub and Dub, I'm hiding in the Tub" and William's was "Arkansas is my theme, drumming is Matt's thing"
My rhymes were not all that great, but when one waits until 11:30 to start planning it takes time... I was lucky that I finished at 1:30 and not 6:30.
While the kids hunted and tried to decipher their clues, my mother bounded downstairs with a basket for me...
This is a reminder that I failed at Easter until my mother moved in and told me that Easter Hunts were mandatory.
As mom presented me with this basket of goodies left by Mr. Bunny, I could see that she herself was wondering what that dang rabbit left for her... my best offer was breakfast at IHOP, which I can only think is owned by a member of the Rabbit family, hence the name!
It all started Saturday night, we had gone to an Allen American's Hockey game and when we returned everyone headed to bed leaving me to deal with the bunnyigans.
My mother had purchased these giant eggs and mini eggs for Easter and kept telling me that I had to plan something. Great, pressure!
After reading in a magazines that good parents make their kids hunt for their goodies, something that I obviously failed at the last 28 years, the plan was now to at least do better from my grandkids.
My plan, put a video game into the biggest egg with a clue where to find the next egg. This big egg would be right outside William and Landen's bedroom door.
It was 11:30 at night and either I was not mentally all there or I actually found my creative side from pure exhaustion...
In their BIG EGG the notes started - Hip Hop its time for the Easter Hunt, read below for your first clue to finding your Bunny Treasure.
Clues led them downstairs in the family room, outside in the front yard, outside in the back yard and finally upstairs. Landen's last clue read "Rub and Dub, I'm hiding in the Tub" and William's was "Arkansas is my theme, drumming is Matt's thing"
My rhymes were not all that great, but when one waits until 11:30 to start planning it takes time... I was lucky that I finished at 1:30 and not 6:30.
While the kids hunted and tried to decipher their clues, my mother bounded downstairs with a basket for me...
This is a reminder that I failed at Easter until my mother moved in and told me that Easter Hunts were mandatory.
As mom presented me with this basket of goodies left by Mr. Bunny, I could see that she herself was wondering what that dang rabbit left for her... my best offer was breakfast at IHOP, which I can only think is owned by a member of the Rabbit family, hence the name!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
My little hero and new rules...
Saturday was the DCCC "Dallas Cowboy Cheerleading Championships" since we didn't perform until early evening, we got up early and started trimming our live oak tree in the front yard.
I got some tips from an arborist while we were visiting the Alamo and I convinced my hubby and son to help. First thing, you should only trim a tree in a month that has an "R" Second rule, find the natural "Y" in the branches and clear everything back toward the trunk.
Zak climbed into the tree and I stood on the ladder. I must say the tree looks amazing. We finished it off by hanging two of my moms wind chimes and 6 large eggs in honor of Easter.
Gil, William and Zak then headed to the dump to drop off the truck load of branches.
The plan was for them to pick up some breakfast at Chick-fil-a, however, Gil deviated from the plan and made a stop at the pool store. When William got out of the car he accidentally slammed his middle finger of his left hand in the door. Keystone cops followed, Gil locked the door when he closed his door and the fob is broken so Zak couldn't get the door open. William began trying to yank his finger out while Zak tried to hold him still. Gil unlocked the door and freed William from the door.
I was mowing the front yard when my mom ran out with the phone. I raced the the ER. I'm normally calm in a crisis, but, when my baby is hurt, not so much.
William was upset he would be letting his team down. After consulting with the doctor, he told us he could numb up the finger and it would last long enough to get through his performance. Additionally, due to the fluid building up under the nail, it required them to drill a hole through his nail. A few screams and we were good to go.
We raced home, got showered and packed and were off to Cowboy Stadium.
I was a nervous nelly, worried about William's finger. He sucked up the pain as the medicine had started to wear off. The show went on and William and his team were phenomenal.
Immediately after I could see tears and then a thumbs up. At that moment I realized what a trooper my little guy was. William officially became my little hero for pushing through the pain, not for us, not for him, but for the 33 girls on his squad and their families, he said he didn't want to let down.
***** *****
I wanted to mention my anger about one of the new USASF rule changes announced on March 28th. I can say something about all of them both positive and negative, however, I can't find anything positive in the ruling that males should not use excessive theatrics during performances. First this is discriminatory on so many levels. But, it also in my opinion implies, that males in the sport of competitive cheer are gay.
As a family we all have been asked why we let him participate in a girl sport. Note it isn't a girl sport, it just has more girls than boys. Our answer is what it is... this is the sport he fell in love with, this is what he wants.
We have always encouraged our children to be who they want to be. We tell them to follow their dreams. My husband and I only provide the means to help them pursue their dreams. William puts in the hours, he decides how hard he wants to push himself, he sets his own goals. Our job is on the sidelines watching, encouraging and cheering.
I'm sad that I have to tell him that next year he can't try to win a WOW Award - that is because it is awarded to those that show great facials and use of theatrics which obvious by the new rule, boys no longer qualify.
~ G
I got some tips from an arborist while we were visiting the Alamo and I convinced my hubby and son to help. First thing, you should only trim a tree in a month that has an "R" Second rule, find the natural "Y" in the branches and clear everything back toward the trunk.
Zak climbed into the tree and I stood on the ladder. I must say the tree looks amazing. We finished it off by hanging two of my moms wind chimes and 6 large eggs in honor of Easter.
Gil, William and Zak then headed to the dump to drop off the truck load of branches.
The plan was for them to pick up some breakfast at Chick-fil-a, however, Gil deviated from the plan and made a stop at the pool store. When William got out of the car he accidentally slammed his middle finger of his left hand in the door. Keystone cops followed, Gil locked the door when he closed his door and the fob is broken so Zak couldn't get the door open. William began trying to yank his finger out while Zak tried to hold him still. Gil unlocked the door and freed William from the door.
I was mowing the front yard when my mom ran out with the phone. I raced the the ER. I'm normally calm in a crisis, but, when my baby is hurt, not so much.
William was upset he would be letting his team down. After consulting with the doctor, he told us he could numb up the finger and it would last long enough to get through his performance. Additionally, due to the fluid building up under the nail, it required them to drill a hole through his nail. A few screams and we were good to go.
We raced home, got showered and packed and were off to Cowboy Stadium.
I was a nervous nelly, worried about William's finger. He sucked up the pain as the medicine had started to wear off. The show went on and William and his team were phenomenal.
Immediately after I could see tears and then a thumbs up. At that moment I realized what a trooper my little guy was. William officially became my little hero for pushing through the pain, not for us, not for him, but for the 33 girls on his squad and their families, he said he didn't want to let down.
***** *****
I wanted to mention my anger about one of the new USASF rule changes announced on March 28th. I can say something about all of them both positive and negative, however, I can't find anything positive in the ruling that males should not use excessive theatrics during performances. First this is discriminatory on so many levels. But, it also in my opinion implies, that males in the sport of competitive cheer are gay.
As a family we all have been asked why we let him participate in a girl sport. Note it isn't a girl sport, it just has more girls than boys. Our answer is what it is... this is the sport he fell in love with, this is what he wants.
We have always encouraged our children to be who they want to be. We tell them to follow their dreams. My husband and I only provide the means to help them pursue their dreams. William puts in the hours, he decides how hard he wants to push himself, he sets his own goals. Our job is on the sidelines watching, encouraging and cheering.
I'm sad that I have to tell him that next year he can't try to win a WOW Award - that is because it is awarded to those that show great facials and use of theatrics which obvious by the new rule, boys no longer qualify.
~ G
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