Valentine's Weekend and Kitchen Update

Ron and I are not big Valentine's Day people. I don't want him spending money on jacked-up prices on flowers and I definitely don't need a box of chocolates, that I don't even like most of.

BUT we do have a "tradition" that he started doing a few years ago. He makes me chocolate covered strawberries dipped in different toppings.. like toasted coconut, sprinkles, and all kinds of yummy stuff. But I really didn't think I'd get any this year. It was his first full week of full-time daddy duty while I was at work, he was trying to get the kitchen ready for the cabinet installation.  I mean THIS is pretty much what our entire kitchen was....

And we had a little bitty work area that we made in the front living room...

But when I came home from work, I was happily surprised!!  He DID make them! Served on a paper plate...in the midst of a complete disaster of a house, but that just made it even better! I was so excited and I felt so loved.

Then, that night, Autumn had this burning desire to make s'mores...I don't know why. But it sounded like a good idea, so why not? 

On actual Valentine's Day, Ron had to work. So we sent him a little picture to say hi!

We went to see him at work, but 5 minutes into it, they got a call and he had to leave. Of course.

That night my friend brought over some yummy goodies and some Sangria. I mean, seriously, how sweet is she?!

The next day, we went over to my parents' house for a family lunch. My cousins were there too! I took the opportunity to do a little science fun with them. We made a worm hotel. Autumn, of course loved it! Her boys did too... K more than H I think.

Just can't seem to let go of this "teacher" role I play. ha!

My cousin with Caroline. Two pretty ladies!

Then my dad took them for a ride around in his lawn mower cart.

My cousin getting in more of her baby fix.

We got to update our 4 Generations of Women picture.  And this time, with my Lisha! My Cousin is my mom's brother's (who died before Lisha was born) daughter. So It's my grandma, my mom, me and my cousin, and then my girls.

Then we got one with everyone in it! Love this picture!

 Where's Ron you ask??

Right here...

He was at home getting ready for the cabinet installation.

I would love to help out doing this kitchen renovation, but my job is mainly to keep the girls away from it all.

While Ron keeps on working.

This week, the cabinets have gone in. I do a post on that soon!

Caroline is 3 Months Old

Sweet Caroline is 3 months old!!

My. Doesn't time fly?

She is such a sweet girl.  

She has been talking A LOT. Like full on stories.

She smiles A LOT.

She still spits up A LOT. Like, how is she gaining weight since it seems like she's spitting it all up?  But she is. So whatever. We just need to keep a stock of rags around.

She still sleeps through the night and really only takes cat naps during the day. Although the last few nights, she's been waking up around 1/1:30 to eat. Not cool, Caroline. Not cool. lol

This is her telling a story...lol.

Her car riding is TONS better. I'm not sure why she didn't like riding in cars her first two months, but she is really good in the car now. Whew!

I just want to kiss on these cheeks all day long... I just love them! And her,

Tonight she fell asleep in my arms. I love that.

It must be hard to be 3 months old.

Kitchen Remodel Days 1 and 2 - Demolition

The kitchen has finally started!! 

I kept calling our cabinet people to find out if the cabinets have been delivered. They've been delayed a few times now. I was hoping to have this project finished before I went back to work, but it didn't happen.  

Friday I came home from work and my kitchen looked like this!

Only shadows of old cabinets and countertops!

The old pantry has been taken out...and the little "thing" above the pantry has been taken out too.

We knocked the wall back a few inches because of the new pantry going in.

And the rest of my house? Looks like I belong on the show "hoarders."  For real. The OCD in me is going a little crazy right now!

This is my front living room.  When they took out the old cabinets, they just moved them in here and we're using them to put all of our needed on a daily basis kind of food - mostly snacks and cereals for the kids.

And the cabinets serve as a fun place to play hide and seek in I guess too. lol

My microwave is on the entry bench, plugged in so we can use it... the stove and dishwasher are sitting in my formal dining room, which is also covered in all kinds of stuff!

The backside of the front room

This room is the guest room... which is actually supposed to be Caroline's room, but poor girl hasn't had a chance to even step foot in it. This room was housing my parents' stuff when they moved back and now it's our catch all room for all of the remodeling. Oh well. She's nice and comfy in our room for now. She doesn't mind.

The sink is on our back porch. That's always nice. lol

That night, Ron's job was to take up the tile. Since we are moving the refrigerator to another spot in the kitchen, we had to make a new water line for it. So we are going to be making it come off the sink, across the floor to the fridge.  Ron had to take up the tile in that path.

That was all of day 1. They had all the fun without me! 

Day 2 was more fun. 

My dad came over early to start closing off the old pantry.

Here's what the closed off pantry is like now.

I, on the other hand, found a spot for the coffee pot. It fits nice and snug right there, right over a plug! lol. Nothing will keep me from my coffee!

The girls were having fun playing with all the extra pieces of 2x4s.

Meanwhile, Ron was cutting the concrete, and making a huge dust storm in the house! bleh!

He got it cut out, laid the water line and the put concrete back in to cover up the line.

Another job we had to tackle was to move the vent for the microwave over, since our stove is getting shifted over (we're adding more counter/cabinet space by the stove!).  However, there was a problem with the vent - we couldn't move it because it went all the way through the attic and up through the roof. We can't access the attic over the kitchen since it's vaulted, so there in lies our problem. lol.   Ron worked on it a little that night.

And then Woody came the 3rd day to finish it off (Ron had to go to work).  We put a new box to the left and then made the tubing go up into the old box to still vent.

So that's days 1-3. We have to postpone the cabinets another day or 2 because we didn't realize that we needed more tile taken out...until we were talking today. ugh!