Worth the price of admission

We went to Family Night at our local Red Robin last Wednesday and WOW, what a deal! We got there just as the face painter got started. Everyone got to pick their design and they all were stunning!




We also were visited by a table-side balloon artist. So, face painting for five, balloon animals for six, and a meal for eight all for the value on our gift card! What a deal!

Happy New Year!

I hate when I get this far behind on my blogging. We've had some technical difficulties with our wireless over the last few weeks. It's been super frustrating to try to load pictures and have the internet cut out just when I'm sure it's about to be done with the upload or as I've been trying to search for kitchen accessories and have the internet cut out just as the perfect utensil bar rack is about to reveal itself. Anyway, it's all better now.

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Belated New Year! We had a great time ringing in 2011 complete with honkers and blowers and sparkling cider. The best part was we were still in bed by 10 pm. Having east coast roots makes a 10 p.m. New Year justifiable doesn't it?

Harrison was a big fan of the cider!Now what to do about all the stuff I missed posting in 2010. Do I ignore it and move on with 2011? Do I post it and put 2011 stuff on hold? I thought about re-instituting Flashback Friday but I'm not sure I want to drag 2010 out for the next three months. Ideas anyone?

Kitchen Remodeling -- Weeks 11 & 12

Well, I think we've crossed the finish line on our 12-week kitchen renovation. Check it out!

BEFORE (of the south wall and old island):
AFTER:
BEFORE (of west wall):
AFTER:
Week 11 started with a flurry of activity as the countertops and appliances went in. We rolled from one crisis to the next and didn't escort the last of the help out until after 8:30 p.m.

Then we escaped. We headed out for three nights in our trailer to clear our heads and reconnect as a family. We came home and have since been moving into our new kitchen, organizing and reorganizing. We've trimmed, puttied, caulked, and hung lights. We still need the dishwasher panels and a second pendant light but we're feeling pretty good about how the project turned out.

Now, to get to the serious business of cooking! Ah, my first New Year's Resolution.

Kitchen Remodeling -- Weeks 9 & 10

This was supposed to be the big reveal post. You know the one showing the before and the after. The one where you, my loyal audience, ooohs and aaahs and marvels at our clever design and industriousness. Alas, you'll have to wait another week.

We were moving along right on schedule. The cabinet install got done. The electrical work got done. The holes in the wall got patched...twice. The template was done for the granite. The appliances were scheduled for delivery. Of course all these things required at least five phone calls and being home as much as possible in case someone stopped by to do something.

We built out the pantry last weekend. It came out great, don't you think? I can't wait to move into it. I've never had so much food storage space. Until I can start canning, I think I'm going to need to make a huge Costco run to fill it.
This Wednesday we hit the snag. The granite folks called to tell us that the machine that performs the final process on the stone BROKE! The message was that the part would be in tomorrow because they would certainly have us installed by Friday (only one day late). OK. We could still keep our plans to go camping on Monday. Then, the part was delayed another day but they would surely install Saturday because that's what they do when they inconvenience folks. On Friday, the plan changed yet again and the new plan is to install Monday morning. The excuse: Our island rock weighs 1,000 pounds and they couldn't get enough installers together to bring it Saturday.

Of course, for every push in schedule from the granite folks comes a push in schedule with the appliance folks. We've daily been begging to get on the schedule and that's gotten harder as we've gotten closer to Christmas when apparently EVERYONE wants their appliances delivered. Ugh!

So now we're attempting to make the most of our wait. You know, take lots of Tylenol, put up the Christmas tree, take cues from our kids that Christmas is around the corner and is a reason to celebrate.

We're on the schedule to have granite installed Monday morning and the appliances Monday afternoon. We're leaving Tuesday for a much needed escape from this craziness and frustration. Well, at least that's the plan today.

Kitchen Remodeling -- Week 6 thru 8

The pace of our kitchen remodeling really picked up in Week 6. We had electrical work done...
And plumbing...
And sheetrocking...
And we had the wood on the ceiling sandblasted. The sandblasting gave the kitchen a major face lift. Our kitchen actually felt like new construction. Of course the dirt and sand that filled the rest of the house reminded us otherwise. But it really served as the turning point from the depression of demo to the excitement of what's to come.

We spent Week 7, also known as Thanksgiving week, starting to put things back together. The walls were textured. I stained the ceiling in one very long, very stinky day. Mark laid the tile and I painted.
Mark grouted and the girls helped clean. That's always such a drag. It takes so many passes with the sponge to get that 'new tile' feel. By Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend we were exhausted and sore, but we were ready for Week 8.
Week 8 brought cabinets! Yes, cabinets. It took us nine months to decide on which cabinets to buy and it was so worth it. They are beautiful!
After the first day of installation, it's starting to look like we have a kitchen again.
Week 9 will bring the rest of the cabinet install, drywall patching, electrical finish work and hopefully the beginning of a pantry. We're getting near the end. This whole kitchen remodel has been a taxing process to be sure but one we hope our family will enjoy for years to come.

Kitchen Remodeling -- Week 5

I get further behind on this post each week. We're already two days in to Week 6 which probably doesn't matter to anyone but me. But it's my blog, so I'm clarifying.

Week 5 was demo week. As in, take it down to the studs. As in, no more sink or cooktop. As in, more dust than I can shake a broom or Swiffer at.

The kids are always looking for ways to help with the remodel. This week Chloe was Daddy's superstar helper. After our rented tile stripper failed us, Mark manually took up 400 sq. ft. of satillo. He needed an extra set of hands to get rid of all those chunks of clay. Chloe did a great job shoveling and transferring tile to the wheelbarrow for disposal.
The demo only came after taking a full day to set up a temporary kitchen. I've always wanted a galley kitchen, sort of.
This is our new pantry/countertop/cabinet space. The shelves filled up faster than either of us imagined. Ugh. We have the microwave in the kids' bathroom along with our wash station. And this is our kitchen now. We have it quarantined to try to contain the dust and to prevent trespassing.
We also finished ordering odds-and-ends like cabinet hardware, more tile, grout, the sink and faucet. Now, we need to get a firm delivery date on those cabinets.

Adventures in Paint

Last Sunday, as we looked at the week ahead, the kids and I picked an adventure for each day. For Monday we chose to go to the botanical gardens and for Tuesday the kids begged and pleaded to paint. Painting with six kids is definitely an adventure.

I was apprehensive getting started as I looked at all their smiling faces and all those paint jars and brushes and newspapers. The boys have never painted before. What was I thinking? But, you know what, they did great! I gave everyone a lesson on how to love and care for their brushes and away they went painting their little hearts out.
Harrison even got in on the action. He painted with water. It's hard to tell whether he was more excited about painting or being included in an activity the big kids were doing.
Seth was a master color mixer.
Sam preferred taking it one color at a time.
We need to have more adventures like these!