Before and After Pics.... Finally!

After three weeks and five days, I can't believe I am finally able to do this post. Whew! It nearly killed us, but I can finally say, "We're finished!"

You probably thought I was being figurative when I said that it nearly killed us. And I was, of course. But, sadly, I was also being literal. :(

We didn't know, but Lance had a medical condition lurking. Just waiting for us to not eat homemade food for weeks so it could attack. And attack it did. Right when the guy was at our house hooking up our new sink and dishwasher. After visiting the doctor and then the emergency room, Lance ended up spending three days in the hospital. He still has a way to go for full recovery, but he's doing pretty good now, especially considering how serious the problem is. It was one of those If-we'd-waited-another-day-to-take-him-to-the-hospital-he-would-have-died kinds of things.

And OKAY! Enough talk of frightening things that scare me half to death (figuratively). Let's get on with the Before and After pictures!

Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before:


After:


I didn't have a before picture for this angle, because it didn't really change much, structure-wise. I didn't want to make you feel like there was a missing corner to the kitchen. :)


Man, I hated these drawers. I think that they were designed by a practical jokester. And I think that he is somewhere in the world, laughing every time we closed the drawer and the back end fell down. It brought me untold amounts of joy to huck these into the pile of debris at the dump. I wish I had a picture to show you of them meeting their demise... And I even remembered to take my camera.... But my boys and I were having so much fun laughing and hucking and jumping for joy, that we forgot to get any of it on film.

But here's the Before:


And the After:


I don't have a Before picture of the inside of my pantry. Okay, that's not true. I do have a picture, I'm just not willing to share it. Let's just say that there was way too much stuff in way too small an area, making it impossible to stay organized, and leave it at that.

Did you hear that? Okay, it could just be me. But every time I look at this picture, I hear choirs of heavenly angels singing.

Ahh. I think I'm going to stare at it for a few more minutes before I continue.


Okay. I think I can move on now. Especially since it's to this picture! There is no "Before," because this didn't exist before. My food pantry. And I am in love. Sometimes I turn on the light, go inside, close the door, and just hang out with a smile on my face.


And yes, rubbing my cheek on the floor was everything I'd hoped it would be.


I wasn't the only one who wanted to get down and experience it with more than just my feet.



How many people does it take to install an over-the-range microwave?

The answer is four.


My best Vanna impression. If Vanna wore painting clothes instead of a sparkly dress.


In an attempt to keep me in remodeling purgatory, I was stuck in a corner and cabinets were installed around me. I was just peeking over the edge to see if there was any chance for escape, when I saw I was being monitored by camera...



I decided that after a nice bed, a toilet, and a shower, the kitchen sink is The Most Important Thing in the house. After two weeks of living without a one... Let's just say that I am grateful to have one again.


Like most remodeling projects, it took way more money and work and time than we guessed it would at the beginning. And, although it should have been done years ago, I really can't imagine having done it with babies or toddlers or even preschoolers. I guess now really was the right time. I am SO GLAD it is done! And the important thing is that we all survived.

But, no rest for the weary. We are continuing that pretty floor into the living room. Kyle will be especially happy since the wood for the floor has been living in his bedroom for the past four weeks.


Since the carpet is going away, we took a minute to paint on it. Just because we could. How often do you get to do that?






Anyone need any carpet scraps? They come in a variety of colors. ;)