Oh happy day!

Monday we had a very special visitor...

(Cue the singing angels)And we've had very special visitors every day since Monday because we chickened out on installing the cabinets ourselves and hired some very talented guys to do it for us.

(Yes, that's my breakfast cooking)

And it's a darn good thing because it turns out that our walls, ceiling and floors are "like the rolling hills of Kentucky", as our installer put it, and I'm sure we would have said a few swear words, messed it up beyond all repair and then took a torch to the whole kitchen.

We are paying the installers by the hour and it has been taking a REALLY long time, due to the hill situation. Chris and I did a little bit of mental math and we started to get really sweaty. Especially when the owner of the company said, "This has been one of the most challenging jobs we've been on in a long time." In my mind I was starting to see dollar bills fly out the window, but later he said that this has been really a good training experience for his helper and that he would just charge us a flat rate. What a nice guy!

So now we are off to Utah for spring break and when we get home the countertops and sink should be installed. Then we will be VERY CLOSE to a normal life again.

There is a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Well, you can't tell from this picture, but A LOT of work has been done this week on our kitchen. Since my last post we have done some more electrical work, finished hanging sheet rock, taped all the seams and textured the walls and ceiling. We also scraped up the old linoleum floors and took the old carpet out of the dining room. Today the kids and I primed and painted the walls and ceiling. Whew! I am tired just remembering all the work that's been happening.
So now we are getting to the exciting part... putting everything back together. It's funny how you grow to be thankful for the little things when you've gone without everything. Right now I am so excited to have my pantry back come Monday. There's a possibility that we will get more pieces installed on that day but I dare not get my hopes up.
We are really tired of eating frozen food. It just doesn't satisfy the appetite that we have when we've been working all day. And I'm starting to feel kind of crummy from all the processed foods. Don't get me wrong-I'm not some organic eating health nut, but I'm used to home cooked meals and gosh darn it, I MISS THEM! Our friends Jake and Karen were kind enough to have us over for dinner one night this week so that was a really nice break from our pathetic food we've been eating here.
Friday we're leaving for Utah to spend spring break with Grandpa Tom and Grandma Fay. Grandma Fay is the queen of home cooked meals. It will be such a treat for us. Can't wait to come and eat all your food, Fay! hehe
Keaton has decided to go out for tennis this year. In the past he's always done track, but he thought he'd try something new. So far he's enjoying it and coming home tired and sore. Their first match is March 30 and I'm excited to be involved in something new.
Carson had his last basketball game today. His team went undefeated (again). I think the closest game they played was 6 to 24. One of the games was won 0 to 34. That poor team! I felt so sorry for them, I kept wishing our team would just let them have a basket or two. I think it's just a matter of time until the city puts an end to this team Carson always plays on.

Right after spring break is when the track season starts and Jantzen is finally old enough to do it this year. Yippee! She's so excited to finally be able to do what her brothers have been doing every spring. I'm dreading the three hour track meets in the cold and wind, but I guess that's just the way it goes. Until I save enough money to move to Hawaii I guess I'll just have to get used to it.

Here's a few cute pictures from the last week:

Nice safety glasses, huh?

Jantzen LOVES to help clean the bathroom. It probably won't last long enough for her to actually get good at it.

Poor Kamber, she endures so much humilitation!

Welcome to my world, Part 9,765,251

Progress IS being made. I repeat. Progress IS being made!

Despite a couple of minor setbacks, (like electricity running through Chris body a few times), we are making pretty good time on our little project. Check it out:

We have almost finished putting up the sheet rock. All of the old cabinets are out except for the island. I am clinging to the island for dear life because it is a great place to put all our tools while we're working. Well at least that's what I'm telling Chris. Really it's because it holds my ONLY accessible dishes. Without them we would be eating cereal out of a toolbox. I would be slicing apples with a utility knife and and then serving them up on a piece of sandpaper.

Oh yeah, and just when I thought there was nothing more I could possibly lose, Chris found one more thing to take apart...the railing above the stairs.
Nobody has fallen yet, but I know it will probably happen eventually. And I have a feeling it's gonna be me.

Welcome to my world--Part 2

First let's refresh our memories. I'm gonna go back in time to the good ole' days when I could cook whenever I wanted. "What's that you say child? You'd like a sandwich? No problem. I'll have one whipped up for you in 30 seconds or less."

Now we'll fast forward to Monday, the day my world came crashing down on me. The day I lost my oven and my upper cabinets.Notice how we're still smiling here because we haven't...
Done this yet!Did I mention that I lost my ceiling on Monday too? Oh, yeah and lighting. When I lost my ceiling I also lost about 30 degrees in the kitchen and gained a nice breeze which caused a constant rain of insulation on us.
Yesterday things got better...and worse. I got my ceiling back, but I lost my stove, sink, lower cabinets, drinking water from the fridge, walls and ...MY SANITY! All I have left in the world is a fridge and a microwave. Has anyone ever tried to cook a Papa Murphy's pizza in the microwave? Just wondering.

Look me in the eyes and tell me this is not the cutest Scentsy warmer you've ever seen.

And for my music lovers, I had this one made just for you.

Yeah, that's the kind of PULL I have with this company...