Cabinet is breech

This is like going in for your last appointment and finding out the baby is breech. We were all set to install countertops and the guy in charge did not like how the island pieces fit together, something like that. So he took them back! Sob! And didn't seal the seams on the rest so this big piece could not be placed over the bar. Of course it is worth it for the final result, but still a tad frustrating as I was expecting Monday morning to have all countertops and cabinets in place and the floor finished. So close!

The kitchen is due in 8 days

I spent a long time planning for this kitchen, years of it via magazine clippings before pinterest came along to help supplement that madness. Then last summer/fall the planning got serious with our contractor and the cabinet designer. I called this the first trimester. No one else could see what was going on, but it was developing (and when we get the bid, we felt like throwing up). Then the work actually started and people wanted to see photos as it progressed. There is some shock value in that, instead of a huge belly it's a gutted room. I also had designs on the computer, thankfully a little easier to understand than an ultrasound.

Well, it is the final week now and time could not go any slower. As I read cookbooks and magazines with recipes I want to try, I kind of hate those people who have kitchens already. I am in limbo, waiting for mine, just wasting time here. Oh and the logistics at the end here with the floor, it's like planning what to do with older siblings when the baby comes. I spent last week trying to figure out if I'd take the kids to a hotel this weekend while the floors were stained and sealed. Sean had to work so I knew he'd be stuck in the basement, with an exterior exit that he could use to get up to the pool house to find a bathroom. But the rest of us, did I want to cram into a hotel room with them? I finally realized that the guest suite has an exterior exit also so we could all cram in there for free at least. Everyone gathered up everything they would need from the second floor and prepared to suck it up for a night. In the end, the floor is still not stained or sealed after a long long long weekend of this poor guy sanding what must be an acre of hardwoods. So he will finish it this week or I cannot imagine the yelling that will take place (not by me).

I will say that cutting out most activities this season worked out well. It was hard enough trying to figure out meals in the laundry room with portable appliances, factoring in shuttling kids around would have really upped the stress level. We are crabby enough from having people and noise in the house all the time, we needed quiet evenings. This is making me consider cutting back activities this summer too. We just don't enjoy being busy all the time. While I wouldn't mind this coming week being a blur and going fast until the house is finished, after that I want it to slow down again. I have real meals I want to cook and we will eat them together. And then someone else is doing dishes. I'm out after two months of washing them in a bowl in the utility sink.

ps I can't get photos to post. I will have to spend some serious time fixing this once the "after" photos are ready. This is the main reason I am neglecting the blog, just not as fun without adding photos.

Virginia (no ski) trip

We ended up leaving 7 hours early for our trip in hopes of beating the big storm headed our way. We did hit a couple hours of sleet/snow that made us consider a hotel room in Topeka but we powered through and the kids slept the first 9 hours of the trip. Then we rewarded them with breakfast at McDonalds, big treat. We were in the south by that point so Patrick was delighted with a chicken biscuit and we had to capture the moment. And then jam them back into the car for another 9 hours. And then we found out that the storm never really hit, argh.

 The crazy eyes of someone on a long road trip

 First order of business in Virginia after Caroline and family arrived was a trip to Bold Rock and a brewery for lunch

 Hanging outside Devil's Backbone. I think.

so many flavors, so little room in the car...

 Then we went and stalked the beautiful Southern Living Idea Home nearby-- missed the official tour by two days, frowny face.

 The next day we went to a winery, a beautiful venue for events and for taking a break from the kids

I don't think I have any photos of Andy, sorry, but he was there!

 After winery we went to a distillery (noticing a trend here?)

 No, we did not let Emily sample the whiskey. It was whiskey, right?

 Whatever it is, cheers! Regular hot drinks for the kids, fancy ones for the adults

 The kids loved the hot chocolate, better without whiskey in my opinion...

 Cousin attack, sorry Nicholas

 Some game thing that was a big hit from Nana and Pops

 Then we all went and hiked the Appalachian Trail, or the AT for those in the know. Patrick gave Pop's gear a try.

 I got it, I got it!

 Rest stop "halfway"

 Finally hot chocolate time at the campsite

 Sean heating the water, sorry no whiskey...

 Almost four miles on the AT, might be enough slippery rocks and muddy trail hiking for us for now...

 Best crab cakes ever-- made with cornbread. Highly recommend.

 Happy New Year with the family, every teenager's dream!

 Selecting the gear

 My favorite noise...

 By the light of the phone...

 Fire it up

 There we go

 Sparkle time

 Just about the same as going up the mountain for the big fireworks display... that we decided we were too tired to deal with, sorry kids.

 Thanks to Nana and Pops for putting on a great week of nonstop eating and fun!

I did get a photo of Andy!

Crashed out

 The best salad-- I still need this recipe

 Mexican train

 lots of train time

 Aunt Caroline showed the girls the power of a curling iron.

 Boys went out fishing, all sorts of things to make up for no ski weather... that's okay, I took the ski money and bought another dishwasher...

We even found time for puppet shows, which got a little violent

 On the way home we made it to St. Louis in time for dinner, but unfortunately everyone else was eating out there then so we ended up at a Bob Evans. It's the kids' favorite new restaurant, they wish we had one here... pancakes for dinner, what a treat.

To get a table faster we split into two tables, perfect for that family who has spent 12 hours together in a car... made it home by midnight and then had a day to recover before school started.

Christmas!

 We went to the 4pm Christmas Eve mass which is the most crowded, but the only one that would fit into Sean's schedule. We learned a long time ago to arrive a half hour early to get a seat. Lots of music before, it's not so bad.

 Then we had the traditional T'was the Night Before Christmas reading before Sean went to work at 7pm

 both angles...

 We didn't have a big Christmas eve dinner, just an island buffet of random snacks-- and peanut butter buckeyes thanks to Anna.

 Hmm, a couple rows of lights are out... will deal with that next year

Last year with Christmas in the hearth room, next year this will have the big dining table.

 Christmas morning, too early to have eyes open before coming down the stairs

 Sean worked until 5am and then he baked the monkey bread that I had prepared. I forgot to tell him to dump it out right away and thus, it was stuck in the pan and we pried it out into a pile of deliciousness, that I can only handle one morning a year.

 Same goes for orange julius... which I taught the girls to make. This is the year for outsourcing and delegating

 Love the age where you can buy big cheap toys and the kids are thrilled. My Little Pony, wheeee!

 Anna pretty much got only one gift, worth more than a big pile of toys-- an iPad mini, which was really a gift to the whole family because it meant we now have enough electronics to keep everyone busy on long car trips

 Anyway, to drag out the suspense I wrapped it in many boxes.

 The crowd grew...

 Finally, the grand prize, silence in the car for 18 hours each way to/from Virginia!

 Patrick is obsessed with the rubix cube right now and I found some from a company in China (via amazon) that included a 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5 and divided them up between the kids. He can solve the 2x2 but we can only solve the 3x3 with an app to help us. There is no hope for solving the other two.

 Comparing cubes...

 Lots of clothes and food treats for Megan

 And they all love their fuzzy blankets, really helped on the car ride when they built a nest in the back to sleep half the way.

 Really, those puzzle cubes were a big cheap hit, who knew?

 Star Wars book, hope he reads it because I am sick of hearing him read about sharks.

 Wrapped up... I do keep the heat on rather low, I'm from Michigan.

 Boys were thrilled with their big gift and Patrick put it together mostly by himself because Sean was sleeping/working that week.

 More ponies, so exciting

 Patrick pretending that he doesn't care about ponies...

 And a girl lego...

 Emily was trying to comfort Megan and told her that maybe her next gift wouldn't be clothes, maybe it would be a toy!

 Fun little art gift from Grandma that kept her busy for a long time, bonus

 Since Sean was sleeping all day and we had no plans after opening presents we went to help at the community Christmas dinner

 Little ones not as helpful but they tolerated us being there and away from their new toys

 Megan did hours of dishes, such a good sport. She was happy to not have to talk to anyone, introverts unite.

 But then there is Anna who is awesome at talking to new people. She would go take orders from the families that came in and then deliver their food to them.

 This was our island of grazing, so popular that I will expand it next year on the big island!

 Everyone I know got these this year, fun to color together and neglect the house and laundry and cooking...

 A big hit from Aunt Katie

 Anything Frozen is always loved, thanks Erin and Lane!

 And here is Sean, enjoying his Christmas dinner while working. A very busy time for his company right now which we are tolerating because it is paying for the remodel. He was ready for our trip to Virginia though, coming up next!