Holding Pattern

So it's official, we flipped nearly an entire kitchen in 2 weeks. And by we, I mean Manny, Lorenzo, Hector, Brian and Jason. I pretty much did nothing :D

Where we stand now: cabinets, countertops and appliances are installed and everything is functioning! Tonight my main project is to move back in - everything was really dirty from the construction (even inside the (brand new) refrigerator was somehow dusty!). So it had to be vacuumed, wiped, mopped and wiped again. Jason needs to finish up some trim work, the cabinet hardware needs to go on and the long wait for our backsplash tile (8-10 weeks!) has begun. I'm going to wait until it is all 100% completed before doing a full post, but for now I'll leave you with what things look like as of two days ago, right before our faucet went in.

See you after the backsplash tile goes in! (Well I'll see you before that, but it won't be kitchen related ;) )

Meanwhile in Florida...

So if you'll recall, once the kitchen demo started, the boys and I got the heck out. For 5 days we enjoyed all the trappings that Florida, specifically Poppy and Mema's new digs in Palm Coast, had to offer. We went to Marineland (Ashton got to pet a dolphin!), the St Augustine Alligator Farm, two different beaches, an awesome BBQ joint on the intercoastal waterway, and of course spent tons of time splashing around in the pool. Alex basically lived in a swim diaper (I could have put on a bathing suit, but, eh - why bother?). Check out the footage ---> double jump!

Ben, Kari and Callie were there too and we had such a good time. My little niece is soooo adorable, I just wanted to keep squeezing her. And the boys were great. I admit it was a bit challenging doing the solo parenting thing, especially on the flights, but it was well worth it. I loved spending so much quality time with them. Plus Jason told me that it really did help with the kitchen install in that the guys basically worked 7 am - 9 pm and did not have to clean up their mess/tools in between. 

A few (hundred) pictures from the long weekend await you just after this paragraph! The weather was not the best but we did not let that stop us. In fact, it worked in my favor because then I didn't have to take my beach coverup off (the first time you put on a bathing suit after a long winter is mighty scary, amiright?). 

THANK YOU POPPY AND MEMA!! And also to Lilli, for enduring the endless treats that were offered to her :)

So we got back to Massachusetts yesterday on a beautiful Marathon Monday, Jason picked us up and we headed home to check out the progress. It is pretty crazy, in under 2 weeks our entire kitchen will have been flipped. By Friday the countertops should be in, appliances hooked up, sink running and we will only want for a backsplash! Here is the "before" to "in progress" as of this morning!

We are not quite at an "AFTER" but almost...

Kitchen Demo Day

It's really happening! OMG! As I type this there are several men in my house taking out my kitchen!  eeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Yesterday:

Right now:

Sorry it's a little unreal considering we started the process before Christmas. Renovations take a long time to plan! There are so many moving parts in terms of scheduling the contractors/workers, picking things out, placing special orders and whatnot. Countless hours reading reviews, shopping, learning just how much things cost (haha), and worrying about doing it right. We'd stand in the kitchen, walk around, pretend to do things like open the fridge or throw something in the trash - it had to function or we would die trying.

In the meantime, it turns out that not furnishing the foyer was the best thing I ever did, because now we had a whole separate space to create our temporary kitchen. Geographically, this is the pass-through room to get upstairs:

Temporary kitchen:

Jason took down some of the cabinets this weekend for us to use in here before they (and the old fridge) go in the basement. Overall it took me 4.5 hours to move everything out of the kitchen and into either this room or downstairs. I was getting flashbacks of our move here in the first place!

So we have the old microwave, our toaster, coffee maker, and the grill outside. I will still probably be using 5 Guys and Comellas takeout :D
On Wednesday I'm taking the boys to FL for 5 days and hopefully when we get back, a lot of the stuff will be done. All signs so far point to survival (plus, just got good news that we are actually able to vent our hood to the outside, something we did not think possible). Yay!

Speaking of stuff, here's the mood board I created (or, attempted to create) based on the final choices!

We totally know we are going to the "safe and classic" route with the white and gray, but I think it's going to look so pretty. I'm obsessed with our backsplash tile although it won't be in for 10 weeks :-/
Refer to my comment above that everything takes soooo long!

The appliances came today, the electrician comes tomorrow and then the cabinets arrive on Wednesday, pretty much at the exact same time I'll be boarding a plane (solo, did I mention?) with the boys.

We are officially..

A New Nill, a country in Blogland. Population: 0!

I haven't been around lately ahhhhh!!! If enough time goes by where I don't post I start to get twitchy, like I might lose all four of my readers!!

Things have been super busy at home, super busy at work, we got SNOW, it was Easter and we had all those associated activities, and our kitchen project starts on Monday next week. Two days after that I am flying solo with the boys to Florida to escape the aforementioned kitchen project, but before that, and before Monday, I have to clear out all our cupboards, drawers, toys, etc., set up a makeshift kitchen area, and in general just figure out how all of this is going to go. Our nanny's grandfather passed away so our schedule has been off, there has been tons of drama with Home Depot and our cabinet delivery (everything is coming in two days later than we hoped so we haven't even started and already the timeline is getting pushed), and in general it's just been, like, AHHHHH!!!

The boys are their usual selves, so that's comforting. 

So that's all I have for you today unfortunately. Promise to get a good post in before FL!