under construction...

When our Australia plans were cancelled for the summer, our consolation prize was that we'd stick with our original plans to remodel our 1968 kitchen.   Home remodeling is our hobby, and Marc is our resident handyman!


So here we go!  Let the demo begin!

Caroline wasn't too fond of it initially as she said, "Daddy, why are you tearing down the house?"  But it didn't take this kid long to get in on the action and swing her own sledgehammer.  (You know, 4 year olds and sledgehammers just go together...)


Step number 1: remove the wall between the kitchen and the dining room.  AND may I mention, subsequently live in a pile of dust... cough, sneeze...


But taking down the curtains has made for some pretty great puppet shows.


No more wall!  But yes, this is the current state of things in our house.  And it's the kitchen, nonetheless.

It will be worth it. (deep breath)
It will be worth it.

This would NOT be happening with a baby in the house, so the time is now!  Plus it will make the wait for adoption a little less unbearable.  (but we joke about how crazy it'd be if we got a call for a baby in the midst of this mess...)


Step Number 2: Remove the laminate floor.  (and the original lovely red-brick laminate floor underneath the nasty floral stick 'em tiles)


We'll eventually be running our wood floors into the kitchen and adding new cabinets and countertops against this wall.


Step Number 3: Widen the kitchen entrance.  This is also a load bearing wall.  Pray for us.


Does this violate some type of childhood labor laws??  Does it make any difference that it was voluntary??