kitchen remodel part 2

First, I'll apologize in advance if the formatting of the posts seems odd. I can't for the life of me figure out how to fix it, so there might be text wrapping strangely around pictures or large paragraph breaks. These anomalies don't show up until I hit "publish," so if anyone has any insight on how to fix this, please let me know!

Now back to the kitchen - and I'll try not to bore everyone with minute details. We did want to update the kitchen while keeping the vintage spirit of the house. And while the porcelain sink we had fit the original era of the house, it couldn't stay - too small, too inconvenient and hard to keep clean. We also decided to replace the dishwasher, which was probably from the late 80s and would need to be replaced sooner rather than later. So, in the end, we replaced the sink, faucet, garbage disposal, dishwasher, countertops and backsplash.

Kitchen Before:

The countertops were a sort of beige, with a strip of pink underneath (see picture below)

When the top layer was removed, we discovered the second layer wasn't pink all the way through. Instead, a previous owner had adhered a strip of pink laminate, presumably to match the floor and the wall (we've discovered pink paint on the wainscoting. I can only imagine what this kitchen looked like then!)

We had plumbing work done to run pipes up through the floor instead of out of the wall. Hopefully that means the end to fungi growing in the kitchen (the thought of that still makes me shudder).

Work in progress! Home Depot installed the countertop and Pete did the sink, faucet, garbage disposal and water filter. He did a great job.

I love, love, love the sink and faucet. Stainless steel, double bowl, a sprayer. Life is good. :)

Removing the old backsplash

The new backsplash, installed by Pete.

We still have more work to do, including painting the walls, new cabinet hardware, new light fixtures (no more weird ceiling fan in the kitchen!) and hopefully a new floor. I'll post more pictures as the work continues!

kitchen remodel part 1

One evening last summer, I came home to this growing behind our sink, the result of a very slow leak from a faucet handle:

That resulted in a visit from a plumber and a resulting hole in the wall by our sink:

A kitchen remodel was on our list of "to-dos" but it was a lower priority than some other things. But this adventure bumped it up a few notches, so we began saving, saving, saving. And then, when Pete left Wedgwood in November, we were surprised to learn he'd had a pension and could receive the money in a lump sum. What a blessing! We earmarked the money for the kitchen, Pete turned in the paperwork and we received a check in February. It was time to start researching, planning and shopping!

More to come soon...

stop the world - I want to get off!

This is why I don't blog very often...
(First, a disclaimer: this is is no way posted to elicit sympathy or to complain about life right now. I'm very, very blessed. It's just a peek into a typical day. I know life would still be nutty as a part-time working or stay-at-home mom, which I want to be!)

Monday, March 16
5:15 a.m. - Alarm goes off
5:30-ish - Head to shower (after hitting "snooze" at least once)
5:30 - 6:40 - Shower, apply makeup, run downstairs to make coffee, head back upstairs to dry hair, get dressed, make bed, curl hair, say good morning to Peyton while Pete gets him dressed.
6:40 - 7:00 - Eat breakfast and play with Peyton
7:00 - 7:20 - Back upstairs to brush teeth (mine and Peyton), downstairs to get shoes and coats on, gather last minute lunch items, load up car with bags, Pete and Peyton
7:20 - Leave home
7:40 - Drop off Peyton with Grandma M.
8:00 - Arrive at work
8:00 - 5:00 - Work - meetings at 8:30, 9:00 and 10:00. Use lunch hour to run errands (Bed, Bath & Beyond for kitchen items, Babies R Us for Peyton - where I score on clearance items!) Write copy and update national store directory for annual church supply catalog in the afternoon.
5:00 - Leave work
5:30 - Leave Grandma M's with Peyton
5:50 - Arrive home
6:15-ish - Eat dinner (lovingly prepared by Pete)
6:30 - 7:00 - Play with Peyton
7:00 - Give Peyton a bath
7:15-ish - Start Peyton's bedtime routine (jammies on, brush teeth, stories, songs, prayer, bed)
7:30 - Peyton in bed
7:30 - 8:30 - Start a load of laundry (Peyton's new clothes), pick up house, clean upstairs bathroom
8:30 - 9:00 - Help Pete with kitchen tile
9:00 - 10:00 - Watch "24" (one of two shows I actually watch. The other is "The Office" on Thursday nights). During commercials - pick up basement, vacuum basement, throw clothes in dryer, upload photos to computer and Facebook
10:00 - 10:30 - Load dishwasher, wash a few dishes, clean up kitchen from grout work (wipe down counters, run Swiffer WetJet on floor)
10:30 - 11:00 - Hang with Pete
11:00 - Lights out!

I think I need to go to bed earlier.... :)

first haircut=trauma

Peyton had been needing a haircut for awhile. We had hoped to do it before Christmas, but sickness and snowstorms prevented that. So a week ago Saturday we ventured to Snip-Its for the first haircut. Since I had once been the recipient of an unfortunate first haircut (sorry mom!) that needed professional remedy, there was no way I was going to try this on my own. Plus, I was a sucker for the whole first haircut package they offered (special picture, keepsake lock of hair, etc.) - I am that parent they market to. You only have a first haircut once, right?

Peyton did great until he got strapped in the chair and the stylist put the drape on him. That's when the crying started and didn't stop until he was safe in my arms. Fortunately, we had a kind, understanding and fast stylist who was done in a flash, and had obviously worked with fearful little ones before. And we were so pleased with the results - though this mommy is a little sad that her little baby boy looks like a big boy with his new haircut.

2008 favorites

Since we have just a few more hours left in 2008, I thought I'd take a minute to list a few of our favorites from 2008. I tried to stick with three for each category. Especially when it comes to books and movies, these favorites weren't necessarily released in 2008 - we just experienced them during this year.

Favorite books:
Madman by Tracy Groot
Emma by Jane Austen (so much better than the movie!)
Innumeracy by John Allen Paulos (this is Pete's contribution to the list)

Favorite movies:
Juno
Once
Neither Pete nor I could think of a third. We saw just a handful of movies in the theater this year (Prince Caspian, Wall E, The Dark Knight), and none of them were all that wonderful. And we had a long lull in our Netflix movie watching, and even the ones we got were so-so. Here's hoping for better movies in 2009!

Favorite CDs:
Bebo Norman by Bebo Norman
Resurrection Letters: Volume II by Andrew Peterson
With Hearts As One by Hillsong United

Favorite TV Shows:
American Idol (much to Pete's chagrin - he hates this show)
Chuck
The Office

Favorite moments:
Peyton's dedication day
Walks around the neighborhood as a family during the summertime
Discovering mushrooms growing behind our kitchen sink (we had a little leak...)















There's more to 2008 than our favorites, however. Thinking back through the year, I'm struck at the ways God has blessed us, watched over us, taught us and carried us. He gave Pete a new job in a really tough economy, with no "lull" between jobs, when that was a very real possibility. He's provided for us when we've had several unexpected house and car repairs. He's opened a door for me to work from home one day a week, when I thought that door was shut tight. He's taught us so much about Himself through our relationship with each other and with Peyton. And those are just a few of the ways He's revealed Himself - there are so many more. 2008 was difficult in many ways, but we end it joyfully and in gratitude to Him for His sustaining grace and mercy.

scenes from Christmas

Christmas was truly a joyful celebration this year, and we are blessed with wonderful families to share it with. Here are some pictures from our gatherings.

Christmas Eve with the Meyerings:

Christmas morning:

Christmas Day with the Andersons:

Stockings hung by the chimney with care:

A special place for a special nativity:

the great Christmas tree disaster of 2008

It's been a long time since our last post. I'm not sure anyone even checks our blog anymore! But with Christmas comes new pictures and stories that I thought I'd share.

This year, we ventured to a different tree farm for our Christmas tree. That farm left much to be desired, but we ended up with a tree. We had no idea what variety it was, but it fit in our house and looked pretty nice. For a few weeks anyway.

Soon, we noticed a few needles on the tree skirt. And then we noticed that we never needed to water it. A few days later, we began to hear the constant dropping of needles whenever we sat in the living room. There were futile attempts to vaccum up needles. There was talk of taking it down the day after Christmas, instead of leaving it up until New Year's like we usually do. And then we started losing lights and ornaments. So on Christmas Eve, our fire hazard of a Christmas tree went out the door. Using the shop vac at 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve is not something we'd like to repeat next year. :)

Before:

The accumulation of needles on the gifts

After the removal of the ornaments and lights - most of the needles are on the floor

The needle aftermath

We simply couldn't be without a Christmas tree, so Mom Anderson let us borrow the top of an artificial tree. Pete rigged it to the tree stand with duct tape, strung some lights and hung some ornaments. It leaned a little, but it was a tree (with needles that didn't fall!)

Our poor Christmas tree is now rolling around in the backyard like a tumbleweed until we get a yard waste tag and the city takes it to its final resting place.

for Uncle Kevin :)

]

seven months!

(I've been having formatting problems lately, so I apologize in advance if this post has strange spacing and other issues).

Peyton is now seven months old and here's what he's been up to:

• Sits up like a champ


• Scoots on his tummy (just a little)


• Babbles with joy and gusto


• Loves taking walks and being outside
  
• Had his first experience in a baby swing just yesterday and seemed to like it


• Loves pears, peaches, applesauce, bananas, sweet potatoes, squash and carrots. Not a fan of prunes at all. Tolerates green beans and peas (at least he eats them, unlike his mommy).


• Loves his baths


• Loves music and being sung to


• Puts any and everything in his mouth

Here are some pictures from the last month or so:

Daddy is singing "Somewhere Out There" (in Fievel's voice)

I'm a morning baby - and I wake up happy!

Despite the look on my face, I love my cousin Gavin.

I love my daddy - and my thumb!

father's day

With Father's Day tomorrow, I've been thinking a lot about the dads in my life. And so, here's a post in honor of some of the finest men I know.


I'll start with my dad...and where to start? I truly have the best dad. Our family verse has been Ephesians 6:10 - Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Dad would remind us of this whenver we were facing a difficult situation - from shouting it as encouragement to Kevin on the ballfield to reciting it when I faced a tough decision. That verse exemplifies who my dad is. He pursues God. He is a leader - not autocratic, but a kind - yet firm - leader. I've always known, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he loves me and my brother. He deeply loves my mom. He adores his grandchildren. He is such a help to my grandma - not only doing, but listening. Plus he's fun to hang out with and loves to laugh.


And then there's his dad. I miss my grandpa so much. Nearly eight years after his very sudden death, there are moments I still can't believe he's gone. He was a constant presence - the rock of the family. He was wise, patient, kind and so friendly. I remember being amazed by the number of people who came to his visitation. That's the kind of impact he had. We've joked that he's in heaven just enjoying his talks with people. I have fond memories of visiting him at his Farm Bureau office in Falmouth and eating Dum-Dum suckers. Plus there were horse rides, walks to "Harold's" in McBain, countless boat rides and bonfires at Gun Lake - and so much more.


My Grandpa Wagner is very, very special too. We share a love of writing and some of my favorite memories are typing on his typewriter - and later his computer. I wrote a biography of him in fourth or fifth grade, and he came to my class to talk about his job as a sports writer/editor for the Kalamazoo Gazzette. He writes entertaining letters and emails and has fun stories from his college days and his days covering so many sports, from tennis to hockey to the 1968 World Series and the U.S. Open. I also have wonderful memories of time at their Gun Lake cottage (how fun to have both sets of grandparents at Gun Lake) - fishing, boating and playing on the swing set. And at their Pine Lake house, we also fished, boated and enjoyed trips to Dean's in Plainwell for their delicious chocolate sodas. He is someone who cares so deeply for his family, his friends and his neighbors.


My brother Kevin is a fabulous dad. Even though he'll be the dad of three come November, it's still just a little bit strange that my little brother is a dad. But he's always loved kids and I see that in every interaction he has with Gavin and Anne Hope - and Peyton too. He works hard (and does a phenomenal job!), loves God, loves his wife and takes delight in his children. Plus he's fun to hang out with - he's my friend, but he'll always be my "brother bear." :)


And Pete. What a joy to watch Pete and Peyton together. The night before Peyton was born, we were walking the mall and he slipped into Waldenbooks while I rested outside. There, he bought present for Peyton, a book titled You're My I Love You. We didn't know it then, but less than 24 hours later, he'd be holding Peyton in his arms and reading it to him. Peyton loves his daddy - no one can make him laugh harder. They have fun together every Wednesday. Peyton lights up when he hears his daddy's voice. It will be so much fun to watch their relationship develop over the years. One of the things that attracted me to Pete was his love for kids. It is a privilege to parent with him.

Pete is also a "dad" of sorts to the kids he works with every day. Many of them don't have a dad in their life and if they do, it's not a positive relationship. So it's Pete (and the rest of the staff he works with) to model character and integrity, loving these guys at their worst and dishing out healthy doses of the discipline they need. Most of the time, these kids move on from the program and the future is unknown. But Pete is planting seeds and touching these lives for the time they are with him.

Dads are often the butt of jokes, maligned in popular culture as lazy or stupid. But the dads that have touched my life are marked by faith, integrity and strength of character. Everyone you touch - but especially your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren - are blessed to have you as a dad.