Christmas Cupboards and Counters

Having parents who were both teachers, I have always enjoyed the holiday break that comes with Christmas. This year, since Christmas was at the very beginning of the break, it has allowed Jason and I lots of time to get some nagging jobs done on the house. In the past 3 days, we have tackled the final kitchen cupboard doors, as well as the main bathroom vanity doors as well and the installation of the mudroom countertop.

The kitchen saw the last of its doors finally installed and the final corner was closed off for good. It's nice to have the garbage put away at least so that we don't continue to find toys/cups/kitchen items dumped in there by a certain someone.



The main bathroom vanity, after 2 additional drawers were built was also closed off. This first picture is very old, even before we had faucets, however it was the only one I had...I guess I wasn't big on taking pictures of the bathroom?


It is so nice to complete these projects and cross them off the list. They have definitely dragged and it seems like a long time that they have been near the top of our list. What makes it even nicer, is to us, currently, they cost zero dollars to complete since the materials have long been paid for. It was simply a matter of finding the time and thankfully, this week, we had plenty.

The 3rd job that was finally completed was the installation of the countertop in the mudroom. This job, unlike any other in the entire process of building this house, dragged. We originally ordered the countertop in November of 2010. After a very lengthy process of our order being lost, our order not being submitted, and not being notified that our order was complete and ready to be picked up, we finally had the countertop for about March 2011. For the next 4 months of so, the countertop sat in our basement, wrapped in cardboard, as we tended to other projects that needed tending. Finally, we decided enough was enough and planned a day to install. After all the tools were brought out, the countertop was unwrapped only to find that it was in fact damaged and would need to be sent back. We then started the same process all over again, and even went through many of the same issues that we did with the original countertop through the ordering process. Finally, in October 2011, the countertop was delivered and resumed its spot in the basement (after a close inspection to ensure it was not damaged, of course) until today when it finally made a trip up the stairs and into position. From no counter to counter!


It makes such a difference to the room and I am so glad we chose the one we did. I suppose it was worth the wait, however I will maintain that it would have been very nice to not have to deal with everything we did.

These 3 projects have been the first that Jason and I have attempted to complete since Colin started walking and the difference now versus when he was somewhat stationary is drastic. Not only is he everywhere, he wants to get right in there, touch everything he shouldn't and basically just get in the way as much as possible. I remember when we hung the first of our kitchen cupboard doors, he just sat on his play mat for most of the time a few feet away and enjoyed the view from the cheap seats. I guess his taste has changed as no further than front row pleases this boy now. Thankfully, my parents took him for New Year's night and kept him for New Year's day, therefore allowing us to get the countertop done. I cannot imagine how we would have done that with him here considering the gate to the basement needed to be open the whole time and it was definitely a lengthy, two person job. I love the little man, however his curiosity, combined with the fact that we are down to one nap a day does not equal Jason and I getting much done if we are both needed.

Our baby is definitely not a baby anymore and it constantly amazes me to look at pictures from even a few months ago as he has changed and grown up so much. Besides the thinning out that he has done (thank goodness), he is now a talking, running, climbing, communicating little person who grows up a little more every day. Yesterday, my pregnancy marked its 20th week which means we are officially half way to welcoming the next of our little people. If how much Colin has grown up in the last 5 months is any indication of how much he will in the next 5, I think we will be just fine when everything is shaken up and life changes forever once again. I am glad that we still have some time together where it is just the 3 of us, and glad that his communication and listening skills still have time to improve as I am going to need them both once I have a new person needing me as much as new people tend to need their mama's. At this point in it all, I have no idea how Colin will take to the baby or what kind of reaction he will have, but I am sure that no matter what, after some time, everything will seem normal again and we will have a hard time remembering what life was like before the new baby.