REMODEL- PART ONE

We are making some huge changes at our house and I am still trying to come to grips with it. Last month Big C announced, out of the blue, that he was going to take off work over the winter (January/February) and remodel our kitchen. I was very surprised, to put it mildly, because I've been asking for new cabinets for years now and all of a sudden he says, 'YES.' I married the least predictable man on earth- haha! I am SOOO EXCITED!

As we got talking, we decided to do even more than just the kitchen. We are doing most of our upstairs. We are taking out a wall and creating a small family room/TV room out of an old bedroom. We had to move Princess P downstairs, but she's fine with it so far.

BEFORE- You can see by the garbage bags that I'd already started cleaning out.

I can't believe it, but we tore out my favorite wall in the house. I had just talked Big C into putting up wainscot in the kitchen two years before and now we have to get rid of it? Sad day, but worth it in the end, right?? Here's to hoping...

Last view of our old kitchen- Sister S and Princess P packing up the cabinet contents.

Upper cabinets gone...

I came home from teaching yesterday and this is what I saw! Bye bye wall...

Demolition is NOT fun.

Huge mess and lots of back-breaking work hauling all that junk out.

The wall is gone! Our first taste of the new, big, open space.

We are going full force now!

FAMILY NIGHT WITH THE WARD

Our lives are already changing with Big C's new calling as Bishop. Since it is a YSA (Young Single Adult) ward, we have started attending Family Nights with them so that we can be with Big C as much as possible. The kids have mixed feelings about it. A loves it and it makes him excited to be in college, but the little kids still aren't too sure... They really miss our combined nights with the extended family.

Little C, Princess P and A watch the Ward Talent Show.

 Last night we went to the Institute and watched the Ward Talent Show. Afterwards, the kids played pool and ate cookies.

Rack 'em up!

MINIVAN ANYONE?

Big C told me that as soon as I sell my minivan I can get a new car. I want to get a sedan. I am sick of driving around in a huge car all by myself. 

The problem is, no one wants minivans anymore. They want cross overs and SUV's.

I hope somebody with a big family buys it soon. It really has been a great car. Never a problem. Come on, you know you want it!

BIG CHANGE

We are facing some big adjustments in the next few months. This weekend our stake realigned all of our ward boundaries at Stake Conference and we have switched wards. The old 5th ward I used to belong to is now part of 5 other wards. It really needed to be done, I know, but it is still sad and I am really going to miss a lot of the people I saw every Sunday.

Ephraim Stake's new ward boundaries.

Since I am now in the 4th ward I am not the Relief Society President anymore. A small sigh of relief (small because I only served two years, so I'm sure they'll get me again at some point). Some positives about the change are that we are now in my In-law's ward and have some other good friends in there as well. Negatives are that my two oldest, planning on missions within the next 6 months, will leave from a very unfamiliar ward. Not that big of a deal in the grand scheme, but there was a small amount of disappointment expressed when we were talking the other day. We just have some adjustments to make, but I know things will work out. We are actually excited to start a new chapter.