It's getting crazy fun around here!

 Things are coming together so quickly all of a sudden, and I've been doing my happy dance All. Stinkin. Day!

 Let's get right to the pictures....Here's my sweet Tyler putting together the cover for the vent hood.  I won't say that we haven't struggled many times as I've tried to communicate what's in my head, and he tries to turn it into a reality, but in the end it's actually worked and the vent cover is the latest success.

 My favorite guys beginning the installation.  This is the last piece to go in on the back wall of cabinets.

                                                             



                                                                 TA-DA!!! 
    The back wall of cabinets, with the pantry just peaking out on the left end of the picture, and then the coffee bar, double oven space, counter and cooktop area, and fridge space.

              


                                                             And next: The island.
 I'm in love!  I can't wait to have a row of bar stools all lined up on the bar side ready for my favorite people to visit!

I just know I'm going to love my little, lighted bookcases at each end of the cabinets. The space with no cabinet is where the dishwasher will go.  The cabinet to the left will have the sink in the middle, and a 6 inch wide pull-out section on either side.  One will hold spices and the other will hold towels, similar to this inspiration:

                                                       traditionalhome.com


 We have been doing everything ourselves up until now, and without much persuasion from me, Dado agreed to hire a painter for the cabinets.  YIPPEE!!  And while we were at it, we I decided to have them paint the fireplace, all the window trim in the living, dining and kitchen, the ceiling and walls, as well as the rest of the doors that I haven't gotten around to painting. (I did 7 of them and I don't feel at all bad about having the painters do the remaining 8!) They started TODAY!  

 Annnnnnd......I'm getting the most beautiful granite.  As you know, I haven't liked anything!  Nothing.  I only had eyes for Carrara Marble.  I've searched high and low for options, and had considered concrete, wood, Quartz, and anything else I could think of.  I just didn't like anything, much less the granite choices that were available to me.  Until my last trek through the granite shop where I stumbled on this little leftover slab in the corner.  It was like a puppy at the animal shelter just begging to be picked!  I was smitten, and after a brief (but intense!) struggle over the price, I gave in and picked the little orphan piece.  I had the granite people measure yesterday, and today I signed the contract, paid the deposit, and got on the schedule for the 21st.  Of August.  Can you believe it's only 3 weeks from now?  

The picture definitely doesn't do it justice, but this is my Pound Puppy. aka White Ice granite.  Isn't she a beauty?  

 I'll admit this adventure has been long, tedious, challenging, stressful, (and did I mention long?).  But I've done my very best to embrace every minute of it!  It has been incredibly fun to dig into my creativity and see what I can come up with.  Planning a "Bunk Room" for the grandbabies has brought the sweetest joy to my heart!  And daydreaming about the day we could move in has kept me sane!  Some days (months!) it has felt that no progress was being made and that we would forever be living in this little apartment with some of our possessions sitting in boxes lining the walls of every single room, and the rest sitting in 3 (yes, 3!) storage units.  Dado has worked faithfully every day, and I've been there as much as I possibly could.  I've been so completely torn and pulled between running a business, managing employees, dealing with residents and their issues, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning (although very little of this!) and trying to make decisions and purchase everything needed for the remodel.  And my sweet spouse wonders why I can't make a decision the minute he needs me to!  But it is all worth it, and we are now seeing some wonderful results :)   

Thanks for sharing my excitement!