New Kitchen in Six Days

Uncle Ray wasting no time to start the demolition!

The BEFORE shot - nice and dirty!

The OLD.

When dad and Uncle Ray rolled in with a truck full of tools and building supplies, I knew that we were in for a whirlwind kitchen remodeling project.  It didn’t take long for them to start the demolition.  Shortly after they arrived, we moved everything from the kitchen into the basement, dining room and living room and the dust began to fly!  Paul even got in there with a few hammer throws to try to knock down the walls.  Of course you never really know what is laying within the wall until its knocked down, so we were certainly in for surprises – like a dummy vent that was disconnected, and makeshift plumbing that we’re surprised has stood the test of time. The demolition of the floor is what proved to be the most challenging.  

Demolition is all hands on deck!

Mmmm, should we cut this pipe found in the wall??

As they were ripping up the floor, many of the floorboards were coming along with it – so we had to devise a plan to put down a new floor all while taking into the consideration the height of these new cabinets and the new ceiling as well!  What was going to be a swift demolition and reinstall turned out to be a complete overhaul including a new ceiling, new walls, and new floorboards!

Time to try to get up the old stuck on tile, not an easy task!

The days went by in an absolute blur, we ate a lot of meals from slow cookers and Dale had his fair share of nail guns and screw guns that he wasn't too fond of.  It was an adventure to say the least.  One night we ate chinese food from our small coffee table while all sitting on a burlap covering on our couch. The dust was piled high and I'm pretty sure if my mom were here she would have already been at a hotel. Haha! It was a mess!

There once was a wall...

Our dining room. Who wants dinner?!

New drywall was required after our crazy demolition!

We started doing dishes in the laundry tub and lived by the microwave and slow cooker.  While Uncle Ray and Curty were out here we also had to take them to Fat Heads so they could experience the big burgers full of flavor!  I got Chicken Little and Paul and Curty got the Triple Bypass Burger!

There's always a few holes that need patching when it comes to remodeling!

Progress, and we're still smiling!

As the week went on it seemed like the tasks were piling up to the last minute and the kitchen was probably not going to be finished this time around.  Of course, my dad had other plans and kept proposing goals for each day and the next.  Each day Paul and I would get home from work we had the opportunity to appreciate the dramatic changes in how the kitchen was shaping up.

The first cabinets go up on the walls flush to the new ceiling!

One of many backyard BBQ's on the saw table. 

When we came home to see that the walls were plastered and painted and the cabinets were about to be put into place, it was a major transformation!  The colors all starting coming together so nicely.  The sink going into place was a major relief because we could finally start cleaning up the dust and setting things in place.  It went from small ally kitchen to a beautiful, yet affordable, modern kitchen with a wide open passage to our dining room!

Construction BREAK: Fat Heads on Carson Street!

I got the Chicken Little - which was NOT little. 

The Artery Clogger!

Headwiches, as big as your head!

After just 6 short days, Dad and Uncle Ray had to hit the road back to Wisconsin and heal from the long work week of carpentry from daylight until dinner - which takes a real toll on your body!  I couldn't believe it, but they had completely finished the kitchen!  My task was now to organize and put everything in its new home.  I couldn't believe the transformation!

Dishes in our laundry basin...

Look at what we did!!!

Bringing in the new stainless appliances!

We cannot thank Curty and Uncle Ray enough for all of their hard work and help with the kitchen project.  It definitely did not happen overnight and took a lot of shopping around and planning to do the project on a budget!  Paul also found us a dandy of a refrigerator on Craigslist to polish the place off.  It came together much better than I ever could have imagined and we cannot thank everyone enough who was involved!

Uncle Ray and I sharing a cup of coffee brewed in the kitchen and not in my bedroom!

Breakfast from the new stove in the new kitchen, under the new lights!

We had to show you the amount of garbage that resulted - what a mess!

Hopefully that's the end of major transformation projects for the house, it's really shaping up to be a wonderful and comfortable place to live.  We love gathering around the kitchen, and it has become a favorite place to entertain friends!

Our old kitchen, now in Curty's truck cab!

The final breakfast in Pittsburgh!

THANK YOU!

Wisconsin for St. Patty's Day: Spring Break 2014

My partners in crime.

Free casting during ice fishing season - new concept. 

Well, it was Spring Break 2014.  Lyssa and I continue to go on spring breaks together ever since we started college - since we're both still on school schedules (me a student, her a teacher) we continue to have time off to break away from the madness and hit a beach!  Usually because we cannot afford any vacation, our beach of choice is the Marsh Pond.  This year spring break fell on St Patty's Day, so it was a whole host of madness.  Lyssa picked me up from the airport and we enjoyed a few Maplewood Meats hot sticks.  There's really nothing better than a good hot stick.  After meeting up with Curty (who was of course at Menards), we went back to Menards to pick up some stuff for the remodeling project including all of the tile, grout and other building supplies.  Lyssa and I, like the children we are, both grabbed a Sprecher soda for the drive home.  You can't beat it.

How many polls can you fish with at once? 

Once we got back to Seymour it was time to cast a few lines with the Nagel Boys.  We brought over the expert ice fisherman to fish some trout out of the pond.  They put a few holes through the ice and we were able to catch a few nice ones!  I froze them up and brought them back to Pittsburgh!  So good.

FISH ON.

Friday the whole family - Lyssa included of course - went up to Joel's cabin to check on the place and  do a little snowmobiling.  Since the snow was melting rapidly and I hadn't been on the trails much this winter - it was my las chance to get in a good trail ride.  We went down to the local pubs and chatted it up with the always entertaining hosts.  We hung around Saturday for a bit while Curty was doing some odds and ends at the cabin and then headed on our way back home to Seymour to celebrate St. Patricks Day!

Fish slayers

Fishing captains!

After a moment to freshen up and scrunch my hair (per ush) Curty handed over the keys to his Chevy!  The van that I usually drive when I'm home was in Pittsburgh, so I had the luxury of driving the big beast to Lyssa's in BC.  Seriously, that 20 minute trail ride made me want to toss my Hyundai to the curb and big up a big Dodge. I felt like I could run over anything and everything.  However, I should have probably been sitting on a phone book, and maybe that would have helped that feeling. 

Notice Lyssa's snowsuit. Epic.

Deer at Buck's Camp

Curty let me take out the Chevy!!

 At Lyssa's we med up with Jeanne and Lizzo to enjoy the Palubicki residence before going to Appleton.  It was just like college and I was in love haha!  It was nice to see everyone in one place!  We went to the Stoneyard and boot stomped to a little Nashville Pipeline before heading back to Seymour to drop off Lizzo and see who was all at Jackson Point.  At JP we did some more dancing around to a band who was playing the cowbell like I've never seen the cowbell be played before.  

All in all, it was a wild spring break 2014 and I was stranded in Green Bay for one more night due to weather before making it back home to Paul in Pittsburgh.  Well, see ya next year Lyss!

Curty and Deb to the Rescue!

Well a few days before Black Bag Ball, I may have gotten into a tiny little fender bender with a fence while trying to take Paul to work at Children's Hospital at 5AM.  The moral of that story is Paul was right and he drives a lot more now.  ANYWAY, we were carless and in a rush to buy a car because Paul needed to get to work.  I was able to rent one for a few days, but that was only temporary and the costs were going to add up quick.  

This is what pulled into our yard - but the bed of the truck was loaded with boxes from Menards.

What happens what you're not sure what to do? You call your parents of course.  So Paul and I were going back and forth with our parents to figure out what kind of car we should buy and perhaps we could borrow one for awhile until we found a car that was in our price range and still a quality vehicle (pretty difficult when you're as cheap as us...)!!  

At the same time, we had been planning all along to remodel our kitchen and turns out that the best deal for cabinets and all things remodeling was of course at our local Menards.  Home Depot and Lowe's couldn't compete with the local discounts - so we ordered them from back home and Curty was going to drive them out here some time.  Instead of just bringing the cabinets, this time he brought a trailer with a van, that was packed full of cabinets.  I guess the van helped to keep the wood away from the winter elements??  Probably didn't help the gas bill that much however.  

The boys dissembling some cabinets - don't mind the mess!

This plan seriously saved our necks.  We now at the good'ole Chrysler Town and Country to bomb around town in until our little car was fixed or we bought a new car. What a relief that we didn't have to buy a snap decision car from Craigslist.   My parents rolled in late Friday night with a hefty load on the back of the truck.  It was really pretty amazing. 

Saturday Paul and Dad took down a few of the cabinets we could do without in order to make the demolition more manageable.  Dad was also scoping out how he was going to go about the remodel - looking at the plumbing and all of the other quirks that we were going to have to fix.  That evening we had the opportunity to go to Meat and Potatoes to celebrate Joel's Birthday Dinner.  Joel's Birthday was two day's prior and it's a bit of a tradition to go to that restaurant downtown to get some fancy meat.  Mom unfortunately got the salad which was hilarious looking.  It was a clump of lettuce on a plate with a small cherry tomato... when we all saw it came out of the kitchen we muttered under our breath "well, feel sorry for whoever gets that appetizer" and turns out it was mom's entree - haha!

Celebrating Joel's Birthday at Meat and Potatoes!

We also had a few odd appetizers including chicken livers.  It was a fun night!  Sunday morning, Mom and Dad were on the road to try to beat the next big snowstorm that was coming down upon the midwest.  We loaded up the Hyundai onto the trailer and they were off!   It was a quick trip - but it sure saved our butts, and we appreciate you guys lending us the van - it's so spacious!!

Black Bag Ball

I have wild friends. That is all.

Black bag ball is an annual dance affair for medical students.  Lucky for me, I get to attend for 8 years straight.  Booyah. This year, I threw on my rehearsal dinner dress and asked Ilinca to be my arm candy as my plus one.  

My PLUS ONE!

Apparently white was a popular color...

After spending a few moments getting fancy, we made our way over to Josh's place in Lawrenceville.  They sure know how to put on a party - the place was so welcoming and cute! As people started funneling in, the time started ticking before we had to catch our rides downtown. No limo this time.  This year Black Bag Ball was at the Fairmont in downtown Pittsburgh - a fancy little place down there.  The theme was the "Great Gatsby' which explains all of the fancy outfits and flashy headbands.

Apparently not a fan of having their picture taken...

I of course live for the dance floor so I made a few rounds on the wood floor to tear it up a bit, but most of the time was spent in line waiting for a drink or some food - unfortunately.  Usually I can't breath because I'm dancing too crazy.  Regardless, it was a darn good time and I wish we could get fancy every six months for a sponsored med school prom! 

The ladies.

Dublin to America

They had a few photo opportunities in the brewery...

The remaining handmade Guinness Barrels!

Well on our last day of our European honeymoon we found ourselves in Dublin - the land of Guiness - so of course we had to do a Guiness brewery tour.  It was a self guided tour throughout the brewery, although I'm not sure how functional the tour rooms were, I'm pretty sure they brew the beer next door.  Regardless, the tour comes with a free sample or two as well as a tall glass at the top of the building.  They say its the best, freshest Guinness you'll ever drink!  My favorite part of the tour was seeing how they made all the old wooden barrels in the city.  The practice was an art, and employed a great deal of Dublin!

Paul enjoying his freshly poured brew!

The other place we stopped was the Castle in Dublin. We were finally able to use our heritage passes, so we decided it was definitely worth the tour. It was a beautiful tour and the best part was the walk through the oldest wing that was recently excavated.  They found some amazing old ruins of the original castle and fortress.  These artifacts were so neat!

It is good, but it sure is filling!

Million dollar view from the top of the Guinness factory!

Outside the brewery, horses await to carry the tourists!

We walked around our hotel to grab a bite to eat at an italian restaurant and were able to stroll the streets to people watch a bit.  It was a wonderful closure to the vacation - we really were not ready to leave yet.

Dublin castle courtyard, full of history!

Paul and I awaiting our tour!

The morning of our departure we woke up, packed quickly, paid for our parking and made our way out to the car. This is where we found our car completely covered in bird poop.  Not just a few robin turds, but full blown goose sized crap all over the car.  It was a disaster when we decided to use the windshield wipers.  Oh my gosh.  We were so concerned that we were going to get charged that we ran all over town to try to find a car wash.  We paid 10 euros to get it washed... and the automatic wash didn't touch the poop... if anything it baked it on.  We moved onto getting a few napkins from the gas station and tried scraping it off with our finger nails. Ugh SO SICK.  It was truly a hilarious ending to our honeymoon, and ultimately we didn't get charged and we made our flight!!

Paul as we stroll the streets of Dublin.

A photo crossing the river...

Hopefully we'll be back in Europe soon - it was once again a pleasure!