I was going to wait until we were DONE DONE before I posted any pictures of the before and afters but we have run into some issues with the "quick" bathroom renovation and its going to be a bit longer before we are DONE DONE so I am going to post some now - people have been asking for them!  The bathroom is getting a bit more of a makeover than I thought but the good part about it is that then all three rooms will have all new lighting that matches (can lights) new coats of paint and all working fixtures!  In any case these are 2 views of before and afters - one towards the sink and the other standing at the sink looking in the other direction.  As you can see the trim is not yet on the windows and there is still construction stuff everywhere.  Having the kitchen has been really great, I have been able to cook and bake some things over the weekend so overall I am really pleased!

For all the skills I have in shooting children and family photography I don't seem to have the same skill when it comes to architectural photography - but I am working on it!

OK! So here is the before of the kitchen sink - this photo is taken from the mudroom area looking in

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And this is the new kitchen taken from the same spot!

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This is the dining area, photograph taken from the sink area - before

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This is the same image - but after!

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I might need to take these afters in the daylight, like I did for the befores.  In addition, in the afters I had to keep the bathroom door open therefore blocking the view of the window - but I couldn't get around it because the new sink and faucet is hiding behind there - you can also see some stuff piled in the mudroom - which is why there are no good pictures posted of that area - there are only so many places to pile stuff!

Here is a close up of the totally awesome Ikea rail system that I bought and installed instead of upper cabinets.  It is going to look so finished and clean when the trim goes up

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I also put some of the rail system over by the new pub height square table - and that wall is chalkboard which I love, but my custom photography is hiding my sister math formulas - hopefully she won't need them :)

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this is the last post before the big reveal!!! It's been a while since I posted but mainly that is because the time between the cabinets being installed and the counter tops arriving was filled with small work that might not have shown up well in pictures.  that and we have been super busy - working every weekend trying to get all of it done!!!  the counter tops came on Friday and I love them - we had a  bit of a hard time with the install, mainly because they sent us a bad templater who they have since fired  - but they are in

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and the water is running in my gorgeous faucet

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and the walls are almost done!  And yes those are mathematical formulas on the wall :)  Thanks Kim!

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Friday also included a trip to Ikea - a long anticipated trip.  I am thankful there is not an Ikea in my own town as I would be there more than I would want to be.  My mom and I drove down, mostly stuck to my timeline and purchased the Grundtal line of kitchen rails

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more pictures of that when all of the finish work is done - this place is gonna rock~

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We have made a TON of progress over the past week and I am getting very excited.  I even cooked a meal tonight in my kitchen.  Don't get too excited by cook I mean I steamed a piece of fish and some veggies but it was something that didn't start frozen which is huge progress - ROCK!!  We have the paint on the wall and just the edge work needs to be done.  We did get a bit of bad news in that my countertops are going to be a week behind.  I am trying not to be nuts about it and they did promise it to me by Turkey Day.

So here is where we are at:

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this is the part of the renovation project where I sleep alot, where the mess and the clutter and the disorganization in my life gets to be to much for me so I come home and sleep...but we are getting closer!  the cabinets are in this week and the templater was here to measure for the Corian - 2 weeks from now we are gonna be good :)

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the cabinets have to be in for Tuesday, so today is a big day!  here is some of the work going on before the cabinets go in:

my mother working very hard on the sheetrock:

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some general ones of the room:

I bought a  GLORIOUS faucet - I can't wait to see it in:

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There are here and they are GLORIOUS.  No pics tonight because it was too dark when I got home to take them but tomorrow they will be here.  In the meantime let me show you where we are.

Monday the insulation went in - and it rocked b/c now I could put heat on.

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And we opened up the doorway between the office and the kitchen.  And while the size took me a bit by surprise I am really liking it

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Last night Dad and I went to get the sheetrock.  I dropped one piece on my head while we were bringing it in the house but otherwise it got in here just fine.  These are pictures from this morning when I left my parents with work to do and waiting for the cabinets.

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This place is a mess, I can barley take it :)

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things are MOVING ALONG!!!!  The cabinets arrived today but before we get to that let me show you what went on last week!

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Dad got the plumbing in last week when he came back to work.

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And the electrical

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All of the insulation was out at this point and the sink was gone.

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We keep some rough plans posted up in case we need to figure stuff out.

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The ceiling came down, I can't wait until this is all finished and ROCKS

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This is pretty clean, but honestly I am ready for this to be done :)

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This is the ceiling in the mudroom - that room is getting a lift too :)

OK so that is where we ended up at the end of last week....

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you might have thought that I had forgotten to post recent updates to the kitchen renovation?  or that I scrapped the project all together and moved to another house??? or that the house fairies showed up one night and finished it??? you would be wrong on all accounts.  Two weeks ago today my father came down with a case of acute appendicities and had to have emergency surgery to remove it!  He is doing fine and might even be back to work this week.  I do know he was at the house today to see the glass people fix my window, but I guess we will have to see tomorrow if the work starts up again.

Stay tuned - I promise this will be finished this fall! 

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Today my dad got us down to the studs - here is how the morning started:

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Turns  out when the put the new windows in the left the old window weights in place - cool :)

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And here is how the house was when I got home!

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Tomorrow is a big day!  We go buy lights and the dishwasher and some other stuff - stay tuned!

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Day five went well.  Dad got the bottom cabinets out and we were able to see the "real" floor.  Turns out that underneath the existing linoleum is tile AND THEN there is the same hardwood floor as is in the rest of the house.  For a few moments I gave some thought to adding some time and money to the project and get that floor done now!  Dad talked me down off of that idea, but at some point in the future I would like to take up the 2 other floors and get to the beautiful hardwood for the entire house!  The idea was appealing to me to do now because I hate moving the gas stove around and I figured if we were moving it to move the gas line then why not go for it... but ok ok.  We won't do it now and when I am ready to do it maybe I can hire someone!

Here are the pics:

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Turns our there was another countertop underneath the countertop I used!

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