Virtual Kitchen Tour

Click below for a virtual tour of our new kitchen.

Chic Kitchen

Our current kitchen was functional. It had cupboards, appliances, and room for a table to eat at. I can't count the number of times people told us "oh your cabinets are fine". Sure, they were okay, but the lack of space to truly cook in, coupled with me burning the countertop (oops), the constant purge of kitchen utensils and appliances, and rolling of the portable dishwasher was getting a little old.

More than that, though, the lack of freezer space that caused us to play freezer jenga almost every quarter was frustrating.

I think we truly started on the path to a new kitchen after we drooled over the full fridge and full freezer unit. 

It went on sale around the time for a honey of a deal around we had J and we wanted to buy it, but just couldn't swing it financially. So we started to figure out a budget to finish off this project, then we started the tear out.

Believe it or not, that is the last deconstruction that we will do in the Hobo-Chic Project - we've literally torn every room apart. The kitchen was the last hold out.

Being that the kitchen has also been the draftiest & coldest room in the house for the last little while, we opened up all of the walls to check the insulation. We weren't surprised to find a lack thereof.

After adding some insulation to ensure the kitchen is much warmer, and quieter, and removing the cabinets to give to a friend & selling our old appliances online, we found some wonderful retro flooring.

We debated leaving it, but no, the show must go on. Ripped out all the old vinyl (x2 layers, of course), and added a new sub-floor.

We also replaced all the windows and doors in the kitchen and added a new side door to make our side entrance a little easier to come in at instead of a tight stairwell.

More on this crazy door situation & our new side deck next post. We went through the regular routine of drywall, taping, mudding, sanding and painting, no big news there.

About this time, my mom, J and I took off to Edmonton to await baby #2, so every day I would get new update SMS message, they went a little something like this:

Floor done in just 3 days!

Our cabinets were in the week they were suppose to be. They did beat P-baby to Edmonton (she was late by 12 days), however we needed the handyman himself, so the project got put on hiatus for a week or two while we delivered some of our best work.

After only 3 days in hospital, back at home, the guys got right back to work, with my dad in the mix too. And now, we have the pantry and one wall of the cabinets assembled. Unfortunately, our cabinets for over our lovely full fridge and freezer were ordered in the wrong size, so we're anxiously awaiting their replacements.

In the meantime, we are working on the deck outside for the new door, the sink being put in the kitchen, installing the dishwasher, the plywood counters, drywalling the hallway, picking out handles for cabinetry & debating what goes where.

Phew!

Whirlwind Update

Things have gone a little off the rails for our family since Spring. We have been busy, and are trying hard to find our balance in every day versus our projects and spending time with each other. Anyone with kids will know, add in working and all the rest of the daily things you do, and sometimes it's near impossible to find a moment to yourself.

So... a whirlwind update....

-Mr J man started to walk, holy cow.... and then run.... and then throw everything off every surface he could reach.

-We gutted our living room in March. Since then, we have been living with it in a half finished state, which is great for playing in, albeit not the prettiest! (more on this coming).

-We applied for our second Eco-Energy grant, and got over $2,000 back from the Government.

-We watched two of our neighbours cut down 200 year old trees with sadness.

-JBaby turned "ONE"... holy man.

-We took a trip to Ontario that nearly ended in disaster, but managed to attend One Sweet Love's wedding, see a bunch of our people (including some new babies!), and hit both cottages. 

-Our garden produced mighty zucchinis, spinach and much more tastiness.

-We took our 14 month old canoeing (and everyone survived).

-I pickled 25 lbs of cucumbers single handedly.

-I took my first solo vacation as Mom down to Kelowna to pick up a bestie and see another bestie.

-The new local spray park opened and we had a blast!

-TONS of geocaching. Hit over 300 found!

Our World: 2011

We didn't really write a Christmas letter this year, although I wanted to, it's hard to summarize a year into a page. Luckily, our blog does not restrict our page count quite like letter writing does.

January

• We visited Ontario to have a Christmas in January with our friends and family. We spent a week at each of the residences. Milton had a blast playing with Whisky. Erin and I went out geocaching together for the first time - both of us pregnant at the time.
• Doug starts working at the arena.

February

• I demolished our linen closet and closet of the spare bedroom, we built a stroller and bought some cloth diapers in preparation for a small little bundle of joy.
• I attended the 24th annual Winter Magic Festival, and won 2nd place in the Women's Division in Ice Fishing with my 1lb Whitefish.
• We buy furniture for baby's room!
• Doug continues steadily on removing the grout issue from our downstairs bathroom tiles - although it is beginning to be a huge drag.

March

• We demolish the spare room completely to re-do for baby. Ashley and Chris join us for the honours of drawing on the walls before we rip them down.
• We get a butt-load of snow which Milton delights in playing in it.
• Doug and I try and keep the ceiling in the spare room, but we end up having to rip it all down and re-insulate.
• I hit 28 weeks pregnant - and finally stop puking so much.
• We finish the downstairs bathroom completely and rejoice!!

April

• Doug finishes drywalling and mudding the spare room (now known as the nursery).
• The Eco-Audit Inspector inspects our house for our home upgrades, we get a sizeable return later on in the year.
• I do a lot of hanging out with my dog!

May

• We install the car-seat in the truck in preparation for our bundle & spend a lot of timing driving back and forth to Edmonton.
• I slipcover my rocking chair, a major sewing project for a novice due to it's curves.
• We install a closet organizer in the nursery's room closet.
• Doug finishes painting the walls of the nursery a lovely blue and carpet is installed.
• Grandpa Wayne comes to help Doug finish his house projects before baby, and paints the crib, dresser and desk.
• Jax and I plant our greenhouse plots in the Hinton Community Garden.

June

• We welcome Jonas Robert LaRochelle and Hayden Stuart Wiens to the world on June 5. Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Ruth meet Jonas at the hospital.
• We take Jonas home on June 8, and he takes the long car ride like a champ and meets Milton the dog.
• Jonas takes his first walk around the block with Mommy and Grandma, and meets Jax on June 10. 
• Auntie Christie shows up around the end of the month to help with her new nephew and falls in love with her little ringbearer.

July

• Grandma Louise shows up for some snuggle time with Jo.
• I take Jonas, Milton and Jax on a geocaching adventure to get back into the saddle. 
• We take the show on the road and visit Southern Alberta stopping in Brooks, Vulcan, Calgary, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Wayne and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. 
• Doug and Wayne demolish the outside lean-to.
• We hold a gigantic garage sale and do quite well + get rid of tons of junk!
• Jonas hits the pool for the first time.

August

• I learn how to function one-handed.
• We make the only mushrooms I've ever liked.
• Grandma Louise and Grandpa Wayne return home, and we are alone for the first time since Jonas was born in our house.
• Jax and I start a canning steak and make strawberry jam, pies and pickles.

September

• Jonas and I visit Ontario and meet Grandpa Lloyd, Uncle Keith, Uncle Neil, Auntie Stacy, Uncle Pat,  both great-grandmothers, many great aunts, great uncles, cousins and dear friends.
• Jonas dips his toes in Lake Huron and Buckhorn Lake for the first time, geocaches with Grandma Ruth, and marches with the Kincardine Scottish.
• EJ flies back to Alberta with us and we spend the week catching up and dipping Jonas into the local pool for the first time, sight seeing and canning salsa & peaches.
• Jonas takes to his Jolly Jumper with joy.

October

• I review how my gardens made out this year
• We debate closet organizers and ceiling fans for our master bedroom and enjoy our new colours.
• Our 26+ year old furnace gives up the ghost, we take a $100 gamble and fail
• We celebrate Jo's first Halloween.

November

• We get a new 98% efficient furnace installed, and stop running the space heaters.
• Doug installs the bathtub and tile in the upstairs bathroom.
• Jonas and I attend our first geocaching event together  - a flash mob.
• I start organizing our house - first baby clothes, then a coupon organizer, then 5Sing my baking cupboard.
• Jonas starts eating real food.
• Jax and I team up to make dipped oreos & dog cookies

December

• Tile floor is completed & sealed and we play a massive game of freezer Jenga.
• Jonas turns 6 months, and we cannot figure out where the time has gone. I write out what I've learnt about parenting thus far.
• We celebrate birthday week and melt yet another ice cream cake.
• We trudge to the forest to find a free-range tree.
• Jonas cuts 2 teeth and stops sleeping through the night, and we're all exhausted.
• I continue organizing and being a domestic goddess with a customized laundry cart and cloth diaper pail pucks.
• We celebrate Jonas's first Christmas and New Years together as a family.

Wishing you the best 2012 yet!