The Moment You Have All Been Waiting For....

HA! Okay maybe it's only the moment I've been waiting for, but our kitchen reno is 99% complete. We need to finish some back splash, slap on some paint, and we are done, just in time for Christmas!

It all started with one cupboard door that had it's paint steamed off because we had no fan above our kitchen stove. I started refinishing the oak doors back in August. Then we needed new back splash, appliances and a new counter top (Hubby never did like the pink counters). Here is the before reno picture, dark doors, white back splash and pink counters:

I stripped the doors, sanded them and let the real wood speak for itself. We painted the background green, got rid of the old back splash, curtains, sink and window frame. New classic country kitchen white appliances (no cold stainless steel for me) notice the 5 burner gas stove with convection oven? It's getting connected tomorrow! I can't wait to cook on it, though I anticipate some burned meals before I get the hang of the gas burners. 

I love the new back splash and counters! I love the dark green background (it took 3 tries to get the right colour) that makes the oak doors pop, and I am glad I went with laminate counters instead of granite. If you look real hard, you will see hints of green in the counter top.

Most of all, I'm glad the thing is finally done!! I will not be quitting my day job to pursue a new career in interior decorating, because the living room is calling me now! Does it ever end once you start?  

Pistol Packing Momma!

Halloween is done, and it's too early to decorate for Christmas, so I had time to go to the West Edmonton Mall shooting gallery today. Yes, we really have a target range, with REAL guns that you can shoot! Dang Alberta ROCKS! I had never shot a pistol before so I had a lot of fun with the 38.  I am pretty proud of my results, as seen here:

Don't mess with us Conservative women, we aren't just good looking, we are smart, and can shoot the nuts off...oh, guess I shouldn't go there ..... HA!

I know some of you are waiting with baited breath to know how my kitchen renovations are going. Five new appliances will arrive this Friday, I can't wait. Our old dishwasher, is from the 60's, that just shows you how good Maytags really are, but it is so loud it shakes the whole house. My current microwave is from the 70's, I bought it with my first, and close to last income tax rebate. I worry about my kids being turned into aliens from all the bad rays coming from it. Finally, my new stove is a gas/convection, expensive but worth it, I hope! We stuck with warm "white" instead of the cold easily smudged stainless steel models. Why pay $500 more for stainless?

Once the dishwasher is installed, we get our new counter, I went with laminate because I can't stand granite.

Here is the before, a factory produced product (from Quebec) that is really dated, but it is real oak:

After much stripping, sanding, and staining, we have the same cupboards, with a new fresh look!

I love the results! The wood is so natural now, not masked like before to make all the cabinets look the same.... boring.

My "Dogs With Wings", you ask? Here they are, on the couch, which is a big no-no, but they are so cute who can say no!

Yes, there are three dogs, one is just visiting, but they are all "Dogs With Wings". Soon they will be helping autistic children, blind people or handicapped people, hard to believe when you see them like that.

 Or like this, raiding the garden to get to the carrots! Another big no-no, so don't tell the Dogs With Wings people....quiet.

I loved shooting a real gun, my kitchen should be finished before Christmas, and the dogs are doing great. Life is good.