We have officially lived in our house for 10 years. I have officially hated our cabinets and countertops for about 8 of those years. The first two, I was just happy to have my own non-rented kitchen so it didn't matter so much. Plus we were never home and when we were, the counters were usually covered with...stuff.
It is now time to update this kitchen. Especially if Scott's prediction that we will "die in this house" has a shot in hell of coming true. I am not living with apartment-grade crap oak cabinets and gray Formica till I die. I have my standards.
Demolition meet inspiration. We have to figure out our official plan ASAP. Where is the tape? And the vision?
We have been debating the future configuration of our new kitchen for a long time. And, frankly, I was the hold-up. I just couldn't decide what the best set-up would be for our new kitchen so it was impossible to commit to things like granite and cabinet colors and styles. And then, one day, we moved the kitchen table to simulate a big giant island and wah-lah! We had a plan! You can't really see it from here but we got it under control!
I really don't know what to do with this star. I kind of want to keep it even though EVERYONE has one now. It's a reminder of my cutting-edge design skills. The crap on the counters? That's all Scott.
It was like we realized how we actually use our kitchen. No matter what, everyone hangs around the center, the heart, the island. Dinner, parties, cooking. Doesn't matter. Everyone gravitates to the center of the kitchen. So we are building a big, giant island where we can gather as a family. And we booted the pool table from the front room, in spite of the fact that the kids love to "play balls" on it. That was looking like a recipe for a broken front window as they get older. So the dining room table will be in the front room so we can gather as a bigger family for holiday dinners or Sunday dinners or random weekday dinners. Or for game nights or craft nights or whatever. We may need to add some lights out there or our dads will cheat more than usual at cards and blame the low-light. Guys, we are soooo on to you on this one!
And, just for a little added pressure, we started this process December 1st. December 1st! TWENTY THREE DAYS before Christmas. We have our 11th annual Christmas Eve-Eve party on December 23rd where we take donations for the Road Home, and we get to hang with our people before they get sucked into family stuff and we never see them again.
The Girls at a Christmas Eve-Eve Party. New background in the works!
We will be done with Phase One in 16 days. Technically, today is Day 6, the day we picked our granite, bought cabinets, finalized the island design, sent the just-sold pool table to its new home, elevated the kitchen table to a dining room table, and started demolition on the kitchen. 18 days to Christmas. 17 days to party. Crazy work schedule. This is not lost on me. But I think we can do it. We rock when we're on a deadline! Stay tuned! And wish us luck. Or send help and booze. We'll probably need both.
This is how we are surviving the next two weeks. It's this or no Xmas presents, Santa crap. Life is rough, kids.
And don't worry, if you haven't been invited to the Christmas Eve-Eve party it's only because we have to decide how many additional workers we need. We'll be in touch. :-)
I got a little note from Paulie tonight that was a big deal to me. I am a little weepy about it. I had posted a preview of some family holiday photos that we had done a few weeks ago on Facebook. Not gonna lie, they're pretty cute. Stinking adorable. Mostly because our kids are darling and our photographer is amazing. Maybe we're not so bad either.
So Paulie Facebook-messages me cuz that's how you do it these days and says, after letting me know he's almost done with finals (good boy):
"i just looked at some of the christmas pictures gosh he is getting
soooooo handsome and sloan is just gorgeous you guys look like the
perfect little family =] makes me the happiest person in the world"
That right there is the beauty of open adoption. You get to share all of this stuff, this great love, these perfect moments...these children, in a way that is so incredibly special and shocking and unique and wonderful. My heart is so full of love right now. We are all the perfect little family.
We went to see Kid Rock on Saturday night. Total last-minute thing but I love Kid Rock. Like love, love. His songs have been Lake Powell soundtracks for years and you just don't get over that stuff.
In a little drama moment, my online ticket purchase transaction did not go through so at the last minute we ended up in a parking lot at a seedy truck stop meeting someone named CannedAss (Candace. Get it?) to exchange 250 bucks for 5 general admission tickets. Felt like a drug deal. Seriously.
So we get to the concert at Saltair and it's...insane. Packed. People were angry and pushing, probably trying to get to the bar. And then we went downstairs to actually "see" the concert and dance and it was a little the same but also amazing.
Obviously love hearing my favorite songs....Cowboy, All Summer Long and, of course, Bawitdaba. I don't even know what that means but I love it. But even better, I love the whole concept of this tour.
Just before the main song, "Care," Kid (we're apparently on a first name basis) said "We're here to appreciate the love of music, not the money.
So we're giving most of the money from this tour to charities in every city, because that's how we do it in Detroit. We take care of our own. We are not left or right, us or them. We are Americans and we are in this together. And we may not be able to do everything we want to make everyone good but the least we can do is...care. So dance and sing and share what you can. And care. Just care." I'm sure I didn't get it exactly right but the sentiment is dead on. And that's pretty cool. Especially for a white cowboy rapper type from Detroit (is that even a thing?) who is oddly sexy if not traditionally hot (hey, how many of you have been married to Pam Anderson? Shut it!), borderline talented (I'm channeling that from the internet buzz because I think he's amazing and I'm tone deaf), and uber-wealthy but eager to share as much of his earnings as possible.
It made me think. And care. There was a woman in the bathroom trying to get her friend to the front of the line because she was going to puke. Nice try. I was cranky and waiting in line when I really, really had to pee and I was not very charitable. Sure, I let her cut but I was not happy about it. As I was leaving the bathroom I noticed a red-headed young woman janitor cleaning up puke and paper and crap. And I thought about how horrible her job was but she would do anything to get money to feed her kids, keep a roof over their heads, whatever. So I tipped her every cent I had in my pocket, which was about 20 bucks. And I swear, when I looked back she had tears in her eyes. I'm guessing she wasn't weepy about the money, I'm sure, but because somebody cared. And they didn't care about where they were in the beer line, or who pushed by them to get to the front or the back of the concert, or whether they could see from where they were, but because somebody cared about the people who made a night of fun and enjoyment happen.
And that is what it's all about, right? Caring. Sharing. Dancing. Singing. Living. Loving.
Never thought I'd have that epiphany at a Kid Rock concert. Very grateful that I did.
