Thursday's work

Most of the cabinets are in and the microwave is installed, which was a big job. It took four or five tries. We hope they install the dishwasher today and level the fridge. Elder Nielsen will be doing the counter tops. Notice the cabinet that does not have the cathedral doors. We hope they will send the matching doors because we do not want to take the cupboard down. The boys had a great time making houses and bridges and tunnels out of the boxes. We painted Dallie's room, but no picture.

A Little Closer

Mom got the boys' room painted. It is finished except a little touch-up painting, carpet, and hopefully new outlets and light switch (those probably won't happen until later).

The vinyl is finished in the kitchen and nook. It's nice to be able to walk on a nice floor without shoes on. Dad and Jason hung a few cupboards tonight.

Exhausted

More painting for today. The kitchen painting is totally done except for the pantry. Part of the vinyl is laid. I imagine my parents will have it totally done by the time we get there tomorrow.

We are totally exhausted. We got home tonight at 10. I don't know how my parents can keep going. I fall asleep when I sit down to feed Dallie. I guess the key is not to sit down.

Jason gets to come help tomorrow. He was supposed to ship off some of his cows, but the roads have been so bad that the trucks can't get to where they need to go. It's days like today I'm glad I have 4-wheel drive.

Parts Run

Mom and I did lots of running around today. We went into Alliance to get vinyl for the kitchen and nook. Then when we got back to the McGinley, Dad needed us to go to Oshkosh to get some lumber. I was glad I didn't have to go by myself. Dad worked on the kitchen floor and walls. The house looks so much cleaner with a fresh coat of paint. When Jason finished working heifers, he came and helped pull the carpet out of the nook.

The pantry.

The vinyl for the kitchen.

Here is a "before" and "during" in the nook.

Saturday's Work

Saturday's work: Mom primed the kitchen. It's so nice to have the stained walls painted over. Note from Mom: Mijken, come paint, please! Dad has the pantry walls done and doors hung and the kitchen carpet pulled out. We are all happy it is Sunday tomorrow so we don't have to work. If you need to get a hold of Mom she is at my house now. On Monday we are going to town to pick out carpet and vinyl.

Friday's Work

The work from Friday. We built a new wall for a pantry (there wasn't any good way to work this kitchen, so we had to build a pantry to have a wall to have the fridge and oven on). Mom has two bedrooms and a hallway primed.

This is how tired we all are. Ryder fell asleep at 5 in the afternoon and slept until 7 the next morning.

The road to the McGinley. This is after it had dried out a little, so it doesn't do justice to how hard it is to drive on it.

Hopefully Not a Sign of Things to Come

We didn't get much snow, but it was enough to make travel tough and the roads bad and our power go out. Most of the panhandle was without power today. Farther north they got 5 foot drifts of snow. The wind is miserable. I'm not ready for winter yet.

Work on the house keeps getting interrupted by bigger problems with the house. This was my biggest concern. Old house, old electrical wiring, old plumbing. First we had no water pressure, then the water started to turn a dark color and by the time we left tonight it was black, then water started coming up the drain in the basement. I worried leaving Mom and Dad there tonight, but we knew before we started that the water wasn't good to drink, so we took water down. I'm not staying there because it isn't clean enough for kids.

The next two pictures are of Dallie's room before and during. I need help chosing paint colors. It can't be too bold, the men around here like neutral colors.

The boys' room needs one more coat of paint and carpet.

Jason and Dad decided to cover up the brick chimney. I'm sad, especially after reading what you all said about it.

A Good Day For Inside Work

We had rain and snow this morning, which makes the road to the McGinley terrible. The road is gravel over clay, so it is slick and slushy when it gets wet. Anyhow, it was a miserable drive for me this morning. By the time I got there, the guys had the kitchen wall knocked out and the walls of one bedroom textured (we can't take the wall paper off because it will pull the plaster off too, so we are texturing and then painting). What do you think about leaving the old chimney brick exposed? All of the ceilings are 9' tall except the kitchen. Its ceiling is so low, or seems so low anyway. Hopefully when we get it painted it won't seem so low. The "before" picture of the boys' bedroom.

Day 2

More demo in the kitchen today. Mom and I set up camp, started painting and pulled staples out of the hardwood. Jason was even able to spend a few hours helping today. We are all exhausted. The living room, dining room and office will have hardwood. We are carpeting the bedrooms and the kitchen will have vinyl (it doesn't have hardwood). We are taking the wall out between the kitchen and dining room.

Construction Zone

My mom and dad got here this afternoon. We met at the McGinley and started cleaning and tearing the kitchen out. They are spending the night at my house tonight, but tomorrow and most of the rest of the time they are here, they are going to sleep at the McGinley so they won't have the two hour commute every day.

When we got there, Elder Nielsen (the service missionary on the ranch) had already torn the carpet out of the living and dining rooms; it already looks and smells better (the previous tenants smoked in the house).

So here are some "before" and "under construction" pictures.

I'll try to update as often as I have the energy to. P.S. Thanks, Kurtis for the toys.