Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Sniffin' Fumes

Have I mentioned that we're hosting Thanksgiving again? With an all-time high attendance level of fifteen people and a dog? (Yes, and you, Kevin.) And that our house is...not big? And that some of my in-laws want to exchange Christmas gifts the day after Thanksgiving and some do not, but I figured I'd better have their gifts purchased and wrapped just in case?

Clearly this week is the appropriate time for me to start redoing our kitchen that I've hated for six years. Especially because it is parent/teacher conference week and we have half days of school Wednesday through Friday. I tiled the backsplash on Monday (with self-adhesive tile) and I could have stopped there. But yesterday I started painting the trim. As my OB/GYN said to my husband and sister after I ordered him to just BREAK MY WATER ALREADY, I'VE BEEN ON PITOCIN FOR TEN HOURS, "We are committed."

Now I am committed to getting this project done. Well, mostly. When my husband asked if I planned to sand and paint the cabinets before Thanksgiving, too, I said, "Oh no, that would be insane!" He just smiled. And maybe the entire enterprise is insane to someone who didn't grow up in a house where her parents wallpapered the bathroom on Thanksgiving morning. (Hi, Mom and Dad!) But come on, our kitchen is the size of your pantry or mudroom. I can do this, right?

RIGHT?

24 comments:

  1. RIGHT! It won't seem like the holidays if you don't have way too much to do (most of it self inflicted!!)... that is how I see it! Happy Holidays!
    You can do it and it will look great!

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  2. You can totally do this! Any chance of getting some before and after pictures?

    My mom is in a women's group that meets at the various members' homes. We always knew when my mom's turn was approaching because carpets would get steam cleaned, walls would get painted and furniture would be purchased. It was always stuff that needed doing, but the motivation of the ladies coming over always put the projects on the front burner.

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  3. LOL- I so agree with Grace's comment above. We have 15 people coming on sunday to celebrate Calvin's christening and I'm about to go INSANE. I wish I could paint my cabinets. LOL

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  4. When I was a child, elementary-school-aged, I woke up late at night to a weird scraping sound, and came out of my room to find my parents removing the wallpaper along the stairs. They had HAD IT!

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  5. You can do it! You can do it!

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  6. It must be something in the X Chromosome that makes us do these crazy things... :)

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  7. Must post pictures! And you've got this one in the bag, no problem!

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  8. Oh, I hope you'll post photos of before, during and after.

    Good luck with it all. I would much rather tackle a remodel job than cook for 15 people...

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  9. Oh, *I* don't do all the cooking. We divide up the jobs among my Mom's kitchen, my kitchen, and the turkey fryer.

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  10. Oh, I'm sure you'll get it done. Stuff like that always happens. Oh well. If it's not all done, no one will really care.

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  11. Wow, you are brave!

    I say BOO to opening presents the day after Thanksgiving! You could just swap them and hang onto them until Xmas morning. I'm a stickler for anti-early-present-opening. J's family opens ALL on Xmas Eve and it's so not fun! Xmas day is just blah, otherwise.

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  12. You can do it! Just keep your eye on the prize and the finished product will be so worth it!

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  13. Coming from the woman who tore down all the wallpaper in her kitchen over 2 months ago and has yet to finish sanding the walls - Good luck!!

    You sound way more motivated than I am, so I'm sure you can do it.

    Our goal is also Thanksgiving :)

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  14. If you are sticking to the walls- you ar emost likely sane. If you are considering counter tops, then it is debatable. If you are even remotely considering the floor, you are insane.

    Good luck!

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  15. but just think how lovely your kitchen will feel for cooking such a big meal! : )

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  16. You're doing your own Zen kitchen! You need the book I'm using :)

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  17. You tiled your backsplash? You are my hero:) I've wanted to do that for YEARS. After watching the tile guys do that in the basement, I decided that I should leave that to the pros. If you ever decide to take it up professionally there's a backsplash in Ohio just beggin' to be tiled:) Good luck with everything and please try not to kill yourself. Don't forget...Christmas is right around the corner.

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  18. I feel for you. This year seven people are coming to my house(I can control the food better)and we decided to redo the bathroom.Hopefully it will be done BEFORE Thanksgiving.
    Kim in Mid TN

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  19. Just found your site. It's vey helpful. My son has sever Lactose Intolerance and I'm trying to figure out how to cook for him.

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  20. Um, are you my long lost twin? 'Cause I've only done this sort of thing, oh a million trillionty times!
    Good luck. But you don't need it- you're COMMITTED! It's bound to get done if it kills you.
    Hope it doesn't kill you.

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  21. RIGHT. You can do it!
    We're having EVERYONE over for Christmas again. EVERYONE. Over 20 people. Some of whom don't get along. GREAT.

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  22. There is such thing as self-adhesive tile? Hmmm.

    Wait. I must not think of this.

    I started painting my kitchen cabinets awhile ago...the cabinet doors are still off since I couldn't realign them properly once I put on the new hardware. So, holiday entertaining will not happen in my household this year. My plan is working.

    Good luck and enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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