Basketball and Wicked

My finished closet and my cute boxes from Big Lots, pretty good find. 

Pantry with doors

New molding

I already love my half finished laundry room!!

My Little Katniss

One of the most patient men in the world

 
We are taking a 4 day break from remodeling.  I am glad.  We have accomplished so much but are waiting on the granite folks and I am enjoying a break.  It has been a very positive experience but I am missing my kitchen.  We are getting the floors stained and refinished on Friday, that is going to be great. 
Clara had her final basketball games this weekend.  She has had a hard season.  Some of their scores in games were 3 shut outs, 42-0, 31-0 and 24-0.  Some we only scored 2 points, but Saturday was our high scoring game at 6 points.  Clara went all out and scored all 6. It was definitely a team effort but she was playing like a girl on fire, my little Katniss.  I was proud. They lost 24-6.  Mike our coach got some jewels in his crown this season, he taught them so much.  They improved tremendously and learned how to lose gracefully.  Thanks Coach Whitt!!!

Friday night Kathleen and kids came to see Wicked.  We loved it and the kids talked me into getting a signed poster for a contribution to Broadway Cares.  Kathleen was sprinting in some boots with a narrow heel and twisted her ankle.  So she had to hobble all the way back to the car from the BJCC to the Sheraton.  We made it back to our car at 11:20 and did not make it out of the damn parking lot until 1:00am.  I was calling everyone I could get at midnight to complain.  The Sheraton told me the people who managed the parking lot forgot to collect money when we came in so everyone was having to pay one cashier on the way out.  I asked "can't you just let us out since it was your mistake?".   Sheraton said it wasn't our mistake you need to contact BJCC.  Eddie at the BJCC said it was Capitol parking who we needed to call.  So I left them a terse voice mail when we pulled out of that place.  They called the next morning and I told them they made about $300 dollars off of all of us but created years of ill will.   She said she would call the manager about that, I can't imagine he was awake at 1:00 am Friday night but I think that could have been the problem that the employees didn't feel like they could make the decision just to let us out.  Eddie from the BJCC told me "they got to make their money."  I told him I felt sure as old as that Sheraton is that parking garage had been paid for long ago.  Oh Well, I am pretty much over it.........We had to send Kathleen to the Amy Bentley Walk in clinic and she got a boot.  We could not stop laughing about it.  It was a fun memory though.  Love my family!!!

Anne Margaret,some cabinets and my closet

Here is the most important thing that happened today.  Anne Margaret Haley "Maggie"was born this morning.  She is so precious.  We are so happy and blessed.  Then I got a new bedroom closet which is wonderful but overwhelming.  Jeff at Closetech did them for me, he is the Jeff that has been working with Donny on this project.  It is completely adjustable so I have to play with it to see where I want to put everything.  My closet was my Valentines present, my husband is a smart man.  Then they started on the cabinets.  Jerry Smith who sells Integrity Cabinets is installing them.  They are wonderful so far.  The are only about 3/4 finished but will be done by lunch tomorrow.   The cabinets are antique white and the walls will not be green when we are done.  Some blue like in the rest of the house.  Once I get my closet finished I will do a before and after. 

Latest on Fuller CASA

We are making some major progress.  On Friday Donnie and Jeff took off the mantle and removed the tile around the fireplace.  We are going to put our extra granite there.  They also finished rewiring all the plugs behind the cabinets that got fried in a lightning storm, but the biggest accomplishment was not even in their job description.  I had told Donnie we had this crazy squirrel in the attic.  It is a smart, tame bugger who think Fuller Casa is his casa.  We have been trying to get rid of him since before Christmas, really he has been with us at least 6 months.  He IS the smartest squirrel in town.  So Donnie and Jeff hear the little guy.  Donnie goes up in the attic to see where he is getting in and out and Jeff hides in the truck until the squirrel comes out.  Donnie patches the hole after he runs out and Jeff chases it off.  The darn thing has not been back, HALLELUIAH!!!!
The hardwoods were put in the kitchen and living room today.  These men were machines. The floors are breathing and acclimating as we speak.  Kari Adams from Ississ helped me pick everything out and that is who I got the flooring from.  They subbed it out to Maranatha Granite and Floors and they did an excellent job.  Tomorrow the cabinets are coming. 
Even better that a remodel job is that my youngest sister, Polly, called and said she is having her baby on Wednesday.  She is out in Dallas, Texas.  She and Jason have two boys who love their Mama but now she is having a girl.  So happy and can't wait for her to be here.  My other sister Sarah is pregnant too but with a boy due any day, such a happy time. 

 

This week at CASA Fuller

My contractor had made plans a long time ago to go to Mardi Gras in Mobile this week.  So he sent some sheet rockers (?) to work while he was gone.  We have walls in the pantry and the laundry room now.  We discovered another golden easter egg in one of the walls.  A huge exposed wire in the wall, Donny said I would have gotten the shock of my life if I had tried to hang something there.  Donny also widened the wall going into the dining room.  It makes just the difference I wanted.  It makes the dining room look bigger and more inviting. 

The exposed wire

Before the widening

After

Where the lighting will be over the sink

Pantry

Inside laundry room

Day four of renovations

Day Four
They framed up the laundry room and the pantry.  They are unhooking our washer and dryer for a week tomorrow.  Brian took these pictures for me because I was stretching out (as my grandmother used to say) so the pictures are a little sparse.  One more half day of work and then they are going to be out of town for two days.  That will give me some time to move more stuff to the basement and get prepared for flooring.  Amazed at what they have accomplished.  I have to replace the molding in the kitchen and they aren't able to find a match for it.   Donny said he thinks it is chair molding.  OK?

This is the side view of my pantry, framed out. 

Front view of my pantry

Laundry room

Day 3 remodeling

DAY THREE

They worked on tearing down walls and taking up vinyl.  It was a little less messy today.  I got to map out my new pantry and we sketched out what I needed.  Brian and I walked around in the space to see if it would be big enough.  The laundry room will be about 16 inches bigger and double door.  The door will be moved over to give me an extra corner to store things.  The pantry shelves will be adjustable but a smooth wood surface. 

Here are the people who are doing the work so far:
Donny Castleberry 205-427-8367
Jeff at Closettec (pantry) 665-5886

Renovation-busting up the tile

DAY TWO

Temporary kitchen

Dust round one

Tarp

Stripped down

Surprise

Today they started busting up all the tile in the kitchen and breakfast room.  They discovered there was sheet rock under the tile.  Not the norm and it made it more messy.  I was impressed with how much the tarp did contain the dust.  I vacuumed and dusted for awhile and that helped.  We found a rotten spot behind the fridge but they will fix it.   Rob said he would be glad when we finished this project, I said we are only on day two!!  We are having a garage sale this weekend to get rid of stuff.