We had a very busy last few weeks of 2021, and an exciting beginning of 2022.
After several months of planning with our contractor and prepping the house…and ourselves…our big main level renovation is well underway. We just finished up week number three!
Aaron is not a fan of upheaval of any kind. I would say that having our kitchen, family room, living room, and dining room torn apart at the same time qualifies as upheaval, right?
Two days before the work started, there stood Aaron staring at a wall in our kitchen. I just stared at him, waiting for him to tell me what he was doing.
Aaron: Look! There’s a crack in this wall.
Me: Well, I think it’s just the paint but anyway, this wall will be coming down soon. We’re going to see some very interesting things in the next few weeks.
Aaron: Not me.
Me: What do you mean?
Aaron: I don’t like this.
Me: Why not?
Aaron: Because Luke might turn off the electricity while I’m on my computer!
Luke, whom we’ve known since he was a teenager, has done our other remodeling. He finished our entire upstairs last year. So he knows Aaron well and is as prepared as one can be for the comments that Aaron will inevitably make.
Gary and I decided to stay in the house during this renovation. We put together a makeshift kitchen in one of our upstairs bedrooms. I told a friend that if I couldn’t cook with all the gadgets I have then I’m pretty pathetic. 😊
Three days into our first week, this friend laughingly said she would like to know what I had been cooking that week. Here is my answer:
Monday – leftovers. I felt invincible
Tuesday – I decided to unbox my new air fryer and learn how to use it because I thought I needed some extra stress in my life. I cooked Aaron’s brats in it. I was fixing Gary and I some precooked Angus patties in the microwave and then some steamed cauliflower in the microwave. And salad for all of us.
The microwave shut off because it won’t work at the same time the air fryer is on. Too much electricity being used in our upstairs at the same time. 😝😝
I had enough Olive Garden dressing in our little frig we bought for our makeshift kitchen, but I was determined to find the extra bottle that I knew was in one of these food boxes, but I could NOT find it and I was so FRUSTRATED by that point! Aaron loves that dressing! I did not want to run out! Then it became an issue over me saying to myself, I WILL find that dressing!!
I found it today in the box with the baggies and foil. 😂😂
And the steamed cauliflower last night was slightly – largely – on the crunchy side. We sounded like we were eating Doritos.
Tonight: I wisely used my well-known crock pot and rice cooker to make Taco Chicken Bowls. Took me awhile to find the rice. WHERE IS THAT TUPPERWARE CONTAINER OF RICE??? I JUST saw it yesterday!!!
I found it, finally, under a bunch of cans.
Thursday: We are eating at Outback. 😅😅
But things got much better after that first week. We are truly thankful to be at home and so blessed that we have plenty of room upstairs, and then a whole downstairs where Aaron and I can watch our shows at night while Gary reads.
Aaron still wishes that Luke would just stop all this nonsense. He has told Luke multiple times that he wishes he would quit tearing our house down! And yesterday, with two new workers here, Aaron walked up to them and nicely said, “I wish you would go home and quit tearing our house down.”
I told them that Aaron was our welcoming committee and to just carry on. 😊
It is not a small project!
Aaron wishes it was small…and fast.
One night, before bed:
Aaron: Mom, is Luke almost done?
Me: Oh no, Aaron. This remodel will take awhile (without defining “awhile.”)
Aaron: Well, I wish it was done right away ALL the way because I don’t like that sound they make!! 😂😂
Aaron really does have a lot to get used to, like finding an empty can of black beans on the bathroom counter. I needed to drain them in our bathroom sink as I was putting supper in the crock-pot in our Makeshift Bedroom Kitchen.
Aaron walked in the bathroom and immediately spied the empty can of black beans on the counter.
Aaron: MOM!! Why do you have black beans in the bathroom?!
Me: I had to drain them, so I used my bathroom sink.
Aaron: Oh. I thought maybe you were using them on your hair!!
Hmmmm…he may be on to something there. On many days I would try ANYTHING to help my hair!!
Black Bean Bouffant!! 😂😂
I’ll let you know if it works – may even post some pictures!
But for now, here a few more shots of our work-in-progress.
And, as you can see, Luke and his team really are making progress!
If we could only convince Aaron of that. 🙂
He Said What?! 
Oh I’ve lived in/through renovations and it is a challenge. Doing it with Aaron gets you a big ole high-five from me! I can’t wait to see the “after” pictures! Hang in there, and I confess I laughed about the power situation. I know that lesson too! You will love it when it’s finished!
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We’re excited about the end result, for sure. And we’re thankful to be able to live there during this process. Aaron has really done better than we feared, at least so far 😀
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We remodeled our kitchen last summer. I know what you are feeling. I missed my kitchen sink the most! With a microwave and a toaster, we did ok, as long as we didn’t use them at the same time.😊 The result is worth it. Blessings!🌺
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Things take a little – or a lot – of extra thought and planning when it comes to cooking, right? Getting in that new groove takes some time and patience but it’s worth it to be able to stay at home. Have a blessed day!
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Patty this is incredible. Looking at the pictures I felt almost as anxious as Aaron has been. These renovations are going to be so fantastic and worth all the chaos (though Aaron might disagree). I can’t wait to see the finished product. One question. You mentioned a room downstairs where you and Aaron could watch TV. Is this a level below the main level that is being worked on? Anyway keep us posted on the progress and on how Aaron is handling it. I can’t get enough!
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You’re always so kind and encouraging, Barbara. Yes, our house has 3 levels – lots of stairs! But it’s nice having a large finished downstairs where we can enjoy television in the evenings. And go there for safety during tornado warnings! EEKK! Love you, Barbara.
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About the time you remember where everything is in your makeshift kitchen, it’ll be time to put it all in your NEW kitchen! I don’t envy you going through this process, Patty, but I must commend you for keeping your sense of humor intact. Cauliflower that crunched like Doritos? Black bean bouffant? You made me laugh out loud! Love all the pics of the progress; I’ll look forward to more!
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Laughter is such a blessing to me. Isn’t God good to give us humor to enjoy? Trust me, there are days I need lots of healthy doses. 🙂 Thank you for reading, Nancy – and for always being such an encouragement to me.
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It’s my pleasure, Patty!
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I cannot even imagine all of this, Patty. You did make me laugh! I’ll be praying for peace in your house, for sure! Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to see the “after” pictures! It will be worth it!
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I’ll share the progress, and especially the after pictures. 😊
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I cannot imagine living in that kind of chaos.
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It’s really not been terrible. We have our entire upstairs to stay in, and then the downstairs with television, couches, etc. It’s nice to have our own beds, bathrooms, etc. This too shall pass, right? 🙂
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Yep!
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Renovations are always so hard to live through! But the progress is nice to see, and it sounds as if you are doing your best to help Aaron handle it. When it’s all done, it will be worth it, I believe!
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Yes, it will be worth it. This too shall pass and we’ll be happy we did it. 😊
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I can’t wait to see the finished result! Sounds like you are doing an amazing job keeping things running in the middle of a renovation! Aaron’s reaction to it all sounds familiar. My Landon dislikes all change too. 😊
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The word “change” is a bad word to them, isn’t it? 😉 With every decision our first concern is Aaron, as yours is with Landon. Blessings, Tiffany!
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I’ll agree with Aaron, the renovations are never much fun!! I’m anxious to learn what he thinks after it’s all done though!!
Can’t wait to see after pics!!! Have a wonderful Sunday Patty!!❤️
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One never knows what Aaron may think, but we do know he’ll share it with us loud and clear. Have a sweet day, Alicia. ♥️
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