The Walls make Walls!

Last weekend while I was in Connecticut, and this weekend while I was in San Antonio, J did some major work on the kitchen. Well, J and my fantastic dad, who I think has made more trips here in the last month than in the last two years. Thanks, dad.

Well the kitchen went from looking like this:

To this:

Yay completed floor... and walls! Look at those brand new walls. I cannot say how excited I was to have this look like a real room again... and to have no more holes in the walls and the floor where the kitties might fall through.

Speaking of cats, let me go on a mini crazy cat woman tangent. Since we started this project, our cats have been having little tiffs. Last weekend while I was in CT, they started having brawls. Dex even escaped outside and was crying this horrible noise when I rescued him from under a bush. Since that day, anytime we let the cats come in even somewhat close contact, there is hissing, biting, and full on cartoon style cat fighting. We've had them separated and tried the slow introduction thing, but they keep fighting. I am sad because I'm afraid we will have to give one away. Anyone have any brilliant ideas about this? How do I make them stop fighting? We are bringing Dex to the vet (hopefully this week) to make sure he's okay, but other than that we are at a total loss. Poor kittens are crying if we close them in a room, but fighting if we let them out! Help. please. Blog world, someone MUST know an answer.

Here are some more pictures of the kitchen, the actual project you came here to visit:

Amazing. I know, I know, to the lay eye it looks like it is still a mess. But to me, it is beautiful. that is my dishwasher still covered in plastic. I love dishwashers. We didn't have one when we first moved into this house, so I am in love with this brand new one. Love at first sight (oh yeah, it has a cabinet door cover so it blends right in!).

If any of you are brilliant house renovators, you will notice (as J did) the ugly ugly ceiling and light. That clearly had to go. This weekend when I got home from SA, Sunday was kitchen day. And by kitchen day, I mean my mom and I seeded new grass and mulched outside in the sunshine and occasionally lent our hands at the kitchen ceiling. The ceiling was no pretty venture. That deserves its own long post (and a big thanks to our friend Jeff for capturing those pics).

Here are some yard pictures. Now, picture about a week ago this yard being covered in the trash from our kitchen demo and reno. When my mom told us it looked horrendous, we knew we had to do some work.

Here is a bunch of the trash (dry wall, random boards, etc) all piled up next to the garage. [side note: I am in our "man cave" right now with one cat and can hear the other crying like a baby to get in. wouldn't you think they'd figure out to stop fighting and we can all love each other??]

Here's our backyard with some grass seed and a little bit of love. Oh, by the way, sometimes I forget how pretty our backyard is. We so rarely spend time back there because of all our time spent on renovations when we are home. But it sure is nice to have some space. I can't wait to set up our new patio furniture out there!

Can't wait to be able to use our backyard this summer! Stay tuned for the very messy ceiling update. And please somebody find a solution for my stupid cats!