Reno Pictures!!

I love before and afters!  It is time :)

Entry from the garage - I forgot to take a picture before we unhooked the washer and dryer, but you get the idea.

They took out the tiny closet and roughed in a much smaller bathroom to create a mudroom with lockers and a large closet.

 After!

 During - from the opposite side:

 After! I feel like we gained a whole room in this area - there is so much more space!  I was initially worried that I would regret moving the laundry to the basement, but it was so worth it!

 Entry looking toward kitchen before - no sight line...just looking down the stairway.

 After!  So much more open.

 New small entry bathroom rough in:

 After!

 Dining room looking toward living room before - 3.5' opening:

 We removed the built-in desk and they widened the opening to 8'.

 After - they added a built-in book case to replace some of the storage we lost.

 Dining room looking toward kitchen before:

Replaced track lighting with can lighting and two pendants, painted cabinets, new backsplash, new counters, new flooring after:

Kitchen before:

 During - almost went with a mint green color but it was not neutral enough

 After!

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 Basement before:

We moved the washer and dryer downstairs - removed the drop ceiling to make room for the pipes and cut out the paneling around the window that had been hidden.  There is so much more light down there now!

 Kids bathroom before:

 After - new paint, tile floor, painted cabinets, new sink, counter, tub/shower combo, and toilet!

 Hallway before:

Hallway after - removed wall sconce and replaced it with two can lights, new paint, new flooring - I haven't decided if we will have artwork come back here or not!

 Living room before

After - walls painted, flooring replaced, woodwork painted, new blinds.

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My mom left us some money and we were able to make all of these home improvements - she would have loved it!  I sure miss her.

Update - but no reno pics yet

Jeremy and his team ran a Ragnar relay race from Muskegon to Traverse City (almost 200 miles).  It was a group from our church plus Jenna and a few of her friends - they had a blast!

 During the renovation, sometimes Henry and I went to Papa's while they worked on our house.

 This was a perfect day for a paddle boat ride.

 Henry: At Papa's lake we watched two swans attackle each other!!

 We tired Henry out and he fell asleep in the car on the way to pick up the girls from school.

 Henry's class learned about fire safety and the kids enjoyed the playing in the house that is on fire.

 Grandparents Day at the girls' schools

 Leila loves to teach others - she is coming out of her shell a bit more all of the time.

Stella: That is NOT a pretty fall decoration.

The toilet stayed on the porch for almost 3 weeks until I reminded the builder and asked if he could remove it before we had trick or treaters on Halloween!

 Our family stayed with Papa for almost two weeks during the worst parts of the reno.  Stella found his baby powder.

 Henry and I made a ninja turtle with wiki stix

 Papa snuggled with Greta's kitty

 Game night!

 Stella is still working on selfies...

 I found a spider in the Halloween bucket right next to the picture of a spider...definitely some irony there.

 We have made many trips to Menard's during the reno - the kids LOVE visiting the Christmas village, even if they went the day before.

 Stella even wrote a story about it for school.

 Stella's soccer team

 Watching Leila's last game in the freezing rain.

 Stella's last game in the freezing rain

 Apparently I only took one picture of pumpkins this year.

 We went trick or treating at Grandma Dort's - it is quite a sweet set up for kids - lots of ladies and a few gents sitting in a circle handing out candy.

 We teamed up with some of the neighborhood kids to trick or treat.

 Leila was Pippi Longstocking - these were all of the things that she wanted to complete her costume.

 Stella rode that horse for the third year in a row - it was way too small, but there was no reasoning with her.  She was no longer wearing it by the time we were done.

Stella’s candy bucket was so heavy that it broke. After we finished trick or treating:
Stella: Can we trick or treat again tomorrow?

 The kids gave dad all of their reject candy.

 Stella with vampire teeth - the fake blood packet made a GIANT mess.

Leila and her crazy smile - she is at the bigger is better stage right now.

 We bunked the girls' beds to make more space in their room...which they have of course filled with junk.

 Leila did sacred dance for the first time at church.

 https://youtu.be/66zJGaLZscM

 We went for a hike with a group from church to Saugatuck Dunes.

 Stella made a countdown chain for our Disney trip - I am surprised that no one started one before 47 days to go.

 Stella's class led chapel at school.

 Henry also likes the Christmas area of Menard's...we go there a lot.

 My "Mad Gab" girls group had a Halloween costume party this year!

 Leila's soccer team got to stand with Hope's soccer team on the field during the National Anthem.

 Leila was proud to be the last girl on her team still watching the game.

 Sunday night - I braided the girls hair while Jer played games and snuggled with Henry.

 Then we went for a walk downtown.

 Stella found this was the best way to warm up your buns.

I am so glad that I put these on facebook, or I would never remember them all...
Kid Quotes:

Henry: Mom, don’t forget the fire.
Me: What?
Henry: Oh now I remember what it’s called. The commute-e-fire.
Me: The humidifier?

Leila: What does romantic mean?
Me: It is when people in a relationship do loving things for each other. Like if Dad brings me flowers or
Stella: Or if you do the lawn mow for Dad?
Me: Yes, that would be very romantic.

Kids are fighting about who is looking at whom at breakfast.
Henry: I was staring at her because I needed something to look at!

Henry: Can we walk on the walkboard?
Me: The boardwalk?
Henry: Yeah.

Stella: Mom, do you think Shane and Hunter have any babies yet?
Me: No, not yet.
Stella: I know why, cuz they just got married a couple days ago.

Me: That is enough baby powder.
Henry: But I'm not a vampire yet!

Driving by the Muffler Man...
Stella: Muffin Man!

Stella: Mom, do you have to be seven or older to drink 7-Up?

Henry: Is brown sugar a snack?

Henry: Want to do a fist war? I mean a thumb war?
I was worried about what a fist war might be!

Henry: I killed a bug downstairs and it didn't even see me.
Me: Oh, you were sneaky, huh?
Henry: No, it was facing the other way.

Stella: Is there something called sixteenth grade?

Stella's principal related a story to me.  She said that at recess she was talking to a group of kids about not eating the acorns (nuts) they found on the playground.
Stella: My brother had a problem with nuts.
Miska: Oh really? (Thinking that this was about his food allergies)
Stella: Yep.  He got hit in them.