the doma diaries: the kitchen.

Hoping everyone had a lovely 4th yesterday :)  I've been slacking on the house front...so it's time for the tour that I promised you.  We'll start with the kitchen...because it's got the most work to be done.  You'll see why in a second...

This house is a little over 40 years old.  The kitchen is ORIGINAL.  We aren't sure if it may have been closed off at one point (because the ceiling has been redone and needs to be done redone again), but you'll see how dated it is now.  It's got great bones, she just needs a little facelift!

the kitchen and breakfast room

It's a little hard to get a good shot of the whole kitchen because it's quite large. And the above photo is the best shot overall I've got of the "before."  Whoops.  

You see the odd island/chimney in the middle?  It's coming out...

that desk area on the left is also coming out...

somebody tried to cutesy it up with a fun chandelier...I'll give them an E for effort!

the opposite side of the chimney

I feel like the oven belongs in Back to the Future...but you know that it was a prime machine back in the day.  

storage above the ovens

there was barely room to put a large pot on the back burners of the stove...maybe 12" of clearance under the microwave.  Definitely not to code...

don't you love the olive green countertops? :)  And matching sink.  I had that at my college house and oddly kind of liked it...but they'll be getting replaced in this house!

the curly-cues under the top cabinetry is also coming down...but all of the cabinets are staying.

Mom is excited for all of the storage in this kitchen.  Props to the original designers for the size!

So, that's most of the kitchen.  It's actually been massively overhauled already, so I guess I'll give you a peak to see what she looks like now.  Here she is before...

and here she is as she stands now!  Still more to come :)

I've got to get ready for the day now.  On today's agenda: learn how to drive a McFarlin mini-bus for the upcoming high school summer mission trip to Toronto.  I've waited 10 years to be able to drive one of those things...and the day has finally come!  

Way-Back-Wednesday #26: Happy birthday, Nora

Hello blog world :)  I've been MIA for the past month.  Sorry about that.  There are lots of reasons why, and I have been avoiding blogging to avoid having to deal with questions.  BUT, since Way-Back-Wednesday fell on one of my dear friends birthdays, it was too good an opportunity to pass up NOT to post some old school pics.  I hope to start blogging again tomorrow....with a long explanatory post. For now though, it's time to wish Miss Nora Hall a wonderful happy birthday :)

Meet Nora.  

I don't remember when I actually met Nora...sometime freshman or sophomore year of high school.  My guess is that it would have been at church.  And ever since then...we've done a lot together :)

if you need help remember the outfit I'm wearing, you can go to this post

There are so many things to comment on in this picture of Semi-Formal from sophomore year.  I'll just let y'all decide...

This picture is a precursor to the video below.  This is what my friends and I did in high school...we had dance parties at each others houses.  You think I'm joking...

but I'm not.

Rose, Jace, Anna, Amy, Lydia, Nora

Row, row, row your boat...

Nora, Rose, Lydia, Anna

North vs. High football. Amy, Lydia, Nora

Just hanging out in Seattle on the Space Needle

Anna, Nora, Lydia

Mission trip to Camden, NJ

Tayler, Gracie, Lydia, Nora

Mexico one year...note my shirt and Nora's bandana

Mexico the next year...note my shirt and Nora's bandana. 

Niagara Falls.  NBD.

Hanging out in Toronto

Brycey, Nora, Pirtle, Lydia

Mount Rushmore

Tayler, Kendall, Lydia, Nora

Club 69er--aka TLC.  

Just another fun time in a McFarlin mini-bus.

Glacier National Park in Canada

painting in Montana

Dress-up time with Nora and Rosebud

When I came back to the states, Nora was one of the people that I surprised.  I scheduled a "Skype date" with her even though we wouldn't really be skyping.  Instead, I rang her doorbell just as she was supposed to be signing on to Skype.  After many persistent knocks and doorbell rings {while she was sneaking around the house trying to see who was at her door}, she finally answered :)  Nora, I hope your birthday is filled with lots of fun times and laughs.  Love you dearly :)

happy happy mother's day :)

Mother's Day 2012: probably one of the biggest Hallmark days of the year. But, I didn't get to support their enterprise this year.  Instead, I'll do a blog post :) It's cheaper and more economically friendly (although my brother did send my mom an e-card yesterday...guess I could have gone that route.).  

My mom, Lena, can do just about anything.  And if she doesn't know how, she's usually willing to try.  She carted me from every dance, piano, baton, gymnastics, acting, singing and cheerleading lesson when I was little {just for the record, the piano lessons were the only one that she chose.  Another day, another blog post...}.  Pops helped some too...but when it came to gluing rhinestones on a yet another dance costume, that job usually went to good ol' Mom.  

"Mom, I need a costume for _______ {the Nutcracker, the King and I, etc.).  Can you make it?"

"Mom, I forgot that I need to have a Spanish inspired dish for language day at school..."

"I reallyyyyy want a toy poodle.  I promise I'll take care of it..."

"Mom, this dress is 8 sizes too big {for my brother's wedding}.  You can fix that, right?" (pictures to boot, scroll down...)

My mom and I are the same person.  To. A. Tee.  If you wonder where my OCD, germaphobia {made up that word}, stubbornness, or sense of creativity comes from, look no further.  We love each other to the core, but we also like to argue with each other.  Sometimes just for fun.  Let me tell you something though, when you're 5500 miles away from home and you've got a temperature of 103.5 {as I did on March 8}, you just want your mommy.  No matter how old you are.

And since no post is complete without a few pics {or a lot, as is usually my case}, let the good times roll...

baby Jeremy and Mom 

Lincoln Logs! A Frost Family favorite.

cool acid-wash jeans

more acid-wash jeans.

the days of Pops' beard and Mom's perm.  

**pretty sure AOL instant messenger is on the screen in the computer in this shot**

At the tree my brother's elementary school class planted on the playground.  Mom is motioning to how tall the tree was when they planted it...{cough cough, some 25+ years ago}.  And now it's a massive pine, still standing after the Tuscaloosa tornado last year.  

costume time...

"Mom, we're going to sell fireworks this summer to help raise money for our Chicago mission trip...but there have to be parents supervising the whole time."

Halloween party--mom in her traditional Ukrainian shirt wayyyyyy before I ever went to Ukraine!

senior prom

OU/Saxet...

What other mom can turn a bridesmaid dress that's 8 sizes too big...

into one that actually fits?

Ukrainian bazaar time.

happy mother's day mom :)  hope it's a wonderfully wonderful day!

A few other shout-outs today too:

Today is confirmation Sunday at McFarlin.  Happy day, 8th graders :) proud of Tino and all of the adults who have contributed to such a wonderful day.  

It's bell concert day at St. Stephen's church (mom's church).  Good luck, bell choirs!  And a special surprise will be there too!

Camp HEAL (HIV/AIDS summer camp in Sergiivka, Ukraine) is FULLY FUNDED!!!! Woot woot!  Thanks for y'alls help.

Interesting blog post for tomorrow...stay tuned.  You won't want to miss it, promise!