SURPRISE!

Perhaps SHOCK better describes it...rather then surprise!

Well, the parents left on Friday morning around 7:45 & at 9:30 the old wallpaper was coming down. After 29 years, my parents have been wanting to redo the kitchen. Infact, several months ago James had a beam on the ceiling 1/2 way down & then the folks changed their minds....because they wanted to move a wall out & so because they couldn't do it all......they would do NOTHING! After several months of coaxing, my mom FINALLY gave permission to take the wallpaper down.



(Secret LOVE messages were found - Uncle Mark & Aunt Michelle when they were dating!)

(Marjorie & Marty came to help clean....before the MESS)

Quick, Mom's not here to change her mind! We had until Monday evening. So we called for reinforcements, but only got my cousin Steve. He came over for breakfast on Friday morning & ended up staying pretty much all day every day until Monday morning. Thanks Steve. We couldn't have made it w/o you.

We took down the beautiful wallpaper, beams on the ceiling (where did they get that idea?), our very own Jaime textured the walls & ceilings (& did a fabulous job- he's cheap, but he's slow), then Mom's friend Geri came over to give advice about painting & she double dog dared James to knock out the lowered florescent lighting. Nobody was there to stop him & there was Geri daring him....what would you a done?

Several months ago, my mom had picked out the paint colors, so that was easy - for the most part.....Malted & Jalapeno were the chosen colors.

We worked & worked & worked. We stayed up until 1 or 2 each night & Sunday night James & Steve stayed up all night long. I walked upstairs at 6:45 Monday morning to go to work, Steve & James had just finished. Everything was still a mess...but the paint job looked fabulous. What a transformation in just 3 long days!

James, Spencer & I were waiting outside .....inside was Marcia & kids on skype, a video camera & their new kitchen. The kitchen lights were off so they got the full effect when the lights came on. Their mouths dropped open & stayed there for the next couple of hours. They kept pacing back & forth, just staring at every inch. Shock maybe is an understatement. After 29 years of having something a certain way, there will be an adjustment. For me it's a good one, & Mom & Dad say they like it.....but hopefully they really do.

It may not be perfect, but it was done with blood, sweat, sacrifice & LOVE