At this point... all you can do is laugh:)

So our kitchen first went from looking like this

& this:

To this:

We were welcomed into our new home by a pesky little or should I say big rat! (it still makes me shudder to think about it)  If you put your two fists together that was the size!  

This was no ordinary rat- I kid you not this stinker was SMART

I had Terminex come out 3 times

We originally set out the sticky pads- we found his paw marks on it- but NO rat

We set out peanut butter on the snap traps- peanut butter licked clean off but still NO rat

One night I left the trash on the floor  and he went for the banana peels so...

we loaded every trap with banana around the trash, set up the baby monitor so we could hear when he came, and took shifts trading off to catch the darn thing! Problem was as soon as he heard us coming he would escape.

After this DIDN'T work- we set up our own trap and used the two lap tops to set up a video. 

 We wanted to see exactly where he was and where he was coming from.  

The rat would enter and exit under the dishwasher - so Joey set up this speaker box with a rope connected to a wooden spoon that came out to the living room.  When we saw the rat come out the plan was to pull the rope so the speaker box would drop and block off his escape route.  It almost worked and Joey got a couple of good hits on him but the box didn't drop flush with the dishwasher so he got away again.    It was like Ratatouille in our kitchen.  (I started thinking maybe we should just find a trap like the one Gus-Gus was caught in in Cinderella)  But after the night we almost got him he hasn't been back.

So after all this we NEVER caught him.

Unfortunately, there was a terrible smell for about a week and I'm pretty sure it was him.

He must have tried the rat poison Terminex put out on their 3rd visit

This went on for a week; Avery named him Squirt and apparently prayed for us to catch him when asked to give the prayer in her primary class.

After the big rat fiasco we now are in the process of redoing the kitchen and a lot of other things, but this is the main focus now.

The demolition crew came out today to take out the cabinets 

 & unfortunately this is what they found:

(No not a dead rat- that would have been better)

The particle board under the sink and dishwasher is rotted from a previous leak

The bad news:  

We have been so good about sticking to our budget without having to use the Contingency $ and now we'll have to use it- but at least we have it left to use.

They will have to rip up all the old particle board and put in new subflooring as it extends into the parque so we will need new floors too.

Also the guy who is to install the cabinets leaves to go on vacation Saturday for a week and then they are booked with appointments for a couple weeks after he returns.

That means 3 weeks without a kitchen

We also have been working on the bathrooms and the tile guy ripped out all the vanities so for the time being we are brushing our teeth, washing our hands, and drinking water from the tub faucet :) 

 However,

The Good News is:

At least we found the problem and can make things right

I'm pretty excited about new floors

Its a good thing Joey and Avery could live off pizza because for the next 3 weeks we'll be having lots of Little Ceasars Pizza :)

 In the meantime my beautiful new cabinets will sit in these lovely boxes until things are taken care of-

At this point all we can do is laugh- it will be funny to look back on and laugh too!

& I know it will be worth it.

For a fun and beautiful kitchen remodel to glance at check out my cousin Suzette's!

Now ours won't be near like hers (that'd be awesome if it were) but I love looking at her ideas and how well everything coordinates!!!
Its Beautiful!

On a more positive note

Avery is loving helping with the house and her room is coming along nicely

 My dad (Grandpa) is very proud!

 My sweet 92 year old Grandma asked if there was anything we needed for our new home.

I quickly remembered all the paintings she painted herself that hung in her home.  I asked her if she had any extra and told her my color schemes.  She sent a big box and I chose this one for Avery's room.

I plan on sanding and repainting the dresser white, the front face of the drawers pink and leave the knobs white.  Its all coming together a little at a time.

& BIG NEWS Ansley started walking a few days shy of being 10 months!

She AMAZES me multiple times a day!!!!!
We sure love this girl