Renos with Family

Since returning from my trip, I have been spending almost all of my time helping my sister and brother in law renovate their place. They bought a new place and need to finish their renos fast! The first week back our parents stayed and helped to tear out the guest bathroom and kitchen. We got the guest bathroom to almost finished state (just needs the trim) within the first couple days. New floor, toilet, vanity and mirror (after the original mirror fell off the wall while we took a break, there wasn't very much glue holding it up). With that done with

Charlie annoyed we moved things

started the kitchen. I am now a master of building IKEA kitchen cabinets. While my family did other things, I was in charge of organising and building all the cabinets. I love organising so I had everything labeled with numbers so anyone could know which box went with what cabinet. We got so much done in that first week, but not as much as we had hoped. We did start pulling up the carpet and putting laminate down. My dad taught my brother in law how to do it and then my brother in law and I finished the rest of the place. We got a palate of flooring and used all but 11 boxes. I have learned to put in laminate, paint with a roller, not be afraid of using a hammer, and that I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was. Moving furniture around from one side of the room to the other in every room has been tiring. It has taken most of June to do the reno and they still aren't done. Since the end of May they have not had a kitchen, only a few days did the counter top finally arrive and get put in. 
The renovations haven't been that bad, except for not having a functioning kitchen. You can't cook anything, the microwave was hidden for the first couple weeks so you couldn't even heat something up. Eating out and getting delivery was getting tiring and we just wanted to eat good healthy home cooked food. We have eaten so bad, so much junk food. 
I think the most surprising thing about the whole project has been people's reactions to the fact that I just come and help. I don't live them and I'll even go while my sister and brother in law are at work and paint. I ask my sister to leave me a list and go over on my days off.

Fitz is tired of all the renos

People are shocked that I would do that. My sister and I grew up in a house that was always having something done and we were just raised to help people out. We like this kind of stuff. But people are always surprised that I would willingly just go over and help out, no questions asked. We never thought it was weird until they said something. We help each other out all the time with anything. Always have and hopefully always will. I've helped with my brother's renovations when he bought his house 4 years ago. It has been nice to spend so much time with my sister and it was great that my parents was able to stay for a week to help. We will all be incredibly happy when the renos are done, but then it will be time to pack to move to their new place! It's been a busy month and top of the renos I have been working and dealing with my college.As things get done hopefully I'll get to spend more time hiking and doing fun things this summer!

Have a fantastic Monday! 

Song of the Day: Say Amen (Saturday Night) by Panic! At The Disco