Thank you, Kathy! :O) Thanks, pagan, I was definitely in the right place at the right time! Thank you, Valerie, you ain't no slouch yourself! lol haha, Carol, thank you but if you saw how many times I hit the delete button on the camera, you'd think differently! haha, Hamp! I know where you're coming from! When I was a kid, I jumped out of the back of Daddy's truck in the watermelon patch, and I didn't look first - landed smack dab in a bull nettle. Ouch! Thanks, buddy - I like that peaceful pond, too. My friend is getting that one for her boys' room. Aw, Joe, wow, that was really sweet, and I thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it - it makes me happy to know you did when your photos bring me such joy. Thanks, twohuskies. I haven't seen too many cactus flowers myself, and really enjoyed these. I really like the way the unopened buds look - they remind me of St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square! Sis

The problem with the current range location is not just that there is no landing/workspace to the left of it...it's also that it's right in the main passage through the house. I strongly encourage you to at least change the range location--and vent it externally :-) What are your countertops? If they're laminate, I think you can redo them fairly inexpensively (at least compared to stone or solid surface!) Besides, you have to put in a new countertop on the peninsula and to the left of the refrigerator (unless those are tall cabinets, but you seem to have upper cabinets there, so I'm not sure what you're doing there). Moving the island: How big is your FR? From the looks of it, I don't think you can afford to lose the space in the FR that you will need to move the island into it. Have you considered making the FR's left exterior wall flush w/the MBR & MBA walls? That would give you more FR space and still give you that staggered look, if that's what you're looking for (don't move the Office wall). OTOH, if you don't care about the staggered look, perhaps you should just make that left exterior wall flush the entire length...I would think it would be less expensive or at least the same cost since you don't have to build in the "stagger"...but I'm not a home builder, so I could be wrong. I've seen, however, that whenever you deviate from simple straight lines it costs more! Think about placing the Office door...from which room will you be going to/from the Office the most? That will determine where best to put the door. I suspect it will be the FR, but I don't know that. If you have 2 doors, you're taking precious wall space for your computer, bookshelves, etc. Where is the front door? Your layout doesn't show that. Is there an alternate entrance that family uses (e.g., Garage door)? BTW...if you're going to be buying new cabinets for the island and pantry, I'm not sure it's cost effective to do the kitchen in phases like this. Unless you plan to reuse your cabinetry in phase 2, which is probably doubtful if you plan to redesign the kitchen altogether, then I think you might be better off saving your money now b/c cabinetry is not cheap...it's usually the most expensive part of a remodel (~50% of a remodel cost). I would consider taking down the FR wall to the counter level of your current wall of cabinets and leaving the base cabinets as-is (obviously you will have to take down the upper cabinets when the wall comes down). OR, if phase 2 is soon, perhaps leave the kitchen intact for now and take the wall down with phase 2...that way you don't lose storage now. For pantry room, consider putting in shelving to get you by for now. If you do take down the wall, then you could get inexpensive laminate countertops for now and even put in a small overhang. Then you could also switch the range w/at least one of your existing cabinets and put in the same countertops on that wall that you are putting in the island. Is your range currently vented to the outside? If it is, then moving it now may be problematical...OTOH, moving it now while new exterior walls & ceilings are going up may be more cost effective...of course that means you have to finalize your kitchen's design now rather than later so you know where to place the duct work for the vent....tough decision here! If you just put in shelving to the left of the refrigerator for now you will not need new countertops there. Laminate is usually inexpensive enough that you could probably replace the countertop to the right of the refrigerator to match the new counters on the "island". I think there is a lot to think about...sorry if I'm making this more difficult, but I thought you would want a frank assessment....

Hi, Mom of 3! I've got some suggestions, based on my experiences. First, your DH needs to get a set schedule with her, of one weekend per month, as the CO says. It either needs to be set dates or two weeks notice or something. If she refuses to agree to any particular schedule and wants to reserve the right to call at the last minute demanding to see her son, you're going to have to find the money to see an attorney and see what can be done about this. I know exactly what that is like; we've been through that exact thing, and BM will use this to torment you. You will find yourself unable to make plans for any weekend because you'll never know if BM will call to announce that she hasn't "gotten to" see her son and now wants to do so immediately. SS may need to see his mother - but he also needs stability and structure, and he should be able to make plans without knowing that they are always subject to last minute change due to his mother's whims. Secondly, your husband needs to stop talking to BM. Again, I know exactly what this is like. BM will use DH's attempts at co-parenting and maintaining a civil relationship to insinuate herself into your lives, to wreak havoc, to cause stress, to get attention - DH needs to just stop it. Obviously they must talk about SS - but he is all that they need to talk about, and if the conversation veers off of that topic into how much money you now have for gas, why the CO was unfair, how the CS is too much money and she's broke, how mean her new BF is, what's wrong with you, what's wrong with DH, what's wrong with the world, or anything else - DH needs to simply say "I've got to go now" and hang up. He does not need to justify, explain, excuse, elaborate or any other such thing to her anymore. He only needs to be civil and calm while discussing SS, and that's it. The longer any conversation lasts, the more BM will try to draw DH into an argument or dispute. Co-parenting does not mean that BM gets to rant and rave at you or DH at will and you are obligated to listen to her, or worse yet, respond. Third, I'd have a budget that does not include any CS that she is supposed to pay. If she actually sends some, that's a nice bonus - but I wouldn't be counting on it. Lastly, if she pulls some stupidity and does not return SS on time, call the police and file for an emergency hearing immediately. Don't let it go "this one time" - because it will happen again if you allow it too. You can make it through this. Your DH is now custodial parent. You now have a CO saying that she gets one weekend a month and pays CS. The status quo has changed and DH does not have to "work with her", or bend over backwards to accommodate her. He has to follow the CO, no more, no less.

Hair spray actually used to be dangerous. The propellant used was vinyl chloride. It was hardest on barbers and hairdressers since they were around it all the time. The danger was a significantly increased risk of liver cancer. I think the show I watched was called the Chemical Revolution. There was also something in maybe the hair dye?? that caused a surprisingly high rate of bladder cancer in hairdressers. (Obviously this is not a commonly occurring cancer.) Here is a link that might be useful: PBS link about Hair Spray Propellant