Demolition Day!

I remember the first thing I did when we got the keys to our current house-- also a major fixer-upper, if you remember-- was to come in with pliers and remove carpet tacks from the stairs.  It seemed carpet tacks, nails, and staples literally grew out our floors and doorways for the next few years, as I kept on finding them, even in places I was sure I'd scoured previously.  Nevertheless, that first day, sitting on the stairs without heat or light, just plucking away with pliers, I had such a feeling of accomplishment and oneness with my new house.  Yesterday, with a whole day off (and in town to boot!), as well as the okay of our plans by both the State and the County, I packed the family up and we spent a few hours with two hammers and a crowbar.  It was magical.

Okay, so maybe, as Abby said, what we were doing was much less efficient than what our contractors could do, and they're going to be paid no matter what, but it was nice to finally get something done to our house!  We split up: Abby headed downstairs to see what she could do to/with the paneling; I took a crowbar into the kitchen and, standing on a step-ladder, tore the drywall off the kitchen ceiling; and each kid got a hammer and was told to bash wherever they wanted on the big ugly wall that separates the two parts of the Great Room.  Apart from Abby, who I think was probably the smartest of us, we all got a lot done.  For your viewing pleasure, I give you THE WAHL FAMILY'S VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS DAY AT THE BUNGALOW!

Isaac's first taste of hammering.

So proud

Taking ownership

Lola with her hammer.

The kids with the former wall.

Trying out the ladder.

Me in the kitchen

Lola means business.

The wall starts to crumble.

Results! All we could reach with the step ladder

Looking down from the balcony

Looking towards the kitchen

Looking eastward in the Great Room