800 Trips and 1000 bags

The bathroom in our bedroom was down right AWFUL!  AWFUL!  I remember looking at this house before we purchased it and I almost didn't want it because of this horrible bathroom, however, after eight months of looking we settled and said we would just remodel it later.  I did not think that "later" would be seven years. 

We have done something with nearly every room in our house but this bathroom and living room.  We started purchasing stuff years ago.  I am not sure how long ago we started but long before Thatcher was even a thought in our mind- so maybe six years ago we purchased the tile, toilet, sink and some other items.  Those items sat in our basement this entire time.  Oh we would occasionally talk about it- heck, we even went and bought more things for that bathroom.  I forgot what we had and had not purchased.  I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the faucet when I saw it because I forgot what it looked like. 

I told Mike at the beginning of the year that my goal was to get the bathroom and T's bedroom done before his birthday party.  I should say I didn't tell him I kind of forced my goals on him.  Well ...we got really busy with work- Mike is always busy and my co worker left so that made me busier than normal.  Our free time seemed to be getting sucked up at a fast pace.  After barely having time to get T's room done I told Mike not to worry about the bathroom that we could do it later in the year.  He insisted he would get it done- so I let him be. 

We-or should I say Mike- had to gut the bathroom down to the stud wall and pull up the sub floor in the bathroom.  The only thing left in that bathroom was the tub.  I should have known it wasn't going to go smoothly when the pipe leaked on the guest bed downstairs soaking the bed and sheets the first day.  For such a small bathroom we had a lot of little problems with it - from the pluming to the electrical.  It was a much longer process than I think either of us anticipated.  I am sure Mike was praying to finish this project and be done with it.  I know I was at the end of my rope with the mess in my house.  Drywall makes a mess and drywall dust makes a bigger mess and there is no point in cleaning it up because he wasn't done with making the mess.  I will admit I can't take a messy house.  It affects my personality and attitude.  I need everything to be clean and in order at all times.  

After what seemed like a million trips to Menards (really how many times can one person go to Menards?) and a ton of white plastic bags the bathroom got done in time for Thatcher's party.  The tile/carpet manager at Menards knew all of us, including Thatcher, by name by the end of this project.
I must say for doing it pretty much all himself Mike did an amazing job.  In my personal opinion it looks right out of a magazine.  It exceeded all of my expectations.  It is so nice to have this little bathroom right off our room, it is like having a private suite all to myself when I have to get ready.