Trials of DIY

I had this secret plan to have a fabulous kitchen & bathroom to show on Relia's birthday.
There has been great progress.

Yes.

Yes there has.

But nothing is done.

I suppose this is a good thing, or the only possible outcome, because it seems I have to have some kind of project going at any given time. I'm used to unfinished projects. It is pretty much the nature of my profession, but I would like to see something finished before I go back to work. (or at least before the kids arrive, since I go back to work on Monday)

So today, FP took the kids to...well...I didn't even know where. He took them out. I took the opportunity to remove the backer board from the floor of the bathroom.  (I am so grateful that I have two guys who let me borrow all of their awesome tools, and one who will take both kids to the zoo, to get my work done)

Here is a photo of my progress


Before?   After?

Middle.

Start: Linoleum installed around all fixtures, including the feet of the tub.

Pulled up the linoleum to find really badly laid hex tile:

Pulled up the tile to find the expected backer board
(30 minutes in with my bro's wonderful hammer drill)

Pulled up the backer board (held down with, now rusty, drywall screws) to find this:

It looks pretty good, but there are screw holes all over, and now the sink sits almost 3/4 of an inch above its pedestal. 
Why, if you are going to the trouble of putting in a clawfoot tub (and I'm assuming taking it out) and put in tile, would you not take up the old flooring? At least to see how in tact it was, since there is obviously discoloration around the toilet. (I guess that could have shown up after the terrible tile/toilet installation).

I'm tempted to leave it for now, and put the toilet back in, since this is the best it has ever looked, and the toilet can now sit on much more level surface 3/4 of and inch closer to the drain. But my dream of a beautiful bathroom floor still lives. MEA weekend isn't that far away, right? Thanksgiving?

Time keeps ticking

Thursday Night
I'm becoming aware of how soon my return to work is.
I have so much left to do. And every project is rife with piddly pieces that I'm not 100% sure I know what I'm doing. So I sit. I wait. Maybe thinking some magical elf will come and guide me to keep from making stupid (expensive) mistakes.

I need to paint the kitchen cabinets. Something I cannot do when little ones are around due to the chemicals I need to use to rough the paint. I need to take down the other doors to get Dad to cut them.
(excuse me for a moment)
Okay, done.

Saturday morning
FP took the kids out and I demolished the bathroom floor. Well I got the 4,000,000 tiny little tiles up, everything except under the tub. How the heck am I gonna get the tub out? I went and fell in love with a gorgeous 5-inch (or 3-inch, I'm not sure) marble hex tile, but it is on the expensive end and I have a sneaking suspicion it requires more than I am willing/able to give when it comes to care.