It's a Process...

This is what Kenneth and I continually say to each other...

because as we have discovered over the years

when you start a project it will always take longer than

you ever think it will.

(This is also something we've learned after 37 years of marriage
which is also a continuing process)

Usually because, well, we take a lot of breaks, or

I have to stop and figure out the design plan, or it's summer and

we move to projects outside, or as we discussed yesterday

I'm just a little afraid to moving to the next step because

its something we've never done before and I have this fear of 

totally messing up what we have already done.

So we watch shows, You tube videos, read other peoples ideas,
lots of research on the best kind and then

take a deep breath and plunge in...

But after a year and people asking "When are you going to 

finish the kitchen?" Because as you know I wanted a mantle

for Christmas and we started on the Living Room.

(which by the way drives my contractor crazy...aka: Kenneth)

we grouted the back splash yesterday, for my birthday

we steam cleaned the area...
look how shiny!

Note: I debated on using gray grout but in the end
decided to stick to the original design idea and use white.

and got it ready....

we should be able to knock this out in a couple hours... NOT!

this much took us three hours.

Putting on the grout was probably about 45 minutes,
 we mixed the groutin 2 batches.
 The clean-up is what was more time consuming, 

wipe, wait, wipe, wait, wipe ...

You get the idea. 

But Kenneth had planned to take me out for my birthday...

can you guess, we had mexican...

and some special guests...

the "Baking Center" went a little faster,
It took 1 mixed batch and finished in 2 hours.
Only one more wall to go.