Behind the scenes...Kitchen progress

I mentioned a while back that we have been working on a kitchen remodel. Turns out it is a much bigger undertaking than I initially thought. Those DIY blogs I read all the time make it look so easy. We have been working on our kitchen for 2 months now during Emmett's nap times, when he's at daycare (if I'm not working that day) and on weekends (with Eric and I taking turns watching Emmett/working on the kitchen). Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Anyway, we have done a lot so far and still have a ways to go, but it feels like we are in the home stretch. We have done the following so far:

• painted old cabinets white
• replaced all old hardware with new brushed nickel hardware
• tore out a small cabinet in the back wall and put up drywall
• tore out the old sink and cabinet base
• painted the back hallway leading to the back door
• removed ugly wallpaper that was hidden behind the sink base and scraped off all the glue
• put together new sink base from IKEA and built supports for the counter to rest on the wall
• cut some of the new countertops (butcher block from IKEA - Numerar, if you want to know the exact name)

This week, we had professionals do these things:

• plumbers moved our plumbing to the back wall instead of the interior wall
• plumbers also moved our gas line for the range to the interior wall near the dining room instead of next to the fridge
• electrician put in outlets and switches for new dishwasher and microwave, moved a light switch and grounded an outlet
• Warner Stellian delivered our new microwave and range (full size range, upgrading from a tiny 20"!)

Tonight, Eric and I set the sink in place temporarily just to be sure it fit in the base and on top of the countertops. It fits! We were so excited! So now we just need to attach the countertops to the cabinets/wall and then we can put the sink in place for good. And then we'll have a functional sink again and a dishwasher for the first time in this house's long life. It's an 18" dishwasher, but it will make such a difference in our lives, I can hardly stand it. I can't wait to start that thing up. :)

Without further ado...here are some "in progress" pics. Not quite before and afters, but before and "durings", I guess. 

View from back of house toward front (this was right after
I took the doors/drawers off the cabinets on the right)

Similar as above, with view of fridge and
tiny old range

Sink and countertop removed!

Base removed, to reveal super ugly wallpaper

Today's view - new range, wallpaper removed
on wall behind it. Still need to patch some
holes left behind by the electrician

Looking at the back corner of the kitchen,
standing near the old sink/range area

Today's view - dishwasher on left, sink and new
countertops in place temporarily - still need
to hook everything up and put doors and toe
kick in

View of kitchen upon walking in back door

View of back door with a surprised Eric -
don't worry, the random scraps of wood
won't be there later

View from back door today (holding camera
up a bit) - we really need to take daytime
pics, don't we? :)

That's it for now. I realize as I scroll through these pics that these are just the ones from my camera. I have taken a bunch on my phone as well. So perhaps I'll some of those later. I'll take more pics as we keep working. And I'll remember to take pics during the day to get better lighting, as well. 

So now you know why we may have been kind of MIA lately. Lots of stuff going on in our house!