kitchen cart

Have I mentioned that our kitchen is small? Really, really small.  And completely lacking in counter space - our toaster oven takes up one counter, and drying dishes the other. That leaves us with very little space to work with. I'm constantly bemoaning this - esp when I need to put a plate down and there's nowhere to put it.  A few months ago, my parents gave us a very nice table that fits perfectly in the window.  It added a lot more versatility to the kitchen....but it wasn't enough.  When Jana visited in December even she was commenting about the lack of space! 

We have this little nook in the kitchen and I've long wanted to get a kitchen cart to fill it. But it is harder than you would think to find the right one - I was on the hunt for a long, long time. I admit, I was probably being too picky, hoping for more than what our budget could afford.  I had pretty much given up on ever being able to decide on one when, in early December, we received a very very generous gift card to Target.  I don't know who it is who keeps sending these things to us, but they bring us so much unexpected joy! This card gave us the push we needed to make the decision to just get something - and it turns out that the one from Target is probably the best of the bunch I looked at!

Dexter corralled his friend Joel to help, and we got our cart! Horaay!

Before:

That action packer has been around the world with me - Kenya, UAE, back to Kenya and then on to the US.  I think it is time to retire it!  The main problem with this set up is that Kyalo learned how to open the microwave, start it, stop it, etc.  He went through a phase of putting toys in there, and then leaving to do other things.  Dexter managed to microwave one of his battery operated toys. Fortunately, the house didn't explode!

When we were living in the UAE we got all of our furniture from IKEA.  For a small additional fee it was delivered and assembled (in mere minutes, it seemed) for us.   I do miss those little perks of life in the UAE.  We had no experts...just Dexter and Joel, and occasionally Kyalo, trying to figure it out.  Two hours - and a tea break - later, it was finished!

Supervising

 studying the directions

 Kyalo helping...ish...

 all done!

 in place

everyone's happy

 It fits the microwave and my grandmother's mixer perfectly.

And and added bonus?  Covers up some of that fake wood paneling.

Here's the mess we were left to clean up.  I think we'll be sweeping up little floating pieces of Styrofoam for weeks to come!  

It was a great day!