Apparently my priorities are mixed up

[DisneyDotty]

I'm with you all. The memories/experiences our family has from our vacations are worth 10 kitchen remodels! We take all kinds of vacations--weekends away to a water park resort, full blown 10 days at WDW, camping at national parks, and a even a multi-family trip to Europe. But the thing is--the fun is the same no matter what the cost--the time spent together as a family--eating new foods, visiting museums, doing rides--that's priceless!

 

[FreshTressa]

I have discovered over time that things/possessions don't make me as happy as events.

We, every year, take a big vacation, and we still have no carpet.

 

[LadyBears]

Hmmmmmmmm.....
Keep the kitchen as is ( or update with out using top quality products ) & be able to have warm fuzzy memories of a family vacation

or

Update the kitchen with top of the line items.

I'll take the warm fuzzies over the cold hard granite anyday!!

Not to state the obvious but a child will remember the kitchen of their childhood, but not bc it had a certain type of cabinet finish or state-of-the-art appliances. Many of the images I have as a child are in our family kitchen. If the kitchen is somewhere where the grownups feel happy and productive and feel compelled to draw their whole family into, that adds value to a family's dynamics. And hopefully, annual passes or no, you spend a heck of a lot more time in your home and kitchen than at WDW

I too remember lots of family kitchen moments. But, I remember the time we spent with each other. I couldn't tell you what kind of countertops or what brands of appliances were there.

 

[magicfan]

Wow, I am with you on this one. We value our vacations very much. Our children have gone on some really wonderful trips, every single year. The same cannot be said for most of the people we know. Most of the people we know (each with varying financial situations, from middle class to upper class) do not go on any trips at all. If and when they do, they are far and very few between, and the trips are usually to visit family, stay with family and spend a holiday with family. To be honest, for us, the very best trips are going where we don't know anyone, staying where WE want to stay (not in someone elses house) and doing what we want, when we want. Such as our Disneyworld trips. We have been to several Hawaiian islands, the Carribean, Mexico, all over the US (sometimes to visit family, yes), Canada, etc... We plan to go to many places, including Europe next year. The kids (and we) have such wonderful memories, I can't even describe it. I remember watching the Price is Right when I was growing up. I remember watching the two finalists during the showcase showdown and most of the time the first contestant would pass on the first showcase, which usually included a trip, in order to get a car, or new livingroom set. I always wanted the trips. Our current house is fairly new, yet there are always things you can upgrade. There's always going to be something nicer, so we just do one thing at a time. Oh, we could cut into our vacation fund and pay off more bills and buy newer top of the line things for around the house, but I'm not giving up the trips for anything. My kids cherish the trips, as did I when I was growing up---my family went on many, many trips and I have wonderful memories. Not to mention, these trips are always educational in one way or another. You cannot compare the feelings a new appliance gives you to a trip you took with your family. Just keep taking your trips---they are the ones who don't know what they are missing!

 

[SC Minnie]

I want both!!!

Since joining DVC most of our vacations are 'prepaid' so to speak.

We plan to remodel our house in about 5 years (its only 7 years old) to make the kitchen, family room , and master suite larger. At that time I plan on putting hardwood in the kitchen and family room( already in foyer and dining room) and upgrading the cabinets and countertops. They are currently middle grade that the builder chose. Our house was more than 3/4 complete when we bought it so there were some things we didn't get to pick out.

 

[RobinMarie]

And no child is ever gonna grow up and look back with fond memories on the high end kitchen countertops

Laurie

tag material

 

[powellrj]

I hear you and I RAISE you mustard yellow Patridge Family Countertops. They've stayed that way through 10+ vacations.

THIS year I'm gonna do it, I swear by it!

Me too!!! I have those lovely yellow countertops too!!! The kitchen is far down on the redo list. They really don't bother me as much as a few other things I want to do.

 

[FINFAN]

Cheyita...
we are about 90 minutes from you in Naperville...just add $100,000 'cause that's the town. I guess what really irked me is that our kitchen is not bad, really...at least I didn't think so...we have very nice raised panel oak cabinets, custom oak pantry, wood floors, your basic white GE appliances/fridge...but my counters are white, and my sink is *gasp* stainless steel...not even the drop sink style! I do not have a custome double convection oven, built in microwave, stainless steel appliances, hidden panel dish washer,granite counters, recessed can lighting, intercom system, you get the idea. Besides....wouldn't my neighbor want the house to sell for that amount instead of cutting it down? More power to'em, I say. I guess she feels we are bringing values down......too bad she has no idea we have been approached to sell before, out of the blue becasue tha family liked our house the best on the street...and we are a simple 2 story farm house style...go figure!

 

[CyranoJones]

I figure if I leave my speckled formica countertops alone, they'll be back in vogue in a few years. I finally did break down and replace my avocado appliances though. Yes, I would much rather vacation.

 

[bballmom56]

and my sink is *gasp* stainless steel...not even the drop sink style!

Uh oh. The stainless steel sink is the newest thing in my kitchen and we only put it in a couple of years ago to replace the yellow one that matches the stove top that blends so well with the orange counter tops . I gather stainless steel sinks are not the "in" thing? And I don't even know what a "drop sink style" is! I guess I have a lot of work in front of me!

 

[LoraJ]

I think family vacations are more important. Every year my family took us on vacation. And every year of my adult life I have gone somewhere. Even if I should have used the money elsewhere.

I really need a new kitchen though. But the cost of me going to WDW is not going to be the reason that it isn't getting done yet.

 

[Disney Doll]

And what's the matter with avocado appliances, cyranojones???? As one who sports them in my kitchen, I think they are rather dashing!!!!!

You have to feel sorry for people like that finfan. It's always about keeping up with the Joneses rather than living their own life. My kitchen was semi-redone by the previous owner...when we bought the house it had oak cabinets, very ugly floor, very boring off-white Formica counter, lovely avocado appliances. The cabinets are lovely, we replaced the floor with hardwood after we had lived here about 8 or so years, the counter and appliances remain. And we won't discuss the 1950's pink & gray tile first floor bathroom that hasn't been redone since the day it was put in. That's probably next on our list, as some of the tile, especially around the tub, is cracking which may be starting a water problem, so it's become a necessity rather than a desire.

However, we have taken some wonderful trips to wonderful places including WDW, & our friends are happy to be entertained in our home, even if it doesn't have the "right" countertops.

We bought our house from an elderly gentleman who had kept the house very clean, and it was very well-made. It was "dated" when we bought it and the outside suffered from some neglect with peeling paint etc, mainly because he just couldn't physically keep up with the maintenance any longer. Anyhow, we had to scrape and paint the house, so we had scaffolding set up on the side. One day, one of our new neighbors stopped by to bring us some cucmbers from his garden. A lovely gesture, I thought, until the conversation turned to our house and how crappy the scaffolding looked, and how it was ruining the look of the neighborhood so he hoped it would be done soon. I personally thought the run-down, peeling house rined the look of the neighborhood more, but hey! To each his own I guess.

At least the cucumbers were good.

 

[Caradana]

Oh, I don't know, I guess it depends on how you look at it, right? Some see those solid surface countertops as an investment - throw $6G at the countertops, score another $10G at resale, that's two Disney Trips in the increased value of your home.

I love investing in my house. I love Disney too. I'll sacrifice other things before I'll sacrifice remodeling or Disney.

 

[Tantor]

Kitchens will always be there, as well as any house repairs. You will never get time back with your kids.
And that's what I say when we go to WDW numerous times!!

 

[Gymbomom]

Kitchens will always be there, as well as any house repairs. You will never get time back with your kids.
And that's what I say when we go to WDW numerous times!!

ITA!!!

 

[laurie31]

tag material

Wow, thanks That would be a cool tag

And of course, I'm not talking about replacing things that NEED replacing, but doing it simply to have the latest thing. Nothing is wrong with our countertops - they aren't cracked, chipped, or stained and our appliances work well. I can't justify replacing our perfectly good stove just because I want one of the flat surface ones. DD's will remember making pizza, baking cookies, pancakes for breakfast, etc. They won't remember that it was a pain for Mom to clean the stove

The OP's kitchen sounds awesome! Sounds like the neighbor is just one of those people that needs to flaunt what they haven't got (I've found that those who like to brag about their stuff are usually in debt up to their eyeballs so people will think they have money. )

Laurie

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Sounds like this is a tacky person in general. Some people just say the first thing that comes to their mind even if they should just keep their thoughts to themself.

I have a friend who does not mean to come off the way she does, but she is always making comments to others. I have limited the amount of time that I'm with her because she drives me a bit bonkers, but most people that I know don't like her at all.

My favorite comment that she said to me one time was when we were living at our last house. We had three kids and were living in a smallish 3br split level house--nice house, beautiful lot, but just not spacious by any means. I tend to be a pack rat--not terrible and I'm not a bad housekeeper, but papers are my enemy and any flat surface tends to accululate stuff. I had a counter next to my fridge in my teeny kitchen that had piles of papers (the major hot spot in the house). This friend has a nice, big house, but she is a terrible housekeeper and a major packrat. Well, one time she was over and she told me that my problem was that I lived in that little house and therefore had no place to put things. I asked her what her problem was. She wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't that what she was saying was so untrue, but why did she feel the need to point it out. We now live in a much bigger house and there are not usually the clutter piles or maybe they are there, but they are more spread out now.

Why it's someone elses business how a person spends their $ is beyonds me, though. That is unless they are helping to support you.

T&B

 

[sha_lyn]

Well I'm another one who has their priorities mixed up. House is 40 yrs old and the kitchen is origional. We did add a new vinyl floor when we bought it 8 yrs ago, but is is now worn out because we bought the cheapest stuff home depot had. Refrigerator and stove are both fairly new (5 and 7 yrs). Dishwasher is broken. counter tops need replacing and we have very little cabinet or counter space. Priced out my dream kitchen at 35K. Granite counter tops, cherry cabinets, slate floor, stone back splash etc. Well it would be nice, but that will come when the kids are out of the house. For now we are looking at about 2,500 to replace the floor, counter top, back splash and dishwasher. Will get a rolling butcher block island and a free standing pantry. I can't justify spenidng 15X that amount on a kitchen when the kids are still home and we can take family vactions instead (not all to WDW/US either). We plan on going to the Grand Canyon, Southern California (to visit family and DL) and Hawaii.

 

[Gymbomom]

My husbands buisness is taking off and our income is getting better.
We had to sit down and decide what our goals where and what we would spend "extra" money on.
We both decided that vacations is our number one priority after all the bills and savings plans.
Everyone is different, I don't knock people who invest money into their houses, that's great we just have different wants. Also, our kids are 8 and 3, almost at the age to replace carpets from the kid years and we have a dog. But, I want to wait another year before we replace the carpet (which is the only thing I can't stand). Till we are out of the sippy cup stage, etc.