entry/living room/kitchen...can I remove that wall and open the space up?

where would the fridge go? That sofa?

You arent creating more space. Just making people have to look at the kitchen 24/7

We never use that living room other than to have my kids drop all their stuff in there...you can see that! I am thinking of getting rid of that oversized furniture, dining table and re-configuring the kitchen with an eat-in island and having just a little seating space in the living room (maybe in front of the window? I just don't know if coming in the entry and seeing the kitchen would be wierd. I hate that wall...it goes up about 9/10 of the way and is open on top. The only connection is the very end by the stairs. It is just a dust collector.

Are you speaking of the short wall with plug sockets & the thermostat? Or the WHOLE wall behind it? That whole wall appears to be load bearing. You can make small openings in load bearing walls by adding headers above your doorways but you can NOT remove them. You should consult with a contractor and get a professional opinion.

The short wall. I would consult with a professional before I removed it. I am just wondering if it would be strange to walk in a front entry with that wall removed and see a kitchen--even if we remodeled the kitchen.

I don't know the technical stuff, but do you have the same flooring in both rooms? Because if you do, and you remove the wall, chances are that flooring will not be under the wall and you may find yourself in a situation of replacing flooring.

How about taking it down to about 4 feet instead of removing it all together? You could install an oversized countertop to meet your need for an eat-in island.

yes i think its weird having the kitchen in the entry. Just a thought on islands... does anyone like sitting on stools are am I just out of the mainstream....

Larry, I can sit on them for a limited amount of time. And then I am done!

If your kids are that old, i'd wait 3-4 years before doing any major reno. Your needs might change again or you might just move and downsize.