Just Like That

Just like that almost a month has past without a blog post.  Oops.  Time just sneaks by somehow.

Have I mentioned before that I married up?  Yes, up.  As in marrying above you.  Likely everyone who reads this knows Patrick and is shaking their up and down thinking, yup, she definitely married up.

You know how Patrick and I, well just Patrick really, but I pretend it's me too, love to renovate and do home projects.  I can claim that I like to think about the projects and dream about the end result, but  let's just say that Patrick prefers to put me on kid duty as opposed to actually trying to help.  At any rate, I am happy to report that just like that, just like almost a month past since my last blog, Patrick renovated our first floor bath. I'm not joking.  It really was like I snapped and had a brand new half bath.  So long to the two layers of cracking, perma-dirty, linoleum.  So long to the oddest vanity with a horrendous back splash.  It's all history and now we have a simple and cute half bath.  Thank you Patrick and hooray for marrying up! Check out these before and after.  I do rent him out if you are looking for a renovation.

Here is a before.  Patrick has already started removing things below.  Back splash gone already and vanity in process of being demolished. You can see the gross linoleum if you look closely. 

 

Ahhh...nice new wood floor, the new vanity, and the bead board.

Father's Day 2010

What a guy Patrick is.

Everyone who reads this already knows that though, right? Anyway, I asked him what he wanted to do for Father's Day this year. It's busy with 3 kids as young as ours, so I thought he might want some time on his own--perhaps to golf or sit and read a book (!?). Instead he chose something he knew the kids would really be excited about--a boat ride. Actually, it was a Ferry ride to a nearby island called Peaks Island. Perfect for kids, as the Ferry departs from the Old Port in Portland and 15 minutes later you dock at Peaks Island. It has the feel of the Vineyard in that it's definitely a destination and a place where people go with a purpose. You don't just end up on Peaks. That said, there's also not a ton to do and the weather was so, so. After a really great Ferry ride, we walked up and down the main street and waited until 10AM ( for the local ice cream shop to open) so the kids could indulge. Hmmmm, father's day or kids day? The kids were super excited to indulge in ice cream that early in the day (and "Smurf" ice cream that tasted like cotton candy).

Ferry going over to Peaks Island

Smurf Ice cream

I almost forgot that we kicked off the day with breakfast in bed for Patrick - our tradition on special days for parents. I asked Lexi what she thought we should make Patrick for breakfast and she said, "Well we just made him pancakes for breakfast in bed on his birthday so we shouldn't do that. I know, let's do something he really loves. Let's make cereal!" She couldn't have been more excited. We delivered a huge bowl of cereal to Patrick in bed. He was, indeed, very happy. It just feels funny to serve cereal for a "special" breakfast.

Working Double Time

There were a lot of commitments when we moved into this house of what we would renovate. Patrick is great at doing things on his own, but it comes with some patience and long hours after full days of work. Not an easy task. Let's not forget we still have 3 kids under the age of 5 too competing for his attention!

Here's the tally of renovations Patrick has complete since we moved in to our home in November...

Master (See DIY):

• Tore up very yucky carpet in the master and put in Australian cypress wood floors
• Added overhead lights (thank you!)
• Painted
• Painted the master bath

Lexi's Room:

• Tore up more gross carpet and replaced it with wood flooring
• Painted
• Added overhead lighting

Finn's Room:

• Painted and added overhead lighting

Heath's Room:

• Painted and added overhead lighting

Kitchen/Family Room:

• Painted and added overhead lighting (good-bye dingy yellow!)

Guestroom:

• Built from scratch....pics follow

These were taken in February after Patrick had already been working on the room for a couple of months. Framing the room, adding electric, and insulating.  It was just unfinished basement storage beforehand.

This corner is framing for the bedroom closet.

Fast forward to many long nights and a pending visit from my mother to push Patrick to finish.  Here's the completed bedroom as of the end of May 2010.

This is the door leading from the other side of the basement to the guestroom.

Looking into the room, here's the closet door and new wood floors/baseboard.

Custom wood beam in corner of room.

New completed electric and furniture, art, etc added

It's cozy and ready for more visitors!

Thanks to my driven and handy husband. Next project: first floor bath. Stay tuned.