Tearin' up the slopes and the kitchen!

Last week we finally decided to just go for it and take on the kitchen project! Alec has been busy taking down the wall from the pantry to the kitchen. We were not sure what we would find behind the wall, there is some electrical and plumbing, but luckily nothing that can't be moved for a small price. (Alec can do just about anything except electrical and we are hesitant to move plumbing pipes!) This week we will have the plumber and electrician take a look and hopefully move everything over.

The kitchen looks so much bigger already! I know Alec feels better when he has projects to work on and I think this will be the best one yet! Next week we will have new counter tops installed and a brand new breakfast bar! I cant wait, cooking in the kitchen is no fun when all our company has to sit at the dinner table in the other room while I slave over the stove gulping my wine!

Amy and Keith came up Saturday and we went up to Sunday River. We couldn't be happier that one of my best friends from childhood and one of Alec's best friends from college are now boyfriend & girlfriend! They are a perfect match and it is so fun to hang out with them. Saturday was the perfect winter day, Sunday River was beautiful, so warm and the snow was perfect. Amy and I finished up around 1:00 and sat in the sun, had a couple beers while the boys continued to snowboard.

Aren't they the cutest couple!??

Kendalle came up Saturday night and joined us for dinner. Like the old people we are, we all fell asleep on the couch! Gosh, times have changed! I tell everyone, "its the Maine air, makes you real sleepy and hungry". At least that's my excuse :)

It is hard to believe that March is almost here! This winter has been a dream...we have only been plowed out once! Last year we spent 900 bucks on plowing ($50 a pop) I do miss the snow for cross country skiing, but def don't miss that expense!

I guess I shouldn't speak so soon, I have heard nasty weather for the rest of the week. But we certainly can not complain this year. I just hope this summer will be as dry.

2 more Mondays until Alec's surgery, we sure are looking forward to getting it over with!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

Have a great week and drive safe!

xoxoxo

Heather, Alec
& Millie

Redneck Valentine

Hope everyone had a nice long weekend and a happy Valentines Day! Alec and I had the pleasure of spending our Valentines weekend with the Moguls and the Barrys. It has been a while since we have had any company (besides the fam) and it sure was nice to see some new faces.

Jon and Alec went ice fishing at Sebego on Saturday...good thing I had made lasagna because they were unsuccessful at bringing home any supper. But I know they had fun and Alec had some much needed guy time.

We all had so much fun just being together and watching the babies and dogs. Emmette and Weston are so adorable (and good!). Emmette can almost walk and looks just like Caitlin (lucky girl!!) and Weston thought Alec was hysterical...he has such a cute belly laugh! The dogs were also very good, although Millie continues to be a sock theif and we would find mismatched socks all over the house. At least she didnt take Brians this time and bury them outside again! (sorry about that!)

Sunday morning (V-day) Alec and Jon sat out in the yard target shooting with Alec's new pellet gun that he bought intending to kill a few chipmunks which have over populated our yard. The chipmunks also decided to make Alec's truck engine storage for their acorns. (His truck started making funny noises so he looked under the hood and I kid you not, there were at least 500 acorns stashed away, they even started coming our his vents!) You will be happy to know that he had the chance to shoot the poor little Alvin, but apparently he and Jon have a soft spot for small animals and couldn't pull the trigger. Bambi may be safe after all!

Katie helped me pick out a few paint colors and had some great kitchen ideas...it sure is nice having a friend who is also an interior designer! I cant wait to get started.

It was so great to see Katie, Jon, Weston, Mako and Caitlin, Brian and Emmette, thank you for coming up! We have decided that February is the longest (although technically the shortest) month of the year and having company is a necessity to keep both of us sane. (Ever see "The Shining"!!!)

My mom and I met in Ogunquit on Monday to go for a walk and out to lunch. I had never been but always heard it was beautiful. The Marginal Way walk was gorgeous and Monday felt like Spring, so warm and sunny! We had a great day and the dogs had so much fun!

Auntie Beth made us the BEST chocolate cake ever for V-day, so delish with a glass of milk. Thank you very much!


Thank you for your prayers and support. Alec is feeling good and sometimes I have to remind myself that he is sick, his attitude is undaunted and he makes me laugh so hard. We are both so focused on him getting better and there is not a doubt in my mind that a year from now this will all be just a distant memory that we can look back on and say..."Wow, did that really happen?"

Love to all,

Heather & Alec
Millie too.

What has Alec been up to these days?

It has been a few weeks since Alec finished his first round of treatment and since we returned from Florida. I thought I would share what he has been up to. You don't think he is laying around relaxing do you!?? Not with a "Honey DO" list 3 pages long! (JK) He is feeling good, and he sure has kept himself busy and here is the proof...

We had this eyesore of a room upstairs, it drove us both nuts! This is a "before" photo of our guest bedroom: It had purple-ish rugs, light blue walls (which I had painted when we moved in but hated). This was our bedroom for a while until last year when Alec put up a wall where the loft was and we made that our master bedroom.
Before:

Before:


Alec did the floors himself. He stained, sanded and poly'd them 3 times. The now look beautiful! His mom and I had painted the walls a more neutral color that I love so much more than the blue that was there before.

AFTER:





Once we moved into the other bedroom,(which was the "loft" area) this room served as an office and spare bedroom. Alec's desk was very modern and ugly...I took that down and bought a desk at Bob's Pit for $100.00!! The only thing wrong with it was the drawer is broken on the inside but you would never know. I also bought the chair at Homegoods for $99!

Before:



After:


Since the desk was so cute and kind of small, I did not want to clutter it with the huge printer and file holder, paper etc. I had Alec build another desk/shelf inside the closet! It is perfect and we close the doors to hide the ugly stuff (printer, file cabinet, work stuff). It looks so cute and is way more functional than his useless glass desk we had in there before.







And...close the door again...


It really is amazing what a difference wood floors make! I still have a little more decorating to do, but I don't want to go too crazy...(afterall, this will be the nursery...some day!)






Alec put up a wall in the loft area, (he did this almost a year ago) but now we have a 2 rooms upstairs that actually serve a purpose!
Before:


After:

Before:


After! He also put in wood floors here too, (with my dads help, last Easter Sunday!)


Alec and I are a really great team. I think of an idea in my head, explain it to him, tell him how great it will be and he goes to work and ta-da! He does exactly what I had envisioned! I tell him he makes all my "dreams a reality"!!! He is such great craftsman...he takes such pride in his work and he has made our home magnificant!

So whats next!?? I am hoping we can take a wall down in our kitchen...and get granite counter tops. We may go price some this week, it could be our next project! (Depending on how much $$$ and time!)

We want to say goodbye to this wall so we can make a breakfast bar!




Alec does not have any appointments until March. He is feeling really good, and the diet is going OK!! He has been taking the dogs for morning walks. We are puppysitting Maker, Jills dog while she is in Costa Rica! We have been eating a lot of fish, and although neither of us can give up icecream, I have been making smaller portions! Hopefully within a month he (and me!!) will be skinny minny.

Hope everyone is doing well and thank you for keeping us in our prayers. It is nice to update the blog with other topics than chemo, cancer, appointments, etc. I hope you are as impressed with Alec's handy-man-ness as I am!

Have a great day!!!

Love,

Heather, Alec, Millie & Maker too!