Roleau Reality

Kitchen Before/After

2009-09-08T22:06:00.005-04:00

As most of you have seen in the early on before pictures, the inside of unit #2 needed some major help... These shots show some TLC we gave to the little nook in the kitchen...

6 Months is WAY too long...

2009-09-08T21:42:00.010-04:00

Ok, so in the last 6 months my life has completely done a 180! Most of you know I was laid off back in April and since then have been busy launching Peak Creative, selling hot dogs {check out www.peakcreative.wordpress.com for more info on that :-) } and still working on the house! I am finally going to post some before/after pictures of all the hard work that has been done! Enjoy!

Before...

After... complete with all of my yard sale/thrifty decorations : )

All moved in!

2009-03-09T12:45:00.005-04:00

Here are a few photos of the place mostly set up! We ended up getting a new stainless appliance set and a new flatscreen (finally), everything is all in except our microwave that goes above the stove. Good deals of course! We will be moving our dining room table in this week and Keenan is puting in some more counter top and cabinets where the new dishwasher is. We're loving it! I can't wait until the warm weather is here and we're able to start on the outside!

As you can see I'm trying to practice keeping plants alive...(again)... my neighbor told me these are kill proof.

I HEART NEW APPLIANCES!

Our spare bedroom/outdoor activity closet/extra shoe closet :-) (still gotta move in the box spring)

My office/walk-in closet with my new desk... love it!

Other side of the closet/office

Empty dining room.

Living room.

New tube!

Spring was in the air!

2009-03-09T12:07:00.006-04:00

Hi Guys! So, we're all moved in down in Middlebury! It was a crazy, stressful few weeks but we're in, Josh is in our old apt. and our new tenants moved into their side of the duplex last weekend. Just as we got all moved in we bolted off to Florida for some warm, sunny weather! I spent a few days in Tampa with the fam and then John picked me up and we headed to Kissimmee where we stayed at a cute little resort. We went to a dinner show, ate tons of food and I did a bit of outlet shopping... perfect little vacation!

Lounging by the pool.

Of course this was a "working vacation" for John... a Volvo he picked up in Miami.

Our little cabin!

At the beach with mom and Aunt Judy!

25 Days until the beach!

2009-02-02T21:54:00.013-05:00

Well, it's only been a few weeks since my last post but I have lots to tell! John and I decided last week that we are in fact going to move into the finished side of the duplex! We had been joking around saying we wanted to but when it came down to it (and we had someone who wanted to rent our place we live in right now) and we thought about all the room there is there, how beautiful it came out and how cheap it would be with our new tenants on the other side (that's next!), we decided to do it! I actually just got back from bringing my first load of stuff down!

So that brings me to the next news... one night about a month ago I had been surfing around on craigslist checking out apartments in Middlebury and seeing what people are charging and decided to go to the "housing wanted" section. Low and behold, this is what I found...

... long story short... Meg and Eli are our new tenants in the unfinished side! They were looking for a place to call home for a few years and were interested in bartering some of the renovation work for part of the rent. They also wanted to barter gardening and landscaping when the weather permits! Above you can see just a little bit of what Meg has to offer with her gardening! They are super nice and John and I are psyched to have some nice new neighbors! (not that John's 88 year old grandmother isn't nice but...) Meg sells organic veggies, fresh flowers and jewelery locally in Middlebury and I can't wait to have to sample all the goods! Eli is a full time carpenter and part time web designer... both of which will come in handy!

So, I'm super psyched to be actually living in one of the places that I own! We had been going back and forth on whether or not to build out on the land right here in New Haven or to buy since the market is definitely in our favor. We had pretty much decided to buy and have been looking at houses in the New Haven, Bristol, Monkton area but haven't found anything perfect yet. We may end up being in Middlebury for a year or maybe more... we'll see how long John enjoys the "city" life!! (It was actually his idea to move in for real... and the fact that we will be in walking distance to everything in Middlebury... including FLAT BREAD and the farmers markets and will have so much space made me jump at it!)

Meg and Eli are already planning gardens for the spring and we are going to work with them on fencing in the back yard for Farley. I can't wait to work more on the outside of the house in a few months. Oh! And we'll finally have a spare bedroom!! TWO actually! Amazing, I know! We're heading to NH this weekend to pick up a new dishwasher and a desk and hopefully will be all moved in within a few weeks! Below are a few videos and pictures from the finished product!! I will post the "before & after" photos tomorrow!

Dining room!

Living room!

My FABULOUS contact paper I got at Target.

I do not care that my washer and dryer are in the kitchen.... that's a lot less stairs I have to go up and down now!! <3>

No more red sink!!

Kitchen

Here are some videos! Enjoy!!

And lastly! Stace and I spent a fun weekend down in NH at Mom and Jan's! (Unfortunately Mom had to go up to Maine because Aunt Judy is a bit under the weather :-( Get well soon JU JU!!!) Jan, Stace and I had a fun weekend full of Wii, wine and work!

... and here we're launching Crossroads Contracting into the online marketing world!

Oh and I have to have a Farley update too...

He's all pissed because we took his Adirondack chair away...

Helloooo 2009!

2009-01-12T21:17:00.007-05:00

Well, 2009 is here and already off to a crazy but productive start. I surprised myself and bought a plane ticket down to Florida for the end of February when my mom and a few other fabulous Porter's will be in Tampa. John and I had planned to take a ski trip out west this winter... but of course then it snows and gets to be 5 degrees out and the power of the mouse click is overcome by warm weather destinations! John will be hauling some cars down with our friend Ray because of his minor addiction to WORKING... but at least he's getting away :-)

Aaaaaanyway, the duplex is moving right along and the first side should be done within a week or so! The last major project is tiling the kitchen floor and then just a major cleaning! Below are some new pictures of the upstairs and the living room all finished!

Living room with a missing floor vent.

The end of the hallway upstairs - the door leading up to the attic.

Looking down the hall from the rear bedroom.

Middle bedroom

Robins egg blue bathroom!!! (Still waiting on new floor grates) Watch where you're standing when you get out of the shower! heh heh hehhhhh.

Back bedroom. I WANT THOSE FLOORS!!!

Another Christmas come and gone!

2008-12-29T11:11:00.008-05:00

Well, another holiday season is almost over... crazy! I hope you all had a great time with family and friends... like I said before, any reason to sit around and stuff myself silly with the friends and family that I love is all I need!

I've taken some new pictures of the duplex and the first side is almost done! The wood floors are actually getting redone as I type and the kitchen tile will go in this week. We were there yesterday and I was about ready to move my own stuff in! John told me to focus... rental income will be good!

The kitchen... cabinets are all painted, new ceiling and new ceramic tile will be going in this week!
Ohhhhhhh the Oyster White on the walls is luscious with the ultra pure white trim!!

Upstairs hallway

Keenan, our contractor says this color makes him want to vomit... but I think Robin's Egg blue is very lovely and bathroomy!

These were the floors underneath the groooosssss carpet upstairs... I can't wait to see them refinished!!!

Bedroom.

So, this year John decided to have the 1st annual Packard of Vermont Christmas Party! We rented out a cute little bar in Bristol and had an amazing lasagna dinner, drinks and of course desert. So much fun! (clearly)

Gimmie my poolstick!

"What'd ya find?" A III's trademarked saying

Farley LOVES the snow!!!!

So, I'm sure most of you have heard about or seen John's new "hobby"... aka... the new Massey Furgeson tractor he got a few months ago. The storms we got hit with a few weeks ago had him plowing up a storm... op and then there was Josh right behind him in the little bobcat! Like kids in a candy store...

new tractor - if you squint you can see it

So, I came outside and poked my head around the corner... only to find Farles sunbathing in one of the Adirondack chairs...

Ohhh just giving daddy some kisses.

A few weeks ago we headed up to Smuggs for the weekend and stayed with Jackie at her condo. After a long day of riding there was nothing better to do then go play in the inflatable fun zone! Jack was of course the only one who could do the rope walk thingy.

This is about as far as I made it. (and I sware my toe isn't really touching)

The girls!

Our growing baby boy!

2008-11-29T23:25:00.003-05:00

John decided to weigh Farley... he weighs 86 lbs!!!

My boys sunbathing today... ohhheeee

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-29T22:21:00.010-05:00

I love Thanksgiving! What in the world is better than seeing all of my awesome Porter family all the while forcing down whoopie pie after whoopie pie and eating countless other awesome, wholesome foods? John and I left Wednesday and made the 6 hour drive (via Rt. 2 - hello road rage) up to Aunt Judy's in Dover-Foxcroft, ME... at yuuut! We met up with some of my old Dover friends and then Thursday morning headed to Patten... another 2 hours north (about 1 hour south of Houlton... aka way the heck up there) to where my grandparents live. I hate the fact that there's 6-8 hours between us and them! Anyone who is willing to petition a highway straight through the air from here to Maine please contact me.

Aunt Ju Ju and myself! A majority of Thanksgiving was spent with my little cousins braiding our hair... we of course all looked FABULOUS.

Ella and Shawn

Jeff looking GLORIOUS!

Gillian making the magic happen.

Aunt Debbie, myself and some fabulous braids.

Momma and me!

Too much turkey!!!

Moving right along...!

2008-11-29T21:39:00.016-05:00

Well, our first month of renovations is almost over and everything is moving along great! John is the king of bartering.. THANK GOD! .. so we've had quite a few contractors/handy men who owe him money for cars, etc... working 6 days a week on the house. Pictures of progress below! Enjoy!

Roof repair! You can also see the new stone John brought in for where we will be expanding the parking... 1 layer of many!
All the overgrown bushes gone! John got in there with the bobcat and ripped um' all out!

New sheet rock throughout the whole second floor! whoo hoo!

Ohhh new doors! Maybe not as much character as the originals but much prettier and much more energy efficient :-)

New back doors!

Old yucky kitchen ceiling gone!

Washer and dryer!! Ok, let this be a lesson to all who read. Last weekend I strolled into Sears, picked one lucky sales lady and told her I need 2 sets of the above Kenmore washers and dryers. I got a good deal, 10% off, free delivery and 0% 0 payments for 1 year and walked out feeling golden! Well, Thanksgiving day with not much else to do but peruse the black friday sales flyers with my lovely Porter ladies, I spotted the Sears flier and noticed a "$699 a pair" headline right below the exact washers and dryers I had just purchased. (I wasn't 100% sure it was the exact pair I bought but I thought it was worth a call to Sears when I got home with my sales receipt). Low and behold, it was the same model as my 2 sets... and after a brief 10 minute phone call to the lovely people at Sears, I was credited $850 to my account!!!! YES, $850.00!!! So my 4 years of being a sears employee and honoring countless price adjustments, I finally got my own :-) Sears isn't the only retailer that honors this... so always check your sales fliers!!!!
New paint, new doors and John hanging up some Christmas lights! (his idea!) Hellooooo curb appeal :-)

Stace came up for a weekend and I put her to work. All my slave labor paid off! We got some priming and skimming done - a small dent in the scheme of things but we felt really useful.

Oh and look - forcing slave labor on my good friend Jackie as well! She looks so happy I may have to invite her back down :-)
Oh! And Jean bean too! The girls sanded and primed all of the cabinets for unit 1. A job well done!

New real estate and a new business!

2008-11-09T21:38:00.025-05:00

Ok, so the reason it took me 3 months to post anything is because of course John and I have been busy making sure there's never a dull moment! As most of you know I bought my condo up near Burlington a little over 3 years ago. I've been renting it for the past 2 and have had really good luck and actually enjoyed playing landlady. John and I are planning to build on his father's land this summer and the sub division is moving along at a pretty good pace! We were both getting pretty antsy and decided to start looking into buying a duplex to fix up and rent. So, about 3 weeks after we started looking... WE BOUGHT! We figured we'd keep ourselves busy this winter by renovating and then just when things wind down with this project we'll hopefully be starting the house. We bought a 2400 square foot duplex in downtown Middlebury (each unit is about 1200 sq. feet each has 3 bedrooms). The house was built in 1919 and still has so much original charm! Structurally the house is very sound and a lot of major updates have already been done. It needs a lot of cosmetic love and over the next few months that's what we intend to give it... with the help of some contractor friends! I'm posting a few of the "before" pictures below and when we are all done I will post the after's. We're focusing on the inside right now so we can get the units rented hopefully by the first of the year... really no later then lets say February? :-) Next spring we will be doing new siding and painting all of the trim.

Here she is!! What a beauty!

Front doors, original! Unfortunately they will be departing.

The first Saturday we got to work on the house, John and a few of the guys tackled some big trees in the back yard that had to be cut down... only 1 neighbor's window was broken! Keenan had it fixed within an hour :-)

The driveway had not been used it what seemed like a decade. All the bushes on the left have now been removed.

Unit 1 - original built-ins! All of the wood floors in both units will be refinished towards the end of renovations.

Unit 1 bathroom - needs a new vanity and a few things but not too bad!

Unit-1 kitchen sink! Classic! Unfortunately this will be leaving us as well.
Unit-1 livingroom
Unit-1 built in pantry! I want one!

Ohhhhh, beautiful carpet...

Unit-1 dining room
Unit-2 bedroom... this smells as bad as it looks...

mmm carpet and baby gates!

Unit-2 dining room - all of the woodwork in this unit has been painting.. bummer!

Farley and the living room.

Unit-2 kitchen... red sink!

More Unit-2 kitchen.

So that's a glimpse of what we have ahead of us. Nothing too major but a lot of small jobs. This will be investment property #2 and hopefully not our last one! Watch out Mr. Trump!

And lastly, the other thing I've managed to squeeze into the past 3 months is the launch of my new business, Peak Creative LLC! My friend Jean and I who graduated from Champlain have been talking for a while about starting to do more graphic design work on the side. Back in September on our daily 2 mile walk at lunch we finally said WHY THE HECK NOT. We have since filed all of our legal paper work, chosen our name, designed our logo, worked very closely with the Vermont Women's Business Center and researched our butts off! Our website will be www.peak-creative.com and I will let you all know once it's up and running. Peak will be offering all graphic design services (branding, business identity packages, brochures, web sites, announcements, t-shirts, signage, advertisements, catalogs and much more!). We will also have photography (Jean specializes in family, wedding etc...) and wedding invitation packages. Our focus will be in Vermont, Northern NY, NH and Maine. A large focus on the business will be that it is 100% women owned and 100% awesome at that :-). We both do side jobs currently and want to ease into things slowly so we don't end up working a 100 hour work week :-) . We've already made so many great contacts through the VWBC and can't wait for our official launch. We're not 100% sure if this will end up being a full time gig or not, in the end, that would be nice! I'll keep you all posted and in the mean time if you know of anyone looking for ANYTHING graphic design let us know!

Goodbye summer, hello gorgeous fall!

2008-11-09T20:43:00.018-05:00

Well, summer is gone for another 7 months or so and luckily I live in a place where every season makes me fall in love with this state over and over again. It's been 3 months since I last posted but I have very good reasons, I PROMISE!

A week before Halloween my friends Jean and Jackie came down to help me carve 8 pumpkins, we may have cheated a little bit with a little pumpkin saw but it was worth the 3 hours of hard work! This year was the first year I put mums out on our farmers porch and it looked beaauuuutiful with the pumpkins! I am becoming a little domesticated after all!

Jean's masterpiece :-)

ROLEAU!

My mom and Jan have decided they like visiting me in Vermont after all! I got them to come up in August and then they came up again in October. I think my master plan to get them to retire up here might be working... maybe a little?? We went over to the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival, took them to dinner at Stary Night Cafe in Ferrisburgh (definitely my favorite restaurant) and then we did a small hike in Bristol to check out the foliage... for sure the best it's been in years!

In the picture above, my house is somewhere in the middle left top (does that make sense?) corner.

I was desperately trying to get a picture of a single leaf falling from a tree... mom moved along the process :-)

My little boy... last month, probably about 75-80 lbs... and still growing!!

Apple picking down in NH with Stace!

Mom, John and I at my cousin Diana's (Jan's neice) down in Block Island, RI, so fun!

John and I playing with the grass... he started it!

A few pictures from this years HBA trade show down in NYC. Going to the largest health and beauty show and having to stay at a hotel right in Time Square was not the worst time I've ever spent at work...!
My boss and I

A few pictures from our last boating trip!! John and I miss it SO MUCH! I cannot wait to get out next year now that we're a little more experienced with the whole pack up and boat for the whole weekend deal. These were taken at Lake Sunapee down in NH but we spent most of our time on Lake Champlain.

Farley finds it necessary to sit on the center console while riding in the truck... pretty soon his head won't even be able to fit up there!

I can't believe it's August...

2008-08-09T23:19:00.013-04:00

It seems as though summer started about 2 weeks ago. When I think about how much we have done in the past 2 months I am amazed! We have had so many good times with friends and family... despite all the crap weather! We tried out the camper camping, life with a boat and successfully filled up all but about 3 of our weekends for the summer of 2008. It's not over yet, but I have a feeling the next time I update... there maybe be red and orange leaves on the trees... yay! Anyway, I love the state I live in and I'm blessed to have such amazing family and friends. Below are a few more pictures telling our Summer 2008 story!

PS - last Monday we made it to 1 year! I can honestly say that if the rest are wonderful as the first, this should be a fun ride :-) . The top tier of our cake was actually quite good one year later!

Addison County Fair and Field days was the first full week in August. I was referred to as "not a Vermonter" when I showed up two days to the fair in flip flops while people had to be pulled with tractors out of the parking lot because of about a foot of mud. (I like the feeling of mud between my toes!) The 3rd day I finally wore my mud boots... and made quite the fashion statement...

I swear... I really did lose 25 lbs... its just a bad angle.

Uncle Bill and Trent showing the horses.

3rd place! Not too shabby!

My niece Ryann and her uncle John :-)

John pretending to know what he's doing...

Another Saturday on the boat... Burlington

Our Captain!

Wakeboarding
Our good friends Tom and Alina came out with us all weekend.

John and I

Farley climbing on mommy!

The most random thing ever!! We woke up one morning and this baby deer was stuck in our back yard! He must have hopped the fence or something... we ate him for dinner that night............... Just kidding! I'm not a Vermonter... remember?

Camping in York!

2008-08-09T23:05:00.008-04:00

Back in mid July we went camping at York Beach in Maine. Mom and Jan and the family were in Ogunquit for the week so we met up with them and had a fabulous time! I met Jan's 3 nieces for the first time and had a hard time letting them go! (I'll post some more pictures of the weekend when I get them from Jan). Mike and Stacey had their family in York for the weekend so they ended up camping right next to us, so much fun! Stacey and I's dream of being neighbors is slowly coming true! ... even if we do live in campers.

At the beach... we actually swam in the 57 degree water!

We went out to an amazing restaurant in Ogunquit and they had a blueberry martini... I obviously had to get it. mmm...

John and his bib! :-)

Blueberry Beer... SO GOOD!

Us :)

Trading Up

2008-08-09T22:51:00.005-04:00

So, most of you heard the story of how we ran into our little 16 ft 4Winns boat last spring. When the world needs Volvo's, we have them to barter with! John having toy A.D.D. decided to put the boat on Craigslist... we sold it within about 3 days and then found our new 94 20.5 foot Bluewater. So amazing! This one can actually pull the guys on the wakeboard or ski's.

Farley gave his stamp of approval on floor space.

My two little boys!! (i had to stick this in).

Some more summer fun!

2008-06-29T21:03:00.011-04:00

Friday night Keeley and I went on the Champlain Alumni cruise... I can't believe I graduated 4 years ago! Time has flown by! It was good to catch up with some people I hadn't seen in a while.

Saturday I met up with Jen, Ollie and Izzy and we hike up Mt. Philo in Charlotte. It was a good little hike and the kids were so damn cute!

The beautifullll Lake Champlain

Keeley and I re-enacting John and I's wedding photo in the Alumni Magazine

The breakwater.
Keeley and Myself!

Ollie caught a mini mini tree frog! It was so great to go hiking with a 4 year old... everything was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen and we even found what he called a "meatball tree"!

We made it!

Charlotte and the lake.
Izzy looking nothing but FABULOUS for our hike! She dressed herself :-)

Summer Fun!

2008-06-24T19:24:00.022-04:00

OK - So it's been a little longer than I wanted it to be since my last post, but better late than never! We've been camping, boating and taking weekend trips which have undoubtedly made the month of June disappear!! John has been super busy with the business but he has been really good about leaving and not breaking into hives! Farley is one of the best camping companions as well, he's right at home by the camp fire or in the camper.

For John's birthday and my own we went down to Boston for the weekend, saw Blue Man Group and wen to a Red Sox game. They won! It was about 95 degrees that day but Fenway hot dogs and ice cream in a baseball cap made up for it. I can't believe July 4th is next week! At this rate I'll be sending out Christmas cards before I know it!

Anyway, enjoy some pictures and I'll be sure to post some more soon!

John, myself and the Pru

We met up with Amanda and Brian after Blue Man Group! Yay!

Red Sox!

Ohhhh just another sunset from the living room!

Friday night when we got to Waterhouses Campground on Lake Dunmore, this is what we saw when we arrived!

Farely loves blueberries! Just like his mom!

Stace and I hiked up some hiking trails with Farley.. soo pretty!!

Finally! Wakeboarding!

Giving Stace a pep talk before her first try.

Up! On the first try!! Woohoo!! We also went tubing in the double tube but Mike and John were too busy laughing to take any pictures.

Farles!

I had NO idea I married Jack Nicholson!

Mike and Farles.

He loved the boat! So damn cute!!

Starting to get a big boy face!

Our site! We decided to put both campers on one site and just like Stace said... I wish our houses were this close!

Stace and I

Farley! He usually ends up a sleep like this at the end of the day... snoring!

VERMONT

2008-05-26T20:33:00.000-04:00

This is the view from our living room right now... beautiful! Vermont is a great place to visit!! WINK WINK!!

"Camping" ... the Roleau way...

2008-05-26T20:08:00.000-04:00

So growing up I was quite the avid camper... no running water, no electricity, no showers.... boy have things changed! John has been wheeling and dealing as usual and with a little bartering with some local folks we made out with a new 5th wheel camper and cute little boat that I'm sure will be taking up lots of our time! I took John to Baxter State Park a few years ago and I don't think he will ever camp like that again :-) . We had our maiden voyage this past weekend at 10 Acres Campground in in Addison on the lake and it was so much fun! Having our queen size pillow top mattress hardly makes it seem like camping, but there were lots of good times around the fire and dozens of s'mores eaten :-). Mike and Stacey just got a pop-up camper so we plan on hittin the road with them a few times this summer! Let us know if you want to join us!

Ready to head out!

Our little 16 ft boat! Should pull me fine on a wakeboard!

John, Amos and Tracey preparing dinner in the dining room/living room.

John in the kitchen! Where he belongs!

Bathroom

I DIDN'T WANT A TV!! I SWEAR!

Bedroom!

Apparently Farley gets his own chair.

Lake Champlain

Manning the mini grill!

Fun times!

Hiking Camels Hump!

2008-05-26T20:03:00.000-04:00

Stacey took a weekend off from her house renovations and came up to hike Camel's Hump, 3ft feet of snow before we got to the top.. but we made it!

Lake Champlain and us.

Farley's loves Aunt Stacey!

Farley's big brother Diesel takes good care of him... he only looks like he's eating him...

Farley Biggs Roleau

2008-05-26T19:51:00.001-04:00

Our little man Farley arrived about a month ago to our happy little home. After a few sleepless nights, one pair of $70 sunglasses and lots of treats and toys later he has gained 17 lbs and is bringing lots of love and excitement into our every day lives. Here are some of his "baby" pictures and you will see in some of the camping pictures he's getting huge!

Just a little guy!!

Only a little bigger than mommy's shoes.

He fell asleep mid jump onto the end table. ...

Sleeping like a baby!!

Welcome to our Roleau Reality!

2008-05-26T19:48:00.000-04:00

So, as many of you know we have a new addition to our family, Farley Biggs Roleau, and a few other new fun toys! I wanted to set up a simple blog to keep you updated on Farley's growth (17 lbs in the one month we have had him) and all the other fun things we have going on. I will update as much as possible so check back when you want an update!