What a year

Well, we made it. I can't believe 2008 is coming to a close. Looking back it was an incredible year so full of blessings and treasures. We knew at the beginning of the year that we would be moving. We just weren't sure where. Something was encouraging us to look out this way. I kept looking on realitor web sites and found a great looking house from the outside in our price range. I finally contacted someone on a Sunday evening and our realitor, Jamie called that same night. We looked at the house that Thursday in April. I felt so comforted about the house, but extremely anxious about the work that was needed to update. I didn't sleep the whole night. As all big and important decisions in my life like...going on a mission, getting married, Heavenly Father always paved the way for things to happen. As it was with the house. It was an easy transition with the seller, banking, closing, packing and moving. We closed in June and moved that weekend. I would like to thank my friends and especially my family for your incredible support. I feel sad many times because I never got to show off the house to Mom. I knew deep down she was happy for us, but concerned we were moving so far from her. To tell the truth I was really worried about being far from her. It was hard being in separate wards for almost 2 years. Now I wouldn't be minutes from her house when she needed me. Matt and I always meant for her to move with us eventually. After her stroke, it was just natural for her to come stay with us. We were ready to move her things in and settle her with us. I was prepared to care for her here. But she always had her own agenda and decided it was time to go. I know she missed her parents, brothers, and Dad. They have to be together. Their love for each other was too strong to be apart any longer. They are preparing they way for us to be together forever. I love and miss them, and thank them. I cannot wait to be with them again.I just hope there is chicken and noodles waiting.
Sam turned 11 and Daniel 4. My babies are growing and becoming extraordinary individuals. Both are strong willed boys. They know what is right and what is wrong. Sam participated in his school's version of Alice in Wonderland in the spring. It was fun. He loves performing and being in front of a crowd. He was the "king of hearts". He is also continuing with the trombone. Daniel started preschool and loving it. Making new friends has been fun to watch. He knows the abc's, numbers, shapes, counts well, writing his first and last name, now we are working on word recognition. He is reading the words he knows on the beginners books from the library.
Matt has and will always be my rock and foundation. He keeps me grounded. I can always count on him for being there. It's been fun watching him learn new home owner things like cleaning the gutters, break down branches that fall from our dead tree on the back, fix leaky faucets, and replace outlet covers. I know this is just the beginning. It has been a fantastic journey. He is enjoying his work and the people he works with. Keep buying those floral bouquets and potted plants...it's keep bread and butter on our plates.
We are looking forward to an exciting 2009. Brand new out look on life. I continue to count my blessings, they are becoming innumerable.
Have a Happy, healthy, and properous new year.

'Tis the Season

We have made it to our first holiday season in our new house. I have some decorations out and loving every minute of where to put what. Having Mom's piano gives me something else to decorate. The Christmas tree will probably go up this coming week. I'd like to put it in the front window, but that's gonna require moving the couch, again. I found some 18" snowflakes at the dollar store to hang in the front windows. I thought it was a three panel window, but it is actually four. So I guess I have to go back to get another one, oh darn. Again, I'll get photos soon.

We had a nice Thanksgiving at Grandma Minnich's in Kalamazoo. The weather was hairy until the other side of Sandusky. Then it was perfect for the rest of the trip. We saw the new Disney movie, Bolt, with Grandma. And spent a few days visiting and playing with her cats, Tiger and Maggie. We had a YUMMY Thanksgiving dinner. Then spent the evening with Aunt Barb and her daughter Stephanie's family eating dessert. It was nice seeing family. It makes me appreciate my family more and more.

Tackling the garage

Ever since we moved in, the garage has been a temporary storage place. Little by little, I've been clearing boxes and stuff out when a room is done. It's looking better. I've listed twice on Craig's List for free moving boxes and people have been picking them up. I'm ready to clear even more out to actually park our cars in there! So, here's the plan...take up our bed frame (Matt and I have been sleeping on our mattress on the floor since we moved in) and assemble it, take up Matt's comic book collection and book boxes, and organize the rest of the storage bins that has holiday stuff. So check back for updates...and wish us luck!

Buzz Lightyear Candy Heavybag

After Changing his mind about 4 times a day for the last two weeks of October, Daniel decided to be the first character he wanted to be.


Matt went out with him and had to keep reassuring Daniel that they weren't too far from home and they would be going back. Upon returning after only half the street was visited and with Daylight to burn, Suzie told them both not to come back until it was dark.

Red Wagon Farm

Here are the boys in the pumpkin patch at Red Wagon Farm. We have been going to this farm for years for Halloween pumpkins. It has turned into a tradition. We picked out one of our pumpkins then Matt and Daniel went back in to find another one. Next thing I see is Matt picking Daniel up who was crying. Daniel tripped over a pumpkin and scrapped his upper lip- right under his nose onto a dried up stem. It looked terrible! It bled a little and had a scrapped up scab. Thank goodness, no scars!

This is the closet wall with the two colors together.

The cranberry wall is a solid color, the sage is the other all green wall. That is one of 2 walls that has windows.

You can see here the colors in the mstr bdrm. I picked these colors because our bedspread is the cranberry color trimmed in the sage green.

Almost there

A busy week! And my shoulder is prove of it. I finished the mstr bdrm. The inside of the closet is done and clothes are put back. I'll get pictures when Matt takes them off the camera.
So now the living room and dining is getting done. I'm anxious to get these rooms done because Chris (nephew) and some of his buddies are WONDERFUL to bring some furniture and piano from Mom's house. Yep, I'll have 2 pianos! Not that Mom's sounds good, but it has to stay in the family. Thanks, Family for letting me hang onto it!
I've been painting the softer pink color on the living and dining walls. Still needing to fill the 3rd of 3 holes in the side wall where our lovely wasps nets were. Then that wall can get the accent color painted. It'll look so nice when it's done. Again, pictures are coming.
Have a fun and safe Halloween, send pictures of all your goblins~(Young and Old)

Update

The boy's room is done and furniture is moved in and in place. I have been emptying boxes of toys and books. It looking more and more like a actual room! I love it when Sam or Daniel (sometimes both, though not often) are reading or playing on the room.
Our room is almost done. Inside the closet needs painting. I am SO tired of moving the same stuff from room to room. All our clothes and closet stuff has to be moved again to paint. I am not motivated this week to do just that. I'm thinking to put another coat of primer on the living room/dining room walls...that's the next to be painted.
I want to finish these rooms more to place furniture in it's place to start giving piano lessons. Already planning on Christmas shopping funds!
Anyone else tired of all the election stuff on TV, phone, and the mail?

Daniel's first day of preschool.

Here are more of the Mac&cheese room

This is Matt's computer, art, office, design center room. It is done! This is where all 4 of us have been sleeping for about a month. As you can see, one wall looks like the powder cheese from Kraft Mac & cheese. The other is a gold/yellow. It is bright! This room faces the east, so in the morning when I'm walking up the steps, I think, Who left the light on? But not really, the sunshine makes the room light up!

Daniel enjoying cake and ice cream with buddy Frank.

Daniel B-day

Here is Mark and Sarah busily working on the traditional birthday worksheet...

96% Humidity

Now I know why my sinuses and head are pounding! It rained all night and most of today and in Grafton we have a lovely 96% humidity. I know we need the rain, but not the heavy pressure pushing my head!
Matt has his own blog now...look up MindofMervson...

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

2 Sleeping babies

I got to have Mitchell for a day a few weeks ago and both boys fell asleep at the same time. I couldn't resist taking a picture...

Girlie pink

This is what we found after removing the wallpaper off Matt's room. Probably the first and only time I'll ever have a pink wall in my house...well this pink anyway. The white dots are spackling filled holes. The old owner sure loved to hang things in the walls!

Before Photo

These are the step's before photo...it's fun to compare the before and after...

Uh, Bye-bye

This was the first installation day. This was what was removed from FR, stairs, and boys bedroom. So everybody wave...bye!!!!

New Stairs

This is the view of the stairs with the new carpet...nice uh?

New stairs

Coming Along...

Ok today is a good day! The carpet guys are actually here and are ripping out the FR floor! I feel kinda super-spy since they are in the next room. I am SO excited to have clean and new carpet. Today (Wednesday), the FR, the steps to the upstairs and hallway, and boys bedroom gets new carpet. Then Friday the LR/DR and the other 2 bedrooms.

Matt and I have been frantically priming/trimming and painting the house. We spent Labor Day weekend doing just that.

Matt is in the process of repairing the holes in the LR/DR walls that he cut out to clean out wasp hives. There are 3 holes in total. Once there are filled and done, we can finish priming and put on fresh paint.

More photos are coming.

Getting Ready to Paint

This is the wallpaper in the boy's room. Once I started scrapping...I noticed another layer of previously mentioned "Love Boat" wallpaper. Notice the anchors, stars, and barely visable golden linked chains. The first layer was easy to come off, but the Love Boat paper was a pain. Even Daniel was confused!

Here is my man...getting ready to paint the kitchen. It is ready and primed. Now it's a clean and bright yellow. It looks nice with the new floor.
Daniel wanted to help paint..."priddy pleeease". Actually he has been a help peeling wallpaper and de-tapping when trimming is done.











Here is a finished window side wall of the boy's room. The green idea is Sam's. Once more layer of white trimming around the chair rail and window and it should be done. The room looks good.

New Kitchen and Dining Room Floor

Every Family Room needs a Fridge.


The Stove stopped by to check out the new dining room floor.









Dining room floor to Living Room.












New Flooring from Dining Room to Kitchen.

Old Kitchen and Dining Room Floor

First we removed the Carpet in the Kitchen. (see previous post)
Then we cleaned the mud off the floor and found tile.

We didn't want to stop there, so in the next post we will show you our new Kitchen floor.

The Morning of the New Floor installation Matt was going to disconnect the stove before work. The Gas shut off behind the stove wouldn't budge. So... He shut off the Gas to the house.
Here is the Kitchen to dining room floor.
Carpeted dining room? Not with 2 boys.
And not with this carpet. Notice how the Metal room dividers from other pictures have been removed? It really opens up the dining to living room area.