moving in progress

Ethan and I decided that we didn't want to pay another month for the storage unit, so we cleared out the storage unit and are starting the moving in process. Here is our progress after one day. We are still staying with Mom for a couple more days until the hook up for the kitchen sink and we can get the plug for the stove switched. Then we will be in our own house.

The living room is coming along, the last thing to be done after the putting stuff away is putting in the black granite tiles for the fireplace.

Here is the masterbedroom.

Pardon the mess, but hey, we are moving. Here are the new cabinets that were installed over the weekend.


That bathroom, you can barely see the tile, but once everything is done, I will do a huge before and after once everything is done and put away.

Here is the dining room floor that was just finished yesterday. I love how it turned out.

Here is a better view of the kitchen.

Name that movie...

1. This is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back. No toys, nothing but Peter, Kate, Buzz, Megan, Linnie and Jeff. And my aunt and my cousins. And if he has time, my Uncle Frank. Okay?

2. No, no. I mean "Jingle Bells". You know, deck them halls and all that stuff. No, no, no. You don't get it at all. I mean "Jingle Bells". You know, Santa Claus, and ho-ho-ho, and mistletoe... and presents for pretty girls...

3. We're kicking off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.

4. Look, Daddy. Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.

5. It's just like Santa's workshop! Except it smells like mushrooms... and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me..

.6. Football? Football? What's a football? With unconscious will my voice squeaked out 'football'.

7. It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.

8. Happy birthday! Hey, I said my first words. But... But snowmen can't talk. Ha ha ha, come on now, what's the joke? Could I really be alive?

9. If I live to be 100, I'll never forget that big snow storm a couple of years ago. The weather closed in and, well you might not believe it, but the world almost missed Christmas. Oh, excuse me, call me Sam. What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a talking snowman before?

10. Charlie, stay away from those things. They're reindeer, you don't know where they've been. They all look like they've got key lime disease.

11. It's Christmas Eve. It's-it's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we-we-we smile a little easier, we-w-w-we-we-we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be.

12. Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see? It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.







Answers:
1. Home Alone; 2. A Charlie Brown Christmas; 3. Christmas Vacation; 4. It's A Wonderful Life; 5. Elf; 6. A Christmas Story; 7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas; 8. Frosty the Snowman; 9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; 10. The Santa Clause; 11. Scrooged; 12. Miracle on 34th Street.

My new 1 year old!!!!!

I love you sweetie!

Paints

Here are some pictures to see what has been happening. After the disasterous first coat of "refresh" on the living room walls, we knew there needed to rethink the colors. We ended up changing the color for the kitchen and dining room into the living room and got a gallon of dover white and diluted the "refresh" color, and put it on three walls of the dining room and kitchen, the fourth wall will be a darker blue-green. This actually was a good thing in the end. We weren't originally going to be getting the counter top with the cabinets we are being given, but the owners decided to replace it anyways, therefore letting us have it. Its a Foresty green marble look. The original "plymouth green" that was going to cover the kitchen didn't match it at all.

Here is the first coat of plymouth green in the living room. We are also painting the trim white.

This is an inaccurate despiction of the brightness of the "refresh"that has since been painted over.

This is a little better. It really doesn't match the fireplace.

The flash didn't go off, but here is with the stairway in "plymouth green".

Here is the diluted "refresh" and I am very pleased with the results. You can also see the new window to the right.

Once the paint is all dry in here, up go the cabinets and the floor will be put in. We are getting there!!!!!!!!!1

Christmas letter

Dear Friends and Family, This is my unofficial Christmas letter. I am actually going to start off with Dec. 23th last year, which was the day that was our beloved little boy was born. His name is Mark Andrew Fike, 7lb 140z, and 20.5 inches long. Everything went well, and we were able to come home on Christmas Day. I was told by many, that there was no greater Christmas gift, and whereas I agree with them, it really didn't feel like Christmas that day. We have been tremendously blessed with an easy child. He will be 1 year old on Tuesday, and the time has just been flying. His current working achievement is mastering walking. He does very well as long as there is a goal in mind and he doesn't notice that he is standing. Once he notices, he remembers that crawling get him there faster. He loves bananas, grapes, and whatever someone else around him is eating. We discovered that he is allergic to peanuts and is lactose-intolerant, but he has a viviacious appetite. Ethan switched jobs in March, going from constructions to being an internet technician for Armstrong Cable. We have been grateful for the change and the consistancy of hours. His current shift is Mon.-Fri. 4pm to midnight. He loves it. I did quit my job at Thrifty before Mark was born, but kept my job at our local movie theater. It gives me the break I need during the week, plus it means free entertainment for the family. Ethan and I were able to take my brother Alan, and his sister Alycia to Cedar Point in July, allowing a small vacation. Family was nice enough to babysit Mark for us. As for the big project of the year, on Oct. 27th, we became the proud new owners of 301 Geibel road. That's right, we bought a house. Three bedrooms, one bath, plenty of room to add another, just under an acre of land. It is definitely a fixer-upper, and for anyone reading the family blog, http://wiseone411.blogspot.com/, you can see what we are currently working on. We have been staying with my mom, while fixing up the house to make it livable. A big thank you goes out to her and to his family for all the help they have given us. I want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for all! Love, Ethan, Margaret, and Mark

House update

We have gotten the cabinets and I am very pleased with the results. We started painting, I like the result in the kitchen, the living room on the other had.......... Definitely need a new color. It is really bright and looks like a piece of polished turquouis. It was supposed to be a light, subdued sky blue with a little green in it. Not the case. Doesn't match the fireplace, all in all, just looks bad. The tiling in the bathroom has turned out well, and I am sure when it is all finished it will look amazing! All the rooms are primed, most of the ceilings are already finished with all the paint they will need. Just need to finish painting, get the cabinets in and we should be set for business. Crossing fingers here. P.S. I just looked over at Mark, he was sitting by the christmas tree, butt naked. The diaper was just sitting there next to him, and he giggled when he made eye contact with me. Lovable little boy.

MMOOOOO!!!!!!!!

We went over to Marme's house (Fike's) to see if we could find something this morning. When we arrived, we could see that the cow had somehow gotten out of the pasture. There wasn't anyone else there, so Ethan said he would get him back in. Lets just say, hearing him say " Here cow, cow, cow, come on boy, and MOOOOOOOOOO" absolutely hysterical. The cow did make its way back in.

Dog inherits $12 million, turns world’s richest

He's rich and he is Trouble. We're talking about a Maltese terrier in New York, who has become the richest dog on earth.Trouble (that’s really his name) has inherited 12 million dollars from his owner Leona Helmsley, who died earlier this year. In her will, Helmsley also says Trouble must be buried in the family mausoleum with a view on New York skyline, when he dies. Helmsley, a billionaire New York City hotel operator, had a reputation for keeping her purse strings tight and was even convicted in 1989 for tax evasion. There's been no comment on the will so far from her four grandchildren, who between them received only 10 million dollars.
The dog will be cared for by Helmsley's brother Alvin Rosenthal, who was left $10 million.Two grandchildren, David and Walter Panzirer, will be left $5 million each, as long as they make at least one visit a year to the grave of their father, Helmsley's son, Jay Panzirer."I have not made any provisions for my grandson, Craig Panzirer, or my granddaughter, Meegan Panzirer, for reasons known to them," she wrote.

My question, is WHY?

Monthly survey

JANUARY

1 Who kissed you on new years? Ethan!

2 Did you have a New Year's Resolution this year? To make sure I keep up with my scripture reading.

3 Does it snow where you live? Yes, and its very annoying.

4 Do you like hot chocolate? Raspberry and French vanilla are my favorites.

5 Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop? Nope. TV is just fine for me, I don't have to stand out in the cold.

FEBRUARY

1 Who was your Valentine? Ethan!

2 When you were little did you buy Valentine's for the whole class? Yep.

3 Do you care if the groundhog sees its shadow or not? The sooner spring comes the better, but I don't usually listen.

4 What did you receive for Valentine's Day? Roses, candy, and movies. I also bought myself the second and third book of Twilight.

5 What did you give for Valentine's Day? I honestly don't remember.

MARCH

1 Are you irish? No

2 Do you like corned beef and cabbage? Cabbage is evil.

3 What did you do for St Patrick's Day? I think I wore a green shirt.

APRIL

1 Showers? When I was younger, Alan and I would go walking through as many puddles as we could the first shower that was bareable to be barefoot.

2 Did you play an April fool's joke on anyone this year? No

3 Do you get tons of candy for Easter? Ethan gave me some.

4 Do you celebrate 4/20? No

5 Do you love the month of April? It means spring is here so yes!

MAY

1 What is your favorite flower? Lillies during the summer, Roses in the winter.

2 Finish the phrase "April showers…" bring May flowers.

3 Do you celebrate May 16th: National Piercing Day? I didn't even know that there was one.

4 Is May anything special to you? I love last spring and Early fall. Plus it means the annual trip to Moraine with everyone. And now, Mother's day.

JUNE

1 What year did/will you graduate from high school? 2004

2 Did you do anything fun during this Month? Just enjoy the sunshine!

3 Have a favorite baseball team? I hate baseball, it bores me to no end.

JULY

1 What did you do on the 4th of July? We went and saw fireworks, and did a cook out.

2 Did you go to the fireworks? yes

3 Did you blast the A/C all day? Probably.

AUGUST

1 Did you do anything special at the end of your summer? Just spend time out side

2 What was your favorite summer memory of '08? Going to Cedar Point with Alan, Alycia, and Ethan.

3 Did you have a sunburn? Yes, I never manage to avoid it.

4 Did you go to the pool a lot? I am hoping to go more often.

SEPTEMBER

1 Are you attending college/school? Not now.

2 Do you like fall better than summer?Early fall, yes, late fall, no.

3 What happened this month? We found our house.

OCTOBER

1 What were you for halloween? I wore a Japanese Kimono

2 What is your favorite candy? Dove's Dark Chocolate.

3 What was your favorite thing about this month? Dressing up Mark.

NOVEMBER

1 Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving? Both families. Dinner at in-laws and dessert at mine.

2. What are you thankful for? My family, our home, and the blessings we have received.

3 Do you love stuffing? Depends on who makes it.

4 Anything special in this month? My birthday.

DECEMBER

1 Do you celebrate Christmas? Fav. Holiday.

2 Have you ever been kissed under the mistletoe? No, that needs to change.

3 Get anything special last year? I got to go home from the hospital with Mark.

4 What do you want this year? To be moved in.

5 What do you love most about December? The atmosphere, and joy it brings.

Christmas Tag

Christmas Tag
1. Egg nog or Hot Chocolate? Never been fond of Egg Nog

2. Do you wrap presents or bag them? I always get so set on wrapping all of them, then slowly get dismayed at the pile of unwrapped vs. the wrapped ones.

3. Colored Lights or White? Colors!!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.

5. When do you decorate? As soon as my husband will let me.

6. Favorite holiday dish? I love scrambled eggs with ham Christmas morning.

7. When & how did you learn about Santa? I really don't remember, I know I was kind of young, I remember knowing the truth by 7 years old.

8. How do you decorate your tree? As much as possible! Many lights, any ornaments I can find. I have done the uniform look and I like the chaos look better.

9. Snow...love it or dread it? My theory on snow is it should be a white christmas, and white all that following week, the whole Christmas vacation. After that, it needs to go back up to 70.

10. Can you ice skate? I don't know, I have never gone.

11. Do you remember your favorite gift? Ethan gave me a .22 rifle for our first Christmas.

12. What is the most important part of the holidays? The celebration of Christ birth, and all that it symbolizes. Then family and friends.

13. Favorite holiday dessert? Cookies!

14. Favorite memory? One year we had someone do a 12 days of Christmas to us, that was awesome.

15. Do you have a special ornament? Not really.

16. What do you do on Christmas Eve? We head to Grandma and Grandpa Fikes

17. If you could have anything for Christmas this year what would it be? For us to be moved into our own house.

18. What do you do for neighbors and friends for Christmas? Make cookies!

More house updates

The drywalling has been commenced! Having the drywall up is giving me a much better idea of what the room will look like with a white ceiling. The room looks a thousand times better not having the gray/blue/purply color that was on there. Any suggestions on colors for the dining room/kitchen would be appreciated. Final decision will be made once we see the cabinets.

Ethan and I got word that someone from the neighboring ward was remodeling and wanted to get rid of their old cabinets. We will be getting them sometime hopefully in the next week. In a fit of joy, we tore out the old, really pathetic cabinets. I mean they were bad. I could only open one of the drawer, the other one was permanently jammed. I have absolutely no idea what the new ones will look like, but they have to be better than what was there.

We put five can lights in the kitchen. Three above where the island will be, one above the stove, and one above the sink.

Because of the hole in the wall the tearing out of the chimney, my closet is being put in! Here is the view from the master bedroom.

And now the view from the nursery.

Here is the progress for the laundry room. The giant hole in the wall is where my magic cabinet is going. Read older post to find out about the magic cabinet.

View from the bathroom. Someone, a couple of weeks ago, accidently broke our toilet, so we still don't have a functioning one. But we did pick up a new one today. Oh well, it will have to wait until the tile is put in anyways.

The bathroom.

The kitchen before the cabinets were torn out.

The drywall really brightens up the room.

I have a ceiling!

Check out the older post to see the dramatic difference.