Paint 'til you puke!

Wait, or was it "Party 'til you puke"? Well, I guess I'm doing it all wrong then! Can I just vent about how much I'm disliking painting now? It's something I used to enjoy. Well, I guess I enjoyed it before because it was something I had chosen to do... now it's something that I have to do -- there's a difference!

No pictures in this post -- just general information because quite honestly, I don't have enough "umph" to download the pictures. Isn't that awful?!!

Let's see, where to start...

The new house is pretty much complete. We had a home inspector come by today. He found several minor things that within a week's time, should be resolved. We do our final walk-through with the builder tomorrow (the 22nd). They will have 1 week to complete everything we think needs to be done (within reason), and then we are set to close on the new house on the 29th! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter!!!

We are having "Two Men & A Truck" move us... only they're not really holding to their name. You see, when they sent back the quote to us, they quoted us as having "Five Men & Two Trucks". Apparently 2 burly men & one truck won't quite 'cut the mustard' with all of our stuff!! ;o) Oh well -- as long as we don't have to haul or lift or move anything really heavy, all the better. We are set to move into the new house on Friday, August 1st! So hey, if you don't have any plans... come on over! hee hee ;o) I'm sure you're all going to be sorting your sock drawers or something on that day though, right? But honestly, if you're good at painting, please call me! I've interviewed a painter that did one of my friends' house. I added two rooms in addition to what she had done, and he tripled the cost. Can you believe it?! He's smoking some serious crack if he thinks I'm paying what he quoted! I digress. I just can't help but feel that nearly 5000 sqft. of house to paint is a little daunting...

Oh, can't forget the FROGS! After losing 3 or 4 (sorry, it was a blur of "swirlies", and I lost count) frogs, I had to do more research. It was determined that our little frogs just really didn't need so much water. So, off to Petsmart we went to build a new habitat for our little green babies. We set out just to get something simple -- ya, right! We ended up with a 20-gallon aquarium, complete with a screen top -- to prevent any escaping, yet provide adequate ventilation. We also had to get amphibian mulch (who knew there were so many varieties?!); moss; a water dish; a log hide-out; a piece of driftwood so they can climb; and of course, a heat lamp. To the tune of an amount I don't care to disclose (but can I mention that I truly hope these frogs pull through because I'll do mouth-to-mouth on them for what I just shelled out!), our little darlings do seem to be thriving. I mean, it's a good thing when you go for a week straight with no casualties!!

I still do not know what our frogs are eating because everything I'm putting out goes untouched by them. However, we have small crickets living in their habitat who are, I must say, really enjoying the food I've put out for the frogs. Some of the crickets are as large as the frogs! The people at Petsmart suggest I feed the frogs wingless fruit flies. However, they never know when they'll be receiving their next shipment... so really, how is that helping ME right now? Again, why can't my kids just enjoy the 2 cats & dog that we have?! At least I know how to feed & take care of them...

The boys have been spending a lot of time with my parents while we're packing, painting, and doing general home improvements. While it has been very helpful to not have them underfoot, I miss my little guys a bunch! They are having lots of fun at Grandma & Grandpa's though. They have a daily routine of going in the "Man Truck" to the Purdue Co-Rec (think the biggest workout center you've ever seen & then triple the size) & playing raquetball, then swimming with Grandpa. They are really becoming great swimmers!! I think they're ALL having fun!

Well, that's about all that's happening here. As always, we'll keep you posted on our happenings!

More house stuff!

Wow, another post about the house - imagine that?!

It is really just about in the final stages!! It's getting very exciting yet overwhelming all at the same time. In just a couple of weeks, we'll actually be LIVING in the house that I've just blogged about for months...

Since my last post, all of the hardwood flooring has been installed! They just have to finish it with the quarterround to make the edges look nice.

July 15th

Light fixtures were installed.

Carpet was put down throughout & was being installed while we were there.

My office

The basement

Kitchen counter tops were installed, as well as the sink!

They installed our mailbox, as well as the street numbers on the front of the house! (yes, it's the little things that excite me!)

From here on out, they'll just be doing small touch-ups here & there... as well as grating the yard & putting in sod in the front and side yards & hydroseeding the back yard. Oh ya, and the deck materials were supposedly being delivered today, so we'll be expecting that in the next day or two. We do our final walk-through on Tuesday! Aghhh!!!

That's the latest edition of Hoke Manor... as always, as more happens, you can bet I'll blog about it!

Happy 1st Birthday, Temperance!

On Sunday, we attended the 1st birthday party of our niece, Temperance, in Xenia, Ohio. Temperance belongs to Mike's brother John, and his wife, Virginia.

Tempe diving into her very first cupcake!

Hey, this cake stuff is pretty good! Mmmmmmmm!

After eating, everyone hit the pool. Well, when I say everyone, what I really mean is all the men & the kids... ;o) The boys got tossed around by daddy & they got to swim with their cousins. I think everyone had lots of fun!

Mike's brother John & Tempe

Temperance is going to be a big sister next month! We'll keep you posted with the new baby.

After the birthday party, we headed over to West Chester, OH, to visit with Mike's oldest brother, Steve, his wife Melissa & their kids - Andrew & Megan (who were also at the birthday party). Andrew & Ryan are the same age, and Brandon & Megan are the same age... built-in playmates! We spent the night, and then all headed to Kings Island on Monday. We did our typical marathon day at the park, spending just about 8 hours there! I'd love to post pictures, but since we hit the water park in addition to the rides, I didn't bring my camera in... darn it! At any rate, we had a fun weekend & a much-needed break from the house stuff!

Where to start?

I feel like my head is barely above water these days! I'm falling behind on my blogging... hmmm, wonder why? Let me count the reasons...

Okay let's see, where to start...

The tadpoles/froglets:

Yes, we have froglets!! Currently, we have 4. One is a full-blown tree frog. Who knew Indiana had tree frogs!? He's bright green & has those sticky fingers. He loves just hanging out on the side of the aquarium. If you look on the left side of the picture, you can see him "hanging out" on the side.

Oh, and by the way... we had to move the little froglets to a seperate aquarium because they became flight risks in the tupperware. We came to discover this when Mike moved the coffee maker one morning, only to find a baby frog hopping towards him! Nothing like a baby amphibian in the morning to get your heart going...


We've had a casualty already... I was away for one night. The boys were staying at my mom & dad's, and I was so excited to show them the baby frogs when we got home. We came to the aquarium, only to find one frog "floating" & bloated. GROSS! I was prepared to do a 'burial at sea' (aka: the swirly toilet ride), but the kids protested & said that we needed a proper burial. Okay. So, I scooped the little guy up, dug a hole near our peony bushes, we all said a few 'last words', and below the dirt he went. Let's cross our fingers that we do not have to repeat that process.

The froglets have either lost their appetite or don't like the food I have for them. They could also be making a stand & deciding they're going to be anorexic. Only I could raise frogs with an eating disorder... I've been researching online and have asked the people at Petsmart on what to feed my little darlings... the froglets now have lettuce, frog bits & dehydrated blood worms to munch on -- they're having nothing to do with ANY of it! Well, it's not for my lack of trying. And again, who really wanted these frogs in the first place?! Oh right... my kids. Who by the way, take a glance at these creatures & then go back to their video games. Ugh. I'll keep you posted on our froglet progress.


The house!
Things are moving along quickly. Our closing date is still set for the 29th of this month! Here's the latest...

July 6th:
Our cabinets & bathroom sinks were installed, spindles & handrails were installed, trim work was completed & painting was in various stages.

Our kitchen cabinets

Spindles & handrails upstairs

The boys' bathroom cabinet & sinks

July 11th:
Our driveway & sidewalk were poured!
Painting is complete.

The installation of flooring has begun! We were unable to see a lot of the downstairs due to the men installing the flooring, but upstairs, the tile in Master bathroom was down as well as the vinyl in the boys' bathroom & the laundry room.

Master Bathroom Tile

The hardwood was almost complete in the kitchen... doesn't it look beautiful? I can't wait to see the finished product!

After visiting the new house last night, we had to make a run to Target (or better known to us as "The Targ-Mahal"). It was so hot outside & Mike had a great idea. He bought some Drumstick ice cream cones for us all to eat on the way home. I believe Brandon wore more of his on his face than actually got in his mouth... And even Ryan, my meticulous eater, even had some on HIS face! Enjoy!

Our Current House:

I nearly forgot to post what all we've been doing to our current house lately. On Monday, Lowes FINALLY came to install our new flooring upstairs. That meant we had to have everything packed up & OFF of the floors. That was no small feat, but we did it! YAY!! The night before they came, I took the opportunity to paint all of the trim around the floor. I mean come on, how many opportunities do you get that if you slop some paint on the carpet, it's no big deal?! I HAD to do it!! It went much faster without having to tape anything, that's for sure.

The new flooring looks great! The day after the flooring installers left, I started painting bedrooms. I started with our master bathroom -- mainly because Mike had taken the toilet out (due to new vinyl installation), and it was a prime opportunity to actually paint behind the toilet instead of trying to paint around it! I got that done & one wall of our bedroom before realizing that I needed to move a king-sized bed and two dressers. None of which I could do on my own, and Mike was gone for the next two nights. So, I moved to Ryan's bedroom. I got it painted. I'm about 1/2 way done with Brandon's room, and I still have the toy room left -- well, and the Master bedroom also. The MBR will prove to be a challenge b/c of the vaulted ceilings. And for those of you who know me well, you know how much I HATE heights!! Either we need to rent some sort of scaffolding, or Mike Hoke will find himself becoming a painter...

Today I find myself working downstairs -- mainly because it looks like 14 tornadoes have hit. Everything that needs to still be packed from upstairs was carried downstairs, boxes that need to be labeled are downstairs, misc. laundry to be either washed or folded is downstairs, dishes to be done or put away, blah blah blah... at any rate, it's driving me CRAZY!!

Did I mention that I really dislike everything that goes along with moving? Just in case I hadn't before, now you know... ;o) I'm sorry for all of the whining and complaining... but it's all I know right now! My life consists of packing, painting, and wrangling misc. kids and/or animals. One of my friends actually had to remind me that my birthday is next week. It never even occured to me. I barely know what day it is lately!! I keep telling myself that it'll all be over soon... and it will. It's just hard to see that light at the end of the tunnel right now. ;o)

An Arm & A Leg...

No, I'm not referring to the current gas prices! ;o)

Today we discovered that one of our tadpoles sprouted ARMS! On top of that, he has turned somewhat bright green on top. I don't know if that's normal or not, seeing as how I've never raised tadpoles before. We have one more that I believe is ready to sprout his/her arms as well.

If you look in the middle on the right hand side of the picture below, you can see the little guy's arms & legs. You can also see that most of the others have their legs as well.

As much as I thought the kids were really going to get into this, they could take it or leave it. As with any pet we've gotten, the "newness" wears off. However, they do like to peek in on these little guys every now & then. I think I'm enjoying it way more than they are... go figure! It's been so neat to see the changes each day!

Enjoy!
Jenni

4-H Princess Pageant... 2008 edition

It wouldn't be a normal summer unless I was summoned for "Glam Squad" duties for my nieces. This past Saturday was the annual Clay County 4-H Princess Pageant! It was really a Beyers family affair in that Elizabeth (who is a past 4-H Queen) was the Emcee; Caroline was the out-going Princess; and Rebecca was competing in the Princess Pageant!

Caroline, Elizabeth and Rebecca

I had 3 girls to get ready this time, which proved to be quite a challenge. I'm not sure I've ever curled so much hair, applied so much makeup, and helped them change in & out of outfits so many times in one day...EVER! Luckily, I got ready earlier in the day because we were primping right up until the last minute! I think the word CRAZY describes the day best.

Caroline's hair had a life of it's own...we were ALL scared!

Getting Rebecca ready for her interviewRebecca is all set for her interview! Good luck!

Elizabeth did a fantastic job as the Emcee. Since she had done the pageant for several years prior, she knew just what to do. Caroline was very nervous to give her outgoing speech. She managed to get through all 28 minutes of it! ;o) We love you, Caroline! Finally, the time came to announce the Princess & her court. Rebecca won Miss Congeniality!!! We were all so proud of her!!! For her first year competing, she did a phenominal job!!

Rebecca all ready for the formal wear, and Caroline is ready to go out on stage

Rebecca right before she went out on stage

It's quite rare to have 3 girls in one family that all end up royalty of some sort! Congrats to the Beyers girls!

Elizabeth (former Queen), Caroline (former Princess), Rebecca (Miss Congeniality - 2008)

Me & my beautiful nieces...Rebecca, Elizabeth, Caroline and Katie

As always, I thoroughly enjoy this weekend because I don't have girls to "fuss" over. I'm so glad they invite me to do this each year!!

Enjoy!

Jenni

Catching Up

After my last blog, I was having minor computer issues, which prevented me from blogging about the most important thing on June 23rd...RYAN'S 9th BIRTHDAY!!!

Yep, the big guy turned 9, and celebrated his birthday at Cub Scout Camp! Monday through Friday, both he & Brandon attended. Mike went along on M-W-F; I went on Tues. & Thurs. Needless to say, we were ALL worn out at the end of each day.

Our house is coming along nicely! Our closing date is growing nearer! Only 28 more days to go! Has the panic set in yet? YES. Is the house packed up yet? NO. Will I ever have to highlight my hair again? NO because it will all be gray... I digress.

June 23rd - They finished our ceilings!

June 24th - They finished bricking the outside of the house!

June 30th - They installed our gas fireplace; and put down the first coat of paint on the walls. Also, they delivered all of our trim, interior doors (I think we counted 23!) & cabinets -- that are all awaiting installation while being stored in our garage!

I've been making calls today to get estimates on movers. We had originally thought we'd do it ourselves; but after realizing that we've called upon friends & family members MANY times over the years to help us move, we figured it would be easier on everyone to just hire someone & get it overwith -- without anyone whining because their back hurts (okay, that would be me...); and just the sheer fact that time is an issue & Mike's work schedule can be impossible sometimes. The painter we had planned on can't do our house until mid-August, so it looks like we'll move in & then just have to move the furniture out from the walls for him. As long as I don't have to paint 3200 sqft. by myself, I'll do whatever it takes!! ;o)

Oh... I almost forgot!! Tadpole update: We have 13 tadpoles, not 12. How did that happen?! Funny story. The water was getting pretty funky - though online strongly suggested not changing the water, we had to -- it was stinky & we could hardly see the tadpoles anymore. Luckily, we had scooped up some of the water they were originally in & kept it stored. Mike scooped out the tadpoles into a shallow tupperware. When he was getting ready to dump out the water in the aquarium, he noticed something moving. Yep, another tadpole. He counted again... lucky 13. How we never saw that guy is beyond me. All but a couple have sprouted their hind legs, and the legs are really growing!!

That's our past week or so in a nutshell!

Jenni