Back for the holidays--with some decorating ideas!!

So, here's the thing.....

I miss blogging.

Has it really been over two months since my last post???

It's been a good break (as far as writing goes), and I've had much more time to catch up on my favorite blogs. I was also getting some "weirdo comments" that were starting to annoy me. With a few comment-setting moderation's...I think we've fixed that!

But seriously, I NEED the outlet. I am amazed at how much I need to {1} share boring "mom-stories" and other emotions that go along with being a wife and mother {2} have a creative outlet in both decorating and crafting, and {3} feel encouragement and support from the [few] comments left by faithful readers who remind me that "I am not alone".

So, with that...I'm back!

And what a great time to re-enter the blogging world than right during the holidays! So here is some Christmas cheer from our house to yours. I just LOVE decorating for Christmas! But I love to reuse, re-purpose, and recreate whenever possible.

Sweater covered jars filled with Christmas lights: this is one of my favorite decorating ideas I heard from an interior decorator who spoke in our area...she emphasized keeping it cheap, and this is a great bargain buster!

tin bucket with dried hydrangeas: $12 from a local "Not So Shabby" store--I keep them up year-round

Live, Laugh, Love sign: gift from a couple years ago, also left up year-round

Blue tinted mason jars of different sizes: acquired over time at thrift stores/ garage sales--I use these ALL over my house depending on the season.

knock-off sweater look: I simply used an old hat and scarf I never wear anymore. The jar on the far right is the hat slipped on from the bottom up. The other 3 jars are covered by one scarf--I just wrapped them around the jars and hid the connecting part with the sign. No cutting OR sewing!!

I love this built-in. It's the perfect place to showcase my favorite things.

And it is constantly changing!

white plates on the wall: TJ Maxx clearance

white distressed iron decoration (on top): Hobby Lobby

fabric skirt: I sewed with fabric used around the house in order to cover shelves below

electronics organizer: Pottery Barn (had a gift card--otherwise NEVER shop there...just borrow their ideas)

distressed sleigh (behind): Hobby Lobby from last year on sale

ceramic sleigh (front): Christmas gift a couple years ago

Both filled with random greenery and ornaments I already had

3 snowmen: one of the few things I spent too much money on this year (from a downtown boutique) but, aren't these snowmen adorable?? And the perfect color green if I might add.

glass bowl: hand-me-down from my mom

ornaments: bought the first year we were married

vintage books: thrift store for $2

restoration hardware lantern: thrift store $2

topiary: made a few months ago here

frame: hand-me-down from my mom (untouched from the basement!)

nativity set: received as gifts over the past few Christmas's

star ornament: keepsake from Slovenia

twine: have a HUGE spool from Hobby Lobby--used a bunch here to look like hay and add some texture

Stay tuned for more ideas coming soon...including the entryway, mantel, and front porch!

9-9-09

Today's post is in honor of my due date one year ago....the coveted 9-9-09. Although I was more than THRILLED when miss Kensie Michelle came three days earlier on 9-6-09. Still a cool sounding date....if you are into numbers at all. I know I am.

But, has it really been a year????? Really???

(the last of the chair pic series...12 months)

And here I sit, pregnant yet again at nearly 14 weeks already!

Soon to be a mom of 2. Crazy.

As far as pregnancy #2 goes....here's a quickie list:

1. Was hardly sick at ALL the first trimester, and extremely thankful for that!

2. Started showing much sooner than the first (most people say that's normal for round 2)

3. Crackers. Chips. Ice cream. Cookies. I want it ALL. Need I say more??

4. Slowly kissing my summer physique goodbye...

5. What happened to the "glowing-clear-skin-when-your-pregnant" look, cuz if I get one more pimple....so help me...

6. I can't stop wondering if I'm going to have a difficult baby this round, cuz Kensie was such an EASY baby.

7. I'm excited to actually be WARM this winter with my very own built-in heater. (Unlike the perpetual sweat I endured last time.)

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And that's that! Sounds like my oldest child just woke up from her nap! Peace out!

A post from Kensie...

Since I'm turning 1 in a few weeks, Mama and Dada thought it was time for me to take on some more responsibility in life...

I guess this is their idea of it?

I'll have some time to practice, but looks like I'll be a big sister come March 12!

Boy, they sure have a lot to do by then....

Love,

Kensie

Just a summer day at the park...

Kensie LOVES the park. She loves the grass, putting wood chips and other dirty things in her mouth, roaming free, and she especially loves the swings. As she becomes more mobile, I could see us spending ALL our days at the park (well, until dreaded winter comes that is...).

It has also been such a joy to see her take more and more steps!! (I think her current record is 4 in a row). But, she has definitely mastered standing up on her own, and then proceeds to wave her arms in excitement. Thus, the following picture...

Just after this, she plopped down into her bear crawl stance and took off towards the playground without even looking back. Uh...a bit brave are we??

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I've also been feeling this incredible sense of summer urgency. Like there is a ticker counting down each day we have left, and there is nothing you can do about it. Anyone else?? I know...fall is incredible: there are apples to be picked, pumpkins to be carved, and hay bales to ride...blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong, I love the colors of fall and the feeling of warm sweaters with cute jeans. Buuuuut, I LOVE SUMMER! And I think most of this urgency stems from last summer looking like this:

Wow. Bringing back some VERY uncomfortable memories....

Ok, I'm back. Phew.

Anyway, I just feel like I missed out on last summer in so many ways. And so, this summer I tried to pack two seasons worth of "summer-fun" into one.

What I didn't realize is this makes it go by very fast! Oh well, we are definitely making the most of it...and it's still not over!

So here's to summer!

Mackinac Island

How do you pronounce it?

Let's clear this up right away...

The "c" is silent on the end, so it sounds like 'aw'; Mackinaw Island. This has always bothered me when others say either "Mackinac" or "Mackinaw". So, now you know.

It's pronounced "Mackinaw Island", despite the 'c'.

Now there is also the mainland city across the water spelled "Mackinaw City". It too, is pronounced the same.

So, why two of the same names with two different spellings??

Way back when settlers landed on the island, they came up with 100's of different spellings, but eventually agreed on "Mackinac Island". When "Mackinaw City" was established, they changed the ending letters so that postal services would be able to distinguish between the two.

I know you were all gonna ask (at least my non-Michigan friends), so there you have it.

Now on to some great pics from our trip...

First off, we ran into Greg's cousin Joanna and her boyfriend on the ferry ride to the island...so random, but so fun to see them!

Greg- "Come on Shan, you gotta take a picture of that..."

Me-"ummm, ok?"

Two big trucking companies shipping their cargo to the island.

What can I say? My husband loves trucks.

Just some good old-fashioned rock skipping.

The famous "Grand Hotel"- $400 a night people!

With the longest front porch in the world.

In front of our adorable hotel - "The Harbour View Inn"

Loved staying there....would do it again.

Went out for one nice, "dress-up-worthy" dinner.

I think it was the best fish I've had since living in Slovenia....yummm.

We managed to only have one fight the whole weekend.

Biking + trails + confusing map = marriage builder for sure.

Once I gave up the map and let my "professional navigator" do his magic, we had a great time! Funny how that works. :)

Only bikes and horse drawn carriages are allowed on the island.

Makes for some interesting "pedestrian crossing".

Overall, a WONDERFUL trip. And we are especially thankful to Greg's parents for watching little miss Kensie for the weekend. It was such a treat, even though we missed her terribly.

Here's what I woke up to this morning...

5 years 'mon amour ' (my love)

From the sweet boyfriend...

to the fun-loving husband...

to the proud Dada you've become....

I'm so thankful for the man you've been in my life.

Happy 5 years my love! I pray the next 5 are even sweeter.

What a race...

{Saturday 7:30 am - before the race}
Nik . Jamie . Shannon . Greg

13 teams

2 days in the windy (ahem...humid) city

15+ miles on foot

27 clues

1 absolute downpour

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

{we snapped a quick pic in front of the fountain during our mandatory lunch break on Day 1}


That's right! Team Deer came in First Place!!


Without going into too much detail....

Just picture the real show of "The Amazing Race", but shot in only 2 days.

Some of the clues took an hour to figure out, and then 30 minutes to find the location. We tried to use buses and trains when possible, but we spent a lot of time on foot. I wish someone wore a pedometer to see just how many miles we actually walked/ ran.

Strangers became our best friends as we sought them out to find answers or directions to the next clue. We will always remember the little old lady on the bus who figured out the scarecrow song from the Wizard of Oz, and led us directly to Oz Park. Nor will we forget (another, but different) little old lady who heard we were on the way to the finish line, and actually came to cheer us on. We thank all the people of Chicago, and especially these 2 ladies who we never even found out their name. :)

And let's be honest, I've never been more exhausted in my life....literally. Somehow, we managed to stay hydrated, and there were no injuries on the team (which is pretty amazing if you know our husbands).

{at the finish line- first team to arrive!}
The umbrellas were used throughout the race as a way to spot the next clue at various locations.


It was fun getting to know so many new people from other teams, and we are incredibly thankful to the people who organized it. I can only imagine how much work went into it.

They are already talking about where it will be next year....

Mackinaw Island!

We had such a blast, and you can bet to see us back next year!

Overly-inspired

If you notice, I've added several more website/ blogs under "Just my Style" in the sidebar. One of my new favorite sites is

Kara's Party Ideas.

I've honestly never attempted true party planning...but her website sure makes me want to!



Just look at this adorable

"gingham garden party".....sooooo me.

I especially love the puffy tissue flower balls hanging about....and who doesn't love gingham?

Or how about this adorably decorated mantel and cake display??

You can't tell in these pics, but it's a "turtle themed party" with pink and green throughout. (turtlemegs, I know you would love the "turtle pops").

And I just HAD to add this cute "strawberry party" display....to die for!

There are SO many others I could add, but this is just a taste. So go check it out for yourself....LOTS of yummy treats and creative ideas.

Now if only I could decide what I want to do!! Feeling a bit overly-inspired right now...

Playroom!

We have this "in-between" space in our home. It's an empty traffic way that connects the fireplace room, the living room, dining room, and kitchen. I love how it makes the house feel bigger than it really is, and provides a nice area if we have a lot of people over for extra standing room, or a place to set up an extra table if needed...a very open layout indeed.

As you can clearly see, this open space has become the play area in the last few months. A convenient spot to dump all of Kensie's toys. Upside- I can see her from pretty much anywhere in the house. Downside- it's a tripping hazard for one (especially in the middle of the night), and it doesn't stop Kensie from crawling to all the "no-no's" in the other rooms (especially the fireplace). Not ideal, to say the least.

We also have this great sunroom that steps down off the back of the dining room. It pretty much sat empty for the last year and a half....until NOW! Thanks to a few suggestions, we gave this space a new purpose...

Welcome to the new playroom!!

Two nights ago, after Kensie went to bed, Greg and I stayed up until 10pm vacuuming, rearranging, and moving every toy OUT of the house and into here!

Not only is it baby proof, but it lets in TONS of light, and has a great view of the backyard. Plus, with the sliding glass door, I can let her roam free in there while I am workin' away in the kitchen.

Ahhhh, my open space is actually OPEN, and my house has regained it's confidence.

Greg's dream come true...well sorta.

Yes, other than marrying yours truly of course....

Greg's dream is to compete in the Amazing Race. Yeah. The one on TV that lasts a whole season, but is really only filmed in like 12 days or something. And although we don't even have the TV hooked up, his eyes get wide with excitement when anyone talks about it.

"Man," he says, "I'd give anything to be on that show!"

Well, now's his chance...kind of.

This weekend, Greg, myself, and another couple are teaming up to compete in a mini version of the Amazing Race. It's basically a church group that decided to make up their own course. They get 25 teams together (4 people per team) and cram it all in one weekend.

This year, the race is held in Chicago.

We are only allowed to use public transportation.

We must carry everything on our backs.

Each team must carry a digital camera.

No cell phones or access to interent of any kind is allowed.

We will compete in both team and individual challenges throughout the race.

Oh, and we are "Team Deers" - each team is a different animal. We signed up late...thus the slim pickings for a fierce sounding name...oh well. Deer are fast right?

Wish us luck, we will update you next week how it all went!

10 months and some birthday thoughts

10 month chair pic

(PS-don't think that that tear in the armrest doesn't bother me. I already attempted to sew it up once only for it to burst open within a few days. It drives me NUTS! Cheap reupholstering anyone???)

We are only 2 short months away from celebrating 1 year in this little lady's life.

And what a blessing she has been.

Now, for some birthday thoughts:

1) This year, Kensie's birthday will fall ON Labor Day (Sept. 6). I'm kind of excited about that because most people have work off. PLUS, I'm always fond of parties actually ON the day.

2) A bonus activity that same day will be joining Greg and his big rig in the annual Labor Day truck parade. Last year was AMST's first appearance, and Greg was beyond excited to drive. To put icing on the cake, his Mom also made a poster to announce Kensie's birth. (She was born the day before Labor Day). This year, Greg insisted that Kensie and I ride in the truck with him. And we are more than happy to oblige. :)

3) Who to invite? We are still going back and forth on whether to make this party open to family only, or family AND friends. It's always hard when deciding who to invite, where the cutoff is, and who will take the most offense if they are ones NOT invited. The sensitivity of the issue can sometimes make me not want to do a party at all. I know I know. I'm not going to let that stop me, but we just can't decide how to make it work yet. I've been to a few "Open house" style parties. I like how those make the numbers not so overwhelming. People come and leave when they please, and it really spreads the guests out so your house isn't packed.

3.5) Has anyone ever heard of the "# of guests = # of years old"? For example, you can invite 1 guest when you turn 1....then 2 guests when you turn 2, and so on. Not a bad idea, and makes it easy to have an excuse when confronted with a sensitive situation. "Well, you can invite them next year I guess..."

4) Gifts. I really don't want a ton of toys and (no offense) junk to pack my house out. If we do invite family AND friends, I'm thinking a polite "no gifts please" on the invitation is appropriate.

5) Theme. Definitely incorporating green and pink....but no characters from movies or cartoons. I'm picturing something like a "Garden Party" with lots of flowers and simple decorations. Maybe a cute handmade sign, and a simple but elegant cake.

So, that's that. Any thoughts on first year birthday parties?? I would love to hear what you've done, or are planning on doing. Do tell!

Gun Lake

Mosquito bites - CHECK

Sunburns - CHECK

Family disputes - CHECK

Don't you just love camping in 90* weather, with bugs, a baby, and family that can sometimes get on your nerves?!

Ok, it wasn't THAT bad....but pretty darn close at times.

We headed to Gun Lake over the 4th of July for the annual week long camping adventure with the in-laws and extended family.

A short 45 min drive from home made it possible for us to come back and sleep at home during the nights and drive back during the days.

humidity + a baby + tight sleeping quarters = sleeping at home was a MUCH better choice.

Things kicked off with a kiddie parade, followed by games for all ages. Even Kensie could scoop ducks out of a tin bucket in hopes of claiming a tootsie roll (only to be quickly confiscated by her parents).

And the day wouldn't be complete without a watermelon eating contest of course. Greg gave his go at it, while his gracious mother endured the sloppy mess so could I snap a pic. Thanks Mom!

The lake was the only escape from the heat, so we went every.single.day. Kensie proved her love for the water (just like her Dada) and would have relaxed in her floaty ALL day if she could.

And if you remember my post from LAST YEAR....we started a new tradition with the Brink family. The Gun Lake Triathlon. I was 7 months preggo last year at this time, but attempted the bike and walk portions. It was indeed a small taste of the real thing.

Triathlon participants 2010 (double from last year!)

For the past 8 weeks I've been running, biking, and (yes, the dreaded) swimming. I thought by testing out the waters (no pun intended)....in a comfortable family setting at Gun Lake, I might sign up for a REAL race if things went well. And they did! The race was by far shorter than a real one, but it was a good chance to see what my training prepared me for. Who knows, maybe I'll sign up for one in August now!

Hope everyone had a great Independence Day!