Friday, August 30, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
{Tuesday's 10} apartment
Last Wednesday marked two months of living in our new house. Two months already! Wow! I wish all the rest of these boxes would unpack and organize themselves.
Life transitions always bring about reflection.
Today I am going to highlight TEN things we do not miss about the apartment we lived in for the last five years.
(These are in no particular order)
1. Only four windows to let natural lighting in. I always felt like I was living in a cave.
2. The flight of stairs upon entry to the apartment. This meant carrying carseats, children,
bicycles, groceries, toys, etc. up and/or down the flight of stairs to do anything.
3. Baby gates. We used a lot of baby gates to help partition child-safe areas and dog-safe
areas.
4. Hearing the neighbor come and go on his motorcycle. I know loud pipes save lives but it
sure was annoying...and would wake my sleeping child.
5. Dog poop not properly cleaned up by owners, therefore having to find alternative
locations for my child to play.
6. Having a parking lot right outside that was unsafe for my child to play near.
7. The suspicious behavior of our neighbor's son that made me uncomfortable.
8. Having to move our son's step stool from in front of the bathroom sink every time you
wanted to close the door properly.
9. The noises of people coming and going outside our building that alarmed the dog.
10. Toys dispersed in every room of the house due to lack of storage space.
While all of these items were thorns in our sides, living in that apartment was indeed a blessing. I am thankful for God providing for our family and giving us shelter over our heads!
Life transitions always bring about reflection.
Today I am going to highlight TEN things we do not miss about the apartment we lived in for the last five years.
(These are in no particular order)
1. Only four windows to let natural lighting in. I always felt like I was living in a cave.
2. The flight of stairs upon entry to the apartment. This meant carrying carseats, children,
bicycles, groceries, toys, etc. up and/or down the flight of stairs to do anything.
3. Baby gates. We used a lot of baby gates to help partition child-safe areas and dog-safe
areas.
4. Hearing the neighbor come and go on his motorcycle. I know loud pipes save lives but it
sure was annoying...and would wake my sleeping child.
5. Dog poop not properly cleaned up by owners, therefore having to find alternative
locations for my child to play.
6. Having a parking lot right outside that was unsafe for my child to play near.
7. The suspicious behavior of our neighbor's son that made me uncomfortable.
8. Having to move our son's step stool from in front of the bathroom sink every time you
wanted to close the door properly.
9. The noises of people coming and going outside our building that alarmed the dog.
10. Toys dispersed in every room of the house due to lack of storage space.
While all of these items were thorns in our sides, living in that apartment was indeed a blessing. I am thankful for God providing for our family and giving us shelter over our heads!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
{happy thoughts Thursday}
Recognizing that in which I am blessed helps me to overcome the miss-truths that linger in my head and heart. There is a lot to be celebrated if we stop and truly look for good.
{Happy Thoughts}
- my yellow chevron bag arrived in the mail on Monday and I love it
- my mother celebrated her birthday Tuesday
- yesterday I got to Skype with my sister-in-law
- last night we went fishing and I got to meet a fellow co-worker of husband and his family
- this weekend we are hosting dear friends in our new house
- the county fair is just over a week away
- in the next month there will be a new baby born into the family
{Happy Thoughts}
- my yellow chevron bag arrived in the mail on Monday and I love it
- my mother celebrated her birthday Tuesday
- yesterday I got to Skype with my sister-in-law
- last night we went fishing and I got to meet a fellow co-worker of husband and his family
- this weekend we are hosting dear friends in our new house
- the county fair is just over a week away
- in the next month there will be a new baby born into the family
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
{write it down Wednesday}
Documenting the journey of life is one of my passions and greatest desires. While I have changed the media I have used from scrapbooks, journals, calendars, photos, blog posts and more, they have become prized possessions. My past has influenced the present and is paving the way for my future; I want to know the paths traveled, therefore I write and photograph.
Today launches a new blog post for Wednesday's entitled write it down Wednesday.
I will be sharing current loves and experiences in efforts to document our every day living.
Little love
two-years-old
Your favorite friends are bear and elephant. Everything you do, they do. From the moment you wake up they are by your side. They eat breakfast with us, play with us and get placed in their 'special spots' in your room while you rest. Until recently they were not allowed to leave the house however, bear was recently invited to ride in the car and has even made an appearance shopping at Hobby Lobby. I had no idea that these two infant photo props would become favorite pals.
You love food. We are blessed that you eat almost anything. Currently the only food items you refuse to eat are walnuts and banana chips. You eat a banana every morning for breakfast and have since you were around 6months old. I think they will always be your favorite! You love cheese. You are forever opening up the fridge and getting into the drawer for a string cheese. I have to stop you from consuming more than three a day. While most children want macaroni and cheese and hotdogs, you prefer to eat steak and vegetables. I am blessed you are making healthy choices. Just last week you were offered ice cream on three separate occasions and you said no.
Your favorite person (besides mommy and daddy of course) is your granddad. You love to visit his house, you love when he is at our house and honestly as long as Granddad is with you, you are happy. Granddad gives you constant attention every waking moment you are together. He runs, plays, makes silly sounds and seriously will do just about anything for you! While you do adore all of your family, you talk the most about granddad, auntie and Beth.
Today launches a new blog post for Wednesday's entitled write it down Wednesday.
I will be sharing current loves and experiences in efforts to document our every day living.
Little love
two-years-old
Your favorite friends are bear and elephant. Everything you do, they do. From the moment you wake up they are by your side. They eat breakfast with us, play with us and get placed in their 'special spots' in your room while you rest. Until recently they were not allowed to leave the house however, bear was recently invited to ride in the car and has even made an appearance shopping at Hobby Lobby. I had no idea that these two infant photo props would become favorite pals.
You love food. We are blessed that you eat almost anything. Currently the only food items you refuse to eat are walnuts and banana chips. You eat a banana every morning for breakfast and have since you were around 6months old. I think they will always be your favorite! You love cheese. You are forever opening up the fridge and getting into the drawer for a string cheese. I have to stop you from consuming more than three a day. While most children want macaroni and cheese and hotdogs, you prefer to eat steak and vegetables. I am blessed you are making healthy choices. Just last week you were offered ice cream on three separate occasions and you said no.
Your favorite person (besides mommy and daddy of course) is your granddad. You love to visit his house, you love when he is at our house and honestly as long as Granddad is with you, you are happy. Granddad gives you constant attention every waking moment you are together. He runs, plays, makes silly sounds and seriously will do just about anything for you! While you do adore all of your family, you talk the most about granddad, auntie and Beth.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
{Tuesday's 10} JB Zoo
During our family 'staycation' in July, we made our first trip to the Binder Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan with my husband's parents. We had a very enjoyable time with the highlight being the opportunity to feed the giraffes. Little love has always been fascinated with animals and the trip to Binder Zoo really impacted him; to the point of asking to go to the zoo every.single.day last week! Husband had shared little love's adoration for animals with one of his co-workers who recommended we go to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Husband was off work this past weekend so we took the suggestion and went to the JB Zoo on Sunday. It was everything described to husband and then some! It is a smaller compact zoo but has a lot to offer at a reasonable cost. The entrance fee for adults is $8.50 and children two and under are free. We liked that the exhibits were viewer friendly and the animals were at a reasonable distance to see them in their habitats. The property is hilly but we had no problems navigating our umbrella stroller. The zoo includes a Hobby Farm with a goat petting pen and chickens roam the walk-way. We also were able to view the alligator feeding and training session. Alligators happen to be one of little love's favorite animals and he loved watching them chomp on their mouse dinner. There are some hands-on exhibits that require additional money including $1.00/person to touch the stingray and sharks, $1.00/feed stick for the Australian parakeets, and $5.00/person to ride a camel. Non-animal excursions include a zip-line and high ropes course. See the website for additional information. The John Ball Zoo receives good ratings from our family. We were able to see all the animals in about 4 hours with a two-year-old in tow. We are strongly considering a membership to this zoo since we had such a positive experience.
Husband was off work this past weekend so we took the suggestion and went to the JB Zoo on Sunday. It was everything described to husband and then some! It is a smaller compact zoo but has a lot to offer at a reasonable cost. The entrance fee for adults is $8.50 and children two and under are free. We liked that the exhibits were viewer friendly and the animals were at a reasonable distance to see them in their habitats. The property is hilly but we had no problems navigating our umbrella stroller. The zoo includes a Hobby Farm with a goat petting pen and chickens roam the walk-way. We also were able to view the alligator feeding and training session. Alligators happen to be one of little love's favorite animals and he loved watching them chomp on their mouse dinner. There are some hands-on exhibits that require additional money including $1.00/person to touch the stingray and sharks, $1.00/feed stick for the Australian parakeets, and $5.00/person to ride a camel. Non-animal excursions include a zip-line and high ropes course. See the website for additional information. The John Ball Zoo receives good ratings from our family. We were able to see all the animals in about 4 hours with a two-year-old in tow. We are strongly considering a membership to this zoo since we had such a positive experience.
Now, on to Tuesday's 10 photos of our adventures at the John Ball Zoo.
All photos property of forever fancy by faye.
Monday, August 19, 2013
{must make it Monday!}
Happy Monday!
I hope that you had a fun-filled weekend. I know my Illinois teacher friends were busy trying to embrace those last few days of summer before reporting back to school today. Here in Michigan it is a state law that school can not begin before Labor Day so the kids have two weeks left of summer vacation to complete those bucket list items!
Our weekend included a family friend completing electrical work at our house on Saturday and a trip to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan yesterday. We had a great time and I will be sharing more of our adventures soon!
My main focus today is to complete my to-do list and my must make it list for the baby shower I am hosting for my sister-in-law at the end of the month. I am just thrilled for this baby blessing to arrive in September and consider it pure joy to host a baby shower to celebrate her debut. God knew in my season of life that my first born needed to be a boy and the proof is easy to recognize when you observe my shopping behaviors for my future niece! Oh ribbons, bows and cuteness galore!
The first decor items on the must make it list for the baby shower are these super easy, super adorable tissue paper pom poms using this tutorial. I just love them!
There are more tasks that need my attention than I realized so I need to get shopping...and creating! Do you have any must make it tasks on your to-do list today?
Friday, August 16, 2013
{find out Friday}
Happy Friday!
This week of blog post titles has definitely confirmed my like for alliterations! It makes things more fun with there is an appealing and catchy title.
Today begins a new blog post series find out Friday which will feature interesting facts and information I have acquired or pose a question that needs an answer or solution.
Have you ever made cupcakes or muffins using paper liners? When you peel away the liner to prepare the treat for consuming, does the bottom stick to the liner? Little love and I made blueberry muffins for breakfast this morning and experienced this disappointment. Unfortunately, it is not the first time it has occurred. It makes me frustrated knowing that part of my treat is stuck and hard to release from the liner; basically unable to be enjoyed.
So this is what I need to find out:
how do you bake a muffin or cupcake without having the bottom stick to the liner?
Please leave a comment and let me know your solution. I will also be researching a response and share my findings in a future post.
Wishing you a fabulous sun-filled weekend!
This week of blog post titles has definitely confirmed my like for alliterations! It makes things more fun with there is an appealing and catchy title.
Today begins a new blog post series find out Friday which will feature interesting facts and information I have acquired or pose a question that needs an answer or solution.
Have you ever made cupcakes or muffins using paper liners? When you peel away the liner to prepare the treat for consuming, does the bottom stick to the liner? Little love and I made blueberry muffins for breakfast this morning and experienced this disappointment. Unfortunately, it is not the first time it has occurred. It makes me frustrated knowing that part of my treat is stuck and hard to release from the liner; basically unable to be enjoyed.
So this is what I need to find out:
how do you bake a muffin or cupcake without having the bottom stick to the liner?
Please leave a comment and let me know your solution. I will also be researching a response and share my findings in a future post.
Wishing you a fabulous sun-filled weekend!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
{Happy Thoughts Thursday}
The other night my family and I were out to eat at a restuarant. When we were ready to leave, I went to pick up my purse and the handle ring pulled out of the strap leaving me with a one-handle purse! That's not good!
The purse definitely got a lot of use so at least I feel the money invested was worth the wear and tear! I must admit when it broke, I had a twinge of delight thinking that I finally had an excuse to purchase this adorable chevron purse/bag I found in the Fancy That! store on etsy:
That my friends, makes me one happy girl today! So happy that I just completed the purchase and will now be anxiously awaiting the delivery of my new purse! I'm sure you will be hearing more about this fabulous item after it arrives.
Have any recent purchases made you giddy excited? I'd love to know!
 |
| And apparently it looses it shape when I don't have everything under the kitchen sink in it. Which could have contributed to the handle strap breaking! |
The purse definitely got a lot of use so at least I feel the money invested was worth the wear and tear! I must admit when it broke, I had a twinge of delight thinking that I finally had an excuse to purchase this adorable chevron purse/bag I found in the Fancy That! store on etsy:
That my friends, makes me one happy girl today! So happy that I just completed the purchase and will now be anxiously awaiting the delivery of my new purse! I'm sure you will be hearing more about this fabulous item after it arrives.
Have any recent purchases made you giddy excited? I'd love to know!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
{Tuesday's 10}
It is a gorgeous day in Michigan! The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing and the air temp is about 70 degrees. A great day to be outdoors for sure although you might be confused on what season it is! What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?
Today I am launching a new post series Tuesday's 10. This post series will include listings of 10. Possibly a top ten list, ten photos, ten ideas, ten thoughts on a topic, etc. I am excited to use this post to share my life and interests and I hope you enjoy reading my collections of 10!
Today I am launching a new post series Tuesday's 10. This post series will include listings of 10. Possibly a top ten list, ten photos, ten ideas, ten thoughts on a topic, etc. I am excited to use this post to share my life and interests and I hope you enjoy reading my collections of 10!
{Tuesday's 10}
10 Places we visited in the month of July
1. South Pier in South Haven, Michigan
2. Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Michigan
3. Grand Rapids Children's Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan
4. Binder Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan
5. Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan
6. Craig's Cruisers Family Fun Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan
7. Sherman's Ice Cream in South Haven, Michigan
8. Brookside Farms home of Fritz's Blueberries in Otsego, Michigan
9. Clementine's in South Haven, Michigan
10. Music in the Park
We were blessed to have the month of July devoted to family time! We were able to take many day trips as a 'staycation' and enjoy the beauty of our state and visit some attractions as well! It was a wonderful month of memories! What are some of your highlight events from July?
Monday, August 12, 2013
why, hello there!
Good morning faithful readers!
Today I send greetings from our new home! June, July and August have been a whirlwind of blessings. It was nice to unplug to celebrate accomplishments, purchase our home and move, reconnect with my husband, go on many staycation adventures, and just be without feeling the pressures of the world. Handsome husband started his new job last week and we are now facing reality once again and trying to create structure and routine for our family.
It is also my desire to re-enter the blog world and document our life along the way. I hope you will join me!
Today I send greetings from our new home! June, July and August have been a whirlwind of blessings. It was nice to unplug to celebrate accomplishments, purchase our home and move, reconnect with my husband, go on many staycation adventures, and just be without feeling the pressures of the world. Handsome husband started his new job last week and we are now facing reality once again and trying to create structure and routine for our family.
It is also my desire to re-enter the blog world and document our life along the way. I hope you will join me!
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