Stinnett Mill update

I talked to my friend/husband's-business partner's wife yesterday.  She just had their FOURTH child, so I went to visit the new little one and bring them dinner.  She's a cutie, that one!  We also talked about their BIG project on the mill and how it's just now getting underway!  I don't have any pictures yet, but I saw some of the remodel plans and it's going to look fantastic!  They literally just started and have only torn out the blue (yes, blue) carpet in the upstairs area.  Keep an eye out for more updates as I make time to go down there and get some pictures!

In the meantime, enjoy these pics of these two planters that I bought at Lowes a few weeks ago.  They are cast to look like little river rocks.  SO cute.  They were $60 a piece, but they had a few chips on them so I asked if I could get a discount.  The sales girl offered me 10%.  My husband said no way, so I asked her to ask her manager if they could do better than that, seeing as they were the last two planters left and they both had chips.  Sure enough...he gave me 50% off!  I got both for the price of one!  That's my kind of deal!  After he gave us that discount, my husband asked if he would take half off the poinsettias because there were a few brown leaves....sigh.  It never hurts to ask, but he gets a little carried away sometimes.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Or rather, "the Christmas cards were hung on a window with no glare.."

I was accumulating lots of Christmas cards from friends and family and they were just piling up on my countertop with no place to go.  Rather than buying a card holder, I decided to hang them up with some twine on the back windows in my kitchen.  These are the first thing you see when you come into the kitchen and it is a cheap cheap cheap holiday decoration.  All you need is twine, a stapler and Christmas cards!

a great thing about this, is that you can add lots more rows of cards on the same window or another window in your house where Christmas cheer is needed!



The wreath in the middle was made by Jackson at school.  It's a great centerpiece of the collection, but can also be removed easily to add more cards.



I told you so!

Remember that post I did a while back that discussed how I was married to Mr. Practicality?  Well, I ordered Sloan his very own Pottery Barn Anywhere chair and guess what...



They were watching Sloan's favorite show, Diego.  He really just enjoys the opening theme song and then loses interest.



Better than your average Egg Nog

I hosted my first ever cookie exchange party this weekend and had a fun time chit chatting with lovely girlfriends.  Thanks, ladies, for coming!  We munched on cookies and enjoyed my holiday staple drink: Egg nog punch.  I made this punch for all the Christmas parties that we hosted for my husband's employees at his old company.  It's SOOOOO easy!  I'm not an egg nog fan in general, but this drink is lighter tasting and easier to drink than traditional egg nog...despite the ingredients called for in it!  Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Egg Nog Punch

1/2 gallon French Vanilla or Vanilla Bean ice cream
2 quarts egg nog, chilled
1 liter cream soda
Cinnamon for garnish

add semi-melted ice cream to large punch bowl with egg nog and cream soda.  Stir to combine until ice cream is completely melted.  Sprinkle cinnamon on top or sprinkle cinnamon on each cup served!

Perspective

Today, I'm just thankful for the over abundant blessings in my life.  Sometimes I catch myself complaining and wanting things that I don't have and think that I should. I have lists of things I would like to buy for myself and for my house.  Clothes, furniture, curtains, outdoor furniture, boots, etc.  When it comes down to it, I admit that I do like material things, but that does not mean I am a materialist.  Sometimes I get caught up in it all and forget my blessings, but today, I am feeling almost embarrassed by how blessed I am.

I have a beautiful house that I dreamed and designed.  I have a wonderful, loving, hardworking husband who loves me.  I have parents and a brother who love me and are a big part of my life.  I am blessed to have easily gotten pregnant with two beautiful baby boys and carried them to term.  I am blessed to be able to choose to stay home and raise them instead of having to go to work.  I am blessed to have a law degree that I can use if I choose to go back to work.  I am blessed to have a car with air conditioning, heat, lights that work, etc.

Sometimes it feels silly to talk/blog about home furnishings and decor, but it is something that I enjoy.  It's a hobby for me.  I will continue to talk/blog about design and home decor because I don't think that God wants us to be unhappy and miserable, but He wants us to enjoy the blessings that He bestows on us and to share them with others.  So, this post is just for a little perspective that we should all look at what we do have instead of what we don't have.  No matter how little you think you have, the Lord has blessed you in some way.  If you're not sure, then ask someone to point out a blessing to you!

Building a new house!!

Well, I want to build a new house in our old town of Traverse City, Michigan.  Not just any house, but a tiny house.  What is a tiny house?  Check out the plans here.  It's only 875 square feet, but why would you need anymore than that for a vacation cottage?  I've already started thinking about how I would design and decorate the inside.  I am also starting a "Someday" Folder.* 

We've thrown around the idea of buying some land on Long Lake in Traverse City, a lake that we used to live by and building a cottage.  I really really hope that in a few years we will be able to, but for now, I will dream!

As you can tell from their website, tiny houses waste no space.  This is the same philosophy behind Craftsman style houses (my fave) so it's no surprise that these appeal to me.  While I don't think I could live in a tiny house 365 days a year with my husband, two boys, and dog, I do think that it would be the perfect thing to have as a vacation home. The model that I like is the biggest house they have designed, so you know they are tiny houses when 800 something square feet is big!  It's perfect though.  We would build the 3 bedroom plan and the boys would share one room upstairs and we would take the other upstairs room.  Any guests that would come visit would have the downstairs bedroom.  In my mind, I see myself decorating in airy white/light fabrics with natural grass/sisal rugs and beachy items.  It is on a lake of course (in my mind's eye!).

Sigh, someday!

*Someday Folders:  these are folders that group together projects (houses, for me) that you want to build one day and contain ideas and inspirations for the some day that you will build the house.  I had one for 3 years for our current house.  My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I'm just a good planner...and obsessor.  I obsess over things like this and this is a good way for me to organize my obsessions.  If you have even the remotest possibility that you will one day build your own house, start one today!  Put in it floor plans, exterior plans, decorating plans, kitchen plans/pictures, etc.  It is so helpful when that one day comes and you actually have to start making all these decisions!

Happy Birthday Sloan!

Today is my sweet baby's first birthday!  I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!  Sloan, you are a one of a kind.  I love how much you love your brother, Jackson and want to do everything that he does.  I think this is a trend that will continue for years to come!  I love how you have a deep belly chuckle when daddy tickles you on your belly.  I love that you are a momma's boy and that your first word was "mama"!  I am still amazed every time I look at you that you have your daddy's blue blue eyes and fair skin, but your personality has some tell-tale traits of a little Korean!  What a sweet heart you are! Happy birthday, sweet boy!



The day you were born, you looked Korean.  After that, you became your daddy's mini-me.




love.