BIG GIRLS' NEW BEDROOM

I'm realizing that with everything we have going, I re-decorate very slowly.  I've actually committed to moving 4 rooms around 😳, and this is only the first of those.  It took 2-4 months🤦🏻‍♀️.  This week, I contacted painters to help me with the next one, because we will never finish these projects at this pace.  That said, I am done with Lily and Bella's new room, which feels good.



I also realized that with life, I was never going to get around to "perfectly staging" their bedroom for blog pictures.  I'm not a professional blogger, so this doesn't really matter, but what I want to say is that there are funny things about their room because they live there, and they are quirky.  Also, they are regular older sisters who put signs on their door like this.  I don't even really know what it means.



We actually moved them downstairs into our old guest bedroom to give everyone a little space, and it was nice to be able to work on it without the pressure of them actually being in it.  My sis, Ellen, helped me get the painting work done, and she also inspired me to do a Sharpie Wall that she had seen on the internet.  After a bit of Pinterest digging, I found a style that I liked that seemed pretty easy to do, and I went to town with a level and a gold sharpie.  (Here are the instructions that helped me on my way!)

(Unicorn Lamp from Target)

I got their beds from Wayfair, and we have LOVED them.  Their bedspreads are from Beddys, and I've been so pleased.  My sis also clued me in that Classy Clutter has a coupon code for 25% off that is good all the time.  That certainly helps with the sticker shock.  The girls actually make their beds everyday and like sleeping in them!

The wooden letters are from Hobby Lobby, spray painted gold, and I had a hey-day making paper flowers to adorn the walls.  Maybe I should cover every surface in paper flowers?  Probably yes.

This roll-top desk was from my home growing up and has my brother's name written in the drawers.  The rug is from Wayfair.  I tried to give them some space to pin things up that wasn't all over the walls, so these Target boards did the trick.  The verse is by my friend Megan of Makewells, and the colors work perfectly in here!

There is also a mini-reading corner, and I have actually footage of them reading in it, plus a close-up of how they decorated it themselves.

(Who doesn't want a Christmas Mini-Moo always hanging above their crazy cat poster?  I cannot really complain, because I had cat posters all over my bedroom as a kid.😹)

A few last details - we hung these baskets by each girls' bed as a place for books and little lovies.  The curtains with festive tassels are from Target.  And they have a random assortment of cacti in various states of life/death on the window seal, many of them in pots that I borrowed from a friend over two years ago and have not managed to return. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Well, that pretty much sums it up!  It was fun to do a new room for these sweet girls who are getting bigger every moment.

FAMILY LAKE DAY WITH FRIENDS

A few months back, we started coordinating our 2nd annual D-Group Lake Day.  (Here's last year's post!)  Since it is six families, it takes some high-level trickery to find a date that works for everyone, and I was so thrilled when we managed to get all 12 adults and 21 of our 24 kiddos on the water!



We also had some magic snow-balling at work as one family after another signed up to spend the night so that Lake Day sort of became Lake Weekend.  Courtney and Nicole worked out a lot of food details, and everyone pitched in.  And though it is a LOT of work to get everyone there and suited out and fed, it is absolutely worth it to make memories like these.

There was lots of tubing, skiing and wake boarding.  Plus swimming, floating and eating.

I will say, as a group, we have certainly learned how to eat well together as you can see in this photo.

It's funny that I don't even know what John and I are saying or doing here, but we seem to be enthusiastic about it.

This sweet little love couldn't get in the water because of her cast that has pins inside (!), so she had a private tub of water on her boat and also was snuggly.

These ladies are some of the greatest gifts in my life.  They sharpen me, encourage and inspire me, and they always make me laugh.  We did not have nearly long enough floating together.



The Hutchins had to leave us as evening arrived, because of the precious 4 month old at home.  Everyone else stayed the night, and we went back to grill out.  The children ran around like they owned the place, laughing and collecting rocks and trying out cheerleading holds and playing on the playground.

So many of my favorite people!



The next morning, we did breakfast burritos for the crowd that were all devoured, and some of us headed back out for another couple of hours on the lake.

My heart was so full after this time.  The sweetness of being together as a family with people that we enjoy is a cherished treasure that I do not take for granted.

BROKEN BOW HIGHS & LOWS PART 2

Welcome back to Highs & Lows from our recent Broken Bow stay - here is Part One, in case you missed the super fun highlights and the vomit, broken refrigerator and poor air quality.

High:  Seriously, our families are incredibly compatible, which is such a gift.



Low: We woke up on the day we were supposed to be headed to the lake to find lots of storms coming through at random times.

High:  The kids made the most of playing around the cabin with one another.




Low:  It is zero fun to try to make decisions based on uncertain weather and when children keep asking you when/if/what the plan is.

High:  We decided to play chicken with thunderstorms and go out on the boat.  There was tubing and cliff diving and general lake happiness.

Low:  The storms did show up eventually.  We were tracking the radar and eventually moved closer to the marina so we could make a quick getaway.

High:  We did manage to get pretty much loaded before the downpour.  We also got to laugh hysterically when the people who rented us the boat told us to "Beach it and leave it."  Well all right then.

High: Ice Cream makes everyone feel good.  And a bowl of toppings for our allergy princess was just the ticket.  Having a porch hot tub also didn't hurt when we got back.

High:  Grilling out with friends feels so summer and leftover pizza does not go to waste around these parts.

(also, why pick?!?)

Low:  Weirdly, this cabin seemed to have appliance issues.  We began to notice a horrific smell coming from the laundry room.  Upon investigation, the washer was full of standing water that would not drain and reeked like a sulfur mine.  We tried a few things but gave it up quickly and just kept the door closed.  There was not a sign attached to it telling us that it did actually work, even when it didn't, so I am assuming it's a new issue.  Also, the thermostat downstairs would not go below 75, and we didn't figure out until the 2nd day that the upstairs was set to heat.  So strange.  For a place that had so much going for it, I would likely choose a different cabin on our next visit.

High:  Hot tub time for the adults.  On two nights, we sat in the hot tub, looked at stars and laughed and caught up and recounted stories from the last 15-20 years of friendship.  It is such a phenomenal gift to have cherished friends that have walked crazy roads with us.  They were concerned about our marriage in our dating phase, because we were so dramatic.  We have mostly mellowed out, but it is really funny/cringey to think back on that time.  I'm so thankful for people who love us no matter what.

High:  We ended our visit with lunch at Rock Bottom Boyz BBQ, which had delicious food.  It also was a coffee shop/sandwich shop on one side and had swinging doors into a saloon on the other side, so there is that.  But- the food made all the strangeness worth it, and the kids certainly enjoyed the foosball table.

All in all, it was a fantastic getaway with some of our favorite people!!