Living Room Redo

When we moved in, our main level was mostly painted in a light green color.  Most of it was tolerable, but the dining room was a few shades darker and always looked like a nasty shade of pea soup to me.  It has been on my list to get it painted for quite a while, but it was kind of an overwhelming project to tackle by myself, especially with my three kids at home.  Luckily my friend Katie came to the rescue and helped me over the course of two days get the walls painted a much prettier more neutral color.  Cassidy was a gem and helped out with the little kids and even changed her first poopy diaper all on her own.  It would have taken me a week to do it all by myself!  We did the whole living room, dining room, hallway, and down the stairway to the landing on the second level.  It turned out so nice!  So long, pea green!

I've also wanted a long farmhouse table for as long as I could remember and I finally found one for sale on facebook that ended up working perfectly.  It is longer than our old table, but not as wide, so it is easier for our kids to pass things across the table.  I can seat ten adults when both the leaves are in.  It has a nice poly coating, so it will hold up to the wear and tear of family meals and plenty of craft projects.  I think it looks so pretty under my chandelier.  

My favorite part of this whole project was the transformation of the arch in our entry area.  To me, it dated the house; plus it allowed someone coming into our home to look right into the bathroom...weird!  I'm pretty proud of myself for coming up with this idea and I'm proud of Eric and Steve for doing such a great job executing it!  They used poplar paneling on one side of the arch to build a faux wall.  I painted it and added the decorative touches.  The bench was a coffee table that used to belong to Patti.  I absolutely love the way it turned out!  The other side is not finished yet, but will be custom built in shelves for books, pictures, or other keepsakes.  I'm so happy with the updates we did and think it makes our house feel even cozier!

Snake Surprise!

Isaac and Cassidy caught two little red bellied snakes at their hunting land and brought them back home to play with for a few days.  The bigger one (Nolan's holding in the picture) was named Cooper, and the smaller one was Noodle.  Cooper was looking pretty fat which they thought meant he had just had a good meal, but everyone was shocked when the next morning Cooper had a baby!!  They named the little teeny tiny baby Bubbles and decided that Cooper should actually be named Claire, since she was a girl.  What a gross/cool experience!

Lake with the Lindners

We took Isaac and Cassidy to Tom and Sara's to do some swimming.  The kids had a blast splashing in the water with their friends!

Neighborhood Campout

The Lindners and our kids have been petitioning for a few weeks to have the opportunity to do a backyard campout together.  Cassidy even had them prepare a presentation to address any parental concerns.  They decided to do it at our house in case Livi got scared and agreed to all lights out at 10pm.  We did a campfire with hotdogs and s'mores and they got all tucked in to their cozy tent.  I was really impressed - they all made it through the night without needing to come in!  We had donuts the next morning and made another great neighborhood memory!

Day at the Lake(s)

This afternoon, Nolan was invited to join the Lindners out on their boat at Lake George.  He was so excited to go and had such a good time.  Usually we putter along on the pontoon, so going fast on the fishing boat was so cool for him!  He loved putting his hand in the spray on the side of the boat.  Livi was a little sad to not get to go, so I decided to take her to Tom and Sara's to swim for a bit.  She had so much fun splashing in the water.  It was another super hot day, so the water really felt refreshing.  We really love all the beautiful lakes up here in the Northwoods and have been grateful for the opportunities to spend so much time there this summer! 

Happy 85th Birthday, Grandma!

Grandma Edie turned 85 today!  She has been battling pancreatic cancer for nearly three years, and really hoped she would be here to celebrate this milestone birthday.  She asked for a card from each of her grandchildren with one of their favorite memories in it.  Here is what I sent to her on her special day:

Grandma,

Happy 85th Birthday! You are such a special person to me and we have so many wonderful memories to look back on. I decided it would be easier to type them than hand write them in a card. Here are some of my favorites:

- One of my earliest memories of you was your Oldsmobile.  I don't remember much about it, but I remember thinking it was the height of class and fanciness, which of course made it the perfect for someone as classy as you!

- I remember sleepovers at the farm - special times when you made us waffles for breakfast and let us have a chocolate chip cookie out of the freezer.  I remember how fun it was when Sandy had her puppies and how much I loved to visit the calves and get to feed them if I was really lucky.  Of course, Grandma's treat jar was always stashed with tootsie pops!  I remember once playing around the farmhouse when I got into some stinging nettles.  I remember how you helped me put mud on them because it would help cool them and take the pain away.  I also remember helping Grandpa pick nightcrawlers for fishing, but you let me use your rubber kitchen gloves because worms are icky.

- I remember helping out at the Whitetail Christmas Tree farm...staying in the toasty warm camper, helping with the money and making sure each guest left with a candy cane.

- For some reason, I remember riding in the back seat of the car with Lucas and the two of us just singing our hearts out...probably to the Lion King.  You have always supported me in my music, and I am grateful for that.

- I have always felt such gratitude to both you and Grandpa for always showing up for us.  You have continued this demonstration of love through attending all of the birthday parties, graduations, concerts, and life events of not only your 12 grandchildren, but your great grandchildren, too.  As I look back at photos of piano recitals, school programs, baptisms, and birthdays, you have always been there to share in those moments with us.  This has been an incredible gift.  Thank you.

- I remember visiting you in Florida - at your beautiful home in Lily Lake.  It was so fun to go swimming, see the sights, and of course, go to Disney World.  I remember that somehow I convinced you and Grandpa to go on the Space Mountain roller coaster with us...even though you weren't too sure.  I don't think you went on it a second time haha

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- I remember when you taught me how to sew.  You helped me make a beautiful baby blanket for my newborn goddaughter, Vera.  That sewing lesson helped me gain the confidence to make bedding and curtains for my own babies many years later.

- Another special time for me was at my wedding, when I had the privilege of sharing a dance with all EIGHT of Eric and my grandparents in attendance.  I still adore the quilt you made for me and it is hanging on the railing over our stairs.

- Grandma, we've had so many fun girls weekends over the years.  Deer hunting weekend was always a special time to spend with you and mom.  We definitely did A LOT of shopping (especially Dayton's!), as well as sewing projects, good food, and just quality time together.  

- Those three generation times together  were so precious that we decided to take a Mediterranean cruise to celebrate our special relationship!  Taking that trip with you was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.  We had so much fun seeing a new part of the world and taking in all the beautiful scenery.  One of my favorite parts was that carriage ride around Malta, seeing the crystal blue water all around us.  We went to the Vatican together, though I don't think it was quite what either of us expected.  The dinners on the ship were so spectacular, which were definitely a highlight.  It truly was a trip of a lifetime!

Grandma, we've made so many wonderful memories together.  I am very grateful for you and the role you've had in my life.  Happy 85th Birthday!

With my love,

Tiffanie

And here is the response back from her: (I think it so cool that she uses email and the internet!  I love texting her pictures of the kids to stay in touch!)

Tiffanie, you really made my day.  What beautiful memories you shared with me! I hope you know how very special you are to me.  Thank you for taking time to put all the memories out there for me to cherish.  I love you.  Grandma Edie

Harry Potter

We did it! All 734 pages!!  We are officially done with the first half of the Harry Potter series.  I promised Nolan that when we finished The Goblet of Fire, we would take a break to play the Harry Potter video game, so we began that right away.  It is so fun to share the amazing world of HP with him!

Boat day

One of the activities we've been able to enjoy this summer has been spending time on the lake.  Whether boating on the pontoon or swimming at Tom and Sara's, it has offered a much needed change of scenery and fun!

Greenhouse

We spent the morning over at Steve and Patti's helping out in the greenhouse.  There were lots of wonderful fresh veggies to pick - lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, green beans, beets, and carrots.  The kids love to help water, especially Livi, and love trying the different kinds of produce.  I can't wait for those yummy garden-fresh tomatoes!  We helped with growing a few of the different plants from seed this year, including some of the tomatoes, jalapenos, and green beans. It is fun to see how big they've grown since they were tiny seeds not that long ago!  Though it is a lot of work for Steve and Patti, it is fun to enjoy the fresh produce and have the kids learn the process of gardening!

Swimming

The last week has been pretty unbearable with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees and extremely high humidity.  Today we went to Tom and Sara's house to spend some time in the water.  The kids had a blast playing with their floaties and splashing around.  Simon preferred to climb the concrete steps, run on the dock, and scare me to death...so a typical day with him.  Grateful for a fun place to cool off today!

Fourth of July Campout

The fourth of July looked a little different for us this year.  Normally we spend the morning at the town parade and head to Tom's house in the afternoon for some fun on the water with the extended family.  Not this year! Thanks to COVID, we are staying close to home, though we tried to make things a little more special for the kids by doing a backyard campout.  It was a HOT weekend with temperatures well into the nineties and humid, so we spent a fair amount of time splashing in the water and trying to stay cool.  After the sun went down and Simon went to bed, we started a campfire and made pudgy pies and s'mores.  The kids were so excited to sleep in the tent, and despite the fireworks that kept them awake later than normal, they slept pretty well.  They had so much fun and are already begging for the next campout!