The View (from 40)

It has been a summer of mini-adventures and milestones for the northern end of this blogging duo - family vacations, Bible camp, BBQs, birthdays, boating and minor home renovations. And like Laura, I too sent my youngest to kindergarten last week with feelings of "Now what?" and "What the HECK just happened?"  We are crossing the one week threshold today and my kindergartner still has a lot of anxiety walking through that door every morning. His feelings are simple and concrete: he's scared. New school, new kids and a lot of unknowns. I know that he'll adapt to his new school life like all kids do, but he wasn't the only one feeling anxious. I had a lot of anxiety about my ability to adapt to being alone! And for a minute, I think I actually wished he could stay home! Of course, the thought of home-schooling (and "new math") is still WAY scarier than being alone, so off he went. 

But my feelings of "What just happened?" continued and were compounded coming off the heels of another milestone: my 40th birthday. dun dun dun.... Yes, yes, I know what you're all thinking, "She doesn't look that old!" (That was what you were thinking, right?) But, thankfully, I am.  Thankfully? Yes, thankfully. 

I didn't put together a long list of things I've learned along the way, but I can tell you that the view, the overall view of life, family, love, kids, friendship is clearer. I've made it out of the cloud cover of my adolescence, the fog of my twenties and the sleep-deprived haziness of my thirties (and trust me, when you have a baby that didn't sleep through the night for two years, it can get very hazy!), and the view is more lovely than I ever imagined! It is so much easier to be who you are and say what you mean without apology, say "no" to the things you don't really want to do and, well, just be who you are meant to be. I'd be lying if I said being an empty nester (from 8 to 3 anyway!) and turning 40 didn't creep up on me a little, but I don't hear the haunting music or yearn to be the younger version of myself. I feel like I have a nice patina after 40 years of experiences and just enough years under my belt to look back with a little perspective. I'm thankful for the journey so far (even the messy stuff), for the mistakes I've made along the way and for all the characters I've met - especially the one I married. And the anxiety about the changes milestones sometimes carry is a welcome shot of adrenaline. 

"...if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more." Mitch Albom Tuesdays with Morrie.

So to my last buddy entering kindergarten, I have anxiety and butterflies the same as you about all the changes. And just because I'm not the mom who cries at drop off don't think that I haven't reflected on what the closing of this chapter means. It's just that I have the advantage of knowing that butterflies are a sign of good things to come - new adventures, new discoveries, a new view of the world. It is human to look back, reflect and maybe be a little anxious about what is ahead, but hang in there because the view continues to get better, clearer and more spectacular the higher you go. And really, who doesn't love a good view? {Erin}

A Short Christmas Story, As Priceless As They Come

As I run around this holiday season working a crazy amount and trying to do my Christmas shopping I find myself thinking irrational and selfish thoughts like "why do the kids get out Friday before Christmas, Christmas is not till Wednesday?!" or "why do they have the Christmas program during school hours?!" I know what you are thinking…. I would never admit that on a blog!:) Well, I did feel really bad having this thought. After all, my last baby was doing the last preschool church program I would ever see and I had seen lots of them! As I sat down by myself on the pew bench I started to tear up as I watched my littlest "King" file in. Then what happens next is a reaction only appropriate for a mom at her third child's Christmas program. I could not stop laughing through the sweetest little song, the one with all their little hands clutched praying and singing so softly… well except for one kid, that is! 

Little Vinny Stutzman

And what happens next is no task short of a true King surrounded by angels on either side of him… That's right "the roll" 

Then if it weren't enough he placed his treasure right in the angel's veil. 

Third ones a Charm(er)!! The moral of this short Christmas story is that its like some real boot camp style training to get through the early years with kids and much of it is a fog. If that were my first kid up there I probably would have signaled to him to stop picking immediately. But every time he looked at me I couldn't help but smile, wave and give him the thumbs up because this last time around I realize these moments of innocent inappropriateness are numbered and wishing them away is the real tragedy. So enjoy your little inappropriate, irrational and messy little gifts! Merry Christmas!

Cheers!!
{Laura}

Ski resort for fall break, hold the snow.

After five hours in the car, two potty stops and 1,000 goldfish (50% of which were smashed up into crumbs on the car floor!) we arrived at Boyne Mountain Ski Resort in Boyne Falls, MI.  Fall Break: Ski Resort? I'm a bit of a newbie to the idea of pilgrimaging to Northern Michigan at any time except the heat of summer or when the snow is actually falling, but Boyne Mountain advertises itself as an all-season resort so we loaded up the truck and we moved to Beverly. . . ah, I mean Boyne. Anyway, the resort didn't disappoint! It turned out to the be the perfect fall break family getaway (with a few added perks for the adults as well)! 

Since we went last weekend, the resort's family itinerary was packed with Halloween festivities in addition to their normal fall menu of activities. The kids enjoyed face painting, pumpkin decorating, a balloon artist (not sure if that really qualifies as an "artist" but I sure can't make a dog from a balloon), a juggling pirate, family movie night, spooky story time and trick or treating around the resort village. Yes, this includes bars because in Michigan kids can go into bars if food is served. Soooo, this is one of those adult perks I was talking about. Kids get candy. You can get a drink! Booya!

The main activity though that is included with your stay is the indoor Avalanche Bay Waterpark. It is a very nice and clean indoor park with slides and pools to suite all ages. 

image via: Boyne Mountain Resort, Avalanche Bay

  

There are also bike trails around the grounds, horseback riding, scenic chair lift rides (again, to a bar at the top of the mountain) and a a bonfire with s'mores every night. 

For the more adventurous at heart, there is a 10-run zip line through the various mountains. And if the height and speed aren't enough for you, they haunt if for Halloween.

image via: Boyne Mountain Resort

There is even a Kids Adventure Camp that you can utilize by the hour, full or half day in case you want to fit in the spa or shopping! The village offers several shops and restaurants all within a short walk. I even scored some new fall Lole and Prana duds.

Prana Lucia Sweater, $129

Lole Principal Tunic, $60

Lole Natural Cardigan, $110

Lole Route 2 Skirt, $70

Now, to my disappointment, there were no fox trot lessons, no shuffle board tournaments and no choreographed dance number at the end of the weekend by the staff. Buuut, no one called me Baby or put me in a corner either, so I guess I'm going to let those things slip. 

Two Thumbs Up! {Erin}

(Boyne Mountain has no affiliation with this post or influence with the opinions expressed.)

36 Things I Know To Be Absolute Gospel

Yesterday I was only 35 but as of this morning I have 36 years of experience under my belt and so I thought I might reflect on what it is I think I know by now. After all, I am officially closer to 40 than 30 so I'm fairly certain I have it all figured out by now, right?!  All opinions are my own and so I use the term "Gospel" lightly :) 

#36.) I am fairly certain that calculus and finite have no importance in life and are hanging around as a scare tactic for young hopefuls.

#35.) Truth in jokes, truth in jokes, truth in jokes

#34.) Age cannot be reflected in a person's face. If you want a more accurate teller, look at the hands.

#33.) Someday they are gonna realize that skinny jeans really just made us look fat!

#32.) Marriage is work but it doesn't have to be hard work.

#31.) I wish I were as skinny as the first time I decided I was fat.

#30.) I have come to find late in my life that crying is not a sign of weakness, it is a symbol of life getting better.

#29.)  Winnie the Poo was a great philosopher. As a kid, I thought he was just a hungry bear who ate too much honey but now I know that you can only have a big gut and wise things to say when you've had too much wine! Therefore he must also have been a great wino!

#28.) There is no one who will be as loyal to you as your dog, maybe sad, but very true! Everyone should have a dog once in their lives.

#27.) Having a baby doesn't make you a mom. Tradition can propel us forward and can also hold us back. 

#26.)  Eyes are truly the window to the sole. If you can't look a person in the eyes you may never really know them.

#25.) Technology is the best and worst thing that will happen to our kids. There is hardly anything in life that we can hold accountable for both. 

#24.) There is no process more delicate than raising a daughter.

#23.) I do believe in the "super-germ" and therefore welcome a healthy amount of dirtiness. 

#22.) There is no life worth living than a life with too many restrictions. By the time we are dead we will realize that we left one thing off our restrictions list that happen to kill us!

#21.) Mind over matter. I think they sometimes call this mind fuc#$ing... either way, it comes in handy.

#20.) Big hands, big feet....

#19.) Blonde's do have more fun so if you haven't been a blonde you should try it!

#18.) The biggest sin is saying that it couldn't happen to you.

#17.) The smaller my chest the closer you are to my heart.

#16.) Being spoiled has little to do with what you are used to having and more to do with what you continue to ask for.

#15.) I have never wanted anything as bad as I have wanted my kids to feel success.

#14.) What if we knew that what we will be remembered for in life had nothing to do with what we worked so hard to accomplish for ourselves.

#13.) It is no disservice to our kids to show them we have our own selfish needs.

#12.) Experiences, good and bad, are what keep life interesting and full

#11.) Sometimes it's better to be confident in your wrongness than feel like you are settling to be right

#10.) Pretending like I know what I am doing has proven successful in many of life's situations. 

#9.) Everyone is the same in one way, we all desire to be validated.

#8.) Carbs are not going to make you fat. Eating too much makes you fat! Do we have to keep talking about the skinny French women again?! 

#7.) Absence makes the heart grow fonder. You need a break from the people you love and this includes your children but more than anything, your children need a break from you! Don't flatter yourself! 

#6.) You can't mold anyone into what you want them to be. But you can always drive them crazy enough to break them down and ultimately get your way:)

#5.) Find one small thing that makes you happy and find time to do it everyday. 

#4.) Patience is a virtue... for slow people, that is! 

#3.) If you over think things, you're still alive...I never will consider that to be a fault. 

#2.) Age is a state of mind and nothing that a good present can't fix!

#1.) Write things down so your grandkids remember you as a person who lived life like they do, with sarcasm and joy, love and pain, disappointment and celebration. And also so that someone has some content for your funeral!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Cheers! {Laura}

Home Tour: Rick & Elene's Eclectic Harbor Springs Hide-Away

Laura's family and mine make an annual pilgrimage to northern Michigan once a year to visit our dad and his fiance, Elene. Laura and I (and our sister, Jamee) spent most of our youth in this area of Michigan. As kids, we were first exposed to Traverse City in the early 80s and as a family we worked our way north through Charlevoix, Bay Harbor and now Harbor Springs. Our dad has long been an avid sailor and boater in general, but now he splits his time between the land and lake in his two bedroom apartment above downtown Harbor Springs. 

My dad and Elene purchased their apartment furnished three years ago from a woman who is a world traveler and collector. The apartment is over-flowing with treasures from Bali, Morocco, Spain, Mexico and Tibet, to name a few places. It is truly a masterpiece of eclectic, global design. Enjoy the tour!
{Erin & Laura}

 Living Room

 

Kitchen

 (Cabinets are from Ikea)

 

Dining nook

 The view from the loft.

Master Bedroom

 Patio

Happy Labor Day!

For many of us, school has already started and the hectic craziness of homework, school sports and carpool has already begun. And now the "official" end of summer is upon us. Labor Day weekend. 

For those high society fashion snobs, this is the last weekend to wear white and seersucker. And for millions of sports enthusiasts, this is the kick-off to the NFL and college football season. Grover Cleveland signed Labor Day into law as an official US holiday in 1894. So do as this day was intended. 

Take one last nap in a hammock.

 via: Live Science

Pack a picnic lunch.

via: The Guardian

Enjoy that last summer read.

via: Utne Reader

For me it's also a time to reflect on the craziness of summer. 
Family vacations. Lazy days at the lake. Trips to the zoo.

And, of course, the mishaps along the way (that are just now starting to seem funny).  Yes, it was mommy that ran over the bike:)

So spend a little QT with the family and RELAX! You've earned it!

Happy (Labor Free) Labor Day! {Erin}

Fly Your Flag

The fourth of July is right around the corner and so it's time once again to hang the patriotic banners from the porch, buy a crisp, new flag for the flag pole and figure out how to make a dessert using blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream (thank you Pinterest!). For my family, we usually participate in some sort of parade. If we are with my dad in Northern Michigan, we are attentive parade spectators, scooping up candy and wearing crazy wigs. 

The gang: Circa 2012

The gang again, Circa 2012

And if we are at our lake in Indiana, then we decorate bikes and paint faces for a neighborhood parade.

 This is Tommy, Circa 2010

So as I prepared for this Fourth of July by sticking flags in my planters and replacing my own flag, I asked myself how the pride of this holiday can be more visible in our everyday lives and decor. As I searched for inspiration, I found that many people have already done this very thing. From modern to traditional, the core symbol of our freedom is firmly embedded into the fabric of interior design.

Large wall space? A large flag or a collection of flags is bold and chic.

Photo from Echelon Custom Homes via Pinterest

Photo from Nantucketredamericanblue.tumblr.com via Indulgy

Good things come to those who wait...

Hi all! It has been a busy couple weeks for our crew. My last post, the shadowbox frame, from last Monday was coming off a trip to Atlanta. Yesterday we got back from Wisconsin from a long weekend with family. We had a great time in the "land of cheese" & cranberries, who knew. I ate a cranberry soaked in moonshine that I think gave me an insta-buzz! We bon fired, water parked, wined and ate lots of great food! The kids and I are home one day (long enough to wash our undies and write this post) and then we are off to Clear Lake to "lake it" for a week with my sister and her boys. Erin and I have taken our 5 kids to the lake for three summers running. Yes, we are the ragged looking girls on the pontoon (a floating play pin of sorts) with enough wine, goldfish and kids to sink it! I will admit, more fun as the kids have gotten older and our supervision a tad less taxing:) Follow me on Instagram if you want to see some of this madness unravel...

Some Exciting news for House Envy....

Tomorrow House Envy will be featured on a very cool blog! I am excited to share the details with you tomorrow!! Yay, first official feature!! A BD in the land of blogging!

This week My sister and I will be working on some formatting details on the site to get it ready to introduce her as my co-blogger on House Envy!! Erin and I have very similar taste but just different enough that it will introduce a wider spectrum of design and of course more projects and DIY than I could handle on my own! She is an awesome DIY'er with skills of sewing & upholstering that one up me for sure! Erin has an eclectic style and I'm excited to show off some of her awesome projects. Now, with all this said have mercy on the two of us who share a common genetic dumbness for social media and technology in general:)

Here is a sneak peek at her style and some cool spaces in her house... I "sneak photoed" them while I was at her house last before I had officially convinced her she needed to be blogging with me!! hehee!!

Oh Lord! I need a religious gift!!

My best friend's sweet baby boy was baptized this weekend in Atlanta and I am his Godmother! Leading up to my trip I was brainstorming what would be a unique and special gift. I had given the cross jewelry and the growth chart and have seen the ceramic crosses online and many many keepsake boxes and silver spoons but wanted to give something that would coordinate well with his nursery and also be special enough for the occasion. 

I found a shop on Etsy selling prints of cute sayings and some religious prayers, typed out in modern, fun lettering. It just so happened that one of the sweet little religious prayers had a pop of color in it that matched his nursery color scheme!

I will go through how I customized the frame but this is how it turned out!

A Letter to My Daughter

Today you are 6! Happy Birthday Stell-belle. Today you get your own "letter", inspired in part by this excerpt below from "Bossypants" by the very funny Tina Fey.

A Mother's Prayer for Her Child

“First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.
May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.
Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.
O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.
Amen.”
-Tina Fey