The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, we were waking up for our last morning in Michigan. Sigh of sadness for the end of vacations! We enjoyed a beautiful and peaceful hike through a state park and onto the shore of Lake Michigan before driving back home. (In the warm sun, of course, which showed up for the first time in days.) Still had a great vacation and it was good to be home!

* Monday was get-back-to-normal day. Ryan returned to work, I did a bunch of laundry and unpacked, Braeya wavered between being glad to see us and punishing us with much crying, and the best part of all? OUR ROSES BLOOMED!!!! They are so pretty!

* Tuesday morning I met Ryan's brother and his wife and kids out at the park to do a photo shoot for one of the kiddos. It was a really fun morning, and the colors in the pictures really popped because it was just a little bit overcast! Because I'd been busy all day with pictures and writing, Ryan suggested we use a gift card and go out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. No problem! :) On the way home, we saw more good news: Starbucks is being rebuilt! YESSSSSSSSS!

* Wednesday was blah and yucky, but it cracked me up that I had to wait for ducks to cross the road while I was out running errands. (They were NOT in a hurry.) I picked up a fresh stock of kiddo supplies since I had the fab five for a little while that evening. Coloring books, crayons, games, puzzles - and this one kind of disturbing box that encourages "learning with Pooh." I try to stay poo-free in my learning, thankyouverymuch.

* Ryan had a carry-in at his work on Thursday, so I made cheesy potatoes and this photo is the last I saw of them. That dish was nearly licked CLEAN! I spent the entire day writing, and it was amazing. I was in the same spot when Ryan came home from work that I'd been in when he left for work! AND I got a new toy! Stand to hold my notes while I rehearse my talks. No more using the back of the recliner!

* Friday was the last day of school! I'm not sure who was more excited: my kiddo that I take or me! I decided it was a good stop-for-a-latte-reward day, so I did! (Took one to Ryan too since he filled in for me once when I was sick.) Speaking of Ryan: I LOVE IT when I see him reading a book. Makes me so happy! He started reading my brother-in-law's book this week, and I just had to get a picture. :) And Friday night we actually got a whole night at home together, just the two of us, with nothing to do.

* Ryan had to work a long day yesterday, so I did more writing and Pinteresting while he was gone. I had to record a promo video for a workshop this summer, so that was a fun little adventure. He took me out to eat AGAIN (thank you, gift cards!!) which was a real treat. Although I have to say, the restaurant and I have different takes on medium well. Yikes! And after that? A quick stop at Lowe's for Ryan's favorite thing: holiday price checks for appliances!

The Shafferland Shuffle

I feel like you don't need a shuffle this week, because you've been shuffling through my week ALL week! But watch that stop me from subjecting you to a shuffle anyway! HA!

* So about a million years ago was one week ago today: Mother's Day and my birthday! It really does feel like forever ago! We hosted Mommapalooza 4.0, we celebrated my birthday, AND we had Phoebe all day. It was one delightful and busy day!

* I kept right on celebrating my birthday on Monday, because I still had my free Starbucks drink coming to me. I got the S'mores drink for a treat, and it was delish. Monday was also the start of the speak-four-places-in-four-days tour! Ryan went with me to Fairfield Christian Church, and we had a great time with the ladies there. (And my Mom showed up to surprise me!)

* Tuesday morning, I went to a women's Bible study at Lakeview Wesleyan church to speak with them. They were so warm and kind! Know what else was warm and kind? My coffee and trip to Cato that followed it! I do miss Cato. Ryan and I needed some down time that night, so we went on a nice sunset walk. It was so lovely!

* Wednesday was our big day! Ryan took a vacation day to accompany me to Indiana Wesleyan, where I spoke at the first ever Staff Council retreat! So thankful that went well (at least I think it did, anyway!) and also so thankful that Ryan went with me! It helped so much to have him there! After we were done with that, we did our date inspired by the letter I. Still haven't had a chance to tell you about that! Next week. :)

* Ryan also took Thursday off work, just to get a much-deserved break, and he elected to come with me to my final speaking engagement of the week - at Point Isabel United Methodist Church. Great way to end the week! (Also, please THOROUGHLY enjoy how the stained glass behind me looks like bunny ears on me. I crack up every time I see these pictures!) We got to spend the rest of the day together and it was so nice!

* Because our week had not been eventful enough, we took a little road trip on Friday! We had been looking forward to our little getaway to southern Michigan, but apparently our luck with Michigan returned again, and on May 19th, it was in the low 40's and we were in hats and sweatshirts, trying to enjoy the beach! But you know the Shaffers...we'll make the best of it, even if it's not ideal weather! :)

 * Yesterday was another cold and rainy day, but we didn't let that stop us from having some fun together! Many adventures to tell you about next week, but let's just say the day included (but was not limited to) the following: much coffee, a pie tasting, naps, and SHOPPING!!!

The Shafferland Shuffle

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY (to you)!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY (to me)!! I fully anticipate today to be crazy busy here in Shafferland, but it'll be great to fill you in later!

Meanwhile, here's a peek at our last week.

* Last Sunday was Ryan's sister's bridal shower, and I took pictures at that while Ryan stayed home and enjoyed a MUCH deserved nap! Bre's shower was so nice, and she got tons of nice gifts. I think she was a little overwhelmed by it all, actually! But it was a good day.

* I actually had Monday off from my carpool duties, but I ended up helping another of our friends get his kiddo home from school, so it ended up balancing out. At least it was a pretty-ish day and I could enjoy my time in line! I spent the whole afternoon making props for one of my talks next week, and then I did my first "dress rehearsal" for it. Ryan felt it necessary to take my picture. I told him it looks like I'm directing a choir. LOL!

* Ryan had a carry-in at work on Tuesday, and I made these uh-mazing Samoa brownies to take to it. I was hoping everyone would hate them and I could bring them all home, but it didn't work out that way. That night, Mom and Dad took us out to eat for our birthdays, and we got free dessert! Made up for the Samoa brownies that didn't come home. HA!

* I spent Wednesday creating my 10 page color-coded itinerary to get us through the upcoming schedule madness, and that made me so tired by the end of the day, I just wanted to sit down and put my feet up! So I did! I did watch my friend's kiddos that evening for a little bit. This one cracks me up. Wants to play with the ball that's the same size she is!

* By Thursday, we were pooped, and Ryan took a nap at the end of lunch to get enough energy to get through the afternoon. I've been there!! We went out to buy all the rest of our flowers for this year so we could get those planted. It wasn't a super warm and sunny evening, but at least the rain held off!

* Friday, to celebrate the end of National Hospital Week, a food truck came to Ryan's work, and he was SO excited, because it was BBQ, and he loves BBQ! Friday was the nicest day of the whole week, and we were able to mow the yard and plant all our flowers. Looks like summer, now!

* Yesterday, Ryan had to work, and while he was gone, I got the garage set up to host Mommapalooza 4.0 and worked to prepare all the food I could ahead of time! When Ryan got home from work, we got all dressed up and went to wedding #2 for the month! Had a lovely time! Ryan makes one handsome date, doesn't he???

The Shafferland Shuffle

WHEW! Hope you are not floating away in all this rain we've had! What a lotta water!! Here's a peek into the dry parts of our week.

* Last Sunday was the second and final day of Ryan's continuing education course, and it was also the second (and turned out to be final) day of my 3 Day Refresh detox. I felt like I had the flu, so I pretty much stayed on Mo the entire day, with big hair and no makeup. Ryan got home from class that evening, and I was so happy to see him and so sad to be unable to drink coffee that I just cried.

* Because I called it quits on the detox at 4:03 Monday morning (after a long/short night of hallucinations and no sleep), I enjoyed the most amazing cup of coffee when the alarm went off. I've never loved it more. And I mean that. Ryan had a chance to try out a genuine Mayberry sheriff's car that day. Doesn't he look so cute in it? And I was excited to see a preview of Erica Wiggenhorn's forthcoming study on the book of Acts! It's gonna be great!

* Tuesday was our monthiverary. 53 months! We both spent the day working hard on our respective jobs, but that evening, we enjoyed dinner, a Dashing Dish dessert, and a lovely evening at home together. Even got in a nice, hard workout!

* Wednesday was a big office day for me. Lots of writing and practicing for upcoming talks. When I finally flipped my sign to closed at the end of the day, I was pleased with how much I had accomplished! Know what I was not pleased about? The manicure I got at the double-date mani/pedi last Friday completely fell apart. Had to do my own less than a week later. I think it turned out well, though!

* Thursday the rain began to fall...and it was just one wet, nasty day. What a birthday gift for Braeya, huh? She mostly napped all day and I didn't blame her. Wanted to do the same, myself! :) We didn't have nearly the flooding that some areas had, but it still was a soppy wet mess.

* Friday began our crazy busy weekend! I headed up to Fort Wayne to be a volunteer at WBCL's Daddy Daughter Date Night - photography night for me! It was so good to see all my former work buddies! I also got the chance to meet one of my friends' new little baby! :) Ryan spent the evening helping out my parents and enjoying a dinner out with them. Definitely odd to be apart, but we both had great nights!

* I'd gotten home after 11 on Friday night and we were back on the road by 8:15 Saturday morning so I could speak at the Huntington Baptist Church brunch. Ryan went with me, and we had a great morning with the ladies there! We got home just in time to drive the opposite direction, down to Indianapolis, to attend the wedding of one of my high school/game night friends. A full and fun day!

The Shafferland Shuffle

Happy last day of April!! It's been a cold and rainy weekend here, so I'm looking forward to these April showers bringing along some May flowers!!

* Last Sunday, we went to lunch with the Shaffer side of the family to celebrate the April birthdays: Ryan and his brother, Nick. We ate at Chili's and it was most delicious!

* Monday was Ryan's actual birthday (I'll finish telling you about our celebration tomorrow) and he had parties all day long! His work people brought treats for him and we had a date that evening. It was a fun day!

* Tuesday was hair day for this girl. Long overdue upgrade to the old color, and I'm pretty sure I pulled in radio waves with all this foil! After we both got home that evening, we had salad for dinner, but it was one of those nights when a salad didn't cut it. Dessert needed. We tried to get a Frosty, but the line was insane, so we splurged on Blizzards!!!! YUM!!!

* Wednesday evening was a kiddo-watching night for me, which was fun, and then Ryan and I hurried to the end of a viewing for the grandmother of some of our friends. On the way home, it got super crazy stormy in a hurry, and here are my thoughts on being out in that! We were fortunate - no hail damage. Some people got extensive damage! WE were also fortunate to get this gorgeous rainbow!!

 * Thursday was a busy work day, and when I went to get the mail, I found this blanket featuring Ryan's face. LOL!!! (It was something a friend of ours ordered - a photo collage - and she wanted a picture of us included. It's odd to see yourself on a blanket!) We had NO food in the house, so Subway made our dinner, and then it was an office-working night. All my favorite things in one space: Ryan and books!

* Friday I narrowly escaped setting off our fire alarm while cooking chicken at lunch. The whole house was thick with haze, but the alarm never went off. WHEW! In the land of new things we have tried this month, we went on a double-date mani-pedi with our friends on Friday night. Yes. You read that right. Oh my. Ryan's first pedi. He wasn't sure what to think of it, but he was a great sport! I got pretty coral fingernails, and we had fun with our friends.

* And then there was yesterday. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH yesterday. Ryan was gone from early, early morning until evening at an all day continuing education course with one of his co-workers. In his absence, I began a 3 day detox cleanse that very well may kill me. No meat. No dessert. No coffee. Pray for us both.

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Happy Sunday to you!!! We are so looking forward to a day of rest today. Much needed after a busy week. Hope you can catch some rest today, too! :)

* Last Sunday was Easter, so we weren't home resting that day! Church, exchanging baskets, lunch with my family, stopping in to catch the end of Ryan's family's celebration...a busy day indeed! But we were thankful for a pretty day, which was more than the forecast promised for Easter!

* Monday I went for a run, and I was pretty nervous about it after the first run of the season (on Saturday) went so ridiculously awful! But even though it was warm and sunny, attempt #2 was much better! Ryan spent the evening working at a friend's house, installing some lights for her, so while he was gone, I started planting the first of our flowers for this year!

* Tuesday was the day of all the crazy stories I didn't feel I could tell on the blog. Here's my pretending-to-be-nicer-than-I-feel-inside face that stayed plastered on much of the morning. And of course, a view from my book that I read at the doctor's office to try to stay calm while awaiting my appointment. Ryan had more work to do that evening at our friend's house, but he did come home in time to take a sunset walk with me. Beautiful view and enjoyable company!

* Wednesday I officially christened my new "open and closed" signs for my office. I like them!! :) This was also the day my brain had reached its fullness point, so I spent some time on the porch just being still (and perhaps napping for a brief time). At the end of the day, I watched our friends' five kiddos, but before I did, I tried out traction for the first time! Hoping it would help some of my sore neck issues. (Hello, computer for 18 hours a day!) Oh! And Ryan did work at other people's houses that night. You know. Something new and different. :)

* Ryan was so busy all week that he didn't have time to mow our yard, and the forecast called for rain, so Thursday morning, I put aside work for a bit to push-mow the yard. What a job! (Our mower is not self-propelled and the "tiny" hill in our yard becomes a mountain when push-mowing! GOt it done just before the rain POURED! That night, Ryan went to work at our friend's house again, and we'd been apart so much of the week that he missed me! So he called and asked if I'd come keep him company, which I was quite happy to do. (And I helped work, too.) When he got home, he found a razzleberry pie waiting for him. I thought he'd earned it after all his hard work!

* Friday night we had some friends over for dinner. They were new friends we made not long before we moved to Kokomo, and we hated leaving them! Because everyone has such a busy schedule, they hadn't been to our house since we moved, so we were glad to finally find a date that worked to have them over. We had a make-your-own-pizza bar and played Jenga together. (Ryan won.) It was just so nice to have them over and catch up with them!

* Saturday morning, at SEVEN IN THE MORNING, we went to help our friend move. (The one whose house Ryan worked at all week.) It was cold and cloudy, but no rain! We'll take it! (By the way, the seven a.m. time was chosen by Ryan.) It really was a pretty quick move. Last night we went out for the first of Ryan's birthday celebrations! Our annual pilgrimage to Tucano's for the bottomless meat festival, and this time we went with our friends Mike and Angie!

The Shafferland Easter Shuffle

Happy Easter! Hope you all have a wonderful day, even if the weather isn't very sunny! (At least that's what we're expecting here!)

* Last Sunday seems so long ago now, but that was the day we went to Indianapolis with Ryan's sister's entourage for wedding dress shopping. A successful day for her, for which we were thankful, and quite entertaining to watch Ryan take in the whole Say Yes to the Dress experience!

* I spent Monday busily working in the office, wrapping up all the paperwork from speaking over the weekend. Fun fact: at lunch, Ryan made me laugh so hard I cried off all the makeup one eye. I forgot to fix that before I went out in public. Whoopsie. That night, Ryan went to help a friend of ours who just bought a house and needed some work done on a light fixture. Not sure how the hammer was going to fix it, but who am I to question? While he did that, I made our dinner: skinny mini lasagnas from Dashing Dish. Fabulous!

* Tuesday night, we hosted another Tuesdays at the Table with my good friend Ronda. We miss living close to her! I tried my hand at making "breadsticks" with cauliflower crust, and even though Ryan didn't care for it, I thought it was fabulous!

* Wednesday was a day of much prayer, Bible study, and journaling, and even though my heart wrestled through many things, it was so nice to see the two plants we own (so far) blooming beautifully! And that night, we had an unexpected dinner invitation to a friend's house! (Ryan was doing some work there too...he's been quite the handyman this week!)

* Thursday I got together with my mother-in-law for coffee, and at the end of the day, I just did not have it in me to make dinner. It had been a d.a.y. for both Ryan and me, so we went to Culver's for a treat. (And I did the whole treat thing, too! Burger AND fries!) And when Ryan went shopping at Lowe's, I thoroughly enjoyed their Easter lily display. So pretty!

* I had Friday off from carpool duties, so I stayed in my jammies and read blogs and drank coffee extra long that morning! After work, we helped one of our friends by hauling a truckload of mulch to her house. (That load tested our truck tire limits.  EEK!) And Ryan felt he had earned a Meat Mountain sandwich at Arby's, so we stopped for him to try one. Sorry there are no photos of my salad. LOL!

* Yesterday was GORGEOUS here in Indiana, and of course Ryan had to work, so I scrapbooked. We went for a run and I happened to notice that the strong winds had done a bit of a number on the portapotties around the area. (Lots of construction = portapotties.) Hope no one was inside! We took a few minutes to rest on our porch and drink coffee after dinner, and then Ryan wanted to look for an Easter outfit. This wasn't QUITE what I envisioned...

The Shafferland Shuffle

You guys, last Sunday seems like 20 million years ago! Seriously! (Ryan said Tuesday seems like 20 million years ago.) Guess it was a long week! Here's a peek at it:

* Last Sunday was our monthiversary! 52 months, baby! We celebrated with a little shopping, lunch out at McAlister's (pause to appreciate their amazing iced tea...), a nice walk in the sunshine, and some lounging on the patio. It was a gorgeous day, and we appreciated it!

* I mentioned this earlier this week, but Ryan's sister just got engaged not long ago, and Monday was a big girls-of-the-family planning meeting during lunch. His whole family is full of fantastic event planners, so I am confident they did not need me at all, but I went with my nerdy color-coded pens and listened to the beginning of the planning-palooza! We had gotten a gift card to Texas Roadhouse, so Ryan suggested we go there for dinner. I think he just wanted to fill up on peanuts. :)

* Tuesday was super busy, including a podcast interview for me and Tuesdays at the Table for both of us! We had Ryan's mom and Aunt Ruthie over for dinner, and after the meal was done, some of the wedding planning palooza continued at our house.

* I was so happy to see our oils order arrive on Wednesday, because Ryan was mid-cold and I needed to have him start feeling better! That night we went to hear our friend Brent Vernon, who was in concert right here in town! We hardly ever get to see him, so anytime he's within driving distance, we go! He did a great job, and it was fun to see him (and Sam the dummy)!

* Thursday was a writing day for this girl. I hunkered down and worked for hours!! That was also the day my brother-in-law's book showed up in the mail, and I was so happy to finally own my very own copy! :) Ryan was pooped when he came home from work (thankyouverymuch, cold) so he and Braeya rested on the couch for most of the evening. They're so cute!

* Friday was still a little chilly here in Central Indiana, but the sun came out and it made me SO EAGER for warm spring. I put my laptop right by the little patch of sun and sat in the warmth while I worked! And I noticed the pretty pink tree in the yard is starting to come to life! We stayed home all evening just to rest after a busy week. Tried to watch Dateline (don't be jealous of how cool we are) but we fell asleep in the middle of it. That might explain our poor, tired faces in this picture. HA!

* Yesterday I wore two hats at once. (Not literally, of course.) I was the speaker and photographer at a bridal shower, and it was just a blast! Good food, fun fellowship, and I enjoyed the day immensely! (More on this later.) While I was busy working, Ryan was busy working too - on the yard! He rolled and mowed it for the first time this season. Bring on the warmth!