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!!!

Mommapalooza 4.0

This was the fourth year in a row that we hosted Mother's Day at our house. We began the tradition in 2014 without really intending for it to become a tradition. (The best ones happen that way.) We just wanted to spoil our moms by letting them have the day off from cooking, and that turned into inviting siblings and other family members too, and Mommapalooza was born.

The first year, we hosted it outside at our Marion house, in our beloved pirogi, and we had practically perfect weather. We did burger/picnic food theme and had a great time! The second year, we intended to have it outside, but the weather was unbearably humid, and we feared everyone would be miserable outside, so at the last minute, we moved it inside (still at our Marion house). We grilled pork chops and chicken and had a fun crammed in the dining room of our little house. Last year, Mommapalooza 3.0 was our deadline for having round one of home renovations done, even though we still planned to have the party outside on our deck. Sadly, last May was still wintry, so we feared everyone would freeze to death during lunch, and we packed everyone into half our living room for a pot roast (and all the fixins) lunch.

So you can imagine how grateful we were that this year, we had our garage all finished, and we could plan to party out there from the very beginning, with no fear of what the weather might bring! And multiple people commented that it was a very relaxing and enjoyable space for such a party!

(Find Phoebe in the picture for an extra 10 invisible points!)

This year I went with a breakfast theme! Four kinds of fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries), quick cinnamon rolls, ham/egg/cheese sliders, Amish breakfast casserole, the Dashing Dish Sausage/Egg/Cheese Bake, ham and pickle roll-ups, and  smoky links in BBQ sauce.

My sister also brought a breakfast casserole, so we had lots of food!

We enjoyed the food, and Phoebe was a BIG hit with the kids. I'm working on building a better collection of toys and books, and they did play with those too, but I've decided having the dog for the day is really the way to go.

 Also ottomans.

 Also balloons.

We got a group photo and the stinkin' thing was blurry. Sigh.

But we got some other good pictures.

We were so grateful for a beautiful day! Even though we ate in the garage, we were thankful for a chance to be outside after! :)

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???

Wedding Fun!

It's taken me this whole week to tell you about our weekend! After Ryan and I got home from my speaking engagement Saturday morning, we had about an hour of rest time before we hopped back in the car and headed to Indianapolis to attend our friend's wedding! She's one of my friends from high school, and we really enjoyed the ceremony and reception! Here are a few pictures from it:

Pre-wedding selfie. :) 

 Our row! If you heard the podcast yesterday, you heard us talking about our 8th grade science teacher who still water skis at age 74. She's the one sitting two down from me. Looks exactly the same as when we had her in the early 90's.

 The happy couple!

 Awwww, they were nice to each other.

 Photo opp with the bride!

So that was Saturday.

Then there was Sunday. After church, Ryan came home and napped, and I went to his sister's bridal shower. My job was to take pictures, which I did at an alarming rate. But I was so nervous, because Ryan's mom is a photographer extraordinaire, and I am sort of a capture on the fly girl, and I freaked out that my pictures wouldn't be good enough! Alas, I cannot redo any of them now, so here's a peek at the shower.

Ryan's family does parties up right. Lots of hard work goes into every shower and party they throw! This was no exception!

The gift table. There were eventually a lot more gifts, but there were also a lot more people and I couldn't get a clear shot by that time. HA!

 Denim-inspired placemats and cups with daisies and baby's breath - and party favors of wooden spoons! (TOTALLY FORGOT TO GET ONE!)

 Our sister-in-law Megan makes phenomenal cakes, and there were two tasty examples at the shower. Guess who didn't get any of that either? WHAT?!?!!? I know!

 Ryan's cousin won the game. She declared she never wins ANYTHING, so this was a photo worthy moment!

 The happy bride-to-be!

 So I stood on this step stool for an hour and a half, taking pictures, and the ONE TIME I paused to text Ryan, I missed that she was waiting for a photo with this monogram. They had to shout my name to get my attention. WHOOPSIE! Photographer fail!

 Also. It is good that was an H and not an S, or I might have tucked that in my belongings on the way out the door!!

This is classic Bre right here!! :)

 Our nephew helped with the end of the gift opening. He was very eager for her to see this cookie sheet!

 Lots of group pictures at the end! Here is Bre with her dad, her sister, and her grandma.

 Bre with her mom (also Ryan's mom) and Aunt Debbie. Nita and Aunt Debbie were the hostesses of the party and did all the hard work to prepare it!

 This is what happens when the niece sneaks into the picture with the mother and mother-in-law! She jumped up right into my frame!

 But she's also a good little photographer and took this one of Bre and me!

 And this one.

So that was our Sunday! The year of weddings is officially underway!

Birthdays, Versaries, and Such

Today is a very eventful day. Much to observe, much to celebrate, much to remember. And there's no possible way to put all these things in any kind of correct order, so I'll just dive in and go!

Our baby girl turns eleven today.

(That's an old picture, but it seemed appropriate.)

Eleven years old! Can you believe that?

(These pictures are from the day I first got her and from last Mother's Day. We both came a long way in a decade, yes?)

She's a daddy's girl through and through now...could really take or leave me, but she's still cute and fun (except for when she wants to play at 4 in the morning) and keeps life in our little Shafferland very interesting.

Happy birthday, Braeya Jo Jo!

ALSO in the land of birthdays, my sister Lori turns an undisclosed amount of years today. :)  These photos are from Cassie's wedding weekend last summer. (We don't get to have pictures together very often because you know...850 miles apart.)

Happy birthday, Lori!!!! I hope this is a wonderful, non-eventful day for you. Love you!

Because ten years ago today, her birthday was not uneventful. Today marks the ten year anniversary of the tornado that destroyed most of their town, including their home and church. (What a lousy birthday present, right?)

I blogged a lot about that tornado back in the day, starting with this post, where I first asked you to pray for them. I didn't know much of anything at that time except it was all just bad. 

Turns out I didn't even really know what bad was until I saw the pictures.

This is a picture of the bathroom where the three of them were (in the basement of their house) during the tornado. The green towel hanging on the piece of wood is above/behind the toilet where they were all crouched. The planks on the right side of the picture are making a bridge from the back step to the top of the stairway to the basement. The night of the tornado, those planks weren't there, but neither was the floor that used to connect the stairway to the back door. So they had to jump across that hole, in the dark, in order to escape.

 The house.

 The church.

Obviously we remain so grateful for the protection over them physically the night of the storm and we are thankful God has provided every need since then. They now have a new home and a new church building, and my brother-in-law, Jeff, just released a book recounting his perspective on the storm and the heart-recovery the followed. It's called Light at the End of the Funnel.

 While there is no real graceful segue out of the loss of their home into this next versary, today also marks one year since we officially sold our home in Marion!

This praise party was FOR REAL. Five years is a long wait for a house sale. (And I know some of you have probably waited even longer. Bless you!!!)

 Our Realtor, Cathy. She made this process amazing.

Happy sale-aversary to us!!!

And not to be outdone by our own versary, I did want to mention that this week we celebrated our 53rd monthiversary. Wow! I continue to be in awe of this life I have the privilege to live beside Ryan. He is a blessing, and I'm grateful for him.

He did have to work (crazy how work doesn't recognize monthiversaries, isn't it?) so we celebrated in the evening by eating chicken nuggets, asparagus, and a new cookie recipe I found on Dashing Dish.

The official monthiversary photo:

And the post-workout photo. Because we are so cool that we work out for fun to celebrate.

See? I told you it was a big day!!

So grateful for God's goodness and faithfulness. I think it's demonstrated well in these pictures.

Linking up with Tamar (who has a yummy looking recipe today)!!!