The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday morning was STUNNING. I get so excited about these sunrises that I know bring brighter, warmer days our way. So thankful!! I spent the afternoon writing my talk for the breakfast I spoke at on Thursday, and Ryan did some things around the house. By that evening, we were far more tired and cranky than we like to be on a Sunday, so we did a pick-me-up of a picnic in the park by the river! We had a great time - took a walk around, since it was nice, and geared up for the week.

* Monday, Lynne and I got a surprise delivery at work...some earrings from Elva Fields jewelry! They're huge, and I do love huge earrings!! When I came home from work, I discovered {much to my delight} that our tulips were THIS CLOSE to blooming. Pretty ready for that! Ryan and I worked hard to complete the bedroom as much as we could that night, and with one more last minute run to Lowe's before they closed...we got to see a gorgeous sunset {and mulch}.

* Tuesday was THE day. The day we called our new bedroom finished!! Ryan's brother came over to help with some of the heavy lifting stuff, which was so helpful since that was also the day I had another stomach episode, and I was feeling yucky. We were so thankful to be able to put that room back together and actually go to sleep in our room again for the first time in two weeks!!

* Wednesday was an exciting day for me...my new computer arrived! My old one died a slow, painful death, and I was excited for my early birthday present! {And you can see the keys, which is really exciting. I'd worn them off my old one.} Ryan spent the evening getting that set up, and I spent the evening reviewing my notes for my talk on Thursday. Braeya spent the evening gazing outside and claiming our room as hers. And I believe we are to make no mistake about that last part.

* Thursday was, of course, the day we announced on air that I'm leaving WBCL in June. Such a hard day and such another piece of finality in this decision to obey, but I'm thankful to have it out in the open! Before that even happened, though, I started the day by speaking at a business men's breakfast at IWU. That was a new audience for me! They were gracious, and I enjoyed talking with them. And the best part of the whole day? Two tulips FINALLY bloomed at our house. This spring has felt like the slowest EVER on flowers!

* Friday was an exciting day in Mid-Morning land. We had two Women of Faith speakers in studio with us! I got to meet Sheila Walsh and Mary Graham, and they were darling, delightful women who spoke SO MUCH TRUTH. And because they visited, we got to have Starbucks, which was VERY exciting to this girl after a long week! It was the most stunning day we've had yet this spring, and Ryan and I went for a walk. It was so wonderful!!!

* Ryan had to work yesterday, so I stayed home and did all kinds of writing and reading. It was heavenly. Many of our neighbors mowed, and it was so relaxing to sit in the house, hearing the mowers, watching the sunlight stream in the window. Braeya slept. LOL! Shocker! I also had fun taking some pictures of our tulips, which finally bloomed. Ryan brought home Chinese takeout for dinner and we enjoyed a leisurely night at home after his hard day at work.

Scavenger Hunt Date in the Park

I've been so busy telling you about our house and how it came to be ours...that I've completely neglected the happenings of Shafferland! So howsabout I catch you up?

A couple of weekends ago, we were promised a gorgeous Friday, so I planned a fun little date for that night! At work, I'd come across a pin for a park scavenger hunt, so I printed that out...and we set out for the park we love so much!

While I was still at work, I sent this photo to Ryan:

We started out at the B&K hot dog stand...where we loaded up on dogs, fries, and root beer...so we could start our date with a picnic!

{Side note: there was a father/daughter dance happening in the little community center at the park, so we were surrounded by dads in suits trying to remember to document well on phones...and little girls with curly hair and poofy dresses running and screaming in delight. We were woefully under-dressed for the occasion.}

After we ate...we set out in search of all the things required by the hunt! Of course, we took pictures of them all, and I realize it would be 82 kinds of boring to show you every single picture, so I'll just show you some of the funnier ones.

 We had to find the letter S, so Ryan leaned in to point to it. That's when he discovered the mulch was quite fresh. Whoopsie!!

 We were supposed to find something that smelled good. Sadly, nothing was in bloom, so we just took a photo in honor of what would EVENTUALLY smell good.

 For the item of being "in" something, Ryan climbed up INTO the playground equipment. Of course, doing that meant he had to get down somehow.

 Something with feathers. Trying not to disturb the little duckie.

 This was our something yellow. Ryan was trying to do a discreet questionable look, since it was a hydrant. I thought he was pondering what he was going to do, so I was waiting to take the picture. We took so long that a really nice guy walking by asked if we wanted our picture taken together. We wondered if he thought we were wackadoodle...if we wanted our picture taken WITH a hydrant?!?!

 Something you use to play sports. Not sure disc golf counts as a sport, but it did for us!!

 Something filled with air...we borrowed the balloons for the daddy/daughter dance. :)

It was a perfect night, capped off with a trip to {shockingly} Starbucks!!

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday we got up early and baked breakfast for our Sunday School! We always enjoy doing that! The blood donation bus was at our church, so after Sunday School, Ryan paid it a visit and donated some blood. I paid it a visit too - but just to wait for him. {I'm a chicken.} After church was over, we joined our Sunday School class for a pizza party, which was a lot of fun - and then we took a nap for the rest of the afternoon. {Embarrassingly long.} Even though it was chilly, we took a walk, and then hunkered down for the night!

 * Monday was a cold, rainy day...spent running through puddles and wrestling umbrellas. After work, Ryan and I went to the gym, where my goal was to run a 5K, and I almost made it...but at the very end, there was a debacle on the track and my concentration got wrecked, and I quit. I was so frustrated!! So we came home and made quesadillas and rested while the rain poured outside.

* On Tuesday I went to this cute little shop that had vintage games...one of which I actually had when I was a kid! {I'm sure it belonged to someone else before me. I'm not vintage!} Ahhhh memories. We had the best evening that night...we went for a run in the evening sun, we ran into our friends John and Sandee and caught up with them, and then we all hunkered down - including Braeya - to watch the Duggars!

* Wednesday evening, after work, Ryan worked on the house we're trying to sell...touching up some paint. While he worked on that, I had dinner with a photography team that has offered to help me with some mentoring so I can apply to be a photographer with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Dinner was very good {Flat Top Grill!} and I learned much from them in our talk. When I got home, I was so stinking excited to see our daffodils finally bloomed! I declare it spring!

 * Thursday...oh my. The debacle I had at lunch! I went out to McDonald's with one of my work buddies, and the two of us got accosted by a man that was either on something...or...something. He was very angry with us and I don't remember the last time I felt that unsafe! I was so glad to get home to Ryan that night! We went out for a run, by way of our favorite construction trailer - with the woman who has been waving for months, and did a selfie with her. HA!! Gorgeous night for a run - and I especially appreciated the chalk congrats on the pavement! Don't know who it was meant for...but YES THANK YOU!!!!

* Friday night - OH MY GOODNESS! We had so much fun! We declared it date night, and it was so so so beautiful outside that we got hot dogs and root beer at the B&K and headed to the park for a picnic and digital scavenger hunt. We had a BLAST! When that was over, we {of course} went for coffee and then came home to finish getting my stuff ready for my speaking engagement on Saturday. What a great night!

* Yesterday was packed and wonderful. Ryan worked, and I headed to Eastgate Community Church to speak at their mother/daughter banquet. Loved being able to share and meet new people! After that, I took pictures at a one year old's birthday party - MAN she's cute! :) Then I drove to Ryan's house to help with some painting, and while we were there, we had an impromptu running date, dinner date, and ice cream date! A long, full day, but so good!

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday afternoon, I got the itch to start decorating for fall! So I got on Pinterest to uncover some inspiration and then did something brand new...decorated the porch! I'm sure I'll add little things to it here and there, but for now, this is the start of the porch decor!

* Monday night, Ryan brought home two giant mums and a couple of pumpkins and I had so much fun potting the mums and getting everything arranged where I wanted it. And it was so wonderful that night to take a break and take a walk. Perfect night for that!

* Tuesday evening, we were busy fools...getting ready for company, mowing the yard, doing dishes and laundry - and I finally got around to taking Tia's suggestion to make a little "wood box" for the fireplace area. Loved the way it turned out! It was also season premiere night at our house - we watched the new Goldbergs show {the 80's throwback on ABC} and of course, the Duggars!!

* Wednesday night, we had some of my blognonymous friends over for dinner. They house sat for us while we were on our cruise, and we'd gotten them some thank-you gifts and wanted to have them for dinner as well. It was a gorgeous night and we were able to eat outside {hot dog roast and s'mores} and even play some games! {There was a kiddo at dinner, so of course there were games!}

* Thursday was our first day in the new studio at work! We have been watching the new room take place for several weeks now and it was such a beautiful thing to get to sit in that new seat and enjoy the results! Although I did have to wonder about this potentially subliminal message on my microphone control:

* Friday night, Ryan and I took date night to the park! We went to KFC for their little dinner special and took it out to the park to eat in the picnic shelter. After dinner, we walked around, enjoyed the perfect evening and took pictures. We went to Starbucks next {naturally} and had a great time just sitting there enjoying a leisurely evening coffee!

* Yesterday we started with breakfast in bed {yep - that was all Ryan!} - and Braeya tried to get in on that action. Too bad we don't share breakfast! And last night, we had Ryan's Dad's side of the family over for dinner. Really great evening that I'll have to tell you more about later! We really enjoyed chatting together and eating a chili bar and pumpkin dessert. Great Saturday!

4th of July Picnic for Two!

As you read in my post ON the 4th of July, this particular date was really pivotal to me, PLUS, I just really love the celebration of the 4th, so I tried to make our first 4th together special. Ryan had to work that morning, so I got up when he did and spent the morning being a housewife, which I adored. I got all kinds of chores done...and then I set out to put together a little picnic for two in our pirogi!!!

Ryan brought me these flowers earlier in the week, which was pretty perfect, because it meant I didn't have to go get any for our celebration! :) I did get the balloon star to add to it, and it made the perfect-sized centerpiece to add to our tiny patio table.

I bought a couple of plastic tablecloths just to dress the pirogi up a bit and cut them so I had enough for two tables. I carted one of our little square living room ottomans out to the pirogi, covered it with a layer of red and blue tablecloth, put our bed tray on top of it and made that the station for the condiments. I dressed it up with the printable from the living room.

For our main dish...cheeseburger kabobs! I happen to think they're kind of cute!! I just used meatballs for the meat {didn't make them from scratch...just took them out of the freezer bag and baked them} and layered them with cheese, grape tomatoes, pickles, and sections of hamburger bun on the end!! We LOVED them - and they were cute. You really can't top cute food.

I also made pasta salad from the Dashing Dish website...with a few alterations to change ingredients for ones we liked a little better.

So here was our little table. Not terribly fancy, but we enjoyed it!!

Ryan stopped on the way home and got Polar Pops for us because pop just sounded SO GOOD with this meal. I appreciate that their cup color scheme fit right in....

And take a good look at my hair because this is the smallest it was ALL DAY.

After lunch, we had dessert - which was a Pinterest find...little patriotic no-bake cheesecakes!! And, of course, coffee.

After lunch, we were both pooped - I mean, seriously, getting up at 5:00 a.m. on a HOLIDAY will do that to you!!! - so we curled up in the hammock and took a TWO HOUR nap. It was heavenly. After the scorcher year we had last year....this was a much more pleasant temperature holiday!!! {And by pleasant, I mean this year has bordered on downright COLD for a summer.}

So that was our patriotic picnic for two! We loved it!

Date, Part 2

I thought you might be so tired after reading all the horseback riding business...so I saved the second part of the date for today.

Oh yes. There was a part 2. 

We sat in our car staring at the horse corrals for a while, and I later discovered he was scoping out a spot to have a picnic!! Alas, it had quite an...aroma...of horses, so he opted for plan B. We drove back toward Logansport and into a park that has a beach! THAT was when I found out he'd hidden a picnic in the back of the car!

{He has such an advantage in hiding things like this, because it takes me so blessed long to do my hair, he has all kinds of time to hide food in cars!}

While he prepared lunch, I got to work on some sand drawing. It was the closest I could come to recreating our honeymoon.

This guy knows the way to my heart. Chicken salad {the good kind}, chips, COKE!!!!, and strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

I said, "I LOVE COKE!!" He said, "I know. Any day that ends in Y is a good day for you to have a Coke." {I really only have them about once a week.}

There were some folks out on the beach who um...well...perhaps could have chosen swimsuits with more coverage. Like a LOT more coverage. We tried not to stare. That didn't go well.

After our leisurely lunch on the beach, it was time for our next stop on our big date!!

I'm a good wife.

But then again. He's a good husband.

After all our shopping, we headed to his parents' house to try to help them out a bit in prepping their home for the big Father's Day shindig the next day. They had been working SO HARD on all the landscaping and cleaning, and a lot of it was done by the time we got there. While I waited for instructions, I checked out a possible future ride.

Ryan actually drove the thing. :)

We were pretty tired when we got home, but man, what a great date!!

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, Ryan and I tried the early service at the church we've been attending. It felt so strange to be all done with church by the time it normally begins for us! But we really enjoyed it...and we spent the rest of the day crafting our new counter tops - which you've already read about, so I won't go back over it. It was a long day but I so enjoyed having the day home with Ryan!

* Monday was Memorial Day, and I had the day off work, but Ryan had to work part of the day. So I hunkered down on the couch for the morning to catch up on DVR'd shows and scrapbook. And when he came home that afternoon, we worked so hard on our kitchen. We painted trim, painted hardware, shopped for new flooring, and did NOT work in the yard since it rained the whole stinkin' day!

* By Tuesday, I was absolutely POOPED. So that evening, Ryan picked up salads at Subway {since we can't really cook right now} and we ate dinner in our pirogi, took a quick nap in the hammock, and then spent the entire night painting the kitchen walls and ceiling. And listened to the Pacers/Heat game on the radio. {I'm learning to be a good NBA playoff season wife!}

* Wednesday evening, we had to go to Kokomo to the funeral home, and we decided to get some chicken and have a picnic after that! It was a warm evening...and so good to be outside together, enjoying some really good food!  {For the record, I really did eat something more than butter and ketchup!}

* Thursday, Ryan was on BLT with Lynne and me! I love, love, love it when he gets to be on the show, which isn't very often. He's so good on radio. :) And we continued the renovation fun that evening with some touch-up painting, faucet installation and of course...the first mishap of the event: a broken pipe.

 * Friday evening, Ryan and I finished up all the little random details from the painting and plumbing {bet you can't guess which of us worked on which thing!} and then, since it was scheduled to rain all weekend, I took advantage of the last part of the evening to plant all the flowers I bought last weekend. Some of them were starting to wilt and I wanted to get them in the ground/planters quickly!

 * And yesterday's exciting news...we now have new floors in the kitchen!! Ryan and Adam worked so hard to install them and I worked hard taking pictures of the process! Can't even begin to tell you how much this changes the look of the entire room. I can't wait to show you the after pictures!