The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday night, Hallmark aired the movie based on the Karen Kingsbury book, The Bridge, and my friend Sandee had invited me to watch it with her and some of her friends and family. Ryan assured me he could represent us in watching the Colts game and told me to go watch and have a good time. So I did! I enjoyed the movie {though not waiting a year to see the end of it} - and it was extra fun to see my book on the coffee table in the host's home!!

* Monday morning was fine - and then I looked up while I worked on our podcast and noticed it had suddenly gotten foggy. That's odd! It's odd for fog to settle as far in town as where we live, so I can only imagine what it was like out in the country! I spent the day polishing our "new" dining room table and chairs - and I thought they turned out quite shiny and lovely!

* Tuesday's task was addressing Christmas cards - a huge job, but definitely easier when I had an entire day to do it! Ryan and I got a new gift from his mom - a coffee Christmas rug. How perfect is this!?!?!? Not perfect was the help we received while working out. Bench press that, Braeya!! LOL!

* Wednesday I mailed my cards, and I ended up sitting in the Walgreen's parking lot with a washcloth, sealing them all in the front seat of the car. I'm so classy!! Ryan asked if I would buy him some gum - and I had to make a big deal out of it because as you may or may not know, I hate EVERYTHING about gum. {I'm so weird.} That night Ryan FINALLY got the alternator off his truck. He's been working on it for about a month but kept running into issues. He was pretty happy it was done.

* Thursday I had a HUGE treat: I got to watch our friends Nate and Jenna's kiddos for a little bit. They are adorable and we had a good little time. Apparently our house was the coolest because we had all the cartoon channels. :)

* I started wrapping gifts on Friday - and it was fun to do with Christmas movies playing in the background! It was SO WARM on Friday that we walked the light display in the park without even wearing hats or gloves - or very warm coats! It was the most fun date. I'm so glad we had a good night to go. {The first two years we went, it was snowing when we arrived, and we had to drive it!}

* Yesterday we got to SLEEP IN and eat breakfast at home - which was so lovely! We went to a birthday party for a friend's kiddo who turned one, and then we set out to finish as much of our Christmas shopping as we could! It was a good all-day date day! And can I tell you how much fun that is to do when it's almost seventy degrees IN DECEMBER?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?

The Saturday Six

One.

You all know my undying love for all things Little House...so you'll understand why this post, featuring a Little House inspired photo shoot, made me absolutely swoon. {Sorry there isn't a teaser picture for you - her images can't be copied. I have a rule about not featuring something on the Six if I can't use a photo, but it's too good not to share, so go see!}

Two.

Wow - watch this!!!! 

 Three.

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It's not very often that I link to something on this actual blog on the Six, but since we're breaking ALL the rules this week, let's do that! Earlier this week, someone asked me about the counter tops Ryan and I overhauled a couple of years ago, and she wanted to know how we did it. Since some of you might be new here since then, I thought I'd send you back to that post, in case making over your kitchen is on your 2016 list, and you don't have money for all new counter tops! So here you go!

Four.

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One of my Facebook friends linked to this blog this week, and I had SO MUCH FUN looking through all her posts! So many great ideas - especially for those of you who move often or rent and have limitations on your decorating. Loved it!!

Five.

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Maria asked if Ryan could make a list of good gift ideas for guys, and we somehow lost track of that project and will have to table it for next year. But in the meantime...I found this idea list! I know a few of them would get nods from Ryan, so I think it's a good list!! 

Six.

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And one more gift list for you!! I have tried several of the things on this list and agree with her suggestions. The only one that did not work for me was the nail polish she recommends. I don't think you'll ever be able to separate me from my Shellac. But if it works for you - great!! But these are fun! {And those Wood Wick candles - SWOON!!!}  

Christmas in Shafferland 2015

Wanna peek into our toned-down Christmas this year?

The first year we were married, I didn't have much time to decorate, and it nearly gave me a panic attack to not put up EVERY SINGLE TREE I owned. The last two years I've gone all out and used every decoration in the tubs.

This year? I needed a simple Christmas. We have only 2 trees up {and one is so tiny it barely counts}...but I am so in love with the warm touches to our home! I love the way the things we have tell the story of us and our Christmases. I love that this is our fourth Christmas together and therefore we have actual traditions established. These things make me smile.

We actually do not have a tree in our living room this year. {GASP.} We rearranged the entire room, and this left us without room for a tree. Crazy! But it's okay because we put the tree {you remember Firby!} in the dining room, right in the archway that leads into the living room, and you can see it fully from both rooms. It's lovely.

So really, in the living room, our decorations are simple. Our stockings, of course...

{Braeya has a stocking too - but it's toward the other end and you can't see it in this picture.}

We have these little wooden signs I made a few years ago and just love {for reasons I do not know}.

And possibly my favorite thing: our annual Christmas pictures. For the last two years, my friend Amy gave me Hallmark's annual frame, which says Christmas and has the year on it...and I put our official Christmas photo in it. It bugged me that I didn't have our first one {and I couldn't find one online, though I searched hard!} so I made an improvised version. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.

And of course, we can't leave the room without a little of this!

Our Firby tree lives in the dining room, and we just loved the way he turned out! All the ornaments on this tree are from the story of our life together {supplemented with plain gold balls}.

{...you get the idea...}

We also have these stocking pins attached to the tree skirt. They're too heavy for our actual stockings, which are a very fine knit. But I love these!

 We can't forget our Pinterest-inspired tree topper!

And some other fun scenes from the dining room:

{My grandparents' Bible - which is also featured on the front of my Advent book!}

Our new dining room table with its little Christmas-y runner.

 Of course there has to be a chalkboard!

A couple of touches in the bathroom...

Another of my faves...this darling little Nativity I found several years ago while visiting my sister in Kansas, alongside a framed copy of each Christmas card we've sent.

The "tree" in our bedroom - just a little shout-out to the Colts, in honor of Ryan and how well he puts up with all the ribbon and such throughout the rest of the house!

And since we really don't have room in our house for a tree in the kitchen, I took my ornaments and hung them on the cabinets instead!

So there you have it! Thanks for touring our little home!! :) Hope you enjoyed it!

Surprise Parties!

I love a good surprise party. They are so much fun! I remember when my brother-in-law {Jeff} turned 30, my sister planned a magnificent party for him, and I helped her haul gallons of fruit punch from its hiding place under her bathroom sink to a closet a few days before the party. Isn't it weird what you remember???

Anyway. That was a few years ago. :) THIS year - just a few days ago actually, another brother-in-law had a surprise birthday party. This time we celebrated Ryan's sister's husband, Johnny, who turned 40! {Ironically, both Ryan and I have sisters named Lori, so apparently the key to getting a surprise party is marrying a Lori.}

Johnny loves all things cowboy, so the party had a cowboy theme and turned out to be a really fun evening. Lori asked if I'd take pictures, and I said yes - and then I discovered the lighting was highly conducive to atmosphere but not at all conducive to taking pictures. So I apologize now for the grainy pics.

Be still my beating heart: they made a photo booth!!!! That's a real saddle in there, and people could sit on it if they wanted to!

Delicious cupcakes...

SO much food...

Pictures of the birthday boy...

And a DJ!

While we waited for Johnny to arrive, we had fun with the photo booth. I took lots of pictures, but since I don't know any of those people, we'll stick to taking a gander at my favorite cowboy:

Sigh of love.

Oh! And we got a picture together, thanks to a really nice guest who offered to take one for us. Unfortunately the red light from the disco ball was on my face. LOL.

Some red eye is just out of control.

Ryan and his step-dad, Allen:

 Like Ryan's green nose?

Eventually Johnny showed up and ALL our pictures of his entrance are blurry, because of the lighting. {of course.} But I did especially love this one:

Ryan and Johnny had funny and serious pictures in the photo booth:

The DJ was a lot of fun and there were apparently several dance-loving folks in the crowd:

Johnny and Lori's son stole the show a few times. He was so cute!!

Ryan's niece was on her way to a winter dance and she looked stunning:

And his other niece sang a little song - did a great job!

{Looks like someone wanted to help!}

At the very end of the night, we all got to watch a video of pictures of Johnny's life. Lori worked hard on it and it lasted about 20 minutes. Well done and so fun to see the many hairstyles of Johnny! LOL!
{Bless the 80's and 90's}.

A fun night and a fun party! {And a fun disco ball!}