Does This Mean We're Getting Old?

Ryan and I try to go on a date every single week. It's important to us to carve out time for each other every week.

Last Saturday, we did a work/date combo. That happens sometimes. And I think there's a distinct possibility, it proved we're getting OLD.

We got up super early {like the same time we'd get up on a work day} - and headed toward Indianapolis. On the way, we were distracted by the AMAZING sunrise. Picture doesn't do it justice. AT ALL.

 Ryan even pulled over into a parking lot so I could get a picture. I love that man.

On our way to Indianapolis, we were passed by a motorcycle...and the driver was wearing a helmet, which I so appreciated, but that was about all he was wearing! Helmet and gym shorts. 80 miles an hour on the interstate. Seriously, dude???? That's gonna be some road rash if you take a spill.

Wish I'd gotten a picture of THAT for you!!

We started out our date with an oil change...reminiscent of our very first date, which began with an oil change. :) While we waited, someone wanted to try out the Harley in the show room.

 And just a quick opinion on that:

I hate motorcyles.
 
And after our oil change was over, the sun blazed on in its glory.

We were headed to Indy because Ryan needed to go to a conference for the morning...for work. On his way to that, he dropped me off at a Starbucks inside a Target where....

...I met up with my friend Jamie!! Jamie was the Mid-Morning producer before me, and we haven't seen much of each other since then. She asked if I was up for meeting her in the Indy area to catch up, so this was our chance! We settled in with coffee and sweet bread and talked forever. It was SO GOOD to have a good heart to heart with her.

And we may or may not have done a little shopping after that. And I may or may not have purchased this throwback to my childhood:

Isn't that GREAT? Mom and Dad had one of these when I was a kid and they're BACK!! {And as you can see - we lost our sun.}

Ryan picked us up at noon, when his conference ended, and the three of us headed over to Chili's for lunch and chatting. I loved it that Jamie and Ryan had a chance to get to know each other over lunch. :) Such sweet memories made there.

We left Jamie and headed north again, stopping at a Super Target to look for some things on our to-buy list for the house. By the time we got to Target, we felt pretty lousy. Between a minimal amount of sleep  and something we ate getting the best of us, we decided to kick back in the car for a quick nap.

AN HOUR LATER...we woke up. Oh my word! We slept for an hour in the Target parking lot! We are so old.

You know how it goes when you wake up too fast and get up and try to move around and you can't think and you feel dizzy and sick? That was us. We made a quick exit and drove back to Marion.

By the time we got back to town, we felt better, so we made a trek through Hobby Lobby and then the Goodwill.

Then we came home and got to work! More painting in Shafferland!

It may not be your traditional date, but that's how we do things around here. A great day - and a sweet treat to get to spend time with Jamie!

About Those Baby Shower Gifts...

I'm not a DIY blog...but every now and then I like to share with you how I made something - just in case you want to copy!

I seem to know a lot of people having babies right now, so I wanted to come up with a good stash of baby shower gift ideas so I could have some fun with these gifts! I made these two for Olivia's showers that I went to a few weeks back, and I thought I'd share with you how I did them, so you can make your own versions! They really don't take very long AT ALL.

Onesie Milkshakes

These look like milkshakes {or frappes} and best of all - require absolutely no gift wrap. These ARE the gift wrap!

Here's what you need:

* 4 onesies {color up to you - Olivia was having a girl, so I got pink ones and went with kind of a strawberry milkshake sort of look}
* 4 white cloth diapers
* 8 white washcloths
* 2 pair red socks {I couldn't find any, so I found 2 pairs of pink skid proof slippers that I improvised with}
* 4 clear plastic disposable cups
* 1 drink holder {I just kept one after a trip through the McDonald's drive thru}
* Scrapbook paper/scrapbooking flowers for the cozie looking holder

And here's how you do it:

For one cup, you'll need 1 onesie, 1 cloth diaper, 2 washcloths, 1 sock...and then one cup, obviously.

 I rolled up the diaper to make the middle of the shake and then wrapped the 2 washcloths around it.

 I put the word/picture side of the onesie inside, and folded in the sleeves and then wrapped it around the diaper/washcloth roll, being careful to let the washcloth/diaper part stick out the top to achieve the whipped cream look.

 Like this:

 Then I folded up my little slipper sock into the closest thing to a ball I could get and tucked it in the middle to look like a cherry.

 I bought one 12x12 zebra scrapbook paper - but you could use any design you like, and then a pack of four blingy scrapbooking flowers. I cut the scrapbook paper to wrap around the cup and sealed it up with a flower.

{Side note. When I gave the gift, one of the other shower guests asked if the cozies were headbands. NO!! But why didn't I think of that? For a girl, that would be SO PERFECT! I may do that next time. For a boy....you could skip the flower and put some sort of scrapbooking baby saying or something.}

Diaper Devotions

My other gift for Olivia was a bag of diaper devos. This gives her a short devotional to read around the time she changes a diaper. I loved the way it turned out.

Here's what you need:

* A package of disposable diapers. {I didn't get newborn ones because sometimes babies are born bigger than that size of diapers! I went a little bigger hoping it would extend the amount of time she'd need them.}
* A box of wipes {not really necessary, but a nice added touch}
* A bottle of hand sanitizer {also not really necessary, but still a nice touch}
* A devo Bible for moms to get some ideas {I used the Mom's Devotional Bible published by Zondervan}

And here's how you do it:

Count the diapers so you know how many devos you'll need. The package I bought had 31 diapers in it, so that's how many devos I prepared. 

 Go through the Bible you're using and pick out 31 verses and thoughts and type them out. I divided my Word document into 2 landscape columns so I could print two thoughts per page. Since Olivia is having a girl, I printed the verses in pink and the devo part in gray - just to spice up the color. I tried to keep the thoughts short and the font large {in case she's reading it from a bit of a distance while she tends to the baby.

 {Side note - I improvised the devos and just used the thoughts from the devo Bible to guide me. I turned each one into something she could pray about for her daughter for her future. For example, one of the prayers might have been praying that down the road, her daughter would have the courage to handle a difficult time as a learning experience.}

I cut each sheet in half and tucked one devo inside each diaper.

 Then I put them all in a gift bag! {Next time = bigger gift bag. They were PACKED in there.}

Next time I make these, they'll go even faster because I have the devos already typed out!

So there you go - an idea for your next baby gift!!

The Fair: Do-Over

Last Saturday we participated in the 3 Rivers Festival Parade...and then took pictures at the Peterson Scholarship Golf Outing...and with our spare time at the end of the day...we went back to the fair! I mean...wouldn't YOU have done that?

We had one more dinner at the fair...sirloin tips and a lemon shake up this time! {Two forks because we shared.} Got to chat with our friend Judy while we ate. I miss her!!! So good to catch up with her.

 We walked around for a while, and Ryan said we really needed a cinnamon roll to stash away for our Sunday morning breakfast. No arguments here!! :) It was a HUGE cinnamon roll and it was so yummy the next day with our morning coffee!

 And then...there is a distinct possibility that I may have asked to ride this again.

 Yes, you read that right.

I asked.

I was so thrown off by the fact that my first ride on this thing happened in the presence of three kids I didn't know...that I wanted a do-over. So at sunset {much like our wedding} we got in a very short line and THIS time...we got our own private little basket.

So pretty from the top with all the lights on across the fairgrounds.

 Look who had her eyes open and a smile on her face this time????? THIS GIRL!!!!

 Our romantic ride. Got my kiss this time. :)

 Sunset over the horizon.

 It was so much fun this time!! SO glad we had our do-over.

After our ride, we made our way over to the ice cream and shared a turtle sundae.

 We ended up taking a few more laps around the fairground, ran into Ryan's sister and her boyfriend and talked to them for a while, polished off our night with a few fresh-cut fries and called it a year for the fair.

It was a long day, but we were pretty happy at the end of it. Bye, fair!! See you next year!

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, we were appropriately exhausted - because doing a parade, a golf scramble, and a county fair in one Saturday will do that to a person. So we used the day to just rest and it was so lovely in every possible way. And because you haven't seen a ton of her lately {due to extremely bad parenting on our part} I thought I'd show you just how much of a Daddy's Girl this one has become.

* Monday evening, we went to my parents' house to do a project. They needed a TV installed in a room that did not previously have one, so while they were traveling home from a vacation, we went over to "surprise" them with the installation. I found out right before their trip that Mom told one of her friends we were coming over to set it up while they were gone. So much for our surprise! How did she figure that out? We didn't tell anyone we were going!! Well, they couldn't come home to NO surprises, so while Ryan installed the TV, I ran around the house installing little evidences of our visit, including changing Mom's block sign:

* Tuesday evening I got my hair cut after work. Amazing how a little trimmity-trim-trim and a thin can make you feel like a whole new person! While she cut, I devoured more of Shauna Niequist's book Bread and Wine - which I love more with the turn of every page. When I got home, I planted myself on the couch and got to work {fast and furious} on our wedding book. I'm trying to finish that in the next week or so just so I can mark it off and only be like seven scrapbooks behind. :)

* Wednesday evening found me back on the couch working on the scrapbook. Ryan was more productive than I was...and he fixed the squeaky hole in the floor! The big hole that was left from the furnace grate back in the day has plywood in it - and the wood squeaks when you step on it. So he repaired that. He's so much smarter than I am. I would not have had a clue where to start with it.

 * Thursday evening I hit the scrapbook again pretty hard...and had so much fun with it! Ryan went on to his next project - which was pulling up the tack strip around the edge of the floor. I seriously had no idea it was all so labor intensive. The flooring...not the scrapbooking.

* Friday night we had grand plans of hitting the house renovation work hard, but we went for a much nicer plan B. Chinese takeout, Twinkie cake for dessert, a movie, and a bowl of popcorn. Sometimes the weeks just wear you out and by the weekend, you need to rest. And it was so lovely.

 

* We got up so early on Saturday, because Ryan went to a work conference in Indianapolis. I rode down with him and while he went to his conference, I enjoyed coffee and shopping with Jamie! {Jamie was the Mid-Morning producer before I came to work there, and I haven't spent real, quality time with her for SO LONG! We had a great time. Ryan and I enjoyed the rest of the day together - fun stories I'll tell you later!

The Saturday Six

One.

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As if I do not have enough projects in the hopper...I may have fallen in love with this whole option of DIY wood pallet signs. Maybe. Especially the one that says "I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you." melt.

Two.

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I really really love reading Caroline Rothschild's blog. She's one of those writers that I like to think I could drum up a friendship with if we lived closer. {If she were into friends ten years older...} But I digress. Anyway. She got married just over a year ago and I've really enjoyed reading her adventures in marriage, as they remind me a lot of the way Ryan and I approach our marriage. She wrote this post this week called "My Husband Doesn't Fulfill Me." Good. Stuff. You should read it.

Three.

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Okay first of all, I should say that I find it 52 kinds of cool that Jon Acuff is an avid Pinterester. How I missed this until now is lost to me. But I got some awfully good giggles out of this board, appropriately titled "Typoes." I have two wishes concerning this board: more pins...and for nothing associated with me to ever be ON this board.

Four.

And then after you finish that 8-pin board, you'll find yourself in need of more laughs, so you'll be delighted to know that Jon also has a board called Laughter That is Awesome - and there are over 800 funnies on it. Hey. Laughter is the best medicine. So medicate!!!

Five.

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I love to read KariAnne's blog over at Thistlewood Farms, and several weeks ago, she bought those most darling little gatehouse and has been fixing it up. I've been a secret blog stalker, waiting for after pictures - as exciting to me as new baby pictures on the mom blogs I stalk read. Yesterday she unveiled the outside after pictures. I nearly squealed out loud. I won't post the full after picture so you can go enjoy her reveal - but these steps...with the painted runner...hmmm. Might have to happen at Shafferland.

Six.

Love to mix up the workout now and then, so this past week, I pulled out this DVD I bought a while ago. I probably should lose a bit more before bothering to sculpt, but I'm nothing if not impatient. :)  

GOLF!

Last summer, I was hired for my first photography gig! Lynne's husband organized a scholarship fundraiser golf outing, and he asked if I could come take pictures. So, this girl who knows NOTHING about golf, showed up on a golf course, tooled around in a cart with Lynne, and had a blast!

I must have done a decent job with the pictures, because I was invited back for round two!

The golf outing started immediately after the parade Lynne and I were in that morning, so after swinging through the McDonald's drive thru for an iced tea, Ryan and I scurried to the golf club

 ...and I changed in the women's bathroom, grabbed my camera, and headed out to take pictures!

Speaking of camera...I brought my old one and my new one with me just in case there were any malfunctions. I have to tell you...being a two-camera photographer made me feel like the real deal!

They had a bunch of memorabilia scrapbooks there...with years and years of the school's track/cross country history. Very cool.

 A sweet silent auction was all set up!

 And lunch for everyone!!

 The golf cars were lined up...ready to go!

 Lynne worked the registration table, and look who jumped in to help her??? That Ryan...he's pretty wonderful.

 After everyone got all signed in and had tummies full of lunch, it was time for the game to begin! My handsome, handsome golf cart driver:

 Yours truly, expecting some serious heat - but not nearly as much as last year!

 The Shafferland photographers!

 Cart #2...the first one didn't work.

 Remember on our honeymoon, when we rented the tandem bike and Ryan ran around ringing the bell and shouting hello? We decided to make a version of that for when we ran into Lynne delivering water on the course!

 We drove all over the course, getting photos of the guys in action and also group pictures of each of the tourney groups. While we waited on them...we did some selfies.

 Ryan took pictures of me taking pictures.

 He's so good. :)

 We spent about 3 hours out on the course taking pictures, driving around, and having a great time, and when we were done, we headed straight to Starbucks to cash in the free drinks that showed up on our apps!!!

And that's the game of golf...Shaffer style!