Bucket list- Garage sale success!

They came like swarms of locusts, devouring all of our items. 

Bucket list- Garage sale

It's finally garage sale day! Today we're co-hosting a garage sale at our friend's house.  Hubby and I spent last night packing everything into our car and driving the stuff over.  (It felt like we were playing a really really big game of tetris.)  I really didn't think we had that much stuff to sell, but our poor car was packed to the brim and completely weighed down.  Luckily we were able to squeeze everything in.    

Cross your fingers for us!  We're hoping for a good turn out and some sunny weather. 
    

Tulip Time Pt 4

And so ends my posts on Tulip Time.  Due to rainy weather, we were only able to attend two out of the three parades.  The Kinderparade (Children's parade) was definitely my favorite.  The children looked absolutely adorable all dressed up in their Dutch best.

Tulip Time Pt 3- Quilts

I was lucky enough to visit the Holland Area Arts Council and see their quilts on display.  Each quilt was so beautifully made.  What gorgeous and vibrant colors!  What creative designs!  What intricate top stitching!  As I oohed and ahhed over each quilt, I snapped a ton of photos and Baby Chuck fell asleep.  (I don't think he's a quilt lover quite yet.)

Oh to own one of these lovely works of art.  I imagine their bright colors must bring lots of cheer on those cold and grey Michigan mornings.   Here are my five favorite quilts from the show: 

Tulip Time Pt 2

Yesterday the rainy skies cleared and we were able to walk outside and enjoy the sights and tastes of Tulip Time.

I can't wait till I get to eat real food!

Bucket List- Tulip Time Pt 1

This past Sunday hubby attended his final graduation ceremony.

Bye bye hubby!

While he was away, Baby Chuck and I took a stroll around town to admire the tulips and enjoy Tulip Time.  Unfortunately, many of the tulips looked like this:

Oh no!  It's a stem fest!

We kept looking until we finally found some blooming tulips.  I saw other families plopping their babies in front of the tulips to take photos, so I did the same thing with Baby Chuck.  He seemed to enjoy it.

Look mom!  We found some!

Get the diaper bag.  I'm going to sneak some tulips back for dad!

CROP hunger walk

This past weekend, hubby, Baby Chuck, and I participated in the CROP Hunger walk.  We walked around the neighborhood with other church members church and collected nonperishable foods and donations.  It was quite a daunting task because we had to walk outside in the cold and rain and we had to knock on people's doors to ask them for donations.   

After two hours of walking, we were all tuckered out.  

I was very thankful that we could return home to our warm dog, warm food, and warm pjs .

 

Bucket List: Meijer gardens

Since we're leaving Holland this Summer, hubby and I created a bucket list of things we wanted to do before returning back East.  One of Hubby's wishes was to visit the Meijer Gardens and see the butterflies.  We went this past weekend and really enjoyed seeing the butterflies and flowers.  By the end of the day we were all tuckered out.

Although Baby Chuck enjoyed seeing those butterflies, he really enjoyed seeing these lovely gals.

Meijer gardens- check!       

Sofa Series 4: Our new (old) sofa is here

The sofa we found at the thrift store and got professionally reupholstered is finally finished.  They delivered it to our apartment last week.  Hubby and I are amazed at how great it looks. 

Oodles and oodles of potential

Tada!  Green fabric!  Man-oh-man, I can't believe we own such lovely furniture.

It is big, beautiful, comfy, and quirky... and we adore it!  The people at Found did such a wonderful job.  Thank you!

(I would have uploaded these couch photos earlier, but every time I sat on it to work on this post... I fell asleep. Too comfy! )

This weekend

We celebrated St. Patrick's day by enjoying the sunshine, attending a craft fair, visiting a nearby town, and going to a museum.

Hope you got a chance to enjoy the sunshine too.

Thirsting for sunshine*

Sorry for the lack of posts.  The weather has been beautiful here.  Everyone is going a bit crazy and we're all trying our best to drink up the sunshine.  I'm especially hoping that the sun will give my pasty vampire skin a nice golden tan.

Hopefully you are enjoying good weather too!

I promise to reveal what happened to hubby's shoes and upload more posts next week.

Have a great weekend!

*Note:  This post's title was inspired by a four-year-old boy at church who said, "Mom, my body is thirsting for sunshine."

Sofa Series 2: Let the pros handle it

Armed with kitchen knives, scissors, latex gloves, and a screwdriver, hubby and I wanted to reveal our inner DIY ninjas and reupholster the new couch.  We were all set to rip up fabric and break...something... but then a preliminary peek around the internet convinced us to rethink that plan.  What?  Tufted buttons require more fabric know-how?  What? Re-upholstery requires specialized tools?  You mean our butter knife won't do?  

Oh well.  We tossed out the original plan and found a local vintage shop that specializes in fixing up older furniture.

Can you spot our U-Haul?

They're going to repaint and reupholster the couch.  All we need to do is choose some fabric...  

Oooh.  So many options.  Which one to choose?

Pretty nails, better mom?

Last Christmas hubby surprised me with a spa gift certificate.  Last weekend I finally redeemed it and got a manicure, facial, and pedicure.  Hubby, nanna, and grandpa volunteered to babysit Chuck for 3 hours.  I was so nervous because it was the longest time I'd ever been away from him.  What if he didn't stop crying?  What if I didn't leave enough milk?  What if Rumpelstiltskin visited the apartment and tricked everyone into giving the baby away?  (Hey, you never know.)

As you can probably guess, none of these scenarios happened.  They did a great job taking care of Chuck and I ended up with pretty nails and less facial acne.  (Yes!) Even though I missed Chuck terribly (and ended up talking to the esthetician about him for most of the time), I'd like to think that little breathers like this will help me to relax and be a better mom.    

Dear Santa

Our town published some children's letters to Santa in the local newspaper.  Here are two that I found particularly humorous:

Dear Santa,

Thank you for coming to my house last year and thank you for the presents.  I am glad that you did.  I hope you and the reindeer liked the cookies and the carrots.  This year I decided to make you a present.  I will leave a box on the top of the roof.  It will be waiting for you on the top of the roof.  It might look like something that you can eat, but it is not.  Travel safe!  

Your friend, Gavin S.  Age: 7

Dear Santa,

Can I have John Deere tractors?  And a John Deere Gator?  I love John Deere.  My daddy is a farmer.  He has tractors.  And spreads poop on fields.  Did you know I'm going to be a farmer?  I want a Happy Napper like my Sissy, Isabelle.  I love to eat her Chapstick. 

Bryce Mason S.  Age:  3

Your love keeps them warm

When Baby Chuck was born, the nurses put a blue and white knitted hat on him.  (Seen here.)  Every baby born at our hospital receives one of these hand knit lovelies.  They're all donated by a group of kind and talented elderly ladies. 

Last week we visited a craft fair and found ourselves drawn to a display of colorful knitted hats.  The elderly lady behind the display was particularly keen to talk to us when she saw Baby Chuck snoozing in his carrier.  After a couple minutes of chatting, we found out that she was one of the ladies who knitted the hats!  I was so pleased to meet her that I asked for her photograph. 

I love that blue and white hat.  I love that these women cared enough to make and donate hats.  And I'm so happy that we got a chance to meet her and say "thank you."

Lazy Sunday

What a lovely, lazy Sunday,

when breakfast is eaten for lunch,

and a long-awaited nap helps the afternoon to 

slip right by 

Day of the dead

This weekend our town held a Dia de los Muertos celebration as a way to remember deceased friends and family.  With the brightly colored paper decorations, twinkling lights, and dozens of costumed attendees (many with faces painted like skulls), the entire experience felt quite otherworldly.

It was a deliciously creepy and beautiful way to celebrate Halloween weekend.  

It doesn't feel like we're in Holland anymore!

Aren't these Fridas beautiful?

Baby baptism

This past Sunday, hubby and I officially became members of our local church and our pastor baptized Baby Norris. 

Pumpkin play (Part 1)

This past weekend hubby, Baby Chuck, and I were invited to a pumpkin carving party.  We had a lot of fun and I learned a few new carving tips and tricks. 

Here's my finished pumpkin:

My homage to pumpkin pi.  (Get it?  Get it?  Oy vey, I'm too corny. )

Five finished pumpkins sitting in a row.

Let the countdown to Halloween begin!

Ringing alarms

Tonight our apartment complex was buzzing with sirens and flashing lights.  There was a fire in the apartment building adjacent to ours.  I'm so thankful the Fire Department arrived on the scene and promptly put the fire out.