chalkboard reminders

A couple weeks back, Dan painted a chalkboard wall for us in our kitchen.  It was something that I'd been thinking about for quite sometime and so I was excited to make it a reality!  I had wanted a place for lists and a place to organize mail and bills, but I had also wanted a place to remind ourselves of what really matters in life.  When deciding what would go on the wall, I knew I wanted the top part to be reserved for words with meaning, with quotes that inspire and give life.  Dan took it to a whole other level, though, by turning the words into a piece of art!  Chalkboard art in our kitchen--what's not to love?!?  

We started with a verse from the Bible (Hebrews 13:1) for our first quote on the chalkboard wall.  It's a verse that makes me stop and breathe and remember what my purpose is in life and what the big picture is really about.  I love having that reminder ready for whenever I need it, whether I realize I need it or not.  

I'm also very in love with the mail organizer that I found.  In our little house, we don't have a mud room or a designated entry way or office area, and so the mail and important documents often end up on the table.  They then get moved into piles and shuffled around when guests come over or when dinner is ready.  And sometimes they get forgotten in those piles.  But now, I have a system!  And a system that works for me!!  I'm in love.  So very in love.  

We've left the bottom of the chalkboard wall mostly open for our nieces and nephews to play with when they come over, except for a small message for our feline friends that Dan added to the bottom.  It's always good to know where the bathroom is located! 

I do so love simple little house projects that can transform a room within a matter of hours.  Yes, cheap and quick home improvements are fun, especially when you're in the middle of large on-going home improvement projects!  

in bloom

As I add perennials to my flower beds, it's been fun to add more plants that will bloom throughout the summer.  The lilacs kicked off the blooming season a few weeks ago, and now the peonies and mock orange bushes are taking their turn!  Peonies are such a heavenly flower.  I love filling our house with them and smelling their decadent fragrances as they waft in through our dining room windows.  This year my bushes are staggering their blooming times a bit, which is much appreciated by me!  It's nice to have the short peony season extended a bit.

How about you?  What's blooming in your yard??

lilacs, oh, the lilacs

The lilacs are blooming!!!  Hooray!!!  Hooray!!!

Since I was a kid, the season of blooming lilacs has always been one of my favorites.  I remember picking little bouquets to set on my dresser where I could smell them as I dove into yet another book.  While today there is not time to dive into a book, there is definitely time to gather bunches of those beautiful flowers and bring them into every corner of our house.  There is little that compares to waking up to the smell of blooming lilacs in the bedroom...sigh...yes...that is something quite lovely.  

I do so love this season of lilacs, as it is the start of the flower season, the start of bringing the outdoors in.  We spend a lot of time outside in the summer, both in our yard and on our deck, and I find that the line between "outside" and "inside" gets a bit blurred.  The warm temps both inside and out play a big role in that, but the flowers both inside and outside do as well.  These blurred lines are beautiful, really, because they lead to complete and thorough enjoyment of our short summers here in Minnesota.  There's little opportunity to miss out when it so encapsulates everything we do.  So, here's to the start of the flower season and everything that it holds!  

the best kind of weekend

This weekend was filled with some of my favorite things.  Nothing extravagant, just simple things that revolved around home and family.  We had a bonfire, good food, good drinks, a family celebration, spring gardening and yard cleanup, and time for new creations.  It was swell!

How about you?  Did you have any simple, yet lovely weekend happenings?

a day for waffles

With a husband who travels a lot, we find ourselves often very excited over relaxing days spent at home--together.  Yesterday was one of those days.  And so in honor of the day, we had waffles.  Waffles made in my grandma's old Sunbeam waffle iron that may have originated in the 1950's.  After a slightly darkened batch, we enjoyed several perfect waffles.  It was a lovely way to start the day.  The rest of the day followed in a relaxed, yet productive manner.  Buttons and a pocket were sewn on a newly completed knitting project.  A little sewing was done.  Laundry soap was made and clothes were washed.  I caught up the latest episodes of Downton Abbey.  Several rows were knitted in one of my current knitting projects.  And I enjoyed spending the day with my wonderful husband.  

It was a truly wonderful way to spend the day, as today marks the start of the spring semester at the University of Minnesota.  It's always nice to spend a day relaxing before beginning a semester of hard work.  

Spring 2015, here I come!