tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77224018748050031012024-03-05T01:04:45.371-08:00Wander Down Penny LaneLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-34310089095851155322013-02-28T13:20:00.001-08:002013-02-28T13:20:45.123-08:00The weeks roll on...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>I found this post that I never published from last year. It is really fun to look back and see how I was feeling in the first trimester. This was also before we found out that our baby was coming sooner than we thought! Now I have a baby girl that is almost 3 months old. How did that happen?!</i><br />
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*originally written 6/4/12*<br />
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The weeks go by as our little secret grows and grows. I am getting more used to the fact that I am actually pregnant and there will be a little one we need to take care of by the end of the year...Still, its pretty wild. On Friday we went to our first doctors appointment with our new OBGYN. I had to switch since my doc was in Philly and I don't work in the city anymore. :( I called a few places and this office was sooo nice and accommodating that I decided to go with them. Tim and I went all excited since I was just about 10 weeks and we were ready to get a chance to hear the heartbeat. Well, after what seemed like an eternity, she gave up. No heartbeat. My heart sank. She didn't seem worried at all and said that I the little one was nestled pretty far back so it would be tricky. Still- it was pretty hard to hear that empty doppler as it traveled across my stomach. I felt so guilty especially since Tim was soo excited to hear the baby. But what can you do?<br />
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We have our 1st ultrasound in less than two weeks...right before our 12 week mark and fathers day! I hope I can make this fathers day memorable for Tim and we are able to see our "Little M" in all their glory.<br />
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As for how I'm feeling?<br />
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Night sickness has become the new "morning sickness." Basically from week 7-10 I was getting up at least once a night feeling sick to my stomach. I got physically sick once and the rest of the time I just ate some crackers, drank some water, hit the loo (can Americans say loo?) and stayed up until it subsided. Lately I have been able to sleep through the night so hopefully that means it is ending soon.<br />
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My clothes are getting tighter but its just because I am eating pretty much whatever makes me feel better. That happens to be starches; especially pasta. An Italian just like its Momma ;) No real other symptoms besides being tired more easily by the end of the work day and maybe having to pee a little more than usual. The doc said I might not show until later since the little one is tucked in the back but who knows.<br />
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Now I need to concentrate on another goal...a 5K! Yup, I registered for a 5K months ago and it is coming up quick. I haven't ran in a few weeks so I need to take my time. My goal is to just finish in a somewhat decent time. We will see how it goes. I am having a hard time catching my breath while working out lately. I'll let you know how it goes. :)<br />
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<i>ps: The race was hot but it went well. Nothing like running while 16 weeks pregnant in 90+ degree weather. </i><br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-69239074957165308012013-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:002013-02-19T11:32:31.935-08:00PrioritiesWell I'm sure you have guessed it. I fell off the blog wagon again but this time I had a good reason.<br />
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Meet Hannah Caroline Matthews. She was born on Wednesday, December 5th at 3:55PM. She was 6 lbs. 13 oz and pretty adorable if I do say so myself. :) We have had time to adjust. Things were not always easy for us first time parents but Tim has been a pretty amazing father.<br />
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Anyways I have lots to update on here but I'm not sure how fast I will be working on that. However I wanted to document Hannah coming into our lives. She is pretty adorable and is already growing so fast.<br />
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(hopefully) more to come later...Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-80731518063303378682012-11-21T08:16:00.001-08:002012-11-21T08:16:24.940-08:00Being ThankfulI really want to take a moment to stop, reflect and be thankful. It would be easy for Tim and I to forget about all the holidays this year when our house is being turned upside down as we get ready for the <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/07/side-project.html" target="_blank">baby</a>, work on <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/11/bump-out-progress-operation-beat.html" target="_blank">the bump out</a> and refinish our floors. <br />
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But I am determined to take a moment to take a deep breath and give thanks to a few deserving people. <br />
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1) I am thankful for my husband.<br />
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We have been so crazy these last few months that we can't help but get on each other's nerves sometimes. But that doesn't stop Tim from bending over backwards to make sure he can get as much done as he can for us. That includes staying up late and waking up extra early to jam as much work in one day as he can. Not only is he a loving, caring husband and partner in crime but he is already an amazing father to our pup and our growing baby girl. :) I have told him repeatedly that there is no one else I could do this with and I really mean that.<br />
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<br />2) Our Family and Friends<br />
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We have had to cash in a lot of favors over the last couple of months. Between working on the bump out and moving everything out of our house (and now back in) we have been relying on some awesome friends and family who have really come through. It just goes to show you how important it is to have a support system and to acknowledge their generosity and help. So thank you to all of our friends and family who have been there to throw us an awesome baby shower (more details on that later), work on the bump out, paint parts of the nursery and help us move out of the house for the floors. Words can't express how grateful we are for your support and we hope you all know we would do the same for you in a heartbeat. :)<br />
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3) Our pup<br />
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Yes- James gets a special shout out as well. It is not easy to have two crazy parents who are working around the clock and changing everything around on them but he has been as cool and understanding as any dog can be. He has really gone with the flow and just been there for us with cuddles and an excited tail wag. He was a little hesitant with us at first for getting rid of the carpet...<br />
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... but in the end he got over it and let us do our thing. So thank you James for always being such a great dog for our changing family. We know that you are going to be a great big brother who will love his little sister (especially when she starts dropping food). Our lives wouldn't be the same without you.<br />
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4) Our growing family<br />
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It wouldn't be right if I left out one of the biggest things I am thankful for...our baby girl.<br />
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Tim and I are so excited to meet this growing little girl. She has been very understanding with all the work we have been doing to get ready for her. That includes helping me have a relatively uneventful pregnancy so I can continue to work full time and work on the house at night. And when Tim and I are feeling really stressed and worried that things won't get done, she gives us a little kick to remind us why we are doing all this. So thank you baby girl. Mom and Dad can't wait to meet you soon! #lessthan2weekstogo.<br />
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There are so many other things to be thankful for but this post is already making my hormones go crazy. So I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and takes some time to stop and remember what they are thankful for!<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-50489710930934540342012-11-16T20:00:00.002-08:002012-11-16T20:00:52.634-08:00Bump Out Progress: Operation beat the HurricaneIt's been awhile since I have posted. Mostly because of Hurricane Sandy. She took a toll on all of us in the northeast but NJ and NY took the biggest hits. Still, the impending storm forced us to buckle down and get a lot of the bump out built and water proof. So here is a bump out picture dump on the flooring, framing, roof and enclosure. I can't speak much about the details since Tim and his dad did most of the work but I tried to document it as best as I can.<br />
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Here is where we left off. Framing the floor after the drainage is put in. <br />
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After the floor was down and the frame measured out, we moved onto to securing the structure to the house.<br />
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Next we brought the roof and sides (that were already built by Tim and his dad) to the house to be attached.<br />
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Can you see it yet? :)<br />
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After the plywood and waterproofing went up on the extension we wrapped it in Tyvek to keep it safe from the hurricane.<br />
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Update: All went well and no water got in during the Hurricane! The guys did a great job and we were really excited to see so much progress. We lost power for 48 hours but we made out pretty well compared to others we knew.<br />
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Next up: siding, windows and electric.<br />
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Ohh and did I mention when this was going on we were also prepping for all of our floors to be refinished and all with 4 weeks to go until my due date? Yeah... we are nuts.<br />
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Did everyone make out okay in Hurricane Sandy? Anyone else decide to do multiple large projects right before their baby comes? We are hoping we aren't the only ones.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-32750210710043990992012-10-25T19:44:00.002-07:002012-10-25T19:44:33.604-07:00Bump out progress: Drainage and foundationLast time we left off on the <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/06/bump-out-plans.html" target="_blank">Bump Out project</a>, we had just <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/10/bump-out-breaking-ground.html" target="_blank">dug holes</a> for the footers.<br />
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The next step was for the township to come out and approve the footer holes. When he did, he cleared the holes but required that we added a more elaborate drainage system underneath. He didn't want any water to drain towards our house since our yard is sloped that way. After our initial grumblings of the extra work, we decided to suck it up and get it done. So our next step was to dig a deeper level under our addition, add rocks and drainage pipes that run to our backyard. Not quite sure what I mean?- here are some step by step pictures of the progress.<br />
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ps: my poor garden is going to need a lot of TLC when this is over.<br />
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Once the drainage was set, we started to lay rocks over the entire lower level.<br />
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Since the footer holes were already cleared by the permit inspector, we also poured the concrete and set them.<br />
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No- that's not Tim. It's his older brother Greg who was nice enough to come down from North Jersey to help us out with this project. The footers needed time to set so it was a good wrap up for the day.<br />
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Next up: the decking for the floor! Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-47848101990746042012012-10-21T13:29:00.000-07:002012-10-21T13:29:25.188-07:00How to make a "Face in the hole" standSo I just wrapped up a very big event at the organization I work at. I am excited to report that it went very well and many families had a great time. This year I had an idea to create a "face in the hole" for kids to pose behind. This is something that the organization can use for many years for this annual fall event.<br />
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What's a "face in the hole"? Here are some examples:<br />
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So I got to work sketching out a design. I decided to make one with two face cut outs so two children can stand behind it. I wanted to include elements of our location including our iconic barn and the name of the organization. I needed some help with the wood work so I had my dad donate his wonderful time and skills on this. First, we got a 4' X 4' piece of plywood. My dad primed it with leftover paint and I sketched out the design onto the wood. Then my dad went to work on cutting out the upper outline so it blends more into the background. He also cut out the holes for the faces.<br />
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How did I figure out the face hole sizes? We actually took an old Halloween mask and measured around it to figure out the hole sizes.<br />
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Make sure you sand the face cut outs really well so there are no splinters. My dad used a sander and then manually sanded the rest. After that I got to work on sketching and painting the design. My advice would be to make it more "cartoonish." It's a fun thing for families to pose behind so they want it to be a bit sillier. Here are the pictures of the progress as I painted. I used acrylic wood paint and then sprayed it with an indoor/ outdoor finish to seal and protect it.<br />
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After it was all completed, we attached it to a stand raising it about one foot. If anyone is interested in the design, let me know and I will get it from my dad but I know its pretty standard. Here are two of my coworkers posing behind it.<br />
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I am so happy with it. It will be a lot of fun for families to use when they visit our site.<br />
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Have you done any fun crafts lately? We carved our pumpkins this weekend for our annual carving party... but I will talk more about that this week. <br />
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-55661436000175477902012-10-10T16:59:00.002-07:002012-10-10T16:59:47.154-07:00Bump out: Breaking GroundWell now that we are underway with our bump out project, its time to start showing you some progress. Check back at our old post <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/06/bump-out-plans.html" target="_blank">here </a>to see our plans.<br />
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The first thing we had to do was get a permit. We are not experts in anyway so I am not going to spend too much time on this but let me tell you that it is an ongoing battle. It depends on the township but it's important to always read the permit guidelines to find out what types of inspections and dimensions they are going to demand. We had to actually reapply for our permit with more information than what we originally gave them. And you never know what will happen. But more on that later. After we found out that we were getting approved Tim got to work on clearing the pretty garden we had going in the front yard. Luckily we enjoyed the blooms as spring and summer long.<br />
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Poor Tim had to do most of the transplanting since Little M and I shouldn't be digging much. :) Here is the great progress Tim accomplished after a couple of hours.<br />
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After they were cleared, Tim and his dad marked where the footers needed to be dug. The holes had to be 36" deep so it was no easy task. We decided to recruit some of our friends and family to help speed the process along.<br />
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After the holes were dug and tested, the boys decided to quickly frame out the dimensions so we could get a better idea of what it is going to look like.<br />
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Now squint your eyes. Can you see it? I can and it's so exciting.<br />
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<br />At the end of the day we were left with some great footer holes and ready for the first inspection.<br />
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Anyone else working on a major project? We are definitely pushing our deadline closer to the due date but it is helping to make the third trimester go quicker.<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-24329343581817657232012-10-08T17:53:00.001-07:002012-10-08T17:53:30.962-07:00Check it off the list: caulk and picturesWhile we are working on the nursery, bump out and refinishing the floors we also try to get little projects crossed off the list. I made a list on the blog to keep track of projects for the house. One of them was caulking the lower bathroom tub. After we spent the good chunk of March redoing the upstairs bathroom, our lower bathroom was looking worse for the wear.<br />
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So a quick project was to simply remove the disgusting caulk around the tub and caulk it.<br />
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We used a blade to remove the old grout. Then we wiped it down with a damp cloth and went around the tub with a new line of caulk. Now it looks as good as new. It's amazing what life it brings into the tub again. Here is a close up before we wiped down the new grout.<br />
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We also have had a picture gallery going up our stairs. We have been collecting more pictures to hang but kept pushing it off. Finally we hung those up too. It includes the <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-cho-cho-choose-you.html" target="_blank">Valentines day gift</a> I made for Tim, a wrapped canvas picture from our wedding that I purchased with Groupon, and a puppy picture of James that my friend Katie took when he was 8 weeks old. <br />
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I love that we keep building on this gallery and when <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/07/side-project.html" target="_blank">Little M</a> comes, I'm sure she will take over very quickly. Until then we have to keep plugging away at these projects.<br />
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What projects have you crossed off your list? <br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-38414757683325679552012-10-04T06:37:00.000-07:002012-10-04T06:37:19.263-07:00A Little GetawayAlso known as a babymoon. Never heard of it? Its apparently a "newer" trend. It is one last honeymoon of sorts that a couple takes before they become a family of three. Usually women like to go in the second trimester when they are feeling better but not too big. I was really looking forward to taking a babymoon because I knew we were going to be busy in the fall with work and all the house projects. So when Tim's Aunt and Uncle offered us their downstairs apartment in Ocean City, NJ anytime after labor day- I jumped on it.<br />
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Breathe in the salt water air with me. Ahhhh<br />
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We decided to just do a long weekend. Just enough time to get away and relax but not too long to fall behind on work and house projects. Unfortunately I didn't take a ton of pictures since we were just trying to get away from it all but we did snap a few to remember the occasion.<br />
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Although we had a rainy first day, we still managed to get in some time to walk the boardwalk and go to<a href="http://brownsocnj.com/donuts.html" target="_blank"> Brown's donuts.</a> If you are in Ocean City, NJ, you need to get a donut there. I couldn't even take pictures because our hands were covered in delicious, fresh goodness. I justified eating 3 donuts by walking a mile there to get them. That burns it all off, right? :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPJ6iyyTQppc5yvGCLmf8iysAnwAa2VbsB8J_zCUBG0-pwvs_8G3s3LRBJHZ9JHdmvMaIahNEpA-UXBOg6-xdrWhzXqeZxxds87ocMW2Fdhemb65Hyc_5NKXT4N4UiqW9LMeosTaoIg8/s1600/IMG_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The next day the sun came out and we hit the beach to do what I was looking forward to for the whole trip- relaxing on the beach and soaking some sun in (with suntan lotion of course).<br />
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It was amazing. We had a great location not to far from the boardwalk for bathroom and food breaks and we had a great umbrella we borrowed from my parents for my handsome fair skinned husband.<br />
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After a perfect day at the beach we decided to try a great seafood place. Although my seafood consumption was limited to certain dishes I still wanted some delicious seafood. We were at the beach after all. We headed to Smitty's Clam Bar. It's a tucked away location off the 9th Street Bridge. Its a BYOB and the wait is long but worth it. We had a 30-45 minute wait but it flew by hanging out by the pier with other patrons as they drank and met up with friends and family.<br />
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The food was delicious. We got big cups of clam chowder and while Tim had a seafood medley, I got delicious crab cakes. Totally worth it. Again, I failed at taking pictures.<br />
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Saturday was our last day. We had a childbirth class on Sunday that we needed to get back to but when we woke up it was raining. I was so sad because most of the trip was rainy but we decided to make the best of it. We rode bikes in the morning along the boardwalk and then decided that we might as well pack up and head back early. As we were packing, we looked up and the sun broke through the clouds. Needless to say, I was excited and ready to squeeze one last beach day. This is my "take the picture so we can get dressed for the beach" face.<br />
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We spent a few hours on the beach and the boardwalk. While we were there we enjoyed a car show on the boardwalk and I got one last ice cream trip in.<br />
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Overall, it was a great and affordable little getaway for both of us. Of course we couldn't really stop talking about Little M and reading our baby books but it was nice to just get away from everything else we had going on and enjoy the end of summer.<br />
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So has anyone else taken a babymoon? Where did you go? Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-116338208365246012012-10-01T17:30:00.002-07:002012-10-01T17:30:23.202-07:00Burlap and wedding bellsSo we are going to pretend that August and September never happened. To be honest it was a very big blur. I can't even really remember where it went but now its the beginning of October and I have completely neglected this blog. We have been doing lots of things so I feel its time to step it up. Plus, we broke ground two weekends ago on our bump out project that we talked about earlier this year.<br />
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But I do want to talk about the project that we worked on for my brother in law's wedding. The dilemma: an outdated swan stain glass picture in the reception hall. My sister in law hated it. It taunted her and screamed traditional and old fashioned. So after some discussion we decided that a really cool burlap tapestry would be cool since they were going for an outdoor/ modern barn theme. I started thinking about what we could do and I figured I would create some stencils of something meaningful.<br />
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We laid out some burlap on our small kitchen table and got to work. Originally she wanted a poem on the burlap but with the small time before the wedding + my hectic job + my growing belly, I couldn't make it work. It happens. But I believe things like that always lead to something even more creative and fun. And I think in this case it did. We decided to go simple. We would do L & G. (The first letter of their names) It would be simple, not too distracting.<br />
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I found some great font using <a href="http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/">howaboutorange.blogspot.com</a>. They have links for free fonts to download. Of course since this was in August, I don't have it anymore. I will keep digging. Anyways, I sketched it out on freezing paper and then I cut out the stencil with an exacto knife. I have to admit that while I was working on this I was plunged back into my college days in my dorm room at 1AM trying to finish a project for one of my art classes.<br />
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After they were all cut out, I laid them out on the burlap and ironed the freezing paper onto the burlap. This keeps the spray paint from spreading. I also ironed on the scraps around the letters to prevent the spray paint from going everywhere. <br />
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It was ready to go. I had to work late so my hubby jumped in and took the burlap outside and sprayed the stencil with trust ORB. It came out great.<br />
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Next up my mother in law, who has a great site called Tess' Totes, sewed canvas to the back of the burlap so it would be thick enough to hide the swan and to create a way to hang the piece using a dowel. Unfortunately we could not find a picture of it from the wedding so here is a shot of it in my MIL's craft room. It's a little wrinkled from the wedding but it came out great.<br />
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Here are some other highlights from the fun day. They had great weather, a great party and her bridesmaid dresses were uber flattering; especially for a preggo like me. :)<br />
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So what else have I missed? I will be back with some bump out updates, fresh homemade tomato sauce and other nursery projects. Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-56118498866726681272012-07-25T18:11:00.000-07:002012-07-26T07:18:37.458-07:00Camping themed Bridal ShowerMeet my brother in law Greg and his beautiful fiance, Liz:<br />
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In just a few short weeks they will be walking down the aisle and we couldn't be more excited for them. Since all of Liz's family and friends are all over the country, my mother in law and I decided to throw her a little shower before the big day with everyone close to all of us. Even her mom flew in from Texas! We decided on a camping theme since Liz's true test of our family was coming to our annual Canada camping trip (in the pouring rain) and because she is the "S'mores Queen." <br />
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I started searching Pinterest for some motivation and inspiration and found this picture:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/243264817341934661_0T3x9SeP_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/243264817341934661_0T3x9SeP_f.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cake-decorating.livejournal.com/" target="_blank">link</a></td></tr>
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and this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pisforparty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">link</a></td></tr>
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We decided to work from there. We decked out the Matthews country style home with red and white picnic table clothes and various lanterns that Kathy happens to collect.<br />
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They were really fun and just added that special something to each table. We also decided to set up a s'mores making station in honor of Liz's love of the delightful treat. We set up a simple fire pit so everyone could have a sweet treat later that night.<br />
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To keep the delicious treats going, we also got some yummy cupcakes. Keeping with the camping theme we also asked the baker to focus on fun camp scenes. She came through and gave us some whimsical cupcakes that were fun and delicious.<br />
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It was fun to see the baker let her imagination run wild with the camping theme. They were clever and fun. I love that little bunny cookie and magic trees. And if you can't tell, that last cupcake was a camp fire made out of pretzels and even toasted marshmallows to boot!<br />
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But what we were really excited about were the favors that we gave the women on their way out. We went with the earlier inspiration and gave everyone their own personal s'mores.<br />
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I loved the saying from the pin so I used the same line. It was too cute to pass up!<br />
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Our own favors came with giant marshmallows that I found at Walmart and we even added their own camping skewers to take with them on their next camping trip. Those were a hit for sure!<br />
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So those were some of the highlights of this fun camp out shower! Can't wait to show you the other fun projects that are going into their wedding but we have to wait a few more weeks to show you them. Do you love theme parties as much as I do? Making those favors were way more fun than I should admit. :)Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-15317148125743675012012-07-24T18:52:00.001-07:002012-07-24T18:52:44.171-07:00The Big RevealWe are so excited to announce we are having a...<br />
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We are welcoming a baby <span style="color: #cc0000;">GIRL</span> to our little family!<br />
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Our ultrasound technician guessed a girl a few weeks ago but now it is official. We are so excited to have a baby girl to even out the gender in our little family. Now our minds are wrapped around cribs, nursery designs and most importantly, NAMES! We will make sure we share the good news as we go along since it is new for us and hopefully this can help someone later down the road.<br />
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As for now things are hectic with an excited upcoming wedding in the family. My brother in law is marrying an awesome girl and I couldn't be more excited to have her officially become a Matthews. There will be more this week on the shower that Tim's mom and I threw. Here is a sneak peak of the fun we had creating it. Think Camping!<br />
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Whew...It feel like this little girl has already taken over this blog. :) Any other fun gender revealing stories to share? Did anyone see the cute gender announcement on Katie B.'s <a href="http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>? It was too cute!<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-54003032750874491942012-07-19T06:41:00.001-07:002012-07-19T06:41:44.637-07:00I'm How Far Along!?!<i>*originally posted on 6/19/12. This is the last one of these before we are caught up to speed and I can move on to fun projects I have been working on.*</i><br />
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Our first ultrasound appointment was on Friday (6/15). I drank my 32 oz. of water like a champ and walked into the doctors office feeling full but not in too much pain. Then we waited....and waited ...and waited. Apparently they were running late. No one told us and I was starting to lose it. I was cranky because I was anxious to finally see Little M and because I really really had to pee. 20 minutes later she called our names. I laid down and she got to work. Bless this woman for not bothering to talk to me and then do the ultrasound. She must have seen the desperation in my face.<br />
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First, I have to comment about a movie myth. That gel they put on your stomach is not cold at all. In fact, she had a warmer for hers. Not sure if that is common but it was appreciated. We sat there waiting for her to find the baby and there it was.<br />
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I still wasn't convinced everything was okay so I didn't fall in love until she said, the heart rate looks good. *Cue Huge Sigh of Relief* Then she said another magical line-" let me check that the bladder is okay so you can go to the bathroom and come back and enjoy the ultrasound."<br />
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Hallelujah! It's like she read my mind. I ran to the bathroom, had a "League of their Own Moment" and then headed back in.<br />
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Ready for my next shocker....She was asking me how far along they thought I was. I came in for a screening ultrasound so I was right around 12 weeks. Or so I thought.<br />
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"Have you had any spotting?" Not that I knew of. "Well, it turns out you did."<br />
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Immediately my mind went to the worst place. I was picturing seeing that little baby and then finding out that I messed it up somehow and something terrible happened. I know- dramatic- but I am not always a positive person. As my mind was racing she exclaimed, "You are actually farther along than you thought."<br />
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WHAT?<br />
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"Yeah by the looks of it, you look like you are about 15 weeks, 3 days." Wow- many thoughts went through my head. First I looked over and Tim is stunned but beaming. I then try to figure out when my new due date is. She says December 4th. I get excited that I avoided having to possibly be in labor at Christmas. Then I get nervous because things will be moving faster than planned. My darling husband came to the rescue and said, "Think of it this way. You basically skipped a month ahead of being pregnant."<br />
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Yeah...I guess I did.<br />
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Overall, it was a great appointment. She even had a guess at the sex but that will be confirmed on July 20th so we will keep it off here for now.<br />
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<i>*So now you are all caught up! We go in tomorrow for our anatomy ultrasound. So excited to finally confirm the gender so we can avoid calling the baby it. We will definitely share the good news and plans for the nursery. So far feeling good. Getting bigger and overall really excited for the coming months!</i><br />
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<i>What was your first ultrasound like? Anyone else have a delay that made you want to tear apart the waiting room?* </i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-31554228775442791622012-07-16T06:31:00.000-07:002012-07-16T06:31:01.438-07:0060 minutes<i>*written April 19th* </i><br />
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That is how long I have before this "baby" became a reality. All week I had been DYING to tell Tim. DYING. It was so hard. I felt like it almost wasn't real...until I took another test last night that screamed "pregnant". Now I have 60 minutes until work is out and I drive home where hubby is waiting for me. He got back early from his work trip and has no idea. NONE. Its making me nervous. Here is my plan.<br />
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I took all my tests in a plastic bag with me so he didn't see them. I also got James a dog bone while I was shopping this week. I have a plan to tell him but I might just see him and blurt it out. haha That is more my style. I want it to be memorable but not over the top. I just cant wait to see his reaction. He is going to be impressed that I kept it in from EVERYONE. Especially because I hung out with one of my best friends this week and didn't spill the beans even though I wanted to.<br />
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Either way this is the only place I can say what I'm feeling and what I'm feeling is anxiety. Time to head home. Wish me luck...<br />
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<i>Update:</i> It was one of the best reactions I will ever get from Tim. I walked in and he was on the couch. James came to greet me and I whipped out a plastic bag. I said " I brought presents for my boys. A bone for the pup. *gave the bone to James so he would go away and give us a minute* and this is for you!" *handed him my positive pregnancy test <br />
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The reaction was priceless. He immediately jumped off the couch and hugged me so hard. He just kept repeating.. "Really!? Really?!" He was beaming! Beaming, people. Here I was freaking out and he was so sweet and excited. I couldn't help but shed a tear and I'm not really a crier. All the weight of the secret was off my shoulders and to see how happy it made him was amazing. I'm so glad I waited. He wasn't mad I didn't tell him over the phone or skype. He just couldn't believe it.<br />
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Little M- our little nickname for now- decided now was the time, whether mom was ready or not...<br />
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<i>Missed this announcement? See the reveal on the blog <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/07/side-project.html" target="_blank">here </a>and how I found out <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/07/i-had-this-funny-feeling.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-4351644523236502472012-07-13T07:22:00.002-07:002012-07-13T07:23:19.795-07:00I had this funny feeling...<i>*written on April 17th. Go easy on me. I just found out*</i><br />
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On Sunday we spent the whole day gardening. It was back breaking. I was digging, weeding and planting with the hubby. I was really exhausted but I thought to myself that it was all the manual garden labor and I needed to get in better shape. Then that night when it came time to eat I was so excited about dinner but when Tim brought in the grilled veggies that I <b>adore</b>, I couldn't eat them. In fact, I felt nauseous. Shouldn't that have been a sign?! I brushed it aside but still...I had this funny feeling.<br />
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Monday rolls around and Tim left for another business trip. (he has been gone every week that month) I was really tired at work and still kinda off so that night I looked at James and thought to myself "maybe I should just take the last test in the box. Just so I don't think about it all week." So I did. Then I left the bathroom. I casually walked back in a few minutes later and looked at the test....<br />
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"HOLY S*&T!"- I said that out loud btw<br />
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I couldn't believe it. I mean really. I left it and walked back to look at it like 5 more times. Each time I left the bathroom I looked at the pup like he would have an explanation for this. (He didn't)<br />
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I was freaking out to say the least. It couldn't be. First off, Tim was traveling soo much this month. (I guess not that much) Last month my supposed "window" was much later (Guess I was wrong about that too). Plus, I still had a week before my little friend flow was coming. <i>*you will see in later stories that this gets explained* </i>Yet there it was...and it was just me and the pup and whatever reality show I was watching at the time.<br />
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At this point I was thinking- I need to call Tim.<br />
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But he was traveling and I really wanted to see his expression in person. Plus, if I was him I wouldn't want to find out when I am hundreds of miles away in a hotel room. I grappled with this back and forth for <strike>a little bit</strike> a long time. I even picked up the phone at one point but I resisted.<br />
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I can keep this secret...even if its for 3 more days. I didn't want to call any of my close friends yet because Tim didn't know and I wanted him to be the first...besides the pup and I. So that was it. I freaked out in our living room the rest of the night. I started calculating when I was due, what "it" was doing right now in my stomach and what was I going to do about all the things we had planned. That is kinda where I am right now. It's almost like a dream because its just my little secret. No one knows so it almost doesn't seem real. And it all started because I had this funny little feeling...Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-45554899809771680052012-07-12T06:50:00.000-07:002012-07-13T07:23:19.797-07:00Side Project :)It's time to come clean. I have been keeping this to myself for awhile but now that I have started to withhold information on our latest projects, its time I come clean....Tim and I have been working on a little project of our own that we are really excited about.<br />
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<a href="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/293842_10100688042050266_1620774835_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/293842_10100688042050266_1620774835_n.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />(Sorry this picture is dark)<br />
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That's right. Tim and I are expecting our first baby this winter! I'm pretty excited and now that the cat is out of the bag to family, friends and work, it was time to spill the beans on here. This is not an excuse but it is a factor as to why I have been a bit quiet on here. Everything we are working on lately has been surrounding our newest addition. I actually wrote a few posts when I found out (it was just me and the pup!), telling Tim, going to my first few appointments, our changing due date and so on so I will share those over the next few days. <br />
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As for some details, currently I am 19 weeks and 2 days. I feel great and am finally starting to show. It's pretty surreal but we are pretty excited. I hope to take you guys on our journey as we find out whether its a boy or a girl (next Friday!), replace rugs upstairs, make our office into our nursery, change our guest room into an office/guest room and try to even squeeze in our <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/06/bump-out-plans.html" target="_blank">bump out plans</a>! Whew! Tiring just thinking about it.<br />
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Hope your ready for some fun!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-3001341846086552742012-07-03T07:13:00.001-07:002012-07-03T07:13:35.814-07:00Annual Camping TripI'm so excited! Our annual camping trip to Canada has arrived. That's right. Every year we pack our cars, take our pups and head to Canada to ring in the 4th of July. This trip is something that Tim's father plans every year. He loves it and 6 years ago Tim and I started tagging along. It's in Plevna, Ontario at a remote camping ground called Tooley's Lodge.<br />
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The trip consists of canoeing, camping, making smore's, hiking and lots of fishing. Although you could term this "roughing it" it by no means feel like it is.<br />
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In fact, waking up every morning and paddling out to a nearby rock is practically "resort like:<br />
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I really enjoy fishing at one lake in particular: Graham Lake. Mostly because I get extremely lucky there every time!<br />
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We eat fresh fish multiple nights while we are there. Nothing beats fresh bass cooked over an open fire. My mouth is drooling just thinking about it! Of course the humans aren't the only ones who look forward to this trip. Our puppies (never less than 4) always have a blast running without leashes, getting wet every day and exploring the woods.<br />
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<br />James loves this trip. He loves getting wet and dirty and just being able to roam free. Its one of the few vacations he goes on with us so he soaks it in for all its worth.<br />
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I'm excited to hit the road tonight and enjoy the trip. This year we are bringing an even larger crowd but that just means it is sure to be a good time. I will be sure to tell you all about it as well as some helpful tips for fishing, packing and large road trips with a large restless puppy! Until then, Happy 4th of July!<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-82091289016037254882012-06-28T18:14:00.000-07:002012-06-28T18:14:03.906-07:00JugglingI don't mean literal juggling. Although that is incredibly impressive. My hand/eye coordination is severely weak to even attempt that. No, I mean juggling life. I have noticed more an more that it seems to be a struggle for many people (including myself). Take this blog for example. I was very good about posting on M,W,F every week but now that it is the summer and we are busy all the time, it seems to fall by the waste side.<br />
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It doesn't mean that I have stopped caring or this is a fad that passed. I simply have too many things going on at one time that limits how much I actually accomplish on projects. So, what have I been doing? Well, besides working full time and seeing family and friends, I have also been simply enjoying the summer. I participated in an annual 5K race that a group of us do every year.<br />
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My time wasn't great. In fact, it was my worst one to date but I am proud that we all ran in 90+ degree weather and didn't pass out. It was my own fault since I didn't train at all for it either. Still, it was fun and definitely an experience.<br />
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I also got to go to a Phillies game. First one of the season. It was a great game. Not only because they won but because there was a fireworks show afterwards that was pretty impressive.<br />
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We are also doing some rearranging. We started by moving the office to the first floor. It's still a work in progress but here is a before shot of the guest room.<br />
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and what we have going on so far. Like I said, a work in progress.<br />
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Finally, I was able to capture this sweet moment of James super excited to see Tim come home from a trip. Tim ran out to get his bags from the car and James stopped what he was doing and waited for him. Seeing how excited he gets always makes me smile.<br />
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Anyone else juggling lots of things this summer? It's hard but I'm excited to be getting ready for some awesome trips and parties.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-58683479968655560992012-06-19T19:43:00.000-07:002012-06-19T19:43:13.673-07:00Pork Fried RiceTim and I were lucky enough to be invited over a friend's house for a Chinese cooking class. She won it in an art auction and I was so excited since Chinese food is a favorite in our house (see our Valentine's day tradition <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-cho-cho-choose-you.html" target="_blank">here</a>). Luckily the cook was kind enough to let me shoot some pictures which helped me remember the steps and show all of you. So I give you Pork Fried Rice.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
red onion<br />
scallions<br />
egg (1 per person)<br />pork (or chicken, fish or shrimp)<br />
rice (white or brown-apparently brown works better)<br />
sesame oil<br />
cooking wine<br />
soy sauce<br />
corn starch<br />
vegetable oil- 3 tbsp<br />
Garlic<br />
Ginger (optional)<br />
white pepper<br />
spicy sauce (also optional)<br />
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Place rice in a rice cooker and set. While that cooks, finely chop the meat, red onion and scallions. Then coat the meat you are using in corn starch and the cooking wine. She had no measurements but it was not drenched.<br />
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I couldn't catch a name of the Chinese wine so I snapped a quick pic to remember the bottle.</div>
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Heat a deep non stick pan with 3 tablespoons of oil. Make sure it is really really hot to cook the eggs. Scrambled eggs for the fried rice recipe is broken down quickly and thinly.</div>
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Remove the scrambled eggs when cooked and while pan is still hot, add a little oil and then the onions and scallions to cook. It will be quick since the pan is hot so make sure you keep it moving and turning.</div>
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Then add the meat. Let it cook with some white pepper and the onions. Once the meat is cooked, add the cooked brown rice and eggs back into the pan. Begin to fry everything with some soy sauce, sesame oil and spicy sauce (similar to siracha). </div>
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After everything is completely cooked through, you are ready to eat. Warning: this will not taste like the fried rice you get at Chinese restaurants. It will be fresher! So enjoy. :)</div>
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Anyone else have a great Chinese food recipe for us to try? We love us some beef or chicken with broccoli!<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-61853265814678146932012-06-14T18:09:00.000-07:002012-06-14T18:09:51.296-07:00Sprucing up the deckEvery year when the snow melts and it finally warms up, Tim and I brush the cobwebs off the deck and get it ready for BBQing and outdoor parties. This year it needed it.<br />
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We made the mistake this year of quickly putting the deck rug and furniture out before sweeping and cleaning everything. Then a lot of rain came and we were left with a moldy rug and deck. So we started by moving everything out of the way so we could sweep and power wash the deck. Needless to say, it got pretty jumbled. We were left with a pretty blank (slightly green) slate. Here are some before shots of the deck.<br />
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After some patient power washing done by Tim we were left with a much better deck.<br />
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<i>A word of caution with power washing:</i> It is easy to get zoned in on removing a bit of mildew or staining from a spot but be careful because if you cut in too close with the washer, it will splinter and eat away at the wood. In the effort of full disclosure, here is a shot of that happening with our railing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBs80mrFXzRxqRFFxbc079ykNYYr83PVBdIS2ClpLzGzus8M7s9yiiKf5DuF7l_aAJunKhyphenhyphenPhX6FJq72yBxEGOhAnPqRpEIf7gzkQ4Jy-8Z0fY_92RoGKNZsZ7Cb_2gRU4FQuaACdfPGo/s1600/June+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBs80mrFXzRxqRFFxbc079ykNYYr83PVBdIS2ClpLzGzus8M7s9yiiKf5DuF7l_aAJunKhyphenhyphenPhX6FJq72yBxEGOhAnPqRpEIf7gzkQ4Jy-8Z0fY_92RoGKNZsZ7Cb_2gRU4FQuaACdfPGo/s640/June+075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
(The extra light half circle spots on the railing is where we got a little too close with the power washer. This could hurt the integrity of the deck so make sure you aren't spraying too close or too long in one spot.)<br />
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Moving on to some better before and afters. Here is a shot of our chairs before (left) and after (right). Ahh- much better!<br />
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Finally we started putting back the pieces. Unfortunately the rug could not be saved so we are on the hunt for a new rug. I want something with more color and pattern so hopefully we can find it soon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhXc_o6XfTTJ3QwiYCS586ukeiRKVuYv4cAWWvL8CN0VDO9e6WurSAR6Uk60_8Y3ZWPuU0nf0WDOKYBQgiUVSEfIoca25X77Hf7H96tNIjMWhH5wy4pDmQkKnfHQGAvZHQlB8Khvafpg/s1600/June+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhXc_o6XfTTJ3QwiYCS586ukeiRKVuYv4cAWWvL8CN0VDO9e6WurSAR6Uk60_8Y3ZWPuU0nf0WDOKYBQgiUVSEfIoca25X77Hf7H96tNIjMWhH5wy4pDmQkKnfHQGAvZHQlB8Khvafpg/s640/June+045.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the only shot with cushions but it is pre- power washing.</td></tr>
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Next is finding some more greenery to jazz up our deck so it screams oasis. Are you "decking" out your deck this summer? New pillows or furniture? Or are you simply using nature around you?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-16022419759429224732012-06-12T19:18:00.002-07:002012-06-12T19:18:39.016-07:00Puppy Fair and camera funOur town is very small. Like I can walk all four corners of it in less than a day. So when they host fairs or festivals, we try to go support them and meet neighbors. This past weekend was the annual Roslyn Pet Fair. It's a vendor fair celebrating our pets and offering opportunities to support worthy causes and get some awesome flair.<br />
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We packed up the pup and walked over there. He didn't realize what was going on right away but he was excited.<br />
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There were puppies everywhere as well as cats, snakes and rats (oh my!). There were also rescue centers and it was great to learn more about the local shelters for all of the great animals out there.<br />
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James got to make a lot of friends and many people commented that they would have never guessed he was already 7 years old since he looked so excited and peppy. We were excited to see him so happy as well.<br />
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All in all it was a great way to start the weekend (especially because a lot of it was spent cleaning). Plus, I got to spend the morning playing with my new camera. Here is a shot I took of our beautiful lilies in our front garden.<br />
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Next up, how we spruced up our back deck. Have you guys ever gone to a Pet Fair? I was surprised how many people came out in our small little town.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-30966175667346252452012-06-08T08:59:00.000-07:002012-06-08T08:59:28.517-07:00Bump out plansHappy Friday Everyone! It's time to reveal our project that we have brewing. It is going to be the biggest construction we have ever done to our house. I am excited. It is much needed but I am a little nervous to have a hole on the side of my house... Let me explain.<br />
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This is our living room. I realize this is a Christmas shot but lets look past that, shall we?<br />
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Here is another view from the couch area looking at our entryway and kitchen. You can see a table and chair set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9yQ6CgxI9JvTD64VWJvWrwG3c5Jd4afeyADOHamOG-o1Y5SmwvBfk6IFoUfFdnLwk90AJ8pmKrJgvr6ipUCMAK4ytgg1kGCc3a5UWeE2BJXKyGiEcn8Y4SIXvsDJErbnYz2AuyVhxC0/s1600/Christmas+Mantel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9yQ6CgxI9JvTD64VWJvWrwG3c5Jd4afeyADOHamOG-o1Y5SmwvBfk6IFoUfFdnLwk90AJ8pmKrJgvr6ipUCMAK4ytgg1kGCc3a5UWeE2BJXKyGiEcn8Y4SIXvsDJErbnYz2AuyVhxC0/s640/Christmas+Mantel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now let me explain the issue. We NEVER use that table to eat. NEVER. It became a catch all for the mail, coats, purses, backpacks and whatever else we have in our hands when we walk in the house. It is not exactly a welcoming thing for our guests or neighbors to see. One of the reasons that I am ashamed to admit that we never use it is because you can't see the TV from it. (Sad I know) It also feels very cramped since the door is right there. If you want to entertain more than 3 people in that space, it becomes an issue. When we had people over in the colder months, we ended up using the couch, tray tables and whatever else we could get our hands on.<br />
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Here is a very, very poor sketch of our front half of our house. *no judging*<br />
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It is cramped and the living room is just small enough where it would be tight and awkward looking to put a decent table in there. Believe me- we tried.<br />
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So here is our plan that we conjured up with my father in law.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28VwepGzv6wsVEcnIDRgKonDSUc_uFyZzHp-2SibcDlRnt7qePOBoVyBfZLLhBtKWO0vSexaDkmPd1xGm2IC_vYr2KC2134aDtJi5EPblrhv1eCoTGHfNdFzzBOT9p6A0WXIF5_9H7t8/s1600/house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28VwepGzv6wsVEcnIDRgKonDSUc_uFyZzHp-2SibcDlRnt7qePOBoVyBfZLLhBtKWO0vSexaDkmPd1xGm2IC_vYr2KC2134aDtJi5EPblrhv1eCoTGHfNdFzzBOT9p6A0WXIF5_9H7t8/s640/house.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
We are going to create a bump out eating nook! It looks big in my awful rendering but we have acquired a round 5 foot table from Tim's uncle (yay free!) and we are going to have built in seating all around it with windows letting in some much needed light. This project will most likely stir up other projects that I have had in my mind on the back burner such as replacing the couch and changing the entryway in a storage, bench, mudroom area but all in good time. And it doesn't help that we can see the TV from the table. :) To get a better idea of what we are looking at, here are some inspiration photos I tagged on Pinterest.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">houzz.com</td></tr>
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I love the bench seating and that two toned table reminds me of the one we inherited from Tim's Uncle. (more on that later)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bhg.com</td></tr>
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I love the light and the fact that all this seating cuts very little into the existing home layout.<br />
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Tim and I are in the process of acquiring a permit for this wonderful addition but I am excited to be starting this project this summer (hopefully). We will make sure we keep you all in the loop as we get closer and closer to the first day of demo.<br />
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Are you tackling any big projects this summer? Or maybe some small overdue projects? We are tackling a lot of outdoor work this weekend and I can't wait to see some instant changes to our backyard.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-52059922184459307972012-06-05T19:35:00.001-07:002012-06-06T08:17:46.420-07:00Summertime changesI am finally realizing that it is now June and I need to get into a summertime mode. I realized this when I was outside this past weekend and I looked at my vegetable garden. You may remember when I planted our <a href="http://wanderdownpennylane.blogspot.com/2012/04/our-veggie-gardenin-pots.html" target="_blank">small potted vegetable garden </a>earlier this spring. They were so small.<br />
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Now our lettuce has been growing by the boatloads. This is our 4th or 5th time cutting the lettuce and it was due for another round.<br />
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And the tomatoes are growing each and everyday. We placed a wire fence around the pot to keep the tomato plants stable.<br />
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In fact, you can even see some little tomatoes growing. I can't wait to make some tomato sandwiches!<br />
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I also decided to finally change our spring mantle. I am not totally in love with the new look (it needs a banner or something) but it works for now until I can keep tweaking.<br />
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Oh, and are you wondering who that wonderful bobble head is?<br />
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It's Charlie Manuel from the Philadelphia Phillies! It is baseball season after all. :)<br />
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How are you guys prepping for summertime? It usually takes me awhile to realize that the new season is here but now that it is, I am excited!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98-dWfLQBiPlqa3kUpZujysJr2aNFb-cbfLYnk_wnZV4FtO8_SQngVrokRDVkKBI6bjv97VtC8rAcaNpCgwsQMqF5z0s_4eSzchejHHBYVZ8HuiBghPu0lDCHZOsrHCt3inXTYVEQpiI/s1600/Canon+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98-dWfLQBiPlqa3kUpZujysJr2aNFb-cbfLYnk_wnZV4FtO8_SQngVrokRDVkKBI6bjv97VtC8rAcaNpCgwsQMqF5z0s_4eSzchejHHBYVZ8HuiBghPu0lDCHZOsrHCt3inXTYVEQpiI/s640/Canon+026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-42495127819964536852012-06-04T16:59:00.002-07:002012-06-04T16:59:32.277-07:00A Very Merry Birthday...to Me!That's right. Last Thursday 5/31 was my birthday! It was a whirlwind.The big 2-7! haha To be honest, it doesn't feel different at all. In fact, I had been telling people that I was 27 since Tim has been for the past 7 months. Since it was a workday I went to work like any other day. My other coworker and I have birthdays about 4 days apart so we celebrated them together at work on Thursday with wraps from a local place and this delicious fudge chocolate pound cake from The Bakery House. YUM! This was the quickest picture I could get on my phone before it was all gone.<br />
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When I got home Tim and the pup were waiting for me to take a quick walk to work off my cake from lunch so I could enjoy my next meal. Then I got to open my extremely generous gift from my boys: a camera! But not just any camera. A Canon Rebel EOS T3i! I have been wanting one for awhile and I am really excited to have this new wonderful toy to play with. Plus, now the blog pictures can actually look cleaner, crisper and overall just better quality. A win all around!<br />
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After squealing for 20 minutes about my new toy, we then went out to dinner at our favorite local spot: <a href="http://bocellidining.com/" target="_blank">Bocelli's</a>. It is a quaint little Italian Restaurant located in an old train station in Gwynedd Valley, PA at a local stop on the septa transportation line.<br />
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Believe me, if you live around there, you need to go. They are so nice and always have great fresh specials. Its always a fun experience to go there. It is a special occasion place (meaning more than your local Taco Bell) but well worth it. And its BYOB for all of you wine lovers out there :)<br />
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When we got back my family came over for some ice cream cake (a tradition on my side of the family) and some more presents. I couldn't feel more loved (or full!) on this perfect day. <br />
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<i>*all photos from the restaurant are from their website. Go! It's delicious :)</i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722401874805003101.post-55557718987218418542012-06-01T10:29:00.002-07:002012-06-04T13:18:21.006-07:00Memorial Day Weekend<br />
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This past weekend is a time to remember the soldiers of our country and the sacrifice they make to their country. This weekend is also a time for a little vacation, family, friends and a lot of food. Tim was out of town so my friends and I decided to go to The Great Pennsylvania FlavorFest.<br />
We had a blast going from vendor to vendor to see what fun items they created. One of the places we stopped had melted down wine bottles into serving trays and hanging pieces (almost like stained glass). <br />
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There was another artist that painted on slabs of stone. The pieces were very detailed and easy to get lost in. I almost walked away with a small forest scene but I managed to resist.<br />
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Of course, there was food as well. I actually tried (for the first time) Fried Oreos! I have to say that it felt like I was eating a funnel chocolate cake. It was definitely yummy but I can only handle so much at one. Still, worth trying!<br />
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This wine/food festival is held at the location of the Renaissance Fair so not only do we enjoy great food, wine and vendors but we also get to see some great buildings and sets.<br />
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... and have a little fun of course!<br />
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<img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotosSnowliftCaption" class="spotlight" height="892" src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/579409_10100636688817556_25501736_47444487_1208415892_n.jpg" style="height: 552px; width: 595px;" width="960" /><br />
(You guys remember our dessert guest blogger Jonelle)<br />
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That cottage I showed you above had an interesting door mantelpiece.<br />
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Who knew T-Rex was around during the Renaissance?<br />
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So what fun activities did you guys do over the break? Anyone hit the beach? Or visit their local renaissance fair grounds?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00624657807325433599noreply@blogger.com0