A move update & Saturday (?!) Funday Favorites

Saturday can be fun day too, right?

Well, in my little bloggie world here, it is for sure going to be a fun day.  Because this week I'm moving my Sunday Funday Favorites to Saturday to make room for a special post on Sunday. Got that?

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I have been laying awake at night this week for some reason.  No idea why.

Maybe it is adrenaline from running at night?  Or, I don't know, maybe it is our move that is coming up soon.

We are getting closer and closer to have a concrete move date.  We head to Scotland in the next few weeks to do some rental house shopping {yahoo--one of my all time favorite things!}, and once we know when a lease would be available, that will give us a move date.

But you know what the "laying awake at night" means here?  More pins!  I have the pinterest app on my ipod touch {LOVE!}, and its how I pass my "trying to get sleepy, but occupying my time quietly as to not wake up J#1 and J#4" time.

So...hope you find something you like here, I know I did.

Favorite Blog Posts: 
Miss Mommy's "Mommy needs a Time Out":    Oh, I feel her frustration.  And I sort of feel like she was spying on me. Just a bit.

Steady Mom's "Children are not adults":  So true, and such a good reminder.  Better keep this one around to go back to from time to time.

Favorite Etsy Finds: 

This helps me get excited for turkey day.  Yeah, I know...it isn't even Halloween yet.  Check out all of La Famille @ home's fall line, some really charming stuff.  {plus, she is having a summer sale!  good deals.  score!}  She also has a pretty fun blog too.

Love, love, love.   Thanks to Control the Chaos for featuring it on her blog, so I could find it!

You can find it at Simple Shapes on Etsy.  Looks like they have several different wall decals. Always perfect when living in a rented home.  Or you like to change things a lot.  {Like me.}

Favorite Pinterest "pins":

Source: athankfullheart.blogspot.com via Jenny on Pinterest

True that.

Source: funhandprintart.blogspot.com via Jenny on Pinterest

handprint makes bonfire...and if you like this, just wait until I get in the Christmas mood.  Which I am thinking might be soon.  Very soon.

Source: pennycarnival.typepad.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Awesome book storage option.

Source: etceteraecasa.blogspot.com via Jenny on Pinterest

I love me some creative storage/display ideas.

Favorite Photo: 

 Just kidding.  

Don't let her fool you.  This is a happy face.
Miss Princess is developing more of a personality.  So fun.

Sunday Funday Favorites #4

Evidently I like to change my blog design about as much as like to change around furniture.  Which is a lot.   Hopefully you can bear with me until I find "the one".  I think this one might be it...but we will have to wait and see.

Can I tell you a secret?

Well, it isn't very juicy, but I'll tell you anyway.

Yesterday I took 400 photos (before deleting out the really bad ones).  400!  We weren't even touring anything.  Just hanging out at home and a trip to the park.  Obsessed much?  Yes, I believe I am.

I'm sure some of the photos will be showing up here and there over the next few weeks.

But for now, it is my Sunday tradition.  Sunday Funday Favorites!  And I have a whole bunch for you this week.  I was bookmarking favorites all week long.

Favorite Blog posts: 
Kelle Hampton is in the list of my "top 5 blogs" to read anytime she has a post. She is so incredibly inspiring and in love with her job as a mom.  Here are a few of her post this week that struck a chord with me:
Unplugged, Plugged: Hallmark
Favorite Day

Are you as ready for fall as I am?  The candles, warm clothes, and scents of pumpkin and spice?  If you're not, check out this post from Between You & Me, and you'll be ready for fall in minutes.

Have you ever heard of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library?  Awesome concept, but not available to me.  Essentially, you can register your child and they will get a free book each month until their fifth birthday, delivered right to your house.  You should definitely check this post out to find out more about it and if it is available in you community.


Favorite Etsy Finds: 

Isn't this distressed wood sign brilliant?  This shop, called Show Me a Sign, has several other great signs to choose from, including some Christmas items (just in case you are getting in the mood for that...which I know a few of you likely are).

My other secret (well, maybe it isn't such a secret) obsession is with office supplies.  Notebooks (like the one above), pens, folders, you name it, I could go mad shopping and buying these.  I have tried to put myself on an "office supply diet", if you will, so for now I will just be pining after these awesome notebooks, calendars and other awesome stuff at redstarINK's Etsy store. 

Favorite pins: 

Source: liferearranged.com via Jenny on Pinterest

This woman made her dining room a playroom. Awesome, because the kids are sort of "in the center" of everything, but have their own room.  And then she used a dresser for toy storage.  That is a great way to keep all of the small items up off the floor when they aren't being used.  

And this next idea.  Brilliant.  Revolutionary (okay, maybe not that drastic, but it is very cool): 

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Have an old crib?  You probably can't hand it down, because it has a drop-side, and those are a big no-no now.  What do you do?  Make it a desk.  Love, LOVE, LOVE this idea. 

Favorite Photos: 

 every two year old needs a cordless phone (with no battery) for a walk to the park, right? 

no caption needed

Sunday Funday Favorites #3

Hey ya'll!  Ready for the last week of summer?  


Well, it is what I consider the last week of summer, just before Labor Day in the United States.  We don't have "labor day" here in the Netherlands but in this house it will be the last week of summer too. 


Next week, I start the couch to 5K (eek!).  But for now, I'm still on the couch. At least when I am not walking to the grocery store and park, making laundry trips up the stairs and playing with the kiddos on the floor.   


Here are a few of my favorites from the couch this week...  


Favorite Blog Post: 
A brief return to wedding photography


The mastermind behind the online photography course I took has a blog too. This post features a recent wedding that she photographed, so you can enjoy the photos. But the real reason I enjoyed the post was the story about the wedding location. If you have a few spare seconds, check it out.     




Favorite Etsy Shop: 
Truche Handmade Accessories & Creations

Check out this great necklace.  Not from Minnesota?  She has a lot of states and different countries too.


& 


Abbie's House

This is probably a bit much for us right now, but seems like a fun option for a chore chart. 


Favorite Pin: 

Source: thirtysixthavenue.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Can you tell that chore charts are on my mind right now?  I think we are a few years away from chore charts.  Or are we?  Either way, I think these are adorable for a DIY option.  


& here is another pin: 

Source: yfrog.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Favorite Photo: 

Technically speaking, this photo isn't the greatest.  But just warms a woman's heart.  Specifically, mine.  

Sunday Funday Favorites #2

Today WILL be a Sunday Funday for us.  We are driving up to The Hague to visit with our friend Ruth, check out the city and maybe even make a trip to Madurodam.  Which means we would be able to check off #2 AND #3 off our Holland Bucket List.  


Can't wait to share our day with you sometime this week. 


But for now, here are my Sunday Funday Favorites: 


Favorite Blog Post: 
A really long story about our Saturday night.

Evidently blog posts about eating out with children must REALLY resonate with me. This always stylish and beautiful mom relays an unfortunate (but have to admit, funny) dinner out with her family.  Pretty sure its only funny to me because I wasn't there.  Read, enjoy.  

Favorite Etsy Shop: 

Mountain Aven Baby:  Cute bibs, clothes and bags.  See the bib above?  This could be like a travel bucket list for J#4.  She'd at least be able to check one of them off already (Paris).  

Another fun find on Etsy.  Love it.  Would never buy it.  Why? 

$1899 + $400 shipping.  And that is shipping to the U.S.  Wonder how much it would be to ship to the Netherlands???

Favorite Pinterest Pin: 

Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Love, LOVE this kitchen wall.  Love Fiestaware.  Yes, I do. 

Favorite Photo: 

Those nights when Daddy gets home from traveling?  Priceless. 

Cheers to a good week ahead!

Sunday Funday Favorites #1

I don't have a lot for you today.   We are heading into a J#1 travel week, so I am getting myself geared up to fly solo most of the week.  Along with the fact that all four of us are in some phase of a cold.  So my brain isn't at 100%, which means nothing deep for you today. 


I DID want to make sure you know that this is still the same blog you visited yesterday, I just gave it a bit of a facelift.  I spent some time earlier today visiting some of my favorite blogs.  I realized that a lot of them focus on the words and photos, and have a pretty simple layout (no background photos as my earlier design did), so now that is what we have here.  


Simple. 


Actually, in Blogger the template is called "awesome".   Ha.  


See that "follow me on pinterest" button over there -> (and up a little)?  More on that in the next few days.  


You are on the edge of your seat, aren't you?  Go ahead, relax...like I said, it will be a few days.  


So, back to the title of this post.  I am thinking about starting a tradition.  Sunday Funday Favorites.  A potpurri of favorite things.  


Favorite blog post:  
Lady With the Glasses from Little Miss Momma 
If you have young kids, please, please do yourself a favor and take a minute to read it.  You'll understand why.  Oh, and she received 160 comments on that post.  Wow.  


Favorite Etsy shop:

{not my baby}

Maya J Accessories ;  Isn't that headband precious??? Wish I would have seen it before J#4's baptism.  Haven't purchased anything from here yet, but I am sure I will.  Soon enough. 


Favorite Photo: 

{these are my babies}

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!