Ryen's Room: March 2009

March 30, 2009

Flea Market Frame Freebie

In case you didn't see it, I posted these cute frames on my Shabby Blogs blog. I am a girl who loves a good frame...as you can see by looking around. :) Enjoy them!

We decided to go on a budget last month. We've never done that before. That's bad, huh? We just never have. We've talked about it before. We've planned to go on one before. We just never actually did it. I'm not going to lie to you- I was pretty nervous. I'm a bargain-hunter by nature, but mandatory penny-pinching just seemed grueling and restrictive. However, after a few days I realized that I was actually more happy being on a budget. Who would have thought??? We even talked to the girls about how important it is to save money...something, I am sad to say, they have very little experience with. Now, each time we go to the store and they ask for something I tell them they need to save their own money to buy it. All of this money talk seems to have really sunk in with our two little girlies- especially Ryen. This was quite obvious when I took her to Lowes last week. I asked a man who worked there if he would check on the price of a sink for me and Ryen told him not to bother because we can't buy it. "I'm sorry, Sir. That costs too much money. We are saving people!" She'd ask me the price of every item she saw and then slap her cheek exclaiming, "Are you kidding me!?!!" each time I answered her. I think she's convinced that we are poor and that the retail industry is of Satan. Fun times.

March 20, 2009

You guessed it!

I'm pretty predictable, huh? I bought this tin box that originally held chocolates when I went to the flea market. Isn't it delightfully shabby? It was only $5- which I paid cheerfully. I like to imagine what little treasures have been inside it for the past 50+ years. Plus, I'm pretty sure I can turn these photos into a blog header... so double score. :)

Thanks for all of the birthday love, everyone! (Isn't my husband the sweetest?) Turning 30 freaked me out a tiny bit, but as Lew Wallace said:

"A man thirty years old, I said to myself, should have his field of life all ploughed, and his planting well done; for after that it is summer time."

...and I am totally excited for summer.

March 18, 2009

30 and Counting

At the risk of sullying this remarkable blog with an amateurish post, I proceed - undeterred by a desire to shout to you and to the world:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE WOMAN I LOVE!

Here is a list of 30 reasons to feel elated about where you have come from and where you are going as you pass this milestone in your life.

You know and love God and you know that He knows and loves you.
You have a husband who adores you.
You have three beautiful, dynamic, and strong daughters who spend the entirety of every day in a tireless quest to become like you.
You are at the center of a family, yours and mine, who love you completely and forever.
Your presence on this earth has brightened the lives of your countless friends and acquaintances.
At risk to your life and to your sanity, you successfully fought to bring our three daughters into our home and our hearts.
You have come to know who you are.
You have read all of the works of Shakespeare and not only appreciate them, but truly understand them.
You have successfully talked your way out of at least ten speeding tickets – and have since slowed down.
You were voted Homecoming Queen.
You have swam in Lake Michigan in March and lived to tell about it (or so the story goes)
You went off to college with very little money, not knowing a soul, and never having been there, and came home with a great education, countless friends and three marriage proposals.
You are the most engaging public speaker I know.
You appreciate the beauty of beautiful things.
You taught yourself HTML, CSS, and who knows how many other computer languages.
You a fully accomplished photographer.
You have been to more places and seen more of the world than most see in their lifetime.
You have a beautiful voice.
You have made our home into a work of functional, delightful, art.
You can buy more for a dollar than anyone else I know.
You have a wonderful talent of taking ordinary things and turning them into works of art. (note the previous post)
You have discernment which makes you an excellent judge of character.
You can, and have, written an entire childrens book in under 5 minutes.
You have a talent for finding new, good, musical artists – long before they become popular.
You have been to almost every national park in the country.
You can spit frozen peas further than I can.
You are just about to launch a website which is certain to be successful.
You will have the privilege of witnessing our daughters grow into women who will honor you with their love and their lives.
We will grow old together and I will love you more all the while.
The best is yet to be.

- Love Sonny

March 17, 2009

Flea Market Finds

Thanks to a super kind family from church, Yours Truly and The Old Ball & Chain got an actual date last weekend. Since my birthday is rapidly approaching, Sonny let me choose where we went. I decided to go antiquing because 1.)I looooove old stuff and 2.)I wanted to find some little treasures to use as embellishments in my blog designs. My expectations weren't too high. I expected a shop or two with a few interesting things, but nothing I was really excited about. What I found was The Mother Ship. 2 massive flea markets + a ton of awesome antique shops = Megan Heaven. I could have pitched a tent in the midst of it all and lived out the remainder of my days in a state of dust-covered bliss. Instead, I took pictures of everything in sight and came home high on mothballs and the thrill of victory. Though I could have purchased enough random and utterly useless (but DIVINE!!!) items to fill a Uhaul, I walked away with only two things. One was this stroller in mint condition. (Usually, it bothers me when people sell newer things in antique venues, but snagging a $400 stroller for $15 softened my heart a little.) Just for fun, check out the photos above and guess what my other purchase was.

March 15, 2009

Long time, no blog...

It's not like me to go this long without posting. I've been so preoccupied lately. I did manage to sneak out one afternoon this past week to take a few pictures of my girls. It's been a while since I've really taken "portraits" of them so we took advantage of a beautiful afternoon in our neighborhood.

(You can click on a photo so see the larger version)

March 4, 2009

I'm still here!

I've just been working on this...