Tag: lifestyle

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Guest bath update!

Well after so much thought and discussion, we finally have an updated guest bath!  I can’t tell you how many wallpaper books I combed through before making a decision, but alas, it’s all done and I couldn’t be happier!!




There were so many decisions on purchases for this small guest bath update.  We knew we needed to buy a white toilet, sink, and update the granite.  We also knew we needed to keep the floor intact- too much money to replace it. We decided to keep the existing light fixture and updated it purchasing clear glass bulbs instead of keeping the original milky ones.  We hung the same mirror and used the same tissue holder and faucet-all in chrome color.  I would like to have added some gold tones but will have to settle on gold accent pieces instead. 

The new wallpaper is very calming and yet has just the right amount of punch I was looking for.

 The installer did a great job at covering the heat vent and light plates.

I love the new granite on the gray cabinet.  You might remember we had the cabinet painted when we had the kitchen updated.

The wallpaper is from York wallcoverings and it’s called White Pine.

We kept the flooring the same.  It does have gray in it and does pick up the color in the wallpaper nicely.

I love the wallpaper so much that I am not even considering hanging a picture in this room.  I want the paper and the decorative mirror to stand out on their own.

Here is a look at the old bath, dingy and dark.  
So happy we updated the room and hired a professional wallpaper installer.  He was amazing and got the job done in a few short hours.  

Now on to the laundry room.  We purchased a new washer and dryer set from Costco last night and soon the remodel will begin.  Pics on that room coming soon!

Take care friends.

Karen

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It’s all about Dave!

Hello all, sorry for the absence but we were away again to one of our favorite places- Petoskey, Michigan. We needed some R&R and boy did we get it!  Dave has been so busy at work lately that I wondered if he had forgotten how to relax. He proved me wrong. We had a weekend full of sleeping in, lounging by the lake and pool, taking leisure bike rides and runs, and looking for Petoskey stones.  We had such a good time.  We stayed at the wonderful Inn at Bay Harbor, part of the Marriott family of luxury properties. This has to be one of the prettiest hotels that Marriott owns.

Hotel Lobby

 

Back view of Inn at Bay Harbor

Our room was huge with panoramic views of Lake Michigan.

View from our room

 

Lake Michigan is so beautiful.
Rode to Harbor Springs on Saturday.

Fall colors were making an appearance. Rode to Charlevoix on Sunday.

Cozying up to Hemingway 🙂

Who wouldn’t want to work in a library situated about a Fudge shoppe?!!

A short post for a long weekend, I hardly had my camera out and it really was about relaxing and catching up. My job is not very stressful and I only work part-time as a Librarian- so I am almost always relaxed. Dave’s job has too many meetings and harsh deadlines. He tries very hard not to get too worked up at work but I know it’s hard on him.

On the long drive home I asked him if he felt relaxed and he said with a warm smile that he did.  Goal met.  

Now that we are home, I am planning on beginning the cleanse that I blogged about last week.  I’ll update in a day or two.  


Hope you are having a wonderful week!

DAKLeave a comment

Hello all!

We have been traveling and have just returned to Michigan. We had a trip planned to visit the beautiful Yellow Stone National Park and the Grand Tetons!  While in the area, we also visited Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah and Idaho Falls, Idaho.  I am busy putting together pictures and vignettes so you can get a clear understanding of what we saw and what we did. We had such fun with Dave’s family on this summer family get together! Check back soon, as I will posting the vacation.

Tomorrow- I will share one of my favorite blogs as I continue my Friday Blog Highlights!

See you here tomorrow!

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Monday Mash-Up!

Happy Monday Everyone!  Looks like bad weather all over our country; it’s even going to 
rain here in Michigan today.  Prayers for Texas, hope the rain stops soon.

We had a busy weekend.  It started on Thursday when we went to an outdoor concert at a local park.  We rode our bikes there and listened for about an hour.  The music was good-80’s pop, and the crowd was feeling it!  On Friday, I was  able to pick up a new car lease.  I got a GM Malibu Hybrid.  It’s loaded and I think I am really going to love driving it.  I will especially like the cost savings in gas.  I turned in my Volt and hope all goes well.  I had a little wrinkle in one of the side panels (grocery store cart) and probably some tire wear and tear, but overall the Volt should have been in good enough shape not to get charged for additional damages.  I will let you know about this- I will be upset in GM tries to charge me extra.







On Saturday, I ran 4 miles while Dave biked 17.  He didn’t feel like running and I didn’t feel like biking.  It’s all good as long as we get some exercise in daily.  We also bought a hot tub! Yeah, that’s right it was a spending weekend.  We have been discussing the purchase of a hot tub for over a year now.  We understand the benefits of the jets and the hot water but we were a little worried about the expense and the monthly costs of running the hot tub.  We narrowed our search down to two different models and the one we really wanted went on sale and the price was just too good to walk away.  So now we are awaiting the delivery of a brand new Jacuzzi Hot tub, more on this later :}

Ours is only a two to three max person hot tub, this one is much larger, but this is the color scheme we chose.
Saturday night we stayed home with no plans, amazing that we had no plans- that just doesn’t seem to happen much.  Anyway, we made dinner (salmon, grilled vegetables and a Rochester Mills Milkshake Stout) and sat on the back porch enjoying a summer night.

Sunday, we created our own friendly, self imposed driathlon.  We biked 17, ran 4 and then kayaked for three miles.  We are trying to get in shape for a real driathlon next month. We were so tired the rest of the afternoon.  All I wanted to do was sit in a hot tub! We will have to wait on that one, so instead I took a hot bath with Epsom salts and read on the outside couch most of the day.  I discovered a new book (Pachinko by Min Jin Lee) and didn’t want to put it down.  

We had beautiful weather this weekend in Michigan.  Lot’s of people were enjoying the trails and kayaking. Hope you were able to get out and enjoy the last days of summer here in Michigan.

See you on Wednesday when I will have a new addition of What’s Up Wednesday! See you then!

DAKLeave a comment

Blog this week…Everyday Reading!

Since retirement I spend lots of time on the web.  I have discovered so many good blogs that I feel compelled to share with you.  So on Fridays, I will use this space to highlight these blogs that fill my head with ideas and laughter, recipes and book suggestions, home improvement recommendations and outfit tutorials, and I hope you click away and find some enjoyment from them too! 

Janssen- Everyday Reading Blog

Welcome weekend!  So happy you stopped in to see which blog I am discussing today. Everyday Reading is a blog about a mom, children’s Librarian, and now lifestyle blogger. Janssen is the voice behind the blog.  I love reading about her daily life with her very small children (four girls) as she home schools them while teaching them values and the love of reading.  It reminds me of when my two daughters were little and we would spend hours on the couch reading and discussing books.  I still remember when each of them became independent readers and how joyous that occasion was.   

I like this blog because her photos are top notch. Jansssen tries to create healthy meals for her family and she is very honest about her less than average culinary skills.  She is upbeat and appears to love to share her family’s stories. I have also started to follow her on Instagram and enjoy her videos of her everyday life with her girls. 

Click on her site and tell me how you feel about her blog. She is definitely younger than me and I think my own daughters would probably get more from her blog posts about motherhood and preparing meals for a family, but I like to read her posts because I still feel I can relate and it brings back lots of good memories.  

Have a wonderful weekend friends!  See you back here on Monday

DAKLeave a comment

Healthy hair, nails, and skin

As many of you know, Olivia just got married.  At the wedding, many people commented on my looks (face and hair) and I wanted address this and say something that I have been doing differently for the past year.

Along with trying to eat well and exercise- which is really just running 3-4 miles daily, biking a few times a week when Dave and I have time, and trying to lift weights, which I do sporadically, I have also been taking this supplement, Vital Proteins Marine Collagen. I started one year ago after reading an online article about the importance of collagen peptides in a vitamin regime. Dave also shared with me an article in AARP that highlighted the importance of collagen peptides for youthful looking skin, better bone health (osteoporosis runs in the family), and in aiding in muscle recovery. By adding collagen peptides into my vitamin regime I would be ensuring the cohesion, elasticity, and regeneration of skin, hair, cartilage, bones, and joints.

Thus began my journey with Marine Collagen supplements.  I Googled many and found this one- Vital Proteins, they had really good reviews.   I ordered one container (pricey-$49.00) to see how I liked it.  It’s tasteless and odorless.  I add it to plain drinking water.  I simply fill a glass with filtered water and put in a scoopful.  I let it sit for while- the powder dissolves in the water.  I stir sometimes to help it dissolve faster. I drink it while I down my multivitamin and my flax-seed oil supplement. The product I use does not have a taste or an aftertaste.   Some people on Amazon report they taste a fishy taste, I can’t imagine how.  I am very sensitive to taste and smell I have never tasted or smelled anything fishy, not even a burping, smelly, fishy hiccup after drinking the solution. I take this product every morning, when traveling I bring a baggy with me. One container will last for two months. 


So have I noticed a change since I have been taking the supplement for a full year now?   Yes! When I run I don’t feel as achy.  I used to dread running, but now there are days where I actually look forward to it.  I love when I am in control and the running is good, when my body doesn’t feel old and achy. I also found I have more energy to complete my runs.  My nails are definitely stronger and they actually grow too fast, not complaining, just noticing that I have to cut them down more often. My hair is thicker and I am not losing as much as I used to in the shower or on the hairbrush. I actually had to cut off a few inches because my hair had grown to the middle of my back- not age appropriate. My hair appears thicker and fuller. My skin is definitely clearer.  Breakouts are a thing of the past and now my skin glows even when I only have moisturizer on.  I have been blessed with good skin, the women in my family have beautiful skin, but I really believe this product is helping me keep it moist and supple.

I am a fan.  I order two jars at a time so I know I will not run out.  I am very loyal, I find a product that I like and I stick with it.

Looks like this at first, stir or wait till is dilutes, then drink.

I should add that I am 56 years young and I am feeling very good. Aging just sucks, but if I can somehow make my daily running easier, my skin look younger, my hair, nails, and muscles stronger, while keeping osteoporosis at bay-then I will continue to spend big bucks on vitamin supplements.  What are your thoughts?

If you decide to try this product let me know.  I would love to hear your story.


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