SOCIAL MEDIA

August 26, 2015

Pond House

Way back in the beginning of the summer, we rented a cabin on a private pond in the Adirondacks.  We were excited for a week of kayaking, fishing, and relaxing by the pond.

August 19, 2015

Our Summer Kitchen

I am really trying to get back in the swing of things here on the blog, and I just realized that I never published this post of our summer kitchen.  I realize that everyone is focused on back to school and fall, but I thought I would share these summer kitchen pictures anyway.  Better late than never?

August 10, 2015

Thank You & an Update

I owe each and every one of you a huge thank you for all the love and support you showed me in regards to my mom’s stroke. Your comments and e-mails wrapped me in a hug when I needed it most. I will never again just think of this blog as a place to share home decor ideas. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

As for my mom, she has spent the last 3 weeks in an acute rehab hospital (Kessler). Slowly, she is making steps towards recovery. She is struggling to regain her speech. As a result of her stroke, she has developed expressive aphasia. This means she understands everything going on around her, and she certainly has a lot to say, but she just can’t get it out. My mom is a major communicator and this is, by far, the most frustrating thing for her. And all of us who love her. She is also working on trying to walk in physical therapy and learning to take care of her own needs in occupational therapy. She is so very motivated to get better and she is an inspiration to us all. It will be a long, slow process but she is definitely making progress.

Although we have stumbled along the way, we are learning new ways to communicate. Even before she started saying words, she was smiling and occasionally laughing, as well as crying and shaking her fist to show her frustration. I was able to sit in on a speech therapy session the other day and was thrilled to hear my mom say, “I love you” as well as all of my kids’ names. My new heroes are the therapists that are working with her. Kelly, her speech therapist, was the the first person who was able to give me hope a few days after mom arrived at rehab. She told me she thought my mom would say a word by the end of the week. And she was right. Until that time, no one was able to give us any indication of when- or even if- mom would recover. There were many dark and scary days when all we could do was put one foot in front of the other. I can’t imagine how I would have gotten through those days without my husband, Billy, or my brother and sister-in-law. It has been a roller coaster of emotions and I am sure it will continue to be in the months to come.

My mom re-married a couple of years ago and I have been so very grateful to her husband, Ray, for the wonderful life she has enjoyed with him. However, watching him take care of my mother these past few weeks has taken that appreciation to a whole new level. Ray also has 3 daughters who love my mom dearly. At Kessler, they keep telling us that family support is a huge factor in a stroke patient’s recovery. I sure hope they are right because my mom has a lot of support!

The next step in her journey will be spending a few weeks in a sub-acute rehab facility before returning home and continuing outpatient rehab. I will post more about her recovery as we go. And I hope to get back to somewhat regular posting about home decor soon. Fall is just around the corner and it is my favorite season for decorating! Thank you all again.

August 4, 2015

Keeping Teens Energized with HORMEL® REV® Wraps & A Giveaway!



It seems like my 3 boys are always on the go.  Especially as they get older, they pass through the house on their way from one activity to another.  Each of my boys is active in different ways, including sports, motocross, part-time jobs, etc.  The thing that they share in common is that they are all always HUNGRY!  I need ways to provide them with portable snacks that will sustain them without filling them up with empty calories.  HORMEL® REV® Wraps are the perfect portable go to snack for my on-the-go teens. Made with real meat, real cheese and real protein,  REV® Wraps were created to give moms and teens more real options for snacking.  For Those Who are Hungry™.

Each REV® Wrap contains at least 12 grams of protein and they can be eaten hot or cold.  With 14 different varieties of REV® Wraps, and 4 varieties of REV® AM Wraps, there is sure to be one your kids love.  You can find the whole list of varieties here.  My oldest (17) prefers the bacon club flavor, right out of the fridge on his way right out the door.  REV® Wraps are a great alternative to empty calories snacks.