Supporting local businesses

It all started a few weeks ago when my husband and I were trying to decide where we wanted to go out to dinner at. He threw out several chain restaurant names and we both agreed that we were sick of the chain restaurants. We decided to go to a local owned restaurant (Uptown Kitchen) instead. The owner is fabulous and he always makes a point to greet his customers and ask their names. I love that. My husband and I decided that we would begin trying to support more of the local businesses in our area in place of the chain/big name businesses.



Last night we went to a local coffee house near Notre Dame campus and enjoyed the atmosphere there. I'm sure we will still visit our regular starbucks (especially since we have made friends with the barista's there), but it's really important to help support the smaller businesses!!


As I am preparing my grocery list today, I am reminding myself to go to our local grocery store rather than Meijer or Walmart. Plus, our local grocery store has drive up service and is just over all a much friendlier place :). What are some of your favorite local places to eat/shop at???

Tis the season for Garage Sales!!!

I absolutely LOVE going to good garage sales!!!! This past Friday, I went to one about 20 minutes away and got some fun stuff!! Sometimes their is alot of junk or sometimes the stuff is priced too high, but sometimes you can get lucky and get some great deals!!
John has been wanting a lazy boy for a LONG time. I also kinda wanted one too, so I could be comfortable when I nurse Graham. Well, let me show you this awesome lazy boy chair!!! It is dark green leather and in great condition. I got it for $25.


I LOVE this scale. It's an old scale that they used to weigh babies on!!! I started taking a photography class and I thought this would be a really cool prop for some photos!!


I got three bar stools for $10. I plan on painting the green part white.


This is a super cute little red wagon!!! It's just Graham's size:). Again, I thought that it would be a great prop for some photo shoots :).


I love going to garage sales and finding great deals. It's kind of becoming a little hobbie for me!! I also got graham some great Fisher Price toys and he really seems to like those! I'm so glad I have all summer to explore at Garage sales!!!

My first Mother's Day :)

This year was my first Mother's Day with Graham physically here (last year he was in my womb!). It was such a wonderful mother's day and I felt so so blessed. It's almost hard for me to put into words how much I truly LOVE being a mom. It is my life long calling, what I was created to do. I feel so complete and satisfied.
I adore my precious family and thank God for the blessings of my husband and son.
Mother's Day was a busy day, but so fun! We went to church and then headed to my mom's house for lunch. My sister (who is pregnant with twins!!!!), her husband and my brother all joined my parents for lunch at their house.

Graham and my sweet husband got me a beautiful necklace from Tiffany's that I have wanted for awhile. I LOVE IT!!!!! John also got me a bracelet for making it to the 6 month mark of breast feeding. For those of you who do not know, I had an absolutely AWFUL beginning with breast feeding. I got mastitis 5 times in 4 months and was on the verge of quitting numerous times. I truly had to take each nursing session at a time and I didn't know if that would be the last of it or not. I had an incredible support system around me and I took advantage of my lactation consultant and hence here I am still breast feeding at 7 months! I am so so glad I did not give up!!!!!

Here are some pictures from Mother's Day!!


My side of the family (minus Steven & Renee) :


My sister Rachel, 30 weeks pregnant with twins!!! :


My Mother's Day Present :) :