One Year ago…

Happy One YEAR!!

We’ve come a long way from this photo…

On Tuesday, 10-4, we celebrated one full year since we closed on our home in Medina. I can still remember the excitement of coming to this empty house, knowing it was all ours. Ryan and I made a quick trip down to sign papers, vacuum carpets and having the carpets & ductwork cleaned. Now if I said I saw all the potential as we walked the empty rooms of this house, I would be lying. Bold faced Lie. Because to be honest… I was racking my brain, praying that fresh ideas would come to me. I knew of a couple things I for sure wanted to do… but that was it. Colors, style, etc… I was blanking.

I spent most of November-March sitting on my hands because I was afraid to mess it up. I was waiting for Ryan to help me decide on colors, and to help me get the projects done on the weekends, because that was how we did a lot of work on our old house. It was always such a big to-do… we would send our kids to grandmas just so we could accomplish our tasks, but then I realized… if I want it done. I have to do it myself. No one is going to watch my kids. No one is going to help me. It’s Me. So. I put on my big girl panties, bought some paint and got to work.

Ryan’s new job has him traveling from time to time, so on a random trip in March, I dug in. Small bite size projects that can be accomplished in a couple days. Room by room, this house was developing a new personality, and room by room, I felt the life come back to me. The creativity came rushing back to me and suddenly each room revealed its personality.

We are far from done. It‘s a marathon not a sprint… but man I am enjoying the journey! So many more projects planned for the upcoming winter months!! More photos to come soon!

Coming Up for Air...

I have missed this space. Like truly, deeply missed sharing my life in this capacity. My last post was March of 2021, and well to say “A LOT has changed since then”, would be quite the understatement. In a nutshell? In August (2021), Ryan took a new job in Ohio, we moved, bought a new house, started homeschooling, and I’ve jumped head first into making this new house our home.

It’s been a rough year, dealing with feelings of losing myself, overwhelm, anxiety and some seasonal depression as I’ve navigated these days of mom-seclusion at home, with no babysitter or family around to help lighten the burden, but that’s life isn’t it? Everyone has their crosses to bear, or has difficult points in their days, weeks, months. But through all that, Ryan and I have been working with a counselor for both our marriage and individual personal things, I’ve been digging deeper into my faith as a Catholic, and slowly but surely, I feel like I’m finally coming up for air.

SO much has changed in our home since this photo was taken. Lots of painting, wallpapering, and overall feeling like this space has turned into the creative environment we needed. I still miss my kitchen in Midland, EVERY DAY… Mostly missing those white quartz countertops, but I’m slowly convincing Ryan that we would benefit from new countertops. But its all been a journey. I tell myself daily that Instagram isn’t real life, that it is completely unrealistic to buy, renovate and have everything painted and in perfect order when you move into a new home. Having that expectation is only going to usher in feelings of frustration and discontent.

As I sit here at the counter, in my 90’s oak kitchen, with brown countertops, I can’t help but look around and smile at all the work I’ve done thus far. So much life & personality has been breathed into this home, and I can see the fruits of my labor. But the before & afters are for another day. In the meantime, we are enjoying our new normal, missing Michigan like crazy, but enjoying all that Ohio has to offer. We’ve made a couple friends, Ryan is thriving in his new position at work, we have hit our stride with homeschooling and the kids truly enjoy all this time together.

Now if I can just get better at carving out some time once a week to get back to updating this site. Even if no one reads this, I want to be able to look back at this journey together, with my favorite people in the whole wide world.

—The Van Wert Fam.

Sugar Waxing: A Lesson in Self Control

Let me preface this by saying, there is going to be some inappropriate talk about hair in private places, also I’ve never gone to a salon and had any part of my body waxed, so I truly have nothing to compare this experience to. I tried using Nair wax strips once when I was 20, to do my bikini line and it ended with me showering, praying that the strip would release because I just couldn’t do it.

About a month ago, I started thinking about trying waxing as a means to cut back on shaving (pits, legs, bikini). In true 2021 fashion, I started getting targeted instagram ads for Sugar Waxing. The one that always caught my eye was a cute and witty commercial for Sugar Me Smooth and hooked me in. I was successfully influenced & knew I had to try it. I went back and forth about what kit I should get, but I ended up getting the bikini, because that’s the most annoying area especially in the summer.

It started easy enough. Watched the video, did a test on my leg, got the hang of it, and so I went for it. Let me say, it’s not pleasant. Not even a little bit. You know the scene from 40 Year Old Virgin? There were definitely moments I wanted to scream out “KELLY CLARKSON!” I tried to make mine a more enjoyable experience, so I put on a good tv show, poured myself an alcoholic beverage, and took my time.

I started with doing only the bikini line, sides, maybe a little off the top, but it soon turned into a topiary lesson. The more I did, the stranger it looked, so I just kept going… and at the moment I wanted to quit I looked in the mirror and I knew I had to finish. It would be like shaving your head and facial hair, but leaving a sideburn. ONE SIDEBURN. Granted, people see your head/face, and nobody but my husband will see this hack job… but I just knew we wouldn’t be able to stop laughing if I left it. So. I put on a meditation, took the last swig off my drink, said a few Hail Mary’s and muscled through.

On a scale of one to child birth… It’s about a 7 or 8. I’ve been told that the more you do it, the easier it gets, and the less and less it hurts. So. fingers crossed for that. Anyway, not having anything else to compare this to, I’m happy with the product I chose to get! It’s the bikini kit from Sugar Me Smooth. Apparently sugar wax is supposed to be less abrasive than regular waxing, and you won’t get burned, because you don’t need to heat this up. Apply it to your hair, going against the flow of the hair, then remove it with a flicking motion with the grain of the hair. This is supposed to make it less painful, but what you need to know is, its going to hurt and possibly bleed. You’re removing the hair follicle, and for some of these hairs, they’ve never been pulled out before. Ouch. There is a reason why people pay other people to do this, because it’s unnatural to PURPOSEFULLY inflict that kind of pain on yourself, and to keep doing it, over and over and over until you’re done.

ANYWAY, I hope you got a good laugh at my expense. I’m sore, slightly embarrassed, but hopeful that next time won’t be so traumatic. (Meaning, I’ll do it again). And if you don’t plan on joining the ranks of the Brazilian people, I’d say, overall, this isn’t that bad!

My Favorite Chocolate Chip cookies {Gluten & Dairy Free}

I read something recently about an idea for a book about a food blogger who admits to murders she had committed in the text of her recipe blog posts. She got away with them all because NO ONE reads that part of the post. They mainly jump to the recipe and call it a day. That being said. I’ll spare you all the details about why I opted to make this recipe gluten and dairy free.

I will share the gluten and dairy free products that I used and liked though! Because they made these taste soo yummy!

Please remember, if you’re doing a side by side taste test, you will be able to taste the difference between the original cookie and the gf/df one, but when you are craving something sweet that won’t hurt your stomach…this is the recipe for you!! Enjoy!!

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Magnolia Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten & Dairy Free}

Yield: 30 cookies

Author: Jordanne Marie

Cook time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten free baking flour 
• 1 heaping tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 Stick of Country Crock Plant butter (I used the Olive oil one) at room temperature
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1-2 cups of Nestle allergen-free chocolate chips 

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Place baking mat on baking pan.
2. 2. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. (Flour, salt, baking soda).
3. 3. Using a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar until light & fluffy (2-3 min). Add the eggs & vanilla and beat until blended.
4. 4. Turn off mixer, and slowly add the dry ingredient mixture, until the dough all comes together. Add the chocolate chips.
5. 5. Scoop into large TBSP size balls, and place on baking mat. Cook for 9.5-10 min then let sit on the pan for about a minute before removing and placing on a cooling sheet. 

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