August Goals

I always admire other bloggers who post their "goals" for the month. I did the ONCE. Yes. one time and it was like 2 years ago - and who knows if I even remotely came close to accomplishing them. Let's just go with probably not.  I've been really trying to push myself with writing so why not set some goals, right? 

My goals.. For August... 

This is the dirt pile in our front yard...

1. Landscaping.   We have been working on this landscaping since we moved in.  Last summer I pulled a ton of pavers out of the front yard with the hopes to plant grass by fall.  That never happened and this is what our front yard looks like now.  (I cannot wait for another year to show the ENTIRE progression of start to finish!).

2.  Running.  My running has been so limited because of my back injury. However, I can start running again (slowly) by adding some biking and other low impact activities.  I only have 1 race scheduled for August and it's a 5K this weekend (Gopher to Badger).  Last year I was in top shape and ran a great 1/2. This year I'll be cheering on all the runners looking forward to my next one! (Which I swore last year was my last... but hoping to do Grandma's in 2018 and MAYBE gopher to badger 2017?!)

3.  Cleaning/Organizing/eBaying. I am a clothes hoarder.  This has been a bit of a revelation as I've gained and lost (and gained) weight. I cover up with new clothes.  So I'm slowly paring down my closet and selling my shit high quality clothes (several with tags) that I couldn't live without and have never worn :)  Typical, right?

4. Weddings.  Not mine. HA HA HA.  Two of them.  One which happens to be on my favorite weekend of the year.  Adam is in one so we'll be doing wedding festivities all weekend the last weekend in August.  They will both be fun :)

5.  Pub Crawling.  Erin Adams's Hargrove's 10th Annual Polar Pub Crawl (North St Paul, MN) is this upcoming weekend.  I can't even handle that it's been 10 years since she started her pub crawl.  There have been a lot of fun memories, and some not so fun memories (headstands and card cheaters) okay that fits in both columns :)   We haven't made it to all 10 but are really excited about making it this year.  

6.  Pepper Fest.  See #4.  My favorite weekend of the ENTIRE year is in North Hudson, WI.  I grew up down the street from Pepper Fest and L-O-V-E going every single year!!  This year will be cut short by a wedding ...ahem... please be considerate and check a calendar next year folks... j/k.  Parades, Italian Food, Beer, Music, and old friends!  What more could you ask for?  (Pepper Eating Contest, Spaghetti eating contest, a 5k/10K race, rides for the kids, bags tournaments... ) Seriously, one of the best summer get togethers around!! 

7. Help Dad.  Dad is having knee replacement surgery August 15th.. So while he's pretty humble about his health and what's going on, he is going to need his army behind him for this one!  While I'll be covering most days and a few nights, the rest of the family will be helping as well.  So grateful for all that he has done for us and am so happy to be able to give back and help him :)  

Grandpa and George taking Sam for a walk

8. Unpack.  Seriously.  We STILL have boxes at Adam's parents... and we STILL have several unpacked boxes in our basement.  I think until we actually paint and get each room the way we like it, we will have boxes of stuff just waiting to make its debut!

9. Go to Church.  I am baptized and confirmed Catholic but have never felt as connected as I once was in Arizona (99-01).  I recently went to a funeral (good time to think about your Faith) and admired how connected the Pastor is to the community.  The following Sunday George and I went to service and the minute we sat down, the pastor walked over and introduced himself. I felt welcomed and knew that was where I needed to be.  George and I have been going to church the past few weekends there and plan to continue going. 

10.  Be in the moment.  That was last week's church message.  Just appreciate where you are when you are there.  Put the phone down. Put your tablet down.  Put any and all distractions aside and simply live in that moment.  How often do we meet a friend for coffee, or take our kids to the park only to find ourselves with our heads buried in our phones or thinking about something else?  I AM SO GUILTY!!!   I am trying to simply put my phone down and enjoy a few minutes of whatever it is I'm doing. Simply be.  

11. Live in front of the Camera.  I read a blog post another woman wrote, where she recognized that she was capturing all of her children's milestone moments but was never visible in any of them. She was behind the camera.  There was nothing to show that while the child blew out his birthday candles and opened presents she was there.  She was taking the pictures.  This hit home with me. I was looking for a recent picture of myself with George and my storage is maxed out but none of them have me in them.  So when I stumbled upon this it truly spoke to me. My goal is to post one picture a day for the next 365 on my Instagram Account.   Go check out my Instagram (shameless plug) @upnorthmama1 for my daily post of in front of the camera!

Dinner selfie - no filter, unedited.

XOXO

Kristen 

Exploring: Downtown Hastings, MN

I had so much fun with last week's post about Hudson, WI that I thought i would try to make this a weekly series where I explore a small town and share some of the great adventures I have along the way.

Last Thanksgiving my friend Vicki asked me to run the Thanksgiving Gobble Gait 8K with her in Hastings.  I had never spent much time there and just figured it would be like any run.  Let me say, it was one of the most beautiful runs I have done!  All of the money from the race is donated to the Hastings Family Service which serves the local community.  What started as a small run has now grown to over 2000 runners.

Post Race Photo with Vicki (right) and her friend Stacie (center)

Although it was cold and went, it was SO WORTH it!  Just being able to say I did it and knowing my race fee went to someone in need felt pretty darn good!

The race started and finished on Main Street in Hastings and although it was cold and wet, I fell madly in love with Main Street!  There are tons of cute little shops and restaurants.  Its very quaint and a nice little day trip. From the Downtown Business Association of Hastings, MN, " The Historic Downtown Business District of Hastings, Minnesota. You'll find charming shops that feature; Antiques, Collectibles, Gifts, Fashion, Imports, Toys, Pottery, Jewelry and many one of a kind specialty items and services. Most of our shops are located in preserved historic buildings dating back to the 1800's."

Right now they are redoing some sections of Main Street so my photos may be a little limited in the angles as I was simply trying to photo without all the yellow tape and orange cones.   However, even though it was under construction we were still able to navigate to all the shops with no trouble.

My friend Jayme has super awesome taste and had told me about Eye Candy Refind, so I HAD to check it out.  (If you've ever been in the Loft at Viva Voce Salon in Hudson, they have several stunning pieces from Eye Candy!!) After a quick trip to their shop in Hastings, I was sold!!  First of all I LOVE the owners.  Super bad ass ladies who run a great shop with gorgeous pieces!  They are SUPER friendly and totally willing to help you with anything.  (and I mean anything, I'm still looking for my card catalog and they are too!).   I ended up buying a gorgeous buffet my first trip there and continue to get inspiration every time I go to their shop!

My buffet table from Eye Candy

I absolutely adore the signs, furniture and decor in Eye Candy Refind. They also do painting classes in the Hastings Store as well if you want to learn how to chalk paint.  Additionally they share TONS of new pieces on their Instagram (eye_candy_refind) and Facebook Pages.  If you're looking for a one of a kind, quality piece at an affordable price, check out Eye Candy!!!

If you're someone who wants to DIY your own furniture pieces then stop into one of the many antique shops in town!

Vintage Inspirations

The Emporium Antiques

A few others:

Second Street Antique Mall

Antiques on Main

If home decor isn't your thing, they also have cute little clothing shops as well!  One that is always a stop when we are there is Lah-Tee-Dah Boutique.  They have adorable clothes at very reasonable prices!  You will also find that unique piece you wouldn't find online or at a mall.  That's what makes small town shopping so special.  You don't look like everyone else and you're supporting a local business.  

Other shopping locations for gifts and goodies:

Gifts Galore

Tenacious K's

Mississippi Clayworks

Meyer Co

Let's be honest, after all that shopping I'm usually starving and (in my opinion) the BEST place in town is the Busted Nut.  We completely stumbled into the Busted Nut on a whim when we were picking up my buffet from Eye Candy.  It was the best decision ever!!  Fresh peanuts when you sit down and cold beers!  But better than that is the food.  I have been there several times now and I am never disappointed.  Last time we were there, a friend said "This is the best mushroom swiss burger I have ever had!"  I typically order the Chicken, Bacon Ranch Wrap with waffle fries and season sour cream and it's AMAZING!!!  (See below)

Although the Busted Nut happens to be my favorite, there are lots of other choices while in the downtown area.

Restaurants:

The Onion Grille (I've heard this place is awesome too!)

Karl's Red Rock Cafe (Breakfast and Lunch)

Bella Vista

Spiral Pizza

While I was walking around taking photos, I saw the sweetest scene in Reissner's Meat and Grocery. I was transported back 50 years. (or what I imagine life to be like 50 years ago).  Two older gentlemen were standing in the business enjoying a conversation and a coke.  It was the most refreshing, simple moment they were sharing.  They didn't have cell phones out, they weren't distracted by anything but what the other person was saying.  It truly warmed my heart.

One thing that always catches my eye when I'm in town is the Meyer Company Sign (Carhartt, Levis, shopping).  It again, takes me back to a time before modern technology.  And while I don't know the history, I imagine it was put up in the early years of Jc Penney, Montgomery Wards, Sears Roebuck Co.  Just the lettering takes me back to flipping through catalogs at grandmas house.  

  

As you find your way out of town, take a minute to see the beautiful new bridge that was built in 2014.  It's stunning at night and beautiful during the day.  

Hastings is only a short drive from the Twin Cities on Highway 61 South, and about 45 minutes from Western, WI.  I love any excuse to get down here to shop and eat!  (and there may or may not be a casino stop or a stop at Ellsworth Creamery on the way! Pretty sure we'll be checking out Ellsworth in the near future so I can go back for more fresh cheese curds!)

I hope you are able to seek out new adventures in Hastings or any of the towns I mention along the way.  It's such a fun journey for me to check out new places and bring friends along for the ride!

XOXO

Kristen

How We Cut the Cord ...and Still Watch Our Shows!

When we moved into our new house we went through a lot of changes and learned to adapt (umm... we do NOT have air conditioning or a furnace.. HUGE adjustment).  So when we found out that our internet plus cable was going to be close to $200 we had to make a decision whether or not it was truly worth it to have cable.

I started researching online, polled friends and family, and had a lot of conversations with Adam on what we should do.  He ultimately pays the cable bill so really this came down to him.  After a lot of research, a lot of maneuvering, we were able to cut the cord and both win by using streaming services.   Since we started doing this I have had a lot of people ask me how we make it work..

Here's how!

First things first, the ONLY reason we were able to accomplish much of this was through the help of friends and family.

Select your streaming device - we went with the Roku 2 (because we do not have a Smart TV).  There are a ton on the market, Apple TV, Roku, Fire Stick, etc. This is your first step in cutting the cord.  From there we found the following ways to watch TV and not miss our favorite shows!

1. We worked with our local cable company to purchase the internet package that allowed us to hookup our Roku to the local network.   This provides us with our local tv channels: NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox.  We live in Woodville, between Eau Claire, WI and Minneapolis, MN.  Because of this, we get Fox Eau Claire and Fox Minneapolis = Packers Football (Eau Claire).  Adam's wish accomplished.

2. Netflix.  Each Netflix account allows multiple users, my brother gave us a login and we are able to watch shows on Netflix (Fuller House for me and Making of a Murderer for Adam).

3. Many channels require a cable login.  Since you can have multiple users on one account, we created our own login to access cable using Adam's parents cable account.  It doesn't impact them in any way and allows us to access the shows/channels we want to watch. Total win/win.

4. Hulu - I pay $8/month to have Hulu.  It's pretty much the equivalent to a DVR.  I get many different networks (ABC, NBC, CMT, CW, TLC, etc) AND I can watch shows the next day if i missed them the night before.  I caught up on SO many shows this way.  I love HULU, totally worth $8/month.

5.  Sling TV - Beta Version.  Sling purchased the rights to Fox Sports.   So we get FS1, FS2, and FSlocal, which for us is Fox Sports North.  FSN = Twins Baseball.  My mission was accomplished.  However, this one does come with a cost.  It's $20/month for Sling TV.  Other channels that come with Sling include HGTV, AMC, FX, Univision, etc... One of their greatest promotions (for us) was that if you purchased 3 months in advance you get a free Roku 2.. So we now have 3 of them that work on all channels.

6. Amazon Prime - If you have Amazon Prime, you can also stream videos on Roku as well.  We simply linked our Prime account and are able to watch Multiple shows (Downton Abbey!!).

7. And last, Roku has a TON of channels built in that you can access. Again, full transparency we are able to access all of these because we have the cable login - however there are some "Free" channels that do not require you to login.

While this may seem complex, it's something we have learned and has entirely grown on us since we started a year ago.  When we turn our TV on, it's as though we never cut the cord. I get to watch almost any show I want and without the crazy expense of cable.  My total bill per month is $28 and we may not keep Sling over the winter and re-subscribe next spring when baseball starts again.

XOXO

Kristen

Bulletin Board Makeover

Before we moved to the new house our bulletin board (similar here)was the center of everything. We kept family photos, important dates, invitations as well as any other important paper we could tack up on it.  Then last July we moved and our HUGE bulletin board simply didn't really "fit" anywhere.

In our kitchen the previous owners had a large TV that they simply painted around.  Since they weren't keen on the idea of leaving the TV behind, we get to stare at a lovely outline of a tv and it's cords.

Now one might think, hey just paint that wall, right?  Right. Unfortunately out of all the gallons of paint they left, they didn't leave this one behind.  So I either have to repaint my entire kitchen or just this one wall something entirely different (which I'm thinking I could do a chalk board wall OR do a wall of shiplap).  It simply hasn't happened yet with all of the other projects we've had.

So I decided this would be an EXCELLENT place to put our bulletin board.  And it works to cover up that beautiful outline.  But it is hard to reach and really not something that i can easily update since it's right above our kitchen table.  Except George thought it could use an update and decided to color on it.  I grew tired of looking at it and finally googled "Painting a cork board."  To my surprise, there were a ton of ideas.

Before: Crayon and Sun Bleached Outlines 

I bought a can of spray paint from Target (similar here) and since we had only one small piece of newspaper, I used that and cut the rest of my masking from boxes in the recycling.  I masked off the frame (that Adam made using chair rail) and went to work!

This was super easy to paint! I did a few coats to get it even.  One could get creative and make different areas and could have done multiple colors, lines, or even chevrons.  Its really endless. I just wanted to brighten and clean up the board to make our kitchen a little more cheery.

I'm sure I will add more to the board as the summer goes on.  I am pretty happy with the way that it turned out and am glad I did it!

(Look at all these super cute pics!!)  I am thinking I need some letters at the top or something more :) But until then I just added a cute little $4 banner from target (because I'm too lazy to cut this out myself) and some pics I quickly printed off an app that gives you up to 100 prints for free (per month, you pay shipping).

Happy Summer!!

XOXO

Kristen

Bedroom DIY - Part 2

This post has been in the making for quite.some.time!  Our room is not 100% finished (it's lacking curtains) but I HAD to share the rest of our progress we've made. (Part 1 - here)

One of the ways I gain inspiration for each of the rooms we complete is through reading blogs, websites, and watching home restoration shows (This Old House and Fixer Upper are my Favorites!).   I found this awesome website called Olioboard where I could gather different items and make a style board for our bedroom project.  Here is the board I created while working on this room.

I wanted to blend both the rustic and modern styles Adam and I both love.  I needed a little pop of color which I got from the night stands.  We actually took an Ikea Rast Dresser ($34.99) and made it over to give it an upgraded look.

From this:

To this:

I simply LOVE the way these turned out!  I like how I can quickly explain to Adam what I'm thinking, hand him some primer and paint and off he goes.  Again, simply blessed to have someone so talented in my life!  (And so patient with all my "ideas!")

Our fabulous sconces (up close) stemmed from one of my random ideas (Hey honey - what do you think about adding some lights above each side of the bed, and then put switches next to our beds....?)   I swear that man's head might explode if I have any more "Hey honey ideas."

I bought these online at 1-800 Lighting (similar here). They come in bronze and brushed nickel.  I just adore this vintage look with our barnboard wall!  (Of course I went to Ebates first and got my 5% cash back too!) I think they also had a coupon for new customers and I also got $10 off each light!  Pretty sure every online shopping trip starts with Ebates!!

One of my dear friends has these absolutely stunning curtains in her dining room that I have been pining over since the first time that I saw them.  They are gray buffalo plaid, floor to ceiling. Gorgeous!  So imagine my surprise when I saw a similar pattern in a duvet cover at Ikea!  It was an easy sell to go with the rustic/modern feel in our room.

You know when you take a photo and you think it looks great, then post it and it's not as fabulous? Yeah. I'm not remaking the bed for a picture.

I think the biggest struggle for us was choosing paint. Who knew that finding a gray would be so challenging?  After 3 different attempts we finally got it right!  Thankfully Sherwin Williams isn't too far away and the people were beyond amazing helping me select the right color.  I came home with 3 samples and I put them up so we weren't making the same mistake again!  (The light in our rooms made every paint color look blue - notice the background the samples are painted on - that's our 2nd attempt at gray).

From left: Silver Strand, Mindful Gray, and Colonnade Gray

The 3rd Coat of paint going up and NOT blue!

We finally went with Mindful Gray from Sherwin Williams and have been SO very happy with the color.  I was so hesitant at first because it looked tan and I wanted nothing to do with anything that resembled brown.  But it was absolutely stunning when it went up on the walls!! I have recommended it to so many people and have had rave reviews about the color as well.

Adam trimmed out our windows using 1x4s and 1x2s and white paint (and of course some caulking). I am beyond in love with how the windows turned out, which I think is why I'm so lazy at putting curtains up! I love these beauties! They remind me of vintage windows in older craftsman style homes.

Absolutely stunning!  It's also amazing to me how different the paint colors look at night vs day and in summer vs winter.  These pics were taken months apart (notice the snow in the background in the top photo?!  Gosh I am SO sorry it took forever to post this!).

And finally... another 3 round try before we finally got it right, but this sliding barn door is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!! It turned out absolutely amazing.  We ordered the barn door track online and then purchased a door (3 of them...) from a local overstock company.  We gave her a shiny coat of Peppercorn from Sherwin Williams (I am a loyal fan of their paint - this is not a sponsored post) and hung her up to close off our laundry room.   My biggest recommendation is to make sure you buy the door BIGGER than the size of your opening!  It doesn't need to fit the opening like a regular door, if you buy it that size, it will be too small and you will be disappointed!!

Our master bedroom is by far my favorite room in the house!  We have many projects upcoming and I can't wait to share each and every one with you.  Again, apologies on the delay in time.  I will post again soon!

xoxo

Kristen

Spring Cleaning

In my last post I mentioned that I recently decided fell into becoming a consultant with Norwex.. How does that happen?  Well Norwex is having this really awesome deal right now where you can sign up to become a consultant for FREE (ish)!  Yes. Free.  No obligations, no required sales, straight up free.  You get a smaller starter kit (see below) but all the stuff is free just for the cost of shipping - which is why i said "Freeish" - My shipping cost $10.54.   If you sign up for the larger "starter" kit - you are required to sell $2000 within the first 90 days or you are charged $200 for the kit... But the kit I signed up for? Totally free!! What's not to love with that? Some basic info:

JOIN FOR FREE!* March 2015
• Be your own boss and set your own schedule!
• Earn 35% Commission and generous monthly incentives!
• Eco-friendly products for a healthier lifestyle and a greener planet!

Receive FREE Products!
• EnviroCloth™red, BacLock™
• Dusting Mitt blue, BacLock™
• SpiriSponge (2 pack)
• Window Cloth purple, BacLock™ 

I've used some of the products and had good luck with the ones I bought in the past... (including the purple window cloth, which I am MADLY in love with!).  So I decided to setup a Facebook party and see if anyone was interested in purchasing from me... well it turns out that my awesome friends and family were totally into the products.. which means that I am officially selling Norwex :)

Even better?  I already met my first sales goal and get MORE Free product.  Sweet! I heart free stuff!!    Are you interested in becoming a consultant?  How about free product?  Yes, the consider signing up to be a consultant... test out your friends and family like I did - you might be surprised!

Sign up here:  http://www.norwex.biz/pws/kristenvanness/tabs/sign-up-now.aspx

Okay - I wasn't trying to do my "become a consultant" sales pitch.. it just happened :)

Anyway.. let's be honest, who actually LOVES cleaning? Because I seriously don't.  I grew up with a grandmother who cleaned hospitals for a living, so you can imagine what it was like making sure our house was clean enough for grandma to visit!!  

We set aside Saturday to do our spring cleaning and I was really excited to use some of my (FREE) Norwex products!  I had already started deep cleaning my kitchen earlier this week... but I'm ashamed me say that our walls had some pretty nasty food spatter on them... relate?  Well, I used my SpiriSponge to scrub the walls fresh and clean!  I love products (or anything) that makes doing any kind of job easier (esp when it relates to manual labor!).

I pretty much cleaned my entire Saturday... and we are talking deep cleaning.. on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors, walls, baseboards, etc.. We took down light fixtures, changed out lightbulbs and deep cleaned our house.  I am beyond exhausted but know when I wake up tomorrow it will all be worth it!!  

I was able to use a bunch of my awesome products!! I used the dusting mitt on my ceiling fans (Gross! who wants to touch those?); on my tables, shelves, you name it, I used it!  I used my EnviroCloth when cleaning my refrigerator and counters, used my purple window cloth on my sliding door, windows and even polished my stove top.  Of course I used the dishwashing powder in the dishwasher (with my magnet ball) to get our dishes extra clean.   I'm pretty sure I used other products but after 9 hours of cleaning I am spent!!

Are you getting ready to do your Spring Cleaning?  What products do you need to be ready to get the job done?  Let me know what I can order for you (or if you'd like to join my team!)

    XoXo
            -- Kristen

PS  - a VERY big thank you to Grandma Judy and Grandpa Paul for watching my sweet boy so we could get all of this accomplished today!