I have this thing called a Life List where I made huge goals for my life and the things I want to accomplish. Turns out the last year threw a wrench into my well oiled plan to dominate my list and now I’m looking for ways to revamp the excitement around it. It’s not too hard when so many opportunities are so close to home.

“Where adventure never seems too far.”

The MyGR6 campaign is all about community. Y’all can submit a six word memoir on www.mygr6.com for your chance to enter and win amazing prizes.

There will be six grand prize winners, who will have their six on a billboard and also receive the “Ultimate Grand Rapids Prize Package” featuring local hotel, restaurant and entertainment certificates and other great prizes valued at over $10,000.

If you need some convincing allow me to show you exhbit A:

Here’s what I want you to do:

# I want you guys to submit your six. If you’ve ever been here, used to live here, currently reside in Michigan or have any ties to this amazing state at all.

# Go to MyGR6 and submit YOUR six.

# Then tell me about it here in the comments or if you’re on Twitter (I’m right her – follow me!) share it with me. You can even tell me all about it on Facebook.

I don’t have other prizes to give you for participating and I’m part of a campaign to spread the word, yes – but more than that … I just want to know. What about this place makes it your’s? What about this state, the area, the lakeshore – the cities and the beautiful places we have access to … what makes it special for you?

I’ve lived in Michigan for the past 20ish years and there are still roads and cities I’ve never seen – the magic of this place astounds me. I’ve had the itch to move away recently but I never feel like I’d be leaving this place because Michigan will always be with me.

A place where so many of my dreams have already come true and an endless array of possibilities for magic to happen. I summed up my crush on this City with my six: Where Adventure Never Seems Too Far, because looking ahead adventure is a main ingredient in our lives and I can’t wait to discover it.

See my disclosure here.

Yay!

I got busy making my own chai (recipe here) and I didn’t have everything on hand so I used these substitutes:

Cardamom pods
Orange peel
Fresh ginger (a chunk)
Whole peppercorns
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Honey
Yerba Matte tea
A touch more milk than required

(Didn’t have anise stars and I would highly recommend going with cinnamon sticks and not ground cinnamon – also only used about 1 TSB of honey and it was sweet enough for me.)

Soooooo good.

Then we had pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast.

Then we all got snow pants on and walked the 6ish blocks to our favorite coffee shop …

It was cold and I’m pretty sure the newspaper took photos of us walking down River Ave in the midst of traffic (sidewalks weren’t clear.) Exciting start to the day! Frozen Faces!! Newspaper photos!!

It’s been a good snow day. Kids have played with homemade play dough, changed their clothes a good 14 times and … well, He did this ….

He is not allowed to play with a scissors yet. Wanna guess why?

Yesterday I DIY’ed my heart out on this Board and Batten wall for the apartment: a how to is coming today at some point. It cost me less than $30 (I have to total it all up) and I’m still working on the placement of things to hang as well as some more DIY ideas for how to store kid’s toys and books. Sewing involved.

I took inspiration from Centsational Girl and 320 Sycamore.

Also, no power tools needed (ok, lie: I used a power drill but no saws were needed for this project.) Super easy friends! You can do this!

We’re staying busy over here – what about you?

We’re back to the Summer Jar this week as the past 2 have been full of VBS attending, picnics and crazy evenings spent driving around looking for a place to live.

Today we picked out something that didn’t sound good to any of us, so we threw back in the jar and said “TRY AGAIN!” then we chose the Fountain, which was perfect because our daughter has been talking non stop about wanting to go there again. I didn’t actually bring my camera with me. {GASP} So no photos for the jar today.

We had a great Fathers Day last weekend for Aaron.

Lunch out, Boatwerks.

We ended the night with a BBQ with his side of the family at a home his sister was “house sitting” and “dog sitting” for. (Which, if you ever need a recommendation, I can give you a great one … she is amazing and LOVES animals!)

4 Generations.

We’ve been having a blast, amidst all the big-grown-up decisions about where to live, what to do and how to break it to the kids. (More on that soon.) I can’t believe it’s almost July already. Which means we have just over 2 weeks left in this house.

It’s time to break out the champagne … maybe throw one last party for this place, love it, remember it and get Her ready for the next family to walk Her floors and care for Her old bones.

I got some amazing deals.

This mirror was marked $5 but I wasn’t willing to pay that, even though I REALLY wanted to get this mirror (5 year old calls is a Meer-Air) for my daughters bedroom, as we’re redoing the decor and taking it from nursery to big girl this weekend.

So I offered $3, they said $4 and I said, I’ve got three. Then I paid and walked out a happy girl.

When I got home, I did this to it.

Then we went to another thrift store and there happened to be a bookshelf in the corner that caught my eye. It was for sale however I couldn’t buy it because they were using it for display. You can imagine my confusion. And then I said that outloud. No, really, I want to buy this bookshelf today. I’m willing to give you cash for it. How much is it?

Then she said, $20 … probably $14.99. And I pressed harder. NO, Really, I want this book shelf.

This is why:

She finally said I could buy it (for $20) and let me take it home, when I got it there I did this:

Better photos coming in the daylight. I was too excited about these not to show you tonight.

Some other great finds I had I took home were this awesome little cast iron skillet. I love cast iron, so much. But I only have one skillet that I use Every. Single. Morning and some times 2 or 3 times a day. This one is smaller but I think I’m going to like that for when the kids just want some sausage for a snack or I need a quick pick me up fried egg at 3 pm. (Only paid a quarter, even better!)

These “bar glasses” were a set of 10 for $6, I only needed six so I split the set with my mom.

And this SAHWEET stock pot (think LOBSTERS!) was marked five bucks, I paid two.

This light fixture is going in my daughters bedroom after I paint it and find matching globes for the lightbulbs. (Etsy here I come!) Now, I could paint this the same color as the mirror, or go with a an ivory … or even dark purple. I don’t want to go crazy with the color in her bedroom, as we’re trying to stay away from the childish theme … but shout out some good accents. Maybe this is where I incorporate yellow?

At the same store that I bought the light fixture we found some fun stuff but didn’t purchase, here’s a looksee.

These light bulbs were $2 a piece and I almost bought three of them to make a light fixture over our dining room table (when the kitchen remodel is done … and it hasn’t started yet, and won’t this year … so I was thinking way ahead) but then I talked to one of the men working there and apparently they burn more than 300 watts a piece … so, bad for the environment in a little dining room. I put them down, but they’re SO cool.

This filing cabinet is only $50 – I can see this in a crafting room. A room that I do not have. But if you do, you should totally make use of this!

Molly, my sister, found a potential new front door. I love it! I’m a sucker for mission type furniture – and those windows? In love.

Now, to round out the fabulous day here’s my inspiration for my daughters bedroom … and photos of the transformation are coming soon … but here’s a sneak peak:

What have been some of your favorite thrift store finds? What about the best steal of a deal?

We’re half past normal over here and totally loving it. Donielle is a passionate homemaker and very knowledgeable woman when it comes to researching and understanding what we put in our bodies and how it affects our fertility … but more than that, how it affects health and our children and our overall happiness. She’s not a doctor though, so *ahem* consult your own physician before putting anything into practice. Disclaimer, disclaimer and more disclaimer. You guys, just do your own research. Knowledge is power.

I’m also doing some fun stuff on the facebook page for jodimichelle. More giveaways coming soon. Etsy style. And since I have some men who are brave enough to be friended (YOU ALL ROCK) I’ll be doing a more “male” themed giveaway here soon. Delurk, lovelies.

The sun is shining in the second happiest place in the US so we’re obviously rocking it today.

I love living here.

This has not always been true. For a long time in middle school/high school I wanted to get as far away from this place as I could. That would still be nice for a time but I think our home will always be here. We’re 3 hours away from Chicago, only 20 minutes away from sandy beaches, 45 minutes from a large enough airport that getting anywhere is never hard. I can walk down the road to a local grocery store 6 days a week. There’s a pony farm right up the road from us and we’re 15 minutes away from neighboring towns such as Saugatuck and Douglas. As well as Zeeland, in the other direction.

If we hop on the highway we’re 15 minutes away from Grandville, which is a shoppers dream. In the summer Holland has a Farmers Market every week which is absolutely essential to the experience of living in our town. Fresh fruits, produce, breads, homemade goods, organic foodstuffs and more. It’s amazing. Oh and $6 fresh cut boquets. You simply cannot beat it.

Just as equally as charming as all the ammenities of this little town are it’s trails for hiking, biking or otherwise being in nature. They abound endlessly. We don’t have mountains here and we don’t have the painted canvas earth like Arizona or Utah – but we’ve got Beech Trees and Sand Dunes and 4 seasons.

I can’t wait for spring!