Gunnar's First Birthday - Part 2

On the eve of Gunnar's second birthday, I realized that I never showed the party from his first birthday!  I was so proud of it.  We worked so hard to make my vision come true.  The theme was " Time Flies" so it was all about airplanes.  Almost all of my projects came out the way I wanted and we had a great group of people to share the day with.  I hope Gunnar looks back on these some day and sees how much he is loved.

Cheers!

Here comes the photobooth!!

Summer Photo Shoot

When we got our dSLR for Christmas a couple of years ago we had high hopes for learning how to actually use it. We didn't want a glorified point-and-shoot. But it never really happened. During my summer as a stay-at-home dad I had some time to read up about apertures and shutter speeds. I used to know these things when I was a yearbook photographer in high school, but I've long since forgotten everything. So after reading up a bit I thought I'd try it out with a little photo shoot down at the playground. It was actually a pretty sunny day, so there wasn't much I could really do with the settings. That isn't to say I didn't get some great pics. At some point I want to learn how to get blurry backgrounds with the subject in focus.

Holland, MI

Over Labor Day weekend, Kevin and I took a trip to Holland.  We had a few things to celebrate and I hadn't been to Holland since I was in high school.  We spent two nights there.  Two nights away from Gunnar.  That's the longest I had been away from him.  Not gonna lie, I almost had us driving back a day early because I missed him so much.  It didn't help that there were freaking babies everywhere that weekend.  

But, we didn't go home early.  It was really nice weather and I picked a great hotel for us.  I planned a trip using michigan.org.  I printed it and had the list of things to do with me so we could pick.  We ended up doing quite a few things on the list and still managed to relax.  We made the mistake of trying to go to Lake Michigan on Sunday.  You don't head to the lake on the last day of summer.  We ended up turning around out of the line of traffic and exploring around Lake Macatawa instead.  We saw some amazing houses that I didn't think would ever be in MI.  I even found a house listed for $10 million!

I definitely want to go back in the spring for the tulips.  There are a lot of things I want Gunnar to see.

Cheers!


Here's some things we did while in Holland:

Lunch at Boatwerks on the water.  It's located next to Kollen Park which has great views of Lake Macatawa and a boardwalk.  Get the mac and cheese.

Antique shopping at The New Wooden Shoe Antique Mall.  We went back three times because we found so many good deals.  Really nice antiques, reasonably priced.

We walked Downtown Holland too.  We ate at The 8th Street Grille.  Try their soup bar!  And found the cutest gifts at The Apothecary Gift Shop (they have Pandora!) and Karlas Place (they sell stamps for their postcards!).  We also looked around The Holland Clock Company and saw the most amazing cuckoo clocks and Christmas windmills.

We learned all about Dutch culture at the Windmill Island Gardens.  And Kevin kicked my butt at miniature golf at Sundae Sundae Miniature Golf & Ice Cream.

It was a great trip with our home base being the Hampton Inn.  We were flanked by Holiday Inn and Best Western which also looked decent.  There was kind of an outside mall on the other side of the intersection and you could walk to Aldi, some restaurants and a Salvation Army.  Come to think of it, you could walk to that mall too...

Easter 2015 (Baby's First Easter)

Gunnar's first Easter!  Easter is my holiday.  I feel that the Polish do Easter the best.  The food is amazing and the traditions really speak to the heart of the season.  Some how, we always end up living near a Polish market.  It was a bit of a drive this year, but I got my kielbasa, pierogis and butter lamb.  We were cooking for four people this year so I got extra kielbasa.  Turns out I got way too much.  If you have ever cooked kielbasa, you know that it smells up everything...in the most amazing way.  But, alas, I had to toss a lot of it because we couldn't finish it in time.

We went to the mall to get a picture with the Easter Bunny.  I found the perfect outfit at my favorite consignment store.  Gunnar smiled the whole time because he was looking at his mama.  I don't think he even knew he was sitting on a giant bunny. Lol.  And thank goodness it wasn't one of those creepy bunnies...

On Easter Sunday, we got all dressed up and tried to go to church.  The first church we tried (different from last year) was completely full.  I wanted to get the special children's blessing but we ended up leaving because I was so frustrated.  It was really disappointing.  We ended up at the church from last year later that day.  It wasn't crowded, which I guess was nice since we had Gunnar.  While he did really well, I don't think I'll be taking him to church until he is older.  

All in all, it was a nice day.  I think Gunnar enjoyed going through his Easter basket.  I know he especially loved the grass.  Next year I hope he is big enough for dying eggs.  And going to Easter egg hunts.  I totally want to be the house that hosts a giant Easter Egg hunt for the neighborhood kids each year.  I've already started collecting the plastic eggs for it...

Cheers!

My First Mother's Day

I was pregnant last year on Mother's Day.  Everyone told me it still counted but I didn't feel the same.  This year, my little Gunnar Bear was here and I really felt like a mom.  Kevin and Gunnar woke me up and Gunnar crawled all over me to make sure I was really awake. Gunnar "gave" me a frame with some of my favorite pictures of the two of us.  Kevin gave me a "mother's" necklace.  I put my new, Tory Burch-like, dress on and took my first Mother's Day picture outside with Gunnar.  He didn't feel like smiling, but I like the pic all the same.  

Cheers!

Baby's First St. Joseph's Day

Happy St Joseph's Day to all my fellow Polish out there!  For those of you not familiar, it's kinda the Polish equivalent to St Patrick's Day.  It's just not as famous and you wear red!  I think it also has ties to the Feast Day of St Joseph (you know, Mary's husband?  Jesus' earth dad?), but you're going to have to google that one on your own.  My mom (who's 100% Polish) always says wear red on St Joseph's Day, so I do.   Since this little guy is mostly Polish (25%!), it's only fitting that I get him in on the holiday early. 

Cheers!

For Busia (and Grandma C.C. and Grandpa J)

Baby's First St Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Kendi Haus!  Our little leprechaun will be celebrating ALL WEEK, since Mama found so many cute St Patty's Day outfits.  :)

Hope your day is filled with a little luck 'o the Irish!

Slainte!

2015 New Year's Resolutions

I'm hoping 2015 is another big year for the Kendi Haus.  We seem to do better in odd numbered years than even...

Here are my goals/ resolutions for 2015.  There are a lot, and I'm going to work really hard at all of them, but I'm giving myself the whole year to accomplish them.  I've found that if you expect to complete New Year's resolutions in January, you end up failing.  My list is pretty long and some things are easier than others.  But I'm going to really try hard at them this year.

So, wish me luck!  Cheers!


Mandi's Resolutions 2015


1.  Lose the baby weight

• I told myself when I got pregnant that I would give myself 12 months to work off the weight I gained.  That that time frame was a realistic goal.  It has been difficult to not beat myself up over my body since having Gunnar, even though my logical brain says give your body time.  Which brings me to my next resolution...

2.  Take the stairs whenever possible

3.  Become a runner:  Complete a Couch to 5K (C25K).  Run a 5k.

• I want to get a jogging stroller.  I'm hoping this is something Gunnar and I can do together.  We'll be bonding, I'll be getting in shape and showing him fitness can be fun.

4.  Cook more meals, eat out less (which will help with...)

5.  Financial fast for 3 months

• Not consecutively, but three months total in 2015.  Kevin and I decided that 2015 was the year to get all our fiances in order: draw up wills, work out a retirement plan, get a financial planner, come up with a budget and really stick with it.

6.  Find a career path that makes me happy

7.  Go someplace I've never been

8.  Find a balance between taking care of myself and taking care of my family (which brings us to...)

9.  Do a face mask or facial or pedicure or bath soak every Sunday

10.  Get my skin under control

• Find a face wash and lotion that really works for me.  Get in the habit of washing and moisturizing my face every night.

11.  Wear a piece of jewelry everyday

12.  Learn how to do more hairstyles for my hair

13.  Streamline my wardrobe

• Figure out the pieces that work best for me and make the most outfits.  Figure out the gaps in my wardrobe to make more outfits.  Hunt down higher quality pieces for good prices (cuz they last!)

14.  Downsize our possessions.  We have way too much stuff!

15.  Finish organized all my pictures and stay on top of Gunnar's monthly picture and baby books.

16.  Do my recommended Luminosity training and work up to training everyday.

17.  Blog more, Facebook less and eventually never again.

18.  Put my phone away and be more in the moment.  Especially the little moments with Gunnar and Kevin, cuz they go by so fast!  Plus, it's rude.

19.  Try not to let the bad things/ people/ events in the world take over.  As Mister Rogers said, "look for the helpers".

20.  Have more faith.  In God.  In myself.  In mankind.

Happy New Year!

What an amazing year 2014 was for the Kendi Haus!  I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store.  We are working on some plans so stay tuned and fingers crossed!

Cheers!

  

And this is how Gunnar Bear rang in his first new year.  Passed out in style.