Day 6: A picture of something that makes me happy

Cousin Mel, Jordan, me, Cousin Ryan
2007

Day 5: The Brady Bunch

 I know that things can really get rough,

When you go it alone...Could be there's nothing else in our lives so critical,As this little home.
-Simple Song by The Shins 

Steven (the baby), Rachel (the country girl), Joe (the fireman), Laura (the hippy), Isabelle (the renaissance woman), Don (the oldest).

I've moved about a million times in my life. 

So, when I think of home it's not one particular place. Home. It's that feeling that you can just be you. No inhibitions.  

It's the feeling I get when we are all together. I mean all of us. We tease and laugh and argue. 

But it's home.

It was always crazy. Never alone; in a good way. You always had a friend. And someone to defend you. 

Someone to borrow stuff from.

I want to have 6 kids because of them. I want my kids to have what I had.  

So Glad I Never Had to Go It Alone.

Day 4: Meet my Parents

Say Hello to Becky, My Mom

Pepsi-aholic, Leonardo DiCaprios' biggest fan,  worlds fastest reader, Mammy to my kids, Karaoke-queen, treat-giver, bubble-bath extremest, fun, fun, fun, wholly devoted to family, the original party planner, always saying "I have this article from the paper for you", chocolate-milk connoisseur, Tacoma-girl to the heart, mom-to-all.   

This is Jim, My Dad

Ski-fanatic, ex-Army Ranger, Papa, fan of all things Apple, Texan, Cheeto-muncher, Scuba-Jim, lover of chick-flicks, taker of the grandkids to "the little store", Chef, endless hospitality, worker of two jobs my whole life, Dr. Pepper & Moose Tracks runs through his veins, would give you the shirt off his back.

Meet Carrie, my step-Mom

Gourmet mac & cheese maker, quilting queen, knowledge of every old movie ever made, Shelock Holmes zealot, nap-taker, bath-giver to the grandkids, Grammy, begins listening to Christmas music in September, theatre-lover, great listener. 

They say that children get their parents best & worst qualities. I hope so. 

Day 3: My First Love

I thought I knew what love was two times before I met Jordan. I was a silly girl.

I thought I knew what love was. But I had no idea what love was until I had been married for quite awhile. 

Now that I've been married for 5 1/2 years I know that Jordan is my first love.

Love is not some silly thing that the movies and songs tell us it is. It's not some feeling or being always happy and wanting to always be together. It's not flowers, chocolate, fancy dinners, or even physical intimacy. Those things are called romance.

Romance plays a key role in a relationship. But it is not love. Too often people confuse the two and then when the romance ends they think their relationship must end too. Which is sad. 

Love is waking up to take care of the baby, even though he's really, really, tired, so that she can have a break. 

It's working long days at a job that gets boring because he wants her to be able to stay home with the kids. 

It's being broke together and working through the problems. 

It's putting up with each others worst characteristic. 

It's making time for each other even when there is no time. 

Love is service. Love is not perfect. Love is forgiving. Love is work.

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two." 

- Louis De Bernieres

That quote was on nienie a few weeks ago and I feel like it describes my relationship with Jordan so perfectly. 

When Jordan and I were newlyweds we were so different from each other. 

We disagreed on so many things. It's actually easier to list the things we did agree on: 

1. The Gospel
2. How many children we wanted to have (6)
3. What the best flavor of ice cream is (chocolate Peanut Butter, of course!)
4. How to properly eat popcorn (like a lizard, using only your tongue)
5. Which home was the dream home (The Rust Mansion. Which was each of our favorite house before we even met! See?! It was meant to be!)

One of my favorite movies of all time is Shenandoah. There's a part of the movie where the main character is speaking at the grave of his wife (Martha) about their son (James) and daughter-in-law who his wife never got to meet. 

"You'd like her, Martha. Why, she and James are so much alike, they're just like... no... no... we were never that much alike, were we Martha? We just sorta grew alike through the years."

Jordan is my first love. 

We have served and sacrificed for each other. 

Jordan & I have grown so alike. 

We are one tree. 

I am not secretly into Medieval Festivals

Day Blog Challenge Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name.

My very first ever blog post a few years back pretty much covers this.  Feel free to go back and take a look. But basically back in The Renaissance Period (14-17th centuries, which started in Italy and later spread to the rest of Europe. Yes, I googled it.) well-to-do women spent their time mastering many different skills; such as painting, musical instrument, poetry, sculpting, foreign languages, blog writing, etc. They were looked at as cultured for their many skill sets. They were valuable to society solely for the knowledge and mastery of these different subjects.

Now a days, women are not valued for being women, wives, or mothers, let alone stay-at-home moms. We are surely not valued for being cultured or skilled unless it profits us financially. I don't fall for these lies. I know that I am valuable for multiple reasons; none of which are that I contribute financially. A friend of mine, who is one of the best woman/wife/mother that I know recently wrote about this on her blog.

Anyways, the point is that as a women who is a full-time homemaker, who is crafty and creative and who doesn't make money I am still valuable. My husband values me, my children value me, and the people in Europe in the 14-17th centuries would have valued me. Most importantly, I value me. I have something to offer. I am interesting and I think that the things I have to share on this blog are informative or, at the very least, entertaining.

I am certainly proud of my DIY projects, random crafts, new recipes tried, another book read, furniture rehabbed or bravery in trying my hand at something new. But, mostly, I am proud of being a crafter, a homemaker, a wife, a momma. I am proud to be a woman. Proudly, I am Renaissance Woman.

Come back tomorrow for Day 3: my first love.

Oh, and since I am really bothered that I only have 4 followers (sad). I am thinking about doing a giveaway. What do people like in giveaways? Furniture? I don't know. Help me out and let me know what you think! I love comments! Gracias!

30 Day Blog Challenge

I found this 30 Day Blog Challenge on pinterest a while ago. I hope it will motivate me to continue updating on a regular basis.

Day 1. Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts:

My name is Isabelle Brennan. I am 25 years old, although most days I feel like I am still 18. I have been married to Jordan for 5 1/2 years. We have a 4 year old girl, 2 year old boy & a 6 week old girl. We live in downtown Puyallup with my parents and will hopefully be buying our first home by the end of the summer. When we do get into our own place I will be on cloud 9 decorating and DIYing! 

I am a full-time homemaker. I love staying home with my kids. I really enjoy naps, reading, watching movies, pinterest, sewing, painting, partying, skiing, some cooking & baking and I love to visit! 

I am a Mormon. 

This is the most recent picture of myself with my girlies. 

Don't mind me with no make-up and crazy hair. This blog is real.

1. I have worked at 6 different restaurants

2. I've been fired twice. Never from a restaurant.

3. I would choose a tasty drink over a yummy snack any day of the week.

4. I am paranoid that someone is going to steal my kids' names. Seriously.

5. Jordan & I only dated for less than 2 months before we got engaged.

6. I minored in Family & Consumer Science aka Home Economics.

7. I am a huge advocate for natural birth.

8. I am a 1/4 Mexican.

9. I am not a perfectionist. (Perfection is the enemy of Completion).

10. My favorite subject in history is WWII & The Holocaust.

11. I was born in Germany.

12. I've been trying to finish reading Les Miserables for about, oh, 10 months. 

13. If I had to classify my political views I would say I am a liberal Republican. 

14. I love watching Jeopardy.

15. My middle name is Angela.

Come back tomorrow for Day 2. The meaning behind my blog name. 

Make Your Cake & Frosting Too

Let me start off by saying that I am not a frosting person. I don't like super heavy, sugary frosting. Some people do; but not me. So D.'s birthday was in April and I decided to try a recipe from pinterest. I picked this one because I liked the picture. Let me tell you that this frosting is now my favorite and we have used it for P.'s birthday cake in May and for my sisters Baby shower cupcakes last weekend. 

The frosting is super easy to make and it is so light and fluffy. Not too sugary and with a really great flavor. 

Whipped Vanilla Frosting

source: smells-like-home

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
• 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Add the confectioners’ sugar to the bowl and mix on medium-low speed just until incorporated.  Add in the salt.  Continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream on low speed just until incorporated.  Increase the mixer speed and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed, about 4 minutes.

Enjoy!

Dress Up Closet

This last week my mother-in-law (my project partner) & I made this cute dress-up closet. The plans are from ana-white.com. We modified the plans a bit cause hangers for young kids doesn't make much sense. It took us about 6-7 hours but that included two trips to the store and working while caring for my three kiddos; I was pleased. 

The next day Damsel, Paden & I painted it white. I really struggle with including my kids in projects because I like to get it done fast and, while I am not a perfectionist at all, I, at least, like it to look like an adult made it. You know what I mean. Moving on. 

But I let them help me and it was fun for them and not so bad for me. I decided on white because I wanted a neutral color since both my kids would be using it and with all the different colored dress up stuff I didn't want it to look too busy. Damsel wanted it to be rainbow colored. I won.

The following day I was planning on printing off some letters and tracing them onto the bottom since I am not confident enough to free hand it. But it was my lucky day! My beautiful cousin Madi was visiting and she had a few more hours before she had to catch the train back to Seattle. She offered to help me paint  the words! She is so creative and talented- she freehanded the letters and it turned out way better then I could have ever done. She did such a great job even with the truly cruddy, random paint brushes and old dried-up paint I had lying around. 

I love the girly cursive

& the comic bookyness of this side!   

Damsel also surprised me by helping paint one of the sides. It has taken everything I have to not repaint it white. But Damsel is proud of her work so I guess I will leave it. - sign -

The closet is perfect for the kids' dress up clothes. It's way better then having them all shoved & crumpled up in a trunk. 

Thanks again to my awesome mom-in-law and my super-cool cousin Madi!!! 

The 3 Day Diet

So, it's official - I quit my diet. Not gonna lie, I feel kinda like a loser. But, ya know, crazy diets like this don't work for people like me who have no will-power.

I did make it the whole fruit day and half the vegi day. And today, on what would've been fruit & vegi day, I ate way more fruits and vegetables then I normally would have.

It is really okay though cause I will just continue on in Zumba and try to cut back on Dr. Pepper and candy. Maybe I will actually get some results with exercise and moderation. :/

 I think that's the trick anyways.

Mothers Day Photos

The oh-so talented Stacy Jacobsen took the most beautiful pictures of my kiddos over Mothers Day weekend. 

Ivy was being a bit uncooperative. :) But she is still such a cutie-pie!

I couldn't have received a better gift! Thanks Jordy!

First Diet Ever

Wish me luck. For the first time in my life I am going on a diet. I've been having fun all weekend channeling my inner Chris Farley "Diet starts Monday!' 

I saw this on pinterest and would love to drop 10 lbs & a dress size! 

Source: justinandashleyrefresh.com via Isabelle on Pinterest

Since it's only 7 days I think I can do it! 

For scientific reasons I am listing my starting weight and measurements. 

141 lbs. 

Hips: 40 

Gut: 38 

True Waist: 32

I will post results next Monday.

DIP

So.... yeah, it has been forever since I posted anything. But now that the weather is beautiful I can finally start working on some more furniture. Here is my latest piece.

Ivory with Yellow "dipped" legs. Hand Painted & distressed
47' long, 19.5' tall, 20' wide
$40  $25

Contact me if you are interested!

(253) 359-0657

Stay tuned for more. And don't hold your breath but I am considering trying this 30 Day Blog Challenge. Hmmm... we'll see.