Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Tuesday With Ande


A year or two ago I asked you blog readers for suggestions for a topic to write about on Tuesday.  You gave me all kinds of good ideas and that is what I have used.  Ande's suggestion was "Tuesday's with Ande" much like "Tuesday's with Morrie."  That topic worked out perfectly this week, for we spent last Tuesday with her . . 

We stopped by Joe and Ande's house to wait for a call from Ray at the hospital saying that their baby was born.  Ande guessed we might be hungry and quickly made a pot of cheese/mushroom and chicken ravioli with pasta sauce and shaved Parmesan cheese.  She had the five of us (Ty, Michelle, Calvin, me, and herself) fed within a half an hour.  She is so adept in her home. 



Ande and Joe's home is full of color and fun ideas.  I thought I'd share a few of them with you today:


Joe and Ande are both readers and they have hundreds of books to store.  Ande made a shelf by their bed out of a few classics.  She keeps her journal and pen on top of them.   


Both Cali and Ande have old coke bottle boxes with little mementos.  It's fun to see what they have collected, and a perfect place for those little things you don't know what to do with but don't want to throw away.  (The little tag on the bottom shelf says, "Every day I fall in love with you more and more.  Well, not every day.  Yesterday you were pretty annoying.")  


Ande painted this globe with chalkboard paint.  It sits just inside the door on a beautiful secretary desk.  She and Joe leave notes on it to each other.


I love how Ande found a home for her "I Love Lucy" barbie doll with some of their books.  It's so random.


Ande took a picture of this boat down on the lockes, then enlarged it for their home.


Joe's mom has fine furniture stores in the South and Joe has gotten some beautiful pieces of furniture from her.  Inside one of their bookcases, they have a Polish nativity displayed year round.    


Ande covered two magazine boxes with pages from a book, then turned them sideways and hung them in a corner to store phones, cords, and electronic devises.  


Joe and Ande are both very good cooks and like to cook a lot of ethnic foods.  To give themselves more spice room they bought metal magnetic tins and store some of their more abundantly used spices on the front of the refrigerator.

One of the fun things about the kids setting up their own homes is to see their personalities reflected and to feel the spirit of their homes.  Each family has its own style and priorities and it's fun to enjoy them and get ideas from them.  Homemaking is alive and well and it feels so good.

16 comments:

Jill said...

Thanks for the tour of some of Ande and Joe's fun stuff, it's nice to see their personalities and new home.

I have that same beautiful edition of Sense and Sensibility!

Angie said...

I love that Spice idea! so creative.

Ande said...

Ahhhh thanks Mom! I LOVE TUESDAYS WITH ANDE! Thank you for being so complimentary and kind. I love you.

Anonymous said...

Oh where oh where did she get such talent. I am thankful at this moment that I have only three boys and have no responsibility for those types of homemaking teaching moments. I can teach them to be self-reliant and how to work, but would have never though about the magazine holder shelves - those are fabulous!!!

Marie said...

Magnetic spice jars on the front of your fridge is just plain brilliant. Seriously. And it is so eye catching too.

I liked the first Tuesdays With Ande!

hennchix said...

I love this post and I loved getting a peek at Joe and Ande's home. It is obvious she is your daughter- so creative and fun!!

Barb said...

That was really fun to get at tour of Ande's home. She seems like an artist.

Tyler - Danielle - Emree said...

I love how creative you all our. I need a few creative juices flowing at my house! How fun!!

Anonymous said...

The shelf idea is brilliant!
Snapper

Francie said...

You have a lovely blog, lovely family! Thank you for sharing.

Rachel said...

Ande,
I'm in LOVE with the blown up picture of the boat, as well as the globe. I may have to steal those two ideas as soon as I get to a Marina and find, "Bert's Gal", or "Beautiful" or something or other... I loved the spice one too, but I'd panic the kids would walk by and knock a lid off. That, and my fridge isn't magnetic. So fun. Send more ideas.
And Jane,
I"m not seeing near enough pictures of Levin. Please,inundate us!

michelle said...

What fun to see your children establishing their own homes!

I love the magazine holders turned storage shelves. And the globe. And the boat picture.

Becky said...

Soo many great ideas!!

Cali said...

Ande,

I LOVE your house. It was fun seeing it displayed on the blog. You are a great homemaker

Lucy said...

I think it's so fun to get to know your family. They've really blossomed on your blog. Ande seems like such a character.

Tyler - Danielle - Emree said...

Just looking back through your blog and noticed I missed Cali's newest addition. He is adorable Congrats!!!