Show and Tell: What's In A Name?

What's in a name? That is today's topic. I could talk about the name Maren, or Husband's family's tradition, or our favorite names for our imaginary children but instead... I thought you would enjoy some puppy picture overload.  

This is our my dog, Shelby Louise. Also known on the blog as "Shelby Dog". She is our nearly 5 year old, Labrador in summer/Husky in winter, rescue dog. 

Playing in the German Alps

Before I get to her namesake, I want to give you the background story of how Shelby came into our family. 

Shelby's 1st Picture

It all started on an end-of-summer Saturday morning. I was "killing time", just wondering around Target picking up random things like a red back-to-school cardigan, when my phone rang. My dad on the other end said, "Maren, your mom and I are up here at the SPCA and you need to get down here quick. We found you a dog." Um, what? Getting a dog was not in my day's plans. 

With her best friend, 

Lila Rose and my parents

When I arrived at the SPCA, I found my parents inside a play room with a three month old Labrador puppy and a three year old red hound dog. A few dotted lines, a written check, and an hour later, my dad drove off with the hound dog and I had my mom holding a nervous puppy in the passenger seat of my car.  

Learning Together

Husband, then Boyfriend, sure was shocked when he came to visit later that weekend and found a puppy answering the door. Surprise!!!

Such Joy She Brings

It took a few weeks for the new puppy to get comfortable in her new environment. With time, she learned to trust us. Soon we had a routine down and her dog training was underway with little issues. She tried one time to chew on the baseboards in the bathroom but we kept her busy with bones and toys eliminating that problem. 

Taking Care of Business

A bigger problem than puppy training was figuring out what to call the new puppy. Originally, I wanted to name the dog Charlie after watching the "Charlie bit my finger" video on Youtube. Nobody seemed to think that was a cute idea. 

Exploring "Cinderella's" Castle

Then I came up with the name Shelby after watching my favorite movie Steal Magnolias for the 100th time. Who else can quote this movie by heart? My mom and I would watch this movie every summer when I was growing up. 

After announcing the name "Shelby" my mom suggested "Louise" as a middle name. The movie Steal Magnolias takes place in Louisiana and Louise just fit. Suddenly, my puppy had a new name, Shelby Louise. It's best pronounced with a southern accent!

"Mama, can I help?"

Shelby Louise has since moved across the ocean with us. It was a traumatic experience traveling by air when Shelby first arrived in Germany back in 2012. After a week of hiding in her puppy hut, she finally felt comfortable adjusting to her new surroundings. 

Resisting an early lunch at Nymphenburg 

Soon we will be making the trip back over the Atlantic and we are not looking forward to putting her through another flight. Luckily, her best friend, my parent's dog Lila Rose, will be waiting for her on other side! 

Shelby Lousie and "Mama"

Who would have thought during a simple shopping trip to Target that my life would be forever changed? Shelby is one of my best friends. She has brought so much happiness to Husband and I during times of homesickness and stressful moments. I guess parents really do know what is best!

And just in case you need some laughter today...check out these favorite quotes from Steal Magnolias:

Who has adopted a pet from a local shelter?

Did you adopt your pet or did your pet adopt you?

See You Soon,

 







Linking up with Andrea today and all the fun on Show and Tell!

What's for Dinner?

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Yesterday, Husband and I had lunch with our Slovakian friends in the Czech Republic at a Thai restaurant. How crazy is that?! 

Over our steaming bowls of Pad Thai noodles we talked about what foods we usually prepare and eat at home. It was in this conversation that I realized just how much Husband and I enjoy eating different foods. 

I prepared our weekly menu using mostly foods we already have on hand for Monday and Tuesday. 

Tonight's meal, Italian Chicken is a one pan meal. I'm combining sauteed onion and garlic with green beans, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, chicken with sliced mozzarella on top.

Tuesday, I am (or is Husband?) using the rest of the chicken to make Husband's Chicken Salad with low fat yogurt, onion, cranberries, and grapes. The chicken salad will go inside fresh croissants with lettuce leaves.

Wednesday's meal I found on Women's Day and can be found here. This dish is something I have not tried before and I'm looking forward to making something different! I will serve the Galette with a side salad. 

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Researchers say eating fish once a week is beneficial to your health. We try to include fish, mostly salmon, as part of our diet each week. Thursday we will prepare Broiled Salmon with a cucumber and radish salad. The recipe can be found here.

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I am most looking forward to Friday's meal, Tex-Mex Stuffed Zucchini. Husband and I do not get NEARLY enough Tex-Mex living in Germany. It is a rare, rare occasion. Sliced avocado will be the perfect side dish for this dish! I was excited to find this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Skinny Taste. 

And...if you are curious, here are my latest grocery store purchases. 

-Low fat Yogurt

-Bio Musli

-Mushrooms

-Mozzarella Ball

-Chicken

-Frozen Pizza

-Sparkling water

-Croissants

-Potato Sticks

-Grapes

Total: 14.77 Euros

What's on your menu this week? Have you made any of the dishes from this week's menu?

Make sure and come back tomorrow when I share "What's in a Name?"

Have a fabulous week,

Friday Favorites: Eggstra Eggstra!

Here we are on Good Friday just a couple of days away from Easter. For Husband and I, this is our last holiday away from family. Being apart from loved ones is always hard when special occasions arise and we are looking forward to getting back to our traditions at home.

Today I am sharing a collection of spring pictures that inspire me. Each idea seems simple enough for last minute Easter decor. After seeing these ideas in one place, I have realized I love bring natural aspects into the home.

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Our local park fills up with different wild flowers each spring. This trio of eggs held in egg cups is quite simple with clusters of varying spring blooms inside a broken shell. I think this is a fantastic alternative to a typical bud vase.

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A couple of weeks ago a vintage umbrella caught my eye at the flea market. The canvas was coral, orange, and beige with a worn wooden handle. I walked away and now after seeing this wreath alternative I am kicking myself. Does this happen to anyone else? I wish I was better at buying items and dreaming up uses later on. 

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I am in L-OOOOVE with milk glass and have been for years. We used it in our centerpieces at our wedding receptions and I don't think my obsession is going away anytime soon. Seeing a dessert stand paired with vintage canning jars definitely caught my eye. I also might have to create some of those moss eggs to go with next year's spring decor. 

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I have seen many great ideas for vase fillers and want to try creating an arrangement similar to this one. This floral centerpiece is full of beautiful spring blooms and the base also draws the eye with it's colorful egg filler. How cute would this be with eggs dyed by your own children? I think this could bring a special touch to an Easter meal. 

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Last year, I brought some spring color into our home using daffodil bulbs and a clear vase. The teacher in me thinks this method of planting bulbs is a great way for children to explore the life cycle. I really want to try this again using different tulip bulbs!

Well guys, if you don't hear from me a lot next week it is because Husband and I are out on our Easter road trip. Last year we headed to Italy and this year we are going back to explore more of Belgium! Since we will be in the car, I'm off now to create another one of my road trip Easter baskets. You can read the tutorial here!

I am joining up with Andrea today to bring you these Easter and Spring Friday Favorites!

Happy Easter,

Maren

Spring Styles for Girls

I met with one of my best friends for lunch the other day (okay, really three months ago) but our conversation has been running in my head ever since then. "Kids are EX-PENsive." Naturally, being the fashionistas that we are (alright, her not me) we talked awhile about children's clothing.

As you may know, or perhaps my mother has told you, Husband and I do not have kids yet. Except we are surrounded by kids between my classroom, our families, and all those beer drinkin' buddies from days long gone. Frat parties became date nights, those led to weddings and well now, I'm just waiting for Round 2 of the Baby Shower Invites to start popping into my mailbox. 

I've noticed clothing trends among my friends with kids. Some pick out preppy labels, others shop consignment, a few wore hand-me-downs almost the entire first year, and let's not forget the boutique babies. The online auctions are enough to cause me to bite my nails right off my fingers. Oh. The. Stress. And don't forget, I don't have kids.

I have very fond memories growing up. Like all good mothers of the mid 80s, my mom tried her best on her beloved Singer sewing machine. Floral fabrics, Peter Pan lace collars, and a big satin bow tied in the back of a dress was my mother's specialty. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved it. Those dresses are special. They were made with time and love. I am proud to say those dresses are still hanging, in plastic protectors, somewhere in the back of my childhood closet.   

Then of course, landing at Number 7 in the Cousin Birth Order made me a prime candidate for hand-me-downs. I was full of excitement the times I got to pull open a giant black trashbag full of clothing my cousin could no longer wear. It was so fun looking through the items deciding what I wanted to keep and what we would pass on to a local charity. To make matters even cooler for a then 5 year old, my aunt used a different smelling detergent that I can still remember lingering on the clothes. 

Of course, I also had nice labels bought for special occasions from my Godmother or Grandma. A new birthday sweater or a polka dot jean dress for church... My mom also did a good job picking out labels a few seasons early that eventually I would grow into. We hunted for our favorite brands at TJMaxx or looked through the racks of our small town JCPenneys. Mall shopping trips were a full day event that required leaving the house early and driving south closer to Dallas. 

So being bored at home this week, I decided to do a bit of "clothing research". AKA shopping with no intent to buy. (Remember we don't have kids) I thought if one of my best friends is expressing how expensive kids can be, than my other friends with kids might feel the same way. What can parents do to live the lifestyle they want, keep their families happy, but do it without breaking their nest egg?

With a new season in full bloom here, I put together some spring styling boards. Take a look:  

This is Husband's favorite outfit of the five. I love the white lace on the turquoise top. The color of the top brings out the hint of turquoise in the striped leggings. Don't these colors just scream Easter? The shoes are $30... a bit more than I was looking for but the tassel is just adorable!

Usually, I am not a big fan of printed t-shirts but I really like the combination here. The black and white stripes with the coral anchor is not something I see all the time. Paired with the black chinos and slip on Van-like shoes, this shirt could make a cute outfit for a school-aged girl.

Can you tell I am a fan of blue? I just love this aqua blue skirt. It looks airy and lightweight perfect for over a pair of capri leggings. It's hard to see but the bottom of these capri leggings is lace! These white shoes would go with many spring and summer outfits... plus every girl needs a little sparkle!

I've been seeing a lot of mixed patterns lately. At first, I wasn't sure about these yellow star printed leggings but they give a bit of funk to the navy and white striped tunic. The color combination with the aqua blue cardigan just gives this whole outfit a bit of playfulness. 

This is one of my favorite outfits. I just loved the cha-cha top and knew it needed some bright colors to bring in some spunk. The bright pink pants and cheery yellow cardigan remind me of sunny days sipping lemonade. And of course, what could be more spring than grass green lace-ups?

So what do you guys think of these outfits? 

Would your little girl wear any of these combinations? 

Which one is your favorite?

I spent some time searching through one website for each of these items. They all came from just one store. I'm not receiving any affiliation or commission by putting these outfits together. I just wanted the challenge of putting something cute together for people who are on a tight budget or watching their nest egg. 

Dying to know where it all came from?

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Wal-Mart. 

Each item, with the exception of some shoes and accessories, is around the $10 mark or LESS. For an outfit the kids will out grow within a few months and eventually become out of season, the price is not too bad huh? 

If anyone decides to buy an item please come back and let me know! I'm curious to see what you liked best!

Springing for Spring,

I Do Not Know but I Know

Well, I promised myself I would start the month of April back in the blogging world. Yesterday, Husband brought out our spring and summer clothes just in time for a fresh blanket of snow to fall this morning. Today is April 1st, April Fool's Day, and I'm back... unlike the weather, this is not a joke. 

In mid-February I decided to take a break from blogging. I was really struggling with balancing all the different plates that were spinning in the air so I decided to take some time to get refocused.

Husband and I are in the midst of a move out of Munich, Germany back to our home in Texas.

I have no idea what God's plan is for my future and as a self proclaimed planner, it is a bit scary not knowing what is next. What is next?

While I might know yet His plan for me, here is what I do know:

I do know that Husband has received a job offer that he is thrilled and anxious to start. Back in 2012 Husband made our dream a reality to live abroad, and now in 2015 he has made it possible for us to return where our roots run deep. 

I do know that it was extremely emotional saying goodbye to the staff, families, and children I had the privilege to serve over my last three years teaching. Reading that last book during my favorite time of day was hard. 

I do know I already have a home project list with goals spread out until May 2016. (See, I told you I was a planner)

I do know we have a few more places to see and adventures to embark upon before we say our until-next-time goodbyes to the friends we have made halfway around the world. 

With these things I do know, I also have the unknowns circling around in my head:

MainlyMaren was created to document our time living abroad. I have loved writing about these adventures in Europe and somewhere out in the world people are reading. I know I want to continue to share stories because I find enjoyment in writing but in which direction the blog will now head, I do not know. Perhaps somewhere near that home project list?

I always looked forward to the time of day when I could share a story with my class. I just didn't realize how much I loved story time until Friday when I read that last book aloud. The character accents, the observations, the voice fluctuation, the predictions, and the suspense make it all so fun when I look out and see eyes bugged and mouths hanging open as little ones are completely engrossed in the pages held between my hands. Do people still volunteer for read alouds at the library or in the schools?

And of course, the wonders moving back into our home...clean the carpet or replace? Greige walls or white? Chalk paint the cabinets? Slip cover couch or not? Sectional or standard size?

So friends, I promise to spend these last 8 weeks filling you in on our move and sharing some stories from our last few road trips.  If there is something in particular you would like me to cover, please let me know. I would love a request or assignment!

Laughing Without Fear (or trying really hard to do so),