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Home ยป Blog ยป Sunshine and Basketball

Sunshine and Basketball

by Sarah Turner Clover Lane

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We spent a week at my favorite place over spring break-Seaside, Florida-and even though this year the weather was a little temperamental  I loved every minute of it.  I hardly had my camera out of my suitcase the whole week-I still haven’t figured out how to lug that thing around and hold onto Janey Pants-who is, of course, much more important than a camera.  I have very few photos but that’s just the way life works sometimes I guess.

Our house this year was called Serendipity and had a ladder up to the very tippy top with a gorgeous view of the town.  It was high-scary high-and made me nervous.  The kids and Jeff loved it of course.

Yes that is a little sunburn, and yes I felt guilty. She had a hat on and I thought I was under the umbrella the entire afternoon, darn it.  She is my fairest baby and we were much more careful the rest of the days, cloudy or not.

After our week was up, we couldn’t help but head to Atlanta to see my Uncle John coach Michigan in the Final Four and then the championship game.  How exciting!  All the wonderful articles that were written about him will be printed out and put into my kid’s scrapbooks.  He truly truly is the man he is portrayed as.  (These were my favorite here, here and hereand my cousin Ellen’s bloghere.)

We took some great pics with the players and got a few autographs.  The hotel was booked full with the team, their families, and Michigan alums and fans. 

Before the games, fans bid farewell as the coaches and players board the bus to the arena.

I took this picture only because the abs are pretty darn inspirational I must say.  Such cute cheerleaders.

We had three tickets and Jeff, Abbey and Matt went to both games.  I stayed back at the hotel with the little ones and we had our own party.

Jeff took these pics at the game:

That’s Zak Novak who graduated last year.  Isn’t he cute?

And I took these pics at the hotel:

Poor Patrick conked out before each game.  Andrew and I and Janey cheered as quietly as possible.  After the final game, Andrew cried a few sweet tears of sadness and disappointment.  And then we ALL fell asleep.

We were so sad they lost, but heck, they made it to the end and that’s something.

After 12 nights away from our own beds, I was ready for the long car ride back.

I have loads and loads of laundry to do, and some schedules and routines to re-establish but what a nice break.  Still, there is nothing like absence to make the heart grow fonder of home sweet home.

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April 10, 2013 ยท 35 Comments

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  1. Elasha says

    April 10, 2013 at 5:52 am

    How exciting Sarah! My husband and I cheered for Michigan last night and for me at least it was because of your Uncle John. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  2. Elasha says

    April 10, 2013 at 5:52 am

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
  3. Sarah says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:04 am

    What fun memories! Your kids will never forget that trip. I may never forget those abs ๐Ÿ˜‰ just wait til they've had as many babies as we've had. They'll look just like us!!

    Reply
  4. Magnolia Verandah says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:07 am

    What a great experience for the kids. Not into the basketball but can appreciate the hype and excitment of finals whatever the code and made even more special when family are personally involved. Ah yes and then there is the washing! Holidays over – getting back to "Normal" can be a drag.

    Reply
  5. Kerri says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:16 am

    Welcome home! I was beginning to wonder where you were. I love to read your blog. I'm glad you got your yearly dose of Seaside.

    Reply
  6. Erin says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:36 am

    YEA! You're back! I just emailed you to see if you were home yet. ๐Ÿ™‚ SO happy to hear you had a fun trip! And I love that you didn't take a ton of pictures! Sometimes it's so nice to just sit back and enjoy instead of feeling like you need to document everything. Hope you got some well deserved down time Sarah!

    Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:43 am

    Looks like you guys had a really nice trip…love all the pictures.

    Reply
  8. Michele says

    April 10, 2013 at 11:29 am

    Missed you. Janey does not look too unhappy about her sunburn. She's a doll. Glad you had a fun safe vacation.

    Reply
  9. craftmom says

    April 10, 2013 at 11:54 am

    I agree that your uncle seems like a great man and coach. I live in the Buffalo, NY area and because he is from Niagara county they were doing all sorts of stories on him. It sounds like you had a great vacation!

    Reply
  10. .....Elizabeth..... Polka Dot Skies says

    April 10, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    Wonderful post! We just got home from the beach, too! Such a blessing to be able to get away for a bit!

    Reply
  11. Shelby says

    April 10, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    Glad to see you back on the blog! I was thinking of you all week because of the big game! I live in Louisville and I am a big time Cardinals fan, so I was wondering if you would say anything about the game. It was a close one. We call the Cardinals the "Cardiac Cards" because it always seems that they are waiting till the last quarter or so of a game to pull out a win. I am beyond thrilled that they won! All that being said, both teams played a fantastic game and they were both winners having made it to the game. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  12. Shawna says

    April 10, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    I have missed you!! Love the picture of Janey in front of the tv, and Patrick konked out like that!! He was reaaaaally tired you could tell!!!
    I have to check out Seaside!! I have never heard of it~we are considering Destin this summer, but this looks better!!!!! Congrats to your Uncle!!!

    Reply
  13. ~Kristin~ says

    April 10, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    Sarah, if it makes you feel any better…Louisville beat our WSU Shockers in the Final Four. It was such a tight-tight came. too! WSU was ahead by 11 at 8 minutes to go! Eight minutes is an eternity in a basketball game. I was trying to serve dinner that evening and couldn't even sit down. And on top of that was pacing and shushing my little ones…all for a game. My goodness.
    We're still proud of our guys though.

    Love that you have shared Seaside with us.
    We just got back from a ski trip, and frankly…I'm tired of winter vacations. I have started researching rentals for Seaside. If you have any great tips…please share. We'll be taking the long way…driving. Ha.

    Missed seeing your posts.
    And, I'm pretty sure I never had a belly like those sweet young things.
    xo

    Reply
  14. Mary Brooke says

    April 10, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    What an awesome family you come from; the Beileins. What a great testimony. Printed this one out to read with hubby; he hears about "Sarah" and her blog from time to time. What a great work ethic your family grew up with. Mary Brooke in Atlanta (!)

    Reply
  15. Traci says

    April 10, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    OMG Sarah! I was looking for you guys in the stands during the game. How exciting. We're here in California, but we were all cheering for Michigan. My boys were teasing me saying, "Mom's BFF's uncle coaches!" So funny! They played a great game and it was so fun to watch. I LOVE all the pictures of Janey. She's gotten so chubby:)) What a fun vacation!

    Reply
  16. Christine says

    April 10, 2013 at 6:44 pm

    Loved seeing your baby girl. She is such a dolly!

    Loved those cheerleaders also…abs to DIE for..however..Why do they have those huge huge yellow bows in their hair??? crazy big!

    Reply
  17. katie says

    April 10, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    I have been checking daily to see what you had to say about Michigan and that amazing road your brother and their team experienced. I can't say I was cheering for them the whole way as they beat my alma mater Florida to move on in the championship, but I was glad it was "your" team if it had to be someone. What an exciting time for your family!

    Reply
  18. Sandy @ The Scoop on Balance says

    April 10, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    I was about to tell you I couldn't be your friend any more because you are a die-hard Michigan fan, but then I saw your uncle is the coach and I had compassion on you.

    ๐Ÿ™‚

    Love,
    Sandy
    (from Louisville)
    (Go CARDS!)

    Reply
  19. Irishmammy says

    April 10, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    Hey, lovely to see you having a break away with your family. You are in none of the pics!!

    Reply
  20. Jill says

    April 10, 2013 at 9:14 pm

    Yeah – go Blue!! What an amazing season we had! I am an alum and watched every second of the games. So proud of the team even with the loss. Your uncle seems like such a nice man too ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  21. Jen says

    April 10, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    such a fun post! that janey is so so cute ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  22. Sarah says

    April 10, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    Oh, my husband cried a few tears of sadness and disappointment, too. And also blew a blood vessel in his eye. ๐Ÿ™‚
    Glad you guys had a good trip!

    Reply
  23. Giulia says

    April 10, 2013 at 11:10 pm

    I have missed you and your posts! Lovely Seaside never disappoints. (because of you we actually made it our vacation destination last year). How cool that part of your family was able to attend the final four!!! Loved everything about this post. Thank you.

    Reply
  24. AndeM1 says

    April 11, 2013 at 12:50 am

    whew…I was worried and didn't think that you might be on vacation…..I love that part of our country….wish I was there now. I am going to check out the place you stayed….did you find it on vrbo?

    The basketball game looks exciting…..glad you are home safe and rested……

    Reply
  25. Grace in my Heart says

    April 11, 2013 at 1:11 am

    Was also looking for you in the stands, but duh- of course you'd be with the cutie patooties in the hotel! ๐Ÿ™‚ How neat that it worked out the game would be on your way home! So happy for your whole family…read every article. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  26. Jenny@ L.O.T.s of Love says

    April 11, 2013 at 1:23 am

    Glad you had such a wonderful trip. I was thinking about your Uncle John throughout the tournament. My sister is a Louisville grad, so we were cheering for the Cardinals for this one. It was a great game!
    Glad you are back…I was starting to wonder where you had run off to.

    Reply
  27. Lee Ann says

    April 11, 2013 at 5:00 am

    Totally random question… I was just mentioning to my husband that your uncle is the coach for Michigan (he's a big fan.) Do you know if you're related to Liz DeRoos? John is her dad's cousin. I guess it would be pretty distant, but just totally random that you're somehow related to our cousin on the East coast ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  28. Jody says

    April 11, 2013 at 6:30 am

    Happy to see you're back and that you had a wonderful time in a dreamy place. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  29. marlowe says

    April 11, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    She's sitting all by herself! Wow, did time fly or what? I found Charlotte standing in her crib today and a little piece of me cried inside! Glad your vaca was good ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  30. angie says

    April 12, 2013 at 1:02 am

    I dream of Seaside because of your posts!

    Our friends were at the game and I think they were sitting right by your family. He played football (and maybe soccer) for Michigan and is now an NFL kicker, your uncle probably knows him ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  31. Unknown says

    April 12, 2013 at 4:13 am

    Luv Janey! she is so cute!

    Reply
  32. TheFiveDays says

    April 12, 2013 at 5:51 am

    I love your family, Sarah! ๐Ÿ™‚ And Janey is seriously the cutest thing ever.

    Reply
  33. Lissa says

    April 12, 2013 at 6:08 pm

    How cool that your uncle is John!? I'm a Michigan alum and my husband and I were lucky enough to find a sitter (SIL) so that we could drive down to the games. I'm so jealous of your family's seats though – we were in the nosebleeds. I've been reading your blog for a while, and now I have another reason to love you ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  34. Tracy says

    April 13, 2013 at 2:19 am

    What a fun trip! We're taking our 4 kiddos to Florida this summer!! Got any good tips to traveling with a big family??

    Reply
  35. Jenny says

    April 14, 2013 at 4:25 am

    Glad you all had such a great trip! I'm a GA girl, and lived in the Atlanta area for 14 years. I know that hotel very well you stayed at! ๐Ÿ˜‰ That's incredible about your uncle, I remembered reading about him a while back. And that sweet Janey is just growing so fast! What a sweet baby!

    Reply

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Sarah Turner

When our first baby was placed in my arms I knew there was no place I wanted to be other than home with him every day. Twenty five years, and five more babies later, (six children, now ages 26-8), I still feel the same. I blog here about motherhood, how to make a house a home, easy recipes, and simple living. You can read more about me here.

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Nothing pretty, flashy, or spectacular. Just an o Nothing pretty, flashy, or spectacular.  Just an ordinary Monday morning breakfast counter after the kids leave for school.  Because ordinary gets the short hand in our culture but really it's extra special. 
It's a symbol of unselfishness, contentment, prudence and gratitude.  There is a certain peace about the ordinary.  It's the opposite of temporary-it holds the joy of contentment and gratitude and prudence all in one hand.  It's lends itself toward peace, and a settling in, not a constant search for more or less or anything.  Ordinary is authentic and good enough- in short it's a gem in disguise. ๐Ÿƒ
I love my home and I hope you do also. With all t I love my home and I hope you do also.  With all the imperfections and maintenance it requires, when I pull up and walk in I want to stay, to relax, to feel safe, for daily life to be easy, and to care for "home". I want simplicity, ease, convenience.  To me when my home is simple, without being filled to the brim of things that just take up space I love it best.  I hope if you've participated fully or even partially as time allowed in 40 Bags in 40 Days you've found that joy and pride in your home.  I plan to share more little challenges and tips as the year proceeds to trouble shoot areas and keep maintenance effortless and the house love flowing.  Daily life in our homes should bring us joy and ease while we care for our families, we should be thoughtful stewards of our money and of our time and simple living is the answer to that. 
Thank you for participating! ๐Ÿก
I think this is one of the best things about the 4 I think this is one of the best things about the 40 Bag decluttering process.  When I know what I have and have removed all that I don't, it cultivates more discretion and caution about what I bring back in.  I think there is also some realization of how much money is wasted on fads, or thoughtless purchases.  It's quite eye-opening.  I've become so much more careful, and find we all take better care of things, as do my children.
The final week of 40 Bags in 40 Days! I've tackle The final week of 40 Bags in 40 Days!  I've tackled all the areas of my home with exception of my oldest daughter's room (not the photo)- which she is excited to work on this week.
The simpler the room, the easier it is to clean an The simpler the room, the easier it is to clean and straighten up.  And then the more enjoyable it is to actually sit in that room.  It's not a hard equation, all it takes is ruthless purging-and not just little things but larger items also.  Functional furniture is the key and very few decorative pieces especially when children are in the home, makes life so much easier. 
๐Ÿƒ
As we head into the last week of the 40 Bags in 40 As we head into the last week of the 40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge I'm hearing from so many of you what a difference it has made in your appreciation of your homes, a certain contentment, and at the same time a thrill of looking in on the organized kitchen, closet and living space.  I agree!  I love purging, cleaning and organizing a space and then going back later that day just to get that wonderful sense of accomplishment.  It makes such a difference! 
๐Ÿƒ
A lighter, fresher, calmer home is the result of de-cluttering.  I even had a participant who had been planning on listing her home, start 40 Days just to get her house ready to sell, and then was so ruthless in the process and also thrilled by the results that they decided to stay put in what seemed like a new home to them.  What a savings of time, money and energy. 
๐Ÿƒ
Next week I will be talking maintenance and answer all questions! โ˜€๏ธ
Tips For Shared Kids Rooms- This bedroom has seen Tips For Shared Kids Rooms-
This bedroom has seen every configuration possible.  With kids spread out 18 years apart, I've had to be creative over the years-which I think is the key to sharing rooms.  It is all possible-I consider it a rare luxury and privilege to not have to share a room although I know that is not the norm today. 
๐Ÿƒ
I like to create a simple look with white furniture (this ends up making room transitions easier also when moving someone out and someone else in.) I also like to match bedspreads for a cohesive look. 
๐Ÿƒ
Clip on bed lights save space. 
๐Ÿƒ
A simple shared book shelf can hold a child's special books and knick knacks and if necessary can be assigned per shelf.
๐Ÿƒ
When my kids were younger I had my dad build me a large wooden roll out box for under each bed.  This held each child's toys. 
๐Ÿƒ
All clothes are kept in a closet instead of dressers to save space.
I feel like I bailed on everyone following 40 Bags I feel like I bailed on everyone following 40 Bags progress and tips.  My excuse is the stomach flu ravaging us all here in the last week with me being the last to fall and the slowest to recover.  On top of that the weekend before I tried to roller blade (don't even ask how many steps I made it) and majorly bit it.  Thankfully I think I just sprained my arm. So I've been using one arm for nursing sick children back to health, and doing whatever cleaning and cooking and straightening I can do.  Alas, last week was a wash.  We have two weeks to go.  I'd like to continue and end on a high note.  How about you?  Even a little de-cluttering counts! Spring is in the air and I can't wait to throw open my windows and let fresh clean air circulate through my fresh clean orderly home. โ˜€๏ธ๐ŸŒท๐ŸŒฑ
Especially where kids are concerned- we tend to th Especially where kids are concerned- we tend to think that the more things they have the happier and more occupied and loved they will feel.  Nothing can replace human interaction and I've found that too many toys has the reverse affect.  They cause overwhelm-just like us - we'd rather sit in an orderly space than one filled with too many things to do and too much stuff.
โ˜€๏ธ
When it comes to kids closets here are some tips-
1. Hand me downs don't all have to be received.  Or received at all.  Be choosy and keep just what they will use and need.
2. When children are presented with too many choices, tension and acrimony can exist.  Being able to open a closet with a reasonable amount of outfits can create more peace.
3. Cultivating independence in care of clothes is easier when there is less and the space is simplified and organized. 
โ˜€๏ธ
More tips coming on the blog this week.  I am moving my blog platform so I can't make any promises - it's under construction and that's exciting!
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