Summer Nautical Bookshelf!

Well, this post was SUPPOSED to be posted on Thursday, but I ended up taking a wheezy Little Monkey to the walk-in instead-- turned out the poor little guy had bronchiolitis AND a double ear infection! :( Then I didn't make it to town yesterday (I don't have internet at home-- which is good for me, because I'd end up spending all my times on other fabulous blogs, not to mention the uber-addictive PINTEREST!) Soooo, without further ado, here is my bookshelf in all of its summery nautical glory!

My maternal grandparents had a condo on the beach in Florida, as well as a summer camping spot along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, so we grandkids grew up as "little fish", as my mom laughingly called us-- we could never get in the water fast enough!

Some of my favorite childhood memories are connected with water and swimming, so it's no surprise that ocean brings peaceful and fond feelings to me.

That's why I'm soooo thankful that God saw fit to put me in a place where the seagulls fly overhead, and the shore is only 8 miles away! Though my hubby and I don't live near the ocean, we are only a short jaunt from the shore of Lake Michigan, where I can inhale the fresh scent of the water, and swim to my heart's content!

In keeping with my grand tradition addiction to decorating on a budget, my nautical-themed decor all either came from garage sales or my favorite shopping destination: GW Enterprises! (AKA Goodwill :) ) Nothing on this shelf cost more than $2.49! Whoop whoop!

The one exception is the sand and shells in the jar, which we collected on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi-- where I finally introduced my hubby and kiddos to the real ocean last December! :)

I love decorating with things that bring my and my family's personality into our home, and that hold meaning and memories!

What are your favorite summer memories? Do you have a theme for your summer decorating?

P.S. If you like my new blog design (I do!), give my awesome little sister, Sharon, a shout-out at contact.sharonjoy@gmail.com! (She also designed my mom's blog, The Courageous Journey, and their family fitness blog, Run for Your Life Fitness) She does an INCREDIBLE job, doesn't she?

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