Happy Mother's Day...

Whether you are a mother or you are celebrating your mother today, I wish you a restful and loving day of appreciation! 

While the Nenonen boys are currently in the depths of university finals at Bradley and Drake, I don’t get them in person today but look forward to next week when they return home for the summer. Hurray!

Spring has sprung!

William Wordsworth said “If one daffodil is worth a thousand pleasures, then one is too few.” 

TRUTH: You don’t know fun until you purchase a home during Autumn and get to experience the daily unexpected surprises of Spring. It’s magical! ✨ 

Archeology at the Lake House!

Part of the fun of purchasing a new home? 

The seasonal landscape mysteries. What is going to pop up and when? It takes a full 12 months to decipher. 

Our latest adventure at our weekend lake cottage? From beneath 7” of ground cover, I unearthed a woodland staircase going up to our back acres. We didn’t even know it existed. 

When I climbed it? A wooded trail revealed itself as it was lined with spring bulbs. New houses are always such a mystery. Embrace the fun, Buyers!

My 11th St. Louis Magazine Five-Star Award!

How exciting! Word just came in that for the 11th time in my 20-year career, I will be featured in the April edition of St. Louis Magazine...

... as one of the year's top St. Louis Realtors in Customer Satisfaction surveys and reviews. As the Five Star Award is given to less than 4% of the area's Realtors each year, it is a tremendous honor to be recognized. 

A very humble and sincere thank you to my beloved clients and friends for your continued business, referrals, and positive survey reviews!  My real estate business is truly based upon the faith that others put in me.  Your trust and support means absolutely everything to me.  

THANK YOU, sweet friends!💛

New Client Recommendation on LinkedIn

The kindest thing that a past client can do for a Realtor? Write an honest online recommendation. This one was the perfect final to 2020... 

Heartwarming. Thank you so much for your friendship and kind words, Nicole!  Your sale was truly one of the highlights of my 2020, as time with you (and A) was a pleasure from moment one. St. Louis is incredibly lucky to have you back as you are a true gem.  

Thank you for your trust and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and thorough recommendation. It means the world to me.💛

See my other professional recommendations HERE on my LinkedIn profile.

 

A teeny glimpse at Christmas morning...

When you living room is trashed and your heart is full... 

 ...it was the merriest of days! After college quarantine and several virus tests, we were blessed to have our little foursome safely under one roof this year. "All I want for Christmas is you", indeed.  So thankful!  Happy Holidays, friends.🎄❤️

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Pie Martini toast to a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!  

My recipe...

• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Whipped Cream flavored vodka (such as Stoli) 
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger non-dairy creamer (I use unsweetened Nutpods made from Almond Milk)
•  1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger pumpkin flavored liqueur (I use Hiram Walker) 
• 1 cup ice cubes 
• Whipped Cream 
• 1 pinch Pumpkin Pie Spice 

Shake liquids in a shaker with ice, strain into a martini glass, and top with whipped cream and spices. 

Have a blessed day, friends.

Covid hair, don’t care!

Who needs a groomer when you have gorgeous crisp Autumn weather?! Fall has arrived, St. Louis and our Willow sure has enjoyed the shift in the wooded back acres at the lake house!

CLOSED: #5004 Annette in Shrewsbury

 Nothing says "Happy Friday" like this...

Lovely Annette just closed escrow at US Title and my awesome Buyers will settle into their cool little 1939 Moderne era bungalow this weekend.  Yippee!

My clients come to me from a variety of places, but there is nothing more fun or heartwarming than to represent someone who is a childhood connection.  Mr. Buyer was a Henderson house regular as one of my brother's best friends.  To have the opportunity to befriend his amazing wife and meet their adorable children has been SUCH a treat!  Particularly as with 2 boys close in age, their life is a mirror image of mine... we are just a little further along.  To witness those boys eagerly attack the backyard playground with enthusiasm was truly the "YOU HAVE FOUND THE ONE" moment on this transaction. The best!

Welcome Home, Team Annette and thank you for your trust, friendship, and tenacity.  Gorgeous home, wonderful family, and a perfect match!

If you are contemplating a 2020 move, the market is still moving as rates remain at record low, friends. I am an incredibly COVID-19 safe and aware agent.  I have established new virus business protocols to ensure the safety of your family (and mine), while taking advantage of this incredible market!  Let's connect...

 

Garden Explosion!

My oh my how the plantings of June pay dividends in September?! Pepper and tomato party at Casa de Nenonen.

Just for Fun: A Dog's Life

If you follow me on Instagram stories, you know that thus far, lake life for the Nenonens has consisted of more painting than pontooning.  That being said, we DID sneek away for a little fun today. 

Miss Willow was in heaven! Needless to say, she thoroughly enjoyed her maiden voyage on the rickety “Looney Pontooney”. ❤️

Hello, lake life!

Most real estate purchases are based on practicality- utility and how it will effectively serve your current household needs. Others are of the heart, part of a vision and manifestation of what you want in your life.

It only took a global pandemic and an empty nest for us to finally pull the trigger on the little weekend escape that we have tossed around for 4 years...

We contended with 74 other showings in the 1st 24 hours and 13 other contracts, but I somehow knew this quirky little gem was ours from the second I laid eyes on the rickety pontoon that conveyed with the property- hysterically christened “The Looney Pontooney”.

The hope for this baby cottage, with a porch view of the lake and backed by hundreds of acres of wooded trails, is that it serves as a quiet respite, a place to eventually share and gather with friends/family, and radiates a strong gravitational pull to the boys (and those important in their lives) as they begin to establish themselves outside of Casa de Nenonen.

My job is to help people make big moves and this one closed escrow today. Here goes nothing... all aboard the Looney Pontooney, Nenonens!

New Client Recommendation on LinkedIn

Nothing says "Happy Friday" like this rolling into your LinkedIn...

How sweet is this?  It made my day!

Each time a past client takes the time to share their positive feedback in the form of an online professional recommendation, it totally warms my heart.  Sweet Chelsea- thank you so much for your kind words and sweet sentiment.  I so enjoyed working with you guys and your recommendation means the world to me!💛

Connect with me on LinkedIn HERE or see what some of my other clients have had to say HERE.
 

Happy Monday!

 

 Sparkle and shine, friends!✨

My nest is officially empty! Yikes.

I just left my heart in Des Moines, friends... 

Brutal. This never gets easier. With teary eyes yet pure excitement, our boy is officially a Drake University Bulldog and we are empty nesters. 

A teeny peek at his dorm room, which or course is styling because well, hello... that is my Reed.

Sparkle and shine, Reed❤️

Into the woods...

Nenonen "social distance heaven" came in the form of a rustic 125 old log cabin tucked away on 265 acres of private land this week.  We traded masks and bleach wipes for ATV rides in the walnut groves, fields of wildflowers, hikes beneath the mighty pines, dips in the spring-fed lake, bonfire fun, architectural goodies...

 

 ...and true solitude that only unplugged nature can provide from the challenges of 2020. 

Nature heals, at least for the Nenonens. A perfect life pause to enjoy one another and the tail end of Summer before it is back to school. ❤️

Nenonen Project Time: Geometric Accent Wall

We have always allowed our boys creative-control of their own bedrooms, and our youngest has been busy this week. 

Give a teenage boy quarantine orders, creative freedom, and three weeks to kill before he leaves for college and what do you get? 

A fun bedroom makeover! I love the funky freestyle geometric wall design that Reed created. He was going for visually-interesting without being too loud.  I think he nailed it and managed powerful visual impact without the commitment of wallpaper or bold colors.  Now on to final touch-ups, new baseboards, area rug, and furnishings✨

Base Color:  "Simply White" (OC- 117) by Benjamin Moore
Top Color:    "On The Rocks" (SW-7671) by Sherwin Williams

While the bulk of our ongoing home projects can be found on my Instagram (in stories and highlights), see a few of our other Casa de Nenonen projects HERE.

Teeny glimpse at Father's Day...

I was speaking about my favorite “fathering” photo of Steve this morning, and then I looked over to see this...

Same 2, 18 years later, twinning. The fact is, boys love their mom, but they learn how to be a man from their dad. The best of what my boys have to offer the world, from their goofy sense of humor and giving nature to their infectious optimism, is a nod to my sweet hubby. 

Happy Father’s Day, Steve... you truly are the best of the best. I am blessed, the boys are blessed, thank you for all that you do. ❤️

In addition, to say that I have had the opportunity to work with phenomenal men, devoted husbands, and dedicated fathers via my clients is a total understatement. To each and every one of you, please have the amazing day that you deserve! Happy Father's Day, friends.

Willow versus turtle...

... turtle wins every single time, I swear?! 😂

If 2020 has reinforced one thing for me...

... it is the importance of knowing that one activity that instantly brings you back to the core of who you are AND tapping it when you need it. What centers you, friends?