My first picture on IG in 2020.
Hey there, friend! It's been a minute, hasn't it? I want to say thank you for sticking around—I really appreciate you. And if you're new here, well, welcome aboard! Buckle up because we're about to embark on a journey together. Let me tell you a little tale about where I've been these past few years and why I'm absolutely stoked to be back.
Brooke in 2020
During the wild ride of the pandemic, my sister Brooke and I found ourselves in need of an outlet for our creative energies. Enter "The Old River Nest," our brainchild of a project all about home decor. Honestly, it started off as a bit of a joke and a hobby. We even tried our hand at getting a podcast off the ground, but we never quite made it past our hilarious attempt at an intro song that we paid someone $15 to create. I swear, we nearly peed our pants laughing—it was so bad, yet somehow catchy enough that our kids started singing it too. To this day, we still laugh about it!
Our family's Pandemic Photo - What Life Looked Like for The Schluens - 2020
But you know what? Despite the laughs, "The Old River Nest" started gaining momentum, and we found ourselves really having fun.
However, as life slowly returned to normalcy, Brooke went back to her job, and I tried to keep the Nest flying solo. I ventured beyond home decor into baking, dabbled in affordable fashion, and even tried my hand at decorating cakes. Let's just say poor Stella's birthday cake was an epic fail! Thank goodness for friends who love me through my culinary mishaps.
Stella's cake BEFORE it melted on the way to the party.
Then life threw another curveball—I had the chance to dive back into public education, and I took it. Balancing teaching full-time, raising two teenage athletes, and my husband's business schedule meant "The Old River Nest" had to take a backseat. I tried reviving it a few times, but reality hit hard. Sometimes, there just aren't enough hours in the day, no matter how hard you try.
Fast forward to today. Our family has gone through changes. My husband Cam and I decided I'd join him at the office, giving us a more flexible schedule as we navigate Caden's senior year and Coop's freshman adventures. It's going to be an emotional rollercoaster, and I want to savor every single moment of this year being together under one roof.
Four years, seven pounds, gray hair, and now the shortest in my family later. 2024
So here we are, my friend—ready to bring "The Old River Nest" back to life. Working alongside Cam a few days a week gives me the chance to dive back into my passions for home decor, entertaining, fashion, and maybe even share a few nuggets of wisdom. My hope is that through my Instagram page and this blog, I can bring you joy, share useful tips, and be a virtual friend.
I'm thrilled to be back on this journey, and I want you to know that I appreciate you being here. Let's make this new chapter of "The Old River Nest" something special. I plan on getting back at it on IG, @theoldrivernest, starting in July.
Sending you blessings and lots of love,
amber :)
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