Bumbo Babies

We just returned home from our week in Abilene. It was the perfect way to pass the time while Nate was away. I love walking into my mamma's house. I love the way everything feels cozy and warm. I think the best way I can describe it is it's like walking into a hug.

I also love that my girls have sweet friends to see and play with each time we visit. Emme was introduced to a new buddy on this trip, Tate. Get a load of these Bumbo babies...

and baby feet...I'm kinda' crazy about kissing the bottom of Emerson's...



I hope that somewhere along the way my girls will associate summer with memories of swimming at the country club, baking bread and eating Mexican Popsicles. Thanks mom for making everything fancy and special.

I'm looking forward to sharing more but sleepy babies are calling my name....

The Peach Farmer

We have been spending a little time in West Texas this week. Hanging out with my sweet momma and doing our best to beat the heat. Nate has been out of town for the last few days so we decided a little trip to Abilene was just what the doctor ordered. Tuesday morning we headed over to the local Farmers Market...

My mom had been going on and on about the amazing peaches she had been enjoying and was hoping to find more of. Lucky for her The Peach Farmer was there with the last of this summer's deliciousness...

You can't help but fall in love with this beautiful family...

I'm so thankful for people who feel such a passion for growing and sharing delicious food...

What a gift and a blessing...

To learn a little bit more about them you can check out their website. Or be sure and stop by the Abilene Farmers Market if you're ever in the area. Next spring they hope to be offering grass fed beef as well...and I'm pretty sure I heard them mention a little something about fried pies...can you say YUM!!??

Aqua...with a cherry on top!

As most of you know this is my sweet little love Carter...

What you may not know is that she could literally put away a jar of these in about 30 seconds...

It's actually sort of become a bit of a joke when we go out to dinner. She knows that when we are at a "sit down" restaurant she is allowed to have a Shirley Temple to drink. What started off as us casually asking the waiter for a few extra cherries on the side has turned into her always piping up and adding, "20 extra cherries please!"

Because of this I find the pop of cherry red that made its way into her new room particularly fitting. That's right...next up on our "magazine ready" tour is Carter's room! Come on in...

It was already painted a lovely shade of aqua and we just added a little cherry red to the mix...

It is cheerful, fun and a room that you can't help but smile in...

Here's a little closer look at a few of my favorite things. Like this vintage aqua typewriter (Carter's "reward" for finishing her ISR swim course, she has a thing for the American Girl Kit Kitteredge and loves typing away on this little beauty)...

I also love her little snow globe collection (I have a hope that we will continue to collect them for her as we travel for years to come)...

I have always loved this Vogue beauty but she makes me especially happy on an aqua wall...

As does this custom "artwork" (top by Carter, bottom by yours truly)...

I imagine that winter may find a fluffy white duvet on Carter's bed but, for the heat of the summer, this quilt from my childhood has found a home...

Someone else also feels very at home in this room (thanks to a big sister that is head over heels in love)...

But, in this room, I'm pretty sure that the vintage "C" (my mom's rummage sale find) is truly the cherry on top!

I'm so happy with the way her little space came together. I hope that it will be a wonderful room for her to grow, play and imagine in...

My Favorite Day

Motherhood hit me with a new realization today. It dawned on me that when you spend your time with little people (all day everyday) it is quite possible that at least once a week you might say, "Today is my favorite day." And while the statement would be absolutely one hundred percent true, it might also be said of the very next day as well. I guess what I am trying to say is that when you are surrounded by such love and beauty what is to keep each and everyday from being your favorite?? I could never choose just one.

So..........................................................................................................................

Today was my favorite day.






I spent the afternoon on a very important date with a very important little person...

I had been promising her for a couple of weeks that we would go see this (and I must say it was absolutely adorable)...

Is there anything more perfect than one very excited almost five year old on an outing to the movies?? I think not.

We smiled, we laughed, we enjoyed every ounce of it being "just the two of us". She picked not one but TWO candies from the concession (because I was feeling indulgent and sentimental) and we got situated just as the previews began.

I must admit they are usually my favorite part of the movie experience, but today I just couldn't take my eyes off of her. I kept thinking, when did it happen?? How did I miss it?? She has so seamlessly slipped into girlhood and in the blink of an eye she is no longer my baby. I kept asking her if she could see okay...secretly wishing she would say "no" and want to sit on my lap. She would sweetly say, "I'm fine mom, really." I was happy that she was at least content to hold my hand and tickled pink when she did make her way onto my lap a little later on. I know her never ending legs won't fit much longer....ahhhh..... the growing pains of motherhood.

So today I soaked her up. Every laugh, every giggle, every shared twizzler and skittle. She is truly one of my favorite people in the whole world. And...

Today was my favorite day.

The Heart of Our Home

Okay, so you are about to get a major glimpse into my inner nerdiness. The fact that I am a full time stay at home mom is no secret. I do sometimes like to dabble in a little blog design or creative outlet on the side just to keep things interesting but they are definitely not things that could be considered a "job".

So, here it comes, are you ready for the nerdy part?? Sometimes I like to pretend I need to get my house "magazine ready". What the heck is magazine ready you might ask?? Well, it means that Martha Stewart Living will be here in about 30 minutes and they are going to be photographing each room for a special feature they are doing. I told you I am nerdy.

What can I say I find it fun, it motivates me to clean up, and today I took it one step further. I decided to go ahead and photograph the end result in my kitchen and share it with you! If you don't make fun of me I think I might just do it for each room in our new house over the span of the next week or so...if you do make fun of me I'll probably do it anyway, so feel free!!

Our new home may be a little bit of a downsize from the original one we chose in the suburbs, but what it lacks in square footage it makes up for in charm. I think my favorite room of the moment is the kitchen because it really does feel like the heart of our home. It is where little people eat, yummy smells are found and people just seem to naturally gather. So come on in, welcome to our kitchen...

One of the challenges of renting a home (yes we still just haven't seen the benefits for us to buy one) are inheriting the paint choices, decor choices, etc. of the previous owner. But, for the first time in a long time, our new house is right up my alley. I've never been afraid of color and love the cheerful coral hue in the kitchen. It makes me happy. I played off of my apple green Kitchen Aid and added accents of the same hue everywhere...

It makes me smile every time I walk through the door...

And while it is a little smaller everything has found a spot. A Cookbook spot...

A Binky spot...

A dish washin' spot...

Spots that remind me of where we've been...

and where we are...

A spot just for Carter to eat and enjoy...

I found this great little vintage Cosco stool for her at a junk store...

it got a fabric face lift from my mom and looks great...

We also did some matching curtains in the same fabric...

And I'm loving the fact that even Emme's highchair looks right at home (this Dwell for Target cutie is now highly discounted at Big Lot's if you have one accessible)...

Homemade goodies (thanks mom)...

and delicious local peaches (thanks Nonna)...

have quickly filled our kitchen with deliciousness. But my favorite thing hands down about all the "spots" in my new kitchen are the little people that fill them. Carter helped me break things in the other day when we made some brownies...

And cracked me up when she thought it was chilly and had lunch in her jacket and hat...

And I adore my sweet little Emme who has yet to meet a food she doesn't like...

and I think Martha Stewart would agree...my kitchen is a happy place indeed!

Singing in the Rain

Moving in can be pretty all consuming. I don't think it's any secret that I kinda' love decorating and making things cozy. Thanks to a visit from my sweet Momma this week we got a lot accomplished (tour of our new digs soon). But while we were busy working away we had a sudden little shower. My sweet little munchkin' was begging to play in the rain. Truth be told it was the last thing I wanted to make time for, but I'm beginning to learn the moments I resist are sometimes the sweetest.


I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain...



What a glorious feelin' I'm happy again...



I've a smile on my face...



I walk down the lane...


Just singin' in the rain...

DITY~It's a four letter word.

DITY aka "Do it YOURSELF" is a fairly common term in the military (and maybe other places too for all I know).

It's tossed around anytime anyone makes a move because you usually have two options:

1. Let the military do everything for you (as in pack your boxes, load your stuff, and haul it wherever you're going).

2. DITY (you do all of the above yourself). We are very much of an option 1 kind of family and haven't done much of the "moving" in quite some time.

Well, this past weekend all that changed. After spending some time regretting our original choice of home we decided to do something about it and made a move across town. We knew it might be difficult, stressful, and a lot of work...but we also knew we'd be happier on the flip side. As we dove in Nate and I made a pact, we'd do our best to stay positive and take things one step at a time.

I can honestly say the whole thing has gone better than I might have hoped and we are already feeling pretty in love with our new digs (pics to come). But for now I leave you with our DITY selves...Nate with the Uhaul which ironically had Augusta on it (one of his life goals is to attend The Masters)...

And me and my little moving buddy...

Carter was missed during the move but arrived home yesterdayday to a newly decorated room and lots of love from all of us. Thanks again Roxi and Pops for making her week so special. More to come from our new Home Sweet Home.