Building Baby Noah’s Book Collection

Back in January, I helped host a baby shower for my sweet cousin, Meg. She’s having a bouncing baby boy in May {or possibly April}, so we were all very excited to help give her a nice start with her needs for this new addition to their family. Noah will be her first child, and we are all so excited to meet him. Our fingers are crossed for her to have the last week of April. You see, her mom and I are both school teachers, and that week is our spring break. It would work out wonderfully to go for a quick visit to meet him.

The baby shower was focused on books, and I had my amazing brother-in-law design the invitation for this shower. In case you didn’t know, Colby’s brother and sister-in-law are starting an invitation and stationary business in which he designs whatever it is you want. Then, you can print it yourself or have it printed at a professional printer. For me, this has been an amazing option for me to take advantage of as I have a color laser printer, which does the job nicely. Judd can do just about anything you want. There hasn’t been one thing that I have been disappointed in, and I love getting something original for whatever I’m hosting. Judd designed my wedding invitations, thank you cards, and programs. He also has designed all of the invitations for any of the showers I have helped to host. You can check them out at The Langham Project.

Anyhow….the shower was held at our church. It isn’t my first choice in location, but my house just isn’t big enough to hold a big crowd of people. While it doesn’t look like we’re going to be moving anytime soon, I do look forward to living in a house where we can actually accommodate a large group of people. It will be a dream come true. Since the shower was at the church though, I made do with what I had.

The food wasn’t based around a theme as I would have liked and planned. Instead, I kept it simple, but it was all very enjoyable. Below are some of the items that appeared. However, I didn’t get it all photographed, and some of it didn’t turn out as I wish in the photos. That’s what stinks when you’re inside a place with no windows to let in natural light.

Meg was blessed with tons of gifts and lots of books for little Noah. I think he will have a terrific start when he finally enters this world. These were some of my favorite gifts….

If you’re wondering about the place mats, they were actually Meg’s when she was little. When they lived at my grandmother’s house, she used these all the time. My grandmother pulled out some of Meg’s old things and re-gifted them to her, which I thought was really sweet and thoughtful. There’s nothing like doing a little learning while at the dinner table!

Anyhow…it was a nice shower. Not my best work at all, but it served its purpose. Maybe next time school won’t limit my time towards an event!

Five Things

{One}

School has been crazy lately, and I’m very grateful for a long weekend. I think the first thing I’m going to do is sleep in, which I don’t think will be very hard with all of the rain we’re supposed to get tomorrow. Some people might see that as ruining the weekend, but I think it is a great way to force me to take it easy. Thank the Lord that grad work has lightened its load this week {since I’m finally to the end}. Of course, the real work will be next week. This is their way of saying get an early start. I doubt I take the hint well. I think I’m just going to do enough to get by this weekend.

{Two}

I love fresh flowers! When I had that baby shower, I brought the flowers back to the house and put them all around the house. It was so nice to have that to brighten up my day. I do enjoy the little things in life.

{Three}

I made these cutesy Valentines for my students this year! They were so easy, and I can’t help but thank Pinterest. That website is so addicting, but it is so darn helpful! It’s about the only “craft” I’ve done lately. The kids did love the glow sticks though.

{Four}

My husband knows me so well, and he is so thoughtful! I wear pearls over 90% of the time. It’s just my thing. They’re so classy to me. So, what did he get me for Valentine’s day? The bracelet to match my necklace of a real set of pearls.

{Five}

I’ve been really caught up in books, music, television, and movies lately. I’m reading the last book of the Twilight series {Breaking Dawn}. I’m still in love with the soundtracks from the Twilight series, too. I now have all of them thanks to my good friend, Gia. Of course, I bought the new DVD on Saturday, too. When I got it home, I realized that in my haste I had accidentally bought the Blu-Ray. Back to the Wal-Mart I went in hopes to watch it before the Grammys.

I also bought the Adele CD this week. I was so surprised that it came with a DVD of the entire concert that she performed in London. Definitely worth it!

I’ve also been hooked on Body of Proof, The Bachelor, and Grey’s Anatomy. I’m also doing my happy dance that Swamp People is back on. I love Troy and Liz! I’m not sure why I keep getting sucked back into the trash they call The Bachelor, but I do every time. That Courtney girl is just nuts!

So….that’s basically what’s going on with me. This may be what my posts look like for a while. It’s life. I guess I’ll just do the best I can.

What My Life Amounts To {At This Point in Time}

I clearly have forgotten that there’s this blog to keep up. Unfortunately, I haven’t really had anything significant going on around here. So, I figured I’d just tell you a few things…

I have read two books in less than five days. It would be even less if it weren’t for this thing called work. I’m on my third book now. What could have me so obsessive to read quite so fast? Twilight. I fell in to the pit, and I can’t seem to pull myself out.

The movies are amazing, but then I decided to start reading the first book just to see if it was as good as everyone was saying. It did not disappoint. I was really trying to procrastinate from school work when I saw an interview with the girl who plays Alice. That led to me downloading the sample chapter, which led to me being hooked.

Next thing I know, I’m in Wal-Mart buying all three of the movies that have been released so far, and I’m anticipating Saturday’s release of Breaking Dawn: Part I {which I saw in theaters}. What has happened to me? The movies are so much better once you’ve read the books, too. It’s like you have a deeper understanding of everything that’s going on. Movies can hardly ever be as good as the books though. Let’s just be honest.

As if that weren’t enough, I told Colby tonight after I watched the movie again for way too many times in the past few days that I would watch the movie just for the amazing music. I’m weird like that. I appreciate the music. I played the piano once upon a time. I was a middle school band geek, too. Once you’ve been exposed and really love it, you just can’t resist.

Favorite part of the movie…

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Moving on….

I’ve been overwhelmed with school work lately. Geez….I must be stupid to be taking two mini-term graduate classes at one time while trying to work. On the weekends, I’d rather play, but no. I’m stuck inside, laying in my bed, trying to concentrate while finding a million and one things to be distracted by. If I wouldn’t procrastinate and let my mind wander, I could probably knock the work out fairly fast, but I don’t. It’s just me.

School {graduate….not work} is just misery to me right now.

It wouldn’t be so bad if the weather wasn’t so unusually pleasant for this time of year. I wouldn’t complain of being at home, inside, under my warm covers if it were freezing cold outside as it should be. Cooler weather is moving in though. Maybe that will contain me this weekend and keep my behind inside.

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I also helped host a baby shower. Poor Meg! She’s probably thinking that I’ve fallen off of the face of the earth, too. I just remembered that I haven’t even replied to her Facebook message. Horrible cousin! Sorry, Meg! The shower turned out nice. Maybe I can muster up a post on it soon. Maybe I’ll come back to life.

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You see, I actually do have some free time, but I hate wasting it by spending any more time behind the computer than I already do. I’d rather spend it with my husband and doing something that I love that’s only for me {which is apparently reading right now.}

Hang in there….not that you actually wait on my posts. I will return though. Let’s hope that it’s sooner than later.

Two Goals Accomplished

I might not be able to blog like I should. Seriously, two weeks?!?! That’s just sad! My only excuses are work, school, and life. I’ve been too busy and too high-strung to blog. I’ve thought about it plenty of times, but I just couldn’t muster up the energy on thinking up something to blog about or to get up and get the photos off of the memory card. It’s a sad cycle.

Anyhow….I have plenty of news to share now. I’ve actually accomplished two of my goals for 2012, and I possibly will be marking off another very soon. Colby and I have been house shopping. Nothing too serious. We thought we had found “the one” only for there to be too many complications. Maybe it’s a sign from God. Maybe it will work out later down the road. Who knows? I’m just letting it work out for itself. For you future homebuyers, make sure you have PLENTY of money stuck back for those darn down payments and closing costs.

We’ve also booked our vacation, and I can’t wait. I always look forward to vacationing. It doesn’t matter one bit to me that we’ve been there a gazillion times. I just love the feel of relaxation and not having any obligations to fulfill except enjoying the outdoors and antique shopping. The best thing about staying there is that it is so gosh darn affordable. And FYI {especially you teachers}….April is stay 3 nights, get your 4th night free at Cove Mountain Cabins. They’re the only ones I ever book with, and you will not regret booking with them.

Graduate school started. I must be crazy thinking I can juggle two classes. Six chapters to read this week. Yeah….that’s my life right now. I’m just glad it will all be over by the end of February. I guess sacrificing two months in the name of misery and a pay raise {later on} is worth it just to hurry up and get it over with. At this point, I don’t care if I camp out on the couch and do school work this summer {once again} just to be completely done with all of this. Trust me. I support furthering one’s education, but I just don’t know that I would pursue this if it weren’t for a pay increase. No lie.

And on top of everything else, a very sweet woman that I have come to know in the past year lost her husband suddenly. Her trials seem to be that of Job. She lost her son suddenly just over a year ago, and she has now lost the man that was her rock. Please keep her and her family in your prayers, even though you may not know them, God knows who you are praying for.

Did I mention that I had a birthday, too? I couldn’t have asked for it to be any better! Other than the fact that my sister’s dog went missing {but was found}, the day went great. Colby gifted me with a real strand of pearls. If you know me, you know that I wear pearls almost every.single.day. Even my kids at school notice it. It’s my thing, I guess. My sister gifted me with milk glass. There’s nothing I love better than another addition to my collection. Milk glass is just so classic. My mom gifted me with a day out of the house. We went shopping and out to eat. Some new clothes were in order. My birthday money was applied to one of my goals…lamps. Can I just give a shout-out to T.J. Maxx?!?! They ALWAYS come through.

I guess that’s enough rambling. On to the goals that were marked off…

When Colby and I first got married, we had to order a new headboard since we were getting a new king size bed. Two people are not meant to sleep in a full size. It just doesn’t work. So, I opted for a tufted upholstered headboard from Ballard Designs. The bad news was that we only had one nightstand still, and it had a deer head lamp sitting on top of it. I kid you not. Just trying to keep it real people. Well, as much as it pains me to say this, I lived with it for over a year and a half just because I was looking for the perfect nightstands and lamps, and I do believe that I found them.

Here are the before photos:

And no, I did not make the bed up completely for you. This is just about as good as it gets on a daily basis. No need in putting on shams just to have them ripped off 2 hours after I put them on.

It’s still a work in progress, but it’s getting there. I love spending time in there now, and it’s much easier to read with more light in the room at night that isn’t the harsh overhead light. So, there you go. Two goals checked off.

I moved the old nightstand into the back bedroom and then decided that I might change out the beds in there with the one that actually matches the nightstand in order to save some moolah.

Mapping Out a Plan

Remember those house goals that I’m wanting to check off of my gigantic list of things to do this year? You’re probably thinking….the list only went to twelve. Let’s not forget that I’m also attempting to complete my Master’s degree, uphold a full time job, and manage my house and this here blog. Geez! One wouldn’t want to overload their plate, would they? What the heck though! These are things that make my life full, complete, and extremely happy. Of course, I could go without having to fill up my spare time with graduate school, but then I wouldn’t get to reap the benefits of a nice pay raise. Laziness doesn’t help you achieve the things in life!

Anyhow…I went out shopping today in hopes for some end tables I could use on both sides of my bed. I saw plenty of beautiful furniture that I would die to have in my home, but none of them were what I was looking for. So, I just returned home and ordered the ones I have had my eye on at Target for quite some time. I must admit that I think I got a really good deal. I’ll be sharing about that later though {when they come in}.

That got me thinking though that I should start thinking about some of the projects that are listed in my goals.

First off, for a project that I can not complete on my own, I would love to have the closet in our bedroom fixed, so that I could actually use it properly instead of {literally} just throwing junk in there while still trying to keep the vacuum, mop, and other household floor cleaners in there. It’s a wreck. The following two pictures are what I would really like to have a combination of in there. I’ve linked them up, so you can go to their original source for more details.

One of the other goals on my list is to hang a mirror or some type of something above our dresser, but I really don’t have a large budget for this project. That’s when I think it’s appropriate to pull in a DIY project. As I was looking back through some of my pins on Pinterest, I found this terrific paint stick sunburst mirror project that I could easily pull of {I think}.

Isn’t it lovely? I think it would be the perfect addition to our bedroom.

That’s all of the inspiration photos that I have found so far, but I assure you that Pinterest will come through and provide me with the rest that I will need.

Want some inspiration for some of your projects? Check out my Pinterest boards!

I hope you’ve found something to accomplish this weekend. If you haven’t though, don’t feel bad. Sometimes a person needs a lazy day to do nothing but sit {lay} around, watch movies, and search the world wide web. I hope you have had a terrific weekend.

P.S. I’m making a new recipe tomorrow. If it turns out ok, I’ll let you know. Can one go wrong with the crock pot?

12 House Goals for 2012

Last year, I made 11 house goals for 2011, and I failed miserably at completing those goals. The hustle and bustle of life and $$$ took the wheel instead, which led to only two things being marked off of the list. This year I am hoping for significantly more progress, so let’s all cross our fingers in hopes for more improvement around the home.
1. Two new bedside tables for the master bedroom
2. Two new lamps for the master bedroom

After I accomplished goals one and two:

3. Patio added to the back of the house
4. Have bedroom closet fixed and shelving added
5. Re-design flowerbeds in front of house
6. Re-paint back door
7. Add closets to the laundry room
8. New rug for the living room
9. New bedside table(s) for the guest bedroom
10. New lamp(s) for the guest bedroom
11. Add mirror/art over buffet
12. Hang art over dresser in bedroom
I’m setting the bar really high, but I figure if I can actually mark off half of the list then I have made huge progress. These projects aren’t exactly on the cheap side! What I’d really love to do is put new hardwood floors down in the living room and dining room, but I’m not sure if that’s even in the realm of possibilities. We actually have the original hardwoods right now, but it lets in SO MUCH cold air during the winter that one will nearly freeze to death, which in turn makes the electric bill reflect that.
So, do you have any house goals this year? I’d love to see your list!

It’s a new year!

Happy new year to you and yours! How did you guys ring in the new year? Did you settle for a night in to watch movies and Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve? Or, are you a bit more social and ring in the new year with friends, family, and strangers by partying and shooting fireworks? No matter how you celebrated, I hope you rang in the new year in a way that suited you! We celebrated most of the night with friends, but then came home early because my husband’s wife isn’t much a of a night owl and likes the comfort of her own home, so I guess we had the best of both worlds! Even after a late night out though, I still forced by tired body out of the bed to go and worship the Lord. What better way to start off the new year than going to the Lord’s house to worship and give him praise for letting us see another year!

Like our church sign will be saying in the coming days {since I’m responsible for it}…

Jesus adds life to your years and years to your life!

To start the year off right and reflect on all that 2011 brought, I thought I might highlight some of the happenings that were documented right here on the blog and shared with each and every one of you. All of the original posts can be found by clicking on the pictures!

January {Raggedy Chair Makeover}

I took a dusty, nasty antique chair that my grandmother gave me and gave it a good coat of spray paint and reupholstered the seat. It now has a home beside the guest bed {until nightstands are placed there} to hold a basket of towels for guests.

February {Strawberry Trifle Recipe}

I shared this recipe that came from my great aunt, and it makes for an excellent choice of dessert for the one you love on Valentine’s Day!

March {Wedding Planning and Anniversaries}

This was the kick-off month of all wedding festivities that would be the focus of 2011. My sister began planning for her wedding AND my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

April {A Vacation}

To celebrate our anniversary a month in advance, Colby and I took a trip to Tennessee for some rest and relaxation. How many of you remember our near death experience with kicking horses on the downside of a steep mountain? I vote that the scariest moment of 2011.

May {Candy Land Birthday Party & Exterior Home Makeover Reveal}

My sister and I planned a candy land themed birthday party for my niece’s 3rd birthday party! It turned out to be a hit, and I can’t wait for this year’s extravaganza. All the details can be found from the linked picture below.

Then, I shared with you how much the exterior of our home has changed from before we moved in and renovated to the present. Big difference!

June {Two Makeovers and a Grade Change}

June was a busy month for me. I was attempting my first semester of graduate school {4.0 GPA}. I was changed from Kindergarten to 2nd grade at work, too. In the midst of it all, I still found time to share with you two room makeovers that had found near completion.

First, was the bathroom…

And then there was the kitchen….

July {The Month of Crafts}

Patriotic Wreath

Hospital Survival Kit

A Diaper Cake

August {Two New Recipes}

September {A Wedding and A Shower}

During this month, I tried my hand at throwing a Monograms and Mimosas shower for my very good friend, Andrea. For my first shower, I was pretty pleased.

Later in the month, we celebrated the first of four weddings for the rest of the year. We were all very proud of Kevin on that day!

October {The Month of Weddings and New Curtains}

While there were three weddings during this month, I only had the time and energy to blog about one. Andrea and Whitney tied the knot first in October, and this was the first of three weddings that I was actually in this month. Crazy month with lots of memories!

In house news in this particular month, I finally got curtains up in my kitchen.

November {Weddings Recapped & The Cough and Carry}

Coming down with a cold? Make yourself a cough and carry to reduce the getting up and down, so you can rest a little more.

But let’s not forget those weddings that I was a part of during the month of October…

Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Sheffield

Mr. and Mrs. Hunter Hobbs

December {Christmas Extravaganza}

So…I clearly didn’t finish the 12 days of Christmas that I had intended to pursue. Between Christmas festivities and other happenings that I’m not going to talk about just yet, it simply didn’t happen. By the time I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was look at a computer and blog. Rest is all I wanted. So, let’s just focus on what I did  get to post all the way to day seven. These are my favorites….

The Christmas Card Display

Burlap Garland

Burlap Wreath

Overall, I think 2011 was a pretty good year. I am excited about 2012, and I can’t wait to see what is ahead for Colby and myself this year. God has been good to us. He has blessed us in all that we do, and I give him all the glory for the wonderful life that we are able to lead. I’m not one for making new year’s resolutions. However, I do believe in thinking about ways I can improve as a person in all aspects of my life. Like the Junior Miss motto, we all just need to “be your best self”.

I’m hoping for a bigger and better year for the blog, too. Thanks for all of your support! I hope you all continue to read and gain something from this that I just consider to be a creative outlet.

P.S. I always put these cute fonts as headers, but I don’t think you guys are able to see them, which turns out making the blog look stupid. Let me know if you can see them!