Samantha Jane's Birth Story

If you are in any way connected to my little corner of the universe, you are no doubt aware that as of 2:48 pm last Thursday, November 3rd, Ben and I are parents again! We welcomed our sweet baby girl Samantha Jane after a short and very easy labor. I know some people like to hear how the birth went, and some people don't, so rather than posting it on facebook for all to see, I decided to make a blog post about it. (Hey- I needed to update the blog anyway!)

I went in for my weekly OB checkup on November 1st, thinking I would at least find out if I was making any progress. The doctor checked me, and told me I was about 2-3 cm dilated. I gave consent for my membranes to be stripped, hoping to get things moving on my own. (And let me tell you folks...that little procedure is no picnic!) Ow. After that was done, the doctor told me I was at 3. We then discussed induction due to my climbing blood pressure, and it was decided that Thursday would be the day.

I was a little uncomfortable Tuesday night, with cramping off and on, but I expected that after the procedure. I went to bed thinking of all I had to do the next day to get ready for the baby. Wednesday morning came, and I was still uncomfortable, but not unbearably so. My mom called to check on me, and I told her I felt pretty good and that I didn't think anything would happen that day. Well...needless to say, about 2 hours later, that changed.

My cramps got more intense and I started feeling major contractions. These were much worse than any braxton-hicks contractions I had ever had, and they were starting to form a pattern. I tried to ignore them and kept making my preparations around the house. When the pain got really bad, I poured myself a hot bath and soaked for a while, which seemed to help. For about 20 minutes. When the pain came back, I knew this was it, since my doctor and my pregnancy book told me that real labor doesn't go away for anything, until the baby is born. So, I dressed and went downstairs to tell Ben it was show time.

We got our hospital bags into the car, strapped Sadie into her seat, and drove to the hospital. When I got to the Labor and Delivery department, they hooked me up to monitor my contractions and the baby. I was checked again, to see if the contractions were making any more progress. I was unchanged, and since the contractions were between 5 and 8 minutes apart, I elected to go home and wait it out for a while.

I was given strict instructions from Ben to remain in bed for the rest of the day. I got the laptop and settled in. We had dinner delivered, and the waiting began.

I had contractions all night, and was very uncomfortable, but after another bath I was able to get some sleep. At 5:30 Thursday morning, Ben called the hospital to see when we needed to come in. We were told 7:30, and so we got dressed and ready to go.

We arrived at the hospital, I was prepped, and signed a lot of paperwork, and we settled in to wait for baby. I was 4 cm dilated the first time they checked me. Which meant I had made some progress overnight, hooray! They started the pitocin around 9. I got my epidural around noon. Ben's mom arrived around noon to take care of Sadie for us.

My midwife (who is awesome by the way- love her) came in at 1 to break my water. She said things would go very quickly after that, and she was right! Within an hour it was time to push. I pushed for 20 minutes at the most, and our beautiful Samantha Jane was here! She weighed in at 6 lbs 9.9 oz, and was about 19.5 inches long. She had (and still has, so far) a head full of thick dark hair, and midnight blue eyes. We fully expect them to turn brown like her father's eyes.

She has been a champion breastfeeder, and she really only cries when she's hungry. Of course, she's only a week old, so that could all change, but so far she seems to be very calm in contrast to the banshee baby that was her big sister! We all love her to death and are very happy that she's finally here! Even big sister Sadie is more fascinated with her than jealous of her. I can't wait to get her home to South Carolina and introduce her to everyone!

I'm Turning into my Mother

If my husband was to read the title of this post, I know exactly what he'd say. "What do you mean turning?!" He would say I already am my mother. He may be right. However I prefer to think it's still in progress. Denial is not just a river in Egypt...

This "me into mom" transformation tends to happen most often around the holidays. This year is no exception, and although we don't technically have a house to decorate yet, I've already started my planning. When I placed my first order it became quite apparent to me that our house was definitely going to scream "Kathy's daughter lives here!"

I know y'all are just dying to see what I bought, right? Of course you are. I should preface these photos by saying they are all from potterybarn.com, and I bought them all with a coupon I received when we moved. I would never have convinced Ben to let me buy them all otherwise!

  

First we have my favorite piece, the Paros mercury glass lantern. I adore this thing! Can't wait to see it glowing with a candle inside. These come in 5 sizes, and I opted for the tall cylinder to get that "wow" factor without breaking the bank. 

  

Burlap ribbon, another look I love. This will serve as garland on our tree. I'm planning to use this with red, white, and silver ornaments for a look that blends rustic with shine. My mother would love that! 

  

Last but not least, our stockings. I love the classic look of these. Ben, Sadie, and I already have one with our name on them, so all I had to do was get one for the new baby. 

I pretend that being like my mother is something I don't want. Truth is, I'm glad I am. Thanks to her, I know how to cook, decorate, keep my home in order, and most importantly be a mother. I hope my girls will feel the same some day!

The Possibility of a House

As most of you know, Ben and I are moving next month! We are having our baby, then packing our things and moving from Oklahoma to Georgia. I am so excited, and I can't wait to settle into our new life as a family of four.

This week, my sister-in-law Sarah generously took time out of her fall break to go down to Richmond Hill, GA to look at some houses for us. We had a list narrowed down to about 10 houses, and she worked with the realtors to look at each one and help us decide which ones were the best. After two days of appointments, we decided on two houses, one of which is in our favorite neighborhood!

The first house she looked at is the front runner at the moment. It's in a great neighborhood, with a park, preschool, and primary school right outside the subdivision. It's also very convenient to shopping and grocery stores. So...who wants to see pics?!

 

This is (obviously) the front of the house. Love the dormers and that porch! I already have plans for that porch...

  

Living room with gas fireplace. Loving the fact that we'll have a fireplace! Not sure  how often we will need it in south Georgia though, haha. I'm loving the big windows too. 

  

Living area continued, with dining area. I adore the hardwood floors..and guess what? They are brand spanking new! Explains the shiny-ness. In this photo, you can see one of the only two things I don't like about this house. The vine stencils. They are on this wall, and on the wall going up the stairs. But, I'm willing to deal with those for such a pretty house. 

  

Check out this kitchen!! It's huge in comparison to what we are used to, and I love the white, and the fact that it has a window overlooking the backyard. This kitchen also has a large pantry, which will be so helpful in saving cabinet space. 

Stairs leading to the second floor, and there are the rest of the vines. Like I said, not my style but I think I can deal with it. 

  

Master bathroom, and helloooo garden tub! I intend to make very good use of that! These photos show you the only other thing I dislike about this house: the sponge painting in the bathrooms. But again, I will deal with it for this house. 

  

Back of the house, with another lovely porch and a patio. The back porch is not screened in like I originally thought, but it is covered. We'll just have to invest in some citronella candles for the summer! 

  

This is the back yard. While it's not huge, it offers plenty of room for two little girls to run around and play. We might have to get a play house :). 

  

And finally, our carport and storage building. This has a spot for one car, but there is plenty of driveway for parking our other vehicle. The storage will come in handy for seasonal things or outdoor stuff. 

So there you have it! Our potential house. I am so excited to finally have a house, even if we don't own it. It will be such a nice change from living in duplexes and apartments. We are submitting our application today, so keep your fingers and toes crossed that it will go through for us! 

Telling Stories

I received an email today from my grandmother. This always brightens my day, but this time it really made me smile because she told me about her trip to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN.

The National Storytelling Festival is held annually on the first weekend in October. It's a gathering of storytellers, musicians, and the like that takes place in the tiny town of Jonesborough. Everyone gathers in large tents to listen to the folk tales and different stories and listen to the music. I've only been one time, back around 2004 I believe, but I really enjoyed it.

My grandmother told me that my favorite storyteller from the festival passed away in June at the age of 93. Her name was Katherine Windham and she was such a fascinating lady. She grew up in Alabama, the youngest of 7 children, during the great depression. Her stories were always so interesting to me. One of my favorites is the little anecdote she told about buzzards. Did you know, if you see a buzzard gliding through the air, you should watch it until its wings flap, or it's bad luck? (I don't advocate doing this while driving...)

I listened to some audio of her last performance at the festival last year, and one of the things Mrs. Windham said really struck a chord with me. She said  (I'm paraphrasing) "there is no way of saying 'I love you' that is more pleasant than telling someone a story." I really agree with that.

People have always told stories in my family. I think maybe it's a Southern thing, but it's something we've always done, and I grew up hearing some really good ones. From dairy farmers to biochemists, I have a lot of characters in my family tree. Which leads to what my next "project" is going to be.

I would like to start compiling my family's stories into a book. My goal isn't to be published, I just want to collect them in one place so that my daughters can always have them to read and cherish the way I have. I'm going to start by talking to my grandmother when I get home, to see which stories I should include and to ask her for details. I'm really excited about this, and I can't wait to get started. Wish me luck!

I Heart Gymbucks!

What do I love about little girls? Let me count the ways! The pink, the frills, the decorating, the bows, the endless clothing choices, I could go on. What do I not love about little girls? How much it costs to clothe two of them! 

Having a little girl and expecting another one has really forced me to shop efficiently for their clothing. Gone are the days that I can just walk into a store and pay full price for an outfit. Unless, that is, I'm not planning on buying something for the other little girl. And I know it's silly, but I already feel guilty when I buy something for Sadie and not the new baby, or vice versa. 

Luckily (or if you ask Ben, not so luckily) my favorite children's store is Gymboree. At full price, the clothing in this store is very expensive. However, they tend to put lines on sale pretty soon after they release them, or at least put out a few coupons before then. They also have a WONDERFUL thing called Gymbucks. 

During Gymbuck earning periods, for every 50 dollars you spend, you receive 25 dollars in gymbucks, good toward a future purchase during the gymbuck redemption period. The 25 gymbucks will get you 25 dollars off a 50 dollar purchase, so essentially these are 50% off coupons. The best part is, there is no limit to how many gymbucks you can use in a single transaction! As long as you purchase an amount equivalent to double the amount of gymbucks you have, your transaction will work. This is done four times I year, I believe, so it really  helps when building little wardrobes. 

This time around, I finally caught on to what I believe is the "secret" to using these gymbucks effectively. Buy the items already on sale! I didn't do this before, and it really limited the savings I got. This time I had 75 dollars in gymbucks, and I bought only one full priced outfit, and I only bought that outfit because I felt that Sadie had enough items from the sale collections. Here is what we came away with. 

Ribbon top and brown velour leggings from the "Sweet Treats" collection. This was the full priced outfit. I can't wait to see her wearing this with some brown boots and a red bow in her hair! 

  

Adorable Rise and Shine jammies. Sadie has already had these on, and she loves them! I really like the colors and the stripes. 

  

Pink mouse jumper from the "miss mouse" collection. Normally I'm not a huge fan of "characters" on clothes, but I thought these little mice were adorable. I think she'll wear this with a white turtleneck, gray tights, and some black boots. 

  

These are the baby's dresses! A black and white corduroy jumper with a blue bow at the waist. I bought the matching headband as well. Pink sweater jumper from the Sweet Pea line, and a corduroy jumper in pink with a giraffe print. Couldn't pass up those cute little baby socks either! 

This is 150 dollars worth of merchandise that I paid 89 for after shipping and taxes. Not too bad, huh?  Granted, I probably won't be able to spend this much each time gymbucks are offered, but I'm very satisfied with my purchases. So mom friends, keep an eye out for gymboree coupons and sales! I promise you won't be disappointed with the clothes.

Celebrating the Arrival of Fall!

Today is the second official day of Fall. Unfortunately for us out here in Nowhere, Oklahoma, it's 93 degrees outside. That's ok though, because in my house it's all Fall!

 I woke up feeling productive (something that's happening less frequently as November 7th approaches) so I decided to try a new recipe I came across on Pinterest a few weeks ago. It's so easy, and it makes the house smell amazing. Other than the ingredients, all you need is a crockpot and a few hours to cook!

Slow Cooker Sugared Pecans or Walnuts

16 oz Pecan or Walnut Halves (I used Pecans)

1/2 Cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/4 Tsp Ground Cloves

1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger

Turn slow cooker on high about 15 minutes in advance. In the hot slow cooker, stir together the nuts and butter. When the butter is melted and the nuts are coated, add the powdered sugar and stir to coat evenly. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, for about 2-3 hours until the nuts are coated in a crisp glaze.  Transfer the nuts to a bowl. In another small bowl, combine the spices and sift this mixture over the nuts, stirring to coat evenly. Let cool before serving. 

How easy and delicious is that? They taste like pure Christmas nostalgia.  Even my notoriously finicky husband likes these. We're planning to have them as a snack when the USC Gamecocks take on the Vanderbilt Commodores tonight.

Hope everyone enjoys their Saturday! And for all my fellow military families here in Lawton, please stay safe this weekend. It's a little hairy out there right now! 

32 Week Progress Report

Today was more exciting than I had planned! I was scheduled for the 2nd of many NST (non stress tests) at the hospital this afternoon. I had a hard time finding a parking spot because there was some kind of expo going on, and a lovely completely NON pregnant woman in a mercedes smiled at me while she cut me off to take one of the expectant mother spots. Nice, huh? That should've been my first indication that this was going to be an interesting afternoon.

I finally found a spot all the way across the parking lot and Sadie and I met Ben in the lobby. He met us after work to keep an eye on the munchkin while I was hooked up to the machines. Sadie, being the daddy's girl she is, nearly leaped from my arms into Ben's. I love when she does that!

We finally made it up to L&D, and the nurses set me up right away. It took forever for baby girl to hold still long enough to get a good read on her heartbeat, but once they got it she stayed still. I made myself as comfortable as possible, thinking it would be over in about 20 minutes.

Wrong!

About 10 minutes later the doctor on the floor poked his head behind the curtain and said "Looks like you're going to need a shot kiddo!" I'm thinking "What? No. Not that shot, right?" Because, you see, I have two other friends who told me they had preterm labor and had to get this shot, when they had the same symptoms I have. Cue mini panic attack.

Unfortunately, it was that shot, terbutaline. Terbutaline is an injection that stops contractions. It also makes you feel like you've just downed a gallon of coffee. Or you're on crack. No lie! I had the jitters for a good two hours after receiving it. The nurse also checked to see if things were "progressing," and thankfully, they were not.

So I'm counting my blessings that she'll be in there a while longer! I'm really hoping I'll make it at least another four weeks. Ironically, my blood pressure-the whole reason I'm having these tests in the first place- was completely normal. I guess if it's not one thing it's another!

We finished our crazy day with some really good chili and cornbread. I'm trying to take it easy and Ben is really helping by taking care of Sadie for me. Hopefully tomorrow will be nice and relaxing. Well, as relaxing as it can get with a fiesty two year old to chase after! Hope you all enjoyed your Thursday. See you next time!

New Recipe of the Week- "Easy Peas-y Chicken n Dumplins"

Hey y'all! (Channeling my inner Paula here) It's been a while, so I decided to write a "New Recipe of the Week" post. I apologize for being so slack on this!

This week's recipe is all about cool weather comfort. While it's not quite chilly during the day out here yet, we are barely making it into the 80s. And at night we are dipping into the 50s! So today I decided to capitalize on this gift from above and make some chicken and dumplings.  This recipe is my own, so measurements given are approximate.

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, in your desired flavor. (I used garlic and it was fabulous. You can also use your own leftover chicken, or cook your own.)

3 large carrots, peeled.

3 celery ribs
1/2 medium onion
1 bag frozen green peas
4 tblsp butter
2 cans biscuits (I used grands southern style)
1 can cream of chicken soup (smaller, standard size. Not the large can)
1 large carton chicken stock (I used Swanson's)
garlic powder
salt
black pepper
rosemary
thyme
poultry seasoning

(All seasonings should be used to taste.)

First, pick the meat free of your chicken bones and toss it in your crockpot. Include the skin! It only adds more flavor! Discard the bones. (Or use them for making your own chicken stock, if you're feeling ambitious.)

Coarsely chop the carrots, onion, and celery. Saute them in the butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add all seasonings to taste. Cook until onions are translucent and transfer the veggie mixture to the crockpot. Add the frozen peas to the pot as well.

On top of the chicken and veggies, pour your cream of chicken soup and chicken stock. Add enough water to ensure all the liquid will not be absorbed by the dumplings. (I just eyeballed this part.) 

Pop open the biscuits and cut each one into quarters, then cut each quarter in half. Toss them in the crockpot and close the lid. Set the temperature to high and cook for 3 hours. DO NOT STIR until the 3 hours are up and you are ready to serve.

I don't know about y'all, but I like my dumplings a little on the doughy side. This is how they turn out with this recipe and I thought they were  perfect! With this being a relatively quick crockpot recipe, it's easy to do in an afternoon.

Hope y'all give this one a try and enjoy it! Speaking of enjoying, I'm about to take my daughter outside to enjoy this beautiful weather! Bon Apetite!

Oh Happy Day!

It's a quarter till ten o'clock on a Sunday morning, and I am feeling as bright and chipper as can be! Why you ask? Because I didn't wake up with laser beams of sunlight in my face, and I actually had to turn off the a/c! It's overcast and chilly this morning, and our high is only 86. That's a 20 degree difference from what our highs have been averaging!

This weather is putting me in a Fall mood. I have a recipe for some crockpot baked apples, but since I just made crockpot ribs yesterday, I'm not sure I want to mess with it again today. I do want to get outside though. Poor Sadie hasn't been able to play outdoors much at all this summer. If it doesn't rain, maybe we'll take her to the park.

Today would be perfect for a drive out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge to look at the buffalo and longhorns, except...it's on fire. The news says it's 100% contained but I'm sure there is smoke everywhere. Maybe we'll drive out there anyway, just to get out of this house. We can keep the windows rolled up! Haha.


I know today's post was a little rambling and boring, but I feel guilty for not posting more regularly. Maybe I will have some more interesting things to say this week since the weather is much better for the time being.  Thanks for stopping by!

Craft-Happy Goodness

Happy Wednesday! Today has been a good one out here in Oklahoma, despite those ever-present oppressive temperatures. Took Sadie to chick-fil-a for lunch, and then we headed over to the playground, where I met up with the ladies from the meetup group. It's great to have some adult conversation while the kiddos play.


After the playground, I decided to go to Hobby Lobby. I can always find something new to get into when I visit that store. Sadie cooperated beautifully and I was able to get all the supplies I needed to make the subject of today's post, which brings me to it. Drum roll please....

Yep, I made a Halloween wreath. I realize it's still August for one more day, but Mama gets bored. Also, I have Halloween fever! It was fairly easy to do, and it didn't cost much. Cost breaks down thusly:


Orange ribbon/Black gingham ribbon: $3.99, 50% off
Wreath form: $4.99
Black Tulle: $2.99, 50% off
Wooden Jack O'lantern: 99 cents for a pack of 3
Orange Paint (outdoor paint, small bottle) $1.50
Gold Glitter: $2.50 
Paint brush set: $3.99
Orange polka-dot ribbon: FREE! (Already had it at home.)

Total with tax came to $17.47. Not bad if you ask me! That's why I love Hobby Lobby, they always have great sales. Anyway, back to the task at hand.


First thing I did was paint our friend the jack o'lantern. I used outdoor acrylic paint. I believe the brand name was Patio Paint. I chose the shade of orange aptly named "pumpkin." I applied two coats, and while it was still wet I added the glitter. I set it aside to dry while I worked on the wreath.

Next, I wrapped the wide orange ribbon around the wreath form, leaving space between wraps for the next color of ribbon. I used fabric glue to secure it, but hot glue would really have been better. (I would've used my hot glue gun, if a certain two-year-old I know hadn't decided to hide the glue sticks from me!)

After wrapping the orange ribbon, I wrapped the black gingham ribbon. On top of the gingham, I wrapped the polka dot ribbon. The ribbon wrapping process was painstaking to say the least, and my shoulders are hating me right now for making me do it. Just a fair warning!

After I had all the ribbon on the wreath, I tied on the tulle. I cut the tulle into strips, folded them, then tied them in a basic knot. That was the easy part.

All that's left for me to do now is glue on the jack o'lantern. I will have to wait until I go back to the store for more hot glue sticks to finish, but I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out. I still might trim the tulle down a little bit, and add a few more strips for better spacing. All told, this project took about 2 and a half hours of uninterrupted work. (Thank goodness for Nick jr!) 

Until next time, hope you have a great afternoon! Hope I've inspired you to make something too.

Pottery Barn Halloween!

Hi folks, I'm back! I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I honestly haven't had the blogging "bug". Maybe it's the heat frying my brain and zapping all those creative juices.

Anyway, that all changed when my beloved Pottery Barn catalog arrived today! Those who know me best understand that I adore Pottery Barn. If I could afford to fill every room in my house with things from that catalog, you can believe I would own nothing else. This issue made me extra happy, because...it's the fall/Halloween issue!

Pottery Barn always has some amazing seasonal decor. It's always right on trend and always right up my alley. This year is no exception. They've gone rustic AND Victorian with their Halloween decor! Oh yes...I'm in love. Here are a few of my favorites.

Mercury glass pumpkins! Ranging in price from $24.00 to $39.00, these are an affordable way to brighten up a table or mantle. With the silver color, I think these would look great for a Thanksgiving centerpiece too.

Mini skull vase filler. I know some people might find this macabre..but I think it would be amazing at a Halloween party! It would definitely spark some conversation. And at $24.50 for both, it's not going to break the bank.

Lit grapevine pumpkins are always a classic! These would look so inviting on your front porch. These could also transition to Thanksgiving, since they don't scream Halloween. They are a little pricier at $59.00-$79.00.

Ok...how cool is this?! A lit twig gate! I can see this as a prop in a front yard cemetery scene. Can't see myself spending $129.00 on it though....

Caged crow string lights. Genius! I would love to have these hanging in my entryway to greet trick or treaters or party guests. You get 10 per string, and each string is $29.00. Not bad!

Another awesome string of lights, this time with burlap ghosts. I love how their heads glow! I think these would look great on a mantle. These are also $29.00 per string of 10 lights.

I completely adore this pumpkin punch bowl. I like the glasses too, but since they only come as a set of 4, I would probably use some that I already have. This is another piece that you could also use for Thanksgiving. The bowl is $49.00, and the glasses are $26.00 for a set of 4.

I like each and every Halloween and Autumn piece in the catalog, but these are my absolute favorites. How many do you think I can convince Ben to let me buy? Haha. Until next time, see y'all later!

 

Week 28- 8 months today!

I am 8 months pregnant today. I have approximately 82 days until my due date.  Depending on when this little girl decides to make her appearance, we may have ourselves a Halloween baby! I wouldn't mind that one single bit. Can you imagine (those of you who are aware of my Halloween obsession) how much fun planning birthday parties would be?! But as usual, I digress.

I'm still feeling relatively good. Long shopping trips give me hip and back aches, and it's getting harder to pick things up from the floor, but other than that I have no major complaints. With the "growth spurt" I had in the past couple of weeks (I call it this to make myself feel better), I'm on track to gaining 38 pounds total. More than I wanted to, but still 20 pounds less than I did with Sadie! The thing I hate most is the weight is showing in my face. Yuck. Luckily that's the easiest place to lose it!

Some days I feel like there are things I should be doing to get ready for the baby, but I'm not doing them. I feel like I'm missing something. The thing is, we already have all her furniture and all the newborn clothing she needs, compliments of her big sister. We have a pack n play, a baby swing, and a bouncy seat. All we really need is a new carseat and the double stroller. We have both picked out, and thanks to my husband's awesome parents, the stroller is taken care of.

Right now I'm on the hunt for a baby sling. I don't want a wrap-style carrier, because I don't have the patience for all the tying. I want a pouch style. Seems like I've looked at every carrier under the sun. I think it's going to come down to the Maya and the Peanut Shell.

This is the Maya. It comes in a variety of patterns and different sizes for a good fit. I like the fact that the ring is adjustable and there is less wrapping involved.

This is the Peanut Shell. This is also available in different patterns and sizes. I like the ease of the pouch style, and I think the patterns are so cute. 

  

I'm really not sure which one I will end up with. I guess for now I'll just be doing more research. 

My 28 week doctor's appointment is tomorrow. I'm sure we will be discussing the results of my gestational diabetes test, which I'm assuming I passed since I didn't get a call back from the hospital. I think now is about the time the bi-weekly appointments start too. So instead of seeing the doctor monthly, I will be going in every two weeks. While I'm not thrilled with that prospect, I am happy that it means we are getting closer to meeting our second little angel! 

Thanks for stopping by! I know my posts have been a little infrequent lately, but there are good things coming, I promise! I'm working on a couple of crafty projects that I can't wait to share with y'all. Have a great Tuesday! 

Georgia on my Mind (Happy Birthday to me!)

As most of you probably know, yesterday was my 26th birthday. I'm officially almost 30. And I used to think 30 was SO old! I think I've changed my mind about that.

Ben gave me the best birthday present I could have asked for. News that we are moving to Fort Stewart at the end of this year! I almost cried when he told me. I just couldn't believe it. There was only 1 slot for a class of 66 soldiers, and we got it! It's like a dream come true.

The area we are moving to is right outside of Savannah, and minutes from the beach. There are a couple of large farmers' markets and plenty of shopping. Not to mention the historical areas to satisfy my interests. We are looking at houses in the town of Richmond Hill, GA. It's one of the more expensive areas, but it's closer to "civilization" than Hinesville, the town right outside post. (And the houses are prettier. I can't lie and say that's not a big factor!)

I am just so thankful that we have this opportunity to be closer to home. The Lord must have heard our prayers! Now if only our moving date was closer...

A New Hobby

When I was a little girl, my grandmother always put a Christmas village out on display in her living room. My cousins and I always played (very carefully!) with it. It's one of the happiest memories I have of my childhood.

So, I was playing around on the computer today, looking at this and looking at that, when I saw a Halloween tree centerpiece. I didn't like the price I saw on the website. They wanted 60 bucks just for the tree, so no thanks. I decided to do a google search to see if I could find another one. What I found made me very happy!

Department 56, the company that makes the Christmas village my grandmother collects, also makes a Halloween village! Happy Halloween to me! I ran upstairs to excitedly tell Ben about my new hobby. His response? "Sounds expensive." I said "Well...it is. Which means I can't buy it all at once...which makes it a collection!" Luckily, my reasoning worked!

I want to do both a Halloween village, and a Christmas village. For the Halloween village, these are the first pieces I want.

  

Walter and Larry's Crypt. I love the tree and the fact that it lights up! And it's so detailed. 

  

Spooky Spider Trees. They look like they belong next to the crypt! Love the little spiders too. 

  

Wrought iron fencing. Every decent spooky graveyard needs it! 

  

And, of course, the tombstones! It wouldn't be a crypt without them.  For all five of these pieces, the cost comes to about $120.00. I don't think that's horrible for starting a collection like this. 

Now let's talk about the Christmas village. This one means a lot to me, because as I mentioned earlier, my grandmother and grandfather always had one out at Christmas. To start my own collection, I'd like these pieces. 

  

The Patriot's House. This couldn't be more perfect for our family! I love the patriotic decor and the vintage looking Sisal trees. 

  

Christmas mail for the troops...enough said! Also, I like that it has the year 2011 on it, to me remind me of the year I started my collection. 

  

A landscaping set, with those sisal trees I love. All told, starting the Christmas village with the pieces I want will be about $160. Kind of pricey, but this means a lot to me and I think we can do it. 

I can't wait to start the tradition of adding new pieces each Halloween and Christmas! Hopefully my girls with grow up with the same memories of these villages that I have. 

Playing Dress Up

Ask any mother of girls, and they will tell you that one of the best things about having a daughter is the clothes. I could literally spend a week buying clothes for my girls, and still find things they just *have* to have.  So, with this weekend being tax free weekend, I decided to hit the mall and see what I could snap up.

I was honestly a little disappointed. Most stores are only starting to receive their Fall inventory, so there wasn't much of a selection. (If you could peek into Sadie's closet, you would see why I refuse to buy any more Summer clothes!) It also doesn't help that our mall here in Lawton is a little, shall we say...bereft...of children's clothing.  Our choices are Dillards, The Children's Place, Sears, and Old Navy, none of which with the exception of Dillard's, usually thrill me. (Admittedly, I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to my children's clothes.)

Anyway, Old Navy was practically empty in the infant and toddler section. What they did have was very summery and not what I was looking for. Dillard's was still full of Summer dresses, and I didn't bother with Sears. So, finally I made it to The Children's Place. Everyone else must have had the same idea, because the place was packed! It was like black Friday in there.

I quickly scanned the sale rounders, and finding nothing I wanted (although they did have some great deals on summer things), I spotted something at the back of the store. Tulle. I have radar for that stuff! I could probably spot it from a mile away. So, I made a beeline for the rack.

Readers...it was like a light from above. Leopard print tulle skirts! Hanging right next to some adorable denim jackets! Oh, I was in heaven alright. Almost instinctively, with the amazing cat-like reflexes I seem to acquire while on the hunt, I thumbed through the rack and found Sadie's size. Then she needed leggings, which just so happened to be on sale for 8 bucks. I snatched some of those too. Feeling quite satisfied, I paid for them and left to find Ben and Sadie at the playground.

Since I know y'all want to see the cuteness, here is the outfit.

  

All she needs now is some brown boots and a leopard bow. I'm pretty sure I can find those. In fact, last time I checked Target.com, they had some adorable boots. 

I also got an adorable coat from Zulily this morning. At $22.00 for the coat and the hat, I couldn't pass it up. Also, I'm in love with hound's tooth. 

  

So, that's the loot from this weekend. Sadie's Fall wardrobe is officially started! I can't wait to see her in these clothes. As soon as the stores start putting out more Fall things for infants, baby number 2 will be racking up too. Thanks for stopping by again this evening! Hope y'all have a good weekend. 

I Miss Thunderstorms

It's Thursday, and you guessed it, we are still broiling out here in okie land. It's 104 at 9:30 at night! God bless the a/c.

Believe it or not, there is something about summer that I love. Thunderstorms! There is something so soothing about that distant rumble and the graying of the sky, followed by the pitter pattering of the rain drops on the pavement. It's even better at night, when the wind picks up and the rain taps on your window. There is nothing like the sleep I get during one of those storms.

Unfortunately, we haven't been blessed with any such storms this summer. In fact, we've had several warnings that never materialized. I think this is part of why I'm so homesick.

When I was a little girl, afternoon storms during the summer were almost a daily occurrence. We'd be playing outside, and then have to run for cover, shrieking  as the rain started. Sometimes we would watch the storm move in, seeing how dark the sky could get before it was time to go inside.

As I grew up, I learned to enjoy sitting on the porch during these storms. Watching the rain fall as the breeze cooled us from the heavy southern heat was one of life's pleasures. You could almost see the grass greening up as the lawn drank in the moisture.

I remember quite a few times when we were caught in thunderstorms at the beach. Our family always went shell hunting together, and at least once or twice during the week we were there, we would have to walk back to the house in the rain. Those first few drops were so cold on my sun warmed skin! But it was so refreshing.

I will always remember the way my Pa looked as we searched for shells, his head down as he focused on the sand at his feet. Despite the fact that he was always way ahead of the rest of us, he always found the best shells and biggest sharks' teeth. He was the one who taught the rest of us to find those teeth.  I will never forget that.

All this is probably why I hope to have a large front porch one day. A little something to connect me to my southern childhood, and I want to watch the storms roll in like I used to. When I'm old and gray, you will probably find me in my rocker on that porch.

An Oasis at Home

Happy August! Can't believe it's here already. According to the internet, the official first day of Fall for the northern hemisphere is September 23rd. That date seems so close...but it's still so hot. It's too hot even to go to the pool out here. So, let's talk about indoor oases.

By this, I means bathrooms of course. To me, nothing says relaxation like the spa-like quality of an awesome bathroom. Just a few steps down the hall and you can find yourself in heaven. My perfect bathroom starts with my ultimate luxury. A claw foot tub!

  

I love the feet on this tub. I like that they're off white, so they don't blend too much with the rest of the tub. Also, they look a little "shabby," so if you've read much of this blog you know why that appeals to me! 

Of course, Ben wouldn't be thrilled if all we had to bathe in was a claw foot tub. So, we would need a great shower for him and for every day. I really like this one. 

  

I love that it's masculine, but not so manly that it's an eyesore. Also, I love the brown. It would be a lovely contrast with the blue and white of the rest of the room. (Nevermind the fact that we'd need a big house to fit this in. We are daydreaming here!) 

I'm a big fan of beadboard. I think it looks so classy in any room, but I especially love it in bathrooms. When painted white, I think it makes a very clean and fresh statement. Like this. 

  

I really like how high they've taken the beadboard in this bathroom, turning it into a picture rail instead of a chair rail. I love the starfish arranged on the ledge, and I'd probably do the same or something similar. 

Above the picture rail, I want color. A nice fresh color like blue. I love this shade: Sweet Bluette from Benjamin Moore. 

  

Onto the next necessity:  the vanity. Having lived in a few places now, none of which had a double vanity, I can appreciate the value of this little luxury. Storing our personal toiletries and other bathroom things would be so much easier. Plus, it looks pretty! 

  

I like the idea of individual wastebaskets too. That's a nice little convenience. Mine would be seagrass too, of course. 

Rugs are an important element for bathrooms as well. They can really brighten up the space with color, or add interest with unique patterns. I have fallen in love with two! 

 

I like the first one because it looks botanical, something I always think is nice for bathrooms. I fell in love with the second one because I love the blue color and the pattern. 

Will I ever get a bathroom as nice as the one I've dreamed up? Who knows. But a girl can dream! For more neat bathroom ideas, check out my friend Amanda's blog on my bookshelf to the right of this post. It's "Meet the Perrys."  

The Perfect Kitchen

Realtors like to say there are two things that sell a home: the kitchen and bathrooms. I think this is true, because every time Ben and I are scoping out a new nest, those are the first rooms we look at.  If the kitchen is ugly, you can usually bet I won't be sold on the place. So! I thought today we could talk about what I think makes a great kitchen. 

First and foremost, and I cannot emphasize this enough: I. Need. Counter space! We live in a small apartment at the moment, and while it is a nice place, I can't wait to be in a house so I have some breathing room in the kitchen again. It's not just for work space, I also have canisters, cookbooks, and some small appliances that need room too. I think this kitchen has the right amount. 

  

This kitchen also leads me to my next point: openness. I love a kitchen that is open to the living and dining areas! This makes the space feel larger than it is, and I don't feel like I'm separated from the rest of the family while I'm cooking.  

I also love the island in this kitchen! I've always wanted one of those. I really like the antique white cabinetry as well. It fits my style perfectly. And who doesn't love granite countertops?!

  

I believe that every beautiful kitchen needs a window. Natural sunlight has a way of cheering me up, and it makes me want to be in the room. My grandmother has a window in her kitchen, just like the one above. I've always loved it and I think it would be great for a kitchen herb garden. I also love the wood trim above this window as a replacement for a traditional valance. 

Now, let's talk flooring. I'm not a huge fan of tiled kitchen floors. I'm not sure why, since I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with a tile floor for the kitchen, it just doesn't appeal to me. I am, however, a huge fan of hardwood floors! 

  

I think this hardwood is the perfect shade! Not too dark, not too light, and it's a nice warm color. This is the look I want in my dream kitchen. 

And last but not least, I like quirky decorations. Not something too weird, just what you don't see every day. So when I came across this on Pinterest today, I fell in love. 

  

Muffin tins, pie plates, and bundt pans hanging on the wall! So clever and cute! I will definitely be using this idea in my next kitchen. I would love to do this with some antique cookware! 

Thanks for stopping by today! This is my last post for July, and thank goodness for that. I will not miss summer when it's gone this year! See y'all next time.