Hello again!

A big HELLO to all of you guys!  It's been way too long since I have shown face around here.  Change is never easy but it's always good.  I have made some big changes in the past couple of months and looking forward to sharing new things with you guys. 

How's the Christmas shopping, eating, laughing and all the wonderful hoopla going?  I am addicted to shopping online.  I haven't stepped foot into one store (as of yet) to do any shopping.  I've gotten spoiled to shopping in my pj's with a cup of hot tea.  I added some Christmas music to the blog and a temporary update, enjoy.  I'll be back soon...promise (pinkie swear)!

rollin', rollin', rollin...rawhide

This is a picture from the top of Amicalola Falls, one of my favorite places to visit.  We enjoyed a nice day at the falls with Nana, Papa Doug and my sister-n-law and her family.  Nana made a feast for lunch and the kids enjoyed jumping off muddy river banks and tip-toeing across the rocks.

If you know Bryar, you can probably already imagine why she's stripped down to her sassy pants.  Hint: She doesn't know what the words stop, don't and watch out mean.  LOL

There are just somethings that you don't see everyday.  One of them is this! 
Yep, a buckboard wagon train.  Seriously?

When we were on our way from my mother-n-laws house crossing over some winding mountain roads (which led to Bryar giving a big heave-hoe in the car) on our way to Tennessee when out of nowhere, wagons!  I'm not talking about just a wagon or two, or six.  I'm talking about somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty to thirty wagons.

 

It was pretty cool to see them ride by.  However, this dude, he was a bit scary. 

 

Oh, and check out the new and improved seats in this wagon.  Too funny!

 

I was way more than a happy camper when I saw roads signs appear for the highway.  I felt like I had been trapped in Radiator Springs!  LOL  But, when we pulled into our hotel in Tennessee and saw this...

the trip was SOOOOOO worth it!

laughter is good for the soul

If I had a nickle for every good laugh I've shared with the girls this summer, I'd be a rich gal.  Between toddler conversations and a growing little first grader, it's been a hoot.  When I came across this Etsy shop (rings of ruffles skirt pictured above) I couldn't help but to love the name, Lilygiggle.  Not only are there patterns galore but the style of the patterns are created for true kid friendly clothing.

What kid (or adult) doesn't enjoy being cuddled with knit.  It's super soft, washable, iron free goodness!  The coolest thing about Lilygiggle is that she uses recycled T's for most all of her projects.  Cute and eco friendly.  What more could you ask for, right?

overdue

Blog makeover in progress.  It's WAY overdue!  Be back soon :)

They're giving away....

THIS!!!!  Click HERE for all the details. Thanks ladies and congratulations on your new adventure!  I'm proud to say that these gals are real... real friends, real moms and real Christian women.  You wont find cooler craftier chics!

Ta-da!

Here's the project reveal from start to finish.  Did you ever think a bathroom could be this ugly?  Me either!!!  I loved every minute of seeing each piece of the ugly bathroom bashed, torn and demolished.  So, first off, meet the crew.

Now, these are some serious hard workers.  See that little one with the tool belt and the mix-matched flip flops...she's a trip!

OK, I have tried to break the pictures into groups/stages the best that I could.  This project took over a month to complete so trying to condense it was tough. 

Here's the ugly truth, live and in color. I don't think I need to explain any of this ugliness!

Shew, that was rough.  Now, on to the better part of the remodel.

It's looking a little better at this point.  Me, not so much.  I had specks of white paint from head to toe after putting a primer coat on the walls.  I am one messy painter!

I'm breathing much easier now.  In fact, I sat right in the middle of the floor and just about cried...almost done!  Did I tell you how much I love the floor?  Only a thousand times, right!  The bathroom was finally coming together.

And look, ta-da!  The bathroom is finished.  Shew...that was some serious craziness. 

rough stuff

Ya know that guest bathroom remodel that I mentioned a few days ago?  Well, I thought I'd share a little tidbit of the project with you. 

For six LONG years, I lived with this ugly pink ceramic tile...barf-o-rama!

 

No, it wasn't smashed into a gazillion pieces for six years.  But, it should have been!  This ugly pink tile (paired up with an even uglier black tile, picture to follow soon) made for one of the worlds worst looking bathrooms. 

It seems like there was always something that came up that delayed getting this bathroom remodeled.  For one, the master bathroom only has a stand-up shower.  So, with having small kids, a tub was important.  Now that Bryar has become a toddler, she's a lover of showers!  So, we decided that it was time to dig in and get it done!

All of us shared our master bathroom for about a month while this project was underway.  I can't tell you how many funny stories we have due to that bit of shared time - LOL!  Nevertheless, it is now complete.  Well, almost.  It lacks a few pictures being hung.

Anyway, here's a shot of the new bathroom floor that I am totally geeky over.  Wood?  Nope, it's tile.  Isn't it the coolest!!!!  See, I'm geeky.

I'll post more pictures soon.  But, this is my favorite part of the bathroom.  I know, it's just a floor. 

But, six years...six years and I finally have a new floor.  Happy dance!!!!

get FuNkY

OK photogers, get your FuNkY on...HERE!  FREE shipping ends this week so hurry!!

going higher

There are special moments in life where words are hard to find, emotions are flooded and your heart leaps within you. 

To my dearest Roxanne, I hope you reach high, win BIG and leave footprints behind you that leave your mark. 

Love,

Mama

wowsers

Kidbodies is having a HUGE summer sale.  Wowsers, the prices are great and the clothing is super-duper cute!

soaked

There were two little girls having a blast playing in the yard this week.  You'll have to excuse us but we're just country folks.  We don't have any close neighbors, it's hot, their little and I'd rather not worry with putting them in a bathing suit.  So, I just let them have fun in their undies.

I bought a HUGE beach ball sprinkler and the girls loved it.  They splashed around, drank giant gulps of water straight from the sprayer and had a blast trying to get me wet.  I grabbed the camera and took a few shots of them (and some nearby flowers) with my new lens.  It takes a tight picture with a very short depth of field.  Here's a few photos that I took of our wet day!

Ebay

Today, I listed a ton of kids/baby shoes on Ebay.  Check them out HERE!!! 

popcorn...peanuts...coke

Let's just say it's been kind of like a circus around here!  School is out and the summer fun is in full swing.  Out of town trips, VBS, summer camp, a bathroom remodel (more about it later).  There is just something about the kids being at home, hearing their little giggles, funny made up stories and watching them learn how to be sisters, share, love and build a relationship between the two of them that will forever grow with them.

Those little cuties up there decided to retire from our circus and they took a trip to Utah where they would be loved and admired by my friend Kris in her new shop, My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe!  I used this pattern that Kris now carries in her shop (online ordering will be available soon). 

I hope that each one of you are enjoying your summer and that you will be inspired to get creative.  Here's to happy crafting!

fresh squeezed

There is so much to love about these precious photos taken by Jessica Myers. This adorable little girl, Khloee, is the daughter of a dear friend of mine. For her 1st birthday I made her this sweet lemon summer knot dress and headband. This lemon fabric has been a favorite of mine for years. Fresh squeezed hugs are in order for this sweet baby girl!

caught

I caught this little guy in my bird feeder the other day. Check out that stretch...too funy!!

one day

One day I will learn to quilt and when I do, I hope my quilt will look something like this one. You all know that I am a complete sucker for anything with birds on it. So, I am sure that you are not surprised that this quilt caught my eye. The colors, the layout...it's just so ME!!!

(Laura's fabrics are pretty amazing too. Love her work!)

Freebies!!

What's not to love about FREE stuff?

Well, my friends Kris and Kim and giving away boo-koodles of crafting goodness for their BIRTHDAY WEEK celebration. Be sure to click on the highlighted birthday week link to be directed to their site to enter for a chance to win!

friendship

friend [frend]
–noun
:A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.


I don't know at what age a child recognizes a friend. I don't know at what age a child learns to love or understands being loved. However, I do know that friendship begins in each one of us, in our heart. As I watch Roxanne in these last few days of Kindergarten, I have noticed that friendship is a very important part of her everyday happiness. It's her friends that make her happy.

As a child, I can remember summer camps, VBS and other youth oriented social events that capitalized on the value of friendship. Friendship bracelet's, pen pals, BFF's...these were all part of childhood fun. So, to make the transition into 1st grade (leaving behind her K5 friends) a little easier, I went back to my childhood and thought about what made me happy.

When I presented to her the idea of making friendship bracelet's for all of her classmates, she was thrilled. It would be something for them to keep to remember her by and to remember those fun, silly laughs that they shared. It's tough to say goodbye to friends but it's nice to know that friendship lives in your heart and it's never a goodbye, forever!