Posted in Foodie Goodness on July 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »
In keeping with the cupcake of the month, I’m proud to introduce, Miss August! She’s a classic golden yellow butter cake with homemade chocolate butter cream.
Miss August is adorned with blue sprinkles and spiderman because that makes my blue-eyed boy ever so happy.
Resident artist A whipped up this card for our birthday boy! We’re entering into a week-long celebration of our youngest super hero.
Posted in Ect. on July 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I’m trying to soak up the last bit of summer. My full time job gears up again on Monday. I’m trying to combat the knot in stomach about not knowing my school assignments (never know until the first day of contract) with prayer. I know August will bring changes for our family as we enter into a new season. So glad God’s grace is already there and trying to keep that in mind.
This week we took A to her swim team banquet. Village Green had an undefeated season and won both the Smokey Mountain and City Meets! Go Gators!
A’s trophy is for participation. She had a great season but was definitely a rookie. It’s olympic gold to her. Kind of makes those hours by the pool worth while.
Posted in diy, tagged home improvement on July 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Today is the one year anniversary of us living in our current home. The kitchen linoleum was one of the first things to go. Then we scraped, scraped, and scraped two layers of ancient flooring, primed, and laid tile. Fun times.
Next to go was the drop ceiling and lighting. Followed by replacing the fridge and painting the cabinets. Over the course of the year we have painted seven rooms, ripped out old flooring and tiled the kitchen and sunroom, ripped out carpet and refinished one set of stairs, and changed light fixtures and hardware all over the house. Typing this out makes me feel better because there is still soooo much work to be done. Below is more what the kitchen looks like now (well, now it’s full of dirty dishes) but this shot shows the painted cabinets.
Happy Birthday House! Thanks for being a great Home for our family!
Posted in Baby Boos, diy, Ect. on July 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »
My kids love to create. We have an art cabinet, an art basket, art buckets, and a craft bar (post for another day).
We were up to our ears in artwork. Raise your hand if you’ve had to sneak your kid’s papers into the trash late at night. I came up with this solution for our kitchen. I used a curtain rod and sliding clips we already had. The masterpieces are changed out every few days.
Just a few of the creations this week
A made this mask with grosgrain ribbon today. I think she was going for purple gorilla look.
Watercolor by G.
A circa 2006.
A vintage 2010.
A’s handy work vintage 2008. These paintings make me smile every time I walk past. It fits my design philosophy of using what you love in your home. Each time I look at these it reminds me of the little hands and perspectives that designed them. I’m striving to really appreciate my children’s story as it unfolds. I’m so very grateful to be part of it.
Posted in Ect. on July 18, 2011| 2 Comments »
What’s a southern girl to eat on her birthday? Why Mississippi Mud Cake of course!
Sweet A brought me this fabulously wrapped package.
Inside was her prized possession, purple sparkle nail polish. Later she clarified that my gift was the right to use her polish. So basically I got a time share for purple sparkle nail polish-best present ever! Love that girl.
Chocolate Fettuccine- This is bliss. Chocolate crepes, berries, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. My all time fav dessert. My family knows my love language is chocolate!
Parents and sister surprised me with this funky, fun Fiesta ware. I love it!
Guaranteed fun with five kids 6 and under.
Thinking of submitting this to Awkward Family Photos.
It was a great day. I am blessed.
Posted in diy, Ect. on July 15, 2011| 1 Comment »
This is the current state of the union when it comes to our fireplace. I’m campaigning for painting it white and somehow dealing with the ugly brass firebox. Handy Hubby (worn out by my projects, I’m sure) likes it as is. It’s one of those round and round discussions at our house. Kinda like how big of an issue it is that I heard a creature in the attic. I’m sure it’s a rodent of unusual size (name that movie). Hubby is convinced it does not exist, I’m hearing things. Nice try, I don’t buy it baby.
All this to say, our home, like all issues in marriage is a matter of compromise and negotiation and hopefully a little grace for everyone involved. That’s why this reclaimed banister (white on right of fireplace) made my heart skip a little today. Joey brought it home and said, “I’m not sure what we’ll do with it, but I knew you’d like it.” It sat in the garage for a week or so because things were super hectic around here. Today it caught my eye, I brought it upstairs, dusted it off, and over coffee it hit me: He gets me. Thirteen years, two babies, four degrees, and a ton of up and downs: He gets me. He knows full well how difficult and flawed I am and he still loves and surprises me. He gets me, that’s a narrative I need to remember.
Posted in Ect. on July 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Y’all remember the tree house on my parent’s farm.
I had major fun staging a general store area with my mom. There are goo-goo clusters, cokes in bottles, and moonpies galore.
The tree house kitchen doesn’t have a window, so I wanted to add some color with vintage tins and funky platters. Hello 24 foot ceiling.
We were getting the place ready for sweet Kacee’s baby shower.
Kacee’s hubby Matt trimming trees. How could the shower not be at the tree house for these two?
Miss May made another appearance along with carrot cake cupcakes, cucumber sandwiches, fresh fruit, and my grandmother’s recipe for cheese ball. The strawberry cranberry punch is a family favorite from Grey Gables in Rugby.
Aunt Becky brought the hydrangeas from Aunt Kaye’s.
I’m finding it very difficult to host and document. Four Copley sisters (Lyna, Becky, Kaye, and Suzan, we missed you Jeanie) were there along with all six Copley grand daughters (Kristen, Kelley, Kacee, Katie, Tori, and Balee-just graduated law school, woot, woot) and all three Copley great grand daughters (Maddie, Ava, and Caroline). Photo op missed (thumbs down) but I kept everyone’s punch cup filled. It’s the small things, right?
Ava and Liza playing bride. Be still my heart. Hope she has her front teeth for her walk down the aisle.
Maddie and Liza playing mommy and me. Love it.
Sweet times for a sweet baby Nolan on the way!
Posted in Ect. on July 9, 2011| Leave a Comment »
On Thursday I hosted a party for my friend, Jennifer. Jennifer’s business Jordan’s Gems is a Narrative of God’s grace through trial and pain. Jennifer tells her story best. Please check it out at www.facebook.com/Jordans.Gems. Her business cards sum up her vision very well, “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.” Lamentations 3:32
I had my camera out but was having so much fun, I didn’t take any photos of the incredible jewelry -Sorry Jennifer! This is the gorgeous hostess gift from Jennifer. She’s one class act that girl! Jennifer inspired my post about the aqua tool box. I know God has used her to encourage countless others as well.
I did have a moment to snap some shots of the food before everyone arrived. Y’all know, I do love to eat! I kept the menu supper simple as it’s been a wild, wild week at the Thompson Inn.
Greek pasta salad with feta, capers, spinach, and home-grown tomatoes. Kinda makes me want to watch Fried Green Tomatoes and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I feel a movie night coming on.
Strawberries with ganache and sweetened cream.
Goat cheese with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. Cheese from a goat- sounds awful but is so wonderful, I love a good paradox!
Posted in Ect., Foodie Goodness, tagged lasagna on July 6, 2011| 4 Comments »
I had a wonderful opportunity to cater today for a group of 40 from Young Life in Madrid, Spain.
I couldn’t let go of the red, white, and blue (it’s July 5th after all) and this is the first taste of America for these students.
Thank you Kristen for the Hydrangeas!
Paula Dean’s Banana Pudding or as my dad likes to call it Sycamore Springs Banana Pudding was a hit.
I’ll level with you, this was a joy to do, but about 20 till 7, I thought I was doomed. I just couldn’t see how I would finish in time. Enter guardian angel server/volunteers. They tossed salad, cut garlic bread (this was creative as all the utensils were locked up at this venue), moved tables, made me laugh, and were all together wonderful! Thank you Guys! You were an answer to prayer!
Please pray for these wonderful Young Life students far from home. Please pray for blessings, protection, and that they come to know and serve Jesus. Jesus and banana pudding -great Southern combo!
Posted in diy, Ect. on July 5, 2011| 2 Comments »
As I’ve mentioned before we love our home, just not some of the 80s details. Enter exhibit A. This is in fact a horrible builder grade Boob Light from the 90s. If you have these in your home, please don’t be offended. I have three more yet to be replaced in mine. Female anatomy, however beautiful, should not inspire lighting.
In my parents’ wonderful, treasure trove of a basement I found and was awarded one 1950s orignal school light with heavy milkglass. These lights were replaced in said school with florescent lighting (the bane of my existence design wise) in the 70s but they did not replace the lights in the closets. This school was being demolished for a newer one when my father (tender-hearted giant) rescued it. Hallelujah!
Handy Hubby rigged this so the base could be painted.
Here is the after. Angels sang.
Grand total of four light fixtures replaced, 10 really ugly ones to go.
designnarrative 