My Newest Favorite Recipe and thanks!

Image via WhipperBerry

Y'all know how I LOVE an easy, semi homemade recipe. Well, I have officially decided after a successful trial run, that these are my new favorite recipe! The Red Velvet Cookie With White Chocolate Chunks, is to die for. I highly suggest that you run out to the store to purchase ingredients immediately. 1. cake mix 2. two sticks of butter 3. one cup flour 4. 1 egg 5. 2 cups chips You wont be sorry!

I started thinking of all of the ways that this recipe could be adapted....

Lemon cookies with white chocolate chunks
Chocolate cookies with white chocolate/ peanut butter/ dark chocolate/mint chocolate... basically any kind of chips they make {You can't go wrong here!!}
Vanilla cookies{for my weird-o husband that doesn't like chocolate} with any sort of chip

I can't wait to experiment with this recipe! I will let everyone know of any successful combinations!

Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions for our bathroom. I stopped by the house today and talked with the contractor about options. For now we have decided that the most cost effective option will be to keep the base cabinets under the sink and he will cut off the excess counter top. This will leave just the sink vanity with no random cut outs anywhere.

The glass shelves will also be going, along with the pretty curtain and the existing mirror. We are also replacing the window which should make things much brighter in there Brighter in a good way, not in a bright SEAFOAM sort of way! I have yet to choose a paint color. I need to do a little more playing with my fan deck to make the call.

On another topic, I am SO TIRED OF RAIN! I'm ready to have more spring like weather so that I can get to planting these lovelies in our yard! Without a doubt the prettiest Hydrangeas I have ever seen. I HEART Costco!

I hope everyone is having a great week! Only two days until the weekend!!

What Would You Do???

Attention decorators!!!, I need an online consult. I have this beaaauuuutttiifffuuulll seafoam green bathroom that needs your help! I need your help! I have every other aspect of the house pretty much planned out, but this space has just stumped me.

Our budget doesn't have room for this odd hall bathroom, so we are going to have to be crafty.

This bathroom {like much of the rest of the house} was recently redone, just not in our style. The shower and tub are new as is the tile. So all of those things are staying put.

Things I want to change

*The Color
I'm really liking Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams. Or something cream and light to offset the darker tiles? Possibly with a stenciled detail.

*the vanity. I really loathe the vanity... well not so much the base of the vanity, but the weird half moon cutout in the counter top. I am thinking maybe we could only use the portion of cabinets on the sink side and get a new top? Thoughts? Also I would like to paint the cabinets and definitely switch out the knobs

*The Mirror. I would prefer a large mirror hung on the wall instead of a glued on mirror with a faux frame.

Besides these things, I want it to feel more relaxing and spa like and since it is the bathroom that guests will be using {No half bath} I want it to seem more welcoming, not like you're invading a personal area of the house. Does that make sense?

Alright! Bring on the suggestions! FIRE AWAY!!!!

The Ladies Man

Check out this little charmer! My nanny sends me pictures of Keating throughout the day so that I can see him. This one had me laughing out loud. She went to get him up from his morning nap and this is how his shirt was. I love that he looks so casual, like "Check me out ladies!" My little Casanova!

I was hoping to get to spend lots of time outdoors this weekend, but it looks like the weather is going to be getting the best of us with a ton of rain. What a depressing forecast! I am hoping the weatherman is wrong. If he is, then we have lots on our agenda, including 3 photo sessions, a little furniture rehab, and having lunch with some of my oldest friends. Crossing my fingers for a sunny weekend!

What are your weekend plans? Hopefully a lot sunnier than ours!

This little light of mine...

Ever since we decided to get neck deep in renovating our old ranch, I have been on the hunt for the perfect kitchen. With all of the posts that I have dedicated to the kitchen... you'd think I was sleeping in there! I promise, I will get around to the bedroom, I just have a one track mind!

I have been really inspired with lanterns lately. Specifically, old ones with lots of character. I have been envisioning an old bronze lantern with lots of character. After combing antique stores, stalking craigslist and weekly trips to Goodwill I have come away with a lot of random items, but no perfect lantern.

Finally I came across this little beauty! I think it has the perfect amount of aging to go along with my old bronze lantern vision. It is not old, nor is it bronze, but I think it is going to work perfectly!

My only concern is that it may be too small over the table. If that's the case, then I am considering getting another like this photo I took in Pottery Barn.

In other house news, the contractors are starting up this week! We can hardly wait to move out of the country. I don't know the reason for farmers to spread chicken crap all over their pastures, but it is DISGUSTING. The rancid smell and burning nostrils have ruined any attempts of going out to enjoy our gorgeous weather lately. Thank you Old McDonald!

Other than picking out things for the house and plugging my nose, I have had a sick baby, a sick husband, and I fired the wrong person at work this week. Keating got an ear infection over the weekend, {these things always seem to happen when his Dr's office is closed.} Brad took him to the Dr Monday morning and the poor little man definitely has an ear ache. He is getting better now, but he was just pitiful until today. Brad has had a cold, which he insists was the flu. {we all know how men are when they get sick! Just kidding Brad!!} I'm just hoping I stay well!!!

And to clarify, I know you're thinking "HOW DID YOU FIRE THE WRONG PERSON!?" There was a mix up with two employees names and I was given the wrong one. It really was not my fault, but of course, I had to fix it! Talk about feeling like a jerk!
"Excuse me, but I'm sorry, I didn't intend to fire you!" Yep, that was awesome.

Anyways, I hadn't posted in a week so I thought I needed to post about something.

Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MAWMAW! Sorry I didn't get this up yesterday on your actual birthday!

I Picked Paint Colors and a Goodwill Table

A little paint can go a LONG way. I know I have beat the gray topic like a dead horse, but I have made a decision out of my many paint samples! I am sure everyone has been on the edge of their seats just waiting in anticipation!! haha!
I couldn't get an accurate view of all of the colors in the house because the house is so dark and the current paint colors were really affecting the way the samples looked. I decided to paint each sample on a piece of poster board to get a better representation. That's a LOT of shades of greige! The center color is my kitchen cabinet color. It is gauntlet gray by Sherwin Williams. I based everything else off of how it looked against the GG.

I am too lazy to edit these, so they appear a little blue. But the color I have decided on {I think} is Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams

I am hoping the paint can really perk up this place! Looks like we will be needing some new recessed lighting! Brad has been pretty busy getting the house ready for the contractors to come in and work their magic.

I have been taking on projects of a much smaller scale... I have been forever searching for a table to match Blue's little red chair for his room. When I spied this one at Goodwill for 12 smackers, I made off with it like a bandit, or so I thought.

Once I really examined it at home, I realized that the top had rippled laminate. I was a little over confident that I could get the laminate off... but I couldn't. I decided that if I painted it patterned, that it wouldn't show up as much. Turned out, I was right. Here is the finished product!

I sanded the table, applied a coat of primer, and then used a sample sized paint pot from Lowe's for the white. Although the process wasn't that fast. The white didn't cover well and it took a lot of coats! Next time I would use spray paint.

The top was painted using a stencil. I love hounds tooth, and I am so glad that I found a cute way to sneak it into Blue's room!

I didn't dare show the underside of the table, because I did a really awful job of painting it!

I just love revamping an old junky piece of furniture!

Free Prints!

I found out about the New York Public Library site a while back from The Little Green Notebook. If you haven't checked out her blog, then you must! She has fabulous style! and if you haven't ever perused the New York Public Library then you should do that as well. It is a bank of images from anything like an old antique poster, to botanical prints from books. Best part is, you can print them free of charge!

I have been looking for a few to add to Keating's new room. His room is going to have more wall space than his old room so I will need more art work. I also want to drift a little more away from the cowboy feel and do something with more colors. Here are a few fun options I found for his room, as well as other spots.

This one is by far my favorite, it definitely has a future on our wall somewhere!

I love the look of old nursery rhyme books. I think a collection of these in a nursery could be really cute!
Speaking of babies, its a good thing that companies have gotten a little better with baby advertisements... is this not creepy or what!? 1/3 old man, 1/3 monkey, 1/3 little girls in dresses.
So. Wrong.

A nice vintage map would go nice just about anywhere.

I really like this one. It says Wild West, but it is more English riding and hounds, versus cowboys and indians.

I know there are a lot of bird and egg type prints in home stores for lots of moolah, this one is free though!

This is also a favorite of mine. I have had a thing for old circuses since reading Water for Elephants. {If you haven't read it, then what are you waiting for!?} The circus is always fun, and I love all of the red in it.

and if I wanted to carry on the cowboy vibe, then this has a nice worn feel.

I am wanting to print a few of these larger scale and I am wondering if a photo lab would object to using them? I may give it a try and report back!

Decorating Inspiration Via Iphone

I was going through the photo gallery in my phone and realized that there were a ton of inspirational/ informative photos in there having to do with our house. I thought I would share!

We went on a presidents day buying rampage and got this black bed in a king size. I loved the pillows on the bed! I cannot wait to drift to sleep in a king. I love my husband and all, but I need space. Also, our mattress has been KILLING my back, so I cannot wait to make the switch!

This is also the couch we got {x2}. Our living room is so big so we figured two couches would fit perfectly in there {I HOPE} also a couch is only $30 more than a love seat! You can never have too much comfortable seating when friends come over! The couch shown isnt the color I ordered, mine is called smoke. Which is a grayish brownish color, or so it appeared from the 12 inch sample. Y'all I have a serious problem with gray. I need an intervention!

I found this cute set up in a furniture flea market/ consignment store. I loved the big table. We were thinking of redoing the existing table at the house like this one, but it just looks too dated, but not in a cool vintagey way. Tough break!

I took this one at Pottery Barn when I went with my sister to register for her wedding. I loved the candle lanterns hanging above the table. Practical? Probably not, but I loved it anyways! I also really love all of the dishes and glasses on the table. You cant see them from this photo but they have a very vintage almost rustic feel to them.

This is my aunts new kitchen in her house. I love it for various reasons, and I am super jealous of her ginormous ceiling height! Most of all I love the dark gray/ almost black cabinets.

This was taken when we went tile shopping. Here is my choice for our backsplash, but in a less brown color.

and well... that's all Ive got! Stay tuned for more ramblings!

Renovation Updates

{Please excuse the craptastic Iphone photos}

Our renters moved out of the house the last weekend of February and we quickly got contractors in to give estimates. Here is Brad and his friend checking out things before he got a little sledge hammer happy. Take note of the book shelf and the wall to the left where you can see my reflection.

It was so dark in there with those heavy curtains.

Here is a view looking in to the kitchen, see the wall running down the left side of the photo... It will soon be goneA before of the narrow entry way with faux plastered walls

And an after once Brad took down the dividing wall.

The view looking from the living room

And a view from the front door {We have lots of areas of hardwood flooring to repair}

This is the support wall for the house, so we cant get rid of it. But we are going to put a nice big open doorway to help the floor plan flow better. I think it would be a little too bare without some sort of structure there, so I think the doorway will be a nice solution.

I like the kitchen being a bit more opened up, especially since the kitchen is where everyone always congregates. We are going to open up the door to the kitchen too.

This is the same entry way and living room with all of the old plastered sheet rock ripped out as well as our prickly ceiling. Brad attempted a few techniques to sand down the ceilings on Saturday with no luck. They were relentless to change and did not want to get rid of their 70's glory. They were pretty badly damaged from the wall coming out and we weren't digging the starburst pattern on them... therefore, he ripped them down. =) Smooth ceilings here we come! The room also had no overhead lighting and added to the dark dungeon feel, so we will be adding can lighting overhead.

As you can see, we have a long way to go, and a short time to get there. {Sorry I was just subjected to watching Smokey and The Bandit with my dad and Brad, its not my fault!} In other news, I think that I finally settled on paint colors. Although I cant show them to you right now... because Brad ripped out the wall that they were on! I painted them on pieces of poster board, and if it ever stops raining I will try to get a non iphone photo of them. They are both from Sherwin Williams and I think they go great together. I am now on the hunt for good neutrals for the other rooms, I cant let my entire house be shades of gray.

Has anyone used Bleeker Beige from Benjamin Moore? Thoughts? Also, have any of you seen this blog? Favorite Paint Colors? It is a blog with real submissions of other bloggers paint colors in their homes. SUPER handy and helpful!

Well kids, its time to go pack lunches and settle in for the week. I really forgot how much I don't like Mondays until today. I hope everyone has a great week.

Until then...

Working Mom... Hard Work.

Hey friends! Sorry that I have had nothing to share over the last week. I started my job on Tuesday and it has been SO busy around here. I tell you what, I have always wondered how working moms do it. How they could manage a job, a baby, a house, and keep all of the balls juggled in the air at the same time.... After working a week, I am more curious than ever. If you have any pointers, please feel free to send them my way!

My work week started out on Tuesday. I was brave and I didn't cry a single tear. I did get choked up, but I didn't let myself really soak it in... maybe I am still in denial!? I dropped Keating off at his "Cousin" Nola's house. {I use quotes around cousin because her mom is my cousin's cousin ... if that makes sense. Realistically, we aren't really related at all I guess.} Anyways, here is a happy Blue in the car on the way to their house. He looks really broken up about being away from me all day doesn't he??Could two "Cousins" look any different!? HAHA She is so precious. He has really enjoyed his playdates all week. They are about three months apart and both are only children so they have liked being with someone their own size! All day long I am texted with pictures and videos of the two of them playing. It really makes my day! I could have never even attempted to go back to work if I knew he was not going to be special and loved on all day.

As for working, I really truly like my job. I have to confess though... nothing will ever be as great as my gig of stay at home mom. I really do miss it, but I just keep thinking that this is best for our family.

Everyone at my office is SO incredibly nice, helpful, welcoming and any other great word you can describe someone with. We stay really busy and it helps the day go by much faster. I feel like I have caught on to everything reasonably fast, so I don't have the deer in headlights look, {at least I hope I don't}! My office is about 7 min from our new house once we move, so I really couldn't work any closer to home unless I got a job the closest McDonald's!

The whole job is totally a gift from the Lord. I even discovered that my boss is also a member at my church. Small world! Everything has really worked out, and I am so happy. The days when I am having a hard time leaving Keating, being around such positive great people really helps get me out of a slump.

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me along the way. I really do appreciate it!!

And seriously, if you have any working mom pointers, please throw them my way. I could use all the help a girl can get!

I will try to be back sooner rather than later to update with renovation pics.