The story of a Hare

We woke up late this past saturday morning begging to head back over to grammy and pop's house.

You see my mom has an EXTREME obsession with bunny rabbits.

In the past 2 weeks we have spotted a wild bunny around their home. He has been across the street, in the neighbors yard, under a bush; then we saw him within 10 feet from my parents front door when we went to leave friday night!!!

 (Real life picture here people.... a boy with his chock milk, bunny cup and his blankets! another obsession!)

So we woke up sat morning and I knew I had to show them.... 

Big sister watched in amazement as I told her about a little girl named Sloane, who lives at the beach and has a wild bunny who comes to her door pretty often. 

Of course she gave me the "prove it" face. So I pulled up Erika's blog and showed her the pictures she shares!

Both of my kids began to squeal in delight!!!!

We then immediately picked up the phone to call grammy and see if the bunny ate the celery and carrots we put out the night before.

A few nibbles were taken she said! 

Hopefully.... my moms dream will come true and the funny wild hair will stick around and my kids can enjoy such a rare experience of life with a bunny foo foo!!!

The guesthouse: office drama

This is the look I was going for in my "office" after a friend asked why I had never used this space as my office I felt it was something I needed to do. 

My fear to never start this project was ALL the work involved in this renovation. 

1. remove wallpaper

2.install carpet

3. paint everything! walls, trim, cabinetry... EVERYTHING

4. completely overhaul the bathroom

5. install proper shelving in the closet.

And not to mention I don't really want to spend a bunch on this project.

Sooo I needed inspiration and BAD!

So I started painting... Antiqua Aqua by Ben Moore

Then I got crazy and thought it would look good to paint the trim high gloss grey.

NO... it umm looks bad... see... DIY fails happen.... you just never know when that Idea will be good or bad.

So then... I sat down to work on an applique in my new office and.... my children played in their "mini-playroom."

AC found some chapstick and I told her she could use it. She proceeded to go to the bathroom to see her pretty lips... She pulled on the sink... and it happened.

It a miracle she was not harmed. Only severely sprayed with water. 

The sink fell off the wall and the pipe bringing water from the main house proceeded to severely pour into the space. 

Here is the aftermath after the overly dramatic shutoff attempt.

yes... my nasty not unpacked yet garage flooded as well. and everything everything out here is ALL garage sale stuff!!! I am just thankful for boxes that were raised and unharmed.

The newly installed carpet has already endured a good soaking. Now just praying we dont have mildew issues. 

Now for the great story:

I grab the baby and run to the bathroom. Shreels people shreels as my 3 yr. old is being pelted with a forceful stream of water to the face straight from the wall!

I yell run, grab the embroidery machine in one hand and baby on the hip and we drop the machine in the kitchen and proceed to run across the street to see if the neighborhood handy man can help. 

The man who is always home isnt... Awesome!

Call my friend Ruth. "Is your husband home?"

Ruth says "NO! Whats wrong Jenny Beth are you okay?"

"NO!!! I SHOUT FLOOD IN THE GUESTHOUSE!!! HELP!!!"

she heads over. 

In the meantime I call casey and he hangs up on me... I run to the curb, baby on hip and 3 yr old screaming from trauma of the event. I open the plate cover to our water main and for the life of me cannot process how to turn the water main off. 

 Ruth pulls up...behind the crazy woman getting a flyer from my for sale sign.

And yes I did think this lady was a good samaratain doing a u turn to help me. No! She smiled at me calmly and said nothing while I am hysterically crying with 2 children and huddled over the water main shut off. 

Ruth runs around her and we are both looking in the hole going what do we do?? What do we do?

(hysterical people, hysterical!)

Out of nowhere this guy named Anthony comes running around the corner. 

Ruth shouts "Are you our guardian angel?"

He was in classes with Casey and happens to live 4 houses away. (who knew?) 

He also has the proper wrench to shut off the water. 

(Casey had hung up on me to call Anthony and see if he could come help me)

The water is shut off and we breathe a sigh of relief. I wipe the sweat and tears from my face to then formally introduce myself to Anthony.

Then all the pictures you saw are the aftermath my family came over to help me sift through until Casey could get home.

I am sooo thankful for sweet friends who come running to my rescue. 

And for others who stay until 11:45 at night helping my husband use shop vac's to sift out ALL the water standing in the guesthouse and garage. 

What a story for the book I hope to one day write. 

Happy Thursday Y'all!

Things I have learned thus far.

I know some of you are seasoned moms. 

You may find it commical that I even dare write about what I have learned thus far.

But for everyone, Parenthood is a journey, a refining process if you will.

My first bit of advice I recieved was while I was pregnant. 

Source: imgfave.com via Jenny Beth on Pinterest

Sidenote:

You see, I was quite a child terror. 

People that knew me as a child were always dying to hear "What had I done this time?"

I flushed pennies down the toilet, bathed the dog in fry daddy grease (ruined an oriental rug in the process) spray painted my parents brand new station wagon.

I was a curious child, or so I tell myself. haha

My advice: when your child does something.... laugh and grab the camera! This has saved me several times from an ugly moment.

ie. yesterday.

again, dont yell or get mad.. grab the camera.

usually I am crying I am so mad but laughing at the same time. Its emotions overload. 

Several of my friends (who are expecting) have asked what the hardest part was to this point.

For me... with my crazy girl... potty training.

Literally, she would pee in the floor and splash in the puddle. 

She even peed on friends carpet. (I could have died) She was defiant, she would do great all day long and when I was distracted for a brief minute she would strike. 

The first few days solely in underwear were like a chinese fire drill to our destination.

Our first few outings were to Target. Dear heavens, I felt like I was speeding and driving a woman in labor. 

She would bounce, scream "hurry, hurry" I was nervously saying "just hold it, one more minute till we are in the parking lot!!"

Quite hilarious now that I look back!!

Source: babygoodbuys.com via Jenny Beth on Pinterest

My next bit of advice: Do not think reading all the pregnancy books will EVER prepare you for being a mommy.

It won't!!

I am 7 years older than my brother. I started nannying in the summers at 14. I babysat every weekend (for the lack of my first 2 years of college) from 14 until my little girl was born when I was 22. I have had LOTS of practice.

I kept baby, school age, girls, babies, rambunctious boys, multiples, children with special needs. I thought I had experienced my share of all that was out there.

But, you see your own children know you! They know what buttons to push! It's crazy, but they do!

When you feel yourself about to get frustrated.. Walk away! It will save you from doing things you will regret later.

My last bit of advice: Talk about Jesus, and explain Jesus to your babies. From the very beginning. Sing songs, Explain the TRUE meaning of christmas, and the TRUE meaning of easter. 

A few weeks ago AC was talking to me while we were in the car. 

AC: "Mommy, did you know Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins?"

ME: (about to burst into tears because what we are telling her is actually sinking in and she is regurgitating it!) "Yes honey I did know that!"

AC: "And when he died Mary put sauce on his bottom!"

ME: "PSSSSSSSShhhhhh WHAT?? Do you mean Mary Magdalene Annointed his body with oil?"

AC: "oh yah, that's it!!"

Later I discovered she was saying they covered his body in SALT!

I was dying!! But hey we made a memory and she is learning.

This is the first of a few posts of what I have learned in my past 4 mothers days (first was while I was pregnant!)

Stay tuned!

Just say no...

Anyone ever seen these?? Or maybe made them?

Source: 2gypsygirls.com via Ann on Pinterest

Or these??

Source: mydesigndump.blogspot.com via Joan on Pinterest

Well, let me just tell you a funny little story as to why I am boycotting making some of my own. I guess you could say I had a "bad experience."

My Sophomore year in college 3 girlfriends and I were getting ready before a Christmas party. Everyone came over to my 100 year old house I was renting to "get ready."

The heat was on, the candles in the non-working fireplace were lit and the candles were wrapped in the most beautiful bark/ bark paper I had ever seen. 

We had on the typical nostalgic christmas songs, were drinking egg nog and helping each other put on makeup.

A friend,Victoria, says "aww I love this song, chessstnutsss roasting.... on an open fire......" Then we noticed a cracking sound of a fireplace coming from the den.

We all acknowledged the sound and carried on with getting ready. 

As we gathered our coats to leave I walked in the den to almost 3 foot flames emerging from the fire place. 

Well, four college girls go frantic when someone, namely me... an overly dramatic Olivia De Havilland type, runs to grab a pitcher of water to begin extinguishing the flames emerging from the bark candles and the fireplace. 

Ironic huh? 

As I round one corner to poor water on the flames, Victoria, rounds the other corner and screams, "Flour will extinguish it!!"

Well ever wondered what flames, flour, and water make???

Vintage soot covered playdoh!!!!

Luckily the flames went out quickly, I had a homemade paste to get that fireplace as clean as it has ever been.

And most importantly, a lesson was learned!!! 

Happenings

I would SOOO.... be lying to yall if I said we were "taking it easy" over the holidays.

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In all actuality we worked like dogs finishing up projects here and there.

• Kitchen is painted
• new fixture hung (properly, key word) in the kitchen
• new curtains hung in master bedroom (ended up being very very time consuming)
• picture gallery is almost finished
• window project was started
• upstairs was organized
• removed all medication of any kind to higher ground
• and all photo's of 2010 are properly labeled and stored under the 2010 label (hallelujah!!)

 

**again please disregard the nastiness of the porch. hoping for a beautified version come late spring.

Paint color.. Benjamin Moore Abbington Putty with 25% darker tint.= LOVE

Light fixture is Pottery Barn and can be found here

however.. i found one lonely pendant at the PBO and got it for 49.97 {dont hate me}

Now, do you see where the oval mirror is on this wall??
let me show you a better view.

{see the big fat empty wasted space??}
...
Sidenote: yall are probably asking yourselves why we took our kitchen table out and did this?? Well after 3 miserably long phone calls with At&t it was determined the wiring in our house is old and that is why we loose internet connection up to 15 times a day. Yeah!! 15!! So one night laying in bed we decided we would try and move the computer to the first point of entrance into the home; i.e. kitchen phone jack. Well lo and behold, it works i tell ya!!!
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Thus the movement of homeoffice to kitchen eat-in area.
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So, back to that bare wall... desk/cords/tech-savvy items all relocated in front of window complete; I decided I wanted these.

 

My friend Maribeth got them and i just fell in love when i saw them in person.

.

 Then I found this on some home website and figured we could build for way less than $799

* What are your thoughts??
Once we get a wrought iron gate to backyard this will be the main entry door, we will drop our things in the lockers and be on our way..

Then and Now.

I am waiting to finish glazing the rods to show the reveal picture of our curtains and the medicine cabinet is nothing to write home about so those pics aren't included.

In other news.

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About three weeks ago lil' bit found some Ambien in my nightstand drawer.

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I was doing my usual chore of making beds and she was watching little bear, or so i thought

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When i got into the den she had one pill in her mouth, one in her hand, one was in the bathroom sink and one migrated to the rug in her room.

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I immediately freaked and called poison control.

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The problem then was I had no idea how many pills were exactly in the bottle.

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So the very sweet lady at poison control proceeds to tell me if she gets sleepy within the hour go to the emergency room, this medication could cause my little 2 year old to go into cardiac arrest.

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GREAT!!!! 

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Well we went on to school and i kept her with me monitoring her for the next hour, and by the grace of god nothing happened to her.

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However this lit a fire under me to begin operation "store everything HIGH"

Then just when i think all of this is over, yesterday i again go to my room to make the bed.

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Gone 4 min. TOPS.
{seeing a reoccuring theme, either dont make bed or wake up earlier, check}

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I walk back into the den to discover my pinking sheers out of the sewing bag on the ottoman.

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And yes... my worst thoughts were confirmed.

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Although a tiny chunk, its a 4ish inch piece of golden tendrel laying on my couch and my precious angel saying "Mommy, look I cut!!!"

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I took a deep breath and laughed, I couldn't yell because I wasn't there to witness this even.

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Okay, so lesson learned... 

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Life is now in operation keep everything potentially dangerous stored.

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This picture conceals the evidence but ever since she cut she keeps saying "Poppy cut, Poppy cut!"
{ps my dad is a hairdresser}
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So, you know what we did??
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We went and got that little girls hair cut.
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She actually did really well.

excited about some curls

complete with her new do!!

Sweet Southern Traditions

Hello lovely readers,

Thought i would take some time to share something near and dear to my heart, Southern Weddings!!

 Seeing as i am in my first one for the summer this weekend (Lauren's wedding) I thought I would share some interesting things I learned while planning my wedding almost 2 years ago.

 Buy a few books:

My two favorite are...

My super sweet friend, H, was in college with me at Alabama, and her major was event planning with an emphasis in Wedding Planning, there was no doubt in my mind she would be coordinating my event and boy am i glad she did. The first thing we did was go to Barnes and Noble in t-town and grab some magazines, while perusing the store we found this book.

UMMMMM not only is the book absolutely HILARIOUS, it is extremely informative. Of course i purchased and ran home to read, The book follows women of the Mississippi Delta and the "must haves" of throwing a southern weddings.

Then there is the Southern Belle Primer, oh dear lord this book will have you in complete stitches, even if you aren't getting married it is a really funny light read, great for a road trip to share with the crowd.
Here are some of my favorites of the book, and things the book highlights i didn't know before i read...

• "what is considered trash or quality in the south has nothing to do with money. Some of the best families around here haven't had money for generations. The emphasis is on breeding and manners. no amount of money can make you quality of you don't act like quality. For instance, good souther belles don't place much importance on paying $400 to buy a pocketbook that's got some Italian designer's initials all over it. In the south, grandmother's monogrammed napkin rings are much more important than Gucci's monogrammed luggage. To think otherwise is just considered tacky. And around here, nothing is more tacky than being tacky." -Alabama belle discussing the intricacies of being southern

{a rundown of southern belles golden rules}

1. always wear white when you walk down the aisle (even if its for the third time)
2. never date your sorority sister's ex-husband until at least three years after the divorce. You may need her to write a rec for your daughter one day and its alot easier to find a new man than get your daughter into the sorority.
3. buy low, sell high.

• what a finger bowl is... back in the day these bowls were used for cleaning your hands before dessert, who knew?? {they contain rose petals or lemon peels floating in the water, you are to dip your right hand then pick up the doily with the left and once finished this signifies you are ready for dessert. they surely didn't teach me that at cotillion.
• There are 12 official Silver patterns

1. francis1
2. grand baroque
3. burgundy
4. rose point
5. buttercup
6. chantilly
7. strasbourg
8. acorn
9. old master
10. eloquence
11. chrysanthemum
12. repousse'

these are just a few of my favorites of this book. Honestly i could write for days on this... ahhh the joys and charms of being Southern.... by the grace of god.

AM I ONE OF "THOSE" PARENT'S?

This is Daddy writing today. I just wanted to share with everyone our experience this past weekend with what we thought was a sick baby, and the lessons that we learned through it all.
Ok so AC played a trick on us this past weekend. Over the past couple of days Jenny Beth and I have been able to learn a lot about our little one at home. AC has been a little fussier than usual, and we have been trying different things to help her get comfortable. She hasn't really cried, you could just tell by her facial expressions and her little wimpers and pouty noises that she wanted something. So Jenny Beth and I, as all new parents do, tried ran ourselves raged in attempts to guess what is was that she wanted. She quickly reminded us that she is the boss by letting us know with a smile or a frown if our efforts would suffice. We did discover that she likes to be sitting up striaght when she is awake, tought. She doesn't care to lay down on her back too much. We have started putting her in her high chair and placing blankets around her to help her sit up straight, since she can't sit up on her own yet. This way we can have her in the same room as us and we can put her down so we can do things around the house; cook, clean, homework, anything.
In the evenings AC and I like to lay in the bed and I will bend my legs at the knee making a chair for her to sit there and play. That is Daddy-Baby bonding time. So as we were "bonding" on Sunday she seemed unhappy; unsettled. I tried making funny noises at her, playing pic-a-boo, telling her stories, and singing her songs. I even got her favorite toys to try and make her less iritated. Nothing worked.

I then noticed what I thought was her reaching at her left ear as she fussed. I thought that that meant her ear was bothering her. Maybe it was, but we will never truely know. Anyways I became concerned that she was getting sick. We checked her temperature with the several different thermometers that we have in our baby medical basket, why so many I haven't the slightest idea, but we proceeded to check her like a test subject. We no longer had the instructions on how to use the thermometers that we have so things got a little complicated. Whatever happened to those mercury thermometers that we had growning up that were simple...just read the number at the top of the grey line.
 With today's technology you would think it would be easy, but as we quickly learned they are not. She just layed there on her changing table as mom and I poked and proded trying to determine if our minature Rodden had a fever. So after several minutes of complications with the methods we used, and discussions of, "with this thermometer do we add a degree, or subtract a degree? was it in place long enough? I read in parent's magazine...blah, blah, blah;" we came to the conclusion that our baby girl had a slight fever. Each thermometer said something different, but we made an educated decision and decided to average them maybe not the most scientifical reasoning,but we are trying here. That came out to be around 99.8 degrees. I know it is only about a degree higher than normal body temperature, but with a baby a little bit matters. We then became concerned and immediatley administered chilren's tylenol, because our parent's said that they used that for use when we had fever. As all new parent's know the best source for knowledge on baby care is not the latest trendy magazine our the newest publication on what to expect, but the advice of our own mother. After all, haven't they been there a few times before, maybe they learned some tricks along the way that they could share with us. So we gave her tylenol and she drank her nightime bottle and went right to bed.

 She slept all night, but still concerned about my precious infant I had Jenny Beth take her to the doctor the next day. 25 dollars later and a visit with a new doctor, because Jenny Beth went on the wrong day, that is a story for another time, we learned that our beautiful AC is a very healthy and illness free 12 week old baby. She had no fever, I guess the doctor grade thermometers are better than ours, they use the one for the ear. She had no ear problems, no eye problems, no chest congestion either. Now I feel like one of those parents that you read about that take their baby to the doctor after every sneeze, every cough, and any sign that they may be uncomfortable.
So AC's gestures at her ear may not have been a sign that she was getting sick, but maybe just attempts at fighting off sleep or maybe even a little bit of gas. I am happy though that we took her took the doctor and found out that she was healthy and clear. I would much rather spend 25 dollars today to find out that the fussiness and the ear grabbing was just a confused translation by mommy and daddy for baby gas, than to find out in two weeks that her ear tugging and frown was the beginning of an ailment that led to something more severe. So maybe she played a trick on us, but we learned somethings about our new baby this week. She may not always be sick, but when she cries or when she tussles around, she isn't happy with her current position or atmosphere. As she grows she will gain other methods of communicating with her mother and myself, and we will get better at understanding and translating those loud outburst, arm swimgs, frowns, and leg kicks. This is an adventure and a journey and we have a long way to go...but if we take "baby" steps we will get there together.

C.