Nursery Update

We're making progress!  Mom came back with me from my shower in Louisville, and we got busy.  She helped me paint the trim white, sew three window treatments for the house, and lots of other around the house stuff.  Thanks, mom!  I needed her help focusing.  I've been a disorganized mess this summer. 

Stephen and I painted the walls last weekend, and voila!  We all of a sudden have a nursery.  

Just a reminder of the before...
Do you like how many stuffed animals are in our lovely "vintage" chair?  Next on the list is getting that reupholstered.  I'll definitely do a before and after post for that.
Stay tuned for tutorials for this window treatment and the fixed roman shades we did for the guest room!  We also have lots more work to do, so I'll keep you updated about that.

First shower for Baby Girl Foster!

This was such a beautiful shower!  It meant so much to me to be able to share this exciting time with ladies that I love.  

These cookies were awesome.  I always believe in lots of icing :)

I'm so bummed because this is my only picture with Snider Bird (Sarah) from the weekend.  She was an excellent assistant.
Bumps together!  Sara is due about a week before me- with a little boy!
Cameron, Cheyenne, and Whitney
Mom, Cousin Kelly, and Aunt Susanne
Thank you so much, wonderful hostesses!  
I got to spend a lot of time with my brother, Ben, and his family when I was home.  His kids are getting so big!  
Family shot! (Taken by Jeremiah, my 7 yr. old nephew- hence the lovely angle)

Sharin' the FosterLove this past weekend

For the past 4 or so months, I've been volunteering with a team of designers and professionals within our trade for an organization called April's Angels.  They do bedroom makeovers for chronically ill children.  So we were paired up with sweet Hayley, and here is how things went...

BEFORE:

Group of my teammates and Hayley's family and friends waiting outside to see Hayley's reaction
AFTER!!

The green stuff is a big cork board.

Marker board on this wall...
Hayley enjoying her new room!
Part of our team (L-R: James Bass (the best wallcovering installer), Marlene (former co-worker of mine), Hayley, me, Caroline (other former co-worker), Patrick Medlin (carpenter/bbq king/ all around awesome volunteer), and Drew Hulse)  Not pictured, but also AWESOME team members- Davide and Michelle California-Aguiar (all the painting), Cathy Hobbes (window treatments and donation recruitment queen), Elizabeth Klosterman (bowling fundraiser and lifesaver), Ruth Anne Schelfe (discount recruiter and furniture orders), & Martha Brown (goodie bag provider)
WRAL did a blip on the news last night.  View it here.  If you look closely, you can see me through the window :)  My North Carolina news debut!

On Repeat

Sarah's summer soundtrack: check them out here, here, and here.  Enjoy!

Colorado!

We LOVE when we get to visit Colorado.  Every time we go, I fully expect to have to talk about moving there on the airplane ride home.  

We flew in Saturday morning so we could go to Coleman's wedding Saturday night.  It was a really great wedding (despite the rain).  The ceremony had so much truth and meat, and anyone that knows Coleman will not be surprised that it was full of personality and fashion statements.  Coleman and his groomsmen looked straight off The Sartorialist blog (which everyone should be checking out if you don't already).  

Jenny & Luke Smith, Stephen & me, & Coleman with his lovely bride Kalee.

We worked at the Ranch (see below) with Brian and his wife Kira- it was so great to see them!

Jenny and me- she was smart and brought a jacket.

Sunday brought us an impromptu trip to the Ranch (Lost Valley, for those who aren't familiar).  I'm so thankful for this place.  I worked here the summer after I graduated from Samford, and it proved to be a life changing experience.  I met my wonderful husband there, learned spiritual lessons that I'll NEVER forget, and met some of the most incredible people.  Enjoy some pictures (again, despite the rain):



This was my first time to experience cattle at the Ranch.  They weren't there my summer because there was a major forest fire the summer  before.  These little beaut's were super cute- would have loved to spend a summer with them.

I love my in law's!  They were wonderful hosts.

I mean how gorgeous are Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods?!

Summer Reading

I HATED summer reading growing up.  I basically refused to do it.  Somehow I've moved passed my magazines only lifestyle, and I am reading my brains out this summer.

This was my first Nicholas Sparks experience (besides crying my eyes out during The Notebook movie), and I really enjoyed it.  It's just a happy story.

My grandmother had this book, and I felt an obligation to read it, now that I am a Carolinian.  It is a long, descriptive novel about the Revolutionary War.  I've read better books, but it was fun to recognize the places she talked about.

Now this has been my show stopper of the summer.  If you haven't read this book, you HAVE to.  It is culturally, spiritually, and emotionally relevant.  I've never cried at a book before; I BAWLED through this  book.  SO good.  Stephen is reading it now, so maybe he'll do a review soon.

This is a book for like Third Graders.  I fell in LOVE with Clementine.  Her thought process made perfect sense to me, which is a little scary.  I also read The Talented Clementine.  I'm looking forward to reading any others in the series.  If you're looking for a quick, giggle out loud read, pick this up.

The following are two Paula Rinehart books.  She's a Christian counselor and author/speaker.  I'm really enjoying her.  I just started this first book about casual sex's impact on women, and I really enjoyed Strong Women, Soft Hearts.  I highly recommend it.  I'm about to start another of her books, Better Than My Dreams.  I'll let you know what I think.

Nursery Part I

I've finally started working on our nursery...just started.  Don't get excited.  While I'm working on it, my guest room looks like this:

First glimpse of the nursery to be:

As you can tell, I have a LOT of work to do.  Hopefully this will be a really fun before and after!

Check out my rocker:
It's vintage :) and that's being nice.  It's going to be great.  Stay tuned!