The One

After months of house searching, it looks like this will be the one. We made an offer yesterday and have gone back and forth a few times, but finally had our offer accepted this evening. Ash and I have looked and looked for the right house with no avail. Even in this market, it took some time to find what we needed and wanted for the right price. But here she is, and I love it! It is perfect for us. And though it needs some work, it is still move in ready and the work can wait for us...can't you just see all the potential it has!?? We got a steal of a deal, which makes me love it even more, mainly because I will actually get a decorating budget! The gears are already churning...but please don't tell my husband that! :)

Little Man

So, Landon had a spill last Thursday that resulted in a buckle fracture of his right wrist. This is the third time he has had this exact injury...he is ALL boy! Here's the story. Ash got home from work fairly early around 5:30 and we decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood, as it was a beautiful afternoon. So, I got Lucy in the stroller and my walking shoes on and the family went on our way. Landon being the boy he is, wanted to bring his scooter to "ride really fast down all the hills" Mind you, my neighborhood is very hilly or you might even say mountainous! :) We made our way through the neighborhood with Landon taking his scooter down every hill and when he would start to go too fast he would jump off with his scooter still in hand and would have to sprint in order to slow down...is this making any sense?? Anyhow, these hills are steep, but he would make it down nearly every single one and would whoop and holler that he did it. He definitely had an adrenaline rush as I did just watching him...he had no fear! Landon continued to do this the entire walk, and as we made it back to our street he wanted one more try on what is probably the steepest hill of them all. So away he goes, full speed ahead, realizes he doesn't want to go any faster, jumps off of the scooter, holds on to the scooter as his little legs are just a running down the hill and trying to slow down. This time however the scooter flips around and gets under his feet and he trips and falls and well fractures his arm.

So of course, everyone he sees afterwards asks him what happened and Landon proceeds to tell them the whole story. Saturday comes around and Ash and I are hosting our Sunday School class to a shrimp boil and our good friend Steve asks Landon what happened. Landon replies "Well, I fell off my scooter. Actually, there is a longer story but I'm tired of telling it." I do believe ALL men both big and little can appreciate that!!

Blogging Business

So, I jumped into the whole blogging business only to find out there is a whole blogging world out there. There's even a conference called Blissdom for girls like me who are blogging for fun. I read today on another blog that there were even blogging rules...who would have thought!? So I think I will head to Barnes and Noble tonite to see if I can find a copy of 'Blogging for Dummies' (surely they have written one and if not they really need to.) I definately feel the need to now educate myself. While I get caught up on the ins and outs of blogging, I will share a few pictures of Landon and Lucy from Easter. In the meantime, I will get try to get better grasp on all this blogging business. :) Have a great rest of the day!

(Look at that hair!!)

Easter Story Cookies

Since it is holy week, I thought this would be a very appropriate post. I saw this on one of the blogs that I like to follow and thought it was so sweet and creative that I couldn't help but share it with yall. I can't wait to make them with Landon tomorrow and will try and post pictures once I do. Enjoy!

Easter Story Cookies

You'll need: Bible, 1 c pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites, pinch of salt, 1 c granulated sugar, 1 qt. or gal. size zipper bag, wooden spoon, tape

Preheat the oven to 300 and lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper

First, have your helpers crush, smash, and beat the pecans and while they do it share with them that this is what the Roman soldiers did to Jesus' body. Read John 19:1-3.

Before you add the vinegar to the mixing bowl let the children smell the vinegar. Explain to them that this is what Jesus was offered to drink. Read Read John 19:28-30.

To the vinegar, add egg whites. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each childs hand and let them taste it. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27. Morgan wasn't fond of the salt.

Next, the story turns sweet. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Add the sugar.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 & John 3:1-3.

Fold in the broken nuts. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper {I used parchment}. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20.

The next morning...
open the oven and remove the cookies. Notice - the cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Bedroom on a Budget

A girlfriend asked me to help her decorate her bedroom (or maybe it was more like she wanted to redecorate and I "volunteered" to help) Anyhow, I have had a bedroom in mind for a guest room - once I have a guest room of course and I think it will be perfect for my friend. No pressure Steph! :) Here are some pics with info...very budget friendly too!

From top:

paint color behind coach - subtle velvet 'sycamore green' or for less color 'eucalyptus' from Restoration Hardware...you can also get these colors to match from Behr at Home Depot for cheaper about $25/gallon

Malika rug from Pottery barn - I LOVE this rug - depending what size you get this could be a potential budget buster but definately worth it!

Amelie mirrored nightstand from Horchow furniture $630 each, also a worthwhile budget buster or for those that are good with a budget there are the recycled alluminum accent table from pottery barn $299 each or for those who are truly budget conscious - you can buy round tables that you put together yourself from Wal-Mart for $20, you can cover that with white fabric and put a mirror on top - all for about $120 each - all 3 good options although the Horchow tables are my favorite...go figure!!

lamps pictured are from restoration Hardware however I just saw them at Homegoods in Birmingham for $79 each

Gilded ball finials and rod silver leaf from Restoration hardware on sale for about $20 for a set

Home Rocky River Window sheer - white at Target $12.99

San Jose Cream Fabric from Calico Corners $47.99/yard I would buy enough for 3 euro shams for the bed - tip for the budget conscious - you can always buy enough fabric for the fronts of the pillows and cover the back in a cheaper coordinating solid.

Shown in blue from Pottery Barn but I would buy white. You can ALWAYS find a white matelasse set at either TJ Maxx or Homegoods for under $100 - - I would monogram the 2 pillow shams in a large one letter monogram in Victor font to match the shams sewn in the San Jose cream fabric.

Picture just for fun!

Here it goes...

OK - So, I have decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon. One of my sisters started a blog this past summer that I now follow religiously, she then turned me on to two other blogs that I now follow, and then another sister started her blog...so now its my turn. All of the blogs that I follow have one thing in common and that is they appreciate the simple things in life...something cute a child says to them, a fabulous light fixture, an awesome recipe, even a picture of snapdragons on sale at Wal-Mart! I cannot express how much I love that. I tend to have a hundred things going on at once and would absolutely love to slow down and enjoy the fact that Wal-Mart has snapdragons on sale! So here's to slowing down and enjoying the small stuff because either way, life goes on...ob la di!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJhcGepfG04