friday!

show us where you live!!! yards!!!


This is one of my favorite weeks, although my pictures don't do it justice, I don't think. We have had 3 weeks of almost 100 degree heat and NO rain so things are a little dry. Here is my little logan picking out some flowers with me this spring! One of my favorite things to do is work in the yard. It is free therapy for me!!!


This is the front, Happy 4th of July weekend everyone! I usually have 4 pots overflowing with amazing flowers but the weather has gotten the best of them.
This is my fabulous new arbor! Isn't it great?? What is even better is that the bouginvillea vine that is growing up it transfered so beautifully from a trellis to this arbor that I have been shopping for for 2 years! My patience paid off and it is a perfect fit and I love it! Now if the darn plant would stop worrying about it's roots and start BLOOMING in hot pink, well actually magenta, I would be so happy!

I have started planting things that love the louisiana heat and also come back every year! Cost effective and beautiful. This is a bloom off my 4 dollar hibiscus I bought 3 years ago. Comes back every year like a champ and is going crazy this year!! LOVE IT!

I love color and this vinca and zinia are 2 great examples!

This is the front bed and I should have moved that black hose. Oh well. Like I said, everything is SO DRY but you get the idea!

The back yard after you walk through the gate and arbor!

I love this crepe myrtle and hope it grows FAST! I can't wait until it towers over the driveway.

I ran out of places to put more flowers so added this bed this spring along the side of the house. I now have landscape beds 360 degrees around the house. Lots of work (therapy) for me to keep up with but I love it!

This is one side of the front walk. The other side is almost the same, just larger and goes around to the side bed! I have seasonal flags that I change out for football season and holidays.

Thanks for stopping by and happy 4th!

jackson...

"mom, I want to talk to Jesus"

"ok, you can talk to him whenever you want, it's called prayer. He is always there and you can tell him about anything you want."

"no, I want to SEE him!"

"well, you can't really see him, he is everywhere. He is in your heart so you can talk to him and he hears you."

"where does he live?"

"in heaven."

"ok, then I want to go to heaven!"

"well, baby, heaven is very far away and you can't just go to heaven to talk to jesus. it doesn't really work that way."

"where is heaven?"

"up in the sky, past the clouds and even farther than outer space!"

several moments of quiet pondering pass and I am thinking we are done with the conversation when jackson proudly exlaims,

"i know, i'll just take an airplane to heaven to talk to jesus, but don't worry mom, I will be right back!!!!"

new fav blog...

seriously...you HAVE to check out sarah's blog, AMAZING stuff!!!

it's friday! and you know what that means...

So here is our master bedroom! I LOVE the color and have to give my husband all the credit. I picked a baby blue that was all wrong and he chose this fabulous sherwin williams color, oyster bay! I thought it looked terrible on the swatch and was shocked at how much I loved it when it went on the walls. I loved it so much we had the ceiling done too!!!

My bedding is a hodge podge and really worked out quite well considering none of it was purchased together and in fact spans the last 5 years or so. The duvet was on clearance at BB&B for dirt cheap and I didn't get anything that went with it because it was an odd peice on sale. I ended up getting the shams and blue quilt on sale at pottery barn for 75% off!!!! A total steal and couldn't believe how well it matched the wall color. The throw pillows are marshalls and wait until you see the fabric I found for drapes to tie it all together!!!!

It is kind of hard to tell but the drapes are the most fabulous synthetic silk stripes in blue and bronze. They match the duvet and the shams perfectly and It looks like I actually planned all of this together! It all just came together after 4 years! I sewed the drapes myself and was so proud that I even blackout lined them!

These are the only pictures I have on the wall as of yet. Still trying to decide a theme for the art and stuff. Not much in the way of accessories but that will come! Would LOVE any suggestions.

We go to the beach every year and I always look forward to getting a family picture. Last year turned out pretty good so I had them done in 11X14.

Need a statement peice for over the bed but haven't found that either.

Have a wonderful weekend!

wordless wednesday...

show us where you live fridays...

so my living room is boring and messy and small and my bonus room is even worse. I decided to add a few more pictures of the most colorful room in our house, the playroom! I picked the colors and my husband designed the striped pattern. We painted together and tada! Still need to make some kind of curtain but overall, I LOVE this room...and so do the boys!

This bookshelf from pottery barn has been a life saver. No more toys int he living room and everything has it's place! Well worth the money.
These canvas pictures were a steal at Hobby Lobby last year. 6 bucks each!!!

I heart Uppercase Living and love this saying we put on the wall. Was supposed to match the orange and didn't come quite as close as we hoped for but still love it!

peace of mind...

It is amazing that in this cyber world of blogging, so many people can connect, communicate, minister, share, pray, and feel supported and loved. There have been a few blogs that have caught my eye for one reason or another as God has tugged a little on my spirit. I have bathed people in prayer that I don't even know and will probably never meet. As children of God, we can all feel a part of something bigger that joins us in one body and that is so wonderful. I have prayed for Stellan and for Harper as if they were babies I had held and loved in person. I have shed tears for mom's who have loved and lost and lifted my voice to God on their behalf.

Tonight I linked to a website that again tugged at my heartstrings from Kelly's Korner Blog. She does such a good job of reporting prayer needs and getting info out into this blog world for all to share and help and pray. This story however hit close to home, literally. Please go to http://www.peaceofmindfund.blogspot.com/ to read this story and see how you can help this precious couple that has suffered a terrible loss and now has new joy ahead.

I live in Louisiana and know of Dr. Collins for several reasons. It also amazes me that I kiss and hug my own miracle every single day. I don't tell the story often, but my youngest son, Logan, was a tragedy waiting to happen and we were very blessed to have a safe delivery and a healthy little boy to hold and bring home from the hospital. A few weeks before I delivered I was a little concerned on a few occasions that he wasn't as active as usual. I went in for some non stress tests and there were periods of a low baseline heart rate but nothing that raised any red flags. I was induced at 38 weeks for high blood pressure and had an uneventful labor until the actual delivery. As logan crowned and his head was delivered I was told to stop pushing. My OB discovered that the umbilical cord was wrapped around Logan's neck not once, but twice, and was tight. Usually the cord can be "reduced" or slipped over the baby's head and delivery can continue, but this was not the case for him. The cord was tight and had to be clamped and cut before his shoulders and body could be delivered(not to mention I had that episiotomy I was hoping to avoid). Logan came out blue and limp but nothing some stimulation and oxygen didn't fix. I cried tears of joy for the miracle I held in my arms and thank God everyday for the blessing of his birth and who he is in our family today. Not everyone has a happy ending like mine. I hope if nothing else, you can take a minute to stop and pray for natalie and her family that they are able to carry this pregnancy to term and that they have the peace that only God (and Dr. Collins) can give.

tidbits from the week...

just wanted to take a minute to write down some things the boys said this week. I'll start with a car ride to sonic a few minutes ago...


jackson: mom, does everyone have fingernails???

mom: yes, dear, we all have fingernails.

jackson: am I made of bones?

mom:yes, bones, muscles,skin, lots of things.

jackson: oh, that must be why I am so strong.

mom: big smile :)


sitting on the couch today after naps...


jackson: mom, I think I want to see Jesus. Where is he?

mom: he is everywhere baby. You can just talk to him by praying. When he is in your
heart, he can always hear you.

jackson: No mom, where does Jesus live, I want to SEE him.

mom: well, he is in heaven.

jackson: okay, I want to go to heaven.

mom: it is very far away and I don't want you to go to heaven right now.

jackson: it's ok mom, I'll just take and airplane to see Jesus and then come right back!



the boys have been having such a great time this summer already and it's nice to have them home with me instead of in school. I have loved all of our time together!

friday...bathrooms

Yeah, it's show us where you live friday on Kelly's blog and today is bathrooms. We have 2 1/2 baths and boy am I thankful for that extra half bathroom with my family. Anyway, first up, our master bathroom. It is a work in progress. Still need new rugs and towels but I love it.

This curtain over the tub was my first home sewing project ever and it got me hooked on doing things myself for cheaper!!! Thanks mom for all the help and sending my on my sewing way!

My only request when we built the house was a 6ft tub and I got it! (I'm 5'10 and we had to take away from closet space but it was well worth it!) You will find me soaking away the day's stress every single night in the jacuzzi tub!!

This is one corner I'm not happy with...I love the mirror but I threw the flowers together and they are lacking and I think the other picture is too close for the space. Any suggestions?

I was thrilled with how my sconces turned out. I made them after seeing a designer version. I am happy to say I spent less than $20 on each of them. Not bad,huh?

Up next, the boy's/guest bathroom. I fell in love with this shower curtain at a model home and was shocked to find out it isn't a shower curtain at all, it's a bed quilt! But it works and I have a double rod with a plastic liner on the inside. I used curtain rings on a heavy duty rod and LOVE it!

My favorite part of this bathroom is the sconces in the mirror.

This is the half bath. It is so small, yes, that is me in the mirror in my jammies tring to get a picture of the whole thing.

It is just off the laundry room and garage. My hubby loves the magazine rack (from southern living home collection!)

My last little tidbit...I couldn't find any wall hangings that I love for this small space and ended up finding place mats on clearance at peir 1 for 3 dollars. The big squares are just hung with little nails and it adds some texture to the room.

Last but not least, some more catching up, just a view of the living room when you walk in the front door. At a loss for what to do with the windows since you can see the breakfast room and red drapes (that I made) all in the same view. Would love any thoughts out there!!!

Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for stopping by!

the joys of my life...

Summer is here and we are having a blast!

The boys are enjoying days filled with soccer, slip-n-slides, swim lessons and a whole lot of fun!

wordless wednesday...

catching up...

This is our office! We just converted it from our nursery to the office, since our baby is 3 now! My husband decided on how to do the paint treatment (very talented guy) and I picked the color. We painted the whole room bright yellow first and then used the color I picked in glaze. We rolled it on and then "pulled" it off with (of all things) a vacuum cleaner brush attatchment. I think it turned out great. I still have to decide on curtains and would love any imput on colors. I have done all of the drapes in our house and want to do something a little unique but not too complicated in here. Valance? Drapes? Cornice board? What do y'all think???

The closet in the office is my scrapbooking nook. Unfortunately, I don't get much done anymore, but really want to start again. I wanted a place where I could leave all my stuff and not have little hands all over it. I am hoping the get caught up on my project 365, among other things like starting my 3 year old's baby book!

My dad installed a counter for me to use for my scrapbooking and sewing! I love it. Very reasonably priced project for any do-it-yourselfers!

My husband and I painted the room ourselves. He's quite the decorator and I love how it turned out!!

Catching up really quick, this is our boy's room. They LOVE being together! I want to try to get all the other rooms posted too, I have loved this idea kelly came up with and want to catch up with the tour!

Our kitchen...

Our breakfast area looking in from the living room...




Will update more later...gotta run to the gym!!!