Mama's Little Helper

Today I went to the fabric store in search of the perfect pattern for a beautiful chair and ottoman my mother purchased at the Salvation Army. Jeremy tagged along, not by choice. Believe it or not he was on his best behavior. Even when he worked his way out of his stroller he behaved himself. My little excursion was less painful than I had imagined and I managed to get out of the store with a good amount of samples.

My Desk

This is my happy, little antique desk where I do my blogging. I got my desk at an antiques store in Lucketts. It has a beautiful matching armoire that is stored carefully in the garage. Sadly, we do not have space for it in our small house. We bought the pair for when we hopefully move to a bigger house. For now, I will enjoy my desk placed in a small corner of our house.

Time to Decorate

Over the weekend, the kids and I had a great time decorating for Halloween. They get into it as much as I do. Unfortunately their idea of decorating is much different than mine. My seven and four year old like all the bright, silly decorations whereas I like a more subdued decorating palette. Our happy compromise is that they get the playroom and backyard while I get the living and dining rooms, screened porch and front yard. I think the kids are just happy helping me and I enjoy our family time together. Here is a glimpse into what we have done so far.

For the Birds!

In a previous post, I showed some junky old treasures I bought at a yard sale. I knew right away that they would look great used as Halloween decorations. I took a chipped up, dirty picture frame and turned it into a neat wall hanging. I purchased a package of crow cut-outs at Michael's and taped them onto the glass. I think it turned out pretty cool!

Halloween Decor!!

I know Halloween is over a month away, but I have already begun putting out decorations. I start a little at a time so it does not overwhelm anyone too early. I just purchased these nifty silver pumpkins at Home Goods. I could not wait to set them out. As I write, my husband is supposed to be getting all my Halloween decorations out of the garage. From the sounds of it, he is watching the Hokie's game instead.

Another Couch?

Couch at Urban Country

Couch at Pottery Barn

Back in July I found my dream couch, so I thought. I have been waiting patiently for it to go on sale at the end of September. Now that the time has arrived I am torn for two reasons. One, our six month old puppy has decided to chew a hole in our old couch, among other pieces of furniture. Two, I found another couch that I can't get out of my mind. The other couch is from Pottery Barn. I have never purchased any furniture from this store. My parents have a beautiful sectional from Pottery Barn and they love it. I adore the ticking stripes and shape of my new couch find. Oh, what to do, what to do? I think I am going to have to wait a little longer based on our puppies naughty behavior.

Dream Laundry Room

Why, oh why can I not have a pretty, organized laundry room? This laundry room is awesome! I would never dare show a picture of my own laundry room. Most of the time you have to kick laundry out of the way to navigate through it. The laundry is also usually piled to the ceiling. Along with it being a laundry room, it also stores dog food, paint, cleaning supplies, wireless printer, my abundant collection of magazines, and much, much more. Maybe some day I can get organized and have my own dream laundry room. I sure do spend enough time in it!

Painting Kitchen Cabinets

A few years back we decided that our kitchen needed a major update. The cabinets and counters were circa 1969, the year the house was built. We went ahead a got granite countertops and a backsplash installed. Instead of buying new cabinets my husband took on the task of refinishing them himself. First my husband scrubbed them clean and then painted the bases and doors. We decided to paint the bases white and the doors buttercream by Restoration Hardware. We also updated the hinges and pulls. It was a relatively easy project which is easy for me to say since I did none of the work. All I did was pick out the colors and hardware. My husband did not seem to mind though. Four years later I am still happy with the end result. The only thing I might change is the backsplash. I think I will keep that wish to myself. Other updates we have done are tile the kitchen floor and update the appliances. I would have also have liked stainless steel and I honestly don't know why we went with white. On the opposite side of the kitchen my husband built a banquette and we put in a small kitchen table. We have also updated the lighting. All-in-all I love my cozy little kitchen (as long as there are not three little kids and two dogs under my feet).

Pumpkin Spice and Everything That's Nice

As I have mentioned before, I love fall. I recently came across this adorable owl votive holder. I think it is quite appropriate for the fall. Pair it with a spiced pumpkin candle and I am in heaven!

Lazy Days

One of my favorite pictures. My sweet boys reading books on the screen porch. Could it get any better than this?

Yard Sale Finds

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my husband loves junk.  The hunt is what gets him excited.  This past weekend while at my in-laws lake house, I reluctantly went with my husband in search of yard sales.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of yard sales.  I hate getting in and out of the car and rifling through other peoples stuff.  Maybe part of the problem is the fact that I have three kids and shlepping them around is no fun.  They tend to beg for germ infested stuffed animals that they find at various yard sales.  Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to find great treasures when we go to yard sales, but rarely do I have any luck.  I did come across some neat stuff though on our last trip.  For a total of $3 I found an old picture frame and three urns.  I plan to make some cool halloween decorations with my findings.  Stay tuned to see what I create.

Oh, How I Love You Fall!

After a break from blogging, I have decided to get motivated again since the death of my father-in-law.  My absolute favorite time of year is fall.  The smells and sounds are so invigorating! Waking up to a cool house and enjoying a hot cup of coffee is pure bliss.  Football season is here and the excitement it brings is thrilling.  Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday.  I LOVE to decorate for this holiday.  I usually start at the end of September, a little early but I don't care. Living in Virginia is a true blessing if you love fall.  Watching the transformation of the trees is an absolutely beautiful experience.  Having three young children adds to the excitement.  Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, drives in the country, walks on the battlefield, apple picking and halloween parties are all activities we enjoy together.  Unfortunately, fall is not long enough and the looming thought of winter and the cold it brings makes me cringe.  For now though, I will wrap myself in all that fall brings!