Decorating Blogs

Oh My Goodness, I have found a new addiction....DECORATING BLOGS.  Particularly the kind the have thrifty ideas and redos.(see the buttons to the right)  These are some of my favorites. 

TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and Marshalls have typically been my go to for inexpensive house hold pieces and don't get me wrong they still are.  But if you are feeling adventurous and crafty, apparently Goodwill is the place to go.  I want to run out to my local GW store, buy a fun piece of furniture or a chair and redo it.  I'm talking brightly colored paint, funky fabric, the works.  Haven't got a clue where I would put it, but does that really matter? 

I want to be crafty, I really do.  I consider myself to be somewhat crafty, but sometimes my craftiness isn't cohesive with the rest of my house.  And who has the money to change the entire look of a room to match my latest craft?  My house is decorated in a "this is what I like right now" sort of way.  But what happens when what I like right now isn't what I like next month?  Drives Bryan crazy!

Maybe I'll try my hand on my china cabinet.  It serves a great purpose but it doesn't match my dining room table, so perhaps that's a place to start.... OH and maybe I'll scour my GW store for a buffet table for the dining room as well.  That would be nice, one with lots of storage!!!

Super Excited!  I'll keep you posted.

Missing Mary Grace

Let me tell you what.  I have been childless since last Friday and I am missing my girl like CRAZY!  I always miss her when she's gone, but never so much so soon.  My house is so quiet and still; not necessarily a bad thing, just a fact.

It's nice to have time alone with Bryan.  Projects get done; we have a date or 2.  But, I'm ready to get that little ball of energy back.  I want to hug and kiss her and answer her endless stream of questions.  I want to hear her laugh and say funny things in her sweet little voice.  I can't wait for Saturday to get here so I can get my hands on her.

We have been letting her go for a week at a time about every 6 weeks to visit MS since we moved to AL.  I know she is having a great time visiting friends and family and I am so glad that this opportunity is even available.  But now that she's older it is harder not having her around.

Harry Potter Weekend

So this weeekend is devoted to Harrry Potter.  We are spending the weekend at my sis in laws house doing a Harry Potter marathon finishing up with the last movie Sunday afternoon.  Rather than just watch the movies though, we have tried to have a little fun with it.  We arrived at Hogwarts Friday afternoon

It got off to a slow start Friday night.  The goal was to get in 2 movies, but an unexpected, but welcome visitor nixed that plan.  So we decided to start gung ho on Saturday morning.  Shawn made rock cakes (pancakes) for breakfast. 

After all plates were served we announced to the group(4 adults and 2 children) that the post had come in the night and delivered acceptance scrolls. 

After breakfast we had a sorting ceremony that resulted in Bryan, Spivey, and I in Gryffindor, Josh and B in Raven claw, and Shawn in Hufflepuff. The Daddy's were such good sports

 

We are starting up the movies now.  There is fun and surprises in store for everyone as the weekend continues.  Stay tuned! 

OH! and we even have a 3 headed dog named Fluffy.  P.S. you know this is all for the kids, right?

Maiden Voyage on the lake

So, this past Saturday, Bryan's co-worker invited us to go to the lake Sunday afternoon.  We thought it would be fun so we agreed.  We went to the early church service (had to get our worship on) then met Dave to head out.  We arrive to the marina, load up on the pontoon and take off.  The ride around the lake was wonderful.  Beautiful properties surrounded us, the motion of the boat nearly put MG to sleep, but not quite.  It was great...until a bouy popped up and whapped Bryan in the head.  I though it was hilarious!

We pull into a little cove and Bryan decides he was to take advantage of the tube.  So away we go, speeding around with him tethered to the back of the boat.  Once his turn was over, MG wanted hers!  What!  I don't know why I was shocked that my fearless little girl wanted her turn but I was none the less.  So, she and I climb on to the inner tube.  I say climb because I never touched the water.  I have a thing about water I can't see the bottom of; it freaks me out.  Anyway, so we take a little tour around the lake.  We crept at a snails pace at first but then she wanted to go faster so we did.  I couldn't believer her brave little soul.  I was so proud!

So when our turn was over, we bobbed in the water for a little while swimming and playing until we noticed some dark clouds in the distance.  We decided it was time to load up and head back to the dock.  Not too far into the ride back, the bottom falls out.  I didn't mind the rain, I mean we were already wet, but my goodness it HURT!  It felt like little ice pellets hitting us. We hid MG under a towel and I used Bryan's body as a shield.  That was the longest ride ever!

When we finally get back to the marina and were waiting to load the boat on its trailer MG announces to me that she has pooped!  I check and she had not... yet, so I pleaded with her to hold it since she wasn't wearing a swim diaper, only her bathing suit.  A few minutes later she informed me there was poop on her hands; and low and behold there was!  UGH! I chose to keep this information to my self and wrapped her in a dry towel and prayed noone would smell it.

We finally get the boat loaded up and begin to unload our things.  Bryan askes me to pop the trunk so he can put our bags in the car.  I do, then drop the keys back in the boat bag.  His friend then takes the bag to Bryan who puts it in the trunk and SHUTS IT!  As he is shutting the trunk he askes where are the keys - In the bag I laughed.  He flipped out remained very calm and began devising a plan to get in the car. 

Meanwhile I took MG to the showers to clean her up because her diaper bag was also locked in the car.  That was a lovely task with no wipes to assist in the process. 

So we come out and take a seat on the bench outside the marina store while Bryan gets his whole family involved in operation RESCUE US.  Keys are on the way.  While we wait I hear a funny little sound.  I look over at MG who is supposed to be sitting sweetly beside me and she is tee teeing!  Right there in front of the store.  Well paint me embarassed.

Soon another friend, who is at his home on the water, arrived with some scetchy looking tools and, THANK GOD, gets us in the car; setting our alarm off and scratching the truck next to us like noone's business.  WE ARE IN.  And, on the way home.  Whew.  As we drive down the road Bryan asks about the key pad on the outside of my driver side door.  I tell him I don't know the master combination.  That I created one I thought I would remember some time ago but I had no clue what it was.  He thanked me for not telling him that at the marina, because it might have sent him into orbit.  Needless to say we reset the key pad and quiz each other to make sure we remember it should we ever be in that situation again.  How's that for an adventure?  $10 says we won't be getting that invitation again any time soon.

Here we go!

So, this is my first attempt at blogging.  I'm excited!  I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I hope to enjoy writing it.  So I guess I'll start by introducing my family.  I am Lauren.  I'm 30 years old and from Jackson, MS.  I met my husband, Bryan,  while living in Destin.  We moved back to MS and got married in 2006.  We have a  very entertaining 2 year old, Mary Grace.  We moved to Birmingham, AL back in October and are still getting settled in, at least I am. 

Most of my posts, I;m sure will be agout my little MG.  She is just too darn funny and I feel like the world won't be complete if I don't share.  For example, I got a text from her teacher today to say that she is standing with her hand on her hip, pointing her finger at her classmates and telling them to go to time out as she counts to 3.  Oh, Lord was all I could think of.  At least she isn't biting her classmates; we have been through that phase and boy was it fun. 

It's always something with this little one.  Another day at school her teacher told her to do something.  MG's responce was "NO".  When her teacher reminder her that she should not tell her teachers "no"; MG corrected herself by saying..."We say no -ma'am".  Her poor teacher!  She said she had to turn her head to keep from MG seeing her laughing.

The other night at dinner she was eating blueberries, one of her favorites.  She picked each blueberry up and put it in time out on the counter around her plate.  When they were all allowed to get out of time out, she picked them up 1 at a time and said "I spank your bottom" and popped it in her mouth. 

These are only the most recent.  I have a great story to share with you about our Sunday on the lake starring my husband Bryan but I'll save that one for another day.  Good Night!