A Southern Accent

Growing up, we got our fresh fruits and veggies from our garden, or my grandparent's garden. Now that I live somewhere I can't have a couple acres for my garden, I realize that the rest of the world gets their fix at the local farmer's market. The Durham Farmer's Market is one not to be missed. Filled with local vendors, sweet and savory goodies and scents from heaven, you can spend hours there just looking at everything. Some of my favorite vendors are Angel's Nest Bakery, with their wonderful baked goods and sweets that always sell out, Lil Farm, with beautiful vegetables and flowers, Emma's Desserts, serving fried pies and tarts and Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm, which has wonderful sausage and steaks. Walker loves it too. I give him his own money and he picks how he wants to spend it. Typically on a cookie on a stick or a cupcake, then lemonade and whatever else he can squeeze out of his leftover change.  This past Saturday included a cooking competition...

While doing some light plumbing Sunday (trying to replace a faucet in the upstairs bathroom), I pulled up on the existing faucet after loosening it and I suddenly heard a horrible noise. It was kinda like Niagra Falls from a distance and I knew this wasn't good. Walker and I ran downstairs screaming to Mike, who had fallen asleep in his chair watching golf. I told him something had broken and I could hear water rushing in the walls. Me: "How do we turn the water off to the house???" Mike: "I don't know...what? Why? What happened?" Me: "HOW DO WE TURN THE WATER OFF TO THE HOUSE???" Mike: "What did you do?" Then as water begins to gush from the light fixtures and the ceiling, around the hall door, he finally understood why I was asking. And neither of us had any idea how to stop it. It was an awful feeling. I was hysterical for about 4 minutes - couldn't find my cell phone, didn't know what to do, imagining the floor jus...

Ask for a mohawk and yee shall receive! I contemplated saying no on this one, but I figure, hey, it's Friday and it's just to preschool, let's have a little fun. Inspired by the multitude of mohawks on "So You Think You Can Dance". Yet more proof I'm a cool mom (at least in my own little world). 

If my husband brings home one more pack of these things to surprise Walker with, I'm taking away his check card. No, really. Silly bands are taking over my house - they're everywhere! At least I was able to use one the other day to pull my hair back when I couldn't find a rubber band.

It's amazing watching a child develop from an infant to an almost kindergartner. It's crazy to think I haven't always known how to read, because it comes so easily now. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to want to read, but not quite be there. Walker has always loved books, but he's starting to take a true interest in reading, and I hope it lasts. I was in my room the other day straightening up and it got really quiet in his room. I peaked in and there he was surrounded by his "I Can Read" books , flipping through the pages. I sneaked a couple of shots of him because he was so focused. If you've never seen these books, they are great for children. I guess they are this generation's version of Golden Books (remember those?) which are actually starting to pop up on shelves again. The "I Can Read" books feature popular characters, colorful pictures and different levels for children depending on their reading abilities. We ha...

A fun trend I've seen in recent decorating and design magazines is the use of trays to add a pop of color and organization to a room!They are great for grouping collections, making a room look more put together  and organization a mess (think clutter in the bathroom)! Here are some great pictures for inspiration and some resources where to find your own!

I finally finished reading “The Help" and it was a wonderful book – one that makes you think about how different things used to be and wonder how much they will hopefully continue to change for the better in our society. I called my mother-in-law to get some real-life stories of growing up with the help. She’s read the book too and said her experience was much more positive because the help were viewed as part of the family. “No one was ever unkind. They worked in your home.” She said her mammie was always in the kitchen cooking alongside her help, Sak. Grannie had “Willie”, who did all the cooking. “Grannie was not one to get into the kitchen and didn’t mind telling you that. Willie made the best food in the world. The crispest pie crust you ever tasted.” This picture of my mother-in-law and her help Christine, was taken on her back steps. She says she can’t remember much about Christine, because she was only there when she was little, but she was mostly there to take care...

I have a new print in the shop , inspired by the sweet wedding I went to this weekend! Order it for a special couple to celebrate their upcoming wedding or anniversary! Frame it and place in a basket with some kitchen items, books for couples, cookbook or items from their registry and  you have a special gift for your special friends! Colors can be customized to match wedding colors or neutrals! Or, you could always give as a gift to yourself!

This weekend I directed the wedding of some very special friends. They left today for their honeymoon in Jamaica. It was a beautiful ceremony. Mike was in the wedding and I cried during their first dance because it was all so very sweet. They met at a wedding three years ago at the very same church he proposed in and they were also married in. I could see the hope and excitement in the eyes of these newlyweds and wondered why we can't keep that feeling for the rest of our lives? Maybe it was because they seem so young to me, but I felt old this weekend. It seems to be hitting me more lately, as I creep closer to 35. I think about nine years ago when I got married and how quick the time has flown by, while at the same time thinking "my Lord why can't we move pass this phase in our lives". I know I need to do a better job of living in the moment versus always looking towards what's next and truly enjoying where I am now, and I'm working on it. But I can't ...

Ok, I've officially been blogging for two years now! I can't believe what start out as a way to refocus some frustration in my life and so something just for me has turned into such a wonderful adventure! I'm still loving it and I thank each and every one of you that read my blog (even you stalkers that never leave comments!). So, I've always been hesitant about doing this because I have a fear that no one will ask me anything, so please don't confirm my fears. Here's your chance to ask me anything. And if I don't like the question or find it offensive, I just won't answer it! I never know how much is too much to share on my blog, so let me know if I hold back too much or if there are things you'd like to know more about me!

So why not use it as inspiration for a new room I'm working on? You may remember this room, that my sweet, crazy puppy Lucy has destroyed. I'm hoping that her puppy ways are over and I can get back to claiming this room as part of our house, and actually getting some use out of it. It started as a guest room when we moved in four years ago, but we never really have overnight guests, so it was a bit of wasted space. Then the crazy dog moved in and took over. Now, I've got some fun plans to make this into a playroom/office/Wii room/homework/hangout room for our family. I've been thinking about this room for a year because I'm very non-committal about decorating. I'm getting new floors put in at the end of this month, so it's time to commit. I totally fluctuate towards the vintage/cottage look these days but I didn't want the room to look too stuffy or be too cottage or too vintage. I was browsing Etsy last night and came across the picture below in ...

Evidently it's a common known fact that beer attracts slugs. If you put some out at night, they will crawl into the liquid, party till the sun comes out and then drown. I'd never heard this until this year, but it definitely works. My mother-in-law has been fighting to save her hostas from the hungry little guys and she gave about 50 a great going out party over Memorial weekend. Rest in peace little slimy fellows.

My Son is Like ESPN: All Sports, All the Time. I swear if he doesn't get a scholarship to college one day (preferably UNC of course) I will be shocked. Current sport obsessions are baseball and lacrosse. Mike and Walker play baseball in the backyard every evening (while mommie has some me time) and are beating up his room playing lacrosse. His nicely decorated room has become a bit of a mess - what better excuse to redecorate, right? I've put a moratorium on basketball inside the house, moving them to the back deck. My kitchen and living room are covered with balls, as is the backyard. And I'm seriously thinking about adding a trophy wall somewhere in the house. We've got three already and he's only five! But of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. What about you?

I tell you, the last two weeks have been a bit of a blur. Now, I like to stay busy, but I also like some down time now and again. Guess that's what the lazy summer days will soon bring, but for now, I'm going full-blast in every direction. Last Monday (week) I had to drive down to our corporate offices at the beach for a quarterly sales meeting, spent the night there, and came back. Then Wednesday, we went to the beach for Memorial weekend, came back Monday. Wednesday I had the awesome opportunity to take a ride on our corporate jet to an event I managed in Gettysburg, PA and came back last night just in time for my little guy's graduation from pre-school! They were so adorable singing their songs and each graduate had to say what they wanted to be when they grew up. Walker said, "A baseball player." No shocker there. Today I'm headed to Charlotte to spend the night with my cousin and her family, then taking off to Columbia to photograph sweet Hudson...

We had a wonderful Memorial weekend at the beach visiting my in-laws, family and friends. I packed up the car last Wednesday along with my nephew and Walker and arrived at the beach around 9:30. Mike joined us Friday and we all came home yesterday, tanned and relaxed! The boys had a wonderful time playing together in the pool and the ocean.It was the first vacation I've had since Walker was born that I actually had a little time to just sit and read. It was nice, yet strange at the same time. I'm so used to him needing me right by his side in the pool, but he is such a fish now, he's not even afraid of the deep end. But of course, that doesn't keep us out of the pool - I love the pool and spent many hours in it when I was a child on vacation - no reason to stop now! Memorial weekend is when there are always lots of people at the beach - friends and family - and several people have birthdays the same week, so we always have a big birthday cake and celebrate togethe...