Things I Love Thursday

Heeeere we go again! Not as sappy as last time - promise ;)

I love mornings at my parents' house. Grayson and I will go over to my parents house a couple of mornings out of the week after breakfast. We love watching the sun come up, the cool Fall weather and Pop loves taking Grayson out to the golf course to feed the ducks before the golfers move in. And I love drinking my coffee on their patio and watching them. ;) It's so peaceful and perfect. I love that Grayson will have these memories!






I am LOVING wearing leggings and also re-discovering Forever 21! Leggings are uber comfy and can still look like you made an effort in the mornings. :) I looked to Forever 21 for inexpensive dresses to wear over leggings because they are notorious for way short dresses + I love their prices! I have been wearing this one, which puts my WHOLE outfit (including ballet flats) under $40. I am excited and loving Fall!

$11. This dress barely covers my tush. Something I
always hated about Forever 21 pre-leggings.

$4.80! I'm never buying accessories anywhere else!
Shout out to my friend Nikki who LOVES owls.

I love having Shelby as a sleeping buddy. Not only is she a great cuddler but she alerted me to THIS creature. IN MY BED. WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. I die. Thank you Shelby for saving me. I loooove you, cuddle buddy!

I kill you.

I love my hubby's healthy living. I am so proud of him for shedding 15 or so pounds so far just in a few weeks. And without exercise! Not that he likes to not work out but his work schedule recently just doesn't allow for it. Imagine how fast he will shed pounds when he gets back in the gym! I love him to pieces and love that he strives to be healthy!

I love date nights!

I love monogrammed clothing! Well, that's no secret. Our latest gem is a football polo with his initials in burnt orange. Showing his support for the 'Horns.

I love Fall festivals! September seems to be full of them, especially with Oktoberfest in many of the cities around here. Just a couple of pics from Oktoberfest of Addison that have nothing to do with Germany. Or beer. or the 4 other couples and 5 other children we went with. But how cute is he?!

I love these stick on nails! They are real base coat, nail polish and top coat in one easy, breezy sticker that you put on your nail and then file off the excess. Downside - tough to remove. And an extra hand would be a big help! Next time, I'm going to go with a solid color. :)

Hmmm, my fingers are kinda ugly! Ha!

Shopping for girl clothes but not having to buy them! I love turning my friends on to girl finds like this one. But not having to shell out the dough for it! Girl clothes are so precious and fun - I get anxiety just thinking about the investment! ;-) Hopefully, Lori will be ordering this set very soon! :) Isn't it adorable?! Loves!

I live for these laughs! I love him!


Bye, now!

DIY Drapes

The next step in the whole wanting-a-completed-looking-bedroom project is window coverings. We have 4 windows in our bedroom, which the sheer # of them has led me to avoid them altogether (at $40-80 a panel + 4 rods....no thanks). But, my favorite DIY bloggers, Young House Love take you step by step on no-sew drapes. What's that, no sewing?! And they are a fraction of the price? AND there are tons more print and fabric options? Okay, I'm in....for now.


Now that we have our bedding to guide the color scheme, I have decided to bring out the two shades of orange that you can barely see here (it shows better in the pics below). There's a lot of distance between this small amount of orange and my windows so throw pillows will be needed down the road to pull it all together. 


I first want to say that I have little experience with decorating, putting prints and colors together, let alone knowing fabrics. However, after visiting the fabric store, I could get into all this! I've never been in a store that is solely dedicated to fabrics. HEAVEN! I want to cover every surface in my house with the fun stuff I came across! Oh, maybe the dogs need new beds!! We'll couch (can I re-cover my couches?!) that subject for later. (Oh! Maybe I can make the throw pillows?!)


I will soon consult my expert-in-all-things-decorating sister, Andrea, but PLEASE interject if I'm heading down the wrong road. I'm just picking things I like and have yet to figure out what hangs best, looks best, etc....and pre-apologies for terrible iphone pics...

I now think this isn't really my style...

So this isn't orange but it brings out that other gold color,
which is kind of fun! 

I still have plans to go down to the decorating district and shop more and also start off with a practice panel so you have time to give me your thoughts on all of this! More to come!

My First Kiddie Craft Project

...as a Mom, that is. 


The creative side of me showed up long enough to come across a fun Halloween idea on Pinterest and buy the supplies at Hobby Lobby to make it for Grayson. If only said "creative side" would have stuck around long enough to see this project through! :) I could list all of the things that went wrong...like buying the wrong paint for his footprints. Oh, and the wrong brushes. And how I waited to shop until the stores were out of orange paint (really?! It's only September, people!) etc. but let's just focus on the "it's the thought that counts" portion of this little project. Well, and I DID do a good job of painting the canvas black and choosing a fun, Halloweenie ribbon. :)


I have GOT to get better at crafty projects before my kids grow up and would rather wait for their father to come home and work until midnight to complete projects rather than ask their Mom for help! 


Made for you Grayson, with love! xoxo

Those are his footprints if you can't tell ;)

Grayson likes the craft stores! :D

Ma turns 91!

Ma being 90 was soooo last year. THIS year was full of big changes! Including her move to Plano into her wonderful new digs, meeting some exciting, active new friends there and of course, getting to see us weekly! :) She invited my parents, Grayson, Beau and me over for dinner in the dining room downstairs and it  was delicious! I love their food. They have an Executive Chef and all. I've said it before but it's country club-worthy. We later played outside on the putting green and had cupcakes from Dimples back in her apartment. She had a great time and so did we! Happy Birthday, Ma! Here's to the next decade of your life! ;)

Happy 15 months, Grayson!

You are officially walking! Right at 14 months, you decided that it was more fun than crawling. Even though you took your first steps a couple of months ago!

Umm, why do you look like you're EIGHT years old here?!

In size 4 diapers, 18-24 month clothes, and your 5 1/2 wide shoes are getting snug.


Sleeping 11 hours a night: 7:30pm to 6:30am.


STILL taking 2 naps a day BUT I am happy to say that you are showing signs of going to one (with a LOT of help from me :) ). This is a ROUGH transition. All of your friends are down to 1 nap so it will be nice to be on their schedule so that we can go to more events and play dates. :)


You have been SCREAMING for no reason. Not an "upset, distressed" scream but an "exercising your lungs" scream and there is nothing I can do to get you to stop. It's highly annoying!


You still love a thrill! Spinning, swinging, moving fast - all preferably while hanging upside down - is your favorite time! Makes Mama dizzy but I'd do anything for that face of PURE JOY!


You stopped putting things in your mouth a couple of months ago, which has been nice. Your new obsession is remotes and kitchen gadgets. You can now reach into the tall kitchen drawers and pull things out! You can imagine my surprise when a knife-wielding toddler waddled to the other side of the kitchen island where I was standing. They aren't kidding when they say that you can't take your eyes off a child for a SECOND!


Continuing on that note....you get into and onto everything! I do my best to keep doors closed behind me, the dog bowls picked up and the doggie door closed but it only takes once! If I forget to close the pantry door, you will be in to the saran wrap, trash and dog food so fast! Tonight, I found you marinating the mail in the dogs' water bowl and we have lost 2 (very nice) remotes to the dog bowl AND the toilet. Any time you go missing, I know to look in the backyard b/c now that you are RUNNING, you can get out the doggie door before I can even realize that I forgot to shut the door to the bedroom. You can also now climb onto the kitchen counter (via the sofa) and any other surface...

You can imagine my surprise when I came back
from the restroom...ON your play table.

You now have 6 teeth and can eat anything we do (minus spicey foods of course). You love turkey dogs, chicken, sweet potatoes, brocoli, ALL fruit and all snacks! Animal crackers, graham crackers, teddy grahams, etc. You are a BIG eater! Food driven for sure and your average breakfast is a large banana, 2 eggs, cut up strawberries, cantaloupe and blueberries and then you will pull on my shorts while I eat my cinnamon toast. Which I end up giving you. That's A LOT of food!

Pay no mind to the mis-matched Halloween PJs in September.
It's laundry day.

Other things you love: bath time, water hoses, playing and walking, exploring new things and places and crawling in bed with Dada in the mornings. Going up and down, up and down your slide and the stairs at Mimi and Pop's house. 

Your new viking hooded-towel :) Bath time is a guaranteed
tantrum when it's time to get out. You loooooove the water.

Taking a break from Mimi's stairs.

You are finally starting to pay attention to your books, puzzles, nesting toys, etc. It's so cute to watch you grow up :)

Sitting in your chair and playing at the table.
It's the little things, right? ;) 

"Reading" on your own :)

Words: Mama, Dada, Uh-oh (SO cute!), Bonsai (don't ask, that's ALL your Pop), Nana (I think this is quickly becoming "No"). You blow kisses and make kissing sounds when we tell you to. I'm in love! 


Okay, I think THIS is my favorite time of your life! It can't get any better, right?!

Happy 15 months, sweet child o' mine! We love you with our whole hearts!

The New Bedroom!

I have always, always, always wanted a "finished" looking bedroom! The kind you see in magazines or on the increasingly-popular website, Pinterest. I am so close to being there and thought I would document our progress! As I have mentioned in just about every post recently, we upgraded to a king bed, which leaves you with a lot of decisions to make and even more expenses. Sheets, comforter, bed frame, blankets, argh. As though the mattress isn't enough! 


Warning: I absolutely know the worst time to take pictures is when there is no natural light so OF COURSE I took these this morning before the sun really came out. When will I learn?


Beau and I went searching for sheets the day the mattress was delivered and came across Clearance bedding that was actually pretty awesome! Score. I have been looking at bedding online for months with no success so I was shocked when I saw something I had to have that was like 60% off. 

Not only do I love the colors but the watermarked background print 
adds a little something extra.

A few weeks ago, I came across a heavily discounted upholstered headboard AND frame. Another thing for which I had been online shopping but everything was so pricey. This is absolutely what I was looking for!! Another 60% off and only $50 to ship!

Next up: Removing the framed art above the bed. It doesn't fit up there anymore nor does it match. I will also add some throw pillows later (Beau can hardly stand it! Men LOVE throw pillows!) and then an area rug and drapes. That is all a little daunting. I'm thinking about making the drapes since there are 4 windows and it could save money. We have an awesome fabric store near us so wish me luck! 

I want to do a collage of family photos on that wall to the left. Too much?

More to come on this but since I'm not Young House Love and Z Gallerie and Lamps Plus aren't paying me to blog, it may be a while! :D

Labor Day 2011

Beau and I returned from Detroit late Sunday night and my parents were sweet enough to keep him through Monday morning so that we could all get the rest we needed. Monday was a beautiful weather day and the first break from the heat that we've had all summer (even Detroit was stifling). We picked up Grayson from my parents and spent the day just the three of us. We went to the park, stopped by Sonic for Happy Hour and then Beau made an amazing stuffed pork loin while Grayson played in the backyard. It couldn't have been a better day!

He loves the swing

This is why photographers only shoot in early morning
and late afternoon light. So harsh!

Don't ever get the large just for you. Oops.

Fascinated by brooms and mops lately.
Strange kid!

Holding a broom. Again.

Sweetest sight! Pop taking Grayson for a walk
in the early morning before the golfers show up.

RIGHT before his face-plant fall. Break my heart!

Scuffed up little face. But AWESOME track suit :)

The Ottomans - Detroit Rock City

Our good friends Ryan Otto and Daniel Schwendeman (get it, The Ottomans?! Shout out to Thea for coming up with that one!) were married over Labor Day weekend in Brighton, Michigan. The ceremony was beautiful but the most noteworthy thing about this wedding was the COOLEST reception site, possibly ever. They had it in the Henry Ford Museum, which was not only rich in history but a gorgeous building as well. I wish I had a fraction of the chandeliers they had...but I don't know what I would do with them. String 'em up on the back porch maybe. Anyway, Beau and I flew in for about 30 hours of fun with our friends from Texas, NYC and Florida. We miss everyone SO much! A few of the 275 photos Beau took....(this reception went from 6:30pm to 1:00am so things got a little messy towards the end ;) )....

Ryan was a beautiful bride!!

Finally together again!

I'm telling you, awesome lighting all over the place.

Introducing the newlyweds

Oh goodness, Ryan's on the scene....

A wedding with props is an instant hit with this group (as I've mentioned before)

Like mother, like daughter ;)

Oh goodness ;)

Too many cool pictures from the actual museum to post them all!

Every dance floor needs a HUGE AIRPLANE hanging over it!

Epic ending (please appreciate the 40+ woman jamming out in the background...
this party knew no age limit)

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Schwendeman! We love you both!