Flannagan Family

Preview of our "Adventure Family Day"

2011-02-26T19:00:00.003-05:00

My heart is still having issues from this activity of the day.

*no people or animals were harmed, unless a certain someone's screaming hurt the ears of the animals*

Lately

2011-02-24T14:01:00.003-05:00

Somehow I can't find time to blog. Seriously, when did life get so busy?!

What have we been up to lately?

Well, in one CRAZY weekend at the end of January, I opened up for Third Day with the VL band...

Same weekend, Knox not only had a outrageous allergic reaction, but also got the stomach bug... (beware of picture - just keeping it real here!)

We had our bestest friends in town...

Made Valentines cookies...

Played at the park...like...everyday!

And lil' man got his first pair of Sperry Topsiders. Watch out little ladies!

18 months

2011-01-10T10:21:00.005-05:00

Seriously? This little man is 18 months already? Slow. Down. The. TRAIN!

I'll be honest. The first few months after this guy turned 1 were not the most fun for me. Yes, I am blessed to have a VERY good baby...or toddler really...BUT I just wasn't enjoying the stage.

HOWEVER - he FINALLY decided to start walking a little bit and he talks NON-STOP. His vocabulary along with his recognition of things blows my mind! And then yesterday he came up to me, said "wub you" (love you) and then gave me a kiss and said "muah". MELT MY HEART. He has me SO wrapped around his finger.

Here are so some things you I love about you little man...

You are a great sleeper and has been since you were 8 weeks old! You take one afternoon nap most days, but today I put you down for a morning nap too! It amazes me that when you are put to bed for a nap or to go night night, you just lay right down without crying. Hope this is the way it always is!I love that look you give me when you know you are being cute and you tilt your head to the side and squint your eyes. adorable.
There is potential you might be a break dancer. More than crawling or trying to walk...you love to roll around the floor and do all these crazy moves. It cracks me up and then you start laughing and then we both are laughing so hard. Those moments are priceless to me!
You are obsessed with two things. Trains and guitars.
You have learned so much at Mothers Morning Out! You love to sing "Twinkle Twinkle" and although you can't sing the whole thing by yourself...if I stop singing you can fill in the word.
It amazes me that you can count to "FREE" or 3! Your little brain never stops learning. You can also say almost all the words in your big book of words without any help!
Graham Crackers are your favorite food. I think you would eat them all day long if I would let you.
Daddy not only wakes you up and bathes you every night (that he is home), but he puts you to bed. But most nights I walk you in there and sing to you. You automatically always lay your head down on my shoulder and pat my back.f

Enough for now...but seriously little man. You are my love, my life, my best buddy and the dream I've always had, but never thought could be this good. You are timid, yet adventurous. You are silly, yet compassionate. I love you. Can't wait to see what the next 6 months hold. Oh, and I promise not to get sick on your birthday this year and have to cancel your party. Still so sorry about that lil' man!

Happy 30th Chuck!

2011-01-10T09:06:00.004-05:00

On Saturday we celebrated this guy's 30th birthday...

I absolutely love birthdays! And this one was no different. I woke up Saturday morning with more excitement than Christmas morning...anxious for Chuck to open all his presents.

He may have gotten an ipad, new memory foam pillows, playstation move, shirts and some more little things...but what I didn't give him is some reasons why i love him...

I love him because he has a zest for life like no one else I know.

He loves me. Regardless of imperfections...he just loves.

He is so stinkin' good at his job. He has the perfect mix of passion, hard work and integrity!

Words can't even express the ease at which he fathers. It is so natural to him and he loves little man like nothing else in the world (except me of course!). He is gentle, loving, patient, spontaneous...little man is so lucky!

Can't wait for the rest of our lives baby!

Christmas has come and gone...

2010-12-29T21:15:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful time in TN for Christmas. It was a VERY white christmas, snowing almost 4 days straight!

Now, who wants to place bets to see if I will go back and post pics from November?!

Oh, and I need a blog makeover...suggestions?

Where Have I Been??!

2010-12-17T15:52:00.002-05:00

Well, the space on my computer filled up again! Silly me...I guess I just take way to many pictures and my MacBook Pro can't hold them all! Any suggestions anyone? I just put half my albums on a external hard drive and backed up with a CD and then deleted off the computer. It makes me so nervous!

I can't believe I haven't blogged since Halloween. I'll do quick recap soon and then keep up better (happy mom?).

Halloween

2010-11-18T11:04:00.003-05:00

Better late than never!

Housewarming / Halloween Party

2010-10-30T09:56:00.006-04:00

Last night we celebrated Halloween with a housewarming party for Ian & Jenna...they bought their first house! It was such a fun night...yummy food, good friends and of course...pumpking carving contest!

As a little gift...I made this for the Allens...

No, it was not a costume party, Ian dressed up anyways. And no, that is not his baby. And no, the parent had no idea that the baby they were bringing was going to be part of his costume.

The Beach...

2010-10-25T21:59:00.007-04:00

You know you have found a lifelong friend when BOTH of you move away and you still stay friends :). I have been blessed to have a handful of those!!!

My sweet friend Kelly and her lil man, Riordan, invited lil' man and I to go with them to the beach for 4 days!!! It has been such a blessing (and amazing timing) for me to get away from "life". I love my job of being a SAHM (most...of the time), but not having to do laundry, dishes, clean the house, change sheets, vacuum, pick up toys, cook, run errands...has been SUCH a needed break for me during my current "season". Yes, it has been tiring at times not having both of our hubby's around to help with beach time, bath time..and having extra hands. BUT - SO worth it. I have loved every minute of being with my friend and making memories for the boys.

So here are some of my favorite pics of the past few days! Did we get a picture of the four of us? Of course not! Did I get one MILLION pictures of the cutest little boy in the world? HECK YES I DID! If you aren't family - you don't have to look at all these. Family...HAVE AT IT :)

Ella....GREAT NEWS!

2010-10-23T19:50:00.003-04:00

We received great news about sweet Ella (her story is here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ellaupchurch/journal)! They were told that Ella would most likely have 8 rounds of chemo. Last week while she was at Egleston having round 6...they told her "THIS WOULD BE THE LAST"!!! They had scans done that week and they were clear. As of now, she is cancer free. However, they journey is not over! She has still been sick and will continue to have to be monitored, but her next scan is JANUARY 1oth! What a blessing they can go thru this holiday season without chemo. So much to be thankful for.

I have learned so much from my cousin Sheli during this season of their life. She is 9 years older than me so growing up she seemed so cool and I wanted to be just like her. They past 5 years I have spent being her "friend"...no feeling of age difference. I have never known a woman filled with such grace, beauty, strength, poise, integrity, servanthood....she embodies the kind of woman I hope I can be some day!

Several months ago, Remax of Greater Atlanta (where my Aunt/mom of Sheli/grandma of Ella works) planned a Benefit for Ella to raise money for her medical expenses. Little did they know that it would fall on the weekend of her last chemo and news of being CANCER FREE!

It was a wonderful night to be with family and to celebrate Ella and her amazing family! Please enjoy some pictures below. And for any of you that followed Ella's story and prayed for her, thank you!

The twins birthday...

2010-10-23T09:59:00.004-04:00

The nice thing about living in ATL for several years (and still being within 2 hours) is that I get to see my family (extended family) a good bit. I always missed them growing up in Texas so far away and I try and take advantage of living close!

The twins are 3 1/2 months younger than lil' man and they just turned one. We headed up to ATL to celebrate with them and had a great time!

At the beach...here come the blog posts!

2010-10-23T09:49:00.003-04:00

My sweet friend Kelly invited me to go to the beach with her this weekend...so here I am...on the porch overlooking the gorgeous water in my shorts and long sleeved tshirt (a favorite / perfect weather outfit to me)...CATCHING UP ON THE BLOG!

My family and I have had a very difficult past 2 weeks (hence no blogging), but I feel back to my normal self and have LOTS of catching up to do!

First off - we went a few weeks ago to the Third Day concert! We were blessed to have a member of the band and his family in our small group while we were in the ATL. Our small group all made the trek down to our neck of the woods to enjoy a night with our rock star friend and his wife. We took everyone downtown for dinner and after the concert - we got to go backstage and then take a look at the Third Day tour bus! Super fun night and perfect timing for Chuck and I to be loved on by some dear friends!

Small group + Third Day (minus one band member)

Our rock star friend, Mark Lee

Mac Powell

Have you bought the new Third Day album that came out Tuesday? No??! Buy it now...good southern christian rock! You will not be disappointed!

Check out the next blog for updates on my sweet cuz ELLA!!!!

Just another weekend.

2010-10-02T19:56:00.004-04:00

I, along with some friends, have decided that 11am playdates are silly! 4pm is the new 11am playdate! It is so nice to get together and kill time before the hubbies get home and let our kids entertain each other during the crankier time of the day!

So Friday afternoon Mary Cannon, Gage and their mommies came to play! Good times were had by all!

I typically don't do baths (like never ever give lil' man baths if daddy is home), but he was gone and we had a blast! Can you tell?

Today lil man and I hit up a big neighborhood garage sale (left empty handed), poked around at some stores I never took the time to go in that turned out to be AMAZING, went to the market and got some okra (making bbq, fried okra & mac-n-cheese for dinner), got a free pumpkin for Knox at the Market, went to a neighbors birthday party, took a nap, played and played and played with the baseball...

went to the mall with a friend, watched the Tennessee VOLS almost beat LSU, ordered a pizza and now lil' man is fast asleep and I am doing this...

eating this...

and watching this.

Tomorrow will come bright and early as I head off to church at 6:45am to rehearse with the band before our 3 services! Life never slows down :)

School Pictures

2010-09-25T15:00:00.003-04:00

Lil' man had his first school pictures last Thursday. We commemorated the day with a family picture in front of the fireplace. Original right? ha ha! After daddy left for work, lil' man and I fixed his hair...

clearly it is NOT easy to get pictures these days as my boy is constantly on the move! his teachers said he was a ham for this pic...hopefully we will get a cute one!

Hawaii

2010-09-23T11:05:00.010-04:00

Chuck's best friend got married in Hawaii a few weeks ago and were we very blessed to go join them for a week to celebrate their wedding.

Here are some highlights from the trip! (Comments are below each picture!)

Our week away started with a SWANKY suite at the W Downtown Altanta. They upgraded us to the nicest suite in the hotel. Pictures do NOT do this hotel or room justice!

This is what we were surprised to walk into! They did not tell us how amazing our upgrade was!

2nd bedroom

Master bath...every wall was a window!

Nicest & biggest hotel bathroom ever!

Night view!

Then we were off to Hawaii....

At the WELCOME DINNER @ Jared's house in Oahu

Our first morning...this was "our beach" right outside the house!

Sunrise

He asked me to take this picture. Just sayin'.

View from the house overlooking the ocean...

So here is the deal on the house. It used to be Elizabeth Taylors home until several years ago when Kathy Ireland purchased it. We talked to the manager of the house before we left and he said George Clooney and Janet Jackson are among the celebs that rent the place.

Getting some sun :)

Pearl Harbor

Touring the sub

Aloha!

The night of the luau

The Flannagans with the bride and groom!

I love capturing moments like this for people...unfortunately Chuck and I have to pose to get "in the moment" pictures because no one takes them of us!

Sunset.

Rehearsal dinner at the Hilton Hawaiian Village...it was awesome!

Chuck & Jared

Wedding day...we went on a tour around the island that morning...this was at a nature preserve with the most beautiful water!

The mountains...this side of the island is where much of LOST was filmed!

Of course me and my best friend, "food"...and a special moment. I had read about all the shrimp trucks and this one was supposedly the best. Chuck spotted it on the side of the road and I made everyone hop out so I could get some garlic shrimp. BEST. SHRIMP. EVER. woah!

The water on the North Shore is stunning! This was actually taken where the "pipeline" is.

The table for the reception

It was the most beautiful and romantic wedding.

We had to pose!

Football Kick-off Party

2010-09-20T15:54:00.008-04:00

Since we weren't going to be home the WEEKEND of College Football kick-off, we decided to host a party leading up to the weekend.

The details:

THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE FOOTBALL TAILGATE TEST RUN

Now is your chance to test out your best tailgating grub and make sure you've got your drink of choice ready and wear your favorite teams colors...all in preparation for the 2010 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON!

Corn-hole, bocce ball, NCAA College Football 11, Water Boy...we'll have some of tailgating and footballs best!

**Since there will be no actual game on...we need some competition, so work hard on your tailgating grub! After it has all been tasted, everyone will be voting on their favorite dish...and you DON'T want to miss out on the prize!

(Kids welcome)

a little of the decor:

The 45 people+ that shared a GREAT night with us:

The food!! There was SOOO much!

In order to find a winner for best "tailgating grub"...we had everyone put a sticky note on their favorite dish!! Guacamole won and this was FOR REAL guac!!

We had so much! Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate College Football with us!

here comes the...BLOGS

2010-09-20T15:53:00.002-04:00

I'm back! More storage is paid for and I have LOTS to update you on...be prepared for LOTS of new posts in the next few days!

i can't blog.

2010-08-26T15:12:00.001-04:00

i forgot to renew my google storage! i can't upload any pictures until i renew. do ya'll have to do this too since blogger is thru google? uh!

Business in the front...

2010-08-18T14:26:00.003-04:00

PARTY IN THE BACK!

Yep - mommy let my hair get all crazy...LIKE A MULLET! What was she thinking let me sport this around town? Definitely not good for my image...especially with the new ladies I've been meeting at preschool!

Ahhh...thanks mama for the hair cut. Between you and me...I look smokin hot!

Two words...

2010-08-13T14:58:00.001-04:00

Two words...

HEART. BREAKER.

Pantry CLEANOUT!

2010-08-13T14:50:00.005-04:00

The day we moved in I pretty much unpacked everything. But in doing that - I made chaos! I finally bit the bullet yesterday and took everything out of our pantry and re-organized.

Before:

After:

I think having an organized pantry will.....

Obviously help to keep the pantry clean! Lil' man loves to crawl in the pantry and before yesterdays cleanout - it was OFF limits because it was dangerous and dirty!
When planning meals, it will be MUCH easier to take stock of what I have and plan accordingly
Grocery shopping - it will help me not spend as much...for example, when the "breakfast" bin gets low...I will buy :)

MMO=freedom??

2010-08-12T09:18:00.002-04:00

Lil' man is at Mothers Morning Out!! We went to open house yesterday and found out that there was FINALLY a spot in the Tuesday / Thursday class! So yesterday I rushed around to get lil' man ready for his first day!

I was a mess all morning trying to get things ready, lunch packed, outfit ironed....and fix lil mans hair which I tried to cut yesterday and BUTCHERED~

So we attempted to take pictures this morning...first day of school!

The Fresh Market

2010-08-11T10:07:00.004-04:00

We left the house at 8:40am, ready to be @ Fresh Market when the doors opened! As soon as we got there - people were already lined up. Knox was VERY excited...

Chuck and I each got a free bag and coffee and then we were off oohhing and ahhing over EVERYTHING! We are foodies...and being Atlanta transplants, we are SOOOO happy to have a nice place to shop for groceries. We will still get most things at Publix, but glad to have a nice place for meats / fish / fruits & veggies / organic stuff!

Clearly Chuck was excited about the meat!

Now we are off to Knox's open house to meet his teacher for MMO! He will be going on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-1pm! Let's hope he makes a smooth transition :)

This week last year...

2010-08-06T15:57:00.003-04:00

This weekend last year we took lil' man to church for the first time! We were anxious to get back in the groove with Vinings Lake Church...Chuck was ready to get back to parking people...and I was ready to sing again with the guys again (still had a few weeks to be up to that!)

Here we are on August 8th last year at church as a family of 3!! Knox was 5 weeks!

Sweet sweet memories!

On...the...go...

2010-08-06T15:46:00.005-04:00

It seems as though I haven't posted many pictures of lil' man lately...

1. I've been busy being crafty

2. It is not possible to take pictures anymore - we are on the go!

That is right...Lil' man is crawling like crazy now. Just in the past 2 weeks has he REALLY gotten it down.

We do alot of this...(playing with toys)

And constantly doing this...(crawling)

And some of this...(pulling up)

And then a little of this...(looking out the window)

And sometimes...just every so often...I get a tiny bit of this scrumptiousness!

Mommy Office - Part 3

2010-08-03T11:01:00.006-04:00

It is done. Less than 24 hours later - I have my own little office...nook! Seriously - I think I want to pay bills and get organized now...I might even look forward to it in my own private little space. Hey - the "manager of the house" should have her place to get everything in order ;)

Total Spent? $32.00

2 quarts of paint $16.00

Extention Cord $8.00

Wood $6.00

Tacks $2.00

NO JOKE!

I had a good bit of decorative stuff in a closet I never used in the new house. I also still have to paint the wood that makes my flat desktop black...but I will get to that later - I may even get two more flat wood pieces to put on the other shelves. The color is BEAUTIFUL! The pictures make it look like a lime green...but it is a pea green (Glidden Soothing Green Tea).

From drab...

To fab!!! (or at least I think so!)

Do you have closet you can transform?!

Mommy Office Part 2

2010-08-02T16:30:00.003-04:00

I like immediate gratification. Therefore I was inspired....and off I went.

Lil' man and I ran to The Home Depot to pick up $20.84 of supplies. Yes - that is ALL I spent. I got paint, extension cord (outlet is in ceiling), special tacks to hold down the extension cord, and piece of wood I had cut to fit.

And once I realized I wasn't going to have enough paint...clearly I painted the area around the shelving...waited, and did the second coat. I wanted to get the shelves back up. DAY 1 - complete? No, I want the painting finished tonight - someone will be making a trip to home depot :)

p.s. - i am sitting in my "nook" as I write this. I just might be in "mommy office nook" heaven! Ok, lil' man has been talking/ crying for 30 minutes - guess I better get him up and think about dinner!

I need an "office"

2010-08-02T09:52:00.003-04:00

We are blessed to have a bonus room attached to our master bedroom, however I think it is very impractical. I wish that space was used as a 4th bedroom! It also gets the most sunlight in the entire house so it is MISERABLE in there anytime the sun is up.

I would love to use that as an office - but it just won't work. So...this morning I had an AHA moment. I had recently seen an article and a few blogs about turning a impractical closet into an office. We have a great little closet off our laundry room that called out to me today and said "I WANT TO BE YOUR MOMMY OFFICE!"

Here is a little inspiration...

TRUE LIFE: I'm a crafty stay at home mom

2010-07-29T15:31:00.005-04:00

Today...

Did I put away the laundry from Monday? nope.
Did I sweep the floors so I could mop them? nope.
Did I pick up all the toys of the floor? nope.
Have I cleaned the kitchen since breakfast? nope.
Have I picked up our bedroom since we got back from out of town last weekend? no.
Did I totally sit on my booty during lil' mans morning nap and watch SYTYCD from last night? definitely!!!
Have I gone and bought a stamp so I could mail a check that should have been mailed Monday? no i have not.

What have I been doing?

He he. Today I made this :).

(I blame getting nothing done on my mother-in-law. She gave me the sewing machine for Christmas)

So if my hubby is mad because I may seem lazy (like a whole weeks worth of lazy)...I"m not. I"m just gettin' my creative crafty on...using my brain a little...having a whole lot of fun.

Chores will be there next week for me.

Sew What?!

2010-07-28T17:23:00.006-04:00

I needed to get a baby gift in the mail and wanted to make something. I came across THIS blog a while ago and bookmarked it! This seemed like the most perfect time for a little project...

Changing Pad with Pocket

Now you go and try :)

Sweet Ella

2010-07-25T15:34:00.003-04:00

I just got back from a sweet visit with little Ella. She is my sweet cousin with adrenal carcinoma. (previously posted HERE). What a special time to visit with Sheli and Ella. This week hasn't been too easy for them as she was admitted because of her high fever that she can't seem to kick. I got to hold her sweet hand, scratch her back, sing to her and gaze at her BEAUTIFUL eyes! Seriously, the girl has no idea the power of those eyes she's got!

Ella was really sleepy today...

If you would like to be updated on Ella's journey and pray for here, please visit her CAREPAGE.

Last minute visitors...

2010-07-23T20:53:00.004-04:00

Two of my favorite people stopped by the Flannagan casa on their way to Florida...

I think that Chuck and I had the coolest pastor & wife combo anyone could ever have. Not only does God use him in amazingly crazy ways, but the Hixsons some of the most authentic, crazy, fun, honest and REAL people I have ever met. God brought them into our lives and such a perfect moment and I know that they will be friends FOR-EVA!

(above picture is an inside joke...oh me oh my!)

First Haircut

2010-07-23T20:32:00.002-04:00

Lil' Man got his first haircut. The pictures don't do justice of how fun, yet bittersweet this was! Daddy was there too - he gets all the credit for the great pics!

Lil' Mans FIRST birthday!

2010-07-23T19:18:00.007-04:00

After a beach vacation, 6 days of sickness, my computer running out of space....I am back up and running!!

We cancelled lil' mans birthday party the night before, but even though I was still not feeling well...that wasn't an excuse to not celebrate with just the three of us! We let him open some presents after he woke up and put on his 1st birthday shirt of course!

The theme of his party was going to be donuts, so what better way to celebrate than go to Krispy Kreme and give lil' man a taste of heaven! While we were telling lil' man all about KK's greatness, they gave us a donut hole to give the birthday boy - and...well...he put the entire thing in his mouth...

Then he wanted another one...

"Donuts, Donuts, Donuts"

On the way home we stopped and picked up the wagon that Mimi gave him! He is LOVING the wagon. He is NOT happy when we get him out of it. I can't wait until it cools off and we can enjoy it more...maybe even take it down to the river for a long walk!

We went for lil' mans 1 year appointment this week. And guess what? We still have a little bitty buddy on our hands!

Weight: 17 lbs 1 ounce

Length: 29"

Our doctor is concerned about his weight as he has lost a tiny bit since his sick appointment last month. He wants us to start feeding him a special shake with carnation instant breakfast in it! Crazy, right?!

Here is what lil' man is up to:

He started crawling on his birthday! He hasn't mastered it yet, but every day he gets better. AND - the easy days are now O-V-E-R!
He has started pulling up. He has mastered getting to his knees, but only gets all the way up to standing a few times a day. He still doesn't walk at all when standing and holding on to something...
Suddenly vegetables are the LAST thing lil' man chooses to eat...he wants fruit, fruit and more fruit - especially blueberries!
Reading is his favorite thing to do! Yesterday he crawled to me with a book in his hand and then sat in my lap! I love that reading is something we enjoy doing together.
The laundry basket is also a new found toy! He puts everything in and and then takes it all out and pulls up on it!
He drinks whole milk out of a sippy cup and has finally gotten good at tipping it back to get the LAST bit out!
He likes to play pretend with the phone. He puts it up to his ear and babbles..

There is so much more fun stuff going on in his little life right now, but I won't bore you with any more :)

Happy birthday to the most amazing little boy! Thank you God for giving me the most precious gift!

Wish I could blog...

2010-07-19T10:32:00.001-04:00

People. I am frustrated. Right before our beach vacation, my computer ran out of space. I can't download one more song, upload one more picture, open my email. Hopefully today I am going to take my computer to get fixed and potentially buy a bigger hard drive.

I have so much to share....Knox's birthday...beach pics....fun times with friends.

Until then - go download the new Jesus Culture EP. Incredible.

The day before I met Lil Man...

2010-07-09T19:09:00.005-04:00

On this day, last year...my sis & nieces treated me to a mani and pedi...

That night, me and the hubs were on our last - no baby at home - date! I will never forget this night (or stuffing my face since I knew I wouldn't be eating for at least 24 hours due to the c-section).

A day I will never forget...

Sick. Sick. Sick.

2010-07-09T19:05:00.002-04:00

Where have I been this week, you might ask? SICK! That is right - I have been in bed since Monday afternoon. I have not been this down and out in a very long time and thankfully I have an amazing husband who has been working from home to play nurse and "stay at home mom". Love him!

On Monday went to get Lil' Mans first hair cut! He was SOOO good and his hair looks WAY better! I will post pics when I'm feeling better.

The worst part of all is we had big plans for Lil Mans first birthday tomorrow. We were going to go to ATL tonight and hang with our good friends and then have his big donut bday tomorrow morning followed by a very special wedding tomorrow night. ALL plans have been cancelled due to me being sick...I'm not in ATL, I'm in bed! Hopefully Chuck can still make the wedding....

See ya next week!

2010-07-04T11:31:00.003-04:00

Home from the beach...

...after a little yard work this morning...

the yard is ready for 4th of July!

Off to celebrate!

the beach.

2010-07-01T10:17:00.003-04:00

We've been at Seagrove Beach (right beside Rosemary & Alys Beach) since Saturday. We were able to enjoy the oil free beach Sunday and Monday. It has been stormy ever since due to Hurricane Alex, but that isn't stopping us from having fun! I love spending this week with all my family every other year. The rain can't stop our fun!

Until I catch up with you next week....

Today...Last year...

2010-06-23T09:36:00.003-04:00

**This post is rated R...for exposed skin!**

Yes - I rocked a bikini...and proud of it (before I was pregnant I said I would NEVER sport a 2 piece preggers.....)

Last year...on this day, I was enjoying a little of this with my pal Katie & Hollie.

Ella

2010-06-22T13:50:00.004-04:00

Please take a moment and look at this beautiful little girl...

This is sweet Ella. I have had the privilege of watching her grow her first 2 1/2 years of life as I lived in Atlanta. She is sassy, spunky, hilarious and sweet - pretty much the perfect package.

She is my little cousin and has Adrenal Carcinoma Stage 3, diagnosed about 3 weeks ago. After surgery to remove the orange size tumor, she began chemo yesterday. She will undergo chemo for about 6 months.

For more information on Ella's story, please visit HERE!

Ella's parents are Sheli and Robert and her big brother is Cole. Please pray for strength and healing as they begin this journey.

Best Night in C-Town YET!

2010-06-22T09:22:00.003-04:00

Last night was just a usual night. I cooked dinner while lil' man played. Then he tried mommy's favorite food.....HOT DOG (ok, I gave him organic turkey dog with NO NITRATES...but looks the same!)

Then lil' man and I ran to go pick up a movie @ Red Box and came home for bath & bedtime routine. I just really am having trouble with the fact that lil' man is drinking his milk from a sippy cup. BIG BOY!

As I was laying lil' man down in his bed...the door bell rang. I thought it was probably a neighbor. Then I walked out into the living room and saw Amy. (**side note: I consider Amy pretty much my first friend here! She works with Chuck and has been nothing short of AMAZING to me since BEFORE I moved here! Love, love, love her. She is always trying to "set me up with new friends" and include me in stuff)

Anyways - in behind her walks... Claire.....Hollie..........Delaney............and Brittany! Seriously! They had been at dinner and Amy got all of them to pile in her car to come over and hang. I love the fact that she didn't even call. Just showed up! I mean, had I known - I would have been SWEATIN' to get the house cleaned up, changed clothes - you know what I mean!

So the girls stayed for 2 hours! For a girl like me, who loves hanging with girls...who hasn't done it in a while - this was a dream come true. Amy knows me TOO well!

Could I let them leave without a picture? Nope! I think they may think I'm a little loco, but I like to think of my self as crazy fun!

Here we are - me and my new friends!

An ordinary night turned Best Night in C-Town YET!

And topped it off with snuggle time!

Happy Birthday Riordan!

2010-06-21T09:47:00.004-04:00

It is unbelievable to me that this past week two of Lil' Mans first friends turned 1!!

We drove up to ATL yesterday for Riordans bday party! We had a great time eating some BBQ, swimming and catching up with friends.

Riordan was NOT liking his cake - his daddy had to stick gold fish in it to get him to even "look" like he was eating his cake. It was priceless!

Lil man is T minus 19 days until he turns 1~

Fathers Day

2010-06-21T09:03:00.004-04:00

He is loving, passionate, humble, considerate, giving, patient. He is everything I hope I can be...

He is a daddy. He is my husband. I am in awe of his ability to manage all that he does and still give 1,000% to lil' man and I every hour of every day.

Thank you, babe. I love you.

Short Version of a sad story.

2010-06-21T09:00:00.003-04:00

I have lost all pictures / documents on my computer since April 6th.

You see, my macbook pro was not charging. And Apple told me it was probably my battery. I didn't know where to take my computer in my new town, so off to Apple it went. I backed it up, but it wasn't working properly - but checked time machine and it looked like everything was there.

When I got my computer back, the problem was not fixed and everything from April 6th on was GONE! AND - I was having trouble putting everything back on my computer with my backup. I found an apple specialty store in Columbus and they were able to recover everything from my FreeAgent hard drive...but the last time it did a FULL back up was April 6th.

(p.s. - the problem was my charger...if I had known this, I would have never lost anything!)

I am sad. I have lost some really great pictures from spring and videos that were special, but there could be a lot worse things in life. Just trying to bond again with my computer.

11 months!!!

2010-06-12T10:31:00.003-04:00

Hey peeps - Lil Man here...

Yep - I am 11 months, just one month away from the big O-N-E. This past month has been crazy. We moved to a new town and we haven't slowed down at all. I think my mom has put pictures up of some of the new stuff I've been doing, like swimming, driving...you know, the usual.

I wish I could share all my "stats", but I haven't been to the doctor in a few months - oh wait, I did just go for a little cough I had and guess what....still weighed just 17ish pounds. I'm a little guy - with a big heart - ladies love me!

Here is what I'm discovering about the world these days:

Crawling is over-rated. I haven't tried it, but really enjoy rolling around. I roll constantly at night in my crib and love sleeping on my tummy. Why didn't I do this sooner?
I'm coming to terms with my cellulite (and my high butt crack - TMI? its true though!)
I eat anything in front of me (avocado, tomato, cheese, turkey, lasagna, potatoes of any kind, green beans, black beans, ALL fruits - life is good!)
Sleeping is one of my favorite things. I love my morning AND afternoon nap. My mom has signed me up for preschool two days a week in the fall...I'm slightly concerned this is going to interfere with my napping. We shall see.
I enjoy walks, throwing the frisbee for Belle (our lab), bath-time and so much more...

I guess that's really it - not much to share this month...just too excited about being O-N-E!

The Evolution of a Bed

2010-06-10T21:07:00.009-04:00

Chuck inherited a very cute bed from his parents before we were married. I loved its charm, but thought it would be cuter black. So - Chuck painted it black and it worked nice in our first place...

And looked about the same in the second place...

Then, we bought our first house and did a little something like this with it -

The charming bed, just never found its purpose in life...its true calling - until I stumbled across this blog - BED TO FRONT PORCH BENCH

A dream was born.

Then, Chucks dad made plans to came visit...and I made plans for him and the charming bed he once slept in to do some serious bonding.

With just a blog print out in hand - and my silly drawing and measurements

...In 48 hours - this is what we've been up to...

Just wait until you see the finished product...maybe tomorrow (if we brave the South Georgia heat!!uhhh). I won't be able to paint it for a while to let the treated wood dry...but who cares - it is going to be ADORABLE on my porch!

GRANDOC - YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

Summer fun...

2010-06-04T11:58:00.005-04:00

Lil' man is learning how to drive...

He is learning how to love the lake...

And - he learning how how to work his CRAZY hair :)

Lil' Mans Perspective...

2010-05-19T21:27:00.007-04:00

After I woke up and had breakfast, mom discovered that some goods for me had been delivered yesterday.

She let me play with the box this morning. She's cool like that!

So I rolled around in it and banged on it. Boxes don't get enough credit for how great they are!

Mom realized the bananas were really ripe, so after looking in the pantry for some ingredients - she decided to make some homemade banana bread...she loves it and knew I would too. She got everything out and ready for later in the day.

After I got up from my morning nap, I was HUNGRY.

Mom and I enjoyed a little lunch together and then we played again...Mom likes to let me play on my own while she sits behind me and plays on her computer.

(Gotta love her - sneakin' in computer time whenever she can. Sometimes I don't know who she loves more...me or her mac - but then clearly, a mac doesn't have these eyes - so I win everytime!)

Mom was also sip sippin' on some of her yummy sweet tea! Crazy lady - I don't think she even realizes how much she drinks of that a day! At least she makes KILLER sweet tea at home! Chick-Fil-A's got NOTHING on Mama Flannagans Tea of Sweetness!

Then I took an afternoon nap (and mom didn't want anyone to know, but I'll tell :)! She spent my entire 2 1/2 hour nap on her bet catching up on the last episode of GLEE & LOST)

When I got up, mom took me for a date at Starbucks. She got some yummy looking drink and we sat across from each other at a perfect table outside and soaked up the sun (I think I got a bit of a farmers tan).

After a little stop for some shopping...we headed back home, played outside with Belle and several of the neighbors in the cul-de-sac and went inside. While mom whipped up the Banana Bread...I ate my dinner in the kitchen.

Every night, I like to have a little "nakey" time as mom & dad call it. Cut me some slack! I'm a guy...I just like to air out a little each evening. It is my time to just roll around and be in my birthday suit!

Bath time is a good time for everyone. I'm relaxed...so everyone else relaxes too! Dad is always in charge of bath time...he says that is our special time each day! We pretend to blow things up in the water and we play with squirt guns...bath time just isn't the same with mom when dad is out of town. But we had a good time tonight...

After I went to bed...I snuck out of bed and caught mom with an adult beverage and American Idol on the TV! Crazy lady...she loves her some television!

That just about wraps up our day. It goes down as a great one in my book. Hope you had a good day too!

Peace -

Lil' Man

Home.

2010-05-18T14:46:00.002-04:00

It is nice to be settled...and I have never felt so blessed.

2 things I love about today...

2010-05-13T10:20:00.003-04:00

Why am I loving today? 2 reasons...

1. Turquoise! People - I have been in denial for 2 years since I lost my favorite chunky turquoise necklace. I mean, my staple plain tshirt just isn't the same without it. But last week after we moved I was so frustrated the dresser drawer wouldn't shut that I took the drawer out and found all sorts of TREASURES that had fallen down in the dresser over the years - the best treasurer being my NECKLACE! So today - i am happy to wear my bff again!

2. Lunch date with the hubs (and lil' man of course!). Still not sure about this whole move thing - but a BIG positive is being able to do lunch with Chuck! SO FUN!

And just to balance it out - let me share two things I DON'T like about today. Let's face it people...I probably don't blog enough about how my life is not so perfect...

1. Don't have a girlfriend to go get dessert / coffee with yet. It will come...and I feel like it will come faster than I thought!!! (Some of you Columbus girls have been nothing but AHHHHWESOME!)

2. Toy Strike! Seriously, lil man seems to not like ANY of his toys right now which makes for a whiny baby (and lets be honest...his whiny isn't even that bad!). Any tips on how to entertain a 10 month old?! Send help my way! We really haven't bought many toys since he has been born since we were blessed with SO many at showers...but I think we are almost in a whole new stage that requires different toys!

This one is for YOU...E. Hart!

2010-05-11T14:11:00.003-04:00

Here you go girl!

The back of my hair :). Gotta love a good stack!

P.S. - I love getting new followers. I've never done a giveaway, but I'm thinking about doing a giveaway each month....one of my favorite things...whatcha think?

10 Months!!

2010-05-10T09:49:00.006-04:00

I can't believe lil' man is 10 months! I have just started planning is 1st birthday! C-R-A-Z-Y!

Well - I think I missed that last few "month birthday updates" so we'll just pick back up at 1o months! K? Great, thanks!

This is where I sign off - and lil' man gets to share his own thoughts ;)

What up my people? Knox here! Please forgive my mommy for not updating you on what's been goin' on with me the last few months...she's been working really hard on packing us up - moving us...and getting me settled! (Yesterday I got to celebrate her...I gave her a card and wrote this on it...I know, I know - cute right? Can you believe I already know how to write?! See she's that amazing! ha ha!)

Anyways, I have probably developed more this month than any other! I finally realized I have these things called KNEES! I haven't used them yet, but sometimes I get up on them. Then it freaks me out so I just settle for tummy time and playing on my back.

I LOVE feeding myself. Call me crazy, but real food is LEGIT! Mommy lets me make a big mess and try all kinds of yummy things!

Spending time with my daddy is one of my favorite things to do. We do man things together like go to The Home Depot, watch ESPN, learn about sports and the best college football team in the UNIVERSE...that's right...The University of Tennessee VOLS! He's a pretty cool dude. I can't wait to make so many memories my brain hurts!

I learned how to drive this past month...and ladies - WATCH OUT! My car (well, my Mimi's car) is in Texas, but I plan on getting my very own for my birthday in a few months. I think I am a pretty good driver...My mom learned a very important principle in college..."Always use two hands" (only mommy's best friends know the true meaning :)!! Safety comes first, it NEVER takes a vacation...even when you do. Don't forget it!

I still enjoy having quiet time in my swing before dinner sometimes. Don't hate - it's comfy! You would beg to be in it too if you fit! It is like a drug to me - and last time I feel asleep in it just like this...(pic below). It was a good sleep...the drooling kind!

My new best friend (since my good buddy Riordan moved to Athens and I moved too! - still love you man!) is my BALL! Who knew a big yellow ball could be so fun! I roll it around...hit my hands on it...lay on my back and do tricks with it - pretty much anything. If you don't have one, put it on your list - it won't disappoint!

And finally - I can kind of stand up by myself. Not for long - but for a few minutes (with mommy spotting me of course!). I don't crawl or pull up...those things are overrated, but I just love playing with my table when I'm in the mood!

AFLAC EAW

2010-05-06T10:22:00.002-04:00

Each year, AFLAC has an Employee Appreciation Week and everyday has a different theme...decade day, hat day...Favorite Sports Team Day - one might think Chuck would deck himself out in University of Tennessee articles. I mean, he does have orange / white checkered suspenders, various hats, t-shirts, bright orange windpants....

But no. He supported HIS team.

No comment...

Cinco de Mayo DINNER recipe

2010-05-05T09:06:00.005-04:00

Thank you Pioneer Woman. You seriously rock my cooking and eating world! Last night (yes, a day too early!)...I made the PW's Enchiladas. But, lucky for you - I am sharing it today on Cinco de Mayo!!

If you have nothing on tap for tonights meal - go to your grocery store - get the cheap and simple ingredients....and get prepared for a FIESTA IN YOUR MOUTH!

There are alot of things going on at once, but as long as your are organized (and if you have a baby - they can play in the kitchen or have at it with at plastic cup in their exersaucer...) you are good to go!

The recipe is linked up at the bottom. Below are pics & tips :)

**Warning: Please do not scroll through the the pictures unless you are prepared to whip this up in the next few days. It would be so cruel to tempt your tummy :)!

Tip #1: Get everything out and set up before you start!

Tip #2: Pre chop a few hours before...and just leave out!

Tip #3: Put together a good assembly line!

Tip #4: Add cheese...LOTS of cheese...like more than it calls for :)!!

Tip #5: Wear a cute apron - it makes the cooking more fun!

Tip #6 - PLATE IT UP with some rice & beans! (p.s. - no one said you had to slave over rice...the make 60second mexican rice - it's true!)

If you don't own the Pioneer Woman Cookbook (go buy it now!), something is wrong with you...but you can also get the recipe HERE.

**Note - I substituted olives for black beans and also used flour instead of corn tortillas :)

Chuck - get ready to be handy!

2010-05-04T10:10:00.004-04:00

We have this old headboard and footboard that was Chucks parents. We painted it black...

We got a new bed from my grandmothers house (used to be my Aunt Monterey's!) that is much more sturdy. Yesterday we were about to donate it, but I thought - you know, I would love to use it to make something out of...

THEN - Design Dazzle posted THIS

Chuck, honey, you better get your handy craftyness ready, cause in a few weeks - we are going to tackle this!

Pain. Everywhere.

2010-05-04T09:48:00.003-04:00

**Below are just some thoughts....helping my brain and heart to wrap around the idea that we have finally moved**

We are blessed. You see, we did not actually have to "move". We had a relo package where the movers came in and packed EVERYTHING in our house, shop out back and storage unit! Seriously, the wrapped up loose random stuff. Everything was in a box.

They delivered everything Friday afternoon and this is the first time I think I have sat down and had time to myself in a week. What an amazing feeling to put on real clothes (not nasty moving clothes), sit in my chair with my coffee (a chair that now fits in my bedroom!) and have a date with my laptop.

I am in pain. Everywhere. Every inch of my body is somehow hurting or is sore. Even my heart. Columbus will be great. God has given me a piece about it, but that doesn't mean that the next few months will be easy! I have so much anxiety about finding girlfriends, couples friends, mommy friends! I know I will be able to meet people, but how exactly do I find a "group" to be a part of. Will they let a "new girl" into their group of friends? As bubbly as I normally am, this part of moving makes me crawl into a little shell like a turtle and peek my head out every once and a while, but then snuggle all back in to my comfortable place.

We drove back up to Atlanta at 6am Sunday morning to attend Vinings Lake Church one last time and I was able to sing with the band for the last time. God knew we needed the people at that church in our lives 2 years ago and it was so hard to drive back home on Sunday afternoon. They surprised us and had a lunch for us after church with 30 of our friends and like a million of their kids! I will cherish that sweet surprise for a while! An old high school friend sent a message to me on facebook and said this about finding a new church..."I found looking for a new church is almost as important as finding the right house". Isn't that the truth. It is so important to find a place where you feel comfortable and at home and feeds you while also letting you feed other people! I'm excited to try some churches here that we have heard great things about!

I have never been great about blogging, but I realized after reading Kelly and Katie's blogs, that this doesn't have to be an outlet to share stuff with my family in Texas...it really can be an opportunity to scrapbook my families little life and adventures. Katie recently printed out her blog to keep! I am going to try and make a habit about blogging about life...about everything and document the Flannagan life. Feel free to take this adventure with us~ I know I like sharing in yours!

Have a great Tuesday - and be on the lookout for posts on the last few weeks...Texas...to the move...and decorating the house!

4 Day count down to the MOVE

2010-04-26T16:17:00.003-04:00

Well - cleary I can't keep caught up on ANYTHING these days. I failed to update on Lil Man's 9th birthday...and hardly took any pictures of my trip to texas...so I leave you with two pictures today!

First - this is lil man and I on the plane going to Texas! He fell asleep LITERALLY right after he finished is bottle on the way up! To say I enjoyed him sleeping on me is an understatement. I never get this kind of lovin' anymore!

And here is what I have spent my ENTIRE day doing...sewing curtains! I know it seems crazy to be sewing all my curtains for the new house before we move, but to me...I feel settled when curtains are hung - so...Chuck - if you are reading...first, I love you...second - my curtains are done, so will you please hang them the night we move in? Love you!

Oh - and notice a big difference in my hair in the two pictures above? Yep - I went dark..and short. Why I did this the week before I move to a new city? NO CLUE - probably not so smart, but hey...it's different!

As requested...

2010-04-19T11:17:00.004-04:00

I don't normally put videos up from church, but several of your asked about this one...so...

Here is the Vinings Lake Band covering "I Run To You" by Lady A!

VL Cover of "I Run To You" from Terri Flannagan on Vimeo.

Moving Project 1

2010-04-13T21:13:00.004-04:00

We move in 17 days and 7 of those days will be spent in Texas and 2 of those days...the packers / movers will be here...SO - I have 7 days to get all my house projects done! Now, it may seem crazy that I am wanting to paint & recover chairs, make pillow and sew up the big panel curtains for the living room ALL before we move - but you see...when I move - I like to be settled...ASAP! Immediate gratification if you will....

So project #1 - paint and recover my kitchen table chairs. Here is the before -

Here was my table yesterday - nothing wrong with it, but it really won't go well in my new house. After a whole can of spray paint and some AMAZING fabric and fringe...

A WHOLE NEW CHAIR! It did take me an hour to do one chair and I'm hoping the next 5 don't take nearly as long.

Project #2? Besides finishing the other chairs and painting the base of the table...Project #2 is the drapes / panels for the living room!

And let me just say this - I have not really ever done anything like this before, but it is AMAZING what sissors and a hot glue gun can do. Seriously!

Cruising it UP!

2010-04-12T22:36:00.006-04:00

About 8 months ago, my sweet friend Anna asked if Chuck and I would help her pull of a HUGE surprise! Not only did she want to take her hubby, Brad, on a vacation for his 30th birthday, but she wanted us to come - and Brad not to know we would be joining them until the day of!

To say it all went down perfectly is an understatement! Anna told Brad THE MORNING of the vacation that they were leaving...but she didn't tell him where they were going...or who would be joining them..

We had such an amazing time and made memories I will most certainly never forget. We love us some DOYLE's!!! Tradition for 30th birthdays started this year - where we going next?!!

(p.s. - i just finished uploading all the photos - so sorry if there are too many! i didn't realize how many i uploaded and i can't bring myself to not share any less! this is not a lot in comparison to the almost 300 i took!) ENJOY, but BEWARE, it may make you jealous if it has been a while since you've seen waters this color!

Ready for a little R&R!

Light up drinks in South Beach? yes, please!

Dinner at hot spot WISH in Miami...it was magical

view on boat of Miami

the perfect view + best buds = priceless.

yep - these are our husbands - but what a FANTASTIC way to see Key West!!!

just being us. :)

Drinks @ Kelly McGillis' bar! (...at 10am)

breathtaking sunset.

i heart this chica!

Doesn't get any better than this kind of company on vacation...

he loves her. she planned a surprise vaca!

sending some beach love to lil' k-man!

this is the place where chuck had to drag me away from every afternoon!

I'll be back soon enough...

2010-04-07T19:43:00.003-04:00

I've been trying to recover from our vacation last week with LOADS and loads of laundry and packing for our move all at the same time...

Hopefully I'll get something up tomorrow - but until then...I leave you with this -

and this...

Lil' Mans new room!

2010-03-27T10:00:00.006-04:00

Lil Man's room is not gender specific, although honestly, it is kind of feminine in a neither a boy or girl way. Does that make sense? Before we had Lil' Man we found out we would be moving therefore I never put much effort into completing and decorating the nursery.

When we make the move in a little over a month - I want to finally focus on Lil Man's room. Here is the bedding we have now...

I'm thinking about taking the bumber off when we move so the base fabric / color I will be working with is the skirt - a wheat / tan / kaki gingham. This gives me TONS of options for different themes or colors.

I've been looking online at different nurserys online trying to pull ideas together. Do I make the focus on the paint and do a creative paint scheme...do I use cool fabric? Both? HELP!

One thought I have is to do a western / Texas room. Clearly I miss my home land and what better room to do some Texas stuff in than Lil Man's room! I love one of these two fabrics for curtains and a few pillows! Maybe paint the walls kaki or chocolate brown?

And I like the paint selections in these rooms as well as the feel...

I think the paint is cool in these rooms too...not necessarily the color, but the stripes...

I'm just at a loss...Chuck has a mandolin and a guitar that I thought would be cute to hang on the wall if we did western / Texas...but then is that overdone?

HELP! Send some ideas my way for Lil Mans room!!!

Yard time.

2010-03-27T09:58:00.003-04:00

I can't wait to make memories here...my new backyard.

Simple Lyrics...Sweet tears...

2010-03-25T22:24:00.006-04:00

Ok, before the sweet moments I have been having with a certain song lately...I must share that MY HANDWRITING was turned into a font! I have an obsession with handwriting and have always wanted mine to be a font and found this BLOG with a girl who does JUST THAT! Want to download my font? Go HERE and download it for free (Pea Terri Cherie)...and while you are at it - tell a friend about my blog and become a follower :).

So...I have a thing for Taylor Swift. You either love her or hate her. I love her. She has a song calle, "The Best Day" that she wrote about her mom. Read the lyrics - then google, and listen to it. Special, huh?

The part of the song I have bolded is what is so meaningful to me. There was a time that I cried and cried when my mom would come get me from school or that I would drive myself home and cry after cheer practice. I just was so sensitive and didn't feel accepted for what I believed in at times. My mom was always there and she tells me now that as a mom, seeing my hurt like that was so horrible. But she made it all better.

Even though I have a boy - I hope to be the mom he can come running to for anything and will try and make everyday a "Best Day".

I'm five years old and it's getting cold
I've got my big coat on
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you
I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides
Look now the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop till I forgot all their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today

I have an excellent father
His strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother
Inside and out he's better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you

There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
Staying back and watching me shine and I didn't know if you knew
So I'm taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today

Sew What?!

2010-03-22T13:30:00.004-04:00

While my mom was in town last week she taught me how to sew...on the sewing machine that my MIL gave me for Christmas. I really just want to have the ability to make curtains, pillows, hem stuff....

SO - I tackled some pillows on Saturday night since Chuck was gone! I'm so happy with the result...

I made slipcovers for the pillows! They were REALLy easy!! The hardest part was picking out the fabric. Nope wait - the hardest part was doing the pillow with the pom poms - hopefully that will get easier!

Below is a picture of the backs so you can see how they are slipcovers...

Close up!

See how easy it was to get them in? Just slip in the slot!

I think this one is my favorite as it has two fabrics AND the pom poms on the edges. This one was tough and has the most imperfections, but I don't think anyone will ever notice them!

If I can sew...you can too!

Life is Better Together!

2010-03-21T20:59:00.006-04:00

Last June (10 months ago) Chuck and I thought we had it all figured out just in time for our baby to be born in July. God had a different path set for us. He provided Chuck with a job we had only dreamed about, but the new job came with a move away from a life we had come to love so dearly.

Chuck and I have lived in Atlanta for 4 years now, but it was not until about 2 years ago that we finally felt "at home" here. We attended a big church in Atlanta for a while, but it just never clicked for us. Then we found Vinings Lake Church. What a ride it has been being a part of this church. We have found friends that my heart needed and longed for. We have a community that is so important with our immediate families living in other states. I sing with the band and Chuck parks cars. Vinings Lake has been such a blessing to us and it is probably going to be the most difficult thing to leave as we start out new journey in Columbus, GA.

For 10 months Chuck has stayed in Columbus a few days / nights during the week to work, coming home on Thursdays only to head of for the weekend to go to the races (he manages the AFLAC Racing Program and goes to the races on the weekends). Most days I pretend it is no big deal that our little family isn't together all that often, but in reality it has been really hard. The easiest part, shockingly, is taking care of little man. He is so easy and I think God knew I couldn't handle a cranky baby with Chuck being gone so much. The hard part is not having my best friend to fall asleep beside every night. Don't get me wrong...the days we are together are great, but it puts lots of strain on a marriage to be apart so much with no end in sight.

So what does all of this explaining add up to? We got good news and bad news this week. We found renters for our house! And their timing and our timing work great together. However, now the reality of moving is setting in. This morning at church a flood of emotions came over me as we starting worshipping this morning. All I could think of was how blessed I have been here and how nervous I am to move? Who am I to doubt that God would provide a sense of belonging in Columbus? I mean, he provided when we lived here and prayed for a church and a group of friends!!! The emotions were also joy and anticipation of being together as a family! I can't wait for Chuck to come home every night at 5:15 (perks of small town right), to meet for lunch at the park, to get involved in the community! AND....to live in this amazing house...

Yep - after lots of hunting and worry we found not just a house...to me - it is a home! As much as it stinks to move, I am GIDDY about our new place and actually was ready to move into it yesterday. I think God knew the kind of house I wanted to live in...and I had to wait 10 months for it (or at least thats what I sometimes think;)

Will you pray for me and my family and I start this new journey? All the newness will be worth it because life is better together.

Do you have any advice for moving to a new place? It is like I have never done it before and I often forget that I just picked up and moved my life from Texas / Arkansas to move out to Georgia after we got married!

I you have a great week...and find the small joys in life - I know I'm looking for them this week!

Catch up..

2010-03-21T20:08:00.006-04:00

Not too much to catch everyone up on here, but here's what we have been up to lately.

Lil Man has really been developing in so many different ways this month (oh yeah...I didn't blog about his 8 month...don't ever tell Lil Man, k?! Thanks :) ha ha). He wants to sit up all day long and still has no interest in crawling - but we have been TEETHING like crazy! He has two teeth on the bottom! I find them unbelievably adorable, but it makes him look so much older...
I have to say, his personality has me cracking up on a daily basis. Sometimes he and I just get so tickled that each of us can't stop laughing. I live for these moments when I'm at my weakest.
We've been to the park several times this week - sometimes with friends - sometimes just Lil' Man and I. We really enjoyed going with Riordan & Ellie Cate and their mommies. These kids are too cute! I really thought Riordan and Lil Man were going to grow up and be best buds, but both the Dixons and us are moving out of Atlanta and starting new journeys. I know that we will always be friends though - and so will these boys!
We finally got to meet CHARLIE!!! Our dear friends Nathan & Britney moved away early in the fall and in January she had her sweet baby boy. It was wonderful to give them hugs and hold their bundle of joy! All Lil Mans buddies are moving away long with us! So sad!
And yes - I check Lil' Mans diaper like this in the middle of parties. You gotta do what ya gotta do (nice pic Chuck :)!)
My mom was in town ALL of this past week. It is always such a treat to have her here! She spoils me AND Lil' Man. We drove all over Atlanta to see family, shop, eat and play - and every moment was worth it! (We miss you MiMi). Where are the pictures you ask? Yep - I didn't take any. I'm in trouble! But we did get together with my aunt / cousins for dinner while MiMi was here and Lil' Man got to play with his twin cousins William & Franklin (3 months younger than Lil Man).

Fabulous Finds

2010-03-09T16:45:00.005-05:00

I've been wanting to spiff up parts of the house a little bit and add to our furniture collection before we move out of the big city (where the good shopping is)!

Two fabulous finds I am VERY proud of...

This beauty will look great in our master bedroom once we have one that is big enough for a chair :)! You will never believe how much I paid for this practically new chair that once just sat in a model home....$90! Thank you Craigslist.

To also spiff up our master bedroom...I wanted new bedding before we moved so our old bedding could go on out guest bed.

This my friends...put be back a whopping $99. And do you know what all I got for that price? All of it...yep - every piece you see (except for the cream pillow). The set came with the comforter, two euro shams, two standard shams, bedskirt and two decorative pillows. Thank you Stein Mart.

And I got even MORE excited today when I went to a precious antique / flea shop. Thank goodness I didn't have any cash with me! But I can say...this shop is where I will soon purchase some end table, an additional nightstand....hopefully a desk...any maybe I can talk the hubs into a few other things. I am telling you - I could probably get 6 different pieces of furniture for $500.

Oh and...does anyone know an easy way to paint / distress wood furniture? Help a sista out and give me a tutuorial!

Blessed Birthday

2010-03-02T20:09:00.004-05:00

I am not sure any birthday could be any better than yesterday was! Thank you to all my my sweet family & friends for making it so special!

Chuck and I decided before Knox was born that we wanted to go all out for birthdays! It is the only day all year long that is all about "you". I like that we have decided to let Christmas be Jesus' birthday celebration and have that as the focus....but boy - when birthdays come...The Flannagans do it right. It was no different today!!!

Chuck and lil man spoiled me with some great things this year! Here are some highlights from my day...

First - I woke up to this.

Lucky me!

Then I opened all my presents from Chuck & Lil' Man

Shoes, clothes, gift cards for more clothes, magazine subscription, lush bathproducts, apron...THANKS BABE!!!

These shirts below are SOOOOOOO cute! I am a t-shirt person at heart, but love to find ones with a little flair - behold Annettes Touch of Class clothes (you too will become obsessed!)

My parents & in-laws didn't disappoint either. My mom gave me a new pandora charm and scarf and I got gardening goodies and money for fabric from my MIL. And a little searcy (that is what we call a fun and PERFECT goodie) from Jeni - an ADORABLE and bright little dress / cover-up for this summer.

Then we went to CINCO for some Mexican grub. MMM. (Please encourage me to not be embarrassed about asking people to take pictures of me and my family when we go places!! I always have tons of lil' man, but none of all three of us!)

I got the afternoon "off" to go run errands...by myself! That was a birthday present in itself. So off to Whole Foods I went...AND finally picked up this -

Lil' Man's 16x24 canvas of our favorite newborn pic. About time right? But, better late than never and I will cherish this forever (and hope to get one for any other babies we may have).

Chuck knows the way to my birthday heart - homemade Cherry Cheese Pie.

To top my day off...I spent the evening with some of my best girlfriends watching - you guessed it - that Bachelor finale. We had so much fun and they even got me a little cake (surrounded by girl scout cookies).

I am blessed. Only 364 days until the next one...WOOHOOO! (jk - ok, not really!)

2010-02-21T12:39:00.002-05:00

Too cute to not share. Here is lil' man before church...

And we went in the backyard to take a few pictures when we got home...and all I got was a lil' man fascinated with the grass....

B-E-A-utiful day!oeasyse

2010-02-20T19:16:00.006-05:00

It was beautiful weather day...like perfection. The kind of day you just want to lay on a blanket under the sun in a cozy long sleeved tee with a good pair of kaki shorts and tennis shoes (cute earring and hair done with a poof of course to off set the casual outfit...my idea of the perfect spring outfit...if you switch up the tennis shoes for rainbows...anyways).

It was nice - so we sat outside and played in the backyard.

And the springy weather made me crave a good chicken sandwich...and thanks to one of my best friends in college, Meredith, I learned how to make a PERFECT simple chicken salad during one of our many spring break trips to Florida. I still make it and LOVE it! You should to...it is soooo easy!

Ingredients (or as Pioneer Woman calls them...the Cast of Characters!)

Shredded Chicken (i had a breast and a half of chicken left over from a dinner this week, so I threw them in the oven with salt, pepper & olive oil and cooked for 25 min)
1/2 red onion chopped
several grapes cut up (red or green will do)
any kind of nut (almonts, pecan, walnuts)...p.s. - i am not a "nut" girl, but i like slivered almonds in this!!
mayo
relish
sugar / sweetener
salt & peppa

Then you just mix it all together. Use as much or as little as all of the ingredients. Watch out on the mayo though...a little goes a long way and I honestly probably squirt in NO MORE than two tablespoons. And the sugar? Yes, add it. Trust me...no, trust Meredith!

Mmmm....made for a yummy dinner while the husband is away :). Went very well with my sweet tea!

A little honesty on my blogging...

2010-02-20T07:37:00.011-05:00

Why have I been absent from blogging? Because I have been busy being mommy?! Nope.

It. is. because. I. am. an. addict.

Seriously, every chance I have to cross things off my to do list, get laundry done, put dishes away...I am glued to my computer on Netflix Watch Instantly...what am I watching?

LOST

With all the hype of the final season, I started with season 1 and I can't stop! I am 1/4 way through season 3. And people...these aren't short episodes! They are 45 minutes. And it is so addicting that I let my husband watch sports center or turn on the play station because I just can't get enough...and thank goodness for noise canceling headphones!

I promise to blog more. In fact - I have taken so many pictures of FOOD in the past few weeks that I have wanted to share with you. I have been cooking up a storm thanks to THIS cookbook that I previously posted about! Maybe I will tell LOST to wait on my today so I can catch up on some blogging.

PLUS - I can't believe I have 51 followers! Thanks!!!

7 months!!!

2010-02-20T06:55:00.003-05:00

This lil' man is 7 months (10 days ago!)...

Here is what he is up to these days...

He has put on a little more weight weighing in around 15 1/2 lbs! Yes...he is tiny!
Sitting up has become the position of choice
There are no signs of crawling. As soon as he is put on his stomach he rolls over and still hasn't figured out he can roll from his back to his tummy...
Lil' Man can still wear several of his 3-6 months clothes, but I have started putting him in bigger stuff
We have been used to all Lil' Mans babbling since he was very very little, but lately...he has been saying "dadadadadada" although I'm not sure he understand who exactly that is!
He still loves bathtime!
Favorite time of day for lil man? Right before bath time!!! See below -
He eats 3 times a day! He DOES not like anything green, but continue to try them! His favorites are apples, pears, sweet potatoes, blueberries, carrots and apple butternut squash!
Lil' Man is a GREAT sleeper! When we lay him down for naps or to go to sleep at night, he normally just dozes off to sleep...i love it!!
No more paci, but you will find him sleeping with two fingers in his mouth (although he has three in this picture)

And it is easy now to make him smile...and laugh. I love him!

A this very moment

2010-02-16T12:14:00.002-05:00

my plate? homemade turkey burger...yum!

lil' mans plate? swaccoli & appleberry!

Off to get my hair did this afternoon. Today is a great day. I'm just feeling it, you know?

2010-02-12T10:57:00.007-05:00

I'm a bad blogger. No updates as of this moment, but I am working on Knox's 7 month post!! Oh how time flies! He was 7 months on Wednesday! CRAAAZY!

Lil' Man and I are spending 4 days with these people...i love them...like...a whole lot of love. We've made so many memories over the past 5 years!

(our engagement party in Bristol)

(weekend visit to Greenville)

(surprise engagement party weekend for Brad & Anna in the mtns)

(trip to Charleston)

(Doyle's visit in the ATL for the weekend)

(UT game in Knoxville)

(Brad & Anna came to see Knox in the hospital!)

(weekend visit in Bristol to watch a UT game)

Thanks Doyles for taking care of us while Chucks away! We think we are the luckiest people in the world to call them our friends. And Lil' Man is so lucky to have Aunt Anna & Unkie B in his life....

Birthday Wishes (put them on your list too!)

2010-02-04T08:58:00.007-05:00

My birthday is coming up in a month and I have been encouraged (here you go hubby!) to make a list of what I want. Who knew that after you had a baby that your list would grow exponentially instead of get smaller! Woah!

If you don't know about some of these things - YOU SHOULD get on it and put them on your wish list!!! Here we go!

Apron ( I want a cute little diddy to wear while diving in to my new love of cooking...real food and baby food! Anthropology - (click link) thank you for your cutsie aprons!)
Decorative Picture Frames (thank you Hobby Lobby & Michaels for always having them on sale...I will never have enough)
After researching hair dryers (yes, I have a thing for nice hair dryers) I think I have decided on this one...if someone decide to make this purchase...get it from the link below - amazon.com sells it for WAY less!!! It's the T3 Bespoke Labs Evolution
I have been in the process of "re-inventing" myself with my wardrobe...this would GREATLY help the cause...Forever 21 gift card!
Lush Dream Cream - this stuff is AWESOME! Smells good and is so thick & creamy
Pioneer Woman Cookbook (it has taken everything in me to not just go and buy it already!)
iTunes gift card (I need new tunes!)
US Weekly subscription (whats a girl gotta do to get this back in her mailbox?!)
Also from Anthro...this tablecloth! BEAUTIFUL! When we move, I want to do a totally shappy chic kitchen!
I will add more throughout the month...

Simple Pleasures

2010-02-03T09:08:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Kelly posted about Simple Pleasures...I loved all of hers and decided to join in and write down my simple pleasure. This is what she wrote

"her and her friends in high school used to play a game called "Simple Pleasures" where they would list things that were just "simple pleasures" like warm socks out of the dryer or hot chocolate on a cold day."

Here are mine:

the smell of a summer morning
finding greeting cards that make you laugh out loud or say exactly the thing you wanted to share with someone
BLT's with really crispy bacon on toasted bread
a warm towel right when you get out of the shower
crisp magazine
kaki shorts with a long sleeved t-shirt
an abundance of christmas cards in your mailbox
apple butter
the cool side of a pillow
the perfect candid picture
a cute spiral / notebook
a cold coca-cola when you are really craving it
cowboy boots
blueberries with cinnamon and sugar
cuddling with a sleeping baby
picking up family from the airport
friends that ask if there is anything they can pray for you
flats.
the first time you wear flip fops in spring!
Barkers hot dogs
opening the gift you never asked for but always wanted
thunderstorms at night in the summer
talking about memories with college friends
putting your to do list aside to finish a book!
the warmth of the sun on a cool day
beaches at sunset
beaches...at any time of day!

I think I could go on and on...what are some of your simple pleasures?

homemade shmomade...

2010-01-28T21:27:00.003-05:00

we went to whole food today and bought all this...

when we got home, i put knox down for a nap and spent the next 2 1/2 hours slaving in the kitchen...after knox got up and i fed him...we continued playing "food factory" in the kitchen for another hour.

today we added some new foods to the freezer:

-apple berry (apples and blueberries) - this stuff is YUMMY! i want to make a big gallon just for me!

-swaccoli (sweet potatoes and broccoli)

and also made more...

-sweet peas

-green bees (fun name for green beans)

-sweet toes (fun name for sweet potatoes)

and tomorrow i will make...

-pears

-mangos

my feet hurt, my back hurts...

what is the cure you say?? snuggle time with knox. we just finished snuggling after we snuck him out of bed and into our arms. we are making this a habit too often...but it's just too fun and he doesn't even wake up!

(yes, that is sweet potato up his nose. blame daddy. he was in charge of bath tonight while i was rehearsing with the band.)

(we laid him down on the couch after we held him to stare...it made me giggle, his little hands do the silliest things while he is sleeping!)

it's a messy job, but someone has to do it!

2010-01-27T21:23:00.003-05:00

most times, when i feed knox...we keep it all nice and clean..."shaving" off the food around his mouth after i try and get a spoonful in.

tonight....

i gave up.

chuck wasn't here.

i was tired. so we were messy.

2010-01-26T13:20:00.003-05:00

i miss being able to recite scripture. i used to have many verses memorized thanks to Bible Drill (state champ right here!) and all my many moments spent at p-wood (that is prestonwood for your non dallas peeps). anyways, i have decided that this is the year i will memorize some of Gods word. i have not set a lofty goal...1 a month, but i hope to do more. to help, i am using my plate in the kitchen. one verse stays up until i have it memorized. i also have the same verse in my planner which clearly i look at that several times a day, therefore i see the verse.

January's verse...i'm lovin it! and it is memorized!

in other "readings"...me and this lil' dude like to read together...

i like to do this lil' dudes hair. what a stud.

thats all for today. make it a great one.

2010-01-19T17:19:00.003-05:00

today we went to the park to go walk with susan & ellie cate. lil' man and i decided to stay...for an hour and a half we played.

and we laughed.

we were in awe of Gods creation and the blue sky...

we read books.

we just spent time together...

and it made us smile!

SAHM lunch & dinner too!

2010-01-18T18:03:00.006-05:00

I often struggle with what to eat when I am at home everyday. Today - I had a GREAT lunch. And easy and yummy salad...

And I also made homemade pita chips...with homemade hummus - Yep...so delicious!

Do you ever just crave a salad, but no clue how to pull one together other than put lettuce on a plate with salad dressing and maybe some croutons? Ya'll - this salad is easy and I just made it up!

Terri's Easy Yummy Salad (yep, thats what I call it)

Lettuce of your choosing (I like the Spring mix!)
1 can of mandarin oranges (drain and use as many as you like on your salad
1 bag of a "nut" salad topper - I got one with almonds and pecans
Newmans Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
Mix together

Everything you buy will make several salads so you can make a fresh one every day for lunch for a week or even for dinner! Chuck and I actually had it for dinner the other night and put grilled chicken on it...

I LOVE to much on hummus and pita chips. At our community group last week, one of the girls brought homemade pita chips and told me how to make them. What better to put them to the test with than homemade hummus too! I looked at several recipes online, but then just went for it and added stuff I had in the pantry..

Terri's Garlic & Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

1 can Chickpeas
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 sun-dried tomatoes from jar
olive oil
lemon juice
salt & pepper
cumin
parmesan cheese
In a blender or food processor, blend up chickpeas and garlic. Slowly add in olive oil until you are happy with consistency. Then squirt in some lemon juice add some cumin, salt & pepper and i threw in some parmesan cheese i had in the fridge. Then I chopped up the sun-dried tomatoes and stirred them in! (i made mine kind of thick & chunky which is different than store bought hummus, but very good)

Homemade Pita Chips

1 pack of pita bread
olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic powder
parmesan cheese
Pre-heat the oven to 325. Stack the pita bread and then cut them in all in half. Then cut each of the halves into quarters. Then pull each triangle apart and lay them on a cookie sheet with the rough, inside of the pita facing up (does that make sense?). Brush each triangle with olive oil then crack pepper over them on throw on some sea salt. I also shook some garlic powder over them along with parmesan cheese. Put in the oven for about 5-10 minutes...BUT keep an eye on them, cause they will crisp up fast!!

Enjoy!

6 months!

2010-01-15T20:50:00.006-05:00

Hey ya'll (yep, my mom taught me early on that I am from Texas, well not really, but she is...so I had to learn to say "ya'll"). Can you believe I am 6 months old?! My mommy and daddy tell me every day they can't believe that I have only been in their life for 6 months...and then they tell me they can't imagine life without me. I have to be honest, I think they sometimes are just kissing up to me so they don't won't feel as bad one day when they actually get frustrated with me. I'm just sayin'!

Anyways, we had my 6 month appointment on Friday (even though I turned 6 months LAST Sunday) and the most shocking thing we found out is that i am in the

3rd PERCENTILE for weight

isn't that crazy??? My doctor wasn't that worried, but she said that I should start drinking formula. If anyone had just asked me I would have told them that I'm just not really a boob man. Sorry to be so honest, but there is just too much going on around me when my mom tries to feed me. When she gives me a bottle sometimes, I love being able to look around...and when mommy nurses me...well, I'm just not that into it. So - formula it is!

Speaking of food, I am so torn on whether or not I like cereal. Sometimes I like to eat it and others I don't, just depends on my mood. My mom has also fed me apples and peas. Clearly I like apples better - who wouldn't!! I try to be very obvious that I don't like peas by gagging and being very dramatic, but between you and me...they aren't so bad. I ate all of them the other night! It will probably just take me a few more weeks to get the hang of it.

And I just started eating sweet potatoes. How do I get my mommy to feed those to me at every meal?! They are incredible!!!

Now that I don't really nap anymore from 3-7pm...I like to cook dinner with mommy. She loves to cook and teaches me alot. I just sit in my bumbo and watch her go to work. She can even feed me while she cooks - talented lady!

(please don't call child protective services on my mom - I understand there is a knife beside me...well, and wine too, but i still don't really reach for any of that so I'm safe!)

Now, let's talk about my favorite topic...my schedule. I enjoy my days because mommy has me on such a rigid, oops, I mean great schedule. Here is what my typical schedule is:

7am Wake up & drink up!

8am Eat some breakfast

9am Nap

11am Wake up & drink up!

12pm East some lunch

1pm Nap

3pm Wake up & drink up!

6pm East some dinner

6:30 Bedtime routine (naked time on changing pad, bath, lotion rubdown & book)

7pm Drink up & off to bed

**This is during naked time on the changing pad...it might just be my favorite time of the day!)

Because of this great schedule she has me on...I sure love sleep! Ever night I am SOOO happy when I finally get put in my own bed - I immediately throw my hands behind my bed and drift off to sleep. I don't really cry, but sometimes I talk it out...depends on my mood.

Seriously, this is how I sleep at night or during naps. It's just my thing. The ladies love it!

Other things I'm up to:

Rolling from my tummy to back
Reaching for toys & actually playing with them
Sitting up by myself
Talking..."ahhh ya ya ya ya ya ya ya" - that's my favorite currently
Sitting on my mama's hip
Laughing loudly
Blowing rasberries
Sitting in my big stoller

Crazy that 1/2 a year ago...I was this tiny!

Have a great week! I know I will!!! And thanks for keeping up with my life! My mommy likes that you read her blogs and loves getting more and more followers.