Lil' Mans new room!

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.

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

Simple Lyrics...Sweet tears...

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?!

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!

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..

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

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

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!)