These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Here are some things that I'm loving lately:

Country Magazine
I used to see Country Magazine at my Nana and Poppy's house when I was younger and would always look through it. Nana was raised in the country so she liked to look through all of the beautiful pictures. So about a year ago, I decided to subscribe! Their tag line is, "For those who live in or long for the country." It's just a beautiful magazine, and I recently got the fall issue---gorgeous photos!

NeNe on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"
Okay, let me first say that the New York City Housewives are my favorite, but NeNe is hilarious. I seriously laugh out loud at something she says in every episode. I just really like NeNe.

Crystal Light!
I really don't like the taste of water (am I the only one...??), so I have fallen in love with Crystal Light. There's only 5 calories, which is really helping me with my weight loss. I think I've lost about 8 pounds, give or take a few. Yay! I still treat myself to a Gatorade or soda every now and then, but I'm primarily drinking Crystal Light so I don't drink all of my calories. My favorite flavors are Cherry Pomegranate and Raspberry Lemonade.


Houzz.com
I recently discovered this website, where you can look through images and compile an ideabook for your home. I already have a file on my computer and a hard-copy file folder where I put magazine clippings that I like. This site is addicting!


Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes
I just like these girls. Don't really have any impressive reasons, I just like their style and how they present themselves. I'm going to overlook the Scientology thing with Katie, and that Posh was in the Spice Girls {who am I kidding, I liked a few Spice Girls songs once I listened to them about 10 years late---thanks for not letting me listen to them, Mom}. I'd basically like to have lunch with Katie and Victoria, even though I have a feeling they might be a little snobby?



Bath & Body Works Winter Scents
I got a catalog recently highlighting the upcoming Bath & Body Works Winter Collection, but I threw it away before I could write down the fragrances! I'm so frustrated, because I was excited about the names. :( But I believe they're similar to last year's, which included Very Merry Cranberry, Vanilla Bean Noel, and of course Winter Candy Apple. I can't WAIT to buy some! And last but NOT least, it's obvious that I'm loving the best husband and most adorable daughter in the world! Lately, Daddy helped Evy Kate with her sweet potatoes for dinner. They were a hit!



I love all of life's "Favorites."

Have a great evening---

Perfect Words.

I love Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick. She's so inventive and talented in the way she decorates and turns old finds into treasures for her home. She also has a talent for writing. She recently wrote this letter to a friend of hers that is expecting her first child. This is exactly how I feel at this point in my life, and she expressed it so well.

Here is Sarah's letter that she wrote:


For at least the new two years, probably more, you will have very little control over your life. It starts with labor -- you can't plan it (I know, it killed me too!), you can't tell that little one how or when to come, and you can't control how the labor will go. All you can do is relax, let go, breathe, and realize you have to give it up to the people that know best...the nurses, your doctor, God.

After the baby is here, you will have zero control over your life because that itty bitty patootie will rule. your. world. You will feel exhaustion like you've never known. You will want to give your right arm for a few straight hours of sleep. You will have to plan to leave the house well ahead of time. And when you do leave the house, it will be 30 minutes later than you had planned.

Speaking of sleep, even the best sleepers (ours slept through at FIVE weeks) will drive you absolutely mad at times. They will sleep three hours at a time for a few nights...sleep for six one night...you will get on your knees thanking God...and then that next night they will will wake up every two. It is a bit maddening. There are also nights when they just don't want to sleep, thank you very much. They would rather just lay there staring at you, thank you again.

Because of this, there may be times you will look at your child at 3 a.m., begging him to PLEASE JUST GO TO SLEEP. You may not even like him much at those moments. YES -- I said it, there are times you just are not nuts about them for being itty bitty and helpless and ruling your world (at 3 a.m. nonetheless).

And then that moment passes, and in the middle of the night, you will look at your baby's sweet eyes in the dark, rub his tiny head and you may just cry because you are so incredibly blessed to have this child. To be rocking this child at 3 a.m. You will realize there is no place you would rather be, ever.

You will be overwhelmed at how people love your baby. Yes, you know your friends love you. But you will realize you didn't have a clue how much they love you until you see the way they love your child. You will realize how much you mean to the people around you, because of the way they love your baby. It will overwhelm you, the love you will feel in those first weeks.

A few weeks after that sweet bubby is born, you will start needing a little somethin'. Just a little -- a little something in return for all that feeding, loving, feeding, smooching. And then. THEN, your child will smile at you. YOUR CHILD. He will smile at you like you are the sun and the moon and the stars and it will be one of the best moments of your entire life.

You will spend the rest of your days trying to get your child to smile at you like that again.

One of the biggest changes I noticed after our son was born was the new "weight" of being a Mom. It's the best way I can explain it. It's like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, in a good way. You now have a life to look after, and that is a really big deal. Sometimes that weight is really noticeable. You will feel it all the time -- but mostly when you leave the baby with Daddy for an hour. Or with Grandma for an evening so you can go out with friends.

From the day that baby is born, you are ALWAYS, ALWAYS thinking about them, worrying about them, wondering about them. You may not realize it, but it's always there. That weight lessens as they get older, but it's only because you get used to it. You are now a Mommy, and that comes with so much wonderful responsibility.

Your life is about to change for the better. You will never be the same. You will come back and read this a few months from now and have a whole new appreciation for these words. And when someone you love has their first baby, you will try to express to them the crazy, indescribable love they are about to feel, and you won't be able to put it into words for them either.

Wasn't that beautiful, and so well written? I couldn't help but borrow it and share it with you. I let Sarah know that I was putting it up, so she gets FULL credit for this beautiful letter.

Being a mom is hands-down the best thing that has ever happened to me. Ever.

Come over to Evy's Crib

Evy and I have had fun today, even though Kurt's on call :( We have stayed around the house and I've actually gotten some things done!

-Vacuuming
-Going through Evy's closet and determining what I need to be looking for clothes-wise
-Packing up more out-grown clothes of Evy's (sad!)
-Took apart the swing because I think we've reached the weight limit (I figured this out because it was creaking under her weight...haha!)
-Now storing the Exersaucer (which she's loving) where the swing used to be in her room; it looks like she's growing up
-Uploaded some pictures to be used for the Lynwood website
-Got caught up on some emails
-Uploaded new pictures to my Artistry website and Facebook album

Whew! In the midst of all this, Evy was relaxing and reading a magazine....well, cloth book:


I asked her if there was anything I could get her to make her more comfortable:



While I was working on her room, I put her in her crib. She's not used to playing in her crib; she's really only slept in it. But she's getting to the age where she can explore more, and now that she's sitting up, I'll need to put some entertaining things there. This was her first time to sit up in front of her little aquarium. It was a whole new world!


She did great sitting up, but took a few topples. She thought this was hilarious.

Maybe we should find joy in things as silly as falling over :)

Have a great evening!----

Sitting Pretty

Here's another picture of my sweet baby sitting by herself! When Kurt got home, she proudly showed off her newest talent and sat for longer stretches of time! She is balancing so well and it's so funny, because we've never seen her in this position before! :o) What a big girl!

Pictures and a Milestone!

Evy looked so especially cute today that I snapped a bunch of pictures!


This is an outfit that my sisters and I all wore:




I'm sorry....does this face not melt your heart ?!


I had her in a little long-sleeved onesie and they just look so cute on her. I couldn't help but take pictures :o)





We met my friend Brooke for lunch and had so much fun catching up. Brooke and I went to high school and college together (as well as London Semester), so we share many memories!


We were a little late to lunch though, because guess who sat by herself right before we left!?!?!?


THIS GIRL!
I was able to snap one right after it happened, but they didn't turn out too well. So the ones above were taken right after lunch. She can only do it for a short second, and sometimes has to hold onto something a little, but she's upright and definitely getting there! I'm so proud of my sweet girl!!

I love that my baby sitting up is the highlight of my life right now. I wouldn't have it any other way :o)

Kelly's Tour---Wedding Showers

Here were my wonderful wedding showers!!

At Kurt's home church in north Mississippi:



My wonderful high school shower where my mom also taught elementary school. It was wonderful to have my favorite high school teachers there!


My home church shower:



My lingerie shower was super fun! My mom was there, as well as women from all ages that I was close to. We really had a lot of fun just talking and being girls :o)



My beautiful bridesmaid's luncheon....so much fun!

With my Aunt Karen who I love so much!




I so enjoyed my wedding season....what wonderful memories!

Come back and visit soon!---

Girl's Night Out!

I can't believe I just wrote that as my title....do you know how rare it is that I ever do a girl's night out?! I didn't even do it much when I was single or dating or engaged. I don't know, I've just always done lunches with my girlfriends...

Anyway, my precious friend Carrie and I planned MONTHS ago to go to Easely Amused and take a painting class. They walk you through a painting step by step and it's so fun. I had already been once before and painted a Christmas painting, and this was Carrie's first time, so we were super excited. Also---get this---we got to eat. At a restaurant. Alone. It was SO different than what we normally do (lunch with our kids), and we had an absolute blast! We painted a paisley cross called "Hallelujah." Here are some pic


Here's my painting in its new home: the guest bathroom! Eventually I'll put it in a playroom, kids' bathroom, or somewhere like that. But I like how it adds color to the bathroom for now!

I'm so thankful for Carrie and her friendship. She's truly a kindred spirit and a bosom friend, to quote my beloved Anne of Green Gables. :o) Love you, Carrie!

I took some adorable pictures of Evy this morning that I'm in the process of uploading. I'll put them up later today!