What a Difference a Year Makes

It was Labor Day weekend one year ago that my husband of three months and I moved into our current home in Mississippi.  It was a crazy fast move, and it's amazing to reflect on what's happened since that time and see how far we've come, in our home, in our lives, in our marriage.

Emptiness became plenty...

Discord became harmony....

And where there was barrenness, something grew!

 

What they say is true....

 

What a difference a year makes!

Christmas Gift Ideas for My Husband

Why is it so hard to pick out a Christmas gift for my husband?  Why are guys just hard to buy for in general?   Why am I already stressing out over Christmas gifts in August?

My goal this year is to gather my gifts along the way and avoid "Christmas Panic" (defined as fewer a situation in which there are fewer than 7 days left until Christmas and you have fewer than half your gifts purchased).  I'm already well on my way with several gifts checked off the list already.

Back to my husband.  He's outdoorsy, professional, and loves movies.  He also loves entertaining, so my first thought was a new grill, like these Napoleon grills.  He really likes to grill, see?

So that's an option, definitely.  Adding to the gift-decision stress is the fact that I have never bought him a Christmas gift as his wife.  Last year was our first Christmas, and we had only been married six months and had already moved twice, so we agreed that for the sake of our finances, we'd skip giving each other gifts. 

So the pressure is on!  I technically have two Christmases to make up for. In that case, I guess that means I should go with the Napoleon gourmet grills instead!

Other options to consider:

Outdoorsey clothes from Mountain Hardware.  He loves that stuff.  I think he fancies himself to be rugged.  How adorable!

Seeing as how grilling and clothes (yes, you heard me) really are two of his favorite things, maybe I could go with both.  Maybe more budget-friendly options, like this Weber portable gas grill and a jacket from Old Navy.

You heard it here first....no Christmas Panic for me this year!

One Year Ago

Children's Rooms

As our first anniversary nears, more and more people are asking the big question:  When are you going to start having kids?  While we do want children in the future, they are still not in the near future. 

However, this recurring question, plus the pregnancy of a good friend back home in Georgia, has got me to thinking about one part of having a family that I'm really, really looking forward to: decorating a child's room!

We'll start with the gals....


This furniture reminds me of what I had as a child.  There's nothing sweeter than white furniture for a little girl.  I love teh contrast of the white with the punches of bold colors.  And it's so very whimsical!

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Green is my current color du jour, and I love the way this room's green pallet reminds me of a springtime garden.  And the antique-style iron bed is fantastic!

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This room has one of the most beautiful color combos of all-time--blue and yellow.  I adore those cotton bowl canvases, and the yellow accent wall makes the softer colors pop.

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As you can tell, I'm currently not favoring pink for my hypothetical little girl's room....maybe it's because I grew up in a crisp blue and white room!

On to the fellows....

I'm so in love with the idea of bunk beds in a boy's room. Maybe that's because my brothers had them in the room they shared.  To a kid, bunk beds are just plain more fun than regular beds. Period.

It's important to try and find cheap bunk beds for kids since, alas, they will eventually grow out of them.  But, I could always go for these full-over-full bunk beds that will last a little bit longer before they grow out of them! 

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(FYI, there are special bunk bed mattresses....I didn't know that!)

   

These next two rooms prove that white can be for boys too!  These bunk beds are pretty and boyish...who knew that could happen!  I love the bright, crisp red, white, and blue color schemes. 

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And how amazing is it that sports pennants are the valances over the windows!  What a unique and distincly masculine touch.



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This next room is very child-like but so grown-up.  Sophisticated yet fanciful.  I love the organic colors and love the way this room could last him for many years!

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This last room would be, if I had to guess, the room my husband would choose for our son.  He grew up riding on his make-believe range and checking on real live cows with his farmer grandfather.  He's a cowboy at heart and would love to pass that on to his son.  Such a "tough" room for a rough-and-tumble little boy!

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Hope you found these rooms as inspiring as I did! What did y'all do in your kids' rooms?

Happy Valentine's Day

I'm really not a sentimental girl.

Really!

But it's hard not to feel a wee bit Valentine-y when I look at this picture of my husband and me the day after we were engaged.

There's actually not a whole lot of photos of us pre-marriage....after all, we had only been dating for five months when we got engaged!

I'm really not a "lovey" girl.  I don't like romantic comedies or love songs.  But here I am, on my wedding day, with my husband, less than one year after we'd first met.

When it was time to leave the church, I found that it was not an easy task waving goodbye to your whole family.  I could not have done it for just anyone.

Here we are in Costa Rica on our honeymoon....a huge step for me!  My first time out of the country, and my first trip as a "married lady."  I could have only done that with someone I truly trusted and loved.

I have to admit, I'm not the kind of girl who finds it easy to fall in love.

But I'm glad I did.

Happy Valentine's Day!

New Year's Resolutions

As a child and well up into my college years, I was a faithful writer (and sometimes keeper) of New Year's resolutions.  I've let go of that tradition these past few years, and while I realize that unrealistic expectations are not healthy, I love the idea of fresh starts and new perspectives and renewed strength.  And in many ways, 2011, being my first full year as a wife and the keeper of a home, it makes all the more sense to begin this near year with some clear goals.

1. Put my faith first.

It is by God's grace alone that I live and breathe.  He deserves all the honor and praise I can give Him.

2. Prize my marriage.

We have been married seven months.  I have moments every day when I realize what a novice I am at this.  But I firmly believe that these are the days that will set the precedence for our marriage, and I am determined to treat every moment, good or bad, as a privilege.

Not all my resolutions are quite as "lofty"....

3. Finish this afghan.

It's so lovely and the perfect color for spring.  I started it right after we married when we were temporarily in Des Moines, and it's over halfway finished. I put it aside in all the moving chaos that ensued, but it needs to be finished within a few months, at least!

4. Grow a vegetable garden and get serious about canning/preserving.

I've always had a flower garden, but I've never tried my hand at vegetables (which is a shame, because my family farms!).  This year, however, I (fingers crossed) will be building raised beds to combat the poor quality soil in southern Mississippi and growing our own vegetables.  I want to be committed to thriftiness and health.

5. Craft!

I've loved to make things my whole life, and it's a joy to be able to fill my home with handmade things.  I never want to let that hobby fall by the wayside.  It's fun, relaxing, and usually economically a smart idea.

6. Be committed to my Etsy shop.

This is my first "business" endeavor, and I am realizing that maintaining it takes daily work. I don't want to let it fall by the wayside.

7.  Last but not least, above all....

May none of us ever forget it!

Happy New Year!

Our First Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is finally up! I so enjoyed making all the ornaments and getting to finally see them in use.

The garland is simply burlap strips tied together with some felt and buttons glued on along the way.

Here is a pretty one made from a Graphics Fairy graphic, sheet music, cardboard, and glitter.

Mod Podge creations....

Crinkle Ornaments....

Jar lid ornaments....

And the star!

Amos, wearing his Christmas finery, is my trusty companion in all that I do.

It has truly been a special experience to decorate our tree in our house during this first Christmas season as a married couple.  And it made it even more special that it means a lot to my husband, too!  He's a pretty sentimental guy, and we're definitely enjoying this time together.  I know we'll always remember sitting in our tiny first house and gazing at our tiny first tree.  I wouldn't trade it!

Merry Christmas!

P.S. I'm linking this up to Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Take a Look Tuesday, What's Up Wednesday, Feathered Nest Friday, Sassy Sites, Perfectly Imperfect, and the Boardwalk Bragfest! See their buttons at their permanent home on my sidebar.

I'm also linking to