Bits and Pieces

It is well with my soul

2012-01-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

In November, we got all gussied up and headed over to an old family farm in Lexington so that Lucas could snap some photos of the four of us. What a super special treat, I’m telling you! We all had so much fun with Lucas. Anna Cate will now tell you that her two favorite things are 1) weddings and 2) photo shoots. I think she would die if she new Mr. Lucas got to do both...at the same time...for a living! We have decided we have to build family pictures into our budget so we can do this every so often. (And if you are looking for somebody super talented and fun to work with, give Lucas a call. seriously, hands down, the best of the best.) And maybe this goes without saying, but all of the pics in this post are ones that he took (and two up there in the header too).

He has no idea what a blessing he was to our family and how much I treasure these photos of the four of us right here, right now, in this sweet season of life that we are in. 2011 was definitely a year I will always look back on with bittersweet memories; lots of laughter, many tears, growing closer as a family and learning to lean into the Lord with each step that I take.

Last week I was flipping through old pages in my journal. I hadn’t read back through things I had written earlier in the year, and I was humbled at just how specifically God had answered almost every prayer I had written on those pages. It certainly didn’t feel like He was answering prayers as we were living out our days in 2011, but looking back I can see His providence in all of it.

My heart has amnesia and I forget the lyrics to the songs that He has already taught me, ones that I thought I knew by heart. I question and I flail and I loose heart. I doubt His goodness and His grace when things don't feel good and circumstances don't work out according to my selfish desires.

Last January, while on our church's women's retreat in the cold, snowy mountains of Hendersonville, I heard one of the ladies speaking about how she claims a Bible verse for each day. So very naively, I decided I'd claim a verse for the year. I landed on Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

I think the "Be Still" part sounded great to me and I just disregarded the rest. Honestly, I do. Being still sounded like a great invitation to rest, a welcomed permission to slooooow down. Goodness gracious I had no idea what I was asking. To claim a verse and invite the Lord to show me what it meant.

So I returned home and went back to living life as I had always known it to be. God was part of my day, a quick "hello" in my quiet time or in brief worship as I sang along with the radio, but not part of my whole day. I did not need Him to carry me, to cover me with His grace because my heart felt raw and exposed.

But then He showed up to make good on our deal. He would teach my heart what it meant to know what Psalm 46:10 means. To live it out, in the flesh, to fight and claw my way into understanding what being still and knowing really means.

In the course of the next few months, I came to dread the text from Will that read

Call me asap.

I never knew when the next ball was going to drop:

"Can you talk?

The doctor just called.

It is melanoma.

I won't know how invasive until he sees the pathology report."

Be still and know.

"I'm so sorry sweetie, but Dandy just passed away."

Be still and know.

"My job circumstances have changed and I think now is the time to go off on my own and start my own business."

Be still and know

"It's Caws. She's gone.

It happened sometime early this morning while she was asleep."

Be still and know

As we packed our Christmas decorations up last year, I was so sure that we would be celebrating this Christmas as a family of five. And month after disappointing month, realizing that our desires were not part of God's plan for us right now.

Be still and know

It has been painful. All of it. Some days I feel forgotten and unloved. I feel like throwing my hands in the air and waving like a crazy woman, "Here, Lord, down here. Do you see me? Do you even realize what all we are going through right now? Why, why, and again WHY?"

The pain has made my heart tender, and though not at all what I would pick for myself if given the choice, it has been a beautiful mess because I have grown in an intimacy with Him that I have never known before. I walk around with a throbbing heart that can only find relief in His presence. In being still before Him.

A little verse that I thought would unlock permission for me to relax and rest has taught me so much about my own selfishness. About my own sense of entitlement; how ugly it is and how much that I exercise it on a daily basis. About patience and that waiting on the Lord produces a patience which leads to practicing contentment. And what a rich abundance contentment can be for those who truly find it and can find rest in Him and what He gives.

About living with an open palm instead of a closed fist. In learning to accept the good and what appears to be bad (the things we don't understand) as His love for us.

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

I had just been focusing on the first sentence, but silly me, there are two more. The greater part of the verse was the part that I chose to overlook at first. The when we are still before Him, we can not help but worship Him, exalting Him among the nations and in the earth.

I can no longer worship on Sunday mornings without tears. His grace is real and it is tender. And as December came to a close and I realized it was time to pick a new verse, you can understand my hesitancy at picking anything at all. In fact, I told Him that I wasn't, and if there was something He wanted me to learn in 2012, He was going to have to make it loud and clear as to what verse it would be.

And wouldn't you know, He did. And I baulked, stubborn and unrelenting. But He persisted. Over and over again He would put this verse in front of me until I could no longer argue my point. So now, in fear and trembling, I begin this new year, much like a timid doe stepping out of the forest, just waiting for the shot to go off:

But now, this is what the Lord says

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Isreal: "fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine."

Isaiah 43:1

I know, I know, I can only imagine what 2012 is going to be like.

Tomorrow is a Big Day

2011-03-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

And I'm not sure who is more excited, she or I! She has already been to three ballets in the total of her three little years here with us. Most everyday, she wears her favorite leotard, tutu and most always requests to wear her hair in a bun. Her favorite Pandora channel is "Classical Ballet. " Her little sister and I are privileged to attend at least three shows a day, but are always offered an intermission in case we need to go to the bathroom. ;)

This morning, while she was at preschool, Caroline and I went and picked out her first real leotard for her first ballet class tomorrow. We wrapped it up and are anxiously waiting for her to open it tonight after dinner. I am a little nervous, but she is a lot excited so hopefully things will go well tomorrow!

More pictures to follow...

Master Bath

2010-12-04T20:46:00.001-08:00

Master Bath by OurHappyLittleNest on Polyvore.com

Vintage Nursery

2010-12-04T12:32:00.001-08:00

Vintage Nursery by OurHappyLittleNest on Polyvore.com

We've moved!

2009-10-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true...we've set up a new blog and will no longer be posting here. It is really hard to keep up with two babies and two blogs, so I'll be combining our family blog and my craft blog into one! We also have privacy concerns. I checked our stats the other day and was shocked at how many hits we are getting. I am going to continue blogging, but won't use our last name.

If you've linked our blog to your blog, would you mind changing the new url address? I know that is a hassle, but we'd really appreciate it! :)

Our new address is www.ourhappylittlenest.blogspot.com. (I know it is somewhat cheesy, but EVERYTHING I could think of has already been registered with blogspot!! I've been brainstorming for several weeks and this is all I could come up with that isn't already in use.)

Hope we'll see you soon at the new website!

Will and Mary Catherine

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Because really, there are no words.

The Camping Trip that Wasn't

2009-10-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

We thought it would be great fun to take the girls up to Table Rock to stay in one of those little humble state park cabins for the weekend. We called to make reservations and unfortunately, they were all booked up for several months...go figure.

Then Will suggested we try someplace closer to home and just stay in our tent. We pulled our camping gear down from the attic and set the tent up in the den. I was a little hesitant about all four of us sleeping in a 2-man tent, but, why not? What is the worst thing that could happen? We just might not get any sleep for a night.

We decided on Dreher Island and I called Friday morning to reserve a camp site. After four (yes 4!) dropped calls, I finally was able to speak to someone who could help us. But when she asked me for my credit card, I suddenly couldn't find my wallet. I was still in my nightgown, curlers in my hair, frantically running around the house and out to my car while holding a wailing Caroline looking for my wallet. (I find myself continuously looking for the hidden camera that must be following me around now that I have two children. I mean really, we'd make a great reality show right now). I finally asked her if I could just call her back. As soon as I hung up the phone I realized THIS TRIP IS NOT MEANT TO BE.

I called Will to tell him what had happened and that I thought it was a sign that we weren't suppose to go. We both agreed that it would probably be best to have a test run in our backyard anyways because I had a feeling somebody might panic when the sun went down and she was expected to sleep in the tent.

All I can say is THANK GOODNESS I FOLLOWED MY INTUITION!

This is the story our very first family camping trip. ;)

All started out well! She kept telling us how she was camping and going to sleep in a tent!

Not quite sure what to think, but things are still looking optimistic...

We grilled up some steaks and enjoyed a picnic dinner outside.

After dinner, we thought we'd try sitting in the tent before we changed into our pj's and pulled out the sleeping bags.

We were good for about 3 minutes, but once it was totally dark outside, she began to get nervous. She kept looking out of the tent windows and started saying, "Daddy, I tait see me house, Daddy!"

This kept on for a couple of minutes more until it resulted in a full blown freak out!

Just look at that face! It looks like we had our very own Blair Witch Project right here in the back yard.

Now what kind of mother would continue to take pictures?? I know, I'm horrible! Bless her heart, it was so funny I almost wet my pants. Needless to say, this concluded our first attempt to camp out.

Brave, Daring, or Just Plain Nuts?

2009-10-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

We shall soon find out!

We are packing up for a little family camping trip. Be back soon with some pictures and stories to share of our adventure.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Simple Pleasures

2009-09-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

Anna Cate's favorite past time right now is pretending to be Cinderella while she cleans the floor. I kid you not, the child is perfectly happy with some paper towels and a spray bottle. This keeps her busy for as long as 45 minutes and Caroline is just as content to sit and watch Anna Cate, which gives me a chance to get supper on the table!

And please note the green ribbon she has tied around her waist. This is the "sash" that she insists on wearing while she cleans...just like Cinderella. ;)

2009-09-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

Busy Bees

2009-09-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

We have been busy little bees the past several weeks! It seems we've had an outing or a play date almost everyday recently.

Zoo Trip with Reece and Mason

Sharing a snack with Mason at the zoo. (I think this was the first of four snack breaks we took during the hour and a half that we were there.) ;)

Anna Cate, Reece, and Mason examining a salamander. And no, this was not a zoo exhibit, just a random salamander they found during our second snack break.

Picnic in the Park with Benson

These two were precious together. Benson introduced Anna Cate to the waterfall that is at the park and it is all she has talked about since. She keeps asking her daddy if he will take her to the "waterplall at the park."

Looking for rocks to throw in the creek.

Benson also shared one of his toy cars with Anna Cate and taught her how to race them down the slide. She had a blast being introduced to all of these boyish past times. Maybe one day Benson can come to our house and Anna Cate can show him how to bake some cookies in her little oven. ;)

Sweet Caroline

It is pure bliss when daddy comes home from work. The house immediately becomes filled with the sounds of squeals, giggles, and the sound of little feet (first running to the door to greet him, and then almost immediately running away before he can get her. )

Go tigers!

This was seriously the best picture from about 15 that I took last Thursday morning as we were rushing out of the door to story time at the library. The girls were wearing their matching Clemson dresses (thank you Miep!) because the Tigers had a game that night. :)

The Story of "Jomah" According to Anna Cate

2009-09-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

Please just ignore me repeating everything she is saying. I did that to try and interperet because otherwise, you might not understand a word she is saying! :)

Sweet as Sugar

2009-09-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid Will is going to come home one day to find

I've eaten her all up!

2009-08-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the girls from this week for those who have been requesting more photos!

We usually have a dance party in the evenings after supper. Anna Cate loves to pull something out of her dress up box to wear while dancing and this particular night she also brought Caroline a tutu to wear so she could also join in the fun!

A Little R&R at the IOP

2009-08-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

Will and I took the girls to the beach last weekend for our first official vacation with just the four of us. Will headed back to work on Sunday and I had planned to come back with him, but we were having so much fun that we decided to stay through the week.

Some of the Bunco girls came down with all of their kiddos on Monday. With 6 adults and 8 children (ages 8 weeks to 3 years), we had a house full! It was so much fun for Anna Cate to have some playmates on the beach and I really enjoyed some fun girl time!

Caroline with her buddy Sarah Kate chillin out by the pool.

Anna Cate is getting braver in the water. She started sticking her head in the water and jumping off of the side of the pool to us this week.

Anna Cate doesn't like the waves in the ocean, but their is a tidal pool on the beach that she loves playing in. The pool had tons of star fish and although she was a little timid of them at first, she finally found the courage to pick one up.

Then Will surprised us by coming back down on Thursday evening for another weekend at the beach.

Another attempt to get a decent family picture. It was too windy and Anna Cate wouldn't sit still long enough to get a good picture.

For those of you who have heard us call Caroline "Fluffy" (or as Anna Cate says, "Pluffy") this is a fantastic example of why. Any time we take her outside, the wind blow her hair straight up on her head and it stays that way until we wash it. Poor little thing!

More Today Than Yesterday

2009-07-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

5 years ago today...

...All I know is that I fell in love with you

And if all my dreams come true

I'll be spending time with you...

I love you more today than yesterday

But only half as much as tomorrow ;)

I. Give. Up.

2009-07-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

You would think taking a nap would be an easy, daily event in the life of a 2 year old. Lay down, close eyes, and drift off to sleep.

Not this child.

She has a talent for entertaining herself with whatever is available to her in her room.

This started when she was a mere 8 months old. Instead of laying down to sleep one afternoon, I found that she had somehow entertained herself with catching butterflies before her nap. Hanging over her crib was a jumbled mess of what was once her mobile. How she even was able to reach them still baffles me to this day.

As she has gotten older, her habit has grown increasingly worse and worse. Most afternoons I'll find her with books, toys, clothes, shoes, (yes even her piggy bank).

I've tried everything and nothing has worked. So last week I removed every toy and book from her room. I'm talking down to the bare bones. Only the furniture remained. I thought there was nothing left she could entertain herself with...

I was wrong.

This is what Will found when he went to get her up from her nap last Friday afternoon.

Weekend Pics

2009-07-20T02:58:00.001-07:00

Another boat ride on Saturday evening with the Scott family. Unfortunately these are the only two pictures I took.

Picking "Abilas" (Tomatoes)

Yep, around these parts, we eat our tomatoes like they are apples. :)

Watermelons are ripe and ready for the pickin! Just look at that face. Her two favorite foods, watermelon and tomatoes... we're in heaven!

2009-07-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

Friday evening one of our most favorite people came by for a visit. Will's best friend, Andrew, was in town and came over for some front porch sitting, dinner, and a sunset cruise on the lake. My favorite way to kick off a weekend.

It was great to see him and spend some time together. I've known Andrew since we were in the same 7th grade class. He and Will became friends in high school and then roomed together all through college. They remained roomies in Savannah right up until the day Will and I got married. I think I spent as much time with Andrew as I did with Will while we were dating! I know he loves Savannah, but I wish he'd move closer so we could see him more often.

Why some cute girl hasn't snagged him up yet I just do not know. He's a cutie pie, good ole southern boy for any of you interested single ladies out there! :)

Anna Cate kept him thoroughly entertained with stories of Cinderella's glass slipper and other such topics that she enjoys discussing with people these days. He was a good sport as Anna Cate is not the typical female I'm sure his is accustomed to spending a Friday evening with. ;)

Unfortunately, I was unable to relax and enjoy the beautiful sunset because I was worried the entire time that Caroline was on the boat without a life jacket on. The only way Will was even able to get me on the boat was to promise he wouldn't drive faster than 10 miles an hour and would stay right by the shore. We never even left our cove, just puttered around for about 30 minutes. I was paranoid the entire time that another boat would come flying at us, ram into the side of the boat, rendering me unconscious, and sending little Caroline flying into the water. Never mind the fact that we never even saw another boat the entire time we were out on the water.

Caroline's looking at me like, "I'm not so sure about this mom."

Saturday morning we went to the garden to pick some blueberries and look for "P Hop" (Peter Rabbit). There is a little bunny that lives in the garden and I've seen him several times in the evenings when I'm picking tomatoes or corn for our supper. Anna Cate's been on the lookout for him all summer, but hasn't seen him yet. We'll keep looking until she does!

6 Weeks Old

2009-07-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe this little munchkin has only been with us for six weeks now. I can't imagine our family without her! She is such a sweet little thing and LOVES to cuddle. Her favorite spot is to be curled up in somebody's arms and wakes up and cries as soon as she is put down (at least during the day). She is sleeping well at night (between 5 - 7 hours) so I can't complain too much! ;)

Anna Cate is smitten with her little sister and gives her constant attention all day long whether she is asking to hold her or wants to read to her. The feeling must be mutual because Caroline follows Anna Cate with her eyes and seems so interested in everything her big sister is doing. She will kick her legs and get very active when Anna Cate talks to her.

For comparison, here is a picture of Caroline and Anna Cate both taken at six weeks. Until looking at the pictures side by side, I had forgotten how much thicker Anna Cate's hair was than Caroline's is. We think Caroline may eventually become a blond too because the tips of her hair look frosted just like Anna Cate's were.

Caroline at 6 weeks

Anna Cate at 6 weeks

Not So Happy 4th of July

2009-07-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

I looked for some cute pictures to post of the 4th, but I realized...we have NONE. Every single picture I took one or both girls were crying and upset, which pretty much sums up our entire day.

We had grand plans of playing and swimming at the lake, BBQ lunch with the Crews family, and then a boat ride at night to see the fireworks at Dreher Island.

We only made it to the lake house for a quick lunch and then were home again for naps.

Will trying to tickle a smile out of Anna Cate.

Nope...not gonna happen.

Not even a smile for Caws.

Our pitiful attempt of trying to get a family picture of all four of us.

Why can't we ever get a cute shot of everbody at the same time?

Take 1:

Anna Cate won't look at the camera and Caroline is starting to fuss...

Take 2:

The wind kept blowing my hair in my face

Anna Cate is like, "I'm so over this picture"

Caroline is saying, "OK people, party is OVER , I'm mad and I really mean it this time!"

Hope your 4th of July celebrations went better than ours did! ;)

Beach Pictures

2009-06-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a little vacation this past week on the Isle of Palms. Will was with us until Monday morning and then Anna Cate, Caroline, and I stayed the rest of the week with my family (minus Charlee who is in Croatia for the summer). Thursday night I pretended I was a photographer ;) and took Anna Cate on the beach for a little photo shoot. I took about 200 pictures, but these are my favorites! More pictures from the week to follow~

Weekend Pics

2009-06-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a lazy summer weekend, swimming at the lake, grilling out and taking long afternoon naps! Caroline surprised us by sleeping five straight hours the past several nights, so I'm starting to come out of my sleep deprived fog and feel somewhat rested and normal again! :)

Caroline is a little cuddle bug! She is most content to just curl up and sleep in our arms all day long.

Anna Cate's obsession with stickers has gone a bit too far. While I was getting dressed on Sunday morning she managed to get into her craft box in the kitchen and had put about 50 stickers on herself, Will, and Caroline in a matter of minutes! Just look at her face..."Who me?"

Last night, Will had Caroline waiting in Anna Cate's bed to surprise her when she came into her room to go to bed. Anna Cate thought it was the greatest thing ever that Caroline was in her bed and kept asking if Caroline could sleep with her. She'll be big enough for sleep overs soon enough! I can't wait to watch these two grow up together.

Sweet Caroline

2009-06-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe we have already been home for a full week as a family of four! Will and I have been singing the Neil Diamond song Sweet Caroline all week and now we've got Anna Cate singing it too. :) She'll just bust out with "Tweet Tarawine Bum Bum Bum." We died laughing the first time we realized what she was singing.

Home from the hospital! (and no, we did not all mean to be wearing PINK!) Poor Will, he is totally outnumbered now.

Sweet baby girl

Anna Cate is LOVING her new role as a big sister! Will and I are so proud of her because she has been so loving with Caroline and loves to "help" take care of her.

She even lets Caroline hold Benny (and for those of you who know how attached Anna Cate is to her bear, this is a BIG DEAL) The first time Caroline started crying in her chair, Anna Cate said "Hold Benny Tarawine?" and brought Benny to comfort her.

She has even initiated Caroline into her book club already! ;)

Sweet Sisters

Little Mama

2009-05-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of the many pictures I took of Anna Cate holding Caroline for the first time this morning. She wasn't sure of what to think of her yesterday and would only touch her leg, but she warmed up to her today and decided she wanted to try to hold her. Once Anna Cate had Caroline in her lap, she didn't want anyone else to hold her!

She's a natural little mama! She would try to put a paci in Caroline's mouth if she started to fuss and was very interested in reading to her. She is going to be a little great helper! :)

She's Here!

2009-05-29T06:14:00.001-07:00

Miss Mary Caroline Fowler was born yesterday morning at 8:03 am and weighs 6 lbs. 7 oz! I was truly shocked when Dr. Ervin said, "It's a girl!" The first words out of my mouth were "Are you sure?"

Caroline is sweet as she can be and looks a lot like Anna Cate did as a baby. I can't kiss her or cuddle with her enough!! We are thrilled for Anna Cate to have a sister and so close in age! :)

I am having trouble uploading pictures to the blog since we are still at the hospital, but will update with photos as soon as I can!

Birthday Party Pictures

2009-05-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Anna Cate's 2nd birthday this past Saturday. Because her birthday and the baby's due date are only two weeks apart, we decided to have the party the weekend earlier than her actual birthday...just in case!

We had a wonderful time! Thank you to all of our family and friends who came to celebrate with us!

Hard to believe she is already 2!!

"Fishing" for party favors.

The great grand-parents enjoying the party in the shade.

New Arrival!

2009-05-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

Will called me at 6:30 on his way to work this morning to let me know that Darrell had just called him to say that Baylis had her baby! What a wake up call!! :)

Miss Ann Douglass Scott was born at 5:55 am this morning and she is just as cute as she can be!

As you can see from the look on her face, Anna Cate wasn't so sure of what to think of it all. ;)

The Book Club

2009-05-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Anna Cate and Silar have started a book club. Anna Cate selects the books to be read and they meet sporadically throughout the day. I most often overhear them discussing "Cindare" (Cinderella) or "P hop" (Peter Rabbit).

Quite often the conversation is one sided and goes something like this...

"Poor Cindare, sash and beads, dress rumed (ruined)"

"Ohhh mieace (mice)"

"Bobby boo"(bibbity bobbity boo)

"ooohhh Cindare, pience" (prince)

It is quite humorous and I'm thankful that Silar is a good listener and a good sport. He always shows up to their meetings on time and never interrupts what Anna Cate has to say.

I've even caught him reading a few of the books Anna Cate lays out for him, though he would be embarrassed to know I told you so. ;)

2009-04-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

On pretty days, Anna Cate loves to sit at the door to our back deck when she wakes up from her nap to eat her afternoon snack. I'm usually washing dishes or prepping dinner.

This particular afternoon, I happened to look over and saw she had set up her little friends to join her. She was engaged in a conversation with all of them. I LOVE watching her imagination grow and develop. It takes me back to my own childhood and I remember how real my toys and "adventures" seemed to me back then. A great imagination is truly a gift of childhood to be cherished and protected!

Easter

2009-04-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Anna Cate and Will look all bright and springy for Easter and looking at this picture I realize I'm dressed more for a funeral! Oh well...when you are 7 1/2 months pregnant your options are limited! (Thank you Hannah for lending me the dress!)

Edisto

2009-04-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed some time together in Edisto this weekend with the Scotts and Eptings. I only have pictures from Friday evening and Saturday afternoon because our fun was cut short when everybody came down with a horrible stomach bug Saturday night!

AC and Will enjoying some time together on the dock

The baby had just kicked AC really hard right before Will took this picture. I love how excited she gets to feel the baby move. :)

The Eptings - What a sweet family picture! :)

Relaxing in the Swing

Does life get any better than this?

Practicing up on her shuffleboard skills so she can play with Daddy and Uncle Darrell

ooooo the water is COLD!

Thanks Baylis and Darrell!! We had so much fun getting to spend time together and can't wait to all get together again soon!

2009-03-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

I snapped these pictures on Monday afternoon while we were enjoying some family time in the yard before dinner. Anna Cate's favorite activity right now is working in her "garden" (a little patch of sand in the corner of our yard). If she isn't asking to wash something, she is asking us if she can go "hoe."

As soon as Will got home, she rushed him outside to go work in her garden. I was too far away to hear their conversation, but she must have had something really important to tell him. She jabbered so much that I don't think he got a word in for about 3 minutes! :)

My two favorite people :)

One Very Long Post

2009-03-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

I've just decided to lump together all of the pictures from the past few weeks because it has been so long since I've posted. We've been busy enjoying this warm weather and spending time outside together. I think I've hit the nesting phase and can't seem to get the house clean enough or find enough time to complete all of my projects. My "to do" lists keep getting longer and longer, despite the fact that Will keeps checking off the projects one by one.

One of Anna Cate's favorite activities right now is "washing". She asks to wash any and everything! I put out two bowls of water with some toys on the deck and she is content to just splash and play. Oh the joy of simple pleasures!

These pictures of from the park several weeks ago. She has become quite bossy lately (must be practicing her big sister skills!) But when she wants for you to come play with her, she will point first and say "Mama come... please."

Then she cups her little hand and moves it back and forth until you follow her.

Enjoying a chocolate ice cream cone at the park.

Trying the zip line for the first time with Daddy's help.

Playing on the floor of the nursery.

We moved the rocker out of her room (sniff sniff) when we put up her big girl furniture and transfered it over into the baby's room. She is demonstrating how she is going to sit in the chair to rock the baby. :)

My parents gave me a picnic table for my birthday and we've put it on the back deck. This is Anna Cate's new favorite spot! We each our lunch and snacks outside on warm days and she loves to sit and color or paint outside.

Will and Anna Cate gave me a "du pot" (fondu pot) for my birthday and we had a Fondu Date Night one Friday night. Since cheese is one of her most favorite foods, she thought this was THE GREATEST thing ever!! (Don't worry...the pot wasn't turned on in this picture and she wasn't allowed to dip from the pot for safety reasons!)

Helping Daddy get some yard work done.

Will and my dad worked really hard in our yard last Friday afternoon, getting the house ready for a baby shower I was giving for my sweet friend Baylis! While they planted azaleas, strawed our flower bed, and cut the grass, I scrubbed down our porch and rocking chairs. Whew! Our yard is now ready for spring and that is another thing to check off my list! :)

Baby shower for Baylis and Baby Scott last Saturday afternoon.

They are due just 2 weeks before we are! :) It has been so fun to share the ups and downs of pregnancy together and I can't wait for Baby Scott to get here! Baylis and Darrell live just 5 minutes down the road, so I can't wait for these two babies to grow up together! :)

Baylis and her cute little baby bump!

Opening presents... James was so sweet and well behaved for the shower! He just sat on his mama's lap, watching all of the festivities.

Playing "Baby Bingo" during the shower. Please note how the the younger girls are more into watching Baylis open all of her gifts, but the older ladies are all studying their cards. They were so competitive and all wanted to win. It was hilarious to watch them get so into the game!

Checking In

2009-03-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

Yes we are still here! Last week was just crazy at the Fowler house and I haven't had anytime to post on the blog, much less take any pictures! All three of us were hit with a nasty stomach bug, and then my grandfather passed away this weekend so things have been so crazy around here I haven't had much time to process my thoughts.

Our calendar is full for the month of March so I hope to have some fun pictures and stories to share soon! Anna Cate is starting to get more excited about being a big sister. We've started to put the nursery together and she can feel the baby kicking so I think it is becoming more real to her. One of our favorite topics of conversation is all of the things she is excited to share and teach the baby when it gets here! :)

There are no words...

2009-02-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

Aunt D's took took this picture of Anna Cate yesterday.

What can I say? This one will definitely be saved for a Sweet 16 party or rehearsal dinner one day.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-16T04:06:00.000-08:00

We aren't big celebrators of Valentine's Day around here, but Anna Cate and I did give Will a little book on making sushi. So for fun on Saturday, we had a family sushi night and learned how to make it in our own kitchen.

Who knew it was such an involved process? I think we used almost every plate and dish we own and it took about two hours from start to finish, but we all three enjoyed our time together in the kitchen learning something new. Anna Cate even learned to say "sushi" (although it sounds more like "shu shu" when she says it.)

For added festivities, she wore a little Japanese costume that used to be my sisters and wore a little eye makeup to complete her ensemble.

We couldn't let her stand in her usual spot at the counter to help us prepare it since we were working with raw fish, but she quickly found entertainment at the kitchen sink washing dishes.

Who knew washing dishes could be so exciting!?! She was thoroughly entertained for about an hour.

Will did a fantastic job rolling our sushi. He made Spicy Tuna rolls for himself and California rolls for me since I can't have raw fish.

The finished results! They didn't look too far off from what you order in a restaurant and they tasted exactly the same! We'll be doing this a lot more often now that we've learned how! :)

Anna Cate was even brave enough to try a bite and she loved it! She kept asking for more, but I don't know the rules about raw fish and toddlers, so she had to stick with her chicken.

Sunny Days are Here Again

2009-02-16T03:33:00.000-08:00

Yay for warmer weather! I know it isn't here to stay, but last week's sunny warm days were such a needed break from the gray skies that have seemed to hang around here lately. We literally spent AS MUCH time as we could out in our yard enjoying it while it lasted.

AC loves riding her car around the yard, picking up sticks to put in the back. Silar loves to sneak up behind her and grab them out of the pile she has accumulated. It is quite humorous to watch these two as neither tire from their little "game."

"Silly Silar"

Little Helper

2009-02-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

This is what your dinner table looks like when you have a 1 1/2 year old set the table. She actually did a great job! She even knew to put the forks on the napkins without me having to say anything at all! I hand her each plate, fork, napkin and tell her who it is for and she knows just where to place it. We have done this the past several nights and it has now become our evening routine when I'm fixing supper.

What a little stinker!

She is so proud of herself. :)

Cabin Fever

2009-02-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

We are so ready for spring around here! I can't wait for the weather to warm up and our grass to turn green so we can spend some time outside in the sunshine! I think Anna Cate and I both have cabin fever. We've had a lot of dress up parties and she has been baking up a storm of cookies and tea in her play kitchen. I've tried to keep her entertained with some fun and different activities.

"Sprinkle Art"

She loves sticking the sprinkles into the glue and this keeps her busy for about 20 minutes. ;)

Baking a cake for Daddy.

I turned my back for 30 seconds to put the cake pans in the oven and she just helped herself to a wooden spoon from the drawer and started eating the batter. What did I expect?

Free Martha Stewart Living Magazine

2009-01-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

Here is one more free magazine offer for Martha Stewart Living that I thought I'd pass along from Money Saving Mom. Click HERE to take a short survey (took me about 1 minute) to receive your free subscription!

Sentimental

2009-01-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

This morning while I loaded up the dishwasher and Anna Cate sat at the table, finishing up her breakfast, I had a wave of emotion that was bittersweet flood over me. Not too long ago, she sat in a high chair while I fed her baby cereal. I know one day, sooner than I even realize, I will look up and no longer see a silly little monkey eating a banana in her footy pajamas at my kitchen table. I had to get my camera to take a picture so I'll remember one day what my mornings were like.

Sometimes, I feel like each day goes by so painfully slow as we follow our same little routine. I wonder how many times I've sung "The Wheels on the Bus" or the "Itsy Bitsy Spider." I realized what a horrible person I was when I hid her book, The Ants Go Marching, for a day because I thought I may go insane if I had to read it " just one more time." I know one day, I will give anything to have her want me to read it to her, but she will be gone and involved in a life of her own. So for now, I'll cherish every single moment I have with her and remind myself how incredibly lucky I am to be at home and stuck in the same 'ole daily routine.

Free Magazine Roundup

2009-01-19T03:40:00.000-08:00

I know many of you who check this blog are also avid followers of Money Saving Mom, but for those of who aren't familiar with that blog, I wanted to share some great freebies that Crystal highlighted on her blog last week.

I keep meaning to do a post of frugality to share the different ideas and ways we save money so that I can stay at home with Anna Cate (because I get asked that question all the time!) but I just haven't had the time to sit down and compile it all into one post.

However, I did want to mention these great deals for free magazine subscriptions before they expire. (There were two others last week for Women's Day and Wondertime Magazine, but those are no longer available).

I do know that these are VALID offers and that you will never receive a bill. I signed up for all of these last year and have thoroughly enjoyed my free subscriptions! All of these are parenting magazines, but I'll keep you posted if any others become available. This past year I also was getting Self, Country Home, Veranda, and some other decorating magazine for free, but I can't remember when I signed up...

For now, just click on the links below if you are interested in signing up for any of these free magazine subscriptions! Enjoy! :)

Click HERE for your free subscription to KIWI Magazine.

Click HERE to sign up for a free subscription to American Baby & BabyTalk.

Click HERE to sign up for a free 2 years subscription to Parents Magazine.

Funny Picture for the Day

2009-01-13T09:06:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken on Christmas Eve and it is so funny I laugh out loud every time I see it. Hope it makes you smile too! :)

The Kitchen Reveal!

2009-01-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

Will surprised me after Christmas by telling me to go pick out my paint because he was going to tackle the major project of painting the cabinets and paneling in our kitchen during his week of vacation the week after Christmas!!!!

I was totally surprised and caught off guard.

It was the BEST SURPRISE EVER!!!

And what a project to tackle. It literally took him all week. He had to sand all of the wood and take down the cabinets before he even started painting. His time was well worth the effort (and soooooo appreciated!) because now I LOVE being in our new kitchen!

BEFORE:

AFTER!

The white totally changes the whole look of the space and it turned out even better than I expected it to! :) The pictures don't do justice to how much it feels like a totally different house.

He also finished this table for us in November, but I hadn't posted a picture of it yet. We used a hand-me-down table in our old house and had been borrowing a table from my parents when we moved. We are excited to finally have our very own kitchen table after 4 years of marriage! We purchased the table and chairs from Goodwood during a 50% off sale, and then he stained them a dark walnut color. It turned out beautiful!

Murder Mystery Dinner in Margaritaville

2009-01-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

Charlee thought of one of the most creative and fun Christmas presents for my parents this year! She planned a Murder Mystery Dinner for us to have together with our family friends, the Talberts. On December 30, we all got together for a special dinner in "Margaritaville," an island resort owned by Coconut Joe (aka my dad).

Before we arrive, Charlee gave us a folder with our character's info explaining how to dress and act that night. After we arrived, we enjoyed the fabulous island dinner she had prepared.

The guests included (from left to right):

Surfer Joe (Maddy) Izzy Islander (MC) Coconut Joe (Dad) Starbright (Miss Karen) the Constable (Charlee) Candy Cotton (Mom) Lifeguard Sam (Rhett) Cabana Bob (Mr. Jim) Callie Cocktail (DD) and the bartender, Jack Daniels (Will)

At the end of dinner, Jack Daniels (Will) suddenly collapsed and died from a poisoned margarita. It was then up to the rest of the guest to figure out the guilty party responsible for this crime!

Examining of the evidence collected from the crime scene.

The Constable (Charlee) interrogating Lifeguard Sam (Rhett)

Surfer Joe (Maddy) and Lifeguard Sam (Rhett) sharing a secret they just discovered.

Starbright (Miss Karen) and Candy Cotton (Mom) piecing together some of the evidence...

AH HA! Starbright has solved the crime! It was Lifeguard Sam who poisoned Jack Daniels!

Who me?

Anna Cate was somehow taken into custody and handcuffed before the night was over.

Thanks Charlee for all of the hard work you put into planning this party! It was a night we will all remember! :)

Tea for Two

2009-01-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

The other night, Anna Cate came running into the kitchen, excitedly babbling something about Silar. I followed her into the den and found that she had served him some tea and a cookie. He looked up at me as if to say, "Do I really have to play along?" He was a good sport about the whole thing and let her play tea party with him for about 5 minutes before deciding he had enough fun for the evening. I think he's hoping #2 is a boy so he can play cowboy or fetch instead of putting up with all of the girly stuff. ;)

2009-01-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

If there is anybody out there that still checks this blog, I apologize for the lack of posts!! We have a ton of pictures from December that need to be posted, but until I can get motivated enough to sort through all of them, I thought I'd share these from today. We have really enjoyed playing outside with all of this warm weather!

2008-12-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

No Where Near Ready for This Day to Come...

2008-12-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

But she does make a beautiful little bride! :)

Fun in the Park

2008-12-06T17:06:00.000-08:00

Anna Cate first discovered the slide several weeks ago at a birthday party in the park for her friend Reece. She wasn't interested in the cupcakes, presents, or any of the birthday festivities. All she wanted to do was slide, slide, slide! She would run up the little stairs as fast as she could and the practically run off of the edge she was so excited. As soon as she reached the bottom, she would bounce back to her feet to run to the top again.

This afternoon, we took a picnic lunch to the park and then let Anna Cate play on the playground. She handled the baby slide like a pro...

Then Daddy took her down the big slide! You should have heard her squeal! Will and I were laughing so hard and she just kept asking for more. We took turns riding down the big slide with her.

Before we left, we let her try the big slide all by herself!

YAY! What a big girl! :)

Little Miss Fashionista

2008-11-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

You know how boys somehow manage to turn anything (spoon, stick, cardboard tube) into a weapon? Well I'm convinced that girls have that same knack when it comes to fashion accessories.

This child is constantly going through my closet and will come out wearing my shoes, hats, and jewelry. When I'm cooking supper she will go through my kitchen cabinets and find all the jelly jar lids she can possibly fit on her arm to wear as bracelets. Anything and everything that she finds throughout the house, somehow becomes an essential part of her outfit and she doesn't understand when I don't allow her leave the house wearing her "must have" accessories. (Oh the disagreements I can only imagine are in store for our future...)

I know she doesn't get this from me. For any of you who know me, I've never been good at accessorizing with purses or jewelry. Fortunately for Anna Cate, she has an aunt who understands her passion. My sister Debra Dele use to be the same way when she was little. She would load every item of fashion she could find onto herself until she was buried beneath a pile of purses, jewelry, scarves, etc. To this day, she is still the one who sports a new piece of flair every time I see her. :) She cleaned out her closet last week and brought Anna Cate some of the goodies she was going to toss. Now we have even more purses, hats and bracelets to dress up with. Thanks Aunt DDs!

Anna Cate's Big Secret

2008-11-07T17:04:00.001-08:00

Anna Cate is excited to say

that her new little brother or sister is on the way!!

Pink or Blue?

We'll have to wait to find out in early June,

when Baby Fowler makes his or her big debut!!!

Little Bunny

2008-11-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

This year for Halloween, Anna Cate wore a bunny costume that my mom sewed for my on my second Halloween!!

Halloween 1982

(yes, that is dad dressed up as a rabbit too and mom is a carrot. TOO FUNNY!!!)

Halloween 2008

Trick or treating at Mepe and Boula's house

"knock knock knock"

Carving our Pumpkin

2008-11-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

When Will got home from work last Wednesday night, we sat outside and carved Anna Cate's first pumpkin. Our favorite expression right now is when she gets really excited and opens her mouth really really wide! Will tried to recreate this face on our pumpkin.

All three making "the face."

"I'll sit here, but I won't smile."

"Ok Mom, enough with the pictures already!"

Oh, and don't you just love the muddy hunting boots in the background sitting on the porch? ;)

Silly clown feet

Fun with Friends!

2008-11-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

Once again I have let too much time go by between posts! These are some pictures from playgroup a few weeks ago at our house an of the library last week. Enjoy!

Anna Cate and Ian sharing a cup of tea. CHEESE!

Anna Cate and Bella reading a book. It was so sweet to see them playing together. This was the first time that I've seen her interacting one on one with another friend. Usually, she just parallel plays beside her friends or the children in the nursery at church, but on this morning, she and Bella would find a toy or book and actually share it together! So sweet!!!

Everyone enjoying AC's playhouse! :)

Dress up day at the library! Anna Cate went as a Clemson cheerleader. Go Tigers!

Not sure what to think of the parachute. What a serious little face.

The librarians had a special treat this week...a puppet show!! What fun!

Waiting in line to get her hand stamped. ;)

Where Do I Begin...?

2008-10-21T09:31:00.001-07:00

It has been so long since I've posted, I don't even know where to begin to bring the blog up to date on all that we've been up to! Hope you'll enjoy some of the pictures we've taken over the past several weeks.

Swinging with Daddy after he got home from work (notice the radio in Will's hand...always mutli-tasking. Talking with his workers on the radio while pushing Anna Cate in the swing)

Silar found a big stick one afternoon while we were playing in the yard. Next thing I know...

Anna Cate had to go find one too!!

We can't walk up or down our steps without stopping each time to greet our pumpkin and smell our mums. ;)

Anna Cate and I were working in my sewing room the other day and she found this empty tupperware container, took off the the lid by herself and crawled in. I looked up from my sewing machine to find her giggling with Benny. Silly girl!

Brushing her teeth after her bath.

Last night it was "cold enough" for a fire (apparently at our house, it is cold enough for a fire when it is 63 degrees outside!) So we celebrated with a fireside pizza picnic in the den! Hooray that cooler weather is finally here!

And this post would not be complete if I did not mention Anna Cate's playhouse. Just look at the JOY on this little face! "Boula" (what AC calls my dad) made her this house from a box he had in the shop. She LOVES it and much to my chagrin, we now have a huge cardboard BOX in our house. However, she gets so much enjoyment our of playing inside that I guess it will just stay in her playroom until she is too big for it.

She loves to run inside and have someone come knock on her door. Then, she opens the door to see who it is, squeals with delight, and quickly shuts the door in her visitor's face. It is the most requested game played in our home right now. All day long, she will say "knock knock" and sign "Please" and then run as fast as she can to get in her house before you can get there.

Weekend Pics

2008-09-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

We had planned on taking a trip up to Clemson this weekend for the Maryland game, but Anna Cate started getting a cold on Thursday. Instead, she and Will enjoyed a lazy weekend on the couch watching football and some Planet Earth DVDs, while I was able to get a lot of painting done.

Typically, we do not allow her to watch TV. However, she was so fussy and irritable from her cold, that all she wanted to do was lounge around, so we allowed her the privilege of TV this weekend and she was LOVING IT!

Helping me unload the groceries on Saturday morning.

Without me even having to ask, she came into the kitchen and started unloading a bag all by herself into the pantry. It was so sweet I had to take a picture. Note which shelves she can reach...I love the shampoo on the same shelve as the bread! ;)

Where is Anna Cate?

(Her latest thing...hiding in closets and cabinets. I can't believe how patiently and quietly she waits for me to realize she is missing.)

There she is!!!

Mini Vacation

2008-09-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Will and I went to Asheville this past weekend for a little "mini" vacation for just the two of us. We realized we haven't gone anywhere alone since our honeymoon to St. Lucia 4 years ago!!

We found this adorable little cabin in Asheville about 5 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, took our own food so we could grill out, and just enjoyed the cool weather and being in the mountains. (If anybody is interested in a mountain trip too, we loved our cabin and highly recommend it to others! It was a great deal for the money, was very private and clean (and BIG plus for me!) and our favorite part was the back deck with a grill and hot tub.)

On Saturday, we rode the parkway up to Graveyard Fields and hiked down the trail to the waterfall. We found a big rock in the middle of the water and just laid there watching the clouds drift by for about an hour. I could have stayed there all day if Will would have let me, but he was anxious to keep driving to find some of the trails he had hiked in college. It really made me homesick for Clemson, when the mountains were only a 30 minute ride away and we had no responsibilities and could just pick up and go exploring for the afternoon.

Our cabin (by far the nicest "cabin" I've ever stayed in!) :)

Our view from our rock at the waterfall

Shining Rock

Crazy Bag Lady

2008-09-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Anna Cate and I were going through her smaller clothes to see what we could find for her friend Mason to wear this winter. She found this hat and sweater and wanted to put them on. I obliged and helped her with the sweater, but the hat she put on with no problem by herself. ;) I let her walk around with them on for a few minutes, and then asked her if she was ready to take them off and put them back into the bag, but she shook her head and continued to wear them for the rest of the afternoon, even on our afternoon walk down our street. You wouldn't believe some of the looks I got from people driving by in their cars. Yes, I was slightly embarrassed, but it was too funny not to just laugh out loud at the absurdity of her emsemble.

Anytime somebody would try and help her take them off, she would shake her head "no." When Will got home, he took one look at her and dubbed her the "Crazy Bag Lady." Maybe we don't have to worry about finding a Halloween costume this year!

Busy Little Bee

2008-09-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

Coloring Grandparent's Day cards

Helping mama cook calzones for dinner...yum yum!

Anna Cate had several friends over for a playdate the other day. She enjoyed sharing her toys and had fun playing with them at her house. No really...she did!! :) This picture was taken right before everybody left and I think she was ready for lunch and a long nap. I hope they will want to come over to play again! (You have to blow up this picture to get the full effect of her expression! I know it shouldn't be funny, but I think this picture is hilarious. Look at how Mason is just watching like "what is wrong with this girl?" and poor Jackson is trying to console her. He kept trying to hug her to make her stop crying. Needless to say, she was unconsolable. )

New Endeavor

2008-09-09T04:28:00.001-07:00

Because I don't have enough to do already and my days aren't already busy enough as it is...I've created another blog to channel all of my creative energy into. I've long needed a place to journal and document all of the ideas I get throughout the year for birthday and Christmas presents, as well as document all of the projects I'm working on, and now I'll finally have one spot to organize all of my projects. I also hope to inspire others to create so I'll be hosting a craft giveaway once a week (at least that is my goal!)

So hop on over to check it out! www.craftylittlechick.blogspot.com

**I plan on keeping this blog strictly about our family and will be better about posting to keep everybody updated as to what we are up to! I may just start posting pictures here because it seems I also have photos to share, but can't think of anything to write, so I end up doing nothing. This may just become a photo blog for awhile. We'll see.

This is Why...

2008-08-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

My tupperware cabinet NEVER stays organized.

Who me?

**And since this picture of the kitchen is up, I need opinions.**

I'm not digging the light wooden cabinets and would LOVE to redo the countertops and cabinets. However, my darling sweet husband, who so generously pulled up and reinstalled countertops in our old house, is not up for that challenge again any time soon. Thus, my options are limited...

Do I paint the cabinets white?

Would love to hear any feedback or suggestions -Thanks!

How to Make a Dish of Baked Apples

2008-08-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Find an eager little helper and load up a wagon with the essentials...a juice cup, some cookies, sunglasses, & sunhat

Step 2: Ride until you find an apple orchard (or just a few apples trees hidden in a garden will do.)

Step 3: Scare away any deer that are snacking on the very tree you came to pick from (just seconds before I snapped this shot, there was a large doe nibbling an apple off of the tree. She just stared at us until she heard my camera turning on...and then she fled. So sadly, no picture of the deer. :(

Step 4: With great concern, check to see if the deer is close by.

Step 5: Select tree with the most plentiful apples and pick the ones that look the most delicious.

Step 6: Gather any apples that have fallen on the ground and load them into wagon.

Step 7: Head home with the your bounty, being VERY careful to keep ANY apples from rolling into the bottom of the wagon.

Step 8: Stop to pick a tomato to serve with dinner, but decide to have it for a snack on the ride home instead.

Step 9: Wash and peel your apples and then follow your grandmother's recipe for the best baked apple dish.

The End!

Table for Two

2008-08-24T17:12:00.001-07:00

Anna Cate and her cousin Ian enjoying a bite for lunch while Stephanie and I work on planning our 10 year high school reunion. She has really enjoyed playing over at Ian's house for the past couple of weeks and he has been sweet to share all of his fun toys with her! They have been good sports about the whole thing...whether we are on the phone getting prices and info or toting them around town to look at different locations. What a pair!

Rainy Day Tent

2008-08-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

What could be cozier than a reading some books under a tent on a rainy afternoon?

My little bookworm

Will surprised us and was home early Friday afternoon. He got her up from her nap and she was so excited to show him her new little space. He promptly "improved" her tent into a fort (I guess boys will always be boys no matter their age).

And just look at those cute little undies!! I love em, love em, love em!!! ;)

An Owl, a Book, and a Shiny Bracelet

2008-08-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to find waiting on me in the mailbox is the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. Although I've never purchased a thing from the catalog, it is full of ideas and inspiration for children's rooms. These adorable little owls caught my attention in the latest issue and I have been itching to try and make one for Anna Cate.

She turned out so cute and Anna Cate loves her! This afternoon, I was trying to get a picture of them together. During out "photo shoot," Anna Cate picked up a book and started reading. It is one of her favorites, Mommies Say Shhhhhh. The book goes through the different farm animals and the sounds they each make and at the end it says that Mommies say "shhhh".

Although we've read it a hundred times together, I've never seen her attempt to actually "read" it herself. Sometimes, she'll pick up a book and babble like she is reading, but today, she actually followed along and made the appropriate animal sound on each page! Then, on the page with the mommy, she put her fingers up the her lips to say "shhhh"!!

I love this age!! We are having the most fun watching her develop her imagination and her own personality. Our baby is all but gone, but in her place is a little person and we are having so much fun finding out who she is! :)

(And I forgot to mention the bracelet...but you can see it on her wrist. It is an old one I wore in a wedding that has fake diamonds all the way around it. Anna Cate thinks it is a must have accessory and wears it everywhere. She loves to put it on and off and admire it as it shines. Sorry to Daddy if he thought he had a tomboy, but I think we have a girlie girl on our hands here!!)

Little Fish

2008-08-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a little family outing to the lake on Sunday afternoon. We took Silar and Anna Cate swimming and I'm not sure who had more fun in the water. It took her a minute to enjoy being in the lake verses her warm bath, but once she was use to it, she did not want to get out!

Exciting News...

2008-08-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to say these little ladies are on their way up to a shop in New Hampshire where they will hopefully find loving homes. I've had several buyers purchase dolls for their online shops, but this order was the first to go to an actual brick and mortar location...how exciting! I wanted to ask the lady if she would send me a picture of them sitting on their little shelf in the boutique, but I didn't want to seem obsessed (which I totally am) and weird and scare her away. Guess I'll just have to imagine what they look like up there...

As a side note, Anna Cate has had a cold for the past week which translates into longer naps for her and a little extra time for me to work on her playroom. My plan is to be finished by this weekend. Hopefully I'll have soon have some pictures to share.

Fun in the Bath

2008-08-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

A few pics of one of the highlights of our day...BATH TIME!! Also please note that this child's hair is already long enough for just ONE ponytail. Unbelievable how much hair she has, and how blond it has become. What a cute little stinker!

Sarah Jane Studios

2008-08-06T20:10:00.001-07:00

I've been looking for artwork to use when we redo Anna Cate's room this winter and I stumbled upon this fabulous artist, Sarah Jane Studios. I love her work and her prices are fairly reasonable compared to most pieces of children's artwork I find in local boutiques. Looking through all of her pieces makes me wish so badly that I was talented with a pencil and paintbrush. I love almost everything in her shop!!

Snapshots

2008-08-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

I know I've been slack in posting lately, but we have been so busy that I can't seem to find spare minutes to sit down and translate everything onto here. It seems the more we do, the less I can think to write about!

I will say that I am working on some exciting projects that I hope to be able to share within the next few weeks...but for now I'll just share some pictures I snapped today of Anna Cate playing in the yard.

We found a single gardenia left on the bush and picked it to put in a vase in her room. She loves to smell flowers now, and anytime she sees one, real or not...she immediately starts to sniff. She has a bathing suit with a flower on it and when she is wearing it, she constantly bends over to "smell" the flower on her tummy. It is too funny! :)

JELLO

2008-07-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Anna Cate and I were baking some dessert for a dinner party we have tonight and I let her lick the bowl for the first time. I stripped her down to her pull-ups and let her have at it. What a mess! She was so engrossed in eating the pudding that she wouldn't look up at me to take her picture. She and Silar were both disappointed when I finally had to take the bowl away because she keep sharing her spoon with him and neither of them seemed to care that dogs can't have chocolate! ;)

What a Deal!

2008-07-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everybody know that Resturants.com is having a 70% off sale right now! I just scored a $25 gift certificate to The Melting Pot and two $10 to Birds on a Wire for a grand total of $4.80!!

They had many certificates available for lots of different restaurants in our area, but I only bought the ones I knew for sure we would use. Will sometimes eats at Birds on a Wire for lunches with work and we have an annual date at The Melting Pot with the Scotts each year at Christmas time to celebrate another year of friendship.

Click here , select your gift certificates, enter CRAVE at the checkout, then recalculate the total to see your 70% savings!! The certificates are good for a year. Cheers!

Little Apron

2008-07-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

Now that Anna Cate is feeding herself, a regular sized baby bib no longer protects her clothes from the amount of food she spills and drops on herself. She usually has a nice collection of her dinner sitting in her lap by the time the meal is over. ;)

I found this cute pattern at Leila and Ben, an etsy shop that sells modern patterns for babies and children. Last night I dug through my fabric scraps and made this cute little apron for her to wear at the table.

It took me about an hour to make and it turned out so cute! Typically, I do not like to sew using patterns because I find them confusing and tedious. This pattern, however, was SUPER easy to follow and I would highly recommend it to anyone who could sew on a beginner/intermediate level.

We tried it out for breakfast this morning and it works GREAT!! It is long enough to contain the mess in her lap so that food doesn't fall to the floor. Now she'll look stylish and cute while staying neat and clean at the dinner table!

Playroom

2008-07-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

One of my goals for the summer is to set up a playroom for Anna Cate. I have drooled over all of the rooms in the Pottery Barn Kids magazine, but unable to justify the ridiculous prices, will just have to settle for using them for

inspiration to create our own playroom. I love the little kitchen set pictured below, but it is a whopping $400! I could buy a real appliance for that price.

So instead, I have been looking for a little wooden kitchen that I could fix up to use in the playroom. Last Friday, Anna Cate and I drove into Columbia to have lunch with Grace, a friend I use to work with before Will and I were married. We stopped by every single thrift and antique store I could think of before lunch, hoping to find a kitchen. I was so discouraged that we didn't see anything that would work.

On our way home, I decided to stop in one last children's consignment store. I had been in there a few weeks earlier and saw nothing, but something told me to stop again and look around. Sure enough, over in the corner...under a pile of clothes we found this little set! I talked the lady down to $30 for both pieces and proudly loaded them into my car.

This is what they looked like before:

(Note our little Vanna White modeling the broken door on the dryer)

And this is what it looks like now:

Ta Da!

After I sanded and painted them white, Will helped me rehang the doors and add the new hardware. The total project cost only $34! I have big plans for the playroom and will hopefully be finished within a few weeks. I'll post more pictures once the room is finished.

Anna Cate having a tea party with her baby doll. She has learned how to pour the tea into the cups and holds them just right by the little handles. ;)

One of my favorite parts of the day...we read several stories together before Anna Cate goes to bed. I thought her little piggies were so cute sticking out from under the book.

One evening she came riding into the den on her little car (backwards) with a book in one hand and her suitcase in the other. It was hilarious... she looked like she was leaving for a trip somewhere. What a little ham! :)

Sweet Callie

2008-06-30T03:15:00.000-07:00

We've added another girl to the family (poor guys are outnumbered 6 to 3 now!) and Anna Cate and Silar finally have a cousin! My sister, Debra Dele just got a puppy last week and we are having the most fun having her around to play with. She is pint size, just like Anna Cate.

We drove to Sumter with my sister to pick her out and it was definitely an adventure. It was the first time Anna Cate had been on a farm, and she had a blast seeing all of the animals. (We are working on our animal sounds right now and she can say "aack aack" for duck, "mmmmmm" for cow, and she makes a half whimper/half barking sound for a dog.)

On the way home, Callie rode in the backseat with Anna Cate in a box and Anna Cate loved it until Callie decided to crawl out of the box and into her car seat! She had a fit when the puppy started licking her toes. Needless to say, I had to move to the backseat to mediate the rest of the way home.

Callie and DD seem to be settling into a routine with each other and Callie is already very attached to her mama. She has the cutest little personality and her tail wags none stop. Welcome to the family Callie Maye!

This Makes My Day!

2008-06-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! What a great day...the weekend is here and I just checked my e-mail and found out someone featured my dolls on their blog, Girl Indie! Yay! I am so excited! :)

I've never heard of this website before, but apparently they promote small businesses who make all things girly. You can click here to check it out!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Rosie Posie Dolls

2008-06-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Dolls, dolls, and more dolls! For those of you who don't know, this is what I've been busy with while Anna Cate naps.

I first made a doll for Anna Cate for Valentine's Day this year. I was looking for something soft and sweet and everything in the stores was just too impersonal and hard. You just can't find rag dolls anywhere these days.

She immediately fell in love with her doll and soon family and friends starting requesting them too! I've been taking orders and making them for children, as well as women who want to give a special gift to a girlfriend. I guess no girl is ever too old to enjoy a special doll!

I've now opened a little shop on Etsy, and would eventually love to have my own website where people could order them (stay tuned!) But for now, if you know someone who would love to have a new little friend, you can access my shop with the link now posted on the blog, or just shoot me an e-mail at www.rosieposiedoll@gmail.com.

Beach Bunnies

2008-06-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been awhile since our last post! We have been out of town for the past week at the beach. Anna Cate and I went to Isle of Palms for the first part of last week and then we came home, repacked the car with Will, and headed up to Wrightsville Beach, NC for Father's Day weekend.

She was just a busy little bee running all over the beach. She would hardly pause to play in the sand or glance at a seashell. She just walked and walked and walked, babbling to herself along the way. The ocean held her interest until she walked close enough to the waves for the water to tickle her toes. Then she would scurry back up the beach until she reached dry sand.

The only time she would sit still was to sit in my lap to munch on Cheerios.

We really enjoyed our time in Wrightsville. It is definitely one of our most favorite places to be. Will took Monday off so we could stayan extra day. I love when we get to spend extra time like that together as a family. Regular two-day weekends are never long enough.

Our family friends, the Talberts, have a house on the creek, and have been inviting us up there for the past 15 summers. It was fun to take AC this year and introduce her to all of the traditions!

Every year, Wrightsville is by far our most lazy and relaxing vacation. We are on turtle time all weekend long.

The guys get up early and go fishing. Meanwhile the ladies sleep late and then wake up to sit in the rocking chairs on the porch in our pj's with a cup of coffee, watching for the guys to come back from fishing.

Anna Cate enjoying the hammock while watching for the boat to see if Daddy caught any fish!

Yay! They caught 10 blue fish, so its fish and grits for breakfast!!

Then our lazy day continues...sitting on the porch reading books, going for a boat ride to pick up shrimp for supper, paddling the kayaks down the creek, or just laying in the hammock.

Then each evening, we all sit on

the porch and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Visit to Tigertown

2008-06-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

AC and I traveled to Clemson on Monday to spend the night with Aunt Charlee. We spent the afternoon shopping and then took a picnic to the Botanical Gardens for dinner. AC enjoyed strolling around all of the little trails and especially loved feeding the ducks. That was her first experience being around animals, other than Silar, and she had a blast pointing and squealing while they would run up to us to get the bread.

On our way home Tuesday morning, we got to stop by and visit Hannah and meet little James! He is precious and so so tiny! (Will assures me that AC was that small when she was born, but I can't remember her ever being that little.) He is the sweetest little thing and Hannah looks amazing and is doing really well to have a one week old newborn. She makes this mommying thing look easy!

AC looks like she isn't quite sure what to think in this picture. I love how she is holding on to his little leg with a smug look on her face.

Long Weekend

2008-05-28T03:10:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed having Will home for three days without anything scheduled we had to do. We've been so busy lately that we haven't had much time to just relax around the house as a family.

He was able to hang her swing and put the little car she got for her birthday together. She loves then both and seems so old now playing with such "big kid" toys! She has also discovered that she loves to play between the ottoman and the couch. She will take her bear back there and hide like it is her own little fort.

A Woman's Work is Never Done

2008-05-27T09:00:00.001-07:00

The saying "A woman's work is never done" is so true. There are always clothes to be folded, dishes to be washed and tummies to be fed. Its a never ending cycle.

AC has already begun to practice all her housekeeping skills and is becoming more and more "helpful" around the house these days. She loves helping me with the housework and is very intent on copying whatever chore I am doing. Never mind that it takes me twice as long now to clean! But at least she is learning and practicing and will one day be a great big help with the chores.

     Sweeping the kitchen

   Setting the table

   Vacuuming the floors

Loading up the dirty dishes

Cleaning the bathrooms

And last, but certainly not least... feeding her bear when he gets hungry!

(I also just realized after looking at all of the pictures at one time that we spend an awful lot of time in the kitchen.)

Wide Open Spaces

2008-05-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

We are all enjoying our new yard so much. When Will gets home in the evenings now, we'll play outside with Anna Cate and Silar before dinner. It is so relaxing to spend time outside as a family, especially when the weather is breezy and cool.

Of the four of us, we think Silar is the most excited about his new space! He has an electric fence and loves being free outside all day to roam the yard or lay on the front porch. He acts so much younger now that he has an open space to play in

and is hyper and excited all the time!

We think Anna Cate will be an outdoor girl because she loves being out in the yard, and cries by the back door when we take her back inside. She got a swing, a wagon, a baby pool, and a little riding toy for her birthday, so now we have plenty of activities to do outside with

her.

Anna Cate and I also planted a little salad garden in a corner of the yard with tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, peppers, onions, and some zinnias! We check it out each day to see how the plants are growing and we finally saw our first veggie! We have one little teenie tiny tomato growing on one of our plants!

Curly Sue

2008-05-21T08:41:00.001-07:00

I thought this photo was just too funny not to share. We pulled out the trusty old sponge curlers last week to practice curling Anna Cate's hair for her birthday party. She looks like she is either getting ready for a cheerleading competition or an audition in a play for the part of Shirley Temple! I was surprised at what a good sport she was about not trying to pull them out of her hair. Needless to say, I won't be using that small of a curler again.

Happy Birthday Anna Cate!

2008-05-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe our sweet girl is already 1!! We had her birthday party on Sunday afternoon in our new back yard and had a wonderful time. Thank you to all of you who came to celebrate with us and for all of the fun presents she received!

Summer is Here!

2008-05-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Summer has officially arrived in our house because we were able to take the boat out for the first time this Saturday! We were unsure what Anna Cate would think, but we put her in her bathing suit and a life jacket she had a ball! She absolutely loves being outside and seems very laid back (just like her daddy) and always up for a new adventure. We are thinking since the lake went so well, we may try taking her on a one-night camping trip this weekend.

Introductions

2008-05-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation, we have decided to join the band wagon and start a family blog! It seems like Anna Cate learns something new each day and it is getting harder and harder to keep family and friends posted on what she is doing. I hope this will be a fun place to keep in touch with all of you and also to record all of the memories we are creating as a family!