Home Tour: Breakfast Room

I have gotten off track with my home tour, so I decided it was time for the next post!  Today I am featuring our breakfast room.  This is a room that we spend a lot of time in.  We have only eaten in our actual dining room maybe one time, so needless to say most meals are eaten right here!  I knew when we started building our house that I wanted an open floor plan, so the kitchen, great room, and breakfast room are all open to each other.  It is perfect for entertaining, and for watching kids when you are cooking.

The table and chairs are hand-me-downs from family.  We did paint the base of the table to match our decor.  We originally ordered really pretty fabric chairs from Restoration Hardware that we quickly decided belonged in the dining room.  Having two young kids, we just knew they would be ruined in no time.  To be honest, the chairs don't bother me, and they are great for kids.

I absolutely love the light fixture in this room.

I love this painting.  I knew I had to have it somewhere in our house the first time I saw it.

Fresh flowers always spice up a room, especially hydrangeas.  They are my favorite.

Brady used to always eat at this table.  Now he usually sits at the big table with us, but they still sit at this table to color and do crafts.

You can see below how the room opens up to the great room and the kitchen.

Paint color is Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, kids table is the Carolina Small Table and Chairs from Pottery Barn Kids.

Surviving my solo weekend

I survived my weekend alone with the kids!  It was a breeze actually.  The worst part was sleeping by myself.  I have always been one who doesn't like to spend the night alone.  The taking care of the kids part was pretty easy.  Paul couldn't stand to be away from us, so he actually ended up coming home Saturday night.  I love that he is such a family man.

Saturday we went to the zoo with Brady and Katelyn's Aunt Paige, her kids, and Nanna and Papa.  They had a great time as always.  We have a great zoo, and it was the perfect day to go.  The weather was so nice.

When you don't feel like packing the double stroller...

Feeding the giraffes is always our favorite part.

Saturday night Waldo (my dad) brought us pizza and watched part of the USC game with us.  (I won't even comment on the outcome of the game.)

Sunday was just pretty laid back.  Brady spent some more time with his cousins, and I went to church.  I am having a lot of anxiety about having to go out of town this week for work.  I hate being away from my family :(.

5 on Friday

1.  This weekend it is just me and the kiddos.  Paul is going to a bachelor party for the weekend, so I'm flying solo.  This is really the first time that Paul has left us over night, so it will be different.  I am sure I will be fine as far as taking care of the kids go, I am just a baby and don't really like staying by myself :(.

2.  I also just found out that I have to be out of town for work 2 nights next week, not to mention I am supposed to be going to a bachelorette party next weekend.  That would put me away from my family (and Paul functioning solo) for 4 nights....I have not quite figured out the logistics on this yet.

3.  Although I am a summer girl all the way, we have had an early taste of fall, and I am kinda digging it.  It is a nice change to feel a little crisp air rather than the thick humidity of summer.  One thing, however, that is driving me crazy is everyone talking about pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks.  Confession- I hate the taste of pumpkin anything. Yuck.

4. I feel like I am kind of in a rut.  I am just not sure what I want to do with my life. I get like this every now and again.  I know I should just be content in the moment, but it seems like I am always looking for the next great adventure.  The last year has been so chalked full of exciting changes: new baby, new house, new job, and now I just feel like I am going through the motions.  Anyone else ever feel this way?

5.  To end on a light note (didn't mean to get too Debbie Downer there), I plan to spend tonight drinking a glass of wine and watching Gossip Girl on Netflix. (I am going to have to skip my normal Dateline since I will be by myself.) Cheers!

Brady's 3rd birthday

So, I officially have a 3 year old.  I think he had a great time celebrating his birthday.  He has only been talking about it since we started planning Katelyn's birthday party.  This was the first party that was mostly friends instead of just family.  He seriously loved seeing everyone at his party and was telling me the rest of the day about who was at his party and who he played with.  

We started the celebrations by bringing cupcakes to his school on Friday.  It made Paul and I so happy to see how into school he was. We came in his room when they were doing circle time.  The teacher was reading a book a long with some music and the kids were making animal noises, etc. along with the book.  Brady was sitting front and center and so into what they were doing that he didn't even notice we were there.  It took 3 kids to tell him his mommy and daddy were there before he turned around to look.

After school, Brady and I went to pick up Uncle Dustin at the airport!  Brady was SO EXCITED that Uncle Dustin was coming to his party.  He wins uncle of the year for making it to both Brady and Katelyn's birthday parties all the way from California.

We had his party at our clubhouse in the neighborhood.  His older cousins were asking why he had the same party as last year- haha.  Yes, it was pretty much the same party as last year, but I knew he would love it just as much.  We basically just rented a bounce house, had pizza and cake and called it a day!  There is a park to play at as well.  In my mind, it is the perfect place for a little kid's birthday party.  

Also, as I said before, this was no cute "Pinteresty" party.  It was a hodge podge of all things 3 year old boys love including trucks, Thomas the Train, and Spider Man.  Brady actually asked for a Curious George party, but they didn't have that at Party City, so it turned into Spider Man.  I think he was just as happy with that!

He had to arrive in style- in his car with his new golf clubs he got for his birthday!

The celebs were attacked by the paparazzi upon arrival.

It is just a short walk to the clubhouse from our house which is another reason I love having parties there.  It is so convenient, and we don't have to get our house messed up! 

The kids table

My Granddad and brother

We love Uncle Dustin!

The cousins!

This girl LOVED the bounce house- sorry guys, we may have the same party for Katelyn's 2nd :).

I had to play with my boy for a little bit, and don't worry- Brady took notes on who bounced with him and who didn't.

Paul had to show off how he could do a flip in the bounce house again...we will see how many years he can continue to do this.

You can tell by his beat red face that he was playing hard!

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate Brady!  It means the world to him.  This boy loves his friends and family more than anyone I know.  Here's to new adventures with a 3 year old!