Just another day at the lake and the rest of our weekend

Oh how I love a 3 day weekend.  We had lots of fun over July 4th weekend.  Friday we went to the lake with my dad.  Brady had been looking forward to driving the boat all week.  It was a perfect day on the lake.  We got smart this time and took Katelyn's beloved bunny on the boat with us which meant she passed out in about 2 minutes flat.  I literally had the bunny tied on a string connected to my bathing suit.  If that thing got lost, we would be in some serious trouble. I took a million pictures as usual, so I will let them do the talking.

Cooling off in the lake.

A little blurry, but still so sweet.

The girls

This girl LOVES a popsicle.

We were debating about staying the night, but since they were both so tired we figured we would all get a better night's sleep at home.  We did do a couple of fireworks before we left even though it wasn't dark yet.  Brady seemed to really enjoy them, and Katelyn thought they were pretty funny.

Anyone ever seen the pooping dog firework?

Well, now you have- you're welcome.

First time doing a sparkler!

2 sleepy babies

Paul cooked us up some delicious steaks after the kids went to bed.  What is more American than some good ole steak and potatoes?

Saturday morning was so nice!  I'm talking in the 60s, so we decided to have breakfast on the porch.  We were playing music, and Katelyn was dancing.  I was singing until Brady told me, "I'm trying to eat Momma."  Clearly my vocals were causing him to have trouble eating.

After breakfast we headed outside for the rest of the morning.  We played in the driveway, went for a stroll, and played at the park while Paul did the yard. Sometimes I look at my children and think my heart is going to explode out of my chest. I have dreamed of being a mommy since I was a little girl, and when I look at them I just want to melt in a puddle of love. I think I could have 15 children.....ok maybe not that many.

That face..that bow..melting

My tan baby 

Chalk! Messy, but fun!

An interesting way to color with chalk?

We finished the weekend off with some good ole fun with the cousins.  Saturday afternoon we went to the pool and then had cheeseburgers for dinner at our house. Sunday morning we went to our favorite, The Pancake House, for breakfast.  I can't even explain how much Brady loves his cousins.  You should see the huge smile and the excitement that builds when we tell him they are coming to see him.  This boy loves hard.  Nothing makes him happier than being with his family.

I think it should be mandatory that every week be a 4 day work week in the summer.  

Fashion Friday: dresses under $100 and conquering my fear of the maxi

I love dresses.  I would wear them everyday if I could.  Here are a few I am loving for under $100.  Nordstrom is my go-to in the dress department.

This one comes in black and white as well.  It also has a very cute, but classy cut-out in the back.  I may have to add this one to my wardrobe.

Cut-out back dress

I love the colors on this dress. You could wear this to work or for a night out.  So cute.

French Connection Colorblock

This one is just simple, but very classy looking.  I feel like you could get a lot of wear out of it.

Cut-out back textured dress

This one may already be in my closet ;).   I love it, and it comes in black and white.  I got the black just because I thought I would get more wear out of it.  I love the white too though!

Splash print dress

So, I got a little crazy in Target the other day and decided to try on a maxi that caught my eye.  I'm kinda liking it.  I bought it, and we will see if I actually wear it in public.  I love the floral print with the stripes, and notice the cute cut-out in the back. Can you tell I'm liking the cut-out trend?  So what do y'all think- to maxi or not to maxi?

I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July!

Thoughts on Thursday

I decided to participate in my first link up this Thursday, so here I go!



1. Katelyn is still not walking (at 13 months).  I am not worried at all.  Brady didn't even take his first real steps until he was 15 months old, and he wasn't using walking as his primary means of getting around until closer to 16 months.  They will do things at their own pace.  No need to rush as it makes her baby days last longer. (We know those days disappear in a flash!)

2. I am getting the itch to read a good book.  I will confess I am not much of a reader.  I prefer to sit and watch tv when I have free time in the evenings.  The only time I read is when I am on vacation, which is not often.  I am going to try to make an effort to turn off the tv and dive into a book instead. I just started Mary Kay Andrew's Ladies' Night .  So far, so good!

3.  We are going to Paradise- literally!!  Paul and I are going to Paradise Island to celebrate our 5 year anniversary at the end of August.  Yes, you read that right, just PAUL AND I.  I know it will be hard to leave the kids, especially Katelyn as we have never left her overnight, but I am so excited.  We need this time together, just the two of us.  Speaking of those books, I plan to have some good beach reads and enjoy relaxing on the beach.  I can smell the salty air now...

4.  August is going to be busy.  Speaking of August, I can't believe it is already July! We have something planned for every weekend in August including wedding showers we are hosting for 2 different friends, a family beach trip, followed by our anniversary trip mentioned above, not to mention the first Gamecock football game of the season.  How can we already be talking football?

5. I am a huge Harry Potter nerd.  I read all the books and watched all the movies except the very last one- need to change that soon! I watched the NBC special on the new Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, and I am dying to go.  I can't wait until Brady and Katelyn are a little older, and I can use them as an excuse take them there!

Those are my rambling thoughts on Thursday.  I hope everyone has a great 4th tomorrow!

Home Tour: Great Room

I have been wanting to post pictures of our new house on my blog, but then I always decide not to because it's not exactly the way I want it yet.  I finally decided that you know what, it will always be a work in progress, but I am very happy with it the way it is.  There is still plenty more to be done, but there are only so many hours in the day and money in our pockets to do everything that I would like.  So, I am going to slowly, but surely start our home tour!

A lot of people have asked me how the building process was and if we would do it again.  I can honestly say that for the most part we enjoyed it, and I think we probably will build another house in the future.  There is just something special about designing a house that is perfect for OUR family and being able to pick out every last detail.  I learned a lot about building, and I am sure there are some things we would do differently next time, but I could not be happier with how our house turned out.  It really is my dream house.

So, why not start with the room where we spend most of our time?  We did have a decorator who helped us through the process, and I can say that it was very helpful.  I would like to say that I have good taste, but sometimes it is hard for me to put together what I am envisioning.  Evon Kirkland Interiors did a great job of helping me bring my visions to reality.

Turquoise is my favorite color, and you will notice it through out the house.  The furniture, art, and accents in this room make me so happy!  I love a clean, uncluttered look.  The vaulted ceiling in here is one of my favorite details in our house.

I was obsessed with these chests as soon as I saw them in the store and knew I had to have them in my house somewhere.  I think they work perfectly in front of these windows.

I didn't think I would like the mustard colored lamps, but as soon as we put them on the chests I LOVED them!

Picture frames are from Target

Photo books that I look at often

Bowl from Home Goods

This is one of my favorite pictures ever.  I feel like this was right before Brady turned from "baby" to little boy.  The frame is from Hobby Lobby.

The garden stools were a perfect option for us as we didn't want something that took up too much space, but we needed somewhere to sit drinks, etc.  These are my favorite color too which is always a plus.

These pictures could not have been more perfect in this room.  I just love them more every time I look at them.

I actually bought these pillows before we even bought furniture or finished the house, but I just knew I had to have them.  I love the way they look on these chairs.

This wall still needs some work.  I envision some family pictures and a chair over here somewhere.  These 2 lime green chairs are Paul's parents that we used when we had people over and needed more seating, but we kind of like them so we left them there for now.  Paul has always wanted a leather recliner, and I really would mind one over there if we find the right one.

I opted for a fabric ottoman rather than a coffee table, and I love it.  It doesn't get junked up like I feel like our coffee table used to, and it can provide extra seating if necessary.  I also don't have to worry about the kids bumping their heads on a sharp corner.  It's a win, win, and I love the pattern we picked out.

Like I said, it is still a work in progress, but I am still so happy with the progress we have made!  My wish list for this room include:

1. A simple rug
2. A tray for the ottoman
3.  Family picture either framed or canvas for the blank wall
4. A comfy chair for the other side of the couch
5. A small table or garden stool in between the two chairs to sit drinks on