Brown Thumb

  I love flowers...and plants...but they DO NOT love me. As much as I would like to say that I am a gardener...I can not lie. If you gave me your heartiest plant...it would be dead within a month. No kidding. Y'all...it's P.I.T.I.F.U.L. I think it makes my mom sad...because she has a great flower garden...and can pretty much make a plant rise from the dead.  I have two plants in my entire house...and here is their current state...

But when I saw these pictures in my new Country Living Magazine.. 

....I almost fell over and died with jealousy...and I don't even garden. It could be possible that what I REALLY love about these spaces is how they are organized using fabulous baskets, crates, etc...but I'll tell you one thing. If I had something like that in my garage...I just might work on turning my brown thumb to green.

Family

  My sweet grandmother has recently been placed in an assisted living facility....and even though I know that getting older is just a part of life...I honestly never pictured it happening it to her. This is what I think about when I think of her...she used to walk SIX miles every day...well into her sixties. Every day she dresses up...and has matching jewelery to boot.  Fridays were her "beauty shop" day.  She makes the best giblet gravy...and angel delight...and sausage balls. She loves to travel. Church is THE MOST important thing...and she prays for everyone she knows.

   This weekend, my parents, brother, and I drove to Sandersville, GA...to potentially see her house for the last time...and to gather anything from her house that had meaning to us...and would make us think of her.

 My family's story...to me anyway, is pretty cool. In fact, if you live/are from the south, you may have even seen a part of us..and never even realized it. Many years ago, my great-grandfather, started a canning company and named it after my great-grandmother, Margaret. It was then passed down to my grandfather...and THIS...is what my dad grew up around...and oh my...he has THE BEST stories. But that is another post for another day. It was sold in 1985 but the company that bought it decided to continue to use the "Margaret Holmes" name.

 So...if you ever see this...

Know this...Margaret Holmes is my great-grandmother....and even though the McCall Family bought our "name" and their story is nothing like ours...it still makes me think of our family every time I see those cans on the grocery store shelves...because once upon a time...that label WAS my family's....and you wouldn't believe the amount of hard work and sweat that went into every single can.

Here is a little bit of family history...

http://www.brandlandusa.com/2010/05/17/tasty-boiled-peanuts-from-margaret-holmes/

and here...

http://www.margaretholmes.com/about-us/

(paragraph 4 and 5 are about my family)

Ed is my great-grandfather, David is my grandfather...and the lady I am talking about is his wife...my grandmother! Isn't history fascinating? 

Happy Monday!!!! 

Celebrity Crush

  Y'all...I have a celebrity crush...or an almost-celebrity crush...or a I-know-you-are-going-to-be-so-famous-one-day-and-I'll-come-to-all-of-your-concerts crush...

 Paul McDonald...will you marry me? OK...yes, I'm already married...and I'm pretty sure I'm way older than you...but I'll let you think about it! ;)

 For those of you who DON'T watch American Idol...THIS is Paul....

And here are some videos of him singing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kLB_PuIOSk

                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6RXJ-5lhj0

  He has a soft raspy voice similar to Ray LaMontagne http://www.raylamontagne.com/us/home who I saw in concert twice this past year..and Hutton says he is a good dancer! HA! So Paul....if you're reading this blog....bahahahahhahahahahahahaha....yeah right....I voted for ya! 

Happy Thursday!

Happy Things....

  Two things I am L.O.V.I.N.G. right now...and they aren't related...in ANY way...which will probably make them look funny together on this page...but I'm not concerned about that! HA! 

    1. I have a long torso and hips...which for some reason makes it hard to find tank tops/undershirts that will not ride up! They start out fine...but...throw in some washing and drying, and I might as well give them to Lainey. So when I found these...I decided to give them a try.

http://www.target.com/Mossimo-Supply-Co-Juniors-Long/dp/B0032HTD6U/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=long%20and%20lean%20tanks&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-14&qid=1299671531&rh=&sea

And y'all....they are AWESOME!!!!! Exactly what I was looking for to wear under shirts, sweaters, etc. and they DO NOT bunch up! There is a monsoon here today and our Target has covered parking...so guess where I'm going...because even though I already  have three of them...they are on SALE this week...for $6...and I can't pass up a deal like that! 

Whoo hoo!!

2. This show is my new favorite!

Design Secrets From Emily Henderson

HGTV Design Star winner Emily Henderson shares her favorite decorating tips on Secrets From a Stylist.

She gives the homeowner TWO options...which is PERFECT for someone like me who....

A. Can't make up their mind

B. Needs to see everything pulled together to decide

before

option 1

what is next???

option 2

option 2

 Don't you love it???? I was so happy when she won HGTV's Design Star...and now I'm even happier that her show is right up my alley! Yipee! 

Have a great Wednesday!

PS. Remember my happy yellow polka dot rainboots that I ordered the other day? Well...they arrived on Saturday...and I get to wear them today! And...because of that...it makes the rain not seem so bad! :)

Kitchen Love...

I have kitchens on the brain. We are finally starting another stage of our kitchen reno and I'm so excited, I can't even breathe. The first stage was to get all new stainless steel appliances...which we did when we moved here...because the oven was so old...I couldn't even figure out how to work it...plus they were U.G.L.Y. Now we are starting the granite/backsplash stage....and to be honest, I'm kinda glad it has taken this long to get to stage two...because my style is WAY different than it was almost five years ago. I'm going with white, white, and more white. That way I can bring in color through accessories and paint on the wall...not by changing out the granite every time I change my mind! HA! Because THAT would be cheap....

  Anyway...here are some kitchens that make me smile....

***Pics from House of Turquoise***

***Found here:http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/02/high-gloss-mag-tia-zoldan.html

***Found: ????

And just because you cook in the kitchen and eat in the dining room...here are some dining rooms that I love....

***Pics from House of Turquoise***

http://www.houseofturquoise.com/

Have a wonderful Tuesday! :)

Colorful Spring Update

  When my husband and I fell in love with this house, I was concerned with one thing. It didn't have a basement...which is something I desperately wanted...mostly so I could throw every toy we own down into the dungeon of doom and the rest of my house would be clutter free! So we made a compromise...because what this house DID have was a huge room around the corner from the kitchen..that we knew would be a perfect playroom!
 Five years later...this room is now being used as a playroom, exercise room, doggy room, and home to all of the "cast off" furniture that gets bumped from other parts of the house. Last month I decided that it needed some C.O.L.O.R...for spring...so on a tiny budget...I tried to see what I could do.
                                  Before

After

Before

After

Before 

After

***paint for shelves: $10 for white primer, white top coat-already had, turquoise-already had
***star:brought from another room, turquoise paint-already had
***floor pillows: IKEA-$6.99 each for insert, $6.00 each for pillow slipcover(has zipper so can easily be taken off to wash! yea!) 
***rug: IKEA-$50 each(there are two)
***piece of fabric covering chair: already had


 I still need some curtains for the windows, french doors, and "cloffic"...(closet/kids office) but I'm on the hunt for something cheap and washable...washable for the kids and cheap because...well...as I've said before, I change my mind every other day...so next year, this room will look completely different! :)
 Have a wonderful Monday! 

Tennessee

  We had such a great time visiting my parents...from the moment we fly up the driveway honking the horn...the fun never stops! Here are some highlights of our trip....

 I know this is weird, but I LOVE to organize things...so while my mom was still at work, Lainey and I organized her closet...and then Lainey put on a fashion show for us with some of the things that were going to a new home at the Goodwill...

Scrapbooking with Mimi...

My mom is the best cook...so we always have great food!

(My SIL, cousin, and I)

Cousins!

Taking a trip to the Adventure Science Museum

Piano Playing...

Ambulance driving...

Sliding down the "poop" tunnel...yes..you read that right!

Hmmm...what does that mean that they look the happiest coming out of the "poop" tunnel????

Hey look! I'm actually in a picture....

Lainey attempting to defy gravity....

 Out of everything in that entire museum, the most simple thing was his favorite!

(watch the penny go around and around and around...) 

Playing drums with Grandaddy

Hooking up the sound system and singing with the microphones!

(Isn't my mom the cutest??)

Mimi and Lainey breakin' it down...

My two favorite people....

Marcy Jo's Mealhouse..and a brother/sister argument...

My cutie nephew...

This year will mark the 10th year of me not living in the same state as my parents...and it's hard to believe that it has been that long already! I hate that my kids are not growing up close to grandparents, but we make the BEST of every trip!!!