Belle's Nursery

10/21/10
This is an old post, I'm linking up to Kelly's Korner, again... Annabelle's room hasn't really changed much since these photos were taken! :)
I decided this would be a good week to jump on board for "Show us where you live Fridays" that Kelly's Korner is hosting each week. I have loved "touring" everyone's homes over the past few weeks! But haven't gotten around to posting ours....

This week is nurseries/children's rooms, so I decided to let Annabelle show you around her room.....

Here's my room. The walls are light pink and everything is pink and white.
See the sign above my window? Here it is up close.... My momma loved this sign and bought it for my room on a trip to the mountains last Fall....

it says, "There is a prince charming, his name is Daddy"...

Here's my bed. My Momma took those cornice boards down in our formal living room when they first moved to our house... that was before I was even in her tummy! When she was doing my nursery, she decided to recover one in white and hang it over my bed. That's an "A" over my bed...that's for my name! And that's my video monitor on top of the cornice board. Mommy & Daddy LOVE that thing!

My Momma took these pictures during my nap time.... that's me asleep! I scare Mommy because I sleep with my silky right next to my face...

I just noticed how many bows are in these pictures. My Momma will put ribbon and a bow on ANYTHING! She says she should have bought stock in pink taffeta ribbon when they were doing my room....

This is my changing table and my "play corner." Over there I have my own little furniture thanks to my Pop and Grammy, and I have a dress-up bar that my Daddy built for me. There's ballet slippers and tutus and crowns and all kind of fun stuff over there just waiting for me to get bigger! There's also books there and I love it when my Momma reads to me!

Here's an up close picture of the painting on the wall. Inside the "canvas" there are some framed black and white pictures of ME! My Mom loves black and white pictures... but I'll tell you a secret... until TODAY, NONE of the frames in my room had pictures in them! Mom's bad about that....

This is the other side of my room. (Looking in from my dressing room). My Momma got my bedding from Pottery Barn. She wanted to get it there so that she could get the exact same bedding for the big bed in my room, too. When I moved into my room from Daddy & Momma's room, she would sometimes sleep in that bed, especially when I was waking up every two hours. Silly Momma, she wanted to get up every two hours and play and rock.... it was hard keeping up with those hours, so I've decided to sleep a little more at night. I think she's adjusting okay to it.

Here's the bedding up close. That little pillow says, "Belle"... My momma puts my name or initials on EVERYTHING... (kind of like the bow thing....)See that big pink chair?
That's my Momma's favorite thing in my room! She says it was the "splurge" of my room and totally worth it. We spend a lot of time rocking in that chair. My Mom painted a quote on an old window for me. It was one she read somewhere and changed a couple of the words to mean more to us.

This is my dressing room. My Momma said she's always despised (she's not real open with her feelings) wallpaper before, but something possessed her to want to put some in my dressing room. She said it's because it was such a small petite room and because you see it from my bedroom she wanted something that complemented the light pink but that was also really girly.
On my mirror my mom painted something that my Grammy always told her when she was little. "Pretty is as pretty does." Mommy says she always wants me to remember that.

Through that pocket door is my closet.

See those two storage bins? My Momma has already had to clean out my closet two times and those bins are the clothes I've outgrown. Mommy says it's because I'm growing so fast, but Daddy says it's because I have too many clothes... I can't believe my Daddy hasn't learned yet that a girl can never have too many clothes!

left side & right side of my closet....

Through that door is my bathroom.
Oh, wait, first Momma wants to say something.....

*(Note from Momma: "Since we've been married we've lived in 3 houses. All happen to be right next to each other. Makes moving pretty easy! We started out in a family "starter" house (belongs to the family) and lived there for a couple years. Then we bought DW's great-grandfather's house when it came up for sale and moved across the road. We thought that was our "forever" house and put a lot of time, money, blood, sweat and tears into that place...knocked out walls, replaced all the floors (oh how I miss my wood floor!) and did a complete kitchen remodel. Never did we ever think that we'd get the chance to buy our current house. If we had thought that, we'd have left the Kermit-the-Frog green shag carpet and 1970's laminate wood cabinets in the other house and saved our money for redoing this house! Ha....Almost 2 years after we bought and remodeled the first house, DW's grandfather's house was up for sale, so we bought it and moved next door. We love it here and are thrilled to be raising a family in the house where Devin's Daddy was a kid. I'm way sentimental, so I love living here. I even cook in the same harvest gold oven (it's SOMETHING, ya'll) that DW's grandmother cooked many meals in! Honestly, besides the horrendous color, its the best oven, I've ever had, if only it were stainless steel! Anyway, I thought I better give that background before you see Belle's bathroom. Knowing all of that, you'll understand the almost floor to ceiling blue tile. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to do as much to this house as we did the last, but we've got big plans for down the road! We love this house and all the room we have here and we think it's got lots of potential! We did replace the carpet in Belle's room, because it was, you guessed it... BLUE! And blue carpet and pink walls would have been quite interesting.... Back to the bathroom... I didn't know WHAT to do with the blue tile to make it look girly and "flow" with her PINK room....Well, actually I DID know what it needed, but tearing it all out and replacing it wasn't in the budget PLUS the first bathroom in this house that's getting a makeover is ours! Ha... Anyway, we chose a wallpaper that accented the wallpaper in her dressing room, that also had a little blue in it, to try to pull it all together"....)

Bathroom. Yes, it has double sinks (when DW's grandparents built this house, this room was for two of his aunts to share)... I know yall all want to know where you can find some of that blue tile. Sorry girls, I'm sure they quit making it back in the 70's.... dern... the other picture is of the wallpaper up close.

It's Belle again... that's the end of my room. It's really pink, huh? With a REALLY blue bathroom! My bathroom isn't the only place you'll find blue in my room, though. But, most of the time the blue in my room is always with orange! (My Daddy bought me this when they found out I was going to be a girl!)

Guess what Momma named her??????? GEORGIA!!!! Never has Georgia looked so good than dressed in orange and blue!

And that's really it for my room... if you stuck around for all of that, you've got a longer attention span than me and my Momma combined and we're both impressed!
If you want to see other nurseries and children's rooms you can click on the Kelly's Korner link at the top and check them out at Mrs. Kelly's blog! You can see Harper there, too. She's another really cute baby. And if we lived close together, we'd have to schedule some playdates for sure!

Have a great weekend....
Love,
Belle

Party Girl....

On Saturday afternoon, we took Belle to her first "friend birthday party." She's been to a couple family birthday dinners and a party for her cousins' birthdays, but this was the first friend she celebrated with!

Michael was celebrating his 1st birthday early on Saturday and Annabelle was excited to join in!

She wore her cupcake party dress, but Michael was more impressed with her hairbow....

The birthday boy got a car for his birthday. He was so cute "driving" around his house before the party started.

He even stopped long enough to offer this little cutie a ride...

Over the past few weeks, our little miss has become a little timid around strangers and we weren't sure how she'd do around a large crowd of people. But, she did so good! She smiled and laughed and was her friendly little self to everyone. Whew... she didn't cry when we sang "Happy Birthday" either. At my birthday, it scared her really bad. She cried and did the whole lip quiver thing... break our heart... I was relieved to see she liked it better this time. She's got a little over 6 months to start loving it by the time it's her turn to be serenaded by the song...

The party was so cute and Michael's parents did a great job of hosting such a great first birthday. Check out the birthday boy with his cake... is it adorable or what?

The birthday boy is officially 1 year old today! This time last year, I was shopping for some maternity shorts when my sister-in-law and I got the call that Michael had arrived! Time flies...

~annie~

May 17th

Six years ago today, I became a "Mrs."

The day was perfect and everything I had hoped and dreamed it would be.

Six years later, I love Devin more than I did when I first married him, if that's possible. (I also said that last year on our 5 year). He's the whole deal. A good man. A great husband. An excellent Daddy. He loves me more than I deserve sometimes and better than anyone I ever dreamed could.

Six years has taken us many miles. Sometimes its been a fun ride, sometimes a crazy one, and even sometimes just plain awful. We've certainly been through things I wish we hadn't, but God is good, and He continues to bring us through it. He continues to bless our family and our marriage.

DW, if you read this (which he will in about a week or so because he usually checks this thing when someone says, "Oh, I saw that or read that on Annie's blog..." He cringes, I know. Then he checks to see just what I'm saying on here...), Happy Anniversary! Hard to believe it's been 6 years... To borrow the words from Brad Paisley, "I thought I loved you then."

~amw~

We got a package!!!

"We gotta package, We gotta package, we gotta package, hey...hey...hey...hey!"


Isn't that from some movie? But its, "I gotta dollar?"


Well, since we "gotta" package, we probably ain't "gotta" dollar! Ha...


Remember my Kelly's Kids post? Remember how we had a couple things that were on back order? Remember how my mailman, UPS, and FedEX guys all deliver EVERYTHING to DW at the office? Well, guess WHERE my package was delivered? Yep...

Anyway, doesn't matter where it was delivered, just that it finally got here! And the remaining three items were equally as cute as the first few that came in!


Here's some pics... The bubble is a little big on our itty bitty girl, but aren't the colors cute on her? I don't know how much I like her looking like a big girl, though...

I also got her this navy blue ruffly tank top. I love navy, but am not sure how I feel about it on a baby, now that it came in.... However, I do love that ruffle neck line.

The plaid ric-rac bloomers also came in, which go with the smocked crab top/dress...

I took some pictures of Annabelle last week in a new outfit that my sister-in-law, "Aunt Lauren" and her Mom bought for her on Lauren's Spring Break trip home to Tampa. Anyway, this outfit is so cute! It's still a little big, but I can't wait to have her 6 month pics taken in it! You should see the back... its criss-crossed. So cute!

Happy Wednesday! The week's already half over! I am looking forward to the weekend! DW and I will be celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary on the 17th! He's made dinner reservations for Saturday at Mark's downtown and dessert at The Melting Pot. YUM. He's more excited about the steak at Mark's, but I am waiting on the chocolate! Miss Priss is spending her first night away that night. GULP. Pray for me! She's going to have her first slumber party with her Grammy! Pop's going to be some kind of upset when he hears he's missing his girl's first sleepover! Cooper would have lived with them, if we had let him, so I am sure this is the beginning of the same thing with Annabelle! But, I love it. I am so thankful for all of their grandparents. I have no doubt Cooper would have not been the same without their influences, and I am so thankful Belle will have the same. There's nothing like being loved. My boy was and IS oh-so loved, as is my girl!

~annie~

Those Dang Cows...

For several months out of the year, the pasture in front of our house is occupied by cows. When it's empty, I miss them. I love looking out the window and seeing them. I love looking at their babies' milk mustaches, and driving down the driveway and having to STOP because they are "crossing"... (Of course, I like honking my horn at them, too, but don't tell my father-in-law that...)

The field in front of our house had been 'vacant' for a couple months this Spring. A few weeks ago, I began wondering when they were going to move some cows to it. DW's Daddy told us they'd be moving some in the later part of that week. My cousin Stephanie was still here, so she was excited about it. She loves to sit on our front porch and thinks the view is even better when there's cows in the pasture. I have to agree with her, it is.

"Pappy" and his crew moved the cows on Thursday of that week. That night, we were coming home and all riding together in Devin's truck. I saw the cows all gathered down in front of the big oak tree in the field and I had to smile. I looked at Devin and Steph and said, "Man, I LOVE it when we have cows out here... ESPECIALLY those babies!!!!" To which Devin replies, "Yeah for a day or two..."--- he knows me oh-too-well!!!

Not only does DW know me all-to-well, he knows how it goes with these cows.

Me? Well, I like to believe that each time is going to be different.

I like to give those cows the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they aren't like their bovine sisters and brothers that occupied the field before them... Wishful thinking... Because it ALWAYS ends the same way...

Here's how it goes...

First, the cows all head to the "town meeting" --- which is held under the big oak tree down our driveway approximately 24 hours upon their arrival to the pasture...

At this meeting, they decide that they "run" this field... everything is THEIRS... my scarecrows, pumpkins or any other 'seasonal decor', the corn that's on the squirrel feeder INSIDE the fence in our yard, and of course our driveway... its all THEIRS...

Then, they break....

and they set out to mark their territory...

And this is why my car and garage smells like cow shoo-shoo for several months out of the year.

And this is why my jogging stroller stays parked until Devin is home to walk with me and Little Miss...

If those horns were to chase me, I think I'd have a heart attack. I'm a sissy, I know it...But there's something about horns that scare me. I'll walk with cows in the field, but not cows with horns!!! Hello, I've seen the movie "8 Seconds."

And all of that is what leaves me waiting for hay season---when the cows get moved from our house, and our view changes from cows to something like this....(Can I tell you how much I love seeing a just-been-bailed field? LOVE those big round hay bales...)

of course, when hay season comes, our yard will be taken over by the giant grasshoppers... dang it...

So by the time August rolls around, I'll be back where I was a month ago, wondering WHEN ON EARTH my Father-in-law is going to put some cows in front of our house!
And when he does, I'll love them----Until they poop ginormous sized poop across my whole driveway, and eat my Fall decorations...

Proof, I guess, that there really is no pleasing a woman... Nah, maybe just proof that with anything there's pros and cons... how about that? That sounds better to me....

~annie~

Used Napkins...

Last week while Stephanie was visiting, we had a shopping day. Before we could start shopping, though, we needed some nourishment. We started at McAlister's for some lunch and a sweet tea.

Steph enjoying her tea....

When our food arrived, the waitress (are they called waitresses there, since they only bring your food to the table and there's a sign that says 'No Tips'???) Anyway, 'the girl' dropped the food off at the table along with a wad of napkins. Now, I am not using the word 'wad', lightly. The napkins she gave us were not uniformly laid on top of each other, which would have made them a stack. These were all discombobulated and looked suspicious. Now, I'll admit, I am a little on the weird side. Let me give you a little "Annie Fun Fact" to help you see why these would be suspicious to me--- I am SO the person who tears the leftover bread/rolls/etc. in the basket, or puts them on my plate, to prevent the restaurant from taking them in the kitchen and 'reusing' them. I know, its crazy. I know it is. But, it's just one of those weird things that makes my husband do that big sigh and look up. (Kind of like not ever finishing a drink. EVER. In a bottle, I only drink it to the bottom part of the label. Once it gets past that, it tastes old, flat and hot, and I just cant make myself drink it. Same with a can. I never drink all of it.) Anyway, the very thought of this waitress girl picking up napkins from another table, and giving them to us makes me gag. (Blllallllallllalllll--- if you know me, you know that sound... it's what I say when I am completely grossed out, like if I feel someone BREATHING on me...) Eek... I have to interject at this point, that my dining dates, Stephanie and Belle, are just as easily grossed out. Well, Belle doesn't know it yet, but she will be... it's in our blood. (Steph's mom, won't share a drink with ANYONE, even her own kids... and growing up, if you were going to be sick, you'd better hope my Daddy was home to hold your hair and get you a damp washcloth, cause Momma couldn't do it...) Anyway, back to the story... As previously mentioned these napkins were suspicious to me, and when I looked at Stephanie, I could see the disgust all over her face, and knew she was in agreeance.

After further investigation of the napkins our suspicions were confirmed when we saw food remains on one of the napkins, and another had clearly been used and slightly crumpled. (I myself, am a napkin folder, not a 'crumpler', which is a WHOLE other story and weirdness, but this napkin was easy for me to identify as crumpled.)

Now, yall know those napkins looked used... GROSS....

After pushing the napkins to the side of the table with her pinkie finger, going to the counter to request NEW un-used napkins, Steph returned with what I can proudly call a 'stack', not a wad, of unused, uncrumpled napkins. And after slathering down in some hand sanitizer, we were able to enjoy our lunch....

Before we left, though, we were sure to crumple all the napkins, pile them on top of one of our plates, and put the silverware on top... in an attempt, of course, to ensure that the next customer got NEW napkins, and not our leftovers... We're just trying to do our part, people...


And since the subject of used napkins is just gross, I'll end with something sweet....

~annie~