Cheap Built-ins….

I’m almost ashamed to say that I haven’t done a THING to the office since we added the wall back in May. I mean NOTHING. I haven’t hung a thing on the wall, or put anything on the desk… NOTHING.

Well, I did get some new colored fine-tip Sharpies, and they’re in one of the drawers in the desk, but they didn’t do much to make the office prettier…just my doodling! :) They do make a fine addition to my dwindling quickly (thanks to a little someone who’s name is “AB”) scented Mr. Sketch markers. Do you not love those? Orange is my favorite. I could sit and sniff it all day. I don’t, I’m just saying I could. Ha… :)

Our “old” office, is right off the master bedroom, and I had gotten a couple cheap bookshelves when we moved in three years ago for it. We bought one short one and one tall one.

I finally got motivated to do something in the new office…

The back wall is 13 feet long, so it’s a pretty good sized space to try to fill. I have always loved the look of Pottery Barn & Ballard Designs office systems, but right now, the price isn’t in the budget!

I knew I wanted something nicer looking than my cheap ‘ole Target shelves, though! So DW and I decided we’d make a faux looking built-in with our cheap shelves.

Here’s what we started with

We added one more tall one and one more short one. Together, they cost us $50.00! Not bad! :)

We decided to do the 2 short ones in the middle, flanked on each side by the tall ones. To make it look like one solid unit, we decided to add a shelf across the top, and put some crown molding to add to it’s look.

We went to Lowe’s to get all the boards and molding. I gave them a couple coats of black paint. And since I was getting on DW’s nerves clicking pictures and he’d already caught me on my phone posting our “Home Project” status to my Facebook, I painted him little message on one of the boards! :) Gotta keep the bossman happy. :)

While I was busy painting away, he was putting together the two new shelves. When we got them placed next to each other like we’d planned, we ran into some trouble… They shelves weren;t exactly the same as the old ones. First “DERN IT” of the project. The smaller one’s bottom shelf was lower than the others. To fix it, DW just added some “legs” to the bottom using some scrap wood from our playroom bookcase project.

We were back in business! We got all the shelves placed where we wanted them and attached to one another using some screws.  We then added the board (“shelf”) across the top and the crown molding. We also ran into another difference between the old shelves and the ones… the old ones had a piece of wood across the top of each shelf that the new ones didn’t… so DW had to add that, too.

 

After all the trim molding was added to the sides and bottom, we filled the nail holes and touched up the paint. I also painted the holes for the adjustable shelves black to keep them from screaming, “I’m a cheap bookshelf!”…

Here’s the finished product…  

I’m really pleased with how they turned out! I can’t wait to get some stuff on the shelves… I am thinking some color! It’s looking like A LOT of black right now.

Last week I’d found a HomeGoods giftcard in my wallet and there wasn’t a phone number to check the balance on it. I figured there was like under $10.00 left on it, so when AB and I went grocery shopping on Monday, I ran by to check the balance… It had $48.00 on it!!! Woo-Hoo!!! We shopped around for a few new things for the office and came home with this lamp and this “W”.

I loved the lamp, but once I got it home, I didn’t like the way it looked in the office, so I’m going to return it. The “W” will go on top of the shelves and I think it will look great!

I DO want a Parson’s Chair & slipcover from Ballard for the desk, though… maybe in one of these fabrics…  

The black check with a bright green “W” monogram, or a black one on the solid green chair…

This red toile would be pretty, too, I think… But hello, red & black… there’s no way my man would go for that… (Can you say, Georgia Bulldog colors?!?)  It stinks, because a big red monogram on that black check chair would be so cute, too…

AB & I are meeting up with Carrie & AC on Thursday, so we may have to go into Ballard so I can drool over my chair and pick out the fabric in person so I can put it on my Christmas wish list! :) Santa, are you reading?!?!?

I’m not going to lie and say this project was “SUPER EASY”, but it wasn’t “SUPER HARD” either. It took us about 4 hours from start to finish and while it’s a far cry from Pottery Barn or Ballard, I think it looks really good!

Hopefully it won’t take me 5 more months to get some stuff hanging on the walls and on the shelves! But I’m not making any promises!

~amw~

Singing & Dancing…

For the past few weeks, we’ve been wanting to try out a fun little music group at our local library and today it finally worked out to where we weren’t out of town or already had plans, so off to the library we went! :)

Ms. Sara, who is the choir director and piano player at our church, leads the class at the library and it was so cute!

She sang songs, played games and danced around with the kids. There was a really good sized group, too! I couldn’t believe how many people we knew who go to the group. It was fun to see everyone and to introduce Annabelle to a class setting. She NEEDS that right now. She’s gotten really shy over the past few months and aside from her BFF, Allie Claire and the occasional visits with her cousins, she doesn’t get much time with other kids. She won’t stay in the church nursery, so I’ve really been wanting to get her involved in some sort of group. But since she’s not even two yet, our options are kind of limited… so I was really excited to see what the music class was like when Ms. Sara invited us. I didn’t take my big camera, but did get a couple pics with my diaper bag camera…

At first, AB was shy and stayed close to me, Aunt Stephanie & cousin Willie. But after a while, she started to loosen up and stand up to dance and clap her hands. Ms. Sara does a little game with the Mr. Potato Head and AB even went up in front of everyone BY HERSELF and put the hat on Mr. Potato Head! I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it was so precious! I was so proud of her! She also helped Ms. Sara play the guitar.

The group lasts for 30 minutes and was the perfect length.

We will definitely go again, and I am hoping the more we go, the better AB will be at joining in and interacting with other kids.

We got a Happy Meal for lunch and headed home to see Daddy on his lunch break! 

Today’s Happy meal toy.. Prince Charming… awwww…

~amw~

Peas

Yesterday morning, AB and I set out for my Granny’s house. Last week I worked at getting all my Fall stuff put out around our house, and I knew that Granny would want hers out, too!

We spent the morning with Granny, got all of her fall stuff put out, and even chased a “skink” (a snake looking lizard…Heather, I thought of YOU!) out of the house. It was a morning, for sure! Ha… After all our fun, we headed back home so little miss could take her much needed nap.

That afternoon, I went to the freezer to get some peas out to start for supper.

When I pulled the bag out, I smiled so big…not because Acre peas are one of my favorites, but because of the little writing I saw… If you look close, you’ll see those precious little scribbles.

It reminded me of the pictures I took of AB when we were “putting up peas” this summer.

The garden was a huge chunk of my childhood. I spent countless summer days there with my parents and grandparents. I helped pick vegetable after vegetable and even used to cry when it was time to go back. Ha! My Papa would make me and Beau “Squash Flutes” to play on the way home as we rode in the back of the truck and sang “Yellow Submarine”… So many sweet memories and so many lessons learned in those gardens. I am forever grateful for both…even if at the time, I HATED (the picking part, not the squash flutes!) it.

When DW and I bought our first house, we planted a garden behind it. Two years in a row, actually. He worked so hard in it, and we enjoyed what little vegetables the deer left for us. It didn’t take us long to retire from planting our own garden, but we happen to have lots of family who still plant and share their gardens!

This year, I was just plain sorry, yall, and didn’t pick the first pea. I am blessed enough, though, to have a momma & Daddy who know how much I love them, so they picked us a few buckets and we all sat and shelled them one afternoon. I put those in the freezer, but still wanted to put up a few more. So, when my FIL asked if we wanted some from Rogers, the answer was a quick, “yes!” Rogers is a farm in a neighboring town that grows hundreds of acres of peas and they have a giant pea sheller, so when you buy from them, the peas are already shelled. I enjoyed visiting the farm in July, talking with Mrs. Rogers and seeing that huge pea-sheller!

AB got to help me put up the peas we got from Rogers. We blanched them on the stove just like my Granny always did and when they were cooled, I bagged them up. AB got to do what used to be my job---write on the bags! I remember always drawing pictures for my Granny and writing, “I love you” on each bag, along with the date and contents.

Something tells me Granny loved pulling those bags out of the freezer and seeing my notes as much as I loved getting AB’s yesterday.

Who would have thought a bag of peas would be so much fun? Or bring back so many sweet memories? (Not to mention taste so good with a big ole piece of cornbread, too?!?!?) :)

~amw~

Game Day!

It’s Saturday in September and that means one thing. Florida Football!

This is how we say, “Go Gators” down on the farm!!! Ha…

Annabelle thinks the guys (& Granny) on the farm, did such a good job making this “Hay-Gator” last week. This is about the 4th or 5th year they’ve done it, and I think this year’s is the best yet! He’s in one of the hay fields on a major road, and every time we pass him, I’ve seen people on side of the road taking his picture!

I know I’m partial, but I think he’s pretty great, too!

Go Gators!

~amw~

Always, Sometimes, Never…

Both Heather & Carrie did these lists a couple weeks ago, and I always love reading things like this about my blog friends, so I’m doing one today, too!

 

I ALWAYS…

- drive my car until the gas light comes on.

- take my jewelry off the minute I walk through my door.

- order the same thing at restaurants.

- love it when DW winks at me.

- drive fast down our drive way! (So does everyone else! It reminds me of a landing strip with a slight curve!) 

- have room for ice cream!

- decorate our house for seasons/holidays.

- want more. Contentment isn’t my strong suit and is something I’m working on!

- love holding babies.

- love a clean house.

- like eating out!

- have the ingredients to make some kind of cookie! You never know when you’re going to need a cookie!

- wish I could sing good.

- use my teasing comb. Even if my hair’s going up in a pony tail.

- check my email ten times a day.

- take lots of pictures.

 

I SOMETIMES…

- use public restrooms. But it has to be an EMERGENCY. (Fun Fact: I’ve NEVER seen the inside of a porta-potty).

- enjoy being by myself.

- dance with my man in the kitchen. We used to do a whole lot of that when we were newlyweds! Now, sometimes AB likes to join in though!

- fold laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer.

- spend too much money!!! oops! :)

- put things off until the last minute!

- am too hard on myself. 

- cry during commercials. Especially the Publix ones around the holidays. Oh, and Hallmark ones, too! ha…

- get a pedicure, but NEVER as often as I’d like!

- exercise. But NEVER as often as I should! ha…

- like to think I’m an organized person. At least I try. :)

- wish someone else could do our grocery shopping.

- send friends and family cards. I love sending and receiving mail!

- read. I don’t like to, but if it’s a book that I think might help me, I’ll read it…but never just because I like to.

- want to re-paint our living room. But then I think of how much work it will be and I change my mind.

 

I NEVER…

- drink a bottled drink past the label.

- park straight.

- taste the deli meat when they offer it at Publix. (You know, when you’re getting lunch meat sliced and they ask you if you want to try a piece first. I’ll NEVER understand why they do it. Especially first thing in the morning. Who eats a piece of turkey at 9:00 in the morning??)

- regret saying “Yes” to DW and that limerock ring!

- get my hair done when it needs it.

- like drinking from plastic cups. I’ve come along way with paper plates though.

- thank my parents & in-laws enough for everything they do/are.

- wash my car.

- print pictures.

- eat mayonnaise. YUCK!

- am on time. I’ve gotten much better though, since I married DW. He makes me better… awwwww…

- sleep without a “huggie” pillow.

- think the weekends last long enough.

- read long forwards on email.

~amw~

Wholesale-in’

While we were in Georgia, I spent a couple hours with my Aunt Kay and cousins; Becky, Krissy & Amy at Sims Wholesale Pottery. Aunt Kay & Krissy had to get a few more things for their fall decorations (they do the decorating at their church, businesses and their houses) and us other girls were along for the ride, hoping that some of their decorating abilities would inspire us while we were there! And who would pass up an opportunity to get to buy stuff at wholesale prices?!?!? Not, I.  :)

We only went into the main barn, but yall, I could have gone crazy. ESPECIALLY on the Christmas stuff. Since I had limited space on bringing stuff home, I knew I better focus on Fall and hope for another Georgia trip before Christmas! ha… (I can imagine what DW will say about that… the only GA trip I’ll be getting anytime soon is to Atlanta if the Gators make it to the SEC!) ha… I took a few pics with my phone… Here’s some of the Christmas that I loved. I didn’t get any pictures of the garlands and wreaths though, yall. Like the BIG thick beautiful green garlands for so cheap. I want to go back!!!!!! :)

There were rows and rows and boxes and boxes full of fall foliage. I’m not usually one who’s big on fake flowers, but there were some really awesome ones, and the key is knowing how to arrange them. I don’t. But, my Aunt Kay and cousin Krissy do--- so I bought the stuff they helped me pick out and hopefully it will come together! ha…

I wish all of you who love houses and home decor could see Aunt Kay & Krissy’s houses (really, all the girls)… yall, they AMAZING. And perfectly decorate for every season and holiday.

Back to the pottery…

Here’s a few more pics… We all loved that red pumpkin! Everyone got one except me. I was on limited space!!

  The Ribbon. THREE aisles of ribbon.

 

Christmas Ribbon

Have I mentioned I want to go back before Christmas?!?!?

That’s all the pics I took while we were there, but I did take some pics of what I got…

Thankfully, it all fit in one of the really long Rubbermaid containers…

This was the Fall stuff I got…

A few things up close: 

I loved this umbrella door bucket! This is what I’m doing on our front door for Fall, but thought it would be cute filled with other stuff throughout the year on the front door…

I loved this pre-arranged fall centerpiece. It was only like $6.00, yall!  

We all got one of these wreaths. The plan is to hang them with our fall ribbon on a mirror or window…

Speaking of fall ribbon. Here’s the two I got… Yall will hate me when I tell you the HUGE roll was like $9.00!

I found a few things for around the house year round, too…  somehow it all ended up being green. Ha…

My BFF will laugh at me for buying Curly Willow all the way up there, and dragging it 500 miles home… because one time she and I had gone to Market Days in Tallahassee and she’d bought some and lugged it around ALL DAY around the fair grounds and when we got to the car, I was like, “Carrie, you could buy that at Michaels!” Ha… This was lots cheaper, though, that’s why I hauled it 500 miles! ha..

The glittery stuff on the left, is what Becky, Amy, and I all grabbed after we saw Aunt Kay and Krissy buying it up! Ha… None of us were sure what we were going to do with it, but thought for sure we needed some if they did! Ha…

It was such a fun afternoon with the girls. I love them all so much.

I’ve been working on getting all the Fall stuff out around our house the past couple days, and working on putting together my new stuff!

~amw~

Georgia on my mind…

Last week, we’d been home for less than 24 hours when we packed up and headed out again! My parents picked me and AB up Wednesday morning and we set out North bound on I-75 for Habersham County, Georgia…home of some of our favorite peeps!

It’s ALWAYS a LONG drive, but especially with little ones! Whew…I have to brag on my girl, though, because she was P-E-R-F-E-C-T. No tears, no fussing, no “get me out of this seat” fits! She did so great on the trip up and back home, too!

We stopped every couple hours and let her get out and stretch her legs. One stop was at the biggest playground I’ve ever seen at a fast food place… it was a Burger King, in Macon, I think. We got a coke Icee and let her play for twenty minutes. She LOVED it.

We finally made it to my brother, Beau’s, a little after 6:00. My nephew Garrett was ready and waiting for us!

Beau & Kristy just moved the weekend before, so we were hoping to get to help them around their new place. Kristy had already gotten almost everything done, so there wasn’t much to help with, but we did get to do a little painting and a couple other little things for them. The rest of the time was spent visiting and loving on the kids!

Beau & Kristy’s new house has a front porch with a beautiful view, and we loved sitting out there letting the kids play. AB had the best time bossing Garrett around. If she told him, “no-no” once, she must have told him a hundred times. I know he’s glad we’re back in Florida! ha…

On Thursday night, we got to go see my cousin’s sons play JV football. One word. Precious. I couldn’t help by tear up when I thought about Sid & Caleb being in EIGTH grade and playing JV football. They were so cute and grown up in their football pads and jerseys. They were such precious little babies, toddlers, kids, and now teenagers!!! We loved getting to see them play a game, even if the Bobcats weren’t victorious over the Rebels!

Saturday, we woke up to cool temperatures and it felt so much like Fall! It was wonderful! We spent the morning playing outside with Jackson & Garrett. Jackson loves these balloon rockets that my mom has gotten a few times for him from Cracker Barrel.

So we played with those and then he found his old retro car that my parents bought for him his first Christmas. (They got Cooper one, too, and its one of my favorite toys we have!). He rode it down the little slope in the driveway and had the BEST time! He called himself “Mr. Fast Guy” as he’d fly down hill! Then I’d push him back up hill and we’d do it all again!

Garrett & Daddy cheering for “Mr. Fast Guy”

That afternoon, we all got together at Uncle Ronnie & Aunt Kay’s (at the creek) for some BBQ. My Aunts live right next door and they have seriously the best set up for family gatherings behind their house at their creek. It’s such a great place for the kids to play and everyone to just eat and be together! I love it down there!

 

My cousin, Amy’s little boy, Van, drove everyone around on the golf cart. Too cute…

It was game day, so of course AB and I were sporting our Orange & Blue in the midst of the sea of Red & Black!

Uncle Ricky & Aunt Cindy were still in Wyoming, so we didn’t get to see them or the rest of their family. We did get to see Seth & Sy, so we were happy about that! We missed the rest of the crew for sure, though! Our big family reunion is next month, so we can’t wait to see everyone then!

Sunday morning, we headed home early! We couldn’t get here fast enough! We were ready to be at our house and see DW! He missed us pretty bad, too! :) It’s always good to visit, but but there’s NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

~amw~