Jeff's 50th

We had a pretty big weekend.  

Friday morning this is the first thing I saw.  Mills laying facing the wall on my side of the bed.  Crazy boy!  
 

We had a second tile appointment at Crossville on Friday with Jillian.  She is fabulous.  We picked out a lot of new things and are probably going to go with most of them assuming the price is right.

This is the downstairs guest bathroom.  Left tile is the floor and will be 12x24 and the right large piece is the shower walls which will end up being 12x12 but we are laying it in a cool way with some of the hexagon in between.  The hexagons will be the shower floor.     
 

Friday night we tried a new place that just opened nearby - Ted's Montana Grill.  It was good.  We both got bison burgers.  Molly Anne even tried it but she liked her mac n cheese more!  And I especially loved that buttered carrots were an option for a side with the kids meal.  They give out WikkiStix instead of crayons which I thought was so cool.  She loved playing with them. We made her glasses!
 

Saturday morning we made scrapple and Poppa's special cheesy eggs for breakfast!  Girlfriend loves it!  We did a few errands that morning.  Kevin took Molly Anne to Target and I went to Talbots, Old Navy and Home Goods child free!  That was a treat!
 

During nap, Kevin power washed the back patio and I helped him a little bit.  My friends Nina and Katie were raving about this beer at bunco last week so I picked it up to have.  They're right - it tastes like a warm sunny day!  So good!  By the way - this is the link to Nina's blog - she posts amazing recipes!
 

We played with bubbles!

 

 

Then we went over to our neighbor's house for a 50th birthday party for Jeff!
 

I never get my picture taken with Lisa but last night we did!  She is my early morning running buddy in the hood!
 

Jeff and Regina had turned their kitchen into a disco room.  It was crazy!  They had awesome music playing inside and also out on their covered porch which overlooked the pool.  Gorgeous.
 

The old man and his bride!

 

We are thankful for such great friends in our hood!  We walked home about 12:30am so yeah the party was too much fun!

 

Sunday we just hung out and were super low key.  Our little alarm clock still wakes up whether we are out late or not! ;)  Molly Anne and I did a few errands and I did meal prep for the week during nap.  After nap the three of us plus Mills were outside playing - it was soooo pretty and nice out!  70 degrees and sunny!  We grilled burgers and veggies for dinner and called it a super fun weekend!  

House Pics

On Thursday the guys put shingles on the roof!  They mostly finished that day but did wrap up yesterday.  I love the detail parts of our house - the curve on the triangle parts of the roof and the curved windows.  Details details!  
 

Molly Anne hasn't been over to the house much lately because when they started the framing, it became pretty dangerous for her to be over there.  We took her on Thursday night and showed her her room for the first time.  I think these pictures of her sitting on our front porch will be fun to have one day.  She was practicing for First Day of School pictures! ;)
  


And the last picture I want to share is where we will be spending most of our time.  This is the kitchen, breakfast area, den and covered porch.  Far left is kitchen.  The little area in the middle is the breakfast area, the den is where I'm standing and the covered porch is on the right.  Pretty cool right?  I can't wait to see this area evolve with all of the details we are working on!
 

Five on Friday - Random

ONE:
Have any of you heard Lionel Richie's country album?  It's where he has a different country artist join him for each of his hits.  I was listening to it this morning on my way to work and it reminded me to mention it today.  I am obesssed and have been for some time.  For long time readers, you may remember when we had a private Lionel concert in Miami.  Here is the link to my post on that.  CRAZY!

TWO:
I made this Sheet Pan Supper by Mix and Match Mama one night this week.  It was EASY, somewhat healthy and good.  Highly recommend.  I chopped all of the veggies on Sunday afternoon during nap so I just had to put it all on the tray, put oil, salt and pepper on it and stick it in the oven.  I'll be finding another one of these type recipes for next week.   

THREE:
Molly Anne loves saying the blessing before dinner every night.  We say, "God is great, God is good, thank you for our food, Amen!"  She has started saying it with us too.  It's precious.  Also, we are loving the booster seat without the tray now.  We scoot her right up to the table and she eats right there with us.  It's nice!  We've been doing this for a few months now.  

 

FOUR:
The rose bushes on the side of our house are absolutely gorgeous right now!  I didn't trim them back the last couple of years and I think that may have paid off because they are just blooming like crazy.  

Molly Anne is still obsessed with the little car my brother and SIL gave her for her first birthday.  Also, she wouldn't keep sunglasses on last year but she is loving them this year.  It's pretty cute!
 

FIVE:
Ashley hosted bunco this week and she did a Mexican theme in honor of Cinco de Mayo today!  The food was unreal.  She is the hostess with the mostess for sure!  Big times on a Wednesday night!!!
 

I'm hoping to post some current house pictures tomorrow because there were some big changes the last couple of days!  Just trying to keep my little journal up to date and with so much changing, I want to be sure to capture it all.  Still can't believe this blog started when Kevin and I started dating in 2009!  Truly, everything is on here.  Dating, engagement, wedding planning, all of our trips, being pregnant, all of Molly Anne's firsts, building a house.  CRAZY!  Thanks for letting me share a glimpse of our life with you!  

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  We have big plans that I'm excited about!

House Update - Fireplaces

The big decision this week was whether or not we make the fireplace in our den flush with the hardwoods or have a raised hearth.  

I LOVE the look below...we will have bookshelves on either side of our mantel as well.  

This raised hearth is absolutely stunning with the marble.  

But we ultimately decided to go flush with the hardwoods and not have a raised hearth.  The deciding factor was that our bookshelves on either side are only 4'1" wide and for the size room we have, we'll need a bigger TV than that so the TV will have to go above the mantel.  If you add the raised hearth, there is a certain distance above that the mantel/fireplace have to be per code so it raises your TV too high if that makes sense.  Therefore, flush hearth and tv over the fireplace it is.  Not sure what material we will use surrounding the fireplace but granite is in our budget.  

As far as the fireplace on the outside covered porch - we think we will go with a raised hearth here.  We are working on figuring out what we want the porch to look like in general.  

I LOVE LOVE this look below.  We are definitely having a bead board ceiling and Kevin wants it to be stained wood not white.  We will have the white brick on the house side of the porch.  We need to decide material for the floor (bluestone or travertine) and we need to figure out if we are doing a brick or stone fireplace.  

And for good measure, here are some pictures from Tuesday.  

 

Framing wrapped up yesterday.  It's really coming together.  Next are shingles and windows!

New Wedges

I've really been wanting a pair of wedges since last year but never sprung for them.  This year I decided I would wear them often if I got them early in the season so I started looking for a pair.  I was between this pair and this pair.   

I ended up going to the store for a few minutes yesterday during lunch and tried both on.  The first ones were much more comfortable and I didn't feel like I was going to fall on my face ha!  They just seemed sturdier.  I'm not in love with the zipper but it does make them a lot easier to get on and off instead of having to deal with a buckle.  

The best part?  Yesterday they were full price and today they're 25% off so I did the online chat with Nordstrom this morning and they're crediting the discount to my card.  So easy!  Nordstrom has the best customer service!

Molly Anne Stuff

I slept so hard last night (and had a dream about an ex boyfriend which was odd) but I really really really needed that sleep.  Sometimes I go in our spare bedroom to sleep without Kev and Mills and I hate doing that but when I don't sleep, I get sick and I cannot deal with being sick right now (or anytime).  How's that for a run on sentence?  Anyway, I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day.  Insert praise hands!  

While we were getting ready this morning, Molly Anne was running around playing etc. and all of the sudden I heard silence.  You Mamas know that this usually isn't a good thing!  So I ran to find her and this is what I found.  She had climbed up into the glider in her room and was reading her nativity book that my MOH gave her for Christmas.  How sweet is that?!!!  I love that she is leaning on her new blue bunny that Aunt Kate gave her this past weekend.  I asked her to point to Jesus and she pointed to him.  Maybe we are doing something right?!  Ha!  She also had gotten her shoes out and put them on by herself!  Always has to figure out how everything works!

But also, I just couldn't believe that my BABY was sitting up in a chair and quietly reading a book.  How did she grow up so quickly?!!!!!!!!!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  

 

Speaking of growing up, when we were at our new neighbors house last weekend, she got on Maggie's radio flyer tricycle and tried to ride it.  I think it is time for her to get a little bike and this may have to be her first one.  Birthday gift?!!

She has been obsessed with drinking out of my cup whenever I have a straw in it.  As in - she is holding my tervis tumbler and drinking out of it by herself - gah so grown up!  Sarah told me this would happen so I should have expected it.  I'm going to get Molly Anne this water bottle that Gigi uses and I just know Molly Anne will love having her own!  

I'm finding myself putting up baby toys and having to find more challenging things for her.  She can put the shapes in the shape sorter quickly now and name most of the shapes.  She can do the animal and shape puzzles in less than a minute.  I want her to stay challenged so here and there I'm putting the easy stuff away and finding more things to stimulate her little mind!  If you have any suggestions, I'd love them!

Fam Reunion and Birthday Party

Good morning!  We had a busy weekend!  Here's a little recap!

Friday night:  the three of us went to Midwood Smokehouse for an early dinner then checked on the house!  Molly Anne has gotten so much easier to go out to meals with.  She is pretty content coloring and snacking on cheerios.  We don't let her play on our phones or iPad...yet.  Never say never but I hope we don't resort to that.  It also helps that we go for the old people early bird special in the 5 o'clock hour! ;)  


Saturday morning we were up bright and early and went to Winston-Salem, NC for a family reunion at Aunt Kate's house!  I brought a few things to entertain our little friend since we were at a home that was not toddler proof.  That stressed me out a bit ;) but we survived....and stayed outside as long as possible!  Bubbles were the big hit!
  

Kevin's parents!
 

Aunt Kate with a squirmy Molly Anne.
  

We jetted back to Charlotte about 1pm because I wanted her to have a nap in the car.  She fell asleep by the time we got out of town so she slept about an hour and a half which was good.  

When we got back, we had a birthday party at our new next door neighbor's home.  Their daughter, Greer, turned 1.  Molly Anne basically had the time of her life there.  She walked in their house and around their backyard like she owned the place.  She had already done a lap around the backyard surveying the toys before Kevin and I could say hey to everyone.  Next thing I know, she is in the mini trampoline with all the big girls.  They also have an older little girl who just turned three so they have LOTS of toys that Molly Anne fell in love with.  

And this squirt got to have cake AND a capri sun.  See what I mean?  Time of her life.  

 

 

When we got home, the drink and cake created this.  She went into Mills' condo and locked herself in there for some odd reason!  Haha!  Needless to say, she was in the bed by 7 as usual and out like a light by about 7:05!  
 

Kevin and I had a little date night out back and used Door Dash for the first time.  We got Bad Daddy's.  I am not a vegetarian and never get veggie burgers but their black bean burger is SO good.  Kevin built a fire, Mills hung out with us and we just chilled. 
 

Sunday morning we went to Elevation and after naps we played out back.  Molly Anne was more interested in carrying her beach towel around than playing with her water table.  She had fun though.  We are going to be outside ALL summer, I just know it. 
 

It's May 1st.  Cannot believe it!