Ribbons, Curls, and Camo

A Word for 2017

2017-01-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

I have read so many posts this week, not about resolutions, but about having a specific word for the year, a theme or anchor word. A word you may refer back to when you feel yourself slipping. I like this concept much more than setting myself up for imminent failure.

My word for 2017 is less.

In a culture where “more, more, more” seems to be the ultimate goal (and don’t get me wrong—I have some frivolous wants), my word choice may seem a bit backwards. Here’s what I mean. I want less clutter. I want less distractions. I want less chores. Physically, I want less.

This word also applies to my mental health. Less pettiness, less anger, less bitterness. I hope for 2017 to be the year that I let resentments and anger float away on the breeze—or maybe pack it up with the rest of the junk to haul off down the road.

I want 2017 to be the year I get projects accomplished in and around my home. For that to happen, I may have to de-commit—less activities taking up my time. I know my family is my first priority, but I want them to feel that prioritization.

Honestly, I could stand for there to be less of me, physically, as well. Don’t most of us feel that way in January after the gorge of November and December? I am sure that would help in the mental health department also. Less cokes, less chocolate.

So what’s my first step to less? Oddly enough, it was cleaning out the silverware drawer. I purged 5 knives. I know, big whoop! But hey, we now have less knives and they all fit in a new space that allows my silverware drawer to be roomier. Baby steps. I will let y’all know what’s next on the chopping block during this, the Year of Less.

And Now I Am a Full-time Mommy...Without the Full-time Job on the Side!

2015-02-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

Nearly four years ago, Kelly came by my house with exciting news--he got a good job. Even better? So did I! My first full-time, post-college job with the University of Georgia's Main Library. We both started our new chapters on June 2, 2011. For us, it meant the first tangible step towards being able to get married and build a home and family together.

Today, my chapter is ending. I am writing from my desk for the last time, and boy--the feelings. I can't even articulate all of the emotions I have. I have the best coworkers imaginable. They have been my sounding board, my guidance counselors, my lunch dates, and my cheerleaders.I really could not create better people if I was in charge! And my boss.... Daron Mitchell should be on the cover of magazines, winning awards every week! She is that amazing. You know you are good when your employee's family members are commenting on how good you are. Leaving this job has been the hardest decision I have ever made. And I've faced down some tough stuff.

I am terrified, relieved, apprehensive, exhausted, excited, grateful--just to name a few!

I have had a few good cries and wallowed in my misery a bit, but I know in my heart that being home with my baby girl is THE most important thing right now. I know it is the best life choice I could make for her, and I cannot express how grateful I am that her daddy agrees and is willing to take on the brunt of caring for our family financially. He told me several months ago that he needs my job to be taking care of our babies and our home. It may seem like I am stepping back into the 1950's, but I really agree with him. I know our family is going to benefit in ways in which money cannot compensate. I am thankful that I made such a wise choice in a life partner, and we are blessed to be able to make this choice for our family.

I have prayed and prayed and fretted and prayed some more over this change in my life. I continue to pray and ask for God to open new doors for me and give me the wisdom to recognize them. With a grateful, humble heart, I leave UGA and my work family today looking forward to what the future holds for Kelly, our babies, and me. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey thus far.

New Year, New You...Right? Write!

2015-01-02T10:03:00.001-08:00

Happy 2015! I am writing this (on a legal pad while lying in bed) about 30 minutes after watching the ball drop.* I rang in the new year wrapped up on the couch with my sick hubby. That is what you do when you have a six year-old, four year-old, and two month-old--but my hair and makeup looked fabulous! It's the little things in 2015. Aha! Just got my yearly mantra nailed down. Now, I am going to snuggle in with my Pinterest account (http://www.pinterest.com/mereeves/), specifically my "2014:Ambitions" board. I believe I will just update the title and keep rocking on with that list. I have taken my first step on the path to my resolution to blog more. New years are all about change and new beginnings, and I have BIG plans and hope to share some as I go, but first--beauty sleep.

*I typed the above from my desk at work. Does this count as a second blog post even if it is technically disguised in the first post? I found this pretty little ditty below at https://nhwn.wordpress.com/. I think it's pretty appropriate!

The Wonder That Is My Child Never Ceases to Amaze Me….

2014-07-30T12:13:00.001-07:00

Nor does she cease to entertain and amuse me. In an effort to appease Maebrynn while Daddy was gone last Saturday evening, I pulled out her My Little Pony matching game for the first time. She caught on very quickly and is surprisingly good. I had already braced myself to go easy on her a bit, but I really needed her to go easy on me! Matching game was a hit, and we have played it almost every day since that night. She wanted to play Monday night as I was cleaning up the kitchen from our supper mess, so I told her to set it up while she waited for me to finish. I turned to observe her set-up technique and saw her lying in the floor on her tummy in the squares of sunlight coming through our front door window. She had discovered that her hands made shadow puppets in the squares of light, and she made different shapes move for nearly 10 minutes. And I watched her for that long. Through the constant rush and hustle of our days, and in Maebrynn’s increasing wittiness and intellect, this simple moment brought tears to my eyes. I love these little reminders that my little girl is not growing as quickly as it sometimes seems and that she does have an appreciation for simple moments as well. I wish I could bottle that innocence and delight and keep it within her forever.

We did play the matching game. I finally beat her, fair and square. Rather than get upset at losing, she threw her arms around my neck and said, “I am so proud of you, Mama, for finally beating me!” I said a prayer then and there that she may always keep this positive attitude and continue discovering simple joys in every day.

A Birthday Poem

2013-02-27T09:47:00.001-08:00

Today is my great-grandmother's birthday. Mary Kirby Corbin would be 84 today. She is missed every single day.

The following is a poem I wrote about her while taking a creative writing course at Georgia Southern.

My Granny’s Right Hand

September 24, 2009

Her hand was covered in thousands of tiny wrinkles

With skin as soft as a child’s despite years of work

That hand could perform miracles in my eyes

It helped make hundreds of biscuits

Always baited my hook

And planted flowers for over fifty years

Throughout its life the hand alternated

Darning needles, cigarettes, scrabble pieces

That hand was rarely motionless

Tanned by years of sunlight

It smoothed hair and patted backs

Held babies, kittens, and dishes

Her hand has been still for nearly two years

But the warmth of its touch remains

Happy 2013!!

2013-01-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

Well, 2012 was not my year for blogging! Maybe this year will be more productive. My new Nook is inspiring me to make lots of changes, writing challenges included. I know my talents, but my skills need to be honed, and it is time for me to be honest to my craft. I am just adding that to the list, along with other items, such as complete DIY projects, cultivate home office, complete Whole30 challenge --oh, yeah, start MLIS graduate program. EEK! And I cannot forget to be the best wife and mother possible! No pressure, right?

Speaking of the Whole30, I took step one and purchased the book, It Starts with Food. One of my dearest, most motivational friends, Christan Kennedy, shared this with me. She is currently working through the challenge and blogging about her experiences at http://beyondthebod.blogspot.com. I am so proud of her diligence and her writing skills! I have such an awesome cast of characters in my life, and she is a leading lady. If anyone else is up for the challenge, I sure could use some company in February. I am trying to convince my husband, but well. Yeah. Maybe I can develop a rewards system for him before February...

Our house is still a work in progress. We will not discuss the field of mud that currently serves as our yard. Maybe by April... I am terrified of putting holes in our walls. Command hooks have been a blessing. I do hope to post some upcoming projects, which was my original thought for this space. I would also like to incorporate some book reviews and guest posts. Again, any volunteers? Book requests/recommendations? We will see how it goes. For now, happy hump day!

DIY Wedding Challenge No. 1: The Invitation

2012-07-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know why someone didn't slap me when I decided I was going to create my own invitation. Kelly and I did some shopping around and found that for 100 invites, we would likely end up paying between $600 - $800 for an invitation that we (I) didn't LOVE. So, after much research, I decided to go with envelopes.com and custom order our stationery. I then worried about the quality of running our cardstock through an office printer, but for the price, I think they look damn good! We won't factor the time and energy that Kelly and I, my mama, sister Madeline, and stepmom Donna put into creating these. I will say this, if you received an invitation to our wedding, know you are loved. It was difficult for me to part with these handmade creations, and I deeply appreciate the help of my generous parents, lovely sister, and darling fiance.

I was inspired by an invitation I saw on Etsy, of course, via Pinterest. I played with several fonts and sizes before choosing "our" design. Kelly, my family, and co-workers had to preview many samples before we made our final selection. From there, we decided to back our invitation with burlap to capture the rustic, casual feel of our big day! We included a direction card and an RSVP card (also back with burlap) and tied the whole bundle with twine. A quick trip to Michael's, a large roll of burlap, several printing sessions later, and a week for my calligraphy skills to be exercised ... Voila! We mailed out only a week behind the schedule I had set for us.

Millen Bridal Luncheon

2012-07-13T13:30:00.001-07:00

One of my registry items :)

Millen Baptist Church Cookbook

Cupcakes by Southern Confections, aka my friend Alicia

I was very honored to receive a bridal luncheon from my stepmom, Donna Fennell-Reeves, and my aunt, Millie Reeves, on Saturday, July 7. Several of my aunts and cousins were present, and I was delighted to spend time with them. My aunt prepared several wonderful dishes with the help of my stepmom, aunt Amalie, and family friend, Sophia Kent. My friend Alicia Smith of Washington, Georgia, made margarita cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, and chocolate with buttercream frosting cupcakes for the occasion. More of her treats can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Confections/451793608165727. My sister, Mary Kate, came up with creative party games (usually a source of stress for me), but these were very unique and fun! We made wedding shoes from cupcakes, cookie, and icing. The "Left Right" gift game, however, was a bit more tedious! Kelly and I received some beautiful gifts for our home, and I am very thankful to everyone who has shared this life event with us thus far.

Lots of deliciousness!

The winning shoe!

Adriana

me, sister Mary Kate, sister McKenzie, sister Madeline, mother Liz

shake it, sassy Mae!

Aunt Millie, Stepmom Donna, sister Mary Kate, me, sister Madeline

Long Overdue Update!

2012-07-13T13:12:00.002-07:00

So this post will be short and sweet, then I'll hopefully have time to blog about my first bridal shower, complete with beautiful pictures! Then comes the house blog, and next week--wedding invitations made by hand. I contemplated ranting a bit about the never-ending cycle that is our life dealing with "the other parent," but I choose to hold off on that for now. Way more exciting things are happening!

My family's new venture, Hootie's Corn Maze, will be open for business in September, just after the wedding. We are all so excited about that. If you are near Jenkins County (Millen, GA), check it out.

Also, my uncle, Stone Williamson, recently had two major life events occur: a wedding and a baby all in two weeks! I am so happy for him, Sandra, Michelle, and baby Scarlett. She is just a doll! I will have to upload pictures.

We have had two weeks with Adriana this summer. We are still struggling with potty training (wipe! wipe! wipe! & wash your hands!), but you cannot parent from an island, which is how it feels for us. Children must have consistency and stability. But, hedging on a rant, I will stop there. We were glad to have her for the extra time allotted, and Maebrynn misses her very much. Now, on to the pretty stuff....

Wedding Progress... YAY!!

2012-05-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

It looks as though we are really, truly going to get married!! :) I had no doubts about actually getting married, just the "where"! Such a relief to have it finally decided! My paper flowers have not been made in vain. Now that we have a set location for both the ceremony and reception, I can better create my vision. I am proud to report that Kelly handled, in its entirety, the selecting and booking of the church. I am so blessed to have an involved groom! I honestly think he is really just as excited as me. So for his next project: making the corn hole boards for the "lawn games" portion of our reception. I can't just let him relax while I am making all of these flowers. He has actually helped with that somewhat also. We are (fingers-crossed) selecting & ordering invitations on Friday. Updated information about the locations for our festivities has been added to our wedding site @ margaretkelly.ourwedding.com.

Our house plans are progressing slowly but surely as well. We are determined to have Kelly's brother-in-law, Fred Velazquez, do the foundation work on our house. It has caused a bit of a halt at the moment, but hopefully the company will come do the footers next week. I pray that after the foundation is set, the rest of the house will come up quickly. I will just be glad when the pile of burnt trees is gone!. In my mind, I am already forging ahead to lawn and garden plans!

Home, Sweet Home!

2012-04-18T08:39:00.001-07:00

It looks like we are really, truly going to build a house!! Kelly and I picked out all of the "style" elements for our House of Dreams last Saturday in Augusta. Floors, walls, cabinets, counters, fixtures, siding and doors--and it only took us 2 and 1/2 hours. Big sigh. Of course, we thought of several questions the minute we walked out the door, but our anxiety was relieved after some delicious fried shrimp at Rhineharts! We also found samples of our counters later at Lowe's to have a visual to share. Personally, I am using those samples to remind me that we really are making things happen! Our land is being cleared, so now we just have three buildings to demolish. Doable by September 1? I sure hope so! This is the house we chose, in similar colors.

Unfortunately, wedding plans are not rocking along as smoothly. With so much time and energy vested in the house, the wedding has fallen to the back burner. Kelly and I have visited several possible locations, but nothing was an automatic, "This is it!" We have, however, done some more registries (locally) so we have not been completely neglectful. And my paper flowers are coming along nicely, thank you Pinterest.

We will finally have our Adriana back this weekend!! She has not stayed for the weekend since March 17, which feels like an eternity! With a three year old, A LOT changes in one month. We have a busy weekend planned, including a trip to visit my daddy and stepmother, and a late birthday party for Maebrynn. Adriana missed out on the earlier celebration, but Mae certainly will not be opposed to another party and more presents! Mommy will hopefully finish painting her rocking chair this week so everything will be ready for our family time beginning Friday!

Happy Birthday, Maebrynn!!

2012-04-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

My sweet darling girl turns two years old today!!! I asked if she knew what today is, and she told me, "Mae's birthday presents!!" She has caught on quickly! We are postponing her originally planned party so we may include her sister. Adriana's mother did not believe it was fair for Adriana to leave during her weekend with her mother, so for this year, we are going to adjust. Soon, Adriana will be able to make those decisions herself! So party is tentatively scheduled for April 20/21. As for today, Mommy is leaving work early to spend the afternoon with Maebrynn! I am thinking homemade pizza tonight because she loooves "pita," and that's something she can help make. Pictures to come!

Windows and Doors and Molding... Oh My!

2012-03-28T09:39:00.001-07:00

My quest for salvaged home items has begun! I am looking for antique entry doors, preferably Craftsman style, screen doors, and molding. We have salvaged a few items from Kelly's grandmother's store, which we are in the process of demolishing. Among those items are three doors, one of which will definitely be used as our laundry room door. I would also like to use one for the half bath downstairs. I am really excited about adding these "vintage" touches to our new house. I also think it will be a special element for Kelly, having pieces of the store that was a big part of his family's life for so many years incorporated into our home.

I am a sucker for old houses and buildings--anything with history is preferable to "new and shiny" in my opinion. Hence, Kelly has battled my aversion to a new house from the outset. I will say he is being pretty open-minded about the possibility of adding "old stuff" in with our look.

We are also keeping our eyes peeled for scrapped wood to use as hardwood flooring in the future. We will be able to save some wood from the store, but probably not enough to use for flooring. I have several wedding projects in mind, which could later be used in our house for decor. I sure am glad I am marrying a handyman!

We are also planning to use the front steps of "Ruby's" as our back steps. They are simply stacked granite slabs. We plan to use other granite slabs salvaged from the foundation to make a patio. We are open to any other thoughts, so if y'all have good renovation ideas, please share!!

The Soundtrack of Our Lives

2012-03-22T12:31:00.001-07:00

"Play the fast song, Daddy, please?" Adriana asks sweetly.

"Hast song! Hast song! Puulllaaayse!!!" Maebrynn chants loudly.

This is how our first, third, and (on lucky months) fifth weekends always begin. For a few days each month, our family is complete, and we soak up every moment. Our classic love story -- single dad of toddler daughter meets single mom of infant daughter -- is much more convoluted than it seems, but we try to provide as much stability for our babies as possible. As of today, March 22, 2012, Kelly and I have been "together" for 21 months, engaged for three. We are in the throws of wedding plans and house-building plans. This is the story of two people who fell in love... Three times. But so far it is true what they say! Third time's a charm!

Adriana turned three in November, and Maebrynn will be two in April. They are your typical sisters, fighting one minute, kissing each other the next. Adriana began referring to Mae as "sister" last weekend, something that thrills me to no end. Maebrynn cries, fiercely demanding to know where Adriana is every Sunday when she is dropped off at her grandmother's. I know she thinks Kelly and I stash Adri somewhere because her little mind does not understand yet how things work. Adriana herself has a difficult time understanding, and that is one of the most painful things to know. It is not an easy path that we take, but we do alright making things work.

Kelly is a welder who rarely gets to weld. Construction is his blanket field. Regardless, he is a hard worker and very talented. I could not be prouder of the man I have chosen to marry.

I am a Library Assistant at the University of Georgia. I do other things as well, including writing a small blurb for our county newspaper about the community in which we live and filling in some Saturdays at the Robert Toombs House, an historic site in Washington, Georgia. I doubt I will ever be monetarily rich, but I really enjoy my jobs!

That is the quick and easy description of our family. I plan to post about progress we make with our DIY wedding, our house, and who knows what else may pop up in between the two. I feel that this may be the best way to share our updates with family and friends, and who knows? I may entertain or teach y'all something!

By the way, the "fast song" is country artist Chris Young's "Lost." It is highly appealing to the toddler/preschool crowd. This is a Public Service Announcement (warning).