Whispers from Wildwood

The JOY of the Lord

2019-01-31T08:58:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the last day of January and I'm finally making time to sit down and share my word for 2019, and I chose the word JOY. Last year was the first year I jumped on this bandwagon about having a particular word to focus on all year. Last year's word was HOPE. I shared about it here.

Looking back on 2018, although it was a difficult year for me emotionally, I came to realize during the year that my HOPE in Christ was doing a work in me. Even though circumstances with a loved one were out of my control, I had finally placed it all in God's hands...where it needed to be anyway.

I don't know about you, but I was surprised at how difficult parenting an adult child can be. Maybe it was because we had no real issues with rebellion when he was a teen and he loved the Lord with an intensity that was mature above his years. But Satan waited almost 24 years to make his move...and it caught us all off guard. I'm not going to go into details on here about what happened. It's not something I feel led to discuss with just anyone right now. But I will say that what Satan is using to try to destroy my child, and me in the process, has only drawn me closer to the Lord.

You see, I have suffered with bouts of depression since my teenage years. But God was faithful to lift me up out of the pit of hell that depression is and I learned to fight the enemy with God's Word. Do I still get depressed at times? Yes, a little. And if you had told me years ago that I would have to watch my only child turn his back on God, I would have sworn to you that I would have died of a broken heart.....but I haven't.

I can remember one night in October 2017, that I literally thought I was dying from my broken heart. The pain of what was happening caused me to grieve harder than I ever have in my life....even more than when my own father passed away. But I hung on to the HOPE in God's Word and allowed Him to walk with me through this difficult season. And I do feel that it is just a season that we are in and being tested. I don't know how it will end, but I do know that I found out what true JOY of the Lord really is! It didn't take long for me to realize that I was smiling and laughing and enjoying life again.....even in the mist of the pain that my family is going through.

Let me encourage you today to never give up HOPE on those you love. As parents, even though we love our children with all of our hearts, we have to remember that God loves them even more. He doesn't want to see them live outside of His Will any more than we do. He is there. He is watching. And He is waiting to intervene in His own timing. We have to trust Him to handle it the best way and know that in the end He will use it to bring glory and honor to Him if we let Him.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" - Romans 15:13

"Consider it joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance" - James 1: 2-3

" Do not be anxious about anything, but in ever situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4: 6-7

A Redneck Christmas

2019-01-29T22:09:00.000-05:00

I love to entertain and one of my favorite annual events to host is our family's Christmas party. Each year we choose a theme to add a little more fun to the holiday festivities, and this year was "A Redneck Christmas". I wanted my costume to be a little different than everyone else.....imagine that 😄....so I decided to be Miss Demeanor, a redneck beauty queen.

This was definitely the easiest party I've ever decorated for! Doesn't take much to be tacky 😊

I found this cute recipe on Pinterest. They really do look like cigarettes, don't they?

Me with my sisters and our mom

My sister, Suzanne and her family should win a prize for their photo!

Me and my son, Dillan

My sister, Shaana and her family looked great as well. When Shaana walked in with that fake baby bump, I had to take a double-take lol!

We had a great time......lots of fun and laughter, as always. And we're already scheming for next year. What do you and your family do for fun during the holidays? If you're looking for something different, try a themed Christmas party to liven things up.

Christmas in the Country

2019-01-03T09:24:00.001-05:00

This year, I did my best to soak up all the Christmas cheer possible. I decked the halls, using a winter theme in much of the house to carry me into January. This way, I only had to remove part of the decor after New Year's and left the rest until the end of January. So much less stress doing it this way! I never feel pressured to remove it all immediately, but I do like to start the year with a clean slate and less clutter.

My coffee/ hot cocoa bar is always one of the first things I decorate. Needless to say, it gets daily use around here. Plus my guests enjoy being able to help themselves to a hot beverage of their choice.

The diy open shelving we did in the kitchen a few years ago is always fun to decorate. Inspired by a metal Christmas sign I purchased at the Country Living Fair, I used lots of bottle brush trees to add Christmas cheer to this fun space.

Our little Santa baby 😊

I love playing around with different tablescapes during the holidays. Adding fun pieces like this moss deer makes it even more fun. Dillan gave me this little guy as an early Christmas gift.

I'm still obsessed with all things gingerbread 😊

This 3 tiered metal tray from Hobby Lobby is a new piece this year. Trays are so much fun to style for the seasons and holidays!

I'm still loving flocked trees and garlands. I chose two new stocking this year from Joann. I loved the cozy effect the fabric added to the space.

Give me all the Santa mugs!

If you like to shop at Kroger for your groceries like I do, always be on the lookout for cute decor pieces. This reindeer pillow was calling my name!

I still haven't blogged our master bedroom makeover from the summer.....I guess I'm waiting on the chandelier and a rug. But this room is one of my favorite restyles to date! The Mister and I finally have a beautiful space to relax in and enjoy. I don't know why I waited so long to get this room completed.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know about this beautiful antique chair that my mom gave me. I was looking for a piece for this corner to have my own little space for quiet times each day. I call this my "Prayer Chair" and I am so in love with it 😍

I did several home tours on Instagram this year to share my home for the holidays. I saved them in my story highlights, so if you'd like to see them, be sure to go check it out.

I hope that each of you had a beautiful holidays season and a very Merry Christmas!

Here's to 2019 and all it has in store!

Country Living Fair: Where the pages of Country Living Magazine come to life

2018-11-14T09:20:00.002-05:00

I had my first opportunity to attend a Country Living Fair this year and it was simply amazing! It was as if the pages of Country Living Magazine just came to life.

Speaking of coming to life....they had so many of these life size magazine covers!

Perfect photo ops 😁

So many antique and architectural salvage goodies! I was in heaven!

The fudge from Chocolate Moonshine Co was to die for! We chose the peanut butter and chocolate. By the way, they ship, so go check them out if you're needing some holiday goodies.

I'm so thankful that the Mister enjoys going with me on all these fun adventures. He truly is my best friend and makes all our trips so much more fun 😊

One of my son's good friends from college days was there also. As a matter of fact, she is the one that made sure I knew about this event because she knew I would love it.

It's always so good to see sweet Sterling 💓 She is very near and dear to our hearts.

So much inspiration every where for the Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays.

The highlight of the trip for me was meeting one of my Instagram friends in real life, Pamela @theblondenest. She and her daughter attended the fair and also stayed at the Stone Mountain Inn like we did. We met up at the fair for quick hellos and a picture and then got together for dinner again that evening. We've decided we should try to make this an annual event and are also hoping that some of our other IG friends from Georgia can attend.

I'm glad the fair comes before the holidays gets here because since I've returned, things have been so busy! Because I host Thanksgiving for our family, I haven't started my Christmas decorating, but I sure am itching to do so. I picked up a few Christmas items at the fair and look forward to using them in my holiday decor this year. Stay tuned for a Christmas tour of my home later.

Hiking Cloudland Canyon

2018-10-29T11:17:00.002-04:00

You guys know us well enough by now to know that on vacation, we also try to get in a good day hike if possible. This summer when we went to Nashville and then back to the Lookout Mountain area, we decided to go check out Cloudland Canyon. We had heard alot about it, but don't usually go up in that part of the state for mountain hikes. Since we were in the area, we were excited to finally get to go.

Georgia has some beautiful state parks with so many hiking trails.

We're trying to hit as many as we can!

Isn't it pretty? I'd love to see it in the fall as well.

It was a pretty hot day to hike. So glad that most of the trail was in the trees.

We found a shady spot under a bridge by the creek for a lunch break.

Great spot to cool off and relax a bit.

Have I told y'all lately how much I love this man? 😍

On the trail that we took, it also included two hikes to waterfalls. I'll have to admit that the waterfalls were a bit disappointing.....this was the prettiest one. But if you want a good workout, definitely go see them. One of them had stairs going down to it. That's all well and good going down, but when you go back up? 😳 We were exhausted by the time we climbed back up....and still had more hiking to do. But we made it! We had a great workout for sure!

Cloudland Canyon is definitely a must-see in the state of Georgia.

Views from Lookout Mountain

2018-09-20T08:11:00.001-04:00

Have you ever been to Lookout Mountain in North Georgia? It's been years since I was there.....like when our boys were little. The Mister and I decided this summer would be the perfect opportunity to see this beautiful place again since we'd be coming back through north Georgia from our time in Nashville, Tennessee.

Because we also wanted to go for a day hike at Cloudland Canyon, we decided to rent an Airbnb near Lookout Mountain. We looked around online and found this adorable little cottage that is literally right across the road from the entrance to Rock City.

It had a full kitchen, two baths, and a living room area large enough to accommodate sleeping as well....a full size bed and a sleeper sofa.

It was perfect for the two of us. There was also a Starbucks within walking distance, so that was another plus for staying here. It's not every day that I have a Starbucks near me!

Cute cottage style kitchen

We arrived after lunch, so we knew we had plenty of time to walk through Rock City before dark.

It's a very easy walk and full of beautiful scenery.

Walking through the Needle's Eye and Fat Man Squeeze was fun! Thankful we still fit through there!

A fun swinging bridge to enjoy

Fat Man Squeeze

😀Here's evidence we still can squeeze through these huge rocks.

I love the story of how these gardens were made. Mr. Carter created this special place for his wife to enjoy and over the years it was eventually opened up for the public to enjoy as well.

I love the magic of the gardens with all of the little gnomes everywhere.

Lover's Leap

You can see seven states from the top of Lookout Mountain.

Top of Lookout Mountain

Do you see the witch in this rock?

Do you believe in fairies? This is my favorite part of the gardens....walking through the rocks where the fairies live.

More gnomes everywhere you look

Pictures don't do this sweet place justice, but there are tributes to so many fairy tales through out the garden's caverns.

I highly recommend visiting this magical place! Especially if you have small children. It's such a sweet place to create family memories. I know the Mister and I enjoyed reliving the time our boys came here with us. They also have places to eat and a store to purchase fun souvenirs. It's definitely one of the most magical places in Georgia....especially at Christmas!

Nashville: Where Legends are Made

2018-08-27T11:25:00.001-04:00

The Mister and I have been wanting to see Nashville for a few years now, so we decided to make it part of our vacation this year. We spent three nights there and had so much fun!

We tried Airbnb for the first time and had a great experience with it. Our studio unit was only 4-5 blocks from Broadway, so we were able to walk to most of the places we visited.

So much to see in this historic city!

The infamous Printers Alley

Blake Shelton had just opened his new restaurant and we enjoyed dinner there one night.

The food was delicious and the live entertainment was great as well. A friend of our who goes to Nashville quite often told us to be on the lookout for famous artists since it was CMT Awards week. There were lots of free concerts everywhere you went! Because alot of the artists were in town for the awards ceremony, they tend to use this time to mingle among the fans as much as they can. We actually caught the live CMT Crossroads Concert on the street and got to see Luke Combs perform.

Sign on the girl's bathroom door 😊

We didn't attend any concerts at the Ryman Auditorium, but wanted to see it for sure.

They were having a concert there one night and we saw a couple of "famous" people entering the back of the building. We were told one was Radio Amy of the Bobby Bones show. Not sure about the other, but cool either way! The other lady had walked right by me when we were standing in front of the building looking around. She smiled as she and another lady walked past us. I told the Mister I thought she was someone important. He was like, "nahhh", but when we turned the corner to walk in the alley behind the building, she was there in a crowd signing autographs.

What a pretty view this bridge was at night! There was a Big and Rich concert going on in a nearby park and we were able to listen to it on the river walk.

General Jackson Showboat

Night Life in Nashville

We also enjoyed a shopping trip to the American Pickers store.

And of course, we had to find the famous murals to take pictures.

That time I was an angel.........

and Scott was NOT.........LOL! 😁

I'm so thankful that he puts up with all my crazy must-dos!

While in Nashville, we also went to see the Gaylord Opryland Resort.....and holy moly! What a beautiful place it is!!!

We've always wanted to go to Nashville around Christmas. Maybe we'll make it one day....and I want to stay here when we do. How fun would it be to have a balcony overlooking these beautiful gardens?! So dreamy!

While there, we also did the tour of the backstage at the Grand Ole Opry.

The front door

I hate that we didn't plan ahead to catch a concert while we were there. Carrie Underwood was performing at the Opry that night. I'm sure that would have been an awesome concert!

If you ever get the chance to do the backstage tour, you must! It' so worth the money.

This is the back entrance where the performers come in

Then they (and anyone else having access to back stage) goes through security. During the time the performer walks through, metal doors (like garage doors) are pulled down on each side of the hall to give them private entrance. This of course, helps to keep things safe and secure.

After security, you walk under this sign right into the back stage area.

One of the dressing rooms

Another dressing room. I don't remember which one of these it was, but one is the Women of Country room that Carrie Underwood always requests. Can you just imagine the famous ladies who have sat back here before taking the stage?!

The Green Room (which is not so green) 😬

That black metal bar on the wall is the height the water got when Nashville flooded a few years back. So much of the Opry had to be redone after being flood by the water.

So this is what it would look like as you walk out onto the Opry stage.

A view from the stage into the audience

On stage is chairs for the backup musicians. There is also wood pews for family/friends of the person performing where they get to sit and listen to the concert. How cool is that!

The famous Opry stage! The circle of lighter wood was taken from the original Opry stage that is now the Ryman Auditorium.

And yes...we got to stand on the stage and have our picture taken. So fun!

Our trip to Nashville was incredible! There's so much to see and do and the live music is best to none! I highly recommend a trip there, especially if you are a music lover. So much history to appreciate. I really hope the Mister and I make it back for another visit in the not too far future.

In my salvage dreams

2018-05-30T17:08:00.002-04:00

I was so happy to receive a personal invitation to the "soft" opening of a salvage store in the Middle Georgia area. 7th Street Salvage is a 10,000 square foot facility in Macon, Georgia offering architectural salvage, antiques, and vintage finds for your home.

Front Entrance

I had a great time looking around and a hard time deciding what my first purchase would be....because there will definitely be more trips in the near future!

So many types of mantels to choose from!

Door after door

Owners Brent and Catherine Meyer (far right and middle)

This beautiful wrought iron fencing is 120 years old and was originally in Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Ga. The owners purchased it from Alan Walden (co-founder of Capricorn Records) and his wife. The fencing had been left to Capricorn Records back in the 70's. I'm sure many in the Middle Georgia area would love to have a piece of this history in their homes.

Like I told you in my Instagram stories.....Corbel Heaven!!!

Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram for any upcoming classes they offer.

Vintage Tile

I want a glass bowl full of these!

Lots of lighting options

There was also a lovely refreshment area in the back room perfectly styled with vintage pieces.

Thanks again to 7th Street Salvage for this fun opportunity! Now I have a go-to place for regular treasure hunting 💓

Another #AT section hike under our belts

2018-05-29T08:46:00.002-04:00

We had another great section hike this month and are getting closer and closer to the Georgia/North Carolina state line! I think we have about another 30 miles or so to go. We would have already achieved this if we lived closer to north Georgia to do more day hikes. As is, we're four hours away and also have a hard time finding time to get away. Slowly, but surely, we will get it done!

This hike started at Hog Pen Gap and ended at Unicoi Gap.

I'll be honest and tell you that our first day was a little disappointing to me. We knew ahead of time that this section of the trail didn't have any scenic overlooks, but that's certainly not the only beauty the trail has to offer. I've seen some incredibly beautiful places along the AT since we've been hiking....and these places were not on tops of mountains.

What made this first day a little disappointing was the fact that due to a late spring, the trees on the tops of the mountains didn't have all their leaves. Needless to say, with an already warm day, that made it even hotter! That, combined with the fact that I didn't get enough carbs in me for breakfast, and didn't have a late morning snack to help maintain my low blood sugar issues, made for a hard first few hours for me. We had to take a little longer for lunch for me to rest up and get my sugar back up. I won't make that mistake again!

But after lunch I was feeling much better and enjoyed the rest of the day. Another thing I enjoyed was my new set of trekking poles from Paria Outdoor Products. Weighing only 18 oz, they are noticeably lighter than my old poles. I also like the cork handles and hand straps on them....they're much more comfortable to my hands than my old poles.

Another thing I was surprised by on this trip was the damage left by Hurricane Irma last year. We saw lots of trees like this along the trail and through the woods. So sad 😢

One thing I love about the AT is the different types of terrain you cross. Sometimes the clear path through the grass turns into a path of rocks winding around the mountain. It definitely keeps you on your toes!

Speaking of toes, remember last year after Blood Mountain, I lost a toenail? Well, no more worries of that happening thanks to my Merrell MOAB hiking boots. On our way home on the last trip, we stopped at REI in Atlanta and purchased a pair for me. I've worn them a few times on day hikes, but I was anxious to see how they'd fare on the AT. They did not disappoint! I highly recommend their products!

I wasn't the only one with new gear. The Mister enjoyed his new Black Diamond trekking poles. Like mine, these are super light, weighing only 12 ounces.

This is a little glimpse from the Guthook app to show you what this section of the trail looked like overall. Not nearly as difficult of a hike as what we've done previously. But I hear the next section will be another challenge....and I can't wait!

This is our second year using our Big Agnes Rattlesnake MtnGlo3 tent, and we could not love it more! It's perfect for two people. I love that we each have our own door to get out....real handy when you need to make an unexpected run to the "potty"late at night (while also looking for bears) 😀 I also love the vestibules. We like to keep our packs close to the tent and this keeps them from being exposed to the elements. Don't worry....anything a bear ~~would~~ should want is safely hung in the bear bag.

This is how we cook our meals and how I have my morning coffee. The Mister made us our own stove from an aluminum can. We fuel it with denatured alcohol. For two meals per day, it only takes around 6 ounces of fuel for a weekend hike. This way of cooking is much lighter than some other cooking options.

Our first night's supper was our own dehydrated chili with peanut butter crackers and New York Style Cheesecake Bites for dessert. So yummy!

We love Mountain House products. We tried them for the first time last year on our anniversary trip and enjoyed the Apple Crisp 😋. This year we also tried the Biscuits and Gravy....so good, y'all!

For coffee, I take the Folgers Coffee Singles along with sugar cubes and Nestle Coffee-mate 2Go creamer. It makes a delicious cup of coffee.

We love our Osprey AG packs! They are well worth the investment. The Mister gave me one of their day packs for my birthday, so I can't wait to use it on our vacation next week for some day hiking.

Day two offered much prettier views. There seemed to be more leaves on the trees in this area.

When we got to the Chattahoochie Gap area of the trail, the Mister also noticed that with less leaves on the trees, we could see the observation tower of Brasstown Bald (not in photo).

Resting our feet during a break and showing off our Smart Wool hiking socks.

Another pretty view of the trail

One of the many water sources on this section of the trail.

Because we pushed ahead and hiked more miles the first day than planned, we were able to get to our destination point by late Saturday afternoon. That meant a hot shower, soft bed, and Mellow Mushroom pizza instead of another night roughing it. A much deserved reward for sure!

Choosing HOPE for the New Year

2018-01-01T19:10:00.002-05:00

In recent years, I've heard of people choosing a word for the new year to focus on instead of having a list of resolutions that they will most likely forget about or lose interest in.

The word can symbolize who you want to be or how you want to live. With intentional living and commitment, that one word can help direct the decisions you make in life.

My word for 2018 is HOPE.

It seems the older I get, time has a way of speeding up. Another year has come and gone and like any other year, 2018 had its share of ups and down, good times and bad, joy and heartache.

But in the fall of 2017, events beyond my control threatened to overtake me. For the first time in a very long time, I felt hopelessness and despair. Fear and worry set in and tried to consume my every thought.

But after much prayer, scripture, and begging God to intervene, I finally found peace of mind. I'm not going to say that every day or every moment of each day are always good, but I've experienced God's grace in a way that I've never felt before. I have a better understanding of what Paul was talking about when he said, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" - James 1:2-8 NKJV

I'm not going to go into all the details of what happened right now. Perhaps one day. But for now, I just feel the need to remind others that with God's grace you can survive the unimaginable. On the most difficult of days, you can make the decision to get back up and take another step. You can force yourself out of bed and choose to keep living and looking for the blessing in each day. We can do this because of the HOPE we have in Christ. This hope is strong within me and it is what keeps me from falling back into a pit of depression when life spirals out of control.

Even though part of this year has been very difficult for me, I am constantly reminded of how much God loves me and how much I have to be grateful for. I am able to praise him in this storm and continue to love life....even if my life turns out differently than I pictured or dreamt.

I have already felt God using this difficult time to bring about good from all of this. For one, my marriage is stronger than ever. I love my Mister so much and he loves me so well. He is always there for me, whether I need to vent or talk or just have a good cry. I truly don't know what I would do without him!

And I certainly don't know what I'd do without Jesus. He is my HOPE. He is my everything. My relationship with Him is more important than ever and I am excited about what the future holds. I know that Christ will use this heart-breaking situation to bring about more good. I choose to trust in Him and allow Him to work in and through me.

Praying blessings for the new year. May it be filled with the HOPE of Christ for each of us.

Elf Yourself

2018-01-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

Man! I'm so behind with my blogging. But here's a look at our annual family Christmas party for 2017. We decided on a "Elf Yourself" theme this year and it was so much fun!

Me and my sisters

I didn't go all out decorating the house for the party theme as it was ready for Christmas anyway. But we did make sure to have all the Elf food groups available to enjoy: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup 😜 We had real food as well, in case you're wondering lol!

Isn't my niece, Natalie, the cutest Elf on the Shelf you've ever seen?

If we gave an award for the family with the best costumes, it would ALWAYS go to my baby sister, Shaana and her family. They ALL participate! So fun!

All Nana's grandchildren

My mom hates to have her picture taken, and even refused to dress as an elf this year. 😏 But we forced her into a picture with us girls anyway. I love my mama and am so appreciative of every holiday we have with her. I can't help but wonder what my daddy would think of all this if he were still living. He'd probably be rolling his eyes lol! He would definitely be in attendance, but he would definitely NOT be wearing a costume 😄

Just FYI.....next year's theme will be a Redneck Christmas! I'm already laughing thinking about it!

Legacy of Love

2018-01-01T08:50:00.000-05:00

2017 was quite the unusual year for me and my sisters. We lost not one, but both of our grandfathers. As our grandparents begin to age, we know it's inevitable. They can even be in poor health, but it always seems to take us by surprise, doesn't it?

The first picture is of my Pepapa Walker. He died in December, but I'm just now getting around to sharing on here. I know most of you have no way of knowing him, but I always share moments like this as a way of documenting them for history's sake. I joke all the time with my family about how much they will have to look back on and reminisce about when I'm long gone. There's nothing like making precious family memories and I intend to capture as many as I can and share all the significant moments for posterity's sake.

Having said that, my Pepapa Walker was such a special man to not only me, but our entire family. I've written about him before as the patriarch of our family for a local news story, but he's the kind of man that you could never run out of good things to say about.

I have the sweetest memories of visiting his farm every weekend as a child and for week long summer visits when school was out. It was there that I learned to ride a horse, build a playhouse out of tin and blocks, a lean-to out of tomato wire, and to climb trees. I also learned about farm life and enjoyed feeding baby calves. When I think about my happiest childhood memories, it always involves being on Pepapa's farm.

As a teen and young adult, he shaped my views of religion and politics as he was a preacher and politician himself. I will be forever grateful for his teaching and I miss him dearly.

Earlier in the year, we lost our Pepapa Futch. I'll be honest and say that I didn't have the same type of relationship with him, but I loved him nonetheless. He was quite the character! A very smart man that did very well for himself farming. My happiest memories of him involve bird shoots (with my Memama's fabulous cooking!), fishing, and deer hunting on the farm with my daddy.

Pepapa was a very strong, hard-headed, and hard-working man. My daddy reminded me alot of him, and through them, I learned how to be more independent, self-sufficient, and strong-willed. As a woman, that's definitely something I feel we all need at times.

I'll never forget killing my first big buck and what a big deal it was to all of them. I miss those days going to bird shoots with them and deer hunting in the fall.

I'm so thankful that a few years ago, Pepapa finally gave his heart to Jesus and that I could know for sure I'd see him in heaven again one day. I love knowing that he and my father are together once again. I'm sure they're having conversations about the big deer that got away or who shot the most birds at one of the dove shoots 😊

My Pepapa and Memama Futch on one of their anniversaries

Y'all, hug your grandparents close and make time to listen to their stories while you can. They have a world of knowledge and have witnessed so much in this world throughout their lives.

The Hope of Christmas

2017-12-25T18:54:00.000-05:00

Because He chose to come down to us and take on the form of a human baby, we have a hope for the future.

We have a hope that cannot be extinguished by the darkest of days or the most difficult of times.

A hope that gives us unexplained joy in the midst of our tears and pain.

A hope that makes the happiest of days even brighter.

This hope is Jesus Christ, the light of the World.

He is the Reason for the Season and He is our Hope for Christmas.

Wishing you and your family the merriest Christmas ever and blessings for the New Year!

A Mountain Vacation: Dillard, GA

2017-11-12T13:21:00.002-05:00

The second part of our vacation (and our longest stay), was a trip to the beautiful North Georgia/North Carolina mountains. I think the beach is a beautiful place and I love to visit in the summer, but I'm a mountain girl at heart! There's no place I'd rather be! Whether we are hiking the AT or vacationing, it's pure heaven to me 💓

When we arrived in Dillard, Georgia, we couldn't get to the antique stores and flea markets fast enough! There are so many places to shop, but I'll share more about that in a minute.

Originally, we wanted to stay at the Dillard House Hotel, but changed our minds and opted for another local hotel. I had been to the restaurant one time a long time ago, but neither of us were familiar with the other accommodations. We decided we'd check it out while we were in town.

One day we drove to Highlands, North Carolina and found this cute little barn store along the way. The sweet little lady was about to close for the day, but she let us come in and look around. I didn't want to keep her, so I tried to #scanscanscan (private joke for those of you who follow us on the Peaches to the Beaches yard sales every year 😁), so I didn't purchase anything here.

Somewhere along the way, we came across Bridal Veil Falls and jumped out for a quick picture.

This awesome salvage store is located in Otto, NC. Otto Depot is the name of it and it's a must-see when you are in the area! Here's just a glimpse of what they have to offer:

A few of my treasures...

We decided to have dinner at the Dillard House our last night in town.

The grounds are beautiful and so are the mountain views!

This photo was taken in front of the Dillard House Inn. I fell in love with the place and really want to stay on site next trip.

There are so many antique malls to visit in nearby towns. I could have purchased something at every stop, but I had to restrain myself lol!

This sweet little town is Dillsboro, NC. I loved all the little shops! The town is full of so much character and charm!

We bought some delicious chocolate at the Chocolate Factory. Their coffee was really good too!

Somewhere along the way back to Dillard, we saw this old school house that had been turned into an antique mall, and man, let me tell you.....it was incredible!

The main hallway was filled with cases of beautiful antique and vintage items. So were the classrooms and the cafetorium.

My favorite flea market by far was the one we stopped at on our way home. It was there that I found my unicorn.....a seltzer bottle!

I could go on and on about our trip, but I'm sure you can already tell that it's a thrifter's dream! I cannot wait to go back for a few more days for more treasure hunting!

Tallulah Gorge: a hike for the adventurous

2017-11-12T13:13:00.002-05:00

The Mister and I always make it a priority to do some day hiking whenever we can....especially when we're in the mountains. We had both visited Tallulah Gorge when we were young, but had never hiked down to the bottom of the gorge floor. So while we were vacationing in the North Georgia mountains this summer, we decided we were going to cross this off our bucket list.

We all know pictures don't do places like this justice. Plus, because if is a difficult hike, I didn't dare take my Canon. All my pictures are with my Iphone, but this will give you an idea of what it looked like. The gorge is 2 miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep.

The overlook gave you a glimpse of what the suspension bridge looked like 😵

They only give out a certain number of permits for access to the gorge floor each day, so we had to arrive early that morning. Then we had to sit through a little class on what to expect.

I'm not good at making out the details of these maps. Good thing the Mister is!

Another view of what we were about to hike down.....

The bridge was actually alot of fun! Not as scary as I imagined it to be.

There were lots and lots of steps to climb down most of the way. And then you had to basically scale large boulders to get to the actual floor. This picture below is where you have to turn around if you don't have a permit. You have to cross these large rocks to get to the other side to continue. We took off our shoes and tied them to our packs just in case. Believe it or not, we didn't get too wet on this part. I said this part because later on, we had to swim across to hike out the other side.

Some of the trails reminds me of the AT. No real clear path because the terrain changes so much.

In the class we sat through, they reminded us that if we saw these markings on rocks, we needed to make sure we were on higher ground if the alarm sounded. They sound the alarm when the gates are open and water floods through. If you're not on higher ground during this time, you could get swept away in the current. Yeah....scary! Thank goodness we didn't have any alarms go off while we were there.

When you get to the floor, there's a sliding rock where you can cool off. We didn't wear our swimsuits because we didn't plan on swimming. Little did we know that we would have to swim across to hike out or make the decision to hike back out the same way we came. Being adventurous, we opted to hike the entire thing.

This is where we swam across. Once we dried off, we started the hike out. Y'all, I've done some major hiking before on the AT, but I've never had to rock climb. That's basically what you have to do to climb out of the gorge unless you go back up the stairs.

I wish I had pictures of the climb out to show you how steep it is, but I didn't dare take out my phone. We were hanging on for dear life in places because one wrong step and you'd be falling down hill.

You can see from this next picture just how deep the gorge is.....and we climbed out of that! We were exhausted and every muscle in our bodies hurt. But boy did we feel accomplished!

I'm so thankful that the Mister loves hiking as much as I do. We have so much fun together! It's a great way to get exercise while being in the beautiful outdoors.

I have to tell you, if you're thinking about doing this hike, I don't recommend you take children. I supposed if you hike down the steps to the floor and come back up the same way, it might be doable, but it's still really dangerous. There are so many boulders and obstacles to cross once you get past the steps.

But it's definitely something that you would love if you have an adventurous spirit! It's a beautiful places and we're happy to say we hiked it 👍

Charleston, SC: a beautiful place to vacation

2017-09-28T12:53:00.001-04:00

Well, now that we are officially into the fall season, I better go ahead and share this post about our trip to Charleston, SC this summer. This was our first time visiting this historic city. Because it was just the first leg of our summer vacation, we were only in town for a couple of nights and there's lots we didn't have time to see. But here's a look at what we did and where we stayed.

We stayed at the beautiful Ansonborough Inn and we highly recommend it to anyone. We had originally thought we'd stay at the beach, but we had to make our reservations a little late in the spring, so everything was booked up. But you know what, why would you want to stay in a typical hotel when you can stay in the historic district of such a lovely city? I'm so glad we did!

The architecture in the lobby was incredible and service was impeccable.

We had already booked a suite, but got upgraded to a larger suite when we arrived. Not sure why, but man was it nice! Look at this beautiful bed 😍

It even had a beautiful barn door going into the bathroom.

The lounge area was comfy with a mini fridge and microwave....and a Keurig....yes! Can't live without a good cup of coffee 😋 They even had a bottle of champagne waiting on us.

I loved the beautiful exposed brick walls. And can we talk about that gorgeous light fixture?!

A chocolate treat left for us on the comfy bed...

The inn even has a beautiful roof top terrace to enjoy.

Our first night, we visited the Vendue for an early dinner on the rooftop bar.

There is an art gallery in the lower unit of the building.

You can't go to Charleston without visiting the market.

So many vendors with beautiful products ranging from wood to seagrass baskets.

Of course, we had to stop by a local candy shop and get a sweet treat!

We walked down the pier

Lots of little shops to browse in

One thing I've never done is a carriage ride. I've seen them in Savannah, New Orleans, and here in Charleston. For some reason, I'm saving that bucket list item for Savannah. I guess it's because that's where I saw my first horse drawn carriage. Seems only fitting that it happen there, I guess.

We rode to a couple of different beach areas, but the weather was rainy and cloudy, so we didn't even worry about putting on swim suits and lugging items to the beach. We just stopped to see the ocean because it's not every day that we get to.

We enjoy trying new restaurants even close to home, so it's always a special treat to try places that have been recommended to us or that we've researched for our vacation trips.

I love the cobble stone streets like this. Just full of character and charm 😍

So many beautiful, historic buildings!

This is the Old Exchange and Provost building. A must see tour in Charleston.

I love history and seeing all the beautiful period pieces. They just don't make furniture like they used to! Or buildings either, for that matter.

The dungeon

If these beautiful trees could only talk. They'd have so much to tell!

The Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park

Our last night there, we treated ourselves to dinner at the famous Ruth's Christ Steak House.

A beautiful restaurant with superb service and the best steak I've ever put in my mouth!

After dinner, we waited out the rain in an Irish pub. When we headed out to walk back to the inn, we were amazed at the water in the streets. All we needed was a canoe and we could have floated several blocks before getting back to dryer ground.

Well, that's a little about our first trip to Charleston, SC. We really enjoyed it and wished we had planned to stay a little longer. I can definitely see why it's one of the country's most beloved southern cities. Go to their official website to learn more about all there is to do is this charming city.

AT Section Hike: Woody - Hog Pen Gap

2017-09-03T22:45:00.000-04:00

I'm finally getting around to posting our last section hike on the AT. This trip was a little different because it was just the Mister and me. But I have to say, we enjoyed it so much!

We picked up where we left off last year....at Woody Gap. Our final destination this time? Hog Pen Gap....about a 20 mile hike.

This trip provided more scenic overviews than the one before. And of course, we always stop for a quick break to appreciate the beauty all around us.

Any time the trail takes on a well defined path, a certain scripture comes to my mind. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" - Psalm 119:105.



We also saw more flowers this time. So many pretty trees and flowers everywhere we looked. Just heavenly 😊

I always have a hard time trying to pick out pictures for these posts because I take so many. But I want you to get a feel for the types of things we see on each part of the trail. Of course, pictures don't do it justice (and I also just use my Iphone...I don't want to worry about my nice camera while hiking).



If you know anything about the AT and backpacking, you know that you have to filter your drinking water. We pack extra water, but when you're going to be on the trail for several days, filtering water is a must. It's a very easy process, though. You just have to do your research to know where the water sources will be.



Hanging a bear bag for overnight to hold all your food items and trash is also a must. There was more bear activity on this section of the AT, but we never actually saw one....just some things they left behind 💩

This may be roughing it, but I'm always able to enjoy a good cup of coffee. I bring my black enamel ware mug with a bag of sugar cubes, Folgers coffee singles, and my favorite travel creamer, Nestle Hazelnut . It really is delicious! And what's better than a cup of coffee in the morning in the beautiful mountains?



On our first hike, we only carried one hiking pole each. Now we carry two and it really does make a big difference. These are the Ozark Trail brand we purchased from Walmart when we first started hiking. They're really good poles for starting out, but the Mister now has a set of Black Diamond poles he recently purchased at REI. They are almost weightless compared to the others and he highly recommends them.



The biggest challenge of this section of the hike was hiking Blood Mountain. The photo below was taken at Slaughter Creek, basically the base of Blood Mountain.

It was an incredible hike and we really enjoyed the beauty all along the path. The rock steps were amazing to climb as well.

Just as you get to the top, you get a peak of Blood Mountain Shelter, one of the oldest shelters on the trail.

We always sign the log book any time we run across one. The Mister actually signed this one and shared the info that we were doing this amazing hike on our 16 year wedding anniversary 💓

View from the top of Blood Mountain......

The most difficult part of the hike was the hike down Blood Mountain. It was very steep and rocky. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I suffered damage to my nails on both of my big toes. One was so bad that a few days later, I had to drill a hole in the nail to relieve the pressure from the build-up of blood. Yeah, I know....GROSS! I guess you can say that Blood Mountain got blood from me 😏 I ended up losing my toenail too. But thankfully it appears to be growing back normally.



At the base of the other side of Blood Mountain is Neel Gap mountain crossing. If you're ever in the area, you must stop for a bit. They have a great little store for shopping and even carry an awesome selection of hiking gear in case hikers need anything. They also do shakedowns for hikers to help them lighten the load of their packs and even offer campsites and a hostel for hikers to stay overnight for a good rest.

Since it was our anniversary, we treated ourselves to lunch there. It was nice to have a good 'ole sandwich for once and an ice cold Coke!



At Neel Gap, you will also see a tree where hikers can leave their hiking boots. You are only able to do this if you've completed a certain number of miles of the AT. The Mister and I qualify, I believe, but our boots are not worn out just yet.



This is also the only section of the AT where you hike through a portion of a structure along the trail.



We talked to some sweet ladies there at the trail entrance and when they realized it was our anniversary, they insisted on taking some photos of us 😊

We thought we had a great tent on our first AT hike, but we purchased a Big Agnes tent from our favorite store, REI  for this trip. It only weighs about 3 1/2 pounds. Scott carries the tent in his pack and I carry the poles and footprint. This was our first time sleeping in this one and we loved it! There's plenty of room for two and each side has its own door. You know how helpful that is when you need to get out and don't have to climb over the other person?!



When we were at the store at Neel Gap, we purchased this Apple Crisp freeze dried dessert for a special treat after supper. Oh my goodness, y'all! It was delicious! We will definitely be purchasing more of these for our future hikes.

So much beauty everywhere you look!

We were actually able to complete this section of the hike ahead of schedule. Instead of spending three nights on the trail, we only stayed two. We reached Hog Pen Gap by lunch our third day hiking.

I'm so thankful that the Mister enjoys these hikes as much as I do. Section hiking the AT through Georgia and North Carolina is on my bucket list. I guess it's on his as well because he's fallen in love with it like me. We're already planning our fall trip and look forward to seeing the next section in all it's fall splendor! I'll be sure to share that trip with you all as well.

Explore Georgia: Warm Springs

2017-06-06T11:23:00.004-04:00

After a recent hike on Pine Mountain, we found the cutest little cafe in Warm Springs, Georgia to grab a bite of lunch, Lightnin' Bugs Bakery & Cafe. I had driven through Warm Springs once a long time ago, and fell in love with the character of the little town full of history and charm. I promised myself that one day I'd make it back to this little town to do a little exploring and was so glad I finally did.

When you walk into the building, you would swear that Joanna Gaines had been there to help with the decor. It is perfectly decorated with a mix of rustic, farmhouse charm and I just had to snap a few photos with my phone to share with you.

Lots of white shiplap and exposed brick on the walls.....the perfect combination.

The food was absolutely delicious and the service top notch! Some of the nicest people you will ever meet!

I fell in love with this light fixture!

We left with full bellies and feeling like we had just shared a meal with family and friends. I highly recommend this sweet little cafe if you are ever in the area and looking for great food and impeccable service.

Day hiking with Osprey

2017-05-30T09:23:00.001-04:00

In preparation for our next section hike on the Appalachian Trail, my guys and I recently went to Pine Mountain for another day hike. The Mister and I had been before, but this was Dillan's first trip there. Of course, there are numerous trails to hike in that area, so it was a new adventure for all of us.

Scott and I purchased our Osprey packs at one of the Atlanta area REI stores last year, but Dillan received his for a birthday gift this year. Any time you get a new pack, it's always good to do what they call a "shake down" to get a feel for how the pack will carry weight. That way you can adjust things to distribute the weight more accurately for long section hikes. And I have to tell you, we absolutely love our Osprey packs! The anti-gravity feature is a dream for strenuous hikes when you are carrying extra weight.

It was a perfect day for hiking! Not cold and not too hot either. Just right!

Pine Mountain isn't a very large mountain, but it's pretty nonetheless. If you've never been, I highly recommend it. There are also great campsites....even primitive ones for the more adventurous.

We enjoyed a nice break at the top before heading down and going into town .

This particular trail was an easy hike. They have some that are more strenuous, depending on what you feel like accomplishing. We just wanted to hike a few miles for Dillan to get a feel for his new pack and to enjoy a few hours out in nature.

We had a great time and finished our 3 mile hike by lunch time. Because we were close to the Warm Springs area, we decided to ride into town and take a look around the historic little town that President Franklin D. Roosevelt loved so much. I'll share all about the quaint little cafe we found in another post. Until then, I better get busy dehydrating chili for our upcoming AT trip. If you're interested in learning how to dehydrate foods for backpacking, I'll be sure to give you some step- by- step instructions for my yummy chicken chili.

Another Year....Another Hike

2017-04-18T09:24:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure how many people like to celebrate their birthday hiking, but for several years now, we've done just that for Dillan. He is actually the reason Scott and I fell in love with hiking. We're always looking for a new day hike adventure, and this one was no different.

But of course, we had to celebrate with a family dinner....and Dillan's guilt free birthday "cake" See recipe for 3 ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares the night before. Side note: I forgot I didn't have candles, so the Mister improvised and lit toothpicks lol! It actually worked!

The next morning, we headed 2 1/2 hours north to hike Arabia Mountain. Dillan had been there before for a modeling gig.

He looked a little different this time lol! It was a really easy hike and definitely one to try if you're looking for a place for a few hours in the sun. Not many people were there hiking either, so it was nice and quiet.....well, except for some crazy lady wearing a purple dress, gold sequin sash, carrying an umbrella, and trying to sing or perform her own version of commercials.

Here's some photos of the hike in case you live nearby and are interested in going:

The base of the mountain where the trail starts

It reminded me alot of Stone Mountain

Kissin' on my man :)

After the hike, we grabbed a bite to eat and headed to REI to purchase Dillan's new backpack. Scott and I bought our Ospreys last year and fell in love with them! We knew Dillan needed one too for our next AT section hike. They are anti-gravity, so they carry the weight of your pack much better and alleviate all that shoulder pain. If you're into backpacking, I highly recommend them!

We actually ended up ordering Dillan the color he wanted (bright green) instead of this one.

In addition to hiking and a family dinner, we found time to pull out the old VCR tape of the video done the day he was born. Such special memories. I can't believe my baby is 23 years old!

Hello world!

Weird feeling watching yourself the day you entered the world

Looking at his mommy. I'll never forget that moment or that day for the rest of my life

May you continue to enjoy life and love the Lord, Dillan. May God bless you with health and happiness as you continue to seek His will for your life. I love you!!!!!

Seasons Change....People Change

2017-03-05T19:21:00.003-05:00

As I was standing on the porch this morning watching Lucy wander around outside, a cool breeze gently blew leaves around in the yard. In that moment I was reminded of fall. But wait! What season is it? Yesterday it felt like spring!

I began to think about the different seasons and how I’m always ready when the changes come. I love that where I live I get to experience the changing of the seasons (although now it’s getting more difficult to tell when one ends and one begins). I think I’d get bored if I lived in a place where the temperatures were always the same and where the wardrobe never needed adjusting.

While thinking about the changes in the weather, my mind quickly went from there to the different seasons of life. Some of those seasons are greeted with a warm welcome while others are not.

I can honestly say that this winter season has been a difficult one for me. The most difficult in recent years. I’ve had to watch my son struggle with a season of depression and anxiety that took me off guard. While I am no stranger to these emotions, it seemed more difficult for me to watch my child experience them.

I’m what you call a “mama bear”….yeah, even though he’ll soon be 23. I’ve always been very protective of him and will defend him in an instant, as if it’s a natural reflex. But God’s been speaking to me and teaching me even during this season of difficulty.

Although I cut the apron strings long ago and watched my child leave the nest in search of his dreams, (cheering the entire time), I still find myself wanting to fix things for him when the going gets tough. I don’t like to see him struggle in life….even though we all have to at times.

This time of battling uncertainties has reminded me that there are some things that only God can fix…if He even chooses to. Sometimes, instead of intervening, God chooses to give us grace to get through the struggles we are experiencing…struggles that are designed to teach us life changing lessons.

I believe that in this season, God wants to remind me that Dillan doesn’t belong to me. He belongs to Him. Always has. Always will. He just blessed me with the gift of not only being a mama, but being a mama to an adventurous, creative, sensitive, devoted, beautiful, God-loving soul.

Dillan’s ambitions have taken us on more adventures than I ever imagined. I have learned so much through watching him chase his dreams and attempt to fulfill God’s calling on his life.

Through the years, Dillan has encouraged me with his devotion and study of God’s Word. He’ll be the first to tell you that he’s far from perfect, but even in the mistakes he makes in life, he has picked himself up time and again and knows to fight with the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.

In the past couple of months, I’ve watched him use the power of the Word and prayer to pull himself up out of a pit of depression. Frustration and anger were replaced with a renewed hope as God reminded him that He is forever faithful and will never leave him. God will always complete the work He starts in us.

Through this difficult time, I’m thankful to be reminded that not only do the seasons change, we change as well. Our lives can and should reflect those changes with the light of Christ illuminating the one constant thing……God’s presence and faithfulness through it all.

“Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child” –

Source Unknown

Christmas 2016: Pancakes and Polaroids

2016-12-28T20:47:00.000-05:00

My family and I had another great Christmas this year. As always, it comes and goes so fast and I'm always left feeling a little sad when it's over. There's just something special about spending time with family this time of year. Thankfully, Dillan is still able to be home for the Christmas holidays and we always enjoy having some quality time with him as well.

I guess you could say, we officially kicked off the holiday weekend with our annual themed Christmas party. It will forever be impossible to beat our Whoville theme last year (you can read all about it HERE). But this year's Pancakes and Pajamas theme was so much fun! It was also easy to pull off and didn't require alot of extra decorating or special dishes for a meal. And let's face it....sometimes the easy things are just what's needed for the time.

We usually have a backdrop in the garage for family pictures, but decided to just use the Christmas tree/mantel area in the living room this year. Again, it was just the easier thing to do this year as we were pressed for time.

We keep a box of props in the attic and always have fun pieces to use for our pictures.

Me and my sisters: Shaana, Suzanne, and Lisa

the grandchildren

On Christmas Eve, our church held a candlelight service and we observed the Lord's Supper. It was a very special time and I'm so glad we could attend as a family. Without any other obligations that night, we were able to go home after the service and enjoy a nice meal and relax until bedtime. Even though Dillan is 22 years old, I always make him go to bed before us so Santa can come :) His gifts from Santa are wrapped in advance under the tree, but stocking stuffers are put out last minute.....and I don't want him to see it until the next morning....LOL!

I found myself reminiscing about Dillan's first Christmas and looked at a couple of his personalized books given to him at 9 months of age by one set of grandparents. So sweet!

I love my little family so much and thank God for them every day. I can't image my life without them in it.

Dillan got a Polaroid camera for Christmas and we had alot of fun with it. In case y'all can't tell, we LOVE pictures!

We always enjoy having lunch with my mom and sisters and their families on Christmas Day. We sure miss our daddy alot, but I have to say that it gets a little easier over time. It's just the new normal, I guess. So thankful to still have our mom and hope we do for many, many years to come.

the Futch girls with our mom

Me and Dillan

The day after Christmas was spent with Scott's family. We enjoyed lunch with all of them as well. In addition to other gifts, his parents also give us several gift cards each to enjoy and we always have so much fun hitting the after Christmas sales the next day. As a matter of fact, Scott, Dillan, and I shopped for about 7 hours that next day and also enjoyed a great meal at Outback before returning home. I realize how lucky I am that my guys love to shop with me. That's so rare, I know, and I count my blessings every time because we have so much fun together.

So today started the process of doing some purging and reorganizing. Taking down Christmas is a slow process for me. I like to leave the tree up til New Year's, but I work on getting other rooms in the house back to normal.

In the middle of all of that today, I also worked on setting up a coffee bar in my kitchen. I can't wait to show you how it's turning out, so be checking Instagram for updates. Until then..........

My Fall Home Tour

2016-11-13T20:36:00.000-05:00

As much as I love Christmas, I'm in no rush to bring the tree and boxes down from the attic. I love the Thanksgiving season and I like to take this time to stop and reflect on all of God's many blessings on me and my family. As a country, I'm feeling especially thankful this year as well.

A couple of years ago, Scott and I started hosting our families for Thanksgiving lunch. Those who can't make it for lunch, come later in the day and we enjoy leftovers for supper, followed by a fire and lots of marshmallow roasting outside.

In a time when the formal dining room seems to be losing its place, I love having that special space in my home to decorate for holidays and special occasions.

The dining room and breakfast area are open to each other in my home and provide a great space to feed a large group. I also set up a table in the living room with extra seating to accommodate even larger groups. Each table is decorated for the season, but the dining room is usually a little more festive with the formal red walls.

When you walk through the front door into the small foyer, you'll always find this piece decorated for the season or holiday.

Our stone fireplace and log mantel in the living room is my favorite feature in our home. Needless to say, I enjoy using this space to decorate for the holidays as well.

I've got a cute little pie safe in my kitchen that I repainted over the summer. I'm loving how everything stands out now against the lighter background! This space is also transformed for every holiday or season.

A simple centerpiece for the kitchen table....

When we repainted the kitchen this summer, Scott also added these decorative shelves for me on the wall at the end of the bar. I'm loving them so much! I haven't swapped out most of what was on there yet....just added a couple of small pumpkins for the fall season.

To me, it's the little things that make a house a home. Whether you're decorating for a holiday or just keeping seasonal decor out, take the time to think about those small pieces that make your house feel homey. Even a little straw squirrel and a pumpkin added to a fruit tray makes a great vignette.

I"ll be busy this week finishing up my work for the month. Early the following week will be all about cleaning house, cooking, and preparing for a great Thanksgiving Day visiting with my family and making memories. So I'll go ahead and take this time to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. We truly do have so much to be thankful for!

When your family has super powers

2016-11-04T14:22:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday was a fun day for my family! A few months ago, I noticed that there was going to be a Halloween Half Marathon and 5K in Atlanta. So I did what any 46 year old woman looking for adventure would do....I signed us up!

To be a team, you had to have four people registered, so we asked my baby sister to tag along. It was a busy weekend for us. We were in Columbus, Ga to see my niece play in the state playoffs for fast pitch high school softball. We left from there on Saturday afternoon, and headed to Atlanta just in time for dinner with Dillan and called it an early night to get our rest.

We had to be at Piedmont Park by the start of the race at 7:15, so we were early risers getting up at 5:00 am. It takes time to transform into super heroes, ya know?!

I was told a long time ago that I resembled Linda Carter, ( I blogged about it here) so of course, I had to be Wonder Woman. Not to mention, she was my favorite super hero as a child. My sister, Shaana went as Bat Girl.

Since the presidential race is on all of our minds, I decided to show a little Patriotism and add a little red, white, and blue to my costume. Y'all go VOTE!

I had to talk Scott into doing this 5K ....maybe because he had never done one. But one thing he had no doubts about was what costume he wanted. Needless to say, he cracked us up in his Spider Man digs!

Not your normal family (Spider Man, Wonder Woman, & The Green Lantern).

We were almost late getting to the starting point because we had trouble locating the parking garage. Then we got lost in Piedmont Park. Even though we wound up at the back of the starting line, we finished pretty well. I think there were around 500 individuals in the race. We finished before well over 100 other people.....and that's walking most of it. Scott's not into running and me and Shaana can't run for long periods of time.

Dillan, on the other hand, received an award for finishing 2nd in his division. Had he not stayed behind with us most of the time, he would have finished first. But he says we're more fun to hang with than taking a race like this seriously.

Because of where we live, we don't get trick-or-treaters. Well, we get one....and he's very special to us, so I made him a special treat bucket this year.

Logan is my cousin's son and they live next door to us. Isn't he the cutest little convict you've ever seen?

And his buddy, Chip made the cutest little trusty Sheriff as well.

Well, now that we've got Halloween out of the way, there will be nothin' but Thanksgiving prep going on around here. For the last couple of years, I've been hosting Thanksgiving lunch for my mom. We also hang out all afternoon, and invite everyone to come back for leftovers for supper and a toasty fire in the pit outside where we roast marshmallows.

Hope you all are enjoying this fall season too. It's going to be a beautiful fall weekend!

My Summer Bucket List: An Update

2016-09-07T21:42:00.001-04:00

You remember that Summer Bucket List I told you about? Well, I thought I'd give you an update on my progress since summer is unofficially over.

So here was the list of things I wanted to do in no certain order (with the updates in red):

1. Hike part of the Appalachian Trail DONE....and had a trip planned for August but had to postpone. For sure, going again in the spring!

2. Hike all of the waterfalls in north Georgia in a weekend (per FB post by Explore Georgia) Hiked 2 of them...couldn't seem to find time to devote a whole weekend to it. Will def make a goal to do the rest!

3. Do a zip line in a woodsy setting (yes...I said woodsy...I want to feel like Tarzan)

4. Eat at the Mennonite restaurant in Montezuma, Ga. (I don't know why I haven't already?) Planning

5. Re-paint our kitchen walls/ pantry door (that door pains me every time I look at it!) DONE

6. Day trip canoeing/tubing the Ocmulgee River with friends/family - Scott and I went on a day canoe trip with friends on the Ocmulgee River near where we live.

7. Screen in our back porch and beautify it (now that I don't have cats....bless their hearts) Unexpected changes in our budget kept this from happening, but in the plans before next spring!

8. Read more books (social media has occupied me for so long now, I don't read like I used to...and that bothers me. There's just something about holding that paper bound book in your hands and getting lost in another world). Read "A Walk in the Woods" and Grandma Gatewood's Walk...should have read more....but progress!

9. Go paddle boarding

So at least I accomplished some of the things I planned. Any time I put something in writing, it makes me more accountable. In addition to writing out my summer bucket list, I've also been planning out one physical activity each month for me or my family to do to stay active and healthy and that's been alot of fun! In October, we'll be doing a 5K for Halloween in Atlanta and will be dressed as super heroes! Fun! I'll be sure to share lots of photos!

I've also thought about planning out one thing each month to celebrate and either cooking a special meal or dish or setting a special table....or both. Life is so much more fun when we find things to celebrate and enjoy and we don't have to wait on holidays to do so. Celebrating the "little" things also breaks up the day to day mundane tasks of everyday living. And let's face it, since there's always something to be thankful for, we can always find something to celebrate.