Lesley Graham

FATHER'S DAY

2013-06-18T06:46:00.002-04:00

Love the father's in my life. So blessed to have Sam as the head of our household and my baby Daddy. He is so much fun with the girls and loving and tender. You know how some guys are just amazing girl daddies? That's Sam. He gets us. He loves us. He listens and is gentle. Thankful for that.

Also, really love this guy. My Dad is such a blast and selfless. He works so hard for each of us and is there in a heartbeat for flat tires, tears, building things. Love him so. These pictures make me so happy. Dad said "I'm not holdin' up the card" and threw it. We all cracked up. This is not my finest picture but it perfectly captures real faces of all of us. Hard to get in a photo of all adults. We're all so camera shy.

Phoebe was a little social party girl and made the rounds in her party skirt. I could just gush over my girls. I've been praying A LOT about my attitude as a mother. I've been feeling overtired with them and put out and exhausted by meltdowns. After changing the way I eat and not partaking in my nightly (!) wine I've noticed such a big change in my irritability level. I'm happy. I'm loving. I'm able to laugh off the antics and last night I had one of the sweetest bedtime rituals that I think I've ever had with Matilda. My heart is bursting just thinking about it. I don't want to ever take them for granted or for them to not know how much I could just inhale them I love them so much. This book has been really helping with how I approach problem situations.

Rachel and Matilda shelled beans. I have such fond memories of doing that as a child. I made it through the entire weekend doing my Whole30. Hooray! I made sweet potato chips and guacamole to help with cravings and we had roasted beans with the smoked pork that Sam made with his new smoker. Amazing! I got the pork from the farmers market along with the rest of the produce. Such a great feeling to have an entirely local meal (minus the avocados).

We let Phoebe chew on some watermelon. Love. We also got to meet Jake's pretty lady, Meg. Meg makes the most beautiful scarves and head wraps. LOVE the handprinted fabric. So gorgeous. Visit her shop here. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am gearing up to go to the Summer Supper tomorrow. If you live in Atlanta you should check out the Camp Workshops. A ton of really cool ladies teaching some awesome skills.

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DECONSTRUCTED OMELETTE

2013-06-14T17:55:00.001-04:00

If you follow me on instagram you may have seen that I'm serious, serious about whole 30 (based on this book). I'll be posting one picture a day with some inspiration/thoughts/recipes. After mistaking my underwear for Matilda's leggings I knew it was time to get down to bidness. Know what I'm sayin'? I've also been exercising which feels so darn good. Walking with two kids is pretty easy. If I let Matilda decide which direction we go each time it makes the walk fun for her too. I typically carry Phoebe in the ergo. I'm loving their new(ish) stowaway travel ergo that breathes and folds up real small. Great for the summer.

I've been cooking a lot more so I'm trying to find simple recipes that are satisfying and don't take too long to make. My mom came over to help me with the mess that is my house and I whipped this up for lunch. It looked fancy even. Win win! I wanted a deconstructed omelette that would be dairy free (I make my omelettes with milk and cheese typically). I love fried eggs, so that's always a no-brainer for me. This is the first time in my entire life that I've been dairy-free. Crazy.

Deconstructed Omelette

one egg
asparagus
bacon
ghee
lemon
salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spread asparagus and bacon on cookie sheet with a bit of ghee and salt and pepper. Cook for 15 min on each side. Squeeze with lemon and add salt and pepper to taste. In the meantime cook your fried egg. Arrange asparagus on plate, cover with a slice of bacon, top with egg.

I served ours with a side of avocado. Yum. You could make this with all sorts of things, anything that you would normally put in an omelette. Spinach, meat of choice, scrambled egg, etc. Done and done.

I feel really amazing. I've been making green smoothies and all sorts of creative and healthy meals. Would love if you'd share some of your paleo or whole 30 approved go-tos. I like to mix it up and keep things fresh. Literally. I'm so funny. Have a great weekend everyone! We will be celebrating the amazing men in my life. I'm working on coming up with some good cookout fare that will be tasty for all. PS hardest part so far is no wine. Seriously. Don't miss anything else.

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THE LAKE

2013-06-11T20:04:00.000-04:00

We decided to take a long weekend to get away from the hecticness of moving. We drove up to the lake for some R&R and fun times with our family. It was also Phoebe's first time to the lake. I bought her a life jacket (epic fail) and she loved the rocking of the dock and was a little unsure of the boat. I was too, I had a death grip on that little girl.

We brought down our pack and play (love!) and much to our disbelief, Phoebe actually napped outside. She gave it a good fight dontyouworry. Matilda didn't get out of the freezing cold water. I managed to read It Starts with Food (in between my chips and dip and margarita breaks). It was so convicting. I am al out of excuses and Sam even said he felt like he needed to just eat vegetables for a while (say wha?).

My Dad and beautiful sister were also there. Rachel and I had the best time walking to the dock and laughing and having an evening cocktail while watching the pinkest sunset. It was the most relaxed I've been all year. The move and the reno took way more of a toll on all of us than I could have imagined. When we moved everything in, I felt paralyzed. Still do. The break was great, coming home... deep breath. My mom came over and we got a lot done today, leading me to believe that we won't always live in a giant mess of boxes and piles...

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far. I'm readjusting to having Matilda home and trying to be fun and still get stuff done. I'm tellin' ya. Trying so hard to be the perfect Mama. Failing miserably. Lately I've just felt like a fish out of water. I think Sam and I need a long weekend away to reconnect and just be. Is that so much to ask? ;)

Love this picture of my Dad and Bee. She is obsessed with his crogies (spelling?). Baby girl has two tiny teeth. Way to go Bee!
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MOVING IN

2013-06-05T21:12:00.001-04:00

Hello! Long time, no blog. We finally got the internet set up tonight and I am blogging from my clean couch that I haven't seen in five months. Feels pretty great. Had some hilarious (or not so much) moments this week with 5am trips to Starbucks to get work done and then a repeat trip that same day where they kicked me out to close. Ha!

Matilda is bored out of her mind and we're all a bit out of sorts from the move but thanks to my parents and serious motivation, we're making a dent in the brown boxes. During the day Matilda insists on feeding her real life baby doll, Phoebe. We've given her spinach and potatoes, peas, bananas, apples, squash, sweet potatoes... she likes it all. Baby girl LOVES to eat. Matilda also insists on eating her remnants That's one way to get veggies in her. Noted.

After each meal, a bath is required. Here's our little Bee taking her first sink bath. I love that we have a sink that is big enough for babies. Dreamy I tell ya! Not sure when our kitchen will be up on the HGTV site but I'm patiently waiting. Hopefully soon. :) It's the only "done" room in the house so we spend a lot of time in the kitchen where I pretend we are settled.

My little helper wants to do everything that I do. I've been trying to let her do as much as I can without her taking complete control of.every.situation. Lil miss bossy pants these days. #shegetsithonestly. I'm just really exhausted and ready for drinking wine on our porch and taking walks and not feeling like our to do list is ten miles long. I know it will all get done. Praying for a little later wake up call and some naps tomorrow. First thing we need to do... Install window covers! I've got two little roosters.

In other very important news... Phoebe has quite a few more hairs.

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PARTY TIME

2013-05-27T20:53:00.001-04:00

Hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend. It's a pretty intense holiday for a lot of people, so I do always feel that reverence and gratefulness on this day. We had our first party in our house today. We haven't closed yet so this is mildly hilarious. My dear Sam's birthday is tomorrow so we had a family bbq to celebrate him. Our good friends and former neighbors popped over too which was really fun. We had some fun party supplies left over from our HGTV shoot so we put those to good use.

My sister brought over this incredible homemade peach pie and that's all I want to eat for the rest of my life. The crust was so flaky and buttery and the peaches... I love this time of year. We had so much great food. Sam loves a good burger so we whooped it up with burgers and dogs, sweet potato fries, pasta salad, and some really divine chocolate cake.

Matilda and her adorable friend. It's amazing how much these little ones grow. One day they're babies the next they're full on talking and being awesome. Matilda is so creative and I love watching her blossom. She is drawing and creating castles out of styrofoam boxes. Also, pretty sure dahlias are my new favorite flower. These pretty pink beauties are dreamy.

I got to see the final images from our kitchen shoot which will go live later this week. I absolutely cannot wait to see the interview and to share it. It's been SUCH a journey. Blood, sweat, and tears and we feel so grateful and thankful to be at the end of the road. I can't wait to hit my head on that pillow that I have no clue where it is and to take my first bath in my bathtub. THEN it will feel all worth it!

In big, big news. Phoebe got her first tooth! This picture pretty much says it all. Little pea was not the happiest camper this weekend. Even still, she was pretty darn sweet. Matilda got her top and bottom front teeth at the same time so I have a feeling we're not quite on the other side just yet.

Happy birthday to the love of my life. Sam Graham is one great guy. I don't want to make y'all nauseous with a public love letter, but this man is one of the best, most hard working, loving dudes I know. I'll leave the sappy stuff for his eyes only. :) Have a great week everyone! I'll be watching the bachelorette tonight. My bro's middle school friend is on this season... as if I need a reason.

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SIX MONTHS

2013-05-20T20:48:00.000-04:00

Bee is six whole months old. What a blur these six months have been. I was talking to a dear friend earlier today about how crazy life has been and how Phoebe's babyhood has been fast and furious. It's so crazy hard to believe that we're half way to her first birthday. These days she loves milk and rolling + rolling + rolling. She can make it halfway across the room before I come back to get her. I can't leave her in her little seat anymore because I found her lunging out of it. She is much more active than Matilda was. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if she started crawling soon. She's loving floor time and per usual puts everything in her mouth.

Matilda loves her sister so much. She helps me a ton which I'm so grateful for. Sometimes she's over the whole baby thing and then other times I catch these moments of total bliss. Sweet sisters. The other day in the car I heard her talking to Phoebe and it was just hilarious. That kid. Matilda is a total, total trip. She makes me laugh all the time which comes in handy when I'm a stressed out hot mess. Speaking of comic relief. We decided to start Phoebe on... FOOD. Big surprise she loved it. She ate that whole jar of carrots. She didn't blink an eye, although I did catch an awesome reaction. Don't be fooled, she was all about it. We let Matilda get in on the action too. That's her little hand.

She definitely got a bath tonight. I can't wait to start introducing all kinds of new flavors to our budding foodie. I've been reading this book on baby purees and I'll be sharing some favorites soon. Wish us luck as we get closer and closer to moving in. We have a projected closing date... finally. xo

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BRIGHT + CHEERY MODERN KITCHEN

2013-05-14T14:10:00.001-04:00

I'm at a coffee shop with a smiley happy Bee. A rare quiet moment to catch up over here. We are spending the week getting our kitchen picture perfect and I am SO excited to share it with you guys. It's been so hard to not spill the progress over here, but I hope that you like what I've done. Making every.single.decision for our house has been a little stressful but seeing the end result makes me feel like it was all worth it. This house will be 100% us. My sweet and wise Grammy keeps telling me to enjoy the process and that it's all about the journey. I've been contemplating that a lot this week as we near the end. Six months of living out of boxes and driving all day every day has been quite an adventure, but we've made it through and we've got smiles on our faces most of the time. :) Hard to believe when we started that Phoebe was five weeks old. She'll be six whole months on Sunday.

OK so here's are a few of my favorite kitchens and inspirations for ours:

Lots of subway tile, warm wood, pops of black, colorful accessories, and lots of light! Thanks for being patient with me as we wrap things up. Really looking forward to being back in a regular rotation. Heck, I don't even go to the grocery store right now. Life is just nutty. Thanks for all of the love and support always. Hope you all had happy mother's days and that the sunshine is warming you up a bit.

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MOTHERING

2013-05-08T21:20:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I have these epiphanies... "Holy smokes. I'm a mom." Times two. Each day I thank my lucky stars. Since I can remember I've wanted to be a mama. I used to spend countless hours thinking of girls' names. Never boy names. Funny, huh? I've always seen myself with girls and as much as I thought it would be fun to have a boy, I just could never picture it. We have officially welcomed Phoebe into our lives and cannot picture our family without her anymore. I love those chubby cheeks and thighs and sweet grins. We are all completely smitten. People ask me all the time how Matilda is doing with her and she loves her so, so much. Sometimes she can get a little over-excited and squeeze her a little too hard but Bee never seems to mind. From time to time when I'm cooing at my youngest and telling her how much I love her, Matilda will ask, "Do you love me too?" Heart. Tight. "I love you to the moon and back." Matilda will ask, "Infinity times infinity?" "Yes, my darling. Times infinity. You're my heart."

At night time I've been doing formula. Hoping. Hoping that it will help Phoebe sleep longer. For the last couple of weeks baby girl has been waking up. At 3, 2:34, 4:14, 5:01. Who's keeping track? Anyways, Matilda loves giving her the nightime bottle. The first time I saw it my eyes welled up. I saw Matilda putting into practice what she had seen me do. She kissed Phoebe's head and told her she loved her. Talked to her in a gentle and calming voice. Held her hand. It's almost more than I can bare. The sweetness. Sometimes being a mama is hard. It can be tiring and draining and it makes you realize that you don't come first anymore. I often have that feeling when my bladder is throbbing because I've got to keep the girls safe or feed Phoebe. However, it can be the most inspiring and gratifying job in the whole wide world. All I have to do is put on a dress to hear Matilda say, "You look faboolous." I get the biggest smiles from Phoebe when she wakes up from her afternoon nap. I get to teach them the things that I think are important and watch them put them into action. Matilda is so kind and loving. I'm so lucky. I have so much to learn and often they are teaching me the most important lessons. So thankful. Wishing you all a very special mother's day. I'm so thankful for my mom who I appreciate more every day. Love you Mama.

that beautiful blanket (or kantha) is made by women in bangladesh.
find out more about this amazing project at hand & cloth.

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DIY: FORAGED CORSAGES FOR MOTHER'S DAY

2013-05-06T07:09:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day is Sunday! Of course the best part of the day though will be kissing the little faces that give me the title. I'm one lucky mama. I'm also hoping to enjoy some yummy brunch and then maybe, just maybe get in a little quiet time. Isn't that what we all really want? A little time to read, a slightly later wake up call, pretty flowers. It's the little things. We all just want to feel extra special. I thought it would be fun to share a really affordable and definitely special idea for dressing up the wrists of the ladies in your life.

My pretty and sweet friend Megan of Victory Blooms is going to share how to create these gorgeous corsages with just a few simple supplies. You could whip these up for your mama, your aunts, your sisters, etc. The combinations are limitless but she'll break down for you the basic formula. Megan is a master of creating "dutch painting" inspired arrangements, so take note! I felt so feminine and pretty wearing my corsage. Matilda loved it too!

You will need:

Garden pruning shears
Floral tape
Floral wire
Ribbon
Grocery store flowers
Foraged materials

After you've scooped up your favorite grocery store roses (you could do soft pinks or reds or go neutral with a pretty cream like Megan did), check out your back yard! There are so many things that you can use. For the foliage Megan used porcelain berry vine. Other great alternatives would be honeysuckle vine, new growth ivy, clematis vine, or a small cluster of leaves, like geranium or gardenia leaves. Megan also suggests gathering large face flowers like hellebores (which she used here) or garden roses, peonies, dogwood flowers, zinnias or even echinacea.

Assembly instructions:

Layer 1- greenery base, I used porcelain berry vine.
Layer 2- cluster of small head flowers, I used grocery store spray roses. You can also use button mums, scabiosa, bachelor buttons or any other small sturdy flower.
Layer 3- large face flower, I used hellebores.

Start by making a cluster of three flowers with your middle layer flower. I took three stems of spray rose and a length of floral tape (be sure to give your floral tape a good stretch to activate the stickiness). Holding the cluster together tightly, wrap the floral tape about a half inch of the way down the stems from the flower heads.

Once your middle layer is together take your vine/leaf layer position it behind your cluster and attach with floral tape. Once your first two layers are secure attach your face flower. You will want one or two flowers depending on how large they are. I used two hellebores. However, if using larger flowers like garden rose or a peony you would only use one flower. Place your face flower(s) on top of your cluster of three flowers and again wrap tightly with floral tape. Trim your stems with pruning shears so that they stick out just below the tape. You now have a (mostly) foraged corsage!

At this point you could wrap the taped stems with thin ribbon or twine, tie a small knot or bow and use as a pin on corsage. Or, you can make the Martha Stewart ribbon corsage base (which we used here) and anchor your foraged corsage to create a wrist corsage. If you make one for a lovely lady please let us know. We'd love to hear about it. Let Megan know in the comments if you have any questions and we'll try and get them answered for you! Happy Mother's Day!

note: Megan recommends storing the corsages in the vegetable drawer until they're ready to wear.

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A TRIP TO PIKE'S

2013-04-30T16:17:00.001-04:00

Everyone has their happy place and mine would be the nursery at Pike's. I have SO many fond memories of riding in the wagon as a child and helping my mom pick out plants. Even when the greenhouse is 100+ degrees and I feel like I might faint I feel completely happy when I'm there. Kinda like this:

Matilda has learned to smile for the camera. I used to be able to catch her candidly almost always but now as soon as I pick up the camera... this face. Pretty darn cute. I promised myself that I wouldn't buy anything. I even left my wallet in the car. Livin' on the edge. What do you know, went back to get it so I could spoil myself with this David Austin Huntington rose. It smells like heaven! We are still getting the house ready to close and our kitchen will be our main priority so I really shouldn't be focusing on plants. HGTV is shooting our kitchen for their remodel series. Some of you mentioned not remembering me mentioning it and that's because I never did. Just kind of snuck it in to the post.

We went with my pretty mama to pick out things for her patio garden. My mom is a master gardener and has completely passed on the plant love affair to me. I was oohing and ahhing over the gorgeous herbs, succulents, blooms. So much to take in. I tried to make mental notes of what I'd pick up next time we came in. This whole loan process is giving me a migraine. They require so much documentation now, which I get but it's a total headache and keeping me anxious. Remembering to breathe and trust in God who has gotten us this far!

I thought these ceramic bird feeders were really beautiful. I love the lines and colors. My Grammy is so diligent about feeding her hummingbirds. She has feeders surrounding their dining room, outside the windows, and they swarm about all around while you're sitting there eating or drinking coffee. It's perfectly lovely.

When we left Matilda was soaking wet and Phoebe was a blubbering mess. Ha. That sweet little baby is teething so bad right now and rolling over and waking herself up. It's been pretty sleepless over here which is really hard to take without chocolate and wine (my medication). I'm still going strong with the whole30 and "losing the baby weight." I feel good and I've already lost five pounds, which I know isn't really the whole point of the program but it helps justify all of my self restraint. Hope you're all having a great week!

visit pike's.

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LOSING THE BABY WEIGHT PART 2

2013-04-28T15:02:00.001-04:00

Oh, me and food. We have such a long history together. We are definitely frenemies. Last week I had a total epiphany that I've been abusing my body by eating junk. I was tired, frumpy, and the last straw was when Phoebe was massaging my stomach. Yup, something had to change. I've been making a bajillion excuses, "I'll just wait until after the move" "I'm breastfeeding" "I'm just going to wait until Monday." Last friday I was like, "ENOUGH." I can't wear any of my clothes, I know how to eat and felt terrible that I was ignoring that knowledge, I just needed a little inspiration. Starting that day, I began the Whole30 program. Links below.

I start day four tomorrow and I already feel amazing. My clothes are already fitting better, I've lost weight, and I have more energy. I'm going to be doing thirty days of healthy proteins (grass-fed, organic, free-range), lots of veggies, some fruit, and lots of good fats (avocado, coconut, olives). Breastfeeding mamas need to eat plenty of calories and a little extra fat but they do not need grains or dairy...

Typical Meals:

Breakfast - rethink "typical" breakfast and have leftovers or enjoy fritatas or other protein and veggie rich meals

Lunch - lettuce wraps with avocado and berries

Dinner - grass-fed burgers with sweet potato fries and avocado

snack ideas: raw nuts, berries, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, etc

Some great links:

- It Starts with Food (what I'm reading)
- Blogs: Whole9 Life, Nom Nom Paleo, PaleOMG, and many more here!
- I just found this really cool free app, HealthyOut, that searches for restaurants with menu items tailored to your dieting needs: vegan, paleo, gluten-free etc.
- Planning is key. I loved this article in Self Magazine that I pinned here. My girl Tiffany Amber Theissen shares how spending an hour or two on sunday planning can make you really successful. She lost 45 lbs of baby weight!

If you are feeling like I was, PLEASE don't put it off and start this with me. You can also incorporate these principles into how you're feeding your family. Get your man on the program, too!

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SET BACKS + UNSOCIAL SATURDAYS

2013-04-26T14:24:00.001-04:00

HAPPY FRIDAY friends! If you thought this day would never come then high five! We've had an interesting week on the renovation. Turns out 100 year old floor boards sometimes have nails sticking up that aren't friends will sanders. Um yeah. That has set every thing back a couple of days. Good thing I have a few more days to second guess my stain choice. Do these people know the agony of second guessing?! No, they do not.

I've decided to have a determined day to unplug on the weekends. To get all old fashioned with books and the like. I think saturday would be a good choice because I usually play "work catchup" on sunday when I have a little help from Sam. We are wanting so badly to get back to normal here soon. We feel completely blessed to have been given the opportunity to do this, I'm just ready. I've got spring fever too which doesn't help. Looks like we are weeks away from our HGTV remodel shoot. This is not terrifying at all...

That's all I got. Oh, I am also starting Whole30 (from the book It Starts with Food) this week. Have you heard of it? It's basically the way we used to eat (and will be eating!) in book form. I'm really looking forward to be able to wear my old clothes. Turns out wearing the same big girl jeans every day isn't really making me feel so pretty. If you have any great recipes (this crab cake one looks delish), please send them my way!

Have a great weekend! Have a margarita or something festive for me please!

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LOW KEY

2013-04-25T06:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the first relaxing, unplanned day the girls and I have had for a very long time. It was overcast and drizzly all day making it even better for being low key. I finally put away about four baskets full of laundry and cleared the clutter that had been accumulating for weeks on the stairs (anyone else guilty of neglecting piles there?).

We had no major meltdowns and we watched some movies, I drank a full cup of hot coffee, and we played "make Phoebe laugh." A success of a day indeed. We've been so stressed and running around with our heads cut off that I think it's been making its way down to our little ones. There have been some notsofun tantrums happening. I ordered my first parenting book (love and logic that I mentioned a bit back). I feel like I'm not disciplining well and there's been a level of disrespect that needs to be nipped in the bud. Someone (not my perfect child) called their grandfather a "poophead" yesterday. SO hard not to laugh.

Phoebe is a whopping five months old. I seriously can't believe how fast time flies. She is starting to roll completely over, can get on her belly by herself and is doing 360's in her crib. Praying she'll hold off on crawling until after the move. Phew! She is just scrumptious and so smiley and sweet even when I know she's teething. Still waiting on a little tooth to pop through...

So much is happening in these final days of the renovation that we make our way over to the house almost every day. I try and wait until late afternoon with the kids so that most of the workers have already left for the day. We are having the hardwoods sanded and prepped for stain, amongst other things. Matilda was mostly interested in the kids that were playing outside. They were a good bit older than her and she kept trying to talk to them and wave and they were stand offish. My heart. I wanted to be like, "Talk to my kid you little jerks." Don't worry, I didn't.

The girls' carpet went in! I was beyond happy with the end result. I didn't want to do any carpet, but I'm so happy with what we picked out from Atlanta Carpet West. It's low pile and grey and looks like a textured rug. In love. Bonus: super affordable. Hope you're all having a nice week!

Also, wanted to share that the adorable (and organic cotton to boot) outfits the girls are wearing are from Winter Water Factory. They were so sweet to send them over. I've always loved their brand and the quality is top notch. They are one of my go-tos for gifts. I've picked up a few of their awesome onesies at seed factory.

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A SPRING WALK

2013-04-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to our neighborhood to take a walk. We met my dad for a stroll. You can tell we're ready to be there. I am spending all of my "free" time at the house and loving exploring our new neighborhood. There are so many incredible houses and gardens. My bread and butter! This garden wall is one of my all-time faves. Pretty, huh? Behind it is a pea gravel drive way that leads to this really stunning barn. I've always wanted to wander back there.

Everything is the prettiest green right now. New plant life! I've been pretty much obsessing over our new garden and what plants I want to make little homes for. There is so much potential because the previous home owners were not gardeners and it's basically a clean (and slightly barren) slate. My sweet across-the-street neighbor told me that our street used to be a garden and that there is no red clay. Hallelujah! Our old garden was almost entirely red clay, even after tilling it!

This little lady isn't as interested in stroller rides these days. We ended the walk with a romp around the playground. Guinness came too. Shhh! I was a nervous wreck that he was going to poop at the playground. We finished the night with tacos and bluegrass. I really love this town. Wish I could stay outside all day but lately I've been having the most intense sore throats and coughs from the pollen. I've never experienced this before. Anyone have any natural allergy remedies that are working for them?

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HASHTAG REAL TALK

2013-04-21T21:38:00.002-04:00

It's finally happened. My brain has stopped working. I literally can not make another decision. It was tough being at the house this weekend, reeling from choices I've made that I wasn't 100% sold on. Renovating with two little ones is... nearly impossible. Not totally impossible because as you can see I am doing it, but it is taking its toll. I feel like Sam and I haven't had a conversation in months. Egads. I just want to lock in an amazing interest rate and close without any issues. Amen.

I'm at the point where I just want to decorate. You know? Just make the space feel like home. Isn't this nursery incredible? My friend Joni always knocks it out of the park. I love these custom made prints over the changing table. Killer. My brain is in overdrive thinking about what to put and where. I've had so much fun hitting up estate sales and looking online for new treasures.

I've been dwelling over stain choices. I originally wanted to pickle the floors and the more I talked with my contractor and researched the process, we're now exploring other options. While I love the light floors, our 100 year old boards have taken a beating and the addition has oak instead of pine and I want them to look as uniform as possible. Do you have a stain color that you love?

ps I've recently had conversations with friends and siblings about the humor (or in some cases notsomuch) of speaking in hashtags. Ha!

top picture / bottom picture

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GOING GREEN: CLOTH DIAPERING

2013-04-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

In honor of earth month I wanted to share how we go green by using cloth diapers. The first few weeks of a baby's life we use disposable diapers and then once our little one fills out a bit we switch to cloth. This is what works for us, you may have a different system (please share). After using cloth diapers all the way to potty training Matilda I certainly think you get your money's worth and I love the soft cotton against their skin. The best.

First things first, see if you have a friend that is selling or will let you borrow their gently used diapers. I got lucky and bought some barely used bumgenius diapers from a friend (my favorite) as well as I was able to borrow some from another friend. I also received some as gifts bringing us to a total of about 16 diapers. In my opinion you want enough diapers to get you through a couple of days but not so much that they are sitting dirty for too long. You want to be motivated to get them in the wash.

There are tons of brands out there so ask around and do your homework or try a few before you buy a bunch. I tried prefolds and found them to be really difficult and they don't wick away the moisture, I also tried a few other brands and decided on bumgenius (hands down my fave). I personally like having all the same brand (easier on anyone that may help you - ie babysitters/ husbands/ grandparents) and I like snaps. I've used velcro and it ends up taking a beating. I also like the one size because it grows with your baby and you only have to buy them once. Be aware that baby leggings and pants will need to be a size bigger to accomodate the cloth diaper booty. Phoebe is cracking me up with her faces these days. OK, so next you need to get a few things in order to have a system. Again, this is what works for me. Links below the picture.

Ubbi diaper pail

Bumgenius snap diapers

Flannel wipes

Method laundry detergent in Fresh Air

Kanga Care Wet bag

Planet Wise Pail liner

I keep my diaper pail in the laundry room. It takes me just a few seconds longer to bring the diaper in there and that way I don't have a diaper pail in Phoebe's room (or "area" as of now). Inside the pail is the pail liner. I take the diaper and if it's dirty I shake the poop (hehe) into the toilet and flush. If it's pre-food poop then i just stick it into the pail. Shake the diaper insert into the pail first and then the shell. If you're using velcro make sure you attach it to itself so it doesn't destroy your laundry. I try and wash the diapers every other day. I also LOVE the soft, flannel wipes. I wet them with warm water and then stick them in the pail with the diapers when I'm done.

As far as washing the diapers goes I dump the entire pail liner (with diapers, wipes, wet bags etc inside) and shake it into the washer. First I rinse the load, then wash, then rinse again. I've washed the diapers in just about every kind of detergent, but in the spirit of truly being green, I love using Method detergent. I especially dig this pump bottle that allows me to do one-handed laundry, which is a real thing when you have a little baby. I also love that it's plant based and easy on the environment (ps they're giving away a year's supply here). To dry the diapers I typically stick the inserts in the dryer and let the covers air dry. About one-two times a month I let the diapers get bleached in the sun. This typically gets rid of any bad smells and stains. I love the way sun-dried diapers smell. So sweet.

I pre-stuff the diapers before I put them away that way they are ready to use when I need them. When we are on the go I keep a wet bag in my diaper bag and put them in there and then dump them the same way when I get home as well as the bag itself. It all goes in the pail. The wet bags are also great for bathing suits, etc later on. Stock up. I know some childcare providers will use wet bags with the cloth diapers too. Make sure you look into that if you're a working mom.

That's it! Have a question? Ask away!
Special thanks to Method for sponsoring this post. I really do use and love their detergent and all opinions are 100% mine based on 3 years of cloth diapering experience. :)

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EMERALD AUGUST + A GIVEAWAY (closed)

2013-04-14T09:28:00.000-04:00

Last week my friend Laura came over and we had a "fashion show" with Matilda in my Dad's back yard. Laura designs a children's clothing line that we just love: Emerald August. Her designs are made in the USA and Matilda was the luckiest girl to get to play dress up with her spring collection.

I love her color choices: bright orange, turquise, cherry red, lime green, pale and poppy pinks. Her clothes emulate the spirit and fun of childhood. She has a great selection of tunics, graphic tees, play dresses, and little shorts. All pieces available in sizes 2 through 8.

I might have bribed Matilda a wee tiny bit with these organic strawberry suckers. She loves them. Here she is wearing Laura's signature tunic in both the sleeveless tangerine and pomegranate. I love the tiny buttons and the piping around the neck and sleeves. They can be preppy and clean or funky paired with fun accessories (we are loving rain boots these days).

We had a little tea party. Matilda loves to host and she made the most delicious "cramberlberry" tea. That girl loves to create and do. Our days are pretty busy around here. We laid out the picnic blanket in this side garden. It is SO beautiful here.

When I was in high school I would always do my friends hair and makeup and have photoshoots. There are some awesome photos of my friends and family floating around. I thought I wanted to be a makeup artist for a while. Still think it's so fun but I'm not a big makeup wearer myself. Funny, huh? Here Matilda is in the cherry tunic. That little lady just makes me smile.

One of my favorite pieces in this group is this ice cream cone tee. Amazing, right? Hip and sweet and the colors are so great. Matilda's a fan too (of both ice cream and this shirt). Love it paired with the lime green shorts. These shorts are not only great with tees but under any of your favorite dresses. Perfect for the playground and keeping those undies hidden.

We ran down to the barn to snap a few pictures of Laura's tees. Matilda went missing for a minute, but don't worry we found her (so many good hiding places around here!). That blueberry tee is awesome and so are the others (cow + red balloon = win).

Laura ended up scooping up a tired model at the end of the shoot. We just love her. Laura is the type of friend that shows up with amazing homemade food every time she comes over, always has a kind word, looks out for everyone, and is just a dear person that I feel lucky to call a friend. She has worked so hard on her collection and I am thrilled to be able to introduce you all to Emerald August!

Now, here comes the really fun part. Laura is graciously giving away an awesome group of Emerald August goodies to one lucky winner. Your choice of tunic or every day dress + one tee + one pair of shorts. Here are a few of my favorites! You'll be all set for summer. PLUS Laura is offering a 15% off (shipping is always free) to all of you with promo code: LESLEYWGRAHAM.

Here's how to enter
US residents only
The winner is Jeannine S!

Visit Emerald August and pick out your favorites. Leave me a comment with your top pick.

For additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

Like Emerald August on facebook

Like Lesley W Graham on facebook (thanks!)

Blog, tweet, or facebook about the giveaway (please tag @lesleywgraham and @emerald august)

Follow this blog on Bloglovin'. (thanks!)

Giveaway ends at midnight thursday night. Winner announced this friday. Good luck!
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BITS FROM HOME

2013-04-10T22:41:00.001-04:00

Whenever life feels too insane... I love to head over to our house and spend some time. Sam and I both feel at peace when we're there, like all of the craziness is worth it. Speaking of crazy, the other day we were outside spray painting brass and wood ceiling fans. The fans were next to a mouse trap that had three (!) mice attached to it. Dad moved it outside and we went back to spraying fans. Cut to today and I noticed Guinness has gotten out. I looked next to him on the driveway to see the trap in a bunch of pieces (mice included - eek!). I fussed at him and we headed out. Cut to tonight and I'm cleaning the kitchen and squish squish squish, Guinness comes stickin' by his paws covered in glue and other things... LIFE.

Daddy, what would we do without him?! Not only is he letting us take over his home, but he also helps with the house daily. Between my millions of questions to makeshift shutters, to stressed out sobs. He's been amazing through it all. Here he is (and Tilly too) on the new stairs. You may also notice that our lighting is going up. We are getting so close which is thrilling and nerve wracking (appraisals, inspections, loans, etc). I'll feel so relieved after we've closed.

My amazing husband and our little cherub. Phoebe is such a joy and sunshine to our days. She is a total love. Life is good. We've been enjoying the amazing spring weather (but chill it pollen). It's spring break so we've been running around with friends and spending time outdoors jumping in creeks and riding bikes.

I feel like a bad blogger these days... no fun recipes or crafts. Just our every day. Thanks for sticking with me through this crazy time. Hope to make it up to you soon. My head hits the pillow so hard...

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A WEEKEND IN THE WOODS

2013-04-08T11:17:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Alabama! Sitting on my sweet Grammy and Lynndaddy's porch pouring over some photos from the weekend. We decided to stay an extra night after we waited ALL day for our table to dry and then the top took a little tumble. Whoops! Ended up staying up with little Phoebe most of the night last night (think there are some teeth on our horizon - poor baby!). She is loving her vanilla-scented teethers. So adorable. We are relishing time with our sweet cousins and Aunt that came up yesterday. Such a blessing to be able to eat amazing food, spend time working with our hands (oh how I missed that), and to enjoy the gorgeous spring breezes. Heaven, I mean it. Can't wait to show our bathroom table to you guys. I love how it turned out.

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DAUGHTERS

2013-04-04T21:20:00.001-04:00

I snapped these this afternoon. I'm feeling so lucky to be these girls' mama today especially. I spent a good part of last night sobbing while I was looking at a facebook page set up for parents that had lost their daughter in a freak accident. I looked at so many pictures and comments and just cried my little eyes out. Sam always thinks I'm ridiculous for doing things like that. Sometimes I just can't turn away and I feel so deeply for those parents. I put myself in their place and so on. Am I totally alone here?

Today Matilda was supposed to be napping and I heard this clack, clack, clack on the ceiling. I went upstairs and she was tromping around in my shoes. I have always had such a love affair with pictures of little girls in heels. Is there anything cuter? Then Phoebe had a little tummy time (she just loves it). Matilda was teaching her how to roll over.

This weekend we're heading to the woods where my Lynndaddy will teach Sam how to make a vanity for the girls' bathroom. We are getting so much closer to moving in (just weeks away!). I can hardly stand it. I wish I could share more pictures here but it's because we're giving the exclusive to a little site you may have heard of. Stay tuned!

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SPRING DREAMING!

2013-04-02T10:07:00.000-04:00

Since we are temporarily displaced (in an ideal setting with my sweet father back in the woods - not complaining!) I find myself dreaming of spring cleaning, gardening, nesting. It's been over three months now since we've had most of our things and since I've had a garden of my own. I never knew how much I'd miss it! Here are some spring cleaning ideas and dream gardens that have my heart beating a little faster these days. What are you loving about spring time? I for one can't get enough of the cherry blossoms that are bursting at the seams.
Our new garden is a courtyard style. One of the reasons we built up is because I didn't want to lose any of the back yard. I'm envisioning a sort of extended deck (low maintenance) and I love the gravel mixed with the plants. So pretty. I will of course have to string up some cafe lights and we want to build something up a bit for added privacy. It's already pretty private and fenced in with lots of vines (my favorite!) but we can see our neighbors house and I want to feel like we're completely alone. I love a private outdoor area to dream and escape to and I want to be able to entertain back there. I can't wait!
On the front of the house I want to add some texture and what better way than with climbing roses? My color palette is going to be dusty pink, peach, and apricot. I want a lot of repetition. My last garden was more cottage style with every color but I've found I like a little more organized chaos these days and when I have a theme it makes decision making so much easier.
I've been thinking a lot about entries and mudrooms lately. You know, that whole first impression thing. I love this idea of hanging hooks at different heights. I really want to start a reward system for Matilda and putting away her things would be a great start. We've had some serious listening issues lately. Someone recommended Love and Logic. Have you heard of this book? I've heard it's great from a few different people.
I also LOVE these shelves and baskets for organizing (toys mainly). Sometimes I feel like we're drowning in princess paraphernalia around here. Plus, this would be a great system for easy picking up. Not sure where we could do something like this? Maybe in the upstairs hall. We'll see. Love it regardless.
I really want to make my own natural cleaners that smell amazing. I also love the idea of making aromatics to smell up the house with fresh life. Rosemary, vanilla, and citrus all reign supreme. Nothing in my opinion smells better than grapefruit. I want to get rid of the "new paint" smell fast. Speaking of paint, they are pressure washing the house and are getting ready to do their magic. This is going to make the biggest difference! We are also getting the house appraised shortly and I'm praying that it's a really good one. We need it! Happy spring everyone!

courtyard garden | climbing roses | mudroom | basket storage | homemade aromatics

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OUR EASTER

2013-04-01T07:50:00.000-04:00

Life is sweet. Thank you all for thinking of us and for your sweet comments on my last post. We spent the weekend dyeing eggs, eating way too many sweets, spending time with our family. It was a gift. I'm so thankful that we have family close by and that our girls know their cousins and great grandparents. It's awesome. We had two parties on sunday and they were both perfectly spring-y and lovely.

The easter baskets were a hit. Phoebe got lots of teething gear and she looooves that little ring teether. She held on to that and her tiny bunny all day. The cutest! Matilda was all about the Easter egg hunt which we had indoors since it was raining.

The guys worked on the house on saturday and switched out the skinny columns for some more substantial ones. I think it makes the house. Can't wait to show you. Also, it's getting painted this week. The inside is almost done and I love the color (Pearly White by Sherwin Williams). It looks so open and bright and fresh.

Hoping to be more in the swing of things this week (you can read more about a typical day for us over here - so honored to be included). We've all been under the weather, but this gorgeous weather is making us feel better. That's for sure.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:25-26

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TIPS FOR MOMS #5

2013-03-26T21:28:00.002-04:00

TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF. This is going to be a very honest post. If you want a little fluff maybe keep on keepin' on. I'm not in a good head space right now. We are surrounded by bad news lately and tragedy. I know each day is a new day. I've been spending so much energy trying to stay positive that I've been wanting to go to bed at 4. I've been getting sick because I've been taking on so much stress and heartache in part for other people. Being sensitive is a blessing and a curse and as moms we stuff. We bear the weight of so much so that our children don't have to. It's an incredible gift to allow our babies to breathe easy until they're capable of managing (or trying to manage) the pain that comes sometimes. I feel split a million different ways right now. I don't feel settled. I'm sad. I full on sobbed watching Up this weekend with Matilda. I sucked back the tears but sadly she saw them. She wiped them away, that little angel. Then I felt guilty.

Where's the tip, Lesley? I need time for myself. I know that this is a key factor in having a healthy mind and the ability to face head on whatever challenge God deems us capable of handling. I need quiet moments to walk, sit in a bath tub, go to Target, for solace. I haven't had it and I know I need it. Sam's been staying late at the hospital every day. He's an amazing friend. I feel so selfish wanting him home, his help getting the girls to bed. I feel selfish and tired.

Right now having some quiet time to write is just what I need. To pour my heart out a little in hopes that another mom might find comfort in knowing she's not alone in feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes the smallest retreats can refresh your spirit and calm your mind. Lately I've been struggling in my wants to create and not being able to. I crave being able to try new recipes and sew little dresses. I've been stress eating and eating on the run because things have been so crazy. It's making me feel bummed.

On the upside I feel really thankful for my beautiful and loving family, for my friends, the ones that are always there for me (you know who you are), thank you. We'll be fine. Just going through some growing pains I guess you could say. Was going to have some time alone tomorrow but sweet Matilda has pink eye. It's the scariest looking thing. I'm going to try and clear it up with some home remedies. Good night friends.

the photo is a sneak peek at a project that i shot this morning. flowers designed by my lovely friend ash of byrd collective.

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PAINT!

2013-03-25T21:51:00.000-04:00

I have been waiting for this day! We are getting the house painted this week and that is HUGE. Right now the walls are all different colors and mixed with new sheetrock. Such a mess. I can't wait to see the trim painted in a semi-gloss. Hip hip hooray! I think I've narrowed down all of my colors. We are going for a very Scandinavian farmhouse feel but I like a little color so we're throwing in some seafoam green in the mix too. I'm doing pops of black on the window sashes, doors, and architectural details. The inside will be all WHITE, something I've wanted to do forever. I think we're going with "pearly white" by Sherwin Williams. The exterior and interior colors were found in Southern Living. I also love that our house color is french for "palace." :)

Picking paint colors can be so tricky. Do you have a white or mint green paint color that you love?

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EASTER BASKETS

2013-03-24T22:44:00.000-04:00

Rosie Flo kitchen coloring book
Polka dot skimmer
Handmade boots (these would be a MAJOR splurge - but worth it)
Jess Brown Rag doll
Leopard sandals
Printed halter
Heart bobby pin

Orla Kiely Colors board book
Bunny teether
Little twig shampoo
Hold me tight blanket
Chewbeads necklace
Flutter sleeve eyelet dress

If you're like me then you may still be on the hunt for some goodies to fill your baskets with. When it comes to the girls I could shop for them all day long. It's so much more fun to shop for little people. Some of these things are dream items, like that gorgeous Jess Brown doll and those incredible handmade boots. Geez. Love them. Phoebe is teething up a storm these days it seems so most of her little basket will be geared for those new tiny white teeth. That necklace would be worn by me but chewed on by her. Win/win I say.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your prayers, tweets, shares, donations, blog posts, etc for our friend Justin. Touched doesn't cut it. You guys are simply the best.

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