Lesley Graham

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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MEET JUSTIN

2013-03-20T21:09:00.001-04:00

Meet Justin. This is Sam's childhood friend that remains one of his best friends to this day. I took this picture of Justin and his beautiful daughter Amelia at Matilda's third birthday party. This is just one of a gillion memories that Sam and I have of Justin. See that smile? He always looks like that. Justin is a great person and always in a good mood. So fun to be around.

Last saturday before a flux show (Sam and Justin are both in an 80's cover band called Flux Capacitor) Sam got a terrible phone call that Justin had been in an accident. We didn't know how bad things were but we knew he was on a scooter. Geez those things terrify me. He was unstable and being transferred to Grady hospital. The details of what happened are fuzzy. The outcome is that Justin is paralyzed from the chest down, with several broken bones, and a severed spine. He's in a lot of pain.

Like many other people in the service industry, Justin does not have health insurance. He's also the sole provider for sweet Amelia. His medical bills will be extensive. It is my hope and prayer that Justin will have every opportunity to heal and potentially walk again because of financial support. This is where we all come in - even a days coffee money could make a monumental difference in his life. I really want him to see God move, to feel an overcoming amount of love and support. If you feel even slightly led you can click here to help support Justin and his little girl. Thank you in advance for blessing this family.

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PHOEBE 4 MONTHS

2013-03-19T21:03:00.000-04:00

Miss Phoebe Lynn is four months old. She is killing me with her over-sized grins and new deep little chuckle that she does. It's cuteness personified. Seriously. With her personality starting to shine through it's fun to see what tickles her and what catches her eye. She has started to grab for things and is learning how to hold little toys and hair and whatever else makes its way into her zone. She wiggles all over the place and twists and turns and rolls over. She's exploring everything and lights up when she sees a face she knows (oh the looks she gives her sister. melt.) or hears a familiar voice.
I mean just check out how big her smiles are. How could I not be happy when I catch a glimpse of one of those? Babies are healing creatures. They soften the hardest of hearts and comfort those that are having a hard time. There is just this pure joy that oozes out of Bee. I wish I could bottle it. The only thing that's been a little tricky lately is the no nap situation and it takes up to two hours to get her down for bed at night. She was just hangin' her hat each night at 7 and now it's a full on ordeal. I remembered Matilda going through something similar at this age... "the four-month wakeful period." It's when babies start really absorbing the world around them and they want to be up and active throughout the day (and sometimes night). Woo.
Another little interesting hurdle we're facing is that Phoebe hates the bottle so it's difficult to leave her for longer than an hour or so. She gags and screams. It's quite the event. All the hiccups aside, there is nothing better than seeing that little glowy face in the morning and kissing her chubby cheeks. She's completely edible. I'm excited to go to her check up tomorrow to see how she has grown. I have a feeling it's going to be a lot. She weighs about half of what her four year old string bean sister weighs. Ha!
Thank you all for the love and prayers for Justin (Sam's friend). He still needs them in a big way. He underwent a seven hour surgery yesterday which was exploratory. He has more broken bones than they realized and a nearly severed spinal cord. The chances are slim that he will walk again but I am very hopeful. He's a strong and determined person. I'm trying to set up some fundraising efforts to help support him. He unfortunately does not have insurance. I will keep you posted on that, but for now please continue to pray for healing, for peace, for him to feel loved and supported. Sam has barely left his side and could also use your prayers. Thank you so, so much.

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OUR WEEKEND

2013-03-18T07:53:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Hard to believe that it's monday. The weekend was extremely quick and full of sweet times but also really hard ones. Let's start with happy, shall we? I went to a really sweet baby shower for my friend Leah. The party was hosted at my friend (and new neighbor!) Cortney's house. I love Cortney's style. Her home is so beautiful. Pretty, right?
They served brunch which is surely my favorite meals. Two other favorites: mimosas + monkey bread. Too good. It was a perfect morning with lovely ladies and Leah was glowing. She is the loveliest pregnant lady. It's so exciting to see my friends starting their families. Pretty amazing.

After the shower, all the ladies walked over to our house and we gave them the tour. It's so fun to show people around. We had the most visitors this weekend that I think we've had so far. I love it when our friends and family stop by to check on the progress. Here's a snap of the new floors. I'm debating on stains right now. Stay tuned, think I'm going light (maybe pickling).
After we gave the tour to a few folks we headed to celebrate Matilda's best friend Willow's birthday. We went for cupcakes at Miss Mamie's (a tradition). I had the tiramisu. It was heaven in a little wrapper. It's always so hard to pick one. The girls love playing on the train. I always have a minor heart attack because they crawl all over the thing. I am totally the crazy freakout mom at the playground. I can't watch! Tell me I'm not alone. Please.

Unfortunately after our fun + busy saturday we got some bad news. Sam's best friend in the world was in a terrible scooter accident. He's in the hospital right now and is at the moment paralyzed. He has several broken bones and could really use your prayers. Life lately is... too much. We know so many people who are dealing with heartbreak, we are so busy we can't breathe, and I can't stay on top of hardly anything. I don't feel like myself. My heart is heavy and my load is too. Also, Phoebe isn't napping so I can't get much done. Everything seems a bit out of control. Praying about it all. Thanks for letting me share.

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WANTED: CHEAP + AWESOME FLOORS

2013-03-15T09:33:00.000-04:00

Hello and happy friday! It's been a crazy week at Chez Graham. Matilda and I have both been sick (all week.) and I've been knee deep in picking out flooring options. The budget keeps rearing its ugly head which isn't so bad if you have endless amounts of time to google and explore what's out there (and there are some terrifying floor choices available). I'm leaning towards doing a luxury vinyl in the girls' bathroom and Sam's studio.
I picked out this awesome dot pattern and wouldn't you know it's backordered. Plan B. Again. I had originally thought that we would use this pretty white bamboo flooring that I found for the upstairs. Instead we recycled the wood from the attic rafters. We had them milled into flooring and they are gorgeous!!! full of worm holes and nail marks. You know, the stuff that gives a house a soul. Since we basically gutted our house, we had to add back some of the character and this was an amazing way to do it. So, my point being that the white floors mixed with the stained floors felt really choppy. We only had enough wood to do the upstairs hallway, the downstairs powder, and the keydrop by the back door.
The UK has tons of amazing floor tiles that I can't get shipped over. Rats. Someone in the US really needs to jump on the band wagon. Money maker! I'm thinking we will do carpet in the girls' rooms (for now) and that's where I'm struggling... what color? I want a super low pile, I'm not really here, kind of carpet. You know? Also looking in to VCT floor tiles that we could make into a pattern in some of the rooms: laundry or bathroom. There are some crazy patterns out there like this kitchen below. LOVE.
Have a great weekend and if you didn't hear about the death of google reader, well now you know. I'm using Bloglovin' you can follow me over there!

dots | floor tiles | kitchen

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BLOG CASE STUDY

2013-03-12T14:44:00.000-04:00

I'm taking a really fun class for work called Blog Boss which is an e-class created by Holly Becker of Decor8. Holly is an incredible teacher and has a lot of great insight. Our homework this week is to choose blogs that we love and to tell why. I wanted to share some of my favorites with you as part of the assignment (I am loving being a student for a few weeks!). All of their links will appear at the bottom of the post so you can check them out for yourself.

1. The first blog I wanted to share is Pencil Box. I love this blog so much that one night when I was pregnant, I read almost the entire thing in one sitting. The blog is written by Katie Stratton who is an artist. You may have seen her beautiful work in Kinfolk. She is incredibly creative and I love her photos. As a visual person, I am drawn to photo-heavy blogs. She has a little boy Max who is full of this magical energy and she also has a Phoebe who is just a few months older than mine. Katie recently got engaged to her longtime beau and she just shares their lives in a beautiful way. Love.

2. Oh Joy! is one of the bigger blogs that I read, a mega blog if you will. Joy Cho is a successful graphic designer and author. I've read two of her books and loved them both. She is super savvy, at the top of her game, and certainly inspirational. I love that her blog has taken on a more personal tone since the birth of her adorable daughter Ruby. I love watching my favorite bloggers evolve and grow. Some of my favorite features of hers are "currently snacking on" and "Oh Joy Eats." I love her collaborations with her friend Bonnie Tsang who takes some of the most gorgeous photos for the blog.

3. You Are My Fave is bright + fun (two things I love in a blog). The author Melanie Blodgett is extremely witty (a quality I admire more than most) and she shares really creative DIYs, party ideas, and a few personal tidbits from time to time (you will melt when you see her CUTIE baby boy, Beck). I always feel a bit more inspired after reading her blog which is what I love so much about blogs in general. My favorite series of hers is "Faves in a Box." Example: "Filling Easter Baskets is My Fave." So adorable!

4. Love and Lemons. Healthy and pretty blogs used to be a hard pairing to find but lucky for me there have been a lot of them springing up lately. Husband and wife team Jack Mathews and Jeanine Donofrio are based out of Austin, TX. I love their use of fresh ingredients and their unique food pairings. Makes you want to jump in the kitchen and speaking of kitchens... there's is gorgeous! So much culinary eye candy. Like their kitchen and the food, their posts are clean, modern, and effortless.

5. I am naturally drawn to home blogs right now because we are renovating. Yvestown has been my go-to for inspiration. Yvonne Eijkenduijn is my kind of lady. I love her aesthetic. I even posted a picture of her kitchen in this post. She has great how-tos, beautiful pictures, and loads of photos of her stunning home. She favors white and pastels which I love and loads of Cath Kidson. So dreamy.

6. 100 Layer Cake-let is a family blog from the creators of the very popular wedding blog: 100 Layer Cake. This is a new blog, but already it's one of my favorites. Gorgeous birthday party inspiration, must-haves, and baby shower inspiration. Bookmark this one for sure.

7. Ashley Bailey, the creator of The Byrd Collective, pens a beautiful blog "Diary of a Byrd," with everything from her personal thoughts, to her gorgeous kids, to her insanely lovely floral creations. I have always admired floral designers and Ash is no exception. Her ability to create stunning arrangements intrigues me so much. Each design is a work of art.

8. Lindsay Széchényi is a talented seamstress who also runs her own quilting company, Eileen Quilts. I love getting to see pictures of the finished quilts as well as her own crafts. The photos on her blog, Fifteen Sixteen, are stunning. Love the way she captures her two little girls. Her home is lovely, too. She has a great eye for color and making everyday things like waffles look glamorous.

now go explore! what are some of your favorite blogs?

1. pencil box | 2. oh joy! | 3. you are my fave | 4. love and lemons | 5. yvestown | 6. 100 layer cake-let | 7. the byrd collective | 8. fifteen sixteen

*note: I don't know any of the first six bloggers personally, I have plenty of blog favorites that I love written by people that I love and I just couldn't narrow it down to six as requested. The last two blogs are bloggers that I admire that I also know that are taking the class with me (we had to choose two classmates as part of the assignment). I hope to get a proper blogroll up soon!

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