The Cheerful Home

Choo Choo Charlie's Two!

2018-01-19T12:45:00.007-08:00

Our sweet Charlie bear turned two years old. TWO! We can't believe it,

My big-hearted baby boy is growing up so fast. In some ways, it breaks my heart to see him grow and change; but what a privilege it is to see his little personality blossom, to learn about the things he loves, and to watch him take in the world in a brand new way.

One thing Charlie is most passionate about is trains (or "choo choos" as he calls them). To celebrate his second birthday, we threw a small train-themed birthday party for our little conductor to celebrate with our families and a few close friends! Here are a few snapshots of his special day:

Even though he was way to busy to smile for a picture, he definitely loved his cupcake!

The dessert table had several delicious treats, including cupcakes that my mom and I made and iced ourselves. At the last minute I convinced my mom to help me make mini strawberry cheesecakes for the and they turned out delicious! So easy to do and definitely a hit. Two words: JELLO cheesecake. Yum! :)

The train cookies turned out so festive and cute! I didn't get to try one, but my best friend's five year old son told me they were scrumptious ;)

Eddie made this adorable train out of cardboard and covered with colored paper. It was such a hit with the kiddos and Charlie LOVED it! We used white balloons for the "steam."

I kept the centerpieces for the guest tables pretty simple with fresh eucalyptus, lantern, and picture of Charlie by our local caboose. My sweet friend Kingsley took a few pictures of him by a local train and they ended up being so good!

The kiddos got their own conductor hat and wooden train whistle to take home (both were a huge hit), and they decorated wooden trains during the party.

I used Charlie's copy of The Little Engine That Could as the guestbook, and I absolutely love all the sweet wishes that people wrote! It's such a special thing to see now when we are reading the book! :)

I didn't get a picture of the food table, but my sweet mom and mother-in-law helped me with the delicious southern lunch for everyone :) Anyone who knows me knows I should probably stick to the decorating instead of the cooking ;)

One of my favorite things about motherhood is when this little boy surprises me. I didn't think to practice with him what to do with his birthday cake, but he surprised me by blowing out the candles all by himself!

A few more of my favorite shots from the day:

Happy Birthday, Charlie! You've made the last two years total magic. You are loved SO much.

Christmas Home Tour 2017

2017-12-24T13:37:00.002-08:00

Merry Christmas Eve, friends!

Since Christmas day is almost here, I wanted to share a few snapshots of our home dressed up for Christmas! We love this time of year and have all enjoyed the glow from the Christmas trees so much this season. Charlie especially loves to have all the Christmas tree lights on and loves to point to his ornaments. It really has been a special season seeing Christmas through the eyes of our two year old!

Our entryway looks exactly like last year because I love it so much! Eddie takes pride in putting up all the outdoor lights on the house and bushes. Our favorites are our Blinkie lights from my hometown!

The entryway has a eucalyptus wreath and of course a few pictures of Charlie with Santa from the past couple of years. I can't wait to add to this collection with this year's picture...two crying Santa pictures in a row! ;)

Charlie has LOVED his tree this year, and he wants the tree lights turned on as soon as he wakes up every morning. He loves to show his nutcracker ornaments to anyone who visits our house. I have loved the festive red color in his room this year! This $30 flocked tree from Walmart has held up well this season!

One of my favorite trees is our Travel Tree with ornaments from places we visit and travel to!

Since we are both Tar Heels, our UNC themed tree in our bedroom is a family favorite, and we have been collecting ornaments for over 10 years now...one of our favorite Christmas traditions!

The breakfast nook has a print of Silent Night by Dear Lillie, and a few wreaths on the door windows.

I absolutely LOVE Christmas card season! Checking the mail in December is so much fun :) This year I used small white clothespins to attach the cards to ribbon on our front closet door. Easy, festive, and fun! :)

I hope you enjoyed our mini Christmas home tour. Wishing you and your family a warm and peace-filled Christmas!

Our Home: 2017 Fall Home Tour

2017-11-08T12:26:00.002-08:00

The holiday season is approaching and I love this time of year! In the past, I've waited until after Thanksgiving to start decorating for Christmas, but the last couple of years, I've started a little sooner. Maybe my best friend Ashley has finally inspired me since she breaks out the Christmas totes as soon as she can! ;)

But around our house, pumpkins and mums are still in full swing and we will enjoy them a little while longer before the Christmas decorations come up. I thought I would share with you how I incorporated fall touches around our home this year.

Eddie jokingly refers to 2017 as "the year of the white pumpkins" And...he may be right! :) We took Charlie to a local farm in October for all kinds of fall fun. I was SO happy to find out they also sell locally grown pumpkins at the most affordable prices! I decided to use them in my fall decor this year.

Here are a few snapshots of our home decorated for fall this year!

Because I was using the white pumpkins as inside decor, I wanted to make sure they would last as long as possible. After bringing them home, I soaked them in a bleach/dish detergent mixture for about 10 minutes. So far the majority of them are still going strong!

I love these pictures of Charlie from fall time last year. He has changed so much! Baby Charlie in a pumpkin costume will forever be one of my FAVORITE things.

I found this wreath at a vintage/antique fair with my best friend Megan. I love how versatile it is and I also plan on using it for Christmas decor too :)

This is one of my favorite quotes and used a chalkpaint marker to pen it on the chalkboard that hangs in our kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed our fall home tour! We will still be enjoying the pumpkins for a little while longer before the Christmas decor starts making an appearance :)

Snapshots of Halloween 2017

2017-11-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

The month of October seemed to fly by! A great Halloween capped off one of my favorite months of the year. Last year was special since it was Charlie's first Halloween, but this year he really knew something special was happening. He had such a blast! Eddie and I truly had so much fun watching him enjoy the day.

Here are a few snapshots of our Halloween celebrations this year!

A little Halloween celebration for Charlie's toddler buddies, complete with festive snacks (thanks to Pinterest for the easy ideas that I could do during nap time ;)

Boo cheese, applesauce with eyes, and Charlie especially loved the orange cuties that looked like mini pumpkins!

Time for trick or treating with the CUTEST little puppy I ever did see! I loved this little dalmatian costume the moment I saw it. The little dog house on the wagon turned out so cute and incredibly functional. Eddie designed and made the little house out of cardboard and Charlie loved it!

He surprised us both by staying in the wagon the whole night and he even barked for several of our neighbors! ;) We also face-timed both of our parents so they could be apart of the evening too even though we aren't close by.

After a walk around our neighborhood, puppy Charlie enjoyed handing out candy and treats to all the trick or treaters :)

Last weekend, we got in the Halloween spirit with a Trunk-or-Treat with our dear friends! Charlie loved exploring with Cinderella and Prince Charming ;)

The cutest Bat Girl and her cousin/sidekick Dalmatian puppy ;)

We had a great Halloween with family, friends, and neighbors, and we are already looking forward to next year!

Christmas Home Tour 2016

2016-12-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year :) I love decorating for Christmas, and this year was extra special since it was our first year decorating the new house! I was interested to see how Charlie would be with the decorations and for the most part, he's been great! We do have a baby gate around the tree in the living room and I kept decor off of the floor in the main areas of the house. He absolutely LOVES Christmas trees and lights! He is constantly pointing to the Christmas trees and wants to admire from close up. It is SO adorable! I love how he is starting to feel the magic of the season.

Here are a few snapshots of our home decked out for Christmas this year :)

Thank you so much for stopping by! From our family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year! :)

Holiday Front Porch 2016

2016-12-06T21:12:00.002-08:00

Hey friends! We've been having so much fun decorating for Christmas lately, and I can't believe it is three weeks away. This year, I have the privilege of teaming up with Home Decorators Collection and several talented bloggers for the #HDCholidayhomes blog tour! Throughout this week, different bloggers will be sharing their homes dressed up for Christmas so be sure to check back each day for new inspiration for your home. Today, I will be showing you a few quick and easy ways to make your front porch look festive and welcoming for the holiday season. And at the bottom of the post, you will have the chance to win one of TWO $250 gift cards to Home Decorators Collection!

Let's get started! I traditionally use neutral colors to decorate indoors for Christmas, but outdoors I love to incorporate brighter colors. With a few essential holiday items from Home Decorators Collection, I was able to pull together a festive and welcoming space both quickly and affordably (win-win!).

Check out our red and green front porch all decked out for Christmas!

Not only is this space festive and welcoming, but it was also easy and quick to put up. To keep things simple, I opted for faux greenery that is pre-lit and came with ornaments already attached (so easy!)

Home Decorators Collection has so many beautiful greenery sets, but I instantly fell in love with the Martha Stewart Magnolia and Ornaments Garland and coordinating Magnolia and Ornaments Wreath and Magnolia and Ornaments Entrance Tree because of the gorgeous magnolia leaves and classic red ornaments. They are so striking in person. But the best part is they all pre-lit with the ornaments attached so when they arrived, they were ready to go!

One of the best parts of this pre-lit wreath, garland, and entrance tree is that after I put the batteries in, I have not touched them again AT ALL! They have a simple timer to ensure the lights come on in the evening and then shut themselves off. It's so nice to pull up in the driveway and see the porch lit up! I don't know why I didn't go this route sooner ;)

I added red and gold shatterproof ornaments in outdoor lanterns to give the space a cheery and festive feel. One of my favorite tricks for decorating with lanterns during the holidays is to add a little greenery to the top of the lantern using floral wire. It's a simple (and free!) way to add a pop of color.

I've always loved the vintage look of antique sleds, so I was giddy when my father-in-law gave us this sled from his childhood. I still have plans to sand and paint it, but for now we are enjoying it just as it is :) To add a little Christmas pizzazz, I added a medium-sized green floral swag from Michaels and three gold bells that I found in the ornament section at Target.

The seating area on the porch also got a Christmas makeover with a pair of red and green plaid pillows and ornaments and the Martha Stewart Magnolia and Ornaments entrance tree and matching wreath. I hung the wreath with a command hook and was done! :)

Thank you so much to Home Decorators Collection for inviting me to participate in this year's #HDCholidayhome tour! Be sure to check out these other talented bloggers to see how they are dressing up their homes for the holidays.

Here's this week's lineup! Monday Erin Spain | The Frugal Homemaker | Chaotically Creative
Tuesday Designthusiasm | The Rustic Boxwood | House of Hargrove
Wednesday Duke Manor Farm | The Cheerful Home | Rachel Elizabeth Creates
Thursday Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss | Southern State of Mind | Effortless Style
Friday Cuckoo 4 Design | Maggie Overby Studios | Seeking Lavender Lane | Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body

I hope you enjoyed the tour of our Christmas front porch! Later this week, I'll be sharing more of the interior of our home dressed up for Christmas. You can also find me on Instagram and on my new Facebook page too!

Thank you again to the wonderful team at Home Decorators Collection! Have a very merry Christmas!

This post is sponsored by Home Decorators Collection for the HDC Holiday Homes blog tour. All choices and opinions are 100% my own.

Happy First Birthday Charlie! An Airplane Birthday Party

2016-11-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

You hear it all the time: "My how time flies when you become a parent!" and "don't blink! It goes by too fast!" This past year I have found myself continuously echoing those very same sentiments as we've watched our baby boy turn into a curious, mobile, and sweet one year old.

Watching Charlie grow, learn, and become his own little person makes my heart swell with pride and love; however it is also met with a tinge of sadness knowing that with each new development we celebrate, he gets further from the itty bitty little dark haired boy we brought home from the hospital on a crisp November night.

And that's how a "time flies" first birthday party came to be to celebrate our sweet baby boy's first year. A year full of adventure. Happy Birthday to our precious, curious, and loving little Charlie Bear!

This was such a fun party to plan and celebrate. Below are some photos from Charlie's special day with family and friends. It will certainly be a day we will always cherish and remember!

The airplane and "happy birthday" banner is one of my favorite things we incorporated into the party. I love how it turned out! A huge thank you to my Uncle for building the background, as well as my parents and friend Renee for helping me make this a reality!

On the mantel we displayed little treasures from Charlie's first year, including his first Bible (given to him by his great Grandmother), cloth crib shoes, two week hand prints, and infant silhouette.

The dessert table was filled with delicious sweets and treats for everyone to enjoy! We framed a poster-sized world map for the backdrop and used a vintage suitcase for the cake stand. My mom, Eddie, and I iced all the cupcakes at 6am the morning of the party and we considered ourselves quite the experts after watching youtube! ;)

How adorable are these airplane cookies?! I didn't get to taste one but heard they were delicious :)

One of my favorite parts of the party was this array of pictures of Charlie over his first year. I added small tags to a few pictures that depicted special events. It was so neat to see how much he has grown and changed!

We used chambray table linens coupled with centerpieces of Charlie's one year pictures and small galvanized airplanes (that are actually Christmas ornaments!).

A special thanks to my mom and mother-in-law for cooking a delicious lunch for everyone! A traditional southern cuisine was served...bbq chicken, homemade mac & cheese, chicken broccoli braid, garden salad, and mom's famous baked beans!

Charlie's great-grandpa special-ordered a small white smash cake for the birthday boy to dig into on his special day. Charlie dug right in without any prompting from us, and seemed to enjoy all the sugary goodness!

After a few bites of cake, he rubbed two handfuls of icing in his hair, which he promptly told us he didn't like, haha!

There was so much icing in his hair that we had to wash it out at the party! ;)

We were so happy that so many of Charlie's friends could celebrate his special day with us! The kiddos decorated cardboard suitcases with vintage travel stickers, an activity even the littlest kids enjoyed!

The kids also flew glider planes down a paper runway outside, and we chalked off where they landed to see whose flew the farthest. Even the adults had fun with this one ;) We were so thankful the weather turned out to be gorgeous!

We were so incredibly thankful that so many of our friends and family could join us in celebrating Charlie's big day! One thing that has surprised me about parenthood is the joy in seeing Charlie develop relationships with people we love.

Happy Birthday Charlie Bear!

Photos by the talented Devin Purgason

Thankful.

2016-11-24T09:19:00.003-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

One year ago, we packed up the car and drove 4 hours to North Carolina with our brand new, 4-week old little boy to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. We were sleep deprived but deliriously happy. We proudly introduced our little brown haired newborn to our extended family and several friends. It was a time I will always remember.

One year later, I am so thankful for this little boy and his daddy. Thankful I get to be a mama and wife to my two guys. Thankful for the hard days, the sleepy cuddles, the play time laughs. Thankful that I get to watch the love of my life be the best daddy to our little Charlie. Thankful that out of all the people in world, God chose us to be his mama and daddy.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. I hope that wherever you are, you'll take a moment to think about the things that flood your heart with gratitude and joy.

Now, I'm off to eat too much turkey and pumpkin pie. It is Thanksgiving after all! :)

Beautiful photos by Jordan Maunder Photography

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

2016-11-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

ONE YEAR OLD.

One year full of so many firsts. The first time we brought you home, the first time you slept through the night. Your first smile, first laugh, first tooth, and first haircut (and second, and third...).

A year of smiling, laughing, crying, and staring at you in amazement. A year of peekaboo games, bedtime stories, goodnight kisses, and big bear hugs. A year of seeing the world in a new way through your eyes.

A year of grace, humility, and heaping amounts of love.

A year of daddy and I wondering what we did to deserve such a precious blessing. A year of wishing time would slow down just a little.

A year of praying we are doing things right.

A year of watching you learn and grow. A year of joy. A year of you. Charlie, daddy and I love you more than words can say.

How on earth are you one, sweet little boy?

It was a full year ago that Jesus chose a crisp November night to send us the biggest blessing of our life: a precious little brown haired boy with itty bitty toes and his daddy's big brown eyes.

On the night we brought you home from the hospital, we were equal parts excited and nervous. No one slept a wink that night ;) Yet somehow, we blinked and a year flew by.

I look at you now: you're exploring, crawling, and learning new things. You love your family, your toy trucks, and meal time. You laugh at every dog you see. You love us to read you stories and sing to you. You are our delight.

What a year it has been! I have been overjoyed watching you grow and learn and play. Little by little, you are figuring out new pieces of who you are. I am excited for all that this next year will bring, I only wish it goes a little more slowly.

I am not sure that you will ever know just how much I love you. There are no words to stretch that far; no gift large enough to show you the enormous amount of love I carry in my heart for you.

Because there are no adequate words, the traditional ones will have to do. Happy Birthday, my sweet boy. I will always love you!

Beautiful photos by Ann Rothrock

Highgrove Estate Wedding

2016-08-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend we traveled home to North Carolina to celebrate the marriage of one of Eddie's oldest friends. We had such a great time and truly enjoyed the chance to catch up with people we haven't seen in far too long (and introduce them to our little Charlie bear too!)

The wedding ceremony and reception were both held at the Highgrove Estate in Fuquay Varina. It was my first time attending an event there and OH MY GRACIOUS. It is simply STUNNING. I learned the home was recently re-decorated and I was blown away by the ornate details and gorgeous furniture! Every detail was gorgeous and I must have whispered to Eddie at least a thousand times, "please let's just move in here! Maybe they won't notice!"

Naturally, I had to take a few snaps of the interior of the home and Eddie pretended not to know me as I walked around fluffing pillows/discarding trash and snapping pictures of furniture! ;)

Here are a few snippets from the Highgrove Estate and our weekend celebrating the new Mr. and Mrs. Wester:

This wall of antique mirrors stopped me in my tracks!

Spring DC Trip (Charle's first road trip!)

2016-08-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of spring, Charlie and I tagged along on Eddie's work trip to Washington DC! When Eddie and I first met, our first trip together was with my family to DC, so it was only fitting that Charlie's first road trip was to the very same place. We loved exploring the city and introducing Charlie to the wonder of our nation's capital (he was very inspired of course ;) Being his first hotel stay, he did great and loved being outdoors while we were seeing all the sights.

When we found out the dates of our DC stay, I was thrilled that our trip would coincide with the fluffy pink cherry blossoms blooming around the city! However, when we arrived, we were greeted by unusually cold weather and quickly discovered that the cherry blossoms had peaked early this year! We quickly improvised by grabbing a couple of coats off of the clearance rack and bundled up to explore all around the monuments and take in the sights of the city :) One day I would love to see all of the cherry blossoms in full bloom though!

Below are a few highlights from our trip documented on my iPhone:

DC favorites:
activities: visiting the monuments around the national mall; air and space museum; carousel on the national mall; downtown alexandria; national arboretum; the supreme court; the white house

eating: *founding farmer's (AMAZING); georgetown cupcakes; *bilbo baggins; trademark restaurant co; baked & wired; potbelly sandwich shop; *good stuff eatery

(First few photos by Lincoln Photography)

Summer Front Porch Refresh

2016-06-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

It's officially summer! With the days lasting a bit longer, we are loving our extra family time relaxing together outside. The baby absolutely LOVES being outdoors, and lately our favorite outdoor hangout spot has been the front porch.

I knew it was finally time to make this spot warm and cozy since I hadn't done anything to it since we moved in last year! When Home Decorators Collection asked me to be a part of their #HDCrugsforthesummer tour, it was the perfect motivation to make this space welcoming and comfortable.

Check out the before/after of our summertime front porch!!

It's now the perfect spot to cozy up and enjoy family time! :)

With a few essential items, I was able to pull this space together quickly and affordably (win-win!). Thanks to the great selection of outdoor items at Home Decorators Collection, this small space is now the perfect place to relax and welcome guests.

Without a doubt, the biggest impact in this small space comes from the beautiful blue patterned rug. I'll admit there were about five different rugs in my cart at one time, but when I came across this beautiful Martha Stewart Temple Gate outdoor rug, I was in love! The size and texture were perfect.

When the rug arrived, the coloring was even more beautitiful in person! I was happy to find that the material is both soft and thicker than most outdoor rugs. It's also husband-approved because it's functional too ;) Our porch is covered but it does get wet when it rains; I've found this rug takes water well and dries quickly, which means more time to enjoy being outside together.

Home Decorators Collection has a huge selection of outdoor items, and I also scooped up the navy outdoor lumbar pillow and a monogrammed square outdoor pillow. I love the custom braided trim to give the pillows a little something special. The monogrammed square pillow didn't quite make it in time, but I'll be sure to show you how it looks in the space! Check out their sale on outdoor furniture and decor if you're looking to cozy up an outdoor space too.

For more inspiring outdoor spaces, be sure to check this amazing group of blogger friends for the #hdcrugsforthesummer sponsored by Home Decorators Collection:

Monday: Gloribell from I Don't Know How She Does It
Tuesday: Sarah from Life on Virginia Street
Wednesday: Danielle from The Cheerful Home
Thursday: Haeley from Design Improvised
Friday: Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies

Front Porch Source list:
martha stewart temple gate rug: home decorators collection
outdoor lumbar pillow (color: indigo sunbrella): home decorators collection
square monogrammed pillow (color: indigo sunbrealla): home decorators collection
outdoor loveseat, chair, cushions: home depot
medallion pillows, white ceramic stool: home goods
lantern: gifted from friend
hanging planters, blue pot: hobby lobby
wreath: target
iron wall decor: gifted from friend (thanks, aubrie!)
table: grandparent's garage (thanks, grandma!)

Thank you so much to Home Decorators Collection for sponsoring this post. All choices and opinions are my own. For more decor inspiration check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Easter 2016

2016-03-29T05:49:00.001-07:00

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's where we celebrate the hope and purpose found in our risen Savior. "He is not here for He has risen just as He said." Matthew 28:6

This year was extra special because it was Charlie's first Easter! Below are a few pictures we captured on Easter weekend.

Baby rolls and a baby sailor suit :) This outfit is extra special because it was his daddy's when he was a baby!

Charlie's Easter basket will be something we use every year, and this year is was literally big enough for him to fit into! ;) Eddie and I both have such fond memories of celebrating Easter during childhood, and we are looking forward to celebrating with our son in the years to come.

On Saturday, we took Charlie and his cousin Mckenzie to a local Easter egg hunt. Charlie had a blast watching all of the kiddos search for eggs and bounce in the inflatables. Since he didn't have any eggs in his basket, Mckenzie was so thoughtful and shared a few of hers! She also won the grand prize, a large stuffed pink bunny! (She was SO proud of that bunny!)

All of the Easter festivities, family time, egg hunts, baskets, and bunnies are all so much fun; but at the forefront of all that is the real reason we celebrate: the hope and purpose the resurrection brings to all of us. Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

Print by Lindsay Letters

Reflections on Motherhood (after three months)

2016-03-07T20:09:00.001-08:00

Sweet little boy. Our precious Charlie. I could stare at you all the time and never get tired of memorizing every little detail about you.

Time is already going by too fast; you have changed so much in three short months. Every day that goes by, we are figuring out our new normal together. You are teaching me so much! Daddy and I are so happy that you are ours to love.

We waited three and a half long years for you, and anxiously waited another 9 months for you to arrive in our arms. You are truly a miracle. We are so lucky that we were picked to be your parents.

For this child we have prayed, and the Lord has granted us what we asked of Him.
1 Samuel 1:27

I love brushing the hair off of your forehead, and drying your little body after a warm bath. I love your bright eyes, warm heart, and sweet smile. I adore your little wrist and ankle rolls. I love the way you clasp your hands when drinking milk. I love the way you smile when you see me or Daddy. I love thinking about the little boy that you will grow to be, although it simultaneously breaks my heart that you will not stay little forever. I love rocking you in the middle of the night when the rest of the world is quiet, and for just a moment it seems like time is standing still for us.

You make us laugh with your little coo's and toothless grins. Sometimes, when I look at you, I realize I've been smiling and didn't even know it.

Every day Daddy and I worry if we are doing this whole parenting thing right. I pray I can be the kind of mother you need, someone who you run to to share joys, heartaches, and everything in between.

You may never realize just how much you are loved. How much Daddy and I cherish you. You may never know how much you have changed me. You made me a mommy. You filled my aching heart with unimaginable joy.

You, my son, were worth the wait and we are so thankful you made us a family of three.

Every good and perfect gift is from above.
James 1:17

Beautiful photographs taken when Charlie was 16 hours new by the talented Amber Hope Photography

Great is Thy Faithfulness: News of our Miracle

2016-02-29T21:27:00.001-08:00

February 28th is a very special day in our home: the day our hearts were overjoyed to find out our little sunshine was on his way into our family. It was a long-awaited day that we had prayed so hard for.

But, it had not come easy.

Over the course of three long years, we had tried so many treatments and procedures in order to overcome my diagnosis of infertility. Our hearts ached with each negative pregnancy test. As the months turned into years, we finally consulted with a new doctor in Cary who had a high success rate with IVF, and we went through all the necessary classes/testing in order to proceed forward. I filled the prescription for the first medicine to take as soon as my cycle started. Eventually, I was one week late, and on a Saturday morning, Eddie encouraged me to take a pregnancy test, "just to be sure."

I was so hesitant because I knew the sting of a negative pregnancy test all to well. But this month was unlike any other! After 37 consecutive months of negative pregnancy tests, I could hardly believe my eyes when I stared down at a little sign that said I was PREGNANT! I tear up just reliving that morning!

I ran to the bedroom and could barely speak, but Eddie took one look at my face and instantly knew our lives were forever changed in that moment. We stood there in disbelief and pure joy, hugging each other and both crying the sweetest tears of utter happiness.

I share our story for one reason: to show just how great His love and faithfulness for all of us is.

I wish I could tell you that I always knew He would grant us the desire of our hearts. I had so many days where doubt creeped in and clouded my faith with its silent uncertainties. Then, one seemingly ordinary day turned out to be extraordinary, as our lives were changed forever with the news that a tiny little life was growing inside of me.

Our story is proof that miracles do happen. Jesus was working in our lives during our entire journey through infertility. He continued to work even through my doubt, my aching heart, and my feelings of uncertainty.

That is the perfect picture of His grace. It cannot be earned; it cannot be bought; it is a pure gift from the only One who can give it. Although we are undeserving, still He is faithful and lovingly extends His grace.

We are learning each day that we have to continue to fully trust in HIM to follow His plan. And, He has a plan for you too.

Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Charles Edwin: A Birth Story

2016-02-18T19:51:00.001-08:00

November 7, 2015. Oh, happy day! The day I became a mama. The hardest and best day of my life. The day our precious Charlie entered our family and truly filled our hearts with love like we couldn't have imagined.

One common theme in the arrival of our baby boy: waiting. We waited three and a half long years to get pregnant; it was only fitting for us to wait for our boy to arrive in our arms. Neither were easy, but both were refining and both were part of the journey to welcoming our son.

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outward we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

We had anxiously awaited for "the" time to come, but eventually saw Charlie’s due date come and go.

Being past due is a unique experience. Time seemed to come to a crawl, and every little feeling sent my mind thinking, "this could be it!" We made no plans, we didn't go anywhere because we thought the baby could be coming any minute. By the time I was a week overdue, my doctor scheduled Charlie's induction. We prayed that he would come in his own time.

Thinking we had a couple remaining days just the two of us, Eddie and I went out to dinner on Friday night and planned to try and enjoy the last few days of life just the two of us. Little did we know, our little fella was about to rock our world in his own timing!

Around 1am on Saturday, I had a sudden sharp pain in my stomach and I was utterly shocked when my water broke all over our bathroom floor! With tears in my eyes, I exclaimed, "Babe! We've got to get to the hospital!" (This first time mama actually thought the baby could be coming any minute).

Eddie ran around the house grabbing the things on my hospital list that were not yet packed in the hospital bag. I couldn't stop crying and smiling in anticipation of finally meeting our boy! It was quite the scene.

We arrived at the hospital and I went through labor triage. As the morning progressed, I worked through contractions one at a time, with Eddie helping me breathe and focus. However, things quickly changed. Back labor started and it came on swift and strong. Goodness gracious. It was unimaginable pain that I can hardly put into words. I labored for three hours through that back labor until I finally asked my nurse for an epidural.

One thing I learned without a doubt: labor is humbling!

While it wasn't my original plan, it was right for me and I am SO glad that I made that decision. The anesthesiologist had the epidural complete by 5:00am, just in time for my mom to arrive from her 4 hour trip from my hometown.

The day inched on and I worked through contractions. By late afternoon, it was finally time to push! My nurse team was phenominal! I have a whole new respect for labor and delivery nurses. They coached and cheered me on, and I felt like I could have been trying to lift a car! My mom and Eddie were instrumental encouragement. After two hours of pushing, there was a stillness and anticipation in between contractions. So much anticipation for our little boy.

I could barely open my eyes in between contractions. My body was exhausted after the hardest 18 hours of my life. I asked the Lord for strength, for clarity, for gusto. Before my doctor could get her gloves on, I dug deep and gave one final, long push.

And then, I heard the most beautiful cry as our family of two became a family of THREE. Our precious Charlie was here!

The doctor exclaimed, "Look at all that hair!"

"He's....beautiful!" my mom whispered.

Big crocodile tears rolled down Eddie's cheeks. It was a moment that will truly live in my heart forever.

Charlie was placed on my chest, and I couldn't do anything but cry and smile. He was here! Our miracle! I looked at his calm face, and felt like somehow, I already knew him. Our precious, precious boy was finally in our arms.

Our Charles Edwin Irwin III was born at 6:48pm, weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces of pure sweetness.

He was 12 days overdue, but he was right on time.

Photos by the talented Amber Hope Photography

Charlie's Bow Tie Baby Shower

2015-10-29T09:10:00.003-07:00

Oh my stars, this amazing baby shower for our little boy just fills my heart; it was such a special day! The three wonderful hostesses who planned this beautiful day are three of my closest friends, and we have all known one another since childhood. I looked forward to this day so much, as it was the first baby shower to celebrate our little boy. The love and creativity that went into this fantastic event blew me away, and I know you'll be inspired by all of the adorableness and how it came together!

Love those precious bow ties! :)

Each guest took home a delicious bow tie shaped sugar cookie, all handmade by a sweet friend! They were not only adorable but also so scrumptious...I may have had more than one! ;)

The hostesses had a table set up for guests to write encouraging messages and I LOVED reading them after the shower! Each card had "We love your mother because..." at the top and the guests finished the sentence with a personal anecdote. So special! There was also a table for guests to write amusing messages on diapers to spark some kicks and giggles during our late night diaper changes ;)

A handmade bow tie decorated each place setting and a delicious brunch was served buffet-style. The bow ties were SO adorable!

Hand-painted bottles, a sweet diaper cake, and handmade fabric garland decorated the fireplace. Aren't these colors so gorgeous?!

With my beautiful mom :)

The Hostess(es) with the Mostest! These three wonderful ladies put so much love and creativity into the all of the shower details! I am so blessed by their friendships! :)

My beautiful BFF...I am so blessed by her friendship and all that she means to me! She put so much love and thought into making the celebration a special day for me and our little boy, and for that I am so grateful! Her support and encouragement are a blessing to me and I can't wait to experience motherhood along with her :)

Hope you enjoyed this peek into a special day! :)

Gender Reveal Party!

2015-10-23T08:38:00.003-07:00

In June, we had a little gathering with our family and closest friends so we could all find out together whether Baby Irwin would be a boy or girl! I was so anxious and excited to find out what we were having (and I think everyone else was too!) so I did a lot of work on the party to keep my mind occupied in the weeks leading up to the big reveal. I had a BLAST with all of the planning and details and I am so very happy with how everything came together with our pink and navy theme.

The little crochet booties were a gift to my parents when we told them that we were pregnant! :)

We rented a few tables and chairs and had a backyard BBQ for all of our guests, complete with corn hole boards set up for festive fun. :)

At our doctor's appointment, the ultrasound technician wrote sweet pea's gender inside a card and sealed it in an envelope. For about 36 hours, my Aunt was the only person who knew if our sweet pea was a girl or boy! I decorated a big box and she filled it with balloons for the big reveal. It was so much fun finding out sweet pea's gender with our families and close friends! :)

Time for the big reveal! We were so nervous and excited!! :)

IT'S A BABY BOY!

Check out the video below for the full effect :)

We are still on cloud nine, feeling so blessed that we get bring a precious baby boy into our family. What a blessing! The party was such a fun way to share this part of our journey with family and friends and I cannot truly express how special it was to have them all there with us as we got the happy news. Big hugs to my mom, Aunts, and of course Eddie, for helping get everything ready, and to everyone who made it out to celebrate with us :)

We cannot wait to meet our precious baby boy!

Our Maternity Photos!

2015-10-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe how quickly our pregnancy has flown by as we are only a couple of weeks away from meeting our baby boy! I am SO happy we decided to have the talented Jordan Maunder capture this special time. I love that we will have these maternity pictures to remember this unique time of anticipation and preparation for our son to arrive. For us, our maternity pictures celebrate the ultimate answer to prayer and tremendous blessing in our lives. Not to mention, Jordan is incredibly talented and I highly recommend her if you're in North Carolina! :)

We decided to have our maternity pictures taken around UNC Chapel-Hill's campus since it is such a special place to us. Being on campus is always a special treat and we can't wait to bring Charlie to campus as he grows up to cheer on the Tar Heels :)

I love these precious crib shoes! I found these at a consignment store early in our pregnancy and they are still one of my most favorite things of Charlie's. So tiny and precious!

I love this shot of all of our ultrasound pictures! Each ultrasound was a special experience as we saw our little sweet pea on the monitor. This picture reminds me of each of those special moments.

I can't wait to see this man be a daddy to our baby boy! Charlie is so blessed :)

I love this onesie that my mom gifted us at our first shower! A beautiful reminder of our gratitude for our little boy and the tremendous answer to prayer that he is. We are anxiously awaiting his arrival in just a few short weeks!! :)

Sources:
Photography: Jordan Maunder Photography
Maternity dress: Etsy
Maternity top: Nordstrom
Long necklace: Ann Taylor Loft
Men's blue suit pants and jeans: Banana Republic
Men's white dress shirt and blue button down: Belk

Organized Drop Zone

2015-04-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hi, friends! Today I'm sharing one of the spaces in our home that gets the most use: our drop zone. Seriously, this area is "the little drop zone that could." I created this space soon after we moved into our house as a spot where we could conveniently put things as we came in the door. It's where we drop mail, magazines, loose change, and everything in between. It also helps me keep track of what I need to be taking with me when I leave the house. On a typical day, we enter the house through the door from the garage, and the table is placed where we walk right past it everyday.

The framed prints are by Lindsay Letters, and include two of my most favorite hymns. I love everything about them! The mirrored table is from Overstock and has two drawers: one houses all of my husband's pocket things/loose change and the other other we use to organize receipts. I can't wait for the day when all receipts are emailed and I don't have to keep up with another paper receipt! ;)

The bowl was passed down to me from my Great Aunt, and usually houses odds and ends like chapstick, keys, and sunglasses. The white tray is from Home Goods and is where we drop mail and magazines.

In all fairness, table is NEVER this clean in real life! It truly serves as one of the most highly used spots in our house. It's a great place to drop items you take with you everyday and helps keep clutter off the kitchen counters (win-win!)

Do you have a drop zone in your house? How do you like it? I would love to hear from you! :)

Sources:
Wall Paint: Behr Ashes
Mirrored Table: Overstock
Lamp: Homegoods
White Tray: Homegoods
Vase: Passed down from my Great Aunt
Clock: antique store
Vase: Homegoods
Frames: Michaels
Prints: Lindsay Letters

Living Room Reveal!

2015-02-17T19:28:00.000-08:00

Hi, friends! Today I am thrilled to share with you the reveal of our living room. It's a room we spend time in daily and quite possibly, my favorite room in the house. I love that we can sit with friends or family and talk for hours or relax and watch The West Wing :) We've put a lot of love into this room and it has truly made our house feel like a home!

This room has come a long way over the past four years: we replaced the furniture from college days, painted the coffee brown walls, designed and built the bookcases ourselves, and refinished a few Craigslist finds. I'll share the details of our projects soon, but for now wanted to give you a peek into my favorite room in the house :) Enjoy!

I love old books. And black & white photos. Can't you tell? ;)

Below is source information about the furniture, paint, and accessories in case you're interested. If you have any questions about anything not provided, please let me know!

Wall Color: Behr Ashes
Trim/Bookcase Color: Sherwin Williams Antique White
Sofa, loveseat & ottoman: Ashley Furniture
Rug: Rugs USA (Beaumont Adileh in ivory)
Pillows: crisscross: Ballard Designs; woven: Homegoods; lumbar pillows: TJ Maxx
Pillows: Greek key trim and paisley: made myself
Lamps: Homegoods
Topiaries: Ballard Designs
Large Silver Urn: Pottery Barn
Clock: Passed down from a family member
Small clock: Pottery Barn
Round endtable: passed down from a family member
Vintage books: flea markets and antique stores
Urns on fireplace: antique store
Branches: Target
Throws: solid: Target; patterned: HomeGoods
Gallery Wall Frames: Michaels
Bookcase Frames: Michaels
Plants: ZeZe from Lowe's

If you would like to follow along on more of my home decor and other posts, find me on Instagram (@thecheerfulhome). Have a great week :)

DIY (no sew!) Greek Key Trim Pillow Covers

2014-06-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

I don't always jump on home decor trends, but one popular look that I absolutely LOVE is Greek key trim. It is classic, elegant, and pairs well with other prints. I wanted to bring a little Greek key trim to our living room, but I didn't want to pay the high price tag of the pillow covers I found! I was happy to find beautiful, high quality Greek key trim at Hobby Lobby for $5/yard (with coupon). Yay!! I made my own DIY (no sew!) Greek key trimmed pillow covers and I am thrilled with how they turned out!

You can make one for your home too! I promise if I can do it so can you ;)
Step One: Select your pillow cover and Greek key trim in a color you love (I used the back of a Pottery Barn linen pillow cover that I already had). The Greek key trim that I used is from Hobby Lobby.

Materials needed:

pillow cover of your choice

greek key trim

fabric glue

lighter/matches

sewing pins

scissors

Step Two: Decide how far in you would like the trim to be. The trim I used is approximately 2 inches from the seam.

Step Three: I chose to cut the edges into an angle. To achieve this look, simply overlap the two pieces of trim, and cut a straight line from corner to corner. The pencil line shows the line that I cut:

Step Four: Lightly swipe a flame across the edge of the trim to prevent the ends from fraying.

Step Five: Measure exactly where you want the trim, and use straight pins to secure in place. Then use fabric glue to glue the trim in place.

Here is the finished result! :)

Do you like the Greek key trend? Would you try making your own? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

May Happenings

2014-06-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

Happy June, friends! It's hard to believe we are already almost halfway through the year. One of my goals for this summer is to be purposeful and enjoy some of the small joys that the summer season brings. I'm thinking evening dips in the neighborhood pool, trips to the farmer's market for local veggies, and maybe even a few ice cream dates too! We are definitely taking advantage of the beautiful southern summer weather and longer days :)

Here are a few of my favorite moments from the month of May, all taken on my iPhone:

taking my niece strawberry picking!

look at that little cutie with her strawberry basket! :)

celebrating my spectacular mom on Mother's Day

milkshake date with my sweetheart

hanging out with these two cute little ones

heading to the coast for memorial day weekend

this little cutie snagged my sunhat ;)

she loves her uncle Eddie :)

a little outdoor time with this furry fella

celebrating two completed years of law school

last breakfast with my bff before she became a mommy!

....and then meeting sweet miss ella kate!

trying macaroons for the first time

downtown durham art walk with my sweetheart

lunch date with this beautiful lady

date night

Happy June, friends. What are your goals for the month of June? Any big plans to take advantage of this summer season? Follow me on Instagram for snippits of daily life! :)

Navy & Green Baby Celebration

2014-06-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Last month, my college girlfriends were getting together for a reunion dinner and we decided to throw a surprise mini baby shower too! The parents-to-be are having a baby boy at the end of the summer so we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to shower Baby Neugent with love :)

I am so excited for my sweet friends on the arrival of their baby boy. The beautiful mommy-to-be and I met our sophomore year at UNC and we were instant friends. She's not only gorgeous, but also incredibly kind, smart as a whip and brings out the best in others. She is encouraging, thoughtful and can always make me laugh. I was so happy to shower her and her little one with love.

We used a bright and fun color scheme with lime green, navy, and a little burlap thrown in for good measure ;)

The navy and lime green streamers provided a fun backdrop and I used my favorite window chalkboard too.

Twine and green straws added a dash festivity to the mason jars :)

We used the silver tags to write well-wishes to the parents-to-be.

Love these girls so much. I am incredibly blessed to have had their friendship, encouragement and support for the past nine years (I cannot believe it's been that long!!) and counting. Even though we all live in separate cities now, I love the times we are able to all get together again. Since our college years, our little group has grown by five husbands, four sons, six dogs, one cat, and a partridge in a pear tree ;) No matter the distance, one thing is for sure: with a true friend you can always pick up right where you left off. When we were driving home from the dinner/surprise shower, I told Eddie that my heart felt so full. I can't wait to add one more sweet baby boy into the crazy mix :)

Spring Front Porch

2014-05-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! We sure have been enjoying the beautiful spring weather lately. These 70 degree days and sunny temperatures sure are dreamy. I love seeing all the flowers in full bloom and our pups are especially loving their extra long walks!

Our hydrangeas are in full bloom and have our front porch looking so full! I love our little front porch this time of year because all the blooms make it such a welcoming space. I absolutely love big southern wraparound porches complete with a swing and a couple of rocking chairs! However, our little porch has limited space, so I try to use every inch that we have :) Come on in and take a little tour of our spring/summer front porch!

I found this wreath at Michaels on clearance a couple of months ago and added the burlap bow to top if off :)

Would you believe the silver plant stand was an old metal ash tray that I thoroughly cleaned, spray painted, and distressed!

The black and white planters are from Ross. Definitely one of my favorite places to find bargain-priced planters and pots. Both black and white zebra pots were under under $12 total!

Love, love, love these hydrangea blooms! I wish they could stay in bloom all year :) The front porch is a good home for them because they receive warm morning light and shade in the afternoon/evening.

I use these white lanterns for just about everything. We originally purchased them for our wedding, and have since used them for countless centerpieces, vignettes, showers, and decor! This spring, five lanterns line the sidewalk leading up to the front door :)

Thanks for stopping by! How do you decorate your front porch for spring and summer?