carolina postcard

on the mend

2012-01-30T13:25:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm happy to report our family of three is on the mend. I hate being sick. It's quite annoying really, but it's even harder when you're little. And if baby's not happy, nobody's happy. Miriam has been my constant shadow, which I secretly like, but I think it was starting to hurt daddy's feelings. Poor fella. Sometimes a girl just wants her momma. Last night we all took a big sigh. I cooked my own version of this lovely chicken parmesan by bridget. Quick and easy. While we waited Miriam and I ate lots of sliced cucumbers and played pots & pans, one of our favorite past times lately. She loves to gather a variety of toys and then stir them in one by one with a wooden spoon. A budding chef perhaps? We ended the weekend with some special treats from Sprinkles. Did I mention this town literally has everything you can imagine? Trev was not so impressed, but me I rarely turn my nose at a cupcake so I'll definitely be back for another bite.

ikea + square burger + dinosaurs

2012-01-28T11:43:00.001-05:00

After feeling a bit sorry for myself last week, the weather brightened and Friday arrived which meant hubs was home. We did a lots exploring around town. Went to dinner with our friends from back home that recently moved to Dallas as well. Two cranky and tired toddlers tagged along with us which made dinner a little bit of a struggle, but it was so nice to see some familiar faces and talk about our new city. Then I made my first trip to Ikea. I was speechless. It was way cool and also way cheap. The child area was my favorite and I had to resist penciling in all the item numbers on my list. It's so big you actually have to write down your item list then go pick stuff up on your way out. Let me just say it will blow your mind.

We also explored McKinney a bit more which has a beautiful, historic downtown. Lots of cute shops, but we mainly zeroed in on food and found the most amazing place called Square Burger. It's so good I can barely stop thinking about it. All of their burgers come with a fried pickle. Stop it… and they have a great beer list and a great kids menu and I could go on and on and on, but I'll just show you my plate and our happy faces.

Next, we went to the Heard Natural Science Museum to see their dinosaur exhibit. Yes y'all we saw dinosaurs in Texas. It was very random and probably better suited for bigger kids, but it was such a pretty day we just loved being outside. I mean, 70 in January? I could get used to this real quick.

So, after all our fun sweet Moosh came down with a 102 fever Sunday night. She was so sad and hot and just wanted to literally lay on my chest and be held. Her fever went down after I alternated between ibuprofen & acetometaphin every 3 hours. I had no idea you could do that, but worked like a charm. She's still been fighting a terrible sinus thing all week, but I think she's slowly getting better. I'm quite sure she picked it up from day school. All those dirty little hands and runny noses. Sweet, because now mommy and daddy are sick. We are a pitiful bunch for sure so I'm off to buy a humidifier and more kleenex and definitely more hand sanitizer… sniffle, sniffle.

we made it

2012-01-21T11:44:00.005-05:00

So here I am y'all… blogging from Texas! Whew, it's been a whirlwind. Trevor was already here so my brother Will and I made the 10 hour trip down together which was pretty fun. The day went by faster than I'd imagined. We talked the entire way down, music playing as we took turns playing DJ, and the landscape gradually changing outside our windows. This time, leaving home felt a lot more real. My parents arrived with Miriam the next morning. With all the anxiety I've been having, my family's presence really grounded me and helped ease me into my first few days here.

Since we couldn't find a house in such a short timeline, we ended up renting a furnished apartment through hubs work. It's a great development called Watters Creek in Allen with shops and restaurants below the living space. Nice and pretty, but even though they have an Anthroplogie dangerously close to my doorstep, it's a little strange being in corporate housing. The transition is still brand new and it's been really hard. I wish I was one of those spontaneous people that could trot around the world and pick up in a second for a new adventure. But I'm not. Apparently, I crave the familiarity of home and old friends faces. So a few tears have been shed, usually when hearing my mommas voice, but I'm going to make it. Really, I am. Time to be strong and brave and just forge my path here in Texas. I did it in Greenville and now I will do it here in Dallas. And thank goodness for a very supportive husband and adorable little Moosh right here by my side.

edley's bbq

2011-12-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

Ever since we found out we're moving, I have been getting out around town as much as I can. Trying to be as social as possible. It's setting in that I will not have the luxury of friends nearby so I am trying to squeeze 'em all a little more often. So we made a trip to new restaurant called Edley's BBQ. The chef is a friend so he hooked us up with an insatiable amount of food. If you like smoked meat then this is the spot. Pretty wooden bar, good vibe, and really great food. and And I could barely contain myself when the fried pickles arrived. Nashville has been pleading for a good bbq spot and Edley's totally fills that gap. And one little note about our trip : our pregnant friend was past her due date ready to pop so we were all hoping the crazy amount of pork would push her over the edge. Baby Holden did arrive 2 days later.

shop local

2011-12-28T21:27:00.000-05:00

I know I've said it before, but I'm saying it again… if I dreamed up the perfect baby store it would look exactly like Tweed Baby Outfitters. It's pretty perfect. So I was so excited to see them get a little pub last week in the paper. If you live here and haven't been, ya gotta go support this local spot. The perfect baby gift and loads of good looking, teeny-tiny items await you.

holiday break

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

The presents have all been opened, the local holiday radio station has tuned back to classic rock, and even the leftovers are gone. Wahh. Is Christmas really over? That was way too fast, but Santa was good to us and we were able to spend some really nice time with the entire family. Family in Atlanta, family in Chattanooga, and family here in Nashville. We were on the road, but our little moosh was an angel. I think all of the people and all of the commotion just made her crash. It was exhausting for us all, but I loved seeing the grandparents watch her run around.

And of course, her and cousin Charles ran around all Christmas Eve and even took turns pushing one another in the baby stroller. Hi-larious. Instead of the traditional childrens table this year, momma put those of us with "babies" at the little table. Fine, fine… we had fun anyway.

Christmas morning was very relaxing and the mini Moosh sure racked up. My dad went just a wee overboard at the toy store. And I can say we officially have an elmo-obsessed toddler. "Elmo, elmo, elmo"… like she's on repeat. Oh yeah.

And here's our card from this year with Brooke's pics from this summer. Go on and tell me those eyes don't just say make you wanna melt. Babies sure are precious creatures.

merry christmas

2011-12-22T07:58:00.005-05:00

We're off to Atlanta, then Chattanooga, then back to Nashville for the holidays so let the merriment begin. Hope you have a lovely Christmas and I leave you with some silly babies all dressed up and waiting on santa.

party in clemson

2011-12-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

When we moved away from Greenville I was definitely sad to leave my friends, but I knew I'd be back soon. And so last weekend we hopped in the car and drove as quick as can be to town for Austin + Mary Frances' wedding. The festivities were actually all in Clemson, but on our way in we spent the night with the the lovely Miss Carlisle, my previous nanny. She was one of the best things that ever happened to me during our time there and I have missed her so. She saw Miriam and I through those tough days and became such a dear friend when I was feeling a little lonely. Lordy, we were lucky to have her and to think we met in the Publix. That's like some crazy story you'd hear in a southern novel, but it's true. I swear it. Anyway, we didn't stop talking all evening and I didn't want to leave. On our way out of town we rolled through our old hood, North Main, and saw some cute new stores that had popped up. Of course, they opened after I left. Typical, but good for them. And our bungalow on McDonald was just shining bright, all dolled up with lights and garland. I love to think someone is enjoying it as much as we did.

Then it was on to the wedding. It was party after party and everyone was in great spirits for the reunion of sorts. Classmates of Trevor's were there and friends we'd made along the way. My favorite buddy Kathryn was there too and we seriously had the best time catching up. I'm pretty sure I didn't leave her side all weekend and we had a ball. Definitely broke out some dance moves and overindulged in the fun. The weekend was beautiful and a big success thanks to a handful of really wonderful and inviting people. We felt like we were home and I guess we kind of were.

in the holiday mood

2011-12-07T13:32:00.001-05:00

Roasted Rosemary Cashews : I made these lovelies over the weekend and let me go on record - they're delish. Makes your whole house smell toasty & herby. I found them at The Afternoon Off and wanted to give them a try before gifting to some friends, but I seems to be polishing 'em off before they get out the door. Meanwhile, Miriam was busy playing dress up and stacking toys on the coffee table while watching the Sprout channel. She's all of a sudden obsessed with the TV and will even pick up the remote and point it at the tv. Uh, oh.

We've also been really getting into the spirit around here. Mini tree is up, "Michael Buble Holiday" station on Pandora is on, and tree in a candle is burning. I've been totally stressed out and exhausted, but Christmas is coming and I do love this time of year. Cousin Lauren and I went shopping with the momas last week and had the best day. All the shops were decked out and we started early, but we barely made a dent. Just maybe… our champagne lunch lingered a little too long.

giving thanks

2011-11-26T16:31:00.001-05:00

Even though I found myself never quite sitting down or relaxing, yesterday was a great day of thanks. The family gathered at aunt Louise's for a beautiful sunny day lunch on Thanksgiving. We shared stories, updated one another on news, and let the babies run a muck. They were wild! still managed to sip on some champers and eat some mighty good food. Brother and I competed for best side dish and uh, hmm… I think my Mac & Cheese was the clear winner. I could barely stop myself from eating an entire bowl for breakfast.What a day, what a day!

big news : the big d

2011-11-10T14:32:00.001-05:00

I suppose I'm going to have to change the name of this blog soon. You see my friends, we are moving to Dallas. Let me back up… T finished grad school back in May so we left Greenville and moved back home. We've spent the last few months here, happy, but up in the air on our future plans. I've been busy with Tenn Hens and he's been busy searching and Moosh has just been plain busy. All of our belongings have been waiting patiently in storage. {side note : I have these crazy dreams that the folks from "storage wars" are going to show up at our unit, b/c we've forgotten to pay our bill, and buy off all our stuff - yikes! } Anyway, it's honestly been a little hard, but we've been positive and tried to make the best out of it. Besides, we've been home with all our friends and family.

A job that has been in the works for quite a while has finally panned out and that means we are headed to Texas. Whoa! We're a little sad to be leaving home and always thought we'd stay here, but life has picked another path for us. It's a great opportunity so I'm thrilled for T - he deserves it! And we will create a great little world around us wherever we are. So… if you know anybody in Dallas tell 'em I need some friends. Just kidding. Not really. The stressful part is we have to find a place to live in a town we know nothing about. Wish me luck 'cause we're heading down there this weekend to do just that. At least we get to stay put through the holidays while he works in the local office and get our fill of everything + everyone here. That's my big news for now so stay tuned and if anyone out there has any Dallas tips I am all ears! xo

web roundup

2011-11-09T14:26:00.003-05:00

Fall, fall, fall. The leaves are falling everywhere in Nashville and we've been blessed with the most beautiful weather. Anyway, let me show you some of the sweet stuff I've been seeing on the web lately…

Two websites discovered by hubs : Back Down South. Southern street style with a heavy hand of local folks and also some good music recs.

Old Try : A Southern print shop located up North. Go figure. But, they're awesome and I adore their vibe. I'm resisting, but I really think we need those Carolina + TN prints.

Do you "pin"? It's this amazing website were you can archive all of your finds from the web. Like a giant virtual inspiration board. Especially if you're working on a project, you can save images to your boards and have one spot to reference. One small step in organizing my scattered mind - yay! Check out Pinterest (and if you need an "invite" to join, let me know and I can send you a link).

And last but, not least…To curb my pumpkin craving, I made this 2 ingredient cake over the weekend. While it won't totally rock your world, it's still pretty good. And, I don't need to tell you that 2 ingredients is umm, well, pretty fabulous. Just don't go thinking it's too healthy, because there is indeed an entire box of cake mix inside! {Note: I used spiced cake mix + no icing}

{image via pinterest}

fall happenings

2011-11-03T12:21:00.001-04:00

I have been seriously neglecting this blog and I'll be surprised if anyone out there is still reading, but I have some good excuses. Fall has arrived and we've been fitting in as many outside activities as possible. I went on a girls weekend to my family's house in Beersheba. It was relaxing and wonderful as always. Cooking, hiking, gossiping, playing – the whole bit.

Also, my dear, dear friend got hitched. I did my bridesmaid duty and attended brunch after party after brunch and there was no other place I wanted to be. And I was honored to design some of the elements for the wedding - here. She looked stunning walking down that aisle and you'd have never known she'd broken her nose 6 days before. That's right… broke…her…nose! She got knocked in the face by a horse and broke her nose the weekend before her big day. Scary right?! Kind of a job hazard since she's a vet, but of all times to get hurt! Yikes. Makeup, plenty of ice packs, and a little luck and she was ok. Poor thing was such a trooper. Lot's of reminiscing and clinking of glasses and photographs and plenty of dancing. My feet were aching from all the revelry, but well worth the fun.

And finally, we dressed up the Moosh and hit the Halloween trail with some friends. Their neighborhood was packed with costumed children running from door to door on sugar highs. It was nuts, but so much fun. Ahh, to be young!

only in nashville

2011-10-21T10:01:00.002-04:00

Been jamming out to some tunes lately. Hippie jams to folks sounds. This is Music City after all. First we went with some friends to hear Panic at this amazing outdoor venue near town. There is just something about going to a concert outside that is so much fun. The air was cool, but the sun was out - just a perfect combo for a Fall evening. My preggo friend, Trish, was quite the trooper. She drove everyone out and was in for the long haul without one complaint. I'm thinking that baby is going to come out a humming! It was a great time and nice to let loose just me, hubs, and friends.

Next up on the agenda was the Americana Awards. Ever since they came on as a client, Currier and I have gotten to attend their awards show. It's crazy good. The Avett Bro. walked up from the audience to play, Robert Plant sang with Patty Griffin, and even Gregg Allman jammed some tunes on stage. Whew, all this talent, known & unknown, makes ya feel pretty special in your seats. Just one of the many reasons I love this place.

pawleys island getaway

2011-10-09T21:33:00.000-04:00

Let me just say that a vacation at the beach does a body good. And rubbing your toes in the sand and falling asleep to the sound of waves and noises in the marsh can restore the soul. That I am sure of. One of my besties is getting married so a herd of us ladies gathered for a weekend of celebration. And we didn't just gather at any ole place. We traveled to Pawleys Island, South Carolina. One of the most beautiful places ever. It's just a throwback in time. When I was little my family used to vacation there so the smell of the marsh and the feeling I got as we drove to the island came all rushing back.
Our crew rolled into the Sea View Inn which was just like the place I used to stay. No air conditioning, worn wooden floors, community bathrooms, three meals a day, and no shoes required. We wined & dined and laughed often and loudly over stories on the porch. I seriously don't think I've laughed that hard in a long, long time. I'm not sure they've ever had a bachelorette party before (not that kinda place you see), but we were on fairly good behavior and they sure took care of us.
There was a lot of walking on the beach, riding bikes, and a whole lot of focus on the food. I'm not sure I can even do it justice, but they sure do eat well at the Sea View. Our first lunch was fried chicken, sliced tomatoes, biscuits with gravy, squash casserole, and apple pie for dessert… ALL homemade! It was ridiculous and we ate up every bite. It went on and on from there. Southern home cooking at it's finest. Thank goodness for a little yoga class to "work off" all our indulgence.

Each night I crawled into a tiny bed with the windows cracked, the salty air rolling in and had some of the best sleep of my life. I mean, I slept hard. All I can think is that coastal air takes a hold over you until the sun comes up and then releases you into the day. It was heaven from start to finish and I can't wait to go back some day.

baby steps

2011-09-29T13:56:00.002-04:00

A bit wobbly and a tad unsure, but the Moosh has taken her first steps at the ripe ole age of 15 months. I can't believe it and it's the coolest thing to watch her little "drunk" walk across the room. Cute as pie I tell ya. She's seriously growing every day. Becoming this independent child that plays by herself, sometimes quietly whispering in her own language. And then she'll remember I'm in the room and come bury her head in my lap for a snuggle and kiss and a roll around. This morning I finally had to wake up sleepy head so we could get the day going. She was all curled up with a tight grip on her favorite pink elephant lovey. I patted her back as she opened her eyes and cracked a smile when I picked her up. Her body was limp and head heavy on my shoulder. That baby breath gets me every time. Gonna be hard to leave her when I jet off on a girls trip tonight, but Pawleys Island is calling and I can't wait to slip my toes in the sand and hug on some old friends. Be back soon with some tall tales!

day of football

2011-09-21T21:54:00.004-04:00

Saturday was so perfect outside. Breeze blowing, sun out, football on, and the big green egg smoking away. Ahhh… game days. We watched the Auburn/Clemson game with some friends and it was so nice. Miriam joined the party in her orange overalls and gave their house a good test run before baby Hayes arrives this winter. Then before I was ready we had to pack 'er up and head home for nap time. Babies need a lot of beauty sleep and we're still a slave to "the schedule". We're like clock work with naps around here, but I feel a change a comin'. Mother's Day Out has her really out of whack. Anyway… game day continued so it was on to another football watchin' party to see Tennessee play. Plenty of socializing and beer drinking to drown out losing teams. Quite a day of fun reminds me how lucky we are to have such sweet friends.

bella rustica

2011-09-16T22:42:00.002-04:00

Today was packed and a long to-do list lay ahead of me, but I got a wild hare late afternoon and decided I needed to get out. So I took a drive out to Franklin to a barn sale - Bella Rustica. I don't even know how to describe it. Eclectic, whimsical, junk (in a good way). Lots of funky personality in every booth and the sunshine with a cool breeze didn't hurt. Shocker… I didn't buy a thing, well minus the "elvis" cupcake from ice this cake. It was banana w/ peanut butter icing drizzled with chocolate and topped with bacon sprinkles… just in case you were wondering. Anyway, it was a nice break and cool to discover this little group of creative, crafty folks. If you go, check out Vintage Junky - she had my favorite booth of cool finds and her chalk lettering was fab.

the nursery

2011-09-12T23:07:00.002-04:00

I was over at my friend Katie's this weekend checking out her nursery. The sheets were on the crib, the changing table all set up, and rows of teeny-tiny clothing were all washed and hung in the closet. Everything in place just waiting for the arrival of baby Hitt. I got home and started to get Moosh settled in for her afternoon nap. I drew the curtains and turned on the noise machine and we rocked. Same chair and same crib, but not the same nursery. Not the same spot I brought home the nugget to. Not that she knows the difference, but it made me nostalgic over my the sweet little Greenville nursery I'd worked so hard on. I nested and prepped and bought a few special things just for that space. It was nothing designer or fancy, but it was our spot and I lurved it so. We clocked a lot of hours in that room and I'll never forget it. So, even though this is a bit past due I thought I'd share some images I took before we moved.

the end of summer

2011-09-08T22:31:00.005-04:00

This morning started out with me gathering and picking up, making lunches, and just being frantic. Cooking breakfast (frozen waffles, mmhmm) and feeding Moosh while checking emails and trying to be wide awake. One of those. Trying to deliver the baby to the nanny (more to come) on time and not forget anything is a tad tough, but then I got a major pick me up. I tromped into Starbucks in the rain with baby on the hip about to order my boring latte, when tah-dah… the pumpkin spice latte was back. Oh yes please Barista sir, ring me up.

So back to important business… baby girl started a mothers day out program this week. Eeek! I went to my first parents meeting and found myself totally tuned out. All I could think about was bringing her in with her mini lunch box and leaving her to nap on a mat with a room full of children. Seriously? Have you met my child? I can't imagine they nap one wink, but everyone says they do so, whatever. We shall see. In the meantime it looks like I need to start labeling every single item she uses, including diapers. The other days of the week I'm carting her over to cousin Lauren's to nanny share. Charlie & Moosh… those two are two peas in a pod and have a big time together. Plus Lauren's house is way cool and they have about every toy you can think of. I think it's a sweet deal.
She's a happy camper, but I do feel a little guilty dropping her off. I remind myself that she's fine and very well taken care of, but that sneaky mothers guilt still creeps in. It's a hard balance for sure, but I so love my job. Just this week I got to work on an amazing job and we are ramping back up now that I'm back home. Hopefully a happy momma is a happy baby. And I am happy. Things are still up in the air, but life is good. And here's a random mix of it all…

14 months

2011-08-22T08:46:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I was at a baby shower for a friend and watched as she opened gifts filled with tiny blue outfits. I felt so excited knowing she would soon be experiencing the love of her new baby. It made me think about how fast the last few months have gone. I've been watching Miriam change every day, but all of a sudden she seems so big. She's getting a tiny bit closer to walking, but seems mighty happy just cruising and speed crawling her way around.

Her big thing lately is pointing. At the fan, at the window, at the t.v., and everything is "da". My dad said pointing is definitely a sign of intelligence. Um, yeah, sure I'll go with that theory. So pointing is pretty cool, but something not so cool… screeching. She is trying out the ole vocal cords and I'm pretty sure hubs and I are going to go deaf any day now.
This morning I was making some hashbrowns and toast while a very squirmy little lady was pouting and trying to crawl up my leg. To give myself just a few more minutes of cooking I needed a distraction. So I pulled open up the dishwasher of clean dishes and let Moosh go to town. She loves to crawl up on the lid and play with spatulas and whisks and such. One eye on the stove and one eye on all those breakable dishes.

Anyway, she's wild and only getting wilder, but we're having a lot of fun around here. Lot's of trips to Pontotoc and playdates with some friends and hanging with the fam. Miriam has been a trooper as we float from our condo, to the farm, to running errands with Tenn Hens. She has accompanied Currier & I on business lady lunches and even a couple press checks. It's a hard balance, but I'm thankful to juggle it all …for now!

30A Style

2011-08-13T16:04:00.009-04:00

While we were at the beach momma picked up a copy of her friends new book, 30A Style. Inside it shows this scenic highway in Florida where the New Urbanist movement really exploded along the coast. Seaside kinda started it all, but it's grown like crazy from there. But, back to the book! It's a peek inside some of these beach homes. Some are really fancy and beautiful, but my favorites are the ones with a little character. Not overdone or too staged. These are spaces that you truly want to live in.

…and then there's this lake cottage I may be a bit partial towards. Okay fine, I am partial because, I know the lovely folks that live here. But seriously, even if I didn't know them it would still be my favorite. Everything just seems so comfortable and inviting. Like you want to shimmy up to the counter with a cocktail and watch the chef do her thing. That's my kinda place. And the marble countertops, the yellow Le Creuset, and the cherry bar… oh, and the sleeping puppy… yessiree, don't mind if I do.

baby at the beach

2011-08-04T22:47:00.005-04:00

I'm still dreaming of the waves humming in the distance, but it's back to the real world after our beach trip. Don't you always feel like by the time you settle in and begin to relax, it's already time to go home? A vacation to the beach is always too short, though I shouldn't complain a bit. We got to get away from it all and put our toes in the sand. The beaches of 30A are beautiful and so are all the children in Seaside. Everyone is friendly and chatty and in a laid back state of mind. I can tell you it was different than vacations of the past. Toting Miss Moosh around changes everything. Long days on the beach with a cooler of beer are no longer! And that's ok. We worked around her schedule, took turns, applied & reapplied sunscreen to that soft baby skin, stacked 2 highchairs at a high-top table so she could eat with us, put her in a floaty, sat under the umbrella a lot, and tried to make baby as happy as possible. She was like a little fish splashing and kicking those legs while watching all the big kids play. She was in heaven. We brought a wagon with us and I felt like we were straight out of Oregon trail rolling into the beach club. It was borderline ridiculous with an enormous red canopy. Oh, we were totally "those" people!

Our condo was perfect. Right on the beach, quiet, and nestled in the dunes. Everyone had their own room, except we decided to put Miriam in the huge walk-in closet. I realize that sounds ridiculous, but I promise she was fine. There was plenty of room for a crib and we always had the door open. She slept like a little lamby the whole time and I swear it's because there were no windows. And speaking of, she's been an angel lately. Who knew? I mean, she's still a wild mess, but the sleeping and the schedule and the two naps?… perfection. Maybe she's payin' us back for the first 6 months of screaming & crying. Maybe. Or maybe it's just a phase and all of a sudden she'll change again. Who knows, but I am saying thank you sweet baby for now

So here we are back in Nashville still getting our footing, but glad to be home. And at least we have a pool nearby so we can stay cool and pretend we still hear the Gulf crashing in the distance.

the move

2011-07-28T11:58:00.000-04:00

Did yall think I up and disappeared on you? I just got swept away in the moving wind tunnel and thought I'd never hit the ground again. It was bittersweet and definitely sad to leave our bungalow. A lot happened in that house and it's where baby Moosh spent her first year. We packed like crazy, we sweated through the heat, we watched the movers load up and condense our life into one truck, we waved goodbye to our friend Austin, and then we drove. I followed T in the truck and drove along with thoughts of what lay ahead bouncing around my mind, but felt very at peace with it all. The next 24 hours were a blur. Lots of unpacking and shuffling the baby around and then I got bit by a spider and had my whole arm swell up. Then our truck got vandalized overnight (on a very nice street mind you) and we had to call the police. Have I mentioned I hate moving? But we made it and I ran around like a crazy lady until the next thing I knew we were on our way back out of town headed to the Gulf. So here we are and the beach is washing away all of those moving memories for now.

mayme baker's

2011-07-15T10:29:00.000-04:00

I knocked one of the things off my Gville bucket list and went to Mayme Baker's store with a friend (hi Mary Bennett!). I went with full intention of looking, not buying, but what did I do? I bought. The good thing is I think I totally scored with this purchase. Only 35 bucks for this killer necklace. Big and gold and shiny. Yes, please. Think I'm going to wear it while I pack.

brooke boling

2011-07-12T20:04:00.001-04:00

Today I want to brag on my friend Brooke Boling. She's a phenomenal photographer + designer. We met through her husband Gregg who was my art director at Buntin (my first job out of college). He's one of the most creative people I know and he taught me so much. It was a crazy ride at that agency, but I look back with such fondness for the people I met and I'm so thankful for the experience. Anyway, we've all kept in touch and Gregg & Brooke actually came to our wedding a few years ago. She remembered the barn on my parents farm and recently got in touch to see if she could do a photoshoot there. We decided on a little trade. She used the location for her shoot and then came back and took some pics of our family in return. The Moosh was hot & cranky, but Brooke still captured some sweet shots and made us all look good. She's so nice and easy going. I highly recommend her!

Anyway, I was so excited to see her images from the "honey wedding" shoot at the farm on Style Me Pretty today. Totally dreamy and makes me wanna get married all over again. Just beautiful. Definitely check out her blog too!

baby must haves

2011-07-12T17:00:00.001-04:00

It was not so long ago I was walking the aisles of baby stores, staring in confusion… What is all of this stuff? Are these sleep-wrap things for real? Can baby monitors really be this expensive? And, lord help me, but what kind of bottles do I buy?… I was so overwhelmed I wanted to walk right on back out to my car and leave babies r' us in the dust forever. Instead, I polled some friends with babies and happily went online to purchase such items. Whew. Some things got used and others never even left the box (ie. bottle heater & wipes warmer).

So, the reason I'm writing all this now is I have four very loverly pregnant friends that might need some tips. See, I'm all big in my britches and think I totally know what I'm talking about. Cocky huh? Anyway, for those that are even a smidge interested in what I think, here ya go ladies…

1. puj tub : Loved this clever contraption. It saved my back for the first few months and nestled my babe in a little spa.
2. sound machine : doesn't matter which one, but someone gave me this at a shower and it hums away perfectly in the nursery. Great when you have a small house and paper thin walls.
3. sleep sack : I bought the miracle blanket and it frustrated me to death. Baby girl wiggled like a fool and it took two people to figure out how to tuck and wrap this sucker. So, we finally bought a sleep sack with a velcro wrap to swaddle her arms and it was a life saver. Swaddling so tightly felt so strange, but it keeps them from flailing their arms and waking themselves up (which they do).
4. boppy liners : Babies pee all the time and these allow them to be naked for a bit without ruining whatever is underneath. Used them on the changing table constantly!
5. sleep lady's book: I didn't use her "shuffle" method, but I did love her sample schedule and advice. It told me what sort of schedule the baby should be on (once she was big enough to be on one). Awesome!
6. soothie pacifier : only paci Miriam would take.
7. lovey : So sweet & they can hold and rub when going to sleep.
8. mustela newborn set : Got this as a gift and I'm still obsessed with its smell.
9. dr browns bottles : Pain to clean, but worth it for a happy baby tummy. Get small bottles and larger bottles for then they start drinking more milk.

My last piece of advice is to do what feels right to you. Sounds easy, but it's hard when you're in the thick of it and questioning your every move. As long as you're giving that baby lots of love that's all that matters so just hang on tight!

leaving carolina

2011-07-09T11:20:00.000-04:00

It's rare, but occasionally I wake up bright eyed and anxious to start my day. Today was like that. Miriam and I were eating our oatmeal (while having a serious battle over the sippy cup of milk, more to come on that) when I remembered today was the downtown Farmers Market. Good thinking. Main street was full of people and the sun wasn't full steam so there was a niceness to the air. The vendors had overflowing baskets of corn, and veggies, and berries galore. Bluegrass plucking and a chatter of friendly folks filled the air. What a lucky little place. I'm going to miss it.

See, we're moving. Leaving Carolina and heading home to Nashville. We've been in limbo lately trying to figure things out, but we are finally making the move. The truth is it's been super stressful lately, but I'm excited. Really excited. I'm gonna miss this town and the friends I've made, but my heart is in Nashville and I can't wait to get back. We'll be living in my Miss Currier's condo temporarily which means most of our stuff is going in storage. That helps the unloading process, but it also means we have to pack smartly. Ughh. Boxes are piling up and I'm doing my best to weed through some stuff. I wonder if other people haul around old magazines like me? Please Lord, don't let me become a hoarder like those people on the t.v! I promise to get seriously organized once we're settled.

I did take a few pics of the place before the mess just so we can remember our sweet bungalow. It's hard to believe it's been 2 years since we moved to Greenville. Now, we have 8 days to get this place in shape. I've got a ton of Tenn Hens work, there are 2 showings today, there are bills to cancel & addresses to change, boxes that need packing, and on and on, but what I really want to do is get out on the town. Of course I've seen a lot, but there are still things I want to do before we leave. Like… rent a bike at the Swamp Rabbit Trail - visit the new Mayme Baker shop - lunch @ the hot dog king - have a final meal at my favorite, Luna Rosa - take hubs to see the Mary Whyte exhibit, and hmm…what else?

The boxes can wait right? Besides, I have our new friend McNutty here to help. Isn't he the cutest! He and Moosh are already best buds and they've secretly promised to pack up the nursery for us.

first birthday

2011-07-04T10:53:00.000-04:00

Miriam's birthday came & went in a flash. One second we were in Nashville and the next second we were back in Greenville. Whew, our life has been a whirl wind of travel, work, interviews, and talk of moving. But… we squeezed in a party for baby girl and I'm so glad we did. Very small and laid back, but it was special to celebrate with friends. After all, we made it through year 1 and that's a heck of a reason to celebrate. I made some simple apps, but most of my effort went into making sprinkles strawberry cupcakes. Whole lotta work, but they were ridiculous and you could just taste all that butter & love inside. Miriam, for one, went straight for the icing and was licking her chops with a smile.

I made these "republic of Moosh flags" (at least that's what hubs called them) that were adorable, but then I had no idea what to do with them. Hmmm, well thought out plan. I ended up just sticking some in a cup as decor. A better idea was these Mexican-Flowers made out of tissue paper. They added some flair to the table and afterwards I bunched them together and hung in my office.

We were all glowing from the heat, but a handful of ladies were also giving off that baby vibe. Seriously, it feels like everybody is pregnant! Y'all must be drinking out of the same tap. Lots of babies on the horizon that I'll be lovin' on soon. Miriam was coming off that sugar high & rubbing her eyes by the end which was the sign of a really fun party. Cheers baby love!

curiosity in paris

2011-06-28T21:09:00.000-04:00

I love going to the movies, but somehow I never get around to it. Netflix is so much easier. However, on Sunday, momma and I braved the rain and ventured out for a little viewing of Midnight in Paris. Ahh, Paris. The language, the architecture, the desserts…does it get more romantic? It's a funny little movie, but the city itself is the real star. When Trevor and I went a couple years ago, we wandered in to the most curious shop. The bottom floor seemed normal enough - gardening supplies & gifts, but then we headed up the tiny staircase and discovered a total menagerie. Life size stuffed animals (the previous alive kind), preserved butterflies, insects, eye balls, biology maps, ostrich eggs, and beetles. Totally bizarre & totally fascinating. I felt like we had stepped into some far off place & we kept looking at each other in wonder. Crazy! Anyway, my point to this story is this curiosity shop in Paris was in a scene of the movie. I immediately nudged momma to tell her I'd been there. Turns out it's a pretty famous place called Deyrolle. The next time you're in Paris (ha, only a short hop away) you should check this place out. And check out the movie too. Funny & light, and quite an escape for your mind to drift off to the city of lights.

ps: Brother Will moved today. Packed up his apartment, cleaned off his desk at work, said goodbye to a girl, and sat in a cab watching the city go by in slow motion as his life in New York came to an end. Yikes, I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. Selfishly, I'm excited he's going home, because that means less phone calls, but I know it's bittersweet for him. Change can be hard, but I suppose… c'est la vie. Au revoir big city.

one year

2011-06-21T13:52:00.000-04:00

My Miriam -
I walked into your bedroom this morning humming happy birthday, smiling and wondering… could it really be one year? Oh my, what a year can do. One year ago today, I was in the hospital. I was lying in a bed with momma and T in the room while music played and we chattered on waiting. Anxiously waiting for you to arrive. To describe the labor doesn't really do it justice. It was like an out of body experience for me. Like I'm there, and focusing, and pushing, and crying, but it was completely surreal. And then, bam, there you were. Puffy and round faced and with your mouth open wide in a perfect "o". Those cheeks and those eyes??… I mean come on. It was some major luuuvin at first sight. "…there really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child." - Anne Lamott

You weren't even a week old and already you had flipped our world around. It was such a blur and I was exhausted, but I loved you so much I could barely stand it. It would be the middle of the night and you wouldn't sleep a wink unless I held you close. So I'd wrap you up like a burrito, rock you, then climb in the bed snuggled with you right on my chest. That's how small you were. I'd pile pillows on every side in fear of us rolling off and then I'd listen to you breathe. Up and down, baby breath on my neck as we'd finally both slip into a deep slumber. It was a steep learning curve, but we slowly figured life out together. So many feedings, and diapers, and rocking. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I was so fiercely scared & tired while simultaneously overcome with joy & strength. Therein lies the balance of motherhood. The back and fourth you feel on daily basis, but we survived the first year! And we were so very grateful. Grateful for a healthy baby & a helpful family. Baby, you taught us so much in such a short time.

Then we brought you back to Greenville and watched you grow and change every day. Your wobbly head got strong. You sat up in the bumbo without slumping over. And that little bitty body started to grow out of infant clothes. Every milestone was exciting. Every babble, and giggle, and roll. You went from one side of the baby tub to the other as you learned to sit. We watched your tiny fingers discover how to pick up tiny things. And best of all you were just happy. I barely believed anyone that you would actually sleep through the night, but you did. Small miracles were happening all of the time.

Here we are today and you're eating food, making a mess with your toys, chewing on shoes, sitting up in your crib when I come in, crawling, singing funny noises, and pulling up on the dishwasher. It's crazy how much you've changed and we sure did change right along with you. Soon you'll be walking and talking and doing things I can't even fathom. Slow down please ladybug! It's all going so fast. We're grateful for all of your smiles and we will love you forever. Happy Birthday Baby Moosh.

"All our babies lead us to the truth of the good news of the Gospel. Into this broken world a child is born. This Holy Child, the incarnation of Love, can turn our hearts to flesh and bring peace. This Child can bring us to our knees in that kind of gratitude that moves us beyond our doubt into our hopes. We can believe that with our whole hearts. This child has to lead us; it is our saving grace." - Becca Stevens

happy (first) fathers day

2011-06-19T09:57:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to… my daddy-o, who has been through it all with me… and to my husband, who has already been an amazing dad to baby Moosh. Darlin', it's been a heck of a ride this first year and cheers to you for talways helping, always trying, and always making us laugh. xo

Now I'm off to the grocery so I can make Short Rib Lasagna Rolls for tonight… mmm, sounds good even at 9 o'clock in the morning!

saved on my desktop

2011-06-18T13:42:00.000-04:00

Just some random things I'm digging these days.

1) strangelove font - from veer 2) zig zag bags - thinking of ordering for party 3) filson bag - hubs graduation gift 4) newsprint iphone case - kate spade is always clever 5) sally hansen nail polish stickers - wish they had more colors, but I've been totally obsessed with these 6) rifle note cards - bday gift from hubs 7) new serena & lily logo - love seeing the evolution 8) fabric & handle bag - I need this 9) moleskins - best notebooks now at target - awesome 10) jean shorts - wish they came with this body 11) woven bracelet - great stacked together

tweed and pizza and a pool

2011-06-11T18:37:00.000-04:00

My mind is kind of all over the place this morning so here goes. I did a little drop by my favorite baby store recently and fell in love all over again. Maggie has created this tiny wonderland in Tweed and I wish I could take it all home with me. Surely we're long lost cousins, because I love everything she's put in her store. Even her handwriting is lovely. Tweed is also carrying a new local line called Moma Moderne which is adorable and that leads me to their blog. It's all about motherhood and it's packed with some great stuff for new moms. My prego friends, you need to check it out.

Next up, cousin Lauren sent me this recipe for a cauliflower-crust pizza. It sounds strange, but she assures me it's delish and a low carb meal would probably do me some good. She found it on this food blog called eat-drink-smile.

Moving on… we went to a great event the other night at imogene + willie's. The heat was blaring, but their back yard was nicely shaded, the music was great, and they were serving very cold beer. We listened to some great bands and then headed to Burger Up which, as usual, was perfection.

Finally, I have to share some pool party pics. Two babies in a pink pool on a hot day… always a recipe for fun and laughter. Miriam wanted to lean out and try to eat the grass and fallen nuts, while Charlie played with each toy that floated by. I also put a call into his mom that she needed to give the poor boy a proper haircut. We had to put a headband on him during lunch just to keep it out of his eyes. Just sayin'. We played and splashed until I started to worry they'd wrinkle up so we toweled off and called it a day. These babies are pure sweetness and might I say they are living the good life right now.

That's all for now, but before you go...... two little things… go watch this video of a young stevie nicks {i love} + go vote for my friend kathryn currey on this green website - thanks!

cowgirl cool

2011-06-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

While I was home last week momma & I caught one of the queen bee's (miss oprah) last shows. It was Ralph Lauren and his family and their ranch, and oh my gosh it was gorgeous. His family was all decked out exactly how you'd imagine them… decked in his clothing. Leather, and plaid, and denim. Excellent. So, I stopped in my tracks when I saw this image in the wsj. Isn't it cool? Now, if only I could get an invite out to that ranch maybe I'd have an excuse to dress like this.

mrs lilien

2011-06-03T13:55:00.000-04:00

While doing some research for a branding project I'm working on, I found a new blog called Mrs Lilien. She's sassy, colorful and got lots of panache. Love. Her attire puts my non-showered, no-makeup, shorts & t-shirt, dangling baby on hip, dash to the store look to shame!

back in the high life again

2011-05-31T16:58:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to blog, really I have, but my plate has been way too full. So this morning I am sitting down with my coffee to blog. Morning jobs are done and emailed to clients, baby is napping, laundry is a twirling, and here goes. For the past week we've been in Nashville staying on the farm. It's almost heaven. Miriam heads out first thing with momma and the dogs. Easing into the day with a morning stroll down the drive, while I stay behind and sip coffee and turn on the Today Show. And until today when we ran out, we've been eating the most delicious Tennessee strawberries ever. So sweet and juicy they stain everything they touch. It's so nice to have extra hands now that baby nugs is crawling. Little tater is quite the menace grabbing dirty shoes, phone cords, and dog food.

We had another playdate with cousin Charlie. They even shared a meal or rather, Miriam helped herself to the turkey & cheese from his tray. Those two are so funny I can barely stand it. That mane of his… well it's simply unbelievable. He's already had two haircuts. Cracks me up! Lauren says ladies stop her all the time just for a longer look. I wish I had half his locks on my head. Lucky soul.

Just like last year, St. Augustine's held their annual river baptism out on our farm. To think this time last year I had my belly blessed and now here I was toting around baby girl on my hip. Time sure flies. The rain held out and we watched 10 tiny babies dip in and out of the river in their white gowns while the music played. We listened to the sermon and visited with just the nicest group of people. There was a huge spread of food and children running around everywhere I looked. What a cool day. Everything Becca Stevens does is nothing short of amazing.

Whew, that was one long blog, but it's nice to share what's been going on around here. Now it's time to pack it up and head back to Greenville. Hubs had some great meetings, I got to see all my friends and Miriam got to hang with the grandparents. Time to get back to our bungalow and see what the future holds.

swinging along

2011-05-18T10:43:00.001-04:00

So, I feel like I've been completely underwhelming on the blog lately. I love blogging, because it's such a fun way to express thoughts and share small aspects of my life. Plus I adore the blog community and the sense of people sharing their lives through their journals. Lately though I've been totally uninspired. And I feel like other peoples blogs look so much cooler and are so much more interesting to read. That sounds ridiculous, but it's true. Plus, I'm not really sure where this blog is going. Maybe it's not going anywhere and maybe it doesn't really have to, but I've been thinking about what it is and, more importantly, what I want it to be.

Possibly, a change of scenery will help get me back in the saddle. Miriam and I are taking a little trip home today and I can't wait to roll onto the farm. I've packed way too much and crossing my fingers my bag doesn't weigh too much. Sippy cups, and toys, and baby clothes. You get the idea, but it's a lot. Anyway, wish us luck on our flight and I'll sign off with some swingin' Moosh pics. We just discovered this neighborhood park with baby swings and she loves it. Watching the bigger children run around, she could swing for hours. Back and fourth just happy as a little lark.

clemson tiger

2011-05-16T22:49:00.004-04:00

Two years ago he applied to grad school. We packed our bags, sold our house, moved to a new city, settled in, and started a family. We picked up our life and changed everything. He studied, took tests, did two internships, met new people, went to meetings, and studied a lot more. And after all of that… on Friday…drum roll please… Trevor received a Master of Real Estate Development degree from Clemson. He did it. He really did it and it was worth it all. So, we celebrated the big grad on his day. We filed into the auditorium and found some seats to watch him walk across the stage. Miriam was snazzed up in her orange & purple and did her best to entertain our section. Little nugget curled up for a few minutes in Carlisle's arms, but mostly she squeeked and sqwaked and passed between arms. The best was when we clapped & cheered for hubs she let it rip and goodness can this baby scream?! Just couldn't contain herself any longer. Knowing how much work went into this day I think we were all busting with love and pride.

kissing the mountain air

2011-05-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh, where do I begin? Greenville folks kept telling us how great Highlands, NC was so we'd been talking about doing a day trip. Well a day trip turned into an overnight stay. Trevor's group at school won their final presentation, hooray-hooray, and they received a nice little cash prize. Time to live it up and so we did. We left baby girl with Carlisle and drove up some winding roads on a sunny morning. I love a good road trip. Driving along somewhere you've never been, not in a hurry just taking in the scene. We had some recommendations so we stopped in Cashiers for some pretty killer bbq. Adorable spot called the Farmers Market with all sorts of delicious groceries but we continued on our way knowing there would be no cooking on this trip.

We arrived at the Old Edwards Inn around lunch and were offered champagne at check in. Yep, we'd made the right decision. Then we toured around the property (gorgeous) and landed in their wine garden for lunch. A small waterfall flowing, gardens blooming, and homemade buttermilk crackers & pimento cheese and I was already having the best day ever. So we lunched, we lounged, and we played until it was time for supper. It was just what we needed and I can't wait to go back one day.

first mothers day

2011-05-08T19:35:00.001-04:00

My first mother's day. Kind of surreal and kind of feels totally natural. I don't know a whole lot about being a mom yet, but I know how strong a bond I feel to my sweet girl. It's a crazy strong instinct this motherly love, and it is there beating in front of you all of the time. I know how simultaneously hard and wonderful being a new mom can be. Luckily I have an amazing mom to look to for advice as Moosh and I grow together. I am so thankful for her and all of the other moms and moms-to-be I have in my life. We are some pretty strong ladies! I'm also thankful for an amazing husband who took over baby duties while I slept in, cooked french toast, and made me a fancy card. I enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe this is my new favorite day.

derby day

2011-05-07T22:21:00.003-04:00

The Derby is like Christmas in Lexington. Everyone partaking in pre-race celebrations and bourbon flowing. A sea of fancy and silly hats in the crowd. Hats not quite as fabulous as those from the royal wedding, but folks are definitely trying to do as the Brits do. Anyway, I've never been {it's on my list}, but seeing as we're horse people, it's kind of a big day around here too. We were just sitting at home today, but I figured Miriam should do it up right and get dressed up for her first race day. So I pulled out the equestrian print Lily dress hanging in the closet. Fashionable little nugget that she is. I about died when I opened up the gift from a friend and couldn't wait til she was big enough to wear it.

And since it was Derby day after all, we felt compelled to make Pims and bake up some Mamie's Cheese Wafers. Totally taste homemade and delicious. They're my secret go to in a pinch and you can find them at Fresh Market. We finished it off with cupcakes from the Chocolate Moose. Umm, good thing I worked out today I guess. They were so good and so worth it. I mean, do cupcakes ever get old?!

spring soundtrack

2011-05-05T10:09:00.001-04:00

I've been out of pocket lately, but I'm back to the blog this morning. There's a breeze outside, one last cool dip before the real heat of summer approaches, and I have the new Steve Nick s album playing in the background. I love her and her romantic, gypsy vibe. We had our friends the Hayes in town this past weekend. A walk to the Community Tap was our first stop and a perfect weekend continued with lots of good food, a baseball game, walking downtown, and relaxing in the backyard. We sat outside on a blanket, throwing the ball & feeding the baby bird mini pieces of bread. Every time the wind blew the smell of honeysuckle filled the air which was like heaven. We talked and talked and talked until the minute they left. Tricia and I even curled up in bed at the end of one night with magazines and wine while the guys watched the draft. It was so fun to show off our town.

{falls park, fluor field, and carlisle's sweet dog}

So, some big news on the bay front…drumroll please…Miss Miriam is officially crawling. It took her 10 months and she's a tad wobbly, but look out everybody. She'd been rocking for a while now so we did some coaxing with an apple. Kinda like you would a pony and it totally worked. Then it was like a lightbulb went off and the girl was mobile. I watched as she went straight for that air vent and dusty, hairball in the corner of the room. You notice a whole lot more dirt when you're on your belly. Darn, gotta get that swiffer out asap. She also reached for the small bookshelf in her nursery with a heavy vase on top. Hmmm, apparently I can't procrastinate any longer on baby proofing. Looks like life is changing right before my eyes.

town greenville

2011-04-27T13:55:00.001-04:00

I love flipping through the local paper & magazines, but most of the ones here disappoint. Sorry, Greenville News. However, I've kind of fallen for a new one called TOWN. Features on local artists, restaurants, and general cool things going on. One showed a place called Grits & Groceries and now I'm definitely planning a drive to the country. Anyway, I know most people skip right over the ads, but not moi and one of 'em (by Lindsay Carmody) caught my eye. So I went to her site and saw more of this friendly kitchen. Sure wish that window shade could make its way to my house.

baby tech

2011-04-26T14:01:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying I'm kinda torn on this subject. Recently, I was getting a pedicure and a mother & young daughter to my right staring at their phones. Actually, the daughter had an ipad and a phone in her lap. Their eyes were glazed over and they barely spoke a word to each other the whole time. Now, I'm a tad obsessed with my iphone too, but it really annoyed me. What a tiny opportunity to just relax and talk to one another. I need to remind myself that I don't know these people and it's not any of my business, but what it did was make me do a mental check not to be that way. I love what the internet has given us… the freedom to work from home, or stay in touch with old friends on facebook, or skype with my family, or blog… but sometimes we need to turn it all off and just be present. That's really what I took away from a situation that was super minor, but a good personal reminder.

But…with all that said, I'm still fascinated with the possibilities of technology. And shhhhh, I downloaded my first app for Miriam. Yes, yes, I know I'm a walking contradiction, but everything in moderation right? Besides, knowing your farm animals is serious business for babies. This one is called Peekaboo Barn and I'm just as obsessed as the baby.

And I'd definitely buy 3 Little Pigs too if she was old enough!

easter weekend

2011-04-25T19:03:00.000-04:00

Waking up to the pitter-patter of rain on a Saturday is a good excuse to stay in my pajamas a little longer. Lately I've been skipping the whole high-chair thing and baby girl eats in her bumbo on the counter. This way she can see the world. Today she was extra interested in my making the coffee and we both nibbled on some fruit. That banana can be extra slippery for little nubby fingers so I fed her with my own. Then she'd get distracted and try and pull her bib off or reach her hand into the yogurt nearby while I wasn't watching. Tricky little nugget.

I've snapped out of my hum-bug mood and had a wonderful Easter weekend. I picked up my lovely succulent arrangement at Roots. You bring them your own containers (I got mine at t.j.max for cheap) and they'll plant everything for just the cost of the plants. I said I wanted moss and no rocks, but I got rocks & no moss. No worries, I still dig it.

And I finally got to hang out with my husband. He's been working non-stop on his final project and though it's not over, I see an end in sight. It's crazy to think he's almost done with school. Yep, I'm going to be one proud wife. And since it was Easter Sunday we decided it was time for Miriam to test out the nursery. We all put on our nice clothes and arrived ready for the drop off. Then I realized I forgot to put shoes on her. Oh well, she's still mini. I put her in a bouncer and she looked at me like, ahh where am I? She's been in our nest with just me and Carlisle so being surrounded by strangers, babies everywhere, and in a new environment… umm, it was a lot. Someone was holding her when we got back and apparently she'd been a wee difficult. Didn't like their toys, just wanted to be held or walked in a stroller. I swooped her up and wiped the tears and she was back with momma. Poor baby, but I know they took care of her and she was just fine by the time we got home. Right in time for a nap so we could enjoy a little brunch outside. Have I told you how much I love quiche? Well, I do. You can pretty much put anything in there and it's going to taste good. And I always have eggs, cheese, and some sort of leftovers I can throw together when the fridge is looking a little empty. So we grazed on quiche & scones, while toasting to a relaxing weekend, a sleeping baby, and all new things to come this springtime.

friday delivery

2011-04-22T10:23:00.000-04:00

Today, I'm delivering these little goodies to a friend. Her sweet girl is turning 1, which is crazy cause that means my nugget isn't too far behind. What a milestone! Hopefully this little 2-tooth grin will make some grandparents & friends smile too.

And this is a peony bush I pass by everyday on my walk. Just about to bloom any day now and it's going to be hard not to pluck one, because I'm obsessed with them. Their smell and bright color… mmmm. Wish I had a whole yard just full of 'em.

design by nanny

2011-04-21T21:32:00.001-04:00

Our little bungalow, while wonderful & charming is pretty small. Now, I like a cozy, lived in house with lots of stuff, but this is pushing it. And with baby girl around it's gotten crazy cramped. Plus we had no area outside the nursery for her to sit and play. I was constantly piling blankets on the hard wood floors to try and create a space and then cleaning it up at the end of every day.

So, since I was super busy and had no extra time I sensibly decided we needed a makeover. Naturally. Carlisle, my nanny, and I got straight to work moving everything around. She's amazing and the next thing I knew the house was in complete shambles as we switched rugs, moved furniture, changed lighting, and then switched it around some more. Hmmm, I knew this girl had an eye for interiors when every day the tv was tuned in to HGTV. Nanny / decorator / future med-school student, you could say I lucked out at the grocery store that fateful day. It's nothing fancy, but I can't even tell you how much better my house looks and now I'm wishing I had before+after pics. My husbands face, like what in the world have you been doing, was classic.

{the new playroom with my downward facing dog baby cakes}

To top of my new arrangement, my recent purchase, a little owl lamp from Target now had a spot. I was a little unsure when he arrived. Kinda quirky and larger than I'd expected, but now I adore him and smile every time I come and go.

sliding doors

2011-04-18T22:11:00.000-04:00

So, I've had a lot on my mind lately and been a bit bogged down. I'll spare you the details, but it's been kind of hard. Growing up ain't easy and it makes me miss my momma. Who knew that as an adult you can still miss your mom just as strongly as when you were little? But it's true. I love it here, but it feels temporary so it's hard for me to feel totally settled. Now, before you think I'm throwing myself a pitty party I promise I'm not. Life is good. Really good and I'm grateful. The weekend was full and I felt really happy being busy. I managed to clean the house, go to the store, keep the baby from fussing while hubs study group was over, cook dinner, make a pie, and only smash one bottle of this while leaving the liquor store. All in time to host some people for dinner on Saturday. Nice distractions.

That movie, Sliding Doors is what keeps coming to mind. One little choice can lead you on an entirely new path. Whew, that's a lot to think about. There is one surefire remedy to distract my mind when I can't stop worrying. Just take a long look at my Moosh. Perfect and sweet and not a care in the sky.

working south

2011-04-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I went to an art exhibit at the Greenville Museum by Mary Whyte. She painted a series of watercolors featuring a vanishing breed of workers. A textile worker, an oyster man, a quilter, a ferryman, and a cotton picker. Work that was once commonplace in the south. I walked around and studied the faces. Eachl had their own story to tell. And even though they had a ton of detail they were also really ethereal & mysterious. I'm going back again, because it was that amazing. Ahh… good ole Greenville does it again!

My fave, Sunday Morning, did a great story on her too. And photos are © from here.

weekend errands

2011-04-11T20:31:00.001-04:00

Saturday was gorgeous outside so I hopped in the car to do a little browsing at old navy and treat myself to a pedicure. Tuned out and flipping through the latest mags while the massage chair hummed. Such a luxury and my toes sure needed attention. Before I made my way home I stopped into Palmetto Olive Oil, a specialty oil and vinegar store. Who knew?! They have a ton of varieties and you can pour yourself a taste with a bite of bread. Let me just say... amazing. They had me at the logo and I took home a bottle of Tuscan Herb.

I was gone for quite a while, but I don't think sweet hubs minded. He and Miriam were decked out in Masters gear watching it on TV and wishing they were walking in that Augusta grass. Some day darlin. After the baby went down we ate dinner on the patio and lingered in the warm air. Little piece of heaven.

{I love this picture because you totally have to aim the spoon. She's always wiggling around. Sometimes I get the nose or a cheek instead of her mouth.And she'd much rather feed herself which is a whole 'nother level of messiness.}

rock show

2011-04-07T09:35:00.002-04:00

I am moving slow and my ears are ringing this morning. Thank goodness for coffee and sunshine. The Drive By Truckers were playing down the street at The Handlebar. It's a cool little music venue and it's so close we can walk. Love that about our neighborhood! It was packed inside, though I did notice a large empty space directly behind my husband the entire night. Nobody wants to be behind the tall guy. They played it loud and folks were jamming and singing along. After midnight we walked on back home, pulled off my boots, and crawled into bed with the band still singing in our dreams. Tired but worth every extra yawn.

great food series

2011-04-05T11:54:00.001-04:00

Since I can't stop staring at these beautiful books I thought I'd share. A little witty, charming & so delicious all together. The designer, Coralie Bickford-Smith, also did the great Penguin classics that have popped up all over. "I want these books to be cherished like the literature inside. If something is well considered, it will entice. People want to explore it, feel it. That design shines through and connects." Yes, please.

pics via

out and about

2011-04-04T21:26:00.000-04:00

Ah-mazing. I don't think I opened my computer once this weekend. Reading, walking, playing, cooking, and a mini nap in the sun. Whew, it felt good to shut off and just spend some down time with my family of three. Our big Friday night out consisted of a toys-r-us run and dinner at the Schwaben House. We were home by seven. Yawn, but it's the only way we can get out for dinner with the Moosh. So a jar of baby food, a bib, some toys, and we're set. And when all else fails, she loves a simple straw. I put a little water in there and she opens up just like a baby bird.

Greenville was blessed with sunshine and a breeze so we spent as much time as possible outside. We had a playdate of sorts with a friend. Since we don't do a whole lotta playing yet we watched little Keller climb & run about the playground. Little boy hands playing in the dirt and constantly on the move while his momma trailed behind. Me oh my, things sure do change when a baby is mobile!

On Sunday, after a lazy morning of hanging in the backyard, we went to a cookout. Our host had a great spread and some wildflowers on the table.

All wonderful except you know who was sorta cranky. She wanted to be held or fed or entertained in some fashion the whole time. Big babycakes. Then right when dinner was served she had a dirty diaper that got all over clothes. Lovely timing. And did I have an extra set of clothes in the diaper bag? Of course not. Gosh, weren't we the perfect party guests! No, nobody batted an eye. We borrowed a baby shirt and then enjoyed a great meal on the porch. Perfect ending to a spring weekend.

happy days

2011-04-01T14:48:00.000-04:00

I can't believe my eyes, but the sun is actually shining today. That makes for one happy Sophie and one mad lady cleaning house. There was a large stack of stuff piling in the dining room that I'd been casually ignoring until I was forced to deal. A car seat, a baby swing, bottles, tiny clothes, stuffed animals, summer clothes, books, art supplies, and boxes now have a resting place in Miriam's closet. Not that you'd want to go opening the door all quick, but it's secure enough for now. Yahoo. And now I'm off to check on the squawking in the next room. Someone keeps rolling onto her stomach & practicing a rocking motion in her crib. Too busy to nap!

iphone happenings

2011-03-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

Last night I was scrolling through my phone looking for a new screen shot. A ridiculous number of photos. Yes 'um I'm obsessed.

positive thinking

2011-03-29T15:33:00.001-04:00

Today I have a lot of people on my mind so I am sending out good vibes to 'em. Thinking good thoughts and trying to visualize what I want to come true. I want my friend to get an offer on her condo, my nanny to get into medical school, my husband to get an important call, plus throw in some moving-pregnancy-new job general good mojo for some folks and there ya have it. Before I go to bed at night I try and visualize what I want actually happening. Then I ask God to wrap his arms around those people. Hoping if I send out some love it might help. I think it may.

Oh, and I've been asked to add… a tired, burnt out, stressed out lawyer/momma to my list. I'm on it cuz!

home again home again

2011-03-28T14:09:00.001-04:00

Time to head home so we packed up our things once again and drove south. Seems like every few weeks I am packing a suitcase, but the visit with family & friends is worth the effort. Mimers was a pro and I think some of that had to do with her new ride. We just bought her a bigger carseat and it's like having a caddy in the back seat. More room for the Moosh. I was all excited about twirling her around to face forward in a couple months and now the rules seem to be changing. Children should face backwards until 2? Scuma! Seems ridiculous to me, but after seeing the multiple warning labels covering every child item I purchase, I'm so not surprised.

Anyway, it's back to work around here. Hubs is making the final push in school, while Mimers is changing little by little every day. Just this morning she was chilling on her tummy in the living room, and when I came back from the kitchen she had scooted to the dining room. Mind you, she scooted backwards, but she scooted none the less. And I've noticed she's arching her back just a bit trying to get that pot-belly off the ground. Can I say she's already growing up too fast? Because she is. When I visited my friend Nicole last week I couldn't believe how tiny her brand new baby was. Pink skin all swaddled up tight. Precious. Lordy, time sure does fly.

{ my new favorite beer from blue moon }

So after that wonderfully warm tease, it's back to dreary, cold, and rainy here in Greenville. Boo-Hiss. And I woke up needing extra caffeine to open my eyes. My fabulous sleeper (can't believe I'm saying that) is going through a little separation anxiety I'm afraid. She had a few weird nights while we were home & had a crying fit when mom was babysitting one night. Then last night she woke up an hour in just wailing. I went in a few times, but finally had to let her cry it out which was horrible. It took me back to those first few months in an instant. She did finally get to sleep on her own, whew, and woke up happy as a clam like nothing ever happened this morning. Poor nugget. I blame this miserable weather and I'm crossing my fingers all will return to normal when the sun comes out. Oh, pretty pretty please.

pops bday

2011-03-25T12:17:00.000-04:00

Today is my daddy-o's birthday. 62 years young and he goes and goes and goes from morning to night. Seriously, the man does not stop. Constantly rattling off stock numbers & watching the markets every move, or rambling around in the truck checking on every inch of the farm. He is driven to the core and works harder than anyone I know. He's the one who really supported me starting my own business. Without his support and tireless encouragement, I would not be who I am today. Thank you Pops. Much love and happy birthday wishes to you.

everything in bloom

2011-03-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

As we arrived for a visit home over the weekend, my folks were packing up for a trip of their own. Ahh, well we promply spread out around the house, leaving traces of baby in our path. Toys seems to get scattered as Miriam is now learning how to drop & throw things. And Mose has an uncanny ability to be right there when Sophie is tossed in the air.

Everything is coming alive outside. Sprouting buds, green leaves, and bugs buzzing around. Sleeping with the windows open and Tennessee air blowing through. Spring is here and thank goodness for it.

Some friends made a visit to the farm. We grilled, walked to the barn, and stripped down the babies as the heat rose.

spring wish list

2011-03-17T20:48:00.002-04:00

A little bird, ever so sweetly, mentioned to me that we need to limit our spending lately. Totally fine I said. No problem Sweets. But then piperlime crept into my email. Before I knew it I was adding items to my shopping cart. Shoot. Of course I didn't purchase a thing, but boy did I want to. These are right up my alley.

top & belt : emerson made
florals, jeans, bag, sandals : piperlime
shorts : anthro

Well and then I HAD to do a mini-me list. Hmm, what would Miriam wear? Too easy.

boho dress : rikshaw
stripe dress & checked skirt : pink chicken
wellies : joules
shorts & jumper : city sprouts
dead tshirt : rowdy sprout via lovelymorning

sun & sniffles

2011-03-15T21:52:00.000-04:00

There's just something about a little sunshine that can warm your soul. I've been kinda cranky lately, so this past weekend was a perfect relief. We celebrated a friend's 30th, enjoyed the spring weather, and heard the good news of 2 friends engagements (congrats Currier & Carlisle!!!). The only snafu was baby Moosh got her first cold. Poor nugget was sniffling and sneezing and just not herself, but it was too warm not to be outside. So I set up a blanket in the backyard (like I used to do with Mr Cooper, sigh) and we watched the branches sway.

The weekend also brought us some new treats. Hubs was going to Atlanta for a meeting and I persuaded him to hit up Ikea on his trip. I've never been, but I've heard it's insane. He came home with a sweet highchair. It's slightly cattywompus, but for the price I can live with it. So excited!

And he brought home my new favorite toy. A basket o plush veggies. Mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, green onion, and carrots. Seriously, I'm obsessed and now I'm dying to visit the store myself.

interior dreams

2011-03-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday was dreary and raining so when the baby went down for her morning nap, so did I. And when I woke up an hour later I was looking around my room wishing someone would sweep in and give me a re-do. I mean it's fine, but nothing special. Nothing like these bedroom shots I saw in Lonny.

The reality is we're not here for too much longer. Our house is adorable, but it's tiny. And more than anything, it's not ours. I definitely tried to make it cute, but knowing it's a temporary rental really put a damper on my decorating dreams. Maybe the next house, hubs? Crossing my fingers.

ps: guess I was onto something about Nashville being "the coolest" 'cause anthro agrees.

photos from lonny + decor8

8 months

2011-03-09T21:22:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been hitting the snooze button more than not. 5 more minutes please?! All snuggled under the covers and not ready for that cool air when I slip out. But then I hear a few little peeps and know it's time to rise. Always in a different corner and different position, even with her sleep sac on, Miriam is eagerly waiting my arrival. She certainly doesn't mind the bags under my eyes or the mismatched pajamas I have on. I can be exhausted and cranky, but when I see that little bed-head pop up with a grin I can't help but smile. It's the best.

Seems like I was just the other day bringing her home for the first time and feeling totally anxious about everything. Even giving her a bath was nerve racking. But slowly I'm getting the hang of being a momma and starting to feel like quite the expert. Well not really, but we are in this groove called a "routine" and it's glorious.

We're just relishing in this time. She's great when we venture out to dinner (at 5 o'clock mind you). Still fits in the car seat on the highchair. And you plop her down on a blanket and there she stays. Playing with toys or rolling onto her stomach, but that's as far as she goes. Hard for me to believe that she will one day be mobile. I saw a small glimpse tonight in the tub when she grabbed the sides and pulled up into a squat. Whoa. Kinda wish she could stay at this very stage for just a moment longer.

bearings nashville

2011-03-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

I moved home after college. My first job was at an advertising agency in town, but in my mind it was just temporary. I had my sights set on New York. Somewhere big and different, and where I didn't run into someone I knew at every single turn. The truth is I didn't know what I wanted to do. But then things started to fall into place and make sense. I found a career, I fell in love, and eventually I started a business that I adore. All things that might not have happened had I jetted off to a new place. Plus, who am I kidding? I wouldn't have lasted a week in the big apple. Brother Will is MUCH more suited for that lifestyle than moi. Really I love being close to home and enjoy running into people when I'm in town. Familiar faces that knew my grandmother or went to school with my mom. Seeing friends I've known since pre-first grade. Looking back I'm not sure why I wanted to move except that other cities seemed much "cooler" at the time.

Funny because home seems to be quite cool at the moment. Every time I turn around there's a new store, a new blog, or a new restaurant popping up. One of the neatest things I've found lately is Bearings. A lifestyle blog for Southern gents in Nashville. Right up my husbands alley.

Now I don't want it to go and change TOO much, but it's great to see Nashville evolve. Deep down it just makes me long for home even more.

up there

2011-03-03T13:45:00.001-05:00

The paint is chipping away, but you can still find remnants of hand painted advertising on buildings around town. I actually love how the colors are faded and rustic looking.

{this is one of my favorite buildings in Greenville}

Now advertisers use printed vinyl adhered to buildings, but can you imagine painting something of this scale by hand?! There's this beautiful short documentary, Up There, about the few painters struggling to keep it alive. Love it. In places like New York there are companies still wiling to pay for their artistry. And I think I've got to start drinking more Stella beer since they seem to be one of its largest supporters!

UP THERE from Jon on Vimeo.

the velvet tete-a-tete

2011-03-01T13:26:00.001-05:00

Except for minor touch ups & tiny details the "new room", as we call it, at my parents home is finally finished. No more staining the floors 3 or 4 times and causing everyone, including one blind dog, to tromp through the side door. No more doors slamming, deadlines missed, and countless details to attend to. No more paint fumes smelling up the kitchen. And no more reggae blasting from the painters radio outside (though I rather liked that part). Whew! Now on to furnishing.

{obviously still a work in progress, but these two chairs are kind of perfect}

Momma & I have been playing decorator on my visits home. Moving furniture around, holding up paint colors, and flipping through magazines as we tear out inspiration. So fun, but I'm afraid I'm not a huge help. My artistic brain is quite opinionated, but not that helpful with interior design ideas. We were going in circles on seating. That is until we discovered this fabulous photo. I was taken with her outfit, but momma had her eye on that sofa. Turquoise velvet in a cool lounge shape. Ah-mazing. We figured the pretty lady sitting on it, being a southerner, might just give us some insider info if we asked nicely. Sure enough, her kind husband did. It's a vintage Edward Wormley by Dunbar. I can just imagine us lounging gracefully on each side and taking in the view. Somehow it needs to find it's way home and into the new room!

{photo from here}

spring in february

2011-02-27T22:52:00.000-05:00

We don't get a date night too often, but with hubs mom in town we lived it up Friday night. Well, nothing that crazy, but we did get out to a new spot called The Brown Street Club. Awesome little jazz club with a great bar. I highly recommend.

So, I don't know what the weatherman has up his sleeve, but today it was like 70 here in Greenville. Isn't it February?! No bother. I slid on my flip flops, opened up the windows, turned on some tunes and promptly went to cleaning the house. Normally I dread this type of work, but today, with the warm breeze flowing in and Miriam bopping happily in her bouncer, it was fabulous. I swear, she could hop in that thing for hours. Thank you to whoever invented that wacky contraption. The gorgeous weekend was perfect for an impromptu photoshoot with the Moosh in her new outfit. And by the way, she's sitting up all by herself! 8 months of working that core and now you're going strong little lady.

cousins playdate

2011-02-27T22:05:00.000-05:00

You don't realize how different babies are until you get 'em together. Different sounds and mannerisms and little ticks that they have. Miriam and Charlie are like night & day. And he totally has her whipped in the hair department. But then again, they're both good sleepers, have big ole cheeks, and are as sweet as pie. I love that Lauren and I can get together, trade baby notes & advice and then laugh because we're both so clueless.

ladies man

2011-02-23T21:53:00.006-05:00

It's been a long road and almost 11 months of prepping, but the wait is over. Last night as a full moon shined high in the Kentucky sky, a colt was born. Donia (the baby's momma) is the thoroughbred mare my mom bought a few years ago for this very purpose. She's a beautiful, sweet girl and to have a foal has been a dream of moms. Donia lost the baby last time so we've been just praying she would have a healthy delivery.

Wobbly, but healthy he's all legs. My friend Carrie, the vet, went over last night as soon as her pager went off and got us a few pics. Welcome to the world little friend. I can't wait to give you a squeeze!

trip home

2011-02-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

The wind is blowing something fierce outside, but the temp is nice so I will take whatever warm weather we can get. Miriam and I have been settling into life on the farm the last couple of days. Lots of walks, visits to the barn, and watching three busy-body Jacks scurry around the house. Plus Momma has been getting some good baby time in while Currier and I get some work done.

Time flies when you're having fun though and I head back on Tuesday. Our trip over was basically a breeze. Though I did a mad dash through the Atlanta airport to make our connection (bags flying, baby crying, and me sweating profusely), it wasn't too bad. Plus I had the nicest guy help me carry on my bags while I was huffing & puffing trying to get the baby out of her seat while simultaneously breaking down the stroller as everyone waited on us. In fact, I had multiple men offer to help me on both flights. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers.

moosh's big adventure

2011-02-15T14:02:00.001-05:00

The bags aren't quite packed, but tomorrow morning Mimers and I are taking off for Nashville. It's baby's first plane ride and call me crazy, but I'm kind of excited. Each leg of the trip is short so I'm not too worried about the flight. I'm more worried about lugging all our stuff. Stroller, car seat, car seat base, diaper bag, my bag… and of course lé bébé. Schlepping through the Atlanta airport with everything in tow could be painful. We shall see. So wish me luck for an easy, happy-baby, easy flight connection, wonderful sort of trip home!

love is where you look

2011-02-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

I got to sleep in, there were pumpkin pancakes hot off the griddle, and the baby bun brought me a card. Pretty sweet day already. Happy Valentines friends!

adventures in baby food 2

2011-02-10T19:17:00.001-05:00

Baby food making continues. I've got my bearings and it's been super easy. Plus I'm now armed with two new cookbooks (from my sweet friend) so we have some new things to try. A lot of veggies aren't exactly in season in February so I've just been buying frozen organic ones instead. Not as stellar as fresh, but close. Miriam's palette, if you can even call it that, is evolving. We've moved on from plain ole rice cereal to cinnamon apple-banana puree, avacado-banana mush & spinach-peas-pear goodness. Mmmm.

What I've learned: A little banana is good with everything. Some spices are just fine to add. Avacado is a great first food. Label everything you freeze because all the orange food starts to look the same. Canned food is not so hot, but canned pumpkin is good to go. And finally… the pre-made stuff is totally fine too. Mainly because prunes, apricots, purple carrot, and the like are just too complicated for me. Plus in a pinch it's kind of nice just to just squeeze out some food rather than planning to defrost ahead of time. I've been using Plum Baby and it's great, but mainly I love the packaging. And these sites are full of good info : wholesome baby & weelicious

Next up is cheese, yogurt, and meat. Though on second thought the idea of pureeing meat makes me want to gag. May hold off on that for a bit!

street chic

2011-02-10T14:46:00.000-05:00

Even though it's February, I wish I was strolling around town lookin' this cool today.

pretty sure I found image here

vino + van gogh

2011-02-09T15:48:00.000-05:00

Last night I went out on a limb and tried something new. Along with my trusty friend Katherine I went to a painting class called Vino & Van Gogh. Honestly, I was skeptical, but let me tell you it was a ball. Loved the class, loved the teacher, and of course the wine. Marquin, the teacher, is just adorable. My work of art won't end up in a gallery any time soon, but the "birds on a wire" just might end up on my own walls.

my moosh

2011-02-07T22:38:00.000-05:00

Say hello to my little moosh. She's a rolly polly nugget. We sit her up, but she rolls over. She leans left… and then leans back, and soon it's "boink" and back onto the floor. Seven months, two weeks, and three days, Mimers is taking her sweet time with this whole sitting up independently thing. But fear not baby girl. We'll continue to hold onto a leg or catch that noggin on the way down. It's no problem. And I guess we'll just stick to calling you Moosh for the time being.

engaged by the lake

2011-02-06T21:29:00.001-05:00

There was a period when it felt like all I did was go to wedding stuff. Bridal luncheons, rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, bachelorette weekends, and showers all leading up to the main event. It kind of felt like everyone took the plunge at once. Exhausting and I loved every minute of it. Any excuse for a party. But lately our mailbox pops open with more pink & blue invitations than the fancy calligraphy kind.

So I was pretty pumped to celebrate a friends engagement over the weekend. Hearing the proposal story and checking out the ring never ever gets old. And hooray for one fancy wedding invitation… coming right up.

art project

2011-02-01T13:03:00.000-05:00

Every morning I hop on my computer and my internet opens to Google. Sometimes there are pretty doodles or a cool link, but most of the time it's just the simple logo on a pure background. Nice & simple. But today there's a little icon called "art project" hanging out below the logo. So I clicked. And it's ummm… amazing! I visited the Frick in New York, the Uffizi in Florence, and the Tate in London. Not bad for a morning stroll.

You can explore museums from around the world and even zoom in super close, almost like you're standing in front of a painting. I don't know how they did it, but it's crazy good.

country ham house

2011-01-31T20:47:00.000-05:00

Honey child, we had the best breakfast ever on Saturday. You walk in the Country Ham House and it's like a good ole Southern cafeteria style place. Folks in their Sunday best, children running around, and regulars ordering their favorite meat and three. Perfect spot for breakfast with a baby. Sweet potato pancakes, sausage biscuit, country ham, eggs, and grits - so much for my recent workouts!

baby on a shelf

2011-01-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

About seven months ago I was sleep deprived and overwhelmed with new responsibility. There was a new baby in the house and we had no idea what we were doing. Seriously. Feeling kind of cooped up I decided we needed a little project one day. So we had a little photoshoot - baby on a bookshelf. Naturally! I went straight to work arranging the shelf while momma arranged Miriam like a prop. Hubs thought we'd lost our minds and truthfully I probably had, but it was a hoot!

I sure don't miss those early days, but lordy she was one tenny-tiny, precious thing.

ps: I borrowed the idea from here so she gets all the credit.

asheville visit

2011-01-25T14:20:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I got together with two old friends in Asheville. We stayed up late drinking wine and telling tall tales. It was just what I needed. I love that even though we all live in different cities and don't get together very often, we pick right up without a trace of distance. They're the reason I loved college.

Between the endless chatter, we visited the Biltmore. Even my wine head from the night before did little to distract me from how gorgeous it is. I had no idea. Seriously amazing. After exploring the mansion we headed down to the Red Stag bar in the village. It's decked out in dark paneling kind of like a hunting lodge, but much fancier. Big ole fireplace and these crazy chairs with a photo printed on the fabric.

We had the best time and nothing like a little road trip to spice things up.

southern living weddings

2011-01-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I'll be. I've been waiting and waiting to see if it was really going to happen, but honey it sure did! Tenn Hens is featured in Southern Living Weddings edition!!!!! I swear it's true yall. We got a call a few months ago from someone at the magazine who'd found our blog. We didn't think too much of it until they asked us for samples of our work. I packaged 'em up real pretty and sent off the package with fingers tightly crossed. Of all things they picked out my wedding invitations (never mind that they're from '08), but not that we mind one bit. Nope, we're some hap-happy hens here.

Anyway, I'll settle down and stop patting us on the back soon, but for today I am singing out loud and dancin' a little jig!

good boy

2011-01-20T14:22:00.001-05:00

As my family sat around Christmas morning opening presents and chatting, all I could think about was my gift for hubs. I hoped this year was going to top all others. He casually unwrapped the gift, but as soon as he saw what was inside his eyes filled with pure joy. I commissioned a painting of Mr Cooper by Amanda Norman in Nashville. She totally captured his spirit and it brings back all sorts of good memories with him. He was kind of our first baby.

Now we get to see him every day. Sometimes I feel a twinge of sadness, but for the most part I smile right on back at the big buddy. Pure sweetness. I miss him like crazy and would do anything to give him a big 'ole hug around the neck and tell him good boy.

a blessing

2011-01-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

Her dress was pressed and ready for the big day. It had a small ribbon around each sleeve and tiny buttons up the back. We slipped the dress over Miriam's head, brushed her hair, and slid on some tights. It was time to get this baby baptized.

We were so lucky to have our parents and even a few friends join us for the service. I wasn't quite sure if we'd all make it because hubs and I came down with a terrible bug the night before, but we survived and pushed through on a high from all of the excitement. The weather was cold, but the church looked beautiful and bustling as we arrived. We gathered in the back along with the other babies, waiting our turn.

Miriam was such a hoot, making all sorts of strange grunting noises and kicking her legs like crazy right up until the minister sprinkled the water on her head. Then she was all calm. The peace of the Lord made for one very serene baby. And after all the commotion she promptly fell asleep in daddy's arms for the rest of the service. Arms hanging heavy and her cheek pressed against his shoulder, she'd let all the love in and that was all she could take.

It was off to brunch to celebrate Miss Miriam's big day and we felt so grateful to be surrounded by those we love. Such a special day for such a special baby. I just didn't want to take her out of that sweet dress!

adventures in baby food

2011-01-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

I may change my tune, but for now I'm making all of Mimers baby food. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I rather like it. And let's be honest, it's not that hard. She opens her mouth like a baby bird and I swoop in with a bite. Some ends up on her face and comes squishing out her lips, but for the most part we're getting the hang if it.

On the menu so far…pears, apples, banannas, avacado, sweet potatoes, carrots, prunes, and peas. Baby nugget pretty much likes it all. And to give me some inspiration I've been checking out baby food recipes online here.

Next up… buying a high-chair. I love the wooden swiss one, but it looks like it would be hard on a baby bum & it doesn't have a tray. Otherwise, I like some of the modern ones, but they may look a tad out of place in our house. Any recommendations out there?

entryway

2011-01-14T16:27:00.000-05:00

I tear our stuff from magazines all the time. I have intentions of organizing all the tear sheets into nice file folders, but the truth is they end up scattered around my house. Anyway, I tore out this pretty spread because of the great entryway. Our bungalow is very similar in that it doesn't have an entry hall. It just opens straight into the living room and we're always dropping things on the chair or dining table. This is much more stylish. Think I need to copy this girl.

{The golden retriever doesn't hurt either}

And her office makes me feel hopelessly unorganized. Making a note to get my act together asap. Maybe this afternoon. Better yet, maybe tomorrow.

photos from amy meier

my moosh

2011-01-13T14:00:00.002-05:00

We have a new ritual at night. I used to have to rock Miriam until she started to get drowsy and heavy. Now I just give her the paci, rock her a couple minutes in my arms and put her right down. But while I'm rocking and humming whatever tun pops in my mind, she will stroke my face. Open palm on my cheek, then fingers down my nose and around my mouth. Exploring every surface and crevice she can touch. I have to close my eyes so she doesn't poke my eye, but it's the sweetest thing in the world. I pretend she's memorizing my face before she drifts off to dreaming. Little girl, I love you so.

note: mini pink patagonia is the best fifty bucks I spent last year!

favorite store

2011-01-12T20:49:00.000-05:00

So we were casually walking around Rockefeller Center on our big trip and out of the corner I spotted the familiar logo. The one that makes my heart go pitter-pattern. Oh, how I love Anthropologie. It did not disappoint. The window displays were ridiculous. I could've wandered around for hours, but hubs waited patiently with my coat and bags while I tried to see it all in only a few minute. And I contained myself to one sweater, a top on sale and a baby dress. Yes, they even had a children's area. Sweet as pie.

snowed in

2011-01-10T18:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it must be our year for snow. There were 6 inches on the ground this morning in Greenville. Mimers and I stared in awe out the window at the bright white everywhere. I haven't seen snow like this down South since I was really little. So we snuggled in and watched our street come alive as the morning began.

Dogs romping around, an outdoor fire pit started at the neighbors, people tromping around in lots of layers, and a bunch of kids sledding. Ahh… this is the life!

twelve and a dog

2011-01-05T20:56:00.001-05:00

It's a new year and I'm already off to a sour start. Been seriously neglecting this here blog. But, I've been spending lots of time with my family, catching up with friends, and hanging in a tree house. This here tree house I mention is pretty amazing. One of my dear friends father is an architect. A really fabulous architect, actually. Anyway, he decided to built a tree house behind their house. Not your run of the mill tree house for kids, but a funky hangout hung high in the sky.

About 50 or so feet high, it's supported by only 4 bolts into an old oak tree. There are beer & wine bottles suspended around with the bottoms cut out so candles can be placed inside. It's beautiful and I hope to get invited back when it's dark next time. We should all be so lucky to have a hideout from the world. Gotta find me my own tree one day.

when he asked how many folks it could hold… "12 & a Dog" … naturally.

happy new year

2011-01-01T10:29:00.027-05:00

A brand new year. It's sort of amazing how time passes by and it makes my mind pause and reflect on all that has transpired. The slate gets wiped clean. All blank and ready for new moments to be recorded. This little face brings me happiness & hope so here's to more of both in the new year!

white christmas

2010-12-28T22:41:00.001-05:00

It's usually reserved for dreams, but this year it really was a white Christmas. Must have been the baby that brought such a good luck. A gorgeous white dusting when we woke up and then a couple inches came down that afternoon. We had a nice evening with my extended family, drinking nog and enjoying having 3 new babies rolling around. Then, Christmas day was spent lounging by the fire, watching movies, and eating a big homemade breakfast.

And the best part… brother Will's flight back to NY got canceled from all the snow and he can't go back til Sunday. So here we all are. Packed all in like we're at camp around here with everyone's stuff everywhere. What a wonderful holiday treat!

merry christmas y'all

2010-12-24T13:27:00.001-05:00

the frist museum

2010-12-24T10:11:00.001-05:00

It can be hard to get everyone in the same place, at the same time. So in the spirit of the holidays, we had a family outing yesterday. We all met at the Frist Museum to see the Birth of Impressionism from the Musée d'Orsay. Even the baby got a little dose of culture. Little nugget had the best seat strolling around and gazing up. The exhibit is seriously incredible and if you live in town, ya just have to go. Nashville is mighty lucky to have scored this exhibit. It's one of only 3 host cities worldwide.

And before you leave… There's also a Chihuly exhibit upstairs you can run through!

big apple

2010-12-23T11:26:00.000-05:00

We touched down in New York on Friday and our feet didn't stop moving until we crawled into bed late Sunday evening. The big apple treated us very well. Every nook & cranny was bustling with people and energy. Shopping bags were piled on arms and the cold air didn't stop anyone from hitting the stores. I kept having to grab onto hubs coat as we walked around so I could look up at all the tall buildings without getting lost in the shuffle. Brother Will was our tour guide and totally hooked us up.
P.J. Clarke's - Dell'anima - Bleeker St Pizza - Pearl Oyster Bar - Cafe Clooney
Ahhh-mazing. We ate some of the best food I think I've ever had. And we had a celebrity sighting at Pearl Oyster : Roger Sterling from Mad Men (which I'm obsessed with) & Jack Bristow from Alias. Roger and I chatted, because my coat was hung on top of his and he was so charming and handsome. Totally made my night.

And we shopped. 5th Avenue and Rockefeller Center was all decked out with lights and window displays. Mostly we just walked around the city, popping in stores and stopping for a bite or a drink as we went along. I could have spent the entire day just in Saks! We went up to the NY Athletic Club to see the incredible view of Central Park. It really gives you perspective to get up and look out at just how big the city is.

We did it up and stayed out into the wee hours having too much fun. But come Sunday afternoon, I was ready to head home to my mooshkin. It was definitely harder on me than her. I kept having to look at pictures on my phone and call home. Miss Miriam was fat and happy without me though. Momma and her got into quite a nice routine and even dabbled in some carrots. Oh, I missed her so much and couldn't wait to give her a big ole squeeze.

So much to do and so much more to see that I guess we'll just have to go back!

If I were a boy

2010-12-16T11:45:00.002-05:00

These would make for some good stylin' man gifts. Wish I could snap 'em all up for hubs!

icon wallet : jack spade
tweed record player : crosley
retro vest : patagonia
reversible bow tie : bonobos
polo belt : f.m. allen
cardboard taxidermy : urban outfitters
abby's ale : because I love the packaging

12th South Taproom

2010-12-15T22:29:00.000-05:00

After a couple days cozied up at Pontotoc, hubs and I got to venture out without the babe. Sorry Miriam, but it's a tad easier when we're not hauling that heavy car seat everywhere. It felt nice to drive around town and see what's going on. Mostly we ran errands, but we also had a leisurely lunch at 12th South Taproom. Then it was back home to relieve momma from babysitting. Just a little taste of whats to come this weekend when we head to NY. Oh my, I hope she's ready!

baby, it's cold outside

2010-12-13T21:12:00.000-05:00

Over the river and through the hills to grandmother's house we go.

Once again, we packed our bags and headed to Nashville for the holidays. And just in time, because Old Man Winter came down with quite a bit of snow. Everything dusted with white and the wind whipping it in large gusts across the field. We all stood at the window watching. If only we had a baby moosh snowsuit. Instead, we layered two fleece pj's, a sweater, a hat, and a mini patagonia jacket on Miriam. She flew like a plane, arms stretched and head back, giggling into the wet flakes. Then it was back into the house to warm up that red nose and peel off all the layers. What a day to be home.

santa baby

2010-12-09T13:46:00.000-05:00

Now, I know I said hubs and I are giving each other the trip for Christmas, but we have to open something small from under the tree.

So husband… since you keep asking me what I want & can't remember what I tell you, and since you've lost the list I wrote down for you, I though I'd make it easy on ya. See lovely photo below with hints of pretty things. Oh, and I know we said "small", but I threw in a couple of slightly larger items just in case.

A Perfectly Kept House is a Sign of a Misspent Life : amazon
pretty scarf : roberta freyman
flower pin : emerson made
chan luu bracelet : bloomingdales
latte bowls : anthropologie
cotton pj's : j crew
only gold for me polish : sephora
note cards : rifle paper co.