Baby girl's nursery

My mom, younger sister, and I spent the past two days in Birmingham helping my older sister decorate the nursery for sweet "baby girl" who will be joining the family in just a few short weeks! We had so much fun as always spending time together. We work really well as a team, and we got SO much accomplished (yard work, painting chest of drawers, decorating, washing baby girl's clothes...). I love how baby girl's room turned out! It is so fresh and inviting, and Tom says it looks very "southern!" :) It definitely has an antique feel to it as we used some of our grandmother's crocheted doilies as a theme... (the baby's room also doubles as a guest room, hence the two twin beds..)

 We knew that we wanted to use framed doilies as a theme, but didn't really know what to use as the background...Ivey found these lovely blue floral napkins in her closet and they worked beautifully!

 We painted some random frames white and starched the doilies and put it all together!

 I used the handy box cutter and the glass from the frame to cut a cardboard piece the right size

 Then I stretched the cloth napkin around the cardboard and stapled it taut (actually we started out stapling, but then realized that duck tape worked better!)

 The lamp also belonged to my grandmother, and we just gave it a fresh coat of spray paint as well! Need to find a shade for it!

 Last night after working all day, we relaxed outside at Chuy's for dinner!

 Playing patty-cake with Thomas...

 We were so glad that Robby was off and was able to join us!

 I lived in Birmingham for about 6 months when I was doing my Child Life internship at Children's Hospital in 2009, and loved this place--Mountain Brook Creamery! I was telling my mom and sister about it on the drive down, so we had to stop in after dinner and satisfy my craving! Thomas loved watching a little girl's birthday through the window!

 He also enjoyed riding the lions outside!

We just have a couple more projects to do in baby girl's room (make a bed skirt, and paint two canvas pictures with birds) and we will be finished! Looking forward to getting it all ready for this precious new addition!!

Quiet hour...

I love books! I love having them around me...I love looking at them...I love bookstores...I love libraries...and I love reading them! But, I don't read enough these days! :( Between working full time, teaching at UTC, and family weddings, it's been a busy couple of months! Now it's summer and things have slowed down quite a bit...I have decided that I need to carve out some time in my day to read!

Last night I went to a book party for a sweet lady in my Bible Study. She and her husband are going to be foster parents, and we showered her with children's books to fill her library! That's when it hit me again...my love of books! Oh, how I have missed them these past few months! So....I am going to do something about it!!

The family that I used to nanny for had this wonderful part of the day called "Quiet hour!" The children would go to their rooms and spend an hour either napping, reading, working puzzles, etc. I have decided that I need a "quiet hour" in my day...a whole hour to turn everything off, and just read! So, this morning, I had my "quiet hour" and it was WONDERFUL! I spent some time in God's Word (the best book of all times!) and then picked up one off of my shelf called The Letters and Lessons of Theodore Roosevelt for His Sons. I know that I am not a "son" but I hope to have some sons someday and thought it would be an interesting read!

So here's to a fun-filled summer of many enjoyable "quiet hours!"

Going to the Chapel...

It was a BUSY weekend for my family! My younger brother Nathan got married to his sweetheart, Laura! There was a lot going on this weekend, so this is going to be a LONG post! First, I will say that we are so happy for God's faithfulness in our family and for how he so clearly ordained for Nathan and Laura to marry. They are PERFECT for each other, and will be such a powerful witness for the Lord!

For me, the weekend started on Thursday when I took the day off to do the flowers for the rehearsal dinner. Can I just say that I LOVED it!!! I went to my parents house to gather hydrangeas, greenery, and queen anne's lace. Then, I went to a few different places to get the rest of the flowers I would need...my kitchen looked like this...

 Which soon turned into this...

 Three large arrangements and 24 small ones (couldn't have done it without my sweet roommate's help!)

 Friday started off with a luncheon at one of Laura's family friend's house:

 Beautiful view:

 Friday afternoon, my roommate and I went to the venue where we were hosting the rehearsal dinner. We worked hard decorating and making it beautiful! It is a really neat place! An old warehouse has been turned into a unique shopping facility, and there is an event space on the lowest level. Laura's mom actually has an orchid store at Warehouse Row, so we were able to use the space! The arrangements outside to mark the entrance:

 When you walk into the lower space...

 Here is what it looked like once we were finished...

 Our tablescapes:

  This was right behind the buffet, and they used it as a dessert bar...

 Yummy banana pudding and chocolate cake selections...

 Me and my Aunt Marlene!

The girls:

 The store on the upper level you see is Laura's mom's store! It's neat the dinner was just below her store! Love the HUGE tree branch that hangs in the open space between the levels!

 Sweet daddy welcoming everyone!

 The happy couple:

 After dinner, we gathered in the lower level where we could hear each other a little better and toasted the bride and groom...such a sweet time!

 Saturday was wedding day!!!!! I did my best to photograph what I could, but I missed a lot!! Here's what I do have...the handsome groomsmen from my family...

 My sweet parents...

 Retying the bowtie!

 Siblings:

 Sisters:

 Thomas was ADORABLE in his searsucker suit!

 He had a blast!

 Sisters (only Kathryn was a bridesmaid representing the sisters...Ivey was too pregnant, and I was a reader...)

 Love me some cutie pie! Trying to get him to look, but he was interested in the bridal pictures!

 Laura's family:

This is the only picture I got during the ceremony...my camera was making too much noise, so I waited until the recessional...

 After the wedding...

 Grandmother...

 Love this one...

 More sisters...

 The girls...

 I snapped this one right before they made the grand entrance at the reception:

  Thomas got tired of waiting for them, so he just sat down in a flowerbed and started reading his book! :)

 Finally...here they come! In a restored Porsche...

 Groovin' to the first dance...

 Upbeat mother/son dance...the band loved how great my mom can dance! :)

 Dancing!

 Me and my dancing buddy for the night!

 A view of the reception from the side yard...one of Laura's family friends had the reception at their amazing home!

 Aunt "Tat"

 Front view of the house:

 Yummy cake:

 We wore ourselves out dancing! :) Taking a breather....

 Thomas loved this HUGE mirror that was floor the ceiling...

 The send off...

 On their way!

It was a great night of food, fellowship, dancing, and celebrating God's goodness! Of course, we were a little teary eyed watching them go...it's hard to see your little brother grow up! But we are so proud of him and look forward to all that is in store for them as husband and wife!