Spring is springing!

This really is only for testing the WordPress app. I’m outside with my boy and we’re shooting Nerf guns at anything that doesn’t move, and even some bumblebees!

I Heart Fall tag!

Well, hello! It’s been ages since I blogged. Over a year, I think! I miss the interaction and see cute things I want to post all the time, so I’m jumping back in, however erratically. 🙂

My friend Lauran did the I Heart Fall tag, and I wanted to jump in, too! See the questions and answers under the image.

1. Favorite Fall lip product? Lip products are weird for me. I must have an odd pH balance, because lip colors go very funny on me really fast. I absolutely LOVE makeup, but the smallest part of my collection is definitely lip stuff. That being said, my go-to year-round lip color is Maybelline’s “Warm Me Up,” from their core collection of Color Sensational lipsticks.

2. Favorite Fall Nail Polish? Oh gosh! This is crazy hard! I have over 100 bottles of polish at last count! In the fall, I love darker colors, deep purples, reds, and greens. My favorite of all time is probably OPI’s “Lincoln Park After Dark,” but I also love OPI’s “You Don’t Know Jacques” and China Glaze’s “Ruby Pumps” for a little vampy oomph.

3. Favorite Starbucks Fall Drink? I generally don’t care for Starbucks. I’ll go there in a pinch when traveling and like their Salted Caramel Latte (I hate any pumpkin-flavored drink!). I prefer the Mississippi company Seattle Drip, though. I always get their 16 oz. Evergreen Mocha, whole milk, no whip.

4. Favorite Fall Candle? I adore Yankee Candle’s Farmer’s Market. It’s citrusy and spicy, with a hint of berries. It smells to me a bit like fall baking but without all the cinnamon and nutmeg you’d expect. I like it year-round!

5. Favorite Fall accessory? Scarves! I have both lightweight and warm ones because you just never know here in Mississippi. I have newly-short hair, so I’m looking forward to playing around with scarves and long earrings.

6. Haunted house or haunted hay ride? Um, neither! I don’t like to be scared! Ghost Adventures on The Travel Channel is as scary as I’ll go, and I’m not even scared by that any more since I’ve watched it for so long now.

7. Favorite Halloween movie? I’m not sure I really know any Halloween movies (see #6) so let’s just say the Charlie Brown special.

8. Favorite candy to eat on Halloween? I’ll fight you for Reece’s peanut butter cups. Even better if they’re the pumpkin-shaped ones. I don’t care how many fake ingredients or how much sugar they have. GIVE THEM TO ME.

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?! I don’t remember when I last dressed up, but I was probably a New York Met. But this year my fella is going as Bumblebee from Transformers (The Prime version. His instructions while costume shopping were VERY specific.)

10. What is your Favorite thing about Fall? Lower humidity! I know that seems so lame, but I hate humidity and all the sweating that comes with it! Today is our first truly cool/low humidity day (72 degrees and 48% right this minute!), and I’ve been so happy since I woke up. I feel more energy, more excited about doing household stuff, and I swear the light looks a little brighter and crisper outside. Now it’s time to decorate!

let’s pretend it’s an umbrella-drink vacation…

 

You may have noticed things have been quiet around here the past week. Or you may not have noticed at all. Thing is, I just don’t have time to blog right now. There’s a good reason, though: I have a new job teaching 9th and 10th grade English online! It’s keeping me supremely busy these days, so…

I’m officially on hiatus from blogging until further notice. I’ve finished reading one book in the entire month of August, and it’s not likely I’ll finish another one by the 31st. I don’t have the brain space left to think of reading, or of writing any kinds of blog posts. Maybe September will bring settling in to the new job, cooler temperatures, and more books read.

So please don’t abandon me! It’s not time to unsubscribe or remove me from your reader. Know that I’m coming back, but it won’t be for a few weeks yet! Take care!

Photo Friday

My little guy, in my mom’s classroom, which we helped her get ready for the school year. Hard to believe my fella starts preschool next week. Gulp!

Photo Friday

Thank you, Harry.

a lovely sentiment

I’ve been doing a little bit of Googling tonight, looking for blogs that focus on Southern-inspired decorating. I clicked on a random blog that I don’t even remember now, and the blogger’s “about me” blurb caught my eye. I loved one little sentence so much that I had to make a graphic out of it. I hope I can remember that this is true for me.

Happy Sunday, y’all. 🙂

Independence Day Gratitude

I don’t know about you, but Independence Day fills me with thanks. I’m thankful for my Savior; for my family; for my country; for good food and hard work and fireworks and togetherness. I had a whole lot to be thankful for this Fourth of July.

I’m thankful for hard work that allows us to own a home where we can proudly display our nation’s beautiful flag.

I’m thankful for pretty geraniums blooming on my front porch.

Today I was really thankful for delicious holiday food. I’m convinced one way God shows His love for us is through food!

Ribs and corn on the grill…

Perfectly-cooked fried green tomatoes…

Peach cobbler made from scratch with Chilton County, Alabama, peaches.

I’m thankful for a healthy, smart, silly boy who loves Jesus and eats his vegetables. (Oh, and this is “Baby,” his ever-present companion.
I don’t know who would cry more if we lost Baby, him or me.)

I’m thankful for the hard work John and I did to prime our bathroom.
No more bland and boring beige walls!
A nice, light sage green is coming this weekend.

I’m thankful for sweet holiday arts and crafts from Mother’s Morning Out.

And I’m thankful for the fireworks we got. They made us all three very happy.

I know Thanksgiving is the traditional time to express thanks, but the Fourth of July puts me in a much more pronounced mood of gratitude. What a blessed life I lead. Thank You, Lord, for the blessings of my family and my nation. May I be worthy.

Happy Fourth!

Friday night we took OT to see a balloon glow and a fireworks show in Ridgeland. John and I had never been to a balloon glow, and now I’m hooked. I don’t think I’ve ever been so close to hot air balloons, and I told John that if he ever wants to surprise me, he can take me up in one! The day was blazing hot (99 was the high) but as soon as the sun started to go down, the night was very pleasant and beautiful. Here are a bunch of photos!

OT was definitely a fan. 🙂

The balloons stayed inflated and glowed for about 45 minutes, and it was awe-inspiring! They slowly deflated one by one, and then the crowd was treated to a concert by country singer Darryl Worley. After his set, when the skies were dark, we had a great fireworks show that lasted over 20 minutes. OT was happy as a clam. 🙂

We’ll definitely be back next year, and next time we’ll be sure to take plenty of WATER!

Photo Friday

My husband often makes pancakes or waffles on Saturday mornings. Lately, there’s nothing better than piling on as many raspberries, strawberries, and Mississippi-grown blueberries as the pancakes can hold. Yum.

Happy weekend, everyone, and have a great Fourth of July! We’re going to a balloon glow/fireworks event tonight, so hopefully I’ll have photos to share!

Photo Friday

My husband and I did a little re-decorating in our bedroom a few weeks ago. I’d gotten tired of the blue curtains that were too similar in color to the blue walls and blue comforter. I went on a days-long, stressful hunt for the perfect curtains, and found just the right ones at Walmart, of all places. The magnolia painting, precisely what I wanted, was on sale at Kohl’s. We took off the comforter for summer and are just using the white duvet. The room makes me happy now, and every time I walk in there, I think, “It looks like grownups live here!” 🙂

I’ve reacted strongly lately against the current trends in home decorating, which seem to fall into two camps only: mid-century modern; or beachy, with lots of white, oatmeal, turquoise, burlap and sticks. Well, I don’t like either of those styles. I am very much a traditional, Southern girl. I like warm colors, rich fabrics, cozy spaces, and lots of dark wood, books, color, and the hum of a life lived together comfortably. That’s far more vibrant and lasting to me than a white porcelain bird under a clear glass cloche, sorry!