Time with Family, Part 3

My last blog post was over two months ago, and what a busy couple of months we've had.  I've been behind on blogging for a solid six months (I really need to work on that), so this post is about my mom and dad coming to visit TWICE this past Spring.  Lucky us!  :)

During one of my parents' visits, their dear friends, The Griffiths and Fabulous Ms. Martha were vacationing on Hilton Head Island so we had the pleasure of spending quality time with them, too!  Our friends, Kendra and Clint, were in town in for a house-hunting trip at the same time so here's a pic of the whole gang at Captain Woody's for dinner.  Martha ordered everyone a special blue martini in honor of her alma mater, Kentucky.  What an entertaining group of people!!  We laughed a lot that night. :)

One of the projects that has been on our to do list since Kevin and I moved to SC was refinishing our guest bedroom chest of drawers.  My dad graciously agreed to help me tackle this project, and here are the before and after pics.

Before

Instead of spending a lot of time sanding off the existing stain, we tried a product I read about on a blog called BIN primer.  You just paint it directly on the wood and then after it dries, you apply your paint.  We think it worked really well.

During

After

Eventually I might replace the knobs with different ones that are more fun and interesting, but for now I think the chest of drawers looks a million times better in the purple guest bedroom.

Since we moved into our house in early 2011, it has bothered me that the shrubs in our big flowerbed were not evenly spaced by the builder-contracted landscaper.  I know that might sound tedious to some people, but to me it was quite annoying.  So, I did a little research to find out when the best time to transplant would be and Spring seemed to be the optimum time.  Kevin and my dad moved the middle shrub and a perennial (that looked out of place after we moved the shrub), and suddenly everything looked nice and balanced throughout our main flowerbed.  Well, not really because my shrubs and perennials are growing at different rates but whatever...these changes were vast improvements!

So so happy that I was able to spend Mother's Day with my incredible and loving mom!  My dad, Kevin and I celebrated my mom that morning by having a delicious breakfast at Palmetto Bluff.

I am slightly obsessed with the trees and Spanish Moss around here!

The purple character in one of the above pics is Flat Stanley.  My cousin's daughter, Bekah, sent him to us for a school project, so we carried him around all week and took photos that we could send back to Bekah's class.  Flat Stanley got to do something I've never done...he flew in the Hornet with Kevin! :)

The biggest project of the week was painting the living room and dining room.  My awesome dad spent countless hours taping and painting, and I am incredibly grateful for his hard work.  The newly painted walls are a richer neutral color, and they look soooo much richer now.

As you can tell from this post, my parents are such hardworking people by nature, and they are incredible giving and selfless parents.  Whenever they visit us, they are eager to help us tackle any and every household task, issue or project.  I am very grateful for their willingness to lend a hand, and we learn so much from them...especially as first time homeowners.  During one of their visits, I'm really glad we managed to spend some time relaxing at the beach.

My mom helped me accomplish a long overdue task while in town - choosing pillow fabric for our living room sofa.  I searched for pillows for about a year, and I could not find any that were the right colors, size and style for our space.  So I finally decided I needed to order fabric and have some made.  My mom and I looked through hundreds of swatches one afternoon, but I ultimately chose this fabric in the pic below and I just love it.  The back side and the welting were made with a solid, less expensive fabric, which is an easy way to save money if you're having custom pillows made.

Mom and Dad, thanks again for coming to see us!  We always love having you!

Friday Five: Random happenings

On the phone last night, my dear friend Sarah asked when I was going to blog again.  Although it was a reminder that I'm way behind on blogging, it was encouraging to know that someone noticed my lack of blogging during the past month. :)  Thanks, Sarah!

1.  Tonight I'm trying a new recipe that I found via Pinterest - Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps  They are healthy and easy (two things I look for in new recipes), so I hope they taste as good as they look!

2.  Kevin and I really enjoy the TV show Shark Tank.  Have you ever seen it?  If not, you should watch it.  Friday nights at 8/7c on ABC.  It's fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining, and it has nothing to do with actual sharks.  The show celebrates innovation and capitalism, and it inspires great conversation between us.

3.  We have a new dining room chandelier, and I absolutely love it!  Kevin and my Dad installed it last week, and I feel like it has transformed the room.  My Dad also painted while my parents were here visiting, and you can see a glimpse of the new wall color in the background of this pic.  Not a dramatic change, I know, but a BIG change for the better in my opinion.

4.  A couple of months ago, Kevin and I went to a nearby auction with a bunch of our friends.  We didn't plan to buy anything, but we thought it would be fun to experience.  Of course, we each found something that we have been wanting for a very long time so we splurged and bought both things.  Kevin's find - a gun of some kind, I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you all about it.  (It's his very first gun.)   My find - a Louis XV style chair!  I've always adored this type of chair, but I've never purchased one because they are pretty expensive.  However, I bought this one at the auction for just $70!  It definitely needs a facelift, so I can't wait to find fabric with a modern design that will give this stylish chair new life.

For comparison, here's a similar chair available at Ballard Designs for $549!!!!

5.  Have you heard of Flat Stanley?  I was vaguely familiar with the name before last week, but now I have had my own personal experience with him.  My cousin's precious daughter, Bekah, sent him to me as part of a class project, and I was delighted to show him around South Carolina!

Friday Five - 3.2.12

1. Guess what Kevin saw while golfing at Parris Island recently?  Not one, but two alligators!  Doesn't this first one look like it's ready to attack?! 

2. A few weeks ago, we tackled a long overdue project of hanging a collection of picture frames on one of our living room walls.  As you can see in the photos below, we used the butcher paper method to position the frames, and it was very, very helpful.  I'm not sure where I originally found this idea, but I've seen it as a suggestion on more than one blog.  First, you cut butcher paper the exact size of each of your frames.  Then you tape the pieces of paper to the wall and move them around until you figure out how you want your display to look.  (I didn't bother using measuring tape or a level for this step.)  Once you decide on your layout then use a measuring tape and a level to determine exactly where each frame should be.  After each piece of paper is exactly where you want it, measure the distances on the back of each frame from the hooks to the outer edges of the frame.  Apply those measurements to the corresponding papers taped to the wall and then you will know exactly where to hammer the nails.  After the nails are in place, just remove the papers and replace them with the actual frames!

Now I just need to figure out which photos to put in the frames.

3.  So I'm not gifted in the art of flower arranging.  I have only tried a couple of times, but each time I try I feel like my creation looks nowhere near as beautiful as a professional arrangement.  Despite this, I believe my ability to arrange flowers can only get better with practice...so I'm gonna keep trying.  Before our friends came to visit a couple of weeks ago, I decided to buy some inexpensive flowers at the grocery store and arrange them myself.  I asked the man working in the floral department to give me some advice, and he gave me two helpful tips: 1. Use plenty of ferns and baby's breath to fill the arrangement. and 2. Create the arrangement in your hand first (rather than the vase) then cut the stems to the appropriate lengths before putting them in the vase.  I followed his advice to the best of my ability, and I think the arrangement turned out a lot better than my previous attempts.  Here's a pic of it a week after I created it and after I removed some dead stems.  It's not great, but it's not terrible either! 

4.  The Game of Things - We had a bunch of friends over last weekend, and we played this game for hours.  It's a great source of laughter and entertainment when you have a big group of people!

5.  I tried a new recipe this week - Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup.  Kevin really liked it, and I liked it too...so I think it's one that I'll make again.  Here's the link to the recipe if you want to try it.  The bacon and green onion toppings add a lot of flavor, but next time I think I'll add some seasoning to the soup while it's cooking.

Friday Five - 2.24.12

1. Have you heard of Ben Rector?  I do not know him, but my mom knows his mom because my older brother, Adam, and his older sister, Lauren, were in grade school together.  A couple of years ago, I watched his rendition of "Free Falling" and I was beyond impressed by his talent.  Recently, a friend shared another one of his YouTube videos on Facebook, and I thought it was so good that I have to share it with you.  From browsing his website, it's looks like he's becoming very successful and I think I might have to buy his album on iTunes.

2. Two of our friends, Clint & Kendra, visited us from North Carolina this past weekend, and we had such a great time with them.  They're reporting to a new duty station sometime this summer, and they don't know where that is yet, but we really hope they end up moving to our town! 

Kevin and I love having overnight houseguests, and one thing I like to make when we have company is coffee cake.  I make my late Grandma Dottie's recipe, and it never disappoints.  Here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
1 plain yellow cake mix
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
¾ c vegetable oil
¾ c cold water
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
½ c chopped pecans (divided in ¼ c parts)
¼ c sugar
2 T cinnamon

GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1 c powdered sugar
1 T milk
½ t vanilla
½ T softened butter

DIRECTIONS:
1. Using electric mixer, combine cake mix, pudding, oil and water. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla. Beat 8 minutes (important).
2. Meanwhile, combine ¼ c pecans, sugar and cinnamon.
3. Grease bundt pan. Sprinkle ¼ c pecans in bottom of pan. Pour in part of batter, then alternate the pecan mixture and cake batter, ending with batter, until all is used.
4. Bake at 350°, 40-50 min. Cool in pan 15-20 minutes then turn onto serving plate.
5. Combine glaze ingredients in small mixing bowl. Add more sugar or milk if needed.
6. After cake cools, drizzle glaze over cake.


3. Pandora app - I think I'm a couple of years late to the Pandora party, but I just started using the app and I really like it.  It's nice to listen to while showering, getting ready or cooking...so you might give it a try if you're not already using it.

4. So, Kristen Bell, the actress, is obsessed with sloths.  I don't know why, but this clip about her obsession is really funny.  You should watch.  Oh, and when I showed Kevin this video, he said I look a little bit like her when I cry!  Gee thanks, babe.

5. Because our friends were coming to visit last weekend, I bought some fresh flowers to put around the house.  Here's a pic of the hyacinth I bought; I just couldn't resist the sweet smell.  For just $5.99, it's a beautiful, fragrant and affordable addition to our home!

Friday Five - 12.30.11

1. Our Christmas Tree

We still need to find a topper that we like.

2.  Our mantel in South Carolina

I found the garland at Michaels BEFORE Christmas and it was 60% off!

3. Lights covering a F-86 Sabre at MCAS Beaufort

I wish we had a better photo, but this was the best we could get using an iPhone from our car.

4. Christmas #1

Tara, Toy, Rick, Erin, Kevin, Kelly

5. Christmas #2

Vern, Belinda, Erin, Kevin, Kelly

Christmas #3 (with my parents and brother) was great as well but we didn't take a single family photo!  Pretty shocking since photos are a BIG deal in the Johnson household. :)  Oh well, we had fun and made memories. 

We had a fabulous Christmas with all of our loving families, and we hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too!

Friday Five - 11.25.11

1.  Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you were able to see loved ones and enjoy tasty food yesterday!  As I mentioned in a recent post, my late Grandma Johnson's pumpkin bread is my favorite Fall recipe.  I made it again this week, and I think that everyone needs this easy recipe.  So, here it is.

My Grandma Johnson’s Pumpkin Bread

3 c flour                                                                           
3 c sugar                                                                         

1 ½ tsp salt                                                                     

2 c pumpkin (approx. 1 can)                                        

4 eggs                                                                             

2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon                                                   

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
2/3 c canola oil
2/3 c water
1 c chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well.  Divide batter between two large loaf plans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 ½ hours. 

2.  My mom and I made another pillow this week, and I can't wait to take it back to South Carolina to see how it looks in our living room!

Translation: Make yourself at home :)

3.  Gift Idea - Christmas is just one month away, and slowly but surely, I am getting my shopping done.  If you need a gift idea for someone who likes to cook or read then I highly recommend The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook or The Pioneer Woman's book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.  The cookbook is full of delicious, step-by-step recipes, and the book is intriguing and laugh out loud funny!

4.  UNION HIGH SCHOOL (our alma mater) beat Jenks High School tonight, 30-29!  What an exciting game to watch on TV with my family.  Next week, Union will play for the 6A Football State Championship...and yes, Kevin and I have been out of high school for over a decade, but high school football pride runs deep in Oklahoma. :)  Go Redskins!

5.  Operation Christmas Child - I mentioned this on Facebook, but it's such a wonderful cause that I want to post it here too.  If you're looking for a way to help a child in need this Christmas then go to this website to find out how you can pack a shoebox and send joy to a child in another country.

Friday Five - 10.28.11

Here are five random things I'm enjoying right now:

1. This mum.  Isn't it beautiful?  I am so glad that my sweet six year old neighbor was selling mums to raise money for her dance company, because this one makes me happy every time I see it.  You should get one, too!

2. My new iPhone.  I used the camera on it to take the photos in this post.  Pretty impressive for a phone camera, huh?  Everything about this phone is ten times better than the iPhone 3G I've been using since December 2008.  Hopefully I won't splurge on another phone until 2014! :)

3. Two reupholstered chairs that round out the seating of our living room.  I'm a little giddy over them for two reasons: 1) I feel like they are my own creations (even though I didn't reupholster them myself), and they make me proud because I'm not the most creative person. 2) The geometric print is perfectly feminine, so I love the contrast it creates with our leather furniture.  Here's the backstory on the chairs:  I shopped and shopped and shopped for affordable accent chairs, and I finally settled on these two that I found on sale at World Market. The original fabric was a gold & cream geometric print, but the gold wasn't a great match for the gold tone in our rug. So, while shopping for throw pillow fabric one day, this gorgeous fabric caught my eye because it was exactly the geometric print that I wanted to add to our living room.  Since the price was only $9.90/yd, I immediately bought plenty of yards to cover two chairs and called a local reupholstering company.  Much to my surprise, the reupholstery job was very affordable....and I couldn't be happier with the results.  I'm also pleased that the colors in this fabric are neutral, because that will make it easy to move these chairs into other rooms in the future.  (Please excuse the wrinkled drapes in the background - I haven't seen our steamer since we moved across the country!)

4. Pumpkin bread.  I look forward to making my late Grandma Johnson's recipe every Fall and Winter, and I've already made three (double!) batches this year.  Thank goodness I've given over half of those away!  What's your favorite recipe this time of year?

5. The blog Young House Love. {www.younghouselove.com}  This husband & wife team makes a living by writing this creative blog about renovating and decorating their house.  They are very talented, and they post a lot of inspiring "before" and "after" photos of their projects.  If you like DIY projects then I'm sure you'll enjoy their blog.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Blooming like crazy!

My beautiful double knockout rose bush

Flowers (and parents) make a big difference...

My incredibly generous parents made another trip to South Carolina the week of Memorial Day, and I cannot believe how much we were able to accomplish while they were here for less than a week!  Seriously, my mom and dad are workhorses, and I couldn't even force them to take a break to go to the beach (believe me, I tried)!  We appreciate their help more than words can express, and it was truly a joy to have them here in our home again. 

One of the biggest projects of the week was planting some flowers and changing the mulch in our flowerbeds.  I thought the difficult part was going to be planting the flowers, but I was so wrong.  The biggest challenge was trying to decide which flowers to plant!  Our builder started the flowerbeds with some basic landscaping, so I just wanted to add some colorful flowers to fill in the empty space.  I can't even remember how many hours we spent in the local nursery, Home Depot nursery and Lowes nursery...but trust me when I say it was a ton.  There were way too many choices, and I am very particular so I was overwhelmed to say the least.  Thankfully, my parents were patient and helpful, we managed to make some good decisions and I am very pleased with the results.  Of course, all of our landscaping is new so it can't compete with mature landscaping, but I look forward to watching everything grow over the next few years.  Also, I must confess that after my mom and I decided where to place all of the flowers, my dad did about 99% of the actual planting and mulch replacing while my mom and I worked on projects inside the house.  Thanks again, Mom & Dad!  The flowers look lovely!

February

June



Love you, Mom & Dad!



Purple Room Progress

Our purple guest room now has a headboard, nightstands and lamps!  Come check it out...I've been told by more than one guest that the bed is very comfy. ;) 

Looking forward to next week's guests - my parents and the Beechers!

Be our guest!

Kevin and I absolutely love visits from friends and family, so I am very happy to say we have two guest bedrooms ready and waiting for visitors!  Here is a photo of the first guest bedroom.  It still needs some decor, and the furniture needs to be sanded down then painted black...but here's a glimpse of how the accent wall looks with the bedding.  I know the color is really bold, but this neutral bedding really needs a splash of color behind it.

p.s. The mattress is new and extremely comfortable!

Little things

Warning...if any men are reading this blog...you will probably have absolutely no interest in this post! 

For my birthday, one of the gifts my parents gave me was a metal jewelry stand from Pottery Barn that I've had my eye on for awhile.  I love it because once the stand is covered in your jewelry, it becomes beautiful, unique and functional.  When those characteristics are combined in one thing, I feel like I've accomplished something great in the realm of decor.  Plus, you can only wear so much jewelry in a day, or even a week, so putting it on display is a wonderful way to enjoy your favorite pieces while adding a bit of glamour to your bedroom.  If you place the stand in front of a mirror then you get twice the impact.

Some favorite pieces of jewelry and my stand

I made a minor change to our bedroom last week that I should have made a year and a half ago when we moved into our apartment in San Diego.  When I needed two new euro pillows in 2009, I just picked up some inexpensive ones at Target with a gift card we had and thought that was sufficient.  (Note: It might be silly to talk about this on the blog, but I thought I would share this information for my fellow pillow lovers out there.  My husband does not understand my desire for lots of pillows, and I'm sure he never will.)  So, the change I made was replacing the regular 26'' square euro pillows with oversized square euro pillows that are 28'' squares.  I can't believe how much better the larger ones look in the shams!   I'm so glad I made this discovery while I was shopping for euro pillows for our new guest bed.  In case you need some oversized euro pillows of your own, Bed Bath & Beyond carries them.  As you can see from the photo below, those extra two inches on each side make a big difference!  Moral of the story: euro shams and euro pillows come in different sizes.  Having shams and pillows that are appropriately sized for one another makes me a happy girl.  Sometimes it's the little things in life! :)


26" on the left vs. 28" on the right



28" euro pillows

Our Bedroom

Let me start by saying this...the process of decorating our house is going to be a long one! Not only do I like to take my sweet time making decisions (especially when they involve spending money), we have more space in this house than we had in our San Diego apartment. I have a lot more decorating to do in our master bedroom, but here is a glimpse of it so far.  Thank you to my Dad for painting the walls and hanging the curtains, and thank you to my Mom for helping me make decisions!


BEFORE

 

AFTER

Someday when the other walls are decorated, I'll post photos of our entire bedroom. :-)