Catch-Up

I've been out of the loop and haven't posted my FIVE on FRIDAYs in a few weeks so I need to play catch-up. 
Here are a few updates:
[ONE]  Could JoJo be any cuter?  She's right smack dab in the middle of the adorable phase!

[TWO]  Big sisters have been dressing baby sis up!  

[THREE]  The other night, AG and Edy "made" dinner for Graham.  AG made a little menu and they pretended to be waitresses/hostesses.  I love how they love their daddy!

[FOUR]  Tomorrow I'm headed to Fort Worth for a Classical Conversation practicum.  I am so excited to start Cycle Three and tutor this year.  

[FIVE] Y'all come back tomorrow for What You Wish Wednesday. I'll be featuring an awesome tutorial, too!   P.S. If you don't have a blog but would like to join in the fun, you're in luck! You can now link-up your Instagram account.  

See y'all tomorrow!

Striped Accent Wall

A few weeks ago, Amanda @ Cultivate Create asked me to participate in her Mini Makeover Challenge! Y'all can check it out HERE.  

THE CHALLENGE:  Make over a space in your home without spending a dime...or a penny for that matter.

The minute I got her email about the challenge, I began to think about areas in my home that I could "fluff" with items I had on hand.  Then it donned on me...I had a bunch of half-used paints in the garage and a drab wall in my entryway that could use a little TLC.

Starting point:

We've turned our awkward entryway into a breakfast nook/school space.  We spend a lot of time in this space and it's never been quite to my liking.

A few weeks ago, I updated the gallery wall and I think I like it.  I think.

BEFORE

How to add a little pizazz to a drab wall with no money, you ask?  Add stripes!

After measuring, leveling, and taping my lines, I used the base color paint (dark gray: Valspar Wet Pavement) and painted over the tape to seal the lines and prevent the lighter color from dripping under the tape.  I found the tip on a blog and it worked wonderfully.  I ended up with perfectly straight lines and hardly any drips. If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'.

I had left-over paint (Valspar Woodlawn Snow) from my kitchen update and used it as my contrasting color.

AFTER

This little update took me just over two hours start to finish including clean-up!  How's that for a mini-makeover without spending a penny!? 

Thanks for the challenge, Amanda! 

This post first appeared on Cultivate Create.

Social Media Pet Peeve No. 398,042

Social Media isn't going anywhere--it's the new norm.  How do I know this?  My grandmother has a Facebook account! For the most part, I like social media!  I really do. There are some awesomely wonderful things about Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but there are some aspects I could live without and I'm positively certain I'm not alone in my thinking. Right?
Last week, I read an article about wedding guests taking pics with their phones and ruining the photographer's photos due to guest's phone camera flashes.  In the article, the PROFESSIONAL photographer hired by the bride and groom vented about phone camera use during the ceremony and ruining many of her shots.  She called for an "unplugged wedding" asking for people in attendance to put away their phones and simply enjoy the wedding.  Click HERE to read the article.  Social Media Pet Peeve:  Sharing Other People's Life Moments Too Soon
Nearing the time of Joy's arrival, I was informed that there was a good chance I would be put to sleep during her delivery.  Essentially that meant friends and family would probably see her precious face before I even laid eyes on the baby I'd carried in my womb for nine months.  About a month before her arrival, I sent an email to the family members who would be present at the time of her birth and asked them to please refrain from texting pics or posting pics of her on Facebook (social media sites) before I gave the "okay".  Does that sound silly?  Is it so much to ask that I get to see my precious baby before "friends" of "friends" of "friends" of "friends" take a quick glance at her!?! People I don't even know!?!  I think not!

Thankfully, I was awake during her delivery, but even so, my family honored my request and waited to post pics of her on social media sites until I gave the nod of approval.    Get this: A few pics of my new baby girl were texted (unbeknownst to me) and posted to FB by someone I barely know just seconds after my first FB update. WOW! *By the way, the premature text wasn't a malicious thing--it just happened. I know of several other accounts of people sharing someone else's life moment and the outcomes have been so frustrating for the folks involved. Why the rant?  I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed with social media and wish folks could just sit back and enjoy life a little more--myself included. Ask yourself:  Is this my life moment to share with the world?  In a world where everyone can know virtually anything about everything in a matter of minutes why not make those precious life moments sacred...if only for a little while.  Am I alone on this one?  What are your social media pet peeves?

Happy 4th of July

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Here's last year's family pic...

Twelve years ago today, Graham asked me to marry him.  The best was yet to come...

Have a wonderful day of celebration, fun, fireworks, and relaxation!

Guest Posting!

Today, I'm guest posting over at Cultivate Create.  Amanda challenged me to make over a space in our home without spending a dime! Check out how I completed the challenge and while you are there browse around Amanda's wonderful blog.  You'll love her style and the inspiration found on her blog!

Thanks for letting me guest post on your lovely blog, Amanda!