christmas in our nest

i had two themes for decorating this year. simple and child friendly. scratch that. there were three. simple, child friendly and inexpensive. half of my decor stayed in boxes, we shopped all other rooms in the house, including the boys' toy bins. after pulling together what i already had i went ahead and spent a whopping twelve dollars on berry sprigs, miniature pines, dollar store foliage and one small box of red and green ornaments.



i really do enjoy the simplicity of it. i probably wont ever go back to crowded shelves and over achieving.



the boys love our little deer in the pickle jar. compliments of their animal figurine stash.



this glass vase sets on my counter year round and i have never seen it looking so happy as it does now. mister polar bear was another of the boys contributions and we have grown quite fond of having him in our dining room.



these are my favorite ornaments on our trees. they are the children's Christmas angels. they are in order oldest to youngest. i really just love them.



because i didn't have a wreathe to put above our mantle this year {and i didn't want to spend money on one} i went ahead and hand crafted this fine piece of artwork. it looks much better in person but the lighting in that room is terrible for photographing. i don't have a picture of the entire mantle but it is very simple. a few deer, a few plush trees i sewed a couple years back and an apothecary drawer. not even a stocking. we hang ours on Christmas Eve.

i am really looking forward to our Christmas morning. nothing beats the wonder i see on my boys' puffy morning faces each year. it's even better than being six again.

merry Christmas!

xoxo. ash

i love you a bushel and a peck

we found us some plump and ripe and juicy wild blackberries growing beside the homestead. we are going to try our hand at blackberry jam. that is if i can keep the two-year-old from plopping them all into his eager little mouth first.

after our gathering i snapped a few pictures because these boys are just so darn cute. especially in their fancy rubber goulashes.

yes they are cute. and necessary to boot. you see, we're making a snake burial ground behind our fence. we've found two, yes two, copperheads lurking in our grass in the past month. that's the kind of thing that makes a mom feel warm and cozy inside. not.

dear boyish offspring of mine:: i love you oh so much!

xoxo. your mama

sanctuary

so this room is my own personal sanctuary. i love my powder room. {that's the nicer way of saying bathroom right?} it's so light and fresh and it makes starting my day so much happier. the white cabinets are throughout the house, except for the kitchen. i love them. i'm kind of on this kick where i want everything to be white. it just feels so clean and peaceful to me and i'm totally digging it.

i do have to admit that i have not yet tried out the bath. all of the men have though and i hear it's quite lovely. my day will come i am sure.

decorating in here is still a work in progress. as it is in the rest of the house. with our new budget it will probably be a long work in progress but that's okay with me.

one thing that is driving me crazy though is that if you look at the first picture you'll notice there are no rugs in front of the sinks. i think i probably brought home three or four different options and none seemed to fit quite right. if anyone out there happens across an "L" shaped rug, feel free to email me. don't worry, i wont hold my breath.

i am thinking that today will be a good day for the boys and i to hit up some thrift shops. it has been a while since we've scouted out any new ones. and i am dying to head up to marshall and adventure in their downtown strip. there are some awesome window displays and i just really want to peek inside.

what will you do with your friday?

whatever it is....enjoy!

xo. ash

our nest, lighting and the new neighbors

hey folks!

i've never given you the official tour of the new nest now have i? as for my list of excuses i can say i have been busy, i have been busy and i have been really busy. in that order. i do have to tell you though that i am in love with it. i fell in love with the style of homes out here in east texas right away and even though this was completely finished out when we found it, it fits us {and more specifically me} perfectly. there's small things of course, like in my perfect world this kitchen work space would have been fitted with some fantastic pendant lighting rather than cans and, um, well that's pretty much it i guess. we have been very blessed. we love it {did i say that already?} and it's my goal over these next few weeks to share a little more with you.

as for now i am off to get some sleep because tomorrow will be a busy day of helping some new "neighbors" move in. sure it's about ten miles away, but that's just a stone's throw in the lone star state. and did i mention that it's family?! woo hoo!

welcome to town butler crew!

xoxo.ash

this and that and stuff

overwhelmed is not quite the word i would use to describe how i have felt the past couple of weeks. completely stressed out might be a more appropriate statement.

everywhere i turn there are toys and laundry and papers and stuff. i have come to the conclusion that i am ready to commit to a new lifestyle. i am a minimalist in training. slowly i have been working my way from room to room purging them of clutter and over excess. and let me tell you, i have still got a ways to go. there's still an entire attic to deal with. it gives me chills just thinking about it. but dang. where did all this stuff come from anyways?

but let me tell you something else. my boys have been a dream. don't let me fool you, they still fight and kick and pinch and yell sometimes {and just yesterday gare decided to wizz in the fireplace} but for the first time in EVER we are conquering nap and bedtime. they have gotten to the point where i can just lay them down, read them a book, kiss their fresh clean faces and tip-toe out of the room. i truly thought this day might never come. but boy am i grateful that it has. i like to call that a tender mercy.

and last but not least i am so excited for spring! i love that the world is brightening up a bit. i love that everywhere i drive i can see all kinds of beautiful trees in bloom. by far my favorites are the bradford pear trees that are all over the place here. they are full of tiny white blossoms and they smell amazing. i've been intending to cart the boys out somewhere to snap some photos beneath one. but like most of my good intentions, it hasn't happened. i need to work on that.

my goal for this month:: read a book that is more than fourteen pages long and has nothing to do with tractors, dinosaurs, dragons or trains.

happy tuesday!

xoxo.ash

getting warm

this is what it looks like after the boys have played their hearts out in the snow.

getting cozy in a blanket and watching a favorite movie.



ignoring the hundreds of toys strewn on the floor and going for a good book.



coats, hats and mittens drying on every available chair.
(and a half started project...)



a strapping two-year-old in stripedy pajamas. one of my favorite sights for sure.

what would you do on a snow day?

the forgotten room

quite some time ago we (and when i say we, i mean mostly me) made the decision to put the boys in the same bedroom. i wasn't sure how it would work out but i wanted to give it a try. the first night they slept in the room together gage pleasantly proclaimed, "now i don't have to be scared anymore!" that was the first of many incidents that has lead me to tell you -- BEST DECISION EVER.

i had big plans for their room. cute cute cute ideas that i was going to bring to life. then came about the winds of change and talk of moving. i toned down the plans. really toned down the plans. basically, the plans came to a screeching halt.

however, last week this wall bothered me for the last time and i finally added some color to it. nothing fancy grant you. bunting and pages from a vintage book of bedtime stories. extra simple but makes such a difference. and although i never did what i planned, maybe one day i will finally show you what i did manage accomplish.

home for sale

our house is officially on the market. (can you tell it's still not quite spring around here?) i have a feeling that keeping it show-worthy is going to be quite the task with my two, i mean three, boys to clean up after.

i however have a plan for distraction from our finicky messes. for me, flowers make everything so fresh and bright so i plan to have fresh flowers on my table each day. i just love what they can do to a place.

i've been trying to think of what i could tell people to make them really want to buy our house. i am still thinking on that one. but i feel safe in saying that one major selling point for my two shortest men is the fact that this morning (like most friday mornings) they multi tasked their toaster strudel consumption with some toy story 2 watching. oh what a life!

crack the shutters

i finally repainted and re-accessorized these lovely old shutters i found at a thrift store ages ago. they serve as a focal point atop our mantle. i love them. even more i love the sweet little glass knobs. i am finding myself drooling over all things lace and all things glass these days.

just another phase perhaps.

a quilt for my baby

well i did it!

i finally finished the quilt for garrett's new bed.

is the bed finished?

nope.

did i ever tell you how it weights like a million pounds? you don't even want to know how i got it to the room in the first place. now it needs to be carted back out and to the garage for some sanding and a coat of paint.

its day will come.

{garrett had to squeeze in a photo op of his lovely breakfast face. fruity pebbles anyone?}

i used pretty much the same fabrics as i used for my nephew's quilt top. i just love them so much. i tried to make garrett's a little more big boy and a little less baby. you be the judge of if it worked or not.

i was torn on what to do for the back. in the end i resorted to a simple white piece and called it good. i actually am glad i did that. simple is nice.

i wish i had made it an itsy bit bigger. but it's okay.

i wish i had done something a little different with the blocks. but that's okay too.

live and learn. right?

so that's one big check off on my list of things to do.

i do love that feeling.

the storm that never came + a project

well that storm was a bit of a let down. i was able to run all my errands in the prius, if that gives you any idea of how much snow we got. not enough to make me switch car seats over to the denali.

just about everywhere i went people were talking about their disappointment in the weather. that's what we talk about in small towns. many people told how they heard it was going to hit thursday while some said friday. some even guesstimated this evening. i've decided i will believe it when i see it. you just can't go wrong that way.

so last night, while waiting for the husband {and the storm} i decided to get to work on a project that has been boiling in my brain for a while now. see, i had a hot and heavy love affair with barn stars a while back. and like most good things, it came to an end. so there is a gigantic wall in my bedroom that i've really wanted to change but couldn't find anything i really really loved. one day at kmart i found this extra fancy framed art on sale for $5 each and it came to me. i bought the last three knowing i had everything else i needed at home.

and this is what became of them:::

a little beadboard that's been in my garage for over a year, some lovely cut felt that i got for a steal right after christmas and voila! i like how it brightens up my room. matt isn't sold on them. i think he had a secret crush on the stars, but i am rather pleased with them myself.

what diy projects do you have going on right now?

making changes

the boys each have their own room. garrett's room gets the sun almost all day long and is full of bright colors. they both seem to gravitate to it. that is until they've made such a mess that they can't get around. then they move on to gage's room...and then mom has two big messes to clean. fun!


those are a few of my reasons for deciding to move them into the same room. i asked gage how he felt about it last week. he really liked the idea. in fact, every day he reminds me of it. so my goal for the week is to get them moved in together. and perhaps thrift out a good percentage of toys in the meantime.

i'm excited because i get to do some decorating and changing around. but slightly nervous since this means garrett will be graduating to a big boy bed. that transition with gage was nothing short of a nightmare. but with garrett, i know he wants to be just like gage so maybe that will help. i hope so.

and in other news, this cute boy is making other big boy leaps this week in the way of potty-training. he's shown interest in it for the past month or so but i have put on the brakes because i feel like he is so young. i realize now that all kids are different and that is fine. gage was still petrified of the bathroom at this age but maybe garrett really is ready. he's been wearing his big brother's underwear today and so far we are accident free! go garrett!

my haven

i finally splurged and got new bedding. free of bright pink markings. oh dear son of mine....

i purchased the wreath above my bed at a thrift store for a whole quarter. it was sitting out in front in a box in the rain. i think it was the discard box. i really don't think anyone would have minded if i had just simply taken it to my car and left. it was adorned with a wonderfully outdated pink gingham taffeta bow. it reminded me of my childhood in utah and for some reason eucalyptus as well. yes, eucalyptus. was that the same era?

the little pitcher and plate set i also scrounged up at a thrift store for two dollars. it is vintage with bright colored flowers. i am debating painting it a pretty tiffany blue. what do you think?

i've had my sister-in-law's sewing machine {thank you monica!} for the last week while i worked on a bridesmaid skirt for my sister so i took advantage of this and made some pillows. i strategically took these pictures as not to expose the pins that are still holding them closed. i need to stitch them up and fluff them out. all in due time of course.

and on this subject, am i the only one that feels that decorative pillows are wayyyyy overpriced? i bought a yard of the cream muslin and the faux suede for less than ten dollars. i already had stuffing from another project and wala i saved myself at least fifteen dollars on pillows.

i really love that feeling.

a sad equation

1 creative boy + 2 permanent markers =
premature death to my 6 month old bedding

i am now in the market for a new look. bedspread, sheets, pillowcases....there were no items spared.

i am thinking i just need a bucket of white paint because i am love love loving these looks.

does anyone know where my perfect bedding is? and by perfect, i mean i'm working with a budget here. real life sometimes puts a damper on my dream world.

in happier news...
my boys are sitting at the table devouring their eggs and toast and then we are off to the pool for an early morning swim with some of our favorite people.

good morning!