Happening Lately.
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Happy Friday!
I hope you have ridiculously fun weekend plans in store. That involves partying with the homies and whatnot. We are hoping to wrap up a whole host of house projects (and probably start on a few more, let's be honest :) And we are having friends over to our mess of a new home, but thankfully, they're dear friends, and won't care that we are still living in a construction/moving box zone.
This photo of my sweet Everett just gets me. That boy in that teeny little backpack. This week we FINALLY had a turning point with Everett's little pre-pre-school program. It's been three tough weeks of him wailing every time I drop him off (and me wailing as I leave the building - twice now a few of the teachers have actually walked out with me while I cried. Such a girl) But my boy is such a strong one that he has actually cried continuously and not calmed down. Which has led to multiple meetings and phone calls with his teachers and the administration about the best way to "immerse" him without traumatizing him. He's the only one who has the level of endurance that is actually surprising the school admin team. Waaaaaayyy to go. Now I realize that a lot of people may have opinions about the best way that I *should* be doing this. Some have told me to just "rip off the band aid" and let him cry because he will eventually overcome his frustrations. Some of have told me that he is just way too young and I need to be nurturing/spending all my time with him. No matter which camp you fall in, I completely respect your opinion. I also have had to go with my gut on this one. Which, I'll admit, has been shaky at times. I was so glad to receive a text message from his teacher on Thursday, telling me that he was having a great day, finally, NOT CRYING, and playing outside with the other toddlers! I literally wept (all over again) and praised the Lord for it. Because honestly, I could use a few hours to myself. To like, shower. And unpack. And drink the coffee. And I know that spending time around other kids is so good for him! I'm praying that this turning point sticks.
I bought myself a slew of succulents.
And hung them on my back porch.
And named them Jasmine.
Because what else do you name succulents, really?
Hiiiiiiiii Jasmine. You're pretty.
The past few nights I've been sitting on my back porch after Everett goes to bed, sipping red wine, watching the sun melt into the steamy Georgia sky, and dreaming about what to grow in my yard. Thankfully, the folks who lived here before us took really gorgeous care of the outdoor space, and there is a ton of potential to grow flowers and plants and vegetables. I am so excited to get started on my own green thumb. It's something I've dreamed about with Stevie since before we were married, and now! I am so excited to grow a salad! A SALAD.
I mentioned here before that we were gifted a ton of beautiful old furniture when we moved into our new home. I've taken some time in my garage this week, when Everett is napping or with one of his grandmothers, and I've been sanding, painting and distressing some of the furniture and making it the way I like. It's a ton of sweaty, hard work, but it's also really creative and therapeutic. I used to love refinishing and upcycling furniture, but then I spent years moving around a bunch and getting rid of everything. IKEA became our go-to furniture spot and I didn't keep anything I had spent time upcycling. But now I have a whole house-full of furniture that is just crying out for a little love (and paint!) I am so happy to have the opportunity to create something unique for my own home. I will have a few of the projects up on the blog over the next few weeks, if you're into that kind of thing :)
These flowers are a housewarming gift from my sis-in-law. Aren't they just incredible and fluffy and sweet? I just love hydrangeas? These are amongst the zillions of kinds I want to plant in my back yard. Stevie doesn't want me to get overwhelmed with planting too much, but I am so excited that I could practically float away! Monday is the day, folks. I will be a sweaty, frenzied, soil-fertilizer-seedling mess, but I will be a HAPPY mess. I'm planning to focus on some autumn vegetables and a few big perennial bushes in some places that need a little lift. Any gardening tips for the first-timer? Like, the uber first timer? I don't even own gloves.
Happy weekend to you, friends!
* Everett's backpack is from Pottery Barn and can be found here.
