New Landscaping!

We finally got our landscaping done!  I am always nervous when they start to rip up the grass as I don't know what I have gotten myself into!  I have to say that I love it and it is better than I envisioned!  Here is a BEFORE...

and AFTER...

All the plants are so small right now, but in a few years, they will be nice and full!

We have a sweet little crabapple tree in the corner

I have a hydrangea bush!!!

We did not have a path from the driveway to the porch.  The builder made the access go to the sidewalk.  It is nice for the whole neighborhood feel, but we were constantly cutting through the grass to get to the front!  We decided to have the flagstone path put down and I love it!  

Our yard had quite a bit of slope so we added the small retaining walls and I think it adds so much to the front of the house!  It makes ours a little different from everyone else's and I love that!  We are so pleased and can't wait to see when all the plants grow in next spring!

We have had a lazy weekend and I have loved every minute of it!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well!  

They're Baa-aack!

Halloween is here and we have been invaded by spooky friends yet again!!!  

We even had a new witch and jack o'lantern join the fun! 

Meet our newest friend!  When I saw her on a clip art site, I knew she would want to hang out in our dining room.  Hmmm... I wonder what she is cooking up?

Dracula is back! 

He was always in our bay window in Charleston so I have him swooping in from the 

side in our new house.

This happy jack o'lantern is popping in with a few bat friends.  This window is easily 20 feet up.  I was shaking like a leaf putting him up there and didn't care if he was crooked or not!  I was terrified of falling backward!  Thank goodness I will only do this a two times a year!

Our sweet cat is back!  She is the only cat allowed in the house that won't make the husband sneeze besides me (he always calls me Kat!)!

Jemma's favorite witch is zooming in on her broomstick.  Jem was so sad that she wasn't in her room anymore.  I have a feeling I will be making one for her room even though it is in the back of the house! 

I think the new witch is my favorite!  

I created these by using good old fadeless black bulletin board paper that I bought at a teachers' supply store.  I found pictures I liked online first.  Then I cut the paper the size of the windows and just hand sketched the picture on.  I cut them out and taped them up!  Easy peasy!!  

 It is definitely feeling like Halloween now!  

Linking up with:

Debbie's Fall Home Tour party at Debbiedoo's

Roeshel's Craft Party at DIY Showoff

Kim's Wow Us Wednesday Party at Savvy Southern Style

Organized Mudroom

Hello friends!  I am the slowest blogger in the world!  You would think with Jemma in school, I would have so much time.  NOT!!!!  I have been a busy bee!!!  It is my goal to have an organized home that flows for our family.  It it going to take me some time, but I am dedicated!

I started with our mudroom. It is the first place you come in and where all our junk goes!  It started off like this...

You know all southern belle dresses should be in your mudroom!  Right?!?  

This closet is very wide.

First step was to take everything out of the mudroom and make a big ol' mess in the kitchen!

I am a candle hoarder.  This is just a bit of the stash!

Then I grouped like items and made a list of baskets, tubs and hooks that I would need.  I tried to use a lot of baskets and things that I already had.

Off I went to Walmart and it all came together!  

First off, I assembled this $14 plastic shelf that I put in the back of the long closet.  The closet is so long, it is hard to see coats and things back there so I utilized the space for items like paper towels, change bowl, dog basket with her leash and bags, cleaning items and miscellaneous.

I added 3M hooks for the Swiffer and Bona cleaner to get them off the floor.

I already had the white baskets from HomeGoods and used them to put all my bags.  I am a Thirty One addict so I needed a good spot to store them!  The basket on the right is empty right now!  I am sure I will fill it up soon and I seriously have more bags I could put in there.  I have a bag problem!  The white plastic basket was $4 at Walmart and holds all my candles.  

I bought the shoe rack for $12 and put our shoes on there.  I am going to buy pretty baskets from Target to go on the top row for our hats, mittens and scarves.  I have enough room in front of the rack to put a boot tray for wet boots this winter.  I also have the bit of space to the right for our beach bag in the summer.  I keep a bag filled with towels, suits, sunscreens and toys to be ready to hit the pool at any time.  Murphy's dog food is in a container on the right.

I only put the coats that we would need for the season in the spot so it doesn't get too cluttered.  We have a coat closet in the hall for other coats and extra guest rooms where we can hang them if we ever have a party and need the coat closet.  

I love this bench area especially now that we can see it and sit on it!  We each have our own little section of hooks and each basket underneath has our shoes in it.  I was going to put winter gear in the baskets, but the shoe rack didn't hold all our shoes so it was back to the baskets underneath.  This is perfect as we sit on the bench, pull out our basket, put on our shoes, and away we go!

I was going to have baskets on the top shelf for winter gear, but frankly it is pretty high and Jemma and I can't even really reach up there without standing on the bench so I thought it would be a cute place to do a little decorating.  I think I am going to frame some of Jemma's artwork and hang up there!

The back door is our only magnetic space so it becomes our note reminder door and Jemma school work!  The basket under the security system holds our keys, wallets and sunglasses.  I also added an area rug that I already had to warm up the space a bit.  It isn't what I want, but I was shopping the house and it fit the bill!  

We love our mudroom now and I have taught Jemma a system for when she comes in how to hang up her backpack and coat on her hook and to put her shoes in her basket.  It is working so well and I am so happy!  I still want to decorate that space, but I have other projects like this...

DON'T JUDGE, PEOPLE!!!!  

Ha!!!  Doesn't it look like Toys R Us was hit by a tornado????  We had the movers take everything out of the boxes when we moved.  All of her toys were out and it was Christmas not only to her, but to all her friends that came to play.  It is out of control so that is my goal is to get this playroom straightened up and organized!  It may take a while, but I am on it!!!

Today is October 1st, so it is time to Halloween up the house!  The silhouettes will be back!  I think I may have to redo a bunch, but I can't wait to get started!  

A Little Fall

We actually hung something up in the house!!!  I am being so wishy washy about what I want to hang up!  I have so many lovely pieces, but I feel my style is something different now, but I can't justify (or afford!) buying new things so I will use what I have and go from there!

I pulled out the fall tubs and started on my mantle.  I went for really simple and then will change it up for Halloween, but I love how it turned out!

I started with a very small mirror, but realized how tiny it was and brought out the big gun!

Too small!!!

Here is the Mac Daddy mirror that is so big and filled up the space beautifully!  I didn't even think I wanted a mirror over the fireplace, but I am working with what I have and it fits the bill!  

I read that your mirror or art should be 7 inches from the mantle.  I followed that, but then told the BHW that I thought it was too high.  He said to just run with it as I always complain that I can't get anything under my art because it is too low!  He has a point!  I do gripe about that!  We will see how it goes!

I still LOVE LOVE LOVE our handprint art from last year!

I just used some apples to keep it simple and clean.  

Simple vignette on the table of Jemma's silhouette and a family picture from Ireland.  I bought a set of these wrought iron fall candles from Walmart on sale last year for $10 for three of them!  

This was on of my favorite pictures from our professional shoot in Ireland.

Another little side table.  This Longaberger basket is all decked out for Fall on this side and the other side has a jack o'lantern face!  So cute@

Above the entertainment center I added a simple candle with a nice burnt orange candle and some fall leaves.  It isnt' doing it for me so that may change up soon!

I found another tub in the garage labeled Fall so I am going to dig in it today and see what goodies I find!  I know my pumpkins I painted white have to be somewhere!  Wish me luck!!

It is definitely getting cooler here!  Fall is in the air!    

Linking up with:

Centstational Girl for her Fall Mantle Party

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for her WOW party

Success

Well, the first week of school has come and gone, and it was a huge success!!!  She absolutely loved it!   When she got home on Friday, I had a nice little 1st Annual First Week of School Tea!  Daddy even got home early and got to enjoy!

These little sugar cookies came with a back to school theme!  How stinking cute is that?

 Reading her card from her mommy!  

She started reading very young and could memorize crazy long books, but in the last few months, her reading has exploded!  She reads everything!  She even tested out of first grade reading!  They will put her with other kids reading well above grade level to challenge them with their reading and especially with their comprehension.  Thank you for letting me share the *Super Proud Mommy* moment!

The four legger member joined us also!

Jemma had to remind Daddy to hold his pinky out!

Almost there...

As for me, I did pretty well this week.  I cried several times, but not nearly as much as I thought!  I had a three hour lunch on the first day with a friend, the the next day we talked at her house for three hours!  The next day, I cleaned the main level like a mad woman, and the next day found me at the Mall of America with same friend!  I am definitely keeping busy!  

First Day of First Grade

Well, my baby has left me.  I am a mix of crazy emotions right now.  I am so excited for her, but so sad to have her go.  She has been my best buddy and with me for the last three and a half years.  She only did preschool and Kindergarten for half days.  I would pick her up, we would do girls lunch and then just be together.  Why do our babies have to grow up?  

She was determined to ride the bus! I wanted to take her on the first day, 

but she would have no part of that!!

She didn't realize that I had followed her to school!  I did our little whistle as she was going in and she turned around.  At first I got a little of the the "Oh Mom..." look and then her toothless grin broke out!

She got right to work.  I just hugged her and told her how proud I am of her and how much I love her.  She looked at me and said, "Mom, are you going to go now?"  I told her I would right after she told me she loved me!  She did and gave me a smooch.  I didn't even cry until I got in the car so I thought that was pretty good!  

What will I do with myself?  Oh, trust me... there are plenty of projects around here, but today, I am going to meet a friend for lunch, take a nap and be waiting at the bus stop to get my girl!