Happy 1st Birthday Jackson!

Jackson turned the big ONE yesterday! Can't believe a whole year has flown by! We are so very thankful for our little "Jack-Jack"....he is all smiles, loves to wrestle with his big brother, can say mama, dada, RyRy, Baaa (ball), and loves to sign "all done"!, hates to be changed or have his nose wiped, loves his "ba ba" (milk in a bottle), can crawl faster than most kids run, has taken about 10 steps and is sure to be off in no time, likes to play any form of hide and seek or peek a boo, likes to bite my shoulder when I'm rocking him to sleep and thinks it's hilarious when I say "ouch!", loves to be outside, and loves to be held! Loved celebrating his precious life today!

Milk and Cookies Party

 (how did we think of parties to have before Pinterest??)

Pics by the month banner.....fun idea from you know where! 

I went a little overboard on the cookie variety...but it was a fun excuse to try a bunch of new recipes...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip from the Smitten Kitchen 

These little guys are on my pinterest board under "Sweet Tooth" 

 Triple Chocolate Cookies

 White Chocolate Cranberry 

 Meltaways (pinterest)

 Oatmeal Raisin (Smitten Kitchen)

 Toffee Blondies (Pinterest)

 Happy Birthday To You!!!!!

 He LOVED the balloons!!!!!

 Big Brother had a big time opening all the birthday boys gifts...not sure how this will go over in a few years...

Before and After: Family Room

Better late than never I guess (I seem to be saying that a lot these days!)....we moved into this house a little over 2 years ago and I kept thinking one day I would be officially finished but it is all still a work in progress...so maybe I should say "before and in process"..ha. So this is our family room. It was this dark paneling and fake hardwoods then carpet that went into the hall...we put in real hardwoods throughout and then had all the walls painted....it's amazing what a difference those 2 small things make!

 The 1970's fireplace....bc I loved the stone, we just ripped off the big ugly firescreen and that helped so much

 Oops...these few got out of order......(but scroll down to see full room after)...had SO much trouble finding side tables that I loved that also fit the space..like almost 2 years of searching!....found this round one with the metal base and travertine top at At Home in homewood after going there weekly for a few years and trying so many! Was so relieved when this one worked.

Other side....had to get this one made because it was such a specific size...just got them to compliment the look of the round one 

You can see the dingy carpet in the hall and how it broke up the space so much

 and after.....

In case you are interested:
Paint: Sail Clothe Bejn. Moore (trim- white dove)
Painting above couch:  bought it from my cousin, Barclay Gresham http://barclaygreshamart.com/
2 french chairs, 6 prints above chairs, round side table: all from At Home in homewood
http://athome-furnishings.com/
Leather Chair: Andy's splurge from Birmingham Wholesale
Pillows and Draperies: fabric from King Cotton and had a lady make them (this is when it would be nice to know how to sew!)
Lamps: Richard Tubb http://www.richardtubbinteriors.com/
Rug: Macy's
Old Books: Scott's market in ATL
Armoir: Nadeau in Homewood
Trunk: World Market
Birchwood logs in fireplace:  Pepper Place (at that cute little garden shop..can't remember the name)

It's been fun to take this house and make it our home. Maybe I will get around to pics of the other rooms one day!