whew...

I'm BACK!

We have had internet for two weeks now but,
I haven't really known where to start as far as blogging...
Still don't but here goes...

So since I have been gone...
Rowan turned 8 months old!
We moved into our new house!
We unpacked, unpacked, and unpacked...
And believe it or not we are still not done.
We totally redid our landscaping in the front yard.
Alan and our nice neighbor Tommy removed the fence from
our front yard!
We celebrated Easter in Alabama!
Rowan turned 9 months old!
Rowan got his first tooth!
Alan worked an insane schedule for almost three weeks!
Can you say single mom?
Rowan started crawling!
Alan got into graduate school at Mercer.
He is getting his Masters in Environmental Engineering!
I celebrated my First Mothers Day!
Rowan said "Moma"! :)
We painted our front door red!
Rowan turned 10 months old TODAY!
We celebrate our FIVE year anniversary tomorrow! (5/21)

Lots of pictures to come!

House updates.

The Before!

The During!

The later DURING!

And after!

(Well kinda, the door got one more coat after this.)

This is a sign we ordered from Lowes.

It's on our mailbox!

I still need to take an AFTER picture from the road now that the

door is completely finished!

What a difference a little TLC makes!

front door...

New paint. New hardware.

So much better!

momma's day...

Happy Mother's Day to all you fabulous mothers!

Happy Mother's Day to my momma, my sister and my friends!

And thank you to my husband and my beautiful baby boy for

making my very first Mother's Day so special.

I am so thankful God has given me the opportunity to be a mom...

Oh how he has changed me!

Hi!

We had Rowan's 9 month photo session done on Tuesday!
Can't believe our big little boy is NINE months old!

You can view the gallery by going here.
Click on clients at the bottom of the page and then enter "sing0420".

Help us choose, help us choose! I love them all!

quick update.

My little one is at my feet ready to get going.
I ran over to the apartment to get some shoes,
and thought I could fit in a quick update...
We still have a little bit more stuff to get from here.
I suppose we will be completely moved by the 31st.

Speaking of my little one...
He started clapping on Wednesday. It is the cutest thing.
Of course I have not been able to catch him on camera yet.
He is going from sitting to the crawling position but will only sit
there and rock back and forth.
He is getting more comfortable on his belly though.
I guess he will crawl when he is ready...
He loves his new room and our new house.
Especially the light fixtures.
They are black, so that must be highly interesting to him.
He has been sleeping like a champ.
We let him cry it out again on Tuesday night because
he had gotten into the habit of waking up around 2, 3, or 4 every night
for a bottle.
After an hour he finally went to sleep...
and the past two nights he has slept for 11 hours straight.
It feels wonderful to sleep through the night again.
We will just hope it continues.

The new house is coming along...
Yesterday I got alot done and I am really starting to like it.
When we get the internet at home I will share more pictures(...Laura)!
Rowan and I went on a walk yesterday.
It is so nice to have a neighborhood to walk around in.

Well I better get going.
It may be a while before we are back on the internet.
It seems to take a little time to get those things up and running.
Maybe I can blog from my iTouch if I can get free WiFi somewhere.

We are off to Target and Toys R' Us for Easter Basket goodies!

thanks

for all your warm wishes about our new home.

We are so excited the time has finally come!

I can't wait to share all the projects we have in store for it!

Thanks also for the sweet comments about our

big little boy.

I love comments and I love getting random e-mails from

people I don't know IRL (in real life) pertaining

to posts on my blog!

I love getting snail mail.

I love getting e-mails.

And I love blog comments!

Hence the button below...

hehe!

Blakley...the tutorial for the wreath is here.

It is very easy, but a little time-consuming.

To make a letter...

I bought a piece of rectangular styrofoam from HL.

Alan free-handed the "S" and cut it out with a knife.

Sarah...I am a good copy-cat. Hardly creative.

I wish, though.

Here is the link for the very simple applique technique!

(Crystal from a Little Bit Funky is awesome. Love her blog.)

We are officially moving on Friday and Saturday!

C-A-N-N-O-T wait!

walker.

Alan bought Rowan a walker today.

(We have been wanting to get him one but

there wasn't anywhere he could use one at the apartment.)

We figured it would keep him occupied at the new house

so I could get some work done too.

Well, he likes the walker if...you are pushing him around in it,

otherwise he is whining to get out.

He could only go backwards.

I snapped a few quick pictures before he was "over it".

projects.

In the midst of all this chaos I took some time last night

to chill out the best way I know how.

I crafted and sewed.

I made us a lime green "S" to hang on our front door.

For St. Patricks Day? No.

Just because I wanted a springy color

and Alan said no to hot pink and Hancock was out

of turquoise!

Thanks to Alan for drawing and cutting out the "S"!

I bought these cute little shorts and shirts at Wal-mart.

I thought they needed some sprucing up so I

bought an extra pair of shorts to make an applique for the shirts.

I got the directions here.

I had to straight stitch mine because my letter

was much smaller than the one she shows in her tutorial.

And I will not be showing a close-up of the letters.

Let's just say they are made with love! :)

I think they turned out pretty cute!

Especially since they only cost $10.50 an outfit!

Did I mention they are size 12 months?

house updates!

Dining room!

The cayenne pepper color is gone and now it's chocolate brown!

Eventually we will put board and batten up in there

which will make it totally rock!

Rowan's room is now baby blue.

It too will eventually have board and batten.

I think he likes his blue walls!

(Look at all that drool...and still no teeth!)

These two pictures were taken with different light...

hence the vast difference.

The blue is a chambray blue.

Very soft and soothing!

We have knobs and pulls on the cabinets throughout the house.

Wow what a difference hardware can make!

We got these on eBay for more than half off!

We also painted the kitchen a khaki color

that matches up better with the backsplash.

It looks great!

Our appliances came today.

The refrigerator and stove fit perfectly.

But the microwave is causing some difficulty. :(

I would have taken pictures today

but Alan and his friend Aaron were busy in there! :)

Things are moving right along.

I am ready for our bedding to come in so

we can get paint for our bedroom.

We are probably gonna start moving this weekend...

So excited!

and we have...

blooms on the tree in our new front yard!

Spring is coming!

7 months...

Now that Rowan is almost 8 months (Saturday)
I figured I would post his 7 month photo! Ha!
I finally got a smile out of him!
The days just keep getting better!

days at home...

We play.

We have photo shoots.

We take lots of naps!

Trying to document the small things!

Questions answered...

I am...so ready to move!

I think...way too much about un-important stuff.

I should...go fold Rowan's clothes and load the dishwasher.

I dream...of being skinny.

I want...to be off work for the next two weeks.

I know...God is good.

I don't like...when me and Alan fight (I mean disagree?).

I smell...Huggies natural care lotion on my hands from putting it on Rowan after his bath.

I hear...FOX news. Someone is always watching it...

I fear...being misunderstood.

I search...for my cell phone or keys daily.

I miss...the simpler times.

I always...make lists because I like the sense of accomplishment that comes with crossing stuff off.

I crave...everything I am not supposed to have. Week 4 of South Beach! Right now
I would love a Sonic Reese's P.B. Cup Blast.

I remember...when my nephew Cade was born. He turned NINE today!

I need...to quit worrying about what people think of me.

I forget...how short life is.

I feel...overwhelmed most of the time. Trying to get over that.

I can...do anything I set my mind to.

I can't...believe Rowan will be 8 months old on Saturday.

I am happy...now.

I listen...to my iTouch.

I shop...for good deals everywhere I go. Today I scored a new comforter set for our bed for about 70% off!

I eat...too much.

I love...my boys and their hugs.

vote for my friend Kami...

Kami is my friend.

My co-worker.
A fellow nurse.

And...
 a breast cancer survivor.

She was only 31 and a brand new mom when she was diagnosed.

She has been nominated to be a MLB Honorary Bat Girl for the Braves on Mother's Day as part of Susan G Komen's "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer". Please go to this link  and cast your vote for her story. Her nickname on the site is "Super Mom (and Wife).

Thanks!

great day.

closing went great.
i passed ACLS today, and my rythym test at work yesterday.
so grateful for Beth, Rowan's babysitter. she ROCKS!
we got some great deals on our appliances at Lowes.
i'm off till next Tuesday.
we start painting tomorrow.
we may get to some "projects" this weekend.
we ate mexican tonight.
moving-in in 2 weeks.
can't wait to be HOME! :)

so happy...

do you know why?

Cuz' we're closing tomorrow!!!

YAY!

Can't wait!

We are so excited!

changing seasons...

i can't believe winter is almost over.

while i am excited about spring, and green, and flowers, and freshness...

i am sad to see winter go.

it means we are that much closer to summer.

and.

it reminds me of how my boy is growing too.

faster than the changing of the seasons.

going on 8 months...

sweet boy.

sunday night feeling...

Do you ever get that down-in-the-dumps

feeling on Sunday night?

I know I do.

Especially after a really good weekend.

I gotta work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

this week.

Three days in a row is hard for this momma.

I miss my little man.

And well, three days in a row wear me out.

 

Not that I hate work...

just hate leaving Rowan.

 

Seeing his smile when I get home

makes everything better!

the stare.

I wish I could capture more of Rowan's smiles.
They are highly infectious.

But when I pull out the camera...
all he will do is stare.

Love his stares.
Love his smiles.

Does he look like me?

afternoon walks.

the weather is warming up.
the time will soon change.
can't wait to plant flowers.
can't wait to talk lots of walks in
our new neighborhood.
rowan loves to be outside.

the second...

most exciting blog entry (for me) ever.
Second only to announcing our pregnancy and Rowan's birth.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT ON A HOUSE!

And we couldn't be more thrilled!

It has been so much fun announcing our 
"somewhat" expected surprise.

Not that our house hunting has been secretive...
we have just been quiet about it here lately.
Honestly, I just got tired of talking about it.
If you have ever looked for a house for any period of time
you know what I am talking about.
We have been looking for almost TWO years!
The hunt can be quite emotional.
(Especially if your name is Hollie!)

Of course there is a cool story about the house...

It was under contract.
But the contract fell through on Thursday night because
the guy who was going to buy the house got deployed.

The agent we are working with called us at 8:00 pm
and told us what happened with the contract, etc.
Told us we need to move fast because it wouldn't
be on the market long.
So we got Rowan out of bed, loaded him up
in the car and off we went.
With flashlights in hand we checked out the
downstairs to see if we would even be interested.
We liked all that we could see...
so Rowan and I went back Friday morning at 9:00.
Alan had already told me...
If you like the house put an offer in on it.
(He was busy with work and couldn't get away until noon.)
At this point we didn't even know the list price,
only what had been accepted from the Air Force Guy.

Ok, so I liked the house.
I texted Alan and he said get moving.
We all agreed to meet at 12:00 to sign
the offer.

So by 1:00 the offer was in.

At 4:00 we got the call saying our offer was accepted!

We don't need an inspection because the guy already had one done
and we got a copy of it.
There are only a few minor things that need to be done.

We will close on or before March 31st.

I can't tell you how many times we have said...
Isn't it so funny how things work out.

Of course to God it isn't funny...
He knew all along.

It's all in His timing and His way. 

And we are so thankful!

:)

Scroll down for some pictures!

7 months...

time is flying.
i want to push stop.
slow motion would be ok.
you are so much fun.
discovering new stuff daily.
doing new "tricks" all the time.
you put up with my constant picture taking.
love you!

bits and pieces...

of our new house!

It was a builder foreclosure,

so it is brand new.

It was a GREAT deal! :)

It was the model home so it has that janky

fence in front of it that we will be taking down.

There are only a few minor things we want to do

before we move in.

I am most excited about Rowan's room.

We are gonna do board and batten and

paint it baby blue to match his bedding!

CANNOT wait.

He will finally have a "real" nursery.

We gotta put knobs and pulls on the cabinet doors.

We are gonna do some other painting as well,

and board and batten in the dining room.

Since the windows are missing any trim...

we are gonna beef those up too.

The builder took the stove and microwave.

So we gotta buy those and a refrigerator.

Which we don't mind at all...because we get to pick them out!

Alan has been preparing for all these honey-do's for the

past two years...he better get ready!

Looking forward to...

a place to call our own.

 having lots of space.

having a sewing/office/hunting stuff room.

(Projects here we come!!!)

 planting flowers and re-doing the landscaping.

a bigger kitchen.

a pantry for all my couponing.

a place for my family to be comfortable

when they visit.

putting our personal touches on the house.

lots of windows. Welcome sunshine!

I am on the hunt for some new bedding for our

room. I am over the gold and red.

If you see anything cute, let me know.

It's gotta be cheap though.

I am thinking...

Brown, turquoise, khaki and a little red.

I saw some fabric at Hobby Lobby.

More updates coming soon!

another wreath...

Just wanted to see how a round, pink one would turn out.
I think it is beautiful!
I think it would be so cute to hang on your front
door if you just welcomed a new baby girl into your family.

Let me know if you want one in blue or pink!