Finally! Easter 2010...

So would you say it's about time I posted pics from Easter??

We had a wonderful day...Nonna and Papa spent the night the night before so we all got up and went to church together. Avie got to wear one of her sweet new smocked dresses that I got for 1/2 off at Remember Nguyen's after-Thanksgiving sale! I even let her wear pretty shoes to match...without her braces! SHHHH!

Look at my girl checking out her Easter basket! She had been up since 5 am...Nonna and Papa were spending the night, so Nonna got up with her and they stayed in Avie's room and played and read books so she wouldn't see her Easter basket! Thanks Nonna!

I made her basket liner and monogrammed it last year. It seems that she'll need a bigger basket next year, so this may be the last time we use this one!

And you know the Easter Bunny always brings Avie some monogrammed Remember Nguyen dresses, right? He did last year too! I guess he knew how much she loved them so he decided to bring some again!

LSU colors!

I monogrammed my nieces a dress too for their little Easter gift...Caroline got one just like this...so she and Avie can be twinkies!

I love this face Avie's making...

Avie and Aunt Em...cute how she's just sitting on that baby bump...what a perfect seat!

...and THIS is why I'm a happy girl...I love these 2. They are my world.

I love this guy...we just made 5 years together!

It really seems like longer (I mean that in a good way).

Molly and Avie...sometimes I think Avie thinks she and Molly are sisters...we spend so much time with them. Molly taught Avie "ring around the rosie" and it is now a daily ritual at our house...especially when guests are over...she makes them do it!

Nonna and Avie

Papa and Avie

So Caroline lands like this after she goes down the slide. She laid there for a minute trying to play it off...she was like "yeah, I meant to do that dude..."

Avie walks from plate to plate, seeing who'll feed her. This is generally how she eats most meals when we have big get-togethers. haha...just kidding...sometimes, though. This child LOVES her uncle.

Avie's first time to hunt Easter eggs!

Seriously, my mama just starting throwing eggs in the flowerbed. I'm like "no fun!"...they totally weren't hidden, but I guess we have to make it easier on the babies...

Look at Emmy in the background! Doesn't she look great?! Yep, that's 8 months pregnant...

The front of her dress kept getting in the way, so we had to tuck it!

We have a picture (Easter egg hunting) like this of my dad and I when I was about this age. I'd like to find it and put it in a side-by-side frame in Avie's room.

I LOVE this.

yeah, this girl's got them wrapped around her finger...

she's like "come on yall!"...

...and here's Aunt TaTa playing homerun derby with the guys!

Awe...Caroline spilled her basket...

...but Avie's gonna help her pick them up!

...and then Caroline's gonna have 2 baskets!

....but she's a good sharer!!! (is "sharer" a word?)

Craftiness...

Ok, so I know I haven't posted Easter pics yet...I'm going to...I just wanted to share some of my new-found craftiness. Now I've always loved crafting, but I'm not very "creative"...meaning: I can do the crafts, I just can't come up with the ideas! So...I see a cute idea and I replicate it. Sue me. I've become obsessed with this blog...Domestically Speaking. My favorite post...

"15th POPP...Power of Paint Party", there are TONS of cute ideas. Really...there are so many things in my house that can be transformed with just spraypaint! I've discovered lots of things I want to do...and some I've already done! Allow me to share...

The COFFEE FILTER wreath...

Idea from The Little Brown House

No, I did not make this particular one, but it turned out just like it....and this is how I plan to hang mine...on the foyer mirror. Really...would you ever guess that was brown coffee filters?? Me neither! It looks like dried peonies or something...I love it. When I saw this idea Friday, I couldn't wait to make it! We helped Chad's parents move last weekend and instead of getting in the bed and going to sleep Saturday night, I got in bed and made THIS! It took me less than 20 minutes probably. Check out the link and make one...it's totally cute!

Cost: small foam wreath from the Dollar Tree...$1 (obviously)

Pkg. of brown coffee filters...$1.32 (and only used half)

Straight pins (already had!)

Brown ribbon 1/2 yd. $0.59

TOTAL...Less than 3 bucks!

NEXT: The cloche dome

Idea: The House of Hepworths

I've been wanting one of these, but haven't really found what I'm looking for. I read this blog and found this is totally what I've been wanting! If you were to buy these already done, they are pricey! I found a tiny glass one just at Hobby Lobby and it was $30.

I found one of these at Ross for $7.99

...and I already had one of these (in brushed nickel)...these pics aren't mine, but you get the point...

I spraypainted the glass plate and the candlestick oil rubbed bronze. I then used gorilla glue to glue the candlestick to the bottom of the plate...

...and VOILA!

No, mine doesn't have apples in it...I'm thinking small lemons for summertime!

Also...this is not large at all. I know it looks like a cake dome but it's a good bit smaller. I LOOOOOVE it!

Here is a Lowe's project idea I plan to do for my bedroom:

Doormat Wall Art

I'm thinking of using aqua instead of white...it would look awesome in our bedroom...

...and I loved this idea from Thrifty Decor Chick...this girl LOVES using trim...on everything...and she's good at it!

I'm thinking of doing this on my large living room wall. I've never liked it. I have an older large picture in the center with metal planter sconces on either side...it looks too "Home Interior-ish" to me. Anyway, I need something BIG on that wall and I've never found a BIG picture that I liked well enough for the price. So...I'm doing this!

I think I'm gonna leave the smaller square out of the equation. I want to put something large in the center and that will free up some space. I just think what's in this pic is a little small for such a big wall. And I think I'm going to do a lighter shade of paint to brighten things up.
...on another note, I've spraypainted a metal fleur de lis that goes above my black iron cookbook shelf. It was bronze and didn't match so I've made it match! I've painted some candlesticks for my upcoming beach-y tablescape, and I have several other things I'm wanting to spruce up with spraypaint! It's been fun so far!

My sewing room is coming together nicely...I'll post pics when it's complete! We're also planning our flowerbeds around the patio...may even do that this weekend! I'm looking at new patio furniture so maybe I'll even break down and get it too! This is the weather where it's good to stay home. If you enjoy your space, you'll wanna be in it more! I've always loved this house my husband built for us, but there are some things I've just left incomplete and I'm finally finding the time and energy to do it!

Paying homage to Alec...

My first teaching job out of college was at Reed Avenue Elementary in Alexandria. I loved living there...there were so many different stores, restaurants, and other things to do. I'd lived in Ruston for 15 years and wanted a change. However, I didn't know anyone and it's hard to meet friends when you only go to work and then go home every weekend! I moved to Shreveport the next year to be closer to friends and my sister. I still love Alec and love going there. I hadn't been in a few years (when I was engaged---me, mom, Emmy [sis in law] and Holly [cousin/former roomie] went to a bridal fair there). I've always talked about shops and restaurants to Chad. I tell him all the time "we just need to hop in the car and drive to Alec one day for a change of scenery. It's only an hour and a half away.". Well, we did last weekend and had a blast! My favorite restaurant was Oriental Wok. Love that place!!! It's the first Chinese restaurant I've been to that wasn't a buffet...Tiny Spicy Chicken...my fav! Chad's heard about it for YEARS from me and finally got to try it. Yeah, I took pics. He loved the place too! We shopped for the rest of the day...Chad wasn't thrilled about that, but didn't complain. We were gonna take Avie to the zoo but it was too chilly and windy and we didn't want her to get an ear infection so we opted not to go. We went to meet my brother and his family for dinner when we got back. Perfect day!

mmm....Tiny Spicy Chicken!!!

She was zoned-in on those chopsticks...

Avie-girl loves her daddy...