{Harper's Playroom} Before Pictures

Over the last few months I've mentioned a time or two that Kevin and I are planning on converting Kevin's "man cave" into a playroom for Harper. Our original plan was to convert this room as a present for Harper's first birthday but it just didn't happen despite our best intentions. At the time of Harper's birthday, we were in the process of pulling up all of our carpet upstairs and replacing it with hardwood. Since that little project took longer than expected and cost more than we'd planned, we knew that this project would have to be postponed until a later date when we had more time and more money. Fast forward to present time and we've decided now is the time to move forward with our plans. We've decided that for Harper's "big" Christmas item this year she's going to get her very own playroom. Let's hope she's as excited about it as I am!

With Christmas being less than two months away, the countdown to get this room complete has begun. I've already perused Pinterest for inspiration and literally have close to a hundred ideas pinned. We've come up with a new color scheme for the room, began a general layout of what we want where, and have started a shopping list of items we're going to need.

Just for some fun, I thought I'd share this room redo with you ladies over the next few weeks. My goal is to post tidbits on the room every Thursday. I'll be sharing my inspiration, room updates, and I'm sure I'll be getting your opinions on a few pieces I've yet to decide on. Here's hoping we'll get this project tackled on time! I've already got my eye set on a giant gold bow I plan to put on the door on Christmas morning :P

To give you an idea of what I'm working with... here's the before pictures. (sorry, they were taken before we put hardwoods down!)

Check back next Thursday for some of my favorite Pinterest inspirations (: 

You Might Not Know....

When I started this little blog of mine four years ago, it was just intended to be a little space I could document our memories before I forgot about them. I never anticipated that four years later, I'd have formed friendships with ladies all over the world that I don't even "really" know. So often I find myself telling the hubs at dinner about my "blog friends" and your little families. Of course, he finds it funny that I know so much about you ladies and I've never actually met you. But for some of you girls, I feel like I've known you my whole life even though we've never met in person. I laugh with you, cry with you, and pray for you through reading your posts daily. Each of you ladies are a true blessing and inspiration to me and I thank you for taking the time to pop over to my blog every now and then.

Over the last year, many new faces have wondered over to my little space and I've never really gotten around to introducing myself to you all properly. So on this beautiful Wednesday, I'd like to take the time to welcome you as well as to share some things about me that you may not know from reading about the in's and out's of our lives in the Holt household. So sit back, relax, and stay a little while while I share some random tidbits about me!

You might not know...

- I'm 25 years old. I got married when I was 22 and became a mom at 24. Seems young to most but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

- I've been teaching third grade for the last four years. 

- Despite that I love my job as a teacher, sometimes I wish I was an interior designer.

- Clean and organized spaces make my heart happy. If they aren't clean and organized, they make me extremely stressed out. 

- I'm a planner and a list maker. 

- My biggest pet peeve is people not being on time. Time is valuable and is one of the only things you can never get back. So I don't take kindly to people wasting it. 

- I prefer salty over sweet. This girl will take french fries and mozzarella sticks over cookies and ice cream any day. 

- I'm related to the Wright Brothers. That said, I've also been known to fly a plane or two myself. I just never continued on with my pilot's license since college, marriage, and parenthood got in the way. 

- I always buy note cards from Target's dollar bin yet I never send them because they're too pretty to part with. 

- I hate coffee. Like seriously, it makes me gag. But I'm totally not beneath grabbing a vanilla bean frappucino from Starbucks almost everyday. 

- I never pay full price for an item unless it's already at a discount store like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Homegoods, etc. What's the point when it'll be on sale in no time?

- I love to read but I only read romance novels.

- I watch exactly two shows religiously. Mistresses in the summer and my new found favorite, How to Get Away with Murder. Otherwise, I only turn on the televison to catch a Hallmark movie... or two. 

- The one thing I wish I could change about my body is not my weight nor my height. It's my hair. I have naturally curly hair but my top layer is straight which results in my hair always being one of those "bad hair days". No matter how hard I try to straighten it or curl it, it never looks how I want. 

Well that's my list of random things you might not know about me. What's there to know about you? (:

{Weekend Recap} Halloween + Game Nights

Happy Tuesday, girls! I had all intentions of sharing our weekend recap yesterday but I was still just so in awe of the weekend that we had that I could barely sit down to put words on a blank screen. It was hands down the best weekend we've had in ages. I'm not sure if it was because it was filled with so much fun or if it was because the hubs actually got to spend a whole weekend at home with us, but whatever it was.... it was perfect!

Kevin and I kicked off our weekend like most of you mamas and daddies out there. Following a long day at work, we got the babe ready and took her trick or treating. Since Harper is still a bit too young to understand the concept we took her from house to house to visit family members instead of going door to door getting candy. Our first stop was Kevin's aunt's house where Harper only wanted to eat her new snacks or play with Aunt Debbie's "roo roo's" (that's what she calls dogs now).

After leaving Aunt Debbie's we headed to Kevin's grandparents' house where his parents were also waiting for us. Mema had more snacks waiting for Harper and Kevin's parents got Harper a new Halloween book. She was in heaven.

Around 8pm, we left Mema and Papa Jimmy's and headed to my parents' house where my siblings were also waiting. By that point Harper was exhausted but at the sight of new toys and Nana's freshly made grilled cheese, she mustered up some more energy and put on a show for everyone.

Saturday morning we slept in until well after 9. It was heavenly rolling over and finding the hubs laying in bed next to me. It hasn't happened in weeks my friends and I almost forgot what it felt like. Around 9:15 we heard Harper stirring so Kevin got her out of her bed and brought her into ours. Around 10 we got up and made ourselves presentable for our usual Saturday morning breakfast with my parents.

After breakfast we took Harper to Kevin's parents' house where Harper was going to hang out for the day. Kevin's mom volunteered to watch Harper so we could paint Harper's soon to be play room. Shortly after lunch, Brooke (my brother-in-law's girlfriend) and I got to work on painting. The guys were supposed to help but they ditched us to go search for food and to hit up the gym. But at least they weren't in our way (; By the time the guys returned several hours later, Harper's room had been painted, we'd showered and gotten ready, and we even had food cooking for our game night. We ended our Saturday night by hosting a game night with some of our closest friends. We played Taboo and it made for one hilarious game. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of anything but the food. haha

Our Sunday was spent having breakfast with Brooke and Bryan, lunch with my parents, taking family pictures, then spending the rest of the day curled up in front of the tv watching movies. It really couldn't have been much better than that!

Here's to hoping next weekend is just as good!

{Link Up} Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, ladies! I am so excited to get the Halloween festivities underway. Last year Harper was too young to understand the concept but I think she just might enjoy herself this year. I'll be leaving work shortly after 3, running to pick her up from daycare, then we plan to start making our rounds sometime after 4. We have lots of houses to visit and lots of pictures to take! But before we can have some fun, I want to leave you all with a little five for Friday love...

A Full Weekend with the Hubs

I am so excited that the hubs has the whole weekend off. This hasn't happened in months and I couldn't be more ecstatic. Go figure he does happen to have a cold and spent most of his day laying around yesterday. But Harper and I will take him sick or well if it means we can see him more. We have an exciting weekend planned. Of course tonight we'll be trick or treating. Tomorrow we'll be painting Harper's playroom then finishing off the night with a game night with our closest friends. And Sunday we'll be having family photos taken. Our schedule is jammed pack but I'm looking forward to spending the weekend as a family of three! 

"Me" Time

Despite that the hubs wasn't feeling well yesterday, he was so gracious to watch Harper when I got off work so I could have some "me" time. After work I headed to the nail salon and treated myself to a much needed manicure. I hadn't been since July and it was nearly killing me. When I got home I fixed dinner and we ate together as a family. When dinner was done and the dishes were cleared, Kevin told me to go upstairs and read while he and Harper played so that's just what I did. I spent the evening curled up in our bed with a new book while Harper and Kev had some daddy/daughter time. I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting... something I haven't done in ages. Days like that are ones I could really get used to!

Happy Mail Days

My herringbone vest that I ordered over a month ago arrived in the mail this week. I had to wear it the very next day. I paired it with a chambray shirt, black leggings, and my new hunter boots. Toss in a gold monogram necklace and I thought my outfit was pretty perfect. 

Just Call Me Betty Crocker

I'm not sure what's gotten into me here lately but I've been cooking up a storm. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind cooking, it's the cleaning up after part that prevents me from carrying out the task. But here lately I've been cooking all our meals at home and it feels so great. We've had some delicious meals and we've saved a ton of money instead of eating out. We've had meatloaf, barbeque ribs, homemade vegetable soup, and chicken tettrazini and I even have meals lined up for the weekend. I think I just may go as Betty Crocker tonight for Halloween (;

Christmas Goodies

Thanks to some amazing steals on Zulily and a sale at Pottery Barn kids this week, Harper has three more Christmas gifts on the way. Since Harper no longer needs a diaper bag everywhere we go, I snatched up the most precious mini backpack from Pottery barn this week for less than $20. It's the perfect size to keep a few diapers in, a couple of books, some snacks, and a sippy cup. I can't wait till it arrives! 

In addition to Harper's backpack, I snatched up a few toys for her on Zulily. Harper is hands down my child when it comes to her OCD ways. She is obsessed with putting thems back in their places when she's done with them; a task I promise I did not teach her. She even puts Kevin's tennis shoes in the right place at the end of the day if she sees he's laid them somewhere else. I'm telling you... this girl makes me proud :P With that said, Harper loves to watch me clean so when I saw these adorable kids play cleaning sets I had to get them both for Harp. I sure hope she loves them as much as I do!

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Today I'm linking up with these lovely lades!

 Darci, Christina, April and Natasha

Karli of September Farm and Amy of The Farmer's Wife.

{Recipes} Vegetable Soup

I don't know about where you ladies live but here in NC we have been having the most beautiful fall weather this week. The mornings and evenings are cool with temperatures in the 40's and 50's and during the day the temperatures are in the 70's range. It makes for a wonderful day of fall layers which makes me oh so happy. Sadly, our perfect weather is coming to an end this weekend. Winter temperatures are making their way into the forecast and we can expect to throw on our wool coats this weekend. Not that I'm exactly complaining. I'm ready to break those babies out. But enough about fashion, let's talk food. With the cooler temperatures on the horizon, the thought of a freshly made soup gets my mouth watering. Vegetable soup happens to be a family favorite and I have a family recipe that's tried and true. Today I thought I'd share it with you ladies since it's super quick easy. And let's be real, us mamas don't have hours in the kitchen (; Hope you ladies like it!

What You Need

- Pack of boneless chicken breasts/ tenderloins (I use tenderloins)

- Large can of crushed or diced tomatoes

- Can of creamed corn

- Can of peas

- 2 large or 3 medium sized potatoes

- 2 slices of fat back (optional)

- Salt and pepper

Directions

- Boil your chicken

- Once chicken is boiled, shred chicken with a fork

- Add water to remaining chicken broth (I add water until it fills up the pot about halfway)

- Add in tomatoes, creamed corn, peas, potatoes, and fat back

- Add salt and pepper to taste

- Let boil for several minutes then bring down to a simmer

- Cook until the potatoes are done

Serve it with some grilled cheese and you're set!