Patriotic Table Runner

Oye, things have been busy around here recently!

Lots of bbqs with awesome neighbors, lots of coffees with other mommies nearby, lots of new projects and sewing, but sadly, not lots of blogging. Right now, blogging is near the end of my list, although I hope to change that eventually (as in, when at least one of my children is in school and I have an iota of free time to myself!)

I have big plans and big ideas swirling around in my brain for my blog and where I want it to go, but now is not the time to act on those ideas. With another deployment coming up, as well as another mini-cross country move, there's a bit too much on my plate as it is. So big plans are going to have to wait.

Moving on!

I'm not usually big on decorating for holidays, with the exception of Christmas and Halloween, but this year I did do a 4th of July theme on my dining table. A few weeks ago, I had a lapse of sanity and decided to take all three kids to Wal-mart with me. Amazingly, they were wonderful and I found some good deals in the fabric section. I always take a peak in the remnants to see if there's anything worthwhile and I snagged a long piece of navy duck cloth for cheap which I decided to pair with some blue stripe ticking fabric to make a reversible table runner. For the pop of red I needed, gerber daisies in old wine bottles did the trick.

I love that it doesn't scream, 'It's the 4th of July!!!!' but is still patriotic. I'll be able to break it out for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, the Marine Corps Birthday...it will get plenty of use!

Here is what it looks like on the opposite side.

I love how it turned out and now I'm on a table runner frenzy. I first got the idea from Elizabeth & Co's burlap and ruffles table runner, which I love! Burlap is my new favorite fabric. Who knew that it irons so well? And it doesn't hurt that it's super-duper affordable. If it wasn't quite so scratchy I would totally cover my couch in burlap. I'm not joking. Cause I'm cheap like that.

Here's my version of the burlap runner (with cotton drop cloth for ruffles, also cheap-o!!)

I love how a simple table runner can dress up the table instantly. I think I might make one for every holiday now. As long as I can keep the kiddos from touching it when their hands are covered in maple syrup or tomato sauce.


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Hangovers and Another Baby Quilt

I am currently suffering from a travel hangover.

To be more precise, a traveling-with-two-toddlers-and-a-baby hangover.

You all know what I am talking about. That incoherent daze that takes over your body after you return from a trip and takes many days and many cups of coffee to get rid of. Our trip to Virginia was great. We saw some old friends and the hubby and I were able to go out quite a bit without the kids. Charlotte was finally baptized and I even got to go to my first vineyard with my mom and sisters for a wine tasting (I know, WAY overdue). I'm definitely hooked.

Another highlight of our trip was being able to see my brother-in-law, Nick, his wife, Cait, and their son, Little Nick. I love spending time with them and even lived with them for a short period of time last year, while Cait was still pregnant with Nick and I was pregnant with Charlotte. Two preggo women in one house might equal danger for some, but we had good times. They are currently pregnant again and due near the end of September.

About two weeks before we left for Virginia, Nick and Cait found out they were having a girl this time around. Yay!! As soon as I found out, I started on their baby quilt so I could give it to them while we were all there together. The process of making them is getting shorter and shorter and I think my corners are slowly improving.

Still not perfect, but a vast improvement from the last one, right?

Again, I used the girls' old (free!) receiving blankets for the blocks in the front and the backing flannel I believe I found at JoAnn's on sale.

I still have enough receiving blanket blocks to make another two, maybe three quilts. There are lots of babies coming this year so I have a lot more to make. And thank goodness, one of those babies is for sure a boy so I'm excited, after making nothing but girly quilts, to make one for a baby boy. Here's a sneak peak at some of the fabric I'm using for it:

I love the owl fabric and the orange and blue chevron! Almost makes me want to have another baby boy...almost...this factory is closed for business.


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Old Mission Santa Barbara

When we were in Santa Barbara, we visited the old Mission, which is one of the main tourist attractions for the area. I love visiting old churches and studying the architecture and always manage to get choked up because of the beauty. They just don't build churches like they used to.

I know that's hard to read but the Mission was built in 1786...so old and full of history. I get giddy just thinking about it.

This was our view from across the street in the parking lot. We didn't get here until 4:30 in the afternoon so the tours were done for the day but the gift shop was still open so we looked around and ended up buying a gorgeous, hand-tooled leather Bible. We don't have a family Bible, so we thought it was time to get one. Once the shop closed at 5 we walked over to the main chapel, where mass was going on. I wish I had gotten a picture of the doors into the sanctuary...they were dark, solid wood, hand-carved and just beautiful. You know the kind I'm talking about...the kind that are all over Europe.

We snuck into the sanctuary, as there was about five minutes left of mass, and sat down and just took it all in. To say I was speechless would be an understatement. It was so beautiful and so old and I felt immediately jealous of the people who were able to go to church HERE! I almost didn't feel right taking pictures, I can't explain it, it just felt like a holy place that shouldn't be exposed to tourists' cameras all the time. But I knew that if I didn't take some I would regret it.

It was dark, so please forgive the quality of the pictures. I didn't want to resort to using the flash since I hate how it makes pictures look.

This view of the outside of the Mission was just gorgeous. I couldn't take a picture that would actually do the view justice, but I tried. I could have just sat where I was for hours, reading a book or just taking it all in.

Behind the parking lot, there was a little garden of olive trees (like the kind in the Garden of Gethsemane, which btw is a wonderful sight to see. I went to Israel when I was 15) and the Stations of the Cross.

After exploring the garden, it was getting close to 6 so the parking lot was closing and we had to leave. But after a little bit of driving around and seeing some amazing house that I can only guess the cost of, we came across another gorgeous church. I made Tim stop and park so we could get out and explore it and get some pictures.

This was one of the side doors into the church, but still...so grand!

The front of the church.

To the side of the church, there was a pretty garden.

This part of the trip was my favorite and I wish we could have spent more time there.

Our family is heading to Virginia tomorrow to visit with family and once we get back, I am sucking it up and potty training my second child in less than six months so if you don't hear from me for awhile, that's why. I'll be up to my ears in Dora underpants and laundry!

Memorial Day

DoD photo by William D. Moss



In Flanders Fields
John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.



Freedom isn't free.
Thank you to our brave military.
God Bless You.

Semper Five

Today, Tim and I celebrate our fifth anniversary. Five years of being a Marine Corps wife. I couldn't be happier about where we are now...three moves, three states, two dogs, three kids (with three different birth certificates!), two deployments, three houses, and A LOT of redecorating in five years.

I always love telling the story of how we got together to people so I'm going to share it here as well...

It was August 2004 and I had just graduated from Liberty University in May. If you know nothing of Liberty, it's the type of school that REALLY encouraged the students to find their spouses there. If you didn't graduate with an engagement ring, you were a loser. Well, I didn't date anyone the entire five years I was there. Lots of first dates and that's about it. Now, I'm not knocking the guys that went there, i just never found 'the one.' I like to think of those five years of being single as a time of growth and preparation for life as a Marine wife...I learned to be extremely independent and it was good preparation for deployments. See, God DOES know what He's doing.

After working at a physical therapy clinic for the summer I had decided to go home to Manassas to live with my parents and get a temp. job until I figured out what I wanted to do next. My big plan had included going back to school for PT and then taking it from there. But this outgoing, handsome Marine swooped in and changed all my plans (for the better, of course!).

No, it wasn't quite that glamorous.

My temp. job ended up being a server at a restaurant, which is where Tim also worked, although I didn't meet him until a few weeks after I started working there. He was at WVU to finish his last semester and came home to work on the weekends. He came into the restaurant one night, probably to get his schedule, and I immediately noticed him and made a mental note about how good-looking her was. Outgoing, dark, beautiful brown eyes, chiseled jaw (I have a thing for strong chins) and an easy smile.

I don't remember exactly when we officially met but the longer I knew him and the more I learned about him, the more I looked forward to when he would be working. I remember him asking me out a couple times but I turned him down because I never thought he was serious. I thought he would be just like every other guy I knew...they'd be interested for about a week and then, never mind, you're too opinionated and independent. Ok, sorry I have a mind of my own and am not clingy.

Apparently, that's one of the reasons why he was SO persistent...after turning him down a few times, I guess he got fed up and decided to insult me. I was cleaning up my tables after my shift and as I was walking by him, he says 'Hey Amanda, when are you going to get that stick out of your ass and go out with me?' For real. No joke.

And my logical brain thinks, if he's got guts enough to insult me in order to get a date, why not? Who knows what I was thinking, but I said, 'Okay, sure.' And to quote the cliche...the rest is history.

He had me at 'stick up your ass!'

Less than a year and a half later, we were married. Who knew?
The really funny part in all this is that I was always so adamant about NOT marrying anyone in the military. I didn't want the lifestyle. Turns out, I have the personality for it. I love what we've gotten to experience by living in so many places and the great part is, we are nowhere near being done. We have many more years to come and who knows what life will bring. I know one thing for sure, it will never be boring.

The Canary Hotel

Santa Barbara. Without. The. Kids.

Need I say more? Yes? Ok.

Our weekend in Santa Barbara was fantastic. Our actual anniversary isn't until the 27th but my mom and sister came out the week before to watch the kids so me and Tim could get away by ourselves. I'd say after the year we've had, we need it! This past deployment was much harder than the first one. I thought it would be easier since I knew what to expect. Wrong! And don't even get me started on the next one (which is slowly creeping up on us).

Needless to say, we totally enjoyed ourselves and lived like we had no kids. I won't go into detail, but there was much alcohol and (married) debauchery involved. Heehee.

Some wonderful relatives of ours, Bobbi and MaryEllen, had offered to use their timeshare to pay for our accommodations while we were there and we ended up staying at the Canary Hotel, which is a block away from State St. where all the action is. I had seen pictures of the rooms and decor and was probably looking forward to seeing the hotel the most. It's decorated with a Moroccan/Medditeranean feel...totally up my alley.

For starters, can we just talk about the bed...


Ah-mazing!!
I'm usually not a huge fan of canopy beds but this one was gorgeous! And super comfy. If I ever see one like it while out thrifting or at a yard sale, I might not be able to resist.
The entire room was just beautiful. All the details and accent furniture were so homey and relaxing. I had to talk myself out of swiping this table out of the room a few times:



LOVE the yellow.

Another thing I would've swiped...the light fixtures in the bathroom.

All the walls in all the hallways looked like this. This picture doesn't do the color of this grasscloth wallpaper justice. It was a beautiful turquoise color but there was no natural lighting at all and I did the best I could with my meager photography skills but you can't see the contrast between the wall art and the walls very well. Every time we left our hotel room I felt like we were in an art museum.

The outside of the hotel was just as breathtaking as the inside...







I could have taken dozens more pictures of all the details put into this hotel, it was that pretty! Tim kept giving me funny looks when I would take a picture of a piece of furniture or a panel of tile. He probably thought I was crazy but I just wanted to take lots of pictures so I could remember how amazing the hotel was. And who knows...someday when we finally get out of military housing and buy our own house I may look back at these pictures for decorating inspiration.

I can't possibly fit our entire trip into one post so I'll save the rest for later. Until next time!

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, here we come!!!

Tim and I are about to head off for a weekend getaway BY OURSELVES!!! No kids waking us up at 6 in the morning. No bottles to make. No poopy diapers to change! Woo-hoo!

I plan on taking lots of pictures while we're there so when we get back I'll show you all how gorgeous it was!

Until then, have a great weekend!!!