38 Weeks!

Sunday, December 14, 2014



 How is it possible that our little man is due to arrive in 2 weeks! We are keeping our fingers crossed that he decides to join us before Christmas. I know that is crazy! It would probably be so much easier if he just waits, but there are so many reasons I would love for him to be here for the holidays! I know that he will come when he is supposed to, and it will be perfect! I don't know why I am rushing him! Gosh, I remember when he was just the size of a sweet pea...he is already growing up too fast!

How Far Along: 38 weeks

Gender: boy

Sleep: Sleep is getting more and more difficult...I just can't seem to get comfortable at night

Best Moment: packing our bag for the hospital (ahhhh, it feels so close)

Miss Anything: being able to paint my own toenails

Movement: he is still very, very active...sometimes it feels like he is trying to escape

Cravings: a cold turkey sandwich

Queasy or Sick: nope...i have been feeling pretty good

Looking Forward To: celebrating the holidays with our family, and hopefully a sweet new bundle of joy...and meeting this little man, of course

DIY Arrows

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Time is winding down and all I can seem to think about is how soon this little guy is going to be here. We have been working very hard to get the nursery ready for his arrival.

You may not know this about be, but I kind of have a thing for arrows. Maybe, it is because my my last name is Fletcher, and they just seem like fitting decor. Anyway, I made some cute arrows for the nursery, and I am in love with them!



They were simple to make. I just found some dowel rods, colorful paint, feathers, and twine. I already had a lot of the items at home. I started off by taping off the rods for easy painting. However, I found that it is just as easy to freehand the stripes. I just mixed up the size and color of each stripe so they would all look a little different. Once the paint was dry, I picked out two feathers to add to the top. To attach the feathers I just wrapped them with twine.



I decided against adding points to the end of the arrows, after all, they are going in a nursery. I considered putting little felt points on them, but I am happy with them just the way they are!

Christmas Decorating

Friday, November 28, 2014


Christmas decorating starts tomorrow! We are kicking off the holiday festivities with our 2nd Annual Deck the Halls Christmas Extravaganza! (You can read all about last year's extravaganza here!)

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite Christmas decor projects! I am not sure how many projects I will do this year.

Our "real" Christmas tree stand is all ready to go for the holiday season! We did replace the rolled up paper with some styrofoam...it is much sturdier! I don't have to worry about it falling when the littles come over!



These little snow globes are still my favorite of all the Christmas decor that we have! I usually leave them out until at least Valentine's day!



Okay, this isn't really a decor project, but I love wrapped presents so much that they might as well be considered decor! I am doing the same thing this year! Fabric bows and brown paper packages look so cute under my tree! Most of my gifts are already wrapped and ready to go under the tree! I can't wait!



I made these rustic ornaments the first year Dane and I were married. We still have them, and I love them just as much as I did then. I planned to have a themed tree that was rustic every year. However, we bought each other ornaments last year, and I think that will be a new favorite tradition...especially with a little one!

Wow, I have done a total of four Christmas decor projects in the several years that I have been writing this blog...and one of them was wrapping gifts (not even sure that counts)! I am such a lame blogger! ;)

Happy decorating!

Christmas Cards

Sunday, November 23, 2014

I usually design our Christmas cards, but I decided that I would just order some this year...we have enough other stuff going on. Shutterfly has an amazing selection of cards to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites!



one / two / three / four / five / six

 It was really hard to pick just one design...they are all so fun and festive! I ended up choosing this card. They are probably the best cards that we have had...but I am sure I will love next year's even more. The paper quality is great, and the shipping was very timely. Shutterfly has yet to disappoint me!



This is not a sponsored post. These opinions are all my own!

Lately

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Where did fall go?! It was snowing today! This weather is not really helping me fight my urge to decorate for Christmas. Luckily, I have been too busy to even think about decorating. I have been busy with fun photo sessions, preparing for baby, and spending much needed time with friends and family. I am sad to see the fall season come to an end, but there is so much to look forward to...like kissing these little cheeks!



For now, I am going to continue to enjoy what is left of autumn...and a couple slices of pumpkin pie! The leaves are beautiful, the weather is cold, and the blankets are cozy. Speaking of blankets, I found this cable knit throw at West Elm the other day, and instantly added it to my must have list. I can just imagine curling up with a baby, cup of hot chocolate, and this beautiful blanket! (AHHH! Curling up with a BABY...baby snuggles are in my near future!!!)

Another reason to love this time of the year...I got to stock up on my favorite Scentporotables from Bath and Body Works! Leaves is my absolute favorite, but I did grab a couple Christmas scents too. These would make great stocking stuffers! I just love it when my car smells all yummy.

I recently started looking for my next sewing project. If you follow me on Pinterest you may have noticed that I am kind of in love with the half triangle quilts! I can't wait to pick out fabric with my grandma and the girls! I am happy that I will be able to share the progress of this little project. This is the first quilt or blanket that hasn't been a secret gift!




This is probably the most random post that I have ever written! (Sorry about that!)

31 Weeks

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Time is flying by so quickly! I cannot believe that we have less than 10 weeks to go. Our sweet baby boy will be in our arms before we know it. Dane and I feel more and more blessed everyday. It still amazes me that God chose us to raise and care for this little man! Every time I get to feel him kick and squirm my heart grows a little more in love.



We have had the privilege of seeing our little guy through sonogram a lot. There have been some concerns that required a little more monitoring than normal, but both baby and I are perfectly healthy. Over the weekend we had a 3D sonogram and our families got to join us to see the little guy. Every time we see him I am just in awe, and it was wonderful to share that with our loved ones.

How Far Along: 31 weeks
Gender: boy
Sleep: I would love to sleep through the night just once before he arrives
Best Moment: making tons of progress on the baby's room
Miss Anything: being able to pick stuff up off the floor
Movement: he is very active
Cravings: not really
Queasy or Sick: I have started to get heartburn
Looking Forward To: celebrating with family and friends at the baby shower this weekend

The picture above was taken by my lovely friend, Chelsea! She did such an amazing job capturing this special moment in our life! I will be sure to share more soon, but for now you can see a few of our sneak peeks on her Facebook page.

Christmas

Saturday, October 25, 2014

I have really been in the Christmas spirit lately. I know, it is only October, but I really think it has something to do with this little squirm worm growing inside me. I haven't gone crazy and started playing Christmas music throughout the house...yet, but I have been buying presents for months! Who knows when little man will arrive! I have to be prepared! Anyway, I thought I would share my go to places for finding the perfect Christmas gifts.



Shutterfly: If you are looking for a personalized photo gift, Shutterfly is the place to go! The selection of home décor and gifts is fabulous, and they run specials regularly. They even have personalized wrapping paper! That is pretty much the coolest thing ever, don't you think!? Moms. Grandmas. Sisters. Aunts. You will be sure to find something that they will like, and there is nothing more thoughtful than a personalized present!

Zulily: I have little nieces and nephews in my family. When I need to find an affordable name brand gift, this is the first place I look. They always have great deals! Zulily also carries home décor and clothing for adults.

 Jane: This is a site that I check regularly. The items offered change daily, and there is always something great...AND the prices are amazing! For stocking stuffers or little gifts this is a great place to look!

 Uncommon Goods: There are so many interesting things available on Uncommon Goods. One of the things that I love about the site is they make searching for the perfect gift a breeze! You can choose gifts based on gender, age, price, or interest! Have a grillmaster on your list? They have already compiled all of the gifts that person would love!

 West Elm: Okay, I can't say that I have actually ever purchased a gift from this site (maybe I have, but I quickly decided it was to amazing not to keep for myself), but I absolutely love all of their Christmas décor! If I had about 4 more jobs, I would totally own everything they offer! Some of my favorites include this felt mistletoe, felt garland, and these stockings! Oh, and did I mention they almost always have free shipping! They just make it so easy to splurge!

Nursery Plans

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

I have had several people ask how Dane and I were planning on decorating the nursery. I can't say that we really have a theme in mind, but we I have found some inspiration on Pinterest. Our spare room is already painted gray, and we have no intention of changing that. I love gray for a nursery. I plan on brightening the space up with some fun pops of color.



MobileLamp ShadeDeer PrintBlanketMetal LetterChair

A couple of weeks ago Dane and I picked up some art at Hobby Lobby. My favorite is this canvas by Lindsay Letters. You seriously need to check out her shop! I want everything!



Some other things that I have planned for the room include decorative arrows, bright pillows, and lots more colorful wall art! And, what is a room without chalkboard piant? I can't wait to put everything together and reveal the little man's space!

THREE Months...Let the Countdown Begin

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Oh my goodness!!! I may or may not have switched over to freak out mode this morning. I woke up and realized that it was September 27...exactly 3 months from little man's expected arrival! Am I ready to meet him, cover him with kisses, and snuggle him hours a day? YES! Is the house ready for his arrival? ABSOLUTELY NOT! We have a pre baby to do list that is probably a mile and a half long, and very little time to get it all done.

Regarless of the crazy list and quickly approaching deadline, I could not be more excited to welcome this little guy into the world!



How Far Along: 27 weeks
Gender: Boy
Sleep: Getting comfortable is not always easy, but I haven't had much trouble sleeping.
Best Moment: Buying some art for the nursery! (More on that soon!)

Miss Anything: Sleeping on my back.
Movement: Lots of kicks...I am still waiting for the hiccups!
Cravings: Pumpkin spice anything!
Queasy or Sick: Still feeling great.
Looking Forward To: Fall's cooler weather...I have been waiting to break out some of my fall maternity finds!

Fall Favorites

Friday, September 05, 2014

Yay! It is finally September, my favorite month of the year, and the start of my favorite season! I have some fun crafty things planned for the weeks to come, but first I want to share some of my favorites with you.



I have been eyeing these baby moccasins from Freshly Picked for a while now. Our little guy will be sporting these next fall, for sure!

Vera Bradley just released their new leather collection! I am in love! They have several cute colors and styles to choose from. Now, I just have to decide which one I will be purchasing for myself! Happy Birthday to me!

Fall nail polish is my favorite, and Essie did not disappoint this year! Fall in Line is going to have to make its way to my collection. You can never have too much nail polish, right?

I would burn fall candles all year if I thought it was acceptable. Leaves is one of my favorite scents! My house always feels so cozy with the candles glowing and the smell of fall everywhere.

These knit pumpkins! AHHH! There is not much more to say...they may just be the cutest pumpkins I have ever seen!

DIY Fall Wreath

Monday, August 25, 2014

Fall is right around the corner, and this girl is pretty stinkin’ excited about it! Pumpkins, the changing leaves, and an assortment of cozy scarves…what’s not to love?

I recently found this tutorial on Shanty-2-Chic, and fell in love! Of course, I had to make one for myself. It was honestly the one of the easiest DIY’s I have done. I already had a spare wreath lying around, so all I had to do was find some artificial fall berries. Dane and I made a trip to Hobby Lobby, where I found these for $1.49 each…PLUS, they were on sale for 40% off! Not a bad deal, if I do say so myself!

Originally, I was planning on cutting the short stems off and pushing them into the wreath. However, I thought it would require some hot glue, and I really didn’t know how that would end up looking. So, I tried inserting the long stem of the berries into the wreath, and that worked very well. The long stem held the berries securely to the wreath. I used nine bundles of the berries, and placed them evenly around the wreath.


I could not be happier with the way that it turned out. I cannot wait until fall is officially here so I can start decorating. This beauty is going to look great with pumpkins and purple mums! You think it is too early to start decorating now?

Click and Blossom

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

For the past 5 months (okay, maybe longer) I have been keeping a look out for cute little baby clothes. I haven’t bought much yet, but I am sure his wardrobe will grow rapidly!

The other day, I came across a site called Click and Blossom. They sell awesome stuff for photographers and their littles! I am sure that our baby boy will be sporting some of these great one-pieces…and his mommy will too!



1/2/3/4/5/6

Luckily, our little guy doesn’t seem to be the least bit camera shy! Good thing…cause I think he is going to be in front of the camera a lot!  

20 Weeks

Monday, August 11, 2014

I cannot believe we are halfway through this pregnancy. It is going by so quickly, and I am not even close to prepared for little man's arrival. Now is the time to get everything done...my energy level has really gone up these last couple weeks.



We had our 20 week appointment and ultrasound last week, and everything is going smoothly. The baby is growing perfectly. Getting to see him and hear his little heartbeat is always so amazing. We just can't get over how amazing he is, and we just love all 14 oz. of him!



How Far Along: 20 weeks
Gender: boy
Sleep: I have been sleeping very well
Best Moment: getting to see our little sweetie and finally feeling some little flutters
Miss Anything: sleeping on my back
Movement: a few flutters here and there...I can't wait to feel him move around more
Cravings: random pickle cravings (cliché, I know) and sweet corn
Queasy or Sick: luckily I haven't felt bad in weeks
Looking Forward To: getting started on the nursery (I am going to share some nursery plans soon!)

The Great Smoky Mountains

Thursday, August 07, 2014

A couple of weeks ago we went on vacation to Gatlinburg, Tennessee! I am finally back to my normal routine...it only took a week or so! We had such a great time while we were away. The drive down was pretty uneventful (which is probably a good thing), and the time on the road seemed to pass quickly.



It was so nice to finally arrive to the mountains! I never get tired of Gatlinburg. However, the traffic is something I could certainly do without. We slowly made our way to The Dixie Stampede to get tickets for the show that night, and then we went to search for our cabin. I could stay in that cabin forever...it was amazing!



The Dixie Stampede was a lot of fun. I have been about four times...so yeah, it is something that I would recommend. Brooke left saying, "When I grow up, I want to be a Dixie Stampede performer!"

On Tuesday, we soaked up some sun at the Dollywood water park. The others really enjoyed all of the water slides, but I stuck to the lazy river and relaxed by the pool. Maybe I will be able to be part of all of the fun next time. After a long day at the water park, we went to grab some food at The Blue Moose. It is back off of the main road, but we were so glad that we found it. The service was fantastic and the food was great!

Wednesday morning the rest of the family arrived...and we were beyond thrilled to see them! Logan, Shawna, and Easton had made the trip through the night, so we let them catch up on some sleep while we relaxed around the cabin.



Once everyone was up and ready we made our way to the mountains! The views were breathtaking and the weather was perfect.


Thursday we split up. The boys went to the muscle car museum, and the girls (and Easton) went to Ripley's Aquarium. Easton loved it! He couldn't stop looking at all of the fish, and he really loved the penguins. We even got to touch jellyfish...it was pretty gross awesome!



After walking around Gatlinburg, we went to The Lumberjack Feud. This may have been one of my favorite things from the trip. It was very entertaining, and Brooke has officially decided that she wants to be a lumberjill...I know, she changes her mind quickly.

Friday was another day of hiking in the mountains. There were a couple trails that proved to be a little difficult for this pregnant lady, but I managed. Easton just hitched a ride on his daddy's back...lucky kid!



Saturday, the crew went to Dollywood. Dane and I decided to skip the roller coasters since this prego wasn't going to have much fun watching everyone get dizzy! We ended up taking Easton shopping in Gatlinburg for the day instead. It was a great day. We spent a couple of hours sitting at Sugarlands Distilling Company listening to some live music, while Easton slept like a baby. ;) Dane tasted some moonshine (while I changed a crazy diaper) and we spent the rest of the day checking out the little shops.



Sunday, the group went zip lining and we did some shopping. I bought a couple outfits for our little mister, and I can't wait until he is here to wear them. We spent majority of the afternoon at The Island in Pigeon Forge. It was a great way to end the vacation...until we got caught in a storm! We had no choice but to take shelter at Margaritaville until the tornado warning expired.



We had such a great time on vacation! We did so much fun stuff...well, I watched everyone else do most of it, but that's okay! If you are looking for a great place to go on vacation, I suggest Gatlinburg. You will not regret it!

It's a...

Sunday, July 13, 2014

 

BOY! Dane and I found out that our little bundle of joy is a boy! We could not be more thrilled. We would have been just as happy to find out that it was a girl, but it is great to finally know. He was so active and squirmy. I cannot explain how amazing it was to see our little guy. He sure was striking some cute poses...he must know his mommy is a photographer! 

Summer Fun

Monday, June 23, 2014

I have been looking for some small fun activities for this summer. You know, for those (very few) days when we have nothing else to do! I found this post from Lolly Jane, and thought it was such a great idea.

I decided on some categories (at home, in town, out of town) and came up with some fun activities that Dane and I would enjoy.

I will be honest, coming up with the list wasn't all that easy. I am not convinced that Dane will agree to do any all of them, but it is worth a shot.

This little project was really easy. I just found some popsicle sticks and a mason jar Wal-Mart, and used some paint that I already had around the house. I picked a different color for each of the three categories and painted each popsicle stick. Once the paint was dry I wrote the activites on the other end of the stick.





Simple as that! Once Dane and I have a plan free day, we can just pick an activity from the jar! (Who am I kidding...we don't have plan free days, but the jar is really cute! Maybe we will get more use out of it next summer!)

We're Expecting

Saturday, June 21, 2014

We are thrilled to announce that Baby Fletcher is due to arrive in December 2014!



I cannot even begin to express how excited we are about our growing family. Dane and I found out on Easter morning that we were going to be parents. Let me tell you, it is not easy keeping that secret from your entire family...especially on a holiday! Despite the fact that we are the worst secret surprise keepers ever, we did manage to wait!

When we finally told our family, we wanted to be creative. We have babies on both sides of our family, and we decided that a onesie that said, "BIG COUSIN" would be the perfect way to tell our parents and siblings! Everyone was so excited, and Hattie even modeled the onesie.



Shortly after this picture was taken, she spit up all over it...we know how she feels about being a big cousin. ;)

We are so lucky. We are surrounded by such a loving group of family and friends, and it is wonderful knowing that our baby is going to grow up with all of these amazing people in his/her life!

Now...its time to prepare for baby!

Starved Rock Adventure

Thursday, June 05, 2014

A couple of weeks ago Dane surprised me with a trip that he had planned! I have been wanting to go to Starved Rock State Park for a few years, and we never got around to it. So, I was thrilled to find out that we would finally be going!

We left right after work on Tuesday, and made the three hour drive north. When we arrived at the lodge, we noticed that the parking lot was very empty! Other than the staff we may have been the only people there. Creepy? Maybe, but the hotel staff was super friendly...and our room was very nice. Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort has a lot of summer attractions that families would really enjoy, and I am sure they are very busy all through the summer. The water park doesn't open until this weekend, so we didn't get to visit that part of the resort.

I was a little worried about whether or not we were going to be able to hike the next day. There were severe storms predicted and 100% chance of rain.

When we woke up Wednsday morning, the parking lot was covered with puddles and it was misting out. A little mist wasn't going to stop us! It was actually the perfect day for hiking through the park. It was a cool 65 degrees, and the waterfalls were flowing! We did get rained on a little bit, but we really could not have asked for a better day!













We walked a little over 4 miles (mostly stairs), and got to see some really beautiful scenes. It was such an enjoyable trip. Dane and I had a really great time hiking, and it was great to spend some time together. I really hope that we can make that trip again soon!

Easter Festivities

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Dane and I got to spend a lot of time with family over the weekend. We are so blessed to have such an incredible family, and there is nothing we like more than spending the holidays with them!



 

Like most of our holidays, Easter was packed with all sorts of activities. We kicked off the celebration on Friday with some Easter egg dying fun at Grammy's. Saturday I got to relax a little, and spend the whole day with my adorable little nephew. After his momma picked him up, I went out to the farm to color paint eggs with my sister. (Painting eggs sounds like a great idea, but it is very time consuming!)







Sunday we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, and a wonderful service with our church family. After that, we went from one family gathering to the next. Food. Egg hunts. More food. I was pretty exhausted by the end of the day, but that's okay.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Hello.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

I have slowly (I mean really slowly) been trying to add some wall décor to the front porch. Don't ask me why it is taking so long!

Anyway, I recently purchased a this adorable vinyl lettering for my front door. How cute is that?! However, when I had to pick out a color, I decided that I liked white the best. Believe me, Dane got a chuckle when I told him I bought white vinyl for our white door! I was really just planning on painting the door some pretty color, which also made him laugh! That is when I decided that I would put it on the wall in the front porch.



It had crossed my mind briefly when I was picking out the color of the lettering, but I really thought it would look cute on the door. Now that it is up, I think I should just pretend that it was planned for the porch all along...it looks amazing. The white vinyl matches the trim perfectly, and looks great against the jade wall.

I am planning on adding a few other things to this wall. I think that a grouping of small items will look nice. I have my eyes on this key hook from Target (and everything else in the Young House Love collection), and I thought that a white frame would look great with it.

In other news, we have started some bathroom renovation projects! Dane came in the house the other day with a sawzall and said, "I am going to cut a whole in the bathroom wall." I was pretty darn excited!

fabric

Spoonflower

Sunday, April 13, 2014

I love buying fabric. It is kind of becoming a problem...I have a pretty large stock pile of fabric that I "had to have", and I haven't found a use for it yet. However, that hasn't stopped me from looking for more fun fabrics to buy for future projects.
I recently found Spoonflower, a website that has tons of great fabric...you can even design your own! I have been trying to dream up some projects for some of my favorite fabrics. Anyone need a baby blanket covered in whales?!

Here are a few of the fabrics that I am smitten with!

Underwater Pool PartyHappies of RainCharcoal Deer Head
Watercolor Fox AquaFreeform Arrows NavyArrows Scattered
Mod Mint Triangle(I) love lettersVintage Camera

Are you in love yet?!

There are just so many options! If you come over to my house and find it full of colorful throw pillows, don't be surprised!

You can find a couple of my sewing projects here, here, and here.

(This is not a sponsored post.)

Spring

Saturday, April 12, 2014


Gosh...I haven't written a post in FOREVER! The weather has been so nice, and I have been busy running, taking pictures, cleaning, and planting watering tulips. (It absolutely made my day to see these blooms!) Plus, Dane and I have been working on some fun projects that I plan to share very soon!

Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weather!

Birthday

Happy 25th Birthday!!!!

Saturday, March 22, 2014











Today is my amazing husband's birthday! When we started dating he was just 16! Can you believe that?! We have come a long way. I have loved the 9 birthdays that we have been able to celebrate together, and I can't wait for all the birthdays to come!



God created the perfect husband for me when he made Dane Fletcher! I am so thankful for this day...the day of his birth, and all of the other days that have brought us together. He is one of the most caring, loving, generous, hard working men that I know. He has a heart of gold. He is extremely responsible, but he is not afraid to be silly. He is everything that I wanted and needed in a husband, and deserves to have the greatest birthday ever!