This Unfamiliar Road

August 09, 2013

Coat Closet Makeover

This project has been a long time coming, and I am so thankful to the husband for taking time out of his weekend to redo our coat closet!

Prior to the makeover, we had a builder-grade wire rack that offered no space for bags and wasn't very user friendly (really, who wants to come home after a long day and use a hanger to put away your jacket?!)
After, we have a super functional closet that's nice to look at too!

Ben started by removing that rack and patching up the walls.

We used some leftover paint from our townhouse and it really freshened up the area! Ben cut and painted baseboards for trim.

I love the contrast of the white with the brown

Valspar Faint Maple

Time to add some hooks! I went with two different styles-one for the top and one for the bottom.

The finished project!

Now we have a very functional coat closet that offers hanging space for both jackets and bags! It will adapt to our need for backpacks and lunch boxes in the future, too!

I love love love it!

August 07, 2013

On the move!

Andrea 4:13 PM 0 Comments

Our sweet P is finally walking!
She took her first 4 steps on The 4th of July (13 mos) and hasn't looked back since!

Things have been so much fun since she has become mobile! We love playing outside-and now she's not crawling on the deck or in the grass.

This milestone has really changed the way I see Peyton-she is no longer a little dependent baby now, but a toddler who can talk, eat & walk on her own!

As I see posts from friends who are sending their kiddos back to school, I get a twinge of anxiety because we will be there too soon. I know it's 4 years away, but those 4 years will fly!

Hug and kiss those sweet babies y'all because tomorrow they will be leaving for college.

Fruit Pizza

Andrea 11:49 AM 0 Comments

We hosted a cookout for Independence Day, and I needed a quick and easy dessert! I also wanted something festive since I knew we would be missing the fireworks due to the rain.

I decided on a Fruit Pizza, and it was one of the easiest and tastiest desserts ever! Rather than making my own crust, I used premade sugar cookie dough so it all came together in minutes. That's my kind of dessert.

What You'll Need:
-1 roll sugar cookie dough
-1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
-1/2 C white sugar
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-assorted fruit

What You'll Do:

1) Press sugar cookie roll onto pizza pan (or desired dish) to create a crust. Bake according to directions on package, until crust is lightly browned.

2) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread on cooled crust.

3) Arrange desired fruit on top and chill before serving.

I served mine in a pie pan for a prettier presentation!

Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

What other fruit toppings would you suggest?

# Holiday # Recipes

The 5 {Everyday} Things You Need To Do Before Baby Arrives

Andrea 10:35 AM 0 Comments

After a year of (blissful) parenthood, I have come to realize some of the things I miss most about life before Peyton.

Now, these things aren't extravagant (no European vacations here); rather, these are things that non-parents do everyday yet typically take for granted.

1. Decide to go somewhere, and leave within 5 minutes.
It sounds silly, I know. Before baby, you realize you're out of bread or get a craving for ice cream and within 5 minutes, you're out the door! After baby, you have to time things perfectly- baby must be well-rested and well-fed or you're looking at a meltdown. And you better be proficient at packing that diaper bag-this can add 30 minutes to your departure time!

2. Run errands all day long.

Prior to baby, you can easily plan a whole day of errands: haircut, lunch date, grocery shopping, etc.

Once baby arrives, your trips are shortened to accommodate nap & feeding times. And you're probably going to be limited to one trip per day (because, ya know, it takes an hour to get out the door!) so you better be quick!

3. Sit at home and do NOTHING.

Quite the opposite of running errands all day, but equally important! This one is simple. Take a day to lounge all day. Stay in your PJ's. Watch TV. Watch movies. Most importantly-don't feel guilty about it! Once that little bundle of joy makes his appearance, you will be required to do something every day. :)

4. Enjoy your dinner. I mean...really enjoy it. I don't care if it's macaroni and cheese. Just enjoy sitting down to eat (maybe even on the couch!) without being interrupted by a hungry/wet/overtired baby (or a toddler stealing from your plate!).

5. Go to the movies. This is the one 'outing' that I miss the most. Going out to eat, shopping, and the park can still be done with a baby (although it becomes a little more complicated!). You just can't (or shouldn't) take a baby to the movies. Now, when we want to go see a movie, it always involved a sitter.

Now, my little disclaimer: being a Mom is an incredible blessing, and I would give up movies, eating dinner or ever leaving my house again if it made my kiddo happy! But for those of you who haven't yet welcomed little miracles into your world, take advantage of these little things now!

# Date Night # Family

July 11, 2013

First Birthday Party!

Andrea 9:50 PM 1 Comments

I absolutely loved planning Peyton's first birthday party! Despite the fact that I was a little sad about this huge milestone, I was so excited about every little detail.

For our Junebug, I went with a "girly bug" theme! Think caterpillars, butterflies, and ladybugs in pink, yellow & green!

I had a friend of mine take pictures of the party, and it was the best decision ever. It was so nice to actually enjoy the festivities without worrying about capturing it all! And Whitney has some mad camera skills :)

I found the perfect invites via Etsy: Sassy Alice Stationery

Shirt via Southern Stamp Embroidery

We served:
Poppyseed Ham & Cheese sliders (recipe), Butterfly PB&J, Caterpillar Kabobs, Butterfly Pasta, and Garden Food with ranch

Smash Cake via Creations Bakery

I found this awesome caterpillar tunnel and the kiddos LOVED it! It was a perfect party activity for little ones!

For the monthly picture display, I made a "garden" out of Styrofoam and moss and added little Peyton "flowers"! I loved looking back at each month and seeing just how much P has changed.

Bib via Southern Stamp Embroidery

My girl sure did enjoy that cake!

For party favors, I decided to go way simple: water bottles with packets to make lemonade stuffed inside! I hope it will keep all of our little bugs hydrated this summer :)

What a great time we had celebrating our Peyton Caroline! It was so nice to see so many of our friends and family in attendance, and it truly warms my heart to know so many people love and care about our Junebug!

# Family # Friends

June 28, 2013

Poppyseed Ham & Cheese Sliders

Andrea 10:30 PM 0 Comments

These sandwiches are perfect for a summer picnic!

I made them for Peyton's birthday party and they were a HUGE hit!

What You'll Need
-1 lb deli ham, thinly sliced
-1/2 lb baby swiss cheese
-24 count dinner rolls
-1/2 cup butter
-2 tbsp mustard
-1 tbsp worcestershire
-1 tbsp poppy seeds
-1/3 cup brown sugar

What You'll Do

1. Assemble sandwiches with rolls, ham & cheese. Place in a 9x13 pan (squeeze them in).

2. In a medium saucepan, bring to a soft boil: butter, mustard, Worcestershire, poppy seeds & brown sugar (over medium heat).

3. Pour sauce over top of sandwiches.

4. Bake at 350F for approx 20 minutes.

Easiest way to assemble!