Making The Rounds

We really had a busy holiday season this year.  Every weekend was filled with something!  Earlier in the season we enjoyed our local Christmas parade.  Beckett had a BLAST--he was in heaven with all the firetrucks, horses, and TRACTORS!!!  It was pretty frigid at the parade, which is out of the norm.  It really felt like Christmas for a change.....and B got to wear his reindeer hat.  

After the parade we went to my Aunt's to have Christmas with my family.
Nonna bought him a new hat! 

Nonna and her favorite little boy! 

Playing around with "Nanny"
My poor aunt still had a boot on her foot from surgery she had months ago.
Beckett gave her some hugs to make her feel better!! 

Say CHEESE!
Beckett??
These are my cousin's children that I love dearly.
All three of these kids were in my wedding as flower girls and ring bearer.
 It baffles mehow time flies and how old they are now, especially now that Kailey
is allowed behind a the wheel of a car!!  Seriously, am I this old?? 

Ok, that's a bit better....

Took a few more shots at home of the tree before it got disassembled and
put away for the year.
I can't say that I regret purchasing the artificial tree this year.
Not one needle to clean up!!

Beckett enjoyed the Christmas season so much this year.
He examined every single ornament he could reach
 (obviously, the breakable ones were hung much higher this year)

Here's one huge reason why I don't take as many pictures anymore....
"Mommy, can I hold it? Can I take a picture with your cam-er-a!"

Christmas eve night we went over to Nonna's to celebrate with my family.
He gets to color more at Nonna's than at mommy's.
Nonna doesn't value her rug and walls as much as I do. 

Uncle Beau helped out

"Here Unka Beau, let's dump out the whole basket!"

Nonna and Poppa's tree

Beckett and his Nonna

Me and my baby B

Before I talk about what my brother gave Beckett, I need to give you a little bit more information....my brother is an enormous Carolina fan!  Huge, huge, HUGE!  Anyway, Beckett loves to tackle and act like he's playing football quite often.  He even puts his bicycle helmet on at our house when we watch football on t.v.  So, of course my brother wanted to get him a real football helmet for Christmas.  

BUT, no ordinary youth helmet would do.  Once it came in the mail, he wasn't happy with it.  The shell of the helmet was ok, but the decals looked chintzy and cheap (they looked fine to me), but Beau wasn't happy with them. 

So, my brother..... the ultimate USC fan AND Beckett fan that he is, got in touch with the equipment manager for the Gamecocks and scored the exact decals the team has!  My 2 year old has the most authentic youth sized helmet available!  Complete with the flag decals on the back!  

I think this has to be the best Christmas present any of us received this year!  I love my brother to death but he just amp'ed it up a notch with this one!

Here's what the helmet looked like when Beau got it in the mail. 

Here's the helmet after "Unka Beau" did his Gamecock DIY to it! 

Beau quotes from Christmas eve:
"If it's for Beckett, it has to be done RIGHT!"
"I wish I had an Uncle like me when I was his age..."

On Christmas night, we had Christmas with my stepdad's family.
Beckett was worn OUT from his full day, but he livened up a little to hang out with Finlee Ann. 

Worn OUT!!!

We celebrated Christmas with my in-laws the Saturday after Christmas this year.  Aunt Amy and Uncle Patrick came into town and Chad, Beckett and I rode to the lake for the day to spend time with them. 

An early present to open before we ate lunch

Nothin' but NET!

Gigi helped Beckett open some more toys.

Beckett thinks that every party should have cake.
I agree, but I'm pretty sure he asked Gigi on the phone earlier in the week if there would be cake.
Of course, she made sure there was!

Having fun with Aunt Amy!

Does anyone else feel like this year was a blur?  I really don't know where the time went!!  

Happy Tuesday!! 

XO, 

Music Monday Download

Who's ready for a little walk down memory lane?  This totally takes me back to middle school, permed hair,  boy bands and the most awkward 3 years of my life!!!  This video CRACKS me up!  Two very funny things to notice in this video (and embarrassing on my part). 

#1.  Those flouncy M.C. Hammer style pants?  And patent leather oxfords?  Yeah, I had some. 

#2   The "roger rabbit" dancing they do?  Yeah, broke my arm trying that out in the 6th grade.  No, I'm not kidding! 

What else cracks me up are the rainbow assortment of silky shirts they are wearing in the dance scene.  

They closely resemble some I recently purchased at Old Navy in about 3-4 colors.  See folks, what goes around does come around .....however, I do hope there is plenty from this video that never gets rehashed into the fashion world ever again!!!  

Happy Monday! 

XO, 

Beckett Chatter

All I can say is, I'm working on getting video of the things he says.  What comes out of his mouth is 

halarious, but it's even funnier hearing it from his mouth! 

Beckett:  "What time is it?"
Chad:  "I dunno..."
Beckett:  "Time for you to get a watch."
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Getting ready to read a book with Chad
Beckett: "Here's the book" (as he hands it to Chad)
"and here's MEEEE!" (as he hops in Chad's lap)
________________________________________________

While taking a bath his tummy growls
Me:  "What was THAT?"
Beckett:  "There's an animal in my belly.  RAWR!"
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On my recent trip to Asheville, NC, I brought him back a Curious George 
stuffed animal.
Beckett:   "Curious George, you need a diaper change!!"
Lays him on the coffee table and pretends to change his diaper.
Beckett:  "Shew!  Stiiiiiinky!" (as he holds his nose) 
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Favorite new saying when he's grumpy: 
Beckett:  "Don't TALK to me!"
I've got to figure out how to make him stop saying this!!
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Christmas night I asked Beckett to cook me something on the grill he got from Santa. 
He picks up a small firetruck, places it on the grill and slams the lid... 
Beckett:  "One firetruck.....coming up!!!"
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Tugging Chad's hand, he whispers to him...
Beckett:  "I have an idea, I have a GOOD idea that we should go DOWNstairs"
(always stresses the 'down'---this is also where 90% of his toys are located.)
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Uncle Beau asks for a hug as Beckett and I are leaving. Beau reaches for him to hug him.... 
Beckett:  "You can look, but you cannot TOUCH!!"
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Easy mac for dinner for Beckett, I'm stirring it up waiting on it to cool... 
Beckett:  "Whatcha doin', mommy?" 
Me:  "Cooling your mac and cheese, it's hot!"  "See the steam?" 
Beckett:  "It's going UP!"  
Beckett:  "It came out of the microwave and it's hooooooot."
Beckett:  "We cook ever-thing, in the microwave!" 
Huge, HUGE sign it's time for me to use the stove more often!!
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Chad's leaving for work, leans down to give Beckett a hug and kiss goodbye.  Chad makes it to the door.... 
Beckett: "STOP Daddy!!!" 
Chad:  "Why, what's wrong?"
Beckett:  "You forgot to give MOM-my a hug and a kiss!" 
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I've recently noticed he's having a hard time pronouncing words with 'S' Sounds.  I've been trying to make him say words properly and work with him on this, but you can't help but laugh when he pronounces things this way. 

Spick 'n' Span = "Pick an Pan" 
Stethoscope = "Kepo-cope" 

Happy Thursday! 

XO, 

Naughty or Nice?

Last year Beckett got to sit on Santa's lap twice!  This year, we were lucky enough to get to meet St. Nick two times....AGAIN!!

The lady that keeps my child is truly heaven sent!  She does more than I can ever believe for these children and we all adore her!  Every year, she has an annual Christmas party.  Everyone brings food, the kids get to do some Christmas crafts and they wrap up the party with a visit from Santa!  The kids really enjoy themselves and it's always a great time.  This year, she changed it up a bit and had breakfast with Santa.  Everyone brought a breakfast food!  I could kick myself for not getting a picture of the spread of food that was laid out.  The selection rivaled the menu at Waffle House and IHOP!!  My stomach is growling right now just thinking about it!

Some of Beckett's daycare buddies.
If you're wondering where he might be, just look behind the swing.
I think he was trying to swing everyone. 

Love that he's got his legs crossed in this picture.  

I just loved this picture of Beckett's buddy Maggie.
So precious! 

Beckett and Georgia Nell.
They look like they are deep in conversation. 

Already sweet talking the girls....

"Santa, I want a Backhoe!"

No tears on Santa's lap this year!!  So proud of my big boy! 

The next day, we went to Fort Motte for a Christmas get-together that our friends' have every year.
You can see pics from last year HERE and HERE

Yet again, he requested a backhoe!

Happy Wednesday! 

XO, 

Biscoff Crescents

I saw on Pinterest the recipe for Nutella Crescents.  Basically, crescent rolls with a dollup of Nutella, rolled in sugar and cinnamon and baked.  My original plan was to make these Christmas morning, but lo and behold, I walked right out of the grocery store without the Nutella. 

My mom had a jar of Biscoff Spread in her pantry, and thought I should try it instead.  I'd never tried it before so I dipped my spoon in for a taste.....and ohmygoodnessgracious......this stuff is just about one of the best things I've ever tasted!  I can't even begin to describe it.  It's like a spread of gingerbread!  

So, Instead of using the nutella, I used the Biscoff spread instead and they were really good!
Basically, I just placed a spoonful of the spread in the crescent, rolled them in sugar and
cinnamon, and baked according to the package. 

VERY sweet....and very easy.
Happy Tuesday!
XO, 

Music Monday Download

XO, 

Coming Soon!

Hello strangers!  It's been a while since the 'ole blog got an update.  Sorry for the absence, but we have been BUSSSSSSSY these last few weeks!  I promise I'll be back with some more posts VERY soon, once I dig myself out from underneath the holiday heap that's piled on top of me!!  

Here's a little spoiler of what you can expect to see on Thirteen Acres in the upcoming weeks ahead, once I get pictures edited and uploaded. 

Here's a List of Upcoming Blog Posts:  

Beckett Chatter 

Lots more from the mouth of my child!  I can't keep up with his one liners these days.

Decorating Downstairs! 

I posted our Christmas decor in our den, but I'll give you glimpse of how we adorn the bonus room. 

(Much to my dismay, I was hoping to get this post published DURING the holiday season, not after....)

Naughty or Nice 

Beckett got to sit on Santa's lap twice again this year!  Also pictures from his daycare Christmas breakfast. 

Making the Rounds 

Spending time with family during the holiday season. 

Santa Came!! 

Bright smiles on Christmas morning after we discovered Santa had paid us a visit! 

Beautiful Bride 

I recently shot my first bridal photo shoot.  I can't wait to share some of my favorite shots of the gorgeous Kristen! 

New Calligraphy Service 

I've been addressing envelopes for years for brides-to-be; stay tuned for the post on the new service I'll be providing in addition to my addressing service! 

Ringing in the New Year 

How we said goodbye to 2012! 

Hits and Misses 

More product reviews from yours truly 

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

Items I received for Christmas I just can't get enough of!!  

Posh Addict 

I've recently seen a few friends join the shopping community (Poshmark) that I've been addicted to the last month.  After some research and earning over $450 in extra moolah, I'll break down the app and the best ways to get your stuff SOLD! 

Curl It Up! 

How I get curls and waves (a picture tutorial). 

WHEW---a little bit of everything!!  See you all VERY soon!  

Happy Weekend! 

XO, 

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours! 

Asheville Weekend

I never get a chance to get away and relax.  Lauren's sister had her bachelorette party in Asheville this past weekend, and I was lucky enough to tag along.

Here's the crew!
Lauren and I have been good friends since High School and I've known some of these ladies since
THEY were in middle school.  It's hard to believe most of them are married and that Lauren and I used to chauffeur some of them around back in the day.
I think it's so great that these beautiful ladies have stayed friends since they were little and continue 
to be close after so many years! 

We stayed at a cabin in Candler that was ON the mountain.
I was a little scared that Lauren's Honda wouldn't make it up the winding road to the house, but
the view from the porch was great!
Friday when we arrived, the girls had decorated the house and had appetizers ready.
We had a little shower for Kristen, and Liz made gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches that were to.DIE.for!
{By the way, Liz, need those recipes...}  

Have you ever spoken with my husband on the phone?
He's not very good at wrapping up a conversation.....

At lunch on Saturday 

Fuzzy picture due to low light.
Now that we both are mommies, it's even harder to find time
to spend with friends!
We both had a great time, but were reminded just how OLD we are!!

Meanwhile.....in Manning....
Chad and Mr. B took a weekend trip to hang out with Gigi and Doc.
Beckett had a great time making the rounds catching up.
Chad sent me this picture on Saturday of Beckett and Landry hanging out.
How precious are they?!  

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Saturday we ventured out for a little shopping in downtown Asheville.  Kress Emporium is an art gallery.  Lots of beautiful ornaments for Christmas, artwork and original pieces.  Downstairs from Kress is a home decor store that I believe was called "Adorn?'  Anyone remember?

I really loved this pottery by  Julie Miller Gootman at Kress.

How cool are these windows/doors hung to divide a space?  

Beautiful striped pillows......with quite a hefty price tag attached! 

Are you aware of just HOW much antlers are in style.....still?
If you've got a husband or boyfriend who likes to hunt, you might just be in luck right now.
I didn't get the price on these in this centerpiece display but I can almost guarantee
they were outrageous! 

Beautiful bed set-up.
Love the quatrefoil design in the head and footboard. 

Lauren and I drove home through Charlotte so we could do a little shopping at one of my favorite places on earth!

If only Columbia had a Nordstrom!!!
....and a J.Crew
.....and Potterbarn
....and Gap Kids
....and Aldo
.....and a Belk that even held a candle to the one at South Park!

A girl can only dream I guess!

Thanks girls for the fun weekend!!!

Happy Tuesday!
XO, 

Music Monday Download

Cleaning Out My Closets

Most of you that know me personally (and even through my blog and Instagram) know that I'm a clothing and accessories junky!  I recently stumbled across a great iphone app which allows you to sell clothing and accessories very easily.  I've already sold one pair of shades and received payment via direct deposit so I'm going to give this app a chance and see what else I can clean out!  

You pick the list price and receive 80% of the sale.  Shipping is included.  There's no charge for listing either.  It's so easy!  You take a photo with your phone, upload it, pick your price and when it sells, they email you the shipping label.  

I don't mess with ebay.  I don't have time to upload pics, answer questions and do research on every item and it's common selling price. This takes the guess work out of it.  The consignment shop I've been using only gives you 40% of the sale price.  Which means if you pay $200 for a pair of jeans, they most likely will price them at $45.  You only get 40% of that price, which is NOTHING!!  

If you've got anything you want to sell (especially designer duds) this is a great way to list it and possibly make a bit of extra moolah for the holiday season!  

C'mon and try it!!  

If you're interested in what I'm selling, click HERE for the link! 

Happy Shopping....and SELLING! 

XO,

Decking the Halls 2012

We just did something this year I never thought we would do!  We purchased a fake Christmas tree.....not only a fake one....but a 12 FOOT fake one.......that weighs as much as I do!  

We never let my mom get a fake tree when we were little.  We refused!  We loved going to pick it out, finding just the right one, and smelling that wonderful frasier fir smell the weeks until Christmas.  I never EVER thought I would be excited about a fake tree.....until last year.  Last year it took me three days to get the remnants of needles and sap out of our house and I swore I'd never do it again.  So, this year we decided to make it a bit easier on ourselves and get a prelit tree that was the right size and shape for our house.  When Beckett gets a bit older and has an opinion on it, we'll probably buy a small real tree for him to decorate, but for now, I'm enjoying the fact that my broom hasn't swept up one needle and I didn't have to string one light!  

Here's a view from the balcony looking down.
Very easy to apply the bow on top at least. 

Last year I highlighted some of my favorite ornaments.
I'll showcase some more when I post our decorations
from the tree downstairs, but here are two more I love that are new this year.
Mom got me these after Christmas last year.
They are massive and fit well on the massive tree. 

New heel from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law's recent trip to London.
They know me pretty well....

I love this burlap wired ribbon I found at Carolina pottery.
It blends so well with the decor in our living room.
Our great room decor is so neutral, I can't go with the traditional red and
green Christamas colors. 

Tis the season for candles.
In lieu of having a real tree and that wonderful
tree smell, I have a candle burning almost daily.
These smell fantastic and are my favorites:
WoodWick Mistletoe Magic 
WoodWick Frasier Fir 
and Thymes Frasier Fir

Since most of the remainder of my Christmas decorations are similar to last year, I won't show you around the house again.  However, if you missed my Christmas decor post from 2011, click HERE to see how I decked the halls last year!

Happy Monday! 

XO,