French White

And moving on to the next room.  Yes this is quite the ordeal.  Are you ready fo' this? 

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I want the walls a French white-Sherwin Williams Dover White and Alabaster received the ravest of reviews so here she goes...

 

Alabaster on the top, Dover White on the  bottom and in this lighting they look the same but I believe I'm going with the Dover White.  We'll do vertical stripes alternating in flat and high gloss.  I had originally planned on doing these stripes in the same color, but Josh {why does he even HAVE an opinion?} wants the colors to alternated.  I just don't know about that.  I want subtle.  Ultimately, this is the look I'm going for:

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 Catch my drift?

;o)

Shah-co-lahhh

And here we have it, moving on to the upstairs powder room.  Thinking we'll go chocolate brown.   That's "Shah-co-lahhh."  Not "Chocolate"

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Chocolate for small spaces hey why not.

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Chocolate for a powder room?  Even better.  Don't you want to powder up righcheer?

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Or here even?  Ok we're not going that drastic in terms of beautification because if you want to know the God's honest truth, I don't plan in being in this house forever, nahmean?  I mean I may or may not be scoping out fmrealty every now and again for the fun in it.  ShoWhat?  And if you repeat that to my husband I will lie bold faced.

Sherwin Williams Less Brown is the bottom shade and I think it wins.  It has more of a lavender undertone, which everyone loves.  Because lavender is amazing.  The color and the aroma.  Plus I'm trying to be realistic in that the other two look like I smeared Jello Pudding on the walls to entertain my child.

Which I would never do inside my home because I hate cleaning up huge messes of that nature.  In your home, if we were invited, maybe. Probably.
Ok I would because it seems like fun and I know he'd love it.

Since. January.

So.  Nevermind that I've been talking about this since January.  It's actually coming to fruition.  Here we go-pink as a neutral.  Obviously I've done some research...

 



Design by Stephen Shubel; photo by Jeremy Samuelson





https://www.onekingslane.com/live-love-home/the-perfect-pink-paint-color/

Think calm cozy come sit a spell. 

Then I checked into Sherwin Williams' most preferred pinks.  Here you have it party people.  Verbena on top and White Dogwood underneath.  And I am quite aware of the fact that in this image...they look exactly the same.

 

And a Nikon 7 Bajillion would've been nice to more accurately capture the truest true hue of hues, however, you can manage with Siri and the iPhone 4s images, of that I am sure.

 

Ever notice how soooooome people try and lure you into their blog with great images of boring nothingness and you honestly think you've come upon a great blog until you realize.  You've judged the book by it's cover aka the work of an expensive camera.

?

No me either.

Ask Sherwin Williams.

 

Do you see this mess?  What kind of wretched miserable people do you think we are?  Paint.  Ugh. The bain of my existence.  I really should be more humiliated that we've been here for 2 years and the upstairs is still covered in builders base paint BEIGE. BEIGE people.  I've been looking at beige upstairs for two years. Disgust.

 

So you're going to be thrilled for me when I tell you that we've hired someone to do the job when we {my husband and I} are both able bodied individuals with 2 working hands and arms CHOOSING not to take on this task because painting makes anyone want to maim something. 

 

But apparently before they come and make our things fabulous we have to pick out our own colors, they don't just supply live-in interior designers that get wrapped into the overall labor fee.  {They should be.  I swear those painter people get paid more than I do.}

 

In all of my complaining I have to tell you-I found a Lending Tree of Odd Jobs while searching: Thumb Tack.  Ok so: you fill out what service you're looking for, where you live and individuals contact you, offer their price and capowee, you pick the best of the best.

I think that about wraps up my educational series on : How To Get Out of Doing Things You Hate Doing and Justifying It To Your Husband and Getting Your Way and Still Managing To Complain About Something.

Smith Mountain Lake

Have you been wondering what I've been up to?

You don't have to.

Because I'll tell you.

We high-tailed it to Virginia and hit up Smith Mountain Lake with our peeps.

This was before JoJo's WakeBoarding Concussion.

The Girls. 

Move over Lena Dunham.  I could easily change my name to Shoshanna and steal your thunder.
Just kidding I would never do that to you.  Plus, that doesn't even make sense.

And this is Josh learning how to wakeboard.

Thank you Jon and Jodi for your hospitahlitah.  Great time had by all, obviously.

Whitten's Romper.

"Oh my gosh, take that stupid thing off of him."

 

 

More Breaking News: Josh hates Whitten's Romper. 

 

But I love enough for the both of us plus about 7859823prp7 more people.

If Only.

Regram.
Foller me at Meredith__Decker

Look Book

This just in, folks: Josh hates my new earrings

 

I done told you Furbish had a sale.  Well.  I hit that.

 

And while we're on earrings: Loren Hope debuted her Fall Look Book!

 

 

Way better than my sale findings, obvs.

Enjoy!

 

 

This Saturday

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Go check it out

No.

For those of you who have trouble saying "No." 

Here is a nice option.

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Comfort Food mmmmk?

Cheap Thrills: Making my own chicken stock.  Here she goes.  First things first.

 

 

Sorry if you can't stomach images of raw chicken.  But my house smells delicious and whatever I use this chicken (and stock) for, will be nutritious.

 

I'll let you know what I decide.  But a broccoli cheese rice back sounds so. Comforting.

Breakfast for Dinner

CLEAN Stuffed French Toast.  I didn't chronicle this one too well but still feel as though I should share. Whole grain bread stuffed with honey, greek yogurt, a little bit of cream cheese, flax of course, a peach and raspberries...covered in egg whites with vanilla and cinnamon, baked at 350 for about 30 minutes and I am just about to brag to you: that: served with strawberries and blueberries and felt not ounce guilty about it. And you shouldn't either.  You have to eat to live.  So eat you will.

We use Agave Maple Goodness at our house, by the by.  But once a guest asked me where our Aunt Jamima was.  She left in 1992.

The Kitchen Keeper

Ok it's that time again.  For me to tell you what exactly "is up" with me.  Lately I've been into.  Wait for it.  It's thrilling.  Ok ready?  Meal Planning.  When I say "into" I don't mean I actually "enjoy" it as in I "like" it, rather I have this un-warranted need to feel "prepared."  For the apocalypse.  No really I'm not sure what I need to prepare for, however I feel immense satisfaction once I know what EXACTLY I'll be EATING in the near future.

It's creepy.

So not only do I scour the Internet to help me meal plan, I have gotten into freezer meals. Gah. I always tell you the most humiliating aspects of myself.  Well because I blog only for the catharsis, here it goes.  My adventures in food preparation.  We will begin with my homemade sauce.

 

Putting up tomatoes.

 

Boil those bad babies and peel the skin right off nah.

 

 

 

Into the blendy-blender, with some fresh basil, oregano, garlic-o, onion...salt salt and more salt.

 



 

And onto the stove.  Naow.  I'm not quite sure why my gravy is not bright red, but lets keep it real here, I'm kind of making my own rules up as I go, I ain't Giada, nahmeans, mains? But mah man ain't complainin' so vodka sauce it will look like, I guess.

 

Hey wouldn't some meatballs go great with that sauce?  I think I've got some 94/7 all natural grass fed beef in the 'fridgedare...wait, yes, yes I do.  Good thing I'm going to add some spinach and flax to that mamma-jamma...and garlic and onion and oregano and parsley, hey hey hey {why not?! my house, my rules}

 

 

Then I saw this super fun pin on pinterest...in which you bake your meatballs in muffin pans.  Yeehaw why not, I'm not a "No, Man"...or..."No, Ma'am!"**

 

**Challenge to you: make a point to say YES more often.  Seriously have you seen that movie with Zooey Deschanel?-I could just kiss her all ovah.

 

 

And there you have it.  Yes we'll eat some this week and yes some went into the freezer don't act like you didn't know!

 

Stay tuned for more tales from the kitchen keeper.

 

 

Oh. My. Lordt.

 

 



I'm Trying.

Obviously this image is stolen from Instagram.  I follow Sweet Southern Prep's blog and I follow her on Instagram.  And this picture blows me away.  I pretty much use her and abuse her for advice...because I need it...and obviously she is an expert in her field.  She has been doing a series..."How I Do It" for a little while now, which I Do Enjoy! Because frankly, I don't quite get how she does it.

So after taking her lead...this is how I'm trying to do it.

...Feed him snacks in the car to avoid toddler breakdowns in public.  Be prepared: include the catch-all bib in order to catch-some.

When you forget the bib, replace it with a  napkin.  Like an 89 year old man would in a country restaurant.  Continue to feed him snacks and limitless bowls of applesauce to avoid toddler breakdowns and shout outs in said country restaurants.

In this summer heat, keep him well hydrated-only with organic whole milk.

Always allow him to feed himself, no matter how disgusting, and only offer nutritious options like oatmeal.  Remember: Healthy Habits Start Now.

 

Make trips to the grocery store fun.  Encourage your child to express himself.

Remember: bath time should be fun as well.  Don't force your child to conform to everyday norms and social morays of "clothing" in "public."

{My sincerest apologies to anyone offended in the posting of this picture}

Foster early socialization with children of the opposite sex.  Do not impose your personal modesty "issues" upon your children.

Your home is not your own.  Allow curiosity and exploration.

And when he finds chocolate chip something or others in a drawer in a bag in another bag complete with childproof lock that is well within reach, who are you to take it away?  Do you not want your child to learn a little autonomy?

takeout on china

Here's to pizza delivery and Chinese take out this Friday night-enjoy yo'self sugar!

Sale Shopping.

I got a little crazy this week and made a special purchase.  Ok they were on sale and I'm a sale shopper. Yes even in the grocery store.  I'm a momma.  Ok at some point I have to act like one.  Right?

 

And methinks to myself, methinks: what the H should I make-y?

Oh girl, old 'naners don't get thrown out in this house.  I'm a momma.  I don't throw out the foods.  I bake its.  Or I freeze its.  Why do I have no shame when it comes to divulging to the general public?

And I had a can of {100% natural organic grass fed free range no animals were harmed in the making of this...} pumpkin.  Add some flaxseed for good measure and there you have it: Healthy girl Healthy momma pumpkin banana bread.

 

 

Thanks be to the White Memorial Presbyterian Church Cookbook for the basis of the recipe.

 I don't have a picture of the actual bread because: We ate it.