My space: kitchen edition

This past week, I have been in nesting mode. NO, I'm not pregnant. I think this incredibly strong pull towards making my home more ME comes from the fact that our home still feels temporary to me. In the back of my head I thought we may not be living here for very long. But, really I love our humble abode, and it deserves all my love. Right, babe? :) I didn't think our little 1900 sq ft. could handle another baby much less all the decorating ideas I had in store, so I never took a plunge. Yes, we painted here and there, and I slowly made a great playroom space for Ben. But our bedroom and kitchen specifically could use a little love. Even if I don't actually do an extreme home makeover, I can at least put together a portfolio of dream ideas. Let's start with my favorite room of the house: the kitchen. This is where the magic happens (well, you know what I mean). It's where we come together as a family and enjoy meals, it's where friends stand around the island and chat, it's where I feel most at home. I created a small inspiration board for your visual enjoyment. I love mixing different chairs around the table. And the mix of white and dark...heavenly. These are some of the most beautiful spaces. I absolutely adore a white kitchen. Someday, when I build my dream kitchen, I will have a white, oak, and grey palette.


photos via {livingetc, graham&green}

Once you have an idea of color, style, and placement, the first step in creating this amazing look would be to hunt and find the perfect table and chairs. Other items that MAKE a kitchen for me are the little nuances around the countertops. I love going into someone's home for the first time, and seeing what they choose to display on their counters, whether it be a fun cookie jar, a bread box, a fruit stand, electric mixer, or maybe nothing at all.
In my kitchen, my favorite countertop item is my fruit stand from Pottery Barn.


I love coming home from the grocery store, cleaning off my fruit, and putting in it's place on the stand. Before I thought to buy a tiered stand, I would put my fruit in a bread bowl in the center island. This was an okay idea, but sometimes fruit would get lost at the bottom, and by the time we got down to it, there would be a slimy, moldy mess.

What is your favorite kitchen find? Would love to hear what you love about your kitchen.

via {maya made}

i resign to design

today i'm swooning over these goodies from {serena & lily}

a sight for sore eyes

Why is it that when my husband is out of town, I get this surge of energy to be productive?? I very rarely give myself time to work on me, and this morning I changed that. I went to a reformer pilates demo class at Lifetime Fitness. My trainer, Victoria, was amazing. With pilates, you really have to focus on so many different things. I kept hearing Victoria say things like, "imagine there is a string tied to your belly button, and you're trying to pull it toward the back wall," or "squeeze the little acorn in between your shoulder blades." I don't quite have the muscle memory developed for these movements, but she said I did very well for my present condition. Thanks? She meant that I am tight in so many places that I have never heard of, and it all manifests in my lower back. After our session was over, I felt so energized and flexible (and sore).... Ready to conquer the world (or at least blog about it)! I went ahead and signed up to try 8 weeks of classes, so I'm committed folks. I'll let you know if it ends up being worth the time and money.
In other productive news, I chose to read last night before bed instead of giving into the endless temptation of Hulu. I think I am going to start making this time before bed a quiet time. I have always been a good sleeper, scratch that GREAT sleeper, but I don't know what has happened! I'm not sure if it's the hormones or having Ben's bedroom right next door to ours or what, but I have been having trouble falling asleep at night. And, unfortunately the only thing that helps me fall asleep is cereal. But, when I get up to have a 12am bowl of cereal, I am breaking my rule of not eating anything past dinner time. Can we say predicament?

Speaking of sleep, let's talk about where I sleep. It's drab. I am really wanting to paint our bedroom and add some other beautiful touches. The other day I grabbed a few color swatches at Home Depot. I am drawn to anything and everything gray. Gray and greens are my absolute fav. So, here's the plan. I am going to paint our room Bedford Gray from Martha Stewart.
and here are some other items on my wish list

matelasse from {Peacock Alley}


L&W, please. {via mr&mrswhite}


do people dream of benches? i'm weird. i love this bench from one of my new favorite designers. i need to plant a money tree out back. {Katrin Arens}

have you ever seen anything more adorable in all your life. goodietrueshoes


well thanks for stopping by. have a great rest of the day!

Happy Monday

There is a lot to blog about today. First off, this is a very special Monday because it is my sweet friend, JULIE PROTHRO's, 27th birthday! There are really no words to describe how grateful I am that Julie is a part of my life. Even though, we live miles and miles away, she is the friend that calls every week to catch up. Julie, I am so proud to call you friend. Love love you!



Secondly, I am so happy to announce that I am now a Paper Concierge! I am so excited about all the fabulous designers and products that we carry. Check out my website, and stay tuned for specials and giveaways!. I am also in the throws of launching a new blog dedicated to paper and gifs. Cannot wait. Here are some pictures that I used for inspiration for the new design.




My small group is reading Max Lucado's new book entitled Outlive Your Life. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone who is trying to learn how God can use you for His divine plan. I wanted to share with you a prayer from the book that really encouraged me today.

My Father, I desire that the attitude of John the Baptist {the chapter used examples from the life of John} might be my own---that Jesus would increase even as I decrease. Give me an even larger picture of you so I might see myself with ever-increasing clarity and reveal each day in your amazing grace. Keep foolish pride far from me, and give me the sense to humble myself in healthy ways that bring strength and joy to everyone around me. Remind me constantly that you hold my life and breath and eternal future in your loving hands and that every good thing I have comes from you. Never let me forget that although without you I can do nothing, in Christ, I can do all things. The difference is you.

~Max

What do you have that God hasn't given you?
And if everything you have is from God,
why boast as though it were not a gift?
(1Corinthians 4:7)

Praise God for those perfect words. Praise God for my friend Julie on her birthday, adn praise God for new opportunity.

Have a happy Monday, friends!

FALLing in love

Fall is in full swing around here. For the Thompson family that means hanging up my fall wreath, being a hostess, cooking chili and cornbread, watching really good television, enjoying the outdoors, and then having to take allergy medicine, scarves, dark nail polish, jeans, the color orange, and of course pumpkin spice lattes. I could go on with all the simple pleasures fall brings. And for Will it means hunting season. I love how he loves this time of year...when the deer are out and about and ready to be shot. ;/
This past weekend he and his dad and brothers went up to the ranch for the 1st Annual Thompson Doe Scramble. Clever, eh? He even made shirts to mark the occasion.
Fall reminds of college. It reminds me of walking slowly to class just to soak up a little more sun. College Station in the fall is very nostalgic for me. I like going back to that place sometimes. I don't know if it's just me, but sometimes when I have certain memories, I can actually smell what it was like. All my memories tie very closely with smell. Like, there is this one floral outdoor smell that I get a whiff of every once in a while, and it immediately takes me back to my preschool playground. Weird.
Sunday, we met a few neighborhood friends at Dewberry Farms. It was fantastic. We picked pumpkins, drove a tractor, saw a bunch of farm animals; Ben was in his element. If only they were opened in March for my two year-olds birthday. Eesh...I cannot believe I will start thinking about his party in just a few short months!!! Enough about that...I'm not ready.
This evening I finally met Erin Woolsey of EE-Photography in person. I have been stalking her blog for around a year now. She drove in from Dallas to do our family photo shoot. We also have a session with my side of the family tomorrow! She is so incredibly gentle and sweet... everything you want in a photographer and friend for that matter. :) We talked about everything including our faith, and I love that she so openly represents Christ in the work that she does.

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!

Pictures to come...my uploader thing isn't cooperating.

If you're Happy and you know it Clap your hands!!!

Hello, again!

It's time to dust off the ole blog.

We have been very busy since March. Once Ben started walking, the world as I knew it, would never be the same. And, I say this with the most positive tone. Ben is a lot more active these days, but I love it because I too love staying busy.
It is extremely HOT outside, so our routine of going on morning walks obviously had to change. Mornings are pretty low key. We go and explore the house, play in the playroom, and then make our way to my bathroom where Ben turns the bath tub water on and off, tries to put Dada's shoes on in the closet, or rummage through my makeup drawer in search for some kind of bottle with a lid on it. Taking lids on and off water bottles, hair spray, tupperware, cans, you name it IS his little thing right now. It's amazing how such a small task can hold his attention.
Today we were having lunch at a nice restaurant with my cousins who I haven't seen in over a year. Towards the end of meal, someone started getting fussy. I gulped down the rest of my peach tea, so I could give the empty bottle and lid to Ben to buy us some time. Sure enough, he was hard at work and quiet once again. This trick also works when I am trying to feed him yogurt in the morning. He doesn't like me to really feed him anymore, but when it comes to yogurt, I am not brave enough to let him loose with the spoon. So, I just give him one of his old baby jars to play with while I feed him his yogurt.
It is a challenge to find stuff to do indoors for Ben during the summer. Well, not hard, but it is usually far and expensive. Which is why we usually find ourselves outside despite the heat.
Ben loves being outside. Rain or shine or sauna he wants to be "ouk." Besides the typical baby's first words, in the last week or so, he has started saying out, good, and Laura. However, "ouk" is his favorite. We have to be very careful when we walk to the door to throw some trash away, run out to the car to grab something, or let the dogs out because when Ben hears the door open, he is grabbing my hand, and wanting to go out. And, how can I say NO. I mean, he learned a new word because he loves it so much! Going up to the pool, or riding our bikes around the hood are some summer favorites.
My absolute favorite is watching Ben's face light up when he hears "If you're happy and you know it." It is his favorite song, and mine too because I get to see that adorable smile!

Oh my, they grow up fast.

Here are some recent pictures of B. Enjoy!