carolina on my mind

Happy 3rd Birthday, Savannah!

2012-02-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

Our sweet Savannah turned 3 on February 12!

On Saturday, we had a wonderful time celebrating Savannah's birthday

with 40 family and friends (including 12 kids) who came to

Savannah's pink Elmo party at our house:

For the party decorations, I purchased a personalized

Elmo party printable package from Shindig parties on Etsy.

I printed all the water bottle wraps, table tents,

cupcake toppers, favor tags, door signs, etc.

that are seen below in coordinating pink, red, and orange patterns:

Pink Tissue Paper Poms

(that I bought at Party City and made myself)

Mini Cupcakes

(from Wal-Mart)

Elmo Water Bottles

Cookie Monster Cookies

Grover's Goodies

Big Bird Brownies

Elmo Juice Boxes

(from Wal-Mart and Target)

Fozzie Bear Fruit

(Applesauce on the Go)

Elmo's Chips

Favor Bags

(with Goldfish crackers, crayons, stickers,

and a stamper for each child)

"Elmo loves his goldfish and crayons, too.

Now so can you!"

Love,

Savannah

"Thanks for celebrating with me!"

Love,

Savannah

In lieu of balloons, I put "Welcome to Savannah's Street" signs

on our mailbox to welcome guests.

When kids arrived, they colored personalized coloring sheets:

"Savannah is 3!
"Happy Birthday, Savannah!"

"E is for Elmo"

"S is for Savannah"

Ailey

For party food, Tal grilled burgers and hot dogs,

while I picked up Little Caesar's pizzas.

Isabella

Uncle Kevin and Uncle Benny

Alice and Aunt Angie

Savannah and Daddy

McKenzie and Savannah

Great Grandaddy Anderson and Savannah

4 Generations!
Great Grandaddy Anderson, Tal, Savannah, and Grandma Barbara

Savannah and Grandma Barbara

Savannah and Daddy

Great Grandaddy Anderson, Tal, Savannah, and Grandma Barbara

Savannah and Uncle Benny

3 Generations!

Daddy, Savannah, and Grandma

Birthday Girl!

Grandma Barbara and I created a simple cupcake display

(with chocolate cupcakes that Savannah and I made and Grandma frosted)

for Savannah to blow out 3 candles.

Notice the cupcake that Savannah ate is missing:

Savannah was showered with birthday gifts!

Savannah received many of her favorite things:

markers

crayons

stickers

coloring sheets

books

stuffed animals

suitcase

backpack

purse

makeup kit

play kitchen items

Thanks to everyone who came to Savannah's party

and made her birthday such a special occasion!

Best Valentine's Day Present Ever

2012-02-14T09:12:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day always brings a flood of memories. Three years ago today, Tal and I brought home our sweet baby girl from the hospital. Although Savannah weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. when she was born, her newborn Valentine's Day outfit was way too big. Savannah is the best Valentine's Day gift!

Valentine's Day 2009

I got the job!

2012-02-03T12:49:00.001-05:00

Today I accepted the librarian position at a year-round elementary school that is 1 mile from our house and Savannah's base school (when she starts kindergarten in 2+ years).

I start July 1, which is the first day of the new school year. My current principal negotiated for me to stay for the remainder of this school year. I'm so glad that I have 5 months to wrap-up my responsibilities at my current school and prepare for my new school.

I truly love my current school, where I've been teaching for 5 years. It's scary to think about changing schools. At the same time, however, it's a dream come true to have a shorter commute and to be able to teach at Savannah's school.

I'll be able to attend Savannah's awards programs, special performances, and holiday parties. Also, Savannah and I will be spending an hour less in the car each day. Heck, we might even walk to school. I'll even have more time to exercise and spend time with Savannah. Plus, our family is going to save about $100 in gas monthly, as well as $300+ each month in before and after school care expenses when Savannah starts school.

Hopefully, I'll love my new school!

Picture This

2012-01-23T18:25:00.000-05:00

When our family moved in a year ago, our half bathroom was covered in wallpaper and didn't have a mirror:

Before

A couple weeks after we moved in, Tal and I painted the bathroom blue-gray. This past weekend, we finally hung a mirror. For the last 13 months, the mirror has been propped on our fireplace mantel, but we decided it was too small for the space.

After

In addition, Tal and I hung Savannah's 18-months pictures in our downstairs hallway where we have our picture wall:

Finally, we hung Savannah's 1 year-old pictures outside our master bedroom:

Just Bead It

2012-01-23T17:51:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, Tal finished installing beadboard in our kitchen bar area:

Take a look at the wallpaper that covered the bar area (and the entire kitchen) when we moved in a year ago (and for the last year):

Before

Instead of painting the wallpaper, we opted to cover it with beadboard instead. We figure that beadboard will be more durable and less likely to get scuff marks and dents when we put some barstools there.

After

When Tal finished the installation, I painted the beadboard and trim, as well as the baseboards in the kitchen, eating area, and mud room. Tal and I love the results and look forward to buying 4-6 barstools in the coming years!

Say Cheese!

2012-01-23T17:36:00.000-05:00

Shower Power

2012-01-23T17:34:00.000-05:00

Snow Cute

2012-01-16T10:48:00.000-05:00

Guilty Pleasures

2012-01-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

On Sunday morning, I was working in the kitchen when I realized that I hadn't heard Savannah's chatter or footsteps in a few minutes.

As a mom, I've learned that Savannah's silence can mean two things: my girl's hurt OR doing something she shouldn't be doing.

On Sunday morning, it was the latter. Less than 5 feet away, I discovered this pile of lotion on our living room carpet...

...Savannah's arms and hands slathered in lotion...

...and this guilty face.

Lesson learned: put the lotion on a higher shelf.

Toolin' Around

2012-01-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

Last week, Tal tackled our first organizational project of 2012: the closet in our garage.

I forgot to snap a "before" pic, but just imagine most of Tal's tools and equipment spilling out of the closet and sitting on the floor of our garage.

After

After clearing out everything in the closet, Tal put the bigger tools, including the saws and hedge trimmers, on the shelves:

Then, Tal hung cords, loppers, and hand saws from the hooks:

To maximize space, Tal hung the shovels, rakes, and brooms:

Outside the closet, Tal put our ladder on hooks to create more floor space:

What a difference! Everything has a place and fits in the closet!

TV News

2012-01-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Tal and I used our Christmas money to purchase a 50-inch TV for our upstairs bonus room (a.k.a. Tal's man cave):

Obviously the room still needs some curtains, end tables, and accessories. However, we really enjoy having cozy, second living space where our family can watch sports and movies.

Thanks to Tal's brother Benny who gave us the comfy black leather recliner and couch last Christmas. Since this is Tal's man cave, he has my blessing to decorate the room with leather furniture, masculine colors, and sports memorabilia. As seen above and below, Tal has already hung our degrees and some golf art on the walls. Tal loves his man cave!

Memory Game

2012-01-06T15:48:00.001-05:00

Tal and I (and Grandma Barbara, too) often marvel at Savannah's memory, especially when it comes to places and directions:

"Go that way to church."

"That's Luke's house."

"Mommy's school is that way."

"My school is this way."

"There's Taco Bell!"

"That's where Grandma gets her coffee." (pointing at every Dunkin Donuts place she sees)

"That's Grandma's bank." (pointing at every First Citizens bank)

"Mommy, is that your bank?" (pointing whenever she sees our bank)

"Look! There's Bojangle's."

"I wanna hamburger from McDonald's."

"Look! That's where Daddy got Cheetos for me." (We only stopped at that store ONE time, but Savannah still remembers.)

"Look! Mall over there."

Perhaps all 2 year olds remember such details with accuracy, but Tal and I often look at each other, shake our heads, and say, "How does Savannah know or remember that?!"

Random Savannah Cuteness

2012-01-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-04T16:31:00.001-05:00

Here's a sneak peek at my goals for 2012:

1. Keep it simple. For a variety of reasons, the next 4 months are going to be busy and stressful for our family. Not only will Tal be finishing his 10-month long "project," but I'll be coordinating tutoring at my school, as well as finishing my National Boards. For that reason, I need to keep my priorities simple. I need to be available for Savannah and take care of her while Tal works on his "project" in the evenings and weekends. Second, I need to support Tal by giving him encouragement and time to work. Finally, I need to be faithful in my tutoring responsibilities and do my best on National Boards. Home improvements, exercising, etc. will have to wait until after April 30.

2. Simplify. This goal is similar yet different to #1. Over the last year, a number of people have told me that I do too much. I really strive to maintain a work-family balance, as well as to keep my stress in check, take time daily to relax, and get enough sleep. However, my life has gotten out of balance over the last few months. For that reason, in the coming year, I'm going to reduce my commitments. I've mentioned this goal to several close friends and family members, so they can hold me accountable.

3. Learn how to use my new SLR camera. My goal is to become good friends with the owner's manual. I want to learn how to use all of my camera settings, including ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

4. Become more active. After I finish National Boards and tutoring in April, I'll start walking regularly again. Doctor's orders. Recently, my doctor recommended that I increase my aerobic activity to lower my cholesterol. Sigh. It'd be an added bonus if I lost a few pounds, too. :)

5. Organize and declutter. Overall, I'm pretty organized and do a good job of keeping clutter to a minimum. However, now that Tal and I've lived in our house for a year, we have a better idea of how we use each space. For that reason, this year I'd love to make our linen closet, pantry, and medicine closet more functional and pretty. And with color, labels, and baskets!

6. Tackle a few small home improvement and decorating projects. Tal and I have big dreams for our house (which needs a lot of TLC). In 2012, our goal is to add more color, personality, and functionality to our humble abode by completing 6-8 of the projects below:

Add wainscoting to our kitchen bar area.
Hang a mirror in our half bathroom
Hang some artwork in the living room and kitchen
Repaint the kitchen
Paint the backs of the built-in bookcases in the living room
Paint the backs of the built-in bookcases in the bonus room
Style the bookcases in the living room and bonus room
Organize Savannah's toys in the living room
Create a picture wall
Add some rugs for the kitchen, entry, and hallways
Add a pair of lamps in the living room
Buy and paint a dresser for Savannah's bedroom
Buy a larger (king-size) bedspread for our bed

Stay tuned to see what happens in 2012! I'm looking forward to this year!

Wedding Bells

2011-12-28T17:55:00.000-05:00

On December 10, Tal's brother Benny and his fiancee EJ got married! It was a special day filled with many happy memories. (Thanks to Tal's cousin Joe for sharing many of the ceremony photos below.)

EJ before the wedding

Flower Girls

Savannah and EJ's niece Avery

I cry every time I remember Savannah walking down the aisle as a flower girl. She took about 5 steps, dropped a few flower petals, and then ran down the aisle into her Uncle Benny's arms. Such a sweet moment!

EJ and her Dad

Benny and EJ had a large wedding party with 11 people on each side. Tal served as Benny's best man, while I was a last-minute bridesmaid. Less than 30 minutes before the wedding, EJ learned that one of her bridesmaids was in the hospital. Since I was wearing a black dress, EJ asked me to stand in the wedding (and I was happy to help!).

Husband and Wife!

Benny, Barbara, and Tal

Tal, Savannah, and Benny

Tal with his arm around Savannah

Grandma Barbara and Savannah

Half-way through the wedding ceremony,

Savannah crawled into Grandma Barbara's arms and fell asleep

for the rest of the service.

Grandma Barbara and Savannah

Reception

Blowing Bubbles

About to Cut the Cake

Bouquet Toss

Garter

Mother-Son Dance

Benny Singing

Savannah and EJ

Pretty Girls

One of my favorite memories was watching Savannah dance at the reception. For over an hour, she twirled and jumped to the music. Savannah had the best time!

Savannah and Uncle Benny

Savannah loved being a princess for the day so much

that she didn't want to take off her dress at bedtime.

Flower Girl in Training

2011-12-28T15:27:00.001-05:00

On December 10, Savannah was blessed to be a flower girl (along with EJ's niece Avery) in Uncle Benny and Aunt EJ's wedding.

Here's Savannah at the rehearsal and dinner:

Making a Phone Call before the Rehearsal

Flower Girls

Avery and Savannah

Cuddling with Grandma Barbara

Getting Ready to Walk Down the Aisle

Savannah and Aunt EJ at Dinner

Christmas Blessings

2011-12-27T22:12:00.003-05:00

This Christmas was extra-special. This was the first Christmas that Savannah talked about Santa, pretty lights, and Jesus's birthday.

Savannah loved the princess bike that Santa delivered to our house on Christmas morning:

Learning how to get on and off a bike

Savannah and Daddy

Savannah and Mommy

In addition to her bicycle, Savannah also received some new books and CD's:

I wrapped all of Savannah's presents in princess paper:

Savannah did a great job ripping off the wrapping paper:

After opening presents at our house, we dropped in to see Savannah's Great Grandaddy Anderson on our way to Salter Path:

Great Grandaddy Anderson, Tal, and Savannah

3 Generations

Then, we drove to Salter Path for lunch and presents with our precious family:

Grandaddy and Savannah

Savannah and Uncle Kenny

Brandi and Gran

Grandma and Savannah

Aunt EJ and Savannah

Uncle Kenny and Gran

Tal and Savannah

Uncle Benny and Aunt EJ

Tal, Savannah, and Aunt EJ

Savannah was showered with love and gifts:

Laptop from Uncle Kenny

Princess Necklace

Stocking Stuffers

A piggy bank from Aunt EJ and Uncle Benny

On Christmas Day, Savannah collected over $3.00 in change

from family members (mostly from Aunt EJ).

When she has enough money, Savannah wants to ride

the train at the mall, get ice cream, or buy a new toy.

Playing in an empty box

A Princess Phone from Gran and Grandaddy

Princess Shoes that Light Up from Grandma Barbara

Rain Boots from Grandma Barbara

Elmo!

Chef's Costume from Uncle Benny and Aunt EJ

Ready to Cook

Walking in Grandma Barbara's High Heels

"A Year of Savannah Pictures" calendar

(Savannah's gift to Gran, Grandaddy, and Grandma Barbara)

Walking Baby at Gran's House

Wearing Daddy's Sunglasses

Yes, There is a Santa Claus!

2011-12-27T21:16:00.000-05:00

Last week Savannah asked Santa to bring her a bicycle for Christmas:

Look what was waiting for Savannah on Christmas morning:

a pink princess bicycle with her name, tassels, and flower pedals,

as well as a bell, basket, and baby carrier.

Savannah was a happy girl!

Savannah kept saying:

"Look, Daddy, I got a bicycle. That's my bicycle."

Savannah still needs lots of practice before she can ride her bicycle independently.

For that reason, Gran, Tal, and Uncle Benny all took turns pushing

Savannah on her bicycle while we were in Salter Path on Christmas.

Gran and Savannah

Daddy and Savannah

Uncle Benny and Savannah

Savannah's pink princess helmet

Camera Ready

2011-12-26T22:52:00.000-05:00

I'm ecstatic that Tal gave me my first SLR camera (Canon Rebel T3i) for Christmas:

Having a SLR camera is a dream come true! Over the last couple years, I've been craving a camera that takes faster and sharper photos. When my point-and-shoot camera broke 2 days before Christmas, Tal and I decided to invest in a more professional camera.

After all, I don't want to miss these precious years with Savannah.

In the coming year, I'm looking forward to honing my photography skills and experimenting with editing and camera features.

Below are the first pictures I took with my new camera. They were taken at bedtime on Christmas Eve. Savannah was my cute and silly subject who kept saying, "Mommy, take my picture." :-)

Other than cropping, I didn't do any editing to the photos below. Yet, I'm really pleased with the clarity of the photos, especially in low light and with my limited experience.

Holiday Playdate

2011-12-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, Savannah played with her best friend Ailey at the local children's museum, which is basically a large indoor playground with over a dozen activities for pre-schoolers.

As always, the girls loved running around and squealing with delight as they played in a school bus, made arts and crafts, and did gymnastics.

By the way, Tal joked that I should have named this post "killer shot" because I broke my camera while Savannah was playing hockey at the museum. :)

What a fun way to spend our Christmas vacation!

Ailey and Savannah

Putting plastic balls in the vacuum

Savannah going down the stairs

to fill her bucket with more plastic balls

Making Lemonade

Playing Hockey

Christmas Party

2011-12-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, I surprised Savannah by dropping in for her Christmas party at school. Savannah was thrilled to see me! We enjoyed eating Oreos and cheese puffs, as well as opening stocking stuffers (seen below) from Savannah's teachers.

Savannah's Christmas List

2011-12-25T18:03:00.000-05:00

Last week Savannah and her classmates wrote a letter to Santa:

Santa, are you listening?

Savannah wants a...

...bicycle for Christmas!

(a pink princess bicycle please!)

The Joy of Reading

2011-12-25T17:53:00.000-05:00

Home Sweet Home

2011-12-12T16:44:00.000-05:00

Whoohoo! On December 1, our family celebrated our 1-year anniversary in our new house:

Christmas Day 2010

I love our house. I love the open layout, high ceilings, and natural light. I'm thankful for our garage, especially on cold and rainy days. I love that we have extra bedrooms for family and friends who visit. I love that we have more storage than we use, which makes it easier to stay organized and keep clutter away.

I also love our new church, which is less than 10 minutes away. Tal really enjoys playing the drums and singing in the choir every Sunday.

Most importantly, I love our neighborhood. I love the miles and miles of sidewalks and walking trails, as well as the lovely homes and views of the golf course. I'm also glad that Savannah will attend one of the 3 elementary schools in our neighborhood.

Over the last year, we've made a few small improvements to our house.

1. Last December, Tal and I painted every wall (minus the closets) in our 3,200 square foot house. It took us 8 days to paint 11 rooms plus the entryway, stairway, and hallway. However, our house definitely felt more like home after we painted over the wallpaper and murals, patched up the countless nail holes, and gave everything a fresh coat of paint.

2. Our new washer and dryer arrived 3 weeks after we moved in:

3. In January, Tal and our friend Craig installed 6 ceiling fans, which gave us some overhead lighting, as well as lowered our energy bills year-round:

4. In February, we purchased a dining table and 8 chairs. We finally have enough seating when family and friends visit!

5. In August, I created a picture wall that included Savannah's artwork, as well as pictures from our wedding and Savannah's first year:

Although Tal and I tackled a few small projects in 2011, we invested most of our time, energy, and finances into our family and educational pursuits this year.

However, Tal and I have big dreams for our house. New carpet, fixtures, and hardware. Curtains. Rugs. More picture walls. Cabinets in the garage. A big screen TV in the bonus room.

Lord willing, Tal and I plan to live in this house for the next 20-30 years and raise Savannah here. We remind ourselves that we have a lifetime to transform our house into a home.

Family Tree

2011-12-01T07:44:00.000-05:00

Over the last few weeks, it's been really interesting to listen to Savannah develop her understanding of family relationships:

"Uncle Michel is Mommy's brother."

"Aunt Renee is Mommy's sister."

"Uncle Benny is Daddy's brother."

"Corrie is Ailey's mom."

She's also figured out that boys and girls are different:

"Daddy is a boy."

"Mommy is a girl."

"I a girl, too."

"Luke is a boy."

"A brother is a boy."

"A sister is a girl."

In addition, Savannah is beginning to understand friendships:

"Ailey is my friend."

"Adler is my friend."

"Kenzie is nice."

(Savannah Skipping)