Wordless Wednesday: Our Hydrangea and Miss Priss!!!

Emerson took these pictures...

Mommy took these....

Wordless Wednesday: O Christmas Trees, O Christmas Trees!!

Our 2011 Christmas Trees

Living Room Tree

Emerson's Tree

(located in her bedroom)

Our Christmas Card Tree

(located in our Dining Room)

Wordless Wednesday: I jinxed myself!!!

I must have jinxed myself last Wednesday when I posted about the snake problem in the cul-de-sac, because take a look at what was on our porch last night.....

Snake Tales

For the past two summers the Herman and Dever households have had a pesky snake problem.  In 2009, Amy documented it here on her blog; this snake slithered it's way onto their play set.  Later that summer I took a picture of the/a snake on their driveway, but I think I was too grossed out and deleted it....I can't find it anywhere.  In 2010, Amy documented the black snake here on her blog; this snake was a little too close  for comfort.  It was trying to get to a bird's nest that was perched way above a column on their porch.  I also caught a snake (probably the same one) climbing their front door one day.  And at one point, I actually saw two snakes on their porch at the same time....both trying to get to that bird's nest.  I captured these pictures of a snake one day just basking on their porch...Ugh!!!  So really, maybe it was just the Hermans who had the snake problem, Ha!!  Actually Danny did behead one snake in 2009 and Jasper actually picked one up and carried it away to the woods.  So needless-to-say, we've grown to accept that a black snake (or two) is going to make an appearance each summer.

You can imagine my concern when we discovered we had a bird's nest in our geraniums this summer.  I was quite worried one of those pesky little black snakes would reappear trying to get to the nest, eggs and eventually the baby birds.  I literally peeked out the window every time I took Hogan out and feared I would see a snake.  Last month, Emerson, Danny and I went to Charlotte for the night and my parents came over to stay with Hogan.  My mom knows I check my email on my phone quite often.  Around 9:30 on Saturday night I received an email titled, "Poor Birdie and Eggs" with the attached photo.  A few minutes later, I received another email titled, "UNREAL" with the attached picture.  

Poor Birdie and Eggs

UNREAL!!!

I showed the picture to Danny and our friend, Adam.  Granted we were looking at the pictures on a phone, but they both said, "That's no black snake!!".  Adam even interjected with, "That looks like a corn snake."  I immediately called my mom.  The conversation went like this.....ring, ring, ring....

Me: Mom, I told you a snake would get those eggs.  

Mom: I know, we opened the door to take Hogan out and he was right there.  

Me: What can you do, I don't want him to eat the eggs.  You've got to save those birds.  (Just for the record, Emerson got pretty attached to those eggs and I really wanted her to see them hatch)

Mom: I'm not sure what we can do.  Do you have a shovel?

Me: Yes, tell Dad to go in my garage and get it.  

Mom: Okay

Me: Awww, poor birds!

Mom: Brooke, it's not real!

Me: What?

Mom: It's a plastic snake!! (Laughing hysterically!!)

Me: OH. MY. GOD....alright, you got me!! (relieved my birdies were safe)

Probably the best joke my parents have played on me.  I must admit, they got me good.  I was so worried about the baby birds and how I would explain their disappearance to Emerson.  Good news, we've seen no snakes this summer (except a snake skin the other night, again on the Herman play set) and the birds lived and have left the nest.  I am sure this will be a story we tell for a long time!!!

Decluttering The Devers - January 2011 (in February)

We are back for round two this year of Decluttering The Devers.  I hope I can make it all twelve months in 2011.  I got slack the last quarter of 2010 and didn't post any decluttering projects, so my main goal is to do a project every month in 2011(of course that was my original goal in 2010 and you see how well that worked out!).  As you can see, I'm not really getting off to a great start as I am just getting around to posting January's project, but better late than never, right??

So, this past Sunday, I spent a good two hours collecting and throwing out most every magazine in my house. As Danny will tell you, they had truly taken over our house.  He actually said I shouldn't post this, because some of my readers might think I'm a hoarder.  Well, for all 20 of my loyal readers, I am not a Hoarder.  I seriously have/had good intentions for these magazines, but time got away from me and I let them collect into piles.  But unlike a hoarder, I actually trashed my magazines and didn't let them pile up to the ceiling (close, but not quite to the ceiling)!!

All the magazines I could find in my house....seriously, this is every magazine I own!!
(Shh, don't tell Danny there are still two drawers upstairs but I will get to those later)

Piles of about 30 magazines per pile, 3 piles deep and 4 piles wide....do the math people!!!

So, I seriously had magazines from 2007, mostly baby mags that I thought I would have time to go through while on maternity leave, yeah right!!  But here's a run down of the different types of magazines and catalogs I had.  I do have subscriptions to US Weekly and Parenting, but everything else is free. Crazy.

Catalogs I receive:
Pottery Barn/ Pottery Barn Kids/ Pottery Barn Teen
Ballard Designs
Personal Creations
Company Kids
Frontgate
Garnet Hill
L.L. Bean/ L.L. Bean Kids
Restoration Hardware
CWD Kids
Lillian Vernon
Home Decorations Collection
Oriental Trading
Kelly's Kids
Brookstone
Sensational Beginnings
Posh Tots
Serena & Lily
Just Ducky
Sweet Tea
One Step Ahead
Creative Playthings
Boden USA
Mini Boden
Chasing Fireflies
Olive Juice
.....and I am sure there are some I am forgetting

Magazines:
Chapel Hill Magazine
Durham Magazine
Southern Living
US Weekly
Real Simple
Martha Stewart Living
Fifteen 501
Parenting
Parents
....and all the ones from 2007 (Mom & Baby, Baby Talk, American Baby, Pregnancy and Fit Pregnancy)

My plan of attack, if it didn't have a date of 2010 or 2011 on it, it went in the recycle pile (except for a few decorating mags that I just couldn't part with).  I still have high hopes of going through some of the magazines and pulling out recipes and house ideas that I love, that's why I kept one pile of mags that were current (2010 date or higher).  I got rid of everything else and here's the proof....

Our recycling bin

After Danny took the trash out on Monday evening, he came in and said, "We're gonna get a fine from the city, because when recycling comes tomorrow, our bin is going to break the automatic lifting arm on the recycling truck!"  He seriously said our bin weighed about 200 lbs.  I was curious, so I made sure Tuesday morning I was at our loft window to watch the recycling, and surprisingly the automatic arm picked up our bin.  So, no fine from the city and I completed a MUCH needed decluttering project...Win, Win!!

Wordless Wednesday: Bedtime Friends

Wordless Wednesday: Finally decorated for Halloween!!!

Decluttering The Devers - July 2010

A couple of weeks ago, when I opened the refrigerator to make Emerson's lunch, I was alerted of an exploded soy sauce bottle leaking all over the back of the fridge and all the way down to the bottom.  There was soy sauce everywhere, even in the refrigerator light!  I took everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, out of the fridge so I could clean up the mess.  I took out all the shelves and the drawers and wiped down every inch of that fridge; it was a mess and a big undertaking. It might have been a blessing in disguise, because I can't tell you the last time I cleaned my fridge.  But through it all, I completely ignored the condiments organizers on our fridge door.  I guess I figured since they didn't get the soy sauce soak, so I would tackle it at some other time (not to mention, I had a toddler that was very eager to help but needed a nap BAD and Danny was conveniently playing golf).

So,fast forward to two weeks ago when we brought home the groceries after our normal Sunday morning Target run.  Out of necessity for space, it was finally time to tackle all of our condiments.  We had stuff in their from before Emerson was born...G - ROSS!!  I tried to find a picture of our door before (I didn't decide until the middle of the project that this would be my "declutter" for the month), but I couldn't find one.  Here's a look at all the items we got rid of.  And, since I won't let anything go in the trash if it can be recycled, I owe my husband a big thank you for being the official "pourer outer" and having to see and smell everything (yuck!).  (Remember, he DID get out of cleaning the fridge a few weeks earlier, but this was, by far, worse!!)

And here is the door after we threw away all of our old condiments (again, sorry there is no before picture).  This is so much better!!!  I really can't believe how many condiments we got rid of....what a waste!!  I will certainly label all of my condiments now!

  

Decluttering The Devers - June 2010

PILES, PILES, PILES!!  Everyone has them! Some of you might only have one, others of you us have several laying around our houses. They can lurk anywhere, from the bathroom, to the kitchen counters, to the pesky ones that seem to reappear on my dining room table.  I hate piles, but I’ve noticed that as I’ve grown older, it is harder and harder to keep piles out of my house.  Piles of bills, piles of mail, piles of laundry, piles of dishes, piles of recycling…you get the picture.  I am learning at a rapid pace that I need to start purging items as they come in, so as not to create NEW piles.  This month I was on a mission to get rid of some (not all, that would take days) of the piles in my house and believe me, there are a lot of them.

Our biggest pile felon is the mail.  I have a bit of a magazine and catalog obsession…Frontgate, Ballard Designs, Chasing Fireflies, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, US Weekly, Southern Living, and the list goes on.  I tend to keep those around and somehow they always end up in a pile.  It used to be on my dining room table but, you know from last month, we are trying to keep that clean.  So the next stop is usually my kitchen island and counters.  Well I am sick of it, so my solution was to order this adorable bin to keep mail in….when the bin gets full, then I know it is time purge.  The bin isn’t in yet, but I did purge and it already makes me happy!!!

Before/After - Kitchen Counter

The next pile I tackled was in my living room.  I cleaned out my work bag a couple of weeks ago and all my excess work stuff ended up on our living room sideboard, along with several other things.  So, I went through it, purged and now it is nice and neat. 

Before/After - Living Room Sideboard

Next, I moved to our bedroom…this is the one place I would like to keep clutter OUT.  I want this to be a sanctuary for Danny and I to retreat to after our busy days, but lately the only retreating that has been done is by odds and ins that have ended up on our dressers.  UGH!!  So, I decluttered…much better!!!

Before/After - Danny's Dresser

Before/After - Brooke's Dresser

I admit, most of the clutter is mine…maybe that’s a clue that I have a problem.  Could I really have a problem throwing things away?   I surely don’t want to end up on the next episode of Hoarders!!  Maybe I need to get started on all my other piles NOW, so I diagnosis isn't in my future!!

A Road Trip to Charlotte!!

Last Saturday, we decided to hit the road for a quick trip to Charlotte.  We had two missions; first, see the townhouse we are helping our nephew buy in the NoDa area of Charlotte, and second, a trip to IKEA in search of a "BIG GIRL" bed for Emerson.  So first thing Saturday morning we hit the road for a day trip to Charlotte.

So far, Emerson has been a pretty good and easy traveller but when you add Cheerios and a Handy Manny video, with her very own "ears" to listen to it, it makes car travelling with a toddler a BREEZE!!!



Our first objective was to visit the townhouse with Coco (Corey) and the real estate agent, because to this point, we hadn't seen the property in person.  We still haven't closed on this property, it's a foreclosure and the process has been a bit more detailed and time consuming than a normal property purchase. Hopefully we will close this week. 

The Townhouse

Living, Kitchen, Dining

(hideous yellow color throughout the house, it's funny because it's the same color in my kitchen that I have been trying to replace for at least two years.  Now I have to worry about it in two houses...UGH!!  At least Corey will be getting his painted soon....I think I will have to live with my yellow a bit longer..Boo!!!)

Green Room, Blue Room, and their Shared Bathroom

(the previous owner really loved color...really bright colors!)

Corey's Penthouse Suite!!!

(3rd Floor Bedroom, Bathroom, and Terrace)

Back Porch

Charlotte (the daughter of our real estate agent) 

and Emerson having fun. 

After touring the townhouse, we had lunch with Corey and then headed to Dean and Deluca, where Corey works, to get Emerson a promised cupcake.  If anyone knows Dean and Deluca, their cupcakes are HUGE, so we fudged a bit and told her that these peanut butter truffle cups were "mini-cupcakes".  She didn't bat an eyelash and enjoyed every minute of eating one!!

A short sugar-induced nap on the way to IKEA.  I love how Emerson feel asleep clutching her bow in her hand. 

Time to accomplish our second task at hand; find a BIG GIRL bed for Emerson.  I think Emerson tried out every bed at IKEA, crawling on, jumping on, covering up, and rolling around.  She certainly tried them all on for size.  We started in the "adult bed" area.  Emerson ran from bed to bed to bed.....even pretending to be asleep on some them!!

My favorite picture, what a sweetie!!!

We moved to the toddler section of IKEA next; probably the brightest and most fun section of the entire place, at least for Emerson!!!  The beds in this section were a lot closer to Emersons size, so the running and jumping was a bit easier.  They had several bedrooms set up and of course, one of them even had a slide.  It was hard to pull Emerson away from all the fun. 

I think we finally settled on a bed for Emerson, one that Mom, Dad, and Emerson all liked.  We decided to wait and come back to IKEA to get the frame when we close on the townhouse.  So, needless to say, Emerson is still in her crib, but hopefully soon, the big girl bed will make its blog debut.  We had a great time together as a family road tripping to Charlotte!!