WW: {On top of old Smoky...}

Okay, I know it's a bit late in the day for a Wordless Wednesday post...*cough*cough...okay, evening now. Better late than never, right? I just had to share a quick post on some of the gorgeous views on our vacation last week. My dad has a cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. 
Gosh, is it a gorgeous view everywhere you turn! 
Let me share it with you...

Beauty found everywhere.

WW: {Rest in Peace}

Cataloochee National Park in the Great Smoky Mountains.

This gorgeous Victorian home is the Caldwell place built in 1903. It's not just a beautiful place at just some random National Park but the creek in front of this home is where I will lay my moms ashes. She adored this place.

I'll honor her wishes an lay her to rest here...

P.S. Sorry this blog post was written from my iPhone on the Blogger app but I had to share this gorgeous photo with you all. xo

{Thrifty Thursday} What's for dinner?

What's for dinner, mom?

Mom, what are we having for dinner?

Mom, I'm hungry what's for dinner?

Don't you just love answering that question 20 different times? Problem solved! 

For all you mama's out there, here is a DIY project to help keep the family up-to-date on 

what's for dinner and it's super cute...a win, win!

Step One: Find a picture frame (or mirror will do). I searched thrift and antique stores in town to find a killer frame but to no avail I came up empty handed. So I opted for Hobby Lobby's clearance sale an found this cute picture frame. I hated spraying over the artwork but it had to go because I loved the frame, plus it was the perfect size.

Step two: Place painters tape all along the edges of the frame and then spray your first coat on. The first coat has to sit for 24 hours. Next add the second coat and then let it sit for 24 hours. After the 24 hours you will need to rub the entire board down with chalk to "cure" it and then wipe off.

Step three: Add some cool vinyl letters for your "menu" board.

Step four: Make out your menu for the week. Viola'! (sorry for the terrible iphone pic)

Items needed:

• Picture frame or mirror
• Chalkboard spray or paint
• Painters tape
• Vinyl letters
• Chalk or chalkboard markers (personally I like the markers to give it the cafe' board feel)

Happy Friday Eve!

7 Questions #16

Okay, I'm jumping on the bandwagon an joining Gentri Lee and the others 

by starting the 7 Questions with Gentri Lee.

Here goes...but first my funny picture!

1. It's the first day of August- Are you savoring the Summer or ready to jump into Fall?

 I'm savoring every minute of Summer. Loving the long summer days, swimming, trips to the beach, boating, camping and looking forward to our trip this weekend to my dads cabin in North Carolina. Great Smoky Mountains here we come!

2. You need a quick and healthy meal, what do you make?

I am all about some healthy meals! One of our faves for a meatless Monday is whole wheat pasta with vodka cream sauce.  Super easy and oh so yummy! Click here for the recipe.

3. You're at the mall, how do you shop?

Don't you just hate those dreaded dressing room mirrors? Well, I hate them so much that now I buy what I like, bring them home to try on in the comfort of my own beautiful full length mirror. I know it's a lot of work returning them but hey to each his own...

 Does this mirror make my butt look big?

4. Would you rather buy a new house or renovate an old one?

Well, speaking from experience our first home we bought was 60 years old with loads of character. Original hardwood floors, original canary yellow and vintage white tiles in the bathroom, curved archways and even a phone nook in the hall when there was one telephone to share in the house way back when. Loved it! But then we sold it because the neighborhood was becoming unsafe for our family so we decided to build our first home. Having a nice new home was amazing but after 5 years I longed for the old home feel with all the character. So here we are now with a beautiful older home with so much character and potential. 

5. Long hair or short hair?

Okay, so this question I seriously need your help with. Growing up I always had long hair (down to my behind to be exact!) but after Payton was born and having cancer after just having a baby I stepped outside my box an cut it OFF!  

Bye, bye hair!

Okay so on that note I need your thoughts. Long or short? Right now I'm growing it out. It's currently at my shoulder blades but I am getting that itch to cut it all off again. HELP!

 Yea or Nay? 

 

6. Who is your oldest (not by age) friend?

My oldest (not by age) and dearest friend is Sarah over at The Salad Days. We've been friends since the 4th grade. Got our first place together, married around the same time and loving our lives as wives and mamas 25 years later. She will always be my BFF!

 7. What is your favorite blog- currently?

 So hard to choose because I love you ALLLLLLLL! But if I had to pick one that I'm totally digging right now it would be Melissa at A Day in the Life of a Mom and a Wife. Love her style and she is one HOT mama! I'm so tattoo envious.

Loves on a Thursday

Happy Thursday, y'all! 

I am so excited for the weekend. My sweet girl and I are going on a road trip to visit lots of friends in the Carolina's. Myrtle Beach. Charlotte. Mount Airy. I heart road trips!

What are your plans for the weekend? Can you believe it is almost August. Eek!

Since we moved in June I am doing some insane shopping to decorate our new home. So I can't wait to show you all my ideas or projects in the work.

Words can NOT express how much I adore this sign made by the lovely Kristi 

at Barn Owl Primitives on Etsy. 

It would go PERFECT in our bedroom and match our quilt. Love. Love. Love.

I love Pallets! This patio set looks SUPER easy to make. I'll add this to our list of DIY projects. Check out Larry at Old Bits of Wood on Etsy.

This photo on Mix and Chic inspired our new entry way. Perfect for the kiddos to drop off all their junk at the door. I bought a bench at Target and hooks at Anthropologie so all I need is for the hubs to make my shelf. Want to see the bench and hooks I bought? Click here and here.

Found this great DIY Chalkboard Menu board tutorial on Six Sisters' Stuff. Super easy! I was on a man hunt at Thirft stores or garage sales for a picture frame but couldn't find 'the one'. So I found a frame for dirt cheap at Hobby Lobby (oh how I could LIVE in that store!). Just finished spraying the frame so all I have to do is add my letters and viola'! 

I'll be ordering one of these adorable signs for the kitchen from Breanna 

at Slight Imperfections on Etsy. Thank heavens for coffee! Can I get a good Amen?

Check out this beaut! Over at Shanty 2 Chic they show you how to make this Anthropologie farm table for $65...you heard me right $65!

They got the idea from my FAVORITE website EVER Ana White. Ever heard of her website?

If not, go visit it now!

We get all our project ideas from her website. 

Thank goodness I was blessed with a handy, carpenter for a husband!

Now that I got my honey-to-list together, I'm off to get the hubs started. 

Have a great weekend!

WW: {Peace}

peace/pēs/

Noun: Freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.  

And the Nominees are...

I couldn't be more excited that my lovely Blogger buddy, Brooke at Crazy Mama Drama nominated little ol' me for the "The Versatile Blogger award". Brooke is super witty and will make you laugh until you pee your pants. 
Go check out her blog!

First off...

I’d like to thank the Academy for allowing me to be here today. Oh wait, wrong acceptance speech.

I am so pleased to win Actress of the Year. Receiving this award is such an amazing honor. Nope, that's not either. Okay, but either way. I feel pretty darn special for my gorgeous new bud Brooke to have nominated me and my blog for this award. 

{insert curtsy here}

Awe...such a sweet kitty! Ha.

7 Random Facts:

1. I'm a natural red head...yes way! Growing up with red hair and freckles was NOT cool. So a girl had to do, what a girl had to do....bleach it! (Now I'd pay good money to have my red hair back!)

 via

2. I've been in college WAY to long. Maybe I'll be a Career student? What can I say I like school...a lot! Nerd at heart.

 via

3. I grew up a country girl. So, I love to fish, camp, ride horses and get dirty! 

4. Secretly, I'd love to be a super hero -- Wonder Woman.

5. I'm a people pleaser. Is that okay??

6. Every morning I get out of bed I have to make it immediately. Can you say OCD or is it CDO? I like things in order. Ha!

7. When hanging out with our teenager and his friends, I love to say things like that's so rad, Far out dude -- just to get a rise out of him. 'Cause I'm cool like that!

Now on to the 15 people I'd like to nominate for this award....drum roll, please. 

He, Me and Them
Courtney Cakes 
Mom-a-logues 
Love Bug 
Moda Mama
Happy Jax
Chalk in the Rain
Nat's Knapsack
Garage Sales R Us
Serendipity is sweet 
Great Expectations
Live.Laugh.L0ve
Imprintalish
Absolute Mommy
l mie foto
Sugar Plums & Lollipops

Here Are The Rules For This Award:

 1. Thank the Blogger who nominated you.

 2. Include a link to their site.

 3. Include the award image in your post.

 4. Give 7 random facts about yourself.

 5. Nominate 15 other Bloggers for the award.

 6. When nominating, include a link to their site.

 7. Let other Bloggers know they have been nominated.

Where the Wild Things Are | Summerdaze Photo Party

Happy Monday y'all! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and are enjoying your Summer.

First off let me start by saying I've been a bad blogger friend not posting anything lately. Moving, unpacking, entertaining the kiddos for the Summer and taking care of my grandma has taking all my energy these days BUT I, Allison solemly swear to do my best at being a better blogger friend. Because...

 via

Your support and kind words make my day. I adore all my blogger friends and have missed you all So much! Okay, enough of the mushy crap. On to some fun in the sun (100+ degrees to be exact!).


It has been blazing hot here in the Sunshine state but oddly enough not near as hot as most States this Summer. So what do we do when it's blazing hot out? We go to the Zoo!

“Let the wild rumpus start!”

~ Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

Jacksonville Zoo & Garden

We met up with our dear friends BrynAnne, Hannah and sweet little Elliot for a fun playdate.

I spy a girl eating an apple

 Where shall we start first?

So what the it was blazing hot at the Zoo because loved following these two cuties around.

Oh an let's not forget this handsome little guy.

We were lucky to see a critically endangered set of Amur Leopard cubs on video as there mama cared for them. How cool is that? 

Next we were off to the Stingray Bay exhibit.

Time to feed the Giraffe. 

 Isn't he cute?

Poor Elliot didn't know what to think of this tall, linky thing in front of him.

I think this was our first or hundredth time riding the Merry-go-round for the day. 
Is there such a thing as riding it to MUCH? Not when you are 1, 5 and 6 years old. Ha!

This beautiful Spoonbill birdie decided to drop a bomb on me. 
Nothing better than being sweaty and covered in bird poo.  

This makes 101 times, I think? I lost count.

Before checking out the Butterfly Hollow exhibit, it was a MUST to get sno-cones! 

What a great day with great friends!

“Oh, please don't go—we'll eat you up—we love you so!”

~ Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

 Have you been to a Zoo this Summer?