Books seek Pretty shelf for Home

there is a LOT of book love in our house, which makes this English Major mama very happy!  Betsy Grace is currently obsessed with the Fancy Nancy books, she loves If you give a Cat a Cupcake, and has just discovered Ladybug Girl.  Sutton doesn't spend much time sitting still, so she likes those mini board books.  She carries one in each hand as she cruises around.  I love a good novel but lately have been getting my fix through my interior design books.  IF I don't have time to read them, I can at least look at the pretty pictures ;)
We all covet our books but due to various interests and ages, books are consuming our spaces and I am yearning for Bookshelves to give these precious items a home.
Here are a few Bookshelf inspirations that are very drool worthy...

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Love Bookshelves in a dining area, the books add great color to this black and white room.


I want to curl up in this chair and bury myself into a book or 5


And bookshelves dont have to be confined to rooms, they can make a plain old hallway very interesting

I went to Ikea the other week and bought a pair of etarges, just need to put them together.  After browsing these pics, I might just do it today :)

xoxo

2013 Resolution

I know that I have been MIA but between work and keeping up with my busy girls, I don't have much spare time.  I feel pulled to embrace the moment instead of taking pictures and writing about it but life is so crazy that if I don't document it, I will never remember.  So, here's to new years Resolutions!  

wishing you and your family 

PEACE, LOVE AND JOY

Always!

Merry Christmas!

The Barksdales

2012

Hello there

It's been way too long and I am overwhelmed to catch up, so Im just going to jump right in and go from here.  those of you who are on instagram have seen pics of these cuties while I was absent from the blog world but for the rest of you, I apologize and strongly suggest that you get instagram, it is awesome!

So we have been insanely busy, these chicks are full steam ahead, all day, everyday.  Betsy Grace no longer naps, so Mommy time in the afternoon where I might sit quietly with my computer and blog, no longer exists.  my goal is to create a new format where I can incorporate my design projects and my girls into one but that's easier said than done.  My creative mind is never quiet and jumps from idea to idea constantly, so I am having a hard time nailing down my concept.  I have a huge Install at the end of the month and maybe once I get through that, I will hone in on my intentions.  we shall see ;)

So anyway, back to the NOW.  

we went to Menchies the other night for a dessert delight and as always, the ice cream is only half the fun.  The other fun part is running around, twirling and being silly with your sister on a big sugar high!  One thing that has definitely evolved over the past months is their love and affection for each other.  they play together, they snuggle, they read books with each other...90% of the time, life is good and I am so thankful we have come this far!  The other 10%...the hair pulling, the blaming, the whining times 2....I could do without but thats just a part of life with a house full of girls...poor daddy!

As you can see, sutton has surpassed Betsy Grace in height but that doesn't stop big sissy.  she finds every avenue to exercise her elderly status!

And Ella got a new smart phone, so I had to capture the effort with new technology!

the 2 best friends God could ever provide!

Sisterly love, nothing sweeter.

xoxo

Friday Fun at GG's

 this past week we went to GG's for lunch, a little classical music and some unexpected exercise.  Interesting combo, i know, but these 2 little girls LOVED running around and exploring GG's apartment.  Beece came with us and wE ate lunch on the porch.  It was delightful but we eventually gave in to Betsy Grace's request to go inside.

Shoes off, running FULL speed

And then they discovered this little treasure...a portable cassette player!  The tape that was in it was a recording of the Christmas Music Service at our church and they LOVED it!  It was hilarious how they were so intrigued by an outdated electronic :)

This particular one had speakers, so no head phones required.  Little Sissy is having her turn but can't quite figure out where that music is coming from...

Once she figure it out, she was not going to let go...they literally fought over it!

Photo attempt with GG...they were both a little too squirmy to capture a good one.

But this one is my fave because GG was so tickled by how silly they were.  

My grandmother is THE MOST organized and tidy person I know.  Everything has a place and purpose and I have always been in awe of her closet.  Not being very tall herself, GG has many stools and step ladders, so Betsy Grace felt right at home.  so much so that she put on GG's slippers and wore them around the house!

It was so much fun but everyone was worn out by the end, children and adults :) perfect recipe for a long afternoon nap!  Thank you GG for having my wild crew invade your orderly house!  WE will come back very soon to visit your slippers and cassette player!

xoxo

Glad to have Izzy Back!

Our sweet Cousin Izzy has been on a month long vaca and we have missed her so very much!  But absence sure makes the heart grow fonder because these girls could not get enough of each other this weekend!  We hung out at Brun and Ella's on Saturday and then enjoyed a Mexican lunch on sunday.  Afterwards we took some pics, they are too cute together not to capture the moments!

Impossible to get everyone looking at the same time but at least you can tell that Izzy is smiling.

Sutton on the move, got herself some new shoes and she is a full time walker, watch out world!

Discussing how ridiculous betsy Grace is, the child has a mind of her own.

And while Izzy thinks that everything BG does is funny, sutton is OVER IT!  

Enough with the Monkey Business!

xoxo

A new kind of Lake Lure Getaway

Ahhh, Lake Lure....used to be associated with taking time off to relax, throwing your watch in the basket at the front door and soaking up clean air and great views from the infamous back deck.  oh the memories are so wonderful but now that we stand in a very different stage of our lives (enter 2 toddlers), Lake Lure is just not the same...but we can't say we tried!  

We took the Cowdens and all of our children up a couple of weekends ago and had high hopes of rest, fun and adult time at the end of the day.  We got there on Friday afternoon and started off with a bang.  Had the traditional visit to Larkin's for the kiddos to eat dinner and we of course had to enjoy a pitcher of Margaritas. 

Then we got the Girls to bed and settled into our rocking chairs with our glasses full of Prosecco while the men cooked.  

 Our enjoyment and relaxation lasted a little too late and I paid for it BIG TIME when Sutton decided to wake up for the day at 3:30am.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Mommy did not feel so hot and her headache was further induced by my child headbanging mine.  She thought it was hilarious, me, not so much.  

Needless to say, the next day was not as enjoyable.  sutton didn't want to nap and I was exhausted.  Thankfully the daddy's took the big girls out on a morning excursion and they were beside themselves happy with rock candy and a visit to Chimney Rock.  

We ended the day with a visit to the "beach", which was a hit, thankfully!  The water and Spray Ground were just what the doctor ordered and the girls played until they were Blue lipped and Shaking.  It wasn't cold but definitely was not Hot!  

Everyone got to bed early and Mac and I found ourselves exhausted as we drove home the next day.  The cowden's are some of our very best friends and our time with them was priceless but let's be honest, traveling with children this age is NOT EASY...for anyone!  

It's pretty safe to say that our next jaunt up to good ol' Lake Lure will be sans kiddos and it will be worth every pretty penny that we pay a babysitter to stay at home with our girls.

xoxo

Sunday Night Dinner

Our family gathered last night for a fun dinner al fresco, many thanks to Grandmommy.  at the amazing age of 95, she is still the hostess with the mostess and finds no greater joy than watching all the generations together.  

It's near impossible to get everyone in attendance but we came pretty close this time!  

THe ladies

BG had a blast!

Happy Face!

i hope I inherited her genes, still life of the party after almost a century of living!!!

xoxo