It’s been a long couple of days. Isn’t it always when you come back from vacation? Well, what about when you come back from vacation (after leaving your over-tired husband and your dog the run of things), your husband has had his best friend in town for the weekend (who is very neat and a great helper but still a BOY), AND you have two house guests rolling into town at almost the same moment as you. Fortunately, the house guests were just my sister Kendall and her boyfriend Watson, or there might really have been some cause for alarm.

Aren’t they cute :)? I feel like I just name dropped in picture form. Yes, how did you know Watson played football for Auburn and we’re really proud of him? Could you tell from that picture I accidentally dropped there 🙂 They’ve been dating (ummm, sort of, bumps in the road you know) since 8th grade and we love him. I especially love him, considering he is the big quiet guy pictured above, but then I sneak into the computer room, after not seeing him or Pace for around 45 minutes, and this is what I find:

He had Pace enthralled with the “paint” program. Mary Aplin was also content for around half an hour to sit on top of his chest while he laid on the couch with cartoons on. She won’t let me hold her like that EVER. He is so good with kids, it’s sort of amazing. And there were several times he saw me getting flustered and just sort of scooped them away. He is going to make a good daddy one day.

I have REALLY digressed…back to my house. Who wants to clean, or unpack your gigantic suitcase, while you have a sister to hang out with? Who could resist the opportunity, if you have all three of your sisters and their significant others in one town, to have a little dinner party? Who, if their sister and her boyfriend offered to take your children to the zoo for the whole day, would want to spend that precious time cleaning when you could be…decorating?!

I hate my bedding. Just before we got married, my mom and I ransacked TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning to find our bedding. I can remember being adamant that it could not in any way be girley since this was going to be a boys room too (I remember Mom rolling her eyes at how much I emphasized this new life development and the state of decorating crisis it was putting me in). I think by nothing girley, I must have meant nothing pretty because this is what we’ve been sleeping in (an old pic but you get the idea):

If you count them, there are TWELVE non-functional (as Jeremiah calls them) pillows on that bed. There is an elaborate routine every night for taking them off, and Jeremiah despises those pillows in a way that my dissatisfaction in the way they look could not even touch 🙂 This is where Mrs. Linda (MIL) comes to the rescue. FOR MY BIRTHDAY SHE IS LETTING ME REDO MY BEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!! She told me a month or so ago, and I have been sketching and dreaming ever since. Jeremiah has added one, rather large, stipulation…only ONE non-functional pillow allowed. That means only ONE, of all the beautiful fabrics I’ve been drooling over, could make the cut. It had to be perfect. Here it is. Are you ready?

I don’t feel like these pictures do it justice, but I love it. I love it so much that when I saw my neighbor Lauren in her front yard yesterday afternoon, I didn’t care that she was digging a hole to plant a shrub, I ran right over to show her. The bedding is ruched and cream and then my grandma:

is going to cover the 48″ bolster pillow I have ordered (if there’s only one, it’s got to be big right? :)) with the fabric.

I have majorly digressed AGAIN. So, I had lots of fun the past few days, but my house stayed filthy until late yesterday afternoon when I finally unpacked my two huge suitcases that were stuffed beside my bed and CLEANED. I expected to wake up this morning and finally start the day right, but that picture above, the one with the trash strewn all over the floor, is what I awoke to find. Apparently the smell of roast remnants in the trash bag, were just too much for Locks last night. He even took some of his favorite trash pieces to the French doors…I suppose he wanted to enjoy his midnight snack with a view of the yard.

I was so mad, I could not even punish him. I am so tired of disciplining people (have I mentioned we now call Mary Aplin Napoleon), that I have lost the will to fight. Last night, I was thinking that I should just record my voice saying “No” over and over again, tie the recorder around my neck, and let it play constantly while I go about my housely duties. That is what I feel like I do anyway. I took one look at the smushed peas, coffee grounds, and unidentifiably dirty paper towels, and I had the same thought I have often encountered as “the mother”–“Isn’t there somebody else who is supposed to clean up this nasty mess?” Only to find, again, that the answer was, “Nope, just you, so get to it.” Happy morning to ya 🙂

11 Responses to “Some Mornings You Wake Up to This:”

  1. Brittny says:

    I am sooooo with you!!!!! My husband is in residency as well and our 3 year old son is testing limits like never before! I love the recorder idea b/c that is exactly how I feel most of the time! I told a friend yesterday that I get so tired of saying it I just let him go about his terrible ways until I have the energy to fight again. Stay strong and I’ll try too!

  2. erika says:

    Abby! Love the fabric and the big bolster idea- you will love it! Can’t wait to see the finished product!
    Hang in there!!!

  3. aedozier says:

    You’ve got me belly laughing this morning with the voice recorder. Wouldn’t that be so much easier? I feel your pain. MM is 23 months and is truly testing me some days. I think she tells me NO as much as I tell her. Hang in there…there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

  4. The Jernigan's says:

    I totally feel you on the saying no part. Although no children of my own yet, I have 21 one 7 year olds at school and I feel like that is ALL I say too. Whew, it wears you out!!! Hang in there! You ‘re a great mom!!

  5. andi says:

    What a sweet picture of Kendall and Watson! They are both precious! LOVE the fabric. Ben is SO the same way with useless pillows. I have a routine for turning down the bed an placing the pillows in order, but his idea is to just toss them to the side! 🙂 Can’t wait to see the finished product! What fun!

  6. Darby says:

    Abby… LOve the fabric! It’s going to be beautiful! And that durn Locks… maybe you can just punish him with another trim… it would only take a few hours to get the fur that is left on his legs! 🙂

    We also have useless pillows on our bed. Justin hates them. So… great idea on the huge bolster!

  7. Melody Uptain says:

    I am so glad y’all had fun. My children adore Watson. He is just an all around great guy.I am a little biased:). I also love the fabric. Charles had the same thoughts about the pillows thing but I have slowly added more pillows over the years. There are only 5 now so we are still OK. Have a great week. By the way, we think Kendall is pretty special too.

  8. Gail says:

    I’m with your hubby on this one! Sorry…I, too, hate so many pillows! Just want one big comfortable one to sleep on! LOL.. I must be really “OLE” I loved the fabric you are using. It’s lovely and you will enjoy it all. You are so blessed to have your family visiting. Enjoy it all. And, yes…the pup sure did make his mark! OUCH…You will be able to look back on all this…ONE DAY..and laugh about it all. Truly, that happens. Hang in there!

  9. Kelley Brown says:

    LOVE the fabric!!!

  10. Kendall Boggs says:

    That will be beautiful Abbs! I will tell you, in the 20 years that I’ve done Interior Design, I’ve never, ever met a man that likes pillows. They ALL hate them. Have fun decorating! Let me know if you need any help!

  11. Lindsey says:

    love the fabric. can’t wait to see the end result! and i am so with you on the disciplining thing. grady is just about to do me in. i feel like i say the same things to him over and over and over and nothing works. so maybe a recorder would be an ingenious invention. and to think…. i’m about to have another one?! happy late birthday to you. glad you got to celebrate at the beach.

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