reclaimed table top

Remember that lumbar we got from the frightening place in Downtown Portsmouth? Well my Dad and I got to working on it this weekend :) Here's what we have so far....

Em is supervising here, just seeing what we've got to work with :)

Daddy working away

My Mom was so kind to watch Emerson so I could attempt to help my Dad

Here we are all lined up and biscuited, that's not a real word, I totally made it up :) But you know what I mean...right?

Skippy Peanut Butter

Saturday morning myself, Greg, Em, my Mom and Dad, and Aunt Laurie headed to downtown P-town for a little adventure..........

Consider yourself warned

Creepy!

Are you wondering what any of this has to do with Skippy?

Well....nothing really?! HAHA This picture explains the reason why we ended up in this frightening old Skippy peanut butter plant......reclaimed lumbar!!!!!! I got this guy's number from a nick nack store after spending about 6 months looking for reclaimed lumbar on Craigslist, the side of the road, dumpsters.....you name it.......I looked! I don't know why this was more terrifying than a dumpster....it just felt like something out of a horror movie!!! 

I could only get pictures when we were near a light and I didn't even make it....upstairs. Well......because of some stomach issues but that's besides the point :) 

We got our wood and got out! Then we had a little break so Em could pick up some rocks in the parking lot,  always a good time :)

Greg is CLEARLY thrilled to have spent 30 minutes of his life looking through an junky, abandoned peanut butter factory for some dirty old wood ;) Thank you, I really appreciate it!
Hopefully, he'll be more excited once we have beautiful, original sofa table ;)
My Dad on the other hand, had a GREAT time, so if I ever need to go back, I'll think I'll bring Dad along and leave Emerson with Greg :)

Children's Museum

We took out first trip to the Children's Museum in Portsmouth, VA

where you are welcomed by a kissing frog, AWWWW 

Em's taking a drive thru the ATM at TowneBank :) Needed some lunch money, I guess? 

Goobers!

He was into the trains!

And the chickens and eggs

And LEMONS!!!???

All of the grocery shopping was a workout so Emerson took MayMay for a ride on a bus, to get some lunch......Chicken to be exact :)

They had a "make it, take it" room so, we did!

Add to my never-ending "to do list"......Must make a chalkboard wall at home! I think I have the perfect spot!

They had the coolest stage with lights and sounds and dress-up clothes! Emerson wasn't into dressing up? Oh well!

This was so fun! I think we could have done this for hours. 

Emerson was pushing his little hands into this GIANT PinPression and saying "high five"

I'll spare you the images of Momma and MayMay's impressions but they were good for a few laughs! 

Overall, we had a great time. Emerson will LOVE it when he's a little older. He's still in that stage where he doesn't really know how to pretend? I think he was a little overwhelmed?

strawberries are in!

Yesterday wasn't quite the warmest day to go pick strawberries, but it worked?

We figure we'd better get to pickin' before they were all gone.

look how pretty they are

Emerson did a little pickin'

a little chattin'

a little more pickin'

some snackin'

a little bit of swingin' (the berries)

a little more snackin'

checkin' out maymay's bucket 

a little bit of cheesin'

My Mom has plans to make strawberry salsa, Gammie is going to make strawberry bread and I have no idea what we are going to make yet?

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Well.......It's custard actually, and our scales will be oh....so.....thankful that we don't live too close to this little custard place ;)

It was a hit with Emerson, as you can see by all the goggly eyes and silly faces.

downtown girls and boy :)

My parents are in between homes right now (but closing on their new house this week, if all goes well!) they are renting an apartment in Downtown Portsmouth. So we picked a warm day to spend downtown, we felt like big city girls and boy......it was great!

love these herringbone pavers!

picket fence with a jasmine covered arbor

my mom and I called this a conversation bench and if I had money to burn I would have gotten this beaut!

Emerson is a big boy now and he LOVES to walk! The best part is holding his hand, because he wants to there is no forcing involved

If you're downtown check out The Queen Bee, it's a quaint little shop with great finds

I took a picture of this because I wanted to show Greg, but I didn't take pictures of our splurges....but I will! My splurge will show up when I show our room done!!! one day :)

We did some relaxing and dancing in a courtyard

And took a walk along the waterfront, while obeying the signs, on the way back to my parents temporary home 

lake family christmas

We tend to have a little too much fun when my brother and his beautiful family get a chance to come home.....

but who doesn't love toooo much fun?

Their schedules allowed them to come home for a few days between Christmas and New Year's this year.....well last year technically :) Worked out great for us since we were in Texas for Christmas and home just in time for these sweet faces :)

 The three to the left are my nieces and nephew........and the one to the far right, that's my main man Emerson

This is her bashful face........she does it all the time....so cute!

Decorating CUPCAKES!!!! This was very exciting!

Little time playing outside for the "mobile ones"

Little time reading for everyone

.......and a gift opening extravaganza! 

We had a wonderful time with you guys visiting, hopefully we'll be coming your way soon! 

If you want to check out more on this lovely family, Bethany (my sis-in-law) has a blog, Confessions of a Chosen One