Going on hiatus

Yep you heard it right.  s&j is going to take a little break.  We will still update you on the blog from time to time but for now we are trying to prioritize our lives a little better.  With Arre's bundle of joy set to arrive THIS month and my kids growing up much faster than I expected (I will admit, I was warned) s&j has taken a bit of a backseat for us.  We have always had so much fun with this venture that started out as a simple need for a few frames and turned into a business that has led us to get to know so many people that would have otherwise never entered our lives.  We are grateful for all of you s&j supporters and friends so don't leave us just yet!

If you already have an order placed with us do not worry - we are on it!  We plan to wrap up all orders before the end of the month.  We are just no longer taking new orders for the time being.  We will have some extra frames for a little early Christmas shopping so don't be a stranger.  Besides..aren't you dying to know what Arre is having?!  Me too so stick around.

Nursery Notebook :: 2

Hello Again!

If I haven't waited so long between posts that I've lost your interest, here's an update:

The nursery is  s l o w l y  but surely progressing. We've gotten a lot done but it is not nearly ready for a baby (neither am I, truth be told, but ready or not, he or she is coming in the next few weeks)!

For starters, here's a instagram dump of what we have done:

Lighting in the bath - real important stuff 

The chair and the crib came in! Can you spot them in this mess ? (We also had a couple of showers, thus so. much. stuff.)

I became a bit obsessed with mattress shopping and went to Atlanta to find the best one 

I got a little distracted while away! Baby Shopping Spree!

For the most part, what we lack is in the works: a daybed is under construction, our draperies and the crib bedding are at the work room - hopefully both will look similar to what's below once completed.

I have a few things on the way for the walls... but I'm not sure I'm going to love them, so I'll wait to post about what actually works ... I want something large over the crib (canvas) and something large over the changing table (mirror), so I'm thinking maybe a gallery wall over the daybed. I might do a post on what that could be composed of alone! 

Let's see... what else...

I ordered crib sheets today - yay! 

Now, if I could just find a jute rug that isn't backordered until the end of the year... grrr

Nursery Notebook :: 1

Thankfully you guys are as eager to see my nursery as I am, so I am going to borrow the blog to use as an organizational tool plus an accountability journal of sorts.

The baby should be here within the next eight weeks and as you will see in the photos to follow - I've got a lot to do, so here we go!

We have a few options for a nursery space, so narrowing it down to this one (pictured above) was a feat in and of itself! I ended up selecting it because it is the closest to our room and I like the views. It helped that it wasn't truly serving another purpose ;) It has been a verifiable junk room for two years, so when we had the floors refinished a month ago, I made the decision in time for nothing to be put back in here. It doesn't look like much but this alone is major progress!

A little more time passed until I was ready to make any purchases. Measuring for the big stuff was the obvious next step. Big stuff includes:

• crib
• glider
• changing table
• rug(s)
• draperies
• daybed(?)
• bookcase/armoire?
• art

Along the way, I've, of course, looked at some small stuff too ;) We debated about whether or not to wait to do the nursery (because we aren't finding out if our baby is a boy or a girl!) but in the end my much more practical than me husband won and a very neutral scheme is in the works. I would like to think that we may have more children and that this room will remain the nursery for the duration, so that makes me like it being neutral better. Plus, once this baby outgrows the nursery, it will be way more fun to do a colorful room specific to his or her gender and likes! 

So far, I only have check marks by three of the aforementioned 'big items' ... but sending in that first order sure was fun! Funnily enough they are the top three things on the list I just typed up there - which I didn't mean to type in order of importance but did! I'm expecting two of the piece to arrive in the next couple of weeks, so maybe I'll share a progress picture once they're in...

Now, I just (really, like am running out of time have to) need to make decision on a rug (or two?!) and draperies...

what to feed a new mama

me and mary james (or molly, i’m not sure!) as a newborn

In those first few weeks of becoming a mom (no matter how many times you do it) most day to day life is a total blur.  You are operating on fewer hours of sleep than you imagined possible but you manage to focus in on a few things that stick with you.  With MJ (my first) it was mostly words of wisdom (invited or uninvited) but the sharpest memory of all was when a very good friend of mine came over (1 week after the baby) to deliver a meal (that I also remember every detail of) and I burst into tears over how I couldn’t do it and I am her mom and how come i can’t handle this?  She told me that all moms cry the first week – it’s overwhelming and hard.  I found comfort in her words although they were simple..it’s what I needed to hear.

When Molly was born I remember nothing so there’s a good chance that picture above is of her.  (I had an 18 month at home also)

When Mills was born all I remember was my best friend brought over some banana pudding that her mother made and she (my friend) said you have to return the dish (it came in) because you know how moms are.  I do know how moms are and they make GOOD banana pudding.  Then she told me to quit breastfeeding because my milk supply was pitiful (priceless suggestion).

My point – delivered food is more than just comfort for a new mom.  It allows her to focus on what really matters – that sweet new baby and herself. And in honor of Arre’s new (ridiculously late & ridiculously exciting!) announcement and the fact that she calls me every time she wants to take dinner to a new mom to see what she’s supposed to make…here are some ideas (and it doesn’t always have to be a meal – just something that makes her life a little easier).  I am always wanting more so please share your favorites as well!

baked spaghetti (yes they will receive a million baked ziti, spaghetti dishes..this one is GOOD and from my mother-in-law and can be made in advance..just put it in the oven 20 minutes before serving) add bread and a simple salad and done!

• 8 oz Spaghetti Noodles
• jar Spaghetti Sauce
• 3 oz Cream Cheese
• 3 Green Onions (Chopped)
• 8 oz Sour Cream
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 2 c Cheddar Cheese-shredded

Cook ground beef, drain. Let the ground beef simmer with spaghetti sauce. Cook noodles as directed, drain. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, green onions.  Layer in a 9x13 casserole dish starting with noodles on the bottom, then sourr cream mix, then meat mix. Top with cheese. Cook 350 for 20 minutes.

pulled pork sandwiches with slaw – From the Pioneer Woman – this is really yummy and is almost even better if it’s eaten a day or two later!

pork tenderloin in slow cooker with green bean bundles, biscuits

fried chicken basket – pick up the chicken from somewhere (because you probably have kids or a life too and don’t have time for the mess of frying chicken), add a couple of in season sides (caprese salad, a potato or squash cassesrole)

pimento cheese (they gotta eat lunch too!) Add fresh fruit & crackers.  My favorite recipe:

~1 8oz. block cream cheese
~4 cups shredded sharp cheese
~1 teaspoon garlic salt
~1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
~3/4 cup duke's mayo
~7 oz. jar (drained) diced pimentos

homemade granola bars

And if all else fails, have food delivered from a great local restaurant because it’s not about being home cooked, it’s about not having to think about dinner.

a few thoughtful additions to that delicious meal you are delivering

• grab a pack of diapers to add to the meal
• include the recipe with the meal (teach a man to fish…)
• add a bottle of wine because good lord she needs a drink
• add a book or small gift for sibling

What do you take a new mom?

one hundred years old

My great grandma Mary is 100 years old.  In early August we made a trip up to Hartwell, Georgia to celebrate her life but first stayed in Athens and spent a little time with the cousins.  The trip (goes without saying) was well worth it. 

in front of my friend, Susan’s store in downtown Athens.  Sadly she was out of town so we sent her a pic

Later that day we headed to Hartwell to celebrate 100 years of my Grandma’s life (she is my great grandmother, my kids great-great grandmother and Mary James’ namesake)

Grandma Mary with her youngest great grandson – Ralston (my nephew)

 

my mom, her mom and her mom’s mom. :)

Molly checking out old family pictures

I have always known Grandma as a quiet, kind, strong woman.  To live 100 years you’d have to be!  Here are a few words of wisdom from Grandma Mary on how to live a happy 100 years:

A promising world is built on small acts of kindness and compassion.  Everyday we have the chance to make someone’s life brighter with a helping hand, an encouraging word, a smile.  We can be a source of strength to those around us.  In the long run these small acts of love may be more value than any earth-shaking deed

When you see someone without a smile, give them yours.

True friends are the greatest treasure you can possess.

Anything the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.

it’s better to have heart without words than to have words without heart.

When the facts won’t budge you have to change your attitude and go from there.

A turtle never gets anywhere without sticking his head out.

Remember your state of mind contributes to your health.

Happiness is not having what you want but wanting what you have.

It’s not what happens to you that makes the difference, but how you react to what happens to you.

Remember me?

Seven months ago, my husband and I had a sneaking suspicion that I maaaaaaybe, could, (quite) possibly(?) be... pregnant.

Seven pregnancy tests - in one morning, probably in like barely over one hour, actually (seriously, I sent him back to the store to buy more tests at 7 a.m. while I chugged water in anticipation of the tests to come) - we confirmed our suspicions.

And about seven days later, a doctor's lab did.

don't worry, I am way more excited than it appears in this picture -  i'm just an awful self-photographer (or photography subject for that matter)

So, that's what I've been up to :)

Sorry for the radio silence in the blog. I think we took an unofficial Summer vacation. But we're working towards getting back to it now, so you should be seeing a lot more of us here.

(and I could use this as a journal for nursery progress - if that's something you might be interested in??? let me know!)

xx

cheers to turning 7!

Mary James’ birthday falls at a (sort of) unfortunate time – right after the fourth of July.  Families are still on vacation, this year we were ending a vacation and time for all this party planning just did not exist.  So I let MJ pick out her invitations from Target (no homemade ones this year) and she picked out a fun star invitation.  She knew she wanted to do a cheer party so she conspired with her babysitter to help. My parents have a cabin in the woods they let us use (score! on not having to clean up my house) As unorganized as I was…it turned out to be the most fun party I think we have had!  It was SO HOT  that a friend suggested i bring along extra bathing suits just in case we had to jump in the pond and while i am against jumping in the pond…i did pack the extra suits and was so glad i did!  the girls took turns riding a paddle boat under the fountain and had a blast!

mj, molly, & mills painted the frames below.

Favors: megaphones that they glittered up


 
  

 
  
 
 
 
 
Isn’t emily great?!  She was so sweet to lead the girls through cheers and play and just help out with the party.  
 
and after everyone was gone, we changed up the concessions a bit and had our own after party
 

it’s good to be 7 :)
A little s&j side note – we do have some chalkboards in stock!  send us an email if you are intersted (hello @ stewartandjames.com)