House Progress

The house is looking great, walls are up, things are rolling along (again many thanks to my mom and cousin Richard the amazing architect)

new back door/carport area

directly when you walk in-laundry room on the right

coat closet and half bath on the left

new view of the kitchen looking from dining area corner (this is where they took a wall down) hardwood floors will be continued throughout

wall where the sink, cabinets and stove will go

area that was opened between the kitchen and dining room, makes such a difference

looking from den into kitchen and out to carport (plus my wonderful husband and baby)

one of my favorite features, inset into the wall where the kitchen tv will go

Over the next few weeks we will have cabinets, countertops, and flooring!

I got two of these lovelies in yesterday for over the peninsula:

Love them.

 

Meeting Cousins and First Turkey

This past weekend we were in Selma working on the house and Lane got to meet some of his cousins. My sister Jana hosted us at her new home and cooked an amazing meal. It was so much fun to get to catch up with this group of girl cousins who all live in Mobile that I don't get to see as often as I would like.

Jana, me, Ann Marie, Shannon, and Mary Russell

The hostess with the mostess

Shannon and Fair

Pal and Fair, this picture cracks me up bc my dad does not usually have too much facial expressions in pictures, but this is priceless

 

Saturday Lane killed saw his first turkey bounty of the season. He and Pie went scouting the day before and the next morning it was a dead turkey thanks to Pie and Pal.  For those who are not familiar with our family, turkey hunting is BIG stuff. To my parentals it ranks right up there behind Jesus and family.  I think this could be a glimpse of what is to come....

notice a different outfit here, we had to have a quick change so he would be in his camo too (thanks Shelia)

More to come on house updates, it is looking great!!!

5 and 6 weeks...

Gosh time is flying by...I started back work yesterday.  So sad to leave him, but thank goodness for my MIL and Momma who are keeping Lane this week. It makes the transition much easier. He got his shots today, and could not go to daycare until after, so he will go play with Mrs. Rita starting next week. The little man is doing great, minus starting to have bouts of gas. Sometimes at night, after a feeding, he will just cry and cry (well for about 20 minutes which seems like FOREVER). The first night, I just rocked him until he cried himself to sleep. I did not have a clue why my sweet boy, who really only cries when he need something, would wail for that long. When it happened a night or two later, I realized there was a reason (yea I know, kinda slow on the uptake). One thing it made me realize is how much God loves us. I just kept thinking, I would throw myself in front of a bus so my baby doesnt cry out in pain of gas, how did God let his only son die for me? I am so thankful and humbled!
Ephesians 2:4-5
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)


His stats are 10 pounds 5 ounces and 23 inches long. That puts him right around 55 percent height and 26 percent for weight. Tall and thin like his daddy...

5 weeks...we were not wanting our pic taken this day!

6 weeks, loving picture time here (and again, see how much change in one week... I don't think I notice really until I look at these pictures)

6 week checkup, wonderful nurse Karen (until she brought the shots, then Lane didnt care for her too much)

Dr. Jones our Pediatrician, sooo wonderful

fam pic at Christ Health Center (now I understand that moms don't get a chance to put on makeup in the mornings!)

Ready to GO home!

Melt My Heart

Life is SO tough...

around our house these days....

"Before" House Pictures

Please excuse the image quality as I only had my portrait lens handy for these pictures. But you can get  somewhat of an idea...

driving up, the right side of the house, carport area

closer view of carport and back door, we are taking out those closets, door, and window and extending this side of the house out to add laundry and half bath (see the white pipe, previous laundry area)

current back door that will be taken out and wall extended, wall to the right separates kitchen and dining, this will also be knocked out to open area to one room

right view from door currently, new sink, cabinets, countertops etc. will be put in

same wall of cabinets as sink, this will be where the new stove goes

doorway to the den, this will be opened vertically and horizontally

wall that separates kitchen and dining, again this will be knocked out, a peninsula with cabinets and seating will extend in between

looking back to kitchen and dining,  both doorways seen will be opened up

looking into current dining, again this will be opened (no the walls don't really look like that)

Now a glimpse of outside:

In the backyard is what my dad calls the "state park", see the lovely picnic tables and fire pit...the neat thing about this area is it is where my grandfather would host oyster roasts and other neighborhood parties. I have heard tons of stories of Pawpaw's (that is my paternal grandfather that I never got to meet) parties and entertaining. He loved people, loved cooking, and loved life. Here he would throw an oyster party on Thanksgiving morning for all of his friends while the women were preparing Thanksgiving dinner (you can imagine what the ladies probably thought about that!). I look forward to enjoying fellowship with my friends and family at the "state park". 

There is also a pool that I think we Amos will enjoy this summer.

Hopefully I will be back soon with progress pictures...contractor Cherry assures me things are proceeding nicely. 

3 and 4 weeks...

3 weeks

he is getting the hang of "picture day"

One Month!

As you can see, he is really changing. His hair is falling out and getting lighter. You can definitely tell what he will look like as an old man one day :) He is also starting to purposefully smile alot more. He loves to watch his daddy whenever James is in the room. His cord finally fell off on his one month birthday, and he took his first bath. He is sleeping better at night, sometimes going five hours straight. 

First bath

"get me out of there dad!"

He is also ready for Mardi Gras thanks to his Aunt Ann!

What's going on...

around the Osborn house??
(other than loving our little man) We are now home owners in Selma! This past weekend we closed on our new to us house. It is an early 1950's one story brick home that my grandparents built...that's right, my dad grew up there. It is in a wonderful family friendly neighborhood on a neat lot that backs up to the creek where my dad and his siblings and cousins used to play. We are doing a small renovation before we move in in June. The house has no laundry room (literally washers and dryers were in the garage) and the kitchen  is small and outdated. We are expanding the kitchen, adding a laundry room and closet, and adding a small half bath. Renovation/construction is all very new to me, and I am so thankful for my mother. She is acting as our contractor of sorts since we live out of town, and we could not do it without her. James majored in engineering at Auburn, so he is very good at "seeing the details" and working through things in his mind.  I just hope to make things pretty :)
On that note, mom and I have been picking countertops, tile, flooring, lighting, sinks, faucets, hardware, etc. I have alot of admiration for interior designers right now! I have found I like things very traditional (or classic to make it sound better). I love OTHER people's more edgy contemporary looks, and often wish I could branch out more. But, I usually don't. Hence, the design of the kitchen....
Here are the elements so far:
honed carrera marble, white subway tile

creamy white cabinets and antique pewter peninsula, satin nickel hardware and my favorite part, a walnut butcher block peninsula top (see below inspiration)

via apt therapy

I also took some before pictures of the house that I will share soon, so you can get a better idea of what we are working with.  Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!