Merry & Bright

I was excited to get all my decorations up over Thanksgiving weekend this year!  It's so nice to spend a busy couple of days get everything set up and be able to enjoy it for the rest of the season.  I still have a few items to get for presents, but next year my goal is to have all the decorating and shopping done Thanksgiving weekend =]

My theme this year is very similar to last years.  A lot of my decorations are hand me downs and have the vintage look of the 50's & 60's.  I got to add some to decorations to my collection thanks to the dumpster find this past spring!

Here is the Dobson home all Merry & Bright!

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Dog Run Fun Part II

Where did the past 4 weeks go? I don't know... Somewhere I guess...

About a week after my last post, we finished the Doggie run. They are in there everyday and although they prefer to roam freely, I think they are getting used to it. =]

Here is how we finished everything.

All the boards, wiring and gates are up and in place.  We added a thick layer of gravel all along the pen which has been a lifesaver during these muddy months!

We put a gate into the back yard so that we can easily get in there to scoop poop, fill water and maintain the area...

We added some flagstone pieces to eliminate more possible mud problems.  It doesn't look very pretty now but this Spring we will fine tune everything and make it look all purty. =]

Peeking in through the gate...

We also created access for them to get into a nice warm dog pen we built.

We need to put some carpet in there still (which we have) and I want to create another access door to the bigger back section.  Other than that, it is finished and we are soooo happy they have their own space!

Dog Run Fun

Over the period of a couple months, our back yard has gone from this,

to this!

And while all that was going on, these poor little turds were shunned to the basement for 8 hours a day for a whole month! :(

Hubs and I decided that it was time we made a space for the boys to hang out during the day where they can be outside but also have access to the inside for dryness and warmth.  We chose to build them a dog run on the right side of the back yard along the existing fence. 

Not only would they have the entire fence line to run up and down but they also had a nice area between our and our neighbors houses.

First we moved the bushes to the back fence line (don't worry mom, I moved the flower pot too), dug the post holes, placed them in and added cement and made sure they were level.

Here are the main tools we used...

We used a chop saw to make our cuts, basic fencing brackets to hold everything in place and galvanized screws to make sure everything didn't topple over.  We also used some galvanized U shaped hook nails to keep our meshing in place (more on that later).

Next, we put the baseboards in place. We followed the natural slant of the ground and were a little worried at how it might look since it wont exactly match the slant of the existing fence behind it but it ended up looking great!

We ran a string along the tops of the posts and made sure they were level.  We used the string as a guide to make sure we put the boards in the correct alignment.

After we had all the boards secured along the top, we started hammering in the wire mesh. We rolled it out and nailed it on as we went.  The 50 ft roll ended up being the perfect amount! I love it when when things go right like that.

Here it is with the meshing on.  It's hard to see but it's there!

The next step is the gate, getting gravel in there and finishing the covered portion.  Can't wait for it to be 100% complete!!

Stay tuned!!

Ready to Hatch!

Exactly one month ago to the date, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a gorgeous shower for one of the most deserving people I know.  One of my closest friends Macey and her husband Aaron are expecting their first baby! A sweet little girl who will be called Logan!

Macey and Aaron have been waiting for this arrival for quite some time and couldn't be more excited!

To celebrate the occasion, we threw an organic and serene shower we lovingly titled "Ready to Hatch".  We used a lot of natural elements in the decor and chose colors to match Logan's nursery.

The dessert table had lots of unique options to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

Mini cookies shaped in birdies and eggs,

larger wrapped cookies in birdies, hatching eggs and birdhouses,

and completely edible (except for the wrapper and ribbon) cupcakes!

The guests take home gift were little pink egg kitchen timers...

and little burlap bags containing a delicious truffle that says "She's ready to hatch" Logan Constance Boughter.

My gift to her was the start of a photo wall to hang in the nursery as well as to use for some shower decor. =]

We also made a wishing tree for guests to write their wishes for little Logan.

Macey wrote a sweet letter to her guests that was displayed along side the wishing tree. 

The food consisted of a few light pizzas, breads and dips, chicken salad, fruit and veggies.

To wash it all down we had a non-alcoholic berry punch,

and a yummy sangria!

Macey received lots of great things like unexpected treasures,

fun little must haves,

sweet sentimental items,

and tear inducing cute things.

We all channeled our inner fashion designers and created custom onesies for little Logan.

Macey was surrounded by her friends and family and the shower was a great success!  

We love you Macey and can't wait to meet Logan Constance!