wallpaper murals

TGIF and a phone dump!!!!  thanksgiving ended up being at my house this year and it was the best time ever....and it gave me an excuse to make the craft paper runners!!  everyone chipped in and painted...so fun and sooo easy.


after thanksgiving me and the fam, heading to charleston for a night of fun and to check on the progress of the new construction i'm working on....





nothing beats c'town shopping....these had me drooling....i would have loved to have come home w/ the ram head coffee table but she was out of my budget :(
 sunday, tay and i had a mother/ daughter outing and we went looking for what she wanted santa to bring her....she took pictures of all the items (an easy bake oven is her #1).

 this is my breakfast date every AM.....he melts my heart.

**warning** this is a mom post:
i just sat down with my cold coffee (i've reheated it several times already this AM) to take a minute and peek at pinterest...it's my guilty pleasure.  once the hustle and bustle of the AM routine is done and everyone is out the door, i like to take 20 minutes and cruise pinterest w/ my coffee cup in hand.  i didn't get far this morning.  i saw one pic, that wasn't a beautifully styled LR, DR, or kitchen, it just said "how to be a fun mom" and i clicked.  literally, my eyes started tearing up after reading the first two sentences...it felt like it was coming straight from my household.  the article is about letting your guard down and taking time to be a "fun" parent.  my husband is 150% the fun parent. it's no secret in this household.  when he comes home from work, he immediately runs and starts chasing the kids around the room (last night they all had neckties around their head b/c they were playing ninjia or something like that...i was in the kitchen cooking).  i wish i was a fun parent.  i'm by no means trying to whine, but it's hard when you are a mother that works from home...i feel like i am running a race the second my alarm clock goes off....it's all about "getting it done".  i really struggle w/ separating roles...i juggle work and emails in the spare moments of my day between dropping kids off, cleaning the house, laundry, going to the grocery store, nap time, car pool lines, dance, art, etc.  at times, i have found myself jealous that warren gets to be "fun," which is silly of me b/c i could easily do it....reading this post made me aware that it's ok to be silly, to let your guard down, and to take time to make yourself "fun" again.  i needed to read this this AM, it's nice to know that other moms out there struggle in the same ways.  thanks for pinning it dawn :)  xo- Shannon

*images from northern lights, the glow

sometimes i feel the need to confess....and this is one of those times: i like an xtina song *gasp*
seriously, see if you aren't singing it by the end of the day....just say :)

*images courtesy of martha stewart, kara cox interiors, notes on design, design sponge, martha stewart wedding

back to the real world....after a fun-filled couple of days away, i must admit it was hard having to jump back into the routine this AM.  wishing you a happy monday.....

*images courtesy of ajf design, coco cozy, shelterness, house and garden, juliasvistadrommer