Skinny Yard Beautiful

Our backyard is significantly longer than it is wide. The fenced-in portion is a perfectly rectangular blank canvas. That sounds good initially, but if a blank canvas remains blank for a certain period of time {Oh, say...two and a half years...}, there is a risk that blank will translate into blah. We have a beautiful Crepe Myrtle by our back deck that anchors the yard, but other than that it's... all opportunity ;). I think we will probably plant some nice, full bushes or trees and maybe some flowers {of the species: Verylow maintenanceum}, and I know the end result will be lovely!

BUT... just for fun...let's pretend for a t-tiny little moment that I had an unlimited budget {or even just a slightly excessive budget}. I think a little something like this would be so fabulous!

{photo: restorationhardware.com}

Doesn't that just look like a perfect narrow oasis to enjoy after a long day of work or on a sunny saturday {like the one when we met Lady :)}? Not to mention that with the lack of mowing required, it's a win-win!

You wanna know what would make it even better? Silly question. Of course you do.

There is an old building/garage on the side of our yard that is begging me to give it new life. Here's what the budgetless portion of my brain {I get so mad at that particular portion} has in mind:

{I can't remember where I found this photo...}

Picture if you replace that little porch-ish section with the pool and surround from the top picture. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? A combination pool house/guest cottage {with practically an entire wall of sliding french doors}! Holy smokes, right? I know, I can hardly stand it myself.

Inside, everything could be painted white {walls and floor included}, so it would be so completely clean and fresh, and a seagrass rug would show up beautifully with dark wood furniture {and there would most definitely be a hardcore gym in the back, Joshie, if you're reading this...}, and there could be a small kitchenette and it could be so cozy and it would be like getting to have a vacation home right by my actual home and the perfect place for family and friends to stay and relax when they come to visit!

Whoa. If I had to read that outloud I would be blue in the face. ;)


Do you have budgetless ideas? Let's see 'em!

FAIRy tale

Hello, my name is Beth Ann, and I am fair skinned.

There's no two ways about it. It takes an act of congress for my skin to deepen in color {naturally, it's approximately 3 shades darker than paper}. Unlike some redheads, I don't even freckle enough to look tan from a distance. The darkest I've ever been was the summer I got married, but that was after months of tanning {don't judge me - I will discuss in detail later}, a week in Jamaica and another week in Florida. Even at my wedding, one of the photographers commented, "It's so rare to see a peaches'n'cream bride these days."

Excuse me ma'am, but I KNOW you meant peaches'n'TAN...

I didn't really say that, I just smiled. And tried not to barf before I walked down the aisle, but that's another story.

Anyways, I could have rocked the 1800s, especially with a corset - whatever happened to those things? {Head's up: I was going to put a funny picture of a woman getting her corset laced back in the day as the token photo for this post. DO NOT GOOGLE CORSET LACING. very inappropriate. This post will go pictureless.}

Alas it is the 21st century, and I must play the hand I'm dealt. I have approximately every risk factor for skin cancer possible {yes, I've worn a t-shirt in place of sunscreen before ;)}, but there are two sides to the Sun Story. It's not all bad- Not even for those of us of a lighter variety.

A girls gotta have some vitamin D, for lots of reasons {decreased risk of several female cancers, better calcium absorption, stronger bones, etc}. Did you know you can only build bone until you're 30, and then after that all you can do is try to maintain? Yikes, right?

So today, I got some sun Redneck Riviera style on my back deck {sleeves rolled up, sipping a glass of ice water, and enjoying my Comprehensive Pharmacy Review book...it just don't get no better'n'at.}

The point: Fifteen to twenty minutes of sun three times a week is currently considered the appropriate amount of sun to get adequate vitamin D.

Did you know that already? Don't tell me if you did. Just let me think I brought valuable information to the table.

{Since I usually can't get that at home, I might go to a tanning bed but only for like 5 minutes. It's now officially recognized by the FDA as a carcinogen...like cigarettes are to lung cancer as tanning beds are to skin cancer. But I really don't go very much, and I feel like it helps keep me from burning when I do actually encounter sunlight, and burns increase your risk of skin cancer too, so it's really six-one-way-half-dozen-another, right? ;)}.

Home Sweet Home: Guest Bathroom

So, yesterday I discovered The Seattle Smiths, {too much consecutive time off, it has to end soon...} a super cute blog that I am excited to follow. Each Wednesday, The Seattle Smiths host "Wishful Wednesday" as a fun way to get everyone through hump day. I think it is such a cute idea, and I am psyched {I don't really say psyched, but evidently I type it} to participate!

However, the topic this week is I wish I could come home to this bedroom. I am actually about to re-redo our bedroom and am super torn {not like I wish there was world peace torn, but more... confused and don't want to re-re-redo our bedroom torn because that would just be excessive} about what I am going to do, so I'll just have to try starting Wishful Wednesday next week.

In keeping with home ideas, however, I thought it would be a good time to share another little piece of our home reno, the guest bathroom {which incidentally, has only been fully functioning for about six months, but it's looked like it functioned for quite some time...a well placed shower curtain can cover a world of hurt, ya know what I mean ;) }


Yet again, we have a phenomenal BEFORE:

This paint technique, which was applied not only to the walls but also to all the trim {painting the trim was the previous homeowner's theme throughout the house...just lovely}, the ceiling, and the door, must have taken some serious time. I don't know if you can tell, but it's a very intricate camouflage design, lots of colors, layers, and texture. And I think the navy and cream striped curtain really sets it off perfectly, don't you? ;)

PROGRESS:

Even just priming it was like... a cleansing of sorts. Looking back on these pictures, I cannot believe how overzealous First Time Homebuyer Beth Ann was. She was so naive.

AFTER:

It is simple and probably needs a bit more pizazz and accessorizing, but it's definitely a step or fifteen in the right direction. :)

If you missed it, you can check out Home Sweet Home: Kitchen HERE!

Happy Hump Day!

We Share

We share important dates, my eldest brother {Ben Ponder} and I. You see, he shared his birthday for my wedding day almost three years ago, and tomorrow I'll share my birthday with him for his election.

Now, before you turn and run from a post about olitics-pay, please give me five minutes of your time {or like eight minutes if you're a slow reader like me ;)}.

Ben is different. He is not looking for a career in politics or power or money. His inspiration comes from a true calling beyond any earthly desire, it is best described as "progeny politics," and it is defined by the following quote from Thomas Paine {the focus of Ben's 900 page dissertation for his PhD in Early American Political Discourse from Northwestern University - I told you he is different}:

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."

His four precious children {and your children and grandchildren and nieces and nephews and my future children and the kids down the street, the ones in diapers and the ones learning their ABC's and the ones reading To Kill a Mockingbird ...the children without a current voice} are the reason that Ben has given up so much to run for US Congress in Arkansas District 1.

If you want to know more about Ben, I encourage you to read his announcement speech and his biography. I promise if nothing else you will learn about an incredibly interesting person today, and I would even venture to say you will be inspired.

If you live in Arkansas' First District, please request a democratic ballot during the primary election tomorrow and cast a vote for Ben Ponder. Anyone who is willing, please contact as many people in the district as you possibly can to ask them to do the same. And if you don't know a soul in Arkansas, please pray for Ben.

I will leave you with one final thought. Will you look back on this day and time, and wish that you had done something to affect the direction of our collective futures? Now is your chance.

Finally!

I graduated.

{super cheesy smile, I know, but it's allowed}

It's been a long road, seven years to be exact. And it all culminated in one fabulous, exhausting, family-filled weekend.

We started off Friday night with Honors Convocation for the College of Pharmacy {as in it is an honor to graduate, not as in you have to graduate with honors to attend...in which case my Friday evening would have been much less full- ha!}. Some of my family and Josh's family came over that afternoon, and we ate and ate and ate: Jason's Deli mini focaccia sandwiches {which I highly recommend}, chips and salsa and spinach dip, and my mom made strawberry cake, chocolate cake, AND her famous chocolate-in-between cookies just for her favorite daughter. {I'm the only girl. ;) }

We took a quick couple of pictures {see above} and then left early so I could get all jazzed up in regalia {because all important events are bedazzled with fluffy striped gowns, puke green hoods accented with crimson and cream, and bang-hating hats affixed to the noggin with 17 bobby pins}. Jacob, Kevin, and Devin so graciously {after being forced} accompanied me, so they could save seats for my army of support. Against my better judgment, this left the rest of our family and Josh to fend for themselves.

Miraculously, everyone made it on time. They watched the hooding {where the Lord's grace shown down and allowed me not to fall on my face during my journey across stage and to successfully complete the "hair flip" to ensure that I did not look like a boy in my picture}.

Two of our favorite professors hooded our class. See that one on the right? He is still one of my favorites despite the fact that on my very first test in pharmacy school, he stapled the pages out of order causing me to skip the last page {a 24 point page, just for significance's sake}. Did he let me make it up? Nope. Did I cry? In my car. And in the shower for like an hour. And at Josh's parents' house that night after I backed over their brick retaining wall. It was a baaaad day. If only the me from that day could have seen the future, perhaps that me would not have gotten so very dehydrated.

Sidetracked. So eaily sidetracked. The final product: all hooded and regaliad {probably not a word...}

Beth Ann Davenport, Pharm.D.

And here is the aforementioned army. I am so thankful for each of them.

The rest of the weekend was equally jam-packed but less photographed. It consisted of two brunches, one grandmother, one more graduation ceremony {with 914 other graduates}, one presentation as Dr. Beth Ann Ponder Davenport ;), and a whole lot of pizza. Now I have one week to relax {and study for the Boards} before I enter the real world!

DJD

**Update: my mama {a former teacher, mind you} politely pointed out that the correct plural is motherS-in-law, and not mother-in-lawS. It is now corrected :)**

I have to be completely honest. I know I am lucky {blessed}. I've met other people's mothers-in-law, and some of them aren't so great... Mine is.

{this picture is from a shower a couple of years ago...
please excuse the distracting corsages}

She's a social worker, and she loves to practice on anybody and everybody. Never doubt that she is analyzing the meaning behind the words you're saying.

Her favorite phrases:

Now, how does that make you feel?

&

Everybody has to pull their own happy wagon.

I always wish I could have met her mother. {I know she was fabulous!}

She has a CRAZY shoe fettish. I can't even keep up with her shoe shopping - she's a pro ;)

She did an incredible job preparing her son for marriage. {She really did, except for grocery shopping - the first time we took Josh to stock his apartment, he was amazed at the invention of the turntable holding the grocery bags at checkout. age 23, folks}

Her testimony, her life, is nothing short of miraculous.

She has an uncanny ability to bake a bunch of cookies and not eat even one. Not one. I can't even fathom...

She calls the cute boys on American Idol "eye candy" haha

She went back to school in her 40s and got both her bachelor's and master's degrees. I'm impressed.

With both of us, what you see is what you get...every time. {I am so thankful that we truly enjoy spending time together because neither of us could fake it :) }

Happy Mother's Day {week} to Debbie D - I am so thankful for you!

"Bebbie Dell"

That's "Beverly LaNell" as she referred to herself as a toddler. And in honor of Mother's Day, I would like to take the opportunity to share about mine!

Here's your introduction: {I can't count how many times I've heard this!}
"Beth Ann, there are children all over the world with BORING mothers...aren't you glad you aren't one of them?" That's MY mama.

I inherited my sass from her. Every ounce of it. It makes me giddy when people call me "little Nell" because I know exactly what that means.

See those glasses she's wearing? She has 87 pairs last I counted. I'm not exaggerating - you pick an outfit, and she's got at least three pairs that will coordinate, and most of them sparkle. It's like she's an angel when she sings in the choir ;)

She refuses to text without the appropriate punctuation. Abbreviated words? Not. A. Chance. An uncapitalized proper noun - heavens no.

She loves Jesus, Danny Ponder, Josh Davenport, and the rest of us {in that order ;) }

She can scratch backs like no other.

When she was in grade school, some cursed little kid stuck a piece of gum in her hair. To this day, the sight of chewed gum makes her gag. {It's kind of funny, though}

Somehow she manages to turn "Beth Ann" into three syllables. {Beth Ay-en}

She drove to EVERY game I cheered for in highschool. That's like 20 trips to Little Rock each year, and a million and a half miles on her car. Not to mention she was the proudest fan in the stands, and you could hear it!

No one can make chocolate-in-between cookies like she can.

She loves Red Bull. Loves. Red Bull. Sometimes when I talk to her shortly after a red bull, it sounds a little something like this:
HeyBethAnnwhatareyoudoingtodayIjusthadaRedBullandI'm kindabusybutIwantedtocallandseewhatyouwereupto welpI'vegotalotIneedtogetdonebecauseIamjustbusybusybusy todaysoI'lltalktoyoulaterOK?Loveya.

She will do just about anything for anybody {within legal limits, of course}. She is so incredibly generous in a myriad of ways, but especially with her time. If you need help - she'll be there.

She has a huge laugh and a tiny sneeze.

Her philosphy on reading: If it's not in The Bible or Southern Living, I don't need to know it.

She is dramatic. Drama drama drama. And funny. Man, is she funny. She's always the life of the party, but if you ask her she'll tell you she's shy. Ha! She makes even the most mundane task entertaining and joyful.

I love her so much I could just pinch her little cheeks off :)

Happy Mother's Day to the best one a girl could ask for!




-------
P.S. - I will be dragging out the celebration of Mother's Day this whole week, because I cannot go without celebrating my mother-in-law and my grandmothers {No lack of characters around here}. Mother's Day DAY, however, is designated for the one who birthed me and endured my teenage years...she deserves it!

Eighties Abs

Remember the "8 Minute" workout series? Turns out, you can still find it on YouTube. This is probably the only work-out post I will ever do, but aren't you kinda curious? I was. I tried it. {along with 8 Minute Buns...don't judge me ;)}

Ignore the spandex, enjoy the swaying leaves of the weaping willow tree during the introduction, and give it a whirl!

It is surprisingly painful ... like a kind of hurt that gradually hurts more and more ... for at least a week {I exaggerate, but only a little}

What are you waiting for? Happy Saturday!

Introducing... Rose!

Isn't she just the cutest!?!


I mean...equally as cute as Lady :)
{we're working very hard to make sure somebody doesn't get jealous}.

We went up to Mountain Home last weekend to spend some time with my side of the family, watch my little brothers-from-another-mother play soccer, and get a puppy. Check, check, and check!

Last week we had called the people who sold {I know that sounds so impersonal, but there's just really no other way to say it} Lady to us, and they agreed to drive their puppies over from Harrison and let us find the perfect puppy #2. We already had a name picked out for her {courtesy of my new friend, Sarah}, so we just needed to find little Rose. And darn it- if they didn't have that itsy bitsy pink bow in her hair...

Tricky McTrickerson, the breeder, totally failed to mention that his price had gone up significantly {"since the economy has picked up a bit"} until after he had already let us cuddle and coo and goo over the puppy he and his wife thought would be just perfect {with the bow} for us... Then he gave us some sort of backwards discount for being repeat customers to make us think we were getting a deal even though she was still more expensive.

Hey mister, you may think we're dummies. We're not. We would have paid the whole price, but we did not. Ha. Who's the dummy, now? ;)

Home Sweet Home: Kitchen

Two years ago my husband and I bought a 1940 box of a house in a small historic neighborhood near where he grew up. This house turned out to be quite an...adventure.

We gutted her {I'm not sure why, but I feel that this house is a her}, and in the mean time spent three months living with Josh's parents and one month living with my brother...all during our first year of marriage. Nuts. Nuts. Nuts. We never in a million bagillion years would have done it had we known what lie ahead, but we are so so glad we can't see the future!

We have redone and re-redone countless little odds and ends, but every drop of blood, sweat, or tears {yes, there have been all three} has truly made this house our home. So I thought I would share bits and pieces of the before and afters.

I'm starting with the kitchen because everybody loves a kitchen, and I need to prove I have one since actual food rarely comes out of it.

Prepare yourselves.

BEFORE

When we were about to sign our offer, a little squirrel scurried down the ventahood. I just kept praying that Josh would still sign because I had HGTV plans in my head.

GUTTED

Now before we get to the after, I must point out that HGTV is a lie. Even married to a contractor, NOTHING goes according to plan and you always have to wait "two more weeks" which is inevitably four months. Whew, I feel better.

AFTER

So very much better :)