Weekend in New Bern

This past weekend, we packed a bag and headed to New Bern to visit Eddie's parents :) New Bern is such a special town: so many pieces of southern history with the Neuse and Trent rivers as a beautiful backdrop.

We spent Saturday dodging April rain showers and walking around the quaint downtown scene. We were in New Bern less than 36 hours, but we managed to pack in as much fun as we possibly could! We visited Tryon Palace; walked the historic homes tour; ate at the famous Bakers Kitchen (which was amazing & their squash casserole is to die for!); indulged in delicious cupcakes from Bear City Fudge Company; wandered around the local Farmer's Market; searched for treasures at Black Swan flea market and Poor Charlie's antiques; sipped a soda at the Birthplace of Pepsi; hid eggs for an Easter egg hunt; and tried to spot as many of the colorful New Bern bears as we could!

Just a few of our favorite spots and snaps from the weekend...

My mother-in-law is an amazing cook and we were lucky to enjoy several of her delicious homemade meals, including a few of Eddie's favorites! We also made Cinnamon Roll Waffles for the first time and oh.my.goodness. Scrumptious. 

Via

Such a great weekend! Already looking forward to going back :)

Liebster Award!

Last weekend I received the sweetest note from my blogging friend, Claire from Honey Haven Blog, saying she nominated me for a Liebster blogging award! Needless to say I was shocked and surprised, but also completely grateful that she thought of me and my little blog. Thank you so much, Claire!

I wasn't familiar with the Liebster award, so I did a little research and found out that the award is given by bloggers to new bloggers as a way to recognize their hard work and also provide a platform to discover new blogs. The word "liebster" is German and means kind, dear, lovely, pleasant, valued, endearing, and welcome. That's a lot of positive attributes!!! I love that this award shows appreciation and encourages community among bloggers and blog readers. It's a win-win!

Here are the rules: 
1. Thank your Liebster Award presenter (thank you again, Claire!)
2. Answer the 11 questions presented to you. 
3. Nominate 11 up and coming bloggers for the Liebster Award.
4. Provide 11 questions to your nominees to answer and notify them of the nomination. 

 1. How long have you been blogging, and what inspired you to get started? 
I started The Cheerful Home just five short months ago, in November 2013. I was first introduced to the blogging world back in 2009 when I was planning my wedding, and since then I dreamed of having a blog of my very own. Last year I thought there was no time like the present! 

   
2. What was the best day of your life? 
It may sound cliche, but the best day of my life was the day I married my sweetheart. We met at the end of the aisle: him in a black tux and me in a white dress. We said our "I do's" and danced the southern summer night away under a big white tent with all our family and friends. Almost five years later, we've learned a lot about ourselves and a lot about one another. Every day is not perfect but without a doubt, I find myself loving and appreciating that man even more every single day.

 On our wedding day in 2009 :)

3. What do most people not know about you? 
Most people do not know the summer after my junior year in college, I packed my bags and headed to Europe to live for an entire summer...without knowing a single person! I spent two months living in London and taking a couple of classes through my university's study abroad program. I learned a few things about myself that summer, including how I can be much braver than I give myself credit for :)
 

In London, summer 2007

4. Where do you find inspiration for your blog posts? 
I mostly find inspiration from people in my life, experiences that I go through, my love for personalizing our home, and things that have been on my mind or touched my heart. 
 
5. Who are your favorite bloggers?  
The first bloggers I followed were Thrifty Decor Chick and Centsational Girl. Both bloggers had a tremendous impact on me starting my own blog. I also love Honey We're Home and pretty much think her house is what my dreams are made of!

6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I hope I am joyful, brave, patient, thoughtful, and kind. I see myself celebrating 10 years of wedded bliss; I hope to have passed the bar and that I am a practicing attorney; and I would be thrilled to have a little one (or two!) running around our home :)

7. Are you a full time blogger or do you have a "day job"?
I pretty much have the best job in the world. I work for Girls on the Run, a nonprofit character development program for girls 8-12 that uses running and physical activity as a way to introduce healthy and positive lifestyle choices. We believe that every girl can embrace who she is, can define who she wants to be, can rise to any challenge, and can change the world.

In addition to working for Girls on the Run, I am also a second year law student! Sometimes I still find myself surprised to say I am a law student because it has been a dream since middle school!

To me, blogging is a much-needed outlet to be able to write, think, reflect, share, and connect. 

After a GOTR 5K :)

  8. Are you a daydreamer or a go-getter?
Most definitely a go-getter. I love making plans, making lists, and making things happen! I also get great satisfaction from checking things off my to-do list and have been known to write something on a list for the pure pleasure of immediately checking it off ;)

9. What are your pet peeves? 
I love the quote "be the change you wish to see in the world". In that spirit, I try to be punctual because I appreciate when others are respectful of my time. I try to listen well when others are speaking because I appreciate when others value what I have to say. And, I try to put my phone away when I am with friends and family because I like when they do the same for me.

10. What color describes your personality?
PINK :)

11. What is most influential in your life?
Extra-ordinary women in seemingly ordinary roles have a tremendous influence in my life. The kind of women who are honest rather than impressive; happy rather than perfect. Women who would rather make what matters happen than to-do lists and who would rather be influential than be recognized. Women like my amazing mother (pictured below).

Mom and me before my wedding :)

 
It was a blast answering those questions! If you're still reading this (hi mom!) then you deserve an award of your own! ;) I truly do feel honored to have this little blog of mine recognized in any way. 

Here are the lovely, talented bloggers that I am nominating for the Liebster Award. You can click on their blog names to take you directly to their blogs. You just might find some new friends today! :)
 
Simple Stylings
Whimsy Girl Design
Seeking Joy
Texas Decor
Confetti and Stripes

Yes, I broke the rules and nominated 5 bloggers, not 11. Just call me a rule breaker ;)  

My questions for them are:

1. How long have you been blogging, and what inspired you to begin?
2. If you could go anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
3. What are your favorite blogs?
4. Are you a night owl or eary bird?
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
6. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
7. What is your favorite vacation spot?
8. Who is most influential in your life?
9. What's your favorite piece of furniture in your house?
10. How did you decide on your blog name?
11. If you could talk to your 18 year old self today, what adivce would you give?

I am looking forward to reading their responses! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend :)

Our Master Bedroom

Hey friends! Today I am so excited to share with you my favorite room in our home: our master bedroom! :)  It’s a place to withdraw from the world, relax, and of course catch up on much needed zzzzz's. Eddie and I both prefer soothing colors in our bedroom. After a little trial and error, I finally settled on my favorite grey paint for the walls (Behr's Ashes) and kept a neutral palette with champagne and white tones. 

Most importantly, I wanted the room to be layered with details reflective of happy occasions so that memories dance across our minds from time to time. Ultimately I love this space because of the joy that fills it: the real moments and the late night movies; the laughs and the little moments shared. Without further delay here is a our master bedroom! :)

It's safe to say I love a bed with lots of pillows! ;) I fell in love with this neutral print and convinced my gracious grandmother to help me sew a duvet and euro shams. The fabric is Kravet Latika Limestone and I think the neutral print brings warmth and life to the room. The fabric on the square pillows is Braemore Fioretto Sandstone and the quilt is from Pottery Barn.

 

Under the window, I tucked a linen club chair and small table to create a small sitting area. The chair is from Overstock and I have been thrilled with both the quality of the material and the elegance it brings to the room. My grandmother and I found the champaigne pillow at an antique store awhile back, and it reminds me of that wonderful day together. The chunky knit throw is from Ikea and the glass vase held advice cards at our wedding.

 

My side of the room has a few treasured things, including a favorite picture of my niece and pink roses from my wedding bouquet. The distressed vase was a gift from my best friend the first time she visited our home. I found the lamps on clearance at Hobby Lobby a few years ago and still love them as much as the day I found them! Bet you can't even tell they are missing a chain, can you? ;)

The espresso furniture is by Broyhill and was a college graduation present from my parents. I've thought about switching out the knobs for a more antiqued look, but these work just fine for now :) The upholstered headboard was on sale at Target and is pretty much the headboard of my dreams! When it came in, we moved the bed that matches the set into the guestroom.

The mister's side of the room always has a stack of books and odds & ends are stored in a gold box from HomeGoods. 

The gold frames above the armoire hold a few of our favorite engagement photos, which were taken by a talented friend at our alma mater. I love how the gold finish contrasts with the traditional style of the dresser.

I adore these cherry blossoms! They look just like Pottery Barn's but are actually from Michaels (for about 1/3 of the price :)

Several years ago, I transformed the coin holder using a little white paint and a vinyl monogram. It's amazing what a little spray paint can accomplish! We use the journal to remember all of our travels together and I love having it out for us to see. The clock and planter were both flea market finds.

Across from the bed is a traditional style dresser and a few special momentos. Oh how I would love to have a beautiful piece of artwork hanging above the dresser...but the hubs loves his Monday night football and every good relationship requires a little compromise right? ;)

The gold frame displays a decorative copy of our marriage license. The white bust is one of my favorite antique store finds (I think I paid I whopping $1.50!) and the glass jar belonged to my grandparents. 

My grandmother always has an amaryllis flower somewhere in her house so this white one always makes me think of her. The whimsical Chinese ginger jar was a house-warming present from Eddie's grandparents.

One bright, sunny Saturday Eddie and I were walking through an antique store while visiting friends. Somehow, we always find ourselves looking through the old books, and this special book by Kipling quickly caught our attention that day. Tucked between the pages, we were surprised to find several old handwritten love letters and a pressed four leaf clover. I guess you can never go wrong with a little luck and love on your side :)

While I was photographing the room it was nearly impossible to keep this furry little fella off the bed ;) Isn't he the cutest?! That yellow bone is his favorite and he carries it everywhere.

Thank you for taking a peek into my favorite space! How do you incorporate special treasures into your home? Would love to hear from you :)

Linking up with:
Thrifty Decor Chick
Liz Marie Blog
Work it Wednesday 
A Stroll Through Life

Winthrop Chronicles // Not Just a Housewife // Home Stories A to Z

Stopping to Smell the Roses

I came across a quote the other day which grabbed my attention: "One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching" (author unknown). Initially, I thought this quote was referring to the "big" moments in life: the eventful moments, the great successes, the big days; living life to the fullest and having no regrets. However, my thoughts eventually wandered to the days in between. Those tiny moments which make up our days and are ultimately what leads to a well-lived life. 

With these words on my heart and spring finally in the air, Eddie and I decided to slow down and dine alfresco last Wednesday evening. He grabbed a couple of chickfila salads, I picked up the pups, and we met at Duke Gardens for a lovely picnic date :) Our biggest distraction that evening was rambunctious little Dallas sneaking a bite of my cupcake ;)

(I love our old picnic basket, which was was passed down from Eddie's grandparents. I like to think it's seen many adventures and sunny afternoons spent picnicking through the years!)

The gardens were so lovely with sights of spring painted in every direction. Luckily I had my good camera in the car so I was able to capture a few photos of all the spring time colors and blooms!

With so many messages about the "power of now," sometimes it's overwhelming how to actually go about appreciating all the little moments. I think a great starting point is simply showing up, being present, and focusing your energy on the good.

"I don't have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect, and beautiful journey of my life. It is a trip more wonderful than I could have imagined." ~Kerry Washington

What are your thoughts? How do you find joy in life's little moments? I'd love to hear from you! :)