{eileen coffee table/chunky wool jute rug/comfort roll arm couch}
Hello hello! I’ve missed you all! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and are enjoying your week! We were on the go traveling with friends for my kids’ spring break last week and I’m flying out again for a quick weekend girls’ trip this week with lots of busy activities and get togethers in-between. It has felt pretty non-stop lately! All good things and so much fun, but I’m looking forward to a normal week at home in my routine next week. There are introverts and there are extroverts and I’m smack in the middle.. 100% an ambivert! Someone who loves to be social but also values quiet alone time. I’m a social butterfly and a hermit homebody all rolled into one..ha. I’ve found that I crave a balance between the two and I’ve definitely been tipping to the extrovert side of my personality lately. I love time with friends! But I’m also so excited to be home next week alone in my house working on my projects and listening to my podcasts. :)
Which are you? Introvert, extrovert or ambivert?
I thought I’d share how my coffee table is looking for spring! I picked up some beautiful bright pink tulips from Trader Joe’s and they just brightened my whole family room.
Same bright pink tulips I used in my acrylic floral vase.
I’m a fan. :)
{glass hurricane holder/black wood round board/striped ceramic planter/candle snuffer/ceramic duo candle holder/taper candles/cream speckled bowl/driftwood vase filler/down to earth/made for living/live beautiful/patina farm/soapstone link}
I set them on my black round board with a cute striped pot and then added some candles and a favorite bowl filled with driftwood. My beloved home decor coffee table books are never far! And my black soapstone link is another perfect coffee table accessory.
{Console table sources: Santorini Urn/similar faux cherry blossoms/Dreary Abstract Landscape Canvas/antique brass candle holders/candles/faux pink tulips/taylor glass hurricane – 9 inch/cylinder clear glass vase – 8×6/similar console table/similar baskets}
Simple styling that made me happy. :)
{thatcher chair/floral block print pillow/oversized cotton bed throw/metal floor lamp/ivory leather storage boxes/fern leaf in pot/tappered jar/display easel}
I brought in my oversized cotton bed throw for my chair to tie in with all the fun green accessories in this space. I thought it would be too long, but I actually love the length and how it hangs longer over the back of the chair! Such a beautiful throw.
Here are a few pics from our spring break trip! We are touring college options for Addison (deja vu since we JUST did all of this with El!) and spent the week with friends in both Oregon and Texas. Some parents want their kids to go to the best school they can get into and while I don’t think anything is wrong with that at all, that has never been my goal. I want my kids at schools that just feel like the right fit for them. I really believe it’s all about what they do with their degree and life after that matters. It’s cool how every college has a unique vibe! My girls have both been able to tell by touring schools pretty quickly if they might be a good fit for them or not. It’s really just fun to check out not only schools, but also the cities they are located in. There are so many things for parents to consider with college including cost and distance. I’m personally team keep my kids as close as possible (I already made Ad check out all the San Diego and LA schools..ha) while Kenny is all about giving them a new experience and sending them to the East Coast. We feel different about location, but I think we both get excited about the whole college experience for our kids because it’s something we didn’t really get ourselves. We got married young and our parents couldn’t afford to help with school (best supportive parents ever in other ways!). We went to smaller local schools (worked and had scholarship help) and then I got my teaching degree and worked 3 jobs to get Kenny through law school at UVA. I wouldn’t trade our experience for the world! But we have always been excited for our kids to have that move away and live in the dorms college experience.
Even though I cry my eyes out having El gone and thinking about Ad leaving!
We saw 5 schools in 5 days with sightseeing in the afternoons so whew! Busy trip. We were on the GO but the girls loved everything we saw!
We checked out Baylor and of course had to spend some time at Magnolia. My first time visiting and it ended up raining! We didn’t mind at all.. it just meant more time in the shops for us. :)
So many beautiful items and inspiration galore!
I snapped this picture and then we all realized that Kole just passed Addison in height! A very happy discovery for one and a sad discovery for the other. Ha. Isn’t the wall of mirrors a fun idea!? I’ve seen it before and have always wanted to try it in my house somewhere.
The bakery was adorable.
A bit of a line but well worth it!
{liberty sling bag/similar sneakers}
I wore my liberty sling bag the entire trip and it was perfect! Big enough to hold all of my things, but not too big. Plus it was so handy having my hands free with as much walking as we did touring schools.
Such a fun week!
The girls came home with options to consider and lots of cute sweatshirts.
I came home with options to consider and lots of laundry.
A week to remember!
:)
{SOURCES}
What a whirlwind of a time for you and your family, Erin. In all the best and bittersweet ways, right? I’m with you on being an ambivert. I think I may be that as well. Total homebody, but also enjoy being out with people at times. LOL Thanks for sharing that tidbit. Your tours sounded fun. And you have a wonderful perspective on encouraging your kiddos to spread their wings a bit. You should be very proud of your kids. Not that you need me to tell you, but it sure sounds like you and your husband are doing an great job. I hope she will thrive wherever she decides to go. Loved the pic of Kole showing he is taller than Addie. I’m sure he loves it, too. Hope you enjoy your girls trip! Thanks for all you do, Erin!
Thank you so much Jeanne! You are always so thoughtful. I can tell from everything you have shared with me that you have done an amazing job with your kids! :)
Hi Erin!
Will you show us how you decorated the narrow sofa table you have now that Easter is over? I have something similar and would love some inspiration. Thank you!
Hi Nancy! Yes! I’ll try to share an idea or two soon! :)
Erin!
Yes! We have the exact same personality! I am right down the middle, as well! Give me the FUN TIMES but give me too many of them and I begin to wither!! I JUST HAVE to HAVE that down time. The me, myself and my time. How did I not know there was a word for it?? Also, agree 100% on its not really about getting into the BEST school possible. IT is about the BEST school possible for THAT particular young person.. too many parents go awry with that. I almost did w/the youngest who could have been accepted anywhere, BUT SHE TOLD US WHERE SHE WAS going! It worked. She was xtra successful in college and now in her career choices!
The mirrored wall is a fun look. I wanted to do it and there was this vaulted ceiling wall over in the tub area of the bathroom that DH wanted to try AND he gathered some agreement on it…. No! NO. NO. NOT happening! NOT THERE! I can think of some other NO places too! So Glad you got to Magnolia, though. Must be quite the place but you, Erin, require zero inspiration. I think it just seeps out of your head! I have new shelves in the family room, and nothing is seeping out of MY brain. I know YOURS would be in overdrive! BTW you must have been mistaken for a college Sr. while on campus!
Oh you are too kind Sherri! Thank you! Definitely a balance of introvert and extrovert over here. It’s so nice to have both isn’t it!? I’m so happy your youngest ended up exactly where she wanted! We are letting Addison take the lead on this one for sure too. So many great options.. I feel like she can’t make a wrong decision! Your mirror comments made me laugh out loud! Ha ha.. definitely best in select spots. ;) Love you Sherri! Have the best week! XO
I’ve always thought I’m an introvert, but now that you describe yourself I can see I’m an ambivert. With working, volunteering at church, and spending time with friends I get my fill of for all the socializing. Then I need to just be home and enjoy that aspect of not having to go anywhere or do anything with anyone.
Definitely nice to have a balance!
Oh my goodness! You took a wrong turn!! Oregon State is further North on I-5!!!!!
Ha ha.. we still have time!
You were in my stomping grounds in Texas!!! We have a sophomore at TCU (He absolutely loves it!!) and we just took our triplets, who are juniors in high school, on the Baylor tour. Can’t wait to see where everyone ends up. Funny story when we went up to TCU for Parents Weekend last year we met more people from California than Texas! Your daughter would fit right in.
Liz I’m so happy to hear that your sophomore is happy at TCU! We really liked all of the Texas schools! So funny.. they joked on the TCU tour that they have considered changing the name of that school to Texas California University instead of Texas Christian because they are so many kids from CA. Ha.. I’m wondering if aside from it being a great school it’s the easy flight/close airport that draws CA kids? That’s definitely a bonus for me. We know a lot of kids who have gone there and love it! :)
Your family is so cute! I had the away university experience (I paid for it myself, but costs are lower here in Canada). With my three kids, it will be their choice–as we won’t be able to pay for everything if they choose to go out of province, as university costs have skyrocketed in the last 20 years. I really loved living on campus, and then off campus with friends, and trying out living in different cities and provinces, so I’m torn between keeping my babies close and letting them have those experiences for themselves. I have a few years yet–my oldest is in grade 8, though he has recently passed me in height–he’s now 5′ 11″, with massive feet and dreaming about how tall he is going to be (who knows–I’m 5′ 10″, my hubby is 6′ 3″, and my family is Dutch, and tall–I have a brother who is 6′ 5″–and that’s not abnormal for us!). Then again, my youngest boy is just a little guy, so who knows–I mean, you get what you get…
Thank you so much Wilma! Costs for college are crazy! And you’re right.. it’s so hard to choose between keeping them close and giving them a completely new experience. We are going to let Addison guide this one because really they all seem like right answers! Love that your son passed you in height! I bet that feels so strange. I’m hoping that happens with Kole. The girls in our family are all on the VERY short side so fingers crossed.. ha. :)
Sounds like a super fun trip! Checking out colleges is such an exciting time! Going through the same with my kids! Go Ducks and Go Frogs!! You visited my two favorite schools!!
YEA! Thank you Angela! We loved everything we saw! :)
What a fun trip! Doing college tours with our kids was so much fun and made for great memories. My son went to Oregon and my daughter went to Baylor! They both LOVED their choices and had great experiences. I highly recommend both schools. 💚💛🐥💚💛🐻
I’m so happy to hear they both had a good experience Julie! Both schools were so impressive!
I can’t imagine how it feels to be sending #2 off soon!
I really like the jeans in your last few pics with the green sweater. Can you please share? They look like a great combo of fitted boyfriend meets flare :) Thanks!
Hi Stacey! It feels so surreal to be at this stage of life! I’ll add a link for those jeans! AG! I bought them last year and wear them all the time! :)
https://rstyle.me/+boRBpyC7Ysnf3Fg7ExKm6Q
So fun! Is Ad considering BYU? El and I were talking about colleges a bit ago, Pierson’s goal has always been BYU, and we talked about how BYU is not her vibe at all but that Addie would love it!
Hi Josie! She is! We have a few concerns after seeing/hearing about lots of kids we know who have gone there, but it’s definitely an option. We are totally letting Ad make this decision!
Hi Erin!
Looks like a fun spring break! Touring colleges are so fun but exhausting. We lived in Texas for 20 years and Oklahoma for 10 years before now retiring on a lake in Georgia. Both my oldest two girls went to the Univ in Waco, so Waco is like home to us! Love Magnolia’s. Our third daughter went to a different university in Austin, Texas and our youngest attended a State Univ in Oklahoma. All different types of colleges, but a great fit for each daughter. You are so right about a school having to be a good fit. If it is, they end up creating great memories there! Good luck to your daughter with picking a school.
It will be different to just have your son at home. When each child of ours went away to college, our family took on a new dynamic.Eventually we became empty nesters which took some time getting used to! Ha Now we are retired living the good life, traveling and visiting the girl’s and their families and our grandkids. Life goes by so fast! As my Mom told me when I was a young mom—“The days are long but the years go by fast”. And that is so true.
On another note, I love your blog and all your ideas as well as your lovely home. Thanks for sharing your family, trips, and decorating as well as my favorite—-organizing!— with us.
Denise what a fun and thoughtful comment! Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog.. so sweet of you and you made me so happy! I loved hearing about your kids and their colleges and I agree.. it will be so weird to just be home with my two boys! I totally get what you are saying about the dynamic after each child leaves. It has been so strange with El gone this year.. I’m still adjusting! I can’t even imagine how it will feel with all of my kids gone. I know it will be sad and hard but sometimes I think wow.. Kenny and I can do what WE want? It can’t be all bad! Ha. Sounds like you are really enjoying the good life now. My parents are retired and keep telling us it doesn’t get any better! I’m so happy for you! Lucky kids and grandkids to have you in their life too. Time really does fly.. I can’t believe how quickly. It is a good reminder about how important it is to enjoy each day/moment we all have together. Wishing you and your beautiful family the best spring and summer! xo
Forgot to mention, I love the tshirt—-My son in law went to TCU…another great college!