Georgia Lou Cook: Nursery and Maternity Photos

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Miss Georgia Lou Cook in less than a week but I am just now getting around to posting about her nursery and our maternity session with Sami.

Mama and Daddy saved the antique canopy crib they used for us and offered it for us to use for Georgia. Justin and I got it sanded, painted, and put upstairs and Mama made her canopy topper and curtain to match.

Mrs. Desiree made this beautiful colored blanket for Georgia based on the picture of the flowers in the mason jar I found online. She did an amazing job. I wanted to know that all babies don’t just need pastels to be happy. Sami actually bought me the print to hang on the walls in a chunky gorgeous gold frame. Georgia will be here soon and I STILL don’t have stuff hung on the walls!

 

We also got my old Jenny Lind cradle down from the top of Mama and Daddy’s garage. It is going to be perfect to set Georgia in during nap time so I don’t have to take her all the way upstairs.

Justin spent his Valentine’s Day doing the one thing he really despises: he painted Georgia’s nursery this bright cheery turquoise color. He also surprised me with her monogram cut out on wood and painted for the door.

 

I snagged this rocking chair for her nursery for $20 and gave it a good coat of chalk paint. I love how simple it is.

We got all of her hand-me-downs and new clothes organized and put into the wardrobe. This little girl will be well-dressed for sure. I am thankful for several friends that helped us get her ready by passing along their stuff.

Wyatt and I went to a big siblings class at the hospital. He was able to learn about how to hold the baby, how to interact with her, and even how to change a diaper even though he said he was, “never, ever, ever, NEVER changing a dirty diaper!” He even told Mama, “Mimi, YOU wanted the girl; YOU change her!”

  

We traveled up to Musella to get some maternity photos in Dickey Farms’ peach orchards. Suzi did her maternity photos at Lane Southern Orchards when she was pregnant with Pax so this idea isn’t totally original but I find it fitting for a girl named Georgia to have a peach themed maternity session. I look forward to following up with a newborn session of her in piles of fresh Georgia peaches! I am thankful to have many connections in the agriculture industry to call on for locations for our photos and Mrs. Cynde Dickey didn’t disappoint! We had a rare cold snap and were fighting the setting sun that evening so we had to do this session in a hurry. Sami got so many of the best photos that I find it hard to choose my favorites. They are all amazing! Sami also wrote a blog post on her photography blog: http://samimphotography.blogspot.com/2016/04/geogiapeachblossommaternity.html

              

Georgia National Fair/100 Mile Yard Sale

Back in August, I learned that Alabama was doing a concert at the Georgia National Fair. Of course I had to get tickets! We started out the day of the concert with the 100 mile yard sale that started for us in Cordele. We stopped at tons of cool places. Sami got a load of stuff for her photography business and I managed to steal this dreamy vintage glider for $40!

After our yard sale adventures and a quick stop in Warner Robins, we headed back down to Perry for the fair. Wyatt was a total ham that day and insisted in cheesing it up for the cameras at every opportunity—including the time we were in line for drinks and he asked to pose by the pumpkin and big bag of onions.

   

  

Like I mentioned, the Alabama concert was my main draw. I have been in love with the band for years. I was even a member of their fan club for at least five or six years. Every time we would visit my Aunt Gail (she lives in Fort Payne, Alabama like they do), I would rejoin and get my t-shirt and souvenir. The last time I went to one of their concerts was for my 16th birthday with Justin. They were on their going-away tour and now, 13 years later, they still have the stage presence of a band that has been a favorite of mine for decades!

 

Pickin’ and Junkin’

Junkin’ has been good for the Cooks lately!

I got this load of vintage Tupperware when a friend’s parents were preparing for a big move. I’m glad people know me as that “crazy Tupperware girl!.”

I stopped at an estate sale in Hawkinsville a few weeks ago and nearly cried when I found this: It’s a Tupperware ravioli press. I didn’t even know these existed and it’s made even better because it was in my favorite color—orange! Justin got me to make some homemade ravioli but I just couldn’t seem to get the dough consistency right. I did manage to make several and they were delicious!

 

I also got these two beautiful Pyrex bowls for my sister-in-law, a silver peanut for my desk at work, and these cute mason jar salt and pepper shakers at the same sale.

I found this amazing handmade triangular bowl at an estate sale. Since it was a Saturday, it was half off, meaning I only paid $2.50 for it. I can’t wait to see Sami use it as a photography prop for some squishy newborn session!

Wyatt and I went to Pickin’ Peanuts Marketplace and snagged up these old drawers for Sami’s studio too. She has her thank you cards and supplies stashed in them now.

Stuff That Doesn’t Go Anywhere Else!

This was Wyatt’s suitcase to go to his Grandma and Pa’s house—90% stuffed animals, 10% clothes. This kid never ceases to make me laugh.

Wyatt was a great helper when I had to work for Georgia Grown at a local farmers market.

My Ashburn Women’s Club secret pal is amazing! She bought/made? me this adorable chicken door hanger with its big chalkboard belly. I think it fits my personality and taste perfectly!

I made a happy little discovery that my new favorite candles fit perfectly on the mason jar wall sconces Amanda made me for Christmas. It’s not a good idea to leave them unattended like this but it’s great when we are home.

Wyatt got t-ball pictures back. I love looking back at these pictures to see how much the babies have changed over time.

I posted this onto my social media a few weeks ago:

THIS is why I love living in a small town and shopping local, specifically with the Piggly Wiggly! While I run in to Walmart occasionally, the folks at the Pig all make a special effort to speak, shake hands, load my groceries in the car, and make Wy feel special. Mr. Bill let Wyatt take the price gun and help out today, making him feel like a rock star. They've been rocking sales lately and even beat Walmart's price on the Dr. Pepper 6-packs I love. Thanks, PW!

Wyatt helped take care of Aunt Sami’s flowers at the studio while she was on vacation. He might be my little green thumb yet!

Also, perks of keeping the Perry Family’s chickens fed and watered? FREE eggs! Our chickens are freeloaders, too young to lay eggs yet but I did snatch these up from the nest boxes the other day.

I grabbed up these awesome finds at a yard sale for less than $5. Justin and I were just talking about how we wanted a divided dish to heat up veggies in. He and I eat completely different vegetables and Wyatt eats them all, so we always end up with tons of pots on the stove. It was amazing to find this vintage Pyrex divided dish in this dreamy turquoise with its matching lid. The man even threw in this cute Georgia peach cardboard basket. I think it’s a cute piece of vintage Georgiana.

Dry Kitchen?

Recently we detailed the transformation of our dining room. We have really been at a loss of what to call the new room. It’s more than a pantry, but canning kitchen seems to ignore the fact that the room is so versatile. A fellow blogger made a “dry kitchen” in her basement as an entertainment space for small group gatherings. I think that is going to be the best moniker we will be able to use for this room. It has all the amenities of a kitchen without the plumbing and appliances—that is until we buy an upright freezer and get it installed!

Here are some small decorating changes we have made. We have found that we are actually more limited on wall space that we originally anticipated and we keep finding really neat stuff for that room.

I found this adorable butcher print cow cutout at JoAnn’s craft store one day and snatched it up. I really wish they had more than just cows. Justin and I think we are going to do prints or vinyl butcher prints of all the animals we eat and frame them up somehow.

 

Amanda and Michael have been renovating their kitchen and they gave us this wood shelf. It’s perfect for all of the canned items we accumulate. These are the 50 cans of potatoes Justin has canned over the past month and the strawberry jam we made!

 

I saw this on Pinterest one day, texted it to Justin, and he bought all of the parts and had it made within hours. I love that about him!

Justin smoked the first of his three hams and we got it hanging up in its muslin sack. I was actually afraid it would smell smoky in there but it doesn’t!

 

Daddy and Justin salvaged this amazing cart from a building that was being torn down in Ashburn. It is AMAZING! We worked off Amanda and Michael’s kitchen renovation again and got the scrap of butcher block that came from cutting out their sink. I love the character and the fact that I’ve not seen anything else like it. We actually have the ham hung under the countertop on it now.

 

This is my latest find for the dry kitchen. These are old sign inserts from a grocery store. They can be moved around if stores change their layouts. I snagged them up for $4 each at Pickin’ Peanuts in Ashburn. We haven’t hung them yet. We are still waiting to finalize the layout of the room when we install the upright freezer. I like the idea of hanging them vertically on the wall, but Justin also thought about hanging them from the ceiling. I like it because I was able to sort through all of the sign inserts and get out the signs for stuff we actually keep in the dry kitchen!