Five on Friday : Styling our Home

We are pretty much out of boxes in the new house and starting to feel more settled.  It is so much fun to see the house start coming together.  Now that we have furniture set in the right places, it is time to start styling the accessories.  This part is always a lot of fun, but also can be so tricky to get just right.   I'd love your help with  any suggestions, tips, tricks or advice you might have with any of the following! 

I'm linking up today for Five on Friday with Darci, April, Christina and Natasha.

{One}  Styling the Coffee Table:

This is always a tough one and usually gets changed around a lot, but I love seeing how people style their coffee table.  For the new house, we went with a round, upholstered coffee table that was baby friendly.  It is probably a bit small for our space, but we're keeping it anyways.  Here's what ours looks like now and then a few inspiration photos...

Our table

{Two}  Styling the Bedside Tables:

We have two dressers on each side of our bed that we use as bedside tables in the new house.  We loved that they are a double function in the room and we really needed the space.   I really haven't started styling either of them yet and still need lamps for each side.  Here are some pretty ideas for our new bedside tables...

Here's what our room looks like now (one of those dressers on each side of the bed.)

What's on your nightstand??

{Three}  Styling a Gallery Wall:

I have a lot of matted white frames from Pottery Barn that I love and want to use to make a gallery wall in our upstairs hallway.  The task seems a bit daunting but I am determined to get it done.  I always always love looking at people pictures in their homes and a gallery wall is always my favorite.   So I took some inspiration from some photos on pinterest and we'll see how it turns out.  

Do you have a gallery wall in your home and do you have any pointers for me for getting started????

photo via

photo via

{Four}  Styling your Ikea Expedit: 

We have an Ikea expedit shelf in our office and I am a little anxious about getting it organized and looking pretty.   We have a very simple glass desk that has no drawers at all, so I have to utilize the bookshelf really well to house all of our office supplies.  

Megan at Honey We're Home does the best job styling her Expedite shelves in her office.  I love it and she's always changing them up, but the colors are so fun.  I found a few others I like on Pinterest as well.  

Do you have an Expedit shelf??  What room is yours in?

*All photos can be found here

{Five}  And lastly, we had snow in Pensacola, Florida this week and it basically shut down the city for 2 days.  It was wild and so much fun.  We treated it like a hurricane party, stocked up on food and booze, invited our friends over, and they ended up staying at our house for 2 days because they couldn't drive on the roads!  We ate and drank too much and had lots of fun watching the two baby love birds play together.  

Recapping 2014 thus far...

It has been a couple of weeks since I've blogged as life has been pretty hectic so far in 2014.  I never shared something with you guys last year that was going on in my life.   My Dad was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in September of 2013.  He started having symptoms of being sick in August.  He had a cough and lost his voice and his energy levels were low, so he thought he might just have some type of cold.   After going to the doctor, they found a tumor in his chest.  Long story short, he started chemotherapy in October and he has been fighting this cancer battle for over 4 months.  He lost the battle just over 2 weeks ago.   It's been a very emotional month so far, but I have ultimately been doing well.  My husband has been amazing and the support of family, friends and the entire community has been unbelievable.  I have to say that it really doesn't feel real yet.  Call it a dream, nightmare, or reality that hasn't settled in yet; but it just feels like he's out of town for a bit...  I know there will be good days and bad days in my future, but I do know that my Dad lived a full and present life.  I am so proud of him and miss him everyday already.   

Dad on his pontoon boat

Me and Dad

The flowers at his funeral were incredible

My brothers and I in front of his casket at his funeral

Dad passed at 11:30pm on Sunday, January 12th and that whole week following was a whirlwind.  We grieved and planned his funeral all at the same time.  We set the funeral for Friday afternoon with a celebration of life to follow that evening.   It was a long day, but we all made it though.  

The Friday before my Dad passed was moving day for Matt and I.  We had our PODS delivered and movers set to help bring everything into our new house.  It all went smoothly and we got things set up the best that we could.  The weekend was bittersweet as we had been waiting for moving day forever, but yet my Dad was sick and not doing very well at home.  

After the funeral, my cousin (best friend/sister/college roomie) stayed with us for a whole week.  She was so unbelievably helpful.  I don't know what I would have done with out her here.  I probably would have crumbled.  Matt had to go back to work and I know I would have been left at home by myself with Brody and probably had multiple breakdowns.  Instead, her and my Mom kept me busy all week long by cooking, cleaning, unpacking and organizing the new house.  It was so much fun to have them here that I really didn't want them to leave.  

Brody with my cousin, Alex

Snuggles before Alex had to head back to NYC

We got a lot accomplished on the house in just one week.  I am glad to have the house as a distraction over the next couple of months.  Although we are already out of boxes, I know it will take awhile to get completely organized and get the house decorated the way we want it.  I promise to share more photos along the way.  If you follow me on instagram (@annieamalone) you've seen the photos I shared below.  

Our Master Bedroom

Brody's Nursery

I hope to resume blogging on a regular basis again.  It's such a nice outlet for me and writing truly is therapeutic.  Thanks for listening and please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers.  

Wednesday Wishlist

Welcome to the first Wednesday Wishlist link-up of new year with Morgan and I.  My husband and I are FINALLY moving into our new house this weekend and all I can think about is furniture to fill it up with!  I have purchased quite a few things already and I can't wait to see it all come together in the house.  I gathered a few items that I have been eyeing lately that I think would work well in the house.  

Fliptop Demilune - I would actually need two of these for the space that I think these might work in the house.  I love the idea of these demilunes because they also double as a great round table you could utilize for extra seating!  I love this idea.  I won't know if something like this will work in our house until we get moved in and settled.
Beachcomber Baskets - I'm a bit stressed at the thought of baby toys all over the new house, so I feel like I can't have enough neutral baskets around to house all the baby stuff!
Jute Chenille Herringbone Rug-  I have a few places this rug would work in the new house.  I love the herringbone pattern of this rug.
Rope Knot Lamp-  I think these would look great in one of our guest rooms as side table lamps.
Leopard Velvet Pillow - I love the looks of this pillow for our office.
Marcello Barstool -  We still need to purchase counter barstools for our kitchen.  I really love these because they are swivel so you can turn around to see the TV if needed.

Want to join us!?!?!
- Post your Wednesday Wishlist
- Grab the button and link back to both of our blogs: Home of Malones AND Pamper & Pearls
- Link up starts on Wednesday at 8am EST- Share your favorites and click around and meet new friends and comment on their lists!
-Also, please help us promote our link up! Use the hash tag #wednesdaywishlists on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. (Tag us on IG: @pamperspearls and @homeofmalones) (Twitter @mtike and @aladams4). Tag us and we’ll re-tweet!

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Baby Brody: Month 6

Weight: 18 + lbs and over 27.5 inches long based on my measurements.  We go to the doctor this week for the exact numbers.

Clothes:  Size 3 diapers and clothes range from 6 months to 12 months.  You are pretty much grown out of most of your 3 month clothing.  

Sleep:  We start your bath time at 5:30 and you are usually asleep by 6pm.  You wake up at 6am.  You have been sleeping well, but during the week of Christmas you started waking up in the middle of the night.  We couldn't tell if you were teething, getting sick because both of us were sick or if you were hungry and showing signs of being ready to start solid foods. You sleep in a sleep sack with no swaddle and I took the life nest out of your bed so you have room to roam.  

Feeding:  You are taking 6-8 ounces per feeding at eating at 6am,9,12,3 and 6pm.  I did give you your first taste of real food on your 6 month birthday.  You had some sweet potatoes and thought it was just okay.  

Likes:  

• sitting up on your own - you would much rather be sitting up than lying down now
• talking and babbling a lot
• looking out at all your surroundings
• your carseat -- I actually put you in your carseat now and drive around to get you to sleep if I have to
• you jump around lile a crazy man in your jumperoo now
• kicking your legs to make noise on all your toys

Dislikes:  

•  getting out of the bathtub - you always cry when you get out of the bath and I'm trying to rub you down with lotion and get you in your PJs.
• teething-- but who would like that?

Milestones:

• laughing, laughing and more laughing
• your bottom two teeth really came all the way in this month
• sitting up all by yourself
• trying to sit back up on your own after you have fallen over
• talking like crazy - we swear you said bye bye a couple times over Christmas, but I haven't heard them again yet
• you grab at all of your toys and can really reach for everything
• sitting in the big boy seat in the shopping cart
• You had your pictures taken with Santa and did so great!
• You are definitely not crawling yet, but you rise up on your arms and look at your toys like you are trying to figure out how to get to them.

Places You've Gone:

• we didn't have to do any holiday traveling this year, so you pretty much stayed at home all month
• you are so much better to go out and about with now that you enjoy your car seat, so I take you on a lot more errands with me now

Visitors:

• Amelia Kate came over for a slumber party and the two of you were so sweet together.  You were so gentle with her and gave her lots of kisses and would hold her hand.  I love that ya'll are only 6 weeks apart. 

Five on Friday : It's a New Year!

Happy New Year my friends!!  I'm excited for what 2014 has in store for me and my little family.  I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and has had time to recover, re-group, and re-organize.  I know it's taken me a few days  week to do that.  My husband and I caught the crud over Christmas which was a real bummer, but the festivities didn't stop because of it.  We still had family to entertain, food to cook and our son's first Christmas to celebrate; so we drank some cough syrup and partied on...

I think I've finally caught back up and ready to enjoy the new year.  I'll start my first blog post of 2013 with the five on friday gals: Darci, April, Christina and Natasha.

{One}  

Our New Years Eve Celebration -  We had dinner out with friends at a local restaurant that was so yummy.  We had an amazing meal with wine pairing and continued the celebration out to the bars downtown.  I'm embarrassed to say that when I woke up on January 1st, my legs were so sore.  That's right.  We danced like fools and my legs felt like they had run a marathon.  In fact, they are still sore today.  That's embarrassing.  

{Two}

I've seen this floating around pinterest quite a bit and it really sums up all the things I hope to do more of in 2014.  I've never been one to keep new years resolutions, but it is always nice to use the new year as a clean slate and to start anew.  That is what I plan to do!

{Three}  

If you follow me on Instagram (@annieamalone and @homeofmalones), you may have seen this picture already.  We officially have a move-in date for the new house.  Next Friday!! I can't believe it. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  

{Four}

Also on instagram, I plan to share a photo a day for 2014.  I started with this one of baby Brody.  Although I am certainly guilty of over-sharing baby photos, I also plan to share lots of pictures of the new house as we get organized and settled-in!  #photoadayin2014

{Five}

Cowboy Cavier - Who made black eyed peas for New Years Day??  If so, I'm sure you have some left over like me.   Here is the perfect recipe to use those left over peas to make a great appetizer for the weekend or to celebrate the big National Championship game on Monday night!! 

Cowboy Cavier

1 can white corn

1 can black beans

1 can black eyed peas

3-5 roma tomatoes

2 avocados

cilantro

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste!

Will you be watching the National Championship game??  I'm a Florida Gator, but my husband is a Florida State fan; so I'm going to be a good wife and allow him to put Florida State clothes on my son....