Veteran's Day Edition of Foto Friday

Happy Foto Friday, all!  Today I'd like to share with you a great way to kick off your holiday weekend- by joining Shutterfly's "Thank the Troops" campaign!  

Shutterfly is sending thank you cards made by Facebook users (with or without personal photos) to the 1.5 million troops currently serving our country.  It's free to participate- simply go to their Facebook app here to design and send your card.  There are four different cover designs available...here's the one I sent from the Poe family:

So join me, and take a few minutes and thank those men and women serving our country!

MrsDrPoe: Our Anniversary Week

Hello all, and happy Foto Friday!  This week Mr. Poe and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary.  Since we were also at 26 weeks with our Poe-ette, I took a special baby bump picture:

yes...I can still fit in my wedding dress.  Yay for empire waists!  We also found a great deal on a small table to finish off our entryway decor:

I can't wait to see what the end of the week will bring!

MrsDrPoe: Noah's Ark

Since we painted virtually the entire house immediately after we bought it (and almost every room is a neutral color), we decided that we were tired of painting.  Our new girl would have a tan room with a Noah's Ark theme because that would be easy, fun, and based on the Bible.  To help decorate the walls, I asked my grandmother to paint some animals two-by-two for the room, and here's what she came up with:

camels, elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, and doves (they're out of the picture).  How fun!  And they look so real!  The room is slowly coming together...yesterday I even put on the lovely Noah's Ark sheets that the Barclays gave us. 

MrsDrPoe: Hand-Me-Downs for My Baby Girl

This Foto Friday I'd like to share with you something very special to me.  As you may or may not know, I'm a rather sentimental person.  I love that our guests sleep in a bed that used to belong to Mr. Poe's grandmother and that our toddler(s) will sleep in a bed my granddad made for my dad that I slept in as a little girl.  And now that we know we're having a little girl, I'm especially excited to be giving her:

a Raggedy Ann doll given to me by a very dear aunt, a bear given to me when I was born, the jewelry box I used for twenty-ish years, and the tea set and rocking chair I had as a little girl.

I hope she gets as much enjoyment out of these things as I have; I just can't wait to share them with her!

MrsDrPoe: "If You're Worried and You Can't Sleep...

...just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings." - Bing Crosby

Today's Foto Friday post is all about those blessings we've received recently.  As you probably know, Mr. Poe and I are having a baby.  Yesterday at 20 weeks, we found out we're having a little girl!  From the ultrasound, it seems that everything is going well and growing as it should (praise God!):

This week we also got our new fridge and dishwasher installed:

It'll be so nice to not have to wonder about the food we're eating anymore, and I know I'll be extra thankful for a working dishwasher when the baby comes!

These recent blessings have been so wonderful, and we are so thankful!!

MrsDrPoe: Unexpected Thanks

This Foto Friday is not for the faint of heart.  This is Layla's mess that I had to deal with right after breakfast:

This is by far the worst dog mess I've ever had to clean up, but today I was thinking that all these messes are just prepping us for having children.  So, although I never imagined I'd say it, thanks for the messes, Layla and Sasch.

MrsDrPoe: Baby Things

Good morning, and happy Foto Friday!  Today I'd like to share some of our new baby things that Mr. Poe and I are pretty excited about.

Mama and Papa Poe largely contributed to this lovely 4 in 1 crib and changing table set that we found on craigslist for a steal (barely used!):

And my sis-in-law, Mrs. Brodrecht, who's about 7 weeks ahead of us, told me about a great deal on baby slings here (enter the code CCMother and get a sling for the cost of shipping).  Mine arrived this week, so of course I tested it on Sascha:

She was not a fan, and 'said' as she often does, "It's tough to be small!"

MrsDrPoe: Our Mother's Day Surprise

It's another Foto Friday on the blog!  As you know, Sunday is Mother's day, but since we're having the youth forum this weekend, we had to go visit our parents last weekend to give them our Mother's day surprise...

That's right!  Mr. Poe and I are pregnant!  Yesterday was 14 weeks.  Here's the Poe-let at 8 weeks:

We were so happy to be able to tell most of our immediate family in person, and everyone is just as excited as we are!  We even got our first presents...a baby food maker and money toward a crib...

We are so tremendously blessed, and so extremely thankful!

MrsDrPoe: Why I Love Working from Home

There are many reasons, but this Foto Friday I'd like to share one of them with you...my work buddy:

Isn't she just so cute?

MrsDrPoe: Your New Avon Lady

For this Foto Friday, I'd like to share with you your new Avon Lady...

Mama Wolgemuth has gotten back into the Avon business.  Right now there are some fantastic deals on her website...just in time for mother's day!  And they're offering free shipping with orders of $30 or more.  Check it out here.

MrsDrPoe: A Housewarming Gift

Spring is in the air, and to celebrate, my grandparents got us the perfect housewarming gift:

a home for our birdies!  I know just the tree I want to hang it on too!

MrsDrPoe: It's the Least Wonderful Time of the Year

This Foto Friday I'd like to share with you what I've put on the back burner until the last couple of weeks:

blah...taxes.  But  thankfully I'm done and under the wire!

MrsDrPoe: Our Summer Blessing

Happy Foto Friday!  So much has been going on this week, but the one thing I really wanted to share with you guys is our latest purchase:

a new-to-us Mazda 5!  We are so thankful to now have something that has a working transmission, emissions system, and AC (especially before the heat waves hit)!

MrsDrPoe: A Week of Sickness, Codes, and Ants

It's finally Foto Friday here on the blog, and what a week it has been!  I have been dealing with some sinus thing (either sickness or allergies) all week, as well as a code that is giving me seemingly unexplainable but fabulous results, and ants at my bedroom window.

What have I accomplished this week?  An ant massacre.  I know the guy from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" used Windex for everything, but I promise you it really does wonders to these creepy crawly invaders:

Here's to a better week next week!

MrsDrPoe: Retro Poe

Happy Foto Friday here on the blog!  I love when Mr. Poe has facial hair; however, he's not a big fan...except for last weekend when he had some fun "grooming" for his basketball tourney:

Kinda goofy, but still a cutie in my book! ;)

MrsDrPoe: Spring Break in Memphis

This Foto Friday I'd like to share with you my "spring break" in Memphis.  Mrs. Luke flew down to the big city last Friday, and Saturday we drove over to visit the fam for a few days.  Sunday for lunch we went to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken:

Layla played with the only dog in our family that likes her, Bullet when we got back:

And I took a nap with the Old Gray Wiener Dog:

Monday, we had lunch at Leonard's Pit Barbecue:

Checked out the largest Bonsai nursery in the country:

Walked along the Mississippi:

And caught "Born to Be Wild" at the Pink Palace's Imax: 

Tuesday we went to the zoo, and Mr. Wolgemuth took Mrs. Luke and me out for dinner at Mr. P's Buffalo Wings:

Mrs. Luke and I came back Wednesday, and she left us today.  It was a very good (and busy) visit!

MrsDrPoe: The Lorax

I have a very tasty item to show you this Foto Friday- "The Lorax" meal at Ihop!  We went Sunday with a group of friends and had a very fun, tasty time.  Check this out...green eggs and ham, hash browns, and a blueberry pancake cooked inside a waffle cone.  YUM!

MrsDrPoe: Constant Encouragement

Happy Foto Friday to you all!  We're all moved in to the new place; although, we're still working on the hardwoods and waiting on our new furniture.  So instead of showing the typical house pix I've been sharing, I'd like to show you one method we've found particularly helpful in the area of constantly encouraging ourselves to live more like Christ:

writing on our mirrors throughout the house.  This is my side of the large one in our bathroom; every time I wash my face or hands or brush my teeth, I'm reminded of the command in Ephesians 5:22 that as a wife, I should submit to Mr. Poe as to the Lord.  

We've been doing this for years, and it's really helped me to focus throughout the day on scripture that focuses on areas that I feel I need the most encouragement (like respecting my husband, being anxious, etc.).

What ways have you found to encourage your families to be the people we should be?

MrsDrPoe: Our Second Apartment

Happy Foto Friday to all!  Our eighth week of work on the house was a bit of a slow one since we took advantage of some President's Day sales and purchased furniture (I'll show you when it comes in).  So today mostly for the sake of memories, I'd like to share with you some pictures from our second apartment*:

The Pantry/Laundry Room:

The Kitchen and Dining Areas:

The Living Room:

The Master Bed and Bath:

The Guest Bed:

The Guest Bath: 

We have really enjoyed living here and would definitely recommend the facilities and staff to anyone looking to rent in the Newnan, GA area.

*Please ignore the mess; we're still very much packing...and one day when I'm feeling even more sentimental, I'll share pictures of our first apartment.

MrsDrPoe: House Progress, Week 7

Another week has ended, and another Foto Friday has arrived!  I am please to announce that today I will both 1) continue with some helpful painting tips and 2) show you some finished house pictures (but not in that order)!

Here's what we've accomplished this week:

Kitchen: over 50% of the hardwoods are installed
Stairwell: second coat of paint was applied (two coats on the spots I couldn't reach)
Master Bathroom: remaining wall-paper removed, two coats of paint applied
Carpet: put down in all bedrooms, closets, upstairs hallway, and staircase

And the finished rooms: 

The "Guest Room" (formerly the "Boat Room"...11th in the before post)
-no boats
-newly painted room and closet
-newly carpeted
-no brass fan

The "Baby* Room" (formerly the "Front Room"...12th in the before post)
-newly painted room, closet, and trim
-newly carpeted
-no brass fan

The "Office" (formerly the "Blue Room"...10th in the before post)
-newly painted room, closet, and trim
-newly carpeted
-no brass fan

The Master Bedroom (9th in the before post)
-newly painted room, closets
-newly carpeted
-no brass fan

The Master Bathroom (8th in the before post)
-no lattice garden wallpaper
-newly painted
-no brass light fixtures or hardware
 

  
Hopefully we'll have some pictures of finished downstairs rooms to show you soon!  And, as promised, here is the second installment of Painting 101:

Painting 101: Measure Once, Cut Twice

Ok...so you don't really have to measure or cut to paint, but the principal still applies.  To make the most of your painting experience, you'll need to put in the prep work:

Remove Wallpaper - while it can be painted over, it will never come off if it has been.  Save yourself any future issues and get a nice, even finish by removing it before painting.

Spackling - unless you're reusing the holes in your wall, make sure you fill them in (but be sure to remove any wall anchors first).

Sanding - if your wall was previously painted, simply sanding over the Spackle spots will ensure a smooth finish.  If you've had to remove wallpaper, you'll want to sand the whole wall to help get off and/or smooth over any sticky backing.  Be careful in an older house, however, as sanding can release lead and asbestos into the air.

Washing - painting over dirt/dust/etc. can cause your paint to peal later.  Save the trouble by wiping down your walls with a wet rag, using solvent if necessary.


*Mr. Poe and I are not pregnant, but Lord willing, we will be one day.  Thus the "Baby Room" is currently as empty as the "Guest Room," but we're calling it that because the twin bed that my Grandpapa Wolgemuth built my dad that was passed to me and will be passed to my children will go in this room.