A Note From Maddux (our dog)

Hi everyone! Today was a monumental day in the Slagel household--Mommy and Daddy took me on my first boat ride! Boating and wakeboarding are such a big part of their lives and I am finally able to share in their enjoyment. Usually I am left behind for hours on end during summer weekends while my parents have fun at the lake. But not today! Daddy only needed to take the boat on a quick test drive to check out a leak that had been repaired, so Mommy decided that we should make it a family outing. I'll admit that I was a little scared at first but I quickly took to it like a fish to water, no pun intended. Thankfully, my parents took lots of pictures to document the event, which I have included below. What a blast! It's like riding in a car with all the windows down.....and no roof! I hope to see you all soon!
Love,
Maddux
Heading down the dock......
So far, so good (we're still in the slip at this point)
Whee!
Helping Daddy dock in the slip
Going home!

More redecorating still!

Last week my newly covered furniture was delivered and my mom and I painted the living room a greenish/tan color. I also bought a rug and some curtain rods from Pottery Barn. Ben and I finally got around to hanging the curtains last night so here are some pics of the completed family room! All I have left to do is get a valance made for my kitchen and to get my bar stools reupholstered. I think my new family room is sunny and cheerful! Or at least I hope so!

Fall Fun

Here in Greenville we have a store (actually, it's a chain of four stores) called Twigs. I am in love with this store! Once a month, on a Tuesday, Twigs conducts two demonstrations (one decorating and one cooking) and serves a scrumptuous dinner....with open bar. My friend, Dana, and I decided to attend this past Tuesday's class together. The class was titled "The Harvest Table." I had such fun! And of course I purchased many of the items the decorator used in her display and tried to recreate my own version at home. Below are the pictures. In addition to the tablescape materials, I also purchased two pumpkins made out of grapevine and embellished with ribbon and feathers to go on the fireplace. I'm telling you, this store has everything and does everything......they will even come out to your house and do your holiday decorating for you.....fresh greenery around your door and each window, up your banister, on your mantle, etc. I'm sure that is not cheap, though, so I don't see that in my future. I just adore this time of year. You know it's fall when Starbucks breaks out the pumpkin spice lattes. Even though it was hot as blue blazes here yesterday, I was sipping on said pumpkin spice latte while playing with my twigs and gourds. Hee hee. That sounds kind of naughty!


I couldn't resist! I bought about ten pounds of Halloween candy to fill my festive Halloween bowls. Now if I could just stop eating it! I chewed so much Double Bubble yesterday that my jaw aches today. And the Baby Ruths, Snickers, 3 Musketeers and Reese's aren't doing my waistline any favors!
The pumpkins are in the background.....doesn't that cat statue look just like Atticus? Ben and I had a good laugh the other night when Atty jumped up on the ottoman to give that statue a good sniff. It was like he was looking into a mirror. A shrinking mirror.
Oh, the link to Twigs is http://www.twigs.net/. Check it out!

Ella Shea

Last weekend Alison and I flew up to Rochester, NY, to spend the weekend with our friend (and new mom!), Katie. As always, we had a blast.....Ella Shea Pickels was born on the 4th of July and is just cute as a button. Not only did we get to meet Ella and spend time with Katie, we also got to witness the Irish beat Michigan! A perfect weekend!

Baby Girl!

My cousin, Nathan, and his wife, Michelle, welcomed a baby girl this past weekend! Her name is Lauren Elizabeth Reuter and from what I can see in pictures, she looks a lot like her daddy. She's adorable and joins equally adorable big brother Wyatt. I will get to meet Lauren this Friday when I'm in Atlanta to fly out to NY to go meet another baby (my friend Katie's little girl). Lots of babies! On that note, I can finally reveal that my sister is pregnant! She's due in April and the entire family is thrilled. Lauren Elizabeth was due in late September but, just like her brother, decided to come early. Thankfully, we were able to throw Michelle a family baby shower just in the nick of time. I forgot my camera so I'm including pictures that my very talented cousin sent to me.....Kriya is quite the photographer! She has a camera that I can barely figure out how to turn on and off. Thanks, Kriya, for always capturing our families' special moments in such style!
The women in my family
Angie and Nanny--Angie is also pregnant! She and Shawn will welcome baby boy #3 in January.

Mom and her girls.....and Wade! Can you tell Karen is super excited about finally getting a grandchild?

The Texas Slagels (and our nephew!)

Ben and I spent five days last week in El Paso visiting his brother and Korey and Austin! Ben needed to go check out Stanco's New Mexico operation and I tagged along so I could spend some time with my favorite nephew and his super fun parents and doggies. Jerry and Korey have a very cool house, complete with a pool and outdoor flatscreen television that enabled us to watch lots of football poolside.
Austin helps himself to Ben's Fat Tire Rosco and Mazie take a nap together.....with Rosco using Mazie as a pillow!
All the boys in the pool: Austin, Ben, Rosco and Jerry

More redecorating!

Our new study is complete! I decided to go with a cranberry and yellow toile color scheme....very bold colors for me as I'm usually a pastel girl. Now I know why: painting a room red is a NIGHTMARE. Five coats of paint (my mom came up to help, thank goodness) and it still wasn't quite right! I thought we were never going to get it done so I finally hired a professional to come in and do one more coat....and now it's flawless. Live and learn. Next time I decide on such a rich color, I will just hire someone from the get-go. I had yellow and red striped curtains made and a yellow and red toile tableskirt with a gingham topper made as well. Then I had the pouf and my Parson's chair recovered in toile and purchased lots of antique gold accessories to finish it up. Now we're moving on to the family room.....hopefully I'll have pictures of that completed room in a few weeks!