Let's Talk About Paint.

One of the main projects I really want to tackle this year is painting our family room and hallway.  When we moved in our house I repainted every room but our den.   It was neutral enough to work but now I am ready for a change- plus I have a crazy two year who colored all over the walls with an ink pen.  Although he claims his friends Carson and Oliver did it but I am not buying that story. 

 I am thinking I want to do a neutral. gray color  I need you all to dish what are the best neutral colors?  Also would you paint the family room and hallway the same color?  Currently they are the same color.  I feel like it helps the flow since our house is small but I am clueless about this kind of stuff, maybe one should be lighter or darker.  Most important I need a color to go with our rug- the wing back chairs will be recovered and we will eventually replace our couch but the rug stays.
Below are a few shots of our rug and current den color although its hard to tell its pretty beige. I need any favorite color recommendations please!

A few colors I am considering:
{BENJAMIN MOORE PAPAYA}

{BENJAMIN MOORE HORIZON }

{FARROW AND BALL STONEY GROUND }

Please help me out and tell me what neutral colors are best for living spaces.

In other paint news, I painted the back of our Hutch.  It was hunter green and I painted it Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze thanks to Emily Clark.  Emily painted the doors to her pantry this color and I loved it!!  It is a fabulous color. Kind of a dark Charcoal.  I am really loving it.  Matt insisted I could not paint the whole Hutch (he has weird attachment issues with childhood pieces) so we settled on the back panels and it actually made a big difference.  A little sneak peek below. 

I still have to finish all the trimwork, man it is hard to paint a straight line.  I also want to switch out the knobs at the bottom of the Hutch with Lucite ones.  I found both of these that I love from the Paris Apartment but they are kind of expensive.  Anyone know where I can find decent Lucite knobs/pulls on the cheap?  I only need three but these are $25 a knob and that seems expensive to me but maybe that is standard cost.....
I am thinking Ebay may be a good place to look.  I want something similar to the ones below but need them to be at least 2 inches.

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In completely side related news we had our first pee-pee accident yesterday.  My potty training post jinxed me.  Sterling peed all over our couch of all places.  Ugh.  We are without cushions til next week while they get cleaned.  Sweet.
Here's to a fab weekend!  Cheers!

The Lowdown on Potty Training

Let me start by saying I am no expert on potty training- at all.  I can promise you I am no expert on anything parenting related either.  I am learning as I go and screwing up alot along the way.  But I have gotten several emails from readers wanting to know what worked for Sterling and how we managed the change from diapers to big boy underwear.  This is what worked for us and I know all kids are different.

 Here's the deal, on Saturday Sterling told me he wanted to poop in the potty.  I obliged laughing thinking he's just gonna sit there.  Well low and behold he pooped and ever since then he has gone in the potty (pee and poop).  Not one accident.  We do use pull-ups at night- that is unpredictable and Mama doesn't want to be getting up all night helping him pee.  Otherwise he has seemingly mastered the art of using the potty.

Here is what I know. 

1) The most important thing is making sure your child is ready.  I see way too many people try to start training their kids at age 2 and earlier and in my opinion that is way too early.  You are setting your self up for accidents because at 2 it is hard for them to understand and grasp the whole concept.  And why rush things?  It will just take longer to get the end result when you kid isn't ready.    I have heard from numerous people to wait til your child is three or after.  I know it differs for each kid but that is a constant that I heard from other parents.  Sterling turns three next month and in all honesty I was going to wait til this summer to start potty training but he apparently had other plans, he was ready.

2) Use a regular potty.  I know the small portable potties work for some kids but we never used one.  I feel like when you are out in public or somewhere where there is not a small potty then issues arise because they are so used to using that small one and they don't know how or want to use a real one.  We don't even use a training seat. Another bonus of the child being a little older it is easier for them to sit on the potty.  Sterling knows how to straddle it to sit.  This makes it easy to use the bathroom anywhere we are.

3) Slowly introduce them to the potty.  For months now we have taught Sterling how Mommy and Daddy pee pee.  We have let him flush the toilet and see how it all works.  I have never pressured him to use it, I just would occasionally ask "you want to tee-tee on the big potty?" and his response was always "no" til last weekend.   I never pressed the issue when he said no.  We also bought him some cool big boy underwear but told him he could not wear them until he used the big potty.  The underwear has been sitting in his room for like 4 months now and he always asks to wear it but the deal is no unless you actually go in the big potty.  Do not let your kids wear the underwear over their diapers, that is a bad idea.  Since they pee in their diaper while the underwear is on then when they just wear the underwear they will think it is ok to pee in it.  We never bought or used any potty books.  I do think if they see their friends doing it this helps too because they don't want to be the only kid in diapers.

4) Make a BIG deal about it when they pee/poop in the potty.  We have been praising Sterling non-stop since he went in the potty and this makes him so proud of himself.  Encourage them.  We bought him a few treats the first few times he went like ice cream, new underwear, coloring book etc.  This got him excited. We called all the grandparents and let him brag on himself.  We constantly tell him what a big boy he is and how awesome it is that he uses the big potty.  He loves all the attention and I think this makes him want to keep peeing/pooping in the potty.

5) Don't stress- how many kids do you know that go to kindergarten still diapers?  Eventually they will catch on.

My proud little man and I am one proud Mama.  Over all this transition was way easier than I imagined it would be, mainly because I feel like we waited long enough for Sterling grasp the idea and be ready.  The super hero underwear helped too:)

Cauliflower, White Bean, and Feta Salad

If you follow me on Instagram then you knew this recipe was coming your way.  I have been trying to eat pretty clean since the New Year (minus the Bojangles and Pizza I consumed last weekend).  I like to make a salad at the start of each week to have for my lunch everyday.  Saves money and then lunch is easy no planning necessary and it's healthy.  I made this salad this week and it knocked my socks off.  If you love Cauliflower then you will love this salad.  The flavors are so fresh, light, and delicious.  I think it would be killer with some grilled Shrimp if you wanted a heartier meal but it was perfect alone for lunch.  I love that the cauliflower is raw and not cooked- most recipes call for it cooked.  The raw crunch of the cauliflower adds some great texture.   All the fresh herbs and feta really give the salad amazing flavor.  I promise you will be hooked on this.  I am on day three of eating it and still not sick of it!
Bon Appetit!

{CAULIFLOWER, WHITE BEAN, AND FETA SALAD}

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (such as Great Northern or navy beans), drained
• 2 large heads of Belgian endive, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

Combine oil and rosemary in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cool.

Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, lemon peel, salt, and pepper in small bowl.

Combine cauliflower, beans, endive, chives, parsley, and rosemary oil in medium bowl; toss. Mix in cheese. Add lemon juice mixture and toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper.

Obsessions

{MARC JACOBS WATCH}

I am in the market for a new watch and this one is at the top of my list.  I love the sleek look and leather band that is the perfect shade of brown.  I tend to gravitate towards gender neutral watches.

{GAP HEARTS POPOVER BLOUSE}

Remember this Equipment Blouse I blogged about a few weeks back?  Well I found an almost identical version at the Gap for like 1/4 the cost!  I love the red/blue color combo it is so fresh.  It would look great with white jeans in the spring.

{WEST ELM SHOWER CURTAIN}

I am in the process of planning our hall bathroom makeover.  It is Sterling's bathroom but also our guest bathroom so I want it to have a masculine yet grown up feel.  Really love the simple details at the bottom.  Actually kind of dig the wall color too.

{DV BY DOLCE VITA STRIPE MAXI DRESS}

I am already dreaming about Maxi dresses for Spring and Summer. Always my favorite summer attire. I love the look of a maxi dress now paired with a chic leather jacket and this dress would be perfect for that look.   Great for now and later- and any pregnant ladies  this would be cute too because it is stretchy and long enough to cover the bump.

{KELLY WEARSTLER RHAPSODY}

I scored this book for Christmas and could not be happier.  It is the best coffee table book filled with so many inspiring images.  Kelly Wearstler rocks my world.  Her designs are always creative perfection.

{YSL SWEET HONEY LIPSTICK}

I am big on nude lipstick.  I don't like to wear too much color during the day. I have heard this is the best nude lipstick there is.  The perfect neutral shade for anyone.  

Mondays Randoms

Happy Monday friends!  Hope you had a great weekend!  Ours really good,  my brother and his wife came in town and Sterling basically potty trained himself- more on that later.

Today I am so excited about a few things:

1) I just found out my girl Gwyneth is coming out with a new cookbook in April.  This made my day.  I love her can't wait to check out her new cookbook.  This makes me so excited!

2) The new season of the Bachelor starts tonight.  This show is my happy place.  I can not get enough of all the crazy girls that participate in this madness.  Nothing makes me happier than a Monday night curled up on the couch sipping my wine watching all the embarrassing things these women do to get a rose.

3) I finally started watching Homeland.  Matt got the DVDs for Christmas and we watched 6 episodes this weekend.  It is sooooo good.  I just want to hole up and watch the rest of the season. It is all I can think about.  Addictive.

4) I just found out that Theory makes a dress version of the purple blouse I blogged about Saturday.  Need it and love it.  And it is on sale which tempts me even more. 

Now lets chat about our weekend.  Thank you for all the cold remedy recommendations.  I am not a hundred percent better but I don't feel like I am slowly dying anymore.  For those of you that are curious I used Emergen C + Cold Eeze + Alka-seltzer Cold and I drank plenty of liquids.  All worked great.  Also thank you to Chimmey for your ginger tea recipe- I made that and drank it all weekend, so good! 

Saturday night we were lucky enough to get a night out downtown with my brother and his wife.  My in-laws are the best babysitters and always so helpful!  Here is what I wore:

{Cashmere Dress and Leather Jacket both Banana Republic both are old.  Similar sweater style dress HERE, HERE, and HERE.  Similar Jacket HERE}

Gotta love a versatile dresses.  I had to laugh because I wore this same dress the night I went into labor with Sterling.

Pretty big difference from that to this.  It was basically a shirt on me while I was pregnant but a staple in my closet obviously that has lasted awhile!  Hence why you don't need to buy maternity clothes while pregnant you can just squeeze into things you already own!

This weekend Sterling decided he was ready to be potty trained- well really there was no training involved.  He told me Saturday he needed to poop in the potty and has been doing it ever since then.  Although we still rock diapers at night.  I am sure we will have some accidents to come but so far so good.  I guess he was just ready. Probably helped that I kept putting it off because it scared me!   And just like all men he likes a little reading material while he goes.

Afterwards he got a trip to the park for his stellar bathroom skills.  So proud of himself.

I will leave you with this- so true!  Love Charleston.

Purple Blouse

So,  I have gotten alot of email asking about the purple blouse I was wearing in the post about my Missioni scarf.

 It was a Christmas Gift from the rents but lucky for you it is on sale right now.  Here you go:

{Theory Blouse}

Double R: Remedy + Recommendations

I had big plans to do a great blog post today but guess what I am sick again.  I feel like the past three months I just keep getting sick.  Probably has to do with the fact that my little man wipes his snot all over me and sneezes and coughs right in my face.  I was bound to catch something.

 Achy, runny nose, sore throat kind of sick.  I want to just crawl back in back.  I need some help what are your remedies when you are sick?  I prefer not to take medicine.   I will result to that if I have to but would rather not.  So dish what should I be doing to vanish this quick?  Like real quick being sick with a child sucks.

I also want some recs on what book I should read next.  Pass along your favorites I am making my list for 2013!  I am just finishing up Valley of the Dolls and need something new lined up!

I am thinking of reading Grace Coddington's Memoir.  Has anyone read this?

I promise I will be back next week with more exciting posts plus the winner of the A-Thread Giveaway!
Have a great weekend!
xoxo
Natalie