S’prise. We’ve been on the road for the past five days and just got home last night at 7pm after a nine hour drive. Did we unpack or snuggle up to Karl the Sectional after our home sweet home arrival? Nah, we threw this post together. Just your typical case of “unpacking procrastination” at its finest. Actually I’m just dying to fill you guys in on our adventures, and typical annoyingly energetic gal that I am, I’m too excited to relax. Anyway, we headed out early Thursday morning for Charlotte, NC and stayed there through Saturday morning. Then it was off to Loganville, GA where we remained until early Monday morning when we hit the road for home. Thank goodness Clara and Burger are car-loving fools kids. What did we do? Here’s just the tip of the road trip iceberg:
First we visited with our stylish friend Kristin (and her hubby Matt and her pooches Sage and Simon) in Charlotte. You guys might be familiar with them from this House Crashing post. Here’s one of our favorite shots of her kitchen nook from a few years back:
And here’s that nook now (still just as cute, but there’s a baby in a booster seat- and it’s ours):
We also house crashed two sa-weet homes while in Charlotte, like this one (sigh)…
… and this one (delightful shudder)…
… and even the coolest little office (fans face with hands):
I also got some really great fabric at one of my favorite gigantic warehouses (Mary Jo’s right outside of Charlotte):
Then it was off to Loganville, Georgia to hang with my blog (and real life) BFF Katie B. (and her hubby Jeremy along with her cutie pie little man Will, who was born just five weeks before Clara). It was nice to give our betrothed children some getting-to-know-you time (since Katie and I were pregnant together it was fun to see our buns out of the oven and being social):
Aside from playing Minute to Win It games all night with Katie and Jeremy once the babes were off in dreamland (yeah, we’re that cool, and Katie was the only one to get a cookie from her forehead into her mouth within the allotted time), we also carved out a moment to saddle up to Goodwill and pick out a ton of things that we loved. Or would love with some upgrades like paint, fabric, etc. Oh and Katie and I got this “Friends” photostrip that makes us snort (it might be a you-had-to-be-there thing though):
And here’s a gratuitous bean picture that Katie took. Doesn’t Clara look like an angel? Ah, to have mad photog skillz like Katie. This is total inspiration for me and J to get to know our Nikon half as well as she knows her Canon (before Clara hits her teenage years and bans us from taking a million photos a day of her).
On the way back from the Bower residence we got to stop in at one of my favorite places in the world (the Pottery Barn Outlet in Gaffney, SC) – not only for the deals but for the peach that looks like a butt that’s high in the sky near that exit (as seen in this old road trip video where my hair is down). More on what I would not leave the PB Outlet without (for under $30) soon.
Actually when it comes to the details on everything pictured (and not pictured) there are many, and they are coming. So stay tuned for those house crashing posts, a rundown of the fabric that we loved (and bought) at Mary Jo’s, more on our adventures with the Bowers, an in-depth look at our Goodwill hunting trip, and a whole lot of other stuff that my was-in-the-car-all-day-yesterday mind is forgetting. We only have about five million photos to sift through, but we’ll try to make it quick. Did anyone else sneak off for a road trip this weekend? It was a hot one (over 100 degrees almost every day). Whew. Anyway, off to sort through all of those pics. Inside with the air on.
Psst- After a bunch of requests for a breakdown of what products (shampoo, cream, sunscreen) that we use for Clara (and how we store it all) we’re spilling the beans right here on BabyCenter.
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
Awesome pictures of all of you. Looks like you guys had a great time. Can’t wait to hear all about the details of your trip. Ohhhhh you bought fabric….can’t wait to see what you picked. :)
Sarah Higgins says
I love the Bowers! I am a dedicated follower.. I always giggle when you two mention eachother..
I didn’t realize that you actually really knew eachother in real life? Did you grow up together? So random!
YoungHouseLove says
We met through blogging (Katie being the sweet gal that she is emailed us and invited us to Atlanta to hang out a few years back). It definitely could have been an awkward trip if we didn’t hit it off but we did (we stayed up all night talking like schoolgirls) and have since gone on fun vacations together (to Nashville) and talk for hours on the phone when we can’t meet up in person. I’m so thankful for her. She really has become one of my closest friends. All thanks to the magic of blogging. Haha.
xo,
s
Chelsea in Richmond says
I was just going to ask that same question. That’s so cool that you guys became such great friends over blogging.
Bri says
Sounds like you had a great time, can’t wait to see more pictures! We took off Friday for the coast (Pacific in our case) and spent three days on the beach, flying kites, browsing tiny little antique/junk stores and generally doing nothing. It was awesome!
Michelle Bradley says
OH! and I live in Augusta, GA but hubby and I decided to take a trip to the Ikea in Charlotte this past Sunday! We must have all had the bug.
Liz says
My best friend lives in Gaffney. I look forward to that peach every time I drive up from Charleston…
Rebecca @ the lil house that could says
1) I love that pendant light in the first picture
2) I noticed Bower was missing for a few days!
3) I need to find a friend that lives by a Pottery Barn outlet!
4) I like lists
5) If you come visit me we have a Crate & Barrel outlet! ;)
Blair says
I love stone mountain! We used to vacation there all the time as a family growing up! Did you see the laser light show at night? I used to love to ride the train and watch the glass blowers. It’s a great family vacation spot, and part of me wants to get married there on the lake!
~Blair
YoungHouseLove says
Alas, the laser show sounded so cool but the babies needed to eat and go to bed so we left after the fun (slash scary) ride to the top. It was amazing though!
xo,
s
Rosemary M. says
I don’t know if I would be able to continue reading without seeing a little something about Clara in your posts! Keep up the great blog! (Not that i’m referring to someone’s comment from yesterday or anything) :P
Amy @ Triangle Honeymoon says
So fun! We love Mary Jo’s too have to stop anytime we are in Gastonia. We snuck off to SC this weekend for an impromptu beach trip ourselves. Ah, summer.
Harriet May says
I live in Uptown Charlotte and I love it– West Elm is five minutes away! If you had come next weekend you could have come to the Taste of Charlotte festival and stayed for Shakespeare on the Green (it’s free! I love how much stuff we have going on). Glad you had a good time! :)
Jessica Ballard says
Mary Jo’s is my awesome fabric arsenal, worse case I run down the road to that Hobby Lobby or Sew Much Fun for some awesome finds there too. The Goodwill in Gastonia off Franklin has some great goods too, my MIL finds things for me there. So cool you guys were in the area, I would have had a celebrity moment if I had spotted you lol. :-) You may have run into my BFF at the Outlets in Gaffney, she was shopping on her way home from Clemson to Lake Norman Sunday evening.
Lindsay L says
I KNEW IT! Both of your blogs had been quiet lately so I had a feeling this was the roadtripping weekend. Let’s face it, I’m the Nancy Drew of the blog world.
Ok maybe that’s a stretch. :) Glad y’all had fun!
Melissa says
You were 20 mins from our home in Spartanburg! Next time you guys are at the PB Outlet hope our paths cross…love that store and love you guys!
Leslie *Fresh Out of Lemons* says
Georgia?! You were in my part of the world! Next time you come through, I can tell you some fun places to stop in Henry County. :)
Ms. Bright says
TOTALLY saw John and Clara @ Mary Jo’s {sharing a sweet father daughter moment} and gushed, but didn’t even realize who it was!!!! And also, the Big A$$ Peach {as we locals call it} is truly a sight to behold. Anytime you need me to sneak a peak at the ol’ PB outlet OR you’re gonna be back through, lemme know…I’m 5 minutes away!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s too funny! They had more fun than any man and baby should have in that store. Haha.
xo,
s
Emily (Comfortable Home Life) says
How fun! I love little spontaneous road trips such as yours. Gaffney is only about 45 minutes away from me – I may need to pop over to the PB outlet this weekend..
Katherine says
I love the look on Clara’s face when she has the ball in her hands. You can pretty much hear her screams of delight when you look at the picture.
Wom-mom Ethne says
Katie’s pic of Clara is brilliant. We took it easy around home this w/e, but did some gardening and that’s one of my fave things. 20 tomato plants. Might be a little overkill, but we’ll share! ~Ethne
Bob says
Don’t sweat the camera stuff too much. Good photos are the result of the photographer, not the camera. For your Nikon, put it on P mode, adjust ISO as appropriate (400 will be fine for the majority of shots, 100 if outside and sunny), auto-WB, and click. This will work just fine for about 95% of the photos you take.
Beautiful photos can be made with a $20 plastic Holga medium format camera.
Ana Silva says
I cannot wait to see the house crashing posts! Glad you had tons of fun. Hopefully one day you can crash my house; if I ever get it finished. I saw you had a new post and get really happy, got myself a cup of coffee and sat down to read. Days off are the best!
Kacie says
Those houses look great! I love the whole chalkboard wall. Very cool. Also love the gratuitous bb photo. My blog is full of those! =)
Kacie
http://www.acollectionofpassions.blogspot.com
Carrie of DreamGreenDIY says
Sounds like a very productive and fun road trip!! Can’t wait to see all the spoils from your shopping =)
We went on a road trip this past weekend too – Up to the mountains where my boyfriend proposed! Best day ever…
P.S. That photo of Clara is g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s…It would be so neat to get an artist to recreate it on canvas!
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- congrats! John proposed to me in the mountains (after a loooong hike- I always joke that he made me work for it) so I have a special place in my heart for those up-high proposals. Happy wedding planning!
xo,
s
Carrie of DreamGreenDIY says
Thank you thank you!!
Andrea says
I live in Stone Mountain! When the kids get older you should catch the laser show – its a cultural experience. ;-)
BTW just outside the park’s east gate on Hwy 78 is a NY style pizza place owned by a Jersey girl, Stone Mountain Pizza Cafe. My husband works there so I gotta give a shout out.
One day when I’ve banished my formica countertops I’ll send you some photos of my 1945 cottage by the lake. Its adorable, but there’s lots I want to do.
Christa M says
Andrea which lake? A cottage by the lake is my DREAM! I don’t care how small it is as long as there is plumbing and electricity…sigh some day
Kristen says
Sounds like you had a fun trip! I can’t wait to hear about all the fun details. And honestly, Will & Clara are just too darn cute!
Lindsey says
Oooooooh, outlets. Reason No. 43 I love having my parents reside in the great tax-free state of Delaware!
Had to chuckle at your photo atop the mountain, as it’s where we all took our group photos on the 2001 high school Band Trip there. In fact, Lake Braddock is having a formal band reunion at the school this Saturday with about 500 alum squeezed into the theater. We’re playing the Overture of 1812, because we’re cool. That’s how we rock our hott weekends in Burke. That’s hot with 2 t’s….
Bryn Alexandra Interiors says
aw man wish I knew you guys were in Charlotte! Would have loved to meet you :)
YoungHouseLove says
That would have been so much fun! We’ll have to drop you a line next time we’re headed out your way!
xo,
s
Kate says
We went on a small outing this weekend (1hr 45 min. each way) and tacked on a side trip to a fabric outlet I’d found online…only to find the shop right next to a lovely-looking antique center! I warned my daughter that it looked so nice that it was probably out of our price range. Happy surprises for all! The best find was in the last booth in the back – a Mr. Bear! http://cgi.ebay.com/Mr-Bears-Bank-Too-Glass-Coin-BANK-/400217051253?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item5d2ecb9075 I grew up with Mr. Bear – who is to be filled with cinnamon sugar – and have found ones in antique stores for me and my sister. This one’s for my daughter when she grows up. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man I remember those! Such a great find!
xo,
s
Jen says
So jealous! I’m originally from Charlotte (now live in Charleston, SC). I miss it so much and LOVE PB Outlet. My sister lives near Gastonia so we are always heading over to Mary Jo’s when I’m in town. That place has been around forever!
Theresa says
I will be redoing my floors soon, which are currently all carpeted (boo). I am going to switch to hardwood (yay!)…however, I have an ataxic dog and a kitty with 3 legs who would not do well on stairs sans carpet. One of the Charlotte homes you have looks like they only carpeted the stairs. Is this true and is it kosher to do?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah it’s totally done! You can do a runner or do the full stairs, just for plushness. Try to choose something that layers into the other tones and decor that you have going on so it fits right in!
xo,
s
Patti says
Sneaky Petersiks indeed! I love Katie B’s blog too, she always puts a smile on my face…it’s so great you guys have become friends. Clara’s pic is gorgeous, I actually said Wow out loud when I saw it. Beautiful colors and light. Looking forward to the house crashing posts!
Kristy says
Love Mary Jo’s…I can lose myself in there for hours! I live in Hampton, VA and that giant butt lets me know I’m almost home to my folks who live in SC. Stone Mountain is a fun place and I, too, share the shaky feeling being on those cable cars. White knuckles all the way (as if that would help me out in the worst-case-scenario). I’d love for you guys to come and house crash my military quarters…it’d be interesting to see what you come up with.
Christa M says
The picture of Clara is beautiful! I thought it was reminiscent of a Buddhist monk doing yoga because of her position and the color she is wearing and her peach fuzz head and that she is outside in a natural environment. So beautiful and Zen!
Molly says
Hehe… you said Goodwill hunting. Now I’m going to daydream about Matt Damon shopping with me at Pottery Barn :)
YoungHouseLove says
Mmm, Matt Damon. Oops, don’t tell John.
xo,
s
Linda says
Just curious…how did you and Katie become friends? Because of blogging, or were you friends before that all started?
YoungHouseLove says
We met through blogging (Katie being the sweet gal that she is emailed us and invited us to Atlanta to hang out a few years back). It definitely could have been an awkward trip if we didn’t hit it off but we did (we stayed up all night talking like schoolgirls) and have since gone on fun vacations together (to Nashville) and end up talking for hours on the phone when we can’t meet up in person. I’m so thankful for her. She really has become one of my closest friends. All thanks to the magic of blogging. Haha.
xo,
s
Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co says
Looks like you guys had a blast! It’s crazy, modern technology… you guys slipped out and we didn’t even know! :) Can’t wait to see the house crashes and shopping finds (fabric and PB)!
Jessica says
That Pottery Barn outlet is drool-worthy! And look at Clara, she’s so angelic. Too bad she’s a Hoos fan. Hahaha! JK, I forgive her. ;)
Mona Alicia says
I live outside Charlotte in the Monroe area and my family has driven past the peach many times and it always got a giggle. Well, I’m 33 now and just last month, on a road trip with my daughters and friends, we stopped to eat at the Fatz Cafe that is directly under the peach and actually got to walk right up to the peach, touch it, and of course make our pictures standing at the base, haha! And I had to blog about it :)
http://www.monaalicia.com/?p=4557
So happy that you had a nice trip, it sounds like lots of fun and I’m looking forward to reading all about it!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! We saw those signs for Fatz. Sounds like fun.
xo,
s
candace @ thecandace.com says
I’m glad to hear you took some time to get away and enjoy yourselves! Looking forward to the posts that result from your road trip! :)
Melody says
Can’t wait to see what’s to come! Thanks for the sneak peek!
Stacey says
WHERE WHERE WHERE did you get that grey-toned bird painting in the nook?? I have a slight bird obsession and I love that painting… any details you could spare would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Stacey in Pittsburgh
YoungHouseLove says
Kristin is a hardcore art collector (she has so many amazing things!) and she actually found that bird for around $150 at a Richmond restaurant (she used to live here, so that’s how we know each other). So sorry it’s not something we can link to (it’s definitely one of those one-of-a-kind things). But maybe try etsy for someone with a similar style and subject matter?
xo,
s
Rachel says
I knew the Bowers lived in Gwinnett County, but I didn’t realize their new house was in Loganville! My in-laws live there, and we visit them often. I would probably embarrass myself a little if I spotted Katie Bower and/or you guys around town. I’m glad you guys had fun at Stone Mountain…it’s definitely a cultural experience as the previous commenter said. :)
Next time you visit Atlanta you should check out the Georgia Aquarium. It is awesome! I bet Clara would enjoy it too. It’s also a nice air-conditioned destination when it is so dang hot outside as it is frequently here in GA.
Kay says
It really has turned into a blog-reality-show, instead of design blog. TMI and too little substance.
YoungHouseLove says
So sorry you feel that way. Aren’t most blogs about people and their trips/shopping/kids/adventures? We’ve always shared our vacations since day one (we have a ton of old road trip posts, like this one and this one and this one and this one) and we have also included personal details (like posts about our wedding, photos of Burger, details about our anniversary and birthday celebrations, etc). It’s what makes blogging so fun for us- keeping it personal. This has always been a little ol’ blog about making our house a home and all the stuff that happens along the way – including House Crashings on the road and shopping at outlets and fabric warehouses and all that good stuff.
xo,
s
Sophie says
I personally don’t think of YHL as a design blog. Yes, John & Sherry are primarily documenting their home renovations and yes, they have good taste and are great at the home stuff, but is this strictly a design blog? No, I think it’s quite clearly a lifestyle blog written by two extremely likeable people who have hit upon a subject matter which a lot of people empathise with and enjoy reading, and which really has more to do with a developing young family – their home, their child, their story, the fact that they are clever and professional enough to make a living from this – than with design. I just find it a bit baffling when people criticise blogs for not being what they want them to be – a blog is the product of its writer, if it doesn’t suit the reader they shouldn’t read, the blogger can’t change to suit everyone.
Katie M says
I’m soooo jealous of the fabric store you went to! On the off chance, do you know of any stores like that on the west coast? Specifically, Northern California? I need living room curtains in a bad way but can’t find anything I like.
Looks like you had a great time!
YoungHouseLove says
I wish I knew of something. Hmm. Does anyone have a recommendation for Katie M? Maybe try your yellow pages or google around for “discount fabric outlet” in your area? Good luck!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Love the Pottery Barn outlet in Gaffney!! Just be glad you don’t live 30 minutes away, because it’s hard not to visit often and it takes no time to drain my pockets! lol
Megan says
It looks like you had fun!
Mariela says
So cool!! Please please post pictures of your finds, so excited!
carolinaheartstrings says
How fun. I am about 3 hours from Charlotte. Fun city. Great post by the way. Love the pictures of Clara bean.
Ginnie says
Ahhh! So close to me! Had I known you guys were going to be at Stone Mountain I would have planned a trip with my hubby and little girl so I could “accidentally” run into you guys! Oh, and the tram ride ip the mountain is my favorite part of Stone Mountain. Next time you guys are in this area, you should hike up Stone Mountain. It’s not too challenging, just wait until fall or spring when it isn’t so hot.
Sounds like you guys had a great trip!
Sara says
MARY JO’S! holla! I knew you guys loved that place and I live near it…still hoping to randomly see you there one day. That would be great, can’t wait to see what you got!
Catelyn says
I do believe you have yourself a whole lot of fans from the Queen City. Hurray for Charlotte!