We always share our road-trip adventures with the Bowers, so here’s a long-overdue recap of our most recent visit. The weekend included plenty of kid-friendly fun, a healthy dose of antiquing and crafting, and even a little luxurious mom time — plus a sweet gift idea I absolutely loved. Ready for the highlights?
Before we get into the visit: if you’re hoping for photos of us doing the exciting, loud stuff (think cutting wood and using a nail gun), that’s happening right now. We’ve started a big board-and-batten project at home and we’re racing to get it finished. Our plan is to fill all the nail holes, prime, and paint the new trim and the hallway walls by next Wednesday, so we’ve been buzzing around nonstop. Can’t wait to share the full progress report soon.
One night, around 11pm, Katie and I got the crafting itch and just couldn’t sit still. We raided the supplies and found two old terracotta pots, a piece of faux-wood wrapping paper, some pom-pom fringe, and a little craft paint. We decided to make simple countertop pots that could hold pencils, keys, or loose change.
First we painted the inside of each pot and the lip around the top — Katie went with red and I chose a soft blue. Next we cut the faux-wood wrapping paper into a curved, C-shaped piece to fit the tapered base of the pot. After checking the fit, we applied Mod Podge to the pot, smoothed the paper around it, and sealed the top with another layer so the paper would be durable.
We had planned to trim the lip with pom-pom fringe — pink on mine and blue on Katie’s — but it read a little over-the-top, so we decided to skip it. That didn’t stop me from picking up some affordable fringe later at JoAnn; I’ve got another small project in mind that will incorporate those pom-poms.
We didn’t spend the whole visit covered in Mod Podge. There was plenty of family time — the kids ran around the yard and the playground while we caught up. We also went to Imagine It, a children’s museum in downtown Atlanta, where Clara and Will happily explored trains, water and sand tables, and a large play kitchen. Will was frying strawberries while Clara microwaved cereal — imaginative play at its finest.
We even managed a rare overlap in nap schedules — all three kids slept at once — so Katie and I snuck out for pedicures and a quick Starbucks. It was a small, indulgent break that made us feel like queens for the afternoon.
Antiquing was another highlight. Katie photographed the finds, but I did come home with a few treasures: two small wooden doll chairs that are perfect for Clara’s larger dolls, an old metal moose hook (I’ve always loved quirky hooks), and a tiny red wagon for the dollhouse with working wheels. The prices were surprisingly good — the chairs were about $4 for both, the moose hook $3, and the wagon $3 — so I left happy with a ten-dollar haul.
The moose hook found a home in the hall bathroom where we bathe Clara, solving our towel-hook problem and pairing nicely with an old metal horse I’d previously repurposed as a towel holder. The doll chairs cleaned up well with just soap and water, so I left them natural instead of spray-painting them bright — they have a quiet charm as-is.
My favorite find was the little red wagon. The next morning Clara had already set it up with plastic animals — one pig pulling another while two dressed pigs watched — a completely unstaged moment that had us laughing. Kids’ imaginative play is endlessly entertaining.
We spent a lot of low-key time eating, chatting about life and the blog, and watching the kids play in the house and yard. It was a relaxing, happy long weekend.
On Monday morning we published the day’s post and began the long drive home — eight hours — approving comments as we went. Clara treated us to a lovely nap in the car, which made the trip much easier.
It’s wild to think Katie and I have been friends for almost four years. We remember the pre-kid days — late-night sushi and weekend trips — and now we collectively have three kids under three. Time flies, but the friendship is better than ever.
One thoughtful detail from the visit still makes me smile: the morning after our last book signing there was a small box outside the guest room with a handwritten note. Katie had taken the time to label each item in the box with a little message: a box of chocolates marked “sweet and refreshing,” a notebook labeled “a fresh new start,” and a mug filled with herbal tea labeled “soothing and calm.” It was the perfect, thoughtful gift after months on the road.
Big thanks to the Bowers for hosting us and making the weekend so fun and relaxed. John and Jeremy even went to a movie together while Katie and I stayed home with the kids — it was all very cozy and silly. Do you have any recent road trips, clever gift ideas, or small crafting adventures to share? We’re always on the lookout for inspiration.
Psst — Clara keeps getting funnier by the day. Hear her take on everything from baby-naming to wheeling away from a yogurt raisin on the Young House Love site.