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Putting the Sun in Sunflowers

PERSONAL

This year Atlanta had record-breaking temperatures.  And what did the Bowers do when they announced that the hottest day of our year?  We like giant dummies decided to go outside. 

Outside.

In a heat wave.

While pregnant. 

I’m thankful I survived. 

But the only thing that could have wooed me outdoors was 15 acres of sunflowers.  I get weirdly excited about anything in mass.  A parking lot full of minivans?  You can catch me taking photos.  A tub full of ladybugs?  I’m clapping.  A herd of cows?  My heart beats a little faster.

So when a friend told me about the acres of sunflowers – well, I got more than a little excited. 

It was actually really cute.  The festival had booths – full of crafties and cute girl dresses – no boy clothing of course…

 

Most of the stuff was really whimsical and country – not exactly our style but cute to look at nevertheless.  There were a couple things that struck our fancy however.  One booth had simple wooden boards painted with different patterns and then they attached plexiglass to the front to hold photos.  I loved how personalized these could be (and how you could make them at home!).

And our favorite was Dilley Brand’s booth.  That’s Scott.  He’s our friend from church.  He actually does some fantastic cabinetry work…and his booth was the best of all the others. 

Here’s a little sign he made for his daughter Olive.  She is one of the sweetest and most adventurous and fun little girls I have ever met.  I kinda wanna steal her.  But then that would make church kinda awkward. 

And we all know how much I love me a good deer head 🙂  This would have looked awesome in Will’s old nursery, right?!

Scott had a bunch of other stuff too…we ended up purchasing a small wooden boat that his son crafted (you can see it to the left of him in the photo).  It’s rustic and adorable. 

Among the booths there were also food venders and other activities you could pay to enjoy.

Let’s just be honest…on the hottest day of the year, we went straight for the ice cream.

They had live music playing….I have no idea who…

but it was down-homey.

Will wanted to go on the tractor but the entire thing was blazing hot.  So he sat up there for like two seconds before we decided it wasn’t worth him frying his hands on the metal bits.

I was surprised that most of the sunflowers weren’t facing upward…since the sun was directly overhead…I thought sunflowers always faced the sun…or is that just a false rumor?

The most important thing on the list (besides the ice cream and the sunflowers) was to get a hayride. 

We were the only ones on that particular ride.  That’s probably a good thing since Will was REALLY excited.

We got him to calm down for a second just long enough to snap a photo.  Check out all the yellow flowers in the background 🙂

 Oh and then there was  a nature trail?  I think.  It was really funny.  It was like the people took a bunch of old trash and then just arranged it to make funny things.  So so creative.

Our favorite bit on the nature trail was to shoot arrows.  I am pretty sure I want a real bow for Christmas this year because of the five minute experience.  And yes…Jeremy is a lefty – but I’m okay with it because then I get to take pictures of this side of him 🙂

 

Overall – I loved the trail.  Part of me wants one in our backyard – but would it be weird to spend time arranging trash in the woods?  probably.  

I loved the cottage.  It only proves that Will needs a playhouse so much more..

We forked over the three bucks to have Will ride the pony.  It was the longest pony ride ever.  Will at the end was so over riding horses that he was happy to come off Pudding….have you ever even heard of that happening?

Jer’s favorite find was the mini marshmellow shooters.  I have to admit that if I had had a bag of minis, Jeremy and Will would have looked like the Michelin Men.

Jeremy wanted me to take a quick pic so that we could make one at home…

Of course, we went back for round two…

Will had vanilla and I had chocolate….they were amazing.

Then came time for the sunflower picking…

It was not Will’s favorite finest moment.  The photos don’t show how miserable he was. 

 

We paid our ten bucks and got a bucket and clippers for cutting…and started trekking through the acreage to gather the ones we loved.

Yes…I gave my kid something dangerous in order to get a smile…mom of the year.

Poor thing couldn’t take it much longer.

Jer decided to take him on another hayride so that I could finish cutting. 

 Gorgeous.  Simply stunning.  Worth every drop of sweat…and the bad case of heat rash I got on my under-boob.  Try that one for spot-on-a-pregnant-girl-that-is-ridiculously-hard-to-keep-from-sweating…

 

 It’s hard to tell but our final arrangement of blooms is HUMONGOUS.  Like three foot diameter.

Excuse the diaper boxes in the background.  Just a fact of my life.

I can’t wait to go back next year. 

Have you guys been to any festivals lately?  Any summertime fun that I should be aware of?  Sunflower picking?  Heat surviving? 

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  2. The sunflowers are so pretty – I can’t believe you got all of those for $10! What a fun outing!

  3. So much fun! Here in Pensacola, FL, there aren’t very many activities like this to enjoy. Posts like this make me want to move that much more! Hahaha. Beautiful pictures too!

  5. Beautiful sunflowers – and I can only imagine how hot it was! We are actually headed to Chicago in a few days…Lord help us with an almost 10 month old. We are driving….uh…we’re nuts…

  6. Oh, I’m dying over here at the “under boob heat rash” comment. That was me every day last summer. Peeps just don’t understand. I would try to use baby powder under there to dry it out, but then it just became all pasty like Ross on Friends when he gets stuck in those leather pants!! And, diaper boxes live on our stairs too. Fact of life. Oh, and the sunflowers are beautiful! I love a good flower arrangement (like, not from the florist, but one that YOU put together)…so charming.

  8. OMG I love sunflowers and that place looks amazing!! Love the pic of you and Will with the sunflowers behind you. Definitely one to frame!

  10. That is so cool. Where is the Sunflower Festival? We live in Atlanta too. I want to go next year now after seeing the fun that ya’ll had.

  12. The shooter gun! We saw one a few years ago at a festival here in Rochester and I, too, had to photograph it so Jerry could make one when we got home. He ended up making an arsenal and we brought them on a trip to his family’s house in Ohio. Big hit!

    Emily

  13. Perhaps the sunflowers weren’t facing the sun because of how hot it has been… Maybe the heat stress is just making them droopy (I honestly have no idea but just my guess). & I am now officially craving an apple dumpling thanks to your pictures!

  15. We have a place up here in CT that grows tons of Sunflowers. They are an ice cream place and have the hay rides too. Every year at this time they sell the sunflowers in bunches and the money goes to the Make a Wish Foundation. It is amazing to see all those flowers. Also, the ice cream is fantastic. 🙂

  17. Looks like you guys had a great time! Weather in Toronto, Ontario has been really hot too! So we feel ya. The bouquet of sun flowers in the hall way looks PERFECT in the house! Love it!

  18. Will is growing up so quickly. He is such a little boy. Your hair looks really cute too, I have bang envy.

  19. Sunflowers usually do follow the sun until the sunflower seeds make them too heavy to do so. That particular bunch look rather thirsty though….I’d bet that was the issue.

  20. There are lots of tutorials on the interweb about the mini mashmallow guns! I had never seen them before you posted, but will be going out tonight to pick up the stuff needed to make them! Will have to try some different configurations to see which is the best!

  21. I LOVE sunflowers! I wish we had a sunflower festival! I’d kill for a bouquet of flowers like that on my table! 🙂

  22. Katie – I absolutely love the shot of the sunflowers against the sunny yellow drapes in the dining room…and I am so envious that you have an entry table. I have always loved round (ish) tables in a large entry area – it is so southern and welcoming. There were a few shots of those big houses and big entry tables in the movie, The Help. Have you seen it?

  23. I can’t get over how much Will is looking like a kid more than a baby! Where does the time go…?

    Anyway, in a completely-non-sunflower-related question, do the diaper boxes mean that Will is no longer in cloth? Just curious because you and Sherry have inspired me to use cloth for my someday kiddos.

  24. Love this sweat filled post! Just wondering: have you thought about cloth diapers for your new arrival? I know that your bestie loved hers and I swear it’s worth it!

  25. Looks like such a beautiful day!! You guys were brave to withstand that kind of heat, but what lovely memories you made. And the sunflowers in your entrance are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  26. Hi Katie! Loved this post! Just wondering if you’ve considered cloth diapers for your new arrival? I know your bestie loved them and I swear it’s worth the effort!

  27. I cannot believe you survived the heat while pregnant! Totally worth it though, those blooms are fantastic.

  28. I’m so jealous of your proximity to things like this! I live in Chicago now, but my homestate is Michigan where this kind of stuff was all around in the summer. Love the photos! Looks like it was a great day! (despite the heat. lol.)

  29. We phased them out about six months ago because of his pooping routine…it was just easier to switch to disposable.
    xo kb

  30. I loved this post! Makes me wish we had sunflower festivals, or even a field, near here in Colorado. I’m from KS and we have them there and they’re just gorgeous! My wedding was focused around sunflowers for that very reason, and also that I love them and they make me smile, the ones you brought home are just stunning!

    The only festival I’ll be hitting up this year is the Wine & Music Festival in Lake City, Colorado. Look it up 🙂 The tiny town is beautiful in the middle of Colorado and they also have one heck of a Fourth of July week every summer…good times! 🙂

  31. Beautiful sun flowers! We went to a Ribfest & Craft Beer Festival earlier in July and then this past weekend we checked out a Serbian Food Festival. I guess everything has to do with food! LOL!

  32. I absolutely love the sunflower festival! This year was the first year I wasn’t able to make it in years. I worked at Camp Twin Lakes in college, which is located right down the road from where they have the festival! The Ceetles (camp band) often plays at the festival. They also have a booth, (possibly the archery one) to help raise money for camp. It was so nice to see pictures from the festival this year! Glad to see y’all enjoyed it just as much as I do!

  33. Off topic question? Did you spray or brush the paint when you painted your octo table from brown coffee to white coffee??? Scored one of my own from a friends mom who was getting rid of it. Did not know the best way to paint is because of all of the nooks and connections. Thanks for you help!

  34. Oooh, where is this place? We are moving to Decatur this year, and love festivals. We would love to take the kids there especially as we will be closer.

    As for festival recommendations, we really like the National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, TN. It’s where the Lodge Factory is located, and is not far from Chattanooga, so you could definitely make a day trip out of it. It takes place in April and is a lot of fun.

  36. but you live near a beautiful BEACH!! lol. as a pensacola native that is landlocked in austin, tx right now, i am definitely missing the beach.

  38. We went to a sunflower festival last year on the hottest day of the year. Althugh I was not pregnant I can relate. The place by us gives all the proceeds benefit the CT chater of Make A Wish. they call the event sunflowers for wishes. Here is a link to a blog that covered the event
    http://www.outandaboutmom.com/2012/07/25/guest-post-buttonwood-farms-sunflowers-for-wishes/

    And I just love your Bow & Arrow shot. I have a similar photo from when I was pregnant holding a BB gun 🙂 My husband found his old BB gun and after shooting couple. I said set those cans up I want to try try. First shot I knocked the can down like a pro! Gave him quite the scare. It had to of been one of the best looks on someones face I have ever seen. hahaha

  41. OMG – How did I not know the Sunflower Festival existed?! I’ve lived in Atlanta for close to 9 years and I’ve never been. When was the festival and where was it? I have to make a note to go next year. I’m getting married in 3 weeks and it will be a great place for 1st anniversary pictures next year!

  42. What a cute post of a your precious family at the sunflower festival! The pictures of you and Will are too stinkin’ adorable! (The ones of Jeremy and Will are cute too!)

  43. Love the sunflower photos, too bad it was so hot.

    As for the under boob problem, there is a product called Glide that works. It is sold in sporting goods stores (like Dick’s Sporting Goods around here), it’s a stick which looks like deodorant, but it is to prevent rashes among runners, pregnant women, etc..

  44. Looks like so much fun! We are currently in raining England, I am not kidding, since April it has rained every day, we had our week of summer last week and now back to rain!

    Taking my little one for a pony ride is on our summer (if you can call it that) list of things to do – the going rate here is the equivalent of $10 for 5 mins!!

  46. We just moved back from Ukraine- sunflowers are a huge crop there and you can drive for hours and see field after field with a random village and babushka in between. 🙂 Instead of vegetable oil, the had sunflower oil and I miss it already!

  47. I was thinking the same thing! My mum just ordered me 18 of those BumGenius things from the States, all cos I kept saying “all these bloggers rave about these diapers!” Dangnamit!! (I live in New Zealand and no country near us stocks BumGenius).

  49. We went to the Chincoteague Pony Swim Festival on the Eastern VA shore last week! It was hot and the wild horses were stinky, but the island was so quaint and quirky that it was all worth it. Imagine a small-town country fair with a bit of fishing village vibe. The festival food included fresh soft shell crabs, fried clam and oyster fritters, and crab cake sandwiches. There were tons of **ahem** interesting shops and antique/thrift malls to check out. We will definitely be going back for years to come!

  50. We just had a BBQ festival a couple of weeks ago in the Upstate part of South Carolina. The exact same ice cream people were here too! And yes, the chocolate is very yummy! I’m also pregnant and the under-boob sweat is getting old. I’m ready for some cooler weather.

  51. Gorgeous pictures! I love your sunglasses– do you mind sharing what kind they are & where you got them? Thanks!

  52. A. I love sunflowers. B. I love your sunglasses. Where did you get them?? Any particular designer?

    In North Carolina, we go to an apple festival in Hendersonville in September. It would be quite the trek for you though.

  53. Love the one of Will at the playhouse. It looks like he is totally enthralled with it! so cute…
    If you figure out how to make the marshmallow shooters let us know! They would be so much fun to make and have!

  54. Hey I have the same maternity grey top u’r wearing… Gap right!
    And I actually thought ur style was country- what do u call u’r style then?

  55. I would say it’s more cottage than country…but overall I think it’s hard to put a label on it.
    xo – kb

  56. The pictures of you and Will with the flowers in the background are my favorite. I don’t think I’d be happy out there in that kind of heat – and I’m not even kinda sorta thinking about being pregnant.

  61. The festival this year was the weekend of June 30th…and it was in Rutledge GA. You can actually google it for your photos for next year! I bet that would be beautiful!
    xo – kb

  62. Yup – we probably will try them again for the Little One…just like we did with Will (we are more hybrid people – switching back and forth to make it fit our lifestyle the best!)
    xo – kb

  63. I actually did them with Will and we will probably reuse them for the little baby too! We try more of a hybrid approach to make it easiest for our lives.
    xo – kb

  67. Last year we had that record high heat wave here in Texas. 110 degrees is too hot for me. This year at 100 is soo much better. Maybe next year it won’t be so hot when you go back. BTW I think it would be really neat to put a giant tire trail on your property.

  72. Love festivals like this! Your photos are gorgeous! I’m an events planner for our local Chamber of Commerce and we just recently helped to plan a 3-day Chicken Festival complete with a 10 foot giant fry pan lol 🙂

  73. Marshmallow shooters are awesome! My sister made like 10 of them from an easy tutorial on Youtube & gave them to everyone for Christmas last year. We had a huge, hard-core Christmas Eve marshmallow battle . . . ’cause nothing says “celebrate the birth of our Savior” like hitting each other in the eye with sugary goods! I’m pretty sure I can see your family doing the same thing.
    On another note–have you ever been to Branson? You’d love it.
    It’s so country/cheesy/backwoods awesome. We’re in Kansas City, so it’s a quick road trip–my kids
    love it!

  74. Katie,
    This post spoke to me. Visually and cos, well I am a Mommy to lil AJ. Your family and Will posts make to so happy after reading them. Dont get me wron-I lve me some DIY! And I’ll take a HUGE scoop of that too anyday….Just thank you. You look beautiful btw. Lil belly pop now is awesome 🙂 Cant you please come to Vancouver BC and teach me how to use my darn camera? 😉

    Becky!

  75. True. I guess being a fair-skinned red head means I don’t love the beach (since I can’t really enjoy it as much as others without fear of blistering even with sunscreen). The beaches here are beautiful though! I love them at night. hahaha!

  77. Ahhhh… how did I miss out on this? We live in Kennesaw GA. Where was this located at?
    Would love to attend next year.

    Thanks
    Heather

  79. Love the photographs and your fabulous sense of humor. Was this festival one weekend only or do they set up for awhile due to the sunflowers? We live in TN and want to take this in .

  80. Is it silly to say that this post made me have a happy feeling inside? I don’t know? I just liked all the pictures, it looked like a lot of fun and then the pretty flowers at the end of the post…made me feel happy and smiley. Thank you!

  81. I heard that you can go before the festival and just pay to clip flowers…and then the festival is one weekend and then shortly thereafter, the farm closes to clippings.
    xo – kb

  82. Just in case y’all needed a little help:

    http://pinterest.com/pin/248120260689939457/

    These marshmallow shooters made me a favorite babysitter 🙂
    Although the boring side of me does make them repeat the rules first:
    #1: No shooting at the face
    #2: Gotta clean up all the marshmallows when you’re done.

    WOMP, WOMMMMP.

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