Welcome!
Hi, I’m Becca! Thank you for stopping by! I’m so excited that you’ve dropped by to join me here today. This little blog, Chesapeake Chic started as a place to share my creative journey and to encourage and inspire others (that means you!) along the way.
I’m a wife, mommy, second-grade teacher, and a DIY enthusiast. Please feel free to stick around and follow along with me as I renovate our 1969 split level home. Here I tackle endless amounts of home projects and decorating-all while sharing our adventures along the Chesapeake Bay. If you’re on the hunt for inspiration, my hope is that you’ll find it here and leave a little happier than when you came.
I believe that you should LOVE your home. Your home should be your safe haven, the place where you relax and unwind, and where you make precious memories with your family. Your home should be cozy and reflect your true style. I also believe that it shouldn’t be expensive or fancy to make it feel that way. Here you’ll find real-life and budget friendly decor ideas to make your house feel like home.
#inspiration
Want to Know a Little More about Chesapeake Chic?
My first name is Rebeckah, but my family and friends call me Becca. You can call me that too! I grew up in a military family and have had the privilege of living all over the United States. My family and I were even blessed to have spent three years stationed in Japan. Growing up as a “military brat” provided so many unique experiences and life-lessons. It’s part of my life that I wouldn’t change for the world, but if I have to be honest, not having a hometown was something I missed while growing up.
Fast forward many years later to my adult life, my husband and I currently live in the southern Maryland area with our two crazy boys and a house full of pets. (Keep reading to find out more about those rascals.)
Never in a million years would I have predicted that this would be the place that we’d end up. To our surprise, this is where we’ve decided to plant our roots and raise our little family. It’s a great feeling to finally have a place to call “HOME”!
#homesweethome
**Update** We have moved to Florida! You can ready all about our BIG Move {HERE}!!
Meet the Family
Photo credit to Cheron Cooper
It’s a little cliché, but it all started with two people falling in love. Did you just gag in your mouth a little bit? Sorry, but it’s true! We’re college sweethearts (but we actually met in high school) and we were married in August of 2006. Gosh, now that I type that out, it seems like such a long time ago.
My husband’s name is Ian and he’s is seriously the coolest person I’ve ever met. He’s witty, plays the guitar, and has the best sense of humor. Ian has a special magical power in that he can ALWAYS find a way to make me laugh. (No matter how upset or sad I may be.)
He’s an endless source of random trivia knowledge, has a knack for telling great stories, and has a killer set of dimples. Yes, ladies, I got lucky with this one!
His role in this whole blog thing, you ask? Well, he’s pretty much my right-hand man! He helps me with the technical side of things, assists me with all of my crazy DIY projects, mans the power tools, and is my biggest cheerleader. Without him, this blog wouldn’t be possible. When I start to doubt myself, Ian always has a way of reminding me that he never does.
#soulmate (Are you tired of my hashtags yet?)
My Boys
Ok ya’ll, here’s where the real sappy stuff comes in. These two boys are my absolute heart and soul. Out of all of the things that I do in my life, being their mom is my #1 favorite job! Oh, how I love being a mommy!
In fact, I love being a mommy so much that I took a few years off from my day job as an elementary school teacher to be able to stay home with them. I feel so blessed that I was able to do that!
Now if there’s one thing you need to know about me is that I’m a daydreamer and I’m always scheming up a new creative outlet. So while I was at home with the boys, I ran an Etsy shop and started piddling around with starting this blog. I can’t help it! I NEED TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL THINGS, PEOPLE!
#mmmahahaha
Thomas
Thomas is eight years old and started third grade this year. I can’t believe I just typed that. OH MY GOODNESS, MY BABY IS HALF WAY THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! He recently decided that he likes to go by “Tommy.” Out of the two boys, this one is my little shadow. He’s a mama’s boy and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This kid is smart and loves a challenge. He’s quick with technology, loves to put together puzzles and has a love for nature and music. He’s currently obsessed with John Cena and if I hear, “You can’t see me!” one more time, I just might lose my ever-lovin’ mind.
Tommy is on the autism spectrum and I share a bit of that here on the blog. He’s extremely high functioning, but raising a child with special needs definitely comes with its own challenges and joys. While some days are tough, there are a lot more joys!
Tommy has a heart of gold and is really tenderhearted towards others. He just makes my heart sing!
Nate
Here’s our little dude, Nathaniel. He goes by Nate. He’s six years old and in the first grade. (He’s lovin’ it!) Nate is super social, loud, and just loves to snuggle. There’s nothing better than getting cozy on the couch, popping in a movie, and having a snuggle session with this guy.
What’s funny about Nate is that he’s bossy! Like really bossy. He’s always in the middle of the family happenings and loves to bark orders and tell everyone what to do. Because of this, we just so happened to nickname him ‘our little general’. Trust me, it’s very fitting!
When he’s not bossing us around, you can usually find him setting up an epic dinosaur massacre on his action figures. He also loves to play video games, build with legos or make some sort of crazy science experiment. I just love this boy!
Fur Babies
We have five fur babies that make up an important part of our family; a doggie, two cats and a pair of guinea pigs. I’ve coined them our “mini zoo.”
#becausewearecrazy
Ruby
Ruby is a four-year-old Doxie Poo. I’m pretty sure that not’s really a breed, but she’s a mix between a dachshund and a poodle. We adopted Ruby to be a pet that would grow up with the boys and be a playmate for them. Ruby has just the right amount of energy to keep up with these boys and she just loves them to pieces.
Whatever game the boys want to play, Ruby is always there and down for the adventure. It’s the perfect match!
Lola & Baby Cat
Lola is a kitty that we rescued from the shelter. She’s called an Exotic Shorthair, which isn’t a breed you see everyday. Don’t you love her smashed little face? We’re not exactly sure of her age, but we think she’s about 12-13 years old by now.
An interesting fact about exotic shorthairs is that they are known for being really quiet. They hardly ever make a peep, or meow I should say.
You may or may not see me checking closets and cabinets from time to time. With a kitty who doesn’t meow, but loves to hide, she’s been known to get accidentally locked in a closet. Poor thing!
Baby Cat (aptly named by the boys) is the newest addition to our family. She was originally a kitten that my mother-in-law adopted as a pet for herself. When Baby Cat wasn’t meshing well with her dogs, she came to live with us.
She absolutely adores the boys (she sleeps with Nate every night) and fits in well with the rest of the clan. It’s like she was always supposed to be a part of our family and we’re happy to have her here. BEST. CAT. EVER.
Piggies
Meet Olive Garden & Hazel. Yep, you read that right. That cute little black and white guinea pig, that’s Olive Garden. You can thank Tommy for that laugh. Ha!
If you’ve never owned a guinea pig, you totally should!
These two are the sweetest creatures on the planet. They can be shy, but with lots of love and attention, they can become quite the attention hogs (no pun intended!). They are gentle, never bite, and just love (or actually squeak their little heads off) for a piece of cucumber or carrot.
#funtimes
Ten random things about me:
- I can be kinda quirky. I have a goofy sense of humor and I love to tell stories! My mind is always reeling with ideas and I’m constantly scheming up my next big project. I spend way too much time on Pinterest.
2. I love animals and want to adopt them all. (If money and space weren’t a concern, I totally would!) Does that make me a crazy cat lady? Animal hoarder, maybe?
3. One day I’d like to live on a farm. I want a big ol’ farmhouse with lots of land. Probably so I can do #2 on the list.
4. I’m a Jesus lover. When I was about ten years old, I accepted Christ into my heart. I cling to His Grace and follow Him while trying to do this thing called life. While it’s fun and fulfilling to work on my home, I know not to place my self-worth in those things. Being a teacher and DIY’er are things that I do, but they don’t define who I am. My identity is in Christ and in His saving love. (I have to remind myself of this often!)
5. I’m a second-grade teacher. I enjoy being a teacher and not to brag or anything, but I’m pretty good at it. It can, however, be tough to juggle my day job, and love of DIY while running this blog. I’m learning to be patient with myself as I try to balance both of my talents.
6. I used to have an Etsy shop. I crafted pretty wreaths. To my surprise, it exploded into a full-time job! While being crafty was fun for a time, I realized that I’d rather be working on design and interior spaces instead. From there, I decided to start up this blog. (Remember that whole daydreaming bit?)
7. While I can be outgoing and animated around my family and friends, I’m truly a quiet soul and a homebody. Home is my favorite place I like to be.
8. I heart decluttering and I love to organize EVERYTHING. I have mad organizational skills, yo! You know it’s bad when I go into other people’s houses and start mentally organizing their spaces.
#sorry
9. I can easily become overwhelmed. I like order, clean spaces, and calm. (See #8) I’m a planner addict, list maker, and I like labels on everything!!
10. While this blog is mostly dedicated to DIY and home decor, I also have a love for fashion. I’m far from a fashion blogger but I’m always looking for fun and fashionable ways to dress this mom bod. (Where did this muffin top come from?!!) That’s where I’ll be dedicating a small corner of this blog to just that. Soon to come, so stay tuned.
What’s Next?
I’m so glad that you stopped by to visit me here today! Now that you know a little more about me, I’d like to invite you to grab a cup of coffee (or wine-I won’t judge) and make yourself at home. Feel free to cruise through my blog.
Let’s keep in touch, yes? You can subscribe below so that you’ll never miss a thing.
Don’t forget to connect with me on all my social media channels here. P.S. Pinterest is my favorite.
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest
If you have a question or a comment, I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and introduce yourself.
#nowwearebestfriends (seriously, that was the last hashtag, I promise!)
If you’d prefer to touch base with email, I gladly welcome emails at becca@chesapeakechic.com.
I look forward to meeting you!
