From the Front Porch: The Morning Edition
Hello from the front porch, sweet friends, and welcome to The Morning Edition of this weekly series!
Thanks so much for spending time with us today.
How has your week been?
Several years ago, I spent the morning at the cutest café in Savannah with my Mom and sisters.
Despite being small, it was filled with little luxuries like marble-topped bistro tables, the delicious scent of coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon, the hustle and bustle of customers grabbing buttery croissants to go, flea market-style plates and utensils, generous cappuccino mugs, and a fabulous French playlist.Â
While individually those elements may seem ordinary, together, they created an atmosphere that transported us from Georgia to France in mere minutes.
The second I got home from that trip, I ordered myself a set of generous cappuccino mugs and vowed to start incorporating simple pleasures into our daily lives. Â
It’s a ritual we continue to practice to this very day.
Whether you realize it or not, there is something inherently magical about mornings.
It’s the gift of a new day.
The promise of a fresh start.
Another opportunity to get it right, to chase our dreams, to make an impact, and to make beautiful memories.
Yet time and again, morning routines are one of the first routines to be dropped or glossed over this time of year.
The thing is, it’s usually our mornings that set the tone for the entire day.
And how often do we forget that we have the power to craft our mornings (and therefore our days) any way we wish.
We get to decide how we choose to start our day, how we react to the challenges and interruptions of the day, and ultimately how we feel when we crawl into bed each night.
So, as we move forward this month, I want you to think about how you can improve your mornings.
It might be as simple as laying your clothes out the night before, finding a workout you enjoy, researching new coffee machines, or as involved as reassessing school drop off, your drive to work, or how your meetings are scheduled.
Small changes can make a big impact, so don’t be afraid to tweak things as needed.
It can literally change your entire day.
As always, I’ll be cheering you on.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web This Week…
Beautiful Home and Garden Tours:
- Have you seen the portfolio of Laura Solensky Design yet? There are so many warm pops of color and cozy English cottage-style nooks to explore.
- Speaking of which, this Georgian Country House by Isabella Worsley is really pretty too.
- The Avondale Project by Weeth Home has me swooning!
- The Connecticut Cottage by T{O}M Design Collective, I can’t stop thinking about.
- There is so much inspiration in Jane Beiles Photography portfolio.
Seasonal Inspiration:
- My friend Cindy from County Road 407 shared this post, Time to Say Stuff It to the Trends and it always gets rave reviews for good reason.
- I had no idea this idea was even possible, but I’m thankful Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse shared the secret so we could try it too. Just imagine the possibilities from season to season!
- We have enough room to create this dreamy idea from French Country Cottage in one of the bedrooms, and I’m dying to try it now.
- Speaking of bedrooms, Lark & Linen has a fabulous post on canopy bed curtains. I love mine so much, I’m trying to talk my parents into them too.
- 7 Simple Ways to Transition Your Home from Winter to Spring (via Homes and Gardens)
- Have you seen these 17 Beautiful Spring Front Door Wreaths from Brocante, Ma Jolie yet?
- Can you even with this genius lampshade hack by Laurel Designed?
- 63 Tried and True Blue Paint Colors (via House Beautiful)
- How to Get the Nancy Meyers Look at Home, Designers Share 7 Secrets (via Good Housekeeping)
Health and Wellness Inspiration:
- Being in the Present Moment: My Journey to Cultivating Peace (Bookmarked this fabulous post from Rachel of The Antiqued Journey)
- How Weekly Microadventures Boost Happiness, No Travel Required (via Real Simple)
- 100 Simple Ways to Immediately Improve Your Life (via Becoming Minimalist)
- How to Be Extremely Disciplined (via Bella Dane Substack)
- How to Make Financial Resolutions That Stick (this was a great post from Fast Company with simple ideas that are totally doable)
- Starbucks Medicine Ball (via A Beautiful Mess in case you’ve been under the weather)
Style and Travel Inspiration:
- 1 Base, 10 Outfits: How to Style a Tee, Wide Leg Jeans & Outerwear for Mild Climates (via Classy Yet Trendy was super helpful)
- These Trending Accessories Will Elevate Your Wardrobe Instantly (via Harpers Bazaar)
- 15 Best Eye Concealers for Every Skin Type and Concern (via Byrdie)
- Affordable Spring Break Travel Destinations (via CN Traveler)
Encouraging Words…
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
Simple Ways to Elevate Your Mornings
How to Create a Morning Routine in 4 Simple Steps
Waking Up to a Sunrise Alarm Clock
Budget-Friendly Morning Skincare Routine
My Favorite Breakfast Sandwich
French Press Coffee Tips and Tricks
40 Affirmations to Kick Start Your Mornings
Shopping Notes…
(Amazon affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
- PJs (thin, soft, and great for hot sleepers)
- Ninja Dual Brew Pro (we have the 305 with the stainless carafe, which was about $60 more than this model, but this one is similar. I use it for coffee and tea every day)
- 100 Days of Believing Bigger (my favorite faith-based devotional. I gift it all the time!)
- Caboodle (one of my favorite Christmas gifts, it’s practical, pretty, and nostalgic)
- Socks (these feel like a hug for your feet)
- Stackable Organizers (have, love, and use all over the house)
- Shirt (I have this in so many colors, it’s great for workouts or layering)
- Mini Ceramic Spoon Rest (have, love, and use every day)
- Shoes (have and love, they’re budget-friendly and comfortable)
- Toothbrush (have and love)
- Alarm Clock (loved this so much, I started gifting it too)
- Body Wash (smells like the beach and has a shimmer)
- Shorts (have and love, they’re a great complement to the shirts listed above)
- Coffee Spoons (have, love, and use every day. The small size makes them great for coffee bars or drawers)
- Bible (have and love, it’s super easy to read and digest)
- Collagen Powder (I add a scoop of this unflavored powder to my coffee every morning)
- Echo (great for news, sports, weather, or GRWM playlists)
- Pill Organizer (have and love)Â
- Pullover Sweater (have and love in so many colors, it’s easy to dress up or down and layer with a blazer or cardi)
- Oatmeal Containers (great for overnight oats or chia seed pudding)
- Lighted Mirror (recently ordered and can’t wait to try out)
- Steamer (my Mom has this one and loves it)
- Marker Pens (budget-friendly, I use these to color-code my daily planning sheets)
- Water Bottle (I have the older version of this one, it keeps your water cold and doesn’t leak)
- Jeans (pair these with the pullover sweater above for an easy daily WFH uniform)
As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your weekend is peace-filled and relaxing.Â
We can’t wait to share even more with you next week!
Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Many blessings,
CoCo
Oh my I just found you this week and I have fallen in love with your postings.. The #doucount video had me balling like a baby but at the same time made me feel so good inside.. Can’t wait to get your emails!
So happy to have you, Jennifer! I know just what you mean about the video. I called my sisters immediately and said, “break out the tissues!” Hope your weekend is fabulous, CoCo
Fab post CoCo – love tis new series. Thank you so much for including us in your list! Happy Friday and cheers to a wonderful weekend!
You’re so welcome! That market bag is one of my faves 🙂 Have an awesome weekend, ladies. Hugs, CoCo
Such a sweet post with awesome finds! Have a lovely weekend Coco!
I appreciate you, Kimm! Have a great weekend lady 🙂
Great idea S! Love the ideas sharing in this post.
Thank you, LiLi! Hope the kids have had a fun first week of school. You’re the best mom 🙂 Hugs, CoCo
Your trip sounds amazing! I love those kinds of simple pleasures!
We had the best time, Susan! It definitely made me want to make time for even more trips together. Hope you have the best weekend, CoCo
Happy Friday! Morning routines are so important! Helps me start the day right and be productive! Can’t wait to check out all your links! Have a wonderful weekend!
I’m so with you, Donna! Routines, coffee and Jesus are the only things that keep us going around here 😂 Hope your weekend is a lovely one, CoCo
Such a great post, CoCo!! I’m so thankful for you sharing my post. You are such an incredible human and friend. Enjoy the weekend!!
You are so welcome, Rachel, it was an amazing post. You’re a fabulous writer and I’m happy to see it resonated with so many people. Sending you lots of hugs and hoping you and you’re family are feeling a litte better each day, CoCo
So much great information CoCo. This post was such a good read. I went down the rabbit hole with the escape hatch article. You’re right, the comments were everything. Have a lovely day. XO- MaryJo
I know what you mean, MaryJo! In my mind it’s like everyone is having an amazing holiday seaon in Europe eating crossaints and not have to deal with any macro or micro drama 😆 Reading that post made me feel so much better about our Christmas. It was a chaotic in the best way! Sending you hugs for a happy weekend, CoCo
Happy weekend, CoCo! I hope you enjoy it! We are on snow day number 3 for the week here in the Midwest. I could do without all the cold, but it means we’re now blessed with a 4-day weekend! I plan on spending some of that “bonus time” to figure out what my new morning routine will be as I transition to full-time blogging/VA work at the end of the month!
I’m so excited for you Jen! I know making the leap to full time blogging is such a big deal. I’m proud of you and proud for you too because I know what goes into making a decision like that. I’ll definitely be thinking of you guys this weekend. I can’t imagine being that cold. When we left the cabin it was icy and 28 and I thought my toes would never warm up again 😆 I seriously don’t know how you do it all the time! Stay safe and enjoy your time. I’m cheering you on sweet friend, CoCo
I almost bought that same dress in black. You will be stunning in it! Thanks so much for adding my post. It’s been so fun to stick to what I like and donate the rest. I’m looking forward to having an entirely new/timeless home by the end of the year. 😉 Cheers
OH! And I adore the new preppy chic fashion trends this year! I might finally be in style this year with my clothes too. LOL
I’m so excited we were almost twins, Cindy! I had the hardest time picking between that one and black one but ultimately went with the white because it fits my holiday Barbie birthday party theme so fingers crossed it’s delievered on time and it fits. I loved your post so much. “Become your own niche” gah still thinking about that fabulous idea 🥰 Can’t wait to follow along on all your adventures this year and to see what stays and what goes. Editing down a collection or closet until it feels totally “you” is half the fun! Sending you tons of hugs, CoCo
Coco,
Thanks so much for stopping by!! I do need to tweak my morning routine and you are right that it does set the tone for the day… I always love when you do these posts…I also need to start sticking to a weekly meal planner…Thanks for all the inspiration!!
Hugs,
Deb
I wish I was a morning person. However, I do my very best for getting up at 6 am. Meaning, I don’t exactly spring out of bed and embrace the day. I usually reluctantly rise from my bed and shuffle through my morning routine. Your encouragement is much appreciated. To set myself up for success- I make sure my lunch is packed the night before.
CoCo, I love that Georgian house–the bathroom with that art/portrait wall (I want to do that!) and the bedroom with the bed with curtains. Love that little nook!
Also, I love your photos of the Paris cafe in Savannah. We go to Savannah most every year–we love it!–and we almost always drop by the Paris Market. The Cafe is always crowded, but last time, we were able to find a table and shared pastries and tea/coffee. It’s such a gorgeous place. Feels like a treat!
Thanks for another lovely “Front Porch”!
LeAnne