From the Front Porch

Happy Friday and holiday weekend from the front porch! Thanks so much for spending time with us today. 

If Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer, Independence Day, is without a doubt, an invitation to completely reset. 

We’ve loosely followed this model for most of our lives and I can honestly say it works.

Growing up, my Mom was a teacher and as soon as she finished post-planning in June we’d load up the car and hit the road. 

We’d spend time at the farm, attend sleep away camp, hang out with our cousins, help put up vegetables, enjoy day trips to museums and weekends at theme parks for the entire month. 

Once we hit Independence Day week though, my Mom would slow our family life way down. 

We’d spend lazy days on vacation at the beach, begin letter-writing campaigns to loved ones, start our summer reading programs and ease our way back into routines.

That’s not to say our chores were always done by 10 am or that we were in bed each night by 8:30 pm.

But our July days had such a cadence to them, they seem to usher us back into the fall season almost effortlessly. 

Here’s to a month full of adventures, expected blessings, purpose-filled days, and intentional rest. 

A Few of Our Favorite Posts from Around the Web this Week…

A Family Home that Celebrates an Endless Summer 

This is such a beautiful way to mark the 4^th of July!

The kind of home you could move right into! I love all the plants and layers of texture.

There are WAY too many beautiful homes to pick just one in this architect’s portfolio. 

Wait until you see this garden! It. Is. Stunning!

The power of paint never ceases to amaze me, this is such a pretty bathroom makeover!

I love all the portrait paintings in this designer’s portfolio. 

4^th of July water? Yes, please!

3 Paint Projects Totaling $300 Take This Kitchen from Dull to Dreamy 

20 Genius Cleaning Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle and Shine 

May His Abundance Never Scare You 

Words to Live By…

Listening to This Week…

 How to Take Back Your Time in Life and Business with Tyler J. McCall and Sarajane Case 

July Book of the Month…

**(Amazon Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)

The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz is an old but goodie that has been recommended to me several times over the years. 

I’ve already read it once, but I feel like I could use a refresher so I can’t wait to dive right in!  

On the Menu this Week…

Week of July 4 – July 11

07/03 Saturday – Low Country Boil 

07/04 Sunday – Independence Day Celebration Ideas:

• 50+ 4^th of July Recipes 

Independence Day Sweet Treats:

• Patriotic Fruit Pizza 
• Firecracker Cupcakes
• Healthy Bomb Pops 
• 45 4^thof July Desserts for a Patriotic Extravaganza 

07/05 Monday – Eggroll in a Bowl 

07/06 Tuesday – Cowboy Quesadilla 

07/07 Wednesday – Roasted Cauliflower and Shrimp Salad 

07/08 Thursday – Quinoa Nectarine Gazpacho with Crispy Spiced Tortilla Chips 

07/09 Friday – Easy Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry 

07/10 Saturday – Old Bay Grilled Lime Tuna Steak with grilled veggies

07/11 Sunday – Mediterranean Pasta with Arugula Salad

Sweet Treat to Try this Week…

Easy Lemon Bar Recipes 

A Few Fun Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…

(Amazon Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)

** Indicates additional colors or options available when this post was originally published

**Blue and White Dress * Measuring Cup Set * **Laundry Hamper * **Navy Dress 

Stoneware Trays * **Rug * Quilt Set * Wicker Vase 

**Sandals * **Kitchen Towel Set * Purse * Mixing Bowls 

Hydrangea Dress * Wood Planters * Cocktail Napkins * **Bathing Suit 

If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…

Encouragement of the Month: The Messy Middle

5 Simple Ways to Reset This Summer 

DIY First Aid Cabin Sign

 Patriotic Inspired Grain Sack Table Runner

 Patriotic Party Cones 

 How to Create a Serving Tray from a Breadboard 

Strawberry Cake Donuts with Buttercream Icing 

July Bucket List

• Celebrate Independence Day
• Restart 30 Day Rest Challenge
• Continue Back to Basics Summer Season
• Surprise Porch Makeover for my Sweet Aunt
• ORC Celebration Brunch
• Make a New Peach Recipe
• Attend a Summer Yard Sale
• Christmas in July Activities
• Plan Fall and Winter Content
• Try New IG Strategy
• Photograph House Tour
• Read the Book of the Month
• Keep Sundays Sacred

July Simplified and Organize Home Challenge…

Focus of the Month: Kids Rooms or Guest Rooms & Bathrooms

• 07/03 – Kids Room or Guest Room
• 07/10 – Kids Room or Guest Room Closet & Drawers
• 07/17 – Kids Room or Guest Room Bathroom & Cabinets
• 07/24 – Back to School Supplies/ Toys & Games
• 07/31 – Clean Out/Organize Your Car

TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts

• 07/02 – Made in the USA Day
• 07/04 – Independence Day (US)
• 07/07 – World Chocolate Day
• 07/09 – National Sugar Cookie Day
• 07/12 – National Simplicity Day, National Pecan Day
• 07/14 – Bastille Day
• 07/18 – National Ice Cream Day
• 07/21 – National Hot Dog Day
• 07/23 – Summer Olympics Begin
• 07/31 – National Mutt Day

New Website Launch:

Before I sign off, I just wanted to say thank you for being so supportive while we’ve navigated lots of life changes and struggled with burnout.  It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of our summer blog break and I couldn’t have done it without your support. 

If you had the chance to read our June Encouragement of the Month post you already know while things didn’t quite go as planned, we learned more life and business lessons than I could have ever imagined along the way. 

Our plan is to start rolling out the new website over the weekend so there’s a chance you might see intermittent interruptions.  I’ll be out of town on Monday when it officially launches but my bestie S who runs the website and worked tirelessly on making sure our transition was a smooth one will be here holding down the fort. 

There are a few changes that still need to be made once we’re live and of course, there are always bugs to work out and unforeseen things that come up.

As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your holiday weekend is peace-filled and relaxing.  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