From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch! Thanks so much for making us part of your day!
How has your week been?
We hope it’s been a fun one as we all work to soak up every ounce that’s left of summer.
I’ve been playing catch up most of the week after spending time at Bliss Barracks kicking off Christmas in July with my Mom.
We literally crammed everything we could think of from treasure hunting to making cinnamon ornaments to pouring over old magazines for inspiration into our time together.
I’m still going through all the photos and will have even more to share next week!
In the meantime, we’ll be celebrating a birthday brunch for my late Granny Saturday morning, eating shrimp rolls and ice cream cones covered in sprinkles, taking long walks on the beach, and doing our best to slow down time while looking forward to the promises of a new month.
A Few of Our Favorite Posts from Around the Web this Week…
This French-style home tour is gorgeous!
There are so many beautiful spaces in this photographer’s portfolio.
10 Dreamy Scandinavian Summer Cottages
The 7 Best Paris Terraces for Summer
30 French Country Kitchen Ideas – Rustic Décor and Designs Full of Charm
A New Take on the Classic Farmhouse
This family retreat on Lake Champlain is really pretty.
Such a beautiful way to throw a summer soiree
20 Secrets to Landscape Success
How to Organize a Pantry with Deep Shelves
40 Simple Things You Can Do Every Day To Become Much Healthier
How to Care for Your Friends Based on Their Enneagram Number (this was super helpful)
Your Definitive Guide to the Best Sangria Recipes Around
Words to Live By…
Watching This Week…
I’ll freely confess, we haven’t had much time to watch TV these past couple of months because our sweet rescue Piper is so overstimulated by the TV we don’t even bother turning it on anymore.
We’ve realized recently though, we need to train her not to jump on the TV cabinet or to lunge at the TV because we’ll be spending the holidays with family members who rarely have the TV off.
So in VERY short segments, we’ve been trying to watch different kinds of programs to help Piper get used to loud noises and quick movements.
As you can imagine she basically excels with most Ken Burns documentaries, but we were also able to squeeze in this super creepy show called Dr. Death we kept hearing about.
Dr. Death is inspired by real-life events and the true story of a sociopathic surgeon.
While it’s not the kind of show I would normally watch, I’m always curious how doctors and hospital life are portrayed because I’ve worked in two different hospital settings now.
I don’t want to spoil it but we were hooked from the first episode!
Just a heads up though, it’s definitely not a show for the littles or people who get squeamish from the sight of blood or kept awake at night from crime dramas.
July Book of the Month…
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The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz has been such a great book of the month!
Even though I’ve read it once before, I’m beyond thankful for the reminder EVERY situation is a chance to practice a healthier mindset.
Speaking of which, my Mom also passed along The Coffee Bean by Jon Gordon and Damon West and my uncle passed along Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. Both of these books are short but impactful!
August Book of the Month…
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I’ve been trying to put together a master list of The Book of the Month reads for the rest of the year.
The list I have is pretty extensive so trying to come up with one for August shouldn’t have been a big deal but weeding through a bunch of good ones was definitely tougher than I expected.
After a lot of prayer and feedback, I chose the faith-based book The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less by Tanya Dalton for the August Book of the Month.
On the Menu this Week…
Week of July 25 – August 1
07/18 Sunday – Pan-Seared Cod with White Wine and Tomato Basil Sauce
07/19 Monday – Vegetarian Ramen
07/20 Tuesday – Frito Pie Mason Jars
07/21 Wednesday – Spicy Shrimp and Citrus Salad
07/22 Thursday – Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup
07/23 Friday – Kicked Up Cornflake Chicken
07/24 Saturday – One Pan Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon and Asparagus
07/25 Sunday – Italian Stuffed Shells and Kale Italian Chopped Salad
Sweet Treat to Try this Week…
A Few Fun Finds We Spotted Online at Target and Amazon This Week…
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** Indicates additional colors or options available when this post was originally published
**Striped Dress * **Drawer Organizer * **Handbag * **Bathing Suit
**Mini Hydrangeas * **Swing Dress * **Belt * **Rug
French Style Basket * Notebook * **Floral Dress * ** Light
**Striped PJs * Pillow * Accent Table * **Ruffled Dress
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
House Keeping Habits We Practice Everyday
Things to do Now to Prepare for the Holidays
Vintage Inspired Air Dry Clay Ornaments
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 – 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
- 07/23 – Summer Olympics Begin
- 07/31 – National Mutt Day
- 08/01 – Buy August Birthday and Special Occasion Gifts
- 08/01 – National Sisters Day
- 08/04 – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
- 08/10 – Spoil Your Dog Day
- 08/13 – Black Women’s Equal Pay Day
- 08/24 – National Waffle Day
- 08/26 – Women’s Equality Day
As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your 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
I love this quote! Thank you so much.
I saved the quote for my planner and my IG planner buddies here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRuJpeVpag3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link).
That is so sweet of you to share Corrie, thank you! It’s always fun to find quotes that speak to you. I’m heading over to IG in just a bit so I’ll be sure to follow. Hope your weekend has been a fun one so far, CoCo
I know it sounds crazy since I’m so obsessed with Christmas, but I never celebrate Christmas in July. Not sure why, but yours sounds like so much fun, I just might have to change things up next year! Can’t wait to dig into this week’s links! I’m loving all the pink picks in your finds too!
Thank you, Christine! Fall is my favorite season but my Mom LOVES Christmas like you do so it’s always fun to get together, collaborate and plan. I swear it will be here before we know it and I don’t want to miss out because I didn’t have a game plan 🙌 Sending you lots of hugs, CoCo