From the Front Porch
Happy Friday From the Front Porch, sweet friends!
We hope your Valentine’s Day celebrations were a blessed one and this week was all that you needed it to be. I definitely miss sliding little treats into the DIY Valentine’s Mailbox already!
If you had a chance to read last Friday’s From the Front Porch post, you know I made a special point to ask myself, “What is one thing you can do *today* to make things easier or better?” whenever I start feeling overwhelmed by my schedule or when the day has not gone as planned.
It seemed like such a simple question at the time.
Once I allowed myself to not only ask the question but to start taking action on the answer – it was a total game-changer though.
Several of you reached out and asked, “What happens when the answer is something out of your control?” and the examples given were the need for a babysitter, cleaning service, or help with a loved one’s care.
All of which are very valid!
I know we’re all in different seasons of our lives so you could also consider asking yourself, “What worked well this week?” or “What did not work well at all this week?” and keep track of those answers.
You might be surprised at what patterns and solutions start to form around your specific needs.
It might look like giving up a streaming service, beauty subscription, or morning latte to hire a babysitter or cleaning service so you can use the extra time to focus on what would help you the most.
It might be asking a trusted loved one or friend to help you clear out clutter or to be an accountability partner.
You might need to get up earlier or stay up later to squeeze in time where you’re not distracted by the day. I personally don’t want to wake up at 445 am to work out every morning. But my sweet resue Piper does not nap a lot during the day and I know it’s the *only* quiet time I’ll have all day so to me it’s worth it.
Don’t be afraid to start small and tweak things as needed.
It won’t all come together at once. But little by little you’ll start stacking one healthy habit on top of another until your days are purpose-filled and focused instead of chaotic and harried.
Not all the time mind you, life is not perfect. But enough times you’ll start to see a big difference in your attitude and productivity each day.
I’ll be cheering you on!
A Few Of Our Favorite Things From Around the Web…
This Country Lane Farmhouse Tour has been all kinds of ready for spring and outdoor dining.
A Cozy And Modern Family Home Punctuated with Earth-Tone Accents
This Minimalist, All Neutral House Has a Stunning Matte Black Kitchen
An A-Frame Cabin in Minnesota (with Gorgeous Lake Views)
If being by the water is more your style, you’ll love this Inlet Terrace home tour.
Do you worry too much? Here’s an interesting technique to try
3 Ways to Style a Long Cardigan
10 Simple Tech To-Dos to Tackle This Month
Morning Routines of The Most Successful People
100 Ways to Slightly Improve Your Life Without Really Trying
Words to Live By…
Books of the Month and Devotion of The Quarter…
(Amazon and Target affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate and an 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 for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
- January – Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking by Jon Acuff (We LOVED this book!)
- February – Master of One: Find and Focus on the Work You Were Created to Do by Jordan Raynor (I just finished this book but it wasn’t what I expected at all. If you know what your “one thing” this book teaches you the importance of excellence and mastery in your field which was definitely motivational. But if you’re still looking for your “one thing” (like I am) this book won’t really help you find it.)
- March – Declutter Like a Mother: A Guilt-Free No Stress Way Transform Your Home and Your Life by Allie Casazza
- Courageous Influence: Embrace the Way God Made You for Impact (I’ve been reading this book every morning and loving it. I’m really learning a lot!)
On the Menu this Week…
Week of February 20th – February 27th
- 02/20 Sunday: Mushroom Penne Pasta with Walnut Pesto
- 02/21 Monday: Spinach Artichoke and Feta Breakfast Bake
- 02/22 Tuesday: Pan-Roasted Halibut with Avocado Salsa
- 02/23 Wednesday: Skinny Taco Salad
- 02/24 Thursday: Slow Cooker 3 Bean Chili
- 02/25 Friday: Instapot Chicken Sliders with sweet potato fries
- 02/26 Saturday: One Pan Healthy Italian Sausage and Veggies with brown rice
- 02/27 Sunday: Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
Sweet Treat to Try This Week…
Nutella Stuffed Browned Butter Blondies
Neutral Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon and Target This Week…
(Amazon and Target affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate and an 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 for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
Bodysuit * Bangle * Pillow * Shirt
Marble Pinch Bowl * Skirt * Earrings * Throw
Heels * Shampoo and Conditioner Set *Black Dress * Caddy
Striped Tee * Headbands * Leave-In Conditioner * Trapeze Dress
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
The Valentine’s Day That Changed Everything…
(thank you guys SO MUCH for all your sweet words of support on this post!)
Tips and Tricks for Decorating The Tops of Kitchen Cabinets
How to Make a Simple Herb Topiary
A Beginners Guide to Chair Upholstery and Lifestyle of Love Blog Hop
February Bucket List…
- Celebrate February Birthdays
- Order and deliver Valentine’s Day goodies
- Attend Family Valentine’s Day Party
- Celebrate Valentine’s and Galentine’s Day
- Watch the Super Bowl
- Continue New Anthem AM and PM Routine
- Get a Vibrating Watch
- Wake up at the same time each morning
- Walk or bike 45 mins each day
- Continue Quarter Challenge
- Mg supplement and stretching before bed
- Get an Eye Exam
- Reclaim afternoon teatime
- Plan Spring home décor and porch projects
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
February Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Kitchen
- 01/29 Organize the Pantry & Spices
- 02/05 Organize the Refrigerator & Freezer
- 02/12 Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers
- 02/19 Kitchen Counters/Coffee Bar
- 02/26 Breakfast Nook
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember and Upcoming Posts…
- 02/20 Love Your Pet Day
- 02/21 President’s Day (US)
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 made my first attempt at trying this week. It didn’t exactly work out as planned, but I’m not giving up! Thank you, as always for all the inspiration! Coming over to your post on Friday is always something I look forward to! Happy weekend!
That is the best attitude to have Christine! It took me FOREVER to settle into a routine that felt doable. I slept through my 445 am alarm almost every day this week which was not what I had planned either. Keep at it though, you’ll find a rhythm that works best for you, and in the process, you’ll be able to weed out the unnecessary so you can spend time for those things that are your top priority. I’ll be cheering you on and you can ask for help any time you need – I’m always up for a Zoom sesh, CoCo
Hi CoCo! I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog! I first read about Renninger’s here, and I’m headed there tomorrow! I can’t wait to see all the wonderful treasures! Any chance you’ll be there? Have a great weekend, Donna
Thank you so much for your kind words, Donna, I really appreciate them. I’m SO EXCITED you’ll be heading to Renningers tomorrow, I know you’re going to have such a good time. I am TOTALLY bummed to miss it as my parents are hosting my Dad’s family for the weekend including a 50’s style sock hop at Bliss Barracks. I know we’ll have lots of fun but goodness gracious I will definitely be missing the Extravaganza and thinking of you. I hope you find lots of treasures and I can’t wait to hear what you think about it all! Make sure to bring cash small bills are great if you can (they also have an ATM inside), wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen, and have a big bag or wagon on hand to help cart all your stuff from the fields to the parking lot. Safe travels and happy shopping, CoCo
Happy Friday CoCo! Loved your post today. Thanks for all you do.
I really appreciate it, Rachel, thank you so much! I hope you have the best weekend. Hugs, CoCo
Hello!
Thank you for sharing the link about simple tech hacks.
The hint about how to get your inbox to zero (each New Year, shove all your emails into a folder named like this: “2021 inbox”) is particularly brilliant. I kept my work inbox at zero for many years, but my home inbox is out of control!
You are so welcome, Corrie! I read the same thing and thought that is totally genius! My inbox and my garage are both BANANAS so I can completely relate. They scare me so bad sometimes 🤣 Sending you hugs for a happy week, CoCo