From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch, sweet friends!
I’m keeping it short and sweet as this week has been a total doozie.
I fully expected to wake up at Bliss Barracks today as my Mom and I had planned and prepared to host my brother in laws birthday dinner tonight.
Instead, we are all safely riding out Tropical Storm Nicole in our own homes as I type this on Thursday.
The silver lining is that it has given Piper and me plenty of extra time to help S recover from a surgery that was much more involved than we anticipated and gently reminded me for the millionth time of the transformative power of surrender and grace.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web…
Everything in this home tour feels warm and inviting, especially the dining area.
All the arches and woods in this home are really beautiful.
Love this French Bistro-inspired kitchen too.
An award-winning French transitional home tour to enjoy.
This parchment paper hack was really helpful.
Speaking of love, have you seen this home tour yet? The whole house is fabulous but the laundry room and living room are amazing.
Just added these earrings to my Christmas list. Honestly, everything from this shop is so pretty if you’re looking for a unique gift!
Rachel’s 10 Days of Christmas Decorating has been so much fun to follow. Our presents are all starting to arrive so I pinned lots of ideas from her gift wrap post.
Jen’s Holiday Snack Board is positively magical and would be the perfect way to celebrate activities from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Love this beautiful wreath from Kim! It’s one of those fabulous projects you can use from November to late January.
Heidi’s post on how to make a bow for a wreath was helpful too!
Donna’s Pottery Barn dupe totally blew me away this week.
Give me all the chippy goodness! Have you seen Anna’s fabulous ornaments yet?
The Best Drugstore Moisturizers
5 Bad Habits That Age You and How to Fix Them
14 Ways to Enjoy the Little Things That Make a Happy Home
20 Things to Purge Right Now Without a Second Thought
As a Gen-Xer this was such an interesting read. So many of my friends are talking about it which is not surprising based on the number of comments and views it’s gotten.
Words to Live By…
Fourth Quarter Books of the Month and Devotional…
(Amazon affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon 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)
- October: Celebrating Home by James T Farmer, III (This book would make such a great gift idea)
- November: How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind by Dana K White (LOVE these practical tips, especially for the holiday season) OR How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
- December: The Power of One More by Ed Mylett
- Devotion: Courageous Kindness by (in)courage
On the Menu this Week…
November 13th – November 20th
- 11/13 Sunday: WW Pepperoni Pizza Casserole with an Italian side salad
- 11/14 Monday: 20 Minute Garlic and Herb Baked Cod with a side of steamed veggies
- 11/15 Tuesday: Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos
- 11/16 Wednesday: Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken
- 11/17 Thursday: Chipotle Tomato Soup with Smoked Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread
- 11/18 Friday: Oven Baked Garlic Butter Shrimp Boil
- 11/19 Saturday: Spinach, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche
- 11/20 Sunday: Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe
Sweet Treats to Try This Week…
Blue and Green Inspired Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon 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 to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
Dress * Throw * Sweater * Glycolic Pads
Party Bucket * Blazer * Carving Board * Book
Bag * Napkins * Sweater * Under the Bed Box
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
DIY Cake Pop Christmas Ornaments
Ultimate Christmas Shopping Guide (160 Ideas to Explore!)
How to Create a Thanksgiving Vignette
Thanksgiving to Christmas Place Card Holder Ideas
November Bucket List…
*You can find the rest of our Fall Monthly Bucket List Ideas here
- Support Indigenous People and Organizations
- Commemorate the National Day of Mourning
- Host Family at The Cabin for a Thanks and Giving Holidays
- Celebrate November Birthdays and Friendsgiving Dinner at Bliss Barracks
- Fly the Flag and Take Dad to Lunch for Veteran’s Day
- Shop Outdoor Antique Events in the Mountains
- Hike a New Leaf Peeping Trail
- Decorate the House for the Holidays
- Craft Christmas Ornaments
- Bake a Pecan Pie with Pecans from the Pecan Grove
- Sip on Hot Apple Cider
- Try a New Seasonal Inspired Side Dish
- Finalize Christmas Plans
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
November Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month:
- 11/05 Christmas Card Contact List
- 11/12 Thanksgiving Menu/Grocery Shopping
- 11/29 Buy Christmas Paper & Gift Wrap Supplies
- 11/26 Finish Christmas Shopping/Naughty or Nice List
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts…
- 11/11 Veterans Day
- 11/14 International Girls Day
- 11/17 National Homemade Bread Day
- 11/19 Equal Opportunity Day
- 11/21 National Gingerbread Cookie Day
- 11/24 National Day of Mourning
- 11/24 Thanksgiving Day (US)
- 11/25 Black Friday
- 11/26 Shop Small Saturday
- 11/27 First Day of Advent
- 11/28 Cyber Monday
- 11/29 Giving Tuesday
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 your “From the Front Porch” posts!
Praying for you and your family as you go through this tropical storm!
I really appreciate it, Susan, thank you so much. I could have never imagined a tropical storm or a hurricane in November but I guess there is a first time for everything. Thankfully, Nicole went pretty easy on us and we had a chance to honor the rain and snuggle up for a few extra days of much-needed rest. Sending you lots of hugs, CoCo
I have loved reading this post Coco, so much to take in and see, its been brilliant. Thanks so much for all the hard work you put into your blogging, it makes a huge difference.
Take care have a lovely weekend.xx
You always leave the kindest and most thoughtful messages, Janette, I really appreciate it. I just saw the cards you’ve been making and they’re all fabulous. You really have such a creative talent and I’m thankful we get to celebrate the seasons with you. Hope you’re having a happy week, CoCo
I am new to your blog, but glad I found it. I always find myself relaxed and calm while reading your notes. Everything is always in good taste and such a comfort to read from beginning to end.
I love all the gifts on your guide and this will definitely help with my shopping list.
Thank you for sharing…
Such a thoughtful thing to say, Kristi, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. We are excited to have you as part of our community. My baby sister inspired this series and never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined it would be this popular. I’m glad you found the gift guides helpful! I try to save them from my favorite bloggers as well so I can refer to them throughout the year for birthdays and special occasions too. It saves so much time! Sending you hugs for a happy week and welcome, CoCo
I hope you are staying safe, CoCo. Thank you for sharing my holiday snack board. I so appreciate it. Hugs!
You are so welcome, Jen! We’re always looking for quick and easy snack board ideas to use for pre-dinner nibbles or to serve before we enjoy a family activity during the holidays. I can’t wait to recreate this idea – they will love it! Hugs, CoCo
CoCo,
It’s been such a busy week and I appreciate you for sharing my gift wrap post. You are the best.
You are so welcome, Rachel, I can’t even tell you how much it inspired me! Hugs for a happy week, CoCo
Hi CoCo! I always look forward to Friday and reading the From the Front Porch Post! I want to thank you for featuring my Pottery Barn Rustic Bell dupe! It was a fun project and will hopefully save a lot of people some money!!! It has been a crazy week but hopefully, the weather in Florida will calm down! Blessings to you and yours, Donna
Such a kind thing to say, Donna, thank you! I can’t get over your Pottery Barn Rustic Bells. They are seriously amazing and look just like the real thing. Plus I love that you can use them into the new year as well. They’re perfection! I could have never imagined we’d have a storm this late in the season either. I’m with you – I can’t wait until it calms down. Fingers crossed it will be over soon. Big hugs, CoCo
I used to have a boss who always said its ok to make mistakes – if you don’t lose the lesson. The quote you shared reminded me of him. Also, I am reminded of “Lovely Limitations” because it does spark creativity and causes you to reprioritize. I hope S is better after her surgery and I hope Tropical Storm Nicole fizzled out into a merely damp rainy day. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us CoCo! You always inspire me.
I love both of those, Anna, and will definitely write them in my journal. Thanks so much for sharing them! How wild is it that we had a Tropical Storm in November? We’re STILL talking about it. Nicole was good to us but goodness there was a ton of flooding in the surrounding areas. I’ll definitely be glad when hurricane season is over so we can breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been a busy one! Big hugs for a happy week, CoCo
Thinking of you and your family as you brave another storm. Praying for a speedy recovery for your bestie S.
Hugs. Kim
Thank you so much, Kim, I really appreciate it. I could have never imagined a tropical storm or a hurricane to hit Florida this late in the season. It’s definitely an event we’ll never forget. Hope your week has been filled with all good things, CoCo