From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch sweet friends! It’s great to be with you as we get ready to say goodbye to February and welcome all the good things March has to offer.
At the end of each month, I sit down with my calendar and journals to carefully assess the things that went well and the things that did not go well at all.
This time of reflection has been an invaluable tool over the years and something I look forward to each and every month.
February was FULL as we celebrated four birthdays, Galentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and had a hilariously fun impromptu dinner with one of our favorite uncles. We added fresh labels and organization ideas to the kitchen, pantry, refrigerator, and Piper’s feeding station too. I upcycled a thrift store tray, made candlesticks from my childhood bedposts, and participated in a blog hop with some of my favorite creative ladies.
I worked on my closet makeover, trialed some blinds Piper can’t tear up (fingers crossed), went to Trader Joes for the first time, found a creative solution for the nights we don’t feel like cooking, spent the day with my Mom at Renningers (she totally needed a birthday redo after being in the boot for 6 weeks), took my parents out to dinner for the first time since my Dad’s health scare, cheered on one of my cousins who is *so close* to getting her home back in order after Hurricane Ian, celebrated as one of my sisters took a courageous step in her side hustle business and my bestie S reached a big milestone in her day job, and genuinely delighted as the youngest little welcomed the tiniest hamster I’ve ever seen into his heart and home.
You helped us add almost 10K more pageviews to January than we had in December (thank you, thank you, thank you) and we greeted new friends and subscribers.
I was also honored to walk alongside several of you as you battled through February like brave warriors. Change is not easy but you handled it like a champ!
During that time, I had a moment of clarity regarding something I’ve been praying about for nearly TWO YEARS which led to an action plan I finally feel at peace about.
No playing, I saw three rainbows that week and nearly cried every time I saw a new one!
As I’ve shared before blogging is not for the faint of heart.
It can be competitive, expensive, lonely, and sometimes exhausting because the pressure to constantly put out engaging content that is new/now/next while staying grounded and fully present is a lot.
But the beauty of it all is that blogging is also purposeful, joy-filled, exciting, and creative. It allows me the freedom to give our family what it needs in this current season of life and is a huge blessing.
The connection points I get to share with you via our website and on social media blows me away all the time. Those are the things I hold onto when the days get tough.
Truly, you are such a gift!
So, as we ease toward March, I encourage you to settle in and think about the things that went well this month and give yourself abundant grace when you assess the things that did not go as planned.
They both offer valuable insights into what you need most moving forward.
As always, I’m cheering you on as you ask the tough questions and have the courage to give yourself exactly what you need.
It’s not always easy but I know you can do it.
I believe in you.
PS: If February found you in the trenches and you’re looking for a good book recommendation, check out What’s On My Nightstand below.
The Book of the Month for March is one of the best self-development books I’ve ever read.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web…
Every inch of this blue and white home is gorgeous. There’s even a little pop of pink in one of the bedrooms too!
This Whidbey Island residence will have you ready for spring break.
Speaking of spring break, this beach house has a modern feel that is so fresh.
I love all the layers of texture in this home.
Can you imagine converting an old factory into your home?
This home has so many beautiful nooks. I love the way they took advantage of the outdoors too.
Traditional Charm Meets Moody and Organic
Wait until you see the plaid wallpaper in this fabulous sitting room.
This spring inspiration post makes me want to put moss on everything!
Completely in love with Michele’s Spring tablescape.
How cute are these eggs?
Jen made the most fabulous door basket for Spring!
Have you seen these cute planters Carol made yet?
So excited to try this idea on our St. Patrick’s Day tablescape.
Can you believe this was done with packing tape? I’m totally blown away.
How to Kick Start an Upward Spiral
3 Things to Do If you Wake Up in the Middle of the Night and Can’t Go Back to Sleep
9 Radical Time Management Experiments That Can Improve Your Life
19 Quick and Easy Hacks We’ve Learned On Tik Tok
Finally, several of you reached out about the Chrissie Rucker books featured in our Decorating With White post. I have both books and love them! You can learn more about The White Company and its mission here. They are dreamy!
Words to Live By…
On My Nightstand…
(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)
Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Live Your Ideal Life (Despite all the controversy surrounding this book, I learned a lot. It really made me think about how I honor my home, my time, and those things I count as treasures.)
March Book of The Month…
My middle sister has been itching to get me to read, Believe IT: How to Go From Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima so I promised her it would be the March Book of the Month.
She literally called me every morning to tell me how inspiring it was and was so persuasive I got the book early and couldn’t put it down.
It reads like a novel and I loved every inspirational word. We both said it was one of those books you want to read every January to help pump you up for the year.
Don’t sleep on this one!
You can find a complete list of the other self-discovery books we’ve read here.
March Menu Ideas…
Home Décor Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…
(Amazon and Target 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)
Flowers * Headband * Ribbon * Print
Tote * Charm School * Lightweight Sweater * Drink Dispenser
Bath Bombs * Napkins * Accent Table * Travel Containers
Body Mitt * Dinnerware Set * Pillow Cover * French Blooms
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
How to Organize Your Kitchen Into Work Friendly Zones
Simple Ways to Decorate with White
DIY European Oak Inspired Mirror
March Bucket List…
- Celebrate Piper’s Adoption Day and St. Patricks Day
- Cultivate Healthy Habits
- Decorate the House for Spring
- Replant Container Gardens on the Front Porch
- Shop for Easter Basket Gift
- Finish Closet Makeover
- Make a Decision on the Bedroom Chair
- Yoga Before Bed
- Continue Quarter Challenge
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
March Words of the Month: Cultivate Healthy Habits
Activities to Enjoy:
- Make a Healthy Smoothie or Juice Recipe
- Enjoy Movie Night with a Friend
- Go for a Walk on the Beach or in a New to You Trendy Neighborhood
- Prioritize Sleep
- Stretch Before You Get Out of Bed
- Fill Your Water Bottle and Place It in the Fridge Before Going to Bed or Place a Carafe Filled with Water on Your Nightstand
- Do a 15-Minute Clutter Catcher Clean-Up Each Night
You can find our complete list of Word of the Month Activity Ideas here.
March Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Primary Bedroom and Bathroom
- 03/05 – Primary Bedroom
- 03/12 – Primary Bedroom Drawers
- 03/19 – Primary Bedroom Closet & Accessories
- 03/26 – Primary Bathroom Cabinets and Countertops
You can find the entire 52 Weeks to a Simplified and Organized Home Challenge Plan here.
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts…
- 03/01 Celebrate Piper’s Adoption Day
- 03/01 Order Birthday and Special Occasion Gifts
- 03/03 Caregiver Appreciation Day
- 03/03 National Day of Unplugging
- 03/07 Early Spring Decor Ideas Blog Hop
- 03/08 International Women’s Day
- 03/10 Harriet Tubman Day
- 03/12 Daylight Savings Time Begins, US
- 03/12 National Plant a Flower Day
- 03/13 Commonwealth Day
- 03/13 National Clean Out Your Closet Week
- 03/14 National Pi Day
- 03/17 St. Patrick’s Day
- 03/20 First Day of Spring
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 these posts and look forward to them each week! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights! Have a blessed day!
That is such a sweet and kind thing to say, Susan, thank you so much I really appreciate it. They’re always fun to put together. Hope you have the best weekend. Hugs, CoCo
I can spend hours on your posts! I clicked on EVERY one today- thank you, I so enjoy!! Going to try the packing tape transfer:) And the homes are all amazing!
Thank you for your sweet and kind words, Barbara, I really appreciate them. I swear we are so lucky to be able to access beautiful homes on the internet like this, you know? It inspires me every week too. Can’t wait to hear how the tape transfer project goes. Cindy is such a talented lady! Hope you have the best weekend, CoCo
Wow! You have been busy! So glad to hear your mom and dad are healed and are enjoying activities they love! One of these days I’m going to run into you at Renningers!! I really needed to hear your sweet and encouraging words today! February has been rough, so I’m really looking forward to Spring and a new season!! Thank you for brightening my day and congrats on the growth of the blog! That is amazing!! Hugs, Donna
Thank you bunches, Donna! It’s been a wild month but I can finally see the finish line of our family’s Holiday Hustle which lasts from the beginning of October to the beginning of March. I was so close to texting you to see if you were going to Renningers but I knew you had had such a heartbreaking month and you also needed a birthday redo I didn’t want to bother you. I definitely have the next Extravaganza on my list for November though so maybe we can finally meet up. It was crazy hot but we had a good time. Cheering you on as you begin again this spring. A fresh season sounds like the perfect way to reclaim the year and live your goals and dreams out loud. It’s never too late, I promise! Big hugs, CoCo
Such encouragement in your words today, CoCo!! A fun-filled month for sure 🙂 Happy weekend, friend!
Thank you so much, Rachel, I really appreciate it. Hope you have the best weekend too! Hugs, CoCo