From the Front Porch: Red, White and You Summer Reset Edition

Happy Thursday from the front porch beautiful friends and welcome to the Red, White, and You Summer Reset Edition.

I hope your season is off to a fabulous start and you’re looking forward to all the good things July has to offer.

We’ve been leaning into the sweet rhythms of summer, and it’s been the biggest blessing.

While the days haven’t all been perfect, it’s been amazing to simply use this summer sabbatical to concentrate on the health and wellness issues I’ve put on the back burner for far too long.

Earlier this week, my watch started vibrating after finishing a long walk and I knew instantly it was because I had finally reached a workout goal I had set at the beginning of the month.

As the medal danced around my watch face, I couldn’t help but get excited, because it truly felt like an accomplishment.

You see, for nearly two years, I convinced myself I couldn’t work out in the mornings because the treadmill which I prefer to use was in Piper’s room.

While Piper is an absolute delight, she’s also a 3-year-old wild lady terrier that doesn’t nap much during the day.

So, I’m very careful about the time she wakes up because I don’t get a lot of quiet time or free time once she’s awake.

Month after month, I’d start my mornings trying rebounding routines on YouTube, slipping in and out of yoga practices, or riding the stationary bike pretending I was on the backroads in Paris.

But I just could not for the life of me make myself stick to a consistent workout routine no matter how hard I tried.

It was so frustrating I finally just gave up completely.

Shortly before my health and wellness journey began, I got on the scales and realized I was still 11 pounds over my pre Covid weight.

Even though I knew part of the weight gain was due to the medications I was on while being treated for Covid and Strep, it was nevertheless disappointing.  

And seeing those numbers was tough because it meant I needed to lose 39 pounds to be at my healthiest weight not the 29 pounds I had mentally prepared myself for.

Truth be told, I was this close to beating myself up for not addressing the issue sooner.

As I’ve shared many times this year though, I’ve been making a concerted effort to turn challenges into invitations.

So, I started troubleshooting ways to walk each day without using the treadmill or waking up Piper.

The solution wound up to be an embarrassingly easy one and I’m already down 6 pounds.

But the whole experience taught me a very important lesson.

When we truly want something, no matter what it is, we will find a way to figure it out and make it happen.

One of my favorite quotes from best selling author Robin Sharma is this, “What you focus on grows, what you think about expands, and what you dwell upon determines your destiny.”

The journey of self-discovery and change doesn’t happen overnight.

It happens one choice at a time, one moment of clarity at a time, one action step at a time, and one act of kindness and grace at a time.

Always remember, you are worth the investment no matter how long it takes.

And I’ll be here cheering you on.

A Few of our Favorite Posts From Around the Web This Week…

Beautiful Home and Garden Tours:

• This Noosa home tour via the Design Villa feels like walking into a luxurious vacation home.
• Speaking of vacation, this Nantucket Summer House via Tharon Anderson Design is positively dreamy.  
• I love all the layers of texture in this home, Salt Marsh by designer Lisa Harp.
• 9 Veggies, Fruits and Herbs You Can Grow on Your Balcony or Patio (via Self)

Seasonal Inspiration:

• I missed our monthly Pinterest Challenge because I’ve been taking some time off, but I wanted to make sure you saw Cindy of County Road 407’s post, Quick and Easy Patriotic Table for 2 On the Patio. I love the mix of prints. You’ll also find the rest of the fabulous ladies of the Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop at the bottom of Cindy’s post. They’re definitely worth checking out!
• Have you seen the patriotic pillow Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse made from the Dollar Tree? It’s super cute.
• Cindy of DIY Beautify created this post, Easy Primitive Style Flags with Coffee Stain and it’s such a fun way to add patina to new flags.
• Pinning these 28 Red, White and Blue Recipes for the 4^th of July from Brit + Co. They all look delicious!
• LOVED this post from Motherly, 90s Summers Were the Best Summers – Here’s How to Recreate the Magic. It brought back the best memories!

Health and Wellness Inspiration:

• 6 Verses to Help You Rest This Summer (via the faith-based company DaySpring)
• How to Use Ikigai to Find Your Purpose (via Calm)
• Tips for a Calmer More Efficient Work Life (via The Everygirl)

Style and Travel Inspiration:

• Where to Buy Classic Wardrobe Staples (love, love, love all of these from Alyson Haley)
• Soft Glam Sweat Proof Summer Makeup Tips and Tricks (via Meg O’s YouTube Channel)
• The Top 10 Countries with the Best Work Life Balance (via CN Traveler) 

Simple Pleasures and Little Luxuries:

• Have you seen the Team USA Collection by Ralph Lauren yet?
• How fabulous is this Breton shirt from St. James?
• Speaking of which, I would lose it in the best possible way if Piper ever wore this!
• Tuckernuck created such a pretty version of RL’s iconic sweater if you’re still looking for 4^th of July outfit ideas.

Red, White, and You Summer Reset Ideas from the Blog…

5 Simple Ways to Reset This Summer

40 Affirmations to Kickstart Your Day

Finding Clarity with Journaling Prompts

My Favorite Podcasts

Modern Day Cleaning Schedule Made Easy

You can find the From the Front Porch: Patriotic Inspiration Edition here if you missed it…

Organizing the Month Ahead:

Words to Live By…

On the Menu…

July Menu Ideas

July Bucket List…

• Celebrate Independence Day and Granny’s Birthday
• Make Vanilla Ice Cream and Blackberry Doobie
• Cheer on Team USA in the Summer Olympics
• Take Piper to the Beach
• Sparklers with the Littles
• Connect Four Rematch and Smores
• Attend Summer Spectacular Event
• Christmas in July Activities
• Plan Fall and Winter Content
• Read the Book of the Month
• Keep Sundays Sacred

July Word of the Month…

• Celebrate

Activities to Enjoy:

• Hike a New Trail
• Picnic at the Lake
• Read a Book on the Beach While Listening to the Waves
• Watch an Epic Fireworks Display
• Plan a Christmas in July Weekend
• Go to Your Favorite Bakery for Coffee and Dessert

July Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…

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

• Week 1- Kids Room or Guest Room
• Week 2 – Kids Room or Guest Room Closet & Drawers
• Week 3 – Kids Room or Guest Room Bathroom & Cabinets
• Week 4 – Back to School Supplies/ Toys & Games
• Week 5 – Clean Out/Organize Your Car

TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts

• 07/01 – Buy Birthday and Special Occasion Cards and Gifts
• 07/01 – Canada Day
• 07/02 – Made in the USA Day
• 07/04 – Independence Day (US)
• 07/07 – World Chocolate Day
• 07/09 – Summer Pillow Inspiration Blog Hop with the Handcrafted Society
• 07/09 – National Sugar Cookie Day
• 07/07-07/13 – Target Deal Days
• 07/08-0/11 – Walmart Deals for Days
• 07/12 – National Simplicity Day
• 07/14 – Bastille Day
• 07/15-08/05 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (*Nordstrom members have the earliest access)
• 07/16-07/17 – Amazon Prime Days
• 07/17 – Basket Blog Hop with the ladies of Lifestyle of Love
• 07/17 – National Ice Cream Day 
• 07/20 – National Hot Dog Day
• 07/23 – Summer Tablescapes with Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop
• 07/26 – Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
• 07/31 – National Mutt Day

Summer Reset Edition:Health and Wellness Inspiration We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…

(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)

**Most of these items we have and love, some have been recommended by friends, others are on our radar because we’re doing additional research before purchasing. As always, it’s best to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about what products will work best for your health and wellness journey.

• Protein Powder (have, love and use all the time)
• NutriBullet (have been using the matte black version each week for almost a year now and still love it)
• Airpods (S has these and loves them, I use old school JBLs)
• Running Shoes (I usually wear Hokas but am intrigued after reading all the great reviews)
• Magnetic Calendar (currently using the monthly version, but the monthly/weekly version would be a great way to stay on top of your calendar and meal planning needs)
• Resistance Bands (S has these in different colors and says they’re easy to use)
• Bloom (The original flavor is my favorite flavor because it’s not too sweet or earthy)
• Elliptical Machine (This would be great to have during rainy season and colder months)
• Apple Watch (an updated version of the one I have but I’m totally obsessed with closing my rings each day)
• Asics Running Shoes (these were my first pair of running shoes and they’re budget friendly too)
• Workout Dress (comes with separate shorts just be sure to check the size guide)
• Yoga Mat (have in blue and love)
• Collagen Powder (have, love, and use every day in my coffee)
• Rebounder (I enjoy using my rebounder, I wish I would have gotten the one with the handle though)
• Heating Pad (have, love and use every day)
• Resurfacing Pads (I’ve been using a budget friendly version without seeing a lot of change, my sister swears by this brand though)
• Yoga Pants (these are nice because they have pockets)
• Adjustable Weights (has anyone tried these? I’m thinking of adding these to my daily walk)
• Chia Seeds (have, love and use almost daily)
• Smart Scale (this scale has so many features and has great reviews)
• Mineral Soak (I use this and the lavender ones all the time)
• Deodorant (have and love, just be sure to check the ingredients as they might not be suitable for everyone)
• High Wasted Running Shorts (S has and loves these)
• Water Bottle (have, love and use daily in the mauve color)
• Liquid IV (I’ve been a fan of the watermelon for years but somone told me LMNT is good too. Any thoughts?)

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 soon!

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo