From the Front Porch: The Valentine Edition
Happy Friday from the front porch sweet friends and thanks so much for making us a part of your day!
The week ahead is going to be a busy one, isn’t it?
The Lunar New Year. The Super Bowl. Fat Tuesday. Galentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day. Lent Season.
Lots of exciting opportunities to love our people well, you know?
Recently, I helped my Mom take care of something that’s been on her bucket list for a while now.
It’s not that she couldn’t have handled it by herself, she totally could have.
After months of watching her procrastinate on a task I knew she wanted and needed to do though, I finally decided to dig a little deeper and ask her what was holding her back.
“I don’t know,” she said pensively. “I’m just nervous about the whole thing, I guess. I think I need someone to go with me, but I don’t want to bother anyone.”
The minute those words left her mouth, I knew the problem could easily be solved.
So, I asked my Mom to find a time that best fit her schedule so we could meet up.
The following day, we hatched a plan to not only take care of one item on her bucket list but three.
Our time together was extraordinarily easy, all things considered, and filled with memories I’ll never forget.
That night before crawling into bed, I decided to check my messages one last time and saw one from my Mom.
It simply read, “Thank you for going with me today. I felt really loved.”
What caught me off guard most about her text was how genuinely easy it was to make someone feel loved.
For me, it was nothing more than a scheduling change.
But for her, it was the gift of being seen.
As we prepare for what promises to be another happy yet busy week, I encourage you to think about how you can make those around you feel loved and seen.
It might be as simple as scheduling a special lunch or dinner date, booking an impromptu spa package, hiring a cleaning or home organizing service, or being fully present as you accompany a loved one to an appointment that feels scary to them.
Perhaps it’s as easy as surprising someone with an item they’ve wanted for a while but haven’t purchased yet for whatever reason.
Maybe it’s as straightforward as a phone call without distractions, a thoughtful email, or warming up a winter day with an unexpected card in the mail.
I know sometimes it can feel like the gifts we have to offer are so small they might not even make a difference, but those gifts are precisely the gifts that people need most from us.
As always, I’ll be cheering you on.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web This Week…
Beautiful Home and Garden Tours:
- The 1950s cabin designer Whitney McGregor made over is just as dreamy as you’d imagine.
- One of the things I love most about Jenny Martin Design is how she creates spaces that are both pretty and practical and her project, Elmsgate is no exception.
- I can’t remember if I’ve shared this beautiful Windward Lane project by designer Ashley Gilbreath or not but it seems like shades of green are going to be popular this spring so I don’t want you to miss it.
Seasonal Inspiration:
- Rachel’s post, How to Use Cloches for Valentine’s Decor and Gift Ideas was a fun one and has lots of fantastic last-minute ideas too.
- This Valentine’s Day Tablescape from Craftberry Bush is one of my all-time favorites.
- Super excited to try this adorable Valentine’s Day recipe from my talented friend, Cindy of County Road 407.
- My beautiful friend, Anna makes these Valentine arrows look easy! Plus, I love that you can use them for weddings and shower events throughout the year too.
Health and Wellness Inspiration:
- Bookmarked this post from Susan, The True Definition of Love in the Bible From 1 Corinthians there were so many fabulous takeaways.
- This post, 6 Daily Habits to Reduce Inflammation, via Camille Styles was helpful.
- 3 Things to Do When You Can’t Fall Asleep Because You’re Overthinking (I should probably bookmark this one via Self too)
Style and Travel Inspiration:
- Fashion Trends According to TikTok (That Are Totally Doable – via The Everygirl)
- The Best Drugstore Beauty Buys of 2024 (via Harpers Bazaar)
- This Ultimate Guide to London via Julia Berolzheimer has me all kinds of ready for Spring!
Simple Pleasures and Little Luxuries:
- An elegant twist on a classic shirt dress at a budget-friendly price.
- Speaking of budget-friendly, have you seen this jacket and these matching pants yet?
- And since we’re keeping it budget-friendly, does anyone have one have a bag from this brand? This one is such a pretty shape.
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog or the Archives Recently, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
17 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day
25 DIY Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
2024 Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
You can find last week’s From the Front Porch: The Birthday Edition here, if you missed it…
Organizing the Week Ahead…
Words to Live By:
Dates to Celebrate and Commemorate:
- 02/09 National Pizza Day
- 02/10 Lunar New Year Begins
- 02/11 Super Bowl Sunday
- 02/11 National Latte Day
- 02/13 Galentine’s Day
- 02/13 Fat Tuesday
- 02/14 Ash Wednesday
- 02/14 Valentine’s Day
Weekly Simplified and Organized Home Challenge Task:
- Declutter and Organize Your Pantry and Spices
3 Simple Ways to Celebrate the Season:
- Have Dinner by Candlelight
- Pay for the Groceries of the Person Behind You in the Express Lane
- Discover Your Love Language and Your Apology Language
Valentine’s Day 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)
- Ramekins (these would be fun for Valentine’s Day)
- Cardigan (the black and white version is currently in my cart)
- Dinnerware Set (you can never go wrong with white dinnerware)
- Sleep Mask (has anyone tried this style before? I’m curious)
- Hoops (these hoops are an easy way to incorporate gold into your everyday style)
- Cake Plate (this is giving me vintage ironstone vibes)
- Dress (pretty in pink and classy in navy)
- Card Set (love the idea of keeping cards like this on hand)
- Cleansing Balm (my sister loves this brand)
- Polish Kit (gel nails finish without the upkeep?)
- Napkins (the embellishment on these is really pretty)
- Sweater (comes in a variety of colors)
- Gummy Lips (an easy Valentine’s Day basket idea)
- Tote (one of my girlfriends carries this to the farmers market)
- Flats (these are almost too pretty to wear)
- Dutch Oven (we have no room for this in our cabinets but it’s been on my wishlist forever)
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
Thanks for all the fun last minute ideas. I’ve found several things to buy and I can’t wait to surprise my kids with the candy box and my coworkers with the vase.
You are so welcome, Sydney, happy to help and I hope you have the best time celebrating! Hugs, CoCo
Thanks so much for sharing my post! You are such a blessing! I know you were a blessing to your mom too. So many times, what seems like a little thing to us is such a big thing to the person on the receiving end! Have a great weekend!
You are so welcome, Susan! Every time I’ve gotten off tracks this week I used the words from your post and they immediately helped! I think I can definitely speak for the rest of my family when I say my Mom is a huge blessing to all of us. She’s such a sweet and thoughtful lady and makes our lives infintely better in good times and in bad. We are so lucky to have her! Sending you lots of hugs for a loved filled and happy weekend, CoCo
I enjoy your weekly From the Front Porch CoCo! You share encouraging messages that speak to my heart. What a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with and for your mom! Have a great weekend!
That’s so sweet of you to say, Cindy, thank you! These Friday posts are always fun to write. I wasn’t sure I should keep doing them because everything seems to hinge on SEO focused posts now but you and fellow readers have been so supportive of them I feel like they’re part of the TCG DNA now 🙂 Sending you tons of hugs for a happy weekend. There’s so much to celebrate, CoCo
Hi, friend!!
I’m so happy to hear about how much you adore and help your mom! I always look forward to your FTFP posts each Friday because they start off the weekend in such a lovely way 🙂 Hope you are well! Wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s day!
That’s so sweet and kind of you to say, Rachel, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Hope your weekend is filled with all good things and Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, CoCo
Another wonderful post. It feels like we are just a couple of friends, having tea and chatting. Hugs and blessings to you.
Aww that’s so sweet, Renae, thank you. That’s exactly how I want it to feel too! We could have the best time if we lived closer! Hugs, CoCo
Hi CoCo! Thanks for your encouraging words! We often forget what a small act of kindness can mean to other people! You are right about this being a fun week to celebrate! Have a good one! Hugs, Donna
You are so welcome, Donna. I’m glad these words have helped! Small acts of kindness have the power to change so much if we let it. Big hugs and hope your weekend is a special one, CoCo
Coco,
I’m so glad you had this special time with your mom! Cherish every moment! I love all your cute ideas this week and appreciate you for sharing my Cloche ideas. You are the best and have a wonderful Valentines week.
Thank you, Rachel! I’m so thankful to have such a special bond with my Mom and I know you have an amazing bond with your daughter too. It makes everyday an adventure. Big hugs and hope you have the best weekend, CoCo
BTW, I’m sharing this post in my weekend post this weekend! Have a blessed weekend CoCo!
Oh my gosh you totally made my day, Cindy, thank you so much! Sending you so many hugs, CoCo
Hi Coco,
Loved your post about loving people, such great thoughts and actions. I really needed to be reminded of that today, as I was feeling rather discouraged and needed to be reminded of those small things that really do make a difference in peoples lives, and after reading your blog I hopped over to Glimsen and was further encouraged, because we have a card shop too, and have recently made a decision about it, and this
further encouraged and reinforced our decision. Always enjoy my time here, always a blessing hon.
So glad you picked up on your Mom’s need for support, you are a good daughter, and glad yall had that sweet time together. Have a lovely day, and I am cheering you on too.
Blessings, Nellie
I love that you were able to be there for your mom, sometimes that little bit of extra means the world. I so enjoy your thought provoking from the front porch posts and how well written they are!