From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch, sweet friends. We greatly appreciate you making us a part of your day and we’re so happy to have you here!
I know some of you are just getting back from spring break and others are trying to adjust to the time change.
I’m not even gonna lie, losing an hour has completely thrown us for a loop and things around here have been kind of bananas.
Especially, with the laundry room out of commission and the nearby rooms filled with overflow.
My only goal this week has been to concentrate on the “little wins.”
Nothing big or bold, just constantly reminding myself to “choose better” all while finding slivers of hope and joy in each day.
I’ve also been trying to throw extra doses of TLC around like confetti because I know change is not always easy, which leads me to an update on sleep training.
After waking up before my 445 am alarm for several weeks, then sleeping through my alarm every day for a solid week, I feel like I’m SO close to being fully sleep-trained.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m having to completely recalibrate with the time change and I know it seems like such a small thing but having consistent quiet time in the morning is rocking my world in the best possible way.
It hasn’t been easy by any stretch, but I can already tell it’s making a big difference which feels like a huge blessing.
Speaking of blessing, a HUGE THANK YOU for all your kind comments and to Donna of An Organized Season, and my adorable mom for participating in our first TCG Zoom call.
I was crazy nervous because I’ve been struggling through a difficult season of anxiety and I don’t have a lot of experience with technical things.
They hung in there with me though and we had a great time!
I always appreciate learning from other people and it was really nice to connect outside of blogging and social media.
On a side note, I snapped this photo just after we finished the call as a “courage over confidence” reminder to myself that showing up scared is better than not showing up at all.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web This Week…
If you’ve ever wanted to snuggle up in a cabin and get away from it all, you’ll love this home tour. Don’t miss the office with a space perfectly suited for reading a good book!
Speaking of snuggling up with a good book, wait until you see all the pretty vintage touches in this house.
Love all the vintage touches in this laundry room makeover as well. It gives me so much hope our laundry room will be worth it in the end too!
This bird wallpaper and guest bedroom makeover look like they came straight out of the English countryside – seriously so beautiful! (Honestly, everything Michael does is amazing, he’s such a great follow)
Bria Hammel’s latest project is a total showstopper.
A stunning example of neo-classical design.
These mini egg cupcakes from my friend Niky are almost too pretty to eat!
My friend Debra puts together the prettiest vignettes in EVERY season, if you haven’t seen this festive Flowering Bulb Spring Vignette or this Blooming Seed Box Vignette yet, you’re going to love them both.
You’ll love this fabulous garden-inspired Easter centerpiece from my friend Rachel too!
The beautiful spring wreath DIY with a super creative frame idea.
And this gorgeous spring wreath had me ready to run to town for pink flowers and eucalyptus – seriously so pretty!
The hydrangea inspiration that will have you swooning and ready for summer.
How cute would these personalized bags be as Easter baskets?
This new to me website/brand has so many beautiful things!
The Productivity Tip You Need to Hear Based on Your Enneagram
Words to Live By…
First 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 for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
- January – Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking by Jon Acuff (I’ve talked about this book a lot this quarter and for good reason. It’s going to be one of my favorite books of the year!)
- February – Master of One: Find and Focus on the Work You Were Created to Do by Jordan Raynor (not what I expected)
- March – Declutter Like a Mother: A Guilt-Free No Stress Way Transform Your Home and Your Life by Allie Casazza (I’ve read A LOT of organization books over the years and this approach was super relatable)
- Courageous Influence: Embrace the Way God Made You for Impact (Such a great way to start the day! I’m excited to dive into the other 3 books this year)
Second 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 for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
- April – The Gift of Home: Beauty and Inspiration to Make Every Space a Special Place by Bre Doucette
- May – The Power to Bless – Speaking Life into Those You Love by Alan Right
- June – Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L Scott
- Courageous Simplicity: Abide in the Simple Abundance of Jesus
On the Menu this Week…
Week of March 27th – April 3rd
- 03/27 Sunday: Chicken Pesto Pasta with Italian side salad
- 03/28 Monday: Hummus Crusted Salmon with Lemon Arugula Salad
- 03/29 Tuesday: Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
- 03/30 Wednesday: Spinach Avocado Salad with Berries
- 03/31 Thursday: Creamy Turkey Gnocchi Soup
- 04/01 Friday: Garlic Pesto Flatbread Pizza
- 04/02 Saturday: Sheet Pan Breakfast Bake
- 04/03 Sunday: Baked Pork Tenderloin with mashed potatoes, green beans and baked apples
Sweet Treat to Try This Week…
Things to Make Your Life Better or Easier Inspired Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…
(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 for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
Curlers (on my Easter basket wishlist)* Body Scrub * Waterproof Notepad * Detangling Brush (have and love)
Diamond Dazzle Stick * Packing Cubes (gifted and loved) * Package Opener * Shirt Folding Board (my sister has and loves)
Greeting Card Organizer * Air Pods Cleaning Pen * Pet Feeding Mat * Salad Dressing Shaker
Dog Toys (Pipers Easter basket surprise) * Refrigerator Liners * Bath Crystals (need for our cold and allergy kit) Clear Toiletry Bags (great for traveling or keeping your purse organized, Mom)
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
Farmhouse Easter Basket Ideas at Amazon
(96 Items + 16 Basket Ideas – including the “little luxuries” board I’m currently obsessed with and the farmhouse kitchen gift ideas seen below)
Quick and Easy Spring Bunny Art
(I just read through this post again yesterday and it’s crazy how relatable it still is even though it’s from 2020)
(You guys always make me teary in the best possible way reading your comments – a million times over, thank you so much for all your kind words on this post and on all the Encouragement of the Month posts – it means the world to me!)
March Bucket List…
- Celebrate Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, and Piper’s Adoption Day
- Decorate the House for Spring
- Finish the Jack and Jill Bathroom
- Replant Container Gardens on the Front Porch
- Shop for Easter Basket Gifts
- Buy New Bra and Panty Sets
- Get a Fresh Haircut
- Yoga Before Bed
- Continue Quarter Challenge
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
March/April Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Master Bedroom and Bathroom/Gathering Spaces
- 03/26 – Master Bathroom Cabinets and Countertops
- 04/02 – Linen Closets
- 04/09 – Laundry Room
- 04/16 – Entry or Mudroom
- 04/23 – Dining Room & Dining Room Hutch/Buffet
- 04/30 – Declutter & Organize Living Room
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts…
- 04/01 – Buy Birthday and Special Occasion Gifts and Cards
- 04/10 – Palm Sunday, Siblings Day
- 04/11 – National Pet Day
- 04/15 – Good Friday
- 04/17 – Easter Sunday
- 04/18 – Tax Day (US)
- 04/22 – Earth Day
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
Thankyou Coco for yet another amazing post, choc full of interest and great ideas.
I know just how you feel with reference to the clocks changing, here in the UK we go forward this weekend, don’t get me wrong, I love lighter nights but honestly, losing that hour is insane, it knocks everyone out, worse when the children were small, they got up at the usual time so no win there.:))
No matter what the hour, enjoy it, we are the lucky ones.xx
You are so welcome, Janette! These Friday posts are always fun to put together. I’m hoping we will all feel back to normal by next week now that we’ve had a little time to adjust. It’s so weird how one hour can make such a big difference but has certainly been rocking our world. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that your transition will be a smooth one too! Big hugs for a happy weekend, CoCo
CoCo
thanks for all your inspiration and thanks for sharing my post again this week. You are so kind to me. Have the best weekend.
You are so welcome, Rachel! As I’ve shared plenty of times I could easily run your fan club. Big hugs for a happy and peace-filled weekend, CoCo
I like your attitude from your zoom call “showing up scared is better than not showing up at all”. Something to always keep in mind❣️
Thank you, Karen. It’s something I have to remind myself of a lot in big situations and small ones. It’s really easy to get stuck waiting to “feel ready.” But almost every person I’ve spoken with that looks like they’ve “made it” have all said the same thing – you never feel truly ready which is why courage over confidence is another gentle reminder we could all use daily. Sending you hugs for a lovely weekend, CoCo
Glad you are getting your sleep under control. My sleep is always erratic so the time change doesn’t affect me that much. Lots of great inspiration. xo Laura
I completely understand, Laura! There have been seasons that I’ve really struggled with insomnia so I’m thankful to have finally made my sleep routine a priority. It hasn’t been easy and there are still times I feel like a zombie but my sleep patterns are better now than they have ever been. A few people have told me that magnesium helps so I’m excited to include that in my routine soon too. Hope your weekend is a fun one, CoCo
I knew you could do it! Congrats on your first zoom show. I call it a show because everyone is waiting at the edge of their seat to see you in person and hear everything out of your mouth! Did you break out in song? Or maybe do a little jig? If not, there’s always next time.
Thanks for sharing all the beautiful links too. Goodness me, so many gorgeous spaces! And I always love seeing our friends featured here.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend and happy spring!
It still amazes me even after 231 From the Front Porch posts just how creative people are and how lucky we are that they freely share it with us! I mean is that the coolest or what? I’m so thankful I made it through the Zoom call and I appreciate you helping me practice too. It meant the world to me! Sending you tons of hugs for a happy week, CoCo PS: We’re blessed to have creative, kind and supportive friends and you’re the leader of the pack ❤
Thank you so much for sharing my spring wreath! I so appreciate you!
Happy day friend!
KariAnne
You are so welcome, KariAnne! Those sweet pink flowers stole my heart immediately. Hope your week has been filled with all good things, CoCo
Funny how when we were younger, getting a good night’s sleep didn’t seem important at all. Now, if we lose even an hour we feel like we’ve been run over by a semi-truck! As a person who has struggled with insomnia these past few years, I totally understand the struggle with losing that hour of sleep! LOL! Looking forward to sipping my mid-morning tea and looking at all the inspiration you’ve gathered for us! Thank you!
It is so bananas, Christine! Thankfully, things are going much better this week in the sleep department than when the time change first started. As someone who has also struggled with insomnia, I’m bound and determined to make healthy sleep habits a top priority this year. I’ve noticed a big difference already! Big hugs and happy week, CoCo
I loved the quote about how “this is not how the story is going to end.” After all, if we still have time then we still have hope that things will be better. No matter the situation. I hope you have an amazing week!
Well said, Heidi, I couldn’t agree with you more. We always have a choice to do better, be better or choose better – even when it doesn’t feel like it. Sending you hugs for a happy and healthy week, CoCo
So much amazing inspiration CoCo. Thank you so much for sharing my laundry room refresh this week.
You are so welcome, sweet friend! We’re in the middle of ours right now so I hope it turns out even half as good as yours! Big hugs, CoCo