From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch, sweet friends. Thanks so much for making us a part of your day.
How are you holding up so far this holiday season? I know these last few weeks can be incredibly busy trying to juggle all the things!
We’re spending some time with the pod before we head up to the cabin.
I’m not even gonna lie we affectionately call this week, The Christmas Crunch because it feels like Christmas chews us up and spits us out this same time every. single. year. 🤣
I am SO tired but in the best possible way.
This week, we’ve celebrated with our extended family at the farm, drove down to celebrate my sisters birthday, met friends for dinner, zoomed with Miss Mustard Seed (such a dream come true), Facetimed my Dad’s family while eating a Blizzard to celebrate my late grandmothers birthday (she LOVED blizzards so we go to Dairy Queen every year in her honor), nursed a sore and stressed back, picked up a few last-minute gifts, saved Piper from ingesting 2 poisonous frogs, prepped to take a few weeks off, had pizza with my parents, got the car serviced, attended my nephews piano recital and neighborhood sing-along, participated in a fun vintage Christmas blog hop, and finally settled in to celebrate an early Christmas at Bliss Barracks.
I don’t want to show my age but I might have to ask the teenagers if they can pedal my bike for the jingle bells bike parade later tonight 😂
Whatever you have planned for the next few weeks, I hope it’s filled with magical memory-making and you’re able to soak up every ounce of all the good things the holidays have to offer.
A Few of Our Favorite Posts from Around the Web this Week…
Holiday Inspiration 2021 (so many beautiful images in this post)
Southern Charm and Holiday Magic Unite in This Family’s Mississippi Home
Loved the elegant simplicity in this California holiday home tour too!
This cozy holiday home tour is really pretty
Gingerbread will always have a special place in my heart no matter what time of year it is. My friend Roxanne made this beautiful gingerbread ornaments swag.
This Christmas tree is so unique and creative.
Speaking of unique and creative, have you seen this Christmas tour from Madcap Cottage yet? I’m already pining over a pink tree for next year
These gift wrap ideas are just too cute not to share. I swear one of my brothers-in-law has a beard as big as the gnome does 🤣
This is a great gift wrap video if you’re looking to keep it simple this year.
If you need still need gift tag ideas, this blog hop has lots of pretty ones and you can find our vintage-inspired gift tags here.
This elegant tablescape will make you want to linger over a meal with friends and family.
How to Be an Excellent Gift Giver
Expert Tips for Keeping Your Holidays Stress Free
and finally, the supper club is back with 6 festive tablescape ideas for New Year’s Eve you’ll love!
Tulip Design Co 2022 Calendar…
As I’ve been sharing each week, I’ve been collaborating on a few sponsored posts with my talented friend Jennifer of Tulip Design Co over on Instagram.
I enjoy her products and her company’s mission so much I’ve decided to share them over on the blog too!
One of my favorites is her 2022 Pattern Play Calendar! It’s the perfect size to keep on your desk for a quick date reference or to display in your office.
Each month features a fresh new design and as an added bonus Jennifer will soon launch a special section of Tulip Design Co devoted to all the fun paper projects you can try with your calendar pages year-round too.
In addition to giving a portion of her profits to organizations that educate and empower women and girls in the US and around the world, Jennifer has also graciously and exclusively given The Crowned Goat readers 30% off a 1-time purchase good from December 10, 2021, through January 1, 2022, using the code: TCGBONUS.
Tulip Design Co also has cards, notepads, stickers, and art prints. If you haven’t checked out Katie’s Garden yet – it’s beautiful and I adore the Mr. Fox notepad too!
Words to Live By…
On the Menu this Week…
Week of December 19th – December 25th
12/19 Sunday – Christmas Fettuccine or Three Cheese Turkey Manicotti
12/20 Monday – Soy-Ginger Salmon with Asian Roasted Carrots and Broccoli
12/21 Tuesday – Enchiladas with Southwest Salad
12/22 Wednesday – The Ultimate Immune-Boosting Soup
12/23 Thursday – Christmas Charcuterie Board
12/24 Friday – 75 Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas from Fancy to No-Fuss
12/25 Saturday – Christmas Day Menu Ideas
- Christmas Menu Ideas and Recipes (including apps and desserts)
- 60 Creative Christmas Ideas That Will Steal The Show
- 15 Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast Ideas and 4 Breakfast Charcuterie Boards Worth Waking Up For and this Ham and Cheese Breakfast Strata looks so good too!
12/26 Sunday – Boxing Day Menu Ideas
Sweet Treat to Try This Week…
This Christmas baking list has so many fun ideas on it and The 56 Best Christmas Desserts of All Time is a festive one too!
A Few Fun NYE Finds 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 for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
**Additional colors available at the time of original post date
**Dress * **Clutch * **Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone * **Dinner Party Chargers
**Camera * **Belt * **Number Balloons * **Flatware
**Statement Earrings * Champagne Bottle Balloon Kit * **Blouse * Curtain String Lights
**Eye Shadow Palette * **Shimmer Tights * Edible Stars * **Tulle Skirt
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
Quick and Easy Monogrammed Sweatshirt
How to Make Overnight Guests Feel Welcome
Traditional Christmas Home Tour at Bliss Barracks and Vintage Christmas Blog Hop
A Little Sparkle Holiday Home Tour
Chocolate Covered Snowflake Oreos
DIY Gingerbread Snowflake Ornaments
2021 The Crowned Goat Holiday Gift Guide (160 ideas in 10 different categories)
December Bucket List…
- Observe Advent
- Celebrate December Birthdays and Anniversaries
- Donate to the Sweater Drive
- Attend Dance and Piano Recitals and Cheer on The Littles
- Sip Cocoa at The Lights Festival
- Christmas Lunch with Extended Family at The Farm
- Celebrate Christmas with The Pod at Bliss Barracks
- Leave Cookies and Milk for Santa and Veggies for the Reindeer
- Relax at the Cabin and Enjoy a Holiday Vacation
- Hike Trails on the AT
- Bundle Up by the Firepit
- Make Christmas Fettuccine and Watch The Holiday
- Attend Zoom Call with MMS
- Set Goals, Dreams, and Intentions for 2022
- Create a Vision Board for 2022
- Celebrate New Year’s Eve and Midnight Gift Exchange
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
December Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Holiday Planning & Preparing for the New Year
- 12/04 – Mail Christmas Packages
- 12/11 – Finalize Christmas Menu & Grocery List
- 12/18 – Purchase New Planner & Set Goals for the New Year
- 12/26 – Organize Holiday Storage Items
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts…
- 12/17 The Crowned Goat Holiday Break Begins
- 12/18 National Wreaths Across America Day
- 12/19 Fourth Week of Advent: Joy
- 12/24 Christmas Eve
- 12/25 Christmas Day
- 12/26 Boxing Day
- 12/26 Kwanzaa Begins
- 12/31 New Year’s Eve
The Future of The Crowned Goat…
As I mentioned above, we’re heading to the cabin to take a few weeks off. While I’ll deeply miss waking up on Christmas morning with my parents, sisters, brothers in law and the littles, we’re in desperate need of quiet time to reflect, pray and carefully consider our future.
Next year, TCG will turn 5 which totally blows my mind! It’s truly been an honor and a pleasure to be welcomed into your lives and to be a part of your day each day through the blog and on social media.
We’ve laughed together and cried together. Embraced projects that were quick and easy and spaces that were way out of our comfort zone.
We loved each other through grief and encouraged each other to grow, even when it felt painful at the time.
By now, I usually have a long list of things I want to accomplish, to work on, to try, paint, make, decorate or create for the coming year.
But I’ll be honest, towards the end of last year and for nearly all of this year, things have started to change and somewhere along the way, I changed with it.
My plan is to take next week completely off.
After that, we’ll keep our Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedules intact to share our last 3 posts of the year the week of December 27th.
Admittedly, sometimes the wifi is not always great at the cabin. But that’s our plan for now as we work through and carefully consider all of our options and map out some changes moving forward.
As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your Christmas and holiday season is peace-filled and relaxing.
Being a part of your lives feels like a new gift each day and we’re grateful for each and every one of you.
Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
With love,
CoCo
If anyone deserves a break you definitely do my friend! You make me tired just reading your schedule! Lol!! I hope you and your have an absolutely wonderful and totally blessed holiday! Merry Christmas! PS Thank you so much for sharing my Strata recipe!! Hugs!!
Aww thank you, Christine! Most of the time I can plug through it all but there is something about last year and this year that changed everything for me. I know you pray a lot too so say one for me that I’ll know the right thing to do moving forward next year. The scary decisions are always the hardest to make, you know? Sending you lots of hugs for a richly blessed holiday season. You’ve been an amazing friend and support and I’m beyond thankful to have you as part of my life, CoCo
Enjoy your break, CoCo. I know you will decide what is best for you. Have a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. xo Laura
CoCo,
Thanks so much for stopping by during this busy time of year…Looking forward to your last 2 posts for the year and I do hope you find the quiet and peace that you deserve at the cabin…Merry Christmas, my friend!!
Hugs,
Deb
CoCo,
I can’t miss this post each week. I love all that you share. I’m so honored that you chose to share my New Years Eve Table ideas. You are the best. Thanks and I hope you have a very special Christmas!
CoCo – First thank you so much for sharing my Cozy Wrapping post in your From the Front Porch. I really appreciate it! Second – wow, I am also tired looking at your schedule – looks like you take time to make lots of memories and that’s the best. Love the Blizzard story. The cabin sounds wonderful – I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing holiday.
That is so sweet that you head to DQ for a Blizzard every year to remember your grandma’s birthday. That was one of my favorite treats growing up. I definitely need to check out this deal you shared for 30% off from Tulip Design Co.!!
Love your holiday decor, have a Merry Christmas!