our house

Gift Ideas: For the Porch Mom

This gift guide is a direct result of peer pressure on Instagram. This wasn’t on the original list; I only had five gift posts planned, but someone suggested this idea and a surprising number of people were like, “yes, please” so here we are. I do have one more gift guide coming tomorrow and then I’m done. These are fun, but also, I’m too lazy for this much blogging anymore. I feel accomplished with 2-3 posts a month, and this is just too much. I have set the bar too high.

Okay, some background on how this gift guide happened and the title: I love a porch. The minute it’s warm-ish outside, I will spend my mornings on the porch drinking coffee wrapped in a blanket. In the evenings after dinner, I will be on the porch if you need me. When we moved here almost five years ago, we had three porches: two small concrete slabs and one stone back patio. Currently, we still have three porches, they are just much bigger and two of them are now covered.

The small slab off our dining room became—through a remodel—the porch off our kitchen. And the slab that was once completely covered by an overgrown bush became a much bigger porch with a grill and table big enough to hold seven of us. It’s surrounded by lush (in the summer) landscaping and lit with string lights. It became an extension of our kitchen, and we eat as many meals as we can out there.

The back patio—our largest outdoor space when we moved in—got a roof, ceiling fan, and new lights last summer. It’s now a place to lounge when it rains or rest from the sun on a hot day. There’s a picnic table there, along with a couch good for napping and some cozy chairs. In the summer, I work out there as much as possible. My work is easiest with a few computer screens in front of me, but if I’m in a meeting or responding to emails, I’m probably doing it from the back porch.

And now we move on to a paragraph about my third porch. This seems excessive, I agree. It’s also why I got so many requests to do a porch mom gift guide. I know porches.

Our newest porch is the front porch. We broke up the small slab from the uncovered front stoop in the spring, had a much larger slab poured, extended the roof to cover the large porch, and then added ceiling fans, new lights, and a porch swing. I promise, I’m done building or remodeling porches now.

Probably.

I’m almost ready for the list! Just one more thing! About the “mom” title in this list. You don’t have to have kids to be a porch mom. You can be a plant mom, a dog mom, or a friend mom to enjoy this list. The suggestion came about because I literally live on my porches for 5-6 months of the year and my IG followers know this because I’m obnoxious about it. I tried to come up with a better name, but “porch sitter” felt weird and “porch person” felt creepy. You too, no matter sex, relationship status, or family dynamics, can be a porch mom.

Now, let’s get started. (Some of these are affiliate links!)

Outdoor Rug (link)
This will come up a few times, so I just want to set the record straight right now: my preference for outdoor decor is natural colors that blend in instead of stand out. I don’t want a super colorful outdoor space. I want an outdoor space that matches nature. If you feel differently, great! But this is my list and these are the things that are on my porch so that’s why everything has a neutral or natural feel. I love a good indoor/outdoor rug to anchor a sitting area. My front porch has one, my back porch does not. It makes a space feel cozy so I put one on the porch I sit on in the morning.

Rocking Chairs (link)
I stalked Facebook Marketplace for months to find two used black rocking chairs, so I understand how hard they are to find and how quickly they sell. If your budget allows, grab a set like linked here. I like the wider ones that you can add a pillow or pad to. If you’re feeling really fancy, spring for the Cracker Barrel rocking chairs. And possibly a checkers set, just to complete the look.

Porch Swing (link)
Rocking chairs AND a porch swing? I know. I know. But this is who I am. I’m linking to a really nice porch swing that you can stain or paint, but I feel like this list is a little deceiving because half the stuff on my front porch was thrifted or used. I got my porch swing from my mom’s house. She had one she wasn’t using, so I brought it home, cleaned it up, sanded it a little, and painted it a flat black. Again, I like porch furniture that blends in to the surroundings. Also, did you know rocking or swinging literally helps our brains self-regulate? (Trampolines do this too.) So this is a mental health swing, see if you can buy it with your HSA account.

Outdoor String Lights (link)
Oh look, string lights for an outdoor space. An entirely new idea I just came up with.

Umbrella Planter (link)
Okay, so don’t actually buy this one—it’s ridiculously expensive—but something like it. I thrifted a terracotta one and filled it with succulents from a planter that was overflowing. It filled in over the warm summer months and the size/shape make it perfect for adding a plant to your patio table without taking up too much space that ends up being in the way.

Patio Table and Chairs (link)
This is the table and chairs we have on our kitchen patio. I love it because it matches my other patio furniture and is really comfortable. It’s not cheap, but it’s a good patio set that will last many years so I bit the bullet. The table, which looks like wood, is metal so it doesn’t weather or rot like an actual wood table does. The cushions come off and Home Depot sells inexpensive chair covers for the winter. I used to tear down all our outdoor furniture and store it in the shed or garage for the winter, but adding more square feet to each porch made that impossible this year.

Patio Umbrella (link)
I’ve had the same (bright red floral) table umbrella for a decade. This summer, the holes got big enough that it was time to retire. I asked for an off-white/khaki colored umbrella for Christmas to keep up with the theme of blending into nature. If you know someone who loves spending as much time outside as possible, a new patio table umbrella seems like a weird suggestion, but I’m getting one and I’m delighted about it.

Blackstone Grill (link)
Full disclosure: we have the Sam’s Club version of the Blackstone and highly recommend it. You can buy either one your little heart desires, obviously, but Sam’s Club version will save you a few hundred bucks. We love this grill. We do Sunday brunch on it. I make delicious chicken fried rice on it. Plus, all the other typical grill favorites. Chris got this for Father’s Day two years ago, and we’ve never regretted the purchase. (We do still own a charcoal grill too.)

Also, Chris Graham is getting a few grill accessories for Christmas to up the grill game. This set is fun if you already have one.

Tall Planters (link)
Speaking of Chris Graham, he built me some tall planter boxes like these last summer. I fill them with ferns, and they flank my patio doors. He made some for my mom last year, because she loved them so much. If you can’t get someone to make them for you, the ones I have linked are a great substitute.

Outdoor Pillows (link)
A good porch mom has an excessive amount of two things: pillows and blankets. You can never have too many pillows, inside or out. This is a life philosophy my spouse does not understand, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

Blankets (link)
See: above, similar life philosophy, the more the merrier.

Plant Hangers (link)
Every spring my favorite local grocery chain will stock giant hanging ferns. I fill my car with them, then hang them on hooks everywhere I can. Never enough hooks. Put these in a porch mom’s stocking.

Hummingbird Feeder (link)
Porch moms love hummingbirds. 1 cup sugar + 4 cups water, boil it, let it cool, then fill your hummingbird feeder. Freak out every single time a little hummingbird stops for a drink. This will never get old.

Bird Feeder (link)
Same with birds. How many bird feeders is too many? Don’t answer that. Just don’t hang them too close to your porch—you want to see them from your porch, but not really close up—because poop.

Wind Chimes (link)
When we were in Iowa over fall break, we ended up at an Amish store where I found wind chimes I loved. That’s saying something because, while I like the idea of wind chimes, I mostly think they’re ugly. But this Amish store in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa had some I loved. I bought them and then, once in the car, realized they were made in Indiana, about an hour from my house. Meant to be.

While we were in North Carolina last year, we visited the Biltmore Estate and toured their gardens. I picked up these wind chimes, in a slightly different color then these, for my yet-to-be-built back porch. When I finally got to hang them up this summer, I was giddy. I love them.

Welcome Mat (link)
Funny or cute welcome mats are great, everyone loves them. For texture, add a larger patterned rug underneath. (Random tip: do you have a Five Below near you? I am morally opposed to junk stores like Five Below, but they have these great 3×5 woven rugs for about $5 and they’re perfect for layering under welcome mats.)

Paint-Your-Own Stepping Stone (link)
We ended up with paint-your-own stepping stones as a lockdown activity. The girls loved doing them, and I loved added them to my landscaping. This is not the exact kit I bought, I can’t find it, but this is the brand. They’ve lasted over a year and only faded slightly.

Okay, so this already completely frivolous and excessive gift guide is now going to go completely off the rails. I know this as I’m writing it. You know this as you’re reading it. Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s proceed.

Carhartt Beanie (link)
Porch moms love to go outside when the weather is a little iffy. It might be a little too breezy, a little too wet, or a little too cold, but a porch mom does not care. She just puts on a stocking cap and braves the elements.

Fluffy Bathrobe (link)
Speaking of “does not care,” porch moms will fearlessly wear their most obnoxious bathrobe on the front porch as their children catch the bus. Again, you don’t have to have children to do this. I have two bathrobes and specific jobs for each of them. I have a longer, gray bathrobe to wear when I’m getting ready to bathe or just done bathing. Very normal behavior. But then I have a shorter, very colorful, two sizes too big bathrobe for mornings. I put it on when I get up, wear it while I drink my coffee, and get the day started. Then I proudly wear it on the front porch as we wait for the bus to come. I would describe this bathrobe as “loud.” But it is so so cozy, and I will be buried in it. (The robe I’ve linked is similar to my funeral robe, but plain black. I wanted you to get the idea without drifting into discomfort and embarrassment. Also, my robe has a hood which I totally recommend. I like to put my hood on and pretend my family can’t see me when they’re being annoying.)

Oversized Coffee Mug (link)
While you’re wearing your robe on the front porch, drink coffee. That’s it. Drink coffee.

Bluetooth Speaker (link)
Chris has a slightly larger version of this bluetooth speaker, and we love it. It gets loud, syncs with no issues, and lasts forever. One day, I might have mounted bluetooth speakers on my back porch, but until then, this will do just fine.

Citronella Candles (link)
No one likes bugs while they’re living their best life on the porch. I haven’t actually tried these yet, but the reviews all say that actually work, so they’re saved in my cart for the spring. You could buy them for me right now as a Christmas gift if you’d like.

Okay, that’s it. Do with this information what you like. Also, I’m sorry.

DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED

I’m a farmer now, here’s how you can be one too.

My summer dream was front yard landscaping, moving our shed off the driveway (serious, grandparents, why?), and a pergola over the back patio.

Instead I got a garden and cared about nothing else ever.

Sure, we didn’t have the time or margin to do those things, but something about our hard summer was made easier by growing things. No matter how busy the day was, no matter how tired I was, I ended my day watering my garden beds and checking the progress of my veggies.

If you look for the bright moments, you’ll find them in unexpected places and for me it was my garden.

The ironic part about this is the two garden beds we have were left at the rental house when our renters abandoned the property. They left tons of junk and two garden boxes in the garage. So in the midst of so much trash and stress, these two wooden frames were brought home and ended up being a quiet, restful part of the renovation mess.

I see you, God. I see you and your tiny gifts in hard, overwhelming things.

I see you seeing me.

As I immersed myself in becoming a full-time farmer, I had to buy a few things OF COURSE.

(Side note: Chris Graham HATES that I refer to myself as a farmer. I am well aware two garden boxes does not a farmer make, but I am living my best life in overalls and with a piece of straw hanging out of my mouth as I walk circles around my two small garden boxes. The more he protests my use of the word “farmer” the more I use it, because that is what marriage is all about.)

What’s weird about starting a garden is very quickly you’re planning new gardens and bigger gardens and perhaps within a few weeks you can live off the land and be completely off the grid? It gets very extreme very fast.

Except I can’t give up Amazon, so I think that means I’ll stay on the grid. Does Amazon count as on the grid? Who knows. Anyway here are some of my current favorite Amazon buys helping me to live my best country farmer life:

Rain gauge
I’m not going to lie, for years, I’ve seen people with rain gauges, and thought WHY? It’s 2018, people. You can just open an app on your phone and see how much it rained. But guys, now that I’m a legit farmer, I get it. Since I have raised beds, I don’t have the benefit of the ground water more traditional gardens have. I have to water my gardens once a day or things start to die. But if it rains! If it rains, I get the night off. But not just any rain, I need a very specific amount to be able to skip the watering so the rain gauge is really important. I don’t want to know how much rain my county had. I need to know how much rain this very specific spot in my backyard had and so OF COURSE I had to buy a rain gauge.

I get it now. I see why it’s necessary. So I hope to level-up and begin all telephone conversations with a discussion of the amount of rain fall we’ve had, but I am not there yet.

Rain barrel
Speaking of rain, I live on a well. Which for you city folks means lots of rain fills my well up and gives me plenty of water to use in the house. But if there’s not lots of rain or we’re going long periods of time between rain, my well is getting lower and lower. It takes pretty extreme conditions to get a well to a dangerously low level, but being frivolous with the water isn’t good either. So I bought a rain barrel, and Chris cut one of our gutter drains to fit directly on top of it so when it rains, half of all the water that hits our roofs runs into the rain barrel.

Obviously, this isn’t drinking water, but it’s perfect for watering my gardens and flowers. I read a million reviews before buying this one, and it seemed the only major complaint was it didn’t have tons of pressure if you hooked up a hose to it and tried to water a large distance from the barrel. We set ours up near the garden beds, and I just fill my watering canister from the barrel and then water that way. It’s been amazing, I’ve not run out of rain water all summer, and it’s been a great way to keep everything outside alive without using our well water.

(I understand those pictures aren’t really pretty or styled or blog-worthy, but being a farmer isn’t always about pretty pictures. Please understand I’m busy tending to the earth right now.)

Compost bin
Being a hardcore farmer means not squandering anything. So when I bring in my vegetables for dinner or weed the flower bed, I’m throwing all the yard waste into this compost bin with the hopes of using all the rich, smelly, nutritious soil to replenish my garden beds once things die and colder weather set in.

Coffee grounds, fruits, vegetables, weeds, dead flowers, and egg shells are slowly rotting and working their magic so that one day in the fall, I can spread all the rot on my gardens. It’s so gross but so amazing. I will say, I chose the WRONGGGGG spot to put this bin. I thought setting it near the garden would make it easier to run things outside from the kitchen, but it has attracted so many flies and gnats (duh, Mary) that once it’s emptied, I’ll be moving it away from the garden and the house.

Listen, even farmers have an off day, and I did not think that through.

Fake trees
This isn’t farmer related, but I love them so much so I’m throwing it in anyway. See those cute little green trees sitting on my front porch? They’re fake.

Shocking, right?

I’ve tried for years, at this house and our old one, to keep small shrubbery-type trees alive in pots. I love the look of it. But it’s freaking impossible for me to not kill them. Overwater? Check. Underwater? Check. Too much sun? Check. Not enough sun? Check.

So I ordered these from Amazon, planted them in my pots and covered them with real potting soil and I’ve been smug and happy about them ever since. I like to tell people they’re fake when the come to the front door, which I think defeats the purpose, but no one believes me when I say it.

You don’t have to tell everyone they’re fake if you get them, but I just get too excited to keep it to myself.

Charcoal grill
Actually, this isn’t mine. I’m squarely on the gas grill side of this argument, but someone I’m married to really wanted a charcoal grill. He got one for Father’s Day because when else should you get someone a gift they don’t need just to make them happy? So now Chris is slow cooking ribs and being obsessive about the smoke flavor in the hamburgers he’s making us for dinner. It’s kind of annoying, but us farmers have to be patient and sometimes that means with our farm hands.

(I can’t stop laughing that I just called my husband my “farm hand.” He’s going to love this post so, so much. Normally he edits before I hit “publish,” but I’m going to hope there are no typos and just let this one surprise him when he goes to the website. What a blessing it is to be married.)

That’s it for now–basically I just explained EVERYTHING you need to know to be a successful farmer and live off the land. Please refer any other questions to my farm hand, Chris Graham.

*DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED

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7 things I’m loving from Amazon right now

I don’t think I could have survived a year and a half in the country without Amazon Prime.

Is this an exaggeration?

Probably, yes. But how did people survive before the magical internet and two-day delivery? Answer: not very well.

So basically, it is a public service for me to tell you things I’ve ordered and loved from Amazon. Because what if you need to love them too?

Instant Pot
I know this was all the rage last year. Did you get one yet? My parents got me one for Christmas, and the way it cooks frozen meat in about 2.7 seconds is otherworldly. Also, we eat a lot of hard-boiled eggs in the Graham house, and knowing I spent YEARS struggling to peel eggs without ruining them is still hard for me to handle. I tried every hard-boiled egg trick on Pinterest. Some were okay. Some were not. But making hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot? Guys, sometimes when I open the pot to remove the eggs for a quick ice bath, the shells just FALL OFF.

If you don’t use the Instant Pot for anything else besides hard-boiled eggs, I still think it’s worth the investment. (I linked to the one I have; if you’re interested in getting one, waiting until Thanksgiving/Christmas time might be best for your wallet.)

Himalayan salt night lights
I bought four of these in December and scattered them around the house. I really love the glow they emit, and I like the esthetic of them more than regular night lights. There are also some health benefits to having salt lamps/night lights in our homes, but I’m too lazy to hold a science lesson right now so go ahead and Google that yourself.

Tufted headboard
Here’s another reason I love Amazon (or ordering anything on the internet): I don’t have to load it up and bring it home. When we moved to the new house, I decided we’d finally buy a headboard for our bed. We’d been married over ten years and had always just slept on a bed frame and mattress. I think the ten-year anniversary gift is a headboard so I found this one from Amazon and had it delivered to the house. I can’t tell you how grown up having a headboard made me feel. (When I bought this headboard, it was $50 cheaper. I’m sorry I waited so long to share it.)

Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning
I don’t often go to Trader Joe’s; I have to drive far to visit one, and it seems to be more expensive than Aldi’s so it’s not really in my budget. BUT I love their Everything But the Bagel seasoning so I’ll order it from Amazon to save the trip, time, and likelihood I’ll go in there and buy lots of crap I don’t actually need. Have you had this seasoning yet? Mmmmm. Buy it just to put on all those easy peel hard-boiled eggs you make in your Instant Pot and you’ll never eat a plain egg again. In the summer, I LOVE to cut up a garden-fresh cucumber, top the slices with a little cream cheese, and then sprinkle on this seasoning. It’s delicious. Try it. You can thank me later.

Tripod floor lamps
Floor lamps are tricky. You don’t want them to look cheap, but you also don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a floor lamp which seems to be the only way to get nice ones. Exception to the rule: these Brightech Emma LED floor lamps I got for Christmas last year. I put them on both sides of my fireplace and six months later, I still love them with no regrets. The legs are thicker and sturdy and they’re a good height. (Did I just describe my floor lamps or myself? I guess you’ll never really know…)

Star Wars math workbooks
If you got my summer checklist for my kids in your email on Monday, you’ll know we’re doing a little math practice this summer. (If you need the checklist, leave your email address in the comments below, and I’ll get you hooked up!) Nothing intense, just a page or two of review three times a week. When I was hunting for a fun workbook (a phrase only a teacher would write…), I came across this series of Star Wars themed-books. When I opened the package, both girls took off immediately with the workbooks to begin their work. (Note: I ordered second grade and fourth grade, the grades my kids are going into. Inexplicably, my children are really good at math and the extra challenge of the coming year’s math work seems to be good for them. Ordering the grade level your kid just finished is probably easier on everyone though. You don’t have to learn new math–WHY IS IT SO HARD?–and they just practice things they’ve already learned. Don’t make this too frustrating or they won’t want to do it.)

Thayer’s witch hazel
I know I’ve shared this before, but shockingly, I’m still using it. I say shockingly because I never really commit to a facial routine besides washing my face with make-up remover wipes and using lots of moisturizer. But this stuff is so fresh and clean and gets off so much dirt that I can’t quit it. (I did a full post on my skin routine here if you’re just dying to know all about it.)

What about you? Get anything great from Amazon recently? I’m planning to do an Amazon post each month, and I’m already looking forward to telling you the stuff I recently got for my garden. I just have to make sure I love it before I tell you to buy it. OOH, suspense.

DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED.

What I Love: My Office

My first “office” was a corner of our unfinished basement at the house in Beech Grove. It was drafty and cold. In the winter, I shoved clothes and socks into the drafty spots so I could write in my winter coat.

In time, I moved upstairs to the hallway.

We had a computer armoire in the small hallway space to the left of our bedroom. I’d open the doors, slide out the keyboard, and pull a folding chair from the living room closet.

I dreamed of a space of my own, a place to fill with books, plants, and blankets. I was convinced all I needed to finally write what I wanted to write was an actual office. I have no idea what I wanted to write, but that was beside the point.

An office would solve all my problems.

Eventually, the time came to move Harper from her crib to a big girl bed, and I jumped at the opportunity to move both the girls into one room with bunk beds. Mama was finally getting an office.

And that is how I wrote the next Great American Novel.

Just kidding. That’s how I wrote such inspiring posts such as Peanut butter & jelly is my very best and How a child of the 80s wears neon. Also, it’s where I tried to be a fashion blogger, and it was awkward for everyone. (Like I said on this post, you just try a bunch of things and see what sticks.)

Since the fall of 2013, I’ve been lucky enough to have a dedicated space for writing.

My office now, in the house we’ve been in for thirteen months, is my favorite spot. I spend my days here teaching and grading, having never imagined one day I’d get to work from home and still teach English. Actually, I did imagine it, I just wasn’t sure it would ever happen.

I do the majority of my writing here. I have filled my shelves with books on writing, God, and teaching. I’ve filled it with plants and even though Harper tells me our house is turning into a forest, I keep buying more when I have a few extra dollars.

Growing up, I loved to fill my walls with posters, quotes, and pictures. No space was safe from tape or push pins. I loved color and spread it around with a heavy hand. I can still see my bedroom at thirteen, bright yellow walls and beautiful purple blowup chair. It was the epitome of middle school decor.

Now, my house and love of color has softened a little. Our rooms are toned down, I let the walls breathe, and I enjoy empty spaces that make a room feel open and comfortable.

But my office still reminds me of my middle school bedroom. Not much open wall space, more colors than your eyes know what to do with, piles of blankets and books and things I love. There is no rhyme or reason decor-wise for this sanctuary of mine. If I love it, I find a place for it. Not because it matches my mood board or because it ties in with the colors on the rug nicely–this office doesn’t have to make sense or be loved by anyone but me.

It’s mine.

Sometimes in the afternoons having worked through lunch, I’ll take a break on my couch. Grabbing a book, a blanket, and a fresh cup of coffee, Blue and I will read (yes, my dog can read, thanks for noticing) for a while before I need to login to a meeting, grade more essays, or lesson plan.

When the girls get home from school and before I wrap up my work for the day, you’ll often find them on the floor coloring or filling the spot I have vacated on the couch to read books. Harper especially loves to be near me when she’s home from school and will bring in piles of whatever she’s working on and make herself at home too.

I’ve had an office of my own since 2013. It hasn’t made writing easier like I thought it would. Apparently, you still just have to sit down, focus on words, and craft a story. A dedicated space or presence of a door doesn’t change that. (I don’t currently have an office door, but eventually we’ll put one back up.) Some days writing is easy and some days it is not. My office does not hold any special powers to help me focus or inspire, even though I imagined it would.

But my office has given me a place of my own, a place to sit when I need a break from the loudness of a family and kids and life. It is a place I can stack books high, leave an empty coffee cup on the end table, and hide my slightly embarrassing amount of blankets.

Inside the door to my office closet are book notes. Lists and charts, notes and ideas. I’ve not written the Great American Novel like I had envisioned. I’ve met with agents and talked through ideas, but nothing ever stuck. I never found my one idea–the one I couldn’t stop thinking about, the one I couldn’t forget, the one bursting to get out.

I know now so much of my story had not been written yet, so much of what I was going to need to write had not yet happened.

I’m getting closer.

And when I am ready, I will sit in that gold chair (I know, a gold chair? Seriously, who do I think I am?), write the words I’m supposed to share, and finally, God willing, write a book people want to read.

I shared my last office space here if you’re interested.

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Christmas shopping for…myself.

Thank you PayPal for sponsoring this post. Shop small merchants with PayPal to make your holiday shopping a breeze.

I do not mean to brag, but I have a toilet in my master bathroom.

Please try to contain your jealousy. It doesn’t look good on you. Maybe one day when you hit the big time you can also have a toilet in your master bathroom. Just be patient, kids.

Speaking of patience, I waited months for a working toilet. And a vanity. And a mirror.

I’m still waiting on a light to see what the mirror is reflecting at night and floor trim, but those are minor details at this point. Because you know what I’m no longer waiting on?

Decorating and accessorizing.

MY FAVORITE PARTS OF REMODELING.

I am here for picture frames, cute corner shelves, and soap dishes. I am here for plush rugs, green plants, and colorful paintings. I am also here for Homestead Seattle because they’re a small business helping to make our homes cozy and welcoming. (Seriously, check out their Instagram account and then buy all their rugs.) I love supporting small businesses like Homestead Seattle who are collecting dreamy, beautiful things we can fill our homes with.

I feel like as we near Christmas, I should be telling you about something I bought for someone else, but the thing is, I bought myself some amazing stuff from a stunning small business, and I’m telling you so you can buy yourself a Christmas present too. You’re welcome.

Online shopping is one of my favorite past times so browsing the Homestead Seattle website to hunt for finishing touches for my master bathroom was right up my alley. I ended up falling in love with some luxurious Turkish towels that matched our decor perfectly. (Have you ever used a Turkish towel before?? It’s probably what they use in heaven to be honest.)

Once I selected the ones I wanted, paying was simple thanks to PayPal’s One Touch payment option. One Touch lets you pay for items in your shopping cart without having to enter credit card or billing details which is nice because who has time for that? (Answer: Not me. I’m too busy trying to find trim for my bathroom.)

I like to use PayPal as often as I can when shopping online because I can shop securely, and they also have Return Shipping on Us which covers up to $30 in return shipping costs per order (up to twelve times in a calendar year). That was nice to know in case I didn’t like the heaven towels. But good news: I’m never returning them, and I’m also never letting my kids use them. They haven’t lived enough to appreciate their magic.)

Listen, I know we can’t all have fancy things like toilets in bathrooms and Turkish towels, but we can all make an effort to shop small businesses to help support our neighbors and communities. And we can shop securely on their websites with PayPal. And then one day, if we’re really lucky, we’ll have lights in our bathroom so we can actually see all the neat stuff we’re living with.

A girl can dream.

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND I NEVER SHARE ANYTHING I DON’T AUTHENTICALLY LOVE. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THIS BLOG AND OUR FAMILY.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Kleenex style + my style

Nothing get me more pumped up than decorating. Whether it’s for a party, my living room, or my classroom, I love to make things pretty. My style is a mix of thrifted, vintage, and IKEA with a splash of high-end. It’s eclectic, a mash-up of everything I love, and it fits me perfectly. I’m also lucky to have a husband who pretty much lets me try anything when it comes to decorating so I get free reign over the house.

Know what’s even greater than having a husband who doesn’t have home decor opinions? Finding stylish Kleenex boxes to match all my rooms. Nothing breaks up the flow of a good room like an unattractive box of tissues. You’ve got to have them nearby so I’m thankful for the Kleenex style studio and all the beautiful boxes they’ve created. They blend into my decor almost as if they were made especially for my space. And it’s nice that they don’t command attention any more than the rest of the room, because while someone always needs a Kleenex, you don’t always want your box of tissues to be the first thing a person sees when they walk in your house.

While I’m working on making my home a more cohesive, fluid transition from one room to the next, it’s nice to see that Kleenex covers all the bases. There is truly something for every style.

Most recently, I’ve been turning our former nursery into my office. It’s going slowly, I’m being very intentional about what I do, creating a space that will, hopefully, fit my needs for a long time. And finding the perfect Kleenex box was part of the process too. I needed something that fit the feel of the room and not distract from the rest of the space.

I love what the office is becoming! I’ll share the full space when it’s done (I’ve still got wall stuff to do and a few odds-and-ends I’m hunting for), but it’s already a calm, productive room that is helping me dream big and focus on goals. Pretty much the best office ever, in my humble opinion.

So what do you think? Do you have any redecorating going on right now? Have you checked out Kleenex style at your local store to see all the great options they have? I can say with total confidence you’ll find something for every space.

The other morning while I was getting ready for work, Ellie came into the bathroom and informed me that they needed a box of Kleenex in their room. I giggled a little because they mostly use Kleenex for blankets for their doll house or to “clean their room” with, but at the same time, I was thinking about a perfect Kleenex style print that would go great in their room and how getting a box for their room was a perfect excuse to buy more Kleenex!

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MINE.

an organized closet: how to

I’ve never considered myself an organized person. I’ve never thought of myself as an unorganized person either, I just do my thing and move on.

But when people come to my house for the first time, they often comment on how organized everything is.

And then I remember I have tendencies to over-organize things.

Or when my co-workers think it’s funny to come into my classroom and move my stapler just a tiny bit so that it’s the first thing I notice when I come back in my room, I remember I might have some issues.

But I just love an organized space, gosh darn it.

And I don’t think what I do is hard. Anyone can have an organized desk, even you! (Did that just move into infomerical territory? Because I sure hope so…)

I have to be organized or I couldn’t get everything done that I need to. I have to have systems in place or important parts of my job get forgotten. I have to have routines or I skip parts and end up at school without mascara on and it freaks my students out. (I’m serious, twice this year I’ve had to run to Walgreens on my prep to buy mascara–the comments were distracting and it was obvious no learning was going to go on since MS. GRAHAM ISN’T WEARING ANY MAKEUP.)

If the idea of organizing something seems daunting, start small. Like a junk draw or, if you happen to live in a small house like I do, your closet. Here’s how I set mine up so I can quickly get outfits ready and then spend the week not worrying about what I’m going to wear.

If you happen to have a large, spacious closet, this post might not be for you. Also, I’m jealous, but that’s an issue for another day. We live in a 1950’s bungalow and, while we do have more closet space than a lot of other houses from that era, we don’t have enough space for me. You see, I’m quite demanding when it comes to closets. The good news is our bedroom has two closets so we don’t have to share. I don’t think our marriage could survive that.

I organize by function. I’ve seen some people organize by color within function, but that is a little too OCD even for me. Also, I tried once to do this, but since my husband does the laundry at our house (and often puts it away), he was not keeping my color scheme the way I like it and it was driving me crazy. But it wasn’t a battle worth fighting, obviously, so I let the color thing go. (deep breath)

I get all outfits ready for the week on Sunday. By the time I’m heading to bed each night I’m too tired and I’m normally running late in the morning, so the only way for me to not wear the same outfit over and over again is to pull them all on Sunday. I think about what is going on each day (basketball game after school? spending the day in the library with my classes? hoping to pick up groceries on my way home?) and that dictates a lot of my choices. I also might have a new piece or two I want to incorporate or a look from a magazine or Pinterest I’d like to try. All that is floating around in my head as I put looks together.

Even if you’re a stay-at-home mom, I suggest trying this for a few weeks and see how it goes. There are days where the only reason I got out of bed is because I have an outfit I’m excited to wear. And knowing I have something already put together lets me worry about more important things than running to the basement to find some pants at 6:30 AM. And having an outfit waiting for you makes it more likely you’ll actually get dressed. Even if it’s just a clean pair of leggings and a sweater, being prepared for your week changes things for the better.

By organizing the way I do, I can instantly flip through my cardigans if I need to add something to a sleeveless shirt I want to wear. Or sometimes, I just go through a section and try to pick something I haven’t worn in a while. Falling into a style rut is too easy and knowing the things in my closet need to be worn or purged helps to keep things fresh. I don’t have the room to keep pieces I haven’t worn in a while. (I envy the girl who can pull out a piece that she worn in middle school and kept it so long it came back in style. I just don’t have that space. Also, you’re the same size you were in middle school? I hate you.

(this isn’t labeled, but on the far left, there’s a Rubbermaid set of drawers that holds scarves, wallets, and bathing suits.)

I wish I had an amazing way to organize my shoes and they looked all pretty and I could see all of them at the same time. And I’ve tried multiple different ways through the years, but, for me, it comes down to space. I just don’t have a lot of it. So right now, summer shoes (sandals, flip flops, etc.) are in an under-the-bed storage container. Once summer hits, I’ll store my boots there. Every other shoe needs to stay out because I wear them year round. Shoes that are wore often (or are flats) go in the cubes. Dress shoes normally stay in the box and go to the top shelf I need a step stool to reach (or get piled on the step stool when it’s time to get rid of some). Looking at the above picture, I see at least four pairs I haven’t worn in over two years and they need to be tossed. Or maybe stored somewhere else, I have a hard time parting with shoes.

If you’re super-observant, you noticed that I apparently have no dresses. But that would be a trick. All my dresses, because of space, are stored under our stairs in the basement. There are some handy bars down there and so all my dresses stay there. Which means I often forget about them, but I’m working on that.

On the door, I have a hook that holds my bathrobe and new clothes. Occasionally, I would also forget about new clothes because I couldn’t see them and they would hang, with tags still on, for months. And that is frustrating and, obviously, not acceptable. So now they stay front-and-center so they get into the rotation quicker.

Would a nice, roomy, walk-in closet be wonderful? Yes. Do I sometimes dream about the time before kids where I had my own room that functioned as a closet? Absolutely. But we’re not moving, there’s no room for a closet remodel, and, apparently, you have to take care of kids until they’re at least 18, so I’m stuck with this little space for a while. And I’m okay with that. It just takes a little bit of organization and we’re managing just fine.

How about you? How do you organize your closet? Do you (GASP!) have to share your closet with someone?!? Any small-space tips I need?

weekend read: Young House Love

(If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that Friday afternoons are for book recommendations. Lately, I’ve been struggling with reading. And I don’t exactly know why, but I just can’t focus and read anything right now. Things have been hectic and rushed and I can’t find the time to just stop and read. Which completely bums me out. So I’m sharing a non-fiction, how-to book today. And next week, it’s a non-fiction book on fashion. Just bear with me, I’ll get back to novels, it’s just taking me a minute.)

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I only got two books for Christmas this year. Normally, I’d get a pretty nice stack to last me a couple months, but this year I didn’t. Although I’m not complaining since I got two pretty awesome books that put all other books to shame.

One of those is the new DIY Young House Lovebook. You read their blog, right? It’s awesome, inspiring, and helpful. I don’t read it daily, but when I do, I spend hours on their site. It’s that good. I’ve been following along with them on Twitter and Instagram as they did their book tour in the fall and couldn’t wait to get my hands on their book.

It was well worth the wait.

This book is just like their blog only I get to post-it note it and make lists right on the page. It is super-addicting.

I have a compulsion (that I would like to thank my mother for passing along) to always be redoing and updating my house: the decor, the paint, the furniture, the placement, etc. I could be happy moving furniture around my house all day. Actually, sometimes that is how I spend my days. Luckily, I married a guy that is good with physical labor because I keep him busy moving and building things.

This book is full of great ideas–some I’ve seen before and some I haven’t–about how to show your home some love. And I love to love my home. I often get comments on our house posts and I feel like I need to do another home tour since so much has changed since last summer. I’m always changing and updating things. And this book is quite the enabler for an addict like me.

It’s got handy features telling you about how much a project should cost and how much time it will take. So you can pick something to do in an afternoon or something that will take all weekend. Some things I have marked to do:

-update our living room curtains with fabric and shower curtain rings/clamps

-get crazy with a shelf and turn the books around backward (crazy, right?!)

-finally add a headboard to our bed (actually, still going back and forth on this one, I really don’t like headboards for some reason)

-redo a dresser for the girls’ room

-chalkboard wine bottles

-faux fireplace (I’ve been trying to talk Chris into this one for a while…still a work-in-progress but soon he will see things my way, I’m just sure of it.)

And more, actually. This book has made me wish for a sick day to just create things. Not that I ever call in sick unless I’m really sick, of course.

This book will probably never make it onto my shelf because it will always be out somewhere sitting next to a project. And that’s the best kind of book, one that you never stop reading.

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Today is the last day to take my reader survey and be entered to win a Thirty One bag. Get on it!

where we lay our heads

Growing up, my parents loved spending Sunday afternoons going to open houses. They always talked about moving some day, but it was more about seeing how other people lived, what they could do to their house, and dreaming about the future. As kids, we loved being able to “claim” a room as ours and imagine moving to a new house. I think that’s where I inherited my love of home. Making a place yours. Making a space feel lived-in, cozy, and personal. And that’s what I’ve tried to accomplish with our house. It’s always a work in-progress. Always a project underway or an improvement being started. I like living in a state of constant improvement. It keeps us on our toes.

(again, that damn date stamp, sorry…and the project we’re working on now is painting trim and doors. So if you checked out the kitchen and living rooms, those rooms have white trim and doors, but the bedrooms do not. It is such a drastic improvement, I’m antsy to get the bedrooms finished. And the goal is by August 1st.)

Elliott Quinn’s room. Age 3.

the hallway (photo wall is a work-in-progress)

Harper Kimery’s room. Age 13 months.

hallway and then our bedroom. Chris and Mary. Age: ~~nunyourbusiness~~ young at heart.

I’ve shown part of our basement and one of our completely-outdated bathrooms before. There’s also a half-bath in Harper’s room that, while newer, is also in need of an update.

That’s our house.

Most of the time, it’s enough. Some days we dream of moving somewhere with more land, more bathrooms, and a laundry room not in the basement. A bigger kitchen. A fireplace. The list goes on and on. But we’re trying really hard to live our lives content with what we have (which is more than enough) and within our means. We don’t struggle to pay bills in this house. We get to travel, shop, eat out and live credit card free. Chris is able to stay home with our girls. Truly, we don’t need more. We just have to remind ourselves of that every once in a while because our world says we should want bigger and better. And we’re called to not live in the world. No matter how tempting it is sometimes.

come on over.

(news: my camera is officially dead and I’m borrowing my dad’s until we get a new one. Unfortunately, I can not figure out how to make the date stamp turn off…so no matter how much it’s bugging me [a lot], some of these pictures have the date on them. I’m sorry. Super-tacky but I DON’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT STOP.)

If you were coming to visit us today, you’d have to drive down a one-way street that people often drive down the wrong way. And if you happened to drive down it the wrong way, all the neighborhood kids would yell at you as you went by. But if you’re heading the right way, you’d pass Danielle and Madeline’s house (Ellie’s friends) and probably see Charlie mowing his grass (he mows it about every other day). Then you’d come to our house.

A three bedroom, one and a half bath 1950’s bungalow with a detached two-car garage. It’s quaint and cozy.

You’d come to the side door, not the front, because that’s the one we use all the time. And since you’re a friend, not a guest, you’d just walk in without knocking. There might be naked kid running around inside, but you’d be okay with that.

You’d walk directly into our kitchen where we’d sit at the table, catch up on each other’s lives, have a drink (Diet Mt. Dew or a margarita if it’s hot out), and talk about books we were reading and projects we’re working on. How work is going and what vacations we’re dreaming about.

(and since we’re good friends, I’m letting you see our dirty dishes)

We’d eventually end up in the living room where we’d continue chatting. If it was late afternoon, we’d have to pull the curtains shut for about an hour or two because our house faces the west and that setting sun is blinding. But around 8:00 things cool off and we’d open the blinds again for a couple more hours.

We’d sit in the living room until there was more yawning than talking going on. Eventually, we’d call it a night and I’d turn the porch light on so you could make it the ten steps to your car safely. My dog would run out to see you off and then I’d crawl into bed happy and content, the way I always feel after an evening with friends. So filled up and blessed. Thanks for stopping by.

(The rest of the house is coming on the next post, I just felt this one was getting a little picture heavy…and I’m creating suspense because I’m all about the drama.)

(I understand those pictures aren’t really pretty or styled or blog-worthy, but being a farmer isn’t always about pretty pictures. Please understand I’m busy tending to the earth right now.)

*DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED

DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED.

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