Getting back into the routine

Once August hits, Summer is over.   I see Back to School items in every store as well as Summer clearance.  Two of my girls have already started school.  As much as I love the laid back feel of Summer, Fall and Winter is when I feel most creative, organized, and driven.  I think the kids going back to school and having a daily routine aids in that.  As a full time employee, a mom, wife, and blogger. routines keep me sane.  I'm embracing the change in season and all it brings.  As a blogger, I'm trying to stay consistent, all while running a household and another job.  We were made for this!  Women and mothers are true superheroes.  I'm using this time to simplify and take inventory of what is needed both personally and within my home.  Last week, I took down all the Summer décor.  I packed up all my lemon items and simplified my space. Back to school represents a fresh start, a new beginning, and that's exactly what I'm looking for.

One way to obtain a fresh start is to organize.  I do this by having dedicated drop zones for the girls to place their shoes and backpacks.  I don't have a mudroom so I do this with baskets and wall hooks.  I also plan the outfits out for the girls for a whole week, which really helps cut down on time especially in the morning :-)  I have a printable from Etsy that I use to organize clothes by the days of the week.

  I am also in the process of creating a daily task sheet for the girls using Canva.

 I stay organized in the kitchen by meal planning for the week ahead.  This allows me to be creative and to try new recipes as well as some tried and true favorites.  Sidenote:  I NEVER cook on Fridays or Saturdays... just no lol.

Finally, I'm using this time to plan.  When I was in college, I worked for Old Navy and they would always have their clothes a season ahead.  I asked my manager one day and they informed me that retailers always try to stay three months ahead.  As a blogger I also plan ahead.  Right now I am planning for fall décor, DIY's, activities, and recipes to share.  As a mom, I try and plan activities for the kids such as visiting the pumpkin patch, apple picking, and more so that my husband and I can budget accordingly.  I have learned to take a lot of the stress off of me just by proper planning.  I would encourage anyone that is struggling with getting into a routine to take a deep breath, organize, plan, and execute.  You got this!  Let's embrace change, routine, and all that life brings us.

Love builds a better home

What is home?  Home represents comfort, love and sustainability.  Although I love home décor, home décor doesn't define me. Squares, likes, or followers don't define me. Living in a way that exemplifies God's grace, power, and love THAT is what defines me.   Most of my time is spent working a full time job and taking care of my husband and three daughters.  Time is precious and I look forward to my daily talks with my mom about any and everything.  I'm also learning how to embrace change in my relationships with my siblings since we all have kids, spouses, and responsibilities.  No matter how many pretty pictures of my home I take or the countless DIY's and projects that I do, nothing amounts to my family.

My three daughters have taught me more about myself than I ever thought possible. My heart has grown by three folds. I have found patience I didn't know I had.  I've learned grace through them because they aren't perfect, none of us are, but they seem to be more accepting of that, which is something I can learn from.  I love my husband.  He is my best friend and we have grown so much together.  Confession: I love my husband...but I don't always like my husband:-)  Marriage is not easy and you have to work to have a good relationship.  We are two individuals who came together to create a new life but again we are two different people with different personalities and mannerisms.  We're a constant work in progress but we get through it all with love, a lot of laughter, and prayer.

Home isn't about the size, the items we place here and there, or how we decorate it.  None of that matters at the end of the day if we aren't living to be better people and caring for those we love.  A lot of what you will see is my home and design inspirations because that is what I enjoy.  But I find I enjoy it so much because I see how my family loves it.

  When I see Charli grab a blanket out of a basket and cuddle up on the couch to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, that makes me feel good.  When I see Lennox play my assistant and walk around giving me home ideas, I smile.  When Jagger tosses all my throw pillows on the floor and runs back and forth across the sectional, I realize to not take life so seriously.



 I think about when my husband breathes heavily when I tell him about another project I want to do. I love him even more because even if he wants no parts, he always ends up helping me and being supportive.  In fact, I would've never even started this blog if it wasn't for his encouragement. This is my family and they are what matters.

In a world of constant access to information,  the unrealistic lives of others on social media, and the advertising that tells us we need to buy something, remember to be a good human and to build values in your home.  Remember to focus on what's really important by building love, because with love you always have everything you need.