Seasons of Home: Decorating Without Overwhelm
September 24, 2025Instagram and Pinterest can be double edged swords. They are a source of inspiration and a source of overwhelming envy. Inspiration doesn’t have to come with an anxiety price tag. Cozy seasonal updates do not have to be a ton of new seasonal decor. Subtle, intentional changes can welcome each new season into your home.
1. Start with a neutral foundation.
A great neutral paint color provides a wonderfully blank canvas to paint your style of seasonal decor. A majority of our home is painted with Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. This has been the ideal palatte for adding in wood textures and pops of color.
2. Layer your textiles.
Vary your textiles in your home to add depth to your space. Think low pile rug along with cabled knit blankets. Pops of colorfully printed throw pillows provide nice texture to any room. Each textile adds dimension to your space.
3. Add in greenery and natural elements.
You cannot go wrong by adding natural elements to your home. In fact, one of the easiest ways to decorate for fall is to cut a branch of colorful leaves and place in a vase on your mantle. Immediately the warm colors of fall are welcomed in and you have a budget friendly decoration.
My favorite season is quickly approaching – fall. Read here how I add in fall decor to my home.
4. Play with the lighting in your home.
I’ve learned there are three styles of lighting needed in every space of your home: ambient, task, and accent. Each style adds character and charm. Usher in a new season with a new lamp shade or the addition of candles in a room.
Admittedly, this is one feature of decorating I can improve on. Adding accent lights in my living room is on my to-do list.
Small seasonal touches can add depth and warmth to your home. Overwhelming your family and guests doesn’t have to be a mandate when decorating for a new season. Give these tips a try and let me know how your home turns out!
Kauai Itinerary: Plan a Trip to Paradise
When planning a trip to the paradise island of Kauai, take a good look at an ariel map in order to appreciate all the island has to offer. Check out this Kauai Itinerary of our trip to paradise. We spent seven full days on the island and feel like we could have spent seven more days discovering all this beautiful place has to offer.
North Shore
The island of Kauai can be separated into four sections: North, South, East, and West. An abundance of flora is evident on the North shore as well as spectacular views. Accommodations are luxurious here without the significant price tag of the south shore.
We stayed in the area of Princeville in a three bedroom, two and a half bath condo known as the Villas of Kamalii. This condo community has a wonderful BBQ, pool, and hot tub area to hang out and relax. Nearby pristine golf courses afford amazing views in every direction.
Favorite locations along the North shore are: the town of Hanalei, Hanalei Valley Lookout, Tunnels Beach, Wishing Well Shave Ice, and Tahiti Nui. This quaint town is filled with little shops to explore and lots of tucked away beaches.
Things to do on the North Shore:
For fun things to do: visit any and all of the local farmer’s markets. Locations of farmer’s markets change depending on the day. The Hanalei Valley Lookout is a pull over spot and doesn’t require hiking to view the stunning views of the valley. Be forewarned, Kauai is known as the Garden Isle because of its lush flora which flourishes because of its abundance of rain. I share this because sometimes beautiful views may be blocked by clouds and fog. Put Hanalei Pier on your to-do list – it was a great beach to hang out at all day.
Shave Ice is a thing in Kauai – and it is “Shave Ice” not “shaved ice”. Wishing Well Shave Ice was my personal favorite place to aquire some pretty unique concoctions of shave ice. I recommend The Local.
While exploring, we hiked a portion of the Kalalau Trail. Our intention was to view the Hanakaepei Falls; however, we only made it about 1 3/4 mile in before we circled back for a total of 3 and half miles of hiking with increases of 600 feet above sea level elevation. Even though we did not make it to the falls, this hike was one of our favorite activities because every view was absolutely stunning. Below is one of our snapshots along the hike.
East Shore
While the east shore of Kauai is more budget friendly, the vibe is more industrial instead of island. We spent a little time here driving by the Wailua Falls, visiting Lydgate Beach, and attending the Smith Family Luau.
We did enjoy a trip to Costco while here – ha! We could get to anywhere on the island within an hour to an hour and a half so it was no big deal for us to explore during the day then return to our condo. A majority of the island is not accessible by road.
South Shore
Kauai’s south shore holds lots of luxurious resorts as well as one of our favorite activities – Capt’n Andy’s! Capt’n Andy’s is a boating company that offers a variety of nautical experiences while on the island of Kauai.
The beach at Poipeu is a popular location for sightings of monk seals and sea turtles sunbathing. My youngest and I actually got to swim with a sea turtle.
Na Pali Coast
The west shore houses the magnificent Na Pali Coast. Viewing of the west shore of Kuaui is mainly possible by boat, helicopter, or plane. Movies such as Jurassic Park make the Na Pali Coast easily recognizable.
Sailing along the Na Pali Coast with the dolphins, sea turtles, fish, and even one sighted hammerhead shark was a treat! Our boating excursion was an all day event that included breakfast and lunch.
Visiting beautiful sights across the world and country is such a treasure! Looking for more travel itineraries? Check out our Greece Itinerary if you want to visit this ancient country one day.
Summer Travel Planning: What You Need to Know Before You Go
We are in the throws of summer and if you have not already, you might be in the middle of summer travel planning. The following are my essential tips and considerations for having the ultimate summer travel!
1. Budget
I’m uncertain anyone likes to be hemmed in by something like a budget; however, knowing the amount of money you have available for your trip will give guidelines to your trip expectations. Categories in your budget should include: transportation, food, souvenirs, accommodations, and experiences.
Because we have taken some big trips in the past couple of years, the transportation category has been the biggest chunk of our budget. However, for smaller trips, I would say accommodations and experiences would be larger spending categories.
You determine what your budget will be and how you will make it work for you during your trip.
2. Weather
Checking to see what type of weather a location has throughout the year can help you determine when the best time for you to visit will be. For example, in Kuaui, it is the rainiest of the Hawaiian islands. It’s drier months are May-July. If I was only able to visit during March or April, I would need to be prepared to have certain excursions hindered by the volume of rain and rough currents.
3. Must-Dos
Talk with your spouse and/or family and ask what are the must-dos of the trip. When we visited Greece for my son’s senior trip, he wanted to make certain he was able to see some famous sites. When it was my daughter’s turn for her senior trip to Kuaui, she wanted to focus more on relaxing times at the various beaches over the island.
What are the must-dos that will make your vacation special? Over the years I have tried to share various trip itineraries to my blog. You can access my family’s Greece itinerary, here.
If you only have a certain amount to spend on experiences, then I recommend listing them in order of importance and by cost. Once you and your family have viewed the list, you can choose which experiences you will participate in. For example, on our recent trip to Kuaui, my daughter wanted to do a helicopter ride. After looking up multiple sites for costs and determining one 50 minute helicopter ride for our family of five would be over $2,000, we realized that would be an experience we would not be doing for this trip. We were however able to book an entire day’s excusion on a catamaran boat with food included for half that price. We selected the catamaran excursion as one of our experiences.
4. Accommodations
My best advice for selecting accommodations is to look for certain features. My top features are: 8+ rating, A/C, and free cancellation.
The only time I have ever used a travel agent is when we went to Disney World and the agent was well worth her expertise. For all other travel, I do the research and planning on my own. Sites that I hit up for travel accommodations are: booking.com, VRBO, airbnb, and even occassionally, hotels.com .
For booking.com, I look for 8+ ratings for any and all accommodations I book. For VRBO and AirBnB, I deep-dive on the reviews – not just the first one or two. I read MANY reviews before I book with one of these two sites.
With features like “free cancellation”, it is not always necessary to purchase travel insurance. You will have to determine what is your risk when traveling and what money can be recouped.
5. Transportation
When traveling to a vacation destination, decide before you go how you will get around your travel local. Will it be best to take city transportation? Do you need to rent your own car? Once you have decided your mode of transportation, do a deep-dive on the ins and outs of that mode. For example, if you are choosing city transportation, look up maps, schedules, and fees all before you leave for your trip. Know the difference between a bus, a subway, and the Metro (ask me why this is important to me). We learned this lesson the hard way while in Athens, Greece. I thought city transportation meant a city bus system; however, after three hours of wandering the streets of Athens, we learned the city not only had a bus system but an underground metro system. Knowing exactly how you will travel from point to point on your vacation will greatly decrease your stress.
There you have it: my top 5 areas to consider when summer travel planning. Happy travels!
The Ultimate Guide to Traveling with Kids: Packing & Planning Tips
Make no mistake, this is not a blog post promising traveling with kids will be stress-free. That is a unicorn that cannot be found. Instead, read on for tips that will help make traveling with kids go more smoothly.
1. Pack their own bags.
I’ve purchased a rolling carry-on for each member of our family. In fact, I try my best to fit all of their items in a carry-on to avoid checked luggage or at the very least reduce the amount of checked luggage. Packing bags for each one of my kids allows for everyone to keep track of their own items. We even put different colored name tags on each piece.
Utilizing packing cubes like these are a game changer in my book.(As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission – at no cost to you – off any viable links) These cubes make finding each day’s outfit a piece of cake! I’ve shared more packing tips in a blog post here.
2. Have them carry their own backpack.
Backpacks are another big help. I love a travel backpack but any school backpack will do as well. Backpacks tend to hold phones, personal devices, books, pens, etc. for each kiddo. A travel pillow and small blanket might be included in a backpack as well.
3. Create a snacks bin.
Snacks are always a fun addition to any travel plans. Your mode of transportation can impact your snack bin. For example, if we travel via car, then I place all possible snacks in a tote bag with handles that sits in the middle of the car and can be easily accessible. If we travel via plane, then snacks are packed in individual backpacks to avoid having to pass snacks across an airplane.
4. Allow some flexibility.
In our house we have a screen time allottment. However, on travel days, I tend to be more flexible on this rule. I do have my kids break up their screen time so they are not zeroed in on a screen for hours at a time.
Also it should be noted that while we are training our kids in how to behave and become adults, they do not always know how to process the emotions that go into travel. Delays and hiccups in the vacation plans can be taxing. Practicing patience will come in handy during vacations.
While a majority of my kids are practically grown, I still want to encourage parents of younger kids to start small with your travel. For example, start with a half day trip then transition to a whole day outing. Once expectations are created, move to an overnight trip. After you have had some success with an overnight trip, try 2-3 days together before you break out in a 1-2 week vacation. Traveling and vacations are fun but they can also be overwhelming and thwart a child’s daily structure. We need structure to a certain extent and may need help learning how to adjust to vacation mode.
5. Plan only 1-2 activities a day.
I have slowly learned this tidbit (with the exception of Disney World). Because I want us to experience ALL the things, I have fallen into the trap of cramming each day full of activities. I’ve discovered the family has less fun when we are running to mark multiple experiences off of our to-do list. When one to two main activities are planned per day, it opens the traveling experience up to spontaneous moments of fun.
No matter where you are traveling, I hope you will find these tips to be the ultimate guide to traveling with kids.
How to Create a Cozy and Functional Living Space
Three easy steps can guide you in how to create a cozy and functional living space. Achieving coziness and functionality is within reach!
1. Make smart design choices.
Selecting pieces of furniture that will fit in your living space is a top priority. Bulky furniture in a small space will be counterproductive to a cozy feel and the reverse is true as well. Small furniture in a large space can leave you feeling lost and out of sorts. Assess your space and determine what size and style furniture best suits your needs and aesthetic.
A Cozy and Functional corner of my living room. 2. Create space-saving solutions.
Pulling double duty in the area of functionality is quite beneficial in your living space. For my home, double duty of design aspects are a positive in a small living area. An example are the benches that flank my fireplace. These benches double as bookshelves as well. They offer a beautiful as well purposeful appeal. Being creative in order to maximize space is not a new idea for me. Assessing each area of our home to make it feel as roomy as possible is continually at the forefront of my mind. You can read how we did just that in our daughter’s room in this previous blog post.
3. Mix textures.
Mixing textures is a staple recommendation in the design world. Pretty sure I first heard this tidbit years ago watching a Joanna Gaines’ Fixer Upper show. Joanna’s not wrong. There is something about mixing textures that automatically kicks up the cozy vibe in a space. Think blankets, pillows, plants, and lighting. For an abundance of living room ideas, here is an article offering 44 different cozy living room ideas. Texture is the feel of your space.
No matter the size of your design space, these three tips will help you create a cozy and functional living space. Enjoy!
Best Books to Cozy Up with this Winter
The winter months some times leaves us wanting to remain indoors. Around my house this week is the perfect example. Temperatures are in the teens and I am more than willing to stay indoors and cozy up to a good book. Here is a short list of the best books to cozy up with this winter.
The Christmas Bookshop
If you can handle reading a holiday book after the holidays, I found this one to be quiet charming. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, this story makes me want to visit the Scots! This was a delightful read of a girl finding her way in a new space. It made me smile again and again.
Grab this sweet book from Amazon, here. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission from any viable link. Lessons in Chemistry
A show on Apple+ was created based on this book: Lessons in Chemistry. This book shared the hardships, grit, and determination women show on a regular basis with some cheeky charm. It was a neat experience to read how one woman pushed the boundaries of her current times’ ideals of women with wit and sometimes unbeknownst humor.
This book can be bought here. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission from any viable link. The Paris Library
I’m a sucker for World War II books and this one is sad and amazing. I still recall images that were created in my mind as a result of this heartrending story. Adding in a library into the storyline is nothing but a win/win!
This book may be purchased from Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission from any viable link at no cost to you. The Rose Code
Another amazing historical fiction, The Rose Code hi lights all of the work that went in to helping the Allies become successful during World War II. It took more than just the Frontline soldiers to bring about victory. This thrilling tale kept me reading for long periods of time!
Click here to purchase this book from Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission from any viable link at no cost to you. Code Name Helene
This book wrecked me in the best way! What I love the most is it is based off a real life woman that lead troops in World War II. Code Name Helene had it all: love, struggle, loss, and victory. It is one of the best books I have read in a while. I highly recommend this book!
You can purchase this book from Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission from any viable links. While this list is heavy on the World War II era, I feel there is so much to explore during that period of history. Finding time to read is very important to me. I even include reading time in my ideal self-care routine. Please let me know if you have read or plan to read any of these books. I would love to hear which books you choose to cozy up with this winter.
Winter Capsule Wardrobe: functional and stylish winter wear
Focusing on a well-planned winter capsule wardrobe offers you functional and stylish winter wear. The following are some tips for how to curate your closet to work for you!
Categorize your clothing.
Take the time to go through each item in your closet and put them in the following categories: tops, bottoms, solo pieces, and extras (shoes, belts, purses, coats). Go through your items and toss/donate what doesn’t fit or has stains or is torn.
KonMari your wardrobe.
If you have not heard of the KonMari method, I highly recommend you check it out. Basically, touch each item you own and if you do not feel an immediate joy then toss or donate it. Once you have gone through your items, you are ready to create your functional and stylish winter wardrobe.
Utilizing neutrals and classic basics like a good dark wash jean will help establish a tried and true wardrobe. Layering basic tees, sweaters, and pants allows you to get more outfit options from fewer clothing items.
You do not need a lot of clothing to create functional and stylish winter wear.
Curating a seasonal capsule wardrobe is not a new topic for me. In fact, I have written before about my spring capsule wardrobe here. For example, using the site calculator on combineclothes.com, I logged: 12 tops, 10 bottoms, four solo items, and 10 extras. With just this amount of items, I have enough clothing items to generate 1, 360 different outfits. I think I’m good for at least the winter season!
The misconception is that in order to have a great look, you must have lots and lots of clothes. I do not believe that to be true. With lots of clothing comes clutter and your mind will tend to forget what items are available in your closet. Sticking with a few key pieces each season not only helps you identify what you have to wear but it also reveals when there is a gap and a true need to buy a necessary item. In the case of my closet, I have found that I am in need of a classic blazer that can serve as business professional and keep me warm during the winter months. Another closet staple I would like to aquire is a trench coat.
Here is my curated winter capsule wardrobe. From this volume of items alone, I can create over 400 outfit options! Admittedly, I will still add an item or two to this group! Let me know if you choose to create your own winter capsule wardrobe.
How to Plan a Productive Yet Relaxing Start to the New Year – tips for setting yourself up for success
Planning a productive yet relaxing year seems a bit of an oxymoron, am I right? However, with some easy tips, I feel you too can set yourself up for success this year.
Journal.
Keeping a journal is cathartic and beneficial. Because I have written in a journal off and on since childhood, I count my journal keeping skills as consistent even though I do not write every day. Putting your thoughts down on paper can ease your mind and provide organization to your ideas.
Journals are also a beautiful way to track your progress or see where you might have faltered. For me, this blog is a good journal outlet. It can be a progress tracker or show if there is an area to work on. You can read my post from a year ago, here, and compare where I was to where I am.
Use a planner to plan a productive yet relaxing New Year.
A planner of some sort will allow you to keep track of your obligations as well as plot your success. A planner gives visual encouragement to your goals.
I love a good planner. It is a thing of beauty. TJ Maxx usually has a great selection of yearly planners at cost efficient prices. Amazon does as well, like the one shown below. *As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commission on any viable link at no cost to you.
A good planner can actually make your planning experience a relaxing one. Build in a day of rest for a productive yet relaxing New Year.
This tip seems counterproductive but I have experienced the most peace when I implement one day of rest per week. I call it Sunday Bumday. Try it out, you might be like me and find that by the end of an entire day where you do nothing, you are recharged to tackle your goals.
For a day of rest, literally do as little as possible. For me, the only obligation I have on my day of rest is to attend church and to have a lunch prepared. Besides those two items, I do nothing. There are no people invited over on Sunday, I do not leave the house. Typically there is a nap built in and reading time or something else that brings me joy. On my days of rest I might sew or attempt to play the violin or I might binge watch tv all day. There is so much freedom in having one precious day of rest. I might even go for a walk. Don’t just take my word for it, here is an article with scientific backing to promote a day of rest.
Now, these tips may not be life altering, but they may be just what you need to plan a productive yet relaxing year. Happy New Year!
A Year in Review: A look at my 2024 Resolutions
If you are handing out a pass or fail grade on my 2024 Resolutions, I’m afraid you would give me a failing grade. I did not complete the two resolutions I made from 2024, but I did learn from them. Here is what I learned.
My 2024 Resolutions
My resolutions for 2024 were pretty straight forward: 1. Run a 5k and 2. Write 52 blog posts. While I did not achieve either, there are definitely lessons I am taking away from the experience. You can read about all my hopes and excitement for the 2024 year in my January 2024 blog post.
It’s okay to change course.
In my mind, I was going to take 2024 and learn to run 3.1 miles in its entirity. I was an athlete in high school. Heck! I even played intramural sports in college. But something has transpired in me over the last 24 years of settling down and raising babies – I became more stagnite instead of active. There have been periods of time where I have attempted 5ks only to end up run/walking them instead of running them. While I did participate in a local 5k, there was an “ah-ha” moment for me in my preparation – I don’t enjoy this.
5k Run In the midst of my struggle to make the time to train for running, a neighbor invited me to walk with her and another neighbor at 5:00 each morning. 5:00 in the morning??? You will never mistake me for a morning girl. However, the invitation answered a prayer of mine to make more friendship connections and it revealed to me that I could be active (we walk 3 miles 1-4 times a week) and not feel like I was dying each time! My course changed from running to walking and I am so happy with the outcome. This is an activity that I have been sticking with.
You can fail forward.
My second resolution: write 52 blog posts afforded me the opportunity to fail beautifully. What does that mean to fail beautifully? I consider it beautiful because I learned so much this year in trying to increase my blog activity. While I only posted 29 out of 52 blog posts this year, I discovered that this is almost triple the amount of posts I have made annually over the last three years! That is quite the improvement.
This failure has only encouraged me to keep going, keep trying, keep learning. There is so much more I can improve upon!
And while you are looking at my year in review, feel free to check out some other 2024 recaps here from the blog, Corporette. Let me know – how did your 2024 go? What does your year in review look like?
Fun and Budget Friendly Weekend Activities for Families
Workweek ends and what is there to do for families? Chances are, you will not have to go far to encounter fun and budget friendly weekend activities.
Brainstorm
What do you like to do? What does your spouse and children like to do? Create a list of hobbies and activities you enjoy. Once you have a list, start doing those activities together.
I’ve been planning little trips, excursions, and activities for my family for years now. Some of my ideas I share around the Labor Day holiday can be read here. While some activities require some financial planning, a lot of weekend activities can be fun and budget friendly.
Shop local
And by “shop local” I mean, look locally for ideas on free, fun, and/or budget friendly events that are in your area. For example, my town puts out a couple of papers: Homewood Star and the Over the Mountain journal. Both publications list local events and their costs. These types of publications give you a great starting point when deciding what to do on the weekends.
Sporting Events
Some people are already aware of the fun times sporting events provide. Admittedly, I am late to this game. With my 19 year old son starting college this past fall, my eyes have been opened to the fun and major production of a collegiate sporting event.
Did you know that some colleges and universities have some sporting events that are free? For example, Auburn University’s women’s soccer games are non-ticketed events. For me, locally, I have attended Samford University’s women’s soccer games for free. Colleges and universities put forth great effort in making these events a fun happening for all attending. Check it out!
Plan Ahead for larger expenses
To protect the family budget as much as possible, plan ahead for big ticket events. For example, Polar Express-like experiences require some planning ahead to reserve your spot and cover the ticket prices. Start thinking now about what your family would like to do in the spring (Easter experiences) and set a reminder for when you need to book your events.
Stay at home
It’s okay to stay home for some weekends. Life is in a constant state of business. It’s okay to plan a weekend at home. Watch a movie, put a puzzle together, or play a game. Another idea that might be slightly scandalous… plan a project that requires the help of the entire family. Good lessons are to be had in working together as a family. One weekend, our entire family worked to get the backyard ready for our son’s graduation party that we held later in the year. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Serve
During this holiday season, there are no shortages of charities that will welcome your family’s help and service. My family has delivered leftover food from restaurants to a local food pantry. This is an easy task and can be done with just your family. Reach out to your church or area churches and ask what ministries they have available that your family can serve in. Chances are, your entire family will walk away feeling positive about their service experience.
Don’t overthink it. Just give an activity a try over the weekend. Sometimes the best memories are made just by simply being together not necessarily spending a lot of money on an activity.
Thanksgiving Recipe: A Shortcut to Use
I’ve finally reached an age where I have my own traditional contribution to the Thanksgiving meal. My sister makes a delicious cheesy potatoe side dish and a delectable carrot souffle’ while my mom makes wonderful turkey and dressing as well as great southern style green beans (bacon grease is the key).
My Thanksgiving contribution? Pecan pie. It is my absolute favorite. Over the years, I have had to make adjustments and include a shortcut or two in order to achieve holiday menu success.
Lower your expectations.
Naively, for my first Thanksgiving meal as a married woman, I thought I would bring a homemade with handmade crust pecan pie. I can now laugh at my expectations. This may be a feat accomplished by others but I have learned that for myself, I need to dial down the idea of perfection.
Memories of purchasing Kentucky bourbon to add to my Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie along with large chunks of flour rising up through the middle of the pie come to mind. Oh boy! Since that time, I have discovered the beauty of a ready-made Pilsbury pie crust and the value of leaving the bourbon in a glass and not a pie.
Keep It Simple
Use ready-made ingredients such as the pie crust where you can. Keeping your recipe simple will allow for more time to complete it and less mistakes to take place. Also, following the basic pecan pie recipe included on the back of the light Karo syrup is a win all the way around.
If you are in charge of more than a pie this year, you can see my recommendations for making the day a smooth process, here. I recently found some cute tablecloths for Thanksgiving. You can view them here.
Make it a Tradition
Once you have a found the one item you are good at making, make that your tradition. You do not have to reinvent the wheel year after year. Stick to what you know. For me? The OG pecan pie is what I am going to bring to Thanksgiving dinner.
The beauty of traditions is that the only requirement is that you do it on repeat. Want to start a new tradition? Great, just do it year after year. Think you might not have any traditions? Stop and consider what it is that your family does year after year. That is your traditon.
Now, what are you bringing to Thanksgiving Dinner?
