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Dining

How to Build a Bay Window Bench with Hidden Storage

Dining | DIY Tutorials | Renovating

How to Build a Bay Window Bench with Hidden Storage

A Breakfast Nook Refresh with Contrast & Practicality

Dining | Room Makeovers

A Breakfast Nook Refresh with Contrast & Practicality

How to Build a Simple Farmhouse Bench

Dining | DIY Tutorials

How to Build a Simple Farmhouse Bench

This Collected and Contrasting Dining Room Refresh features a bold wall color, natural textures, and strategies for decorative storage.

Decorating | Dining | Room Makeovers

Collected and Contrasting Dining Room Makeover

Collected and Contrasting Dining Room Design Inspiration

Design | Dining

Collected and Contrasting Dining Room Design Inspiration

Cottage-Style Breakfast Nook Makeover

Decorating | Dining | Room Makeovers

Cottage-Style Breakfast Nook Makeover

DIY Cottage Dining Table Tutorial

Dining | DIY Tutorials

DIY Cottage Dining Table Tutorial

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Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! 🧡🦃

This season of returning to college has been a whirlwind, but I firmly believe that hard work almost always pays off. I’m deeply grateful to this community for your patience and continued support during the quieter moments, and to my family for encouraging me to chase my dreams of becoming a stronger writer. ✨📝

A big thank you to @caitlinpagephotography for capturing these beautiful golden hour family photos! 📸

I haven’t done much decorating during this seaso

I haven’t done much decorating during this season of change, but one thing I managed to do was decorate a fall porch! 🍂 As is often the case, I had grander intentions than what I accomplished, but I’m still pleased with the outcome. My friend told me last night that she thought it was all real pumpkins and mums until she got up to them, which is a mission accomplished. I decided to splurge over time on faux, as I’m tired of spending the money on fresh each year just for the squirrels to eat the pumpkins and for the mums to die quicker than I want them to. 🐿️🚫 I linked to what’s still in stock in stories. For next year, I’m hoping to find some outdoor-friendly baskets to hold the faux mums and help them look a bit more realistic. I’ll be adding a few simple touches over the next week or so to transition from fall to Halloween!

The kids are back in school and the most glorious

The kids are back in school and the most glorious days of our New England year (at least in my opinion) are here! Sunny, 70ish, with a little fall chill in the morning and late evening. It’s the perfect time of year for outdoor entertaining and finishing up the night with s’mores around the bonfire. Happy ‘ber months! 🔥

📷 @caitlinpagephotography

Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to shop my favorite outdoor Tablescape essentials on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/4PsjW

I couldn’t help it, I jumped on the Chat GPT Roa

I couldn’t help it, I jumped on the Chat GPT Roast bandwagon. My family is going to love this 💀

What do you think, do we sit on our couch?

Cover photo 📷 @caitlinpagephotography

#coastalgrandmother #homedecor #blogger #newengland #newenglandliving #coastal #coastalliving #coastaldecor #cottagestyle #hydrangeas

Golden Hour in the Breakfast Nook ✨ Home renovat

Golden Hour in the Breakfast Nook ✨ Home renovations often come with the excitement of progress, but living through the changes can sometimes feel like a series of small setbacks. We’ve just wrapped up a major renovation on our first floor, and while it’s a huge step forward, the reality of day-to-day life still brings its own challenges. Our lovable but neurotic pup Gracie, who has an anxiety habit of chewing on things she shouldn’t, decided to make her mark on our breakfast nook rug this week. Just after I took this video, I discovered a big hole in the rug—a reminder that even amidst progress, there are always moments of unexpected detours. 🙃 Mack is voting no rug at all, but I do love the way it ties this room together. Maybe a washable rug? We have a few of those and she doesn’t seem to find them as appetizing. What do you think?

I recently accepted that I’m not going to read o

I recently accepted that I’m not going to read one hundred books this year. It’s an ambitious goal I’ve set for myself and achieved for the past two years, but this year, I can already tell I'm not on pace. Initially, this realization was met with shame and disappointment with myself. Why do I have to read one hundred books? I'm not sure, because there are no more free personal pan pizzas handed out for hitting reading goals in your mid-thirties (but honestly, they should bring that back). As a classic overachiever, I tend to set the bar impossibly high, thrive on the adrenaline of self-accomplishment, and take on more commitments than I can handle.

When planning my goals each year with my @cultivatewhatmatters Powersheets, I’m supposed to focus on eight or fewer goals. Was reading 100 books one of those eight? Nope. It was an additional challenge disguised as a "habit" layered on top of other major goals, like completing our first-floor renovation and going back to college and figuring out my health—you know, just a few “small” things 🙃. I ended up cheating my own system by adding this reading goal, maintaining my Duolingo streak (913 days and counting, merci!), and sticking to my two year Diet Coke sobriety (I’ve since relapsed, and I don't really regret it yet), among others. All these “small goals” quickly stacked up and became overwhelming.

When I don’t meet goals big or small, I’m harshly critical of myself. When I do succeed, I rarely take time to celebrate, instead pushing myself to set even higher expectations and take on more.

Obviously, this is unsustainable. Reflecting on my 100 book "failure" has taught me that while aiming high can be inspiring, it’s also crucial to balance ambition with self-compassion. It’s okay to adjust goals and recognize the effort I’ve put in, even if I don’t hit every target. Success isn’t only about crossing the finish line of a goal. It’s also about recognizing and valuing the progress made along the way. Taking the time to appreciate even the small victories is crucial for staying motivated and finding fulfillment. Share one small win you’re celebrating today in the comments below!

📸 @caitlinpagephotography

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