Even though your holiday celebrations will be with fewer this year, it may be tempting to not enjoy a formal meal. But after the year we've had, why not set the stage for a formal, fancy family dinner? It is not as time consuming as you may think and can be fun-filled instead of stressful!

I don’t want to race past Halloween and Thanksgiving and I am not this year either. But instead, I’m adding in the anticipation of celebrating and joy of gift giving earlier this year. I’ve noticed that I don’t seem to be the only one with this mindset.

And just like that, overnight it becomes fall. Now that I live in a Michigan beach town, I honestly have a hard time letting go of summer. So now the apple picking, cozy sweater days, and backyard bonfire nights will have to start luring me into loving this season once again.

Before the fall season hits, and the slower days of summer fade, we seem to try to do it all. But this year isn’t like other years and we aren’t feeling the sense of urgency to finish the summer with a bang. I feel like we are easing into fall this year and our regular schedules aren’t suddenly going to increase, but rather continue the easier pace of what this new era brings. 

When was the last time you took a hard look at your life and what you’re doing with it? I think a lot of us may be reevaluating our lives with the effects of a global pandemic. But I think a lot of us are so busy in the day-to-day survival routine of life, family, work that we just move through our days as they blend into weeks and months. 

We’re in full blown summer mode, but it sure is different this year, isn’t it? This school year seemed to just slide into summer days around here without much fanfare. It’s been pretty quiet as I work from my front porch instead of being filled with the normal noise of traffic. When we bike downtown, the streets aren’t filled with tourists and parking spots are easy to come by. There seems to be a lot missing - people, activities, milestone celebrations. But I’m also seeing a lot of other changes - a lot that we’ve gained.

Between being quarantined at home and cold weather, we’re all a bit stir crazy. We’ve all been touched by this pandemic and I’m sure no matter what part of the country you live in, you’ve had days that you need a change of scenery. No matter your situation, we’re all wanting connection. And I think this upcoming month will be the perfect time to kick off summer and celebrate.

I have always strived to make my home a haven - a safe, comfortable place for family and friends to come and relax. Now it’s a haven for just our family and that is okay. There will be a time when we can all open the doors once again to our homes and welcome others into our lives. But for now, I’m grateful we have this time to ourselves. I know in the scheme of things it won’t last long and my kids will soon be off and we will be an empty nest. 

I’m ushering in Spring by surrounding us with green inside our home as the snow melts and uncovers the green yet to come. And adding in a bit of flavorful Mexican food with fresh herbs as I gather friends for a taco night will hopefully make the arrival of Spring come even more quickly!

We all need more blueberries in our life to get us through this winter and learn to lean into these winter months, observing the good things about this season and each day.

Every month seems to have it's own color scheme, it's own mood. Here's our take on the colors of January for your inspiration.

Every month seems to have it's own color scheme, it's own mood. Here's our take on the colors of December for your inspiration.