Jesse Coulter

Alex and I are loving our new patio space and we had our first guests over a few weeks ago! I love to entertain, but it can be overwhelming depending on how big you go. I'm a go big kind of person, however I'm realizing the small, intimate and hassle-free parties are just as fun and very meaningful.

I was over the moon excited to partner with Mohawk Flooring to install their BRAND NEW Air.o Unified Soft Flooring in my entire home and revamp my master bedroom! Check out a behind the scenes look at the installation process plus reasons why we chose this flooring!

Alex and I purchased our home over four years ago, and we've slowly been updating it room by room. Most of our home is overrun by toys, so I try my best to keep our bedroom toy free. I want it to be a relaxing place for Alex and I to escape even if our kids wake us up multiple times a night.

I'm excited to share with you details of our future kitchen renovation! Big things are going to happen to our home, and I'm looking forward to taking you on our major home renovation journey. I've partnered with Frost Bank to share this process and what financial steps we're going to take.

When I first started my blog over 6 years ago I bought a Nikon DSLR camera for about $700, but I never learned how to use it. I ended up selling it and then using my iPhone for a few years. About a year ago my blog reached the point where I needed high quality photos for each collaboration, and I couldn't afford to work with photographers for every post.

I bit the bullet and bought another DSLR Camera (Canon 80D), and vowed to learn how to use it. Since then my photos have improved significantly, and today I'm sharing with you  my tips of how you can up your photography game!

I've always said, give me one chance on a reality TV show and I'll become a star. Well my chance came AND it didn't happen. I may not be a reality star, but I did get an amazing garage out of it! Read more for a behind the scenes look and before and after photos.

It's officially Spring and all I want to do is clean my house. Well, not really, but I wish it would magically be clean 24/7. A lot of people ask me how I keep my house so clean with small children, and today I've partnered with Wayfair to share a few of my cleaning and organizing secrets!

Back in the early Fall I saw a TV show casting call for first time homeowners in the Austin area who wanted to update a space/room in their home, so you better believe I applied! The application sent by the casting company took me almost two hours to fill out, but in my head I knew it would be worth it if we were chosen. I submitted my living room, garage, and master closet to be considered. We kept moving on to the next round of the process, and I had to submit measurements of our spaces, videos, photos and lots of details of each room. Alex complained (even though he did nothing), and I excitedly kept providing what they needed. We had a Skype call with the casting company, and they sent that video off to the production team that would be shooting the show. As you can guess, they liked us and we were chosen!!!

I think it's extremely important to continue learning throughout your life. Whether that is picking up an instrument, crafting, trying out a new workout, learning a new language, or practicing a new skill. Your brain, body and overall life can only benefit from learning. This year I'm intently focusing on spending less $ on material items and more $ on experiences such as learning a new skill.

I don't know about you but I'm a HUGE fan of receiving Christmas and Holiday cards! I've been guilty of not sending them in the past due to life being crazy, but this year I'm sending them. Years ago most card options were super simple with a verse or holiday saying on it, but these days there are so many ways to personalize them. I've partnered with Minted to show you 5 fun ways to send Holiday cheer rather than a boring old card.

It's no secret October is my favorite month of the year. I love decorating my home to celebrate Halloween and this year I headed to At Home (home decor superstore) to find the perfect items! I'm sharing with you 5 easy ways to decorate for October's spooky and fun holiday!

Photos by Brooke Taelor Photography

One of the first big projects Alex and I tackled when we bought our home was our guest bathroom. Below is a BEFORE shot...yikes! You can read all about our renovation here.

Before

After

We kept the renovation low budget by doing all the work ourselves, but after we finished I realized that something was missing...updated faucets. I put it off for over 2 years and recently decided it was time for a change. We swapped out the original 80's faucets for these beautiful Fluent Two-Handle Centerset Faucets made by American Standard. The great part about switching out faucets is that it is super easy, AND it makes a huge difference in the look and style of the bathroom. If you're looking for a simple yet dramatic change to your home, consider your hardware.

The party turned out to be an absolute blast! We had champagne punch and tons of sweet and salty snacks. I think I'm going to make this an annual party that I host.

Have you ever hosted a favorite things party or attended one? If so, what did y'all do differently?

When Alex and I found out we were having TWINS, I immediately started thinking about transitioning Turner from his crib to a toddler bed. I loved the look of small toddler beds (specifically the Jenny Lind style), but we had a small budget. I moved in a twin bed frame from our guest bedroom (removed the box spring) and voila....he loved it! He was 2 1/2 at the time, and wasn't crawling out of his crib at all. Thankfully the transition was quite easy.

We didn't change up much when going from a nursery to a "big boy room". We kept the glider, frames, but took out the changing table and added a dresser (our largest purchase). There isn't really a theme to the room, other than a few bits and pieces of our travels. I incorporated a London Bus Bank from Alex's childhood and a $10 world map from Ikea.  We had thrifted the large red "T" before Turner was even before, so I was elated to finally hang it on the wall! I'm usually not a fan of red, but it works in Turner's room, especially with the sock monkey quilt hand made by Turner's great grandmother.

His closet is still a work in process, but we have a vintage basket for laundry, metal baskets for different types of toys (trying to teach him organization), and space for wipes/diapers (because we are still in the process of potty training). We also store extra books and shoes in the closet. Maybe one day I'll show you photos ; )