Since today is a holiday here in the US (America’s birthday, no less!), we’re spending it with family. Before we dive into festivities, we wanted to share a belated look back at June. We’re a little late with our monthly recap — sorry about that — but to make up for it we’ve included a few Fourth of July-themed posts from past years and snuck in some never-before-seen moments, like a new family portrait Katie B snapped while we were in Atlanta. If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can also browse our monthly superlatives going back to January 2011. Happy Fourth of July!
Most Refreshing: The new view of our yard now that the bush fence has officially become grass. It’s refreshing to see the change, even though the summer heat has already browned some spots.
Biggest Surprise: How simple it was to demolish the balcony that had to go to make room for our new deck. It came off faster than we expected — glad we didn’t try to keep it.
Most Worth the Wait: Our scalloped rug in the kitchen, discovered at Urban Outfitters after a pretty extensive rug search. It’s the small things that make a space feel finished.
Biggest Pop (Indoor): Adding color to our kitchen stools with a fresh coat of paint gave the peninsula a cheerful boost.
Biggest Pop (Outdoor): Introducing tomato red as an accent on the patio with new Adirondack chairs. We saved up for them the old-fashioned way — cash in a jar.
Biggest Tearjerker: A custom plate we made as an anniversary gift for my parents. When my mom saw our family dinner scene on the platter, a few of us got a little misty.
The “Never Thought I’d Do That!” Award: Taking a power saw to the brick exterior of the house as the first step of deck construction. It felt strange but was the beginning of something exciting.
Messiest: Our bathroom floor after demo-ing the tree border tile that we weren’t loving.
Most Worldly: A colorful jaunt around our local World Market, where we picked up a few fun finds and shared them with you.
Most Sparkly: New glass subway tile we installed in the bathroom to replace the old tree tile border — it brightened the whole space instantly.
Most Technical: A deep dive into some of our favorite Photoshop tricks for photo adjustments. It was a bit nitty-gritty, but we enjoyed sharing the process and learning from readers in the comments.
Most Sentimental: A small arrangement of frames in our bathroom featuring photos from each of our four wedding anniversaries. The 5th anniversary is coming up, so we’re hoping to add a nice photo to that empty frame soon. Update: As Sherry predicted, those flowers wilted well before our fifth anniversary — oh well, at least they were free from the backyard.
Heaviest: The auger we rented to dig holes for deck posts. It was hefty, and my face in the photos probably shows it.
Shiftiest: Furniture in our bedroom got rearranged when we broke up a long-standing symmetrical layout for a new setup that improves flow. It took us a year and a half, but it was worth it in the end.
Biggest Risk: Cutting the posts off our bed, Ed. It felt risky but created a more open, airy feel that we love after the makeover.
Biggest Sourpuss: Me, after finding out we failed our first deck inspection. It felt like two days of work were wasted — until we received some good news the following week and things turned around.
Shakiest: The cameraperson for our recent outdoor tour video — Sherry’s handheld style made for a bumpy watch. No caffeine to blame this time!
Most Well-Rounded: The new rug in our office that ties the space together — though we’re partly responsible for the two workaholics caught in the background of the post.
Most Helpful: Clara, who loves to “help” at the home improvement store by hopping into the cart and lending a hand — even when we’re loading large pieces like wood for our new headboard.
Most Improved: Our bedroom, thanks to a new upholstered headboard that brought the space together and elevated the room.
Most Unresolved: Our playful dispute over an accidental trip to Goodwill with a towel bar that wasn’t meant to go there. I posted about it hoping readers would side with me — opinions were split, so the case remains open for now.
Most Likely to Make Situations Awkward: Us — particularly Sherry — at the Haven Conference where we gave a keynote, hung out with other bloggers, and let the kids (including Burger) run wild. It was equal parts awkward and fun.
Most Disappointing (To Some): Our post titled “The Vow” wasn’t about Channing Tatum, but instead highlighted some Fourth of July table settings Sherry put together for fun.
Friendliest: The “Twenty Northern Friends” that were part of my Father’s Day gift — and a sidenote: I was once voted “Friendliest” in high school band superlatives, so I’ll admit that’s a small point of pride from that post.
Smiliest: The three of us in a rare, perfectly timed family portrait Katie B captured while we visited. Total miracle — and yes, Sherry is pinning Clara’s hands down to keep her from flailing.
So that was our June, mixed in with some serious book proofing that’s heading off to print soon. It’s nice to pause and appreciate what’s been completed — it helps keep our momentum for the big deck project, more bathroom and bedroom updates, and other outdoor plans. What are you most proud of accomplishing this past month, and what are you hoping to check off in July? Isn’t it wild how quickly the year is moving?