Tanzania: From Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti to Zanzibar!

After our life-changing (and emotional) time in Rwanda, hopping on a plane to Tanzania felt like going on holiday. A rough-n-tumble holiday. From Kigali, we landed in the Kilimanjaro National Airport, managed to eventually get through all the passport, customs and health checks (when they see your passport almost completely filled to the brim with stamps, some take extra time analyzing/talking to you, we're used to it)... ...and eventually made our way outside to our…

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Living Room Area Rug Size: The (Only) 7 Rules You Need to Know!

Looking for your perfect living room area rug size? You're in the right place! We're showing you the smartest living room area rug sizes (as well as living room rug placement!) that're perfect for your space! Overwhelmed by all the rug options the world has to offer you? Honestly...that’s natural.😅 But it doesn’t have to be! Most websites make it far too complicated (and with answers that are just plain WRONG!), so I’ll simplify for…

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Rwanda: Our Family’s Heart in Africa!

As we drove in the dusty truck, our bodies being knocked around for hours over the rough-and-tumble roads, I kept thinking, "This is an honor!" Even as we stopped in to talk with people from the organization in this very, very remote place amongst the thousands of hills of Rwanda, I wanted to express how thankful we were to be there and how honored we felt. Why? We were being invited into the home of…

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Backyard Makeover: BBQ, Patios & Pool, Oh My!

Wikiwikiwhat! Backyard makeover time! Yes, our backyard is officially MADE OVER! If you've already taken the tour of our backyard before we moved in, you'll be more up to speed. For those of you who haven't taken that tour, have no fear—I'll put in many of the "befores" so you'll feel all caught up. (Although I still think you should check out that original tour because it's a fun one and shows more than this!)…

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A Week Relaxing In Belgium & Luxembourg!

After our time in the Baltic and Scandinavia, we had to catch our flight leaving Europe to Kigali, Rwanda. We knew Africa would be go-go-go for awhile, so we planned to give ourselves some downtime at an old Belgian farmhouse, with day trips into Luxembourg and France as optional fun activities if we were feeling up for it. The above was our home for the week. There were three generations of the Belgian family living…

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Choosing a Pendant or Chandelier: 3 Ways to Stop Choosing What (Almost) Everyone Else Has!

I've been buried in a creative lighting hole for three days, designing and designing and designing until my heart's content. In Flow State...so absorbed I forget to eat (thanks Matt and my children for bringing me food "What? Lunchtime already?!" "It's 3pm, Jess.")... ...and, as I come out of it, I have some thoughts I think could be helpful for those of you who want and are asking for help! Whether you like it or…

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Patio Furniture: 15 Easy Mistakes to AVOID (At All Costs)!

I posted what to do with outdoor patio furniture—but it’s often just as important to know what NOT to do!🤗 Here are my top 15 easy mistakes to avoid in your backyard and outdoor spaces! OUTDOOR PATIO MISTAKES #15: Not Having a Focal Point! Without a focal point, your outdoor space will always feel "off" to you. You may not be able to immediately point out what's wrong, but chances are that you don't have…

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Finland & Sweden: Hot Saunas to Cold Swims, Forests to Fika & Reindeer Both Ways! ;)

If you've ever had a hankering to visit a Scandinavian country, follow that feeling! We so enjoyed our longer time in Norway (and our shorter time in Denmark), so it should have come as no surprise that we'd also enjoy Finland and Sweden. FINLAND From Tallinn, Estonia, we traveled via boat to Helsinski, Finland. (If you haven't read about how much we enjoyed Tallinn, you'll want to go see that one!) There was SO much…

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A Super-Quick DIY Zipline Platform (With or Without Trees!)

Wondering how to build a zipline platform—with ease? (This is Part 2, after the installation of our zipline.) When we first installed our zipline, we hadn't even thought about adding a simple zipline platform for it. (We were probably faaaaaaar too excited about the zipline itself to worry about such trivialities. See how we installed our backyard zipline HERE!) However, as the weeks and months rolled on, the ladder we had to pull out for…

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Sneak Peek: Modern Spanish-Style Client Backyard!

Can you smell summer coming! :) Here's a client project we're working on...a modern Spanish-style backyard here in southern California. (We'll also show you some finalized client design pics at the end!) PS: If you aren't quite ready to consult us re: your backyard (we get SO many clients wanting help with their outdoor spaces from us, which we're thankful for because it's SO FUN!!!), you can grab our design guide "How to Save BIG…

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