Three years ago today, with a pounding heart and trembling fingers, I hit “publish” on my very first blog post.
Twenty-three years ago today, I stood in a white dress (complete with that slightly unusual white hat) in my hometown church and said “I do” to the man I still love sharing breakfast with every morning. We’ve already celebrated that anniversary in a big way with a spring trip to Maui.
Isn’t it convenient that my Blogiversary and our wedding anniversary fall on the same day?
And, to add to the merry mix, my birthday was yesterday.
Clearly my calendar is doing me a favor by clustering celebrations—my brain can only handle so many special dates at once.
On a day like this it would feel appropriate to offer grand, inspiring reflections on everything I’ve learned as a blogger. But to be honest, instead of profundity, what comes to mind are a few small, practical lessons—especially for anyone who follows home decor blogs or who dreams of taking a real-life house tour.
Here’s one important truth I was reminded of just yesterday: the charming rooms you see on home decor blogs are often staged snapshots, captured with intention and edited for the best light. That’s part of the craft of blogging—styling, photographing, and presenting spaces so they tell a story.
For example, “house tours” that readers request are often based on those polished photos. I love welcoming readers into my home for coffee and conversation, but I also feel like a gentle disclaimer is in order: the rooms you see on the blog may not match the house exactly on any given day.
CAUTION: THE ROOMS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE MAY NOT LOOK THE SAME IN REAL LIFE
Especially in summer.
Summer is a season of movement for our family. There are errands, getaways, and the kind of busy that means I’m rarely home long enough to keep every surface immaculate. When I am home, I’m often resting up for the next sprint. That can leave dishes in the sink, a neat pile of clean laundry still waiting to be put away on the dining table, full trash cans, and a floor that’s pleading for the vacuum.
If you stopped by right now, you’d likely find exactly that: small signs of a life being lived rather than a photo shoot.
I genuinely enjoy bringing order to chaos—styling a vignette, arranging pillows, and creating a corner that feels calm and composed. But life isn’t a series of magazine spreads. We can’t live on a mountaintop of perfection every day; there are seasons when the real, messy, beautiful business of living takes over.
Here’s another little secret about blogging and photography: the images you see are rarely taken all at once. Rooms are tidied and photographed separately, in different lighting, and often after a bit of editing to best showcase the space. That’s strategic. Very strategic.
Would I rather each room look perfect all the time? Of course. But honestly, I rarely have every room tidied at the same moment. That polished, magazine-like image you love is usually the result of focused effort in one space at a time—styling, shooting, and sometimes editing to capture just the right feel.
And then there’s this craft room—one of my favorite, most photographed spaces. Truth be told, I don’t think it’s looked exactly like that photo since the day I took it.
I share all of this not to disappoint anyone who might want to visit, but to protect you from an unexpected contrast between the curated photos on a blog and the lived-in reality of a home. Sometimes life is messy—and that’s okay.
On the bright side, knowing a house tour could be on the horizon is a great motivator. I’ve already been warned that a visitor is coming later this week, and somehow that’s the kind of gentle nudge that makes me drag out the vacuum.
Maybe I’ll reward myself after with a long Sunday nap. Smiles all around.
