Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! As August and summer draw to a close, we’re taking a moment to look back at the month’s highlights and little behind-the-scenes moments. Revisiting what we tackled in the last few weeks helps keep our momentum going, sparks fresh ideas, and makes it easy for readers to find favorite posts. (If you ever want to go way back, you can skim through our early archives — it’s wild how much has changed.) Below are our favorite moments from August, plus a subtle hint about Monday’s giveaway—feel free to take a guess.

Most Redeemed: Me. After Sherry’s little mishap with the lamp, I felt a lot better about my own habit of breaking things around here (I’m thinking of that unfortunate ceramic dog incident).

Mood-iest: Sherry’s mood board for our deck. It was a great starting point for deciding what furniture and accents would feel right outdoors, and it helped us visualize the space before we started buying or building anything.

Freshest: A trip to IKEA to check out their new catalog and summer releases. We loved scouting the latest chairs and home pieces—plenty of inspiration and a healthy dose of design envy from the comments section, too.

Most Painful: The tumble I took while starting to lay deck boards. I ended up with some impressive bruises from catching my fall on the joists, but thankfully those marks faded and the deck progressed.

Least Musical: Sherry, after she turned the Brady Bunch theme into a playful post about framing art. We’re still laughing—and hoping the Bradys aren’t reading along.

Most Blushy: Us, when we announced that our book is available for pre-order. The reaction from readers was incredibly sweet and encouraging—we’re so grateful for the support and excited to share more soon.

Most Organized: My side of the closet, after Sherry upgraded my storage with sleek white bins from IKEA. Swapping out mismatched baskets made everything feel cleaner and more put together.

Most Athletic: Our readers. We loved seeing how many of you are runners—casual joggers and marathoners alike—after sharing a post about why I run. The community stories were inspiring.

Most Fun With a Circular Saw: Finishing the deck boards. There’s something oddly satisfying about ripping through boards and seeing steady progress toward a finished outdoor space.

Comfiest: The new chair we added to the corner of our kitchen. It replaced a too-small seat that had been there since we moved in and instantly made the space more inviting.

Longest: Our updated house to-do list. We crossed off a number of projects this month, but the list still contains plenty of ongoing tasks—like tackling the third bedroom, which has become a temporary stash for secret book-related items we’re saving for a charity auction.

Most Improved: The mirror situation in our kitchen. Swapping the old, undersized mirror for a larger spare from the guest room made a dramatic difference in how the space reads.

Best Deal: An outdoor lantern that originally cost $295 but that we scored for $19 and installed in the carport. It was the perfect upgrade for a spot that previously had a far too-small light fixture.

Most Likely To Get Vertigo: Anyone with a fear of heights who crossed the High Bridge Trail near Farmville, VA. Sherry braced for the crossing but felt much better once we hit a huge furniture outlet nearby to browse and decompress.

Most Fascinating: Discovering the original purpose of the basket we turned into a DIY kitchen light fixture. It turns out these baskets were once used to catch fish—an unexpected backstory that made the project feel even more special.

Most Egg-sessive: Sherry, when it comes to egg chairs. She went all-in on the egg-chair trend, even crafting miniature versions for Clara’s dollhouse. Gotta start the design education early!

Most Versatile: A $5 bunch of tulips Sherry styled three different ways. Simple blooms can have a huge visual impact with just a little rearranging.

The “Goliath” Award: The finally-completed deck. After about ten intense, sawdust-filled weeks, the deck is done—and I feel a lot more confident after tackling that big project.

Most Well Traveled: Us—at least in the sense of how many thrift stores we managed to visit in Richmond. We spent a day at six spots, and it was a great haul of finds and bargains.

Most Moroccan: A small, characterful side table we found while thrifting. The piece sparked a lot of creative ideas from readers about how it could be refreshed or repurposed.

Wordiest: Sherry’s text-driven art hack in the dining room. We probably write a lot, but this makeover leaned heavily on typography and clever visuals to make a statement.

Most Delayed Gratification: Applying teak oil to our new deck chairs and poly to the table. It felt like a lot of elbow grease for subtle results at first, but it’s insurance against weathering and wear down the road.

Most Likely To Include A Gratuitous Burger Shot: Our little mantra about how we decide what to post—some posts inevitably feature food photos, and we’re not mad about it.

Future Fashionista: Clara, who insisted on bringing her purse to Home Depot. We also shared how and where we shop for kids’ clothes—practical, affordable picks that still feel fun.

Most Chillaxed: Burger, who’s already testing a few favorite relaxation spots on the freshly furnished deck. He’s a solid quality-control inspector for comfort.

Most Likely To Result In Underwear Chatter: A post about a shiny hoop Sherry made—only she could turn a craft tutorial into an underwear anecdote. Leave it to her to add that extra bit of humor.

Most Cryptic: A visual hint we snuck into one image as a clue for Monday’s giveaway. There are three distinct hints hidden—see if you can spot them.

How was your August? Did you finish any big projects, score any great finds, or simply savor the last warm days before school starts? We’re already adjusting to Clara’s new preschool schedule and gearing up for fall projects. Thanks for following along and for all the thoughtful comments and tips you share—we wouldn’t be nearly as inspired without you.