A Little Sweeter at Home

  I've wanted to get a fixer-upper for years, and in 2020, the opportunity presented itself. So... I did it! It is a little scary, but it will be worth it. The house is located in an older neighborhood in a great school district and near the beach! 🏫🌅 I have some of the best neighbors too! So, what can go wrong?   Well, nothing is easy, and plenty can go wrong! I know, "Nothing is easy" is the understatement of a lifetime, certainly of 2020. It seems that everything is more challenging this year. Although we face many difficulties, I am also very grateful that I can challenge myself with this house. It can be worrisome, but it is also exciting. I can see the potential in what is now the ugliest home on the street. One day, we will change that.  One great thing about the Hooptie House that I absolutely love is being close to the beach. Not a day goes by that I don't enjoy the view! I feel blessed and more peaceful every time I get to see the beach. Those feelings are

Today is Thanksgiving, or as some say, Turkey Day. Today is a day to spend time with friends and family, give thanks for all that you have, and of course, eat way too much food. 👪🙏🐷 In fact, according to the Calorie Control Council, the average American eats 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving -- for dinner alone. When you add in the calories from drinks, dessert, and appetizers, the total calorie count is closer to 4,500. You read that right, 4,500 calories! 😮 Being from the South, the food is exceptionally delicious, and we probably eat at least 1,500 additional calories for a total of 6,000. I just made that up, but we put extensive effort into having delicious meals. This meal is one way we show our friends and family how much we love them, and each dish is made with extra love and butter.  💓 Our not so traditional Thanksgiving lunch. More importantly, this is also the time of year that we give our resources to others. We provide our time to organizations who need workers for the h

Question: When have you felt the most grateful in your life?  Most people would probably say that it was when they had good things happen to them, their family, or their friends. It is effortless when things are positive to have a sense of gratefulness; however, it is not easy or commonplace to have an attitude of gratitude during a crisis.  When your life feels like it is falling apart, it is challenging to think about your life's positives. It is usually easier to wallow in misery. Still, it is important to aspire for gratefulness to experience its benefits, even during challenging times. Let me repeat that, EVEN IN CHALLENGING TIMES.  We all probably know someone who only focuses on negatives, and it is easy to fall into that type of pattern ourselves.  However, negative thinking = more negative thinking. To increase gratefulness, you have to have a different perspective on your current situation. Meaning, the problem may not change, but you can think about your circumstances di

When I think about the times I have been away from my home, whether taking a vacation or visiting friends, I have always felt happy to return home. No matter how nice the hotel or friend's house is, It is never as comfortable as your own dwelling.  In particular, I have a very modest fixer-upper that you can view at holyhooptiehouse.com. As you can see, I do not live in a home that looks like it belongs in Architectural Digest. Far from it! Yet, it is always just a little sweeter at my house.  In fact, I have only lived in my "Hooptie House" for a couple of months; however, it is starting to feel like home. Even with a long list of things I want to change about it, it is still my place. A place that I can relax and unwind after a long day at work. A place that I can hide away from people when I need to escape the hustle and bustle of people and things around me.  Now, my home is far from perfect, and if I were to have you over, you would see all of the projects I have to