Obsessed!! From the day we got the cabinets painte Obsessed!! From the day we got the cabinets painted to the finished project with backsplash and under cabinet lighting. I love our kitchen so much! 

We are going to replace the outlet and switch covers to blend a little more, but for now, we are so excited to have this completed kitchen! 

#kitchenreno #kitchenbeforeandafter #kitchenremodels #kitchenrenos #kitchenrenovations #farrowandballpaint #kitchencabinetsmakeover #kitchenbacksplash #kitchenidea #kitcheninspo #coastalgrandmother
Today, we're making a super simple centerpiece for Today, we're making a super simple centerpiece for your Masters viewing parties. ⛳️ 

First, take a vase and place a small shot glass in the bottom. 

Then fill the vase around the shot glass with golf balls. 

Place the stems of some faux grass into the shot glass and use for decoration!πŸŒπŸ»β€β™‚οΈ

#masterstournament #masterssunday #mastersparty #golfparty #golfpartyideas #centerpieceideas #centerpiecesideas
Today, we're making bunny bundts for Easter. 🐰 Today, we're making bunny bundts for Easter. 🐰

My kitchen was still under construction for this video, so I prepurchased my mini bundt cakes, but feel free to make your own! 

Use a tube of green icing and a grass piping tip to create grass on the top of the bundt. 

Then use a toothpick to secure a bunny peep in the grass. Place a few eggs and jelly beans around the bunny. Serve and enjoy!

#easterrecipes #minibundtcakes #bunnybundts #easterdesserts #easterdessert #easterparty #easterdinner #recipereel #easterideas #springdessert #minibunny #minibundt
Today we're making Rainbow Cookie Sandwiches for S Today we're making Rainbow Cookie Sandwiches for St. Patrick's Day. 🌈 

First either make or purchase M&M chocolate chip cookies to represent your rainbow. My kitchen is still under construction, so I purchased mine from the grocery store. 

Then fill a ziploc bag with frosting and snip off the corner. Coat the back of the cookie with frosting and then place another cookie on top. Squeeze until the frosting is at the edge then roll the entire cookie in green sprinkles. 

Serve and enjoy! πŸ€

#stpatricksdaycookies #stpatricksdaytreats #springcookies #rainbowcookies #cookierecipes #recipereel #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesforkids #stpatricksday2023
#ad Today is March 14, or Pi Day! πŸ₯§ Today we #ad Today is March 14, or Pi Day! πŸ₯§ 

Today we are baking a fun Pi Day-themed apple pie from @pollyspies who offers nationwide shipping on their delicious double-crusted pies! After 55 years in business, Polly's pies are still family-owned! 

There are lots of pie flavors to choose from and the pies ship directly to you frozen and packaged in dry ice. Add a little egg wash, and bake for a delicious, classic pie! 🍎

Sending a pie is a great idea for someone celebrating a birthday, a new baby or who just would love a traditional, delicious pie! 

You can use my code helen15 for 15% off your order of $50 or more! Happy Pi Day! πŸ’•

#pollyspies #saveroomforpie #pollyspiespartner #recipereel #pidaypie #pierecipes #applepierecipe
Picking just a few photos to share from our family Picking just a few photos to share from our family photoshoot with @keikilaniphotography was the hardest thing ever! 

I'm saving Ben's 2-year-old portraits for his birthday so that made it a little easier, but every picture Jennifer sent us is just perfection.

Love these two with all my heart. So grateful for this life. πŸ’•

Linking mine and Ben's outfits in the @shop.ltk app! https://liketk.it/44beG

#familyphotoshootideas #familyphotooutfits #toddlermoments #shopltk #ltkfamily
Let's make everything bagel popcorn for your Maste Let's make everything bagel popcorn for your Masters' viewing parties. ⛳️ My husband is originally from Augusta, so the whole week becomes a Masters' viewing party at my house. 

To make this, drizzle melted butter over popcorn, then sprinkle garlic salt and everything bagel seasoning. Mix well and repeat the steps. 🍿 

I found these little "par-tee" containers to hold your popcorn!

Do you watch the Masters? πŸŒπŸ»β€β™‚οΈ

#mastersweek #mastersparty #popcornrecipes #savorypopcorn #easyrecipesformoms #recipereel #recipereels #easysnacks #easyappetizers #movienightathome
Let's make a spring simmer pot! πŸ‹ This one work Let's make a spring simmer pot! πŸ‹ This one works for spring or summer and makes your house smell fresh and clean!

Add lemon zest, slices of lemon, rosemary and vanilla extract to a pot. Cover ingredients with water and simmer on low heat. 

You could also swap rosemary for mint leaves! I'm definitely going to try that option too.

Do you use simmer pots? What is your favorite combination?

#simmerpot #springsimmerpot #easterideas #springideas #springhome #easterhome #summerhome #summerideas #recipereel #diyhomedecorideas
BANANAS UNITE! 🍌 Make banana sushi with Benjami BANANAS UNITE! 🍌 Make banana sushi with Benjamin and me. This was so much fun! I saw it on Pinterest and knew we had to try it! 

To make banana sushi you just coat a banana in melted chocolate or peanut butter and roll it in sprinkles, mini candies, coconut, Rice Krispies, crushed granola bars or whatever else you can think of! Then you slice it up like sushi pieces and enjoy with your littles. 

We had a blast making a big mess! 

#activitiesfortoddlers #recipesforkids #kidrecipes #bananasundae #bananasushi #ideasfortoddlers #toddlercooking #toddlercookingskills #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesforkids
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Finess · April 15, 2015

How to Survive a Long Distance Relationship

25 days.

The countdown is on! It’s borderline unreal to me that Stephen and I are finally going to be in the same town after two years apart. I will finally stop having to go stag to events during the week. Our visits will not just be every four to six weeks or longer. We are going to be in a the kind of relationship where you can make plans the same day to see each other that night. Y’all I can’t wait.

If you’re new here, Stephen is my boyfriend. We have been together for three years, but two of those have been long distance. You can read a little more about our relationship here. I know I’m one of the lucky members of the long-distance club. We we’re only two hours apart (four with Friday Atlanta traffic) and four to six weeks seems like nothing to those separated by months and months. With our schedules though we almost never actually talk, just text here and there. So when we see each other we literally spend the whole time catching up on everything we have missed.

Anyways, since we are so close to the end, I decided I would impart my “wisdom” to those who may still be in a long distance relationship. I use the term wisdom loosely…this is really everything I did wrong, we had a fight about, and by some miracle made it through to the other side.

1. Communicate. So simple, right? Check in with each other. Not a crazy amount. You don’t have to know everything they ate today, but if they’re on your mind let them know you love them and are thinking about them. 
2. Live your own life. They aren’t there. There is nothing you can do about it. DO NOT sit in a room by yourself and pine about how much you wish you were together. Go live your life. Make friends, be social, join things. “Me time” is a good thing.
3. Keep the end date in mind. Two years is nothing in the grand scheme of things, and again I’m one of the lucky members because it is only two years. We knew this going in, and keeping the end date in mind has helped so much. When I get sad or lonely, I just remind myself it’s not forever. 
4. Go visit. Every time we fight it’s because it’s been too long since we have seen each other. We are so great when we are together, that we have to make time to go visit or we would never make it. Take turns visiting. If one person has to do all the traveling it gets to be a lot and puts a strain on the relationship.
5. Commit. You have to swear on everything good and holy that you will never even think about straying and then actually stick to it. Doubt and uncertainty is the biggest killer in a long distance relationship. If you’re dating a jealous person (like me. I’m actually the worst because I get so jealous, but pretend that I don’t) then you have to be even more careful. Be sensitive and reassuring about the issue not matter how annoying it is.
6. On that note, try not to freak out about everything. Sorry mom, I’m the worst at this. 99.99% of the time it was something I made up in my head and had a total meltdown about. I really owe my mom like a million dollars in therapy for all the times I called her. 
7. Have the talk before you split. Oh my god, we would have never made it if we didn’t talk about staying together before I left. It was a little soon in our relationship to say, “Hey we’ve only been dating a year and we are both really really young, but I want to talk about us long term.” It was the best thing we could have done. There has never been a question. We knew we were together even though we were apart. 
8. Miss them. The best part of long distance is the reunions! There is nothing like busting out the door to meet them in the parking lot when they get there. It’s ok to miss them. That’s a good thing. If you don’t why are you together in the first place.
9. Ignore the haters. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who’s long distance relationship failed. No, I am not pathetic. Yes, I could find someone in my own town to date and so could he, but we don’t want to. Seriously. It gets old. You have to brush it off. 
10. Celebrate the mundane and boring days. These are the days that I miss the most. Pizza and a DVD at night or going to run boring errands, these days need to be celebrated. This stuff is so much more fun with him and they’re the days I will take for granted in a couple of weeks, but now they are like little treasure troves of happiness. Remember to celebrate the days when you’re together, no matter what you are doing.
Have you ever been in a long distance relationship? What was the best advice you ever gave or got? 

In: Finess

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Comments

  1. Brooke Jones says

    April 15, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    I'm so excited for you that you'll finally both be in the same place!! My boyfriend and I have been together for 7 years and I feel lucky that we only had to do long distance for the first 10 months of our relationship. We were two hours apart, but were huge babies and took turns visiting almost every weekend haha I do think that living your own life is a great advice whether you're living long distance or not!

  2. Brittany Deskins says

    April 15, 2015 at 1:43 pm

    So excited for you! My fiance and I dated 4 years throughout college being 5 hours apart. It is hard! But like you said it's manageable with the right attitude!

  3. Kasey Decker says

    April 15, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    oh yay!! I'm so excited for you!! LDR's definitely separate the boys from the men!

  4. Kristen @ SYIAP says

    April 15, 2015 at 5:08 pm

    love this so much. my husband and i dated long distance for a year and a half, broke up, got back together when i moved here and now we're (obviously) married. we met and spent 4 days together, then i had to go back home, so it was long distance from the get go. it was the hardest thing i ever did and i wouldn't wish it on anyone.. but it's also the easiest because there was never any question, you know? because i lived in Oz and he lived here, it was hard to visit but it was necessary. my number one thing that i learned was that communication was key and miscommunication is evil!! so many arguments / hurt feelings caused by miscommunication. although, we communicate like pros now πŸ˜‰

  5. Alanna {Alanna & Company} says

    April 15, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    Am I the only one who hasn't done long-distance before?! Congratulations! It definitely takes two special people to make LDRs work.

  6. Helen @ Hel On Heels says

    April 15, 2015 at 9:52 pm

    Wow! Four years! You deserve a medal!

  7. Helen @ Hel On Heels says

    April 15, 2015 at 9:53 pm

    I think it is SO important to live your own life. If you have to change any part of who you are or what you like to do to please the other, I don't think that person is the one for you!

  8. Helen @ Hel On Heels says

    April 15, 2015 at 9:53 pm

    Thank you! This is SO true!

  9. Helen @ Hel On Heels says

    April 15, 2015 at 9:54 pm

    It's not! It's really hard, but in the end we know it's worth it!

  10. Helen @ Hel On Heels says

    April 15, 2015 at 9:57 pm

    Miscommunication is the root of all evil! You're right, it is so so important to communicate effectively. I'm the worst at interpreting things incorrectly and it always ends in disaster.

  11. Helen @ Hel On Heels says

    April 15, 2015 at 10:01 pm

    Thank you! I'm so excited! I'll definitely be looking to you for tips with living with a boy…

  12. Tami says

    April 15, 2015 at 10:17 pm

    OMG! How huge. This is going to be so amazing for the two of you (but I'm sure you knew that already). I don't know that I could do long-distance at this point in my life, so I give anyone who does it major credit!!

  13. Steve Erick says

    July 27, 2015 at 6:04 am

    Your articles are very well written and unique.way men think

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Obsessed!! From the day we got the cabinets painte Obsessed!! From the day we got the cabinets painted to the finished project with backsplash and under cabinet lighting. I love our kitchen so much! 

We are going to replace the outlet and switch covers to blend a little more, but for now, we are so excited to have this completed kitchen! 

#kitchenreno #kitchenbeforeandafter #kitchenremodels #kitchenrenos #kitchenrenovations #farrowandballpaint #kitchencabinetsmakeover #kitchenbacksplash #kitchenidea #kitcheninspo #coastalgrandmother
Today, we're making a super simple centerpiece for Today, we're making a super simple centerpiece for your Masters viewing parties. ⛳️ 

First, take a vase and place a small shot glass in the bottom. 

Then fill the vase around the shot glass with golf balls. 

Place the stems of some faux grass into the shot glass and use for decoration!πŸŒπŸ»β€β™‚οΈ

#masterstournament #masterssunday #mastersparty #golfparty #golfpartyideas #centerpieceideas #centerpiecesideas
Today, we're making bunny bundts for Easter. 🐰 Today, we're making bunny bundts for Easter. 🐰

My kitchen was still under construction for this video, so I prepurchased my mini bundt cakes, but feel free to make your own! 

Use a tube of green icing and a grass piping tip to create grass on the top of the bundt. 

Then use a toothpick to secure a bunny peep in the grass. Place a few eggs and jelly beans around the bunny. Serve and enjoy!

#easterrecipes #minibundtcakes #bunnybundts #easterdesserts #easterdessert #easterparty #easterdinner #recipereel #easterideas #springdessert #minibunny #minibundt
Today we're making Rainbow Cookie Sandwiches for S Today we're making Rainbow Cookie Sandwiches for St. Patrick's Day. 🌈 

First either make or purchase M&M chocolate chip cookies to represent your rainbow. My kitchen is still under construction, so I purchased mine from the grocery store. 

Then fill a ziploc bag with frosting and snip off the corner. Coat the back of the cookie with frosting and then place another cookie on top. Squeeze until the frosting is at the edge then roll the entire cookie in green sprinkles. 

Serve and enjoy! πŸ€

#stpatricksdaycookies #stpatricksdaytreats #springcookies #rainbowcookies #cookierecipes #recipereel #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesforkids #stpatricksday2023
#ad Today is March 14, or Pi Day! πŸ₯§ Today we #ad Today is March 14, or Pi Day! πŸ₯§ 

Today we are baking a fun Pi Day-themed apple pie from @pollyspies who offers nationwide shipping on their delicious double-crusted pies! After 55 years in business, Polly's pies are still family-owned! 

There are lots of pie flavors to choose from and the pies ship directly to you frozen and packaged in dry ice. Add a little egg wash, and bake for a delicious, classic pie! 🍎

Sending a pie is a great idea for someone celebrating a birthday, a new baby or who just would love a traditional, delicious pie! 

You can use my code helen15 for 15% off your order of $50 or more! Happy Pi Day! πŸ’•

#pollyspies #saveroomforpie #pollyspiespartner #recipereel #pidaypie #pierecipes #applepierecipe
Picking just a few photos to share from our family Picking just a few photos to share from our family photoshoot with @keikilaniphotography was the hardest thing ever! 

I'm saving Ben's 2-year-old portraits for his birthday so that made it a little easier, but every picture Jennifer sent us is just perfection.

Love these two with all my heart. So grateful for this life. πŸ’•

Linking mine and Ben's outfits in the @shop.ltk app! https://liketk.it/44beG

#familyphotoshootideas #familyphotooutfits #toddlermoments #shopltk #ltkfamily
Let's make everything bagel popcorn for your Maste Let's make everything bagel popcorn for your Masters' viewing parties. ⛳️ My husband is originally from Augusta, so the whole week becomes a Masters' viewing party at my house. 

To make this, drizzle melted butter over popcorn, then sprinkle garlic salt and everything bagel seasoning. Mix well and repeat the steps. 🍿 

I found these little "par-tee" containers to hold your popcorn!

Do you watch the Masters? πŸŒπŸ»β€β™‚οΈ

#mastersweek #mastersparty #popcornrecipes #savorypopcorn #easyrecipesformoms #recipereel #recipereels #easysnacks #easyappetizers #movienightathome
Let's make a spring simmer pot! πŸ‹ This one work Let's make a spring simmer pot! πŸ‹ This one works for spring or summer and makes your house smell fresh and clean!

Add lemon zest, slices of lemon, rosemary and vanilla extract to a pot. Cover ingredients with water and simmer on low heat. 

You could also swap rosemary for mint leaves! I'm definitely going to try that option too.

Do you use simmer pots? What is your favorite combination?

#simmerpot #springsimmerpot #easterideas #springideas #springhome #easterhome #summerhome #summerideas #recipereel #diyhomedecorideas
BANANAS UNITE! 🍌 Make banana sushi with Benjami BANANAS UNITE! 🍌 Make banana sushi with Benjamin and me. This was so much fun! I saw it on Pinterest and knew we had to try it! 

To make banana sushi you just coat a banana in melted chocolate or peanut butter and roll it in sprinkles, mini candies, coconut, Rice Krispies, crushed granola bars or whatever else you can think of! Then you slice it up like sushi pieces and enjoy with your littles. 

We had a blast making a big mess! 

#activitiesfortoddlers #recipesforkids #kidrecipes #bananasundae #bananasushi #ideasfortoddlers #toddlercooking #toddlercookingskills #easyrecipesformoms #easyrecipesforkids
Office before and after! My husband and Instagram- Office before and after! My husband and Instagram-less dad have worked so hard on this! I love how it turned out. 

Our landing area was a catch-all! It's so exciting to have this functional space now. 

I can't wait to show you all the work they did and the cool features. I'm impressed!

#officerenovation #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterhome #beforeandafterhomeedition #officereno #homeofficeinspo #homeofficegoals #homeofficeinspiration #homeoffices #homeofficespace #homeofficesetup #homeofficerenovation #diyhomeproject

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