Behind Our Red Door

Sharing our family life and lessons learned as we raise 3 little kids in the Midwest.

2018 Christmas Gift Guide for Guys & Gals

Most of our conversations during the holiday season, so far, have been about our upcoming wedding...so we apologize that our gift guide is so late! We are big procrastinators, so we hope our fellow last-minute shoppers can still take away some gift ideas from our own Christmas lists. Gift Ideas for Gentlemen by Ryan Back by popular demand, my 2018 gift guide. Things have been a little more ... read more

Another Year, Another Harvest Party In Our Backyard

When I launched this blog last fall, one of my very first posts was about a big backyard harvest party that the roomie and I threw. It rained all day until an hour before guests arrived. We somehow pulled it off, all our guests slid around in their muddy boots all night, and stayed bundled in the chilly weather while we ate an incredible meal together. This year, we’re planning a wedding on ... read more

An Amateur’s Guide to Charcuterie Boards

In our home, charcuterie is a lifestyle—meaning a regular meal. For those who don’t love that word or are scared of pronouncing it (shar-coot-er-ee, but I totally throw in the “ch” sound), consider this a post about fancy meat and cheese boards! I learned about the word charcuterie at my first job out of college from one of my classy coworkers. I have been addicted ever since. Since Ryan ... read more

Getting More Real Going Forward

I’ve been struggling. It’s been a weird week, and frankly, a weird season. Professionally, I’m trying to find my place while at the same time my personal life has never felt more secure, exciting, safe, amazing (I could write for days about my roomie and pup). However, as I’ve been lost, I’ve wondered how I can pack more sincere goodness into this space of mine on the internet. Here’s how I ... read more

Throwing Together a Nautical Baby Shower in 24 Hours

I do things last-minute. And do my best work in the middle of the night when all the people I could be chatting with are sleeping. That being said, if you’re attending an event I’m hosting, it’s safe to assume that I have hardly slept in the 24 hours prior. It’s who I am. So, today I’m sharing how I threw together all the decorations for a baby shower in 24 hours. I didn’t choose the ... read more