Blog - Graceful Order

Elegant Fall Tablescape

November 4, 2016 · by Maria · 4 Comments

Hello friends! Missed me? I’ve missed you, but it’s been so hectic around here that I had to take a small blogging break or start posting for the sake of posting, which is never what I wanted to do. So I took a break and it was great and it was needed. Sometimes we just need a little break from things so that we can later re-connect with renewed energy and ideas. Blogging can be so much fun and so much work but it’s incredibly rewarding and that’s why bloggers pull up to their keyboards time and time again. Thank you to my Graceful Order friends for sticking with me for the last 3 years, for all the likes and all the shares and all the sweet comments – thank you!

I actually only meant to be away for the summer as my boys were home but then August came around and then September and as I was bringing down the autumn stuff from my garage, I thought “I need to share this with my friends!” Then I started photographing and it was so much fun again! Throughout this week I will be sharing posts about Autumn. Expect lots of orange and brown and pumpkins and pie!

I will start with one of my favorite things to do which is decorating the table!

I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year and I intend to leave the table set like this for the remainder of the month. No fear, I will wash the dishes so that no one is eating dusty turkey! I am using these gorgeous dishes that I picked up last year at Williams-Sonoma in their after Thanksgiving sale. I ordered some online and when they ran out, I drove to the store to pick up the rest. I did pick up a few extras just in case one breaks, the set doesn’t fall apart. By the way, should that happen, you can always set the two end place settings in a solid coordinating color.

I love having a large table. Well, usually I love it. One challenge that I have is finding a tablecloth that will fit. I have priced out getting one custom-made and they are so expensive! A quick search on Amazon led me to this tablecloth, which has the right length and width for my table – 70 x 144. In the past, even when I can find a tablecloth that is 144 in long. it was usually 60 in wide, which leaves the side of my table short on fabric. This one was perfect.

The centerpiece is a swag that is meant to hang on a wall. I just placed some gourds around it to make it feel full and bountiful – just as Thanksgiving should be.

I also placed some faux candles on the table. That way I don’t have to worry about any scents competing with the food or any candles dripping on the table. These candles are the most realistic I have found to date. I have quite a few of them throughout my home. They are perfect for mantles and hard to reach areas where it’s a pain to light a candle; they are safer, too.

As a finishing touch are the mini pumpkin bowls which I will use to serve butternut squash soup for Thanksgiving dinner. I have seen a few version of these bowls and they are all adorable. Just make sure that they are oven-safe so that you can keep soup warm in the oven, while you do last-minute things, before dinner is served.

I hope you love how the table turned out. I love that I get to enjoy it all month and not just for Thanksgiving. I would love to know how you decorate your table. What colors do you decorate your home with during the fall season? Browns, oranges or more shabby chic with white and ivory shades?

See you all in a few days when I share fall decorated living room! It’s nice to be back!

GREATER Movie

August 15, 2016 · by Maria · 1 Comment

Summer is coming to a close and ~~I can’t wait for the boys to go back to school~~ we had so much fun these last few weekends! We took a few mini vacations this Summer, visiting the Florida Keys a few times and the Georgia Mountains. We love creating memories with our boys and the Summer is the perfect time for some good, uninterrupted family time. We got back from the Blue Ridge mountains this past weekend and we were so tired – by “we” I mean my husband and myself. We drove from Miami to Georgia with both boys and my parents and when we got home, all I wanted to do were two things, sit on the couch and – actually that was it. Sit on the couch.

Before leaving on our road trip I was given the opportunity to pre-screen a movie that is coming to theaters August 26th called, GREATER. I was looking forward to coming home and watching the movie, especially after seeing the preview. I was also looking forward to doing anything that didn’t involve driving and refereeing 2 boys in the back seat – it’s a 12 hour drive, ya know. What I wasn’t expecting is to love the movie the way I did, and I will tell you why without spoiling it for you. At first glance the movie was about football but really the movie is about life and is relevant to anyone and at any age. I knew my husband would like it because he used to play football in high school and he gravitates towards sports-related movies. We initially watched the pre-screen in our office on my computer.

After we watched it, we knew that we had to let our 12-year-old see it, too. We connected my computer to the television and we all saw it there again, together.

So what’s so special about GREATER? It’s a movie based on a true story about the life of Brandon Burlsworth, who was possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football. However, Brandon was not always the “greatest” and actually many times he was told he was the worst and would never make it and yet he had faith and persevered. He had faith even when the very people that loved him most thought he should be more realistic and let go of his dream, he didn’t give up trying.

He had listened to this message of moving on and having more realistic expectations of himself since he was a boy. He endured so much discouragement and while many would have given up and settled for a more realistic, more expected future, he didn’t. Through faith and discipline, the kid dared to keep believing in his dream to play college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks. It wasn’t just belief, not faith alone, he put in endless hours of practice and sweat, until he reached his goal. If he was told that he was less than the others, he just worked harder than the others and in the end he led them all – peers and elders alike.

This is the kind of movie that I want my kids to watch. This is the kind of humble audacity that I want them to have. To dream is not enough, but it is the beginning. Seeing how this young boy, against all odds, worked so incredibly hard, and he won and then he lost and then he won again…but he never stopped.

I don’t usually write about movies, but I wanted to share this with you and encourage you to go watch this great movie with an awesome message. Determination, hard work and passion are the makings of an incredible legacy and that’s what this young man left behind. GREATER has a release date of August 26th and you can check your local theaters for availability – it’s worth it.

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and GREATER Productions. but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #GREATERMovie #GreaterTheMovie http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Summer Camp Lunches Made Easy

June 22, 2016 · by Maria · Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mott’s®. The opinions and text are all mine. #MottsMovieBonus

My boys have one week left of school, just one more week! They are looking forward to summer and frankly, so am I. I may be singing a different tune come August but for now I welcome the more relaxed schedule for them. My schedule however, doesn’t change all that much because it’s summer time so I have to adjust a bit to keep things working smoothly here at Casa Gonzalez.
One big difference that happens in the summer is that both my boys will be taking their lunches to camp daily. My oldest (12 years old) usually eats at the cafeteria during the school year, but once he enters camp, he will be taking his lunch with him daily. My youngest (5 years old) always takes either lunch or a snack to school. He is the kind that if he doesn’t like his school lunch, he won’t eat until I pick him up, so a heavy snack is necessary. Since I am already thinking of different lunches to send my boys off with, I have partnered with one of my favorite snack companies – Mott’s® – to bring you summer lunch ideas for kids!

The Mott’s Apple Juices are a treat for my boys. I want them to make smart snacking choices and there is no better time to learn than when you are young.

There are a lot of options for lunch or snacks that are fun and nutritious. My kids like crunchy things, (I think we all do) so I like to add a few veggie chips to their lunches. Mott’s Apple Juice and Mott’s Applesauce are a staple in their lunch boxes. I usually buy them the original flavors but there are applesauces in various other choices, such as Mott’s Apple Cherry which is a new flavor. Also, fresh fruit, cheese sticks, yogurt… so many options so that they don’t get bored with lunch.

And the trick to lunches made easy? Having a stocked refrigerator. I tell my boys which are their snacks for home and which are for camp. They know that the deli drawer is my camp stash.

Most of the time, their lunches look like this. That little sandwich that you saw in the picture above, is a Cuban Medianoche. Do not fear, I will translate. Medianoche means midnight and these sandwiches became popular in Cuba many moons ago when they were traditionally served as a midnight snack in restaurants. This is an adaptation on the sandwich because they are made with fresh roasted pork and are finished off on a press…yum!

But we are keeping it easy over here – it’s the summer after all! I just make the sandwiches with a sweet Hawaiian bread roll, a slather of mayo or mustard (or both), roasted ham, roasted pork (or even turkey, if you want), swiss cheese and a pickle. Voila – Mini Medianoche!

I want to teach my boys about eating smart now that they are little. My boys don’t like every vegetable or fruit, so I just find the ones that they like and I alternate them in their lunch bag. The most important tip is definitely to keep your pantry or refrigerator stocked and organized so that in the morning, before the coffee has taken effect, you can quickly throw together a delicious summer lunch for the kids. A finishing touch is a little note that I add to my 5 year old’s bag. If I did this to my 12-year-old, there would be consequences to pay. 🙂

One more thing! There is a super cool offer that you can take advantage of – I did! I found all of the products in this post, sans the lunch bag 🙂 , at Walmart and I was sure to keep my receipt. Why? Check out the offer details below:

You will notice that the products have The Secret Life of Pets characters on packaging.

Purchase any 3 Mott’s Juices or Applesauces to Receive a Free Childs Ticket (Mott’s on pack offer) for The Secret Life of Pets
Purchase any 5 Mott’s Juices or Applesauces to Receive an additional $8 movie voucher Note: Offers can be stacked – Purchases of 5 are eligible to receive the Free Childs Ticket as well as the $8 movie voucher

It’s really easy to do…below is a screenshot of when I did it.

If you want more details of either promotion, you can click here :

I hope you all enjoy your summer. The school year went by so quickly and I think summer will too. Enjoy every minute of it, snack wisely and stay safe!

Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?

June 1, 2016 · by Maria · 11 Comments

I use the back of cabinets doors for so many things! It’s one of my favorite storage ideas and an easy opportunity to overlook. Today I am partnering with Wayfair to share with you some of my favorites. The ones that left me thinking “Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?”

Using the back of cabinet doors in The Kitchen –

There are so many uses in the kitchen for back of the cabinet organization! I use these awesome adhesive bins that come in all shapes and sizes to customize my space. I store sponges, storage bags, a set of spoons designated for coffee…so many options.

I use the back of the cabinet for my coffee station. I love having spoons, honey and sugar packets accessible while I prepare my morning coffee or tea. I do try to store items that are not too heavy, so that I don’t have to worry about them coming off the wall.

I also use the back of the cabinet door in my smoothie station to hold up a clipboard with clippings of recipes. This clipboard is from the dollar, store which is great because it isn’t heavy at all. I didn’t want some great quality, substantial board for this. I love being able to place clippings from magazines or recipes that I want to try. If they were in a drawer, I would surely forget about them.

Using the back of cabinet doors in the bathroom –

Similar to the kitchen, the bathroom usually has cabinets that offer an opportunity for great storage. The area under the sink can be tricky because you always have to work around the plumbing. The back of the cabinet can be a great opportunity to make up for that lost space.

I love this little cabinet in my bathroom. Honestly, I am not even sure what it was designed to be used for, but I use it to store my makeup. It already had built-in storage which is fantastic and I added some extra bins to the back of the cabinet to make it even more useful. Since the back of the door is magnetic, I also added a magnet to the back of my hair brush. This slender cabinet is beside the bathroom door and barely visible when closed.

These are just a few ideas that have worked for me! The more cabinets that you have, the more options you have. I wouldn’t want to fill up all my cabinet doors with storage but I do think that in a select few, it can be a really great solution.

I hope these ideas inspired you to look at your own home and especially your cabinets, as an opportunity for more smart storage. Be sure to measure your space so that you purchase the right size bins. Also, make sure that the new bins won’t crash with what is already inside the cabinet when you close it. As I mentioned above, I recommend storing items that are not heavy so that you don’t have to worry about anything tumbling down. Follow the instructions on the adhesive bins and allow them to dry and adhere before adding anything to the bin.

I promise when you find a the perfect cabinet to transform, you will wonder – Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?

Keeping Laundry Under Control

April 8, 2016 · by Maria · 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #allfreeclear #CollectiveBias

Do you ever feel like you are drowning in laundry? I know that with 2 boys, a husband plus myself I feel like I am never done with our laundry. Over the years I have tried different systems to see which felt more manageable and I want to share with you what works best for me. Yes, I still do laundry often but rarely do I feel like it’s out of control. Of course there are the exceptions like when we go on vacation or someone isn’t feeling well, especially if that someone is me. 🙂

What works for me may not be what works for you. It is important to take into account work schedules and personal preference. Some people prefer to pick a laundry day and get it all done in one day. I prefer to do a load a day and sometimes, especially on the weekends, I will skip a day. I find that this method works best for me and it doesn’t allow laundry to accumulate. I will place a load in the washer in the morning and I will complete that entire load, meaning washing, drying, folding and putting away. I resist the urge to put another load in the washer because I know that I won’t have time to complete a second load, meaning it would stay in the washer or dryer waiting for me. I prefer to finish one load in it’s entirety.

Also, I use one detergent for the entire family. Although detergent can’t treat or prevent allergies, I do have one son whose skin can be sensitive, so I choose the same hypoallergenic detergent for all of us – all® free clear detergent is 100% free of perfumes and dyes of any kind.

Here are my tips for keeping laundry under control:

1. Keep it pretty

This may sound silly because laundry is laundry, right? Well, I find that if I am doing laundry in a neat and cute space, I am more likely to want to do it. At the very least, it makes a mundane task more pleasant. Organizing doesn’t have to be expensive. I used the same type of plastic baskets to organize my laundry room and I placed a metal label on each one naming the contents.

You can’t tell in the picture but this laundry closet is in a dark area of the house. With the green walls and the bright white bins, laundry time is not dreaded.

2. Keep it practical

Just because the area is pretty, doesn’t mean that usefulness goes out the window. If you have a bunch of little items for stain removal, consider placing them all inside a canister so that the laundry room remains organized. Also, one of my favorite tips is to add a little trash can for disposing of lint.

3. Maximize your space

I wish I had a large laundry room but instead I have a closet. I have used all the vertical space on the side walls to add function and to decorate my space. Here is a book about housekeeping tips, including laundry tips. You will also notice a pair of scissors and a little bucket (from the dollar section) with clothespins. The other metal piece is part of a clothesline that I sometimes use inside the closet. I mean it when I say that I use every inch!

4. Separate laundry by colors but not as much as you think

I would not wash a white shirt with a red pair of pants. However, if an item has been washed many times and does not bleed, colors can easily be included in the same load as lighter colors – maybe not white, but you get the idea. The only item that I like to wash completely on their own are towels. Because of their texture I notice that they can make clothing pill faster.

Also, if you have the space, consider placing 2 hampers in each bedroom so that everyone can already keep their clothing sorted, which makes washing easier.

I purchased this large container of all® free clear detergent at Sam’s Club because it is such a good value! However, I will probably transfer the detergent to a smaller container for ease of use.

This will last us over a month!

Of course if you use it this way, it is also convenient. I do follow the directions for use on the packaging as to not over use the product by putting too much product in one load.

A little tip – this detergent also comes in the form of all® free clear Mighty Pacs®. If you follow my Instagram, you know that a couple of weeks ago we stayed in a cabin in NC. They had a washer and dryer in the cabin and I took a few of the pacs with me. I was able to do laundry everyday and basically came back home with a suitcase full of clean clothes. Pretty. Awesome.

5. Maintain your space with a little Spring Cleaning

Although your laundry room’s primary role is to clean items, it can get pretty dirty. Extend the spring cleaning into the laundry area. Detergent bottles get full of residue, as do the trays that hold them. Canisters gather dust. The washer and dryer also get dirty. It is important to keep the washer clean so that it keeps doing a good job keeping the family’s gear in top shape.

There are lots of other tips that I can share with you (and I will very soon) but these are the top 5. We all have to do laundry and the task is never 100% complete (well, maybe for 10 minutes or so) – why not make a space that gets so much use both pretty and functional? Do you have any laundry tips that you can share with me? Are you a “laundry day” kind of person or “a-load-a-day” like me?

For more ideas and laundry tips, you can visit the laundry hub here.