The Ways of Her Home

Embracing the homeward call

Dickens Christmas Tea

For several years now there have been three themes for Christmas teas that I've wanted to put together: Charles Dickens, Winter Wonderland, and The Nutcracker. This year I'm finally marking two of these off my list, one of which is a Dickens Christmas! One Sunday we were meeting with our mother/teen Girls' Club and the girls got to talking about a teacher that a couple of them have for a literature class at their co-op. "Fluffy", as she allows the kids to call her, requires all her students read The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Somehow the book came into our discussion that day so I said, "Hey, we should have a Dickens Christmas tea this year!" And since she has been such a fun ... Read more

Let the Festivities Begin!

Hello, Christmas friends! I’m up and at ‘em this morning getting ready for something fun and oh soooo Christmasy today! Can’t wait to share but right now I need to go whip up some scone dough and fluff the nest. Company’s coming! (Ahhh, I love that phrase!) Here’s a sneak preview….. Just wanted to give you all a quick hello and a Merry Christmas!! Have a wonderful weekend! ... Read more

Star Ornament Craft

My kids and I are part of a homeschool field trip co-op which meets once a month. The moms take turns planning the trips and activities and it's always so much fun! Each year my friend Kelli is brave enough to host a Christmas party for our big group in her home which includes some fun activities followed by a pizza lunch. The kids are divided into groups of 5-6 kids and rotate through 4 different activity stations: story, craft, cookie decorating, and games. I was in charge of crafts again this year and since making an ornament proved successful last year, I decided to do it again (plus, I know the mamas love a keepsake ornament from that year!). The challenge with this is finding a ... Read more

Are You Overjoyed or Overwhelmed This Christmas?

I have a confession to make. You ready? Here it is: Christmas isn't always my favorite holiday. Now I promise I'm certainly not a Scrooch, but if I'm honest, for the last few years I've actually felt a little inner dread as December has approached. First, let me say that I LOVE the reason for the season! I desire to celebrate our Savior's birth! Plus I enjoy giving gifts, making memories, and baking alll the cookies. But it's the stress of Christmas being overpacked, over-commercialized, and just down right overwhelming that can suck the joy right out of the season. Earlier this fall I began to pray and prepare my heart for the holidays. I wanted so badly for it to be that time of ... Read more

Happy December!

Happy 1st day of December! I can't wait to share some fun holiday stuff this month!! The days are busy, so blogging sometimes has to push to the backburner, but when I can work in in, I enjoy it so much. I had 3 special adoption posts in the works for November since it was National Adoption month, but I was busy being a mama to the one I adopted (plus the ones I didn't) so that will always come first. Anywho, I'll look forward to sharing those posts in the future since every month is adoption month for us. For now, I've got two little kitty cats over here who are so happy the Christmas decorations are going up and they are infatuated with the tree! We're working on getting the rest of ... Read more

Thanksgiving Week Recap

Hello, friends! Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving holiday! I did NOT do too great of a job remembering to take photos all week so what I have is so random. But here goes! The Saturday before Thanksgiving week, my daughter had her senior photos taken by a friend's daughter. My daughter wanted to have them taken in our woods and some at the barn down the road from our house. We were even able to borrow Midnight, the horse she used to lease, which made for some fun photos! They are still best buddies. Matty, the photographer, was so sweet and had such great ideas. Also that afternoon, our daughter and son-in-law came in from Texas! My son and I got his bedroom and bath ready ... Read more

Last of the Leaves

I love the autumn and Thanksgiving! I savor the season while it lasts. Our family went on a hike at a nearby trail yesterday and I made sure to soak up every last drop of fall because it seems that once Thanksgiving is over, fall is over too. We're supposed to get some heavy rains Friday which will most likely shed the trees of the last of their pretty leaves. It's okay because we treasured every minute of fall and its beauty, its color, its pumpkins, its bonfires, its hayrides, and its pumpkin spice! Still, I'm so happy we got one last long autumn walk! Leaves How silently they tumble down And come to rest upon the ground To lay a carpet, rich and rare, Beneath the ... Read more

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Happy week of Thanksgiving! My girl is home and I'm one happy mama! She and her hubby arrived Saturday afternoon and we have already had so much family fun. This week we plan to just enjoy being together, watch some movies, do a little hiking, maybe some shopping, and cook and bake for Thanksgiving. In order for the week to not be so hectic while they're here, I've done a few things ahead of time in the last few weeks and one of those things was making our annual cranberry apple chutney. Since I was already making this chutney to go on a cheese/cracker platter for my ladies' small group a couple of weeks ago, I went ahead and made enough for Thanksgiving week. This has been a favorite of ... Read more