The Ways of Her Home

Embracing the homeward call

Fluff the Nest Friday: Creating a Quiet Corner With No Cost

Around here, Friday is the day to "fluff the nest", which is just a much cuter way of saying "clean the house". Am I right? So my Friday posts are all about tidying up and getting the house fresh and in order for the weekend. Some weeks my nest-fluffing comes more easily than others. I need motivation each Friday. ***** It’s been a summer full of fun activities and (minor) home projects. Next week I’ll have a couple of posts to share updates on our summer bucket list and our summer project list. Today is a little sneak preview of one quick project I did to fluff up my bedroom! Our master bedroom was a little cramped with a giant desk that was once very functional, but had become no longer ... Read more

Sunday Pie

Sunday holds a lot of tradition and special meaning in our home: worship, rest, family time, good food, and PIE! Sunday is PIE DAY at our house. I’m not exactly sure how it came about, but pie just seems right for Sundays. I guess because pie is special and so are Sundays, so naturally they should go together. We don’t have pie every Sunday, but most.   We have our favorites that stay in a regular pie rotation, but then I like to try new recipes too. This summer I’ve tried two new pie recipes that were really good: Peach Pie and Lemon Mascarpone Cream Pie!  We have had outrageously delicious peaches this year! They are so good to peel and eat just as they are, but I have been holding out ... Read more

Mustard Baked Chicken

Today I have an easy recipe for a baked chicken that is quick enough for a weeknight, but special enough for Sunday lunch: Mustard Baked Chicken. Mustard Baked Chicken  This recipe is from Southern Living magazine, and I can’t even tell you how long I’ve had it. It’s an oldie but goodie. -1 (4 lb) whole chicken -1 Tbsp. paprika -1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard -1 tsp. salt -1 tsp. pepper -2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce -1 Tbsp. olive oil   Remove giblets and neck and rinse the chicken in cold water; pat dry. Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag.  Stir together paprika and next 5 ingredients until we’ll blended; rub over chicken, coating evenly. Seal and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 8 ... Read more

Barney

Our family has two dogs, two bunnies, and a leased horse (and would totally add a cat if one of my kids wasn’t allergic). Our newest pet—a puppy we gave Incredi-Boy for a very special milestone—joined the family this summer! If you have pets, you know all too well that pet care is one of the many works of our hands in any given day, and this new puppy has kept our hands quite busy! Meet Barney. I know, he looks pretty adorable, doesn’t he? Well, I have another name for him: The DESTROYER. If you can just look past the beautiful chocolate coat and those mesmerizing eyes, you’ll notice a plant hanging out of his mouth. That plant was just one of MANY he has dug up from my yard. I don’t know ... Read more

Kitchen and Bath Faves and Finds

Good morning! It’s a fresh day with some fresh new faves and finds for kitchen and bath! These are just a few items I’ve been enjoying lately. ***** KITCHEN TOWELS & SOAP To go with the lemon placemats I found earlier in the season, Dollar General now has these lemon tea towels. They are just $3.50 for a pack of two, making them $1.75 a piece! I also picked up the lemon hand soap there as well. I got one towel/soap set for myself, and another set to take to my sister (She gave me that teapot in the photo!). The kids and I are leaving today to spend a few days with her family and we are so excited! Allison, if you read this before I get there, just act surprised! My sister-in-law gave ... Read more

Fluff the Nest Friday: Patio Paint Project

Around here, Friday is the day to "fluff the nest", which is just a much cuter way of saying "clean the house". Am I right? So my Friday posts are all about tidying up and getting the house fresh and in order for the weekend. Some weeks my nest-fluffing comes more easily than others. I need motivation each Friday. ***** Happy Friday, friends! I have a lot to catch up on inside the house today because lately I’ve put more of my time into whipping the patio and yard into shape. So, I’m just going to share with you one of the projects we’ve accomplished outside, before I get back to my usual Friday fluffing routine inside the house. Our patio table and chairs (above) had seen better days. We ... Read more

Mole Chicken with Mexican Garden Salad

I’m a salad girl. Seriously, salad is one of my very favorite meals! I’m always experimenting with new recipes so I’ll have variety in my salad rotation. I recently tried this recipe for Mole Chicken from an old Southern Living magazine, and paired it with a Mexican Garden Salad that I made up. Two words: new favorite! Mole Chicken  Season 4 or 5 chicken breast lightly with salt (I used 5 thinner breasts). Mix together the following 6 dry ingredients in a bowl (see below). Rub and press the mixture into the chicken, and then grill it. -2 Tbsp light brown sugar -1 1/2 tsp chili powder -1 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa  -1/2 tsp coarse-grain salt  -1/2 tsp ground black pepper -1/4 tsp cinnamon ... Read more

Glittery Glow Jars

If you’ve got a little girl, tween, or teen who loves to craft, glittery glow jars are an fun summer project she will love! With their colorful flickery glow, they create an enchanting tablescape for summer evenings on the patio. My Country Girl first made some of these to surprise me with for Mother’s Day last year, and has been making them ever since for a number of gift-giving occasions. I think she originally found the idea on the American Girl website. If your girl is like mine, and crafting is a daily occurrence during her summer break, I know how helpful it is to find new ideas for keeping those creative hands busy. So, I asked CG to make a new batch of glittery glow jars so she ... Read more