The Ways of Her Home

Embracing the homeward call

A Very Random Tuesday Hello

I’ve not posted much in the last few months so I just want to pop in and say HELLO! We’ve been busy finishing the school year and that has needed to come first. I love homeschooling and I don’t want to let my kids down by putting other things ahead of their education. This is our first full week of summer break, yippee! Now, we do keep up some very light schooling throughout the summer months just to keep our minds sharp, but it’s at a very, verrrry leisurely pace. And we give ourselves at least one or two full weeks off just to unwind and decompress first! The photo above is from a walk my younger two kids and I took this morning at our neighborhood pond. After walking a while, we ... Read more

The Transitional Wreath

I love a wreath! I love front doors and porches and the welcome they offer. A pretty wreath and swept porch communicate to our guests that we’re anticipating their visit and we’re celebrating the current season! Being in between seasons can sometimes create the dilemma of not knowing what to display at our home’s entrance. Currently, we’re transitioning from summer to fall. Nobody is more ready for fall decorating than my girls and me! We delight in the rich oranges, browns, and plums of autumn. But with temperatures still in the high nineties (blahhh), I’m just not feeling pumpkins and mums yet. But I’m also so ready to move on from summer. Really really ready. My solution: TRANSITIONAL ... Read more

And The Sun Rises Again

Good morning! Isn’t that sunrise breathtaking! I got to witness that particular sunrise in person earlier this week. Sunrises are one of my best motivators for rising early and hitting the ground running (or maybe just walking briskly!). I’ve been a little MIA here the last couple of weeks. I planned to get in a few posts last week, but a 3-day migraine derailed those plans. This week has been back-to-homeschool so I’m just getting around to hopping back on here and saying hello! During the summer months my kids all sleep later—a perk that comes with having older kids (hang in there young mamas!)—but I continued to rise with the hubs at our regular 5A, which not only allowed me my usual ... 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

Summer Supper Menu for the Ladies

A couple of weeks ago, my girls and I enjoyed a fun reason to get together with some moms and daughters and grandmothers in our home. A dear friend of mine is a Noonday ambassador, and so we hosted a trunk show with a light summer supper. Since it was just us girls for the evening, I decided on a menu of what we like to call lady food! You know, the salads, crackers, veggies, dips, and fruits kind of meal? I’ve learned to eliminate some fuss by making some of the foods and purchasing the rest premade. There were two supper recipes I really wanted to make—Tomato Pesto Tart and Pimiento Cheese—so I made those and purchased chicken salad and spinach artichoke dip from Costco. I also added a ... Read more