I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Our daughter and son-in-law were in town for New Year's week, so we invited the grandparents to join us for a New Year's Day lunch. This was our New Year's Day table— natural country winter vibes. And this was our New Year's Day group! We made sure our meal included the customary pork, collards, and black-eyed peas, not so much for superstition but for good 'ole tradition. My husband grilled the pork, my daughter cooked the collard greens, and I made cheese grits, peas, and cornbread. I’ve got to share this new-to-me recipe for black-eyed peas because it was so good. I usually make black-eyed peas in ... Read more
And That’s a Wrap!
I love to wrap gifts! I think I get it from my mom because she always made gifts look so pretty with her handmade bows. And my sister, Allison, is the master of finding good deals at TJ Maxx and making them look like a million bucks with her lovely packaging. My sister, Katie, has always added a fun flare to her gifts with handcrafted pom poms and such. So, it just runs in the blood! I have loved wrapping gifts since I was a little girl, and my dream was to work at a store that had a gift-wrapping department. How cute. Well, that childhood dream came true in high school while I was working at Kirkland's. Does anyone remember when Kirkland's offered gift wrapping? It was a little room with ... Read more
Christmastime is Here
Merry Christmas! It’s here! We've been decorating inside and out, shopping for gifts, and the Christmas activities have begun! This past weekend we went to our downtown's Dickens Christmas and on Sunday night our church had its Christmas party, both of which were a lot of fun. Oh, and we are working our way through our Christmas movies lineup which is always one of our favorite parts of the holiday. Another exciting thing which has nothing to do with Christmas is that I got a new iPhone which is much faster and allows me to finally load my photos on my blog--yay! So, I thought I would jump back into blogging with some Christmas decorating. After two years of trying an artificial tree, ... Read more
February Hello
I'm having a bit of a quieter year during this season of life, and I don't mind it at all. We've come off some very busy years and to put it simply, I'm tired. Haha. This year will be a year for simplifying in many ways. I don't plan to host much this year. I've enjoyed years of parties and gatherings in our home, especially with my girls and seeing their excitement for having their friends over as they've grown up. Such sweet memories. But my body can't keep up like it used to and I feel God calling me to be a little quieter in all aspects of my life, at least for a while. With that, gatherings will be less frequent and much smaller. My daughter and I had a couple of sweet friends visit ... Read more
Midwinter Table Setting
Happy 2024, everyone! On Christmas Eve Eve when everyone was home, Joel and I prepared a steak dinner for the six of us. On a whim, I set the table with blues, browns, cream, and a bit of orange. The cream dinner plates are Pioneer Woman and are getting old and chipped, but I still love them. The blue floral salad plates are from T.J.Maxx (4-ish years ago), the flatware is from Walmart, and the napkins are from Home Goods (2 years ago). The brown glasses are from Hobby Lobby's fall line which I got for 50% off in November and they have been a nice new addition to our kitchen. Winter wreaths, a frosty tree, oranges, and a gingerbread candle finish off the table for a ... Read more
A Walk Through the Woods
We took a refreshing walk at a nearby trail this week to get some fresh air and work off the Christmas goodies. Even in the dead of winter there are so many fascinating displays of God's creation. Here are a few photos from our walk. ... Read more
A Merry Little Christmas Shower
In early December my daughter and I hosted a Christmas-themed bridal shower for a very sweet young lady. We've been friends with her and her mother, Missy, through years of homeschooling, tea parties, and even a trip to the Biltmore Estate together! My daughter will be one of her bridesmaids, so we wanted to throw a shower for our lovely bride-to-be. This shower was so much fun to plan and prep, thinking of goodies and details the bride would enjoy. She is so sweet and grateful for any little thing people do for her, that honestly, she would have appreciated peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! When I host a gathering, I try to finish preparations a few minutes before guests arrive so I ... Read more
Christmas Decor ’23
Good morning, friends! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. I have truly enjoyed all of it this year! The baking, the shopping, the gatherings, the goodies, the movies, the music, the decorating, and the worship! I had to cut out a few things this year, like getting Christmas cards printed and mailed, but it's a balance, right! I always hesitate to share photos of Christmas decor because I never want to appear that I'm showing off (I just enjoy decorating!) but also because Christmas decor has become so controversial. Has anyone else noticed that? The right time to put up your tree, the right kind of tree, and the right color schemes for your tree. In fact, there are arguments about ... Read more
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