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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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  • Simple Hot Cocoa Station

    Simple Hot Cocoa Station
  • My Crazy Christmas Shopping at Hobby Lobby

    My Crazy Christmas Shopping at Hobby Lobby
  • A New Light For the Kitchen

    A New Light For the Kitchen
  • Holiday Housewalk Christmas Tour 2018

    Holiday Housewalk Christmas Tour 2018
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Christmas Home Tour

One of my most prized possessions is a Perry Como Christmas album. Yes, an actual vinyl album. It belonged to my mom when she was a girl and, in my humble opinion, Christmas doesn't officially begin until I hear the first strands of 'No Place Like Home for the Holidays'. In fact, I literally can't sing that song any other way than how Perry Como sings it and have found all other interpretations ... continue reading...

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Devotionals

Being Mom and Friend

What I Learned From the Fumes

Dear Hallmark Channel

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Welcome to Autumn

My Most Simple Fall Home Tour Ever

Copper and Feathers Fall Mantel

Five Minute Fall Decorating

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Grandma’s Banana Bread

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  • Christmas Home Tour December 13, 2019
  • My French Country Christmas Mantel December 4, 2019
  • Incorporating Advent Candles Into Your Christmas Decor November 27, 2019
  • Simple Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2019
  • An Update From Me to You November 15, 2019

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Instagram post 17891211502441289 Happy weekend friends! My sweet girl and I are getting ready to mess up the kitchen because it’s sugar cookie Saturday in our house! 👏🏻👏🏻 I’m so glad that she loves to bake with me and I cherish these moments that become even more cherished memories. What are you up to day? I hope it involves a few moments of memory making! 🌲
Instagram post 17842669984877531 I thought I had added the right ‘Perry Como Christmas’ album to my playlist. But apparently there’s more than one! Frankly it shocked me because I still have the actual vinyl Perry Como Christmas album that belonged to my mom when she was a girl and, in my mind, that’s the ONLY one that should ever be played! But, as I decorated my tree one night, a song began to play that I had never heard before. One that so simply and perfectly captured all that I desire my home to be. It goes like this:
.
You can tell, 
When you open the door! 
You can tell, 
If there's love in a home!
Every table and chair seems to smile, 
Do come in, come and stay for a while. 
You almost feel you've been there once before, 
By the shine and glow of the room!
And the clock seems to chime, 
Come again anytime, 
You'll be welcome wherever you roam! 
You can tell when there's love in a home!

Today on the blog I’m giving you a tour of my house all dressed up for Christmas. And I hope you can tell that there’s love in this home. ✨
Instagram post 18118328449043115 One of my favorite Christmas songs is ‘O Holy Night’ and while each word, each lyric is as familiar to me as the back of my hand, there is one line that somehow, until recently, I managed to never really pay much attention to. It says, “Long lay the world, in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Think about that for a moment. Our souls are longing to feel their worth. Prior to the arrival of the infant King in Bethlehem, the world waited, pined, engulfed in their sin and their error. And it was only through His birth, death and resurrection that our souls would experience their true value, their full worth.

Titus 3:4-7 says, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The world tells us that our worth is based entirely on the external, on what can be seen. We’re not measured simply by our existence but rather by what we can offer.

But, thousands of years ago, when our Savior was born, we were told something very different. Before he walked among us. Before he performed miracles. Before he challenged the leaders of the day. Before he was betrayed. Before he was sacrificed. Before he rose from the dead. Before all else, he simply appeared. And it was through his lowly, humble, anything but royal appearance that our souls were given the opportunity to experience the fullness of their worth. It is only through being in his presence that we are able to feel the full magnitude of our value.

Who he is allows us to know, really know, just who we are.

We are beloved.

We are cherished.

We are worth it.
Instagram post 18074214343167043 It always seems like the simplest things are my favorite when it comes to Christmas decorating. I found four transferware egg cups in a vintage shop and knew they would be perfect for our advent candles! Aren’t they just so sweet? With the little paper Putz village underneath this centerpiece in my dining room brings a smile to my face every time I walk by. ✨
Instagram post 18042969043211010 Raise your hand if these cold, dark mornings have you feeling a bit befuddled. 🙋🏻‍♀️ So far this week I’ve put a sweatshirt on backwards resulting in me getting a really good look at the inside of the hood and today I tried to put sweat pants on without taking my pajamas off first. 😂 #winning.

But, hey, at least I can take comfort in the soft glow of twinkling lights and having my halls decked for Christmas!

Today on the blog I’m sharing the details of my soft and simple mantel decorations and I’d love for you to stop by! ✨
Instagram post 18116596168021683 Happy Saturday friends! Can you believe that tomorrow is December 1?! I think it’s time for my annual gentle reminder about this month. I don’t know about you but, for me, December is a month of mixed emotions, ranging from joy-filled moments to ones that have me wanting to pull my hair out.

There are so many expectations and we put so much pressure on ourselves to create magical memories. And for years I have felt the added weight of wanting to make sure my family had opportunities throughout the month to grow in their relationship with Christ.

We celebrate advent and read all of the appropriate Baby Jesus books and encourage a spirit of generosity and heavily emphasize the real reason for the season.

But sweet friends, I want to remind you today that one month out of the year does not a strong relationship with the Lord make. December doesn’t define our faith in Christ.

For our kids or for us.

There are 11 other months in the year. 11 other months to live out our faith in front of our children. 11 other months to pray with them. 11 other months to help them wrestle through their questions and add depth to their walk with the Lord. 11 other months to encourage them to have generous spirits.

Let’s stop putting so much pressure on this one month out of the year. Let’s be surprised at the ways we might be able to celebrate the baby in the manger without a dozen countdown calendars. Let’s give our kids some grace when they are focused more on gifts because…well…they’re kids after all.

And while we’re at it, let’s give ourselves some grace too.

Grace when we think we should feel all the warm fuzzy feelings about Christmas but we really just want to take a nap.

Grace that reminds us that this month will soon be over and we will have a brand new year ahead of us.

A new year filled with big moments and little moments and everything in between.

A new year to draw even closer to our Savior.

My hope for you is that, as you head into this season, you will be given fresh perspective and that you will give yourself (and your family) permission to just ‘be’. ✨
Instagram post 17937591637321018 Have you ever longed to belong?

Have you ever felt like you are on the outside looking in at everyone else who seemingly have it all together?

Are you craving more peace in your heart and your home?

Well, today I’m having a conversation with @drbarbaralowe on her podcast and it could not be more timely with the holiday season now upon us!

You can find the link to it on her page and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it and what resonates with you! ❤️
Instagram post 17903771584388964 Confession...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
Instagram post 17846094718750175 Temperatures are dropping here in the Willamette Valley and I got our hot cocoa station set up just in the nick of time! My kids LOVE this sweet (literally!) spot in our house and my daughter added her own personal touch with the little sign on the wreath. I’ll be happily restocking ingredients over and over throughout the season as my kids and their friends make a pit stop here. We’re definitely ready to cozy up!! Do you have a hot cocoa or coffee station at your house? What are your must-haves for the perfect hot beverage? ☕️🎄
Instagram post 17880974047462626 It’s begun!! 🎄🎄 My best girl LOVES decorating the family room tree (we do a fresh tree in the living room after Thanksgiving) but she does NOT like me to take her picture while she’s doing it (see photo two). Ahhhh...preteens. 😂🤪 I’m just so grateful to have a buddy who is as obsessed with Christmas as I am and who still wants to be apart of it all with me!
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