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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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February 1, 2013

A Valentine’s Day Feature…Marty’s Musings

 

Valentines-Centerpiece-from-Martys-Musings-11

I love Valentine’s Day.

No, let me change that. I adore Valentine’s Day.

I was married almost 26 years ago on that date. Last year for our 25th, my family gave me the ultimate gift of a surprise wedding anniversary vow renewal service.

25th Wedding Anniversary from Marty's Musings

Wow. That was a mouthful.

It was amazing and sentimental and sweet and a total miracle of a surprise.

25th Wedding Anniversary from Marty's Musings

After being blindfolded for 45 minutes, I opened my eyes in a church filled with mason jar candles. A white dress and bouquet were waiting for me, along with special friends and family. My hubby had written vows, my children sang and we all committed to loving our quirky, unique and chosen family by pouring all our different colors of unity sand together.

25th Wedding Anniversary from Marty's Musings

And we all lived happily ever after.

25th Wedding Anniversary from Marty's Musings

Well, maybe not, but that Valentine’s memory will be forever etched in my mind and heart.

~sigh~

If you want to read all about our decorations

25th Wedding Anniversary by Marty's Musings

and our fabulously fun photo booth I’d be honored to share our special day with you.

Photo Booth from Marty's Musings

This year I started planning my Valentine projects as soon as I took down the Christmas decorations.

Yes, I was a little excited.

First project completed: the centerpiece for our kitchen table. A little bit of this and a little bit of that, all thrifted, of course.

Valentines-Centerpiece-from-Martys-Musings

My love of repurposing can be seen in the old cold cream jars I turned into candle holders.

Valentines-Candles from Marty's Musings

Not only do I love to decorate I also enjoy making special treats for the day. My Valentine marshmallow pops are fun, easy and delicious.

Valentine-Marshmallow-Pops-from-Martys-Musings

My kids are getting a Valentine’s treat cup filled with chocolates and goodies.

ValentineTreat-Cups-from-Martys-Musings

Shhhhh. Don’t tell them.

Thank you so much to Heather and Vanessa for allowing me to share our love story. 25 years of blessings (and counting).

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

Thank you Marty for joining us today At The Picket Fence! We invite you to follow Marty on her blog, Marty’s Musings, and catch more of her musings on her Facebook Page,  Twitter Page and over at Pinterest! 

See you back here soon…At The Picket Fence!

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14 Comments Filed Under: Guest Posts, Sponsors Tagged With: guest post, Marty's Musings, Valentine's Day

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Comments

  1. debbiedoos says

    February 1, 2013 at 4:17 AM

    That is so sweet. I love the picture frame shot! Happy Anniversary!~

    Reply
  2. Rene@Bargainhoot says

    February 1, 2013 at 6:08 AM

    What a cute post and a beautiful table display!
    Have a blessed weekend.
    xo

    Reply
    • Rene@Bargainhoot says

      February 1, 2013 at 6:10 AM

      PS. Happy Anniversary!

      Reply
  3. Debbie says

    February 1, 2013 at 7:55 AM

    What a sweet post, and what a wonderful way to reaffirm your vows. You have a wonderful husband and family to think of it.

    I love Valentine’s Day, too. I’m just a realllly pathetic hopeless romantic.

    Reply
  4. val says

    February 1, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    What a lovely post! Warmed my heart!

    Reply
  5. Lynn Richards says

    February 1, 2013 at 11:06 AM

    Your story totally gave me chills!!! How amazing. You have a wonderful family!!
    xo
    lynn

    Reply
  6. Debbie says

    February 1, 2013 at 11:45 AM

    What a sweet and special surprise for you! The love in your family is heart warming. Congratulations and happy anniversary (in a couple weeks).
    Debbie 🙂

    Reply
  7. Martina says

    February 1, 2013 at 1:20 PM

    What a great post and what a wonderful and loving family you have for putting this special day together!!

    Reply
  8. Aimee - It's Overflowing says

    February 1, 2013 at 7:59 PM

    Gotta love Marty!!! What a sweet and special marker for their family! Precious! Thanks for sharing Vanessa and Heather! XO, Aimee

    Reply
  9. Melanie says

    February 2, 2013 at 3:35 PM

    That is the most wonderful and beautiful surprise anniversary gift I’ve ever seen. What a kind and generous family you have!

    Reply
  10. Lucy says

    February 3, 2013 at 9:32 PM

    What a great story! Congratulations, and happy Valentine’s day!

    Reply
  11. Emma Briggs says

    February 5, 2013 at 9:33 PM

    What a romantic anniversary! I love the valentine’s gift so cute and sweet.

    Reply
  12. Pam @ diy Design Fanatic says

    February 15, 2013 at 5:07 PM

    Awww, so sweet and romantic! Congratulations and Happy Anniversary.

    Reply
  13. Paula Jo says

    February 22, 2013 at 11:43 AM

    Happy Anniversary!! what a family to surprise you like that I enjoyed the pics and now I know why you go way out for Valentine’s Day.

    Reply

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I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

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I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

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Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
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There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

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Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

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