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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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April 3, 2018

Bumped From Our Hotel by the Prince of Saudi Arabia

Once upon a time there was a mother and her tween daughter who set off on a fun adventure together during spring break to explore a beautiful city and enjoy some wonderful bonding time. The mother had carefully planned this trip, even calling the hotel the morning they were due to arrive and confirming their reservation. She was so excited to stay in this historic downtown hotel and knew it would be a lovely surprise for her daughter.

Fifteen minutes away from their destination, as they navigated the busy, unfamiliar freeway system with mom carefully listening to the directions being called out on her phone, suddenly that phone rang and the number for the hotel appeared.

“Hi! This is the Fairmont hotel in Seattle and we are calling to let you know that we have an unexpected event happening here that is causing us to have to move your reservation to another hotel. The secret service has informed us that they need any remaining rooms we have available. I can’t tell you why but I can tell you that we’ve booked you a lovely room at another downtown hotel.”

At first, the mother thought this must be some kind of a joke. The secret service? Really? She tried to get more information from the hotel representative but was basically given the “if we tell you we’ll have to kill you” treatment.

So, bizarre as it all seemed, mother and daughter had no choice but to embrace the change in plans and be redirected to another, less historic but equally lovely, hotel.

The daughter seemed a little bit concerned. How was this all going to work out? Would her mother know how to get to the new hotel? Would they really have a room there? Did her mother know how to navigate around this huge city?

And, as her mother easily found the hotel, parked the car, seamlessly handled the transition of being unexpectedly moved from one hotel to another and even got them a room upgrade(!), the daughter began visibly relaxing.

Upon entering their hotel room, marveling at the amazing view of the city and the water and then stretching out on the comfy beds, the daughter said that she had been a little bit worried about how it was all going to work out. The mother was quick to remind the daughter that this is just part of the adventure of traveling! And that, her mother traveled all over the United States on her own and managed just fine.

But, in that moment it dawned on the mother that she and her daughter had never really experienced a trip like this just the two of them. Most of the time, they went as a whole family and on those trips, the father took the lead (driving, navigating, negotiating) while the mother did a lot more of the ‘behind the scenes’ (making reservations, packing, stopping the mail).

The mother realized something. This was more than simply a fun mother/daughter vacation.

This was an opportunity.

Here was a chance to not just have a really great time adventuring with her daughter, but to show her how to adventure with CONFIDENCE.

How to navigate her way through an unfamiliar city.

How to ask questions of the locals.

How to open your heart and mind to new experiences.

And how to find the best views.

The mother wanted to show the daughter that traveling, like life, sometimes means making adjustments. It means that even though you should plan and prepare, you should also expect the unexpected.

Because, you just never know when the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is going to bump you from your hotel. 😉

Thanks for meeting this mother and daughter at the fence today,

13 Comments Filed Under: Family, Good Thoughts

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Comments

  1. laura says

    April 3, 2018 at 3:12 PM

    What a lovely life lesson and it’s not everyday you get bumped because of a prince. I heard he was doing a bit of pr blitz in the united states. love this, laura

    Reply
  2. Sharon O says

    April 3, 2018 at 3:16 PM

    Oh that area is pretty we went last year and the glass museum was amazing. Glad you enjoyed it.

    Reply
  3. Judy says

    April 3, 2018 at 3:18 PM

    When my two sons were teenagers, I took two trips to Colorado (from the Midwest) just mother and son, one son at a time. It was a wonderful adventure. Some stops we had preplanned, others were spontaneous. We got sort of “lost” a few times, but always found our way by studying the map and asking locals.

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth Laird says

    April 3, 2018 at 3:28 PM

    Traveling with your daughter is such a great thing. The change presented an issue that you smoothly dealt with. Kudos to you and your daughter! I hope it was a great trip!

    Reply
  5. Sarah Braden says

    April 3, 2018 at 4:09 PM

    Loved reading about your adventure! It is so good for our girls to see us take the lead sometimes, equipping them in the process of making lasting memories.

    Reply
  6. Leslie Watkins says

    April 3, 2018 at 4:10 PM

    How perfect! The unexpected always happens with us and navigating through those bumps are great life lessons! And who else has a story like this! Memories made! Check.

    Reply
  7. Dorothy says

    April 3, 2018 at 4:30 PM

    I love this post, you can do much more than most kids realize, some things quite well.

    Reply
  8. Marty Oravetz says

    April 3, 2018 at 6:17 PM

    Oh my what an adventure. Sounds like a fun time after all.

    Reply
  9. ROSE says

    April 3, 2018 at 7:20 PM

    I am looking forward to visiting Seattle one day. I want so much to see the glass museum! Lots to see and do, especially with a discount pass.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      April 4, 2018 at 1:30 PM

      Hi Rose! The glass museum was definitely my favorite! It was just absolutely amazing and so beautiful. There is truly so much to do and most of it is all within walking distance. We purchased the city pass which gave us great discounts. I hope you get to go soon!

      Reply
  10. anita roth says

    April 4, 2018 at 8:42 AM

    What a wonderful memory making trip for you and your daughter !

    Reply
  11. Julie says

    April 4, 2018 at 11:47 AM

    The Lord give you such neat stories! Thanks for sharing, Vanessa (and Lauren!)

    Reply
  12. Jayne says

    April 5, 2018 at 7:16 AM

    I’M SO HAPPY THAT YOU BOTH A GOOD TIME !

    Reply

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“Ah, Lovely October, as you usher in the season “Ah, Lovely October, as you usher in the season that awakens my soul, your awesome beauty compels my spirit to soar like a leaf caught in an autumn breeze and my heart to sing like a heavenly choir.” Peggy Toney Horton.

Happy October dear friends! 🍂
On Monday my heart just felt so heavy. Yes, the po On Monday my heart just felt so heavy. Yes, the pouring rain outside contributed to my feelings. But the primary cause was this overwhelming flood of thoughts about how much in our world and in our culture is going off the rails. I’d planned to make pumpkin bread that day but I was tempted to just curl up in a ball on my bed, pull the covers over my head and pretend that this would actually solve something. I didn’t give into that temptation though. Instead, I got out my favorite pumpkin bread recipe and found that, as I worked and prayed and hummed worship songs, my spirit began to settle. When the world feels very loud, the demands of family and home can actually help to quiet our souls. As each family member walked through the door later in the day, they commented on how wonderful the house smelled. It’s better than any fall candle in my opinion! And I knew that the extra loaf that I get from the recipe would be a welcome treat for my widower neighbor. So, if your heart is feeling a bit unsettled this week too, maybe this recipe will come in handy!

Pumpkin Bread:

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 🍂
Happy first day of Autumn!! 🍂 Here’s a super Happy first day of Autumn!! 🍂 Here’s a super simple centerpiece that you can make in five minutes (or less) with just a few pumpkins and extra faux greenery. Let’s spend less time decorating and more time enjoying this season. It’s my favorite!! 🧡

#fallcenterpiece #falldecor #centerpiece #fiveminutedecorating
"Define your day", she told me as I held my newbor "Define your day", she told me as I held my newborn son. My mom and I were talking about how blurred my days and nights had become and how easy it would be to just stay in my pajamas 24/7. She encouraged me to make an attempt to put on 'real' clothes in the morning even if they were just nice sweatpants (bonus if they were clean!) and to throw a little bit of makeup on. That simple advice helped chart a course for my years of motherhood that continues today. And recently I began thinking about how critical it is that we not only seek wisdom from those ahead of us in our stage of life but that we are willing to apply it as well.

So, I asked this question on my personal Facebook page; "What is something you feel you've done well to create a peaceful/meaningful home for yourself and your family?" The catch was that the question was geared towards women in the 40+ age range. The responses came flooding in and were so wonderful and insightful. So, I'm going to be starting a new series where I share this wisdom with you and will include the first name of the woman who offered it. 

Today we start with Alison who said "I learned to set my alarm early to get up and moving before my kids woke up. I showered, got dressed and did my devotions while the house was quiet. It set my heart and perspective for each day.”

Is this something you do in your life too? What wisdom would you offer to a mom of young children?

I truly think our culture would greatly benefit from more women in different seasons of life being willing to invest in each other. 🍂

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #motherhood #parentingwisdom
If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a resta If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a restaurant I’m definitely ordering it! It’s one of my all time favorite treats. So I decided to try my hand at making some here at home with a little fall twist and it was SO delicious!! 🍎

Ingredients:

6 slices of day old bread (french, sourdough or even brioche works great)
2 cups of heavy cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the apples:
3 peeled and chopped apples of a tart variety
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour (or corn starch)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350
Cut bread into cubes and place in a greased 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish
Whisk together in a bowl the eggs, cream, vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg and then pour it over the bread cubes. In a separate bowl, mix together the apples, brown sugar and flour/corn starch. Pour the apple mixture on top of the bread mixture making sure to spread the apples evenly across every part of the bread mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes. 
Enjoy!

#falldesserts #breadpudding #fallrecipes #desserts
When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after onl When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after only a week of school, you take the opportunity to make Saturday a truly restful day. Pancakes on the griddle, puttering around the yard admiring the way the limelights have begun their autumn journey from white to green to pink. Sprinkling touches of fall around the house a little bit at a time. Savoring the slowness of it all and taking care of my people in this place that provides us all with a respite from the world even if just for a day.

Hope you’re weekend is off to a great start and that you make it a priority to slow down for a bit and soak up the beauty around you. 🍂

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking #falldecorating
As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but thin As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but think about how grateful I am for the reminders all around me of God’s Sovereignty over everything including the seasons. It can be challenging in our world today to trust that there isn’t a single thing happening that surprises Him.

In a way, decorating my home to reflect the changing season serves as a tangible reminder of this trust. Even something as simple as seeing a pumpkin on my mantel or a basket of mums on the coffee table fill me with peace because they represent the things that remain constant and true.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #club31women
I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
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