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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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December 10, 2021

Christmas Home Tour Part One

*Welcome to part one of my Christmas home tour where I will be sharing with you my entry, living room and dining room. I’m so happy you’re here!*

I am a Christmas music purist. Give me all of the old standards with crooners like Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Etta James, Bing Crosby and the like. I do not enjoy modernized versions of the classics and I am regularly teased about this by my family who will often try to play some heinous new take on ‘White Christmas’ with way too much ‘woo woo woo’ (you know what I’m talking about!) just to torture me.

A couple of years ago I laboriously curated a playlist with all of my favorites and even found some songs I had never heard before! If you want to feel all warm and fuzzy inside, go listen to the song ‘December’ by Kay Starr.

My favorite finds were those songs that still had the scratchy record element to them. They just conjure up simpler times and, for some reason, feel like home to me.

Now, lest you think I’m ignoring all of the beautiful Christmas hymns, Old English favorites and classical music, I will have you know that I’ve also created an instrumental Christmas playlist which provides the perfect backdrop for those times when you just need something more quiet and soothing.

In fact, I’m listening to it as I write these words.

I’ve just always been a traditional girl at heart. When I attempt to hop on board the ‘trend train’ it rarely goes well. I tried to wear one of those plaid ‘shackets’ that are so popular right now and I should’ve just carried an ax with me and hiked into the woods because I definitely passed for a lumberjack. It was not a good look.

So, I’ve finally accepted that the best approach to decorating my home for the seasons is the simplest one. The one that is less stylized and more soft. The one that might not look like it belongs on the cover of a magazine, but that makes me feel a sense of peace as I glance around the rooms.

Those traditional Christmas songs, those favorites we listen to year after year, remind me of the beloved ornaments that I pull out of the bins and hang on our trees. I just can’t quit them. I can’t keep them hidden away in order to try out a ‘new and improved’ look that may garner more likes on Instagram but will never feel quite right.

Like those old classics, my home doesn’t need much enhancement to still feel Christmas-y.

There’s definitely not a whole lot of extra ‘woo woo woo’ happening here.

Just subtle touches that don’t distract from the heart of the season. Like our advent candle centerpiece in the dining room.

Perhaps one of the best parts of getting older is becoming more comfortable, more settled, in who you are. Not that there isn’t room for change because, goodness knows, there are many things I need to work on and I definitely don’t want to get too stuck in my ways.

But, I feel less pressure to make a splash. Less inclined to try and fit myself or my home in a mold where it was never meant to fit.

Sometimes it’s just best to not mess with the classics. I think my favorite Christmas crooners would agree.

Much love to you friends,

9 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Decorating, Good Ideas, Holidays, Winter, Wreaths Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decor, Christmas home tour

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Comments

  1. Debbie says

    December 10, 2021 at 3:10 PM

    Your Christmas tree is beautiful!! Any chance I could get a link to it?

    Reply
  2. JoAnn says

    December 10, 2021 at 4:40 PM

    It looks beautiful, understated and serene. Love the garland on the mantle. Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  3. Katharine says

    December 10, 2021 at 5:44 PM

    So beautiful, thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Carol Reddin says

    December 10, 2021 at 5:49 PM

    I love all of it – especially the dried orange garland. I know it must smell amazing. Visiting your home makes me smile.

    Reply
  5. Teresa A Moyer says

    December 10, 2021 at 8:23 PM

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  6. Bev Bechtel says

    December 11, 2021 at 2:29 AM

    Just Beautiful!! Elegant but Charming!!! I love the candles in the wooden bowl. Is it called a dough bough? Anyway I loveit! Also love your coffee table!! Merry Christmas!!! 😊🎄💗

    Reply
  7. Wanda Walton says

    December 11, 2021 at 4:21 AM

    I just as Alexa to play ” December”. I LOVE IT !!! Thank you…..

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      December 14, 2021 at 10:23 AM

      Yay!! This makes me SO happy to hear that you love it! Merry Christmas!

      Reply
  8. Robyn says

    December 11, 2021 at 5:10 PM

    I am like you in that I love all the classics- movies and music. I have scaled back in my decorating and keeping it simpler. I love your home and how cozy it looks. Would you be willing to share your Christmas playlists with us?

    Reply

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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
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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