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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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May 20, 2012

Network Your Blog…May Networking Blog Hop!

We were so honored to be asked to participate this month in the Networking May Blog Hop by the lovely Kelly of Live Laugh Rowe!

What is a Networking Blog Hop you ask…well…



Are you ready to network??
Are you prepared to make some new bloggy friends??
Well, here’s your chance!


One of the best ways to introduce your blog to others and network with bloggers is a blog hop! 
RULES:
Link up to the homepage of your blog.
….follow Host and Co-Hosts {pretty please} feel free to follow by Facebook, Twitter,

or whatever works best for you!

….hop // network // have fun!

If you’d like to post this linky on your blog, grab the code below.

The more, the merrier! Wouldn’t you agree? {yay!}

Besides us there are several other lovely co-hosts!
Ginny of Chasing Sunshine 
Karen of Karen at Home
Rebecca of My Girlish Whims 
Ashley of Mister G and Me and
Lesli of 
Put a Little Umbrella in your Drink

 

Now you can grab the code place it in your html and share the blog hop on your blog as well!
This is a “Blog Hop” – Grab the code {here}!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much for linking up with us! Wishing you all the best in your bloggy endeavors. Blog on!!

Save the Date! Next Hop: 6/17

Photobucket

Photobucket


Party Code ONLY: Link to Blog Hop Code: get the InLinkz code 

  
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32 Comments Filed Under: Blogging 101, Community, Good Ideas

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Previous Post: « Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 65!
Next Post: A Picket Fence Project »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chrissy Taylor says

    May 20, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    HI there! I am a new follower from the blog hop. I’m so excited to have found you, your blog is Adorable! So many cute things!

    Reply
  2. Serendipity. says

    May 20, 2012 at 12:56 PM

    I’m all “linked up”. Thank you, ladies! Have a wonderful Sunday! xo

    Reply
  3. Kelly says

    May 20, 2012 at 1:16 PM

    Hey there!!! I am a new follower from today’s blog hop today! Thanks for hosting girls!!!!

    Reply
  4. Big K Fam says

    May 20, 2012 at 1:17 PM

    Thanks for hosting this blog hop! I’m your newest follower! =)

    Reply
  5. Shannon says

    May 20, 2012 at 1:45 PM

    Thanks for hosting, I’m a new follower!!

    Shannon@SewSweetCottage

    Reply
  6. Susan @ homeroad.net says

    May 20, 2012 at 1:52 PM

    Thank you! I added your link to my facebook page
    Susan
    Homeroad

    Reply
  7. Gina says

    May 20, 2012 at 2:04 PM

    Thanks for hosting! I am excited to explore your blog and so many others this morning :).

    Reply
  8. {the.junk.nest} says

    May 20, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    I’m linked up and sharing on my blog too! Thanks for the great ‘hop’ 😉

    Jessica
    {the.junk.nest}

    Reply
  9. Diane | An Extraordinary Day says

    May 20, 2012 at 2:25 PM

    Thanks ladies!!
    I copied the code…but it remains as code on my page. Maybe you could share a tip or two for the newbies – like moi. 😀

    Reply
  10. Kristine @ TheFoleyFam says

    May 20, 2012 at 2:54 PM

    New follower via GFC stoppping in from the Hop 🙂 Happy Sunday FUNday to you! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Alli @ Cupcake Diaries says

    May 20, 2012 at 2:58 PM

    I’m a new follower via GFC as well, thanks to the blog hop! I love your blog!

    Reply
  12. Shatzi @ Love and Laundry says

    May 20, 2012 at 4:45 PM

    New follower form the blog hop!! Thanks for hosting. =)

    Reply
  13. Chase the Star says

    May 20, 2012 at 5:22 PM

    Been a follwer, but wanted to stop by and thank you for hosting! Have a great rest of your weekend!
    Barbara @ Chase the Star

    Reply
  14. Jenny says

    May 20, 2012 at 5:48 PM

    Stopping by from the Networking Blog Hop…I am your newest follower! I would love if you would check out my blog and if you like what you see please follow back 🙂
    Modern Modest Beauty

    Reply
  15. garagesalesrus says

    May 20, 2012 at 5:49 PM

    Thanks for co-hosting! I am a new follower and can’t wait to looks around! Hope you stop by https://www.garagesalesrus.blogspot.com/ and do the same

    Robin

    Reply
  16. Melissa says

    May 20, 2012 at 6:18 PM

    Im a new follower from Live Laugh Rowe blog hop!
    Im enjoying looking around your blog. =)

    Reply
  17. Vanessa Dawne says

    May 20, 2012 at 8:21 PM

    What a great event Heather & Vanessa! After a week filled with gardening, glass work, a full 2 hours tumbling at the gym with my grand-daughter, & then 2 full days of roofing, I definitely need to PARTEEE!

    There’s so many neat sites here, I’ll be busy all day. Thanks so much for co-hosting.
    dawnedesign.net

    Reply
  18. Rosemary@villabarnes says

    May 20, 2012 at 11:21 PM

    Great hop. Already a follower of yours, and Umbrella. Just followed the other co-hosts.

    Reply
  19. Diane Writes says

    May 21, 2012 at 12:53 AM

    Hi girls! Thank you for this opportunity. I’m joining in 😀

    Reply
  20. Laurel@chippingwithcharm says

    May 21, 2012 at 1:22 AM

    Fun 🙂 All linked up…thanks! Laurel

    Reply
  21. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    May 20, 2012 at 7:02 PM

    Hi girls!! I linked up… but put my name in place of my blog name… aye carumba. need.more.coffee. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this! Hope you are having a fantastic weekend!

    Reply
  22. Desire Empire says

    May 21, 2012 at 3:35 AM

    Wow this looks like fun. I’m off to visit and do some following
    Carolyn

    Reply
  23. Nancy StyleDecor says

    May 20, 2012 at 8:41 PM

    Thanks for co-hosting the hop! So excited to join the hop and visit some exciting blogs!
    I’m now following you on GFC!
    Nice meeting you and I LOVE your blog!
    nancy
    Style ‘n Decor Deals!
    https://StyleDecorDeals.com/

    Reply
  24. Kimberly says

    May 20, 2012 at 9:04 PM

    Cool blog. I spent some time reading blogging 101. I’m following via twitter.

    Reply
  25. ~ rooms FOR rent ~ says

    May 21, 2012 at 1:46 PM

    Glad to find you via Live.Laugh.Rowe.! I’m your newest follower 🙂 ~Bre

    Reply
  26. Julie Jenks - The Path to an Organized Tomorrow says

    May 21, 2012 at 2:37 PM

    Thanks for co-hosting this party! I already follow you via reader, but now I’ll have so much more awesomeness to read!! 🙂

    Reply
  27. Jill says

    May 21, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    Thanks for co-hosting Blog Hop! Following via GFC! Would love if you stopped by to visit!

    https://jill-createcraftlove.blogspot.com

    Jill @ Create.Craft.Love.

    Reply
  28. DebbieDoesCreations says

    May 21, 2012 at 8:45 PM

    Came to visit from the blog hop. Thanks so much for co-hosting!!

    Reply
  29. Liz - Imageremix says

    May 21, 2012 at 10:54 PM

    Thank you so much for cohosting the bloghop. Great idea.

    Liz

    Reply
  30. diana says

    May 22, 2012 at 12:01 AM

    Thanks for cohosting. I am a new follower and looking forward to reading your blog! Diana Meredith Designs

    Reply
  31. Nann from At Nann's Table says

    May 22, 2012 at 3:05 AM

    You gals are all the greatest. I’ve never seen a blog link up like this before. So where have I been the last six months???? I guess I’m still such a new blogger. THANKYOU for hosting this marvelous party!! What A GREAT thing to do. Love it!!

    Nann
    atnannstable.blogspot.com

    Reply
  32. https://www.lazylacquerista.com says

    October 17, 2013 at 3:06 PM

    Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of anny wiudgets I could add to my blog thhat automatically tweet my
    newest twitter updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and
    was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
    Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly
    enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

    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.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

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!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
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? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

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.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
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