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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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December 10, 2022

Nostalgic Christmas Home Tour

When we were little girls, my sister and I knew that it was important to my parents that Santa not get the credit for our ‘big’ Christmas gift. The hand-crafted doll house, the white leather roller skates with purple wheels (still one of my favorite childhood gifts), the Schwinn bike, the Cabbage Patch doll, and so much more. All of these items were saved for and chosen carefully at a time when money was tight. So, to allow jolly old St. Nick to take the credit was a bridge too far and my mom couldn’t bring herself to put his name on the gift tag.


But, one year, we were informed of a new tradition that my parents decided to introduce into our festivities. My dad had realized that many a Christmas morning found him not being aware of what was inside all of the brightly wrapped boxes. As is typical in many a household, my mom did the bulk of the gift shopping and he was often as surprised as we were by what was under the tree.

So, he made the decision that he would pick out a special gift for his girls that would just be from him and that he would give it to us on Christmas Eve.

I still remember the joy we felt when we were told we would be allowed to open a gift on Christmas Eve. And, when we saw the gift tag signed ‘Love, Daddy’, the significance of knowing that he had personally selected something for each of his girls was not lost on us.

Over the years we received beautiful hard-cover books, perfume in bottles that made us feel oh so grown up, pajamas, ornaments and so much more. I’m sure he had some help from my mom. But, unlike Santa Claus, she was more than happy to let my dad have only his name on the tag.

To this day, it feels almost sacred to go into the cold attic and open up the bins to pull out the beautiful Christmas books and place them on my coffee table. I can’t resist opening the front cover of the Nutcracker and reading the inscription written in my dad’s handwriting. In an instant, I find myself in that inexplicable emotional state where I am both little girl and grown up mom in my forties.

This year, the word ‘nostalgia’ was running through my mind as I began to decorate my home to welcome the season. I think it’s one of the most perfect ways to describe the feeling that rises in us this time of the year.

Nostalgia is defined as “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.”

Sentimental longing or wistful affection…doesn’t that just perfectly capture the complex emotions we experience this time of the year? There’s so much joy and yet, at the same time, so much that feels incredibly bittersweet.

Holidays have that unique ability to serve as a very visible reminder of the passage of time and to have us thinking back and reflecting on the past while also looking forward and wondering what the next year will hold.

They are mile markers on our life journey.

Living in that tension between the two emotions hasn’t always been something I’ve done well and it’s often led to me missing out on simply enjoying the moments unfolding right in front of me. After all, they will be the memories we look back on someday, right?

This past year, more than ever before in my life, I’ve come to realize that perhaps our lives are always meant to live in that tension.

Built into my soul is a longing for a home I’ve yet to see. For now, I reside on this side of eternity.

So, I set out with intentionality to make my home one that pays homage to the home of my childhood and reflects the home that waits for me someday.

The treasured items I pull from the attic blend seamlessly with the newfound pieces that will become treasured items to my children (and maybe even grandchildren!) someday.

If they can find a way to happily exist together in that space between the past, the present and the future then I guess I can do it too.

Because, the best part about that tension is that it reveals to us how finite we really are and reminds us of our need for the One who was born in a manger and died on a cross.

 

My hope and prayer for you this Christmas is that you will be able to experience the joy that comes from being truly present in each moment. And, that you will simply embrace the bittersweet emotions that rise up in this season, allowing them to turn your hearts towards the Savior who is called,

“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Merry Christmas, dear ones, from my home to yours!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas, Decorating, Good Ideas, Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decor, Christmas home tour

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Comments

  1. Carol Reddin says

    December 11, 2022 at 9:29 AM

    I’m feeling nostalgic just reading this post and seeing the beautiful photographs (especially the much-loved Nativity). Your Dad always wanted to be a big part of your lives and share in your joys and sorrows.

    Merry Christmas. I love you.

    Mom

    Reply
  2. Jo says

    December 12, 2022 at 9:50 PM

    I know exactly what you mean about the nostalgia. And I hope someday my own children will look back to their childhood home and especially at the holiday season with the same emotions. You wrote it so beautifully. And also about our future home!! What a joy to serve the one true God and worship a risen Savior. Blessings to you and yours!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      December 15, 2022 at 1:07 PM

      Thank you so much for your kind comment Jo! I’m so glad this resonated with you. Merry Christmas to you and yours during this sacred season!

      Reply
  3. Marilyn says

    December 15, 2022 at 4:26 PM

    Thank you for sharing this lovely post. The house is beautiful. Christmas is a time for nostalgia. We can still see our dad reading the Night Before Christmas to his daughters. Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Merry Christmas. God Bless.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

    Reply
  4. Nana Diana says

    December 18, 2022 at 2:36 PM

    What a wonderful, wonderful post. That was such a special thing for your daddy to do for you. My big nostalgic moment is always on my birthday, Dec 12, when my father and I would go into the woods and bring home a Christmas tree. That was always so special.
    God bless you and your family during this precious Christmas season. Hugs- Diana

    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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