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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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October 23, 2018

Paper Bag Pumpkins

A few years ago, in a blog post about fall decor, I casually mentioned that every October I set out a pair of paper bag pumpkins (say that five times fast!) crafted by my children when they were each in kindergarten, respectively.

In one of the comments left for me, a curious member of our community here told me that she would love to actually see those paper bag pumpkins. I think she might have felt, like so many of us do, that while we enjoy all of the photos of beautiful home decor, there tends to be a lack of reality. In fact, I had this confirmed to me when I shared my fall tour with you recently and everyone overwhelmingly declared that they would welcome a little less staging and a lot more real-life.

I’ve wanted to share those paper bag pumpkins with you ever since then. But, I always talked myself out of it. I mean, why would anyone but me care about them? And then I began to think about why I take those paper bag pumpkins out every year and what they mean to me.

Normally, I put them in our laundry room on the long counter which doubles as a dropping zone for homework and mail and socks. (what is it with socks?!)

I put those paper bag pumpkins there because it’s the room we are in and out of multiple times a day since it leads to the garage and we are perpetually shuttling everyone around. And each time I see them with their pipe cleaner stems and their crooked smiles carefully drawn on by little hands, I can’t help but think that they are perhaps the most beautiful of all my fall decor.

Last week we had the incredible privilege of traveling to Maui to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We took our kids with us because we are suckers and really wanted them to enjoy the island with us. Every morning Robb and I would drink our coffee out on the balcony with a perfect view of the ocean. Below us was a little walkway that wound through the resort and, without fail, each day we would see parents chasing toddlers. The time difference had everyone up very early in the morning and it wouldn’t be unusual to see them all running around at 6am.

One morning we noticed a little boy pushing his toy truck back and forth along the path, his blonde hair blowing in the breeze. He reminded us so much of our son at that age that it was like getting a glimpse at our past. And it dawned on me just what it was I was feeling so intensely these days.

When my kids were little I definitely had a sense of how quickly the time was passing but it always seemed like there was still lots of time left. The days, months and years stretched out before me while I was having to be so very much in the moment with my little ones.

Now, in this season, I’m experiencing that bittersweet sense of not only truly knowing that time is going by quickly but also this deep awareness of how little of it there is left. No longer do I see it stretching before me like some kind of yellow brick road meandering along until it meets the horizon.

So, I do things like putting out paper bag pumpkins every year.

Because sometimes the tangible items serve as the beginning of the intangible thread which connects us to the past, the present and the future.

And even though they might not admit it, I think seeing those pumpkins as they walk through the door each day provides the same sense of continuity and security to my kids as it does to me. A little glimpse of their childhood to remind them that while all of the world around them seems crazy and chaotic, our home remains a place they can count on to be steady and to have some things that never change.

We need to see a little bit more of this in blog posts and on social media, don’t you think? The things that reflect our real lives. Not the lives that we shove into a closet or hide in the laundry room in order to take the prettiest picture. But the ones that allow for the sweet, homemade crafts to peacefully coexists with the elegant home decor.

Because it’s not the perfect lamp we found or the latest paint color we added to our walls which we will cherish the most. It’s those little reminders of the life we’ve lived. They remind us of the joys and the sorrows and all of the gloriously mundane days in between.

So hang up those popsicle stick ornaments on the Christmas tree, drink your coffee from the hand-painted mug you got for Mother’s Day that year, put your fanciest earrings in the little clay bowl crafted by tiny fingers and wrapped up in newspaper with all of the reverence of a sculptor and his masterpiece.

And I’ll be here putting out my paper bag pumpkins.

 

17 Comments Filed Under: Autumn, Community, Good Thoughts

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Comments

  1. Kimberly Heavner says

    October 23, 2018 at 11:57 AM

    Such beautiful treasures! I love them!! Great crafting idea for children before Halloween. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. lynne richmond says

    October 23, 2018 at 1:34 PM

    I LOVE THE PUMPKINS!!!!!!!!! i TOTALLY understand why you cherish them….. they would have a special place in my home also! I do not have children of my own; but i have been graced with ceramic items, drawings, and other craft projects through the years by my nieces and nephews….. and now THEIR children…. every once in awhile, i send a blessed old item back to its creator so he/she can show their kids what a labor of love looks like! it’s a gift everyone enjoys all over again……

    Reply
  3. Shelly says

    October 23, 2018 at 2:00 PM

    So sweet and we’ll said! Thank you !

    Reply
  4. Karen says

    October 23, 2018 at 2:10 PM

    Wow, thanks for putting those elusive feelings into words- you are spot on! Now I know why it seems so right to be still using the ceramic cup my (now 33 year old) son made in first grade for my used Brillo pad and to have the red crayon colored wood heart that my husband made in second grade hanging in the living room!

    Reply
  5. Carol Neibling says

    October 23, 2018 at 2:56 PM

    I suddenly am aware my youngest is already 50 he has his own business, married a women with two little girl, designed and built a beautiful home and had it paid for by the time he moved in. This is the child the doctor wanted me to abort because “I was too old”. Thank you for bringing back the memories.

    Reply
  6. Diane Kaskel says

    October 23, 2018 at 3:11 PM

    Loved your paper bag pumpkins! What a treasure you have. I have hung on to several such things our children & grandchildren have made so understand your sentiments exactly. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
  7. Laura Harrie says

    October 23, 2018 at 3:42 PM

    Vanessa,
    I have three paper bag pumpkins proudly displayed in our great room from my kids when they were in preschool. Those reminders of long ago days bring back so many memories!

    Reply
  8. Helen says

    October 23, 2018 at 7:06 PM

    Such a great post! Thank you! It made me smile! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Hilary Calce says

    October 23, 2018 at 10:22 PM

    I love this! Thank you so much for your beautifully written posts! I truly enjoy them. I have two boys, 17 and 20, and can certainly relate to looking back on those younger years and wondering where all that time went. And, as a kindergarten teacher, I might just use the cute craft idea as well!

    Reply
  10. Vanessa Prohaska says

    October 23, 2018 at 11:09 PM

    I follow the blog, the Instagram and Facebook page of Larissa her pages are called “Prodigal Pieces” a woman with God in her heart and the proud mom of 6 children. Anyways ; she once said that the reason she decorates with a few children handmade things; is because: “if Jesus peeks through your window; would he be proud of what he sees”? Amen for both of you.

    Reply
  11. Margaret says

    October 24, 2018 at 7:03 AM

    Love this post.. a reminder of how fast time passes.
    I am seeing this now with my grandsons growing up so quickly. Treasure each moment.

    Reply
  12. Nancy says

    October 24, 2018 at 7:09 AM

    Love this! I am a retired teacher, and my third-graders made these. We also made paper bag turkeys, reindeer, and decorative holders for Valentine cards. Sweet memories!

    Reply
  13. Leanne says

    October 24, 2018 at 8:23 AM

    Thank you so much for sharing! My heart warmed even more while reading this – as our middle son (28yrs old) just got married two weeks ago ( first child to get married) And amazingly enough all the items all three of my kids have made when they were little stood out to me around the house. The ceramic painted heart that my hubby uses every day to set his spoon on when making coffee, the soap dish I still use daily. All the painted mugs all three kids made over the years sit in my office with all my special pens and markers………..and of course my paper bags pumkins! Mini Christmas wearths I put out by my door, other Halloween and Easter items………the list goes on………I know this new chapter of “adult kids” is in full swing and love everything that it brings……it still warms me to have all the beautiful memory triggers around our home to warm my heart af all the fun, laughter and craziness when they were little. Glad to know others cherish those special made with love items our littles made! ❤️

    Reply
  14. Yvonne says

    October 24, 2018 at 11:07 AM

    What an absolutely wonderful post, and thank you for recognizing that many of us enjoy the reality of everyday life. The pumpkins are precious

    Reply
  15. valarie sanford says

    October 24, 2018 at 2:16 PM

    Smitten, with them and YOU!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      October 26, 2018 at 10:04 AM

      Awww…thanks Valarie!

      Reply
  16. Judy g9QQ says

    October 27, 2018 at 9:03 AM

    Love those pumpkins. And, I never saw any paper bag pumpkins in my life! I’m going to grab my grandchildren tomorrow and make some of these! Hopefully, I will be able to pass them on to them when they have their own homes! Thanks for the great idea. And yes, nothing says home to my adult children quite like when they see something they made or gave to me many years ago. Males in their 30’s and 40’s actually look for that and notice when it’s not around! 😉

    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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