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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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February 1, 2014

A Proposal Story & The Recipe for Love

I have really horrible handwriting. It’s true. My mom wouldn’t even let me help address the envelopes on my wedding invitations because of my horrible handwriting.

Recipe for Love Tea Towel Valentine's Day Gift from atthepicketfence.com

Although…maybe I was faking that so I could get out of doing it…hmmm…. šŸ˜‰

I never realized just how horrible my handwriting was until I decided to do a cute little craft for our Take 5: 5 Minute Craft Series which involved writing on a towel.

5 minute craft graphic

So, I’m going to distract you from my handwriting with a story. And then you are going to decide to make this cute little craft yourself and it will look beautiful and perfect because I can guarantee that your handwriting is better than mine!

Everyone loves a good proposal story, right?

This one begins on a cold day in November, 1997. My college roommate and I were getting ready to head out on the town for a ‘girls night’ and as we were leaving our apartment she mentioned that she needed to make a quick stop at her parents home.

We hopped in her car and cranked up the music pouring from her tape deck. I’m pretty sure it was one of the super cool mixed tapes that I had made in high school and brought with me to college. It probably even had the voice of the DJ on it since I never was quick enough at pushing that “end” button when I was trying to record songs from the radio.

sharpie and towel

As we drove along the winding mountain rode towards Kara’s parents house we chatted about finals and the upcoming Christmas break and which friends we were going to meet up with that night.

And then, suddenly, Kara starts pulling her car off to the side of the road. I look out the car window and see what appears to be a homeless man standing on the corner.

I said, “Ummm….Kara…what are you doing? You aren’t planning on giving him a ride are you?” I watched as the man with the hood of his coat pulled up over his head begins walking towards my door.

And I panic…and freak out a bit….and wonder if I have any cash in my purse that I can give him.

Then as he moves closer and closer to us I notice he’s holding a cardboard sign.

It’s pitch black outside but with the help of the car’s headlights I’m able to make out what it says…

recipe for love tea towel

“WIFELESS WILL WORK FOR MARRIAGE”

recipe for love towel with ribbon detail

He pulls the hood off and there standing before me isn’t a homeless man or a hitch-hiker or a night prowler lying in wait for two college girls.

It was my boyfriend. My guy. My love.

The one to whom I had given my heart.

He got in the car with us and Kara drove a little bit further before turning into a driveway. It took me a minute to realize where we were being that it was at night and all. But I soon got my wits about me and recognized theĀ park where we had enjoyed many a picnic. All of those special dates which we went on mostly because we didn’t have a lot of money to spend on fancy restaurants but ones we knew we wouldn’t trade for all of the china and cloth napkins in the world.

ribbon detail on towel

He had set up a table with candles and flowers and then it happened…that moment I had dreamed of and knew was coming and yet for some reason it still took me by surprise…and took my breath away.

He asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. To be his wife. His partner.

The tears flowed and I Ā blubbered my way through saying a great big ‘YES’!

We just knew that we had found the recipe for love.

But, you don’t really know until you know…and then you know. Right?

Recipe for Love towel atthepicketfence.com

You see, this particular recipe gets put to the test as the years go by. And some extra ‘flavors’ are added in.

Flavors like loss, grief, heartache, disappointment, worry, fear, great sorrow and great joy.

And that’s when you know. That’s when you know if your recipe for love can withstand the addition of these flavors.

If it can,Ā perhaps, just perhaps, the result will be something richer…deeper…with more substance.

That young man, the one who held up a sign that said ‘wifeless will work for marriage’, is sitting next to me as I type out these words. He makes me laugh as much today as he did that night over 16 years ago when he asked me to be his forever. He’s my best friend.

And our recipe for love has withstood the addition of a few extra ingredients….some flavoring.

I pray it’s a recipe that will be passed down from generation to generation…

along with my mixed tapes. šŸ˜‰

Vanessa signature

 

 

22 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Five Minute Crafts, Good Ideas Tagged With: 5 minute crafts, cheap crafts, crafts, Five Minute Crafts, Take Five

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Comments

  1. Lori Alexander says

    February 1, 2014 at 5:22 AM

    What a unique way of proposing! This is a beautiful love story. You are very blessed.

    Reply
  2. chelsea says

    February 1, 2014 at 5:39 AM

    So sweet!

    Reply
  3. Thistle says

    February 1, 2014 at 5:48 AM

    Vanessa,

    What a wonderful story! Proposal stories are the best. šŸ™‚

    Happy day to you friend!
    karianne

    Reply
  4. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    February 1, 2014 at 6:29 AM

    OMG, Vanessa, that is a beautiful story! My husband still makes me laugh after almost 29 years of marriage {and almost 31 years of being together}. Oh yes, I love your towel, too! : )

    Reply
  5. Marty Walden says

    February 1, 2014 at 7:09 AM

    So beautiful and what a great proposal! Love your heart and your love for your husband and kids. It shines through in every project and word. You’re amazing!

    Reply
  6. Anita Ward says

    February 1, 2014 at 8:08 AM

    How sweet……..may you share many more years together bonded by The Love Of God!!!!!!

    Reply
  7. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    February 1, 2014 at 8:14 AM

    What an awesome proposal story Vanessa! So sweet and I loved reading this.
    And haha- you could always hear the DJ on my mix tapes too. lol

    Reply
    • Vanessa says

      February 1, 2014 at 11:56 AM

      LOL! Glad to know I wasn’t the only one who was lacking in mixed tape making skills Claire!

      Reply
  8. Hillary | lulalizett says

    February 1, 2014 at 9:22 AM

    Vanessa, this is hilarious! I can just imagine you panicking as a shadowy figure walks toward your car door. I would have had an anxiety attack!! I love it! Oh, and your handwriting is definitely not horrible! Your tea towel looks great!

    Reply
    • Vanessa says

      February 1, 2014 at 11:55 AM

      LOL!! Yes I definitely was having an anxiety attack too! Thanks so much for coming by! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. laura@top this top that says

    February 1, 2014 at 10:38 AM

    who cares about your handwritting your story is beautiful!

    Reply
    • Vanessa says

      February 1, 2014 at 11:55 AM

      Awwww…thanks friend! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  10. Carol Reddin says

    February 1, 2014 at 2:58 PM

    I remember this story well! Our family has definitely been blessed by the addition of your husband! Wouldn’t trade him! Mom

    Reply
  11. vanessa prohaska says

    February 1, 2014 at 3:38 PM

    Lovely story, cute project and what an awesome college friend!

    Reply
  12. Vivienne at The V Spot says

    February 2, 2014 at 1:31 PM

    That. Is. Awesome.

    Reply
  13. kelly says

    February 2, 2014 at 8:56 PM

    Just love this!
    xx

    Reply
  14. Judy says

    February 3, 2014 at 11:02 AM

    What a beautiful way of proposing. Great story.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      February 3, 2014 at 1:07 PM

      Thanks Judy! Hope you are doing well friend! šŸ™‚

      Reply
  15. Sue {munchkin munchies} says

    February 3, 2014 at 1:47 PM

    What a great proposal story, and I love your tea towel! Thanks for sharing!
    BTW, is this just a plain muslin tea towel?

    Reply
    • Vanessa says

      February 3, 2014 at 5:02 PM

      Thanks Sue! And it’s just a flour sack towel from Target. They came in a pack of 4 and were under $5! šŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Sue {munchkin munchies} says

        February 3, 2014 at 6:13 PM

        Thanks, Vanessa! šŸ™‚

        Reply
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    February 3, 2014 at 8:34 PM

    You will get to enjoy the most effective methods of cleaning that comes with the best price tag.
    You can prevent build-up from happening on your carpet as well keep
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ā€œAh, Lovely October, as you usher in the season ā€œAh, 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.ā€ Peggy Toney Horton.

Happy October dear friends! šŸ‚
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 7Ɨ3 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. šŸ‚
Happy first day of Autumn!! šŸ‚ Here’s a super Happy first day of Autumn!! šŸ‚ 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.ā€

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. šŸ‚

#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!! šŸŽ

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. šŸ‚

#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.

ā€œThe grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.ā€ 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. šŸ‚

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
ā€œAs the alluring song of September begins to whi ā€œAs the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.ā€ (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! šŸ‚

#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 šŸ¤

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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