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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 12, 2011

Sister Saturday Valentine’s Edition Linky Party!!

WELCOME TO THE VALENTINE’S DAY EDITION OF SISTER SATURDAY!
Time to link up those great Valentine projects and ideas!


This is also the first edition for Sister Saturday here 
At The Picket Fence!

Now we don’t have to share our Sister Saturday on TWO blogs but we can combine them on ONE!



Confession Time from Heather

my Sister Saturday contribution is not only from last year…sigh.  Don’t even ask what we’re doing for Valentine’s this year..pizza? maybe? I feel lucky right now to get my laundry done…if I wash all of my red and pink laundry does that make it more Valentiney?? 

Also, in all honesty I would not have invited Vanessa let alone her whole family to celebrate last year’s Valentine’s Day with me.  Not only would it have traumatized them all but it might have been a little crowded since Bama Boy and I spent Valentine’s Day locked away in our bedroom..now I’ve got your attention.  I hope you enjoy this “post from the past”, please ignore the bad photography and just enjoy the sentiment behind it. grin.  

I Love My Funny Valentine


 I love my husband..”Well, of course you do”,  I can hear you saying.  But in today’s world that’s not a given anymore.  After almost 18 years (*now 19!!) of marriage and 20 years together, I can honestly say I love him more today than I did then, and I love him more than I did 5 years ago or 1 year ago.  I am so blessed that I get to love him a little more each year, each day….can’t wait to see what 50 years looks like!
Because I love him and because he gives me the gift of providing for me, and allowing me the blessing of staying home each day to educate our children in our home and the opportunity to be a homemaker in a beautiful house, because he never denies me really anything….I decided to do something special for HIM for Valentine’s Day.  Really, who decided that Valentine’s Day was a “ladies only” holiday?

I wanted to surprise him, so I had to do a lot of secret behind the scenes preparation.  This involved finding a place for all four “children” to go, two who are human and two who are canine.  And then, deciding where to take him…This is where we ended up


no this wasn’t some fancy hotel room, or a bed and breakfast tucked away somewhere (okay maybe you already figured that out) but it was special, it was secluded, it was free….it’s our bedroom.  And what better place to spend Valentine’s with my husband…


now I knew he was coming in from a long day of work (really it’s been a long week of work) and I knew I needed a few more minutes of prep time for dinner, so this is where he ended up waiting for me


in a hot bubble bath, with a nice glass of red wine and even some cheesy love songs playing in the background…just to torture him a little..heheh.

and then he got to sit down to a dinner that would rival the menu of any fancy restaurant you could hope to be taken to on Valentine’s Day:
Strip Steak
Citrus Marinated Shrimp
Wild Mushroom Risotto
and
Artisan Bread with Olive Oil 
  and for dessert
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting
and
Champagne (of course)
after a wonderful dinner and delicious dessert, it was time for a movie.  It was so nice to move from our table, to curling up on our bed to watch a movie (chocolates and champagne included) where he indulged me, by watching…Twilight with me.  Isn’t he the best?!  I figured it had just the right mix of romance..sigh, action, and drama..really a perfect guy/girl movie, right?? (I like Twilight. No judgin’ okay…grin) And this my readers is where the curtain will draw on our romantic get-away, because the rest was for “our-eyes” only….grin…
oh but wait!, I’ll let you in on one more thing…a night away isn’t complete with out breakfast delivery to your room, right?

Champagne Mimosas
and Maple and Pecan Baked French Toast

Total Cost of Evening: $27.82 
(for dinner, dessert, wine, champagne and breakfast!) but really it was……priceless!  
and because I know he’s reading this:

I love you my funny valentine, all there is and more than you will ever know. 
(And because I know, you my dear husband, are reading this..again this year…lol…Thank you for supporting my blogging efforts for the last year.  Thank you for not minding that everything we do/eat/decorate/celebrate is photographed and written about..lol.  Thank you for understanding my NEED, my LONGING to put my thoughts into words, my creations into photographs, my heart into this blog.  Thank you for not minding the hours V and I spend on the phone talking “blog-shop”.  Thank you for being…you.  I love you my sweet man.)

Heather

Now it’s Vanessa’s turn to confess…

I recently realized that my life has now been divided into two time periods.
B.B. (Before Blogging)
and
A.B. (After Blogging)
There were many things I didn’t do B.B.
For example, I didn’t put items in odd corners of my house
just so I could get the best light for the photo.
I didn’t know what what HTML code was and I certainly didn’t know how to make a “button”. I did know how to sew one on a shirt though.
And one of the things I am most ashamed of about my B.B. life was that I did not decorate for Valentine’s Day!
There.
I said it.
I own it.
I just might not be able to look you in the eye for awhile.

So, last year I picked up one little Valentine Decoration (that’s it up there) just so that I could assure myself that I am not traumatizing my children. I could just picture them on the therapist’s couch.
“No Dr., my mother did not have heart-shaped doilies plastered to the walls of our home. It’s just…Oh, it’s just too painful for me to talk about.”

And then I entered the A.B. time period.
And had to live with the shame.
Not decorating for Valentine’s Day in Blogland makes me feel like I should go around wearing a Scarlet V on my shirt.

So this year, I tried. Only a little bit, mind you.
But maybe, just maybe, I will be able to break free from the shame and rip that Scarlet V right off…or even just half of it!


My daughter helped me pick out something for our front door.

The little wooden heart nestled in just perfectly to my $8 bargain. A Smith & Hawken wreath I found on clearance at Chez Tar-jay.

I also realized that I could use this Christmas arrangement for Valentine’s Day. Placed inside this urn with the holiday ribbon tucked inside it now does double duty.
And my little cloche (another thing I didn’t have B.B.) now has some “faux” rose petals placed inside.
But, I’m pretty sure that no matter what I do, it won’t ever hold a candle to my friend Julie. As far as I’m concerned, she put the ‘V’ in Valentine’s Day!
Last week I showed you this wonderful Valentine Advent she does for her children.

 
She also has things like this around her home.
Her mom saved many of the Valentine’s cards Julie received as a child and Julie now uses them as garland hanging in her bay window.

And she tucks little things like this around her home.

But, my most favorite thing that Julie did this year was to send out this darling Valentine’s Day card. I actually manged to sneak it away from my daughter to share it with you!

The front of the card is darling.
But, it is what is printed on the inside that makes it so special.

Amen!
Vanessa


So now we want you to share your Valentine’s Day posts!  Recipes, Tablescapes, Decorating, Crafts, Stories, Devotionals, Poetry…if it is related to Valentine’s Day than we want you to share it with us!

**Before linking up we’d love it if you’d take a second to become a friend of At The Picket Fence through google friend connect, email or our RSS Feed.  We’d love to get to know you better!**

Now Link it on up friends!

Here’s how…
1. Add your Permalink to your entry but not your General Blog Address. To get your Permalink, click on the title of the blog post you are wanting to submit and copy and paste the address into the URL box. You will also have to add your email address but it will not be visible to anyone else.
2. Do not try and Link up until you have actually published that particular post on your blog.
3. Please link back to the host blog, At the Picket Fence using our Sister Saturday Button located in the sidebar, so that those who visit your blog will  be able to find some wonderful Inspiration from everyone else. (mandatory)
4) Give some linky lovin’ to some of the other Sister Saturday link ups!  It’s always nice for others to hear how hey they’ve inspired you!  Of course we love to hear from you too so leave us a comment and say hi!


We can’t wait to see your lovely Valentine’s Day Ideas!
Thanks so much for…meeting us at the fence!
And a reminder!  You can still link up to Inspiration Friday through the weekend!  If you have something inspiring to share and it’s non Valentine related…or even if it is…link up to Inspiration Friday!

Heather and Vanessa

7 Comments Filed Under: Holidays, Sister Saturday

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debbie says

    February 12, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    I loved BOTH of the valentine’s posts from the sisters. I could relate to each one too. Not only have I had a bedroom getaway a time or two myself, but like Vanessa, I’m actually not a big V-Day decorator.

    That’s why I only had one Valentine post this entire week. I can’t bring it. My daughter has threatened rebellion if I retell her puppy love to one more corner of blogland.

    Kids…

    I LOVE that advent idea! I also love making cards for V-Day. Who says they are only for Christmas?

    Reply
  2. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜ says

    February 12, 2011 at 6:07 PM

    So sweet Vanessa. You are funny the BB and AB..how about the DB, during blogging…LOL! Have a wonderful weekend.XO

    Reply
  3. tickled. says

    February 12, 2011 at 1:42 PM

    Love both of your Vday posts ladies! I too feel like my life is divided into BB & AB! 🙂

    Have a great weekend!

    Lauren @ tickled.

    Reply
  4. Christie says

    February 12, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    I feel a bit obnoxious posting all these Valentine’s links! I love Valentine’s! I may be back later with another one…IF I can get my act together! My husband has taken the kids away for the day and my house is clean (a first!) Now, I feel guilty bc I haven’t planned a thing for him! Arg…Heather, I love this idea of setting up in the bedroom…never thought of that! Clever! So lovely! Vanessa, you are so funny! I know I always say that, but it is true! I only need to come over here to get a good laugh! You both write so well and I know the Lord has great plans for this special gift! You are able to articulate what so many people feel, but like me, are unable to write it so eloquently(sp?) And I am going to ‘steal’ some of your friends ideas! Very cute…AND your Valentine’s decor is perfect! I am lovin’ the petals displayed in the apothecary jar…clever! Have a WONDERFUL Valentine’s weekend girls! Christie

    Reply
  5. Karen says

    February 13, 2011 at 2:54 AM

    Confessions girls – you both were brave! Thanks for hosting and I almost didn’t get this one in – in time! But, it’s a life-saver & a keeper. Hope you both will try it, my boys love it!

    Reply
  6. elizabeth says

    February 13, 2011 at 5:00 AM

    Loved reading your Valentine posts. How many of us do things around the house specifically for our blogs now??? And yes Vanessa, I am from Oregon, Portland to be exact!

    Reply
  7. Green Door Girl says

    February 13, 2011 at 10:48 PM

    Vanessa – I have the same BB and AB syndrom and NO I never decorated my house for Valentines BB!!! 🙂 I think you did a GREAT job this year!
    Heather – can you come cook at my house tomorrow! LOL 🙂 That sounds like a wonderful menu!

    Reply

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“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom and the principles upon which our country was founded. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables t I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables to pit next to our outdoor couch and when I spotted these plant stands at @walmart from their @betterhomesandgardens line I knew they would be perfect…and they are!! 👏🏻 This is not a sponsored post. I’m just happily sharing this great find and why we should always be open to thinking outside of the box when it comes finding solutions for our decorating dilemmas.

Now we’re ready to head into this beautiful weekend! ☀️
What do you do when you want to use a bunch of boo What do you do when you want to use a bunch of books in your decorating but it can cost $50 or more for just ONE brand new book? Head to the secondhand bookstore of course! I’m so excited about this new look in my family room and this easy, inexpensive decorating tip I’m bringing to you for this #tiptuesday
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This morning I was running errands and the weight of hard things that are happening in the world, the culture, my own community and even in our circle of friends just felt so heavy.

But, as I was exiting a store, I passed a couple who were in their late 60’s/early 70’s and holding hands as they walked through the parking lot. I happened to glance over just as the husband lifted his wife’s hand up and planted a kiss right on it. It was a moment that reflected such love and tenderness and it was made sweeter by the fact that they weren’t spring chickens. I felt honored that I had been the one to observe and appreciate that moment.

What an incredible thing it is that as humans we are able to hold so many emotions in our souls all at once. To feel sorrow for the pain a friend is enduring, grieve the decline of a culture drifting further from the Lord, ponder how to navigate a challenging school situation, marvel at and enjoy the beauty of creation right outside my door and feel joy at getting to see a tangible example of lasting love while walking through a parking lot.

I truly believe that as we mature in our lives and in our faith, we learn to embrace the tension that comes with the collision of different emotions and recognize that they can all coexist at the same time without one taking something away from another. Simple joys make the hard stuff a bit easier and hard stuff makes us appreciate those simple joys even more.

What’s a simple joy that you are thankful for today?
Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here are some highlights…

*Friday night I joined some wonderful ladies at church for a time of fellowship and yummy desserts. I made a strawberry lemon coffee cake and it was amazing if I do say so myself. ☺️ We are new-ish to this church and have just felt so warmly welcomed and folded in which has been very healing.

*Saturday was filled with getting our outdoor spaces spiffed up and my guys got our new table put together!

*Sitting outside for lunch with a yummy salad and iced tea felt like a little slice of heaven.

*Sunday we went to the iris gardens with my in-laws and then came home for naps and the most mouth watering ribs that my sweet husband had on the smoker all day.

*This glorious weekend ended with some ferocious rounds of UNO-corn (a hilarious version of UNO) and brownies my sweet daughter made for our dessert.

How was your weekend sweet friends? 🌸
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And, not only do I feel myself seeming to physically rise up from a slumbered state to greet the sunshine we've been longing for, I find that it seems like my house is rising up too. Every room, every nook and cranny (even though I now see dust bunnies that I missed during my cleaning on the dreary days), every leaf and flower outside...it's all coming to life and breathing fresh hope into my spirit. What a gift it is to be able to enjoy this home in all of the seasons of the year and of our lives. Now, I'm going to head outside and clean our deck and maybe there will be some time leftover for those dust bunnies!
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If you’d like the link to order them, just leave a comment with the word ‘bottles’ and I’ll send it your way. They’re even on sale right now! 🙌🏻
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Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka.

Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

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