10 Simple Pleasures of Winter
Every season is filled with simple pleasures that you can enjoy with your family for little money and effort. Take a moment and enjoy some of these this winter season.
1. Snow Days
It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re stuck at home, due to inclement weather, but take this opportunity to enjoy the extra time you have with your family. We live in such a fast-paced society, so most of us are overdue for some downtime.
2. Hot Cocoa
There’s nothing like coming in out of the cold and whipping up a cup of hot cocoa or hot chocolate (yes, there is a difference). Bump it up a notch with some marshmallows, a drizzle of caramel and a leftover candy cane from the Christmas tree. My kids love to make hot cocoa sundaes!
3. Wood Fires
We have electric heat in our home, which effectively keeps us warm throughout the winter season, but there is nothing like the bone-warming heat that comes from a wood fire! If you are blessed with this option, build a fire and enjoy a game of cards with the family, read a book, or just simply have a conversation with one another.
4. Winter Scenes
Who doesn’t love the sight of a white blanket of snow or ice over a country landscape? There’s just something magical about how it coats the trees and brightens a gloomy winter’s day.
5. Soups and Chilis
Winter is the perfect season to enjoy all of your favorite soups and chilis. Switch up your dinner routine one evening when the temperatures are freezing and make a pot of something soupy to warm your family’s bellies. Be sure to add some crusty bread on the side for dipping!
6. Warm Blankets
I love slow, winter evenings, like on Friday or Saturday, when the whole family can pile in the living room and watch a favorite movie or show underneath a warm, plush throw or quilt. I keep an electric throw on my favorite chair for those extra cold winter evenings.
7. Snow Cream
If you’ve never tried this old-fashion favorite, you just haven’t lived! One of my favorite winter memories from my childhood is of my mom making me and my siblings a batch of snow cream. We were told you had to wait for at least the second snow of the season, and it had to be a good one too. Be sure to avoid the yellow snow! 😛
8. Building a Snowman
It’s a winter tradition that’s fun for all ages! After a good, wet snow, get the whole family involved and start rolling. Me and sisters used to try and guess how long our snowman would last after the snow started melting.
9. Sledding
A great way to unleash your inner child is to spend an afternoon sledding with the family. You get cold and wet, and you have to climb a hill to begin your fun, but it’s all worth the rush you get on the way down.
10. Books
I hear it all the time from friends and family… “I would love to read, but I just don’t have the time.” Winter is the perfect season for book nerds! Take that time you would’ve spent cutting the grass or tending the garden and curl up to a good book. For an even better experience, read in front of a wood fire with a mug of hot cocoa at arm’s length. 🙂
Simply CHRISTmas
In just four days, we will be celebrating, what is most certainly, the most celebrated holiday in the entire world!
Christmas!
It’s my most favorite holiday. I get excited as early as October when I begin to see glimpses of decorations hitting the big-box stores, while my email and newsfeed begin to fill up with advertisements on the latest toys, gadgets, and everything in between. I can’t get enough of the seasonal sites, tastes and smells overloading my senses, while Christmas lights begin to dot the neighborhoods.
I love hearing Christmas music playing in the background and receiving Christmas cards in the mail from family and friends. It’s so fun to practice traditions with my family, especially my children, and then make news ones we can enjoy and look forward to in the years to come. Then, of course, on Christmas morning, what a blessing to see the faces of my children as they open the gifts that they’ve waited in anticipation to receive. Still, my most favorite part is the gift my family gets to enjoy all year long, not just at Christmas. It’s the part that is too often hidden behind all the ribbons and bows to even be noticed.
Simply put, Christmas is about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the greatest gift that anyone could ever hope to receive. We all know the story of baby Jesus who was born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem, but the part that gets left out way too often is the shadow of the cross behind the manger. Yes, our Savior was born, but he also died. God’s greatest gift to us was not the birth of Jesus, but the sacrifice he made on the cross when Jesus took the sins of the world on his shoulders and died for me and for you.
If you are a Christian, I hope this Christmas you will take the time to reflect on this holiday’s true meaning and share it with someone who doesn’t know about the precious gift that is waiting for them. There is no greater gift you can give.
If you don’t know Jesus, I encourage you to learn about him.
If you need comfort, he is the comforter.
If you need healing, he is the master healer.
If you need love, you will not find a greater love than Him.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16, KJV
I pray everyone has a blessed Christmas this year!
Decorating the Cabin for CHRISTmas!
Last fall we finally finished up the interior of our little cabin, which sits at the edge of our property against the tree-line. Last year, I had the idea of decorating it for Christmas and taking some family photos inside. They turned out really cute, especially since the photographer was a complete amateur! 😛
Family photo from Christmas 2019 We’re still chipping away at the finishing work needed for the outside, but, for now, we’re just enjoying our time spent there. My husband likes to go down and build a fire in the wood-burning stove, get it toasty warm, and gather inside just to sit around and chat. Just last night, we went down to the cabin and played a game of Rook around the table he made from wooden pallets.
This Christmas, we decided to keep it very simple. The cabin doesn’t have electric yet, so we wanted to use décor that didn’t require any extension cords. First, we decorated the pencil tree, given to us by my mom-in-law, Carol. I borrowed it from her for our Christmas photos last year, but when she saw it in the cabin, she thought it needed to stay. I agreed!
For the tree, we skipped the lights this year. Instead, I dehydrated some orange and lime slices, strung them with glittery-green ribbon and hung them for a natural and old-fashion Christmas look. I also used a few other ornaments that went along with the hunting cabin theme as well as some pinecones. I topped the tree with a natural-looking star I found at Hobby Lobby and a navy blue tree skirt from Walmart.
Next, I added a plaid table runner to the table and dressed up the oil lamp with some faux berry garland. My daughter added the two snowmen on each side for a finishing touch. At night, I added a couple of candles, which gave the space a nice warm glow.
In each window, I added a couple of faux pine picks with burlap ribbon and pinecones. It was a very simple touch, but I loved it!
For the door, we also kept it simple with a berry garland over the top and a wooden snowman piece that my sister and her husband made for us a couple of years ago for Christmas. It was the perfect, natural doorhanger, and it made us smile! By the way, if you love Christmas crafts, check out her YouTube channel called Life’s a Project!
Finally, for the attic stairs, we just wrapped some faux pine garland around them to break up the wood, and added a few burlap snowmen (actually, my daughter added those).
This may not seem like much, but I really wanted to keep it simple and not make a big fuss. One of the main things we love about the cabin is it’s simplicity. We love to come down and just forgot about our stresses and spend quality time as a family.
Christmas Photo from 2019 Maybe next year we could stick with the natural theme, but use only things from our property, like pine, cedar, and berries. I think it would be fun to get the family involved and gather things to make ornaments, reefs and garlands to decorate with. Just a thought…
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little tour and that it gave you some inspiration for your Christmas decorating this year. Sometimes, less is more. What do you think? Do you keep your decorating simple, or do you go all out for Christmas. Whatever your style, I hope you keep in mind the true meaning of Christmas and cherish the blessings you have with your family this year.
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” – KJV
CHRISTmas Checklist: 10 Things to do Before December 1st
CHRISTmas is the best, isn’t it? It’s that time of year we’re reminded what’s truly important – what truly matters. It’s a season of giving, hope, joy and peace, and it’s only made possible by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I absolutely love Christmas and everything it represents. However, this time of year, can also be stressful, if we don’t take the time to plan and prepare. I like what Proverbs 15:19 says. “The way of a slothful man is as an hedge of thorns; but the way of the righteous is made plain.” – KJV
Christmas doesn’t have to be full of anxiety and stress. I’ve put together a list of 10 things you should complete before December 1st. That’s not to say you should wait until November 30th to get them done though. Many of these can be done months in advance, and by completing these before December, you can have a much more restful holiday.
1. Complete Fall Cleaning
There’s nothing like having a nice, clean home to start the holidays off fresh. Now, I say these are things you should do before December 1st, but you won’t want to put this off until the last minute. I do my fall cleaning in September, because that’s when I’m packing away summer things and pulling out my fall décor. Then, I only need to do my normal cleaning routine through the holidays.
2. Declutter the Kids’ Rooms
Since I’ve added decluttering as a part of my everyday routine, I normally don’t have any major decluttering jobs to tackle during fall or spring cleaning. However, with Christmas coming, I like to encourage the kids to go through their closets and toy bins and see if there’s anything they would like to declutter and donate. Not only does this free up some space for new items they will surely get for Christmas, but it’s a good opportunity to donate to toy drives or other Charities looking for used toys this time of year.
3. Book Your Christmas Photo Session
Whether you want to document your Christmas memories with some professional photos, or customize your Christmas cards, you need to book your family, Christmas photo session early. Slots will surely begin filling up in November and may be impossible to book after December 1st, so get this booked in advance.
4. Purchase/Order Christmas Cards and Stamps
Christmas cards are meant to be received in early to mid-December so family and friends can enjoy and display them along with their other Christmas décor. If you’re ordering customized Christmas cards, be sure to place your order early so you can send them out to friends and family timely. Don’t forget to purchase your stamps early too, so you won’t have to wait in lines at the post office during the holiday rush.
5. Make your Gift-giving List
This is another item you will want to complete well in advance, but by no later than December 1st. Make a list of all the people you plan to buy for this year, and some gift-giving ideas for each. Keep this list with you wherever you go; maybe put it in your purse or the glove box of your vehicle. This will keep you prepared whenever you are out and decide to do some shopping. It will also ensure you don’t forget anyone on your list.
6. Purchase Christmas Attire
What Christmas picture is complete without those coordinating plaid shirts or matching PJs? You’ll want to look for these items early, or you might not find what you’re looking for or the size you need. Stores order a limited supply of seasonal Christmas items and attire, so once they’re gone, they’re gone. Folks are quick to snatch these things up early, so don’t wait until the last minute.
7. Plan Your Christmas Menu
There’s nothing worse than having to run out on Christmas eve to find that beloved can of cranberry sauce, which makes your Christmas turkey complete. Usually near the end of October, grocery stores will start stocking those seasonal items for all your favorite sugary or savory holiday dishes and treats. Don’t wait until the last minute and pick up everything. If you’re like me, in additional to the normal favorite holiday dishes, you like to make Christmas cookies and candy to share with family and friends. This list of ingredients can add up quickly. Start stocking up on these little by little over several weeks before December. This will prevent you from being hit with a huge grocery bill right before Christmas, and ensure you find all seasonal ingredients you need for your holiday recipes.
8. Purchase Giftwrap
This may not seem like a big deal, but purchasing your giftwrap, giftbags, tissue, boxes and tape ahead of time will save you a huge headache. There’s usually not a shortage of gift wrap, even up to the last few days before Christmas, so that’s not the issue. The problem is waiting until Christmas eve to wrap everything. I’ve done this, I know. Over the last several years, I’ve tried to make sure I had giftwrap on hand, so that when I purchased a gift, I could immediately take it home and wrap it. This way, I don’t have to worry about hiding gifts, and I can take my time and enjoy the wrapping process.
9. Purchase Event Tickets
Whether your planning to see the Nutcracker ballet or attend a Christmas event, you won’t want to wait until the last minute to reserve your spot. Many shows and events that have limited availability will book up quickly. You’ll usually see these advertisements as early as October, so reserve early to guarantee you won’t miss out.
10. Purchase Trendy Toys
When I think of this, my mind goes back to the famous Tickle Me Elmo doll craze. Don’t wait until December to purchase toys that are trending or popular with the kids in your area. These will be the first items to disappear from the shelves, and then you’ll either be forced to pay big bucks on Amazon or find a, less cool, alternative.
I hope this list helps make your Christmas holiday a little less stressful and enjoyable. I’d love to hear what things you like to do before December to prepare for the Christmas rush. Let me know in the comments!
The Simple Pleasures of Fall
Every season has wonderful and beautiful qualities and characteristics, but there’s something about the fall season that has always struck a chord with me. Kentucky is especially beautiful this time of year. The plentiful trees and variation of steep and rolling hills makes a perfect backdrop. I do my best to take in all the sights, smells and flavors before winter sweeps in and engulfs us with the cold winds, sleet and snow.
Even the simplest of fall things can help sooth away the stress of the day, if you only take the time to consider them. I’ve put together my top ten list of fall simples pleasures. These are the things that calm me, amaze me, or bring back the nostalgia of my childhood. These are in no particular order – I love them all!
1. Fall Colors
This one’s obvious, but simply cannot be left out. What would fall be without the beautiful variations of color?
2. Fallen Leaves
Who doesn’t remember jumping into a big pile of dried leaves as a kid? I’m 39, but I doubt I could resist the temptation even now!
3. Pumpkins
Each year, like many other families with little ones, we take a trip to the pumpkin patch. The kids are now 9 and 15, but they still wouldn’t want to skip it. We visit the animals in the barn and pet the donkeys, take a trip through the corn maze, and enjoy a slice of pumpkin roll or chili dog, but our most favorite part is picking out the pumpkins. I get them for decoration, but the kids get them for carving and painting. It’s always a competition each year for whose pumpkin will be the spookiest.
4. Front Porch Views
I’m rather fond of the view from my front porch, but nothing beats the view on a fall afternoon.
5. Fall Blooms
The leaves aren’t the only colors of fall. Mums, Roses, Hydrangeas, and Azaleas are just a few of the flowers that bloom, or are still blooming, during the fall in Kentucky. If you don’t have any fall blooms in your garden, consider adding a few to help extend the color throughout the fall season.
6. Warm Drinks and Sweet Treats
Whether you take a trip to the local coffee shop or make something at home with the kids, fall is the perfect season for enjoying those warm drinks and sweet treats. Whether it’s pumpkin-spice lattes and cinnamon rolls, or fall snack mix and hot chocolate, nothing beats these treats on a crisp fall day.
7. Camping Trips
Every fall, my family and I take a trip to a campground on the lake. The temperature and humidity are just starting to drop and the leaves are beginning to change, so it’s the perfect time for camping. We have an old vintage camper, which we love, that serves as our sleeping quarters (a possible future reno project), and we enjoy fishing, bike riding, and campfire cooking. It doesn’t get much better than that!
8. Porch Swings
If this isn’t a picture from everyone’s childhood in Kentucky. If you didn’t have a porch swing, you just weren’t cool. My husband has one on his little, cabin porch. It’s a nice, quite and relaxing place to unwind any time of year that the weather permits, but the views during the fall are my favorite.
9. Campfires and Wiener Roasts
If you don’t have a firepit, you need one! Fall is the perfect time for fires, and what better time to have a wiener roast and smores than when the air is cool and the scenery is beautiful?
10. Corn Fields
Whether you’re enjoying a trod through the local corn maze, making a fodder shock for fall decorations, or just driving by a field of corn, there’s nothing that says fall more than those sandy stocks that go on for miles.
I’m sure everyone has their own list of fall favorites. I’d love to hear some of yours!
Our Slice of Kentucky Pie
When Nate and I bought this property next to my parents, back in 2006, it was 1.6 acres and a double-wide mobile home. It wasn’t much, but we were grateful and excited to get away from apartment living and have a place to call our own. Both of us had just finished college and were thinking of starting a family, and that’s, pretty much, how the story went.
We loved the location of the property, but the home was small, and we knew we’d eventually grow out of it. Anyway, mobile homes depreciate over time, so our goal was to eventually build a home. Unfortunately, the only place on the property that made sense to build on was where our mobile home was sitting. For a while we wrestled with selling it, but, then, about two years ago, came an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.
Our farmer neighbor, whom had always been very kind to us and owned some acreage adjoined to ours, offered to sell us a 3.3 acre plot. The level land stretched out behind our property and was already cleared of trees, except for the ones that outlined the perimeter and a small patch of woods off to the side. It was perfect!
Although the land was cleared, there was still plenty of work to be done, so we spent the next year cleaning it up and the last year preparing to put our new construction plans into action. Thanks to Rona, this process has been long and mentally exhausting, but we are finally on the doorstep of our dream to build the home we’ve always wanted. I am humbled by this opportunity – one that I know many will never be blessed to experience.
Nate and I have put a lot of thought into every detail of this house, and we want to be very intentional about the decisions we make. Unless future circumstances lead us elsewhere, this is where we will live out our lives. I want it to be a place that feels comfortable, safe, and restful – a place that exudes warmth and happiness. This will be home.
In addition to providing us a place to build, the new property gave us a total of 4.9 acres that we can transform and landscape to our liking. We’re not one hundred percent sure, yet, what we will do with it, but we have some really great visions in mind. First thing’s first, let’s tackle the house, which by the way, should be underway within the next couple of weeks. Eeeeek!
Kentucky Trails: Our Family Adventure 2019
This year for vacation, we decided, for the second year in a row, to stay in good ol’ Kentucky. It’s true, I love the beach, which seems to be the most popular attraction for family vacations among my family and friends. However, there are some really great options right here in our home state that offer tranquil settings, which can rejuvenate the mind and body.
If you’ve never been to Kentucky’s Nature Bridge State Resort Park, it’s definitely an option worth exploring. Set in the beautiful Daniel Boone National Forest, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump away from the the Red River Gorge Geological Area. Both areas offer a large variety of hiking trails for anyone from the youngest of adventurers to the experienced hiker looking for a new challenge.
Rock Bridge: Red River Gorge 
Princess Arch: Red River Gorge 
Chimney Top Rock: Red River Gorge
We rented a sweet, little cabin in a private and secluded hillside development, but if that’s not your style, there are several great campsites for tents or RV’s. You can also book a reservation at the Hemlock Lodge.
I’ve really enjoyed this time with my family. It was nice to put down the devices and take notice of each other and the beautiful world around us. In addition to getting some good exercise, we’ve enjoyed listening to each other’s random rambles, midday naps, and late night campfires. The thing I loved most, though, is simply being in nature.
It’s probably just the Kentucky girl in me, but I love the calmness of the trees and the earthy smell of moss, dead leaves, and pine needles. There’s a certain peacefulness I feel when I’m surrounded by the towering timbers that I can’t get anywhere else. The views of the gorge and cliffs never cease to amaze and remind me of God’s greatness. It also reminds me that although I seem insignificant in this great, big world, I am loved beyond measure by my creator.
Have you ever been to Natural Bridge or Red River Gorge in Kentucky?
What is your favorite Kentucky destination?
More than Just a Cabin
This little wooden structure has been our passion project lately. It was started several years ago by my husband and his dad, but it was never completely finished or used for it’s intended purpose. Although it looks as if it might be isolated in a remote location, it is actually sitting only a couple hundred feet from our house.
It was originally intended to be my husband’s man cave. He plays guitar and loves hunting, so he wanted a place where he could relax, hang “manly” wall ornaments, and play music as loud as he wants. I can’t blame him – I wouldn’t mind a little retreat of my own to write, create, and simply unwind. However, as our children grew, we started looking at the cabin as an opportunity for togetherness.
Time is so precious, and spending quality time as a family is a priority. Sometimes it’s hard to do that in our home. There are so many distractions like TV, PlayStation, phones, and tablets. I especially have trouble keeping my focus off things that need to be done around the house like laundry and dishes. I can always find something in the house to challenge my attention away from my family. So, the idea of a place we can retreat to in a spontaneous moment and feel comfortable leaving all those distractions at home is very appealing. Of course, it will still be Nate’s man cave when he needs it for that purpose, but there’s nothing wrong with using it at it’s full potential!
We have a lot of work left to do, but it’s very rewarding seeing it all come together bit by bit. I will try to keep you posted on our progress as we continue to preserve and update this little jewel, and ultimately ready it for the final reveal! Until then, tell me where you and your family have your quality togetherness. God bless you all.
Quality Time in the Garden
Our raised garden beds were a bit of a mess this spring. Last summer had been so “busy” that I had neglected the maintenance and not only missed out on a good harvest last fall, but I also created a lot of work for myself this year. That got to me thinking that maybe I could use this mistake to my advantage. I’m starting to see that opportunities for quality time with my kids don’t always have to entail spending time and money entertaining them.
I gave the kids notice, weeks in advance, that we would have to get some work done during spring break, so they knew the expectation. My children, like most, don’t love chores, but I find that if I set the expectations early, I end up receiving less drama and complaining when it comes time to pick up the shovel. I had also took them with me to buy the plants and let them pick out a vegetable or herb that they wanted to incorporate into the garden. This gave them a sense of ownership and responsibility for their plants, which helped to motivate their interest to help.
The day we set aside to work on the garden was a beautiful, sunny day. We got up, ate a good breakfast, filled up our water bottles and headed out. I had already purchased the plants and some organic plant food, so all we had to do was pluck out all the weeds, add in a fresh bag of organic garden soil, and start planting. We also had to pull the weeds that had grown up through the mulch outside the beds and rake the leaves that had fallen during autumn. It was a lot of work, but with my two helpers by my side, it was a good kind of work.
We got tired, sweaty, and a little dirt under our nails, but eventually the work was finished, and we were able to stand back and see the results of our labor. The kids enjoyed seeing the transformation and being a part of something that mattered. Our little garden beds may not seem like much, but I believe it’s much more than just a few tomatoes and onions. It’s time I get to spend with my kids, watching them learn, laugh, and get a little messy. For a couple of hours they forgot about school, TV, and video games, and were able to breathe the fresh air as they relaxed in the wonder of God’s creation. I would even say they had a little fun.
What begins as work, ends up being an opportunity to dig for worms, look for uniquely shaped rocks, and play with the water hose. As long as the work gets done, why not squeeze in a little playtime? I think you’d be surprised how many opportunities for fun you can find in the everyday tasks around your home and property. Why not take advantage of every opportunity we have to find something good – something that makes us smile? Isn’t life too short for anything less?
I’d love to know how your family works together! Are there any chores you take advantage of to spend quality time with your family? How do you make chores fun for your kids?
