Merry Christmas & Welcome to our home! I’m stop #25 on Jenn Rizzo’s holiday house walk, but I’m also linking up with Nester for her holiday house walk, too!
It has been so fun participating in Jenn Rizzo’s holiday house walks over the last several years. Each year it has grown, and this year is the biggest it has ever been with 33 bloggers joining in on the fun! If you haven’t seen all the other homes on the tour, you can visit Jenn’s blog and start from the beginning!
I hope you’re visiting me from Jenna over at SAS Interiors. Her home is all decked out with no detail spared!
~~~~~~
I’m glad you’re here, and I hope your Christmas season is filled to the brim with love, joy, and peace, but most of all, I pray you are filled with Hope deep down in those places in your heart that might need it.
Now…pour yourself a nice, big cup of something you love and walk with me…
|FOYER|
|DINING ROOM|
|FAMILY ROOM|
|Kitchen|
|bedrooms|
Our oldest son’s room:
Our daughter’s room:
Our younger son’s room:
Our master bedroom:
|Nighttime shots…because they’re my favorite|
I love to sprinkle just a little Christmas cheer in every room! Most everything has been collected over time, but our beautiful wreaths and garland are new to us this year from Balsam Hill. They look so real!!! I have to tell you that not only are their products amazing, but their customer service is remarkable! If you need some Christmas tree decorating ideas, you can visit their site. See our snowman tree from last year!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
The next stop on the holiday house tour is Sarah’s house over at The Yellow Cape Cod
paige-i love it tara!!!!!
especially your fun foyer!!
merry christmas!
Jackie -It all looks beautiful! I LOVE what you did over your foyer table! Your home looks simply and elegantly festive. xoxo
Linsey @ Bravehearted Beauty-Well, hello there my friend! It’s been awhile, yes. But I’m pretty sure I could sit in that twinkling Christmas house of yours and talk with you for hours! Way to get all those shots with the tree lights blurred in the background. I don’t think I’ll be touring my house with a camera this Christmas, but if I did, you’d see your sign proudly hung! Love it! xoxo
Laura-Every detail is so beautiful, elegant and welcoming – just like you!
cassie-your kids rooms are my favorites! love it all, but those rooms are so fun and unique! lovely tour!
michele fry -Looks amazing friend, love every little detail, warm and inviting, makes me wish I could come over for a cup of joe and a nice long talk!!!
Sandy -Wow! your home is so warm and lovely! I absolutely love the sign about trusting without borders! Your home flows beautifully from room to room and the decor in your boys rooms are really inspiring.
lemonademakinmama-This whole tour made me smile. I love your style so much friend! ♡♡♡
Sarah Macklem-Everything looks so amazing! I LOVE the wall hanging over the foyer table. Thanks for sharing!
laura@top this top that-Your home evokes such holiday beauty.happy holidays to you and your precious family.
Monica -So so beautiful love your tree and mantel. I never thought of decorating bedrooms there are many blogs that are showing the spirit this way…so it looks like it is time to spread some Christmas joy thru my bedrooms as well. Have a wonderful Christmas Season.
lissa -your home is so inviting! Love it! you did a beautiful job! It feels so peaceful to me!
Amanda -I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your house…absolutely EVERYTHING about it. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing where you purchased your Silent Night, Holy Night pillows and the Be you tiful pillow. They are darling. Thanks!
Susie Harris-Oh so beautiful!!!! Your home inspired me so much as always. Thanks for sharing …hugs, Susie
Tara-Amanda,
I got the Silent Night and Holy Night pillows from dear lillie a few years ago and the be YOU tiful pillow from Chrissie Grace…she’s a blogger and has an Etsy shop.
Amanda -Oh, thank you so much for the info! I’m on the hunt! I have two rockers on my front porch and would love those pillows on them this time of year! The other pillow will be for my daughter! Thanks again and hope you and your family have a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Donna -Love your decorating. I always enjoy your home and blog.
Dagmar Obert -Evergreens everywhere in such a judicious way throughout your home. I also appreciated your knack for hanging wreaths of different sizes and unique places like the back of chairs. Balsam Hill foliage does look so real.
Have you met Bre from Rooms for Rent? She is a creative genius, and I can honestly say that when I find time to read blogs these days, I love popping over and getting lost in her virtual home with a good cup of coffee!
She has spent this whole week giving some fabulous thanksgiving tablescape ideas. You can see Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.
Today is the day she invited me and several others to join her in showing our thanksgiving tables, so be sure to head over to get links to all the other blogs for more inspiration!
If you’re like me, you like less words and more pictures, so I’ll put a sock in it and get busy showing you our dining room! I kept it simple and used what I had at the house. I spent $6 on the decorative cabbage, which I’ll plant outside as soon as we finish our Thanksgiving meal.
Just kidding. I’ll wait til everyone leaves.
Here’s a quick glance at the other side of our dining room: We recently built these shelves with some reclaimed wood. I kept my fall decor simple with pumpkins and my favorite fall print and some beautiful cotton, picked fresh from the fields near our house!
Autumn Tablescape | More Inspiration-[…] Design Between You & Me City Farmhouse Clean & Scentsible Craftberry Bush Ella Claire Finding Silver Pennies Liz Marie […]
Danielle-I LOVE the simplicity of your tablescape! Absolutely stunning! x
Bre-Tara!! It is beautiful!! I’m dying over your centerpiece and wooden pedestal!!! Thank you so much for joining me, and your kind words!! XO You’re the best
LUCY-This is really gorgeous! Simplicity always speaks to my heart, no words needed…xo
michele -Love it all, wish I could come sit around that table for a delicious meal and wonderful converstation. :]
Lori H -Hi Tara! Can you see me? I am waving really hard!! So good to find your post in my Feedly today I think about you often, wondering how classes are going and how God is using your talents in counseling. Now I will have to go check out Bre and her blog, but first let me say that I love love your T-day table. Simply perfect! Can I ask where you found that lovely seascape?
Have a great weekend!! Lori
Kristen-Oh Tara, this is so lovely! I have never thought to use the cabbage plants before but they are so perfect! I love every detail!
Fall and Thanksgiving Dining Room - Clean and Scentsible-[…] tablescape and fall decor ideas be sure to check out these beautiful posts… AKA Design / Between You & Me / City Farmhouse Clean & Scentsible / Craftberry Bush / Ella Claire Finding Silver […]
Adrianne Eldredge -I would like to have a custom sign made, do you do that? If you could email me details on how to get a hold of you to place an order that would be great. drieldredge@gmail.com
Thanks,
Adrianne Eldredge
Simple Thanksgiving Tablescape ideas | Craftberry Bush-[…] the fun and you want to see their gorgeous Thanksgiving Tablescapes… AKA Design Between You & Me City Farmhouse Clean & Scentsible Craftberry Bush Ella Claire Finding Silver Pennies Liz […]
Simple Thanksgiving Tablescape ideas-[…] the fun and you want to see their gorgeous Thanksgiving Tablescapes… AKA Design Between You & Me City Farmhouse Clean & Scentsible Craftberry Bush Ella Claire Finding Silver Pennies Liz […]
I can’t believe I’m advertising Christmas signs before I light my first fall candle in the house, but I am.
We’re excited again to be partnering with several other bloggers this season, who will show off their favorite Christmas signs in their homes for us, so stay tuned for those in the next few weeks. They’ll be offering coupons for you to use in the shop, and a couple of them will be offering a give away.
Visit our shop to order your favorite sign of the season…and find me on Instagram to find out about give-aways and coupons for Christmas orders in our shop!
MaKaela-I am a huge Christmas fan to begin with, but with us expecting our third baby in December, the first sign and fourth from the bottom nearly make me cry. There will be weary hearts rejoicing in our home and we will need a night divine. I hope to purchase one of your signs very soon! Loving them!
Rebecca W-I would be happy to show off one of your signs for you if you need They are beautiful.
Lemonade Makin Mama-Oh girl I just cherish my sweet sign. I was just thinking about where I want to hang it up this year… Ha!!
Lisa-These are my absolute favorite signs!!! Thinking I may just need one for my new mantel!!!
Andrea -I love your signs and hope to get one this year. I also wanted to say I miss your blog. I know you are living the life God intended but I miss you none the less.
Jenni-Your signs are just beautiful! So happy to have just discovered your shop and blog via Instagram as I am in the uk and have spotted your scripture signs on other blogs and wondered where I could find them! Do you ship internationally? God bless and thank you for creating such gorgeous art which blesses others so richly!
laura@top this top that-love the new sign. are you and andy going to be at country living this year
Tara-We only ship to Canada…the shipping elsewhere is unbelievably expensive.
Thanks for your kind words!
Sam-Your signs are gorgeous and I would absolutely love to buy one but I’m in the UK and the price of postage would probably be more than the sign! Have you ever sent one to the UK? Do you have a rough idea of cost? Thanks x
I haven’t done a book review in a while, so I thought I’d share with you a book I’ve purposed to digest slowly over the course of the summer. I’ve read a lot of books on prayer over the past 20 years because it’s something I’ve always struggled to understand, and quite honestly, it’s something I’ve always struggled to do.
It has only been in the past five years that I’ve come to understand why it is that I have struggled so much with this spiritual discipline in my faith. As I have unpacked my story over the years, it is clear that it is the stronghold of independence in my life that keeps me from fully surrendering myself to a life of prayer.
Prayer is the ultimate vulnerability. God created us to be naked and unashamed before him.
At our core, we long to be one with Him, whether we recognize it or not, and our souls aren’t satisfied until we are.
C.S. Lewis said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
I’ve known for years {YEARS} that I wasn’t really living “naked and unashamed” before the Lord. The best way I can describe it is a block. Do you know what I mean? I felt as close as I could possibly feel to the Lord, but not really. There always seemed to be a missing piece. A dissatisfaction.
I never really wanted to talk about it to anyone other than Andy and a few close friends, because I’m prideful. We’re in ministry, and I was convinced that I needed to have my act together, or at least die trying to look like I did!
I rock “continuous prayer.” You know, praying breath prayers all through the day, like Paul encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 5. I convinced myself through the years that those prayers were enough, until I just knew that they weren’t. Deep down there was a nagging feeling that reminded me over and over that there was more. All the excuses and justifying in the world weren’t working anymore because CS Lewis knew what he was talking about when he said nothing in this world can satisfy.
Paul Miller wrote A Praying Life, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read on prayer because it’s an honest approach to understanding why we all struggle to pray. He breaks the book up into five parts: Learning to pray like a child, Learning to trust again, Learning to ask your Father, Living in your Father’s story, and Praying in real life. He candidly shares that he has learned to pray through his suffering. He shares story after story of how he has learned to survive and thrive in a world of stress and disappointment.
This book brings to life the truth found in 2 Corinthians 1:5:
For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
Suffering is the hang-up for most of us. We just don’t want any part of it. It’s painful and uncomfortable. Yet, it’s inevitable. It was part of Christ’s life, and it will most assuredly be part of our lives here on earth. I really believe that an intimate prayer life starts with honesty. We have to be honest about whatever it is that we feel like keeps us from fully trusting God when suffering and trials come our way. We have to let Him ask us the hard questions, and we have to allow him access to those places in us that seem determined to take care of ourselves. And, ultimately, we have to submit our wills and our hearts’ agendas to His will and His plan and trust that He is good and He is with us and He is for us. You know what else we have to do. We have to believe that He is able to raise dead things to life. We have to know that He always brings beauty from ashes.
When I look back at the amazing, miraculous work God has done in my own life over the past five years, so much of what he has done has been exactly what Paul Miller unpacked in these five parts of his book. Somehow, I’d like to share this summer how each part of his book mirrors my own story, so stay tuned for some kind of series.
Katie -This book sounds awesome. Definitely put it on my to read list. Years ago, I read Becky Tirabassi’s “Let Prayer Change Your Life.” I felt the same way about that book.
Tracy -I need this book! Wow, you are taking the words right out of my mouth. So glad you are back to blogging. You’ve been missed my friend. And HEY…good luck on Monday, you go girl!!! That’s awesome.
Caroline-That CS Lewis quote is my favorite of all time. I found your blog through something I had pinned on Pinterest. (distressed white table with glass bottles and the worded sign above it) I enjoyed reading!
Lisa -I have read and re read this book about 3 times. It is so good. Honesty in suffering is so necessary and very opposed by christian culture. I need to get this book out again.
Kristina -This is so true for my own life, thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Kristina
Maureen -So glad you are back! I have missed your wisdom
Starr-My copy arrived in my mailbox today! Can’t wait to start.
Linsey @ Bravehearted Beauty-Yet another book we’ve both read and loved. I’m pretty sure we could swap libraries and have almost the same books! This was a good one. xo
Lynn Richards-Sounds like a really solid, good book. Thanks for sharing about it. I’m looking forward to hearing more.
The book I’m devouring right now is by Bonnie Gray, “Finding Spiritual Whitespace”. I’ll have to pick up the one you are reading when I’m finished.
xo
lynn
bluecottonmemory-Wonderful book review! I’m trying to build up a book selection in my thinking room for my growing boys to men – and I think this would be a good book to slip in there for all of us.
Grace White -This book offers a real-life approach to prayer for busy families and connect the broken pieces of our life to God. Thanks for reminding
Carolyn -I have recommended The Praying Life so many times! I always qualify it by saying that it is not just about prayer, it is about Life in Christ!
Denise -Tara – as usual you have written what I needed to hear. I too am a master of the “arrow” prayer. I can shoot those off quickly and easily. I will be looking for this book! Thank you.
paige - i love it tara!!!!!
especially your fun foyer!!
merry christmas!
Jackie - It all looks beautiful! I LOVE what you did over your foyer table! Your home looks simply and elegantly festive. xoxo
Linsey @ Bravehearted Beauty - Well, hello there my friend! It’s been awhile, yes. But I’m pretty sure I could sit in that twinkling Christmas house of yours and talk with you for hours! Way to get all those shots with the tree lights blurred in the background. I don’t think I’ll be touring my house with a camera this Christmas, but if I did, you’d see your sign proudly hung! Love it! xoxo
Laura - Every detail is so beautiful, elegant and welcoming – just like you!
cassie - your kids rooms are my favorites! love it all, but those rooms are so fun and unique! lovely tour!
michele fry - Looks amazing friend, love every little detail, warm and inviting, makes me wish I could come over for a cup of joe and a nice long talk!!!
Sandy - Wow! your home is so warm and lovely! I absolutely love the sign about trusting without borders! Your home flows beautifully from room to room and the decor in your boys rooms are really inspiring.
lemonademakinmama - This whole tour made me smile. I love your style so much friend! ♡♡♡
Sarah Macklem - Everything looks so amazing! I LOVE the wall hanging over the foyer table. Thanks for sharing!
laura@top this top that - Your home evokes such holiday beauty.happy holidays to you and your precious family.
Monica - So so beautiful love your tree and mantel. I never thought of decorating bedrooms there are many blogs that are showing the spirit this way…so it looks like it is time to spread some Christmas joy thru my bedrooms as well. Have a wonderful Christmas Season.
lissa - your home is so inviting! Love it! you did a beautiful job! It feels so peaceful to me!
Flower Patch Farmgirl - Stunning and classic, m’lady!
Jennifer @ Town and Country Living - I absolutely adore your home! Especially your creative headboards on all the beds. All of it is beautiful tho.
Jennifer Rizzo - I love YOUR home. Thank you so much for being a part of the holiday house walk and adding your holiday touch!!!
Jamie - I love every detail! I’m pinning every photo. I’m also sharing on my FB page
Hugs, Jamie
2014 Holiday House walk day 4! - Jennifer Rizzo - […] And then Tara’s at Between you and Me […]
Tara - Thank you, Jenn!
I always LOVE doing this with you!
Sarah @ Life On Virginia Street - Gorgeous tour! Your entryway especially has me swooning!
Amanda - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your house…absolutely EVERYTHING about it. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing where you purchased your Silent Night, Holy Night pillows and the Be you tiful pillow. They are darling. Thanks!
Susie Harris - Oh so beautiful!!!! Your home inspired me so much as always. Thanks for sharing …hugs, Susie
Tara - Amanda,
I got the Silent Night and Holy Night pillows from dear lillie a few years ago and the be YOU tiful pillow from Chrissie Grace…she’s a blogger and has an Etsy shop.
Tara - Thank you SO much!!!
Tara - Thank you, Susie! Yours inspired me, too!!!
Amanda - Oh, thank you so much for the info! I’m on the hunt! I have two rockers on my front porch and would love those pillows on them this time of year! The other pillow will be for my daughter!
Thanks again and hope you and your family have a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Donna - Love your decorating. I always enjoy your home and blog.
Dagmar Obert - Evergreens everywhere in such a judicious way throughout your home. I also appreciated your knack for hanging wreaths of different sizes and unique places like the back of chairs. Balsam Hill foliage does look so real.