Home | Provisions

I chatted with my mom all Saturday morning about this piece, that piece, what it looked like, “early american style,” you say? What’s “blonde furniture,” anyway?

I didn’t really know if we’d come out with much (auctions can be like that), and for as much as I’ve been fretting over where we would get the money to buy the things we need and want to make our house a home, I was very unaffected by the whole process, though very thankful my mom was looking for cheap furniture for us. It seemed like just another day. And for the most part, it was.

But that’s the sad part: It was just a normal day. How often do I look at the provisions of God, and the circumstances that lead up to them, and don’t even blink an eye. I don’t even expect something I need, let alone something that I don’t need. But look at all this furniture that my mom bought for us, and all she intended to get for us was a coffee table ($1). God put the rest in a bundle with the lamp my sister wanted.

Also for $1.

Perfect coffee table:

When I say perfect, I mean rounded corners, great height, and nearly 4’ long... everything we wanted for family evenings in the living room.

Dresser for Seb’s room:

Perfect for a changing table on top!

Bookshelf on legs

Tall dresser:

For Cody or myself (We’ll see who has more clothes! Ha! The one who wins gets the larger IKEA dresser).

I was sitting this evening looking over the pictures my mom sent to me of the pieces they bought, deciding what I wanted, and I just felt so humbled. “Just look,” I thought, “at the way God has so generously provided these things for us. And I have done nothing.” But then again, that’s the way God works. I pray that next time I’ll be quick to see God’s hand at work, and praise Him for his provisions. I am thankful that when I am weak, then He is strong.

P.S. I can't wait to clean and update them! Kaite, you are my inspiration!

Fashion | Sweatshirts

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I know that I am moving to the considerably warmer climate of North Carolina in less than two weeks, but all I can think about wearing are these. Maybe in 5 months or so...

Food | Baked donuts

I made these a few days ago after I found them on a friend’s Pinterest board. I mean, I love donuts! And donuts that aren’t deep fried sound like a great idea. 

They were so good. 

I puzzled for days, however, over what they tasted like! I really didn’t think they tasted like donuts, but I couldn’t think of anything else they tasted more like, until Cody hit upon it. They are like coffee cake bites! No wonder I just wanted some coffee every time I ate one.

I highly recommend making these. They were extremely simple to make, and absolutely delicious to eat. They plump while they bake, so you have to pull them apart to eat. Can't think of anything better, really. Great for company or picnics. :)

Happy baking!

Seb | Big like Daddy

I think Seb still has a bit of growing to do before he can really wear daddy’s shorts, but he’ll probably never again look this cute in them.

Life With Baby | Can someone make me this?

I'm in love with this sidecar. I've hated the idea of pulling my kids behind my bike ever since I was riding in a bus in Germany that literally stopped inches from the back of one on the road. It was horrifying. This is the way to do it.


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Seb | Hot hot hot

It's been pretty steamy outside this week. I've never been to the rainforest, but this is how I imagine it feeling; It's been in the hundreds and outrageously sticky. That kind of weather seriously cramps our style when it comes to daily walks, so one day this week we filled up Seb's pool and had a little outdoor fun. I wish it was my size!


Happy weekend!


P.S. The first picture is hazy because my camera lens couldn't handle the temperature change!

Food | Whole wheat bread

I'm always in search of a good bread recipe, and if it's whole wheat, all the better. Of course, a good french bread recipe is amazing, but I feel less guilty putting the bread away like I do if it's whole wheat. You know what I mean. So I was thrilled to spot a link to this old post on Say Yes! To Hoboken about Liz's Mema's whole wheat bread. I whipped it up in no time at all, substituting the Canola oil for Olive oil, and the result was a nice, classic wheat bread. The recipe makes two loaves (so it won't bounce out of my Kitchenaid!), and it stays together, too, so perfect for toasting.


If you have a good cinnamon raisin bread recipe, hit me up!

Seb | Perfect little blondie

I feel more blessed every day that God would intrust this tiny, precious life to me and Cody. 

A few days ago Seb was drooling everywhere, so I took his soaked shirt off and let him run around in just his shorts for a bit. Pretty soon I looked over at him, and saw the sweetest sight. He was sitting on the floor examining one of his toys, mouth hanging open and drool pouring onto his huge baby belly. When the waterfall of slobber hit his unsuspecting tummy, he looked down and touched it with the most intense curiosity, like, “What is this stuff?” I love that little dude.

Home Decor | Personal style = home style

I was watching the Nate Berkus Show for the first time, and was so excited for what I saw and learned. It was a home transformation based on the idea of taking personal style i.e. favorite clothing, colors, accessories and textures to create an interior space. It really made me think more about what I actually love. What clothes do I love to wear and how could they be translated into my home interior?

No wonder I have home interior schizophrenia! My wardrobe is much the same way. Ha!

I do know that I love to wear stripes, solids and florals. My accesorizing is very minimal, my staple items are jeans and tees, and my color palette is neutral. The most important thing to me when searching for new clothes is fit. I know I can buy a basic tee (or three!) at Walmart or Old Navy, but I would gladly spend $30 on one that fits well and that I know will hold its shape and last forever. This is difficult when on a tight budget! Mostly what I think I can take away from my personal style is that I love quality, a clean and clutter-free look, fabrics, neutral and rich or unusual colors, and simplicity, oh, and comfort. Comfort is key.

How does this translate into my perfect home interior? No idea. But I hope I’ll be able to share it with you when we move in a few weeks! I’m ready for a space that relfects me, my family, and the way we live.

Does your home space reflect your personal style? I would love to hear about it.

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Healthy spaces | This husband helps me

In the 2+ years that Cody and I have been married, we have lived in a teeny tiny apartment, and although we’re in a full-size house right now, we are primarily living on the first floor, so our living space is still pretty limited. 

I am generally not a fan of huge, sprawling homes (read: excess space), but having a baby, and now a toddler, has changed my idea of what a healthy space looks like. Whenever I step into a friends spacious home, I feel like a burden has been lifted. My awareness of how cramped I feel in our home is suddenly glaring.

First of all, a small home is no reason to complain. I am working on my attitude for sure, and try to remember that a spacious living space is a blessing and a luxury, not a right. Also, our family is young and new. We are still starting out, and it’s important to remember that we need to be patient for the things that our parents have. I would love to buy a home right now. Cody would love that, too. But we have many years of school (and rentals) ahead of us.

Although this is a daily struggle for me, I’m trying to stay joyful and thankful for the blessings that I have. Just yesterday, Cody found a free coffee table on the side of the street. It’s ugly and not my taste at all, but is in good condition. I plan to sand it down and paint it (any color suggestions?), and then it will be better than new, and still awesomely inexpensive. Thank you, God, for providing something that we really needed to make our house a home!

And today, I really wanted to do pilates, but when you spend all day in your bedroom/living room, the last thing you want to do is, you guessed it, do pilates in that very same room. We had piles of clothes, books and papers surrounding my workout space, and although it’s hard to unwind in an area like that, I decided it would be okay once I started. During my workout Cody busied himself around me cleaning up (often getting downward facing dog kicks in the rear). I didn’t realize until later that he chose that specific area to clean so that it would be more restful and uncluttered for me to work out in. Isn’t that amazing?

He is such an advocate for creating a healthy space for me and Sebastian to spend our days in, and I am so thankful for him. I hope I remember days like today the next time I feel frustrated with our home space.

What have you done to help create a peaceful, restful and healthy space? I’d love to hear your ideas! 

P.S. I've been spread a bit thin lately, especially when it comes to blogging, so I’ve decided to scrap my baby blog, Nestling, and just incorporate those things about motherhood and babies here instead.

Thanks to those of you who have been keeping up with Nestling. I’ve really enjoyed blogging over there, but would really like to focus on making The Priscilla Home a place that reflects all the aspects of my life. I hope you’ll like the changes!

Food | Watermelon salad

So I have about 60 seconds to post. Bear with me, please. I made this salad a few days ago after I saw it on Hither & Thither, and I loved it. You should try it!

Watermelon + Fresh Basil + Feta Cheese = crazy weird, but delicious and easy summer salad

If you don't feel you're brave enough, try it without the feta. The basil and watermelon taste amazing together.

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Food | Meatloaf

Yea, getting all exotic with the meatloaf.

I’ve never made it until a few weeks ago because Cody hates ketchup. How do you make meatloaf without ketchup? I am here to tell you how, my friends. As with most of my culinary endeavors, I sort of threw this together.

I started with 2 lbs. of thawed ground beef, and sauteed 3 carrots and 1 onion, chopped. We mixed the hamburger, sauteed vegetables, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and some milk. We chose to shape our meatloaf mixture into muffin sized mounds so that they would bake thoroughly in about 45 minutes. Our ratio of meat to vegetables was a bit off (read: excess veggies), but I really liked it that way.

The best part? No ketchup, so husband loved it.

Do you like meatloaf? I’m a huge fan of hamloaf with pineapple on top. Yum.

Books | Mary Poppins & Toast

I've been reading the Mary Poppins series, and just started on book two. It is extremely odd, and Mary Poppins is not quite as Disney portrayed her. Julie Andrews is much prettier, kinder, lovelier, and more endearing than her original. However, she is just as vain, which I find to be hilarious.


But the real point of this post is toast. Yes, toast. Several times the author, P.L. Traverse, describes Mary Poppins as smelling like fresh toast. I was surprised the first time, but the second time was just ridiculous. Does fresh toast smell good? I mean, would I want to actually smell like fresh toast?


I would have imagined that Mary Poppins smelled like gumdrops, but I guess that's the Julie Andrews version. I suppose it's the odd and unexpected about the Mary Poppins books that makes them good. But they're still on trial with me.


Have you read them?


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P.S. Toast coasters

Home | Sometimes life calls for a little pick-me-up.

I have about a million posts ready and willing to be shared with you all, but just no time to blog! I'll be back soon (and in full force come August), but until then, drink tea. It makes life better. 


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Wear | Sling style

I have been so inspired by the Sakura Bloom Styleathon that’s been going on over at Marvelous Kiddo. Have you been following it? It’s been so fun to see the way these beautiful mothers wear their adorable little ones, and how they maintain their sense of style. Today I was particularly struck by Elizabeth’s (from The Littlest) interpretation of this weeks “Adventure” assignment, and love love love how she got creative with her look by choosing to channel Jane Birkin, who maintained such amazing style even after becoming a mom, and whose look has remained timeless.

It makes me wonder, do you have a style muse? Do you, or do you think that you will be able to, maintain your style as a mom?

P.S. This one is a close second. Gorgeous photos, lovely ensemble, and perfect sling.

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Kitchen | Let's bake a pie or two

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This post has one purpose: to show you these pie plates.

GIve | The robe.

I have long thought that a luxurious robe is the perfect lingerie shower gift. It holds true to the mysterious, the elegant, and the sensual, but without any invasiveness. Don't get me wrong; I've given many a pair of undies to friends at their bridal showers, and likewise appreciate the non-robe gifts that I received at mine. However, I like that the one who gifts a robe doesn't know about the sweet nothings underneath. And that just seems lovely and proper.

Discrete Geometry Robe

Celebrate | Happy Independence Day!

We spent the day at the pool, and on the ride home discussed how to form a rebuttal against an American  who hates America, and at home, discussed the continued importance and relevancy of the Constitution. And when I say we "discussed" these things, I mean that Cody gave us a couple History lessons. I love that man.

P.S. When I told Cody, "I'm just not that into firecrackers." He was quite incredulous and said, "What are you? Canadian?"

Home | lazy hazy days

We arrived at my parents house last night and will be enjoying an extended weekend stay with our families. We don't get to share Sebastian with his grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives very often, so a holiday weekend like this is much needed and much looked forward to on our end.

It's hazy out, and we'll soon be leaving for the outlet mall to find the big sales. What plans do you have for the weekend? I would like to make this iced coffee /via, and meet this donkey named George /via.


image on right, via