60 Days 'til England!

Look what came in the mail last week! It's the 2016 Jane Austen Festival programme---so excited! This year, our tour begins in Manchester---from which we will go on to York, seeing the former home of Lord Byron; and then Haworth, to visit the Bronte parsonage. After that, we'll be off to Bath---stopping off at Warwick Castle along the way. We'll spend three nights in Bath and attend the Jane Austen Festival. We'll attend the annual costumed promenade and a Regency ball that evening. I'm planning to stay on in Bath a couple days longer to visit some of my favorite places, attend church at Bath Abbey, (I'm making friends there! Ha!) and spend time writing.

I'm so so looking forward to this trip and will be planning and starting on my costumes very soon! I'll be sure to update you all when I begin sewing.

Have a lovely Saturday!

Our New House

Whew! Where have I been? Well...about a month ago, we got notice that our landlord wants to sell the house we were in so we had 30 days to relocate! Not a small feat with 11 people! It's hard to believe that was really four weeks ago, but God came through and we are now settled in a much bigger, roomier, comfortable, and updated home. Isn't God great?! This is our new home, above. Same town, same zip code, even. In fact, we're just directly across Lake Avalon from our last house---so our Avalon Grace didn't even have to leave her special lake!

There are a lot of things that I really love about this house. One, is this set of cabinets in the hallway upstairs. They're just right for storing our games, school materials, and my crafting things.

You may remember that I just set up a reading room in my old house. Well, look how pretty my new reading room is! I love it!

On the other side of that room, we've got our dining table and school area. I'm absolutely loving all this space!

Today I was out in the yard and discovered this rope swing hanging above a brush pile. Hmm...better get that cleaned up soon so the kids can enjoy it.

Something else that's kept us busy these last couple weeks is Michael's mission trip to Ecuador! He returned Saturday night and he's a changed boy, let me tell you! Thank you to all who invested prayers and money to make this a reality for him. He's already talking about next year's mission trip! Here are some things he brought us to decorate our new home.

Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party! I've been missing you all and can't wait to see what you've got to share!

How I Created a Little Spot for Conversation in My Home #Folgers #ad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Folgers for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've always functioned on the mentality that a comfortable home can be made with a little organization and a whole lot of pretty. Recently I made over a corner of our home to give my husband and I a place to sit and visit away from the TV and video games. It's a great place to chat and have tea or a cup of Folgers Instant Coffee.

Jamie is a coffee aficionado and loves to try new roasts and flavors. Still, there are times when he craves a good cup of black. Folgers is a great alternative that can be made in an instant.

I've always wanted my home to be a great place to offer hospitality to guests. However, a few years ago, I started really thinking about making my home a peaceful place for offering hospitality to my family---the ones who actually live here!

It's neat the way this little corner came to be. I told a friend I was looking to replace my couch and a week or so later, she messaged me to let me know her neighbor was upgrading her living room furniture and had a couch for me. She offered to deliver it, since she has a truck, and when she went to pick it up, the friend offered this recliner and rocker, as well! With just a little rearranging, I was able to make a spot in our school room that's just perfect for reading, writing, or having a quiet talk.

Oftentimes, Jamie and I have just a few minutes to sit and chat before it's time to serve dinner or take the kids to an activity, so I like to keep our corner of the house free from the kids' toys and books. That way, we can spend our short time in conversation and catch up on one another's days. Before he gets home from work, I have the kids clean up any messes Daddy might encounter on his path from the front door.

With a comfortable place to relax, Jamie can enjoy his instant coffee---and his family---before we all jump back into the busyness of big family life!

Do you have a comfortable spot in your home for a quiet chat? I encourage you to get creative and see if you can carve out your own peaceful corner. Also, check out these Folgers recipes for some inspiring ways to dress up your coffee.