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A Hundred Affections

Inspiration for Moms Running the Show at Home

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CHRISTMAS DECOR

If you need a little winter cheer to get you through the dark cold months, here's a Free Printable in farmhouse style, reminding you that winter can be 'comfy and cozy', too!

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDES

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Welcome to A Hundred Affections!

Hi, I'm Kate - a long-time Christian, late bloomer, former high school English teacher, current SAHM to twin toddlers (our miracle rainbow babies)! If you're a busy mom, trying to do and be the best for the people in your life, you've come to the right place! My goal is to inspire moms running the show at home in balancing faith, family, home and health! If you need encouragement, ideas, practical information, or just a kindred spirit, you'll find it here.

100affections

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Looks like Ignorance and Want are making an appearance this morning. 😂.
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#ghostofchristmasfuture #ignoranceandwant #achristmascarol #charlesdickens #boymom #twinmom #idtwins #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #blogwithheart #hisgracegirls

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I was volunteering at the boys’ preschool this week, and another mom was there teaching the kids about St Nicholas Day, a German holiday on Dec 6.
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So the boys decided they wanted to set out their shoes by the chimney to see if they would get oranges and gold coins, like they learned in school. .
Well, the boys actually are part German, so I was game. I loaded up the shoes last night and almost forgot about them this morning until I heard them screaming. They were SO EXCITED that gold coins actually showed up in their sneakers (the oranges- not so much). Yelling and jumping like it was actually Christmas morning. Over chocolate gold coins. Who knew? 😂
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So we may have just started a new tradition around here, but I'll take this over Elf on the Shelf any day. 😂.
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#stnicholasday #stnicksday #goldchocolatecoins #chocolatecoins #goldcoins #oranges #traditions #christmastraditions #blogwithheart #hisgracegirls #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #boymom #twinmom

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Let the Advent Season bring begin!
Happy December! .
#advent #hehascome #december #christmas #blogwithheart #hisgracegirls

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What I’m thinking about as I’m getting ready for Thanksgiving:
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Between putting away the clutter & cleaning the toilets before our family comes, I’m spraying down the table, getting ready to set it up. This is our 1st yr in our forever home, & I’m pretty grateful to finally host the holidays (our house in NY was toooo tiny).
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Even though I didn’t get around to making place settings (next year #goals), I was thinking about the idea of having a place at a table.
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Of course, I was thinking about the fact that I’m blessed to have family nearby, but also thinking about others who aren’t looking forward to today, for a million different reasons.
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In some years, that was me - specifically 2012, when I was miscarrying our 1st baby right at the Thanksgiving table. What do you say to someone who is pretty much closing their eyes & just waiting for today to end?
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Well, 2 Bible verses came to mind. The 1st one is Ps. 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” There’s something about knowing someone is setting a place for you. As a host, you know how much work & energy goes into preparing a table for guests. To think that God is the host here, & He will do it in the most tumultuous of times (presence of enemies, whatever enemy that is: financial hardship, death, loneliness, depression…) - that’s a pretty stunning thought.
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The 2nd verse comes from 2 Samuel 9. It’s one of my all-time favorite stories in the Bible. It’s the story of David & Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s (David’s best friend) son, somewhat displaced after Jonathan died & David became King.
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Bc David was in covenant with Jonathan, he was looking for someone in his family to show kindness to. M was crippled & didn’t feel worthy to be at David’s table. However, David assured him: .
“Don’t be afraid...for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan...you will always eat at my table...So Mephibosheth at David’s table like one of the king’s sons” (vs. 9, 11).
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If you are fighting enemies today & feel like there’s no place for you at any table, be assured that God has a place for you at His table, what condition you’re in. .
Continued in comments...

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PSA for all my friends who are
A. On a tight budget
B. Decorating for Christmas, and
C. Love @target
On what's become my weekly trip to the dollar spot, I found this adorable sign for $5. But wait, it’s really EIGHT signs (swipe to see). - the sign board slides out and there are 3 more inside, front and back. How clever is that?!? I’m thinking that’s a great frame for printables, too.
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Even though you can order from the dollar spot online, this one isn’t available there, so if you like it, hopefully your Target will have it. I was super happy I scored this sweet little bargain! .
I’m working on a post that I’ll have out real soon with other cheap and creative ways I’m decorating for Christmas, so stay tuned if you’re on a tight budget and still want your house to be cozy for Christmas! It’s not as hard as you think! .
#targetdollarspot #farmhousechristmas #farmhousedecor #christmasdecor #rusticdecor

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So this is how we spent our afternoon today… it was a toss-up between ‘Should I finish painting the hallway? Should I drag them to Xfinity and Dollar Tree? Should I take them to the playground?” But they seemed content enough going between army men and painting...they would start a picture, go play, I’d finish, then they’d paint some more…

I’m not great at having margins in our day where we can ALL just chill out, where I’m not busy doing something ‘productive’ while they’re playing. I justified it by telling myself I was up late painting and cleaning, James had me up in the middle of the night so I was a little extra tired today … but it’s kinda sad that I even felt like I needed to justify(even if just to myself) having a low-key afternoon water-painting with my boys without ‘getting stuff done.’ Work in progress. But I know that every time I make the choice to actually DO something with my kids, not just stay busy doing something else while they play, they are so easily satisfied.

It’s so easy, but not easy. The part of motherhood that’s about me is learning that it’s NOT about me. It’s dying to yourself and looking to the needs of someone else as being more important than your own.

Pretty much just being a Christian with and in front of your kids. Maybe that’s motherhood in a nutshell.

#motherhood #boymom #twinmom #christianmom #christian #livelikeChrist
#momguilt #momlife #hisgracegirls #blogwithheart #melissaanddougtoys {These paint with water books are from @melissaanddougtoys and are great quality and super fun!}

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After dinner tonight, I was busy in the kitchen cleaning up, my boys were in the living room with my husband, running crazy, playing ninjas with their masks on. I had on Pandora, trying to squeeze in a little time with God in the middle of the chaos, and the song "You are Good" by @karijobe came on, and it brought back a ton of memories. Still brings me to tears when I hear it.

I was about 14-15 weeks pregnant with the boys, and we had just announced to the world we were pregnant with twins. I had waited as long as I could to tell, but I was starting to show, and I couldn't really hide it. Putting out there felt like such a big risk.
I was still struggling a lot with fear and anxiety over all of this. After 2 losses and a whole mess of #infertility issues, I just couldn't believe that this pregnancy would actually take, that this one wouldn't end in a #miscarriage like the others. I was scared to let myself be excited. I didn't even want to buy maternity clothes, just in case this pregnancy wasn't going to make it.

I wanted to believe that God had given us our #rainbowbabies, but you know, it doesn't always sink in so easily into your heart.
One morning when I was getting ready for work - it was super-early and I was ironing my clothes in the walk-in closet so I wouldn't wake up my husband - I had Pandora on, and this song by Kari Jobe came on. And I just began to sob. I felt God's presence with me so strongly in that little closet, and I just knew He was reassuring me of His goodness and that my babies would be OK.

I'm not gonna say I never felt fear or anxiety through the rest of my pregnancy, but I played that song over my belly just about every day, declaring the goodness of God. I sang it over my boys after they were born. It was one of those songs where I could barely finish the rest because I was so choked up.

And 5 years later, I'm hearing this song again, and I'm seeing the goodness of God physically manifested in the form of 2 little ninjas running circles around the house.

So what I want to share with you is just to encourage you about the goodness of God in your life.
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Continued in comments...

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International Wave of Light ... 2 candles for our 2 sweet babies we lost. Gone too soon but never forgotten.
Big hugs and prayers for moms and dads remembering their little ones tonight. They will always be remembered.
#internationwaveoflight #pregnancyandinfantlossawareness #1in4 #neverforgotten #miscarriage #stillbirth #infantloss #hisgracegirls #blogwithheart

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Important to note:
1. After sweating it out all summer, Michael's wardrobe and the weather have synchronized, and his commitment to wearing long sleeves is finally seasonally appropriate. (Also to be noted- it's an actual SHIRT, not pajama top. 🙌). 2. James, always having been seasonally appropriate, wore long sleeves today too, thus confusing their teachers at preschool.
3. This is the first walk we've taken together in almost a year since we gave up the stroller. Typically reluctant to use their actual feet to get around and wanting to be pushed, today they humored their mom and actually walked, even if it was just down the block.
4. While I was initially super impressed at the cleverness of my sons when they picked up leaves on the ground and said they were secret notes with hidden treasures maps, I was quickly brought back to earth when they told me the note said, 'Your quest will begin at Walmart and Target. In the toy department." 🤦‍♀️ Either, fall has finally come to East TN, and mom and sons are both pretty happy about it. 😉🙌 #fall #leaves #fallwalks #naturewalks #preschoolers #twinbrothers #idtwins #boymom #twinmom #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #tennesseefall #tennessee #easttennessee #blogwithheart #hisgracegirls

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There’s a song by @codycarnes that’s been out for a while now (so I’ve discovered), but it’s new to me & I heard it for the 1st time last weekend while driving. You know when a song has a line or 2 that echos in your head?
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“My heart needs a surgeon
My soul needs a friend
So I’ll run to the Father
Again & again & again & again”
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I’ve been thinking about friendship lately (see yesterday’s post) & been pondering how hard it is, at this age (mid-40s), to make friends from scratch. You have so much history of your life behind you, all these things about your existence that new friends don’t know - good & bad. It just takes a long time to have friends that know your soul, you know? That get you, without a lot of explanation. Kindred spirits, for any AOGG fans.
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But this song really brought a lot of comfort to my heart to know that Jesus isn’t just “a friend,” but He’s one of “those friends,” - a friend for your soul, who knows your history, weirdness, weaknesses, hang-ups, imperfections - instantly understands you & knows what you're all about- & still considers you His close friend. On a soul level.
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You don’t need to do all the front-work of friendship when it comes to Him. He can just instantly be your bff. Sure, the relationship grows & gets closer, but there’s no awkward beginning stage.
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And I love that He’s not just a friend but everything else. Like all the names of God the Bible describes: Provider. Our Peace. Our Righteousness. Our Healer. Shepherd. The God Who Sees...and on it goes.
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That’s why He’s the perfect friend: He’s all in one. Everything we need. All the time (which no one else can ever be anyway). And it’s why we can keep running to Him again. And again. And again. For every single need. {And He won’t ignore your texts if (when?) you’re too much.}
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You might have the ‘friends’ box checked off, but my guess is that there are other boxes you need Him for. Me, too.
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So good to know we can run to Him for all of them.
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Video of song in Stories
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(Picture circa 2000? 2001? This was after we’d just gotten matching tattoos down in Ybor City in Tampa: the Chinese symbol for ‘friend’ - or it could be ‘broccoli’. We’re still not really sure. 🤷‍♀️

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"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." CS Lewis
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This quote has popped into my mind in the past few weeks. I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on this whole idea of friendship lately. Now that we're sort of out of the survival mode of toddlerhood, selling our house, buying a house & settling into a whole new life & normal, that empty space that my friends from NY occupied is feeling a little more vacant.
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When you’re just surviving, you’re just trying to keep your head above water (and of course, friends totally help with that). But once there’s space in your life beyond survival, you kind of feel the lack of friends in a whole new way.
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We had friends from NY who were in town this week & came over for dinner. It was so nice to be cooking & setting my table & knowing that friends would filling those chairs.
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The boys still keep me crazy busy & demand a ton of my attention, but not having close friends to fill the gaps is more noticeable these days.
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I’ve been really fortunate to have always had really, really great friends in my life - from middle school to high school to college to post-college when I was in youth ministry to teaching. God always provided amazing friends.
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I know that God designed us for friendships, so I know God has my people for me here in Tennessee. At the same time, I know even when I don’t have those human friends nearby, He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (or sister 😉). And I'm getting to know Him in a whole new way. And that is always a good thing.
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But more on that tomorrow… 😊
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#friends #friendshipquotes #fellowship #cslewis #cslewisquotes #closerthanabrother #hisgracegirls #blogwithheart

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In trying to keep up with clean eating after doing @drkatieharney 30 Day Dollar Clean Eating challenge, I made this for breakfast yesterday - and it’s perfect for fall: pumpkin pie smoothie. 🎃
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Even after the challenge, Dr. Katie occasionally sends out some emails with other recipes, and this one I couldn’t wait to try.
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I just made a few tweaks to it, and it was delicious and very filling. Kept me full well into the afternoon. .
This is all you need:

⅓ cup 100% pureed pumpkin
⅓ cup coconut cream
1 frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

The original recipe calls for 1 tsp raw honey, but I skipped that. You can also add some ice cubes to thicken it up, but I found that by including the coconut cream, the consistency was just right.
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Blend together, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top and some pecans as well if you want, and you’re good to go!
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This one is definitely going in the ‘frequently made’ files. 😊
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#pumpkinpie #recipe #pumpkinpiespice #pumpkin #pumpkinsmoothie #smoothie #cleaneating #healthyeating #healthylifestyle #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #blogwithheart #hisgracegirls

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New on the blog!🙌
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So one of the great things about being a SAHM (besides having a front-row seat to my boys’ early childhood - that goes without saying) is that, because we are living on essentially one income, it’s really pushed me to be more creative.
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Instead of just going out and buying things I’d like, I’ve been forced to think about what I already have at home, what I can upcycle and repurpose, and what I can just make myself.🤔
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I’m no pro at DIY, but I’ve had to dabble a bit in it, especially since our move and trying to make our new house a home. 🏘
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The outcomes aren’t always professional, but there’s a sense of pride in knowing you’ve made something with your own hands, you’ve saved money, and you’ve exercised some self-control in not just putting something you want on a credit card. 👏👏
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And I honestly like how it’s rewiring my brain to be a little more creative - not just in DIY but in problem-solving in general.
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So this is my latest - it’s a DIY neutral-colored rag wreath. I saw a similar one on Pinterest and adapted it just bit. It’s really easy and very cheap to make.
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You really can customize it and embellish it for just about any season - looks great indoors or outdoors, and it goes great with farmhouse, shabby chic or boho decor!
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And for me, it’s a template for future wreaths (and rag banners, too!) to create with a bunch of different fabrics I have laying around the house that I want to experiment with.
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If you’re looking to stretch your creativity skills, this is an easy one to start with! Link in profiles @100affections!

#diy #wreath #fallwreath #farmhouse #shabbychic #boho #creativity #SAHMlife #homedecor #farmhousedecor #fallporch #ragwreath #neutralcolored #neutraldecor #neutralfalldecor #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #hisgracegirls #blogwithheart #housetohome

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Kate Landry | A Hundred Affections is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

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