Some people like rock songs.

Some people like classical music.

Some people like blues or jazz or banjo playing or the kind of instrumental music they play in the aisles of Hobby Lobby.

Me?

I’m country.

The older the better.

If you’ve ever listened to country music do you remember that song by Brad Paisley “Little Moments Like That”?

It’s the little imperfections….it’s the sudden change of plans

When she misreads the directions…and we’re lost but holding hands

Yeah……I live for little moments like that….

I live for little moments

When she steals my heart and doesn’t know it

Yeah……I live for little moments like that

Who knew?

Who knew Brad Paisley was such a brilliant philosopher?

Before I was married–when I was younger—I spent afternoons watching Hallmark movies and planning Barbie weddings and drawing endless hearts and doodles…..

.…I thought love was all about big romantic gestures.

Just like in the movies.

I thought that when your future husband declared his love to you it was after a series of super dramatic events that usually involved you almost leaving on a jet plane and him chasing you down the wrong way on an escalator.

Papers would be flying and a he would be frantically searching for you in the crowd of people getting on the plane.

Then just before you were about to board you would glance over your shoulder one more time in despair because you were leaving….

….and then you’d see him.

And he’d have a bouquet of flowers in his mouth.

And you would rush toward each other and leap into each other’s arms…..

….and live happily ever after.

And while I love that kind of love.

I do think that true love is found in the little moments.

The shared jokes.

The laughter.

The times when it’s your husband’s day off and you totally want to have him build a pair of bookshelves for you but you don’t want to ask him because it’s date day and he might want to go to the movies or out to eat or something much more date-like.

And so you tentatively ask him what he wants to do that day and his eyes twinkle and he grins…..

….and tells you he was thinking about building some bookshelves all along.

And you fall a little more in love with him right then.

Like the other day.

It was Friday night and I was worried.

I had all these ladies coming to the house the next day for the workshop and self-doubt chose that moment to creep in.

Was I ready?

Was I prepared?

Would they like it?

Would it be enough?

I stood in the middle of the kitchen looking at the tasks ahead of me and almost broke down in tears.  I needed to get ice and arrange the notebooks and make sure we had enough cups and enough seating and enough napkins and I really thought I needed to clean out the refrigerator in case anyone opened it.  And those tags.  Yikes.  The flowers on the porch still had the tags on them.  I couldn’t have people walking up to a workshop with tags still on the flowers.

Yikes.

I COULDN’T DO IT ALL.

I WAS NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT.

THE WORKSHOP WASN’T GOING TO BE A SUCCESS.

At that moment, my husband walked into the kitchen.

He looked at me and he looked at my face and he saw the worry.

He said nothing.  Instead, he turned to me with those twinkling brown eyes and held out his hands with a grin.  He was holding the tags.  The tags from the flowers on the front porch.

Without me asking.

Without a word.

Without being told.  He had gone and cut off each tag.

Every. Single. One.

I looked at the tags and I looked at him and I knew that I knew that I knew.

Everything was going to be okay.

And right then and there in the middle of the kitchen where I first fell in love with him, I realized….

….I live for little moments like that. 🙂

PS  This post was supposed to be about making a DIY pinecone wreath but I got distracted.

Here are the instructions in case you have five minutes and want to make one yourself.

1. I started with this ring from Michael’s.  It costs $1.49.

2. Next, I found the pinecones at Hobby Lobby.  They come in a giant bag.

3. Start hot gluing the pinecones in the same direction around the ring.

4. Keep going until you have covered the ring.

5. Your wreath is finished.  And now?  You could hang it on an old shutter.  Or tie it onto a bigger wreath.  Or hang it from the front of a basket.  Or hang it off a vase.  Or create three of them and make winter art on an old board.

And the best part?

They are the perfect decor to make it all the way through winter.

I live for little decor moments like that. 🙂

Want to know how to decorate your home for free?
Click here to get my FIVE BEST secrets.

Comments

  1. Image for Kathleen Kathleen

    This pine cone wreath brought back a sweet memory of making pine cone wreaths with a neighbor in 1975ish. We had step by step instructions from another neighbor. It was a tedious project that lasted into the night. Each pine cone had to be individually wired then dipped in a varnish solution. After all were dried each piece was wired to a grapevine wreath (also homemade). Our hands were raw from handling the pine cones. We were exhausted from the project and managing children all day. At the end of the day, we each had beautiful wreaths and my neighbor had become my friend. Sadly, she passed away a few years ago and her house was moved to make way for a mega house. But I’ll never forget her or our friendship.

  2. Image for Kelly Kelly

    I love your stories and all your ideas for projects! You say the things we all do but maybe not think about! Thank you for sharing your love story!

  3. Image for Michelle Michelle

    Oh I know what you mean about those little moments and realizing they far surpass the dreams you had as a little girl about what true love would be like! I miss those little moments with Ben and so I cherish some he left behind. Like the little notebook in which we wrote simple little love notes for each other to read when we missed seeing each other before we left the house or when we came home at night. How brilliant you are! The pinecone wreath is a perfect example of how beautiful a little act of love can be.

  4. Image for Ali Ierna Ali Ierna

    You are just amazing, this is a brilliant post. You should have never worried one second about the Inspire Workshop. You were born to do this teaching, decorating, creating and encouraging. You could have inspired us in a garage and it would have been perfect!

  5. Image for Peg Peg

    "The little things in life? The little moments? They aren't little." -John Kabat-Zinn Love this quote and love you and all you do!! xoxoxo

  6. Image for Alice Genzlinger Alice Genzlinger

    Karianne, have you seen the commercial that shows the husband running around the community, in and out of yards and fences only to bring a sheet of paper in the shape of a Heart to his very much loved wife? It gets my heart doing a flip every time. Thank your sweet husband for us, He is a keeper.

  7. Image for Shelley Shelley

    Again with the tears! I've been married to my best friend for 35 years...he knows me better than I know myself. He finishes my sentences and knows all my worries about not having everything perfect for people coming over. He has twinkling blue eyes...and he would pull price tags...all because of love.

  8. Image for Linda Linda

    O that love story.....cherish every moment. Every second...it goes by so fast ! When your husband leaves the house, Always remember did I kiss him good bye. Did I tell him I love him, did you remember if he took his lunch that you always wrote a sweet nothing on his napkin with hearts and X ' s all over it, was there that moment in time when your eyes met his Twinkling eyes and you knew from that day in his Navy suit that the world was yours ? This was my life ....except for the Navy suit :-) ....for 44 years 4 months and 4 days. Enjoy every day that the Lord gives you both.

  9. Image for Pamela Pamela

    Hiya! Thank you for the easy peasy wreath idea. I am going to go pick up one of those backers in Michaels tomorrow. I have all these old wooden clothes pins that I took apart and made a glue gunned wreath with, and when I went to pick up it, it fell apart! That backer will be perfect! Perhaps I will make both wreaths. Very textural! Any idea on what to do for a third wreath? ;)

  10. Image for Robin Robin

    You tell the best stories.... you need to post a picture of the two of you- t0gether!! I'm grateful to have a sweet husband like yours! He's definitely a keeper (47 years and counting!)

  11. Image for NormaJean NormaJean

    You are so right, KarieAnne! I can attest to 57 years, and countless "little moments". The grand gestures are fun, but it's the little moments that keep a marriage fresh. BTW, I never realized how easy it would be to make a pinecone wreath. Thanks for the info.

  12. Image for Stephanie Stephanie

    Your post has me in tears. My wonderful, loving husband and father of our kids passed away suddenly earlier this year. I miss him every day. I love hearing about the love other couples share. It is a gift to find someone to share your life with. You are both very blessed. ps: the pinecone wreath is super cute.

  13. Image for Shelia Shelia

    Oh Karianne, that post made me think of my husband. He was an Army lifer and he’s been gone now for 8 years. He was so good to me in many ways. I lost him way too young, he’d just retired. I miss him every day. Treasure those special little moments because life is so short and flies by before you even realize it. I’ve got a new man in my life now and I’ve been blessed to find another gem. He too, is so good to me and would cut off those price tags too if he saw them. ( This ones not very observant, lol).!! I just adore your blog and always look so forward to reading whatever it is your going to share with us. I save yours for last in case I have bad news after reading my emails. I know when I open yours that my day will start off bright. Thanks for sharing!

  14. Image for Tracey Tracey

    Could you post a link to the ring and pine cones I could not find them at my local stores Thank you! Love your story too

  15. Image for Pat Gilliland Pat Gilliland

    Love your story, but what glue? That's the part I have trouble with. Also, what is that backer piece called?

  16. Image for Courtney Courtney

    Little things mean a lot! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2C7SzKv2uLU It’s those unspoken connections, not just with hubbys or children, that give us warm fuzzies. The intuitive connection...that’s the stuff!

Comments are closed.