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Hearth + Grace

Rooted in faith. Nourished by home. I’m Valerie—homemaker, momma, nana, recipe collector, and believer in keeping life cozy, simple, and grace-filled.

Sharing recipes, simple rhythms, and everyday encouragement from our little home in the woods—where grace meets ordinary life. We’re building our home little home in the forest, and I’m sharing the journey—along with faith, homemaking rhythms, garden, décor ideas, and the little things that help keep a home peaceful and grounded. My hope is that this space feels like a warm kitchen table—filled with encouragement, peace, and the reminder that grace meets us right in the everyday moments.

01/31/2026

I feel like this speaks for itself...✨

01/28/2026

One of the little things we recently learned about while building — Builder’s Risk Insurance. 🤍
It’s not something I’d ever heard much about before, but it’s been an important piece of the process.

Builder’s Risk Insurance is a temporary policy that helps protect the home while it’s being built. It can cover things like damage from weather, fire, theft, or vandalism during construction — before the house is finished or insured as a traditional home.

Cost-wise, it’s typically a short-term policy and often runs a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars total, depending on the size of the home, build cost, and length of the project. It’s usually paid once and lasts through the construction phase.

It’s one of those behind-the-scenes decisions that doesn’t feel exciting — but brings a lot of peace of mind.
Learning that building isn’t just about walls and finishes, but also about protecting what’s being built along the way.

Just another reminder that the little things matter too.

01/26/2026

One thing I didn’t fully realize before building…
it’s not just the big decisions — it’s all the little things that add up. 🤍

In the middle of framing and frozen temps, I’ve been reminded how helpful it is to prepare early for the small, everyday details. Here are a few things that have helped us feel more steady in the process:

1. Keep a running notes list
Questions, ideas, changes — write them down as they come. Building moves fast, and it’s easy to forget small things once the moment passes.

2. Decide where you can be flexible
Not every choice has to be perfect. Knowing ahead of time where you can adjust helps reduce stress when plans shift.

3. Budget a little margin
There are always tiny extras that pop up. Having a small cushion makes those moments feel manageable instead of overwhelming.

4. Ask questions early
Even the “small” ones matter. Clear communication upfront saves time and confusion later.

5. Give yourself grace
You won’t think of everything — and that’s okay. Homes are built in layers, just like life. Progress is still progress.

Watching this home take shape has been such a lesson in patience, trust, and preparation — especially in a season that feels cold and unfinished.

If you’ve built before, what’s one small thing you wish you’d known ahead of time? 🤍

01/23/2026

One simple way I’ve been stretching our grocery budget lately… 🤍
I start with a single rotisserie chicken and let it do a little extra work for us.

Today, I broke it down right away and stored the meat for meals later this week:
• Chicken & veggie bowls
• Chicken salad for lunches
• A simple chicken pasta or soup

Then the leftover carcass goes straight into a freezer bag to save for homemade chicken stock. Nothing fancy—just being intentional.

That one rotisserie chicken will easily turn into 3 meals for our family of four, plus stock for another meal down the road.

It’s a small thing, but these little habits really add up—especially when grocery budgets are important. Simple food. Less waste. A little bit of love.

01/22/2026

This past week… 🤍
I’m not sure where you live, but here in Michigan it’s been bitter cold with what feels like nonstop snow.

And even in the middle of all of that, the bones of our new home are taking shape.
Framing has begun, and those boys are working hard—through freezing temps and swirling snow.

Watching something so meaningful rise in a season like this feels especially powerful.
Strong things are built slowly… and often in the cold.

Grateful. Hopeful. And quietly excited for what’s to come.

01/02/2026

Some seasons ask us to slow down and tend to what matters most. 🤍

The last couple of weeks have been heavy ones for our family. From Christmas Day on, my daughter endured multiple ER visits, an ambulance ride, and hospital stays due to a kidney stone that turned into an infection. She’s finally home now with answers, antibiotics, and healing ahead—and we are deeply grateful.

Friends and family stepped in in the most beautiful ways, helping care for her, supporting us, and loving on her sweet baby boy who turns 2 months old today. I’ve been fully present with family, which has meant stepping back from emails, messages, and updates here.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as I navigate this tender season. Your grace allows me to show up wholeheartedly—both here and at home—and I’m so grateful for this community.

12/29/2025

Let this blizzard slow us down today 🤍
A reminder that even when the world outside feels wild and wintry, there’s comfort in warm cups, steady rhythms, and grace for the week ahead. We’re leaning into cozy moments today—and tomorrow, I’ll be sharing a little glimpse of something exciting that arrived just in time for this season. Stay warm, friends.

12/27/2025

Apparently, it's Saturday...

Christmas has passed, the calendar flipped, and real life showed up fast.
Between family, storms, and unexpected hospital visits, progress looked quieter than planned.
But here we are—still building, still dreaming, still choosing grace.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday, shared love with family + friends and stayed safe + warm. ❤

12/22/2025

As this week begins, I’m choosing to start slow and intentional.

Before the gatherings.
Before the baking lists and last-minute errands.
Before the house fills with voices and chaos.

This is a gentle reminder — to you and to me — that love isn’t found in how perfectly everything comes together. It’s found in the warmth we create, the way we welcome others in, and the grace we extend when things feel full.

If you’re preparing to gather with family this week, may you give yourself permission to pause. To breathe. To remember that your presence matters far more than your perfection.

From one momma to another — you’re doing more than enough.
Let this week begin with love.❤

12/20/2025

The Strength You Don't See...

What holds us up is often hidden.

Right now, our home doesn’t look like much from the outside — no walls rising yet, no rooms to walk through. But beneath the surface, the most important work is happening. The foundation walls are insulated, the earth has been carefully backfilled, and everything is being prepared to support what comes next.

It reminds me how often God works the same way in our lives.
The strengthening. The refining. The building of faith and trust — all happening quietly, unseen, yet essential. These early stages require patience, because the foundation has to be right before anything else can rise.

The beginning is slow for a reason.
Strong homes — and strong lives — are built from the ground up.

Next step: the bones. Framing is coming soon, and with it, a new chapter in this journey.❤️

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