2009 August — We are THAT Family

Don’t Forget our WFMW Theme!

4:00 pm Bykristen

Don’t forget that this Wednesday will be a themed Works For Me Wednesday: share an organizing tip!

I can’t wait to read what y’all come up with!

Please remember you are always welcome to link up a regular tip for any area of your life or you can link up an old tip!

Mark your calendars for October’s theme (Oct. 7): Cleaning tip

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When You Lose a Pet

7:00 am Bykristen

Marshmallow

Easter 2009-August 29, 2009

One of our two cats ran out the front door a month ago and hasn’t returned.

Our kids have been on the lookout for weeks and are still hopeful. I am not.

And then, we discovered our rabbit dead in our backyard this weekend.

At first, I wanted to tell my kids it ran away too, but decided against it because they are still dealing with the cat’s unknown future and are constantly looking out for her.

So, we told them the truth.

And the truth hurts.

I don’t think we handled it so well because somehow they got the impression we’re getting a horse.

How do you handle the death of a pet (or how was it handled when you were a child?)

What do you say? Do you always tell the whole truth or is it a gray area for you?

Ike’s all we have left now:

He’s being treated like a special guest.

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My Pride is On the Line

2:32 pm Bykristen

Just wanted to give y’all a quick update on my tweeting for sweet tea….

I’m at the halfway point. If I can persuade around 155 more tweeters to follow @BovineBliss , there is a cow costume in my future. A cow without pride. (Thanks to everyone who’s helping me. You guys make my taste buds very happy. Some readers are even signing up for Twitter in support!)

Also, my second newsletter will be sent out on Tuesday. {The Family Room} focuses on building character in our children. It’s free to subscribe, just click on the link below my name.

One last thing, I have a couple of open spots for advertisers on my sidebar. Email me for rates, I’m running a back-to-school special right now.

Signup for my newsletter!

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THAT Family Tree Society-Issue 53

7:00 am Bykristen

Pictures of the Week:

The Week in Review: We survived the first week of school! Whew!

Introduction into The Society: Help me welcome my friend over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates!

1. Tell us a little about your blog (name/reason why you blog):

My blog is called Stop and Smell the Chocolates because I think everybody should take a little time out of their busy day to enjoy God’s blessings all around them. And I like chocolate. A lot. I try to make my blog a nice place to take a little break and I have chocolatey goodness every Friday! I was inspired to start blogging by my friend Sarah at Real Life. I think there’s a hidden writer in me that wanted to get out. Blogging has been the perfect outlet!

2. How long have you blogging?

I started my blog in April of 2008 and am still going strong!

3. How woul
d you define THAT family?

THAT family can be so many things – a family that makes you appreciate your blessings, a family that makes you laugh, a family that can laugh at themselves, a family that inspires you, a family that educates you in what not to do, a family that makes you feel not so strange after all…

4. When did you discover you were a part of THAT family?

I must admit – I was in denial about this for a long time. I don’t have multiple trips to the emergency room. I only have 1 son, so I don’t have sibling issues to deal with. I thought that somehow I didn’t “qualify”. But then one day I found some dirty dishes that I had hidden in the oven 3 days earlier. And it got me thinking…and thinking. Well that and the fact that I don’t have a problem with cake being a breakfast food. I started realizing that the clues had been there all along – I really was part of a THAT family!! It explained so much – LOL!

5. Where can we find your blog?

http://stopnsmellthechocolates.blogspot.com and I also blog at http://stopeatingallthechocolates.blogspot.com which is still me, but less chocolatey!

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I Will Blog for Sweet Tea

12:00 pm Bykristen

*UPDATED*

Official Count is around 115 followers! Goal: 313 (reduced goal since Chick Fil A is closed on Sunday

(Make sure you @reply to Bovine Bliss after you follow or it doesn’t count!) The year of sweet tea is for me and the cow vlogging is for you!!

The other night right before I flipped my laptop closed, I tweeted this:

“I wish Chick Fil A would let me blog for them. They could pay me in sweet tea.”

I wasn’t kidding.

And then I went to bed and dreamed of a land where the golden goodness flowed freely and unicorns danced like the wind (yeah, let’s analyze that later, k?).

A day passed and I found a curious message in my inbox from a Chick Fil A restaurant owner: “If you were serious about your tweet, I have a proposition for you.”

It was like the Sweet Tea Fairy was waving her magic wand in my direction!

So. Here’s the deal: If you are on Twitter, I need your help. There’s a new Twitter account called BovineBliss. For every new follower I send their way, they will send me a glass of sweet tea.

I need a moment.

{Wipes happy tears away}

What’s in it for you? Well, not much. But, let’s think of me, shall we?

I’ll keep a count of just how many sweet tea coupons I get and if I reach 365 (a year’s worth), I’ll Vlog (video blog) myself standing in front of my local Chick Fil A in a cow costume and post it on my blog.

Or I could shave my head or kiss a live chicken on the lips…

How about you come up with a creative and humiliating idea and tell me in the comments if I reach my goal. I’ll choose a few and let y’all vote on it!

The key? As soon as you follow BovineBliss, please send an @BovineBliss message and mention that @WeareTHATfamily sent you.

Cheers {clinking styrofoam cups together}

Have a happy weekend, y’all!

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DIYP-Trash to Treasure

7:00 am Bykristen

This is how my beautiful DaySpring pitcher I ordered for a gift arrived by FedEx the other day:

Broken. Imperfect.

I emailed my (in)courage friend and asked if she could arrange for another to be sent to me. She said yes! and replied, “I can’t wait to see what kind of do-it-yourself project you come up with using the broken one.”

Of course I already had great plans for it because I’m that creative!

But first I had to dig it from the trash can outside and remove 1,506 blades of grass my hubby had just dumped on top of it.

So, even though the trash to treasure idea wasn’t mine, I was excited about the possibilities!

I decided to make my first mosaic.

I placed the pitcher in a pillowcase and used a hammer to break it into small pieces:

I bought a $1 patio paver and laid out the broken tiles:

I used a waterproof, non-toxic glue to adhere the pieces to the paver:

Next, the fun part: grout. I bought a small bag at a craft store and mixed the powder with water (I’ve never done this before so I just winged it)! I smoothed the compound on top of the tiles with a good kitchen spatula:

And wiped away the excess with a sponge:

I let it dry overnight:

I put it in my front flower bed so I can see it everyday.

It’s a good reminder that useless and broken things can be changed into something good!

Just like me.

Visit Kimba’s for more inspiration.

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My Hubby Rocks {Even When He Doesn’t}

7:00 am Bykristen

So. Sometimes, my hubby irritates me.

{WHAT?? Oh, the SHOCK!}

Yep, it turns out I’m human.

I hope you’re not too disappointed.

My hubby and I love each other. We are deeply committed to one another. We’ve faced some harrowing battles in our 15 years and fought against Hell itself to be where we are today.

We are in a good place. But we still get on each other’s nerves at times and even push one another’s buttons.

The other day my hubby made me furious before he left for work. It wasn’t a big deal. It was just one of those little idiosyncrasies. And I was grumpy. Lethal combination.

Later as I dressed, without thinking, I put on my pink shirt.

Everywhere I went, people commented. “Wow, you must really love your husband.” “What a great shirt.” Several women even said, “I would never wear a shirt like that. My husband is a jerk.”

I thought about our rocky morning, laughed at the irony of my thoughtless dressing and thanked God.

I am not perfect. My spouse isn’t either. But even on the tough days, I can be thankful.

There is always something to be grateful about.

I have a man who loves me. He loves God and our children.

He is a hard worker, selfless in so many ways…..

He rocks.

Even when he doesn’t.

**********************************************

One of the top searches that leads people to my blog is

help me love my hubby

a love letter to my husband

love wife and husband

There are so many women living in unfulfilling marriages. I don’t know whether you find yourself content or confused in your marriage today. At some point, you’ve probably been both.

Marriage takes hard work. Don’t give up. FIGHT. Woo him. Pray.

I truly believe that my marriage isn’t any more remarkable than yours. One day I will tell our story in full. But today, know that it is only by God’s grace that we are thriving.

Let me encourage you to choose love. Choose the road less traveled, the one that doesn’t pick him apart, tear him down, destroying his confidence.

Because your hubby rocks. Even when he doesn’t.

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WFMW-Photography Tools

7:00 am Bykristen

I’m am not a photographer.

I just take pictures.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t want great photos on my blog or in my scrapbook (that I’ll get around to making someday. Maybe).

For months, I’ve been on a quest to find an easy-to-use, option-filled, free program that will turn my blah into beautiful.

I use a really great camera (Nikon D50) that I bought for my hubby for Christmas 3 years ago. (I think he thinks I bought it for me). But I don’t adjust the lenses and keep it on automatic. Because I have camera-related fears.

I’ve tried various tools like Pixelmator. It’s a great system, but too complex for me. I like Picasa and even have it on my desktop. It’s easier to use and free, but it doesn’t give me the specialty options I was looking for, like writing text on photographs or adding special borders.

My non-professional photographic friends, if you aren’t using Picnik, you should be. Picnik allows you to upload your photos (one at a time, is the only drawback), but they load rather quickly. With just a simple click, you can round photo edges, add snappy borders in any thickness you want, put text on photos and so much more.

Plus, I’ve there is a Premium feature that cost just a few dollars. I’ve yet to sign up, but I hear there’s a button to remove wrinkles and blemishes from photographs. So, well, it’s only a matter of time before I go Premium.

Here are just a couple of my favorite features, but there are dozens more:

before after

sepia black and white

frame frame with text

Please mark your calendars for NEXT WEEK’S THEMED EDITION: Share your best ORGANIZING tip! (for any area of your life. Please note that this is just a suggestion, you can still link up your regular tips too!)

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One of THOSE Families {Giveaway}

7:00 am Bykristen

*UPDATE* This has to be one of my favorite giveaways ever! Probably because I laughed so hard and because I could identify with each of your comments! For about 14 seconds I thought about choosing the winners based on the fabulous comments, but I couldn’t do it!! Random number generator it is….. Congratulations to Britta and TeriLynneU!!

The lovely Erin of The Vintage Pearl is at it again!

She made an awesome custom necklace (TWO actually) for me to giveaway today!

One of the most delightful and unexpected pleasures of my blog is hearing from readers every week who know exactly what it feels like to be one of THOSE families. Whether it’s by frequenting the ER like our family or memorable scenes at The WalMarts, you’ve reminded me that I am not alone. And that does this embarrassed heart good, y’all.

So, if you would be proud to wear this necklace, tell me something that’s made you stand out as one of THOSE families!

And please, visit Erin’s store, you’ll be glad you did!

This giveaway ends on Thursday.

P.S. The post about my son and his Bible reading reward has garnished a little media attention! Tuesday morning 7-8 AM and again 9-10 AM Central time, I’m being interviewed by KSBJ 89.3. You can hear the live feed here (click on the top of the page). Hopefully, it will be archived and I can direct you to it.

My son thinks he’s famous.

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Once Upon A Time Summer Ended

7:00 am Bykristen

Happy first day of school, sweet children!

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The Last Days of Summer

12:00 pm Bykristen

It didn’t take long for balloons to turn to body parts.

Lord, help me.

We’re celebrating today, the very last of the last day of summer, with the stomach flu. Boo! Hiss! So far, just the youngest has it….But someone has to start off the new year school year sharing a bunch of germs….

To laugh a little more, visit The Blog Hop!

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THAT Family Tree Society-Issue 52

7:00 am Bykristen

Picture of the Week:

The Week in Review: My kids have been begging all summer to go roller skating! And so I did what all good Moms do, I sent their Dad to the rink with them! (The last time I skated, I spent hours unwinding toilet paper from my wheels. Believe me, they were better off with him!) They had a blast. I couldn’t believe the amount of bruising the next day though….

Introduction into The Society: Help me welcome Peterson St. Louis!

1. Tell us a little about your blog (name/reason why you blog):

Well, it all started as a way for me to keep the in-laws and other relatives up-to-date on the kids and everything that family is up to here in St. Louis. So to make it easy to remember…ta-dah Peterson St. Louis. It just kind of blossomed from there to one of the best parts of my day and something I really enjoy. I have always enjoyed writing, so it has actually come quite easy to get into! I write about our daily lives, family stuff and share parts of the beautiful city of St.. Louis!

2. How long have you blogging? Since October of 2007. I have a few genealogy blogs that I upkeep for the family to be able to access. (Although they are not linked to this one!) I have been working on my family tree since 1993 so it has been quite the task to figure out what needs to be added to the blogs and to keep updating the info as I find it.

3. How would you define THAT family?

THAT family–well, we consider ourselves to be the family that doesn’t mind being the odd one. We love to laugh. We go all over the place, take a million photographs and then I blog about it. We go to arts and crafts shows, haunted houses and then a random church just for good measure. We go letterboxing for fun too! (If you have no idea what that is, just go to www.letterboxing.org for info!) We like to explore and share the world with each other. And no matter what happens we are always there for each other. We get mad, we argue, we act silly, we laugh and we love.

4. When did you discover you were a part of THAT family?

I have always been a part of THAT family. If you knew my family history, you would know that I was born into THAT family! But my children have learned (the hard way?) that I love life and I enjoy making them and others laugh. I have tattoos and listen to loud, heavy music but hearing their laughter and getting snuggles is what makes me feel all mushy!

I think being a part of THAT family is a huge compliment, because we all look after each other and that closeness is what I think life should be about! And with us, what you see is what you get! (That’s a good thing, right???)

5. Where can we find your blog?

You can find me at www.petersonstlouis..com. I love to meet new bloggers and check out their blogs too!

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Another Post About Dung

1:00 pm Bykristen

Remember when I wrote this post about our family motto being number one in the number two business?

With this picture?

Well. The fine people who turn poop in profit, manure into moo-nure, emailed me.

Yes, clearly, I have reached celebratory status.

They wanted to thank me for my funny post and asked if they could send my hubby and I a couple of t-shirts with their company logo.

Y’all. Just between us, this thrilled my hubby. He even wore his shirt on the airplane ride to his 20th high school reunion!

We are simple people.

So. The moral to this story? Companies are reading what we blog about!

That’s why I’d like to talk about how MUCH I LOVE DISNEY!

And how I would blog for sweet tea, hello Chic Fil A….

(hee hee).

What is the company that you’d love to hear from? It doesn’t hurt to dream!

Have a happy weekend, y’all!

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DIYP-Making Summer Memories Permanent

7:00 am Bykristen

My kids love gathering seashells from the beach.

We have a small collection of shells and they are scattered around the house.

I saw this idea years ago in a magazine and I’ve always wanted to try it.

But let me tell y’all, even though I managed to finish this project, it was doomed from the beginning.

I found a wooden tray at Goodwill when we arrived at Family Camp a day early. It was perfect for this project.

It also looks perfect on the dresser in the cabin, because that’s where I accidentally left it.

I found another, not nearly as charming, but cheap at Hobby Lobby’s half price aisle.

I used the remainder of a can of Satin Ivory Indoor Paint I had in the garage to give it a crisp look.

My kids helped me arrange all of our small seashells. We even dropped in some sand to make it look realistic.

Once we got it the way we wanted it, I sent them away because it was time to mix the chemicals. {Disclaimer: If your blog is title We are THAT family, don’t use chemicals. Ever.}

I found this clear pour-on high gloss hardening epoxy at the craft store. It is not cheap, even with a coupon I spent $10. But we’re talking about priceless memories here, so I justified it.

There are very specific instructions for mixing and remixing the two chemicals. I poured the mixture on top of the shells and sand. It takes hours to dry and it makes a hard, clear, plastic-like surface over the shells.

I put the tray on top of my refrigerator to keep little hands away.

That seemed like an absolutely perfect solution. And it would have been if the epoxy hadn’t leaked thru the half-price tray onto the top of my fridge, creating a very permanent fixture.

I’m not even kidding.

It took my hubby a terrible amount of time with a hammer and chisel to remove it. The top of the fridge was left with a couple of scratches that will tell a funny story. Some day.

He is a good man.

But amazingly, the tray ended up unscathed in it’s epic battle.

I whitewashed a little blue paint on the edges of the tray to make the seashells pop and it turned out pretty cute.

It’s a nice reminder of a great summer.

P.S. Taking a little poll if you have a minute…

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The Reward

7:00 am Bykristen

Do you remember The Challenge?

He read 423 pages in 78 days.

Agree or not with the method, you can’t pluck God’s Word from his heart easily.

Now, he wants to read it again.

Just because it’s so good.

(Yes, that is a Benjamin Franklin from our hard-earned stash).

(My other child is taking her time. I’m sorta glad because I need to save some more money!)

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WFMW-My Favorite Parenting Tool

10:00 pm Bykristen

If I had to choose one parenting tool to use from birth throughout school, I know exactly what it would be:

A nursery monitor.

Oh, sure, it’s helpful when you relinquish that new baby to her own bed. It’s a great aid for listening to your toddler during nap time while they don’t nap.

But I enjoy using the baby monitor long after my kids are babies.

I leave the receiver turned on in my room all the time. (And you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent monitor! Mine was a hand-me-down from a friend and is at least 8 years old! It’s just an average brand from WalMart).

My three children’s rooms are upstairs and the monitor picks up every argument, every secret plan to toss stuffed animals over the balcony, and every grumpy complaint muttered under the breath of the ‘tween in the house.

But most importantly, it picks up the quiet. The stillness of a toddler getting into her sister’s lipstick or the sneakiness of a boy experimenting with model airplane glue.

And sometimes, I hear my kids playing nicely together. It’s music to my ears.

I have stopped catastrophes in mid-crisis. And I owe it all to a couple of 9 volt batteries. I laughed to myself when I read this month’s Family Fun magazine when a parent sent in this idea for monitoring outdoor fun with a baby monitor as well!

I plan on stocking up on batteries during the teen years.

P.S. My kids are fully aware of the monitor on my bathroom counter. I don’t consider this act “spying” on them at all! I would never hide it in their rooms to be secretive….

Nursery monitors work for me!

Thank you for joining me for WFMW! {You can read the guidelines here.}

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The Art of Remembering {Giveaway}

7:00 am Bykristen

*UPDATE* Congrats to Beverly! I just got my sign in the mail and I love it! The quality and packaging are superb!! Don’t forget to use this code THATFAMILY for $10 off your order!

I love remembering.

My home is littered with moments I don’t want to forget: Pictures of my children, notes written by loved one’s hand, aged photographs and heirlooms from our family’s past.

But remembering takes work. Capturing those precious memories, displaying them, making them fit into the flow of your home, isn’t easy.

But I have discovered a fantastic way to:

and remember.

This lovely piece of work landed in my inbox last week:

It came with a generous invitation to make my own custom sign, give one away and share an amazing discount for those not fortunate enough to be the one lucky winner.

I’d like to introduce you to Danielson Designs. This beautiful family-owned and operated business is what America is all about. I loved reading their story and am honored to share their products with you.

My favorite thing about their store is that you can custom create your product, try it out in different colors and sizes and preview it before you order it. It’s very user-friendly too.

Here are a few of my favorite pieces:

A monogram last initial with spouse’s names, wedding date below:

Beautiful children’s, family frames with your own special sayings underneath:

A custom frame to remember your favorite vacation spot:

Take a look and tell me what you’d pick. One of you will be blessed with your own ($44 value)!

The rest of you can put this code THATFAMILY into the promo box for $10 off!!!!

This giveaway ends on Thursday.

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The Light

1:00 pm Bykristen

She is beautiful. Her halo of curls frame her face.

The silk of her skin beckons a touch.

Her smile brightens the darkness.

Her dark eyes speak an untold story.

Her name means the light.

She is my sister’s child, a gift from Ethiopia.

I watch our babies learn to play together.

Their difference is striking.

White. Black. Curly. Straight. Language.

Their sameness is striking.

Round bellies. Curious eyes. Soft words. Pure hearts.

They remind me of my sister and I.

Very different, yet the same.

Two children from opposites sides of the globe will lead us.

Back to each other.

I love you.

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Do you have a sister?

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My Fathers are My Heroes

5:00 am Bykristen

After a recent trip, I needed to spend some serious time communing with my laundry room. It’s my least favorite part of vacation.

Well, that and the vacation being over.

I was chatting on the phone with my mom about the trip when I turned the corner to the laundry room. I stopped in my tracks. My declawed cat had cornered this:

(I’m talking about the snake coiled on my floor, not the hair and goldfish crumbs that my camera captured so beautifully).

I grabbed a nearby broom, urging the cat away and then, I SCREAMED LIKE A GIRL.

Because y’all, there was a SNAKE ON MY FLOOR.

{To read the rest of the story, please visit (in)courage. This is my first post over there among some amazing women and I need to feel the love, y’all. Especially since I’m probably the only one to show my dirty floor, among other things!}

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And This is Where I Hear Circus Music In My Head

12:00 pm Bykristen

A good family friend once said, after visiting his in-laws, “I just play circus music in my head and everything makes sense.”

And let me tell you, friends, he was exactly right.

The weekend started out normal enough. Instead of mowing the lawn and doing some much needed yard work, we shirked our responsibilities and went to dinner with my parents.

They always call at precisely the right time.

They took us to a country diner they’d discovered on an out-of-the-way road. We were going to ride together in our minivan, but I gave that idea up when I remembered that I have to sit between two of my kids in the last row.

Wise choice.

We sat down in the cozy diner. I knew it was going to be good food because there was a sign near the door that said “Welcome to the Country, Y’all.” I was amongst friends.

We ordered chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with cream gravy, green beans soaked in bacon fat, fried okra, sweet tea and yeast rolls. Can I get a hearty Amen, please?

My dad ordered some amazing onion rings to start us off. Because we are all about The Health.

There were buckets of raw, salted peanuts on the table (I ate a fistful).

“Is she okay with peanuts?” my dad asked and pointed to my two year old trying to open one with a fork.

“Oh yeah, we’re all good,” I retorted, because I’ve never been good at foreshadowing.

And those, my dear blog readers, were nearly my last words. Except that I like to talk, so they weren’t.

Our main course came and we cleaned up some dishes, y’all. Thank you, Jesus. While licking my fingers clean, I kept noticing an irritating itch on my neck. I scratched a little and ate a little. Appetizing, huh?

The itch grew worse. (My mom later told me she noticed a bazillion raised bumps all over my face and neck, but she didn’t want to point them out in case I’d eaten too much chocolate for breakfast or something. I think she felt bad, but I assured her I would have lost my appetite completely if she’d commented on my pox-marked face while I was sucking the last bit of bacon juice from my green beans.)

Anywho.

The entire way home, I itched and scratched. I noticed the strange changes in my face in the mirror, but it wasn’t until I got home that I noticed my lips were tingling. My hubby helped me find the Benadryl and I took too much. Because if you are DYING, a little extra can only help.

I waited a few minutes and consulted with my Mom who is the closest to medical personnel in the family (she had two years of nursing school but had my brother instead). We called the pharmacist and he said the medicine should do it.

It didn’t. A lump the size of my toddler’s head formed in the back of my throat and my tongue tingled just like my lips.

My hubby stayed with my kids and my Mom took me to the Emergency Room. Yes, the one where everybody knows our name.

They hooked me up and noted a very high blood pressure, told me I’d taken too much Benadryl, and started giving me a load of medicine. The handsome doctor who smelled of good hand soap ticked off his questions and concluded that I was allergic to something.

He was a genius, y’all.

We determined that it had to be the raw peanuts (sometimes they are preserved with something that has been known to cause similar allergies, which makes sense since I’m on a first named basis with the peanut butter cup and have never nearly died from them).

I’m taking some steroids, have a couple of EpiPens nearby and I’m playing circus music in my head.

It just goes along with the peanuts, ya know?

Have y’all ever heard of an adult onset allergy to peanuts? Have you had a similar experience? Do tell.

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THAT Family Tree Society-Issue 51

7:00 am Bykristen

Picture of the Week:

The Week in Review: I keep cranking out the gourmet meals! My feature this week was grilled chicken with feta cheese and cucumber, and roasted grape tomatoes served on a bed of couscous. It was delicious! And it’s from the E-Mealz menu planning I use. If you love one-stop shopping, saving money, and incredible meals, you need to check this out! I probably should work for them because I’m like a food evangelist (Commercial is now over).

Introduction into the Society: Help me welcome Princess with a Half Price Tiara!

Check out her post on the hot dogs and spaghetti noodles. I’m going to try this one night when my hubby works late!

1. Tell us a little about your blog (name/reason why you blog):

I came up with the name because although I am down to earth and currently wearing sweatpants that I bought at the Gap, five or six years ago on the clearance rack, I do like the finer things in life as long as I can get them on sale.

I started my blog with the intent of tracking my crafts and ideas for teaching my children. I am a huge list maker and sometimes spend more time making lists than actually accomplishing what is on them. I figured if I was going to put stuff up for the world to see, I better get it done. On a serious note, my son has some
learning difficulties and I love all of the wonderful things I have learned through “blogging” that help me teach him better, there really are some nice, smart people left in the world.

2. How long have you blogging?

I started my blog in February of 2009 so I am still a newbie. I am loving every minute though!!!

3. How would you define THAT family?

I would define THAT family as the one who is always smiling and causes others to smile also, although sometimes you are not always sure if they are smiling with you or in sympathy!

4. When did you discover you were a part of THAT family?

Well, I always had a deep dark feeling but when I saw that you had a “society” and a button, I had such a strong desire to have one, I just knew!

5. Where can we find your blog?

http://princesswithahalfpricetiara.blogspot.com

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{Don’t} Break A Leg

1:00 pm Bykristen

What do you get when you mix these ingredients?

A thrift store
A 7 year old boy
A crumpled $5 bill

A new toy.

(Yes, he bought crutches to play with! Foreshadowing, I pray not).

He’s already fallen trying to use the crutches going down the stairs.

I think we need some good luck around here.

But please, don’t say break a leg!

And you thought I named my blog on a whim. Ha!

P.S. Let’s take a poll: tell me in comments in you/your child has ever broken a bone!

Have a happy weekend, y’all!

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DIYP: Little Hands

7:00 am Bykristen

I absolutely, completely and totally fell in LOVE with this project featured in Country Living Magazine:

And if I’m (the hot glue princess) brave enough to attempt a project featuring The Needle and The Thread, you should be too! It was actually very easy.

First, I bought three small embroidery hoops and spray painted them black.

I used the cross stitch fabric from the craft store:

I traced my kid’s hands right onto the hooped fabric:

With a blue sewing pencil since it erases mistakes easily:

I thought the sewing part would be challenging, but I just followed the lines:

I’ve finished my daughter’s and son’s. I haven’t actually traced my toddler’s hand yet, because that might require a sedative.

I have one to go.

I’m glad I don’t have eight kids.

They look pretty cute hanging over my silhouettes, don’t you think?

Check out Kimba’s for more DIY projects!

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The Unwritten Script

7:00 am Bykristen

I don’t talk a lot about our life in full time ministry, during our first decade of marriage.

Our last staff position was painful, it was filled with confusion and failure. Our dream job turned into a nightmare. We were isolated across the country from friends and family.

Anxiety became our companion and fear our partner.

It’s been several years since we made the decision to quit that job, sell our home and move close to family.

It was our greatest leap of faith.

We lived without a job in a borrowed home for six months.

It was a scary time, but is now one my most treasured seasons.

During those months, we struggled with our identity, but we healed. It was a slow process, but we realized God had not forgotten us.

I like to think I’m over it.

Over the unanswered questions, the why’s, the abuse.

And then when I least expect it, there it is.

During Family Camp, the camp speaker talked about when God doesn’t make sense. He shared his own painful journey and spoke to the unanswered and often unspoken questions that we all have.

He spoke of the unwritten script our lives.

And the pain resurfaced.

Life is about free choice. We all have the power of choice. And we love this! I love the freedom to decide for myself. I would never give it away.

But when I think of my children having free choice, to decide whatever they want, I’m not quite as confident in this great freedom. Because I like control. I like freedom for me, but not for everyone else.

I can’t control what others choose. I can’t stop the poor choices my kid’s might make, or worse, of an evil person.

I can’t have my free choice, but not allow it for others.

That’s why our life is unscripted. God knows what we will choose, but He lets us choose.

And sometimes those choices, ours or others, aren’t the best.

God allows pain into our lives because He is more concerned with our character than with our comfort or convenience. He can take man’s poor choices and rewrite the script of our lives.

It is God’s mystery.

And we have a choice: we can kick and scream our way through a difficult situation or we can say God is in this.

Because He is good.

We can see Him in the midst of our pain.

In the script of our lives.

What is your life saying today?

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WFMW-Dry Erase Boards

10:34 pm Bykristen

I love dry erase boards.

I love the dryness. The erasability.

Our family calendar is in our kitchen and it’s really just a fancy dry erase board. (You can see the one I bought off Etsy). I love keeping our weekly activities on a master calendar that’s in a central location and user-friendly!

We have another large dry erase board near the stairs. I keep our morning routine on there. I also jot down chores my kids need to do. It’s a great place to remind the family what’s going on during the week, reminders for the grocery store, a scripture or just a big “I heart you!”

My older kids have a dry erase board in their rooms. They write notes, homework projects and silly stuff. I like to leave them notes and reminders too.

Dry erase boards work for me!

Thank you for joining me for WFMW! {You can read the guidelines here.}

Have a Works-For-Me Wednesday tip you’d like to share? I’d love for you to join us! Please note that the links will close at 9 pm CST tonight, in order to keep away the spammers!

Was your link deleted? Click here.

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A {Giveway} for Mom

7:00 am Bykristen

*UPDATE* Thanks for participating! I was floored by your comments and decided I want to be like y’all! Congrats to our very blessed winner: MindyMayWaters!

I’ve been reading a new book.

It’s called Real Moms, Real Jesus: Meet the Friend who Understands by Jill Savage.

I’m a real Mom. And I need Jesus.

This book parallels the life of Jesus with the lives of Moms, comparing how so much of what we do everyday as a Mom is similar to Jesus’ life: the serving, tending others, forgiving….

I’m being reminded as I read that every thing I do in my home for my kids and hubby are an act of love. This is my calling.

Jill Savage is the a mother of five, speaker and author of more than half a dozen books including her latest Real Moms, Real Jesus. She is also behind Hearts at Home , an encouraging site and resource for mothers.

Today, she is generously offering one BLESSED mom, a fantastic gift basket!

Here is a list of everything in the Hearts at Home Gift Pack:

Real Moms, Real Jesus book by Jill Savage

Facing Every Mom’s Fears book by Allie Pleiter

My Heart’s at Home book by Jill Savage

Hearts at Home Praise and Parodies CD for Moms

Hearts at Home Love Notes for Kids

Recipes from the Heart book

Motherhood…One Day at a Time Perpetual Calendar

Value: $67

Hop over to Hearts at Home and look around!

Tell me something you do everyday as a Mom and it’s your entry!

This giveaway will close on Thursday.

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How to Make a Little Boy Happy

10:27 am Bykristen

(also known as My Near Heart Attack):

My seven year old got a skate board for his birthday a couple of months ago. Tucked inside the helmet was a promise for an hour-a-day, week-long skateboard summer camp.

(I really hesitated about this gift because 1. my son is not athletic by nature 2. he doesn’t like pain 3. skateboarding is really hard 4. I don’t like my children to bleed, just to name a few. But my hubby, who rarely insists on anything, insisted).

The pamphlet promised the teaching of basic skills and tricks for boys ages 6-10 in our city’s skate park.

It was and I quote comma “a dream come true” for him. At least that’s what he told me 98 times between his birthday in May and the camp this past week.

I think I should have visited the park first.

Or hidden the skateboard.

Because. Y’all. It was a cement crater burrowed deep into the ground.

Most of the boys were older and already had basic skateboarding skills. I wanted to just consider this a BIG MISTAKE and whisk my 57 pound boy back to the car.

Instead, I patted him on the back, handed him a bottle of water, watched him swallow his fear and pushed him into the deep skate bowl.

Just kidding.

But I did walk away. It was a long walk.

I watched the other minivans pull away leaving their sons in the care of an overgrown skater boy-man. I watched from the car.

At one point during the camp, he smashed his finger. I wanted to run to him, but I waited. I watched him fight back tears, console himself and get up to try again.