2011 August — We are THAT Family

Passport to Purity {Getaway}

10:03 pm Bykristen

I don’t know how it happened.

I tried to prepare myself, I really did.

But I just don’t know if a mom’s heart is ready for this transformation:

Little girl, first day of school 2010:

Young lady, first day of school 2011

She’s a foot taller, curvy and check out those killer shoes.

It happened before my eyes, but it still took my by surprise. I love this smart, fun girl who keeps me on my toes, challenges me to be a better mom and doesn’t accept anything less. She’s my first born and I’m falling in love with her all over again.

Sure, we still have our battles–mainly about her room, her room and her room.

But we’re doing the tween dance: I’m learning to let go and she’s gaining more privileges and we’re both learning a lot.

We just shared the most incredible weekend together and while I won’t go into details to protect her privacy, I wanted to share the curriculum we used, Passport to Purity.

It’s an affordable curriculum (less than $20 for the whole thing!) that encourages a weekend getaway plan for moms/dads of kids ages 11-14 to talk about purity. It’s a weekend of object lessons, long talks, and commitments.

We stayed in a really nice hotel, splashed around in the hot tub late at night, ate candy in bed and giggled. We ended our weekend with a (first-ever) fancy manicure (the girls got style) and a purity ring.

I know we live busy lives. I know that there isn’t extra money lying around for weekend getaways. But I encourage you now, make this a priority.

It doesn’t have to look like ours. But talk to your kids about purity.

You can bet, someone else will.

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WFMW: Online Calendars Don’t Work For Me

9:59 pm Bykristen

I’ve tried it. I really have.

For a year, I’ve used a virtual calendar on my laptop and my phone. I’ve missed appointments because I put it on one and not the other, forgetting to sync the two. Or worse, I can’t read what I’m supposed to do because of that darn autocorrect thing where technology inserts what it thinks I’m trying to say! Plus sometimes is uses bad words. Oops.

I decided a few weeks ago as I was trying to juggle a new school year, writing deadlines, Mercy House, and life in general that I’m a writer. I’m an old fashioned list-maker. I need paper and pen. I need to write down my dates on real paper.

So, I did it, I bought an old fashioned calendar.

Makes me want to sit in the school supply aisle and sniff glue, I mean, pencils. I’m coming home.

Watch out organization! Here I come.

How about you?

Online calendars don’t work for me.

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Graham Gardens Wholesome Soap {Giveaway}

10:02 pm Bykristen

*UPDATED with Winner* Congrats to reader Shelly Smith!

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-09-01 18:09:36 UTC

AND Graham Gardens posted a special code (“Sale30″) in honor of We are THAT Family readers on our homepage for 30% off all our products!

I wish I had a scratch n sniff screen, so y’all could smell what I’m smelling right now.

It’s my husband’s neck.

Unexpected, no?

We’ve been using new soap. Now, it’s not just any soap, it’s homemade chunky wholesome bar soap with names like Avocado and Oatmeal, Lavender and Coconut Milk, and Peppermint Cream that are smooth on the skin and smell as good as they sound.

I love soap. I’m not a perfume girl and don’t like heavy colognes. There’s just something about smelling the hint of soap on my kids and hubby that feels like home. And also, I like clean people.

I’m a big fan of Graham Gardens. They sent an awesome variety of soap samples for my family to try out. We loved the variety of scents and how long each bar lasted. They also just look so much better than store bought soap!

One of my favorite, favorite items at Graham Gardens is the (also one of their best sellers) Lotion Bar. I love this little tin because it’s in solid form. It’s not messy and it’s perfect for my purse.

There are so many uses: dry skin, chapped lips, hands, feet, cracked fingers, etc! My oldest daughter confiscated a jar and even my hubby uses it.

We’re hooked. We also smell really good.

I’m happy to say that Graham Gardens is giving away this lovely basket of goodies:

Contents of giveaway basket:

1 Lavender & Coconut Milk Soap, 5.00
1 Peppermint Cream Soap, 6.00
1 Avocado & Oatmeal Soap, 4.00
1 Adirondack Trail Soap, 5.00
1 Fresh Butter Bar, Small, 11.25
1 Sweet Butter Bar, Small, 11.25
1 Natural Butter Bar, Small, 11.25
Product inserts (not pictured)
Candy (not pictured)

Total value: $55.00

So, if you want to smell yummy, please visit this great store and leave a comment with what you’d like to try.

P.S. the packaging on these products is adorable. And y’all know how I love adorable.

This giveaway ends Thursday.

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Redefining Success [Through a Global Lens]

10:15 pm Bykristen

I couldn’t believe it.

Here we were, not even home two weeks from our trip to Africa, and my kids had the audacity to complain because I asked them to share something.

And so I went there: “How can you complain about sharing something so insignificant when you stood in a room the size of my closet that was shared by six people? I thought going to Africa would show you how much we have. I thought it would change you!”

I watched my son’s face fall and my daughter’s eyes fill, but I was too wrapped up in myself as I stormed off muttering about my ungrateful kids.

We took them on this amazing journey for many reasons, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I hoped it would produce more thankfulness in them.

Don’t get me wrong, I have good kids. No, great kids. But they are human…a lot like their mom and we can all stand to complain less and be more thankful.

After I cooled off, my daughter approached. “Mom, you’re right, we can share. I’m sorry.”

Triumph.

But she wasn’t done. “Mom, Africa did change me. I feel angry at what I saw. I am different. I’m trying to figure all this out, but I’m still an American kid. I don’t live in Africa. But I will never be the same because of what I experienced. I’m still trying to figure out what God wants me to do about what I saw and experienced. Please don’t say that it didn’t change me.”

It was time for my face to fall. I knew that I had deeply hurt my kids with my words. I was doing the very thing I was condemned them for: complaining.

I was sharing this with a good friend-one that knows me well and loves my kids dearly. She said, “Kristen, you’re seeing your kids up close, all the time. Step back–look at them. They are world-changers. They love the lost and poor and put others first. Your kids are amazing.”

She was right, of course. It broke my heart that I couldn’t see it for myself.

And that’s when I realized that we were in process of redefining success for our family. The world says success is the attainment of popularity or profit. But now we see through a global lens and it has deeply altered our view.

This journey has reshaped us. Our goal isn’t a stuffed 401k so we can live for ourselves and our kids aren’t on the path that many of their peers are on, vying for popularity and more stuff.

And it’s not easy. It’s hard when your normal, isn’t normal.

It’s even harder when you’re a kid and society demands that your number one goal is to fit in. And you don’t.

But success in God’s upside-down economy is supposed to look different. It’s becoming less, so He can be more. It’s putting yourself second, others first. It’s letting your kids ask hard questions and letting them teach you about true greatness.

*I want to “raise kids who are focused upwards on God and outwards on others instead of solely inwards on themselves. When you raise kids who are humble, generous, grateful and serve others, your house will be a place everyone wants to come home to.”

Later that day, I apologized to them and asked for forgiveness. I pulled them close and told them how proud I was of their journey to Africa-how every day they helped with their sister, they encouraged the staff, fellowshipped with the girls, loved mercy well.

I did what I should have done in the first place: I let them feel and process in their own way. Our journey is just beginning…

But I’m confident that I’m raising truly great kids who are already successful.

——————-

I’m happy to announce that Family Matters is my sponsor for the Relevant Conference this year! While they are paying for my (and Mercy House) travel expenses, all the opinions in this post are mine. I have read and used their products and attended their parenting conferences for years (because I want to!) and I highly recommend this organization.

*Raising Kids for True Greatness by Dr. Tim Kimmel is a parenting book that has helped me so much. I highly recommend it!

————————————-

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win an AMAZING bed from Tempur-Pedic this week! Entries must be received by this Tuesday, midnight (CST).

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I’m Sensing a Theme Here

11:40 am Bykristen

I was nearly done getting ready in the bathroom. I was just finishing up my makeup before I tackled errands and doctor appointments with my kids. My 4 year old was playing next to me and decided to offer me an impromptu dance.

I watched from the corner of eye and applauded at all the right places.

“I think that deserves a kiss!” I said of her unique improvisational dance.

She closed her eyes, leaned in and puckered.

SMACK.

Before I could turn around, she put her hands over her mouth.

“That was a prickly kiss!” she said.

“Oh, did I shock you?” I questioned.

“No, it was just your mustache.”

Botox and now this?

I’m sensing a theme here.

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Tempur-Pedic {Ultra-Mega Giveaway}

9:58 pm Bykristen

FINALISTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON!!!!!

I have a long sordid mattress history.

I’ll start off by saying that the ah-mazing TEMPUR®-ContourSignature and the TEMPUR Advanced Ergo System® that we are sleeping on is our first new mattress in our married life. We’ve been married for nearly 17 years.

It was high time. And yeah, I know, gross.

My very first mattress purchase was made right after college. I had just signed on as a first grade teacher, making a whopping $12, 500 a year. I was so poor, I used my Discover card to buy breakfast every day. I started long-distance dating my soon-to-be-hubby that year and he made me send half my Discover card to him in the mail before we could take our relationship to the next level.

But I bought a mattress on that beloved card. From Bud’s. Anyone ever heard of Bud’s? It used to be a store for WalMart misfits, discontinued items and returns. Let’s just let that fact seep in: My first mattress was a returned item to a WalMart reject store. I got married 6 months later, so we put the mattress on the new bedroom set from my in-laws and lived on love for many years.

It can only get better from there.

Our next mattress was a few years later when my in-laws got a new bed. So, yeah, we got their hand-me-down.

This post is just getting grosser by the paragraph. (If it makes you feel better, it was a very good quality mattress from their spare bedroom. But still). [sidenote: never, ever, pull off your old mattress and expose the filth under your bed in front of your in-laws.]

Our final mattress was from my parents who decided to go from a queen to a king-sized bed. We got their old mattress in like new condition, which is a pattern for us. But in the past few months, it’s had some, um, issues. I’m pretty sure this would fall into the category of things my hubby doesn’t want me to blog about. So, I’ll just give you a hint: it involves an aging dog, frequent bladder issues, our old mattress and pee.

So, YOU CAN IMAGINE, our complete shock and awe and delight in not only getting our first NEW mattress, but a top of the line, TEMPUR®-Contour Signature. [Tempur-Pedic is the most highly recommended bed in America™: 94 percent overall satisfaction for Tempur-Pedic mattress owners.*]

I know the importance of sleep. I’m not a nice mommy/wife when I don’t get enough. (If I could just get everyone out of the bed!)

Did you know that according to a *survey:

Americans are also willing to make sacrifices in order to get a good night’s sleep: Nearly 50 percent of Americans are willing to go a month without Facebook, their iPhones or their iPads (46 percent) in order to get a good night’s sleep!*

Besides getting the best sleep eh-ver, I think these are my favorite things about TEMPUR®-Contour Signature and the TEMPUR Advanced Ergo System® :

Designed for those who prefer a firm to medium-firm sleep surface
Delivers proper alignment and support to help you fall asleep and stay asleep
Provides edge-to-edge, pressure-relieving comfort and support (really helpful when you have back issues!)

And I’d also like to point out that you can put this bed in just about any position imaginable, raise the feet, the head, while you use the rolling massage feature–all accessible with a remote control. (The massage feature lulls me to sleep every night) I’m completely serious!

When I was contacted by Temper-Pedic, I was beyond excited but not just because I was getting a bed, I’m thrilled to get to give a bed to one VERY lucky reader.

So, we’re gonna have ourselves a little contest.

If my [old] mattress could talk, this is what it would “tweet”

“A Princess Sleeps Here and so does Pee”

Get it? Ha! (Only don’t tell my hubby) {wink}

photo source

So, that’s it: Link up a photo of your current mattress (below) and include a mock “tweet” or what your mattress would say right now if it could type. (in 75 characters)

The Details:

You don’t have to blog to enter, if you have a picture on your computer, you can link to it below! You can also upload a picture to Flickr or Photobucket and link it. If you want to write a post, feel free. Finalists will be able to use social media to invite votes next week!

There will be three blanks below (after you click the blue-enter link)

URL-put the link to the picture-from your blog, flickr or put no blog

Name-this is where you put your “TWEET” or what your mattress would say

Email-this is so we can contact you-doesn’t show up

The next step will allow you to choose the correct picture-from your blog, from Flickr or even your computer

Only one entry please.

Please don’t leave this info in the comments, it is not a valid entry. Email me with questions: kristenwelch@mac.com

We (thankfully, I’ll have help from the people behind this giveaway) will narrow down the entries (based on creativity, originality and what really ‘grabs’ us) and let YOU vote the winner next week. One person is going to win their VERY OWN TEMPUR®-ContourSignature and the TEMPUR Advanced Ergo System®. MSRP: $4,699 (TEMPUR-Contour Signature and TEMPUR Advanced Ergo System™)

Disclaimer: I’m beyond excited and thrilled to be a part of this Tempur-Pedic campaign and giveaway ! Although I’m being compensated for this program, the opinions are mine. I’m also happy to say that Tempur-Pedic chose my blog for this campaign because of my involvement with Mercy House. The monetary compensation from this program will be given to Mercy House. But I’m gonna keep the bed. And it just doesn’t get better than that!

* Tempur-Pedic Sleep Survey, conducted by StrategyOne June 23-28, 2010, using the field services of ORC.

Deadline to Enter: midnight, Tuesday, Aug. 30th. Finalists will be announced and voting will begin Thursday, Sept. 1.

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WFMW: Kid’s Clothes Swap

9:55 pm Bykristen

I thought this was such a great idea. With three kids, I can’t keep up with how fast they are growing–daily it seems! I’ve asked OutGrowingIn.com to share about their [affordable] solution:

Kids grow and as much as we might try, we just can’t stop it. They get bigger and go from crawling to walking to running in a heartbeat. It’s a part of life and as parents, it’s both our privilege and our pride to watch them grow.

Sometimes that growth comes at a cost when they go from a size 5 to a size 7 overnight. Clothes aren’t cheap! Purchasing new clothes and figuring out what to do with the outgrown clothes is just a part of life when you are a parent.

Christine Korkin, the founder of OutGrowingIn.com, knows this first hand. One day she opened her son’s closet and was overwhelmed with all of the clothes she saw there. She knew that many of them no longer fit and she searched for a way to easily and affordably undertake the out-with-the-old and in-with-the-new process. When Christine realized that what she sought did not exist, she brainstormed with her programmer husband and OutGrowingIn was born.

On the OutGrowingIn website, parents can swap boxes of their children’s gently-used outgrown clothes for a box in another size. The average box listed on the site contains 12 items and the cost for each swapped box purchase is just $3, plus shipping and handling. This means the price of each article is much less than retail and even significantly less than you’d find at a thrift shop. The site is free to all, although there is also a premium membership option that offers several additional features for users.

In addition to clothes swapping, OutGrowingIn also offers a Marketplace where parenting items, toys and baby items can be listed. This service acts similarly to eBay but with a commission rate of only 6%. This is a great alternative for families looking to make a little extra money or to find a great deal on any needed items.

In honor of the great work being done by Kristen and her family, OutGrowingIn will be donating 50% of all premium membership purchases through the end of September to The Mercy House Kenya. It’s just a small way for us to show our support!

Thank you! I hope you guys will give OutGrowingIn.com a try. I know I will!

———–

[Please note: these are the suggested themes for the first Wed. of each month for the rest of 2011. These themed WFMW are optional ideas for those who might be running out of tips!]

[Sept. 7: Share something that DOESN'T work for you]

[Oct. 5: Share a great FALL tip]

[Nov. 9: Share your best entertaining tip]

[Dec. 7: Share your favorite store for shopping with purpose]

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Baby Be Blessed {Giveaway}

9:35 pm Bykristen

Congrats to random commenter, Jennifer!

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-08-26 16:04:13 UTC

Everyone else, don’t forget: if anyone places an order they should please add “MERCY HOUSE“ in the notes of their order and 20% of each doll purchased will be donated to Mercy House. This offer will be good through Sept. 23, 2011.

There’s just something about a baby doll that is so perfect and pure.

You can’t help but hug them close.

I’ve always been a doll-lover. (Don’t make me break out the studio picture of me and my favorite doll when I was twelve years old. It’s almost as sentimental as my home perm in the picture.) My mom was a doll-maker and even today has the biggest doll collection I’ve ever seen, so my love runs in the family.

I’ve passed the affection down to my girls. They are eleven and four and regularly play with their dolls together. It’s one of my favorite scenes to encourage. It is the epitome of innocence. And let’s face it: a girl is never too old to play with dolls.

When Baby Be Blessed emailed me months ago about creating one-of-kind baby dolls for our precious pregnant girls at Mercy House, I jumped at the chance, knowing that this would probably be the first doll they’d ever owned. Being able to give these dolls to our first three girls while I was in Kenya was such an amazing experience for my family.

Seeing the dolls being hugged and held by our girls who’ve been through so much was touching…knowing the Word of God was written in their own language (a feature on the tummy over every doll made by Baby Be Blessed) was priceless.

This is no ordinary doll company. Each doll is lovingly created to be a blessing for it’s recipient. I have been so impressed with the tender, generous heart behind this doll-making company and cannot recommend it enough!

Today, Baby Be Blessed is offering a $56.00 Gift Voucher for a (winner’s choice) Personalized Doll to one lucky winner! Please take a minute to shop around and tell me what your favorite doll is in the comment section of this post…what color eyes, hair, etc would you pick out?

I’m also happy to announce if anyone places an order they should please add “MERCY HOUSE“ in the notes of their order and 20% of each doll purchased will be donated to Mercy House. This offer will be good through Sept. 23, 2011.

This giveaway ends on Thursday.

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What We Did on the Last Day of Summer

9:07 pm Bykristen

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Mercy House News

10:36 pm Bykristen

I just wanted to give y’all a quick update on the latest at Mercy House. This week, Maureen and her staff were able to rescue the fourth girl and bring her into the home. Her situation was a nightmare (I will never get used to the suffering…every story is different, yet the same). She is adjusting and “so happy to be here” according to Maureen. We will update the site with her picture soon.

Please be in prayer as the staff works to bring in a couple of other girls identified and interviewed this week. They are hoping our fifth girl will be moving in this weekend if everything goes well. It’s not an easy process! You can read about the journey to recruit girls here. In other news, the girls started (home) school two weeks ago and they are doing great. They love to learn!

We are also asking those who can to fast and pray with us every Tuesday. We will be updating the FB page with specific prayer requests each week.

____________________________

New items in the Mercy Shop, just arrived from Kenya! Including gorgeous new necklace designs! By shopping mercy, you can impact these girls and their futures with every dollar going to the maternity home/accounts for the girl’s future!

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Getting Up on the Right Side of the Bed

10:48 pm Bykristen

I’ve had the MOST AMAZING sleep for the past week—-which is quite a statement for someone who doesn’t fall asleep easily and wakes up throughout the night. I’m a chronic over-thinker. Plus there’s the neck issues.

And all the feet.

This is the last week of summer in our house and while I could be curled up in the fetal position, sniffing school supplies, I blame all the good snoozing on the latest and biggest blessing in my life. I can just tell you–we’re going to need a group hug when this is all over.

As some of y’all know, I’ve been putting off neck surgery for a while now by doing these fun things: last year I had three cortisone shots in the spine-also known as the THREE VERY SCARY DAYS I THOUGHT I MIGHT GET PARALYZED. I also do traction, where my neck is stretched away from my body (yep!), use buckets of icy hot and smell like an 80 year old man and randomly take white pills that make me loopy in the daytime and dream about flying purple ponies in the night time. (Hubby asked me to insert that they are non-addictive pain pills. He’s so cute.)

I’ve been considering a new mattress, one that actually helps me sleep and is good for my neck (I’ll tell y’all more about mine later, but just know that it’s been in the family for a while, if you know what I mean.)

In the middle of all this contemplating and getting my house and family back-to-school-ready, I got an email from…….

[drumroll, please, because I'm feeling it today]

Tempur-Pedic.

The ultra-fantabulous mattress people.

INSERT HALLELUJAH CHORUS HERE.

I nearly did a flip, but what, with the neck and all, I just did jazzy fingers instead.

Yes, you guessed it. We’ve been getting some sweet sleep on our very own Tempur-Pedic Signature bed (with an adjustable TEMPUR Advanced Ergo base) this week (just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?) and I’m pretty sure it’s going to change my life!

[faints]

Here, my hubby, a man of many words will sum it up for you: “Honey, I want to take a vacation day and not get out of that bed the whole day! I want to eat in that bed, nap in that bed, work from that bed, watch a movie from that bed…” Well, you get the idea.

And my kids think it’s their very own ride with remote control!

It does sleep like butter. And that’s no lie.

For the first time in years, I actually look forward to going to bed! With the lush mattress, I’ve forgotten how to toss and turn. And just in the nick of time too…

Did you know:

According to a recent study by Tempur-Pedic and StrategyOne, parents wake up at least 53 minutes earlier than their children to ensure they make it to school on time*. That’s 9,540 minutes of sleep lost per school year** for parents – i.e., nearly an entire week’s worth of sleep!

No wonder we’re all so tired!

But this school year, Momma’s getting up on the right side of the bed.

___________________________________________________

Disclaimer: I’m beyond excited and thrilled to be a part of this Tempur-Pedic campaign and upcoming giveaway next week (foreshadowing)! Although I’m being compensated for this program, the opinions are mine. I’m also happy to say that Tempur-Pedic chose my blog for this campaign because of my involvement with Mercy House. The monetary compensation from this program will be given to Mercy House. But I’m gonna keep the bed. And it just doesn’t get better than that!

*Tempur-Pedic 2011 Omnibus Survey, national survey of 1,514 men and women, conducted by StrategyOne July 2011.

**Average school year is 36 weeks long

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WFMW: Back to School Tip

10:14 pm Bykristen

I don’t know about you, but I am NOT ready for school to start. Our summer has sped by and I just need 47 more pool days.

Not to mention, I am really good at sleeping in. A fine art, I’ve heard.

But since we are on the school-will-start-soon countdown, I’m trying to get my kids back on track.

In order to be ready this year, I’m getting my kids in bed every night at the same time. They will be making their own lunches the night before school starts (it’s called empowerment) and we’ll have a “hot file” in the kitchen for important notes from teachers and info about school projects.

Delegating to my kids works for me.

What works for you getting your kids in the back-to-school routine?

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Kiss Your Spouse Today! {Giveaway}

9:23 pm Bykristen

**Updated with winners**

Here are your random numbers:

41	5

Timestamp: 2011-08-18 19:19:18 UTC

Congrats to readers AmyKay and Michelle!

I’m one of those old married people.

When people hear we’ve been married nearly 17 years (!) they are surprised–not so much that we made it that far, more that we are getting old, I think.

My hubby and 11 year old had a lot of time to talk the other day in the car. Since my hunk of man is also a great dad, he’s been reading up on how to communicate better with tweens and learned that asking questions is a great tactic.

So, that’s what he did. They talked a lot with him asking, her answering.

One of his questions: What do you think of me and mom’s marriage?

One of her answers: It’s good. (and she smiled, really big)

And then she added: But y’all kiss way too much. (said with a giggle and pride)

Which is exactly the answer old married people want to hear from their kiddos.

So, my tip: kiss often, in-front of your kids! They will act grossed-out, but deep down, they need to see it.

It helps if you’re wearing one of my favorite shirts to get you in the mood! My friends at Union28 sent me this lovely shirt last week.

I wore it to Chick Fil A. The owner came over to say hi (at this point in my life, I just have to claim the fact that I’m a like Norm on Cheers at my local chicken eatery). He commented on shirt. “That is really nice of you to wear those words on your shirt.”

It made me happy. And my hubby might have gotten kissed that day!

Union28 is giving away TWO $25 gift certificates today to two lucky readers!

We are THAT family readers can also use this code U28WATF15 for 15% off any Union28.net merchandise order.– it’s valid 8/16 – 9/30 to buy a favorite shirt.

Here’s another new one I love:

This giveaway ends Thursday.

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Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mother

9:35 pm Bykristen

I need to confess:

Sometimes I sweep dirt under the rug instead of sweeping it up.

Sometimes I restart the dishwasher and pretend it never got started.

Sometimes I hide in the bathroom to read email.

Sometimes I walk around Target for an hour with an empty cart.

Sometimes I go to the drive-thru for a refill of sweet tea.

Sometimes I fix my kids pb&j for dinner.

Sometimes I eat ice cream. In the bathroom. For dinner.

Your turn.

Go ahead, it feels good.

Sometimes I _____________________

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The Precious Moments of Motherhood

9:54 pm Bykristen

I sat down and closed my eyes. It was only 8:30 pm and I could barely hold them open.

My daughter sat down next to me.

I opened my eyes because I could feel her staring, she leaned in close and just looked at me. She put her head on my shoulder and reached over and traced her finger along my cheek.

It was one of those special moments that remind me how much I love my [mothering] job.

She tilted her head and reached out and grabbed my hand, “Mom?”

I held my breath feeling the weight of what she was about to say….

“Did you know there’s this new stuff you can inject around your eyes and forehead to get rid of all those lines?”

Moment over.

I’m pretty sure my daughter just recommended botox.

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Mercy House T-Shirt Contest!!

10:51 pm Bykristen

We are nearly sold out of our first edition Mercy House shirts! (grab one here-the last few now on sale!!)

They were a big hit, but it’s time to create a new design.

Since I don’t have time and have limited skills, I thought I’d have a little contest.

Send in your Mercy House t-shirt ideas (you can use your own template or something like this for free) to kristenwelch@mac.com

I’ll share the top three choices so everyone can help me choose a favorite.

Winner Receives: Cold Hard Cash. $100 or t-shirts for your whole family!

Deadline: Aug. 19th

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(in)couraging Africa

4:24 pm Bykristen

Two of my very favorite things- in the same sentence: (in)courage & Africa…

I’m over at my community talking about them together today.

Would love for you to read…

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WFMW: Your Old Magazines

9:51 pm Bykristen

The last couple of years, I’ve subscribed to several magazine subscriptions because of great Amazon alerts, Swabucks and dirt-cheap deals. I got in the habit of saving a few of my favorite issues, but tossing the rest.

In the last few months, I’ve found many uses for my old magazines and wanted to share them with you:

Cool recyclable kid crafts-like this DIY dollhouse
Make gift wrapping bows
Create Jewelry
Design a very cool gift
Donate them to libraries or non-profits like Mercy House (we’re collecting them right now!)

Used magazines work for me!

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Vintage Friends {Giveaway}

10:46 pm Bykristen

*Updated with Winner*

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-08-15 14:16:20 UTC

Congrats to Julie Frank! Check your inbox!

I think my favorite aspect of blogging are the connections and friends I’ve made. I’m amazed at how well I know people I’ve never met. Ya know?

And it’s even more exceptional to become friends– partners, really, with businesses that support my blog which supports Mercy House and in return I get to talk about their amazing products.

It’s just a win-win-win.

FYI: that’s a lot of winning!

One of those companies is The Vintage Pearl. They’ve sponsored this blog for a very long time and I’ve done more giveaways than I can count. They are huge supporters of our maternity home, Mercy House and just good friends.

When I was returning to Kenya, I wanted to take something extra special to Maureen and her mom, to remember the tragic family deaths they suffered this Spring. I knew exactly who I should talk to.

The Vintage Pearl created and donated two of these unique (breath-taking) necklaces that are now worn around the necks of two women across the world whom I love very much:

The Vintage Pearl is so much more than a great jewelry shop, they are talented people who help us savor sacred moments in our lives….they give back to the community, to the world and I can’t recommend them enough.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

I just love this quote (it’s about tea, of course)-

And this sweet necklace stores a secret love message!

Today, they are generously offering a reader a $50 gift certificate! Please visit their new blog and Facebook page.

Leave a comment below with what you’d like to win.

Giveaway ends Thursday.

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And Now, I’d Like to Talk About Rodents

10:01 pm Bykristen

My kids love animals. Pets, to be precise.

They would have every species living in our home if they were allowed. They are not allowed. I’m not THAT mom. Much to their disappointment.

We have a dog, which is technically the kids but she loves me (secret: I love her, too). After Hurricane Ike devastated our part of Texas a few years ago, we adopted a cat (named Ike) because hundreds were going to be destroyed. He’s technically theirs too, but loves my hubby.

So, we quenched their pet-loving obsession with fish a few years ago.

Turns out fish are a temporary fix.

The kids have been campaigning HARD for hamsters for several years now. I don’t do rodents, so the answer has been obvious. But they persisted. My oldest started wearing me down by saving her money, talking about being responsible, growing up, yada yada yada….

For a year now, I’ve been saying, “maybe after we get back from Africa we can talk about a hamster.”

Guess what? We’re back from Africa.

My daughter finally had enough money saved (thanks to a big clearance at Petsmart. Sheesh.) I told her when she returned from visiting her grandparents we’d do the deed.

Meanwhile, my other two were chomping at the bit for their own rodent. They talked about pooling birthday money together. Plus, the grandparents got involved by offering odd jobs.

Clearly, there was a conspiracy to make me hold a rodent.

Last week, my mom’s friend called and heard we were looking for a hamster and asked us to take her beloved miniature hamster (with cage, food, accessories). Great, now the world is against me.

Then some hamster drama happened, but I will spare you details. It’s really a long story that ends with every kid in my house owning their very own hamster.

So, let’s review: We went from no hamster (not going to happen-ever) to owning THREE in a week.

God does provide (according to my kids).

I like to think He is wanting to stretch me spiritually.

And also to check this off the proverbial parenting list.

If I close one eye and tilt my head, they are kinda cute.

In a rodent-kind of way.

But I’m still not going to hold one.

P.S. Turns out getting your kids a hamster makes you MOM OF THE YEAR (for the week, at least). Tell me your rodent story…. Yes, I had two “sister” hamsters as a kid that turned out to be a boy and girl and we woke up one day to 12 babies. And then the mom started eating them. I kid you not.

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I Miss These Mugs

10:05 pm Bykristen

Just like *that* my older kids are old enough to spend an entire week at my in-laws farm– hundreds of miles away from me.

In my heart, they aren’t nearly 12 and 10 years old, searching for independence, growing up and away from me with each passing day …

I will always see them like this:

I might be a writer, blogger, non-profiteer…but the best job (and hardest) I’ve ever had—-is being a mom.

I miss my kids and will be so happy to get them home this weekend!

How long have you spent away from your kids?

P.S. Seven days is too long.

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When It Cost to Be Frugal

11:07 pm Bykristen

I have always loved shopping. But not just any kind–bargain shopping has always been my favorite.

Even when I was a teenager, I would take the $20 my Dad would give me for clothes, go to Goodwill and buy several outfits instead of one at the mall. I was an odd child.

Then I became a youth pastor’s wife and lived on love the first eight years of marriage. I decorated my house from clearance items on the Target end caps.

The past few years, I’ve passed my bargain shopping love down to my kids, my oldest especially. She stretches her dollar and likes to buy on sale. Even though I could pay more for some things, it’s not my preference.

But I’m learning there’s a cost to being frugal.

A few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought twice about the words child labor or fair trade.

And now I can’t stop thinking about the image of a skinny, scared, 8 year old boy chained to a chair and a sewing machine.

Making clothes I like to buy cheap.

Now, I’m not saying that every good deal translates into a worker across the globe losing their dignity. I just think we need to be aware that some deals are too good to be fair.

I’m getting an education about fair trade. I’m dipping my feet into the secret world as I try and make sure our products at Mercy House meet the standards and are even fair trade certified.

What is fair trade? It’s shopping fair, really…providing fair, decent wages for the workers who make the items we like to buy.

I have a long way to go. But I think part of the change is awareness. Next, it’s asking these questions:

Why is this item so cheap? Is it an end-of-the-season clearance (yay!) or was it made in a sweat shop?
Can I buy something similar (like a gift) while also supporting a life in another county?
Why not buy less for more? Maybe it’s worth paying a bit more for something I know is fair trade.
Educate yourself with information like this from Behind the Label (an inside look into the apparel industry). There are links to retailers who are conscientious about their workers. Sadly, t’s not a long list. This list of brands that have been accused of exploiting workers is startling.

I’m learning so much and I’m the first to admit that I have no idea where many of the items in my home or closets come from. But I’m trying to educate myself. The main thing is supporting the creative artists in third world countries with a fair amount of money… even when it cost more than buying items cheaply.

Part of this is educating my children…my daughter and I are on a hunt for a fair trade book bag for school. Because it feels good to shop fair and empower someone on the other side of the world.

And now that I know the names and faces and have a relationship with artisans who make fair trade items, I might not be so frugal after all.

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WFMW: Vinyl Wall Art

9:57 pm Bykristen

I’ve been a long-time lover of vinyl word art. I have little sayings all over my house.

Have you seen the really big vinyl subway wall art? like this:

Love.

I wanted our family room to inspire and so I bought this exact one on Etsy here.

It came in three parts and completely intimidated me, so it sat for weeks because I was afraid to apply it. I finally got up the nerve using these easy instructions and videos to help me.

My tip for applying large vinyl art: Take your time and make sure it’s centered before you removed the backing. Use masking tape to keep it in place.

Here’s how mine looks:

*my fun colorful blocks were a gift from Dayspring and my vase is inspiration from our Mercy House girls

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Anything Good You See in Me {Giveaway}

10:22 pm Bykristen

UPDATED: Congrats to the winners (thanks to Random.org):

Here are your random numbers:

22	44	41	10

Timestamp: 2011-08-04 18:52:40 UTC

Brenda Torres, Melanie Jordan, jennik, Nanette Lynch

————————————————————

There was a package in the mail addressed to me.

I hadn’t ordered anything.

It was a suprise:

The Adopt Shoppe, one of my sponsors, created this necklace from something I said in this post while I was in Kenya. Is it wrong to wear your own words around your neck? I hope not.

I also love these white leather bangles:

and this lovely cuff:

Yes, please:

There are hundreds of other choices. FOUR lucky readers will win their choice of one of the items above: a tile necklace, leather bangles, metal cuff and Ugandan beads to this fun shop (with a purpose).

Please visit and leave a comment with what you love.

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