kristen — We are THAT Family

Tippie Toads {Giveaway}

10:26 pm Bykristen

UPDATED with WINNER: Comment #108 has been randomly selected – Congratulations Vanessa!

My real life intersects with my online life more and more.

I love it.

Except when people see me mopping up a broken pickle jar in the middle of The Wal Marts and say “yep, you are that family.”

I will deny and run.

But usually, it’s a great experience! It turns out another preschool mom has been reading my blog for awhile and when we bumped into each other, it was so fun! She has a heart for God and Mercy House, plus (bonus) she has an adorable business called Tippie Toads that offers fun, awesome personalized gifts!

She created some darling items to benefit Mercy House.

Cute, huh??

She’s selling them in her store and get this: 100% of the profits from the Love Mercy line go to support our girls in Kenya!

Cute with a cause is my kind of shopping!

Check out all her awesome items here.

Plus, Tippie Toads is giving away a Love Mercy tumbler set and choice of Love Mercy clipboard or Post It Note Set today to one lucky reader (more than $75 value):

Proud to be a….

10:46 pm Bykristen

I just returned from a weekend in small town Indiana.

I loved the rolling fields of yellow flowers, sprawling farms, kind people and the simple living.

But I’m a Texan. And I always laugh at all the stereotypes we put on people from different places.

I never say yee-haw, I don’t wear a cowboy hat and the only manure I smell is the mulch in my front yard.

I don’t own a pickup truck, my porch has never collapsed on my hunting dogs and the only redneck part of me is a small patch of ezcema.

I never chew on hay, I haven’t killed a snake with my boot and I don’t talk with a southern accent even though I was born and raised here. (Disclaimer: my hubby has done all three of these, but he’s from West Texas. Totally different).

I don’t have a picture of George Bush in my house.

I do say y’all. In every sentence.

I do love that Texans are friendly. People wave at stop signs (unless they are transplants) and help their neighbors out. I do love home cooking and we do pack a gun. And now, my hubby and I each have a tattoo.

I love my state. I lived (missions work) in several others states–Arkansas, New Mexico and Florida– and while I loved things about each place, Texas is home.

Plus, everything is bigger here.

So. Here’s my question?

Where do you live? What’s a stereotype of your state?

I’d love to see if I have a reader in all 50 states plus a few other countries!

————————————-

Cute necklace made by The Vintage Pearl She has other states…

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life 140 Comments

{Redeemed}

9:44 pm Bykristen

UPDATE: Christie (comment 56) has been randomly selected as the winner.

I’m in love with Dayspring’s new REDEEMED line:

Redeemed – Beautiful in Its Time – Jewelry Tabletop Mirror -On Sale, month of April for $23.99, plus 20% coupon= $19.19

I see color.

Redeemed – Found & Treasured – Large Purse

My life used to black and white. Even gray.

Redeemed – Everything Beautiful – Padded Phone Cover

Before I was redeemed.

Redeemed – Truly Treasured – Wallet On Sale, month of April for $23.99, plus 20% coupon= $19.19

Dayspring’s newest line: Redeemed. It’s beautiful, colorful and inspirational.

Redeemed – Everything Beautiful – Toiletries Bag

I love filling my life with meaningful items.

Redeemed – Everything Beautiful – Decorative Lantern

In the past, I’ve been able to share about Christ because of a Scripture on my tote or my t-shirt.

Today I’m happy to give away (my favorite item) this gorgeous (large) overnight bag to one blessed reader:

Redeemed – Lovely by Design – Overnight Bag

Check out the whole Redeemed line--there are TEN items on sale, plus you can get an additional 20% discount with code: SPRT20

I think these beautiful items would be perfect for Mother’s Day. Shhh….Don’t tell my Mom!

Happy weekend!

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed Underdeals 148 Comments

It All Comes Down to This {Free Printable}

9:49 pm Bykristen

I keep messing up this parenting thing.

I’ve had probably one of the most difficult weeks yet as mom. I’ve been a mom for TWELVE years, y’all.

{Dramatic pause}

Not only did we have an outbreak of eczema, poison ivy and impetigo (oh my), we also didn’t have water in the house, a broken tub and new challenges with our non-profit. And out of respect for my kiddos, I won’t air all our dirty laundry, but all three of my kids are going thru a challenging time. And I ache when my kids hurt, you know? (I also try to fix things that aren’t broken and lecture too much, but that’s for later).

It’s probably not a coincidence that I’m flying to Indiana tomorrow to speak on being a Light in the Home, about parenting, marriage and family, huh?

And boy, have I beat myself up about that.

Pray for me? And I’ll pray for you.

Parenting isn’t for wimps.

I just keep giving it all to Jesus: my strong-willed preschooler, my sensitive son, my overachieving tween, my broken bathtub (sob), my control.

When it’s all said and done, I find peace in the words of Erma Bombeck (seriously!)

I may fail every day, but no matter what, I’m going to keep trying.

I’m thankful He specializes in messes.

{Yes, it’s a FREE 8×10 Printable}

Because it really all comes down to this.

My Everything

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderParenting, Printable 17 Comments

WFMW: Reward Charts

9:58 pm Bykristen

My youngest has been struggling with staying in bed at night. She’s five and I thought we were past “sleep issues.” We’ve tried everything and were really having a hard time getting her to obey. She continued to say she was scared.

I went back and forth between thinking it was a control issue and true fear. We talked about monsters and prayed. We sang songs, talked endlessly and even tried different discipline techniques. I’m all about letting my kids sneak in my bed when they are sick or struggling, but she was getting exhausted from not going to bed and frankly, so was I. I promised “Jesus is right next to you in bed” and that totally creeped her out. I’m just sayin.

On a whim, I grabbed a piece of paper and some old stickers and drew a quick chart. For every night she stayed in bed until morning, when she woke up she could put a sticker next to the day.

There was something magical about letting her be in charge of her chart. One day we did “half” stickers because she struggled, but then she went five nights in a row.

Each morning she proudly put her sticker in the right spot and counted down to her special surprise.

Today, we celebrated her accomplishment with this treat (her choice) and we’ve got our stickers ready for tonight:

I don’t know if this will work for every child, but it totally works for us!

————————-

There’s still time to enter to win on of FIVE copies of the new Works For Me Wednesday E-book: That Works For Me! Enter here.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderWFMW 42 Comments

How to Kill Joy

1:23 pm Bykristen

I wrote one of those “the truth hurts” posts over at (in)courage.

I don’t suffocate joy in my life on purpose, but I still do it.

Join this important conversation?

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed Underincourage

TWFM E-Book {Giveaway & Contest}

6:30 am Bykristen

UPDATE: Congrats to comment numbers 70, 63, 54, 50, 5 – Jen Harris, Rosa Y., tsmith, Tonya Moyer, & Karen you have been chosen as winners of the TWFM E-book!

Our 24 hour sale is over, but you can still purchase That Works For Me here (PDF) or for your Kindle.

You can also enter to win a copy: I’m giving away FIVE copies of the e-book today.

Just leave a comment on today’s post if you’d like to win.

PLUS, submit a tip on our new site (no blog necessary) and you could win a clean house!

That Works for Me! Contest

We are running a contest on the website thru the month of April for a gift card for house cleaning ($150 value). We are asking readers to “submit a tip” as an entry. You can submit as many as you’d like (for multiple entries) with 25 categories! This contest will run thru April 30th.

That Works For Me!

This giveaway ends Thursday.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderGiveaways 89 Comments

That Works For Me! Ebook | $5 Today Only

5:45 am Bykristen

The E-book is here!

That Works For Me: Tried and True Tips from Works for Me Wednesday

Over 800 categorized tips, organized into 24 categories with more than

300 contributing bloggers!

Check out the New Website

“You want to know how to take care of makeup brushes? Curious how to make a scarf wreath? How about how to plant grass over concrete? This is the book for you. I love the Internet because it truly is the world’s hive mind; the ultimate chat-over-the-fence-with-your-neighbor neighborhood. And this book has compiled the best of the best tips in one place! I love that, and I love that it supports an amazing ministry. Every household could use this book. It’s worth every penny.”-Tsh Oxenreider, blogger behind SimpleMom.net and author of One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler

For years, Works For Me Wednesday participants have been asking for an organized resource, highlighting the best tips. Hundreds of blogs share amazing, insightful tips each week and this e-book features some of the best. It’s sure to make your life run smoother!

Meet the WFM Women
Enter a fun contest
Like us on Facebook (and follow the blog tour of 175+ reviews/giveaways!)
Follow us on Twitter (you might see your Tip of the Day!)
Join us on Pinterest and repin your favorite WFMW posts
Earn money by becoming an Affiliate

Buy it here! (PDF version)best choice

Kindle version available here.

Regular price $8

Hurry! Don’t miss this limited time opportunity!

A portion of every e-book goes to support Mercy House.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderWFMW 3 Comments

Easter 2012

9:02 pm Bykristen

It takes skill to get the family all lined up and then

run thru the bushes and not trip over the tripod

to make it in time for a family photo. Third time’s the charm!

Our day was memorable and we ended it so thankful for the cross.

Happy Easter!

Coming tomorrow: It’s Here! That Works For Me! Ebook

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life 6 Comments

Five Ways to Celebrate Easter Every Day

10:19 pm Bykristen

She cracks open the Resurrection Egg, her eyes fill with wonder. Inside the pink plastic shell lies a whip. She is filled with questions and there is fear.

Why a whip? She’s still learning the story. Every year is like starting over, only fragments stick in her 5 year old mind that is still grasping the concept of space, time and death.

There is sadness in the Easter story. The dice, the crown, the pain,. There is death. But the whole story must be told to fully receive the beauty of Easter. We walk through the valley, to receive the triumph.

But why did they kill him? It’s the hard, necessary question. He had to die. He died for us.

It’s the part of the story when I’m reminded my sins held him on the cross.

But this isn’t just a story about death.

As her brother and sister fill in the pieces of the story, she remembers the tomb.

Yes! The tomb.

I point to our Easter Garden and I ask, What did we put in the tomb?

She thinks. Nothing. Nothing is in the tomb, Mom. Not even Jesus.

Victory.

She smiles. Jesus is alive.

And we tell the story over and over. It’s not just a pastel, chocolate-covered story we drag out with the eggs. It’s the very core of who we are. It’s the most important story ever told. It’s the truth we cling to in the darkest of nights. It’s the story we encourage one another with. Death didn’t win. He is alive!

The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. ~Robert Flatt

This story doesn’t belong on a shelf. The resurrection is the very reason we have hope. It gives our life meaning today and our tomorrow a future.

And that’s why we must celebrate Easter every day.

Five Ways to Celebrate Easter Every Day in Your Home:

1. Continue to tell the story–when the Easter hype fades and our society focuses on commercializing another day, let’s keep sharing the Easter story. Don’t put away Easter with the candy. Watch this video with your kids.

2. Keep the cross at the center–While the cross was a crude death sentence, it’s also a beautiful reminder of what Jesus has done for us. Yes, it’s about death, but more it’s about life. Hang a beautiful Cross in your home and talk often of it’s meaning.

3. Celebrate new life year round: take a nature walk in the Spring (search for cocoons, nests, baby animals etc); plant new flowers in the summer, hide bulbs in the earth in the fall, put out birdseed in the winter, speaking the beauty of Daniel 3: 52-90 all year long.

4. Focus on grace throughout the year. Be quick to forgive and extend grace as it has been given to you. And never forget that His death means LIFE ! Print this free printable to keep in your home all year long.

5. Sprinkle reminders of His story (history) in your life: Celebrate communion regularly. Talk about the Last Supper as your breaking bread with your family. Mention the crown of thorns as you weed your garden, hang a purple sash over a cross in your home and talk about our King.

It’s Good Friday. It’s the perfect time to start celebrating Easter every day.

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderFaith 10 Comments

A Mom Like Me {Giveaway}

10:07 pm Bykristen

UPDATED: Congratulations to the following randomly selected winners: Jennyroo, Karen, Bobbi, Brenda Torres, Wendy, LeAnn H, Rachel, Nicole, Angela
And the grand prize winner – Lacey C.

Moms everywhere have one thing in common: they all know how to replace toilet paper rolls when they are empty.

If your house is like mine, this is a rare gift.

It doesn’t matter what mothers “do” for a living, how famous in infamous they may be, moms also do one other thing well: they fiercely love their kids.

It’s in our blood.

I think that’s probably one of my favorite things about Christy Nockles. (Her brand new worship album Into the Glorious debuts this week!) She’s a fantastic singer, an inspirational worship leader, a renown recording artist, but her greatest legacy is her three young children.

Plus, y’all: she writes some of her songs in her minivan with her kids. It just doesn’t get more real than that.

I almost wrote a song once in my van, but I couldn’t think of anything that rhymed with I’M SO TIRED.

This week, Christy launched her new CD, Into the Glorious.

I asked Christy Nockles a few questions-I think you’ll love her Mom-heart as much as I do:

1. How do you juggle being a mom and a recording artist?

Well…juggle is certainly the right word. When they were little I
think I tried to compartmentalize my world…but later I realized the
best thing for me and for my family is that we are all in the middle of
it together. In order for them to see me walk in my gifting and my
calling, I’ve learned that to involve them and invite them in is the
best way to also mother and mentor them inside of it. When I was
getting ready to write songs for this record, I sat all 3 of them down
and asked them to help me write the songs. They looked at me really
funny… I asked them if they knew some ways that they might could help
me write the songs… It was crickets at first, but then our youngest,
Annie Rose (4), spoke up… “we can be kind to each other!” She totally
got it. Then the older two began to spout off all the ways that they
could help me while I was songwriting. I now see allot of fruit from
that decision to invite them into it. Even yesterday, our son Noah saw
my finished record that had arrived at our house in the mail and he
looked at it and said, “I remember when you were writing these songs,
can’t believe it’s already done.” I was really excited that he
remembered the writing process and it appeared to be a good memory for
him. : ) So… all in all, it does take juggling. I do have some great
helpers who love on my kids! We have 3 young women from our church that
take turns…they nanny & tutor & even sometimes fold clothes and do the
dishes! We do kind of a “hybrid homeschool” program where they go to
school twice a week and then homeschool the other three days. It works
well for our lifestyle, but I need lots of help! But you know what?
Even the Proverbs 31 woman had help! It says she gave a portion to her
servant girls… I think it’s a beautiful thing to invite some young
women into your life to help you, and in turn you are helping them have
means to live and they are getting to see inside of a mother’s life. It
can be a real win/win thing… I also have learned to write songs during
the mundane, ordinary things… I write while I’m cleaning, running
errands and in the carpool line! That’s what “Into The Glorious”
means…we are invited into the glorious every day of our lives…all we
have to do is accept the invitation and step into it. A few years ago I
asked my friend Terry Price, whose a mother of 9 and a songwriter this
very same question…”how do you juggle it all?” She said, “you have to
invite the glorious into the mundane”. That stuck with me from that day
on… The invitation is ours. The minivan really can become a sanctuary
and a place of worship…and a much needed songwriting session.

2. Tell us about your children:

Our oldest is Noah Luke, he is 11. Noah is very passionate… He
loves music, is a very naturally gifted drummer and his newest passion
is film making. He’s witty, creative and sensitive. He walks closely
with his Daddy, we realized early on, even at the age of 9 that Noah
already needed accountability in his life. They talk openly about life,
love and other mysteries and I’m so grateful for their relationship. It
allows me to be just “mom” in his life…the one who comforts, cooks,
and sits on the edge of his bed every night to talk about life… while
I scratch his back of course. Elliana “Ellie” is 9. She is so much
like her Daddy…quiet, even keel most of the time, inward,
peacemaker…she looks around to see what needs to be done and she does
it. She’s our little artist…she loves painting, drawing and creating.
Annie Rose is 4, she’s spunky, funny, and a little bit too smart for her
own good sometimes. She actually appears kind of serious a lot of the
time, which I think is her own way of just playing it cool… I have
loved getting to mother 2 girls! I’m constantly amazed by their love
for each other, despite the occasional spats, and I realize more and
more that it’s my job to mentor them first. It’s a new season of life,
moving from child-bearing to child-shepherding on a daily basis, but
what a privilege! So rewarding…

3. What inspires you to write a song?

It usually starts with needing Truth to cover my own heart…then it
branches out from there. It will sometimes start with a passage of
scripture, something I heard a teacher say, something we are
experiencing together at church…or even something my kids say. It’s
different all the time, but the main motivation is Truth. I have always
loved putting truth to song in an artful way, and I love that it helps
people articulate things that their hearts want to say to God, but they
may not know how to say it. Songs do that and I love it! I love the
idea of helping people communicate their heart to God…so incredibly
inspiring.

4. What would you like to tell moms?

I love how motherhood is being celebrated in our generation. Now
there are so many moms who can connect to each other all over the world
and share stories, art, and beautiful photographs of their children and
feel like they are walking closely with others in the same season of
life. However, I think there are still the days that some of us wake up
and we let the season we are in completely overwhelm us. Maybe there
are dreams and plans that you had early on that stretch beyond the walls
of your home…maybe you have a cause in your heart…a passion that has
been lying dormant in your soul. There’s a verse of scripture that
probably all of you know well, but it’s Psalm 37:4-6. The first part
says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of
your heart.” For many years I read that like, “if I do this for God, He
will do this for me”…but instead, He began to show me that the word
GIVE in that passage can also mean SHOW or INSTILL or PLACE IN… He
will show you what your desires are… He will place desires IN you for
different seasons of your life. Then it goes on to say, “Commit your
way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your
righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of your cause like the
noonday sun”. The Message says it like this: “He will validate your
life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high
noon.” Isn’t that beautiful? It’s such an amazing way to live to be
able to trust God with our dreams and plans. He says if we do, HE will
validate our lives and He will lift up the cause of our hearts for all
to see… We have assurance in the every day ordinary things of life,
that God will take our faithfulness in the ordinary and truly do
something extraordinary that we never could have imagined on our own!
“Into The Glorious” is proof that I can be a very normal wife, mom and
homemaker and the times I choose to give Him the mundane moments, He
sweeps me up and shows me that the cause He put in my heart is His to
lift up…and He does just that. He will do the same for you…

In honor of moms and Christy’s amazing new album, Into the Glorious, (click to listen or purchase), NINE commenters are going to win a copy of her new album, Into the Glorious plus her Life Light Up CD. In addition, one Grand Prize Winner will win a Mom Gift Basket!

Grand Prize: Mom Basket Contents:

$15 gift card to Bath and Body Works

$10 Starbucks gift card

$50 gift card to Toms Shoes

Plus, Christy Nockels new CD, Into the Glorious and Life Light Up

Tell me your favorite song on Into the Glorious as your entry. Tweet @wearethatfamily or @christynockels with #intotheglorious for an additional entry!

Listen and purchase Into the Glorious today.

This giveaway ends on Tuesday.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by music label EMI, but all opinions are mine.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderGiveaways 186 Comments

WFMW: Choosing Family-Friendly Movies

10:03 pm Bykristen

One of our favorite family activities is watching a movie together. We turned off cable a few years ago and just have Netflix. I think since we try and limit screen time, it makes the time together more special. But honestly? It’s not that easy to find family friendly flick these days.

We also have a wide age span with a preschooler and nearly a teen, so finding something appropriate for the whole family can be challenging.

1. Check in with sites like Plugged-In Online- This is such a fantastic website, created by Focus on the Family. It not only reviews movies and TV shows, it also reviews games. I find it especially helpful for checking out movies. It breaks down movies by: Positive Elements, Spiritual Content, Sexual Content, Violet Content, Crude or Profane Language, Drug and Alcohol Content and Other Negative Content. It wraps up each review with a helpful Conclusion. Two thumbs up for this site, plus there’s a handy smartphone app. Movie Mom (Belief Net) is also an option for a quick glimpse into a movie or DVD. It love the “grades” it gives movies.

2. Ask someone you trust- Odds are someone you know has seen a movie you’re considering. You can always preview it yourself. I’m always a little hesitant to recommend movies unless it’s something I’m really confidant about sharing.

3. 90 Family Movie Night Suggestions- Plugged In Online also offers suggested Movie Night films based on age breakdown (a list of 20 recommended movies for teens and kids). Simple Mom also has a list of 11 great family movies. Here’s a list of 50 good, clean older movies. Many older movies I saw as a kid would be rated PG-13 today, so beware. But I also think classics (My Fair Lady), musicals (Sound of Music) and old Disney movies (Apple Dumpling Gang) are fun to watch with your family

4. Make it a Teachable Moment- There have been a few movies our older kids have begged to watch, that we weren’t sure about. We have a strict No PG-13 policy, but we bent the rules to watch Courageous together and we’ve done it a few other times. Instead of always saying no, sometimes we surprise our kids and then look for the teachable moment.

“Aside from the simple pleasure of spending time together and discussing films over a big bowl of hot-buttered popcorn, there are teachable moments in Hollywood’s modern parables and character studies. Crafted properly, movies can lift the spirit, tap into eternal truth and convey moral messages that challenge us to live out what we’ve experienced. We have a brief window for watching age-appropriate movies together before our children have to make those decisions for themselves. Here’s your chance to influence the process. The key is to use movies with which you feel comfortable in a controlled setting.” Focus on the Family

5. Use the Remote Control Libererally-I’ve lost count of how many movies we’ve turned off. It’s always disappointing, so doing research is a great idea. We usually end up watching America’s Funniest Videos and laugh our heads off. Clearplay is also a great option for filtering movies.

6. Follow Your Instinct- If you’ve done your research and still don’t have a peace, go with your gut. Just because everyone is watching it, doesn’t mean you (or your family ) should.

How do you choose a movie for your family?

Final countdown to the first ever Works For Me Wednesday compilation e-book called, That Works For Me! Tried and True Tips from WFMW. Coming NEXT WEEK!

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderWFMW 41 Comments

Into the Glorious: Released Today

12:01 pm Bykristen

I love worship music.

It’s pretty much the only thing I listen too. And not because I’m all worshipful. I just really love the way it makes me STOP and worship instead of whine or complain. Ya know? It’s hard to be all into yourself when you’re worshiping God. Funny how that works.

I was so excited when I heard Christy Nockles was making a new album! She was one of my first music giveaways years ago on this blog. After a lot of success, she has been focusing on being a mom and leading worship at Passion City Church. This is her first new album in several years.

And it was worth the wait.

“I love the promises of God’s Word, and when we get to sing those promises it causes every fear to flee and any lie that comes against us to be crushed beneath the Truth. I love the honor of leading worship at Passion City Church week after week. One of the sweetest things that has struck me lately in watching God move in people’s lives is that, He shows us again and again who we are … and where we belong. He takes a heart that’s in the depths of despair and lifts it to where He is. Ephesians 2:6 says, “We are seated in Christ in the heavenly realms” and Psalm 18:33 says, “He enables me to stand on the heights.” That’s a truth to be sung at the top of our lungs and that’s what brought on this happy song!” - Christy Nockels

My personal favorite upbeat on her new CD is “Ever Lifting” Love. It’s fun! The songs that move me: For Your Splendor and How I Love You. Her remake of Love Can Build a Bridge is awesome!

Watch her inspiration behind the song, you’ll love that she’s a real mom:

Christy Nockels – Into the Glorious from sixstepsrecords on Vimeo.

Stay tuned for an awesome awesome giveaway later this week!

Listen on iTunes.

You can also purchase Christy’s new album, Into the Glorious, here.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by music label EMI, but all opinions are mine.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life 5 Comments

Fire at Mercy House

8:59 am Bykristen

At 6:30 pm last night, I received a one line email from Maureen that read, “Fire broke in the house.”

I screamed my hubby’s name.

He immediately tried to call Maureen in Kenya.

I paced and prayed. Fear was palpable as we waited for word.

While I called every number I had, my hubby was able to get thru on Skype and find out that everyone got out of the house and the fire had been contained to one bedroom.

One of our young moms woke up to feed her baby. The electricity was off and I know from experience, it’s pitch black in the house when this happens. She lit a candle to see, but fell asleep with it lit next to her bed. It’s very common for homes use candles when there isn’t electricity (we will be coming up with a better solution), although we don’t normally use them at night.

She awoke to flames near her back and over her head, her tiny baby snuggled up next to her body. The girls screamed and Maureen sent them downstairs and outside with their babies. She grabbed a blanket to beat the fire, but it caught on fire. Our other staff grabbed buckets of water and were able to help her get the fire put out.

Maureen, Annette (our housemother) and Zacheeus (night guard) beat the fire that had lit up the mattress, wall and curtains.

Other than some smoke inhalation and some blisters, everyone is fine. The doctor gave them inhalers. The babies were checked out. We are so thankful to God for protecting our family in Kenya. Please pray for health and that we can repair the room back to it’s original condition.

Maureen said, “We are grateful to our Almighty daddy, the protector of all creation and one who is stronger than any other God. I surely saw the hand of God, He is the most High and the only God that I know. I am also so grateful to those who sacrificed a minute to lift us before God. We love you so much!”

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMercyHouse 24 Comments

Make Your Own Art {mini Bathroom Redo}

10:01 pm Bykristen

I don’t have before pictures. The walls were an icky yellow and the decor was polka dots from a few years ago.

We chose a beautiful shade of sea blue and gathered all the seashells we’ve collected over the years to display. I found the wooden shells on Etsy (Heartsy credit!) and got the ruffled (reminds us of waves) shower Curtain from Amazon for $20 bucks.

I even had a couple of frames of my kiddos at the beach in another room that worked perfectly in this little oasis.

I wanted kid’s art in the bathroom, so I gave my kids canvas and paint.

Supplies Needed:

flat Canvas panels 8 x 10 inch for painting (these usually come several in a pack)

3 or 4 colors of acrylic paint (I used inexpensive Apple Barrel)

frame/mat (optional) but makes it look finished

We added about a tablespoon of water to our paint and shook it up to mix it well. First paint, the entire canvas to make paint slide a little easier. We painted ours white, but you could probably do any of your colors.

Next, we generously squirted all three of our colors all over the canvas:

Once, the canvas was covered in 10-12 globs of paint, we patiently turned it and the let the paint mix and move down the canvas:

Once your canvas is covered in paint, it will take at least 24 hours to dry.

I cut mats from white poster board and we added white-washed distressed frames to give the art a finished look. I think my kids art might be my favorite part of our little bathroom! I also love that we have a place to keep seashells we collect from the past and future.

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed Underwe ART that family 3 Comments

Fakin’ & Eggs

10:50 pm Bykristen

Nothing says April Fool’s like a little April Food.

I can’t wait to see their faces!

Hope your day is full of smiles.

[Eggs made with white chocolate bark, yellow M&M's]

[Bacon is caramel and chocolate]

This idea came from one of my favorite magazines.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life 3 Comments

Why the World Will Never See Me as a Good Parent

10:03 pm Bykristen

She wanted her way.

I said no.

Sound familiar? It’s a regular occurrence in our house.

“You are the meanest mom!”

What? Your image of our family is shattered? Yeah, mine too.

I used to cringe when my kids said this.

Now, I just nod my head and remind myself that I must be doing something right. And most of you are too. But the world won’t always see it that way.

It’s in our children’s nature (as it is in ours) to be selfish. We want what we want and why didn’t we get it five minutes ago? I’m not picking on my kids. They are human, completely normal. So much like me.

But our culture is all about self-gratification. It’s made comfort and ease and excess the goal.

I try to say yes when I can, but let’s be honest, some answers need to be no.

This probably won’t shock you, but this isn’t popular in our world. We live in a culture that thinks they put kids first by telling them yes. It’s common, normal, applauded to be yes parents. And we are creating a generation of children who always get what they want. They have their own ipads at 3, cell phones at 7, are over-scheduled at 8, wear $150 shoes at 9 and have more freedom than they can handle at 11 and are “dating” at 12.

Parents in our society have bought into the myth that if they give their kids everything they want, they will be happy. Plus, it’s just a lot easier than saying no. No takes courage. It takes strength (especially if God’s blessed you with strong-willed children). Ahem.

The world will never see me as good parent.

My husband and I are trying to raise our kids counter-cultural.

I say trying because we don’t have this figured out and we are learning how not to do things. But we walk against the flow, on purpose. We refuse to do what our culture demands and we say no a lot to cultural norms.We try hard to be consistent, offering grace and understanding along the way.

And we screw up every day.

Before you feel sorry for my kids, we also provide them with love and affection, meet every physical need and many, many of their wants. We splurge occasionally (which I think is absolutely necessary) and we invite our kids to talk to us about anything, as long as they can do it respectfully.

I know there are many families that do the same thing and I hope we can encourage each other. But society as a whole, will not understand your choices.

Choosing to live counter-cultural isn’t easy. The world will never see you as a good parent. You will be misunderstood, even pitied. And your children might (probably will) resist in some areas. Living a counter-cultural life means you won’t fit in. It means your kids won’t be like everyone else. Most days my kids are okay with this, but honestly, some days it’s hard for all of us. We continually ask our kids to trust us as we try to follow God, but we know there are some things they will never understand or like.

Which gets me back to being the meanest mom ever.

And honestly, I’m okay with that.

I know I’m not alone in this, so be encouraged all you mean moms!

one :: limit screen time (set a time limit each day, or only allow it on the weekends, have a “no technology day” –whatever works for you).

two :: resist overspending- your kids are watching, don’t pass down bad spending habits and contribute to what the bulk of our society is doing. And if you do overspend, attack your debt.

three :: don’t be afraid to say no- even if society and every other parent on the block is doing it, don’t jump on the bandwagon unless it’s right for your family. Be intentional with your choices.

four :: give your kids jobs- create a sense of hard work, pride and ownership by encouraging them to work for what they want. Don’t just buy them everything.

five :: determine what your kids really need-there’s a lot of pressure as parents to give our kids the best of everything. Give your kids what God says they need. Love them unconditionally, offer grace like it’s offered to you. Laugh every day and be grateful.

six :: live by example-the Bible clearly states that we are to look different from the world we live in. If we are buying into the American Dream (bigger is better), are we setting an example for our kids? Kids often replicate parents. Give them something good to follow.

seven :: encourage alternatives- don’t just say no. Challenge your kids to creatively express themselves. Example: I loved seeing this recently: instead of spending $100 on a homecoming football mum, a group of kids gave the money to charity and wore a t-shirt that said so.

eight :: expect more from your kids than culture demands- society says kids need stuff and all teens are lazy. Let’s prove them wrong and challenge our children to be hard workers.

nine :: let them own mistakes- don’t fix everything. Teach your children responsibility by letting them fail sometimes. Be consistent.

ten :: splurge- surprise your kids every once in awhile by breaking one of the above rules.

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderParenting 86 Comments

WFMW: Egg Substitutes

10:02 pm Bykristen

I’m the kind of cook that gets half-way thru a recipe and realizes she doesn’t have all the ingredients.

I usually improvise.

Oh, you should be me. It’s an adventure let me tell you.

I think it was divine providence that a professional baker lives next door to me. She’s shared more than one egg. Which is sort of why I googled “egg substitutes” because even I have some baking pride.

Did you know you can use the one of following so substitute eggs in a recipe?

1/2 banana, mashed (medium size) + 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 TBS applesauce
3 TBS mayonnaise (*contains eggs so not suitable for allergy or vegan accomodation)

Most eggcellent!

E-Book Coming in April: That Works For Me! Tried and True Tips from Works For Me Wednesday

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderWFMW 35 Comments

You Might Be a Mom. . .{Giveaway}

9:20 pm Bykristen

UPDATED with winners: Comments 303 and 72 were randomly selected; congrats to Rachel & Lori.

If you’ve ever caught vomit with your hands.

If you’ve ever considered a trip to Target alone a mini-vacation.

If you’ve ever told a group of adults you need to go potty.

If you’ve ever hidden in the bathroom to talk on the phone.

If you’ve ever had a funeral for a cricket or pulled a soggy lizard from the washing machine.

If you’ve ever used your own spit to clean a face or adjust a wild cowlick.

If you’ve ever thanked God for Magic Erasers.

If you’ve ever hidden chocolate in the house.

If you’ve ever lied to children.

If you’ve ever shaken a pile of crumbs from your purse.

If you wouldn’t trade your unpaid job for all the money in the world.

If you’re not a mom, you certainly had one

And she (you) deserves to be celebrated! Mother’s Day will be here before you know it. Mothers are beautiful and they deserve a bit of beauty.

Today, in honor of the women who make the world go round, The Vintage Pearl is offering two $50 gift certificates!

Take a look around and tell me what you’d give a mom (yourself included) in your life. And for fun, fill in the ____.

You might be a mom if . . .

This giveaway ends Thursday.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderGiveaways 307 Comments

This Really Happened

10:07 pm Bykristen

I really scored this piece of awesome for $20 bucks at a garage sale this weekend. It’s from Pottery Barn Kids. Only I bought it from a lady moving to Canada. I love it when people move to Canada.

Pottery Barn doesn’t sell it any longer. Good thing, none of us could have afforded it.

The manager of a local movie theater really lost the key to the um, door to the theater and sent the line of 20 people away who were waiting to see the first showing of Hunger Games on Saturday morning.

Sometimes I’m really able to convince my children that work is fun.

I really did go back to the same theatre the next day and get free popcorn and coke for my troubles. It was a well done movie, but I also think it’s disturbing. But it should be, right? My two cents.

This wooden box is really hanging inside the door of a country Baptist church where my kids had their piano recital this weekend:

The little sign reads: ”In case of the disappearance of True Christians, there are instructions located in the above box to help those who are left behind.

And it really brought up interesting conversation with my kiddos!

And just like that, the weekend is really over.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life 25 Comments

What Kids Need Most

7:06 am Bykristen

The longer I’m a mom, the more convinced I am my kids need half of what I give them. I’m good at offering loads of advice, putting up boundaries and plenty of expectations.

Our world has convinced us they need more stuff, if we could just give them more and more. They need the best schools, activities to fill every hour, the best chance in life to be successful. And mainly, we need to help them conform to the world in the way they dress and act. Be safe, be like everyone else.

Don’t stand out or up. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Don’t be different.

Whatever.

I think they need far less from us. Kids need us to:

1. Listen

By nature, parents are fixers. We make calls, rule our to do lists and get things done. But often, our kids just need us to stop what we’re doing and listen.

2. Provide Security

The world-school, society, even church put demands on our children. Our kids need a secure place they can be themselves, where they can let their hair down and still be loved and accepted–just the way they are.

3. Offer Affirmation

Kids need to be built up. Criticize less, affirm more. They are dreamers. They want the outlandish. The jump in the puddles on purpose! Sometimes we just need to encourage that wild adventure, the bravery to stand, the courage to go against the flow. Be their biggest cheerleader!

4. Be present

Most importantly, they just need us to be there.

“Memo to Moms: Relax! Research shows that not every little thing you do impacts how your kids will turn out—just being there for them makes the biggest impact of all.” -Sharon Begley

It doesn’t cost a lot to be a good parent. They won’t remember the brand names or most of the friends they are trying to impress.

I fail. A lot. But I’m not aiming for what the world tells me my kids need. I’m shooting to give them these four things.

They will remember memories with you.

So, go make some!

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life, Parenting 15 Comments

Favor

3:53 pm Bykristen

She is just a child, an orphan, a victim of abuse.

She was sent to the city from a rural village to work.

She didn’t know she was pregnant. How can a child know the evil things done to her can produce life?

When her body couldn’t hold her secret any longer, her employee noticed and wanted to get rid of her.

Mercy House was notified and we began the process of recruitment, less than two weeks ago.

But she went into labor and her baby was born on Sunday, at 33 weeks. She and the baby were sent back to the employer’s just 3 hours later with a diaper and a change of clothes for the baby. No medicine, no vaccinations, no instructions for this poor child and her premature baby.

Mercy House was notified of the birth three days later.

Maureen wept at what she discovered: a deathly ill 3 pound baby girl who was being fed water by a frightened, exhausted child-mother who didn’t know what else to do. They were both filthy and when the employer gladly gave them up, Maureen took them home.

Our housemother bathed them and helped the baby girl to nurse and then Maureen took them to the hospital.

Beautiful Edith

The doctor confirmed how sick and close to death her baby was and hospitalized precious Hawi (which means favor in Swahili) with jaundice, dehydration, and a problem with her bowels, and our young mom is being treated with a pretty severe infection.

Most American preemies might not survive such a traumatic birth and first days of life. We believe God rescued these sweet children!

Would you pray for our newest Mercy House members: Edith and Hawi? They have been thru so much…

But God is never late.

*there’s much more to Edith’s story…I hope one day she can tell it. We just wanted to give you a glimpse into how so many in poverty live.

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMercyHouse 43 Comments

Ten Fun Ways to Keep Easter About Jesus

10:08 pm Bykristen

Easter is about Jesus.

eas·ter/ˈēstər/ meaning “the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ.”

It is a day to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord.

I’m not against fun or chocolate covered eggs, I just like meaningful things to remain, well, meaningful. I want my family to celebrate Him. Sure, we can add in the fun, but I don’t want the fun to be all there is.

Call me a radical zealot.

Thank you.

Here are ten ways to keep Easter About Jesus and have fun:

Read The Parable of the Lily and plant (or force) a lily bulb

Create this easy, beautiful watercolor Cross Art

Plant an Easter Garden

Dye/hunt eggs. Share the reasons behind the traditions

Make Resurrection Eggs. Read Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs
along with it.

Bake Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday

Fill Easter baskets with something meaningful (a new Bible, a cross necklace, eggs with Scripture)

Make Resurrection Rolls for Easter morning breakfast

Share your Easter meal with someone who might spend it alone or take a basket to a child in a hospital

Have a family devotion together and talk about the meaning of Easter (this is a good one)

I think Easter is fun when it’s celebrated for all the right reasons!

What would you add?

Amazon affiliate links in this post

Pin It

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderFaith, Holidays 20 Comments

WFMW: Eggshell Tip

9:55 pm Bykristen

In honor of all the eggs that will give up their yolks in the next month, I thought I’d repost my popular eggshell tip!

I’m not exactly known ’round these parts for being a baker extraordinaire.

Shocking, I know.

I do have a reputation with a certain neighbor for loving cookies and hiding some of her treats from my kids, but that doesn’t exactly count.

I come from fine cooking stock. My mom is a mean cake-baker. And my mother-in-law lives in the country without Internet or a WalMart and fills her day cooking, gardening and baking. So, you could say she’s an expert.

On our last visit, I was fumbling my way around her kitchen (I usually just set the table and help clean up), and my daughter begged to crack the eggs. She did great on the first two, but before I could brag, the third egg was not as fortunate. We both looked into the batter and gulped at all the tiny white eggshell pieces.

I started telling a story (which I do in moments like these, a gene passed along from my father) about how I spent 25 minutes once fishing for one tiny bit of shell.

My mother-in-law took a piece from my daughter’s hand and gently placed it in the batter, near the loose eggshell pieces and they were magically drawn to the piece in her hand. “I’m not sure why, but the small pieces are drawn, almost magnetically to the large piece,” she explained as she picked up every piece in about 20 seconds flat.

I totally knew that little trick.

I just forgot.

(I also dashed to my purse and WROTE THAT LITTLE FACT DOWN. For you, of course).

This egg tip works for me!

edited repost from the archives

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderWFMW 39 Comments

Just Because

9:46 pm Bykristen

Iwant to celebrate him just because.

Valentine’s and anniversary’s are shoo-in days when we tell our spouses why we love them.

But it’s the in-between, regular days, that make me love him most. My hubby is awesome just because he…

Fills my car with gasoline
Sets my alarm when I forget
Rubs his hands in my hair when I can’t sleep
Brings me sweet tea
Texts me in the middle of the day
Checks my writing for typos
Lovingly (and carefully) points them out
Cleans up all dog and kid vomit and poop (keeping it real)
Warms up my side of the bed
He keeps my secret stash of chocolate a secret

And then there are the big things…like him driving 19 out of 24 hours to get to his sister’s bedside when we thought she might not make it. My mother-in-law called to tell me that my husband sat by her bedside and sang to her, read scriptures, peppered her face with kisses (like he does our kids) and told her jokes, hoping it would reach her in her unconscious state. Later, when she started improving, she said she remembered every bit of it.

Y’all.

That’s my man.

What’s something little you love about your spouse?

_____________________________________________________________________

In celebration of those just because moments, here’s 20% off all regular-priced TEES at Union28:
Here are the code details:
1.Your Discount Code is: U28T4U20
2.This code is good for 20% off any regular-priced Union28.net TEES! (Simply enter code at checkout.)
3.This code is valid through 3/31/12

P.S. Union28 is on Pinterest!

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderI love my hubby 18 Comments

Oh, Life

10:42 pm Bykristen

This piece of paper sat in the driver’s seat of my van the other day. My hubby was kind enough to leave it there when he saw the car parked in the street at then end of our drive way.

It was such a nice thought.

And I heeded it for 2.7 seconds. But then there was an arguement in the backseat over an old balloon between two my kids and I noticed I forgot lipgloss in the rearview mirror and oh, look at the time! We were going to be late for my daughter’s doctor appointment. Why did I make an early morning appointment in the middle of Spring Break…

CRUNCH.

I didn’t even cry. This is the third time. THIRD time (one for my hubby and two for me) that we’ve bumped a car on the street backing out of our driveway. I woke up my neighbor and she just smiled and said “I really should use my driveway.” You think? I responded in my head in a very unChristlike way. It was my fault, but thankfully she got an estimate and didn’t file it on our insurance.

I decided not to let it ruin the day. You know the whole when life gives you lemons…you make sweet tea and you eat a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg.

Amen.

[Lane shift]

So, we open Mercy Home Parties today! Woohoo! We’ve had about 25 people request info to have a party at their house (think Pampered Chef, only for a great cause). You can too. I’m excited to move some product out of our garage to make room for more. My hubby asked me if he was ever getting the garage back. I shook my head no. He didn’t even complain. That guy. Wanna party with us? Proceeds provide a future for our girls and their babies. It’s a win-win-win.

We are going back to Kenya, in June, with our kids. We are beyond excited. The proceeds from the new ebook That Works For Me! (coming in April) that I co-compiled will help pay for our kid’s plane tickets. So, I hope you’ll buy a copy or four. I’d hate to have to choose which kid can go. I’m just kidding. I’ve already decided. Seriously, joking. We have saved all year for this trip, so everyone gets to go! We will be teaching a few new skills, encouraging our staff, visiting a couple of organizations to help plan post-graduate job/school placement for the girls who graduate in 2013 and mainly, just loving on our Kenyan family.

We are still pursing faith and asking God for direction for our family. We are in uncharted waters with running a non-profit, working to support our family, trying to keep it all afloat. Someone emailed me the other day and asked if I’d thought about writing a book on starting a non-profit. I laughed. And then I said no because I never wanted to do this and still don’t know what I’m doing or what the future holds. But we have today and that’s enough, so God says.

Life is unexpected, no?

It’s a beautiful crazy journey.

Speaking of journey and perspective (fender benders are nothing)…would you click over to our real life friend’s blog and read their heartbreaking, but hopeful journey of their first born child, one week old Thatcher. He needs a miracle. Now. Would you join us in asking God for one?

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderMy Life 18 Comments

Buy a Shirt, Change a Life, & Possibly Win a Free Missions Trip!

9:52 pm Bykristen

My crazy blog friend, Kari over at My Crazy Adoption has partnered with Tom Davis of Children’s Hopechest (remember this amazing moment from almost two years ago) to raise money for a safehouse in Moldova and an orphanage in Haiti. These friends inspire me to care for orphans and the least of these and I wanted to share about this cool opportunity to win a missions trip!

Here’s how you can be a part:

Buy a shirt

SIMPLY LOVE SHIRTS: 1 tee = 1 entry to win!

When you purchase a Simply Love tee- you are supporting Project #1 – the orphanage Haiti Home of Hope in Pignon, Haiti. I just led a Visiting Orphans team to Pignon only a few short weeks ago, so this project is dear to my heart! The donations we raise from Simply Love tees will directly fund the orphanage projects:

Mother’s milk [formula] and clinic program (70 children)
Building project for mother/baby safehouse
A brand new home for a family of 4 living in Pignon
37 orphans permanently living at Haiti Home of Hope orphanage- Food, clothing, and medical care

MAN UP SHIRTS: 1 tee = 1 entry to win!

When you purchase a Man Up tee- you are supporting Project #2 – the safehouse Beginning of Life in Moldova. Moldova is a small country in Eastern Europe nestled between Ukraine and Romania. The donations we raise from Man Up tees will directly fund the Children’s

HopeChest partnership with “Beginning of Life” to offer a rehabilitation home and program for survivors of human trafficking.

Restore victims of sex trafficking through the Beginning of Life by providing:

Safe living conditions in a transitional living facility
Therapy, counseling, and relationships with caring Christian professionals
Food, clothing, and medical care
24-hour supervision

When you buy either (or both shirts) you’ll be entered to win a FREE Missions Trip!

MISSION TRIP GIVEAWAY:

When you purchase a Simply Love or Man Up tee shirt here, you are automatically entered to WIN a FREE Children’s HopeChest mission trip. [Trip Value $3000] You can pick any CHC mission trip around the world!! You win – you pick the trip!! You can buy 1, 5, or 10 tee shirts to enter to win!! 1 tee = 1 entry to win. Project ends on My Crazy Adoption blog March 18th!!

So, buy a shirt, change a life and you might win a free missions trip!!

If you have enjoyed or learned from this post, please share it:

Filed UnderLinks I Love

DIY Mini Resurrection Garden

10:11 pm Bykristen

I stopped in my tracks on Pinterest when I saw this photo the other day:

(I researched it and I believe it originated on the creator’s Facebook page and ended up on Pinterest. Thank you, Melissa Holt for the beautiful idea!)

I knew it would be on our list for Spring Break this week. Easter is still three weeks away, but as Christians we celebrate it every day, right?

Since I have three do-it-yourselfers at home and I’m a very wise mom, I knew that one Resurrection Garden would lead to sin (also known as sibling rivalry). So we created three mini Resurrection Gardens.

It was easy to make, everyone got to add their own touches and it cost pretty much the same as making one large one like the picture above.

Supplies Needed: We found all of ours at WalMart and averaged about $7.50 per mini garden.

Terra cotta mini pot (tomb)

Terra cotta small tray

Small pebbles from Floral dept(one bag was plenty for three)

Grass seed (we have enough left over for the bare patch in our yard)

One small bag of potting soil

Small twigs and Large rock (smaller than a child’s fist) from the yard

Glue gun

Spray water bottle

1. Place mini pot on the tray and add potting soil around it.