family

Taking a [spring] break

April 13, 2021 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I needed a change of scenery. After a year with a lot of days at home, I wanted to see a different backdrop to our everyday life. So we went to St. Pete Beach for Spring Break last week. So did a lot of other people.

We planned the getaway in February when we were in the throes of covid, quarantine, snowstorms, and my mother-in-law staying at our house while recovering from heart surgery. I knew then my girls, who gave up their spaces, deserved a treat. I knew my boy needed different ground on which to roam. I knew I needed an adventure and my husband needed a break from his work, which has been incredibly busy even in a weird year.

Greg went hunting two times. We all went to Busch Gardens one day. My girls and I went shopping one morning. But mostly we hung out at the beach, moved to the pool, and then went out for seafood. It was a welcome routine that looked different from our life in landlocked Kentucky. Plus I read three books. (See more about those here.)

I thought having covid restrictions would make Busch Gardens more enjoyable, but that wasn’t the case. It was crowded and took us more than an hour just to go through the temperature check at the front gate. And then we waited almost as long for pizza and chicken fingers lunch. We had to buy admission tickets in advance, so the crowd couldn’t have surprised Busch Gardens. But somehow it seemed to have. Many concession stands weren’t open, which meant the lines were long at the dining options available. And I’m going to wait a while before having to wear a mask at an amusement park again.

Even so, we had a good day at Busch Gardens. The lines for rides really weren’t that bad, other than the Cheetah Run roller coaster, which we would have wanted to ride had the wait not been nearly two hours. I particularly loved Cobra’s Curse (which we all went on) and also rode the thrilling Kumba with my big kids.

I didn’t cook all week, which was a good plan because our hotel kitchen was teeny tiny. But, goodness, we ate well so I’m going to tell you more about that. Unless noted, the restaurants are in St. Pete Beach.

Hurricane at Pass-a-Grille Beach — My shrimp tacos were good and there’s a rooftop option with great views.
Caddy’s — We met my cousin Jen here and I ate coconut shrimp. It was a family-friendly place and the kids’ food was served on a frisbee.
Shell’s Seafood — We ate at the Tampa one after we went to Busch Gardens and we all enjoyed our meals.
Snappers — This is a little more upscale food-wise than our usual, but we still wore shorts & T-shirts and loved it. Greg and I really like the different food choices. I ended up getting Coconut-Cashew Crusted Mahi-Mahi, which was delicious! The kids’ pizza and grouper were also good.
Crabby Bills — We loved the casual waterfront atmosphere. There’s an outdoor, rooftop option too. The hush puppies were really good.
Ice & Cream — We went there three nights in a row to enjoy delicious homemade ice cream & some unique flavors. I ordered Dreamsicle in a waffle cone every time.
Fo’ Cheezy Twisted Meltz — The girls and I happened upon this when we walked from our hotel to the Corey Avenue Shopping District so we stopped on our way back as it was almost 11 am. It’s a fun restaurant with tasty sandwiches.

Our break was welcomed and enjoyed thoroughly. Of course, we were glad to get settled back in at home for the last six weeks of school, soccer season, birthday season, and whatever other ordinary adventures come our way.

How to make celebrations fun

January 26, 2021 by Kristin Leave a Comment

We’ve got Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day coming up soon, plus my kids recently had Spirit Week at school. And there are always birthdays and anniversaries to remember. It’s no secret, I love celebrating people and dates, but sometimes it’s hard to know how much to do. Truthfully, my kids don’t need elaborate celebrations to make memories.

The good news is that there are lots of ways that you can make any occasion special. The key is taking some time to think about how to make certain days more memorable. Below are some tips to do just that.

Theme your day

A great way to make special occasions and events more enjoyable and memorable is to theme your day. We love some themed birthday parties around here. You could theme any holiday or anniversary based on what you and your people enjoy. Themes can help you come up with activities, foods, and party favors.

We’ve had sports, character, hobby, and food themed birthday parties around here for our kids. We even got creative when everyone was quarantining this spring and our family had three birthdays in two weeks.

Incorporate dressing up

To break up the monotony of January, my kids’ school had Spirit Week recently. For Be Sweet Day, Ben dressed up like a Sour Patch Kid. One day Cate matched one of her best friends for Twin Day and Ben matched three other boys in his fifth-grade class who have the same navy sweatshirt jacket. Then they wore Ja Morant jerseys – one from Murray State and one represented the Memphis Grizzlies – for Favorite Sports Team Day.

Dressing up to match a theme or incorporating costumes add extra fun to whatever day you’re choosing to celebrate. After all these days in comfy clothes, even dressing up in fancier clothes may be a good way to mark an occasion. I loved the coordinated pajamas we were gifted before Christmas. Of course, I may like matching more than my kids do at this point. Perhaps you could get matching t-shirts for the whole family from a toddler St Patrick’s day shirt to something similar for the teenager.

Create your own family traditions

One thing I love about traditions is how we’ll celebrate certain occasions is already decided for me. Sure, we tweak the details, but we know we are having three other families over in early November to celebrate Friendsgiving as a prelude to Thanksgiving. I know that my kids and husband will pick what dinner they want me to make on their birthdays, and we’ll likely eat out to celebrate mine. We typically celebrate Memorial Day weekend at the lake with my siblings and their families and then spend Fourth of July with my husband’s extended family.

Of course, sometimes the reality is traditions change. We used to love hosting a Birthday Party for Jesus with friends and even one year as a communitywide event. That hasn’t happened in a few years, but it could again one day.

Traditions don’t have to be complicated. My husband writes me letters for Christmas and my birthday that I save in a binder. I write letters on my blog to my kids on their birthdays. (Read them there: Cate. Ben. Rachel.)

More than eighteen years into marriage and more than thirteen years into parenthood, traditions make our celebrations more fun. Decide once how you’ll celebrate any given day and then fill in the details. Get creative and remember your celebrations don’t have to look like what others choose to do.

How do you make celebrating any given occasion more fun?

How to plan a cozy family night

January 20, 2021 by Kristin 1 Comment

In any given year, January can be a tough time with dark nights and dreary weather. Throw in a global pandemic that has restricted many of our normal activities, and, well, you have the perfect recipe for a gloomy month. Instead, let’s embrace what my husband calls “an attitude of gratitude.”

My kids know I don’t like them to complain about being bored. Rather I want them to enjoy our space, their toys, and each other. Likewise, I want to see our extra time at home this winter while we’re staying warm and avoiding the coronavirus as time to unwind, take care of ourselves, and reconnect with one another without some of the usual daily pressures.

This winter isn’t a normal winter, but that’s how seasons work. There are rhythms even when circumstances change. I remind myself of this often during these short days that have me longing for summer.

“God has made each season beautiful and appropriate in its own time. Yes, spring, summer, fall, and winter repeat, but each winter looks different than the one before because God is transforming me. I’m not the same this year as I was as a child or even just last year. There can be similarities and traditions from one year to the next, but the details change from one season to the next, from one year to the next. That’s both wonderful and terrifying. …
Nothing in this life stays the same. That almost seems like a threat, but really it’s a promise too. Traditions anchor us, but our God won’t leave us where we were in the winter by the time springs starts blooming new life.”
– From my book “Bringing Home More Than Groceries: Stories of Gathering & Nourishing People”

Let’s look at a few ways to plan the ultimate cozy night in – with your family, whoever else lives under your roof, who you’re quarantining with, or a larger social circle once the pandemic passes.

Curl up with a good book

Okay, so, I miss having a fire place, but y’all know I always want a good book!

Apparently when speaking of happiness, relaxation, and self-care, some people use the Danish word ‘hygge’ as it encapsulates those feelings and activities. I associate comfort with being snuggled up the couch we love, wrapped in a soft blanket, a kid cuddled in close, and a book that I can’t put down.

I tend to prefer actual books, but Kindles and other devices sure are handy. Take a look at Troypoint for some of the best sites to download books or stream your favorite shows, movies, or music. Of course, if you’re looking for some recommended reads, I’ve got y’all covered there too.

Order a takeout

My mother-in-law has been recovering from a quadruple bypass heart surgery at our house for the past couple of weeks. That’s added some extra logistic details to our life, but it’s also prompted our great community of friends to feed us! I’ve barely cooked this month, which has been nice. I enjoy cooking, but a break has been welcomed for my shrinking mental capacity. Plus we just learned Murray Eats delivers food from restaurants to our porch. We live seven miles from town, so we didn’t think we could have pizza – much less Cracker Barrel – delivered to us.

Yes, COVID-19 has interrupted eating out plans, but so many of our local restaurants have upped their carry-out game. So take a break, and order dinner in. Perhaps even enjoy it on some paper plates!

When our friends are feeding us, I will get back to recruiting my oldest daughter to help me in the kitchen. I do cherish that time together making memories and meals.

Have a sleepover

We don’t really do sleepovers outside our house for various reasons that have nothing to do with a cozy night in. With Peggy recovering from her open heart surgery here, we’ve had to play musical bedrooms. Cate moved to Rachel’s room and Rachel has a spare twin mattress in our back living room. Seeing Rachel set up with her stuffed animals, favorite blankets, and unicorn sleep mask reminds me of how cozy and fun it can be for kids to vary their sleeping situations.

Dig out some fairy lights, sweet and salty snacks, and tell your kids all about your own sleepover experiences – or at least the parts you want them to know about!

Play board games

Y’all know we love games around here! We’ve been playing a lot of Monopoly Junior and Othello recently, but ask me next week and we’re likely to have other boxes sitting on our dining room table. Of course, I have a list of all our family favorites, if you’re looking for some at-home entertainment and competition.

*****

This is the fourth in a series about why hospitality matters in every season. (October. November. December.) And, yes, hospitality happens right in your home with your people. Learn more about this and get some free resources on the “Bringing Home More than Groceries” page.