• 7 Things I Learned in December

    ByKristin Cate, friends, Rachel, Things I Learned, weather

    I know December is really about all things Christmas, but I’m sharing some things {seven things, to be exact …} I learned this month THAT ARE NOT CHRISTMAS RELATED. Of course, if you want to read about our Christmas, I wrote about that.

    Here. {A Jesus Birthday Party Tradition}

    And here. {Christmas Around Here}

    And here. {Merry & Bright}

    So, closing out 2015, here are seven things I learned in December …

    1. Rachel loves this Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat.

    I donโ€™t feel compelled to buy contraptions for my babies with the exception of the papasan swing all three have loved. But when I saw a picture of a friendโ€™s baby in it, I knew sheโ€™s love it.

    Of course, now with Christmas, she has some new contraptions Iโ€™m sure sheโ€™ll soon also love because already loves standing in our laps, trying to be bigger than she seems.

    2. Goodbyes are hard regardless of your age.

    One of my best friends and her family recently moved from Murray. Theyโ€™re still in Kentucky โ€“ but theyโ€™re about four hours away and settling into a new normal thatโ€™s far away. This has been sad for Ben too because Sarahโ€™s oldest child, Davey, is his age and they havenโ€™t known their first six years without each other.

    For years, weโ€™ve lunched together nearly every Sunday after church. Sarah and I would get together during the week and text an ever-continuing conversation throughout the days. Thankfully, the texting remains!

    And then THE SAME WEEKEND this month, our college friend who has been one of the few people outside our immediate circle to babysit our kids moved. I mean, congratulations, Amber, you graduated. But, um, we miss you already.

    3. Cate and I have revived our back-and-forth journal writing and itโ€™s good for my soul โ€“ both as a writer and a momma.

    4. Tornado watches and thunderstorms are possible on Christmas Eve Eve. 

    And then it kept raining FOR DAYS, literally. Now nearby Kentucky Lake is rising above normal summer pool IN THE WINTER. (Thereโ€™s a whole long explanation about the dam and the river that I barely understand.)

    5. Cate now wears adult womenโ€™s shoes. 

    She’s 8 1/2 years old. Geez. How did THAT happen?! The day after purchasing some size 6 purple Nikes, she borrowed my socks.

    6. “The West Wing” is good. 

    I know, Iโ€™m a whole decade behind. But itโ€™s our latest TV binge.

    7. Speaking of television shows, Cateโ€™s into โ€œFull House,โ€ which makes me happy and nostalgic.

    Tell me about your December. How was your Christmas? Did you learn anything worth remembering?

    _____________________

    I’m linking up with Emily Freeman, like I do at the end of every month. 

    {2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. 
    {2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. 

    Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

  • Merry & Bright

    ByKristin family, holiday, life, motherhood, Three Word Wednesday, weather

    This past weekend weโ€™ve had Christmas with Gregโ€™s two brothers and their families, watched the two oldest kids in a Christmas program at church, went to a potluck lunch with a couple of the Guatemala missionaries we served with this summer, and caroled at two local assisted living homes.

    It was a fun, Christmasy weekend.

    Rachel was wearing a cute โ€œmerry & brightโ€ outfit at Gran-Granโ€™s house. Iโ€™m glad we snapped some family pictures before Gregโ€™s brothers and their families arrived because Rachel promptly pooped on the white onesie.

    The kids had fun with their cousins โ€“ including my three, there are 11 total. The oldest turns 12 in a couple weeks, and the others are 10, 8, 6, 6, 5, 4, 2, 17 months, 5 months, and 3 months. We managed a couple pictures of all the cousins, my favorite of which is above.

    By the time Monday came, we were all glad to have a slow morning โ€“ well, you know, except Greg, who had to go on to work. The kids and I lounged around, ate a good breakfast, and caught up around the house on our first day of Christmas Break.

    Kids arenโ€™t the only ones who rejoice when Christmas Break comes around, yโ€™all. This momma is welcoming the break in our routine.

    But we did have to venture out on the rainy first day of break to the grocery. We needed bread, eggs, milk, cheese, and butter. For real, talk about being out of the basics. And we arenโ€™t even expecting snow. (If you donโ€™t live in the South, you may not know what Iโ€™m talking about.)

    In fact, apparently it could be 70 degrees for Christmas. And rainy. Again, in the South you never know what youโ€™ll get.

    Anyway, back to the grocery store, one kid didnโ€™t feel good, another was coughing, and the third was asking a million questions. But we made it โ€“ mostly smiling. I filled their bellies at Qdoba before we ventured into the grocery store, so maybe that move paid off. And then we got back to the van in the parking lot and I realized I left one door wide open โ€“ like I was inviting someone in, where I had $65 in cash sitting on the passenger front seat. Thankfully, nobody accepted my absent-minded invitation.

    We have some plans with friends tonight and tomorrow night. Weโ€™re doing Christmas Day here โ€“ partially at our house and partially with extended family at Gregโ€™s grandmaโ€™s house, which is conveniently next door to us. And then weโ€™re headed to Louisville to hang out with my family.

    Sometimes outfits get poop on them. Other times momma forgets to do the most ordinary tasks. Groceries still have to be bought and little bellies fed. Kids are loud, have lots of questions, and share germs.

    But itโ€™s still Christmas. So may your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white. (Or rainy. Whatever. Because merry & bright certainly doesnโ€™t mean perfect.)

    How are you celebrating Christmas?

    _____________________

    It’s the #Christmas edition of #ThreeWordWednesday at @kristinhtaylor’s place. Come gather with us! http://bit.ly/1PjKppU {Tweet that.}

    Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

  • Seven Things I Learned in March

    ByKristin food, JOY, music, Things I Learned, weather
    7 Comments


     I love this time of the year! March was full of basketball and transition from winter to spring, mostly. Dirt has been tracked in the house because the kids have been spending more time outside. That also means more showers are required! The days are longer, which I love for the evenings. Although we’ve all struggled to get up in the dark mornings since the time change at the beginning of the month.

     Without further ado, here are some snapshots of my month, at least the parts that didn’t involve watching basketball … 

    1. NEEDTOBREATHE is releasing a live album from the show I was at in September 2014! It was such a fun night and I’m so excited to have it to listen to over and over again. You’ll want it too!

    2. Third Day worship music is my favorite. I love the new stuff.

    3. I’m not a fan of mopey, rebellious Rory Gilmore. Like the one at the beginning of season six. Thankfully, I’m past that now.

    4. In the middle of wintry temps, just before a snow storm, a 65-degree day is possible. Like a reminder that spring is coming. We involved ice cream. In Murray, we have an old-fashioned, walk-up Dairy Queen that really does make ice cream taste better.

    Then later in the month, I had the air conditioning on one day and the heat on the next. We’ve worn flip flops and down vests in one week. Ah, Kentucky weather … 

    5. Pizza quesadillas are delicious. “Dashing Dish” inspired me. You’ll just need tortillas, pizza sauce, cheese, and any other toppings. So far we’ve used bacon and pepperoni, but the possibilities are endless.

    6. We (almost) sold our lake house. I don’t like that circumstances beyond our control dictated that we needed to, but I’m glad we have the sale under contract and we can move on. Maybe to another place on the lake one day. I still manage another vacation rental property at Kentucky Lake that someone else owns.

    7. Choosing joy is always good for my soul. Yeah, not new, I know. But here we are, three months into the new year, and God is still using my counting joys for the good.

    167. Ben working on learning to ride his bike. 168. America Adopts Daniel party and celebrating with friends. 169. Jaclyn’s birthday lunch & trivia night in the same day – more celebrations! 170. Long lunch at Tumbleweed between church & business meeting while UK wins 34th game. … 173. Being able to help Sarah with kids while Susannah was born. … 175. Getting hair colored, highlighted, and cut. 176. Walking outside, finally. … 181. Purging/organizing kids’ clothes. 182. Cate and Ben playing with neighbor kids. 183. Ben meeting Murray State’s Cam Payne.

    How was your March? Learn anything fun or interesting?
    ________________

    I’m linking up with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky. Read previous Things I Learned posts: {From 2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. {From 2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. November. December. {From 2015} January. February.

    Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.

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