Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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How to host a party

June 2, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Hospitality makes others feel at home when it happens in the midst of real life. - Kristin Hill Taylor, Bringing Home More Than Groceries #morethangroceries

Ah, sweet summertime, aka, my favorite time to host get-togethers! Yes, it’s a little humid in Kentucky, but I love gathering on my covered porch next to the pool with friends anyway. We started out the summer hosting a family reunion at our vacation rentals at Kentucky Lake. Then we dove into hosting some middle school boys, some high school girls, and some of my friends. I’ve always wanted our house to be where people of all ages gather, so mission accomplished. 

I think about hosting the best get-together as helping others make memories. There are many elements that come into play when hosting a party, regardless of whether it is a casual gathering or something more formal – and, if you’re like me, casual parties are the way to go!

And now the summer is rolling around, more people will be hosting soirees and getting their nearest and dearest together for some good old-fashioned fun. Here’s how to make your new party go with a bang and ensure everyone has the best time. 

Relax

You can drive yourself crazy, running around in circles trying to please everyone. Even the date you choose won’t work for everyone, and that’s okay! Plus I’ve learned nobody really cares if your house is completely spotless. Yes, I tidy up, but I don’t aim for perfection with the floors, windows, and countertops anymore. Like anything in life, there are bound to be interruptions and unexpected moments, regardless of how well everything is planned. 

Food & drinks

A good party needs food and drinks. Of course, you can provide everything or plan a potluck where others contribute to the menu. I do both kinds of parties regularly and appreciate both ways. I do keep our extra fridge in the laundry room stocked with drinks, and regulars at my house know they can help themselves to a Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper Zero, Capri Sun, or bottled water. 

Whether you’re hosting a BBQ or taco bar, try this taco dip recipe that everyone will love as a side dish. I’ve become known for “cowboy caviar,” French toast bake, chicken spaghetti, and jalapeno ranch dip – all of which come from recipes I’ve gathered from other places! 

Seating 

Because I usually have informal parties, kids have been known to eat their dinner on the trampoline or beside the pool. I did recently buy some additional chairs from Lowe’s to accommodate more people on our porch. Inside, we have a big dining room table, another table for six in the kitchen, and four bar stools to go at our kitchen counter. Options! Of course, there are some lounge chairs by the pool as well as two tables and lots of chairs on our porch. 

Pest repellant

One of the most frustrating things about hosting outdoor parties is that they attract all manner of pests. You don’t want pests, from ants to flies, mosquitoes, and more, on your guest list. We brought out some bug spray the other night because a couple of our guests were getting bitten by mosquitoes. Nobody wants that. I need to break out the citronella candles next time too. Of course, we depend on our cats to deter other pests! 

Conclusion

Parties are supposed to be fun for the host and all the guests, and focusing on bringing joy to your gathering can serve you better than concentrating on the small details and overthinking what is going on. Ensure everyone has something to eat, drink, and somewhere to be comfortable – and everything will work out.

*****

I write more about hospitality in my book, “Bringing Home More Than Groceries: Stories About Gathering & Nourishing People.” (Learn more about that here.)

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How to take care of yourself

April 19, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I’ve lived in landlocked Kentucky all my (almost) 44 years. I love it here, but sometimes I feel trapped. Going to the shoreline, even of Kentucky Lake, helps me take a deep breath and regroup. I actually did that in the middle of the week because anxiety and overwhelm were swirling around in my head. I needed to tend to some things at my vacation rental, but I really needed a deep breath of fresh air. 

I’m notorious for going and going and going and doing and doing and doing until I am forced to take a break. I thought I had taken a healthy, long break on Spring Break, but I dived right back into life with decisions and feelings. I needed to regroup, again – and it was only Wednesday.  

Our world loves to talk about self-care. And, honestly, I’m not really into that phrase, but I am into squeezing in some moments of caring for myself as I go about this crazy life. 

In general, when we don’t take time out for ourselves and our regular duties, we can become tired and stressed. Those feelings can build on one another and leave us overwhelmed. This isn’t good for ourselves or anyone around us. Just ask my husband! 

Regrouping to focus on our physical, mental, and spiritual health is necessary. You may not be able to take a whole self-care day, but we can all find some time to tend to our own hearts and souls before we move on to the next thing. 

Delegate duties

I have to remind myself it’s okay to ask for help. My husband and kids live here too. My friends are willing to help. Groceries can be delivered. Chores can wait. Hire a house cleaner. I have to remind myself not everything had to get done in one day.

I love to cook, but sometimes caring for myself involves not preparing a meal so I can use that time for something else. After soccer practice, you’re liking to find us eating some chicken strips or visiting the local steakhouse. On these nights, not only do I not cook, but I also don’t have to do the dishes!

Declutter

Clutter impacts my mental state, so cleaning the house – even quickly – helps restore order and peace. I especially love donating the pile of clothes that don’t fit the kids anymore and taking out the trash. 

Change the scenery 

Sometimes stepping away from chores and work is the best thing. Restoring peace also means I’ll be more productive later. So take that walk – even just down your driveway, around the block, or through the woods. It doesn’t have to be long or fancy, just get in some steps and clear your head. I like to talk with a friend, listen to music or a podcast, or pray while I walk. Sometimes even nature sounds alone help soothe my soul.

I also have to change my mental scenery sometimes. When I am anxious or overwhelmed, I tend to believe lies and have to fight for the truth to come back to the forefront of my mind. Often I do this by talking with someone I trust, praying and meditating, slowing down, and listening to a playlist I put together called “Things That Are True.” (Listen on Spotify or Apple Music.)

Do what you enjoy

Free time shouldn’t always be spent catching up on a household or work project. Rather, take time to do something you enjoy. I’m likely to read a book, watch a TV show, plan a trip, catch up with a friend, or take photos. 

Be grateful

Don’t let the busyness of life drown out the gifts. When I get overwhelmed, I love to turn on a playlist that prompts me to thank God for all the goodness in my life. When I start writing or reciting in my head all the gifts, the overwhelm and stress subsides. Writing a gratitude list helps me appreciate real-life gifts, people, and places when life feels stressful and overwhelming. Gratitude helps me reframe situations: Chores become ways to bless people and trials become ways to see the truth.

Call it self-care or whatever else, but we all need to care of our minds and hearts. I know firsthand what happens if we don’t and nobody we love needs that version of us. 

How do you take care of yourself in the midst of everyday life?

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How to enjoy winter days at home

December 19, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

God has made each season beautiful and appropriate in its own time. - Kristin Hill Taylor, Bringing Home More Than Groceries #morethangroceries

Y’all know I’m a summer girl, but cozy, slow mornings or evenings at home are one of the perks of winter. Yes, days are short and temperatures colder than I’d prefer, but let’s look on the bright side of these colder times of the year. Even though I’m not sure about the single-digit weather coming our way later this week, I’ll have to take advantage of my warm house and some cozy activities!

Pajama mornings

I just told someone today I’m craving a slow morning in my pajamas. We have some plans during Christmas Break, but I purposefully didn’t make any early morning appointments. To wake up without an alarm and be able to stay in comfy clothes for a few hours will be a treat for us all in my house. My son will make hot chocolate, my oldest daughter will sleep in the longest, and my youngest will sneak into my bed to snuggle with me. I love making pancakes (especially this Cracker Barrel copycat recipe) or French toast on our griddle. 

Game nights

Game nights are our favorite winter social activities! Inviting people over in the summer comes more naturally with our pool and porch, but there are fun winter opportunities too. We have friends over to watch our favorite Murray State Racers basketball team or play board games. There are many new board games out there, and I even bought my kids some for Christmas! (Here are some of our other favorites!) 

Prepare meals

I like to cook more in the winter too. Warm casseroles and soups hit the spot and provide good meals. Sometimes it’s just as easy to cook for more people, so we will invite friends over to share Taco Soup with us. I have a couple of meat lovers in my house, so maybe I need to learn new ways to make the best tomahawk steak at Jerkyholic.com or embrace baking a little more! I do love baked goods, but I’d rather cook the main courses. 

Get outside 

Of course, I’m tempted not to leave my house in the winter, but getting outside – even in the cold – is always good for my soul. Thankfully, we live where we have lots of wide-open spaces to roam, so walking through our woods, down the logging road, or even down the street is always a welcome break from the indoors. My kids like when it snows – and then they’re most definitely interested in getting outside! Yes, and then Ben will make more hot chocolate to warm himself right up! 

How do you like to spend your winter days?

*****

Hospitality matters in every season, and I share some ways to connect with others even in winter in the free printable that goes with my book, “Bringing Home More Than Groceries: Stories About Gathering & Nourishing People.”

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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  • How to host a party
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🎶 All throughout my history / Your faithfulness 🎶 All throughout my history / Your faithfulness has walked beside me / The winter storms made way for spring / In every season, from where I'm standing / I see the evidence of Your goodness / All over my life … 🎶 @joshbaldwin in “Evidence”

I love summer. But my summer has started off busy: appointments, book edits deadline, establish new habits with the kids at home. All that’s necessary and good, it just cuts into my down time beside the pool. 

Today we have two open gyms for our basketball players, my book study with a few friends, a new weekly high school girls’ book study at our house, and a monthly dad-son character study. 

I long for a little more white space on the calendar, but I also wouldn’t change a thing because the kids are only 16, 13, and 7 once. This summer will only be this summer once. And I’ve already learned time flies with big kids. 

So here we are finding out footing, singing praises with church friends on our porch, grilling delicious chicken, and squeezing in the wide-open spaces when we can. This is evidence of the good stuff. 

#84daysofsummer #poolpeople #momlife #momconfessions #faithlife #livingfaithfully #favoritethings #choosingJOY #countryliving #reallife #PorchStories
The Hill family reunion at @shelterpointretreat ha The Hill family reunion at @shelterpointretreat has become a favorite tradition to kick off summer! The weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed one another. 

#familyreunion #lakelife #kentuckylake #kylake #getoutside #familytime #memorialday #memorialdayweekend #favoritethings #84daysofsummer #summerisbest #choosingJOY
Hello, #84daysofsummer! ☀️ #TeamTaylor #girl Hello, #84daysofsummer! ☀️ 

#TeamTaylor #girlmom #boymom #momlife #reallife #summerisbest #siblinglove #countryliving #poolpeople #getoutside
First of all, who else has read this book? The plo First of all, who else has read this book? The plot was promising as a thriller and the setting really worked. There were some good twists, and then there were ridiculous twists. I skimmed the end only because I wanted it to make sense. And it didn’t. It was too weird for me. 

But this made me wonder: how do we know if a book is going to be weird, contain elements we don’t like, or go places that don’t make sense? I don’t like to read much about a book before I read the book. Usually, I do a better job of picking books for myself. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #donotrecommend #bookofthemonth @bookofthemonth
I needed this low-key weekend that was pleasant we I needed this low-key weekend that was pleasant weather, a mixture of productivity and rest, and had plenty of wide-open space to enjoy our property and each other. 

#weekending #TeamTaylor #poolpeople #countryliving #favoritethings #choosingJOY #maydays
And that’s a wrap on soccer season! I love watch And that’s a wrap on soccer season! I love watching them both play. 

#soccermom #weekending #springtime #momlife #girlmom #boymom
On Mothers Day, I wanted to sit by the pool with a On Mothers Day, I wanted to sit by the pool with a book, but I didn’t know what I wanted to read. Whenever I have indecision about books, picking up a thriller usually helps because of the story’s pace. 

“The Only Survivors” worked well because there was a lot happening! Lots of creepy, mysterious moments. Only so many people could be guilty of infiltrating a small group who had lots of secrets! 

I loved the timeline of this one. The back story about an accident was told in seven one-hour segments. The present mystery was told in seven days. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #latergram #bookofthemonth @bookofthemonth #poolpeople #mothersday
Y’all we are very ready for summer. ☀️ And Y’all we are very ready for summer. ☀️ 

And when I say summer, I mean we are ready to shake up the routine, mentally regroup, turn off the alarms, establish some new habits, soak in the sun, and catch up with friends we’ve been crossing paths with too quickly. 

I want to savor the #84daysofsummer and I want to embrace this new season. And it’s almost time. Three more days of school. (Deep breaths.) 

Meanwhile, I’m going to keep collecting the moments — the hard, hurried, happy, and heartfelt. The seasons do change, but this is the life we are living. 

“The moments you collect may not be loud or flashy. They might be quiet or covered or a far-off view you were lucky to catch. But this I know to be true: A moment savored says to your soul, ‘You have lived something beautiful.’ And it keeps you buoyed. It sustains you when you’re running empty. It lifts you up and carries you forward.” — Joanna Gaines in @magnolia summer 2023 journal issue no. 27 

#momlife #reallife #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #summerisbest #teenagedriver #choosingJOY
I’ve read quite a few World War II novels, but t I’ve read quite a few World War II novels, but this one by Soraya M. Lane focused on three nurses, their friendships, and how the war changed their lives. It’s a hard story, but it’s full of love and hope despite the destruction around them. 

And it’s the second historical fiction audiobook I’ve listened to in a row! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #audiobooks #Audible #KindleUnlimited #historicalfiction
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