Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Fifteen

May 6, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Cate’s birthday is perfectly situated right between my birthday and Mother’s Day. Her life is a gift over and over again for me. She made me a mom and her life continues nudging me to be a better person. 

Another woman gave her life and chose me to be her mom – a gift beyond anything I can truly adequately express my appreciation. Truthfully, as I get old and my firstborn girl gets older, the gift of adoption seems more complicated and more beautiful. In so many ways parenting Cate has come naturally because she’s so much like me. Physically, I didn’t think she’d look like Greg and me, but she blends right in, a sweet reminder God had a plan greater than anything I could have scripted. And, believe me, I tried. 

Cate is a kind leader, country music fan, aspiring photographer, an introvert who loves a night at home with no plans, and a basketball fan. She’s finishing her freshman year and already thinking about what comes next. I’ve watched her navigate shifts in some friendships this year. 

I joke about her building a house on the other side of our property, but maybe I’m not really joking. My daughter is someone I have chosen since the day I met her in an Indiana hospital room and will always want to choose. It’s a sweet thing to truly like the girl you’ve been gifted to raise. 

I love having Cate sit next to me upfront in the minivan so we can talk about her day and our lives. Rachel asks regularly from the seat behind us, “Why do you guys always chit-chat?” I’m thankful we have so much to say to each other and that I get to be Cate’s mom. 

Happy 15th birthday, Catherine Anna. Your life is a gift to me, your dad, your brother, your sister, your relatives, your friends, and the world. Watching you grow and become has been another gift to me. I know you’re going to do great things because you live out the story God began before you were even born. Let’s keep chit-chatting about it all. 

*****

Look back on her life: One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Baptism. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Of course, you can read more about her birth, adoption story, and early life in my book, “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” too.

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Help kids have healthy eating habits

May 6, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I have one kid who loves to eat meat. I have one daughter who loves vegetables. And I have a third daughter who grazes but eats a variety of foods. I’m not a strict mom when it comes to food choices, but I do prioritize sitting down to dinner together. Of course, those dinner meals aren’t always smooth, people often have complaints about food, and I have to remind at least one kid to sit down. 

In addition to prioritizing family dinners, I also want to champion healthy eating at our home. Here are some ways we can do that:

Make cooking a family activity

Most of us take more interest in meals we have made ourselves, and we’re more inclined to give new dishes a go if we’ve played a part in their creation. There will be times parents (me definitely included!) want a quick, easy dish for the family with minimal hassle, but it’s a great idea to let your children help out if you have time. Make cooking a family-friendly activity, let your children help out in the kitchen, and encourage them to share ideas for dishes they’d like to try to cook with you. When I need meal ideas, I often find inspiration in my kids’ suggestions. They know how to add foods to our grocery list, thanks to Alexa. Of course, sometimes I Google quick, simple ideas like a garlic aioli recipe or other side dishes.  

Talk to children about nutrition

When promoting healthy eating, nutrition not dieting should be the focus. Each body is reliant on the nutrients it needs to function properly. Talk to your kids about why healthy eating is beneficial, highlight the benefits of eating different foods, and explain what different ingredients and products offer. 

I try to include a fruit or vegetable with almost every meal we make at home, even if that’s sliced apples with the Red Baron pizza. I know my youngest two kids are less likely to eat sauteed vegetables with the rest of us, so I will often cut up a cucumber for them to share. Feeding your family doesn’t have to be complicated!

Of course, food fuels us physically, but I believe food can be the catalyst to deep, meaningful relationships too. I wrote a whole book about that.

Make mealtimes enjoyable

It’s important for children to have a positive relationship with food, but it’s not always easy to achieve this goal. If you’re eager to encourage your kids to embrace healthy eating, make mealtimes enjoyable. Sit down together as much as possible, chat about the day, catch up, and put phones and devices down. Take this time to engage with each other. This month we’ve started an “Attitude of Gratitude” activity during which each person names what they’re thankful for from that day. I record the gratitude gifts in a journal. (And, yes, I’ve referenced Ben Rector’s song “Thank You” as we do this.)

Most parents go through times when getting children to try new foods or eat healthily is a challenge. If you’re keen to encourage your kids to take an interest in healthy eating, cook together, try new recipes, talk to your children about the importance of nutrition, and make mealtimes a fun, regular part of the day.

Also, I need meal inspiration, if anyone has any easy, delicious recipes to send my way!

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How to organize your home

April 28, 2022 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I love order more than everyone else in my family, but life is busy and messy. Even so, I’m always trying to implement habits and routines that help bring the chaos of five people living together under one roof to some kind of structure. 

Create Positive Morning Routines

Oh, this may be the hardest habit to create here. A couple of the extreme extroverts love the mornings. They sing and play and pester those of us who aren’t as chipper in the morning. My work-before-play is also in full force each morning. 

Even so, creating a positive morning routine for the whole family is definitely a must when you want to enjoy your time together and set yourselves up for the day ahead. We cross paths in the kitchen as we’re eating breakfast and packing lunches or snacks for the day. One kid doesn’t come out of her room until she’s ready to leave. The youngest has to be kept on task the most. 

But one thing that has been good for all of us is reading a devotion together once we’re in the minivan together on the way to school. We worked our way through “Roar Like a Lion” by Levi Lusko recently and it helped us individually and collectively so much as it prompted conversations about home and school life. (Here’s a review I wrote about “Roar Like a Lion.”)

Put events on a calendar

Using a noticeboard in the family home is definitely something that you should think about doing if you want to make sure that your whole family stays on track. It takes a little bit of the chaos and confusion out of the equation if you know when upcoming events and appointments are. Right now, my kindergartner likes to mark off the days on the wall calendar we have hanging in our kitchen. It helps give her some perspective on days. 

A shared Google Calendar has greatly improved the communication between Greg and me. I can see his work calendar and add things he needs to know about to our family calendar. He can choose whether to see my own personal appointments and commitments. It’s definitely been a good way to keep us on the same scheduling page. 

Make meal plans

I like to meal plan, and I like to ask my husband and kids for their ideas while I’m making that plan. Sometimes they have really good food inspiration! Planning meals makes our afternoons flow a little easier. Often, I plan a few different meals with the freedom to swamp which day I use them. If I know I’m going to have to leave for an evening meeting or prep dinner quickly after soccer practice, I may plan a Crock Pot meal. 

Clean out regularly

Clutter stresses me out. Often I have a pile of items to donate going. I’ll toss in clothes the kids have outgrown or items we no longer need. You can sell Barbies and other old toys that are no longer used by your older kids as you get rid of clothes that are now too small.

Give belongings homes

“Each thing has a home” and “Like items go together” are things I’m often telling my kids. Books go with books. Clothes with clothes. Toiletries in the bathroom. Shoes in the closet. Jackets on the coat rack. For a long time, we stored wintry accessories in a catch-all storage closet, but then I realized making them more accessible in the drawers in our foyer meant people would be quicker to put away their hats and gloves. 

The world is messy, so having a structured home is efficient and brings peace. Routines help bring about that order in ways that work for your family.

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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 ninth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear sixth-grade boy, and our joy-filled kindergarten 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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  • Help kids have healthy eating habits
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  • Let’s come before the throne
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School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #mo School’s out FOR THE SUMMER! #88daysofsummer #momlife #siblinglove #summerisbest #maydays
I’m proud of myself for … … surviving and t I’m proud of myself for …

… surviving and thriving this school year. I resist change almost all of the time, and the past nine months have been full of so many transitions for our whole family. I know, that’s life, but these changes seem like the kind that will mark us forever. 

My kids navigated new beginnings in kindergarten, middle school, and high school. As a mom, sometimes I’m too close to see the growth, but this year it happened in each of them right before my eyes. They navigated friendship hurdles, embraced new friends, and settled a little more into who God created them to be. Middle school isn’t for the faint of heart, but I feel like I’ve come out of this year closer to my son, so I will take it. 

I’m proud of myself for leaning into where God has me. I’ve grown deeper friendships, invested in my kids’ school as a board member and business manager, and seen God work in our ordinary days. 

Y’all know I’m a summer girl, so I’m proud of myself through getting through the winter and coming into summer stronger and braver. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #summerisbest #bettertogether
I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book sooner. I loved so much about it, but I did want some of her stories to be  less repetitive and offer more practical advice for living out “radical, ordinary hospitality.” Rosaria Butterfield defines hospitality like this as sharing what you have in real time, preparing to continually life this lifestyle, and bringing strangers in so they become neighbors who become family. 

I took notes throughout, but especially during the introduction. I came away with an appreciation that hospitality can involve lists, schedules, and habits. I felt encouraged, even if I thought the book could have been organized better to include practical tips and other people’s stories. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #audiobooks #livingfaithfully #bookreview #booklover
Something I don’t usually share (online) … I Something I don’t usually share (online) …

I am an opinionated person, but I don’t usually share political opinions on social media. People who know me in real life know I value being pro-life, having less government involvement in our everyday lives, defining marriage as God intended it, and being fiscally conservative. As a former newspaper reporter, I still get excited about elections. I admittedly pay a little less attention in the almost 15 years I haven’t been in a newsroom. But I still care and have plenty of opinions. 

I voted today in Kentucky’s Primary Election. I’m thankful for the freedom to share my opinion by darkening some blocks on a paper ballot. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #reallife #livingfaithfully
Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

#NTBlive #needtobreathe #bettertogether #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully #weekending
Happiness is … … a slow morning that gave me Happiness is …

… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #soccermom #KHTreads #momlife #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #poolpeople #PorchStories
I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlebooks #booklover #kindlepaperwhite #reallife #weekending #recommendedreads #poolpeople #amreading
Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of s Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of school next week and then it’s #88daysofsummer! Obviously, we’re ready. ☀️ 

Here’s to a refreshing weekend with much anticipation of what’s to come! #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #summerisbest #poolpeople #PorchStories #maydays
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve already bou ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve already bought three copies of “Glad You’re Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences” by @walkerhayes and @craigallencooper to gift to specific friends. I’ve referenced this story in conversations this week and will likely recommended it for years to come. 

This story is about two seemingly different guys befriending each other because their kids were on the same baseball team and their wives became friends. They kept showing for each other, encouraged each other, and changed each other for the better. In fact, their friendship was the catalyst for Walker deciding to follow Christ. 

Give me Applebee’s on a date night, a real-life story of how we are eternally better together, and an audiobook that makes me want to drive and I’m a happy girl. I’m fancy like that. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #hospitalitymatters #audiobooks #booklover #favoritethings
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