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Stories from the Porch in March

March 27, 2019 by Kristin 24 Comments

Hey, #PorchStories friends! I’ve missed you. So let’s gather together and catch up. Other friends here, welcome! And I hope you stay awhile.

Oh, March Madness, you’re the best – in the basketball sense and in the seasonal sense as days warm up and the world becomes greener. As winter fades, I’m always grateful to live in a place where we truly have four seasons – sometimes in the same week – and get to remember how nothing stays the same.

Before you’re gone, let’s capture these March days.

Highlights

One of our favorite weekends of the year as a family is going to Evansville, Indiana, to watch our beloved Murray State Racers in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Whoever wins get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, so we especially loved watching our Racers win two exciting games to clinch the title. (Here’s a post about how being a sports fan helps me be a better mom. It’s true.)

Of course, we’ve loved watching basketball. Our Racers have never made it to the Sweet Sixteen, but we certainly enjoyed their rout of Marquette in the first round behind the amazing performance of Ja Morant, who’s predicted to go early in the NBA Draft as a sophomore.

We spent another weekend at the lake to celebrate my best friend Jaclyn’s birthday. The weather was nicer than we expected and the six kids who are currently 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, and 3 played outside for hours and hours. Us adults played many games of Settlers of Catan while watching basketball. It was such a soul-refreshing weekend and a good time to get our vacation rental at Kentucky Lake ready for the renters coming this spring and summer.

Favorite things

Jockey Being Family backpacks – My kids had the best time unpacking the personalized backpacks our friends at Jockey Being Family sent them and I was glad to learn more about this incredible foundation that supports adoptive families. (Read more about what their backpacks contained and how we befriended these fine folks.)

California Design Den sheets – I randomly was asked if I wanted to review some sheets and the timing was perfect because I put them on my bed right after the time change during a week when my sleep was especially disjointed. Even weeks later, we still love them. (Read more about them.)

QuiFit water bottle – A friend of mine posted about her enormous water bottle a few times and I was totally intrigued because I needed something to encourage me to drink more water. My friend has the 128-ounce bottle, but I didn’t think I’d haul that around with me so I ended up getting the 64-ounce one. It’s still big to take with me, but it has worked well. After a couple of weeks, I’m drinking every ounce each day. I love the time markers down the side and the words of encouragement to keep on drinking water. It really helps me pace myself throughout the day.

From the bookshelf

“When We Were Worthy” by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen – It’s been on my list for a while and I got nervous about the story starting with teenagers in a car wreck because I’m super sensitive to that sort of thing since becoming a mom. But I’m glad it read it. The story is told well from different characters’ points of view. As the characters process what happened, the reader learns more about one night in a town called Worthy. Suspense and compassion are intertwined in this well-written story.

“He Said / She Said” by Erin Kelly – I found myself staying up late last night, reading while blow drying my hair this morning, and wanting to ignore the rest of the world this afternoon to finish this book. Obviously, it’s a good one. The suspenseful story reflects on an incident 15 years earlier and its ripple effects in present day. Going back and forth between the years adds to the suspense and surprises.

“If God Is For Us: The Everlasting Truth of Our Great Salvation” by Trillia Newbell – I’m working through this six-week study on Romans 8 and really loving it. Two decades ago, God first drew me to him through Romans 8:28, so I’m learning so much about the context of that promise through this study. I wrote a longer review of this book and have a giveaway happening (HERE) this week. Go on and enter, my friends!

On the screen

With March Madness games and plenty of exciting basketball, we are a little behind in our usual shows, but “Blacklist” has been especially good lately. I’m also excited to watch “The Village,” a new show awaiting me on my DVR. My oldest girl and I have been into the “The Voice” and “Survivor.”

How was YOUR March? Tell me all about it!

*****

Here’s to sleeping comfortably!

March 12, 2019 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Our sleep has been messed up this week.

We went to a basketball game that didn’t start until a little after 9 p.m. Friday, had trouble checking into the hotel, and didn’t get in bed until 1 a.m. We spent Saturday hanging out with our friends and then went to a 7 p.m. basketball, stayed afterward a while to watch our team celebrate winning the conference tournament and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and then drove two hours home. We didn’t get into bed until after midnight and then the time changed.

We did get some lovely Kentucky weather on Sunday and slowed down to enjoy it, but we all still struggled Monday morning. I woke up with my youngest curled up beside me. I let her stay when I saw it was 4:50 a.m. when she showed up beside me. I usually don’t let her stay unless it’s morning — which she calls “happy out” — but I was too comfy to deal with sending her back to her room.

She moved over to the other side of the bed right before my alarm went off at 6:20 and then stayed until after 8 a.m., about an hour after “the kids,” as she calls her older siblings, had left for school with Dad.

Aside from the fact I wanted to sleep more, our new sheets were part of the reason I was so snuggled comfortably in bed.

Our new sheets are California Design Den’s 600-thread count, sateen weave set. The fabric is 100% pure cotton that features yarn structure to eliminate the possibility of pilling and has extra durable fitted elastic. The corners do fit my deep, queen, pillow-top mattress well. My husband and I both like the coolness of the sheets – both the spa color and the feel even after being under the comforter.

The head/foot of the sheets is marked with a tag, which makes making the bed a quicker chore because I wasn’t left wondering which way the fitted sheet went. I also like that the sheets and pillowcases are marked with size. This would be a great convenience at my lake house, where we have different size beds.

Sold on Amazon, California Design Den has many colors and sizes of sheets available as well as duvet covers and quilt sets. (Here are all the options.)

Here’s to sleeping comfortably – regardless of what else is happening in life!

*****

California Design Den approached me about reviewing a set of sheets, but these opinions are my own – and I certainly don’t joke around about sleep.

Seasons on the porch

March 6, 2019 by Kristin 15 Comments

I’m so eager to spend time on my real-life porch, but we keep having doses of winter temperatures. If the sunshine stayed out and we were on my porch together, overlooking the pool we’re all eager to open, I would tell you all the compartments of my mind feel full. And, truthfully, I have a hard time compartmentalizing anything. Everything on my mind spills over and runs together.

This full mental capacity isn’t bad. God just has me in situations that have required a lot of mental energy to stay intentional with living faithfully. And He’s reminding me of the beauty and purpose of seasons.

With that said, I’m needing to change up things here at the #PorchStories linkup. For this season in my life, I’m going to host this gathering monthly instead of weekly. I’m going to go ahead and have the linkup today because I truly love reading your stories. I love seeing you all support one another and watch this community grow.

Then I’ll settle into hosting #PorchStories the last Wednesday of each month. I’ll likely share my usual monthly roundup posts, but you’re welcome to share about whatever is going on in your life, how you’re seeing God, or what you’re learning. I’ll remind you on social media in the days before the linkup, and I’d love for you to bring along a new friend.

I’m still going to write other posts here during the month, I just need to free up a little mental space for all the other things in my ordinary life requiring my attention and thoughts. I also have other ideas and project I’d like to pursue and share with you. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to my emails and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

*****

#PorchStories Party