Kristin Hill Taylor

Happy birthday, Ben!

November 23, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I don’t know at what point kids’ ages stop sounding all grown up, but it’s not 14 years old. My boy Ben turns 14 today – yes on Thanksgiving! – and it sounds impossible and sudden to me. Even so, I love having big kids and am happy to celebrate him!

November has been an incredibly hard month for my boy. It’s a story I’ll probably share publicly at some point. For now, I’m giving thanks for Ben’s life and our community of people who love him well. We started celebrating on Sunday with eight of his friends and our dear friends the Gachokas who are like family. We had a delicious meal at Texas Roadhouse and then spent a couple of hours at Top Golf. The ride to and from Nashville was loud — with singing, middle school humor, and spicy hot takes.

The bigger picture: it’s not just these friends who love our boy, and I’m grateful to know so many have encouraged and supported him through the years. We’ve seen this real-life community in this hard season he’s facing, and we are so thankful to be surrounded by so much goodness. I’m praying my boy continues to soak in that truth.

Meanwhile, he loves making music playlists, watching videos from Mark Rober and Dude Perfect and How Ridiculous, building and taking apart pretty much anything, eating double bacon cheeseburgers, drinking Glacier Freeze Gatorade, collecting key chains and crazy socks, and playing soccer. He likes to anticipate what’s next, is a good friend to people, and would rather not be at school.

I’m proud of his bravery to work through hard things and look forward to seeing what God continues to do in his life.

*****

Ben,

You’re brave and bold. I’m thankful to call you my son and watch you be a friend to so many people. I pray you know you’re loved by God, your family, and your friends. Walking through this world can be hard and dark, but there’s so much goodness in the light.

Keep being you and following where God leads. I love being on this journey with you! Happy birthday, son!

Love, Mom

*****

I share more of Ben’s story in my book “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family,” which is available for FREE through Nov. 26 on Amazon.

Look back on my boy’s life: 1 year old. 2 years old. 3 years old. 4 years old. 5 years old. 6 years old. 7 years old. 8 years old. 9 years old. 10 years old. 11 years old. 12 years old. 13 years old.

Favorite Christmas Gift Ideas

November 17, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Accessories

Bombas socks – I know, they’re kind of expensive. But I love how the ankle socks feel on my feet and in my shoes.

Braided band for my Apple Watch – I asked my 16-year-old daughter to find me a watch band that was comfortable and dried easily. This is what she came up with, and I love it. In fact, I recently ordered a second one.

Crossbody bag – I have loved this Lululemon one for a while, but I found an even better and cheaper one on Amazon. Truly, hooray for liking the off-brand one better!

Madewell bag with flower strap – My friend Ashlee carries this Madewell bag and I loved it so much I bought it too. I didn’t love the thin strap on it. I probably put too much stuff in my “medium tote.” But I bought a wide, pretty strap on Amazon and it makes the bag nearly perfect.

Pura Vida bracelets – I have loved these for a while for myself and others, but I found this Daybreak one that matches my new book. There are so many options and colors – and they make great gifts!

Household

Blink outdoor security cameras – I’ve shared about these before, but they’re easy to set up and use. I can see movement on my porches, which I especially like at night or if the kids are home alone. We recently added the doorbell to our system.

Line-a-day journal – I’ve gifted so many of these. It’s a journal that gives you space to write a sentence or two for each day for five years. I’m on my second journal, and I’m going to keep giving them away like candy. Documenting my day briefly each night before bed as become over the past five-plus years one of my very favorite habits.

Pellet ice maker – This is our second counter ice maker and I love it! It’s bigger than our previous one and makes the soft, crunchy Sonic ice. (PLUS it’s currently on sale!)

Pioneer Woman stuff – Pretty much of any of these kitchen & household accessories would make great gifts. I have plastic plates and bowls, mixing bowls, various utensils, cookware, and an Instant Pot in her lovely designs. I’ve gifted items in the past and will likely again in the very near future.

Technology

AirPods – My eldest has AirPods on her wish list. She has some she’s used for years, but she lost one. I saw Walmart and Amazon had them on sale right now.

Echo Show – We have this Alexa in our kitchen, and it’s so convenient! We set timers, ask her questions, find recipes and ingredient substitutions, and add items to our grocery list. It’s a great helper in the hub of our household. (And you can save 62% right now!)

Kindle Oasis – Like a Paperwhite, but this Kindle has page-turning buttons. Y’all, it’s waterproof and there’s no glare. It’s the best for hauling around a ton of books on a device that’s about the size of a mass market paperback, although it’s much thinner than that.

Toys & Games

I don’t love giving toys as gifts, but if I’m going to I lean toward activity and building toys like Legos or Magna Tiles. Amazon has lots of options on sale right now. So many of these are things my kids – especially the second-grade girl and teenage boy – would love.

I do love giving family games as gifts. We have so many favorites! Several are included in this sale, such as Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Mancala, Phase 10, Rummikub, and Blokus. (Here are other favorite family games!)

Handheld video games – We don’t allow much playing on phones for my 8-year-old girl and 13-year-old boy, but I don’t mind these handheld games. They are great for car trips or waiting rooms. They also think I’m kind of cool because I know how to play Mario Bros.

Services

Audible – If you know someone who likes to listen to books as they drive around or do chores at home, consider gifting a subscription like this. Trust me, they’ll appreciate it.

Book of the Month – Way better than Jelly of the Month, this gives the gift each time your loved once received a blue box with an early or new release they’ve chosen. Again, as a reader myself, what a great gift!

Crunch Labs – Ben gets excited each month when these boxes show up on our porch. It’s a great subscription box for my teenager who loves to build things. Plus the whole family likes Mark Rober’s videos that go along with the projects.

Walmart delivery – I am a paying member of Walmart+ and don’t regret it. When my groceries and household items show up on my porch while I’m working, I feel like I’m multi-tasking in the best ways! Plus you get other perks, like free, quick shipping on items not available in the local store. (Save $20 if you sign up through this link!)

YouTube TV – We ditched cable a while ago and love this streaming option. The channel selection is good and it’s cheaper than cable. (Save $15 if you subscribe through this link!)

Online shopping tip!

‘Tis the season! Here we are shopping online, so who doesn’t want some extra money to come their way?! That’s what Rakuten does! I have the extension installed on my Chrome browser on my MacBook and the app on my phone. Just look up the store from which you’re going to shop or use the Rakuten website and earn cash back from so many places.

How to teach kids to take care of home

November 17, 2023 by Kristin Leave a Comment

My kids know I want things – all the things – to be put away in their home. Everything has a home. The dirty laundry goes in a basket. The dirty dishes go to the sink. The trash goes to the trash can. Yet, I find myself repeating these things often!

While I understand the value of keeping an orderly household by cleaning, decluttering, and just general organization, it’s not really like that for most kids. Mine are currently 16, almost 14, and 8. They know, but they don’t know, you know? Most kids need to have this instilled into them, learn it, and grasp it in order for it to truly happen. Just like teaching them how to take care of themselves.

But chances are, you probably know that getting your kids to understand the importance of taking care of the house can not only lighten your load but also instill valuable life skills in them. So, how can we do this? I probably shouldn’t actually be offering advice because I’m still teaching this, but here we go:

Lead by example

One thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that children are keen observers. Believe it or not, they learn a great deal from watching their parents. So, you’re going to have to demonstrate good habits by consistently taking care of your own belongings and participating in household chores. Your actions serve as a powerful model for your kids, showcasing the importance of responsibility and teamwork.

That’s right, I clean up after myself generally in hopes they will do – and because I function better with less clutter and messes.

Establish routines

For every part of the house, both inside and out, there needs to be a routine, and sometimes, this is going to vary based on the season. So, just keep in mind that consistency is key when instilling habits. When children know what to expect, it becomes a natural part of their routine, reducing resistance and making the process more seamless.

We have seasonal routines around here with tending to our pool and yard. These chemicals go in the pool each week and the yard needs to be mowed every week or so. My kids have learned these routines because they’re just part of our summer lives.

It doesn’t always have to be about them doing the chores, but it’s also about getting them to understand the importance of taking care of the home. So even if you’re planning on hiring professionals, such as for pressure washing service, then you can still explain to them why it matters and why it needs to be done. Or you can teach your teenage son to pressure wash, which is one thing we’ve done recently.

Explain why

Kids are usually more likely to cooperate when they understand the purpose behind their actions or what needs to be done in general. So, you just need to explain to them that taking care of the house is a shared responsibility since everyone in the house lives there. You’ll need to, of course, explain it in a way that gets them to understand that it’s not punishment, but rather it’s help. And then I kindly ask my second-grader to unload the dishwasher.

Teamwork

We talk about our family being a team often – and our home is definitely our practice field. If we can work together here, we can work together anywhere. Try to discuss how everyone in the family plays a role in maintaining a clean and comfortable living space. This honestly can help create a strong family dynamic.

How do your kids help you care for your home?