7 Things I Learned in October

We’re settled in as a family of five and things are are going well. So well, I can’t believe we’re at the end of October. Maybe more people makes time go faster ... okay, probably not. Even so, here are tidbits from my month ...

1. More Gilmore Girls is coming!

Specifically, four 90-minute episodes on Netflix in 2016. Whoo-hoo! You can find all kinds of articles on Google, but here’s the first one I read when the news hit social media.

2. My baby girl is petite but strong.

She’s measuring in the 25th percentile in both height and weight, but she also likes to be on her belly and hold her head up. I can’t believe she’ll be six weeks old tomorrow!

3. A little glue can help a head wound well.

I don’t mean Elmer’s, although the surgical glue seemed about the same! Ben tripped at the playground during Fall Break and landed face-first on the ground … and apparently on a rock that punctured his head. (Yes, this is his second rock-induced injury, if you’re keeping track.)

4. The 62nd of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses is my favorite: “The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.”

I read through all of the 95 statements, propositions and questions that Luther wrote, thus prompting the Protestant Reformation, because I was organizing an activity for Reformation Day – which happens to be today at my kids’ school.

5. The Marketside BBQ Chopped Salad from Walmart is amazing.

So amazing, I went in Walmart, which I usually avoid, JUST FOR THE SALAD. And AFTER I already grocery shopped across the street at Kroger. I may be obsessed. I just wish I could order the salad online …

6. Thanksgiving is just as good a month early.

We have a tradition celebrating Thanksgiving with three other families. (If you’ve read my ebook, I talk about this tradition and these people in there.) Well, unfortunately, one of those families is moving, so we celebrated early. I’m so glad we did. Sure, Thanksgiving comes officially in November, but giving thanks is good any time of the year. And the turkey, dressing, green beans, jalapeno corn, rolls, cheesecake, and strawberry cake tasted as good as ever.

(And, no, I did not make the turkey this year. Praise God!)

7. Political sign stakes can effectively double as hot dog roasters.

I learned this because I suggested it to Greg earlier this month when we decided to have an impromptu hot dog roast for dinner with friends and didn’t have an wire hangers. It worked well, which I can say confidently based on the tastiness of the end result.

Tell me about your October. How did you spend it? What did you learn?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman for my favorite monthly recaps. Read other Things I Learned posts ::

{2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. 

{2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. 

July. August. September. October. November. December. 
{2015} January. February. March. April. May. June. 
July. August. September.

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."

Six Things I Learned in September

If you follow me at all on social media or we hang out in real life, then you probably know Team Taylor became five this month. How's it going you may want to ask? The simple answer: It's going well. Rachel fits in our family. God continues to show us how he makes beauty from ashes through adoption.

But, obviously, I'm not usually one for short answers. I've told some stories already about Rachel, her birth, her adoption, and our family, and I will tell more. Fun note: Today was her due date, but we've gotten to have her nine days already!

For now, let's wrap up some randomness from September before yet another 2015 month escapes me. And, yes, beginning with the baby-related items ...

1. People really like baby pictures and stories. 

Okay, well, maybe this isn't news. But as soon I started posting picture of newborn Rachel and sharing more about our adoption story on Facebook, people started giving my posts thumbs up.

If you didn't know we're adopting a baby girl who was born Sept. 19, catch up here:

We're adopting again!

Generosity in adoption

Team Taylor welcomes Rachel!

Opening up about open adoption

2. Hallmark had a fabulous baby book with adoption option pages.

Cate and Ben have baby books in binders that include pages from a regular baby book and additional pages I printed and made to tell their adoption story. They're like scrapbooks meet baby books. Rachel's is going to be more of the same but with a different starting point because Hallmark has a great baby book with optional pages and room for other homemade ones to be added.

{That's not even an affiliate link. I really just like this baby book.}

3. I can have bulk groceries delivered to my front porch.

Okay, I know about {and love to use!} Amazon's Prime Pantry, which has some groceries, and ePantry, which sells household products, but Boxed is new to me. It's like a mail-order version of Costco. And there's an app.

My first order included Gatorade, Mandarin oranges in snack-sized cups, paper plates, allergy medicine and contact solution. But next time it's going to include fruit snacks, chips, noodles, and all sorts of other things I'm currently stocked up on.

Did I mention a bulk purchase of paper plates?! Exactly 170 paper places, to be precise. Hello, perfect timing, as I cuddle my newborn.

You can join in the fun! Use 28SI6 at check out and you'll save $15 on your first order PLUS GET FREE SHIPPING. Now, there's always free shipping for orders totaling at least $75.

4. Making my son's bunk beds into a tent earned me cool mom points and helped him sleep later!

Ben is the epitome of a morning person. He wakes up ready to go and isn't usually quiet about that. A few weeks ago, we were in the process of taking some down curtains and putting up blinds instead. Like many household projects, it took longer than expected because the lady at the store told us to get the wrong width of blinds based on my window measurements.

During the week, it didn't matter if his window wasn't covered because he has to get up for school. But one Saturday I was hoping to sleep in. And by "sleep in," I mean I hoped not to wake up until the 7 o'clock hour.

So I darkened his bunk beds with a tent. And it worked.

Now that his blinds are up, the tent is still up. Because, hello, I'm a cool mom who still wants to sleep in.

5. Losing teeth is a weird process.

Well, okay, really, I don't deal with the actual losing of teeth. Cate lost her 10th tooth this month. After losing nine teeth is in 16 months {starting the month after she turned 5}, she hadn't lost one in 23 months. Crazy.

{I'm not really a numbers person, but I like when numbers tell stories.}

Meanwhile, Ben is two months from turning 6 and doesn't have a loose tooth.

6. A Precept Upon Precept study is perfect for a girl who has always liked school supplies. 

Hello, colored pens! I joined a Bible study this month at a big church that's nearby. It's not where we regularly attend, but I have several friends there and have been wanting to do a study with them. We're doing "Covenant: Knowing God's Covenants" by Percept Ministries International.

We're just a couple lessons in, but so far so good!

Tell me about your September. Are y'all glad it's fall?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman for my favorite monthly recaps. Read other Things I Learned posts ::

{2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. 

{2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. 

July. August. September. October. November. December. 

{2015} January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through any of them, I'll receive a small portion of the sale. But I only recommend products I really do love and buying through my link doesn't change the price for you and sometimes, like the Boxed promo code, actually helps you.

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."

The Real Story of Running Errands at Lunch Time

From March 2014, but, well, it's perfect for today's post.

I had six errands to run yesterday. But I had things I wanted to do at home first. So the kids and I didn’t leave the house until almost lunch time. I realize “lunch time” is not a specific hour, but, really, it is around here – you may call it 11 a.m. So we dropped off clothes at the local thrift store, made a deposit at a bank, and then went to Walmart.

At this point, you should probably know I would boycott Walmart entirely, if I could. In fact, I did boycott it for a while – like six months – and only returned because I am the supply-shopper-volunteer at school and that’s the only store where I have a tax-exempt card – you know, save our small school money.

{If you’re looking for a Walmart alternative, I highly recommend ePantry and Amazon’s Prime Pantry. Who doesn’t want household products delivered to your doorstep? And Amazon provided the enormous box that my kids made into a spaceship THAT THEY'VE PLAYED WITH FOR HOURS EACH OF THE PAST THREE DAYS.}

Anyway. I had a short list at Walmart, with the only Walmart-specific item being a gift card. Of course, the gift card became problematic BECAUSE WALMART IS ALMOST SOLD OUT OF GIFT CARDS AND THE CASHIER HAD TO GO FIND ONE FOR ME AT CUSTOMER SERVICE. Um, what? Graduations! Father’s Day! That’s poor marketing. What kind of store doesn’t want to sell its gift cards?

But, anyway, that’s a rant, not a confession.

The confession is my kids and I ate the Lunchables I bought at Walmart while we finished the three other errands. As I drove to drop off some ideas with one of the lake house cleaners, I snacked on turkey, cheese and crackers. Or maybe I was on my Oreos by then. Whatever. I ate lunch while driving around my small town.

And we liked it.

And  I was finished well before we got to the pharmacy or the other bank.

For what's it's worth, I’m pretty sure they chose their Lunchables based on which dessert was included, but whatever. At least I convinced Ben that Nerds were not called turds or curds.

I shared about this on Facebook and more than one friend shared about eating-in-Walmart experiences {hello, popcorn chicken from the deli} and others admitted they love Lunchables too. So the moral of the story, y’all, is we’re all in this life together. Let’s enjoy it – and not shop at Walmart. But when we have to, let’s get a delicious, processed treat and call it lunch.
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I'm linking up with Anna Rendell's Real Mom Confessions, which has become one of my favorite things on the internet. And, hey, this post contains affiliate and referral links, but they only direct you to shop at places I enjoy. 

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."

Work of Worth

Around our house, we talk about thinking beyond ourselves and helping people. There are so many ways to do that in our everyday lives.

I really love when I can shop online and make a difference in someone’s life while doing so. I used to think the whole fair trade concept was trendy. And while it is trendy, it also provides opportunities to invest in others.

I have some necklaces, bracelets, bags and T-shirts that are more than accessories. They have stories behind them. They’re handmade from people in other countries who are working to better their families and communities. They support adoptions and local artisan groups.

So when a Work of Worth representatives emailed me asking if I could help spread the word about that organization, I was intrigued with the mission and the products. I ended up ordering a set of silver-toned bangle bracelets, like the gold ones pictured below.

Worth of Work is a non-profit organization that sells jewelry, notebooks, bags, scarves and other accessories made in developing countries, helping to counteract poverty and human sex trafficking while promoting dignity for generations to come. WoW exists primarily as an import and distribution company, for the purpose of connecting entrepreneurs and businesses in the developing world to the Western market.

The result becomes people of worth who are transformed, sustainably employed, part of the changing poverty cycle, and freed from trafficking. WoW implements a vetting process to ensure that each of their partners model Work of Worth’s standard of ethical treatment of their employees.

The products online seem lovely. I actually wanted to order more, but some of the items that interested me were sold out. I hope they’re restocked soon so WoW’s mission can continue and I can do some more shopping.
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I was invited by Work of Worth to be among the bloggers who chose favorite items as part of its online Curated Collections.

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."

4 Things I Learned in December

I know it's cliche, but I can't believe 2014 is basically finished. The harder I try to slow down and be in the moment, the faster time seems to go. December was full of Christmas, college basketball, and sickness for us. We love being with our favorite people and soaking in the season.

We simplified our schedule and the amount of presents bought this year, and those were welcomed changes. We held on to our favorite traditions and took life one day at a time, which mostly involved wondering if Cate was going to have a fever again and when Ben was going to have his turn being sick.

Before December ends and I have to remember to write 2015, I want to reflect on the month. Here are four things I learned this month ...

1. Amazon Prime Pantry will keep me from having to go to Walmart. I discovered the service on accident when I searched for Qtips on Amazon, thinking they would be an add-on item I could put in my cart for my next order. Turns out Qtips are part of the Prime Pantry! I got so excited I started a conversation on Facebook about it. Turns out I wasn't alone in my excitement.

The excitement continued with 76 trash bags, 185 Qtips for kids, 500 regular Qtips, 18 ounces of body wash, 100 Ziploc sandwich bags, 6 rolls of paper towels, 36 rolls of toilet paper, 70 Tide pods, 16 ounces of angel hair pasta, 2 bags of animal crackers, and 32 ounces of ketchup showed up on my front porch.

While adding products to my Prime Pantry box, Amazon tracks how much of the box is filled. What percentage of the box an item will fill is indicated as I shopped.

The prices were similar or cheaper than what I usually pay. Plus the convenience is worth something, trust me! Amazon also had a promotion that day that included free shipping (which is usually $5.99) and coupons worth $3.63 that applied to my order. The coupons and free shipping were automatically applied and shown as discounts at the check-out page.

2. Rend Collective's Christmas album may be my favorite ... ever. It's been on repeat around here and is tempting me to stay in the rotation after Christmas.

3. Make-up school work is no fun but a slow start to the month was sweet. 

Cate started the month with almost three weeks of sickness. Walking pneumonia then a virus with a high fever. There were inhalers and much ibuprofen. And there were slower moments than I expected to start this month.

Specifically, she missed six full days and two half days of the 15 school days between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. We went to the pediatricians' office four times. She had two finger-prick blood draws and another from her vein in the out-patient lab. And there was a chest x-ray.

And then momma Googled too much and temporarily became a hypochondriac.

Cate was fever free the week of Christmas. Praise God! And then Ben started running a fever the day after Christmas and was diagnosed with strep throat on Friday and flu A on Monday.

I'm thinking about asking Murray Pediatrics if we can get a frequent patient punch card ... 

4. Ben made it to his maintenance allergy shot doses. So now it's once a week for those two shots. We had been doing twice a week for almost 11 months so this is a welcomed change. Of course, he hasn't had an allergy shot in more than a week with Christmas and now sickness.

How was your December? Did you learn anything worth sharing? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky, who inspired me to document life this way. I love these monthly posts. Read previous posts: {From 2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. {From 2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. November. 

Want more stories? "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."

Gifting Christmas

I'm one of those gift givers who doesn't consult the registry or ask for Christmas wish lists. I like to find gifts for specific people. I know this annoying for some people, especially when people ask what my kids want and I won't hand over a list of specific things.

Honestly, talking about what we want stresses me out because we don't need anything. I don't want Christmas to be a time for wishing more. Rather, I want to celebrate Jesus and love on people.

And, yes, sometimes loving people means picking out a gift especially for them. I also like to give gifts that matter. So I want to share some ideas, most of which come from Amazon or DaySpring because those are my two favorite places to shop.

Gifts for Kids
"God Made Light" by Matthew Paul Turner :: Multiple kids in my life are getting this book for Christmas. It has a good reading rhythm and a message you'll want your kids to know. {It's available at both Amazon and DaySpring.}

"The Jesus Storybook Bible" by Sally Lloyd-Jones :: I know I've mentioned this Bible here before. But I love it. Yes, it's a children's Bible, but I read it sometimes when my kids aren't around.

Slugs & Bugs' Sing the Bible :: This is if I was going to recommend just one Slugs & Bugs CD. Really, your kids and your friends' kids and your neighbors should have them all. Browse the S&B Store for bundles and deals and other goodness.

"For Such a Time As This" by Angie Smith :: This is a beautiful book about the women in the Bible that I'm gifting to multiple girls this Christmas. {It's available at both Amazon and DaySpring.}

Gifts for Moms
"Sparkly Green Earrings" by Melanie Shankle :: This book made me laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. It's real. She also has one marriage called "The Antelope in the Living Room," which is also worth reading and gifting.

"Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" by Kristin Hill Taylor (me!) :: Yeah, I know, self-promotion. But, seriously, did you know you can gift Kindle books and people can read them on any mobile device or computer? What I learned through our infertility season, two adoption processes, and the days since applies to more than trying to become a mom. And it's just $3.99.

"Small Talk" by Amy Julia Becker :: Another memoir of motherhood, but it's possibly my favorite. I wrote a review not too long ago, but it's basically like advice and entertainment all in one. It helped me pause amist the chaos and remember what matters.

Gifts for Women
DaySpring's Everlasting Light collection :: I love these products. I want so many more of them in my house. Nothing like pretty home decor that speaks truth.

"Loop" by Jennifer Camp :: This devotional is fresh and beautiful. The way Jennifer hears from God is inspiring and I'm grateful she bound up the truth-filled messages for us. {She was hearing sharing about light and truth with some "Loop" excerpts recently.}

"Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table" by Shauna Niequist :: This book is fabulous. It's about community and real life. And there are recipes. So, go read and it and then make Annette's Enchiladas. You won't regret either one. {This is available at Amazon and DaySpring.}

Trades of Hope products :: I especially love the bracelets and Christmas ornaments, but there are so many lovely choices. And your purchase helps empower and educate women in third-world countries. My local friend Becky is an ambassador for Trades of Hope and I'm so glad she introduced me to this company.

Homemade Gifts
Cookies in a Jar :: Jennifer Jackson Linck shared this idea and I'm going to make a few. Sounds like I can't go wrong.

Budget-friendly Gift Ideas :: Kayse Pratt shared all kinds of fabulous (and affordable!) gift ideas that I wanted to pass along to you.

The Easiest Christmas Ornaments :: I don't do elaborate crafts, so these are perfect for me. The kids made them for grandmas and aunts last year and their school has made them for a fund-raiser the past two years.

Crafting Christmas Coasters :: This was another simple craft Cate and I made a couple of years ago as gifts for grandmas. Plus, it involves Mod Podge, so you know it'll be fun!

What would you add? Feel free to share in the comments.
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If you wanted to load up on some gifts from DaySpring, you can save 30% with 30FRIDAY14 through Jan. 1. Most of these links are affiliate links meaning I will get a small portion of the sales through them, but the price remains the same for you. Thanks for supporting this blog. 

Want more stories? "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."

LIGHT :: Songs of Spring

Here we are in the middle of April. After the winter we've had, I'm grateful for signs of spring. Yes, even the stormy morning we've having here.

I'm also grateful for the signs of new perspective in my life. A spiritual new life, if you will.

The process God's had me on for awhile is intertwining imperfection and light. The message of letting go of my perfectionist tendencies so I can see Jesus in my ordinary moments is one that has been spoken into my life through books, songs and friends. Different versions of the same message have found their way into my heart.

And I'm noticing as I focus on this one message, I keep hearing it. Like songs of spring.

God created the light that is day and the darkness that is night. And he's been in charge from the beginning. I want to be a light that glorifies him and in doing so I know he lightens my load, giving me more opportunities to delight in everyday life.

So I thought I'd share some of the songs that have been sung throughout my days as I embrace this transforming message of LIGHT :

"Pushing Back the Dark" by Josh Wilson :: "The city on a hill, it should be shining still. Every sinner saved by grace, has a purpose, has a place inside the bigger plan, we might not understand. But if we just keep walking on, we will see the Kingdom come. Whatever you do, just don't look back. Oh somebody needs the light you have. Whatever you do, just don't lose heart. Keep on pushing back the dark ..." 

"Marvelous Light" by Ellie Holcomb :: "I am not who I once was, defined by all the things I’d done. Afraid my shame would be exposed, afraid of really being known. But then He gave my heart a home. So I walked out of the darkness and into the light, from fear of shame into the hope of life. Mercy called my name and made a way to fly out of the darkness and into the light ... There's no place I'd rather be. Your light is marvelous. Your light is marvelous. You have come to set us free. You are marvelous; your light is marvelous" 

"Shine On" by Needtobreathe :: "Somewhere between the end and the point where we begin, there's a fire burning brightly that's found it's way too dim. When the feeling's gone ... Shine on, shine on ..." 

"God of Brilliant Lights" by Aaron Shust :: "He is lord over all. His reign will never end. Through the fire and the flood, He draws his children in. He's the light of the world, brighter than the brightest star. The God of brilliant lights is shining down over us, breaking through the darkness, covering all the earth. Oooh, his love is like an ocean. Oooh, forever overflowing. The God of brilliant lights is shining over us ..." 

"My Lighthouse" by Rend Collective :: "My Lighthouse, my lighthouse. Shining in the darkness, I will follow You. My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse. I will trust the promise, You will carry me safe to shore ... I won't fear what tomorrow brings. With each morning I'll rise and sing. My God's love will lead me through. You are the peace in my troubled sea ..."

"Let It Rain" by Zac Brown Band :: "Breathe in deep, let it out. Wash the bitterness out of your mouth. There's no room left for darkness when you're filled with the light it comes out ..." {Read more about this song in my life.}

"All Things Possible" by Mark Schultz :: "Even when it feels like the light is fading and I've lost my way, still I’m holding on to the One who’s making all things possible ... My God is strong and mighty. My God is faithful. My hope is in the Lord, for He is able."

"Dancing in the Minefields" by Andrew Peterson :: "And we're dancing in the minefields. We're sailing in the storm. This is harder than we dreamed. But I believe that's what the promise is for. So when I lose my way, find me. When I loose love's chains, bind me. At the end of all my faith, till the end of all my days. When I forget my name, remind me. 'Cause we bear the light of the Son of Man, so there's nothing left to fear. So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands till the shadows disappear ..."

Now it's your turn. Is it a theme of your year on you anticipated or one that surprised you? How has that message been reinforced through your life? Tell me about the songs you're hearing these days. If you share in the comments, you'll be entered to win a mix CD with these songs and others I've been liking. I'll randomly choose a winner Monday, April 21. 
Updated to congratulate Barbie from My Freshly Brewed Life on winning! Barbie, you should have a tweet from me asking for your mailing address. Thanks to those who shared in the comments.  ________
I'm linking this post with others who are reflecting on their One Word for 2014 over at Circles of Faith. If you're looking for more resources, "Love Idol" by Jennifer Dukes Lee and "No More Perfect Kids" by Jill Savage and Dr. Kathy Koch have been instrumental in my journey. 

The bracelets ... a few people have asked about my bracelets. The silver one is from DaySpring.com and is designed by Lisa Leonard. See it and other bracelets, necklaces and charms here. The beaded bracelet is one piece that wraps around from WorldCrafts, which sells beautiful handmade jewelry, hand bags and other products that help women living in poverty. 

I'm linking this post with Circles of Faith, Soli Deo Gloria at Jen Ferguson's blog, Inspire Me Monday at Angie Ryg's blog, Three Word Wednesday with Beth Stiff, and Holley Gerth's Coffee for Your Heart.

Want more stories? 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."

Gifting good cheer - and deals!

Did you notice a Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas is missing? Yep. Only three Saturdays remain until Christmas. And one of those is today.

So, I thought I'd offer some help if you're still shoppin. Photo cards and stocking stuffers are two of my favorite ways to give good cheer this time of the year. I'm bringing you ideas based on what I've bought and used lately.

And, yes, I've shopped almost entirely online this year. Amazon Prime really is worth it. {You can try it for a month for free. Just think. Free two-day shipping on many, many items with no minimum purchase total and all kinds of streaming TV shows and movies.}

Sing the Bible
Did you hear Slugs & Bugs has a new CD? And, honestly, it's my favorite project yet. Only Randall Goodgame can get my kids memorizing scripture and talking about aliens at the same time. You can pre-order the CD now and have it in your hands soon after the projected Dec. 10 release date or download the 18 songs now.

Being a Kickstarter supporter, we've had this album for a week now. It's fabulous. We were listening to it on the way to school earlier this week and after the kids got out, I was tempted to keep listening. It's that good.

Author Sally Lloyd-Jones reads scripture and has a funny conversation with Randall about aliens. I could listen to her sweet British accent all day. And the African Children's Choir is the perfect addition.

There are links just to the left of that Rabbit Room store page where you can buy any of the other Slugs & Bugs CD too. If you're looking for "I'm Adopted," which is a favorite song around here, you'll find that on the "Under Where?" album. You can also download individual songs from the previous three Slugs & Bugs albums at Amazon.

Jesus Storybook Bible
Speaking of author Sally Lloyd-Jones, if you don't have "The Jesus Storybook Bible," you need to.

We've liked it for awhile now, but the advent readings we've been doing from it have reminded how every story truly does whisper Jesus' name and have a mighty purpose in God's master plan to rescue us. Her words tie it all together beautiful and the pictures take it to another level of goodness.

Yes, it's possible I like this Bible even more than my kids do. And right now Amazon has it for less than $10, which is a fabulous price for such a treasure. {Check prices before ordering as they change often!}

Trades of Hope
I recently received my first order from Trades of Hope, a company that sells beautiful handmade gifts that help empower women out of poverty. While I loved the three gifts I ordered, I'm especially fond of these star ornaments and these angel ornaments created by Haitian women.

My friend Becky Lile works with Trades of Hope and would be happy to assist you. {Read more about the company in a recent guest post she shared here.}

DaySpring
I've ordered so many Christmas presents from DaySpring. It's a good place to stock up on journals, cards, and gifts on sale to have throughout the year. It's nice to find lovely items with meaningful messages to give as gifts.

Right now, Christmas items are 25% off. Calendars are 25% off. Journals are 30% off. You can save 20% on cards when you use the code 20offCARDS or 20% off gifts with 20offGIFTS. Shipping is free when your purchase totals at least $50 or you can get free shipping with a $30+ order when you use shipping30.


zulily
And if you just need to browse, hoping to happen upon a random but perfect gift, I suggest zulily. I've gotten hooked the past few months and have found some fabulous gifts, including My Little Pony and Lego gifts. {Yes, that's what's popular around here!} I've also found home decor gifts, crafts for all ages, Crocs for my boy next summer, and various items with sports team logos on them. Deals come and go, so you never know what you'll happen upon!

Tyndale Books
If you haven't signed up for Tyndale's reward program, you should. Because it's free. And you earn free books. Um, hello, what a deal! I've ordered {for FREE!} a couple Bible that are nice. There are different gift-type books too.

Basically, you do various things that don't take much time to earn free points. Different Bibles and books can be ordered for certain amounts of points. Shipping has been quick too.

What's going in your stockings? Feel free to share other deals and ideas in the comments.
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8 Things I Learned in November

We're celebrating Christmas today with my husband's brothers and their families. It just so happens we're all together and already in the Christmas spirit. Yeah, so what it's still the last day of November. Everybody is excited and we're going to have a good time. But before I fully dive into Christmas, let's reflect on November. In no particular order, here are eight things I learned this month:

1. I have a personal goal to see how long in life I can go without ever cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving. Through the years, my grandma, my mom, Greg's mom, and Greg's grandma have done this well. And this year we're on a family trip in Branson, where we had Thanksgiving dinner at Dixie Stampede. Hello, whole chicken and an entire meal without silverware.

2. Christmas shopping online and early is the way to go. I didn't learn this, really. But I continued to practice this and have about two gifts left to buy. I'll buy them as soon as I'm inspired!

3. Traditions can be broken. I started to listening to Christmas music in mid-November. I was just ready for the message and goodness. So I threw my wait-until-after-Thanksgiving tradition out and turned up Needtobreathe's "Go Tell It on the Mountain," Bebo Norman's "Joy to the World" and all of Third Day's Christmas album. And then we put up our Christmas tree the Sunday before Thanksgiving mostly for a purely logistical reason of Thanksgiving being so late and that day working the best for us to be able to enjoy the tree.

4. I really could tell adoption stories for days. I wrote 11 posts on adoption this month and shared four others from other friends/bloggers. And, really, I could have written more. If you missed them, you can see the posts here.

5. You could come to Branson many times and do totally different things. We've been in Branson since Wednesday for what's our fourth time here. {We came in September 2008, October 2010 and Thanksgiving 2011. Our planned trip to Branson right after Christmas last year got snowed out, believe it or not!} We've found favorite restaurants and activities, but we've also happened upon new things each time.

6. I should amend my personal "I never drink hot drinks!" claim to "I only drink real hot chocolate. And I only drink it when I'm cold." It happened twice in two consecutive days this month, thanks to my mother-in-law. No worries, I still don't drink coffee or hot tea.

7. Amazon Prime really does rock. I'd had several free months years ago, but I'd never paid for a subscription once it expired. And then I did this month. Y'all. It's the best, especially when you live in a small town and try to avoid Walmart. I ordered a pack of 48 AA batteries this month. And nothing else. Well, nothing else in that order. There was another order of Christmas gifts a couple days later.

8. China doesn't need to wait for a special occasion. Or perhaps gathering around the table with dear friends who are like family is indeed a special occasion. Yep, for the first time in the 11 years and 3 months we've had china, I finally used it.

What did you learn this month?
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I'm linking up with Emily at Chatting at the Sky and others documenting their month's. Here are my past installments: June. July. August. September. October.

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'Tis the season ... for deals

This picture came to mind while writing this post. That's 7-month-old Cate as she appeared on our card in 2007.

Honestly, I like Christmas shopping well before it's Christmas time. It helps me enjoy the season more when I don't have a shopping list hanging over my head. Plus it means I buy gifts as I find them and often use great deals that show up in my inbox.

So, in the spirit of Christmas being less than two months away, I thought I'd share some deals. And you'll notice I think photos make lovely gifts.

Shutterfly Photo Books
These are my favorite brand of photo books and they're 50% off through Monday, Nov. 3 when you use the code PUMPKIN.

zulily
Just in general, yes. I've bought University of Kentucky, My Little Pony and Lego goodies for fall birthday and Christmas presents. The sales are quick and some items aren't available long, but I'm sure if you browse long enough you'll find a good deal on that perfect gift for someone.

DaySpring
Encouragement can come in cards, home decor, books, journals and coffee mugs. There are often deals here. Right now, there are some new fall gifts. You can also save 40% on one item through Saturday, Nov. 1 with the code EARLY GIFT. {Yes, I took advantage of this and bought a gift. And, yes, now I want what I bought for my own kitchen table.} Free shipping comes with an order more than $30 when you use SHIPPING30.

Photo Cards
Last year, I ordered lots of smaller sets of different Christmas cards as I found deals. I used Ink Garden, York Photo, Shutterfly and Tiny Prints. I recommend them all, so be watching those photo printing companies if you want to stock up on free and discounted cards.

Right now, York has 10 FREE 5x7 ornate stationary cards that can be personalized through Saturday, Nov. 23 with the code CARD GIFT. You have to be a new customer and pay a few dollars for shipping.

And Ink Garden also has 10 FREE cards and 40% off the rest of your card order for new customers! For the cards, use the code WinterCards. And for 40% off use Cards40. These offers can be combined through Dec. 17.

Amazon
I prefer Amazon over Walmart any day. I live in a small town remember. After much debating, we finally became Prime members again. This time we had to pay for it, but I'm glad we're back. {Find about a free Prime trial. There is free two-day shipping, lots of movies and TV shows to stream for free, and Kindle books to borrow for free. For free.} Starting Friday, Amazon is going to have various deals each week through Nov. 30 while counting down to Black Friday. You can also purchase holiday gift cards and get a free gift box and free one-day shipping. And, yes, books always make good gifts.

Have you started Christmas shopping? Seen any good deals lately?
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We {heart} grandparents.

Let's go, Grandmom!
{Louisville Zoo. July 2013.}

My kids were literally cheering and running laps around the house yesterday afternoon when I told them both Gran-Gran and Grandmom are coming to the Grandparents Day breakfast at their school next week. Their excitement was genuine and sweet, but it did make it wonder if I'd shared the news too early. I may be hearing about this for the next nine days.

Even so, grandparents are worth celebrating. Grandparents Day is Sept. 8. 

I've seen some good ways to do that lately. Perhaps they'll even make you want to cheer and run laps.

One of the many card choices at Cardstore.com.

SEND A CARD.

And Cardstore makes it easy -- and cheap! Send a personalized card from the website straight to the recipient for just $1.99. This deal is good through tomorrow {Thursday} night. Use CCK3822 at check out.

You can also make cards at Treat, where you can save 25% through Sept. 30 with 25SAVE.

REMIND THEM LIFE IS GOOD. 

Do you know Life is Good products? I love them. I stocked up on some cute T-shirts for Christmas presents when zulily was having a sale. But right now you can save 10% off already-marked clearance items at lifeisgood.com. Use the code GOOD at checkout through Saturday.

CREATE A PHOTO GIFT. 

Our parents love photo gifts with the kids sweet faces on them. Get creative. Get practical. Get personal. Walgreens is offering 35% off photo gifts through Saturday with the code GIFTFOR35.

You can also make photo gifts at Tiny Prints, where you can use LABOR25 through Sept. 3 to save 25% off sitewide.

GIVE INSPIRATION.

DaySpring offers lovely gifts that will also inspire with quotes and Bible verses incorporated. And the clearance section is definitely worth browsing. I recently stocked up on Truly Blessed mirror and a few other goodies for Christmas gifts. You can save $20 off orders of at least $70 with the code 20off70. Or you can get free shipping with a purchase of $30 or more when you use shipping30.
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Recent shopping habits

Hey, he likes his new car seat ... 

I boycotted Walmart for five months.

Do you know I live in a small town? Shopping options are limited. I'm a Kroger loyalist and have been all my life, really. Just ask my mom. If I need household products or gifts that can't come a grocery store, I've been going to Big Lots or Dollar General Store. Or ordering from Amazon.com.

So, really boycotting Walmart in a small town is kind of a big deal.

I decided in March that I was done shopping there after the oil change guy was rude and not helpful when I asked for an oil change. In fact, they weren't doing oil changes the two days in a row I went without explanation or any indication when they would return to their advertised service.

It wasn't just that. It was a series of poor customer service experiences, habitual movement of food items {really, why are the snacks by the dog food?} that would keep me wandering the aisles, and two open check-out lanes when there were 10 times that many potentially available. The store has since installed self-check lanes, but that hasn't solved the customer service problems.

I can say this with confidence because I broke my boycott earlier this month. I needed a new car seat for my growing boy and, well, nowhere else in my small town sells them. I may have been able to find one at Big Lots, but I wanted to look at a few brands and read descriptions on boxes. So while in the baby section, I picked up a few gifts and then headed to the check-out thinking maybe I'd overreacted by boycotting Walmart.

I found what I needed. I only had to wait for one lady to finish paying for her goods. My kids helped me load our items on the conveyor belt. And then I paid. The total seemed high, so I checked my receipt as soon as the cashier handed it to me.

Yep. Too high.

She had charged me twice for a $12.98 item. I point this out to her and she responds in a sweet voice, "Oh, I'm so sorry. But I can't do anything about it. You'll have to go to customer service."

So I did. I waited behind two people who were being helped by two unenthusiastic women who didn't really seem to know what they were doing.

I walked out of the store with $13.76 in cash, my son's new carseat, a few gifts, and a renewed boycott.
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This story leads to me to online shopping, which I love. And, y'all, there are deals to be found. I even started Christmas shopping recently, thanks to zulily deals that keep showing up in my inbox.

I should tell you that I have all shopping-related emails filtered {I love Gmail.} to a separate folder. So they skip my inbox and I only look at them when I'm intending to shop online. That cuts down on the impulsive spending that could happen otherwise.

Without further ado, how about some {fun} deals I've seen lately?

Happy. Happy. Happy. Yep, Duck Dynasty, people. And DaySpring is selling some Duck Dynasty notebooks, folders and binders {from $2.99} just in time for sending your kids back to school. They're buy two, get one free, so you could stock for gifts.

DaySpring's August sale also includes some great books, such as "You're Already Amazing" by Holley Gerth, "Unglued" by Lysa TerKeurst, and "One Thousand Gifts" photo gift book by Ann Voskamp. Clearance gifts include some adorable coffee mugs that would also bring some encouragement to anyone's mornings.

Another perk of online shopping is earning cash back through Ebates. All you have to do is sign up and then search for whatever website you're using and go to that store through Ebates. It automatically tracks your purchase and adds the cash back you earn to your account. Every few months, you can choose a check payment or an Amazon gift card.

I've mentioned the FREE books I've earned through Tyndale House, but, really, it's super easy and totally worth it.

Where do you like to shop online? Seen any good deals lately?
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We are here.

The blog has been a little quiet. I didn't really plan the break, but, really, it's been good for me to tend to my list of other, more deadline-oriented writing and enjoy the people around me. I'm a funny mix of wanting to take care of tasks but valuing my relationships. My natural instinct is to be task-oriented but I don't know where I'd be without my people.

We celebrated my niece's 3rd birthday in Highland, Illinois, last weekend with a quick day-long road trip that included a fun children's museum, some down time with family, and a delicious pizza dinner. {Ben didn't get burned this year.} That picture above is all of the Taylor cousins: Kieran (almost 2), Elijah (9), Mae (3), Ben (3 1/2), Evelyn (4), Ethne (7 1/2), Charlie (6 weeks), Cate (6).

Cate's been at basketball camp {no really loose teeth right now; she did just lose her sixth one!} and we've been to the pool and will likely make it a time or two more before this week is over. I'm almost done reading "Love Does" by Bob Goff and we're nearing the end of the first season of Mad Men on Netflix. I'm surprised by how much I like it.

Here is a dose of reality from around here: I forgot to feed Cate breakfast on Monday morning before she went to basketball camp. Here, let me defend myself. I had a breakfast meeting with a friend I was dragging Ben to, so I knew we didn't need to eat before camp. Cate slept later and got ready for camp as soon as she woke up and, well, once I helped her tie her shoes, I assumed my duty was done for the getting-ready routine.

And then I finally showered for the day about 30 minutes before friends came over tonight for dinner. I didn't even dry my hair because the baked spaghetti was ready to come out of the oven, sounding the alarm on my personal care time. Catching up with my friend while our kids built a fort with every blanket we own was good for my soul.

It's been imperfectly busy around here, but I'm actually not feeling stressed. I hope that peace that certainly passes my understanding continues because my calendar seems full and my list of projects to get done seems long. But I've got these two kids who are embracing summer just like I hoped they would and I've got a husband who works hard so I can be a work-at-home mom and then is present and involved when he comes home.

So we are here. Living.
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And while I'm here, let me tell you about some deals ...

This lovely "Chosen" necklace is only $9.99 {that's $7 less than usual} at DaySpring.

You can buy two journals/notebooks from DaySpring and get a third free. I've loved all the notebook I've used from there. Just add the three products to your cart and you'll receive the lowest-priced item for free.

Max Lucado cards also are on sale at DaySpring. You'll find good deals on meaningful cards.


Elsewhere ...

"Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing" by Sally Lloyd-Jones is just $1.99 for your Kindle {also well worth the $12.23 for a hardback copy}. This is a devotional that is a lovely supplement to beautiful "The Jesus Storybook Bible," which is just $2.99 {Kindle} or $9.93 {hardback}.

Crocs are on sale -- up to 60% off -- at zulily from Thursday through Saturday. Definitely a deal worth checking out if your kids are like mine about shoes, wanting to get them on quick, getting them dirty quickly, and outgrowing them in a flash.

Now that summer is in full swing around here, I'm realizing I didn't share one of my all-time favorite summer products that I manage to use year around: Banana Boat's Aloe After-Sun Lotion. Yes, four 16-ounce bottles seems like more than you'll need, but if you like the preserve the scents of summer, you won't mind having extra on hand. I discovered small bottles at Big Lots recently so now I carry the lotion in my purse.
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What are you reading and watching? Where have you seen good deals? What have you been doing?

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Summer Favorites

Summer is upon us. And with that comes some food I love, mosquitoes that annoy, longer days, and more time outside. I wanted to share with you some products and services that are part of my life and will certainly be part of my summer.

A.1. Cajun Marinade :: Kroger stopped selling my favorite kabob marinade, but thanks to Amazon, I can have a whole case of it at once. No worries, we'll probably use all six bottles this summer. And, seriously, groceries showing up at the front door is fabulous.

Aveeno Anti-Itch Lotion :: Well, you know, we've already had a case of poison ivy and countless mosquito bites around here, so we'll probably need to buy another bottle of this. My kids call it "bug bite medicine," but it takes away the itch from poison ivy and other skin irritations. It's gentle, even on my boy's sensitive skin.

Life is Good hat :: I have a couple of these hats I wear constantly in the summer when we are at the pool, out by or on the lake, and when I decide showering will come later in the day. And you can relax with free ground shipping on all orders and always free returns at the Life is Good website. Sign up for the company newsletter and you can enjoy 15% off your next purchase!

Emeals :: We've been getting recipes and grocery shopping lists from Emeals for several weeks now and everything we've tried as been fine. Most recipes have been excellent. And I really needed the dinner inspiration.

Walgreens' Instagram prints :: I recently upgraded my iPhone so I could have a better camera. I already loved documenting life with social media and now it's even better that I can take and print photos right from my phone. The Walgreens app allows you to print right from Instagram. Facebook or your phone. Plus there are often photo deals happening.

What products are you loving these days?
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I've included affiliate links, meaning I would receive a small percentage of any sales through those links. But I'm telling you about products and services I choose to use myself. Clicking from here doesn't change the retailers' prices. 

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