Hello Homemakers , and welcome to the Art of Home podcast , where we are exploring how Homemakers cultivate a place to belong . I'm your host , allison Weeks . I am a wife , a mom to four grown kids , a granny to one little boy he's not really a baby anymore and I have been practicing the Art of Home for over 31 years now . Well , in case you cannot tell from the sound of my voice , I have a yucky cold . I'm feeling a little better than I was a couple of days ago , but I'm going to keep it pretty short here today because I'm not sure how long my voice is going to hold out . So just a little update on what I've been up to and , by the way , I started doing this . I mean , I kind of do this off and on since we started the podcast , but I like to give you a little update on what's been happening in my life , just so you know a little bit more about me .
Speaker 1I listen to Sally Clarkson Tea Time Tuesdays , every Tuesday , and I just love hearing all her little updates that she gives . If you're not listening to that , let me just recommend that you go do that right now . Well , listen to this one first and then go listen to Sally Sally Clarkson . Many of you know who she is Life Giving Home . I mean , she's got tons . I don't even know how many books that she's written but I enjoy her podcast so much because her voice is just so calm and so soothing and every Tuesday she puts out this lovely little podcast and it's like sitting down and having a cup of tea with her and just hearing about what's happening in her life . She'll share recipes , she'll just tell you , you know , if she's traveling or just what's happening in her household , and I find that really relatable and charming and so I thought I might do that with you guys . If this is not your cup of tea , then please feel free to fast forward to the main part of this episode . So anyway , if you follow me over on Instagram , I've been talking a little bit about traveling .
Speaker 1I've done quite a lot of travel this fall and just got back from a trip over to the East Coast for a family wedding . We went to Charleston , south Carolina . If you have never been to that city , I highly recommend it . It is a charming town . We had actually been there once before for another family wedding about 13 years ago . It is just delightful .
Speaker 1You can do a horse-drawn carriage ride . They have wonderful . It's a rich , it's a richly historical city and they have wonderful guides there . They have multiple companies that will take you on a carriage ride with a group of people . You can do a private one too , but you can go with the group and they will just give you these awesome tours to tell you the history of the city . They do a lottery system . Because there's so many carriage tours , they do a lottery system and when your carriage tour begins you pull up to this little gate and this lady comes out and they have literally you guys like a 60s bingo machine , and they pull out a ball from the bingo machine and it has a number on it and that corresponds to a particular district of the city . That's where your carriage gets to go do its tour . These tour guides are just amazingly . They're so smart , they have so much knowledge in their brains about the history of their city and they're really passionate about it . No matter where you get sent by the bingo ball , your tour guide is going to be able to give you an awesome history lesson and keep you entertained throughout that ride . What's cool about that is you could take a carriage ride multiple times a day and you would get a different part of the city . It never gets old . Anyway , that's a plug for Charleston if you've never been there . It's a great city and that's where we were for the past few days .
Speaker 1Came home crashed pretty hard with this yucky cold that I had picked up . I was feeling a bit better yesterday , though , and so I was able to make my first batch of gumbo , because , as you know , here in South Texas we don't really get much of a fall . It kind of goes straight from really really hot to not quite as hot , to winter , and our winter lasts for about a month , and then we're back to warming up . So we had our first cold front come through I mean like real cold front and we got down . It was 81 degrees , I believe , in the afternoon , and then within 12 hours we were at 41 degrees , so that's pretty typical for cold fronts around here , but that meant it was time to make my first gumbo , because I wait until we get our first good cold front before I do my first gumbo of the season , and it came out fantastic and it felt really good on my sore throat , so I did a little story on Instagram earlier .
Speaker 1If you didn't catch that I was extolling the virtues of using homemade bone broth for your soups and stews . If you're not doing that , I implore you to just give it a try . For a while , when I was a brand new homemaker , I used the Swanson Chicken Broth that you now . This was 31 years ago , you guys , so this was before designer bone broth was available in the stores , or just any really good quality bone broth . All we had was the bone broth in a can and it was basically chicken flavored water . It was not good and was not really doing any favors for your broth or gravy or whatever you were trying to make . You would honestly be better off just using water , and I learned how to use chicken bouillon during those days , and I still keep chicken bouillon in my pantry as an emergency chicken broth solution . So there's a tip for you as well . But when it comes to making a really good quality soup that's got a depth of flavor in it , man , do that bone broth and whether or not you're making it in big batches and stick it in the freezer , for then you know to have ready to go when you want to make soup one day , or if you just make it when you're getting ready to make your soup . Just take the time to do that extra step , because it makes all the difference in the world .
Speaker 1I think I'm going to maybe include my gumbo recipe in a newsletter soon . Maybe not this week , because I'm stretched pretty thin for this week's newsletter so I haven't been feeling well , but I will try to get that recipe to you guys soon . And speaking of the newsletter , if you haven't signed up , make sure that you do , because that's where you're going to get show notes . I have some things to tell you about the newsletter . I want to tell you about the archive that's on the website , how to navigate that , how to find old show notes and things like that , and I'm going to talk about that at the end of this episode . So make sure you stick around for that information . But for now I'd like to go ahead and jump into this week's episode with Kristen Howard .
Speaker 1I got connected with Kristen through Judy Waters , who was one of my first guests on the show back in either the first or the second season of the Art of Home . Judy is a writer . She's a phenomenal writer who specializes in writing memoirs and teaching other people how to write memoirs and somehow she and Kristen got connected I think we talk about that in the interview and she told Kristen oh , you need to talk to my friend Allison . I think you guys would have a lot in common as far as your subject matter , and we certainly do . We had the best time talking once we finally got to talk .
Speaker 1Kristen lives out in the middle of nowhere and does not really have any internet access to speak of . I'm not even really sure how she managed to get on Zoom to do this , but anyway , we had quite a lot of trouble getting our connection but when we finally did , we had a great conversation . She is a dynamic person . She just has so much vivacity and life and passion for home . I know that you're really going to enjoy this story . We hear a little bit about her childhood , of growing up on a cattle ranch in . Let's see , I think it was in South Dakota yes , in South Dakota and how that sort of set her expectations for what she wanted for home and sort of how the Lord birthed that desire in her early on and then she didn't quite see that come to fulfillment . But then he changed some things and he helped her to see how she could change some things to really reach the goal that she and her husband had for living a more rural and slow life with their children . So we're going to hear all about that in Kristen's story .
Speaker 1Kristen is a writer , she's a blogger and she's taken much of her blog writing and compiled it into several volumes of books , and mostly what she discusses is home . So you're definitely going to want to check out Kristen's writing . I will have all the links for that down in the show notes in the description box below this episode in your player , and it'll also go out in this week's newsletter . Thank you so much for tuning in today . I am so honored that you would trust me with some of your valuable time . I pray that it is fruitful for you . Whatever you are applying your hands to as you listen today , I know that you will enjoy Kristen's story of home . Welcome to the art of home . I'm here with Kristen Howard , and Kristen is an in the trenches homemaker . We're going to hear all about her story of home , starting from the beginning . But before we do that , kristen , why don't you tell us a little bit about who you are today ?
Speaker 2Well , today I'm a stay at home mom of two , and the third one will be here in December . A Christmas baby , oh exciting . That should really yes , that should really stir the pot a little bit , but we're excited . I have not always been a stay at home mom , but I would not trade it for the world . I absolutely love it . It's very rewarding and refreshing every single day . It's never the same .
Speaker 1That's awesome . So you're a writer and we're going to talk about your writing and all the things that are happening with you . But one of the things that I'm excited to talk to you about is your passion . Your subject that you're passionate about in your writing is home . Yes and yes , as we got connected through . If you're a longtime listener of the show , you remember Miss Judy . She was gosh . One of my very first interviews , judy Waters , and she is just a really great writer . She specializes in like teaching people how to write their memoirs and I loved reading her memoir . It was so great . And you met up with Judy for some coaching , I believe , or a class or something , and then she connected the two of us together . I don't even know exactly how that happened . How did that happen ? Did I get it right ?
Speaker 2Yeah , it was actually very random like that . I was connected through a friend because she liked my books and thought Judy might enjoy them and we got to talk . He told me I needed to talk to you . Okay , cool .
Speaker 1That's really fun . I love when God orchestrates meetings like that , so I'm really excited to hear your story . So let's go back to the beginning , and why don't you tell us when do you feel like you first became a homemaker , and when you did , did you have any skills ?
Speaker 2Well . So to answer your question , I guess I should give you a little background . I was raised in South Dakota on a small ranch is not the right word , since they are hundreds of thousands of acres out there but my dad was a cowboy and a preacher and mom was to stay at home , mom , and so she was making biscuits and gravy and supper every night on the table and dad was training horses and preaching on Sundays and helping members during the week . And I mean it was the real deal . And so that's the life I knew . I didn't know any different and at that time there was no internet or anything like that . So what the rest of the world was doing I was oblivious to . I had no idea that not every kid was sitting down at the table at night or they weren't going for a sunset ride with your dad . I didn't . I didn't know that . You know , I thought Brandon Cattle and throwing hay bales was normal . You know that for me I would say it was just ingrained since I was born that that was , that was life . Then we moved to the south , all of our families originally from the south . Dad was only one out in South Dakota . We moved back home and lost the boots and traded it in for sidewalks and street lights and that was hard . That was really . That was a completely different way of life , but it taught a lot . Dad worked with the church down there . Mom will still stay at home .
Speaker 2We finished school , went to college and when I got my first department I realized even all the schooling that I had I was going to college was still setting the table for me and my sister and I was still cooking meals and I was still doing all the things that I saw my mom do , even as a girl , before I ever married , you know .
Speaker 2But then in in college I met my husband and thank God for praying parents , because in college , you know , I kind of thought I knew it all and did my own thing and really , oh , I can't imagine I learned they were right . But thank God he had a praying mama and I had praying parents and we met , married and started our family in Tuscaloosa and it was just so far from what I dreamed of as home that . But I was still cooking and setting the table and doing all the things that we desired to place in the country and we just began to pray and seek God and I made a list . I wrote everything out , what I wanted , and when it wasn't long before God answered that prayer and we moved three hours north into Tennessee and we live out in the middle of nowhere , cattle graze on the other side of the road and I don't have any internet connection . The wonderful life .
Speaker 1Wow , oh my goodness , that's awesome . So you , you had a homemaking as a part of your life . All your life really is what it sounds like .
Speaker 2Yes , it's just a way of life .
Speaker 2Yes , absolutely . I don't know any different . I did work part time . I taught fitness classes and our first little girl went to a little Christian preschool for about three or four hours while I taught classes and I would go from different facilities , kind of overseeing different classes . But then I just began to pray and ask the Lord to create a way for me to be stay at home , and when we moved , it was right during covid and I actually couldn't send her anywhere . And it's amazing what you can do with your budget when you have to , and that's what we did , and I've never looked back . I have never looked back any , any vacations or anything that makes me cry that I had to sacrifice has been worth it .
Speaker 1Yeah , oh , that's a good testimony . Thank you for sharing that . Well , why don't you if ? If there's anything , I'm sure there is because none of us are ever fully prepared for homemaking with our own family . That's something that you had a particularly steep learning curve for .
Speaker 2Oh , my goodness , I am such a scheduler and such a perfectionist that it was honestly learning to walk away that . You know , I don't have to . All the bathrooms don't have to be perfect right now . You know , whatever I'm currently working on or project I'm working on doesn't have to be perfect . I can come back later , you know , but my kids they can't , they can't wait . You know , I don't want them to look back and say you know , mom and dad were never there . They were too busy getting everything else done , you know , and the laundry has to get put away . There has to be order in the home , absolutely , you know . It's just sometimes . You know , a few pauses to watch the rain is okay .
Speaker 1You know absolutely Definitely . Well , I think I might know the answer to this next question , but who or what has had the biggest influence on your home making , would you say ?
Speaker 2Definitely mom , definitely she would . She always said , you know , she , they call me sis and she would say you know , sis , I may have been the heart of the home , but daddy was the glue , you know . He , he held everything together and he , he , he had the upbringing and the , the reference points of what home should look like . And mom did too . Her mom died when she was six , so she didn't have a mom in a home .
Speaker 2My granddaddy had to be mother , or had to be father and mother in some aspects , you know to to to raise him , and he did a fantastic job . But mom picked up a lot of things from my grandma and you know . So that's why she always says daddy was the glue . He , he knew his commitment and he knew his convictions . And no matter how busy , you know , he would be , with the church or with the horses , it never mattered what came first . For him , it was always his family . I didn't look , I didn't have to look where he'd be for supper . I knew where he'd be . He would be at home , no matter who needed him . We needed him first .
Speaker 1Oh , wow , what a strong legacy that you have . Let's talk about some expectations . You kind of hinted to one already . What are ? But what is something else besides being able needing to walk away , um , learning to walk away ? What's something else that surprised you about home making ? It can be good or bad , or both .
Speaker 2Oh it never stops . It's hard work . I mean , you know , people see , I don't know , they make this image of the stay at home mom and she is dressed to perfection and she's sitting on the couch and she's watching soap operas . I have never done that , I know , and I am a little odd out . I can't ever find my phone . I , you know my hair is never perfect . I mean , I absolutely most days went by the time I passed the mirror . I just think who are you ? You know , it's just , it's , it's crazy . By the time baby Charlotte came along , which was our second um , you know she was a fireball and so it was constantly trying to figure out . You know what she has either eaten out of the dog bowl or put down the toilet . You know I was going to have to warn her .
Speaker 1Oh my gosh , that's funny . Yes , it is very hard work and you have to . You're on all the time , all the time it doesn't , it doesn't stop .
Speaker 2I remember when we first got our house painted , when we moved into this house , the painter was here for two weeks and , um , my husband had started going back and forth to work and I remember the painter . He stopped at the end of that time and he told me . He said , he said I'd like to tell you something and I said okay . And he said , um , in all the houses that I've ever been in and a lot of the women which I see there , he said I , I , you , I don't see them doing what you're doing . I don't see them busy in the kitchen and moving from the kitchen to the , to the , the children , and moving to the living room . He said you move with ease from one place to the next to take care of your family . And he said that is commendable . And I wanted you to know that and I say that because I say that , because that's what we should be doing . It's like you said , the home , it never stops . We should be moving with our home , not not away from it .
Speaker 1Oh , what a gift that you you got to hear that from him . That's it was I .
Speaker 2I , it , it . It held me accountable more than anything you know .
Speaker 1Yes , yes , absolutely , that's good . So has there been an expectation that you've had to let go of for the wellbeing of your family and yourself ?
Speaker 2Yes , I , you know , I thought I was going to be this , um , I don't know if I ever thought I was going to be this big blogger or big author , you know , famous and everyone was going to see my books and know my name and I was going to tell everybody , you know , how to make the home perfect and how everything can just be great . And this is how it's going to happen and it it doesn't work that way at all . You know , I , I write less and I feel like I'm , you know , cleaning up more , and it's not because I I don't want to . I want to write my books , but I don't want my kids to ever think , you know , that that came before them . You know it's okay to have dreams and visions and goals .
Speaker 2I think that we all should . It's very important , but they can't have you , you know , I have to , I have to be able to breathe with that . So , um , I write , I have set time where I write and I , you know , I'll post , um my blog and it's it's just stories , it's just real life stories of how God works , in between the lines and in the pages that we , that we miss so much , um , you know , and they're just wholesome reads just to remind us where home is . And there are times when you know I just , I just can't do that . You know I have , I have somewhere else that I have to be .
Speaker 1That's more important you know , yeah , that's a great perspective . So let's talk about those little ones . How did bringing children into your home challenge and how did they enrich your home making ?
Speaker 2Oh my goodness . They challenged because I , I didn't realize that I was never going to be on time for anything ever again . And that happens . I was somehow . You know , I knew I would find a mirror and a brush again , but I wasn't sure . When you know , I , I think I still , I'm still looking for that day , but I know it's coming .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , it's coming when they , when they graduate .
Speaker 2Oh , when they graduate . I know , I mean all the funny things , I just , you know all the things I would hear about people talking about with kids , and the things that you do that should only be in movies are real life with kids and it's hilarious , you know , um , but the exhaustion that you feel , yet you still power through . When they all go down for a nap , you like you're just exhilarated yes , I can finally do something . It's just , it's amazing how God does that . But they are precious to me . They , they changed my life . I mean their echoes in my house made it a home . I mean they're writing on the walls and and they're mistakes and and the discipline and the love and the conversation around the table . That's what it's all about .
Speaker 2Yeah , I don't , I don't want to miss it . I don't want to pass through my home and never stay . I want to , I want to be there and I want to see those moments and not lose those moments . You know , um , eva , she's seven and Charlotte is two . Both of them are absolute miracles . And baby number three is Charles Tyson , and he's a miracle too . We've got three miracles here , oh , so they are wonderful and just a handful and it's just , it's great .
Speaker 1So so you've got one who's seven and two . Two two year olds can do a lot . What ? How are you inviting them in to the home making ? How do you take them along with you in in the work that you do in the home ?
Speaker 2Um . So my dad told me something um a long time ago . I and and probably it was more than told they they lived it . Um , you put your kids in the middle of everything that you do and you won't have to look for them when they're 15 and when they're 18 and when they're 25 , they'll look for you , and I have watched that play out .
Speaker 2Um , my favorite thing about my writing is that I get to sell my books on the on our town square . They every month . They have a small business or whatever your hobby is . You can set it up around the square and you can sell it . And so my girls make lemonade and they set up their lemonade stand and I think they're more lemonade than I do books . But watching them learn to earn money and to um it , connect with people and just being in the middle of what I'm doing and having them with me , I told God before I started writing . I said I will only write if I can take my family with me . If it's ever , if I have to choose , I'm done . I know where my heart is .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , oh , that's some really great knowledge Um some really great wisdom that your dad passed on . I love that . He is I love what he said Keep them in the way in the middle and you won't have to go find them when they're older , right ?
Speaker 2That's exactly right . Keep them in the middle of everything you do and when they're older , you'll never have to look for them to look for you .
Speaker 1I love that so much .
Speaker 2And that means the work too . They got to do laundry and all that too , right ?
Speaker 1Well , I mean cause , if they're , if they're with you , then they get to , they get to partner with you in that , because it's their home too , and that's what we're trying to impart to them is that being part of a home means contributing and reaping the benefits , but you contribute as well .
Speaker 2So Absolutely , absolutely there's . I mean , you know there is fun to be had , but we have to clean up and we've got rabbits . They got to get their rabbit cages cleaned out and you know , horses are on the way . You're going to feed and water them too . And I mean , this is , this is a family . We're going to do this together , absolutely . I remember , um , that's what ? When we were growing up , we had horses and dad dad never bought one horse . He never had one horse that he could ride . He had four , or you know , we'd have 12 or 13 at a time , but there were always four rideable horses because we were going together . He wasn't going alone , he was taking his family with him and he did .
Speaker 1I can't even imagine growing up like that . That just must have been such an amazing childhood that you had . Do you wish that for your kids , Like that , wide open , right ? I mean I know you're giving them that experience where you are in the way that you can . Do you have any regret that they're not going to have the same experience as you Like out on the range ? We're talking massive amounts of land , open country where you grew up , right .
Speaker 2Right , I could if I allowed myself , but there's no future in my past . The only future that I have is out in front of me and that's what I have to remember . That's where it lies . And you know , we've prayed horses and land back into our life and we're living it . Dad , dad's bought horses again . He's bought the horse trailer again . He's buying the land again and he , you know , he's getting all back into that because there's a new generation to teach about that way of life and he doesn't want to lose that . So your dad's involved .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , dad . Well , they don't live here . My folks live three hours from here .
Speaker 1Okay , so not too far though .
Speaker 2Not too far . So we , we , we everybody moved south and then kind of dispersed from Tuscaloosa several years ago and they went back home where his folks are , because they're they're older and he wanted to be close to home . So they're up there and my husband and I have a beautiful place in the country , you know , just postcard beautiful . My kids can run and play and I don't worry about where they , where they are , you know where , who their friends are . They go to a country school which is unheard of anymore , you know . But if you paint the picture , I'm telling you God's just , he's just looking for somebody to be good to .
Speaker 1Well , whether you're on a giant ranch in the middle of America or you're on in a country little , it sounds like you've got a homestead thing happening where you are right now , or if you're in the city and you are a homemaker with small children underfoot , you've got that's a lot to coordinate , whatever circumstances are . So priorities ? And you've already hinted that you're a planner and even that was maybe something you had to let go of a little bit , but we do still have to get things done . So what are some practical steps that you take to set and keep your priorities in order ? So we want to get things done , but we want to make sure we don't neglect , you know , relationships with God and our marriage and all of that . So what ? How do you approach that ?
Speaker 2I have a breathable schedule . I have a wonderful husband . So to even think that I could do this or that anyone can do this on their own , I don't know how they do it . My hat is off to them because he walks in the house and the first words out of his mouth are where do you need me ? And most of the time I want to take the keys and just say you go in there and I'm leaving . You know how it is . But I get up really early . I have an appointment every morning about 4.30 in the morning and I meet with the Lord . And there are days when it's interrupted or I get a late start or all the many things that happen . But it's in that quiet time that I hear him and I spend time getting to know him and hearing the secrets from the secret place that he teaches me and he corrects me . I always ask him to just please hit the highlights of where I blew it the day before . Just try to keep it quick . But I want to be better every day and I want to get better .
Speaker 2We have schedules for our kids . They have a bedtime so that we have time together , my husband and I have time together and we have supper time , or even Eva plays soccer right now . But we do our best to always . Most of it , we try to go together where we're all together and if we can't do that , we have supper before she goes and then he'll take her and then we come home and spend a little time together before she goes to bed . But it's just like you said earlier . It's all about teaching them how a family works and I don't want to run them through a drive-through all the time and miss the table and miss playing in the yard and miss the birthday parties because they have 18 events they got to go be in . I don't want to do that . I just want them to go to the birthday party .
Speaker 1Yeah , yes . So one of the things I like to talk about in this section is media . But you don't have internet access out there , so I'm wondering what kind of a role media not just social media , but just media in general , because , especially when you've got little kids , people always the other listeners . They want to hear . You know how are you handling that with your children and for yourself ? You know what are you doing when it comes to the influence of media in your household ?
Speaker 2Not having internet is great , but we do have a way to get internet or stream stuff . Like you know , we don't have cable , but you know we can have prime or something like that .
Speaker 1Right .
Speaker 2So we're very particular on what they watch . Most of the time they watch DVDs . I love , I grew up on in all the old sitcoms like Leave it to Beaver and Andy Griffith , and that's what my kids , my kids , watch all , although they watch Homer Bound from the 90s and they . What I don't ever want is them . I don't like them watching a bunch of shows where people are walking around with a phone in their hand and I see that a lot on the newer shows . And I'm not coming down on anybody . I'm talking to you and I have a phone in my hand , so I understand that we're living in that world .
Speaker 2But I carry a shopping list into the store . I don't carry my phone . I want my kids to see me writing . I want , I want to feel their scribbles . I want to hold that paper that you know they can hear and they can see , and I want to be with them . Whether you know you're mad as a hornet because they're in everything or or not . I want to be in the middle of the mess so that I can teach them the right and wrong way to do things . And I can't do that if I'm lost on YouTube or Facebook or you know any .
Speaker 2I'm . I'm actually not on , I'm only on Facebook . I don't know anything about the other ones . Like I said , I'm I'm I'm very low key when it comes to social media , but I do use it . I get on there . We sell puppies , so I'll sell my puppies on there or I post my blog . I enjoy doing that , but I like to connect . I love the people that support me on there , but I don't spend very much time at all and it's certainly not with my kids around . It's pretty . I'm pretty private . You know , when I check it during my work hours , you know when Charlotte's napping , I just it's something that I will introduce them to and my husband and I will , but it will be very harnessed and very guarded because it's just , it's not . It's not real life and I just I don't want them to be so wrapped up in it that that they forget you know what's in front of them .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah . How about other challenges in the home and temptations ? We face all kinds of temptations and challenges in our home . One of the things I like to ask is it's kind of an identity based question , because that's one of our pillars , of four pillars of home making that I'm we're sort of investigating and developing on the podcast here , and the first one is identity . So understanding , you know you are not who , who you are is not what you do , but we tend to struggle with that . So that's what this question is about . What of the which of these three temptations have you struggled with the most , and what's God teaching you through it ? So A comparison to other women B just a homemaker I'm not getting paid , this is not a real job or C superwoman trying to do all the things .
Speaker 2I'm going to go with probably three , thinking I'm superwoman . You know , I can do , can do everything . I , I , I get discouraged when you know everything else got done but me . I'm the only thing that didn't get done . That that will discourage me . I love to exercise , exercise every morning with my kids . We have a long curved driveway and we have a creek that runs through the front yard and then a creek that runs through the driveway . It's beautiful , it's an underwater spring , and so they'll play in the creek . And with our five dogs that we have yes , five , five dogs . And I'll exercise to the best of my ability , you know . So I love to take care of myself and eat healthy and all that . It's just um , sometimes I do find that everything did get handled but me . And if I tried to handle myself , something else has to give . So it's trying to find the superwoman capability of making it all happen . It just , it just can't . Something just has to give . So I guess that would be the biggest thing that I struggle with .
Speaker 1That's pretty common , I think , we all . I think we all struggle with all of these , um , probably , oh sure , regularly .
Speaker 2Yes , yeah , I mean , I found myself in in every one of these categories at some time or the other , depending on the week you know right , right , exactly .
Speaker 1You're the circumstances for sure . So are there any special challenges that you've had to face , um , uh , in your home making journey that you want to share with us ? And just let us know , like what ? What did God show you through that ? What does he teaching you ? How did he shape you and mold you through that ?
Speaker 2Sure , um , uh , like I said , it was a miracle . Um , we had an hour before we lost her and we didn't know it . I went into labor early and when we got to the hospital , um they , long story short , they rushed me into the ER and she was out in 10 minutes and they let know that if we had waited just one hour longer , we would have lost her .
Speaker 1Oh , my goodness .
Speaker 2So just knowing that , um , you have to get the book to read the story .
Speaker 1Okay .
Speaker 2It's , it's pretty amazing Just knowing that God is before me and and he's before you . He sees the beginning from the end and he's going to protect my family and if he did it once , he'll do it again . Um , charlotte was a miracle . Um , I was standing in church and I was raising my my hands and we , we had been trying and trying and trying which is why there's such a gap between them and the doctors just told me they didn't know if I was going to be able to have any more . You know , just a series of complications . You'll have to get the book to his story . And I raised my hands and I just heard the Lord say you have boxes where a crib should be . And I immediately a light went off and I said , oh Lord , I quit . And we moved to this house and I took the spare room , like anybody does , and I put all the empty boxes in that room and I just walked away and he said you have boxes where a crib should be . And I realized that I was creating no place for Charlotte , and so I took everything out and I told Chuck . I said , chuck , we got to create a place , we got to create a place . And he went upstairs in the attic and he pulled down the crib and we painted and I put everything up , just just as if she was already on the way .
Speaker 2And nine months later , nine months later , baby Charlotte came . Oh , wow , oh , it's a beautiful story . And then little Tyson that I'm carrying now is an absolute miracle . We didn't even know at all I had had three miscarriages and that was it . They just said you know , we're done , you know , I don't know if you should keep trying . It's possible . I just different complications . Anyway , long story short , I was pregnant and it was over two months and I had no idea that I was pregnant with him . And , just the goodness of God , a friend had given me a blanket and just to remind me of the miscarriage that I had , of the baby that we lost and my oldest girl , eva , she walked into the room where I was put in , charlotte down for a nap , and she said mommy , she said this blanket was not meant to be sitting on the shelf . All you talk about is faith and believe in God for the impossible . She said this baby , or this blanket , needs to be wrapped with a baby .
Speaker 1And .
Speaker 2I had no idea that I was even pregnant .
Speaker 1Wow .
Speaker 2But you know , as you walk this life , god shows up . He's just . He's all over the pages and he's . He'll show up in practical ways and in dreams that you want , whether it's a house in the city or a place in the country , or whether it's loved ones to be saved or horses in your backyard . I don't know what people's dreams are , but God wants to make them happen . It's just do you have boxes where a crib should be ? And if you do , put the crib up because he's waiting . He's moved by our faith and he'll show up every time .
Speaker 1How did you walk through the loss ?
Speaker 2I remember now you're going to make me cry I remember sitting in the hospital after everything was done and I looked at my husband and I said , okay , take me home . I said my story is not here , it's at home . I have two little ones waiting on me and that's where I need to be . And he said , okay , he took me home . And I never looked back because I know that the ones that are not here are being taken care of by the great teacher and one day we will be a party of eight in heaven . But I have got babies to tend to right here . I have got a sword in my hand and I will wield it from my family right here .
Speaker 1I love that image . That's really powerful , and I know that you're just kind of joking and saying you got to get the book to hear the rest of the story , but you expound on these stories in your writing more . So if people want more details and want to hear about your journey , tell us a little bit about your writing . Where did that come from ? Why did you decide to start writing ? And then maybe a little bit about how you fleshed that out in your book and all that .
Speaker 2Okay , now that you say that I was actually vacuuming the floor four or five years ago and it was kind of like you said , I was just a homemaker I almost felt like what can I do ? And which I totally missed the mark in thinking that because you're changing the world when you're taking care of your home and your family . But I remember hearing the Holy Spirit say write your stories . You need to write your stories . And I just thought , oh , my goodness , I don't have anything to say . And he said I didn't ask you to say anything . I want you to write your stories because they're beautiful backdrop of what family and home look like and people are missing it .
Speaker 2We've got a whole generation that's headed . I mean , they're running stampeding off a cliff and no one's out front trying to stop it and we don't see it . We don't see it because we're too busy on our phones , we're too busy running to practices and running through drive-thrus that we have forgotten what happens on . Leave it To Beaver . It's slow paced life . I don't want to get to the end of my rope and my kids say you know , into my life . And my kids say you were so busy you were never there . I want them to be able to look back and say it may have been crazy at times and it may have been fast , but we lived slowly .
Speaker 2I remember , and that's what I noticed was that I remembered so much of my stories and growing up and how God was all over the pages and I began to write them and people began to follow and began to read them and listen and buy the books and I just until the Holy Spirit tells me to turn or tells me to stop I'm going to keep writing the books . They're just a continual series , kind of like Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about her life . I don't wear an apron and I don't milk cows , but it's kind of like that . She just wrote her stories and people were endeared to that time and her family and I not that I think I'm Laura Ingalls Wilder , but it's just . I feel like it's a lost way of life and so many people don't know that kind of life that I'd like to introduce them to it .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's that . I know you're speaking the language of the people who are listening . I see her quoted a lot in the Homemaking Communities on Instagram and people crave that , so there's definitely definitely an audience out there for that kind of content and what it like . I love what you said , how God impressed upon your heart that you don't necessarily need to have like some big message . You just need to tell your story , because that's a really beautiful backdrop for home and family and for what he's doing .
Speaker 1So , it's not . It's his message , it's not yours . Your stories are a theater to present that to the world , so I really love that . Yeah , I like what you put . I'm sorry , go ahead .
Speaker 2I don't know . I said I like the way you put that , go ahead .
Speaker 1So you have a blog and you write your stories on the blog , but then they are . You compile them into these series of books and you have one coming out very soon , in October , right ?
Speaker 2Yes , ma'am , I actually was going to stop the blog and just write the book , because I'm so much more of a I don't know a book person than I am really an internet person . But there are so many people on the internet that I would never reach , sure , if I quit . So , and it keeps me accountable to making sure I finish each story . You know a lot , oh girl , yes , I know . So , yeah , if I pull the plug on that , I feel like I would pull the plug on my books . Maybe Right and maybe not , you know whatever the Lord says . But so I compile a year's worth so I can get to 52 , get put into a book , and many people buy the books . Probably more people buy the books . They're beautiful books that they can , they keep in their home , they can go back over them .
Speaker 2I hear so many people talking about they read them before they go to bed , just because they're such a wholesome uplifting . Young moms read them in carpool line . So , but I enjoy . I enjoy something to do like that . Yeah , I share my stories . They're past and present . So , if you like , the past of growing up on , it's full of it's full of my dad and my mom and lessons I've learned in a pasture somewhere and it's full of our journey and just family in general .
Speaker 1That sounds wonderful and people can connect with you . We'll put all the ways to connect with you in the show notes , but they can go to your blog . Can they buy the book from your blog or on Amazon or ?
Speaker 2Yes , they can . They can go to the blog and it'll connect them straight to Amazon , or they can find it on Amazon . It's Home , sweet Home , by Kristen Howard .
Speaker 1Home , sweet Home , great . Okay , we're going to shift gears a little bit and talk about hospitality . What is one practical way that you show hospitality in your home making ?
Speaker 2I love that because before we moved we didn't have a lot of that and I craved having people in my home and guess over . But maybe some people that live in the city can relate to this . It's busier when you live in a big city and everybody has places to be . That it's you know . The last thing on their list is going to somebody's house and bringing a dish . You know and I grew up like that you know mom always had room for people at her table and everything was homemade and you know , that's just all I knew .
Speaker 2And so when we hear I just had , it's as if I am living . It's like I'm living in your podcast with all the people that are on talking about canning and homesteading and being with their families . It's as if they all live here and I love it . So I've got a friend that's taught me some canning and I've got people come over for tea . I have different friends that will . They'll come over in the morning time and not all the time , but , you know , have tea and it's never , you know , or supper or Sunday lunch . You know we'll have people over and unless it's a picnic outside , it's always .
Speaker 2You know , I'm setting the table on them , putting a tablecloth on and I've got nice tea cups and a tea kettle and I want people to feel invited when they come into my home . You know , I want , I want them to come in my home and feel like they are in a home and , you know , not surrounded by walls that echo because there's nothing on them . You know , I don't , and I've seen , I've seen that I've , I've , I've lived where that's the norm . And so to be in a place where people just love the art of home and being in home and serving and hospitality and watching my mom do that , I , you know , she always you weren't , you weren't having a picnic without a tablecloth I mean absolutely not , you know . So that's just that's what I know and I love , I love to entertain and have people over and just visit and get to know people over lunch or dinner or whatever it is . I just I think it's great .
Speaker 1Yes , it's . It's how we build community . And I feel like this next question is sometimes people struggle with this next question . I always ask how does homemaking help build community ? And I put it in the hospitality section because obviously , when we're having people in , we're inviting them into the community of our home . But how do you feel like having a strong home culture helps , like ripples out to help the community ?
Speaker 2Well , in the Bible it was Mary and Martha's home that Jesus frequented the most , and I believe it's because they knew both of them , even though one was busy in the kitchen and one sat at Jesus' feet . They both sat at his feet , they both learned from him , they both knew how to care for a house and set a table and he had a place to go and laugh , like you said , and build community and tell stories . Jesus was a storyteller . He he loved to tell a story , he's the best storyteller and he loved to laugh and he loved people and being around them and healing them and making them whole .
Speaker 2And he did that a lot in people's homes where he shows up , and it's the same in our home . He shows up in the four walls of our home . And so for me you know that would be my answer is that , like you said , it builds community . There are things set around , you know , a separate table , that never should leave the separate table , because they are things that you hear , people sharing their heart and their , their struggles , and you don't get that when you take the separate table away . Right , you know . So I just I'm with you . I think the home is key to hospitality and building community .
Speaker 1Yes , absolutely , and it's the opposite of isolation . So , yep , and you know , that is what the enemy wants of us to keep us isolated . And , whether you know , keeping the believers isolated from one another , or keeping believers isolated from the rest of the world , or whatever it is isolating us , is a tactic of the enemy , and so we want to do whatever we can to use our homes to combat isolation , both within our families and within our communities , and I feel like that's how homemaking grows strong communities .
Speaker 2That's fantastic . That is so good that that held a lot of meat .
Speaker 1Hmm , hmm . I love how you tied it into Mary to Mary and Martha too . I hadn't thought about that , so that's really good too .
Speaker 2Thank you .
Speaker 1Okay , I have some questions for you that I would just love to hear a little story about . Can you tell me about your biggest homemaking fail ?
Speaker 2Okay , which one , oh Lord , I mean I have . I have so many failures . You know , they're all in my books and they , most of them , are absolutely hysterical , because you know , most people don't try to change a diaper and carpool line and park in the bus line and , you know , get honked at and you have nowhere to put the dirty diaper and you're holding the infant in your hand . You know , I do all the things and I don't really know why , but I've just learned to accept it . Yeah , but um , so when I was talking about my friend teaching me to can um , I was really excited . And this was spring and we've got a strawberry um farm not far , not far from here and they sell fresh strawberries . So I I bought them and I was really excited to can my um first strawberry jelly . Um , well , you know , in a hot water bath . But um , so I got the package of of sure jail and she's like , oh , super simple , just follow the directions on the back and you'll be fine . I said , okay , well , if she can do it , I can do it . I did , I did , I followed their directions .
Speaker 2But when I looked at how many cups of sugar it was to go into the um strawberries . I said you have got to be kidding me . I am not putting eight cups of sugar in here , it just can't be healthy . So I decided I would put four and it would be fine . So , yes , exactly . So I dropped four cups of sugar , or however much was about half , you know and I packaged it all up and hot water bath and I was so proud of myself . It looked great . It looked great , yeah , and I I took a picture and I sent it to my friend and I told her .
Speaker 2I was like , uh , she also lives in the middle of nowhere , so sending her a picture is waste of time . So , like three days later it got to her and she laughed and I called her . And I called her and I told her it's not setting up , you know . Well , did you follow the directions ? And I said yes . I said well , okay , I actually cut the sugar , the sugar in half , because it's just too much sugar . And she said , kristin , you can't do that . So , anyway , needless to say , by the time she told me that we had already gone somewhere for supper and I had taken them a jar of my new strawberry jelly . Oh no , and I was so proud of myself . So , anyway , they had syrup for their ice cream , but yeah , strawberry syrup is what they had .
Speaker 1Yep , yep .
Speaker 2So . But you know I I make a lot of mistakes , but in looking back they're , they're pretty funny to me .
Speaker 1So have you since then learned about Pomona's pectin ?
Speaker 2No , but I'm so happy to . I just got the . My husband went and got me the , the low sugar sure .
Speaker 1Right , that's the same thing . Pomona's pectin , I think , is maybe there's something about that brand that's it's a little better than the sure gel , like it's got more natural and great . I don't know , I'm not an authority on this , but I know that that is the thing to do . If you want to keep it healthy and maybe like non GMO or something I don't know , and to do it low sugar , you got to either use that low sugar sure gel or use Pomona's pectin , and I think you can only buy Pomona's pectin . Well , I know you can buy it from Amazon . So there you go .
Speaker 2Well , if you could email me that , I will do that , because I'm still learning all these things and I there's just no way I was putting eight cups of sugar in my jelly .
Speaker 1It's , it's hard . You're like , oh , it hurts my heart to do that . Yeah , if you're using traditional , traditional , it's not going to work without all that sugar . So okay , let's , let's . Let's talk about a win . Tell me a recent , or not recent , but a homemaking , memorable homemaking win that you're proud of .
Speaker 2Okay , let me think about this . Yeah , I don't have one . Apparently , apparently , I'm losing today . So , okay , I think for me a win is if , if I get all the laundry put up and I get , you know , charlotte's diaper changed and I get the dog's fed and all the chores done outside the bunny rabbit .
Speaker 1That's a lie .
Speaker 2Every day is a win .
Speaker 1If you know , we get everybody if everybody's alive , at the end of the day , that's a win .
Speaker 2We are winning . Okay , that's good .
Speaker 1How about a homemaking product or resource that you are loving right now ?
Speaker 2Okay , this is . Everybody probably already does this and has this . But two years ago or maybe a year ago , our old washing machine it was a front loader at the time it opened during the night and it poured water on our floor for several hours . Oh , my goodness , it's in the book , it's a great story , and we were swimming when we woke up and so , anyway , long story short , they had to come in and redo the hardwoods and the man asked if I wanted him back when he was putting the polish on . You know , if I just wanted to do the natural polish that everybody does , and I said , yeah , whatever was on the floor is fine . So it was my fault . I thought that meant the semi-gloss , but apparently we had the glossy originally . So when he was done , it was . It didn't have the shine anymore . It was gone and my heart sank and I thought , oh no , because there was really no going back . That was my fault , I didn't know . And my husband blesses heart , he's always trying to help me , so he goes to the store and comes home with this and I see I wrote it down Quick shine floor polish , which I'm sure everybody's heard of but me and I have tried other polishes or you know glossy floor stuff , and none of it worked .
Speaker 2None of it made it shine . This stuff absolutely looks as if you have finished your floor with a glossy glow and it stays for like two weeks . It's just , it's beautiful and so it's just , it's nothing , nothing great . But for me it's quick shine floor polish and every time I mop my floors I'm so happy because my glow is back for , you know , two weeks and it's just , it looks great and I don't have to get my floors redone . That's awesome , I like it .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's great . I've not heard of that , so that's a good resource . That's for wood floors .
Speaker 2Yes , ma'am .
Speaker 1Okay , cool , okay , how about a favorite homemaking hack or tip ?
Speaker 2If it takes less than one minute , do it now .
Speaker 1Yes , that is a very good tip .
Speaker 2So that's I mean . If it's not going to take me long , I don't put it to the list , I don't add it for tomorrow , Just do it . I do it right now and you'd be surprised yeah , you'd be surprised how clean your house is if you'll just do it .
Speaker 1Yeah , oh , I totally agree . That's a really good role to live by . Okay , we kind of talked about this already before we started signature dish . Do we want to address this ?
Speaker 2Well , you may or may not want to , my kids call it bowtie pasta . It was a recipe I found and then I tweaked it and kind of made it my own . So it's just chicken in a heavy cream sauce and then you with sun dried tomatoes , and then you pour that over your noodles and they love bowtie noodles , so they call it bowtie pasta . It is absolutely delicious . You basically just fry your . It is really good . You just kind of do the lightly frying your chicken . You know , chop up boneless chicken breast and then take it out , drain your pan , put your cream sauce and your parmesan and your sun dried tomatoes and I add spinach in there and I put all that in there and oh it's good , and melt it all down and then I put my chicken back in there and let it simmer for about 30 minutes and oh my goodness , it is so good .
Speaker 1That sounds awesome . Yes , we definitely need that recipe , and you've got a while to get it together and write it down , and so we'll put it in the newsletter that comes out after your episode airs . Okay , okay perfect , all right , cool . Okay , let's talk about the art of home . How do you see homemaking as an art and where do you find beauty in homemaking ?
Speaker 2Oh , my goodness , where don't I find the beauty in it . It's just , it's wonderful . I think I heard one of your podcast participants on . She talked about cooking and what an art that was , and I mean , it's so true .
Speaker 2Or for me it's in because I love scheduling , it's in giving things done , getting the tasks done , or seeing the artwork that my kids bring home . I don't put it in a folder right away . I've got a couple strings in their playroom and upstairs where I hang it all up and I want to see it . Or we had a cat that died and Eva drew the picture of the cat and I'm about a frame and we hung it up on the collage wall and it's for me it's like we talked about earlier .
Speaker 2Your kids just really make it come to life and they just become the art of your home , just everything about it that you get to teach them and do . And probably one of my absolute favorite things to do is in the evening or if you're taking a trip and you drive down back roads and you see lamps burning in people's windows and they don't have their blinds closed and you can see the life inside and what they do and you can just see the glow of the lights and you can see even , maybe , their TVs or people passing by the windows and I just think they're home . They're at home and it's beautiful .
Speaker 1Yeah , I love that image . Oh , you're a good . I can tell you're a good writer because I'm picturing the things that you're saying . It's funny that you mentioned that because we have we live kind of at the front of our neighborhood and so we get a lot of traffic in front of our house and we have glass . Like our front doors are glass , mostly they're wooden glass , but you can pretty much see right into , and then we have two big windows right next to that , so it's all out there like you can see right into our living room from this Right .
Speaker 1And my husband , like his chair , the way where he sits , when we're sitting in the living room , he can see who's passing by on the road and he's like , why do people slow down when it's like are they voyeurs ? They just have to see what's going on in our house ? And I'm like no , I think it's because it's kind of rare to see a house that's full of light and there's people in there and it's attractive like there's life happening inside this house and people I mean some people are just being nosy , but some people they just want to slow down and see what's going on because that's attractive to people and that's what we get to do as homemakers , so absolutely don't ever change that , because those are the houses I slow down by .
Speaker 2I'm just like it's so beautiful , it's wonderful .
Speaker 1So what's something about homemaking that you're particularly thankful for ?
Speaker 2Oh , my goodness that I'm the heart of my home Without the mom . When the mom is removed , well , my mom and dad always taught me you're a family before kids .
Speaker 2So , any listeners that don't have kids or that they've moved on . You and your spouse are a family . I'm just in the trenches right now , so it's so much about my kids and my husband . He's never on the back burner , ever . It's about taking care of him as much as it is the kids . But , like I said , I'm the heart of my home . They're looking to me to make it and to appreciate it . My kids love the decor . They love the blinds open and the things that we do to make it alive right here . I love to be the one that sees my kids every day and picks them up from school and I'm home with them .
Speaker 2I have a really good friend who wouldn't mind me sharing this , but she worked outside the home and her kids were either in school or her mom took care of them . And her mom called her while she was at work one day and she had taken the little one to a birthday party . They were having such a good time and she was just so excited about it and she said I just began to cry , kristen , I realized that I was missing all the things , that I should be there for the reasons I had kids , and she said I walked into my boss's office and I gave him my two weeks notice . She quit . I don't know their circumstance or how she was able to do that , but she quit and she never looked back . She stayed home and you can do a lot of things that we think we can't if we're willing to maybe go with less at first and let God open the doors for more .
Speaker 1You know ? Yes , yes , absolutely . Well , I'd like to end our time talking to the other women , the older women and the younger women , because you're right in the middle . So first let's talk to the women who are ahead of you on this journey . How can those ladies help homemakers in your generation thrive in their practice , in the art of home ? What do you want them to understand about your experience ?
Speaker 2Let me make sure I'm understanding . What can they teach me , or what can I teach the older women ?
Speaker 1Well , what do you need from them ? Like , what do you know ? This is based on the Titus II model laid out for us by Paul , you know . That says we should be the older women , should be teaching the younger women , and sometimes I get feedback from the older women Well , I don't know what they need , or they don't really need me , they've got it all together , kind of thing . No , so speak into that and say this is we need you .
Speaker 2Oh , I absolutely need the older women surrounding me . My mother is a huge influence to me . I have several other probably six or seven , I can count that speak into my life and and teach me and help me . In fact , one of them is part of the reason why I stayed home .
Speaker 2I was going to go back teaching fitness when we moved here and I was pregnant with Charlotte and I was telling her about it on the on the phone and she said , kristin , she said your place is in that home . You need to stop trying to find something outside of that home . Right now . That time will come , but right now your place is with those children . And she wasn't afraid to tell me what I needed to hear . And that's what I think some older women they shut down thinking , well , I'm not going to get involved or I don't want to tell them what to do because they probably got so many people know I need someone to tell me or show me or say hey , you're , you're too busy , you're trying to be in too many things , and it's up to the hearer whether or not they take the advice or not . And you know I need someone to speak to me .
Speaker 1Mm , hmm , mm , hmm . Yeah , that was brave of her to do that , but it was very loving of her to speak that into your life . So what a gift . Okay , it was for sure . Let's talk to the younger women . So what's a word of advice or encouragement or warning that you would give the younger women ?
Speaker 2Oh yes , when we moved into our new house we were unpacking all the boxes and you know how it is to move into a new house and I had so much , so much to do and work . You know , work never stops . But it started to rain outside and I looked out on our front porch and there's a we have a white fence out in the yard right beyond the creek and then across the road there is cattle . We have ranchers that live on the other side of the road from us and they were all grazing and it was absolutely most beautiful picture . And I looked out and I remembered something that my mom and dad had told me when I , you know , kind of started being being a mother and working in the home and all that .
Speaker 2And they said you're not going to remember all the loads of laundry , the cabinets that you didn't get organized or the sink full of dirty dishes , but you will remember the times that you stopped long enough to enjoy the rain . And that's what I did . I grabbed my little girl and I . We snuggled up with blankets and we sat on the front porch and we listened to it rain . That's what you're going to remember . There is so much to do . It's never going to stop . There will always be things to do , but don't miss the moments that matter most . Take time to enjoy the rain .
Speaker 1I love that . That's a great image . Thank you for sharing that . Well , Kristin , we did it . We got through this interview .
Speaker 2You're going to need a bonus after doing the through three .
Speaker 1It was good . Thank you so much for being here and and for making we made it work . Praise God , and thank you for sharing your wonderful stories . Remind people where they can find you . What's the name of your website again ?
Speaker 2It's home , sweet homeblog .
Speaker 1Okay , all right , and we'll have that linked in the in the show notes . Thank you , kristin . It's been such a pleasure to get to know you .
Speaker 2Alison , it has been a treat to get to know you as well . Thank you for bearing with me , and in real life .
Speaker 1Thank you so much for listening to this homemaker portrait of Kristin Howard . I pray that it has been an encouragement to you , that it has inspired you in a way that you can apply directly right now in your own practice of the art of home . All the show notes for this episode will be available in this week's newsletter , so make sure that you're signed up for that . Just go to the artofhomepodcastcom slash subscribe . Also in this week's newsletter , kristin has graciously agreed to include some of her own writing . She will be contributing the little article there . There's always a little article of some kind in every weekly newsletter and often I will write those articles . But Kristin has agreed to share some of her writing with us and so that's going to be in this week's newsletter so you can get a sample of her writing and decide if that's something that you'd like to see more of , and you can subscribe to her blog and purchase one or more of her books . So make sure you're subscribed .
Speaker 1Now I briefly just want to touch on the newsletters and the newsletter archive . So first of all , the reason why I do these newsletters . There's a couple of different reasons . It's a way to contact you a few days after to give you the show notes and to provide more information . If we want to dive deeper into a topic that we've just discussed , we can do that there . It gives you another boost at the end of your week to finish strong and give you some encouragement and some ideas for your own practice of the art of home . Also , a newsletter is a way for me to get your email so that I can build a list that I own , and what I mean by that is I don't really own my subscriber list on Instagram or Facebook or even , quite frankly , the subscribers who subscribe on either Apple or Spotify or wherever you listen to the podcast . I could lose access to those lists at any time for any reason , because that's what we would call in the content creation world rented land , and you are not ever supposed to build on a rented land if you can help , possibly help it , and the key to that is by getting is getting email lists . So the email list is not there for me to sell you things . It's there so that , if I were to lose every other way for contacting you , I have your email so I can contact you in that way and to say thank you to you for giving me your email .
Speaker 1I want to send you this newsletter Hot off the presses two days after that episode comes out . You get the information first , it comes to you first . You're getting it in real time . So if you want it in real time , that is the thing to do is to be on the newsletter list . If you don't really care so much , then that's fine , you don't have to be on the list .
Speaker 1But should you come across an episode and you're like , oh , she said she was going to share this recipe or share that or share the other , you can go back into the archives which are posted on our website . Under the newsletter tab there's a drop down tab that says newsletter archives and if you go into that , you will find I used to only have starting in season nine , but while I was away on this last trip , with long flights and things , I took some time to go back and add all of the newsletters to the archive . So , beginning with season five that was when I first started doing them , january of 2022 , I have all of the seasons Now . If there's a season missing , that's because I was taking the summer off or there was not any newsletters . So if there there's 48 newsletters there now in that archive , six per season for eight seasons that are in there Now . I don't get them up right away , though that's .
Speaker 1The benefit of being on the email list is you're going to get them as soon as they come out . As far as the archive , I might get them up during the next season , but it might take me a couple of seasons to get an old to archive some of the old additions of the newsletter . Does that make sense ? I'm just trying to explain to you what's the benefit of being on the email list , what's the purpose of me having an email list , and then how to navigate through the newsletter archive on the website . Unfortunately it is a little bit cumbersome and unfortunately I can't do a direct link from an episode show notes section to that particular episode newsletter . But there is a way for you to find it fairly easily . Just remember that for every episode there is a corresponding newsletter and the best way to find it is look at what season you're in . So if you're listening to say season six , episode three , and they are listed like that in the podcast player , so season six , episode three will then go to the newsletter archive page on the website . Look for the box that says season six and look for volume three . So episode three will correspond with volume three in that season of the newsletter . That's the best way I can explain to you how to find what you're looking for .
Speaker 1It's on my list of things to do next year to figure out a better system where I can tag specific things so that you can very easily find something that you're looking for . Because I know , even if you are subscribed to the newsletter , you might not need that recipe until maybe a few months later and you're like oh , I remember so , and so somebody on the art of home like gave a recipe for beef stroganoff , but I can't remember who it was and I know I got that email and I don't know where it is . My goal next year is to make a way for you to easily find things like that on the website , but I am just one person and if I could hire an assistant I could make that happen faster . But until that time , just know that I'm aware and I'm working on it and the system that I have set up right now is the best that I could come up with . So I hope it is helpful for you . I would recommend even that you just hop into the newsletter archive and take a look around especially if you're new to the show and you've just signed up for the mailing list and you've not seen very many , if any , of our past newsletters , since they're all there , excluding this season that we're in right now . Those aren't there and they won't be there until probably sometime around Christmas or maybe after Christmas . But go into the archive and just poke around and just start clicking on them and you'll be taken . It'll take you directly to on the web browser where you can read a web version of the original newsletter that went out to the newsletter list . Okay , I hope that's helpful .
Speaker 1I am going to stop talking now because I'm losing my voice and I just pray that this story that you've heard from Kristin today has encouraged and inspired you . I was encouraged and inspired by Kristin . I can't wait to share some of her writing with you this Friday and if you have found value in today's episode and you want to say thanks , there's a couple of different ways that you can do that . The most important thing you can do is share the art of home with someone that you know who could use this kind of encouragement , who would value this kind of content . Just pop into your phone right now and click the share button and share that with her and bless her .
Speaker 1The second thing that you can do is you can leave us a rating or a review on your listening app . And finally , if you would like , you can leave us a tip and our virtual tip jar buy me a coffee . Tips are given in $5 increments . That's the cost of one coffee . You can give one , two , three , five , as many as you would like . Just go to buy me a coffee . Dot com slash the art of home and we just really appreciate all of the ways that you guys show your support , whether it's shipping or sharing or reviewing or sending me an email , any of those things . It's so encouraging and I just really love hearing from you all and I love seeing that the show is making an impact in your everyday homemaking life . Well , that is it for this week's episode . I will be back next Wednesday , hopefully with a better voice , and I will have another homemaker portrait for you of a listener just like you . Until then , keep practicing your art of making home .
Speaker 2Everything good . I gotta go lock the cabinet . She found the food cabinet and she has pulled giant marshmallows out . Oh my gosh .
Speaker 1Okay , this is the last question .
Speaker 2Oh go ahead .
Speaker 1Oh look what you've got . Hi , charlotte , hi .
Speaker 2We're having hot dogs and snores down by the fire pit tonight . I'm sorry you . Typically things are more funny to the mom than they are anybody else , but she came and waved to me at the window with all these marshmallows . We can go back and talk about the utter fail moments again . Good luck high on innate日日新娘今日就 .