• Home
  • Family Resources
    • Marriage
    • Parenting
  • Self Care
    • Pursue the REAL You Course
    • BEAUTY
      • Makeup
      • Color Match Quiz
      • Artist Program
  • Quizzes
  • Courses
    • Pursue the REAL You Course
    • Join the Community
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

Beauty in Bedlam

That Busy Family Life

in Family Resources, Marriage, Parenting, Self Care on 01/01/20

I’m Kristin, mom to five and wife to one. I’m here to help you find the beauty in the chaos of life.

Our (not so little) Little Family

I’m so happy you’re here! I’m mom to five crazy little girls, wife to my own personal McDreamy, and busy family life expert survivor.

When my husband was in medical school and residency, I gave everything I had to support him and our little family, but in doing so, I lost myself. While I loved being a wife and mother, I forgot what it meant to be me.

However, after a few really hard months of adjusting, I found a way to do it all. I juggled managing a home, chauffeuring kids, running a business, going back to school myself, volunteering as a church youth group leader, and serving as PTO president. Finally, it was my turn to pursue the things that I wanted and loved doing. I had it all together.

But did I? Not really.

I wasn’t happy. Stress had taken over my life and I couldn’t decide where the greatest needs were. My mind was always thinking three steps ahead, unable to focus on the task at hand. When I was with my kids I thought about the studying I needed to do or the school carnival I had to plan. When I was spending time with my husband I was thinking about all the things I didn’t do with my kids or the laundry that had needed folding for over a week. My relationships with my self, my husband, and my children were suffering. Things had to change. No. I had to change.

I had to stop!

But what did that mean? I couldn’t stop taking care of my kids or stop dating my husband. My house couldn’t be completely neglected and extracurriculars couldn’t be totally cancelled. I didn’t want to give up on earning my degree or working with the youth group or serving on PTO or any of the other things I was doing. So what did it mean to stop?

It meant that I had to stop living in the future and start living intentionally. I had to take the time to really dig into myself and my relationships to figure out what wasn’t working. I’m still doing all those same activities today, but I’m happy. My marriage is stronger and my children are more content. Our home feels different, peaceful even. That busy family life has gone from overwhelming to completely manageable. And all because I shifted my focus to fixing and deepening my relationships.

“Life may be crazy, but that’s where the beauty lies.”

I have learned how to find the good among the chaos in my role as wife and mother, making life and my relationships gratifying. I’m still learning. I hope this space can help you do the same. Because life may be crazy, darling, but that is where the beauty lies.

Add a Comment

« Mom Makeup for Beginners
The Perfect Dress for Family Photos »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Take my color match quiz!

Hey there!

As a mom of five young kids, I find myself perpetually busy. I often hear, "how on earth do you do it all?" Well, let me fill you in on a little secret: I don't! I have learned instead how to find the good among the chaos, making it more manageable. I'm still learning. I hope this space can help you do the same. Because life may be crazy, darling, but that is where the beauty lies.

View My Blog Posts

Never Miss a Post!

Instagram post 18200665219202583 Instagram post 18200665219202583
Coming out of Instagram retirement to post this. Coming out of Instagram retirement to post this.

Halloween 2022 Featuring:
#1 as Margo
#4 as Edith
#5 as Agnes
#3 as Vector
#2 as Dr. Nefario
Kristin as Miss Hattie
Brad as Gru

We cut, sewed, glued, dyed, painted, buzzed, and knit to bring this year’s theme together. It was definitely a family effort this year and I think it may be our best yet.
Has your inner voice been bringing you down? It mi Has your inner voice been bringing you down? It might have sounded like this:

- You are not enough
- You aren’t lovable
- You are a failure
- You’re overreacting
- It’s too late

Honestly, the list could go on and on. After all, we’re our own worst critics. Right?

But it doesn’t have to be that way. It shouldn’t be that way. It’s time to take back your power and stop believing those lies. Make it RAIN!

1️⃣ Realize you’re being a jerk to yourself. 

2️⃣ Accept and acknowledge that the thought happened. Don’t beat yourself up further!

3️⃣ Investigate what is truth, exaggeration, or false perception. 

4️⃣ “NOPE” to the negativity and switch to a neutral or positive

- I love myself for who I am now
- I trust that ______ loves me
- Failing is okay, it means I tried
- These feelings are okay
- I can start now

Slow down. Analyze your thoughts. Flip the script.

You deserve a happier you.

#selftalk #selftalkmatters #positiveselftalk #selftalkpositive #mindsetmatters #youdeservehappy #youdeservehappiness #changethenarrative #changeyourmindset #changeyournarrative #goodbyeinnercritic #goodbyeinnermeangirl #goodbyenegativity #flipthescript #nopethenegative #beautyinbedlam #beautyinbedlamcoaching #beautyinbedlamcommunity
“We didn’t set out to be superheroes, but some “We didn’t set out to be superheroes, but sometimes life doesn’t go the way you planned. 

Who are we?”

#halloween2021 #familyhalloweencostumes #disneyfamily #disneyfamilyhalloween #familycostumeideas #disneycostumeideas #bighero6 #bigherosixcosplay #bigherosixcostume #bighero6cosplay #bighero6costume #bigherosix #disneyobsessed #homemadehalloween #homemadehalloweencostume #homemadehalloweencostumes #halloweenfromscratch #beautyinbedlam
Good things come to those who wait. 3 years and 8 Good things come to those who wait. 3 years and 8 months, almost to the day, and I’m a braceface no more! It’s crazy to think this was the first time my youngest has EVER seen me without braces. 

It was a long, long road with lots of frustrations, complications, and delays, but it just makes today that much sweeter. Now to eat Indian Korma without the fear of staining brackets and caramel apples without worrying about knocking anything off.
Oftentimes women put themselves at the end of thei Oftentimes women put themselves at the end of their to-do lists—or don't even put themselves on the list at all! This is scary when you think about health care to-do lists.

Studies found that most women ranked their time spent managing health care in the following order:

1. Children
2. Pets
3. Elder relatives
4. Spouse or significant others
5. Themselves

I put myself as priority #1 today and went to the optometrist to update my prescription. (Hello crazy dilated eyes!) Turns out that my eyes have changed so much that I jumped 5 whole lines in the eye exam. No wonder I’ve been struggling with blurred vision and headaches!

Do you struggle making your health a priority? What if there was a way for you to easily manage not only your family’s needs, but yours as well? Are you ready to make yourself a priority?
Do you ever feel like the grief you carry isn’t Do you ever feel like the grief you carry isn’t legitimate? That it’s too small or too old or you’re too blessed? 

I’ve felt that.

Ten years ago today I experienced my second miscarriage. The first time it happened so early I didn’t even realize what was happening until a nurse at my university clinic told me. This time we thought we were far enough along it was “safe” to tell our families. I was so devastated I asked my sister to tell everyone for me because I couldn’t bear saying the words another time. Yet, I didn’t feel like it was right for me to grieve for long because I had a healthy seven month old baby to love and the pregnancy had been a surprise. I thought I was wrong to feel so sad when I had friends who hadn’t been able to get pregnant at all. I didn’t believe I was allowed true grief. But the hole in my heart remained.

Over the years the pain of loss dulled and the thoughts of what could have been became less frequent. Yet the guilt of grief was still there when they came. Who was I, mom to five beautifully rambunctious girls, to mourn such early losses from so long ago?

I’ve come to realize that grief isn’t bound by size or time or blessings. We don’t recover from grief, we grow in it. Grief provides perspective on our immense capacity for finding strength and becomes part of how we share our humanity.

So if you’ve ever felt like the grief you carry isn’t legitimate, I’m here to tell you it is and you are allowed to feel it.
. Repeat after me: "I 𝙖𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 resp .
Repeat after me: 

"I 𝙖𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 responsible for how others respond to my boundaries. I 𝙖𝙢 responsible for setting and honoring my boundaries."

✨ Are you ready to build greater self-esteem?

✨ Are you ready to clarify who you are, what you want, what you value and believe?

✨ Are you ready to focus on yourself and your well-being?

✨ Are you ready to enhance your mental health and emotional well-being?

✨ Are you ready to develop independence?

✨ Are you ready to gain a greater sense of identity?

It can be tricky navigating how to identify, set, and enforce boundaries, but you don't have to do it alone. If you are ready to see boundaries work their magic in your life and don't know where to start, I have the guidance you need. In just a few weeks I'll be launching my flagship course, The Boundary Breakdown, where I'll walk you through the five steps to becoming a boundaried person, guilt-free.

Are you ready?
I’m an enneagram type 6, which basically means I I’m an enneagram type 6, which basically means I’m a natural worrier. If you look it up, often the first thing noted about type sixes is we “anticipate life’s dangers.”

When I walk into a building I note where exits are.

When I’m driving, I’m hyper-vigilant about what other drivers around me are doing, anticipating mistakes they might make.

When I’m planning any event I think about all the things that can go wrong, what I’ll do to minimize the likelihood of it happening, and how I’ll respond if it does.

For me, thinking of the worst calms me because I know I’m prepared should it happen. I handle chaotic situations extremely well because, more often than not, I’ve played through a similar scenario in my head already.

I’ve spent the last few days updating our “bug out bags” or 72-hour kits. It’s been on my to-do list for a while and knowing it’s finally done has brought me an immense amount of peace. Hopefully we won’t ever need them, but they’re ready in case we do.

I’m fascinated by enneagrams and what they can teach us about ourselves. I always felt like such a weirdo for thinking the way I do, until I read about the enneagram. Turns out I’m not alone! Though probably still weird. 😉

Tell me, what’s your enneagram number? How have you seen it manifest in your life?

Copyright © 2023 · Beauty in Bedlam site designed by Erika Senneff