Tree {Five Minute Friday}

November 15, 2013September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

It’s Friday and though I’ve been missing the online connections with one of my favorite communities (#fmfparty on twitter–see you there?), I found my release today in five unscripted, unedited, un-analyzed moments of writing. Writers (and we’re all that) link it up over at Lisa Jo’s and show off your five minutes with a prompt most suiting to the golden days of fall:

Tree

It sits beside our driveway all gnarled branches and crisp leaves and probably a bit too close to the road for me to be letting them play.

But they climb it with the reckless abandon of childhood and when I lean out the glass door to call a child I’m invariably told she’s in the tree. Her hair is streaming down her back and her feet are bare a scant week before Thanksgiving in falling Georgia temps and she’s climbing her tree.

She waits in it when friends are expected and she hides in it when she’s been reprimanded for too much My Little Pony and not enough respect. She climbs it nimbly and ably and with far more comfort in her own limbs than I’ve ever had in mine.

She’s at home in that tree. It’s hers and she’s laid claim to a Bradford pear tree that’s out of line with the others but just perfect for her nearly four year old legs and toes to grasp hold of. It’s hers but she’ll share and she’ll call to me to come climb with her and I’ll wonder if the branches will groan under the weight of my 33 years and self-consciousness like they never have for the sweet simple release I see in my daughter.

The Real Local Advantage to Dentists and Kittens {31 Days: Day 8}

October 8, 2013 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

For all my posts in this 31 Days series on Living Local click here.

The advantage of taking my kids to the most local dentist I can find that accepts their insurance is twofold.

On one hand, after they’ve behaved we like to undo all the good that was just done by stopping here and supporting local small businesses.

On the other, when I pull out of the driveway and get halfway to the girls’ school and then have this conversation with Amelia:

A (sudden gasping!): Mommy, does you know the kitten is in the car?

Me (startled from two second thought reverie): What? The kitten? Seriously? Amelia, are you kidding me?

A (not understanding the question): Of course I am kidding you! The kitten is in the car in front of Gus! Oh, no! Now it’s crawling to you, Mommy! (insert meowing)

I have plenty of time to turn around and deposit the kitten right back where she belongs.

Which, by the way, doesn’t need to be my house any longer. Any takers?

Did you read yesterday’s post about how I expanded my local to help launch The Undivided Mom?

1000 gifts · amelia · gus · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · madelynne · motherhood · reflections

On Providence and Perspective

April 23, 2013September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

Sometimes all we need to get a fresh start is a moment to really look. A moment to watch as babies and lettuce and flowers grow right before our eyes. A moment to remember that providence is in the eye of my perspective.

I’ve been hanging on to the now a bit lately. Not unlike the way Madelynne hangs upside down on our swing set that will soon be finding a new home because they’re too big, it’s too small, and some dear friends are gifting us with theirs when they move.

That move is going to be hard for all of us. It’s in the back of my mind and heart and I don’t want to see the providence in such a moment, even if I know it’s there, somewhere.

So I’ve been soaking in these moments of goodness and grace and watching and waiting. I’ve been reveling in the now of sticky popsicle faces and bursting seeds. I’ve been resting in the thoughts that only a short time ago I wanted nothing more than to be rid of this home and onto bigger and better things, but now? Now I’d love to just stop time and stay here and keep them little and have friends up the hill and a garden that’s growing promises and a perspective that sees the blessings.

amelia · birthdays · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · monday · pinterest

A Monday Menu & A Saturday Party

February 11, 2013September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

So last week my post about what’s been cooking for dinner around here was pretty lame. It was actually more about snow than food. But that’s what we were loving last weekend, so that’s what got written. I did post a picture of my roasted chicken, so this week I give you the source of that deliciousness. And what is clearly a superior food photo.

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Over the weekend, we needed a power breakfast. You know, something more than cereal because it requires a bit of protein to keep up with a passel of toddlers at a three-year old’s birthday party. An early Saturday morning Pinterest search revealed this.

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Crescent rolls, scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese. Yes, please. Except bacon isn’t a staple in my house unless it’s on sale, so I opted for lining my crescents with deli ham. Highly recommended.

So here’s a menu idea for you this week. We’re having leftover soup, church dinner, and a special Valentine’s feast that will include homemade rice-a-roni and brussel sprouts because that’s what they requested.

I know. My kids are weird.

But you could have this.

My husband gets a kick out of how often I take pictures of the food I’m making. Sometimes, though, he gets really into it and decides to arrange his supper like he’s in a fancy restaurant. I made my balsamic pork roast (which is actually a Boston Butt) in the crockpot. That’s brown rice drizzled with the sauce and these green beans. Looks more impressive than it probably was.

Okay, that’s a lie. It was really, really good. I have only great love for balsamic vinegar.

Party time! Amelia’s birthday is still a week away, but for various reasons, we had her party this past weekend. We had gorgeous weather, sweet friends, and only a couple of meltdowns (me and the birthday girl). Seriously, these parties are really too much work.

Except that morning, she crawled up in my lap and said, “Mama! Today is my birfday party?” When I said yes, she flung those arms that are still baby-chubby around my neck and squeezed.

So, the meltdown was worth it after all.

Yes, those are balloons in that horse corral. She wanted both. Don’t argue with the birthday girl. Or the mama who forgot to order the cake and had to buy one off the shelf.
The fence is pretzel sticks. The horses were borrowed from a game of big sister’s.

I’m not a treat bag fan. I think party favors should be simple and creative. We had a horse theme, so this is horse food, i.e. candy corn and dinner mints to represent sugar cubes.
Yes, at the Dollar Tree in Buford you can buy candy corn in February. Who knew?
These are upcycled baby food jars with tags assembled by the birthday girl’s daddy.

My cowboy.

Opening presents with Sam. He’s two days older, so he was the helper. He also has one of the sweetest mamas in the world.

Mary Lynn gave her legos. I think she’s trying to convince Amelia that it’s okay for her to move far, far away, but we aren’t falling for it.

Linking up with
Miscellany Monday
A Mama’s Story

amelia · gus · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · joshua · madelynne · monday

And Then It Snowed….

February 5, 2013September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett2 Comments

We had no idea it was coming. In fact, we didn’t alter our plans to attend the UGA Gym Dog meet just because the white stuff was falling because we really didn’t think it would amount to anything.