Lately

January 17, 2012September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

Inspired by Julia, I’m linking up with Amanda today.

Well, and I haven’t blogged in a week and my scattery pregnant brain that tried to make coffee

without water this morning is having trouble focusing.
I like linkys that give me a focus.

and a list.

I like those too.

So, lately I’ve been enjoying many random things…

One.

Like my new cookbook.

Source: google.com via brewmama on Pinterest

I’ve blogged a bit about some of the recipes I’ve made, but let’s just say, it’s been great to use whole wheat flour in pizza dough and waffles and not have my kids or my husband complain. And we cannot wait for our garden this summer to really use this baby.

Two.
On that same note, I’ve really been enjoying this blog lately. I like the simplicity and the motto and the reminder that living simply can also mean that you eat really well. Today’s post is on my menu for next week.

Three.
The lovely Biltmore Estate
We visited this weekend to take advantage of our passholder appreciation discounts
and to take a behind-the-rooms tour.
Unfortunately, this baby didn’t want to climb six flights of stairs and I had to quit.
Oh, well. Guess we’ll have to go back.
And I’ll have to post on how to enjoy Biltmore with little ones because my girls love it.

Four.
Getting Organized
I’m trying, really I am. I have a list of 32 things I want to get done before my 32nd birthday in February.
So far, I’ve done six of them. For some reason, though, I keep finding more things to add to the list which seems kind of counter-productive don’t you think?

Five.
My Family Notebook

We made these at MOPS this past week and I’m using it. Really, I am. and I’m going to.
I just have to remember it’s there. Today I made a list of the little chores (dishes, laundry) I want
done daily. And I did them. Yay, me. But then I ate lunch and now there are dishes in the sink again.

Six.
Family Pizza Night

I started making homemade pizza several months ago and now I’m addicted.
What are your favorite toppings beyond the usual? I made chicken and spinich last week, sausage and green peppers this week. Joshua said I should take the picture after I put the cheese on but I thought the peppers were pretty.

Seven.
Food. Recipes. Cookbooks.
I think I might have an obsession. I have decided to embrace the fact that I’m not crafty.
But I can cook pretty decently and I really like that.
So I think I’m trading in my modpodge
for a spatula that spreads icing.
But will my freezer ever look like this? Probably not.

Source: joelens.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

Eight.
(trying to) Live Simply
I made my own laundry detergent.
and I’m not buying napkins until I can get them for (almost) free, so cloth will have to do.
After all, I have a 5-gallon drum of laundry detergent to use.

Nine.
I wish I was enjoying my laptop.
Joshua bought me a used ibook off craigslist for Christmas.
I can’t get it to connect to our wireless. It tells me the password is wrong. It’s not.
Apparently we have a WPA and it needs a WEP?
I don’t even know what I’m talking about here. Help, please.

Ten.
Planning a Nursery
It’s taken me a while to get used to the idea that soon there will be another one.
and this one isn’t a girl.
We finally agreed on what to do about a nursery and Amelia will be relocating to our office and sharing this larger-ish space with baby brother when he relocates from the pack-n-play in my bedroom.
So we’ve got months to work on this idea.
Thank goodness for Pinterest.

Source: myyellowsandbox.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

cooking · savor

Sweet Savorings

January 6, 2012September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. BrackettLeave a comment

Savor is my word for 2012. Taking special notice and joy in the moments of everyday. And sometimes savoring the bounty we have in our very own home.

In my quest to get the girls to eat more fruit and vegetables this winter (they would subside on a steady diet of cheese and cookies if I let them), I enlisted their help with dinner tonight and found some savory accompaniments via that time-sucking vortex: Pinterest.

First, I made our version of this, which just means I used more eggs and a steamer bag of broccoli.

Source: cookingwithmykid.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

And Belle who had turned up her nose when I mentioned broccoli quiche gobbled hers up and asked for more. It’s all about the presentation. I flipped ours out of the mugs, but Belle kept hers in. She said it tasted better that way.

We also made these delightful crescents. Easy enough for the girls to do, and I swapped out the strawberry jam for sliced fresh strawberries and some blueberries we picked this summer and keep in the freezer for such a time as this.

Source: sorumblyinmytumbly.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

My picture may not be as pretty, but these were delicious and don’t leave me craving any dessert tonight.

Christmas · cooking · Manic Monday

Managing the Mania

December 20, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

When I was working full-time at parenting one hundred middle schoolers in addition to my own three, I used to write these Manic Monday posts.

I thought those days were behind me when I became a stay-at-home mom. Wrong, again. Yesterday was straight from the manic files and I couldn’t even post about it because I collapsed, literally, into my bed at nine o’clock. Of course, that meant I was wide awake by five to bring you this blogging goodness.

So what kept us so busy yesterday?

Well, it takes a lot of cookies to get a face like that. Batches of peanut butter with kisses, which I’ve always called silver bells. Yum….this recipe is from my Land of Cotton cookbook I posted about last week.

And Daddy’s favorite chocolate chip. No fancy recipe here, ya’ll. Just read the bag of Nestle (or Laura Lynn) morsels and don’t skimp.

Best if eaten warm from the oven and assisted by little elves.

I made two chicken pies for dinner, one for us and one to give. I mailed Christmas cards. I braved Ingles with all three. Why is it the big ones are more work than the little ones? We went to Jazzercise and Madelynne worked out with me. Oh, and because it’s the first day of a vacation we went to the pediatrician because the beginning of a break is Annabelle’s favorite time to develop strep throat.

I know, she looks really sick doesn’t she? We’re so used to this that I felt like super smart mama and caught it early. A weak positive on the test and ten days of antibiotics. And no, she didn’t contaminate my cookies.

How was your six days until Christmas Monday?

amelia · cooking · monday

Miscellany Monday

October 17, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

1. This weekend the weather was perfect. Crisp, cool fall weather. Like it had been ordered up out of a catalog or something. Seriously. It was perfect. I opened all the windows and cleaned the house. Which really needed it since I’ve been hibernating on the sofa for a month and the dust bunnies are threatening to eat my family. Or at least their socks. I even cleaned the van. Amelia was a big help. She ate all the lost raisins and cheerios we found.

2. I tend to find this face irresistable. I think she’s pretending to be me because of the sunglasses, but maybe she’s just practicing for when she’s a big sister. Probably not. She has no idea that she’s going to have to share mommy and since she doesn’t like to share me with the sisters she already has who were around first, I’m not feeling confident she’s going to take kindly to a new baby sitting in mommy’s lap.

3. I bought mums a week or two ago and intended to plant them in my pathetic dead planter on the porch. That finally happened this weekend. Joshua and Annabelle did it while I napped on the couch.

4. Speaking of working in the yard, Joshua did that on Sunday because on Saturday I made him take me to see Courageous and have dinner. We were childless and I didn’t think yardwork qualified for a childless day. So, on Sunday he and the girls are outside working in what will be their “wild garden” come spring. It’s a concoction of flowers and vegetables and whatever else the girls pick out at Lowe’s. As mentioned before, I was napping. Until Madelynne burst in the house and announced, “I quit helping Daddy in the yard. All he wants to do is kill the grass. I enjoy nature. I don’t want to kill it!” Obviously she hasn’t figured out where her chicken nuggets come from yet.

5. And speaking of our date night, the movie was really good. But sad. I cried. A lot. There’s your warning. Then we went to Longhorn for the special and because I had a coupon. I don’t think we’ve eaten at Longhorn at least four months. Our “eat out” budget is limited to more frugal places these days. But we splurged a bit and I ate way too much. I keep forgetting that pregnancy encourages frequent small meals. Not frequent big ones.

6. We have a scarecrow in our yard this year. I don’t think our scarecrow wants to be on display, though. I keep finding him sprawled across the driveway. Or leaning like this.

7. Finally, I’m feeling better, which means that I’m cooking again. A fact my husband is profoundly grateful for. I made potato soup on Sunday and garnished it with all sorts of goodies like bacon (which I never buy or fry but broke down for this week) and green peppers that are still growing on our plant in the backyard. It was delish.

linking up with Carissa over at lowercase letters

cooking · madelynne · monday

Miscellany Monday

August 29, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

One.

So since I’m staying home, I’m trying to be more crafty. I have this misconception that SAHMs are all crafty and decorator-y (it’s a word) and cute. Notice I said misconception. I am well aware that most of the time we have pop-tart on our shirts, messy hair, and are lucky if the kids matched this morning. But a girl can dream. So for my first project:

We made some morning routine placemats. The craft itself was easy, well as easy as contact paper can be. The fighting of the sissies, not so much. Turned out alright, though. And they use them. Every morning. So now I need new Expo markers. And I no longer have a classroom to steal from.

Two.

My girls like to dance. On top of the coffee table. While dressed like fairy princesses.

Don’t tell their daddy.

Three.

Madelynne lost another tooth. So she spent Saturday morning crying because the tooth fairy forgot to leave her money (don’t worry we soon discovered the TF left it by the tv. I mean, what was she thinking?) and sucking juice through the gaping hole in her mouth. Awesome.

Four.

I’m on a mission to try new recipes. Cook more from scratch because ultimately it is cheaper. Even with coupons. BUT if you’re going to do that, it’s useful to follow the directions of ingredients one might not be familiar with. Such as the difference between regular yeast and rapid rise. Calzones turned out alright, though. I’m still enjoying leftovers, myself. And I did make that marinara from the tomatoes off the bush in my backyard. Which made me happy.