1500 Thankful Miles

November 28, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett1 Comment

By the time we rolled into our driveway at way past kids’ bedtime on a school night yesterday, I was a little over being in the car. And a lot stunned by the almost 1500 miles we logged on a circuitous trip for a short vacation, a little family, a big Thanksgiving, and a glimpse of Christmas. It was such an eventful (and yet not so much) trip, that I’ll have to blog about it in little bits.

And for the record, I didn’t miss having cell phone coverage as much as I missed being able to blog. I know I could have written in my journal but that makes my hand cramp and sometimes I’m a whiny baby like that. So if Santa wants to drop a laptop off at my front door this Christmas so I can stay caught up in blogsphere at all times, that would be great.

First leg of our journey was an incredibly long ride all the way up to Shenandoah Valley….

for some horseback riding…

and some ice skating…

some really good gelato in Charlottesville…

and a fun playground. Sure we drove almost 700 miles for a playground.

If you had this face grinning at you all the time, wouldn’t you give in?

Tomorrow I’ll bring you route two of our journey and some tips on how to have a fabulous gluton-free Thanksgiving. Here’s a little preview.

faith · family

Family Rules

November 1, 2011 Lindsey P. Brackett2 Comments

I REALLY want one of these signs. I already know where I’ll hang it. I love what this one says, but Joshua says we need to add “no whining.” The lovely Tara over at Between You&Me made this one for her home and is hosting a fun giveaway. Head over to enter to win your own or just to tell her how much I would really love to have this hanging in our cozy little home that I’m learning to re-love and re-appreciate more everyday.

And leave me a comment telling me what you think your best family rule is. My new favorite is Thank the Lord. All the time. For everything.

family · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · joshua · madelynne

Porcupine Eggs

October 24, 2011 Lindsey P. Brackett3 Comments

You know what a porcupine egg is, don’t you?

On a fall walk last week, the girls picked some up and their daddy told them these little prickly balls (ours were green) were porcupine eggs.

They believed him.

At first it was cute and we played along. Well, he did. I just giggled in the front seat while they talked all about their porcupine eggs all the way home and Joshua told them they would hatch after they turned brown and split open.

Then we got home. And they made a house for their eggs out of a recycled Pampers box and some leaves.

And then they had to check on their “babies” every hour until they went to bed.

I warned him they would cry when he broke the news.

On Saturday, they forgot about the eggs for awhile when we went apple picking, but as soon as we got home they had to show their eggs to Mimi and Grandpa and tell them what they were going to name their porcupine babies. Then, on Sunday, the eggs began to turn brown.

“Daddy! They’re hatching!”

So he had to tell them. It wasn’t too bad, he said. Annabelle shrugged and ran off. Madelynne had tears until Joshua explained that when the egg hatched, all the little seedlings inside would grown a great big sweetgum tree. Then she lit up.

“Annabelle!” she shrieked running into the backyard. “Daddy said we’re going to grow a GUM tree!”

Joshua just said he hopes we move before he has to fess up to that one.