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

amelia · Christmas · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · madelynne

Here I Am (Christmas Countdown)

December 14, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett2 Comments

Here I am sitting and being grouchy and irritated over family drama and Madelynne crying because some girl doesn’t think she writes her name neatly and how Christmas just always feels more frustrating than it should when I read a post on facebook that a family is about to spend Christmas at Scottish Rite because their two-year-old has a tumor and suddenly there’s some perspective.

I hate that I have to get it that way.

I’ve got some fun plans for the next couple of weeks, ideas I hope will make me appreciate the Christ season more and not forget what we are celebrating. On a “Twelve Days of Christmas” whim, I’m going to try to post about what we’ve been up to everyday between now and Christmas.

Lofty goals. Good motivation to write everyday.

Here’s what we’ve been up to in the first twelve days of December….

Belle in “S-A-N-T-HO” at her school’s Christmas program.

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer….

Roasting marshmallows on Madelynne’s field trip to the Christmas Tree Farm.

Choosing our own tree. A sweet hemlock this year that’s not too full or needles but overly full of ornaments.

Coloring on the table.

Visiting Santa at Densmore Farm.

Seeing if they all fit on the swing.

Santa’s elves hard at work cleaning Mommy’s car.

Sunday dinner homemade biscuits wrapped in joy.

Come back tomorrow to see if what the beginning of the last twelve days leading up to Christmas will hold.

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

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.

http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · madelynne · project 52

Things I’ve Really Wanted….

November 17, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett4 Comments

…to blog about but haven’t had/made time.

We’ve been making too much homemade pizza lately. Our beloved (free) pizza cutter broke in half the other night. The fact that is was a Habersham Bank pizza cutter might have been symbolic if you want to be that deep a thinker.

These awsomely handmade/hand-me-down Halloween costumes. We spent no money and used items we found around the house. That’s electrical tape making Madelynne’s Tigger stripes.

Joshua and the girls made these cute turkeys as a Saturday project a couple of weeks ago. He’s way better at projects than I am. I look at that and see frustration. Guess that’s why we’re a good team.

I think this turkey got eaten soon after. Oh, well. The short life of a turkey at Thanksgiving.

My cousin Heather is having a girl soon, so we spent Saturday afternoon making sweet onesies at her baby shower.

Belle went with me and since she is all about scissors right now, this was the perfect activity for her.

She even showed off her ironing skills when we got back home.

Here’s my onesie. We’re into owls lately. It needs buttons for eyes and then it’s done. Maybe no Kim Reed, but endearing nonetheless.

These two have been big buddies lately. I suspect that means I’m in for it .

Oh, and guess what? We’re having a boy. What do you do with boys? Do they like pizza and Pooh Bear and candy turkeys and baby showers? Maybe all but the last.

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

Monday Delight

November 7, 2011September 30, 2015 Lindsey P. Brackett2 Comments

Today I am cracking back open my gratitude journal and writing again. That list that never ends that circles in my head and through my heart but I buried my journal under school papers and doctor appointment cards and recipes in a tiny space on my counter and finally, today, I found it again.

It has taken me so many weeks to feel grateful again. To feel happy. To feel like I don’t have to justify why things happen that we can’t understand, but I am allowed to find happiness. In all the little things. And mostly in all the big.

Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees. ~Victor Hugo