April 11, 2018

Grandma's word of the day: Local

April 11, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Today's word is... LOCAL

Definition of local (per Dictionary.com):

[loh-kuh l] adjective

1. pertaining to or characterized by place or position in space; spatial.

2. pertaining to, characteristic of, or restricted to a particular place or particular places.

3. pertaining to a city, town, or small district rather than an entire state or country.

4. pertaining to or affecting a particular part or particular parts, as of a physical system or organism.

Local example:

A recent social media post shared...

December 18, 2017

No-cookies cookie swap!

December 18, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

No-cookies cookie swap!

The holidays were happening at my house yesterday as a chunk of extended family gathered for a no-cookies cookie swap.

No cookies in a cookie swap? Well, our annual family cookie swap — a family tradition with my mom and my siblings for nearly 30 years — has become quite large as more and more kids of the siblings became adults and joined the swapping. Which meant the number of cookies...

September 20, 2017

Rapid recovery

September 20, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

late night phone call

Grandmothers and others know few things prompt panic in a parent's or grandparent's heart quite like a late-night phone call or text from a child. Even an adult child.

I received one such scary communication from my daughter Megan — mom to my grandsons — last Friday night. Granted, it was only 8:30 in the evening, 7:30 her time, but that's not a time my long-distance daughter and I typically talk or text. So my heart indeed flip-flopped a few times upon hearing her ringtone.

Camden hurt himself, she told me.

Long story short: The rambunctious kid had been rambunctioning about (my word) and demonstrating to big brother Brayden how awesome he was at holding his breath. Resulting in Camden — briefly — passing out. And landing, unconscious, on his head on the hard stone tile flooring found throughout much of their house. A tremendous goose egg on his head served as reward for the frightening feat.

Thankfully Megan's sister-in-law is a pediatrician, so...

September 01, 2017

Friday briefs: On precious witnesses, my holiday ride, and what the heck is this?

September 01, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

Precious witnesses
My middle daughter, Megan, and her husband, Preston, were both baptized as babies. Separately, of course. Last weekend the two of them confirmed their commitment to Christ together, publicly declaring as a couple they will forever live their lives for Christ.

Brayden, Camden, and Declan were front and center to witness the event.

boys watch Mom and Dad get baptized
Anticipating Mommy and Daddy's turn.

July 19, 2017

On kids and creepy crawlies

July 19, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

On Monday, I kicked off the GRAND Social link party by sharing a text from my daughter Megan about the scorpion family she found in her kitchen. Based on the comments to that post, I probably should have included a mention that Megan does indeed have her home regularly sprayed for the creepy crawly things that reside in the desert. The "Bug Guy" — as the scorpion (and other stuff) sprayer is affectionately called by Megan and her clan — visits so often, in fact, he's virtually family.

Or such was the case with one of Megan's long-standing bug guys. Even I met him a time or two during my desert visits. This particular bug guy was an affable man, quite conversational and clearly concerned with the safety and well-being of my daughter and her family. It saddened Megan so when her beloved Bug Guy moved away.

Alas, as bug guys are a necessity in the desert, Megan found another... one who sprays as frequently as her former favorite. But being the desert and all, certain creepy crawlies do manage to escape the bug man's poison and strut their stuff now and then, both inside and outside the homes of even the most diligent bug destroyers.

huge beetle

July 17, 2017

Sunday morning texts

July 17, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

There's nothing quite like Sunday morning texts from beloved kids who have grown and flown.

To wit, the following texts I received Sunday morning from my middle daughter, Megan, mama to my desert-dwelling grandsons:

July 06, 2017

Here and now: July 6, 2017

July 06, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

My life, here and now...

here and now

On my mind...

July? How the heck can it be July already?

Even how-the-heckier: How can the first week of July already be nearly over?

Reading...

I'm about halfway through Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker. I can't say I love it at this point, but I am intrigued and will continue reading.

Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

Check it out on Goodreads. And hey, if you're on Goodreads...

May 12, 2017

Friday flashback: Coupon queen

May 12, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

In celebration of Mother's Day on Sunday, for this week's Friday flashback feature I chose to share one of my favorite posts about cherished gifts from my girlies. I smile each time I recall my coupons from kids and hope my story on such makes you smile, too — even if you read it the first time around (and thank you if you did!).

COUPON QUEEN
(Originally published June 6, 2011)

coupon book for mom Coupons are a hot commodity in my world. Sure, I use coupons for products when grocery shopping, but what I'm talking about here are coupons as gifts.

Somewhere along the line of rearing three daughters, creating coupons to be redeemed for good deeds and great times became a recurring gift, either from me to them or from them to me. Of those, I especially remember...

May 10, 2017

Thoughts on my walk: Confirmation

May 10, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Jeremiah 33:3

My dog Mickey and I have walked the same route most weekday mornings — barring snow, sickness, and super cold days — for the past nine-point-something years. First my collie-black lab Moses accompanied us, then my shepherd-black lab Lyla came along. Since early 2016, though, it's been just Mickey and me trekking along streets and turns and corners we've traversed countless times before.

Last week as Mickey and I walked, I was deep in thought and prayer regarding a situation one of my daughters faces. A tough spot for her and her heart as well as the hearts of her parents who simply want the best for their girl.

Mid-walk and mid-prayer I was astounded to see the following shadow on a corner. A corner I'd turned hundreds (thousands?) of times before without ever seeing the comforting image.

shadow cross