August 08, 2015

Saturday movie review: Goats

August 08, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

Coming-of-age films tend to be character-driven stories with minimal action. GOATS is no exception. The comedic tale of one young man's coming into his own and realizing that loved ones are still worth loving despite their flaws and failings has nearly no drama. It has lots of characters, though. As in, What a character! kinds of characters.

Goats movie

The main—and least wacky—character is Ellis (Graham Phillips), a 15-year-old kid soon departing for prep school, leaving his Tucson home where his...

February 05, 2015

Musing elsewhere: When a teen mom hits midlife

February 05, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

In the summer of 1982, I graduated from high school, got married, turned 18, and had a baby. I went from kid to wife and mother in the span of three months, just like that.

teen mom and baby

My husband was 21 at the time. Now, 33 years later, we're empty-nesters. We've patted ourselves on the back for a job well done. We beat the odds and raised three lovely and amazing daughters from diapers to dorm rooms and into the real world. Our journey featured little outside the typical bumps, bruises and pains of parenthood, despite the fact that we were mere children ourselves at the outset. Our girls are grown and gone—one has even made us grandparents.

Time to rejoice! Time to enjoy midlife!

Time for an unexpected reality check, is more like it.

Once my kids split and I recovered from the initial empty-nest jitters, it became clear that having been a teen mother would...Click here to continue reading my article published on PurpleClover.com.

December 23, 2014

Christmas and how the empty nest gets harder after college

December 23, 2014/ Lisa Carpenter

I used to be one of those moms whose child — or children, plural — recently left for college. You know... the moms walking around with a dazed, how-the-heck-did-this-happen-so-fast look in their eyes, virtually visible cracks in their hearts as they miss the once little ones who have flown their nest. They're the moms who live for holiday breaks, spring breaks, summer breaks, for that's when their loved ones return home, back to the safety of the nest where mom can hold each one in her arms and savor the sweet scents and sounds of her babies all around.

family christmas stockings

I was one of those moms. That first year my daughters were scattered afar for schooling and such was rough. It got easier, though, as it does for all moms (and dads) whose kiddos have gone off for enrichment and enlightenment on the road to becoming full-fledged adults. I found new...

December 08, 2014

Empty nest perks, plus GRAND Social No. 134 link party

December 08, 2014/ Lisa Carpenter

Empty nest perks

One of the great things about the empty nest during the holidays is witnessing the enthusiasm with which my daughters feather their own nests for Christmas.

Ever since Thanksgiving, I've received various photo texts and Facebook updates from Brianna, Megan and Andrea showing me the progress of their decorating. Here, just one from each of my crafty, creative, Christmas-loving daughters:

holiday decorating