July 27, 2018

Flashback: Everyday inspiration

July 27, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

I'm not a world-traveler who finds inspiration in ancient ruins, artful masterpieces, or in architectural—or natural—wonders.

I'm also not one of the fortunate few privileged to find inspiration in luculent discourse with the likes of Maya Angelou or other great orators of our time. (Although I have heard in person the likes of Kurt Vonnegut. And David Sedaris. More than once.)

No, I don't get my inspiration from such high-brow—and high-cost—pleasures. Yet.

Instead, I find inspiration—the impetus to be bigger, better, and more than I am—in everyday things. Things such as…

July 24, 2018

Gramma goes tubing

July 24, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Despite having been born in Minnesota and living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes the first decade of my life, I'm not big on water sports. To any degree. I still don't know how to swim... even after having swim lessons as a child and again at 40 years old.

I'm not deathly afraid of water, but I certainly don't seek out splishy-splashy fun in water over my head. Not even water up to my chest, to be honest.

So it should come as no surprise that I've never whiled away hours in an inner tube on a lake. Nor have I engaged in tubing…

July 09, 2018

Happy birthday, baby!

July 09, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Happy birthday, baby!

My baby girl—Andrea—is 33 years old today!

Thankfully, considering Colorado’s current heat wave, a birthday cake isn't all that important at 33, and Andrea settled instead for a cookie. A cookie that, in fact, was one of those included in the recent Gramma in a Box package I received for review.

On Saturday, Andrea helped me review the July sample subscription box—meaning, she helped me decorate and create a trio of scrumptious sweets just as lucky grands would do were they on the receiving end of the subscription service—and was perfectly pleased with…

July 06, 2018

Flashback: 9 things I've kept 'for the grandkids'

July 06, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Dear readers: This Flashback feature originally appeared on Grandma's Briefs July 22, 2010. Thank you for reading this updated rerun!

My daughters have been grown and gone for quite some time now, but there are a few useful and/or enjoyable things from their childhood that I just can't throw away..

I'm pretty sure—or at least I'm bound and determined—that these items will one day come in handy, that they'll one day provide fun and frivolity for my grandkids.

9 THINGS I'VE KEPT 'FOR THE GRANDKIDS'

1. VHS tapes of children's movies and shows. Space Jam, Fluke, Casper and more. I can't see throwing away tapes I know kids love, but I sure don't plan on replacing them with DVDs or Blu-Ray discs (except for the…

June 20, 2018

Grandma challenge: How full can she fill forty-four hours?

June 20, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

My desert-dwelling grandsons and their parents visited my house last week—for forty-four hours. The family had taken a road trip to Vail for a wedding, and Jim and I were fortunate they fit in a stop at our place on their way back home.

I was thrilled to host them and was determined to squish as much into the visit as possible, unsure of when I'd see Brayden, Camden, and Declan (as well as Megan and Preston, too) again.

As all three boys have birthdays in June…