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Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

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Saturday smiles: Life edition

March 30, 2013

Today, the sun is shining and the temperatures are in the 50s and feel like the 50s. Which means spring is drawing us outside.

I see and hear life, and I smile.

The highlights:

Talking to Isabelle while we’re outside with sidewalk chalk. Me: Isabelle can you draw me a picture of the clouds? Izzy: Well, I’m not very good at clouds, but I’ll try. (She then draws a cloud.) Izzy continues: I can draw a pteranodon. (Which she does. So, to clarify, not good at clouds but excellent at extinct animals. Got it.)

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Overhearing this in the living room. Phil, looking at something on the computer: “Son of a bee.” (His actual phrase. I did not censor.) Corban, immediately following, “Son of a bee?” Insert uproarious laughter from all parties. (Note to parents: watch what you say. They are listening. We’re still learning this.)

Receiving this awesome prize pack from author Dani Pettrey. Coffee, chocolate, books. I don’t win a lot of things, but this was one great prize.

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Isabelle wanting to go to the Good Friday service in town. I’m not sure it’s what she thought it was going to be, but we went because I want to encourage my kids’ faith. On the way out, a woman offered us some treats from her car, so we came home with cupcakes and squeeze tubes of orange gelatin (looks better than it sounds).

Signing another contract for an article I sold earlier this year and receiving a check for the other one.

Registering and planning for a marriage conference this summer. Phil and I are Nashville-bound in July. Woohoo!

And this:

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Filed Under: arts and crafts, Children & motherhood, holidays, Saturday smiles Tagged With: books, chocolate, coffee, dani pettrey, easter services, Good Friday, pteranodon, sidewalk chalk

Saturday smiles: Random edition

October 6, 2012

Playing Frisbee with the under 5 crowd is an almost-sure path to appearing on America’s Funniest Videos.

Who says miracles don’t happen? Every day when I put dinner on the table and manage to not kill anyone, it’s a miracle. Bonus miracle if it’s edible and/or nutritious. I’m thinking of pitching a show to Food Network that involves cooking while your kids are wrestling each other at your feet, chasing themselves around the table, and clinging to your leg. Phil thinks child and family services wouldn’t approve. He’s probably right.

Books in the mail. Especially from two great authors. I’ve already finished the one on the left.

Great coffee. A couple of months ago I discovered there was a local roaster in our neighborhood, literally a block from our house. I wish I’d known this earlier. Or maybe I don’t. Regardless, I’m now enjoying a pound of fair trade locally roasted Sumatran coffee.

I tried three kinds this morning and later had to drink a cup of coffee to take the edge off of my morning coffee buzz. This is what addiction looks like, isn’t it?

At storytime, while the fabulous storytime leader was reading a book about a dragon, she asked if any of the kids could blow smoke out of their nose. Izzy didn’t miss a beat and said in all seriousness: “We can only blow snot out of our nose.” Truer words never spoke.

The kids pray at meal time and almost fight over who gets to do it.

Turning on PBS to find Pennsylvania Polka is on. I almost got up and danced. Almost.

Receiving a digital postcard from one of my favorite authors. I love her books and am really excited to be part of her “street team” promoting her new works. And it’s not every day you get to see your name in front of a historical, biblical site in Ephesus.

Totally made my day. Since my travel budget is non-existent right now, I’m happy to travel vicariously.

Thanks for traveling through randomness with me tonight.

Filed Under: Saturday smiles Tagged With: books, coffee, courtney walsh, ephesus, fat puppy coffee, local roasters, nicole baart, random thoughts, smilemakers, sumatran coffee, tracy higley

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Hi. I’m Lisa, and I’m glad you’re here. If we were meeting in real life, I’d offer you something to eat or drink while we sat on the porch letting the conversation wander as it does. That’s a little bit what this space is like. We talk about books and family and travel and food and running, whatever I might encounter in world. I’m looking for the beauty in the midst of it all, even the tough stuff. (You’ll find a lot of that here, too.) Thanks for stopping by. Stay as long as you like.

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