Magda Row

Influence Conference, New blog, and Redesign. Whoa.

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 04:23:00 +0000

I am just home today after 4 solid days of being with other Christian bloggers in Indianapolis at the very first Influence Conference.

I am tired. But energized.

I am overwhelmed. But also feeling more focused.

I have a lot to say about it.
Just not tonight.

But this I do want to say before I get some shut eye:

I wanted to make sure that everyone knows that my blog is soon changing. A LOT.

I will have a completely new redesign and if you are reading this on Magda Row (blogspot) then I will soon be redirecting you to an entirely new URL which is self-hosted on an entirely new platform. (www.ohamandaleigh.com)

If you are already reading this from my self-branded site that is under construction (you are here because we traded biz cards in Indy!), then you just have to wait and I'm sorry if you get tired of the silly pumpkin photo that I have up there. ;) I'll be perfectly honest and tell you that I'm tired of looking at it myself. Let's just call it "filler."

Big changes, people. Big changes.

I have a designer working on my site and it might have already been done, except I barely had a chance to call Chad these last 4 days, much less Danielle who still understandably has more questions as to the direction I want her to go for me.

Sooooooooooo.

Stay tuned. I'm hoping to have a launch date soon to share (this month) and then you will see what I've been up to and why I would drive 5 hours with 3 strangers to stay in a hotel room with 4 new strangers (including sharing a bed with 1 girl I had never spoken to) where there were 200 other women who have a passion for blogging and also sharing our faith while doing so.

These last 4 days completely rocked my world. In a very good way.

Influence: Pre-conference Meet & Greet!

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 22:13:00 +0000

Happy Friday!

I am excited to announce that I have won a free ticket to The Influence Conference in Indianapolis next month from The Tiny Twig (one of my favorite blogs of all-time) ! I am beyond excited, to be exact.

And am I a little freaked out? Yes?

I went to Blissdom this past January, but as you know, I live in the Nashville area already so I was able to go home whenever I wanted and sleep or whatever. Pretty much just come and go. Eeeeeasy.

This one is different.

I'm carpooling with two girls that I've never met before at this point (hi future local & blog friends from Life. Edited and Wild & Precious - thanks for adding me to your traveling adventure), and I'm still looking for a roommate who will definitely be a complete stranger. Ha! I feel brave already. ; )

*Edited to add: I was just contacted by Brittany from Live Laugh Studios (blog maintenance right now) to say that she and her other 2 roommates (Ashley and Kimberly have space for one more. ME! Mission accomplished. Thanks to everyone who tweeted & retweeted that I was looking still.

So, in order to get out there and meet people and not feel so nervous, the girls who are running this thing have started an online Meet & Greet and I'm linking up over there with my answers to all of the questions.

3 Get To Know Me Questions

I sing all the time without knowing I'm doing it. According to Chad it's a really bad habit, but some people think it's sweet and means I'm happy. I sometimes hum to a song in my head while someone's talking to me on the phone and they have to say "What are you singing, Amanda?" before I realize that I'm doing it. You can also catch me humming this exact version of this song on any given day (and that REALLY drives him nuts). Haha! I honestly don't know why it's in my head all the time. (In college, I woke up with Melissa Ethridge's song Come To My Window in my head every. single. morning. I've never even owned that song.
I'm a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian and if you want to know more about that part of my life you can just ask me.
I'm a let's-have-fun-where's-the-next-party-or-event type of girl who married a workaholic musician. It has taken many years for us to learn how to make that work, as you can only imagine. : )

2 Things I'm Looking Forward To About The Conference

I honestly can't wait to meet all of the girls from Nashville finally! I would love to have more friends who are local in real life....not just on my laptop....and this would be a great place to see them all in a place that's geared toward us. I also want to meet the other girls that I follow who live all over the place, including my newfound roommates.
I want to know my purpose and learn what my specific voice is and I think this conference and all of the women who are speaking and sharing will help me narrow down my swirling thoughts.

1 Thing I Can't Leave Home Without

One thing only? Hmmm....my inhaler. Haaaaaaaa! Okay, and my phone. October does seem to be the month that I drive myself to the ER at 3am the most due to asthma attacks, but whatever. ; )

So.....here I go! Linking up with all of the other fabulous ladies who will be joining me.

Vintage Farm Fresh Breakfast Bridal Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:25:00 +0000

I posted a sneak peek yesterday of this fun party we threw for Maddox's Kindergarten assistant from last year, Miss Sarah.

She's getting married in early 2013 and I had a really great time pulling this together with help from the other Kindergarten moms who made or brought food to the table.

This bridal shower had a different twist to it because all of the Kindergarten class was invited to celebrate Sarah!

That was a bit of a challenge to make the whole thing 6 year old friendly AND still feel like a sweet grown up party.

So....who doesn't like breakfast?! : )

I'm a girl who grew up in the country so all things vintage country or farm style are dear to me because they feel so natural and normal. It is truly not a "style" to me but things that I have always loved and/or seen since childhood.

Here enters the Vintage Farm Fresh Breakfast theme. I knew that Sarah's style was a different type of vintage, but I was pretty sure that she would like it.

I hardly had to buy anything extra because I had most of the decor already in my party planning/house decorating/food serving stash. That is always a bonus.

I also luckily have an old massively long wood table for children and chairs in our sunroom, so seating for the kids made it pretty simple. (I also keep a plethora of vinyl tablecloths on hand for these kid occasions. Usually $3 at Walmart in the summertime.)

She's so tiny she blends in at the kids' table. ;)

All of the kids did great and they were amazingly excited to see her after 6 weeks of being out of school.

Here are a lot of photos of the food we served and the decor I used on the serving tables! Thanks to my friend, Sandra, for sharing all of these iPhone pics she got because if she hadn't there would be NO pictures of this party. And that would be a sad thing. : /

The quiches that were supposed to be made the night before couldn't be made due to power outages, so we were able to grab some quiche from Publix and they were YUM!

I always prefer to use real dishes, real glasses, and real silverware. Even with children! Less waste and cheaper in the long run.

Butter, syrup, and sugar - served the old fashioned way.

Fresh eggs purchased from a friend's daughter who raises chickens and sells their eggs as her job.

Maddox was happy to see his friends and Sarah and also glad that it was a grownup party that included his type of food. ; )

Our sweet set of juice glasses for the kids. I searched for a set of these for about a year before I found them locally. I think I paid $1 each. SCORE!

Milk bar with milk containers bought at World Market and milk bottles purchased from Shop Sweet Lulu. The little cow creamer was just for decor and was something I used for Magdalen's 2 year Vintage Cowgirl birthday party. I'm hanging onto that thing!

Soda box purchased at World Market (no! I couldn't find an authentic one in time, but this one served it's purpose).

I use mason jars for almost every party, unless it's formal. The mason jar drink dispenser seemed to fit the theme so I used that. (Purchased at Word Market also. I love that place!)

My vintage cart (purchased locally for a steal a couple of months ago), melamine dishes from Walmart and 2 STRAWBERRY PIES made by our dear baker friend, Sandra. Everything she makes tastes like heaven!

Mini peach preserves in a jar was the party favor I found and it was perfect for a breakfast/brunch party! The vintage rustic toolbox was something I already had that held them perfectly!

The food was scrumptious, the kids were well-behaved, the guest of honor felt loved, and there were lots of smiles all around.

Thanks to the ladies who helped me so much in the kitchen making the pancakes and all of the other last minute details that needed to be finished. Also, the cleanup! They were like little magicians in my kitchen because they had a lot of it cleaned up by the time I was done watching Sarah open her gifts. : )

Great friends equals a happy heart and I hope to show you some past parties on here that I have had the most fun scheming on and actually putting together and enjoying with dear friends!

{SNEAK PEEK} Vintage Farm Fresh Breakfast Bridal Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:33:00 +0000

I'm not quite ready with my post on Maddox and what I wrote about yesterday. I want the words to come out just right, so in the mean time I thought I would post a few fun things while I work on it!

I had the honor in July to do a fun little bridal shower for the Kindergarten Assistant from Maddox's class last year, Miss Sarah. She's a sweetie and we loved her. : )

Here's a sneak peek of that little gathering and since I'm rushing off to a Summer Reading Rewards swim party for grades 1-4, I will just show one photo here and the rest later today or in the morning.

It really did turn out cute and I can't wait to share the rest of the photos. Thanks to my fellow Kindergarten mom and good friend, Sandra, for all of the pics from her iPhone. I was so busy hosting that I forgot to grab my camera or at least my phone! It was a crazy, fun morning though.

Happy Wednesday!

A Deliberate Life

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:53:00 +0000

Really bad photo I took with my phone of an excerpt out of a book called Alone Together by Sherry Turkle (page 275)

So this Facebook strike I'm on (I told you I would come back and talk about it)......today I'm almost at 5 weeks without Facebook access and this has certainly given me a lot of quiet time in my mind to think about some of the most important things in my life.

My life.

My marriage.

My parenting.

My friends.

My family.

My home.

Wow. Lots of things needing some thinking and attention.

I had been floating. Mentally and emotionally and spiritually. And I didn't realize it because of all the noise that social media creates for me.

Now, please understand that I am still very present online. We have lots of new things going on at the homefront/moving status that have happened in the past week and a half and I am pinning on Pinterest like a mad woman as I find ideas and room layouts and paint colors that I'm digging.

I'm on Twitter but only check it out a couple of times a week to catch up with the latest buzz in the handmade & crafting & blog world. But honestly, Twitter is too fast and too detailed for me in small bursts for me to hang around for very long. It's a nice catch-up of the RIGHT NOW.

I'm also on Instagram, because seriously....who can't resist posting some pics of their kids once in awhile? Can I hear an Amen? ; )

My mom follows me on IG and a handful of real-life friends and a lot of blogger friends so it's nice to keep a smaller amount of people caught up that actually seek me out on there. IG being just photos makes it easy for me to not get all crazy up in there with my time.

I'm learning, through this fast (of my biggest social media addiction), that I was crowding God out. Since I turned it off - literally deactivating my FB account - I have had such peace in my mind. And openness for thoughts. I have been speaking to God more often throughout my day and taking the time to speak to the kids more about Him on a regular unplanned basis and it has felt so nice. I'll write more about that tomorrow though.

I briefly mentioned our trip to Destin in an earlier post and before we left I checked out a few books from the library. (I'm wondering how many posts I write that involve me talking about a book? hmmm.)

Anyway, I was perusing the books and came across this book called Alone Together by Sherry Turkle. It's premise is that we are sitting in our homes ALONE while having a false sense of being TOGETHER with others because of social media and the tricks it plays on your mind. I didn't get a chance to actually read it before it was due back at the library but I skimmed it and love the quote from it that I posted above. It just jumped out at me and I just kept nodding my head. Yes. YEEEEESSSSS. So completely right on with the thoughts I've been having and the feelings I've been experiencing lately.

Here's another explanation for you of what this book is trying to convey. You've seen this commercial, right?

Sadness.

Was I that girl? Seriously. I know I wasn't that bad because I do actually go out and do things and see people. (I promise.)

What I've found is that it can be a pretty severe trap for moms. Especially moms like me who are the only grown up at home during waking hours and into the child-sleeping hours that I like to call "Mama's Free Time." It is addicting to hop on FB at any time during the day as well, whether on the laptop while the kids are playing or on the phone while stopping at a stoplight or sitting in a parking lot just to have a quick brief contact with another grownup, no matter how insignificant & a waste of time it might be. I was the WORST at that type of thing. I have been cured already of the need for contact with others. My kids are enough for me now. They are amazing little creatures and I don't want to miss a thing.

The other trap I fell into was feeling like you're back in school trying to keep up with the "cool" kids when really they are no better than you. I can't even count anymore the times I felt completely left out and wondering what was wrong with me or my kids or my family when I realized that a lot of my "friends" were all hanging out without me. Repeatedly. How did I know? Oh. All the photos of them having a good time. On Facebook, that evil tool. While I knew I was sitting at home doing nothing at the exact same time. Mhmmmm.

Or when they thought they were being sneaky (which I think might be worse) but since I'm not a complete idiot I easily and quickly read between the lines when I wasn't even trying. *sigh* Sometimes being extremely perceptive is not a trait working in your favor, but I can't turn it off. : /

I can usually take an ego hit in stride because I don't let myself get upset about those types of things, but it got to be pretty blatant at times and I will admit right here that is is very hurtful. And really....why do I need that drama in my life? I don't.

And now? I don't see what anyone is doing. Ever. And I honestly love it. I found out who my true friends were. You know, the ones who actually call me or text me or email me or seek me out at church to say hello to me. : ) I am extremely grateful to these people.

I had one of the best summers ever while hanging out with just 2 key best friends. I was relaxed and not dragging the kids all over the place trying to keep up with too many activities and opportunities. It was perfect, really, and a precursor to my new way of life.

I quit looking at my kids as material for FB photo posts all day long. Yeah, they're cute and funny and sweet and endearing and oh my word, I want to eat them up! but I've started enjoying the moment more and have stopped looking at my phone all the time.

I HAVE BEEN LIBERATED.

I have a feeling that if I hopped on Facebook right now this is what I would notice after being separated from it for so long:

people trying to be witty
people bragging about their kids
people posting too much information about their kids and photos that said kids will kill them for later (you do realize that whatever you post online about your kids is on there FOREVER, right?)
people bragging about what they buy
people bragging about how natural they are
people bragging about how crafty they are
people trying to convince others of how __________ they or their kids are.

etc.
etc.
etc.

Blaaaaaah.

I know that I would be rolling my eyes so much that they might get stuck up in my head.

Because here's what I've learned - I don't care about impressing anyone anymore. I did for a very long time and at what cost? Ignoring my precious children while I'm online? Ignoring my husband when he's actually at home because I wanted to know what mere acquaintances were doing with their time? Trying to keep up with everyone else?

Nah. Not for me.

(And I apologize for being so harsh with these thoughts of mine, but we all know it's true. The majority, at least. I do miss following a few people who were just completely genuine in what they posted....photos of family vacations and of their kids just being kids and not posed and just updates on babies, marriages, fun new life events, and new job or career announcements or advancements. That's fun for me to know about!)

I'm having what I've internally coined a "Mini-Mid-Life Intervention". I am almost at mid-life, right? I'm 34.

I'm rethinking all the areas in my life and trying to simplify as much as I can, while still enjoying simple joys.

Mainly my family. : )

Taking the advice of another blogger and starting to take timed shots of me WITH my kids. : ) I don't even care that I was wearing no makeup, because they will not care one day when they wish they had a photo of us all together.

I have so much to say about everything that I've been thinking and will continue to elaborate in the coming days & weeks on here.

In just a few words after all I said above? I AM HAPPY AND AT PEACE. : )

Tomorrow I'll write more about what I mentioned above.....speaking of God more to my children.

Growing up.

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 04:32:00 +0000

I love this boy with all of my heart.

And in just one short day, he'll be back in school, walking the halls as a first grader, and to be completely honest?

I don't like it.

I know parents are supposed to be happy for their kids as they grow and mature and move on in life, but it is a hard thing for me to do. I don't want to send him back. Not yet. Summer's not over for me and I want him here with me and his sister each day enjoying these beautiful moments with us.

I always have heard of parents jumping for joy when the song and business of Back to School starts, but I will never be one of them. I can promise that.

Because really...this summer was epic.

Maybe not in the sense of the word "epic" that most people would think about, but for me it surely was.

This was the first summer that Magdalen was talking like a big girl.

The first summer that Maddox was reading.

The first summer that both of them could swim by themselves in the pool without me.

The first summer that they really rode bicycles together.

The first summer that they slept in a bit and woke up excited to play together before coming to us.

The first summer that Maddox fearlessly started mountain biking with Chad. And was a natural!

The second summer of him playing ball.

(Even on the days when he would finally hit the ball after the 25th pitch, he never gave up. He never acted stressed. He just gave it his cheerful, happy all and always wore a smile. While my heart was silently breaking on the sidelines for him. )

I could go on about how amazing it was, but you get the idea. It was a Big Kid Summer.

So, this Maddox....my eldest....my boy.....

He has always had my heart and he always will.

He truly is a joy to parent and love and watch mature.

He loves his sister with a fierceness and it was a beautiful thing to watch them become best friends again over the summer and truly enjoy so much time just the two of them. They made up so many games and ideas together and I wish I could bottle that up and live in it forever.

But of course that is unrealistic. And on the other side of the being-sad-coin is the pride and thankfulness I feel in watching him grow.

He is such a gentleman.

And creative.

And patient.

And persevering.

And an intelligent little guy.

He was my reading buddy all summer and he probably knocked out 25 real chapter books all by himself since Kindergarten ended. I was impressed at what a little bookworm he became in such a short amount of time.

More proof that he's growing and it's never going to stop.

So......Thursday morning we'll wake up, do the first day of school rush, take the obligatory front porch photo with his baby sister and off we'll go to drop him off for another wonderful year at his school. (Where I force my tears behind my smile, because let's get real....what really kills me is watching him and Magdalen hug and say goodbye to each other. It's torture! )

And I'll embrace the school year once again, like a good mama letting her baby fly.....while secretly wishing for the next summer to hurry, hurry, hurry and get here. ; )

9 Things Before Nine{AM}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:59:00 +0000

Happy Monday!

We had a short weekend it seemed, with Chad working yesterday on a Sunday. Yuck. But overall, it was nice and relaxing just being here at home with the four of us. I worked on some photo editing for fun and some research for myself. Other than that....

1. The biggest news around here is that Maddox is getting glasses today or tomorrow! Yes, friends, our boy can't see. I started noticing it about a month or two ago and then I started testing him because I truly couldn't believe it. We took him last Thursday and sure enough....his eyes are worse than mine already. Poor thing. He looks adorable in glasses and we'll learn to work around them with all of the sports he likes to play. He's excited and so are we!

2. I have now been off of Facebook for almost 3 weeks and it feels so good. Haha! I have enjoyed the quietness of it and not knowing exactly what everyone and their mother (literally) is doing. Only 5 different friends have actually called me on the phone in that time, but that's okay. They are the ones I hang out with anyway or talk to long distance normally. One friend actually had to contact me to tell me she was pregnant again! So happy for my old friends and their good news. : )

3. We are just coming off of a 5 day vacation to Destin, FL, with my Dad's side of the family and we really were able to relax. I'll share photos from that soon, but to be honest, I mainly only used my phone for photos because I was SO relaxed (read: lazy).

4. I'm thinking very hard these last few days about what direction I want this blog to take and where I want I ultimately want it to take me. Hopefully, I'll figure it all out soon enough.

5. School starts on Thursday and I am sad. I know I will mourn the loss of this summer we've had. Nothing special happened except that I had a blast with having both kids at home every day and am sad to see it end for the year.

6. Our house is still on the market with no offers. I'm not discouraged, but starting to wonder (only 4 weeks in) if this is the direction that God is wanting us to go at this point? The list of For Sale houses that we would want to move into is dwindling as they are being sold, etc. I'll keep updating on that.

7. There are some things I've been wanting to learn how to do on my new Mac and in the blog world and Photoshop world and I talked to a friend yesterday about setting up a day for her just to teach me a few basic things that I can later expound on by myself. It's nice knowing very sweet, creative local people!

8. Our summer bucket list is a sad thing. Maddox and I looked over it last week together and realized how many things on it we DIDN'T do. Oops. Play catch up over the next 3 days? We'll see.

9. Did I post about my new Diana camera that Chad bought me for my birthday? I think I only posted it on FB. Hmmm. Anyway, it shoots with film and I am so excited to go have that developed and see how they turned out! I miss film and the anticipation of waiting to see the photos and then going to pick them up. I am so old-fashioned about so many things. ; )

9 Things Before Nine{AM}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:55:00 +0000

It's almost the end of July. I honestly don't believe it and am not really accepting it quite yet. Here's my 9 before Nine for the day.

1. School starts in 2.5 weeks and I'm in denial. I keep wondering why everyone is shopping for school clothes and supplies when I'm out in the stores. Wha????!!!

2. I quit Facebook last Thursday night. How's that for a mini surprise? : )

3. I finished my 14th book of the year last night at midnight. I hope to post a list of my favorites later this week.

4. Yesterday, Chad and I got the kids back after they were at my Mom's for 4 days. Partly for our anniversary and partly for a mini vacation at home. It was blissful. Thank you, Mom!

5. We celebrated 13 years of marriage last Wednesday. I still don't feel old enough to have been married that long!

6. Our house has been on the market for 10 days and no one has looked at it. Discouraging? A little, but it's either meant to be or not, so....

7. Chad surprised me BIG TIME with a new MacBook Pro last week as his gift to me. I'm typing on her right now. And loving it. Thank you, love!

8. Back to the house thought....we can't decide where we want to live, if and when this house sells. City + convenience + close to work/school or country + land + privacy + farther away. I'm tired of thinking about it and so is Chad.

9. I went shopping! I bought dresses! I feel pretty! ; ) Just kidding. I had some extra money allotted for clothing which is a rarity and it was so nice to go and get the things I needed.

I'm sure I'll elaborate on one or more of these items later in the week. Happy Monday!

Where I'm Going With This

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Yes, yes, YES! I love this printable that I found last night and wanted to share. You can find a free link to print it out for yourself (also with a yellow background option) at Lady Bird Lane. Or you can click on the artwork above and it will take you to her post about it.

In the last few years, I haven't been in the position to help a fellow mom that often. Mainly because of being on my own with my own kids all week long and sometimes barely surviving and being the one that needed a helping hand. But things are getting easier and easier as the months go by with my sweet kids and as they get older and I'm surviving much easier. : ) It's been a long road for multiple reasons and I hope to share more about that soon. : )

Then after finding this artwork that I want to make myself read every single morning, I came to write this post and share it with you. And BAM!

New Blogger format, huh? I like it! I think I just might love it.
I just now saw it for the first time and while clicking around, I found my stats overview page.

And then I just stared at the numbers like an idiot when I saw what they were. Because, guess what? People read my blog!

I was amazed. Honestly. If you haven't figured it out already, I love to write. And in addition to that love of writing (and taking photos of my life), I was hoping to use this as a springboard for whatever creative business it is that I hope to create for myself and my family. I have many ideas in mind and have tested out a few in my own time. But the beginning for me is knowing if people are even going to come read what I write in the first place, because it will go hand-in-hand with what I create.

The numbers it gave me were even more hilarious to me because I don't even think that my friends read this blog. Ha! They never really mention anything to me when I write things, so I assume they don't read it. So, who are these people that are reading? I would venture to say that Pinterest has a lot to do with it. (I was already testing that theory out. It's just fun to finally get the results.)

I posted a few photos from Magdalen's 2nd birthday party last year and apparently it was a hit. I have gotten more notifications from Pinterest in the last few months about "repins" on those photos than I had in the past year.

So when I checked the stats today?

Her Vintage Cowgirl 2nd birthday party post has received....

OVER 1200 HITS. : )

(Thank you, Pinterest. I might end up going somewhere with this whole idea if I'm patient.)

Thank you, to all of you who read this blog. Truly. I know that to a "big" blogger that is nothing in the grand scheme of posting stats. But to me, that's huge.

I know that some of my friends and family think it's strange that I post on here about my life because they think things should be private, etc. I don't feel that way anymore. It used to make me nervous that strangers were reading about me, but hey! I'm reading about them, too. I realized that it wasn't a huge deal so I don't worry about it anymore. I have met so many amazing people from the blogging and crafting world that I would have never known had I not had this little space on the internet that's all my own.

I plan to be even more real on here in the future. I have so many thoughts swirling in my mind, and some of them are hard thoughts. Things that maybe I'm nervous to write about or mention. Things that might hurt feelings in an indirect way and completely unintentionally. But...also things that I want to write about or share. And I feel that it's okay. Because it's about me and my feelings, as I carefully sort through them.

But for now, like I said....thank you. : )

Mega Million Mom Jewels {In My Crown}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:15:00 +0000

The things I do for these children.

Another disgusting job of a mom. That's what it was.

At least that's what I told myself just now.

But then, I realized there was more to it.

And some of you may laugh at this, but really,

once you hear about what I just did (and this is on a slow day),

you'll understand.

I wanted to vacuum the house this afternoon to prepare for Sabbath.

Or at least just the downstairs!

Over the vacuum's roar, I yell to Maggie to pick up her doll house pieces and to Maddox to pick up the Lego pieces.

Ugh.

Lego pieces.

(I'm sure you're already starting to get the idea, aren't you?)

I'm happily cleaning and vacuuming while the two of them tell me they have finished their jobs.

I slowly move into the sunroom where Maddox is sitting at their kids' table.

The room where he keeps half of his Legos on a shelf, or on the table, or most likely, on the floor.

My eyes are sweeping the floor while I clean, because trust me, I don't want to vacuum up their toys either!

And then it happens.

I see a black plastic piece of something moving across the floor into the vacuum and hear a loud clattering sound.

OOPS.

Guess who else hears it?

Uh huh. The boy.

Sobs ensue.

Begging.

Pleading.

Accusations of "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Me defending myself, although I know that little black piece was hidden on a black area of the rug.

What do you do?

He honestly had cleaned up every little piece except that one. He had tried his best.

I had mercy on him.

Now don't go thinking that I didn't do this with some anger, and maybe some lecturing, and some defensiveness over it being "all my fault." Because, I did. As always.

So there I went.

Hauling the vacuum outside.

Opening that nasty bag of DEATH.

(Are you aware of my phobia of hair & my horrible dusty allergy? Um, yeah.)

Dumping it all out on a trash bag.

(Did I mention it was windy outside? Go ahead. Imagine that part, too.)

I was having no luck on the deck so I moved it all down to the patio to try and get away from the wind.

I started pawing through and shaking the big nasty clumps of death around.

WITH MY BARE HANDS.

And then I saw it.

A black piece of plastic.

I grabbed it and then....

oooooooh, the disappointment.

IT. WASN'T. A. LEGO. PIECE. AT. ALL.

It was a black piece to a completely different toy that is completely unnecessary.

Imagine my feelings at that point as I looked around the mess I had just created at the back of our house. I'm not even quite sure you can imagine it quite right because it was so disgusting, but I felt defeated.

And I was mad.

And then Maddox sort of giggled and said "Oh. It's just this. Whew!"

I had to close my eyes and look up at the heavens and say "Please Lord Jesus, help me."

I needed patience right then.

And he provided.

This incident literally happened about 30 minutes ago and I'm already chuckling to myself.

So, today, after someone said that I must live under a rock because I asked what the heck Mega Million meant on everyone's Facebook posts today, I thought about it.

Yes, I do live under a rock.

But I'm okay with that.

Because with the way my days go, I'm earning Mega Million jewels in my crown up in Heaven.

I'd rather have that than the $640 million I could win with a ticket.

(Although, I will not lie when I say that I wouldn't mind having that money in a heartbeat. Hello.)

So, the next time you're digging through your vacuum cleaner's dirty bag of stank nasty for one of your children, think of me.

And think of Jesus up there chuckling at you.

I guarantee you he's laughing and maybe adding a jewel to your crown, too.

9 Things Before Nine{AM}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Yes, I realize it's not Monday morning.

Ha!

But if you knew how my morning went yesterday, then you would understand. It was so bad that I let myself eat a Reese's Sonic Blast for lunch and then Sweet Cece's as my after-kids-are-in-bed-evening-snack. I am going to pretend today is the first day of the work/school week and start over.

At least it makes me feel better.

1. Speaking of mornings...I loathe Daylight Savings Time. I am not a morning person and every year at this time, I wish that we still lived in Phoenix where we never had to change our clocks. Oh, the things I have taken for granted at times!

2. Both kids had their well checkups yesterday and they passed with perfect results. Not a tear was shed, although both had to have their blood drawn from their finger. Brave little souls. ; ) I was pleased to hear the doctor say that Magdalen's speech seemed fine and also proud of my little girl for actually speaking to the doc and answering each question. She said she counts like a 4 year old and I was surprised after all the underlying questions we've had about her speech. *sigh of relief*

3. Chad took the day off yesterday for various reasons (unheard of in this job!) and Maddox was so excited that his daddy got to come see him play soccer for the first time yesterday. It completely made his day. : )

4. We had a really great weekend, starting out with Maddox singing at both church services with his Kindergarten class on Sabbath. They were too adorable in their little formal school uniforms.

5. We also had a lovely dinner party at home that night with the hilarious Melissa and her husband, Tony, and another musician friend of Chad's, Jason, and his wife, Juliana, who I met for the first time that night! Melissa made some amazing veggie sliders and salad to go with the other items we had for the meal. We played the game Scruples afterward (yes, like old people) and it was truly a relaxing, fun night with new and old friends.

6. I am EXCITED ABOUT SUMMER!! I realize it's a few months away, but it's already warm outside and Maddox is starting to really complain about not having any time to play when he wakes up each morning. I am going to make this an epic summer with lots of friend time, play time, and also down time for him before he hits 1st grade in the fall.

7. In the past month, I believe I have moved our furniture from room to room at least 3 or 4 times. I can't help myself.

8. Oh...we went to Zanie's comedy club on Sunday night for a surprise birthday party for our friend, Nathan. He was completely surprised and then we went back to his house for cake. His wife, Steph, had made The Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake (except Steph made it gluten free) and it was delish! First time I've had this famous recipe and was excited because I've been wanting to try it for awhile now. : )

9. Also, excited about a play date with friends this afternoon after school. The weather is perfect. And Maddox is excited to see his girl, Ava. ; ) Well, one of his girls. That's her below.

Ava and Maddox (age 5 here) one year ago having a picnic outside with their then-2-yr-old baby sisters. Cuties!

Five Years From Now....

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:14:00 +0000

I'll miss these simple, everyday, taken-for-granted things.

Learning-to-read notes to & from Kindergarten friends.

My sweet girl's little rain boots that she wants to wear every single season right now.

Maddox's sweet school projects that make me chuckle. : )

On any given day that you see me, I'm probably sporting a sticker or two on each hand. Magdalen brings them to me each morning when I'm getting ready and gives me my daily sticker. Her idea. ; ) Sometimes she'll even bring them to my bedroom before I wake up and I'll feel her sticking one on my hand while I'm half asleep. What a memory I'll treasure forever. :)

Mini chairs.

Little adorable sleeping angels that I can still carry in my arms.

It's so hard for me to believe how soon all of this will be just a memory.

Which is why I write.

And photograph.

And share stories.

It's all for me. And them.

Luff You.

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:52:00 +0000

Today

11:46 a.m.

Monday morning

Snuggling on the sofa, the only two people in the house.

For the very first time. Ever. Magdalen just said these words to me as she threw her body in my lap.

"I luff you, Mama!"

: )

I have waited for this moment for 3 long years.

And it was just as sweet as I had expected.

(I love you, too, baby girl.

I love you more than you'll ever know. )

When I ask her if she knows how much I love her, she says "Yas!!!!"

When I ask her how much that is, she says "Biiiiig much, Mama" and throws her hands in the air.

I have somehow given birth to one of the cuddliest, most loving, caring and expressive children on the planet.

I think God knew I needed her and she's teaching me so much.

(And if you think I didn't stop and grab my phone and take these photos right when she said it, you know, to help etch this moment in my brain forever....well, then you're wrong. Because I totally did.)

9 Things Before Nine{AM}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:59:00 +0000

Hmmm...so much to talk about from this past week. I'll stick to my tidy list for this morning and post some fun things later in separate posts. : )

1. Yesterday, we attended our very first Pine Car Derby at Maddox's school and even though it was 6 hours long, we had a great time! Watching his face light up as he watched his car succeed was so fun for us and even more priceless was how he accepted the cheering and trophy. He is his father. Humble, yet quietly confident. Love you, baby boy.

2. Chad finished reading The Hunger Games last night and when I came to bed, I saw it on my night table where he left it for me and my turn with it. I'm excited to start this series! Is anyone else reading it or read it already? I've heard it's really great.

3. Magdalen is talking a LOT. It has amazed me. Apparently, it has impressed Maddox because this morning at breakfast, as his sister was jabbering away, he looked at me and said "Maggie is really talking all the time now, isn't she?" with a huge grin on his face. He's so proud of her. : )

4. We ate lunch with my dear friend Ashlie and her family on Saturday after a long time of not seeing them. Every single time that happens, it makes me chuckle inside. Ashlie and I spend the entire time talking as fast as we can and jumping from topic to topic because we can't catch up fast enough. She's one of those amazing friends who gets me and we can always pick up where we were last time. I think I have a post on that whole idea coming soon.

5. We are thankfully safe from any storms we had this past week, although we did hide out in our storm shelter for a little bit. Unfortunately, my hometown was hit hard again less than a year after the original tornado destruction. Please keep all of the people affected in your prayers.

6. Chad and I woke up yesterday morning to the sound of our babies playing together in the hallway and in their bedrooms back and forth. Laughing and giggling and teamwork. A most beautiful sound. We have finally made it! ; )

7. My dad won this amazing award recently at a big event. He won the Man of the Year Award at CASBA (Cookie and Snack Bakers Association) Conference in Orlando last month. It is a huge honor and he was totally surprised, which is a hard thing to do with my dad. ; ) This group has been around since 1970 and Dad has been a part of it for 10 years. I'm proud of him and the hard work he does and the success he has achieved in his own business. Way to go, DAD! (Thanks to my stepmom, Donna, for the photo.)

8. I have been asked to do a guest post by one of my favorite bloggers. I am pretty excited about it and obviously, will share the link after I submit it and she publishes it. A cool post on something she has written is coming soon here, as well.

9. I'm thinking today on all the posts I need to catch up on. Some randomness, some deep thoughts that were triggered from attending Blissdom, and some PARTIES!!! I have slacked on posting some of the parties I've done or have co-planned. So many great ideas and photos to share. I'm thinking of doing a week of party posts. How does that sound? ; )

Happy Monday!

9 Things Before Nine{AM}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Source: flickr.com via Monica on Pinterest

Okay, friends. Let's just cut to the chase.

1. Blissdom'12 was mind blowing. Inspiring. Overwhelming. I am honestly still processing it all, but I learned more than I bargained for. I also met some pretty cool people. More on that soon.

Source: stopthinkingforyourself.tumblr.com via Consuelo on Pinterest

2. Did you watch the Oscars last night? All I can think about is how young Tom Cruise looked. I felt like I was in a time warp....and it was a good one. Can anyone say Top Gun? ; )

3. I also found a rerun of Grey's Anatomy playing. ( If you're a fan, it was the "shooter in the hospital" episode.) I'm amazed at how that one single episode can still completely stress me out & make me break out in a sweat the 3rd time watching.

4. I got to wear my dress from the Grammys again on Saturday night. ; ) I truly thought I'd never wear it again, but hey....it fit. I hope to have a few photos to share from that soon. (And I'm going to finally post the photos from our time at the Grammys. TWO YEARS AGO. Sheesh. I know.)

5. So...grass stains. I can't stand them. Maddox has stains on almost every single uniform item he wears to school so, last night, I poured bleach directly on all of the white items. Guess what? Stains are still there. Mhmmm. I hate bleach now, too.

6. Maddox wrote and recorded another song right before he turned 6 this month. We're working on a full album. We should have 10 songs by the time he's thirteen if we continue to do one every year. So far, so good. They are pretty darn cute and I keep forgetting to share. Hoping to post the first 3 sooner than later.

7. During Blissdom, I received a free signed copy of the book Quitter by Jon Acuff. He was an amazing, inspirational, hilarious, and very real speaker. I came away with so many things to think about and started reading it yesterday. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

8. This morning on the drive to school, it was just me and Maddox. I cranked up my current favorite soundtrack and used my still-a-little-bit-sick-awesome-raspy-singing voice to sing Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain". It was perfection. So I did it twice. With feeling. (Don't be thinking 'poor Maddox' because he was singing along, too. Promise.)

9. And lastly. *sigh* I can't find the key to my new treadmill. : / How's that going to work out now? Hmmm. Still looking....

HAPPY MONDAY!

9 Things Before Nine{AM}

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:58:00 +0000

Source: theposterlist.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I love lists.
Really, I do.

I think it comes from the fact that I'm pretty disorganized in my head and it helps to write most anything down. I know a lot of people feel the same way about themselves. I'm also sure that my dear husband would think that "pretty disorganized" is an understatement. (I'm okay with that. )

So....after a weekend, whether it was full or not, I have a lot of thoughts swirling in my head and instead of trying to do a post on some of the topics, I'll just start writing them in list form on Monday mornings before 9am. No pics today because I honestly didn't take any all weekend!

(And yes, 8 Things Before 8 would be absurdly too early for any human being. So I'll go with 9. )

1. I have been sick for 1 full week now and I'm over it. I have that deep horrible cough that sounds like I'm hacking up a lung each time and it's pretty gross. Good news: It doesn't hurt to cough today and my regular voice is *almost* back. At least I can speak now and give orders. ; )

2. Because of #1, I did laundry ALL.DAY.YESTERDAY. That's it. And the bedding is still not completed this morning. Bright side? At least I'm not having to fold it.

3. I'm going to Blissdom on Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I feel unprepared because of #1, again. If you don't know what it is, the short answer is: a blogging/social-media conference here in Nashville. If you want the long answer, click on the link. : ) I've been waiting to go to this for 3 years now and finally made the leap and bought a ticket. So many "famous" bloggers to meet!

4. Yesterday, for the first time ever, we had to talk to Maddox about the death of someone he knows. A beloved grandfather of one of his closest friends passed away unexpectedly this weekend. And Maddox sees him quite often. We told him early in the day, so there wouldn't be any uneasy thoughts for him at bedtime. It went smoothly and he had good questions, but seemed to understand. When bedtime prayers were said, he added a prayer for his friend all on his own and melted my heart even more.

5. I bought a used treadmill from a friend. As of yesterday, it now resides in my bonus room and as soon as I'm not coughing/wheezing anymore I'm excited to use it! No more trying to convince myself to drive all the way to the YMCA and failing!

6. Maddox has his first loose tooth. I think. I'm so sad about it (even though I know I shouldn't be) and told him not to touch it so it won't fall out too soon. It makes me queasy.

7. We eat cold cereal for breakfast almost every single morning. Unless Chad makes oatmeal. My theory is that a healthy cereal + almond or coconut milk is waaaaaay healthier than most cooked breakfasts that other people make.

8. I'm on a reading binge. I've read 5 novels in the last week and a half and I'm only slowing down this week to prepare for Blissdom.

9. And finally, for today, the biggest thing on my mind all weekend was my friend, Cindy. She is one of my best friends from high school and college and she has cancer. Breast cancer, to be exact. She's been through her double mastectomy already this past week and is healing, but the cancer was found in her lymph nodes and that never equates to "easy". I've been through this with my own mother, but she was lucky and had none in her lymph nodes, so she didn't have to have the dreaded chemo or awful radiation. Just a chemo pill every day. Please join me in prayers for Cindy, her husband, and their 3 children ages 4.5, 3. and 1. They need all the prayers we can send up on her behalf. Thank you.

That's it, folks. Lists in the future won't be quite as long, but it was a heavier mental weekend than normal.

On a last note, I have decided to take back my life and DO the things I've been wanting and planning on doing instead of just dreaming in my head and this post (whether you understand why or not) is the start of that. This is going to be my year! I just know it. : )

Happy Monday!

I Will Survive

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

If you know me well, then you know I don't like the winter season.

It's just cold.

Too. Freezing. Cold.

I'm a summertime girl and could live in a bathing suit,

all oiled up,

book in hand,

lying on a float in the pool

on the hottest days here....

for the rest of my life. No lie.

BUT....

yesterday it started snowing and when I finally raised my weary head after the 3rd time hitting snooze on my alarm clock, I went to check my cell phone and Maddox's teacher had texted me this:

"No school today."

In my head, I suddenly broke into The Hallelujah Chorus.

And I can handle that. : )

You know why?

Pardon me, as I share two important (horrible quality) cell phone photos from after school yesterday.

Reason #1 that we will survive the next few months:

Oh yes. He reads now. Chapter books! Alone!

He just discovered The Magic Treehouse Series two nights ago with me and he wants to read them all the time now. He literally asks if he can read them when he wakes up, before bed, after school. He is so excited about finishing each chapter and moving onto the next.

I am giddy with excitement that I might have a fellow bookworm in this house! : )

And for the more active member of our home....Reason #2:

Baby got a brand new bike.

Yes! And she loves it! So does Brother.

(I just realized that she's wearing one of her new aprons in the above photo. Aunt Heather - she loves it! She received 2 for her birthday, which was great because she didn't have one yet, and both of them were given to her by two different Heathers. They are so adorable and she wears both. Ha!)

Back to the bike. This is so fantastic actually....the trike is a Trek Trikester/Trekster and it has real wheels.

We found this used locally, but in perfect condition. Normally retails for over $200, but my thrifty self found it for $75. SCORE! The awesome thing is that our downstairs has an entire "track" for them to ride on the hardwood floors.

If you've been here, you know....if you haven't, here's how it works. : )

You start in the kitchen, then speed through the long hall to the foyer (as shown above),

then make a sharp right through the dining room, continue through the butler's pantry into the kitchen.

Another sharp right take you THROUGH the kitchen and back around to where you started.

You're pretty much going in a large circle around our stair case and closet,

and

AWESOME.

Maddox loves it and speeds so fast that he tips over.

After seeing them do this today (or riding together since there are "running boards" on the back for another person to stand or kneel on and hang on tight to the driving/pedaling sibling) I realize that we will make it through this winter.

In addition to the above new additions to our lives, our house organization is undergoing some changes that will also aid in wintertime boredom. I pray.

As they grow, I constantly need to rearrange areas in our home to suit our growing needs and the main one right now is our sunroom. My current focus and plan is to turn it into a craft/art/homework room for children and have enough space for everyone who comes over to play. These changes are very quickly spilling over into the other areas of our home and I'm very excited about moving out of the stage of having all of my rooms so baby & toddler friendly!! : ) I have big kids now!

I picked up some used children's furniture for an absolute steal today and will refinish it when warmer weather arrives. But for now it is usable. I'm hoping to share photos soon as I get after-holiday life back under control. Until then....

In the Quiet....

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Here's my girl.

She just turned three.

And although she is not quite as wild as she was a year ago....

this sweet babe just doesn't stop.

But she has a love that is never-ending, a spirit that is unstoppable,

and a zest for life that reminds me of who I once was.

This is her in the Quiet of life

and I just want to hold her forever like this.

(Not gonna happen, right?)

You'll be hearing a lot more from me here in this space.

At least, that's the plan in this new year.

I'm a bit slow moving....it's just the way I am about things,

but I'm excited about 2012 and I have so much to say!

Stay tuned. ; )

I Miss....

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Source: imgfave.com via Amanda on Pinterest

So, maybe I didn't watch cartoons on Saturday mornings....and I was definitely not watching Power Rangers for any reason....but I did watch the Fresh Prince. ;)

I turned on the tv this morning so Magdalen could watch a show while I showered. For the first time in 20+ years, I came across 3 shows that I have missed a little bit.

1. Strawberry Shortcake

2. My Little Pony

3. JEM

And yes, they were playing in that exact order on the same channel. Jackpot? I think so.

I started daydreaming again (as usual) and thought of all the things I miss. Then I randomly came across the above pin on Pinterest that pretty much summed up my thoughts today.

I miss old shows like Laverne & Shirley or Happy Days or Fat Albert. Not because they were the best shows ever, but because they take me back. Waaaaaaaaay back to a much simpler time in my life.

I miss my roller skates and the scabs I always had on my knees.

I miss digging in the dirt with a butter knife with my brother. Because it was relaxing and we were bored.

I miss riding my bike all the time and building ramps with the neighbors to jump our bikes on.

I miss the excitement of going to school every day to see my friends.

I miss playing outside in the neighborhood until after dark.

I miss piling up in my bedroom on a Sunday and reading as many books as I could fit into 12 hours.

I miss being able to eat as many graham crackers smeared with marshmallow cream as I could until I felt sick.

I just miss being a kid.

I'm not complaining today. Not a bit. I just like to daydream a little sometimes, and miss the young me while remembering some great old times.

Now....back to my regular scheduled parenting. ; )

10 Years Ago - September 11, 2001

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:15:00 +0000

9/11/01

Remembering this day quickly takes me back to Phoenix, Arizona.

I was 23 years old, Chad and I had been married for 2 years and we had just moved across the country from home, spending every dime we had on a moving truck and a deposit on an apartment I had never seen until we showed up with our things. We hardly had enough money to buy groceries, as we were arriving to no jobs. Just my unpaid internship and his audio schooling. Young and hopeful.....and scared.

We had left everything I had ever known. My parents, my brother, my friends from childhood, my hometown. I was so depressed the first 2 weeks that I refused to leave the apartment unless Chad was with me. I was terrified of getting lost. We didn't know one soul that lived in the same state as us anymore.

Things slowly, but surely, started getting better. I started working at Best Western Design Headquarters as an intern design assistant. I loved this job and had feedback of a possible position there after interning was finished. This was my last college task before graduating with my B.S. in Interior Design. Long distance. (I never went back home to march or celebrate a college graduation.)

Chad was waiting for school to start by working a job that he hated, but we were making it. :)

Chad and I had been living in Phoenix for six weeks when my dad and stepmom flew out for a visit. It was a long anticipated weekend for me because I was desperate to see a familiar face. The weekend passed and had it's own memorable events and then they were gone. Dad had to go straight to Las Vegas for a work convention and Donna had to fly back home in the east for work.

I don't remember details at that point, because the next few days were a blur. I think they left our place on the 9th of September and then I knew that Donna would be flying home the next day or two. I didn't know what day or when my Dad would be traveling back home either.

The morning of September 11th, 2001, my alarm went off at 7am MST. Chad was still sleeping, since his shift didn't start until later. I remember stumbling to the bathroom and suddenly hearing the phone ring. I remember thinking "What? Who's calling me this early?" I rushed to grab it and took it into the bathroom of our 680 sq ft apartment, trying not to wake Chad up. I said "Hello?!"

I heard my brother Josh's panicked voice on the other end: "Mandi! Where's Dad?!?!"

"Um.....I'm not sure. Vegas? Flying? Why....what's wrong?" I remember saying, very confused.

His short reply? "Turn on your TV now! The U.S. is under attack."

I rushed to our tiny living room and turned the TV on. What I saw completely horrified me. Josh quickly explained what was happening as I watched it for a minute. I told him I needed to go wake up Chad and try to get in touch with Dad. At that point, we had no idea where the planes were coming from, so I was panicking.

I immediately went to wake Chad up, then started dialing. And nothing happened. The phones everywhere in this country were being used and I could not get through to my Dad. I was trying not to dissolve into a panic, but it was difficult. I kept dialing his number over and over and over.

Chad and I sat on our little futon and were frozen in horror as we saw bodies jumping from burning buildings, people running for their lives covered in white dust, and the screaming. I couldn't tear my eyes away, as much as it was making me sick.

I felt lost. I wanted to see my family and I knew I couldn't.

I was terrified to leave and so I called my office and said I wasn't coming. They said it was fine, they understood. (Later, I found out that a man and a woman that I worked closely with at Best Western had both lost relatives that morning: one was flying on one of the planes and the other had been working in one of the towers. There was so much sadness in our office and it was hard to see the anguish on their faces when they came back to work after burying their loved ones. )

My dad finally called a couple of hours later to say he was safe and that Donna had flown home just the night before on the 10th. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't care that he had to stay another few nights being grounded out of town. He was GROUNDED. That was all that mattered.

I remember driving to work later that day and each day after that and eyeballing each airplane that flew over my car. I was paranoid for a very long time. Living near Sky Harbor Airport did not help matters.

I still can't think of that day without trying to suppress my tears. It truly does feel like it could have happened yesterday because it is so vivid in my mind. My conversation with my brother....I will never forget our exact words. I remember my Dad mentioning after it happened that this is how people talked about "where they were" after JFK was killed, or the day people first saw a person walk on the moon.

Never Forget. He wasn't exaggerating. Everyone I know remembers exactly what they were doing when those planes hit and those towers fell. Surreal.

Because of 9/11, I never went to work at Best Western. They had to start cutting back immediately. People stopped traveling and the industry stopped booming like it had been. It was such a sudden standstill of our country as a whole.

Today I didn't watch news coverage. I don't need to because the images are burned in my mind forever. I will never forget the image of bodies throwing themselves out of a building. I don't tell my children about it yet. Someday I will....but not yet.

Tonight I DID watch a part of a show about the entire event. It was rolling cameras that were following the firefighters from a certain house in NYC around that day before anything had even happend. Just a documentary on a young man becoming a firefighter. Wow....he had no idea what that day was about to hold for him. I enjoyed listening to them tell their firsthand account and wanting to cry with them. I didn't need the photos....just their voices and words to honor this day in my mind.

I pray today for all of those sweet babies that lost their parents and all of those parents that lost their grown children. Heartbreaking. I pray that it doesn't happen again to innocent people. I pray for all of the first responders that have to relive this day EVERY SINGLE DAY in their minds.

I just pray and love my family. It's all we can do.

Summer is for Slowing Down

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:02:00 +0000

Magdalen, 2.5 years old

I have had a great couple of weeks of NOTHING to do but swim, hang out, relax, take naps, and just really enjoy my summer days with the kids.

I am teaching myself (again) how to say "no" to things that are not required and "yes" to things just because they sound fun.

Let me rephrase that. My children are teaching me. ; )

Yesterday, I had tons of things I could have been doing. But instead, I let my two kids and a friend use my furniture as toys (unheard of for me....we respect our hard-earned purchases), ride through the mud puddles on bikes IN the rain (even though the mud spray all the way down Maddox's back was fierce), and the kids were not required to take baths after it all (gasp!)

Last night, Maddox told me the best part of his day was riding his bike in the rain.

Simple things.

Say yes to summer!

Letter To Daddy on Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:59:00 +0000

Dear Daddy,

We love it when it's Father's Day and I love it when we give you presents!

And I love you Daddy, because you take me to new restaurants sometimes. I love you when you let me play on your phone.

I love you Daddy, because you build me Lego tracks and other train tracks, too.

Thank you Daddy, for letting me play raquetball with you and go swimming.

I love you, Daddy, because you play board games with me.

Love you,

Maddox (5 years old)

Dada!

Dadadadadada. *smooch* (As she holds up 2 fingers trying to say I Love You in Sign Language.)

Love, Magdalen (2.5 years old)

Dear Chad,

Thank you for these two. Thank you for being a partner in making them the amazing people they are. I couldn't do it without your stability, your hard work, your patience (with me and them), and your love.

We love you. They cooperated so well in taking these sweet photos when I told them it was a surprise for Daddy.

Happy Father's Day!

Love, Amanda

{their feet - the "surprise" we all tried to hide from you yesterday}

{processing on this photo I'm not loving, but I wanted to make sure their feet popped out!}

{Gift from Magdalen - print of this photo for your studio coming soon!}

To my own Father, William....

Thank you for being the best father I could have ever asked for. Thank you for always being there for me and still trying to take care of me and my family whenever you feel the need. : ) Having kids now myself, I realize that I will always think of my kids as my babies.

Thank you for loving our children so much. They love their Papa Will soooo very much also!

The photos of Maddox and Magdalen above will be your gift this year. I hope you enjoy their sweet faces in these. I know I am!

Love you so much,

Amanda

Happy Father's Day to all the other amazing dads out there that I have the pleasure of knowing today!

Julep Magazine: Summer 2011 Issue Features Melissa Fuller

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 19:31:00 +0000

Click here to read the current issue!

I am so excited for the summer issue of Julep Magazine to be out today! : )

This online publication is created locally and was founded by a new friend of mine, Rebecca Wilson, who is also the editor. She is beautiful and sweet and the perfect person to start this magazine up for "young" Southern ladies like myself. ; ) When I met her and found out what she did, I immediately asked her what the magazine was all about. She perfectly described it as "a Southern magazine, but not your mama's Southern Living."

Just my speed.

Lots of entertaining (you know I love a well-decorated party), recipes (yay for Southern food), and lifestyle articles. This has quickly become one of my favorite online magazines (along with Sweet Paul Magazine, which also released it's new summer issue today. Yeah!)

See that girl on the cover? Well, that's Melissa Fuller. Chad produced and recorded her last album and that's how we know her in the first place.

I remember hearing a lot about Melissa and her husband, Tony, from Chad last year. All good things, of course. He kept saying how much I would like them. I finally met them at Chad's big birthday bash at our home last November and I definitely liked them both. Very down to earth, and totally hilarious people. Melissa has an incredible voice and style that is all her own, and Tony is this phenomenal photographer whose work you could drool over, even if you are not a photography lover like myself. GREAT, great people.

So, Melissa shot her video for "Money, Money, Money" last month and I was so excited to be an extra. Who hasn't wanted to be in a music video if you grew up in the 80s? Seriously. But that story is for another day. ; ) I'm mentioning that part because that's how I met Rebecca from Julep. She was also an extra in the video and we spent 15 hours together that first day of meeting. Talk about getting to know a new friend quickly. Ha! Love her.

Rebecca did a great article on Melissa in this issue, along with some perfect photos that capture the vibe of the video she did and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. Click on the magazine link below the image above and it will take you to the magazine.

Enjoy!

Sweetest Homemade Birthday Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Oh, that Chad.

He did it again. ; )

My sweet husband is not one to bring me flowers all the time, or buy me gifts (he lets me stay home with the kids, that's gift enough), and he's not a big talker.

BUT....

when he decides to do something special for me, it is truly extra special for me, specifically, and I know he puts his heart into the things he chooses.

I turned 33 almost two weeks ago and on the morning of my birthday, I was awakened by the sounds of "Happy Birthday, Mommy!" as the kids and Chad piled into our room. Maddox was carrying a mini cake plate and there under the glass domed lid was my favorite breakfast food: blueberry muffins!! It was very sweet and thoughtful and I was thankful that my Mom was able to be there for awhile that day, too!

Chad had to work after that and I spent a lazy day with the kids when Mom headed home. It wasn't my ideal birthday, but who can complain? We had so much going on that week and the weeks following that I think I was happy to just relax a bit. (I have so much fun stuff to share from the recent weeks, but that will come soon.)

So, on the weekend of my birthday, I had plans. (BIG plans like....being in a music video! Post on that coming soon, as well.) We had no plans for celebrating my birthday that weekend though, which is rare for me since I will usually plan my own party. But, while I was gone & busy with my fun weekend with people other than my family, Chad and the kids came up with this masterpiece.

I will tell you right now that when the first few notes of the song started along with my babies' faces, I immediately teared up and the tears just started pouring. I was able to look past the hilarious bow placement in Maggie's hair and the fact that Chad let her wear those pajamas all day long (have I told you how much I can't stand character clothing?) because this was real life. It is a real life movie, made just for me. I wouldn't trade it for any material gift. It is the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time and was just the gift that this Mama needed.

I am a lucky girl.

And my kids are lucky to have a dad like Chad, with his his sense of humor and his love for these kids and myself.

I hope you enjoy!

(Pssst. If you're reading in an email, you will have to actually open up my blog to watch the link and you don't want to miss the best music video ever. Everyone - when you click the "Play" button, immediately hit it again to pause the video. Give it some time to load and then watch it so it doesn't jump around. Trust me. There's an entire message you'll want to see.) Thanks!

On another note, I am remembering a dear best friend today that lost her life too early, many years ago. I have a post planned for that with some fond memories, but I couldn't do two sad ones in a row on here, so I'm breaking it up with this happy little post instead. :)

Tribute for Richard: June 1977 - April 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Richard - 19 years old - Senior picture he sent me in a letter, while he lived in Australia

I lost a friend.

His name was Richard M. and most of the people that read this already know who I'm talking about. I am heartbroken and ever since I knew he was gone eleven days ago, I feel like I have been walking around in a strange dreamland in the past.

Taking care of my children, driving here and there, laughing with friends...I've been doing it all...but all those things have been in the back of my mind and his face has been right there in the front, right behind my eyes. I feel like I can see him so clearly. I don't hear what people are saying to me because I'm replaying conversation after conversation with him over and over in my mind.

What's interesting to me is that I don't picture him in my mind at his age recently...just a year older than myself. I picture him at about 16 years old, right in the middle of the time that he was one of the closest friends in the world to me.

For more than a week, my mind was exploding with so many memories of him. So many really, that I couldn't keep track and I couldn't sleep. They just kept rolling on in to my head. So when his father asked me if I could stand up and share something about Richard at the service, I knew had so much to share that it might take hours.

The only problem was that I couldn't do it.

I could barely get to the service because I was so sick to my stomach with grief. I hadn't stopped crying for almost 10 days before the service. When I walked to his old house (where his family was) from my old house (where my mom still lives) I cried the whole way. I composed myself before I knocked on the door and then when I saw his mother's face, I crumbled as she hugged me.

I knew I couldn't stand up and do it. BUT....I knew I could write.

He asked me Friday evening while I was visiting with them and then at mom's house that night, by myself, I wrote a few notes as I gathered my racing thoughts on Richard.

Me (13), Jeff (13), and Richard (14 yrs old) at Jeff's house

On Sabbath morning, I met his older brother and a few friends for breakfast and then the rest of my morning was spent sitting in my bed writing my thoughts. When I was finished (just 3 hours before it was supposed to start), I texted his brother Geoff and asked if someone could read it and edit it because it was too long.

Again, sick to my stomach, I headed back to his old house again and his father said he would be happy to read it. I sat next to him as he sat down and I couldn't help by quietly sob in that chair as I recalled in my mind what I had written...and what he was reading about his son for the first time.

He said it was perfect and I breathed a sigh of relief. His dad is a great speaker and pastor and I knew that he would know if I had done Richard justice with my words.

I thought that the friends who didn't make the service for whatever reason might enjoy reading what was shared by me. A very kind lady who has known them forever read my words for me.

Richard (19), me (18), and Jeff (18) at our high school graduation

At the end of the service, our very close mutual friend Jeff, actually did go up front and share some special memories and words and I know it was so difficult for him. But he also said just the right things and actually made me laugh out loud through my tears and miss the old days where the 3 of us spent so much time together all over again.

My Words For Richard

I met Richard when I was 11 or 12 years old when he moved to our town...I don’t remember which age exactly, but that means I’ve known him for about 20 years. And that’s the majority of my life, when I actually stop to think about it.

He is a constant & one of the most important people in my mind of my growing up years...all the way into college...so this last week has been one of the hardest weeks in my life. Whenever our friend, Jeff M-----, and I get together or talk, Richard and his stories are the first things we start talking about. Even all these years later, we start out by saying...."Remember when Richard........"

There are so many memories....too many to share here, but I can honestly say they are all good memories. And by good, I mean they all make me laugh out loud or say to myself...’Oh, Richard....’ with a big smile on my face. If you knew him well, then you know what I mean.

Our class loved him, which was interesting now as I look back, because he pulled some of the craziest stunts that most of us would never have even thought of and most of the other kids that tried things like that were not thought of as “cool”. But Richard was. The name “Richard M-----” will always be like a legend to us and I get excited when I think about telling my kids of him and all the things we did together as they get old enough to understand.

I’m not sure if Jeff is going to share this story, but one thing I’ve been thinking about this week was how he came to school one day, but somehow crawled up into the ceiling at school after the teacher had taken attendance. He and our other friend, Wade R----, had this all planned out, but none of us knew for sure where Richard was. Wade, on the other hand, was hiding all during 1st period in one of the cupboards in our classroom. This was when Richard was 15, by the way. Our class lined up in the hallway to head to the gym, and I will never forget hearing “Pssst” really quietly from overhead. Richard had removed one ceiling tile and was laying on his stomach on an air conditioning tube, with his arms and legs wrapped around waving at me as I walked right under him. I just about fell in the floor laughing. The look on his face is something I’ll never forget because as he was saying “Ssshhh” I could tell he had the biggest silent laugh going on and a twinkle in his eye.

Even after all the mess he pulled on our teachers that last year of school in 1993, he stood up with our class at graduation and I will never forget the huge grins on everyone’s faces as his name was called and he walked up to shake hands with our Principal. We screamed and yelled his name and he was beaming with happiness. I can even see it on the picture I have, our teachers were grinning and clapping for him, too. They truly did love him, but just hadn’t known what to do with such an adventuresome guy all year.

Richard and I spent many, many hours together during our teenage years. His family lived in the same neighborhood and right down the street from mine. Our other friend & classmate, Bryce R------, also lived there on a different street. (And how weird that all 3 families still own the same homes? That was very nostalgic for me yesterday as I drove back into this town from my home a few hours away and all those memories came flooding back.) Richard could cut through the woods in the back of his house to Bryce’s and then they would walk down the street to get me. Or we would call each other and say “Meet down at the corner” and we knew where to go. Richard would start walking first down the street, I would wait for him on my front step and pick up with him as we would head down the hill to meet Bryce. Richard and I spent a lot of times by ourselves as well out there.

We walked that neighborhood for hours...after school, on weekends, and during the summertime, just talking and joking and exploring everywhere out there. Richard usually had some sort of a knife and would be cutting tree limbs all over the place or carving things out there while we talked. Or he would be teasing me. I remember the little tiny bridge on B----e Lane that we would walk to down by my grandmother’s house. There was usually not any water down there, but we would climb down and throw rocks while we talked about everything under the sun. I remember how Richard would give me piggyback rides or just pick me up and run through areas when I wasn’t going fast enough for him. None of us were old enough to drive, so we were still able to be just kids. I’m so thankful that my parents were able to trust all of us to spend hours alone, because they were such special times.

Richard also spent a lot of time at my house. He loved my mom and would tell her his heart for hours upon hours. I remember how he wanted to go everywhere with our family and also would hitch rides with us over to Jeff’s house...which was his second home. My family and I would be getting ready to go somewhere in the evening, sometimes not even knowing that Richard needed a ride, and we would walk out the door and in the darkness all we would hear was his deep, slow voice: “Do you guys mind if I come?” My mom and I would scream and look and all we could see were his eyes and his sheepish smile in the night. I will never know why he wouldn’t knock at our door on those nights, but we always said yes and he would climb on into the van with us.

We went to camp meeting together and my mom would drop us off. We would sometimes go to the meetings, but most times we would skip out and go running all over the campus here just being teenagers. People that saw us thought he was my boyfriend, but he never was. Not even once. Just one of my best friends that I’ve ever had.

Richard was one of the most physically strong people I have ever known. I still remember how strong his arms were when we were teens. It still baffles me as to how he was like that when all of our other friends were so scrawny. :) And I know how strong he was because he loved to play jokes on me. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times he whipped me up off my feet at Jeff’s house and threw me in that pool. It was like the most effortless thing for him. It didn’t matter if I was fully clothed or in my swimsuit. I always ended up in the pool because of Richard. I remember a very specific time when he and I and Jeff M----- were all in his room hanging out. We had been swimming that day and all of a sudden he picked me up and tossed me on the bed and then rolled me off on the other side in a little corner. He and Jeff started piling what seemed like a million pillows on me and then they both sat on me. I will never forget his wild laughter at how I never saw it coming. And I was so mad because I couldn’t breathe. They finally let me out and I remember yelling at both of them, but it didn’t last long. He would have never hurt me and I knew that. I couldn’t stay mad for more than 5 minutes.

And that was an important thing about Richard....I would have trusted him with my life. Even back then, I knew he wouldn’t hurt a fly. I know his parents will cringe when I say this story, but it’s a perfect example of my trust of him back then. (And my stupidity, but we won’t go there.) I remember going on our 8th grade retreat to C------ [summer camp] and hanging out with him and my boyfriend at the time. They were doing something so stupid and it made me nervous and I remember freaking out about it at them. They kept saying, it’s perfectly safe, Amanda....look...even you can do it. I remember my boyfriend explaining how it worked and I was skeptical. Then I looked at Richard and I said “Richard, tell me the truth. Will it hurt?” And he said “Manda - you know me, I would never hurt you. You know that.” So I let him do it. And for any young people that might be listening.....don’t EVER do this at home (because it was stupid...please remember I was only 14 years old), but I let him light my finger on fire. And he was right, it didn’t hurt because he knew just how to do it, and right when it started to feel warm....he was the one that quickly put a wet towel around my hand and put it out before I even had a chance to say it. I truly trusted him.

It didn’t matter if he made fun of me or made up horrible nicknames for me or broke my finger that time playing dodgeball or even quit talking to me for a while when I got my first serious boyfriend....I knew he loved me as one of his dearest friends. I would say that it’s a cliche that he was the guy that would give you the shirt off his back....but it’s not, because he did. Countless times he would give me a t-shirt because I liked it or take off his top shirt if I got cold. He always wore 2 shirts and that’s how I picture him in my mind.

There was a bond there between the three of us (Jeff, Richard, and I) that will never be forgotten and I don’t think a lot of people have that at such a young age. I look at my own kids and I hope and pray that my daughter will find such a loyal guy friend in her teen years. No strings attached, no expectations, just purely a dear friend to confide in and trust. That’s what Richard was for me and I was for him.

My very last thing to share is this memory: When Richard and his family moved away from our town it was 1993. We were graduating from 8th grade that year and the big tape out that year was BoyzIIMen’s Cooleyhighharmony album. We wore that thing out. Walking the roads, listening to it on a Walkman and there was this one song that I used to cry about whenever we would listen to it because I knew he was leaving soon. It was the one called “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday”. How strange & heartbreaking it was to listen to that song again this week and realize how fitting the words were for that time, but even more so for today. I can’t say the words for you now because it’s too difficult, but the lyrics I keep trying to focus on through my tears are these: “And I’ll take with me the memories, to be the sunshine after the rain.” I loved him dearly, even though we had lost touch in recent years due to having our own families and not living near each other.

What a caring friend, a soft inside with a tough exterior, who would have done anything for a friend. He was one of the best friends I have had in my life. I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll see him again and that keeps me going through this time.....and when I see his face, he will have that wild laughter and big huge contagious smile and will hug me so tight he could almost crush me and that twinkle in his eye will be there once again.

Friends - please continue to pray for his family and friends whose hearts have been affected. Thank you, Amanda.

(If you are reading this in an email post or a reader, you will have to click on the actual blog site to hear the song at the end. Thanks.)