Accidentally Awesome

As a mother of four children (whom I home school) I am usually a hot sticky mess.  My house is a mess, my car is a mess, my hair is a mess, my brain is a MESS!  But you know what?  Sometimes I am accidentally awesome.  Oh sure, I try to be awesome all the time. You know, fun stuff like cutting sandwiches into shapes, or leaving notes on the mirror. However, on most attempts I miss the bar.  My kids will end up trading lunches with a friend at school, or they "forget" to brush their teeth so they don't even glance at the mirror.

Well, today was different!  I was accidentally awesome.  Let me just tell you how much more fun it is to be accidentally awesome than trying really hard to be marginally awesome!  My youngest daughter has developed a recent affection for fairies.  She loves the tiny bridges and doors that are available at hobby shops.  For Christmas last year I made her a "fairy garden in a box."  Well, this week I told her that I would take her to buy some flowers so she could plant her own fairy garden in a large pot out by my garden.  I took her to the nursery where we bought some beautiful miniature plants such as moss and thyme.  We spent the afternoon moving soil around and creating a perfect little fairy world.  We scavenged our property for an old piece of wood to serve as the "house" and afterward Sophie decorated her fairy garden with her trinkets.  We felt pretty good about our efforts.

When my husband came home Sophia pulled him over to the garden so he could see what she had created.  He looked up at me and smiled.  "Huh.  Good job honey.  You planted on Earth Day.  But you didn't plan it that way did you?"  (he knows me all too well)  I couldn't help but chuckle at myself.  Folks, I was an accidentally awesome home school teacher that day.  I wrapped it up as a science activity and highlighted Earth Day.  

Mark 9:23 says:  "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

The thing is my friends, we are all capable of great things.  We need only to believe in ourselves and to remember who we are in order to tap into that potential.  We are children of God, created to be great and to do great things.  

WE ARE AWESOME!

We all need a little reminder now and then about just how awesome we are.  The Savior thought we were worth everything, because that is what He sacrificed for us.  

Love you like crazy,

Amazeber

The Photographer's VIP Pass...

I am a photographer, you all know that.  I'm going to tell you why being a photographer comes with a VIP pass.  I catch moments with my camera that I would likely otherwise miss because I am always looking!  Before I started taking pictures as a hobby I simply took snap shots.  Now I am trained to be looking for the moment and for the beauty that is everywhere every day.  These images are from my sister's wedding that just took place last fall.

After the wedding everyone left to go to lunch, but I got to stay and hang out with the bride and groom.  I had the VIP pass.

Later as everyone else was rushing around setting up the reception I got to take in the beauty of it all by capturing images of all the details.  Again... I had the VIP pass.

Last year my best friend had her fourth baby after an eight year break.  It was kind of a big deal.  This session was just me and her laughing and having fun.  No stress, no expectations, and no kids!  (hahaha)  Again... I had the VIP pass.

Just a couple of months ago my precious niece was born and because I held the VIP pass I got to spend an entire afternoon with her and her mother while she was still tiny and squishy. (doesn't her little chin just melt your heart?!)

And then there are moments like this that I happen to catch because my camera was already out and ready.  I have the VIP pass because I'm The Mom.

 

I'm grateful for discovering a love for photography because it has opened my eyes to the amazing moments that surround me every day.  Some moments are more frame-worthy than others, but all of them are precious and worth capturing!  I have learned that when I stop long enough to just admire the wonder that is around me my heart no longer has room to feel sad or overwhelmed.  Instead, all I feel is gratitude and happiness.

 

Love you Like Crazy!

 

Amazeber

 

 



Living the Real Life Fairytale...

Real life... What is that anyway?  Is it what you see on the news feed of Instagram or read about on blogs?  Maybe.  However, I know that when I spend too much time looking through other blogs, surfing Pinterest, and scanning Instagram I start to feel a little less than awesome.  How do all of those women seem to keep their homes in perfect order, have happy shining kids, and never have a hair out of place?  They do all this while being crafty and creative and I bet they have a hot dinner sitting on the table the second their hubby walks through the door.  Ha!  They probably even wear a cute little apron that they sewed themselves and maybe they even serve dinner wearing heels... 

Okay, okay.  Maybe that's NOT real life.  However, for me, THIS is:

Yep.  That's my house.  My four kids pile up garbage next to the trash can.  I don't have a laundry room so my room serves as the place to separate and organize the clothes.  My kitchen is being remodeled and so I have a living room filled with tubs and no way to bake or boil.  I use a skillet and a crock pot most nights to make dinner.  (And no, I don't wear an apron or heels)  In fact, I kneel down on the floor to cook because I have nowhere else to prepare the food.  My bathroom sink serves as a kitchen sink.  All six of us squeeze into one bathroom every night and every morning.  By the time I get to shower there is only ice cold water left.  I know what you are thinking...

Dang! That's glamorous!  Well, you are RIGHT!  It is!

This picture was taken on my property.  This beautiful model is my daughter.  This looks like a fairytale, but it's my life.  I took these pictures just as I got home from being gone all day.  Sophia was in the middle of her schoolwork but the sun was setting and I just couldn't resist making the best of the moment.  I could have made dinner right then.  I could have started another load of laundry.  I could have gone upstairs and started my own homework.  Instead, I took a half hour to play "fairytale" with my daughter who is growing up too fast among the lush grass that will soon be dry and brown. 

Real life isn't always pretty.  It's messy and sticky and loud and CRAZY!  Sometimes real life is far more than beautiful... real life can be breath taking.

I decided today that instead of comparing other people's fairytales to my own that I would just love the one I'm living.  I will smile and I will move forward every single day.  Inside my house you will find piles of laundry, four screaming kids, a wonderful husband, and a lot of love.  What more could I ask for?

Love you like Crazy,

 

Amazeber

Why I Do What I Do...

So... I'm one of those crazy homeschool moms.  I stay up all hours of the night scouring the internet for great lesson ideas.  I study three different curriculums for three different grade levels and no longer read books simply for pleasure.  Every second of my day is called for before I even get up in the morning.  My kids are with me always, and no, I don't have "quiet time."  This all sounds pretty crazy and hectic and maybe you are wondering why I do it.  To understand that you'll need to know the story...

 

These handsome fellas right here are my men, and that beautiful face to the right belongs to my oldest son, Brenden.  Brenden IS the story.  He is one of the happiest kids you'll ever meet.  He believes that everyone is his friend.  He's smart, funny, loyal, and pretty much awesome from every angle.  However, in fourth grade he suddenly started getting F's in school.  The kids began picking on him relentlessly.  Brenden came home within his first month of fifth grade and told me that: "he wished that he was good at sports instead of drawing so that kids would like him."  Well, that was just the beginning.  My once happy kid who was full of life began to hate himself and compare himself to everyone else.  We decided to change schools in order to get him into a bigger district that could offer more in the way of programs to help him.  That was a terrible year.  He was diagnosed with ADD "Inattentive" and was put on medication.  The medication made him sick.  So, then he became the weird kid who threw up on the bus... and in the classroom... and in the school hallway.  So... we switched medications and then he became the weird kid who fell asleep at his desk.  Because he couldn't stay completely seated during class he was put in the back of the room.  Because he was at the back of the room he couldn't pay attention so he doodled.  Because he doodled he was denied any recess and had to "sit on the wall."  This was Brenden's life every day.  My ADD child was trapped in a world that didn't understand him and certainly didn't care about him.  So, that is how I began homeschooling my children.

 

At first I thought that this was going to be a short term experiment with just Brenden and my youngest daughter Sophia (who was entering fourth grade and having some of the same academic signs of ADD).  Within one month of homeschooling I was hooked.  I fell head over heels in love with this new life.  I pulled my oldest daughter Paris out of the public junior high and brought her home to join us. 

 

My oh my.  What a stroke of GENUIS that was!

 

 



I am in my second year of homeschooling and I can honestly say that it is the most rewarding experience of my life.  My kids are best friends.  We laugh and learn together every single day.  I threw away all of the medications, and my son likes himself again.  His grades are great.  Now he is allowed to learn his own way.  He draws pictures to help himself figure out math concepts. He stands up at his desk while working, and that's just fine by me. I go through a wonderful charter school and so the kids are in a classroom once a week where they get to be with friends and I sign them up for all kinds of workshops and other classes too.  They have participated in Lego Robotics competitions, choirs, computer coding courses, and art workshops; as well as having attended countless plays, fairs, and festivals.

 

Now tell me, what better classroom is there than this?

 

So... why do I do what I do?

 

I choose this life because my kids are worth it.  Plain and simple.

 

I choose this life because no one loves my kids more than I do and they need to KNOW just how CRAZY awesome they are.  Yes, I am always tired, and there are days that I wonder if I am doing this right.  I fear failing them.  But... I press forward always because they deserve my efforts and because when I am old and ready to leave this Earth I won't care what degrees I earned or what jobs I had.  I won't care if my kitchen is clean. 

 

I will be surrounded by my children and their children because I invested in them.  They are my legacy, they are my crown jewels.

 

Love you like crazy,

 

Amazeber

Where Would You Go?

I recently attended a meeting at my eighth grade daughter's school.  During that meeting the parents were paired up and given a set of questions to ask one another.  One of the questions I was asked was:

If you could time travel when and where in time would you go?

 

I had to ponder on that question for a minute until the obvious truth popped into my mind... I would go back to when my children were little!

When my older three children were very young my days were filled with endless tasks.  They relied on me for every aspect of their needs.  I tied all of their shoes, wiped their noses, buckled their seatbelts, poured their cereal, changed the tv channels, and gave them their nightly baths.  So much has changed.  These three adorable faces are far more than just a few cute kids who line up behind me now. Today they are people with thoughts and opinions.  They are unique and similar all at the same time.  They have questions and answers.  They are funny, quirky, and an absolute joy to spend my days with!

 

What would I do if I could spend just one day with the younger versions of my kids?

 

I would hold each of them on my lap.  I would play with them and talk to them.  I would watch them interact with each other.  I wouldn't stress over the messes or what I would be making for dinner.  I would look at these tiny faces and squeaky voices and I would see them for the people that they are today.  I would see bright, happy, independent, confident, loving individuals and my heart would almost burst with joy and pride; because I have some GREAT kids.

I know that I can't go back, but I CAN go forward.  I can go forward being inspired and uplifted every day by these crazy awesome people who just happen to be my children.  I can watch them learn and grow and make great decisions and take smart paths through this incredible life.  I can do all of this with the knowledge that I played a part in it.  That's right, I have crazy awesome kids... but you know what?  A big part of their success is due to the fact that they were loved like crazy by the luckiest mama in the world!

 

 

Love you like crazy,

 

Amazeber

 

 



Make Ahead Snacks!

I think that it is probably safe to say that most of us want to make healthy choices about the foods that we eat.  Yes, we love our treats, sweets, salts, crunchies, and krispies... but for the most part, we all want to feel good and in order to feel good we need to EAT good.  Life is hectic and busy and when you are a mother chasing after your little ones the thought of having to plan and prepare 5 healthy meals on top of the other required daily tasks falls nothing short of torture.  I have been working on a solution to this and here is a recent experiment of mine...

 

I dedicated one day of my week to preparing meals and snacks ahead of time so that they can be pulled out of the refrigerator and be ready to go when I am.

Sweet Potato Chips

 

 

 

Yams or Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Oil

Sea Salt

 

1.)  Thinly slice yams, spread out on a cookie sheet and drizzle with coconut oil. Then sprinkle sea salt over the slices.

2.)  Broil in the oven for about 8 minutes then flip the chips over.

3.)  Continue this process until they reach desired crispness.  Add salt to taste.

 





Broccoli Coleslaw

 

 

1 head of broccoli

1 head of cauliflower

3 carrots shredded

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 Tbs sunflower seeds

1/4 cup poppy seed dressing

 

1.)  Chop the broccoli and cauliflower up into bite-size pieces.  Toss all ingredients together.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

 

Cold Chicken Salad

 

 

4 chicken breasts (boiled)

1 cup chopped grapes

1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise

 

1.)  Chop and shred chicken into small pieces.  Mix all ingredients together.  More grapes, bacon, and celery can be added to desired taste. 

2.)  Salt and pepper as desired.  Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

 

I designed these snacks to be something quick, tasty, and healthy that my husband and children could go into the kitchen and grab in a hurry.  I also boiled 12 eggs and baked some peanut butter protein muffins (recipe in future post) on my food prep day as well. 

 

 

Love you like crazy,

 

Amazeber

 



 



What my Crazies Have Taught Me...

The other day I was singing a little song to my four-year-old son as I was tucking him into bed.  I hugged him and kissed him, told him that he was important and that I loved him.  When I exited his room I bumped right into my nine-year-old daughter who looked up at me with big beautiful eyes filled with crocodile tears.  When I asked her what was wrong she smiled and said:  "I remember when you used to sing that to me."

This is my Sophia.  This picture was taken when she was only five and had just started kindergarten.  The night this picture was taken I was not at my best.  The kids had been fighting all day, the house was loud, and I was just... DONE.  I wanted them in bed so I could catch my breath.  Sophia kept calling for me to "come and see."  I finally stormed over to find her holding this sign and smiling. (obviously very pleased with her new-found ability to write)  Of all the words that she could have shared with me, these are the ones she chose. 

 

We are charged with the responsibility to raise these little people with love, kindness, and wisdom.  I wonder sometimes though... who is teaching who?

 

Here are some things my crazies have taught me:

 

1.)   My worth is great.

2.)   They ARE listening.

3.)   The little things matter (far more than the big things).

4.)   Red kool-aid smiles take about two days to wash off.

5.)   To FORGIVE... always.

6.)   To laugh at life.

7.)   To Slow down. 

8.)   Crayons melt in the bottom of a purse.

9.)   Raising toddlers requires patience, but raising teenagers requires wisdom.

10.) The past doesn't define us, we control who we become. I became a mother...

11.)  We all need a cheerleader in our corner.

12.)  To stay consistent and decisive.

13.)  How we view ourselves will teach them how to view themselves.

 

 

 

Love you like Crazy,

Amazeber