hiatus

I think I first heard that word on Oprah, or maybe the movie 'Casper' - you know that one with a super young Christina Ricci and thensuper cute Devon Sawa. Or maybe it was one of the ghosts who said;

"I feel like Oprah on hiatus." 

I'm rambling...

Either way, it's not till recently that I've truly realized what it meant.

Since September, I've been blogging consistently - pretty much daily. Like I've said before, it's an amazing outlet. It's a place I can come every day, remember to be thankful, tell the ones that are important that I love them, chronicle my cooking endeavors, AND I've made really awesome friends in some of you along the way.

So where am I going with this.

I have been, and am going to be a little more absent than normal, and I can only hope you stick with me like you have in the past through everything else that has happened in my life. 

I'm not hurt, my family is ok, Bryan and I are doing great, but it's just time to take a step back and re-evaluate situations and relationships in my life which may take a toll on my blogging life. I'm finally getting a sleep pattern down and getting my anxiety under control, however, I feel like I'm starting to hold what other people say and think of me in higher regard than what I think and feel about myself - and I'm not ok with that.

On that note, I'll still be around, just not as much for the time being.

You ladies are wonderful, and I continue to look in on your lives every day, I might be taking a minor step back for the time being. Thank you for everything - I really do love you guys!

Just know, I'm sure as heck not giving up on myself or this blog :)

weekend wrap up round three!

Sunday = Funday

We spent the afternoon at Alki, Pike Place Market, the Seattle waterfront, and ended up on Queen Anne Hill for some fabulous Thai food - whew! It was still pretty overcast and chilly, but one thing is for sure in Seattle, if it's not raining - GET OUTSIDE! 

We had to visit Pike Place so Bryan could get some of the roasted candied nuts we had seen when we went for Valentine's day

[insert numerous extremely immature 'nut' jokes here]

We then enjoyed a stroll down town. I absolutely love Seattle in the spring. Pike Place is booming with gorgeous flowers, fresh produce, and lots of interesting people. But most of all I just like being in the city. I'm not gonna lie, I was channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw strolling down the cobble streets, arm in arm with Bryan, and cafe latte in hand. Not sure if the 'city life' is for me but it definitely is great for a fun afternoon.

We also marveled the beautiful architecture and again, gorgeous flowers!

And just had so much fun I was smiling THIS big at the Ye Old Curiosity Shop!

I hope your weekend was so fun whether you stayed at home in your jamies or were out on the town with friends and family :)

PS - Please pray for Bryan, he is down with a cold this week :( Also! I have a couple of fun posts in store for this week - stay tuned!

Jamie Leigh from My Walk to I Do

Hello!!!

I have the pleasure once again to feature one of my favorite gals! Her name is Jamie Leigh [cutest name ever, right?!] You can find her on her journey to marrying her highschool sweetheart at her blog, My Walk to I Do. She shares life stories, super fun pictures, and wedding planning in her corner of blogging-land. Please hope on over to check her out, she's so sweet!
Thanks again miss Jamie! :)

______________________________________________________________

Hello Everyone!! I am Jamie Leigh from My Walk to I Do and I am so excited to be a guest here on Amanda’s blog!! I am 22 years old and juggling two jobs, college, and planning my wedding. Needless to say I am a very busy girl! In my free time I love going to the cabin, four wheeling, canoeing, spending time with my amazing 3 sisters and the rest of my family. I am engaged to my middle school sweetheart (if there is such a thing) Sean, we met when we were 14! This is my fiancé and me!

 1. What do readers expect coming to your blog?

Readers that visit my blog can expect to find a journal of my life. I love to write about my family, my fiancé, planning my wedding, our house hunt, and my faith. I like to think I am very open and honest in my blogging; I try not to hold anything back! Pretty much anything significant that happens in my life is written about in my blog! I love sharing music, quotes, pictures, and recipes as well!  I also like to seek advice and words of wisdom from my readers. There is nothing better than interacting with all my amazing followers!

2. Your top three favorite blogs.

There are so many blogs that I love to read daily so this is a very hard decision! Besides Amanda’s blog, my top three favorites are Life as a Wife!, Life After Yes, and Sharing the Pages of Life. All these ladies are so inspirational and fun to follow!

3. What year in your life have you been most happy and why?

This year hands down!! Not only do I get to marry my soul mate on September 17^th, but we also have an offer on the perfect home, and will hopefully be moving in soon!!

4. Who is someone you admire and why?

I feel like a nerd admitting this, but I really admire Rachael Ray. She is not afraid to be herself and she is an amazing cook! I love that her recipes are made from ingredients that most people already have in their home, and they are usually meals that would satisfy anyone. I hope to be able to cook like her one day!

I also admire my parents more than I could ever express! They have been so supportive all my life, I feel extremely blessed to be their daughter.

5. What is one way you can make someones day today?

Doesn’t it feel good to know you had an impact on someone’s day? Every day I make sure to call both my parents to see how their day was. They both have told me it always puts a smile on their face to hear from me. I also love to give compliments to people in my life. I can honestly say it makes me feel good about myself to make others feel good J

I would love to have you as a new follower! Head over to my blog and check it out J

God Bless,

Jamie Leigh

Always a bridesmaid, finally a bride

Daylight's saving's time means Spring time.

Spring time means the beginning of wedding season :)

I look back at where I was in my life this time last year - and let me tell you, it was a little hectic. We had just moved into our new apartment, Bryan had just started a new job, and I was furiously still planning our wedding that was now only a few months away.

I feel like when you plan a wedding, you think, "Psh, I'll have plenty of time, no need to rush." Until it gets down to the months ahead of time and you start freaking out!

[or maybe that was just me. Hm...]

Either way, weddings are a big deal. They take a lot of planning, coordinating, schedule meshing... or at least mine did. LOL I could NOT have made it through as stressless as I did without the help of my family and brides maids. Needless to say they were amazing and crucial to me pulling off the wedding of my dreams :)

get to the point Amanda...

I'm wondering all of you single gals out there, how many times have you been a bridesmaid?

And if you are hitched, how many times were you a maid before being the bride?

Did you have any of the brides you were bridesmaids for, stand by you in your wedding? I had 2 outta 3 - not bad ;)

[Christine's wedding]

[Angela's wedding]

[Amy's wedding]

Let's just say I'm a pro at being a bridesmaid :)

I had great practice, learned a lot about planning my own future wedding along the way, and waited patiently until it was my turn.

Seriously, if you are in the process of planning a wedding, USE ME! I have so many ideas, personal touches, a wedding blog that I used to write... I'm not kidding. I got what you need! [I say that in the least dirty-mind way possible] Please let me know if I can help you in any way! :) alhutson0513@gmail.com

PS - please check out my post from this mornign, well it wasn't my post, it's a post from an AWESOME friend/fellow blogger of mine, you will fall in love with her! Click here!

Ashley from The Tale of Two Taylors

Good morning beautiful ladies!

I have the wonderful pleasure of introducing one of my favorite new blogs, narrated by the beautiful mother/wife Ashley Taylor from her blog The Tale of Two Taylors! I absolutely love this girl. She is happy, real, and so down to earth. Hop on over to her neck of the woods and check her out [after reading her awesome introduction of course!]

PS - if you'd like to be apart of my Monday features please click here

Alright, on to the first guest blog! :)

1. Please introduce yourself:

Hi, I'm Ashley from The Tale of Two Taylors and Their Tot!  I'm a 22 year old Mom of one little boy who makes my heart swoon.  His name is Joel and he is 7 months.  I've been married to my husband, Josh, for 2.5 years and he definitely brings out all the best parts of me!  We live in Oklahoma - where the wind comes sweeping down the plains - no really, Oklahoma is the windiest state of all.  I'm a stay-at-home Mom to our son, but I prefer the term "Homemaker" because my days are filled with making our home beautiful, making my son happy, and creating and cultivating happy memories our family can look back on.  I love music - mostly Indie rock or acoustic and I love movies!  I'm pretty much an average 22 year old... except I'm married and a Mom, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

2. What do readers expect coming to your blog?

You should definitely expect a healthy dose of adorable!  I try to post a heap of Joel pictures 3 times a week and did I mention he's just the cutest?  I may be biased, but I suspect if you are feeling blue and stop by just to look at his face, you will instantly feel better.  ...At least that's how it is for me!  My blog would probably be best classified as a "Mom blog" or a "family blog."  The blog was born in the winter of 2008 to chronicle the many adventures, mishaps, and funny things that were happening in my new marriage.  When I got pregnant, I began chronicling that journey and now I chronicle Joel, our life as parents, how marriage is affected by parenthood, how we make our house into a home, and I throw in some recipes, so music recommendations, some book reviews... it's basically a hodge podge blog of life.  ...And I hope you like it!

3. Your top three favorite blogs.

Making the Mundane Magical - Jamie is actually a real life friend as well as a blog friend.  We met in Church during middle school and reconnected as adults.  She is one of the easiest people to talk to and when we get together boy can we talk!  She's such a sincere, genuine, nice person who really loves people and I think everyone should know her.

[Photo by Jamie]

Mabel's House - I love Liz.  She has amazing design since, she's hilarious, and she's about to be a first time Mom to a sweet baby girl!  I wish I could be Liz's real life friend because I feel like she'd give the best home design advice and she'd be a hoot to hang out with... not sure what I'd bring to the table, but she'd be a blast!

Enjoying the Small Things - Kelle has really become popular in the last year, but I still love to read her.  She has two beautiful daughters and the youngest has Down Syndrome.  She started chronicling her new life as a parent of a child with more needs than others and it's been amazing to read about and watch her inner transformation.  I was pregnant with Joel when she birthed her daughter and was surprised by the news and her coping gave me strength to know that if anything was wrong with Joel, I could handle it.  She's very motivating.

4. What year in your life have you been most happy and why?

I feel like every year you could ask me this question and I'd say, "This year!"  But it's true.  This year has been incredible.  Birthing my son was an amazing experience, bringing him home was incredibly hard, exhausting, and wonderful, and watching him grow from a sleepy, hungry little one into a mobile ready to be a toddler has been so much fun.  It's been a hard year to be sure, but it's been a blast and I can say being a Mom is the most fun I've ever had (and the hardest job I've ever had, but let's focus on the positives ;)

5. Who is someone you admire and why?

Gotta love Joel's facial expressions...Since becoming a Mom, I've really come to admire my Mom even more than I already did.  She was so focused on making our lives magical when we were little by constantly providing us with fun crafts, road trips to new places, adventures around our city, bike rides to a pizza buffet for lunch, baking activities... she was a really, really involved Mom and my childhood memories are wonderful because of it.  I'm a clean freak (like I love to clean which is freakish) and sometimes I have to remind myself that a clean house isn't worth it if it comes at the expense of making memories with my family.  I owe my Mom many thanks for that lesson and a slew of others!

6. What is one way you can make someones day today?

Today is the kind of day in Oklahoma where you stay inside so as to keep the baby warm, dry, and healthy, but I have big plans of cooking my husband his favorite dinner, writing a letter to my Grandma-in-law (I love to write letters), and giving my Mom a phone call just to talk.  When you're home alone with you and a baby it's hard to think of ways to be kind to others and put them first, but it is possible!

[Thanks again Ashley!]

PS!

If you love Etsy and supporting homemade things, you must check out my talented friend and fellow blogger! She's a sweet, stay at home mommy of a super cute little boy [soon to be of two little boys] on a mission and she's crocheting her little fingers away!

Please check out Alysha and her Etsy shop

The Sunshine Stich!

I absolutely LOVE the news boy cap I ordered from her, it was here within less than a week of her mailing it, it's beautifully hand crafted, and you can appreciate the detail that she put into it!

Thank you Alysha! :)

celebrating all things girly GIVEAWAY!

If any of you know me, you know that I'm NOT a patient person, I can't keep secrets about presents and I can't keep the giveaway a secret either, so without further ado-

Druuuummmm rolllll please.....

[Some of]Amanda's Favorite Things - 

celebrating all things girly ♥

 

I wanted to put something small together of some of my favorite items that I can't live without on a daily basis - I put a list together and came up with this!

1. Chocolate - because, um, hello?! I probably eat WAY more than I should,

but being a girl means it's ok to splurge every once in a while

2. Glamour Magazine - for those of us who don't always feel as glam as Kim K.

being a girl means you find your own way to be glamours :)

3. Dove and Degree body mists - ask anyone, I have at least 3 different scents on me at one time, 

because being a girl means smelling 'pretty' some times

4. Popcorn - the buttery kind, I know but again it's ok to splurge sometimes

being a girl means you might want to even share it!

5. The Notebook - is there even an explanation needed?!

because being a girl means you've probably cried at least once seeing this movie

6. Pink nail polish - I don't paint my nails as often as I'd like, but this is my favorite kind that doesn't chip off easily

because being a girl means sometimes you give yourself home mani's

7. Mascara - I NEVER leave home without it, because I love it, but also because I have albino eyelashes if I don't wear it, I hope you like it

because being a girl means getting dolled up sometimes

8. Burt's Bees chapstick - because c'mon, let's face it, it's winter and chapped lips aren't so hot and

because being a girl you think of the little things like that

 

There are three ways you can enter to win this basket-o-goodies

1) Leave me a comment (on this post) letting me know ways that you pamper yourself!

2) Follow The Forever Endeavor (and make sure to leave me a separate comment letting me know you did/do!)

3) Post about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook and leave me a separate comment letting me know you did so-and make sure to include the link.

& an extra entry:

4) Cook and post a picture of one of the recipes I've made/mentioned on my blog - make sure to leave the picture/story how it turned out in a separate comment as well!

(For my first giveaway, you do have to be in the United States to win, but don't worry, there will be more that will be open to my international friends as well!)

I will announce the winner after using a random generator on Tuesday February 1st, so you have until Monday 1/31 11:59pm CST to enter to win! 

Be sure to check back on February 1st to see if you won!
I'm super excited about this and I hope you will be as well :)

(Winner will have 3 days to send me their info and if I don't get a response, a new winner will be selected using the same process.)

Martin Luther King Jr says

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
Happy MLK JR day my friends.

I was reminded this weekend I need to hold even old best friends dear to my heart. They know all my secrets, insecurities, and trip-ups & triumphs - and still love me.

I'm thankful for them, the Mexican restaurant we meet at, and the laughs we share over chips & salsa.

Juno's dad says - PS...

via here

"Look, in my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with."


PS - My blog turns 100 posts old today, Happy Birthday blog! That's either super exciting or just more proof that I talk too much... I'll let you be the judge! :)

Happy weekend everyone! What are you excited for this weekend?
Me:
Lunch with best friends
The Seahawks game on Sunday - do you feel the earth quakin yet? :)
Starting to pack - getting ready for the big move at the end of the month :)))
& The Golden Globes! Whoop!

Just remember...

[This is a result of me scaring my co-worker Erica, 

pretty sure she almost had a heart attack, sorry Enrique!]

Thankful Thursday

46. Kellen Dean Thompson - Some of you may remember I posted a while back that I had gone to my girlfriend(&bridesmaid)'s baby shower, Ksavera. Well, yesterday she gave birth to a beautiful bundle of baby joy 7lbs 6oz 20inches. From what I know, the delivery went great, smooth and safe :) I'm SO excited to meet him, I feel like I've known him for the last 10months - well technically I have :) AH! Happy BIRTHday Kellen! Congratulations Ksavera and Jason - love you both!

[I love that he's got a little smirk on his face :) and that Ksavera looks GORGEOUS!]

47. New opportunities at work - Bryan and I both made strides in our jobs these past couple weeks, we are so thankful and excited to both be taking on more responsibility and can't wait to continue growing in our companies.

48. Parenthood - The TV show. I'm pretty sure I've never laughed and cried so much while watching one program, ever! I absolutely LOVE the characters and can't help but think that the script stays pretty true to real life! Plus - I get my weekly dose of Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) since Gilmore Girls is only in syndication now! ;)

49. BIG NEWS! - Big to us anyway :) We are possibly moving into a house. FINALLY... after three years of apartment living, we have finally found a perfect house for us to rent. It's two bedrooms, two bathrooms, SUPER cute kitchen and master bathroom, and best of all? It's on a LAKE! We would have 4th of July plans every year :) We're waiting to hear back on the application process, but hopefully all goes well and we will be moving before the end of the month :) Please keep your fingers crossed for us! I didn't want to say anything until it was final, but I figure the more people sending good thoughts our way the better, right? We are oh-so excited and just hope everything pans out :)

50. Pandora - I've said it once and I'll say it again - Pandora serisouly brightens up my day. It's almost like it gets in my head and knows what kind of music I need/want to listen to! Exhibit A: Yesterday I was missing Bryan - Obviously we live together, but some days I feel like we're either too busy or he has to work late, so we don't get to spend quality time together. Anyway, this song came on the radio and made me sit and daydream about my hubby - I love him so much and this song reminded me that even though we're not always together, he's always on my mind :) (PS I'm not complaing by any means, I know we have it really good. I give major kudos to you ladies who are in a long distance relationship or have a spouse that's deployed. You are MUCH stronger than I could ever be.)

Keith Urban: Album-Defying Gravity Song-Only you can love me this way

Well, I know there's a reason
And I know there's a rhyme
We were meant to be together
And that's why

We can roll with the punches
We can stroll hand in hand
And when I say it's forever
You understand

That you're always in my heart
You're always on my mind
But when it all becomes too much
You're never far behind

And there's no one
That comes close to you
Could ever take your place
'Cause only you can love me this way

I could have turned a different corner
I could have gone another place
Then I'd of never had this feeling
That I feel today, yeah

And you're always in my heart
Always on my mind
When it all becomes too much
You're never far behind

And there's no one
That comes close to you
Could ever take your place
'Cause only you can love me this way
Ooh

And you're always in my heart
You're always on my mind
And when it all becomes too much
You're never far behind

And there's no one
That comes close to you
Could ever take your place
'Cause only you can love me this way
Ooh

Only you can love me this way


What are you thankful for this week?