New Signature

Eeeep... I have a new signature. Do ya like it? Huh? I sparkly pink heart it.

5 Question Friday

It's Friday! It's Friday!! Golly Gee it's Friday!! Can you see my excitement in my overuse of exclamation marks?? Random question: Why do SAHMs get excited about Fridays? I'm not really sure why I'm excited except that I know my hubby will be home for 2 whole days with me. I better soak this in since I only have 2 weeks before I will really get excited about Fridays. Ugh so not looking forward to that.

Anyways, not a lot on the agenda for this weekend. The in-laws are coming over tonight to see the baby and my friend is coming over to hang out tomorrow night while her fiance is at his bachelor party.

Oh... I've found a new interest. Painting! Only I can't just paint at home. I would super suck at that. I need to pay $35 for someone to tell me step-by-step how to paint my picture haha. I did it Saturday night and painted a bunch 'o alcoholic drinks (but mine are really non-alcoholic drinks in pretty glasses ;-)). Then last night I painted a precious guardian angel holding a baby. I super dee duper love that one! It'll go in either my room or Allie Kate's room.

Okay, on to five question Friday. I have secretly been looking forward to this all week and got a little sad yesterday when I went looking for it and realized it was only Thursday. Drats. Oh well, on the the goods.


Questions for Friday, July 30th:
1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it?
I actually didn't. And I'm glad I didn't. Sorry, but you guys who had to take your dingy, worn-out blanket to college are a bit insane in my book lol. Okay, not really, but I'm glad I don't have that kind of attachment to anything.

But I secretly hope Allie Kate gets attached to something. She hasn't shown any signs yet, but I think it's so super cute to see a baby carrying her favorite toy around.

Double standard, much?

2. Do you dream in color?
Totally. I'm cool like that.

Hubby never remembers his dreams and I think that's a little weird. I have extremely vivid dreams. And they turned into High Def dreams when Allie Kate took up residency in my uterus. Pregnancy dreams are like you're THERE. If you have a dream that you're running a marathon, by golly you'll be drenched in sweat and out of breath when you wake up.

My most vivid dreams lately have all involved positive pregnancy tests and lots of sobbing lol.

3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were shorter or taller?
I'm 5'8"-ish.

I wish I was shorter. I always have. Reaching things that are up high is nice, but that's why they invented step stools. I wanna be 5'5". I'd be happy with that. Who wants my 3 inches?

4. If you could have anyone's (celeb or other) voice as the guide on your GPS, who would it be?
I choose Kellie Pickler. I heart country twang lol.

5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever in the parking lot?
I do. But I didn't when Allie Kate was an itty bitty baby because I didn't want to leave her in the car to go find a corral. Now I just leave her in the cart and let her ride to the corral.

On another totally random note, how in the heck is it logical to have expectant mother parking but not new mom parking? I was totally loving the expectant mom parking when Allie lived in my belly, but dude.. shopping while your baby is all cozy and warm in your belly is muuuuuuch easier than removing a carseat, positioning it on the cart, shopping while entertaining a baby, returning to your car that's out in BFE, putting the carseat and baby back in the car and then taking the stupid cart back. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Step off the soap box, Amanda. >.<

This post is being linked to My Little Life.

First Word

Allie Kate said her first word last Friday night (July 23rd). Hubby was playing with her, she giggled and looked right at him and said, "Dad-dee!" It was so cute and so plain :). We were both beyond shocked.
Then yesterday (July 28th), Hubby came home and picked her up. She promptly said, "Dada!" I think it's official... she's said her first word!!

In other news, I made a cute little shirt for a special little girl's second birthday! It's a Dora party and this is what I came up with :).

wooo-hoooo it's Friday!! I <3 weekends.
Here's something I stole from My Little Five.

Rules for Five Question Friday: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them (like, totally, duh!), then c'mon back to link up! If you don't have a blog, feel free to leave your answers in the comments of this post or any post along the way!

Questions for Friday, July 23rd:

1. What were your school colors?
My high school colors were maroon and silver. And my college colors are gold and black. I think. I may be wrong lol. Got spirit? Let's hear it! Umm, totally lacking in that department, my friend. I did dress up for senior week in high school, but only because it was fun to dress up with my friends. I could care less about the school spirit.

2. What's the best compliment you ever received?
Before Alli Kate arrived, I would have said it was when I was working in a daycare and a mom told me I've made a huge difference in her child's life. Whew, that kid was a handful at only 2 years old. I gave him lots of love and attention and he finally stopped acting out for attention. It really touched me when she said that.

But now that Alli Kate is here, I get the best compliment quite often. When people say she's beautiful, I am so extremely proud. I always think, "Hey... I MADE THAT!!" And she is quite adorable, if I do say so myself.

3. Do you buy cheap or expensive toilet paper?
Thank God for Costco memberships! Hubby man used to make me buy the cheap stuff, but we totally get the Charmin Ultra Plush (I think... I know it's amazing lol) now and I'll never go back. Angel Soft out the window! My mom buys Scott and ugh, my butt is not happy when we visit.

4. Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? Or have you had one for someone else?
I had a surprise baby shower thrown for me. Does that count? I expected it to happen, but was surprised at the actual timing of it. I'm so clueless too. I walked in and saw all the decorations and people and it didn't click with me for a while. Not till I saw the gifts and big stork cake. Duh.

I've also thrown a few surprise showers. We're in a couples group through our church and we try to always do surprise showers. Well, our hosts are now expecting and I wanted to give them the same surprise, but didn't want it to be at their house obviously. So I took it upon myself to open my house up for 25 people and did it last weekend. It was a success and they were thoroughly surprised :).

I want to throw hubby man a surprise 30th party but shhhh don't tell him ;-). And I secretly would love one for myself.

5. What is one material possession that you "can't live without"?
Hmmm either my laptop or my phone. Not sure which. Probably my laptop, but my mom would kill me if she heard me say that since we only talk via phone. Sorry Mom. You'd just have to get with the 21st century and invest in a computer.

Workin for the Money...

As I was surfing through the blog world, I saw a post about a certain blogger's past job experiences and I thought it would be neat to write all of mine down too :). So, here goes:

1. Sales Representative : The Shoe Department
This was at the store called The Shoe Department. It pretty much sucked. I only liked it because I got out of school early to get go to work and get paid. Who could really complain about that? I'll never forget my boss stopping me one night right after we closed and saying, "It seems like you're only using this job to get your grade." Amen, Brother! I quit as soon as the school year was over :). I'm not a commission type person. I think that's mostly because my husband is slowly turning my into an anti-impulse buyer. I hate making my money based on how many people buy from me that day. I hate pushy sales people, so I pretty much sucked at this job lol.

2. Daycare Worker: PP
I was hired, bought my scrubs that were required, and never showed up. Oops. My friend scared me a little by telling me what it was really like to work there. There were cameras for the parents to watch the kids on the internet. Great, right? Well, apparently the workers would just go where the cameras didn't see to punish the kids. I wanted no part of that junk.

3. Afternoon Teacher : First Baptist
I would come in after school my senior year and watch 8 2-year-olds all by myself and I absolutely loved it. This was possibly my favorite job ever. My good friend worked in the other 2-year-old room right next to me, so we went to playtimes together and it was wonderful. I still remember those kids and how much fun I had with them. Every day when I woke little Will up, he'd say, "Good morning, Miss Amanda. It's a beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeautiful day." It made my heart happy. Jackson would chase Sean around the playground singing, "Seany, Seany, Seany, Seany, Sean," in this deep voice that was hilarious. I could go on and on about these kids, but I'll leave you with this one last note. The little Will that gave me the most wonderful greeting every day was a very hyperactive kid when I first started working there. He was my "problem child." I made it my mission to give him extra attention that he needed. He was far above the other kids in terms of development and just got bored with the 2-year-old curriculum. I'll never ever forget one day when his mom walked in and told me that Will was being much better at home and she thinks it was because of me ::insert super big happy face here::.
I quit this job to move an hour away for college.

4. Cashier : on-campus Bookstore
I guess I never technically worked here, but I applied, went to orientation, realized the boss is a major B, and never showed up. Woooops.

5. Afternoon Teacher : Primrose Schools
I was in the Older Toddlers room. I loved it except for the workplace drama. And my trouble kid. He was constantly turning bookshelves over, climbing on the sinks, biting, and arrrrrgh. It was just too much for one person to have 8 kids when you are required to change every single diaper every 2 hours and wash their hands even if they aren't wet. I had to quit when I didn't show up due to double pneumonia and ended up in the hospital for almost a month.

6. Cashier : Office Depot
A few words of advice -- NEVER apply to Office Depot right before back to school sales start. I lasted maybe 3 or 4 months there. I'm NOT a retail person.

7. Sales : Linens N Things
I worked through one training session and called the hubby on the way home saying I'd never step foot back in that place as an employee. And I didn't. Nothing was wrong with the people. It just wasn't the job for me. I repeat - I am NOT a retail person. I have no interest in selling you sheets.

8. After School Program Teacher : 3rd grade
I LOVED this job. It was just too far away. I absolutely loved the 3rd graders each year. I think I was there 2.5 years. I cried when I quit lol. It was just too far of a drive, gas was outrageous, and I would soon be starting TOSS (pre- student teaching) anyways.

9. TOSS - First Grade
This wasn't technically a job. I didn't get paid a penny, but it was the same amount of work as a full time job, so I'm including it. I loved working with the first graders. A friend TOSSed in the room next to mine and we were able to do most everything together. It was pretty fabulous.

10. Stay at Home Mom
This is by far the most rewarding job of them all. Also the most tiring. It's totally not true that SAHMs get to sit at home watching talk shows and eating bon bons. My little Alli Kate keeps me on my toes for sure.

There ya go. I don't think I forgot any. It's pretty sad that I've had 10 "jobs" before I'm 25. Maybe I should be embarrassed. Naaaaaaaaah.
I'm very sad that I'll be leaving Alli to go student teach in just a few short weeks, but I will return to my SAHM employment in December.

How many jobs have you had?

Grand Opening

Hi. I'm Amanda. I'm glad you found my blog.
I'm very excited to announce the grand opening of my Etsy shop -- Cheerful Children. CC is a custom kids boutique. So far I've made clippies, hairbows, tutus, and appliqued shirts for it. I'm excited to continue making these things and also expand a bit to other things.

Anyways, I suppose I could tell you about myself. I'm a SAHM for now. I'll be starting student teaching in a few short weeks and will have to leave the munchkin at home ::insert sad face::.

This is me, Momma Bear:









This is the Baby Bear:












There is a Daddy Bear too. Here we all are together:








I'll be using this blog for lots of stuff and hope you'll follow along.