We've Moved!

My hiatus is over! Check out the new blog and site at www.amandadovewells.com. See you over there!

Living on Love

I had a really fun interview today. I'm working on a story about couples at different stages of marriage for a Valentine's story. It's so fun to hear the story of how people met and fell in love. Today I went to an elderly couple's home to do an interview. They are a widow and widower that met and fell in love in their eighties. After only a month of "courting," they made the leap into marriage. She made me some banana bread and tea for me and I settled in to listen to them gush about each other. The.sweetest.thing.ever. Ever. I can't imagine losing my Nathan, as both of them lost their spouses after 50 and 60 years of marriage. But, to see them so happy together is just heartwarming.

Sometimes I think the story of how I met my husband and how he proposed, etc. is so boring when you hear these really amazing stories. But, I must say, we have such a wonderful marriage. Maybe the start was ho-hum, but it just keeps getting better. I love to see others in love because I just know how they feel. It's pretty stinking great.

I promise the mushiness will stop after Valentine's Day (well, maybe.).

Productivity...

It feels so good.

I've had a busy day (in addition to the busy week and a half preceding). Days like today make me so thankful for being able to do what I love. I spent the morning bustling around the metro area talking to interesting people for various stories. We have a wealth of intriguing people oozing with Southern hospitality here. Like this lady:

You'll have to pick up the February issue of Madison County Magazine to see who this creative, eclectic lady is.

Anyway, in addition to a busy, busy, week, our weekend was busy too (self-inflicted of course). Besides, the Saints game, (yeah, yeah, who dat?, yaddayadda, I could care less about football, but I am glad to see a Southern team in the Super Bowl and my husband happy), we embarked on another project - the girls' room. It's not complete, so I'll only show you bits and pieces before the big reveal.

Project Wonderland Entry #1:

We painted...
Here's the room color before:

(this is my RyBug and two of her friends)

Blah. Fine for my living room, but not nearly special enough for my babies. So here's what we covered it up with.

It's "Window Pane" by Behr. I'm not much for pink, but my oldest daughter is, so this is a compromise. The blue tones down the pink that's everywhere else.

Also, I found this adorable ribbon (Hobby Lobby, what would I do without you?) and grabbed two of the letters that used to be in baby girl's name on her nursery wall (and happen to be the first letter of the girls' names) and made up these contraptions...

Not sure yet if this is where they'll stay, but we'll see. I still have lots to do. I have to find something for the walls and learn how to sew so that I can make bedskirts and curtains. Also, my oldest is dying for a chandelier, so a search has ensued. As soon as I have the time (and the budget allows), I'll get right on that. It's so fun though, I can't wait for the big reveal!

Happy Tuesday everyone!

The Pacifier Diaries

Well, we decided to take baby girl's paci away, or her "dohdoh" as she calls it. We have no idea where "dohdoh" came from, that's just how she has always referred to her pacifier. Before I had kids I always said I would never have a child that had to take their pacifier out to talk. Well, never say never is all I have to say about that. My oldest sucked her thumb when we took her pacifier away around her first birthday and that was a terrible habit to break, so I let baby girl keep her paci a little longer, ok, a lot longer.

The first day without it was pretty rough, but now she does great during the day and hasn't even asked for it. It's bed time that's the kicker. She simply won't go to sleep, but I know it will get better.

Say a prayer for us as we cope!

Be back soon with a longer post - I promise!

Why I Love the South - Reason #5

So it's been a while since I wrote about why I love the South... and oh, how I love it!

Reason #5: The cold never lasts long!

Here in the deep South, it has been ffffrrrrreeezzzingggg!!! We're just not used to the weather we have been having down here!

Lucky for us Southerners, me, because I can't deal with the cold, it doesn't last very long. This weather has been very out of character for Mississippi. I can feel it to my bones, which makes me stay snuggled up in the house, which I don't mind for oh, about 24 hours. Then, the cabin fever sets in big time.

After Christmas is over, I'm chomping at the bit for Spring to roll around. Here, Summer rolls around about two weeks after Spring makes its appearance, but I'm ok with that. Here's what I have to look forward to:

                               

Ahhh, warm. Maybe I'm a big ol' baby, but I sure am glad I live here.

Now, on a serious note, I realize that with all the tragedy in the world right now, I'm ridiculous to be complaining about the weather. Please join me in praying for Haiti!

I hope you all have a great week. I've been busy, busy, writing, writing, writing, but I promise to be back soon.

Project Playroom

Disclaimer: I really am a tidy and organized person most of the time. My children, however are not (as you'll see in these photos.) This is often a source of conflict in our house.

This weekend I was determined to get something accomplished around the house... I want to get one room completely finished at a time, so this weekend I attacked the playroom. Here's what I had to work with:

This used to be baby girl's room until she moved into a big girl bed and into her sister's room nearly a year ago. So the nursery became the playroom and I basically shoved all the toys in there. My goal was to make it look somewhat presentable. I started with a coat of paint (in the same shade) thanks to baby girl's decision to share her masterpieces:

I tried everything to get the marks off. A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser usually works, but in this case it just smeared the crayon. So a coat of paint to the whole room (and the hallway outside the room) did the trick.

Then the organizing began. Starting with the closet.
Before:

And after:

In order to have art on the walls without actually having art on the walls, I came up with this contraption, which I like to call my picture hanger thing.

Just get two decorative knobs, some string, scrapbook paper, and mini clothespins, and voila!

I thought these knobs were just adorable. They came from Hobby Lobby and my dear husband was sweet enought to screw them into our wall.

I've been collecting Ws for one wall in he playroom. Some of them I bought readymade and some I embellished. 

It was fun, I must say! I did get this idea from a blog I read a while back. For the life of me I cannot remember which blog it was. I wish I could give credit where credit is due!

Here's the final product:

The last thing I plan on doing in the playroom is making curtains. Looks like I'll have to learn to use my Christmas gift.  Then on to the next... either the girls' room or the office. Stay tuned!

Iced in...

So here in the deep South, we are under a very, very rare, "winter weather alert." I'm sure those of you in other parts of the country are laughing, but it gives me an excuse to hunker down with my girls, so today I think I started something.

We had an at home "spa day," complete with manis/pedis, makeup, and back massages. My oldest was in hog heaven. Here are a few pics:

So fun! I hope you're all keeping warm - stay safe on the roads!

Resolutions...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I have to say that 2009 is a year I'm not too terribly sad to see go. I'm excited to see what 2010 brings to the table! I usually don't make resolutions, besides the ever popular lose those last ten pounds of baby weight (my baby's two and a half!), but this year, I feel like there is a lot I can (and need to) improve on.

This year, I resolve to...

1. Spend more time getting to know God - in prayer and His word.

2. Cherish time with my kids... After all, 2010 is the year my oldest enters kindergarten - and begins a life of her own. Where have the last five years gone?

3. Seize the day. I'm one of those people that is constantly wanting to know what is happening next, when life is happening now!

4. And yes, lose those last ten pounds of baby weight! It wouldn't be a new year without me at least saying I'm going to do that!

Best of luck on all your resolutions!

Also, side note - head to your newstands quick and pick up the January/February issue of Mississippi Magazine, the oh-so-popular bridal registry issue. I wrote a feature on the Winchester rehearsal dinner. When I started freelancing, one of my first goals was to write for Mississippi Magazine, a quality publication that of course is all about the best place on earth. Every time I get an assignment I'm so excited!

Happy New Year! I'll be back soon!

Christmas Recap

   I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas - we did! It was a pretty low key week with family, which is always so nice.

The week between Christmas and New Year's is always such a let down to me. It's kind of like being in waiting... one of my least favorite places to be.

As for Christmas, we had a ball. The night before Christmas Eve, we made Christmas cookies, which proved to be a blast and a mess. At the beginning of the season, I asked my oldest what her favorite part of Christmas was and she said, "Baking Christmas cookies with my mommy!" I beamed. :) Now baby sister is joining in on the tradition.

Christmas Eve we had my entire side of the family (minus, much to my dismay, my brother, sister-in-law, and their two baby boys who live in Kansas and couldn't be here) over to our house.  And that night, Santa was good to us all.

Christmas morning we blew the candles out on Jesus' birthday cake. Disclaimer: I AM NOT A BAKER.

Go ahead and get in a good laugh... you know you want to.

Christmas day we went to spend time with the Wells clan. 

Here's what I got for Christmas....

As of now, it's been sitting in the box staring at me. I have no idea what to do with it, but I'm hitting up some sewing lessons soon. Let's just hope I'm better at that than I am at baking! Geez!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas filled with thankfulness, love, family, friends, and good food!

I have to go - my first weight watchers meal of my new year's resolution is waiting to be cooked. This is typical. Encourage me people!

I'm baaackk!

Well, hello, blogosphere! After a crazy month (ok, more), and a little nudging from a few readers, I'm back... so hold on, it's going to be a long post.



Whew, what a crazy few months! First and foremost, an update on my father-in-law. He is doing really well. After basically crushing the right side of his body, nearly a month in ICU and a week and a half in acute care, and 8 weeks in a rehabilitation facility, he is home at last and blowing by all expectations for his recovery. It really is amazing to watch. He is in surgery today for an outpatient procedure associated with the trauma, so please keep praying for him. Please keep praying for not only his physical health, but his spirit and mind as well. His life has obviously completely changed - not only did he lose a friend a coworker in the crash, but his day to day life is upside down - I can only imagine what he's going through. But - he is a strong man and the constant prayers are working. Just don't stop!


Here he is walking - yes, I said WALKING!- with my girls. It's nothing short of a miracle.



Also, earlier in December, we had quite a treat here in hot, humid, Mississippi. It snowed - for the SECOND year in a row. For those of you who don't live in the deep South, you have no idea how big of a deal this is. I'm pretty sure my kids have seen more snow in their few years on earth than I did my entire childhood!




It definitely jumpstarted the Christmas spirit! Speaking of, we have been in full out Christmas preparation mode. Tree is up, stockings are hung, and gifts are bought and wrapped. Now all we have to do is celebrate...
This is my Mammaw - I have so many memories of helping her in the kitchen as a kid and I can't explain to you how great it is to see my girls bake Christmas treats with her.

This season, my five-year-old is still terrified of Santa, so we've abandoned the idea of taking them to sit in his lap. It's pointless, really. Santa showed up at her school party and she freaked out and took off out the back door. Sigh.

This year she has asked for an American Girl doll and baby girl wants a "pink bike," "pink house," "pink car," and a puppy dog. Lord help us.

Last week we had a Christmas party at our house for our bible study group and played dirty Santa. I thought my husband looked quite stunning in his gift... pretty sure it's on backwards.

I WILL be back soon. I promise! Until then, Merry Christmas!

Thanks for the prayers

Sorry I've been absent, it's been a whirlwind of a week. Today marks one week since the helicopter crash and by the grace of God, my father-in-law is still with us. While he hasn't made any leaps and bounds improvements, he's slowly making baby step in the right direction and he's alive, which in itself still blows my mind.

Larry is such an amazing man - a great father to my husband and grandaddy to my girls, but to me, he's so much more than an in-law. He's one of the most compassionate, loving, and joyful people I know, but the amazing thing is that he is only a glimpse of the God he serves, the God that's holding him in the palm of His hand as we speak.

Prayer is amazing. I always knew it, but this has me further convinced. There have been so many people praying for him and so many people praying for the family, and they have been working. We have a web site that we update with his progress, so check that out - www.caringbridge.org/visit/larrywells.

Thanks so much for the prayers. God is good!

Pray, Pray, Pray

It's 1 a.m. and I just got in bed from a long night at the hospital. My father-in-law was in a terrible helicopter crash today and is fighting for his life as we speak. Please, please, please, please stop and say a prayer for him. It's a miracle that he is alive and reaffirmation that God is in control.

Please stop and pray!

Sisters

In case you didn't know yet, my kids are awesome.

I have an older brother, and that's a relationship like no other. Plus, he's always been such a great big brother, so I've ALWAYS loved having a big brother. But, since having two girls, it's been so fun to see how their relationship has evolved. I think that too is a relationship unlike any other.

When we brought baby girl home from the hospital two years ago (what!??!?), big sis was so excited, but confused, to say the least. Now they are just about inseperable. They play together, laugh together, and occasionally pull each other's hair and scream. I think having a sister would have been fun (although I wouldn't trade my brother for anything!), I'm so glad I get to see them grow up together. I can't wait to see how they are when they're grown.

My sweet girls are just that - sweet as sugar.

Creepy

You know what creeps me out? Yo Gabba Gabba. To all those moms and dads out there, please tell me I'm not alone. I finally managed to tolerate The Wiggles, since my girls both have loved them at different times. But this I just don't think I can deal with. It's just plain weird.

The TV was on and the creepy music started when I hear "Gabba! Gabba!" from my baby's mouth.

Creepy. Creepy. Creepy.

It's a two way street...

There's been a lot going on in the Wells household that I won't even begin to get into, but please say a prayer for our family. The last week it's felt a little like the world is crashing down on our shoulders and to be quite frank, that's a really crappy feeling. My husband is such an inspiration, though. I can think of three main times in our marriage where he has had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Each time, I've been lucky enough to see him trust God wholeheartedly and manage to be strong for the rest of us. Last week there was a moment where I had to be the strong one, which was tough to say the least. But, I can honestly say that God has given us a marriage where we really balance each other. He gave me strength when Nathan needed me to have it.

I'm so comfortable in my life, which is disturbing. I really like my life and I've been blessed, but getting out of my comfort zone freaks me out, which is exactly what God calls us to do. Every time God allows something to happen that makes my life a little less comfortable, that's when I call on Him, which I'm sure is why He keeps allowing things to happen. I'm apparently hardheaded. I've hit rock bottom before and that's when I turned to God. I call on God and He is always, always there, but God calls on me and I have to check my schedule. That's really screwed up...

He has promised a fulfilling, purposeful life if I follow Him. When we Christians say "that prayer," (you know the prayer - i'm a sinner and want to follow you) it's too often a Get Out of Hell Free Card, not a commitment to truly follow God. There have been times when I've devoted every ounce of my being and then there are times when something shiny catches my eye and I stray, knowing I have my Get Out of Hell Free card. But slowly, and sometimes shockingly rapidly, God pulls me back into fellowship with Him. What an amazing, merciful, powerful God we serve. He has yet to write me off and He has promised that He never will.

A friend posted Phillipians 4:6-7 on Facebook today. Although I've read it time and time again, I saw it in a new light today - "Do not be anxious about anything, but by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests before God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

The very fact that the peace of God transcends all understanding is comforting beyond belief. Pray for peace and understanding for our family and pray that we will come before God with thanksgiving and praise. Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord, including me.

My Newfound Discovery

Maybe I'm behind the times. Or maybe you've never tried it either. I just discovered how incredible a nice cup of hot peppermint tea can be.

Being a Southerner, through and through, it's odd that I don't like sweet iced tea - at all, actually. But I love a cup of hot green tea. I have a problem when my kids go to bed about snacking, even when I'm absolutely not hungry. So, since I discovered peppermint tea, I've been trying to fix a cup before bed. It actually acts as an appetite suppressant, so I'm loving it.

Try it!