Christmas Time

It is December 6th and I know many of you have had your Christmas decorations up for weeks.  This evening I took the evening to focus on my living room and spruce it up a bit for the holiday.  Since it is still just me I don't really feel like I can or should do the whole big tree.  I actually had a conversation with my mom recently about the tree and if I ever intend to have one.  I hope to one day...I am not opposed to trees or anything like that.  But Christmas is so much more than trees and since I won't be in Texas for the holiday, I just don't think I need one.

I braved the cold to pull out my lovely pink suitcase that holds most of my wonderful Christmas decorations.  I love getting into this every year and seeing all the treasures.  One of the first treasures I found was a new holiday CD "Cool Yule Holiday Party".  I am pretty sure I picked this up on clearance last year at Target.  This set the atmosphere perfectly.  My goal this evening was to put up my Christmas wreath, which I adorn with little treasures collected through the years.  A toy soldier ornament that plays a holiday tune.  A crystal star.  A "JOY" ornament.  Lovely RIBBON.  And my small collection of white house/congressional ornaments.  I love looking at this collection and remembering the campaigns I worked on when I received them, praying for McHenry, Chambliss, and Cornyn.  I also took the time to actually read about the ornaments, something I often forget to do.  Did you know that President Garfield was a preacher and professor before his military and elected office service?   I carefully placed each ornament on and am so please with the result.

Another wonderful holiday treasure I have is a Hershey Kisses tin, I have had since elementary school. I also found a picture of the puppies with Santa last year...Oh how I miss those puppies.

I did pull out some kitchen items I love to decorate with, but I have not actually been them in the kitchen/dining area yet.  When I do, I just might share a picture of my way fun Christmas dessert plates.

So it might have been a little bit late getting up, but I will enjoy every moment these decorations are up.

Enjoying the season,
XOXO
Amanda May

Day 4

I am four days into this new year and have yet to recover.  I am  not sure it is a combination of the 30 day Challenge, the work event this past weekend, or the fact that I am getting old,  but I am still so exhausted.

Today these were delivered from the lovely ladies I work with. They filled the office with amazing flora aroma all afternoon.  I can't wait to get back to the office tomorrow and enjoy these all day.

XOXO-Amanda May

Day 1

I have done it. I have finally joined the thirties crowd, not that I really had a choice.  The wiater tonight totally announced that I was 24, I did however say 30.  I have had a very full and wonderfuly day and at this moment very tired.  I was blessed to have loved ones surround me and many calls from others from afar.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for being a part of my life and helping me celecbrate this big milestone in my life.  I truly love you all.

Day 30

I am totally exhausted.  I have been penning letters for hours and am not yet done. 

I woke this morning to my little sisters challenge.

This is a picture of us together on her birthday last year in Denver. Can you see the candle?

Good morning, loving sister!

Words cannot express how much God has blessed me with good fortune...by letting me be the littlest sister!  You and Kristi have consistently added countless value to my life. Our Father is an ever-present factor in your life, and it is always evident that serving Him is your main priority.

As blessed as I am for having you in my life, I know that you are even more blessed. To become the astounding and godly young woman that you are, I am quite positive that in your brief thirty years here God has blessed you throughout with wonderful people to help you learn, grow, develop, and mature. Teachers, Youth Pastors, Friends, Family, Work Associates, Role Models. 

My challenge to you: Pick 30 of those wonderful people and pen them letters. Actual letters not e-mail. Express your gratitude. Tell them how they influenced you. Update them on who and where you are now. Share with them your written love or appreciation. Encourage them to continue to be the change in others still.  

Future challenge: Continue growing, maturing, and mentoring with others. Keeping up with your blog, I can see you have many dear friends that understand the importance of relationships. I challenge you to be the change they've been in you to others. You changed me. Change someone else. Never stop helping, never stop building, never stop loving. 

I love you, Amanda. Happy Birthday!

-Ashley

-30-

 I really do love this girl so very much!  She makes me want to be a better sister.

I thought about this challenge all day long and finally came up with a list of 30 people to write.  I have 17 letters done and am continuing to work on the others.  I will continue to work on these at my free breakfast at Denny's tomorrow morning.

XOXO-Amannda

Day 29

My favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry!  I do at times go for more variety, but I think strawberry forever will be my favorite. There are four little boys in South Carolina that are also my favorites.  I met three of them the fall of 2005 and just fell in love with them. The fourth one I met in 2007 and he instantly found a place in my heart. They are all boy and definitely keep me on my toes. But I totally love it.   I miss them terribly.  And I know they miss me.

I thought they would have fun challenging me with something, But, I did become a little afraid their mom told me Logan thought about challenging me to find a boy friend and kiss him.  I am so glad Suzanne guided them in a different way.  She is truly an amazing mom to those boys and a wonderful cousin to me.

I got this challenge from them today.

Hey Amanda! So the boys decided that they'd love to get some ice cream with you if they had the chance; therefore, they want you to go have some ice cream (taking a friend is preferred:)! They have chosen your flavors though. In one nice, big cup combining all scoops, Kyler would like you to have a scoop of vanilla with chocolate sprinkles, Preston would like you to have rainbow sherbet with rainbow sprinkles, Logan would like you to have mint chocolate chip with gummy bears, and Selik wants you to have chocolate with cookie dough topping. They miss your sweetness, and they love you so dearly! Enjoy those gummy bears!

Once again, the challenge surprised me and brought a smile to my face.  I so wish I could have had this wonderful creation with them.  I truly thought about a friend to take and considered several options but was unsure of when i was actually going to get the ice cream.  Tonight was my first night of a new small group, thus it was kind of late when I actually went.  I shared my challenge with new friends who were all about researching different ice cream shops that would have all of the flavors and toppings.  The way they started researching reminded me so much for John hopper.  I left small group with a plan to stop by Baskin Robbins to get Rainbow Sherbet and ask if they had all of the toppings.  The big question was cookie dough as a topping.  When I first asked the employee if they had cookie dough topping he said yes and I knew I was golden.

These picture depict the making of ice cream creation masterpiece for four little boys to enjoy.

I do have to give props to the employee who helped me.  He was so patient with me as I explained the creation. 

One scoop of vanilla recommended by Kyler.

One of scoop of chocolate recommended by Selik.

One scoop of mint chocolate ship recommend by Logan

Next came the rainbow sprinkles on the mint chocolate chip recommended by Logan

Then the chocolate sprinkles on the vanilla recommended by Kyler.

Then the cookie dough on the chocolate recommended by Selik.

Doesn't it look yummy?  I had to get a picture before the final scoop went on.

One scoop of rainbow sherbet and gummy bears recommended by Preston.

 Here it is ready to be packaged and taken home to enjoy.

Me a very happy and tired with my special creation headed home.

Just in case you wanted a close up picture of the creation.

I really do like gummy bears on ice cream.  And love sherbet.  But was glad it went on top since it was the only fruity flavor. Good choice Preston.

Selik,  I really like chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and chocolate brownie chuck ice cream.  This seemed like a wonderful mixture of the two.  And I never knew cookie dough could be used as a topping.  Great choice.

Kyler Alvin,  I love the simplicity of vanilla ice cream.  The sprinkles were so great!

Chef Logan, Did you know mint chocolate chip ice cream is Miss Ashley's favorite?  You should totally suggest the rainbow sprinkles to her.  I am sure she would love it just like it did.  I hope your restaurant serves ice cream.

There it is my ice cream creation created special for my by the Hopper boys.  I loved every single little bit that that I took.  It was totally fun completing this challenge.  Thank you so much for being part of this fun time in my life boys.  I can't wait to get back to South Carolina and take you boys out for ice cream.  And who knows I might just bring a boyfriend with me one day for you all to meet.  It would be totally fun to see what creation you could create for him.

XOXO-Amanda May.

Day 28

What movies will you absolutely go see in the theater and pay the outrageous price for?  Are there movies  you haven't seen and you would really like to?  Or are there movies that you have never seen and don't really want to see for some reason on another?

It seems like I have seen many movies this past year.  Most of them through free codes at either the Red or Blue Box.   I really do enjoy watching movies even if they are classics that I have seen over and over again.  I went and saw a movie Tuesday night and actually didn't mind paying the outrageous price. It's one that I would highly recommend called Seven Days in Utopia.  I also didn't mind paying the big bucks to watch was Thr3e several years ago.  Most movies I can wait and watch till they go to the cheap theater or can be rented for next to nothing.  Sometimes however I totally miss movies that I really want to see.  For example there was one that came out this year I believe about this couple traveling overseas and upon arrival they are in car accident.  When the husband wakes up everything is changed, his wife totally acting like she does not know him.  It looked super interesting and of course I didn't see it.  I also can't remember the name of it.  I  definitely have a list of movies I have never seen and don't care to. Some of these include movies that are beloved my people close to me.  One on this list must now be taken off.

My dear best friend sent me my challenge in the mail, which was actually a great accomplished since she has a newborn in the house.  The package arrived on Tuesday but was not opened till Wednesday.  While carrying it in, I noticed that it felt somewhat like a movie.  When asked if it arrived, I questioned her about it and was told it would be fine.  She neither confirmed or denied my hunch that it was in fact a movie.  So this morning I grabbed the package and headed to work.  On the way I opened it to find this letter and it contents.

I immediately thought what was I getting myself into by this challenge.  I really did expect this to come from Chara and not Tasha. Both of them love Harry Potter though, so I don't know why I shouldn't have expected it from Tasha.   It is true that I have avoided watching the First Harry Potter for some 10 years now.  It is not because I think its evil, it's just not a movie I would typically watch.  All day long I had to physc myself up for the movie.  I shared with my little sister that  I was challenged to watch it--she was so pleased that Tasha had challenged me with this. She too loves Harry Potter. Actually both my sisters do.

So i left volleyball a bit early this evening and headed home to complete my challenge. I popped the popcorn and settled on the couch with an open mind.



One might ask if I cheated and watched only the first and last of the movie.  I can honestly say I watched all of it.  I was only distracted for a little bit as I set up myself timer for proof that I actually watched it. I also eat every last kernel of popcorn. Tasha for good measure I also had a Dublin Dr. Pepper.  And would have loved sharing a bottle with you.

I did enjoy the movie, though I don't know if I am quite ready to embrace all things Harry Potter.  It was actually nice to learn what some of the Harry Potter terms were all about; I have been living in the dark for many years as people referenced all things Harry Potter.  I liked how the artwork became alive.  I also appreciated the story development within the movie.  I felt that as one who had not read the books, I could easily follow the story.  I also learned that the movie is about friendship, courage, and love.

See, I really did watch it.

Tasha, Thank you so much for the thought you put into your challenge.  I suppose I really could not have turned thirty without watching the movie.  And after all, it does seem fair since you broke down and watched White Christmas.

XOXO-Amanda May

Day 27

To those who know me best should not be surprised that I totally messed up my schedule for this last week.  No worries though I did finish something today.   I chose to complete one of my cousins Emma's original suggestions.  I planted an herb garden.  I know not overly exciting, but most of my plants were looking pretty sad. But now they are looking so great.

I can hardly wait for this Mum to burst into bloom.  Mums are plants that remind me so much of fall on my college campus.  I look forward to coming home to this every single day.

I added the little Rosemary plant to the Chives already growing.

My very new mint plant.  It smells so wonderful already.

And for good measure I planted seeds, from left to right Basil, Cilantro, Oregano, and Parsley.  I really hope to put these little seedlings into a planter soon.

XOXO-Amanda May