Family Time | Amy Scott's Thoughts

So Many Things August 22, 2017

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf,Family Time,Parenthood,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me,Travels,Usborne Books & More — Amy Scott @ 1:50 pm

I was just welcoming you to August. Now it’s almost over. Yikes. So this blogging thing. It’s getting harder. I’ve added a lot to my plate the last few months. It makes me sad that my blog isn’t as frequent as before. I love writing. It’s not even an option to give this up. For the few of you that read this blog, I’ll keep at it. I apologize for the gaps and delays.

Our week in Bend with the Scott Clan was fun. The kids had a great time playing together and all being under one roof. My kid didn’t sleep so awesome the first two nights, but the last night was amazing! Graham slept on the air mattress the whole night and didn’t end up in bed with us! Praise the Lord!!! Graham really enjoyed sharing a bed with his brother on this trip and when we came home he kept trying to go down for naps in Owen’s room. It was funny and sweet! The guys got a chance to go golfing together. The girls got a chance to get pedicures, do some window shopping and get lunch on the river. It was a refreshing time!

I’ve been working away on MOPS stuff. I’m feeling good about things. The ducks seem to be coming into a row. nicely I’m praising Jesus and believing for good things. We have one more MOPS summer park play date left. We already have ladies registering for the fall. YAY!

Books have been slower for me this month. When I took the first two weeks of August off, I knew it would mean a slower month. Truthfully, I’ve loved the lacked back pace. I’ve had two parties and did two shifts at a book booth at the SWW Fair. I’ve spent a lot of time building up my September, October, November calendar. It hasn’t been a wasted month by any means.

With less parties to prepare for I’ve been able to focus on other projects. I’ve been slowly collecting items to redecorate the boys’ bedrooms. I’ve happily snagged some great deals over the last few weeks and I feel like a complete plan is coming together for the bedrooms. Now to daydream about bathrooms and the master bedroom. We are supposed to see some action up at the property toward the end of this week or beginning of next week. I’m am anxiously awaiting the foundation being poured. I would do it myself if I could. I want to get going!!! Jeremy and I fully painted the well house and it looks awesome! Jeremy filled in all of the ditches we had dug for water and power. Here’s hoping my next update has pictures of the foundation! Let it be so, Jesus!

We’re also less than two months away from the boys’ birthdays, so I’ve been working on getting party invitations ordered and birthday details nailed down. I’m a planner. Don’t judge. I also started the boys’ yearly photo books last week. I have them up to date through August and formulated so I can easily add the last few pictures needed to complete the year. The books always end with the great birthday celebrations, so I’ll be able to print them soon enough. Just like blogging, making photo books makes my heart happy. Last year I did a little bit each month so it wasn’t too much work. This year I just did it all at one time. I had the time then and there so I thought why not get it done.

And that is about it… We watched the solar eclipse at Bethel with the staff. I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t darker because the sun was 96% covered in Chehalis. On the flip side, I’m totally amazed that 4% of the sun could provide so much light. The temperature did drop. Owen got cold and asked for a coat. It was a neat experience, but not as strange as I thought it was going to be. I’m not a huge fan of crowds, but if I ever get a chance to see a total eclipse in the future, I might take it…

Oh and the Lucy Maud Montgomery summer continues! I read the Pat of Silver Bush series this month. I liked Pat more than I liked Emily Starr. I’ve enjoyed re-reading some of my favorite books, but also reading new ones this summer. I’m trying to decided if I will re-read A Tangled Web next or read for the first time Magic for Marigold. Or I might break from my Canadian friends and go down south with Jen Hatmaker to read her new release, Of Mess and Moxie. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

I think that about sums up life. Vacation. MOPS. UBAM. House. Party Prep. Photo Books. Eclipse. Summer of LM Montgomery. Yep. Keeping the kids alive. Keeping up with my hubby. That’s my life! God is good and we keep moving forward and looking ahead!

Bend 2017

Bend 2017

Bend 2017

Bend 2017

Bend 2017

Bend 2017

Painting the well house

Checking in on Domino!

Spray Park

Playing the piano with Nana

Brownie bakers!

Visiting the fair. Graham was too short for the rides. Poor kiddo.

Working up at the property!

Backyard BBQ with the young families

Watching the eclipse with Bethel Staff!

Leave a Comment

Catching You Up! June 15, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Selling, Building, Moving,Usborne Books & More,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 2:46 pm

Hey all! I will admit that it’s harder to find time to blog these days. The boys are wild and running full steam ahead every waking second. I’m blessed with snuggles and sweet moments in the midst of the boyhood chaos surrounding me. Things are happening at the property. I am giving 150% to my new Usborne book business. And then I have MOPS and friendships and family relationships that I’m trying to keep up with as well. I don’t like being busy. I am very tired. I was thinking today about how there just isn’t enough of me to go around or the age old saying of “there aren’t enough hours in the day.” Today was a day where I tried to multi-task working while the boys were awake and it was insanity. Often, I’m working when the boys are napping or at bedtime. Anytime my kids are asleep, I’m trying to get something done. It’s rewarding. I love the things I’m doing and people that I am investing in, but man, I could use a nap. Instead I’m blogging… naps and blogging are both therapeutic for me, but sadly I can only do one at a time. Maybe I can clone myself…

Okay, so the house. I know that you want house updates. I feel bad because we’re into building season and I would love to chronicle that process in detail here… but that might not happen. Sorry. As you can see I’m loosing my marbles a bit and I have some screws loose and whatever other saying will imply I lack mental clarity. While I get the basic just of building a house, there are parts of the process that I get confused about or don’t know the correct terms. This is not my skill set. Please, keep that in mind as you read my updates. They might include words like “thingamajig” from time to time. Last week we had the home site excavated, our driveway put in and gravel spread over the excavated site. Jeremy, my dad and brother-in-law, spent the weekend assembling the walls of our well houses. The concrete pads weren’t poured yet so the well houses couldn’t go up over the weekend, but they are now as assembled as possible. Once the pads are poured and set, the well houses will be officially assembled. Jeremy is also working on getting the temporary power set up. And our building permits have been submitted to the county. We are still in the site “prep” stage, but we are very close to being fully ready to build. We had a meeting with Adair last week and they were impressed with how far we were in the process and they seemed optimistic that things would move along quickly. I’ll keep you posted so I know more!

As I mentioned, our days have filled with Usborne, MOPS, play dates and zany kids. Things are going well with Usborne. I’m one recruit away from getting my Success Kit #2. I have a couple recruits possibly joining in June because Usborne is running a special where you can join for $50. It’s a fantastic deal and truly an awesome opportunity. MOPS wrapped up last week and I’m in the midst of meetings and reworking paperwork in preparation for the new year. It’s exciting to see it all come together and I am believing great things are in store for our group. This new role has stretched me and grown me. I seem to be in a season doing new things. It’s good, but again, tiring. I’m doing lots of learning and trying to keep up and on top of things.

I think back to the days when I was at home for maybe 2,3,4 days in a row. Maybe unshowered… just chilling with babies and wondering if I’m losing my mind. Now, I kind of miss that. I’ve been out of the house a lot more these days or I’m doing live videos for my business, so the endless days of no showering just aren’t an option… I’m sure it’s better for the world as a whole, but I miss the slower pace and the option of being presentable. Haha… it takes energy! As an introvert, these new roles have me connecting with people all day long and that is taking some getting used to. I’m very much drained by constant communication. This summer is probably going to be the hardest part (I hope). I’m learning new things, we’re building a house, I’m out of my comfort zone in a lot of areas. But new routines will form. I will adapt to the new schedules and new commitments. Everything won’t be “new” forever. I’m learning a new form of endurance. It’s good, but hard. It’s rewarding, but tiring. Doesn’t that sum up life in a nutshell?

Airplane

Telling the time with his new Usborne book!

One cute kid!

Celebrating Cousin Bennett’s birthday at the park!

Home Depot runs with Dad

Last MOPS meeting of the year! So blessed by these ladies and excited to lead this group in the fall!

Cranky face

Home partying with my books!

We have a driveway!!!!!!!

Homestead Selfie

Happy snuggles after Sunday naps

Making Grandma a birthday card!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Graham fell asleep in his highchair after a super active play date!

Leave a Comment

The Promised Pictures June 2, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me,Usborne Books & More — Amy Scott @ 2:15 pm

Here is the photo update that I wasn’t able to include yesterday. Enjoy!

Working at the property

Sending a “Hello Dad” picture to Jeremy

Owen knows his stuff with tractors

Playing at the property

Graham worked up the courage for a ride

Ice cream treat on a hot day

Serious bedhead

Shopping with my boys

Checking out a new coffee shop and bookstore with friends. It’s an old bank and the vault was made into a playroom!

Exploring my first success kit from Usborne!

Water play time

Watering cans are endlessly fun

Hanging at a local multi-vendor sale

Leave a Comment

Spinning Around May 1, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Usborne Books & More,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 6:49 pm

I might not be in the best place to be blogging at the moment. My mind is spinning. Totally swimming through a sea of 90 million thoughts and responsibilities. I feel a bit loopy and dizzy. But the kids are on a walk with Nana and Papa. Jeremy is running a quick errand. And I am sitting in silence, alone in the house (a truly rare experience). I process my world by writing things down. Welcome to my therapy session.

The last week has been spent out of town. I was at conference from Monday through Wednesday. I was home Thursday and Graham was a sick mess. I had planned to be very productive with my one at home in between trips, but Graham’s illness made that complicated. Friday through Sunday I was at our church ladies retreat.

This was the first trip for me to leave Graham at home and my first time being truly kid free in two years. I had a dumb grin on my face the whole time. During the first trip I got lots of good time with my hubby and it was a blessing. I am amazed how much easier traveling is when I’m not pregnant or taking care of a baby. It was bliss to feel good and be able to focus.

The only slight stress factor was being away for a week while trying to launch a new business. I worked on some Usborne stuff while I was away. I ordered my kit and went through as much of the official training information as I could on Thursday (but remember Graham was sick and this was difficult because I also needed to do laundry and repack for my next adventure). Things with Usborne are going well and I am excited for my launch this Thursday. It has taken some time to go through the welcome and training information. I’m learning a lot and processing a lot. I know things will get easier with time but right now it’s a whole new world I’m trying to master.

Part of my stress comes from MOPS, I’m still seeking team members for next year. I’m working on planning and preparing for next year. In a lot of ways even though I’m coordinating next year, I’ve taken on more leadership at the end of this year than I expected. Especially in the form of two fundraisers that surprisingly have landed on my shoulders. I’m discouraged by the lack of participation in the fundraisers, leaving me to carry the weight.

My hope is that by the time I’m actively leading MOPS over the summer, I will have enough Usborne experience to feel confident with these two big commitments. I am the type of person who believes in doing one thing well instead of multiple things only okay. For me this has looked like a scaled back schedule so I could make motherhood my top priority. I created a relatively simple life so I could give my best effort, energy and focus to mothering. Now I’m responding to texts, sending messages, learning new programs, recruiting leaders, asking questions, planning meetings… I would love to say this all happens when my kids are napping or sleeping at night, but it doesn’t. My focus is split. I am distracted. Even if I’m not actively working on Usborne or MOPS, I’m thinking about them.

I realize this is a season of growth for me. I am learning. Things are changing. But I also know that I will get into a routine and a flow with these new commitments. They won’t always be new. They won’t always take the same level of interest or intensity. At least, I hope not. I’m praying for firm footing and confidence as a I move forward. I definitely want to be present with my kids. Especially with Owen as we move toward summer. These next few months will be the last I have with him home all day, every day. I want to make those moments matter. Owen has appreciated that I am home from my many travels. When he got up from his nap today, he asked me for the all hugs and kisses I could give him. It was a super sweet moment as I showered him with goofy hugs and kisses. I listened those giggles and smelled his little boy smell and just loved on him. He was happy I was home and I was happy to be there with him too. Bliss!

Now Graham on the other hand has been super cranky lately. He is unhappy soul at the moment. I think the main issue is teething, but he is no fun to hang out with. I love him dearly, but he makes my days complicated. It’s hard to multi-task when he is crying at my feet. I often think I can accomplish a list of little things to do through out the day, but that list turns out to be way more challenging than I expect because Graham just isn’t happy. Poor kid. Poor me. Here’s hoping he grows out of this stage soon. He is the cutest thing and he loves his Mama, but he isn’t all that sweet at the moment. I’m a part of a moms’ group that calls kids like him “Sour Patch Kids”. I think that sums Graham up quite well.

Anyway, all that to say, I am spinning around in circles. Trying to keep it all straight. Trying to do the best that I can with what I’ve got. I’m really pushing myself to connect with others on a lot of different fronts. Conferences were about connecting with people, starting a business means I need people to get it off the ground, MOPS needs people to lead and attend. I have greatly valued pouring into my family and having my connection energy spent on a smaller circle. I am having some growing pains as my world expands. Life will just keep spinning. What overwhelms me today, hopefully won’t be as overwhelming tomorrow. Prayers appreciated!

Kid free time with my sweetheart!

Working while away

When we have free time, we look at appliances

Enjoying a movie

Look how happy I am without children!

Had a quick dinner on the ride home with the E-burg crew! Love them!

My book model! Helping Mommy get her business off the ground.

Retreat weekend!

The Three “A”-migas! Haha! Love my sis and mom!

Home with my cuddly, cranky pants.

Out for a one on one walk with Owen.

Leave a Comment

New Adventures & Easter Weekend April 18, 2017

Filed under: Amy's Bookshelf,Family Time,Parenthood,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 5:15 pm

Keeping up with the Scott family is a wild ride these days. My brain is on serious overload right. All good things, but life feels likes it’s exploding. I’ve mentioned MOPS and I’ve talked about our preschool research. Both are taking up brain space. We took a tour of the local Christian school yesterday and it’s given us food for thought as we research where Owen will attend preschool. This is a totally new season of life for me. With that comes many questions as I try to wrap my mind around how our family schedule will change this fall.

Next week, I’ll be at a conference Monday through Wednesday and a retreat Friday through Sunday. These will be my first nights away from Graham because he is finally 100% weaned. It’s wonderful to have some freedom but I’m also a bit nervous leaving him for the first time. He can be a sensitive kid. I’m grateful that I’ll have a day at home in-between my travels to re-calibrate.

When I get back from my week of travels, I will be launching a new business venture. I’ve been pondering selling Usborne books for a while and I finally decided to go for it. I love these books and making money to supplement our income is an nice possibility. Even if the business totally fails, I will get 20 books out of the deal and who doesn’t love more books, right? I’m slightly concerned about joining the direct sales biz since I’m not a natural sales person. We’ll see how it goes. I’m jumping out in faith. Eek!!! My launch party is Thursday, May 4th at 8:30pm. Let me know if you want an invite! These books are so educational and an amazing quality. We have been very impressed with them and our kids love them. What I love about books is they make great presents for all the kiddos in my life. Books inspire creativity and reading grows with your child so families are always looking for new material. I think my dreams of having a home library might be starting to come true.

When you add MOPS, preschool research, upcoming travels, a new business and then daydreaming about building our new home, my brain is ping ponging all over the place. I love my quiet life and my intentionally slow pace. I know that things are changing and I have to assess how I plan to keep boundaries, order and balance. Life is always changing and I’m not the best at keeping up sometimes. This why I believe it’s important to give a good amount of thought and prayer before moving forward with new opportunities. So yes, lots to think and pray about these days.

Going backwards now, this last weekend was a fun one. Now that Easter Eggstravanganza is the week before Easter, I feel like I enjoy Easter weekend a lot more. It’s less stressful and more chill. On Saturday we did egg coloring and gave the boys their baskets. Our Easter Sunday is so full that we give them the baskets early so the kids actually have time to enjoy their new items. The baskets were smaller this year but the contents were very appreciated! The boys each got a small toy, a shirt, a book (from Usborne, of course) and a chocolate bunny. We went to lunch and then a local garden/nursery. After nap time, we did an egg hunt. Because the weather was so nice, we did our first BBQ of the year. It’s was a wonderful day. Sunday was our Easter celebration at church and off to spend the days with family. The whole weekend was full of family time and it made my heart happy. Easter is such a special time. I am thankful for the power of the cross in my life. Jesus is everything. I am thankful to share that love with my kids. I know they are young but I hope they catch the joy and celebration that comes with Easter Sunday (and truly everyday with Jesus).

As I look to the future, I am excited for the potential that I see before me. All these things line up with my goals and dreams. I am hopeful they will all be positive experiences for our family. And if things don’t work out or if things need to adjust, I’m okay with that. I am looking forward to the adventure. I’m definitely living outside of my comfort zone, but I know that God is good and he is in control. I am trusting him and leaning into him as I bravely walk into the unknown. Prayers appreciated!

On an adventure with my little man.

Graham woke up happy. Owen did not.

Owen finally got his hair cut at the salon again! Praise the Lord. Graham screamed the whole time and had to be bear hugged, so no pictures of him.

Watering their Easter apple trees from Grandpa & Grandma.

Egg coloring

Loving their new Usborne books!

Saturday’s egg hunt

How Graham hunts… then he started to collect gravel.

Enjoying a dry day!

My two little love bunnies!

Easter at GG’s house

Expressive!

Adding Peeps bunnies to the zoo that is Owen’s bed. Thanks, Grandma!

Comments (1)

MOPS, Eggstravaganza and Half Birthdays April 12, 2017

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 2:43 pm

I would love to figure out a way to start this blog by saying something other than “the last two weeks have been busy.” I hate starting things off by saying that we are busy. I’m not a fan of the word busy. I don’t wear it as a badge of honor to show you how awesome I am. We’ve had lots going on and busy just seems to be the only way I can explain it…

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been diving deeper into the world of MOPS leadership. We had a member of our group lose her brother tragically and I coordinator an effort to assemble and deliver a gift basket to her. It was great to be part of a group of ladies that came to together to love on someone in their time of need. Our MOPS group also participated in a bake sale this weekend at Easter Eggstravaganaza. I made, decorated and individually packaged 7 dozen cupcakes. The bake sale was a huge success. I helped them set up the table and then I worked the booth from noon to 4pm. It was nice to chat with ladies I worked with as well as connect with moms in the community and let them know about the changes we’re making to MOPS next year. I’ve been meeting with ladies to recruit our leadership team for next year. I’ve been learning all I can from our current coordinator and I’m trying to wrap my head around all the things that will land on my shoulders in June. I am excited. I have tons of ideas, hopes and dreams. I’m still searching for about 5 more ladies to join my team and then I’ll be super jazzed moving forward.

As I mentioned, this weekend was Easter Eggstravaganza. Anyone who knows our family, knows that this event is the biggest event of the year for Jeremy. It’s huge. And true to tradition, each year seems to get bigger and better. I am so proud of the energy and effort my husband and his team give to making this community event such a blessing to families. Our boys participated in the morning hunts. Graham wasn’t too into it, but Owen was a pro. I tried to give Graham a trial hunt on Friday night to prepare him, but he was more interested in the buckets than the eggs. Nothing wrong with that. It’s nice that EE is now the weekend before Easter. It’s takes the level of busy down for Easter weekend and give us the chance to enjoy Easter on a smaller scale with our family. On Saturday the boys will get their baskets from Jeremy and I. We will do a small egg hunt with them and then dye eggs together. Sunday will be a celebration at church with our Bethel family and then off to spend the afternoon and evening with loved ones. I’ve been trying to share the true meaning of Easter with Owen this year. It’s challenging because I don’t think he fully grasps the concept of death (I’m okay with that). More than anything, I want Owen to know that we celebrate Jesus at Easter and his great love for us.

April is half birthday month for the boys. Owen was officially 3.5 on the 8th and Graham will be 18 months on the 19th, less than a week away. Because I’m a dork and didn’t call in time, Graham’s 18 month well check really be a 19 month well check in May. Oops. You’ll have to wait another month for Graham stats. Graham is a climber these days with no fear. I’m worried that he will need to start wearing a helmet 24/7 to protect his head from his daredevil ways. He can now climb the play structure in the backyard all on his own and that terrifies me. He needs to be watched like a hawk when he is outside. Nothing stops him. Graham loves to dance and listen to nursery rhyme songs. It’s what he is currently doing some I can blog. Graham just learned how to blow kisses this last week and it’s adorable. I feel guilty because I have more photos of Owen to share than of Graham. It’s not me playing favorites, trust me. If Graham knows you are taking his photo, he tries to grab the phone and turn it to selfie mode. Selfie mode equals pictures of the ceiling or Graham’s forehead. He is a tricky kid to get pictures of right now.

Owen continues to amaze me. He is such a smart kid. We just finished his alphabet sticker book today and continue to work on his tracing skills with his wipe clean books. We’ve been in massive preschool research mode. Owen will most likely attend the preschool that will be apart of the new learning center going in at Bethel this fall but we are looking into the local Christian school as well. We have a tour of the Christian school next week to check it out. Since Bethel Kids Learning Center is still in the development stages, I am anxiously waiting for more details so I can make a firm decision between the two preschools. It blows my mind that Owen will be gone a couple mornings a week next year. I realize for the first time now how quickly the years of just being us at home go by. I’m not used to having commitments multiple days of the week that need us to get out of the house by a certain time. I’m used to slow morning and days spent in our pajamas and sweats. Owen is so friendly. He makes friends wherever he goes and I know that preschool will be a joy for him. I can see how he is learning and growing daily. He is ready for structure and to be challenged. Because of his birthday being at the beginning of the school calendar, Owen will have 2 years of preschool before kindergarten. I have time to adjust to a few days a week schedule before all day, every day school happens.

There isn’t too much new news to share about the house. The nice thing is we get emails every other day or so with updates on where things are at. Things are moving along even if we haven’t broken ground yet at the property. I am thankful for a process where I can mark progress and I know that things are moving forward daily. It gives me hope. I have spent way too much time on Pinterest looking at bedroom decor for the boys and paint colors. One of the big things I’m researching right now is exterior paint colors. I like the idea of having a painted door that is a pop of color. In Winlock we had a white door, but I’m thinking I would like to have a blue door in our next house. Daydreaming is so much fun and now that things are moving along, day dreaming doesn’t seem painful anymore. Patience is hard, but I am thankful for where we are at and I am excited for future!

Time at the park on a sunny day

Sweetness

Trying to get them to come inside after church. It wasn’t happening easily.

Spring time

Waving at a train in Napavine

Another day, another park

Helping do the dishes

Peeps cake for my Wednesday night class. Thank you, Pinterest!

So many cupcakes for the MOPS bake sale

Thanks to Friday’s windstorm, our trampoline was relocated.

Graham’s practice hunt

Owen got all the eggs in the practice hunt

Easter Eggstravaganza 2017

Learning about Palm Sunday

Ready to ride

Leave a Comment

It’s Such a Good Feeling! March 29, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 2:36 pm

It’s such a good feeling to have our house sold! It’s exciting to see the online status listed as SOLD! I am thankful and grateful that we are one step closer to being in our own home again. Yesterday, we visited the Adair office. We went over all the paperwork and signed on officially with them to build our house. It was the first step of the building process! Now I realize that building itself probably won’t happen for at least two months, but there are things to look forward as we move toward building. Building a house doesn’t happen overnight and there are lots of prep steps. Hopefully, once we start building, it will be in the summer months and things can move quickly because of the improved weather. There is lots of hope in my heart right now. I keep looking over my floor plan and daydreaming. This is were Pinterest now becomes a useful and dangerous tool in my hands!

Over the weekend, we celebrated Jeremy’s birthday. We had a busy day full of family visits and good food. Even though Jeremy had to work on his birthday for part of the day, I think the afternoon/evening of celebrating made up for it.

On Sunday, we went over to my parent’s house at the property. It was fun to explore their house now that their are exterior walls are up. We walked over to our property and talked about moving our house a little closer to the road. We are trying to save some extra dollars and being closer to the power will help with that. We are also reversing the floor plan to save money. The boys roamed around and enjoyed a break in the rain. Graham plopped down in a giant mud puddle. He was a mess and left a nice little impression in the puddle of his bottom. We had to load up the little dirt ball and take him home for a bath.

Monday, I had friend over to talk about MOPS leadership for next year. I am in the recruiting phase for the MOPS team. It was a great discussion and I am thrilled for this mom to be apart of the team next year. Please be praying for me and the whole team. We have more roles to fill and I am praying God brings the right ladies to the table. There are so many possibilities for next year. It’s been an exciting journey so far and I’m hopeful that it will continue to be a fun and positive experience as we move forward.

After signing the paperwork with Adair yesterday, I came home and had a long phone date with my forever friend, Maggie. Now that she lives in California we talk more than ever. It’s funny because we have grown closer with the distance. I do miss our in person lunch dates but I am really enjoying our frequent phone calls. We went from talking every other month or so to now talking about twice a month. I’m always blessed by time with Maggie even if it is on the phone.

My evening yesterday was spent at the movies with my mom and sister! My mom heard that I enjoyed Beauty and the Beast and suggested we do a girls’ movie night with April! I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see the movie again and spend time with my mom and sister! It was a win-win!

I’m sure there will be lots of things to check off the list as we move toward building. I’ll keep you informed through each stage! As the month of April is right around the corner, our family focus will be on Easter. Jeremy’s big egg hunt will take place on April 8th. I plan to attend with the boys at the first hunt and then work at a bake sale for MOPS. We hope to get the word out about the big changes to MOPS at this huge community event. This is the demographic that MOPS ministers to and we hope to get the information out so ladies can plan to join us next year.

Birthday morning picture! Happy birthday, Jeremy!

Owen and Nolan decorating Jeremy’s birthday cake. Owen had been waiting a long time to put those deer and trees on a cake!

A fun family day spent celebrating Jeremy!

Status: Sold

Exploring Grandpa & Grandma’s new house!

We’ve been very into blanket forts this week.

Reading the fort

Movie night with my mom and sister

The future is looking bright!

Leave a Comment

The House is Officially Sold!!!!!!!!!!! March 25, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 11:47 am

There is no need for a witty title to this blog! Let’s just tell it as it is! Our house is officially sold! We got a call on Wednesday evening saying that we would need to sign papers on Thursday morning. We went over to the house after church that night and picked up a few of the things we had left for showings like floor mats, hand soap, hand towels, etc. We got one last chance to say good bye. This time for good. I remember heading over on a Sunday in October to clean the house and say good bye. Little did I know at that time that I would be back to the house many times, re-cleaning it and checking on it. What an unexpected ride. The process with the final buyer has gone smoothly. The inspection was waived, the appraisal came in right at our agreed upon price and we closed early. Praise the Lord!!! Such goodness and blessing! Thursday morning we signed our papers and dropped the keys off at the real estate office. Friday, we got the call the buyer had signed his documents and our check was ready to pick up. The transaction was complete! We are thankful, so thankful to have this part of the process of behind us. Now will be contacting Adair on Monday to get the ball rolling with them. These are exciting times!

Other than house news…

We were supposed to take an Amtrak ride from Centralia to Olympia yesterday as a fun family outing, but a mudslide cancelled the trains for the day. It was a bummer because Owen knew about the planned trip and was super sad when we told him we couldn’t go. We did visit the train station and exchanged our tickets for next week.

We got to see Aunt Andrea and cousins, Brinley and Colton the last couple of days. Owen got to stay up late two nights in a row watching Brinley’s favorite movies. They all played so sweet together and Graham loves hugs from Brinley. They are truly buddies!

Today is my amazing husband’s birthday! He has to work this morning and early afternoon, but I am looking forward to a family celebration with him this evening. Owen has big plans to help me decorate a cake. I’m sure that will be a great photo opportunity. Stay tuned!

And there you have it folks! I’m so happy to share this fantastic news with you! I’ll keep you posted as the property morphs from a wide open piece of land to our new home!

One last goofy selfie in Owen’s room.

Saying a final good bye to the Winlock house after 8 years of being its homeowners!

A tired teething toddler

When your plans derail, you go play on the BK play place.

Exploring the train station while Daddy exchanged the tickets for next week.

Watching a train go by

The last official paperwork for the completion of our transaction! The house is sold!!!

Cousin time!

Leave a Comment

The zoo, the flu & House News February 9, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 7:06 pm

Every week, I think “Wow, so much has happened. How am I going to find the time and energy to blog about it all?” Right after I posted my last blog, we took off for to Portland to go to the Oregon Zoo. We were gifted a year-long membership there this Christmas. It was a beautiful day to activate our membership and enjoy our first of many free visits to the zoo. Fridays are a big family day for us since it’s Jeremy’s day off. I love Fridays. They are my favorite day of the week. I am envision many more Fridays spent as a family visiting the zoo.

The Saturday after our zoo trip, Jeremy and Owen came down with the flu. Owen threw up three times in the night and two times on Sunday morning. By Sunday night, Owen was feeling a lot better, but I was worn out after only getting about 2 hours of sleep that night. On Monday, I came down with the flu bug as well. Gotta love being a family that shares. Graham was the only one who didn’t catch it. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that he got the flu shot on the Thursday before. I also wonder if you can spread the flu by getting a flu shot. Just some interesting observations.

Our weekend and week was a quiet one thanks to the flu germs. Our Super Bowl weekend was also fairly quiet. We enjoyed an evening at home munching on a few the boys’ favorite snacks. The kids enjoyed Doritos. Jeremy fried mozzarella sticks. I took a bubble bath. Not a bad way to spend an evening. Even if the Patriots did win…

The exciting news I have to share is that our house is under contract again. We had a big snow storm Sunday into Monday dropping 9 inches of heavy snow in the area. Jeremy spent Monday morning helping to unbury the neighbor’s work truck from a fallen tree and cleared other fallen trees off the road so vehicles could get by. We also got the call that we had received an offer on the house and that our agent would come by that afternoon to give us the details. He was brave man for driving in such crazy weather. We made some small counters to the offer and we found out on Tuesday evening that the buyer accepted our counter offer. I am reserved about this offer because it’s a VA loan which are super tricky. VA loans tend to ask you to fix everything that is found wrong in the home inspection, which we aren’t in a place where we could probably do that (depending on what they find). Also the closing date is set for April 7th which seems like FOREVER away, so we put a tagline in the paperwork that said “or sooner” to that date. These two things have me feeling a bit cautious and skeptical. The home inspection has the power to blow the deal up. The nice thing is the inspection should be in the next two weeks, so at least we’ll know quickly if things aren’t going to pan out. Weeks is better than months. If things do go through, waiting until April to close is going to be a challenge for me. I’m ready to move forward. This house is stalling our ability to build on our property and after months of waiting on failed contracts, I am super motivated to get to closing. I will jump for joy and click my heels once the paperwork is officially signed. I’m praying that things work out and that this is “it”. Please be praying with us. Any prayer support we receive is greatly appreciated!

My MOPS group is doing a 28 day challenge as a part of our curriculum this year. Since February has 28 days, it seemed to fit well with this month. A part of the challenge is to do a truth or dare each day that is laid in our MOPS books. We’ve been sharing our truths and dares on our closed member Facebook page. It’s a been a neat experience to do this together. A part of the challenge is to do one big thing during the month. I had a hard time coming up with my “thing” and then it dawned on me. My house has been such a burden. I wanted to turn my burden into a blessing. Tomorrow night I will be hosting mom’s night out in my empty house. We’ll do pizza and games and use the house for a fun getaway for the moms in my group. I’m always looking for ways to stretch myself with hospitality and I’m ready for my house to be associated with something “fun” instead of associated with the biggest hold up in my life. I’m looking forward to tomorrow evening and I’m praying that it is a great night of connection. God can use anything for his glory and I’m believing my house is included in that.

That’s the update for now. Like I said before, the home inspection will be in the next two weeks, so I’m sure that I will have more news to share in the near future. Thank you for your prayers. I’ll keep you posted!

Enjoying our first free trip to the zoo with our new membership

Getting some fresh air… They might still be in their pajamas, but at least they are bundled up.

A treat from Sonic

Checking on the house before a showing. Lots of wide open space to run and play.

Super Bowl treats

Jeremy’s Monday morning was spent cleaning up fallen trees.

More Dorito love. My boys are big fans of orange, cheesy chips.

Leave a Comment

Hello 2017 January 3, 2017

Filed under: Family Time,Getting Creative,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 9:26 pm

2016 closed with lots of days full of family gatherings! On the 29th, we had Christmas with the Scott clan. It was a fun day full of Christmas chaos and merriment. This was the first time all the cousins had been together since the arrival of Baby Colton, so it was nice to be all under the same roof. Owen greatly enjoyed playing with his cousins and Graham enjoyed being carried around by cousin Brinley. She was such a little mommy, making sure that Graham was taken care of.

The 30th was my brother-in-law’s birthday. Andrew requested breakfast at Camp 18 which is just a short bit away from the coast. We enjoyed yummy breakfasts, bird watching and exploring the logging site. Then we took off for Cannon Beach. The weather was sunny and it was the perfect day to make a quick stop at the ocean. Graham wanted to run straight into the water. This made Owen very concerned for Graham’s safety. At one point, Owen was so stressed about Graham that he couldn’t watch anymore and asked to leave the beach. He just couldn’t handle it! Graham didn’t go out to sea thanks to many watchful eyes and we were able to stop a get a few local favorite foods before heading home.

The 31st was my sister’s birthday. We drove down to their new home and met up with the family for lunch and dessert. Birthday lunch was at Red Lobster and Owen had so much fun looking at the lobster tank. Then we went to a local mall to see a model train display they have set up there. Owen also enjoyed that. You would think the day was about Owen, not Auntie! We had dessert back at the house and April introduced Owen into Mario Party. It was a laid back, casual afternoon. April loves to pass on the video game legacy to my kids. Owen got a Mario toothbrush in his stocking this year and he discovered a Mario game on Jeremy’s phone. He was elated to play Mario with his Auntie for her birthday.

Jeremy and I rang in the New Year playing a new card game with his parents. Since New Years Eve was a Saturday this year, we didn’t want to stay up too late with church the following morning. We watched a little TV and lived a little on the wild side and stayed up till 11:30. You know you’re old when staying up till midnight just doesn’t have the same appeal anymore. Maybe if it hadn’t been on a Sunday. Maybe next year….

I was thinking back on 2016 and it made me remember how hard I thought 2015 was. I remember thinking that 2015 was a year I really didn’t want to live again. I had an uncomfortable pregnancy and then Graham had acid reflex issues that involved a lot of crying, spitting up and me having to change my diet. It was rough. I’m not sure which year was harder, 2015 or 2016… but 2016 has been one for the record books. 2016 has been characterized by change around every corner. For someone that likes stability and routine, 2016 rocked my world and shook me up. I am grateful for the lessons in faith and trust that came from 2016. Change brings growth and I think that is the true benefit of 2016. I am not the same person I was at the start of the year. I can see that through every high and low, God was there, walking beside me. God is good. No matter what.

Now on to 2017… I’m starting it sick. I never fully got over my last cold and I went into round 2 the last few days with more fevers and sinus pressure. Not an ideal start to the year, but I’m hoping and praying this bug will be behind me soon. My biggest hope and prayer for 2017 is that our house will sell and we will be able to start building our new home. We did have a showing last Friday. We haven’t heard any feedback from that showing, but I was pleasantly surprised that we had one given the holiday season. It would be so delightful to be under contract and moving forward again with our house. I’m truly hoping 2017 will bring positive resolution to our living situation. I want to give a big shout out to my in-laws who have taken us in and let us make ourselves at home in their home. Their kindness and hospitality has been so appreciated. I don’t know about Graham (because he is so young), but I do think that Owen will have the best memories as he reflects on the time that he got to live with Nana and Papa. They are a blessing to our family. My prayer is that we can move forward with our house situation before we over stay our welcome.

I don’t have any resolutions for 2017. Graham is nursing less these days so that means my calorie intake needs to adjust. In traditional New Years fashion, I could say I plan to eat better in 2017 (and by better I mean “less”… don’t expect to find me munching on a kale salad for lunch). I have a list of books that I am hoping to read and of course, I plan to keep writing about my daily adventures. I love how the New Year feels like a blank slate. It’s a story waiting to be told. I have absolutely no clue what is in store for our family, but the last few years have a created a firm foundation for us. If we have survived the past then we can handle the future. God is our rock and our anchor. I choose to be hopeful and optimistic. I’m dreaming big for 2017!