Amy Scott's Thoughts

Sharing the thoughts that bounce around in my brain!

A Little Bit of This and That… February 7, 2021

Filed under: Coronavirus Chronicles,Homeschool Adventures,Parenthood,Recollections — Amy Scott @ 6:37 pm

Can you guess what I’m going to say? It’s been a quiet week. I am becoming the poster-person for staying home. I usually only leave the house once a week. Last week it was to drop Owen off at church with Jeremy. This week, I got a morning out with the family to run errands. We are almost 11 months into this pandemic and the amount of time that I spend at home still amazes me. I often wonder will this ever feel normal? Do I really want things to go back to normal? What is normal? Each day I remind myself to keep doing the best I can with this day, this moment. My world might be small, but it is good.

Most Monday nights I have MOPS & MOMSnext Zoom meetings. This week was our leadership team meeting. The intro question to get us all talking was what was your worst haircut ever? I shared a funny story about when I was a kid I thought getting a perm would give me lovely curls like a friend in my class. What I didn’t know was my friend’s mom curled her hair with a curling iron. My perm curls looked nothing like my friend’s curls. The only way to get rid of the disappointing perm was to cut my hair… which lead to (what I believe) is my 1st grade school photo with probably my least favorite childhood haircut. My parents weren’t the best at photo documenting so there are no pictures that I am aware of that contain my perm. This is probably a blessing. But for a laugh I will share my worst haircut picture with you below like I did with my MOPS friends.

The boys and I have been counting down to Valentine’s Day. It looks different this year without a class to hand cards out to and no teachers to buy chocolate for. I am reminded of how much I relied on school to make celebrations extra special. With no class, no party – what will make Valentine’s Day special this year? I purchased a container of Valentine stickers from Target and the kids have been making cards for family. The boys also selected cards that would normally be handed out in class. We will be mailing them to family as well. My mom delivered heart-shaped balloons for the boys. I spent an evening making construction paper hearts and putting them all over our dining room wall. I also made a garland to hang. I’m trying to make the vibes festive as we head into Valentine’s week. Graham has an daily countdown going for Valentine’s day. I’m doing my best to plan and prepare so it hopefully lives up to his expectations. I’m thankful for holidays like this that give me a project to work on and something to celebrate. The excitement and joy that it brings to the kiddos is worth it!

The biggest highlight of the week was Jeremy ordered an egg incubator and we added eggs to it on Friday. The boys call it an “inky-bator” which I think is the cutest thing. They are super jazzed for baby chicks in our future. Or at least we hope that there are baby chicks in our near future. This is our first attempt at growing our flock and we are all nervously excited to see how it pans out. Jeremy took some time last weekend to add space to our chickens current pen. We technically could use a few more hens to even out our flock. If all these chicks turn out to be roosters, we conveniently have a chicken auction that operates on the weekends just down the road from us. All unwanted roosters will find new homes at the auction. Here’s hoping our eggs hatch and that they are mostly ladies!

I’ve had a few moments that made me feel a bit old this week. I am newly 35… but I feel like I have crossed a line. Between Christmas and my January birthday, I get most of my gifts in a 3 week window. This year’s gift theme (apart from books) has been home organization, storage, and décor. I feel a little self-conscious making post after post about how excited I am for my “new” stuff, but now for 11 months I will mostly be radio silent in this department. I posted this week on Instagram how I felt a bit old because I was so excited to spend the last of my birthday money on desktop storage. A few days later, a younger friend made a post asking about how you can tell when someone is “flexing” in social media or just sharing something they enjoy? I had no clue what flexing meant. I had to google it. Turns out it means bragging/showing off to enhance your status. I thought back to recent posts where I shared new purchases/gifts. I wondered if those posts could be viewed as flexing. Truthfully, I never try to look cool on social media. I’m too old to keep up with the youngsters and their trends. I’m mostly a mama who shares her daily adventures with her boys and life around our house. My friend’s post did give a pause to think and I learned something new.

And that’s it! Another week in the books. The Super Bowl is happening right now… I spent the first half of the game air-frying food with my family. I’m blogging now and will move on to reading soon. As you can see, I’m not a big football fan. I mostly enjoy the Super Bowl for the snacks. Anyone else? Happy Snacking!

Somebody is now missing their two front teeth!
For a laugh, my worst haircut ever!
A glimpse into my Instagram
Flowers from my hubby! Phil (the groundhog) might think winter isn’t over, but my kitchen feels like spring!
Getting ready for Valentine’s Day!
Carefully filling up the inky-bator
Good to go! Hopefully! Time will tell… about three weeks till we know for sure.
 

35 January 16, 2021

Filed under: Coronavirus Chronicles,Family Time,Recollections,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 3:18 pm

On Thursday, I turned 35. I am now officially closer to 40 than to 30. Hello mid-30’s, good-bye early-30’s. I’m okay with the shift. The wrinkles on my forehead and the gray hairs remind me that time is marching on. I’m thankful for each year I get. At this point, I don’t mind getting older. My opinion might change, but right now, I’m cool with owning 35. I will claim my years without remorse. If I’m going to be perfectly honest, I love love love birthdays. I love celebrating. I don’t need a big party, but I always strive to have as much fun as possible on my birthday – which usually involves eating all my favorite foods and spending time with my favorite people.

How did I celebrate 35? I kicked the day off with my free drink from Starbucks. Jeremy took the day off and we adventured up north to Bellevue. My one birthday request was going to The Container Store. According to their website, the Bellevue store had the two items I wanted. Sadly, when we arrived at the store, it was closed because it’s system was down. Bummer moment. We continued on with the plan and went to a nearby park. We walked in the sunshine, looked at the water and ducks, grabbed MOD Pizza and ate outside in the fresh air (indoor dining is still closed here in WA state).

After lunch, the kids twisted my arm and I agreed to visit a chocolate shop that Blippi (the YouTube star) filmed at. It was only 10 minutes away, so it seemed like a small, self-less act. I figured it would be a highlight of the day for them. After our Boehms Candies adventure, we took off for a different Container Store. I figured I might not get both items on my wish list, but I could at least get one. I was pleasantly surprised that the next store had restocked and both my coveted items were available. My birthday wish came true! What was I looking for? A large can riser for my pantry and more special hangers for my reusable bags. I sure do know how to party!

We ended our outing with a stop by Costco, where I picked up mac and cheese for dinner. I enjoyed my favorite meal followed by my favorite dessert – chocolate cake. It was a super fun and super tasty day from start to finish. The sunshine made it extra special. I enjoyed getting out of the area and adventuring with my boys. I wondered if COVID would put a damper on my celebration, but yet again, we rose to the occasion and had a great time despite restrictions. God is good and I am so blessed. I don’t take these good days for granted. I know how precious they are.

So where does 35 find me? A homeschool mom… which I never saw coming. I am home a lot… more than ever before and it turns out I love it. I keep my two wild boys alive, tidy my house, read books, bake treats, and try to make dinner as easy as possible. I’m obsessed with getting 10,000 steps a day and having my FitBit register that I exercised daily (usually 30 minutes of walking). I’ve restarted the habit of journaling alongside my Bible reading because I want to remember these days. I prefer to read but when I do watch television it’s mostly Hallmark channel, This Is Us, or The Pioneer Woman. The color navy is best color ever. I’m in my fourth year coordinating our local MOPS & MOMSnext group and my eighth year as a member. I occasionally work my side business through Usborne Books & More. I’ve learned that I enjoy hiking, especially if it’s through trees and on a level trail. I might not be super outdoorsy yet, but I’m making progress in outdoor appreciation. I love spending time with my family whether it’s running errands, eating out, exploring a new place, playing games, or enjoying the inflatable hot tub in our backyard. Jeremy, Owen, and Graham have been the best quarantine team. Our relationships have been strengthen by our time together. I am so thankful I get to do life alongside these three guys!

I mentioned in my last post that having a new year and a birthday so close together tends to make me extra reflective. Usually, I would go into each year with new goals, dreams, hopes, vision. 2021 and 35 feel different, though. I continue to hold to the motto that I am doing the best I can with what I’ve got. I don’t know what next month looks like, let alone the whole year. I plan to be faithful to things that I am doing right now. I am praying for discernment as the world returns to normal (hopefully) over the next year. I’ve set down so many commitments and expectations in 2020. I don’t plan to pick them all back up again. My biggest prayer for 2021 and 35 is to know what to invest in and what to completely let go of. This will be a crucial time in setting the pace for the second half of my 30’s. Wish me luck!

Free Birthday Drink – Hot Chocolate!
Park, ducks, water, sunshine, and happy boys!
Awkward family photo after lunch in the park.
The Blippi inspired visit to Boehm’s Candy.
One of my favorite places! Not as cool as Disneyland, but still pretty awesome!
Thankful for everyday with him!
35 candles on a chocolate cake!
The Home Edit inspired hangers for my bags. Organization makes me happy!
More The Home Edit inspiration – can risers in two sizes to fit various cans in my pantry! Love this look so much!
 

Reflecting on 2020 January 1, 2021

Filed under: Coronavirus Chronicles,Family Time,Homeschool Adventures,Parenthood,Recollections,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 11:21 am

2020! What a year! Mostly, I feel profoundly grateful for 2020. This year also brought a whole new level of anxiety and was not without struggle. Despite the ups and down, God has been faithful and good through it all. In a world where the term “shelter at home” has become common, I am thankful for the shelter my family, my home, and my faith have provided.

Let’s recap 2020. In January, I celebrated my 34th birthday with a snow day. Our calendar was full with church and school commitments. For President’s Day, we took a trip to the beach. Not realizing that the world would shutdown a month later, we are thankful we took that day trip. In March, I helped coordinated my first (and so far, only) wedding for our church. The same weekend as the wedding, school closed for what we thought would be six weeks and we got our first taste of homeschooling. We celebrated Jeremy’s birthday on the first official day of the “stay home, stay healthy” order. We started doing church through video recordings and our family jumped in to help Jeremy when needed.

Six weeks of no school turned into the entire school year. We wrapped up Graham’s first year of preschool and kindergarten for Owen by documenting the moment in our pajamas. In 2020, we neglected our put-together-outfits and opted for sweatpants and pajamas around the house. I used Zoom for the first time in 2020. While Owen never had to Zoom for school, this became the way my MOPS & MOMSnext group stayed connected and as well our virtual small group for church.

Summer 2020 was spent mostly in the backyard pool that we were gifted by a friend. In July, I had surgery to remove a benign mass that was causing me discomfort. My recovery went well and quickly I was back to keeping up with my wild, outdoor men. We enjoyed lots of hiking, got to go camping, and took a vacation to Yellowstone.

This fall, we opted to homeschool for a less digital learning experience for our kids. Homeschooling has been a positive experience. I truly love being a part of my kids’ education. In October, we celebrated Owen and Graham turning seven and five. We also participated in a Family Scavenger Hunt with our church that kept us busy and having fun! We celebrated Halloween with a massive drive-thru kids event at church.

This holiday season has been unlike any other. Washington State COVID restrictions called for no gatherings with those outside of our household. To pass the time at home for the holidays, we invested in an inflatable hot tub. We made the most of all the holiday celebrations at home. We have missed our people, but we also enjoyed a simple and scaled back holiday season.

I will admit that before 2020, I often wished I could scale back my commitments and live a quieter life. 2020 granted me that wish. As an introvert, I’ve enjoyed the extra time at home. The blessing of this roof over my head is one that I don’t take for granted. I’m so glad I got to “shelter in place” in this home on the hill with my little family. I’ve loved spending more time with my family. We’ve grown closer and made some amazing memories together. The anxiety and uncertainty of 2020 has not outweighed the goodness I have experienced and for that I am incredibly thankful!

The one thing that fell apart in 2020 was publishing my book. I spent the first three months of 2020 editing my book with the hopes of self-publishing before the end of 2020. I wrapped up editing my book in March and then walked away from it. My brain just didn’t have the capacity to move the project forward. I want to say a huge thank you to the friends and family who read it, helped me edit, and offered feedback. While I don’t plan to complete this project, I believe God will use this experience as a foundation for the future. Publishing a book isn’t impossible, it’s just not on my agenda right now.

What is in store for 2021? I honestly have no idea. Our current COVID restrictions will expire on January 11th. It’s almost impossible to plan when you don’t know what will be allowed. We will be jumping back into school. MOPS & MOMSnext took a holiday break and will resume again. We will continue to meet online at least through March. My birthday is in two weeks and I’m unsure what celebrating it will look like.

I’ve heard sentiments about wanting 2020 to be done, but it looks like 2021 is going to start out very similar to 2020. The virus and it’s ramifications aren’t going to disappear because it’s a new year. I am hopeful that we will see change toward “normal” in 2021. I will continue to do the best I can with what I’ve got. I will prioritize my faith, my family, and my community (however COVID restrictions allow). As the world works to return to normal, I will prayerfully consider what old things I pick back up and what things I have truly walked away from. 2021 is a chance for a fresh start. Happy New Year!

Watching their friendship deepen has been one of my biggest blessings in 2020.
Found some snow on the last day of 2020!
First time sledding was a hit!
Owen lost his 3rd tooth of 2020!
We spent NYE air frying everything! We are loving this air fryer lid for our Instant Pot.
My Top 9 Instagram Posts of 2020: Family Pictures. Easter. Baby Blanket Quilts by Nana. Green Eggs and Ham Cookies. Mother’s Day. Visiting GG. Sunset. Decorating for Christmas. Mother’s Day Shoutout to Friends & Family.
 

Chuckling at Change (well, sort of)… July 28, 2016

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Recollections,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 11:58 am

I randomly think through this last year and chuckle (or breath into a paper bag) about all the changes 2016 has brought. I actually sat down made a list yesterday afternoon while Owen napped.

  • 2016 started off with me eating a dairy/soy free diet in order to figure out Graham’s tummy issues
  • We sold our car and bought a minivan
  • We changed phone carriers
  • I reached a new decade (aka turned 30)
  • Listed our house to sell
  • Got rid of satellite TV (this has totally changed the way we watch TV, which I will admit we do every day)
  • Gave Toby away
  • Said good-bye to April as my Wednesday night helper after 3 years of teaching together.
  • I’ve packed up my household belongs and I’m staring at blank walls and empty cabinets.
  • Anticipated changes right around the corner
    • Moving in with my in-laws
    • Selling my home
    • Start building a new house

All of these changes have happened during the “baby phase.” Not only have we adapted to being a family of four and keeping a squirmy little human alive, I have lived through all these changes with postpartum hormones, adjusting to a new post-baby body, and interrupted sleep (every single night, sometimes multiple times a night). No wonder I’ve lost more hair after having Graham than I did with Owen. I’m not pulling it out, but thanks to postpartum hormones and stress, I thought I might go bald this year. I laugh about it all… sometimes…

Stability has been in short supply. For those that know me, you know that I am the queen of routine and predictability. This year has shattered that comfort zone for me. The only way I have gotten through all of this with Jesus. I don’t seek out change. In fact, all of the decisions above big and small were made with a lot of thought and prayer. As strange as it sounds, the change that has been happening in my extended family has affected me as well. We moved my parents twice in the last month. This changes the home that we visit with the boys. My sister is about to move out of state. While she will still close enough to visit, I will no longer see her on a weekly basis. She has been my partner in crime for the last three years on Wednesday nights. In seems like in a lot of ways, the whole world has turned upside down and shifted. While I know that isn’t entirely true, it feels true.

I’m doing my best to embrace an adventurous spirit. While I don’t love change, I have my eyes wide open wondering what God has next. I don’t assume anymore that things are always going to be the way they always have been. The next few months are just mid-story when it comes to selling our house and building a new home. We are finishing a chapter, but we are still in the middle of it. These days have been exhausting physically, mentally and emotionally. I often feel empty at the end of the day, like I’ve given it my all. I’m spent. Daily I thank Jesus that I am not walking through all of this alone. I know that he is there with me. As I pack every box. As I pray over what builder to use. As I correct a cranky toddler. As I soothe a crying baby. Jesus is right there. It’s comforting. While I crave stability and “normal”, I know that I have my hope anchored in the rock. Life might a whirlwind, but I know that I have a firm foundation through it all. I’m thankful that Jesus is my constant through this crazy journey!

IMG_8920

Graham taking his Sunday morning nap in my arms

IMG_8928

Showing me his Percy tattoo. He wouldn’t the lady put it on him on Friday for the Day Out with Thomas

IMG_9072

Trying to get photos of these two together is always a crazy adventure!

IMG_9096

Reading books on the new alphabet rug

DSC01218

April’s last Wednesday night

IMG_9119

April’s Last Wednesday Night

IMG_9120

April’s Last Wednesday Night

IMG_9126

April’s Last Wednesday Night

 

Who would have thought? July 20, 2016

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Recollections,Selling, Building, Moving,Simply Me,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 9:00 am

If you would have asked me about what I thought 2016 would like on January 1st, I would have never imagined any of this. Our world continues to move forward in surprising ways. I can tell that God is in all of this because it’s not something I saw coming. Our counter off to the home inspection was accepted. We will move on August 8th and close on August 12th (as long as the appraisal goes well). I find myself with only a few weeks left in my house. Monday, I packed up dozens of boxes and tried to determined what we needed in our kitchen and what could go. Jeremy and Owen took two truck loads out to the storage unit. We are making progress. Packing is now a daily pastime. I am so grateful to have Jeremy home from camp. It felt like life paused for a week and now we are back to moving full steam ahead. We switched the boys’ dressers so Graham can use the long dresser has a changing table. We will sell our changing table so it’s one less things to store. I’ve been sorting through our things and consolidating. I’m trying to be strategic when it comes to what stuff will move with us and what will go to storage.  The nice thing about having a project like this is I feel productive at the end of the day. Keeping my kids alive is a lot of work, but at the end of the day, I don’t always feel like I’ve accomplished a lot. Packing makes me feel like I’m doing something. It’s been good.

The week without Jeremy finished well. We went had dinner with my parents on Thursday and went down to Longview to hang with my sister on Friday. We took Owen to the park and he has a blast. We did a little shopping, got more “panda rice” and milkshakes at Burgerville. The boys were so excited when Jeremy came home. Graham crawled around the house trying to keep up with Jeremy. Every time he reached Jeremy, he would pull himself up and lift his arms up to be held. It was super sweet. Owen gave Jeremy numerous hugs and told him that he missed him. These boys love their Daddy! It’s great to have the family back together.

Our weekend was filled with family time. We drove over the mountains for my niece’s 4th birthday party on Saturday and then we had a family BBQ with relatives visiting from South Dakota on Sunday. Like I mentioned early, Monday was a big day of packing and taking loads to the storage unit. We also walked the property with a local contractor and ran errands up in Olympia. Jeremy hasn’t had any down time to recover from kid’s camp. While the boys napped, I worked on a MOPS project. I walked into our bedroom to find Jeremy laying on the bed with his eyes closed. My hubby never lays down, so this was a big deal. Poor guy just can’t rest with the pace we’ve set.

Yesterday, I went into the church to make a sign for our MOPS play date and then we went to the park to play. Owen had a great time going down the slide and watching for trains with his friends. As we were leaving the park, Owen yelled “Good-bye everybody!” It was sweet to see him connecting with his buddies.

Today, we have our rescheduled home tour with Lexar. I am excited to see if the plan we like is the “one”. If we don’t love this plan then it might be back to the drawing board for us. Lexar has raised their prices, so we might look into other builders. We aren’t sure yet. Things with the property are moving forward. We will need to nail down the details soon. We don’t want anything to hold us up once we have the green light to build.

That’s life in a nutshell. It’s wonderful to see the process move forward. Each steps brings us closer to the next. I’m excited that once we move, we will close. Once we close, we will have the finances to start building. This new home and all that it entails is an adventurous new chapter for our family. I have loved our current home and I am sad in way for this chapter to end. So many sweet and wonderful memories. I am equally thrilled though by the new memories we are going to make moving forward. God is in all the changes. He has our family in his hands. I am thankful, excited and looking forward to the future.

IMG_8198

Doesn’t everyone watch TV like this?


IMG_8247

Graham: How do I get up there?


IMG_8250

Playing outside while baby naps


IMG_8261

Dinner at Grandpa & Grandma’s new place


IMG_8318

Being such a big boy playing at the park


IMG_8379

Milkshakes with Auntie


IMG_8391

Welcoming Daddy home!


IMG_8498

Happy birthday, Brinley!


IMG_8506

Flying planes


IMG_8516

Cheering Daddy on while he plays a game


IMG_8543

Cousins and buddies!

 

 

2T August 27, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Recollections — Amy Scott @ 9:56 pm

Kissing his reflection in the shoe department of the Columbia Outlet

Kissing his reflection in the shoe department of the Columbia Outlet

A week ago we took Owen shopping at the Lincoln City Outlets. It could have been a disaster since he hadn’t napped in hours and had already spent the morning running around the Oregon Coast Aquarium. I was very concerned about his energy storehouse. Plus, shopping with Owen is always a gamble. He seems to be on his best behavior when shopping with just Jeremy, but add me to the mix and we have a crazy child on our hands. I wish I knew why. Oh the mind of a toddler. I’m happy to report that our shopping experience with Owen was delightful. Minus a tragic fall in the Old Navy Outlet that caused his mouth to bleed and Owen to wail loudly for some time… That was the low point, but it happened early on in the outing and Owen moved on from the whole ordeal fairly well.

It was hard to get a good picture, but here is Owen walking around with his very own shopping bag. He really got into the shopping experience!

It was hard to get a good picture, but here is Owen walking around with his very own shopping bag. He really got into the shopping experience!

I decided that Owen’s next wardrobe would be made up of clothes sized 2T. I compared and contrasted 24 months to 2T and decided that we would make the plunge into 2T. This meant shopping in a whole new section of most stores. My little boy’s clothes are now defined by years, not months. It really feels like he is no longer a baby even though he has been very a much a toddler for sometime. Transitions always have a way of reminding me how quickly time is flying by and how fast this little human is growing. Shopping with an almost 2 year old could have been a nightmare. Instead, Owen was quite helpful and carried items around the store for us. We would pick something like a jacket, pair of jeans, or pajamas and he would proudly walk around the items in hand. Just another reminder that he is big boy. Cashiers gave Owen small little bags that he could carry out of the store himself and he was as pleased as punch. It was the cutest sight.

Now I fully I expected all these 2T clothes to be HUGE on Owen, but for fun we tried a few on this week. They fit fairly normally which breaks my heart in a strange way. He is bigger than I expected. Owen also loves his new clothes (many of them have bulldozers and dump trucks on them). He begs to wear them and cries when we try to take them off. Since when did this kid ever care about fashion? He has suddenly developed an opinion on what he wears. I knew this was coming, but it’s a small thing like 2T clothes that make me realize we have a big boy on our hands.

This last week I’ve read a couple of sappy parenting articles on Facebook. Lord, help me. I am pregnant and hormonal and I should not be reading these. The water works have been insane. One article was about how older siblings might never remember a time without their younger sibling, especially if they are born close enough together. My sister and I are just a few weeks shy of two years apart and I don’t remember life before April. My memories have always included in her. I suspect that Owen will be the same way. He is will always remember his little brother. He won’t remember these days as a family of three. He won’t remember my transition to being a stay at home mom. He won’t remember the long days spent in our pajamas or the diaper time struggles. He won’t remember my joy over watching him learn words, shapes, sounds, colors and animals. In a lot of ways, I have begun to mourn the fact that it won’t always just be Owen and Mommy at home. I’m sure little brother will bring a whole new dynamic of fun and love, but things will never be the same. It was a good reminder for me to cherish in my heart the time that I have had with just Owen. I have grown and changed so much in the last two years. I guess I’m trying to keep up with Owen in more than one way. He is changing me as he changes and grows and develops. What a sweet period of time. I will remember it even though he won’t.

The other article was about how someday you will realize that your kid has passed a series of “lasts” and you might have missed it – last time building a fort with blankets, last time needing your help washing their hair. While Owen is still very much young and dependent on me, I am reminded that he won’t always be. He will continue to grow and mature through the different stages of childhood and into adulthood. I want to make the most of these moments and not let them slip by. I’m so amazed at how it’s the small things that seem to make the most impact in the long run. I am blessed that I can be present in these moments and enjoy them for their simple pleasure. I certainly have my days when this parenting gig seems like no fun and I wonder what I signed up for. It’s no walk in the park and my kid is hitting the terrible twos. But it won’t be this way forever. Someday I will have a quiet house and it will probably be clean and I will be an empty-nester. The family years will go fast. As the quote goes, the days are long but the years are short.

I think being pregnant around Owen’s 2nd birthday (about a month away from that milestone) has made me even more sentimental and emotional (aka hormonal). Maybe I would feel the same way about things if I wasn’t pregnant. All I know is that I want to remember this time. I want to remember shopping for 2T clothes at the outlets with my proud, big boy. I want to remember the family of three days with fondness. They have been so good and so hard and so worth it. I know that being a family of four will be awesome in a new way and I am excited to discover that. I am also excited to see the little person that Owen is becoming. He is funny, smart and creative. While I mourn the fact that he is no longer a baby, I wouldn’t want him to stay a baby forever. He just keeps getting more amazing with time. I love watching him become more and more himself as he discovers the world. It’s been an incredible journey and I am blessed that we get to start the process all over again with kiddo #2. However, I am not excited about the newborn sleep schedule that is right around the corner. I guess Owen has been a good guinea pig kid, because now I can remind myself that this to shall pass. I have survived life with Owen thus far and I am sure I’ll make through all the ups and downs with #2 as well. Plus, hopefully, I’ll have a little helper and Owen can show his little brother the ropes. I’m sure he’ll have some good brotherly insight into surviving life with their crazy parents!

Telling his buddies all about

Telling his buddies all about “trucks”

Helping water the fruit trees

Helping water the fruit trees

Playing with a new assortment of construction vehicles

Playing with a new assortment of construction vehicles

A chocolate milk reward for tagging along to my doctor's appointment

A chocolate milk reward for tagging along to my doctor’s appointment

 

29 January 16, 2015

Filed under: Family Time,Parenthood,Recollections,Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 10:25 pm

This week, I turned 29. This year seems like a landmark year for me. It’s the last year in my 20’s. It’s crazy how fast they went. It’s also crazy that the next decade that is right around the corner will probably go just as fast or even faster. How does time fly by so quickly? A lot has happened in my 20’s. I got married at age 20, graduated from college at 22, bought at house at age 23, had a baby at 27. Talk about a lot of life change in a 10 year span of time.  I also got to travel a lot more than I expect I would. I visited Nashville (x2), Atlanta, Chicago, Southern California (LA, Anaheim, San Diego, etc.), road tripped to San Francisco and through the Redwood forests, Washington DC, Vancouver BC, Hawaii, road tripped to South Dakota, road tripped to Kansas. That list isn’t in order and I probably missed a few cities, but the point is I’ve travelled. I love traveling. I love exploring new places. I love Disneyland. My one regret is that I’ve only been to Disneyland once in the last decade. That is truly sad. But there is always hope in my heart that Disneyland will be the next trip I take. It might be unrealistic hope, but it is hope nonetheless.

Back to my 20’s, Disneyland can complete derail my train of thought. While I know that life won’t end when I turn 30, I feel fully awake going into 29. I want to make it count. Not in big ways, I don’t have major plans. I just want it to be worth something. I want to end my 20’s the best way possible. In a recent conversation with a friend, she told me that she loved her 30’s way more than her 20’s. I can see her reasons for loving her 30’s already coming into play in my life. She said in her 30’s she really started to own who she is and care less and less about what other people think of her. She also mentioned that she loved watching the world through her kids’ eyes. I totally agree. I think 29 is so important to me because I want to embrace who I am. I don’t want to feel obligated to be anyone but me. I’m also starting to care less about the opinions of others. Not everyone will like me. I can be kind and I can be Christ-like, but I am not in control of what other’s think. Even if it’s about me. Also, having Owen in my life has been so enriching. I love being his mom and getting to watch him grow. I am a stay at home mom who volunteers at her church and mentors young girls a couple times a month. I am an avid reader. I watch way too much television. I love spending time with my family. I am blessed with great friendships. My life isn’t glamorous, but I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

On the eve of my birthday, I was thinking about my friends. Relationships change a lot in your 20’s. I went from dorm life to living in Lewis County (with my friends all away at college). I went from having friends nearby to having friends scattered around the country. I gained a mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law. I gained friends of many ages. No longer was my core group all my age. As I was thinking about the ladies in my life who I consider dear friends, I realized how blessed I was to be walking this road of life with so many fantastic people who I know love and support me. My family and friends have made life so meaningful and I look forward to many adventures with them in the future.

Also, I look at how much Jeremy and I have changed in 10 years. I sometimes wonder why Jeremy ever felt compelled to marry the 20-year-old version of me. I was so young. I was still a kid in so many ways. I grew up a lot in 20’s and I have become who I am through hard work and rocky roads. There has been joy and there as has been pain. Jeremy has been by my side the entire time. We are a team and his love has held me together when I thought I was unraveling. We celebrate 9 years of marriage this coming summer. Marrying Jeremy is without a doubt the best thing I did in my 20’s and paved the way for many other wonderful things – like our home and our family of three. I am truly blessed.

As I said before, I have no major plans for 2015 and 29. I just know it’s going to be a big year. I know it will continue to grow me and stretch me and change me. I know I have an opportunity live each day as it comes. I am so glad for where I have been and I am even more exited for what is to come.

For those who are the wondering, I spent my birthday in a two day celebration.  I spent the afternoon watching my movie with my sister while my mom watched Owen. It was nice to watch a movie without interruptions from my little man. My birthday was on a Wednesday and I teach 5th/6th grade girls at my church on Wednesdays, so I made the evening into a birthday party for me. We played Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Disney Scene It. There were party hats and noise makers. I made a Kit Kat cake with Reeces Pieces on top. It turned out great and tasted fabulous. (Note: This is not a cheap cake. Lots of candy is an investment. The bummer part is the candy only stays crunchy and fresh for a little while before the moisture of the cake affects it. By day 3, the candy has lost its crunch). On Thursday, we had my family over for dinner since that wasn’t an option on Wednesday. We had pizza and more cake (my favorite Safeway chocolate cake this time). Owen was the center of attention and it was a fun night to hang out with a few of my very favorite people. Overall, I would say the 29 kicked off to a great start. Now the slow march to 30… Just kidding. I mean, now for the epic journey that awaits before a new decade begins!

The Kit Kat cake I made for my birthday and shared with my Wednesday night class

The Kit Kat cake I made for my birthday and shared with my Wednesday night class

 

Partying with some of my favorite ladies!

Partying with some of my favorite ladies!

29 Candles

29 Candles

Another day, another cake!

Another day, another cake!

Owen enjoyed my birthday cake! This kid loves chocolate!

Owen enjoyed my birthday cake! This kid loves chocolate!

 

Documenting Owen October 26, 2014

Filed under: Getting Creative,Parenthood,Recollections — Amy Scott @ 2:16 pm

As with any new mom, I’ve spent the last year documenting Owen’s life to the fullest. I’ve been taking lots of pictures and saving mementos. This last month, I’ve put a bit of effort into some projects that document Owen’s first year of life. From the very beginning of my pregnancy with Owen, I knew that I was going to be using photo books from Shutterfly as my main way of saving memories. I kept a pregnancy journal using a Shutterfly photo book and had that book printed after Owen was born. For all of you who that I took no “bump” pictures, you were wrong. I took plenty. Only about half are documented in this book. I never posted a lot of pictures to Facebook, but I have them saved for myself and my family. I like that the journal captures what I liked and disliked while I was pregnant. It shows the transformation of the nursery and photos from my baby showers. It also talks about how we shared our baby news and the process that went into naming Owen. To compliment this pregnancy photo book, I’ve spent the last year making a photo book of Owen month to month. It’s mainly pictures with just a few highlights of holidays, trips and milestones. I love that with each page you can see Owen growing and changing. This photo book was meant to be Owen’s “Baby Book”. I didn’t plan on getting a baby book to write in dates and weights and milestones. Creativity did hit me though and I just created my own version of baby book. But more on that in a little bit.

After the photo books, I have two photo boxes from Michaels. One is full of mementos. It has items from the hospital, items from my baby showers, invitations to the baby showers, invitations to Owen’s birthday party. It has the first hair cut certificate in it and Owen’s birthday boy t-shirt. I love this box because it’s full of little items that hold big memories. The second photo box is all prints from Owen’s first year. I have a baby box full of photos and I wanted Owen to have the same. It’s a very heavy box full. My guess is that it probably has over 600+ pictures in it. Maybe even a thousand. I don’t know. But it’s full. This kid can’t say I didn’t take his picture!

Like I said before, originally my plan was to leave it at just the two books and the two boxes, but inspiration hit and I ended making my own version of a baby book this weekend. It was partially inspired by my sister-in-law’s blog. She writes monthly updates on her littlest guy. I love these posts because it give a great look at the things Keegan is into and all the ways that he is changing month to month. She mentioned that these posts will come in handy when she someday needs to remember the monthly milestones for Keegan’s baby book. I thought about it and I decided that I have monthly updates from this blog that are all about Owen and I would use the blog posts to create a baby book. I started off by just printing the monthly posts, but then I went back and read through my posts for the last year. I decided that I would print any post that was mostly all about Owen. I also created a fact sheet page that had all kinds of little tidbits about Owen and his first year. I included all the stats from his doctors appointments and the milestones that I could remember. I also included a photo collage of Owen’s monthly pictures. I was going through my files and discovered that I had typed up Owen’s birth story while it was still fresh last year. I printed that birth story to include in this make-shift baby book. The result is pretty much a baby novel instead of a baby book. It’s a very detailed account of Owen’s first year and I used mostly pieces that I already created throughout the year. I know that I had a lot of this stuff in digital form on my computer, but I like that I now I have a printed hard copy of it. I threw all these pieces into a three-ring binder and printed a cover sheet. And that is the story behind how Owen’s baby book came to be.

I know that these items will get lots of use through the years. At first, I’m sure only I will be the one to grab them and look back through them. Sometime in the future, I hope that Owen will read them and flip through them. I hope he can see how loved he is through the written words and the absurd amount of photos that were taken of him. It’s so special to have these memories to share with him for a long time to come!

Boxes full of memories!

Boxes full of memories!

Pregnancy Photo Book and Owen's First Year Photo Book

Pregnancy Photo Book and Owen’s First Year Photo Book

Owen's Homemade Baby Book

Owen’s Homemade Baby Book

I had fun! Owen Month by Month!

I had fun! Owen month by month!

 

Dreaming of Autumn August 6, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood,Recollections — Amy Scott @ 10:23 am

Autumn Colors from 2009

Autumn Colors from 2009

The itch has hit! I wish it were fall! Now most would assume that is because I’m anxious for our little man to get here (and I am), but autumn is my favorite season for so many reasons! I think that might be because my work at the church revolves around the school calendar. September for me is the kick-off of the year. It’s a new beginning. The kids all move up into their new classes and things reset for another year. Not to mention the flavors and smells of autumn are some of the best – pumpkin, apple, all the those spices! My favorite foods are fall foods! And the colors, the oranges and reds – so beautiful! I absolutely love it and I can’t wait for it to get here.

Because I’ve been a little impatient in my waiting, I’ve switched all my Scentsy scents over to cider smells! My house has that yummy apple and cinnamon smell that I adore! I also made pumpkin waffles and pumpkin bread last week. I couldn’t help myself! A lot of August is prepping for the fall season to start, so I guess that is why it is at the forefront of my mind. Hunting season starts in September which is a major autumn event in our family and there have already been many conversations from excited hunters about heading out into the woods in hopes of bringing home a deer or elk. All these things spur on my excitement (not exactly bringing down of Bambi) and have increased my level of anticipation.

Plus, it’s hard to not be excited for this next phase of life as Jeremy prepare to welcome a new member to our family. Now I know that babies are rarely born on their due date, but our due date – October 12th – just happens to be the day that Jeremy emailed me almost 9 years ago asking if we could get to know each other better. If you want to read our story, click this blog post – Small Beginnings. Since Jeremy and I started our dating adventures in the fall, that might also play into the romance of the season for me. We had no clue when we started those phone calls and emails in October of 2004 where we would be in October of 2013. Our journey together has been an amazing adventure and it’s only going to get better! I’m sure!

While I’ve had no major food cravings, now that it’s getting towards the end of summer and those back to school sales are going on and the world is preparing for another season, I’m right there too – ready for the next season. I’m ready for those autumn months with their amazing goodies, lovely scenery, cooler weather and special memories! I can’t wait for the new memories that we will create just around the corner!

 

Office Good-Byes June 11, 2013

Filed under: Recollections,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 7:50 pm

The Bethel Team saying good-bye to Christa

The Bethel Team saying good-bye to Christa

I am blessed to work in an environment where my co-workers are my friends. Especially over the years of ministry together we have built deep relationships and become very close. This is the situation with my dear friend, Christa, who is now leaving our team to move back to her home base in California. When she first was hired at Bethel Church back in 2006, I had been filling in for a month as the receptionist. Once Christa was hired, we shared the role and I was able to go to part-time. This met my needs well because I was a college student finishing my degree as well as actively involved in ministry. This gave me enough hours to contribute to our monthly budget but still have time for school and ministry. It was pretty obvious who was better at the job – it wasn’t me by the way. Christa became the rock star receptionist and really blew me out of the water. Eventually the opportunity came for me to move away from the front desk and start working with Children’s Ministries. This was perfect because CM was my heart’s passion and Christa would have full reign of the front desk – where she continued to thrive and add to the value of the position (because she’s amazing and so much cooler than me).

Because we had always shared the job, we never saw each other. We were just like ships passing. Once I was in a different role, I was actually in the office at the same time as her. This deepened our friendship and relationship to point where we’re at today. Christa has become a forever friend. She is someone that I plan on being close with 30 years from now and beyond. I’ve told her she can’t shake me and so far she doesn’t seem too freaked out by that! Little doesn’t she know what she’s gotten herself into. As I was giving her a good-bye hug today, I reminded her that we now have a lifelong commitment of friendship! It’s a forever thing! I have a close circle of forever friends that no matter where on the planet they land, I will keep in contact with them. Christa is in that circle.

Forever Friends!

Forever Friends!

Christa has kept me sane while I’ve worked at Bethel. Let’s be honest, church ministry can get hairy sometimes and she has been a friend that I trust. She has let me vent and rant at her. She has listened to my logic and told me I’m not crazy even when I’ve felt like I’m losing my mind. As I described her today at her going away party, she has been my padded room. She has been a safe place and a safe person to be real with. I will deeply miss that connection. Not only has she listened to me and loved me, she has made me laugh and provided many a brain breaks for me on busy days. It’s nice to have a buddy down the hall to chat with for a few minutes. Her family was a part of our life group a few years ago and I will greatly miss them as well. I was telling her that when I see her boys next I’m sure there going to be tall and all grown up. It will be hard to not be around for those years to watch them grow and here the funny stories. I’m sure I’ll still hear a funny story from time to time though because remember, she can’t shake me! I’ll need updates!

So this blog is an ode to friendship and to Christa. She has been a life saver for me on more than one occasion. Our similarities have made us close. We really do understand where the other is coming from because we  think the same way. It can eery at times how in sync we are. We share a love of organization and office supplies – two major bonding topics in my book. Overall, we’ve just lived life together for many years. It won’t be the same without her presence daily in my life. I’ve been honest with those around me and said that today is a dramatic day for me. All the emotions of having her leave are on the surface and I’m not even trying to filter them. Thus, I’ve been a bit of a downer as I’ve acted like it is the end of world. While the world will still keep turning, I do wish it would turn with Christa down the hall and not in California.

Christa, thank you for your friendship! Thank for you listening! Thank for you laughing! Thank you for loving! You are a treasure! California is blessed to be getting you back and Washington is mourning. Life won’t be the same. You have been a joy to work with and I am glad that you are more than a co-worker! I’m praying God’s blessing on your family as you move home and start a new season.  Good things are in store for you! You are amazing and replaceable!

I love you!