The List..

A little fun here at Roosevelt House..

10. I just realized the school does not get out til the 21st of June..WHAT THE HECK!! Pretty soon we are going to have 4th of July break I swear.

9. So I'm leaning toward deleting my facebook account..yes I was the one that convinced many of you to get one..sorry I lied.

8. I really am loving helping Heather with project Heather.. she is a total doll that and it's been fun getting to know her better along with stretching me creatively.

7. Can't wait to head to AZ, see my AZ friends (minus a few...sniff sniff) eat at Pita Jungle, go to SAS and snap some pic's of a pretty awesome family. It's gonna be a busy 3 days!!

6. Umm the weather!! Seriously a January in Washington with like 60 degree days?? Hardly any rain?? (I hear spring birds chirping RIGHT NOW!) I've been working in my yard, prepping my garden, and readying the coop for some girls..YAY!! Of course the down side to this is I know it's going to rain until August..which I guess is fine since we don't get out of school until the 4th of stinking July, right?

5. A few peeps I'm pretty darn proud of?? The sassy ladies at Wild Whimsy got into none other than the Farm Chicks show!! WOOHOO for them!!

4. Wow I wondered if I actually had enough stuff for a list..guess I do.

3. Paris fashion week..many AWESOME pic's here. I'm not claiming to a fashionista (cuz I'm typing this in spongebob pajama's and a paint stained sweatshirt) but I'm having a really hard time this spring with the whole bootie and high heel look..maybe in Paris yes..Snohomish Washington..no.

2. When I first started the list, I always included something either political or pop-culturish (two of my very favorite subjects) I need to start doing that again. This week Elizbeth Edwards..why did you stay with that creeper for so stinking long?? I'm not a man hater..and I don't always think infidelity should end in divorce..I do think you gave him so many more chances than he deserved and for what it's worth, this humble girl at Roosevelt House wishes you the very best of luck with your new life:)

1. Do you ever have one of those weeks when life seems good? Not great, no there is still struggle, hurt, confusion, brokenness, betrayal..but it's one of those weeks that I can look past it. I know that this life is fleeting, it will be gone tomorrow and really the small stuff (and small people for that matter)WILL NOT slow me down.
Love these kind of weeks:)

Heather week # 28

When I called Heather yesterday she'd had a discouraging week. Her ultra-sound on Tuesday revealed her cervix is even shorter than when she was admitted about 5 weeks ago. She also strained some muscles in her belly, which is super painful.

Bright side? Babes are doing well!! Very well! Still growing, and staying put..which is the goal.

This week say a little prayer for Heather. 5 weeks in the hospital with as many as 11 more to go might just seem a tad overwhelming. Bad days..even bad weeks are allowed! BUT for the record I've hardly seen the bad days with this one!! She remains so upbeat, so positive, I'm just amazed.

Quick side note..when I was almost 30 weeks pregnant years ago with my twin babes..I DID NOT look this good!! Seriously!! What a beauty.
She wears motherhood well.

I can do better...

Yesterday I was watching the Today Show while at the gym, I watched an interview with a women who claims to have had a near death experience. Let me Amber paraphrase the interview for you..

I was being held and felt such peace..

A voice said, "I'm sorry you can't stay"

"But I was a good mother, I was a good wife, I worked with cancer patients, please let me stay."

"Have you ever felt loved like you feel right now?" the voice said.

"No."

"You can't stay"

"But I'm only human! I can't love like that"

"You can do better"

Wheather or not I believe her story is irrelevant, because her basic message of this encounter is what really struck me and has stayed with me since..

What if everyday, I thought to myself..Amber you can do better.
Not in the "I'm gonna beat myself up over it" kinda way.

No, I'm talking about in the..

Amber, you can love better kinda way.

Love selflessness.
Love forgiveness(over and over and over again). (and over and over and over again).
Love faith.
Love beauty.
Love love.
Love peace.
Love generosity.
Love the life I was given.

I just can't help but think how different this world would be if we all looked at ourselves in the mirror and said..I can do better.

Project Heather..

This dear sweet girl is very busy..she is busy growing twin babies in her petite belly:) She is not due until April but was hospitalized right before Christmas..the Dr's have not said a word about her returning home (until the babies are safely born)...so this means she has a little bit of a hospital stay ahead of her..all for the sake of the precious life she has growing inside her belly.

What an inspirational Momma!

A few weeks ago as we were chatting, we came up with the great idea of capturing her weekly growth on camera..she wanted something to look back on as well as a way to chart her progress.. thus begun Project Heather.

So the question is how does one take flattering, artistic pictures when your beautiful subject cannot sit up for more than about 5 minutes and you are in a hospital room with one tiny little window?? The answer is..very quickly!! Luckily she is a very willing subject who is just as sweet as can be, sure makes it easy on me!

I'm hoping to post pictures every week, along with the culmination of the birth. It's always such an honor to be included in a another woman's journey, please join me in Heathers.

The List

My other favorite thing about my husband besides the way he jogs (so sexy) Is the way he burns...gotta love a man that likes to get a good hot fire going and do some yard work!

The very BEST BEST BEST pot roast recipe you will EVER find..I promise! Yum!!

10. Passive aggresive people..not a fan.

9. I'm going to be ordering some chickens in the next few weeks..it will be good to know where my eggs are coming from once again.

8. Zach and I are going to sneak off to AZ in the next few weeks..taking some time to see some friends and to see that bright thing in the sky called the sun..

7. Have you heard the news?? Miss Elaine is hosting her first annual "Boho" art retreat..ooh it's gonna be fun..ooh you don't want to miss out..oooh there is only 10 spaces and I'm taking one..so that means only 9 left..glitter, solder, food, laughs, and lots and lots of encouragement for your WONDERFUL artistic spirit!! Go! Now!

6. Today I looked in my closet and decided it's time for some new clothes..shh don't tell Zach.

5. One of my New Years resolutions was to keep my finger nails painted more (yes I know I set the bar SUPER high for myself). So far I've done it twice..

4. Went and saw Avatar..not too sure what all the hype is about...

3. Zach is taking next week off..stay tuned for short blog posts about a mans being at work..away from his wife..so she can do what she wants..like blog.

2. So am I the only one with issues about Valentines Day "stuff" already being marketed? I know it happens every year but man...we just get done with Christmas!! Now don't get me wrong..this in no means gets you off the hook Zach (Anthro gift card). I just feel like there is a constant barrage (Anthro gift card) of consumerism (Anthro gift card). No wonder Americans (Anthro gift card) are in so much debt.

1. And speaking of Valentines Day..Isabelle has taken to writing poetry. I have to say I'm pretty impressed with some of her stuff...she wrote this little ditty.

love is love

theres no way you can explain it.

Out of the mouths of babes..

We have a winner!!

And it's...


Deb !!

I will be in touch..maybe coffee and a book?

Do these comments make my butt look big?

There was this girl that I went to high school with. Let's call her Betty Lou. Betty Lou was skinny and all the boys liked her. And every so often she would come and sit down at our table with a loud sign and say..

"Oh I'm so fat!"

To which all the girls at the table would interject..

"No Betty Lou! You are not fat!"

"No Betty Lou! You are the most skinny girl around!"

"No Betty Lou! I wish I was as skinny as you!"

It took me a few years to see the pattern or really maybe I never even realized it until after I graduated. You see Betty Lou really only said those things so people would say nice things back to her..poor dear, I'm sure she was just having a bad day and itching for a compliment. I can totally relate to Betty Sue..

While I'm not fishing for compliments about my body shape (but will gladly take them if you feel it necessary) I'm speaking of my blog..

My blog comments..or rather the lack there of.

I'm insecure about it. I don't want to be insecure about it. I don't want you to think I'm blogging about this so you will all start commenting..and say things like..

"Oh Amber! You have the best blog around!" (ok really I do want you to say that)

"Oh Amber! I'm just so enraptured by your fine writing skills I forget to leave comments" (ok you can say that too)

"Oh Amber! You are the skinniest girl around!" (yes yes you can say that as well)

When I first started blogging I never told anyone..not a soul. For one whole year I sheepishly typed, praying no one would ever find me. Then people started finding me. Remember that scene in Julia and Julia, when she got her first comment?..Yes it was from her Mom..but if you blog you know what feeling I'm talking about.

I'm not going to lie, comments feel good.
Maybe comments feel good for all the wrong reasons.
Maybe I once again need to start sheepishly typing and praying no one will find me.
Maybe I need to stop worrying about what people are going to think or say and just write what I feel.

Or maybe I just need to get over myself and my ego.

Bummer.

I hate it when I have to get over myself.

I mean its hard, cuz I'm so awesome and all..

Shoot there I go again.

This is going to be harder than I thought.



Oh and I'm hosting a give-away so go leave a comment..ha!

On the shelf..

I'm a reader, so much in fact I prefer books to real life.

This can be a problem.

At times I have my nose so buried in a book that life tends to waltz right past me.

This really can be problem.

As I write this, I'm looking up at my very plump book shelf.

The word escapism comes to mind.

"Escapism is the mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant aspects of daily stress."

Guilty.

If you need a diversion from daily stress, let me make a few recommendations..

The Sartorialist..Scott Schuman

Ok first off, the guy is self trained, no real photog training. Wow. Is he the best fashion photog out there? No, but his pictures of beautifully well dressed people walking around Milan, Paris and other fabulous places capture you..the pictures make you want to try a little harder in the morning, but not in that "I suck" kinda depressed way. I've drawn so much inspiration from his style and his ability to make people look like high-fashion models (ok some really are). Many times he does not even speak the language of the person he is shooting.. he just holds up the camera and they pose..killin me.
He started with a blog, that moved to multiple photog fashion gigs and now he has a book..sooo not fair! (ok I'm making it sound a little bit simple..but you get my point) If your looking for some good fashion inspiration or some good photog inspiration pick this one up..you won't be disappointed.

A million miles in a thousand years..Donald Miller.

His first book, Blue Like Jazz kinda hacked me off in a few places truthfully. Especially politically. But he does make me think, actually re-think what I believe and why I believe it. For this I'm very grateful. I like to imagine myself a person that can hold her own in many types of discussions..so when a book forces me to learn more about myself and my beliefs I have to appreciate it.
As far as his new book is concerned, I started it with the same feeling..like I might be irritated with the book, but my opinion has quickly changed. I'm part of the many who thinks this book is just plain AMAZING, I mean really life altering. It is almost like he just might be inside my noggin, in fact I'm pretty sure he is inside of many of our noggins daring to write what we want to keep secret. Good stinking stuff.

In fact its so good, I'm going to give it away..because well..I guess I'm just awesome like that and I'm telling you this book is just awesome like that. So comment by next Friday and tell me what your reading (or not reading). I will try and post the winner Saturday morning.

Oh and Miss Elaine has a pretty cool announcement..go check it out.