The List...

It was a magical week around Roosevelt House.

LOVE this.

10. PANIC!!!!!! The rain turned to SNOW and we all need to find the tallest hill in our general vicinity, drive down it, crash in the ditch and just leave our car there until the snow melts.

I do love me a good western Washington snow storm..this witty post is being brought to you by..

SNOWMAGEDDON 2012

9. Back in the days of me reproducing at such a rapid rate I sure wish someone would have pulled me aside and said, "Amber, not only will your boobs sag for the rest of your life, but you will have to put snow clothes on and off of FOUR children everysingletime it snows."

Snow clothing for the 4 Strehle kiddos is like me taking on a second job..

This year was different though, I only had one little guy to help out and it made me a wee sad.

(the current state of my breasts makes me sad as well, but I buy undergarments to that fix that..growing kiddos? No fix for that) (How many other writers do you know that can tie breasts, snow pants and children all together?? It takes skills dear reader..skills I tell ya.)

8. I will not lie. I'm in LOVE with Pinterest. Who are these people that keep inventing social media must-haves that become complete and udder time suckers, that unknowingly forever change our lives??? I've long had a magazine fetish (I think most creatives do) and Pinterest is like your favorite magazine times 1000, straight to your computer..everysingleday.

7. I'm in LOVE with this image..

(via The Sartorialist)

Now..admittedly I could/would/should not (see#9) wear this while shooting.. BUT to me this just reenforces my belief that what we wear is such an extension of who we are. My BFF Scott Schuman interviewed her about this outfit..she expresses her belief about why she wears what she wears beautifully. Check it out here.

6. Why do us mothers have such a hard time with the notion we actually deserve to dress nice??Does it make you feel selfish and or shallow to think about clothing and MAC lipstick?? Our daily reality is more often the velour sweat-suit rather than the black skinny jeans..but looking nice is nothing to be ashamed about.. ever.

(stepping off soap-box now)

5. Republican primaries..UGH...just hurry and be over already.

4. When the snow started melting I could not help but think of spring..yes I know it's a long way off, but the melting snow has oh-so many metaphors.. I do love me some new beginnings.

3. Favorite iphone photo ever..


Lights up at the Mumford show..me singing along with a bazillion other peeps, sexiest jogger hubby nestled tightly behind me..moved me to tears I tell ya.

2. Have you ever noticed that most beautiful work/amazing art/life changing words almost always come from great pain? Our humanity can birth beautiful things, but it never really comes easily.

1. Some might call this narcissistic or as sexiest jogger in all the land husband said (insert sarcastic tone here), "Sure Amber, God made that huge snow storm that shut down the entire western side of our state and cost businesses thousands of dollars just for you." But that is what Snowmageddon felt like to me. A gift just for me. We have had a crazy, blessed, rough, busy, awesome, scary, just plain out of control 4 months..then..nothing..like a forced by nature nothing. No one coming or going just a beautiful white silence. One day when the power was out, me plus the 4 Strehle kiddos were all cuddled up on the sofa.. together, nothing electronic, no one fighting, no where to be, warm, cozy.. perfection.