Big K Little k what begins with K?

KANKLES & KUPCAKZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a very long two weeks of being stuck inside in a chair due to my (stupid foolish unfortunate untimely) accident I attempted to run a few errands. The ankle is doing better but still quite bruised and swollen ---YUCK------------->

On Monday my lovely sister Sammi took me to the salon that she works at Sterling & Co. for a cut and nice fresh color. Then we headed to Zio's for lunch and on to the local Michael's to shop around. This was my first wheelchair shopping experience and I didn't like it very much since i was unable to pick everything up and look at it and put it back on the shelf like i normally do. hahah My sister enjoyed this shopping experience even less.
Here's a picture of a first for me-I like to think of it as EXTREME shopping .

Today I was on my way back from having my windshield replaced and decided to stop at one of my favorite places in Tulsa it's called KUPCAKZ and it way better than OKC's Cuppies & Joe or Sarah Sarah's. My personal favorite is the 'Cheeky Monkey' it's a banana cupcake with creamcheese icing pralined pecans and carmel....i'm drooling.

Now I do realize the last thing you wanted to see with these beautiful delicious treats was my rotting zombie foot but that's been my week and i hope you enjoyed. Next time you're in Tulsa you should visit Kupcakz and me as well. ;)

Movin' On Up

This Sunday St. Mark's held their graduation ceremony for the Pre-K classes. I can hardley believe how fast this year went by! When i quit my job with AAI I knew that i would be taking a major leap of faith; loosing my health insurance, paid vacation, benefits, and not to mention a major cut to my annual salary. Although i loved the company i was working for and had been at for 2 years i felt like i was missing something sitting behind a desk and was compelled to go back to teaching somehow. I felt it was worth it and put in my two weeks notice not even knowing where i would find a job or how i would pay my bills. Trusting in God alone to provide. Before my last day at Advanced Academics i was interviewed and given the position at St. Marks' Pre-School. Little did i know what a blessing that job, the kids, the parents, and my co-workers would be to me! I will miss everyone of them as they move on to Kindergarten but they have filled my life with so much joy and laughter.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from this year:

Age Old Advice from the Zombies and Other Situational Ethics

This week i've heard the Zombies 'Time of the Season' at least a dozen times on the radio therefore because of it's own timeless relentlessness i'm dedicating a blog entry to it-

"what's your name?
Who's your daddy?
Is he rich like me?"

money update- I hate that I have none and yet I hate that i am so dependent upon having it. In the last 7 months i quit a job I had grown to detest and have since taken another job that makes 1/2 as much. This new job has made me quite happy. It's a blessing to wake up (most) every morning and be thrilled about getting to work. Therefore i can't (i can but really shouldn't) complain about my new financial situation. I have a tendancy to romantanticize the past no matter how bad and so i'm coming to terms with the fact that even when i was making more money i could have been more responsible. So today with the persuasion of a dear friend i set up a time to meet with a financial planner. yay. In the meantime do i look for a new job? making more money?

"has he taken any time
to show you what you need to live?
tell it to me slowly.
It's the time of the season for loving"



relationship update- ehhh. i don't think i've dated anyone who has really went out of their way to put effort into the relationship. I've always been the one forcing things to happen. Which has really killed the romantic in me. I'm afraid that i've watched too many chick flicks and have read to many Jane Austen books and the likes thereof to know how to handle a real life relationship. "you don't want to be in love, you want to be in love in a movie" - Sleepless in Seattle. Truer words were never spoken when it comes to how i feel lately. What if i come across a good thing and can't even reckognize it for what it really is? curse you EverAfter with your handsome prince and cleverly written lines. I shake my fist at you!

Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread out encouraging young things to grow.

Tonight i had been invited by a friend to accompany him to an Associates Banquet for Oklahoma Christian for people who donate money throughout the year. It was held at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum. The people were dressed fancy (myself included), the dinner was superb, and the speaker phenomenal.
Col. Douglas Wheelock the Commander of the International Space Station was the key note speaker. I sat there and listened in wonderment as he described working at the space station and having the opportunity to orbit the earth every 90 minutes, to see the sun set 16 times a day, and to be so utterly petrified as he stared into the deepness of space and realize that the earth in all her glory is just being held there in the cosmic abyss.

He spoke about the importance of influencing others. He discussed his love for his legend, Yankees player, Bobby Mercer and how he looked up to that man and was encouraged by his life and solid character. From here Col. Wheelock went on to discuss our unique and sacred God given priveledge to not only shape young peoples minds but their hopes and dreams as well.

This made me think of something one of my precious students asked me in class earlier this week- "Ms. Amanda, did your mommy show you how to be a teacher?" to which i responded "No she didn't teach me how to be a Teacher, but she did teach me how to be a good person, she showed me how to be kind to others and do what is right." I have since been thinking about this simple question and i'd like to resubmit my answer; yes my mother has shown me how to be everything that i am. She's the reason i am hardworking. As a matter of fact most any of my good qualities can be attributed to her and the way i witnessed her living her life. See it's important to remember that shaping a child's character is not entirely based on what you tell them and teach them, where they really learn is through the actions they see. My mother disciplened me because she loved me and she always explained the reason why, she showed me the importance of loving others by going well out of her way to love them. I work hard because she works hard. Now that i'm grown up and i call my mother because i'm having a though time i know that i can get through it because she has been there herself and has triumphed.

Tonight has made me remember what a vital role we all play in the lives of those we encounter on a daily basis, be it young or old. My prayer is that you and I will be open to fill that role should God choose to bless us with such an opportunity.

~Amanda

this could be the beginning of a beautiful craftmanship...

"white wedding" hair clip $10









Rings $6-$10














button Earings $6 each


















"birds of a feather" headband $10

























"the betty" hairband $10

Whiskers on Kittens and Blue Satin Sashes...

I just wanted to take a few lines to express a few of my favorite things in 2009:

Day after Christmas sledding with my siblings

Becoming friends with Melissa Shumate (more like her allowing me to become friends with her) Coming home from a long stressful day at work to find that Nathan Roll had cleaned, mowed, vaccuumed, you name it.

The camping trip with Little Jim (and his spur of the moment chair purchasing) and eating fresh trout thanks To Christopher Carrero, not to mention mine and Kristin's late night bathroom run. ;)

Anna's Riverboat Regatta Birthday celebration and Matt Boydstun's top hat,

Running my first 5k in the memorial marathon

Johnna and Rachel expecting their first childMarch and April-

the lessons that God taught me and the friends that helped me during the demise of Little Bobby G. (see picture below)

special thanks to- Matt Boydstun, Brent Parr, Matthew Sattre, Megan Parr, Allison reed, Christopher Carrero, amber Hearn, vicki, Jenna Pekrul, jon treat, and Kate Conklin for everything they did from staying with me, giving me rides, helping me move, giving me money, prayers and support, to actually retrieving my car and fixing it.

Chris Carrero wearing the apron

saran wrap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! comes in handy when you have sun poisoning.

visitin casey and her pashmina? in texas

fishing with my dad and catching nothing.

Regina's art debut

watching the meteor shower with byron

all my talks with Barbie.

Sunday nights in the summer swimming, volleyball, and orange tree.

Angelyn moving back from China

Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long blog

Gina(koriann) and Gina's (amanda's) day of fun

the movie - the tiger in the snow

the soundtrack from - (500) days of summer

seeing Alex become a hugger!

moving into the Casa De LAAC and the wonderfulness of my roommates and our differences that makes it fun to live here.

my mom's 50th birthday party. especially giving her the welcome mat.

and most importantly the music video from Michael Buble's 'haven't met you yet'


... What a great time was had in the Land of Quartz Mountain. Such dangerous battles were waged without so much as a casuality (if you don't include the pig fetus) until the end. When upon leaving for home Little Bobby G a jelly bean of a mighty steed broke. Leaving 10 brave, valiant, and kind Retreaters stranded for 3 hours with NO TOW TRUCK ON THE WAY. ;)A big thanks to those ANGELS who stayed with me and helped mourn through the loss of such a beloved automobile.

25 Mucho Random Factoids about Me

1) i can fold my tongue into a clam shape

2) i watch too many sappy chick flicks obsessivly just hoping some one might take notice and meet me at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentines day, but on the way get caught in an elevator with a man who knows exactly what he wants and some woman who is going to have her eyes lasered but is frustrated because she can't find her tic tacs. Causing us to never meet up, which leads him to write me a letter every day for a year declaring his undying love. all the while building our dream home with the blue shutters on the windows. When really we've met before at the University of Chicago we drove to New York together but He didn't think that men and women could be friends and i said that was a shame cause he was the only person i knew in New York. We would later run into each other and "all i could say was hello". Where he would go
on to explain that he had been painting to which i would respond if he could paint i could walk!

3.) my sister and i have a secret special laugh

4.) i think a day without song is a day wasted

5.) i like my feet

6.) if i could travel back in time i would go to a Journey concert at the peek of Steve Perry's career and ask him to marry me. mullet and all.

7.) i count down the days till Christmas and start listening to christmas music way to early in the year. like... july. my fav christmas song is "last Christmas" by WHam!

8.) i love to visit art museums

9.) i've positioned my bed just right that the sun light perfectly hits me in the face as i wake up. :) it's a glorious feeling.

10.) one day i'd like to have a husband and 10 children

11.) i miss playing sports, basketball and softball. so now i go to games just so i can feel like i'm being active. i also like to yell unintelligable things in a really angry voice.

12.) when i go home to visit my family away from the city, the first thing i do is look up at the stars. i close my eyes and take a really deep breath as if i could suck them all in. it's fun you should try it some time.

13.) in middle school i used to have sleepovers every weekend on my trampoline

14.) one of my fav lunches is a peanut butter jelly sandwich with BBQ chips and a glass of chocolte milk. all together. yum!

15.) i have a hard time saying the words : tranquilizer, cinnamon, and sorry.16.) during big moments in my life i hear the Theme song to the Mary Tyler Moore show playing in my head. then when no one is looking i toss my invisible hat up in the air!17.) out of all the books i own i've read 1/2 of them and have only read 1/2 of the other 1/2. it's a pattern in my life. starting things and never finishing. :)

18.) i love Chess (and monopoly) but can never find anyone to play it with.

19.) i like to stretch in the mornings while i brush my teeth.

20.) i have a secret desire to write a book or own my own small buisness

21.) i've recently started collecting sock monkies and vinal records.

22.) i've sung on television 3 times. (once on Good Morning America)

23.) Cantaloupe is my favorite fruit

24.) i've jumped in a freezing mountian stream in Ireland against my better judgement and lived to tell the tale.

25.) whenever possible i drive with my windows down, no matter how cold