Girl, Clean Your Car

Okay, folks. It's the time of year again... the time when we're all getting our crap together.

The school supplies are organized. The clothes are clean and neatly in drawers ready to be lived in by your tribes. The groceries are stocked and the meals are planned and you, my friend, are ready for another fabulous school year. Well, maybe... but anyway, as I got into my planning and organizing for our school year, I was feeling pretty good about my efforts until that is... I got into my mini van. As I slid open the door for my little savages  children to get in, my awesomeness balloon literally deflated right in my face. I can't even begin to describe to you the disgust that shot through my entire body as I took in the sights and smells (I know, ewww). Do you know the definition of disgust? I just looked it up and it really fits perfect. The definition reads, "a feeling of revulsion or profound disapproval aroused by something unpleasant or offensive." And friends, it was certainly offensive and possibly hazardous to our health.

Our family spends most mornings and early afternoons getting edubacated (yes, we homeschool and yes, I spelled that wrong on purpose -- it's a joke, people). By 4pm almost everyday we are in our van and headed to our dance studio. Now, I want you to know, I love our vehicle. I carry no shame in my minivan game. When my oldest was 3 (7 years ago) Matt and I purchased it with cash money that we had been saving up for 3 years!!! In fact, I blogged about it WAY back then and you can read about it here.

These days we spend a lot of time in that silver bullet and we really like the van we have. It's got plenty of space for all of my crazies children and all of the necessities that come with us... AND it has cup holders on tap! Who doesn't need 15 cup holders???? Haters gonna hate but I'm gonna keep riding into the sunset in my sweet minivan, but... I digress.

The point of this blog is to share with you how freaking gross our van had gotten, why it was basically my own fault, how we are putting an end to that atrociousness in the Sanders Fam and to challenge you clean your vehicle (and to keep it that way too).

After, spending 2 hours cleaning out aka throwing trash, shoes, clothes, toys, books and other nastyness out the window all the while huffing under my breath, looking like a mad women, I finally had a van that would be presentable to take to a car wash, but nope! I decided I had let it get this way by allowing my wild beasts children to destroy our family car and now I would be the one putting in the work to restore it back to a place of joy upon entering. Now, let me say this, usually when we clean the van out it's a team effort. We all contributed to the mess, we will all contribute to the clean up, but this time... I knew I wanted to do a REALLY REALLY good job therefore, I needed it to have my undivided attention. After another hour of vacuuming and wiping and spraying and hosing down, we finally had a presentable, comfortable and clean van. I bought 2 little trashcans. One, I bungee corded it to the middle console and the other I placed in the back row so the amazingly awesome children I have could put their trash in it's proper place. I thought about banning food in the van after the icky amount crumbs I discovered while cleaning but we live in our van. The truth is, we WILL be eating in our van, taking that away would only make my life harder so that meant we needed a place to put the wrappers and cups and straws and sporks. I also put two tubberware drawers with plastic bags and other supplies we need or use and a cute basket to keep things like umbrellas and running clothes (bc just incase).

Now... we've cleaned our van out many a times only to find ourselves back to driving around in a dumpster within a week. How then are we going to break this rut of filth?? Well, let me tell you. I'm trying this new thing where I actually keep promises I make to myself (I'm reading, Girl Wash Your Face and personally want to thank Rachel Hollis for the motivation). I've come to the conclusion that it is possible to keep my van clean but it's going to take some work on my part.

We called a family meeting. Talked about keeping promises and discussed how it important it is to me that we keep our van clean. The kids all agreed to work hard and do their part in taking out things they bring in, throwing trash in the garbage cans provided. We're almost 3 weeks in (this is a long time in the clean minivan game) and the van is still clean!! Yes, we will still have do some monthly maintenance like vacuuming and changing out the trash, but we are doing a fantastic job of keeping our word and keeping our family vehicle clean and I'm so proud of us.

I've also given my husband (who keeps his car immaculate and always has because you never know when you're going to have to give your boss a ride) permission to do a van cleanliness check whenever he wants to. This means at any point he can check the van and proceed to post his findings on social media. He might find some pleasure in this too because he does not approve of a messy vehicle!

So that's my challenge to you! Clean your car, come up with a plan to keep it clean, follow through and enjoy it!

If you're already a "clean car" person, good for you. I apologize that you've now wasted your time learning about how disgusting my minivan has been for the last 7 years. I would however, like to assure you I excel in a lot of other areas!  In fact, I'm annoyingly organized and I actually enjoy doing laundry (I know I'm a real weirdo, but I wear my weirdness with pride, ya'll)!

Cheers and happy cleaning!!

The 

Process

(You have no idea the amount of random stuff I found. I also found 37 pens and pencils as well as over $10 in change.)

The 

Trash

(Embarrassing)

    My Cute Little Trash Can       

My Clean Trunk

Ain't She a Beut? The Van, I mean!

Peace and love and all the good stuff to you! 

Mander

I'm Back... to Blogging & Facebook

So I decided to give Facebook a break almost a month ago. Well, jokes on me because it's just about impossible to completely give it up these days. No, I'm not an addict, but I'm starting to see it's kind of the way of the world these days.

Within a few days of saying peace, I had to get on to check an address for birthday party because the invite came via Facebook (and there's really nothing wrong with that either because let's be honest, it's free and easy and people always be checking their Facebook feeds, haha). Then I had to get on because someone needed a picture that I had posted a while back and I didn't have it on my phone but guess where I could find it? Yep, that's right... my mobile uploads to Facebook. That actually happened a bunch of times. Also, my brother got a last minute fight and the only way we could watch it was, you guessed it, via Facebook of course. (Side note, I don't watch his fights live. I pray while he fights and watch after, but I did watch after because he won, first round KO, woot woot!) There was also the occasional text that said, "hey did you check your messages because I sent you a message." Yep, so at that point, I started thinking to myself, "what if someone that doesn't have my number messages me and it's important?" I then decided I should just start checking my messages daily (because just in case, right?).

The crazy thing is taking a "Facebook break" actually became more of a pain than the break I was seeking. I left for all of the normal reasons like being sick of all of the politics, the ridiculous videos, the horribly sad news and the time wasting articles that make every parent feel like a failure. Not to mention all of the suggested ads that I literally can't stand!

The truth is, I did need a break from all of the unnecessary stuff that fills my news feed... all of it. I think too I've realized during my "sort of" time away that my biggest problem with social media is the fact that we can't all just agree to disagree on topics that are simply opinions. It makes me crazy.

We all have passions and convictions and I'm completely for that because trust me, I have my own (and you may not like them), but I'm not over here forcing them down your throat or trying to convince you to see it my way. I'm also not calling you terrible names if you decide not to agree with me or wishing you a horrible fate because we don't agree. There are so many hot topics out there and while speaking our minds is not a bad thing, hate is not okay neither is shaming and unfortunately disagreeing on these hot topics often goes down that road.

I will be the first one to admit, I love a good debate. In college, I LOVED Debate class and pretty much everyone in my Debate class hated me because I was so awesome at it. At the end of any good debate though, I could shake that person's hand and say good job because while we might have been getting heated on our topic, at the end of the day I always knew that person mattered way more than their opinion on farm fresh eggs vs grocery store eggs. (No, that was never actually one of my debates. Our topics were always so much more intense and touchy and 14 years ago, no one debated that, but I felt the need inject something light hearted here.)

If you're still reading this I just want to challenge you to think long and hard about what you are passionate about and how you choose to share your passions, but I also want you to think about the people in your lives or on your social media pages. Decide if shoving your opinions down some one's "Facebook feed throat" is going to make them side with you on any topic anyway. Love is the answer to sharing your heart and sometimes being able to agree to disagree is the only way to keep loving. Sometimes taking it a step further and NOT posting on Facebook but having an actual conversation is the way to go too. My mom and I sometimes disagree on some pretty big hot-button issues, but I freaking love my mom. Sometimes we have have LONG drawn out conversations where we state our cases and stick to our guns but ultimately have to agree to disagree because that's how relationships work. You won't always agree on everything but people are way more important than opinions (even the ones you're really really passionate about).

It's just become really hard for me to accept that we pretty much live in a world where you're considered an evil person if you don't agree with the masses. I'm all over here on team, "You Do You."

One of the biggest examples of this right now in my life is the topic of homeschooling. Yes, we homeschool and we have our reasons, but I'm not anti "whatever school anyone else chooses is best for their family." Remember, I'm on team, "You Do You," because I'm sure you have a lot of good reasons why you choose what you choose but I'm also on team, "Stop Judging Everyone That Doesn't Do What You Do." I'm also on team, "Stop Hiding Behind Your Facebook To Shame People Into Siding With Your Views On Everything In Life."

Okay rant over but on a less serious note, I did get a lot done while I was on a "sort of" break from Facebook. I read 6 books. All of them pretty sizable too! I found the bottom of the laundry pile and for 3 sweet hours there was literally zero laundry in any hamper, on any bathroom floor, behind any bedroom door or hiding in the trunk of my minivan! I also decided that it might be time to start writing again so I edited a blog post that I wrote at the end of last year (that I haven't been ready to share), logged into my old blogger account and got the blog itch all over again.

So here I am. Back on Facebook and back to blogging.

Cheers to social media, Y'all, without it I couldn't share this blog post and a big cheers to agreeing to disagreeing, because in the end... Love really does win.

Third Time's a Charm...

Written June 26, 2013. Posted 3 years & 5 months later. Oooops.

Hello, old friend! I sure do miss you, but this mama has been so busy being pregnant, keeping up with a 3 year old, a 4 year old and getting our home ready for a baby, that I haven't had much time for you!

I think I'll skip the part where I say I'll try to make more time for blogging and I'll try to get this thing updated, and just say, if I blog again before our sweet babies first birthday I'll be happy with that! But let's cut to the chase for today...

They say, third time is a charm, and for this mama of three, I'll say that I have to agree (so far anyway).

After 39 weeks and 1 day of pregnancy on June 17th, 2013 Anderson Matthew entered the world with lungs a blaring at 12:39pm. He weighed in at 9lbs and 3oz and measured 21 inches (ouch, yes, but it's too soon to share that part of the story, too soon)! This I will share, his labor and delivery was quick and went as smooth as it could have (minus the fact that holy cow, I don't want to feel that kind of pain again for a long time, if ever).

Matt, Baby {A}, and I stayed our required 24 hours in the hospital and came home as quickly as we could to the "double" big brother {L}and Big Sis {C} (there really is no place like home).

Nine days have gone by now and I still can't believe my sweet baby boy is here! We've had a wonderful transition into being a family of five. Part of it, I know is experience (this ain't my first rodeo with a newborn) but I also know that a big part of it is God answering my prayers. I know what it's like to bring a baby home and have another baby waiting for you when you get there, so this time I knew what to pray for going into bringing home a baby with two babies at home waiting!

Baby {A} is now 9 days old! I can't believe it.

Cheers to our new life and being a Pastor's Wife and Mama of 3!



The Funny thing about this post is that I wrote it in June of 2013 and must have never clicked "publish." I just logged into my blog for the first time in years, saw it and thought,  "why not put it out there." This just might be the last post this blog of mine ever sees. 

I've been considering wiping the dust off of this old thing for a while now, I'm just not sure if I'd like to update this one or start fresh. Time will tell. 

Happy 3rd Birthday to my sweet Channy girl!

Dear Chandler Rae,

It's hard to believe that it's only been 3 years since we welcomed you into the world! 

I really can't remember life without you by my side. Since you were born you've been a total Mama's girl! (Although recently you've been a little bit of a Daddy's girl. I think you're figuring out that you've got him totally wrapped around your finger and that I don't let you get away with near as much as he does). You help me with the dishes, the laundry, and you are such a big help when it comes to picking up around the house. 

You say some of the funniest things I have ever heard! In fact, right now, you're on the potty singing, "It's a Small World." The other day,  I came out of my room in a dress you've never seen before and said, "Mom, you look so beautiful." Just the way you looked at me and said that melted my heart. 

Recently you've started painting your finger and toe nails and you are so very into your clothes and shoes. You pose just like I used to in all your photos too and I love it. I just hope you always remember the most important part of you is who you are on the inside, but when you mix your cuteness on the outside with your sweet, sassy, silly, and smart personality you are the whole package! 

You are so very strong willed and independent which I mostly love. You've always wanted to do everything "all by yourself" especially as you've gotten closer to being 3. You've been picking out and putting on your own clothes for about a year now and you potty trained yourself just after your 2nd birthday!! Your ability to take care of yourself at such a young age amazes me. There really isn't much you can't do, girl! I love it but it also makes me a little sad. I'm so proud of you and so excited for you when you do new things, but I also hope you know I'm here for you no matter what... to button a shirt or to help you reach something high when you can't quite reach it. I tell you all the time, God gave you a mommy to help, teach, and love you through life and I hope you always remember that!!! 

I can't wait to see you as a big sister in action. Baby {A} is going to love you so much. You already love him so much and he's not even here yet. Everyday you talk to him, sing to him, tell him stories, and kiss my belly all over. You tell us that you're going to hold him and love him and even change all his poopy diapers. You're like a little mommy in action already. 

Your big brother loves you so much too. It seems the older you both get the more and more you play and laugh together. I love to listen to you playing together. It melts my heart to hear you guys having fun together. You are both always saying that you're going to marry each other (which is sweet now, but will be gross later, trust me)!

I hope you know just how much your mommy loves you! Watching you play, talking with you, and being silly singing Taylor swift at the top of our lungs in the van brings me so much happiness. While we have our moments of disagreement and when you are tired and hungry you may show a little too much of your sass, I could not imagine our lives without you. 

I love you Channy Rae! Today, and for the next 364 days you are my favorite 3 year old in the world!!! 

Love, 

Your Mommy Girl 

We're having another...

So, I'm still committed to keeping off of facebook this year and have had no problem thus far, but I find that in certain situations (like this one)... it's faster, cheaper, and much more convenient to share with family and friends via fb.

It's hardly a secret that we're having another baby, but since we already have a boy and a girl we were going to keep the gender a surprise this time around. Our sweet little babe was not up for keeping this secret though and at a scheduled 12 week ultrasound baby {A} revealed themselves! We had our 20 week appointment and ultrasound earlier this week and it was again confirmed!

Anyhow, we had an awesome friend and her daughter take some super cute pictures revealing the gender of our baby on the way (hey, you never know, this could be our final rodeo, so you better believe I'm doing all that pinterest crap this time around)!

I made up a super cute card and was getting ready to order 100 of them when I decided that I would rather save our time, energy, effort and money and use it for getting ready for our little bundle. So I blogged and I got on facebook for 5 minutes to share it! I'm sure Matt will post more pictures when our babe is born and if I find the time to blog while running a household and raising 3 children, maybe he can share that for me too. But I digress...

And without further ado... we're having another...

BOY or GIRL ???

12 years, where have you gone?

Blue or Pink???

We're headed for the blue! 

Covered in blue silly string! 

The "double" big brother and very proud big sister.

Sporting our mustaches! 

What a family this kid is joining!!
 

I never imagined myself with a big family, but we certainly are on our way and we're all pretty excited about it!! Landon can hardly contain himself, he's now getting a brother and while Chandler was slightly disappointed at the thought of not having a sister this time around, she quickly realized she will now remain the sole princess in the Sander's household. 

Seriously, what could be better? And to that I say, "CHEERS!"

So glad I peaced out on fb!

So it's been 9 days since I've been off of facebook and it's amazing, life goes on without it!

I don't miss it and absolutely do not regret following through with this conviction.

Nine days in and I've already almost finished Landon's baby book, organized all of Chandler's baby stuff, so I can finish hers and I've got what I need to start baby A's book too (yes, we have a name)! I've also written out specific prayers to focus on for each of the kids this year (which is something I've been saying I'm going to do since I read Power of a Praying Parent over 3 years ago!) I plan on tracing their hands, writing those prayers on them, lamenting them and placing them in my Bible. After the year is over, I'll do it again and over the years I'll have those prayers to look back on and share with them as they grow up and start families of their own.

Beyond actually getting things done that have been on the "to do" list for years, the daily grind has been a lot more smooth too (or as smooth as it should go with 2 little kids, one on the way, and a husband with a busy schedule). I don't feel so distracted during the day when I'm playing with the kids, cooking dinner, or when my husband gets home from work. I have no need to take 20 minutes out of my precious time to share what I'm doing, where we're going, or what we already did. I don't need to post pictures or keep up with messages or posts I've commented on or liked. I'm focused on what I'm doing or as my College Success professor called it, I'm "being here now," which is a quality you don't find many to have anymore.

This really is the year of getting the things done I've been wanting to get done for so long, letting go of the stuff that just doesn't matter and staying focused on what does!

There are still a few things I want to get in on my routine like reading for pleasure and more physical activity (but seriously if our family could stay healthy and the weather would just quit freaking out, the activity thing would naturally become a lot easier for us)!

I will also admit that I watched The Bachelor on Monday night which is something I probably would not have done had I still been on facebook. In the past, I would've taken a couple hours alone and got lost in the distracting world of clicking, commenting, and liking! Instead, I laid on the couch, put my feet up, turned on 1 of the 7 channels we get (we don't have cable, which also helps keep down the distractions), and guilty pleasured into The Bachelor! Not sure if I'll keep up with it or not, but I'm for sure at least going to try to catch the finale! Ha!

I've realized so much over this short time off of facebook that I don't really feel the need to share with the world what I ate for breakfast.

9 days down and I'm not sure I'll ever go back. Only 356 more days to decide!

Happy New Year!!

Why I'm Leaving FB in 2013

So, I figured I'd take a few minutes just to put into words exactly why I feel so convicted to leave facebook in 2013.

There are a number of reasons and this isn't something I just woke up and decided to do. This is something I have been feeling like I should do for a long time. I've given it up here and there for a week or a month and during those times, I've been so very productive and truly don't miss it at all. In July, during the National Christian Convention I really felt the strong pull to get off, but I came up with a million reasons why I shouldn't (that my friends is called rationalization, we learned a lot about that in youth group when we were teenagers).

I'm not saying that facebook is evil or that you should leave it because I am. In fact, I know there are a lot of great benefits to having it. It's a great way to keep up with friends and family who live far away, a way to get ahold of people quickly or invite them to a party. In our home, we've even used it as a way to sell/give things away or to see if anyone is selling/giving away something we're looking for. My husband uses it to reach the youth and even the parents at our church. facebook can be used as a great tool, I won't deny that, but I will say that it can also be used to boast, to share things that are inappropriate, to make people feel left out (on purpose or not), and it really almost encourages us to compare ourselves to everyone else. I'd be lying too if I didn't mention that facebook is a way for us all to see what people from our past are up to and sometimes (if you're like me), to make yourself feel really good about where you are in your life and where they are not in theirs. Somehow it makes you feel justified for the past or like you came out on top. It's kind of sad actually, but I think if we got really honest with ourselves we'd all admit we've let our thoughts go there to there a time or two and frankly, I don't want to be that kind of person!

At the top of the list for me, it is just a complete time waster! It's easy to get on just to check a message or post a quick picture and then realize 45 minutes later that you haven't even done what you originally got on to do in the first place. As a pastor's wife and mother of two children under 5 with one on the way, time is precious, so very precious.

This is the year for me to stop talking about how much closer I'm going to get with God, how much more scripture I'm going to read and memorize, how awesome I'm going to be as a homemaker, how much more organized and full of fun lessons for our children I'll become and to finally just do it without the distractions! The best part is that it will be between me and God and my family and my best friend who I really and truly do life with. It's not about being awesome and posting it all over facebook. It's about being who God called me to be to the fullest and closing my eyes at the end of the day knowing that He is saying well done, Amanda, or good try today you'll do better tomorrow. I don't need the approval of my facebook friends and family to make me feel good or posts from other facebook friends to make me feel bad or not good enough.

I'm clinging to this passage from Matthew 6: 3-4 (The Message translation),

When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure --'playactors'-- I call them -- treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it -- quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scene, helps you out. 

I love this. It's not about doing and sharing it with the world constantly. It's about sharing and doing for the world (or in this case my family) and knowing that this kind of doing becomes contagious. The kind of doing that is done just because, not because of who is watching. I'll still keep my blog to express how I'm feeling, but that's for me, because writing is something I enjoy and a way for me to have memories in print. It's also to encourage. Not to make anyone feel less about themselves or to brag about anything I am doing because trust in me, if I do something great, it's God working through me, not anything I did. He is the good in me!

2013 is a big year for our family. A new baby is coming in May or June. We'll start homeschooling in the Fall. Even with all of these awesome additions coming our way, I feel less overwhelmed then ever. I have a peace about this year. It's the year for me to cut out the distractions and focus on what really matters or as another wiser mommy has told me, "anything with a heartbeat."


Cheers to a new year!


My facebook will still be active in 2013. There are lots of pictures I need to get off of there and my husband may tag me in a post or two when our new baby comes or maybe even share a blog post with pictures of our growing family. He'll keep an eye on it too, make sure no one hacks or posts something yucky on there, but I will not be on it. Who knows if I'll be back in 2014, but as for 2013, I'm out! 

A Baby, Bunk-beds, and a Blog Name Change are Coming our Way... WE'RE PREGNANT!!

Well, it's officially facebook official... The Sanders will be welcoming a new baby into our family next year! 

I'm Pregnant! 

Trust us, we were just as surprised about 6 weeks ago as you are!

Landon, who is 4 now was absolutely 100% planned. We even tried all the magic they say to try to get a boy and it happened! Chandler Rae, now 2 was also 100% part of our plans. Tried for a girl and bam... got a girl! Baby Sanders number 3 was also 100% planned, but this time by God (my guess is it's a girl, but we won't be finding out until the birth). If you read my blog, then you read this post What Now? back in June. In this post I declared no babies, no dogs, and no moving for the Sanders family any time soon. Then in August you may have read this post, Life is Funny like That. Here I explained why we were moving on such short notice to our surprise! And here I am, just a few months later blogging about (in the words of my children) "a baby in my belly."

It's funny how God works! 28 and a half years on this planet helps you understand this. When we moved we got rid of everything baby! I'm talking everything! From the pack n play that I parted with through tears to just about every piece of baby clothing we had saved! After we moved, I started getting crafty and I really started enjoying the little bit of time I had to do some things I wanted to get done. We also made the big decision to home school our children (that's a blog post for another day), but over the last few months I really and truly have come to the realization that God has blessed us with two beautiful, healthy, funny, smart, and wacky children and that maybe two is what he planned for us. I literally said in my head to God probably about 8 weeks ago, "you know what, two is great. I think I'm good with two, God." Our children on the other hand, have been praying for another baby like crazy. Landon has asked many times how we get "one" in there. He even told us that we should get married again. We explained the best you can to a 4 year old that it comes with some praying and planning and so he did his part and started praying. I'm talking PRAYING. We'd be in the car and he would just say out of the blue, "Dear God, please put a baby in my mommies tummy, amen." This kid prayed so much for a baby, I began to worry what he may think if he didn't get this baby he was praying so hard for. Well, God has blessed us all by answering the prayers of my little ones and sometime in May or June we'll be welcoming that little answered prayer into our family with joy!

This is such a different experience as a mom because Landon was a baby when Chandler was born. There wasn't much involvement or explaining to do. They really don't remember life without each other. This time around they are so involved and excited. They're ready to be big helpers and can't wait for my belly to grow. Landon asked me the other day when the baby shower was because he was excited about having a cake (me too, Landon)!!

In other ways this pregnancy is turning out to be very similar to the others. I'm sick as a dog all day, all night, everyday. I'm craving some pretty weird stuff, but am too sick to eat it, smells of any kind are not welcomed, naps are a requirement, and I will be keeping any and all fast food chains that carry french fries in business for the next 7 months!

Selfishly, I'm not excited to be heaving over the toilet everyday and I'm not terribly excited to lose my figure again (I've worked very hard to get it back), but honestly, none of that will matter when I hold that sweet baby in my arms and love he/she with the same kind of crazy love I already have for my two kiddies.

I'm a little nervous about life with 3, after all we will be out numbered, but I'm more excited about our growing family and all that God has in store for us!

Cheers to a family of 5!

Life is Funny like that...

So if you read my last blog post, you know there were no immediate plans for moving, babies, or dogs for the Sanders family, but isn't it funny how quickly things change? Four years ago we were watching the Olympics with our newborn baby boy in a house that we owned. Four years later we have two kids and rent our current home (a decision we made to make it possible for me to be an at home mom).

No baby or dog (this month at least), but it is official, we are moving. Like I said in my last post (which you can read here), our current home has served us well, but our suspicions about mold issues were confirmed shortly after I posted that blog.

Our oldest (now 4) was a super healthy boy the first 17 months of his life. Two nights into living here, he needed breathing treatments and still does often when he is sick. Our sweet girly (now 2) seemed to be sick so much of her first year and almost always needs breathing treatments. We knew that moving would be in our near future after hearing our suspicions where correct, but we figured we should at least wait until our lease was up (about 6 months from now)....

To make a long story short, after much prayer we have decided to make a move sooner than later. The one thing I needed from God was confirmation and peace (that feeling in your gut that can only come from Him aka best feeling ever), which he absolutely gave me. I must also say He worked a lot of the kinks out for me too, starting with the fact that we've always been on a month to month lease in our current place, which means we will not be breaking our lease (who knew?)

Anyway, we are very excited about the next chapter of our lives and making our new house a home. The kids are little sad to say goodbye to the golf course and a little unsure about having their own rooms, but getting a backyard to play in seems to make it all worth it to them!

It's always a little sad to say goodbye to the house you've called home and done life in for many years, but we will always have the memories and the people we love most with us and that's all that matters! I always find myself going back to Matthew 6:21 when I picture us walking out the door for the last time. "For where your TREASURE is there your HEART will be also." I think it will be the hardest move for me mostly because the kids are old enough to be a part of it this time and we'll have their feeling and emotions to live through too.

As for now, it's all about packing, organizing, donating, trashing, selling, and still having fun and making memories as a family. I've not been on facebook or pinterest much and haven't had much time to read for pleasure (Although, I decided tonight, I'm going to cave and order a book for my kindle next week!) I have managed to squeeze in the Olympics (I'm such an Olympic geek! Confession: I choose Phelps over Lochte hands down no questions and I cry every time I watch Missy Franklin get a medal). Lately, I've pretty much been the queen of, "sorry, I wish I could and/or I'm so sorry I never texted/called you back." I've had to learn how to say no so much more than I would like to, but honestly, it's been a must for us. {If we're friends I hope we still are after this move and hear me say now, "I'm sorry and I miss you, and I'll be able to hangout again sometime in February!" HA!! But seriously, please know, I love you and it's not personal! I just have to do my job as wife, mommy, and homemaker and over these next few months that means I don't have much time to come out and play.}

So unless I'm so inspired that I have to stop packing and blog, I probably won't be posting for a bit. My goal is to move without spending a dime over what we normally spend on a monthly basis, so maybe I'll share some moving tips here and there time willing! Nothing promised though!

It's been fun fitting in a little blogging in the middle of this moving chaos. Writing has always been a sort of therapy for me and since packing makes me feel like I need to go get some therapy, it's works out for me. I decided today that unpacking is going to be less stressful and somewhat fun (ha)!!

Ta ta for now, Phelps is about to go for Gold for the very last time, can't miss that!

Happy Weekend!

What Now?

It's really a very strange thing being an adult... married, kids, bills, responsibility, life changing decisions. How in the world did I get here? I'm 28. Really? I'm 28? "Yes, Amanda, you're 28." Sometimes that seems crazy to me. I can remember 30 being a far off age and now it's just around the corner. I've been married almost 7 years, my baby boy is almost 4, my baby girl is 2 now, so really my babies aren't babies anymore. I'm a homemaker (you know we wipe butts, cook, attempt to clean, play monster jams and barbie, and tend to spend the day in sweat pants covered in the sweat from the mornings run until we maybe get a shower in around 9pm and only because our husbands are like, "Really? Gross"). That's what I do for a living. Oh, and a drive a minivan too. Really, a minivan? "Yes, Amanda, you drive a minivan."

I've been in this reflective stage for a while. Thinking so much about where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going. I don't feel old (and I know 28 isn't old), but life goes on and it's surely going on!

Had you asked me where I'd be when I was 28, minivan driver would not have been a part of my answer (although the minivan doesn't bother me too much, it's spacious, drives nice, and hey, it's sort of a badge of mommy honor).

Truth be told, I'm glad I am where I am. God had better plans then I did, but here I am. My kiddies are growing up before my eyes. C is almost potty trained (Holla!! No more diapers!!), L is starting preschool next year with C to follow come the next year. The house work gets done, usually, and much easier then when they were crawling or baby explorers. I'm finding more time for myself (not a whole lot, but enough to workout, read, and blog occasionally). Kind of a little crazy for me!!

I'm entering this new season of life and lately, I've found myself saying, "okay, now what?... have more kids??? (No! Don't do it! Not now!! Your kids are at such great ages and you actually get sleep at night!! Remember what it's like to get no sleep?? Keep trusting God on that matter, and pray hard that it's not his will right now!!) Should we get a dog??? (Really Amanda, a dog? Dogs poop and pee all over and they chew everything and then you have to take them on walks. No thank you!) Okay, okay, no more kids, no dog, should we move?? You know, get a backyard for the kids to play, have space for Matt to have the man space he's always wanted?? (Not my favorite choice here. You hate moving, Amanda!! Really everything about it... packing, unpacking, feeling unsettled... especially with kids!! And really where you are is pretty great, minus the no backyard for the kids because of the golf course and the AWFUL wallpaper in the living room, but you can live with it, moving is a bad idea!)

The more I think about it the more I keep asking myself why do we have to have a baby, get a dog, or move? Why not enjoy this season a bit? "Kick off your shoes, Amanda, enjoy your kiddies ages, go the the beach because you love it there and you can now, do big kid crafts, cook with the kids, do things you've always wanted to do with them but couldn't because they were too little. Keep getting better at this thing called mommyhood with the two amazing kids you already have. Enjoy the little bit of clean house time you have, keep working out and shoot, get in the best shape of your life, why not, you can!! Keep loving your husband and encouraging him in his new season of ministry. Be more involved, because you can!! Don't feel the need to have more kids, get a dog, or do anything crazy (except get that tattoo you really want even if people will judge you or have something to say about it, it's something you've been wanting for a while and hey, why not??)!! Just enjoy this season, girl, because who knows when the next one will arrive."

So if you were wondering what's next for the Sanders family... no kids, dogs, or houses are in our near future (unless of course it's Gods plan and not ours).

On the agenda for us... enjoy life just the way it is!

So what now for me?? Time to carpe diem the heck out of this season while I'm in it!

Cheers!

The Voices in Our Heads & The Tugs on Our Hearts...

So I've been on this reading kick lately. I have always loved to read, but seriously, I am blowing through books these days. I enjoy reading all kinds of books... fiction, non fiction, devotions, some by christian authors, some not, I just really enjoy curling up with a good book!

This week, I've decided to get a spread sheet of "books I've completed" started and I'm pretty excited about it. Having this will help me keep track of the books/authors I've enjoyed (or haven't) and will also help when someone asks for a recommendation. (I have this forgetful side and book titles falls hard into this side of me.)

After I finished the Hunger Games Trilogy, (Yes, I read them. Yes, I enjoyed them. And yes, my excuse is that I read them because my husband is a youth pastor. I have to stay relevant, okay?) I was looking for something else to start. I checked out the New York Times Best Sellers List and was kind of intrigued by the 50 Shades books. I researched a little, to see what they were about, and discovered that the books are a bit racy. I talked with a few people who had read them and seriously started seeing the books everywhere, so I had sort of made my mind up that I would read them too... I mean, after all, I have to stay relevant right? I'm not writing this blog to knock the books or anyone who has read or will read them, but I will say after much consideration that I have decided not to read them. It's funny too, because the night I was going to download it I had dinner with a couple of other pastor's wives (we have to stick together you know). We were talking book titles and a few stood out to me. I felt a tug on my heart to choose one of those instead and so I did... and out of that one small decision comes this blog post!

With all that said, since then I have read a couple of other books and feel even more convicted that I should not read the 50 shades books. The two books I am so glad that I choose (which came recommended by one of the other pastor's wives) were And the Shofar Blew and The Scarlet Thread. I can not even begin to tell you how blessed I feel to have picked those books over what I feel I may have gotten into with the other choice. Both of these books are by Francine Rivers (most known by her novel Redeeming Love, which I also recommend). These are both christian novels which contain prayers and scripture while focusing on fiction characters going through all of the same struggles many christian families today face. The books are tastefully written and refreshingly not corn ball!

After reflecting on it, I completely feel like the Holy Spirit was what was tugging on my heart to make the choices to read these two novels instead of the others I know I was being tempted to read. There are other obvious things I am doing in my life to try to be a better wife, mother, friend and all around me, but I feel like these books were the perfect escape at the end of the day yet also sent some pretty strong convictions right into my soul.

One being to love and respect my husband with every part of my being. I won't go on too much of a rant here but I feel as though this generation is missing out big time on this. It's so easy especially for stay at home moms or even working moms for that matter to begin to resent their husband and slip into a daily pity party. Love is a choice and as for me and my heart & mind I will choose to love my husband every chance that I get for as long as I get to.

The other message I felt so strongly from both of these books is that time goes by and kids grow up. Petty things don't matter, but the hearts of our children do and playing with them now while they still want us too is so important. I don't want to wake up and wish I had these moments back with them. I attended a high school graduation today and was teary eyed already thinking of my babies walking across the stage to receive a diploma and while that seems almost ridiculous, time goes by and I want the time I spend with my children to forever impact the choices they make and the people they are.

I guess I say all of this to prompt you to feel the little tug on your heart and to hear the little voice in your head because it's more than just a tug or a voice, it's God speaking to you and you have no idea what he may have in store for you and your family if you listen.


Yes, I know that the title of this post is really corny and I use a lot of "churchy talk" in this particular post, but I genuinely mean what I write and I hope that I never turn anyone away from Jesus by the things I write, say or do. 

10 Year Runion... What the What??

What the what?? 10 year reunion? Has it really been that long already?? Crazy at it seems, it has been 10 years this month since I walked across that stage, moved my tassel from the right to the left, and threw my cap as high as I could to celebrate those 13 long years of my life.

It seems even more crazy to me that it's been almost 14 years since I walked the hallways of the "old" Lake Brantley High School as a young and naive girl of 14 who thought she had it all figured out. I can close my eyes and still picture so clearly the spot where my locker was. I remember the friends who all had their lockers in the same place and how could I forget exactly who I would wait for to pass by as I fidgeted around for books and stood there hoping he'd see me.

It's amazing to me, how quickly I can remember the smallest details of my life 14 years ago and sometimes I can't believe just how much can change over the course of 4 years of life... and how much more after 10 years. Looking back knowing what I know now it's hard not to want to shake some sense into the girl I was then. Those first two years of high school could've really done some damage, and in some ways they certainly did, but I got off easy. I can reflect on it all now and see God's hand firmly placed in my life, protecting me in SO many ways. There is no other explanation for the way my life took so many amazing turns, that I walked through the right doors and pasted by the ones that would've done me so much harm, and that I find myself where I am today and not where I was on my way to those first two years. All these years later I'm still thanking God his protection.

It's hard not to say I have regrets because I do. Regrets of things I did and things I didn't, things I said, or maybe should've, but that's part of life. It's also hard to say that I'd go back and change a thing because I do believe where I was (and was going) got me to where I am today. Had I not gone through a lot of what I did those first two years, I may not have had a reason to search for something more. I can remember when things changed for me. I was finishing up my Sophomore year. Still so young and so caught up in things (and people) I shouldn't have been caught up in. There was a breaking point for me. I'm not sure that it was just one thing that triggered it, but I can remember suddenly feeling so broken and so alone. I can remember crying like a baby, curled up in a fetal position on the floor of my old bedroom, so torn up about boys, friends, drama and the way things were going for me. I felt so empty and unsatisfied with life in general and I couldn't figure out why. It wasn't too long after that slight breakdown that I started attending a youth group regularly with a friend of a friend (who I still talk to today) and it didn't take me too long after that to figure out that I was feeling a purpose, had excitement, and was full of life again. People cared about me (like really cared about me) there, I felt like I could be more of who I was and I didn't feel all of the pressure I once had to do things I didn't want to do, in places I should not have been, with people who had the ability to crush me. I didn't look back much on who I had been after that. The summer before my Junior year, God changed me.

The next two years of high school are the years I love remembering. Do I still have regrets, well, yes of course, but not nearly as many and most not as serious as the ones from the prior years. My Junior and Senior years of high school are some of the best memories of my youth and what I love most about them is that almost all of them include the man that I married and so many of the people who are still in our lives today. It's so fun to go back and read the things that I wrote to Matt in his yearbooks. I shared so many of the memories in them that I still hold dear to my heart. It makes me smile to think of the good times we shared and that we'll share them together for the rest of our lives.

These past 10 years in some ways have flown by and in other ways (especially looking back now) seemed to have gone by at just the right speed. I feel so distant from that young girl of 14 who once walked the halls of the "old" LBHS. I'm a married woman of almost 7 years (to an amazing man of God who I've been lucky enough to call mine for the past 11 years). I'm a college graduate with a BA in Elementary Education (which I plan to use to educate my kiddies from home with), a mommy of 2 of the most ridiculously awesome little people I've ever met, and so full of joy which comes only from the hope that I have in a Savior who I am head over heels for. I'm so satisfied with the life God has given me and with the direction in which He choose for me and while I have my faults I know that everyday, if I look to Him, I am headed in the right direction, toward becoming all He ever created me to be.

Reality is, time goes by. Coming up to 30 and really reflecting over my high school years and the 10 years to follow has been fun for me. I am beyond blessed and there is no where else I would want to be in my life then where I am today. And as time goes on, I hope I always find myself feeling that way.

It's amazing to me how much wisdom comes with years gone by and an open heart ready to listen to the Word of God. Thank you, Lord for saving me when I so desperately needed saving.

I'm undecided if I'll be attending my 10 year reunion, but here's to the memories (the good and the bad) and to the next 10 years c/o 2002!

It would be unfair for me to write this and not say anything to anyone who is feeling now how I felt toward the end of my sophomore year. I'm not a preacher by any means, but I feel like I should say if you are broken, empty, or unsatisfied with life maybe you could give Jesus a try. Corny as it sounds I can promise He won't disappoint. The things I have seen happen over the past 12 years could only be possible through an all powerful, all knowing, almighty God. If you're searching for something, give Him a try and please feel free to contact me. I don't claim to have all the answers and don't know that I ever will, but I know a God who can do some pretty awesome things. I love Jeremiah 29:11 because I can look back now and see it so clearly at work in my life. "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope." If you're feeling hopeless, I pray that you will turn to God and that you will find all you've ever been searching for. 

Love to Write... Write to Love.

Sometimes I wish I could just do all my communicating through written words. Writing has always been the easiest way for me to get my thoughts out and together in a way that seems to make the most sense. It's almost like a filter or a way for me to plan out how I feel or see things before it all comes flying out of my mouth. I have a thinking before speaking problem. My problem is that I just don't tend to do it. Ask my husband, my children or my mother and I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem disagreeing with my confession. Writing just makes thinking before expression so easy for me because all the thoughts that I have put into words become so delete-able after I've reread them, rethought about them, and had a moment to decide that they are inappropriate, unnecessary, or not rooted in love. It's also so much easier to add in the things that I've forgotten to say or feel the need to add in so that what I've written seems complete to me.

I constantly reflect. Reflect about the past, reflect about the present, and want to make sure that when I look back I have no regrets. Being able to go back and reread my thoughts, what I've written or what has been written to me is so much easier then remembering or replaying a conversation in my head. Words are so easily twisted, changed or left out when reflecting on a verbal convo or confrontation, but when they're right there in front of you on paper or a screen there is no swaying from what was said or wasn't. It's funny too because as I'm writing this I'm shaking my head yes in agreement with myself. I can't help it, I just love to write!

Now don't get me wrong, obviously the world and it's use of media (facebook, text messaging, email, etc.) has gotten a little out of hand. The generation rising up is going to have a lot of relationship issues because they're breaking up and making up all through texts or fb relationship statuses, but this isn't what I'm talking about. Once again ask my husband, he'll tell you, I like to talk too and I can appreciate a face to face conversation. I especially love/need phone calls from my mom and my mommy friends frequently just to get some good ol' adult conversation in my life!! If I kept to solely to writing and playing with trains and barbies all day I might go a little insane (I guess I should say a little more insane then I already am), but I just find writing to be so much a part of me and who I am and when I haven't done if for a while, I crave it.

I've started really thinking about that lately, and how I can use my love for writing as a way to glorify God. I feel like part of why I blog is to express myself while encouraging others and trying my best to clearly point anyone who reads what I write to God.

In my personal life though, I've started to make a connection with writing and my prayers. When I write them, I can clearly see exactly what I'm praying about. I feel like I'm so much more able to clearly say what I feel to God in sort of an organized way and most of all, that I'm praying for the things that I should absolutely be praying for every day. I've found that doing this has in a way freed up what I'm praying for throughout the day. I can be in prayer without thinking to myself, "okay, I should be praying for my husband, and my kids, and this person and that person," because I know that I've already actively prayed for them earlier when I wrote them all down. I'm more free to just pray for little things that come up like... patience in the moment... thinking before I speak... the man on the corner holding a sign... or whatever comes to mind.

It's been pretty amazing. And what's more, is it's been like multitasking. I haven't had the time or energy lately to blog, but I have been finding fulfillment daily in writing about the things that are most dear to me in this life to the one who is most dear to me in this life.

Thanking God today for giving me the ability to write, the ability to pray, and helping me find the connection!

Life Happens!

Yeah, it's been almost a year since I've blogged. Life happens, and it happens really fast when you have 2 kiddies 20 months apart under the age of 4!!


Truth is, life happens for all of us. We're all swamped with so much. Sometimes I seriously feel like I have no idea how I'm going to get through the day with a messy house closing in on me, 2 kids tugging at my feet needing me (who don't really want to take naps), a husband that really is the best and doesn't ask for much (but needs me to be the wife I am called to be), family, friends, ministry stuff, bills, bushy eyebrows staring me down every time I look in the mirror, and a selfish nature I'm trying to dump! It's a lot!


It's been quite a wild ride having 2 kids so close in age. I think the last year has been probably the hardest year of my life. I really don't know how people get by without a loving God to call on, lean on, and trust in. A God whose plan for our life is better then any we could dream up for ourselves.


I'm 28 now. Seems pretty crazy sometimes. 30 is creeping up on me (seriously??? yep!) and really and truly, I feel like I'm growing everyday into the woman that God wants me to be. Am I lacking in most areas? Absolutely, but I feel like this past year has been such a HUGE time of growth for me. I feel like God has put people in my life, dropped books on my head, and lead me to verses in the Bible that have helped me see a little more clearly, that have given me a really strong hope. A hope for so much more then I could've ever imagined. A hope that maybe I am a good wife, and mom, and that I am doing a good job, and that if I keep relying on Him for my strength that He will provide. Truth is, being a mom isn't easy. Keeping a strong marriage isn't easy either, and feeling stable, sane, and okay while trying to juggle it all doesn't seem possible. I've been drawn over and over to Romans 5: 1-5 this year. I love readying the NKJ version, but my new favorite is from The Message. It reads like this,


^1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. ^3-5There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

These words mean so much to me! To know that if I just keep the faith, keep pushing forward, keep pushing through hard times, gaining life experience, and wisdom, and learning how to have patience through the hard moments, and experiences it's priceless! Knowing this is a season of my life that will pass and that what I do and learn from it will help me grow into all that God has for me... it's like really really good music to my ears! 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't just want to survive. I want to go through my life with joy. Joy through it all. Joy from the hope that I have in my God. 

Something I'm learning and need to keep at the forefront of everyday is that I AM NOT PERFECT. That what I read and see on pinterest, facebook, other blogs and social media isn't the way life really is. Yeah, sure, every now and then I do a pretty cool DIY project, cut my kids food into fun shapes, have the house clean, dinner on the table, and happy kids all at the same time, but that's not going to happen every day. It's not real! If I let go of my OCD, enjoy my children, play with them, dirty up the house, make a messy meal, spend time with my husband, and go to bed knowing there is a good chance our house could be deemed condemned if a health inspector walked though... but that we had fun, made memories, and it will still be there when we wake up tomorrow... is okay! 

I don't want to look back on these years of my children's life and think... "wow, I spent a lot of time trying to be perfect, have a clean house, and wishing I did a better job at it all." I want to look back and remember, "that was tough, every day of it! God saw me through even on the hardest days." I want to look back and have fun memories playing with my kids, getting along with my husband, and making big messes together as a family! 

Life is short and it happens whether we are paying attention or not. Kids are growing up, time is going by, and before you know it all we will have are the memories. 

Thank you, Lord, for getting through to me! For making me see this. For knocking me on my feet and teaching me this. For giving me hope. Hope in You and hope for me! 

I am blessed. My life is happening now and I don't want to miss a second of it! 

All Nat-U-RAL Baby (Safe Cleaning Products - Orlando Area)

If we talk at all you know that I've pretty much become an all natural Mama! We've switched it all around here... food, cleaning supplies, toiletries... everything, and it all started for us with a little girl named Chandler Rae.

Matt and I were first introduced to the organic world after watching the movie Food Inc. (which I highly recommend if you have not seen it). This movie pretty much rocked our world and educated us on the foods we were putting into our bodies and feeding to our little ones at our very own dinner table every night! It was shocking information to us and we immediately made changes in the meats and dairy products we purchased for our family. Soon after, we decided to start buying organic fruits and veggies too (it was a pricey decision, but one we couldn't refuse after the new knowledge we now had about pesticides and contamination to most of the produce out there).

When our precious bundle Chandler was born we had no idea how much more organic and natural we would soon be going. To put it lightly, our girl has some serious allergies. We noticed her skin allergies when she was about 2 weeks old. Her eczema was the worst I had ever seen and our pediatrician (at the time) brushed it off to be nothing. He handed us a script for steroid creams and told us, "she'd probably out grow it." Months later she was still suffering with dry itchy patches all over her body and also had a persistent cough and runny nose 24/7. We knew something had to be wrong, but were told time and time again, "it was probably just a couple of viruses, not to worry, and continue the creams for her skin." I knew it was more. There was something wrong with my baby girl. When Chandler was about 7 months old she stuck her hand in peanut butter while I was making her brother a sandwich. It was soon evident that a peanut allergy was in the cards for Chandler. I rushed her to the ER in a panic. Praise God, she was okay, but it was all adding up in my mind. I knew she had to have some serious allergies and maybe it was more then just peanuts. I was still nursing Chandler at this point so everything I ate, she got. I immediately cut out peanut butter, but was very curious if it was something more. We decided to have her tested for allergies to see if I was right. Not only was Chandler allergic to peanuts, but she was also allergic to eggs and has a sensitivity to wheat! Holy moly!! This was overwhelming information (to say the least) for me because this meant so many things for us. We now had answers and for that we were grateful, but changes now had to be made! Big ones. Grocery changes, diet changes, and label reading to the max! While in the moment I wanted to crawl under a rock and forget I knew any of this, we now live in a peanut free home with limited egg and wheat used and it's been easy. The alternatives out there are amazing! The local health food stores and even some Publix stores now carry great products with guarantees of no cross contamination. Also, finding substitutes has been fun and surprisingly easy.

When I first learned of Chandler's allergies, I turned to the internet for tips and advice and after one of my posts on facebook, was recommended a site that would soon educate and shock me about more than just what we put on our dinner tables. This site taught me so much about the ingredients that are in our cleaning products, our lotions and soaps, and most of the common products you would find in any household. I was flabbergasted. I felt like I had been contaminated for the last 27 years and immediately began searching for new products for our family.

We now use Shaklee cleaning supplies which I am absolutely loving! Not only do they work better then the other yucky stuff we were using before, but I don't have to put on giant rubber gloves and clear the house before I clean. These products are non-toxic, safe for the environment, and kill more germs for longer then all the other products out there! I feel safe cleaning around the kids and am now confident in  knowing that these products are not harmful to us, our home, or our planet. Also, after reading the book, Green Goes with Everything by Sloan Barnett (the wife of Shaklee's owner), I have learned so much about the correlation between cleaning supplies and allergies and I think it would shock most just how much our bodies are affected by what we are cleaning our homes with! One of the best parts too is that using these products saving you big time! We bought one of the starter kits for less than $100, and will not need to buy any other cleaning supplies other than laundry detergent and dish washer soap for at least a year. In the long run, we will save thousands on our cleaning supplies using Shaklee products. Shaklee also has a health and beauty line which I plan on checking out.

We've also changed to California Baby for lotions, shampoo, diaper cream, sunscreen, and bubble bath. We are loving these products and they are all organic (truly organic, there are lots of products out there that claim to be organic or natural and are absolutely not, read your labels!!) I've been testing other brands too for Matt and I and have also fallen in love with the brand Everyday Shea. I'll throw this in too for tmi, but I quit using deodorant!! Not only is it very unhealthy for your body, but it's completely unnecessary. I have switched to baking soda and water. I was shocked to find that it works better then what I was previously using and bonus, it only cost me 44 cents and it's lasted more than a month! While it is not an antiperspirant, I feel like if God gave us sweat glands under our arms, he put them there for a reason! Just my opinion, but I have to say I'm enjoying the switch!

While I'm not a huge make up wearing woman I have changed to the organic line that Physicians Formula has recently come out with. I like the prices and the quality and am very happy with the ingredients I'm exposing my face and body to every day.

I really could go on and on about this subject and the changes we've personally made in our home, but I felt pretty passionate about sharing our story and encouraging all to do the research, become educated, and make the changes in your home too to become healthier and to provide a safe environment for you and your family.

We feel so very blessed to have been given Chandler Rae and feel like God has blessed our family by creating her with allergies! We love you baby girl.

Click here to check out Mercola.com where I found a lot of helpful information. Also, check out Food Inc and Food Matters!

Happy Researching!! 


When buying "organic" or "natural" be sure to check your labels. Just because it has the title "organic" or "natural" does not mean that the ingredients are! Look for the USDA organic certified label on the front of a product. If you see it there, you can rest assured that this product and its ingredients are truly organic. 

10 years & 2 kids later... And I still LOVE you.

To My Ever Faithful Husband & Father to Our Beautiful Children After 10 Years of Us,

Can you believe that 10 years ago today you asked me to be your girlfriend? 10 years! Let's be honest though, we probably could've celebrated about 4 or 5 months ago, considering we sure acted like we were a couple long before we made it official. I guess today we'd call that "facebook official."

I knew you were the one that day after the youth garage sale. I was only 16 then, but I knew. You were funny, and goofy, and I had such a great time around you. You were sweet too. A "nice guy," and while most girls don't fall for the "nice guys" early in life, I knew I had to have you!

If I hadn't been sure after the garage sale, the 12 Hour Blitz sealed the deal for me!! After that day, not only did I know you were a great guy, but I knew you had great taste in music too. Your "S1" CD mix melted my heart and I couldn't believe you let me listen to your portable CD player!! We made so many ridiculous inside jokes that day and even though I had wrecked my truck the week before, you managed to cheer me up, make me laugh, and forget about all of the "stuff" a 16 year old teenage girl stresses about (which by the way, does not compare to the stress of a 27 year old wife and mommy of 2, what in the world did I really have to stress about???) That was seriously one of the best days I had had in a long time. I knew that day we'd be good friends and little did you know that after that day I started praying every morning for our relationship to become more than just that.

It didn't take long for us to become more than just good friends. We soon became BEST friends and the more we hung out, spent hours talking on the phone, and made memories we'll have for the rest of our lives, the more I knew you had to be the one for me. We were just teenagers (you a sophomore and me a junior in high school) but I knew.

Everyday I felt like God was telling me, he's the one, Amanda, he's the one I made for you, but we stayed "just friends" for a longtime and that made me question Him. I was stubborn and impatient to the point that I tried to put things into my own hands to try to make "us" work and when that didn't work, it broke my heart. I now understand it was just God's hand on it all. He was us giving us a strong foundation to build on, so that if and when we had a simple disagreement, we'd have too much to loose if we broke up. (Typing this all out now brings me back... it's so crazy to think that we were together 2 years of high school and made it out alive! All the lingo back then was silly "gf, bf, break up, ask me out," it all seems like an eternity ago, but it was high school and God saw us through it.)

I'll never forget our first kiss (and I'm sure you won't either). It was a Monday night. My lacrosse game had been rained out. (You were my biggest fan by the way, at almost every game cheering me on. My Dad to this day will say he knew he liked you after your famous line, "she must be butter cause she's on a roll." [I'm seriously laughing out loud right now remembering that.]) We came back to my house and hung out with Matty G for a while. After he left, you had just a short time before you had to be home too (in time for 7th Heaven, of course.) We don't have to get into the details, but needless to say we'll never forget it.

It only took us about 4 months to finally make it official. The exact date (7.7.01) was just 1 short year (to the date) of my baptism (7.7.00) and there is no doubt in my mind that it was all in God's plan for it to work out that way.  

It's been 10 years since that day and what a 10 years it's been together! In the beginning, I almost thought you were to good to be true. I was just waiting for you to break my heart. As time went on, you proved to me over and over again through your words and your actions that you would NEVER do so. While every second of the past 10 years has not been easy, there's not a thing I would change about it. We've had good times and bad, happy and sad, but there has never been a doubt in my mind that it's all been God's plan. He has showed me love through the love that you have been giving me these past 10 years. Thank you for allowing Him to use you to love me. Thank you for loving me when I'm a real pain in the butt. Thank you for providing for our family and never ever complaining about it. You are a true man of God and I could not feel more honored to be your wife. That God chose me to be the one for you.

Here we are now blessed beyond measure. We'll celebrate 6 years of marriage in November. We've created life, twice. We've got a little boy (who will be 3 in just 2 days) who melts my heart and surprise surprise, reminds me so much of you. And our little girl, while she's a little bit too much like her mama, she certainly has your sense of humor. What a joy it is to have you to raise them both with. You are there for us more than you should have to be. You do things for them that a lot of daddies wouldn't. They are so very blessed to have you in their lives and I am so very blessed to have you as a partner in parenting.

While reflecting back over the past 12 years that you've been a part of my life, all I can do is smile and praise God for putting you in my life.

I love you so much and am blessed that everyday you wake up and choose to love me too.

Happy 10 years!

Here's to the rest of our lives!

Love Always,

Your LITSBYFITB ;)

One of these days I'll get some classic pictures of us up here. If I only had time and our scanner on hand. Soon! I promise. 

I'm a Minivan Mommy Now!

So if you haven't seen my posts or heard me say it... We, the Sanders Family, are now the proud owners of a minivan!! It's been a long time coming for us, but it finally happened on Thursday!

I almost feel guilty because of how happy I am to be driving around in a new car. I told a couple of friends, "A minivan should not make someone this happy," but I honestly think I'm happy for more than just materialistic reasons on this one. I mean, let's be honest, it's a minivan, not a sports car, but you have to understand... a minivan has been my dream car for a while now!! Putting all my dreams aside though there are so many reasons why this car is making me so happy!!

One of the major reasons being.... AIR CONDITIONING! The AC on our old car has been flaky for more than 3 years now. When I was pregnant with Landon, (July baby) it was like torture. I would get in my car after work and get so hot I would literally take my clothes off and drive home in my underwear and under-tank. Thank goodness I never got pulled over or in a wreck! For the longest time, Matt thought it was just my pregnant hormones. His mind changed when I went into labor and he had to drive from Daytona Beach to Winnie Palmer Hospital in the heat of a hot summer day. He was so hot and sweaty by the time he got there, he took a shower in my hospital room before Landon was born. We've had it serviced, checked for leaks, and replaced the freon like 5 times since then, but by the time summer roles around again, it's back to misery on wheels. Poor Landon has really never known what it's like to have AC in the car and Chandler is an entirely different story. The poor girl has the worst allergies and exzema that I have ever seen. Having the windows down during allergy season has been terrible for her. The girl has had a cough since February and we're hoping to see a difference in her soon. Her exzema has been worse then ever too because within minutes of getting in the car she's a sticky sweaty mess. We've pretty much been confined to the house unless it's before 9am, after 6pm or raining. Day trips that were musts, like doctors visits or grocery shopping was getting rough on the kids and becoming stressful for me. Now, I know that AC is a luxury (shoot, having a car is a luxury), but it is amazing how different all of us are now that we have it. Our moods are better, we're excited to go places again, I don't get stressed out when we're out of milk, and Chandler's skin is clearing up! Landon is still getting used to actually being chilly in the car, and Matt and I both just so relieved for our family! It all sounds crazy, but I'm telling you AC in Florida makes a difference! A HUGE difference.

Another reason we're so excited is space. It's been over a year that we've pretty much been confined to the kids, a driver, and 1 passenger. The back seat with two car seats wouldn't even fit the tiniest of booties (trust me, just ask my brother's fiance, Sheena). On top of that, having a hatchback limits trunk space. With at least 1 double stroller always in the back, fitting groceries, bags, or anything else was almost impossible. The space we have now is amazing. We can fit two strollers if we had to, plenty of groceries, and 7 passengers!!

Reliability and peace of mind is something else we now have thanks to our new minivan! The transmission on the car was slipping on top of the AC being out, and really, I'm sure there were so many other crazy things wrong with that car. Every time we got in it we weren't quite sure if we were going to make it to our destination and I-4 had become a no no! We couldn't go above 55 mph anymore because of the transmission issues and who really wants to drive on the interstate with the windows down... certainly not my 2 year old who would say, "mommy, the wind is going to blow my head off." In addition, to being able to freely come and go we also have a 6 year 125,000 mile warranty which means Landon will be 9 before that bad boy expires!

What a relief for our entire family! God has provided for us in a big way. It's something we've been praying about and saving for, for a LONG time and when we did our taxes this year, we knew we had enough to make a move!! It's only been 5 and 1/2 days and let me tell you, we have been enjoying everything about our new van! We did decide not to get all the luxury upgrades because we couldn't justify paying extra for something we didn't absolutely need. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to go with them, but for our family it just wasn't worth the extra bucks. What's amazing though is my parents just told us that they'd like to put in a DVD player in for the kids since we are taking a big trip next month! Landon is VERY excited about "having a TV in his car." Ha.

All in all this has been such a great thing for our family! We couldn't be happier with our newest addition!