Busy as a bee....

I'm a bad blogger lately but it's not entirely my fault. I tried to post this last week but blogger was experiencing technical difficulties. Screw technical difficulties.

The weekend before last, i went to my cousin Mike's wedding. As kids, we were always getting into trouble, or doing stupid things. I remember this like it was yesterday. We lived in Kentucky for a short period of time, and we had a little farm (why, i have no idea bc my mom isn't an animal person)--including pigs. My mom and his mom, (my aunt ) were both REALLY pregnant. We were playing on the seesaw when the pigs got loose. I ran inside to get my mom and aunt, and we came outside and he was bawling like a baby (ok, he was like two, but i love to tease him about it) surrounded by these giant pigs. Then, we grew up and had long, fun nights out. There was the time(s) i lost my shoes....ok, that was on more than one occasion but you get the point.

Now, it was his turn to get married. I will apologize in advance for the craptastic pics. The next item on my list is a new camera. (ahem...blake) The day was beautiful for most part--until midway through the ceremony when thunder boomed so loud i almost jumped out of the pew.

Here is my Aunt Robyn and Uncle Mike! Nervous.I need to retouch up their eyes, but i am too tired. Will do later! The new Mr and Mrs!!!

I still have no idea how to move the pics around. Dear blogger, make it easier to add pics. Thanks.

Anyway--Congrats Mike and Shana! We love you guys!
I had more pics but like i said, technical difficulties suck ass. Sunday, i woke up feeling too tired and a bit dehydrated, and headed to my friend Jaime's baby shower. The shower was my kinda shower--sangria and Qudoba!

After the shower, I met blake at his parents house to celebrate father's dad (he volunteered for OT last Sunday) and his niece's 16th! Watch out, Amanda's gonna be hitting the road soon! Stay tuned for this weekends recap! I think i am still recovering!

lack of motivation=stalking etsy

Etsy is like crack. From seller OnOccasion.I've been a bit unmotivated this week--I blame it on my busy weekend (post to come someday soon). I've posted about etsy before, as do many bloggers. I was looking for a baby gift, and i came across some things that i might have to order for myself. I need a second job to pay for my etsy needs.

It this not awesome?

nutraj

denisejarks:

i am in love with this: So damn cute. From daphnenen

The Race for The Cure was last week,

and this is awesome: from SoutherCharm

. Obviously, I am obsessed with yellow lately! From BurstofHappiness: and this baby blanket is freaking awesome! From harrietmolly:

and this is just funny....

Note to self

As i posted early this week, I had an MRI last week. I patiently waited for the freaking results. I finally broke down and called them yesterday (geez, i mean what if i was waiting to hear about a freaking tumor or something!) and what did they tell me? NOTHING--something about muscle spasms. I was pissed by then. I had to wait almost a week for them to tell me nothing at all. I sat at my desk stewing in that for a minute, and finally called them back.

'Well, doesn't the dr. have any recommendations.?'
There are not any written down, do you want me to ask her?
Um, yea.
Ok, we'll call you back.

Almost 5 hours later, she calls me back to tell me to go back to PT, continue the muscle relaxers, and maybe see a chiropractor because it will help the muscle relaxers work better? WTF?

I hang up more pissed because i am in pain, STILL 2 months later, and i have no idea why. I wanted to cry because i felt like noone understood how this is all affecting my life. After talking to my wonderful hubby, I decided to do something and take the plunge to see a chiropractor. If they couldn't do anything, fine at least i tried. Maybe he could at least read my MRI results.

So, i scramble to call my health insurance to see if they cover a chiropractor! WOOT, they do. I finally call and make an appointment. I was rather nervous bc i had never been and have always been kind of leery of them. I think it's because i hate when ppl crack their knuckles, and i associated that sound with them. Oh, and Blake got referred to one by my holistic mom. This lady was a wacky quack. she had blake bring his vitamins and hold them in his hands, and that the hand he held his vitamins in was being pushed down. Basically, she was trying to pedal her stupid vitamins.

Today, i go to my first appt. I'm sitting in the consult room filling out paperwork when i read one of the pieces that needed my lovely signature. What I was signing was that i agree not to sue for pain suffered during the eval process, and this is what kinda started to freak me out. It said something about emotional repercussions. Um, WTF were they going to do to me that could cause emotional repercussions??? I almost walked right out of there right then and there but i can't really run so i wouldn't be able to get out of there fast enough. So I stayed :)

I sit and wait to talk with the doc.

He read me the results from the MRI in normal person words and i felt a little better knowing what exactly was wrong. There was some bulging in the some areas and the tendons in my back are swollen. This makes total sense why the muscle relaxers are not working--DUH! AND why PT really wasn't working either. He hooked me up the this machine--which is totally my favorite thing right now! They put electrode patches on me, hook it up to the machine and it sends a current to my back. I used it at PT but NEVER felt the relief i have right now. so I am guessing that is a good thing! He explained to me that one I used at PT works (and I guess mrs. julia can correct him if he's wrong) on the muscles, where as this one went deeper to hit those tendons. I don't care what it hit but it did helped, so that is all that matters!! I guess chiro's aren't so bad after all.

8 inches!

I did it! I chopped it off! I am not so much used to it yet, and i have NO clue how really to fix it, but here are some pics...and sorry for the 'i am special' faces but its really hard to take your ok picture, OK? plus, it hasn't been fixed yet, and i am sure it will take me a few days to figure that out. I am so used to pulling it up in a pony tail! I'll take some better ones at the wedding im going to this weekend! Actually, the girl who cut my hair's wedding! (my cousins soon to be wifey!)





Before: This was me in November and it actually was a few inches longer than this.....
and now:

yes, i am a dork. i am fully aware of that! :)

the blog world is a crazy place.....

I was carousing around on google reader and came across this blog by a guy named matt--a new dad. His story, his blog--it's very real, very raw, and very emotional.

Start here

Grab a BOX of tissues first.

I've got a case of the Mondays...

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. I should of just stayed in bed!

• So, I've seen two hitchhikers in the past few days. Haven't they seen any scary movies? No movie that involves hitchhikers ever ends well.


• I had my first MRI on Thursday. I haven't gotten the results back but while i was completely dreading it and freaking out, it wasn't as bad as i thought. I got there and sat on the machine and the woman tells me, 'ok, we have 2 scans to do and each one takes about 30-40 minutes.' I know that the look on my face didn't scream anything close to excitement, hell, i might have actually screamed. If she wouldn't have said that i think i would have been 100% ok. Once it started going, i felt like my chest was going to implode. Luckily, i calmed down after a while, and eventually ended up drifting off to napville. BUT--i couldn't help but to wonder about that machine. She put eag plugs and headphones on so that could listen to music but seriously wtf was the point of the music when the machine was so loud that the music couldn't be heard at all? All in all, it got me rather excited that i'd be listening to music rather than sitting in awkward silence where i'd think myself to death, but no i got neither. A loud buzzing noise is all i heard for the next hour. Now, just have to sit here and wait for the results.


• What is it about just getting married that ppl need to ask how married life is? What kind of response do they expect? I swear the next time someone asks im going to tell them it's awful and i think he is going to leave me to join the circus, and that i swear he isn't int girls anymore. If that question doesn't get annoying as it is, there is the question about when we expect to procreate. Blake's mom asked us on Saturday when we were going to 'get on this baby thing?' and she said, and i quote, 'well, you have had a month!' and then she goes even farther to say, 'we need a baby around before i die!.' No comments needed.


• Speaking of procreating, one of our friends had a bouncing baby boy! Needless to say, he was adorable, and i felt a slight twinge of baby fever...just a slight twinge. After a few minutes and a detailed account of her experiences, that tinge was gone, so much so i may never have babies! :)


• and now bc i love pics in posts and this somehow sums up everything.....

The story behind THE BLUE HAT

Oh, Blake--I love him, i really do, but sometimes I just don't know about him sometimes. It's not that I don't love him, honor him or cherish him and all that lovey dovey crap, it's just that he truly is --one of a kind. He is shy and pretty quiet when you first meet him (you won't believe me after this post), but once he gets to know you (or after too many alcoholic beverages) he starts to open up. Sometimes too much....There are things come out of his mouth that make you laugh until you cry--and you might wonder where hell did he pull that from? You will understand what I mean quite shortly.

• I have been talking about cutting my hair lately, and i mentioned that i might cut it to my shoulders. When I told this to Blake, he goes, 'but amy, i like your hair long.' My reply was, um, my shoulders are here." oh yea.


• 'is this diet rum?---this has to be one of my favorites. Diet rum?


• 'i can't hear you over the hip hop'


• three words that should never be put together or ever demonstrated. NEKED GUITAR HERO


• "I'm at the underwear factory.' (During their annual boys night out, blake seemed to loose track of where he was and where the other boys were.)


• Once talking about having kids, i mentioned that i wanted 3. He says, "well amy, let's have one and see how that goes.


• During our first float trip together, (this was eons ago), some girl yell, Hi Blake. He goes, 'who are you?" She responds, "Blake, it's your COUSIN, Tracy!"


• After watching this video (you will see shortly) a week or so later, I ask Blake where he learned that dance. He responds, 'On tv--(and then mumbled something about the gay pride parade)

There are plenty more where those came from. Maybe i'll do installments of Blake-ology, kind of like Julia does with her hubby!

Now, for the total showdown of all things Blake. I cannot BELIEVE i am even going to post this. I have brought up this blue hat several times before. This is the story of the blue hat that inspired, and birthed our best man's speech, and was taken with us to Jamaica for a photo op.

The blue hat was born last year during our annual float trip to Ozark Outdoors. Blake, and a few others went to get ice, and a few staples for our upcoming float down the river. Other people came back with ice, cigs, or even snacks. Not Blake. He came back sporting this lovely--and oh, so MANLY hat. This was taken before the float:

and this is the replica of the hat our best man used in his speech. He even drove down to Ozark Outdoors and bought it for this ginormous event. It was the last blue one they had.

and just a little background info--this came out of absolutely nowhere. We were packing up getting ready to head to the float. It was 9:37 AM, and the ENTIRE camp around us, cheered him on and clapped after this rare performance ended. Just so you all know--this is the same guy who said our wedding vows at a whisper because he was so nervous.

I swear this video should be a warning to kids. This is what alcohol can do to you. Just say no!

When you watch this, note the time. Nope, your not mistaken, it really is that early in the morning. I think he might still be intoxicated from the night before. and yes, i was there and knew all about this before i married him. now that's what i call unconditional love, huh? At least we NEVER have a dull moment.

Yes, that is my husband. He sure does know how to make a girl proud! and like my friend Erica says, 'and you wanna mate with this guy?'And you wonder why I told anyone that if they played this at the wedding, i'd seriously injure them to the point of no recogntion. Luckily, they listened.

Now, as we gear up for this years annual float trip (most likly this july, obviously we are loads o' fun, anyone wanna join us?)......can you guess what accessory we'll be bringing? oh and what is up with sam's hair? I don't remember that phase.......

For the two friends that know Blake that might actually read this...what's your favorite Blake-ology?

Simple

I love this. I need this by Lisa Leonard Designs

and this from seller redrubyrose on Etsy! If I would have found this earlier, it would have been my wedding day clutch--as peonies are my favorite, and one of two flowers that were in my wedding!

I love Etsy, it's where I found, the NEW gartermaker.

blast from the past...pic explosion!

That's Blake and I July 2005, our first trip together in Cancun! After that trip, we both new we were going to spend the rest of our lives together....aw, i know.

But then, i found this birdy......love? not quite but he was a nice kisser! :)

This is the first installment of a blast from my past. Call me nastolgic, or call me bored, but some of these pics i just like, some have wonderful memories, and some are just plain funny. I love pictures, as you can probably tell, and some of these are older than old, which is why the quality sucks! Ah, this first one is from our first annual girls night out. Apparently, we like to steal things on these outings, or act like idiots but it makes for good pics and good fun! This is 3 years ago--I think--girls correct me if i'm wrong, but it is right out front of Bugaloo!

This was the following years annual GNO. And yes, that is a man, and yes, that is my "omg, get this man away from me face." and shortly after this photo op he was escorted out of Harry's for being a wierdo. Hmmmmm...i dont understand why! and that was the year of blake's disappearance to the underwear factory.

This is just a good memory...While we no longer have Johnson (no, I did NOT name him) but i was out cold, and lily, loooves to snuggle. I mean how freggin cute are they?
Note to self: go on diet.

Ah, last years float trip--and the birth of the BLUE COWBOY hat. Maybe one day, and this is a huge MAYBE, i will post the video that birthed our BEST MAN'S SPEECH. If you know Blake, you will understand, but oh, man, I will tell you that i have NEVER laughed so hard in my life. NEVER. So, in honor of this trip---DO WORK, SON!
This is my favorite installment of Before.......
and after......yes, that is her cake. what a waste!

Don't ask. Too much alcohol can really put you in the doghouse!
um, all i can say is Matt's got nasty ass weave! I look weird in this pic and so does Tim but it was the first time I saw him after we moved from CoMo. Large consumptions of liquor+old college roomie=several buckets of tears
I don't know why I love this pic, but it just makes me laugh.......this is from our old crib...
And this has always been a fav too.....
and talking about going waaaay back? This is from my first lake trip with blake and the boys. First of all, don't you love the Jesus clown. yes, that is what his shirt says. Anyway, this weekend, really well, i'll let this explain itself.

One condo, One bathroom, 6 boys and one little ole me. This is going on my fridge, so that i can remind myself what it was like to be a size freggin 0. Diet? Yes, please! Now, this is a reaaaaly old one. Blake and I went camping together for the first time. This involved someone getting knocked in the head by a tree (ahem, BECCA!), our tent becoming a pool, bologna, the introduction of sandal, a chair roasting party, and an No-Ad sunscreen fight that resulted in horrible rashes. Ahhh, the memories. Jen and Sandi--look our men. Tell me they don't look like beeeebies??? I guess this was a cool photo to take back then?

I don't know, but i love this one too. While it may look like they are staring lovingly into each others eyes (remember, the boy on the right married me!) they were dancing to some rad tunes, or something like that.

Apparently Sam didn't know this statue was ALIVE. HA!And the last one for today comes from New Year's Eve, 2005?
I think we like each other!

Ok, I lied. This is the last one of today. From new years, 2007.

Sheesh, I'm exhausted! Next time won't be so long, i will at least try!

stupid Juicy C emails.....

makes my mouth drool every time i open my inbox.

First of all, how freggin cute are these boots?

Now, who wants to buy me one?

Of course, i love anything that is pink and green! :)
and lastly, my favorite! I'll take one in black and brown please!
My dog doesn't bite but I do!

And i am ALMOST tempted to have a baby just so i can have this:

Amy--think about the stupid kids running around the grocery store that you were ready to take out with a cantaloupe. That is what babies turn into. Ok, my baby fever is gone. thank the lord.