by Amy | Jul 30, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Adventure, The Art of Gathering
There are two distinct schools of thought on what I’m about to show you. #1: This is awesome. #2: This is the lamest thing I’ve ever seen.
I, obviously go with #1. If you are more of #2 person, that’s fine. Just know that I’m a little lame sometimes.
In 2008 my lovely friend Courtney came up with a great idea. We love the Olympics, to celebrate, let’s host our own Olympics. A make up of events that are awful, exciting, and as close to the real thing as we can get on a $0 budget in Elkhart, IN.
And so it began. This weekend we celebrated the third Special Friends Olympics. Yes. That’s what we really call it. And…in case you are wondering…you too can host your own. We try to make it fall at any time during the games.
We start at 10 a.m. {ish) with a breakfast of champions. Then we put up the score board {table paper taped to my parent’s porch door} and start the games. {After the lighting of the *Tiki* Torch.} God bless my parents for putting up with kids who are probably too old to continue to participate and invent such shenanigans. But when it’s all said and done, it’s been a day of good clean fun.
This year we participated in the following events:
- The Hunger Games {target shooting with an air soft gun}
- Slippery Slide {a distance even on a 100 foot slip ‘n’ slide}
- A “Family Double Dare” inspired obstacle course {which included shot-put, hurdles, biking and sprinting}
- Drunk Stick {a crowd favorite…pick up a pool noodle, hold it above your head, look up and spin around 15 times as fast as you can. Then drop the noodle and jump over it. This event is judged on entertainment value, speed and accuracy. Seriously, try it.}
- A Foot Race
- Hot Box {a relay of sprints in winter attire}
- Blind Volley Ball {volley ball over the clothes line draped with sheets, so you can’t see where the ball is going to come from}
So there you have it. Now you know something even more weird about me than you ever thought possible. But don’t knock it until you try it. There are many haters out there…but we’ve never had a bad time at the SFO. And past participants always want to come back to the games.
I took the most medals for the women’s division of the SFO. I like to think I made the Team USA proud. But somehow I doubt I did. Check out more photos from the day in the gallery below.
[nggallery id=3]
Happy Monday,
Amy
PS…Tomorrow I’m so excited to be sharing my favorite craft finds from the Elkhart County 4-H Fair! Check back.
by Amy | Jul 27, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Here. Take a napkin. I know you are drooling.
I had a blast yesterday shooting this awesome trash the dress session at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. If you haven’t been, you should go. It’s worth traveling cross country for.
And who is that stunning bride, you ask…That my dear friends is my one and only sister.
We had a great day, despite the rain and humidity. Stay tuned for a full spread coming soon!
Amy
by Amy | Jul 26, 2012 | Blog, Prayer, The Art of Faith
Yesterday I got a lesson in perspective. Frustrating situation or answered prayer. It’s all a matter of perspective. My answered prayers were a irritating situation to a lot of others. And it got me thinking that maybe when I’m frustrated and things are working out exactly how I’d have them…maybe those moments are actually an answer to someone else’s prayers.
Let me elaborate.
I was headed home to Elkhart, IN. {The best place in the world.} Flights from Minot are sooo expensive. So to save some cash, I decided to take the Amtrak train from Minot to Minneapolis. Then I’d take a plane from there to Chicago, where the fam would pick me up.
The train from Minot ran over night, so I figured I’d sleep all night and be ready to go in the morning when I arrived. Well…this is what really happened.
The train was due to depart at 9:25. However, it ran about 2 hours late to Minot and didn’t leave the station until midnight. The staff assured me that we would make up time over night and I’d arrive in Minneapolis a mere 24 minutes late.
So I boarded the crowded train. The car they told me I needed to stay in had a broken air conditioner. I took the only open pair of seats so I could curl up and go to sleep. Then it started.
The coughing.
Right in front of me sat an elderly woman and her husband. And bless their hearts, they had the worst sounding coughs I’ve ever heard in all my years. You know the sound. A juicy, geriatric, flemmy, cough-a-lung-up…hacking, cough. The kind of cough that makes your stomach turn. Without any air flow I felt like I was sealed up in a Ziploc baggie with them. I thought…”If only I could get to sleep, I’d probably be able to sleep through it…”
But getting to sleep was the problem. Right when I thought it had stopped and I was about to drift off…hack-cough-hack.
I must have fallen into a decent sleep at one point because when I woke up it was 6:52 a.m. and we were about to pull into a station. And just imagine my surprise when I discovered we were in Fargo, ND. Three stops past Minot. A depot we were supposed to have passed through at 3:10 a.m.
I flagged down the nearest staff member, who proceeded to tell me that we would be 4 hours late to Minneapolis.
Well bummer…because that means I’ll miss my flight.
After this I talked to the airline, who told me tickets to Chicago were all sold out. If I wanted to change my seat to a flight for the next day I’d be charged $138 to cancel, then the going rate of $240 for a new ticket. Holy crap.
So I got off the phone and called Derek, my mom {who called my dad} and I texted my Sis. We all set to praying that the plane would be delayed so I’d be able to make it.
I finally got to my destination at 10:50. The original flight was scheduled for 11:10.
As I got into the cab to head for the airport my Sis texted me…Flight 708 was now delayed until 12:40.
Prayers answered.
As the plane taxied to wait for the runway to clear the captain came over the speaker. He apologized for the delay…and told us that there had been a hold up early in the morning that had delayed them all day.
Now…was it our 7 a.m. prayers? Was it just a coincidence that we prayed early in the morning…and they’d also been delayed? I don’t know. But I do know that this hold up was an answer to my prayers. A lot of other people were frustrated, but I was relieved.
Bringing me back to my original point. Just some food for thought, next time you are irritated or frustrated in a public situation…remember that a situation that is boiling your blood, just may be answering someone’s prayer.
Just a thought.
Amy
PS–I cannot wait to show you what I was up to today! A trash the dress session at the county fair!! So fun. I’m going to upload photos right meow, so you all can have a little peek tomorrow.
by Amy | Jul 24, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Living, the house
Well, it all happened so fast. Allison and Scott got a call that there is a house available for them on base. Last night was a flurry of packing and dropping things off to the new place. They stayed here last night, and this morning they took off to unload in their own house.
And I leave for Indiana tonight.
The full house quickly became a nearly empty nest. Derek and Panda Kitty will be here on their own for a while. I know PK will appreciate it.
When I was a kid I remember reading a story called: “Too Much Noise.” It’s about a man who thinks his house is too noisy. The doors squeak, the floors creak, the windows shake. He can’t get any sleep. So he goes to the village wise man for advice. The sage tells him to get a cow. And the story progresses…the cow just adds to the noise, the sage then tells him to get a donkey…a cat…a dog…a sheep…and the list goes on and on until his house is a zoo.
Finally, at his wits end he goes back to the wise man one final time, pleading for a better solution. This time, instead of telling the man to get another animal, the elder tells him to get rid of all the animals.
When he gets home, the doors still squeak, the floors still creak, and the windows shake…but all seems quiet and peaceful.
I’ve been thinking about that story lately. When I first saw the house {Derek put the offer in before I was in Minot, so I’d only seen photos before we bought it} I thought “My, oh, my…this place is small.” I just didn’t know how everything would fit in here. Then our furniture arrived and we managed to get things in order. But it still felt small. Then we added two more adults, a dog, a baby…and a very scared cat. The house seemed full but not crowded.
Now that everyone is gone and all the toys are picked up this house seems like the coliseum. Isn’t it funny how perspective changes like that?
I’ll miss the full house. So I guess I need to start peer pressuring the family to come up and visit!
Amy
by Amy | Jul 23, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment, the house
Hello there. I hope this welcome will be well received by old readers and new readers alike. I’m thrilled to be launching the all new amy allender {dot} com today.
So, have a look around. Here’s what’s new and why I made the shift.
My lovely husband pointed out that I had a few too many online presences for one little girl and one small business. I had a personal blog, a neglected business blog, a website, and two facebook pages… and a personal facebook page. I think he was right. It was too many for little young me.
So I took his advice and melded everything I love into one place. My business, my life, my home. They are all here, living in harmony.
If you have read for a while you know I’m more play than business…so I like to think that this will be a place where my business can be roommates with all my fun projects.
Why I think you’ll love the switch:
- Everything you loved about Aprons & Ambitions is here. The awesome content, the misadventures…they’ll all be posted here on the new blog.
- The blog address has been simplified. Now you can find me here at amyallender.com/blog…not a jumble of dashes and blogspots.
- Derek and I just moved into our new {old} house…and I’ve got loads of projects coming up.
- Since I’m merging business and pleasure, you’ll get to view all the sweet eye candy and awesome videos I produce at work.
- I’ll be simplifying my labels, so your favorite posts will be easy to find…but you can always go back to A&A. There is a link under the “blog” menu in the navigation bar.
Here’s what’s new and awesome:
- Amy Allender Productions is growing a focus for awesome family/lifestyle photography. So you can bet you’ll see more of that in the coming days.
- Much. Many. Long is my new motto. After lots of prayer and consideration, God spoke to my heart and let me know that doing as much as I can, for as many as I can, for as long as I can is the most important thing in life. I’m working toward that goal and hope you’ll come along with me. I think we can all make a difference if we employ our natural skills and interests to change the world.
- You can now follow me here. One place on Facebook.
- My services are more comprehensive, my rates are more simplified.
- I’ll continue to post free printables…and now they’ll have a category of their own, easy to spot.
So yeah. I think it’s a good move. Please stick with me as I finish up the switch. {The RSS feed is giving me fits.} In the next day or so I’ll have all the follow buttons you could want and we’ll be off and running!
I’m planning to post again tonight. So grab your friends and check back soon!
Amy
