Guest Post - Amanda from "It's the Little Things"

Happy Monday!  Awhile back, I did a guest post at my friend, Amanda's blog, "It's the Little Things."  Amanda and I were friends in college and are now wearing the hats of teacher, wife, and mama to two babes, Cruz, and Amanda's adorable little bean, Stella.  We were also both born in August - August 13th for me and August 14th for Amanda.  And I'm sure we're both feeling the heat of another school year approaching, all while trying to squeeze as much summer as we can into these important days in August.  

Now it's Amanda's turn to do some guest posting on my space.  Take it away, girl!   

Hello there, I’m Amanda, writer behind our family’s blog, It's The Little Things, centered around this fantastic little thing called life! Our tiny corner of the internet is your glimpse into our endless giggles, yummy meals, park excursions, bebe letters, colorful crafts, and heaps of love, with bits and pieces of what inspires us along the way. Something parenthood has taught us so far, is that the little things in life aren't so little after all; they are, in fact, quite big and beautifully important. We invite you to our neck of the woods to enjoy a peek at some of the treasured moments in our lives as a itty-bitty family of four.
 

Sweet Ashley has put together a list of questions so you can get to know us better!  And I must say, what a treat it is to being hanging out in this wonderful space today.

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-Tell us about Stella - what is her latest 'thing?' Stella’s latest thing has got to be shaking her head no.  You guys…she is 14 months going on 14 years.  Right before she does something she knows she is not supposed to do, she shakes that little head of hers back and forth.  It's pretty darn adorable if you ask me.
  

-What is your favorite thing to do with Stella? One of my favorite things to do with Stella is take her to the library.  We always have so much fun when we go, which is usually once a week.  She gets to pick out a few new books and I get to read while she plays in the baby section.  It’s my kind of fun and is only a short walk away!

-What do you do for fun with the family? As a family, we adore the park.  I mean...we have a borderline obsession going on over our park.  Yes, I call it "our park" because we live in a condo and do not have a backyard, so the park is our refuge and special place.

-How do you find time for that ever-important 'me' time? How do you balance your many hats as a mama, wife, teacher, etc? Oh, now this is a good one!  This whole balancing act is more like a juggling act.  One thing is up while the other is down.  I haven’t always been okay with that, but over time I have come to realize that I don’t think life will ever be balanced out as perfectly as I used to hope for.  I concentrate on making sure I am being positive while embracing the little things in the moment, whether that be as a mama, teacher, or wife.  I am just so grateful for this sweet life of ours.

-You are an Iowa girl who married your high school sweetheart and moved to the city to build a life for your family. What do you miss about Iowa, but love about your new home/city? One thing I miss about Iowa would be the comfort I feel around the familiar, whether that be my family, friends, or my old surroundings.  I guess you could say corn fields and clothes lines soothe me.  And as for life in the city, I love that every thing is just a walk away.  Be it a museum, a store, the market, the cinema, the park…it’s all right down the street.  I love that.  I think the urban life suits us, for now.  

-What is the most rewarding thing about being a mama? The most rewarding thing about being a mama is seeing Stella happy.  I love getting to experience new things with her that bring her joy.  When she radiates happiness with that beautiful smile of hers, I cannot but help feel beyond blessed.   I also cherish her little milestones, such as flipping through a book for the first time or when she learned how to blow a kiss.  Those moments just melt me.

-Your idea of the perfect date? Easy.  Eating food with my man.  Really though, any time Andrew and I can go out to eat and try new food together I am one happy camper.  We love the diversity of restaurants here in Kansas City and have a blast exploring them.  And I wouldn’t mind taking said food to a drive in…now that would be an ultra-perfect date. :) 

-You have an eye for style and can rock a fedora more than any woman I know. Share a style secret and your favorite place to shop! Miss Ashley you are too kind!  The fedora makes for one good bad hear day cover up, that’s for sure.  One style secret I have is to not be afraid of color.  I hate it when I hear women say, “Oh, I could never pull off hot pink pants but have been dying to try it!”  I think to myself, “Then try it sister!”  There are no rules when it comes to feeling good in clothes.  So I say go for it.  And as for my favorite place to shop that would have to be the Anthropologie sale rack and H&M.  I could live in Anthro.  For real. 

-Favorite meal?  As you already know, I love to eat.  Food is my passion, so narrowing down a favorite meal…well that’s a toughy.  For starters I love comfort food.  Bring on the savory sauces and bold flavors.  One of my signature dishes and most favorite things to eat on a brisk fall say is boeuf bourguignon.  Julia Child’s recipe, of course.  You can find this recipe on my blog under the good eats tab!

-Favorite drink? Hands down: iced coffee.  Need I say more?

-Song you can't get out of your head? “Gold On the Ceiling” by the Black Keys.  I’m sort of having a Black Keys moment right now, and miss Stella does this incredibly cute booty shake when she hears them rock out. 

Thanks for having me Ashley and to all of her lovely readers, I would love to be your new blog friend!

xo, Amanda