SOS...

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I am extremely overwhelmed right now, I have more on my plate than ever before! Because nobody likes a pity party I'll spare you from all the details but I will say that my Internet is still down! The combination of both chase and I being sick for over a week now combined with my grandma passing away on Saturday has giving me little time to do anything!

I will try to blog more later this week but I did want to follow through (a day late) with announcing the giveaway winner! I have to admit I was a little disappointed at the turnout but I'll just amuse people don't like froyo ;) or it might have been from the lack of promoting on my part! Oh well perhaps I'll have a better turn out next time =)

The winner of the Red Mango $25 gift card is.... Jason ... first time commenter and new friend to me here! Congratulations Jason I will send you and e-mail or hit you up on facebook! Xtra special thanks to all the commenter's!

______________________________________________________

Thank you to all my friends that have been sending me out prayers and well wishes! You are extremely appreciated! Lots of Love ~ Amanda

__________________________________________

Walk Now For Autism 08 - Seattle

Last Saturday my friend Cathy, her daughter Calmerin, Chase and I all took part in the Walk Now For Autism walk. Despite the rain and strong winds ton's of people turned out to walk the gorgeous University of Washington campus. Sponsor's and walker's worked hard all year to raise funding and awareness for Autism Speaks, together we raised $250,000 of the $350,000 Seattle goal.

Raising funds and awareness for Autism is super important!!!!


Did you know Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in 1 in 150 children in the United States, affecting four times as many boys as girls?


" The diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown." .... did you read that right ... "no known cause or cure"


This is incredibly alarming and should be a hot topic on everyone's mind whether you know someone inflicted with autism or not. This disorder inflicts more US children than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Although autism is certainly not a new disorder it is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability. Why is this? Doesn't it make you mad that we don't know? Something has to be to blame for the rise and I want to know what it is!

"67 children are diagnosed per day - A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes"

"Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade. Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases"

Pediatric AIDS: Affects 1 in 8,000 / Funding: $394 million
Muscular Dystrophy: Affects 1 in 20,000 / Funding: $175 million

Autism: Affects 1 in 150 / Funding: $42 million

Do you see those numbers!!!! How does that possibly make any sense? Why is that acceptable to America? I do not have a child with autism or even have a child close to me with it, yet I am outraged by this! We as parents, we as a nation owe it to the children to speak up for autism!

This is why funding and awareness are so undeniably crucial.

Walkers

Sticker on my jeans ;)

Me

Cathy

Look at these cute lil' walkers!

After the walk I got a ton of great pictures of these two. Stay tuned for those!

Speak up for Autism!

Join a walk in your city

Make a donation

Or at least keep the buzz going, talk about it, blog about it, bring awareness to it because without it our children will continue to be at risk!

Helpful link's: Jenny McCarthy's - Generation Rescue :: Autism Society of America

3 going on 13?

So tonight I'm out shopping while Chris and Chase are over at his auntie's house. Why did Chase call me on my cell phone and say ...

Chase - "Hi mommy! ... Can I sleep here?"
Me - (picture me dumb founded) "What?"
Chase- "Can I sleep over at here?"

Insert long pause because I am thinking and tripping out at the same time

Me- "Um... No come home, Don't you miss me"
Chase- "I love you, but I want to stay here"

After some more of him sweetly pleading his case and me saying " I don't think so bug" I finally say "okay let me talk to daddy". "Okay" meaning I'm done talking to you not "okay" you get to stay. He quickly passes the phone to Chris while excitingly exclaiming "she said okay!"

Are you kidding me? HE'S THREE!!!! What is going on?

How in the world is he #1 capable of so eloquently having this conversation with me? #2 isn't it WAY too early for sleep overs? #3 Isn't this the talk of like umm i don't know, a seven year old?

Oh man I thought I'd have a few good years left before I'd have to deal with this kind of stuff. I have a long road ahead of me!

I'm out of kleenex !

Last night I read "Comfort" by Ann Hood, it found me as so many great books do at Barnes and Noble. I am always amazed at the treasures I somehow find myself buying, it's as if I hear them calling me from the shelf "pick me... you need to read me". Not very often do I listen but when I do, man do I get lucky. This book is about the loss of Ann's 5 year old daughter Grace and her journey through the pain.





I got in bed and cracked the spine open on my new book. I had only meant to read a chapter or two before falling asleep but after the 1st page I knew it was going to be a long night. By the second page I was already crying and continued to do so for the next 182 pages! Seriously! Sometimes it was just a silent tear rolling down my check and other times I was a full on sobbing mess. I'm talking the kind of crying where you can't breathe and you struggle to see the words through your tears. Next to me while I read a feel my sleeping boy, I can feel his little body sweating next to me and I occasionally pause from the story to look at him and listen to him breathing.

I have a confession to make, I do that a lot, check to see if he's breathing. This may be a normal mom thing, I don't know because I've never talked to anyone about it, but since the day chase was born I've always had that almost painful fear of something happening to him. Because of this fear I keep him close, not the crazy super protective mom close , but the check on you in the middle of the night to make sure your breathing type of mom! Sometimes I scare myself just thinking of all the what ifs. As horrible as this may sound when I lost Sydney I had thoughts of "phew now Chase is even more safe" God would never take two of my babies right? It was almost as if I felt she was my one give and now that I gave her I would be safe from future loss. Of course I know logically that's not how it works. For added measure with every prayer, everyday, no matter what the subject, I always throw in my little" please keep Chase safe" plea.


It's amazing to me that I actually purchased and read this book given my own deep fear of losing my child. I am however so glad I did! Despite it being gut wrenching, the book was still very very good. As I finished it @ 3am only a mere 3 hours before I had to get up for work, I turned to the sleeping boy next to me, gave him some smooches, wrapped my arms around him and began my prayer...


" Lord thank you for all the many blessings you've given us. I pray for Ann and her family. I thank you for giving her comfort in the face of an unthinkable tremendous lose. I thank you for blessing her with Grace and I with Sydney, even if it was for such a short time. Thank you for this day lord... Please keep Chase safe, Please keep him safe... In your name I pray, Amen"

Highway 101... 392 mile check point!

The best way to combat a long drive with a three year old is to have impromptu run around/photo shoots at cool places like this...

At this point on our road trip we were needing to get out and stretch a little. So when we saw this Harley shop we decided to stop so my dad could by my uncle a shirt and we could let chase play a little. Of course I had to get out my camera, who could resist those colors!

He does those poses all on his own! He's such a little goof ball!

The Curious Crab

He's at that age!

Do the questions ever stop???

Wrap me up in your love!

An assignment was given to me to capture something that "speaks love to you". I thought about it for a while and kept coming back to the idea of my blankets. Besides keeping me warm there is a greater meaning behind the blankets I have grow to love.

The bottom is one I currently use to sleep with, bring to the couch when I need warmth or am sick and most importantly use when me and my little guy snuggle up together.

The next one was given to me when I was little. It was hand made by a family member in Wyoming and shipped in a big box just for me. It is a pretty pink, light weight and perfect for summer when traditional blankets are too hot.

Third one up was made by my grandma and was gifted to me I believe on my 12th birthday. Being a 12 year old I must be honest and say I was totally bummed to receive a hand made afghan instead of something cool like, I don't know a snoopdogg cd! Over the years it sat in a closet not used very much, that is until I got older. As an adult I learned to value the importance of something made by the hand, made out of love with a special person in mind as the receiver. She had knit it just for me in colors she thought I'd like and every time I pull it out and wrap myself in it, it's like wrapping myself in the love that she is no longer here to show me herself.

And then we have my very special souvenir blanket that I bought when I was 16 in the Philippine mountains of Baguio. This is my take everywhere blanket, it has been on many a road trip, a few picnics and used many times to lay out in the sun on. This is one of my most treasured items, my blanket that came from across the world!

Next up is Chase's baby blanket! The blankie I brought him home in. The blankie I swaddled him in for months, laid on the floor for him to play on, the blankie that went with us anytime we left the house. Chase never had a special attachment to a blanket the way most other kids do but every time I see this blanket I am reminded of my precious little baby boy.

Finally on top we have Sydney's blanket. The 12 x 12 piece of polar fleece that the hospital wrapped her in. The small piece of fabric that was big enough to wrap my tiny baby girl in. This is the only blanket she would ever have and the only real object that was ever especially hers. I keep this next to my bed and when I feel that longing to have something of her near me I sleep with it close to my heart.

I have so many more blankets I love. All the special baby blankets my great grandma has sewn for every baby in our family, especially my white one with the little blue flowers on it. The big gray one with red ties my grandpa slept on. There are dozens more that fill my mind with happy memories.

On the outside blankets seem like mere pieces of fabric sewn together in multiple ways but in some blankets there is more meaning than can ever be explained. They represent a time or place, a special person, joy or sorrow, comfort, warmth and love!

What represents love to you?

A Boy and his Retro Red Trike

Saturday we had record high heat here in Seattle. All I can say is thank God for centralized air conditioning! I sat reading in the shade near the door so I could feel the cold air coming from out of the house, while Chase rode around and around the deck on his Red Trike.

Built Tough

I was going through my lightroom library and decided to post a few more of the boys!

Friends!

Amari realizing how dirty his hands got from the tracks!

Mr. Serious (like his mom?)

I love it when his does this! So funny!

Amari + Chase Sneak Peak...

I've been a busy girl this weekend!

Here's a little sneak peak of a shoot I did with Chase and my godson Amari.

Stay tuned ... more to come!!!

Call the Exterminator!!!

Back when I was taking Chase's guitar pictures we noticed this little guy walking across the carpet.

And what did my little guy do???Run away crying? Jump in my lap and scream like a girl Eeewww spider? Nah not my tough guy, he ran into the kitchen and came back with this...

The Ultimate Spider Catcher!

Hahah where do they come up with these things? I was laughing so hard while still trying to catch on camera his excitement over his spider hunting expedition. Because I was laughing he decided to turn the ham on...

Beware little creepy crawlers Spider Hunter Chase is on the job!

** No spiders were harmed in the making of this photo shoot! =) **

Totally Tubular

A couple of Saturday's ago my friend Liza & I took our boy's up to Snoqualmie pass to the tubing area. We had been planning this trip since December but anytime we where free to go the weather was lousy. Boy am I glad we waited because the conditions were perfect when we finally did make it up. We all had a ton of fun both tubing down the huge hill and also just running around planning in the snow. I was too chicken to bring my camera to the actual tube hill but I did get some good shots before and after the session.

Chase & My Godson Dennis

Dennis' Brother JJ

Dennis with his HUGE "snowball"

My personal favorite! My little snowbunny!

I hadn't been tubing since I was a little girl and we used to have to walk up the huge tubing hill. Now they have pulleys that bring you back up! That turned out to be awesome, I was a little worried about how we were going to get the little guys up the hill each time so the pulley was great. I think Chase actually enjoyed the leisurely ride up the hill better than the fast "scary" one down it.

After our session was over we played in the snow for an hour before chase was done. I changed his clothes and then we pulled up close to where the boys were playing. Here's a few of Chase in the car...

Posing for mommy

Watching out the window

The bossy control freak yelling orders out the window

The other two boys continued playing for at least another hour maybe two until the sun was almost completely gone and it got freezing. 40minutes later, one gas stop and two drive thru windows we were home. WE had soooo much fun the kids loved it can't wait till we go again!

My Little Rock Star!

The Next Marky Mark?

Now excepting applications for the funky bunch!

He has my attitude!

Happy Birthday Chase!

My baby is THREE years old! Time goes by so quickly!

Blowing out the candle

Excited about his new spiderman jammies

Fun with cupcake rings!

Happy Birthday LEGO!

To celebrate the 50th Birthday of Lego here are some facts I got from the Lego site:

The LEGO history began in 1932 in Denmark, when Ole Kirk Christansen founded a small factory for wooden toys.

Christansen came up with the name: LEGO – a fusion of the Danish words “LEg” and “GOdt” (“play well”).

15 years later Christiansen discovered plastic as the ideal material for toy production, and bought the first injection moulding machine in Denmark.

In 1949 he developed the LEGO brick prototype and in 1958 the Lego was sold!

Today’s LEGO bricks still fit bricks from 1958.

Production of LEGO bricks with Acrylonitrile Butadine Styrene (ABS) began in 1963. This matte finish plastic is extremely hard, has a scratch and bite-resistant surface, and is ideal for keeping the bricks connected. The ABS compound is not delivered in a liquid form, but rather as granules, which are heated to 232° C until they melt. Injection moulding machines weighing up to 150 tons then press the hot and “gooey” plastic mass into LEGO brick shapes. The shapes dry and harden and, voilà – you have the famous LEGO brick!
There are 2,400 different LEGO brick shapes

LEGO bricks in boxes that are not sold are melted again and turned into new bricks, in accordance with waste prevention and environmental responsibility.

The LEGO Group with its headquarters in Billund, Denmark, is the fifth largest toy manufacturer in the world in terms of sales.

Thank you Lego for 50 years of fun! I know Chase for one is very thankful to Mr Christiansen for his brilliant idea!

Disco Chase

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!

Disco Chase

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!

OMG this is too funny and so much fun! Make your own!

update: Something happened to this, I'll have to go in and recreate it.

It will be back up soon!

Meet Mr. Chase...

Tada! Introducing Mr. Chase the star of this show!

He is a 2 year old silly willy, full of personality, clone of his mom! He enjoys reading book's, dancing, signing, monkey's, helping in the kitchen, "working out", apple juice, popcorn, M&M's, cookies and most importantly

hugs & kisses.

You'll be hearing plenty more about him as he is a regular cast member.