Amanda Rose blog

|| [ MOM ] ||

MOM, left, approx. age 18 || ME, right, taken 2012, age 27

Thank you for your love each and every day.
Because of you, I am me.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Dad had talked about going to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the Japanese cherry blossom trees since all the way back in February.  We thought the Cherry Blossom Festival was March 27 and 28th for a good while, but then understood it was April 27th and 28th.  

Well, yesterday was the 28th, and we went, and it was one of those great father + daughter day trips that dad surprises us with sometimes. (One back in Feb 2012.) 

The weather was fine, the plants were plentiful, and I truly realized that they heal me. I found a few favorites that will make up pots around my future home for sure.

I walked around and admired nature and thought of which plants my nana and grandma would like. When I went into the Bonsai Museum, I had to fight back tears. It made me think of him and when I bought him that Valentine's Day bonsai tree a few years back. I thought of him the whole day, actually.  I thought of how much he would've loved it, and how awesome it would be if I came with his mother and father, too.  I even imagined visiting with our potential kid, and setting up picnic blankets, and asking friends with their families to join us.  Why does my brain go there?

It was a lovely Sunday morning. I will be going back, although I don't know when.  I'm grateful for this past weekend, and not so ready to start a new week, but here we go.

God bless & enjoy your Monday, all!

OMG! The Walking Dead prison in Queens,NY and my sister's a walker!

I didn't think I'd have the energy or the time between the mountains of teacher work to go for a walk/jog with my bitt (sister) yesterday.  However, she came home early, we declared ourselves reigniting Mission SKINS & PRITS, and we set off to Alley  Pond Park trail.  

We walked in on a froggy spring-break party:

So much sister-shenanigans ensued:

...and we stumbled upon The Walking Dead prison:

Today's supposed to be even more gorgeous.

Must make time for another visit to the trail,
if I can make it through my school day first.

Here's hoping!

mom's 55th birthday card

Oh, my mutha, Helene!

She was/is gorgois!

Yesterday was her 55th.

Wowwee.

Happy Birthday, mamacita, and many more!

♥ ♥ ♥

Love, ya adult dawduh,

bunnified.

 

Happy Easter, everybody!

We dressed the boops in their yellow Easter best.

We put some plastic eggs on the floor.

I'm spending it home with my cousins, Claudia & Michael, my sister, mom, aunt, & the boops.

Nothing major.
Very low key. 

We're eating mountains of perogies, and lasagna for dinner.

Maybe a nap in between.

Tonight: The Walking Dead, Season III Finale.
I'M SO EXCITED. 
(something so funny about The Walking Dead)

That's all.

Have a blessed and lovely Sunday.

fancy family time @ Sabrina's Sweet 16

The sweet-sixteener had two dresses.

Her parents made an entrance to SHOTS! with bottles of Blue Label in their hands.

The father of the birthday girl danced a slow, serious dance with his daughter,
then busted out of his tux jacket, slipped on a fedora, and belted
Bruno Mars's "Just The Way You Are" to her! 

Mucho cousin-bonding.

Loads of fist-pumping.

Laughing, dancing, hugging, Vine-ing.

Oh, and I wore this.

a week ago, when my GRAMS was in town

A large bulk of my brood was over to celebrate my Gramsy-pie turning 80.  It was a lot of fun, as you can see in the pics above.

Her birthday cake wish was that we'd all be doing the same thing ten years from now, when she turns 90. 

I couldn't agree more.

Happy Saturday, lovie bops!

xOxO,

Grams arrived...with only one shoe...

Yep.

Leave it to my grandma to arrive with a story.

My Aunt Laura picked up my grandma from the airport and Grams didn't realize until they drove out of the arrival gates that she was missing a shoe.  She didn't feel it NOT on her foot!  My cousin and Grams were scrambling to look for this shoe in the car, and it was no where to be found. Supposedly, she showed up at my house with one bare foot in 15-degree weather! Haa haa! OMG!

I'm so excited for these next three days with Grams!  I have to practice and perfect my rendition of "Cant Take My Eyes Off of You" with our changed lyrics...(see here)...for tomorrow's festivies.  

Today will consist of cleaning and cooking and errands and good things.  

I'll see you when I see you.

xOxO,

a poem featuring my Grams

Grams's Floridan condo

she's 24 today

My little sister is 24 today, and yes, we celebrate that she was born on this day and all balloons and butterflies and all that, but also on this day...

...I personally and silently celebrate the coming of my soulmate,
my little present from the heavens of a lifelong
companion in the form of my sis.

For 24 years, I've had someone who makes me laugh harder than anyone ever, really,
who sings so I can dance and dances when I sing,
who knows me like no other, and
makes all the same associations and connections.

She's is here, and she's been here for 24 years.

Happiest of Birthdays, my sister!

See her instagramed present from me here.

November #FMSphotoADay compilation post

“November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."

                -- Clyde Watson

Hi, everybody.

This is the eleventh Fat Mum Slim photo-a-day for 2012 compilation party here on Amanda Rose blog, and it's okay...you could be excited.  I haven't yet finished the last four days of it, but I plan to before today's end.  I'll come back and post 'em here, and if you're reading this for the first time years from now, all this text will seem like rambling. :)

On the the party...

Day 1: so much leftover Halloween candy because Sandy swept Halloween away from us this year
Day 2: the red color of my cup told me Starbs is as excited for Christmastime as I am (...was?)
Day 3: coffee and crafts was my early breakfast that day
Day 4: T-Dog and Lori bit the dust on The Walking Dead :'(

Day 5: first 'real' day back since Sandy hit, and I was all like, "What am I teaching these kids?"
Day 6: sitting at the table with my closest, safe from the nor'easter, laughing and eating ♥
Day 7: clean and comfy reflection
Day 8: lay with these boops and get loved by them

Day 9: Happy Birthday to me! the small sentiments written in these cards made a BIG impact
Day 10: can't live without gas in my car...waited on lines to get some...odd or even plate?
Day 11: Sunday nights are for The Walking Dead...duh!
Day 12: hot tea for me on this Monday

Day 13: I slept under my floral IKEA painting over my bed
Day 14: my aMANda-made bulletin board was a hit at parent-teacher conferences
Day 15: wallet, keys, To-Do list, chapstick (not pictured), and iPhone (not pictured)
Day 16: the view of NYC from my classroom window makes me wanna fly there

Day 17: this New Year's dress...now all I need is New Year's plans
Day 18: an autumn walk in the park
Day 19: the typewriter-adoption of Dora
Day 20: workin' on Project Life / playin' with washi tape

Day 21: wore cement-color booties
Day 22: Thanksgiving came and went, but my favorite part was Claudia filling my wine glass up
Day 23: we went in to Christmas-decorating mega mode on Black Friday
Day 24: I started #mileaday and heard my feet walking through fallen leaves

Day 25: early evening November sky
Day 26: plenty of spices in my cupboard...hee hee...I said 'cupboard'...:P

Day 27: our tree -- a kitty's view
Day 28: commute on a Wednesday morning...ick and ick
Day 29: My, grandma, what big eyes you have!
Day 30: on the wall/beam of the subway station

Adios, Novemb!

--------------

#FMSphotoaday is ending in a bang (snap!) with
December's list!
It begins tomorrow.
Make sure you tweet/instagram your images with
the hashtag #FMSphotoaday.

Will you be taking the challenge?

Follow me on Instagram to see my 'playing along' daily,
or come back December 31st
to have another compilation party here with me.

See my past months of photo-play:

 January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October

Thanks for stopping by!