The Ameri Brit Mom

Stitch Fix Gift Cards!

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I’m full of all the good intentions in the world.

As soon as the first frost hits I immediately begin to think about Christmas. Every holiday season I aim to get all of my gifts purchased well in advance so that the pressures to get it all done never overshadow the most wonderful time of the year. I don’t want to trade caroling, crafting, or spending time with family to stand in long lines at retailers. Like many of you, those aspirations of finishing my shopping before Thanksgiving never really play out. In part, because I’m a pressure-prompted person, but also in part to the number of shopping trips it takes to make sure everyone on my list receives exactly what they want.

That’s why I’m so excited about the new gift cards available from Stitch Fix this season.

All it takes is a few clicks and many of my fashion-conscious friends are taken care of. Each person who receives a gift card can choose to use it on pieces they like from future Stitch Fixes. Also, if you have a friend who has mentioned wanting to try Stitch Fix you can jump start their signup with some money in their account. They will still need to fill out a Style Profile, but the money from their gift card will be credited to them once they get set up.

Just in time for the Holiday season, Stitch Fix Men has launched. Now the men in your life can embrace the Stitch Fix experience. Gift cards can also be applied to Men accounts.

Since I started with Stitch Fix last fall, I’ve been pleased with every facet of the company. I’ve loved nearly every piece that has made its way to my home in the cute little box. Recently, I’ve been given the opportunity to earn some money to share my love for Stitch Fix and its products through the Influencer program. While I may be compensated to write this post, I am genuinely excited about the chance to spread Christmas cheer this year through the gift of Stitch Fix.

In order to purchase a gift card please use my hyperlink or click the image in the margin of my blog (doing so gives me referral credit which will lead to monetary compensation.)

Before we know it, Christmas will be here. Will you be ready?

The Ameri Brit Mom

School Lunches and Polaroids

The next two chapters in Bird by Bird are focused on the beginning drafts and inspiration for writing. So many of Lamott’s antecdotes resonate with me and have helped me as I begin to develop my first draft of a new story. Lamott inspires me to see the writing material in the every day moments of life and to focus on small projects: page by page, chapter by chapter, bird by bird.

School Lunches

The single hardest element of writing is finding the inspiration for your story. At times ideas may come to you in dreams or visions, but other times it takes a little soul searching to nail down a subject. In this chapter of Bird by Bird, Lamott discusses that inspiration can come from the most mundane of ideas. When students come to her struggling with what to write about she generally points them toward the universal experience of school lunches. She tells her students to describe their lunch in detail. Before long, the writers have launched themselves into a memory-filled writing session equipped with sensory images and details that were just waiting to be unpacked. While some like Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones) would advise an exercise in zen to get the creative juices flowing, Lamott would prescribe a good old fashion visit to your childhood to fuel your writing.

Polaroids

“Writing a first draft is very much like watching a Polaroid develop. You can’t-and, in fact, you aren’t supposed to-know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing.”-Anne Lamott

When we sit down to write oftentimes we are paralyzed by the unknown. Most writing sessions have a purpose and we know where we are headed, but the road to get there may seem unclear. There are days when this is exciting, and days that we cannot seem to lift off because we let uncertainty plague our minds.

As someone who has finished an entire novel let me say that there were days that I sat and stared at a blank screen. I set out to work on Chapter 6, but had no idea what would happen in that chapter. Sure, I had a basic outline, but so much of a first draft is letting your characters speak for themselves. It’s about stepping into their world and letting them introduce themselves and their problems. As you begin to write you should see the story slowly develop the way a Polaroid picture develops. At first it may be unclear, but with time the images will begin to emerge. This chapter was a beautiful metaphor with which I could identify.

Just a reminder for those of you interested in purchasing the Five Minute Friday book (which includes a poem written by yours truly) use my link to purchase a copy on Amazon and all profits will be divided equally between two ministries in South Africa: The Vine School in Cape Town, and The Ten Dollar Tribe–so we’d love to sell as many books as possible to impact these fantastic ministries!

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The Ameri Brit Mom

Five Minute Friday: Mail

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is Mail. What is a link-up? Essentially a link-up is when you join other bloggers and write on a similar topic. You share your blog posts with one another and begin conversations via a host site. You can head over to Kate Motaung’s page to check out other entries from inspired bloggers. Here’s my five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited writing on this week’s topic:

We pull into the garage after a long day apart and my daughter perks up and starts to chant, “Mail. Mail. Mail…” from her car seat in the back of the car.

Checking the mail together as soon as we get home is one of our new routines because my daughter has started writing and receiving mail. For weeks she would throw tantrums every time I checked the mail because “only Mommy and Daddy get letters.” It was a hassle to cross the wide road to the mailbox each day and I oftentimes dreaded the fits that would come with that task. There were days where I gave in and days I conveniently forgot to check the mailbox.

One day after school my daughter and I were crossing the street hand-in-hand when she stopped just short of the mailbox with one of her most mature ideas thus far in life. She turned and looked at me and with the most serious and sincere expression she said, “Mommy, I think I want to ask my grandparents in England to be my pen pals and then I will get letters like you and Daddy.”

We got to work right away crafting letters for her beloved grandparents. Since they live separately we wrote two different letters and sent two different pictures. And before long we began to receive letters in return. It’s been so fascinating to teach my four year-old about the way mail works. She asks how it gets to England and we have even tracked letters before to trace the journey they make.

Who knew mail could be so much fun?

Dressing and Educating: Days 35-39

Day 35: October 3, 2016

My Monday dress game was strong today. I’ve been getting into the habit of wearing dresses on Mondays to help jump start my week. It’s hard not to feel productive when you are dressed up and professional. This dress above is from New Look in England. I paired it with some Old Navy leggings, an H&M kimono, and lace Toms.

This past weekend was Homecoming so the students were a little slow to get started, but once the weekend wore off they were quite talkative and excited to show off their pictures in their heels, sparkly dresses, or ties.

We made our way to the halfway mark of Of Mice and Men in English and studied each of the major Enlightenment thinkers in Honors World History. It was a fun Monday of getting back into routines after a crazy Spirit Week last week. Also, it was a fantastic start to my work week.

Day 36: October 4, 2016

Another terrific Tuesday in the books!

I felt energized and comfortable today in my Lula Roe outfit. Students worked in groups today close reading in English and investigating the role of women during the Enlightenment in Honors World History. We also had an intellectual conversation about freedom of religion which was thoroughly enjoyable.

The school day flew by with little to no incidence. I’m really starting to enjoy my students and their individual personalities. This has been a great year and I’m looking forward to all the months ahead.

Day 37: October 5, 2016

Today was a review day for both of my classes. We reviewed Of Mice and Men and also the way that Enlightenment ideas were spread throughout that era. I had a productive meeting after school with my team and started to grasp that the end of the first quarter is next week. This year has flown by!

Above, I’m wearing a top from my fourth Stitch Fix, jeggings from Target, and believe it or not my new high-top booties came from Payless. I searched high and low all of last weekend and the only booties I was pleased with were found in the last place I checked. I feel fall ready with these new kicks.

Day 38: October 6, 2016

The first Parent Teacher Conference night.

It was a long day, but totally worth its outcomes. I met several parents of students just looking to meet their child’s instructor. I also met a few parents of struggling students. It was good to put plans in place to help those students succeed in my class. It truly was a pleasure to meet each of the parents I spoke to tonight.

For conferences I wore pants from Old Navy, a striped top from Francescas, and red Toms.

Day 39: October 7, 2016

After a long night of conferencing a casual Friday was highly anticipated. I slept in just a little longer today and grabbed a coffee and breakfast from Tim Hortons. In English today the students began writing a personal narrative about a choice they had to make. In history I introduced basic causes of the Latin American Revolutions. I wore a Randy top from Lula Roe, Refuge jeans from Charlotte Russe, and my charcoal Toms.

Which look was your favorite this week?

The Ameri Brit Mom

German Village

Over night the weather went from sunny summertime to cool autumn. Every part of me was itching to get outdoors from the moment the rays of sun poked through the curtains. I poured myself a hot cup of coffee and browsed through events going on in Columbus. After a few minutes of deliberation we decided on a family stroll through German Village, our favorite corner of the Columbus area.

Brick sidewalks, Schiller Park, The Brown Bag deli, and Pistacia Vera all made their way onto our itinerary for the day. This was one of our first long walk outings where we decided not to bring a stroller. It’s been four years, but we may finally have a big girl! I was so proud of my daughter who trekked over 10,000 steps without one complaint (although we did have to stop and add to her ‘acorn collection’ every time we passed one on the brick sidewalks.)

We picnicked in a shady corner of the park as we ate our sandwiches from the Brown Bag. The park was bustling with families, runners, and dogs. From there, we walked several blocks to Pistacia Vera, a french cafe, where we sampled macaroons. They are so delicious and I highly recommend the Mocha Hazelnut flavor. After a little snack we walked back to Schiller Park and of course we couldn’t leave without a few minutes on the playground. It was a perfect day with perfect weather.

Here’s a glimpse at our family adventures through the streets of German Village.

The Ameri Brit Mom

First Drafts and Perfectionism

As I begin my second week of reading through Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott I am taking a look at the chapters “Shitty First Drafts” and “Perfectionism.” In the writing world, I’ve heard “Shitty First Drafts” referred to time and time again. This statement has become commonplace amongst writers, but really took off from the pages of Bird by Bird.

Warning! This post is extremely honest and raw. Proceed with caution!

First Drafts

Let’s be real for a moment. The first draft of anything is total and complete garbage. For the longest time I put off working on my own novel because I had the expectation that great novelists and authors naturally write well all the time. I couldn’t have been further from the truth. According to Lamott we write “shitty first drafts, good second drafts, and terrific third drafts.” After being through this process myself I must agree.

The first draft is all about getting your ideas on paper. You have plenty of time in consequent drafts to fine tune your writing, but the first draft should just be the place where you gather your thoughts and get your ideas hashed out.

Last winter I wrapped up my first draft of a book. I felt invincible as soon as I put the last period in its place. But those feelings of accomplishment were short lived. I went all the way back to the first chapter, and to my horror it was junk. I struggled with just deleting the entire manuscript I had spent two years writing. Luckily, I walked away from it that day. I let it simmer and a few days later I returned to it armed with a colored pen and a strong cup of coffee. For nine months I pushed through my second and third drafts. It was hard, but fun at the same time. And now that book has several query letters out to agents and may one day be a published book.

I found myself relating well to this entire chapter by Lamott. Somedays we have to push extra hard against the inner critic and remember that nothing we ever read was written well in its first draft. It takes us several attempts to make an articulate piece. Give yourself permission to write a shitty first draft.

Perfectionism

Something I had to tackle early on in my writing was the major road block of perfection. Prior to starting this blog I only wrote for myself. For as long as I can remember I’ve been a writer. Ask my parents about the state of their basement and they may tell you that 3/4 of the boxes still housed there contain notebooks that I filled while growing up. I wrote stories of fiction and also about events in my real life. To crack an old journal open and begin to read would make me cringe because of it’s raw lack of perfection. But also sprinkled amongst the stories about Homecoming and crushes you may also find a rare gem.

As an adult I’ve continued to write. And when my blog became public in 2014 it was one of the scariest things I had ever done. The most horrific part of sharing my writing with the world was the knowledge that it would never be perfect. I was releasing my errors, my garbage and words into the world. Quickly I accepted that there would be haters. Some people out there would catch every single one of my typos and judge every honest thought I published. I’ve even had people message me with their own “critiques” of my blog.

Instead of letting the fears of imperfection paralyze me I decided to move forward. So much good has come about in my life as a result of making my writing public. I’ve been given multiple opportunities that a closet journaler would never have. I’ve connected with thousands of people I would have never met. I’ve had work published in magazines and also now a short poem published in a book. I’ve become an affiliate for Stitch Fix and get paid to share my love for fashion. And, because of the love and support so many have shown me I’ve finished a novel and am currently marketing my book to agents.

Perfectionism may seem like a strength to some, but I learned through my personal journey that perfectionism is actually just a facade for fear. Being afraid of making mistakes or sharing imperfect words is truly the definition of perfectionism. Writing has made me stronger as a person and has led me to a place where I could care less about rejection or judgment. I’m happy with who I am and I recognize that my writing is never perfect. But I let that weakness become my strength as I power forward just like Anne Lamott speaks about in this chapter.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Dressing and Educating: Days 30-34

Day 30: September 26, 2016

I refused to let anything put a damper on my Monday. Not a flat tire. Not a rain storm. It’s the first day of Spirit Week at my school so be prepared for my wacky attire over the next few days. Today was color day. The freshman class was supposed to all wear white while the teachers were to wear black. I chose to mix up my outfit and represent both the teachers and the freshman class with my black and white striped dress from The Limited.

I got a lot of compliments on this dress today. I received the dress from my aunt and I’m so thankful to be its second owner. It is simple, yet professional. It’s going to be a new staple in my wardrobe.

Day 31: September 28, 2016

I warned you that I was going to be in full Spirit Week regalia.

Today was Decade Day. I chose to represent the athletic movement in the 1980s. I was dressed and ready to be a background dancer in an Olivia Newton John music video.

I cut up one of my husband’s old t-shirts, wore a pair of black shorts over some leggings, added leg warmers, and polished the outfit with navy converse shoes and a bright pink headband. It was a fun day to dress a little wacky as my history classes prepared for their first test. I led class jeopardy dressed like this. If I had planned a little better I should have done an 80s themed review that required students to do some jumping jacks to the tune of “Let’s Get Physical,” if they missed a question. There’s always next year I suppose.

Day 32: September 28, 2016

Technically the spirit theme for today was America (red, white, and blue); however, today is also the day my building hosts the countywide College Fair. In honor of our Alma Maters the teaching staff always wears college gear from our undergrad universities. Luckily for me, I own a bright blue and white shirt from my college, Ohio Christian University. It was simple to combine the themes with a pair of red pants. Voila! A school spirited, patriotic combo was my outfit of choice today.

In English today my students were working on a reflection from their first writing assignment. It was an activity that will hopefully improve writing on our next assignment.

In Honors World History my students took their first true test today. I felt like an evil teacher handing them a packet full of multiple choice, short answer, and document based questions. I’m excited to get the tests graded so I have a point of reference moving forward. I’m also eager to see their test taking strengths and weaknesses.

Day 33: September 29, 2016

For the fourth day of Spirit Week I tried to pull off a character. Had it not been cold and rainy I would have looked a little more like Matilda, but I tried my best given the blustery conditions outside. I wore leggings, a blue dress, a cardigan, and my Sperry rain boots (which ruined the whole Matilda look, I know!)

Today in history I had a senior come and present to my freshman classes about Mock Trial. It was really neat to hear from her and she inspired over fifteen of my students to voice interest in the organization. I’m looking forward to seeing how many of them show up to their first meeting next week. That’s such a respectable extra curricular in my district.

In English we started a text-to-text analysis of an article from the NY times and Of Mice and Men. I’m looking forward to seeing how well the students do comparing texts.

Day 34: September 30, 2016

With a pep rally to end Spirit Week today’s theme was school colors: blue and gold.

Temperatures have dropped significantly and it has rained heavily for two days straight. My spirit wear today involved a thick sweatshirt, Refuge jeans from Charlotte Russe and Toms. I pulled my hair off my face with a braid and tried to beat the rain by staying indoors all day. It was such a dark and dreary day and the rainfall reached a few inches just during school hours. To top it all off today was the deadline for an online class I teach through my school and over 70 assignments were turned in. I have 48 hours before grades are due and so I have a lot of last-minute submissions to get graded by Sunday.

Classes were significantly shorter today so in English we read and in History we watched CNN Student News (that’s how I start every Friday class) and we discussed the Scientific Revolution as it led to the Enlightenment period in world history.

It’s been kind of a weird day. The kids were all abuzz about homecoming, the pep rally, and the unusual clown sightings happening in Columbus. (For some reason people are dressing up like clowns all over Ohio and some southern states and walking around in public and scaring the daylights out of innocent people. Some of these clowns are even breaking into cars and making threats on social media toward schools. It’s so bizarre. Also, this seems to be the things nightmares are made of.)

I’m glad to close the books on this week. It’s been fun, but I’m ready for a calm, fresh start on Monday void of clowns and talk about Homecoming plans.

Which style did you like best from Spirit Week?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Pumpkin Cake

No other place in the world does fall the way that Central Ohioans do. Maybe it is our deep tie to agriculture that makes this time of year so special. All I know is that as the temperatures begin to drop something inside of me bursts! I’ve been waiting to dust off my boots and throw a scarf around my neck. One thing we are good at doing here in Central Ohio is making just about anything out of pumpkin.

My tradition since the year I was married has been to make a pumpkin cake during one of the first cooler days of the season. Some of you may be interested in trying out a pumpkin cake recipe yourselves so here is a look at how I make my pumpkin cake.

Ingredients:

-1 package yellow cake mix

-1 can (15oz) solid-pack pumpkin

-3 eggs

-1/3 cup sugar

-1/3 cup vegetable oil

-1 Tb pumpkin pie spice

-1 can (16 oz) cream cheese icing

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin pie spice. Beat on low in stand mixer for 30 seconds. Then on medium for 2 minutes.
Pour into a greased 15x10x1 baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until cooked through.
Once it has cooled ice the top of the cake with the cream cheese icing spread.

Fall Feels

Pumpkin Spice Lattes, crisp air, falling leaves, and all things plaid. This is the epitome of all the fall feels. Fashion-wise fall is my favorite time of the year. I love layering pieces, shoes, scarves, and warm make up trends. Fall truly is a magical time of the year full of outdoor sporting events, apple picking, and decorated porches. And nothing says Happy Monday morning like a cup of hot coffee to-go. I cannot resist the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. Now that October has begun I’m also in countdown mode for my hometown’s fall festival, The Pumpkin Show. A few more weeks and I’ll be out of school and indulging in the best things fall has to offer.

What do you love most about this time of the year?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Getting Started and Short Assignments

This week I’m beginning a new book study on a writing book that I’ve been looking forward to reading. The book is entitled Bird by Bird and it is written by Anne Lamott. Bird by Bird is a collection of writing advice from a national best seller. If you are unfamiliar with Lamott she is known for her raw retellings of actual events in her life. My husband introduced me to some of her other books a few years ago which he found in the Religion section of the library. Bird by Bird has made its way onto many must-read lists for authors. It felt so good this morning to finally open this book. My fingers danced along the crisp edges of the pages as my mind raced with excitement during these first two chapters.

As a writer there are a lot of things about me that others don’t understand. Ann Lamott gets that writers see the world differently. We notice the tiny details and are always on the lookout for inspiration. I’m excited to get to know Ann better and to receive her pearls of wisdom in this book.

Getting Started

Flannery O’Connor once said that anyone who survived childhood has enough writing inspiration for his or her life. The problem is tapping into these memories. Some days we come to the table ready to write, but we have no clue where to start. In this chapter, Ann Lamott advises starting with your own life story and letting that guide your inspiration.

In addition to drawing inspiration, this chapter also addresses motivation for writing.

According to Lamott if you write with the sole goal of getting published you will likely burn out and writing will lose its luster. A true writer puts pen to paper because they want their voice to be heard and they have a story to tell. Whether or not those words make their way to the physical page of a real book should have no bearing on your view of yourself as an author. You write because you love to and not because you want to be rich and famous. (I’ve actually done a little research here and even some of the most successful writers are not rich. Well, almost most of them. I’m pretty sure J.K Rowling is sitting pretty, but she’s an outlier with a million dollar movie deal.)

Find enjoyment in your writing. Even if no one else ever sees a word you write-do it for you!

Short Assignments

This chapter was exactly what I needed this morning. I woke up a little early, brewed an extra strong pot of coffee, and came prepared to start knocking out chapters of my second book. My idea is there. I’ve even created an outline. The problem is…I have no idea where to start.

I can remember when I wrote my first book. It took me days to get off the runway. I sat with a pen and paper and just stared at the idea and outline in front of me. The fear of not knowing how it would end and what sort of subplots may come to be throughout the pages overwhelmed me into paralysis. It wasn’t until I realized that I needed to tackle one small part of that book at a time that I was able to see progress. I didn’t let myself think about the fact that it may take two years to finish, I just focused on page by page, chapter by chapter, and bird by bird.

In this chapter Lamott discusses the namesake for the book Bird by Bird. It is the idea that you shouldn’t focus on the big picture as your work to accomplish a book. Break your project up into many short assignments. With a much smaller goal it is easier to trek along and you see progress every time you write.

Right after I publish this post today I’m opening up a new word document. I am going to start with describing my main character. If that’s all the further I get today I will be happy. Writing a book isn’t about sitting down and getting it finished in one month. It’s a slow process with several small milestones. I’m choosing to focus on those milestones instead of letting myself feel overwhelmed. I’m really excited about my new story. It’s a young adult novel set in a futuristic war torn England.

In summation of these first two chapters of Bird by Bird I leave you with these two thoughts:

Write about what you know.
Focus on one small assignment at a time.

The Ameri Brit Mom