The Ameri Brit Mom

Forget

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As I sit on my front porch watching as my daughter changes our sidewalk into her personal chalk canvas I take a deep breath and I pray that I am not too quick to forget this day.The sun is bright. The temperatures are warm. The grass is not covered in a thick layer of snow. The calendar may say February, but mother nature says Spring. I know these days are limited, but they serve as a reminder that beautiful days are to come.

The air smells like the birth of a new season. I hear the forgotten tunes of birds in the air and children playing in the yard.

Before long I will be plotting my garden for the year. The neighbors who have been cooped up all winter will emerge again exchanging yard tips and comments on the weather. Blooms on the trees are not far off. Cropped pants and light jackets are soon coming in season.

Today is a reminder of the days forgotten. The evenings around the fire pit, the afternoons at the park. The meals hot off the grill and the bare toes resting atop flip flops are soon to come.

I thank God for this reminder. After a couple of rough weeks where I was stuck inside due to snow I’ve needed a reminder of what it feels like to be outside soaking up some good ole Vitamin D.

The Ameri Brit Mom

The Ameri Brit Mom Blog is Turning One!

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One year ago I was tossing and turning with anxiety. I had been a closet writer for practically my entire life, but I was being called by God to make my private hobby a public ministry. I wrestled with God and my husband who urged me to follow my dreams of becoming a writer. At times, pride kept me from distributing my honest thoughts and writing for fear of ridicule, or worse fear of nobody caring. But, I am so thankful that in the end I closed my eyes and hit the publish button for the very first time.

On February 17, 2015 The Ameri Brit Mom went public.

For the very first time in my life friends and family members were able to read some of my work. It was an unnerving experience to allow other people to pass through the walls I had built around myself. Cutting the ribbon on my blog was the beginning of an amazing journey. At times throughout the first few months my efforts seemed futile. I wondered often if anyone was even reading what I had to say. But, I continued in the discipline of writing and sharing, and God used this blog to reach over 3,419 people in its inaugural year!

In honor of my blog’s birthday today I would like to take you back to my very first post, Why Blog?

As I sat at my kitchen table drafting this initial post I remember really struggling with many questions.

Why would God call me to write a blog? What do I have to say that is so important? Who am I to offer any type of content for others when I don’t have my own self together?

If I could go back in time and talk to myself in those last few moments before I let this blog out of the bag I would tell that twenty-four year old insecure mother that pressing “publish” was the beginning of the road to healing. I would explain that through the establishment of this blog I would meet wonderful friends from all over the world. I would have an opportunity to grow in my faith as I encourage others in theirs. I would talk myself down from the panic attack that would ensue to explain that though it took courage to put myself out there I would be empowered by God to see this thing through.

I’ve learned a lot over the past year. When I go back to my earlier writings I smile at all of the broken grammatical rules. I struggle through some of the raw emotions again, and as much as I’d love to edit those original pieces to bring them up-to-speed with what I know now I leave them be as a testament to my own growth. In this first year I was also able to finish my first novel which would have never happened without the help and encouragement of a community of writers and readers collected through my blog (details to come in the next couple of months.)

Thank you for being a part of this first year with me. Whether you have followed my blog all along or you are just coming across it for the first time you have played a role in its successes and my personal growth.

I would like to leave you today with my first ever blog post:

Why Blog– The Ameri Brit Mom (first published 2/17/15)

The most common advice that I’ve read out there for newbie bloggers is to focus on something that makes you unique. They say to find something about yourself that you can share with others to mutually benefit you as the author and the readers as well. I struggle with picking out one thing about myself to truly focus on in this blog. I have too many interests to limit myself to just one particular aspect to highlight. In truth, I am questioning the value in blogging at all, but the aspiring author in me is yearning to give it a try. So in this struggle to label my individuality I came to the conclusion that I am so multifaceted that picking ONE thing about myself would be to limit my inspiration in this blog.

So who am I?

I am a wife. I’m an All-American girl who fell in love with an English-native who left behind his British roots to grow some new one’s with me in small town America. We have worked together to build a home that values the similarities and differences in cultures we both were raised in and we share a love and passion for travel for those very same reasons.

I am a mother. I am a young mother of a two year-old girl who has given my life a whole new definition. I have learned more from my daughter and watching her grow and thrive than I could ever hope to have taught her in a lifetime.

I am a Christian. I strive everyday to reflect Christ to those around me…most importantly my family.

I am a teacher. I brave the long halls and attitudes of high school for a second time in my life, but this time as the teacher. I have been a high school teacher in a rural community for four years now. I teach English and World History for 9th grade students. I feel that one of my callings in life is to be a witness for Christ in the public school system (which at times can be a bit of a challenge)

I am a new home owner. With home ownership comes a seemingly endless list of projects to make my family’s home as lovely and inviting as those of us who reside within it.

From this list I have concluded what makes me unique is the balancing act that is my life. We all struggle with keeping it together and staying on top of everything. We all wear so many hats in this life. These are my many hats that I work to balance on my head everyday. Each day I aim to be a better wife, mother, Christian, teacher, and home owner. This blog is my documentation of this balancing act. My hope is that in documenting my steps it will help encourage me in this journey where the struggle is REAL…and in turn may also serve as inspiration for others out there. I welcome comments and suggestions for posts. My goal is to create a community with other women like myself out there who are striving to be their very best everyday and conquer the world in the name of Jesus and family.

And that’s why I blog.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Origami Owl Genuine Leather Bracelet

One of my favorite parts of getting ready each day is accessorizing my look. I love to pair different pieces of jewelry with my outfits. Over the past couple of months I’ve shared some of my favorite pieces with you on the blog. Today, I would like to introduce you to my Origami Owl Genuine Black Leather Bracelet.

If you are unfamiliar with the company, Origami Owl was started by a fourteen year old girl, Bella, who was seeking a way to save up money to purchase a car by the time she turned sixteen. She began to make and sell Living Lockets to people she knew. From there her idea took off and Origami Owl became one of the largest independent jewelry consultant companies.

One thing that makes my Origami Owl bracelet different from some of my others is that it expresses who I am. I picked out the color of the leather, the size of the locket, as well as the face of the locket from a few different options. Then, I was able to choose charms to place in my locket to further customize the piece.

My friend, Desiree (whom I’ve actually posted about on the blog last May) is a consultant for Origami Owl. She and her daughter Grace earn extra income through this company which pays for Grace’s volleyball club. If you are interested in purchasing anything from the company I would highly recommend doing so through the Origami Owl links on this post because then you will be supporting a wonderful, Christian family.

Here is a look at all the pieces that make up my personal Origami Owl Bracelet:

Genuine Leather Bracelet: $18.00
Medium Silver Twist Living Locket Face with Swarovski Crystals: $18.00
Medium Silver Wrap Bracelet Locket Base: $16.00
Charms: $5 each

September Birthstone (My daughter’s birthstone)
Crystal Silver Cross
Apple and Books Charm
To Go Coffee Cup Charm
Vintage Type Writer Charm

The Ameri Brit Mom

Menu Monday: Dinner Quiche

It’s been a while since I last posted a dinner recipe here on the blog. Lately, we’ve gotten in the habit of hibernating at home to avoid the nasty weather. I’ve used this bonus time as an opportunity to explore some new recipes. Thanks to motivation from Jen Hatmaker in For the Love, I’ve had several glasses of wine and new home-cooked meals over the past couple of months. Here is a great recipe that I found in an old cookbook and tweaked so that my entire family would enjoy this dish. I hope you find a way to work it into your family’s meal rotations.

Bon Apetit!

Dinner Quiche

Ingredients:

1 cup diced fully cooked ham

3/4 cup of shredded Swiss Cheese (or four slices ripped into bite-sized pieces)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

1 chopped green pepper

1 cup milk

1/4 cup bisquick mix

2 eggs

1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a greased, 10 in. pie plate layer ham, both cheeses, and green pepper.
Place the remaining ingredients in a blender or stand mixer in the order given above. Blend for 35-40 seconds.
Pour the liquid mixture over the ham, cheese, and peppers. Do not stir.
Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until set and lightly brown.
Let stand five minutes before cutting and consuming.

*It’s as simple as that!

The Ameri Brit Mom

Live Loved

This Valentine’s Day I received a copy of Margaret Feinberg’s Live Loved: An Adult Coloring Book. This book is so much more than a booklet of motor skill refining pictures. Rather this book is a walk through some of the most intimate scriptures which highlight God’s love for His people.

Some people (like me) are wired with creative tendencies. For those of us who enjoy artistic expression we need to make sure we find creative outlets for those personality traits. It’s easy to get busy and to keep from expressing ourselves as artists, but it is imperative to spend time rewinding in a creative activity.

This book is really a cutting-edge idea.

I journal and write about what I am learning in my journey through God’s Word, but I’ve never put much thought into reflecting on what I read in a more creative way. The whole idea behind this book is to spend extended amounts of time creating, praying, memorizing and reflecting on passages from God’s Word.

Over the next several months I intend to begin Bible Journaling. (If you are unfamiliar with what all that entails check out this post by Rachel Wojo.) Working my way through this book, however, is a great segue to that process. I will openly admit that while my mind may be wired in a creative manner that my abilities may not be top-of-the-line. As I work my way through this book I plan to share with you some of my pages and reflections. So, please, no judging the artwork.

Today, I read and reflected on 1 John 3:1.

After completing my illustrative page I turned my attention to God’s Word. I was led to a passage in the following chapter (1 John 4:16-18) which also focuses on God’s love and what that means.

Today, my prayer is that I begin to live a life more focused on the fact that I am loved by my God. That in doing so I may experience love without fear. That I might accept the only love which makes me complete through seeing myself as lovable is my prayer. Lastly, I pray that God’s love spills over into the way that I love others around me.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Five Minute Friday: Limit

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is Limit. 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:

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Before you begin to judge me for posting a Five Minute Friday post on Saturday morning please hear me out: I have limits.

For so long, I tried to convince myself of alternative truths, but the reality is that I cannot do everything.

There are days when I will mess up as a mother. I get angry too quickly or maybe allow my toddler to have too much “screen time.”

I may take an unpleasant attitude toward my husband.

My kitchen floor may not be clean. Laundry baskets may be overtaking entire rooms. Dishes may be piled up on the counter.

I could potentially go a couple of weeks without working on my novel. Or fall days behind on my blog.

I may slack off from spending time with my friends.

I will definitely drop the ball when it comes to grading an assignment for my students on their expected timelines.

God forbid, I may even miss a day or two in my journey through God’s Word.

All of these things have happened to me recently, but I’ve been learning my lesson about how to let these things affect me. I’m only human and weaknesses are part of the package deal along with skin and bones. Like many others, somewhere through life’s journey I fell prey to the idea that some women can do it all. For the longest time I measured myself against those who I thought had things all together. Their ducks always seemed to be in a row while I was chasing my ducks around the lake without knowing how to swim.

But here, friends, is where I learned that we all have limits. Limits are also part of being alive. No one is super(wo)man. She doesn’t exist for a reason. If we were capable of doing everything we wouldn’t need God and we definitely wouldn’t need other people.

In Exodus 3, God chose Moses to fulfill a great calling. Many years before, Moses had murdered an Egyptian in his anger and fled to Midian to escape the consequences of his actions. As Moses was hiding from his failures God called out to Him and revealed to Moses his purpose:

“I have come down to rescue them (Israel) from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of the land into a good and spacious land, and land flowing with milk and honey…“(Exodus 3:8)

The first words out of Moses’ mouth in response to God’s calling are coated in doubt. He responds by calling out his weaknesses, and how does God reply? His reply is a simple, yet profoundly perfect promise for each of us no matter where we are in life.

God said, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12)

Although Moses’ questions should have stopped there he continued to question his calling and his God. He began to interrogate God further with the question, “Who are you?”

And again, a short, but perfect answer from God, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14)

In that statement God was stating to Moses that He would be sufficient for all that Moses would need. This statement was God’s assurance that He would be exactly what Moses needed him to be. And that is a truth that doesn’t end with this story.

Like Moses, we all lack in several areas of our lives. We mess up and we fall short all of the time. But, instead of beating ourselves up over the fact that we have limits we should cling to the promises of God in those moments. When you are tempted to get down on yourself or to sell yourself short remember the promise that God is with you and God is all you need. When we are pressed to our limits we have a God who is ready to take over the reigns.

Will you trust in God and allow him to empower you despite your limitations or will you continue to try (and fail) at perfection?

The Ameri Brit Mom

5 Ways to Survive a Snow Day

Today marks my third consecutive day out of school. My district is buried in nearly a foot of snow with icy conditions due to the subzero windchill factors. I’m not lying when I talk about the unpredictable Ohio weather. Last week I was shopping for rain gear and wearing short sleeves. This week I’ve been locked indoors and kept my slippers and robe on most of the day.

As much fun as a snow day can be I’ve learned that when one is confined to their home for days on end that they better be prepared with activities for a toddler. My daughter is an active one. She constantly needs to be doing something or else she finds ways to get herself in trouble. So here is a look into what we’ve been doing to try to keep our sanity as a whole family during these days of being snowed-in.

1.Lots of Art Projects– From Play Dough sessions to painting and coloring on her easel, we’ve kept our artistic girl busy with project after project. Arts and crafts are one sure way to keep her occupied and away from electronics (which is a big struggle these days!) Also, we’ve been working on homemade Valentine’s cards as well since that is coming up.

2. Playing in the snow– On day 1 of the Snow Day Extravaganza we were able to take some time to play in the snow as a family. The temperature was about 32 degrees so it was prime snow-play weather. Each day since, the mercury hasn’t risen above 25 so we haven’t been able to enjoy the snow as we did on Tuesday. It was a lot of fun when we did get out to play in the snow. Arianna enjoyed snow angels, snow ball fights, and running in the snow.

3. Reading– I’ve been enthralled by City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Whenever Arianna is resting or taking time to play in her room I’ve grabbed a cup of coffee, a warm blanket, and my books and curled up for some reading. This is a fantastic book. I’m getting so caught up in the world described in this book and it’s a real struggle to put the book down.

4.Binge Watching Netflix-Okay, so this may be a big activity fail, but snow days wouldn’t be snow days without at least a little bit of Netflix, right? Currently we have exhausted all of our favorite shows so we go back and forth watching newer episodes of shows we’ve watched in the past. Don’t judge me that I’m just now figuring out who A is on Pretty Little Liars. I’m a bit late to the party.

5. In-Home Workouts– When all is said and done, I’ve basically burned 0 calories at the beginning of this week. On Tuesday night I checked my Fitbit which confirmed my suspicion that I had barely even moved all day. (I did a lot of reading and TV watching.) So without the option of venturing outdoors I decided to get creative with my workout regimens. Since Tuesday I’ve completed an elliptical workout, a core workout (using a Pinterest plan), and done a few laps up and down my steep staircase.

What type of snow day activites does your family enjoy!?!

The Ameri Brit Mom

Stitch Fix #4

One of my favorite days of the month is the one when I arrive home from work to find my Stitch Fix package on the front porch. Most of the time I countdown to the day of its estimated arrival, however, this month has been so crazy that my Stitch Fix completely slipped my mind. So as I pulled into driveway on Friday afternoon and saw the lovely, bright tape on the outside of my box I instantly became excited. I found myself wondering about the contents of the box. I had messaged my stylist with a couple of suggestions, but was still surprised as I unwrapped the contents of my fix. This was my best Stitch Fix yet!

The weather in Ohio has taken a bit of a turn toward Spring (forget about the nine inches of snow we’ve received in the past twenty-four hours.) Apart from the bi-polar snow the sun has been bright and encouraging Spring fever. Through my dialogue with my personal Stitch Fix stylist I suggested some transitional pieces to help move my winter wardrobe to one more conducive to the rapid change in temperatures.

Each time I receive a fix I love to open my letter from my stylist before any of the items. The hints she drops in the letter always add to the anticipation.

The following is a look at the pieces I received this time around:

Each piece was exactly what I would have picked for myself. I know that the company uses an algorithm based on my results on a fashion quiz and they also follow my Pinterest board for ideas, but it still amazes me how well they handpick my style.

The first piece I tried on was the Carlito Dolman Knit Top. For the photo I paired the top with the Evina Spade Fringe Pendant. Adorable, right? This look is right on target for me.

Next, I paired the Mira Skinny Jean with Iglesia Pleated Blouse. This look is really versatile. It could be worn to work on a more casual day, for a night out with the girls, or on a family excursion. I completely loved the print of the top as well. It was bright and lends itself well to a spring wardrobe (although it doesn’t appear that way in this photo.)

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Lastly, I tried on the Ellaine Open Cardigan. This was an extremely comfortable and breathable fabric. As a teacher cardigans are a staple to my wardrobe because they make just about any top instantly school appropriate. There is no such thing as a teacher having too many cardigans so again, thank you Stitch Fix for knowing me so well. Although I own a plethora of cardigans this one is unique.

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It’s a little harder to see the pin-stripe in the photo above so here is a close-up of the detail in this cardigan.

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So you may be asking which pieces I chose to add to my personal ensembles?

With this fix I decided to splurge a bit more than I normally would. I seriously contemplated purchasing all five pieces (because there is a 20% discount if you buy all five.) However, in the end I shipped back the skinny jeans and the necklace. Both were adorable, but both were also startlingly similar to pieces I already owned. I was really happy with my choices and the three new unique additions to my closet.

If I’ve piqued your interest at all and you would like to give Stitch Fix a shot please use this referral link to sign up. If you use my link I receive a $25.00 credit when they send your first fix. That’s a cool perk of using Stitch Fix. There are several discounts to the program to help make loving your wardrobe even more affordable.

Before you click away from my blog post today I would love to hear your feedback from my Stitch Fix. Leave a comment!

Which piece was your favorite?

Do you agree with my selections?

What’s keeping you from ordering your fix?

The Ameri Brit Mom

*This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation as a result of this post.

A Family Art Date

It’s so easy to get into ruts. Every area of our lives is susceptible to the mundane. We can become so stuck on foods, routines, and shops that we begin to lose the excitement we once held for those things. In Ohio, the winter time can become a season of over-repeated family date nights. There are only so many things you can do in the great indoors with a toddler. When all else fails my husband and I resort to traveling to a mall so that we can walk, talk, and enjoy time together with the promise of a play area trip if our daughter is on her best behavior.

As much fun as a trip to one of the area’s malls can be this past weekend we felt the need to branch out and try something new. The temperatures were cooler and the prospect of flurries lingered in the forecast. It was a weekend for indoor activities, but we were so over the idea of spending another Friday night window shopping and supervising our daughter in a sea of rambunctious children.

After a quick Google search I found an Art and Clay Cafe in a neighboring town. Our daughter is absolutely in love with arts and crafts so it seemed like a trip that would be right up her alley. Indeed, the new adventure was well worth it.

The first thing we did once we entered the eccentric cafe was browse their shelves of ceramics. My daughter chose a bird ornament and a balloon-shaped dog. I wanted to create a decorative piece for the house so I chose a plate. My husband wanted to try his hand at painting intricate details so he selected to paint a ceramic wizard. This also makes more sense if you know my husband and his extreme addiction to Harry Potter. (He did grow up in England in the 1990’s so you can’t really blame him. That was Potter country back then.)

With our ceramic selections made we made our way to the paint table. Each of us filled a plate of vibrant colors and then took a seat where the baristas served us coffee and juice while we worked.

I’ve forgotten how therapeutic painting can be. It’s been years since I just sat down and painted. All three of us were in such a zone as we focused on the projects at hand. I had completely forgotten about the nerve-wrecking Active Shooter Training that had happened in my school that afternoon. Our daughter had watched a program the week prior about mixing colors to make others so she really enjoyed experimenting with her colors. Somehow in the process of mixing multiple colors she manufactured the most beautiful shade of purple. She used this color to coat her dog and used so many other colors on the bird piece she worked on.

For nearly three hours our entire family worked on our individual projects while talking, laughing, and sipping on cafe drinks. Several people stopped by our table to compliment our daughter on her use of the paintbrush and her impeccable behavior. Art really is one of her gifts. As parents we have tried to embrace this talent. (I admit sometimes we embrace this interest with a little of selfishness. Arts and crafts are really the only thing she will sit down to do. If we want peace and quiet we give her paper and markers and she is occupied for a good bit of time.)

When we finished with our projects we turned them in to the front desk. The pieces were queued for the kiln. The Art and Clay Cafe take all pieces and place a finishing gloss on them before heating them up in the kiln. Upon check out we received a ticket and a pick-up date. Next Saturday our beautiful creations will be done and ready to be brought home. I look forward to picking up our masterpieces.

It was a unique Friday night. A family date for the books. We really liked the Art and Clay Cafe.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Highlighted Monday #3

Highlighted Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Rebeca at “Books and Messy Buns”. Anyone can join, you just have to do the following:

Pick up the book you’re currently reading (be it a physical or electronic copy)
Find a sentence you like (because it’s funny or cute or mysterious or whatever you find interesting)
Highlight the sentence
Make a post in your own blog where you share your highlighted sentence and link back to my blog as the host

My highlighted text today comes from The City of Bones, book #1 in The Mortal Instruments Series.

I’ve fallen in love with the world created by Cassandra Clare in this novel. I’m still in the first third of the 485 page novel, and there are still so many things I have yet to learn about the Shadow hunters and the demons. The above sentence is an example of the intricacies of this world completely foreign to the one in which we live. I can’t wait to learn about seraph blades, raveners, steles, and the rest of this rich world of mortal instruments.

The Ameri Brit Mom