August Amari: May 2015

Monday, May 18, 2015

Party, BBQ, Mike being a stud!

Pool party, pizza, and movie night at our house with friends

Post party exhaustion

We went out to ride bikes and 5 minutes later it started POURING down on us; we had to run home (Becks rode his bike) in the rain. A neighbor ran outside to walk us back under an umbrella :)

My sweet husband sent me this text

Came out from my nap to find all the laundry done :); I have the best husband!

Nothing like a bbq at the Dahl Manor; good times, good friends, yummy food

They always look forward to daddy's bath time stories :)

AMARI and Becks each earned something they wanted by doing chores and helping around the house. Beck's wanted more Power Ranger keys (I had them shipped to Grandma's because they wouldn't get here before we leave . . . instead he opened a late gift that arrived from Auntie Michelle), and Amari got the set of Dusty Cropper planes he has been eyeing every time we go in the store. He was obsessed with them; for two days straight he would not let go of them (not even to eat food or to sleep)

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Zoo and More

Sunset in Alabama

Boys and rocks

Running after brother

Dream home

Fun day at the zoo with friends

Cedella was like a kid in the candy store; she loved every minute of it!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Cedella

I just have to say how much I love, look up to, and admire this rad, beautiful, artistic, hard working, full of life chick. Getting to know Cedella has changed my life. This 19 year old girl has been through more s*#% (that's the only way to say it if we are being real) than anyone I know. Her story would leave most defeated, but she's risen above every obstacle--being taken by CPS for a year when she was a child, working at McDonalds to support her entire family since she was 16 (paying all the bills, providing her 16 year old sister with lunch money so she can eat), putting herself through art school, being a mother to her two year old Niece after her older sister sold her for drugs, and the most deafening obstacle: losing her mother to cancer last year....her optimism, kindness with my two boys, huge, open heart, and motivation to make a better life for herself BLOWS MY MIND! She is one of the Giants among us. There are so many stories like this—living in our own backyard—appreciate what you have and then reach out to help those who have it a lot worse. Today she said to me,"you know I've never been on a picnic. I've always just seen it in the movies...I'd like to do that one day." I'll be damned sure she gets the picnic of her dreams ‪#‎admire‬ ‪#‎respect‬ ‪#‎love‬ ‪#‎inspiration‬ ‪#‎motivation‬ ‪#‎begrateful‬‪#‎giveback‬ ‪#‎universalstory‬ ‪#‎cedella‬