I want to be that kind of mother for my children, but I have found that it doesn't happen accidentally. It takes a lot of effort and intentionality.
I have a friend named Erica Stidham who has recently published her first children's book - Those Silly Sisters: Swimming in the Rain. (I met Erica in high school. She was two years older than me but never too cool to be kind to a dorky underclassman. She is a very sweet and sincere person.) Erica has a heart to inspire mothers to intentionally create amazing adventures and whimsical memories with their children. I have been following Erica's blog for quite a while and I figured this out about her before she ever told me about the vision God had placed in her heart. She is always doing neat things with her girls!
Even though I don't have a pair of sisters to call my own, I come from a pair of sisters and I was definitely charmed by this sweet book.
The kids and I went to Erica's book signing a few weeks ago. I bought two books - one for us and one for a giveaway - and had them both signed. When I got to the signing table, Erica's little girls were hanging on both of her arms and she asked me if this is what my mom had experienced at her first book signing. It was so funny.
Then we took this picture and Jackson's attitude erased at least 5 months off of my lifespan.
Here's Erica with her darling silly sisters.
If you'd like to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of Swimming in the Rain for the silly sister(s) in your life, leave me a comment with your name and where you're from. And for fun, share a neat memory from your childhood or a special experience you created for your children. I will choose a winner next Wednesday and announce it here on the blog. Blessings!
If you'd like to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of Swimming in the Rain for the silly sister(s) in your life, leave me a comment with your name and where you're from. And for fun, share a neat memory from your childhood or a special experience you created for your children. I will choose a winner next Wednesday and announce it here on the blog. Blessings!
138 comments:
I'm from Michigan. I remember my older brother and I waiting for my dad to get home...like, sitting by the front door waiting. As soon as he'd walk in, we would attack him, he'd throw us on the floor and we would wrestle until mom broke it up. Who knew that such a rough child would grow up to be so girlie:)
Hi Amanda! Love keeping up with your blog! I'm Meagan and I'm from the northwest side of Houston (sort of near your neck of the woods, I believe!). I am also from a pair of sisters, and my mom has a pair of sisters, so sisters are very special to me! :) A great memory, albeit simple, I have from my mother is making pimento and cheese sandwiches and her setting up a picnic in our front yard when I was pretty young. I called P&C picnic sandwiches forever! Ahhhh, childhood! Thanks for the giveaway!
I have a silly sister. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of she and I ganging up on my dad in "tickle fights". We'd tackle, get tickled, then run away and come back for more. Now my two girls do that with their dad. It must just be in us!
Kimberlee, Kansas
This weekend we took our girls to Florida. We were in the car talking about a ride my girls could not ride because they are too short. This is the conversation:
K: Mommy I want to ride that slide
Mommy: No sweetheart you are too small.
K: But Mommy I am the big sister?
Mommy: Honey, it is about how tall you are not if you are the big sister.
C: Mommy I the short sister, so I sit here.
We giggled at the fact that our oldest thought being the big sister gave her the ability to ride and our youngest who was willing to acknowledge that she is the "short" sister.
Karla
Nashville, TN
I'm Melissa from Chicago, IL. This story reminds me so much of how badly I wanted to be a published author when I was a little girl. I once sent my "life's work" at age 9 to a writing competition I saw in a magazine and when I didn't win the grand prize - a publishing contract - I was d.e.v.a.s.t.a.t.e.d.! I've recently dreamed of writing children's books, so this story is so inspiring to me!
Hi, I'm Megan. I'm from Arizona and I would love to own a copy of this book. I am a new mom, my daughter is 7 months old and my greatest desire is to fill her life with magical fun and adventure as she grows up. And maybe someday she'll have a silly sister to make memories with too :0)
I'm Sarah from Washington state. I never had a sister of my own, just two brothers (so thankful that they married such wonderful, precious women so I can experience "sisterhood" with them!).
However, God has blessed us with two "silly sisters" of our own (in addition to our firstborn boy). Once Josiah started kindergarten, his sisters were a little sad to see him leave each morning when we'd drop him off at school. To combat their sadness, I made up a silly song that we'd sing together (usually off-key) as we drove out of the school parking lot...."We're the Thulin girls, We're the Thulin girls. We love to play, every day. We're the Thulin girls: Mommy, Emma, and Abby!" The girls are now 6 & 8, but anytime it's just the three of us alone for some reason, one of them is sure to break out in the "Thulin Girls" song!
Sarah (sarahkate23@hotmail.com)- posting this comment under my husband's google account, since I don't have one
Hi There! My name is Ria and I am from MinneSNOWta. Yes, we have LOTS of snow right now.
I grew up with a sister who was only 15 months older than me and it was the greatest gift! My mom NEVER compared us or tried to put the two of us in a box. She just loved us each for our unique personalities and differences. My sister was the older sister and she was good at bossing me around, but as the baby sister I got really good at playing the "baby" :). Thanks for hosting this giveaway. It sounds so sweet - I am going to check this out!
What a fun book!! Thanks for thinking of one for a giveaway!! My name is Kim and I am from Knoxville, Tenn. One of my favorite memories as a child was my mother was an incredible seamstress, and every Easter, Christmas, and Halloween I always had the BEST and over the top outfits. She made every holiday so very special. And it was not about the money, it was truly about the time, effort, and selflessness she gave to me that my childhood so special.
Have a great rest of the week.
-Kim
Hi Amanda I am from Albuquerque Nm
I remember when we were growing up my Big Sister always told me I use to call her mama she is 9yrs older4 than I am and we shared the same bedroom and everywhere she went I went and when she got into trouble I did too. She always took me with her on her dates fun uh? Now that I think of that it was weird for me to say that now. But we were very close and still are she lives in Florida so I do not get to see her to much anymore but I am thankful that she is my sister and I still act silly with her.
Carol Albuquerque NM
What a darling book! I'm from Southern California and the hubs and I are raising two of the sweetest, silliest sisters! We could never have asked for the girlies God blessed us with! They share a room and sleep in a bunk bed with a double bed on the bottom. We love to all pile on the bottom bed, make a fort with the comforters, turn off the lights and then read books by flashlight! Just too fun! I'm sure they'll both be flashlight readers under the covers when they get older as a result but oh well - they could do so much worse!
I'm Holly from North Carolina, right outside of Charlotte. I have a wonderful sister and I am pregnant with my second daughter. I am so excited to raise little sisters.
My sister always wanted to teach me what she was learning since she was 2 years older than me. I hated it, but I was a good student and would sit and listen. Funny thing is I ended up being the teacher.
She also cut my hair once, but when it was found in the bathroom she blamed it on me. I think she was getting me back for cutting the hair on her favorite babydoll.
Hi Amanda. This is a great giveaway! I'm Susan in New York City. I'm always needing creative ideas for making the days fun with my kids. I didn't get a sister until I was 12, but I have great memories with my brother outside turning sheds into mansions and lining 2x4's up on the driveway to make cool, long driveways to get to our "mansion". Thanks for blogging!
I am in NJ at the moment and I'm a sister. I have two daughters who are the best of pals and have been since daughter1 first got a look at daughter2 in my arms and said, 'Gimme dat', meaning, the baby. The love they have for one another warms my heart like nothing else.
They are now 20 and 22 but they still talk about how much fun it was to set up a pretend restaurant in our basement playroom. They called it the Under the Sea Cafe and took it very seriously. One was the hostess/cook and one the waitress. We had a lot of play food and they created a menu with interesting combinations like scrambled eggs with a side of hamburger patty. Hey, you had to work with what you had.
The absolute favorite part of the restaurant memory though was when my husband would call home on his cell phone on the way home from work to 'book a table' at the Under the Sea cafe. This delighted them to no end! Sorry this is so long but I have to share my favorite sister quote...I shared it in a blog I wrote recently in honor of my own sister's birthday-
"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child." ~ Barbara Alpert
I am from tennessee. My sister and I are twins. One of the best memories I have is from kindergarten and we switched classes. She swears it was my idea:) Anyway, we were sent to the principal's office, who just laughed and told us to go easy on the teachers, but we never told our mom! She found out later that week from another mom at ballet!
I am from Texas but live in Louisiana! I have great memories of my mom and my silly sister having all kinds of adventures. Like all sisters I remember our silly fights over who got to sit in front of the TV ha!
Hi Amanda, I'm from South Africa, but I'm in Washington DC. Though I'm not a mom I've spent my entire university life as an aupair one of my best aupair memories is a day the kids and I spent in our pj's mattress sliding down the stairs and having a breakfast picnic of lucky charms and chocolate chip pancakes for dinner in the living room.
A childhood memory, would be teaching my younger sister (by 2 years) how to swim, first the doggy paddle then freestyle.
Keep writing I really enjoy your blog.
I'm from Ouray, Co but live in Amarillo, tx. I'm so blessed to get to raise sisters. Two silly strong willed girls and a brother on the way! I have some good childhood memories but my favorite thing is what we have created. My husband is a football coach and when he is gone (a lot) we have girls' nights. We eat popcorn watch a movie or play board games and do some girly things.
Precious book! I am from Alabama. I have a sister 10 years younger than me and we are great friends. I also have 2 daughters (ages 7 and 3) and they are their silliest when their Daddy walks in the door from work. Love it!
I am Jennifer from Houston. I always wanted a sister. I am glad my daughters have each other...and their 2 brothers also. I hope they are able to make great memories like some of the ones shared here--minus the cutting of hair!
Lacey - I'm originally from Texas but living in NC now with my family! :) One of my favorite memories with my parents was going camping as a little girl with our WHOLE family twice a year. It was a time for my grandparents, my papa's brothers, all of their children and chidlren's children to get together. It was a WONDERFUL time full of WONDERFUL memories. I'm looking forward to my parents continuing that tradition with my daughter!
I have a twin sister that I shared a room with until we were in the 6th grade. I remember falling asleep every night while singing Amy Grant and Sandy Patty at the top of our lungs.
Cassie in CO
I'm from a pair of sisters who both live in Georgia. We didn't know what we had when we were little! We were fighters all. the. time. I'm sure we drove my mama crazy! I'd love to give this book to her!
I'm from North Carolina. I didn't have a sister, but I remember my two brothers and I would often build forts out of chairs, cushions, pillows, and EVERY blanket in the closet. They covered the entire living room! We could spend hours playing in those forts...and bonus if mom would let us "camp out" for a night! :)
Hi Amanda,
I have 3 sisters. I won't say we have ALWAYS been the best of friends, but there is no doubt we are now. Yes, we had our moments of fighting over clothes and sharing a room. Ha! We are all so close now though and I wouldn't trade it for the world! We are from Charlotte and I would LOVE to win a copy of the book!
Courtney From Chattanooga, TN! I would love this book. I am constantly trying to create wonderful memories for my daughter, Lauren, who is 2!
Hi! Lisa from Birmingham, AL. Love sisters..have one and have three young daughters. I love to cook with them and play Secret Elves at Christmas. We love to ride bikes at the beach and play board games on Friday nights!
I am Becky Jo and I'm from Michigan (a Southern Belle Wannabe, stuck in the frozen north).
I can remember my mom reading us bed time stories well beyond the age that most moms had stopped. But she always told my dad that as long as we were asking, she was gonna be reading. One book in particular (based on the Disney movie The Aristocats) we had her read so aften that one day - out of sheer boredom - she started at the end and read it backwards.
Years later when my parents were moving out of our childhood home - we were all grown and half of us married w/ kids - someone pulled that book out of a cabinet. We all climbed up on my parent's bed and my mom read us the book beginning to end ... and then back again.
Precious!!!
I'm mom to a 15-month-old, but my memory is of my own mother. My mother passed away from cancer when I was almost 5 years old. But one of my most treasured memories was from a few months before she died. She was too weak to go up and down stairs, so she was sleeping on the pull-out couch in the living room. My dad was out with my little brother and my mom got out some strawberries and our sugar bowl (SUCH a special treat!). We dipped our strawberries in the sugar and watched Ses@me Street together on the pull-out. Even in the midst of intense pain and suffering, she made time to have a moment with me. I hope that if (God forbid) I am ever absent from my child's life, that I will have worked that hard to be present to her, and that she will be able to cherish memories of our time together, too.
I'm mom to a 15-month-old, but my memory is of my own mother. My mother passed away from cancer when I was almost 5 years old. But one of my most treasured memories was from a few months before she died. She was too weak to go up and down stairs, so she was sleeping on the pull-out couch in the living room. My dad was out with my little brother and my mom got out some strawberries and our sugar bowl. We dipped our strawberries in the sugar and watched Ses@me Street together on the pull-out. Even in the midst of intense pain and suffering, she made time to have a moment with me. I hope that if (God forbid) I am ever absent from my child's life, that I will have worked that hard to be present to her, and that she will be able to cherish memories of our time together, too.
Hey Amanda! I am somewhat new to your blog...I've not commented before. Anyway, I am from Liberty, NC and unfortunately did not grow up with a sister--two brothers instead. However, God has blessed us with 3 little girls, ages 6, 4, and 8 months! Whew...exhausting as I am sure you know. Every day it is something new and fun with them (aside from the fussing and bossing around that occurs). I never expected things to be so dramatic but I'm not sure why I would have expected any less with girls. The memory I know I'll never forget is their love of playing dress up...they do it almost every day!
I have two silly sisters of my own! My daughters (ages 5 & 7) are as silly and as sweet as they come. They share a bedroom and every night they spend nearly an hour recapping their day together. Often my husband and I will sit outside their door and listen in to their sweet chatter about school and dreams. It is so inocent and precious. (Don't get me wrong...when the time starts ticking past 8:45 we come unglue!)I never had a sister, but I feel very blessed to be the mother to two! :)
Hey, chick - Robyn from Birmingham
This book looks so good for my girls! I have a brother (who I ADORE), but have always been jealous of the relationship that sisters have. Now I have my own little "sorority" in my house! I love watching their relationships develop.
My girls lately have started sneaking into each others' rooms in the middle of the night and sleeping together. I go upstairs in the mornings to wake them up for school and find them in a tangle of arms and legs and blond hair and I LOVE IT. The little 2 are joined at the hip and refuse to call each other "sister." They are "best friends." Be still my heart.
My name is Laura and I have been a mommy for 14 months. Those 14 months have been the most wonderful, life changing 14 months of my life. We are just starting to build our memories but I hope I can make my son's childhood so much fun! I have lots of great memories growing up but I love to remember every Christmas when my brothers, my sister and I would sleep on the floor in our doorways (they all were off of a hallway) on Christmas Eve. We did that until we all, one by one, got married.
I am from New Orleans...I have a seventeen month old little girl and am expecting twin girls in January. I haven't created memories for them yet, but I am sure hoping to be the kind of mom you described in this post = )
I'm from Merritt Island, Fl. I remember the time when my sister and I spent hours playing dolls together and school. We would both take turns being mom or the teacher. :) We decided when we grew up we would have kids and give them to the nanny to watch for us most of the time but take them clothes shopping. Oh, how silly we were.
I am originally from Houston, we just moved to Corpus Christi. I was my dream to have two girls. The Lord answered my prayers, but I was not prepared for the fighting and DRAMA that comes with having two girls. One minute they are fighting and the next they are playing with their baby dolls together. My 5 year old often says to my almost 2 year old "You'll always be with sister" Usually they are holding hands when she says it. I am not sure where she came up with that but it is the sweetest thing. It makes me very glad they have each other.
I'm Erin and am from Ohio, but currently living in Rochester, NY with my wonderful husband and two little boys. I have two sisters and I remember very vividly sticking up for them when bullies were picking on them. I remember telling one little girl in particular (I was in 3rd grade and my sister Emily in 2nd at the time) after Emily came up to me crying at recess, that NO ONE had the right to pick on my sister but ME. Ha!
Love my sisters to pieces!
Thanks for the giveaway; I love your blog! (and your momma, too!)
Hi Amanda! I follow your blog, but have never posted a comment. I love to hear your stories about motherhood. I have a 3 year old son named Parker, and a 9 month old daughter named Avery. We live outside of Richmond, VA (I saw your Mom here back in August...she was amazing!). I am the oldest of 3 girls, and my sisters and I have always been the best of friends. One of my fondest memories is that after my parents would go to bed, my sisters would join me in my bed for the night. We all had separate rooms, but we were much happier snuggled up together. :)
Hi I'm Liz. I currently live in Quantico VA, but I'm from the middle part of the country. =)
My favorite memory of growing up was when my sister and I would talk and sing as we were going to sleep. Every night - I am eight years older than her so I got to explain all kinds of things during those hours, like math and boys and all of that.
What an honor to be a part of such a fun give-a-way!
I was blessed to have a sister and then blessed again to have two little girls to create memories with!
One of my favorite memories with my sister was on our 21 day road trip to CA and back. We collected stuffed animals at Circus, Circus in Las Vegas and played all sorts of games with them in the back of our suburban. That was before seatbelt laws were stricktly enforced!
I'm from South Mississippi! I remember just "being" with my dad and mom doing ordinary everyday things. I loved those moments of being included the best! :)
Prayers and blessings!
Rebecca
I am a small West Texas town, Petersburg! Go Buffs!! I have 2 girls of my own and the moment that means the most to me is one that my youngest will not remember. But the day that the youngest was born, we let Taryn (then 2) be the first person in the room to see her new sister. She came in all by herself and got to spend time just the 4 of us. Taryn remembers this still and tells Rhealee (now 20 months) that she "got to meet" her first! It was a sweet moment that I won't forget and hopefully my oldest won't either!
Amanda, I am also from a pair of sisters and I have 3 daughters... my sister has 2 daughters and we are all very close! I have so many wonderful memories of times growing up with my sister and of our girls growing up. I guess the one of my favorites is when my sweet husband would get his guitar out before bedtime and the five of us would sing together...We would always end with You are my Sunshine and instead of the word sunshine replace it with each of the girls names... they loved it! Don't know if you have ever heard this saying but it's one I love... now that our girls are grown and gone .. we are thankful for the "laughter in the walls" thats what I want for my girls homes and for yours when the children are grown!
Martha in MS
I'm Lori from Katy...just down the road :). This is my new favorite moment between the sisters I call my own. My oldest (9) was telling me that she is no princess--she is a total tomboy. My 4 year old walked over to her, looked up, and said, "You are a princess. You're beautiful like a princess." Oh, I am ruined!
I'm Julie, and I live in California. My best childhood memories are playing with my twin sister, who now lives in Houston *sniff, sniff*.
Sisters. Never has there been a word that stirs up so much in me. I grew up with a sister and we weathered alot of storms together. I wish I could say it made us close, but instead it divided us. BUT! I now have 2 daughters...one is 7 months old and the other 2 years, 7 months. :) I am doing everything in my power to provide a home and family that fosters love and friendship between them. The best thing I know to do for them is to teach them to both love and serve the Lord!
oh --- I have a sister and I am Mom to three sisters. I would love to have this book!
I also have a brother and one of my favorite memories from being a kids was family meal times. My brother would get my sister and I laughing so hard that we would eventually get in trouble for not eating.....
I'm from Irving, TX. One of my favorite memories is playing volleyball in the living room with my sister and my Dad. We would make a "net" by lining up shoes across the living room. We had to use a beach ball since we were in the house. We'd be going crazy, throwing and hitting the ball everywhere while Mom busily tried to protect any drinks or valuables. Can't wait to have these fun times with my girls!
Hi Amanda,
We aren't a family of sisters but we are raising 4 wonderful boys. I have so many memories of my chubby faced boys! While I was doing every fun thing imaginable, their dad was working long hours for us. So that he had one-on-one time with each boy, Randy started a tradition. He would take them out by themselves for a "Special Night". They planned the whole night! Movies, dinner, toy stores, and of course dessert! The evening ended with bringing a surprise home for the brothers. I was blessed with precious years with our young sons, but only Dad had "Special Nights"!
I'm Shellie. Originally from Joseph, Oregon. Now I live in Moscow, Idaho. I have to admit I have not been that great at creating silly memories for my kids. I suffer from clinical depression and up until recently haven't been able to function well enough to enjoy my children. However, I have two girls who love to play with my hair and I have let them do crazy things with my hair and only later washed it out when they didn't know I did and of course, pretended it was absolutely beautiful. I wish I could say that I was as great and playful and fun as your mom. It makes my heart ache that they haven't had those experiences, but I didn't either. My mom was just cranky. I bet my girls would love this book!
so weird! you don't have to publish this...but i just met Erica at an Advent (ornament swap)party 2 nights ago!
i was looking at a copy of her book and told her i wanted to buy one!
the world is so small. it gets smaller all the time:)
had no idea you two knew each other well...
very cute book!
Kim B. from Orlando, FL
I'm not a mom myself (but I have a lot of spiritual children), however, I have a really COOL mom who raised me and my brother as a single parent. One of my favorite memories was a game we played every week in the living room. It was called "Mom in the Middle". Mom would get in the middle of the living room, and my brother and I would try to get to the other side without getting caught, tackled and tickled by mom. We would scream and laugh till the cows came home (we lived in Kentucky) This was her way of having some "Rowdy Dad Time" for us, since dad was not available. The funny thing is, even when we were in high school and college, and would be home for a visit, we'd play a quick game of Mom in the Middle.
She is a classic mom indeed!
Darla Baerg, Houston.
Our girls planned "Dance Parties" on Saturday nights. We would scoot the chairs and couch back, play music and dance. It was so fun. They planned it all day .... snacks, songs and they'd do little "numbers" for us. One of the signs they made still hangs in their room (it's dated 2008). We are moving to a new house soon and I'm going to have that sign framed for the new house to remind us of those fun nights and to every now and then scoot the furniture back and dance!
Originally from Katy, Tx currently from Bakersfield, CA. God blessed me with a silly sister. My sister and I loved jump out and scare each other. One time, I ran in the house early and went upstairs and waited for her. The lights were off and she walked into our bathroom and I jumped out of the shower. It was moments like that where we look back and laugh.
Hi, Amanda! I live in Amarillo, Texas but will be leaving in the morning for that LONG drive (11-12 hours) to Houston. It'll be worth it to see my grandson who is a month older than your daughter!
I am one of a pair of sisters and I have two daughters who are 7 years apart. They are closer now than ever and live less than a mile apart. We have all had some silly times! Gay
Casey Springer from Murray KY. I started a tradition when my (now 11)son was a toddler for Christmas morning. I found this really pretty gold box in the shape of a star and put things into it that represented what God had blessed us with during the year. I didn't do it last year and both of my children asked Christmas morning, "Mom where is the gold box?" I never realized they were blessed by that. So after nearly 10 years of that tradition I will do it this year.
I would love to give this as a gift to my nieces. My sister and I are thirteen months apart and now HER daughter are also thirteen months apart (it was a huge surprise!). My sister is a great mom - silly and serious.
Sister Lynn
Arizona
I actually know Erica from BSF! And our older girls have gotten to know and love each other, too, as they been in the same class for 2 years in a row now.
Don't count me in the drawing because I will buy her book anyway.
But I do want to share that I saw some fruits of my labor the other day. My 3rd child, my second daughter, was having some "quiet time" on the couch, as she has recently given up the afternoon nap. However, the older two were going out to play in the backyard and she began to cry and get upset that she wasn't able to play with them.
Both of my older children went to her and hugged her and spoke such sweet words to comfort and encourage her during that difficult moment. They helped her to realize that she needed some quiet time to rest, even if she wasn't napping, but that they loved her and they felt her sadness, but would still be outside when her time was over and they would be waiting to play with her then.
This momma's heart sang with pride, and also humility, seeing how much they genuinely cared for their baby sister that they would, first, have such compassion for her, and second, that they would think to act upon their feelings of compassion for her.
I have often wondered if my kids would grow up REALLY loving and caring for each other, as my brother and I did not. I have doubted myself as a mother in the area of sibling love.
But God has been so faithful to me in that, as I have followed His word in parenting these children and sowing the seeds of love and faithfulness that He left in my charge, He is showing me the beginnings of what my children will one day reap.
God is SO good!
My family has recently moved to Pasadena, CA from TX.
I have a sister and a daughter. I'm hoping for another daughter sometime in the future.
We had so much fun growing up- so many memories, I don't even know which one to write about.
I am from Greensboro, NC. I am the middle of three girls. We had so much fun growing up! I also have 2 silly sisters who are 4 and 5 right now. I love when they play babies together. They push their dollhouses closer so their babies can be neighbors. Adorable!
I'm from a tiny town in NE Kansas. One of my favoirte childhood memories is when my grandpa (who owned his own gas station) was watching all of the grandchildren at the gas station one day. I was the only girl. All the boys got to fill cars up with gas. I didn't think that was going to be very fun. But when I got there I was suprised to find an old camper set up in the back of the gas station. He had set it up so I could play house all day long with my babies! I will never forget. I try really hard to allow enough silly time with my daughter so she can have memories like this :O)
Hi! I follow you on twitter and comment occasionally! :) I am from the Dallas area but still claim Little Rock because I was in Arkansas for so long! :) Something I do with my girls (ages 4 and 20 mths) is sing to them at bedtime...their own special song. Now my oldest knows that it is HER song and sings it back to me. Melts my heart! My younger one also now tells me to sing "sunshine" to her. I love it! Love your blog! :)
My name is Jennifer and I live in Cape Coral, Florida.
I always remember my dad popping popcorn on Friday nights and drinking coca cola with it. We didn't have a whole lot of the extras, but that was always the best tasting popcorn and whenever I drink coca cola now as a 39 year old woman, I still think about my mom and dad and those Friday nights when I was little.
I'm an army wife in Germany.
When my daughter was 4, we were in the grocery store checkout. I prided myself that she was not a child who begged for things in the grocery store. But there she sat in the cart, pleading quietly and sweetly, "Mommy, I want a baby sister. Pleeeaaaase get me a baby sister." The old man in line behind us said, "For heaven's sake, get the child a baby sister!"
We laughed about it for years. She never got the sister, but had many lovely girlfriends, God provided her in 9th grade with a best friend, whom she loves like a sister to this day. My daughter spent the summer as a missionary in Guatemala, preparing to teach internationally after graduation this coming May, and her "sister" is finishing college in Australia, where she fell in love with Perth during study abroad - the miles make no difference. They are loving each other and serving the Lord with a 12-hour time difference, and geographically I get to be sandwiched exactly between them!
I'm Kristin from Kentucky. Some of my favorite memories as a child were vacations to the beach (usually Florida, but now we've fallen in love with Hilton Head, S.C.). I still really love to travel, and thankfully my husband is up for road trips too. So we load the kids (3 1/2 years and almost 1) into the van and go. It's a fun way to for us to create memories and explore together.
Hi Amanda ~ I love keeping up with your blog, and I love hearing your mom speak as well, her Bible Studies are wonderful, thought provoking and real...I too have a silly sister and remember my mom telling us as we were bickering that one day we would be each others closest treasure and how true that is.......Happy Friday, Lesli from South Dakota
Missy - from East Tennessee
My mother was always so fun, too! The holidays bring lots of special memories and one of my favorites is that she always lit every candle in the house on Christmas Eve ... every. single. candle: sconces on the wall, votives in the bathroom, tapers on the table, etc. It transformed our little parsonage into a magical place - I loved it!
I'm Rena. I live in Denham Springs, LA. I'm a silly sister and I have silly sisters of my own. My own are 20, 17 & 4. That's silly all by itself.
I remember playing Charlie's Angels with my sisters. The original Charlie's Angels, that is. I also remember dancing to our Grease Album. Fun times.
I'm Maggie from Iowa. A friend of a friend of Kristi's. My Mom and Dad used to randomly yell out "Sock War!" and we would know that the kids would go to one side of my parents bed, Mom and Dad on the other and then Dad would dump his drawer full of balled up socks in the middle of the bed and we would launch them across at each other. So fun! A tradition I will definitely recreate with my kids.
My name is Casey and I am from Brandon, MS. I am an only child, so I always wanted a house full of kids once I had a family of my own. We are pregnant with our second child and just found out yesterday that my daughter is going to have a "silly sister!" We are so excited that she is going to have a sister to grow close to and hopefully develop all of the memories that others have mentioned here!
Hi Amanda! You and your family are such a blessing to me, thank you!
I am Ashley, from VA. :) As both my husband and I come from broken homes, there is nothing we desire more than to raise our children in the most loving, God-focused environment we can build around them.
One fun memory we have with our son was from his birthday last year. We decided to splurge and take our little family to spend the night at an indoor waterpark/hotel. The trip was a surprise though! He would discover his special treat byway of his very own “Blue’s Clues”! I made him his very own “handy, dandy notebook” and told him to look out for clues throughout the day. He spent the entire day on high alert. He found clues at home, at his Grandma’s house, even at Target...then drew them in his little notebook! He had a blast and just couldn’t figure out how “Blue” knew just where he’d be! Once he found all of his clues, we sat down to “think, think, think” and he was able to piece together just where we were headed. That adventure is something I think all of us will remember for a long time to come. Everyone involved had fun watching him discover his clues, jotting them down, and piecing together the puzzle. Now…how in the world will we top that this year?! :) What a blessing that day was!
Hi Amanda:) I am from Atlanta, GA! I am the oldest of three children. My mom is an incredible mom...and a wonderful "nana". I love seeing her interact with my children the way she did with us and I see in their eyes the love that I have for her when I was a child. She loved to sing with every song in the car..even if she didn't know the words...or the tune! She would be the first to tell you that God did not bless her with the most incredible vocal talent, but she sang with such confidence. I put myself in that car everytime I lead our congregation on sunday mornings in worship:) I am thankful for every moment that I have with my mother and am blessed by her life!
I live in Minnesota and I have 1 sister-I remember lots of silliness that we created, but my favorite memory is when we used to make up dances. We would spend hours creating, practicing, picking out outfits and then we would perform a 'show' for my parents, neighbors, brother, basically anyone who would watch us. It was the highlight of our week and my mom would be so encouraging and think we were the best ever (even though our rhythm really left something to be desired!).
I have three girls and one boy who call me "Mom." They are the greatest kids I could think of, and I'm so thankful for each one. They usually get along and play together really well, but there are those times when they get after each other like cats and dogs. One phrase that I find myself repeating to them at these times is, "All of your friends you get to choose, but God chose you to be friends with each other." I so want this to take root in their young hearts. Thanks for the giveaway offer and for spotlighting your friend's book.
Kathy (from Wisconsin)
Hey there - I'm from Texas...South Texas to be exact. I just found your blog recently and am thoroughly enjoying it.
I don't have silly sisters, I have three boys and one daughter who is already 21. BUT, I have a sweet, sweet friend who has silly sisters and would adore this book!
I'm originally from Minnesota, lived in North Carolina for half my life and recently moved to Georgia less than a year ago! I have two younger brother and always wanted a sister!!! One of my favorite memories as a child was when my youngest brother was born, I was convinced he was a "sister" and insisted on calling him "Elizabeth" (which was to be his name if he was a girl) for months!!! I even told everyone I had a brother and a sister (I was 5 at the time).
Being a Mom of 3 girls (and 1 boy), I love watching the interaction between my girls, seeing the "sister bond" that I so desperately wanted! I can't wait to see how my girls will grow up :)
Annie from Florida.
I never had a sister, but grew up with cousins who were close enough to be sisters! There are 5 of us girls who came from 3 silly sisters and we've always had such fun moms! :)
Oh this is so much fun! I love reading all these comments.
My memory is of my mom and I "sneaking up" on my Dad and trying to tickle his feet. Somehow, though, he always wrestled both of us to the ground simultaneously and we ended up losing. But there were giggles all around! :)
I'm from Dothan, Alabama! I have two daughters and one year in mid October we were discussing Halloween and what everyone could dress as. My youngest says "I know, I know, Daddy we could wrap you in Aluminum foil and you could be a leftover".. never laughed so hard in all my life. Bless her little heart we still tease her about it!!
Hi Amanda I'm Karen from Nevada. I was born on July 6th. My Mom went into the hospital on the 4th expecting to have me that day, so I guess she was a little disappointed I took my time. She always had big parties on July 4th and that's when we celebrated my birthday every year. It was so much fun. I lost my Mom suddenly when I was 29. It's been almost 15 years and July 4th is always so hard. That is the only holiday that still makes me miss her so much.....I would love a copy of this book. I am going to check out your friend's blog right now. Blessings! PS my little 2 1/2 yo Kate had a meltdown in Target the other day that was so bad I came home and cried. Happens to all of us..........sigh!
I'm Nicole from Winnipeg, Canada. Growing up on a vegetable farm along Lake Erie, I remember fondly the hard work and spontaneity of my Dad. He would surprise us during or after working with a quick swim in the lake or fort building in the woods or setting up a play space in the corn field. He was great at finding fun in any setting.
Jennifer from Round Rock - What a cute book and I want so badly to be a fun mom who makes great memories! I totally agree that it is something you have to work at1 My husband and I were just saying the other night that hopefully our girls will remember all the s'mores making times we have been having in our backyard firepit. I need more good ideas!
I am Mary from Ardmore, AL.
I love reading your blog. This post is really cool. I am the big sister in my family. I loved being bossy...except my sister didn't boss very well! Our favorite thing to play together was school. Our mom, who was a school teacher, would give us lots of old books and papers to use.
We both grew up to be teachers.
Hi! I'm Melissa and I'm from Maine. I don't have a pair of sisters to call my own either as we have 4 boys and 1 girl but I do have 2 sisters. My favorite memory of me and my younger sister is one day when I was 10 and she was 8. I was "in charge" as my parents weren't home. My sister was upset about something and decided she would practice sneaking out of the house just in case she ever really had to. She used bed sheets tied together, tied to the bed and threw them out the window. When she saw it didn't reach the ground she then used string for the remainder of length she needed. All this is happening as I am at the kitchen sink doing dishes. All of a sudden I see a body go flying down past the window...it was my sister who had decided to try sneaking out the window. Thankfully there were no broken bones and now we look back and laugh about this incident!
One of my favorite childhood memories is the tree swing that my Daddy made for me. I'd swing on it for hours! I loved it so much that I created the Tree Swing Olympics with events such as highest swing and vault (where I jumped over the swing seat gracefully) - of course I won all the Gold Medals. Looking back on it, I'm sure that my parents thought I was nuts!
I'm from Southern Illinois. I have a pair of sisters and I'm the mom of 5 girls :) Growing up we took a lot of family vacations and we try to do that with our own girls. It doesn't have to be an exotic trip or even very far from home. Just being together and not have the everyday worries of home are enough.
Hi! My name is Kym, and I'm from Bryant Arkansas. I have very silly sisters, ages 4,2,and 1. They are amazing and the joy of my life. I try to create memories they will cherish later in life, one being cooking together. We make a huge mess, and somehow usually end up with food on our faces. I can't waite to see these books!
I am Lindsay from Nashville, TN. When my sister and I were little our family moved to a golf course that wasn't yet open so we loved riding our bikes all over the course on the cart path - so fun!
My name is Tori and I'm from Littleton, Colorado. I have two sisters, and on Christmas Eve, when we were supposed to be sleeping, we would tell each other what we were getting for Christmas. I don't know why we couldn't just wait a few hours to find out for ourselves. :)
lvkimble at hotmail dot com
I'm from southwest Arkansas. I didn't have a sister growing up, just two younger brothers who I always picked on. They are both way bigger than me now, so these days, I try my best to be kind. HaHa!!
With an almost 11 month old baby girl, I know how hard it is to be intentional. Some days are just plain hard and I don't want to put forth the effort. But...I want to be the type of mother you described your mother as. I pray for my daughter to look back on her years at home with joy, happiness, good times, lots of love and fun.
Hi Amanda! I'm from Indianapolis. Just last week my 19 mo old daughter was playing with the radio in my bathroom while I was doing my make up. She found a song she liked and started dancing. I danced with her, too, and we giggled so hard! It was a moment I hope to cherish forever!
Hi, my name is Jackie and I live in Cypress, TX. My sister and I have way too many fun memories together. :) She and I are 14 months apart...I've always loved how close we are in age. We had many of the same friends growing up. Our family moved a lot when I was younger and it was so nice to have my sister there with me during each move. No matter what, we always had each other. I want to teach my two boys(3 and 2 years old) the same lesson...always be there for each other. Many Blessings to you and your sweet family! :)
I am Kelli from you know where and I LOVED that every Christmas Eve we would all sleep in the same room, even when I was in college! :)
Hi Amanda, I'm from Illinois and I really enjoy reading your blogs especially since I'm still a new mother. For my daughter, everyday with her is a new experience for her and myself because I adopted her from Russia in 2008 at the age of 15 months. My most favorite time with her is "d oceans" as she calls it. We read her little devotions book every night and say our prayers together.
On a side note, I would just like to say that you, even though you have never met me or my daughter, are her spiritual aunt. Why? It is because of your mother's bible study "Believing God" that lead me to adoption. Even though I'm a single parent, I'm so glad that I followed His calling. My daughter is awesome and truly a gift from Him. So, that would make your mom the spiritual grandmother. Awesome isn't it!
I'm Amy. I'm from Alabama. I don't have a sister but two younger brothers. This was such fun for me growing up. My brother Andrew and I used to throw all of the couch cushions and pillows on the floor and pretend the floor was made of lava. love those days.
I'm from Oklahoma. I have one older brother. We grew up on a farm so our greatest times were skipping through the woods, building forts out of rocks, and exploring God's beautiful creation!
Hello Amanda. Right here from the Houston area in Katy.
I actually don't have very many memories of silliness, fun, or creativity. That sounds so "Negative Nellie" to say here. But it's true.
It's also so very true that I really want to create happy memories for my own children who are still very young with eyes as big and bright as can be. But I'm not naturally creative. So I would love to have such a sweet book to encourage my mothering journey.
Hey there,
I'm Shana and I am from Minnesota (I met you in January at the SMT Celebration, but I'm sure you met 80 billion women and realize you probably don't remember me. Totally understandable, I'd be super surprised if you did!) I just had our 6th little bundle in October and try hard to make fun memories with our kiddos. I think just having family traditions (even if the kids -- once they are older -- act as if they are a little annoyed by them) builds great memories. We almost always eat pizza and watch a movie together on Friday night and shortly after Sara was born, a kind friend brought us a (non-pizza) meal on a Friday and my 9-year-old daughter was quite put out by the fact that we weren't having pizza for dinner. I think it's that kind of (often "little") stuff that they'll remember for the longest.
I had an exceptionally mom growing up too -- she is still quite exceptional and is doing a bang up job at her role as grandma as well.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Blessings,
Shana
I am Candace and I'm from East TN. I would love to win this book for my silly sisters. :) I always wanted a sister growing up, but had 2 brothers instead. Now, I'm so excited that my girls have a sister. :)
I'm Jamie from Birmingham. I have a sister 6 years younger, and a 5 year old daughter, 3 year old son, and a 7 month old daughter. My favorite memories are of making blanket forts with my sister in our bedroom. The big kids love the baby so much already that I look forward to when they can all be kids together.
I'm Heather & I'm from Southern California. I have 2 little boys (those silly boys- haha) but I do have a younger sister who is 2 years younger than me. We have lots of fun memories growing up together - playing barbies in our playhouse, swinging on the hammock, making Christmas cookies (which we still do every year!) just to name a few fun times we had. Having boys is definitely different than girls...but this book would be a great gift to give to my sister! :)
One of my favorite memories is my cousin Lindsay and I making a music video to John Michael Montgomery's Sold. AKA, we dressed up, danced around, and video taped it. Too bad I have no idea where that video is...
Erin from Springfield, MO. :)
hi amanda, what a great book and giveaway!
i'm annalee, and i live in houston, but i orginally hail from abilene. it was there that my momma made dress up clothes out of everything imaginable, taught me to mix ingredients with her in the kitchen, sang more songs than anyone human should be allowed to have memorized, and made every moment teachable. my silly sister didn't come along until i was almost twelve, so my momma created those special childhood memories last over two decades with little girls.
I am Julie, from Pennsylvania. I have three sisters and I have 3 little girls, so there are a lot of silly sister moments!!
The memories are endless, and I am hoping to instill the same "BFF" mentality into my girls!!
My name is Kristin and I live in California. I have a younger sister and just this last weekend we were remembering all the fun we had a little girls, great timing for this post! We used to 'sneak' (is what we'd call it). After we were put to bed we'd shimmey our way out of our rooms down the hall to sneak on our parents, babysitters, whoever!! They would always pretend they didn't see/hear us. We'd giggle, think we were like super powered and head off to bed for good! I love having a sister!
I grew up with one younger brother, but we did have lots of fun! My favorite memory comes from a time period in our young lives. My parents smoked at the time and on New Year's Eve my brother and I made a deal with them. If they would give up smoking for one year we would give up tv. They agreed and over the course of that year we read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy together outloud every night. I'll never forget it.
I'm from Arkansas. I am one of two sisters. We both have two daughters. My husband and I are trying to incorporate some of the Jewish feasts into their Christian heritage as a way of making the Old Testament relevant in a real way. So every year during Feast of Booths, we camp out in our tent. On the back porch. It's hilarious to them to be 18 inches from the back door and yet sleep outside. We do it all week and they love it!
Hi Amanda - I am from Louisiana. Mother of 3 - Nana to 6.
when my girls were little, every year on the Saturday after thanksgiving, we would put on the Christmas music and decorate the tree. Afterward, they would pretend ice-skate to the music and we had to give out the medals. My baby girl, Ashlie, always got the bronze because she didn't know any better.
what I wouldn't give to have one of those days back again.
I'm Rhonda, from Ontario. I have 3 sisters (no brothers) and 4 daughters (no sons) and 5 nieces (no nephews). So, we're a very girly family. :) I try to have a family night on Friday nights when it's possible and one of our favourites was "formal night". We all got dressed up and ate fancy things and then had a dance in the living room afterwards. :)
Hi! I'm Jessica and I live near Beaumont, TX. I have one sister and man did we get into some SILLY stuff! We would often put on all of the clothes we owned (for fun?!) and then cut each other's hair. Strange as it sounds, it sure was fun and crazy! I now have a precious 15 month old boy and a little boy or girl on the way, and I pray they bond and enjoy each other thoroughly!
Thanks Amanda! I have many things I WISH I had done as a mommy of three girls but one thing I did that was very special was to take each of them on a weekend one-on-one when they were about 11 years old. I had little gifts for them, we ate out, rode on a roller coaster, all kinds of fun stuff. It was also when I talked to them about 'the talk.' Biggest failure: When I forgot to bring a gift for my youngest for her weekend yet SHE brought ME one. Tears right now just remembering how sweet she was!
Becky
Buffalo, Missouri. My mama used to help us make the baked-in-the-oven ornaments at Christmas time and then hang them on our tree. She also made us homemade donuts from scratch and to this day those kind of donuts still take me back. YUM!
Hi! I am Nancy from California. I am from a pair of sisters and now have two little girls myself. My daughters are the best of friends. They love to play together and when they are sick or scared the first one they call for is their sibling.
I would to have this for my daughter who is going to be a sister in a few months. I know that my brother and I have a great relationship and cannot imagine what a friendship these two girls will have with each other and their brother.
Hello, Im Angie from MS! I recently went to a Ladies NIght Out at church and the speaker talked about starting traditions with your family. One that she started when her kids were little was on Christmas morning she bought a can of silly string for each family member and she said that they are grown now and have always enjoyed the spraying of silly string on Christmas morning more than any gifts they received. I am starting this yr with this on Christmas morning and can't wait for my husband, me and my two small children to have fun with it!:>)
Hi Amanda! This is my first time visiting your blog. Love it! I'm not entering your contest. I am actually the illustrator for this book & wanted to thank you for this giveaway and sing (the author)Erica's praises. She is an inspiration to me as a mother and I feel sooooooooooo blessed to have had the chance to illustrate this book for her. It is a dream come true. I do have a memory that always warms my heart that I wanted to share. . . When I was a girl and had to go outside to catch my school bus in the mornings in winter time, my mom would stand my little coat up in front of the heater and right before I charged out the door, she would put it on me and I would stay warm on my walk to the bus :)
i live in chattanooga, tn...i am from a pair of sisters and have 3 little girls! with thanksgiving coming up, the first memory that popped in my mind was polishing all my mom's sterling silver with my sister every year the night before thanksgiving for the crowd of family. such a mundane task, but special b/c we did it together and the finished product was beautiful!!
I'm Janet from St. Louis. I have three silly sisters. We had such fun growing up. Our Mom also told great stories that she made up. Now her grandkids beg her to tell them a story. I don't know how she did it. I was never good at making up stories to tell to my 3 girls.
However, I used to sing them to sleep at night and they still talk about that to this day. Their favorite song was: "The Cradle Song." Here are some of the words: "I watch beside your cradle. Your face touched by the moon. My heart just aches and trembles with all my love for you. Your eyes shine like your father's. That nose looks just like me. I stare in awe and wonder at such a mystery - how God can touch the love of a man and wife....and blossom it into the breath of life."
A few years ago, my girls went through this phase of wanting me to sing them the song again (even though they are grown) so I made each of them a recording of me singing it so they can play it whenever they want.
Thanks for your blog and thanks for thinking of us for this giveaway.
Hey! I'm Bethany from Georgia! I have a 5 month old little girl, and just last week had one of the most special moments yet with her. It was after nap time, I had just changed her and tickled her foot by accident, which made her belly laugh. It was awesome! When I picked her up, she squealed with delight. I just stopped and held her. It was a special, tender moment where I was able to praise the Good Lord for entrusting her to my husband and me. Oh! What! A! Blessing!
Hi Amanda! I'm Cari from midwest Iowa. Would love to have a copy of this book! Can't wait to make silly memories for my 14 month old daughter. My sister and I still talk about all of the silly things we did when we were little. Including the time I told her to close her eyes and open her mouth and I dumped pepper into her mouth. OOps! Good thing she still loves me! :)
I don't have any sisters, but I have seven brothers. My most memorable experiences involve them doing typical boy things like pinning me to the ground, letting drool slide out of their mouths (headed right for my face) and then suck it back up before it landed on me. Sometimes they didn't catch it fast enough and I'd turn my head and it would land in my ear. Ok, sorry, that's sick, but that's what I remember. Do I need counseling?!
The Lord blessed my husband and I with 2 daughters (he didn't have sisters either), so we've had a blast raising a gender we knew nothing about. One of my favorite things to do with them when they were little was to make blanket forts all over the living room and hang out in them reading Bible stories. My favorite videos are of them "reading" the Bible stories to me.
I have a silly sister and Can't wait to read the book!!Thanks for sharing!
I'm from The Woodlands, TX!! I have three silly (older) sisters and think sisters are the best! Some of my favorite memories from childhood are also with my Mom. She would take us on "field trips" in Houston every summer where we discovered everything from inner city day camp with Girl Scouts to the trams at the airport! My favorite summer she decided to teach us to be "producers and NOT consumers" so we spent the whole summer learning to make homemade bread and learning to quilt!!! She, too, played with us and made us her priority always!
Thanks for sharing this book as I am a new mom to an 8 week old and am excited to use and give this book as a gift!!
My mother let us have tea parties outside with our little red table. My favorite picture is a black and white picture of our tea party. My sister and I both have busbuskas on.
www.ourshelteringtree.blogspot.com
I'm from Oklahoma and am raising two silly sisters. :) My husband would always sing "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt to our oldest when she was a newborn, then continued on singing it a year later when our youngest was born. (With a few changed words, like "I saw your face in a sonogram!" LOL!) Now they sing the song along with him, Broadway-style with jazz hands and wild preschool dancing. :)
I'm from Ontario, Canada. I can remember cleaning all the toys in the spring. We would haul them all out of the basement, spread them all over the drive way and spray them down. We loved getting all wet!
We have three silly sisters in this house. I'm praying they grow up to be great friends.
Jessie, Kentucky
Popped in to actually comment and introduce myself at Missy's encouragement =)
Hi! I would love this book for my own silly little girls.
The memory I just made for them is buying them identical clothes for our family picture. They are now 11 and 9 and the last time they dressed alike was before they could say the word "no"
It was more a memory for me, forever emblazened in our family pictures. My sweet family with matching sisters. :)
I'm the middle of three girls. I remember my little sister coming to get in bed with me when we were growing up, and pretending to "bake cookies" with her so she would settle down while they were baking. I'm now a mom of one precious girl- I hope she gets a sister one day!
Hey Amanda. What encouragement your blog is. I love reading about your journey as a mom. It's so good to know we're all in this together. I have a brother who I have such fun memories with. One of the best is dressing him up in my Sunday dress and black patent leather shoes and him pretending to mow the front yard. What fun! Would love a copy of Silly Sisters for my two sweet girls.
Hi Amanda,
I live in Durant, OK. I love your blog!
I don't have a sister. I have 2 brothers. (and I have 1 grown up daughter and 2 sons)
Please pray for my brothers and I and our mom as we are all missing my Dad right now and having a difficult time communicating with each other.
My youngest brother and his wife are in the process of adopting 2 beautiful sisters, ages 33 months and 18 months. If I win the book, I will give it Gabby and Mercy!
Hi Amanda! I'm Sheryl from Arkansas, and I have a pair of really silly sisters living in my house. I always wanted a sister growing up but never had one, so I relish the moments at night when all the lights are out and I hear soft giggles coming from my daughters' bedroom. One of the really fun things we do when we are in the car together is weave stories that are told in pieces by each girl present. One person starts, another continues, and so on. We've created stories over the years about fairy princesses who lived in a castle on the beach, an all-girls' school on the moon, and all kinds of other adventures. I would LOVE to win a copy of your friend's book!
Wishing all the Joneses and Moores a blessed Thanksgiving!
Hi Amanda! I am a new follower, but have been reading for quite awhile (I forget to click that "follow" button for some reason). I would love to win this book! My favorite childhood memory would probably be playing with my little brother. We were best friends and played so well together - we literally never fought. Now that I am a mom of five, I realize that was not normal - and I also realize how lucky my mom was! Haha!
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Greetings Amanda:) I'm going to have to investigate that song download, what a ministry...I remember my sisters and I all going to Dollywood or all of us going to visit my grandmother in Detroit. When my older sister and I would visit my dad when he lived in PA, there was a sticker shop there that we would walk to most everyday and buy stickers of all kinds. We had a good collection going after awhile:)
I am from Atlanta, GA. I didn't have a sister, but when my cousin came for the summer one year we decided to pretend that we were twins. we dressed alike all summer and all the adults around us humored us and said how much we looked alike and acted like they couldn't tell us apart. It was so much fun. But it all depended on the adults playing along. I owe all those church ladies a huge debt of gratitude for not raining on our parade!
I live in College Station, TX. Hmmm..love that your mom never made you feel like she'd rather be somewhere else...very convicting becuase I am sure my kids don't feel quite that way about me! Anyway, the other day we were playing in our back yard and I pretended to be a lion and captured my "tasty morsels" and carried them back to this flower bed that I called the lion's den to devour them. They loved it and have asked to play lions every day since.
Hope Im not too late! Oh well! I'm Susy from Austin or Cedar Park more accurately. I want to make millions of memories with my silly little girl by teaching her to paint and color, craft, sew, bake pies, etc! I am particularly excited to teach her to make pies because my mom was not a baker at all, my grandmother was. I love thinking that Eli will grow up to be a woman who can whip up a pie!
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