Blogger Interview: OneCrazyMessyMama (BEDM Day 27)

I decided to start interviewing other bloggers to help promote their blog. My first interview is with Lindsey,who resides in North Carolina. Her blog is OneCrazyMessyMama over at http://www.onecrazymessymama.com/. You should really check her blog out. She's a wife to a United States Marine and a mother to a little boy. 

Q:What is the meaning behind your blog name?

A: For me One Crazy Messy Mama means that I can show the world my craziness lol, being a wife to a man who works crazy hours and is gone frequently and mom to a one year old ball of chaos my life is messy. It allows me to show other new mamas that it is okay that your laundry is sitting in a pile in the floor waiting to be sifted through to find your husbands favorite sock or the dishes in the sink because life keeps moving and does not care about those things. I want other moms to see that they don't have to keep up this image, it's okay to let out your crazy LOL. 

Q:   What made you decide to start blogging?

A: I was always told growing up by my teachers and my mom that I was a good writer, but at the time I hated writing so I never really took those compliments to heart. Until I was roaming Pinterest as usual for ways to make extra cash on the side and blogging was one of the most popular ways. Even though blogging started out as a way to make money with it still is, it has become more of a way to be something other than a wife and mother. It gives me an outlet to share insights, my faith, and even frustrations with other readers.

Q:What do you blog about?

A: Life, it can be super messy and a little crazy. I write about faith, family, motherhood, marriage, frugal tips, and fun craft projects. You will find a little bit of everything on my blog with life being so crazy, there is no way I can write about just one thing.

Q:How long have you been blogging?

A: I originally started the set up and behind the scenes part back in January but did not really start posting until late February.

Q:What do you like to do beside blogging? Any hobbies?

A: I enjoy being crafty (I have an entire room with every supply possible LOL), working out, spending time with my husband and son, going to the beach, and reading. 

Q: Have you had writer’s block? What did you do?

A: In my short time blogging yes I have gotten writers block already. I researched and scoured the Internet, my brain, my husband's brain and even my mom and when that did not give me any ideas on what I wanted to write about I decided to do a simple 30 day challenge which I am finishing up now. It has asked me some awesome questions and opened up my brain to some topics that I cannot wait to publish on my blog!

Q: What’s one thing you want your subscribers to know?

A: I want my subscribers to know that I will always be honest, and my faith is a huge part of this blog.

Q:  How do you balance being a mom, wife and blogger?

A: Hm this is a good question LOL! I typically am up earlier than my son (definitely not my husband 4:30 is just too early for this girl) and awake later than both my husband and my son so that I can use the peace and quiet to write, edit, and schedule posts. During the day I use that as my social media and research time. Weekends I try to just do social media stuff and not work as hard because when my husband is home I make sure to spend as much time with him and our son as I can. While I hope that this blog becomes a solid way of income for my family I never want to put it before my family.

Q:  What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their blog?

A:  Forget about the numbers! I know that sounds like an oxymoron but believe me you need to forget about it! When you’re first starting it's more about your content, blog design, and professionalism. Once you get that down your numbers will come, make sure your content is awesome so those viewers will become followers and followers will become subscribers! Numbers don't matter if they don't stick around!

Q: Do you have any other social media sites?

A:. Facebook- www.facebook.com/onecrazymessymama

      Twitter- www.twitter.com/onecrazymessyma

       Instagram- www.instagram.com/onecrazymessymama

       Google+- www.plus.google.com/onecrazymessymama

       Pinterest- www.pinterest.com/onecrazymessymama

Again, you should check her blog out at http://www.onecrazymessymama.com/. And Lindsey, thank you so much for letting me interview you. 

<3 Amanda 

The Sadness That Comes With Suicide (BEDM Day 25)

I wasn't familiar with suicide until my junior year of high school. I knew what suicide was but didn't know anyone who committed suicide until then. He was a grade lower than me but we still had a class together,I believed it was Family Living with Mrs.VG but I could be wrong as I had more than one class with her that year. We were both also on the Track and Field team, which met every afternoon after school. He was really smart and an amazing athlete. Beside the Track and Field team, he was also involved in wrestling and football.

I found out that he committed suicide after going on the computer after being grounded and finding out that everyone gathered at the school's football field to remember him. He was a great friend to everyone. He made the one class we had together fun,he was a great teammate and made us laugh. I remember the day of his funeral.It was held at our school's gym and it was packed. Two of our teammate's(twins) mom picked me and brought me back home. After the funeral, we drove to the cemetery to watch him get buried. There wasn't a dry eye anywhere (trying not to tear up at the moment).  He affected so many people's lives. I can't believe it has already been 8 years ;(

When I hear these two songs, I think about him:

"How Do You Get That Lonely?"- Blaine Larson

"Who You'd Be Today"- Kenny Chesney

If you are thinking about suicide, please stop. You have family and friends who care about you and love you. If you need someone to talk to,you can always send me an e-mail and I'll e-mail you back. If you want to talk to someone more professional then me then I beg you to call the suicide hot line number; 1 (800) 273-8255. You are amazing,smart and you are loved by many.

<3 Amanda 

Abuse In Relationships (BEDM Day 24)

This topic is something that not a lot of people know that I have sadly gone through more than once.I feel like other women have gone through this and are sadly currently going through so I wanted to tell my story and let other woman know that if they want to talk to someone, that I'm here. Here's my story:

 I am 25 and have only been in four relationships(currently in my fourth and hopefully last). My three ex's all abused me in one way or another.  I met my first ex in March of 2012. Things were going well until one night at his house he tried placing my hand near a part of his body. I kept backing my hand away so he wouldn't do it again but he kept trying. He then asked me if I wanted him to take me home and I said yes. The next day, he texted me and broke up with me using the excuse that I wasn't communicating with him like he wanted me to.That day his mom texted me saying that she was sorry that we didn't work out. I told her the real reason why he broke up with me and her excuse was "He doesn't have any sisters so he didn't know what he was doing was wrong". What??!! He was 26 at the time and should have knew better. It doesn't matter that he doesn't have any sisters. 

Another time that he was abusive was when I was hanging out in my second ex's car in my driveway one night. He knocked on my window and I opened my door. "What's going on Amanda?", He asked. I then quickly ran into the house and my dad asked me why didn't we leave when we saw him. I told him we didn't see him because we didn't have the car on. I ran upstairs to my room but then I thought he could push me down the stairs so I ran down to the main floor and tried hiding in my younger brother's old room. He found me and started screaming at me. He had me so close up against the wall that if he would have pushed me, I would have smashed my head. I was so terrified at that point because I didn't know what he was going to do. He screamed at me and asked me what I wanted. I screamed back at him saying "You know what I want? I want you to leave me alone." He then screamed back saying that he never wanted to see me again. He walked back into the kitchen and told my dad in a 180 degree tone that he was sorry for what just happened.  To this day, I have not seen him. My dad told me that he was very close to calling the cops because he didn't know what my ex would do. I'm so happy that my dad was home that night because I honestly don't know if I would be here today if he wasn't. I went to my mom's that night just in case he came back and tried anything.  That night I received a few Facebook messages from his mom and sister-in-law that were very verbally abusive to me.

I met my second ex in June of 2012. We were together for almost three years and was engaged. Thinking about the relationship now, I don't know why I stayed with him for that long. Our first Christmas together, he bought me a 1-pound Hershey Chocolate Bar and I don't remember if he put it in the fridge or freezer but he made me eat it and that is how two of my front teeth got broken. When it happened, his response was something like "I knew that was going to happen" and he acted happy about it. The abuse didn't stop there. He broke off the engagement in 2014( we were supposed to get married on 10-04-2014;so it would be 10+4=14). I had proof that he was cheating on me and asked him about it and then he broke off the engagement because he got caught. Earlier that year,he pushed me down and I fell on a computer chair and he also slammed my foot in a door making my foot black and blue. I thought he was the one but I guess God showed me that he wasn't and that I'm better without him. After we were broken up for good, his sister was very verbally abusive towards me.  

I took a break from getting into another relationship for awhile. I mean I hung out with other guys but didn't begin a new relationship until this past February.  Things again were going well until I figured out that he only wanted me for sex. I ended it after finding out that he was also talking to other girls and lied to me about it until I showed him that I had proof. He basically asked me what would happen if he remain talking to them. I been cheated on before(second ex) so I knew the signs and I didn't want to go through that again. So I broke up with him.

I recently begun a new relationship with an amazing guy. He likes me for me. He makes me really happy. These past two months have had a lot of downs for me but when I met him and started talking to him, I became happy again. I haven't smiled and laughed this much in a long time and it's a nice change.

<3 Amanda

A Letter To A Teacher Who Left Us Too Soon(BEDM Day 23)

Dear Abbey,

You sadly left us this past November. They said that it was brain tumor caught too late and that you thought you were just having a really bad migraine. When I read a Facebook status that a former classmate wrote on Facebook the Friday you passed away, I just lost it and I didn't want to believe that you were gone.I had you for science in 7th grade and you helped me so much. I was shy back then and didn't feel confident enough to present a project in front of the whole class so you let me present it in font of you and two classmates. You saw that I was nervous and didn't feel confident enough so you didn't make me present it in front of the whole class. To this day, I still appreciate that because it showed me that you cared about me.

Even after I moved onto high school,you still cared about me. Whenever I would email you and update you on something, you would tell me good job. That meant so much to me. You were one of the teachers who impacted me and inspired me to go in the education field to give back what you gave me and that was encouragement, support and just the feeling that you cared about me and wanted me to succeed.

I know that if you were still here today, you would tell me that you're proud of me.You would tell me how proud you are of me that I'm in college and going for my goals. You would be proud of me that I graduated with my Associate's Degree in early childhood development last year and that I'm not stopping there. I'll be honest, bachelor's year is stressful and some courses and/or assignments are harder than others.There has been times when I look at the discussion question and ask myself if I can do this but then I remember I have a mentor looking down on me and telling me that I can do this and that she's proud of me. I miss you, Abbey!

From: A former student

<3 Amanda 

Favorite Dresses(BEDM Day 22)

Hey guys! As I was organizing my clothes recently, I was saying (in my head) which items of clothing were my favorites.I decided to separate my favorite items in different categories ( dresses, shirts hoodies, and etc.). The first category I'm going to show is dresses. I'll try to remember where I bought them and I'll try to find a link if I can find it or ones that are similar. By the way, I also added a jumper/romper to this category.

• Xhilaration Jumper/Romper 
• Purchased at Target 
• Similar Jumper/Romper http://www.target.com/p/women-s-popover-romper-xhilaration-juniors/-/A-50536821#prodSlot=medium_1_28&term=rompers+xhilaration

Xhilaration Dress

Purchased at Target

Couldn't find a similar dress     

• Gift from a friend and was purchased off Amazon
• There is no tag that says the brand     

• Wallflower brand
• Purchased at Meijer
• Was super happy when I purchased this dress. It was originally priced like twenty something then it was on clearance for around $16 and then when I paid for it, it only rung up for around $7.

<3 Amanda 

Bucket List (BEDM Day 21)

Amanda's Bucket List

• Learn how to drive
• Get married
• Be a mom
• Graduate with my bachelor's
• Have a career with working with children
• Pay off student loans
• Kiss in the rain
• Overcome my fear of failure.
• Get a massage 
• Get 5,000 page views on my blog
• Attend a Carrie Underwood Concert
• Go to North Carolina
• Have an impact on someone 
• Watch my children get married
• Send Christmas cards to Troops overseas
• Change someone's life
• Have a surprise birthday party
• Be happy with my body
• Star gaze
• Watch the sunset

This list is kinda short. To be honest, I haven't really thought what's on my bucket list. I will continue to add things and cross things out that I complete. 

What's are some things on your bucket list?

<3 Amanda 

If I Won The Lottery...(BEDM Day 20)

Today is National Be A Millionaire Day so I thought a good title for this post would be what if I won the lottery. I don't think I'll ever play the big lottery.I have bought lottery tickets for myself and then lost on 99% of them but when I buy lottery tickets for others like for birthday gifts, they tend to get winning tickets for some reason.

If I won the lottery, there's a lot that I would do.  I would definitely put some in the bank to save because that's the smartest thing you could do. With the rest I would:

• Pay my student loans
• Donate to charities
• Give some to my dad because he has always been there for me through the good and bad times. He's not only my dad but also one of my best friends
• Pay house payment if I have a house by then
• Pay car payment if I have a car by then

What would you do if you won the lottery?

<3 Amanda 

Dear Grandpa N.(BEDM Day 19)

Dear Grandpa N,

It has almost been 9 years(in October) since you left us. I miss you. I'm not a big gum chewer but  I have chewed gum a few times recently and every time I had a piece, I thought of you.Although it was Extra Gum and not Wrigley's Gum. You're probably up in Heaven playing War with Grandma. I loved playing War with you. I have memories of going up north to the cabin and the family reunions. 

I hope as you're looking down on me that you're proud of me. I hope that you're proud of me for graduating high school back in 2009. And now that I have graduated with my Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development with being on multiple President's Lists and only two Dean's Lists,I believe. After achieving that goal, I'm currently in my Bachelor's Year and there has been courses and/or assignments that have been hard for me but I pushed through the struggles and do my best.

I just wanted to thank you for raising an awesome son. My dad is an incredible dad. He's always there for me, and not just an amazing dad but a friend as well. 

I love you Grandpa and I miss you but I know I'll see you one day!

 Love Your Granddaughter,

Amanda 

<3 Amanda 

Dear Future Husband (BEDM Day 18)

Dear Future Husband,

I may or may not know who you are yet. God might have already placed you into my life or he might be saving you for later. I have had some bad relationships and had to deal with abuse while in the relationships and after the break ups as well.  Please don't be like those guys. Please don't hit me,kick me,try to make me have sex with you, call me names and etc.  Please respect me and love me for me even with my flaws. If we get in a fight,disagreement, or an argument,lets please talk about it and figure out a solution together that works for the both of us. My parents are divorced and I don't want either one of us to bring up that word because we got married because we love one another and want to spend the rest of our lives together.  I want to grow old with you. I want to be a mother and I want you to be a father. I want our children to see that their parents are in love and that they will stay together until one of us passes away at an old age. I've been through hard things in my life so if I look upset or look like I'm going to cry,please hug me and tell me that everything is going to be okay. That support from you would be amazing.

Don't be surprised :

• if I wear your hoodies or shirts to bed- Male hoodies are more comfortable 
• if I eat all the chocolate candy we have in the house- I'm addicted to chocolate 
• if I steal the blankets while we sleep

Love Your Future Wife

<3 Amanda 

What's In My Purse(BEDM Day 16)

I thought it would be fun to do today's post about what's in my purse. This also helped me clean out purse.

Brown purse with hand sanitizer attached to it because it's always good to have clean hands(and of course the holder is pink!)

Two pens and Extra Peppermint Gum and Ice Breaker Watermelon(Which I recommend).

Female products as I am a female. 

Wallet (Kenneth Cole Reaction)

3  pairs of mittens....why??? It's May although it did snow in other cities today

Tweezers set, band-aids,Kleenex, deodorant and 5 chap sticks. Guess I like to be prepared as I don't like my lips feeling chapped.

Headbands,clips and a whole pile of hair ties. Can't have too many,I suppose.

One of my favorite key chains and the meaning behind it. It's Pink,the letter of my name,my favorite shape and it to support breast cancer.

Random key chains and lanyards,and pink monkey!

Midol for those terrible cramps and Excedrin to get rid of headaches.

2 mirrors,one has a brush inside and a Pop Beauty Crayon in Rose Romance and a Star Looks lip pencil in Tickle Me Pink.

A key chain that my dad gave me one year for my birthday or for Christmas.

A random keychain I found one day and then a key chain that my brother got me when he was in Hawaii 

<3 Amanda 

The Meaning Of Family (BEDM Day 15)

I wanted to find a challenge or a group that has a topic everyday that I could write about. It's not that I don't have any ideas of mine own,which I have ideas written down in a notebook. I just thought it would be fun to be part of something like that. This morning, I googled "Blog everyday" and I found this site that has ideas for the everyday in May. The website is http://www.rosalilium.com/2016/04/blog-every-day-in-may-2016/ . You sign up and then you get the calendar of ideas for each day of the month of May. It's called "BEDM", which stands for Blog Everyday in May. I'm a little late to posting but it doesn't matter; it's all to have fun and to enjoy writing.

Day 16 is Family. My family consists of my parents,who are divorced,two older brothers and one younger brother. I always wanted a sister but I have three brothers who I know can be annoying at times but they always have my back when I need them. When I think of the word family, I think of an unit. Yes, there will always be arguments and disagreements but family is still family. If you're new to my blog, you might not know how much my next sentence means to me. Family should always be there for you and love you no matter what. When I have a family of my own when I get married and have children,I don' t want there to be any thinking of the word "divorce" because you get married to the man or women that you love with all of your heart and want to spend the rest of your life with that person. If (and I know there will be like in every family) there are any disagreements and arguments , lets take the time to sit down and talk about the issue and figure out a solution that works for everyone involved.

What is your meaning of family?

<3 Amanda