Amanda's Books and More

Friday, September 13, 2013

Make My Saturday Sweet - Blog Hop #49

Welcome to my weekend blog hop! I'm linking with two other great hops today and I've taken the challenge of answering their writing prompts for this Friday. My own hop doesn't have a theme, so you are welcome to link your family friendly blog below. Just remember to visit the last two links before yours and leave a comment and make their Saturday sweet.

The theme today on Friendship Friday is "Something Good."

I'd like to tell you a little bit more about my volunteer work at the Blind Institute, South Africa. The building I work in is the Pioneer Printers, where all the braille books are made. I have been with them for several years now. I'm scheduled to read for them every Wed. morning in a sound room. The reading I do gets recorded and put on to CD's.

I usually read any literature that the school for the visually impaired needs like poetry and plays. I also read exam papers, which can be challenging if there are diagrams that I have to explain in my own words. Last week, I put in a couple of extra mornings for them as their other readers weren't available and work needed getting done.

This last Wed. morning I finished reading a Christian devotional by Andrew Murray, The Throne of Grace. He had a wonderful ability of explaining deep spiritual truths in a clear way and wrote extensively.

This is where I volunteer every Wed.
The little dots at the bottom of the
sign are in braille. You can click on
the image to make it bigger.

This is me with Amanda and our dog, Benny.
The building I volunteer in is just behind us.

This week's Finish the Sentence Friday:

"My best summertime memory this year is..."

This is a really hard sentence for me to finish, since I have so many good memories of our time in the States. I'd have to say that my favorite day was walking along the water in Matanzas with my family, mom and step-dad. It was a perfect day in many ways. You can see all my favorite photos of that day on Amanda's Books and More and 1camera1mom, which I shared between the two, so you should check out both.

My other favorite memory was the 4th of July. My kids are U.S. citizens, but they hadn't experienced this great holiday. Only the two oldest kids had when they were both so small that they couldn't remember it. So, this 4th of July was extra special, because we got to spend it together with my mom, step-dad and grandmother. You can see all my favorite pictures on Amanda's Books and More.

3 Generations: My mom, grandmother and me
the 4th of July, 2013

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It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest

Twitter

Facebook

Leave me a comment with your link and I will follow back!

Here are the easy rules:

Follow Tina (your host) @ Amanda's Books and More.
Link up your family friendly blog.
Please try to add my hop button on your most recent post or on your side-bar.
Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Follow any new blogs that you like.

Blog Button Code:

This is a blog hop!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Picture Perfect Party Linky #56

If you would like to learn more about this photo,

then check out my latest series on 1camera1mom.

Now on to my blog hop...

Here's your chance to link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Come join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me. Please leave a comment so that I can follow back (as long as your blog is family friendly).
Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
Grab the button below and add it on your post or side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Make My Saturday Sweet - Blog Hop #48

Welcome to my weekend blog hop! I'm linking with two other great hops today and I've enjoyed answering their writing prompts for this Friday. My own hop doesn't have a theme, so you are welcome to link your family friendly blog below. Just remember to visit the last two links before yours and leave a comment and make their Saturday sweet.

Friendship Friday's Topic is on Change

I love change. That's because I don't enjoy routine and change allows me to dream new dreams for the future. When I was younger, though, I was more willing to go through huge life-changing experiences.

As my kids grew older, I slowed down with activities and short-term mission outreaches. It was just getting too much for me. I started to feel like I've "been there, done that" and it's time for someone else to go instead. For instances, I went to Zambia twice and Namibia once with two little kids and a breast-feeding baby in tow. Once they were at the school-going age, we settled down.

Hubby, baby Samantha,
Jeremiah and Jessica

A missionary friend with her baby
and me with my baby, Samantha

I slowed down even more when I fell pregnant with Amanda, our fourth child. I don't regret the change of pace. My kids are happy, well-adjusted human beings and that's the main thing. I don't mind if the pace picks up again, but in a different direction. Hahaha! That's just me. Thankfully my hubby likes change too.

The sentence to finish on Finish the Sentence Friday is...

If I had a magic wand, the first thing I'd do is...

...make my belly fat disappear. I don't like exercise too much, so doing it the easy way would make me very happy. "Magic wand, here you go... and, presto!"

After that, I'd have to keep the magic wand a secret, because I wouldn't want to have to deal with all the needy people out there. I'm not God and the job would be too much for me. I'd use it for good, to help others and myself when I needed it, but secretly. And to keep it a secret would be very difficult for me, because I'm a "shout-out" about it kind of person.

*********************

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest

Twitter

Facebook

Leave me a comment with your link and I will follow back!

Here are the easy rules:

Follow Tina (your host) @ Amanda's Books and More.
Link up your family friendly blog.
Please try to add my hop button on your most recent post or on your side-bar.
Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Follow any new blogs that you like.

Blog Button Code:

This is a blog hop!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Picture Perfect Party Linky #55

We celebrated my grandmother's 85th birthday at the end of June and my mom's 60th birthday at the end of July. Both occasions were very memorable, especially since we don't get to see them often. As some of you already know, my mom flew us out from South Africa to be with her for her big birthday. She organized a professional photographer for the event. I'm first posting the photos from the photographer and then my own photos, which also includes my Oma's (grandmother's) 85th.

Here's a little history about my roots. My grandmother is originally from Brazil. She married an Austrian aristocrat and had three children with him, but she was young and life wasn't easy. The impact of W.W.II also took its toll on them. They fled to Brazil with their first child. My mom was their second child and she was born in Brazil. Later they immigrated to the United States.

Here's an interesting fact about my Oma. She speaks 4 languages: Portuguese, German, English and Spanish.

Don't forget to link your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) below!

4 Generations of Women

My step-dad, mom, me and hubby

The Morley Family

The Morley Kids

Amanda

Amanda with grandma Lisa

Lisa's 60th Birthday Party

Jeremiah with his great-grandma

Jeremiah and Amanda

Samantha and Amanda

Amanda

My Grandmother's 85th Birthday

3 Generations of Women

Make sure you also check out my latest post on 1camera1mom!

Now on to my blog hop...

Here's your chance to link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Come join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me. Please leave a comment so that I can follow back (as long as your blog is family friendly).
Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
Grab the button below and add it on your post or side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Make My Saturday Sweet - Blog Hop #47

Welcome to another weekend and a fun blog hop! You can make it sweet by linking your blog bellow on my Make My Saturday Sweet and visiting a couple of bloggers who linked up before you. I'm also joining Create With Joy's link party, Friendship Friday, and her topic today is "Time."

I took this photo at a really neat farm stall last year.
You can see my series on 1camera1mom.

Time does mean different things to different cultures. Some cultures are more event oriented and not time oriented. My son recently attended a Brazilian get-together and he got there with his Brazilian friend about 10 minutes "late." They were the first ones there. Some only arrived much later and everyone brought food.

I am not a big time keeper kind of person. I keep a schedule only for activities that we have to be at. I have to be careful to plan ahead, so that I or my kids are not late for things. My husband is usually more of a stickler when it comes to getting out of the house on time.

If I had more time in the day, I'd probably write more. I think it's more about prioritizing, though, than it is about having more time. If I kept a good routine, I'd be able to do it, but I'm more of a go-with-the-flow kind of gal.

*********************

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest

Twitter

Facebook

Leave me a comment with your link and I will follow back!

Here are the easy rules:

Follow Tina (your host) @ Amanda's Books and More.
Link up your family friendly blog.
Please try to add my hop button on your most recent post or on your side-bar.
Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Follow any new blogs that you like.

Blog Button Code:

This is a blog hop!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Picture Perfect Party Linky #54

My mom flew our family to the States to celebrate her 60th birthday. It was our first time seeing where they spend their holidays in Florida. These pictures were taken on the very first day that we arrived. My mom and step-dad were showing us around. You won't see me in any of these photos as I was taking the pictures, but there's a really nice one of me on my latest post, Matanzas, Florida - Part 2.

Amanda

Grandma Lisa and Amanda

Amanda and Samantha

Robbie and Amanda

Samantha, Jessica and Grandma Lisa

Amanda posing in the passage of where my mom
and step-dad were married. The doors were
locked, so we didn't get to peek inside.

Now on to my blog hop...

Here's your chance to link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Come join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me. Please leave a comment so that I can follow back (as long as your blog is family friendly).
Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
Grab the button below and add it on your post or side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.