All about Us

Welcome to Among the Mess. We’re glad you decided to stop by, & wanted to know more about us!

Meet Amanda

Hello, first let me say welcome. I’m the writer here at Among the Mess. I started this blog back in 2008 after our youngest daughter, Kaitlynn, had surgery for Craniosynostosis (more on that later). I was having a hard time updating family while we were in Texas for each trip. The calls were long, and it was much easier to update in one place. It became a regular place for me to write and journal about our lives.

I’m a Stay-at-home mom to three beautiful children, and wife to Joel. We live in a super small town, but I wouldn’t have it any other way…that is unless we were on our own patch of land out in the country. Someday. For now, this is where we are. I’m not a perfect housekeeper by any means, so if you stop by to see us and the house is amuck, please don’t look. As one of our AWESOME neighbors tells me “I’m not here to see your house, I’m here to see you.” I love her! :)

I enjoy reading a good book, sewing, crocheting, dabbling in graphic design (but know nothing about it!) and any thing baking. I LOVE to bake cookies. We probably bake at least one batch of cookies a week. I also love hearing from readers and getting in touch with mom’s that are like me!! Feel free to email me anytime!

 

Meet Joel

Joel is Daddy, and lover of cows. He works full time for a Hog confinement operation about 30 miles from our home. But his true dream is to stay home and be a full time farmer/rancher. He would love to be able to have our cattle support us. Together we own 6 cow/calf pairs and have a heifer to add to the heard as well as a bull that will be put on a bull sale in March. You can read more about our cattle at his blog Cast Gelbvieh.

Meet Dahrran

Dahrran is our first born child. He is almost 7 years old. It’s hard to believe that a few short years ago his daddy and I welcomed him into the world. He wasn’t planned, but we wouldn’t change him for the world. Dahrran is a spitting image of his daddy when he was younger. Everyone comments how much they look alike. He also has his daddy’s love of all things farm. Unfortunately though him and daddy disagree on which color tractor is the best. Dahrran’s room is full of green tractors and EVERY type of accessory that could go along on a farm. Dahrran also loves his sisters and will do anything for them. He can be the biggest sweetheart, but at the same time is getting to the “don’t kiss me on the lips” phase. He’s growing up too fast.

 

Meet MacKenzie

MacKenzie is our first daughter. She is almost 5 going on 15. She is such a drama queen. Stubs her toe, and you’d think she was dying. She is our farm girl though. From day one hasn’t minded getting dirty, and to this day would rather play in the dirt than stay in the house. She can be found right behind daddy on any given day doing chores. Loves all things Hannah Montana, Taylor Swift, Demi Lavato, Selena Gomez…see what I mean bout going on 15. Can sing all the words to most of Taylor’s songs as well as the opening song of Phineas and Ferb. She is quite the joy, but quite the handful. Be prepared to have your ear talked off if you take her ANYWHERE!

Meet Kaitlynn

Kaitlynn is our youngest daughter at 2 1/2. She is quiet but don’t let that fool you. This girl is smart! Smarter than we give her credit for. She’s talking more and more each day. As well as telling people off. If you do something she doesn’t like, usually she will tell you all about it. She likes the farm, but prefers to just play. She loves her babies, and would make a great big sister. Someday, that is if God has it in our plan.

Kaitlynn was born with a condition called Craniosynostosis (Cranio-Sin-no-so-toe-sis) which basically means the plates in her head were fused together and leaving no soft spot on the top of her head. After an amazing endoscopic surgery, at the University of Texas at San Antonio with Dr. David Jimenez & Dr. Constance Barone, at the age of 4 months old Kaitlynn has no lasting effects of Cranio. She did have to wear plastic helmets for about a year to help in the reshaping process, but now you wouldn’t know any different.  If your little one is suffering from Crainio, please feel free to email us as well as search our blog for all the Cranio posts!! We love to share our experience!