..So just woke up from late nap and am sitting upstairs in this adorable bohemian style Airbnb in Kansas City, Missouri (that my husband, John booked for a couple of nights for us to get away, decompress and force our teenaged kids to get some time together and with us) I realize.. now more than ever.. that I made it a goal just after New year’s 2019 to start a blog~ AND I DID!.. If I am gonna get more familiar with and start getting written content on my blog.. now is the time. I must plan for my goals! After all, it is my goal and this is exactly what I planned to do with this time we carved out on this getaway! ..RELAX.. THINK and WRITE!

Seems kinda CrAzY to title this entry> Burning Desire and also go on about relaxing. I guess I can officially say I understand writer’s block!.. pressing right through it! I don’t like to break promises.. even to myself! I promised myself I would have written content up before the end of the year!!

I have NO makeup on today ..sporting some blemishes, mostly because I recently over-picked at my face. I did end up bathing because my dear, sweet husband drew me a bath by candlelight.. to encourage me to soak away any tension!.. It isn’t like me to not shower and be somewhat put together.. I just really need some downtime after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays! It isn’t like me to take a bath either. Maybe a new soaker tub would be a good investment.. just a thought!

We did make an outing for a midday meal to a stylish, hip place> Beer Kitchen.. our friend told us about. It did not disappoint! CrAzY to think we went to a place that serves some of the best beer on tap around.. and didn’t even drink! My husband> John aka Johnny and I made the decision to set an example for our teenaged/college-aged kids and to be in the best possible stance we can be in our lives! We don’t need to believe that it is a must to indulge in substances to enjoy or suppress experiences! Life is beautiful without ingesting anything to mute or enhance it! After all, we are closing in on forty years old. We are both thirty-seven, soon to be thirty-eight!( both pisces!♓🐟) 😉 Big plans for this upcoming year~ 2020

We are forty plus days sober. Yes, during the holidays. It hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be. We made the decision after watching our two oldest boys being (what I hope is) experimental. We didn’t do the whole college thing ourselves because we had our first child before graduating high school.

I went to Cosmetology school after high school and opened salon in our hometown immediately after graduating hair school. John obtained credentials in business management while managing a couple different types of businesses.. he decided to go to Cosmetology school about six years after me, so we could open a bigger salon We have resided in Salina, KS, where we have owned and operated> Thiessen-Elise Salon since 2008.

We both grew up in family owned businesses. I grew up around my Aunt Emily, salon owner. Johnny grew up in his dad’s business~ selling machinery internationally. Addiction and mental health run strong on both sides of our families! We know first hand being a workaholic and alcoholic go hand in hand. It often seems necessary to mute the anxiety. Being riddled with anxieties, brought on by high pressures, is a common thing in the American culture. We are hopeful to impact our family by setting a healthy example and not drinking to self medicate.

In the last four or five years I have sought professional help for our family. If there is anything I know for sure.. it is that people will do everything in their means to provide the best they can for their kids!!! I would say it’s a constant work-in-progress to be the best version of ourselves!

I am definitely an open book and have a strong passion to help others! I post about my life and family regularly on my Facebook pg. My plan is to sort of do a life journal and get a bit more in depth about my life experiences (I certainly have had some challenging parts on my journey)

My Aunt Emily (my mom’s sis) inspired me to put a blog into action! My mom hasn’t really been on board with the whole idea. Let’s just say she described social media as the devil!👹 I guess it can be .. depends on how it is implemented! I have learned a lot from my mom and I want her to be my biggest fan. Although, I do believe that truly in her heart she knows she should try to address/change the way she views some things in her life. I don’t want to say anything to hurt my mom.

When getting this blog set up I met with a gentleman several times to get it underway and I actually got a YouTube channel set up first in the process. I have made a video every Monday for 42 weeks. I just kinda have done whatever comes to mind.. working towards getting more comfortable in front of the camera. I definitely admire those that have booming YouTube channels! I realize it takes a lot of effort to get comfortable in front of the camera. At least for me it has. I didn’t grow up with technology in hand.

It just worked out that the YouTube channel was up and going before the rest. So I made a commitment to do a video each week! If you want to know more about my life.. check out the first few videos I did.. I focused on some of the life changing things I’ve been through up until now.😉 Although, once I got the WordPress stuff set up. I just kept putting off getting familiar with WordPress and the writing part. Today I feel like I can conquer my goal and to just get started. No different than the other parts of this journey.. or any part of this journey called life.. we must start somewhere! One step at a time~ even if it’s baby steps!

I post and write daily about my family and life on Facebook. My hope is to replace my Facebook posting with my blogsite and to get more followers through my blog! In two and a half years our youngest will graduate from highschool and I am putting a plan into action to be able to travel more. It’s wild to me that blogging could possibly be a way to help make that happen! I love to share and remember my experiences!

I am such an open book and I must say I am a little bit technicalogically challenged.. although, I am determined to get better! Please do .. laugh with me!😆

So just like that .. my first blog entry has happened. I know it can only go up/ improve from here!

Now I am gonna join my family for midnight snack.. to enjoy the jalapeno poppers (our fam’s favorite appetizer) they made! I made it down to get a snapshot of the work-in-progress.. all four of our kiddos and all three dogs in the small-ish kitchen here! .. my heart!♥️♥️♥️

Remember starting a project to midway complete.. is always close to halfway there!

Yours truly.. in the middle, Amber