Name: Amanda (Huber) Shertzer
Kids’ names and ages: Benjamin – 5, Jack – 3, Emma – 2
How long have you lived in NWA? 22 years – except for a 3-year stint in Fort Worth, TX.
What’s one movie you could watch over and over again? Just about any adaptation from a Jane Austen novel. My husband calls them all “Pomp and Circumstance” (instead of “Pride and Prejudice”).
What’s playing on your iPod right now? “Tonight Tonight” by Hot Chelle Rae. The kids and I have dance parties in our living room and that one is their favorite.
What are some favorite summer traditions you’ve started with your kids so far? The boy’s birthdays are exactly 2 weeks apart, so we have a big double birthday party for them at the beginning of August. Last year we had it at the community pool in Prairie Grove (which is fabulous). I’d say that pool has become a new summer tradition for us too.
What’s been the most unexpected thing about motherhood for you? I didn’t know that motherhood came with instant guilt and constant worry (for their health, for their safety, etc.) which, I’ve been told, never goes away.
Favorite place to play in NWA? Fun City Pizza and our “Aquatic Park” here in Prairie Grove.
What are some hobbies you enjoy (when you have time)? Reading, writing short stories, painting, gardening.
What’s something your friends might not know about you? I am fascinated by anything paranormal and will read or watch just about anything on that topic.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world this summer, where would it be? The South of France. My husband is there on business right now and I’m SO jealous!
What’s something you have always wanted to learn? I would love to learn how to play the piano. My Mother once told me that the reason she didn’t have me take lessons was because she was forced to have them as a girl and hated it.
What are three things you always have with you? A mint, some sort of lip gloss, and my keys.
Tell us about your average day: At 6:00am – everyone is up (not my choice – they just all wake up at that time). Make all 3 juices (3/4 water, ¼ juice), turn on the TV while I get dressed and make lunch(es). Make breakfast for everyone. I check email and facebook while they’re eating and usually slog down a cup of tea and a couple of pieces of toast. Pick out clothes for everyone. Get Emma dressed. Repeatedly ask the boys to get dressed and then bribe them with candy if they will do it themselves. Then set a timer. Go over any homework with Ben, harass the boys to get their shoes and jackets on (over and over again), load everyone in the car and get Ben to school. That’s the roughest part of my day I think.
Jack goes to pre-school 2 days a week, so when I’m home with just Emma we read and play a bit then she will play or color while I jump on the computer and do some business stuff (I sell “Thirty-one” products).
Eat lunch, put Emma down for a nap and then I get to take a shower and maybe watch a “grown-up” show that might contain something I don’t want my kids to see – like ghosts, or… a bad word or something.
Pick up Jack from school, pick up Ben from school, go over homework, feed kids, play outside, get kids ready for bed, read, put kids to bed. Finally get to talk to my husband! Sometimes we catch up on our favorite TV shows too. Sleeeeeep!
What would your ideal day look like? Someone ELSE gets up with the kids and makes their (nutritionally perfect but fun) lunches and breakfasts and gets them dressed and I sleep in. Everything else looks good until lunch – which someone ELSE makes for us and is nutritionally complete and healthy and delicious. Ditto with dinner. And someone ELSE cleans the whole house and does all the laundry while I play with the kids. Then when my husband gets home I get to have a whole conversation with him without anyone interrupting, or knocking anyone over, or running into them with a toy, or spilling their juice. Or screaming.
And there should be some shopping or spa time (or both) for me in there somewhere.
One word to sum me up … perseverant
