A Birthday Celebration

Welcome to the celebration of the 11th anniversary of my 29th birthday!

I cannot, cannot, believe I am 40!

It seems like yesterday I was 22. Where did the last 18 years go?

Do not worry, this isn’t going to be a pity party. I am happy to be turning 40 because, well, the alternative isn’t exactly what I want either.

I am healthy, I have four healthy children, a loving husband and two amazing sisters and lots of wonderful friends. I am thankful to be having another birthday.

I thought for this little party I’d first provide some trivia(l) facts about myself, which you might not find interesting.

  • My family was like the book North and South: my mom from Michigan and my dad from South Carolina (the families did NOT mix well)
  • My birth place was Kalamazoo, Michigan (many do not realize that it is a real place)
  • My mom went into labor on the night of her due date, but had me the next morning and I did the EXACT same thing with my first baby, isn’t that neat?
  • Before I turned five I had lived in four different places (Michigan, Georgia, Germany and South Carolina)
  • I grew up as Mandy, and actually didn’t switch to Amanda until after I graduated from college

Throughout my childhood, my mother took wonderful pictures of our family with her Pentax SLR and I always thought “one day I’ll learn to take pictures like her.” She died when I was 21, then my dad died when I was 37, and I decided I couldn’t wait any longer to fulfill that dream. I am glad I didn’t wait any longer.

Okay, enough reminiscing and on to the celebration!!! (Have to add this – I spelled reminiscing correctly the first time – I impressed myself!)

Today is 11/11/11, so we are celebrating that unique 40th birthday date by having six prizes, to reflect the six ones.

There will be SIX winners – one prize for each winner!
To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this blog post telling me who was president when you were born. GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
  • One entry per person
  • Giveaway ends Sunday, November 13th at 11 PM EST CLOSED
  • Winners have 7 days to respond, after which the prize will be given to another entry
  • Winners will be chosen via Random.org

Giveaway was closed at 11:00 PM EST. Entries made after that were not included (sorry I have to follow my own rules). The comment numbers chosen via Random.org were:

102 203 115 417 51 158

  • Pretty Presets gift goes to comment #102 made by Jayne
  • Fototale Designs gift goes to comment #203 made by Dena
  • The Modern Knot gift goes to comment #115 made by Shirley LaMay
  • Isabelle LaFrance gift goes to comment #417 made by Courtney
  • My Funky Camera gift goes to comment #51 made by Dawn
  • Everyday Elements gift goes to comment #158 made by Ellie (who’s bday is TODAY!!)

I want to thank Pretty Presets, Fotatale Designs, The Modern Knot, Isabelle LaFrance and My Funky Camera for being so generous with their prizes and helping me celebrate my birthday like this! Please take time to go to each of their sites and look around, they are all talented and provide wonderful products!

I am down with a bad cold right now, so I may choose to celebrate again when I’m feeling better, so watch out for an email from me and keep on eye on the Facebook page. I have some fun things in mind.

THE BIRTHDAY PRIZES ARE…..

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Pretty Presets

A $50 gift card to Pretty Presets

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Fototale Designs

$50 gift card to Fototale Designs

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The Modern Knot

$25 gift card toΒ  The Modern Knot

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Isabelle LaFrance Photography

A $50 product bundle from Isabelle LaFrance

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My Funky Camera

$25 gift certificate for a wrist strap from My Funky Camera

Β ********************************************************

Everyday Elements

$50 gift card for anything at Everyday Elements

 

About Amanda

I am passionate about helping others learn how to use their DSLR cameras and editing programs. More information about me can be found at my About page, or by visiting my personal blog.

Comments

  1. Jennifer F. says:

    Happy Birthday- thanks for the chance to win these great presents!! πŸ™‚

    President when I was born (but not for long after) was Richard Nixon!

  2. Gerald Ford was president when I was born. I’m not too far behind you, Amanda! πŸ™‚ And hope you are feeling better, being sick on your big day is no fun. Happy birthday!

  3. Happy belated birthday!! I’m glad you are feeling better. Nixon was president when I was born.

  4. Dwight D. Eisenhower was president the year I was born πŸ™‚ Hope your birthday was extended until you feel better.

  5. Carter was president when I was born – Happy 40th to you!!!

  6. I am “old” too, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president in 1955 when I was born!

  7. Nixon was the president, tho not MY president… my Prime Minister was Pierre Trudeau.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! 40 is the new 30!

  8. Happy Birthday and hope you are feeling much better! Jimmy Carter was president when I was born in 1978. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!

  9. Pam-President Richard Nixon. Thank you for the giveaway, and a Birthday Wishes for you.

  10. Happy birthday! Jimmy Carter was president when I was born, but our prime minister was Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Thanks for the chance at winning your giveaways πŸ™‚

  11. Richard Nixon was president when I was born!

  12. Anna Barcus says:

    Happy birthday! Ronald Reagan was president when I was born. Hope you get well soon!

  13. Emily Kelly says:

    Happy Belated Birthday! Richard Nixon was newly elected the year I was born. My, how time flies!

  14. Love your childhood picture collage! Too fun! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!

    I am with the majority here, and am another baby born during Nixon’s presidency.

  15. Happy Birthday!

    Ronald Reagan was President when I was born.

  16. Michelle H says:

    Jimmy Carter was President when I was born in 1979. I hope you had a wonderful birthday.

  17. Jimmy Carter was president when I was born, but I do not remember anything about him. The first president I remember having was Reagan…. Oh well… I LOVE getting older!!

    Happy Birthday!!!

  18. I love your question… πŸ™‚ I didn’t know who was the president when I was born and had to go look it up. Richard Nixon was the president and resigned shortly after I was born. I learned that he is the only US president to have ever resigned. Thanks for making me learn a little bit of trivia! Hope your birthday was fantastic and that you’re feeling better. πŸ™‚

  19. Happy Birthday! Harry S. Truman was president in 1947, the year I was born.

  20. Carter… Thanks for the doing this giveaway… happy {belated} birthday, and hope you are feeling much better!!! πŸ™‚

  21. Happy Birthday!!

    Gerald Ford was Prez when I was born.

  22. Ronald Reagan was President when I was born!!! Happy Birthday to you! Your blog and tutorials make me not afraid of PSE! Thank You!!

  23. Hope you are feeling much better! Happy 40th Birthday!! Jimmy Carter was president when I was born. Thank you for a wonderful giveaway!

  24. Richard Nixon!!!

  25. Oh me, Oh my – 1955 a very good year! Dwight D. Eisenhower was president the year I was born. Wishing you a very happy birthday and many more happy, successful years ahead filled with precious memories! : )

  26. Katrina Steinke says:

    Happy Birthday Amanda!! Hope you had a great day and are felling better.

    The president was Ronald Reagan in the year that I was born.

  27. Happy Birthday, Amanda! I hope you are feeling better. I’m from Georgia – wonder if we ever shopped at the same grocery store? Jimmy Carter was president when I was born.

  28. Well a happy birthday to you:) And Bill Clinton was the president when I was born.

  29. Ronald Reagan!

    Thanks so much for celebrating with a great giveaway!Hope you feel better soon!

  30. Happy birthday Amanda and wishing you many, many more.

    Richard Nixon was president when I was born.

  31. OMG this made me feel really old. Harry Truman was president when I was born.

    Happy Belated Birthday!!!

  32. That would be Dick “I’m not a crook” Nixon. Happy Bday

  33. Happy belated birthday! What a neat date to have a birthday πŸ™‚
    Jimmy Carter was president when I was born

  34. Brandye McCart says:

    Jimmy Carter.. Happy birthday…

  35. Happy Birthday!!!

    The president was Ronald Reagan when I was born πŸ™‚ thanks for giveaway!

  36. Jimmy Carter was pres when I was born. Happy birthday to YOU!

  37. Susan Byars says:

    Happy Birthday!
    Eisenhower was President when I was born (see, there are worse things than 40!)
    πŸ˜€

  38. Lyndon B. Johnson was the President when I was born. Love the giveaways. Happy Birthday!

  39. Natasha S. says:

    Happy Birthday, Amanda!! I hope you are feeling better and able to celebrate now. πŸ™‚

    (and, Jimmy Carter was president when I was born.)

  40. Ford was president when I was born! Happy Birthday πŸ™‚

  41. Jessica Lehman says:

    I was born in May 1974 and Richard Nixon was president. It was just a few months before he resigned. And I actually never realized that.

  42. Carter was president when I was born!! Happy birthday!!!

  43. Happy birthday! it was Nixon!

  44. Happy Birthday, Amanda
    Enjoy your blog so very much. 40 isn’t so bad, really
    Dwight D. Eisenhower was president when I was born. Actually, I was born on his birthday. My mother sent him a card and told him about my being born on his birthday. He sent a birthday card back to me from the White House, which I still have today. I think that is pretty neat. I now live 30 minutes from his Gettysburg Farm where he once lived.

  45. Ronald Reagan! Wish he were back with us now!

  46. brigitte graney says:

    Eisenhower was president when I was born. Happy Birthday to you!

  47. Laura Fiore says:

    Happy, Happy Birthday Amanda! Wishing you much love and laughter for the next 40 years! John F. Kennedy was president when I was born.

  48. Happy Birthday! Richard Nixon was president when I was born.

  49. Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

    The president was Ronald Reagan when I was born πŸ™‚ Haven’t really taken the time to think about that before! Great question!

Trackbacks

  1. […] 11/11/11. I was feeling terrible that day so, I am doing a bit of late celebrating! On top of six awesome prizes I am giving away here at the blog, I am doing some limited time product specials and discounts. […]

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