Amy J. Bennett

*Whoops, meant to hit publish last night *

I’m not really sure how to even properly blog about last week at the beach and this weekend in Wilmington.  Both were fantastic.  If you could tell from Twitter, we did a lot of shopping at the beach!  We also got to the beach itself almost every day which hasn’t happened in other years.  Both of the girls absolutely loved the sand and although Lexi was a bit skittish of the water, both of them went in it.  Lexi mostly sat in the sand, built things with sand and seashells (both of them called them sheshells) and talked her way through stories of some sort.

Emma ended up staying with ILs for the weekend and Lexi was ready to GO HOME by Wednesday or Thursday so I took her with us, scared she would have a breakdown. I figured she’d feel more comfortable with us and we could handle her better if she really started breaking down.  And I can’t tell you how many times she told us she wanted to go home.  She kept saying she missed our dog.  I know she was happy Sunday morning when it was time to go home.  She left with a fever and it has stayed pretty high since then so I’m actually glad they went home when they did.

Wilmington was a big whirl of activity.  Friday was filming.  Mom, Dad and Heather even brought us lunch out at the cemetery where they were filming.  Almost every single cast member was there so it was worth it!  We did sneak out for a bit for dinner and ended up missing them leaving but they ended up not coming over for pictures/autographs so it was ok.

Saturday we all got ready just in time for the studio tour.  That evening we went to a few filming locations and back out to eat.  We capped off the night watching Made of Honor.

Sunday morning Mom, Dad, Scott and Lexi ended up heading out before lunch so Heather and I were left to our own defenses for the rest of the trip.  We made our weekly CVS trip to pass time and went out to a few stores.  Last minute we heard they might be filming that evening so we went out searching and couldn’t find anything.  Right after that we decided to head to get some ice cream before meeting two fans from some OTH fan boards at a bar hoping to meet some cast members.  We ended up running into three of them and got pictures with them!  We ended up at the bar talking for an hour or two all about OTH.  It was actually a lot of fun.  And by bar, I know it doesn’t sound like me but it was like a high class bar and we were the only 4 in there.  And I just ate my ice cream and didn’t get anything to drink at all!  Heather ended up getting free Sprite.  I think the bartender was laughing at us actually.

So this morning I was up by 6 am and was at a filming location by 7:15.  We stayed there until about 1, even eating lunch sitting on the sidewalk across the street.  After that, we went to a few places around town looking for them and then grabbing a few last minute pictures and we decided to head home!  It was a long week and weekend and I was so ready to just get home.

I have to say it was a great weekend but really, I’m kind of over Wilmington!  After two visits in 3 months and getting to meet most of the cast, I’m ok for now.  And honestly, I was a bit disappointed in some of our encounters with the cast. We didn’t get to meet two of them, but they are the two that I love the most and would really rather not have my vision of them in my head ruined.  So I’m satisfied with the visit.

And oh yeah, I’m 30!  I hope you enjoyed the Ten Days of Twenties posts last week.  As Friday came, I was dreading the day just as much as I was months ago.  Someone finally asked how old I was on Sunday and I just groaned.  In between all the madness, I’ve been quite introspective about the whole thing and I really hope that in my 30s I actually live out that woman I’ve been becoming these past ten years.  My true hope is to be a fantastic mother and wife and make God and family even more of a priority than they are now.  And hopefully that doesn’t entail too much more cooking and cleaning :/

Hey ya’ll!! I really miss posting here but I’ve really been trying to take a break while on vacation.  I’m firmly 30 and even had to say it today for the first time when someone asked.  It’s been an AWESOME birthday weekend though.  Heather and I decided to stay through tomorrow since I had already asked off for work for tomorrow even though I didn’t get extra.  We found out exactly where they are filming tomorrow and it’s only a block from our hotel so we’ll be there for as long as they film tomorrow and then we’ll head home.

We got to see filming all day on Friday, did a studio tour on Saturday and ran around town today.  We’ve gotten pictures with 6 of the cast members so far but still lacking 2 of the ones we really want…Hilarie Burton and Chad Michael Murray.  I think Chad is going to be at filming tomorrow though so I’m crossing my fingers we get to get some pictures with him.

I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday.  We’ve gotten to eat at so many uniquely wonderful places and stay at a beautiful hotel and spend time with my family.  It’s really been great.

But really, I must be old because I can’t wait to get home!!

My mom stopped by the house today and took these.  I’m currently blaming some youth group members.

Got a terrible phone call yesterday that they had overbooked the extras and I’m not going to be an extra now.  Something about using the people closest to them.  I explained I would be in town for my birthday.  He said he’d tell the casting director and they’d call this weekend if for some reason they needed me.  But I HIGHLY DOUBT someone would back out of doing that.  Man, am I bummed about this :(.

By the time you read this post, it will be only 1 little day until I turn 30.  As I look back on this last year of being a twenty-something, without doubt my very favorite thing I did this year was take off to Wilmington with Heather.  It was spur of the moment, unplanned and so much fun.

You can read all the details here and I’ll spare you since it just happened a few months ago.  But I can just say that it was a very twenty-something thing to do.  It’s not like we took a plane to Paris or Vegas or something but it was still fun.  I think the trip represents a lot of what I’ve spent my time on this year…One Tree Hill!  I never in a million years would have dreamed my site would have been as successful as it is and so the trip not only was a fun thing to do, it’s very representative of the year.  No surprise I’m heading back there for my 30th!

I have to say that as I look at this past decade, I can see why I’m so sad to leave it.  I looked back at all the pictures from the past ten years and there were so many memories, so many big events that happend this decade that I really can’t imagine it getting any better.  I’m still sad to not be twenty something anymore but I can say most of my favorite memories were a lot about me growing up and becoming a woman and a mother.  I feel like as I sit here I have so, so much to learn and yet looking back ten years ago, I have already learned so, so much.  Awhile back in one of my woe-is-me-I’m-turning-30 posts I mentioned what’s so hard is that so many plans and goals were made and met in your twenties, that in your 30s, it almost seems as if there’s nothing else to look forward to.   But I think after reading through all this I can come up with some goals.  In the next ten years, I hope to be a better Amy, closer to God than ever before, raise two precious little girls as best I can and make the most of every single opportunity I have.  Try not to be so busy I miss out on precious time I have with my family and yet sieze fun opportunities as they come along.   If I can find that balance in the coming years, I think I’ll be doing well.

Sheesh, as I keep looking at these past few years I’ve been one busy person!  Again, I had a tough time picking one occasion from this year.  A few contenders were the Daughtry concert I went to in Greensboro and my high school reunion but I think I have to pick the little photo shoot the girls and I did.  I’m sure these recent memories are getting boring for long time readers but I hope it’s a little bit interesting reading about it with a different perspective.

Anyway, my friend was an editor of a local magazine and for the second issue, asked the girls and I to do some photos for the cover and an article.  It’s obvious I was very flattered to be asked to do it and we had a great time.  I got to help pick out clothes for all of us from a local boutique, do the photo shoot and then of course have the fun of seeing it in print.  You can actually still see the magazine issue online.  Here’s one picture that I liked alright that didn’t make the cut…

I have to take a break during my vacation here and for those that don’t follow on Twitter…I’m going to be an extra on One Tree Hill on Monday!!  I wrote up a little post on how I got signed up over here.

This might sound dorky, but I honest to goodness believe this is an answer to prayer.  I’m sure some would argue that God would never be “in that” but I promise Heather and I have been praying for favor over this.   God sure did remind me that yes, He’s going to let me do it but it’s not a good substitute for real joy and happiness.  This isn’t “it”.  He’s I AM and the only true source of joy.  Yes, this will make me happy for a moment but He’s the real deal.

I have no idea how I got on a soapbox on that one, but I’m still ecstatic about Monday!

My 27th year got a bit busy.   I feel like this is the year where I really started having to juggle everything.  I was still working, we were getting more involved in church, Lexi was starting to get into everything, I was trying to get out do some fun things, not to mention all the every day household stuff I was supposed to be doing.  I guess the busyness was a little self-inflicted and it probably still is but the point was I was busy.

There are several things I could blog about from this year…my first youth camp, a special Valentine’s Day dinner, and a ton of special moments with the kids.  I think I have to pick the youth camp though.  I was asked to go I think out of desperation.  They really needed another female to go and although the kids were 3 and 1, I still said yes.  Scott’s cousin was gracious enough to take the week off with us and be our nanny for the week.  Below is a picture of the four of us that week.

When I look at that, it just seems so representative of that year.  And not to put a damper on the whole occasion, I had a TON of fun that week.  Tree63 was our worship band which was awesome and I really got to know the youth members and leaders.  That actually was our big start to our involvement with the youth group at church so it holds significance in that way too.  And I think in a lot of ways I grew in leadership skills that week.  After holding bible study all week, I decided to teach Sunday School that fall.  I guess it was just one more step to growing up.