ABOUT ANNALEE

Hi! and welcome to A LAND CALLED ANNA LEE.

My name is Annalee.

When i was a little girl, my mom used to sing me and my five siblings "Puff the Magic Dragon" while she perfectly strummed her guitar and we sat at her feet. As we got older my brothers changed the words to the song from Honalee to Annalee and it has forever stuck. I am enchanted with the story of Jackie Paper and childhood and imagination and the land of Honalee. A LAND CALLED ANNALEE is my land. it is my place. it is where i get to share the things i love with you. it is not full of "strings, sealing wax and other fancy stuff," but rather you will find simplicity and passion.

My name is Annalee. I am a woman, a wife, a mother, a dreamer, a student of life. i am a blogger, photographer, designer, dog owner. i love cooking, pottery, painting, cycling, lifting weights, running, hiking, camping, and snowboarding. i used to be a combine driver, welder, and bike mechanic. I am what Yvon Choinard referred to as "an 80 percenter." He says

"I've always thought of myself as an 80 percenter.  I like to throw myself passionately into a sport or activity until I reach about an 80 percent proficiency level.  To go beyond that requires an obsession that doesn't appeal to me.  Once I reach 80 percent level I like to go off and do something totally different."  - Yvon Chouinard, author of Let My People Go Surfing and founder of Patagonia

That is me to a T.

I grew up in a large family and when i was 18 i moved out, got my bachelors degree in Recreational Management in 3 years and didn't stop running. I have moved more than 20 times since then and have met incredible people, seen amazing things and learned a lot about life. The greatest lessons i have learned is that people are just people, kindness goes a long way, location doesn't always change things, and like Mary Jean Irion says, there is no "rare and perfect tomorrow."

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you, before you depart. Let me know pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."

I have learned that we should do more than seize the day. We should treasure it, learn from it, love and bless it. I have found in my own life that simplicity makes me the happiest. That is, simplicity in all i do. I love life, for what life is. Some days i wish it were different, but it isn't and I've come to terms with that. I know who i am i have learned to love that person. I am an 80 percenter which lends itself to falling in love with a lot of diverse things (some i stick with and others don't fit into my life anymore). In this blog I will share those things with you.

Different chapters of life lend themselves to different things. Right now I am a full time wife and mother, so naturally i spend my days with my child [the little one], our dog [the pup] and my husband [the man]. i spend my days playing, cleaning, taking pictures, blogging, exercising and cooking. i don't know about you, but in our house, good food = a happy husband and a happy me! I will share more about my food philosophy in a different section, but briefly, i love simple, delicious, inexpensive, healthy meals.

photo by kilean todd @ http://kileantodd.com

I love exercising and being active and have found, so do most children. I will share some of the ways i stay active in the midst of being a busy wife and mom.

I hope this gives you a better glimpse into my life and who i am.

If there is anything that i have done that interests you or that you would like to learn more about, let me know. Most of all enjoy your time IN A LAND CALLED ANNALEE. Stay awhile. Visit often. Invite your friends. And Share your experiences.

WELCOME TO A LAND CALLED ANNALEE.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

10 comments:

  1. Hi Analee! Just looking around and I found your blog in Mom Blog Community. I love it. New follower here!

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    1. Tisha, I am so glad you stopped by and am so glad that you are here to stay! Welcome!

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  2. Anna! I love your blog as a fellow stay at home mom who loves to be healthy. I want more fitspo! You already inspire me & I think a lot of people would like to know what kind of workouts you enjoy most and what is a typical day of eating like for you.

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    1. thank you for your feedback. i will try to fit more of those in. a typical day of eating is always different, but i will write specifically about that in the next few days. thank you again for letting me know what you would like to see more of. that is very helpful! :) my favorite workout is definitely cycling. just riding my bike outside :) pulling a trailer really increases the intensity of the workout as well.

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    3. your comment inspired some major introspection. i hope this helps. http://alandcalledannalee.blogspot.com/2013/11/my-relationship-with-food-introduction.html

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  3. You make me lol! I love the picture too, very adorable/hilarious! You have a really beautiful writing style, very genuine, can't wait for the next installment.

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    1. thank you. working on it, should be up soon. :)

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  4. Anna I really enjoyed reading your blog. The pictures are very good now and I am amazed by the progress you have made in the photography. I can not believe that you are a mother who has to take care of her daughter, make food and do all the other chores and still can find time to write a blog, practice photography and cook amazing foods.
    Don't stop. You're doing a great job.

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    1. thank you so much! as you can see, once the second came along the blogging has slowed down, but i still enjoying cooking and taking care of my babies.

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