Hello! My name is Amanda, and I am newly located in the Lansing area and am thrilled to be a part of Lansing Mom.
About Me
I am currently a stay-at-home mom to a four-year-old boy and two-month-old girl. I wear many hats which include managing social media for a Michigan salon and spa, being the managing editor for Indianapolis Moms, the team photographer for Mid-Michigan Moms and Lansing Moms, and photographer of Amanda Shaffer Photography. If it lets me be creative or outside, I probably want to do it! My son and I spend the majority of our time outside or on adventures around the mid-Michigan area. We are huge fans of the #1000hoursoutside movement.
The Beginning
I grew up in a tiny, sleepy town in the heart of southwest Michigan. With just a short drive to Lake Michigan, my summers were spent swimming, perch fishing, and catching as many sunsets at the lake as I could. I played softball throughout high school and would later go on to play at a local junior college. This is important because a baseball player friend would introduce me to my future husband during this time, and I didn’t even know it.
Growing and Moving
I would reconnect with my now-husband a few years later through social media after getting some young, single traveling out of the way as well as trying living in a different state. I lived in our nation’s capital as a nanny but would return home to Michigan and shortly after start dating the man I was going to marry. (Fun fact: my boxer dog and I took an epic three-week road trip across the United States checking things off my bucket list such as Bourbon Street, the Grand Canyon, Hollywood Blvd, and more!) Being able to travel freely has taken a backseat as I navigate motherhood but it is still a huge part of my identity and something I truly enjoy. I am hoping to do more of it after we adjust to becoming a family of four.
My husband and I would start a life together that included moving to Indianapolis, Indiana, and staying for almost five years. The move stretched and grew me in ways I didn’t know were possible. We bought a house, were married, and welcomed our first child all within a year. It was there that I first connected with the City Mom Collective and became a contributor for Indianapolis Moms.
A New Adventure
My husband’s work would relocate us once again to another state capital, but this time it would be my home state of Michigan. We are still a couple of hours away from family and friends, but it is nice to be back to the familiarity of being a Michigander.
As we settled into our new home here in Lansing, we found out I was pregnant again! Apparently, I cannot do big life changes just one at a time. I spent my first year back in Michigan pregnant and welcoming our newborn. We have just entered into the life of becoming parents of two and are buckled in and ready to enjoy and explore the greater Lansing area with our toddler boy and baby girl.
I love what Lansing has to offer so far and that it’s an easy drive to other cities such as Grand Rapids and Detroit. We are looking forward to connecting with the Lansing community and finding all the hidden gems the city has to offer. Do you have a favorite place you like to explore? Please leave it in the comments!
