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Amanda Schmidt

@teachingsensation

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Annual fall family photo shoot—it never goes the way I hope, but is always exactly what I expect: chaos, hilarity, and at least 10 good pics. Thankful for beautiful fall afternoons and very photogenic pals 💜 by @teachingsensation

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7 days ago

Get busy living: larch hunting was a great success!
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One of the goals I had for this year was to go for a larch hike. I cannot stress enough how much I DESPISE hiking—why does walking need to be so hard?!! But goals are meant to push us, to stretch us, to get us outside of our comfort zone, and I secretly like being pushed, stretched, and uncomfortable. I crave a sense of accomplishment. And I knew exactly which 7 pals would get me through to the end.
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I went into this hike with the mindset that it would be my last hike ever—I’ll take a no-incline nature walk any day but hiking is just not my jam. But…I didn’t hate it?? It was a short hike, with the slippery snow & mud & traversing down giant rocks requiring me to be laser-focused 90% of the time. And despite some lingering injuries from rugby season, I’m clearly so much more fit than I was on my last hike, which helped to make this hike not feel like I was knocking on death’s door the entire time. My legs didn’t even hurt afterwards???
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I refuse to say that I like hiking. But if you know of a scenic path that’s around 5k with less than 400m altitude gain, I *might* be interested.
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Dad, you’d be so proud 💜 by @teachingsensation

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14 days ago

Guess I forgot to tell them that they’re 9 years old 🤷🏻‍♀️
Been this way since day 1 and showing no signs of stopping any time soon. Wow do I ever love my best wrestlemania pals 💜 by @teachingsensation

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a month ago

Debí Tirar Más Fotos
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Staving off September scaries by looking back at summer with gratitude. It’s not ALL dogs, but it is mostly dogs. I am who I am🤷🏻‍♀️ by @teachingsensation

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2 months ago

Today was going okay, and then I went to Home Depot. And I needed help. And I had to ask someone else’s dad, because you’re not here. And then I had a meltdown, right in the middle of the store.
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Then I decided to really dig in and started looking back at these pictures from our last Father’s Day together. I know your intentions were to create this beautiful memory for the both of us, which is why I never told you that I hated this fake wedding. I still hate it today.
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But I’d do it a million times over, just to have one more walk through the trees with you. One more hug from you. One more dance with you.
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Life was better when you were here. by @teachingsensation

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4 months ago

I’ve been wanting to have a photoshoot with my dogs for a few years now. Recently, I’ve noticed that the girls have been slowing down. It makes sense—Clarice is 9, Angie is 8.5. Nothing huge or overly concerning, but the play sessions are shorter and the breaks are longer and the naps are now needed more frequently.
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Watching them slow down, combined with Angie’s recent medical adventures, reminded me of the impermanence of everything in life. And while I don’t necessarily think they’re going anywhere any time soon, I know with certainty that the time we have left together is less than the time we’ve already had.
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We had the most fantastic time at our shoot with @derpdogstudios. Watching Sarah perform literal magic while working with the girls filled my heart with so much joy, which then paled in comparison to how my heart exploded with happiness when I saw how the photos turned out.
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Dogs are full of so many life lessons. Instead of waiting for joy to show up in life, run towards opportunities to create it. Life is short. Book the photoshoot. by @teachingsensation

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7 months ago

My heart might explode, these photos give me so much joy 💜
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All of the cuteness credit goes to the creative brain of @derpdogstudios who perfectly captured every aspect of Clarice’s & Angie’s personalities
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From Clarice’s boba eyes being the window to her single brain cell, to the softest of Angie’s not-often-seen-in-public soft sides 🥹
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I am so grateful by @teachingsensation

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8 months ago

2025 in love
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The year we finally came up with pet names for each other
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The year we moved in together
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The year we learned that love is a verb and love is a choice we need to make over and over and over again by @teachingsensation

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10 months ago

2025 in adventures
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From Vancouver Island to Niagara Falls to Golden to Banff to my own yard. Flowers, trees, oceans, and mountains have helped me to feel both big and very small, energized and grounded. by @teachingsensation

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10 months ago

2025 in rugby
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This sport has done things to me and for me like nothing else I’ve ever been a part of. There were no shortage of challenges for every single team I was a part of this year, but there was also no shortage of memories and friendships made.
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As in rugby, so in life by @teachingsensation

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10 months ago

2025 in dogs
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Thankful for all my dog pals who add another dimension to my life in ways that no human ever could. They make me laugh, get me outside, and provide unconditional love every single minute of the day. I 💜 dogs. by @teachingsensation

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10 months ago

*Almost* made it through the day without a little menty b. But then a song from The Tragically Hip, Canada’s favorite band, came on. Their lead singer died of the same type of brain cancer Dad had, just months before Dad was diagnosed.
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“Armed with will and determination. And grace, too.” is a lyric from the song “Grace, Too” that played on repeat in my head while he was sick. It’s such a great song. And if I had to describe how my Notorious D.A.D. journeyed through the last year of his life, that lyric is exactly what I’d say. He’s such a great guy. by @teachingsensation

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10 months ago