THROUGH THE EYES OF A FEMBOT

TED.com

2011-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

The talk I did last spring at TEDxOrangeCoast made it to the official TED.com website homepage today!
This is a dream come true and a blessing! I am so grateful!

Inspiration!

2011-05-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

Nikki Sixx and Me on Dr. Drew!

2011-05-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Help me support our wounded vets!

2011-05-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

To make a donation towards our "Vet's In Action" program please click here!

What's next?

2011-05-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

Well, Ive been invited to speak at TEDX in Orange County May 19th! This is such an amazing invite I still can't believe that I will be sharing the stage with Rick Warren and other amazing thinkers and innovators! If you are interested in reading or attending this spectacular event please click here www.tedxorangecoast.com

Get Fembotty!

2011-05-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

LIVE BEYOND LIMITS Shirts coming soon!

2011-04-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Want to know more about Adaptive Action Sports the organization I co-founded and help to run? Check it out here... www.ADACS.org
Helping youth, young adults and wounded vets Live Beyond Limits!

Nikki Sixx

2011-04-28T18:15:00.001-07:00

We've lived different lives but similar experiences, that is why we are friends. People may look at us and think we are an odd pair not realizing that they are just like us. When you open your soul you realize that you judge and you are judged, we are all one, all connected, all full of disabilities yet all full of potential. If only the world could see, they are no different then you and me. Thank you for a wonderful day.....till next time!

RoadTrippen in Hipstamatic

2011-04-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

We decided to road trip up to BC for the WSF Adaptive Para-Snowboard World Cup and it was breathtaking!
About a month ago I saw this beautiful picture of a lake in a travel magazine. The lake was a vibrant turquoise and was surrounded by huge towering mountains and glaciers, I remember thinking that I wanted to go there someday! In our hotel room this past weekend the same picture flashed on the TV and I said to Daniel "That's the place, that's where I want to go!" and Daniel replied " that's where we are, look out the window." Everything was covered in snow, but yes, that's where we were, Lake Louise!

This is what I saw when I looked under my feet!

The mountains were huge!

The coolest hallway I've ever walked through!

The animals have their own bridges for crossing the highway!

Gonnies style suspension bridge!

Well hello Mr. Big Horn Sheep!

Did I mention how huge the mountains were?

Blue Glacier waterfalls were everywhere! I've never seen anything like it before!

Isn't our world beautiful! I am so grateful that I get the opportunity to experience it!

Amy Featured in VANS " Pass the Bucket"

2011-03-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Lean Green Machine!

2011-02-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

That's what I'm calling my new green drink recipe! It's so good and seems to keep getting better everyday! I started making these because I realize that most of us, no matter how healthy we eat, just plain and simple do not get enough veggies in our diets! It's hard to eat plates and plates of salad and fruit everyday. So, I decided to stuff all my veggies into the Vitamix first thing in the morning, that way I feel good for the day plus had a mass amount of needed nutrients! Plus it tastes like pineapple and coconut, you don't even taste the greens!

GREEN DRINK RECIPE #2
Coconut Water (depending on how thick you like your drink, I add a good 16oz)
2 leafs of romain lettuce
3 leafs of dark green kale
1 stalk of celery
5-8 baby carrots
1 thick pineapple spear
1 handful of grapes
1 big handful of spinach
1 big chunk of ginger
1 spoonful of coconut oil
2 big tablespoons of UDO's oil (read about it here)
2 tablespoons Flora Udo's Green Blend ( you can buy it at healthfood stores)
1 handful of ice
Blend
Makes 2 large servings!

Read of the month!

2011-02-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

After reading a fantastic book this month "The War of Art" and wanting to share it with the the people I care for, I have decided to start a monthly blog post about the books I am reading.

So why would you want to take a book suggestion from me? Well, I am certainly no critic and to tell you the truth I only read cliffsnotes in high school in order to get through book reports. I don't have a library of books in my house and certainly cannot say that I have read every book before the film comes out, usually it's the other way around. But, I think that is the reason why my opinion is legit enough to write about them! Outside of being fascinated with them, ( I love the way they smell, feel in my hands and am so anxious to fill my head with stories and knowledge)I think I am good to write about books because I get bored easy, I lose interest quickly, my ADD or whatever you want to call it forces me to constantly multitask, to skip around pages and for whatever reason I thoroughly enjoy reading books and magazines from the last page to the first. Therefore, can you think of a better critic then I? If a book captures my interest long enough to finish it and speaks true to my heart then you will find it on this blog! Enjoy!

Fembot's first book of the month!

Book: THE WAR OF ART Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

Author: Steven Pressfield

Why this book?: It's rare that I read books that really speak true to my heart. I felt that this book not only taught me new information but even more it confirmed the information I already new and felt to be true. We all battle with resistance, we all battle with the fear and procrastination that goes hand in hand with motivation and drive. This book helps to identify that energy that works so hard to stop us from reaching our dreams and goals. This book also is written for someone like me, the chapters are small, some chapters consist of only 1 small paragraph which makes it a super easy read.

Quote from the book that really sums it up: "There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny. This second, we can turn the tables on Resistance. This second, we can sit down and do our work." Oh and did I mention that this is the creater of the book and film The Legend of Bagger Vance?

Genepi s'il vous plaît

2011-02-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

Genepi,my new favorite little drink. While in France I was introduced by my new friend Max who was an Italian ski coach to a liquor called Genepi or Liquore di Genepì and I am now on a mission to get this special drink into my house!

I love special little things and Genepi is now one of them! Genepi comes from the Genepi flower which is a little yellow flower that only grows in the French Alps and only grows above 2,400 meters. Every Spring,The flower is harvested and then turned into either a tea or a liquor. It is looked at as a strong tonic since the flower carries many benefits; improved digestion is one of them. Most of the pubs in the Alps make their own Genepi, like the place I went daily.

One shot of this stuff and you are feeling fantastic plus it tastes like a delicate aromatic flower and it’s fun to drink because it is so rare, it’s not something you find at the liquor store or many pubs in France! After one sip you will be asking Genepi s'il vous plaît every place you go!

Golden Girl

2011-02-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

I won two French Adaptive snowboarding world cups this week! This officially makes me the highest ranked female adaptive snowboarder in the world! Nuts! Not too bad for a chick with legs made of metal..lol.. bionic, hightech carbon fiber that is... I have actually never been a very competitive snowboarder. I have always stood true to what it is that I love about snowboarding which is not the competition but the freedom and independence I feel while carving down a mountain of powder.

Although, now I can say that it is very rewarding being involved with competition.I know that when I compete that I am helping adaptive snowboarding grow, that I am pushing not only my boundaries but the limitiations of the sport in general, that I am a part of the growth of something much much bigger then myself!

para-snowboarding, adaptive snowboarding, French Adaptive World Cup, WSF Adaptive Snowboarding,

10,000 feet of endurance!

2011-01-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

Today I got the opportunity to ride Crested Butte, Co! What an amazing magical place! Not just because I met my boyfriend here 9 years ago and had the opportunity to live up here for a year but because the wilderness here is so huge, it reminds you just how small we are.

We decided to take a detour here on our way to the ESPN X GAMES where our organization Adaptive Action Sports is running the first X Games Adaptive Snowboard Competition!

Today we woke up to bluebird sky's and perfect runs! I swear that the Udo's Oil I am religiously taking has helped my snowboarding! I haven't rode for weeks and today in 10,000 ft elevation I rode all day without any muscle soreness during the day or after. It is supposed to be amazing for endurance and recovery and today was a test of that for me! Since I am missing the lower half of my legs I mainly snowboard using my thigh muscles and upper body! I use so much energy just to walk (a double leg amputee can burn up to 60% more energy then the average person)so you can imagine how much energy I blast through in a day of hard snowboarding! My muscles were actually feeling so good that at one point during the day I leaned against the wall to do some wall squats to try to get some burn, then at the end of the day took a hike to grab some extra pow and still... no burn and endless energy! It's amazing what a difference the oil is making for me! ESPN X Games and French Adaptive World Cup here I come!

Adaptive Snowboarding, para-snowboarding, ESPN X GAMES ADAPTIVE, Adaptive Action Sports

Oil the Machine!

2011-01-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

Udo's Oil! Have you tried it?

I saw Udo's Oil while walking through WholeFoods and other health food stores but I never knew anything about it or the benefits of taking it... until now!

First of all our bodies need fat!! A lot of it! But it needs to be the right type of fat! Our bodies use fat for energy, strength and stamina. Fat feeds our brains and helps us focus, it supports our neurological system and helps promote a lean body mass just to name a few benefits. Yet so many people are scared of it, therefore we don't consume enough of it. Or, in most of our diets our intake comes from saturated animal fat.

I, like most people get so busy day to day that I realize I haven't been eating enough nutrients or taking in a beneficial amount of oils and fats and yet I need to be taking in more than the average person since I am very active. Being a double leg amputee I burn up to 60% more calories then the average person (That's like doing sit-ups all day :))

The idea of Udo's oil is to nutritionally support the system with the perfect balance of Omega oils 3,6 and 9. That way we are getting enough of the right kind of fat to keep our bodies running not just smoothly but at an exceptional level. Instead of the oil coming from animals or fish the oil comes from seeds and nuts including flax seed, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.

I started taking the oil consistently about a month and a half ago and I feel amazing! The first thing I noticed is that I was falling to sleep better and waking up more energized and refreshed. To tell you the truth I have been waking up with so much energy I almost don’t know what to do with all of it! No more groggy mornings! I mentioned this to Flora and they said that a study was done and that was a common benefit among the people taking it. Next I started noticing that I all around feel good. I don’t know how to explain it but I feel happier, more relaxed and less stressed, like an overall sense of wellbeing.

In the next few weeks, I will be training harder and snowboarding more during our X Games event and World Cups so I will be able to put the oil to the test more athletically. I’ll keep you updated!

Another thing; it's really important to me to be aware of where the products I use come from. I will only promote companies that I know have integrity and that are quality products that I believe in. I truly feel lucky to have been introduced to this product and to be working with Flora.

From this point forward I’ll continue to blog about these products with tips and ideas on how to incorporate them into a healthy lifestyle!

For more information on Udo's Oil click here!

Happy 10'th anniversary to my kidney, my dad and my second chance at life!

2010-11-06T14:09:00.001-07:00

Wow 10 years already?? Where did time go? Oh yes it went to me living the fullest life I possibly could live!
I remember all of this as if it was yesterday. In 1999 I entered the hospital with Meningicoccal Meningitis, in septic shock and complete kidney failure. My kidneys had shut down so suddenly that Dr. Abby the emergency room surgeon told my family he had never seen a person survive kidney failure like this before. My kidney’s went from working as a normal 19 year olds should to stopping 100% without a warning. But that’s how Meningicoccal Meningitis is, it absolutly blindsides you. Your healthier then ever one day then the next every organ in your body has shut down, every blood vessel in your body is hemorrhaging and if you survive you are facing the amputation of your limbs, loss of hearing and skingrafts just to name a few.

As soon as the nurses were able to find a vein they put me on 24 hour dialysis where a nurse had to sit by my side around the clock manually controlling my blood pressure and heart rate. If my heart rate would drop, they would adjust a medication to raise it up then suddenly my blood pressure would crash and they would give me another med to bring that up, all while the machine was filtering my blood. My life was absolutely in the nurses hands at this point and any wrong decision or wrong move and I would have been gone. It was such tedious work for Nurse Vicki that at one point she stepped out of the room and broke down crying to my family.

After a few weeks, I was moved from 24 hour dialysis to Hemo Dialysis which was an experience all of it's own. Every other day I would watch them roll in the machine and absolutely dread what was about to happen for the next 4 hours. They would hook the tube from the machine to the tube that was placed into my heart. When they flipped the machine on and it would slowly start pulling my blood out and pass it through a network of tubes and filters. The filter was a long clear tube which had a material in it that had the appearence of a coffee filter. I always thought that was strange, that my life is being supported by a modified coffee filter. It’s almost shocking that this man made machine with an on/off switch and a plug in the wall could mimic a human kidney. After hooking me up to this artificial kidney I would watch the filter paper go from bright white , to pink, then get saturated with red. The filtered blood would then go through a network of tubing and would go directly back into my heart. My fascination with the machine would only last for a good 50 seconds before I would get dizzy, start shaking and throw up which would require the nurse to give me a medication that would knock me out. About two hours later I would open my eyes just to see that I still had another 2 hours attached to the machine. I have to say that as challenging as it was, I don’t have any negative feelings toward this time. If anything ,I only have good feelings. I imagine it is due to the fact that my family would sit buy my side the whole time chatting with the Dialysis Tech who always seemed to have interesting stories. There is something about that time that is so surreal for me to think back on, yet the feelings that I get from it are those of gratitude and comfort.

After about 5 months of dialysis, 4 hours a day, 3 days a week we decided that I wasn’t getting any healthier and if anything I was only getting weaker. I was only 83 pounds to start with and when I would get back from the dialysis center I would weigh less and be lacking important nutrients in my system. I spent these months without legs, in a wheelchair, with severe back pain and would sleep most of the day. At one point we realized that I wouldn’t be able to walk or gain weight as long as I had to be hooked to this machine. It literally was sucking out whatever life was left in me.

I was lucky enough to be switched to another type of dialysis called Peritoneal Dialysis. My new kidney Doctor switched me to this dialysis after seeing how sick I was getting. Peritoneal is a type of dialysis that is gentle enough to be used on infants yet efficient enough for an adult to survive long term. I had a surgery that pulled out the hemo-dialysis port from my heart and replaced it with a peritoneal tube that went into my abdomen. This dialysis would prove to be my life saver! Just days after using it, I already felt better and within weeks I was gaining weight and building enough strength to get around the house in my new prosthetic legs. Over the next few months I went on to work out daily, to go out with friends and to even go to Aspen, Colorado for the summer by myself and hike and rockclimb. All with my “friend” the peritoneal machine by my side.

A year and a half after my whole ordeal started I had hit a point where I realized, my kidneys were not coming back. We were hoping that being 19 years old, that I was young enough for my kidneys to regenerate. But we were aware from the beginning that kidneys aren’t very good at that. Once they are injured they tend to get worse until a transplant is eventually needed. My kidneys had functioned normal to a point, I was lucky enough to be able to eat as much as I wanted and to not have to worry about sodium or potassium, yet my kidneys would not filter enough toxins out of my blood on thier own to keep me alive and healthy. But the thought of a kidney transplant was so overwhelming to me it was so hard to wrap my head around the idea that for a long time it wasn't even a thought! I had just survived losing both of my legs and now the doctors expect me to have a kidney transplant?? Were they serious? Isn’t this the kind of stuff that happens to the people on Dateline, Oprah or 20/20? I pleaded at times with whatever greater force could hear me to please help my kidneys come back!! I cannot stress how I was absolutely against having a kidney transplant in every way!! That is.. until I felt the cool air of fall approaching and started to sense snow in the air.

October of 2000, a year and a half after I left the hospital I couldn't fight it any longer and agreed with my doctors that the only way for me to move forward with my life was to have a transplant. The decision was made, I had no choice, If I ever wanted to snowboard again and live a healthy life I would have to succumb to my worst fear. Here I was trying so hard to keep myself healthy so that I would never get something like Meningitis again. Yet ,with a kidney transplant I would be forced to take immune suppressive medication the rest of my life so I don’t fight off the kidney. It was a catch 22 and I had to figure out if living a life on dialysis without a new kidney and without immunosuppressive medication would keep me healthier then living a life with a new kidney paired with a life on immunosuppressive meds. I chose the latter.

We always assumed that If I was going to go through with the surgery that my sister would be the donor. We thought that our closeness in age and her optimum health would make her a perfect candidate. That is until we realized that under a microscope her and I didn’t match at all. The first thing that has to match is your blood type, so that ruled her and my mom out right away. The next thing that had to match was the antigens. There are 6 in total that they look at and the more antigens that match between the donor and the recipient the better chance that your body will accept the kidney. My father and I matched higher then most kids do with their parents, 4 out of 6. Yes, my dad was almost perfect match!

After multiple X rays and blood tests the doctors gave us the option to set the surgery for November 7th, which just so happened to be my 21st birthday. As much as I agreed that I was receiving the best birthday gift I could ever receive, I chose to do the surgery 1 week later on November 13th. So when most 21 year olds are taking shots of tequila, I was taking shots of morphine and immune suppressive medication.

I remember the day of surgery clearly. I remember waking up that cold November morning, looking in the mirror and thinking that I could not imagine really following through with this. I kept thinking that something was going to happen last minute where they weren’t going to have to do the transplant. That miraculously my blood work would suddenly come back perfect or that the doctor would call in sick. I truly could not believe that this was happening today.

When we arrived at the hospital they took my father in first. I can’t imagine how nerve wrecking it was for my mother to know that both her husband and daughter were going through major surgeries at the same time. She handled it all with grace. As soon as they took my father back, I put my headphones on and tried to stay as relaxed as I possibly could which didn’t last for long. I began to panic so the nurses knocked me out with some sort of medication. Next thing I remember was waking up the next morning in my hospital bed. The first thing I asked was “how is dad?” then I looked down to see the bandage across my stomach and that indeed the surgery happened. My dad and I had just had the first Laparoscopic kidney transplant in Nevada!

According to the doctors the surgery almost didn’t happen. Although my father and I were put through a series of tests and x-rays before the surgery, they came across something unexpected when they opened him up. They realized that he had 3 arteries leading to his kidneys when average person is supposed to only have 1. If this were a normal situation the doctors would have stopped in their tracks, stitched him up and would have stepped out to tell my mom the unfortunate news. But because it was the first laparoscopic surgery and doctors and medical students had come out from other states to watch and assist, they decided to cross their fingers and go ahead with the transplant. My dad’s surgery lasted 6 hours due to the caution they had to take when cutting all of the blood supply to the kidney. I believe my surgery took less time with zero problems except for the loss of blood that required a few days of blood transfusions.

3 months later my father was happy and I was healthy enough to get back up on a snowboard and win 3 bronze medals in the USASA National Snowboard Competition.

So here I am 10 years later,10 years after the first day of my new life and I have to say that I am extremely grateful and proud. Proud of myself for enduring everything I did, proud of my father for putting his life on the line to save mine. My goal was to never treat myself like a victim to my circumstances , to always find the things in my life to be grateful for and to live the absolutely fullest life that I possibly could live! This transplant was my second breath and chance at life and there was no way that I was going to let myself waste it!

It’s funny because as much as I pleaded and prayed to the Gods above to bring the function of my kidneys back , today I am grateful that they didn’t. Nothing has made me live to the fullest like this transplant has. To know that absolutely every day matters and that every day that you are healthy and that you have love around you, that you are blessed. That has been my everyday for the last 10 years.

These days, I live my life not focused on my kidney or on my legs but on the passions in my life! Because of this life saving gift, I not only have the opportunity to live a full life, but I have been given the opportunity to help others do the same. Although I don’t don't look back on this experience daily, it is this time of year that always reminds me of this nervous young girl who was clueless what the future would hold and clueless about the beauty and adventures that awaited her.

This day affects me emotionally deeper than anything else ever could,I am so grateful to my father that words cannot even begin to describe. I really do not know all that went through my father’s head at the time that he was preparing to give me one of his kidneys. He really never expressed the fear and concerns that no doubt he had to be feeling. He just proudly stepped forward and offered to put his life on the line in order to save the life of his daughter’s. I will never quite know how to thank him for this gift of life and all I can hope is that whatever my father has inside of him, whatever it was that gave him the courage to do what he did for me, that I too have it inside of me.

Happy 10th Anniversary Dad!

Coming Home

2010-10-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, my family moved from good ole Las Vegas to a neighborhood in Boise, ID called Hidden Springs. After a few years of just visiting for a two or three days, I was finally able to stay put for a while and it was wonderful! I have fallen in love with the place and was so blessed to spend time with my beautiful niece Bryten Dae and wonderful nephew Jonas.

Small Doors

2010-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

I am facinated by them!! Where do they lead? Where's the tiny little man that lives in them? What kind of of magical world opens up on the other side... so many questions!

Toronto!

2010-10-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Combo of Toronto and the i Phone Hipstamatic ap is fantastic!!... What a fun city to walk around! So many details, old buildings, churches, cheese shops, meat shops, great coffee shops and bakeries... I think it is my new favorite city!

Good Morning Toronto!

2010-10-16T13:19:00.000-07:00

I have been traveling to Toronto lately to do work for the Pharmaceutical Company Senofi Pasteur who makes the meningitis vaccination "Menactra". One morning I ended up on a Toronto Morning Show.... I'll try to get a clip to post!

Thunderstorms and the breath of life!

2010-08-08T00:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got exactly what I have been needing…a good cry.. a good thunderstorm and the smell of rain! There is nothing that refreshes the soul like the perfect summer thunderstorm. Thunderstorms have always affected me in the most extraordinary way. The smell of the sweet rain the sound of the cracking thunder, the beautiful light show and me feeling so tiny and being reminded how powerful and amazing nature and life is. I think the last thunderstorm I witnessed was while in Africa. It was late at night and we were thick in the trees watching the sky light up while we sat under canopy trying to not get wet. Every time the thunder would crack a bolt of lightning would crawl across the sky and reveal to us the silhouette of the landscape. We were sitting at the edge of a cliff with a huge canyon that opened up to the ocean right in front of us. When the lightning would flash you could see the beautiful canyon and ocean waves down below. Paul our Fuel TV guy has it on video, I will try to get it from him to post!
But my most significant experience in a storm was 10 years ago when I was in the hospital with bacterial meningitis. I had just awoke from a coma and had not moved from my hospital bed in 5 weeks. My body was so weak that I was stuck on my back, I don't think at this point they had even started to try to get me sitting upright yet. I think it must have been about 4 in the morning when I could see through the window that a thunder storm was rolling in. My dad lay asleep in the chair next to me like he and my mom did every night for those anxious weeks. At one point I could almost smell the rain through the window so I woke him up and told him that I wanted to go outside and sit in the rain. Without hesitation my dad jumped to his feet and said, "let's do it!" He ran out and gathered up the nurses who tried to argue with him since I was still attached to machines and IV's and they were worried something would go wrong. I remember my dad assertively insisting that I go outside, I heard him say " my daughter has laid in that bed for 5 weeks fighting for her life, she deserves to go outside and smell the rain.” So the nurses got together and unhooked machines and moved me, my bed and my friends ( I called my IV's my friends since they were always by my side wherever I went). They moved me outside onto the sidewalk where I could smell the rain and lay in the thunderstorm. My dad sat right next to me the entire time. I don't think one word was spoke the hour or so that we sat out there but I'm pretty sure that we were both thinking the same thing. How grateful we were to be sitting together in the rain. We took in the beauty of life and for the first time since I had entered the hospital I felt alive. I felt the power and beauty of nature and thought how amazing it is that we have the opportunity to be on this earth to experience it. I felt energized and ready to move forward and conquer all of the challenges that still lay ahead for me. And here I am tonight sitting in the rain 10 years later conquering more challenges then I ever could have prepared myself for. Yet all that matters is that I am here... sitting in the rain.

How to keep on keeping on!!

2010-07-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have realized that just about every person I know is in a major life changing transformation. Right now more people than ever are without work, money and a future. Half of my family members are going through it, my closest friends are and today as I sat in a coffee shop on my computer I overheard multiple conversation from people discussing the same thing, "where do I go and what do I do now?"
So, I decided to open up about some of the things that have pulled me through my toughest times. I too am in an uncertain situation right now and the things below remind me that everything is going to be ok! No matter what, it will all be ok!

~ Know that you are not alone! Surround yourself with people that make you happy, who support you, maybe even someone you can help! We are all here for a reason and we need to stick together!!!!

~ Remember that things can always be worse.... I lost my legs but I was prepared to lose my hands and nose, but all I lost was my feet ( and some organs)!! Life is good! You are lucky to be you, to be healthy, to be alive and to love. Every breath you take is a miracle and if you are still here, then you are meant to do more, you are meant to be here!!

~ Keep a Happy Folder: Yep I said a Happy Folder! What is it exactly? Well, I always keep a folder in my computer where I store funny and cute things that make me laugh and smile. Funny youtube videos of animals or kids doing silly things, beautiful pictures of nature, feel good songs,Thank You letters and emails that people send me who have been inspired by my story, funny memories etc. You can't go wrong having something that you can look at that instantly makes you smile or laugh!! Try it, it reminds you how you can't take life too seriously.

~Dwell in the possibilities! We so often dwell on the things we don't have or think we can't have. Why not dwell on the amazing things you have and on the amazing possibilities! Anything is possible!!! When I entered the hospital I was told I had less then a 2% chance of living after almost every one of my organs shut down . I was massively internally bleeding and fighting for my life on machines and yet, I'm here, healthy and strong, I’m here! Anything is possible!

~ Life is about the journey! When I was in the coma fighting for my life, I made the choice to stay here and finish off what I had started. Instantly after I made that choice I heard a voice that said " Life is about ups and downs... you will climb to mountain tops and will dwell on valley floors, don't try to avoid obstacles just go with the flow of life and it will all make sense in the end"

These things help me move forward when times get tough and I hope they can help someone else out there too!

$25 donation for a "Live Beyond Limits" shirt!

2010-06-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Grab one of these super soft AAS skate shirts before they go out of stock! Inspired by an Element Skateboards shirt the Live Beyond Limits shirt has major style and is going to be the most soft and cozy shirt you own! All proceeds raised from this shirt will go directly into the Adaptive Action Sports Summer skateboard and wakeboard programs that help get youth and young adults with physical disabilities involved in action sports! Shop for a good cause!
Thank you to our shirt sponsors Element Skateboards and HighDefinition printing!

Click below to make your $25 donation and recieve a Live Beyond Limits skate shirt. They are going fast and sizes are limited!

CURRENTLY ON BACK ORDER! PLEASE EMAIL US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE LIST WHEN THE SHIPMENT COMES IN! amy@adacs.org

Hot Legs!!

2010-06-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Don't let the title fool you... My legs are seriously HOT!!... temperature hot in the summer! It's hard to escape, I'm stuck in silicone liners that go up mid thigh with thick carbon fiber below the knee. How is a girl like me supposed to stay cool and fashionable? Well, In this Element Eden dress I think! I just ordered it and cannot wait until it comes in! The Saga dress and a pair of TOMS are the answers to my summer prayers! www.elementeden.com

Hey that's me!

2010-06-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

On Carson Daly!

Good song of the day!

2010-06-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

Ahh, Good song that I forgot about! Good way to kick off this summer morning!

Creamy Coconut Butter recipe #1

2010-06-14T08:43:00.001-07:00

I am obsessed with coconut oil and butter! Not only does it taste dreamy but it is packed full of nutritional benefits!
- anti-bacterial,anti-viral,anti-fungal,anti-parasitic
- boosts energy
- helps digestion
- helps weightloss
- Keeps skin healthy and moisturized

On a mission to incorporate more nutritious foods into my diet here is a recipe I came up with that I can enjoy every morning! Try it, you might like it!

2 Tablespoons Raw Cacao Nibs - Cacoa is raw chocolate which is high in Vitamin C, and Magnesium. Has more antioxidants then red wine and 30 times more then green tea! They can be a bit bitter so add agave syrup to sweeten!

1 tablespoon Coconut Butter - Don't be scared of the fat! It's the good kind!

Vanilla or chocolate protein powder - I use USANA brand protein powder because it is low glycemic and is packed full of vitamins and nutrients!

Almond milk! Almond milk is much better for you then regular and soy. You can also add water or half almond milk half water depending on the amount of calories and thickness you want.

Add agave syrup or honey to sweeten!
Then add ice and blend... ( Word of advice, blend the coconut oil before adding the ice, otherwise it get's cold and chunky)

Yummmmm! Enjoy!

The gold at the end of the rainbow!

2010-05-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

As Daniel and I drove from the South Shore of Lake Tahoe to the North Shore we were taken aback when the trees opened up to a panoramic view of a Lake Tahoe with a vibrant rainbow! We found a good spot to park and I snapped this photo! We could see the entire rainbow from end to end but I could not fit it in the shot. Being that I love tree silhouettes, I thought this would be a fun way to capture the beauty. It was breathtaking! Now I can say that I saw the "gold" at the end of the rainbow!

“Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true"

AAS Advocate Evan Strong and THE FIX

2010-05-22T14:48:00.001-07:00

While in Tahoe we decided to drive to Nevada City to visit our great friend and Adaptive Action Sport Advocate Evan Strong. First I have to say that Nevada City is Amazing!! What a beautiful, adorable, town. If you haven't been there, you need to go! It is a mix of old historic brick buildings, gorgeous lush green trees and amazing food!
Which brings me back to Evan and why we went to visit! Evan is an amazing athlete, he absolutely kills it in snowboarding, skateboarding and downhill mountain biking! Evan lost his leg in a motorcycle accident and one of the things that made him stronger then ever is the way he eats! He is a foodie, he eats all organic, raw, nutrient rich, vegan food. And he has opened an all organic, raw vegetarian restaurant with his family called THE FIX!
( top picture taken by Micheal Moore; Bottom Picture taken by Ian Ruhter for the Enabled project)

The decor is amazing! THE FIX is the restaurant and 33 degrees is a boutique that his sister Stephanie runs. Almost all the decor inside the restaurant is for sale. There is everything from books, to jewelry, clothing and home decor.

The dining tables are incorporated throughout the building to give a warm comforting feel!

Did I mention how amazing the decor is???... I seriously wanted to just move in!

This is their herbal Apothecary Bar, they custom make the herbal tinctures and serve them in little espresso glasses. The tinctures are created to help cure all types of ailments including headaches, low energy, and to add a little boost to the ole' love life.

Daniel getting ready to order food! Can't wait to see what they bring out!

First dish: Homemade flax seed crackers that they make in a dehydrator (remember.. there are no ovens here!), olive tapenade, cucumber, goat cheese that is locally made from a woman who feeds her goats nutrient packed spirulina, and pickled lemons that are so fantastic and soft that you can eat the rinds! This was a dream meal to me! I could eat like this every day!
Oh and almost forgot.... In our glasses we are drinking fresh mineral rich spring water that came straight out of the ground and a smoothie made with Durian ( Prickly fruit you see on the discovery channel), Tahitian vanilla, coconut milk and some other fantastic ingredients that I forget :)

Next up: Goat Cheese Veggie Lasagna! The ingredients are in the name! Amazing goat cheese layered between raw zucchini, marinaded portabello mushrooms, red peppers and a sundried tomato kombucha marinara. Fantastic!

Sushi at a raw food restaurant? Yep, no fish here! Jicima "rice", carrots, cucumber, raw seaweed wrap and some kind of fantastic sauces on the side!

And the grand finale!!! Key Lime Pie! These guys are famous for it! It's so amazing how you can make such rich spectacular food that is so good for you! The pie is made from avocados, coconut milk, agave and key limes and the crust is made from pressed nuts and dates.

If you ever get the chance to visit Tahoe, you have to make your way to Nevada City to visit Evan and his family at my new favorite restaurant THE FIX! You will want to blog about it too!

My Heart

2010-05-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Is in the mountains! Daniel And I went camping the other day and when we woke up in the morning we were absolutely showered in sun rays! The road we were on lead us through the trees. We would see a wall of rays in front of us and could feel their warmth when we drove through them. It was spiritual, I felt so blessed to be alive and in awe of our worlds beauty. I had to get a photo! So I asked Daniel to pull over and I took these shots!

Reflection on 2009

2010-01-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

What a year: I have accomplished my dream of speaking, I have also bailed out on a speech from fear, I was blown up by Marines then saved by Marines over 100 times, I sat 5 feet from a wild lion and looked eye to eye with a wild elephant, I hiked the Mayan Ruins, I almost died in a Mexican hospital, I spent time in an African hospital, I helped hundreds of African children, I helped kids with disabilities... they helped me, I have been in self help books,I have read a lot of self help books, I had more riches then ever and less money then ever, I hurt a heart and have had my heart hurt, I searched.. I found...I searched again, I reached mountain tops and hit ocean floors, I’ve laughed harder then ever and have cried harder then I have ever cried before, I had times of feeling completely accomplished and times of feeling completly worthless... Overall I am grateful for the good and the bad.... For it makes me who I am today and I am axiouse to see what happens tomorrow.. :)

Please Join Us!

2009-11-29T22:14:00.000-08:00

Please join myself and Adaptive Action Sports for a very inspirational evening! Over the last 3 years our friend and photographer Ian Ruhter captured breathtaking images of AAS athletes in their element and for the first time ever we will be showing the images during a private art show. I am very proud to be a part of this project, to show everyone what we do with AAS and why we are inspired everyday to continue the work we do with the organization! I hope you can join us for this very special evening. Please see attached invite.
~ Amy Purdy

New mag article on me!

2009-11-27T19:56:00.001-08:00

In FRANKIE Magazine! Thanks Frankie for the great interview and for the cute bicycle gloves and scrabble necklace! Check out the Magazine and article here! http://www.frankie.com.au/

Rausch Magazine

2009-11-27T19:44:00.000-08:00

Taking a picture of a picture of mine that was published in Rausch Magazine. The picture was supposed to represent my "Thinking Spot".I took a picture of my favorite tree in Tahoe at sunset. The picture was taken with a Carhart disposable camera.
http://www.rauschmagazin.de/

I love the Fall!

2009-11-19T22:17:00.000-08:00

<

What I can't stop wearing this fall:

Freely jacket
Borealis bag
Tulah beanie
Amy Denim ( and Im not just saying that because my name is on them :))

www.elementeden.com

TOMS/Element Shoe Drop South Africa!

2009-11-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Save the best for last
My last day in Africa and my last blog on the Shoe Drop: Every day in Africa was amazing, I still can't believe what we did and saw while here. The kids were beautiful, the animals were majestic the people were kind, the entire experience was one that I will never forget and never properly be able to describe. I feel blessed for every moment we experienced and every child we helped.

Every day of the trip I kept thinking "Wow how can this get any better?", then the next day would come and somehow it would out-do the day before. The last day of the trip was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had and this is how it went;
I came down with a cold and didn't think it was a good idea to wake up early, in the cold and go on a safari drive. So I opted out and decided to stay in my tent, in bed for a few more hours. When I woke up I decided to take a shower outside in the outdoor shower, which was basically a showerhead and a little wood stand for your soap, no walls, no curtains just me... in the open.. in Africa..As I showered the rain began to pour. Hot shower and cold rain is one of the best feelings! In the distance I saw movement and within a few moments noticed it was a heard of elephants walking up the hillside in front of me. I must have stood in the shower for 45 minutes just staring at the site in front of me.I didn't want it to end, I can say with confidence that I will never have a more incredible shower then the one where I was in Africa.. in the rain... watching wild elephants around me!
Just when I thought that was the most amazing experience.. along came another. When the boys got back from the Safari, we all sat down at the table for a quick breakfast before taking off to the airport. A bowl of creamy greek yogurt, honey and poppyseeds and a plate of eggs, bacon and veggies. While we were eating we heard a noise behind us so we turned around and were startled to see a huge bull elephant standing 20 feet from us drinking water out of the pool! We couldn't believe how close we were! We quietly walked towards him and snapped as many photos as our cameras could handle.

Then the elephant walked to the side of the house taking out all of the aloe plants in his path. As we watched him, we heard another noise behind us.. we turned around and saw another elephant drinking from the pool, then he walked around the house and joined the first elephant. We watched them wrap their trunks around the hard prickly leaves of the aloe, rip the leaves apart and eat the heart of the plant. We were happy for the elephants and for us but sad to see the beautiful aloes that adorned the lodge be violently ripped apart. According to our rangers, all the years that the lodge has been there they have never had the elephants come up to the house. They have thousands of acres to roam, this is the first time they walked right up to the lodge.
We felt so lucky to get one more chance to spend with them, it was as if they knew that we were leaving, as if they came up with a purpose.... to quietly crawl into our souls and make us forever want to return to this magical world .... They came to say goodbye to us and what an absolutely perfect goodbye it was.

http://www.hillsneksafaris.com/index2.html

TOMS/Element One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

While we were on the Safari we were all secretly hoping that we would turn a corner and see a pride of Lions. I didn't exactly know what I would do if I saw one, my plan was to slowly slink down my seat until I was on the floor with just my eyes slighly above the jeep door, so I could see him but he couldn't see me.
The last day we still hadn't seen any so we went on a mission. After 2 hours of driving we finally found them! They sat so confident and regal.. as if they knew that they ruled the land.
At one point the lion walked closer to us and I could feel my heart beat faster and faster until I could feel it pumping in my throat, then he laid down and took a nap.
As powerful as these cats are, they are so graceful and as terrified as I was to be sitting out in the open next to them, It was one of the best experiences I have had.

TOMS/Element One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Cheetah!

We woke up early one morning to go for a drive and came across this hunting cheetah. He walked right past us, maybe 2 feet from my right leg, then he layed down in the sun and gave us a perfect photo op.

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

Majestic!

The only way to describe the animals at Hillsnek!

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T13:35:00.001-08:00

And then there were 4.

After a relaxing couple of days in Jeffreys Bay the final 4 Me, Ryan Kingman, Levi Brown and Mark Falkenstein headed to the Hillsnek Private Safari Reserve. Which is owned by the president of Billabong Paul Naude.
The second we drove through the gates of the reserve we saw 2 huge Giraffs. It felt as if we were driving through the gates of Jurassic Park, from this point on everything is big and wild.
We stayed in the most beautiful outdoor lodge and slept in tents on stilts. From our tents we could see thousands of acres of reserve where the only thing separating us from the wild was the warm African breeze.
After our first night safari we headed back to the lodge starving! The lodge was lit up with candles, a special Hot Apple Brandy cocktail was handed to us along with a warm wet towel to warm us from the chilly night. The four of us sat at our candle lit table in awe of the amazing animals we just encountered and trying to convince ourselves that we weren’t in a dream! Yes... this is all for us.... wild animals, private Safari, beautiful quite candlelit dinners... this is our home for 3 days. That night we ate rare ostrich wrapped in crispy bacon with a balsamic glaze. Ostrich... the purple meat.

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

Jeffreys Bay!
Wow it feels great to be in Orange County again! Wait.. did I say that? After a crazy week traveling through the rain, the villages and different climates we were able to rest a few days in a gorgeous beach house right at the Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay. Jeffreys Bay felt like home: clean, warm, beachy.. we honestly could have been in California, it felt good to be somewhere that feels familiar. Jeffreys Bay is located in the Eastern Cape and is one of the best surf spots in the world!

Here we got to surf,skate, relax, eat amazing food, check out the Element and Billabong Headquarters and have a Brie (African BBQ)
Oh yes and did I mention I was the only girl?...yeah I can hang with the boys...

2009-11-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

After the final shoe drop Toms and Element split ways (tears). The TOMS crew flew to Cape Town for a week and we traveled 10 hours north to Jeffrey's Bay for a little R and R and to check out the South African Element Skateboards and Billabong Headquarters.
One of the nights on our way up the coast, we stayed in beautiful Bungalows right on the Ocean.. which was right next to a lagoon.. that had sanddunes on it. What a mix of elements.

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T11:59:00.000-08:00

The tree silhouettes in Africa are fascinating!

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

After our last shoe drop Dallas took us to this little backpackers lodge that sat way up in the trees overlooking the ocean. The place was so unique... It had a restaurant, a bar, people were selling their jewelry and playing the drums. If you have a little hippy in you, this is a great place to check out.
Plus the surroundings were absolutely breathtaking! The night before we grabbed a drink here then we saw a UFO.. yes a UFO filmed by our FUEL TV camera guy Paul...

Toms/Element Skateboards One and One Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

We woke up to rain this morning. Kingman and I sat down for a quick breakfast outside in a tent. Breakfast was the usual... Greek yogurt, marinated dates and apricots and muesli. Then we all jumped into the Element Van and headed to our final shoe drop.
We arrived in Port St. Johns at a school/orphanage. The room was full of hundreds of kids and due to the rain the room was so humid it was almost steamy. As we walked in the kids sang to us then patiently waited for their pair of shoes.
After we gave out the shoes, the kids were loaded up into their school buses (aka: the bed of a Toyota truck) and they headed back to class.

What a simple place it is here.

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that the snails are the size of your head?

TOMS/Element Skateboards ONE and ONE Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-11-18T10:19:00.000-08:00

Africa is such an interesting/amazing place. I've decided that everythingthat is beautiful here is risky. During our first Safari I commented on a gorgeous poppy orange flower, then our ranger said that if you even nibbled off a tiny little piece it would give you and instant heart attack! The trees are beautiful but most of the ones I saw had 3 inch spikes all over them. The oceans and rivers are beautiful but there are Great White sharks in them....yes you heard me right...Great Whites.... in the river......

The night before our last shoe drop we stayed in a beautiful little fishing resort right outside of Port St. Johns, right on a river that leads to the ocean. Reading our little resort book next to the bed I came across a page that said "Waterskiiers and swimmers beware, there are great whites in the river" What? First, crazy that there are great whites that swim up a river from the ocean and second that people would even think about waterskiing or swimming in there! Although, we did see a bunch of fishermen in little boats on the river.. the fish must be so good it's worth the risk...

As the sky drizzled a bit, I watched the boys play cricket along the river then got up the guts to stand on the edge of a dock for a photo op. This place is incredible! As I stood on the dock I thought "please God don't let a shark jump out of the water and eat me for dinner" and then I thought..."this place is so beautiful I just want to suck every ounce of this into my pores and make it apart of me forever".

TOMS/Element skateboards ONE and ONE shoe drop South Africa

2009-10-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

\
Day 6

This day was the most powerful of all to me. All together we gave away close to 800 pairs of shoes!

On the way to the Murchison Primary School the Element van drove past an older man with a disability rolling down the street on an old, slow skateboard. Let me tell ya, that guy was at the right place at the right time! One of our guys jumped out and handed him a new board! That's not something that happens everyday in a little South African village!
As we started unloading the boxes of shoes from the bus we could hear the happy voices of kids and looked up to see the littlest ones running barefoot out of their classrooms to meet us! They were so beautiful, such happy curious kids! They loved my legs and were actually probably quite confused by them. With the language barrier we couldn’t explain to them why I have metal legs, so I can only image that from this point on they will always believe some robot girl came to visit them.
One thing that is overwhelmingly apparent is how close this community is. The school kids are so loving and close with each other and so welcoming and friendly to us. They would just walk up and grab our hands or wrap their arms around our waist. A few of them wouldn’t let us go and I promise that we didn’t want to let them go! Their faces were so full of love and happiness, yet most of these experience the worst home lives. This day we learned that 50%-75% of these kids have HIV and are orphans after losing both parents to the disease. Yet, these kids are absolutely full of love and gratitude. It really puts your life into perspective. We need to be so grateful for our health and to have families that love us, yet even if you have neither you are here and you have every opportunity to live a happy life with gratitude, these kids are examples of that!

TOMS/Element Skateboards ONE and ONE Shoe Drop South Africa

2009-10-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Day 5 cont:

After the shoe drop at the primary School we drove 3 hours through the most beautiful green rolling hills to an orphanage called Sacred Heart Children’s Home in a place called Umtwalume, Kwazulu-Natal. These kids were so amazing , singing and dancing for us as soon as the bus drove up. We gave out a few hundred shoes to the kids and they were so happy. You cannot even believe how bad they needed these shoes! Most of these kids have only one pair of shoes, so they end up wearing their uncomfortable school shoes after school to play in as well. Most of their shoes were either 2 sizes too small or too big, all hand me downs and the soles of their shoes were peeling off where their heels were exposed. It felt so good to see them in a new pair of clean comfortable kicks!

TOMS/Element skateboards ONE and ONE shoe drop South Africa

2009-10-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

Day 5

After a good 2 day rest we packed the bus up early and headed 4 hours back through Durban to Umlazi for our next shoe drop at the Saphinda Primary School. As we walked into the school chills ran up our spines realizing we were walking into the middle of 1000 singing school children. We stood in the center of the schoolyard with the children circled all around us. I dont think I have ever felt goosebumps like that before, I was overwhelmed by emotion and love and had to wipe the tears from my cheeks. That day we fit hundreds of kids with their new TOMS shoes, we watched as they danced for us and at the end we were served an amazing lunch that was cooked by all of the teachers. This was a good day, I still am shocked Im here, doing what we are doing, I'm so grateful to be apart of a company that has the resources to make a difference!

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One shoedrop South Africa

2009-10-13T12:38:00.001-07:00

DAY 3-4

After the shoe drop yesterday in Durban, we drove 4 hours through the beautiful South African country side to a safari on the Ubizane Wildlife Reserve where we are staying in beautiful treehouse lodges. This morning we have already seen huge White Rhinos, we had a group of about 40 Elephants come right up the jeep, we saw Giraffe, Wilderbeast and Zebras, which are just amazing! Zebras are one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen. The backdrop where we are is breath taking! It is so green here, very wet and tropical!

This trip has really helped me focus on what it is I want out of life and where I want to go next with my life. Life is so beautiful, so amazing! I’m inspired to continue to make a difference in any way I can. AAS and public speaking is where my heart is. As well as helping out other organizations and causes that are close to my heart. "The purpose of life is not to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all." ~Leo Rosten

TOMS/Element skateboards ONE and ONE shoe drop South Africa

2009-10-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

DAY 2

Yesterday was one of the most inspiring days for me. We went to downtown Durban and worked with Umthombo http://www.umthombo.org Umthombo is a voice from the streets. It is a unique South African street children organisation led predominantly by former street children. The organization has many programs for the children one of them being a surf program. They get donated surfboards and wetsuits and have a surf coach for the kids. This place was so full of love,The kids were amazing! It's hard to think that they dont have a place to go home to. But what they do have is an amazing support of the organization. After we fit them with their shoes they were so grateful they would just come up to us and give us the biggest hugs. As soon as we put the shoes on them, they would get up and dance and sing to us! For living the tough lives they live, they were so full of light and smiles, it really puts our lives into persepective. After the shoe drop we watched them Surf, what an amazing experience for them and for us to watch! The waves were massive and these kids were masters of them! This day absolutely inspired me to continue to give back as much as possible. I feel so good knowing I am making a difference, I will continue to support Umthombo in any way I can!

TOMS/Element Skateboards One and One shoedrop South Africa

2009-10-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

DAY 1

Wow, I have been meaning to blog everyday while here in Africa, but do to the lack of internet connection, I have not been able to. So now that I that I found one have a few minutes to give an update on what we have done so far while in South Africa with TOMS and Element Skateboards. First of I have to say that I am so honored to be a part of such a giving driven faimly. Element is amazing and I am honored to represent the company. TOMS have inspired me to no end, I am so motivated to continue to be involved with the comapany and help to make difference in our world. Also, many more photos to come to illustrate some of the things I write about in this blog.

First of all Africa is amazing!! I’m In love with it! Its so crazy how my thoughts have changed over the last few days. I absolutely could live here! Its so interesting, there is such a dichotomy here. On one hand, there is a major percentage of people who are in poverty, 30% are said to have AIDS, 1 in 5 newborns die, 1-3 children are malnourished, the unemployment rate is 49%. On the other hand this place is absolutely gorgeous, the doctors are some of the best in the world, I would have no fear going into a private hospital if needed, the tap water is said to be cleaner then any other water in the world, the people are so nice and welcoming even in the villages or the store or wherever, they are all so excited to meet us and the food is amazing!

Day One Of the shoe drop we went to the Indigo Skate Camp (http://www.indigoskatecamp.co.za/)that was founded by Dallas Oberholzer. He has absolutely created a haven for the village kids. The first thing I noticed about the village was just how beautiful it is. Although you are in a very very poor village where people live in mud houses and have zero running water and electricity, the area is absolutely beautiful, clean and manicured. The people are so beautiful and welcoming and there is a very strong sense of community there. We fit approximately 200 kids with shoes that day. The highlight of my day was when the kids got on their skateboards after they got there new TOMS. They were all skating the ramps, it was so beautiful to see and they are pretty sick skaters as well! A few of the village children then did a traditional dance and chant for us in their garments. These kids love to sing and dance! As soon as we would give one of them a pair of shoes, they would stand up and do a dance.

We then helped to plant an organic garden with the children. They basically eat Mashed up corn powder and very few vegetables, which is not much nutrition, so Dallas has created a wonderful garden where we all planted spinach and lettuce and other veggies for the community.

The camp was so beautiful I am going to find a way to help it in anyway I can. The Zulu people are are so loving and happy and I think all of us walked away wanting to bring the children with us. Their smiles were infectious!

I am so blessed that I have had this experience. We are not just doing "tourist" stuff, we are actually down in the villages and spending our days with the children. This is a life changing experience to say the least. I know when I leave here I will be leaving a big piece of my heart!

MORE TO COME.....................

What's next?????

2009-08-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

Africa!!
Im so grateful to be working with a company that has the resources to make a difference in the world. In October I will be going to South Africa to help give shoes to kids who do not have them. Shoes obviously help prevent major fott diseases and will also allow the kids to go to school and get an education, since shoes are required for school. I am so grateful that I get to be a part of such and incredible initiative! For more information On the TOMS/Element Collaboration, please check out the links below!
http://www.elementskateboards.com/oneforone/index-video.html

Amy the Hostess with the Mostess

2009-08-27T23:11:00.001-07:00

Oh Yes I forgot that I did some interviewing while at the X Games for the AAS Webisodes and FUEL! Here, I am interviewing X Games Gold Medalist and friend Chris Ridgway!

Amy Purdy Skatedecks By Element

2009-08-27T22:53:00.000-07:00

Stopped by Element and signed my new Amy Purdy Signiture Decks. I feel so blessed! what an amazing progressive company!I shaped the boards with Brian HanHart and Todd French did the Graphics. I think we did a pretty good job!! What do you think?

Thanks for your Support Tony X Games #6

2009-08-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

In the Athlete Lounge I ran into Tony Hawk! It's good to know that we have your full support! Over the last week I recieved a few personal emails from him as well...Thanks Tony..

Adaptive Action Sports Skate Jam X Games #5

2009-08-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

Our Skate Jam went off without a hitch. Oh yes and David Beckham came out to support our event! We were so pleased to have Jon Comer, Mike Rogers of Grind For Life, Evan Strong, Buddy Elias, Aaron Fotheringham, Rob Nelson and Oscar Loreto participate in this event! Make sure to check out our friend and fellow skaters Mike Rogers amazing organization www.grindforlife.org

Adaptive Action Sports at the X Games #4

2009-08-27T21:57:00.001-07:00

X Games #3

2009-08-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

What a busy yet amazing month!!!! Our months years and hours of hard work finally paid off! We ( Adaptive Action Sports) organized and hosted the 2nd Annual Apaptive Moto X Competition at the ESPN Summer X Games! We are so proud to be partnered with ESPN and to bring this event to live TV! Props to the AAS Director Daniel Gale for all of his hard work and dedication making this event happen!

X Games #2

2009-07-28T00:31:00.001-07:00

Headed over to Element Skateboards... A very Magical place I tell you... Everytime I leave there I feel like it was one of the best days of my life! Theres nothing like putting a couple creative heads together for future projects....

X Games #1

2009-07-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

The Trucks Packed and we're heading to LA for the X Games! Daniel is a master packer!

Amypurdy.com

2009-04-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

New Website! It has taken me forever to get it completed but finally it's up! www.amypurdy.com

FUEL TV!

2009-04-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Today I am featured on The Daily Habit on FUEL TV! The interview was super quick and I was completly unprepared for the questions but overall I think it went pretty good! Check it out at 6pm PST/9pm EST and 9pm PST/12am EST.
~Thanks!

USA Adaptive Snowboard Boardercross National Champ!

2009-04-08T21:32:00.001-07:00

Finally! After competing for four years in the USASA National Snowboard competition I finally got a gold in Boardercross! That makes me the National Champ! It was a crazy course and ended up disqualifying a strong competitor and by staying solid I ended up taking Gold! Photos coming soon! If you've never seen a boardcross race before check it out here.........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw6O9QZHgXs

POWER TO THE PLANET!!!!!

2009-03-05T20:42:00.000-08:00

Hi! I had the opportunity to be apart of an amazing campaign from Element called "POWER TO THE PLANET" I am so grateful to be apart of such a wonderful family, when you watch the video you will see why! Check it out here!

Motivational Speaking with Element!

2009-02-13T15:41:00.001-08:00

In December I got the opportunity to speak to 1200 students at Estancia High school in Costa Mesa with Element Founder and President Johnny Schillereff. While I was speaking I realized that the last time I spoke to a highschool was right after I got out of the hospital 7 years ago and was barley learning to walk again. I thought back to all I have accomplished since then.Looking back I remember saying "I want to snowboard again but need to have a kidney transplant first" It reminded me of how far I have come. I am so grateful to Johnny and everyone at Element for giving me the platform so I can do what it is I really want to do.

What I have learned: I believe If you are focused on a goal and livng your life in a positive way then you attract others who are doing the same. When you have a group of people all moving in the same direction, magic happens!

Nikki Sixx Photoshoot and leg lamp!

2009-02-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

Hi Wow, it's been a while since I wrote in my blog, so much for my new years resolution! I attached a photo from the Jan 21 Nikki Sixx Photoshoot. This is one image out of many, I can't wait to see the others where I was hanging from the ceiling! It was the funnest photoshoot ever !

Yesterday I recieved a big box in the mail from Nikki and it was a pair of life size legs in red butterfly stockings, not your typical legs though, they light up!

Nikki said he saw them hanging in a window in Argentina, he asked the lady in the shop "how much?" she said "they arn't for sale" then he handed her a handful of cash and she said "sold"! Check out the photo, personally I think they kick the Christmas Story's "leg lamps' ass!

www.ADACS.org www.oilthemachine.com www.element.com

Month of Jan: New legs, Nikki Sixx, Signature Element Denim and Skateboard, Military training!

2009-01-28T15:37:00.000-08:00

I thank God everyday that I am healthy, that my legs feel good and that I am productive! I wish every month was like this one!!!! This is how it went:

Day one: Flew to Orange County

Day two: Met up with Ossur leg company to get new feet, worked with them all day... feet didn't work they were too tall( not fun when feet don't work)

Day Three: A.M. met up with Ossur again, received custom feet that work! yahhhh, they are amazing!

Day Four: Noon, had a meeting at Element Skateboards to design signature Amy Purdy skateboard board, had another meeting about my public speaking press kit and another meeting about working with Elements non-profit organization Elemental Awareness.

P.M Did a photoshoot for my new signiture Element Jeans coming out this fall!!!!!

Day Five: Met up with Nikki Sixx at his Studio for leg and costume fitting

Noon: returned rental car with almost 600 miles that I put on it and flew home.

For the next 6 days I worked on AAS developing fundraisers and the 2009 USASA National adaptive competition, started a few outlines for my speeches and fit in only 1 day of snowboarding( sad but true)

The following Sunday I flew to San Diego and picked up a work truck and drove 3 hours to the Twenty-Nine Palms Military Base...... worked with the Marines for preventitive casualty training senerios, lived in a hotel in the middle of the desert for 5 full days!!! .....Next day drove to Los Angeles, stayed with my friend Beth( check her out as Parker on the new TNT show Leverage! yah beth!) Went to my friend Vanessa Pragers Art show(http://www.vprager.com/)

....next morning woke up and shot for 7 hours with Nikki Sixx!! The shoot was by far the coolest thing I have ever done! Completly out of the box! I thought working with Madonna was the funnest thing ever.... but I would say that the Nikki Sixx shoot topped it! See teaser photo above from fitting. As a gift, Nikki gave me a pair of legs that light up like a lamp from Amsterdam, a custom gorgeous Vintage framed photo from the shoot and backstage passes to Motley Crue!!!!! Oh Yah!

Joke of the day!...

2009-01-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Kenny......

Question: "Whats Amy Purdy's favorite lunch time treat?"

Answer: " Bologna sandwiches!" Ha Ha get it??? Bologna(Below-knee)sandwhiches

I thought that was a clever one......

10 in 10 Fundraiser for the AAS/Element Youth Skateboard Camp!

2009-01-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

Hi! Please help Adaptive Action Sports raise funds to help kids with “dis”abilities get to this summers AAS/YMCA/ELEMENT Skateboard camp! Help us raise $10,000 with just a donation of $10! If 1000 people made a $10 donation we will hit our goal! Every person who makes the donation will be listed on our website at the end of the fundraiser March 12th! Thank you! And please copy the widget below to add to your myspace page! Please help spread the word! PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR DONATION!

Muscle and Fitness "Hers" Magazine!

2008-12-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

I'm in the Jan/Feb issue of Muscle and Fitness "Hers" Mag which is out now! I know your thinking "with what muscles?" Yes, I wondered the same. So I went to the gym everyday for 3 months and built me some muscles! Kinda....

Photoshoot with Nikki Sixx!

2008-12-21T21:41:00.001-08:00

About a month ago I received a phone call from Nikki Sixx the founder, songwriter and bassist of Motley Crue! We will be doing a photo shoot together next month.Who would have thought? The fact that he is a crazy creative genius and that I have crazy metal legs, makes a match made in a very interesting heaven. Outside of being a rockstar he happens to be an amazing photographer! I'll write more when I get the OK. Nikki also happens to be a really cool down to earth guy, I'm really looking forward to working with him. Oh yeah he also is Kat Von D's boyfriend... do I hear a tattoo whispering in my ear? My right ear of course because I'm deaf in the left :) P.S. Nikki's book "The Heroin Diaries" is amazing, I read it in like 4 days...highly recommended
Check out more info on Nikki Sixx here... http://www.nikkisixx.net/

I'm a new Element Eden Advocate!

2008-12-21T21:10:00.000-08:00

Wow, what an incredible couple of months! I am going to have to backtrack a bit here to tell the story. In September, I recieved a call from Jardine Hammond the Marketing Manager for Element Eden. She wanted me to come out to be a part of a new campaign for Element called "Power to the Planet". While I was at the shoot I got the opportunity to meet the other Element Advocates and was completely blown away and inspired by what everyone was doing with there lives. The advocates are a mix of skateboarders, artists, musicians and humanitarians, all individuals who are making a positive impact in the world and who share their passion for art & skateboarding. Sounds like my type of people! That same day I met Johnny Shillereff the founder and president of Element & we hit it off right away! Like myself, Johnny has endured major obstacles and challenges at a young age. The fact that he not only overcame his obstacles but used them to move ahead in life and ultimately create the largest skateboard company in the world is so inspiring! We have a lot in common including the desire to tell our stories to help inspire others to follow their dreams. We decided that night over dinner that I would be an Element Eden Advocate and that we would start to work together. As Johnny put it we will "make magic" together. And that we have! In the last month we have spoke in front of 1200 high school students, sharing our stories and my involvement with Element. I have to say it is so cool to see all the students in the audience wearing Element clothing, they didn't even know we were coming to speak! We now are working on Amy Purdy Signature denim and a signature skateboard and I actually think this is only the beginning. I am so inspired by this company and all of the people working within the company, no wonder they are as successful as they are! I love that Element shares my love for nature, for giving back to others, for respecting the planet and for using creativity to leave a positive footprint in the world. I couldn't be more grateful!

Id like to invite you to check out a short documentary about the "Power to the Planet" campaign. It includes Johnny, pro skater Mike V, Bam, myself and the other great advocates.

http://www.powertotheplanet.tv/video/Final-Lo.html

and http://www.powertotheplanet.tv/

http://www.elementeden.com/

New Blog

2008-12-21T20:52:00.000-08:00

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog. This is going to be a place for news updates as well as a place where I can write my thoughts and experiences. I am dedicated to flexing my writing muscle, to write as often as possible. We will see how long this lasts :)