My name is Amanda Graves and I’m the teacher, wife, and mom of one behind The Gravy (Graves, Gravy, got it?). I’m currently a temporary stay at home mom and a teacher on hiatus. My goal here is to provide moms, teachers, wives, and other like minded individuals with open and honest content about momming, teaching, cooking, and navigating life’s big moments.
I hail from the place of strange names in New York, specifically Wappingers Falls, Poughkeepsie, and New Paltz. In 2015 I relocated to North Carolina to pursue a career in teaching. My husband followed me down the following year and we bought our sweet house in 2017 in another land of strange names: Fuquay Varina, North Carolina. We got married back in New York in June 2018 and welcomed our sweet baby Daniel in September 2019.
Since starting a year long maternity leave in September 2019, I’ve been adjusting to new mom life and accepting the trials and triumphs of parenting with my husband. Having only taught two weeks in the 2019-2020 school year, I haven’t done much creative thinking or planning since before the summer. I consumed myself with prepping for the arrival of our son and since he’s been here he’s consumed all my energy (and sleep, and space, and mind, and sanity). Our days revolve around babying, momming, grocery shopping, cleaning, and cooking. My fondest memories are cooking and baking with my mom so I am already exposing Danny to the wonders of the kitchen.
Being home with my baby has changed my life. My perspectives on just about everything have shifted and I’m so grateful to spend every moment with him. My home, my baby, my husband, and my family are the core of what I need in this life, the rest is really just gravy. I want to share the extras that make things come together and that enriches our lives and experiences. Hence, the gravy that brings flavor, texture, and richness to the staples in life.