A Job Posting

This was in our local paper last week and I know it's late, but it's funny nonetheless.

POSITION:Mum, Mommy, Mama, Mom, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment
Candidates must posses excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24-hour shifts on call

RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $10
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly and possess the physical stamina of a pack mule
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects
Must have the ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION:
None
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
Non required unfortunately.
On the job training offered on a continually exhausting basis

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because college will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more

BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered, this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

5 for Friday

5 scents I love right now:

1. Anything Apple. I just got apple scented candles from Partylite and I can't get enough of them.

2. Peach. I can't wait to can again.

3. Fresh air. I love walking to work and smelling the fresh air in the morning.

4. Fresh cut grass. Matt mowed the lawn yesterday and it smells so nice.

5. My new perfume. It's Estee Lauder pleasures. It's light and fruity.

Have a great weekend!

The Pictures are up

The pictures are finally up. They are mostly in the Oct/Dec posts. There are a few in the more recent posts, though.








Great news! Tanner lost his first tooth today! It's kind of a huge thing because we weren't sure when he was going to loose them with him being born with a cleft and all. He was eating an apple and it fell out. He wasn't scared or anything. Even when I looked in his mouth and saw A LOT of blood, he was totally calm...probably calmer than me. He put a cold cloth in his mouth for a minute and it was fine.

Our internet is back up and we are so excited. I will be back with my 5 for Friday starting tomorrow! How exciting...lol

Get Ready...

...for lots of pictures!

We are finally getting the Internet back on Thursday, and I will be trying to back-post pictures.

Matt is working at the Elementary School as one of the evening Janitors and it's been really good for him...and us : )

Things have been really good.

Tanner is so stinkin' funny. We were at the park on Friday and he said to me "I'm going to go out with my favorite girl tonight"
ME: Who's your favorite girl?
T: You are Mom!

Last Sunday
T: Does Heavenly Father have a t.v.?
M: I don't think so, why?
T: Because I want to watch my Liken movies with Him.

Ah... the joy!

Anyways, I'll be back with much much more in the next week or so.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE!!

It's official!

I am going to be in my first ever triathlon! I am doing the swimming, Susanne the biking and Natalie the running. I am so excited!

We had an amazing trip to Great Falls this weekend. It was our first across the border with Tanner. I forgot my camera (Bad me!) but it was fun, nevertheless. We went down to celebrate Matt's birthday and my cousins husbands birthday. They share the same birthday. We went on a progressive dinner. We ate appetizers at a Mexican place, the main meal at a Cajun place and dessert at an old fashioned place. It was so much fun and we are absolutely going to go down in the next little while and do it...but at different places.

I was able to dry my laundry on my clothes line outside yesterday...which means summer is close. We have a busy summer already. I'm excited.

Life is great!

Happy Birthday to Me!

My super funny sister, Melany




The Easter Hunt




My super cute nephew, Emerson. Isn't he a doll?? LOL




Melany and Chris




Another one of my super cute, fun nephew

As I get older, my birthday's seem to get better and better. Maybe it's in part because I don't live in Calgary anymore. Last year was the BEST by far..because it was my surprise 30th that I honestly didn't think I was getting and this year was another year that will be hard to beat. It comes in as a close 2nd to last year.

I love having birthday's with my family but I also really enjoy "social" birthdays with my friends.

This year I decided I really wanted to go quading. Yes, you read that right. It's not that I hate quading but it's NOT my passion. Lucky for us we know someone who is very passionate about quading and they were happy to take Matt and I out. But first thing's first...

For Easter we went to Calgary for Easter/Conference/my birthday/Tanner's yearly Cleft Clinic appt. Let's just say that Tanner's life get's a little more complicated/involved in the next few years and that he is no longer mine only. I have to share him with the Doctor's again : (
We have had him to ourselves for the last few years without thinking about surgeries that involve lengthy stays in the hospital. But that's about to change and I'm totally ready for it. I knew it was coming eventually. Tanner is so strong and he is lathered in love lavishly. I know the Lord looks out for him constantly, as do the people who love him. Anyway, that's what came from his appointment.

On Friday we went out to Canmore for my birthday. My sister and her husband had rented a condo out there for the weekend so we drove there to be able to celebrate together. AND!!! My sister Melany and her boyfriend, Chis, came too!!! That made my birthday all the better. Melany has a work schedule that does not always allow her to be at every family gathering. So I was really stoked that her and Chris came. My oldest sister was in Utah and I missed her but she needed the get away more than I needed her to be at my birthday. We ate at Boston Pizza for lunch and then we went to a park there and hid candy for Tanner and Emerson(my nephew). They seemed to enjoy it. Then we went to the condo Megan and Dean were in and had Dairy Queen ice cream cake and opened presents.

I got the Hannah Montana Movie, plus the CD to go along with it, Miley Cyrus' breakout CD, some amazing jewelry (not anything fancy...more chunky than anything), a bucket of honey and Matt and I got a combined birthday gift of East Side Mario's GC and movie passes for a date night, an Ipod (story for this is later), curlers from Susanne, the HSM dance Wii game from Sharon, a glue gun from Jenn, and some paper and craft things from Shelby. I am so very lucky to have so many people who love me and spoil me not only on my birthday but every day with their friendship.

I went with Erica to the movie "The Last Song" which was really good. It was kind of sad at the end but surprisingly I wasn't as emotional as I thought I could have been. I think it was because I was having a really difficult week the week before with missing my Dad and I cried all my tears out that week before so it was fine. It was a really good movie. Really clean. I don't remember any language either. So I would recommend it. I had a really nice visit with Erica...thanks : ) who I don't get to see very often.

Conference was SO good. I loved that it was a lot about families. It was really enjoyable and I can not wait to get my hands on the Ensign to read them over and over.

For my actual birthday I went with my childhood friend, Meghan, to the movie Avatar. it was "totally AWESOME"!!! I loved it! My first 3D movie ever and now I really want to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D. It was a really neat experience and I am so glad I got to go with Meghan. We don't get to do much just her and I together. We use to hang out ALL the time as teens. In fact one summer we spent at least 3/4's of the summer sleeping at each other's houses all summer. That was so much fun. Anyway, then Tanner went to her house to play with her son and Matt and I went for Chinese food and then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean 1&2. I've never seen them and I really enjoyed them.

On Saturday, Kelvin took Matt, Susanne/Chris, Natalie and I out quading. It was a lot of fun but very painful now. It was so worth it and I would go again for sure. I really wanted to get really muddy, but I only got slightly dirty. Next time I'm going to get really muddy...lol.

So overall, it was a great birthday. I am so thankful for all the birthday wishes and kind words that people wrote about me on Facebook.

We didn't do too much for Spring Break. Tanner had a couple of play dates and that was about it. We hung out for the most part.

OH! the Ipod story....so funny! Melany gave me her used Ipod because she thought she lost her Ipod and so she went out and bought a new one. Then a few weeks later she was making her bed and Chris found her old Ipod. She was going to pawn it off but then they talked about giving it to me so now I am the VERY proud owner of a used but new to me Ipod which I absolutely love. I had to erase some of the songs off that she had on there because of foul language but for the most part, the songs are good. She even has some really old songs that I love...mostly dance stuff. I'm such a nerd...lol. The reason that this is funny to me is because for Christmas she gave us her Wii because she said she hardly used it. I just need her to get an Iphone now so I can have it when she gets a new one...lol. She is such a good sister. All my sister's are. I love my sisters a lot.

We are heading to Great Falls for Matt's birthday. We are going to do some grocery shopping before we come home too. Butter is so cheap there as well as cheese.

So life is going along great for now. Busy, steady and constant but it's good. I feel surrounded by love lately and am happy to be in the place that I am. I think life has a lot to do with how you choose to feel. I try to choose happiness for the most part because being unhappy or annoyed or mad or any other negative feeling doesn't make life any easier. When life is hard, sometimes being hopeful or optimistic is the best we can do. But it's better than moping around feeling sorry for ourselves. We can all be better and do better but there's no sense in beating ourselves up for not doing all that we want to do at the moment we want to do it.

Have a great day!

Scarlett red

This Sunday and last Sunday were the best Sunday's I've had in forever! I went last week and this week to the ward that meets at 9am because Tanner's been sick and so I wanted to make sure I got to take the Sacrament but then I got there and everyone was so welcoming so I decided to stay for all the meetings. What a great treat! I wish I could do that every Sunday but I don't think I'm allowed....am I?????

Tanner has Scarlett Fever. It's basically strep throat on his body...or so I've been told. So today is his last day of isolation at home and then tomorrow he gets to go to school. YeaH!!! We are all very excited. He LOVES school and is quite sad when he has to miss it. He's been on an antibiotic since Thursday night so thankfully that has helped him. You know, I'm all for natural, holistic care but I do believe that there is a time and place for "real" medicine. I try not to run to the doctor for a prescription at every little cough or cold. Tanner is more susceptible to respiratory things because he had RSV when he was 12 1/2 months old, but we've been pretty fortunate so far. He's in pretty good spirits and was only really miserable on Friday. Well, not miserable, but grumpy and "naughty"...for lack of a better word.

Side note: Yes, Jamie, poundage is a real word...it's MY real word ; )

We attended the 4H basketball tournament on Thursday night and then I went on Friday to watch our senior boys loose. I will not discuss my opinion about small town sports on my blog because I have to live and work here. Let's just leave it at that. If you really care to know, then e-mail me ; )

I ran in the Moonlight run on Saturday. I did not train AT ALL for it. I haven't been on my treadmill for about 2 months and boy did I pay for it! My legs were so sore that I could barely walk yesterday and today. Luckily I have a great Chiropractor that adjusted me and now I feel like a human being and not a robot walking blob. Anyways, my time was 52:48. Not as good as my last one, but all I wanted was to come in under an hour. I did it mostly for fun (even though now, I am thinking it wasn't fun because of the pain...but that's my own fault). I knew lots of people who ran in it this year and I am so proud of them...especially Sharon and Susanne. They did awesome and it was so nice to share the night with them.

Well, I think that's about all for now. It's been a busy couple of weeks.

No Title

2 post in one day is H-U-G-E!! Lucky you...lucky me...

I was pondering as I was reading through my blog list today about self image.

Recently I said to someone that I'm fat in my pictures and they told me I shouldn't say that. For me, I don't believe in lying or deceiving oneself for any reason. BUT just because I'm fat (according to me) doesn't mean I perceive myself as fat. Now this may be confusing to some so let me explain. Fat is a relative term to me. I'm fat but that's okay. When I look in the mirror I do not think of myself or even see myself as 'fat'. But when I look at pictures of myself that's what I see is me-fat. So what if I'm fat? That's my problem.

Now this may sound like a "poor mandy, she feels bad about herself" or "what is she talking about? why is she saying such negative things?" kind of post but it's not meant to be that.

To me, it matters more about what's inside than outside that matters. If I was really worried about the fact that I'm 'fat' clearly I need to take some action. But I don't really care if people see me that way because I know inside I'm a good person and I'm doing my best.

I certainly don't mope around all day thinking about me being fat. I have way better things to do with my time. But if someone asks me why I don't like looking at pictures of myself it's for that reason.

But I wonder if other people out there are the same way. Do you look in the mirror and see yourself differently than you do in a picture or video of yourself? It makes me think of that cartoon that I've seen in the New Era (or maybe it was a different publication) that shows a normal looking person looking in the mirror and the reflection back is thin and frail. It's supposed to be a representation of the difference between being physically healthy on the outside, but starving spiritually on the inside. I may be 'big' in my pictures, but I do not perceive myself that way when I look in the mirror.

I don't live in a dreamworld and think that I'm thin. By no stretch of the imagination am I thin but I don't think that I'm big like Reta McNeil. Of course I could afford to loose some weight but I choose not to be consumed by weather or not I am or not losing weight. If I gain some poundage, fine, if I loose, then great. But I am not trying to be negative when I say "I'm fat". I just don't believe in lying to myself.

I always think of the skit from SNL where the character sits in a chair and looks at himself in the mirror and says "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me". I do not recite that to myself in the mirror but my attitude in life is something similar to that. Saying I'm fat/big...whatever... is not, in my mind, a negative thing. It's simply stating a fact...lol. How I look on the outside doesn't hinder or control what I think about myself on the inside. And for me, that's what's most important.

Sickness

Matt and Tanner and I have all had a period of sickness...okay really...I had a day of the flu (which I haven't had in 7 years) and Matt was/is sick with a cough that could last up to 2 more weeks and now Tanner has a cough along with the cold he got. It seems to not end right now. I am hoping this weekend will be a restful, relaxing weekend. It should, because we have nothing planned. That's a first in about 2-3 months.

I am looking forward to General Conference. It's a great time of the year! It's such a blessing to be able to hear the prophet speak to us and guide us.

The weather here had been nice up until today. Doesn't mother nature know that spring should be here? Maybe she didn't get the Memo.

We had our annual Relief Society party last night. It was really fun and very uplifting. I was so happy to be there and I sat at a table with some ladies that I don't normally hang out with so it was really nice to get to know some other sisters in the ward. I think it's important to get to know other sisters and step out of your comfort zone. We have such a great ward and I am very blessed to be part of it.

Spring break is coming up for Tanner. We are doing a scavenger hunt for him and Emerson instead of trying to find hidden eggs. They'll just be lead to a big treasure this year. I got Tanner a watch to put in his basket. It's a Spiderman one. I think he'll love it. He is really into the Magic School Bus as well as the Magic Tree house. He just loves to read the books and watch the movies. They are so well done for kids and they're easy to follow.

Tanner also had his final skating performance. He did great. The theme was Candyland so all the music had something to do with Candy.

We've decided not to put Tanner in anything for the spring. I think it might be too much. We're waiting to hear back from a couple of places for Matt to get a job. I think from now until September will be the hardest because if Matt works in the summer while Tanner is out of school, we'll have to find someone to watch him. I know the Lord will provide the way.

Anywho, life has calmed down a bit and it's been nice.

A birthday gift

Last night I received my first birthday gift. Guess what it was....no really guess...your guess is as good as mine because I am not allowed to open it. When? Well my birthday is over a month away (April 9th) and I am not allowed for one month and 6 days to open it. I am only allowed to look at it and yearn after the beautifully wrapped gift that sits in my house. I know it will be a really good gift...after all it is from one of my dearest friends. Ahhhh...the agony of having to wait. For those of you who want a list of things (no, I am not assuming certain people will get me a gift) that I would like here it is:

Hot Rollers for my hair

A stock pot

A glue gun(I don't even own a little one)

High School Musical 1,2& 3 on CD

Miley Cyrus' CD breakthrough (or is it breakout???)

Carrie Underwood's last CD (I have Play On, her newest one)I think it's called Carnival ride.

Movie passes

fun, everyday bracelets/necklaces

Knee socks-I like wearing them at night to bed

So, nothing too fancy. I will be celebrating my birthday in Calgary with my family during Easter break.

We have had Tanner sleep without pull-ups this week and for the last 2 nights, he has been dry in the morning! It's kind of a big deal because we told him he could sleep in our bed when he was dry through the night. Matt is sick right now so Tanner and I will sleep on the guest bed so that we don't get sick.

I have had some really good study sessions the last couple days. Really good for answering questions that I have had for a while and also at provoking (for lack of a better word) more questions. I am grateful for people who know the answers or for finding the answers through reading more. It helps me to understand the principle of line upon line, precept upon precept.

Life feels a little crazy right now. We are so busy babysitting, me working, delivering papers and cleaning that it keeps us out of trouble and from being slothful.

I haven't been feeling overly great lately. I've been getting a lot of bad/migraine headaches. The doctor wants me to get some blood work done but it's a fasting one so I'm waiting to do it next week when I have time to do it. It could just be that my migraines are changing...which kind of sucks because after having braces I got one maybe once a year...if that. Life goes on, though.

I am running in the Moonlight 6k run in 2 1/2 weeks. I'm excited to do it. Sharon, Susanne and I are all going to do it. Well, Susanne and I are doing it together while Sharon gets her goal time...which will be at least 5 or more minutes before mine and Susanne's ; )

We are looking forward to our trip to Salt Lake in the summer. This will be our first family trip together. It's kind of exciting!

Well, things are good and we are looking forward to spring.