Pooppies.

Josh and I started a mini-family within our own family.

This is Princess Snowflake. He was named that because he's going to be huge and Josh and I find it hilarious. Although we're thinking we might change his name to Spaghetti

This is Princess' future wife when she is of age, Hand Banana. For short we call her Hannee or Hannee Montanee

Princess trying to get our attention.

Josh and Hand Banana. Awweee

Josh and his baby again.

Why did we get dogs? Because they're easier than kids to take care of. SRSLY!
Maybe kids will come when we're not overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of responsibility we have just taken on. Dogs and a mortgage. I know, we're crazy.

We also have kitties, they are much easier to take care of.

Luv lub jub,

mandee

House.

The front.

The dining room and fireplace (where s'mores are enjoyed every night )

The front room (most comfy couch evAR!)

The bedroom (Bom chicka wah-wah) with a peak into the bathroom and my jetted, wait jetted? yes, jetted tub.

And the best part of the house, the kitchen.

I feel obligated

To make a new post, here it goes:

Today is veterans day and we are going to Applebee's! Date night, yay!

Our puppies are getting way too big but are still way too cute

I am soon to be 22(On Nov 30th). No, I am not too young to be lying about my age

I am taking ballet again! This is me:

Ok we all know that is a lie as well, but someday...

We still don't have internet out on the farm.

I never thought I would live on a farm.

Loving it.

Luv Lub Jub

Mandee

baby!

Some of you will be shocked and surprised to learn that Josh and I are having a baby! She will arrive on Tuesday the 20th of october and her name will be Hand Banana

a sneak of what's to come...

Josh and I moved into our new house about two weeks ago.

Because Josh is hell bent on beating the system, we don't have internet yet.

I promise pics will come soon, but for now enjoy this picture of my little sister in our front yard.

Yes, that is our front yard.

Our closest neighbor is a few miles away.

It's nice to go for a run outside and not see a single person.

Hasta luego

luvlubjub

-Mandee

wish i were here

Driftwood Beach. Waldport, Oregon. Favorite place in the world.

despite my attempts to make this place look warm, it's actually freezing

pictures taken by claire in june, 2005

T-day!

Once upon an April 11th day, Josh and I were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.

We were lucky enough to have one of my favorite friends, Becca, take pictures of us to help remember such a special occasion.Lucky is an understatement! I love every photo she took. Even Josh's bug-eyed ones. Which are most of them.

Family portrait with our beautiful blue-eyed daughter

back in the hood, Arctic Circle style

taking a picture of myself while pretending not to take a picture of myself

I went to Arctic Circle this last saturday.

the last time I graced AC with my presence I ordered a mushroom swiss burger, only to be disappointed by a soggy bun, minimal toppings and few shrooms. i had no choice but to boycott.

But when you ask your teary-eyed little sister what will make her feel better, and she tells you all she wants in the whole world is a watermelon flavor burst ice cream cone, it would be a heartless thing to deny her all because AC commits hamburger homicide.

So I caved. I regret nothing! Look what it turned those teary eyes into:

I love my little sis.

luv lub jub

mandee

i love family picture day

Because I get to play with my pretty sisters

and because they make me wear a bright green t-shirt.

I am grateful for my super phone, which allows me to blog from anywhere there is service. That means next time I vacation I will spend it blogging. Yay

same house, different season

I drive slow to take in the landscape.

little bit happier now

Every day on my 2 hour round-trip commute I get to drive by this cute little house.
I'm so lucky!
Enjoy your smog, suckers!

There are only so many tomorrows

I can't thank you all enough for your kind words.

happy posts to come soon.

love you all.

luvluvjub,
Mandee

“You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what she'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”

David Harkins (British Poet and Painter b.1958)

the picture is of Sheryl's grave site in Rockland, Idaho

sweet sherylyn

For those of you who don't know, I'm not sure how to articulate it so I'm just going to come out and say it. Late thursday night Josh's little sister was killed in a car accident.

see her obituary here.

I just want to thank everyone for the large amount of support our family has recieved since the accident. Because of all the love from our friends, family and neighbors, our grief has been reduced a considerable amount. In the words of Mother-in-law:

we can feel your prayers, they're like little drops of rain that grieve with us and help wash away our pain

luv lub jub,
mandee

tears of sorrow and cries of pain from wounded souls

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27

Ode to Claire

this is what Claire and I used to do instead of listen during sacrament.

Clairington my friend
This is a haiku for you
I might write you two

You are a true friend
Haikus put limitations
on syllables used

You like these pictures?
I had to include me too
it is my blog... girl

Thank you for my prom
That's right Claire threw me a prom
you didn't have to

That's why you are friend.
Excuse my poor grammar please
Not creative, me

I miss you all day
And every day as well, friend
please come visit me

things I miss doing with claire:

taking pictures together
whining to each other about everything
wearing pink on wednesdays (can we start this again please?)
assassinating our hair
snuggling :D
eating sushi and burritos together
eating whole pints of ice cream without even glancing at the nutritional information
writing haikus in sacrament
casting MAGIC MISSILES!
eating lots of things in the past that we are much too smart and attractive to eat presently
stalking people we dislike
making out with the bathroom door painting in Ichiban
handing out each others numbers to strange men
knocking people off our hit list one by one
coming up with really dumb band names together
thinking about how MAHvelous boring tables would look with severed heads as centerpieces (how indecent!)

Claire, thank you for being the bestestest of friends. You are the most beautiful person I know and I'm not just saying that because I want you to come visit me but I hope it persuades you a little. Happy birthday to you (on friday) Please say hello to my soul. I luv lub jub you,
Mandee (your heterosexual life partner)

^our contract where I gave you my soul. ^

bad news everywherez

I'm not one to stress out, but all this bad news has been getting to me. I don't want to give too many details on our most recent bad news so I will keep it vague. Lets just say it affects our future big time. On the bright side we are thinking of moving as far away as possible. Trunk Bay anyone? I wouldn't mind this view every day:

i need your HALP

Josh and I are getting puppies. But not just any puppies. Puppies that we are going to love and squeeze and snuggle and coo at and call POOPPIES because that's just much more cute.
Josh is pretty dead seat on getting a male Rottweiler. Who can blame him when they're this adorable?


But I have yet to make up my mind on what breed I want to get. I'm partial towards yellow labs. The only problem is they're way too lovable and snuggable. Problem, you ask? Why is that a problem? Well, we live in the middle of nowhere and the only neighbors we have are a bunch of stinking coyotes. They are vicious creatures and will maim any poor unsuspecting lovable lab in their way. I am still considering a lab, because I can always keep him safe (with my big mama bear biceps and chain link cages). Plus, look how cute they are! I am left in snuggle mode just by looking at this picture

Option number 2: German shepherd. This might be what I end up getting. Really cute as puppies and good with the livestock on our ranch. I don't know much about them and don't have a lot of experience with them so if you have horror stories/happy stories about them to sway my opinion, please share. In the mean while oggle at how precious dese wittwe guys awee....

awwww

Some other breeds I'm considering are huskies, samoyeds or golden retrievers. I just can't decide. Oh and by the way, once I saw this giant fluff ball of a dog in the back of a convertible. He was huge and furry and kind of looked like a giant samoyed. any help in identifying this breed would be appreciated, as I would do anything to get my hands on one. Thank you.

PETA is tarded.

Have any of you seen their campaign "I'd rather go naked than wear fur?"

It's a pretty horrible idea when you think about it. "Stop eating animals or we'll keep showing you pics of hot chicks all naked like"

Brilliant plan there PETA...

Aretha Franklin Jr.

I have a new equation for you.

Mandee + karaoke

+other side of the continent

+people she doesn't need to worry about facing the next day

= really great times

Every night makes me hate the day

My husband is undeniably the best husband in the worldHe puts up with my loud family when they come to visit, scratches my back until I fall asleep, tells me I'm pretty even when I'm swollen up with allergies, drives when we go anywhere so I can nap, among a thousand other things.

Josh, I don't care that you work 14 hour days or blow $40 a pop at the indian res casino. You're still my snuggle bear. Thank you for choosing me and making my life the best it could possibly ever be.

who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?

Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.