Long over due..

So its been atleast a year since I blogged and so much has happened that it would take awhile to cover everything but at the moment I feel very overwhelmed but I also feel very blessed.

The biggest thing that happened in the last month was that we moved from our house on Amanda Michelle. It was such a roller coaster and one of the hardest things Ive ever been through in life but I have learned so much. I will always miss that house but I know there is a reason why I am where Im at. It is hard to move wards again after it only has been a year but I love getting to know new people so this is a great opportunity for that. We are in a really cute rental house that is smaller but I love the neighborhood.


I switched jobs in May to be an Account Coordinator for Too Faced Cosmetics which I love! I love the brand and its amazing to work for yourself! The other day I was thinking that I have an awesome job because everyday I get to make women feel better about themselves. There are so many times when Im doing with a consultation that the women hug me and this makes me feel good to change someones life. I will always be a makeup junkie, its just who I am. The best part is moving around all my different counters and meeting so many people.

My hunny is still doing his school at CSN and got such good grades last semester. He always makes me so proud of him. He is a hard worker and blessed to have him in my life. He is my rock and my foundation. We have had a hard year and I couldnt have done it without him. We just had our 9 year anniversary and I cant believe how fast the time has gone. Every year it amazes me how you can continue to just love someone more and more.


My laynie baby turned 6 and graduated kindegarten from Ruby Duncan Elementary school. I cant believe how grown she is getting. She is such a thoughtful little girl and is always making me pictures and cards. She has had a hard few months but Im starting to see my little girl again which makes me so happy. She loves to read and reads on probably a 3rd/4th grade level which amazes me. Her brother is her best friend which reminds me of my brother and I because we played together so much when we were kids.


My Peytie Pie turned 3 in April and is still his crazy happy go lucky self. He reminds me so much of me. He is sensitive but loves to make others smile. He loves to play outside and just be a boy. He loves his Laynie and is always looking out for her. There isnt a day that goes by that he doesnt make me laugh. I love you lil buddy.


my baby sister Haley got married in May and we are so happy to have Austin in our family. It was a beautiful temple sealing and really made me remember my day at the temple and all the special blessings we receive. The reception was gorgo of coarse! and the food was amazing. My mom always out does herself because I know she wants us to have the best. The night was spent dancing and enjoying all of our family and friends. My sister haley is my best friend, we have alway been close. I love her and I am so proud of her!



My other sister Rachel welcomed another baby girl Analiese in January and she is such a sweet baby. Rachel is such a good mother and wife and is always trying to help others. She is a great person and I love her so much. Without my sisters and my mother, my life would be very lonely. They are my best girlfriends and they are there for my at anytime of the day for whatever I may need.

But since its very late I need to go to sleep, I need to be better about blogging but its finding the time to do so. I am grateful for everything I have been blessed with. I know the lord loves me and shows me everyday :)

It's been quite awhile since I have posted anything on this thing. Facebook seems to have taken over everything! As I explained in the last post we will be moving out of our house. We are still in it for a few more months though which will help us to be able to save up a little more money. I'm not looking forward to the move since I have accumulated 4 1/2 years more "stuff".

The NHP thing didn't work out. I met with the polygraph examiner "Jim Sackett" and he said I was lying to him. He said that I wasn't being truthful about anything and knocked me out of the employment process. Some of the things he accused me of were, "You beat your kids and wife!" and "You don't trust me and think that I'm going to ask you a surprise question!" It had to rank up there with one of the worst experiences of my life. I questioned myself for days and lost many nights of sleep trying to examine myself. I wondered why he would think I was guilty of such ridiculous claims. Then I read a little on lie detectors and realized that they are not too reliable and that maybe God had something different in mind for me to do.

I start school on Tuesday and I have mixed feelings. It's been five years and I'm not excited to be the 31 year old in the class. I'm excited though to know that I will be working toward a better future.

Mandy continues to excel at work and she is following her goal of being a makeup artist. I'm happy that she is doing something she truly loves.

Laynie is starting to read really well. She is turning into a grown-up which scares me a bit. I love her so much and she is such a good kid.

Peyton is a mini Mandy. He is just as feisty and crazy as his mom at times. He really makes Mandy and I laugh. Laynie and Peyton are great playmates and keep each other busy even if it is fighting.

We hope that our friends and family are doing good and we think about you often. As Mandy has said this year is a year of changes and we will continue to work hard to achieve our goals as a family.

CHANGES

It's late (1:33am) and I have had a lot on my mind keeping me from sleeping. Some good, some bad, but overall still extremely blessed.

This past week we have heard about our lawsuit against Bank of America. The bad news, we didn't win. The judge ruled that homeowners needing a modification were not beneficiaries to the TARP money that B of A was given (45 billion). He also stated that the program was voluntary and that "we" as homeowners had no grounds to sue on dismissing the case completely. Although, I strongly disagree with the ruling I also knew that this was always a possibility. B of A will continue to purposely foreclose on homeowners. The way it works is this. I owe 300k on my home. B of A will probably sell this house for its market value of 150k. They will then go to Fannie Mae (guaranteed tax backed government owned loan) and collect the remaining balance of 150k recouping the entire loss. They will then go after me for the deficiency. Since the house will now be theirs, anyone that will be interested in buying the home will have to qualify with them, making them money on the new loan. This makes sense to them because they lose nothing. This is why the foreclosure crises will continue.

As for Mandy and I, we have fought for what we believe is right. After many prayers and lots of unknowns (being in limbo) we now know that we will end up having to move out of this house. We try to keep in mind though, that it is only a house, and that in the big scheme of things it really isn't that important.

Mandy continues to work over at Macy's doing make-up. She loves to make people feel good about themselves. The only bad thing about working there is her scheduling which really makes some weeks difficult with baby-sitting. She has finally found her passion in life.

As for me I'm continuing through the process with NHP (Nevada Highway Patrol). I have been offered a conditional letter of employment to work in the Vegas area. I will have to report to there academy on October 18th, depending on how I do on the last three test. In the next few weeks I will be taking a 2nd Physical exam, a Psych exam, and a Polygraph test. And if those work out I will still be tested in the academy which is in Carson City, NV for 5 1/2 months. It is a bit stressful to know that I will be gone from my family for a few months if these test work out. I'm excited too because I will be doing something opposite of the monotonous work of parking cars (8 years). I feel that I will actually have a career and that I will be doing something that is important.

I have also applied for financial aid for college and been approved to take some classes. I still have the desire to learn and eventually get a degree. I stopped going to school when we had Laynie and have always beat myself up for not completing my education. I know that it really is the key to success. I will have to hold out for another semester until this academy is done though.

Laynie is starting school this week. It is crazy to think that my little princess is going to be putting on a backpack and doing homework. I'm so thankful to have her in my life.

Peyton has almost got the potty training down. It has been a bit of a struggle, but he is starting to tell me when he needs to go which is great. Night time is still going to take a bit of work. He is a funny, short, little guy. When Mandy and I are driving around with the little man he mumbles a lot of the songs on the radio. He loves to sing and dance!

Like I said in the beginning we are truly blessed. As long as we stay focused and positive everything will work out.

Well here goes....

Yes its me Mandy updating the blog.. I know its crazy its been way to long but I cant sleep and my heart is full.

At this time in my life I feel so grateful for all of the many things that I have been blessed with in this life. Sometimes I feel like I get caught up in the little things and forget how i have been given so much. As I have been watching my kids grow older and interact more with each other over the last few months, i feel so grateful for their joyous spirits and their health. I love them more than life itself and more than i love myself. When I was growing up as a teenager I was never the type of girl that wanted a bunch of kids. I think I always knew I would be a mother, but was sure what that would intell. Now that I have these beautiful children I cant imagine my life without them. They make me laugh and want to scream everyday. I have been so blessed with these wonderful spirits and I feel like it is my duty in life to guide them, teach them everything I can.

My little Laynie is such a mirror of my personality that it crazy. She is just as sassy and stubborn as me. She is very smart for her age and cant wait to start school. We have been doing preschool with her at home to save money and she looks forward to it and catches on quickly. She is still enjoying doing her ballet but I am going to look into putting her into a more advanced class than the rec center b/c she loves it so much.


My little love bug Peyton is such a mommys boy that i love it most of the time but other times its a lot harder to get things done. He is very sensitive for a boy but loves to play rough with his toys and sissy. We are starting to potty train and he is doing so well with number 1! He makes me laugh so much because of all the funny things he says and does. He has his daddys happy go lucky personality but looks just like his mommy:)

Matt continues to amaze me all the time. Im so lucky to have a husband who tries to spoil me rotten by giving me my way. He loves my unconditionally all the time even at times where I have not loved myself. I had asked him on easter why did you pick me and he told me that it was because I was hot but I was humble..haha that was not the only reason but what a good guy. He really is my soul mate, and i know we were meant for each other. He was trying to get on with the highway patrol and did all the testing and did well but it has been put on hold with the state having such a big budget shortage. I was so proud of him for trying to better his situation though. I hope that it will eventually work out but for now he is going to try to start taking some classes at the college again.


I also feel the need to talk about my baby sis Haley. I want her to know how proud I am of her. She is such a special friend to me. I love both of my sisters but Haley has grown up so much in the last year and is such a talented young lady. I know she has been having a hard time lately but I also know she will get through it.

My Mom makes my life right now possible because she helps me watch the kids at night after working all day herself which I know is not easy. She is a good grandma to my kids and I know that when they are older they will appreciate being so close with their nanny. I love my family and I am grateful for their love and support that they give.

Now to the hard part where I am going to talk about me. For some reason tonight I feel a little bit emmotional. I have been having a hard time lately for lots of reasons but been trying to keep a positive outlook. I am for sure in denial about turing 28 partly because I cant believe im this old, and it makes me scared because if times goes by this fast I dont want my life to pass my by. Our house is still in limbo as we are now in a lawsuit against Bank of America, which still keeps me up at night. I hope and pray that everything works out the way its supposed to but its so hard to not know. I am still trying to loose my 10 lbs that has taken up residency but its so hard to stay focused. I am still doing makeup which I love. I am finally doing something I am so passionate about,I feel like I have learned so much. I hope to keep continuing to get better so that I can work for myself one day doing free lance makeup artistry. For now I will keep putting in my time even though the schedule can get a little crazy. Last sunday I was able to go to church after missing 3 weeks b/c I had to work and my heart was so full because I knew that was where i needed to be. When I work on sundays I am almost angry because I want to be at church with my family. My co-workers nicknamed me Mandy the Mormon. They like to poke fun at me but I try not to let it bother me. It has definetly been an adjustment working here but my attitude is to try and be an example to those around me and it has been. So many people have walked up to me and asked why I am so different than the people I work with and my response is that I just have different morals and beliefs. They are shocked but they respect me for it. I enjoyed last weeks conference so much and I feel like so many things are what I needed to hear. I often stress about the small things in life when they dont matter. I know I am blessed. I know I am loved. Yes there are things that could be better... but there are always things that could be worse.

There is lots more I could say but I will save it so it doesnt take me so long to blog again.

Groundhog Day Update

Sometimes life feels like the movie Groundhog Day! The same cycle of events, same frustrations, same highs, and the same lows. Get up, eat breakfast, run errands, eat lunch, go to work, come home, sleep, do it again! Along with days seeming the same, I'm at fault most of the time. I'm such a routine person! For example, when I go to a restaurant I always seem to get the same thing even though I'll sit and look at the menu for 20 minutes. I'll ask the waiter questions about the menu, even get suggestions, then still order what I knew I was going to in the first place.



The only thing that seems to denote time is seeing Laynie & Peyton grow and get brains of their own. Laynie is so funny these days. The other day she told me, "Dad, that's a hoopdee!" She loves learning and loves to write her letters. I'll just write down some words and she will copy them and ask what each one means. Laynie will be starting school this year after her 5th Birthday in May. As for Peyton he is just as funny! He's a little sensitive and cries very easy, but also gets pretty angry sometimes. He likes to battle Laynie all day and take all the toys she is playing with. He loves to eat and can really put it down just like his daddy. He does have the Sims tastebuds which are just as sensitive (P&B and J, oranges, chocolate milk, donuts). He will be turning 2 next month in April. Potty training has started, which is the biggest task to accomplish. He will sit and do a pee, but poops, they can't seem to make it there yet.


Mandy and I have been together now for over 8 years. I love my wife to death! She helps me so much and I love her more and more everyday. It seems like yesterday that we were married. She helps and supports me and our family in so many ways. She just celebrated her 28th birthday. We had some cupcakes, played some Rockband, and had a great time hanging out with family.

Although much of the days blend together, its the little moments that suprise and help you realize a few new things. Like in the movie Groundhog Day, if you get it right it will all be worth it!

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Merry Christmas

So I guess after about 4 months I can finally update this..
So since it is xmas eve and my kids are asleep and my hubby is at work gives me some time to reflect on the past year and think about the true meaning of christmas. I know that I have said over and over what a hard year it has been, probably the hardest of the whole time we have been married.. BUT we made it through and we still have each other and our health and all the many blessings that we are able to enjoy each day.
I love this time of year most of all because it gives me a chance to give to those who are not as fortunate and that is the best feeling of all. What a different feeling christmas has as a parent when you are the one doing all the giving. Makes me especially grateful for all I have been blessed with over the years. I hope that this Christmas season will bring us closer to the lord and to each other.
Happy holidays to all of you, may your season be bright!