- Who's the Leader of the Club . . . ME!!! -

- My Pammy -

Pamela Jane Durrant Hunsaker
February 28, 1953 - January 4, 2009

When an artist paints a picture of someone, they try to capture more than what first meets the eye. They try to capture everything about them from the inside out. The little intricacies of each line of their smile. The sparkle of kindness that lights up their eyes. How the winds of life trials float through their hair. The love they have felt in the rosiness of their cheeks. And the hearts they have touched through the details of each brush stroke. When the artist’s job is done, the canvas of the subject’s life is more than a beautiful painting. It speaks a thousand priceless words that otherwise cannot be described.

It’s hard to paint a portrait of my Pammy. SHE....was the one who danced through life with a paint brush in hand and a palate of vibrant colors splashing, painting, and spreading love and memories in all of our lives. Pam created for each of us special moments that only she could paint in her own beautiful way.

The portrait of Pam’s life spreads laughter and joy to all who she has come in contact with. And I, Pammy’s Manda, will always treasure the following memories....

• Singing oldies along with the radio while driving in California rush hour traffic after an amazing day at the beach.

• Starting the traditional skinny dipping event in Bear Lake together.

• Chocolate covered cinnamon bears, almonds in any form, steak and mushrooms, large diet cokes with a lemon, and always on Christmas Eve...peppermint ice cream with homemade hot fudge and brownies.
  

• Going to Jazz games as VIP guests and eating gourmet hot dogs together.
  

• Tagging along with her to her annual Treasurer’s conventions in St. George and the burnt almond fudge frozen custard she HAD to get at 10:00 at night.
  

• Sharing stories on how she kissed that guy...and that guy...and that guy when growing up.
  

• Helping her do marathon Christmas shopping when she didn’t feel good where my arms practically fell off trying to carry all the bags so she wouldn’t have to.
  

• Going to her boy’s games and girl’s recitals and being a tad embarrassed at how loud she cheered because she wanted to make sure her kids could hear her.
  

• Sliding down the old City Hall stairs having races on card board boxes and sharing that tiny office where we were packed in like sardines.
  

• Lint brushing her perfectly shaped bald head after Suzy shaved it during chemo....trying to lighten the situation.
  

• Participating in Relay for Life events and cheering for her while she proudly took her survivor laps.
  

• Running to her bedside after I went through the temple this summer just to give her a big hug because I knew how bad she felt because she was too sick to attend.
  

• Walking over to her house at any time of the day just to sit on the floor next to her bed....just to be with my Pammy.
  

My list could go on and on!!! She has been my mentor in every way. My second mom. My best friend. I know the brush strokes of Pam’s influence will definitely continue to paint masterpieces within all of our hearts.

She was an artist and her life was her canvas.
Celebrate her brilliance.

She loved life and it loved her back.
Celebrate her passion.

She listened to her heart above all other voices.
Celebrate her wisdom.

She saw every ending as a new beginning.
Celebrate her resiliency.

She ignored people who said it couldn’t be done.
Celebrate her independence.

She added so much beauty into being human.
Celebrate her presence.

She walked in when everyone else walked out.
Celebrate her friendship.

She just had this way of brightening the day.
Celebrate her radiance.

She made the whole world feel like home.
Celebrate her warmth.

She colored her thoughts with only the brightest hues.
Celebrate her optimism.

She ran ahead where there were no paths.
Celebrate her bravery.

She held her head high and looked the world straight in the eye.
Celebrate her strength.

She designed a life she loved.
Celebrate her joy.

She remained true to herself.
Celebrate her authenticity.

She made the world a better place.
Celebrate her.

- Life Stinks - By Pudge

One time...I had to go to the vet.

Ya know what I was told?
She said, "You've got to go on a DIET!"
And my persons are obeying her!

STUPID STINKY VET!!

Can you imagine what my Thanksgiving was like?!
So yeah...LIFE STINKS!!!

- I've Been Dreaming of a True Love's Kiss! -

I saw this fun test on a blog of a friend's - friend's - sister in law's - cousin's - brother's - wife's blog. Well not exactly along that path...but sometimes that's what it feels like, right? Anyway, it's fun so check it out!!

You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

- Endowed With Power -

My temple experience was ABSOLUTELY-AWESOMELY-AMAZING!!!!! I loved every bit of it!! I’ll admit, it was different…..but SO SO SO C-O-O-L!!! All of the cute workers, along with my family and friends, said that they have never seen anyone so excited to go through the temple!!! I’m sure they have, but they just thought it was fun seeing someone so excited. Apparently I was glowing and just happy as a lark! Little Miss Sunshine was definitely in the building!! I wasn’t nervous one bit which is actually quite unlike me. I just felt so prepared and ready for it that I could hardly contain myself!!!

My favorite was the washing and anointing and the beautiful blessings I received. Wow!!! It was pretty much the COOLEST THING EVER!!! Can you tell I’m still so excited?!! I’m so appreciative of all the love and support that everyone gave me. It felt really great and the fact that I actually accepted the love open-heartedly was even better. I just went around hugging everyone in sight!! The temple workers, my family, my bishop and his wife, and my cute little friends! I loved seeing everyone in their “white dress”. Wow! I loved it!! But I was a little worried that I may have been irreverent or something. I definitely still need to learn my temple etiquette. Especially what you can and cannot share outside of the temple. I wish I could just tell everyone everything so they could know what they are missing out on!!!! I just don’t get why people wouldn’t want to go to the temple every chance they can get. Sigh……

Anyway…most importantly, I felt my Heavenly Father’s love for me! It’s hard to describe other than it just felt SOOOO GOOD!!! My “ROAR” is louder than it has ever been in my life!!! Seriously. I’m not making it up. The temple is just so dang awesome!! I can’t wait to go back again and again and again!! My stake president just told me to enjoy the moment and not to think about it too much the first time, so that’s what I did. But now….it has opened up a whole can of worms into my little questioning mind. There is so much to learn and I can’t wait to increase my knowledge!!!! Any recommendations on where to start? I guess just going to the temple as much as I can is the way to go….especially since I’m a beginner.

- Oops!!! -

:) :) :) :) Oops!!! I think I just grinned my bummy off!!! I guess I won't have to worry about the "granny bum" dilemma. Just kidding. But yep, still grinning about the temple tomorrow afternoon!!! I AM SO EXCITED I CAN'T CONTAIN MYSELF!!! Seriously. I'm even having the hardest time sleeping cuz I can't contain my eager anticipation! I'm 200,000 times worse than a runny nosed kid on Christmas!!!

- Temple Mania -

I AM SO DANG EXCITED FOR THE TEMPLE THAT I THINK MY HEART IS GOING TO EXPLODE!!!!!

Here’s the series of fortunate events that caused this happy excitement:

I passed my interviews with my bishop and stake president…which I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO nervous about!!!! I was not so nervous about the interviews themselves, but more about the huge decision to make some serious covenants. I was so nervous that I started doubting my decision to go through the temple period. Then I decided it was that “motard” Satan who was trying to stop me and that going through the temple was something that Heavenly Father would want me to do. I was still a tad nervous until the stake president signed my recommend. Then all I could do was grin my bummy off!!! He even commented on how happy I was. Then I knew I had made the right decision and have been so happy since! I’m actually probably starting to annoy everyone cuz I can’t stop talking about it…even to the ladies at work!

On Saturday, I bought all my temple clothes. I love my cute little temple dress, but I’m worried that once I put it on in the temple I’ll start skipping around and start singing “the pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked.” Seriously! I feel like a cute little pioneer woman or something with it on. Sidenote: I walked over to my Aunt Pammy’s (my second mom) house to show her. She’s the one with the liver cancer and the giant hemotoma. Anyway, I put it on to show her and she started crying. Apparently she is so proud of me and feels so bad that she can’t come. That’s when I broke out into the pioneer children song and dance routine. I hate to see her cry but then it hurt when I made her laugh…so I guess it’s sort of a lose/lose for her, huh? No worries…I’ll make it up to her somehow.

Then this weekend, I passed out all my invites/announcements. My sister made them for me. They’re pretty dang awesome! I was just joking that she needed to put Amanda Diane on them, so of course she did! But I still love them anyway. I want to invite practically every single person I know to come!!!! Unfortunately, some of my extended family members don’t hold a current recommend…I’m gonna work on them. I gave them invites anyway hoping to spark a little somethin’ somethin’ to get them motivated to do what’s right.

Today on my lunch break, my mom, my sister, and I went to buy my garmies!! I was such a nerd there. All I could do was grin and tell the lady, “I don’t know!” I’m pretty much went with what my sister likes…and some other one that was #2 on my poll results. But I did tell the lady I was worried about having a granny bum….cuz the waist on them is so dang high! I don’t want the waistband to be all the way up to my arm pits. Then I felt a tad embarrassed because I’m sure she’s a grandma…but she totally understood what I meant and agreed that the granny bum is not a good thing. So we’ll see how it all goes….I’m sure I’ll adjust to the granny bum if it happens. After all, I won’t have too much of a choice, right?

Holy cow!!! My face is getting tired….I just CANNOT stop grinning!!! I’m so excited!!!