- 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!!!

- Mandy's Poll -

Good morning fellow sisters in Zion! I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. I sure did! Wasn’t it absolutely BEE-YOU-TEA-FULL?!

Announcement: I’m not sure you have all heard, but on July 11^th Mandy will become endowed with power! That’s right…I’ve decided to go through the temple on my birthday. Yipee!!! I know…I know…it’s about time, right? Anyway, I’ve decided it would be fun (and beneficial to Mandy) to take a poll on the different flavors of garments. So…what kinds do you like and dislike? Any little facts and findings on what you’ve discovered? Any temple preparation tips? Anything you’ve got or would like to share would be awesome!

When you get a minute, let me know. Thank you for being such great examples of women of faith to me! Love you all tons!!!

PS: If you’d like a copy of the poll results…I’d be glad to share. I might even make a pie chart or graph or something to display my findings. You know…just for kicks.

- Flubber Bustin' News -

Hey there Mandy Pandy’s Flubber Buster Biggest Loser Fan Club!!!

Here’s the scoop:

Good News: Since February 4th, Mandy’s lost 20.8 lbs, 19.25 inches, and 5% body fat. WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! (I've been meeting once a week with my team and our trainer. We've been exercising our bums off! Literally!!)

Bad News: Mandy will not – I repeat – will not be moving on to the next round. I’m sorry to disappoint you all. (Sniffle, sniffle, sob, sob…) For those of you who are extremely sensitive, hold back those tears for there is more good news ahead!

Good News: There’s a new twist in the game!! All those competitors eliminated from the first round, which includes me, can still workout on our own to come back in August to claim victory!!!! I still have a chance!!!! Go Mandy…it’s your birthday!! (Groovin in my chair at my desk! Dang! The Mayor just walked by while I was in mid-celebration. Hee…hee….I’m just a tad bit embarrassed!) But honestly, there’s a chick on another team that has lost over 50 lbs and I’m afraid I won’t be able to catch her. But that ain’t gonna stop me from trying!!!!! Anywhooo…..I’m sharing with you all so I will be held accountable, k? So when you see me, just give me a high five and a “Keep on keepin on sista!”

Stay tuned for more “flubbie bustin” progress reports. Thanks! Love ya! Bye!