Thankful Thursdays 04/25/13

Music: Come With Me - The Del-Vikings




The SUN is shining!!!! For those of you who don't live in Northwest Montana, you may be saying "So. What. Boring." Well, for your information, a bright sunny day in April up here is about as rare as a purple polka dotted rhino. So this is pretty dang exciting! All my NW MT peeps, em' I right? Holla!

Ooookaaay, enough of trying (and failing spectacularly) to sound hip...let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming.

1. My mountains. I don't climb them. I don't bike them. I don't even really hike them, but I love them all the same. I've lived my whole life next to this portion of the Rockies, so to me they're a symbol of home. Seeing them on the horizon after I've been away on a trip is almost a relief. Kind of like crawling under your favorite blanket after a rough day. That's what my mountains are to me.

(How could you not love them?)

2. Crystal. My Chiquita Bonita (for more info why I call her this shoot me a comment). I've been blessed to call her my friend for almost fifteen years. We were roommates for three years...until some boy came by, swept her off her feet and made her his bride...pssshhhttt, boys...Hi, Justin! We've gone on mission trips together. Endured the heat of the Gorge Ampitheater to see numerous Creation festivals. We've done Harry Potter and Disney cartoon marathons (yes, we're still 12 years old at heart). We've laughed and cried...sometimes both at the same time.We have almost completely opposite personalities (she was a cheerleader in high school, and I was and always will be a nerd), but it works for us. She can always cheer me up when I'm feeling blah, and I hope that I can do the same for her. I love ya, Crystal!

(Miss Gorgeous Perma-tan and Miss Wonder Bread)

3. BBC period dramas. I LOOOOOVE them. Pride and Prejudice, Emma, North and South, Persuasion, Jane Eyre, Cranford, Sense and Sensibility, Wives and Daughters. The empire waist dresses, the grand estates, the rain and mist, the sweeping vistas, the repressed emotions, the brooding heroes, and spirited heroines...siiiiggghhh...

Remembering Nannie...

It was a year ago today that we lost my grandma, and I just wanted to share with you guys some of the things that made my Nannie so wonderful and what I miss about her.

1. Geraniums and petunias were always on your patio no matter if you lived in Washington, Montana, or Utah.

2. Having sleepovers with you and Poppie in the motor home.

3. Airstream trailers

4. Jean Nate After Bath Perfume.

5. Being wrapped in your soft arms (you always had the softest skin, Nannie).

6. Swedish pancakes bathed in butter and lemon juice with as much sugar as we wanted sprinkled on top.

7. Praying with a scared seven year old while her mommy was in the hospital giving birth to her little brother.

8. The Wind Beneath My Wings

9. Our trip to Disneyland.

10. You calling me "Mandi Honey" "Mandi Dear" or even just "Hey, baby" (You were always one of the very few that could call me "baby" without driving me nuts).

11. The absolute joy you took in playing us Happy Birthday on that little keyboard of yours.

12. Your amazing party planning skills. You made everything a celebration.

13. Your tap dance routine.

14. San Diego

15. Your meatloaf. Try as we, might Mom and I have never been able to replicate it.

16. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. You put on some epic holiday dinners.

17. Even when you were so sick and in excruciating pain, that was still no excuse not to have your hair done,  lipstick applied, nails painted, and best Alfred Dunner ensemble on when you went to your doctor's appointments.

18. Your adventurous, gypsy spirit. You could never stay in one place for very long. Pretty soon your feet would start itching, and you and Poppie were off in your motorhome! Branson, MO, Mitchell, SD, Nova Scotia, Catalina Island, Philadelphia, PA, Yellowstone, and so many more places than I can remember right now.

19. Your smile and laugh.

20. Your love for all your kids, kids in laws, and grandkids.

Nannie, you helped shape me into the woman I've become. Because of you I love to cook. I'm a little bit of a clothes horse. I CANNOT leave the house in less then jeans and decent shirt. I'm proud of my Swedish/German heritage. I have a slightly itchy pair of gypsy feet, and a deep, deep love for my family.

I love you Nannie, and miss you still...

Thankful Thursdays 04/11/2013

Music: Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson

           Take On Me - A-Ha

Yes, I'll admit it. I slacked off, and didn't do a post last week. In my defense, last Thursday I was packing and girding my loins for a ladies retreat in Billings. Yes, I said "girding my loins", what? The girding of the loins was for the eight hour drive in the backseat of a fifteen passenger van. Since I don't get car sick (there's a suspicious number of ladies in our church who do get car sick ... not saying that it's not true, just suspicious...love you, ladies!), I always volunteer/get nominated to ride in the back. It's really not that bad, but after a while even someone who is on the short side tends to get cramped legs and loses all feeling in their tuchus (rear/bottom/butt/gluteus maximus (and mine is maximus!) ). Okay, sorry, that was a rabbit trail. Back on topic. So that was my excuse for not posting anything. Now on to the thankfulness. 

1. Ladies retreats. To quote Sheri Rose Shepherd "We laughed, we cried, we ate too much, and slept too little."  What a fantastic time! I was part of a trio who were asked to do a series of skits. I learned two new favorite quotes, "Don't compare your journey with someone else's." and "Don't compare your behind the scenes feature with someone else's highlight reel." One of the speakers was a vice principal at an international school in the United Arab Emirates, and she put on a traditional Emirate tea for us (the cardamom coffee was awesome!). I re-learned that grown women can have the sense of humor of a twelve year old boy (complete with jokes about gas). We saw a ballet concert! I met up with dear friend whom I haven't seen in over a year. I laughed until my face hurt, shed a few tears, got very little sleep, but oh, was it worth it!

2. My sweet friend, Chelsey. Here is a girl after God's own heart. She is one of the most genuine people that I know. She truly cares about others, and if she says that she'll pray for you, she will. Her fervor to know more about the Lord is incredibly inspiring. She's in the Word daily. She challenges me to listen more and talk less...which is kinda hard, sometimes. She's the best at getting me off the couch, and heading outside to do something. She cares about me and my health so much that she took the time to set up the "13 Week Coffee Bean Walking Challenge!" (if you're curious about this, shoot me a comment below) all so I can get ready to walk my first 5K in June. She's the biggest peanut butter and chocolate fiend that in the world. No. For reals. Seriously, she is. Also, her love for Switchfoot and Jeremy Camp knows no bounds. She's always up for a some new adventure whether it's trying a new restaurant, going on a road trip, or hiking a new trail. I'm completely blessed to have her in my life. Chelsey, my friend, you are a jewel!!

3. 80's pop and rock. Whether it's Poison, Tears For Fears, Bon Jovi, or The Police, this genre is my not so guilty pleasure...Madonna and Culture Club, you're not invited to the party, though. Sorry.