November Keepsake

I want to say something beautiful tonight, but what I have to say is terrible and painful. I'm waiting for something new to say that won't hurt everytime.
I've lost what's inside of me, and I'm never alone.
I could write a list of names, and I believe in this list burning inside of me. Someday this fire burning inside of me will be, and will never be alone.
My darling, this time it's going down.
Remember every year before now, now take someone out of the picture every year. A shot gun blasts as new years past. It's time that we let go. Novemeber always comes back and all that's past always comes down, and I'm going down.

Why ask why

So here I am on this lovely fall morning, trying to figure out why God allowed both my phone and my coffee maker to go to the grave today. The answer I have come up with has something to do with "thou shalt not be productive", but I don't know if that's a real bible verse or not. So, instead I'm going to go with the better alternative and new agey meaning of "I'm gonna get a blackberry and a new coffee maker today, woo-hoo."
See, God turns our losses into something beautiful. The turn-around isn't usually this fast, but none the less, a brilliant lesson to be had.
Now for something completely different:
Aiden had a major reaction to wheat/glutein yesterday. Benadryl and all. I had suspected he had some kind of intolorence for a while but I've never seen anything so concrete about it. Hives, itching, upset, intesinal issues. Woa. So for real, wheat free here again. The biggest chanllange is going to be getting the DR to write me a note for the school. Forward, ever forward. And he recognized that it was making him sick which is also a good sign that he is going to come out of this fog he's been in for several weeks. Pray for my guy. He's so sweet, bit so young to have to deal with so many health issues and social challanges. He's a trooper.
Ya know what would make me feel better right now...?

Note: the look on Todd Packer's face

Christmas gifty sneak-peak

I decided that this year I'm actually going to try my hand at gift making. Now, we all know that I am not the "craftiest" girl out there. So I tried to find things that would play up my strong suits (ie. no sewing, glass chiseling, etc) The reason I'm so excited about doing all my gift giving this way this year is because a)it's cost effective b)it's earth friendly, but it's also personal (so don't make fun of my creations!)
I wanted to share a list of what I'm planning to make, as well as post pictures of things as they are finished along the way. Today was a list making and planning day. I got myself a binder to keep my plans in, and a tote to put things in to keep the kids away from everything during the day.
Now here's the dilema: if I tell you all the details you may find out about what I'm planning on making you for Christmas. So, enter at your own risk.
None of my crafts were really very creative ideas, but I have come up with ways to incorporate lots of "Mandisms" that should keep it all very interresting.

-Home-made recipe books with pictures and lots of practical information. I don't want to give away too much, but they will be titled "The Fastest Way to Your Man's Heart". So you will get some of my favorite recipes along with plenty of my creative writing. Most of the recipes are my own, and a few are family recipes. This is going to be my main gift to give to family and friends and will probably be the most time consuming, so I'm donna have to get plenty of printer ink ;)

-"I'm Sew Glad We're Friends" gifty-baskets. This is what I'm probably going to be giving to my mops moms and a few others. A few of the things included are: some cute fabric to play with, fun scissors, unique buttons, and lots more (depending what I can get a good deal on) all in some really cute little baskets

(OK, so I have to stop here to mention that all the rest of the things on my list have a secret "theme". It's going to rock your socks, but I can't reveal it yet. So many of these things sound typical right now, but trust me, this is going to be fun)

-Drink Marker Rings (for stemware, and mugs and cups with handles)

-Specialty Ornaments

-Bottle Brush Trees (that you won't want to put away when Christmas is over)

Okay, so aside from all the gifties I am going to do the 'ol candy and cookies gifties too. However, I did find an really cool cookie recipe for "animal pull toy" cookies for kiddies.
Next weekend will be my main shopping weekend for supplies, and after that I will post pictures of some items as they are completed.
6 weeks 6 days until Christmas. Pray for me.

Mandi's Flying Circus

I know, you've all had to wait a very long time for this, and here it is. A blog, by me. After months of being on medication to treat my post partum depression I am now well and rejuvinated, and best of all I have me wit back. Look out. So as a special treat, but don't expect this stuff everyday, I am going to share some silly ramblings from my life and my mind. With out further ado...


This is my brother, Wes. Some of you may remember him as a semi normal little boy who enjoyed soccer and power rangers. Now he has this mustache.(oh, and that is his normal girlfriend)



This is a tree that recently ALMOST fell on my parents house.



This year I volunteered to do some work at home to help out Aiden's teacher. What you see in this picture is an example of what she has been sending home to me. HUNDREDS of triangles to cut out. I have decided there are only 3 possible conclusions that can be drawn from this. 1)I am being punished for giving birth to an exrta-terrestrial brain leech 2)This is some kind of test. I'm very concerned about what will happen if I don't make the shapes "exact" as she requested in the intructions she sent home. 3) The third possibility had something to do with laziness, but upon further consideration I have ruled this one out because of the fact that she spends 7 hours a day with first graders.


This is a picture from the openning Sounders game I went to several months ago. I just wanted to post it.

Other than that I really don't have anything to add. I should probably go to bed, I have been suffering from what we have been calling "the illness that shall not be named", and I don't tell people what it is that I probably really do have, because I would no longer be accepted in public settings without having to wear a giant pig patch on the my clothing at all times.

It's good to be back. And I leave you with one more cheery little thing:

chili days

Trying to figure out what to do with all that left over chili? Here's how I turned it into another meal...

1 box Jiffy cornbread
leftover chili
1-2 cups grated cheese
1 can of creamed corn

First mix the jiffy cornbread according to the directions on the box, you will need a couple other things like eggs and milk.
Then add the creamed corn into the jiffy mixture.
Next thoroughly grease a casserole dish before pouring half the cornbread mixture in. Then layer the leftover chili on top. Then the cheese. Then top off with the rest of the cornbread mixture.
Bake 375 for 45 minutes.

green pastures

What is this place? Oh, I think I remember it from a long time ago when I was young. I don't know what it's called but it sure is nicer than the place where I just came from. It wasn't bad there, because I wasn't alone, but it was really hard to see where I was going.
But this place is really nice, not as scary. I wonder how long I will be allowed to stay here. I want to tell my friends about it, but I bet they've never even heard of it.
The place I was in before was like a swamp, and there were so many beasts I had to slay it was a lot of work.
Here it's so lovely and quiet, I think I could just lay down and take a nap. But I don't want to rest too long because I want to help my friends find their way here too.
It's a good thing I followed that guy with the sandals on or I never would have made it here in one piece.

if you've never heard of my favorite artist, James Christiansen, I'm introducing you now. Art for the thinkers. Here's a website with his entire catalogue

http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/christensen/