Moments by Mandy photography Update

I have done it. I have officially photographed a wedding :). Well 2 temple shots, and 3 receptions, a mini bride and groom session, and a bridal shoot. In the last 3 months I have been so busy with pictures that i haven't any time to post. I am back, and can't wait to show you the results.

Liz and her beautiful eyes.

Love and skittles. All is right with the world.

Just a party going on here

Emily dressed like the princess she was

Emily married Justin, The boot was too cute.

Packing vs UNpacking

Packing is one of those enivitable things that happen in everyone's life. I however have done it more times than most. I have moved about 16 times that I remember. All in the same city too.

I moved out of the city of McKinney! (gasp) No worries, I am moving one city over. Closer to work, and to church. Plus I am liking the new apartments. They are very friendly, and pretty. They have great parking (this matters at 1am).

Packing however still sucks. I hate living out of boxes. Having only a 10th of your normal stuff to use. My whole front room is boxes/bags for tomorrow so my friends helping me move will just have to shove it in the trucks. The move was good. About 8 people helped me move. I know the hardest part was after all my furniture was out of the old apartment, and I had to clean and remove all the little things from the old apartment. I was so tired by that point that I almost collapsed.

All in all I finished, exhausted, but home. I counted the number of stairs I took. My old apartment has 2 stairwells of 19 stairs, and my new apartment just has 19 stairs.

2 * 19 = 38 (number of stairs) * 26 (times I went up the stairs) * 2 (because I had to come down also) = 1976 steps of the old apartment alone = 1 MILE OF STAIRS.

Not to forget the other stairwell that I went up and down, but I forgot to count those times. So about a mile and half of stairs. Now thats hard enough, but add carrying boxes, bags, and heavy/awkward things down the stairs, and then running back up. I really don't know what I was thinking.

Now I'm i the new apartment, and I have to unpack. I' not going to lie I'm not quite done yet, and I'm ok with it. I figure after living in boxes for 2 weeks, another day isn't going to hurt anything. I'm mostly unpacked, but it's things like my craft baxes that I haven't put away. Partly because I don't know where I am going to put them yet. I will know soon, because the boxes are bugging the crap out of me.

I must say that I like to unpack, and I love putting things away in a new place, but I learned that I am throwing away so much paper, and boxes. Thats the bad part about unpacking. The pile of boxes that you have to get rid of.

One day soon I will be done, and then pictures will be soon to follow. I love my new apartment, It's bigger, and closer to everything I do.

Proud to be a daughter

So tonight my Mother got her Young Women Recognition Award. If you don't know what it is, it is an award celebrating a young woman (normally ages 12-18) for completing all of her goals in her personal progress. You complete 6 experiences in the 8 values:

1. Faith
2. Divine Nature
3. Individual Worth
4. Knowledge
5. Choice and Accountability
6. Good Works
7. Integrity
8. Virtue

Some experiences include paying tithing, be a peace maker, participate in family history, learning a new skill, study the Young Women's Theme,  giving service to others, fasting, and prepare to be worthy to enter the temple. The colors represent each value they correlate to. These values is what Young Women learn and strive to live. 

Young Women Medallion

Now I received my Recognition when I was in high school. But my mom wasn't able to attend all the meetings required when she was in high school. Her ward was in Greenville, and she lived in McKinney (yes even all the way back then she was still in McKinney) about 53 miles away, which is really hard to drive on a school night. So tonight she was recognized as doing all the requirements to get the medallion. 

When she walked across the rostrum I was so proud. I'm not her mother, but I can truly say that I know what pride goes through a mother as she watches her child achieve something. No I didn't push her to get the award, she wanted to do it on her own; but I know the struggles she went through to receive the award. I have also been there, gone through the struggles and had the elation of achieving the goal. 

I am proud to say that both the Women in my family have received our Young Women Medallion. It's a tradition in our family now. One that I cherish.

Running

So I was watching the Olympic Trials for the Marathon the other day when I found myself saying out loud

I want to run a marathon...did I just say that?

Yes I said those exact words! To hear those words come out of my mouth is like a tiny miracle, and part insane.

1. I hate running just to run. I think it is evil. I don't see the point in it.
2. The only time I like to run is when playing a sport, because then you are not running, you are playing.
3. Running on a treadmill might be the death of me. At least if I have to run I want to feel the breeze of the wind on my face.

My inspiration

Now saying all this I still really do want to run in a marathon. All 26.2 miles. All the crazy hills, and sore feet; the time when you want to give up because you hurt, and the times that your body is screaming out in pain and you are wondering how you keep taking that next step, but all in all you don't want to give up.

So I know I am not in the kind of shape that I can just go out and run for a long period of time. Heck I have never been in that kind of shape. I think the longest run I have ever been on was for soccer in 10th grade, we ran for 40 minutes straight and I thought that was a long time. So I have been reading up on how to prepare for running greater distances. 

Now that I have committed myself to run, I find myself watching every movie/show and just wanting to run. But I have one tiny problem. My shoes are already packed. So I have promised myself that my running shoes are going to be the first things unpacked in my new apartment. So I can start on my journey to a marathon. 

I may change. In fact I hope I do! I want to change into someone who loves to run, who sees the freedom that running brings, and who can loose themselves in the exercise. 

Lost in the Sunset

Tonight as i got home I looked out my window to see the most amazing sunset.

I already think I have the best view in the city, but this just proves it!
The colors are amazing! The blends of the yellows to the pinks. I love them all

All these pictures were from 7:25-7:58pm. What a sight.

ok, I'm done being single

Yesterday was an interesting day. I woke up early to leave with enough time to get to work early to get a little bit of OT in. Everything was going great, and I even was having an ok morning, eggo's were good, and I packed my lunch. I went down to my car, and thats when things went wrong.

Torii(my car) started just fine. But as I was pulling out of my apartments I remembered that one of my tires was low, so I went to a gas station to get air in my car. I pull in, and for some reason instead of adding air to my tire, it really deflated it. So I drive (rather slowly now) to another gas station not too far away. I fill up the no flat tire, and the light didn't go off. So I kept filling up the tire that I thought was low.  I filled the tire for a long time, and the low light never went away. None of the other tires seemed low, and I don't own a tire gauge (don't worry I'm buying one soon.) So I tried to add air to the other front tire. Nothing changed. Finally I called a friend to come help me. As I got off the phone a nice man came and asked me if I needed help. He had a gauge, and saw that my two front tires were overfilled! The one that I had put the more air in was actually WAY over inflated. So he fixed both of them to the normal level. Thank you! But the low tire light was still on, and I needed to get to work. Finally Cleave arrived, and he helped me fill the only tire that looked fine, and was actually the low one (go figure.)

So why am I ready to not be single any more? I am really rather done with having to take care of all the "manly" things. I didn't grow up with a man in the house, and IDK all the inner workings of a car. When to get an oil change, when to replace my tires, how to know what tire needs filling. Things like that. I am ready to cook for some one other than myself. To keep track of two schedules.

Being single has been and still is really fun, however there comes a time when being single and free isn't so freeing anymore, and you become ready to take the next step in life. I think I am at that point in time.

Food Glorious Food

I came home tonight hungry. This is a great sign for me. Why? #1 It means that I didn't buy dinner. #2 It means that I want something from home. I looked through my pantry, and there isn't much. I'm getting ready to move, so I don't want a lot of food to have to move along with all the furniture that I have acquired.

crescent rolls with meat

So I found some pre-made meat, and then some crescent rolls, and I decided to make meat in a blanket.

pre oven

They turned out GREAT! I threw them in the oven for a little longer then they said because I learned that they take longer to cook.

right out of the oven. They smelled Great!

When they were done I dipped them in spaghetti sauce. This is so exciting for me! I can cook! I don't mind eating my own food, and reheating my own food. PLUS I can save money. WOO HOO.

 

Women at the Well... Continued

Tonight is the night before the big reveal! Tomorrow is the Women at the Well Cast Party! I get to watch the video... again. It's a good thing I really love the show, and I love the songs too. As I am now just finishing up making the dvd's to give to the cast members, I have some time on my hands. Each dvd takes about 10 mins to burn.

So here is a sneak peak of the show... In pictures. The pictures I am going to post are all my pictures, even though I did get more pictures from other photographers at the events I do not have the rights to those pictures.

The Well

Some of the set (Que is amazing)

I love how the scenery even had fruit

This might be my favorite. The poor vase

More of the gorgeous scenery! It's just a table but is so much more!

Friday night Cast

Saturday night cast! I love everyone of these women! (And the little Nephite boy too)

What more is there to say? This was one of the hardest things I have ever taken on. I knew it was going to be challenging to edit the movie, but this wouldn't have looked as good as it does without help from my Heavenly Father. Even though I have watched the movie about 20 times. I still find new places where I feel the spirit overwhelm me!

So a big THANK YOU goes out to all those involved in making this production go as smoothly as it did. The women (and men) that I worked with are all truly amazing! They have taught me so much of how to use my talents and let them shine.

doTERRA

Ok, I am very skeptical about medicines, weight loss drugs, or any other OTC product that claims to help hundreds of people. Especially when the change is suppose to happen rather quickly. But I think I found a product I can stand behind. It's call doTERRA, it's an essential oil  that can be used for some medicines, but also for cleaning products too.

After the first class i went to I was hooked. I have always liked alternative medicines. I don't know why exactly but I know that Heavenly Father made the earth with every essential need for us. Think of people in the days of Noah's Ark. I don't see them having Tylenol lying around to take when they had a headache, but they must have had something right. Well they did. Peppermint is a great cure for the common headache.

Peppermint Essential Oil
Mentha piperita

Peppermint is popular in countless forms, from toothpaste to chewing gum. As an essential oil, it is useful to ease breathing and as a digestive aid*. For aromatic, topical, or dietary use.

Believe me I have tried this, one drop of this oil, and BAM your headache is not gone completely, but definitely down, and in time the headache goes away completely. 


Another Oil that I have just been introduced to is 

Wild Orange Essential Oil
Citrus sinensis

Cold-pressed from the orange peel, wild orange is excellent for energizing and revitalizing. It is also commonly used as an effective tool for uplifting mood, as well as for its wonderful citrusy aroma. For aromatic, topical, or dietary use.

This on is AMAZING! Just one tiny drop in my hands every morning before I start work. All I do is breathe it in, and I really do feel energized for the day! With how crazy it can get at work sometimes, this really helps me to be energized, but not be jittery *why I hate energy drinks. It really is amazing!


I can't wait to learn more about all of the oils! I just told mom to use the Peppermint for her Thyroid too. Could you just imagine if that could work, and she could not have to be dependent on medicine to feel better? I am very interested to see the results! If you would like to know more about them just let me know! i can hook you up too!

Getting antsy

So next week is MY BIRTHDAY! I love my birthday week. I love celebrating for the whole week, because I am special, I had a pin that told me and everything. Haha. But I really enjoy birthdays. Maybe even more than holidays. Holidays are special for everyone, but not everyone has your birthday. It is special. But this year is not just any birthday it's my... GOLDEN BIRTHDAY! (Reference) 

So I will be turning 30 on the 30th. There I said it, it's out loud now. I am going to be 30. Where did the time go? I'm not nervous, I don't think the world is going to stop turning, Just happy that this Friday I get to join the 30 club. They say 30 is the new 20 right? I think I am going to have to test that theory out.!

Why did I go into work today?

Today has been a day when I should have listened to my idea to call in sick this morning. I did come in at 7am this morning because I am leaving early for a dentist appointment (the only thing that has kept me sane today). About 9am when everyone else arrived our main program completly shut down! On our busiest day of the week! So since 9 am we have all been waiting for the program to return, and they won't let us go home! Oh I think about this morning, and wish I would have been sick wnough to stay home! I was tired enough, but I knew I needed to come in... boy was I wrong!

iMac = iLove

So my newest toy... the 21 inch iMac! I have been doing my research for the last couple of months. I have been wanting a new computer, and debating over getting an iMac, or going back to a PC. I have owned many PC's before, and while I really do like them, for the jobs that I am doing the iMac was the definite winner. I am now doing mostly video, and picture editing. While the PC can do all of the editing I want; I have to buy the software separately; while the iMac came with both video and photo editing abilities already on it!

So I am becoming a Mac-girl. I now own an iPhone (4 yrs) a Macbook (3 yrs) and now an iMac (1 week)  It is soooo pretty! I am impressed with the speed, but most of all I love that it has 1 Terrabyte of hard drive space! I am loving that! My Macbook only had about 120 Gb on it, and I was full (only had 2.1 Gb left)

I am now editing video of Women at the Well. The ease, and speed of which I can work astounds me! I can't wait to be finished!

Isn't it pretty?

Vacation Bucket List



As many of my friend have been, or are talking about going on a vacation (and because I so desperately want to go on a vacation) I have decided that I am going to make a vacation bucket list. This is either places I want to go, or things I want to do. 



Las Vegas



Cruise



 



Walt Disney World

  



Skiing

 



 

  







New York, NY



 



London

  





Venice

 







Vactions that change places:











SUPERBOWL



College Final Four



Olympics