Mandy's Blog

It has been noted by ER Doc that I have been slow on blogs, and it has been so. I have been very busy with learning my new job and have not paused much to write. Well, things are lightening up and I have about 2 more nights of work. In the mean time. I am copying in some of Mandy's blog.

Mandy has a blog that can only be shared with her family. This bothers her because she wants others to see what she has to say. So her you go. I think she has great thoughts on different subjects.

Blog 1 Mountain Bike Race

Hi, you know how some people might think that Mountain Biking is only for boyswell its not cause I do it.I know some of you girls out there don't want to gethurt .And I know how you feel .I do Mountain Bike Racing and I fall down and get hurt a lot but don't let that get in my way of having fun.soif that got you wanting to get up and go Mountain Biking ,then first here are a few tips 1:WHERE A HELMET2:WHERE SOME MOUNTAIN BIKING GLOVES 3:PRACTICE4:TAKE IT EASY. And that's it .Hope you have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Blog 2 Work

Wow what a day ,I mean life is hard with all the work u have to do .I wonder what it would be like with out work ?Well one things right the world wouldn't be the same.If I had no work to do I would probably be shopping, but life isn't like that cause with out work the world would be a trash.Man life is not perfect.


Blog 2 French

I'm learning how to speak in French!!!!!!!!!!!This is how u say actor in French, l'acteur {m} l'actrice {f}.This how u say {to be} afraid avoir peur, air l'air {m}, add ajouter, alone seul ,angel l'ange {m},art l'art {m},bag le sac,ballerina la ballerine,beautiful beau {bel, belle},birthday l'anniversaire {m},bright vif {vive},cage le cage,candle la bougie,cat le chat,chicken le poulet,city la grande ville,country le pays,computer l'ordinateur {m},dance danser,and lots of other stuff u should learn other lunguges ,it's really fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Blog 3 Christmas

WOW CHRISTMAS WAS GREAT !!!!!WE GOT A WII FROM MY MOM AND DAD ,AND ALL WENT WELL.NO FIGHTS AT ALL .SO FAR NOBODY HAS GOT ADDICTED TO .LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW HAVE GOTTEN ONE.WELL SINCE THE WII COST A LOT WE DIDN'T REALLY GET THAT MUCH STUFF, SO THAT DOESN'T GIVE ANYTHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT .TALK ABOUT GOOD ENDING.


Blog 4 My Birthday

My Birthday this year was the best.I got a Guinea Pig!!!!!!!!!It's a male,It has white hair,It has red eyes,And it's a baby.If your looking for a small pet thats fun a Guinea Pig is good choise .


Blog 5 A Moment to Remember


A Moment To Remeber
Last week my Guinea Pig died. Everybody in my family was very sad.So I went and got two more Guinea Pigs and this time Girls.Mine is black and her name is Steffani the family Guinea Pig is White,Orange,And Black and her name is coco

Cross Country Skiing

I went cross country skiing today for the first time. Dot and I took Joey, Johnny and Mandy up to Sundance to try it out. This was the very first time for Mandy on skis and my first time on cross country skii. Oh, and my first time on skiis since 1993.

Mandy did great. We started out with a little bit of a struggle trying to figure out how to go forward, how to get our selves unwrapped fomr skiis twisted around, how to get up after falling down and how to go down hill. As time went on Mandy got better and better, and so did I, but not as much as her. Mandy was all for going downhill and was not worried about falling or anything else. Me I went downhill sitting on my skiis. Eventually (the very last hill) I was able to stand, but it took a lot more practice than Mandy.

The skiing was fun and I can't wait to go again.

Mandy trying to figure out how to stand up.

Daydreaming about the fun she is about to have.

Johnny checking out all the skiis.

My first fall as I tried to navigate down a very small down slope.

Having fun skiing. Johnny leading the way.

Sliding down the hill on my skiis. Mandy & Johnny went down standing up.
Finally learning to navigate down the hill.
Joey showing me how to go down a hill.

Skeleton World Cup

This is my friend Noelle. This is a cool picture of her. You can read about how she is doing at the World Cup here.

Rumor Mill

It is amazing how things can spread around an office. On Tuesday the gal in charge of recruitment quit to take a job close to her home. My manager came and talked to me yesterday (Wednesday) about taking her position. Now I need to regress.

Just before Christmas my manager asked me if I would like to sell Internet Advertising there were not a lot of specifics, and he said we would talk when he got back, which was this week. While he was gone another manager came to me and is considering having me sell advertising for a web page on our web site.

So now that I have regressed let me go forward. My manager came and talked to me about the recruitment position and also about the Internet. We talked about the possibility of me doing both positions and then he asked me to keep it between us two until he talked to the publisher. He emailed the publisher right after we met and she said it looked like a good idea and she would get back to him. He let me know and since then it was supposedly just between the two of us.

Well, what wasn't between the two of us was the fact that she quit. Once she gave her notice she let everyone in our office know. Since she let everyone know, everyone realized there was going to be a vacancy. After that everyone decided who was going to get the position and it seems I was the logical choice. Anyway today I had a few people say they heard I was taking over her position, and one even knew about the Internet advertising. So much for secrets, I can't believe how quickly things get spread around.

Reality Check

Went to spin class this morning. Thought it shouldn't be too bad as I really haven't quit riding. Boy was I wrong, 45 minutes into the class I got dizzy and lightheaded and actually had to quit spinning for a couple of minutes. It was very embarassing that I had to stop, and it made me realize I need to work on my fitness level. Ther is nothing more humbling than learning you have not have progressed as far as you hoped. Oh well, although reality can be somewhat harsh at least it gives you something to reach for.

Snow Shoeing

I went snow shoeing with Steve this morning. It was a perfect day for going, the weather was great and you couldn't have asked for better temperatures. This was my first real snow shoeing excursion. I went once before, but that was to clear trail for the frozen hog, so it doesn't really count.

Now there is a funny thing you should know if you go snow shoeing with Steve. He is about 6'8 and has very long legs. It took me at least 2 strides for his one. I thought this was funny and could only imagine what it must be like for his wife when they go shopping. I am guessing he has probably gotten used to be a very casual walker. Which is pretty much what he did for this excursion. He would go casually ahead and then wait for me to catch up. Luckily I wasn't too far behind so he didn't have to wait too long. You know it seems that the same thing happens when we ride mountain bikes....I am beginning to see a pattern here.

Meadow at part of the trail. This would be a great place to make a snow man.

This is how far ahead Steve usually is.

Tibble Fork Trail.

Perfect place for a photo op.
Going around the downed tree.
Another great photo op.

Can You See the Elk????

Broke my own rule about not riding in weather under 20 degrees and went out today. Reason was I had told Steve, Kerry and Eric I would be there. My ride was later this morning, at 7 instead of 6. You would think it might be a little bit warmer at that time, but it wasn't.

When I left my house this morning it was 16 degrees, foggy and so cold that when you breathe your nostrils stick together. As I rode up to our meeting point all I could think was "if those guys don't show up I am going to ride up the hill and across to home." I got to our meeting point a little early so I rode around in circles waiting for them to arrive. It reminded me when you are a kid and you are waiting outside your friends house to come out so you can go and play.


After about 5 minutes of riding in circles Kerry showed up, and decided we would go. We left, but it wasn't long before Eric snuck up behind us and Steve blazed down another rode in front of us. I have to thank Eric for sneaking up behind us, I definitely needed that scare to get my blood flowing.


Our ride today was up water tower road, and down roller road. The ride up was pretty good, there was only one slick spot where a bunch of people had rode their sleds. That was my only up hill spin out of the ride.


At the top of water tower road we continued on the flat part. We had only gone a short distance when we saw a large herd of elk going single file up the hills above the Provo Race Course. It was the most amazing sight I had seen. There were over 145 elk walking in a line. I took a picture and as you can see I was not close enough for you to get the full visual affect. I cropped it so you can get a blurry view. Can you see where line of elk are?


Our ride continued up to where the elk where crossing. Steve was lucky and got to see the last 8 elk in the line. I was too slow to see them up close, but we rode a little further and were able to see them up on top of the ridge. I have never seen that many elk in my life, so it was worth it to get up and ride in the freezing cold--that may be a sight I might not get to see again.


At the end of the service road we had a choice we could go down what is known as roller road, or go back the way we came. The road looked good to me, so I opted to go down. This turned out to not be the easiest way, but it definitely was fun.


The road was not as snowy as it looked, it was actually very icy. I went down rather slow, and Steve was very patient and waited every so often to make sure I was okay. I appreciated this. The funny part was one of the times he chose to wait was right after I had slid out and fell into a snow bank. Had he looked back one minute earlier he would have seen a very funny sight.

After my snow bank incident I decided it was safer to ride with one foot in my pedal and one foot out. This turned out to work well and I made it down the hill with no more snow bank falls.


Interesting note. I mentioned it was 16 degrees when we started riding. As we rode up the mountain the temperature increased to 21 degrees, and then when we came back down it was 15 degrees. I find it weird that it is warmer up high. It made it a little hard to come down the hill as I wanted to stay where it was warm.

Our ride ended on the Provo trail and then home. Other than freezing cold you couldn't have asked for a better ride and what a great opportunity to see so many elk.

**BTW thanks Steve for hooking up my wireless router. Thanks to you I was able to watch 9 year olds play while we waited for midnight to come.

All By Myself

When I first started riding I rode by myself all the time. I loved it. I would go out everyday to ride my bike. I thought it was great and loved how much fun I had riding. However, since I have met more mountain bikers, I have discovered that I enjoy riding with others.

With the holidays and every one's work scheduled changed, except mine, I have been getting up early and riding by myself. There has been a lot of cool things I have seen while riding. For example today and yesterday I saw a deer run across the road. This may not seem like a big deal, but the deer was only about 3 blocks east of State Street. Further up the road where I would expect to see deer I did, however instead of running away the deer watched as I rode my bike huffing and puffing up the hill. I am sure the deer was trying to figure out what strange creature with the bug headed light was going up the road. I was surprised the deer stayed and watched as it was only about 2 feet away from me when I passed.

Later on the ride I got to prove Kerry's explanation of how a bike goes down on the ice. Kerry has told me when you ride on ice you can go down so quickly you won't know what hit you. He was right. Today I rode snow up the road, but on the way down I found several ice patches. When I hit the first ice patch my bike tire slid sideways, and around. I went down so quickly I ended up turned around on the hill. Lucky for me there was snow on the ground so my landing was somewhat soft. The next 2 ice patches I stayed upright, but did a little shoe dance on the ice to keep my balance. It's too bad Kerry and the others missed as I am sure I would have been the comedic relief for the morning.

As much as I have enjoyed the alone time, and it does bring back fond memories, I do miss the group rides and look forward the holidays ending soon so I can have someone to ride with in the mornings.

The Gift of Love

SILENT NIGHT IN THE WIND

It was Christmas? It happened nearly 50 years ago, but what an impact on my memory. My dad is one in a million, but that Christmas he was one in a universe.

There were seven of us children, anticipating our Christmas Eve social, which was held annually in our little community. We were chattering and laughing incoherently even though this was our fist Christmas without Mama and money.

**********

As my dad helped us button our coats, my heart was singing. His was breaking. But his smile was deceiving. How well I remember him tenderly placing us on our long, homemade sleigh and pulling us to the church about a mile away. I remember him marching straight ahead with his shoulders back and chin up-I know now he was stepping off into something that took a lot of courage. As grown-ups, we draw on these memories s a source of strength. It was snowing. How good it felt on our faces. We held tight to each other, and above the church of snow beneath Father's feet, we could hear him softly whistling "Silent Night." Like magic, my unglued world was coming together.

How could a girl of nine, spilling with Christmas delight, possibly know the inner turmoil my care-worn dad was silently suffering? Mama had gone to the great Beyond that previous summer. She had been confined to her bed for three years. We were so poor, so dad had assumed all father-mother responsibilities, as well as being Mama's nurse. He would leave his blacksmith shop hourly to check on her and us kids. His patience and love for Mam were a beacon of inspiration to us. Many times I saw him affectionately carrying her in his strong arms.

I remember his standing me on a stool by our big round kitchen table and teaching me to mix bread. I also learned how to turn the handle of our old wooden churn, while anticipating the miracle that was always performed inside. I got quite proficient at working the butter with the old wooden paddle, then pressing it into the round mold. He taught me many household duties, but none as vivid as helping Mama. I was her feet. I carted her food and water and helped her bathe. I delivered handmade gifts all over the community-from Mama. I don't think she ever missed a birthday, a wedding or a new baby. Then came that June day, her birthday, when God gave her the blessed gift of relief. My dad was left to keep us alive physically, mentally and spiritually.

In August following Mama's death came our big fire. Our barns, sheds, straw and hay stacks, as well as our livestock were caught in the path of the fiery destruction leaving only a charred, smoldering heap. Fear and horror raced through my veins. But the most indelible part of all was my dad. While his world was crumbling to ashes, he was trying to rescue ours. He had a way of calming the tempest.

Now Christmas was upon him. We weren't even aware of how poor we were or of his Gethsemane. I felt his superior strength that night was he pulled the sleigh carrying his precious cargo.

The only thing I remember about the social was all the children clamoring to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. But the sleigh ride was an imprinted memory. It was special therapy that brought a kind of peace I hadn't known for years.

Later in our front room around our pot-bellied stove, Dad served us warm milk bread. Our little Christmas tree, brought from the nearby hills, adorned one corner. Strings of our home-raised popcorn made it the most beautiful tree I had ever seen or smelled.

Then dad told us he was ready to give us our Christmas gift. We thought he should wait until morning, but he in his wisdom knew now was the time. We sat in wonderment. Seven of us waiting for Dad's gift.

Then he started talking. His gift flowed freely and clear from his lips. He told us how much he loved us and how much we meant to him. Then he told us of the Christ child. Never have I heard such a story! He brought it to life! He gave it purpose and meaning. Why Webster couldn't define the beauty of the gift he planted in our hearts that night. That gift of love, gratitude and peace is still mine. The light and warmth of the room was curiously powerful. We felt Mama's presence. We learned that loving someone was far more important than having something. I knew the true meaning of Christmas? We knelt together in a most humble family prayer, and we thanked God for his gift to us the Savior of our world. Outside, the world was singing "Silent Night" as our dad tucked us in bed.

Christmas day was a most special day. Dad had made each of us a little gift and hung it on the tree while we slept. Our Christmas dinner consisted of home-cured bacon and milk gravy. And had a way of making a one-dish meal tasted like a seven course dinner. Our happiness knew no bounds. Many times since, my memory has been my Bethlehem star. I have heard "Silent Night" in the wind and have smelled bacon while my turkey was cooking. But best of all an occasional glimpse of Christ shining in my 90-year old father's face.

I think....

I might want to invest in studded tires. I went for a ride early this morning, and was going fine until I turned the wrong direction. I quickly realized my mistake and turned to head back the other direction. As soon as I turned my bike slide to the ground. Apparently it was very icey where I was riding. I don't know if studded tires will help, but I think I might give it a try. Here is the result of my take down. Not sure if I needed stiches or not, but since all of the skin came off I think it was too far apart to stich. Oh well, it will make a great scar.