hello

I guess it would makes sense to introduce myself and my life to whomever may be reading this blog.

My name is Mandy. It's actually Amanda but I've never gone by Amanda except for at school. I suppose I was always too lazy to let any of my teachers or professors know that I had a "nickname".

oh hey, it's little me!

I'm a 27-year-old-brace-face and pretty proud of it. Just kidding. I can't wait to get this metal out of my mouth. Ha! However, I have always wanted them, my parents couldn't provide them for me and so I'm rocking them to the max now. I actually feel really blessed and lucky. It's been a huge insecurity for me my whole life and yada yada yada.

Anyway, moving right along ...

I was born in Las Vegas, moved to Salem Oregon when I was ten, and then moved back to Las Vegas when I was 18? 19? Something like that. I have two sisters, one older and one younger. My parents are divorced, my dad lives here in Vegas and my mom lives in Salem. I didn't have much of a relationship with my dad growing up but since moving back we see each other and talk way more often. Honestly though, it's not an easy relationship and he is a very difficult human being more often than not.

Growing up I was the ultimate tomboy. Football, collecting bugs, scraping up my knees, and kicking the boys asses at tetherball were a few of my favorite things. I hated even being a girl and I'm pretty sure it was my goal to make others forget I was one. What. The. Hell. Happened? Sometimes I miss that little gal/guy who was completely fearless ... especially when I come across any bug of any kind.

I'm six feet tall and blonde (hence the name of this blog) and I'm just about as pale as a human being can possibly be. I drink way too much coffee, love country music but really have a passion for all music in general, I have a pretty impressive record collection (thanks to my dad) that I continue to add to - my latest addition may have been One Direction's latest album ...  I watch Bravo way too often and my love for Tswift is way too strong. I am pretty much every cliche in the book. I'm okay with it though.

Also! I have a very dry sense of humor, I love deeply, I worry deeply (working on it!), laugh the hardest at my own jokes, seriously enjoy cleaning, and I have always struggled with pretty bad anxiety and depression. Don't worry about me though, I have found many-a-ways to deal with both.

Current life situation: I'm a Mrs. I married my husband on March 21, 2014 here in Las Vegas. We dated for about six years before saying "I do" and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I will admit that around year four I started to bug him about it (a lot), but deep down I don't know if I would have been completely ready for marriage. When I said I do on that Spring day, I was completely comfortable with my decision and knew it was exactly what I should be doing. Timing really is everything.

Joel (husband) and I met through match.com. That's right. We are one of those weird online success stories that you're probably hearing more and more about. Well we started that trend. We were on match.com WAY before it was cool. In fact, we lied to our families for a while about how we met, thats how uncool and weird it was. Sorry ma and pa!

I just recently graduated from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a bachelors degree in Nutrition Science. I took quite the creative route to finishing college and it took me quite a while, but I did it. As the first person in my immediate family to graduate from college, it's a really big deal to me and I am very proud of myself. I've also learned to really respect other people and their journeys. There is no right way of doing life. There is only your way. We aren't all supposed to take the traditional route, traditional is boring anyway. Amirite?!

We have one dog who is the most important member of the family (just keeping it real). His name is Monk and he is a yorkie. I never really wanted animals after leaving home. Probably because I grew up on a farm and my parents had two cats, two dogs, bunnies, cows, my sister had a hampster ... it was just way too much. I also have a really, really hard time dealing with loss and just never wanted to have to deal with losing an animal of my own. I know, I am way too dark to even handle. But that's the truth. So we have a yorkie, his name is Monk, he's the most important little man in my life and he can never die. That's that.

Basically, I am just a gal trying to navigate this life thing and have been beyond blessed to cross paths with my soulmate and pick up the worlds greatest dog along the way. We strive to do our best each day, and are constantly working on our marriage and learning how to love each other to the max even when it gets hard and it's the last thing we want to do.

I started this blog because I needed a place where I could be completely, 100% myself. I've started blogs in the past and never stuck with them because they never felt authentic. This time I'm keeping a promise to myself that I will be as open as possible and use this space to express myself, relate to others, speak honestly, and sort through all of life's mess. I don't care if anyone reads it. I just needed a space that was all mine.

Cheers for now, folks. I'm off to cook dinner for my husband and cuddle with my pup.