Lady Gaga: Awesome Award Winner!

Congratulations, Lady Gaga! You have officially been nominated by Phoebe Belanger for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! And here's why:

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LADY GAGA INSPIRES ME
By Phoebe Belanger (age 13)

I have to say, one of the people in my life that have inspired me the most is Lady Gaga. Now some of you probably don’t see her the same way I do, but if she wasn’t here, I probably wouldn’t be the same person I am today.

Lady Gaga has taught me not to be afraid of who I am and not to take what other people say too seriously, which is very helpful. I think that EVERYONE should be proud of who they are. This is her message.

She dresses in a way that a lot of people would categorize as WEIRD… but I love her style, which inspired me to make my own style. There’s only one person who walks around my school wearing tutus~ and that’s me. She also inspired me to design, sew and make my own clothes, and I love people’s reactions when I tell them that I’ve made what I’m wearing.

Lady Gaga has made me so brave and she’s made SO many people brave. I love her for that. She thinks that everyone should be whoever or whatever they want to be, which is the way everything should be, and you can be whoever or whatever you want to be, all it takes is courage.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT LADY GAGA WRITES HER OWN MUSIC! Most musicians these days don’t write their own music, they have someone else write it and then they are the star. But Lady Gaga has inspired me to write my own music. I play the piano and have been writing some music on piano, as well as on guitar. I also sang in front of my whole school last year, which scared me, but Lady Gaga sings in front of many more people, so I knew I could do it.

Lady Gaga is very supportive of homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals and so many things that people frown upon. I believe in the rights of all people and I like that she publicly takes a stand for gay rights.

Lady Gaga gives me strength to feel free to be me and that I can achieve my dreams ! :)

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Congratulations, Lady Gaga! YOU WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com

You, Yes YOU! Awesome Award Winner!

Hey YOU! You're an Awesome Award Winner!

Congratulations to YOU, yes YOU! You have officially been nominated by Kristy Bastien for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! And here's why:

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YOU INSPIRE ME!!!
By Kristy Bastien

I.....intelligence
N.....nurturing
S......strong and soulful
P.......perseverance
I.........individual
R..........radiant
E............enthusiastic


When asked who inspires me, I can't think of just one person because I'm affected by so many. They're all around us and I've been very fortunate to have many inspirational people in my life.

I could talk about my mother who worked hard her whole life and always stood up for what she believed in. She tried to make a difference in local community by challenging the government to make comfortable, affordable housing etc. A very strong woman, raising me on her own, she always played with me as a child and was very caring toward nature. There's too much to write about the things she went through and yet was still able to hold it together for me.

My grandparents are also very inspiring. Their unconditional love and support throughout my whole life has meant so much to me. They have believed in 'doing the right thing' and helping others for 80 + years. That's a long time! They have so many stories!

Inspirational are the parents of special needs children who love unconditionally and who are doing the best they can for their child. The challenges they face on a daily basis require such great patience and perseverance.

-To my friends and family!
-To the single parents!
-To the musicians! for putting joy into the lives of others
-To people who are passionate about what they do!
-To anyone who can make it through the day, with all the negativity and horror in the world.
-To the peacekeepers!
-People who can speak the truth!
-People who still have the light in their eyes!
-People who have the mentality that the 'haves' must help the 'have not's'
-People who manage to still have something positive to say and who look on the bright side
-People who believe they can make a difference!


Though all of these things are hard, I've seen it done. People do it. It's inspiring because I think if they can do it, then maybe so can I.

♥ Kristy

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Congratulations, hot stuff! YOU WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com

Simon Neate-Stidson: Awesome Award Winner!

Congratulations, Simon! You have officially been nominated by Timo J. Vainionpää for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! Here's why:

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I would like to nominate Simon Neate-Stidson for the Mandyland Awesomeness Award. I read his post on the WE Mastermind page today and feel that he needs a reminder of his own Awesomeness potential today.

Timo J. Vainionpää

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Congratulations, Simon! YOU WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com

Rhonda's Grandmother: Awesome Award Winner!

Congratulations, Golden Beauty! You have officially been nominated by Rhonda Moffitt for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! And here's why:

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My Grandmother Inspires Me
By Rhonda Moffitt


My Grandmother inspires me and always has for as long as I can ever remember. She is my maternal Grandmother and honestly, nothing like my Mom.

My grandparents packed up their lives in Ireland in 1947 and moved over to Canada to make a better life for their kids. They already had 3 small children and 1 on the way; my mother. She continued on to have 2 more children here in Canada, but with 3 stillborns and many miscarriages along the way. That is just one of the things that makes my 'Granny' my life's Inspiration.

My Grandmother, like many women of her generation, struggled with poverty and death and hard times and many other losses too. With a strong mind and body, she raised 6 children with next to nothing and was also a nurse to help make ends meet. Her family was a challenge, especially having to deal with the last name 'Dick'. Her kids struggled with the teasing and she stood tall in this new country and helped her kids be proud of the last name and to fight for it.

As her kids grew up there were many rifts amongst them. In a time where many of the following were frowned upon, she dealt with a gay son, a daughter who was divorced, a daughter who had 2 kids out of wedlock, a daughter-in-law from hell who split her kids up, another son who was a hippy wanderer, and her last daughter who married rich.
Talk about a diverse family, from poor kids to rich kids, to daughter and son in laws that fought with her kids and made her kids take sides amongst themselves. She never ever took sides and loved them all and never looked down on the life style choices of any of them.

Her house was always open and always smelled of something good. Homemade jams, breads, stews and more. She canned and froze all her own home grown foods. Every time we visited there was always something yummy to eat no matter what time of day or night. I remember once we got to her house after a 12 hour drive, at 10:00 pm and she made us hot chocolate and homemade irish stew. She would make all this and yet knew she had to watch her weight. But would never let her own struggles take away from feeding others. We always went home with a bag of goodies, usually cookies, crackers and some small candy.

She never forgot a birthday and there was always a card in the mail with $5.00 or a scratch ticket (as we got older) in it. Even to this day, she always has a small gift gag for us at Christmas. Now a days her great grand kids always goes home with a $5 dollar bill in their hands.

My Grandmother also battled breast cancer and had her one breast removed at age 65 and had no issues showing us her bare chest and scar and to tell us the importance of getting our mammograms every year. She wore a prosthetic bra until just recently and now only when she goes out.

My Grandmother just celebrated her 94th birthday in August and is still a strong and determined lady with a gentle kindness in her touch.

My Grandfather, her mate for life, passed away 7 yrs ago and she cared for him at home right til the end, even though he did not know her anymore. She refused to send him to a home and fed him Ensure puddings and massaged his legs and did everything the doctors told her to.

The year my Grandfather passed away, I sat down with Granny and told her how I felt. As a single tear traveled down her smooth cheek, she patted my hand and nodded with a smile. Nothing else was needed to be said, but I think I touched her in a way that no other member of her family had. 

She is a proud woman who stood by her man, raised a diverse family from the ground up, lost many babies and grand babies, accepted anyone, no matter who you were into her family and keeps on giving right into her 94th year.

I've seen my grandmother struggle with her weight, with her kids, with her dying husband, with her finances and yet to look into her eyes, you would never know there was all this history. She is just happy, happy, happy.

I want to be my grandmother too, because in my eyes she is everything I want to be :)

I love you Granny!!!

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Congratulations, golden beauty! YOU WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com



To nominate someone for the Mandyland Awesome Award, email mandy@mandylandrocks.com with your write up and a picture of the winner.

"Charlotte": Awesome Award Winner

Congratulations, "Charlotte"! You have officially been nominated by Harsha Moti for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! And here's why:

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So I met my friend "Charlotte" at the end of Grade 4 at Centennial Public School (yes, the beloved Cambush). From my end, she seemed to have an awesome family, solid upbringing, uber-talented in the dance arena, and was still a bit sporty-spice (not high maintenance). My situation was different from this so even as I child I was impressed by how cool and balanced she was when she seemed to have "everything". We were really close and then her family moved away. We kept in touch for awhile - she'd come visit me, my family would drive my butt out to her new home in the summer so we could hang but over time we lost touch.

Fast forward about 5 years ago. We reconnect over the miracle of Facebook (I say this lightly...I think in some cases it can be so great, in some cases not so great).

~My awesome friend from childhood is divorced with 2 great girls - now 9 and 11 going on 21.
~She's survived the divorce of her awesome parents.
~She's survived the death of her amazing mom from Cancer.
~She's survived the divorce from the douche.
~She's survived being diagnosed with MS.
~She's surviving raising the girls on her own with minimal support from aforementioned ex-husband. Teaching the girls that they CAN do things on their own (home ownership and all the joys that entails from basic painting and decorating to laying laminate flooring which from experience I can say is not so much fun but totally worth the pain!)
~She's surviving dating in your mid-thirties and all the excess baggage that that carries with it (I can totally speak to this from personal experience minus the kids - will he like me, does he think my age will be an issue, is he mature enough for me, will he think i'm attractive enough, can this guy relate to me and my past life experiences, yadda yadda yadda).

Whenever I speak with her she's telling me about the great things she's doing with the girls - taking them to dance class, taking them to the cottage, taking them to all their extra-curricular activities, going on a hike on the trails close to home with them, going to the pool, taking them to their dad's, you name it she's doing it. Nevermind the fact that she still has MS and the affects of that on her day-to-day life.

I've never met someone who has such a great outlook on life in general though - health concerns or not! And I think one of her favourite quotations says it all - "Happiness isn't getting what you want; it's wanting what you've got." Something I try to remind myself of more often than I'd like to admit. The way that "Charlotte" has decided to live her life, and decided to teach her girls to live their lives is something I think we should all aim for.

xoxo h

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Congratulations, Charlotte! YOU WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com

Lori Billard: Awesome Award Winner

Congratulations, Lori! You have officially been nominated by Michelle Ruthven for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! And here's why:

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I have been inspired by so many different beautiful, colourful endearing people in this exciting adventure called life. In my personal journey I have been touched very deeply by a genuine kindred spirit woman. Her Name is Lori Billard. I have known her since 1993 she has had a huge impact in my life. She is not only a friend but a mentor. She's been there giving of herself to others for years; not to just myself but to so many others.

She has been a single mom who has worked so hard to get where she and is a great mom and provider. She touches, nourishes and cares for everyone she meets. She has a job which gives more of herself to children and their families. I look up to her as a role model for so many single moms. She doesn't give up. She has been a comfort to me, a confidante, and a solid stable example of kindness. She's humble, loving, stern, gentle, balanced and gives of herself repeatedly.

What has inspired me most is that she has taught me to believe anything is possible and never give up and even if it feels like the world is crashing in on you to just keep going. She has seen me in a fetal position on the floor to blossoming strong again. She never judged me only listened, and has been an amazing example and teacher in my humble life. She has helped me see that it's okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.

The greatest lesson she taught me is to believe things do get better in time so keep holding on. I have always seen Lori smile. She's wonderful. I appreciate knowing her not only for the amazing woman she is but the example she sets. Her kind loving heart deserves recognition for all the great she does in the community, constantly giving to others and helping others.

She is my inspiration.

Honestly,
Michelle Ruthven


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Congratulations, Lori! YOU WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com

Tricia & Emily: Awesome Award Winners

Congratulations, Tricia & Emily! You both have officially been nominated for the virtual Mandyland Awesome Award! Tricia, you epitomize what it means to be a DIVA, and the beautiful piece of writing of that you submitted for the GOD & DIVA Inspirations 'WHO INSPIRES YOU? CONTEST' (included below) is even more proof of that. I am honoured to know you, call you my friend, and to have shared such a sacred journey with you while you were in class and now through cyber space. Your resilient spirit is awe inspiring and your dedication to yourself and your daughter is to be admired. And because Emily has been such a gift to you and to this world, she has been nominated as well. Yay for Emily!

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My Daughter Inspires Me and I Inspire Myself
By Tricia Carroll

This woman I know, I've known since I was 5 yrs old, maybe longer, but for the life of me I cannot remember her before that. The first thing I remember actually, above all else, was her pretty green eyes surrounded by tiny petals of the prettiest amber flower, and the right one actually having a kiss more amber than the left.

She smiled with what looked like a smirk, like she knew me before I even spoke a word, and she had this awesome dimple on the left cheek, that made me think, "She has a lil more in the one eye, because she knows much more than I, and is wise beyond her years.”

Her focus on her education and sports were admirable. Damn she kicked most boys asses in any sport that I can remember, and teachers would always point her out as a child who should be emulated, writing beautiful poetry and painting amazing pictures for all the county to see!! Hell, they even put her in "special enrichment course" for kids who were considered "bored" with the regular curriculum.

She had a hand full of the best friends anyone could ever ask for, she went to school everyday, focused hard on everything she put her mind to, always on board, always a team player, and like a sponge soaked it all up; until 4 o'clock came.

No one knew that at home, things were far from loving. Far from "normal", and far from what anyone else would have wanted to run home to after school.

She grew up too fast, too hard, and too young. Looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for that one person to say, "Tell me...you are safe".

Then of course followed toxic relationships, constantly searching for the love she never felt, and she found herself broken, drug addicted, co-dependant, sick and lonely, and always trying 24/7 to fill that deepening and always worsening empty hole. Never understanding why she was so unlovable.

Until one precious, sunny, warmer than usual April afternoon. An amber eyed angel of light and calm, and beauty was bestowed upon her, welcomed to the world, and NOT mistakenly... and most definitely for all of The Universe itself...~ EMILY~

Since that day my life has been forever changed; like witnessing a miracle. Inspiration was born and gifted to me. My daughter is the light, the air, the blood, and the vibration that lifts you up like a wave of the most coziest blanket, the yummiest smelling candle or the most delicious flower you have ever smelled. Like a kagillion sunrises and sunsets all happening at one time.

In that moment I realized that I AM MY TRUE INSPIRATION, and EMILY and that smile she smiles is mine. Those eyes...the prettiest eyes I've ever seen in my life are mine. The dimple has on her right cheek is also mine. And if I didn't know before, I know it now: there is a God, and my daughter who came through me is and always will be my equal Inspiration, now and forever.

FOR if I am not my own, HOW can I be hers?

xoxo

Tricia Carroll

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Congratulations, Tricia and Emily! YOU BOTH WIN!

With love,
Mandy

www.mandylandrocks.com