Fort Mcmurray - it's not what you think.

As I said in my first posting, I live in Fort Mcmurray, Alberta ( or Fort McMoney as some people call it).

Ft.Mac gets a bad rap.
We work, live and breath oil sands, and to some that makes us equivalent to Hiroshima.
We work hard, play hard, and spend big. We have $800,000 3 bedroom homes, jacked up trucks, suped up cars, snowmobiles, motorbikes, skidoos, and boats.
Young people come here, with dreams of making a quick buck, paying off debts and wracking up more debt with their house, vehicles and toys.
With a young population, high wages and little time off, peoples views of this great city can get skewed.
Yes, people make good money off the oil sands here, and yes many young men and women may not know what to do with all the money and spend it on lifted trucks, houses and trips back home and to Vegas. But there are many, many hard working moms and dads, who go to work at site every day to make a better life for their family. (As well as many who work within the city to provide us with goods and services, like cashiers and dentists, servers and doctors).
 And many guys who leave home, leave behind their wife and kids, in order to come here where the jobs are, to work and make a better life for their families. It's tough. They are gone for weeks at a time, living in camp, spending 10+ hour days working hard in extreme conditions, going back to a camp room with camp food and mostly just a lap top and TV to keep them company. 
However, many families, like mine, have decided to move and call Ft.Mac their home. Many come with a 5 year plan: Work in the oil sands, make tons of money, pay off debt, rack up more debt with big toys, sell their 800K 3 bedroom house and head back home. A lot do their 5 year plan and leave but many fall in love with the city and choose to stay for much longer.
You can come to Ft.Mac with the attitude that you are just here to bring in the big bucks then leave, and you will most likely not feel like this is ever home for you, you may be miserable, depressed and lonely. You won't be able to wait to get out of here and move on to better things. Living here will just be a sacrifice made worth it only for the cash you plan to make.
Or you can come here, and whether you are here for 2 years or 20, you can work to make this beautiful city your home. Get involved in the community, find a local church, make some friends and make the best out of your time here. Hey, you're here for a reason, for a season, might as well enjoy yourself.
Ft.Mac unfairly gets a bad rap from those guys living only in camp, here just for the money, and from the media. But for the past 3 years, and for God only knows how many years to come, this is my home and I like it here. I miss Edmonton and my family there and I miss some of the conveniences of being in a big city like Edmonton and I hate traveling Highway 63 (that's probably the only other thing you know about Ft.Mac), but I still love being here. When you make Ft.Mac your home and you get to know the people who live here and also call it home, you get to see a whole different view of Ft.Mac. The people here are loving and generous (sure you have a few not so nice, but you have that everywhere you go) and because everyone seems to be new to Ft.Mac (if you've been here more then a year you're an oldie!) it seems easy to connect with others.
Whether you like to walk the nature trails or work out indoors, if you want to star gaze and catch some stunning northern lights, or you prefer to go swimming, if you want to hunt or just enjoy nature, Ft.Mac has a lot to offer.
Instead of judging the city by what the media has to say, try coming up for a visit and hanging out with some people who know and love this city.

Please share your comment below about what you have heard about this city, what's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear "Fort Mcmurray" and what you love and hate about working and living in this city.
(Photos taken from Google).

An Introduction to Me.

I am a stay at home mom of two little girls, 2 years and 5 months old, in my mid twenties, and have been married for 4 years (been with my man 7 years this coming July). We also have 2 dogs, a 9 year old Poodle cross and a 5 year old Basset Hound.
I am a Christian so this blog will have the world view of a Christian. I ask that if you choose to comment, no matter your faith or background, please be respectful to everyone's views and opinions. It is ok to disagree but do so with respect and love.
I have lived with my husband in Fort McMurray now for 3 years. We felt God had called us here to Fort McMurray, from Edmonton. This is where we have started our family, and until God says otherwise, we plan on raising our family here.
I started working at a daycare here after my daughter turned one, however I got pregnant that same month I started so I only worked about 9 months. Now with two kids, and with plans to have more, I am learning what it means to be a stay at home mom and house wife. Very old-fashioned of me, I know! But I think it's coming back "in-style".
I have always liked writing blogs/notes and sharing my thoughts on different topics and what I have been mulling over, so I thought I would start this blog as a place for me to write and express my thoughts and feelings, and maybe have a reader or two to give encouragement.
As 2014 is my year to grow closer to God and to Dare Greatly, I wanted this blog to be a way to challenge me. To write more and try more projects in knitting, cooking, baking and activities with the kids (and share the results here). I can't say how often I'll write, sometimes it may be 3 times in a week and others once in 2 weeks or even once a month.
I want this blog to be an open and honest look at the struggles, joy and adventure of parenting, and to be an encouragement to others, and not a way of comparing ourselves. I know there are a ton of awesome mommy/parenting blogs out there and I am not doing anything new, nor am I some greatly talented writer. I just want this blog to be a place for me to share with family and friends what is going on in my life and to bring hope and encouragement to others who are on this adventure we call parenting.
Thank you for reading and hope you enjoy!