Breakfast at Ashley's

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-06-09T03:55:00.001-04:00

Things are definitly in full crazy mode around me at the moment....but it's all leading up to something faaaabulous!

B is moving out of the apartment. It's for the best, but it still sucks. With B quitting his job, starting school full time, and waiting for his GI Bill BAH (basic housing allowance) to kick in....money is not abundant right now. We decided that it would be better to save for the wedding/our future together if we cancel out the apartment rent payment.

I never aaaactually lived in the apartment with B, but it was our place to get together, relax together, and grow as a couple. It was the first place we starting referring to as "ours".

With all that being said, he is moving into his dad's house until we get married...(which, btw is officially less than 5 months away! What? Where is the time going?!) Nothing is wrong with moving to his dad's except one thing. I HATE where his house is located. #1 instead of living 5 minutes from me...it's more like 20 minutes from me. #2 the privacy of our relationship is out the window. #3 I hate, loathe, cannot stand for a minute the area it is in. More crimes happen on this side of town, than any other and that makes me feel soo nervous :(

I know deeeeeep down inside that it won't be as bad as I am thinking it will be (god, please let that statement be true...) but I am the worst person when it comes to change. I hate it, and I am totally okay with that.

So, until Nov 5, 2011 at 6pm....I will look forward to this...
WE START LOOKING FOR OUR HOME TOGETHER IN AUGUST!! WOO-HOO!!!! Ideally, we won't officially start moving in anywhere until October. Neither of us will live there until after the wedding, but we want it to be all decorated and set up for us to come home to after we become hubby&wife!

We have gone back and forth about trying to buy or just rent for a year or two max since in the fall...we will be both be students. Thaaat will be interesting enough...two full time students planning a wedding, working part time jobs. (Thank god for that GI Bill and BAH every month!)

In the end, we have decided to look for a house or a townhome to rent. I feel so much better about this decision, mainly because we don't really know what we want right now and we don't want to make a hasty decision for the sole purpose of buying just to buy. We thought about buying a house...well, what do we want? How big? What could the resell potential be? Then we thought about buying a townhouse...B really wants a yard because we are major bbq/grill people...how big of a yard could a townhouse have? Again, resell value? With all of our "I dont know" responses to those questions, when it came time to actually meet with a realtor, our decision was pretty obvious.

We are going to meet with a real estate agent closer to the end of July to get a list of decent rental homes in the area of town we want to live in. This makes me so happy. It will no longer be an apartment..that belongs to my boyfriend but I stay there off and on too....it will be my first home with my husband. The place we will stay the night after our wedding. The place we will unpack my things&his things and they will officially become our things. The place we will set up, decorate with bridal shower & wedding gifts, and make our memories together as husband and wife. (& who knows maaaaybe even the place we will bring our first little one home too. THAT statement gave me butterflies to even type!!)

I am so excited about every single thing that is coming up for me & B. It has been a crazy ride so far, and it is only the beginning. This phase in our lives is getting better and better by the minute. I love my life & I love our life together.

So, I have recently come to grips with the fact that change flat out sucks. But, things have to change to make way for BETTER things.

Reality...

2011-05-08T01:02:00.004-04:00

So, I signed myself up to work a 3 day work stretch this weekend. Fri, Sat, Sun. I work 12 hour night shifts so I work from 7pm-7am.....don't knock it til you try it though. It's nice to get the shifts out of the way and still be able to enjoy 1/2 of your day like a normal person.

The reason I am telling you this, is because most work nights, it gets awfully boring around 2am. So, I start out on my blog, catch up on google reader, then just see where it takes me. Well, the past 2 nights, it has taken me to horribly sad blogs. Not intentionally, I landed myself on 2 "widow" blogs. One lady (who is left to be a single mother to 2 gorgeous children) lost her husband suddenly and tragically at home, and the other a "war widow" in her early 20's, due to Afghanistan. I found myself reading their journey and, yes while I was sitting at work, I had tears streaming down my face. Unfortunatley, I know a few people who have lost a spouse, but I never knew the day to day hurt, struggles, etc. that they endure. They are stronger than I could ever be, but both of them, actually, at one point mentioned that they are only strong, because they have no other option. Wow.

After reading these blogs...and drying my face...I realized how much I take for granted. I mean, seriously, I get moody when I only see B for dinner at night or bitch when I don't get to see him before work. How do these women go forever without seeing the love of their life? I am humbled, and quite frankly, embarassed for acting the way I do sometimes.

So, tonight I am, selfishly, longing to hold my fiance and tell him how much I love him and how much he means to me because these blogs broke my heart. But I am also realizing how blessed I am and how I need to start being grateful for what I have. You never know when it will all be ripped away from you....

♥

I'm Still Around....

2011-04-28T10:17:00.002-04:00

Holy-Moly! Has it really been THAAAAT long since I posted? I apologize, loves!

Things have been crazy, yet wonderful lately. My baby sister is no longer a baby...she is a married woman! She is actually on a road trip right now, with her hubby....aka my new brother :)....to Oklahoma. (sidenote: please keep them in your prayers for traveling mercies. They had to stop at a hotel yesterday because there was a tornado to the north of them and another tornado to the south of them. Also, keep in mind the people who lost everything to the tornados in the southeast. Devistating does not even begin to describe it.) So, when Krissy comes home tomorrow, she will be apart from her hubby for 10 weeks while he is in school. Then when he gets back home, it is off to Italy they go. Crazy. Dont want to think about it. Insane.
(Pictures will be up soon, I have tons!!)

The wedding planning is moving right along!! We have a date, a wedding party, a venue, wedding colors, and I have an appointment to try on bridal gowns. I have not even thought about what dress I could see myself in. It makes me nervous at the thought of stepping into a wedding dress, and I hope that's not a bad thing!! I mean, I picked out my bridesmaid dresses before I started the process of picking a bridal gown. Of course, I will let you know how the appointment goes, and if I am able to hold it together! lol

I really want to start blogging more about the wedding. I want to be able to remember the entire process of planning the biggest day of my life, and I want to be able to the share the special moments with you ladies.

All my love :)

On Cloud Nine!!!!

2011-02-23T23:55:00.002-05:00

Ever been to St Augustine, Florida? It is only a short drive from where I live, and B & I take day trips there whenever we can. This is where we went on our first "date" with another couple, Jen & Cody!

Well, it has been horrible weather here....mostly just annoying cold. No snow, no sunshine, just cold. And living in Florida...we don't do cold that well. I cringe everytime I read a post about having inches, and feet of snow. I thiiiink I would pass out if I ever woke up to snow. You guys are brave, wonderful, amazing women for living through it...you deserve an award!

Back to our horrible weather, well this past weekend (Feb 19) the weather was AMAZING!! We are talking blue skies, not a cloud in sight, and about 75-80 degrees for most of the day. So, when making weekend plans, we decided what a great day for St Augustine! So, we jumped in the truck around 8:30am and after a quick stop at Panera to grab a bagel, we were off!

When we got there, we went to tour the Fort. It was already a great morning, but it got even better when we found out that since B is an injured Marine, he gets an access card that gets him into any national park for the rest of his life...SCORE! :) We had a great time at the fort, just walking around, laughing, and we even watched them fire a cannon...it sounds boring, but it was really interesting. Promise!

After they fired the cannon, B wanted to go sit by the water next to the fort. We sat here once or twice before and I remember telling him that was my favorite part of our St Augustine trips...just sitting by the water, watching the waves, checking out the gorgeous-million dollar homes across the water, and just talking. We were sitting here for a few minutes, and suddenly B started telling me how much he loves me, and how he will never forget how he felt the first time he saw me...really lovey-dovey things (gag now, if you must) but out of nowhere he got down on one knee!! YES--B ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM!!!!!!! I started crying, and the first thing I said was "Shut UP! Are you serious?!" (sooooo typical Ashley!) Which, of course, was followed by "YES!!!"

SO I'M ENGAGED, Y'ALL!!

I can't wait to start this crazy, hectic, planning a freaking wedding adventure! I am so excited and I still don't feel like it is real. I love B so much & he is definitly my best friend. How lucky am I to know that I get to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life by my side? It doesn't get much better than this :)

♥LOVE♥

Plans for V-Day!!!

2011-02-11T08:09:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow (well technically since I am at work and it is 1:45am it would be today...) is Valentines Day!! This will be me & Brian's 3rd v-day together and I am more excited about this year then ever!

For valentines day, and anniversaries Brian and I have un-knowingly started a tradition of just spending the weekend together. We make no plans, we try our best to avoid our cellphones, and just spend good, quality time together. Well, this year was different because I worked this weekend. I worked Saturday night & tonight, Sunday night. Since I work the 7pm-7am shift, I slept on Saturday and most of the day today....no time for mushy-gushy-valentines day celebrating :)

I was actually kind of bummed that I scheduled myself to work this week. You see, I fill out my pencil schedule 2 months in advance, and usually don't pay attention to the dates on the calender just the days of the week. My attitude about this valentines day changed when.....

I WON THE CORINNA HOFFMAN PHOTOGRAPHY GIVEAWAY!!

The giveaway was for a one-night stay at a local hotel! I am beyond thankful to Corinna for turning what was going to be just a simple, low key day to a chance for B & I to just hang out, have fun, and enjoy our time together. We are checking into the hotel Monday at 3, AAANNDDD B was able to work it out so he would be off on Tuesday! We are going to have a blast!

A few weeks ago, I got an email from a Navy/Marine website that I often buy from...gotta love the military family & boyfriend...that displayed a picture of the cutest I ♥ My Marine t-shirt. Well, I have no self control when it comes to shopping so...I....bought it! Isn't it amazing?? Can't wait to wear it all day :)

I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day & you enjoy the loves in your life :)

♥LOVE♥

3 Years :)

2011-02-01T01:29:00.002-05:00

This past weekend marked 3 years since I first initially met Brian. We met at a mutual friend's 21st birthday get together. We had never met before, but both admit leaving the hookah lounge that night thinking about each other. I, honestly, remember calling my best friend, Haley, and telling her about a really cute guy I met!

We didn't see each other for about 7ish months after that, but as soon as we met up again, we exchanged phone numbers, went out for drinks with some of my friends and we have been together ever since. I feel so lucky to have met Brian & I know he is the one I am meant to be with. I can't wait to see where we are this time next year...

So we decided that since Valentine's Day is on a Monday and I work the Sat/Sun nights before that we would make a bit of a to-do about this weekend. We referred to it as our semi-Valentines/3 years weekend. We started off by spending Friday night...seperate. Haha I had planned to get drinks with my friend, Shawna and Brian went out with a few of his guy friends. When we got home that night we both had had a great time, but a few too many drinks so we called it a night!

We woke up on Saturday, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed out to the zoo! We are blessed to live in Florida and have a pretty nice zoo we can get to in about 25 minutes. We are actually members of the zoo through B's work and we can go as many times in a year as we would like...hellloooo Best. Purchase. Ever. We had a great time at the zoo and we were pretty surprised to find out that we stayed for 3 hours!! On the way home we grabbed a salad from Zaxby's and took a much needed nap.

I love Outback! It is my favorite place to eat out and since Brian loves it almost as much as I do...this is where we decided to get dinner. It was a nice perk that his aunt&uncle had given us a $50 gift card, so all around great decision. We had a wonderful dinner, sipping margaritas, and just enjoying each other's company. After dinner we decided to go to the place we first met, 3 years ago. We drove down to the hookah lounge we met at, and shared a strawberry-grape (suppose to be strawberry-apple) hookah and had an absolute blast!

I am semi-ashamed to say that we did not change out of our pajamas all day Sunday....but it was much needed! We actually cleared out half our dvr space. Ohhh the feeling of accomplishment!!

Well, ladies I hope you had a fabulous weekend as well!!

♥LOVE♥

Double Digits!!

2011-01-28T13:16:00.002-05:00

I went to the doctor today! It was nothing big, just a monthly doctor visit I have with my primary to track my weight loss. (My doctor is extremely nice & has set up a monthly visit with me to monitor my weight loss, give tips & advice, and make sure all my vitals are where they should be)

Well, this month I was really excited to see where I was at on the scale because I was not happy with last month's visit (last month on Dec. 28 I had stayed at the exact same weigh!) I really pushed myself this month, especially the last 2 weeks. I am beyond THRILED to say, I lost 11 pounds this month :) I am so encouraged and feel great!

This is what I did different this month that worked for me:
#1 Cut out everyday sodas: This was hard for the first 2 days, but gets alot easier. When I had my 50 pound weightloss in 2008, I stopped drinking sodas all together so I knew that it could be done! With that being said, I cannot stand the taste of tap water, especially at resutraunts. So I made a decision to only have a diet coke when I was out to eat, but other than that it's either water or crystal light (which is delish!)

#2 No more snacking: Now, I know that all snacks are not bad...but if you're eating because you feel like you should be, or your bored....then snacking is totally worthless. The only time I snack is if I am at work. I work the 7pm-7am shift and I don't get to eat dinner until 2:30am...yes that is when I get around to eating dinner. So I bring a bottle of water on the floor with me and around 10:45 I eat a few crackers & cheese I bring from home. Not only does it taste really good, if you eat them in moderation, it's a great energy snack!

#3 Cut back on the sweets: Now, I am a lover of anything sweet. Cupcakes, brownies, m&ms, and my favorite...Nestle Crunch. I am proud to say that the candy I got in my Christmas stocking....is only half gone! This is shocking because I normally start eating one or two peices, then before you know it....it's all gone! Last week was my little brother's 14th birthday and we had cupcakes with the girls my mom watches when he got home from school around 2:30, and then we had cake & ice cream with the family that night. I have no self control when it comes to cupcakes so I ate a cupcake with the girls, and when the fam ate their cake I had 1/2 cup of ice cream, and a bite of Brian's peice of cake :)

#4 Don't be afraid of the weight room: For a while I didn't want to touch weights because I was scared that I would gain weight (thanks to hearing "muscle weighs more than fat"....lift weights and the scale might go up). Well, this past month I did weights about 4 times a week and I feel great! My doctor said that lifting weights in awesome because you still burn fat even after you leave the gym because it takes time for your muscles to relax and get back to "normal". I feel really strong when I am doing weights and it makes me feel good!

#5: Sweat! Sweat! Sweat! I have made myself go upstairs to the cardio room before any of the classes I take. For example: Yesterday I took a bodycombat class, so before it started I went upstairs and ran 1.5 miles. It makes me work even harder going into a class when I already have a little sweat on my shirt! I have also stopped using the "but there aren't any classes I like at the gym today" excuse or the "but I missed the morning class & I hate going to the gym at night" excuse. If I miss the class I wanted to take, or there aren't any favorite classes that day, I get my butt to the gym and hop on a treadmill or eliptical and burn the calories that way. I have learned to love the cardio room & that makes me happy! Ihave worked out 6 days a week this month, only taking Sunday's off.

So those are the things that I changed and it worked for me! I am going to kick it up a little bit next month, because my appointment is Feb. 28....my birthday. How awesome would it be if I lost another double digit? I am not setting my goal for that though, if I lose 7 pounds, I will be lower than I have ever been in my adult life! So that is my goal..7 pounds this month! I can't wait to share next month's results with y'all!!

♥LOVE♥

Giveaway News!!!

2011-01-26T22:28:00.003-05:00

Okay ladies, I just read about one of the best giveaways in the history of giveaways! The giveaway includes some essentials for every girl to have around. Head on over to Tracy's blog and enter to win!!

Gooooooooood Luck, loves :)

♥LOVE♥

Things I'm loving....

2011-01-20T03:51:00.002-05:00

#1 Getting back & staying on track:I have been in the best mood the past 10 days, its kind of annoying! I have been sleeping in (a little bit) and going to the gym a little later in the day. I normally hate doing this, but it hasn't been too bad. Plus I've been getting a killer workout in everyday and taking my daily women's vitamin too.

#2 Quality Time:Due to the sleeping in and gyming it later in the day, I have been spending some nice, chill time with my mom and the girls. I love that I am blessed with a job where I only work 2 nights a week, and I am able to be home during the day to help my mom around the house and keep those 2 gorgeous girls entertained :)

#3 Thinking about the future:
So, for the past year, I have had this need to know what exactley is going to happen in the near future. Like, when is B going to pop the question, when will we get married, when will I start nursing school, when will we (oh gosh) start a family? Well, I feel like my neeeed to know...is out the window. I am enjoying my time with Brian, because life is short and you can't stress about these things. I know he is my "forever" and that alone is enough to satisfy every question I have!!

#4 My job:
I started my job in September, went through 6 weeks of training and have been on my own ever since....I love it! I am starting to build friendships with the ladies I work with and I have a great time. I always dread getting ready for work and then actually driving to work, but once I am here...it's easy peasy! I love it & I am thankful for this opportunity!

...Well ladies, I have a post about this coming up, but my sister found her wedding dress!!

♥LOVE♥

Here comes the bride....

2011-01-17T01:26:00.002-05:00

Nooo not me!! :)

My baby sister tried on wedding dresses today...I am happy to say I held back the tears, though I don't know how. I wish I could say that we had a great bridal consultant, but that would be the biggest lie anyone could ever tell. She was horrible. No, terrible. No, THE WORST!

When I made the appointment (I know, I'm an awesome sister!) the lady told me that she needed to make a profile on their website, add dresses to her favorites, and they would pull them the day of. Well, Krissy made her profile complete with about 15 dresses. When we arrived this afternoon...none of them were pulled. My sisters walked around and pulled the dresses, and when the lady finally came to the dressing room, she (no joke) put back some of the dresses! She kept saying they were too plain, or they were too dark of an ivory to even try. Another thing that kept bothering me is that she would ask the same question over & over again. For example, "What is the budget?" "Where is the wedding?" "When is your wedding date?" Like, hello lady?! Look at her profile...it's right. in. your. hand.

I am planning on calling tomorrow and complaining (like there is no tomorrow) about this consultant. My little sister cried while trying on wedding dresses because the old bag was stressing her out! Apparently, according to this lady, you can't have a wide variety, chose between 2 dresses. Um, no, excuse me maam, but this is my sister and this is her wedding....she can have every single dress in the store on her rack while she debates. I am furious that this experience was ruined for her.

On the other hand, she did find a dress she fell in love with, but wants to try more on with another consultant. So big sister to the rescue and I will make that appt tomorrow on my day off.

How did dress shopping go for you? Did you feel like a princess and get the butterflies in your stomach feeling when you tried on "the one"? Or was it a stressful experience of dress after dress after dress....??

A whole new outlook!

2011-01-13T23:09:00.002-05:00

So, after my little pity party......

I'M FEELING SO MUCH BETTER! :)

I took a few days to play the whole poor, poor, pitiful me feelings, and now I am back and looking forwards to the things that are in store for me.

I have three weddings to go to this year, and I am in two of them. Hello?! Talk about motivation! Let's see....

We have Krissy's wedding April 2, 2011. The colors are purple & either green or pink! The bridesmaids dresses will be a sangria purple...and it is gorgeous! This wedding will take place in a cute little garden house on the river and it's going to be amazing.

Then we have Alicia's wedding in May. I'm not in this one....and don't really care for the couple. Haha Buuuut they are a longtime friend of the family and my sister is in the wedding. So this one isnt exactly the one I'm looking forward to.

Then we have my best friend, Haley's wedding June 25, 2011. Her colors or black and violet and I am actually going tomorrow to order my dress. Last week I was really dreading going to get my measurements done, but now I am looking at it as a starting off point! Can't wait to have that dress altered before the wedding!!
(In another friends wedding a few years ago, I ordered a size 16, and had so much taken off it was a 11/12 5 months later for the wedding...lets see what we can do this time!)

So, I am off to bed and (so not) looking forward to that 5am alarm clock!! Tomorrow is for 1 mile on the eliptical for a warm up, running 2 miles, biking 5 miles, and finishing up with some weights. I took pilates tonight so my abs are begging me for a morning off :)

♥LOVE♥

Change is in the air....and it stinks!

2011-01-11T14:50:00.005-05:00

I have so much to tell you guys, I don't know where to start. I guess I should start off by telling you the truth....

I am broken. I am sad. I am jealous. I am worried. I am angry. I am every.emotion.humanly.possible.

My sister, Krissy who is 20, will be moving to Italy August 31. She will be moving there with her soon to be husband. Yes, my baby sister got engaged last week on her "welcome back from Iraq cruise" with Adam. I have so many feelings going through my mind I don't think I could possibly type them out for you. Let's start with worried.

Worried
Krissy & Adam have always had an up&down relationship. For the past 3 years I have cried with her when they broke up, I have rejoiced with her when they got back together, but there has never been a time when I felt like their relationship was not on rocky ground. I mean, they broke up TWICE while he was in IRAQ! What is there to fight about when the person you (supposedly) love with all your heart and soul is half way around the world in a warzone? I am worried that when they make this big move to Italy, it will take a toll on their relationship and the last thing I would want for Krissy is for her Happily Ever After to fall apart. Let's move onto sad.

Sad
Growing up, my family has always been so incredibly close. When I was younger we had a ton of family in Florida, but everyone has either moved, or passed away. I mean, it was hard when my older sister moved out, and she just lives down the road!! I was blessed with parents who gave everything they had just to make sure we never went without, and had everything we ever wanted. This makes me feel spoiled, but grateful for the family God placed me in. When my sister moves away in August, she will be gone for 2 years. Now, I know she can visit and vice versa, but it's not exactley a peice of cake to jump on a plane to Italy. (Although I AM looking forward to visiting lol)
It will be a hard goodbye & I would just rather not think about it. Now, let's face jealous/angry.

Jealous/Angry
Gosh--what an ugly word! I hate to say it, but I am so jealous of Krissy it makes me sick. This should be me. I should be the one trying on wedding dresses, looking for venues to hold a wedding and reception. I should be the one with the rock on my finger. Have I not been in a stable relationship for 2.5 years? Have I not talked with Brian about marriage since our 3rd month of dating? Have I not tried on rings with Brian over&over again because he wants to see what all the styles look like on my ring finger? I know my time is coming, but now it seems that I don't want to steal anyone's thunder, or share my engagement with my little sister. You know what I mean? I know this emotion is the 5 year old in me, and I actually debated talking about this emotion on here, but I decided that I am just going to be completely real with you ladies.

Broken
The only constant is change. I hate change. It makes me lose sleep, makes me feel uncomfortable, and it ruins my day. So much has changed in the last 5 years, that it is impossible to think about without wanting to curl up in bed and have a good cry. It has been 5 years....FIVE years, since my great grandmother died. We were incredibly close, and not a day goes by that I don't think of her. My aunt and uncle were forced to move out of her house and move to Texas. My aunt Janet and I have always been close. People would think I was her daughter all the time, and we just get along so great. Up until 5 years ago, I saw her every.single.day. I, sadly, have to admit that I have not seen her in 3 years. She has never met Brian. And that baffles me. To think that my aunt, who I care about so much has never met the man that I love with all of my heart. It's sickening. Now, when Krissy moves, we will have to get used to not having her around, just like we have gotten used to not having great grandma or Janet around.

I know that this post makes me sound like a down-in-the-dumps depressed 5 year old, but I honestly am excited for my sister. No matter what my feelings are, I am determined not to ruin this time for her. Though I may have my reservations about this marriage, she is a girl who is planning her wedding and dreaming of her perfect day. I will do my best to keep y'all updated with all the latest details of her big day.

Thanks for listening!!
♥LOVE♥

Christmas :)

2010-12-29T03:09:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!

My Christmas Eve/ Christmas was kind of hectic but I loved every minute of it!! It started with sleeping in on Christmas Eve (well sleeping in is 10am for me!) when I got up I wrapped a few last minute gifts, at 2pm we went to Brian's Uncle's house for dinner #1, 4pm we went to Outback with my family, 6pm Christmas Eve candle light church service, then by 730 pm I was at work! Yep, I worked 7p on Christmas Eve to 7a on Christmas morning(with no sleep that day). At first I was realllly dreading coming into work, but you know what? Once I got settled (yeah I was a mess to begin with, the code to the NICU door was changed, I had no pens, etc...yeah it was bad) I actually enjoyed myself. I always tune into 99.1 which is a country station in FL and they were playing all country christmas music all night long...SCORE! :)

Christmas day was just as crazy as Christmas Eve, except today I had zero sleep the night before so I had been up since 10am on Christmas Eve! Brian dropped me off & picked me up from work and that was soo nice! We went to the apartment and grabbed the gifts for my family, and headed to my parents house to do Christmas morning. We got alot of nice things from Santa this year! (I'll save the fun gifts for another post...and yes we still do Santa...the perks of having siblings who are alot younger than you...haha) From here we went to his Granny's for breakfast, to the apartment to exchange gifts just the 2 of us, back to my house for dinner, then to his moms for dinner, back to my house for games & dessert.

Got all that? Yeah if you have a headache then you feel exactley how I did before my head hit the pillow that night. I don't even remember falling asleep but I slept great! Thank goodness because being up for 36 hours is not my idea of a fun time!!

Well, I am at work so I guess I, you know, should get back to work :)

♥LOVE♥

10 days!

2010-12-15T03:34:00.002-05:00

I canNOT believe that in 10 days it will be Christmas! How insane is that?? I am so looking forward to Christmas....mainly because I love seeing people open the gifts I get them and seeing their reaction is my favorite.

I am the type of gifter that takes the time and thinks about what I want to get someone for a good 3 days before I attempt to purchase anything. I'm not one of those "Lets just walk around the store...I'll know it when I see it" type people. I like the think about the relationship I have with that person and then think of a funny gift & a serious gift to give them.

Example: My sister keeps threatening to move out of my parents house because 4 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms is just not enough. Therefore, I bought her a VeraBradley duffle bag with a note that says "get to packing!" But I also got her a sister's book. Yes, I got it out of the children's section, but it is the sweetest thing ever. It talks about how different the 2 sisters are, but the last page says that "No matter how different they seem to be, they are alike in the most important way...they love each other very much" How sweeeeet?

Well, I am at work....it's been a looong night in the stepdown NICU because it is pretty slow tonight. Usually I am in the level 3 unit where they are basically trying to be kept alive, but tonight I am in the "feeder/grower" unit where most babies go after level 3 but before they are sent home. One bad thing about working in this unit....I get to interact with the babies....feeding, rocking, playing....and it makes me want one. And that's bad! Haha No, but seriously it makes me excited to think about the future for me & Brian...who knows where we will be this time next year...

♥LOVE♥

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T03:55:00.002-05:00

I have come to realize....I'm horrible at taking pictures! I used to be really ontop of things and have my camera out 24/7. Well, recently, I think about it after the fact. Like oh man! Before I changed into my pj's I should have taken a picture of me & B on Thanksgiving. Ohhh well. I can only go up from here!!

B and I had such a great Thanksgiving! He started the day by going to Granny's house. I skipped out on this run and stayed at my parents house watching the parade, baking orange danish, and reading the sale papers....gotta love traditions! When he got back, we headed to Joyce's house (she is Brian's stepdad's brother's wife's mother...get it? Yeah me neither!) Well she lives out in the boonies so it took us 30 minutes just to get there! The main reason we made a point of going to that house was to see Ande (B's mom). Come to find out...she got an eye infection and her eye was swollen shut! Sooooo we didn't get to see her and I was bummed about that! I really like his mom and haven't seen her, seriously, in months! On the way back we stopped by Brian's Aunt Michelle's house. This house was my favorite (well close 2nd to my house!) When we got there, everyone was sitting outside on the pooldeck, drinking beer, and eating cookies!! Haha She might just be favorite relative of the year :)

We finally got back to my house just in time for my family's dinner. My dad had to work at the hospital so we ate around 8pm. We had a delicious, yummy, traditional dinner. I seriously love my family & the fact that Brian fits in perfectly...makes me all sorts of happy!

I even allowed Brian to talk me into going up and sitting outside of target from 10:30pm-4am when they opened. Buuut we got what we wanted! Actually we got 2 :) I will post our finds in a later post :)

♥LOVE♥

Beer bread & reminiscing

2010-11-21T22:05:00.005-05:00

So a few days ago I wanted to make something delicious to go with dinner. I really don't do the cooking in our household, and the funny thing is...I love to cook & bake! I'm just really blessed...and spoiled...with a guy who loves to grill and is an awesome cook :)

Well, I decided to make a personal favorite...beer bread! Seriously the easiest, yummiest recipe ever! Four ingredients, 4 steps, and you're done...

3 cups of self-rising flour
1/2 cup of sugar
12 oz bottle/can of beer
2 tbsp melted butter

Mix sugar, flour, and beer. Pour into greased/floured loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Pour melted butter over bread as soon as you take it out of the oven.

I decided to mix it up a little bit and make one with budlight and another with a bottle of my favorite blueberry beer! (& yes I have used bud light lime before and there is a faint lime taste, but not enough that I would use it again lol) They both turned out delicious and just talking about this bread makes me want to run into the kitchen and whip up another loaf!! :)

This is the blueberry batter....

The budlight batter....

My ingredients....

Ready to go into the oven!!

The delicious finished product!!
Blueberry

Regular

It's weird because my dad used to make this bread when we were growing up, but hasn't made it in years. At a friend's bachelorette party, her MIL made it for us to munch on while drinking! & we tore that bread up! I've made it a few times since then, but it always reminds me of that party. Sadly, I don't even know if I am even still "friends" with her. Like when we were friends, we went through so much together from highschool, me moving to Gainesville, a funeral, planning her wedding (I was the MOH in her wedding), being introduced to Brian at her 21st birthday shindig, etc. At one point, I had too much pride to admit it, but I miss when times were good. I miss being so retarded that only we understand whats going on, watching the Simple Life...and quoting it, having all day text conversations, etc. It's always sad when old friends arent friends anymore, but having gone through so much, and not feeling like I can pick up the phone and call her and sharing what's been going on lately, is weird. I hate that this is the way it is, but maybe one day things will be different.

It's a long story as to why I dont even know if we are friends anymore, but the main thing is things were said or read that were either taken the wrong way or thought they were about someone else. I have often thought of deleting my blog because of the problems that it has brought, but I love sharing my thoughts, day, feelings on here. I don't even care how many followers I have on here (even though I love every.single.one.of.you.), I love spending the afternoon reading old posts and reliving some of my memories I have shared on here. I do hate that it had a hand in driving a wedge into a once best friendship though.

Anyways, this post was not meant to be a long drawn out, sharing my deep down feelings post lol But I got carried away and that's what it turned into. Oh well.

♥LOVE♥

Oh the possibilities....

2010-11-20T00:25:00.010-05:00

Shutterfly is amazing! They are giving away 50 free Christmas cards to bloggers! How awesome is that?! One thing to mark off your to-do lists, ladies. If you haven't already, you really need to check it out!! Click here to get yours :)

So, it is a little slow at work tonight so I looked through tons and tons of different style options for our Christmas cards! Wow. Overwhelming. Shutterfly offers wayy too many designs for indecisive me. I will definitly need some help narrowing them down....I have too many favorites. We did red, black, and white cards last year so this year I tried to pick out cards that had a ton of color!!

One big question I have is should I go with folded cards and write a little personal message in every card? Or should I go with flat cards and just write a generic message on the card? Another question....should I go with just one picture? or chose a design with multiple pictures and put a few pics on there from the year? Like one from the Braves game, Gator game, etc.

HELP!!!

Here are the designs I am contemplating. Let's start with the folded options...

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/seasonal-chic-2010-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93496&fc=2

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/retro-plaid-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93496&fc=2

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/elegant-black-damask-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93496&fc=2

Or we could go with flat....

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards/love-joy-christmas-5x7-photo-card-5x7-photo?sortType=1&storeNode=93496&fc=1

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards/snow-kiss-red-christmas-5x7-photo-card-5x7-photo?sortType=1&storeNode=93496&fc=1

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards/snowy-night-winter-5x7-photo-card-5x7-photo?sortType=1&storeNode=93496&fc=1

If you ladies could give me some pointers as to which card I should go with, I would love you forever!! Once I decide on a card....it's time to choose pictures!

♥LOVE♥

It's so almost Christmas.

2010-11-17T14:38:00.002-05:00

Alot of my friends & family know that I am not the biggest fan of the Holidays. My only reason for feeling this way is I hate the build up. You know, the countdowns until Christmas, making a list of what to get people, trying to get people to tell you what they want, the bank account dwindling down to nothing, grouchy people alllllll over, and looking forward to Christmas morning so much that you just. cant. sleep.

Don't get me wrong, I am a born again believer and love the reason for the season, but it's just alot of stress for something that is over December 26th. Stores put Christmas decorations out before Halloween is even over, and then the day after Christmas, they mark it down to clearance and move it out.

I think another possible reason is that my household is my only real family I have that lives in the same state. We used to have a huge family here, and they would all come to my house on Holidays and we would spend the day cooking, eating, playing games, opening presents. It was the best ever. But 5 years ago, they all moved away leaving it just the 7 of us to share the holidays. Again, dont get me wrong, I am such a big family person, it just doesn't really seem like the Holidays when all is said and done.

SO I MAKE THIS PLEDGE:
I am going to 100% legitimatley try to enjoy the Holidays this year. I have made a promise to myself that I am going to allow myself to get lost in the Holiday spirit, I am going to smile & sing Christmas carols when waiting in line at Walmart (and you wish I was kidding about this one), I am going to let myself feel the after Christmas blues, and get teary eyed when I am forced to take my Christmas decorations down. Because this is how I spent Christmas as a kid. Excited to go look at Christmas lights, getting jump-up-and-down excited over wrapping gifts for people, and begging my mom until she finally took me shopping for gifts. I miss enjoying Christmas and I know I have done this to myself.

So get ready people! I am going to Chritmas ya'll out this year! & to be honest (& no I will not admit this again) I am excited. I can't wait until December and I can't wait to be a kid again on Christmas!!

What prompted this post? I finally had time to register for the 50 free Christmas cards from Shutterfly! I have used Shutterfly before when my sister made a calender for her boyfriend before he left for Iraq, and it is the cutest thing ever!! So, in case you are the only person on blogger who has yet to register for yours...doooooo iiittttt here
I will post about shutterfly again soon because I'm going to need some help on deciding on a layout and a picture of me & my hunny :)

♥LOVE♥

The FAIR! & Comedy Zone

2010-11-16T04:02:00.003-05:00

Brian & I are huge country music fans, so when we heard that Clay Walker would be performing at the county fair, we decided to get crazy & go on a Monday night! Well, the concert started at 8, and we got there around 6. The. fair. was. dead. It wasn't until after the concert...around 945 that is got crazzzy. I seriously thought there would be more people there early because it was a school night...guess not. We got there early so we could check out the concert spot (it was free with admission so we knew it would fill up fast!) Once we found the location of the concert, we decided to walk around a little bit and get some dinner. Yes. I had fair food for dinner that night....and it was fabulous! We both got stuffed pizza and split a funnel cake...yes....we are 5!

We ended up actually getting better seats than VIP did. & those people paid an extra $10 a person. Ha. We had a table and everything! Well, since I don't do cold, I wasn't really dressed for the weather that night. I wore a long sleeve shirt and thought I would be fine! No. I was so wrong! I ended up being a jerk girlfriend and stole Brian's sweatshirt that he brought so he was sitting in 50 degree weather in a short sleeve tshirt. That was until a reallllly nice couple came and joined our table and let Brian have their 'hot hands' and let me use their blanket they brought. Seriously these people were so prepared! They brought extra blankets just incase losers (like myself) showed up unprepared! So, against his will (seriously. sweetest guy ever) I gave Brian back his sweatshirt and cuddled up with my loaner blanket.

The concert was amazing! There were so many people there & I hope this means that we will be hearing more from Clay Walker since he is rumored making a comeback! We had a great time...that is until some jerk of a teenager spilt his beer on an older man behind us & laughed about it! You better believe the Marine came out of Brian and was ready to put that kid in his place!! Once Brian and the shared-their-winter-supplies-man stood up....the kid decided he better leave. Intimidation...check!

Well, overall the night was a total success...and I scored 3 fish from the ping pong ball toss. 2 of them are still kicking...well...swimming! :)

The next night, I had plans to go to dinner with one of my biffles, Rachel. We went to La Nops (a mexican resturaunt) which is no surprise since we both crave mexican & margaritas like it is our job! We had a blast at dinner & she even came over to see my new casa :)

After dinner, Brian asked me if I wanted to meet him up at the Comedy Zone (a comedy club in one of our local hotels). One of his friends was "graduating" from comedy school and had given us free tickets to go. I am always up for a comedy show so I went and I am so glad I did! Those people were seriously funny! I told Brian that we should enroll in the next class that they offer, because I think standup comedy would be so much fun to do!

Overall those two nights were some of the funnest we have had in a long time. Life has gotten the better of us, and we are always on the go, it was nice to be able to just be with each other and enjoy each other's company!

Have a great week, guys!

♥LOVE♥

B-day love!

2010-11-11T04:54:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to wish one of my best friends, Jen, a happy 24th birthday!!!! If you haven't seen her blog, you should really check her out here!

♥LOVE♥

Veteran's Day!!

2010-11-11T00:32:00.002-05:00

So today...well I guess technically yesterday...(working at night messes up your days sometimes!! lol)...is the Marine Corps 235th birthday!!

I am so proud to say that I am in love with a Marine! I love him with all my heart & I am proud of the morals and pride he acquired during his time in the service. I love knowing that he is still so passionate about the Corps. I know he hates that he was injured and forced to be medically discharged. It's okay I love him & his titanium arm :)

Well, since it is Veteran's day, Brian and I are going out to dinner tonight! Basically because he eats free and we take full advantage of that lol We haven't decided yet....Golden Corral or Applebees. I am not a huge fan of either so the choice will be up to the Veteran!

I hope everyone takes the time today November 11th to thank a member of the military....active, retired, reserve, whatever. They seriously sacrafice so much for our freedom & it's so true....Freedom doesn't come Free!

"All gave some, Some gave all."

♥LOVE♥

Worst. Night. Ever.

2010-11-07T00:53:00.003-04:00

So, let's start off by saying.....I live in Florida. You know, sunny....tropical...palm trees....warm all year round Florida?!

Please, someone tell me why there is a freeze warning in effect until 8am?? I don't do cold weather. Mainly, because of what happened 3 days ago.....I got a cold! It's horrible. I'm miserable. This stinks!

So on top of sniffling, sneezing, coughing, headache-y, dizziness, chills, and annoying my co-workers to death with my sickness....I am at work tonight. I work a 7pm-7am job and it is time change night. Yep, you guessed it. I get to work 13 hours instead of 12. Some of you might be thinking...what? It's only one more hour. Well, the thing is...the 12 hours I work on a normal basis is already to much. I bite my nails waiting for the day shift person to come in so I can speed home, shower, and get into bed. Now at 3am, it will be 2am alllll over again. This should be interesting....

Well enough of my complaining! I am hoping to locate some cold medicine on my dinner break at 1:30...yes I eat dinner at 1:30 when I work. Oh what I would do for my nice warm bed....

♥LOVE♥

World's Largest Cocktail Party!

2010-10-28T22:26:00.003-04:00

....is THIS WEEKEND! Woo-hoo! I'm so excited. I have been looking forward to this weekend since the day after last year's game!

FLORIDA vs. GEORGIA is my favorite game to attend. The atmosphere is undescribable & the fans are fabulous. So what if we throw dog biscuits at the UGA fans, so what is they chant that it's "great to be a gator hater".....where is the fun in football without a little rivalery and trash talk??

This year we have 3 different tailgates to visit! haha Our main tailgate will be with our friends Jen, Cody, Rachel, some of Jen's old co-workers, her sister Katie & her bf, and some other people. My friend Haley is going to be at the game with some friends so I'm sure we will wonder to their tailgate. Then all of Brian's friends from work are having a huge tailgate. Last year we made an appearance at his friend, Richard's, tailgate and they were having so much fun that I'm excited to go back this year! He invites pretty much everyone they work with so I'm excited to see some of his friends.

I am going tomorrow to look for a dark blue tank top to wear under my orange one. I was going to buy a new gator shirt, but sometimes I like to sport the colors and noooot have writing all over my chest haha I also need to get a quick pedi. Yes. Need.

Well, whatever team you root for, whatever colors you bleed I hope everyone has a fabulous football weekend!!

♥LOVE♥

She's gonna be a June bride!

2010-10-28T04:28:00.004-04:00

My best friend, Haley, is getting married on June 25, 2011! I am so excited for her. She is seriously the best friend a girl could ask for and she deserves the best!!

Now, growing up Haley, our friend Katie, and I have always been best friends so Katie and I already kind of assumed we were in the wedding. Haha Have you ever felt that way? Like I know she hasnt asked me....but isn't it kind of implied? LOL

Well we went to dinner on Monday night because she is in town for her family medicine rotation. (She is in Med School at the University of Florida). & She asked me to be a briiiidesmaid! There are 6 girls total in the party, her sister is the MOH, her other sister is Bridesmaid #1 and I'm Bridesmaid #2/3 haha Katie & I were tied together. That's seriously how close the 3 of us have always been.

I am so excited for this wedding & I am looking forward to it more than I have looked forward to any other wedding I have ever been in :) Eeeeeeh! Cant wait for June!!

♥LOVE♥

Four types.....

2010-10-19T02:33:00.003-04:00

Recently I was talking to one of my really good friends about different people who have come into our lives along the way but never really stayed. That topic lead to talking about people we have considered to be friends that turned out to be anything but, and then we moved onto the friends who we consider family and would do anything for.

This got me thinking about how there are basically 4 types of friends I have come in contact with....

#1--the clinger. This person who wants to be your best friend because you have something exciting going on at that moment, or if something big is happening/has happened they want to be in the spot light too. (I have one of these friends and she is currently "clinging" to someone else right now, thank jesus!)

#2--the attention needer. This person only wants people around when something big is happening. This person might not have alot of friends otherwise and therefore does not have anyone to celebrate with. They need people during these times to make them feel good about themselves, and when all is said and done things will go back to normal. (This one usually falls into the next type as well. At least for me it does. Even Brian has had this happen to him & he ended up in a wedding becaue of it! Haha)

#3--the taker. Friendship is a give & take relationship. Not to this person. This type of "friend" will eventually run you ragged with all of their drama, lies, and just pure bad intentions. Through time, they will run you down and kick you while you are there. This person will only stay in the friendship until something "better" comes along, and will say what ever they have to say to make them feel important or superior to others. (Thankfully only 1 or 2 people come to mind when I think about this type)

#4--the real deal. Lifelong friends are very hard to come by, especially this day & age. But when you find a genuine friend you know they are for real. The one that stays throught the high points and the low points. Someone you can count on to be there for you anytime day or night. No questions asked. (I know exactly who I can and can not trust. I have been blessed with a handful of people who I can count on whenever I need something and I consider these girls family!)

So there you go. My random 3 am post. (because I am at work!) I know the best way to rid yourself of these categories is to stop being friends with them, but for some reason a few certain ones just keep coming back. I guess that's a part of growing up. You have to decide which friends are worth keeping and which friends are nothing but bad seeds.

Surround yourself with genuine people and your life will be blessed because of them :)

♥LOVE♥

Slow your roll!

2010-10-15T21:00:00.002-04:00

Holy Moly! Things have been so crazy & life will not slow down! I have so many things to update yall about I don't even know where to start. Let's see....

#1 NEW JOB!!!
I am now employeed by one of the leading hospitals in the nation! It's an amazing teaching/learning hospital in Jacksonville, and it is only more wonderful because it is associated by UF!! So yes, I am employeed by the University of Florida :) LOOOOVE IT! GO GATORS!

#2 POSSIBLE OUT OF STATE MOVE
Brian is doing everything short of getting on his hands and knees begging for me to agree to move to Vancouver, Washington! This is where Brian went to high school, joined the Marines, and made alot of his lifelong friends. His friend, Pete, owns a lounge/nightclub and has promised Brian a good paying job if he would just move out there. I'm verrrry torn because I feel like this is a good point in our lives to make such a drastic change, but I am a family person. I don't know if I could live across the country from them.

#3 NO NURSING SCHOOL
So, I was accepted into nursing school, only to find out my family "apparently" makes too much money so my financial aid was dropped. According to the financial aid representative my family should be able to pay $11,000 out of pocket. WHAT?? That's ridiculous. After fees, books, uniforms, and all that jazz my tuition came to about $9,000 every 16 weeks. Pssh yeah right! I have dropped out of the program, but I have found another school that I have a good chance at being accepted into but I will have to wait until May. Ohhh well I thinkg waiting 7 months for school and saving about $7,000 every 16 weeks is tooootally worth it!

#4 FAMILY MOVE
My family moved this past week into a new house! (Yes, I still live at home only because I am not out of school yet and I am not married. Free rent? Heck yes! People always ask me why I don't live with Brian....the answer is I'm. not. married. Plain & simple. I am not old fashion about alot of things, but this is one I am passionate about in my own relationship. I do not in any way, shape, or form look down on people who do live together before marriage, it's just not for me.) So in the mean time we have relocated to a new house not too far from our old house. It's right next to the ballpark...which I love! It is a newer all brick 4 bedroom/3 bathroom house and we are adjusting. It's weird because I have only moved once before in my life. When I was 11 we moved out of the house I grew up in and for the past 12 years we have lived at the house we just moved out of. I am nooo fan of change so it is difficult to think a family other than my own will live in that house. I have decided to take the long way everywhere and even add 10 minutes to my drive to work so I will avoid going past the neighborhood because our house was right at the entrance. Dramatic? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutley.

#5 MY BROTHER
My baby brother, who is my oldest little brother has announced he is joining the Navy! Now, don't get me wrong, I am extremely proud of this life changing decision he has made, I am just over protective of him! Of course this means that he will need to get used to a liiiittle bit of teasing by my boyfriend, Brian...a Marine, and our sister's boyfriend, Adam....an Army soldier expected home from Iraq in December. He is passionate about repairing anything on a car and plans on using his knowledge and experience on planes. I'm very proud of him, but a little worried at the same time!

....that is just a little taste of what I have been dealing with on my end. I have ,however, been doing my best to keep up with everyone! I hope to get back on the blogging train once things have calmed down a little bit, just wanted to let everyone know I was still out here :)

♥LOVE♥

Two years?!

2010-08-14T13:39:00.003-04:00

Two years ago today, I started dating the love of my life!! Brian is without a doubt my best friend, my shoulder to cry on, and my partner in crime. I, honestly, have no idea where I would be without him and I thank godd for him everyday.

Here are a few pictures from the past year.....
(keep in mind that I am ever so thankful to the gym and the sun...natural or not...since some of these photos were taken)

This picture was taken before we went to dinner with Brian's family in May 2010

At the Tim McGraw/Lady A concert April 2010

Easter Sunday 2010

Random Sunday trip to Flagler Beach/Palm Coast FL 2010

3 Days Gace/Breaking Benjamin Concert 2010

We have had our ups & downs this year, but all in all our year has been pretty amazing! I can't wait to see what the future holds for us, but whatever comes our way we will have each other :)
(...anyone throw up a little bit yet?! Ok I'm done being mushy!)

♥LOVE♥

Post-its?

2010-08-08T09:24:00.003-04:00

Does anyone else live their lives with post-it notes everywhere? I always come home and empty my pockets...it will include the store keys (if I worked that day), my cell phone, a gum wrapper, and, of course, at least 10 different post it notes of things I either need to do when I get home or remember to pick up when I go to the store.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love checking things off my to do list, but when I get home my dresser always looks like this.....

Do I have a problem?! :)

Saturday plans

2010-08-06T08:28:00.002-04:00

So this weekend I am off Saturday, but I have to work Sunday. So I am definitly making the most of my Saturday!!!
This is my plan....
Early morning work out then some much needed time by the pool
Shopping with my bffl Jen! I need to get a few items for a baby shower, a few odds & ends for Brian's 2 yr anniversary gift, and I thiiiiink I need a few pairs of new shoes... :)
Then tomorrow night I have a baby shower for another one of Brian's cousins! Another baby girl will make her debut into the family around August 25. Can't wait!
Well, I hope you have an amazing weekend planned!!
♥LOVE♥

Forgive me!

2010-08-03T13:01:00.002-04:00

Helllooooooo my long lost friends! I have been such a slacker the last few months, and I sincerely apologize. It was this time last year when I first started blogging so I just went back through some of my old posts and smiled with every comment you ladies left :)

I realized that I have missed blogging on a regular basis and I am going to try my daggum hardest to get back into a routine, because quite frankly....I miss you guys!! You have all been so sweet & I'm sorry I have fallen behind on my duties as a blogger.

I hope to have some fun posts coming your way because our 2 year anniversary is coming up!! We have a plan to make no plans for our anniversary weekend and I'm super excited about that!

♥LOVE♥

Oh happy day!!!

2010-07-19T14:13:00.003-04:00

I GOT INTO NURSING SCHOOL!!!!!!!

I am on cloud nine right now! I am nervous, ecstatic, & giddy all at the same time. All of that hard work is finally paying off.

I just got accepted a few hours ago & already its draining the bank account! Just to apply I had to pay $85 which covered the application fee and entrance exam. Now, they tell me that when I go in tomorrow I need to bring $150 for drug screening and background check. I've only been a student since 10:05am and already they own me :)

Thanks to everyone who sent all of that positive energy my way....it's much appreciated!! In May 2012 I will be an RN with my BSN. How splendid does that sound?!

♥LOVE♥

No news is good news...right??

2010-07-17T17:18:00.002-04:00

Well, I held my phone all day yesterday & kept it with me while I was at work last night......but no phone call.

Meghan, the director of admissions, told me that there is a 95% chance I would find out on Friday, but sometimes (the other 5%) the meeting goes too long and she leaves before they are done reviewing files.

Now, normally I would be freaking out all weekend, and the time would creep by, but I've been so busy today that I haven't even thought about it! I helped a good friend move into the same apartment complex as Brian (& me most of the time! lol) and now I'm home getting showered and ready to spend the evening at a friends house. The boys are going to fish, and the girls are going to chit-chat.

I hope everyone has had a great weekend & believe me....as soon as I find out, I will post :)

♥LOVE♥

Just breathe....

2010-07-15T10:50:00.002-04:00

Oh Geez.

I'm nervous.

No....Terrified.

Tomorrow, around 5:30 I find out if I was accepted into school.

For the past 3 years I have been applying every semester trying to get into nursing school. I am always wait-listed around number 150/500 applicants and they regret to inform me they can only accept 120, but they will notify me if a spot opens up.

Well, that spot has never opened up. I feel like my life has been put on hold, taking pointless classes until my "spot" finally becomes available. I have spent countless nights crying over rejection letters, crying myself to sleep on Brian's shoulder, and debating if it was ever going to happen.

Then, one day I stumbled into a new nursing school and was introduced to the admissions director. She listened to my long, overly dramatic story of the last 3 years being filled with rejection and she told me that her school was the school for me. I applied, took my entrance exam (which by the way...I totally rocked! I needed a 70 and I got an 86..go me!) and I've been waiting for their board of admissions to meet on July 16 at 3 pm.

Meghan, the director of admissions, told me that as soon as the board came to a decision, that she would call me. She was not going to make me wait for the letter to come in the mail, because I've waited long enough. It has been 2 weeks since I submitted everything to the school, and I feel like July 16 at 3 pm is taking forever to get here.

Before I turned in all my paperwork, I felt like this was a for sure thing. That I was definitly starting nursing school in October and that May 2012 I will be a nursing school graduate with my BSN. But, now that the meeting is almost here, I feel like I have had a false sense of hope. That, to my surprise, I might get another rejection and that I will be back in line waiting for that "spot" to become available.

I will update Saturday morning with the final decision & I would really appreicate it if you would send positive energy my way over the next 2 days. I feel like tomorrow could start a brand new chapter in my life full of expensive college books, long days full of hospital clinicals, and a light at the end of a very long tunnel. I have never wanted anything more in my life and I'm anxiously awaiting that phone call.....

♥LOVE♥

Wow!

2010-07-13T12:55:00.002-04:00

....I'm a horrible blogger! lol

I'm going to try my best to update more often which shouldn't be a problem now for a few reasons...
1) the girls my mom watches are home for the summer so no cute 4 year olds to play with.

2) Brian is back to work after some time off for vacation!

3) My grandparents...from both sides....have gone home so no more visitors. Which is sad, but it is kind of nice not having to entertain or keep up with the house as much.

I have so much to update on & a lot of pictures too!! I will post more sooooooon :)

♥LOVE♥

Mondays are my FUNdays!!

2010-06-21T07:49:00.002-04:00

I'm so looking forward to my plans today! I already started my morning off right with 6am cycle class...is it just me or does that class keep getting better and better?

Today is planned out as follows....
9am Bodypump. I have been neglecting this class because my old trainer told me to limit the number of bodypump classes I attend. Well, I miss it and I really want to continue toning so today I make my grand return.
10am. ZUMBAAAA!! Ok, anyone who knows me knows that I love a good zumba class & I am still planning on taking the instructor course so I can be a certified zumba instructor this December.
11am. Finish zumba, change, and head to the beach!! I am going to pack turkey wraps for me and my older sister, Jennifer, who is taking the late morning classes with me. I neeeeeed to get some sun since I have not been to the tanning bed in....gasp...a month! It's funny how fast my tan fades lol
After the beach I am thinking about heading to Old Navy and using my $20 certificate on a pair of jeans to wear tonight & to have for this weekend in Charleston!
Then, tonight at 630, we are going to Olive Garden with Brian's family for granny's birthday! I am excited because, not only am I a pasta lover....I get to play with baby Malia! She is about 5 or 6 weeks old now and she is the cutest thing ever! :)

So, in a nutshell, that is how fabulous my day will be! I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday as well!!

♥LOVE♥

I love my daddy!

2010-06-21T07:34:00.002-04:00

I have always known that my dad was a great man, but the past 7 years my dad has gone above & beyond to take care of out family.

My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 13 years old. She was able to work for a few years, but it slowly became too much. With a 7 person household and 1 parent able to work, this means our family took a major income cut. The thing is, our parents never let us know how "poor" we were. We always had huge Christmas mornings, our birthdays were always special, and we never went without. They even supported my decision to move away for college, when we really didn't have the money. For a while, we were in limbo....we had the things we needed, but we were living paycheck to paycheck.

My father, a RN of 27 years, decided to up his hours from 36 (a common full time work week for a nurse...3 12 hour shifts) to 60. This meant we had less time to spend with our dad, and he started working 5 12 hour shifts, and picking up a few hours here and there in whatever unit needed extra help.

My dad's days off are spent catching up on his "honey do" list my mom makes for him, and rarely does he complain about the toll it takes on him. He is my role model. My reason for following in his footsteps and being a nurse. He is the best daddy a girl could ask for :)

Love you, daddy!!!

Things I'm currently loving lots & things I'm loving not so much

2010-06-18T22:39:00.002-04:00

The L-O-V-E-S.....
~My beyond amazing man
~My beyond amazing man grilling me dinner (5 out of 7 nights this week!)
~A brunch date with Cody&Jen in the morning
~My meeting this morning was fabulous
~My grandad visiting this week
~My vitamins giving me tons of evergy
~That my future brother in law aka Mr. Soldier of the Month is coming home on R&R in August!
~Visiting a GREAT lady, Rachel, in Charleston next weekend
~1/2 marathon training started this week!!!
~My sweet, beautiful 4 year old friend had her first dance recital last night!!

The L-O-V-E-S...not so much.....
~Going into work for 3 hours on Fathers Day
~I still have 2 weeks until my vacay time with Brian
~My sister is going to Russia in 2 weeks and that makes me a liiiittle nervous
~My blogging has fallen a few spots on my list....more info to come at a later date :)
~My paycheck might as well go to Bath&Body Works because their 75% off sale is where I spend my lunch breaks.

I plan to write a more in depth blog on the last 2 weeks soon, I have alot of pictures to post & some fun stories to tell :)

♥LOVE♥

Somer's Sunshine 5K

2010-05-24T09:03:00.003-04:00

Last October, a horrible event took place only 45 minutes down the road from my house. It made national news & is the reason I will never move to the westside of town, or anywhere over the Buckman Bridge to be exact. If you have not heard of the Somer Thompson story, you can read it here.

This past Saturday, May 22, was the first annual Somer's Sunshine 5K! It was an up and back run along the river and it was gorgeous! It was a beautiful run, but it was oh so stinkin' hot! To start off the race, they played "You are my Sunshine", Somer's favorite song, sung by her sister. Purple was everywhere because it was her favorite color and 100 purple balloons were release when the gun sounded! It was bittersweet as we celebrated the life of this beautiful baby girl.

I was really excited because this was Brian's first 5K since he started working out again. His goal is to be able to run 3 miles in less than 27 minutes, because when he was in the Marines, that was a requirement. His time was 33 minutes, and I could not be more proud of him! We have another 5K this weekend, and his goal is to knock 1 minute off of his time. I know he will be at his 27 minute goal in no time.

My time was my best 5K time to date! My time was 37 minutes and 30 seconds, or a 12:04 mile. I finished 14th in my age group and I am very proud of that. I ran this run with Jen (the biffle) and Jennifer (the sister) and we are hoping to improve our time by this weekend's 5K and throughout our training for the 1/2 marathons coming up at the end of this year.

This weekend is our Memorial Day Run for the Troops 5K and this race will be a very special race for us. We are running in memory of our dear friend, Jon, a Marine who lost his life in Afghanistan. I cannot wait to make tshirts to wear during the run and honor our fallen hero.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

♥LOVE♥

When you think Tim McGraw...

2010-05-13T09:50:00.012-04:00

For my 23rd birthday, my sister Jennifer bought tickets to see Tim McGraw with Lady Antebellum, and Love&Theft! I was super excited because I am absolutley in LOVE with Tim! It was a long 2 month wait, but on May 6, it was finally time to go see the sexiest man in country music!

It was originally just Jennifer, me, and my other sister Kristen who were going to the concert, but the day before my mom called me at work asking if Brian would like to take Timothy (my little brother) to the concert. OF COURSE! Brian is a true country boy and has always wanted to see Tim McGraw in concert. So, my mom bought the boys tickets to the concert and off we went!

The concert was beyond amazing and while I have no idea how he fit into those tight jeans...but I'm so glad he did :)
Some pictures before the concert....

This is my little brother, Timothy (who is following in B's footsteps with the whole country boy thing.. :)

Can't you tell?

My sisters Jenny, & Krissy

The sibs

This is the fam minus my little Brother Matt & my parents...

♥

Love&Theft opened the show. They sang a few songs that I knew, but there were alot I had never heard before. They were actually pretty good & after the show my sister bought their cd and went in the line for a meet and greet. I had to remind the band that my sister is happily taken by a soldier and they needed to back off!! :)

Next Lady A took the stage....My sisters and I love them & my older sister, Jennifer was more excited about seeing them than Tim!

Finally, the cowboy came out!! It was an amazing show (minus when he sang "If you're reading this" I started crying and my sister got up and left for that song since her bf Adam is in Iraq for 7 more months). He sang "The cowboy in me", "She's my kind of rain", "Just to see her smile"...allllll the good ones! He was really good and if you have never seen him in concert I strongly suggest going! You won't be disappointed!

This guy made me sooo angry! He would put up his binoculars and I could not see anything! I told him to move at least a dozen times! lol Not only was he annoying, but he looked like an idiot!

Tim had a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd come out and sing "Sweet Home Alamaba" with him!

Best. Sisters. Ever!

I had to show you the pants.....

Hope I didn't bore you too much while I relived the concert:) Now, I am waiting for Carrie Underwood in October! We got GREAT seats and I am sooo excited!
♥LOVE♥

Back on track!

2010-05-11T12:51:00.005-04:00

I feel so good today! This past weekend, I really felt the need to get back on track with everything, including exercise, eating, family, & friends.

I have been exercising for the past 3 years, but I feel the need to kick it up a notch to get to my last goal! I have had success with weightloss, I have lost 60 lbs since I started on my journey, but I still have a little ways to go. But, I can see the finish line. It's right there and I've never wanted it so bad! I am sooo glad to announce that my biffle is back in town! Jen moved back over the weekend, and we already had a gym date this morning. This is going to push me even further and we have a goal set in stone....Marine Corps 1/2 Marathon in October! We are both commited and I can not wait to start the training schedule next Monday!! :)

Nutrition has been lacking lately. I know I need to step it up and get back to counting calories and stay under 1400. I have started writing down everything B and I eat and recording them in a journal. We have a trainer who reviews our logs and gives us tips and advice. One thing I have found & LOVE is Smuckers All Natural peanut butter. For those who don't know.....I'm addicted to peanut butter and Jiff is not the greatest so I needed to switch. I was a little nervous at first, but it actually tastes REALLY good! B and I have decided to eat at home every night to save money and to help better our lifestyles. We have a movie and a dinner picked out every night this week! We just feel the need to get back to the basics and honestly, the only thing that truely matters to us, is our time together!

Family is #1. I love them. They complete me. They are my rock! This weekend as we celebrated Mother's Day, I realized that we are all grown up and doing our own thing and while things will never be the way they were when all 7 of us lived at home, we are still the same people. I have been blessed. beyond. measure for my amazing family! I have a father who works 60+ hours a week to support our big family, a mother who even though she has multiple sclerosis, still loves to make home cooked meals, keep a clean house, and do way to much for her children. I have 2 sisters, one older and one younger who I learn from everyday. We are very close and love spending time together. I have 2 younger brothers who are hilarious, loving, and caring (most of the time). Another thing you need to know is that my family is full of family clowns and whenever we all get together, we literally can't breath because we laugh so hard. I love it!

Friends. The family god forgot to give you. I am the type of girl who doesn't need alot of friends, as long as the friends I have are top notch:) I am also blessed with the gift of discernment and can tell who is sincere and who is not. I have the truest, honest, do-anything-for-you, best friends a girl could ask for and I thank god for them everyday.

Then there's B! Even though it's been almost 2 years, my heart still skips a beat when I think of him. He's my other half, the peas to my carrots, my soul mate. I know without a doubt that when God made B, he had me in mind. We go together perfectly, we compliment each other's flaws and quirks, and we enjoy every second we have together. We have decided on a 2 year plan which includes nursing school, fire school, marriage, and oh.em.gee. babies. I feel like I am way to young to have kids lol I feel like I'm still a kid myself, but I have an overwhelming since of peace with our decision :)

I hope everyone is having a great week so far!! & I am uploading pictures from Tim McGraw as I typ//e...get ready!

♥LOVE♥

What day is it? (caution LONG post)

2010-05-06T16:13:00.003-04:00

I feel like I've been on a roller coaster the last few days and I can't wait to jump off tomorrow night at 9:30pm! It all started with a busier than busy weekend....

Last Friday, I left for work about an hour early because I needed to look for a dress to wear to my best friend, Jen's, graduation. In the strip mall that I work in, there is a Dress Barn, Bealls, Dots, and Target (Across the road) so I figured I would definitly find something! I decided to go to Dress Barn first because they had a sale going on, and they had really cute dresses in the window. Now, I have never stepped foot in a D.B. before, but they have ALOT of cute stuff! I found not just one, but two dresses all for $68!! The best part about it was....I got one of the dresses in a smaller size, and the other one in two sizes smaller!!! I finally felt all the hard work I've been doing pay off again, and I had the biggest smile on my face when I left that store! I then went into work, where I found the shoes that would look great with the dress I bought for graduation and arranged for my sister to pick them up!

I got off work around 9:15 and headed over to my friend, Shawna's, Apartment for a wine & movie night! After pouring a rather large glass of Reisling wine, we sat down and watched "It's Complicated". It was such a funny movie & we had a blast!! After the movie, I went home and sat up talking to my mom for 2 hours....here it is 3am, I have to be up and ready by 8 to leave for Gainesville, and I decide that I needed to shave, do a mani/pedi and get a just in case bag together. After falling asleep at 4:15, needless to say I woke up at 7:30! I had 30 minutes to get ready & to my surprise I was done in 25 minutes! That's an all time record. We left around 8:15 and we had a great drive laughing, talking, and being the ruh-tards that we are!! :) We made it to Gainesville and caught up with Jen & her fam. Let's just say it was like a million degrees outside! I regretted putting lotion on the moment I stepped out of the truck! Graduation was very nice & we were all so proud of Jen! After the ceremony, her dad treated us to drinks and appetizers at Ruby Tuesdays and we had a lot of fun. We left Gainesville around 4:15 and drove right back to Jacksonville.

When we got back to Jax, we ran in, changed clothes, and headed straight to Ale House for our friend, Leah's birthday dinner. We had sooo much fun! I had a delicious Chinese Chicken Salad, and one celebratory shot for the birthday girl. After dinner, we went to Bowl America and bowled 3 games. Let's just say when you don't drink alot and you lose weight...you get tipsy FAST! We had pitchers of Yuengling on the table and we were just pouring the glasses like it was nothing. I think I only had 2 cups of Yuengling, but that was enough. We got home around 1 am and we watched a movie to fall asleep to.

Sunday was full of working 1030-630! After finding out that the air conditioner broke at the house Saturday night, I was glad to be out of the house for the day. After work I met Brian up at Walmart and we got some things for the apartment & some health junk that our trainer recommended. We ate dinner that night at my parents house...no air conditioning didnt get in the way of a great night! We watched the Pacific & ate chicken salad sandwiches. I love when B and my parents talk like they've known each other for years. He was in the kitchen talking to my mom about anything & everything. I caught only one part of their conversation when my mom was explaining how MS effects her everyday and it made me smile that B was so interested in learning about my mother's disease.

Monday I worked out, tanned, and worked 2-9. (still no a/c)
Tuesday was dad's birthday. His 50th birthday! I started the day with a dr appt, then it was off to have a birthday! I am like the queen of birthday's around here, so I planned the dinner, cake, and the days activities. I took everything to make the cake & cupcakes to the apartment because there was no way in heck I was turning on the oven in a house that was almost 100 degrees! After making the cake and cupcakes, I picked up my dad and took him to lunch, then we went to Publix to get some dinner items. B and I went to the meat market because he was grilling out ribs (At the request of my dad) for dinner. While B prepared dinner, I decorated the cake, German Chocolate, and iced the cupcakes (funfetti with choco icing). We headed to my brother's senior chior concert, and we had a great time. My family is full of crazy, funny people so whereever we go...we have a blast! After the concert, we went to the apartment...yes alllll 8 of us in our 1 bedroom apartment...but we made it work! We ate dinner, had cake & ice cream, and watched the Biggest Loser (my whole family is addicted!!). We cleaned up and got home around midnight, and I was exhausted! (the a/c got fixed today around 6pm)
Wednesday was busy! I worked 9-4, then headed home to wash my hair, cook dinner, and head to the hospital. B's cousin Tory had a little baby girl early this morning, after being induced at 6:30 am YESTERDAY morning! That's right people, 18 hours of labor! We made the ah-maz-ing lettuce wraps for dinner then headed out in hopes to meet baby Malia. W ended up just hanging out with the mama to be and continuously praying for her to dialate! We left around 9pm after about an hour and a half of no action, and headed to chilis for a cinco de mayo treat....2-for-1 margaritas and chips/salsa! We had alot of fun and called it a night around 11.
Today has been a crazy one too, but EXCITING!!! I made it to tanning, and to a Cardio Interval class at the gym...aka BOOTCAMP! This class still kicks my butt everytime I go. After class, it was time to get ready for a quick shift at work, only 12-4. After work I headed to the ATM to get some cash out because tonight is...the .....TIM MCGRAW CONCERT!!!!! woo-hooo!!! I am so excited. I have never seen Tim in concert, but I am in love with this sexy peice of man, so I can't wait!

Sorry I just re-lived my last week, but in order for you to understand how drained I am, and why I have been COMPLETLEY ignoring the blog, I had to inform you of every single event! Hope you guys have an amazing night and a fantabulous Friday!!

♥LOVE♥

Neglection

2010-05-02T22:28:00.001-04:00

I feel as though I am neglecting you! I promise I will have a meaningful, full of pictures, enlightening post tomorrow. It's been a crazy week, and I feel as though I need a weekend from my weekend!

So, I'm writing a memo in my day planner......I have a date with my blog :)

♥LOVE♥

My unexpected weekend!

2010-04-27T13:40:00.003-04:00

I was expecting this weekend to be a fun, relaxing weekend. We had plans to check out a new resturaunt/bar "Whiskey River", enjoy a relaxing movie night Saturday night, and spend the day visiting with B's family on Sunday....

Well, the weekend had other plans for me...

I started off working Friday night 1-9, and actually enjoyed my 8 hours while I was there. After work I met Brian for a late dinner at Chilis and I got soup & salad. FYI I am so not a fan of their salad anymore. They added corn and junk to it....needless to say I just ate a bowl of soup. (& some chips & salsa...have you tried their new ranch-salsa? To die for!!!) We made plans to workout in the morning before I went to work and set my alarm for 6am.

Well, my stupid phone decided to turn itself off.....ON THE CHARGER! I seriously loathe my voyager and I was trying to hold out on upgrading my phone so I could switch to B's plan but I might be getting a new phone sooner than I thought! So, when I woke up at 7, I did what I do best....panic! I wanted to work out soo bad because we were eating out Saturday night and I wanted to burn some calories before I stuffed my face with calories. I only had time to run 1 mile, and do some lunges/squats before I had to head to work. My 9-5 shift was not bad at all & I was actually able to leave early. When I was finishing my opening manager duties, my sister called and asked if I wanted to go to the Carrie Underwood concert....umm YES!!! We got really good tickets and I can not wait until the show!! After work, I rushed home to get ready to head to the Town Center so we could meet up with some friends for dinner. When we got there, we walked around, and I found alot of cute clothes, but I am not buying anything until I lose the last bit of this weight. To my surprise, Whiskey River is realllly good! I was BAD and ordered the First Coast Burger, because well I worked out 11 times in 6 days so I felt the need to indulge :) & our trainer told us to have 1 cheat meal, so why not? Our plan was to eat dinner, have a drink or 2, and head home for a movie night. Well, that didn't work out. We stayed to check out what the place looked like when they opened up the second half of the resturaunt and it turns into a bar/dance floor type place. It didn't open until 9:45 (45 minutes after it should have) and we stayed until 11. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of fun. I just really wish we would've been able to have more of a chill night.

Sunday was suppose to be our day to visit Brian's mom, dad, and granny's house. Noooooooooope! A girl from work texted me and told me some sob story of why she couldn't work. Being the total pushover that I am, I took her shift because no one else would. So instead of enjoying a nice day with B, I was headed to work a 1-6 shift. Blah. After work, dad invited us to eat some dinner that he was cooking. Pork cooked in cinnamon apples, mashed potatos, and broccolli. DELICIOUS! We ate dinner, and watched the Pacific and it was a really nice evening.

After my hectic weekend, I am ready for another one. This weekend should be amazing because we will be heading down to Gainesville to watch our friend, Jen, graduate from Florida! Can't wait :)

Enough is Enough...

2010-04-25T20:38:00.004-04:00

Last night while we were watching the Pacific (which by the way is an amazing show on HBO) my sister was skyping with her boyfriend, Adam, who is currently serving our country in Iraq. He was telling her that a truck a few miles north of South Baghdad where they are stationed hit an IED and there were minor injuries with the exception of one soldier who was seriously injured, but Adam did not know the extent of his injuries. This was frightening to hear, because Adam is a civil engineer, and his job in Iraq is to basically find IEDs so other soldiers do not hit them.

This hits wayy to close to home, after losing a friend in Afghanistan due to an IED. And Brian's friend, Shane, who he joined the Marines with, was in a truck when it ran over an IED 2 weeks ago. Thank God Shane is doing okay, he has gone through 3 major surgeries, and still has 1 more to go to remove debri from his legs.

It is so frustrating to hear about the men and women being injured over seas. It makes me so angry that our enemy in this war can not even come out and fight like a man. If they wanted to be so big & bad and decided to start this war, grow a pair and fight. Now, I know that a blog is not a place to get political, but I just had to get that off my chest.

I am going to say an extra prayer tonight for all the service men and women defending our freedom, and I would love for you to do the same. They need all the prayers they can get.

♥LOVE♥

400 Calorie Meal that's YUMMY!

2010-04-23T06:27:00.003-04:00

So, I found the winning recipe for the JIFF peanut butter contest, on Jenna's blog over at Chocolate Tootsie Roll Pops & wanted to try it!

It's such an easy recipe & I'm such a big fan of lettuce wraps that I couldnt wait to make it. This past week was our first official week of the 10 week challenge, so we have been VERY strict with our eating. (I actually weighin in 2.5 hours!) After reading the recipe, disecting the calorie count, I decided to give it a try for dinner last Tuesday. It was SOO GOOD! I've made it for lunch since then already.

The actual lettuce wraps are 404 calories if you have 1 serving. The recipe is actually the measurements for one serving, so we just double it and we were so full we didn't even finish 2 servings! That's why I LOVE peanut butter so much! It's delicious and it makes you feel full and keeps you feeling full after you eat it. We decided to pair the lettuce wraps with sliced strawberries & bananas for a little extra fruit.

This is how it turned out:
(The picture does not do it justice lol) This is the actual recipe....

Our lettuce:

Our strawberries & bananas (FYI last week strawberries were 4/$5...they are now 2/$5...that's heartbraking!)

Our little meal :)

If you would like to try it for yourself, here's the recipe with the calorie count:
1/2 cup of cooked chicken breast (110 calories)
2 tbsp. extra crunchy peanut butter (190 calories)
3 tbsp. chopped fuji apple (12 calories)
2 tbsp. chopped red grapes (13 calories)
1 tbsp. LIGHT mayo (35 calories)
2 tsp. honey (44 calories)

(Oh & I would recommend getting a slapchop...because it was a PAIN to cut all of the apples, grapes, and chicken into teeny tiny peices...but so worth it!)
Thanks, Jenna for the recipe & I hope you all have a happy Friday!!!

♥LOVE♥

It's a Love/Hate thing....

2010-04-19T14:51:00.004-04:00

I'm having such a great day that I wanted to focus on the things I'm loving lately:
-Even on rainy days I can still get my tan on
-Actually wanting to step on the scale
-Finishing allllll of the laundry before 3 pm!
-Visiting with B's mom and stepdad (I actually really like my potential inlaws!)
-The fact that I am off until FRIDAY!!!
-One of my best friends is graduating from THE University of Florida in 12 days!
-My mom asked us to have dinner with them tonight, and wanted B to grill steaks out. I love that the family LOVES his grilling as much as I do
-Working out for 3 hours today! Cycling, Bodypump, & Zumba
-The simple fact that I absolutley positively LOVE Mondays (esp. Monday nights!!)

Things that are bugging me, but not letting them slow me down :)
-the 30 minute drive to work
-not being able to get out of bed at 4:30 am anymore to work out....for some reason I am just not waking up to my alarm!
-My sister's boyfriend, Adam, who is just like family is still over seas for 8 more months...
-that I still have to wait 2 weeks until Jen and I are at the gym for 2 a days!!

(Me and Jen out for my birthday)

I hope everyone is having a fabulous evening!!

♥LOVE♥

Chocolate dessert for 190 calories!!

2010-04-17T10:40:00.004-04:00

So, this past week while flipping through coupons (which I saved more than I spent at Publix...gotta love it!) I found this yummy recipe! It is 190 calories and it is really good. Brian and I have had it for dessert twice this week!

YOPLAIT PARFAIT:
just add:
fresh strawberries (which are friggin cheap right now!)
chocolate cheerios (soo good & addicting!)
yoplait strawberry yogurt
(& for an extra layer, B and I added chocolate cool whip...which only added 10 more calories but oh so worth it!)

...layer until your glass is full and ENJOY! :)
p.s. they recommend 2 even layers of the combination, thus equallying 190 calories.

Here are a few pictures of our delicious creation:

(& yes Brian made me remove the winn-dixie bag half way through my photo shoot! haha)

10 Week Summer Challenge!

2010-04-13T23:42:00.002-04:00

So I'm in. They got me. I'm gonna do it!

10 Week Summer Challenge with THE Kim Brown! Kim is a personal trainer from the Y, who recently opened her own martial arts and fitness studio. She is a body builder, and is the most kick ass trainer I have ever met. Well, Kim emailed me a flyer about her upcoming summer bootcamp & this year, she has added even more motivation to getting fit! Not only are we working towards becoming healthier, we are competing for cold, hard, CASH!

That's right! Everyone's registration fee is going to 2 different places. One is going to Kim's studio, and 60 bucks is going into a pool. Whoever loses the most % of weight wins the entire pool! (Example, if 10 people enter....at 60 bucks a person....the winner gets $$600!! Get it? Got it! Great!!) Um, hello? Yes please!

Brian and I are both signed up and go tomorrow night for our initial weigh in. The 10 weeks will consist of weekly weigh-ins, nutritional guidance, support meetings, and weekly Kim Brown bootcamps. (Oh dear god, I get chills when I type that! lol)

I am really excited about getting back on track & soo thankful that Brian is there to support me all the way! I'm blessed beyond belief and can't wait to see the results at the end of the challenge!!

Tomorrow, I will fill you in on-----NURSING SCHOOL!!! WOO-HOO!!!

♥LOVE♥

Cardio Monday!

2010-04-12T22:14:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday, everybody!!! I feel like it is so late...I guess to normal people it is late though haha...but I normally do not fall asleep until well after 11. I am physically drained but suuuuper excited about alot of things in the near future!

First off, Cardio Monday---gotta love it!! My day started very early with a 6am cycle class! I got to the gym around 5:15 and had every intention of running 3 miles before cycle, but my trainer who is moving next week (so sad!) was there and we got to talking about her new place, new city, and so on. Well, before I knew it, it was 5:50 and I still needed to warm up for cycle. I put the treadmill on 2.5 incline and my speed at 5.7 and went to town for 10 minutes. Then I headed to cycle and had a really good ride. I do not know how I ever cycled without my cycle shoes by the way. I got on the bike to set it up, without my shoes and it was the most uncomfortable thing ever! haha

Tonight I went to Amber's, my trainer, last kickboxing class and got my butt kicked! The reason I love Amber's kickbox is because it is more of a cardio interval class and not a dancy kickboxing class. It was jammed pack full of suicides, running stairs, punching, lunging, squats, etc. It was emotional towards the end because she has been teaching her kickboxing class for 3 years. But we pulled up our big girl panties and got through it. Next, Amber taught bodypump. This class is a high pace weight training class that targets every muscle in your body. So, after a 2 hour workout at the gym tonight, and the hour cycle class this morning...I am pooped!

Well, I am off to bed! I can't wait to post about my newest information on school, and a 10 week summer challenge I signed up for! It's going to be an amazing summer :) Goodnight!!

♥LOVE♥

Gotta love the g-h-etto!

2010-04-10T22:59:00.002-04:00

So, yes, I work in the ghetto. We are talking scary, creepy, lock your doors type ghetto. I don't mind working there, the money is definitley worth the drive.

I work in retail, so it is only natural that people are going to steal. I have seen people change their shoes and walk out of the store with the new shoes, and I have seen people put them in their purses and walk out like I didn't see their purse bulging at the seams! Never in my life have I had someone walk into the store, pick out shoes, ask tons of questions, walk to the register and haul their tails to their cars!! Yeah--that's right...it happened.

Me and Kae, another manager, were working last Friday, and I was about to go to lunch. I saw some sketchy kids walk in, so I decided to wait a little bit. They were mayyybe 20, 15, and 13. We watched them like a hawk, and answered their every question. The 2 younger kids had two boxes each and the older one had 1 box. They walked to the register and as soon as we were out of their way, they grabbed the boxes and ran like heck to the end of the parking lot to their get away car. I was sooo angry! Even though they did not personally do anything to me I was shaking because I knew they were laughing about it. Ugh--people! Here I am, working 2 jobs and going to school to make my bills, and there are people out there who get the "five finger" discount.

So, this is how my weekend began, but today more than made up with it. More to come on a great day in Gainesville, God how great it is to be a FLORIDA GATOR :)

The Few....the PROUD!

2010-04-09T19:19:00.003-04:00

So, at the end of last year I went through one of the worsts events of my life. Brian and I had just gotten home from dinner, and I noticed I missed a call from my best friend, Jen. I listened to her voicemail, and heard her say "Hey, call me as soon as you get this." Now, Jen and I are the type of friends that miss a few phone calls here and there, but don't really leave messages unless its big. So this message scared me, but did not prepare me for what I was about to hear.
"Jon died."
I could not move. I could not breath. I could not do anything. It was the worst instant pain I have ever felt in my entire life. When I could finally move, all I kept saying was "it's not fair", "oh my god", and "this isn't happening." Over the next few weeks, alot of time was spent around friends and family, and this tragic event has made me realize who my friends are, which friends are worth the time, and the type of person I want to be.
Well, yesterday was Jon's 23rd birthday! I cant believe that this year, I would have known Jon for 15 years. TOTALLY crazy! We celebrated by popping open a Coors, silver bullet, Jon's fav, and thought about him all day. He really was the perfect example of a friend and the world has lost one of the best men to ever walk the earth. I know that he is up there with the big man, watching over us, and laughing at how hard we are all taking this. There is nothing else Jon would have done with his life, and this has made me realize that taking the extra year to go to nursing school is what I really want to do and I'm gonna go for it!
So, here's to you, Jon. Friend, Marine, Hero.

♥LOVE♥

I'm gonna soak up the sun....

2010-04-08T00:05:00.002-04:00

Today was the PERFECT day! The weather was absolutley gorgeous---not a cloud in the sky. My day started with sleeping in a little bit, making a trip to the tanning bed, then working out for about an hour, heading to work a short lunch shift, and then laying out by the pool for 2 hours! How fantastic?!

Brian and I had dinner with our friends, Rachel and Justin tonight. We went to Don Juans, and I had some delicious chicken enchiladas...is there anything better? At the end of dinner, we all wanted to get some fried ice cream, but we decided to pass. On the way home, B and I stopped by yogaberry to satisfy our sweet tooth. B got strawberry yogurt with blackberries, kiwi, and strawberries. I got half peach, half strawberry with strawberries, raspberries, and kiwi. YUM! It was such a better dessert than fried ice cream...even though I love fried ice cream! lol

Well, I'm off to bed. I'm watching Hook to fall asleep to. Dont you just love that movie? Goodnight :)

♥LOVE♥

One more week!!

2010-04-06T22:14:00.003-04:00

So I'm so excited! My last day at the resturaunt is next Wednesday :) I decided that with the big events that we are in the process of planning I needed a more stable income. My retail job is putting me at full time managment status!! Wahhh-oooo!!!

It has really been a love hate relationship with the resturaunt business. I love to socialze, so being forced to talk to people in order to make money was easy as pie for this girl. I really enjoyed talking to different types of people from soo many walks of life. I will take away a new appreciation for servers, and cooks who are the backbone of America enjoying countless calories over countless meals :)

Yesterday is just what the doctor ordered for my cardio workouts....a day full of nothing but cardio makes me feel soooo grand! Today, I am in a little bit of pain (I might blog about why later...) so I decided to take it easy. Before work I went to tan, and did the eliptical for 30 minutes, treadmill with 3.5 incline and hand weights to work my arms, and 10 minutes of ab workouts. It was a good, but calm workout. Tomorrow, pain or no pain, I need to burn at least 750 calories. That equals out to about a 45 minute cycle class (450 cals), 2 mile run (ehh 200 at least), and 10 minutes on the stairmaster (100). I'm excited, I feel really good about going to the doctor to weigh next week, my goal is to be 4 lbs lighter than last Friday...totally do-able right?? :)

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying their Tuesday night (I am now that Melissa is gone from the Biggest Loser game....can't STAND her!) Goodnight & Happy (almost) hump day!!!

♥LOVE♥

A little bit of what's been going on...

2010-04-05T12:49:00.006-04:00

So I am stoked! Today is the first day of Spring Break for our county, and that means that the little girls I help my mom watch will not be here this week (& yes I actually do miss them bunches!). BUT this means that I can workout whenever I want and no one will be here crying for me the entire time I am gone. (This is Elise she is the 4 year old we watch & I saw her at Easter service!)

Today I hit the gym extra HARD! I went to my 6am cycle class, 9am bodypump class (weight-lifting and such), and 10am zumba class! I love zumba...it makes working out soo worth it! I had alot of extra calories to burn due to my Easter basket. My family knows that my favorite candy in the entire world is Nestle Crunch so my Easter baskets from my fam and Brian contained about a bag of crunch eggs each! I was in heaven....until this morning and I realized that they are now my worst temptation! You should be proud though! I haven't had ONE yet today....I think I will wait until my shift tonight at the resturaunt and eat one on the way to give me a little boost :)
This is my wonderful stash! Excuse the messy dresser, but that pink bucket....FULL of crunch egss!!

Things are looking better and better everyday! School ended and I finished the last of my Elementary Education pre-reqs with allll A's! I'm so proud of myself, especially because in two of my classes the teacher only gave 5 A's!! (Later I will tell you about school stuff... lets just say...I'm totally indecisive!) I also, put in my 2 weeks notice at the resturaunt (let the hallelujah chorus begin!) and I am going to full time at the shoe store. I love working in retail, and I could NOT ask for a better manager to work under. Also, I am back and more motivated than ever to lose these last 30 pounds that have stuck around. I lost 50 pounds back in 2008, and gained 20 in the early part of 2009. Since then I have lost 25 pounds and have 30 more to go to be at the total weight loss goal. People always ask me what my end goal is, and I tell them a certain weight, but in all honesty, I just want to be healthy, in shape, and comfortable in my own skin.

So, Brian and I have decided to make Sundays our Summer Fun Days!! Woo-hoo! I'm so excited because I feel like I never get to see him anymore. He works 9 hours a day Monday through Friday, and I have been working 2-9 Friday and Saturday nights at the shoe store so we have seen each other in passing and for an hour or two each day. And I need more time than that! I am blessed beyond measure that I have a man who loves to grill and has dinner ready for me (& usually a margarita in hand!) by the time I get home....he's amazing. (go ahead and throw up now to get it over with! haha) But anyways, Sundays are our only days together, so we are going to make the most of it. We live in Jacksonville, so we have alot of fun and exciting places to visit within 1-2 hours. Last Sunday we went to Palm Coast & had a terrific day! We went to the pier, ate our picnic lunch and watched the air show, and shopped til we dropped. On the drive home we decided to take the short cut because we were in no hurry to get anywhere so we drove along the shoreline passing all the gorgeous beach houses! We picked a few out that we agreed to buy with our retirement money....in like 50 years! lol It was so nice just to be in a relaxing setting, talking about everything & nothing at the same time, and eating our beloved Jelly Bellys! When we got home, we showered and headed to my parents house. We watched the Blind Side and ate lagsagna with my family & had a relaxing evening. (By the way---the Blind Side---totally the best movie ever!)
Our first of, hopefully, many Sunday trips

Well that's what has been going on in the world of Ashley lately, and I'm off to take a nap before Brian comes home at 3:30 and I leave for work at 4:45. See what I mean....we are always on the go :) I will leave you with a few pictures from my amazing Easter yesterday...
This is me and my daddy in the backyard before lunch

These are my sisters, Jenny and Krissy. It was actually Krissy's 20th birthday...oh godd I'm starting to get old!

Me and the love of my life!! :)

♥LOVE♥

Working that 9-5

2010-03-20T00:02:00.003-04:00

So, tomorrow I will return to my Assistant Manager position at my old job. I'm excited, but terrified. You see, I work in retail, and the store I normally worked at is located in the best part of town, and is a comfy-cozy store. And living 2 minutes from it, it was always a convenient drive. Yeah, not so much now. I have to drive 30 minutes to get to work and it's in the ghetto. Seriously. I'm already freaking out about opening the store by myself, even though I (think) know I will be just fine.

It also helps that this is only temporary, I'm just helping out while the store manager is out on leave for 8 weeks. Then it's hello normalcy and comfy-cozy store!! I am still working at the resturaunt a few days a week, but I needed something that will be a more reliable source of income because I only have 4, yes thats right, 4 more semesters until I am a college graduate. This makes me sooo happy because I have been taking classes for 5 years and I have been taking classes since high school. You see,I started out as a nursing major, then switched the elementary education...yeah totally different requirements so I practically started college over again :)

Well, excuse the boring, picture-less blog I have left you with. But I have got to get to sleep because my alarm is going off in 6.5 hours so I can run the streets, get ready for work, and make the long drive over to the other side of town. I can't wait to share some of the things that are on my mind. It's been an interesting week and I have alot to get off my chest. So what my post lacks this time, I will make up for it next time and then some.

HAPPY SATURDAY!! :)

Oh how I've missed you!

2010-03-09T08:53:00.004-05:00

Well, it has been 4 months since my last post so it is definitly time to get my stuff together!

Wow...the last 4 months. How to describe them? There have been so many ups and downs since I have posted last that I do not think I could honestly fill you in. Things have been wonderful, horrible, motivating, discouraging, heartbreaking, and uplifting. God has a plan for everything and that is what has gotten me through the past few months.

I feel so good about things at the moment. I have my first 15K this weekend and I am so excited :) I know that there is a good chance I will have to walk at some point...I mean come on 9.3 miles and the last 2 miles include the Hart Bridge? I have run the Main Street Bridge and the Acosta Bridge (all in Jacksonville) a few times before and they havent been a problem, but google image the Hart Bridge. Yes. That is the bridge in the home stretch of the run. I will let you know how it goes :)

So I am about to head out to get some new running clothes and I am excited!! I find that when I get new gym clothes, I can not wait to use them. I have recently fallen in love with Lu Lu Lemon and they have the most amazing tops for running! So I will probrably hit up Lu Lu then head over to Target. Target has the pants I want for the run, and I want to get some new sports bras. I actually really need new sports bras...I mean I still wear the ones that I wore in 2008 before I lost the 50 pounds, and we all know where we lose weight first. Yes I am in need of some new support :)

I can't wait to post about some of the happenings since last November, and will definitly include some pictures of the new addition to my family! My friend Katie (we have been friends since 6th grade!!) had her baby boy on February 15, 2010 and he is the cuuuuuutest baby I have ever seen. I fell in love with him instantly and Aunt Ashley has already spent tons on this bundle of joy.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Giveaways make my day!!!

2009-11-19T16:54:00.002-05:00

So, I really hope everyone is already following Ashley at Ramirez Family! If not you are definitly missing out!! She is such a fun blogger and her header is to die for!! Such a gorgeous picture :)

Ashley is hosting a giveaway for hitting 100 followers!! Go on over and check it out. Ohhhh & it is a surprise giveaway!! So it is twice as fun!!

GOOOOOD LUCK!!!!

Aly's giveaway!!!!

2009-11-16T09:33:00.002-05:00

Everybody loves a good giveaway! && it's so close to the Holidays that it is especially fun to recieve boxes in the mail :)

Head on over to Aly's blog It Ain't Always Pretty But It's Real and enter to win this adorable Holiday plate!

AND if you are not already a follower of her blog, you definitly want to be. She's a northern girl who tells it like it is! :)

Good Luck!!!

Only the good die young.....

2009-11-14T23:41:00.003-05:00

If you happen to live in Jacksonville, you have heard, this past week, about a fallen US Soldier. Army Warrent Officer Earl Scott,24, died on Sunday the 8th when his plane experienced a "hard landing" (or another word for a type of plane crash). I went to middle school with Earl, and he was one of the nicest guys I have ever met. I consider it a privelege to have known him, even if it was for a brief period of time.

It's strange to have a personal connection to a fallen soldier in this war. I mean, I know alot of people who have been deployed, currently deployed, or about to be deployed, but they have never come home in a casket. It brings a whole new meaning to this war, and it makes it that much more real to me.

I hate to think about the possible outcomes all of my military friends have. I have 2 friends in Afghanistan, one in Iraq, and one leaving for Iraq on December 12th. Yes, my baby sisters boyfriend leaves for a 12-18 month tour in 4 weeks. If you think about it, if he stays the full 18th months, he will miss 2 Christmases, 1 Thanksgiving, 2 New Years, 2 Valentines Days, 2 Easters, 2 of my sisters & his own birthdays, etc. This is a big deal. He is 20, and my sister is 19. Their relationship will be so strained from this deployment that it will be difficult for them to make it. As for Adam, all I can say is he better come back from this tour safe and sound because I do not think my siter could survive otherwise. I can not imagine how men and women leave children for this long to do this difficult job. I read about a man whose wife had her baby 2 months after he left for a 16 month tour. When he got back, his baby girl was 14 months old. He never got to hold her, never got to feed her a bottle, missed her first step, first word, and so much more. Imagine the feeling he got when he got home and his own daughter did not know who he was. This is the strength and courage it takes to be one of our men and women in uniform. They are a better person than I am.

In honor of the recent holiday, I have been thinking about this alot and I want to become involved in helping the soldiers who risk their lives for me and you day in and day out. Brian and I are going to look into helping out with the Wounded Warriors project. B already recieves calls from them since he was injured while serving in 2004, but I think it would be such a rewarding experience to give something back to the troops. If you would like any information on the project, let me know. I will be glad to fill you in :)

Love. Love. Love.

Come on Nov 28th!

2009-11-14T23:35:00.005-05:00

So, I just found out that we for sure have Florida/Florida State football tickets!! I am so excited, not only because it's another glorious game in the swamp, but it is also Tim Tebow's last game at Florida! It's an end of an awesome college career for him, but I am in no way worried for Florida, we have Brantley who is more than ready to lead this team.

Okay, enough about that! Hope everyone is having a great night.

Meet the Crew pt.3

2009-10-28T16:14:00.005-04:00

So I have two more siblings that I have not informed you of. You guessed it---my STINKY little brothers....Matthew and Timothy

Meet Mathew!! (In the black shirt)

Matthew, 17 (who will be 18 on Halloween...gah that makes me feel OLD!)is a senior in high school. He has never been one to enjoy going to school, but 2 years ago, he was randomly given chorus as his elective. Well, after a lot of unnecessary drama, he was still not able to get out of the class. He ended up Loving it! And, he is actually not half bad! I can't wait to go to his senior concert in May, where the seniors in chorus are all called to this stage and given a medal for their acheivement...I'm already stocking up on tissues.....

If you thought a car was more expensive than a bike...you've never been to TREK!! My brother is so into bikes its not even funny. And its not the kind of bikes where you can go to walmart, pick out a bike and they build it for you either. You have to buy a frame, then you pick out tires, handle bars, a seat, a water holder, pedals, and the nuts & bolts to attach all of these parts. Thank goodness for employee disounts! Matthew has worked in a bike shop for 4 years, 2 of which have been at TREK (aka a ridiculously expensive bike store) where he assembles the bikes. He loves his job and enjoys what he does. One of his bikes, his most prized possesion is valued at 9,000.00 due to all the extras that it has on it. It's wayy to expensive, but I'm glad he has a hobby. (If you are looking for a high end bike, he also sells the ones he does not use anymore on ebay, but careful, he sold one on Sunday for 1,900.00 and it was 5 years old!)

Matthew or Matt has a great sense of humor...that I like to think he got from me...and he always makes me laugh. Even if he drives a redneck, jeep with a lift kit on it (yes, I literally have to jump into his car, and I'm 5'7) that he uses for muddin' and stuff, I still love him!!

Meet Timothy!! (In the red shirt)

Oh, Timmy, the youngest of the 5 kids. My kindred spirit. The reason for my grey hair at 22. Timothy, or Timmy is 12 years old and goes to a Christian Academy down the road. He thinks he is the same age as my brothers friends, which causes alot of arguements when it comes time for Matt to go off with friends. Timmy always wants to go, but there is a huge age difference between 12 and 18.

Now, I know this is a touchy subject for some people, but I honestly do not believe in ADD. I believe in little boys who are outgoing, and yes, a little hyper. Well, Timmy was diagnosed with ADD about 2 years ago and has been on meds ever since. I am not one to take medicine when I absolutley do not need it, so I hate that he takes a pill 365 days a year! It also makes me angry that when he is getting a little on the annoying side, people will yell at him "Go take your pill, did you forget today?" Being the baby in the family, you'd think Timmy would be a babied little boy, but he is so independent that it's not even funny. He is a bigger boy, and I dream of him going to the University of Florida and being a football player (& no, I wouldnt mind if he followed in the footsteps of another young man with the same name on the team now...)

My little brothers annoy the heck out of me---but that's what they are for. I love them with all my heart, and they definitly make life in my house interesting :)

Weekend update!!

2009-10-26T09:02:00.003-04:00

So, this weekend was FABULOUS!!! I had a 5K on Saturday morning, a halloween party Saturday night, and a productive Sunday!!!

As most of you know, I am totally obsessed with 5Ks!! I have always had an average of a 39 minute finish time, which equals out to about a 13 minute mile. Well, in Saturday's run, I beat my time by 2 minutes!!! I ran the 3.1 miles in 37 minutes, which is about a 12 minute mile! I was totally excited and I can not wait to get my time down even more. I am currently training for a 10K in December, then the River Run, which is 9 miles, in March, so I really hope to be able to finish both with decent times!

Saturday night, B and I had a halloween party. I looked and looked for a costume that I wanted to get, but I couldn't find anything. Well, let me rephrase that, I couldn't find anything with a decent price. Since when do costumes cost an arm and a leg?? I fell in love with a really cute pirate costume, but it was $90! No thanks. As you can guess from the picture, Brian came up with the brilliant idea to go as Gator fans! (I know, totally not like us at all!!! lol) While I was at work, he went to party city and raided the orange and blue isle and found orange & blue paint, wigs, clappers, & so on. Since I was stuck at work a little longer than I thought I would be, he also made the orange & blue jello shots (which turned out AMAZING!), he is such a good boy :) When I finally got off work, we headed to the Town Center and I bought a new skirt from Old Navy and it was only $15! Oh the joys of living in Florida, when all the summer clothes go on clearance to make room for the winter collection, we can still wear summer clothes for a good 3 months! B was so sweet that he even asked me if I would like to get a pedicure while we were there! I decided to go all out and choose orange and blue for my color! It was a nice afternoon. The party was alot of fun, and it was even more fun to watch my Gators win yet another game.

Sunday was a lot more productive than we thought it would be. We woke up around 9:30 and decided to pick up the kitchen and go get some breakfast. Welllll, once I start cleaning, I can not stop cleaning until everything is cleaned! So, I deep cleaned the kitchen, living room, dining room, and bathroom. B took care of the bedroom because he has the desk so cluttered that I could not even see where to start. Now, the apartment looks like we just moved in again and I love it! I also made B's sandwiches and bagged chips for him to take for lunch this week since he wakes up so early and doesn't really have time to pack a healthy lunch before work. We then went to lunch at European Street with one of B's good friends, Drew. It was fun to catch up, chit chat, and sip on a new beer that tasted JUST LIKE pumpkin pie! It was crazy!! We definitly left with a full stomach! Which was a perfect time to go to the grocery store--for some reason we always go when we are starving and we spend a ton more on bad food choices. But this trip, we bought only the things on our list and even picked up some delicious fruits! After putting all the groceries away (seriously we had a long list, we hadnt been to the grocery store in 2 weeks!!) We made the trek down to the laundry room and washed every single peice of dirty clothing. It felt so nice to sleep in a clean clean clean apartment last night. I think I slept better than I had in a looong time.

Well, this week is going to be a long week for me! We have tickets to the Florida vs. Georgia game on Saturday and it is Brian's first time going to this game!! I have been going for a while, but I seem to be more excited every year! We are making more Orange and Blue jello shots for the game, as well as some yummy food that will of course resemble the Gators. This should be a no problem game, but just like every team that has played Florida this year, they will show up ready to play like they have never played before! Since they have nothing to lose, they will give 110%! I have complete faith in the undefeated team to come out with another W!

Enjoy your Monday, and have an amazing week loves!

Grey's Anatomy Followers...

2009-10-23T07:34:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I am 2 weeks behind on Grey's Anatomy and I am watching the episode from the 15th.....I HATE it!! This stupid merger is ruining the show and I do not think I will be able to watch it anymore after I watch last night's episode. Just wanted to share that.

(ohhh and I miss George...and now Izzie? It just keeps getting worse!)

What are your thoughts???

Ready to Run!

2009-10-22T09:45:00.002-04:00

I am all signed up for the 2009 Run For Fetal Hope! I am totally excited because I love doing my part in helping babies. That being said, I am VERY active in my local March for Dimes chapter. If you do not know what March of Dimes is, it is an organization that helps raise awareness about premature babies, and gives women information on what they can do to have a long, healthy pregnancy. M.O.D. also helps raise money for research to be done for ways to hopefully, one day, eliminate premature births. (Take your folic acid ladies!! Seriously, if you only take one vitamin in your entire life, take this one! It is proven to have only positive effects on unborn babies. Even if you arent pregnant, it is recommended that females of "child-bearing" age take it!)

Okay, off my little soap box :) So, since I signed up for the run, I decided that I definitly need new running shoes. I have been leaving the gym everyday with hurt tootsies because my shoes are too broken in! I don't know about you girls, but I DREAD shopping for running shoes. It takes me forever to find a pair that feel comfortable for me to work out in. Before I started working out, I would go in a shoe store and walk out with the cutest pair in minutes, but now when I go in a shoe store...I'm there for quite a long time. Well, it only took 2 stores this time!!! I found a new pair of Saucony running shoes. I was not only excited because they fit really good! But they are also one of the top 4 brands for running/cross training tennis shoes. So, lets hope they stay comfy :)

Well, I am off to work a double....ew! And to look for a costume. B and I have a halloween party on Saturday night and we are definitly still costume-less. Oh well, if we dont get one, we will just make a road trip to watch some Gator Football in Gville :)

Let the Gator Growl!!!

2009-10-19T08:07:00.005-04:00

So, this past weekend was a freaking blast!!! Brian and I went down to Gainesville to visit our friends Jen & Cody for the 2009 Homecoming weekend.

We left on Friday an hour late and I was worried we would miss Gator Growl! The ride to Gainesville was wonderful, we were talking and laughing and having a great time...well that changed once we got to Gainesville around 645. Growl started at 7! Things were going fine until an officer stopped traffic for 10 MINUTES waiting for pedestrians! I was like seriously? You can't let someone in a car go? We will stop when there are people to actually stop for! (I have terrrrible road rage when I'm in traffic and I'm late getting somewhere!) We finally made it to growl and we had so much fun! From celebrity "Let the Gator Growl!" messages, to the Jabbwockeez (who are amazing!) it was a great time and we were soo pumped up for the game! After Growl, we went to Jen and Cody's apartment and just hung out and ate tons of food!

Jen and I at the Gator Walk!

Saturday was gameday and if you know us, we leave early to tailgate!!! The game was at 3:30, and we got to the normal tailgate spot around 10. I live for tailgating!! Jen's family have had season tickets for about 20 years and they are PRO's at tailgating! I dont know what I would do without their Gator tailgate! There was food, food, and more food! If you've never been to a game, they do a Gator Walk 2 hours prior to kick off, this is when the Gators walk down University to the stadium and everyone gathers to shake their hands and cheer them on!! It's such a great experience! Everyone is so pumped and they just want to let the players know it!! After the walk, we went back to the tailgate site and because "it's good luck" we ate our Publix Cookie and boiled peanuts!

If you follow football, you know this was an intense game to watch! It was even more intense to be there! There were times when I had to hold my breath and look away, and there were times that we would be jumping up and down so much I felt like I had never worked out before! lol The Gators (thank god!) were able to pull it off. I mean, we are Champions for a reason, and we found a way to win!

Jen, Brian, and I after the Gator Win!!!

Sunday was a chill day! We went to lunch with my best friend in the entire world, Haley! We went to a new resturaunt, the Flying Biscuit, then to the best frozen yogurt place in the entire world, D'Lites! I have missed this place so much since I moved back to Jacksonville! Afterwards, we went back to the apartment and watched some football, and we left around 6:30 last night.

We had such a great weekend and I'm so proud to be a Fl Gator (Who are still #1 by the way). We were able to get tickets to the Vandy game, and we have 1 ticket for FL/FL State game, Tebow's last homegame! We are on the lookout for a second ticket so we can go together! :)

Meet the Crew pt. 2

2009-10-19T07:32:00.006-04:00

Meet the SISTERS!!! These wonderful ladies and I have a blast together and they will always be my closest friends (even though growing up we fought like cats & dogs!)

Meeeeeeeeeet JENNY!!

Jennifer ( or Jenny) is 25 years old and is the definition of a perfect role model. She has had so many obstacles in life, but she has her head on straight and is totally focused! She is a godly woman who loves the Lord with all her heart, but is not jaded by the comfort of a steeple.

Jenny had everything, all the toys, our parents FULL attention, and was the baby of the family...until I was born :) She always says I ruined a good thing for her! HA! Growing up with Jenny, was so much fun because we were only 2.5 years apart. We played with the same neighborhood kids and had alot of the same friends growing up even into high school. In high school, Jennifer was an editor on the yearbook staff and club president. When Jenny was 12 years old, she was diagnosed with diabetes. This was not a total shock since half of my mothers family has suffered from this disease. Of course it was not an easy road, but we took comfort in knowing that Jenny has been around this her entire life, often helping give our grandma shots! (She would always tell us that if we cleaned up our mess, we could give her her shot. BOY did that light a fire under us! Our grandma is the silliest, craziest, old lady you will ever meet!)

Jenny graduated from the University of North Florida with honors and a Bachelor's degree in the education. She is currently a 3rd grade teacher at one of the roughest schools downtown, but loves every minute of it. She also teaches 6th grade Sunday School at the church we grew up in and lives her life as a happy-go-lucky-head-on-straight girl :)

Meeeeeeeeeet Krissy!! (pictured with her BF)

Oh my second sister. Middle Child to the MAX. Can be the sweetest girl ever (when she wants to be). GORGEOUS Kristen! If I had to give you a definition of middle child I would show you a picture of Krissy. No, she never had the Jan Brady breakdown, but it is always hot and cold when it comes to my precious baby sister. She can be your best friend or your worst enemy on any given day!

Krissy, who is 19 years old, is our "mother to all kittens"! She loves every kitten she comes in contact with and would rescue them all if my mother would allow it! No, she won't be an old cat lady :) But, I could definitly see that her future husband needs to be a cat person who wont mind if they never own a dog! She currently has 4 cats who are all attached to her it is ridiculous, there is Mia (the crazy old woman) Simba (a larger than life garfield look alike), Abby (bi polar to the extreme!), and Rosie (the baby who will only be friends with Krissy)!

Krissy graduated high school in 2008 and is currently taking a few online college courses. She is planning on being a nurse and I am helping her the best I can with some of her classes. My hope is that she will do a lot better than I did in the pre req classes and will actually be accepted into a nursing program. Yes, there will be jealousy on my part but I want the BEST for my family!

Krissy's boyfriend, Adam, is in the Army and will be deployed to Afghanistan early next year. She is so supportive of anything he does that I know she will be optomistic while he is away for 18 months.

Even though my dear sister is an FSU fan (poor child) she is alot of fun to hang out with. We have the same since of humor at times and if you get us started we can not stop!! She is a loves-to-have-fun-finally-getting-grounded sister who has a bright future :)

Well, these are my wonderful sissy's who I would be lost without! I hope you love them as much as I do and can't wait to tell you about my fun fun fun brothers!!!

(Me and My sisters, Easter 2009)

I'm Back!!

2009-10-18T22:53:00.001-04:00

So, I have been MIA for almost a week, but I have been sooo busy I havent even had time to think :)

I have a TON of things to share with you && I will be a posting queen tomorrow :) About 3 blog ideas for you fab ladies!!

Goooodnight loves!

Meet the Crew.....

2009-10-14T09:58:00.004-04:00

So, while I was getting ready for the gym this morning, I was trying to come up with blog ideas. Well, I had the idea of sharing with you the people who make my life so special. My family! Everyday for the next few days, I will introduce you to some people who make my world go round! Today let's start with.....

Introducing Brian!! (a.k.a. the boy, my man, boo, booface, B, and anything else that comes out of my mouth when I am yelling for him!) This is a picture of B when he graduated bootcamp and a picture of the 2 of us a few months ago.

Brian is 27 and he is the love of my life! I met Brian almost 2 years ago, well January 29th, 2008 at the Biffle's birthday dinner, to be exact. We have been together since August 14th, 2008. You can read the story of how our life together started here.

B is from Jacksonville, FL and has lived mainly on the westside of town. He moved to Washington State when he was a junior in high school and that is where he finished school and joined the Marines. While in Washington he lived with his Aunt Regina and Aunt Gina (yes confusing, I know!) who helped him make his decision to be a Marine (his Aunt Gina was retired from the army).

In 2001, after 9/11 happened, Brian signed those papers and went to Parris Island, SC for bootcamp. He was one of the men there to recieve the much wanted title MARINE.

Brian recieved his first orders as a Marine and was told to report to Okinawa, Japan for 2 years. In order to go, he had to go through training at Twenty Nine Palms, CA. Then it was off to Japan. While stationed in Okinawa, there was an accident and Brian was electricuted, which caused his arm to break and his elbow to shatter. He now has a titanuim elbow and a ba-jillion screws in his arm. In 2005, Brian was medically discharged from the USMC, but is still the proud Marine he was when he first graduated from Parris Island.

Brian now works at the Southeast Toyota Port in Jacksonville, and starts school next Semester to become a fire fighter. He is a family man, who makes me feel like I am the only person in the world.

...So that is Brian :) He is first, only because he's not technically "family" but he is number one in my life. I think tomorrow I will post about my sisters. I am the 2nd out of 5 children so this series of posts might take a while!!

Happy Hump Day!!!

Oh, Tuesdays!

2009-10-13T16:21:00.003-04:00

So, I think Tuesdays might be one of my favorite days of the week!! We have no television shows that we watch, we both have the evenings off, and we never have "family" things to do (i.e. going to one of our parents house for dinner). Tonight, I think B and I will just grab a bite to eat, and have a movie night. I love movie nights! I feel like that is when the two of us can sit down, with nothing to do, and just be there together.

I'm so stressing out about a costume for a party we have on the 24th. We have come up with pirates, Woody and Jesse from Toy Story, Robyn DA Hood and Robin Hood (only because the costume is friggin adorable!!), Cop/Robber, and a 20s themed couple. Ideas? I only have these because we went to Party City last night! haha (The picture above is one from Halloween last year, we were a nurse and a doctor!) What are you dressing up as?

Well, I am off to bake some YUMMY cookies! I found a new recipe and I will definitly let you know how they turn out!

Fun Week!

2009-10-09T08:09:00.003-04:00

So, Brian's sister, Stephanie, came to visit this past week. She asked me to pick her up last Friday from the airport because this was a surprise visit to her family. Now, honestly, I was a little worried that we would have nothing to talk about on the 30 minute drive to the house. BOY, was I ever wrong! There was not a silent moment in the car from the time we left the airport to the time we pulled into the driveway!! When we got to the house, her mom was so shocked that she thought she was going crazy and hearing voices when Steph called her name! haha It was actually kind of funny!

Friday night, we went out the last country concert of the series starring Joe Nichols. Well, whoever the opening guy was was HORRIBLE and unfortunatley he sang for an hour and a half. By the time he was done we were ready to leave, so we just heard Joe singing on the way to the car :)

On Monday, her husband Travis was promoted to a Corporal in the Marine Corps to a Sergeant in the USMC!! This is such a big honor, and coming from a Military family I was so excited for him. They have recently been moved to Virginia Beach and they are loving it. Brian was a little jealous because if he had been able to stay in, this was the next rank in line for him. He was medically discharged as a Corporal. Maybe now, there will be a little one on the way for them..... :)

Tuesday, we met Stephanie out at the pub Brian used to work at, Lynchs. They had just finished their major renovations and we were excited to see them. We said our goodbyes because Steph was leaving Thursday and she was all booked until then. I am soo glad she was able to come down and visit because we really got the chance to hang out.

We are planning a trip to VA Beach for either Thanksgiving-ish time or early next year. Either way, I can't wait for our roadtrip :)

Babies, babies!!

2009-10-06T09:44:00.005-04:00

(How awesome is this picture??) So, has anyone else noticed how many ladies are pregnant lately??? It's crazy! I heard on the news a few weeks ago that with the economy the way it is, people are staying more, which is leading to another baby boom. (I mean...I guess what else do you do on a night at home when you would normally be out?) When I heard this, I laughed at it and didnt think much about it. But, now that I look around, there are cute pregnant ladies everywhere!!!

I am a lover of all things baby! I could count how many people I know of who are pregnant, but that would take a long time! But I am totally excited that I personally know 2 ladies in this current pregnancy boom! One of my best friends who I have known for 11 years, is having a baby boy around Feb. 18! I swear, this is going to be one of the prettiest babies ever because both Katie and her husband are blonde hair, blue eye beauties, who have never had a slight imperfection (gross I know! hah). We just found out last week that Brian's cousin is expecting as well!! Although the situation with her is not ideal, we are all really excited and can not wait to lend a helping hand with this little one. Now, she is only 8 weeks so we arent telling too many people, and we do not know the gender of course, but I'm secretly hoping for a girl!!

There are also a few bloggets who are expecting! And I can not wait to read your posts throughout your pregnancies!! I can not wait to be a mother myself, but the next best thing is to see so many deserving ladies, finally being able to start their families.

Good Luck ladies!!! :)

Ladies, you are too kind!! (pt 2)

2009-10-03T14:56:00.004-04:00

Okay, so part one of this post was getting a little long, so I decided to make a seperate post for the next award.....
This award comes from the biff Sonja!! Thanks biffffy!

Here are my rules:
1-Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2-Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3-Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4-Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5-Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6-Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7-Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they've been nominated.

So, here are my 7 things you mayyy not know about me:
1-I played basketball for 5 years when I was younger. It was through the YMCA, and I always wanted to try out in Middle and High School, but I never would have made it do to the type of girls that were on both teams.
2- I have always wanted to learn how to play the piano. I think it is such a classic talent and it is beautiful.
3-In ninth grade, I was a horrible student. I skipped school every Tuesday to go shopping with my aunt....seriously true story!! I also dyed my hair bleach blonde (mainly on accident, I wanted bleach blonde highlights) and this resulted in me refusing to go to school for 3 weeks.
4- I used to be "ghetto"! Now, once you stop laughing, I was never "ghetto" but I sure thought so. I had the language, the voice, and the facial expressions going...it was quit hilarious!
5-I have had the same Best Friend since 6th grade. My Best Friend, Haley, and I have known each other for about 10 years and we know everything about each other!
6-My one true thing I "hate" is when people don't like me. I mean, I'm the 'this is who I am, take it or leave it' kind of girl, but it bugs me when people dont like me. This might sound silly or confusing but its the truth :)
7-I cried like a baby at the airport yesterday. I was there to pick up Steph, and when I was waiting at the terminal, I saw something I never thought I would see. One Marine coming home from war to an amazing homecoming!! And two Marines that were leaving for war, and the pain their family showed. It was soo hard to watch this, and I had chills and tears for about an hour after seeing this.

Here are my kreative loves---
Jen
Jenny
KAG
Mrs Ruby
Winnie
Rachel/Gina
Sonja

Love! Love! Love!

Ladies, you are too kind!! (pt 1)

2009-10-03T14:52:00.002-04:00

After finally being able to sit down and breathe (oh yeah & read everyones posts) I found out that I have been given some awards!! These make my day, since I am new to the blog world, I always wonder who, if anyone, will read these? It is so exciting to know that people do follow and are enjoying my very insightful posts...PSSHHH...let's try that again...my random, pointless, rambling on posts! :)
Let's start with this one:
so here are the rules: i tell you guys 5 things i am completely obsessed with, and nominate 5 of my fabulous favorites, too!
So, I have been given this awesome award twice! So, after debating on if I should do double the amount of information I am asked to give, do I just do 5? Well, I decided to meet you half way and do 7.5 current obsessions :) Hope you Enjoy!!

-1 Country music!! I listened to country music growing up, but then got into the more...lets say...bass-ful music? Well, now (thanks to my country boy ♥) I am head over heels in love with it again. It puts me in a good mood!
2-Brian. Now, I know this should not be considered an obsession, but he is the one thing I am constantly talking about. He makes me feel beautiful and he is always there when I need him. He is the BEST!
3- Elise. This is a little girl that my mom watches and she is the best thing since sliced bread :) She come in every morning and runs to me with open arms, I mean honestly do you get that reaction from everyone? I sure dont!!
4-the GYM! Now, I know, who would ever want to be obsessed with the gym? Well, maybe it is more of a routine then obsession, but whatever you want to call it...I've got it! I am really into Zumba and hope to be an instructor, someday.
5-Finishing my degree. I grew up for the past 21 years thinking that without a doubt I will be a nurse after college. Wellll yeah that road didnt work out. But now, I have decided to get an education degree. I am really looking forward to finishing this degree and having a "big girl job!!"
6- Walk the Line. This is a for real obsession ya'll. Seriously, if Joaquin Pheonix ever showed up at my door looking the way he did in this movie, there would be some SERIOUS competition for B :)
7-Facebook/Blogging. Whenever I have a free minute, I am signed into one or the other. It is so bad that I had to get wireless internet on my cell phone just so I could facebook. My name is Ashley, and I am addicted to Facebook.
-7.5 Desserts. I saved this one for my .5 answer since everyone in the world is obsessed with treats! I have the sweetest sweet tooth, and this might be the reason fro obsession #4!!!

Thank you Sonja and Aly for this award! :) Love you ladies!!
This award now goes to...
Aly at It Ain't always Pretty But Its Real
Sonja at For the Love of Stilettos
Heather at Live. Laugh. Love.
Tracy at Then I got to Thinking
Ashley at Ramirez Family

Another Manic WEEK!

2009-10-03T14:04:00.003-04:00

So, this afternoon is my "chill day"! I have only had enough time to sign on and read a few new posts before signing out and dashing off to whatever is next on the To Do list!

Yesterday was so hectic, I swear I grew 2 grey hairs. Okay, so maybe not but it was still beyond crazy!! Let me start by saying that 2 of my families cars are out of comission so who has the next most reliable car?? You guess it---ME!! I have had to ask to use my OWN car lately!! Now, don't get me wrong, I honestly dont mind, I come from a big family and things happen. What made my day so hectic you might ask? Well, my day went like this. Took my brother to school (since my mom was dropping off my sister at work so I could use my car), watch the babies (my mom watches 2 sweet little girls, Elise 3, and Emma 7 months), take Elise to preschool, run Sonja her race packet, pick up a garage door opener from the apartment, get ready and be at the airport by 11 (Stephanie, Brians sister, flew in to surprise her mom). Thennn go to the (future) MIL's house, then back across town for a doctors appt, to walmart to get Rx's filled, home to get ready..again..., Free concert downtown, then home to straighten my room and get things ready for the Marine Corps run.

Do you need a strong drink? I do!!! haha That's just how my week has been. Now, I'm not complaining, I am someone who loves having a to-do list! But, after yesrerday, I am spent. I'm pooped. I'm EXHAUSTED!!

This morning was the Marine Corps 5K and it was loads of fun! I wore my new 'My Heart Belongs to a Marine' shirt and I have never felt more proud of Brian than I was this morning. When I crossed the start line, there were Marines running with us and just thinking that could have been Brian made me start to tear up with pride. There is no doubt that Brian would still be in the USMC if he had not been injured. He thinks about it everyday, and tells me about it every other. He feels like he could have accomplished alot more, but I constantly remind him that he, even though he's out, is still a hero!
So, who would have thought that if you don't go to bed until 1 am, getting up at 4 am is nearly impossible. Yes, I slept in wayy to long! I was suppose to meet my friend, Jen, at her house and ride together to the run at 5:30 am. Well, when I finally decided to wake up, I heard my phone ringing.."Where are you?!?" SHOOOT! I sit straight up and it is 6:15. My heart literally stops and I am racing out the door to make it to the start line in time. Thankfully, Jen's mother was also doing the run so they still left at 5:30 and got there in plenty of time. I felt so bad for running late, but we made it and had a blast! I am still waiting (impatiently) for them to post the run times and I will let you know how I did when they are up!

Well, I hope everyone has time to sit down and relax for a little bit today. Enjoy your weekend :)

It's been a week...

2009-09-30T23:37:00.004-04:00

So, it has been a week since I last blogged!! Whaaat? Things have been a little crazy around here lately.

Well, today is the first (&& probrably only) cool day in a long time! I love it, but I hate it at the same time. It is definitly a nice change from the blistering heat we usually have here in Florida, but when I was leaving the apartment tonight to go to the store, holy moly! FREEEEZING! And, yes, sadly it was only 64 degrees and that is cold to me :) What can I say? I'm a Florida girl, Born & Raised!

Also....I got a KITTEN!!!! She is the cutest thing in this world, and she is so much fun. I have not taken her to the vet yet, thanks to our vet being 30 minutes away, and the lack of extra time (we are taking her on Saturday morning, after the 5K) but we think she is about 6 weeks old. My sister found her behind her work and we were a little worried when she brought her home because she went CRAZY! She bit my sister twice and my dad once. But when I went out onto the porch the next morning, she was totally sweet!! I was able to pick her up with no problem and she has been my shadow ever since. I have decided to name her Lily :)
Work has been a little different. We have cut down the number of servers on the floor and it't been great because we have also been busier, so this means two things, crazy busy and, my favorite, Show me the Money!!!

My boyfriend, Brian, had an uncle pass away on Monday night of a suspected heart attack. I have had a hard time understanding what he is going through because he is not that close to that side of the family anymore, but he was at one time. I am trying to talk him into going to the funeral and reconnecting with this side of his family. I am an advicote for keeping family close due to the fact that I only have 6 relatives within 8 hours. And those 6 people are the ones that live in my household. I am extremely jealous that he has an abundance of family in the same city and he doesnt know how lucky he is to have that.

Since when did it become October?! I was running a few days ago and totally freaked out when I realized it was the end of the month! I then remembered that I have not paid a single bill this month!! I felt soo lost because I seriously thought it was still the middle of September. You see, when you work in a field that doesnt require you to know the date, you kind of get into a routine where you know the day of the week, not the date.

I apologize for the randomness of the post, I just felt the need to catch everyone up on what has been going on in the life of Ashley:)
Hope everyone has had a great day && can't wait for my Scarf Swap partner to recieve her scarf!!

NIGHT!!!

My first ever Blog Award!!

2009-09-23T19:43:00.003-04:00

So, I have been blogging for about a month now, and it has been sooo wonderful! I have definitly enjoyed getting to know you ladies, and telling you more about myself! I never thought about blogging before, but I am glad I decided to start one. I have been given encouragment, advice, and friendship. I have also really enjoyed reliving memories as I post about them, and even going back to read them a week or two later.

Now, onto what I was originally posting about :) I was given this award by Oceandreams and I am so excited to pass it on!! I love reading her blog, and I really think you would too!! So go on and follow her, she has some of the most interesting posts that I look forward to reading them. She also has some of the best pictures on there too!

Well, here is my ten things you might not know about me:
1. I am the second of five children! Yes, it is crazy, but believe it is better now that we have a bigger house! At one time all 7 (including mom and dad) lived in a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house! The 3 girls in one room, 2 boys in another, and mom and dad in the third. It is crazy, but I would never trade one single thing about it!
2. I hate syrup on my breakfast items. Like waffles, pancakes,...whatever else you could put syrup on!! It makes me thing of sap from trees and I will not eat it.
3. I found my dream house today (no seriously I did!) and we are calling to get more information on it tomorrow. It looks like a little cottage house and it is yellow with white shutters and a porch that wraps around the front (also white). I am way excited!!
4. I won Miss Congeniality when I did my Miss High School pageant. For my talent I did the "Vitameatavegamin" monologue from I Love Lucy. I was so nervous about doing this, but I had a blast and I am so glad I did it! (Pictures will possibly be posted one day...we will see)
5. I have wanted to be a nurse since I was 5, but I have been rejected from nursing school 7 times. Everytime I apply I am like 50 spots away. I just dont have the energy to be denied again, so I am no longer applying.
6. I consider myself to be very girly, but I also love doing outdoorsy things! I have been hiking, repelling, white water rafting, and zip lining. Now, I did these things at summer camps with my church while I was in high school and I really want to do them all again!
7. I lost 50 pounds over the 2008 year, but gained 20 back. This is something I hate to admit. BUT I have decided to get serious again about the gym, and I have lost 7 pounds in just 3 weeks!
8. My mother and I are incredibly close. Growing up I always had the "dont tell me anything you wouldnt want my mother knowing" policy!! Now it's just expected!
9. I have never been so excitedly nervous about the future. I know B and I are getting married, I just do not know when. I will, hopefully have my Bachelors Degree in December 2011 and this date sounds soo far away, but scary close at the same time.
10. I have decided to major in....drumroll please...Elementary Education!!! My older sister is a 3rd grade teacher and I have put alot of thought into it, and I would love to be a 5th grade teacher. Now, I know you do not always get the school or grade you would want to teacher, but a girl can hope..right?

Well thanks for reading my 10 RANDOM things you might not know about me. Now, the ladies I am passing this award onto will be....
Ash Is Fit
Live.Laugh.Love
Loves of Life
For The Love of Stilettos
Lucky In Love

Can't wait to learn more about you girls & thanks for all of the wonderful posts. You ladies fill my day with fun and exciting comments, posts, and thoughts. Love you all!! :)

Cutest Giveaway!!!

2009-09-23T19:02:00.002-04:00

So, one of my favorite bloggers is having a giveaway!! She is giving away a ring dish from Wise Impressions!! Make sure you go to her blog and check it out, also take the time to become a follower, she has some of the best posts!!
Good Luck :)

Ready to Run!!

2009-09-23T08:08:00.003-04:00

I am so excited for the Marine Run 5k/ half marathon next weekend (the 3rd of October), needless to say I will be doing the 5k! It is aboooout 3.2 miles and they are always a lot of fun. My sister got me into these runs a few years ago when she was really into running (she still is, just doesnt have the time now that she has a big girl job!). I will be running with two of my really good friends, so that will make it even more enjoyable. Joining me will be my roommate from college, Jen, and someone you all know, Sonja!

Since this is a military run, and B is a Marine, I was excited to wear one of my USMC shirts. Well, the one I really wanted to wear somehow got a bleach stain on it :( so what was I to do? SHOP!!! I found a ton of shirts at www.zazzle.com and this is the one I purchased:

I am excited for this run, and HOPE to be able to run most of it, if not all. I will let you know how it goes!!!
Enjoy your Wednesday...it's sooo almost Friday

Advice

2009-09-22T11:49:00.003-04:00

What do you do when you KNOW a friend is telling fibs, like....ALOT of them? Do you confront the person even though it will hurt and potentially ruin your friendship? or do you let it go and let it continue to bother you?
HELP!!!
I don't know what to doooo :(

Lazy Tuesdays!!

2009-09-22T09:44:00.002-04:00

So, my mom watches 2 little girls at her house Monday-Friday. Since my job is not a regular schedule at ALL I am home alot with them. There is Elise, who will be 4 on Nov 1, and Emma who is 7 months. They are soo much fun to play with and makes me really want to have kids of my own!! B and I are so alike when it comes to that subject. The sooner, the better :)

Well, Elise is attached to my hip...but you know I love it!! She was helping me with my errands yesterday and was such a trooper, we went to 4 stores and it took us about 2 hours (which is an eternity for a 3 year old...who had no nap!). So we decided that today will be a Lazy Day, and we are both in our pajamas and laying on the couch watching pbs and Disney shows. What a perfect way to spend a day with nothing to do!

Enjoy your Tuesday and try to leave a little time to be lazy :)

Sunday Funday!!!

2009-09-20T10:22:00.003-04:00

(These are actually flowers that B bought me for Valentines Day, I just liked the picture so I used it for today!!)

So, today is Sunday!!! & It is my first day off work since last Sunday--whew! Yesterday was an amazing day!! Work, for once, was pretty good and B came to meet me when I got off work and took me to lunch....I love surprises :)

Have you ever been to Yogaberry?! Oh my goodness! We just got one down the street, seriously a week ago...and I've been 3 times!! They have tons of different Organic Fat Free Yogurt flavors, like Coconut, Strawberry, Chocolate, Origianl (vanilla), Green Tea, the list goes on forever! Then you pick a mix-in. They have everything you could think of to top off this amazing yogurt. My favorite mix is Strawberry Yogurt with Strawberries (sometimes extra strawberries!!!) mixed in. B's is the same except he adds Blueberries and Raspberries to his too. So, when I got home from work & lunch yesterday my sister wanted to go...and let's just say she didn't have to ask me twice!!

Then the Gator game came on, and let's just say...GO GATORS :) (yes, I will admit the Vols held their own in the first quarter. I mean an interception on a Tebow throw? 5th time EVER) I was not able to watch the entire game because I was helping my sister move. Luckily, her roommate, Melissa, made sure the cable was set up by 12 so she had plenty of time before game time! When we got to the townhouse, the game was already on and I left everything I was assigned to carry in at the bottom of the stairs to watch the game. What can I say? I've always been a FL football girl :) Needless to say, the Gators pulled off a win, it wasn't as great as it could have been, but a win is a win. B and I are going to be in Gainesville for Homecoming weekend and we are so excited! We have friends, Cody and Jen, that we are staying with for the weekend and let's just say...it's going to be a blast! They are die hard gator fans as well and possibly our favorite couple to hang out with because we are all so alike!!

Lastly, I ended my night with a wine and movie night with my friend Shawna and her roommate. It was nice just to be able to chill on a Saturday night and have girl talk and be girly!! We watched Twilight because they both are extreme Twilight fans and Shawna let me borrow her book because she wanted me to get into it too! Well, I saw the movie when it came out, only because I knew someone that was in it. I had no idea when I saw it that it was this HUGE saga that people were counting down the days until the movie came out!I finished the first book a little over a week ago so I wanted to see the movie before I moved onto "New Moon" and hopefully finish the last 2 before New Moon comes out at the end of November. So we watched Twilight and drank White Zin and a new kind of Reisling that I hadn't had before....it was delish! I actually stopped on my way home, yes at 3 in the morning, and bought a bottle...I was so awake and wanted B to try it today....I'm becoming more of a wine drinker than any other alocholic drink and I'm definitly okay with that :)

Well, today is going to be a fun day as well. We are headed over to visit with his family and then we might go look into a townhouse, that is no joke, 2 doors down from my sisters! When we were moving her in, it caught our eye and we are just going to call about it. Nothing extreme...yet :) I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday!!!

Working on my Fitness

2009-09-18T14:50:00.003-04:00

So, I have been a dedicated member of the gym for 2 years now, but I am in a slump! I think it might be the music I have, so I need some help!! What are your favorite jams to work out to? At the moment, Britney Spears is whats normally coming out of my headphones.

I have set a few goals I would like to achieve before the New Year. When I work out I either do the eliptical or the treadmill. I am currently up to running a full 2 miles, and walking .25 miles before I start and when I finish running. The eliptical I can go for about 5-6 miles it has been changing. My goal is to be able to run a full 4 miles comfortably, maybe going a little further. And do the eliptical for 6-7 miles.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Friday!!!

Change is in the Air...

2009-09-18T07:10:00.007-04:00

*Warning: This post is a little "Debby Downer" post. I sat down with alot on my mind and just kept typing, this is not my normal optomistic, fun loving, laugh 'til you cry post!!*

So, the only constant in life is change right? Well, this is my least favorite thing! Change, to me, is depressing and scary. I know change is inevitable, but some things I wish could stay the same forever.
There are 3 major changes in my life, that might not be considered major in the eyes of anyone else. I have been dreading some changes for a while, but every good thing must come to an end.

Change #1: My sister is moving out tomorrow. Now, I know it is not very common to live at home until you're either married or out of college and have a job, but this is what my family does. So, being that Jenny is not married, but is now a 3rd grade teacher, she knows it is time for her to get a place of her own. This terrifies me for 2 big reasons. Jenny is diabetic and I am scared to death that something might happen in the middle of the night and no one know about it until it is too late. It is very common for diabetics blood sugar to "bottom out" (get dangerously low) while they sleep, and this has happened to her several times before. I am very sensitive when it comes to her blood sugar getting too low because when I was 13, my great grandma and I went to Texas to visit my grandma who is also diabetic. One night when my grandpa was out of town I slept in her room. I was woken up in the middle of the night to her face being locked and her shaking violently. She was in a diabetic coma, and the doctors say that if I had not woken up when I did, she would have died in a matter of hours. What if no one is there to help Jenny? The only way I am finding comfort in this is that she does have a roommate who is eagerly trying to learn the signs of anything abnormal for Jenny's bloodsugar, such as sweating, blank stares, and being overly irritable. The other thing that terrifies me is knowing that I will never live with my sister again, which after 22 years is a big deal. I hate knowing that I have not spent alot of time at home over the past year, and now she won't be here anymore. True, I know she will still be living close to home, but not seeing her everyday is going to be weird. And scary.

Change #2: Guiding Light has it's last episode today. Okay, now at first glance this is the silliest "difficult change" ever, but if you knew my family it would be understandable. You see, every female that I have ever known on my mother's side has watched Guiding Light. It has become a routine that everyday at 3 pm the tv is on cbs. No matter what. My great grandma had been following the show since it came on the radio, and she got my grandma hooked on it too. When my mother was born, my grandma still followed the show, so this led to my mother being hooked on the show. True fact:my mother was watching Guiding Light when she went into labor with me and was so mad that she missed the last 5 minutes of the show that day! So, I literally have been watching this show since birth :) That all being said, we would all go over to my great grandma's house when "big things" were going to be on the show, like weddings, funerals, etc. When I lost my great grandma in 2006, it was important for me to continue watching the show, not only because I loved it, but because I felt a connection through Guiding Light to my great grandma. I know, this all might sound really dumb, but it's what I grew up knowing. When the show ends today, it will be like losing one of the last things I have left that ties me together with her. We were best buddies! We were always traveling and getting together. Another thing is that having watched this show for 22 years, I have gotten attached to the characters on the show, and their storylines. This is the way I explained it to my friend at work who's favorite show is Friends, "Imagine if Friends had stayed on the air for another 62 years (Guiding Light was on for 72) and then ended after you've been watching for as long as you can remember. That is what this is like for me." So that being said, I will be crying like a baby around 3:53, when the show usually ends.

Change #3: The house next door, finally sold. Now, don't get me wrong, I love new neighbors, but this house was special. The lady who lived there was a sweet, caring lady who always wanted to make people happy. She was a professor at the university here so she was always helping me with homework and such. Now, to be quite honest, my mother does not have that many friends, because she can't go off alot due to her Multiple Sclerosis and the fact that she has been busy raising 5 kids! This woman befriended my mother and would come over just to sit and talk just to keep, not only herself, but my mother company. She was a single woman who did not have any family within 17 hours of her. She would come over for birthdays, Easter, and other holidays just as if she were part of the family. In 2008, she found out she had Hepititis and was not going to live much longer. Wow-what news to hear. She began making arrangements for when she would pass. Her hardest thing was getting rid of her pets (she had 3 cats and 2 dogs who she took to a local adoption shelter) because they were her family and she was extremely bonded to them. When she passed away, the house went back to the bank and it has been empty ever since. My boyfriend and I seriously considered buying it, but the timing was just not right. It finally, after 20 months of being vacant has new residents. It is the saddest thing to look next door and see new cars in the driveway, cars other than her silver Accord. I am hoping that the new owners are as nice and as caring as the previous owner, but I know it wont be the same.

I'm sorry for a Debbie Downer post, I just needed to get somethings off my chest, and blogging about it was the best way I could think of. I promise that I will post a happier, more cheerful post today because it's FRIDAY!!!! Woo-Hoo!

Desserts are LOVE!

2009-09-11T14:34:00.004-04:00

I am head over heels in love with any and every dessert! It is my favorite meal, and I would be lost without it. If I eat out or cook in, I feel like no meal is complete without it. I guess being a girl has a lot to do with it, but I think my obssession is abnoraml :)

I think my favorites are HOMEMADE cupcakes, or some neopolitan ice cream. Thinking about it makes me want to go whip up a batch of cupcakes and send one to all of you :)

What's your favorite treat???

HELP :)

2009-09-11T07:51:00.002-04:00

Ladies, I am sooo new to the blogging world and I do not have a clue how to do anything other than post :)
My "About Me" section got deleted :( Does anyone know how to get it back?! Like, one day my blog looks normal, and then the next, my sidebar is located under all my posts, and my About Me is gone! It vanished! lol
Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks a million!!

Scarf Swap!!

2009-09-10T22:24:00.002-04:00

What a cute idea!! The perfect accessory to every winter outfit is the perfect scarf....so go sign up for the Scarf Swap! All the details can be found on Loves of Life. http://katieballa.blogspot.com/2009/09/scarf-swap_09.html (Sorry I dont know how to do the click-y things yet...I promise to learn)

Have a great night!!

It's almost the weekend!

2009-09-10T07:13:00.003-04:00

So, I know this is a little late, but I hope everyone had an amazing Labor Day weekend! It was such a great weekend, and the weather has been awesome since then. It's as though someone told the weather that ok, Summer is over, time to let it be fall! :) Just last week it was hot and rainy, and now it's beautiful and cooler.

On Monday, Brian and I went to Little Talbot Island to spend some time with his family. It started out a little cloudy, but by the time we get there, the weather changed for the better! We went for a bike ride, we cooked out, we went to the beach, and layed out. Who could ask fro a better day?!

Well, it's been a long, confusing week. Alot of thinking has happened for me the past week and I know there will be some changes in the near future. I am looking into finishing my degree and being able to actually start my life with Brian. I will keep you updated on the changes that occur. Have a GREAT Thursday :)

It's Great to be a Florida Gator!!!

2009-09-05T16:59:00.003-04:00

So, today is the beginning of Gator Domination!! :) I'm so excited!! (Can you tell?) I have been a Gator since birth, and this is what I live for. Brian and I have tickets to a few of the games, hopefully Florida-Georgia is one of them. That is by far my favorite game of the season, every year! It's nice because it is in Jacksonville, but it's such a rival game that everyone is so amped!!

Well, whoever you root for, have a fun football season!

Fantastic Friday

2009-09-04T07:48:00.003-04:00

So, I was tagged, here it is :)
Here are the rules…1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.2. Tag other un-tagged people.
The Questions:
What is your current obsession? I'm going to repeat Sonja's answer and say babies! haha this one completely freaks me out and excites me at the same time :)
Who was the last person you hugged? My amazzzing man, Brian!
What’s my favorite dinner? I'm a fan of sushi, but I have to say that a pizza with sausage and green peppers would be my ideal dinner.
What was the last thing you bought? gas this morning....all $40 of it. Other than that I honestly can not remember buying myself something...sad I know.
What are you listening to right now? Guiding Light, the best soap opera ever! And, me sniffing because this episode is VERY emotional...I'm such a girl.
What is your favorite weather? Fall/Winter. The clothes are amazing, the colors and decorations are gorgeous, and the holiday cheer is EVERYWHERE.
What is your least favorite season? I honestly, dont think I have a least favorite. They all bring something different.
What’s in your purse? Oh gosh--here we go...wallet, book, keys, cell phone, receipts, chapsitck, hair tyes, who knows what else!
Say something to the person/s who tagged you : She's the biffle, and my gym buddy, without her I would not be going to the gym at 5:15! It would be more like 10 am lol
What is your favorite dessert or cool treat? I love ice cream! Especially from D'Lites in Gainesville, it's chocolate ice cream with reese mix ins!!! yummmy
What did you want to become as a child? I always wanted to be a nurse. Doesnt look like thats going to be happening anytime soon though...
What do you miss? my family in Texas
What’s your favorite brand of jeans? A pair that fit me, I could care less what brand the are lol
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? I would go to the Bahamas with Brian lol
Who do you want to meet in person? Lucille Ball...I did the vitametavagamin monologe for my high school "Miss" pageant
What are your most challenging goals right now? Finding a job that pays well so I can move forward in life lol
What’s your 5 year plan? Marry Brian next year, enjoy being the 2 of us, move to a house, and kids in 2 years-ish.
Why is today special? I'm going to dinner with my friend, Rachel, tonight. It's our 2year anniversary of being friends lol
What is my favorite sport to watch? basketball and football, perferably college.
Describe your perfect day: Sun! Sun! Sun! Hanging out at the pool all day with friends, then going out that night.
What TV show would you want to be a cast member on (reality included)? I really want to be on the Amazing Race! But Big Brother wouldnt be too bad either.
What is your biggest regret? I dont like dwelling on regrets...I like to think I learned from them, everything turned out for the best, and move on.
What is your most prized possesion? I would say, my pictures with my Great Grandmother, we were always traveling! In fact, when I went to Texas in 2008, that was the first time I had ever been on a plane without her! She passed away in 2006, but she is still a very important part of my life today :)
Are you a morning person or a night owl?: (I added this one) I use to be a total night person, but for the past year or so, I enjoy getting up in the morning and getting things done. It makes me feel more accomplished, which leads to me feeling better :)

Okay here are the lucky ones who are tagged:
A Girl in pearls & a Boy with toys
The Acrees
Ash is Fit

Hope everyone is having a fantabulous Friday & wish you all an amazing weekend! To all the ladies who are getting married tomorrow, Good Luck & Best Wishes. You all seem like wonderful girls, and I wish you all the happiness not only this weekend, but throughout your marriage :)

Lock & Key

2009-09-01T20:38:00.003-04:00

I just finished yet another AMAZING book by Sarah Dessen, my favorite author! I love books where there is a leading lady, and a cute supporting man :) I think I like reading young 20's books because it is something I can relate to....a romance mixed with a little mystrey! I am so glad that I found Sarah Dessen a few years ago because I had been looking for an author to follow, I mean the little girl I watch has Dr Suesss, my mother & Grandmother have Danielle Steel, and I wasnt sure who to follow. Dessen's books are easy to follow, and catch your interst in the beginning and keeps it until the last page. If you havent already, you should really check her out! Now, I am off to start the Twilight Saga! I still havent read the books so I am hoping to finish the first two by the time New Moon comes out! Happy September everyone :)

I love Saturdays...

2009-08-29T18:38:00.003-04:00

I am sitting here with a malibu and pinnapple, quiet apartment, watching "The Break Up", and blogging. Do things get any better on a Saturday afternoon? No, I dont think so!!! This weekend has been so much fun. I went to dinner with Sonja, at the Town Center last night and we did some nice window shopping. I have been in a "no mone" crisis for the last few months, waiting for a full time job to come along, and it was so nice to get out. My sweet friend took me to dinner and we sat and talked for hours. It was great to hang out outside the gym :)

Today I went to kickboxing and got my butt kicked! Amber, the trainer, is such a gifted person...even though I hate how in shape she is! I have been blessed to get to know her as a trainer and as a friend. I worked for a few hours today, I serve at a local resturaunt, and eh it wasnt too bad. Then me and Brian went to the mall because he needed a new hat for work. He works outside and shaves his head....this always leads to his head being COMPLETELY burnt :) So after making fun of him for the past week I decided I would let him get a new one (Thats right ladies...I WEAR THE PANTS) pssh so just kidding!

I love the weekends, I mean I still have to work since resturaunts are open 7 days a week, but its nice because I feel like everyones attitude changes during the weekend...it's just a nicer world on the weekends.

Just an update, my neighbor was found safe! He had gotten into a little bit of trouble, unfortunatley, but at least he is ok.

I hope everyone is having a stellar weekend and remember to smile!!

~A~

Ladies!!

2009-08-27T14:19:00.005-04:00

Please say a prayer for my neighbor! My little brother's best friend, Cody (18) has not been seen or heard from since yesterday. He was apparently skateboarding at the beach last night. He never came home and he is not answering his phone. He was suppose to open up the bike shop he works at this morning and did not show up. This is not like him....the bike shop is his life, and he is a pretty good kid. Please say a prayer or 2 for him that he is safe wherever he is and that he will come home soon. Thanks ladies, I really appreciate it!
~A~

Love, Love, Love....

2009-08-24T08:00:00.003-04:00

Goooood Morning! I hope everyone is having a wonderful morning!! Today is the first day of school for our County and the busses are out in full force. I kind of miss being in school and planning my outfit for the first day of school. That was always the highlight of my day!!

I found this on another blogger's page and thought it was so cute....I had to do it :)

♥ What are your middle names?

Ashley Michelle
Brian James

♥ How long have you been together?
1 year!!

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We met once in January, met again and started dating in August.

♥ Who asked whom out?
Well, before we became official, I asked him if he wanted to go to Ale House with me and some of my friends, then he invited me over for a movie a week later.

♥ How old are each of you?
I'm 22 and he is 27

♥ Whose siblings do/did you see the most?
Mine! haha I have 4 that live at home, and he has 2 siblings across town and a sister in Jacksonville, NC.

♥ Do you have any children together?
Not yet, but in a year or 2...yes :)

♥ What about pets?
We are in the process of looking, but none yet. I have a dog named Charlie we are thinking about taking to the apt though...he is the cutest dog!

♥ Did you go to the same school?
Nope, he was a westside boy, and I'm a Mandarin girl! He graduated in Vancouver, WA and I've never left Fl!

♥ Are you from the same home town?
Yes!

♥ Who is the smartest?
Hmmm well me of course!! Ha noo we each have our moments.

♥ Who is more sensitive?
Pssshhh are kidding? Me definitly

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Red Elephant! Only because of my discount lol But we love PF Changs....we fight over the lettuce wraps!

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Virginia Beach---it was so much fun. On the way we stopped in Jacksonville, NC and Topsail Beach---gorgeous! We are planning a trip to Vancouver, Washington for next year, that is where we are hoping to move one day.

♥ Who has the craziest exes?
I don't think either of us do. No run ins yet.

♥ Who has the worst temper?
I think he might, when I get mad I just get quiet, he's a more lets talk about it now type guy.

♥ Who does the cooking?
I do the kitchen cooking, he is a grilling man!

♥ Who is more social?
BRIAN! He can talk to a wall, seriously.

♥ Who is the neat-freak?
Both to an extent, I am forever cleaning! lol

♥ Who is more stubborn?
me haha...I feel the need to get my way :)

♥ Who hogs the bed?
Me--- we have a cali-king and I take up about 75% of it.

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
I do on the weekdays, with the gym I get up around 4:45, he gets up around 5:30 for work.
On th weekends, he normally will.

♥ Where was your first date?
We went on a double date, with our friends Jen and Cody, then we went to Olive Garden on our first date date

♥ Who has the bigger family?
He does! They are all over.

♥ Do you get flowers often?
Every once in a while

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
Thanksgiving: we go to EVERYONES house, his Granny's, his mom's, his aunt Kathy's, my house, and his dad's. Yes, we gain about 10 pounds on Thanksgiving!
Christmas eve: his family
Christmas: my family

♥ Who is more jealous?
Neither is jealous at all

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
Not long at all, we agreed to take things slow but I knew from first month that I was going to marry him.

♥ Who eats more?
Haha I think him, but I can put away some calories too!

♥ Who does/did the laundry?
I do, we dont have a washer/dryer hookup at the apartment so I bring everything to my parents house and do it there. BUT we will be moving to one with a hookup in March :) But it will still be me doing the laundry hahaha

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Both

♥ Who drives when you are together?
Him 99% of the time--a man and his Ford! ha

Fabulous Friday!

2009-08-21T20:15:00.003-04:00

Today has been such a great day, and honestly so was yesterday! Sonja and I have been meeting at the gym at 5:15, yes 5:15 IN THE MORNING!! I never thought I would be out of bed and at the gym by then! It has been a little difficult getting up at 4:30, but it has been totally worth it! In the past 2 days I have gotten more done and eaten so much better than I have in a long time. I've finished laundry, gotten oil stains out of clothes (yeah...I'm not the smartest when I sort clothes to wash...ps never wash nice clothes with the rags your man uses to change the oil...not a pretty thing. BUT if you do, Oxi Clean MAX power is god in a bottle!) I have also paid bills, laid out, caught up on DVR ,and done REQUIRED shopping :). Whew I'm worn out just thinking about the past 2 days! Oh and going to bed by 9:30 every night reading my book. I have started to love this new routine and I hope its going to last!

So, Brian told me today that he is quitting the second job, the security position at a bar at Jax Beach. At first, I was stressing out on the verge of an anxiety attack thinking about bills, rent, a possible wedding next year...but then I realized that I will be able to see him on the weekends now! I mean, theres still a little stress remaining, but I am looking forward to spending more time with him. So I guess there is such a thing as getting Good News and Bad News at the same time :)

Well, I'm off to be a lazy 22 year old for the rest of the night. This includes--me, pajamas, a glass of white grape juice, and my book. Good night :)

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A FABULOUS FRIDAY!!!!
~love~

Wishful Wednesday

2009-08-19T19:41:00.002-04:00

Sooo today has been a pretty good day! I got up and went to the gym, then headed off to work. Today was the icing on the cake to why I dislike my job, or should I say my current employer. I am a service at a Bar & Pizza Grill, and I actually dont mind being a waitress. The part that aggrevates me so is the fact that they will NOT give me Sundays off for church. Are they allowed to do that?
~I wish I could get hired on with my best friend, Sonja :)
~I'm thankful I have a job

I love going to the gym, well maybe once I'm there I love it, not so much the getting there part. I use to be obssessed with the gym, and I got into the best shape of my life. I have since then gained back 20 pounds that I had lost during that time.
~ I wish I could find my passion for the gym again :)
~I'm thankful I'm able to go to the gym

I feel like our apartment is not a home, and this is my reasoning for wanting a puppy of our own, but we just cant seem to find out we both are in love with.
~I wish I had a puppy :)
~I'm thankful Brian and I have a place to call home

Last but not least, I need Brian's job to pick up! He works in the car industry and I'm sure you can imagine....it's seen better days. His paychecks in the last year have been honestly cut in half, and this is the only thing holding us back from getting married.
~I wish the economy would get better :)
~I'm thankful Brian still has a job

These are just a few of the things on my wish list....Whats on your wish list?
~A~

What a wonderful weekend!

2009-08-17T12:50:00.002-04:00

So, this weekend was everything I thought it would be and more. It did start out a little rocky. Brian was suppose to pick me up at 5:15 on Friday to start our anniversary weekend, but when went to pick up his paycheck he got caught in a horrible storm, and did not get to my house until 6:30. I was a little angry, but I wasnt going to let it ruin OUR weekend.

So, Friday night Brian picked me up and surprised me with flowers, and took me to a surprise dinner at PF Changs, and it was amazing! I am already craving more lettuce wraps! After dinner, we went Cheesecake Factory and got the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake and a Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake....both were amazing! We were only going to order one, but we were lucky enough to have one of Brian's friends as our waiter, so we had the hook-up, might as well go all out :) After dessert, we went to Total Wine...have you ever been there? It is overwhelming! I mean, when I go shopping for alcohol, I am more drawn to how pretty the bottle looks, rather than who makes it!! So, Brian got a little embarassed when I kept saying.."Oooh that is so cute!" or "How pretty!" while looking at the bottles! When we got in the car from Total Wine, I gave Brian his gift...I couldnt wait any longer! I gave him a coupon book that I made, and a picture frame that held 3 pictures, and enough matte around it for me to personalize it with fun scrapbooking stickers--he loved it!

Saturday might have been my favorite day! We slept in and had no idea what to do when we got up! It was amazing not having anywhere to go, or anything to do. We decided to go bowling! Only because it was advertized as .99 cent bowling day and we had never gone bowling together. When we got to the alley there was an hour wait, but we decided to wait it out, we grabbed some nachos and an open booth and talked so much that our wait time flew by! We bowled 2 games, and decided to let others have a chance that were still waiting. When we left the bowling alley, Brian said he knew where to take me, but wouldnt tell me! We ended up at "friendship fountain" by the St Johns River, and we walked the board walk. It was such a nice day out, and we had alot of fun, just walking by the river looking at the boats, and talking. When we decided that we had done enugh walking, we went to RiverCity Brewing Company and had drinks and appetizers. Brian ordered some type of shrimp (I cant stand shrimp!) and I got some delicious Calameri! On the way home, we decided that we would just hang out at the apartment for the rest of the night, so we went to get a $5 Little Ceasers pizza, and kept it in the oven for later. When we got back to the apartment, we decided to take a nap, then go swimming. It was around 9 pm when we decided to go swimming and it was so much fun! It did make me feel a little better to be doing some sort of exercise since we consumed sooo many calories! haha When we got back from swimming, we showered, heated up the pizza and watched a movie. It was the perfect night in :)

Sunday, was more of a busy day! We got up and got Dunkin Donuts to go and went back to the apartment to catch up on some DVR we had been meaning to watch. We ended up watching a few episodes of LA Ink, does anyone else watch that show? How mean are they to Audry! I feel sooo bad for her. haha After waiting for an hour for the sun to come out, we were finally able to lay out by the pool! It has been raining every afternoon in Fl so we hardly ever to get the chance to get some sun! After showering, cleaning the apartment, and taking a quick nap. We got ready for dinner at Beach Road Chicken Dinner. If you have ever been to Beach Road, then you know how good their dinners are! I was wayy to excited to be going here for dinner! After dinner we headed to the Jacksonville Landing for the Travis Tritt acoustic concert. Brian had surprised me earlier with the tickets!!! We waited for the doors to open for about 3 hours, so we were one of the first to get in. We were in the front row!!!! It was so fun! The 2 opening acts were jokes--seriously people we cheering for them to get off stage! But there was a 13 year old girl who won a singing competition through the local radio station...she was soo good! I seriously had chills. When Travis Tritt FINALLY came on stage, me and a few other girls had gotten up and sat on the barrells that lined the stage (it was at Mavericks Country Saloon...yes very country! haha). I was eye level and right in front of Travis! He sang tons of his number on hits. It was amazing! At the end of the concert, he got up, walked right to me and handed me his guitar pick! Ahhh seriously! haha I was so excited! When the concert was over, they turned on some country music and opened the dance floor. Brian had to teach me how to 2 step..haha I really didnt get it at first. It was so romantic to dance with him, even if there were tons of people around I felt like we were the only ones out there. When we got home from the conert, we finished the left over pizza while watching Big Brother on the DVR...yes we are Big Brother fanatics! I did not want to fall asleep that night, because I knew that when Brian left for work at 545 on Monday morning, our weekend was over. I'm not going to say there werent a few tears while going to sleep, but I am so thankful that we had the chance to have a weekend like this. It is really a rare occasion when Brian has a weekend off. He works security for a bar at the beach every Friday and Saturday night. And my schedule changes every week.

Sorry for this post being so long and wayy detailed, I just had so much fun reliving the weekend while I was typing. I have a lot of pictures from this weekend, but my I left my camera in Brians car! So I will be posting a few of them either tonight or tomorrow!

:)

Love is in the air.....

2009-08-14T13:16:00.000-04:00

It's true! A year ago today, I was bitten by the love bug and I couldn't be happier. I have already shared the story of how me and Brian met, so I won't make you read that again, but today as I was driving, I realized how orchestrated it was that we met.

When I was in middle school, I auditioned to go to Douglas Anderson, the high school for the arts, I was called back 3 times, but decided not to go to the third interview because I have decided to go to Wolfson.------if I hadnt I would've never met Sonja.

If Sonja and I both had not applied to yearbook staff and been accepted, we might not have talked in Coach Nowicki's history class where we bonded over drawing stick figure men from World War One...seriously this was our assignment!! haha

When I went away for college, I moved to Gainesville and I didnt lose touch with Sonja, we just didnt talk as much as we were used to. For various reasons, I had to move back home after only one year in school and was devastated, but thinking back on this event, if I had stayed in Gainesville, who knows how my friendship with Sonja would have been by the time she got married. I mean I'm sure I wouldve been invited to her wedding, but would I have been in it?

The most important thing is that Sonja met Matt! lol Matt worked with Brian at Toyota when he met Sonja, then they all 3 became friends.

Now, I dont want to say that I'm glad Brian was struck by lighting and electricuted while in the service, but if he hadnt been hurt, he would have stayed in. Meaning, he would have never needed the job with Toyota.

But the part that makes me realize that he was meant for me is what the doctor said after his surgeries. The way Brian was electricuted was so forceful that if his arm had been a little more straight then the shock wouldve gone straight to his heart killing him instantly. The way we all look at it is that he was meant to live for something, I'd like to think his purpose was to meet me and be a wonderful (future) husband.

I know I had too much time on my hands to think about all of this, it just makes me realize that Brian and I were meant for each other, and I can not imagine my life without him. He makes me smile and makes my life have more meaning than I ever thought possible.

I <3>

For the love of Hummus

2009-08-14T13:07:00.000-04:00

I dont know what it is about hummus, but I am addicted!!! I was very skeptical about trying it, but I am soo glad I did.

I started working at a local resturaunt and that's where I first discovered it. It looked like peanut butter and it kind of grossed me out to deliver it to tables. One day, I was starving and another waitress had just ordered a cup of hummus, so I got over the look of it, and decided to have a taste. AAhhhhh cue the Hallelujah Chorus. It was love at first bite!

I think I have eaten my weight in hummus since then....

Let the Workout begin!

2009-08-14T07:57:00.000-04:00

So, I am so excited to be heading to the gym with the biffle Sonja! She has been out of comission for a few months now because of her back injury. But now, she is back! We will be starting out with some cardio then headed to Zumba!!! We have decided to start the Couch to 5K so today is day one of that training. We have been doing 5K's for a while now, but we decided that we would like to attempt running the entire thing---we dont care what our times are, we just want to do it for the distance!

So we are up bright and early to work on our fitness! Then hopefully laying out because this whole raining everyday in Florida is making me one sad, pale lady!

Thanks so much for the warm welcome into the blogging world, I have already had a blast!!! :)

P.S. How cute is this picture? haha This will totally be me and Sonja's kids one day!!!

Yay for new blogs :)

2009-08-13T14:56:00.001-04:00

So this is all new to me! I have never had a blog, or even kept a journal, but I am going to try my best to keep up with this. I do have to thank my friend, Sonja, for setting this up for me. I think it looks great!

I am really excited about this weekend! It is me and Brian's 1 year anniversary. I cant believe that tomorrow will be a whole year since I started dating Brian. We met through Sonja and her husband, Matt. We first saw each other at Sonja's 21st birthday dinner, and we chatted a little bit, but nothing important. Then, we met again at their Bachelor/Bachelorette party and exchanged phone numbers. The night of the rehearsal dinner we decided to make it offical that we were an item :) Both of our families say that it is a good omen that we met through a wedding and I hope they're right!

I think this is one of the funniest pictures we have ever taken! hahah It was taken at the Harmon's wedding and it makes me laugh everytime I look at it. Don't ask me what was going through my mind when it was taken, but it's hilarious!