Monday, June 30, 2008

Straw-ba-ba-ba-ba-berry!



That's right people....stare and drool all you want. These babies are all mine! :0)

I went with my mom tonight to the GINORMOUS strawberry patch out in Jerome and picked oodles of these gorgeous red berries. Tomorrow I will be elbow deep in fresh strawberry jam.

I'm thinking that bread machine needs to be purchased tomorrow! Fresh, warm bread slathered with butter and fresh strawberry jam.....you can't beat that!

I think I might need to go get more straw-ba-ba-ba-ba-berries! {Can you tell I have a daughter?} :0)

Yard Sale Professionals!

That's right people! Between the three of us ladies...we brought in about $1000 profit off of our JUNK. Oh yeah!


Ok...so not all of it was junk. My mom sold a lot of her scrapbooking stuff that she still had left over from her store, a desk, books, and movies. She ended up going home with about $350 off of it. Not too shabby!


Montay sold all of her little boy clothes, toys, a vacuum, some baby things, and other miscellaneous items and went home with about $150! She was a wheelin' and dealin' kind of garage sale lady. She is a pro in my book. :0) I was truly impressed with her wicked awesome skills.


As for me....I sold a broken 46" tv, a Playstation 2 with 12 games, 10 year old ginormous stereo speakers, an HD DVD player with two movies, an old Playstation, a vacuum, a baby stroller, a pack and play, a high chair, a queen mattress set, a full mattress set, books, clothes, blankets, bedding sets, movies, scrapbook stuff, and other miscellaneous odds and ends. My hubby sold his old set of golf clubs for $75 to our next door neighbor as well. He's saving that for a new driver though, so it doesn't get to "count" in our grand total. :0) I ended up making about $500! Oh yeah!


The items that didn't sell we donated to the thrift store. Everything was hauled off. It was so wonderful and liberating! No more junk! Hallelujah! Even better...after we sweep out the garage and scrub it down, I will be able to park INSIDE of it. Crazy! :0) I can't wait!


I did end up severely sunburned. And all three of us ladies were exhausted after two days of sitting out in the sweltering heat. The heat just sucks the life out you....but it was all worth it! Today I am off to go buy the trampoline we promised the kids we'd buy if we made enough money to cover the costs. They are so thrilled!


Have a happy day!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Wild and Crazy Gals!


What happens when you put together me, my mom, and Montay with a multi-family yard sale?


Apparently sunburn and headaches mixed with a lot 'o cash in Ashlee's pocket! :0)


I will post some pictures and a final tally tomorrow after we finish up the madness that is my weekend. But, basically, it was time to empty my garage so I could finally park in it. I know...crazy. Huh? So, I told my mom I was doing it and she wanted to join in. And then Montay found out and said she had some stuff to sell too. So I figured, what the heck....the more the merrier right?


It was in the 90s today...and me and my little V neck tshirt and cut off shorts that showed off my virgin white skin is making for an uncomfortable evening. I am planning on going straight to bed after ingesting a Tylenol PM. We start again at 8:00 am! People really do this! I had people here at 7:10 am this morning! Are they crazy? For my stuff? It's paying off so far...I've made more than I had ever anticipated. And it has been fun chatting with my mom and Montay as we sweat and stink together in the sun. :0)


Good times I tell ya!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Taken from my front yard....

Finally!
For more on Wordless Wednesday, go here.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Knowing is Half the Battle

Here are the much anticipated answers to my little quiz....because I know you are all dying to know.



Right?



My favorite color is brown. This surprises most people. I usually hear, "out of all the colors in the world you pick BROWN?" This is usually said incredulously. I have loved brown for about 10 years now. To me it looks like warmth...it's natural...earthy...and it's the same color as chocolate. Can't go wrong there. My master bedroom is painted entirely in chocolate brown. Yummy......



I have 3 siblings. Two sisters and one brother. I'm stuck in the middle....maybe that's why I like that song so much! :0)



I have had several nicknames in my lifetime. I did a post about this at one point. However, the nickname that I have been called for almost my entire life is Smash. This was bestowed upon me by my older sister, who I lovingly refer to as "Smelly". Good times.



My biggest pet peeve....this one messed up most of you. Except for that first one about the toilet seat being left up, all the other answers were some of my pet peeves. I hate a kitchen full of open cupboards. I had a roommate once who left ALL of them open ALL of the time. It drove me crazy. I also have a hard time having people touch my feet. Not so much that I can't have a pedicure though. My biggest pet peeve however, is people's lack of respect for my time. My life is just as busy as everyone else's. So, don't waste my time! And now you know...



My major in college is psychology. I plan on being a child and family counselor. I've always wanted to do this {well, at least since I went to college the first time around}. Now, I'm hoping I actually make it through and finish up.



Sadly, I have moved 27 times in my life. I know...it's a lot. I hope to keep the number under 30 as I live out the rest of my life because....Holy Cow!



And, um....duh! Girls Night is my favorite day of the month! The second Thursday of every month is when I run away with my girls and party down. I'm a die hard and have only missed one night in 2 1/2 years. If there is something else going on, it takes a back seat to MY night. And I'm not kidding either. :0)



People....I cannot live without sugar. I will die. Ok, maybe not literally....but my body will go through some serious withdrawals! Remember? I tried? And what happened? I made it two days and ended up eating almost an entire container of Lofthouse cookies. Not good.



Medical terminology...though I do talk to myself...I'm not schizophrenic. And though my son thinks I'm crazy...I'm really no psychopathic. As indicated here, here, and even here....I am a classic case of obsessive compulsive disorder. And can I tell you how frustrating it can be? Sigh.



My favorite food? Italian ALL. THE. WAY. I loves me some pasta. It makes me happy.



Do you all feel well informed now? I'm so glad!
Also, it looks like there were two people that got 9 out of 10 answers correct! I'm impressed ladies! Happy prizes will be coming your way very shortly! And to everyone else...thanks for playing!


One more thing....



I've been blogging for a long time now, but it wasn't until yesterday that I got my first blogging award. I'm a seriously glowing....beaming really. Somebody loves me that much!





See? TravelinOma gave this to me. She said my blog warms her heart. :0) I'm so glad too! There is a story behind this award though. Memoirs of a Mommy is a blog by Noah's mom.

"Born with a heart defect, he was blessed with a heart transplant when he was an infant. Someone gave Noah a new heart. And someone else's mom had a broken heart. Noah's mom created it to celebrate the first anniversary of his transplant and it's going around the Internet to raise awareness of organ donation."

Though he was much older than Noah, my grandfather is alive and kicking today because of a liver transplant. He was the recipient of an organ donated by someone who had enough heart to share a piece of themselves with someone else. For this, my family will always be truly grateful. My grandfather is an amazing man. :0)

Happy blogging!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, that's right...you heard me. I am one year older...Sigh.

So, I thought in honor of my special day I would share with you a couple of my favorite movies. Why? Because sharing is caring...and though on birthday's it's usually the day to RECEIVE gifts...I'm going to share these precious gems with all of you. Because.......

I care. :0)

This first one is Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. I first watched this movie when I was a freshman at Utah State. I laughed so hard at these girls. And honestly...just getting out of high school...I saw a little of my high school self in these girls. Sad, huh?




My ultimate favorite movie is the Wedding Singer. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore do a fabulous job in this together. And seriously...it's full of 80s songs. How could I not love it?



Have a fun weekend!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Yo Joe!

Thanks for still loving me even after my super opinionated post from yesterday. :0)


Also, if you have not taken my fun little quiz over here to the right....give it a click! The giveaway ends on Sunday {because that's my birthday} and the winner will receive fabulous prizes {I'm getting a little too "Price is Right" here aren't I?}. Anyway...they'll get something fun. On Monday I will post the correct answers to the quiz, so if you got some of them wrong...you'll finally know THE TRUTH about me. And honestly...


knowing is half the battle.


Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Weakest Link

I have struggled for a bit on whether or not I should post this. I have worked VERY hard on it and got an "A". :0) Remember this post? I asked you all for some opinions on a subject I take very seriously. It was for this paper.

I hope no one takes offense to the paper. Remember that it is an expository essay. Everything contained within in it is fact based on research and numerous studies done by REALLY SMART PEOPLE. However....it is my opinion as well. Anyway....read on....

Each generation for the last several decades has criticized the generation after it. Whether it is that the new era of children are lazy, too dependent, or even brazen, it is not often that the older generations cannot find fault in the younger. Children are facing new challenges with each passing year. They experience limited parental availability and family support, lack of responsibility, and more exposure to the ways of the world at a younger age. These occurrences were not familiar to the youth of 50 years ago. Unfortunately, these new challenges are proving to be too overwhelming for the children of today. Are the older generations correct? Are the parents of today raising a weaker generation? Due to the challenges stated, the next generation of children will be the weakest our society has ever seen.

The family is the nucleus of American life. In the 1950’s the normal American family consisted of a working father, a stay-at-home mother, and multiple children. All members of the family lived in the same home. Because of this, children had a more stable environment. Today’s world is far different. The normal family unit as it was known then has dissolved. Due to the rise in divorce rates and the growth in out of wedlock childbirths, the family unit has never been more diverse or unstable. The divorce rates in the 1950s were as low as 2.1 per 1,000 people. In this decade alone, the divorce rates reached 4.0 per 1,000 people (Harvard Magazine, 2004). Though there are still families with parents and children, this rise in divorce rates has added step-parents, step-siblings, and half-siblings to the mix as parents remarry. Some children are now living in two separate households after the divorcement of their parents. This new “mixed” family is now the new norm.

To prevent the loss from a divorce, some couples choose to not marry at all. According to the Rutgers National Marriage Project, “The number of U.S. couples living together without a license shot up 1100 percent between 1960 and 2002…In the 1950s, 95 percent of adults were husbands and wives….and in 2002, just over half.”(2004). Due to these numbers, it is only a natural result that children will be born to unwed parents. Some children do not even have this for an option. According to a study done by the Center for Disease Control, the number of children born to unwed mothers has increased from an average of 4% in the 1950s to 27.1% in 2000 (2000). These children are born into a single parent household, leaving them with far less stability than even those with unmarried parents.

With the rise in divorce rates and children born to unwed or single parents, children today are not allowed the same parental availability and supervision that was given 50 years ago. In a single parent household, that parent must be the sole provider. There is no stay-at-home figure for the child to turn to. This single parent status creates limitations on a parent’s ability to be available to the child because there is only one parent to do the job of two. Such children are left unsupervised and unprotected as their parent may be too burdened financially and emotionally to be effective. For households having two parents, more often than not both parents now have careers outside of the home. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “Of married working couples with children under 18, the percentage of dual-earning couples rose …to 68...” (2001). With both parents working, there are more latch key kids. They are without their parents for more time. This also results in both parents feeling drained at the end of the day, making them less likely to be fully available to their children even when they are home. Ambert’s research noted that, “in a context of social instability, caregivers are required to sustain a higher level of supervision than would be needed in a period of stability. There are now more dangers that confront adolescents than was the case 50 years ago….Poorly monitored youngsters are at a greater risk for delinquency, illicit drug use, early sexual involvement, and even school underachievement.” (2007). As these are unstable times, it can be hazardous to leave children unsupervised in a society where opportunities for problematic behaviors are plentiful. There is a connection that links misbehavior to lack of supervision. If children have parents available to them, the less likely they are to engage in problematic situations.




In 2002, Juvenile crime statistics reported that 2.3 million juveniles were arrested. “Juvenile crime statistics show that crimes committed by juveniles are most likely to occur on school days in the hours immediately following the end of a school day.” (2008). The hours between the school bell ringing and working parents arriving home are prime time for unsupervised children to get into trouble. Without proper guidance and supervision, children are left to figure things out by themselves. This can be detrimental.




Teachers are a dependable source of information on the changes in children’s behaviors over the past 50 years. They have reported that there has been an increase in the number of children misbehaving. Children have become “more difficult to teach, less focused, less able to concentrate, and less self-disciplined.” (Ambert, 2007) Children of this generation expect more from others and give less than children of past decades. They refuse to be held accountable for their actions. With no parental examples, and the constant barrage of wrongful actions being glorified on television and in video games, they can be left with a confused sense of right and wrong.




In the 1950s most households had one television with few channels. Families sat around it together to watch their favorite shows. Today, there are an average of 2.4 televisions per household. According to a study done in 2006, the average American child spends more time watching television than in school. This is not surprising based on the fact that the typical American household has the television on for more than 7 hours per day. This number is staggering, but hardly surprising. Due to these statistics, before finishing grade school, “the average child will witness about 8,000 murders depicted on TV.” (Zimmerman, 2006). Additionally, research has shown that “children are active social actors and participate in the reconstruction of the messages they receive from the media.” (Ambert, 2007). It is no wonder the juvenile crime rates have skyrocketed. Exposure to violence desensitizes the tolerance level of children so that they believe that conflicts can only be resolved with aggression. They lose their ability to deal with frustrations, which makes it harder for them to deal with problems as they come along. Worse yet, as children are exposed to violence, they become impervious to the severity of the consequences involved with such an act.




Not only are our children addicted to television, but once supplied with video games and the internet, they are exposed to far more than children were 50 years ago. A new report from the Nielson Company shows that “more than 40% of television households have a video gaming system.” (McGoughey, 2007). Killing is the goal in many video games. Not only this, but in some, committing crimes is the task that must be completed to win the game. Unfortunately, most of these games are targeted towards children. The child may, in turn, act out what they have done with gaming characters in real life. Additionally, 41.5% of households today have internet access (Newburger, 2001). Though the internet has many useful aspects, if children are left unsupervised as they browse through websites, they may find themselves in places inappropriate for their viewing. Furthermore, having access to everything encompassed within the World Wide Web may not be beneficial. The exposure to things too mature for them may cause them to act inappropriately older.

If it seems like more children are getting into trouble, it may be that there are more problem children today than 50 years ago. The causes for these problems are as diverse as the problems themselves. As Ambert stated, “There are now more dangers that confront adolescents than was the case 50 years ago….Poorly monitored youngsters are at a greater risk for delinquency, illicit drug use, early sexual involvement, and even school underachievement.” (2007). After looking at the research, it appears we have created an enabling environment for children. Of course there are parents that do a good job of raising very well grounded children, but unfortunately a greater proportion are being affected by these new challenges.

Since the 1950’s divorce rates have doubled, parents are less available to their children, juvenile crime rates have skyrocketed, and the access to advanced technology introduces children to too much, too early. Our society may present too many challenges for children to avoid developing problematic behaviors. As we become more technological, materialistic, and sedentary, our children are at a higher risk of emerging from their youth unscarred. It seems we are, in fact, raising a much weaker generation than that of our grandparents.



So, do you still love me? :0)

My opinion on the matter is also this.....our parents didn't have it as hard as our kids do. They could be stronger because they had the ability to be quite a bit more ignorant of the "real world". And yet, I think we also live in a society of permissive parents who place little responsibility on their children and allow them to behave in ways that my parents would have NEVER allowed, let alone my grandparents allowing it of their children. Respect, loyalty, perseverence....these are things that this generation seems to be lacking. Of course, I speak generally here. In no way do I think that EVERY child is lazy and rude. Unfortunately, I find myself talking about "punk kids" doing some "punk thing" and wondering if I was that way when I was younger. And honestly, though I was NEVER perfect...my mom would have grounded me for life for acting disrespectful or rude to anyone. Also...please remember that I have been divorced...I've been the single mom doing my best, but feeling strained and frustrated by the lack of "quality" time I felt I had with my son. Though I think in the end I smothered him a little too much...but that's a story for a different day....We also have three tvs in my house...the internet....and two video game systems on top of the stupid Nintendo DS {did I say stupid? I meant useless.} So don't think I am attempting to portray myself as perfect or wonderful. My paper was based on research. Am I going on too much here? I don't usually get on a BIG soap box...we'll see how it works this time around...

I love a good discussion and I know there have to be some strong opinions out there. Also...in no way do I think that my opinion is better than yours. :0) We are only as smart as we allow ourselves to be. We can't have a good opinion if we don't know all the facts, right? So, lay it on me....what do you think?

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Wordless Wednesday



Fishy kisses....

For more on Wordless Wednesday go here.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Saving the Planet....one light bulb at a time

Holy cow! I just got this email from my Grandma and was a bit shocked. Since the world is going "Green", I thought I would do my part to help the environment by buying those funny looking light bulbs. Yes, they are more expensive, but they last for 7 years {or something like that}. So, it's worth it right? In fact, as we put up the electrical stuff in the basement, that's the only kind of bulb we used. {Mostly because I didn't want to have to deal with changing light bulbs frequently because I am L-A-Z-Y}

We accidentally broke one of them in the process {By "we", I mean the electrician}. At the time I was thinking "Ah! $5 down the drain!" And now I'm just glad I'm not dead.....

Watch and learn....yes, it is a couple of minutes long...and yes, it's CSPAN....but the guy is funny too. Watch the guy sitting behind him as he tries to keep a straight face. :0)




Friday, June 13, 2008

Show Me Love

All right people.....it's been a little too quiet around here lately!

I've been getting NO love.



Perhaps it's because I have not written anything comment worthy....though I beleive every post deserves a comment if one has read the whole stinking thing. What can I say? I'm a comment giver....give, give, give...that's me. I'm also a comment whore. :0) I want them! I put up a comment counter to get you to leave me love! It worked for a while, but alas.....the fight for the #1 spot didn't last very long.

So, here's what's going to happen. Do you see my new little quiz on the sidebar here? Yes, that's the one. It's a quiz to see how well you really know me. All of the answers can be found within my little blog here. If you've read all my posts, then you'll TOTALLY know all the answers right off the bat.

Whoever gets the HIGHEST score {family excluded...sorry guys....you just have an unfair advantage. Please don't let that keep you from taking the quiz to try to show everyone else up though....} WINS! Yes, you heard me....WINS! What do you win? No, not a new car like on the Price is Right...unless you want a Hot Wheels toy or something. But it will be something fabulous. Why? Because I know you love me MOST. That's right....

SO....what are you waiting for? Get testing people! Time's a wasting! And don't forget to leave me a comment too. Remember...I'm looking for love! :0)

Yo Quiero Taco Bell?

Did I spell that right? Probably not...oh well. :0)

And we didn't even go to Taco Bell. We did go get Mexican food though...let me explain.

Last night was Girls Night! Yahoo! I live for this day of the month. And honestly, it felt like it was NEVER going to come. It has been a really long month for me. REALLY LONG. We had decided to treat ourselves to a meal out without the kids and chose La Fiesta as the place. There were eight of us that showed up...not counting the babies. :0) Yes, oodles of my girls have been having babies lately. It's crazy! And we've got another one coming in a couple of weeks. Lots and lots of girl babies too...except for the lone stud man Jaxon. {Did I spell that right Bonnie?}
This isn't all of the babies either. Tana couldn't make it last night, so her cutie patootie isn't pictured here.

We went to Natalie's house after dinner for some ice cream and chit chat. We ended up dealing with cell phone stalkers and and talking about blogging and Hooter Hiders. :0) {don't ask about the stalkers!}

Anyway...we had a great time! For those of you that didn't make it...you were missed and you totally missed out on some fabulous strawberry margaritas! :0)

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Isn't it Ironic?

Honey Bunch wrote about her son's last day of school today. I told her that it would be unforgettable. :0)


Honestly...I think it's because I completely forgot what the last day of school has been like for my son EVERY. YEAR. Except this year.

Because it just happened. :0)


You need proof?

This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago on the last day of 2nd grade. Please pay no attention to my son's dissheveled appearance. This picture was taken at the end of the day and they went swimming on the last day of school.

And....




This picture was taken last year on the last day of school.

Notice the shirt he's wearing in both pictures.....

Yes....my son wore the exact same shirt on the last day of school two years in a row. It obviously fit better in the 1st grade, and wasn't so worn out. Sigh. I remember buying the shirt as school got out. It was warmer and he needed some short sleeved shirts. It may have even been the first time he wore it.

I know you are thinking...why does this matter? Well, see....I'm a scrapbooker. So, these pictures will go down in history on the pages of a book. And, because I can't remember one year to the next...it will show that he wore the EXACT same shirt two years in a row on the EXACT same day. I got a good laugh out of this one. Yes, my son has plenty of shirts to wear. Don't send any in the mail thinking he has only the one shirt. :0) But, seriously...isn't it a funny coincidence?

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

No, this does not mean that there will be no words in my post. The idea is that you post a picture and let the reader figure it out. I think....


Check out Sassy's post today. Her Wordless Wednesday picture was amazing!

For more info, go to Wordless Wednesday.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

I'm it!

Since I love her the mostest {check out her comment counter.....I'm totally #1!!!!}, I am playing a game of tag with dear Momma Mary. And you all wanted to know this stuff anyway....so here goes!

What was I doing ten years ago?
If you really must know....I was trying to "find" myself. Summer of 1998 was not one of my best times. Did I find myself? Not for a very long time. Sigh. That's ok. Sometimes it takes some of us a little longer than others to figure things out. :0) I was living in Logan, UT....working at Pizza Hut as a dough master and Angie's Restaurant as a hostess. I would work from 5:45 am to 2:00 at Angie's and then from 3:00 to 9:00 at the Hut. I lived with my friend, Jenn, and a couple of other wierd roommates. Good times.....

5 Thing on my to-do list today:
Well, seeing as how the day is half over...I've already done some of the things on my "list". So, for the rest of the day...my goals are to:
1. Take a shower {yes, I haven't gotten one in yet}
2. Do homework
3. Clean house
4. Cook dinner
5. Do homework

Did I mention I needed to do some homework? Yeah....it's never ending....

Snacks I enjoy:
Wow...what don't I enjoy? :0)
I loves me some grape Laffy Taffy. The green ones are fabulous too. Chocolate chip cookies are hard to resist. Especially if they have semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips in them. Twix candy bars are great....Skittles are yummy....I snack on bananas a lot....Those Special K Strawberry bars are delicious! Sour patch kids are naughty yummy too. :0)

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
What a deep question.....
First...obviously...pay bills. Boring, I know...but it needs to be done! :0)
Then...even though we already have two houses {one of which refuses to sell!}, I would buy a big house and hire a maid to clean it for me. But I wouldn't make her wear one of those maid outfits...because I'm nice like that. I would also pay off my mommy's house....because I love her. And then I'd buy houses or pay off houses for my siblings. Why not? I'm a freaking billionaire! I don't think I would buy fancy cars...maybe the hubby might for himself...in fact, I know he'd buy himself a truck. He wants one bad. But, gas is a billion dollars a gallon, so his nice compact car is perfect for the million miles he drives for work. :0) My car is cute...I would want to keep it. :0) I'd obviously have to pay a million in tithing....gotta give the Lord my tenth! :0) And then I think I'd go on a vacation. Or two. Jaysen needs one. Badly. A tour of Europe sounds wonderful. And after investing a lot of money so that it would last FOREVER, I would use oodles to fix up the Valley House here in town...make it bigger and better. And the Pregnancy Crisis Center here too. There are a lot of charity organizations that help out a lot of women and children who are running away from abusive situations. I totally want to help that cause. Oh...and I'd buy shoes. Lots and lots of shoes. :0)

Places I have lived:
Well, if you followed my Flashback Friday posts...you already know most of the places I've lived. But, if not...I'll share!
Twin Falls, ID
West Jordan, UT
South Padre Island, TX
Port Isabel, TX
Los Fresnos, TX
Brownsville, TX
Combes, TX
Harlingen, TX
Hagerman, ID
Buhl, ID
Logan, UT
Twin Falls, ID
Buhl, ID
Twin Falls, ID

I have moved 27 times in 29 years. Why? It's a sickness. I prefer that it stops here...but who knows what the future will bring.

Person I'm tagging:
Let's see.......
Montay, because according to MY comment counter, she loves ME the mostest :0)
If any of you others would like to join in....please do so!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Getting my scrap ON!


Since I know you were all waiting for me to come back....

Here's me and my sisters and my mommy. In order...me, my mom, my OLDER sister {in green}, my younger sister, and my sis-in-law.

We all had a fabulous time scrapbooking and chatting and eating naughty food. It was great! I got 21 pages done! Are you impressed? Sadly, this doesn't even come close to putting a dent in my pictures to scrap...but alas, such is the life of a scrapper. :0)

Friday, June 6, 2008

Miss Me Yet?

Just so you all don't think that I dropped off the face of the earth...I am going to be gone until Sunday night.

What?

Yes...Sunday night. I am running away. Yes, it's true. The craziness that is my life has taken it's toll. But, at least I'm willing to come back. :0)

In one hour I am leaving for my mommy's house. {don't kids normally run AWAY from their parents?} It's time for my families annual girls scrapping weekend. All of my sisters and my mom will be doing nothing but eating and scrapbooking for the next three days. It's going to be FAB-U-LOUS! I can't wait. My car is packed and everything! Yahoo!

Anyway...this will mean that there will be no time for blogging. I apologize in advance....if there are any of you that will actually miss me. If not...then you won't even notice I'm gone! :0)

I hope you all have a great weekend as well!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

8 Week Challenge Wrap Up

Well, my 8 weeks is up. Do you remember my goal? I was going to get FIERCE. Do you remember me saying that? Yeah......I think it's going to take a lot longer than 8 weeks to get me there! :0)

In the past 8 weeks, I have dealt with PTA hell. I have dealt with basement hell. I have dealt with school hell {finals week is NOT fun!}. I have dealt with OCD hell. And last but not least, I have dealt with my own personal hell. Due to the continual burning from the flames of hell....my fierceness took a back seat. I did try to exercise, but didn't stick with it. Which is frustrating. I'm hoping that now that the basement is done I'll be able to get my Tae-Bo back on and whip myself back into shape.

I did lose a few pounds...which is fabulous! But, for the most part I let my sweet tooth win the battles. I have no will power. :0)

BUT! This challenge helped me in other ways. All was not a loss! :0) This challenge was to help us take care of ourselves. Not to just get better physically, but emotionally as well. As we get older, we tend to forget about our needs and take care of those around us. We forget we are still just as important as everyone else. We can sometimes lose ourselves as we dive into the nurturing of others.

The past 8 Weeks has been an eye opener for me. In this sense, I really took this challenge to heart. I wanted to be better. I wanted to FEEL better. After the first two weeks I realized that I knew what was wrong with me. It's been a rough six weeks since then. And honestly, it's going to take longer than this challenge for me to be better. Which is ok. 8 Weeks is a relatively short period of time to completely change. But, it can be a great start. Realizing what my own personal problems were is only the beginning. And honestly, it's kind of depressing knowing how long I've lived this way and I could have been happier all along. Don't get me wrong...I am a happy person. I have my moments, but I have a very happy life. I am blessed and I know it and I am grateful for it. But, I am seeing things a bit clearer now and I can see how much my life has been affected by this. It's a bit of a downer. BUT! Knowledge is power, right? I am pressing forward with a better perspective and a lot of help. :0)

So, do I count the challenge as a win or did I fail? I didn't get fierce physically. But, I'm on a better track of becoming fierce emotionally.....and I think that has to count for something right?

Monday, June 2, 2008

Today is going to be random reading for you all....

I had the wierdest dream last night. I woke up and wondered what the heck got into my head to make me dream this way. Me and three of my friends from around here {I won't name you guys...trust me, you won't want people to know the crazy Ashlee was dreaming about you} were all on 'America's Next Top Model'. Oh yeah. First of all...one of my friends is VERY pregnant. In fact, she's going to have her baby in about 4 weeks. :0) So, yes...in my dream America's Next Top Model could be pregnant. {That would be different! Imagine the kinds of photo shoots they'd have with that!} And second....the tallest of my friends is MAYBE 5'10"...definitely short models. But we were definitely working our stuff! Oh yeah......

Maybe I was reverting back to my childhood where I dreamed of becoming the next Christie Brinkley. Sadly, my shortness and lack of ankles prevented me from ever being able to fulfill my true destiny.....

My brain is not working anymore. Ok...so it is...but just not the way I want it to. :0) Life has been so hectic lately that all I can focus on is getting the next task done, while in the back of my mind is the long list of everything else that needs to still get done. It's been a long few months and I think my brain needs a rest. :0) Which means you might be seeing fewer posts from me. Don't be mad. I just feel like I'm running out of things to say. My brain isn't able to come up with something to ramble on about. Though, there might be weeks where it kicks back on and I have lots to say....but for the most part, I might be quiet off and on. Please don't stop coming by though! I would miss all of you! :0) And just because I'm not writing doesn't mean I'm not reading. I visit all of your blogs daily. I love getting to know all of you a little better with each post. :0) You can also stop by my family blog if you are needing your Ashlee fix. :0) With the kids home, I may be posting more on that blog instead of over here.

I get to pass my PTA torch today. YAY! The checkbook will no longer be mine! The traveling filing cabinet of receipts, two cash boxes, and 20 cash bags have been cleaned out of my cabinet to make way for....something. I don't know yet...but something better will go in there! :0)

I think that's the end of my randomness for today....tune in next time for more deep thoughts from Ashlee! :0)