tags & updates

I love tags and I'm so sorry for not keeping up with them. here goes!


Holly & Kerry both tagged me for this one:

Tag your Hubby is it.....

1) Where did you meet? Roberts Wesleyan College
2) How long did you date before you got married? 9 months dating, 9 months engaged
3) How long have you been married? 4 years this past October
4) What is your favorite feature of his? pretty much his whole face!
5) What is your favorite quality of his? his humor
6) Does he have a nickname for you? yes.
7) What is his favorite food? chicken mcnuggets w/ s&s sauce (ew!)
8) What is his favorite sport? tennis
9) When and where was your first kiss? June 1, 2003 at 2am on my parents' couch! scandalous.
10) What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? hang out around the house, go on road trips, go on drives, making a date out of running errands
11) Do you have any children? one in the belly and 2 with fur
12) Does he have a hidden talent? he does a cool dance, but only around his family ;)
13) How old is he? 26 (27 in Jan)
14) Who said "I love you" first? he did, about 2 months after we started "talking"
15) What is his favorite type of music? country (he loves his Newman)
16) What do you admire the most about him? his work ethic and unconditional love
17) Do you think he will read this? yep! and he'll check the comments like it's his job.


Alicia tagged me for this one:

Friendship Award

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood? not really... I'd say Bethy is my "oldest" close friend

2. What do you value most about your friends? their love and listening ear

3. Are your friends sounding boards? totally!

4. What is your favorite activity to share with friends? shopping, starbucks (with lots of talking)

Let me know if you want to play along with either!!! fun.



So I am now officially a "sahm" but just missing that "m" part as of now. I started watching my friend's baby at my house a few days a week, and I LOVE it. I can't even say how wonderful it is. It was so, so hard to leave my job as a nanny. Those four kids were my life! It's hard not to get super personal when working a job like that. Especially after almost four years. My last day was a few weeks ago, and my former employer made it super special. However, it didn't stop me from completely losing it and bawling the whole way home (I can't believe I'm sharing this picture):Sad. Bittersweet. I miss them like crazy, but life goes on and I'm feeling good. Why? Oh, maybe because of this?....
That was taken tonight, so it's exactly 16 weeks. I look HUGE, but I think the sweatshirt doesn't help. Not a good pic (ignore the wall vase thinger) but a certain someone has been asking for pictures and so I had Ryan take a quick one tonight as he was watching Criminal Minds... it was nice of him to let me interrupt him, so I gotta take what I can get. ;)

it has only taken 17 months...

*This post dedicated to my dear AJ working the night shift tonight*


Got back from Nantucket this past weekend... I went with the family I work for. Year #4! Started out with two kids the first year, now we're up to four... hope there's not a trend forming here!

We have basement progress! Ryan has been working so hard the past few months. He tore out all of the old drywall, put up new framing and re-drywalled (not sure if that's a word), and totally redid the bathroom. My parents came out last weekend and helped us a lot, too. There is still so much to do... but I have to say it looks a million times better (not to mention smells better). For your viewing pleasure...

before & after.. our "work area"


I wish we still had the sweet vintage wet bar... ignore the toilet parts laying all over the floor and the cats who refused to get out of the shots


be prepared to lounge


I begged Ryan to keep the black toilet... and I'm so in love with the new vanity!



the day we closed (April 07)

the man himself, so humble

woot!

later gator

Off to Nantucket for a week... things have been crazy, I will be so much more committed to blog posting when I get back. Peace out!

good intentions

I've been meaning to post for days. We've gotten a lot of work done around the house in the past few weeks... however I'm SO exhausted so I'll have to post some pics tomorrow or as soon as I can. I'll leave you all in suspense! The woman I work for had baby #4 on Sunday (yes, you read that right), so I'm one wiped out nanny. Between working so much and the heat I'm not sure I will survive the week! night night.

randomness

I apologize (to those who care) about my lack of posting... between my empty brain and my as of late excruciatingly slow internet, I haven't really had a reason to. I am totally in a funk. I've had zero desire to blog, which is strange to me. Life has been normal and unexciting... I don't know why I can't ever be happy with just that.

My cousin is doing better.... THANK YOU all for your prayers and encouragement! He had surgery and the updates have been few, but I think that's probably a good thing.

My great great aunt died last week... she was 91. Her husband is still living, and is 97. Initially, I wasn't sad with the situation, she lived a full, long life and was married for 69 years. I figured it was pretty much a perfect scenario. That is, until we sat down to talk to my great great uncle at the viewing, and someone asked him how he was doing. He simply responded, "Sad," with tears in his eyes. My heart just broke. The one funny story I heard was my great grandma's (who is pushing 98 and going strong) reaction to her sister's death... "Aww, but I wanted to go first!!!" She's just waiting for Heaven, satisfied with her full life. How I wish I could have the same attitude, even at 24. To live every moment as if it were my last... I'm definitely going to try.

Oh, and one last thing... it's $%&@(&#*#! cold here. 14 degrees currently, but it was closer to 0 this morning, cold enough to close schools. So guess who got to entertain ALL of the kids the whole afternoon? hehe, I'm so kidding. They were great, we had so much fun. All I know is that I'm THROUGH with this weather and its ridiculous consequences. My parents were able to get away to Florida for a few days for my dad's work... NOT FAIR. I talked to my mom as she was soaking up sun by the pool this morning, and she laughed when I informed her that my frozen car said it was 10 degrees outside. Not funny!!!

a new leaf

I am boring. I often hesitate to blog because of it. I find myself writing not for myself & for my own enjoyment/therapy, but for others.... Who will be reading? What will they think of me? If I don't mention so-and-so will they be mad? How much do I share? Who really cares about my latest painting project or my horrific week with the kids? I try to always be positive, but let's face it, life is not always positive. What will all of these people, most who barely know me, think of me if I'm vulnerable?! I also have a hard time because I don't feel like I "fit in" in the blog world... I'm not a mommy (trust me, I've tried to "befriend" plenty... and many never acknowledge), not a great writer, I don't fit in any one mold. It's so hard with the whole mommy blog thing, because I practically AM a mom... only I'm "raising" someone else's kids. It's just hard to feel so rather left out but also be so included. I'm having a hard time expressing... ugh. Sometimes I feel like just deleting this whole thing.... and here I am. I'm not really one for new years resolutions.... but I've made a decision. No deletion... but I am finished. I'm finished with doing everything for others and leaving me for last. I'm not even meaning "do" in a literal sense, but more in what I say, feel, think, write. I'm ready to not worry about what others think... I'm so ready. So what if I'm boring, I'm going to write about my boringness anyway. So what if I only get 2 comments... I'm in this for me. And perhaps, this whole "me for me" on the blog is also a metaphor for my life...


Whew. Let's get it together.


I was thinking back on this past year... in general, I considered 2007 a pretty uneventful year. I soon realized though... this past year has been full. Full of blessings & excitement. So I decided to make a list (I THRIVE on lists) of my favorites of 2007... just for me. :) In no particular order....

-buying our house in April and spending the entire spring and summer gutting the place and making it home... and we were able to spend SO much time with our parents and families in the process
-finding out in June my that my sister in law was pregnant
-finding out this fall that my best friend was pregnant
-Ryan graduating in May with his masters
-my brother graduating from HS and my sister from college
-standing beside Beth at her wedding in September
-the birth of Addison Marie Morgan in May (almost June!!!) :) and throwing Carrie an awesome shower with AJ
-my job... in general. I've had my struggles with my job these past 3 years, but lately I've truly discovered my purpose at work... and having an 18-month old chase me around all day saying "A-A-Ashee!!!!" makes any tough struggle completely worth it.
-going to Michigan to visit family with my mom and gram in November
-becoming kitty parents in May (don't hate!)
-finally feeling part of a church and meeting incredible new friends
-going to the 1000 Islands with Kerry and Rob this summer
-our April trip to Florida with my family
-starting a blog and meeting new friends... and becoming obsessed with reading blogs... Google Reader is definitely my new best friend
-celebrating our 3rd anniversary
-the American Idol concert in August
-ringing in the new year a few days ago with our great friends Amy and Jason
-going to the gym regularly (especially with Alyssa this summer!) and getting somewhat in shape... including running my first 5k this fall!
-discovering kickboxing!
-and... my husband accepting a NEW job just a few days ago!!!!


I'm sure I'm forgetting things... but looking back on this list makes me so, so thankful for the important people in my life and the ability to make memories and witness blessings. I already have so many things to look forward to in the next few months... Ryan's cousin's wedding this Saturday (Ryan's in the wedding), becoming an aunt next month, all of the new babies on the way, our trip to the OBX with Ryan's family in April... and so much more. This post was a mess, but I feel so much better getting it all down. Thus begins my 2008. :)

made it out alive

Ha. Today was my grand finale of my weeklong stay with the kids.... we had tons of fun and kept busy this week, but I'm so glad to be home. I cleaned like mad tonight... for my own sanity and also because my inlaws will be here all weekend. We are going to celebrate my birthday and Amy's birthday (my sis-in-law, Ryan's bros wife... who is also PREGNANT!), so I am so excited. I am also so excited and NERVOUS because I'm running in my first race tomorrow! It's just the 5K for Homecoming at good old RWC... but nonetheless, it's my first. Leah (sis-in-law, Ryan's sis) is running it "with" me, or should I say AHEAD of me... so pray I don't die. Seriously. I'm so nervous. My stomach is in knots just typing this. Anyway.... good to be home. I think the kitties missed us... Calla is mauling me as I write, I can't even see the screen. I think the cats are trying to communicate with us on another level, too... almost like a toddler or young child... acting out for attention! I stopped home with the kids today so they could see the cats (the kids are OBSESSED) and... dum da dum dum..... the kitchen floor was absolutely COVERED with flowers. I got a bunch of hydrangeas from my mom last week, and I put them in a pitcher on the counter, hoping they'd start to dry so I could enjoy them for awhile. The cats must have got UP ON THE COUNTER and tore a few heads off the stems and who knows... tossed them, danced as the flowers fell around them, who knows?! It was SUCH a mess, took me forever to vacuum them up. I need help. We had them trained pretty well, and they stayed off the counters and table, but now they are jumping up al the time.... spraying with water doesn't help anymore, nor does lining the counter with tinfoil... all of the things I read that would help... so, HELP! Suggestions, please! No AJ, I won't use shock collars or anything, though. Ok enough rambling about my oh-so-important life issues. hehe. Better go rest up so I can WIN TOMORROW! BWAH HA HA!

Fashion

I so love my job. Those kids bring me such joy. Seriously, nannying is so rewarding, not just with the experience, but with what I get back from the kids. I love them as much as I know how... I know it will be different with my own kids, but they sure do reflect that love and let me enjoy the time before I have my own.
I've been meaning to share this Garrett story for awhile... this occurred a while back, but not too far, maybe this past spring. Mind you, this child is 4 1/2.

Garrett: Ashley, you're so funny! You have rips in your jeans! (*sticking his fingers in the holes in my jeans and laughing*)
Me: Garrett, they are not rips. They are called "fashion."
Garrett: Ohhhhh... (*truly absorbing the information*)
A few days later, we were sitting at the table, eating lunch. Garrett, for no apparent reason, begins studying his sock covered foot, turning it over, examining... when he should have been eating his sandwich, over the table, chew with your mouth closed.
Suddenly he gasped and jerked his head up toward me.
Garrett: ASHLEY!!!! LOOK!!! (*lifting his foot up*) MY SOCKS HAVE FASHION ON THEM!!!!!
I looked. Sure enough, a small hole was forming on the heel of the sock.



Now THAT is why I get up and go to "work" everyday. :)

Small Victories & Small "Presents"

Mom and Dad came out today and did some work on the house with Ryan... Dad got all of the windows trimmed out and fixed the bedroom and bathroom doors so that they will now shut all the way! woot! They also got the spare bedroom (home of Couch Mountain) cleared out, and put the couches and some other stuff down in the newly-cleaned basement... check it out....



6.3.07


7.27.07
I know, it's still pretty messy and disorganized, but hey I can see the floor! Who knew we had one of those in there?!


Where was I all afternoon and evening? I was watching the kids.... we had a great night, they were so good. So good, that is, until the end of bathtime when a certain little curly-headed girl calmly handed me a piece of poop. Um, yeah, bathtime was definitely over. I'll be with the kiddos all weekend, too, wish me luck!

Fare Thee Well...

So... 3 blog entries in 2 days! Pretty impressive. I thought I'd make up for this upcoming week, for I will be on Nantucket with the family I work for until next weekend! Pray for us! :)