girls night

you know what i think is so sad? is after highschool the wonderful friendships you had get lost. either by stupid differences you think are so big, but really aren't, moving away for school, getting married, finding new friends, etc. i had some wonderful friends in highschool. we also happened to be the same ward. three of us even have the same birthday. marianne, beth, kim, megan, and i did a lot together. then of course after highschool comes and you try to find yourself, you move on with your life. almost ten years later, one of them has the bright idea to get together to catch up! why had we not done this before?! i had such a good time. talking to each of them and finding out what they are up to, remembering the funniest memories, looking in the yearbook trying to fill each other in on who is where, and snacking. i don't think i realized how much i missed them until this morning when i thought about last night. i know how important it is to have good friends around you who love you and support you. the cool thing is that it didn't seem like it had been years since i had seen them. i guess that is how you know you found some good friends. i truly love them and can't wait until the next time...

-ash

heebie jeebie's

so paul brought a friend home from work yesterday. it was nasty. i hate spiders, i hate spiders, i hate spiders! then paul tells me it jumps. way worse! i was at mom and dads getting ready to go shopping with dad, when paul comes in with a cardboard box. that's right, a cardboard box. he opens it on the counter, abby screams and i felt sick to my stomach. i didn't look at it (hence the lack of picture). it was funny to see ransom, mom and paul looking over the box. mom wanted to touch it and hold it. ransom was in heaven and paul thought he had found the most incredible toy in the world. i don't know where he gets his fascination with spiders. when we were in mapleton, he would play with the webs hoping the spider would come out and "play". i don't get it at all. so i get home and forget the spider is there. i walked into the mud room and there is the box. i must say i sort of "freaked" out big time. even writing this, i have goose bumps up and down my spine. thank goodness it isn't at home anymore. a co-worker wanted to keep it. (stupid boy i think) anywho. i am so glad it is gone. 

-ash

my prodigy

during dinner, lindsey thought of a fun game to do while we waited for our food. one person starts by drawing a picture and then a line to the next person who draws a picture then a line and so on...it got to paul and this is what he did. i giggle still now looking at it. i must explain it to you...on the side with the square smiley faces they are 'happy' because the store is open. on the other side with the triangle frownies, they are sad because the store is closed...need i say more. i wonder where he gets things like this. he is so darn cute!!! like i said before, he is my prodigy...

-ash

early morning walking

i must say that it is much easier for me to wake up before 6am than after. paul is up by then anyway getting ready to go for work. so when kelsie and i decided it was time to get our bums in shape, it was an easy decision for me to go at 6. the only things that keeps me in bed are...snuggling, i am warm, tired, wondering if kelsie is up yet, and isn't it saturday morning? going walking is fun though. we get to chat (she mainly talks about josh and i was greeted this morning with 2 weeks 6 days until he comes), work up some perspiration and talking about life in general. my goal is to get abby to come and walk with us. she didn't seem at all interested when i asked her before, but i think i might give it another go... my mornings seem to go a lot smoother the earlier i wake up. (i get to spend a little more time reading the scriptures which is a bonus...) i've discovered my day is more enjoyable too. i would much rather have a somewhat enjoyable day than a day i can't wait to be over... getting up early and being active is wonderful!

-ash

family time, eating time

tonight mom made delicious chicken pot pies. they were really good. those who know me, know i love good food and can't get enough of it. now...when you add family time to it (not the arguing part), it is even better. i went over just before our stake fireside to eat. because paul and i just got back from our trip and i hadn't done any shopping, she made us some too! (aren't i lucky!) i was catching up with them about school and friends and mom started taping. that is when the fun began...i love my sisters, i am even crazy about them. i love spending time with them and know that we would do anything for each other. if you want to see more, go to dad and mom's blog and check out the video...good times...

the fireside was really good. sister draper talked about gardening, good soil and life. she also said to choose the best out of what you are doing, really spend your time in the good things, reading good books, and not procrastinate what you say you will do tomorrow. president draper talked about the attributes of jesus. he loves us, he is justice and he is mercy. he also said to trust heavenly father. trust in his timing, his love and his plan. sometimes you go to something you know is good for you, but then you leave with so much more than that. i needed to hear what they talked about. i get caught up in making sure i am doing what i want to be doing, when sometimes what i want to do isn't the best use of my time. i need to do what is best for me and for those around me...be more involved in the community, in church, work, and do all i can to be a better wife. life is too short...well anyway, these are some of my goals...

-ash

mount rushmore

paul and i decided it would be fun to go on a road trip. he needed a break from work and i wanted to spend time with him. he surprised me and got information about good ol' south dakota. i asked some friends and they said that the drive is beautiful and there is so much to see out there. i called to make a reservation at a campsite called spokane creek. the woman i spoke with told me it was about 30-35 degrees at night. the high during the day was about 55 degrees. i told paul, but he was still insistent that we camp...he said "we have a 10 degree bag, you'll be fine". i have to be honest, i dreaded being cold. we packed on friday and left saturday morning. about 20 minutes into the drive, a rock hit the windshield. it is a nice crack as you can see in the picture. i knew from that moment on, it would be so fun! those of you who are wondering about the beautiful drive...well the wyoming part (most of it) is not pretty. there is nothing out there. no wonder not a lot of people live there. the moment you get into south dakota these beautiful hills (black hills) come out of nowhere! we got to keystone around 7:30. it was raining and getting dark. we decided to stay at a hotel considering the elements. great decision i think. the next morning we headed spokane creek to set up camp. it was a beautiful day, blue sky, slight breeze and i was with paul. as we headed up i saw mount rushmore and got giddy. i couldn't believe we were actually there. we had a blast. toured the memorial, went on some hikes, drove around the national parks there (there are a lot of them), saw eye of the needle, went to a chuck wagon dinner/show, listened to harry potter, slept really warm, enjoyed the whole trip. here are some highlights from each day

-day one-long drive, flat and ugly in wyoming, lots of deer, raining/stormy, beautiful black hills, cool wood bridges, paul said !*@$% as we scraped the bottom of the car, paul is hungry all the time (he ate 3 granola bars in one sitting), hubcap is squeaky, i saw mount rushmore first, no phone service, byu won 59-0!

-day two-went to mount rushmore, walked the presidential trail, watched night program with light show,  saw lakota lake, found spokane creek, set up camp, paul kept telling me "way to go girl" as i helped set up camp, found a little frog, ate at big time pizza, paul eats a ton, drove around national parks, paul tested his gortex boots, i saw a huge turtle that turned out to be a rock, paul still claims he saw mount rushmore first, no phone service.

-day three-paul didn't sleep well, woke up at 9am, paul is way underfed, saw crazy horse monument, paul bought milk for his cookies and claimed that i didn't buy the right ones, paul gets to do our traveling shopping from now on, paul fell and didn't take his hands out of his pockets, i laughed really hard, went to jewel cave, met steve and jenny gibson (relatives of jacob family i know...small world), christmas village store ladies were really rude, waiting for chuck wagon show so hungry, paul is "in charge" of music, i tried to yodel (paul laughed at me), paul kicked my butt with hand-held yahtzee.

-day four-took down camp really fast, harry potter was over mid-wyoming, paul froze i-pod, paul really eats a lot, i discovered that i get more childish the longer i sit in the car (poor paul)

boston cream pie

paul and i have started a little something new...the first and third tuesday of each month, we have to try new dinner and dessert recipes. now those who know me, know i don't try anything at all new. i kind of freak out about new foods. i panic a little. so i made dinner and then wanted to try this boston cream pie. i had wanted to make it before, but i wanted to make the whole thing from scratch! apparently i don't have time for that. (by the way, i love going to www.kraftfoods.com. this is where i got this one. also they send a free food magazine with great pictures and easy/fast recipes every three months or so. and it is FREE!) so i got this recipe (really easy, really easy). paul loved it. i made two (i can't seem to make smaller portions yet) so mom and dad got one too. go onto the site and look around and let me know what you think. so far trying out new recipes has been a hit. send some good recipes my way to help us branch out. (remember the magazine is free!)

-ash

summer days

i woke up this morning to chilly autumn air. man! already?! there are some activities i love during the summer and tubing is one of them. i was looking through some pictures i have of tubing through the years and thought i would share them. i totally love fall! i wish fall were 9 months out of the year. i love waking up with a colder air, the smell of spices in my kitchen and my sweaters (snuggling with hot chocolate is also wonderful). i love tubing and will miss it greatly. i love relaxing in the sun (with a numb bum!) and watching the water, the leaves and my friends and family enjoying themselves. mom wants to go on halloween day in her devil costume. sounds fun? drive by the provo river and maybe we will be there!

-ash

our days

i thought i would let you all in on my favorite days. i get to watch conrad on thursdays for ransom and katie. they are by far the best days. we get to go to the park, lay on a blanket on the lawn, swing, play with wheels of the stroller/cars, eat and nap. he is so funny to be with. he is such a happy boy. the world is perfect when he is around!

-ash

harry potter night

paul and i read the harry potter books together and love it. in fact one of my favorite days was a sunday when we were first married.  we woke up and started reading the first one (my first time reading the book series). suddenly it was lunch time. i took a bubble bath while he read to me, we laid in bed while i read to him, he read while i cooked dinner and before we knew it, it was 10pm...oops...we had missed church! anywho, we started reading the series again and finished the first one. we borrowed the 1st movie from dad and mom and watched it tonight. it was fun to snuggle and point out ALL the differences with the book and movie! i love this tradition.

-ash

pumpkin bread

today i got to watch conrad. katie needed to get a couple things done at work, i was the lucky one to hang out with him. he is so funny! i could hang with him for days and days. he wanted some pumpkin bread and who could blame him...i love pumpkin bread too! i cut us a slice to share. i must say he is a hog when it comes to food. i would give him a little bite, put the fork into the bread to feed myself, and he would grab the fork, bounce up and down, beg, put his hand in the bread, wipe it on me, i would take a tiny bite, he would whimper then get more. imagine this repeated until the bread is all gone. then he would look at the plate, open his mouth, realize there is none left and look at me as though i had eaten it all! 

-ash