our christmas

-paul's 102.4* temperature
-my wicked cold came at 2am christmas morning
-my 101.9* temperature
-woke up at 9am (not really asleep, just tired of coughing and blowing nose laying down)
-open presents at 10am, not registering what we are opening
-enjoy monkey bread and a lot of orange juice
-family photo at 3:30pm, eyes watering because of the sun/cold
-going through more tissue than i thought possible
-when paul wasn't coughing, i am coughing
-staying home all day (we were a sight to behold)
-skipped dinner at grandparents
-opened presents with family at night (since i don't blow my nose in public, i had to keep getting up to leave)
-hands are beyond dry from all the washing
-watch family video, love my family
-fall asleep just like that, but wake up coughing all.night.long!

-ash

my views

i consider myself very blessed to live where i live. i have the most beautiful views as i drive to/from work, out my windows, down the street of my neighborhood. add a little rain and some billowing clouds and my day is perfect...
-ash

who brought me lunch?

who brought me lunch...paul
who whimpered and got a little teary...me

who is so lucky to have paul...me
-ashham sandwich, chips, pomegranate 7up & see's candy

a day for me

i don't take a lot of days off work to do something for me. this however, was a must. i have followed bakerella for a while now and love her desserts. i love how creative she is and how much fun i have when i make her recipes. then she came out with her cake pop book. i bought it on amazon the day i saw her post. i was giddy when it came in the mail. then she announced a book tour with williams-sonoma and salt lake was on the list. i had to go!

i was planning on going myself, but then abby said she would like to go with me for some sister time. i was pretty excited to have someone with me.

when we got there, there was already a line. i got to the back of the line and saw some of the folks ahead of me with orange sticky tabs with numbers. i asked and apparently the numbers keep the order for seeing her (i became #127). i did like how organized it was. the poor security guard was trying to keep the line organized and also trying to keep a 4' walking space into the store next to williams-sonoma (he didn't have a lot of luck).

finally my turn came and i found out i was standing in the 105ish area...i moved aside as another group of ten went in before me.

sue and i snapped a couple pictures, talked about the cute pops and the delicious stew photos in the window display.

i got inside, the employees guided me and wrote my name on a post-it (with 2 e's) and i saw her (instant grin). i got abby ready with my camera and sat down next to her. she was so nice, and asked me questions. it was refreshing because i was #127 and she didn't seem bugged or tired. she signed her name and wrote "enjoy"...that is what i write when i share recipes!

as we walked out i got a little teary-eyed. so proud that i took a little time for me. i need days like that more often.

we then went to spaghetti factory and abby informed me that i should not get lemonade...just ask for water, about 7 lemon slices and some sugar packets...

-ash

me and bakerella

fall is here!

this morning, paul and i got our porch set up for fall. he surprised me and brought me some straw and corn stalks. we then went to pumpkin land for some pumpkins and sun river for some mums. i must say i love how it turned out. i love this time of year. it is by far my favorite. i love looking at the mountains changing colors, the smell of fall, and the dark cl

ouds that make the air cooler. it was really fun to have a project done, and best of all...having my sweetheart help me. the best is when he would give me some suggestions and they looked best. we also picked the last of our garden, and got it ready for tilling. i love my home, i love the history there. i love walking into the memories we are making. home is where it begins and ends.

-ash

my favorite weather!

over too fast

when i was little, i thought of conference weekend as "time off" from church. now, i can't get enough and i get a little sad when it is over. i love watching it at home, being able to get projects done, eating good food. i usually don't get much done as i sit and watch the messages.
this time, the choir sang "we thank thee o god for a prophet". it was powerful and the spirit touched me and i had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude for president monson and for my savior jesus christ.

talks i loved...
jeffery r. holland -service
dieter f. uchtdorf -simplify life, don't walk faster than you have strength
richard g. scott -faith (definitely answered my prayers-probably the one that spoke the most to me)
thomas s. monson -being grateful for our blessings

afterwards, we went to my dad's parents and ate soup, salad and brownies. when i was little, i remember the food we ate at their house. never disappointing. they make this really good soup that i finally got the recipe for. i can't wait to make it. it is always good to see family. i looked around me and saw those i love that surround me and love me. i am grateful more than ever to have them. they strengthen me and look out for me. i am so lucky to have them.
-ash

phoebe is here!

she came this morning at 9:47am
19" long
7 pounds 2 ounces
how can some not feel or know there is a god when a newborn comes into this life?

katie was induced this morning at 6:30. we all thought we would be able to get some things done this morning, bring conrad to see his mom at the hospital throughout the day and get a call when she arrived (when conrad was born, we (bigelows and birrells) took up the waiting room from 7am-4pm). we had no idea that she would come so fast. the doctor broke her water at 9:40ish (katie was at a 5) and she came 6 minutes later!
it is wonderful to love someone so fast!
-ash

moments

at the beginning of summer, kelsie, josh, abby, paul and i thought it would be fun to go the the utah county state fair. we really wanted to see the rodeo and the truck rally. i had never been to one before, and i didn't know the tickets would sell out weeks before the event. we piled into the car, got to the fair. it was really fun to see the state of utah rolled into art, crops, and a lot of people. we got to the line to buy some food. then paul noticed another line. he went and inquired. found out the line was for those to pick up their tickets. the rodeo had been sold out for weeks. oops! we walked around a bit more, then headed off to a movie. it was a great day to be with those i love...
-ash

= pure heaven

us open is until sept 12...
my dream, arthur ashe stadium...
-ash

forehead hair

a few days ago, i was trying to get my hair under control and there was this light hair that wouldn't get out of my way... i started pulling on it to get it back with the rest of them and realized it was stuck to my forehead...i had a 1 1/2" long hair coming out of the center of my forehead. i sat there tugging it a little astonished. then i got to thinking...how many people saw me this summer with a hair waving in the summer air and DID NOT SAY A WORD?!
i find myself looking in the mirror just making sure it doesn't come back and it doesn't have friends...
-ash

oreos...

for our young women activity, suzette and i thought it would be fun to have a "game night". she brought some ideas, and i brought an oreo game i saw on our friends blog (thanks porters!). what you do is put an oreo on your forehead. without using your hands, you need to get the oreo into your mouth. harder than it looks and you get great facial expressions along the way (plus you get an oreo).

we also played tag, and a game suzette brought. you play in teams with clothes pins. each team member gets 6ish pins. the object is to try to take the pins off the other team members. the team with the most pins still on wins...it was really fun. it was a great night and so fun to be with them. i do love my beehives. they are all so different, but the same.

-ash

lindsey

when we got home from camping, i was hopped up on benadryl, in and out of sleep. linds called wanting to borrow a few eggs. i am not quite sure how i got the eggs from the fridge to the porch, but i did. i went right back to sleep. a couple hours later i opened the door and found a great thank you...i loved it and right away knew it was from linds (tyler helped with the 'a'). i love how she is creatively thoughtful. i need to be more like her...thanks linds!

-ash

camping

paul and i chose a weekend, told the rest of the family to come, and the planning started. it is so nice to get away. as we drove up strawberry looking for sites, we came across one that was perfect...yes, it was taken. we turned around and kept driving. finally in desperation we found an empty lot, by the road. it had rained buckets and the ground was mushy and muddy. mom had to give piggy backs to kelsie and abby so their feet didn't get the trailer messy...one word...hilarious... paul and i set up our tent, dad and mom went down to get ransom and emily. we finished setting up camp, moved our fire pit to a less muddy hole, set up the canopy and i got a wicked bug bite. i couldn't believe something that small, made that much pain. i am not sure what it was... it was latched on and painful. at first it looked like a mosquito bite, but as the hours went on, my arm swelled, and itched. it was annoying. i don't know why i am the one who gets the freaky bites...
after we set up camp, there were a few things that paul wanted to do. he told abby, kelsie and i we could do "girl things". i wasn't sure what that would be, but abby didn't miss a beat. her response..."we can like totally gossip now". we started laughing.
the next morning, my arm was getting worse, so dad took me to the little store at daniels summit (i forgot our benedryl spray). we needed more milk anyway because i had honeycomb for dinner while everyone else had chili, and i obviously have no control with milk and cereal (i think i had a better dinner). it was one of the most pathetic stores i have ever been in. no benedryl, but if i had a headache, i had an endless supply of options. i asked the girl working there (who was reading a book, and i obviously interrupted her book time) if all their supplies were out. she answered me in the same moment she turned her head to the book "yes". i so wanted to rub my arm in her face and say..."now do you care", i didn't do that. instead, went back to the burb, put neosporin on it. dad did a really thick layer and would ask every few minutes..."is it doing anything?" finally i looked at him and said "it still itches like crazy, but i don't want to get my fingers all ointmenty...i guess it's making me not itch it...that's a good thing?"
it was nice to be away and enjoy the woods. i took a moment and smelled my very favorite smell...pine. we love camping and can't wait to go again.
-ash

burning

each spring, paul takes a torch to the yard. i know he loves it. i love the way it looks when he is done. clean and controlled. we had some wind and all the smoke blew into our neighbors home (they were on vacation) and i know when they got home, their house must have smelled bad...sorry about that. it was nice to have it done...until next year!
-ash

running through the sprinklers

as conrad and i were watering the garden, the sprinklers came on. i was surprised because conrad doesn't like cold water, but he got his feet wet, then is leg, then his bum. we ran inside and got his swimming gear on and started running. it was so fun. he would do the countdown and then we would run as fast as we could. he sometimes would get a running start and get to the other side before me. he would then turn around and say "lala, come on" (with his hands on his side). he is hilarious! the best is when the sprinkler would spray right in his face. i loved running through the sprinklers when i was little and now i have a buddy to run right along side me. thanks paul for taking pictures...

-ash

farm girl is a condition of the heart

i got this magazine in the mail, and i didn't remember signing up for it. i asked paul about it and he said "oh yeah". he ran to the room and got me a little postcard. aunt becky got me a subscription to a farm girl magazine. i fell in love with it instantly. it has wonderful recipes, cool country crafts (like making a bag out of an old flour sack), makes me want to get a tractor, tips on enjoying a simple life, and the best part is i can be a 'farm girl' without living on a farm...(one day i will live on a farm). i am more than ever taking the simple life to heart and enjoying it. how becky knows me...i am a country girl in a city (all i need is a pigmy pig)...
-ash

gratitude...

last night, dad, paul and i went to the patriotic service at the marriott center that is put on by the freedom festival. all i can say is it was completely inspiring... beautiful... humbling...
what is cooler than a crowd of 15,000 talking and then our flag is presented. everyone went quiet and stood. hands over my heart and a tear down my cheek. awesome...
there was beautiful music by alex boye, jenny jordan frogley, george dyer, jenny oaks baker, kendra lowe, bagpipes and a beautiful orchestra.
steve young gave a patriotic talk on our wonderful country and the inspiring people who founded it and those who continue to make this country great today. he introduced a young man who is still on active duty with the air force (married 2 days ago!) and became blind when his group came under attack. steve young asked if he had regrets about serving now that he has his injury. "no, i have received so many blessings because of this and i wouldn't have met my wife of two days if i hadn't been through this experience". that was humbling...
the service men and women were honored multiple times and a quote from abraham lincoln was read. i fell in love with his words all over again...

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln... Thursday, November 19, 1863

the hardest part of the entire evening was when alex boye started talking about the hero's around us...he spoke of the two boys, Lance Cpl. Carlos Aragon and Lance Cpl. Nigel K. Olsen who both graduated from mountain view high school. they both died in battle 3 days apart. then the song 'america the beautiful' was sung while they played a slide show of their lives. tears immediately came to my eyes... i had no tissue. the last two pictures were the boys graves. there wasn't a dry eye. their mom's were honored and given a flag... that.was.hard.

it was the best time spent...i love this country, my freedoms and the men and women who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice for me today.

-ash

we now have sprinklers

paul has always wanted to put sprinklers in. we waited, talked and decided not to this year. next thing i know, paul brings home a trencher and rips our yard apart. paul had errands to run on saturday and asked if i would start cleaning out the trenches so they were "flat". me already thinking most of it was "flat", started working in the back where the largest rocks were. talk about sweat and blood. my legs were so scratched up from the roots and bruised from rocks i was proud. when he got home, he started where i thought it was "flat" enough, but apparently my flat and a seasoned landscapers flat are two very different words. it was really fun to work along side my sweet one and accomplish something. plus, i love yard work. we both worked early in the morning and late at night to get them done. my family graciously came over to our home and each with a shovel in hand, buried the lines. it was a lot of work, but that got done in no time. ransom was in charge of picking up all the rocks. there is nothing i love more in this world than my family!at the end we turned them on and i turned to paul..."we are people with sprinklers!"
-ash

cuter?

i don't think it gets cuter than this...i love this photo with mom and becky. mom's hair...what the? and then becky's pose. the best part is this captures their personalities perfectly and they haven't changed. i am so lucky to have these two in my life. where would i be without them?

it's about time!

paul and i finally got to the point where we knew we needed tires...i just didn't want to pay for them! those who know me, know i love trucks and tires. i love how they complete a truck, although i have seen some tires done way wrong. some are too big, too narrow, way too monster truck, and just dumb looking.
so as paul and i were looking around, comparing prices (i love discount tire), we found one we both liked. they are hankook dynapro tires, and yes, they make my truck look good!
we got to the register, got all 4 rung up, then the certificate and we were told the price. i knew it would be a lot, but i don't think i knew it would be a lot. i couldn't believe i started tearing up and had to turn away...i took a couple deep breaths and finally with a weakened voice asked if the certificates were necessary...yes they are...i couldn't look while paul counted the cash we had saved.
an hour later...the truck was done and oh so pretty!
-ash

coming...

yes, our trees are blossoming now. last year, they blossomed and then we got 2 feet of snow...thus destroying the beautiful blossoms. this year we have had rain, then sun, then rain, then cold, then sun. they open and close and are lasting longer. they are so pretty. i love looking at them. when i look at these i think of...

glazed rolls

fresh pie

freezer for 10 minutes, then cream on top

shakes

tarts

-ash

a first

i hate beans, those who know me well, know i will pick them out of anything. i refuse to eat them!
chili- i only eat when i am completely starved...it takes me a while to eat because i have to get all the beans out before i will eat it...usually it is cold when i eat
soup-again, i have to pick each one out...i am learning it is easier to not eat things with beans in them
salads- when we go out to eat, say at cafe rio, i have to say "no beans" really fast. there have been times when they put beans on first and ask if it is still okay? "absolutely not!!!"i know...but i make them get me a new dish
mi ranchitos- i ask for no beans and all rice. sometimes they bring me the beans and rice. the beans are touching my chimi. i will not eat it. they have to get me a new one.
family- they still try to get me to eat them, and tell me they will dish me up some...

so from all of that, i hate, hate, hate beans...i don't even feel bad for paul (i won't make them). well, tonight dad & mom (through couponing) needed more for their food storage. the limit was two cases per person so i got to go long. so...for the first time in my life, i bought beans (for the last too) it wasn't a pleasant experience!!!
-ash

pauly's birthday

paul's birthday landed on a saturday this year! lucky me...i was able to stay home with him all day long. we started the morning with breakfast, i got him 'get smart season 4', watched a couple episodes. we went up the canyon on a hike, went geo caching, i hurt my ankle, got some icecream and went on another walk. the day was beautiful. the sun was out and all i thought was "spring is here!" we ended the day taking down scrapbook usa, headed up to his mom's house and watched an old disney movie, 'the happiest millionaire' and off to bed. the best part was taking the day, and doing what we wanted to do. it was a great day and i was so glad i got to spend it with him. happy birthday love!

-ash

style?

you know when you need a lift? well, i guess the rest of my family knew i needed one...

for christmas, dad & mom gave each of us girls some clothes from gap that we could take back for cash and get clothes we really wanted/needed. well, i hadn't spent mine yet and kelsie had been telling me for a couple weeks that i needed new clothes (and pointing out why). because i didn't want to spend hours shopping, we decided it would be best to go between work and young women's.

kelsie met me after work and we headed to the mall. we started at american eagle. i found a pair of capri's and a shirt. i like to have stores hold what i have until i am sure i want to make a purchase. apparently, american eagle is not allowed to do holds under any circumstance. so we left the stuff there and headed to store #2...

i went into gap knowing that i would like nothing there. kelsie helped me eat my words. she had me hold out my hands, then she would pile on clothes (most of which i would never try on in the first place), saying "trust me" each time i made a face, grabbed pants like a mad woman, and we went into the dressing room. i am constantly amazed at all the styles available. i was so glad kelsie was there to guide me. i know i look lost and hopeless as i shop. i need guidance and kelsie isn't afraid to give it to me (i actually know she thrives when she is helping me become more stylish). we found some tops and all that was left were jeans.

jean shopping is perhaps my least favorite. when i think one looks good, boy am i wrong. i thought we found the pair of jeans and kelsie left to get another pile, and another pile...(how she keeps them apart, i have no idea) and we found the pair in the third pile!

so i had two tops and a pair of jeans that went over my budget. i had to narrow it down. as i was deciding, kelsie said i would be able to get them all. i did the math again, and it still went over my budget. then she pulled out some money from dad & mom. i burst into tears and had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude come over me. how lucky am i? DARN LUCKY!!!

kelsie then took me to shade to get some colorful tank tops to wear under shirts to add color. i wanted to get a simple plain blouse to wear with my skirts, etc. i pulled one out, and without saying anything, kelsie took it from my hands and hung it back up...enough said. i felt like the girl on 'what not to wear' when she picks something out, and they are secretly watching her, then they pounce on her and correct her...i am so glad she was there to stop me from purchasing that hideous thing! thanks kelsie for the patience and love...and most of all, making a non-shopper, have a great time!

-ash

lemon cookies

seriously...try them...delicious!

lemon ricotta cookies with lemon glaze

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 stick butter, softened

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 (15 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tbl lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

preheat oven to 375*...

in a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. set aside.

in the large bowl, combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. beat to combine. stir in the dry ingredients.

line baking sheets with parchment paper. spoon the dough (about 2 tbl for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. bake for 13 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. remove from oven and let the cookies rest on baking sheet for 20 minutes. then glaze...

(my tip...keep the dough in the fridge when you aren't using it. also, make sure each cookie sheet is cold before you fill with more cookies)

glaze:

3 c. powdered sugar

6 tbl lemon juice

2 lemon, zested

combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. spoon and spread onto each glaze. before storing, let the glaze harden for about 2 hours...

-enjoy

my new project

i started a new project tonight. i have been wanting to get this afghan done for some time now (i bought the yarn 1 year ago). there is no better time than now to get it done! i have been feeling like i need to learn something new. am i in over my head?

-ash

me...i think?

have you ever seen a photo of yourself and think "holy crap!" i know when i look at myself in the mirror, i don't see what others see. i think i ought to take pictures of myself everyday, so i am reminded of the "shape" i am in...

changes have to be made...changes will be made!

1-portion control

2-eat my veggies

3-be really active

4-be positive

5-patience

-ash

sugar cookies

on tuesday, instead of making chocolate chip cookies, i decided it would be fun to make sugar cookies. aside from conrad noticing the ingredients being used that he is not used to (like sour cream) it was a lot of fun. having conrad help me in the kitchen has helped me with my 'standards' (ask katie) and i now have more fun and can go with the flow (not crazy flow). after i made them, i realized i didn't have a heart shaped cookie cutter...who doesn't? i got one from dad & mom's and we were off. the only thing about sugar cookies is the time it takes. it isn't like plopping down a tablespoon of dough; you have to roll it, cutter it, roll it and cutter it (over and over again). conrad was a big help though. some of his cookies were not really heart shaped, but he has to learn, and so do i. after they baked, paul came home and said "where's my frosting". i then made frosting. that is where the fun begins, notice the frosting in conrads hair...he took a bath after. it was a great afternoon and i am sure we will make them again (they were gone by the next day!).

-ash

rubik's

if there was one thing i could wish for, it would be...people to know paul as i know him. he gets stranger and funnier by the minute. this is what i noticed first...

paul was online looking at solving a rubiks cube in 1 minute. he then found a good website, perched on the floor in front of the computer with his cube in hand. (now paul can solve a rubiks cube, but he now wants to solve it in under 1 minute) he perched there, did what they did, then he would pause the video, get out is notebook, write down the instructions. this went on for at least an hour! then as we were in bed, he gets out the instructions, follows them to the 't', solves it but then he sighs his huge sigh (i know what is coming). he then goes on to tell me that he needs to get a cube that will allow him to spin it faster, thus helping the 1 minute solving issue.

the next day, he takes the cube apart and starts sanding it, of course while perched. he took it to dad & mom's to finish and then put it together. we then watched as he started spinning to see the results. not good enough! he wants to now use the rougher grade of sandpaper to help it spin faster...what do i do with him?

-ash

paul and i were able to go to the byu/utah game last night. i don't know when the last time was we went out together, not to the market or to rent a movie, i mean really go out. dad wanted to spend some time with mom (mom isn't good at sporting events), so he asked if paul and i would be interested in going. i knew it was a big game and parking would be a mess. so we parked down by the football stadium and started our trek up. we got there just as the game was starting. we found our seats and i was surprised at how close they are to the floor. as soon as i sat down, i felt as though something was missing...i made sure i had a shirt on, my zipper was up and my socks were on. still not sure what was missing.

we had a great time. i forget how fun and fast the games are when you are there in person. it was really nice to be out with paul too. i love to watch people...their habits, how they treat those they are with, and esp, how they show emotion. i tell you, the kid in front of us was a hoot! if byu made a basket, he stood up and swung his byu banner all around, if the ref's made a bad call, he would again stand up with his banner, and point at them...i laughed a lot...and made me wonder what he is like watching from home. i am really happy that paul chooses to internalize his emotions and share them with me calmly, instead of flying off the handle...it was a fun night and we came out to snow/rainish.

i totally forgot this part about magelbys...

during the game...it was announced that if byu scores 80+ points in a game, you get a free slice of their chocolate cake. i got really excited. so we went to the restaurant and i showed the host my ticket, and he directed me to the bar. i walked over (noticing a lot of cakes) and he said she get her free cake...this is what happened...

"she gets her free cake"

"we are out of cake"

"what is that in front of you?"

"we are out"

"you are telling me that she has her ticket there with her and you can't give her one of those cakes?"

she looked at me and said in a very definite tone..."sorry, we are out"

during that whole thing, i stood there between a battle of words and mean looks...awkward to say the least

quiche recipe

this is the best and easiest crust i have tried. it has quickly become a favorite

pie crust-

1 1/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 c. butter, cold and cut into pieces

3-6 tbl ice water

in a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar. add butter and pulse into a coarse meal. add water 1 tbl at a time until the dough holds together when pinched. do not overwork. turn out onto a floured surface and roll into a pie crust. bake as directed...

quiche-

bacon (cooked and broken into pieces)

1 medium onion (sauteed)

4 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 c. milk

1/4 tsp salt

dash of ground nutmeg

1 1/2 c. swiss cheese

1 tbl flour

bake crust at 450* covered for 8 minutes. remove cover and bake for 5 minutes more. take out of oven. reduce heat to 325*.

in a medium bowl stir together eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg. stir in the bacon and onion. toss the flour and cheese together. add to egg mixture; mix well.

pour egg mixture into the hot pie crust. bake for 35-40 minutes until the center is cooked all the way through. let stand 10 minutes before serving. enjoy

-ash

dessert

i like to make desserts for dinner on sunday nights at dad & mom's. i don't just want to make brownies each time, so i looked around the house and realized i had lemons. i thought i would make a lemon meringue pie. i take it over and what comments am i faced with?

"why did you make that? mom isn't here" (from lindsey)

"are you serious?" (from abby)

"i like it" (from josh)

very dirty look and if it had words "#!*@ no" (from katie)

so, i guess i made a bad choice...oops

-ash (i thought it was good)

1pm church

i can think of only one thing good about 1pm church...a better breakfast! paul and i spent the morning in the kitchen. we made a quiche and had fresh strawberries...delicious! i woke up craving it this morning, so i quickly made a crust and paul graciously helped me with the rest. this quiche has egg, swiss cheese, sauteed onions, and bacon. it was really easy to make and really good.

-ash

right this second

i am in heaven...pure heaven

-ash

weight

why do i have such a hard time getting back to what i weighed when i got married? i am beginning to sort it out...need i say more? no seriously, i love food too much to not eat it. pace yourself ash...

-ash

what is coming in april?

taxes...crap...taxes

-oh yes...we are preparing now!

-ash

dead duck

paul picked me up from work today and this is what happened...

ashlee- "is there room in the trunk for this box?"

paul- "nope, there's a dead duck in there."

ashlee- "is there really a dead duck in there?"

paul- "yup."

ashlee- "why on earth do you have a dead duck in the trunk?"

paul- "for the feathers when i tie flies."

ashlee- "oh" (trying to act as if this is normal)

yes...he is outside right now plucking

-ash

100 things about me...

i got this idea from my friend hannah, and thought it would be fun to see what 100 things describe me (in no particular order)

1. i love my pauly poo

2. i would rather get a branch with leaves than a bouquet of flowers

3. if you want to get me into a bad mood, take me clothes shopping

4. i love the smell of dirt

5. i have never died my hair, and have no intention

6. i love being a sister

7. i would rather spend time with family members than anyone

8. i love pebbles in my pocket

9. i do not like buffets (and won't eat them)

10. i come up with new laughs for myself

11. see's candy is truly the best

12. each time i try to branch out of my clothing style, i always come back to the wonderful feel of jeans & a t-shirt, it's me

13. watching conrad is like my therapy

14. i could spend hours at the grocery store, the only shopping i love

15. i am short

16. i am really picky with the temperature of food when it is left out

17. i will pay good money for really good food

18. i can't stand ants and spiders

19. i don't like taking clothes from the washer to the dryer...not sure why...

20. i would rather be cold than hot

21. i am not a good traveler

22. when i write a message, it has to look good, or i try to write it again

23. i love nature

24. i wish i was athletic (sometimes i watch myself on home videos trying to be athletic and i cry)

25. i love being a woman

26. my hair is stick straight and won't hold a curl

27. i love brick oven

28. i get heart burn easily and fast

29. i like clean air

30. i am a cheese-avor (i love cheese)

31. i have a fear of blowing my nose in public

32. i am not a big red meat fan...my steak better be fully done and dry (with mashed potatoes)

33. i use an accent without noticing when i become uncomfortable

34. i can't stand my eyebrows

35. i have cute toes

36. i love north face

37. my favorite color is brown

38. i think the wasatch mountains are my mountains

39. i cry very easily

40. i love movies (ones that are happy)

41. i love music

42. i don't like the color purple

43. i love feeling creative

44. i think mcdonalds is disgusting!

45. i love, love, love icecream

46. i love chubby animals and babies

47. i can remember a lot about movies and music, but my studies in school...

48. i love acorns and oakleaves

49. i love chevrolet

50. i love bread

51. i love working in the yard

52. christmas time is my favorite time of year

53. i love being at home

54. i don't like eating blue food (if i were faced with pink cotton candy or blue...definitely not blue!)

55. can't stand cats...

56. i have a lot of passion for america

57. i love antique roadshow

58. i don't believe anything the weatherman says...they are wrong most of the time

59. i could snuggle 24 hours a day

60. i don't like the word negate

61. i believe in santa

62. i love family history

63. i love antiques

64. i sleep through my alarm every morning

65. i hated, i mean hated jr high

66. i love disneyland

67. i wish i was as creative as martha stewart's staff

68. i love little house on the prairie and seinfeld

69. i try to like reading and i have never read the twilight series

70. i wish i could play tennis at wimbleton and arthur ash stadium (again, i wish i was athletic)

71. 8 is my favorite number...not sure why...

72. i move my toes to a beat when i start falling asleep

73. i love baking/cooking

74. i like people who follow through

75. i can't stand american "rubbermaid slappy jack cheese"

76. i like having a clean house, i feel better inside & out

77. i love spending time with paul

78. i am really positive

79. i love football season

80. i love basil pesto and grilled halibut

81. i like meeting new people

82. i love a good hair day

83. i wish i could be a little girl again

84. i love jesus christ

85. i love fall time

86. i am a perfectionist in the kitchen

87. i miss my grandpa ted

88. i love pepsi

89. i wouldn't change a thing about my wedding day

90. i like being easy going

91. after listening to harry potter on cd, anything else is dull

92. i love, love

93. i think outbacks salads are the best (especially with their tangy tomato dressing)

94. i am good at starting fires (actual fires)

95. i don't wear jewelry, i might be the only woman who doesn't want more diamonds

96. i am really impatient with sewing

97. i like puzzles

98. i panic when i try new foods

99. i love dessert

100. i would have loved growing up in the 60's and 70's

okay, that wasn't as hard as i thought it would have been, but that is a little about me...

-ash

my word

i really like the idea of choosing a word for this year to live by. there are a lot to choose from, but i think i have found the word for me. this year, i want to do more, live more, see more, take pictures of more, and just plain enjoy more...the word isn't more, but...

-ash

our tree

i have never had a hard time letting go of our christmas tree. this year was really hard for me. i think i cried a couple times over it. i even told paul to take care of it while i wasn't there. i know me, and i know i wouldn't have let him take it away. i really wanted paul to put it in a pot so it could live forever, but he said it couldn't be done...thanks for being a wonderful tree!

-ash

memories of 2009

i went through my mini calendar and thought i would write a few memories i have in it...

-larson's came up in january (we made pizza muffins)

-cha (paul wrote me a creative card for each day i was gone!)

-took grandpa and grandma to dinner at olive garden

-two friends left on their missions in march

-tennessee trip!!!

-we got together and spent creative hours together at pebbles

-spring break in goblin valley

-paul and i were laying in bed when he started scratching me with his toes. i asked what he was doing and he said..."can you hear my toes?" i said what....he said " they are yelling at you!" sometimes i wonder where he comes from.

-paul and i did a session at the salt lake temple for the first time since we were married there almost 7 years ago! why it took us so long i am not sure

-picked up compost and layered it all over the yard!

-planted our beautiful garden

-watch conrad each week

-hill af air show

-camping with paul

-painted st george store

-first time attending the freedom festival

-camping with paul again!

-girls camp

-pit party up at sandy's (FINALLY)

-painted orem store

-scrapbook usa (i call it crapbook usa)

abby's braces off

-josh came to stay

-byu games with paul and dad

-saw my first motorcycle accident (i can still see his face hitting the ground, i am glad he was okay)

-movie nights with kim

-keith urban concert

-made a lot of raspberry/peach and strawberry/peach jam!

-harry potter night with butter beer

-nana came to visit

-trips to salt lake

-made sugar cookies (yummy!)

-went to gygi's

-cousin nights with nelson's and birrell's

-fondue with polar express

-new youth theme...joshua 1:9