Where Dreams Come True.

Just ran across this ad campaign. Seeing as how I have a VERY special place in my heart for Disney...this struck a chord. I wish it wasn't celebrities because it's just another place to put them up on a pedestal, but I think the idea is amazing and the photographer is a whole other level.

I'm was already itching for a trip, and this kicked it up a notch.

Good work, Disney. Good work.

Fort Worth

-- Post From My iPhone

Again today?

I just found this and oh. my. goodness...I'm in love. Ashley - I want a re-do :)

Oh and so I don't forget again, please excuse my blogger layout right now. I'm trying to fix my header and such and have to play with some HTML to make it work...so it may look kind of crazy.

Whew.

I can't seem to get caught up on anything. I took my last CPA test about 2.5 weeks ago and found out yesterday that I passed....which means I'M DONE!!!! There's still some admin stuff to do before I actually get my license but the hardest part, by far, is behind me. I never really thought I would get here and I can say with 100% certainty that God got me through every single step. Every long night at Borders. Every break down of defeat. Every victory. Every part of this process, He was with me every step of the way. If you know me, you know me and tests don't get along. I get horrible test anxiety and about halfway through this whole deal I found peace. Don't get me wrong, I still stressed, but I was able to have my nervous breakdown and truly get to a point where I knew God was in control and it would all be ok. I can't even begin to explain to you the feeling when I got the news yesterday. Ashley said when I called, you would have thought one of our dogs had died I was crying so hard. It was tears of joy and they just kept flowing. Needless to say, I have a true feeling of freedom and look forward to fun things in the works this summer (Wilton cake classes, here we come!).

After I took the last test I found myself with free time that I hadn't had in so long. Around the same time, I changed jobs back to the first firm I worked for during college which is 10 minutes from our house. So taking a 1-hour commute, one way, and studying every day out of the mix left me with an abundance of time that I truly didn't know what to do. I was excited to get back into my craft room and start working on patterns for things to get put up on dappling. I made Taylor a pencil bag before school started this year and apparently she's had some questions about where to buy one so I think I finally have a pattern ready and I'll start cranking those out soon, among other things. It's not even something that I look at as a money-maker - I truly get joy out of putting smiles on faces with stuff I have created using my God-given talents. The satisfaction that comes from finishing something that came from my head....man you can't beat it.

All that to say, it's like I have a whole new life now. Ash is back in school so we can't truly enjoy the time together, but we'll get there. For now, I will praise God for getting me where I am (because I never thought it would happen) and will try to truly live life to its fullest.

Oh and I'll try to get better about posting - but that could be a bold-faced lie based on my past history :)

What we do here is just the beginning
New life is starting at every ending
We are a part of the story unfolding
This is the weight of the world we are holding
this could be our day
this could be our day
Clearly it's time to make a change
Or I could keep sitting and waste all day
I know that it's time for to move
I've been given this minute to use
And given this moment to prove that

 

“This Could be Our Day”

Addison Road

Thanks, on so many levels.

I recently found some new music, some of which I’ve already shared in my 365 post (that apparently was a big, fat, hairy lie).  Around the same time, I found these girl/guys.  Addison Road.  I just love music that gives you the warm fuzzies, and their CD is full of words that I always seem to hear at just the right time.  Anyways, I ran across the lead singer’s blog and she wrote an awesome post a few days back.  Set aside some time because it’s long, but it’s worth it.

 

Cupcakes, Sprinkles, and Other Happy Things

I'm studying, I promise....

....but SOMEHOW I'm watching all these marvelous videos at the same time!

This has to be the cutest thing EVER!



via Just me and my 2 little chicks - one of my favorite scrapbooking blogs!

I can only hope our chidren are blessed with more grace than God gave me. At least it's still cute to fall when you're young...not so much when you're a 24-year-old.

I Love Jesus, but I Drink a Little

Oh. My. Goodness.

If this can make Ellen lose it, I'll be shocked if you don't get a good laugh.

lame.

See that title?  That’s me.  Know why?  Because my 365 project lasted about a week.  Goes to show there’s entirely too much going on right now…let’s be real.  I retract my blog talking about how there was a chance I might update that more than blog, because obviously that’s not the case.  I’ll let you know when I feel like I might be caught up, and when it turns into, oh I don’t know, a 200 project?  That’s right, I’ll invent my own.

 

I’m enjoying the glory that is Boise right now.  Unfortunately, I had to lug all my work junk up here, which means my awesome camera didn’t make it.  Ash will be bringing it with him this weekend and I will do my best to get some legen…WAIT FOR IT…dary pictures.  I’m excited to use the camera in a new place and see what I can come up with.  Maybe you’ll get a glimpse of me falling my way down the mountain in my 2^nd attempt at snowboarding. 

 

Here’s to going home in one piece.

 

 

More linkage.

I think this is the most I’ve posted in a while, but I keep finding links that I feel the need to share.

 

The Names Brand

 

Love them….there are definitely about 20 that I would wear in a second.  There’s not much to them but there’s something to be said about simplicity.

 

Check this out

“Featured” here yesterday….

 

Relish!  

 

It seems like the perfect set up.  Go check it out.

 

Also, if you want to enter for a chance to win a free one-year subscription – check out this post.  Nice!!

Wahoo.

This is the coolest thing ever!!

 

Fontifier

 

Turn your very own handwriting into a font.  For anyone obsessed with cool fonts like myself, this might just rock your world (if you have cool handwriting, I suppose).

 

Also, I apparently am no good at the 365 project on my flickr.  I have a bunch of pictures, but no time until today!!  I’ll try to get them uploaded soon.

 

Happy Thursday!

Prayer Request Update

So our friend Chris progressed well over the weekend.  He was up and moving around on Saturday, and then was moved out of ICU yesterday.  Unless Chris gets his memory back, we’ll never know what truly happened. 

 

Apparently he was following my friend Erica (who was driving a truck) on his 4-wheeler, literally down the street from their house.  She got back to the house, and noticed he wasn’t behind her so she called his phone.  He didn’t answer, but came riding up a few minutes later.  He came walking into the garage talking about water in his ears, but was completely covered in blood and the “water” was not water in his ears…if you know what I mean.  From what we’re told, he didn’t even want to go to the hospital and it took a large amount of negotiating to get him there.  Once they arrived, they needed to start running tests, but he would not cooperate, so Erica had to authorize them to drug him up so they could do what they needed.  After he woke up, they were talking to him about everything and he doesn’t remember anything that happened.  Because he was by himself, the chances that the 4-wheeler flipped or something are small only because those things are so heavy, the only way he would have been able to get it turned back over would be due entirely to adrenaline. 

 

We’re just thankful he was able to get back to the house for them to get him to the hospital.  They’ve run cat scans and all that – everything looks fine at this point.  We’re still not sure why he was in ICU for so long when there didn’t appear to be anything showing up on the test results, but better safe than sorry I suppose. 

 

We’re not sure how much longer they’ll be at the hospital, but there has been great improvement from last week.

 

Thank you for all of your prayers – they never go unanswered.  While the answers may not always be what we want, they are ALWAYS heard.

 

Prayer Request Update

A great praise this afternoon – they took Chris’ (Erica’s husband) breathing tube out!!!!  I still don’t have much info past that, but any improvement deserves praise.

 

Thanks for your prayers!

 

Prayer Request

I got word this morning from my good friend Erica (friends since 1^st grade), that her husband of less than a year was in a 4-wheeling accident on Wednesday night and is in the ICU.  She said he’s doing better today, but they still don’t know much.  Please keep this family in your prayers. 

 

I’ll update as I find out more.

 

Thanks.

365 in 2009

I feel like such a slacker in the blog area - so I've decided to do something that hopefully I can keep up with that requires a little less time.

365 in 2009

Chances are, it'll only get updated once a week or so, but I'm doing my best to at least take pictures everyday.  Unfortunately for you guys, Ash is not a fan of being in front of the camera, and all we have are the pups, so hopefully things will not get too redundant.  You'll notice there were already 3 pictures that were pretty similar, but for some reason, when the dogs lose their minds every night...I get really entertained.  Check back regularly and maybe you'll a get a glimpse into what's going on with us.

Ash is gone for the weekend (or most of it anyways).  He has met a couple of guys from his motorcycle forums that live right around the corner from us, and they decided to load up on their bikes and head to Austin this morning.  Needless to say, my nerves got a work out, but he made it safe and sound and said his bike held up beautifully.  

I'm back in the full swing of studying.  Trying to knock out these last two sections that are ruining my life.  

I leave for Boise in 2 weeks, and then Ash will come up a week later for another fantastic weekend of snowboarding. Needless to say, we have been looking forward to this since we left Boise last year.  Who knows, maybe we just won't come back :)

School starts back up for Ash this week, which means our household will officially be the most boring on the planet!  Such as life - hopefully it will pay off in the future.  We have had numerous friends get laid off these past couple of weeks.  It's never easy and they are in our prayers daily.

One last thing, I have a new musical obsession - Meredith Andrews - one of her songs popped up on Pandora and I have been in love ever since.  Her song "You're Not Alone" has really hit me the past couple of days.  No matter what's going on, God is here.  He is watching.  He is loving.  He is caring.  I hope you can find peace in it like I have.

I'm really excited to see what God will continue to do in our lives.  I have a new-found attitude.  I really feel like I was quite the Debbie-Downer when I really have nothing to be sad about.  I have a great life, so I'm doing my best to remind myself of that daily and just stay positive.

Hope things are going great in your life....I'll check back in soon!

2009 word

I did this last year and can’t believe it’s already time again. 

 

I’d like to take a minute to reflect on the 2008 word – journey – and how it really applied during 2008.  I think it was a year of growth and one of self-discovery.  Learning to appreciate everything we have been blessed with, as well as embrace the things we didn’t plan for.   There were definitely hard times with the whole job scene, but I feel like it truly made us stronger and helped us realize that no matter what, God will provide.  I don’t have the time to go month by month, but if you do, feel free to read through all the blogs from the past year…more power to you J.

 

As for 2009, my word is simple, yet powerful…

 

go

 

That’s it.  Just go.  Ash is starting the year by going back to school and I’m hoping to finish up the CPA soon.  Once we get through these, who knows what’s in store.  I’m always trying to figure out a way to do something that makes me happy, but follows the plan that is being laid out.  It’s easy for me to get caught up in the mentality of “once we do _____, then _____”.  I feel like we just spend our lives waiting if we think that way.  I’m not the most spontaneous person (read: I’m a planner, to the max) so this is a challenge for me.  So in 2009, I challenge myself to go.  Follow my heart sometimes, instead of always following my head, and see where God takes us.  I’m so proud and excited for Ashley and what the future has in store for him.  It’s just a matter of finding his place to shine, which isn’t hard to do for someone as awesome as Ashley. 

 

Ready…set…go.

Deuces 2008

Let’s make the most of what’s left of 2008, and vow to not always follow our heads but instead listen to our hearts because let’s face it – that’s a lot more fun J

Peace out 2008.

Here’s to another great year!

One of these days you'll be
Under the covers you'll be
Under the table and you'll realize
All of your days are numbered;
All of them one to one hundred.
All of them millions.
All of them trillions.
So what are you gonna do with them all?
You can not trade them in for mall.
No no

Chorus 1:
Take every moment; you know that you own them.
It's all you can do, use what's been given to you.

Give me a reason
To fight the feeling
That there's nothing here for me.
Cause none of its easy,
I know it wasn't meant to be.
I know it's all up to me x2.
So what am I gonna do with my time?
Oh

Chorus 2:
Ill take every moment, I know that I own them.
It's all up to you to do whatever you choose.

Chorus 3:
Live like you're dying and never stop trying.
It's all you can do, use what's been given to you.

All of the moments you didn't notice;
Gone in the blink of an eye.
All of the feelings you couldn't feel
No matter how you try.
Oh oh

Chorus 1
Chorus 3 x2

Oh oh

 

A Very Merry Christmas

Is it really over? Man, I love Christmas, but it definitely snuck up on me this year. I was finishing gifts on Christmas Eve and wrapping them that evening. If you know me, you know that is unheard of! Luckily we got everything done in time (not without a minor breakdown) and had a fantastic Christmas - complete with Rockband 2. Get ready for a poker/rockband night coming your way soon.

Overall, it was a great holiday. It really hit hard this year that Tony (Ashley's dad) was gone. I think last year we were all still in shock, but this year, when our heads were a little more clear, there was definitely someone missing. Tony, we miss you dearly and know that you are watching over us daily.

Hard to believe 2009 is literally 3 days away. I'm not a big resolution person, but I always look forward to a new year and what life will bring us.

I hope your holidays were great! We were able to enjoy the company of all our loved ones for another memorable Christmas.

Go check out my flickr for all the pics!

An interesting post.

This is a blog that in my google reader.  Some days the pictures are just….eh.  Today, for some reason there was some interesting stuff.  Like the “9” for the NYE countdown in Times Square?  Pretty cool.

 

Not much going on.  Working a lot.  Counting down to the vaca next week.  Headed to Merkel this weekend for Christmas with the Shugart fam.  That’s always a good time…looking forward to the time with family we don’t get to see that often.

 

Be back soon with hopefully a more exciting blog post J

 

Have a great week/weekend!