Wintervention!

Aaron and I went to the official kickoff of winter last weekend.  I lovelove Warren Miller.  I was actually quite different this year than past years, but it was still good.

Can't wait to go skiing!!

My Sister's Wedding!!

My beautiful sister got married!!!  For those of you who don't know, this is my biological sister.  It was funny running into people at the wedding and they'd ask, "Are you with the bride or groom?"

Me:  "The bride, she's my sister!!" 
It's funny. 
Since we are in two different families (adopted to different families) not many people know who my biological sister is.  They know about her though!  Pretty funny

 

(My little brothers, Nathan and Keenan)

 

(My extremely handsome boyfriend)

What the...

I almost peed my pants when I saw this.  THEN I became enthralled trying to figure out what kind of spider it was!  The first picture is the Spider in Aaron's house.  The second picture is a photo of a camel spider I found online.  Look at the butt!  And the extra long fang thingers!  They're the same.  Me thinks.

Pumpkins!

Aaron and I carved our first pumpkin!  I lovelovelove carving pumpkins! 

We decided to head to the store because Aaron wanted to get pumpkin carving tools.  I kept warning him how chintzy the pumpkin carving kits were and all I heard back was, "Ashley, they make stuff specifically for carving pumpkins."  Silly boy - never knew the good ol' kitchen knife trick.

Anyhow, we ended up buying a pumpkin carving SAW hahahaha.  Gosh he's such a boy.  "IT'S A SAW!!"  It was only $7 and it actually worked really well!!

Aaron drew our pumpkin for us.  I'm not really artistically inclined when it comes to carving pumpkins (see picture below):

(my artistic vision)

Thank goodness Aaron drew our pumpkin face :-) 

 

(me: "I love our pumpkin!"  Aaron: "Look honey!  Ibo loves him too...")

(I couldn't get a clear picture because it was so cold I was shivering)

Are you my daddy?

So I sometimes wonder who I take after??

You know how a mom or dad will always say, "She gets that from me!"  Aaron's mom always says this about him.

Well I get the opposite. 

"Don't know who she got that from!  Definitely wasn't me..."

(mostly my dad's response when people talk about my good grades hahahaha).

Ok but really, I don't think I'm like anyone.  I can kind of be like my mom sometimes because I say things like "Ooooo!" and "Car fart!!"  But really?  That's it?  I don't have my mom's creative imagination (Harry Potter, Twilight, BUrning Man, etc), love for running, and all around positive attitude (I'm sorry, most times the glass is half empty).  I actually dislike running (I swear I was born without endorphins) and I'm terrified of Burning Man.

I don't have my dad's hands-on-always-has-to-be-busy-and-project-oriented, neatness, Type A personality, ability to go to a City alone for 4 months and make friends with all of the locals.  Actually, I'm shy and would sometimes rather sit on the couch and watch TV than start ANOTHER project.

I'm like no one.  I am the redheaded step-child.

My Grammy was the only one who ever said, "She gets that from me!"  For example....

Someone:  "Ashley, what beautiful red hair!"

Grammy (with not-so-red-hair):  "She get's that from me!"

She would say it in response to anything positive.  Good grades, pretty little girl, etc etc.  Pretty funny. 

But really.  Don't you sometimes like to see who you're like?  My brother is equally my mom and my dad.  He loves burning man, harry potter, Type A personality, always makes friends every where, enjoys running, dark hair like mom, nose like dad.

Yup.  I'm a redheaded step-child.



Aaron Loves Bees

Disclaimer

Bee/Bug/Insect lovers:  Don't read this :-)

When Aaron and I were in Colorado, we decided to eat at Panera Bread because Aaron had NEVER tried it before (we don't have one in Reno).

We were enjoying the beautiful weather outside eating our yummy salads listening to classical music that Aaron made fun of the entire time by talking in a "sophisticated" British accents (apparently our accents don't scream SOPHISTICATION). 

Then a bee visits our salads. 
Aaron gets very defensive of his salad,
He made sure to protect his food which the bee didn't like.

So the bee BIT Aaron.

Then Aaron killed the bee...

.... and displayed it for other bees to see...

Speak Now

I've never followed bands/music artists too terribly much. 
N'Sync and Backstreet Boys... eh. 
Brittney Spears... eh.
I thought George Straight was a hunk... but we won't discuss that.

Then came along TSwift.  

I can't get enough! I download all of her new singles.  I blast her songs.  I listen to them over and over.  I'm not an obsessed fan like a lot of people, but I'm definitely a fan.

She's a wonderful girl.  She's very humble and she adores her fans.  She writes incredible songs that everyone can relate to.  She really is a superstar.

HER NEW CD IS OUT!!!  I have been listening to it nonstop.  I get excited when I have to drive somewhere because it means TSWIFT!!  I'll even sit in my car for an extra 10-15 minutes just listening to the songs.  All of them.

1. "Mine"
2. "Sparks Fly"
3. "Back to December"
4. "Speak Now"
5. "Dear John"
6. "Mean"
7. "The Story of Us"
8. "Never Grow Up"
9. "Enchanted"
10. "Better Than Revenge"
11. "Innocent"
12. "Haunted"
13. "Last Kiss"
14. "Long Live" 

I really can't pick my favorite yet.  Her revenge song is wonderful :-)  I love Speak Now.  And Haunted.  And Last Kiss.  And... ALL OF THEM.

Halloween!

I adore Halloween.  EVERY YEAR I have so much fun with my costumes.  Lina texted me the other day saying she was going to be hanging out with her mom (who is visiting the States from BOLIVIA) so she won't be doing anything for halloween, then she says, "Knowing you I'm sure you already have your costume made!"

Sad.

I don't.

There is no costume for me this year.  There is no Halloween for me this year.

I WAS GOING TO BE CUPID!  Now tell me that's not the cutest costume you have ever heard of.  I take GREAT PRIDE in my halloween costumes.

This year is different.  It's a sad Fall.  But I will make it a Happy Fall if it's the last thing I do!  Just... Halloween will be taking a hiatus this year. 

Just to show how much I love costumes....

 (I was a telatubby!!)

(Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum!!)

(GINGERbread Man... buahahaha)

Much needed

I had a great weekend.  I smiled and laughed and relaxed which is just what the doctor ordered! 

Just wanted to post that I gained some of my sanity back.

And... I LOVE MY NEW (new to me) CAR!!!  My poor beloved Jetta is on the verge of death, so I love my new (to me) Subaru :-D

Apple Oatmeal Whole Wheat Muffins

I have been on the hunt for a perfect apple muffin!  I'm not sure why.  But I have finally found the perfect apple muffin!

Anyhow, here is the muffin I found.  It has NO butter, NO oil, Whole Wheat Flour, and very little sugar!  

Ingredients

1	cup rolled oats
1	cup whole wheat flour
1	tablespoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon salt
1	tablespoon cinnamon (or more, if you like) **I used 1 tbs, and it was tooooo much... I'll cut down to 1/2 tbs next time**
1/3	cup sugar
1/2	banana, mashed
1/3	cup applesauce (no sugar added!)
3/4	cup soy milk (plain or vanilla work well)  **I used normal 0% Milk**
1	apple (make sure it's baking safe)  **I used 1 1/2 apples... b/c I like apples :-) **
1/4	cup walnuts, chopped into chunks

Directions

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dice your apple ahead of time.  Peel it first.
3. Thoroughly mix dry ingredients (oats through sugar) in a large bowl.
4. Mix the mashed banana, applesauce, and soymilk (I do the banana and applesauce first, then kind of whip in the soymilk).
5. Mix the wet into the dry and toss in the nuts and apple
6. The batter should be rising, very fluffy and wet. Scoop it into paper linings in a muffin tray or a greased tin. **The recipe says the batter should rise... but mine didn't.  Just FYI**
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, but try to take out as soon as they look done (over cooking makes them a little bit harder, but still just as tasty).  **I baked mine for 13 minutes, and that was enough time!**

Updating Time

You know some people who thrive off of being busy constantly?  They can't stand still for too long.  Always have a project at hand.  Always on the go.

I hate this.

In high school I was too busy for my own good.  I volunteered every weekend, had dance team, and other clubs galore.  I was the epitome of a nerd. 

After high school I QUIT.  I quit everything!  I didn't want to be that busy anymore and have my life planned out for me.  I wanted to relax, hang out with friends, reduce the circles I had under my eyes, etc, etc.  I quickly realized that I am NOT one of those people who thrive off of being extremely busy.  In fact, I'm quite the opposite.

When I am busy

I get stressed

When I get stressed

I get sick

When I get sick

The world ends

I can almost 100% say that my kidney stones are stress induced.  Both kidney stone incidents have happened THE DAY OF A FINAL EXAM.  No joke.  It's too good to be true.

With that being said... I just want to be able to come home from work and plop on the couch with mac and cheese or some other unhealthy snack alternative and not move until it's time for bed.  So yet again, I am having another pity party that I have class directly after work.  And on the days that I don't have class I am still at school either doing homework or killing time.  What a life I live.

So enough with my pity party.  I just wanted to talk about how much I would prefer to be doing what I won't be doing for AT LEAST the next 2 years of my MBA process.  I loathe the MBA program right now.

There is so much going on in my life, yet I can't bring myself to remember anything.

• I forgot to eat dinner the past 2 nights (and by forgot - I mean I didn't have time)
• I bought a car on Saturday
• The weather is turning to FALL (I just hope I don't miss it... I want to enjoy it)
• I had an exam
• I had a presentation
• I had a panic attack
• My beloved Jetta took a giant poo on Friday
• Aaaaaaaaand as usual - I am still "homeless"

I know, I'm a big ball of fun :-)

Tired

I am SO TIRED these days. 

You know how when you don't get enough sleep for one night, so then the rest of the week is completely thrown out of whack until you can finally get some good shut eye in?

That's how it has been for me.

I yawn ALL day at work.  Then I try my hardest to keep my eyes from closing while in class.  Then when I finally get home, after 10pm, I'm beat.  I'm no fun.  I'm a party pooper.  I want to sleep and dream about the weekend.

SOOOO Sleepy!! 

I'm bitter...

For the first time ever, I dislike school.  Why did I decide to take an Internet Programming 2 class?  A class that, at the time I didn't realize, requires countless hours spent on the computer attempting to create some ridiculous program and writing things like:

if (Page.IsCrossPagePostBack) {
return; }
{
if (Page.PreviousPage == null) {
Server.Transfer("Errors.aspx"); }
if (Page.PreviousPage.Form.Name == "FormDefault") {
Session["Amount"] = ((TextBox)(PreviousPage.FindControl("txtLoanAmount"))).Text; {
if (Page.PreviousPage.Form.Name == "FormChangeAssumptions")

SHOOOOOOOOT MEEEEEE!  

I am bitter to have to go to class after working a 9 hour day (ok... so it's 8 hours with a 1 hour lunch.... so I like to think of it as 9 hours).  I am BITTER when I hear people complaining about going to school and working part time.  SUCK IT UP.  If I go to school 2 days a week, and work 5 days a week, does that allow me to say "I go to school and work 7 days a week" ??  NOPE.  I am bitter when I have to go to school to work on this horrible Internet Programming 2 class on my only days I don't have class directly after work.

I dislike class.  I'm not eager to learn.  I want to come home after work like my friends instead of going to class until 10pm.

Right now, I'm just bitter.  I want a blanket.  I want some warm socks.  And I want pizza.

:-)  Ok that is all!

What you didn't know

I am an incredibly shy person.  WEIRD right?!  All of my friends think I'm crazy when I tell them I'm shy, BUT I REALLY AM.  Until I get to know someone, I am very shy.

Because I am so shy, I hate doing things alone.

I like to think I am the most dependent independent person alive.  I can be stubborn and independent up until a certain extent.  And that extent is being alone.

Don't get me wrong, I can go to the bathroom without a girlfriend coming in with me and I am not a fan of going shopping with other people because then you have to wait for them to look at clothes, try them on, decide, go try something else on... etc etc and all I really wanted was a gosh darn white t-shirt that I found 2 hours ago.

BUT traveling is a different story.   I wish so badly that I could hop in a car, drive to somewhere random (alone) and do my own thing.  See what I want to.  Eat at a place that fancies my interest.  But I would have a panic attack if I ever ate at a restaurant alone.  I am terrified people will look at me and say, "Why doesn't that girl have any friends?!"

I get so sad when I see people eating alone.  I want to go eat with them!  Would their kids not go to dinner with them?  Do they have kids?  Are they married?  Divorced?  Lonely?  Independent?  I'm so nosey with other people, that I think the world is nosey with me. 

I went to Portland once with Aaron, and while he was busy for a day I decided to sight see... alone.  That's right - I stepped out of my comfort box and went at it ALONE.  It was the most HORRIBLE experience I've ever had!!  I couldn't enjoy the city :-(

I'm not sure where this ramble is going, but I just wanted the world to know that I hate being in new places alone.  And I wish I could change it.

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

They are my ultimate favorite and I recommend to everyone!  When I lived in the apartment, I noticed I would have dirty feet prints on my bathtub, and I couldn't for the life of me get the dirt scum off.  I scrubbed.  I soaked in every cleaning product known to man.  I even made cleaning product cocktails to try combining the potent powers.  Nothing.

Until Mr. Clean Magic Erasers!  It wipes away the dirt with nothing but water.  You hardly even need to really "scrub."  It's more of a "wipe."

Aaron's bathtub was far from perfect.  Far from clean.  It's a college boy house with countless boy roommates moving in and out.  This means it's the perfect breeding ground for YUCKY DIRT SCUM BATHTUBS! 

Needless to say, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and I had an affair in the bathroom this weekend while Aaron was away.

Wowee busybusy

I have been a BUSY GIRL!  I never thought I would ever say this... or it would ever come to this... but I have been too busy to even TEXT or FACEBOOK!  What!!? 

I finally have a minute to sit down and write a bloggy.  My poor bloggy has been so neglected.  After this I may try to respond to a few emails/facebook messages as well.  What a busy life.

So my job is AWESOME.  I lovelovelove it!  I have learned so much in this past week, and it's not even the beginning.  I will have so many responsibilities, it's a little scary to think about just how much responsibility I will be given.  My boss is wonderful - my first day she brought a co-worker and myself lunch, and the second day there were DONUTS for breakfast!!  DONUTS!!  Then, on Friday, she took us to lunch at Thai Lotus (so yummy, P.S.).  She has really pushed me this week to learn and to totally 100% understand everything I am doing.  I wish I could go into further detail, but I would be here forever.  But just to get it out there, I LOVE my new job.  I'll have to get used to wearing a suit every day to work, but it's nice to look professional so I'm sure it won't take long :-)

I apologize to everyone whose text/voicemail/email I haven't responded to.  It almost seems like the more busy you get, the more calls and messages you get as well.  My phone is CONSTANTLY dead.  The other day I got off work to 47 emails.  47?!  And these aren't work emails.  These are facebook emails and notifications and personal emails.  47!!  From the voicemails, texts, and emails, my battery is dead before I even get to my phone.

So I apologize for those I haven't texted back.  I get off of work and go STRAIGHT to school until 10pm, and sometimes the last thing I want to do is even look at my phone.  I just want to go to bed.

Also, Aaron and I just celebrated our 2-year Anniversary!!  TWO YEARS!  I'll have to post pictures of our Saturday climb at Phantom Spires.  On Friday, we went on a fancy date to Kitchen 19 in Harvey's up at Lake Tahoe.  We stayed up at Tahoe as well, then went climbing Saturday.  It was a ton of fun :-)
And today I visited my dad up at Donner because... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!  Old man!  Aaaaand HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANTE!! 

Ok the end!!

Lou and Ash

The other night, Lina and I went out.  We don't go out as often as we used to, so it was fun having another girl's night out.  Of course Lou ran into another one of her flavors-of-the-week/month etc, but I'll leave his pictures out of it!

(we started the night off at the rib cookoff)

(Thanks Lina... picture ruiner!)

(We ran into Beth!  My old roomie in Theta!!)

(Then we ran into Lainey...)

(And No-Nee!)

Fun night with the best friend.

I wish you enough...

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how  gray the day may appear.

I   wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting..

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you  enough  gain to satisfy your wanting.
 
I  wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Pho

Pho has become my new favorite addiction!  Like I-have-to-limit-myself-to-once-a-week addiction.  I LOVE IT!  It's fairly healthy for you as well.  The Pho I go to is the one in Reno by Target.  So far it is my favorite Pho.  Their meat isn't as greasy as some other places, and they have wonderful customer service.  Plus, everything is consistent every time I go.

I usually order the #26, but my new favorite is the #31 which is Bun Ga Nuong (Grilled Chicken over Vermicelli Noodles).  SO GOOD!  It's my absolute favorite.  Aaron experiments with the menu and tries new things.  Not me.  He has had the fried rice (with brown rice instead of white) which is DELICIOUS! 

Just thought I would add a little post about my favorite addiction :-) You can access their website by clickin here.

If I could make this dish myself, I'd save a ton of money.  I'll try learning one day :-)

Balloon Races

Aaron had never been to the Balloon Races before, so I made it a point to go this year :-)  Luckily waking up at 4am is sleeping in for him!

The Reno Balloon Races are beautiful, and something everyone should see at least once in my opinion!