tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139023352024-03-13T09:02:00.995-07:00The Darling Redhead...Just a girl with a photo to share and a story to tellAshley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.comBlogger267125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-87561770197652604412017-05-20T16:56:00.000-07:002017-05-20T17:02:12.437-07:00Family Camping Trip - Cape Disappointment <span style="font-size: large;">It's been forever since I last blogged! And since then we have two new family members: Baby Vale and Ava the Van. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since my maternity leave is almost over (queue the tears) we decided to take a sporadic camping trip to Cape Disappointment up near Astoria. The weather is finally starting to warm up a bit so we wanted to take full advantage while we could. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cape Disappointment (and site 168!) was ah-mazing. We left the pups at home so we were forced to go back home, but hubs and I could have stayed much longer. While we were preparing for dinner two small deer walked by our site and to the beach. My entire heart was exploding! I had a sleeping baby in the van, a hubs who was building the fire, while two deer who walked off into the sunset toward the ocean. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">While Ava provides more of a "glamping" experience, I've found a couple of tips that help a ton when camping/traveling with a baby:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1.<b><u> Portable sound machine</u></b> - I have a friend who gave me the bright idea to use an old iPhone and download a sound machine app. This is our "portable sound machine" and works like a charm. It's small, doesn't require batteries, and perfect for camping or spending nights away from home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. <b><u>DockATot </u></b>- I bought our <a href="https://dockatot.com/" target="_blank">DockATot</a> used and questioned if $130 was worth it. Guys - it's worth every penny! I knew we would be doing a lot of traveling during my maternity leave since my cousin was getting married and we'd be traveling for bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and THE WEDDING! I wanted Vale to have something familiar to sleep in wherever we went. This Dock-a-tot has been so amazing. I can put it anywhere (in bed with me, on the ground, on a table since he's not mobile, etc) and it's always the same for him. </span><br />
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<br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-28459085544654703392017-01-08T17:49:00.001-08:002017-01-08T17:49:27.704-08:00Updates!<span style="font-size: large;">I recently deactivated my Facebook and I'm feeling extremely naked without it, so back to my bloggy I go as a means of putting way too much information online about myself!<br /><br />I haven't blogged since my trip to Spain - life gets in the way sometimes and moves far too quickly. Before you know it, it has been months between posts! However I thoroughly enjoy looking back on memories - whether good or not so good - so I felt it was time to post a little update.<br /><br />Life since Spain...<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>October</b></u></span><br />In October I went to Oktoberfest in Leavenworth with some friends. If you live in the PNW and haven't been to Leavenworth you NEED to make this a top priority. It's a tiny Bavarian town surrounded by mountains. You can spend your day hiking then re-fuel down in the town with sausages and beer. Heaven? Why yes - yes it is. <br /><br />Another reason I love Leavenworth is its close proximity to <a href="http://ladyacray.blogspot.com/2014/10/colchuck-lake-hike.html" target="_blank">COLCHUCK LAKE</a>! My most favorite hike of all times. I've done this hike every year for the past three years and it never gets old the moment you spot the lake. Everything about Colchuck Lake is beautiful - the water, the surrounding mountains, everything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>November</b></u></span><br />In November I flew to California for Thanksgiving with my dad's side of the family. After I returned home I felt like I needed a vacation from my vacation - I was pooped! We were busy every day, but it reminded me of how fortunate I am to have such an amazing family who goes out of their way to accommodate me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><u><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">December</span></b></u><br />In December I flew to Reno for Christmas with my mom's side of the family. It is always so good and relaxing being home. So little has changed since I moved out yeaaarrrss ago so it still makes it feel like just yesterday I was in middle school sitting in my room on my Clueless phone chatting with friends. Did anyone else have a Clueless phone? It was dreamy in my adolescent eyes. <br /><br />It was a family-filled weekend. I saw my 97-year old grandma twice, got a pre-natal massage from my sister-in-law, met my brand new 7-day old baby newphew, and indulged in some homecooked meals (THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO COOK!). Again - so relaxing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><br />I feel like the holidays flew by entirely too quickly, but looking back I spent some quality time with some wonderful people. I think my dad is the only person who still reads this bloggy - but for anyone else out there I hope you have a happy new year!</span>Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-15449591616029458032016-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:002016-09-19T06:11:19.752-07:00Sieczkowski's do Spain<span style="font-size: large;">As you may or may not remember the hubs and I had a f<a href="https://ladyacray.blogspot.com/2016/04/trekking-through-peru-part-2-hike.html" target="_blank">ailed travel attempt to Peru</a> earlier this year. While the first few days were AMAZING, the trip ended in a horrible stay in a Peruvian ICU.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We both had about 1.5 weeks off from work in September to celebrate our 2 year anniversary and randomly decided to try our hands at traveling abroad again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This time: Spain</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hubs has been wanting to travel to Mallorca after seeing pictures of Chris Sharma deep water soloing (rock climbing). We did our research, looked at prices, and decided it would be PERFECT for the two of us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There would be enough adventuring for the hubs, and some beautiful beaches to relax on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We spent 2.5 days in Barcelona - I really like to consider these the jet-lag days. We spent most of our time peeling our eyelids up and trying not to sweat through our clothes in the 95+ humidity weather.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">.... we weren't very successful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But that's ok, because by the time we got to Mallorca we were fully awake and ready to explore!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll share some photos from the trip but I'll probably post more detailed posts later on. For now I'd like to leave you with a few observations I made during our stay in Spain:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>1. Smokers.... everywhere. </u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The hubs and I struggled with the amount of smoking in Spain. We'd find ourselves running to walk in front on someone so that we wouldn't be behind their plume of smoke, only to be caught behind someone else smoking again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">From eating breakfast/lunch/dinner to walking on the beaches, you can't escape the cigarette smoke. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to it, but it will make me reconsider visiting Europe any time soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>2. No Cell Phones</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ok.... not period. But at one point I asked Aaron if he noticed how the teenagers were actually talking to each other and not glued to their cell phones. Very rarely would we see any one sitting at a park bench with their nose glued to their phone. They'd be engaging in conversation with others, watching people, reading a newspaper, eating, etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And it was the teenagers especially who shocked me the most. They'd be in groups talking to each other and not ONE would have a cell phone out! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">How refreshing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>3. Selfie sticks are worshipped.</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What. A. Crackup. EVERYONE had selfie sticks. There were even vendors at the main tourist attractions that would rent them for the silly tourists who forgot theirs. At first we thought it was a joke - then we realized it was real.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For now I leave you with my few observations above, and some photos from our journey. I apologize ahead of time for the poor image quality. Adios!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Sagrada Familia</td></tr>
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-19947853551926875502016-08-08T05:00:00.000-07:002016-08-08T05:00:06.722-07:00Playing tourist in Portland<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One thing you need to know about Portland is that our summers consist of 3 months. The remaining 9 months are gloomy and/or rainy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm ok with the rain and gloom - but it doesn't make for a good time to have visitors. The hikes are limited. The outdoor walking is limited. The coast is chilly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But the 3 months that we DO have of summer are amazing. We always say we put up with the 9 months of rain for the amazing 3 months of summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But the hard part about only having 3 months of good weather is that means there's only 3 months where people can visit. What does that mean for us? Back-To-Back-To-Back Visitors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">BUT we love having friends and family get to experience our city - so it's a price we pay!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We recently had the hubs' family in town for 4 days, and then the next day my Aunt and Cousin came to town for 5 days. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Did.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I got super sick (of course) so I was more focused on trying to see if I could work in a nap time with my head cold, but I still put my big girl pants on and played tourist in Portland.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We hit up the coast, the gorge, Hood River, berry picking, and all of Portland (did a West side day, an East side day, and a West + East side day).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sRQ4C_R5oaw/V6TSKBbVKFI/AAAAAAAACko/-dxzso3cTtggmnwiMWPrAU0b9u8L1Rq5QCLcB/s1600/thumb_13891865_1061248967288227_6081224511905695080_n_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sRQ4C_R5oaw/V6TSKBbVKFI/AAAAAAAACko/-dxzso3cTtggmnwiMWPrAU0b9u8L1Rq5QCLcB/s640/thumb_13891865_1061248967288227_6081224511905695080_n_1024.jpg" width="634" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cannon Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crepes! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our berry picking view of Hood</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Salt and Straw</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">While I love my city - I learned that I'm a horrible tour guide</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I loathe driving, parallel parking, and navigating new neighborhoods. I was probably more stressed than I needed to be and couldn't quite enjoy the time. But we got to hit up all of Portland's finest (Salt and Straw, Food Carts, Pittock Mansion!) so I'm not complaining one bit.</span></div>
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-82149721870369917322016-08-02T05:53:00.001-07:002016-08-02T05:54:02.827-07:00Audio Book Review: The Help<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My days consist of a 25 mile commute that often takes me over 1.5 hours (...especially in the summer). While the distance isn't too terribly far, I spend a good chunk of my afternoon sitting in traffic trying to make it over the bridge into Washington.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What makes this commute worse is that I get carsick - even when I drive.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I know I know I know - I hear it </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">every. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">single. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">time. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"<i><b>I've heard of people getting carsick as the passenger but never the driver</b></i>."</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Not this gal - I get carsick even while driving.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One thing that helps is listening to podcasts and/or audiobooks.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My co-worker recently loaned me her copy of <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/The-Help-Audiobook/B002UZKYDQ" target="_blank">The Help</a> (unabridged) and I can't get enough of this book - so much that I felt the need to write up a bloggy post.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TejqC3XELYE/V6CUfhBjEFI/AAAAAAAACkQ/ALGVOEYGPVITyL8BiMWKMyQ8395mgj3BwCLcB/s1600/Bloggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TejqC3XELYE/V6CUfhBjEFI/AAAAAAAACkQ/ALGVOEYGPVITyL8BiMWKMyQ8395mgj3BwCLcB/s320/Bloggy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know you've probably already seen the movie, and you've maybe even read the book, but the audiobook is ah-mazing.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For starters - the book has five different narrators. FIVE. In all of the audiobooks I've listened to I've heard maybe two - max.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And these five different narrators aren't just narrating. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">They're acting.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Basically - I was convinced I was watching a play every day on my drive home. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> The plot is addicting.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The characters are on point. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The voices are suiting.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And the overall plot of this book (if you haven't seen the movie or read the book) of white privileged women will force you realize how prevalent the racial inequality was during that time. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I laughed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I cried.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm sure my fellow commuters thought I was a lunatic.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But I couldn't get enough of Miss Skeeter's perseverance, </span><span style="font-size: large;">Aibileen's sacrifices, and Celia's naivety.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you've been scanning Audibles trying to find the next book to keep you occupied, do yourself a favor and download this gem. </span></div>
Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-67039183068542166702016-05-13T05:00:00.000-07:002016-05-13T08:55:44.098-07:00Climbing Mount Saint Helens!Guys.... I DID IT!!<br />
<br />
I climbed Mount Saint Helens.<br />
<br />
Hubs has been on a kick to do a climb (aka: something bigger than a hike). Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens - he was on a kick.<br />
<br />
Thanks to kidney stones, I've successfully evaded the past few weekends of climbing. Then also thanks to Aaron's overtime, I was able to avoid Mt. Hood the weekend before last.<br />
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But this last weekend we didn't have anything. I was hesitant to go on a Sunday b/c I knew I'd be exhausted for the remainder of the week (AND I AM!) but I took the plunge and we. did. it.<br />
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With a 3:00am alarm clock and on the road by 4:00am, we were able to have trekking poles in hand, backpacks on backs, just in time for go-time at 5:45am.<br />
<br />
Yes, folks, on our luxurious Sunday morning we were hiking at 5:45am. Don't be jealous - I have the bags under my eyes to prove sleep deprivation is a nasty thing.<br />
<br />
But I digress.<br />
<br />
We pushed on. The first half of the climb was snow-less which I was thankful for. While it was steep we kept a good pace and passed several of the larger groups. Aaron brought his skis to ascend the snowy parts where I intended to boot pack it.<br />
<br />
Boot packing was definitely the wiser decision - but we won't tell him.<br />
<br />
Oh and did I mention - <b>we were climbing on Mother's Day </b>which means everyone wore DRESSES! Aaron's stage name was Ginger Pop. And he was a B-E-A-U-T. <b>Not to mention - he wore his 20 pound work vest just to add an extra level of challenge. #CantKeepUp</b><br />
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<br />
After having read about the false summit, I thankfully was prepared (as others around me were NOT). It was nevertheless any less discouraging slightly to reach the incredibly steep false summit just to continue on to the real summit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger Pop making her way up</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUMMIT!!! </td></tr>
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After we summited and almost lost my jacket, my trekking poles, and Ginger Pop's wig we decided it was time to book it back down. Hubs had skis and the few people who left before us all left on their butts.<br />
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That's right. Slid down the mountain on their butts. <br />
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It's called glissading, and it's as terrifying as it sounds (when it's ice). <br />
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But when it's NOT ice - it's one of the most FUN things you'll ever do!! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh you know - just sliding down on my butt</td></tr>
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Have you ever slid down the mountain on your bootay?! I might be bruised on my entire backside, but it was worth it.<br />
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And on another note - I'm desperately looking to learn to edit photos. If anyone has any suggestions/tools/resources I'd love to hear!<br />
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Happy FRIDAY!!Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-61764076198484424632016-05-02T05:00:00.000-07:002016-05-02T05:00:37.628-07:00Annual Dog Mountain hike<h2>
TWO YEARS AGO... </h2>
...the hubs and I did our first hike up Dog Mountain. I stopped at almost every switchback (which equates to a ton of stopping) and did a lot of huffing-and-puffing.<br />
<br />
The hike was "sooooo steep" that I even lost both of my big toenails from the descent (and my toes jamming into the front of my shoes).<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
LAST YEAR... </h2>
...I kicked Dog Mountain's butt on the way up. You might remember from<a href="http://ladyacray.blogspot.com/2015/06/dog-mountain-hike.html" target="_blank"> this post</a> that I was incredibly proud of myself for the progress I'd made on my fitness. While the ascent went swimmingly, the descent ended in severely spraining my ankle causing me problems all throughout summer.<br />
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<h2>
THIS YEAR... </h2>
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<span id="goog_55851438"></span><span id="goog_55851439"></span><br />
...was third time the charm! With Crossfit 3x per week and our hiking regimen, hikes like Dog Mountain seem like another walk in the park (a hard walk in the park, though, with lots of heavy breathing).<br />
<br />
The wild flowers were in SERIOUS full bloom! And with full bloom comes full crowds.<br />
<br />
The hubs got off his10:00pm-8:00am shift, came home, and we booked it to the mountain. He's such a trooper :-) I was super proud of our early start and expected to have pick-of-the-litter for parking spots.<br />
<br />
Wrong.<br />
<br />
The trail head was a ZOO. We had to park in the overflow parking which is AT LEAST an additional half mile away from the trail head.<br />
<br />
But that's ok - because it's wild flower season and this girl was STOKED.<br />
<br />
We brought primcess Polly who was a total champ until the last uphill stretch, and a majority of the downhill portion. We passed a man with his pug in a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homdox-Carriers-Portable-Convenient-Lightweight/dp/B01873C42I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1462075427&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+body+carrier" target="_blank">front-body-carrier</a> aaaaand I may or may not consider purchasing one for Polly.<br />
Don't judge me - she's my babe.<br />
<br />
And on that note - here are photos from this year's Dog Mountain hike! We may or may not have had a mini-photoshoot of Polly in the flowers. My sweet hubs is such a trooper.<br />
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<br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-39411622672503509002016-04-25T16:46:00.001-07:002016-04-25T16:46:18.871-07:00Trekking Through Peru - Part 2 (the hike)I've struggled with writing this post because our trek itself was incredibly bittersweet.<br />
<br />
The trek was intended to be 3 days, 2 nights.<br />
Day 2 happened to be my 29th birthday!<br />
<br />
The forecast called for rain, rain, and more rain. But the hubs and I were both prepared with our best hiking rain gear, and with our best attitudes.<br />
<br />
We would hike to <b><u>15,862 feet elevation</u></b>. For those who aren't familiar with what that means, that means THIN air resulting in difficulty breathing. <br />
<br />
I was a nervous wreck leading up to the Trek - I didn't want to be THAT person who fell behind and caused the group to take more breaks than needed. I didn't want to be THAT person who struggled while everyone else had an easy time walking up the mountain.<br />
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<h2>
Day 1</h2>
Day 1 started later than I would have anticipated. I'm an early hiker. I prefer to leave early and take my time, rather than leave later and feel rushed.<br />
<br />
We got started at some hot springs. While our amazing cooks prepared a trout lunch for us, some of our group swam in the springs. While I LOVE springs, I was saving my hot-springing for Aguas Calientes which concluded our trek. I've seen gorgeous pictures and couldn't WAIT to play in the hot springs at the end of the hike.<br />
<br />
Day 1 was rainy. Miserably rainy. By the time we made it to our camp we were all cold, damp, and exhausted. But nothing feels more amazing than arriving to camp to see tents already set up. All we had to do was change our clothes and head to dinner that was being prepared for us - WIN!!<br />
<br />
I learned really quickly that night that I under-packed. Don't get me wrong - I prepared for rain up the wazoo. But I did NOT prepare for the cold. <br />
<br />
I should have red-flagged when Aaron crawled into bed and said, "I feel like crap. And I'm cold." Aaron doesn't get cold. If you've ever driven in a car with him in the middle of freezing winter in Reno - you'll notice he has the windows down. I think he secretly enjoys seeing his own breath. <br />
<br />
Neither of us slept well. I couldn't get warm, and Aaron was coughing all night which kept us both up. He woke up and said he had gunk in his lungs. He's always hacking nasty stuff up so I didn't think anything of it.<br />
<br />
Bad Ashley.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team preparing our bags</td></tr>
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<h2>
Day 2</h2>
We started the day with the group singing me Happy Birthday - I was on cloud 9! We were in gorgeous country side. Had breakfast prepared for us. And we were starting the hardest day of the 3-day Trek. My spirits were at an all time HIGH! <br />
<br />
We got started and Aaron kept coughing. And coughing. And coughing.<br />
<br />
He started dragging behind. HE became that person that we stop and took breaks for (note: Aaron is usually the leader of the pack. This should have been my red flag #2 that something was up). Our guides tried to check his oxygen level but Aaron's fingers were too fat and wouldn't provide a good measure.<br />
<br />
We moved on. <b><u>We should have turned back</u></b>.<br />
<br />
Aaron's condition got progressively worse. The guides finally secured a donkey for Aaron to finish the day. We still had about 7 more miles to go that day, and hadn't even begun the ascent up to the summit.<br />
<br />
While Aaron was feeling like crap - I was on an all-time high. It was a miserable hike. By far the hardest hike I've ever done at the highest elevation I've ever done. But I was chugging along just fine and was staying with the front of the group. <br />
<br />
Most of the time I was by myself singing "the ants go marching 1 by 1 hoorah... hoorah..."<br />
<br />
After a grueling day, I made it to the top with three others!! This was the highest high I've ever been on. I'd done it after thinking several times that this was impossible. there was no WAY I'd be able to keep going. <br />
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When will I ever make it? </div>
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Where IS the top? </div>
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Is anyone else having a hard time breathing too? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Are we close? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
No? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Great</div>
<br />
We waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Aaron's donkey brought him to the top and he slid off and laid down, continuing to cough up gunk. The guides put him on oxygen (THANK GOD!) which helped a little. They made the determination there that he needed to be medically evacuated off the mountain.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Medical evacuation = donkey.</b></u><br />
<br />
I decided I needed to go with him. Unfortunately there was no easy way off the mountain, no rescue service, other than to finish the entire hike during day 2.<br />
<br />
There would be no day 3 - we combined day 3 with day 2.<br />
<br />
I remembered crying as we past by our campsite. That's where the rest of our group would be eating hot dinner and sleeping peacefully in a canyon of mountains. We pushed on.<br />
Aaron on donkey.<br />
And me by foot.<br />
<br />
I secretly thought when they asked if I wanted to go with, that I too would get a donkey! I mean - who in their right mind would combine day 2 and day 3 on FOOT?! Don't they realize how exhausted I am?<br />
<br />
But alas - I continued on, running behind the donkey trying to keep up so that we could hopefully make it to the ambulance before dark.<br />
<br />
<b>If this day has any indication of what my 29th year would be like, then I want a re-do! </b><br />
<br />
But Aaron was barely coherent and very clearly needed medical attention ASAP! <br />
<br />
17 miles later we reached the spot where the ambulance was supposed to pick us up. But alas- no ambulance.<br />
<br />
So we kept moving.<br />
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2 miles later we found our saving grace - the ambulance!! I may have cried then too I was so happy. My knees were in horrible pain. My energy level tanked. I hadn't eaten since lunch - and it was now 9pm. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mor children - notice their shoes</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y7MPAHaxktA/Vx6pyTUeafI/AAAAAAAACfM/07XjAWMV6lQhY729UH0pedJk2jrr7Z2QgCLcB/s1600/IMG_4888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y7MPAHaxktA/Vx6pyTUeafI/AAAAAAAACfM/07XjAWMV6lQhY729UH0pedJk2jrr7Z2QgCLcB/s640/IMG_4888.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This, my friends, should have been our turnaround point.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kXpHFTH0QSU/Vx6p0Um-eUI/AAAAAAAACfY/TMMXD7SvHhQU2Qo9P4Kz_XCNdiZWPI4pgCLcB/s1600/IMG_4929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kXpHFTH0QSU/Vx6p0Um-eUI/AAAAAAAACfY/TMMXD7SvHhQU2Qo9P4Kz_XCNdiZWPI4pgCLcB/s640/IMG_4929.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfxtxO4ZmU0/Vx6p2ozp7QI/AAAAAAAACfg/2sxQ9sa3z8ofKek4MxFkcJL-8ehDr7nTACLcB/s1600/IMG_4936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfxtxO4ZmU0/Vx6p2ozp7QI/AAAAAAAACfg/2sxQ9sa3z8ofKek4MxFkcJL-8ehDr7nTACLcB/s640/IMG_4936.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous country</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron's savior</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-am8AKdA4UY8/Vx6p4OrJSaI/AAAAAAAACf0/93k8jmQiPRITnQGgiV-7NIGhsq6DBqLNQCLcB/s1600/thumb_IMG_4697_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-am8AKdA4UY8/Vx6p4OrJSaI/AAAAAAAACf0/93k8jmQiPRITnQGgiV-7NIGhsq6DBqLNQCLcB/s640/thumb_IMG_4697_1024.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I told him, "Smile - it's my birthday." This was all he could muster.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WgNAd9sHuIQ/Vx6p4qeuzrI/AAAAAAAACf8/RyQZgrBGalUfYgfJL_Ce21b6wpqIpgVFQCLcB/s1600/thumb_IMG_4930_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WgNAd9sHuIQ/Vx6p4qeuzrI/AAAAAAAACf8/RyQZgrBGalUfYgfJL_Ce21b6wpqIpgVFQCLcB/s640/thumb_IMG_4930_1024.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made him pose at the summit - he was less than thrilled</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8fOIwIo2uc/Vx6p3XlIalI/AAAAAAAACfs/TI3-o2mHZ_whWtdbQoV2olecs6n1msdLACLcB/s1600/DSC01135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A8fOIwIo2uc/Vx6p3XlIalI/AAAAAAAACfs/TI3-o2mHZ_whWtdbQoV2olecs6n1msdLACLcB/s640/DSC01135.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WE MADE IT!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4xgh27BpjE/Vx6p4gvENaI/AAAAAAAACf4/S8Ama7r4AbwkxRG3qeLo1e0Ejor1uZwhQCLcB/s1600/thumb_IMG_4948_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4xgh27BpjE/Vx6p4gvENaI/AAAAAAAACf4/S8Ama7r4AbwkxRG3qeLo1e0Ejor1uZwhQCLcB/s640/thumb_IMG_4948_1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2s4p_fctAJ4/Vx6qGsJUh6I/AAAAAAAACgE/NtxYX7_2twAfajhAFeCByyrKVCBG8cxAQCLcB/s1600/DSC01126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2s4p_fctAJ4/Vx6qGsJUh6I/AAAAAAAACgE/NtxYX7_2twAfajhAFeCByyrKVCBG8cxAQCLcB/s640/DSC01126.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">We made it! Waiting for the rest of the group.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heBI1iazrts/Vx6p8-k-rlI/AAAAAAAACgA/WQK6t_iG9kwP7Obk4mJfrjx2uzFM-u0CACLcB/s1600/DSC01158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heBI1iazrts/Vx6p8-k-rlI/AAAAAAAACgA/WQK6t_iG9kwP7Obk4mJfrjx2uzFM-u0CACLcB/s640/DSC01158.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaaand that's a wrap</td></tr>
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<br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-70421424105667500792016-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:002016-03-07T06:00:19.967-08:00Trekking through Peru - Part 1<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The hubs and I decided we wanted to travel more. And by travel more, we mean by plane. We do lots of local trips (mostly hiking if you read along) but realized we wanted to do more venturing out of the Pacific Northwest. </span></div>
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So after always discussing "wanting to travel more" I sporadically booked a trip to South America. The hubs studied abroad and ever since we've been wanting to visit South America. I found awesome ticket prices to Lima so we decided to do one of my bucket list items: <b><u>Machu Picchu!!! </u></b></div>
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This is the first part of two post which will explain why we intended to visit Machu Picchu but never actually got to :-( </div>
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We booked through G Adventures tour which has a load of mixed feelings. </div>
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Lets just say our tour-mates all had far superior experiences than we did. </div>
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From booking to the end of the tour we experiences nothing but issues that made my dream trip turn into a nightmare. </div>
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My ultimate recommendation? We won't be booking G Adventures again, mostly just from the hassle of booking the trip. </div>
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Flights were booked, bags were packed. </div>
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And we were ready. </div>
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Below are some photos and stories PRE-HOSPITAL stay. </div>
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Yep - we landed ourselves in a hospital in Peru which concluded the last 80% of our trip. </div>
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But the first 20% was quite lovely :-) </div>
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Our tour we booked was the Lares Trek - hiking 22 miles up to 15,800 feet altitude over the course of three days. </div>
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For those of you who have never been 15,800 feet above sea level - its fucking hard (pardon my language - but there's no better way to describe it!). Your lungs and muscles are entirely depleted from oxygen. </div>
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Every step is taken with a deep breath. </div>
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Your lungs are pissed off. </div>
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And to top it all off - do this in rain. </div>
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But all complaining aside - it was amazing. </div>
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We met locals who live the same way they did hundreds of years ago using bones as tools and dying alpaca yarn with boiling water and natural ingredients. </div>
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I was taller than everyone we met. </div>
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Our local guides/porters cooked amazing food and taught us all about our surroundings. </div>
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For a good chunk of time I was quite certain I was in the movie set for The Hobbit. </div>
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Our tour mates were a wonderful group of people - and I was secretly obsessed with the 3 Irish gals, their accents, and ability to wiggle the word "fuck" into their every conversation. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making alpaca yarn - step 1: Create Yarn</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ollyantaytambo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our room in Ollyantaytambo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Polly and Ibo's new sister</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango. That's a MANGO! Heaven.</td></tr>
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-55969384893263254112016-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:002016-02-15T06:00:08.121-08:004 Healthy Recipe Favs<div style="text-align: center;">
Surprisingly I enjoy cooking. This is surprising to me because I don't consider myself very domestic. </div>
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I loathe laundry </div>
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Cleaning can wait</div>
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My baked goods are burned goods</div>
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And I probably have more DIY fails than DIY wins</div>
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BUT! I do enjoy cooking (aside from the whole "cleaning up afterward" part). Part of it could be that I'm slightly picky (although I like to think of it as I just know what I like). I personally believe that if you add enough garlic and/or cilantro and/or thyme and/or basil that anything can taste <b>ah-mazing</b>. </div>
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<b>My philosophy is if I can make it quicker/cheaper/better/healthier than I can buy it, then I'd prefer to cook it myself.</b></div>
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I've slowly been identifying several recipes that are quickly becoming my go-to's for healthy meals so I thought I'd share some of my favorites.</div>
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Tomato Soup</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.cearaskitchen.com/vegan-creamy-roasted-tomato-soup/" target="_blank">Via Ceara's Kitchen</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a96MWHq8IoA/VsC8dSCnn1I/AAAAAAAACbU/UlCjeH6jlu4/s1600/TomatoSoup.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a96MWHq8IoA/VsC8dSCnn1I/AAAAAAAACbU/UlCjeH6jlu4/s640/TomatoSoup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
This is a Tomato-Basil style soup that uses almond milk instead of heavy cream. I swap dried basil for fresh, and sprinkle some red chili pepper flakes while it's simmering and this is an AMAZING flavor packed soup. <br />
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Protein Pancakes/Waffles </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.toneitup.com/recipe/protein-pancakes-tone-it-up/" target="_blank">Via ToneItUp</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qe-FB6X4yS8/VsC9mMaSiWI/AAAAAAAACbg/unz4-HV1PBU/s1600/Pancakes-Perfect-Fit-Tone-It-Up.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qe-FB6X4yS8/VsC9mMaSiWI/AAAAAAAACbg/unz4-HV1PBU/s640/Pancakes-Perfect-Fit-Tone-It-Up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
(I make these in a waffle maker instead of as pancakes)<br />
For those who haven't joined the protein pancake bandwagon, these are an amazing way to start your day - and they're Gluten Free! The Arbonne vanilla protein hands down has the best flavor and cooks perfectly in the Waffle Maker. I add 1/4 cup berries to the top and eat as is (I'm not a maple-syrup kind of gal).<br />
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Quinoa Salad</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://princesspinkygirl.com/zesty-sweet-corn-quinoa-salad/" target="_blank">Via Princess Pinky Girl</a></span></div>
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You guys - you know you have a good recipe when picky children ask for seconds. This is a STAPLE item - especially when fresh corn is in season. You can use canned corn instead, but it's just not the same. I can eat this as an entire meal, but the hubs usually adds chicken to his.<br />
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Pork Chops</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://frugalfamilyfavorites.com/honey-lemon-pork-chops-with-healthy-salt-alternative/#_a5y_p=2073822" target="_blank">Via Frugal Family Favorites</a></span></div>
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I've used this marindade on pork chops AND chicken and it's my new favorite. It's so easy to throw together, but I'll admit that it's my favorite when I've had a chance to let the pork chops or chicken marinate overnight. <br />
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If I have fresh thyme on hand I'll throw this in the mix too.Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-40932361472213580642015-11-30T07:42:00.005-08:002015-11-30T07:42:43.429-08:00Save Money Online Shopping<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/cheap-online-shopping" target="_blank">Via</a></td></tr>
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I love online shopping.<br /><br />Lovelovelove.<br /><br />I'm not sure if it's the random package at my front door or the convenience of avoiding mall-crowds that I love most, but regardless I'm an online shopping fanatic.<br /><br />A little over a year ago a co-worker introduced me to <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=lrlMT4pSlPHRTtF5q4j%2BUg%3D%3D&eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates.com</a> as a way to get cash back. I've fallen in LOVE with this website! So in the spirit of Cyber Monday I thought I'd share with you a few reasons why Ebates.com is wonderful.<br /><br />
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<li><b><u>Cash back for online shopping. </u></b>Basically stores give websites a kickback for online referrals (when you click the store advertisement through their website). <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=lrlMT4pSlPHRTtF5q4j%2BUg%3D%3D&eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates.com</a> shares a portion of this kickback. I've gotten as much as 12% back off a purchase! This may only be $12 if you're purchasing $100 worth of items but that $12 adds up quickly! </li>
<li><b><u>Coupon codes</u></b>. If you know me you know I LOVE coupons and hate paying full retail price (especially at chain location like Express, Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret, etc). Ebates typically has the most recent coupon codes available so you always get the best deal.</li>
<li><u><b>Simplicity. </b></u>There are no bells or whistles. It's not a difficult website to understand. You don't have to jump through hoops to have your money deposited to PayPal (or have a check mailed to you!). It really is as simple as it gets.</li>
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<br /><br /><br />That's all folks. Go sign up for <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=lrlMT4pSlPHRTtF5q4j%2BUg%3D%3D&eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates.com</a>. Who couldn't use a little extra cash back?<br /><br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-15074369545149123792015-11-08T19:56:00.003-08:002015-11-08T19:57:21.027-08:00Update!!It never fails that the busier you get, the more you forget to bloggy post.<br />
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I had a crazy (good) summer. It was the first summer in a few years that the hubs and I actually got to:</div>
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<li>See each other</li>
<li>Hang out</li>
<li>Spend more than 1 weekend together</li>
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We saved pretty much all of our vacation time for this summer, and while things didn't pan out as expected we still made the most of our time up here in the PNW.</div>
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I'll let my pictures do the talking - but you'll notice a couple common themes:</div>
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<li>Gorgeous Lakes</li>
<li>Hiking</li>
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(P.S. - because there were so many photos I've added them to a slideshow below - feel free to use the left and right arrow keys to sort through these)<br />
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Enjoy!!</div>
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Aaron and I were supposed to hike Mount Saint Helens. However after reading reviews of recent trip reports we decided we'd wait until winter to hike the mountain.<br />
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Plus I've been wanting to hike Vesper Peak for some time now, so it seemed like a perfect weekend to cross that off our list.<br />
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Vesper Peak is about 4100 feet elevation gain and 9 miles. There's a completely-clear lake on your way, and amazing views at the summit.<br />
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We chose to backpack the mountain so that we could overnight it and breathe some mountain air.<br />
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And friends - it was amazing.<br />
Breathtaking.<br />
Gorgeous.<br />
Perfect.<br />
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If these photos don't make you totally swoon over the mountains then we can't be friends :-)<br />
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Jk jk I love you all.<br />
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We started off at about noon on Friday since yours truly took some time off work. <br />
A Friday start was perfect - we were one of four groups on the trail so we practically had it entirely to ourselves.<br />
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Why is that perfect?<br />
…because you get the pick of the litter when it comes to campsites.<br />
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I had a hard week since my car decided to blow a head gasket costing me $2800.<br />
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My little heart was broken for my little car.<br />
… and my wallet. <br />
Actually, my heart was entirely broken for my wallet.<br />
#firstworldproblems<br />
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So this trip was exactly what the doctor ordered.<br />
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On our way down Aaron noticed the aquamarine colored water and had to stop. The river was gorgeous! If that's all we did the entire trip I still would have been a happy camper.<br />
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This was our original camping spot. </div>
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Then Aaron told me you're not allowed to camp within 100 feet of a water source.</div>
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So I panicked thinking the cops were going to get us.</div>
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#naive</div>
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Summit shot!!<br />
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Summit proof!</div>
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GOOD MORNING!!</div>
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Do the views get any better than this?</div>
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Nope.</div>
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The answer is nope.</div>
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Home means Nevada</div>
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<br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-8944319991201742462015-06-08T07:56:00.000-07:002015-06-08T07:56:33.966-07:00Weekend RecapI wish I could say, "Happy Monday!" but it is a difficult Monday for this gal!<br />
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The weather has surpassed my 85-degree comfort level.<br />
Living in the PNW has made me a <b>total wuss </b>when it comes to heat, especially with our non-air-conditioned home!<br />
When I went to bed last night it was 82 degrees inside so needless to say I got very little sleep.<br />
But hey! At least I got a good sweat in which helps shed water-weight right?! #sarcasm<br />
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I'm struggling through this Monday morning so I thought I'd post a super quick weekend recap.<br />
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Nothing crazy or extravagant.
I sprained my ankle last weekend hiking <a href="http://ladyacray.blogspot.com/2015/06/dog-mountain-hike.html" target="_blank">Dog Mountain</a> - so this weekend was low key so that my ankle could heal for our upcoming Mt. Saint Helens climb.<br />
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A girlfriend and I decided to play it cool (no pun intended) at the river since Sunday was going to be in the 90's (again - see: Heat-Wuss. I blame the red hair).<br />
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The river is all fun and games until someone decides to swim under water. Apparently when you "kick" under water it requires ankle strength.<br />
Hard core ankle strength.<br />
And you don't realize it until you have a sprained ankle.<br />
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So here we are, Monday morning, with my little brace back on.<br />
<b>Ashley fail. </b><br />
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But regardless we had a great day in the sun!
And Saturday afternoon I got to see that husband of mine. When the temperature increases, apparently so does crime. So being married to the PO-lice means I see him very little during the warmer months. But hey! One afternoon is better than no-afternoons :-)<br />
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<div align="center"><a href="http://www.bellaandthecity.com/search/label/Weekend%20Recap" title="Bella And The City"><img src="http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz107/i-mami/weekendrecapbutton15.png" alt="Bella And The City" style="border:none;" /></a></div>Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-40120839314501851432015-06-03T07:00:00.000-07:002015-06-03T17:25:36.721-07:00Wedding Wednesday - Getting Ready!It recently occurred to me that I haven't really posted many of our wedding photos! I kept waiting for the perfect moment to post then would forget to upload my photos.<br />
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So - a little late - but here are photos from our wedding! <br />
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I kicked Aaron out of the house first thing in the morning so the gals could get ready. Here are the two different messages that were heard/sent:<br />
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Ashley: "Aaron - you need to be ready Friday night to leave first thing in the morning while the girls use the cabin to get ready. You'll go to my dads cabin with the guys and get ready there."<br />
Aaron: "I get to wake up in the morning, go rock climbing, come back to our cabin and leisurely get ready."<br />
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Two different messages.<br />
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Needless to say in the peak of dress-wearing-and-makeup-wearing Aaron shows up at the cabin ready to take his shower and get ready.<br />
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Communication gaps at their finest!<br />
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BUT it was still a wonderful morning spent with some of my most favorite women :-)<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Girls</h2>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Boys</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkGLrc-_tKE/VWvBMWK_YsI/AAAAAAAACPo/UZBulvPeXMQ/s1600/Images%2B%257C%2BEvantide%2B2014_086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DkGLrc-_tKE/VWvBMWK_YsI/AAAAAAAACPo/UZBulvPeXMQ/s640/Images%2B%257C%2BEvantide%2B2014_086.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom chatting with Aaron pre-first-look</td></tr>
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<div align="center"><a href="http://totravelandbeyond.com/" title="ToTravelandBeyond"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/DuTUDWIem5UvRgTQOtJG5fpd1bgDDdkNlu3CnKG4iN4=s207-p-no" alt="ToTravelandBeyond" style="border:none;" /></a></div>Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-46007651536727215462015-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:002015-06-01T09:17:05.169-07:00Dog Mountain HikeLast year Aaron and I hiked Dog Mountain and I got my butt kicked.<br />
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I remember stopping at every switchback I possibly could for a drink of water and a time-out to rest my lungs. <i>People were passing us and I felt totally defeated. </i>I had been working out so I was confident in my hiking abilities but remembered feeling like Dog Mountain whooped my butt.</div>
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I've been dying to hike Dog Mountain this year as the wild flower pictures have been GORGEOUS. There's a short window to view the wild flowers, and while we sliiiightly missed it we still caught a glimpse of the flowers.</div>
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But the best part?</div>
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<b><i>This time I whooped Dog Mountain's butt.</i></b> The only time we stopped was once to get a drink of water. I pushed through that hike like it was nobody's business and you bet your BOOTY that I was damned proud of myself at the top of that hike.</div>
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The hike was gorgeous. It's about 7 miles round trip and 2,800 feet elevation gain so it's decently steep (but nothing NEAR <a href="http://ladyacray.blogspot.com/2015/04/ashleys-hiking-chronicles-rock-of-ages.html" target="_blank">Rock of Ages</a> hike).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just can't even with this picture. Between Polly's princess-ness, and those muscles holding her I just want to squeeze them both!</td></tr>
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We did the entire hike in just under 3 hours. We would have finished even faster BUT I managed to injure myself less than halfway down.</div>
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I rolled my ankle and went DOWN. HARD. Aaron was worried about my knee since I landed entirely on my right side, but I was worried about my ankle that hurt so bad it took my breath away. </div>
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I was super proud of myself that I managed to {eventually} stand back up without crying once. </div>
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Buuuuuuuuut then it happened a second time about 20 feet from the trailhead. I rolled the same ankle, went DOWN, and started bawling. </div>
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It hurt like a mother trucker.</div>
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… and still hurts like a mother trucker. Just waiting for the swelling to subside so I can get off the couch and back to my fitbit steps!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officer McDreamy taking care of me</td></tr>
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-13705330861623756342015-05-18T05:59:00.000-07:002015-05-18T05:59:55.388-07:00We reached the beach!!Last year my darling husband participated in the 100 mile "Reach the Beach" bike ride.<br />
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And I supported him.<br />
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He kept mentioning I'd like the ride. So this year I decided to play also.<br />
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I was most definitely not ready for the 100, so I signed up for the 55 mile bike ride and met Aaron 45 miles in to finish the remainder ride with him.<br />
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Guys - it was a doozy. The wind was exceptionally fierce and always seems to be going against us.<br />
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Here are some notable things that happened during my 55 mile quest to the beach:<br />
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<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Someone walked in on me in the porta-potty</span></b> - Guys - I was switching out my undergarments (TMI?) when the door SWINGS open and I quickly scream drawing attention to the ENTIRE line. He slammed the door shut and I started laughing, but couldn't help imagine that he probably got an eye full!! When I exited said-porta-potty I got a nice cheer from the mile-long line that heard my shriek (any may or may not have seen my goodies).</li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ashley vs. Water Bottle</span></b> - Water Bottle won. A nice guy decided to take lead and break-wind for us. As we were riding in a tight 3-person line he drops his water bottle. <b>Bike-Party-Foul</b>! Aaron was able to avoid it, but I managed to get it stuck under my tire. I thought I'd stick it out, but my shoe wouldn't come unclipped from my bike so I fell. Hard. I'm waiting for the bruise on my hip to shine through.</li>
<li><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mile 30 breakdown</span></b> - No - not the flat tire kind of break down. The tears-and-whining kind of break down. I managed to not bring ANY shot blocks or fruit snacks or ANY sweet treats with me. Seriously - and my mom will vouch for me - <i><b>if there's anything that keeps me going when I'm being active it's a gummy snack</b></i>. Even though I had just eaten prior to my breakdown, the salt overload must not have been enough. So I bonked. My muscles started to hurt and my energy level crashed. So we pulled over, I had a cry/whine session, I stretched, ate a GU, and moved onward. As soon as that GU kicked in it was amazing how much better I felt! **Note to self: NEVER forget my beloved gummies. </li>
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But for the most part everything was great! The weather was cold and windy, BUT not rainy and miserable.</div>
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-52675994777555980752015-04-08T06:10:00.001-07:002015-04-08T06:15:44.371-07:004 Tips for Wedding Dress ShoppingMy mom, Aunt Peggy, and cousin Hailey were my entourage as we spent a long weekend in Sacramento visiting the several boutiques and stores.<br />
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Now that the wedding is OVER (wootwoot), I thought it would be a fun post to share the variety of dresses I tried on while dream-dress-shopping, and let you in on some secrets that helped me pick "the one." <br />
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Dresses come in all different price ranges. It was important to me I didn't spend a fortune on a dress I'd only wear once.<br />
It's like I'm frugal or something :-)<br />
Your assistants first question will be about your budget - so make sure you set this prior to your first dress appointment<br />
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While I ADORED this dress, it simply didn't fit our venue and just didn't "feel" right. Our venue was outdoors/meadow/woods/rustic/beachy-esque. <br />
In another life when I get married in a church or a beautiful country club, this is my go-to. <br />
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I went in to the appointments knowing I wanted a lacy form-fitting dress. And at the end of the day I walked out with a chiffon flowy dress. The dress in this picture I had ZERO desire to try on.<br />
It was poofy. There were feathers. It screamed NO.<br />
But I did it anyway.<br />
While you may have an idea of what you want, keep an open mind because you'll be surprised the endless options.<br />
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Don't buy a dress because the style looked good on someone else. Whatever the style, make sure it fits YOU. When you put on a dress you should think, "This is so 'me'"<br />
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For me, I wanted something that was "timeless." I wanted something where I'd look at pictures 30 years from now and not have to explain to my beautiful grandchildren "That was the style back in 2014." I wanted something that complimented my location, and flattered my figure.<br />
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I also wanted something that made my mom cry the moment she saw me wearing the gown, but let's be honest - she cried with every dress.<br />
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-38055485555357362402015-04-06T05:00:00.000-07:002015-04-06T05:00:02.667-07:00Ashley's Hiking Chronicles - Rock of AgesI probably sound like a broken record these days with my constant hiking posts, but we've been SPOILED with decent weather this spring in the PNW and we are taking FULL advantage of it.<br />
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This weekend's hike was Rock of Ages. After looking at pictures we thought it looked like fun. <br />
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Fun: Yes<br />
Hard: Hell yea<br />
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This was a difficult hike. You gain 3,000 feet in under 3 miles. That's slightly over 1,000 ft/mile. If you don't know what that means, it means steep.<br />
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Super duper steep.<br />
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Unfortunately we didn't get too terribly many photos of the super steep parts. We were too busy holding onto tree roots and clinging to the mountain for dear life. Here's the information from <a href="http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Rock_of_Ages_Loop_Hike" target="_blank">OregonHikers.org</a>. <br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', 'Lucida Grande', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px;">
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Start point: <a href="http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Horsetail_Falls_Trailhead" style="color: #656565; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Horsetail Falls Trailhead">Horsetail Falls Trailhead</a><img alt="Road.JPG" height="16" src="http://www.oregonhikers.org/w/images/b/b5/Road.JPG" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="16" /></li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">End Point: <a href="http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Horsetail_Falls_Trailhead" style="color: #656565; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Horsetail Falls Trailhead">Horsetail Falls Trailhead</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Hike Type: Loop</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Distance: 10.0 miles</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Elevation gain: 3000 feet</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Difficulty: Difficult (steepness, length and creek crossing)</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Seasons: Apr-Oct</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Family Friendly: No</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Backpackable: Yes</li>
<li style="margin: 0.2em 0px 0.2em 5px; padding: 0px;">Crowded: Only at trailhead</li>
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And for the best part - pictures!</div>
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Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-71936021400859772142015-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:002015-03-25T08:02:19.483-07:00Things I'm LovingWhen I like a product, I LOVE it.<br />
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Like …. buy-one-in-every-color type of love.<br />
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I've had a few obsessions lately so I wanted to share the products I've been crushing on :-)<br />
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<h3>
Eucalyptus Spearmint (or Mint)</h3>
Candles, soap, wallflowers, car fresheners.<br />
I've just about purchased the entire product line. I can't get enough of this fresh/clean scent. I even got a car freshener to keep at work. Delish.<br />
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Headbands</h3>
The hubs recently bought my a couple of headbands from <a href="http://junkbrands.com/womens-headbands.html" target="_blank">Junk</a>. Not only have I enjoyed the extra spunk they've added to my workout/hiking outfits, they're awesome at keeping sweat from dripping down your face.<br />
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I have since purchased headbands from <a href="http://hippierunner.com/" target="_blank">Hippie Runner</a>, <a href="http://shopskida.com/collections/the-nordic-headband" target="_blank">Skida</a>, and <a href="http://www.bbolder.com/" target="_blank">Bolder Bands.</a><br />
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If you sense a review post coming up, your senses are spot-on my dear friends.<br />
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Fizz Sticks (Arbonne)</h3>
If we've worked together, chances are you've seen me walking around with a Rockstar energy drink with enough caffeine to keep the average person awake for at least a week (but for me… 4 hours). <br />
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Waking up at 3:45am every morning takes its toll on my energy level. Like super hardcore.<br />
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These little tokens of energy keep. me. going. The flavor is amazing, the fizz is addicting, and the fact that it's a natural source of energy keeps me coming back for more.<br />
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And I leave you with that my dear friends. If you have any suggestions of new products to try I'm always looking for something new to crush on :-) Happy Wednesday!</div>
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<a href="http://averyfan.blogspot.com/" title="What I'm Loving Wednesday"><img src="http://i61.tinypic.com/2mpcqj5.jpg" alt="What I'm Loving Wednesday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-29461579734451304102015-03-06T05:00:00.000-08:002015-03-06T05:00:01.604-08:00January Girl Trip - Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach)Because I went on a blogging hiatus, I thought I'd post a quick trip recap.<br />
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In January a girlfriend and I took a quick weekend trip down to the coast. She has a friend who has a beach house and let us use it for the weekend. Saweeeet!<br />
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There's something about the Oregon coast. The smell. The air. I love it all. LOVE. <br />
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So we packed up our hiking gear and headed to the coast for a weekend of diet-breaking, hiking, beach-exploring, and crepes.<br />
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We seriously lucked out, as the weather was gorgeous considering it was January. No rain the entire trip and blue skies - mega win.<br />
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On Sunday we went on a hike (that I can't remember the name of…) that made us work for the views. While the hike itself wasn't too terribly difficult, the mud factor was at an all time high. But hey - it made for fun photos and a fun story :-)<br />
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<br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-79602340254994984312015-03-02T05:00:00.000-08:002015-03-02T05:00:06.315-08:00Update + Munra PointBad Ashley. Bad, bad Ashley.<br />
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I really have no excuse for my bloggy hiatus. Really I've just been busy with work, and by the time I get home I'm lazy. Pure lazy. I've been clocking mad Netflix hours and cuddle time with the pups, but my poor bloggy has been neglected.<br />
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So I thought I'd make up to you all with some pictures from our Valentines Day hike! I've been dying to do Munra Point, so I dragged that husband of mine to the gorge for a WONDERFUL hike.<br />
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If you're in the Portland area and looking for a fun hike, I most definitely recommend Munra Point. It's extremely steep (it's listed as "strenuous" for a reason) but the viewpoint at the top is totally worth it.</div>
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What's better is, even on a clear sunny PNW day, the hike was barely crowded. Definitely unusual for the Gorge area so we'll take it :-) </div>
<br />Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-14596085935835868082014-12-04T05:57:00.001-08:002014-12-04T05:57:50.405-08:00Do you see what I see? + GIVEAWAY!<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 200px;">
<a href="http://ladyacray.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> <img src="http://i1350.photobucket.com/albums/p764/designsbykay/redhead/redbut1.png" height="200" width="200" /> </a> </div>
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In case you didn't notice, my beautiful bloggy got a MAKEOVER! </div>
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Thank you to the lovely <a href="http://kailynmariedesigns.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kailyn </a>who had to deal with my sporadic "<i><b>Oh and one more thing!</b></i>" emails.<br />
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To celebrate my darling bloggy, I'm doing an itsy-bitsy-mini giveaway.<br />
Hey - good things come in small packages.<br />
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So with that I'm giving away a 1 carat diamond ring.<br />
Just kidding just kidding.<br />
I make funny. <br />
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BATH AND BODY WORKS 3-WICK CANDLE!<br />
Seriously - who doesn't love these babies. <br />
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You even get to pick between two different flavors.<br />
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So with that being said, thank you for visiting my page and enter away! And stay tuned for another super-fun giveaway coming up in the near future :-)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pax_4KnbSQQ/VH_ud8SEVgI/AAAAAAAACB8/gOVy63UJcus/s1600/BBW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pax_4KnbSQQ/VH_ud8SEVgI/AAAAAAAACB8/gOVy63UJcus/s1600/BBW.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="85059c9a1" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/85059c9a1/" id="rcwidget_2xdgg6zt" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-42007938678771912912014-12-01T05:42:00.000-08:002014-12-01T05:42:20.758-08:00Trampolines and Cold Hikes<div style="text-align: center;">
My whine level is at an all time high today</div>
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Does it have to be Monday?</div>
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As with everyone else, I'm posting about my weekend today :-) </div>
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Aaron and I weren't able to fly home for Thanksgiving since we took pretty much the entire month of September off to go get hitched.</div>
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So we stayed in Portland and had Thanksgiving with a friends family. We were incredibly Thankful to have a family take us in, and had one of <b>THE BEST</b> dinners we've had in a while.</div>
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Aaron's brother and sister-in-law flew in the next day for the long weekend so we've spent the weekend playing in Portland. </div>
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Not half bad huh?</div>
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We went to one of those trampoline gyms and BOY HOWDY we burned so many calories! </div>
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What</div>
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A</div>
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Workout</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzp_w_t2qMTIVsmbjeb10Kab1S9Y9lwLTMs603kcQYvkDER0qbvxDNIoHmWTLWkl8Ik6Tk-XLQcQuM' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Also, pretty sure we were the only adults jumping in the gym. The rest of the adults were sitting nearby watching <strike>us </strike>their young children jump enthusiastically. </div>
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I mean</div>
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If there's any way to act and feel like a 10 year old </div>
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it's in an trampoline gym.</div>
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So to my fellow PDX friends out there - you should all check out the trampoline gyms <strike>and invite me so I can come get my 10-year-old-jumping on </strike></div>
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**Side Note - We played trampoline dodgeball and guess who KILLED IT! </div>
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This girl.</div>
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I always thought I was horrible at dodgeball....</div>
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...Turns out I just need to play with 10-year olds.</div>
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We also thought it would be a good idea to go for a hike on Sunday.</div>
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On freezing cold, super windy, Sunday.</div>
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We went to Beacon Rock where we nearly got blown off the cliff</div>
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But we survived, took photos, and ran down the hill.</div>
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And now it's Monday</div>
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And time to work.</div>
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So I'll end my blogging and continue my whining.</div>
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Happy Monday lovely schnookum friends!</div>
Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13902335.post-20855851267741441862014-11-25T06:11:00.000-08:002014-11-25T06:11:26.281-08:00Darling Updates<div style="text-align: center;">
So before I start, you may notice I've added "watermarks" to my photos below.</div>
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Sad face - guess who got catfished</div>
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<u><b>Catfish</b></u></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>A catfish is someone who pretends to be someone they're not using Facebook or
other social media to create false identities, particularly to pursue
deceptive online romances.
</i></blockquote>
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So basically, someone took a picture from my bloggy, and claimed that it was her and her boyfriend "Logan." </div>
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She was also a model.</div>
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Compliment?</div>
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Anyhow - with that being said, I'm going to make more of an effort to watermark my pictures. We'll see how long this lasts :-)</div>
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And ON to more fun things!</div>
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This piece of heaven</div>
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This is the hydroflask </div>
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...and it was sent from heaven (aka REI)</div>
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It claims to keep hot beverages <b><span style="color: red;">hot for 12 hours</span></b></div>
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And cold beverages <b><span style="color: blue;">cold for 24 hours </span></b></div>
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And the claims are<b> oh-so-true</b></div>
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I LOVE cold water. </div>
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Cold drinks. </div>
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There's no such thing as too much ice.</div>
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I filled my Hydroflask with ice water at 8:30am, and by 8;30pm there WAS STILL ICE</div>
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Mind blown.</div>
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Hooked.</div>
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Now all I need to do is score this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Insulated-Stainless-Bottle-18-Ounce-Pinkadelic/dp/B00M1YHK60/ref=sr_1_9?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1416891534&sr=1-9&keywords=hydro+flask" target="_blank">pink Hydroflask</a> and I'm set.</div>
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And moving on!</div>
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Have any of you been to the paint nights?</div>
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You drink wine and learn to paint on canvas. </div>
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For work we had a team event where we painted the St. Johns bridge</div>
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It was a blast</div>
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If you haven't done this yet you'll definitely need to!</div>
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And with that, I'm done with my incredibly random post about cold water and pretty paintings.</div>
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Happy-almost-Thanksgiving!</div>
Ashley @ ladyacray.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04501277308025910499noreply@blogger.com7