Family Hillosophy

PB&J Face

2011-09-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sienna loves her PB&J. She has a very specific way to eat the sandwich, too. She pulls it apart and licks all the peanut butter and jelly off the bread. This usually ends up with her smearing the peanut butter and jelly ALL OVER her face. Once she gets all of the inside goodness, she will proceed to eat the bread. It's the cutest thing but not fun to clean up. I love that girl!

A Time to Rest

2011-08-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Eastan is now in 7th grade. Where does the time go? He started Cross Country and has practice every day after school. On the first full week of school, Eastan came to me with a very serious request. It was around 8:30 p.m. and I was sitting in the kitchen catching up on my work email. The conversation went like this:

Eastan: Mom, can we sit down and plan a time for me to have just, like 30 minutes of down time. You know, where I can just relax and not do anything.

Me: (Remember, I am at my computer...answering emails...just finished making dinner, cleaning up dinner, etc) What do you mean?

Eastan: Well, I just had to run around all day after school and then when I got home, I didn't have any time to relax. Each time I started to relax, I had to get up and jump over another fence.

Me: Sure, we can do that. Didn't you watch a movie in your room for like 45 minutes?

Eastan: Well, I did but I had to stop because Dad told me I had to sweep off the back porch.

Me: (Trying to be as sweet as possible without laughing in his face) Ok, we will sit down and plan a time for you to relax.

Eastan then went off to bed and I finished answering emails. Oh, to be a seventh grader!

Random Thoughts

2011-03-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

I went to the gym yesterday. It was a dreary and cold day. The kind of day where all you really want to do is throw on your comfy clothes and eat comfort food. But, I summed up all the positive energy I had inside me (which was NOT a lot) and made myself go. While I was there I had a few random thoughts.

1. Wouldn't it be awesome if there was some one standing at the door when you entered the gym cheering you on? Something like this, "Good job! Way to drag yourself to the gym! You are going to feel so much better when you are done! You're a rockstar!"

2. Hairy legs are bad when all you have in your gym bag are shorts. When you combine that with legs that haven't seen the sun in about seven months, it gets worse. The unltimate is hairy legs, that haven't seen the sun in seven months with sock and jean lines!

3. A few people from the gym acted like they hadn't seen me in forever...probably because they haven't. But I felt the need to tell them that I HAVE been working out at home. Why do I feel the need to convience them of that???

4. In the same respect as #1...There should be a person standing at the door when you leave congratulating you of your accomplishment. "Look at you! You did it! Don't you feel better? You already look skinnier than you did when you walked in the door! You are going to look HOT in a swimsuit this summer!" Some people might think that's a little over the top and borderline harrassment but not me! I'm vain like that.

Nothing Like This

2011-03-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

Last night, I went to a Rascal Flatts concert with my long time friend Allison. Here are a few things I learned.

1. If you are a popular male country singer, you can get away with wearing glittery jeans and button up shirt.

2. Rain is a good thing

3. A guy named Joe Don can actually be cute...well, maybe only if he is in a popular country band and plays a guitar

4. Although it's been a long time since I've listened to country music, I'm still pretty fond of it!

5. Some friends you can go years without seeing (literally years) and pick up right where you left off. Those are the kind of friends you will have forever. Cherish those friendships. Thanks Allison for a great night!

Viking in Training

2011-02-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

Nick and his buddies have a floating group called The River Vikings. I don't think I have written about them before, but some of you know who they are. For those of you that don't...you are better off.

The River Vikings planned a day float for this Saturday. Nick thought it was time for Eastan to go floating with the Vikings. Eastan was very excited about going on the float. On Thursday night, he came down with a temperature of 100 degrees. He ended up staying home from school on Friday but as the day went on, he started to feel better. Before he went to bed, his temperature returned. Nick told him that if he wasn't feeling well in the morning, he wouldn't be able to go on the float. Eastan was very upset and told Nick he was sure that he would feel better. He took a Tylenol and went to bed. In the morning, his temp was gone and Eastan joined the Vikings.

When Eastan returned from the float, he immediately told me that he earned $30. I figured he earned the money by hauling some one's canoe to the car. I should have known better. I mean, he was with the Vikings, after all!

Here's the story:

He was standing on a rock by the river. Micah told him that he would pay him $10 to jump into the river. Paul joined in and said he would pay him $20. Fully clothed, Eastan took the challenge and jumped in. When his head popped out of the water he said, "I've been sick. My mom isn't going to be happy." The water was very cold and E was a little panicked. He changed into his dry clothes (thanks for being prepared Nick) and went on the float.

About four hours later...the fever was back.

To be a Viking, you have to earn your horns. The official word hasn't been given, but I think Eastan's horns are budding.

Snow Much Fun

2011-02-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

Eastan, Sienna and I have been snowed in since Tuesday morning. Other than the occasional visit from Mrs. Irritable, I think I've managed better than expected. Technically, I could make it out but Nick has been driving my car to work every day. I decided that taking the risk of getting stuck in the Civic with Sienna and Eastan was not worth it!

Eastan has played in the snow EVERY DAY. Even when the wind chill was around 10 degrees. He LOVES it. He gets super hyper. And laughs A LOT. Sienna is a different story. She also LOVES being outside. She will actually fuss when you bring her inside. Unlike Eastan, she is extremely serious while outside. She doesn't even crack a smile. It's like she is just taking it all in.

Today was the first day all four of us played outside. We met Josh, Zoe, Link, Mary and Shannon at Mary's house and went sledding. We had a blast. Here are a few pictures.

Pictures from my trip

2011-01-11T19:27:00.000-08:00

2011-01-07T19:04:00.000-08:00

** Please note that my spellcheck is only working in Spanish and I'm too tired to proof this before hitting "post." Ignore any typos or other mistakes!

The last time I was in Nicaragua was in March of 2001. I would have never thought that it would take me ten years to return or that when I did return, I would be returning as an employee of Project H.O.P.E. I was reminded over and over again that God has a plan for everyone.
Most of the day was spent meeting each staff member of Project H.O.P.E. I was able to learn about each person's role in the ministry and how God brought them to PH. Story after story, I was amazed. I'll give you a quick example:
Freddy is a 17 year old who met "PH" when he was 15. His sister was receiving a house through one of PH's building projects. A "gringo" by the name of Chuck took Freddy under his wing. Freddy said that he was amazed at the love Chuck showed him. He was amazed that some one could love him that much. Freddy knew his family loved him...they had to because they were his family. But Chuck, a complete stranger, was showing him unconditional love. Freddy began to work at PH as the librarian. Keep in mind, he was only 15 at the time. He speaks fluent English and is completely self-taught! His main job now is to work with the teams to interpret between the gringos and the Nicas and to work with the children's ministry. Just today he took the exam (and is pretty confident he will pass) to get into the University. Freddy said without PH, he knows that he would have atleast one child by now and living on the streets. My short story doesn't do Freddy justice. He is one special guy!

The second half of my day was spent at the hospital. Jerson, one of the staff has started a hospital ministry. I didn't know what to expect when my dad told me that Jerson would be taking us there. I wish I could have taken pictures because I really don't think I can describe it to you. First, not all hospitals in Nicaragua are like this, but this is the one you would be in if your family didn't have much money...which is most of the population. You know those creepy, run down hospitals you would see in a scary movie? The ones that are probably 60 years old, paint peeling on the walls, old concrete floors? With the exception of it being dark with no lights on, that should help paint the picture. There is only 1 nurse for every 80 patients! You only get visited by the nurse once a day and you only receive one meal in the hospital. If you want to eat more than once, your family will have to bring you food. The IV bags are old, rusty and one of them I saw had so much gooey gunk on it, I'm not really sure what it was. We visited with five patients and their families. I cried two of the five times. And to think that we complain about our hospitals! I mean, I was upset when our insurance changed back to Cox because if we had another baby, I might not get my own room! About 20% of the people in that hospital die because they won't receive proper care. They will only receive medicine if their families are their to pay for it up front.
So, that was my day in a nutshell. I really have so much more to say...so if you want to hear more, catch up with me some time. I'm more than happy to share!

Resolutions

2011-01-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not a huge New Year Resolution person. But one resolution I am making is to blog more. I think I can accomplish this goal buy not making my blogs so long. I tend to put pressure on myself to write "the perfect post." It's just not realistic. A post can be short and sweet but still tell a good story.

Second resolution is to not sweat the small stuff. In the big picture, all the little things I worry about everyday aren't worth the energy. So what if Sienna is up for three hours one night...so what if my house isn't in perfect order and there is dog hair on the floor...so what if Eastan decides to wear his backpack 24/7? I'm going to loosen up and enjoy life. It's way too short to not enjoy!

I arrived to Nicaragua today and I'm going to post a little bit each day about my trip. Here's a teaser:

5 things I saw on my way to HOPE Central
1. Two guys on motorcycles racing down the street. No headlights. No helmets.
2. A guy peeing on the sidewalk. Luckily his back was turned toward me.
3. Christmas lights
4. Lots of trash on the streets
5. I got to watch my dad talk to Eddy (one of the guys who has worked with PH for years) in Spanish. He is so enthusiastic, laughing the entire way to the base. This is truly his passion and I'm so blessed to be sharing it with him.

Final Day!

2010-04-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Today is the LAST full day of being pregnant. Unless, I am in labor for a LONG time tomorrow... which I hope is not the case.

Here is a little snapshot of the months leading up to Sienna's arrival. WARNING: Belly pics are included and I'm in my undies in one picture!

Now I'm off for a walk! One last attempt to go into labor on my own!

Pregnant and Preparing for Sienna

279

2010-04-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

279: Number of days I have been pregnant
39 & 6: Number of weeks & days I have been pregnant
9 & 3/4: Number of months I have been pregnant
1: Day left before my due date
6: Realistic number of days left in in my pregnancy

Either way you look at it, I've been pregnant a long freakin' time! Although I know it's not any longer than most women, when it's your body, it seems like a long time. Why do "they" say women are pregnant for nine months when it's really 10?

This morning, I was getting ready for my doctor appointment and in a very optimistic mood. Our bags have been packed and ready for a few weeks now. The only items missing are those that will have to wait until last minute such as toothbrush, makeup, deodorant, etc. So, before the doctor appointment, I packed the remaining items and loaded the bags into the car. I was sure something would happen either during the appointment or while I was running errands after. My optimism failed me.

My doctor told me I haven't had any change in the past two weeks. I'm still only dilated to 2 cm and 50% effaced. She said she would be surprised if I progressed on my own...although I could surprise her by coming in with my water broken. She scheduled me to be induced on Wednesday night. Nick and I will check into the hospital Wednesday night at 8 p.m. I will have a pill inserted that will soften my cervix, sleep through the night (if we aren't too anxious), and then start pitocin in the morning. At least I have a deadline in my head. I'm disappointed but having a set date helps.

I have joked that I have an uber cozy womb and Sienna just isn't ready to leave. My other theory is that Sienna is shy like I was as a child (I know, hard to imagine, right?) and isn't ready to meet all the people who are anxiously waiting to meet her. Either way, here I am...still pregnant.

2010-04-16T18:31:00.001-07:00

With only a few days (hopefully) left of being pregnant, I have been thinking a lot about what I will look forward to when I am no longer with child. Nick and I plan to have another baby, but in the case those plans change, I want to make sure I remember the good things about being pregnant. Although I am not one of those girls who "love being pregnant," I can't complain about this pregnancy at all. Other than bouts of heartburn, typical pregnancy pains, and having to pee every 10 minutes, it's been a good ride. So, here is a short rundown of what I will miss when I am no longer pregnant.

Hiccups: Sienna has hiccups multiple times a day. It's so funny to watch my belly jump in a rhythmic motion.
Attention: I remember after I had Eastan, I suddenly received no attention. It's a little bit of a shock because you go from everyone asking how you are doing to not even being greeted when you enter a room because people are so excited to see the baby. I mean, I can't even lift a staple at my office without some one trying to help me out. It's annoying at times, but really something I should have taken advantage of early on.
The Foot: I will miss feeling Sienna's foot as it pokes out from the side of my belly. I just picture this cute, little, perfectly round heel pushing from inside as Sienna stretches. I can't wait to see the little foot that causes me pain and joy at the same time!
The Basketball Palm: I will miss the way Nick palms my belly like a basketball with his giant hands. I'll also miss how he has this little laugh when he feels Sienna move. It's so cute.

I'll save what I'm looking forward to so if I'm still pregnant next week, I will have something to blog about. Don't judge if that list is longer and I'm not as sentimental! :)

Baby, Baby, Baby

2010-03-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

We have approximately 42 days until Sienna arrives. Here is a quick rundown of what the Hills are doing to prepare for "Sugar Bottoms."

I have entered, what I believe is the nesting period. Last week, I made a list of things we needed to do around the house before D-Day. If you were to come by our house last Sunday, you would have found me scrubbing the toilet and the shower with Nick's toothbrush. Don't worry, he had a new one to replace it! Nick cleaned the windows in the house along with the cars and garage. We still have a few more projects but nothing that can't get done in a weekend.

We started our Basic Childbirth Classes on Monday. We opted for the "basic" three week class instead of the six week, Lamaze-type class. As I didn't take classes when I was pregnant with Eastan, I didn't think I needed to learn all the breathing and coping techniques. I made it just fine without them 11 years ago. But since we are at a new hospital and this is Nick's first time in the delivery room, we decided a basic class would be beneficial. We did learn two new things.
1. Do not over stimulate the nipples. This could cause your uterus to contract and put you in early labor.
2. Do not give your self an enema. (Thanks for the advice. Don't think I would have anyway!)
To this, Nick responded, "There goes our weekend."

I also stress about money. It has slowly progressed as we get closer to D-Day. We have been very blessed with AWESOME gifts from friends and family. Even so, there is so much more to buy. I was wide awake at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning adding everything up in my head. I couldn't stop stressing. I also find myself putting items back on the shelf at the grocery store. This weekend, I'm going to attempt to make my own laundry detergent. I know, it's that bad!

I stole this from another blog. I wish I would have done this earlier on. Oh, well. There's always next time!

How far along? 34 weeks.

Total weight gain/loss: 24 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes. I can still pull off a few "regular" shirts if they are longer and have enough stretch to them.

Stretch marks? Unfortunately, yes.

Sleep: Depends on the night. Some nights I sleep really well and normally only get up once in the night to use the bathroom.

Movement: Sienna is a pretty active little girl. I think she was doing aerobics last night. Some movements are starting to hurt a little.

Food cravings: Last week, I ate a doughnut. That's really not normal for me. As always, I crave french fries.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Wine

What I am looking forward to: Wine

The Challenge is on!

2010-01-21T11:02:00.000-08:00

My friend Carrie recently wrote an entire blog about doughnuts just because her husband challenged her to do so. He really didn't think it was possible, but she rose to the challenge and far exceeded all expectations.

I was thinking about this random challenged and emailed Carrie a challenge of my own. Twice a month, Carrie and I will give each other a word and within three days, we will have to post a blog based on that word. We hope this will remedy our habit of neglecting our blogs and improve our creative writing skills.

I think we were both a little easy on each other for this first round. You will have to read her blog to find out her challenge word. Mine is VACATION. So, here goes!

As I sit here, almost 27 weeks pregnant, I have to admit that vacation has actually been on my mind quite often. More specifically, the lack of vacation Nick and I will be having in the next few years. If I had to guess, our trips to all-inclusive resorts in Mexico will soon be traded in for more family-friendly vacations.

As most of you know, our circle of friends is experiencing a small baby boom. With us having kids around the same age, it should make for some great group family vacations. We have already discussed trips to Florida and Colorado. Both excite me, but Colorado holds a special place in my heart.

My family, along with three other families, traveled to Colorado every year from the time I was in second grade to about high school. I have so many memories of these trips. In an effort to not make this the longest blog entry ever, here is a list of my top six memories (in no particular order).

1. Ski School - As a shy child, I never liked ski school. As an adult, I'm glad my parents enrolled me each year until I was able to master my mad skiing skills. I was always the best girl on the slopes at our church ski trips. When Nick and I went skiing for our honeymoon, I was able to show him up on the slopes. Sorry, Sweetie but it's nice to be better than you in ONE sport! My most memorable ski school moment occurred when I was around eight years old. I was on the ski lift with another little girl and when she leaned over to do something, she fell right out of the lift! I was horrified! Afterward, a few people from the resort asked me questions about the incident. Being only eight, I thought I was being questioned. I was worried they thought I pushed her or something. Looking back, I know it was probably for their own liability reasons. Luckily for the little girl, we were on the bunny slope and I believe she only had a sprained arm.

2. French Toast - My parents' friend Larry made the most awesome french toast in the morning before we hit the slopes. Yum! I wish I had some right now!

3. Limousine - My parents' friend Rick owned a company that built and restored limousines. One year, we actually took one to Colorado. All of us (just the kids, not the adults) were so excited. We thought it was the coolest thing ever that we were riding in a limo to Colorado. It wasn't a fancy limo or anything because it was one that needed to be restored, but we didn't care! It was a LIMO ... with a TV! I think we even put "Colorado or Bust" on the outside with masking tape.

4. "We're Walking" - Most of our parents had their own ski equipment but the kids always had rentals. It didn't make much sense to buy boots and skis for kids that would outgrown them each year. The men in the group would always work to get the best deal at the rental shop. (needed background information: of the four dads in the group, two were used car dealers and all four were pretty tight with their money) One year, we had all been fitted for our skis, poles and boots but Larry didn't like the price we were given. He told the guys at the rental place if they didn't give us a better deal, we would walk. A few minutes later we heard, "That's it. We are walking. Come on, kids." All seven kids dropped their skis, poles and boots and we walked out the door.

5. Kudos - My dad always had a backpack filled with snacks when we were skiing. Kudos were always included in the mix. I can't look at a box of Kudos without thinking about our ski trips.

6. Hot drinks - Before the boom of Starbucks and speciality coffees came to Springfield, Missouri, my mom and I discovered two delicious drinks called Latte & Cafe Mocha. For a few years, the only place we could find them were at the base of the mountain in Keystone. It was a special treat each year!

Thanks, Mom and Dad for all the memories! I hope Nick and I will be able to provide many great vacation memories to Eastan, Sienna (and others).

Holy Cow!

2010-01-11T14:07:00.001-08:00

So, I decided it was time for me to blog again. I just realized that I haven't posted a blog since OCTOBER. I'm sorry to all my loyal readers (all four of you).

Really, a lot has happened since October. I think about blogging about it but then wonder, "Who really reads this that I don't see on a regular basis?" Then I move on to something else in my day and forget to blog.

I can actually give you several reasons for not blogging on a regular basis. Number one reason being that I'm pretty OCD when it comes to writing. I worry about everything making sense. I worry about my grammar. I worry about not being creative and entertaining. Because of this, by the time I post my blog, two hours have past.

Why do I worry so much about this, you ask? Mainly because I over think EVERYTHING I write. I've always been this way. In college, Nick and I would write a paper at the same time and you would think the communication major would always finish before the computer information systems major. Not in this case. Nick would ALWAYS finish before me and not by minutes but hours. I used to call him the King of BS because he just pulled stuff out of his butt where I would over think and make sure everything was perfect. I do the same with my blog. I know of at least four people who read my blog that would catch all my mistakes.
1. My sister-in-law Angela, the writer
2. My best friend Jessica, the English major/former English teacher/proofreader extraordinaire
3. My friend Aubrey, the BRAIN and Super Mom (just kidding, Aubrey. I couldn't resist)
4. My mom who always read my papers before I turned them in

I could go on, but I'm writing this to say that a resolution of mine is to not let my OCD hold me back from writing on my blog. If I have mistakes, I know you all will love me anyway. If each post doesn't flow, you will keep reading....right???

So, to make this quick, here is a run down of the last three months.
1. Nick finished his marathon in Memphis. He is truly amazing. He wanted to complete it around 3 hrs and 45 minutes. His final time was 3 hrs and 48 minutes. Not only is he the King of BS, he is a machine!

2. Eastan worked very hard raising his grades from 1st quarter to 2nd. He went from no A's and a few F's to no F's, a few A's and mainly B's. Nick and I are very proud of him.

3. We found out that we are having a girl. I will blog about that later!

4. Eastan's winter break ran an extra week because of the weather. He was out for three weeks instead of two. Today is his first day back!

5. Our friends Micah and Jessica had a baby girl in December. Emrie is so precious and I can't wait for her to meet her best friend in April!

I'm sure that something is being left out...but I'm going to hit the "publish post" button now instead of worrying about it. Actually, I will re-read the post, spell check and then publish. OCD can't be cured in a day!

The Blog Awards

2009-10-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

My great friend Aubrey tagged my blog, along with 4 others, with the Fabulous Award. I don't know that my blog is very fabulous, especially when my post are so sporadic!

If you ask me, Aubrey's blog is the most fabulous of fab! According to Aubrey, she is the "least fabulous person she knows." Her reasons boil down to shopping exclusively at gap.com and oldnavy.com, her only handbag is a diaper bag, she doesn't watch T.V. other than Elmo, she loves to cook and read, she is a math teacher, and self-described nerd. Aubrey leaves the following information out:

she is the mom to two of the cutest girls ever

she went from living in a small town in Oklahoma to residing in Baltimore, England, and currently in Germany

not only is she a "math nerd," but she has amazing writing skills and I believe she majored or minored in English as well as Math - basically she is super smart

The above qualities are just a few reasons why Aubrey's blog is FABULOUS. I especially enjoy it because it helps me feel connected to her and the rest of the PJs while they live so far away.

If I could, I would pass the award right back to Aubs. But there are rules for this award that I must stick to! Basically now that my blog has been tagged with the Fabulous Award, I have to share five things that I am currently obsessed with and pass the award onto five other blogs that I read.

1. Weight: I know this is vain of me. I'm sure you are thinking, "Ashley, you are pregnant. This is the last thing you should be worried about. This is the time to GAIN weight and be happy about it." I know you are thinking that because these are things people have told me. You have to understand that when I was pregnant with Eastan, it was not a pretty site. You can ask my mom. This time around, I am trying to keep up with my regular workouts and watch what I eat. I'm not pregger-exic by any means. I just don't run to Sonic or McDonalds just because it sounds good.

2. Christmas: I have always loved Christmas but this Christmas morning will be especially awesome! See The Best Christmas Present EVER? post.

3. iphone: Although I am not currently obsessed with this, I fear I will be soon. Nick and I are switching to AT&T on Sunday so we can have iphones. Nick is already obsessed and has been counting the days until our contract with Verizon is over. I have had the same piece of crap phone for two years and would be happy with any upgrade. I think my constant connection with the world via Facebook and the multiple apps that are available could soon consume me.

4. Zits: This pregnancy is making my face breakout. Primarily from my left temple, across my forehead, and down to my right temple. I sort of freak out about it because the majority of my life, I have been pretty lucky in the complexion area. I'm not used to having breakouts. What makes it even more annoying is that these aren't the type of zits that want to pop. They just want to sit under my skin, just enough to show but not come to the surface. This makes me pick at them while I sit at my desk or in front of the mirror at night. It feels like they are ready to burst but in reality, they are just a big tease!

5. Wilco: I don't know if this is a real obsession but I do love this band. Wilco is a band based out of Chicago that has been around for a number of years. If you aren't familiar with them, you should be. My brother introduced me to this band a few years ago. They are his favorite. I went to one of their concerts about 3 years ago and wasn't quite sure if I liked them. Then my brother gave me basically all of their music and I was hooked.

There are my five current obsessions. Maybe you learned something new about me today.
Now for the awards! My five favorite blogs are:

Carrie M. - Chicklet & Ducky

Carla - Two to Seven

Angela - The Hill Hotspot

Carrie R. - Happy Together

Stacy - The Silverwood Family

TAG - you're it!

The Best Christmas Present EVER?

2009-10-19T15:26:00.001-07:00

I am sure you are thinking, "Christmas is a few months away. Why is Ashley writing about Christmas?" As you know, Christmas is my St. Nick's FAVORITE time of year. He loves Christmas and everything that surrounds it.

He has a few more events to look forward to this holiday season. On December 5, he will be participating in the St. Jude Marathon in Memphis. He has been training very hard the past few months and I believe he will ROCK (pun intended) it out!

The second big event in December is our ultrasound. On December 1, (assuming baby cooperation) we will find out if we are having a girl or a boy... or will we?

My friend Crystal passed along this grand idea that since our ultrasound is in December, we should ask the ultrasound tech to not tell us the sex of the baby but ask her to write it down on a piece of paper and put it in a sealed envelope. Nick and I would then take the envelope home, wrap it in a "beautiful box with a BIG bow" and open it with Eastan on Christmas morning. I thought that was actually a really sweet idea, until our ultrasound was scheduled for December 1.
I mean, I'm really suppose to wait another 24 days to find out the sex of this little shrimp? Then I begin to think about how magical Christmas morning would be. I know, I am being a little dramatic. But really, think about it. We would be so excited on Christmas Eve. We would wake up like little kids, anxiously getting out of bed on Christmas morning to open our little gift. We could re-wrap the envelope and when we go to my parents house for Christmas breakfast, we can give them the present. And again when we go to Nick's parents.

Nick is totally sold on the idea. Of course, he would be sold on something that would make Christmas even more awesome! It would be the best Christmas present ever. But what if I wanted to peek?

How to Plan & Implement a Successful Man-date

2009-07-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Man-Date: (n) Night of man-tivities such as drinking beer and playing video games
ex. My husband and his friend Jason had a man-date on Thursday night.

Step 1. Call your friend to set-up the date

Step 2. Call your wife to consult on the dinner menu

Step 3. Go to Harter House 24 hours prior to the man-date to purchase your steak & marinade

Step 4. Place the steak in the marinade before you go to bed

Step 5. Toss the steak around in the marinade before you go to work

Step 6. Call your wife again to confirm the sides that will go with the steak

Step 7. While you are at work, daydream about your night of man-tivities

Step 8. When you get home, make sure the house is clean

Step 9. Start the grill

Step 10. Pour a glass of wine

Step 11. Wash the windows (yeah, I don't know) while you are waiting on the grill

Step 12: Place your deliciously marinated steaks on the grill

Step 13. Eat your wonderfully crafted dinner of steak, sweet potato chips and corn on the cob

Step 14. Lock your wife up in the bedroom

Step 15. Lock your son up in his bedroom

Step 16. Have your buddy make his profile on the PS3

Step 17. Stand as close to 46" High Def, Flat Screen TV as possible

Step 18. Demolish all players & conquer the world of Call of Duty while you drink

Step 19. Say things such as:
"Get out of my way, dude."
"That's freakin' awesome."
"HaHaHa, did you see that?!"
"I couldn't move! They were right on top of me."
"OOOOHHHHHGGGG!!!"

Step 20. Say "good-night" to your buddy, go to bed, and dream about next man-date where you will resume kicking of ass and conquering of the world.

Extreme Weekend of personal records, joyrides and dream coats

2009-07-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

I had one of those "perfect" weekends last week. Nothing special happened, it was just a fun and relaxing weekend. It started out with a unplanned date night with Nick. We decided to go to dinner and while I was in the shower, he told me that he was going run to "get something" from his dad. When we walked out the door to leave, I saw that the "something" was his dad's little black convertible. We had such a good time riding around in the car all weekend. I think Nick had an even better time driving the car. After a nice dinner at Rivals, one of Nick's favorite places, we decided that we really wanted ice cream. So, off to Andy's we went! YUM!

In the morning, I ran in the Girls Just Wanna

Run 5K with Katie, my mom and her friend Marilyn. It is a fun race because (if you didn't get it from the name) it's an all girls run. What made it even better was that I ran a personal best at 26.54! The last race participated in was the Turkey Trot which I ran around 28.30. Fantastic!

After the race, we went to Anton's. Believe it or not, Nick and I have never been to Anton's. For those of you who aren't from Springfield, Anton's has been around for a LONG time. It way surpassed my expectations. The coffee was wonderful, the pancakes were crusty around the edges, my omelet had yummy feta inside, and the hashbrowns were not greasy. Perfection.

My day continued at the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition site near Ash Grove. I helped my friend Jessica in the VIP tent. I know this sounds special, but I think the volunteers in the hospitality tent actually had more interaction with the people from the show. I did get to see Michael but not being a regular viewer of the show, it wasn't too exciting. Jessica and I were able to get in a shot for the show. I told Jessica that it would probably get cut in the final edits - but we were excited anyway! I found out later in the week that Jessica has a higher chance of getting on TV because she was able to be in a few more shots. She is a pretty big deal now and I hope she will still be friends with an "extra" like me! She also got to meet Ty.

Back to me! The weekend wrapped up with a performance at Missouri State's Tent Theatre. Jason, Katie, Nick and I saw Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. The weather was perfect for an outdoor theatre and the show was pretty good too.

What a GREAT life God has given me!

I miss Carrie

2009-07-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

My friend Carrie moved to Detroit in May and I miss having her around the office. Not only is she extremely sincere, but she is probably one of the wittiest people I have ever met. After random emails between the Squirrels today, Carrie posted A Day With Squirrels. I encourage you to read it!
I love you, Carrie! Your story is fantastical (fantastic & magical)!

Squirrely Girls

2009-07-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

I am a proud Squirrely Girl. The Squirrely Girls are comprised of fellow crafters that spread across the country (yes, I can say that because Carrie now lives in Michigan). Squirrely Girls originated when Jessica and I decided to craft our own Christmas ornaments. See Squirrely Girl Craft post. The name fits us, not only because we are squirrely of nature but we also like squirrels. We have squirrel nicknames, a logo, set-up a site on Etsy to sell our squirrel crafts, cut out random pictures of squirrels from the newspaper to give to fellow Squirrels, craft our own squirrel shirts and basically go over-the-top for anything squirrel.

In saying that, I don't believe you will ever find one of the Squirrely Girls in the situation as this lady (that might be too proper of a term) in this news story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw_BQNP7pM8

Dragon Eggs

2009-05-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

Last night Nick and I found two letters on the kitchen counter. The letters were addressed to two different people but both were requesting a dragon egg to be delivered to our house. We both thought it was a little odd, but it was late and I decided we would question Eastan later about his dragon eggs.

This morning, while still laying in bed, I heard this conversation:
Nick: Who are you sending these letters to?
Eastan: I don't know. Gabby and I got the addresses from a book that she has.
Nick: Well, you aren't going to send a letter with our return address without me knowing who you are sending it to.
Eastan: But I have to send it so I can get my dragon eggs.
Nick: I hope you have a stamp because I'm not paying for you to send a letter requesting a dragon egg.
Eastan: Well, can I show mom the book? By the time I can get it from Gabby, you will be gone.
Nick: That will be fine.

At this point, I had drug myself out of bed.
Eastan: Did you know that the dragon will grow bigger than the house.
Me: What is your purpose and goal of having a dragon?
Eastan: I am going to grow and train it. Then I will let it out in the wild so it can be free. Gabby sent of for her egg last week and should have it any day. It only takes seven days to hatch.

Moses and the broken commandment

2009-05-04T15:23:00.001-07:00

Moses, my dad's yellow lab and Jax's best friend is one lucky dog. He was involved in a hit and run last weekend when he was traveling back home from dumpster diving at Highland Springs. Of course, this is just a speculation as Moses does not talk.

After missing for two days, my parents found him in a ditch. When they took him to the vet, they learned that he had a dislocated hip that would need surgery to repair. The vet recommended taking Moses to MU for the surgery because they have a great veterinary school.

On Wednesday, my dad drove Moses to Columbia and left him in the care of Benjamin a student at MU. Benjamin referred to himself as Moses' student. When he would call my dad to give him updates, he would say, "This is Benjamin, Moses' student."

Moses had his surgery on Thursday and was able to come home today. I decided to take the day off and go with my dad to pick-up Moses. Once we arrived to MU, we found Moses' student Benjamin. Although I did not meet any other students, I was very impressed with Benjamin as he seemed to have a good bedside manner. I learned that Ben is graduating in the summer and plans to doctor "large breed animals" as in cows and horses. His wife will graduate this semester and will doctor "small breed animals" as in dogs and cats. I could tell you a lot more about Ben because my dad asked him a lot of questions such as:

Where will you move after graduation?

Will you be a partner at that hospital?

My dad also gave him advice like:

Stay away from the exotic animals.

My vet, Rick Smith could use some help in Springfield if you want to move down there.

Anyway, after Ben showed us x-rays, talked us through the surgery, and the after care, it was time to see Moses. He was very excited to see his dad but we had to get him to contain his excitement so he wouldn't put too much pressure on his back leg. Other than the shaved hair on his hip and front leg (from the IV) and the staples, he looked great.

Ben and my dad hoisted Moses into the car and we were ready for our ride home. If you haven't seen Moses, I have to tell you that he has a HUGE head. They put one of those cones around his neck and it was extra huge. So big that a few times on the ride home, Moses would get the cone stuck on the back of the seat and the ceiling of the truck and start to choke a little. I had to turn around and get him unstuck!

Moses is now home and receiving much deserved pampering. Moses will be able to stay inside for about eight weeks despite the massive amounts of hair that will be shed in my parents' house. I told my dad that he would just have to vacuum a few extra times each week.

2009-04-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Isn't it annoying when people have a big win or success and won't stop "bragging" on themselves? When they crash and burn, you never hear about it. You might even ask them how their event, meeting, game, etc. went and they say, "I don't even want to talk about it." That always annoys the crap out of me because I remember how he/she wouldn't shut up because he/she is "so AWESOME!"

I have to confess that I am guilty of this. A few weeks ago, we won our first co-ed softball game and I dedicated an entire post to brag about our team. Since then, we have lost three games and I haven't made a single post. Last week was BAD. Not only was the weather horrible, it was about 44 degrees and had been raining most of the day, but we had a double header.

We joked that with the gold sleeves on our shirts, we looked like the Bad News Bears!

We fumbled around when catching the ball and all in all we looked very uncoordinated. We almost made a come back on the first game. The score was 2 - 22 and it ended 19-22. The second team we played was semi-pro and we had no chance! Maybe they weren't semi-pro, but most of them were on competitive teams and played three times a week. The game was actually called early due to a run rule. This means they scored too many runs for us to be able to catch up and the umpire called the game.

Our plan of action is to have a practice this week and work on our fielding as this seems to be our major area of weakness. We hope this will ensure Team Domination a win when we go against the Bud Light Slammers on Friday at 9:30 p.m.

Citizens of Sweatsville: Dead Guy

2009-04-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

Dead Guy is approximately 55 years old and balding. His workout consists of riding the "old school" stationary bicycle. This is the kind where the handlebars move back and forth and the "tire" spins around like a fan when you peddle.

There are two things that make Dead Guy noteworthy. Before Dead Guy travels upstairs to get on his stationary bicycle, he has to stretch. There are many places to stretch at the gym, most of which are tucked away and not out in the middle of the cardio area. Apparently, Dead Guy likes to stretch in front of others. His location of choice is in front of the StairMaster. For some reason, 75% of the time that I am on the StairMaster, I look up to find him standing with his legs stretched apart and his bicycle short-wearing butt up in the air, in all its glory. It's a little distracting, but I'm a mature adult, so I don't let it bother me. Who am I kidding? If you are reading this, you know me and know that statement is false. I try not to look, I really do. It's like a train wreck and I can't look away. He continues to do other stretches that are obscene to my immature mind.

What does this have to do with being called Dead Guy, you ask? Well, his name was actually coined by Katie. The first time we saw Dead Guy, he was on the bike and we were lifting weights. Katie looked over and said, "That guy on the bike looks like he is dead!" I looked over and saw a middle aged, flushed-looking man riding the "old school" bike with his eyes closed and his mouth gaping open. His head remained still while his legs peddled and his arms pushed and pulled the handlebars. And so, Dead Guy was named. The name stuck because anytime he is on that bike, his eyes stay closed and his mouth remains open.

If only I could figure out a way to take a picture of the Citizens.

Next Week in Citizens of Sweatsville: The Magazine Girls

Citizens of Sweatsville

2009-04-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Nick and I are members at a certain gym in town. Nick has been going on a daily basis for four years now. I joined him in his quest to "be fit" about four months ago. This is really the first time that I have been disciplined and regular. I finally talked a friend into joining "our" gym so I could have a workout partner. What a difference it has made to have Katie to workout with!!

This posting isn't to brag on my recent attachment to the gym. It is to introduce a new feature, if you will, to the Family Hillosophy blog. When you go to the gym on a regular basis, you begin to see the same people every day. It's like a weird community where nobody knows your name. BUT in a bizarre way, you feel like you know them because you see them every day and begin to notice all their unique characteristics or tendencies. Since you don't know their name, you make up a name for them.

Enter Crazy Stepper Lady. Not to be confused with The Other Crazy Stepper Lady, as Crazy Stepper Lady is the original. CSL is approximately 58 years old and has the legs of a 25 year old. Don't get excited, boys. Don't get jealous, girls. Read further. You do not want to be like CSL.

Until recently, she could only be found on the StairMaster (the big one with the rotating stairs). I believe she has had an injury because you can now find her in a habitat that is rare to the CSL species - upstairs in the weight area. That's another thing about going to the gym each day...not only do you come up with names for complete strangers, you being to make up stories about complete strangers.

CSL wears a gray sweatshirt every time she works out. If it's 28 degrees out and snowing, she wears a sweatshirt. If it's 95 degrees outside, she wears a sweatshirt.

CSL disregards the rule that you can only use the stepper for 30 minutes. She will get on the stepper and when her "allowed" 30 minutes is up, she will get off, quickly get a drink and get back on for another 30. I am pretty sure she knows that no one is willing to mess with her by jumping on the stepper before she is really finished.

I forgot to tell you that she is SCARY. Forget the fact that she has witch-like, long, gray hair that is worn in a pony-tail. Forget that her bony frame (from being over worked) resembles that of a witch. She is MEAN. You know the mean lady that lives down the street that all the kids are scared of? That's her. One day, Nick overheard a couple of girls politely ask her how long she does the stepper each day. Her response was, "ENOUGH." My friend, Madaline said CSL rarely speaks when spoken to but when she does, she cusses like a sailor.

She is also, in my opinion, a repeat offender in the locker room. As most of you know, I am not the most modest person. I do feel that walking around the locker room with only a towel around your waist or while you dry your long, witchy hair is not very polite. I really don't need to see her oddly-fit-for-her-age body and tiny, mature, lady lumps while I change clothes.

Next week in Citizens of Sweatsville:
Dead Guy

DOMINATE

2009-03-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

Team Domination had its first co-ed softball game last night. On the way to the park, I began to feel completely unprepared and nervous. I had my little league softball glove in my lap, the same one I played with about 20 years ago (holy cow...20 years ago!). It still had my name and phone number written on it. Ashley Bradley 736-2310. Maybe that was part of the problem. Other than our practice a week ago, I hadn't played softball since my little league days.

Nick tried to calm my nerves by telling me to just keep my "eye on the ball." Sounds easy enough, right? I told him that I tried to do that at practice but didn't always connect with the ball. He said I had to watch it through, "watch the ball hit your bat and swing through." His pep talk took me back to my little league days too. It reminded me of the same pep talk my dad used to give me before my games. I always wanted to make my dad proud at the games and I found myself wanting to make Nick proud of me too.

We got to the park, found our team, warmed up, and took the field. I played left center with Nick at left field and our friend Trip at right center. This wasn't going to be as bad as I thought because I knew that Nick or Trip would be able to get the ball if I needed help. The ball did come to me once, I got it but got nervous and tossed it to Nick to throw in for me.

When it was time for me to bat, I tried to calm my nerves. It was pretty anti-climatic as the pitcher walked me. I guess he knew not to mess with the Queen (see yesterday's post)! The second time I was up to bat, I walked again. The third time, I hit the ball to third base and made it on first. I was so excited! That was really all I wanted to do - hit the ball and not strike out.

Our team did an awesome job, living up to our team name. We dominated the other team, winning 16 - 4! Our next game is Friday at 7:30. If you don't have plans, come to Summers at the River for a little domination!

Queen

2009-03-27T15:23:00.001-07:00

My middle name is Rena, pronounced with a long "a", usually spelled Renee. Most people who see my middle name, pronounce it with a short "a."

Today, at my grandma's, I was zoning out while staring at a piece of her mail. Although she goes by Jane, her first name is Lorena and as I stared at her name, I saw that my middle name was part of her name. I asked my mom if she spelled my name r-e-n-a because of Lorena, l-o-R-E-N-A. My mom said no, but that if I wanted to go by Rena, with a short "a" sound, I could and say I was named after my grandma. My dad then said that Rena (with the short "a" sound) means "queen" in Spanish. That confirmed my decision. I will now be Ashley Rena (with a short "a" sound) Hill. For those close to me, Queen will do.

Jinx

2009-03-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

I think I jinxed myself. My last post was about how bored I was at work. Since then, I have been SO busy! As most of you know, I am the communications director at the American Cancer Society. My job consists of writing press releases, pitching story ideas to the media, securing media sponsorships and a basketful of other things that I don't care to go into detail about.

When I get home at night and on the weekends, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of the computer and write something. My creative wheels have been spent. Not to say that events haven't happened over the past few months that have made me think, "I need to blog about this!" Several things have happened. Here is a quick, non-creative run-down:

We spent a weekend in January with 12 close friends at a cabin near Branson. We were suppose to go to Arkansas but they had no power due to the ice storm. Not willing to cancel our highly anticipated weekend, we came up with a Plan B and secured a really neat spot in Blue Eye.
I joined a bookclub.
Our good friends, Jason & Katie are getting married in November. Katie and I have been dress shopping twice and found the perfect dress for her. She is going to look so pretty! Added bonus...I get to be in the wedding!
Speaking of Jason & Katie - we went to their engagement party on Saturday.
We painted our bathroom green and brown.
We started the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University bible study. Since then we have paid off my car and will have Nick's paid off in May.
Nick is crazy deep in March Madness. It's pretty bad. When I complained about the constant basketball on our tv he said, "Just let me have my March Madness." I am ready for baseball so I can see my lovely Pujols in his baseball pants.
Eastan beat Halo 1. He is pretty excited about it.
Almost forgot a big one! We are on a co-ed softball team. Much more about that later!
Eastan made it to his last quarter of 4th grade alive!
Jax is having surgery on Friday. Two lypomas (I don't think I spelled that right) are being removed.

Stay tuned for more blogging...I haven't given it up. Just took a little hiatus.

2009-01-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite comedies is Office Space. If you haven't seen it before and don't mind a few f-bombs and other crude language, I would recommend it. It's just way too funny!

Today, I feel like Ron Livingston's character Peter. See above clip.

I had an extremely productive week last week. I got everything done on my "to-do" list. Even though this is only a four-day work week, I can't get motivated. I spent yesterday morning trying to hook my computer up to our projector so we could watch the inauguration speech. Unfortunately, a million other people had the same idea because the site was too slow. I moved on to trying to get a decent picture on a very small, ancient television in my boss' office. Although the reception was very bad, a group of us were able to "see" (but really just hear) the inauguration.

After that was done, it was time for lunch. After lunch, I decided that I could work ahead and then remembered that being proactive is entirely overrated! So, I messed around on Facebook, read some blogs and felt very lazy.

I had very high expectations for myself today...HAD is the key word here. It is now 11:33 and I have completed one task and read through a few emails. I am meeting a couple of friends for lunch at 12:30 so I can't get a lot accomplished in an hour. Even if I did, what would I do the rest of the day?

No Shallow Hals in this family

2009-01-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

I think I need to clarify something. The previous post "Short Hair is Sexy Hot" was written to be funny. Make you laugh at the stupid things couples can fight over. In no way did I mean to convey that Nick would love me less or find me less attractive because of the way I look. Please do not think that Nick is that shallow because that is the furthest thing from the truth. Nick has shown me nothing but unconditional love over the course of our 8 1/2 year relationship. I know that he will love me even more for the next 50 years to come. Don't come down on him - it was all a playful post.

Short hair is sexy hot!

2009-01-08T20:21:00.000-08:00

I think my husband would love it if we were Pentecostal. You know, the women have super long hair and wear skirts all the time. I say this because we got into a little tiff yesterday over hair. Yes, hair.

I decided that I wanted to cut my hair shorter. This is after Nick has recently complained that my hair keeps getting shorter each month even though he has told me that he does not like short hair. I thought I would be respectful and ask his opinion before making the cut. I showed him a picture of what I was thinking of doing the night before my appointment. His response was, "Why are you even asking my opinion when you know my answer?"

This discussion carried into the next day as I tried to get his blessing for my new do. Nick was refusing to give his "blessing" and the more I begged for his blessing the more up upset he got. The discussion was via phone and then via IM. Bad choice on my part. Most heated discussions that I have with Nick are shared with my BFF. She is my sense of reason at times like this when I really don't understand Nick's point of view. So, Nick and I were discussing the cut via IM and, in my opinion, his arguments were a little over the top. I told him that it was just hair and shouldn't be a big deal. To that, he told me that he was going to grow a comb over. The "discussion" continued. This is where it went south. I was having a conversation via IM with my BFF at the same time as my discussion with Nick. Since our conversation was getting so out of hand, I attempted to cut and paste it into my BFF conversation so she could see how stupid we were being. When I hit paste, I realized that I cut and pasted my conversation with Nick back into my conversation with Nick instead sharing it with my BFF. Nick's not a dumb guy and I knew immediately that he would know what I was trying to do. It went something like this:

Nick: what are you doing

Ashley: nothing

Nick: why did you just cut and paste our conversation?

Ashley: I was trying to scroll up

Nick: who were you trying to share it with

Ashley: no one

Nick: whatever.

Ashley: really, I wasn't sharing it

Nick: don't lie to me

Ashley: I was going to share it with Jessica, but I changed my mind

Nick: I'm done

Ashley: Please don't be mad at me. I'm sorry

Nick: You lied

Ashley: No, I changed my mind. I didn't share it with her

Nick: Yeah, when you paste the conversation into the wrong window, it can change your mind pretty quickly

Yeah, I'm stupid! I know it. I can't lie and when I do, I get caught because I suck at lying. Ask my parents, I've never been good at it. I called Nick and tried to make things better. It didn't really help because he was mad at me for not telling him the truth. I was still trying to get his blessing to cut my hair. He told me that I can cut it if I want but just know that he finds me less attractive with short hair.

I left work and was on my way to Blush, still not knowing what I was going to do. I decided to compromise. I didn't go as short as I wanted so he would still find me sort of attractive.

I shared Nick's statement with my mom later. She told me that I must have pretty high confidence since that didn't bother me. I told her that I know he was just saying whatever he thought would make me change my mind. I think short hair can be sexy hot. Isn't it really how your hair makes you feel anyway?

Even Miss Rachel McAdams has short hair!

Country Elves

2008-12-23T12:44:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Hill Elves

2008-12-23T12:38:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-12-16T09:12:00.000-08:00

Today is my beautiful mom's birthday. She is such a great mom, I can't even tell you how blessed I am to have her in my life. Although at times my mom and I, like all mother/daughters, had some major fights. When I was younger, I remember us getting into a fight and she got on the phone with my dad. My response was, "Oh, go call daddy on me!" Sometimes she would get upset and tell me that it didn't matter because "daddy" would just take my side.

Some might think that we have an unusually close relationship as we have talked about anything from sex to bowel movements. That's right! Poop!

One of the many things I love about my mom is that she is the one person I can tell anything to and I know she will still love me the same. When I got pregnant with Eastan, she was there for me through the entire experience. From the "official" phone call confirming I was pregnant to the moment Eastan was born. I never felt that she loved me less and she was willing to support me with any decision I made during that time.

My mom has made a big impact on many people's lives. If you told her that, she would disagree, but it's true. From being a counselor in the high school department at our old church, discussion leader at BSF, children's leader at BSF, Sunday School teacher at Fellowship, Children's Director at Fellowship, friend, wife and mom - she has made an impact.

My mom is also a delicate person but at times when she is needed, she is so strong. Amazingly strong. The first time I realized this strength was when my grandpa passed away in 2002. My dad was in Nicaragua at the time and she remained so strong for the entire family. When my grandma got sick this summer, she again, was the rock. She took care of all the details (as my dad was again in Nicaragua) and kept it all together during such a difficult time.

To wrap it all up, I love my mom! I can always count on her to lift me up, cry with me, tell me the truth when I need it most, share a bottle of wine with me, laugh with me....I could go on and on!

Mom - thank you for being a SPECTACULAR mom! I love you!

A few of my favorite things...

2008-12-15T16:45:00.001-08:00

Every year, I am excited to pull out my Christmas ornaments. I have a few favorites, including new additions, that I thought I would share!

This cute little snowman on a stick was purchased about 2 years ago when I went shopping with my mom. She has one too and even though her table centerpiece is a little better than mine, I think I did a decent job on his centerpiece display this year.

This little guy was purchased the same day as above snowman. I try to hang him on the tree, but he is a little too heavy for our real tree's branches. Instead, he receives his own little spot on our entry table.

The above 3 ornaments were purchased about 3 years ago from Countryside Cottage. The "candy men" ranked no. 1 in my list until this year.

This Santa has been with me every Christmas since I was a little girl. My mom painted him a long time ago, so he has double sentimental value. She passed him on to me a few years after Nick and I got married.

This is a new addition to the ornament family. I got this Santa in a canoe for my little St. Nick.

I received this Santa at our annual "CG" ornament exchange. Thanks, Crystal! I found the whimsical ball ornament on my shopping trip with Jessica a month ago. (See "Squirrely Girly Crafts" entry.)

This monkey is now my no. 1 favorite. Although he isn't your normal Christmas ornament, I think he is so great! As some of you know, I have a small obsession with sock monkeys...I had to buy him!

A Crazy Adult Party

2008-12-09T20:06:00.001-08:00

Nick and I invited a few friends over to celebrate Nick's birthday & Christmas! Eastan told Nick's parents that we were having a "crazy adult party." I laughed at his comment but when the night was over, I decided Eastan gave a correct description of our party. I don't think writing about this party would serve it justice, so I will use pictures/video to tell the story.

I made sugar cookies (Nick's favorite) for the party.

Jeff Kelley, former member of the Ghettoblasters, was at our party.

Ashley Webster joined the fun....

as did the Bertholdi's

and, of course, Micah

Katie was festive in her Christmas shirt and silver scarf

The newlyweds were all smiles!

We were all having a grand time!

Jessica saw a picture of Eastan on the computer with his moon shoes. After asking what they were, I ran out to the garage and grabbed them. Since Jessica's nickname is "Safety Patrol" I grabbed Eastan's bike helmet so no one would get hurt. Jessica Bertholdi and Bethany also got in on the moon shoe action.

The fun continued with a few card games. While others continued to play the games, Ashley Webster decided she wanted to try the moon shoes out. Pay close attention to the commotion toward the end of the video. I'll explain on the other side.

I love that Jason and Justin are laughing so hard! They weren't the only ones laughing.

After the pieces of the table were taken out the garage, Nick decided it was time to read the story of St. Nicholas to everyone.

I apparently decided it was time to drink more wine.

The end.

Happy Birthday, Nicholas

2008-12-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

Nick turns 28 today! Happy Birthday!

I met Nick in 2000 but I saw Nick the first time in 1999 at Fellowship Bible Church. My parents started going to Fellowship and encouraged me to go with them. The first time I went, my mom pointed this guy out to me and said "he is really cute, don't you think?" I looked at her and said, "MOM, he is just a baby! Look, he has braces. I doubt he would want to date me, I have a baby!"

I began going to church regularly with my parents and didn't think much of the "cute boy" until he graduated high school and got his braces off. A mutual friend (Emily Shivers) introduced us after Nick told her that he thought I was "hot." For months, our relationship consisted of us saying "hi" and "bye" to each other at church until I called and asked him out on a date in May of 2000. We went to a wedding on our first date, fell in love, got engaged, got married and lived happily ever after.

Too bad all stories aren't like ours, right?! Ha!

Nick and I had a rough first three years of marriage. Really rough. It's amazing that God got us through it. Even though we went through things that would end most marriages, God brought us closer. Today, I love Nick more than I ever thought I could. I always wanted to be married to my best friend but I started to believe that wasn't how it really worked. I can now call him my best friend. He makes me laugh, he is the first person I call when I am upset and I look forward to spending time with him at the end of a long day. I respect him for the man he has become and for the dad he has become to Eastan. He has shown me unconditional love and I thank God for him all the time!

Here are a few things you may or may not know about Nick:

Contrary to popular belief, Nick does not love to workout. He says that out of the 5 - 6 days he works out, he only enjoys 1 or 2 of them. He is just very dedicated and does not want to be fat.

Nick does love to run in 5K races. His time is normally 20 minutes and a few seconds. Even after a night of drinking beer! I think he is super human.

Nick is addicted to playing pick-up basketball games at the gym. He has jammed many fingers, rolled his ankle, had a few black eyes, fingernail scratches, and has "almost" been in a few brawls. He is not quick to tell me about any injuries or mishaps because I quit giving him sympathy months ago. I know, I'm heartless. But really, he does it to himself and he can stop playing any time he wants!

One of Nick's gifts is discernment. After Nick meets a new person, he will usually tell me if he gets a "good" or "bad" vibe from him/her. My response is, "He/she seems really nice, you are too critical." Nine out of 10 times, he is correct and proves me wrong! I envy that gift because I am too trusting.

Nick is a very patient person. It shows when he practices spelling with Eastan. I almost poke my eyes out just listening and Nick remains very calm. I need a double dose of Lexapro to be as calm as him!

It takes A LOT to get Nick to raise his voice. If he does raise his voice at me, I know that I have done something really wrong. Then I cry.

Nick loves Jax. Wait, everyone knows that!

He loves, loves, loves Christmas. It just so happens that he was born on St. Nicholas' Day but that is not why his name is Nicholas. His name was decided before he was born. It fits great though because he loves Christmas so much!

I call Nick the human calculator. He is constantly calculating numbers in his head. I am totally dumb when it comes to math. I envy him in that area too!

Nick's favorite show is King of Queens. It's programmed on our DVR and he watches at least two episodes each day.

I could go on and I am sure as soon as I post this, I will think of something I should have added. I'll end with this:

Nick, you are an amazing person. You have grown so much since I met you in 2000. I am so proud to call you my husband and I only pray that I show you the love you have shown me. Have a GREAT birthday! I love you!

Squirrely Girly Crafts

2008-11-18T12:29:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Jessica and I took the day off to shop for Christmas decor at all the little gift shops in town. We visited approximately 11 shops and left each store with disappointment as we told each other that our next stop would be The One. When we did see something that was slightly appealing, one of us would say, "We can make that! All we need are a few pipecleaners, Styrofoam and glitter."

After visiting all the locally owned shops, we went to Pier 1. "Maybe this will be it," I told Jess. "We should have just come here first. All those foo-foo stores just aren't our taste." Again, we left empty handed. How could you disappoint us, Pier 1?

Our final stop was Hobby Lobby. Keep in mind, it was now a little after 4 p.m. and we began our outing at 10 a.m. We looked around at all the Christmas madness that is Hobby Lobby and ended up in the "decorate yourself" isle that was filled with pipecleaners, Styrofoam, glitter, paper mache reindeer, etc. Suddenly, our minds went CRAZY! Jess grabbed a package Styrofoam snowflakes and clear ornaments. I grabbed the paper mache reindeer. From there, we got a bottle of mod podge and headed to the scrapbooking isle. After getting caught up in the dark hole of scrapbooking, we finally found retro Christmas stickers and retro Christmas paper.

I don't think I could fully describe in words how crazy we got at this point. We were coming up with all kinds of ideas and even came up with a name for our new craft business - Squirrely Girly Crafts. We knew we couldn't quit our "day jobs" but we could at least sell our goods on esty.com. We decided not get too out of hand and stick to one project a piece. We finally left Hobby Lobby after about a hour and a half and decided we would spend Saturday afternoon on our crafts.

On Saturday afternoon, Jess came over to my house and we began. Our excitement slowly came to a calm when we realized maybe our ideas weren't so great after all. Nick came into the kitchen every 10 minutes or so and would say a few words of encouragement. After we finished our projects, we sat them out to display and went on to something we are a little better at - knitting.

As the night went on, our creations grew on us. We decided that we would bring them to work with us on Monday to see what our fellow crafty co-workers thought. "Maybe we are being too hard on ourselves and when the girls see them, they will really like them. Carla will tell us that we did a good job! Maybe we can even lead a craft night," I told Jessica.

Monday came and my optimistic thinking didn't pan out so well. Carla laughed, Marti thought we were a little "special" and it went on from there.

Here are a few pictures....constructive criticism is appreciated!

Best Movie Theater EVER

2008-11-12T06:03:00.001-08:00

This weekend, Eastan, Zoe and I met my friend Carla and her kids at the new Hollywood Theater to see Madagascar 2. Not only did we see a hilarious movie, but we really liked - wait! LOVED the new theater.

Why, you ask, am I making such a big deal over a silly new theater? Let me tell you! If you know me AT ALL, you know that I have a little obsession over popcorn. Well, at Hollywood Theater, there is a butter/salt station. After you get your popcorn, you can walk around the corner and put your own buttery substance on the popcorn yourself. No charge! That's right, no charge! Just stick your bag under the butter machine and push the button. Want to shake your bag around so you don't have all the butter on the top pieces and none on the bottom? Feel free! Shake it a little. Add more butter! AMAZING!

Other awesome features at Hollywood Theater? Oversize seats, movable armrests, stadium seating, etc. Check it out!

Halloween Fun

2008-11-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from our Halloween festivities. More to come at a later date!

A Word from Eastan...

2008-11-04T05:09:00.000-08:00

I think Obama shouldn't be president because he will raise the tax prices, plus that means less food for the poor and less security for our troops and the people in Nicaragua.

I think people should vote for McCain because he will lower tax prices, fund more for the Nicaragua and the military in Iraq.

Vote McCain!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-10-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

My mom and dad

Sunday was my dad's 53rd birthday! When I talked to him on the phone, he was celebrating with his best buddies on their annual pheasant hunting trip. He said he was having a great time, as always.

As you all know, I am a major daddy's girl and proud of it! I love my dad and am very proud to be known as Kim's daughter for a number of reasons...here are just a few as it would take way too long to list them all!

1. My dad is an honest man. Used car dealers have a bad reputation but my dad built his business on honesty. So much that he had many returning customers and when he sold his dealership, the buyer purchased the name "Bradley Motor Company."

2. My dad would scratch my back every night when I was little. It didn't matter how tired he was, all I had to do was lay on the couch next to him and he would scratch until it was time for me to go to bed.

3. My dad left his successful business to become a missionary. Along with his hunting buddies, they began the non-profit organization Project H.O.P.E.. They have built countless homes, helped many with medical needs, trained pastors for communities, and provided preschools for the Nicaraguan children.

4. My dad showed me "tough love" during a very difficult time in my life. Although I did not understand his logic at the time, I am very thankful now.

5. People love my dad. I'm not just saying that because he is my dad. They truly love, admire and want to be around him.

6. My dad taught me that love is a choice, not a feeling.

7. My dad is very strong in his faith and has been a great example to me.

I could keep going, but I will save it for birthday number 54!

I love you, Dad!

A bushel and a peck,

And a hug around the neck.

- Pooh

Perfect Sunday

2008-10-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, we went to the Rutledge Wilson Farm with the Bertholdi's. We had a terrific time!

Here are a few things we learned:
1. Eastan was a great big buddy to Finn.
2. Finn likes to poke horses in the eye.
3. The $3/person hayride probably wasn't worth our $9.
4. Pumpkins start out green.
5. Troy is better at milking a cow than Nick.
6. Goats poo looks a lot like black beans.
7. Finn's answer to everything is "no." It's not JUST his response to Ashley.
8. When other people aren't around, Finn really does like Ashley.
9. A corn maze would be better if you couldn't see over the corn stalks.
10. Rutledge Wilson Farm is a really cool place that we never knew about.

All in all, we had a GREAT time. We went to the Bertholdi's for an after "pumpkin patch" party that carried on into the evening. Perfect Sunday.

Winner, winner. Chicken dinner!

2008-10-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

I won something! Earlier this year, I joined an online community http://buffbrides.ning.com/. It was started by Michelle Sherwood at KSPR to help others get fit, eat right, lose weight and live better. Anyone who joined the community was entered into a drawing for a calorie counter...and I won it! I was so excited because I rarely win drawings. Michelle dropped it off to me at work today and I can't wait to try it out.

Thanks, Michelle!

Passionate Republican

2008-10-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, I have realized Eastan was born a republican. During the primary and going into the Presidential election, E has been very vocal about his dislike for the democrats. I'm not really sure where he gets it as Nick and I rarely discuss politics. Here are a few examples:

During the summer, I took the day off to spend time with E. We had to stop by my office for a second. I was sitting in a coworker's office and out of the blue, E says, "I hate Hillary Clinton. She is stupid!"

During the primary, anytime a Hillary ad was on, E would say, "Down with Hillary." When asked why he didn't like Hillary, his response would range from "her husband was a bad president" to "she isn't a nice person."

E was very happy when Hillary lost the primary.

This morning, E and I were watching the Today Show and they were talking about Barack Obama. E's response to the topic of discussion:
"Suck it, Obama."

Behavior Report

2008-10-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

Nick and I requested a daily report from Eastan's teacher when we realized he was not turning in his homework and failed to bring a behavior report home. On this report, Eastan's teacher lists all the homework Eastan has for the day along with a "grade" of his daily behavior. We then sign off on the report after his homework is completed. The report goes back to his teacher each morning.

Nick and I love to open the report to a bright, shiny "S" (for satisfactory) glowing at us. Then there are the days when we have a "NI" for needs improvement...or worse are the days when a big, ugly "U" glares at us. I imagine this "U" laughing it's villain laugh as Nick and I decide how to handle the situation.

The second Nick sees the "U" he goes into depression. OK, maybe not that bad, but he is the one that wants to fix it immediately. He wants to correct E's behavior. Nick wants to know why E can't just have all satisfactory days.

I, on the other hand, tell Nick that we can't always have a satisfactory day. Some days are bad. Then I remind him of all the progress E has made over the past year. Nick will agree, but still the big, ugly "U" lingers in the back of his head and will usually cause tension through the evening.

Yesterday was a "U" day. Unsatisfactory. YUCK!

Nick went into his usual, "What do we do? How do we fix this problem? Why doesn't he get it?"

I went into my usual, "Let's wait to find out what he did. At least it isn't as bad as last year...blah, blah, blah..."

Since we were at Community Group last night, we weren't able to discuss the problem with E until this morning. Nick got up and began E's daily devo as usual. When they were done, Nick asked E why he got a "U."

This was his explanation:
E: I was just in class and we were discussing the Germans and I said that Nazi's suck balls.

N:(After taking a second and trying not to laugh)
How could you have rephrased that?

E:I could have said Nazi's aren't good.

N: Who did you learn that from anyway? Like how to talk like that?

E: My friends.

So, that is why E got the "U" on his behavior report yesterday. I really don't know what else to say...

"He said what?!"

2008-09-22T05:06:00.001-07:00

On Friday, Eastan was playing on the computer while waiting for the bus. I looked at the clock and saw it was past time for him to go outside. I told him that he better get out outside or he would miss the bus. This sent him into a panic. "I don't know where my shoes are!" he cried. I looked down and they were sitting at my feet. Frantically (I'm not exaggerating here!) he put them on as he cried, "I am going to miss the bus!" I looked out the window, "The bus is there Eastan."

As Eastan ran out the door, I called after him "be careful!" At that moment he bit it. Then he laid there for a while.

"You're okay, buddy. Get up and get on the bus!" I said. He just stood there crying and then began to walk back to the house. I waved the bus driver on.

Before you start to think that I was being mean and the least bit sympathetic, I have to tell you that he fell on the wet grass. This was not a fall on the concrete.

He came inside and his jeans were wet from the dew on the grass. I got him a dry pair of jeans and a new t-shirt. After he changed, I told him that we should hurry so we could catch the bus while it was still in the neighborhood.

This is when it happened. Eastan looked down at his wet duffel bag, kicked it and said, "shit."

Ashley (shocked): Did you just say 'shit'?
Eastan (nonchalantly): Yes, I am mad.
Ashley (still shocked that he is acting like it's no big deal): I don't care if you're mad. You can't just say that.

As those words left my mouth, I felt like a hypocrite. How many times have I used that word when I was mad. I haven't used it around Eastan, but I've used it. How many times, when I was in 4th grade, did I cuss with my friends thinking it was "cool."

I didn't know what to do. I had a flash of The Christmas Story run through my head. You know, the part where Ralphie cusses when he drops all the bolts in the road while helping his dad change the tire. I thought about putting Eastan up on the counter and sticking a bar of soap in his mouth. But I didn't and I had no idea what to do. So we got in the car and I dropped Eastan off at another bus stop.

I called Nick when I got back home to tell him our story. His response, "He said what?! You didn't do anything?"

Suggestions on how to handle this situation the next time my (almost) 10 year old throws out the s-bomb or worse?

Bitten

2008-09-17T09:27:00.001-07:00

I began reading the Twilight Saga this summer and am now on the fourth and final book. Amazingly, I haven't had any vampire themed dreams...until last night. I had a very vivid dream that I was about to be bitten by a vampire.

For those of you who have not read any of the Twilight books, here is a little background. According the Stephanie Meyer (author of the series) when a human is bitten by a vampire, the venom flows into your blood and burns your insides as you transition into a vampire. This process lasts approximately three days. THREE DAYS of your insides burning!

So, back to my dream...I was on my kitchen counter with my knees up to my chest, pushing myself against the back splash. The vampire was laughing at me, telling me that I could not get away. I kept begging him to not do it. "Please! I don't want to be in pain for three days. I don't want to be immortal!"My mind was flooded with thoughts from the book as I remembered all I have "learned" about the agonizing transition from human to vampire. I was so scared but I couldn't do anything about it! I was bitten by the vampire.

This morning before getting ready for work, I sat down with my coffee and read another chapter of Breaking Dawn. I have a little under 200 pages left and I will be finished with the series. But don't you worry! Twilight, the first installment of movies based on the series is coming to theaters November 21. I hate to admit that I have watched the movie trailers multiple times. I am officially a twlighter. I am bitten.

Now Boarding the Bandwagon

2008-09-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

Blogging...it's the new trend among our family and friends. Nick suggested that we (meaning I) start a blog. My response was, "What would I write about?" After thinking about it the past few weeks and reading other blogs, I realized I could write about anything. Even the every day mundane life we live. If anything, I can look to see where we have been and where we are going.

Warning: If you know me at all, you will know I tend to tell what is on my mind even if it's totally inappropriate. Saying that, I am sure you will read posts that tell too much personal information, make no sense at all or make you laugh and cry.

Welcome to my family!

At a Cardinals game in May

Brooke and Tyler's wedding reception

E at Kanakuk