Random I'm Afraid!

So it's been a little bit since I updated you guys on us!

Here we go...and I am warning you now this could be my scatterbrained mind at it's best!

So I just tried to post pictures from our wonderful, beautiful, ski trip AMAZING, but I am on the world's slowest computer, and Aaron has the other one with him at school so look forward to those!
We went to Dillon, Colorado and stayed with Bryan Dean who was so sweet to let us crash at his place for a few days! We skied Keystone the first day, Vail, then Brekenridge the last day. It was such a fun get away and change of pace from work! so yea for that!!

Funny story from the ski trip: Aaron and I were driving back on Tuesday, and I had fallen asleep. Well when I woke up he told me (while laughing) that my hair looked like a lion's mane, "AND YOU HAVE A SIDE PONYTAIL!! HAHAHAA"

Ashley: "Aaron, I always wear a side ponytail"
Aaron: "Woah 80's girl"

haha shows you how much he pays attention, he thought my hair was sooooo messed up that it moved my ponytail to the side!! REALLY!

Some more exciting news: Cole and Abbi got engaged!!! We had a sweet engagement party for them on Saturday night, and it turned out perfectly! Cole's dad grilled steaks and TONS of other food for everyone and it was SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!!
Wedding date: More than likely July 17 or 18th!!

I get really excited about......
how super sweet people are this time of year...they are just extra great!
Christmas music
that we only have 2 more full days and 2 half days of work until 2 WEEKS OFFFFF!
sending and receiving Christmas cards.....and don't worry if you are reading this thinking, well I didn't get a christmas card! HAHA do you think I would REALLY send them ON TIME?!?! Cmon now!! Surely you know me better than that! BUT THEY ARE COMING SOON!!!
seeing family over all these holidays (thanksgiving, christmas, new years) YEA!
when people Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays
that even people who don't believe in Jesus still celebrate Christmas, a little ironic I think! I mean I wouldn't celebrate a random person's birthday, but Jesus is THAT BIG OF A DEAL!!! lol (Happy Birthday Lord)
Jesus' Birthday cake and the Christmas Story.
Christmas Caroling with FCA on Wednesday!

things that might frustrate me..
Happy Holidays....HELLO its CHRISTMAS!!
people who forget to get their patience out of their pocket while Christmas shopping
THE MALL

my husband telling me my hair looks like a lion's mane! hahaah KIDDING!

If you actually read this far, bless your heart! I am impressed, AND I will hush now

Just know pics will be posted soon once I get on the FAST computer!

and hey! MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Call me cliche, but I'm THANKFUL!

So maybe it is cliche, but it's good to say the things you are thankful for!! So just to name a few.........

I am thankful for my salvation, and that Jesus would even think about loving ME?! goodness...... I am thankful that my brother is completely healed from cancer -three times, for family, for time off work to spend with them, for our health, for babies, my high school kiddos, smiles, happy people, hot chocolate, conversation with good friends, encouraging words, tough situations that God sees us through, despite all frustrations.....passing my Spanish Test!

I am thankful for the chance to get excited for people in their FUN situations, Christmas time, the sacrifice of God's only son, no debt from college, seeing life play out, and getting to know new people. I am thankful for mountains, hot chocolate, and the best husband in the world.

I am thankful for a warm place to sleep each night, and the ability to pay our bills every month, neices and nephews, GRANDPARENTS, and sweets! I can't even begin to mention everything I am thankful for, but it is nice to have a few days to take time out, relax, and JUST BE THANKFUL!!

Hope you guys have a
VERY
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING!!

Guess what I did today???

DECKED THE HALLS!! YEAH!!!

I know....you are probably one of those people who say you shouldn't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, BUT we have to work on Monday and Tuesday, and then it will be the day before Thanksgiving......so lighten up.....and get out the tree, because it is SOOOOO much fun!

Here are a few pics, not the greatest, but just so you can witness my hard work right?!?!



This is what aaron did while I put up the Christmas stuff! haha

I am SOOOOOO excited!
Fun snowflakes!
Not the best picture, but our new tree looks soooooooo pretty! I LOVE sitting in the living room with all the lights off, except the tree!!

Thank you Lord for giving us a reason to celebrate!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.......and a bit closer to Christmas!!

LOVE!

I would never........

Can I just say a few things that I did NOT do.......

I did not eat two desserts after dinner tonight....NOPE NEVER

I did not skip lifting weights so I could cuddle on the couch with my husband and great dane, and of course I did not throw a small fit the other day because I wanted the gold fish and Aaron would not let me have them.....that would just be childish.

I did not fall asleep last night without brushing my teeth....GROSS. haha

I am NOT totally excited for the end of the week so I can cheer my RED RAIDERS on to VICTORY!!!

Just like I have not listened to Christmas music since the second week of November OR beg my husband to let me put up the Christmas decorations......

the closest I got was him building a fire in our outdoor firepit in the backyard.....it was still very Colorado..ish, Christmas..ish and WONDERFUL!!

Of course I would never do any of this.....nope NOT ME!

Tech vs OSU Weekend!

We had such a fun weekend!

Here are a few pics, and I am still so excited for the RED RAIDERS!!

We are coming for you OU!!!

Hope everyone has a GREAT WEEK!

WINNERS!!

WAY TO GO TECH!!!

We had such a super fun weekend with everyone at the house!! It was like a mini vacation! We love having everyone in town!! So thanks for coming you guys!

This is a quote I head on the radio: "It is easy to become a champion, but it is a lot harder to stay a champion."

I can't wait to see what we are made of this weekend!

GOOOO RAIDERS!!!

Happy Halloween and GOOO TECH!

Well here it comes, the weekend everyone at our house and town for that matter, has waited on all week!

The streets are already crazy and crowded, tents are lined up around the block at the stadium, and I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about TECH doing work on the longhorns. YES LOWERCASED!

and to make it EVEN BETTER, our family and three of my best friends are coming into town! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I love it!

So here's to a HAPPY HALLOWEEN FRIDAY, and an even better weekend.....GOOOO TECH!!!

and for the record, I am not at all against praying for a victory!!

LOVE!

Rob and Big!

We were Rob and Big last night at Paige and Mark's Halloween Party! Aaron was SOO FUNNY! Most of the people there really thought he was black! haha!

Oh and cover your eyes when you look at the picture of Ricky Bobby and Borat! His costume was a THONG in the back! OH my goodness, it was funny....It was a tie breaker for best costume between Big Black and Borat, and Borat won by one vote!

We had lots of fun!
Hope you have a good week, and get ready to cheer on the Raiders to BEAT THOSE LONGHORNS!!

Here's the pics of our ENGAGED friends!

Don't they just make you smile?!?!

Cali and Jake got engaged!!

Yes they did, tonight he surprised her with a note that said drop your stuff and head back to your room, and there he was candles and all on his knee....SO SWEET, SO JAKE!!

I might have been just as excited as her!

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Congrats you guys!!

They are so stinking cute, well beautiful actually....so pics of them, and of course the ring......later!

Ramblings 101

Yes I can tell it is going to be one of THOSE........

Not a super fun look at all my fun pictures, nope, my brain is racing again and I am going to let my little fingers type it all out!!

Random thought 1: I just got back from a high school/junior high youth group where Barron Batch spoke(running back for TECH.) God did an INCREDIBLE job through him! It was very cool to see kids look up to him yet he gave ALL the glory to his Father!

At this very same function, we happen to be sitting behind some junior high kids, maybe even freshmen..... I almost broke a ten commandment, the one about killing people. If I am ever around you, and I throw out the idea that I think it would be fun to teach or coach at the Jr. High level....SLAP ME! I almost pinched their little heads off! AHH! they were being totally rude and loud while some people were making some big decisions....

That being said I could tell I was letting myself get frustrated with them, so I prayed for them. NOT to brag on Ashley, but because I was so quickly reminded that they too are His kiddos, His very own! I REALLY have a whole new appreciation for God's patience, as well as those who work with that age. I am not kidding when I say you are set apart and special! WOW

random 2: I am in LOVE with the song that is playing right now on our blog, ....I am not my own. I've been carried by you all my life......its just so true, and thank goodness!

random 3: I have had an idea bouncing around in my head about getting stuff together for some local kids at Christmas time. I want to be really intentional about it, and get lots of people involved, but at the same time let it be a learning experience as to how stinkin blessed we all are, and not let any glory go to those involved. Instead to our Father who has blessed us and provided for us.....so if you have any great ideas let me know......I want my/or any highschool kids to be a part of it as well.

4: I have had a really good day. I say that because Wednesdays are usually just well, Wednesdays, but today for some reason I have just been joyful, it's fun, I want to be like this all the time!

5: I have been studying like CRAZY for my spanish test that is on Saturday, so if you are one of the 3 people who read this, will you pray for me to be poised and relaxed and well as remember everything I have studied?>!! I think I can kick it's butt, but it's really tough so we'll see about that!

6. I love my husband!

That's all, I just took a deep breath...it felt good to get that all out!

Who knew this could be therapeutic! ha

Hope your week is full of J-O-Y!!

HOMECOMING! REUNION!

Miss them like crazy! here are some pics...

and more people we love...










So this weekend lots and lots of our friends came back to Lubbock for Tech homecoming! Well actually they came to see us....ha! It was like one REALLY big slumber party!! SO MUCH FUN!

and after the cowboys game, the guys played barbershop!

WOW!

I need pics

I want to blog, but I don't have pictures

I do need to say that my volleyball girls beat the best team in the district last night. Yes they did! I was so stinkin proud of them! I just wanted to squeeze em!

then again I won't make this long, because we all know blogging with out pics is just not the same as blogging with them.

Yeah for going to lunch with Nanny and Tanner tomorrow....YEA!

Well that's all for now......until I get pics....

ha!

EXCITED!!

This is how excited I was to run into one of my friends today!!

I hope you got this excited at least one time this week!

LOVE YA!

Don't Worry!

Haven't forgotten about you!

Homecoming week= fun, wild, crazy!

Picture to come!

OH MY GOODNESS!

I just have to admit something.

It is always in the back of my mind, not to go through each day like it is just a list of things to be marked off. I don't walk around telling people that I TRY to be intentional like this, it is just always a GOAL I have.

Well let me tell you about this week. ... Absolutely, Positively, ONE OF THOSE WEEKS

I am not kidding about this people, it was one thing after another, after another that had to be done, deadlines, trips, volleyball, rescheduling, etc etc etc....

and just to top it off, I left Saturday morning at 5:30 AM DROVE THE BUS, yes I drove the BIG YELLOW SCHOOL BUS, to Amarillo for my vball girls to play in a tournament and did not get home until 9:00 PM on Sat. night. Tired is not the word!

Sunday one the other hand was such a breath of fresh air! Isn't God sweet to do that? God completely spoke through our preacher at church about how everything is beautiful in it's time and being joyful day in and day out. AND we sat by some of our friends that we defintely don't get to see enough!

CRAZY WEEK, AWESOME GOD!

Hope your week is wonderful, REALLY!
Even at work, have some fun!
love you!

And we're off....

We are back in full gear! The kiddos are back and almost an entire week has past. Aaron is teaching 2 PE classes and 2 study halls...tough I know! He loves his classes and seems to be having a great year so far. His cross country started up and they are practicing a bit after school everyday.

I have 3 Spanish II classes and 1 PE class. My classes are great and my volleyball girls are off to a good start as well. FUN FUN, but BUSY BUSY!

I feel like we have to recover every night just to be ready for the next day! ha!

Here are a few pics from Papa and Raiter's birthday party.

AND yeah for Nanny getting her eyeliner tatooed!(sp?) She was tough and it looks soooo good!!

Hope everyone is SUPER and have a relaxing labor day wkend!!

Two Things....

Number 1. Is anyone else fanatical about watching the Olympics?? I think I am addicted! I LOVE IT!

Number 2. Do you ever look forward to cuddling up in your bed?? Tonight I just can't wait to go to sleep!

weird I know, Aaron thinks sleeping is such a waste of time, but tonight, yes tonight, I beg to differ!

GOODNIGHT!

Lately

Well folks, volleyball is completely underway and things around here are gearing up again as usual. We have been doing 2 a days, so it has been pretty crazy around here, but lots of fun. The people we both work with are awesome, so if we have to be at work , at least they make it lots of fun!


I'll be honest, I actually snuck(sp?) in a nap today while Aaron went to hang out with JC. So that was wonderful.

Aaron just got back from playing 4 beautiful golf courses in Dallas with Clay and Rylan and had so much fun. And while I don't have pictures, I DO have some of Carter's Golf birthday party, (he turned 3,) and Abbi and I watching a chick flick and eating popcorn and peanut M&M's. (Which if you have not tried as a snack, you are missing out)

Recipe: One bag kettle corn
One bag peanut M&M's = YUMMY.....just make sure a few of each are in your mouth at the same time for sweet and salty perfection!! (As seen above...ha)

Last official day of summer!

What a sad/happy day it is.

Today is Ashley's last REAL day of summer. I mean sure school does not start until August 25th, but tomorrow I have to report back to work to start getting things organized for volleyball for when the girls come on the 4th.

So today I will try to fit in all of my favorite things (in Lubbock at least...)

Pedicure
Ride my bicycle around our fun neighborhood
Go running
Watch 2 super girly movies I rented
get a snowcone at Bahama Bucks
Dinner at 82nd Street Cafe
play ball with the dogs
maybe do a bit of shopping

all while missing my husband who has about 2.5 more weeks of summer and is on a super fun, pack all the golf you can into 3days, trip in Dallas with some of his buddies!

Can you tell I am jealous??

ha! Better go get started!

Hope you all are wonderful!

Before I get back to being productive....

You should know that I have not had a traffic ticket since I was a senior in high school.

On this lovely Thursday afternoon I was being so productive getting all kinds of appointments in before the crazy volleyball season gets started. I was on a role...Aaron and I both got eye appointments I got my hair highlighted and cut as well as a dentist appointment. I was feeling like we were pretty on top of things.....until I decided to drive down the new Marsha Sharp freeway. "This thing is great," says Aaron. "We would have already stopped at 3 lights if we took 19th." As we pass a radar that tells you how fast you are going. Ashley- "Oh I better slow down, I am going 52 in a 40." Aaron- "Nahh it's fine"

OVER VERY NEXT HILL.......

MOTORCYCLE COP

Red and blue lights you think, right? No

I am so lame, and still going 53, that the cop holding a radar gun who obviously just clocked me SPEEDING waves his hand for me to pull over.....

He didn't even have to chase me!!!

He was the nicest guy/cop I have ever known. Not that they are usually mean, but he was like "our friend."

He definitely gave me a ticket, but was the nicest guy.

I don't really know how I felt about him being so nice, it kind of got on my nerves!

hahahaha!

He didn't even have to chase me!

I can't believe we get paid for this.....

What a fun summer it has been, lots of family, friends, Cruising, Dallas trip as well as Colorado! How blessed we are to have a job that gives us a break in the summer! SO FUN!!


Last week was Mandi's birthday, Aaron's is Monday, and Carter's is Sunday!

Happy Birthday everyone!!

HOW FUN!!......we are not going to know what to do when we have to go back to work. ha

hope you all are wonderful!!