Have you ever been waiting for a package from Fed Ex? or UPS or something?

So when you see the truck pull up - you get all excited! thinking! I HOPE ITS FOR ME!

Or...

even if you arn't expecting something. But you see it pull up in front and you think!

OOO! I Hope its for me!!

And then just as quickly as the Driver pulled up and put on his brake... he looks at his clip board and un does his brake and drives off.

Seriously.

That is one of the worst feelings ever I swear HA HA..

Like "aww.... no one loves me...."

And you want to call someone and be like

"ummm don't you love me? I didn't get any presents today. What the freak."

Or you want to make a purchase of something so NEXT TIME- NEXT TIME THAT TRUCK STOPS! It WILL be for you.

Yes.

**********

Ok-

So am I the ONLY one? Or do you suffer through this as well? I seriously start out my day with a Pen on my key board at my desk.

I use this pen ALL DAY.

And SOMEHOW- where between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm (depends on the day) th

at Pen….. disappears. Gone. Nada. And I have to go get a new Pen from the cupboard.

I have caught people stealing said pen before. But… sometimes people can be sneaky.

So… I had this thought…. I wrote my name on my Pen.

NICE AND CLEAR it says ASHLEY’S DESK on the side.

Oh yes. I have become THAT person.

Its totally annoying. But I honestly don’t know what else to do! I go through a box a week! How messed is that! And I am not the one taking them home! I will admit – I had a pen stealing habit at penneys when I worked there. Because they were those smooth BIC pens. And I would put them in my hair all the time and as I would walk around the store signing returns and such, I would accidentally collect more and add them to the NEST that was my hair.

HOWEVER- I can’t use these pens for my hair. They have a texture of some kind on the outside of them. I have tried to put my hair up in them in the past…. And it pulls. Not pleasant. HOWEVER this did Cure me of my Pen stealing habbits. It did- however- also promote my PENCIL stealing habits. …. Speaking of… I walked off with Kelleys pencil yesterday…. Dang it.

ANYWAY-

Its just so crazy how a PEN can just disappear. I mean I really don’t care. You need a Pen- TAKE IT- however I am just slightly curious as to what happens to them. Ya know?

Remember those pens that said “YOU STOLE THIS FROM ______” it’s the same idea.

Infact…. I just added the “STOLEN FROM” on to the Pen. HA HA

It shall be interesting as to what happens…. Heh heh heh….

***

You know those weekends that are just AWESOME!

Ok- so I had a weekend that was JUST AWESOME!

Friday – I had off work. It was so nice. I was able to get ALMOST caught up in my editing. …. Almost. Almost as in people who are waiting for their stuff…. I am back on track. Things I am WANTING to edit…. I am still behind.

ANYWAY- After editing- I went shopping with my sista from anotha motha ;) and got an outfit for ….. the …. Family…. Reunion….

Blarg.

OK- I mean I like family reunions.

What I am NOT looking forward to…

HELLO 14 hour drive! BOTH WAYS! For ONE day.

Oh yes.

Flights to this particular location…. Are …. Beyond insane. And on top of that we would still have to drive 5 hours both ways. Talk about THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE.

ANYWAY- more on that later I am sure.

So I got an outfit. Love it. Anthropologie is awesome. And can we say HELLO sale section! They had the EXACT colors that were assigned to us. Kinda nice. It saved me trouble of looking around at other places. Plus I got a whole outfit for $53. Well a skirt and top.

BUT (side note) I never go shopping. Last time I went shopping for clothes was…. October 2009. Sad. REMMBER COURTNEY! You wanted to slap me you couldn’t believe it! It really is the saddest thing. But I don’t have time to shop. Of which I am sure Austin is entirely grateful. However…. My closet is not. So I tend to look like a Frumpy weirdo most of the time now HA HA.

So after shopping for the “picture outfit”

I went home – and got ready for the evening

Where a friend was having her first GIG! She joined a cover band and it was Her first time performing with them.

It was a fun night. Got home around 2 ish. Food was not good. Sadly. But it was fun dancing around with some girl friends HA HA

Me- Julie-Katie-Carrie- Jess

Thank you cutie hubby Austin for taking pictures…. That we look…. Really odd HA HA

Love you anyway babe

****

Saturday morning- got up bright and early… freaking 6 am. Gag. Austin was going rafting and I was off to Yoga in the park. It was very nice and soothing. And can we say WELL NEEDED. Because LITTLE DID I KNOW IT AT THE TIME I was going to NEED that extra BOOST of staying centered later that day.

As the girls and I left Yoga- we started talking about what we were going to be doing for the rest of the day.

I had planned a MONTH ago to go TREASURE hunting with Kaelyn.

See- I have this other sista from anotha motha- and she is beyond creative. It will make you sick. Seriously. Totally not fair. She makes the cutest little quiet books and everything! Ok besides the point.

Well her apartment is HECKA cute. And so I asked her “Umm.. where the heck did you find all this awesome stuff”

Do you know what her reply was?

“Oh I made most of it , got some from the DI, and IKEA”

….

Ok.

So.

What.

The.

Freak.

She has more creative juice in her pinky TOE than I have in my entire body.

However- I felt inspired!

My thoughts “I can do this!”

See… I had a very uplifting weekend…. So OF COURSE I would think I could do the impossible…. *rolling eyes*

I text Kaelyn while in my moment of Stupor and she laughs and agrees to go with me.

So … back to the main story…. Saturday…. Leaving Yoga…. Talking with the girls about the plans for the day…

I mention I am going Treasure hunting.

They totally start being all encouraging! Saying I will have so much fun and I will find awesome stuff! But I need to LOOK.

Drop the girls off at our Meet and greet place and then head home to get ready to go pick up Kaelyn.

Get to Kaelyns and BAM I am literally BURSTING excitement! We head off on our adventure.

Now… after we are on our way… we both realize that neither one of us has ever been to the DI.

Hmm… so how to get there.

Well I know I have seen it off the freeway on my way to Downtown. So I will just drive until I see it again.

AND BAM! There it was! Fulton Ave. I got off and no problems.

We make our goals of what Treasures we are sorta looking for. Kaelyn – a Bakers Rack. Me- not a flipping clue. Treasure. (ahem…. Fyi…. I am still at this point in my “I can TOTALLY do this” frame of mind)

So we walk in – and I will admit…. It was a little….. overwhelming. I have never been there before I had no idea what to expect.

But it was funny – we saw a bakers rack RIGHT when we walked in! in the back. It was crazy. We get to it and there are two price tags, one for $50 and one for $30.

We wanted to know the real price so we asked someone and… can I just say…. Rudest person ever.

“Well- its right there. $50”

“ok- well is there something for $30? I mean just curious how two stickers got on there”

“You know why.”

….

“What??”

“You know why!This is a WANTED item. We had to charge more for it. We are human. Humans make mistakes.”

*as she rips off the $30 price tag*

“So- are you going to buy it?”

My thoughts… “OH YES BECAUSE YOUR SALES TACTIC IS JUST AMAZING”

What was really said “Umm.. No… we will think about it”

Then we ran out of that place like heck was chasing us. And I can safely say that I will NEVER go back there.

Call me prideful or whatever.. but I was not about to spend energies arguing with a DI employee. First off- she totally threw us off guard. And second… I wasn’t very comfortable being in there to begin with… so…. Yeah. I didn’t want to stay there. HOWEVER- Kaelyn did make a phone call! Ha ha And I commend her for it

Anyway- so after our “Near Death experience”…. We are a little shaken and just plain shocked. That we weren’t paying attention and somehow we ended up in Elk Grove instead of IKea….

So we turn around on some freeway and end up in Woodland.

Then we turn around AGAIN

And FINALLY make it to IKEA.

There was a lot of driving.

Anyone who knows me…. I don’t handle not knowing where I am going very well. (If Billy was still around…. He would tell you…..)

BUT LUCKY FOR KAELYN I went to Yoga that morning! So I handled all of this very well. LOL

WE finally made IKEA and were laughing so hard we couldn’t breathe.

We had some random lady with a stroller and an ice cream take a picture of us. HA HA good times…

***

SO I GOT A NEW PHONE! YAY!!

Ok the phone drama….

So…really fast…

*pulls out soap box and stands on top*

SPRINT I HATE YOU AND SOMEDAY WHEN EVER THAT IS – I WILL BE HAPPY TO LEAVE YOUR SERVICES! AND I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I USED TO STAND UP FOR YOU!

*puts soap box away*

The background.

So I had my little Palm Centro. It was Red. And awesome. Such a happy phone. And fit me well.

Well, one day I wake up and my phone won’t turn on.

I try removing the battery…. Nada.

Pushing the rest button….. Nada.

Throwing it against the wall….. ok not really but… I really wanted to.

The panic attacks started about then. Well… more so anyway.

SO- I have discovered… I am addicted to my phone. Maybe not as much as SOME people but… it is a horrible feeling not having a phone.

So I take it to the SPRINT store…. Which I hate… because of all the drama they caused after Austin and I got married…. I won’t go there… but YOU JUST KNOW

So we get there and some Sprint Guy says
“oh I see… Yes… of course! This makes perfect sense!”

So I am thinking OH THANK GOODNESS! THEY CAN FIX IT!

SG: “Yes, it appears you have dropped your phone into Red paint.”

*record screech noise*

What the…?!

ME: “Excuse me… Red Paint? No. That’s the color the phone always has been. “

SG: “Yes. Red Paint or possibly…. Kool aid.”

Umm.. ok… I am 25. I stopped drinking Kool Aid when I was 13.

ME: “No I am sorry but I have no idea what you are talking about.”

So apparently this is what must have happened. And OH! OF COURSE THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE!

Little Evil Fairies crawled into my house while I was asleep. Took my phone apart so they were holding on to the INNARDS of the phone ONLY…. Carefully walked away to prevent from waking me up. Had a party with the Innards of my phone by jumping into a Variety of Red Paints and Red Kool Aids. Then Before Dawn… they carefully went and put my phone back together. So I would never know what happened.

So anyway…. That really sucks.

And since EVIL FAIRIES aren’t covered in the Insurance plan… FYI- I am pretty sure the insurance plan for phones covers nothing…. I had no phone.

Because of the history I have with Sprint… at this point I am like

WHEN THE FREAK IS OUR CONTRACT UP!

Find out our contact expires in July or August.

I am not about to pay $400 for a phone with a service provider that I am DANG sure of quitting once the contract is GONE.

So… what to do. I need a Loner Phone.

My uncle makes a deal with me.

He says I can have his OLD phone (very old Palm Treo) if I do some research for him.

The research took 2 minutes and he handed me his phone.

I was BEYOND grateful to have texting again in my life.

Well… Turns out. This phone… (and my uncle hadn’t used it in over a year or 2 years) couldn’t make calls. Well it could make calls. But no one could hear me even tho I could hear them. Make sense?

So we get the idea to try it with my blue tooth. And THAT works!

So I had a phone I could make calls on (even if it was a little inconvenient) and texting!

Then one day I am out and about…. I get a little …. Misplaced. No biggie. Pull out the phone to go online for Mapquest.

Phone doesn’t have enough memory to pull it up and it won’t read the memory card inside.

So I can’t use my internet.

Ok Bummer, but DO-ABLE for the little time I would have to use it right?

SO I get UN-misplaced. And go about my business.

Well… The only way I can use this phone is on Bluetooth. So… at home I would have my phone sit in one place and I would have my Bluetooth on and be editing, cleaning – whatever while chatting away.

Well after a while… all of a sudden the phone like REFUSES to get ANY service anywhere.

It drops calls every 2 minutes. Even if it didn’t move! It would Lose service for 10 seconds… and BING have service again. Mean while I didn’t MOVE IT TOUCH IT OR ANYTHING. So I would have to call back.

That got REALLY old. REALLY fast.

And I couldn’t stand it anymore. So YESTERDAY we took it in and Austin fought with them about the whole insurance issue and YAY! They swapped my phone!

So now I have a newer Loaner phone that makes calls and as far as I can tell can read the card and it has texting!

Hasn’t dropped service yet! Thank goodness!

Again. I am beyond grateful that my uncle gave me that older treo. I would have been screwed to not have a phone for over a month.

But it was time for the phone to go to that BIG phone heaven in the sky.

And I am happy to say that we are looking at other plans! YES!

Who do you have your phone services through?

***

It was my daddys birthday yesterday.

I am a horrible daughter and forgot to get his present ready BEFORE his birthday…. So I am doing that tonight.

It will be Yummy… I will post pictures. YOU SHALL SEE

***

We went Rafting on Saturday…. I look like a tomato.

I am pretty sure my shoulders are going to peel L BUT I think everything else will just turn to a tan. So… WAHOO!

However, I am beyond sore. And Austin was all “well.. you aren’t 18 anymore.”

Like… What is that suppose to mean.

I want to say things… but I am not going to. Because who knows who really reads this blog. If anyone at all. However… this is so far down… maybe you all stopped reading a LONG time ago LOL

****

You know when you have like… NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING.

I get really really frustrated when that happens. If I can’t get caught up. Or if I have to make CUTS in my life to be able to get the things I need to get done DONE.

So.. I love my hubby, but I sometimes wonder if he understands this about me at all. This part of me has never changed. I have been like that since I was 3. And yet…. Its like something new everything I get stressed about it. HA HA

“Ash- why are you so stressed”

*as I am pulling out hair- looking like a red faced cartoon with smoke coming out of my ears – wanting to punch something*

Its like “well… because I had to cut ____ today to get caught up on ____, I havn’t been able to do ___ yet, and we still havn’t done ____ yet. Trying to schedule everything and then having last minute things come up and STRESS me out STRESS ME OUT”

*his pondering look*

“huh.”

I so love my husband. He is so much more chill than I am.

And I will never understand it.

Just like he will never understand why I stress when I have no time.

Evil cycle.

****

OK- so this is a poor picked on me segment… ha ha

My time is down to zero.

Which is why you are literally reading over 2 weeks of segments right now. (if you are still reading)

I get little breaks at work- or get so …. Don’t know a word. But a BAD word to describe it would be flustered…..that I have to write something now and again to get my mind off of other things.

Anyway.

Today was such a nice little break.

Last night I got finished with a wedding I have been working on.

They are beautiful.

I emailed her and she was grateful and I will be putting up a sneak peek tonight or tomorrow.

I am still behind in my editing, but I am hoping to catch up this weekend. Very excited about that.

But I love it. Even with the work 8-5 then go home and edit till 11:30 – still love it.

I get my cleaning and eating and other wifey duties done in between times. However I have had to cut down a bit on my running L and my reading Double L

I am so behind in my reading … its scary. (Do you have goodreads? Let me know)

Sorry … leaving the topic a bit…

So today on my lunch- the Audi is in the shop getting the lights swapped out. (finally… ) and SO Austin dropped me off at work this morning. I had my lunch in my pink reusable grocery bag that I keep on my key chain. And I have a book my Aunt lent me that I have been wanting to read. (its on my list and sounded so interesting)

I remembered when a past attorney and friend worked here in Lincoln at lunch they would go to this little courtyard behind the library and read a book while eating their lunch.

So – that’s exactly what I did today.

It was divine.

I got sucked into the world of my book while eating a sandwich and sitting on the bench in the shade and we (luckily) have a bit of Delta Breeze today. So it was VERY enjoyable.

And… it makes me wonder… why I don’t do that more often. The small walk to and from the courtyard is a nice break away- the court yard is cute and peaceful.

I am going to try and do that more often. Have my lunch there. I mean- when I drive home- yes its only 8 minutes away. BUT that 16 minutes out of my hour. THEN I have to MAKE my lunch and eat it- and I never have any time to read anything.

So- I think this is going to be my new way of LUNCH TIME. So I can add reading back into my life. J I mean… yes… an hour a day isn’t a lot of time. But it is a lot more than I have had the past 4 months. So.. WAHOO.

****

ok- so ... Hello Insomnia and 1:37 am and Nasty SICK BUG.... blast it all...

I am going to attempt to go to bed. However... the good side of this insomnia... this blog post is actually going to be posted - instead of saved over and over and over again after little bits of information are typed up.

Hope you arn't sick... and hope you are sleeping....

With some “Oh so lovely” family drama occurring in my life and then with the little lesson I had yesterday in good Ol Primary ;) It has really got me thinking about a lot of stuff. Some negative and some positive. I think more positive than Negative tho.

So we played a game as part of my primary lesson for the cutie 6-7 year olds. FYI- they were so much better this Sunday than they were LAST Sunday. You have NO idea… and there were more this time. Last Sunday I left thinking “Ok there is NO freaking way I will ever have children. And I must have been called into this calling to be sure that I wouldn’t have children anytime soon. Seriously. I mean I know I wasn’t the average “6” year old. But… what the FREAK was last Sunday! Anyway… much better this time. The only issue we had was one boy said he had to go to the bathroom and then got “lost” and never came back. A Girl said she saw him walking around the church building so I had to leave the class while I went to find the “lost” little boy. Who knows if he was really lost, he has shown behaviors like this before. But again – who knows? He might have felt he was lost. Since the bathroom is 4 doors down from our class I am thinking not… but again. The world to a 6 year old. Can be pretty large. I have this idea now where I am going to get a ribbon the length of the class room to the bathroom. I will tie one end to the classroom door handle and the other they can hold onto as they walk to the bathroom. Leaving them a “trail of Bread crumbs” so to speak.

ANYWAY

So my lesson was about “Gratitude” and part of the lesson was to have a pitcher of water (representing blessings we can receive) and an empty glass (representing us).

So we were suppose to say something we are thankful for and pour just a drop of water into the empty glass (they wanted us to use a tablespoon but thought that could potentially cause a mess so we did pouring a drop instead ) and we were suppose to go until the glass was all the way full. The kids had a blast doing it pouring just a little in at a time for everything they were grateful for. When the glass got to the top I took over but they were all excited to see what would happen. I just started naming random things (ie- mom, dad, sisters, brothers, grandmas, prophets, sun, flowers, stars, pretty views, animals, ocean, so forth going along with the things they had been saying) and the cup runneth over. The kids were all excited and screaming laughing having fun as they saw that teh cup had water spilling over the sides. And I actually used one of my pretty blown glasses so it actually did look really cool.... anyway....

But it got me thinking, how their simple gratifications are ones that adults (or *ahem* people like myself who are somewhere in between LOL) take advantage of. Its crazy! And so sad!

So it got me thinking of things I am grateful for and things that just bring plain happiness to my life.

To share a few:

Ice Cream cones

Little Mischief being silly

Lady bugs and rolly pollies

Chilling with some awesome music in the background

Taking pictures

Drinking lemonade

My Hubs actually taking time out to spend with me

Reading in a window sill

Second Saturday

Movies outside

Picnics (I haven’t had one in a really long time *ahem Austin…*)

Singing around a piano with family (or singing karaoke with family/friends- that counts too)

Band-aids

And I could go on.

I remember I had a list a while back – it took up 20 pages or something. It was a fun list. That sadly got stolen.

****

It hit me this morning- after reading a friends blog- that the 4^th is this upcoming Sunday. How on EARTH did it get here so fast! Its crazy!

It got me to thinking, we never sing patriotic songs in church anymore. That seriously bugs me. I didn’t even connect that it was Memorial day a while back for the same reason. I am so proud to be a part of this country that I think we need to take every chance we can get to sing songs of patriotism. Christmas is the end of the month yet we sing Christmas songs all month long in December. So why not the same for showing patriotism?

Songs are so amazingly powerful – or they can be. I don’t see what is so powerful about “sunshine” (Jamie- you know what I am talking about…. Sadly…. And I swear I am not trying to be rude. I am just enjoying my little soap box at the moment- oh and I know that ACTUAL sunshine can be very powerful that isn’t what I am saying….) These beautiful pieces by Bach and Beethoven and so forth that are totally UNKNOWN to people now days. The only reason why I know them is because I have the Grandfather that I do. He is a True musician. Composes and everything. He is utterly amazing. Funny story- he turned a little choir of 30 random farmers from a screetching choir to one of the most prized choirs in northern California. That got up to 50 members. And hearing them – you would think there were 100. The Power and energy you felt from him was amazing.

Vivaldi : Gloria in D was on the radio station last night and I was just moved. It was amazing. And Mr. Austin Jay Bowden just TURNED THE CAR OFF!

He got a look from me and quickly turned it back on.

But seriously. It proves my point. People don’t know how to appreciate the real beautiful classics anymore. They are so moving and powerful they will bring tears to your eyes...

It is so sad. And I think part of the reason is because we are cutting those songs and replacing them with… “sunshine”

*Gag* *Choke* *Wheeze* *Dying*

A good compromise in my opinion would to do both. So everyone is happy. I AM WILLING TO KEEP SINGING THE SUNSHINE ICKY SONGS IF I CAN SING THE GOOD STUFF TOO! (and Austin thinks I am going to get struck by lightning now because of that statement LOL)

…..that reminds me… I need to purchase Pathetique by Beethoven on itunes......

*****

You know that feeling after your teeth get cleaned at the dentist? Its such a nice feeling.

I had a dentist appt today for a cleaning. They reamed on me (ha ha) for still not having gone to the specialist surgeon for a consultation about my wisdom teeth. Gag... I know I have to get in there... but... blah. WHEN! Dang it! I have no time! and arn't people out for like a week or more?? Mine are not going to be simple process.... they are weird. THANKS DADDY! hee hee just kidding. Anyway. Not looking forward to that. But I need to do it soon.

They called this morning asking for me to come in for a sooner appointment- luckily my boss wasn’t in yet so I took an early lunch and got back a few minutes after he got here. So that was nice. My day will go as normal now. Even for a bloody monday.

However, because of that little rearranging in my schedule it did throw off my day a bit. I was suppose to go home and grab something for a friend I am going out with tonight. So.. I will either have to get it to her tomorrow or… find a way to sneak home.

Lunch Breaks are the most amazing thing ever. I would die without them.

***

Don’t you love the feeling of making a new friend? Like the “CLICK” that just happens when you know you have a new friend?

It’s an awesome feeling LOL

I feel I have made some good new friends recently.

And one of them…. Is just amazing. She can do things with Smarties you wouldn’t ever believe possible. I won’t go into details. But she is amazing. And I tried… and… well… lets just say. The smartie thing is her gift and not my own. Haha.

***

I like some weird songs. I was thinking this because Mmmm Mmmm Mmm by crash test dummies just came on (on the playlist below....) and... well.. I like it. But Austin doesn't. He thinks its weird. And... yeah I guess I can see his point LOL

****

I want to make a to do list for the summer. A Friend had one on their blog. Seemed like a good idea.

so for starters.... Thanks for letting me copy you in making a list LOL

here is a starter list for myself.

I would suggest each of you make a list! it is very therapeutic.

Have a Picnic- and maybe take a nap on the picnic blanket after eating.

Play with sparklers (hee hee)

Get an ice cream from an ice cream truck (I have NEVER done that before)

… go camping… gag. That’s to be nice to Austin.

California State Fair with UNLIMITED Ride pass HA HA (I just need someone to go with….)

Get a HUGE corn dog, Fries, and Lemonade from the SF (and run 3 miles the next day to work it off…why can't yummy crappy food be fat free? seriously.)

Go to a lake…

See my Family? Maybe? I mean I want to. but... chances are slim.

Have a “decorating” project….like... make or buy something for the mail. So the cutie Mr Austin has a place to put it all other than on This chair, on that chair, on the couch, on the table, on the island in the kitchen, in a weird pile, or next to a box next to the garbage and then have it all thrown away on accident. :( (yup... it happened...)

Go to spend a weekend with C & P :D :D

Also D & J!! :D

Go to a theme park… D-land…. Magic Mountain (or whatever its called) six flags… something.

Umm…

OH!

Do a Karaoke night with friends! Ha ha

Attend 2^nd Saturday at LEAST 2 times and get the amazing Ice cream sandwich from Ginger Elizabeth.

Go rafting (maybe purchase our own raft WOO WOO that will be the day…)

Do something I wouldn’t have thought I would ever do….

Read my First Reads book that I won and POST A REVIEW! :D

Get into Boxing again. And Actually Train and get good at it.

Make Elote’

Have a Special Dinner Game night for some friends :D

*****

I just started working on a wedding, and this pic of the bride. I don't know why I liked it so much. It is so simple but I did. I really liked it.

I am sharing it with you. REMEMBER I need to open myself and throw myself out there. I am working on it.... slow and steady....

****

This game....age of empires... OMG! My hubby and his brothers are such cute dorks! ha ha Love them!

Austin is "practicing" since Matt is coming to town LOL These boys stay up till literally 5 in the morning playing this game!! its insane.... but HEY what ever keeps em happy!

*****

Ok… well that’s good enough for now

OK! Hope everyone has a great day! :D

Loves to all!

OH PS... here is the song I was refering too.

We used to sing this around the Piano.

Vivaldi Gloria in D.

Beautiful.