Dear Little Ashley

Dear Little Ashley,

I want to give you some advice so when you feel like the world is falling apart around you, you know that thing will in fact get better.  You will go through some tough times fashionably and emotionally, but you will come out of it.  You will think it is cute to have extremely short hair when you hit second grade.  Resist the urge to beg for that haircut.  People will ask your Mom how her two "boys are."  If you must go extremely short with the hair, wait until you have matured and can pull it off without the boyish figure.

You will go through some rough patches where you feel like your Mom and Dad are the meanest people ever.  Every thing your parents will do is because they love you.  Yes, even moving you to a new part of town where you know no one is for the best.  You will reluctantly move, kicking and screaming the whole time protesting that you will never call the new house "home."  It will eventually become home and you will learn to like your new school.  However, there will be some people at your new school who are not nice.  You will get picked on in middle school because you wear nothing but kahki pants for an entire school year.  Don't let those people get you down.  They are using you to mask their own weaknesses and insecurities.  You will meet a boy who is blind and mute.  Be nice to him.  Other kids will pick on him for his handicaps, but he needs you.  Although he cannot see these people or speak to them, he can still hear what they say to, and about, him.  He will show you he appreciates your friendship and although he cannot see you, he will light up when you say his name and talk to him at lunch.

Don't be afraid to branch out and meet new people.  You will have opportunities to travel to new places.  DO IT!  Take the trip to Australia and New Zealand that will be offered.  Not everyone gets a chance to travel half way across the world at the age of 14.  While you're there you will meet some amazing people.  You will develop a crush on one of the boys there with you.  Stay away.  He will tell you he doesn't have a girlfriend.  When you get back home, you will discover the truth and be glad you stayed away.

Speaking of guys, you will meet some interesting ones during high school.  There will be one guy in particular who transfers in half way through your Freshman year.  He will be known as the "kid from Center Grove" and people will be mean to him because of the rivalry between your school and his old one.  Give him a chance.  There will come a point when you become interested in a guy you work with at Munchie's.  You will hang out with him a few times and go to a couple movies with him.  You will soon discover that he wears a special bracelet around his ankle and for what reason.  Be smart enough to walk away.

The summer between your sophomore and junior years of high school will be rough.  Your brother {and consequently most of the people in your group of friends} will be packing and transitioning to college.  You will hate the thought of him being gone, but you will survive.  You don't know it yet, but this will bring you closer together.  When you graduate from high school he will "campaign" for you to go to IU with him.  Don't do it.  Go to a smaller college, more suited for you where you can be your own person.  If you go to IU, you will forever be known as "Ryan's little sister." Learn to be "Ashley."

Once you get to college you will thrive.  You will become a social butterfly.  Be careful.  It will be easy to fall into the wrong crowd.  Your faith, values and morals will be tested by things you see and hear.  Make sure to keep a level head and you'll be okay.  You will go through moments of extreme self consciousness because you're not built like some of the girls you will have classes with.  You will learn that in order to stay on the slimmer side, you will have to work HARD.  You will put hours in at the gym feeling like you're not getting anywhere.  You are.  Keep pushing through the sweat, tears, and pain.  You will develop a love for fitness.  So much that you will change your major to help children develop this love as well.  You will attend many intramural functions, tail gates, and football games.  You will meet a guy who you think is great, but not great enough to mention to your Mom and Dad.  You will go home for a weekend to hang out with high school friends and something magical will happen.  You will see the "kid from Center Grove" in a whole new light.   You will go back to school and tell your "great guy" that it isn't working.

Two weeks later you will get an email from the "kid from Center Grove" asking if you want to try a long distance relationship.  DO IT!  You will find that this is the most caring, loving, genuine guy who loves you for YOU.  He will spend hours on the phone with you, countless nights not going out with the guys so he can talk to you, and hundreds of dollars sending your surprise packages since your schools are 200 miles apart.  A summer will come when he surprises you and proposes marriage.  Say yes.   You will spend your life happier than you've ever been.  It won't be easy, life will throw you curve balls, but it will be worth it.  You will build a life with him and spend hours and hours and hours laughing with him.   He will join the military and be gone for 18 of the hardest months of your life, but know that in the end, it will be worth it.  You will travel together, attend too many weddings to count,  baby showers, sporting events with friends, and live happily ever after.

Your Mom will become one of your best friends.  You won't believe it now, but a day will come when you tell her EVERYTHING.  Your Dad will always have your back, no matter what, and believe it or not, so will Ryan.  He will also get married, but don't worry, you will ADORE her.  You will gain the most awesome group of friends.  Right now, you can't even fathom the closeness your group of friends will have.

So, when life gets hard... stick with it.  I promise, it will be worth it.

Sincerely,
Older Ashley

It's Happening!

R has agreed to do a guest post here!!  He's a little nervous seeing as he's not a pro like Hubby Jack.  So, he said if you all ask questions, he'll answer.  No topic is off limits.  He'll be posting next Monday, so you have until then Sunday night to submit your question.  

In the mean time, I'll be hitting the gym like crazy and doing my best as eating well.  Next week is spring break.  No, we're not going anywhere tropical, but I want to treat is at if I am.  :)

Now, get those questions posted!  

Aaaannndddd.... GO!!

It's The Little Things

Good Thursday to you all!

I just had a teacher I work with ask me a question that made my day... She made it a point to stop, wait for me to finish my conversation with the principal, and asked if I have lost more weight.  Truth is, I have lost maybe two or three pounds, but ever since I have been incorporating more strength training and not focusing so much on cardio only, my body shape is starting to change.  I haven't noticed myself, but it felt great that this teacher noticed.  I am only at this school two days a week and she has a student teacher, so honestly, I haven't seen said teacher for probably three or four weeks.  I guess that's enough to make a difference.  

I was semi stressed out about an event tonight at my other school and tired of handling drama and tattle-tailing all morning, so this definitely made my day.  

Thanks, Mrs. B!  You have no idea how your kind words turned my day around.

Happy Friday Eve, friends!

SWW

Yes, I know I haven't blogged for almost a week.  I have been busy with life and the gym.  

BUT, I can't miss a SWW!  So here we go:

So What...

...if I bought a pair of pants that are a little snug and hung them on my full length mirror.  Those are my motivation!!

...if I'm ready for spring break! 

...if I am totally excited for the weekend away R and I have planned for spring break. 

...if my legs are killing from squats and lunges.  Hurts so good!

...if I'm obsessed with the CD my girl, Kimmy, sent!  It's my favorite!!

...if I'm putting my foot down about planning two field day's this year.  I did that last year.  My co-teacher can do one of them.

...if I'm totally excited that my best friend announced to the world {Facebook} today that she's pregnant!!!

...if I'm pumped to get to the gym and pump some iron!

...if I'm ready for FRIDAY!!!

SWW on a Thursday

So, I wrote this yesterday, but forgot to post it.  Sue me.

Lucky for you, you're getting my So What Wednesday on this glorious Thursday.

Today, I'm saying SO WHAT IF.....

...Friday's diet will consist of mostly cheese.  Cleanse OUT.  {Guess I better get more of that fiver drink.}

...I cancelled the order I placed yesterday for a Garmin Forerunner 405.  I did some research and discovered it has been discontinued by Garmin for not working properly.  Ain't nobody got time for that!

...R had to get a new phone because he dropped his in the toilet.  -- Wait, I definitely wasn't saying "so what" the day that happened.

...I'm completely geeked for my StL trip in June!  It's consuming my thoughts, people!

...Fenway has a cyst on his tail. - At least it's nothing serious.

...I'm ready for warmer weather.  This girl is tired of running inside!!

...I almost had a panic attack getting rid of some of the shoes I don't wear anymore.  I always get that "what if..." when I do this process.

...I wrote a huge check today and paid down some debt.  Small steps.  Making progress.

...We are getting all decked out in green and participating in the towns shortest parade on Sunday.  It's a blast!

Tuesday Truths

- I NEED CHEESE!

-I picked up a fresh dog turd this morning - on purpose.

-I wish money grew on trees.

-June 21st is going to be an epic weekend.

-I am 4 pounds away from my Operation Red Bikini goal.  Holla!

-I've discovered a lump on Fenway's tail. I'm worried.

-I am determined to find mint jeans.

-The IRS says we didn't file our state taxes last year.  According to my checkbook {and accountant} we did.

-I'm loving the mint color trend going on right now.

-I'm not loving the high waisted jean trend going on.  Can we say "Mom jeans".

-29 students in one class is too many.

-I have a love of cute owl decorations.

-In 108 days R and I are going on vacation with my family for the fist time ever.  I can't wait!

Finish The Sentence

It's Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm late to the game, but today I'm linking up with my amazing {and soon to be real life} friend, Holly for some sentence finishers.  

So... here we go.....

1. People always tell me.... I'm hilarious!  -- Oh wait, no they don't. But they should!  It's all laughs around here.  Especially when my best mate and I get together.  Our husbands spend the entire time rolling in laughter {Well, not really, but they should.  We're funny!} 

2. In the movie based on my life...I would have the staring role -- and Channing Tatum would play the part of R.  Not because R isn't a catch, but because he definitely is and I certainly wouldn't want other ladies checking out my guy.  {That's my story and I'm sticking to it.}

3. Typically, I end up regretting....the nights I feed R a dinner full of fiber.  {Note to self, don't move covers when rolling over on these nights.....}

4. I always ask to leave off the....pickles!  YUCK!

5. Kim and Kanye really... Need to get some clothes that fit the body Kim is currently rocking.  I saw some pictures in the gossip magazines that were not very appealing. 

6. My Parents always reminded me... to wear clean underwear.  You never know when you'll get in a wreck and someone sees your skivvies.  {Although if the wreck is bad enough for my skivvies to be seen, I'm thinking regardless of how clean they were at the start of my journey, at that point I will, at a minimum, have crapped my pants.}

 

7. Every single day I..... poop.

8. This one time in College... we celebrated the end of finals week with shots of tequila and cheetos.  Not a good combination.

9. My grossest habit is... drying my toothbrush off on the hand towel in our bathroom. {It would totally gross me out if R did this, but somehow since it's my toothbrush, it's okay.}

10. My latest white lie was... telling one of my students I enjoyed watching her wiggle her first loose tooth.  {Loose teeth really creep me out, but the kids get so excited about them.}

 

11. I know all the words to... Love Roller Coaster by Urban Legends

12. When I grow up... Yea, about that.  Not likely it's going to happen anytime soon.  

13. Sexy time is...too much vanilla not enough cayenne.

14. I will never, ever... live in Michigan again.  Sorry for all of you MI peeps.  Been there, done that, hated it.

15. I think it's hilarious... Oh goodness, where to start.  Usually if it's something inappropriate to laugh at, I'm more than likely {trying} to choke back a laugh.  You know, someone falls, a guy gets hit in the balls... stuff like that. 

Dead Batteries...

Hey girls, hey!

It's Monday, which is good enough reason to recap the weekend.

Friday, R had to go to Indianapolis for work and I headed out to celebrate my good friend, Kenny's birthday.  We ate at my favorite restaurant and then the plan was to go back to the home of one of the people out with us.  I knew I had an early morning on Saturday and didn't feel like driving out to the northeast side of town, just to come back to the southwest side a couple hours later {long story short... I went home}.

Middle of the night on Friday, I woke up with an upset stomach.  I couldn't decide if I was hungry or not feeling well.  So I tried ignoring it and attempted to sleep some more.

By Saturday morning, I was on and off the toilet every hour {I know... gross}.  I went to referee my last round of Upwards basketball games, still not feeling great, but thinking I just needed to eat something.   Not the case.  All Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, I was on and off the toilet.  

Ugh.

Not. Fun.

This morning I felt slightly better {as long as there wasn't food in me}.  Then I went to leave for school and my car wouldn't start.  

Great.

I knew I needed gas, but I didn't think I was THAT low.  R was nice enough to go get a gallon of gas in the mower gas tank and put it in my car, but that didn't help.  So we hooked my car up to a battery charger.  Thankfully, my car started and I made it to the gas station {where I pumped my gas while the car ran because I was too afraid to turn the car off} and then to school.  I just went out and started my car at lunch - it started without any problems, but I'll be off to Hire's Auto after school to have my battery checked.  Fingers crossed it isn't anything more serious.  As of today, my car is paid off.  It sure would be nice to go without any car payment for a while.

On top of all that.... today is day 1 of my Advocare 10 Day Cleanse.  I've done this before and gotten good results.  I'm doing it again because, lately, my eating has been horrid!  Today's food is as follows:

7:30 - spark (mang strawberry)

9:30 (due to the car issues my breakfast was late) - fiber drink and Meal Replacement Shake (berry)

Noon - Dole Southwest Salad Kit (minus the cheese and sour cream

2:00 - raspberries

5:30 - baked chicken and steamed veggies

9:00 - Herbal Cleanse vitamins

With TONS of water all day long.

So far, everything I have eaten today is staying in.  My stomach doesn't feel great when there is food in it, but the food is staying in, so I'll count that as a win.

Cheers to a better start to my day tomorrow!!!